The Tribrid War

Dusk slowly overcame the sky, causing the streets to take on a new life. The taverns and surrounding alleyways came alive as men and women, worn out from their long work days, and looking for different ways to relax. The Midnight Rose, the largest tavern in Alaria, well-known for its loose women and strong alcohol, was bustling with activity. The bartender took his time pouring the patrons' drinks with care while servers in skimpy outfits and high heels delivered the glasses to their intended recipients. The overall mood was energetic and lively as the usual patrons ordered their drinks and circulated to their everyday activities of gambling and spectating. Next door to the main tavern, an adjoined room was often visited by the gamblers of Alaria. This room was filled to the brim with people and helped fill the bar with the pungent aroma of smoke and alcohol. Placed strategically around the room were numerous occupied tables as the occupants sat deep in concentration. The 'poker faces' were out in full force that evening as the poker players continued to throw their cards with confidence. The gamblers kept their faces void of emotion and their voices silent as the stakes increased with each chip thrown on the table. The grim reality of the situation was overshadowed by the hope that these gamblers would be blessed by Lady Luck, allowing them to win their fortune. However, a few knew they could lose all they held dear. At the far end of the card room sat a staircase descending into one of the busiest sections of the Midnight Rose. Entrance into the arena came with a steep price, but once paid, a new world opened up at the foot of those steps. The Midnight Arena was where humans, Werewolves, Vampires, and other mystical creatures congregated. They used this room to place bets and watch interspecies fights in a large square ring in the center of the room. That evening the room was buzzing and packed. Gamblers scurried around the arena as they tried to reach their bookies to get their bets in on time as another fight was about to begin. An eerie silence soon filled the room as all eyes followed the announcer, who was headed towards the ring to announce the contenders of the next fight. This fight was significant as both contenders were the best at what they did. The winner of this match would rise in the fighting ranks, increasing their reputation and overall payout. The announcer carefully grabbed the microphone from the sidelines and sent a stern look toward the Bookies. He followed that look with a distinct hand motion that signified that it was time for them to close down all bets. The Bookies finished their current transaction and closed their windows; the disgruntled sighs of those who couldn't get their wager in instantly filled the room. Once the announcer had acknowledged that the bookies had completed the last wager, he took a breath and looked around the crowd. The anticipation filled the room, and he couldn't help but be excited about what would happen. "Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to the Midnight Arena! Tonight we match two contenders with less than three defeats apiece. Only one will come away victorious. Let me introduce the challenger! With a record of 35 wins and one loss, this fighter is well known for his quick thinking and even quicker punching. Please welcome Armando!" Armando walked up to the stage, and she observed her opponent. His black hair was full of gel and slicked back into a ponytail. Dirt, holes, and blood filled his white T-shirt. The simple T-shirt's stains showed her that this man was no stranger to fighting. The shirt also enhanced his muscular build and tattoos; Raven couldn't help but be impressed with this man. Armando climbed into the ring and began stretching his arms to prepare for the upcoming fight. He turned and smirked at his opponent as the announcer started to continue. "The challenger is also well-known in the Midnight Arena with a record of 35 wins and two losses. In addition, she is known for her quick feet and black mask; please welcome Raven!" This is it. Raven thought to herself as she began to walk towards the ring; she focused her eyes only on her opponent and blocked out the crowd's roar. The butterflies in her stomach were making her feel sick; it was a feeling that could make or break this fight. She knew that the nervousness was due to the potential of another loss. She had to win this fight; a win this evening would positively impact her fighter ranking in the arena. The rise in rank would give her even more credibility and access to formidable opponents, resulting in bigger payouts. Raven slowly climbed into the ring and removed her oversized hoodie, and tossed it over the side of the ring. She pulled her long black hair into a ponytail and adjusted her mask to ensure it stayed on and didn't impact her vision. Her eyes again drifted towards her opponent, who