20. Chapter 18
Chapter 1 8
Lillith
A knot forms in my stomach as I enter the arena. The roaring crowd seems to close in on Asher and me, their excitement palpable. My eyes scan the room before locking onto our opponent, Xixor Shade. He is massive, muscular, and exudes an air of confidence that sends a shiver down my spine.
"All right, Lilly," Asher whispers, leaning in close. His white hair brushes against my cheek, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief. "I know you're worried, but we've got this. Just follow my lead."
"I hope you have a plan," I mutter, my gaze never leaving Xixor.
"Of course I do," Asher replies, puffing out his chest in a playful manner. "When have I ever let you down?"
"Never," I admit, begrudgingly, trying to stifle a smile. "We haven't really known each other all that long, and there's always a first time. All right, Peter Scarworth." I roll my eyes at his fake villain name. "Let's see what you've got up your sleeve."
"Trust me," he says, giving me a confident grin. "We'll make it through this together."
The bell rings, signaling the start of the match. Xixor wastes no time in launching himself toward us, his movements surprisingly swift for a man of his size and age. I dive to the left while Asher jumps right, nearly colliding with each other as we fumble our dodge of his attack. This is so incredibly frustrating. I don’t work well with others. I’m a one woman team!
"Whoops, sorry!" Asher calls as we scramble to regain our footing. Our first attempt at moving in sync clearly needs some work.
Xixor presses his advantage, swinging towards me.. I barely manage to roll out of the way.
"Stay focused!" Asher warns. "Watch me and follow my lead."
I nod, turning my full attention to my partner. As Xixor charges again, Asher subtly gestures left then leaps right. I mirror his movements, and this time we flow smoothly together, evading Xixor's blow.
"Yes! Just like that," Asher says.
Bit by bit, we start to find our rhythm, using hand signals and body language to coordinate our attacks and defenses. Though my heart is still racing, I can't help but grin as Asher and I duck and weave in perfect sync, driving Xixor back.
"See?" Asher calls, his voice barely audible over the roar of the crowd. "We've got him right where we want him!"
"Sure," I think, my heart pounding as I catch sight of Magmog the Minotaur and the Magus Maleficus watching from the sidelines. "Just a walk in the park."
"Keep your eyes on Xixor," Asher warns, his tone suddenly serious. He must’ve noticed my momentary distraction. "We can't afford to slip up."
"Right," I agree, focusing my attention back on our opponent.
Xixor's eyes narrow, and I know he is trying to figure us out—how we are able to anticipate his moves and counter them so effectively. I can only hope that Asher's plan will continue to work, that we can keep him guessing long enough to win.
"Let's do this," I whisper, turning to Asher with a determined smile.
Time seems to slow down as Asher and I move in sync somehow. He raises his hand, fingers splayed wide, and a burst of white-hot flames shoots toward Xixor. The spell catches our opponent off-guard, singeing the edges of his cloak and forcing him to stagger back.
Xixor snarls in frustration, clearly not expecting such resistance from the two of us. He charges again and attacks with a low sweeping kick that I've seen him use countless times before.
"Look out!" Asher shouts, but I don't need the warning.
Though I know how to counter the move easily, I feign surprise, allowing myself to be knocked off-balance. I stumble, pretending to struggle to regain my footing.
"Are you okay?" Asher asks, his voice laced with concern as he grabs my arm, steadying me.
"Fine," I lie through gritted teeth, my pride stinging more than any physical pain. "Just didn't see it coming."
"Of course," Asher agrees, though I can tell from the glint in his eye that he suspects the truth. His eyes dart between the powerful figure and me. "Xixor is faster than I expected. We need to find a way to slow him down."
I rack my brain, trying to remember any details from our shared past that might give me an advantage. Then, it hits me. Xixor's old knee injury. It never fully healed, leaving him with a slight weakness he has always tried to conceal.
"Leave it to me," I whisper, a mischievous grin playing at the corners of my lips.
"Are you sure?" Asher asks, concern etched on his face.
"Trust me," I reply, meeting his eyes for a moment before turning my attention back to Xixor.
As we engage in a flurry of attacks and counters, I keep my focus on Xixor's movements, waiting for the perfect opportunity. Xixor charges at me and I feign a clumsy stumble, luring Xixor into overextending himself .
"Watch out!" Asher cries.
With a swift, precise kick, I target Xixor's injured knee. He lets out a surprised grunt, stumbling as tears rim his eyes.
"Impossible," he growls, looking at me with shock and suspicion. "How did you know?"
"Just a lucky guess," I reply airily, forcing a laugh to keep up the charade.
Internally, I chastise myself for not being more careful. If Xixor becomes too suspicious, everything could unravel.
"Nice move," Asher quips. "Now, let's press our advantage!"
"Right." My heart pounds in my chest, a mix of adrenaline and fear that I might have revealed too much.
