Chapter 20

Cassie

Jake, once again in the battle armor I'd made for him, looked to Amni'bel, who nodded. This was his third challenge today, and that nod meant that it was a preordained challenge that Amni'bel had approved. So far, Jake had done all right. He was getting tired, though, I could tell. Just because the swordplay matches were rigged didn't mean that Jake didn't have to make it look real, as could be told by the deep scarring of the leather chestplate he wore.

The new challenger stepped forward and clicked his wrist blades together, the Taruff version of a bow before a fight. They were a nasty-looking set of weapons – almost two feet long each, chrome trimmed in gold leaf, and dangerously raked forward. "I am honored you accepted my challenge," the being said, moving in with an aggression not suited to his gracious statement. Jake parried four quick jabs by waggling his blade back in forth in the simple guard that Toby'd taught him. He spun and dropped low, swinging his sword low in a sweeping blow that would have taken the Taruff's legs off just above the calves had he not jumped. The blue creature then made a mistake – at least to my eyes – and dropped his right arm back as if he were winding up for a pitch. He threw a short jab with his left, which Jake deftly swept aside, giving him a wide open shot at the Taruff's chest.

Jake swung the blade into the space between the humanoid's right shoulder and bicep. Orange blood spurted from the wound, but it wasn't as deep as it would have been had he not tamed the force of the blow. The Taruff stumbled back, and Jake stepped forward for the kill, or so it appeared to the spectators. "Enough!" Amni'bel cried. "The better kertian has been revealed!" Jake swayed on his feet while the challenger was helped out of the makeshift, bowl arena. It was kind of like an open-roof football stadium, and hundreds of aliens had come to witness the human blade fighter.

"There will be no more challenges today," Amni'bel announced. "Prince Jake has proven his worth."

Another female Taruff stepped out of one of the many access tunnels. "Perhaps we should leave that assumption to me," she said, raising her voice for all to hear.

She was dressed simply but elegantly. A one-piece, tight-fitting robe made out of some kind of reptile hide covered her powerful-looking muscles, and she had long hair with many wooden beads woven throughout. When asked about the beads, Amni'bel simply explained that Taruff warriors wore one bead for every enemy they defeated in honorable combat. Amni'bel had well over two hundred. This new Taruff female had at least that many.

"Princess Jamei, how pleasant to see you again. I hope you are doing well," Amni'bel said cordially.

Jamei made a croaking sound. "Enough pleasantries. I have come to see for myself if this human is worth fighting for."

Amni'bel tilted her head. "Surely you understand, princess, that we are not fighting for him. We are fighting for ourselves."

"Of course. I represent the sovereign Gath'tos tribe!" she shouted so everyone could hear her. "I have come at the request of my people in search of the answer to one question – is this human worthy to lead our people?"

"You have my word. Stand down, Jamei," Amni'bel said coldly.

Jamei laughed, and much of the crowd joined in. "Are you afraid to fight me, human?" she said to Jake. Jake looked to Amni'bel, who gave an almost imperceptable shake of her head – this was not a fight she had set up.

"I'm not afraid," he told her, drawing his sword once more.

Amni'bel hissed. "Prince Jake, Cassie, please approach me." I stepped out from the crowd and followed Jake to Amni'bel's speaking podium. "This is not a good turn of events," she told us quietly. "Princess Jamei is one of the fiercest warriors on Xylen. I know you're skill and I know hers. You will be lucky to live if you accept her challenge."

"If I don't, they'll think I'm a coward. They won't fight with me," he said mournfully. "I've already gained the respect of your people. Now's not the time to lose it."

"Respect means nothing if you're dead, Jake," I told him. This was not something we'd thought about, much less planned for.

"Actually, respect means a lot, even if I'm dead. I'm not very important in the grand scheme of things. Their trust in us is." He grinned, but I could tell it was forced. "Besides, Toby isn't that bad of a teacher."

"Is the human 'prince' so weak that he must receive encouragement from his betters?" Jamei was inciting the crowd. Her tone was blatantly mocking. "Should he not engage me for honor's sake alone?"

"I cannot allow this, Prince Jake. Without you, we will have no chance of defending Xylen. I know this. My people will obey me. They will fight. That is enough," Amni'bel pleaded with him. I agreed wholeheartedly.

"Maybe he has won his challenges so far though less-than-honorable means," Jamei taunted. "I know the kertians in Princess Amni'bel's tribe should be more than enough of a match against a stranger to our ways."

"Jamei!" Amni'bel roared, and I flinched. I was beginning to see why her people respected and obeyed her. "You will not insult me or my tribe any further! I said that the human prince has proven his worth. You will not step onto my soil and challenge my word or my honor. Perhaps you would be best to leave while you are still able," she not-so-subtley threatened.

Jamei canted her head, amused and not at all frightened. "Maybe you are right, Princess. Who is this other human?" she asked, pointing directly at me.

I didn't wait for Jake or Amni'bel to speak for me. "I'm Cassie," I said quietly. "I'm also here to help protect your people."

