Chapter 42 - Five Minutes

Author's Preface

"I would hold that thought, Bob."

On the arena floor, Blue stood alone. The divine energy flowed out slowly, gray and gold spreading from his core outward. The air around him shifted.

In the booth above, the crowd went quiet in a different way than before.

"Whatever that qi power is, it's almost calming."

"Yes, Michael. The crowd looks like they've been lulled to sleep. The Russians seem unaffected."

"Blue from Team Columbus is moving."

Blue took one breath. Five minutes. That's all I've got.

He pulled the divine energy inward, contracted it until it was just a thin layer against his skin. No display. No aura. Just him and what was underneath. Then he moved. He crossed the distance to one of the tanks in less time than it took to register. The Russian raised his shield. Blue slid under it, through the man's legs, and came up behind him, both wrists slashed in one clean motion on the way through. The Russian looked down at his hands. The shield hit the floor. Blue was already moving to the next one. The tank turned just in time to watch Blue take his teammate apart with the same surgical precision. One motion, then another. The bracelet activated, and his teammate disappeared.

The Russian turned back. Blue was looking at him. Blue didn't stop. He aimed straight for the remaining tank and ignored the first one completely. He cycled through every Silent Edge technique Wu Jin had taught him. Form after form, angle after angle. The jian found gaps that weren't there. The armor held. The other tank came back in from the side and caught Blue square on the jaw. The impact sent Blue skidding back twenty feet across the arena floor. Blue hit the ground and rolled to a stop. As he slid, he caught something. Not large. A small crease at the back of the other tank's neck, right between the helm and the armor. A gap no bigger than two fingers wide.

He wiped the blood from his mouth and stood. Blue moved again, straight at the tank who'd hit him this time. He let him close the distance. Let him think he had the angle. At the last second, Blue leaped. One hand pressed down on top of the tank's helm, qi forced through his palm in a single concentrated burst. The Russian's knees buckled and hit the floor. Blue was already past him. He reached the other tank moving fast, too fast for the Russian to track cleanly. He sliced where he could, forcing the tank to keep adjusting, keep turning, keep burning energy to keep up. Then Blue dropped low, striking the backs of the tank's knees. He went down. Blue drove the jian into the crease. The bracelet activated. Behind him, the last tank had reached his shield. One stomp of his foot sent it spinning up into his grip.

From the stands, Darrien cupped his hands around his mouth. "KICK CAPTAIN RUSSIA'S ASS, BLUE!"

Boris sprinted. His footsteps shook the arena floor. The crowd felt each one. He launched the shield. Blue raised his jian to deflect it, and the shield spun past his head. Boris was already there. Aura gathered in both hands. He swung and locked weapons with Blue, not trying to cut, just pushing. Raw force meeting raw force. Blue held.

Boris leaned in. "Tiny sword."

"Tiny dick," Blue said.

Boris pushed harder. The jian rang, a high-pitched sound that didn't belong. Blue felt it before he heard it, something wrong in the iron. Cracks formed along the blade.

Then it shattered. Blue stared at what was left in his hand for half a second. That half second was enough. Boris's fist came through the gap and hit him square on the nose. Blue went down on one knee. He looked at his hand. The hilt. Just the hilt. The blade was gone, scattered across the arena floor in pieces.

His grandfather's jian. All that was left of it.

Blue screamed. Boris jumped back.

In the stands, Titus stood slowly. Grayson leaned forward in his seat.

"Wonderful," Grayson said quietly.

Blue got up. Blood ran freely from his nose. He didn't wipe it. He let go. Not controlled. Not measured. Not five minutes carefully rationed. He just let go. The divine energy poured out, gray and gold eruoted from his body, bleeding through the barrier itself. The mages outside scrambled, hands up, straining to hold the containment together as cracks spread across the dome's surface.

Then... BOOM.

The arena shook. Blue was gone, a trail of gold and disturbed air all that remained where he had been standing. When the dust settled, Blue was alone on the arena floor. Boris's bracelet activated. He appeared in the stands next to his teammates. For a moment, the arena was completely silent. Then it exploded.

