Godfire: The Split Soul

Before dawn’s first light could ignite the sky, Jinx and Cassy stood at the threshold of the medical bay.

Gravel, shattered bricks, and brittle leaves carpeted the ground. Several leaves trailed behind Jinx as she advanced.

Cassy gripped a chipped wooden sword scavenged from the equipment shed in the training yard.

At the medical bay forecourt, one wooden sword hurtled toward Jinx.

The sword’s heft pulled Jinx down as she caught it in her healing left arm.

"Let’s start with your stance," Cassy stated, stepping back. She held the sword with both hands, then raised it.

"That’s not how it’s done," she uttered, then laughed quietly. "Watch and learn."

She took the stance: feet apart, knees bent to evenly bear her weight. Pain ran through her injured arm, but she made no concession.

"Jinx," Cassy’s face softened slightly. "Your arm."

Cassy loosened her stance and gestured with her hand, signaling for Jinx to pause.

Jinx gritted her teeth, then inhaled. "When there is war, pain is just like an ant."

Cassy, arms trembling, glanced at Jinx’s arm before forcing her focus back to the stance.

Behind them, golden beams flew into the sky bit by bit as the sun began to rise. Shades of orange and gold stretched on the ground, followed by the dancing shadows of the tree branches.

Sweat dripped down from Jinx’s forehead continuously, yet she didn’t stop.

Day and night, the two trained relentlessly, moving whenever nurses or doctors caught and warned them, especially Jinx.

...

As the five days flew by, more people from other cities volunteered to join the Red Bull camp.

Whispers flew like water when all of the volunteers gathered in the large auditorium. Soldiers sat in their section, strong civilians at their right hand, and the weak ones at their left.

Kai, on the other hand, sat in the front row of the soldiers’ portion, his legs crossed.

Names got mentioned at every passing minute. Those who were called out moved from the crowd and stood at the center of the auditorium, readying themselves for a fight.

Kai watched, learned, and grew excited as weak civilians defeated stronger ones.

Whispers rose from behind when the current match was between a lady from the weak side and a guy from the strong side.

"Did you see how the lady defeated the guy within seconds?"

"Guy, she’s a lady. Every man would have let her win. Look at her boobs. Man."

A small laugh burst from the two soldiers.

When Kai turned his head and focused on the chest of the lady, his cheeks reddened. ’Seriously?’ he screamed in his head, his eyes opening wide.

The lady smiled at the boy with dual eyes as she walked past him.

"Boy," one of the two soldiers behind gave Kai a soft tap on the shoulder. "The lady likes you, don’t let her pass without taking her number or clicking with her."

They laughed when Kai turned and looked at their smiling faces.

Just as he was about to turn back to the center, where the platform was, Kai saw the lady winking at him as she took her seat.

’Why do I feel this way?’ he whispered in his head, then slowly drifted his gaze from the lady.

After the second set finished, the auditorium became extremely quiet.

"Next round." A loud voice from the hanging speakers exploded in everyone’s ear. "Corvin VS Yung Chin K."

The large, broad-shouldered man with a scar that ran from his temple to his chin rose from the back of those sitting at the strong men’s portion.

His presence stilled every breath. Not even flies dared move.

As he walked past Kai’s side, he paused, then threw a sharp stare at the two soldiers who were clapping.

The red-wrist banded soldier swallowed hard, hands hovering above his thighs.

Everyone remained tense until the man strode onto the platform and halted. Applause erupted explosively as he lifted both arms.

It was so loud that, even as Kai stood up and walked to the stage, no one noticed him.

"What is that boy doing? Does he want to die?" A scream tore from the soldiers, from the very soldier who sat behind the first row of seats.

Corvin looked Kai up and down, then smiled. "You’re the one, right?" he asked in a low but rough voice. But Kai didn’t answer.

The boy’s silence irritated Corvin, and he remained angry.

Kai also looked the man up and down, then smiled at him.

A crackling bone sound echoed from Corvin’s side the moment the start bell rang. "You survived then. But not this time."

Before his words could end, a heavy fist sprang through the air and lunged toward the dual-eyed boy.

Kai’s expression changed in a second. ’This is faster than I expected.’ Thoughts lanced through Kai’s head as he tried dodging.

The fist screeched on Kai’s cheek and made his nose burst as the impact pushed him aside.

Blood seeped out of his mouth, then dripped onto the ground beneath his feet.

Corvin threw two extra fists, and all of them landed on Kai like a blast.

The force of the punches sent Kai scrambling backward, his boots sending sparks as they screeched on the ground.

More blood exploded from Kai’s nose as he crouched down on one knee, panting.

Meanwhile, the entrance door leading to the section of the auditorium they were in swung open. Cassy entered, wearing a short blue shirt and a blue band wrapping her hair in a ponytail style.

Just as the door nearly shut, a hand grabbed it and pushed it wide.

A gust of wind bashed in, followed by a white-haired lady wearing a tight red dress.

"What are you waiting for?" Cassy whispered, then turned toward the person standing at the side of the door.

Jinx stepped in, tilting her head, her eyes watching and searching.

"We would have missed some of the matches," Cassy turned and pointed at the large man she could see on the platform, then turned back to Jinx. "I can’t wait to see your brother fight."

A faint smile crept on Jinx’s face as she drifted her gaze from Cassy to the platform.

On the platform, Corvin flaunted, opening his arms wide and whirling around, screaming, "You call yourself a Titan Killer. I say you’re just a reckless, good-for-nothing human trash."