Ace felt a sickening warmth in his hand as he smashed his fist into the man's face. The man's eyes were buried deep into his skull, his nose flattened, his teeth scattered to the ground. he buried his fist deep into the man face, he cracked open his skull, and a spray of blood towered his face. And for a split moment it wasn't the pit of dead bodies he saw, it was her.
.....
Liana's hands warm and firm squeezing mine in the crowded, stinking market as we forced our way through. Behind us, were five men chasing us. We managed to lose them in the crowd, but that itself was futile as they had already seen our faces.
Liana was quick in thought, she had already stolen a ragged cloak, a basket with apples in it, and black scarf. quickly wear this she said, do not let go of my hand no matter what. We blended smoothly into the market, the hum of voices, footsteps and laughter blending into a chaotic symphony.
As we made our way through the market I stumbled upon a big man, causing my weight to shift falling to the ground. A huge man stood tall over me, his face half burnt, bald headed and fat as a pig. "Oei, watch were you're going there lad", he shouted. His dim loud voice brought attention to the five men who were chasing us.
Liana came attempting to dissolve the situation, "please forgive my little brother sir-- she said forcing a smile. He has a terrible sense of direction, please don't hurt him". Here an apple for your trouble's sir. "Don't belittle me little prig", he said swinging his hands at the basket of apples my sister held causing some apples to fall to the muddy ground. "What do you take me for. Does my face frighten you that much, that you may think I would hurt a little a boy just from bumping into me"—grabbing a hold of liana hands.
The five-man rushed over to the location we were at. Liana, I shouted we must get out here, they are coming this direction. So, what about little a girl, do you wish to see how fearsome I can be, he whispered to Liana.
As the fat man tried to unmask Liana's cloaked. She kicked him right between his legs to his balls, then smashed the man with the basket she held. The fat man fell to the ground, crying in pain. The crowded market stared in shock, wow she's strong, knocking off a big a man like that for a small girl. A woman in the crowd mummed.
The five-man burst through the crowd, entering the small circle form around us. One of them held a spiked bat, and as he caught sight of me. He rushed forward with his spiked bat readily to strike me down. "There you are you little bitch", he said swinging his spiked bat towards me. Liana quickly pulled me away before the spiked bat could make impact with my head. Sadly, it managed to catch the leg of the fat man lying on the ground. The fat man screamed in pain as blood sprayed from his leg. If that force would have caught me, I surely would have died.
Liana dashed forward the crowd, squeezing my hand firmly now, determine to not let go of it. We forced our way through the market, hoping to lose those men for good now. "Get back here you little thieves," the man with the spiked bat shouted as his fellowman chased us down.
We managed to make our way out of the crowded market, then disappearing in the dark alley streets. Dim lanterns flickered in shadow corners, casting a yellow haze over our faces. Smoke filled air chocked the back rooms, the smell of oil and ash covering the scent of dead rats and cats. Quickly in here, Liana pulled me closer behind a stack of broken crates. She put her hands over my mouth, covering it to not make a sound, "Shhhh...".
heavy boosted footsteps slapped against the wet, muddy pavement. Lianas breathe was ragged, hot puff against my neck, her body entire body trembling against mine, as each footstep felt louder and closer.
Check the drainpipe, a gruff voice snarled.
It's too dark I can't see anything, another voice replied.
"Damn these little thieves," said the man with the spiked bat smashing glass bottles and wooden boxes. You're gonna be sorry when I get my hands on you, said the man whilst whistling. A sound of a bottle glass falling to the ground from the other side of the alley caught their attention.
"Rayza, this way quickly". said one of the five man they won't get away from me this time. You found them? asked Rayza moving away from our location. "Yeah, I heard a sound in that direction" he responded. Their voices faded away as they moved away. "Curse these kids they are going to pay with their life."
After the last footstep faded away, I did not dare to move a muscle. Until Liana uttered the words, we're safe now, I remained still and frozen. Liana peeked through the gap inside the crates, trying to see if we are truly alone. She let out a big sigh of relief. It's alright now, we are safe. Hearing those words calmed me down as breathing became stable now. Hah...hah... I thought I was going to die this time; I said sighing in relief. "Don't worry," she said smiling rubbing my hair with her hand. "As long as your big sister is still around, nothing bad is going to happen to you."
"Do you have them, the ticket". She asked softly. I reached for my pockets pulling out three bright silver tickets. Here, handing them over to Liana. Her eyes widened, we finally got them. "Three silver tickets. With these tickets we can finally leave this hellish place. Let's go back to Elias, it's been a long time since we left him, a better life awaits."
