The low wind pushed through the bioluminescent bulbs, whose pink stalks gently flexed back and forth. Their blueish light faded then brightened at a regular interval. The sight reminded Adakontus of the stars, which stayed permanently hidden behind the sky’s oppressive black clouds. If he listened closely, he could hear the deep thrumming of giant bugs flying through the darkness. Sometimes, he caught glimpses of clear wings reflected in the fungal glow.

  A deathly wail forced Adakontus back to reality. By the obelisk in the center of the bloodspattered arena, a woman died and a woman killed. At its edges, the other students observed with empty faces, while Adakontus tried not to look. The killer’s auburn, tangled hair covered her face. Filthy and naked, her shoulders hunched as she drove her weapon deeper into her opponent’s gut. The dying woman’s face did not show pain, but confusion and fear. Her pale eyes wandered, seeing but not comprehending, like a sleepwalker whose dream abruptly descended into nightmare. Adkontus shut it out. He watched the fog on the horizon, and felt the breeze on his bare skin. It smelled fresh and earthy.

  Yet again, the cruel voice echoed in his mind.

  ‘Fight.’

  Adakontus unwillingly entered the slaughter. He walked carefully, avoiding the cracks between the stones, which were filled with the ruddy brown of dried blood. Now that Adakontus left the ring of students, he felt their blank eyes on his back. Behind them, The Instructor flitted about like a shadow, its skeletal form barely outlined against the darkness. Its undivided attention felt like a knife against Adakontus’ throat.

  Across the arena, his opponent emerged from the potential duelists. Without hesitation, the fiery haired woman stepped onto the aftermath of the previous duel. A mane of yellow and orange framed an expressionless face. Her sword-lance pointed out in a two-handed grip, and she strode on steady feet.

  Adakontus let out a deep breath. He slid his feet over the cold floor into proper footing. He waited. Then he lunged. He surged all his strength and momentum into a singular strike.

  The fiery haired woman parried effortlessly. It was tiny movement, little more than a flick of the wrist, that deflected Adakontus’ blade wide by centimeters. Simultaneously, her riposte pierced Adakontus’ chest.

  Adakontus did not scream or struggle. With a gentle sigh, he let his fingers loosen, and let his head drop. And again, he died.

  Adakontus slammed into the obelisk. The Instructor was not happy. Its bony hand vised around Adakontus’ neck.

  ‘Fight.’

  It tossed Adakontus to the edge of the ring, and javelined his sword-lance after him. Landing an inch from Adakontus’ nose, the weapon’s point sunk partway into arena floor and pelted his face with shards of rock. The Instructor then snatched a sword-lance from an impassive student.

  Adakontus struggled to his feet. Dazed, he leaned on the imbedded sword-lance. The Instructor seemingly floated across the arena in an instant, and stuck a shallow wound into Adakontus’ calf. A step back, then it sent its blade into the meat of Adakontus’ shoulder. Next it sheared flesh off his ribs. Then it pierced his thigh above the bone.

  It hurt, badly. Adakontus shook his sword-lance back in forth, hoping to pry it from the ground. Each time The Instructor came close, it sent a flash of metal into Adakontus. He flinched at every new cut.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Fed up, Adakontus threw a wild punch at The Instructor. It wanted a fight, so he’d give it one. The Instructor casually stepped aside, but chose not to counter. Adakontus glared at The Instructor, with heaving lungs and clenched fists. The Instructor stood still, lazily holding the heavy weapon in one hand. With a furious cry, Adakontus charged the Instructor. His sloppy right hook whooshed through the air, and The Instructor speared him in the throat.

  ‘Fight.’

  Adakontus crawled onto his knees, then onto unsteady feet. His sword-lance laid within arm’s reach, and thankfully not embedded into the arena. He scooped it up and faced The Instructor. Its posture differed from the restless predator that stalked around the arena. The monster reminded Adakontus of a coiled snake. One moment quietly sunbathing, next moment fang deep in your leg. Neither side moved, and The Instructor seemed pleased with Adakontus’ caution.

  The Instructor stirred first. It walked slowly into striking range, as if daring Adakontus to attack. Adakontus backed away. The Instructor continued walking straight at Adakontus’ blade point. Adakontus retreated until he bumped into the wall of trainees at the arena’s edge. Surprised, he looked at the student behind him and—

  ‘Fight.’

  Adakontus awoke sitting against the obelisk, his weapon across his knees. The Instructor attacked immediately, its blade whizzing past Adakontus’ cheek. Adakontus stumbled backwards. The Instructor cut off his retreat, then kicked him into the obelisk. Its blade carved through Adakontus’ back and into his heart.

  ‘Fight.’

  Adakontus opened his eyes to see The Instructor’s weapon speeding towards him. He closed his eyes.

  A foot slammed into Adakontus’ stomach, then a fist rocked his skull. He curled into a ball. The Instructor wrenched his left arm away from his knees. It wrapped its hand around Adakontus’ pinky.

  Snap.

  “Aaaah!”

  Adakontus realised he was screaming. His free hand pounded against the arena floor. Gnashing his teeth, Adakontus opened his good eye. The Instructor had one hand wrapped around Adakontus’ wrist, while the other gently stroked his three straight fingers. His pinky bent all the way backwards to his wrist, and bits of bone stuck out of the nearly detached knuckle. The Instructor tugged on Adakontus’ middle finger a moment, then it let go.

  It picked up its weapon, and faced Adakontus. The blue flames in its skull shimmered cheerfully.

  Adakontus rolled over, and pulled himself to his feet. So this is how it was. He grabbed his sword-lance, and pointed it at The Instructor. His right eye was little more than a bruise, and dripping blood forced it shut. His stomoch ached. His back was scratched up from all his thrashing on the stone floor. His left pinky dangled beneath his hand, swinging gently in the breeze. Tucking his weapon under his arm, Adakontus took the useless finger in his hand. He tore through that last bit of skin, then tossed the finger onto the arena. It wasn’t worth shit anymore.

  The Instructor took an actual stance. Unlike the lazy snake, it was a tiger. On the back of a lightning quick step, The Instructor’s sword-lance lashed out. Brushing aside Adakontus’ hastey parry, it shattered his left shoulder.

  Adakontus shuffled back, and painfully resumed his stance.

  The Instructor glided forward. Its weapon darted towards Adakontus’s heart. Anticipating the strike, Adakontus leaned right and countered with a wobbly one-hand thrust. The Instructor aborted its attack, and casually stepped aside.

  Adakontus held his ground. His lance tip wavered in the air, pointed at The Instructor as it circled. His left arm shook with pain, but he forced it to hold the sword-lance as best he could. His good eye tracked his opponent, meeting its not-eyes but weary of its movements.

  It struck again, easily slipping its blade into Adakontus’ gut, then dancing back. Adakontus sunk to one knee. Was he allowed to die yet? Adakontus clenched his teeth, and pushed back onto his feet. No, not yet. The monster wanted everything Adakontus had to give.

  The Instructor swung its weapon into Adakontus’ blind spot. Adakontus did all he could to dodge, which was to flop to the ground. Scrambling on his side, Adakontus tried to gain some space. A hard foot flipped him onto his back. The Instructor jammed his sword-lance into Adakontus’ chest.

  ‘Good.’