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Chapter 16: Battle on the Beach


Ashley and I slept peacefully throughout the night. I can’t say the same for the others. The huge beach would be the battlefield though. It was that magic time of 7 am. The breeze contributed to the pushing the lapping waves upon the beach.

I stepped out of the inn with Ashley sleepily holding onto my arm for support. Outside, we found Nathan standing by himself. He waved and Ashley and I returned the gesture. “What are you doing?” she moaned to him, still half asleep.

“Watching over her,” he answered. “She’s getting ready.”

“Yeah, I understand!” I nodded. “I do the same thing. Just get calm, get focused. Put yourself in the zone, y’know,” I recalled. I knew better to bother her, but I wanted to share her peace. So I joined Curstan at the shore. We stood barefoot, the cool, salty waters washing over our ankles.

“The sunrise was beautiful this morning!” she whispered looking out the strait.

“I bet it was!” I smiled. Curstan was dressed in the regulation female Battle Demox uniform. It consisted of tight t-shirt, and a miniskirt with leggings underneath. She was pretty…well, cute, even with such little preparation!

“At home I get the best view of the mountains and the sunrise is great too!” she said after a short pause.

“You’re lucky! I wake up to an annoying big sister every morning!”

She giggled and finally looked at me. “I have an older sister too, but me and her are really cool. Her name’s Codi, what about yours?” she asked.

“Kimi,” I replied simply. We were then interrupted by Sarah’s voice.

“Come on you two! It’s time to begin!” she shouted. Next to her stood Lamis and our partners.

“Well, good luck!” I called running back to join the others. She slowly followed me at first but then stopped by the inn to get her weapons. She held them on two black leather belts. The first strapped around her waist like any other belt. It held four knives, two of them well classified to be grade A daggers. There were two on each side, and each had its own style. The second belt was much smaller; strapping to her thigh and connecting to the large belt with an adjustable strap. It held a pouch that contained her kunai and shuriken.

“This is it,” Melissa thought stepping forward. The rest of us backed away a safe distance from them. “We can’t lose this. I can’t lose this! Lamis has to keep its winning streak!” There was obviously more pressure on Melissa than Curstan. I mean, having to keep a six year winning streak? Heavy. The girls stood an equal distance apart of about 15 feet. All grew silent except for the crashing waves upon the beach. Melissa had chosen a longbow for this fight.

“All right everyone! Listen up because these are the rules spars unless stated otherwise: “Wins are by K.O., give-ups, or authority’s call. I am authority!” Sarah explained. She walked backwards, joining us spectators. “Let this be an interesting fight!”

Melissa jumped backwards and strung an arrow in one fluid motion. Curstan bent her knees slightly, left hand poised over a knife; the right had four shuriken ready waiting. The action then froze, each waiting on the other to attack. “Counter method,” I mumbled. It was a wise choice for Melissa, but Curstan?

“Yes, the counter indeed!” Tyler overheard. “If your girl plans on throwing, she’d best be prepared! Melissa has impeccable reflexes, and one false move could end it all!”

“Well I wouldn’t count Curstan out just yet,” Nathan disagreed. That was it. He never even took his eyes away from the two girls who had begun to battle after he finished simple statement.

“If you want to win then fight!!” Curstan yelled throwing the shuriken. At that time, her opponent let two arrows fly simultaneously, as was the advantage of the longbow. The projectiles clashed with a clang and fell into the sand as Curstan made a speedy advance toward Melissa.

Melissa took off along the shore firing rapid shots of two to three arrows at a time, though every arrow was easily dodged. “As long as I keep my distance, she has no strike range!” she thought as if Curstan couldn’t throw! Curstan planned to tire Melissa out, and then come in for the damage.

It was now going on half an hour since the fight began and both parties had made some achievements. A kunai left a wound in Melissa’s aiming arm. Curstan was knicked by several arrows, though her plan seemed to be working. Both were slowing down, and low on ammo.

But just then, Curstan sprang into action! She drew the smallest of her knives and tossed it expertly, piercing the flesh of Melissa’s shoulder. Melissa let out a painful breath and snatched it out, the blood beginning to seep into her clothes. She threw it back, though it was a crappy throw to say the least. Curstan actually caught the blade in mid-air and returned it to its holster. She traded it for the largest dagger.

She rushed in, getting optimal striking distance and went on the offensive. She went on an all out assault filled with speedy kicks, punches, jabs, stabs and slashes in every direction. Melissa desperately to blocked with her bow, but surely if she didn’t stop, long term damage was imminent. Hoping that Curstan would slow down now was like hoping for snow in the summer. It just wouldn’t happen.

Melissa lost her balance while running backwards and fell to the ground. She looked up to see Curstan towering over her, her dagger ready to come down. But she did not strike. “Enough!” Sarah intervened. She grabbed Curstan’s wrist and raised it as f she were a boxer. “Winner! Curstan of Team Kratias! As soon as they are ready, they may leave. That is all,” Sarah announced.