Tournament of Friends

He did it, He surprised himself actually, fighting more ruthlessly than he had expected. It was a fight to the death that no one had seen coming, the people wanted a show, and they’d gotten one. His light armor had been tattered, but quick movements with his blades let him triumph over the other applicants. Those tasked with maintaining the land moved to clean the arena, while the victor heads towards the victors’ box to receive his prize.

“You seem surprised with yourself.” The master of the Forest, Jaedon, comments.

“I didn’t think I’d be able to win most of those fights, all of my opponents fought well. Just not well enough.” The champion replies. “This was the hardest fight yet. He was my friend, but I wanted this more than he did.”

“Apparently. I suppose I’d like to hear about your earlier battles. Do regale me with the honor in victory over those weaker than yourself.” Jaedon says. “That will wait however, in the meantime, welcome to The Forest.”

It was a long time ago that Mark and Sean met, Sean always was the more skilled of the two and never lost when it came to training. Mark had not told Sean about the Forest, an elite group of fighters who you could only get into by fighting all the others who asked to join and winning, because failure meant death.

“I was worried you’d try to join, and if you failed, well, I’d lose my best friend,” Mark started, “and if you-”

“If I win, you’d have to join next time, then we’d both be members.” Sean pointed out with never ending optimism. Sean started walking back towards the main road that they’d hiked away from when Mark told him he needed to talk about something secret.

“Sean, I’m a decent fighter, but I’ve never fought people other than you.” Mark protested, jogging to catch up with the much taller Sean.

Shrugging Sean slowed to allow his friend to catch up. “So where is this place? Like, where would we go?”

“They roam around one of those old parks, the one with all the nature trails. Why?” Inquired Mark. Knowing Sean, he was bound to get into trouble with that information.

Sean stayed silent, not knowing whether to reveal that he would participate in the battles soon, or just let Mark think he’d follow the goody-two-shoes in just letting the rogue fighting group go about their business and leave them alone. He’ll figure it out, and try to stop me, but I’ll be a member and have won by then. Following the winding trail back to Sean’s car, both boys climbed into the car and headed back towards their hometown.

“So, are you going to try to join?” Mark asked when they entered his neighborhood.

“I’ve wanted to join a fighting group for a while,” Sean said thoughtfully, “and this one seems like my best bet, the members are probably younger than most other groups and they all deserve a spot, they earned it.”

“By killing other people who wanted to join! Even if you win, it would change who you are.” Mark protested.

“Just promise you won’t try to stop me from joining, okay?” Sean pleaded “I at least need a chance.”

Mark just let Sean’s last words ring in his ears as Sean pulled up to his building. “Okay. I won’t tell you not to.” He conceded as he opened the door and got out. If Sean won’t listen to words, he will listen when he has to fight me to get in, I’m already signed up to fight tomorrow.

“See ya, Sunday.” Sean said. I know I’ll win, I will see you Sunday Mark.

“Yeah, Sunday” Mark shut the door and walked towards the building hoping he didn’t see his friend tomorrow at the fights.

“Are you nervous?” The girl showing Mark to the arena asked.

“N-no” Mark barely got it out. He knew she didn’t believe him, she won’t be expecting him to make it far without confidence. If a girl like her could get in, maybe he did have a chance, until he saw someone else.

“No, no why is he here?” Sean asked the man who’d brought him to the clearing that was made to look like an arena. Sean couldn’t believe that Mark would be here, Mark, the wimp who can’t beat him when he is going as easy as he can.

“That kid? He was one of the first to request membership this month.” Confusion goes across his face as he looks at Mark from afar, “Why, you know him?” He asks looking back to Sean

“Yeah, he’s my best friend.” Sean replied, continuing to follow his guide around the arena.

Mark followed the girl appointed to being his guide and started gearing up, trying to forget the fact that Sean was behind him and only one of them would go home today. There were more people here than Mark had thought there would be, and he knew more of them better then he wanted too. Only one of them would go home today, Mark just hoped that he wouldn’t have to fight to many that he knew.

Sean watched Mark follow the chick that guided him around, and finally tore his gaze from the teen who Sean thought he could trust. Sean’s glared around, he knew that some of these teens were neighbors and from his school, but that didn’t matter, they aren’t people that he knows now, they are merely enemies in his way of getting to be somewhere he belongs.

“All applicants must now gather the items that they wish to use in their first fight!” The second in command bellowed. Sean strode through the current members and other applicants, he saw Mark looking at some of the smaller knives, Sean knew better, he picked up a broad sword and sauntered over to the shields to be able to block attacks, if any threatened him at all. Mark knew what weapons and equipment Sean used, he saw a few teens from school all pick similar weapons as Sean. Mark couldn’t do that, he couldn’t live in his friend’s shadow anymore.

“What weapons are you going with newbie?” A gruff voice asked behind Mark. Turning Mark saw that it was the man that had been leading Sean around earlier.

