Wura
When the last glimmers of the Rite of the Brave faded, Wura found herself alone at the center of the mystical circles. The silence, heavy at first, was broken by two familiar flashes. Ru and Nath appeared, wrapped in a dim light.
Wura's heart leapt. She rushed toward them, radiant.
— We did it! she cried, arms raised, her bright laughter echoing through the suspended space.
A voice, without timbre or source, drifted like a breeze through the frozen air:
— Well done. You are permitted to proceed to the next trial.
A crack tore through the atmosphere. An iridescent portal formed, floating a few meters above the ground. Their escape. Their reward.
As they approached it, Ru slowed his pace. He turned to Nath, eyebrows furrowed.
— Tell me… That game we just passed, was it really… the best choice?
Nath shrugged, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips. He tapped his temple with a finger.
— Honestly? I've seen shorter ones, longer ones… But this one had a little something. It let me have some fun, and test the sanctuary priest's abilities.
— What?! Wura choked, stunned. You mean you chose that scenario… just because you felt like it?
Nath let out a small guilty laugh, his eyes sparkling with innocent mischief.
Ru remained expressionless. He stared at him for a long moment, unreadable, then stepped into the portal without a word.
Wura exchanged a look with Nath, then shrugged. After all… as long as they won in the end.
A few leagues away…
They were now eighteen. Eighteen souls who had survived the Rite of the Brave. Gathered before a small arena surrounded by sparse stands. The air vibrated with a quiet tension. Few spectators. The initiation took place in a discreet world, hidden between worlds but the figures present carried the aura of elders, clan leaders come to judge their heirs.
Priest Kpanji stepped forward, his voice deep and steady. His ivory tunic fluttered in the wind.
— Congratulations on passing the first stages. But now is no time for rest. The third trial awaits you: single combat.
A shiver ran through the ranks.
— Here is where the true worth of a Black Warrior is judged. The body, the instinct… and the will. In a moment, the boards will come alive and the matchups will be revealed.
Despite herself, Wura swept the area with her gaze, searching for a familiar face. Nissi… But she was nowhere to be seen. Eliminated? No. Impossible.
The board above the arena lit up abruptly. Names appeared in blazing letters.
A cold sweat trickled down Wura's back.
Nath Sokagi vs. Toru Kanoni — Ru Kisra vs. Véga Nyora — Meisana Sarugi vs. Kani Hakiya — Taïra Ikori vs. Séki Diata — Awa Kora Zaki vs. Lesedi Séko — Wura Sina vs. Nissi Yeruma — Shabi Ko vs. Nahira Hasani…"
Wura Sina vs. Nissi Yeruma.
Her heart tightened. She froze. It was exactly what she had feared…
The first duel was announced. Nath Sokagi versus Toru Kanoni.
Toru stepped forward. A mountain of muscle, an intimidating presence. Next to him, Nath looked almost fragile, his silhouette swallowed by the shadow of his opponent.
The priest raised his hand.
— Combatants, take your places.
Wura held her breath. Nath seemed tense as well. His eyes avoided the giant's. His fingers trembled. He was afraid.
***
Nath
Nath forced himself forward, each step pounding in his skull like a war drum. Reaching the arena's edge, he swallowed hard.
— Nath! Wura shouted from the stands, her voice sharp like lightning. You can do it! Muscles don't win fights!
He turned his head toward her. A faint smile brushed his lips. His hand swept through his messy hair. Then he entered the arena.
The drum sounded. The fight had begun.
Toru bent his knees. His eyes glowed with a blinding light… and his body vanished.
— What the…? Nath breathed, bewildered.
A blow struck the back of his head. He staggered. Then another. And another. Invisible. The attacks rained down with no hint of their origin.
A voice snickered in the void:
— You can't defeat what you can't see.
The world spun. Nath stumbled back, dodging blindly. Then, an idea. He dropped his dagger, pulled out his slingshot, reached into his pouch. His fingers found a steel marble.
Just one second. He needed one second of reprieve.
The audience held its breath.
He closed his eyes. Inhaled. Then launched the marble, not at random, but toward a point he sensed.
CLACK.
The blows stopped.
One second. That was all he had asked for.
Lightning from the trance flared in his eyes. His world shifted. Every vibration in the air, every movement, became visible. Toru, even invisible, could no longer hide.
Nath dodged an attack, rolled to the ground, fired another marble. It struck Toru's temple with a dull thud. His body reappeared in a flash and collapsed.
The drum sounded again. End of fight.
The stands erupted in cheers. Gasping for air, Nath hurried out of the arena. He didn't want to savor his victory. He just wanted to breathe.
***
Ru
The name Véga Nyora echoed beneath the arena's misty vault like a gong announcing a coming storm.
He entered with slow, confident steps, as if treading on ground already conquered. His silhouette drew every gaze: fitted brown leather tunic, a shoulder draped in pale fur, fluid pants that bordered on ceremonial. Every detail of his attire exuded opulence. His thick, gleaming dreadlocks rippled like a lion's mane in the wind. His copper-toned skin caught the torchlight like polished metal, and his light brown eyes shimmered with arrogance.
