The Grand Tournament
Chapter 7
Kevin struggled to no succeed to try and free himself from Laini's grip. The young woman continued to tighten her whip around his neck, all the while cursing at him.
"You're all murderers..." she screeched, "Every last one of you...do you know what it's like...to see your family, your hopes and dreams and loves just be tossed into burning flame and smoldering ash?!?"
Kevin gasped for air; it was beginning to get dark...
"To watch them die..."
...Her shouts were merely whispers...
"Only makes me want to kill you more!"
Then something inside of him exploded.
Kevin wrapped his claws around his bondage and sliced through with his claws, now extended. He swirled around and slashed down on Laini's face, splattering blood across the arena floor. The female warrior flew back, caught off guard by the Beastman's sudden strength. Kevin growled inhumanly and glared at his opponent.
"Not my fault blood was spilt," he hissed and reached down to pick her up by her neck, making her suffer the same position he just was in, "No blame on my hands. But me gladly kill you if you make Kevin feel bad anymore!"
Laini's eyes were filled with terror; is this this boy's true power? Why didn't he show it before? Why didn't she take warning? With weapon broken and spirits draining, Laini tried to choke out words.
"...Sorry...I...am sorry...never knew that...you weren't..."
"Then LISTEN! TRY AND LISTEN!" Kevin roared, tightening his grip. The crowd was silent.
'Stop...Kevin...stop Kevin!' the Beastman's mind raced, 'You be murderer...just like she say...if you...no...just...little then...' Kevin tightened his grip. Laini gasped a final breath before a great snap echoed through the entire arena. Kevin felt her body go from rigid to limp. His eyes widened, and he knew he had betrayed himself.
"...Well...looks like this match is definitely over! The winner of this match is Kevin Bladeclaw of the Beast Kingdom!" Shichi cheered, raising the fist Kevin did not have wrapped around Laini's neck. The crowd cheered, but Kevin did not hear anything.
~*~
"Way to go Kevin..." Hawk tried to say, but trailed off seeing the despair in his friend's eyes. Arena officials had to pry Kevin's fist away from the girl's broken neck after the match, yet the God Hand's hand remained clenched. He wasn't responding to his friends' attempts to cheer him up, and seemed to be inside his own mind.
'Why...why...did I kill girl? No want to...but...me so mad...me had to...not want to...' Kevin began to cry silently. Angela noticed and frowned before turning to the rest of the group.
"I think we should just take Kevin up to his room to be alone for awhile..." her friends nodded, "Come on Kevin..."
The Beastman soullessly took steps back to his room, Angela guiding him gently up the stairs. The group remained silent until Duran sighed.
"...It wasn't what he wanted..." he tried to say, then bolded his voice more, "Kevin respects life for all things, and understands that some things must live and some things must die. But...he didn't understand what he did..."
"I think I heard about this," Heath spoke up, keeping his voice low, "Beastmen have a special connection to the world around them and can sense life force in any living thing...Kevin knows when to kill and when not to kill if something is suffering or is ready to die. I think he knew that Laini wasn't ready to die. He feels it was wrong to kill something unprepared to pass on."
"But...if he knew that Laini shouldn't have died...does that mean..." Lise started but couldn't finish. Heath shrugged.
"I don't know. All we can guess right now is that he feels ashamed for breaking a kind of rule. Killing something that shouldn't have been killed. He hurt his honor." The young mage walked over to a couch and sat down, the others soon following. There was a long silence before Angela came back down the stairs.
"He's still not talking. I'm slightly afraid to keep him in there alone, so I asked one of those orb-light-thingies to keep an eye on him." She reported, and sat down in an empty chair.
More silence.
Koren sighed and stood up slowly, trembling slightly. Taking a deep breath, he made his way upstairs towards the rooms. Heath began to go after him, but was pushed back by Darkshine's armored hand.
"You know what he's going to do."
