9:00 AM - Before the Fight
"Oyy girl, your match is today, so be at the battlefield by 9:00 sharp!" A soldier's rough voice came from outside my cell.
I was doing my usual training — push-ups, knife work, shadow combat.
Looks like some lustful worshiper has come to fight me again. Or maybe the VIPs have chosen another fighter to make me fight. I just hope I don't have to kill him.
I paused and sat down holding my head. This same cycle — every week a new fighter — same pathetic looks, same dirty intentions.
How long am I going to stay here? I'm tired.
But being tired is a luxury. Here there are only two options — fight or die. And I chose to fight.
Twenty-three men. Twenty-three kills.
I remember every face. Every last breath. Some begged. Some cursed. Some tried to negotiate mid-fight. Few I even left alive.
**Journey to the Battlefield**
I was walking through the corridor towards the battlefield. Guards were with me, but I didn't feel their presence. I'm used to this now.
Just as I was reaching the entrance, I saw Viper coming back. She was walking with that calculated stride — like a predator who just finished hunting.
"Shira, The Queen of Blades," Viper said with that sly smile.
"You look very confident. Like you want to finish your opponent as soon as possible."
I said nothing. Showing confidence is weakness. Overconfidence is suicide.
Viper continued, "I'd just say, this time you should fight with a little more focus. It will be better for you."
What?
I was a little shocked. No one had ever told me to fight carefully before. Viper has seen me fight. She knows what I'm capable of.
But I ignored her and entered the battlefield.
And then I saw him.
"THE SILENT" (Garrett)
Standing in the center, completely still. No nervous energy. No excitement. No fear.
Just… quiet analysis.
He doesn't look like the others. He's not shocked to see me. It just feels like he's analyzing me.
His eyes aren't scanning my body like the others do. They're studying my stance. My weapons. My movement patterns.
This is different.
**The Fight Begins**
Horn sounds.
I thought I would finish this fight quickly. But it looks like that's not going to happen.
I launched a fast and deadly combo with my twin daggers. He blocked efficiently.
He's blocking every attack of mine very well.
I stepped back and reassessed. Most fighters panic after my opening combination. This one barely blinks.
I tried to catch the blade-light in his eyes to scare him psychologically.
"Too slow, Silent One!" I taunted.
Now I will keep attacking him so his stamina runs out quickly.
But something strange happened. Instead of wearing him down, we started fighting equally. His sword work improved with every exchange. Like he's learning from me mid-combat.
What is happening? He's fighting me on equal footing. Looks like I'm starting to get tired too. This isn't going to be easy.
I'm breathing harder now. This isn't supposed to happen. I have years of experience. I've killed many men. This should be over by now.
I need to attack his weak spot.
But then I noticed something else. Something that disturbed me more than his fighting skills.
I'm feeling something strange. Like he's just calculating me. He's not looking at me with lust.
This was my biggest weapon. My greatest advantage. Men get distracted by my body, by fantasies of what they'll do after they win. Their focus splits between fighting and lusting.
But not this one.
His eyes never leave my weapons. Never stray to inappropriate places. He's treating me like a genuine threat, not an object.
And then he speaks:
"Alright, let's end this fight here — come with me to a private room, I have some important things to discuss with you."
WHAT?
I know what you want to discuss. So this was your plan? To act nice in front of me and trap me in your web? I hate people like you.
My grip tightens on my daggers. Rage starts building.
I need to say something good quickly. Hope my tongue doesn't slip.
"After everything I've survived, you think pretty words will work on me?" I snarled.
I've spoken so little here for 2 years that now I mess up long sentences. That's fine.
Now I won't spare him. He's like all those lusty men. Now die.
**The Trap Springs**
Now I have to finish him quickly with my final move. I have to hit his leg. Fake left and real right.
I executed the combination perfectly. He did exactly what I predicted — dodged left, moved deeper right.
There he goes.
I struck his leg directly. He stumbled, balance gone.
This is the right time. Now I just have to attack his throat. His chances of escaping are zero now.
I leapt forward, both daggers aimed at his throat. This is my finishing move. The same move with which I have killed many men and defeated them.
But then something happened that I never expected.
He grabbed my dagger with his left hand. The sharp side. The side that can cut through bone.
First of all — how did he catch the dagger so fast? I calculated his speed. He couldn't have caught the dagger so quickly!
And he's gripping the blade itself, not the handle. Blood is flowing freely, but his grip is iron-strong.
Who is this? How is he so strong? And how did he get such speed?
The crowd went silent. Even Commander Voss leaned forward.
No, I lost my focus. He took advantage of that.
He attacked my other dagger with his sword. The force knocked it from my grip.
No! My dagger slipped from my hand. This is exactly like that day.
**Flashback**
This has happened to me before.
Two years ago. My first fight here.
I met a girl — "Haru." She became my friend quickly. She explained to me the rules here and how to survive. I never thought I could have a friend even in a place like this.
Haru was different. Kind. In a place like this, finding someone like Haru was bigger than winning any lottery.
She was an excellent fighter. Maybe even better than me. And so kind that it hurt to watch her in this place.
Haru gave me hope. She made a plan — an escape plan. We were going to get out together.
But during my first fight...
I was facing a giant. Much bigger than me in size, with raw strength that I couldn't match. He dislocated my left arm. One of my daggers fell from my grip.
I almost gave up.
He was approaching me with those disgusting eyes, looking at me like I was already his prize.
Is he even human?
That's when Haru did something she shouldn't have.
She attacked the giant from behind. Threw her spare dagger.
The entire crowd went into shock. She had broken a major rule — interfering in someone else's fight.
But for me.
"Haru, no!" I tried to stop her.
But she attacked the giant again, trying to save me.
As she was running toward him, soldiers surrounded her. Almost 10 spears pointed at her.
She said to me while the spears hadn't hit her yet: "You stay in your place, I will handle this Shira, or else these people will kill you."
I ran toward her. "Don't come here, run away! They will kill you too. You have to survive and we have to carry on our plan!"
And then... those soldiers threw 10 spears at her.
But I didn't listen to her. I ran towards her. Soldiers started coming towards me too.
That's when a VIP from the crowd spoke: "We shouldn't kill her (Shira). Rather, her coming has made this fight more interesting. We should let her fight."
Another VIP agreed: "Yes, he's right. Now that her friend is dead, rage will come inside her. The fight will be more interesting. Keep her going."
One more VIP said: "This will be a lot of fun and we will get our money too."
Haru... Haru?
I looked. Haru was gone.They took her body.
What kind of place is this? I can't even believe these people are human.
I started crying. Made a promise to myself: I will destroy this place.
On top of that, Commander Voss gave permission for this.
A soldier grabbed me and forced me to fight in front of him.
That giant started coming towards me again. What can I do now ?
**TO BE CONTINUED**