A/N: Chapter 10 takes place during the weekend of January 26th-29th. If I got any of the details of the Martial Arts tournament wrong, I apologize profusely. Take it with a grain of salt and just enjoy the story. Chapter 11 will feature an eight month time jump/ The date will be September 26th. As always, thank y'all so much.


Chapter 10
Mortal Combat

Sariel awoke at five and dressed in a running outfit. She left a note for Lilly and Audrey and let herself out of the condo to take a run to White Lotus. She pulled her headphones into her ears and flicked on her running playlist on her phone and set off on her run.

The hours dragged on as she ran the fifteen miles to the dojo. The euphoria she felt was tremendous. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was right at eight when she knocked on the large ornate door to the dojo. She heard the shuffling of feet and the heavy wooden door swung open revealing Master Mei Xie dressed in a ceremonial robe.

"Ni hao, Sariel." Mei stated as she bowed.

"Ni hao, Master." Sariel stated as she returned the bow.

"Are you prepared for the tournament, little Crane?" Mei's voice was warm and friendly.

"I believe so, sifu. Do you know who will be competing with me?" Sariel asked gently.

"I do, but I do not wish to divulge that information. It will be a distraction for you, I think." Mei laughed heartily.

"I see. I have packed a bag for you to take to the tournament. You'll find your competition outfit in there, as well as your weapons for rounds two and three." Mei stated.

"Awesome!" Sariel exclaimed.

"Are you ready to go? We can walk to the tournament from here." Mei stated as she turned her back towards Sariel.

The younger woman fell into step slightly behind the older Chinese woman. They walked in near-perfect silence. As they made their way to the auditorium, Mei departed from Sariel and left the young woman to be escorted to her changing room.

The halogen lights blazed overhead. The crowd of people gathering in the auditorium was terrifying to Sariel. She quickly shucked off her clothes and changed into the outfit in the bag. She expertly braided her long hair and stood in the small preparation area. She tugged on her the tail end of her long braid and tightened it. She was wearing a white sports bra with a silvery-blue gauze crop top. The matching pants clung to her hips perfectly. She wore a flowing black satin sash around her waist, signifying her training.

Her hands, wrists and feet were wrapped with a thin layer of supportive tape. She pulled on a pair of silver hand guards and foot guards. She parted the curtain on the waiting area she was in and stole a glance towards where Elliott and their families were sitting. Her mother was whispering something to him, and from the smile on Elliott's face it was pleasant. Sariel jumped when she felt a cool hand on her shoulder blades.

"Shh, shh. Do not be timid, little crane." Mei Xie spoke softly.

"Forgive me, Master Xie. You startled me." Sariel replied as she bowed to the older woman.

"There is nothing to forgive. Do you feel prepared? I noticed your boyfriend is here, is he worried about you?" Mei smiled brightly as she asked her questions.

"Yes, Master. Elliott is here. I am anxious to perform in the tournament. I do not wish to bring dishonor to you. Elliott and my family have faith in my learning. I am sure that if Drake were still here, he'd be proud of me, too." Sariel replied.

"Ah, Drake. The Quiet One. You, Leon, and Drake were my best students. I miss him every day." Mei lamented.

"As do I, sifu." Sariel stated.

A gong echoed throughout the auditorium. Sariel and Mei turned from their private waiting area and joined the throng of the participants. As Sariel made her way to the end of the auditorium, she fell to her knees and and sat on her legs, kneeling in front of Mei. A quick tap on her shoulder made her whirl her head to her right.

"Hi Rinn." A handsome young man whispered.

"Leon!" Sariel exclaimed quietly.

"In the flesh. Good to see you, Crane." Leon beamed as he replied.

"You, too, Dragon. Lunch after?" Sariel asked gently.

"Gladly. Give 'em hell out there." Leon's warm voice made Sariel smile.

Mei lightly thumped Sariel's back with her foot to force the young girl to pay attention. The tournament executives were explaining the rules. It was a team single elimination tournament. Sariel beamed when Mei whispered that she and Leon would be competing together.