~*~
Koren sat down on the bed, looking at Kevin's face.
"...I know what it's like...to kill when you don't want to." He began, and Kevin's eyes flicked up at him, "I've had to kill many that did not merit death. I've seen the pain and suffering that followed and not only from those who knew the person...but inside myself too." Kevin sat up slightly.
Koren fidgeted slightly with his bracelets and looked around the room. The shades had been pulled to provide privacy for the God Hand, and the quarters were unexpectedly tidy sans one bed with various knives and x-rated magazines on it. The Red Wizard could only guess that that was Hawk's bed. He smiled and turned back to the Beastboy.
"A lot of things in this world die. A lot of creatures suffer, and many more can only watch helplessly. The rest cause the pain. Death is around us, Kevin. But so is life. I know it's hard to sit back and watch the pain of lives ending...but perhaps creatures in this world should focus more on the joy of lives beginning and continuing."
"You."
Koren turned to Kevin, slightly surprised, "Me?"
"Suffer. You suffer great. Aura weak, but life...you still live. Not time to die. Yet you dying. Why?" The Red Lotus stared into the floor.
"Because...I am one of those beings who causes pain. To repent, I must cause pain onto myself."
"No." Kevin sat up and faced the young man, "No. Tell something. You...you good person on inside. You are. You just do bad things. But that don't mean it change you. Maybe you evil. Maybe you good. Me don't know. But me from tell now you good person inside. Why not be good person outside? Me no get angry at me for killing girl. Me no cause pain on self. Me just think. Me just wonder why me did what Kevin did and continue on living. No stop and live in one time. Go on and live! Live life and live!" he ended, bouncing up and down on the bed. Koren laughed.
"Is that what you believe I should do?"
"Yes! Live! Be good outside, inside! Change good. Even for people who think they can't. Kevin will if Koren will." The God Hand spoke and held out his hand. Koren glanced at it and smiled weakly before shaking it.
"Deal."
~*~
The clock chimed six in the evening, and the Mana party remained in the lounge discussing the day's events. Carlie suddenly piped up.
"Dinner soon. Where Kevy and red cape man? Are they back yet? Carlie go see!" she squeaked and jumped off the couch to run out the door. As soon as she got there though, the door swung open quickly, squashing the little girl. Kevin stepped through first, followed by Koren; both were smiling.
"Dinner! Food! Eat!" Kevin cheered and clapped his hands. The group smiled and spirits were lifted immediately. They all filed out the door and headed towards the dining room.
"...Can someone please help Carlie?"
~*~
Kevin shoveled down more steak and grinned at Lise who was staring at him. She managed a smile before distracting herself with own food. Duran and Hawk were busy having a pie eating contest (which Duran was winning considerably), Darkshine was refereeing the contest, Heath and Koren were both at the table; Heath happily chewing away at his steak and Koren dicing his chicken into miniscule cubes before eating them. Every so often he would pause to look at Kevin, who would give him a thumbs up. And Angela was finishing up her crème brulee with gusto. No one seemed to notice anyone was missing...
Hawk suddenly stopped eating pie at a mach 5 speed and turned towards the lounge. He stared at it for a while...trying to remember...
"...Wait...wasn't there something...nah!" he concluded and resumed scarfing down pie.
~*~
"Carlie hungry...just...help Carlie up...please? Stupid meanies!"
*~*
With Kevin regaining his morale and dinner uninterrupted by Carlie, the night is a success. But what happens tomorrow...when the next fight occurs?
*~*
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yo. I know this update is kinda late...but I'm sure you'll understand with school (dog barks, window crashes, milk spills, wolf howls, child screams) coming back into session. With any luck whatsoever the organization might kick me back into regular updates. Or I'll be swallowed by work effort and be catered off in a white jacket. I know the plot is coming along slowly, but when we hit the next few chapters, you REALLY begin to see what's driving this tournament.
Peace out. AND REVIEW FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR SOUL.
