Chapter 9: Royal Bout

The aircraft flew out over the ocean far off from any landmass. They began to descend down into the water below.

Blaze looks out the window seeing them go down below the ocean surface. "So this is how you've avoided capture? Hiding underwater?"

Annalee sees something down below. "I think I can see where too." She points at a large dome underwater with a civilization below.

Marina nods smirking. "That's right. A city in the one place they can't touch."

The ship docks inside the dome as the water drains around the ship.

Marina stands as the ramp lowers. "It's time for our battle, Blaze. Let's go." She walks off the ship.

Blaze follows her as the guards keep a close eye on her and Annalee.

"Take in as much of the sights as you can, your highness. It'll be the last thing you see before the cold steel of a watery cell."

"What?" She was about to ready her flames as the guards hold her arms with ropes of water.

Marina turns and looks at her. "That's right. Once you're defeated on my territory, you will be imprisoned like my mother before me. You will know what it's like to live in solitude."

The guards back away from the feline while keeping Annalee close so she doesn't intervene.

Blaze holds her fists up as they ignite with fire.

Marina brings a mass of water to her side. "Let the Royal Bout commence!"

Blaze makes the first move and lunges one of her fists at Marina only for her to catch it with the water.

Marina kicks the feline down and leaps up coming down on top of her, only for her to roll out of the way at the last minute.

Once back to her feet, Blaze surrounds herself with flames. She approaches the water princess as her fire evaporated any water that came at her.

The wolf then ducks under a punch Blaze sent at her and then launched an ice shard into her sternum.

Blaze stumbles over from the blow but gets up afterwards. Once up, however, her feet were encased in ice. "Err!"

Marina laughs at her dilemma. "Can't move, huh?"

The fiery feline focused her flames on the ice attempting to thaw herself out. "Not for long!"

"Are you sure?" She then encased the feline's hands in water preventing her from using her flames.

"No!"

"Yes!" The wolf rushes forward and swipes at the feline striking her with one fell swoop.

Blaze falls to the ground defeated as the ice and water dissipate. She attempts to stand only for Marina to put her foot down on her chest.

The water princess looks down at the feline with a devious smile on her face. "You've lost, Blaze. That means you have to heed my command."

"You violated the rules of the Royal Bout. Neither opponent can restrain the other from using their strengths."

Marina just started to laugh. "The rules don't apply to us here, your highness. What works for you up there does not work down here." She encased her fist in ice and punches Blaze rendering her unconscious.

Annalee cries out to her reaching out as the guards stop her. "Princess Blaze!"

Two guards walk up to the feline and lock her hands into restraints so that she can not use her flames to escape.

Marine signals them to take her away. "Lock her up in Cell B14. I had it specially designed for her."

Annalee ran off as the guards took Blaze away.

"Your majesty, the raccoon girl is on the run."

"Let her go. She can't leave this place. Right now it's time to inform Queen Fiara that her daughter is in my custody." Marina heads back for the dock to leave for the Fire Kingdom.

Blaze begins to regain consciousness for a moment as she sees Annalee and calls out to her. "Go. Escape…while you can."

The red panda nods as she tails Marina to the dock.

The feline lowers her head as she fell back unconscious from her battle. What awaited her was a fate worse than what she has already suffered.