Chapter Three

The iron greaves clink as Top Knot approaches me with his eyes glaring through me. My heart pounds as sweat drips off from the side of my head. Veins pop to the surface of his forearm as he tugs his black and gold fingerless gloves. 

This guy is the real deal. Unlike the other soldiers, he’s coming at me with no sword. What’s he gonna do? Judging by those gloves, maybe he knows hand to hand combat? 

I extend my arm out behind me, telling the girl to get back without taking my eyes off of Top Knot, watching him taking his sweet time to get to me. I step forward and raise my arms up, taking deep breathes.

Keep an eye on my opponent. Watch how he moves. Then study his speed and power. Be patient. And coun-

Top Knot shoots his leg forward, reaching me from yards away. I cough as the blow of this guy’s kick crushes my chest. The world around me spins as I roll across the dirt and then on my back. Groaning, I hold the spot where Top Knot had kicked me, feeling the numbness tingling in me like a parasite inside. Then I shake my head and quickly sit up, blinking rapidly. “What the hell was that?”

I blink again and Top Knot is now in the air and spins, swinging his leg downward. I roll to the side as he smashes the dirt up into the air. I throw a right hook and clash against him, swinging a sidekick. A shock runs up my bone when it hits the steel leg armor, but I bite through it, gritting my teeth and weave under Top Knot as he curves his leg over my head. Now, in front of him, I grunt loudly and shoot my fist. But this guy suddenly spins and launches another blow to my gut, knocking the air out of me and sending me rolling again.

Tae Kwon Do. This guy knows Tae Keon Do! I’m fighting against a guy who mainly uses his legs to fight. What a weird matchup I’m up against. Me, a boxer who only uses arms.

I spit then shoot back up, rushing in and meeting Top Knot. “Come on!”

My arm zips through the air, whistling. Top Knot, looking cool and unfazed, twirls and launches his leg. A loud boom erupts as my fist clashes against the sole of his steel shoe. The impact repels me back, but this time, I held my footing. Top Knot extends and snaps his legs back and forth. I weave to the side, spinning away from the kicks and swing, but miss as he twirls. I duck under Top Knot’s leg and launch my fist upward, but he leans back, missing again. I curse under my breath as another kick comes for my side. I hastily raise my arm up and take the hit. I jab with my other arm, but Top Knot swiftly knocks it out of trajectory. 

My pulse quickens and a dull pain spreads across my jaw from grinding my teeth too hard. I unleash quick jabs as fast as I can but none of them hits. And Top Knot shows no reaction with those dull eyes staring at me. 

A vein on my head twitches. “You think I’m weak! I’ll show you!” I remember the first kick he hit me with and jump back, creating a wider distance to lure him in and do it one more time.

I watch as Top Knot lunges forward and thrusts his leg at me like before. A grin creeps across my face. I sway backward, letting the kick pass over me. Gritting my teeth, I swing, pushing my muscles to the limit as my fist pushes through wind, and finally bashing the cool look off his face.

Top Knot stumbles as I move in closer and jab at his ribs, then a left to his face and finally a right hook, sending him spinning. But the heel of his leg bashes against the side of my head also sending me twirling in the other direction. As soon as I look up from the ground, Top Knot is already on his feet, looking at me fiercely. His eyes are not dull anymore and is now bulging with rage. 

“You’ll die for that,” Top Knot hisses as he wipes his mouth where I had punched him. 

I smirk at him. “I’m already dead.” 

Top Knot charges and I rush back up, but my vision sways, seeing stars fizzing and warping my surroundings. 

No! 

I try to keep my footing, but gravity pulls me back to the ground. I blink. Top Knot swings his leg; the steel leg bracer grows bigger toward my face.

“Enough!”

The grieves stop just inches away from me. I look up to see Top Knot with a pinched expression.

“Why, my lord? Why do you command me to spare this insolent pest!” 

The golden king approaches me as his soldiers surround me with their swords pointing at me. He glares at Top Knot, and as if that stare can shoot out lasers, the Tae Kwon Do master groans and lowers his leg down. 

“This ‘pest’ was able to land a blow on you. last I remember Sung, you gave me your word that no enemy could land a single attack on you.”

“And I have proven that before!”

“Yes. Yes. I have witness you murder thousands of my enemies and return without so much of a scratch. However this boy or king of the dead as the necromancer had spoken was the first to ever hit you. I am very disappointed.”

Top Knot groans and averts his gaze to the ground then glares at me. I stare back projecting the same intensity. 

“I am amused however.” The golden king pets his mustache, looking down at me like I’m some sort of delicious hunk of meat. “Bring this thing and its master back to the castle. I want to examine this king of the dead further.”

“Yes, my lord…”

The soldiers grab hold of me, and the girl as she flails around, shouting to unhand her. Then they put her and me in these oversized rectangular concrete handcuffs with chains, and drag us like we’re slaves.

“Where are you taking us!?” I shout.

No one answers. The golden king returns to his golden carriage without even a glance at me. Then, the soldiers and Top Knot all begin marching, ignoring my question and pull on the chains, dragging me along.

“Hey! Where the hell are we going?”

“Hush!” says the cloaked girl. “I don’t want to hear anything from thee.”

“So you can scream and I can’t?”

The cloaked girl’s expression darkens as she kicks me in the leg

“Ow!”

“Enough, or we’ll lose the chance for our trial!”

“A trial for what?”

“For a tournament of death.”