For now, we have the upper hand, and I can't let my past get in the way. Asher is depending on me, and together, we'll find a way to win. No matter what it takes.
With Xixor still limping from the pain in his knee, Asher and I launch a coordinated attack. Our movements are synchronized, like a dance we practiced for ages, even though we haven't. As our strikes connect, it is clear that Xixor's strength is waning.
"Yield!" Asher shouts, his voice booming through the arena as he delivers one final blow to Xixor's chest.
The large man stumbles back, clearly defeated, but his eyes remain locked on me, suspicion clouding them.
The crowd erupts into cheers, their enthusiasm shaking me out of my thoughts. The announcer's voice booms through the stadium. “Lilly and Peter Scarworth take the match!" The entire arena seems to be vibrating with euphoria as I lock eyes with Asher, a smile on both of our faces. Against all odds, we won.
"We did it!" Asher cheers, momentarily dropping his villainous persona.
His arms envelop me in a sudden hug, and without thinking, I hug him back. It is a brief moment of elation and relief, our bodies pressed together, celebrating the triumph over our enemy.
Just as quickly as it began, we both seem to realize our proximity and pull away from each other, awkwardness settling between us.
"Right. Um, good job, Lilly," he says, rubbing the back of his neck and forcing a grin. "We make quite the team."
"Indeed," I reply, trying to sound casual but feeling my cheeks flush, "but we shouldn't get too comfortable. We have more battles to face."
Leaving the arena, I head toward a nearby hall desperate for a moment to compose myself.
Ahser follows. After a few moments of silence he rubs the back of his head and says, “I’m going to grab us some drinks. Refuel after the match. Do you want anything in particular?
“Water. Thank you. ”
Lost in thought, I barely notice the figure approaching me until she speaks. "Lillith? Is that you?"
The voice is sweet and familiar, like honey mixed with a touch of nostalgia.
"Silviana," my mind whispers, my heart skipping a beat. My pulse quickens as I turn to face her. Silviana... after so long... but I can't let her know me now.
I attempt a casual smile. "You have me mistaken. I'm Lilly."
The elven woman before me is unmistakable. Silviana the Beastmaster. Her dark hair cascades down her back in an intricate braid. Her eyes sparkle like emerald fire, and her posture exudes grace and confidence, yet there is no mistaking the fondness in her gaze as it settles on me.
Silviana's eyes narrow slightly, her voice firm. "I would know my Lillith anywhere no matter how much time has passed," she insists.
I shake my head and force a small smile, trying to play it off. "You're very kind, but I assure you that I'm just Lilly," I say, desperately hoping she won't press the issue further.
"If you say so," Silviana replies hesitantly, but the doubt in her eyes is clear as day.
As she glances around the hallway, seemingly searching for an excuse to stay by my side, I can't help but reflect on the friendship we lost. Late nights spent talking under the stars, sharing secrets we thought would bind us together forever. Dreams of our future, when we would rise above our humble beginnings and take the world by storm. Those memories feel like another lifetime, one where I could be open and honest with the only person I’ve ever been able to trust.
My heart aches with the longing to tell Silviana the truth, to pull her close and let her know that I am right here, but I can't. We haven't been in each other's lives since I left the arena at thirteen. The past is gone, and I have to protect what little I have left. The stakes are too high now, even if the risks seem low.
"Actually, I have to go check on my beasts," Silviana announces suddenly, her gaze locked onto mine, "but I'll see you around, won't I, Lilly?"
"Of course," I reply, forcing a cheerful tone. "We'll be here until the end of the competition."
"Good." She flashes me a smile tinged with sadness before turning away, her footsteps echoing down the hall.
As Silviana disappears from view, I lean back against the cold stone wall, my chest constricting with each ragged breath. The secrets and lies weigh heavily on me now, casting a shadow over my earlier lighthearted banter with Asher and the excitement of the arena. This all feels wrong. This isn't me. I am hardened and cold. I don't reminisce and have emotions toward other people. Something is wrong with me.
"Are you all right?" Asher 's voice cuts through my thoughts as he returns, two drinks in hand. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Nothing I can't handle," I mutter, taking one of the drinks from him and sipping it absently. "Just... thinking about the past.”
"Ah, the past has a way of sneaking up on us, doesn't it?" He grins, but his eyes search mine, maybe looking for any sign of distress. "Well, let's focus on the present, then. We have more important things to worry about, like our next match in the arena."
I smile back at him, grateful for his unwavering support. "You're right. Let's make sure we're ready for whatever they throw at us."
Together, we toast to our future battles, hoping that our fake dating facade will hold up just a little bit longer, but deep down, I know that the truth can't stay hidden forever, and when it finally comes to light, I can only hope that we'll all be able to pick up the pieces.
"Cheers to your foot rub," Asher says, a wide grin on his face and raised cup in hand. "They better be cleaned first."