Eve and the team were on the stage before the noise peaked. Eve took his left arm. Darrien took his right. Blue could barely stand, his breath coming in ragged pulls.

Darrien leaned close. "Told you we'd kick the shit out of the motherland."

Samantha reached past Eve and smacked the back of his head. Then she leaned in on the other side and whispered, "Good job, Blue."

In the booth, neither Michael nor Bob spoke. A director tapped them both on the shoulder from behind.

"Fellas. We're live."

Michael blinked and shook his head. "Bob. Can you believe what we just witnessed?"

"I can't explain it, Michael." Bob's voice was still slightly off. "Team Columbus just defeated Russia and took rank two. In spectacular fashion."

"What was that power he used? I've never seen anything like it."

"I'm not sure. But I can tell you this, all eyes will be on that young man for the foreseeable future. The USA has found itself a monster, Michael."

"Folks, it looks like Klaus has taken the stage."

Klaus stepped to the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen... let's give a round of applause for everyone who competed today."

The crowd responded.

"Due to damage sustained to the barrier and the exhaustion of our mages, we are postponing the remainder of the tournament until tomorrow afternoon to ensure the safety of our spectators and prevent mana reflux in our barrier team." He looked out across the arena. "Every team today fought with everything they had. I look forward to what you show us tomorrow. Good night."

The hotel that night was quieter than the arena had been. Blue and the team sat together eating.

"I should be able to use my divine energy one more time tomorrow." Blue stared at the table. "I should've saved it for the Germans, though." He looked at the team. "I'm sorry."

Darrien waved him off. "Don't worry about it. My mouth caused that fight." He glanced at Samantha. "Besides, we've got a plan for the Germans." Samantha nodded once.

The door opened. Aaron and Terrance walked in.

Aaron looked around the room. "Congratulations on the fight." He looked directly at Darrien. "Unnecessary as it was." He stared at Darrien for another moment before continuing. "You showed how much you've all grown out there. I mean that."

Terrance stepped toward Cynthia. "That mech was magnificent." He crossed his arms. "Clunky, but magnificent. If you can get better control, make it smaller, tighter, you might be able to end fights by yourself."

Aaron nodded. "The issue I noticed was that your team couldn't fight alongside it. It was too big. You risked hitting your own people." He looked at her steadily. "Keep working on it. It'll become an ace up your sleeve, in tournaments and in gates."

Down the hall, a different conversation was happening.

Grayson sat with his team. "Ryan." He looked at him. "I'm surprised you haven't challenged anyone yet."

Ryan straightened. "My apologies. We were planning to challenge the Germans, but Columbus picked a fight with Russia before we could move."

"No need." Grayson's voice was easy. "I want you to challenge Columbus instead."

Ryan looked at his team, then back at Grayson. "Sir?"

"Is there a problem with that?"

"No, but why waste our time on them?"

"That's for me to worry about." Grayson's tone didn't change. "You just do as you're told."

Ryan lowered his head. "Understood."

"I don't care whether you win or lose, Ryan. Whether you die, pass out standing up, get carried off the floor, I don't care." He looked at him. "Just force Blue to use that power again. Am I clear?"

Ryan stood and bowed. "We will force him to use that power again. And I guarantee we win."

Grayson stood and waved a hand. "I'm certain you'll try."

He walked out smiling.

As Grayson made his way to his room, Titus was there, leaning against the wall outside Grayson's door.

Grayson stopped. A smile spread across his face. "Well. If it isn't the Midwest Association leader. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"What was that earlier?" Titus pushed off the wall and stood straight.

Grayson tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"Your reaction to Blue. That power of his."

"What makes you think I know anything about that, Titus?"

Titus smacked his teeth and turned to walk away. "You're too interested in him to play dumb. Tread carefully."

"Oh my." Grayson took one step forward. "A threat. You seem quite interested yourself. Care to share why?"

Titus didn't turn around. As he walked away, he raised one arm and extended his middle finger.