"I challenge the first-ranked to a fight, to prove my worth! I beat the puny bitch just like you said. You're not going back on your word, are you?"
The questions from the spectators' buzz through the room as I step into the light.
"Challenge accepted." I say bluntly, and the cheers get louder as I move closer.
From the corner of my eye I see Eric moving towards me, and I slow my pace as he reaches me.
"This is not an official match! Therefore, it may or may not influence the final rankings, depending on the outcome!" Eric roars as the chatting continues. Lowering his voice, he looks me in the eyes, and mutters almost incoherently.
"Fast, broken bone, concussion maybe… you'll need to go hard, like you do on me." He mutters, and I raise an eyebrow as I brush past him.
"On you? Who's to say I don't hold back on your pretty face?" I murmur with a smirk, allowing a light look of affection before turning my back and walking up to the mats.
"Get ready to go down, kitty, you won't last long." James growls as I walk onto the mats, hand in pocket.
"No, you won't." I say, and smirk as the irritation on his face grows, and the challenge starts.
He grabs at me straight away, in an attempt to drag me to the floor, and I slide out the way and quickly duck the unpredictable punch he threw straight after. He keeps up the close-range barrage, and as I slip out of the way, bending my body around his, I let an arrogant smile grow on my face.
I barely let half a minute go by, before I know I can't wait around for this.
On his next lunge forward, I tip my foot into his angle, and he trips out to the end of the mat, and the noise greatens from the spectators.
I level eyes with him, and realise I still have my hand in my pocket.
We start to circle each other after he regains his footing, and I take my hand out of my pocket, and roll up my sleeves.
Just as I finish, he lunges.
From my perspective, I dodge to the inside of his left punch, focussing intently on his elbow, looking for the juncture and the angle I need to hit. I take a hold of his wrist, pulling it down to get him his elbow within my knee's reach, and then I jump. My left knee jams straight into his elbow with perfect positioning, as I pull harshly from his wrist, a severe dislocation. But he doesn't even have time to scream before my right leg has met the back of his head, having made the move not a second after my left, and he's out.
To anyone watching, I pulled his arm out, jumped and dislocated his elbow and knocked him out all in one go.
I spin out of the kick, landing roughly but solidly on my two feet, as James crumples to the floor with his arm at an odd angle.
Right. Time to look surprised.
As the noise from spectators becomes deafening, my eyebrows raise, and my hand comes up to cover my mouth, staring at the crumpled body, before my eyes go over to meet Eric's and Four's. Eric barks something at Four who runs off, before running up to the mats, as I turn my eyes back to James. I almost scramble closer to examine his unconscious form, hands skimming over his skin in panic.
And as Eric reaches me, also surveying the body, I drop my head, and let myself whisper.
"Complex dislocation of the elbow, major concussion. Less than a minute."
He slides his eyes to the side to meet mine, a smirk in his eyes yet his lips remain firm.
Someone from the infirmary rushes onto the scene, and Eric carries James off the mats, and I walk back to my friends, a concerned look on my face as I reach them. Lily's awake.
"Oh my God, do you know what happened to his arm? I've never seen anything like it!" Leon explains slightly shocked, and K shake my head despite answering.
"They said it was a severe dislocation of the elbow…" I murmur, my voice softer than usual around them. They know me well enough to know I agreed to the fight to help Lily. They don't need to know all the permanent damage caused was intentional.
"God, it's alright Avery, injuries from fights happen all the time, and besides it's the last fights so he will have time to recover before mental stage." Mark says comfortingly, putting an arm round my shoulder.
"Yeah… I guess." I murmur, trying to appear slightly shaken.
"Why did you fight him… I'm confused?" Lily asks, holding an ice pack to her arm.
"How's your head? Do you think you'll be able to stand?" I ask, crouching down next to her to examine her injuries.
"Yeah I'm alright." She says as Jay gives her his arm to lean on. I look back to the room, the mats, and the crowd as the room starts to buzz away, people leaving.
"Initiates, rankings for stage 1 will be up at 5." Four says firmly, a not so subtle glance in our direction, his eyes questioning.
"Come on guys, let's go get patched up." Leon says, and we all start to trail behind him.
The conversation is light as we walk, even the more talkative ones struggling to avoid the silence of the majority. When we get to the infirmary, various people get patched up for small cuts and bruises, but I hold Lily back.
"Avery, what's wrong?" Lily asks as Jay hangs back with me.
"After the rankings are up." I murmur softly, and her eyes dart around, not understanding. I lean close to her ear.
"You potentially have a concussion, and I think you may have a cracked rib as well. Wait till the rankings are up so they can't disadvantage you due to injury."
