Million Dollar Soul

Chapter 5

Now don’t get me wrong, obviously anyone in Night Run would get rowdy, but for the arena to be surrounded to the point I can’t see who is fighting or what is going on, is not normal. Gal and I share a glance before moving over.

The crowd parts for Gal, I have to push a few guys out of the way to stay behind him. Once we reach the barrier of the runes I notice they’re glowing, the intensity of the fight even shaking them, which means what’s happening is just barely within limits, and someone is probably going to die.

There are two men inside the sand pit, one of them is on the ground, his chest heaving. The other is standing a few yards away, showboating to the crowd for his ego, they respond. He then sets his sight on the man on the ground who is struggling to get back to his feet.

The showboater glares, “Won’t you just stay down” as he squares his shoulders.

Now that he’s on his feet I can see the other guy is definitely smaller stature, which isn’t normal for these kind of fights. You’re power is only as powerful as you are so for brawlers like the people who come to Night Run, usually they’re bulkier. He’s got a few small cuts on his face and arms, he shrugs, “I like to take a punch.”

This angers the other guy and he lashes his arm out and curves it, and I wait for something to fly, before realizing more cuts have appeared on the smaller guy. He’s an air elemental, and a decently strong one at that if he can funnel air into something palpable. The smaller guy gulps down a breath before leveling his gaze hard on his opponent. I am waiting for something to happen before the bigger guy stops in his tracks, as if frozen.

I whip my head to Gal, “He’s a telepath?” I scream over the crowd.

He frowns, more than grimaces, “James, he’s been coming for a few months.” He says while still facing the arena.

The air elemental has broken James hold on him and the look on his face is pure rage, he starts to wave his hands around his body and slowly working them over his head. He’s making a tornado in the arena kicking up a lot of sand as he does, luckily the runes keep everything in the arena, it almost acts like a bubble. James is able to erect a barrier around himself, small as it is, it seems to be keeping out the torrent but the safety net itself is taking the blow so James is staggering trying to maintain it.

“Gal,” I scream up at him. He locks eyes with me, “Charlie, no, you know how the runes work. Even I can’t interfere, that’s the point.”

I grow unsteady on my feet watching as the Air elemental maintains the tornado while throwing air waves at James barrier. He’s got to submit right, I can’t remember the last time I’d seen a death at Night Run, maybe when I was 18 and that was an accident.

James was staggering behind his barrier, as he tried to catch his footing on the loose sand. He was able to right himself and then looked up at the air elemental who was making strides forward now. He seemed to have made up his mind about something before pushing his hands out in front of him throwing his barrier at the air elemental. It’s a gutsy move, throwing his only protection from the torrent of the sandstorm that had been created.

The air elemental is thrown back some and falls to a knee, and with that the storm dies down. James lurches to one side before catching himself. That must have been quite a bit of his resolve he forced in to the shield, he must not have much energy left, can he finish this?

He begins to trudge toward his opponent who is shaking their head slightly, most likely disoriented from the mental shield making contact with his own mental fortitude. James raises his hand while taking short labored breathes. With the little energy he has left he must want to knock out the elemental which would require some sort of physical contact.

The air elemental starts to gain back his composure as he sets his hand on his knee and starts to stand. James notices this and picks up his pace, hissing against his injuries as he does. His opponent barely lifts his head before throwing out his hand directly in front of him and James gasps, or rather goes to gasp and he falls to his knees. His hands quickly clutch his throat.

No. He’s stealing his air, “Gal!” I yell grabbing his arm. He looks down at the contact, “It’s not against the rules.” My eyes widen, “Gal I need him, he can’t die in there!”

I look back into the arena where James is bent over, the crowd roars as the elemental walks with heavy feet toward the downed James. Just give up, surrender already. “SURRENDER!” rockets out of my mouth before I can stop it, demanding to be heard over the chanting that has started. The runes are glowing a hot red and vibrating with the possibility of death.

I start to clench and unclench my hands, Gal takes notice, “Charlie, don’t you dare.” He levels me with his best intimidating stare but I refuse to acknowledge it.

Just as I start to step forward, into the runes of the arena, they disspell and James is sprawled on the ground. I sigh a relief, he passed out therefore the fight is over. However the elemental does not stop his pursuit, his hand slowly raises as he is finally standing over James. The fight is over, what is he doing. Just as his hand starts to lower, I react before thinking.

I am on the ground kneeling in front of James and the elementals blow lands on my own air shield. Before he can register his attack was blocked I slam my hand out throwing a palm sized fireball at him, which throws him to the other side of the arena. He starts to scream I assume at the fire now spread across his shirt.

Just then I feel as if I’d been punched in the gut, my vision blurred and knees failed me as I feel onto the sand next to James. Damn it, how could I forget. The arena, even when not set for a fight has offensive runes active for illegal attack, so if you throw something while the runes aren’t set, it’ll land but you get it back fivefold.

I lay there for a minute, as I try to blink my vision to cooperate, and the ringing in my ears to stop I see Gal make his way into the arena and pick up the air elemental by what’s left of his shirt and lay into him. He throws him out of the arena as I start to sit up, the noise comes back in a snap, and I can hear everyone yelling.

“Get his ass out of here and when he’s conscious tell him I better never see him again unless he wants to know what his skin smells like crisped. Everyone else out!” Gal bellows while causing all the lamps in the room to rage with fire, to drive his statement home. Some grumble but everyone start to file away from the arena.

I’m on my knees when I feel Gals hand under my arm helping me up. Once standing his levels his face with mine, “You good?”

I give one last shake of my head, clearing most of the haze and nod.

Gal moves from me to the still unconscious James and hoists him over his shoulder and leaves the arena to dump him on a table. I trudge after him and make my way to the bar, “Don’t damage the goods I need him, and I took quite a punch for it.”

Gal walks back over to the bar, flips my cup back over and pours us both a drink, which we both swiftly take. “You know sometimes I think you’re too much trouble.”

I gasp, “Me?! You wound me. I am a delight.”

“Yeah and trouble just finds you is that it?” he chuckles around his second drink.

“Of course it does, I am a good girl.”

He shakes his head, and shelves the liquor, “What exactly are you gonna do Charlie?”

I look into his set face, he’s worried for me, which I understand, “I’m not sure honestly, I think my father wanted me to make sure that they were taken care of, properly, not corrupted.” I looked over my shoulder at James, “We all know a dark High Tier would be the beginning of the end for us.”

Gal huffs as he pushes off the bar, “Just get him up soon. I’ll be upstairs.”

As Gal stomps up the old steps, I make my way over and sit on the adjacent tabletop to James. I can see him properly now that he isn’t fighting. He’s got black hair, sort of falling into his eyes. He’s got a tan complexion but its hard to tell how light or dark under the dim light of the lanterns. His stature is even more evident with him laying down, definitely a scrawny guy, looks like he tries to pick fights he has no business starting.

I rest my feet on the table and lower my head to my knees, “What am I gonna do with you. Finding you was the only clarification I had. Now what?”