Chapter 7
Kevin struggled to no succeed to try and free himself from Laini's grip. The young woman continued to tighten her whip around his neck, all the while cursing at him.
"You're all murderers..." she screeched, "Every last one of you...do you know what it's like...to see your family, your hopes and dreams and loves just be tossed into burning flame and smoldering ash?!?"
Kevin gasped for air; it was beginning to get dark...
"To watch them die..."
...Her shouts were merely whispers...
"Only makes me want to kill you more!"
Then something inside of him exploded.
Kevin wrapped his claws around his bondage and sliced through with his claws, now extended. He swirled around and slashed down on Laini's face, splattering blood across the arena floor. The female warrior flew back, caught off guard by the Beastman's sudden strength. Kevin growled inhumanly and glared at his opponent.
"Not my fault blood was spilt," he hissed and reached down to pick her up by her neck, making her suffer the same position he just was in, "No blame on my hands. But me gladly kill you if you make Kevin feel bad anymore!"
Laini's eyes were filled with terror; is this this boy's true power? Why didn't he show it before? Why didn't she take warning? With weapon broken and spirits draining, Laini tried to choke out words.
"...Sorry...I...am sorry...never knew that...you weren't..."
"Then LISTEN! TRY AND LISTEN!" Kevin roared, tightening his grip. The crowd was silent.
'Stop...Kevin...stop Kevin!' the Beastman's mind raced, 'You be murderer...just like she say...if you...no...just...little then...' Kevin tightened his grip. Laini gasped a final breath before a great snap echoed through the entire arena. Kevin felt her body go from rigid to limp. His eyes widened, and he knew he had betrayed himself.
"...Well...looks like this match is definitely over! The winner of this match is Kevin Bladeclaw of the Beast Kingdom!" Shichi cheered, raising the fist Kevin did not have wrapped around Laini's neck. The crowd cheered, but Kevin did not hear anything.
~*~
"Way to go Kevin..." Hawk tried to say, but trailed off seeing the despair in his friend's eyes. Arena officials had to pry Kevin's fist away from the girl's broken neck after the match, yet the God Hand's hand remained clenched. He wasn't responding to his friends' attempts to cheer him up, and seemed to be inside his own mind.
'Why...why...did I kill girl? No want to...but...me so mad...me had to...not want to...' Kevin began to cry silently. Angela noticed and frowned before turning to the rest of the group.
"I think we should just take Kevin up to his room to be alone for awhile..." her friends nodded, "Come on Kevin..."
The Beastman soullessly took steps back to his room, Angela guiding him gently up the stairs. The group remained silent until Duran sighed.
"...It wasn't what he wanted..." he tried to say, then bolded his voice more, "Kevin respects life for all things, and understands that some things must live and some things must die. But...he didn't understand what he did..."
"I think I heard about this," Heath spoke up, keeping his voice low, "Beastmen have a special connection to the world around them and can sense life force in any living thing...Kevin knows when to kill and when not to kill if something is suffering or is ready to die. I think he knew that Laini wasn't ready to die. He feels it was wrong to kill something unprepared to pass on."
"But...if he knew that Laini shouldn't have died...does that mean..." Lise started but couldn't finish. Heath shrugged.
"I don't know. All we can guess right now is that he feels ashamed for breaking a kind of rule. Killing something that shouldn't have been killed. He hurt his honor." The young mage walked over to a couch and sat down, the others soon following. There was a long silence before Angela came back down the stairs.
"He's still not talking. I'm slightly afraid to keep him in there alone, so I asked one of those orb-light-thingies to keep an eye on him." She reported, and sat down in an empty chair.
More silence.
Koren sighed and stood up slowly, trembling slightly. Taking a deep breath, he made his way upstairs towards the rooms. Heath began to go after him, but was pushed back by Darkshine's armored hand.
"You know what he's going to do."
~*~
Koren sat down on the bed, looking at Kevin's face.
