Chapter Fifty – Final Hold

  The Magistrate Malcon Crewel floated in the air next to the number fifteen, which burned brightly in the shadows of the canopy. The evening was unbearably hot, and though everyone else was sweating, Crewel seemed very comfortable in his impeccably clean uniform.

  Gray stood with his squad, behind the red ribbon, at the opposite end of the field from the dais, which was lit up with mana-infused torches at the corners of the square dais.

  Crewel settled at the top, holding an oblong ball that glowed with a buttery light. “This is Final Hold. The rules are simple. The squad that holds the ball that longest wins. Points double if you can hold the ball on the dais. But the real points are at the end, the last thirty seconds, when everything can change. Hold the ball on the steps of the dais and get triple points. Hold it on the very top and get quadruple points. Hold it anywhere else and you get nothing. It’s winner take all.”

  Rynn turned and gave Gray a smile.

  He wasn’t sure he liked all that confidence. This was going to be a bloody game, the most violent of the day. Whoever had the ball would suffer.

  Settie wasn’t with them for the start—she was with the other sponsors in seats directly behind the dais. Gray had the grim thought that not a few of them would be splattered with blood before the night was over.

  Crewel led the crowd in the chant of the Testing, and then the audience howled.

  Gray would never get used to the sound of that collective bloodlust.

  Crewel raised the ball. “Recruits! This is your final chance to shine. This is your final chance to prove you are worthy of continuing the Testing. This is Final Hold. Take hold of your magic and trust in the strength of your squad. Begin!”

  He hurled the ball through the air, and Tomi took a step, but Gray caught her arm. “Not yet.”

  There was a flash of fire as the ball exploded into flames.

  “For the love of frycake,” Midj gasped. “The captain never said the ball would be on fire.”

  Gray suddenly found a loathing for Crewel and First Field that surprised him. Of course, there would be a price to win and that price would be paid in pain.

  Blythe—as a dragon—soared and caught the ball, grimacing as she suffered. Most likely, she was channeling mana into her hands to shield herself some but as a neophyte, however skilled, she simply wasn’t powerful enough to protect herself fully.

  Crewel’s voice exploded through the hair. “Squad 49 gets first points!” New numbers made of flame appeared above the dais—Squad 49 and their points for holding onto the burning ball.

  Pinch and her team of fae converged on the dragon, and it wasn’t long before the fairy squad started getting points for holding the ball. Cat people leapt to try and get the ball from them, but the fae managed to dodge the beastkins’s claws. Pinch and her squad flew down to the dais to start doubling their tally, but that was where the other squads had converged, battling it out to try and get to the top. It was clear that most of the squads were trying to lay siege to the dais and hold their position until the final seconds.

  Spellfire erupted, fists were thrown, and there was the howl of beastkin as they engaged the orcs in a brawl for the dais.

  Gray led his squad in a light jog to the front of the dais. They didn’t engage, not yet. Other squads were also as wary, since they too were waiting for the final seconds. Gray, though, wasn’t going to get culled. They had to at least touch that ball for at least a second to get a single point.

  One of the fae screamed in pain, holding the burning ball, ducking and dodging punches. Pinch’s squad was getting double points, but only for a brief time because Freek’s team soon wrestled it away. Freek himself tucked it under his arm, as his team converged around him, to protect him. The dwarves broke through the orc defenses, one grabbed the ball, and the dwarves were on the board.

  But a second later, the big orc girl in Froggy’s team ripped the ball away, and Froggy took it, running from the dais, running across the field with surprising speed. She was fueling every step with mana. Sure, her team wouldn’t get the double points, but she had an open field, and every second increased her score. It was a daring gambit.

  “After her!” Gray shouted. “This is our chance.”

  Rynn didn’t pause. She bolted after Froggy, who was running so fast her feet were throwing up chunks of grass as she sped toward the other end of the field.

  Midj was right behind her, growing thinner with every step. It was a huge use of mana, but they needed to get that ball.

  Gray was right behind the goblin girl when Rynn tackled Froggy. The ball went rolling across the grass, and some patches caught fire. How hot was that ball? Blisters covered Froggy’s hands, and the smell of burning hair hung in the air.

  Midj went for the ball but never got the chance. Blythe scooped it up, alone for now, and pushing her score higher. Squad 49 was still behind Pinch’s squad but not by much. Those two teams were by far in the lead.

  “Tomi! Now!” Gray shouted. He hated that the cat girl was about to get hurt, but there was not help for it.

  Tomi shifted into full cat girl form, and with her powerful legs coiled under her, sprang high into the air. She snatched the ball out of Blythe’s claws with surprising agility. The dexterity didn’t end there. She leapt off the dragon girl’s back and then onto the side of the stands. She held the burning ball in one hand and clung to the side with the other.

