RE:volt! Chapter 21: Be my Squire.
Nursing his swollen eye, Ark ate his ration in silence, occasionally getting angry glares from the red-haired boy known as Thirty-Three from across the sand pit.
Thirty-Three and Thirty-Four. The numbers of the brother and sister.
"Feeling better?" Irelix asked, materializing beside him, no one raising an alarm to the presence of a grown woman suddenly standing in their midst.
A little bit. Ark replied, returning Thirty-Three's gaze as Thirty-Four smiled.
"Wow! You're a good fighter!" Nine exclaimed, appearing beside Ark and poking him in the cheek, the only one with the courage to sit around him.
"Great…" Ark muttered.
"Oh don't be so glum!" Nine exclaimed. "You're awesome! No one has beat up Thirty-Three like that before!"
At Nine's words the boy got up.
Great. Here we go. Ark said to himself, eyeing the crowd of thralls looking at him.
"You got lucky." Thirty-Three spat. "A cheap shot."
"Still beat your ass." Ark shot back, intentionally antagonizing him.
The boy's swollen eye twitched.
Come on, throw a punch.
The teens hand balled, his eyes widening, yet just before a fight could escalate, Thirty-Four reached out, placing a hand on her brother's shoulder.
"He's right, you lost. Don't be sore about it." The girl said, her brown eyes looking directly at Ark before she whispered something in her brother's ear.
"Tsk."The teen let out before walking off.
"On your feet! ON YOUR FEET!" A helper yelled, followed by every slave within the training area rising to attention and quickly forming up into orderly lines.
The clinking of Bruno's armor announced his presence before the man entered into the arena. He gestured to a helper who immediately picked up the basket filled with rocks and began passing out numbered stones.
Ark reached into the basket and pulled out a stone.
Three.
Ark took a breath, standing to the side when all stones were passed out and the kids began to get called up to fight.
Thirty-Four passed by Ark, the redhead's eyes focusing on the number on his stone. Seeing the number, she walked through the crowd of observing slaves, ignoring the spectacle until she found a boy who had the number three as his own stone.
Of course her actions weren't unnoticed by Ark. But he said nothing, his eyes focused on the two kids in the arena attempting to kill one another before they were stopped by Bruno with the man going on another one of his rants.
Then Ark was called up.
Unsurprisingly, his opponent was Thirty-Four, the teen girl having forced another kid to trade stones with her.
The pair eyed one another.
Observing her up close, Thirty-Four was muscular, a head taller than him with her tanned skin covered in scars and scrapes along with bruises on her hands that she lifted into a ready stance.
Seems like she's taking me seriously. Ark said to himself, eyeing her posture.
"BEGIN!" Bruno barked.
Like with Thirty-Three, Ark waited, observing his opponent, keeping his distance until he formulated a plan of attack.
The two began to circle each other, neither making a move. She had seen how he'd handle her brother, learning from his loss and being cautious against Ark. Not underestimating him despite his size and age.
Bruno sat up, leaning forward to eye the spectacle with anticipation.
Who would make the first move? A thought that went through several slaves' minds. On any other day they would have voted for Thirty-Four, but the boy had taken her brother down, a teenager that was taller and stronger.
Racing forward, Ark took the initiative, avoiding a jab by the girl as he closed the distance. He spun into the dirt, her fist sailing past his head before he hit the ground and reached out, striking at the back of her left knee before pulling her right ankle.
The action unbalanced the girl, sending her sprawling into the dirt.
Immediately Ark attempted to crawl on her body, yet the petite girl was swift and spun, using her superior strength and heel to push Ark back and then kick him in the chest.
He sprawled back, expertly rolling backwards and allowing the momentum to place him on his feet.
Thirty-Four got off the ground, narrowing her eyes at Ark before racing forward.
It was her turn to attack.
Jab after jab, her hands raised with her body tucked in to keep her mass centered. She was playing it safe, relying on jabs aimed at Ark's head for offense.
Ark dodged left and right, expertly avoiding the attacks and mirroring Thirty-Four's defensive posture.
She raised her brow, backing off for a moment, the gears in her head obviously turning from Ark's point of view.
Thirty-Four shifted her body, telltale signs of a kick that Ark ducked under and charged, placing himself between her upright leg to lift her off the ground using his momentum before slamming her into the dirt.
Immediately she lifted her leg, attempting to strike the boy between her thighs with her heel. Ark wouldn't allow that, he raised his fist, delivering a haymaker into the girl's stomach with enough force even a grown man would buckle.
"GAH!" Thirty-Four let out before she vomited, her muscles involuntarily contracting and causing her to throw up.
Ark climbed up her, pressing the attack. He pushed her head to the side, lifting his fist to strike when-
"Enough!" Bruno called out, the man clapping his hands as he approached the pair and Ark stood up to the sight of shocked expressions.
Ark had single handedly beat the alphas of their cadre.
Thirty-Four dry heaved before spitting into the dirt, glaring angrily at her green barf before her eyes settled on Ark's outstretched hand.
The girl reluctantly took it as Bruno towered over Ark, a strange look in his eyes.
"Diamond." Bruno's face displaying a wolfish smile. "I've got an actual fucking diamond."
The man reached out, patting Ark on the head before he kneeled down.
"How would you like to be my squire?"
Ark blinked.
What?