41
Kora
Again.” Skylar’s command rang in Kora’s ears as she panted, sweat practically pouring from her.
The arena was quiet, many mercenaries granted a day’s reprieve after the festivities of Hallow’s Day.
Midday sunlight filled the room, the citrine walls sparkling to life, the Mist thinning more each day.
The shock of discovering her age—and that she was potentially immortal—still rolled through her, causing her hair to prickle, and her gut to knot.
Or it could be the number of shots she did last night.
A fire stoked within, blazing as she recalled how delightful it’d been.
A celebration of her true birthday, Hallow’s Day, and more.
Raiden had opened up, offering her a glimpse into her beginning at Galen.
She even became . . . friends with Skylar.
Towards the end of the night, when The Lost Lagoon became a blur of swirls and silver, Kora had spilled some of her life to them all.
Tales of the Darkoning Trials, of working for the empire, and recent events leading her to Barron.
Normally revealing her participation in the trials led to some kind of praise, but this time they’d all simply stared, horror draining the colour from their faces.
Raiden had been borderline feral, tension and violence radiating from him as Kora had revealed Barron had planted Blake in the trials as a spy.
Kora rocked on her heels, patting her chest to quell the rising bile from the rum. The magtrate solution she took last night had barely touched the sides, targeting only her mind to lull her into a calm sleep with minimal nightmares.
Skylar branded her thin estoc sword, the metal matching her hair as she twirled around the fighting ring. Raiden watched from afar as he sparred with Aryn, his pointed stares catching Kora off-guard whenever she felt a brush of wind.
Skylar’s flight suit dizzied Kora’s vision as she lunged once again, aiming for Skylar’s weaker side, but a simple pirouette and Skylar evaded her, spinning over Kora’s body and jamming the hilt of her sword in her lower back.
“Can’t handle your rum, Captain?”
Kora flinched and grabbed her wrist, sweeping her leg under. Fuck weapons, it was time to go hand-to-hand, and she sheathed the dagger at her thigh. Skylar grinned at the advance, and her sword clattered to the hard ground as she rolled across the ring.
“Let’s go, K.C.” Skylar raised her hands, flicking her braid over her shoulders. Kora shrugged out of her outer layers, dressed in a vest and leathers protecting her lower body. She pushed back her damp hair and reached within to her water beast—her essence—to ground her.
“You’ll be eating your words, General.”
Skylar darted forward, going for the offence.
She towered over Kora, possessing more strength, but Kora darted to the side, leaning into her nimble nature.
Her vision spun, her nerves sensitive from the hangover.
She jabbed Skylar’s side before bouncing back, and Skylar hissed, whirling around.
Before she could recover, Kora leapt, her arms wrapping around Skylar’s neck as her body swung round, propelling her to the floor.
As Skylar’s face slammed into the ground, Kora released her, standing back. “One-nil.” She smirked, adrenaline coursing through her. Her strength was palpable, and beating Skylar only made Kora want more.
Skylar’s dark eyes blazed, and a coldness leaked into the air, enough for Raiden to noticeably pause, glancing in their direction.
Another flurry of fighting commenced, and Kora utilised the space of the training ring to tire Skylar, her swift nature her only advantage. As Kora rolled for her next advance, Skylar’s ridiculously long leg blocked her, and she flew back with an oomph.
“Are you alright?” Kora ignored Raiden’s probe within her mind as Skylar smiled down at her.
“One all.” She offered her hand, and Kora tentatively took it. Instead of pulling her to her feet, Skylar yanked her up, before bending her arm behind her back, causing Kora to cry out.
“So predictable,” Skylar reprimanded. “You fight in a pattern. I could see where you were rolling to before you even decided. Have you learnt anything from the past two weeks?”
“I’m not predictable,” Kora retorted. She shoved away from Skylar, rolling her aching shoulder joint. She had moves, she had the scars to prove it.
“You know what’s ironic?” Skylar waved her arms to the empty arena.
The obstacle course creaked above them, the viewing platform tucked away in the shadows of the spiralled ceiling.
“You trained Erick when he infiltrated us. And then he trained you. You’ve trained yourself, with techniques that are outdated and tired. ”
“I’m not predictable!” Kora repeated.
As Skylar opened her mouth to continue, Kora lunged, her palm snapping to Skylar’s jaw.
A satisfying crunch followed as Kora spun, evading Skylar’s grasp as she hooked onto her long braid, wrapping it around her forearm.
Skylar wobbled as Kora kicked the back of her knees, forcing the general to the floor, her head wrenched back as Kora’s dagger rested against her throat.