  Gray glanced at the scoring flames above the dais. His squad had points. They weren’t going to get culled.

  Tomi screamed in pain, and the stink of her hair burning was awful. One cat man leapt up and tried to get her, but Tomi easily dodged him. He landed on the ground and leapt again, but Blythe knocked him out of the air as she went for Tomi.

  The cat man fell to the ground in a pile of broken bones. He was still breathing, but barely. A dog woman ran across the field to heal him.

  Meanwhile, Blythe bashed into the stands, breaking wood, to try and rip the ball out of Tomi’s hands. People in the stands scattered, crying out in alarm, as the rest of the arena thundered with approving applause.

  Tomi and Blythe played a dangerous game, the dragon slashing at the cat girl as Tomi leapt again and again. She couldn’t go into the stands, that would be out of bounds, but clinging to the sides was acceptable.

  She continued to rack up points for them, but the fae were still in the lead. Pinch and two of her squad mates were at the top of the dais, savagely fighting off other squads who were trying to get to the top. The four other fairies joined Blythe in trying to get the ball away from Tomi, who eventually was overwhelmed.

  Tomi dropped the ball and then fell to the field. She crumpled into a heap.

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  Rynn took a step toward her, worry on her face.

  Gray felt like he’d failed Tomi. He’d promised no one would have to sacrifice themselves, and yet, Tomi had done just that, pushing herself to edge and beyond.

  Had he used her to win? Was it like with Carter?

  No. Tomi was alive. She’d chosen to burn herself to give them as many points as possible. It was totally different. And yet, he still felt guilty.

  Gray forced himself to stop thinking. He grabbed Rynn’s arm. “Tomi did her job. We’re not going to get culled thanks to her. But now it’s up to us to win.”

  Ames sprinted toward the cat girl, tears streaming down her face. She turned to give Gray a long look, pleading with him. Somehow, that strange dark elf knew what he was planning to do, and she also knew how dangerous it was. Then she reached Tomi, who was weeping in pain at the terrible burns covering her hands. She had turned back into her human form but that didn’t help.

  The timer ticked down, and they only had five minutes left. It was like an eternity had past.

  “Back to the dais!” Gray shouted.

  “There’s only three of us,” Midj complained. “Don’t see how we can—”

  One of the Fae wrestled the ball away from Blythe, and he threw it with a mighty hurl across the field and right into Pinch’s hands. Another Fae was there, healing her as she burned. The fae ruled the top of the dais, surrounded by the broken bodies of those who dared challenge their claim.

  For a second, he caught Pinch’s eye. She smiled at him. It wasn’t a smug smile—there was no cruelty there. Was it relief? Was it pride? Was it challenge?

  Gray didn’t know, but it was clear, Pinch might’ve been paid to cause trouble at First Field but she also wanted to win.

  Gray grabbed Midj and Rynn by their arms. “Now or never!”

  “It’s now!” Rynn screamed.

  Blythe streaked like an arrow through the sky. She slammed into the top of the dais, breaking bones, but winning the ball from Pinch. Blythe tried to fly away but three other beastkin leapt into the air and pulled her down. Blythe only had the ball for a few moments because a second later, she turned human. She not only had a broken shoulder—one arm hung limp—she was out of mana completely. She screamed in pain and frustration as the beastkin grabbed the ball, and then they were swamped by other recruits, all on the dais.

  Pinch was fighting the hardest to get the ball back, and she started tossing other recruits left and right. The field was strewn with the bodies of the fallen, some bleeding and weeping, others unconscious. Healers scurried from one body to the other, trying to get their squads on their feet. A shocking number of teams hadn’t scored a single point.

  It was pandemonium.

  Midj led the way across the field, burning mana, growing thinner. “Follow me, then. If we’re going to win this thing, we better get to it.”

  “Damn straight, Miss Munch.” Gray fell in behind her. “Winner gets frycake.”

  Midj threw him a sweaty smile. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

  “I’ll buy you as much frycake as you want. But you have to tell me where the gods damn shop is.”

  “Not a shop, nully. It’s a stand.”

  “Focus!” Rynn roared.

  Gray found Rynn and Midj’s cores, easily, and gave them mana for the run back to the dais but being careful not to give them too much.

  There was less than a minute left. If they didn’t have the ball for the final thirty seconds, their dreams of victory would be lost. Tomi had given them their best chance not only to win the game but the whole day.

  Midj gestured with her hands and slammed down her manahand to the right and then to the left of their path up the dais. Other recruits were either flung away or found themselves bleeding, having run into her invisible barrier made of ghostly fingers.

