Chapter 46: Sparring Part 2

This time Josh didn't rush. He took a low stance, trying to mimic Sol's movements. They circled each other, machete and dagger meeting midair with dull thumps. Sol blocked with the back of his sheath, redirecting every strike, never letting Josh land a clean hit. The crowd grew quiet, watching. 

Josh lunged with a quick jab.

Sol pivoted, brought his knee up into Josh's thigh, and spun out of reach.

A murmur of approval rippled through the room.

Josh growled and charged, swinging wild, now showing his frustration. Sol ducked under the swing, swept Josh's leg, and tapped his shoulder on the way down.

Josh hit the floor with a grunt. Sol stood over him, not gloating, just waiting.

Nicole raised her hand. "Match."

Everyone clapped lightly but with respect. Josh blinked up at the ceiling, chest heaving.

"You alright?" I asked, biting back a grin.

He nodded, pushing himself up with effort. "Yeah. Yeah… okay. Kid's good."

Sol didn't smile. He just offered his hand, and Josh took it.

"Get some rest, now who wants to be next?" I asked the group and Nicole stepped up to face me.

"If you don't mind, I would like to spar with you," She said making the group shout in cheers. I rolled my eyes at their antics.

"Viktor and Logan will be the referees. Same rules as before." I said walking inside the circle.

Nicole stepped into the circle with the kind of casual confidence that made less trained fighters underestimate her. I wasn't one of them.

She wore her blade in a reverse grip, her stance light on the balls of her feet combat-ready, but fluid. I mirrored her with my own dagger, keeping a more traditional grip. I noticed a subtle smirk tugged at her lips which I reciprocated.

Viktor raised his hand. "No magic. No skills. The first one to three clean hits or disarms wins. Ready?"

We nodded.

"Begin!"

Nicole moved first, fast and low. She launched in with a feint to my right side, her shoulder dipping. I parried the initial swipe with a flick of my wrist and stepped into her space, elbow raised.

She ducked under it and twisted, using my momentum to attempt a judo throw with one arm hooking under mine while she swept her leg. I shifted my weight just in time, breaking the balance and slamming my knee toward her hip.

She blocked with her forearm, wincing at the impact but not faltering. Our knives flashed again, both of us spinning away from each other and resetting within seconds.

The group had gone quiet. No one cheered this time.

Nicole came in again, faster. Her knife was aimed high—eye level—but I knew it was a trap. As I blocked, her left leg came up with a roundhouse kick aimed at my ribs.

I stepped inside it, caught her ankle against my thigh, and twisted. She dropped low, using her free leg to pivot and try to trip me from underneath.

We both fell.

The second we hit the ground, everything shifted. No footwork, no room for blades, just raw, close-quarters combat. It turned into MMA-style grappling, messy and fast.

Nicole tried to pin me with her weight, her elbow slamming toward my collarbone. I twisted my shoulder and absorbed the blow with a grunt, redirecting it as I slammed my forearm into her ribs. She responded with a sharp knee aimed at my side, but I blocked it with my thigh, the impact rattling through my hip.

Her grip was relentless. I felt her shift her weight, trying to trap my wrist under her knee. I had to move and fast. I twisted my torso, shoving against her arm while kicking off the floor with my heels. My body slid out from under hers just as her knee came down, narrowly missing my arm.

I flipped onto my back, rolled over, and came up on one knee, just as she lunged to keep the advantage. Her fingers grazed my ankle, but I yanked it back and reset, both of us panting, sweat clinging to our skin.

It was only seconds, but every second on the floor felt like a brawl for survival, gritty, brutal, instinctual and I loved it.

We sprang to our feet again sweaty, bruised, and grinning.

"One," Viktor called, pointing to the tear across Nicole's shoulder where my blade had grazed her.

Nicole didn't back down. She dashed forward, a blur of motion and intent, switching stances mid-step like a fighter trained in multiple disciplines. Her weight shifted, her balance fluid, and then her dagger slashed forward not in a straight stab, but in a sharp Taekwondo-style knifehand arc, wrist turned to angle the blade across my field of vision.

It was a feint. A fast, elegant distraction meant to push me off-center.

I caught the motion with a forearm block, the impact biting through the tension in my arm. The blade didn't land, but her follow-up was already in play. I lashed out with a jab toward her throat, quick, surgical, and meant to force distance.

Nicole twisted, avoiding the strike by mere inches. She caught my wrist in the same motion and, with a brutal tug, yanked me forward. Her knee came up fast, aiming for the vulnerable gap in my ribs.

I reacted instantly, planting my foot and letting my weight drop. My body bent backward in a sudden, judo-inspired fall, taking Nicole with me in a controlled collapse. We hit the mat hard, both of us bracing for the impact, but I was already moving.

I tucked my shoulder, rolling at the moment of contact to avoid her dagger's arc. Her grip stayed firm on my wrist, refusing to give me space, but I twisted inward with practiced efficiency, locking my hips and using her momentum against her.

The shift was seamless.

My arm snaked around her elbow, my weight driving us sideways as I reversed our position. With a burst of force and leverage, I pinned her to the ground. My knee slid beside her ribs for control. Her eyes narrowed—but she didn't resist. She knew she'd been caught.

My dagger found its mark, pressing lightly against the hollow of her neck. Not deep, not enough to draw blood, but just enough to make the point.

"Two!" Logan called from the sideline, his voice ringing clear above the scattered sounds of boots and breath.

Nicole's chest rose and fell in shallow, controlled breaths. She smiled up at me. "You always that flexible?"

"Only for you," I replied, standing and offering my hand.

She took it.