Nevin is being Patched up by the coliseum medics.
Nevin: Ha! Ha! Ha! Great scrap kid! Great scrap!
Yafeu looks on with a confused smile as his opponent is all laughs and a cheerful attitude despite losing.
A large figure unexpectedly appears behind Nevin and the nurse who's patching them up. It was Amaro Midas. They notice him by hearing the sound of his voice.
Amaro: You lost because you underestimated your opponent again Nevin. Not every fight has to be treated like it's a game.
Nevin: Aww Amaro, the world is burning. Why not treat our remaining days like it's a game to win!?
Amaro: Because we're all still alive. And lives should be nothing to play with....
Nevin: Yafeu is now my brother in arms. We shed blood together we've forged bonds now we can laugh.
Amaro stares at Yafeu after he says this. Yafeu looks back at him not breaking the glare.
Yafeu tells himself, "What's this guy's problem?" Bast who is behind him answers, "That's Amaro Midas. Greatest soldier on the east of the world. Adira's killed his entire army of soldiers with her troops and didn't stop there. His family was also executed."
Bast continues to explain, "He has rarely bowed to Adria's will since he was brought here. Amaro being out of his cell seeing you is a sign he might today."
Yafeu replies, "Why though? Because I beat Nevin? Bast says, "No it's because to him you're a child. And Amaro was also once a father. Not only to his soldiers but to his actual son as well. His life was taken by Sigmond. Anyone who's a child that's fighting for Adira's vision of the perfect world Amaro will get up and defeat. This is a reason why no new lieutenants have been popping up. Amaro has beaten all contenders. Under normal circumstances, he would have been killed. But Adira sees value in him. Amaro was only known as a ruthless killer his heart shows when the innocence of children is going to be corrupted."
As Bast catches Yafeu up on who the prisoners of Cauchemar are Amaro doesn't break his glare. While Nevin laughs holding Amaro around the neck. He pulls Nevin's arm off then approaches Yafeu and tells him.
"Congratulations kid, seriously beating a lumbering fool like Nevin is great. But I can't let you become a lieutenant with the power of that virus. Forfeit the rest of the tournament now or I promise you, if you ever get to me in this tournament. It won't be a fight. It'll be a severe beating."
Present-day.
Sarah: Whhhat?! My brother fought Amaro and won also?
Bast: Yeah, it was one of the most brutal fights I saw. Hell, it was one of the greatest tournaments also. Come to think about it. It's gettin pretty late. How about I'll just tell you about when they ended up meeting in the finals?
Sarah looks at the time and nods in agreement.
Sarah: No problem. I understand we all still need our sleep.
Bast smiles laughs and says, "You're right I was more thinking about your guys needing it though. Your brother and I are cyborgs. Since we've taken our virus shots the need for sleep is no longer a thing we have to deal with.
*Sarah thinks to herself, "*Wow Yafeu and Bast must get a lot done."
The past ~ Final round for a spot as one of Adira's lieutenants.
Roars of an arena filled crowd echo through the Cauchemar coliseum. The white tiled floor of the arena is stained with blood and dirt from the previous fights.
Amaro and Yafeu face off against each other. An announcer praises their names as if they were gods to hype the crowd up. Sides are picked and tension rises. Comments from the crowd could be heard from Bast and Nevin's section in the crowd.
Wow, this round Adira is letting them use weapons?
1 weapon, but still that's crazy!
Well have a new lieutenant after this!
The announcer is done introducing the fighters. And the match begins.
Yafeu charges forward and strikes Amaro to the ribs only to be blocked by amaro tucking in his elbow.
To Amaro's "shock" a surge of electricity suddenly flows through his body shocking him. Amaro screams and looks to his side. Yafeu already has unsheathed his weapon.
Amaro grins and says, "Haha! The shock knuckles!? Good choice man! Where's the other one?"
Yafeu steps back, reaches in his back pocket, and pulls out the other Electric brass knuckles. Then he throws it in the air. Kicks it in Amaro's face, then catches it. Then uppercuts Amaro with the shock knuckles he just hit Amaro with.
With Amaro starting to leak blood from his nose. He sees Yafeu putting on the other knuckles then says to Amaro, "They Were in my back pocket." Then proceeds to turn on the other set of shock knuckles.