Skylar’s shock was addicting as she sat back, staring up at Kora with her slender throat exposed. Blood dripped from her cut lip, staining Kora’s new blade with its first drops of victory.
“Two, one,” Kora breathed, releasing her.
“Fighting dirty. Now you’re on a level playing field with Barron.
You better get with the programme, K.C.,” Skylar pointed at Kora’s scar as she got to her feet.
“Forget the same old moves. You’re in fate’s cycle, ever spinning, never ending.
Your life begins and ends with you. You need to adapt to survive this world. ”
You will meet your fate at the hands of your own.
Kora shivered, her neck cricking as her chin jerked at Thanos’ voice drifting through her mind. Raiden’s frown was glaring two training rings away, and he slowly approached.
“What are you trying to say?”
“I think . . . maybe you’re meant to be here in this moment,” Skylar carefully probed her busted lip. “There’s too many coincidences, too many similarities between how you are now, and before.”
And Kora didn’t believe in coincidences.
“Want me to shut her up for you?”
Kora’s mouth twitched as Raiden stepped into the ring, his broad form causing Skylar to appear small.
“Right, Little Sister,” Raiden patted her shoulder. “It’s time for a new opponent.”
Skylar’s eyes flared as she glanced to Kora, who gulped in return.
Aryn appeared at the side of the ring, his shirt loose around his slender frame, watching intently as Skylar strolled to join him.
Raiden smiled gently as he discarded his short sword, his muscles rippling beneath his tight shirt. Gods.
“Go easy on me,” he teased as he raised his hands, his large palms open. Kora nervously chuckled, suddenly aware of the sweat coating her neck, her palms turning clammy. Her stomach flipped as Raiden took one step forward.
Silence passed as neither of them moved, his stare unwavering as he bore into her. Kora bit her lip, and Raiden’s gaze dropped, his jaw clenching hard. She took her shot.
Her foot collided with Raiden’s knee, and he grunted as Kora pushed up, her elbow driving down to his shoulder.
Raiden deflected with ease and she stumbled back, catching her breath.
His palms followed, and Kora raised her arm, recoiling at the force of his spar.
He was holding back, she could tell from the precision of his movements, but it still gods-damned hurt.
She went for his flank next, her fist vibrating off solid muscle. Damn. She barely had a moment to appreciate his physique as Raiden swept his leg and she collapsed like a sack of potatoes.
“Get up!” Aryn encouraged.
“Someone needs to beat my brother!” Skylar added.
Kora gritted her teeth in determination, rolling backwards before flipping up with ease. She’d discovered in her questioning last night, with her newfound long lifespan, she’d also inherited strength and agility. Except Raiden was the same, and his ability was tenfold.
Raiden laughed at Skylar’s comment, and Kora’s veins pulsed with the challenge, her water beast roaring for the win. Raiden’s attention snapped to her in an instant as Kora’s power crested, the familiar tingle in her hands telling her she was glowing once again.
With a running leap, she attacked multiple weak points in Raiden’s body, using the force to propel upwards until her legs locked around his neck, allowing gravity to bring him down to his knees.
Wind toyed with her hair as they collapsed to the ground, the cushion of air softening her head as Raiden’s real hands slammed down on either side of her face.
Her chest heaved, realising her legs had slid down to his waist, interlocked and pinning him between her thighs. Raiden’s eyes were otherworldly, diamonds bordering on swirling stars as his chest panted in time with hers, his lips dangerously close to her own.
“I won,” Kora whispered, unable to tear her gaze from his, resisting the urge to nibble her lip for the sake of knowing he noticed it.
Raiden’s hot breath blew on her cheek and her legs trembled slightly, causing his body to tense. Oh gods.
“Are you sure? I’m the one on top.” Raiden’s voice was gravelly, the pitch low and catching in his throat. He swallowed, and Kora tunnelled on the way his throat bobbed, down to the peeking muscles of his shoulders through his shirt.
“So you are.” She matched his lowered tone and heat bubbled between her thighs, an aching simmer cresting until she was on fire, and there was only one way to release the increasing burn.
Boom.
Raiden jolted, untangling himself from Kora as she pressed her cool hands to her hot cheeks.
As she sat up, her mouth dropped at the open doors to the arena.
A dark shape hurtled towards her, heavy paws thudding against the ground, followed by two winding tails that wagged until she was dizzy.
Droopy red eyes blinked as a drooling maw snuffled its way onto Kora’s lap.
“Conan?”
“You! I’ve been looking for you everywhere!”
Kora gasped as John and Circe from The Abandoned Barnacle strode into arena, covered in blood and dirt.