Fight Against Fate: Chapter 15

Alec tore through a hunk of bread. It was warm against his lips and he chewed angrily adrenaline still running through his veins. He glanced at Lee who was also eating bread along with him and then drowning it down with some cool water. With the semifinals locked down food and drink were offered up to those who had fought previously as well as those remaining.

Dio chose not to partake in this and neither did his opponent, a thin shirtless man covered in tattoos. For as much as Alec and the rest could tell he wasn’t armed with anything except his fists. But Alec had no doubt that he was going to lose.

Before he had gone up to take his match, Dio had come to the three of them. He had cooled off from his battle with Lee and was back to the calm soldier he had always been. That didn’t stop Felix and Lee from both tensing. But when he spoke to Alec there was something behind his measured words and calm tone.

“That was quite a speech Alec. I’ll look forward to facing you in the finals. Make sure to keep that fire for our fight. Or else this entire thing won’t be any fun.”

Alec didn’t have a response for him then but just hearing that from Dio had made him excited. He was ready to face him. Ready to see him in the finals. Ready to face Dio again after all these years for real and win.

Felix had watched the pair of them throughout it and he felt the tension between them. More than that he knew the origin of it. He knew where it came from and he knew that it needed to be settled by them. He squeezed Alec’s shoulder and he looked down at him, “I know you’re fired up but don’t get ahead of yourself. You still have to make it through Rosa.”

“I know,” Alec finished his bread wiping his hands on his pants and pulled his sword, sheathe and shield up and rest them against his lap. The sword had its notches that were going to need to be grinded out and the shield was dented here and there. But they would carry him to victory. “I’m ready. Readier than I was even at the beginning of the tournament.”

He looked back at Felix and Felix’s eyes widened at his friend. The confidence in his eyes and the wide smile on his face made Felix chuckle, “Yeah you are. Haven’t seen that look on your face since we were kids. But after all this talk you better win this whole thing.”

“Hell yeah I am,” he stood up shifting the shield over his arm and fastened the sheathe around his waist. He turned to face Felix and smiled warmly taking one of his hands, “I couldn’t have gotten this far without you.

Felix’s eyes widened and his face warmed slightly but he looked away quickly. “Just get out there and get to the finals.” They both looked at the arena and Dio was leaving. His opponent had to be helped to his feet but the winner was clear.

Lee pointed at Dio and they all followed his gaze as Rosa walked toward him and Dio stopped. They said something to one another and none of them could hear it but whatever Dio said pissed her off because she was stomping her way to the arena assembling her glaive. Alec joined her in the arena slowly swinging his sword and shield forward and clanging them together.

“You are Alec,” she said narrowing her eyes and turned readied the glaive. “I’ve seen you fight. Watched you carry yourselves. I would not have thought you one to be this close to the finals.”

“I can’t tell if that’s a compliment or not,” Alec took a step back and raised his sword and shield.

She shook her head rotating around the arena slowly as he did the same. “I heard your speech and I sympathize with your situation.”

“You’re a fateless too?”

“No but I too desperately wish to prove myself to those who have written me off,” she said softly. “I won’t be holding back against you.”

Alec just smirked and sprinted forward. He jumped shield first and heard her glaive clang against it first. Lowering his shield, he thrust with the sword but got punched in the face instead. Dazed he stumbled backwards and watched as her glaive came thrusting forward. Hopping backwards he avoided the first thrust and deflected the next two with his shield.

That just invited himself to a swift punch to the jaw again. She swung again and this one he blocked it with his shield. Swinging the sword back at her she blocked with the shaft of her glaive. Grasping it with both hands she drove the weapon back against his throat and almost lifted him off the ground.

She kneed him in the chest and headbutt him back to the ground. He was knocked down for a few moments and groaned. Stabbing his sword into the ground he pushed himself back to his feet. “Okay. Ow.”

“Is that all you can muster?” she asked scowling. “I was expecting a match that would be satisfying. But this is boring.” She stomped forward tossing the glaive to her other hand and spun it around ready. Alec ran forward and swung his sword and she deflected the first blow and ducked under the other shouldering him back.

She lunged at him with the glaive and he turned bringing his sword down to block. He managed to deflect the blow but he heard the sharp snap and watched the top half of his sword fly away. Before he could respond she kneed him in the chest lifting him off the ground and sending him rolling backwards.

Rosa approached, “Your sword is broken and you’re predictable.”

Alec looked at his broken sword shocked and back at Rosa. She was approaching slowly turning the glaive in her hands. “You can still win this Alec!” he looked at Felix as he shouted toward him. “Think outside the box!”

“Outside the box?” Glancing at his broken sword and his shield he started nodding slowly as an idea came to mind. Taking a deep breath Alec spread his arms and unfastened the shield from his arm and held his sword out like a spear, “Okay. Let’s try this.”

He sprinted at her holding both shield and sword like a pair of joined weapons. He watched her face morph into surprise and threw the shield at her. Eyes wide she spun the glaive and swatted it aside. Alec came in behind the shield and she spun swinging it at his head.

He dropped to his knees, sliding forward and going underneath it. Popping back to his feet he jumped raising the sword and kept his palm against the edge, the broken part pressed against her throat. She was stunned and looked down at him. His chest was heaving and he smirked, winking up at her.

“How’s that for thinking outside the box?”