Branching Scars: Chapter 1 Part 2

Instructions

⋆.˚ ᡣ? .?˚ ⋆.˚ ᡣ? .?˚ ⋆.˚ ᡣ? .?˚ ⋆.˚ ᡣ? .?˚ ⋆.˚ ᡣ? .?˚ ⋆.˚ ᡣ? .?˚ Chapter 1, part 2 I adjusted my grip on my kusarigama. The weight of the weapon felt familiar in my hands. The same weapon I trained with. The same weapon I carried into every battle. The only thing I trusted more than myself. Across from me, Razor Horn waited. Then, the arena bell rang. Razor was the first one to move; his horn was aimed right at my chest. I sidestepped at the last second. His horn cut through the air where I'd been standing a heartbeat ago. Sand exploded beneath his feet as he skidded past me. Fast. Faster than I expected. "Close-range fighter," I reminded myself. Don't let him corner you. I swung the weighted end of my kusarigama toward his ankle. Clang! The weight wrapped around his leg, but with one violent kick he tore himself free. The chain snapped tight, nearly pulling me off balance. "So that's your trick?" Razor laughed. He charged again. This time I was ready. I planted one foot into the sand and spun. The chain whistled around me in a wide circle before the sickle flashed toward his shoulder. He blocked it with the flat of his forearm guard. Metal shrieked against metal. The crowd roared. "Eel Girl's finally attacking!" Levi yelled somewhere above us. "Looks like the champion isn't planning on taking it easy!" Razor shoved my blade aside and threw a heavy punch. I ducked underneath it. His fist sailed over my hood. Too close. I slid between his legs, dragging the chain behind me. Before he could turn around, I snapped my wrist. The chain wrapped around his horn. "...Got you," I muttered. Tiny sparks danced across the links. Razor's confident grin disappeared. Electricity burst through the chain. CRACK! Blue-white arcs exploded over his horn, making him stagger backward as smoke curled into the air. The audience erupted. "EEL GIRL!" "EEL GIRL!" "EEL GIRL!" didn't celebrate. The shock wasn’t enough. A fighter who climbed from the lower brackets wouldn't stay down that easily. Razor slowly lifted his head. "...Heh." He threw the chain off his horn with brute force. "What's wrong?" Razor smirked, rolling his shoulders. "Did I scrape your favorite toy?" His cocky comment was all the encouragement I needed. I lunged. The sickle carved through the air toward his side. Razor twisted away just in time, but the blade still sliced across the edge of his shoulder guard, sending sparks flying. Before he could recover, I drove a kick into his chest. He stumbled back a step—only a step—but it was enough to put some distance between us again. He's stronger than me, I realized. So don't fight his fight. Then, I backed away. One step. Then another. Not because I was scared. Because I needed him to think I was. I heard Razor scoff. His grin widened. “Running already?” “What’s this?! Seems Bolting Blade is coming up with a plan!” Levi shouted into his microphone. The audience hushed. I kept retreating until I felt the cool stone wall at my back. There was nowhere else to go. Razor lowered his head. My tail twitched with concentration. "Cornered," he said. I almost smiled He charged. Just a little closer… Come on… Now. At the last possible second, I threw myself to the side. Razor Horn didn’t have time to react. His horn scraped against the stone floor as he tried to stop himself. Too late. BOOM!