The announcers called for each team to present themselves and briefly honor their teachings through performing their katas or taolus. She drowned out most of the names of the other teams. Sariel was impressed with the display from the other competitors, though. As the team on her left stood to perform, Leon leaned in close to her.

"Ready to wow 'em with your gracefulness?" Leon whispered.

"With you, always." Sariel quipped.

"Presenting the team from White Lotus: Master Mei Xie, Students Sariel Shade, Fujian White Crane; and Leon Kennedy, Southern Dragon." An announcer stated.

Sariel and Leon moved identically. Their energies were in tune with one another. They quickly made their way to the center of the mat. They each bowed and Sariel stood three feet to Leon's right. The two gracefully performed their respective taolus. As Sariel moved she looked like she was made of water itself. Her movements were perfectly fluid and precise. The perfect complement to Leon's own powerful taolu. They finished their displays perfectly synchronized.

Applause roared through the auditorium when they finished. Sariel's eyes seemed brighter, as she fought to contain her smile. They returned to their seats and Mei approvingly patted each of them on their shoulders.

"Round one will be simple melee combat. You are both easily prepared for this. You will be sparring with the Black Dragon team. They are cocksure; both of them. Kicks, jabs, sweeps only. Understood?" Mei whispered.

"Yes, Master." Sariel and Leon nodded in unison as they spoke.

A smaller gong was rung and Sariel turned her attention to the judge's table. Leon had his eyes closed and seemed to be meditating. Sariel took his hand in hers and quickly closed her eyes and calmed her mind.

"Welcome to the Zuzu City Martial Arts Master Tournament. The teams you have all seen represent the best the schools, dojos and establishments in Zuzu City have to offer. These teams are each comprised of the Sifu or Master's best students. The first portion of the tournament will now begin. Round one is a simple melee combat - only kicks, jabs, blocks and sweeps are allowed." A male judge called out.

"The teams competing in the first heat are White Lotus and Black Dragon. Students, to the mat please." A female announced.

Sariel and Leon stood and bowed to Mei before taking their place on the mat. Elliott waved at her as she walked past where he was sitting. She quickly beamed at him then let her happiness fade behind her steely resolve.

The Black Dragon students carried themselves arrogantly. Their movements were slightly over-pronated and exaggerated. Even their faces bore the arrogance in their spirits.

The judge on the mat called out for both teams to bow to each other. Sariel and Leon immediately complied by balling their right hands into a fist and covering them with their left palm. They each bowed at the waist, lowering themselves nearly parallel to the floor. The Dragon students barely returned the gesture and immediately took their fighting positions.

"Round One, begin!" The judge yelled.

Sariel slid to the right of Leon and ducked under the kick launched at her face. She quickly launched herself backwards and landed a flawless double back handspring. As her feet touched the mat, she swept her leg out in front of her bringing the younger Dragon student to the mat.

"Point for White Lotus." An announcer called out.

The older student dropped his attention on Leon and turned his fury towards Sariel. Her eyes went wide when she realized he was targeting her solely, instead of taking the easy point Leon had presented him with. She ducked under his fist and launched a quick jab to his ribs.

"Rinn, dive, now!" Leon yelled.

Sariel obliged and vaulted forward just as Leon landed a high kick to the man's face. She tucked into a roll and rose to her feet to provide Leon cover to his back. She swiftly tossed her head to the side to free her braid from her shoulder.

"3 Points for White Lotus." The announcer called out.

The Black Dragon students were whispered something by their Master and they started working in tandem to target Leon. They both ran at him and started to launch an impressive volley of attacks towards him. Sariel's eyes darkened as she took her place by Leon's side.

"Lotus." Sariel stated quietly.

At her command, Leon fell back and took a position guarding her back. He focused on her as she quickly overwhelmed the feeble assault with a dizzying amount of blocks, kicks, and dodges. She landed a perfect high kick to the younger student's chest and sent him reeling backwards. The older student grabbed for her braid and missed.

"Point for White Lotus." The announcer stated.

Leon grabbed her waist and flipped her over his shoulder, giving her the chance to retreat. She landed gracefully and whirled around Leon's side. As she started to rise, the older student landed a kick to Sariel's left cheek.

"Point for Black Dragon." The announcer's voice echoed.

