Foul Play

---Aaron---

"No!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Reyna stumble forward, pushing aside the people who were already rushing up the stage. My eyes were locked on that dagger, falling through time and space, as it fell and stabbed Alan right in the chest. He tried to dodge by turning sideways, but didn't make it in time. The dagger pierced Alan's chest, and he let out a cry of pain.

"You cheater!" Lucian was screaming now. "You big fat cheater! Eric! YOU'RE A NO GOOD—SCOUNDREL—PIECE—OF—" He then called Eric using a word so offensive I didn't think he would ever say it.

I saw Alan being helped off the stage; oh thank the stars he's not dead! Eric only smirked at all the commotion the crowd was making; in fact, he didn't seem to care at all that he almost killed someone.

And this is how it went, as more fighters, stirred up and angry at the injustice their peers were suffering, rose to challenge Eric. Each valiant fighter paid for their defiance against Eric. Eliot of Manchester limped down the stage with a broken leg and collapsed at the last step. Castor of Julinor stabbed himself in the gut with his own dagger (I didn't see how that happened, but I smell something fishy here). Rowan of Brookville lost a finger and was nearly paralyzed for life.

Many more went up to challenge Eric and fight for their fellow injured fighters, only to become injured themselves. Lucian was nearly hoarse with screaming insults at Eric along with the crowd. I found myself yelling too, shocked and angry at the way Eric was behaving. How was he getting away with this? How?! No one could see clearly what he does every time, but his opponents always came down, defeated and injured.

After the tenth person with a broken bone limped down the stage, a young man about five years older than us stepped on the stage. He introduced himself as Reginald, from Glassmont.

"Hey, I know that guy!" I nudged Indigo. "He's a distant cousin of mine, from my mother's side. He's pretty nice. I haven't seen him in a long time."

"Oh, he better be careful," Indigo said worriedly. "We've seen what happens to all the other fighters who challenged Eric."

"You're right." I began to fear for Reginald. I didn't want anything bad to happen to him. I found myself slowly pushing forward to get a better view. Please be careful Reginald, please...

The last time we saw each other was eight years ago, at my mother's funeral. I remembered how while all the adults were consoling my father and grandparents, Reginald came over to me.

"You doing okay Aaron?" He asked me, his smoky gray eyes filled with concern.

I sniffed, wiping my tears on the sleeves of my black suit. "I miss Mum," I confessed. I was only eight years old; understanding that Mum was never coming back was kind of a hard blow to me.

"Well, I miss her too." Reginald crouched down so we were eye-level. "But if you look up at the stars at night, you can see Aunt Athelia looking down at us and watching over you."

"Really?"

"Really. It is said that every time someone good dies, they get turned into a constellation. Aunt Athelia was definitely a good person. I think she'll be the brightest star up there in the night sky."

Every night after that, I fell asleep looking out my window at the stars, seeing my mother's smile and hearing my mother's reassuring voice. I still do, when things get tough or when things are looking down. Every time I look up at the starry night sky, I remember what Reginald told me all those years ago: how my mum will always be watching over me and telling me that everything's going to be alright.

"Aaron!" Indigo clutched at my sleeve, jolting me from the memory. I snapped to attention and looked at her wildly. "What happened?"

"Look! I think Reginald is winning!" I directed my gaze to the stage. It seemed that way. Everyone was cheering for Reginald. So why does my gut tell me something's wrong?

I looked closer. Something didn't look right. Was it because Eric didn't appear worried or that Reginald was so focused that he forgot everything else? Was it because Reginald was advancing but Eric was slowly but surely guiding him into a corner? What was it that was tugging at my memory, telling me that not all was what it seemed?

Eric lunged. Reginald parried the blow, twisting around to face Eric. I saw Eric fight Reginald off with one hand, the other doing something by his side, concealed from the audience by his body…

"No!" I pushed the people in front of me apart and started to rush forward. On stage, they went faster, their blades a blur in the torchlight…

"NO!" I saw Eric's gloating face with an evil smirk. I saw Reginald's face fill with fear and realization…

Reginald's sword clattered to the floor as he fell. His once twinkling gray eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, a look of horror etched forever on his face. Crimson blood trickled down the side of his lips. I halted suddenly, not believing what I was seeing. Reginald was dead.

A hush fell over the crowd. We all stared at the body, somehow hoping that he will twitch and come back alive. I couldn't believe it. Eric had killed his first opponent today, and that opponent was my cousin.

"You scumbag!" A voice sounded over the silent crowd, like a knife slicing through butter. Eric's face turned a shade of red with anger. "You cheated! You killed him on purpose! You freaking bastard!" Then the voice insulted Eric's entire family, as far back as eighteen generations.

Everyone's head whipped towards the speaker. I looked around too, before realizing that the words were coming from my mouth. I snapped my mouth close with shock as Eric's cold blue eyes swept over the crowd and tried to identify who was insulting him.

"Who dares to insult me," his steely voice said, carrying over the dead-silent crowd. His face twitched with fury. "Show yourself, coward!"

Like the parting of the sea, the crowd split into two around me, leaving me exposed and feeling like I've just done something very stupid.

"You." Eric growled deep in his throat. "Weren't you with that stupid girl that morning who messed with my accomplices? Now you're insulting me? Are you even fit to step onto this stage and challenge me?"

I took a step forward, then another. I'm already here with no way back; might as well go forward. Remember Reginald and Alan and all the other fighters who Eric cheated their victories out of, my brain whispered. My blood boiled with rage again.

"Yes, I am. I, Aaron of Roseland, hereby challenge you." My voice rang out across the silent arena. My eyes remained locked on Eric. "I think the better question is: are you brave enough to accept?"