Here's chapter 3 of Liberi Fatali! As you have noticed I changed the title. I didn't like the other one. I thought this was more fitting to the story. Hope you like this and want to find out more! Btw- thanks to those who reviewed!
Chapter Three: Battle
Chel was fixing her hat in the mirror located in Adrian's room. "Well, Adrian, this is it. You ready?" She turned around and faced the still heap on the floor. "C'mon Adrian… You always act like this when you're nervous." Playfully Chel nudged Adrian with her foot.
"…I am a rock… one with the floor…" Adrian didn't move- her blue eyes blank and staring into nowhere.
Suddenly a pillow came sailing through the air and landed on the back of Adrian's head with a thud. Leiya, who was sitting on the bed, had thrown it. "Stop being so negative and worrisome. You'll do fine- just as long as you hold your concentration-"
"That's not helping…" Adrian interrupted. She didn't need to hear her weaknesses right now. After a few minutes of deep thought she pulled herself together. "Alright… I'm the one who got myself into this mess anyway. Might as well finish it, right?
"Yeah! Now let's get there before they do so you can warm up, okay?" Chel grabbed Adrian's arm in one hand and opened the door with the other. Leiya followed shortly after.
Oh crap. Why did I even agree to this? I mean, she's good! What was I thinking? Kai sat facing the foliage in the Quad center. Behind him Sage and Tristan were riding T-boards. He shook his head. Why was he having-
"Second thoughts?"
Whoa. Freaky… "Uhm… no. What made you think that?" Leonhart turned around and faced Sage and Tristan who had stopped practicing.
Sage didn't believe him at all. "Then why were you talking to the plants, huh?"
Kai wrinkled his nose. "Damn. Fine, fine. So what if I did? I mean, you know, you'll make me do it anyway."
"Only because you got yourself into this. I'm not the one who said yes. Now get up off your ass and lets get over to the training center to warm-up." Grabbing his T-board Tristan saluted to Kai and Sage then left to see Chel.
There were already some people sitting on the benches, set outside of the battling ring, to watch Adrian and Kai battle head to head. Most of them had been there in the card room when Adrian had first made the proposal. Adrian had arrived first to stretch and warm up. She wore black shorts, boots and a sleeveless ribbed tank. This was the set uniform for girls in all gunblade duels set by tournament standards. Boys wore the same except they wore pants instead of shorts. They were using the same rules and regulations they would meet at the annual tournament. After all, this was good practice for the tournament coming up in two weeks.
Headmaster Squall was to be the referee to this battle with Instructor Xu as the final and deciding judge. After a rundown of all the rules and a quick check of the attire and weapons, Adrian and Kai entered the ring and faced each other. Kai extended his hand for a sportsmanship shake- Adrian reached over and shook.
This is it… I will concentrate… I will never give in… Adrian blocked out other thoughts that had started to creep into her mind the moment she saw Kai. She could feel the adrenaline pumping in her veins. She was ready. She was in battle mode. Nothing could stop her now.
Kai gripped the black handle of his gunblade and double-checked his opening stance. Silently he waited for the whistle that would signal the start of the duel. He was ready knowing that he would win.
A loud horn-like whistle filled the air. Everyone hushed their conversations and turned their attention towards the two young teenagers and their blades of steel. No one could say who was going to win. They were both equal in skill and they each had their own techniques so anyone could win at this point.
For a minute or two they both circled each other like vultures, ready to move if the other hinted to. Finally Kai decided to lunge with a right upper slash. He swiped at Adrian but she quickly dodged and returned with her blade. Since Adrian was left handed, it made it easier to push his blade from the sharp end and back, making Kai stagger towards the crowd.
Some people gasped watching them go for each other like lions fighting over some piece of meat. Others were anxious for the battle to end so they could collect their winnings from bets they had made earlier.
