The next day, Coran walked down to the training arena surprised to see Murtagh there. She stood behind a metal barrier and watched as he swung his sword, Zar'roc, and cleaved off the head of a practice dummy. Shifting her weight, she peeked out from behind the barrier again and yelped as Zar'roc was flung toward her. It stuck in the thick metal of the barrier.
"I know you're there." Murtagh said. He looked amused, as if he knew no one could sneak up on him.
Coran stepped out from behind the barrier. "I just wanted to see how you were doing. Your back-"
He interrupted her. "Bullshit, my back. You didn't seem so concerned yesterday. Admit it, you were spying. Trying to see how well I can fight."
Coran rolled her eyes. "Fine, if I say I was, will you leave me alone about it?"
Murtagh's eyes shined. He tossed Coran a sword, and retrieved his own from the metal barrier. "Sword up!" he said to her playfully.
She laughed. "I'll not be defeated!"
They whirled around the gym, swords clashing, Zar'roc's fiery red clashing against Coran's sleek black rapier, Shadowtide. what they didn't realize was that another person was watching them from the shadows. Jack glared at Murtagh, watching him parry a blow from Coran's. He suddenly grabbed a sword from the training center, and stepped into the fight. All three stepped back so they were forming a triangle, Murtagh 's sword pointing straight at Jake's chest.
"Get away from her!" Jake shouted.
"Jake, what-" Coran stepped out of the triangle, confused.
"You get away from her. Now." Murtagh's eyes glowed with malice as Jake repeated the statement.
"What is your problem?" Murtagh asked, his voice becoming cold.
"Just stay away from her! You shouldn't be back here. You shouldn't even be alive. Drajil!" Jake shouted, using an offensive Urgal curse word.
Murtagh gasped, and, all at once, Jake's blade jabbed, spearing Murtagh just to the left of his collarbone. Murtagh collapsed to the ground, blood flowing through his hands onto the soft mat. Jake turned now.
"Why would you do that?" Coran asked.
She tried to run to Murtagh, but a sword blade swung out in front of her, blocking her way. Murtagh gasped as a wave of pain hit, and coughed blood onto the already soiled mat.
Jake ran at Coran with his sword, and they fought for a moment. Then, all at once, Coran's sword dropped to the ground, and her right fist came into contact with Jake's face. Hard. Jake fell, sprawled on the floor, as Coran ran to Murtagh. He was beginning to lose consciousness. At that moment, Marc walked into the arena, hearing the loud noises.
"What the-" He was cut off.
"Help me get him to the infirmary!" Coran said desperately.
Marc looked at Jake, still on the floor. "What about-"
He was interrupted again. "Jake can do whatever the hell he wants." Coran answered.
Together Marc and Coran carried Murtagh to the infirmary.