CHAPTER LXXXII:Alexander The Conquered.

I took Excaliburs sheath off, and jumped down into the Arena to feel the sand on my feet and my hands. Alexander's stormy grey eyes lit up, and his light brown hair, which poked from his helmet a bit, had flecks of sand in it. If he wasn't a Son of Athena then he'd be crazy, but his tactics were unrivaled.

"Are you an enemy of the Owl Goddess?" Alexander asked.

I smiled slightly, "No, we're rather close Alexander."

"Then I shall make this painless," Alexander answered.

Alexander ran forward dragging his sword close to the ground. I went to block from below, but the attack came from above at the last second. I blocked the hit with my dagger. I dodged back and Alexander jumped forward. He kicked my in the chest knocking the wind out of me, and the he slashed my stomach. Alexander went to stab my throat as a finisher but I blocked the hit with my sword. My wound burned like a fire across my body, blood splashed onto the sand like rain. Alexander smirked and kicked my wound sending another shockwave of pain through my body.

I moved away but Alexander was right there, I was to focused on his sword that I would feel a hit on my wound. It felt like my stomach was constantly getting bit by a nest of fire ants. I kept moving, I kept dodging and trying to avoid the hits but I was slowing down. I dodged the blade and kicked Alexander in the side of his skull.

I dropped my weapons and kneeled down, "No more weapons Malaka! Fight me like the lesser man you are!"

Alexander stepped back a bit, then smiled at the challenge, "Alright then!"

Alexander dropped his sword while I stood up weakly and felt some blood drip down. Alexander took a swing, and I dodged, almost a second to late, then I hit him in the jaw. Alexander went to kick me and I moved back. I jumped up and kicked him in the chest with both of my feet, I fell and clenched my teeth. Sand got in my wound and burned it even further. I reached in my pocket and pulled out a small vial of combat ambrosia, I quickly snapped the glass top off and drank the tasteless liquid inside. I felt my wound close up a bit, and I stood up again.

Alexander went to kick me with the back of his heel, and I ducked under his foot. I kicked Alexander in the side and got back up. Alexander threw a punch and it landed on my stomach. I almost threw up from all of the pain. He went to hit me with an uppercut, but I caught his fist and blunted the hit with my arms. I held Alexander's arm and kneed his elbow snapping his arm. We moved away from each other and took a breath.

"You're strong for a woman," Alexander said catching his breath.

I smiled at the remark, "And you're strong for someone who died from poison."

"Do you yield?" Alexander asked standing up straight.

"Go fuck yourself Alexander The Lesser," I answered standing up as well.

Alexander laughed, "I love your spirit! You remind me of a younger me! Too bad you're going to die now!"

Alexander rushed forward and threw another punch from the side. I dodged and grabbed his wrist, then I hit his last elbow breaking his other arm. I kept a hold of Alexander's wrist and moved behind him. I kicked the back of his knees sending him to him to the ground, then I stomped on his heel snapping it like a chicken bone.

"Say hello to Achilles to me, Alexander," I said.

I grabbed Alexander's head and snapped his neck to hear a satisfying crack. I fell back on the sand and breathed heavily. Whatever adrenaline I had wore off, and the full extent of every hit and wound hit at once. Blood came from my neck from a wound that I got from my own sword after blocking a hit. I stood up again and my knee hurt like hell after breaking Alexander arm through his armor.

Hecate walked down with Excalibur's sheath, "Well done darling! Come and rest with me and a few of your friends."

Hecate helped me up and kept an arm near me as we walked up towards the stands. Santoro was clapping in the stands and Mino was there as well.

"You fight well, Cursed Hair. Maybe you should consider legion work," Santoro asked.

"Never," I answered sitting down.

Santoro rolled his eyes, and we sat in silence. I laid across the stone seating and took deep breaths. Hecate placed my weapons next to me as I rested. Alexander fought hard but I was trained by Spartans, and no amount of Athena trained combat would win against the country of Ares. Alexander The Great was an amazing general, it was a shame he died to poison. I bet he wished he built up an immunity to poison like Mithridates the sixth, or Westley from Princess Bride.

"So who are you fighting next Mary?" Mino asked.

"Aiko, Jane, Sato, The One Eyed Samurai," I answered.

Out of all of the fights I had done, my fight with Aiko would somehow be tougher. I knew some of her moves though, at least I did if the book was accurate to that. One move I had to look out for was The Dance of Death, apparently it was a Sato Clan secret but it was well known now. Another thing I had to look out for was a move Aiko made, it was called Flower of Blades. Aiko would hold her tantō and her wakizashi behind her arms and use her powers to increase her speed and agility. It didn't help that Aiko had eastern dragon powers, including flight.

I guess it was nice to meet some of my heroes in the flesh. Despite all of the combat, and blood. The one thing I didn't like was that a lot of memories were coming back. All of my knowledge on Queen Artura, magic, and weapons were all coming back like a flood. I couldn't tell if my prophetic abilities were finally interfering with my curse or if days of ambrosia drinking were catching up. I also had my knowledge on fighting back, every bit of hand-to-hand combat training was coming back to me. I stood up and took Excalibur's sheath off once more.

"Hecate, I'm ready!" I yelled jumping down into the arena after grabbing my weapons.

My feet hit the sandy ground, and I sheathed my dagger. The area a filled with fog, and a ghostly wail went through the air piercing it like a knife. I knew what fight lay ahead of me. I wouldn't be fighting a demigod, but I would be fighting a Shinigami Warrior of the Hidden Sato Clan. The clan that Orochi descended from, and one of the four clans that survived WWII. I held my sword up like a katana and got my stance readied. While my sword would normally glint in the light, it was a dull graphite grey. I felt the power in my dagger surge through my body, I finally mastered the art of blood magic transference. Whatever power was in my dagger was absorbed into my body, and ensured that I had a small amount of energy in my body for shadow hops. I was finally prepared for a duel with The Dragon Eyed Samurai, Aiko Sato.