Amaro amused tells himself, "And to think I only thought of you as a kid." He dashes headfirst toward Yafeu tackling him to the ground. Then fists proceed to rain down on Yafeu. As Yafeu tries to block the shots a few pass through his guard. Knocking the wind out of him.
With his shock knuckles still on Yafeu swings in hopes for anything to land and a strike does. Amaro screams and rolls off of Yafeu.
They both reset and position themselves for the next attack. Amaro weaves and parries punches from Yafeu then gives his opponent a word of advice.
Amaro: Hey kid.
Yafeu: Yeah?
Amaro: Just a little word of advice. You picked some badass weapons. That's been established. But you rely on them a little too much. Right now your punch is the strongest strike in your arsenal. You can also KICK!!
Amaro delivers a powerful kick that knocks the wind out of him dropping the left pair of knuckles.
Amaro then delivers a powerful body blow to drop Yafeu. He tells the young fighter, "Now don't get up or I'll hit you harder." He crushes the shock knuckle that was dropped. And the announcer begins a 10 count for Yafeu to get up or else he'd lose the fight.
In a hazy vision Yafeu sees the kids Sigmond will experiment on that he sailed with, "For the sake of this war!" Echo's in Sigmond's voice. Then flashes of torture, pain and imprisonment from his fellow cellmates flashed.
Almost as if a man possessed Yafeu gets up before the count of 10. He catches his breath while wiping his mouth clean from the dirt and blood then tells Amaro, "Damn you're strong."
The battle continues with both fighters throwing blows.
In the coliseum balcony Adira and Sigmond watch on while they comment about the fight they are witnessing.
Sigmond: Empress why hasn't Amaro used his weapon yet?
Adira: He didn't pick one.
Sigmond: Hahaha! Sounds just like him.
Adira: Plus it's not like he isn't already a living weapon anyway. Thanks to his training...and what you did.
Sigmond: Haha! It was nothing but just a few extra plates of food for those inmates.
Adria nods to Sigmond. They see Bast looking at both of them from a distance. The Empress and Sigmond stop their conversation.
Sigmond: The child...
Adira: I know...
Back to the fight.
Amaro stands tall even with a knot over his eye and a busted lip he still shows Yafeu a grin. "You're almost on E boy. I can feel it!"
Yafeu breathes heavily, both of his hands bloodied from the fight with Amaro. He wipes the sweat from his brow and motions for Amaro to, "Bring it!" The giant warrior does just that.
With unimaginable speed Yafeu found himself in front of Amaro. Maybe due to the intensity of their fight Yafeu couldn't block the giant's next attack that landed. And it would prove to be a fatal mistake.
A powerful uppercut lands to the pit of Yafeu's stomach followed by a barrage of ungodly powerful shots. HEAD, BODY, HEAD, BODY punches rain down on the young Yafeu as Amaro executes his combat training on the younger fighter.
Amaro stops the onslaught he delivers on Yafeu. The young man drops to 1 knee while blood splatters on the floor.
"HEY! What are you trying to prove?" Yelled Amaro?
Yafeu hears a voice in his head. It says to him, "Son you're in a position to help people and protect them. This world is a violent place. The least we can do is protect the ones who can't protect themselves." Visions of a man protecting various people pop up in Yafeu's vision. Then Yafeu sees himself on the boat to Cauchemar in his vision. He faces off guards who mean to harm him and the rest of the abducted children.
Yafeu snaps out of his vision. Grits his teeth then stands.
The crowd erupts! The fight is praised by the viewers. Comments like "How did he get up from that!? This guy isn't human! It's going back and forth!" Can be heard from Nevin and Bast's section.
Amaro makes the first move and misses a punch intended for Yafeu's head. Yafeu counters with a knee to the gut and lands an elbow to Amaro's brow.
Angered, Amaro unleashes a flurry of punches only for them to be dodged.
Bast is amazed Yafeu can dodge despite taking so much damage. However to her, it seems Nevin isn't. "How are you not amazed by this? He's taken damage that could kill an ordinary man and he's still moving like the fight started!" Is what Bast tells Nevin.
Nevin replies, "Because in my fight I already could tell what he was capable of, with this kid I felt the depths of his will to push through in a fight. And his well went far deeper than mines! Amaro told me he had a saying like this from where he came from. They call it the "Dragon's Heart." Some guys fold when their back is against the wall in a fight. But others just get more dangerous."