In front of him, Ru, who had been standing for several minutes already, cut a much humbler figure.
His T-shirt had seen seasons, his shoes sagged with fatigue. Nothing in his appearance hinted at nobility. Nothing… except the steadiness in his gaze.
Véga examined him slowly, the way one inspects a parasite. From top to bottom. From bottom to top. Then, with a sharp flick, he threw his cape to the ground and stepped to the center of the arena, hands in his pockets, as if preparing not for a fight but a lesson.
He said nothing. He lunged.
Ru barely had time to pivot, the attack was blisteringly fast. He felt the wind of the blow graze his cheek. He had barely regained balance when Véga was already upon him. His movements radiated untamed savagery, an animal fever.
A sharp pain burst from Ru's shoulder. Véga's claws had sliced both flesh and fabric in a single gesture. Ru recoiled, grimacing, but had no time to breathe: a fist slammed into his stomach, hurling him to the ground. He rolled several meters, breath knocked out, temples pounding.
Around Véga, the air shimmered, heated by a blazing aura. He burst into mocking laughter.
— I didn't think it would be this pathetic. Seriously… how did a peasant like you even pass the selections?
Ru rose without replying, jaw clenched. Véga's ego was a useless distraction. He focused, reaching inward for what pulsed deep within him.
Then he charged.
Their exchange became a dance of blows and dodges. Punches flew, breaths collided.
Then Ru activated his trance. He felt his energy unleash in an electric surge. His body lightened, his movements blurred, almost invisible.
This time, he was the lightning.
In the blink of an eye, he was behind Véga. He aimed at the temple, foot raised, but Véga blocked with his forearm. The impact rattled Ru's bones. He winced, pushed harder… Nothing. Véga shoved him away and swept his ankle. Ru crashed face-first into the dust.
A shadow. Véga's fist was already descending.
Ru rolled aside, sprang to his feet. With a silent cry burning in his chest, he launched a spinning kick, swift, precise. Véga staggered under the blow. Ru seized the opening, his fists hammering his opponent's abdomen until he folded.
Breathless, drenched in sweat, Ru stepped back. His heart pounded like a drum. He had never been pushed this far, not even by his father. Had Véga not been so vile, he might almost have earned Ru's respect.
Almost.
But Véga wasn't done. He rose slowly, rage burning in his eyes. His pupils widened, his features shifting. His face elongated, a fine fur spread across his cheeks and arms. His canines lengthened.
Then he roared.
A beastly roar that made the ground tremble.
Ru drew his daggers with a hiss of steel. The blades danced between his fingers, eager to bite.
— I'm waiting, kitty, he murmured with a half-smile.
Véga dashed forward. Ru pivoted gracefully, slashing his opponent's chest. Leather split under the blades, blood splattered in dark droplets. Ru continued, weaving through openings, leaving clean cuts across Véga's body.
The beast struck hard, but Ru was faster. Every attempt hit only air. Véga's eyes spun, panicked, unable to follow the dance.
So he chose brute force.
With a guttural snarl, he tackled Ru to the ground.
But even then, Ru did not yield. He struck sharply, the pommel of his dagger cracking against Véga's skull. Véga groaned, pulled back. Then, in one final close-quarters clash, their blades and claws hovered at each other's throats.
Silence.
Then a deep roll.
The drums sounded: time was up.
Draw.
Ru slowly lowered his dagger. Véga pushed his aside with a snarl, baring his fangs. He shoved Ru and stormed toward the platform, trembling with fury.
— You forgot your scarf, Ru said in a neutral tone.
— Fmh. Keep it. Maybe you'll get enough for it to feed your miserable family, Véga spat without turning.
His harsh laugh split the air like a slap.
Ru remained still, breath ragged, muscles still quivering with tension. A part of him savored the confrontation. He hadn't won, no… but he had risen to the level of a predator.
After the fight…
— Congratulations, Ru!!! Nath exclaimed as he joined him. You were amazing!
— Thanks, Ru breathed.
Heavy gazes fell upon him, a mix of astonishment and silent respect. He had just matched a future clan governor.
Ru turned toward Wura.
— Do you feel ready for your fight?
Wura watched the arena, her eyes darkened by restrained emotion.
— I wish it had been different… Of all people, it had to be her. Nissi.
— The bright side, Nath offered, is that you'll have a chance to talk to her. Maybe she'll listen this time?
Wura shook her head gently.
— I doubt it. She's not the same anymore. Before… she was so gentle. I was the one dragging her into forbidden games, pulling her out of her silk cage. Her mother raised her like a princess, sheltered from the world. She knew nothing of it.
— I'm having a hard time imagining her like that, Ru murmured.
A silence settled between them, heavy with a past only Wura could tell.
And the shadow of the coming duel was already thickening in the air.