The Devils Bargain

Chapter 16

I might've been too confident when I thought I was fine, but the moment I stepped foot into the pit, with everyone watching me, I felt like I was going to throw up.

Calm down, calm down... focus on what's in front of you... remember your training.

I looked up from the pit and saw that Keial was looking down at me, with hard eyes and a stoic face with his arms crossed, and the rest of the group stood next to Gregor, cheering me on.

Ignore it, focus dammit!

My heart was beating like crazy, ever since Keial brought up the proposition, and now I can't seem to focus.

I was standing in front of everyone with a hard-on that I was desperately trying to ignore, and lucky for me, no one had yet to notice because I was wearing black, something I now felt thankful for.

Gregor picks up the horn again from the corner of my eyes and then puts it to his lips, I get into my position and focus on the snarling, bloodthirsty daywalker that has not looked away from me since the moment I entered the pit.

The horn blows, and the cage door that held the daywalker opens, the fight has started, and there is no backing out, or giving up allowed at this point.

Or you'd face banishment, and be branded a coward.

That wasn't happening.

Instantly, the daywalker leaped from its cage and let out a deafening screech, then it looked me in the eye and then started running towards me, its twisted body and black nails bending and leaving dents in the ground as it ran.

I held my sword tightly, and as the daywalker got close enough to swipe at me, I moved out of the way just enough to avoid its long dangerous nails from cutting my neck clean open.

Whew, that was close.

There wasn't any time to think, as it came for me again, and again, swiping its hands and snapping its teeth, which gave me only one option but to go on the defense early and look for an opportunity to strike at its heart.

A swipe had made it to my leg, drawing blood and making me grunt painfully as its venom started to burn and make my leg feel slightly numb.

Ignore it, it's not over yet, do what Gregor said and everything will work out.

'Daywalkers are stupid and reckless, it will go directly for you the moment it's out the cage, like a wolf in heat, and that's what you want, let it get frustrated, let it think it's winning, then once it grows reckless, go on the offensive, and get it off its feet.'

I can do this, I just need to make it feel like it's going to kill me.

The daywalker kept getting more and more aggressive with every swipe and just like Gregor said, it started to get frustrated when none of its hits were touching me as I blocked them with my sword.

Its loud screech pierced my eardrums and made my ears ring, and made me look away for a split second, which knocked me on the ass as the daywalker used one of its long arms to swipe at my feet, and successfully trip me over.

It was too late to get up, and the moment I raised my sword to block its bite, its teeth clamped down hard on my sword and with such force, pulled it from my grasp and flung it halfway across the pit.

Using my hands, I used all my strength to keep its snapping jaw from tearing into me, but that wasn't enough as its hands were free and free to swipe, cut, and peel away the flesh on my arms and legs, making me scream out in pain.

It hurt so much, and my blood felt like it had turned into lava as the venom got into my bloodstream, if I didn't act fast, I wouldn't be able to move, as the venom would completely paralyze me.

Everyone was watching me, yet I couldn't hear a thing, the only thing I could was the sound of my heartbeat, beating in my ears.

What do I do, what can I do?

My sword was across the room, and the only thing I had was a throwing knife, but the moment I moved my arms from its face, I didn't have enough time to stab it in the heart before it took a chunk out of my flesh.

My arms and legs were getting more numb, and pretty soon, I wouldn't be able to lift a finger, never mind kill this thing.

There was nothing else I could do, so with one thing left, I shouted out and removed my right hand to pull a knife out that was strapped to my trousers, and stabbed it in the heart, whilst the creature overpowered me and bit down on my shoulder at full force.

The pain was excruciating, and its sharp teeth were still lodged into my flesh despite it being dead, its dead weight crushing me.

With what little strength I had left, I lifted the creature and pushed it to the side of me.

At that moment, despite my arms and legs being completely numb, and my shoulder bleeding out, I could only do one thing, and that was... laugh.

For the first time in a long time, ever since I got kicked out of my pack, I fought back and it felt exhilarating, so I laughed, and laughed, until I felt my tongue go numb.

Then I saw him.

His golden eyes and handsome face looked down at me as he stood over me, and even though I knew I looked worse than shit, with my sweat mixed with blood, I felt like I had been reborn again in his eyes.

I... felt great.

Despite the chaos around me, as people came to heal me, I knew that I would never forget this moment, the moment Keial looked at me with a look of approval in his golden eyes.

It was the moment I had finally earned... his respect.