Damu did manage to see the man step onto the stage but the very next instant, the cloaked man's figure blurred and the next thing he saw was a fist approaching his stomach. Instinctually, he sucked his stomach inside and put his arms forward to block him. A *crack* reverberated throughout the colosseum and silence spread with no sound other than it echoing....
The crowd erupted into cheers.
Damu's mind was clouded with the most intense pain he had ever experienced. The sheer force from that punch sent him flying into the wired cage, piercing his back through the now bloody tunic. An ugly screech escaped his mouth. The pain overwhelmed his conscious leaving no space for other thoughts. The only thing he could make out from his sight was the harrowing appearance of his arms, the two bones protruding from his skin in his left arm and the ulna from his right.
Although his face was not visible, the opponent seemed to enjoy the ghastly expression on Damu's face which was now smeared by blood.
The thoughts of a fair fight had left Damu's mind the instance the punch connected. Having never met or even witnessed a ranker in flesh, he could never have foreseen such a painful outcome. The only thing Damu could wish for was a quick and painless death which he knew the opponent wasn't going to grant.
Damu could not move an inch since the wires were piercing his back. The hooded man held Damu by his neck and used his strength to push him up, using the metal wiring as a grate. Agonized wails resounded and yet all the faces had vile expressions of satiation. The opponent dropped Damu down and proceeded to kick him repeatedly on his torso. Damu's continuous screams turned into yelps and these then turned to whimpers.
Dried chunks of flesh could be seen, bathing in a pool of blood , which was starting to dry up now, fallen outside the wired cage and the fountains of blood flowing from Damu's body were now merely trickles. Having gone through this, Damu's senses were dying and so was he. What were a mere 10 minutes seemed to be decades. His vision blurry, Damu tried to lift his hands but they were limp by now.
Being a defiant one since childhood, he didn't want to leave them feeling satisfied. Hence he summoned all his energy to slowly shift his head up. He attempted to muster up a smirk but with the amount of energy he had, a weak shaky curve appeared on his face smeared with blood and tears. Feeling slightly dejected, he decided to go for his final attempt at as soft whisper escaped Damu's mouth.
"You done yet?"
Damu felt depressed for a reason he couldn't remember, and yet he knew it was something that had to do with his parents.
'I'm sorry mom and dad, I just can't remember our promise.'
The man felt uncomfortable with the random utterance and proceeded to increase the power in his last kick to finally end things.
Almost as though his very existence was fading, Damu felt lighter than he ever had. He didn't know how to explain it but he felt as though his burdens, pains and worries were fleeting.
Damu's head fell into the pool of blood and the last thing he saw was his disappearing leg.
The hooded man decided to finally put an end to it and aimed for the spot where Damu's head was but the body which was supposed to be there, just.. wasn't there? The kick ended up connecting with the wired cage with new blood now dripping.
The whole colosseum was left dumbfounded, the hooded man included. The bug was present there just a moment ago. Someone so battered couldn't have disappeared into thin air just like that, right?.. Right?