Lily looks up at me in disbelief, before looking to Jay who looks on with sadness in his eyes.
"Come with me." She says, pulling my wrist to follow her away from the rest, and towards the tattoo parlour.
"Feeling like a celebratory tattoo after final fights then?" Jay asks jokingly, but his heart is not really in it. Lily smiles sadly.
"Yeah. A last hurrah I guess." She replies, and we follow into the parlour.
There's a high-strung silence as we browse the designs, and I try to distract my mind with the prospect of a new tattoo to join the eagle diving down from my ear.
"Are you going to get anything?" Jay asks, as I ponder over the boards of birds, alike my first. I don't answer, as Lily comes closer holding a board.
"I don't know how to say this… I know what you guys have done for me." She says suddenly, and me and Jay lock eyes warily.
"Lily-"
"Don't say anything just yet, okay, please just hear me out." She looks up and meets eyes with me.
"I'm not blind. I mean I'm nowhere near as perceptive as you guys, but I know you've been going behind my back, to motivate me, to train me, to make me better. Avery, I've known you since we were kids, but I never knew what kind of difference you'd make to my life. And Jay… you're the best surprise I'll ever have in my life. I just want to say, whatever happens, even when I'm cut, I could not be more grateful, and I'll always remember your kindness."
"Lily, you're getting through, you don't need to worry about-" Jay starts as she turns away, but she whips back around, with tears trickling down her cheeks.
"I just lost, badly, on my final fight, and I'm ranked just above the cut line. I know Avery you took the fight for me, I don't even know how to put it into words how amazed I am by you, constantly, but it still won't be enough! Just because the guy that beat me to a pulp got beaten to a pulp, does not mean I'll suddenly get to keep my place! And I'm not stupid, I got paired up with him for a reason. They don't want me here. They don't think I'm dauntless." Her tears are now falling free, and Jay rushes forwards and engulfs her in a hug.
I don't hear the words he murmurs to her, I just pick up a board and turn away as he leans down to kiss her.
"Hi, could I get this design, but with three instead of four, with the base of the tree starting from my foot and up my ankle?" The tattoo artist makes a face at my two friends embracing and raises her eyebrow at me, before accepting. As I get settled down and ready for the ink, Jay pulls Lily over.
"Avery, what… what are you getting?" He asks sceptically, as the buzz of the needle starts, and I tense my jaw with the pain. I remain silent as the artist does their work, watching the one-sided tree flourish, with two doves flying close up out of the tree, and another following from underneath.
"Is that…?" Lily trails off and I look straight at her, a smile on my face as I sigh.
"What do you know, I guess you two really have made an impression on me these past 5 months." I murmur, and tears well up in Lily's eyes.
"You're passing, Lily." I say, as the tattoo artist leaves the room and I stop her from protesting. "Don't ask how I know, don't ask how it's possible, and don't ask why."
My eyes linger on her as I hope my point comes across. I'm walking on a tightrope, into dauntless.
"But you're making the cut."
12321
I'd left the lovebirds to enjoy their newfound physical affection and went to pick up some food from the pit, thoughts plaguing my head.
Something within me…. It just tells me Lily's safe. All I can think of now is the leader glittering in the shadows, waiting like a wolf.
Can I go see him now? Will he even be around, he's probably discussing rankings with Four and the leaders. I mean it's basically mental stage now, and I'm the undisputed first rank, it's not like anyone can challenge me with a thought of winning. So surely even if we did get caught, any question of his bias could be eliminated?
Ah… but people like someone to blame… no matter what happens, if anyone hears, they'll use it as a comfort, to show in their head, they actually could have ranked higher as the high ranked initiates bribed the leaders. Yeah. That's what they'll say.
I obviously have way too much time on my hands, and as I end up in front of Eric's door, I'd made up my mind, not to go in. So, I turned left, and made my way towards the staircase up into the training block. It's been too long.
For some reason knives didn't feel right, so I tape up my hands and move over to the punching bags.
My first punch is heavy, but wary, as the much heavier punching bag swings lightly.
I take another, with a little more force, and the bag swings a little more.
By the time I take the third punch, my minds gone blank as the exertion of each punch pulls my stress from me.
I circle the bag, punching, elbowing, kicking, kneeing and shoving my way around, time relative to my speed. I wouldn't be able to tell you how much time had passed even if I tried.
My punches became sloppy, the power in them still prolonged, but the execution became messy, as my feet got sweaty and my hands and knuckles bruised. I collapse to the floor, catching my breath, as my eyes roll back and up to the sky.
I lie there, the stars above flittering in my vision, the sight feeling so familiar. There's this particular one, that shines so bright, I can always find my way. Its position has shifted from the last time I can remember, its slightly further up in my view, and the orientation of the stars surrounding has shifted too. Funny, I can't remember the last time I looked up at the night sky, I kept absolute to my mum's curfew of nightfall, so I never saw the stars in Amity.