  One of the fae went for Midj, knocking her down. Rynn leapt over them both. Gray lowered a shoulder and drove his way past a fae warrior.

  Rynn launched herself into the air and snatched the ball out of Pinch’s hands. A second later, the elf girl let out a scream and vented her core. Every single one of the fae, and anyone fighting them, were tossed off the top of the dais. It was clear for the moment, giving Gray and Midj a chance to get to reach the top.

  Rynn’s face was a mask of pain. “I can’t…it hurts…” she clung to the burning ball, even as her hands blistered.

  Crewel’s voice boomed across the field. “This is the final thirty seconds! Points quadruple at the top of the dais…something that Squad 23 knows all too well.

  Midj swirled her hands, slamming her manahands around them, keeping them safe for the moment from ground attacks. Blythe and Sindara were tossed back. Blythe’s shoulder had been healed, but Gray still liked seeing blood on the dragon girl’s face.

  The fae attacked from above, led by Pinch.

  Gray, still aware of Rynn’s core, gave her as much mana as he could without completely emptying his own soul.

  She screamed again, and the fae were tossed back.

  Rynn was crying. “It hurts. I can’t. I can’t do it again. Please. Please, make it stop.”

  Gray went to reach for the ball, to give Rynn a break, but Midj was faster.

  “Ain’t got much mana in me. I’ll take the ball. Just keep them all off me.”

  The goblin girl grabbed the ball. Rynn fell, her eyes fluttering. If she went unconscious, they would lose.

  Gray had no choice. He gave her more mana, even though when he did, it felt like someone had stuck a knife in his belly.

  He then turned, and punched an orc in the nose, sending the big green beast man staggering back.

  Rynn was there, kicking, punching, a whirlwind of merciless violence.

  But it wasn’t going to be enough.

  The seconds were ticking down, and Pinch was back, trying to pry the ball out of Midj’s hands.

  Gray took hold of the fairy by her wings and flung her off the goblin with all of his might. The fairy went tumbling down the steps.

  Then Gray picked up the burning ball. The pain hit him immediately. It was like holding fire, and he could smell himself cooking. But this was their chance.

  Midj grunted in pain as some grabbed her and pulled her off, pummeling her. Squads were working together now, trying to get the ball.

  Rynn was by him, holding him.

  “Do it,” Gray hissed through clenched teeth.

  “I can’t…I wouldn’t…”

  “I have the mana,” Gray lied. The pain his hands was only matched by the agony in his belly. He didn’t have any mana left—not that he could feel—but they had to win. Tomi needed a home. Ames was so certain they’d lose, or die, and Midj didn’t show it, but he could feel her desperation. She couldn’t let her family down. Then there was Rynn, who had come so far, who needed this win. His pain would give her the life she wanted.

  Right then, Gray didn’t think about himself or Settie. All he could think about was Rynn and his love for her. What was he? Just some slave boy who should’ve died at birth, when the hurricane eclipse shattered the skies above Cradleport.

  No, his life wasn’t worth anything. But the lives of his squad? They were priceless.

  The thirty seconds had to be up. It couldn’t last forever, but when grasping fire, that was exactly how long it felt.

  The crowd was chanting, but Gray couldn’t hear the numbers because of the cries, the fighting, as dozens of hands were trying to pull Rynn off him, trying to pry the burning ball from his hands. His skin had become fried, horrendous, awful. It might leave him permanently scarred. But he wasn’t going to give it up.

  “For you,” Rynn whispered. She howled and vented her core a third time.

  All the grasping, ripping, scratching hands were gone, the dais was cleared again.

  Gray reached into his empty core and gave the entire thing to the elf girl. Fuck it. He hadn’t born with it. He didn’t it.

  The pain was distant now, and he thought about setting the ball down, but then it was hard to think because there was a vastness he felt, expanding out, as if the night sky had poured into his core. He was surprised he still had a core. He’d thought he’d give it away, or broke it, which probably should’ve killed him.

  Why hadn’t it?

  Crewel yelled something, the crowd was going crazy, and finally, Gray could let go of the ball. His hands still hurt, so damn much.

  He was on his back, looking up into Rynn’s face.

  Her tears dripped onto his face.

  They didn’t talk about winning, and the point totals didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was her scratched, bruised face, still so beautiful.

  He could die. What was life except one long agony? The gods were all dead—they’d butchered each other if the stories were true—and the world was just instinct and hate, power and money, a miserable place filled with miserable people.

  Oma had said it. He hated life at its core.

  But now, that was over.

  The only thing he’d miss was Rynn’s beautiful face.

  And then, he was kissing her, and the world made sense.

  Too bad he had to leave it.