Adrian and Kai twisted and sliced at each other for almost half and hour until Adrian lost her concentration for a mere second. Kai sensed this and attacked her exposed skin of her left thigh. Dark red blood splattered the floor and trickled down Adrian's leg. This infuriated her and, ignoring the throbbing pain in her leg, she charged Kai with so much force that he fell to the ground and landed on his back. Adrian raised her gunblade tip to his throat, waiting for him to call round one.
Admitting he had been defeated, he grumbled, "End round one…"
Headmaster Squall nodded for Adrian to withdraw her sword. She did and walked to the sideline over to where Dr. Kadowaki was to get her leg taken care of so it would be ready for round two.
People shifted uncomfortably in their seats. This was getting intense. They knew they had two more rounds to go, though. Chel lifted her head to speak to Tristan. "Who do you think will win?"
"Honestly? I don't really know. I thought that Adrian would, but now that she's injured, Kai's got an advantage."
Chel just nodded in agreement. The whistle for round two was blown and the two were at it again. This time Adrian walked with a slight limp, but Chel knew this still could be anyone's game. Adrian had high stamina, but Kai had more power and strength.
Round two went a little quicker than the last. Adrian had called it this time. Leiya shook her head; she knew Adrian was running out of strategies and since she didn't get that much sleep last night her stamina had lowered. But on the good side, Kai had failed in blocking two of Adrian's blows so he received a wound that resembled an X on his right upper-arm.
The sound of silence filled the arena as round three began. Both contestants were now injured and they were both showing signs of exhaustion. Nobody dared to speak as they watched each of them strike at each other in a sort of rhythmic pattern. First Kai, then Adrian. Back and forth, back and forth… still no signs of a positive winner.
Suddenly Adrian had a fixed look- like she was staring at nothing. Kai saw her break of concentration and aimed for her abdomen. Blade met flesh resulting in a deep red slash oozing out crimson blood. Adrian still stood there gazing outwards not noticing that she had gotten injured and lost. Concerned, Kai reached out to touch Adrian and caught her just as she fell.
"Ugh…" Adrian tried to turn on her side but found she was attached to something through her arms. Where am I? Slowly she opened her eyes and saw that she was in the infirmary with Kai sleeping with his head on the foot of her bed. Grimacing as she pulled out the needles and tubes out of her arms, she sat up and cried out as a bolt of pain shot through her body.
Kai woke up at the sound of Adrian's yelp. Quickly he grabbed Adrian's shoulder to help her to lay back down. "No, Adrian- you need to rest. Dr. Kadowaki said-"
"The hell with what she said. I'm fine. Please…"
Smiling at her efforts he gave in. If Adrian said please she really meant it. Carefully he helped her up offering his shoulder for her to lean on. She gladly took it and they both left the infirmary without Dr. Kadowaki noticing.
Once they were outside and Kai sat Adrian on the bench she thanked him. "Thanks, Kaileb. You're pretty good at sneaking around, huh?" Her light laugh escaped from her wide smile.
Kai was surprised at how she was acting. Wasn't she usually mean to him? "Just call me Kai…" I've never heard her laugh before… "You're very pretty. I-I mean you're laugh is beautiful… ah…" He was so embarrassed that a pink tinge crept up his cheeks.
He's so cute when he blushes! Adrian giggled but winced. Slowly she pulled up her shirt to reveal a dark red mark running across her nicely toned stomach. "Where'd I get this?"
Kai wrinkled his nose in confusion. She didn't remember? "Uh, I gave that to you when we were battling… you don't remember?"
"No…" Adrian gingerly traced the fresh scar with her finger. "I don't know what happened after-"
She abruptly stopped. "After what?" Kai asked.
"Uh… nothing. It was nothing." Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Leiya and Chel. "I gotta go. Thanks again…"
Leonhart just watched her go as Chel and Leiya helped her up. What had really happened to Adrian during the battle?
A/N: How'd you like it? What do you think will happen next? E-mail me if you think you know- I would like to hear what you people think. If you like this story, please tell more people about it! (I like getting reviews and comments so I can work on my writing skills.^_^) Thanks for reading so far and don't forget to review!
