The Saga Begins [Nuworld 1] (51 page)

Darius leapt from where he was sitting and struck Kuro with his body while in midair. The two tumbled down the stadium benches to the floor. Gothman moved out of the way in all directions, clearing a path for the struggling men.

Kuro landed on his feet and stood inches from Darius’ face. The rage on Darius’ face was enough to make the largest of men back down. Kuro, however, stood tall and smiled. “I knew I could get a rise out of you, my friend,” he whispered. “I won’t hurt her, I promise.”

Darius lifted Kuro by his coat and shoved him backward. Kuro stumbled a few feet before regaining his balance, and raised a fist at the lord. But Darius moved fast and grabbed Kuro’s fist with his gloved hand.

Kuro stared hard at the handsome lord, whose face came within inches of his own. He hated the man for taking Tara, and despised him even more for somehow managing to bring her back. He wouldn’t let the hatred show. First he had to win the Test of Wills, and so he relaxed his arm and forced a smile.

“Fight her like a man,” Lord Darius snarled, undaunted by the chivalrous smile. “She’ll take you down like one.”

“Trust me, my friend, I know exactly what she’s capable of doing.” Kuro’s eyes gleamed. He straightened his clothing and slowly walked away from the outraged lord.

Patha announced the fights would continue, and the crowd convened noisily. As Tara reentered the arena, the crowd volume increased by decibels. Gothman and Runners pounded their boots on the wooden seats and hollered and yelled.

She stood in the center of the ring, calm and unharmed from the previous fighting, letting the crowd show their respect. These people would follow her unconditionally, which was exactly what she wanted.

The next fighter entered the arena. He was a large man, standing head and shoulders over Tara, and she recognized him as the one who had checked in when she had. He turned and held his hands over his head as the crowd shrieked.

Tara realized he was drunk. With his back turned, she jumped in the air and kicked him hard in the small of his back.

The crowd roared as he stumbled but did not fall.

He turned and screamed. “Why you little bitch!”

Tara couldn’t move fast enough when the man lunged forward, grabbed her, and then threw her as if she weighed nothing. The ropes stopped her from falling, but she found her torso twisted in them and took a second to gather her bearings and balance. Hands were all over her, and Tara felt as if some in the audience attempted to push her in, while others tried to pull her out.

Tara’s clothes had twisted, and she felt groped as she finally faced her aggressor.

“You’re going to lose this one, little bitch,” Bordo sneered and made another attempt to grab her.

“And you’re going to learn some manners,” Tara hissed. She gathered her strength and jumped. Her legs went up, this time kicking him in the face. The heel of her boot hit him in the nose, and blood flew everywhere as he threw himself at her again. This time he picked her up and slammed her to the ground.

Tara lay without moving. The large man stood over her breathing loudly, but she didn’t move. The crowd yelled for her to get up and finish him off, but still she just lay there.

Reena’s hands went to her face, and she started to cry.

“Don’t worry, woman, I taught her this,” Patha whispered.

Reena slowly spread her fingers and peeked between them, unable to stop watching her daughter in action.

The large man approached Tara slowly, finally sticking a foot under her to turn her over.

Tara moved so quickly, most onlookers missed what happened. She grabbed his foot, jumped up with lightning speed, and raised it high into the air, causing the man to fall on his back. Before he could move, she was on him.

After several punches to his face, she wrapped her hands around his neck and twisted his head within fractions of the breaking point. Then she sat on him and waited. Each time he tried to move, she turned his head just a little farther.

At last, he realized his life was in her hands. He reached for the white cloth on his arm and threw it to the ground.

She jumped off, and the crowd seemed ready to riot.

The next several fighters were all huge men. They hovered over her, and she made it look like a struggle to defeat each one of them. Each time, they lost, bloody and mad as hell. Tara remained unharmed.

At last the moment she dreaded arrived. Kuro entered the ring.

A hush fell on the crowd as they saw the man predicted to win the Test of Wills stand before the undefeated woman.

Unlike the other warriors, Kuro stood facing Tara and bowed.

She stood undaunted and bowed in return. Then, to Tara’s surprise, he assumed the position of the ancient warriors: bent knees, straight back, arms bent with hands opened. He held the position until Tara matched the pose.

The crowd grew silent. No one moved. Everyone sat on the edges of their seats.

The Gothman were not familiar with this method of fighting, and most Runners had not studied it. Patha had taught Tara and Kuro the ancient fight when they were teenagers.

* * * * *

Kuro knew this would be the last proof he needed to convince himself that this masked woman was indeed the first, and in fact, only love of his life. Love as he understood it, of course. Tara was worth wanting and loving, because with her came the rule of all Runner clans.

Kuro began moving slowly around the arena, stepping lightly, and keeping his knees bent. He watched as the woman in front of him matched him move for move and not a peep came from the hundreds of onlookers. With speed quicker than the eye, Kuro darted toward her and chopped with his hand.

She blocked the chop with her arm, spun and kicked him while jumping into the air.

He took the blow and returned one of his own. They continued to match each other, blow for blow. The crowd cheered, then quieted after each attack.

* * * * *

Thirty minutes passed, and Tara had had enough of Kuro’s style. She felt he mocked her. Finally, she unleashed her power, raging at him with blow after blow, not allowing him the politeness of returning each blow.

* * * * *

Kuro went on the defensive, eager to find an opportunity to return to the offensive. The fear of defeat rose inside him, and not ready to accept it, he lunged and wrapped his arms around her.

She twisted, kicking and punching as he lifted her from the ground. She elbowed him hard in the ribs, causing instant pain to rack his body.

