The Dark Path by James M. Bowers, Stacy Larae Bowers Page B

glimmered with pure hatred. Gen was tired of this game.
    "Everything was fine until you showed up! People respected me. Meeka was my friend. Thomas, that worm, feared me, but then you came! You ruined it all! No one likes me now. They are always saying. 'Oh that Gen Hothman, he's so perfect.' It makes me sick." Aaron spit on the ground. He grabbed his sword with two hands and made another quick swing for Gen's head.
    "I never asked for their attention," Gen said as he ducked the blow. "You could still have been friends with Meeka if you had not been so jealous of her love for me. As far as Thomas is concerned though, you leave him out of this. If anything, I owe you a beating for what you used to do to him before I came to this school." Now Gen's eyes lit up with a cold fire of anger. He didn't let it take over though. He knew how to use his anger. It would not control him.
    "Liar! You stole her from me! She loved me! Do you hear me! You took her with your charms and fancy words. I will kill you for doing that to me, for taking her!" Aaron's shouts now rang throughout the stands. No one cheered at this contest now. All were silent. This was not just another shoving match. Aaron wanted blood. The Headmaster's lips were pressed into a thin line, but he remained silent. Thomas looked on with fear. Meeka only looked sad. Tears welled up in her eyes. She hadn't known how deep Aaron's feelings for her were. She only stayed to watch out of concern for Gen.
    "Let's end this here and now. If I win, then you will stop this stupid battle between us. If you don't end it after this...I will end it myself." The threat was clear. Gen's eyes went cold. He stared at Aaron, his ice blue eyes boring into the hazel eyes of Aaron's.
    "I will end it here," Aaron said with a grin. "I'll end it with your head mounted on my wall!" Aaron again made a sweep for Gen's neck. Gen frowned slightly. "So be it." Gen brought up his blade lightning fast and cut through Aaron's bastard sword. He kicked Aaron hard in the stomach. Aaron doubled over in pain and dropped his broken sword. "Do you yield?" Gen shouted. Aaron replied with another roar and charged at Gen. Gen stepped back and with two quick strikes came down hard on Aaron's collarbones. Two sickening cracks rang throughout the silent grounds. Meeka flinched and looked away. "Do you yield? I'll not use the back edge again." Gen's tone was quiet. Meeka was unnerved by it. Who was this cold Gen? She had never seen him like this before. No, maybe she had, long ago. Something cold grabbed her insides and she shivered. Aaron knelt before Gen. His arms limp at his sides. His face ran with tears of anger and defeat.
    "I will never yield," Aaron said through teeth gritted in pain. Gen nodded and raised the blade above his head. His arms rushed down but stopped dead just as it touched the flesh. Meeka's shouted command still echoed in the silence of the arena. Gen pulled the blade back and slid it slowly back in the scabbard. A small line of blood appeared at the side of Aaron's neck where the blade had touched it.
    “Remember that today, Meeka saved your life. I am not so kind.” Gen turned and walked toward Thomas. He heard a dull thud as Aaron fell unconscious to the ground. The Headmaster broke the spell, and the crowd slowly dispersed. Aaron's friends gathered around him. It took four of them to carry him to the healer's tent.
    "You ready to start practice?" Gen asked when he got next to Thomas.
    Thomas stared at his friend wide eyed. "After all that?"
    "Well, I did tell you I would. Didn't I? We still have another hour till the next class."
    "Can we wait till the crowd clears?" Thomas asked looking around self-consciously.
    "No, they may never leave," Gen said with a smirk. "Come on, let's get started."
    Gen turned to enter the arena but stopped suddenly when Master Shingami appeared before him. “I'm disappointed in you.” The words were spoken in Nipanguian and said in a tone low enough that only Gen