• [Roger]

    Sparks. I see sparks flying everywhere. The guards rammed against one another, focusing on nothing besides us. We formed a circle, our backs pressed to each other, our weapons blocking the enemy’s. Trek jabbed his hammer at the guards and pushed some back. Others turned for a quick glance at their fallen comrades but ended being flunged away as Trek swept his hammer all the way to the left.
    My ears were deafening. The shouts, the clanging of armors, and the weapons screeches echoed in the battle. I blocked all the attacks on the fuller of my blade and attacked by punching and kicking them. There was a grunt behind me so I turned to look and it was Jen. He had blood streaked across his chest and arm. At first I thought that the guards had sliced him but then I saw the tips of Jens blades. Each was running in fresh blood and it trickled down the holder to his forearm. I blinked. I stared. His breath was coming rapidly and he did have some injuries on the side of his head. But what I couldn’t accept was that he fought with his blades.
    “Watch out!” Trek warned as a guard wrapped his huge hands around my neck and squeezed. I was too worried about Jen that I forgot about the whole fight. My throat pulsed and I could feel my eyes bulge.
    “You idiot!” Jen pounces onto the choking guard and twists his head sharply to the side. There was a crack and he went limp. “What were you thinking?” Jen asks me as he drops the dead man. “I saw you looking at me when I fought. You let your guard down. You need to pay attention if you don’t want to get killed!”
    “Uh, guys?” Trek says. I could see him hammer away the guards in every direction. He was doing okay on his own—for now. “Can’t you save the arguments for later and just...” the rest was drowned out as I focused back on Jen who never broke eye contact.
    “You shouldn’t have done that” I said to him coolly.
    “What do you—”
    “When you killed that man”
    “He was choking you!” Jen replied quickly. “What—you wanted to die?”
    “They’re just guards doing their job! They didn’t do anything wrong—it was us. And you didn’t have to kill him. You didn’t have to kill the others too” I lowered my eyes to his bloody blades. “I didn’t know you were a killer”
    “Killer?!” he bellowed. “It’s whether we kill or die. Which would you pick? We’re doing this for Anysa, remember? All this is to save her. Who would finish that job if we died right here and now just because we chose to not kill?”
    “Uh…g—guys?” Trek says nervously. It won’t be long till the guards break past Trek and come after me and Jens head.
    “This is what we expected to happen” Jen continues as if he didn’t hear Trek at all. “What’s the point of you having your sword? It’s a sharp blade made to kill whether for good or evil. We have to do this sometime. You didn’t think that saving Anysa would mean no bloodshed?”
    I looked away then looked back. “No…” he was right. This is something that I can’t avoid. I already realized this was going to happen before I trained myself everyday in the forest. I was reminded about how difficult this mission was going to be once I arrived at this town. The man that brought us here said there was a battle arena. That’s the first clue in finding Anysa, so I intended to fight there even if I knew there’d be bloodshed. Even if I knew my friends could die and I’d be the one killing them or they’d be the one killing me.
    “Get it?” Jen nods. “Got it? Good”
    We turn around, readied our weapons, and charged. A guard pulled me by the hood of my cloak and spun me towards him. He lifted his spear and went for my heart. I grabbed the stick part and kicked the guard’s hand. He yelped and let go. I was ready to chop off the unarmed man’s head but instead I bonked his head with the hilt. It knocked him unconscious. If I was going to kill, then it was going to be at the right situation, a situation where leaving the enemy alive would threaten my life. When I let go of the spear, a tip of a sword came from in front of me. It would’ve stabbed me right between my eyes and through my brain if someone didn’t interrupt.
    “Stop” a man ordered. I looked to see who it was and spot the old man from earlier. A couple of the guards start to ask questions but the old man silenced them. He clears his throat and spoke, “I’ve decided to let you boys go free” he looked at me, Trek, and Jen. “Won’t you be leaving now? I’ve set you free—no charges”
    I exchanged glances with Jen and Trek. We didn’t know what was happening. After all this, we’re free? That makes no sense. I straightened my posture and took a step forward. “Why would you do that? You said that Trek kidnapped that kid and we were in on it. You even wanted to sentence us to death for entering your property!”
    He chuckles at my words and waited a few moments before answering. “You see, I’ve developed an interest in you three as I saw your fight against the guards. And your weapons are magnificent”
    Jen had a look of disgust on his face and I heard him say quietly to himself, “Ewww gross” I can’t believe he’d joke at a time like this.
    “So you thought we were interesting and now you want us to live?” I ask.
    “Yes” he replies.
    I shake my head unconvinced, but I accept this chance even though it might be a trap. “Fine” I slide my sword back into its sheath and nod towards Trek and Jen. They follow behind me as I walk away. The guards glare at us when we pass.
    The old man speaks one more time. “I’ll see you at the battle arena”

    to be continued
    read the 1st chapter