As he let her go, he reached out and ripped her headscarf from her face. Both Gothman and Runner alike howled as their suspicions were confirmed.

As suddenly as they had gasped their amazement, the masses quieted, wondering how a dead woman could be standing before them.

“What is this Test of Wills that you would have me fight a ghost?” Kuro turned and yelled to Patha. “No wonder she can defeat each warrior entering this arena. Will we let ourselves be ruled by a dead woman?”

The crowd stirred.

Patha looked across the arena to Darius who returned his gaze. Neither wanted a riot to break out.

* * * * *

Tara saw their gaze and knew it would take little to stir the crowd. She glared at Kuro who had turned away as he uttered his disrespectful outcries to Patha. She jumped up and kicked him hard in the square of the back.

“Does that feel like the blow of a dead woman?” she screamed. The crowd roared with laughter as Kuro stumbled forward.

Tara showed no mercy and kicked him again, and he fell. Once on the ground, she hit him so hard in the side, he was unable to rise. She jumped on him and pulled his head back by his hair.

“Which part of me do you think is dead?” she said as she punched him on the side of the head. She threw his head to the ground and leaped to stand on his back. She jumped, landing on him so hard not an inch of breath was left in his lungs.

“I’m not dead and have returned to the land and people I love.” She shook her head enjoying the cold breeze on her sweat-soaked face.

The crowd cheered and slowly began to chant her name. “Tara! Tara!” The sound grew louder and louder. Gothman and Runner jumped to their feet and roared. “Tara! Tara!”

Kuro appeared lifeless at her feet, and for a moment she wondered if he were dead. The doctor soon entered the ring and called for a stretcher. With relief, Tara watched Kuro carried through the crowd.

She now stood alone in the arena as the crowd continued to chant. She turned to Patha, who looked at her with the serious face of a leader. She clasped her hands in front of her and bowed low in respect.

Patha stood and was assisted down the stairs by several attendants.

Tara noticed how slowly he moved and hurried toward him as he entered the arena. He waved away the attendants and eagerly took his daughter’s hand as she helped him move to the center of the arena.

The crowd slowly sat and waited for the ruler of all clans to speak. He turned to his daughter and then slowly bent down and picked up her headscarf. As he reached to place it back on her head, she stopped his hand.

“No,” she said loudly enough for all to hear. “I wear the clothes of the Runner to show the pride I have in my people. But, from this day forward, I will not cover my head in order to show pride in the people of my mama, the Gothman.”

The crowd gasped as they heard about her mixed heritage for the first time. “I stand before you as rightful heir and future leader of all Runner clans. I also stand before you as the claimed one of Lord Darius, leader of Gothman.”

Patha turned to Darius and raised his hand to salute and show respect to the Lord of Gothman.

Escorted by his guards, Darius led a small procession into the arena.

Patha took his hand and placed it in the hand of his daughter. He then turned and faced the crowd. “This day will be remembered for generations to come. All of you have witnessed one of the great moments of our history. We can tell our children and our grandchildren that we were present the day Runners and Gothman were truly united as a nation of two races that will never be defeated.”

At this, the crowd stood and applauded loudly.

Darius turned to Tara and pulled her close. “You were incredible,” he whispered.

“Crator told me I’d be victorious.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

The guards encountered a major challenge as they cleared a path through the crowds for Patha, Tara, and Darius. The leaders’ motorcycles were brought to them, and once they were on them and surrounded by guards, they were able to move through the crowd with more ease. They rode slowly down the main street toward their home. Some of the crowd followed them, cheering their allegiance.

The party would continue through the rest of the day. Tara and Darius planned on joining them after a private family reunion.

Tara entered the house through the front door this time. She was nearly attacked by Reena and Hilda. Syra and Torgo were not too far behind. Hugs and kisses and tears followed.

Then, of course, there were the twins.

Tara collapsed to the floor and gathered her children into her arms. She felt immediate panic and dismay when the two did not respond as eagerly and, in fact, pulled away.

“Don’t worry, child.” Reena patted her shoulder. “You did the same thing to me when I had an opportunity to see you at times, you did. They’ll learn who you are once again, I’m certain. It won’t take you long to gain their trust, yes. Syra, be a good lass now, take them upstairs. Tara can come see them privately in a short while.”

Syra reluctantly led the two toddlers by their hands and slowly climbed the stairs. “I miss out on everything,” she mumbled.

“I can’t believe you’re alive!” Torgo cheered.

He had grown a good six inches in the past six cycles and stood taller than Tara. He was as skinny as he was tall, but his muscle structure indicated he would soon look just like his brother.

“I couldn’t believe I was dead either.” Tara laughed, feeling happier at that moment than she could ever remember.

The boy stood next to his brother. “You were incredible today. I’ve never seen anyone fight like that before.”

“It
was
an incredible show,” Darius added.

“More like unbelievable.” Tara faced her family, beaming from ear to ear.

“Unbelievable is right.” Patha entered the room. “Leave us everyone. I wish to talk with Darius and Tara alone.” The tone in his voice quickly cleared the room.

Patha stood in front of his daughter with his hands on his hips. “Absolutely unbelievable!” Patha walked to the other end of the room and then turned, glaring at his daughter.

She looked at him blankly, her smile fading. She glanced at Darius and then at her papa. “I can’t take all the credit, Papa.”

Patha walked quickly to his daughter and slapped her across the face with his glove.

She stood frozen; not able to remember the last time Patha had struck her.

Darius’ muscles tightened, but he didn’t allow his facial expression to change. Gothman were taught as children to respect their parents and their rulers. He remained silent.