Sariel blocked a second kick with her forearm. She cast her glance sideways towards Leon and caught his nigh imperceptible nod. She growled and shoved the older student backwards. She rose to her feet and steadied herself. She balanced on her left foot and drew her right knee upwards. She pivoted on her left foot and snapped her right leg out in a perfect high side kick. The ball of her right foot connected with the student's chest. He fell backwards on the mat and landed with a soft thump.

"3 Points for White Lotus. Scoring is 8-1, White Lotus. This concludes the first match." The judge called out.

Leon grabbed Sariel as she steadied herself and slipped his arm to her waist. He turned her head with his free hand and inspected the vicious bruise forming on her face. He gently rubbed his thumb over the tender, bruised skin and frowned slightly.

"You okay?" Leon asked concernedly.

"Yeah. I've had worse." Sariel replied.

"That was amazing. Ready for round two?" Leon asked confidently.

"Yes. How's your weapons combat? Still practicing?" Sariel asked.

"Every day. You?" Leon replied.

"Have I ever let you down? I have my sai, and can still use a jian quite well. Not too bad with stick fighting either." Sariel stated.

The duo made their way back to Mei and she immediately set about inspecting Sariel's face. The blue and green tint on her cheek wasn't horribly bad. She was pleased there was no injury to her cheekbone.

"You both did excellently. I am proud. Sariel, during round two you will be allowed to use your sai and a staff. I have a pair of modified blunt sai for you to use, so there is no danger of hurting yourself or the other student. Leon you will have access to your dao and a qiang." Mei explained.

"Thank you sifu." The pair responded.

Sariel stole a glance towards Elliott and was surprised at the look of jealousy on his face. She smiled when she caught him staring at her and blew him a kiss. Immediately his face seemed to soften and he returned her smile.

Elliott turned towards Evynne and occasionally stole glances at Sariel. He was exceptionally impressed with Sariel's talent in combat. He had to admit he was jealous of the relationship she seemed to have with her partner.

"Evynne, who's that with Rinn?" Elliott asked.

"Leon Prince. He was Drake's best friend." Evynne replied sweetly.

"Ah. I see. Rinn speaks very fondly of him." Elliott stated.

"I'd imagine so, the three of them were inseparable. I'd like to think that if Drake were still here, they'd still be three peas in a pod." Evynne laughed as she spoke.

"Oh." Elliott replied sadly.

"Elliott, you have nothing to fear from Leon, if that's why you're asking." Evynne admitted.

"I will admit I am jealous of their relationship. She seems to care for him, and he her." Elliott bashfully stated.

"He's not a threat to your relationship, I promise." Evynne assured him.

"How so?" Elliott replied.

"He's gay." Evynne stated.

"I see." Elliott whispered.

The group sat watching as the other teams fought. The displays were amazing. Elliott kept staring towards Sariel, wishing he could comfort her. Occasionally he'd glance back towards the teams fighting on the mat and would be fascinated with their prowess. Eventually the eight teams had all competed.

A gong rang out overhead, drawing everyone's attention to the female judge standing on the center of the mat. She cleared her throat and stole a glance at the clipboard she was holding. She cast a furtive glance towards all of the students and began speaking.

"This concludes round one. The following teams will progress to round two. If your name is not called, please return to the designated spectator area for your school. White Lotus, Fighting Warrior, Zuzu City Academy and Jaguar Academy. Thank you to all our competitors." The woman called out.

Applause broke out through the auditorium as the four advancing teams were announced. Sariel and Leon sat quietly near Mei. The trio had their heads bowed and were in deep conversation.

"You will be squaring off against Jaguar Academy. They're more skilled than Black Dragon's students, but don't let that throw you off guard. Sariel, focus on the male student. He will be using a jian . Your expertise with your sai will throw him off guard. Leon, focus on the female. Her attacks are weaker, whereas yours are more powerful. Your dao will be covered in a protective sheath, so the blade can not strike anyone." Mei whispered.

"I understand, Master. Thank you." Sariel whispered back.

"Got it, sifu." Leon whispered.

A young male dressed in scrubs came over to Sariel. He knelt next to her and started examining the bruise on her face. His touch was gentle, which comforted Sariel slightly.

