Matador Of The Flames
The crowd was cheering, the stadium was packed full of many watching the proud sport
The crowd was cheering, the stadium was packed full of many watching the proud sport. As they got their seats, Adrian fell easily bored and looked at his hands for the whole time. Lucy however was into the crowd spirit, buying bottles of beer and singing along with the crowd. Claire's heartbeat grew faster however as she tried to conceal her amulet which was glowing more frequently. But it wasn't hard for the young boy to rejoice with the crowd with the arrival of a man, wearing bullfighter garments and carrying a red cape. The crowd grew wild with excitement, cheering and yelling at the top of their lungs, those less extreme gave a standing ovation to the man who had just appeared, he sent a bow and blew kisses towards the crowd.
"That's the mighty Ricardo. The legendary Matador of the Flames!" the little boy said, whistling to show his support. An announcement can be heard in Spanish, however Adrian, Lucy and Claire couldn't decipher it. Lucy ignored the speaker and joyfully clapped and jumped showing her enthusiasm as well. "So that's the Matador of the Flames?" Adrian thought to himself.
"What is the person saying?" Claire said, confused over the events. "The person is saying, 'welcome the legendary Matador of the Flames in this eventful day today as he attempts to conquer this bull!" the little boy said, focusing his gaze on the matador and the field below. Gates in a few sides of the field were rattling and when Ricardo revealed and waved his red cape around the gates, the crowd's cheer elevated. The matador then quickly positioned himself in the middle of the arena and then the gates finally rose, emerging was an already provoked bull and aggressively charged at him, but the matador swiftly evaded the attack and walked two steps back waving the cape yet again. As he turned, Claire few weaponry such as a whip, wrapped around in a small loop. A long rapier and a small pouch containing a small dagger, "Why does he have a sword with him?" Claire asked. Lucy didn't pay attention and remained cheering for the crowd and sharing her beers with those that stood near her. Adrian looked to himself, holding his head with his three fingers, not noticing her comment. Claire then gave Adrian a bit of a shove, and asked him again till she got his attention. "Why does he have a sword?" When Adrian turned to look at her, she noticed dark shatters, almost like a broken mirror was in his eyes. Claire looked in fright and then closed her eyes, as it reminded her of the curse. His face was lifeless and she was getting no response from him. She grabbed him by the shirt and shook him, hoping he'd regain consciousness. His eyes closed, only to be unsupported by himself anymore, as if he were dead. Claire gasped, "This can't be happening. No! Wake up, please!" she said, her voice shaking. Her calls to Lucy were drowned out by the crowds cheering, "Don't die now! Not here…"
She held him and closed her eyes, a wave of tears flooding from her eyes. "What's all this? I take a short nap and you are all over me. I raised you to become too sentimental haven't I?" she heard, opening her eyes and seeing that he was wide awake. "But… but you weren't breathing. You weren't taking a nap at all!"
"What are you talking about Claire? I know when I've slept and when I haven't. Besides, what did you presume that I was doing?"
Claire gaped her mouth, almost saying the things she thought but she hesitated. "Maybe he was sleeping after all… But what about his eyes?" she thought, she regained awareness when the little boy had been tapping on her shoulder for her attention. She then turned to the boy, gazing at his innocent and youthful face.
"When the bull is close enough to him, he has to kill it for the fight itself to end. It's either he dies or the bull does. In order for recognition for the crowd, he cuts a piece of it while it's alive and it's known as his trophy during the fight. But it's very dangerous, few bullfighters have died because of the sport."
"But why are the locals, particularly you so interested in it when people have died participating?"
"I'm interested in it because I want to become one! The thrill and the excitement to watch legendary men like the matador of the flames just keeps your heart beating faster and faster and witnessing their courage and bravery to their closeness to death every single time the bull charges at them gives you a sense of involvement and keeps you on your seat. But I don't want to be on my seat, I want to be their entertaining the crowd… and being a legend like Ricardo. But every time I mention anything about bullfighting to her, she just dismisses it and yells at me and whenever I tell anyone else, they all laugh and tease me like it's a stupid dream to have. But I can't help it if I want to be a matador, it's my dream and I'm going to do it regardless of what my mother thinks. I can't actually believe that she said she had met Ricardo at her high school!"
But I can tell why she's very concerned. It's dangerous, she wouldn't want her son to be killed in a sport that's only aimed to entertain."
"I don't care what my mother thinks, or what you think! I'm going to participate in bullfighting one of these days and I'm going to show everyone who doubted me that I could do it. What's the point in doing something you'd hate for the rest of your life when you are never going to be happy from it? I want to use my time to do what I've always wanted to do. Desires are meant to be fulfilled, not ignored."
Claire then looked at the boy blankly, trying to find a suitable response to his statement. Alas, she nodded her head in agreement, having nothing to say to convince the boy otherwise and watching him continue to cheer on his hero, who eventually slay the bull, escalating the cheers of the crowd even more.