stood there confidently. Once their eyes locked, he glared daggers at her, an arrogant glare which she instantly returned. "Keep the fight clean, you two: the first one to get their opponent to tap out or knock out their opponent is the winner." The announcer specified the rules to the contenders as he switched his gaze between the two of them. Once they both nodded in agreement, the announcer slowly stepped back toward the edge of the ring, crawled under the ring ropes, and exited. The room got quiet as Raven and Armando stood there and continued to stare daggers at each other. Raven and Armando squared off and stared at each other with pure disgust; they finally stopped once the familiar bell rang to start the match. With the signal to start, Armando wasted no time and charged toward Raven as he threw a right hook at her face. She ducked the punch and dodged to the left a bit, exposing an opening in his stance; she exploited this opening with a roundhouse kick to his side. The first connecting attack caused the crowd to fall into silence, only to be drowned out by the loud snapping of bones as they broke. Armando fell to his knees, his face distorted in a scowl as the pain of his broken ribs overwhelmed him. He knew he had lost the upper hand and needed to figure out how to get it back quickly. Raven charged him as he sat on his knees in pain; however, he saw her coming. Armando used the opportunity to follow up with a sweep kick. The kick connected and knocked her feet out from under her, causing her to collapse. With Raven lying on the floor in front of him on her back, Armando used this to his advantage. He rolled on top of her and straddled her. He followed up with numerous punches that connected with her face and chest. Raven knew she needed to find a way to break free of this position, or she would lose the fight. She quickly threw up her left arm, blocked his latest punch, and countered with a solid right hook to his ear. The impact from the counter punch managed to knock him off her body, giving her the time needed to stand back to her feet. She noticed that Armando was attempting to stand as well; he had a firm grip on the ropes and was wearily trying to pull himself up. With all the strength she could muster, Raven charged him quickly. However, he saw her coming and ducked out of the way of the right hook she threw toward his face. He straightened his body, managed to get his arm around her head, and locked her in a tight headlock. Darkness started to overcome her as his arm rubbed tighter around her throat. Desperation overwhelmed her at the thought of losing the opportunity to rise in the fighters' ranks. However, she knew that to win, she needed to get free of this headlock. A memory crossed her mind; the memory of a move she was taught for just this scenario. Smiling to herself, she allowed her body to go limp, The false sense of victory gave Armando a confidence boost of success, and he began to weaken his hold. Meanwhile, Raven slid her arm behind him and up to his face; she slid her thumb directly under his nose. Once her thumb was in place, she pushed it up with all the strength she could muster, which caused his head to yank up and backward. With Armando off balance, his grip loosened, allowing Raven to wrap her arms around his neck and lock him in a chokehold. The fatigue was wearing on them both, and Armando gasped for breath as he tried shifting his body to break the hold. Eventually, he stopped struggling enough to cause Raven to look down at her opponent. Her mouth grew into a smile as she looked at the man who lay limp in her arms; she had determined that Armando was unconscious. Raven released the body of her opponent and backed away slowly. She turned and smiled at the announcer as she held her hands in surrender and nodded her head in a 'yes' motion. The announcer nodded in acknowledgment and climbed onto the ring apron; she beamed and threw her arms in the air as the crowd erupted in excitement for the fight they had just witnessed. "THE WINNER IS RAVEN," the announcer proclaimed to all the spectators. Unfortunately, his voice was drowned out by the excited cheering of the crowd. The cheers of the winners filled the room while a patron or two screamed in defeat, knowing that their hard-earned funds were long gone. Raven swiftly exited the ring, looked around the room, and found her hoodie. She scooped it up and began walking towards the arena's exit. Her walk through the spectator area of the room was complicated due to the numerous pats on the back and congratulations from those who watched the fight. She had almost reached the door when her eyes settled on a man sitting alone, drinking his bourbon and smoking a cigarette. The man observed her as she walked out of the room; he couldn't help but let his eyes roam her body and smirked once he realized she had seen him and rolled her eyes in disgust, then left the arena.