"...I know what it's like...to kill when you don't want to." He began, and Kevin's eyes flicked up at him, "I've had to kill many that did not merit death. I've seen the pain and suffering that followed and not only from those who knew the person...but inside myself too." Kevin sat up slightly.
Koren fidgeted slightly with his bracelets and looked around the room. The shades had been pulled to provide privacy for the God Hand, and the quarters were unexpectedly tidy sans one bed with various knives and x-rated magazines on it. The Red Wizard could only guess that that was Hawk's bed. He smiled and turned back to the Beastboy.
"A lot of things in this world die. A lot of creatures suffer, and many more can only watch helplessly. The rest cause the pain. Death is around us, Kevin. But so is life. I know it's hard to sit back and watch the pain of lives ending...but perhaps creatures in this world should focus more on the joy of lives beginning and continuing."
"You."
Koren turned to Kevin, slightly surprised, "Me?"
"Suffer. You suffer great. Aura weak, but life...you still live. Not time to die. Yet you dying. Why?" The Red Lotus stared into the floor.
"Because...I am one of those beings who causes pain. To repent, I must cause pain onto myself."
"No." Kevin sat up and faced the young man, "No. Tell something. You...you good person on inside. You are. You just do bad things. But that don't mean it change you. Maybe you evil. Maybe you good. Me don't know. But me from tell now you good person inside. Why not be good person outside? Me no get angry at me for killing girl. Me no cause pain on self. Me just think. Me just wonder why me did what Kevin did and continue on living. No stop and live in one time. Go on and live! Live life and live!" he ended, bouncing up and down on the bed. Koren laughed.
"Is that what you believe I should do?"
"Yes! Live! Be good outside, inside! Change good. Even for people who think they can't. Kevin will if Koren will." The God Hand spoke and held out his hand. Koren glanced at it and smiled weakly before shaking it.
"Deal."
~*~
The clock chimed six in the evening, and the Mana party remained in the lounge discussing the day's events. Carlie suddenly piped up.
"Dinner soon. Where Kevy and red cape man? Are they back yet? Carlie go see!" she squeaked and jumped off the couch to run out the door. As soon as she got there though, the door swung open quickly, squashing the little girl. Kevin stepped through first, followed by Koren; both were smiling.
"Dinner! Food! Eat!" Kevin cheered and clapped his hands. The group smiled and spirits were lifted immediately. They all filed out the door and headed towards the dining room.
"...Can someone please help Carlie?"
~*~
Kevin shoveled down more steak and grinned at Lise who was staring at him. She managed a smile before distracting herself with own food. Duran and Hawk were busy having a pie eating contest (which Duran was winning considerably), Darkshine was refereeing the contest, Heath and Koren were both at the table; Heath happily chewing away at his steak and Koren dicing his chicken into miniscule cubes before eating them. Every so often he would pause to look at Kevin, who would give him a thumbs up. And Angela was finishing up her crème brulee with gusto. No one seemed to notice anyone was missing...
Hawk suddenly stopped eating pie at a mach 5 speed and turned towards the lounge. He stared at it for a while...trying to remember...
"...Wait...wasn't there something...nah!" he concluded and resumed scarfing down pie.
~*~
"Carlie hungry...just...help Carlie up...please? Stupid meanies!"
*~*
With Kevin regaining his morale and dinner uninterrupted by Carlie, the night is a success. But what happens tomorrow...when the next fight occurs?
*~*
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yo. I know this update is kinda late...but I'm sure you'll understand with school (dog barks, window crashes, milk spills, wolf howls, child screams) coming back into session. With any luck whatsoever the organization might kick me back into regular updates. Or I'll be swallowed by work effort and be catered off in a white jacket. I know the plot is coming along slowly, but when we hit the next few chapters, you REALLY begin to see what's driving this tournament.
Peace out. AND REVIEW FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR SOUL.