It's like an animal cornered ready to attack. Instinct kicks in and the real fight for survival begins. You have it wrong Bast, I am impressed but not at how well he's doing. I'm impressed at who he's doing it against. Amaro and I are soldiers of war yet this kid can trade and dodge blows against the likes of us. Whoever taught him must be a master of epic capabilities!"
Bast gets chills from the praise Nevin gives her friend as she continues to watch the fight.
Amaro throws a punch that grazes Yafeu. Another partially blocked. Another that misses. "TAKES MORE TO A WIN A FIGHT THAN DODGING BOY!" Amaro says screaming to his opponent.
And that's when Yafeu lets a strike off to the pit of Amaro's stomach stopping him in his tracks.
"Ack!...Hey! That's my move!" Says the giant soldier of war. Yafeu proceeds to strike the throat of Amaro then striking him in the nose.
What happens next Amaro would describe as continuous white flashes of light then Complete darkness.
Yafeu wins in a come from behind Knockout.
Till this day Bast will never forget the scene of Yafeu out on his feet standing over a defeated Amaro Midas. He told her it felt like he was drowning in the crowd's cheers.
After the fight.
Yafeu is seen getting patched up. Chained together Nevin and Amaro look on as Sigmond and Adira watch with them.
Amaro: The kid is talented Nevin. You were right.
Nevin: Ha! Ha! Right!? That's why I was so joyful toward my defeat. No other great feeling than knowing you have more room to grow. Not just as a fighter, but as a man!... Hey, Amaro speaking of manliness you know I respect manliness like no other. I gotta ask why haven't you gotten patched up yet?
Amaro a little annoyed answers Nevin. He says, "It's not my choice. These guys just rushed to Yafeu first."
Nevin tries grabbing the attention of Adira he leans toward her and says, "Hey I know you and Amaro haven't been seeing eye to eye but even you could appreciate the effort he just put on. Come on now. He's bleeding out on the floor."
Nothing but silence from Adira and Sigmond.
Nevin replies, "Aww C'mon this isn't fair!"
Amaro replied, "NEVIN, ENOUGH! We can't expect compassion from these guys! They aren't worth the energy!" Before Amaro could continue to express himself Adira answers why she hasn't called for no one to patch Amaro up.
She says, "He doesn't need it." Confused and angry Nevin yells, "HE'S BLEEDING OUT ON THE FLOOR!"
Sigmond then replies, "That's not what she means. Amaro doesn't need any patching up soon because he'll recover soon."
"What are you getting at?" Replies Amaro.
Adira tells the soldier, "For the past few months. We've been spiking your food and water with an experimental virus Sigmond developed to test on you. It wasn't hard you're a man of structure Amaro. You were the leader of the most powerful platoon of soldiers in the world. So it would make sense for you to think you could earn trust and respect with these inmates. But I have something more powerful than trust and respect. Its resources. I've known for a while you, Nevin and my Bast we're plotting to overthrow me. So I promised the inmates you and Nevin conversed with extra food if they tell me everything.
Amaro: ILL KILL YOU!!
Adira: Look Sigmond it looks like the virus you concocted is working. What was the name you gave it again?
Sigmond: Bloodlust the virus was given the codename bloodlust.
Adira: And how does this virus work, master Sigmond?
Sigmond: Well it triples the strength of the one with the virus. As well as the stamina. The barer gets blinded by bloodlust and only thinks of fulfilling their goal. Whether it be victory in a fight, a mission, or war. The barer will only think of that goal. And will do whatever possible to achieve it. And you Amaro my friend have just activated the trigger of my virus. All you had to do was fight. Now it looks like your wounds are starting to heal. That's another perk my virus gives all its bearers.
Sigmond looks toward the empress and says, your highness! It appears the bloodlust virus is a success! Brilliant Idea in getting Amaro to trigger its activation by thinking he could stop the child soldiers!
Adira: Yes Sigmond, Let's continue with the plan and mass produce it for the rest of our troops. Guards take Amaro back to his room.
Enraged, Amaro yells at the Empress as he is carried away.
Adira looks to Bast as she looks horrified underneath her helmet and the empress gives her a smile.
ns 15.158.61.54da2