"Wow...not so fast now"—A mysterious deep voice echoing behind us. "You two are going nowhere". I felt a chill down my spine, frozen by fear unable to move. Liana handed me the tickets before pushing me forward creating a distance between herself and the man behind. Go! run away as quickly as you can from here and don't look back. She said screaming at me.
Liana! look o..., before I could even finish the sentence. Liana was stroked down so hard with a single punch on her head, she fell to the ground. Blood spilling down her head to the pavement, mixing with the gutter water running down.
My eyes widened in shock, my entire body trembling, unable to move. Breathing became heavier as I watched my sister laying there on the ground. "Now you turn little fish", said the man as he walked toward. The sound of his cold, deep voice echoed all over my body, snapping me back to reality.
I forced my body to move, then quickly got up before his hand could reach, running away from him. Before I could even get far, I felt a strong force hitting me at the back of my head. My eyes turned red, coughing blood. Losing grip of the tickets as fell to the ground found
The tickets scattered to the ground before hitting the ground. I could not move my body; my vision started to be blurry. The man walked past me, towards the ticket, picking them up. "It's a shame," he whispered, the words dripping with false pity. "You could almost have made it out." Turning his head toward me. "If it weren't for me... you could have seen a glimpse of heaven. But I suppose someone had to remind you of hell."
Those were the last words I heard before my eyes faded to black.
…..
The roar of the crowd pulled Ace from his deep thoughts, the memory has faded. Ace stood upright, blood dripping down from his face, his body blooded and bruised, as he struggled to maintain balance.
Ace looked down on the man he had so relentlessly beaten. The man's face was no longer even visible; it was a ruined, bloody mess. Ace's own hands, soaked in blood, trembled before his eyes. A cold horror washed over him. This man is dead, and I… I killed him. The thought was scold and absolute. For the first time in his life, he had taken a life.
Yet, standing over the corpse, he felt no pity, no regret, no sadness. This was the law of his world: strength was everything, and weakness meant death or slavery. He had done what was necessary. If he hadn't, it would be his own body growing cold on the arena floor.
He forced his breathing to steady, his composure to return. Lifting his gaze, he saw hundreds of intense, gritty eyes staring down from the stands in a profound silence. His blood-soaked fist clenched. He raised it high, against the dusty air, then pointed it defiantly toward the crowd.
"Drayco!" he shouted, his voice echoing in the quiet. "My name is Ace. As the winner of the Iron Fist tournament, I challenge you, Dust Maker, champion of the first floor. Accept my challenge! You are bound by law and the word of her grace to accept."
The silent crowd erupted. A thunderous roar slammed into the arena, a wave of sound screaming his name. "Ace! Ace!" they chanted, a unified war cry. "Ace the Red Fist!" A new nickname they had given him.
As the adulation washed over him, his vision began to blur. His bruised body struggled to maintain balance, every muscle burning in pain. He could feel his consciousness, starting to fade. Then a figure emerged from the stands, a mountain of a man stood up from the chair. The chair was made of human skulls and bones. He leaped from the high stands into the pit, and the ground shook with the impact, dust blowing around him. The crowd fell silent once more.
The colossal man, twice Ace's size. He wore a brown coat carved of a tiger skin, black pants and boots. His face and body were covered in scars, his long dark hair covering almost his back. He walked toward him, each step resonating with an overwhelming force that sounded like a minor earthquake. He moved with a predator's gaze, stepping over the dead bodies of fallen fighters without a glance. He was truly a beast of a man. Ace's body, pushed far beyond its limit, could no longer obey his commands. His knees buckled, and he felt himself falling, only to be stopped mid-air by a powerful hand gripping his arm and holding him upright.
"Ace!" Drayco's voice boomed, loud enough for all to hear. "I, Drayco, gladly accept your challenge!" He raised Ace's arm, presenting him to the crowd. "The victor of the Iron Fist tournament, Ace the Red Fist!"
The crowd took up the chant again, "Ace, Ace, Ace!" their fervour renewed by Drayco's declaration.
"It's been almost half a decade since I had been challenged." Said Drayco proudly. "We shall feast tonight, drinking and eating till our bellies explode in honour of Ace, victor of the 201st Iron Fist tournament!" Drayco roared. Then, his tone shifting to command, he called, "Come, lads, take our victor to the infirmary. Take him quickly now, before he bleeds out."
As others moved to obey, Drayco leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper meant for Ace alone. The words were a cold promise towards Ace. "Only those chosen by the Gods can see the light of tomorrow, when facing me. I pray that the gods have chosen you, Ace."
The words were the last thing Ace heard before his eyes faded to black.