Nox Inferno

Chapter 19: The Ring

When Melody and I reached our combat one class we couldn’t stop giggling. We leaned against the wall, I needed to catch my breath. I let out a sigh when air filled my lungs and looked over at Melody.

“Is this class hard?” I ask.

She shrugs, “I have been training since I was young with my brothers. For me it’s kind of easy.”

Great. I pushed off the wall and bumped into someone. I looked up at girl whit white hair and gray blue eyes. Her eyes narrowed at me and looked me over. I was glad for the veil, so she couldn’t see my face.

“You are pathetic.” She snarled and walked to the doorway.

Melody grabbed her arm, “Watch it.”

“Oh, I so scared. You fire factions are all so hot tempered.” She yanked her arm away and glared at Melody.

“We are and I would watch my back if I were you.” Melody threatened.

Fear flashed in her eyes but covered it quickly. She scoffed and walked in, not before saying, “We all know, I should have been picked to be a Knight. So, mind your words.”

“What does that mean?” I whispered to Melody, in case that girl was still listening.

“To be a Nox Knight, there is an application process. Most of the Nights are elite students like Clementine or Kai. But no one can really understand Lord Satan’s mind because sometimes he randomly chooses average demons like Zephyr and Alvina. Saying, ‘it’s all part of his plan.’ Sylvia was in the finals to be the newest Nox Knight but-“ she glanced at me.

I hung my head, “But I stole it from her.”

“I’m thankful for that. Sylvia is already so stuck up; can you imagine her being a Knight?” Melody scoffed, “Anyways enough chit-chat. It’s time to train.”

“Yay…” I said unenthusiastically.

“Come on, it will be fun.” Melody practically dragged me into the room.

This room was decorated with sandstone blocks. From the low ceiling hung punching bags that scattered the room. In the center was a giant boxing ring, that stood ominously against the rest of the room.

“This is my place.” Nyra hummed inside of my head.

I frowned “Now, you want to talk.”

“Yeah because this is interesting.” She retorted.

I’m not sure if I like this sassy owl inside of my head all the time.

“Hey Twyla, are you still with me?” I blinked before registering Melody was in my face.

“Sorry.” I responded.

“I was worried you went brain dead?”

I squinted my eyes, “I don’t think that how that works.”

“Whatever.” She says with a smirk.

“Ladies.” A light voice with a hint of a French accent greeted us from behind.

I jumped and turned to face a woman in her late thirties with jet black hair and pink eyes. She reminded me a bit of Clementine except she looked more serious than carefree.

“I am Madame Bultiaire.” She extended her hand, her accent making me smile. People with accents sounded so cool.

“I’m Twyla.” I shook her hand.

She gripped firmly onto my hand a yanked me forward until we were eye to eye, “What training have you received?”

“Erm…I did girls P.E. for two years and this year I was supposed to start dance instead.” I had a feeling her pink eyes would be in my nightmares tonight.

Disgust marred her face, “I heard you took down an Angel together. If you had no training, how could you have done that? I do not like to be lied to.” She warned.

I struggled to no prevail to remove my hand from her, “I don’t know. I think it was my demon side taking over.”

She scoffed, “Even if I believe that lie. There is no way a rookie can control her demon like that. It would have consumed you and you would have run rampant. Just like the other half-breed monsters that plagued the earth centuries ago.”

“I don’t like the way she is talking to us.” Nyra growled. I didn’t either.

“Firstly, that is very rude. Even though I have no idea what you mean, I know that you meant offense. Secondly, I don’t care if you believe me or not. That is what happened. Why would I lie to you?” I huffed and yanked my hand away.

She smirked, “So you can stand up for yourself. You stuck me as a person who needs defending. I guess looks are deceiving.” She shrugged, “Do something about your hair and then suit up.”

My hair? I scrunched my eyebrows together and touched my hair.

Melody sensing my confusion held up a small mirror. I stared at the girl in the black veil with her hair on fire. She looked like a bride of death. Wait, she’s me and I’m her. My hair’s on fire. I began patting my head furiously.

Melody laughed and helped me. Moments later the fire in my hair disappear leaving my hair to look like a fizzled hot mess. The amount of pain my hair had to endure today.

“Do you need help suiting up.” Melody offered.

I gave her a deadpan look, only to remember she can’t see me. “Yes please.”

She chuckled some more before producing a helmet and boxing gloves. Where did that even come from? I narrowed my eyes to her gym bag, what else did she have in there.

She pulled the strap for the helmet tightly before hitting my plastic padded head. She then stuffed my hands into the red and black gloves.

“Do you have a mouth guard?” She asked. I shook my head, “I have an extra in my gym bag.” She turned and produced a clear mouth guard. “Here.” She handed it to me.

I tried to put on the guard through my veil. I struggled for a while because I was trying to conceal my face. When I finally got it in my mouth I bit down, hard.

“I’m ready for a fight.” Nyra commented as she shifted around my back.

“You ready?” Melody asked.

Nope. Not even a little but I don’t think I could back down now. What’s the worst that could happen.

I shrugged and entered the ring. I almost tripped over the rope and crashed into Madame Bultiaire.

She glanced at me with amusement before saying, “Your opponent will be…” there was a moment of pause, “Sylvia.”

The word rung in my ear as she stepped in on the other side with a wicked grin. She wasn’t going to go easy on me. I gulped and walked to the center.

“Are you ready?” Madame Bultiaire asked, I nodded hesitantly.

“Are you ready?” Madame Bultiaire asked Sylvia. She nodded furiously.

“Begin.” She waved a hand in front of my face.

All I could see was Sylvia as she began to circle me. I wanted to run when she began beating her fist together.

“We got this.” Nyra offered.

Sylvia lunged and I ducked. Suddenly there was no one else in the world except me and her. Her punches where furious and gained speed each time. I kept my hands up to prevent her from hitting my head. The stomach, the left side of my head, and then the right. She repeated the tactic until I was pressed against the side.

I felt tears trickle down my face, her blows hurt. She swept my legs from under me and tried to stomp on me as if I was a bug. I scrambled to the center.

“Throw a jab, now.” Nyra instructed.

With all my force I let out a jab and it hit her on the right side. She grunted and uppercut me in the face. I stumbled back but I tightened my fist. She was going to make a fool of me, wipe the floor with me and then leave me to rot in my misery.

Something dark and primal awoken in me and I knew exactly what it was. I lowered my hands and stalked over towards her.

What was I doing? I tried to take back control my body, but I couldn’t. I wouldn’t succumb, so I fought against myself. As if that wasn’t bad enough I also needed to fight against Sylvia. Why is this happening again?

Sylvia punched again but this time I grabbed a hold of her arm and flung her on the other side of the ring. She scrambled to get up and I began to circle her.

I punched her in the face with so much force that blood trickled out of her nose.

“Time!” Madame Bultiaire called.

I wanted to lunge and ignore her words but Nyra sent calming waves throughout my body.

The dark pit in my stomach disappeared and I blinked several times. The pain from before pummeled in with force and I fell to my knees.

“I can’t keep doing this.” I thought to Nyra.

“I know, you will get a hold of it.” She whispered.

“No, I won’t.” I whispered as I struggled to stand back up, “I’m a monster.”