Jamei's orange eyes became slits. "You will also fight with us, then?" I nodded. Jamei again turned to address the crowd. "If she is going to fight with us, should we not know that she is skillful?" The crowd roared its' approval and my stomach turned to ice. "I challenge the human, Cassie, to a well-meant match of the blade," Jamei said triumphantly. She knew Amni'bel could not use honor to argue with her. I hadn't proven myself as Jake had. Jamei wanted blood for some reason or another, and it was starting to look like mine. Before I could reply, she took one menacing step towards me and drew a beautiful, if somewhat irregular looking blade from her side.

In an instant, Jake was between her and me with his sword ready for battle. "Back up," he told her coldly. "Back up or I'll kill you." There was not an ounce of joking in his voice. You could have heard a pindrop in the arena. No one spoke. No one even breathed.

Jamei through her head back and laughed, but this time no one joined her. "I see, 'Prince,'" she mocked. "You will not fight for yourself or for honor, but you will fight for love. You are a true fool. Unfortunately, I did not challenge you, though I would be pleased to slay you after I'm done with this one. I'll be more than happy to rid Xylen of both of you alien pretenders. The match, Amni'bel," Jamei said, every bit as cold as Jake's statement.

"The match must be accepted or declined by Cassie," Amni'bel declared.

"You can speak for anyone in your tribe, Amni'bel. Accept my challenge for her," Jamei insisted.

"I can and would speak for any member of my tribe, but these humans are not of my tribe. They have never imposed on me, and I will not impose on them," Amni'bel bit out. "Cassie, it is yours to decide," she said, raising her veil as a sign of distance from the situation. I knew she'd already pretty much let Jamei make a chump out of her. She was trying to save what little face she had left with the assembled crowd while still letting me choose.

The ice in my stomach had not gone away. I fought the desire to run, to hide behind Jake, or to morph and fly away. This situation had to be faced here and now. We needed all the Taruff tribes on Xylen to be unified against the Trunsk. If I declined the challenge, word would spread like wildfire that the humans were weaklings. Nations would refuse to fight. The Trunsk would waltz in and seize control of the divided planet with ease. Jake understood this – he'd been prepared to fight and die moments before. Could I do any less?

"I accept," I said, and was pleasantly surprised that there was no quaver in my voice. I heard Jake gasp as the crowd roared its' approval. Jamei's eyes flash uncertainly for a second – she hadn't anticipated this. She quickly recovered and raised her thin, razor sword in a battle stance. Jake tried to grab my arm as I stepped forward, but I looked at him and gave a firm head-shake that said, 'Don't, Jake. Let me go.'

I saw his eyes go wide and he nodded. He thought I had a plan. Tobias, who was circling overhead, hadn't moved any closer, even though I knew he could count the hairs on my head with his hawk vision. He thought I had a plan. Guess what? I didn't have a plan. I just knew that it was crunch time. Step up or go home. And we couldn't go home. This was not a fight we could afford to lose.

I walked towards the waiting alien princess and stopped ten paces short of her. I was about ready to faint, but I was thinking clearly underneath all of that. A voice in my head, infinitely more powerful than my fear, said soothingly, 'It's okay. You're doing what's required of you. Jamei won't kill you – you'll get maybe a scratch or two, but everyone will see that you're willing to fight for your beliefs. You'll be fine.'

Jamie stared at me for a very long moment. "You seem to have forgotten to arm yourself, human," she said in a joking manner. No one laughed. I didn't crack a smile. She faltered, but then gestured furiously towards me. "Pak! Give the human a weapon – she's forgotten how to speak her own language." A slight chuckle rose from the gathered, but there wasn't much amusement behind it. They'd never seen this before. They'd never seen someone ready to die without a fight. I felt a lot like Ghandi must have felt – someone just one step ahead of everyone else. Knowing the entire time their ignorance could be the death of me, but still having that feeling of humble superiority. A very decorative Taruff place a sword at my feet and retreated. I didn't pick it up.

"You insult me, human." Still, I didn't speak. Jamei looked confused for the first time since her arrival and looked to Amni'bel. "She tries to force me to kill her dishonorably after accepting my challenge. She knows I will not strike an unarmed opponent."

Amni'bel's head wobbled to the side in amusement. "Then it seems, Jamei, that she has won without striking a single blow."

Jamei's expression oscillated between confusion and outrage. I glanced to the side and saw Jake. He was nodding. Good job. You're winning. Everything is going to be fine.

Jamei's expression settled on outrage and she leapt at me. It was too sudden for me to move even if I'd wanted to. I wasn't able to do anything but watch as the thin sword penetrated my chest, where my heart hammered against my ribs, and worked it's way out through my back. Jamei held the sword still for a second, allowing all to see what she'd done, and then slid it out effortlessly.

The pain was incredible. It didn't hit me until the sword was out, and I dropped to my knees at the alien's feet. I dimly heard her say past the sound of the roaring ocean in my ears, "It is done. I have rid us of someone who claims to be protecting us, but will not even protect herself." I looked up at her through blurry eyes, and an expression that might have been pity crossed her face. It was quickly smothered with contempt. "Get her out of my presence," she said coldly.

Morph! Morph! My brain screamed at me. Morph to what? Another voice said groggily. Anything! I tried to think of an animal, but I couldn't concentrate. I vaguely felt the arms of someone dragging me away. I wanted so badly to picture an animal to turn into, but all I could see was black. Black…