Goodbye, Eric

---Katherine---

Warm blood trickled between my fingers. Any pressure on the wound did nothing to help. I saw stars, gasping, and blinked them away. I fought to stay conscious.

"Oh, little girl, did you think could win me?" Eric paced over to me and smirked. "I told you that you wouldn't escape me this time. Pity I have to kill you."

Eric leaned down to whisper in my ear. I cringed away from his touch. I was losing this fight. "There's poison on the dagger," he whispered with glee. "You'll die a slow, painful death, my dear girl. Bye-bye, Katherine." Eric stood up straight and looked at me twitching on the floor. Behind him, I could see Aaron trying to get to me, fighting Tattoo guy and a bald-headed guy. Rachel—or was it Indigo?—had a face of pure shock. The pain blurred my vision, so that I couldn't tell who was there fighting to help me, or who wasn't.

My breaths turned raspy. I took a long shuddering breath and stilled. My arm lay limp by my side.

"KATH!" someone bellowed, as if from far away, pain and fear in their voice. "NO! KATHERINE!"

Eric smiled, satisfied. He turned and took a few steps away from me, facing the stunned crowd. "I am the winner of this year's tournament!" he shouted, pumping his arm in the air. "I win! I deserve the brooch! I deserve the—" His victory speech turned into a pain-filled groan. He stared down at the blade sticking through his right side, and fell face-forward onto the stage, sliding off the sword like meat on a kebab.

"Who's dying now, Eric," I scoffed, swaying slightly, Retribution outstretched. A single drip of crimson blood dripped down my sword, splattering on the wooden floor. My blade shone brightly without a single bloodstain. The rosestone glowed silvery-color with red swirls.

"You….little….." Eric coughed and spluttered, groaning as his wound slowly sapped away his life force. A couple of officers strode up the steps and took Eric away.

"You're off to prison now, cheater," one of them said as they hauled Eric up on his feet not-so-gently.

"Yeah, now that everyone saw your true acts we can finally disqualify you forever and bring justice to this town," the second officer proclaimed. They dragged Eric off the stage, taking special care to jostle and bump him into every possible object in sight.

The crowd exploded into cheers. People were yelling and throwing their hats into the air. Even the contestants were happy and hugging each other. "Eric is gone!" someone shouted. "Eric is gone forever!"

"Hooray! Hooray!"

"Long live Katherine the warrior!"

"Katherine! Katherine! Katherine!" A chant was catching on.

I flashed a shy smile at everyone gathered below the stage. I tried to take a bow but a searing pain on my side reminded me of the dagger wound Eric inflicted upon me. Darn, the blade was poisoned too…

"Katherine!" Aaron skidded to a stop beside me, catching me just as I fell. "Oh my gosh, Katherine you gave us such a scare!"

I smiled weakly. "You're feeling better? Has Rachel healed—oh…" Aaron had wrapped me in a tight hug, enveloping me in his warmth. The rowdy audience whooped and let out a long string of "Ooooooooo".

My eyes widened with surprise, and I couldn't help but blush. For the first time since a long time, I let my tense posture relax into Aaron's tight embrace, letting a feeling of safety and security wash over me. I wrapped my arms around him and awkwardly patted him on the back.

"I'm so glad you're alive," Aaron said, drawing back and holding me at arm length. "I was so scared when I saw…when Eric…"

"It's okay now," I reassured him. "I'm still alive."

"Oh! You're still bleeding!" Aaron's eyes strayed to the open wound on my side. "Rachel, can you come here for a sec?" Rachel was already hurrying over.

"You restless children are always getting hurt," she said as she pushed Aaron aside to get a better look at me. "What would you do without me?"

"We'd all be dead," Aaron affirmed. "Can you bandage that up?"

"Eric said he poisoned the blade," I informed Rachel. Aaron gasped. Rachel furrowed her brow. "I don't see any signs of poison though," she said, puzzled, hovering her hand over my wound. "Maybe he lied to you?"

"I don't know, he seemed pretty serious," I thought back to Eric's whispery words.

"Do you feel dizzy? Lightheaded? Sick? Anything out of the ordinary?" Rachel questioned.

"I feel a bit weak," I said, leaning against Aaron. "But that's about it."

"Hm, it could just be blood loss or just psychological effects," Rachel mused. "But you'd better take this antidote just in case." She rummaged in her pockets and produced a small bottle. Twisting open the cap she counted out five brown circular pills and gave them to me. I popped them in my mouth and swallowed.

Someone passed Rachel a roll of bandages. With expert hands Rachel wrapped the bandage around my ribcage, making it so tight I winced. With so many people watching, she couldn't heal me instantly with her healing magic, but my own healing magic should be able to take care of the wound soon. "There." Rachel stood back and looked me up and down. "You should be okay now."

"Thanks, Rachel," I said gratefully. I looked past Aaron to see the rest of our group gathered at the other end of the stage. I limped over to Indigo.

"You okay? Eric threw you pretty hard," I said, concerned.

"Yeah I'm fine. Just a bit dazed," Indigo replied. "You were amazing, Katherine, but you nearly scared us all to death at the end."

"Totally, Katherine," Lucian elbowed his way to the front. "And Eric's goons were trying to attack us. Thank god Indigo fought all of them off."

"I didn't do much," Indigo said humbly. "You all helped."

"Yeah, well, you were really good Indigo," I said earnestly. "Your swordsmanship was amazing." Indigo smiled and opened her mouth to reply when the mayor took the stage again.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have it quiet please." The audience hushed. "Over three nights, we have witnessed many amazing acts of skill, and each was brilliant in its own way. Please give a round of applause to all of our fighters." Everyone whooped and clapped. The mayor held his hand up for quiet again.

"Eric's true intentions and cheating ways were finally unmasked, and finally someone worthy of the brooch of Goldhedge has come. The glory and righteousness of this tournament is finally restored. Let us welcome the talented swordswoman who has defeated Eric—Katherine!" The mayor turned and beckoned towards me with a large smile.