"Can you see from your left eye?" He asked gently.

"Yep. I don't feel like my cheekbone is broken, either." Sariel replied.

"Excellent. Try to not take another blow to your face, okay? I'll clear you to continue." The medic stated as he stood and walked off.

The same, repetitive gong rang again and everyone turned their attention towards the young woman dressed in white. She waited for the quiet roar of the crowd to die down before she began to speak. Behind her people were setting up tables of weapons.

"Round two will commence shortly. It will consist of four teams fighting against each other. Weapons fighting only. No kicks or jabs. Blocks and dodges are accepted as long as the block is made with a weapon. First team to five points wins. We will begin with allowing each team to retrieve the weapons they submitted earlier." She called out.

The four pairs of students made their way to the tables. Sariel immediately spied her beloved jian . The silver blade and cerulean blue handle shimmered slightly. There was a thin cerulean sash hanging from the pommel of the sword. She slid the blade into the protective clear sheath and strapped it to her back. She picked up her sai and bo staff. The then cylindrical staff was light tan and had a dark brown leather cord wrapped around its center. The blade of her twin sai was dark blue and the handles were wrapped with silver cord. She expertly spun them around in her hands testing their weight. She smiled at Leon who had retrieved his own weapons.

"White Lotus and Jaguar Academy will begin round two." The attendant called out.

Sariel closed her eyes and rolled her shoulders, freeing the tension building in her muscles. She felt Leon's warm hand on the small of her back and she smiled at the gesture. He pulled her close to him and whispered softly to her.

"You good, babe?" He whispered.

"Mm. I won't let you down." Sariel replied.

Leon kissed her forehead and brushed a loose hair from her face. He hugged her tightly and wrapped his arms around her. Sariel stretched onto her tiptoes and returned the gesture.

The gong rang again and Sariel shut the world out around her. She dropped her sai into her hands and prepared herself for the onslaught of adrenaline as the fighting began. Her left sai faced forwards, while she kept the blade of the right pressed against her right forearm. The comfortable, familiar weight of the jian on her back brought her comfort.

The male Jaguar Academy, dressed in fiery red clothes charged towards her. She lowered herself to the floor, in a crouching position with her right leg spread out. He swung his jian towards her and she countered his attack perfectly. The prongs of her left sai hooked around the blade and she twisted her left wrist, sending his blade careening to the floor.

"Point for White Lotus." The judge called out.

Sariel and Leon returned to their starting positions and she prepared again. This time she turned both sai backwards in her grip. She rushed the male student and expertly fended off all of his attacks by countering him with her beloved sai. Leon took the opportunity she presented him with and landed a blow with his dao across the man's shoulders.

"Two points for White Lotus." The judge called out among applause.

Sariel sheathed her sai in her belt and pulled the staff from her back. She twirled the wooden staff in a beautiful display. Leon stood directly to her right and prepared his qiang. The point of the spear had been covered with the same plastic sheath as their swords.

The Jaguar Academy teamed charged forward, swinging the weapons violently. Leon blocked an attack with the shaft of his spear and Sariel dodged a blow from a dao meant for her head. Her eyes narrowed as she focused her energy on protecting her body from the heavy sword. Leon seized the opening the red-clad woman presented and launched a flurry of thrusts towards her neck. He ran his spear through the opening in her arms and contorted the shaft, causing her to drop her blade.

"Two points for White Lotus, for excellent use of a spear to disarm. This concludes the match." The judge called out.

Applause broke through the auditorium as Sariel and Leon bowed to the beaten team and resumed their posts by Mei. She was quick to hand the two bottles of water and urged them to drink them. The obeyed her and sat lotus-style on the floor, relaxing before round three.

"Crane, take this break to go see your family. Tell them I say hello. Dragon, escort her." Mei demanded.

Sariel stood and stretched. Her muscles lithely gave way as she bent backwards. She craned all the way forward and touched the mat with her hands. Her muscles burned in agony from the fighting, but she knew she was making Mei proud.

She and Leon bounded over to where Elliott and their families were sitting. Elliott was distracted in conversation with her parents. Sariel quickly vaulted the wall and climbed onto his lap.