Suddenly, there's a tickle in my foot and I scrunch up, a little flick up contact curling me up as a hand grabs my ankle.
His blue eyes are fixed on mine, his hair mussed, his smarter clothes removed in favour of a grey turtleneck jumper and black jeans. His fingers trace my new tattoo, and I feel my heart crumble at the sight of him.
"I never took you for the sentimental type." He says as I lean up on my elbows.
"Who says I am?" I protest, trying to not let it show in my eyes.
"These two little doves in love." He mutters, his finger circling around the spot I know they fly.
We sit in silence, merely admiring each other with the night sky.
"What are you doing here? I thought we said no contact until you stopped having direct authority over me?" I ask and am met with his smirk.
"So, I don't have direct authority over you anymore?" He chuckles questioningly, pulling me close by my ankle making me gasp. I don't answer, choosing instead to admire the details of his face, his lips quirked at one side, the slight indentation in between his brows, his overtly strong bone structure.
He laughs again, reaching over to stroke the back of my hand.
"You must have had a really good workout… have you seen the sky?"
"Of course, I have I've just been lying here for the last... for the last…" Wait… the night sky.
I look back at Eric.
"You missed the rankings, and dinner." Eric says nonchalantly, as I stare at him, waiting for the information I need. I missed the rankings, I missed the end of physical stage…
He smirks and looks around, anywhere but me as my patience grows thin.
"For fucks sake, what were the rankings?!" I give in, and he just chuckles before handing me a folded-up piece of paper.
Avery
Mark
Jay
Leon
Charlotte
Raven
I search down the list, searching for the name.
Lily.
25. Lily
A satisfied smile grows on my face, as I analyse the rest of the names, the obvious all there. Except…
26. Beth
A small frown between my brow is all that shows. Did she… she lost her match. Against a 27th ranked. I barely noticed.
My mind runs through all of our encounters, searching and searching.
Dauntless. Was she Dauntless?
…
I hand back the piece of paper.
"All to your predictions?" Eric asks as I meet his eyes.
"Predictions? Rankings? You know I stopped caring for them as soon as my last fight was up." I reply, sitting up and pulling off my hot sweater. "Besides, the people who have stayed have proved themselves Dauntless."
"That they have." Eric murmurs. "I enjoyed your fight today… I got chills over thinking about how we would fight if you were that composed fighting me all the time. I'd have to put you in your place." He says, his eyes alight with fire.
"It was a fun fight… now as fun as trying to get out of your pins… they're always… very exciting." I reply with a murmur, eyes lingering on his quirked lips.
"Mm, I almost wish I could just watch us fighting sometimes, you look so hot when you fight…" Eric murmurs, his eyes circling any skin exposed. I crawl over him, holding myself up on my arms placed behind his hips, as I lean my face close to his.
"I've only thought about a single thing since that fight." I breath against his lips, and I can see his hands twitch as he fights the urge to grab a hold of me. I smirk, tracing my lips up his nose bridge, between his brows, before circling up to his hairline and down to his ear then jaw. His arm muscles tighten as I meet his eyes.
"Just one thing? Are you sure you weren't thinking about destroying the fuck out of that punching bag?" He asks, allowing a hand to skim up my sides, uncovered skin except for the tight bralette skimming my ribs.
"Definitely not the punching bag." I murmur, pulling to the side slightly to let my lips pull at the shell of his ear, giggling.
"I only had one thing repeating through my mind, in and out." I smile through my words, trailing my lips back across his face to his lips.
"How hard you're going to fuck me tonight."
Oh my God I can't believe this is the end on the physical stage! This fic has been such a rollercoaster ride for me, it started as just a little fun, but as I discovered more of Avery's character, the story grew more complex and all the more interesting to write. I know this final instalment has come after a long hiatus, as I have to say the last few chapters I really struggled with writer's block, as I had all these new ideas for the mental stage, but I couldn't write about any of them here. However, I'm really happy with the ending to this fic, it really encapsulates the attraction between Avery and Eric, and the mental motivation for Avery through physical, the emotional ties to Lily, and of course her immense skill as a fighter. For her and Eric, I couldn't think of another way to end it, other than with a promise for more in the mental stage- I may be toying with the original rules set out by the amazing Veronica Roth, but I'm making them work for my characters.
Anyway, overall, can I just say a massive thank you to all those who have supported this fic, I truly hope when I get a hold of starting the mental stage instalment of this growing series, I can make it just as enjoyable and intriguing to read!
Thank You,
TheCloakedShadow xx