Lisa journeyed around the city and then out of the city making her way near a village consisting of a few cottages. A truck had many dents in it and many thumps were heard from the inside. Lisa was suspicious of it and then searched around looking for the trucker. "What exactly is inside this truck?" she asked a man, leaning his back on the truck. "It's a bull. An elderly lady called up and offered it to the Plaza México stadium in Mexico City, and since we needed some bulls for the bullfighting events taking place, we happily took it. It was a strange one; its horns had stars encrusted all over it. But a bulls a bull and I just assumed she put some gypsy decorations on it."
Lisa was suspicious of the details and looked to Mark to see if he thought there was something going on. "Where does this 'elderly lady' live?"
"Right on top of that hill there. She's a peculiar one and strangely enough, she's trained this bull to be great competition to that fraud "Ricardo", Matador of only Names. I'd like to see him up against this one."
The trucker then had a stretch and then got his back off the truck. "Well I'm off. Delivering this bull… What a life I've got." He smiled, looking towards Lisa. "M'am. I hope we meet again, cause you're a beautiful woman."
Lisa rolled her eyes and then walked towards the direction he pointed to during their talk. "Cold shoulder, I like that even more."
"Idiot." She muttered under her breath. "Mark, what do you say we give this elderly lady a visit?.It may seem she knows something about the Astral Beasts."
Mark nodded his head in quick succession. "That long walk was hardly entertaining. I thought there were monsters around these areas." Lisa chuckled. "Careful what you wish for."
After the bullfighting event was over, the young boy remained in the stadium seats. Claire, Adrian and Lucy also remained with him until the usher caught them and kicked them out. As the gates of the around the stadium were to close, the star matador rushed outside, only to call out to not close the gates as yet.
"Ricardo. It's Ricardo!" The boy shouted out, the group then turning to see the matador just right behind them.
The man, tall in height walked towards the group of people and kneeled down to talk to the boy. "And who may you be?"
"I'm V--"
"Victor Fernandez! What are you doing at this stadium here" said a mother in an exhausted tone. "You were supposed to be at home after school! And you, you bullfighting misfit! Don't you dare encourage my son to become an idiot like you, and Victor who are these oddball strangers that seem to be surrounding you here?"
"We can explain…" Lucy interrupted.
"Explain nothing! I already know people like you, young missy. Fame-attracted whores like you only wanting nothing but the attention."
"How dare yo--"
"Mom! I don't want you to be talking about people like that." The little boy interrupted, turning his head around the strangers. "I'm sorry about my mother, please don't take these personally. She's really a good mother."
"Victor, I want you here right now! Leave these strangers alone and you're coming home. Now!"
"No mom, I'm going to talk to Ricardo here! He's my hero." Victor said proudly. "No, you better go with your mother… Victor. She needs you at home."
"Something sensible said from a foolish man like you? Finally some sense has come into this world."
"But mom, these people have to come to. They have no homes!" Victor exclaimed.
"What!?" the three said unison. Victor then turned towards them and gave them a wink. "Yes, they have no homes, but I know that they are friendly. Can they please come?"
"Are you insane Victor? These are strangers. Strangers!"
"This really isn't a good idea little boy. You're mother is already furious." Adrian said. "Don't worry, just consider it as a visit to our house. You are pretty nice people, especially you." Victor said, pointing at Claire.
The woman was in disbelief. "Maria… I mean Mrs Fernandez. I'll happily give them a place to live so they do not concern you."
The woman was irritated at his comment and then turned herself towards the other side. "Well then, come along. You need a place to stay? I don't mind."
Victor then laughed. "Your mother is one weird lady alright." Adrian remarked. "Well that's just our mother."
"Actually, may I have this charming yet beautiful woman for the night?" Ricardo said, "I'm dying for a bit of…"
"Sure, why not?" Lucy replied back. "Lucy? What on Earth are you thinking?" Adrian shouted. "You want the whore? Take her. She's all yours." The mother said.
"I don't want to be kept bored, and he seems like a formidable man. I might have to teach him manners!"
Adrian then went up to Lucy whispering to her. "You can't just run off now. Where are we going to meet up?"
"We'll meet up in the stadium, where Mr Matador here will lend his tickets that are currently hanging outside his pockets."
Ricardo laughed, "She's a sharp one alright."
"That's a first" Adrian said out-loud. "I heard that!" Lucy said, gradually walking away from them with Ricardo.
"He certainly is the Matador of the Flames if he can pick up women just like that…" Maria said. "Come along now, our house isn't very far from this stadium." The woman said, now with a bit of compassion.
Victor walked alongside Adrian and Claire, and looked at them with curiousity. "You people dress weird, but I guess that's how normal tourists dress right? What are your names by the way?"
"I'm Claire, and this tall man here is Adrian!" she said with confidence. The two were confused by why the little boy wanted them to stay at their house, but because it intertwined with their current situation, they accepted the generous offer.