“I’m not too sure,” Mark replied “I haven’t sparred using anything but a long sword but Sean knows how I fight with those, I’m just trying to be surprising I guess.”

“Why not try some of these?” The guide answered, motioning towards a table filled with untouched knives and daggers.

Mark nodded and headed to pick out his own blade, not something that Sean recommended because he was too clumsy to handle a broadsword and as Sean put it “you might just cut your own legs off” according to Sean, Mark also was not strong enough for a mace, but Mark now has his own blade. Mark knew he found the best weapon for himself when he saw a matching set of two daggers with dragons carved into the handles and a fire design etched into the blade. He picked them up and headed to get armor, Mark saw the lightweight armor that the others were ignoring and went for it, suiting up as the first fights were called to start.

Sean easily defeated his first several opponents, fight after fight was called and the victors were bandaged and sent to their next fight with others who’d survived. Sean didn’t pay attention to where any other applicant ended up losing or winning, he just knew he wanted to become a member of the Forest and no one would get in his way.

Mark couldn’t watch as life drained out of victim after victim. He always looked away, but Mark had seen the glint in Sean’s eyes when he had won that last battle, Sean wanted more and more blood to flow through the ground. As Mark watched, Sean defeated one of the boys from their school, and as the life faded from his eyes, Sean’s eyes lit with excitement. Mark knew that there were only a few battles left until there would only be two people left, with this many people left it looked like Mark would either have to take his friend’s life, or let him take his.

It was dusk, there were four applicants left, Sean, Mark, a girl that was using a scythe, and a boy Mark recognized from school named Peter. Soon the second in command gave them each a slip of paper, Mark’s paper read “Shawna,” He didn’t have to kill someone he knew, yet. In the back of his head Mark knew Sean would beat Peter, he’d seen Peter fight and even sparred with him.

Peter and Sean’s battle ended quickly just as Mark had thought it would, but now Mark had to face Shawna. He knew he had to stay calm and learn how she fought, Shawna would swing forward, then move back to make him think she wouldn’t attack again but if Mark had darted forward he would have found a scythe in his head. Mark saw how she fought and as she swung her scythe, he ducked under the blade, darted forward and before he could turn his face away and pretend she was a sparring dummy, he saw the spark of fear in her eyes before they went dull.

Sean didn’t even know what had just happened, Mark had watched the girl wield her scythe and then just in one motion gone for it. He didn’t know how to react, he knew he would have to fight his best friend, Sean had been expecting earlier in the day to see Mark fall in battle, but he hadn’t. Mark had won fight after fight, Sean knew that he would be killing his own friend, it’s your own fault Mark, you should have told me about this place after you’d joined.

Mark panted, and spun his daggers as Sean breathed hard from the last flurry of attacks he’d launched. Their fight had lasted longer than any of the others had, and now both boys were tired, but neither one would give up. Sean darted forward again, but Mark ducked and was able to catch part of Sean’s left arm with his dagger. When Sean cried out in pain Mark knew his blade had connected and turned around to attack Sean whilst he couldn’t do much but wish Mark wasn’t the opponent. Sean released his arm and swung with his sword hitting an older wound in Mark’s thigh, but when Mark was hit, even though it was tattered it protected him enough so that he could get his daggers into chinks in Sean’s heavier armor.

Sean went down, gasping he waved his sword hoping to hit something, he’d fought so hard, and Mark, his best friend had just taken what Sean wanted. Sean’s breathing slowed, and the last thing that Sean saw was Mark standing over him, then walking away.

“You say he was your friend, how did you fight him then?” Jaedon asked as Mark paced after telling the events that had led up to him fighting that day.

“There was something I saw, early this afternoon. I saw Sean standing over someone he’d beaten, and he didn’t look like my best friend anymore, he wanted more, and he would have killed me and only thought of it after the fact.” Mark replied, he sat down as he thought through the events of the day once more.

“Would you take it back or do you merely regret it?” Jaedon inquired, “do you wish that you hadn’t joined us today?”

Mark thought before he spoke, he looked into Jaedon’s eyes and said “I wouldn’t take today back, I’ve wanted to join this group since my brother told me stories about it. I do regret having to kill everyone but, it’s a cost.” Mark added matter-of-factly, “But I saw something in him that even if I hadn’t told him until after today, it would have surfaced one way or another.”

“So, you think he would have killed anyone to join the Forest?” Jaedon asked.

“Yes. I will miss him, but not what he would have become if he’d been able to join as well.” Mark answered, as Mark stood up Jaedon handed him a scroll that had his assignment on it. Mark opened the scroll and looked at the word written there in shock, Mark couldn’t take this day back, how he wished that he could, Mark would have to kill several people to stay in the Forest. Mark looked at Jaedon then back at the word on the scroll “Assassin.”

“I thought the Forest was a fighting group.” Mark choked out.

“We are, but we are also mercenaries and assassins, and I think you’d do well in that field.” Jaedon told him.

“Okay, I will do my job.” Mark said, wishing he didn’t have to see life disappear from more people’s eyes.

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