"Wha! Dear Yoba, you scared me, Rinn." Elliott exclaimed.

"Good to see you too, Ellie." Sariel smiled brightly.

She snuggled against him content in his arms. She whimpered slightly when he wrapped his arms around her and started rubbing circles on her back. She was growing weary from the fighting.

"So, Leon, this is Elliott. He's my boyfriend. Elliott, I'd like you to meet Leon Prince, better known as Dragon around these parts." Sariel stated from Elliott's lap.

"Nice to meet ya! Treat Rinn right and I'll promise you'll never end up on the other end of my dao ." Leon threatened.

"Leon Michael Prince, you will not lay a finger on him. Besides, if he treats me wrong, he'll have me to deal with." Sariel called out defiantly.

"Yes, Crane." Leon lamented softly.

"You're both amazing out there. I'm so proud of you, Sariel." Elliott whispered to her.

"How about lunch after this? Sariel, I'll get you both an appointment at the spa for a massage, if you'd like." Evynne stated.

"I think I'm okay, Mom. Lunch sounds great though." Sariel replied.

The gong rang out signifying the end of round two. One of the other competitors was escorted to the medical tent with a broken nose. The student's replacement made his way onto the mat and cast a cold gaze towards Sariel.

"Uh oh." Leon whispered.

"Is that who I think that is?" Sariel asked with fear in her voice.

"Unless I've suddenly gone blind, that is definitely Caine." Leon stammered.

"Shitfuck." Sariel answered.

Sariel kissed Elliott on the cheek and scampered back to Mei. Her fears were intensified when she got closer to the tall man clad all in black. The scar across his left eye confirmed it was Caine.

Sariel swallowed the lump in her throat and felt her body involuntarily tighten. She grabbed for Leon's hand and took a small amount of comfort from his presence. The roar of the crowd drowned out her conversation with Leon when Caine's name was announced.

"Evynne, who is Caine?" Elliott asked from the stands.

"Lucian's brother." Evynne replied with rage in her voice.

"He blames Sariel and Leon for what happened to Lucian. This is bad." Peter added.

"Are they in danger?" Elliott demanded.

"No way to tell. Caine will do his damndest to hurt Sariel. She's fierce though, so is Leon. They're prepared for this." Evynne answered.

Sariel turned her gaze to the silver-haired man. The tattoos covering both of his arms were enormous. She closed her eyes and tried to block out the images swirling through her mind and thoughts.

That damned gong rang out yet again and this time the judge's voice echoed through the auditorium speakers. The male in charge of the tournament was standing at the judging table. He cleared his throat as he spoke.

"We are preparing round three, the final match of the tournament. Round three is a three-point match. Weapons and Melee Combat are allowed. Weapons will again be covered in protective materials. The teams fighting are White Lotus Dojo and Fighting Warrior Academy. Teams, approach each other." The judge called out.

Sariel and Leon stood and gracefully made their way to the center of the mat. Caine towered over Sariel's five-foot six body. She dipped low in an elegant bow and tried to ignore the insults Caine was slinging towards her.

Sariel tossed her bo staff from her back, deciding to use only her sai and jian. Caine freed his large bladed staff from its holster on his back and performed a sweeping strike in front of them. Sariel felt Leon tense beside her.

"Something doesn't feel right, Rinn." Leon called out to her.

"I know. Watch your back, Dragon." Sariel whispered.

"You too, Crane." Leon whispered back.

The gong rang and the two teams walked to opposite sides of the mat. Sariel and Leon decided they were going to focus on the small female member of Fighting Warrior's team. She had the best odds of being defeated in their combined attacks.

Unfortunately Caine had other plans for the pair. He bounded across the mat and executed a perfect leaping sweep with his staff. The clink of the metal blade against the blade of Sariel's sai scared her.

"Leon! Watch yourself! His staff -" Sariel tried to cry out as Caine swept the staff around his back and sliced at her abdomen.

Crimson rivulets poured from the wound on her abdomen. She clutched her stomach with her left hand and staggered backwards in pain. Caine wound up for a second attack and Sariel flipped backwards narrowly avoiding the staff.

