Beginning of the End [For ofthecubs]

[thecutdiamond]

She's been a Four of Clubs for almost a year, and it's been good. She'd like to be higher, really, but something's been holding her back in the two and almost a half years since she started Challenging. So she settles instead for her thus far careful rise up, one Rank at a time and making sure she doesn't go down any.

Which is what she's going to need to do, today. The man Challenging her is just a little older; probably what prompted him to pick her and pick knives. 

They agree to fight to third blood. Are refereed by a neutral Five and watched by friends, family, and other interested parties. Caleb's still not there, but she's outgrown expecting he'd bother to show.

It takes time for it to build. They circle each other for a while, eyes flickering between holding one another's gaze and at the knives in each of their hands. But when it finally begins, it begins hard and fast, blades flying. He's good, better than she may have anticipated. 

She's better.

She gets first blood, a gash to his shoulder. It makes him angry, makes his movements more violent-- more uncontrolled, too, but she isn't always fast enough to dodge him. His first blood cuts into her thigh, and she retaliates with her second to his own. For a little while longer they're at an impasse, blocking one another's every move.

Except then he tries throwing a knife at her head-- against the rules, the referee leaps to his feet instantly-- but before he can stop them and while she's trying to twist away he gets his other one into her side. She can tell it's bad by the blinding pain, but gets a surge of adrenaline almost instantly, fighting away from the blade.

Somehow, just a moment later, she finds herself with one knife pressed against his chest and the other at his throat, both blades held down just enough to get beads of blood rising. It's enough to count for third blood, she thinks. Especially since he cheated.

"Concede." she says, her voice surprising her with how cold and sharp it is. Carlos hesitates just a moment, empty hands twitching like they want to strike out. She presses her knife at his throat a little harder. 

"Concede." The world is starting to go sideways. She tastes something coppery in her mouth. But her hands aren't trembling.

Everything is quiet. The Five is standing close, watching the both of them, ready to intervene. Carlos holds her gaze, rage burning in his eyes, before his hands lift in surrender.

"I concede," he spits.

For a moment, something dark and ugly in her is tempted to slash the knife against his throat. It's gone quickly, and she lowers her blades, cleans them sparingly against the less bloodied part of her shirt before replacing them. "Good."

She manages to walk out of the ring under her own power before her legs start giving out from under her.