"Rinn! RUN!" Leon screamed at her.

Sariel sprinted across the large auditorium hoping to put distance between herself and Caine. She looked over her shoulder and was glad to see she'd succeeded. Unfortunately, this meant Leon was now facing off against both Caine and the woman.

Sariel growled with a primal rage and sheathed her sai. She drew in a deep breath and unsheathed her jian . The double-bladed sword felt light in her hands. She flipped her braid over her shoulder and ran straight towards Leon. He crouched down and vaulted her into the air as she jumped on his linked hands.

She brought the jian down from above her head and crashed the blade straight into Caine's back. Though the blade was coated in a protective sheath, the pain from the attack was still very real. He roared and spun around swinging his staff wildly.

Leon shoved Sariel down to the mat just as the blade of the staff would have contacted her throat. The metal sliced through his chest and shoulder, spraying blood all over the mat and the two men. Sariel cried out and tore her sash from her waist.

"Leon, give me your dao. " Sariel growled deeply a she pressed the black belt to Leon's wound.

"Two points, Fighting Warrior." A judge reluctantly called out.

Sariel took Leon's heavy broadsword in her right hand and shifted her lighter jian to her left. She whirled the lighter sword around, holding it reversed in her grip. She pressed the thin blade against the length of her arm and shifted her fighting position.

Rage fueled Sariel's attacks. Though she was smaller than Caine, her fury was quickly allowing her to overpower the larger man. He couldn't compensate for the dual swords as she launched volley after volley of attacks towards him. Her movements and attacks were frenzied as she continued to push him backwards, away from Leon.

He tried futilely to launch counterattacks towards her. She roared and pressed forward, swinging the heavy blade towards Caine's legs. She succeeded in knocking his left leg out from underneath him and seized her opportunity to waylay the man. She dropped her swords and loosed her sai from her belt. A dizzying amount of jabs, parries and thrusts resulted in Caine's staff being loosed from his grip.

He finally stood and backed away from Sariel. He was surveying the area around him, trying to ascertain the location of his staff. The fury in Sariel's gray eyes sent a chill through his bones.

She launched volley after volley of attacks towards Caine. The man collapsed and fell on his back as she succeeded. She was drawn from her fury slightly by Leon's cry. She abandoned Caine and scooped up her staff as she ran towards Leon's side. Carmen, the woman was attempting to land the final point they needed by attacking the defenseless Leon.

"Two points, White Lotus." A judge called out.

Just as Carmen launched another attack towards Leon, Sariel slid forward on her knees and blocked the blow with her staff. She used her momentum to flip Carmen backwards and Sariel dove over Leon's body, shielding him protectively.

"Two points White Lotus. This concludes the Tournament. Would the teachers from Fighting Warrior Academy and White Lotus come forward please." A judge called out.

Sariel clung to Leon's body and pressed her weight against his chest. She could feel his warm, sticky blood on her skin. He exhaled softly against her face and loosely draped his arm around her.

"Damn, babe. You okay?" Leon whispered.

"Shut up. Just rest. The medics are on their way over." Sariel chided the man.

"Rinn, I'm fine, sweetheart. Nothing I haven't felt before." Leon laughed.

Sariel turned her attention towards the raised voices to her right. Mei, the Fighting Warrior shifu, and the judges were in a heated debate. Mei was arguing calmly in fluent Mandarin. Sariel struggled to make out what words she could, but gave up after a few moments.

A young female medic gently pulled Sariel off of Leon and started examining the wound on her abdomen. She laid Sariel on her back and pulled the material of her shirt up giving her access to her stomach. Thankfully the wound wasn't nearly as deep as Leon's. The medic gasped at the amount of blood on Sariel's skin, but relaxed when she realized it was a mixture of Leon's and the girl's.

"Leon? Talk to me, please." Sariel called out.

"I'm still here, Lia." Leon responded.

Sariel turned her head and saw they'd taken off his shirt and were cleaning the blood from his wound. She winced when the medic attending to her sprayed her wound with an antiseptic. Her eyes fluttered closed and she shivered.

"Get out of my way!" Caine roared as he stomped towards Sariel and Leon.

Sariel heard a cacophony of footsteps running towards her and she braced herself for the impact that Caine was surely going to deliver to her. She waited and waited and the blow never came. She peeked her eyes open and saw Elliott standing next to her rubbing his left hand.

He knelt behind her and pulled her head onto his lap. He began lovingly stroking her cheek and smiled when she reached up to lay her right hand hand over his. Her left hand reached towards Leon's and she smiled when she felt him grab her fingers and squeeze.

"Darling, are the two of you going to be alright?" Elliott asked loudly.

"Yes sir. They're both okay. Mr. Prince's wound is slightly deeper than Ms. Shade's but they'll both recover. Hers should heal fine without the assistance of sutures. Mr. Prince on the other hand, will be needing some sutures." The older medic called out.

Mei waddled her way over and crouched next to Leon. Her eyes expertly watched as the medic stitched his wound shut. Thankfully the wound was rather short, only eight inches long, so he wouldn't need many sutures.

"They've permanently disqualified Fighting Warrior from ever competing. They judges are pulling the licenses of Caine and the dojo owner who allowed him to fight. I am very sorry this happened to you both." Mei stated sadly.

"We don't blame you, Mei. You had no way of knowing Caine would have been selected as a second, nor that he would have cheated. I'm a bit bitter they didn't disqualify him as soon as he attacked Rinn." Leon grumbled.

"Ace, it's okay. I'm not seriously hurt. Just a cut. I'll heal. We did good today." Sariel replied.

The medic attending her finished and assisted her in sitting up. The bandage on her abdomen made the wound look like it was worse than it was. She grimaced against the wave of pain and sprang to her feet. She wavered slightly and balanced herself.

Sariel took Leon's extended hand and grabbed his arm at the wrist. He locked his fingers around her slender wrist and she braced herself as she pulled his weight from the floor. He stumbled onto her and she caught him.

"Damn, you're stronger than you look." Leon muttered.

"C'mon, Ace, let's get you out of here and get some food in your stomach before you pass out." Sariel whispered back.

Elliott braced himself on Leon's left side and helped Sariel escort him from the auditorium. He was impressed at the amount of weight Sariel was bearing. She weighed a scant 110, and Leon easily weighed in at 180, yet she was carrying most of his weight. As they wove their way outside, Leon started walking on his own.

Lilly and Audrey were waiting outside for Elliott and Sariel. The panic in Lilly's voice over the condition of her best friend made Sariel feel loved. She waved a hand dismissing most of Lilly's fears.

"I'm fine, Lilly. I promise. So's Leon. He's worse off than I am. I'm hungry and tired, but we're okay." Sariel rambled.

"What in the hell happened?!" Lilly bellowed.

"Caine. Lots and lots of Caine." Sariel stated.

"He cheated. Used unprotected weapons." Leon added.

Sariel caught a glimpse of gold on Audrey's hand that wasn't there yesterday. She focused her eyes on the woman's left hand and giggled endlessly when she realized what had changed. Leon and Elliott just stared at the woman like she was crazy.

"Glad you said yes, Red. Lilly's been agonizing for months over asking you." Sariel called out.

"Damn it, woman! I was gonna reveal the surprise!" Lilly chortled.

"Congratulations!" Elliott exclaimed softly.

"Aww yes. Well done, Lilly. Welcome to the family, Red." Leon muttered.

"Mm, we need to get some food into Ace, fast. I don't think I can carry him if he goes dead weight on me." Sariel called out.

"Morphine?" Lilly and Audrey asked at the same time.

"Mmhmm. I give him thirty minutes, tops, before he's out." Sariel calculated.

Lilly threw open the back door of her SUV and helped Sariel ease Leon onto the seat. Sariel climbed in next to him and Elliott climbed in on his left. Lilly and Audrey climbed into the front seats.

"Your mom texted, Rinn. She's got your bag and phone. She's taking it up to Elliott's room. Everyone okay with Chinese?" Audrey called out.

The silent nods from the backseat answered her question. She flipped the radio onto a metal station, hoping to perk everyone back up. She cast a glance back towards Sariel and smiled brightly at her friend.