Fight Night

The smell hit me first. I couldn't really put my finger on it, but then something stung my cheek. I looked down-a tooth sat on the ground, flecked with red. I touched my face, checked my fingers. Blood, but not mine. I grinned. That smell was blood.

I almost didn't go. Star mentioned it all casual, like "oh, there's this thing in the Row," and I was out the door before my brain caught up to the word "fights." But, after a long trip down to Blackrock Mountain, I was looking forward to something fun to do with my new friends.

This was Murder Row, apparently. A big contrast to the fancy sin’dorei high society I had gotten used to since coming to Silvermoon and that Star had been introducing me left and right.

There were two fighters in the ring, which was hardly a ring. Mostly just the crowd forming a loose version of a circle with the sound of meat smacking as fists met bare skin.

I saw Grim who was clearly warming up to fight. He had me do some drills, expecting me to fight but I kinda just blew that off. “I’ll see how the fights go first,” I said, or something like that.

As the fights continued, I was standing with Grim who already looked hammered, and noticed a wine vendor nearby. I thought, “Heh, why not?” and went and got way too many bottles of something. I think I was going to try one of everything!

“Isn’t there supposed to be a buzz?” I asked the bottle. I ended up going back for some stronger stuff. Back in the ring, there was a goblin with a helmet and rocket boots, and maybe a death knight.

I came back with some better stuff and was good and lit about four or five drinks in when I heard my name.

Reylain, the host of this fine event had called my name.

Apparently the death knight had attempted a killing stroke and Reylain would have none of it. Killing blows were against the rules and he kicked her out!

Reylain stared at me as I stumbled to the ring to fight the goblin, which I now knew was “Fritzymay”. I waved at her and smiled.

"Want a fair fight," she said, removing her helmet. “Oh, okay!” I said, stretching.

“Three hits to elimination,” Reylain explained, “Or, a clean KO. No magic, no kill strikes."

Fritzymay caught me off guard. She was really fast! I stumbled back, but flipped backward to recover. Classic Tushui move, thank you very much, I definitely meant to do that and not just panic-react.

She'd hit me hard in the belly, which, ow, but nothing a swift outward breath can’t shake. Whew! I shook it off and lunged forward, got a good palm strike in right where her armor was already busted from the previous fight. She yelped, which I felt a little bad actually? But also this was a fight, so. Mixed feelings there.

Then she shoulder-checked my legs out from under me and I hit the dirt, which was gross and probably soaked in someone's blood. I did one of those things where you kick your feet up and you’re on your feet in one movement positioning myself close enough to land a Rising Sun Kick straight to her head. She was definitely dazed after that, wobbling around like she'd had even more of that wine than I had.

She rocketed into the air, with those jetpacks, came down with both fists like she was trying to hammer me into the ground. I stepped out of the way-very graceful, very intentionally, definitely not just stumbling to the side-and spun into a Blackout Kick that caught her right in the head.

Down she went. Out cold.

The crowd went wild. I stood there kind of breathing hard and also trying to look like I hadn't just gotten lucky, which I definitely had. Fritzy got dragged off to the menders, muttering about helmets and tasers, and I was about to follow her because my back was already complaining about that fall when Savadra grabbed my arm.

"You fight until you lose," she said, very intense, like this was some kind of ancient wisdom and not just a way to get me concussed.

Grim was there too, looking hammered but also somehow still dignified. "Remember your balance, girl! Feel your feet!"

I felt my feet. They were tired. But okay, okay, I could do one more. Probably.

Then this death knight stepped into the ring. Aeris Solarvein. One eye, very eager, immediately announced he was keeping his sword sheathed because I didn't have a weapon, which was gentlemanly of him I guess but also made me feel weirdly guilty? Like I should've brought a stick or something.

Savadra and Star were screaming from the crowd. "She's a model! Aim low!" Oh right. I had almost forgotten I was modeling in the Velvet Lily gala this weekend.

We started circling. I got in a quick palm strike to his stomach-he reeled, but came back with an elbow that I mostly dodged by slinking around him like I was avoiding chores. Brewmaster style, thank you. Got his ribs instead, which felt like hitting a wall that could hit back.

Then he drew the sword.

Okay, suddenly this was a different fight. He swept low with the blade and I jumped over it-flawlessly, very athletic, my knee definitely didn't make a concerning noise-and fired a kick at his head that he ducked under. He tried to grab my leg mid-air, which would have been bad, but his grip slipped.

I channeled everything into a Whirling Dragon Punch aimed right at his chin. This was going to be it,

I could feel it, the crowd was going to go wild-

He slapped my wrist away. Redirected the whole thing. Spun with the momentum and brought his sword around in this calculated arc that caught my leg.

I felt the cut before I saw the blood. Not deep, I told myself. Just a scratch. Just a-

I looked down. It was not just a scratch. There was blood running down my leg. I grinned, taunted him by tasting it-my fingers came to my lips, why did I do that, that was gross, that was a very death-knight thing to do-and unleashed Fists of Fury at his chest.

He ducked under the storm of strikes, rolled behind me, and I felt the blade across my back. It was over.

Reylain stepped between us and raised Aeris's hand. "Winner," he called, and I realized I'd taken three. Standing there breathing hard, bruised, bleeding, I also realized winning fast against Fritzy had made me way too confident. I was going to hear about this from Grim later.

I stumbled out of the ring complaining about my back, which was definitely just sore from the fall, definitely not a serious injury, I was fine, I was-

Savadra took one look at me and bypassed the arena healers entirely. "Side room," she said, very firm. "Now."

She marched me to a private alcove, made me turn around, lift my shirt. I heard her suck air through her teeth. Not a good sound.

"Vamiko," she said, very quiet, "this is deep."

The gash across my back was nearly-spine red. Way deeper than Aeris had meant, apparently. But Savadra stripped off her gloves, called the Holy Light, and I felt everything knit back together.

Warm. Intense. The pain evaporated.

I meant to head back to the crowd, maybe find some water, but the adrenaline crash and the drinks caught up with me. I grabbed wine instead. And then more wine. By the time Grim took the ring, I was cheering loud enough to lose my voice, leaning on Star, definitely swaying.

Some goblins found me during the victory celebration. Friendly types. They knew Fritzymay, or said they did, and they were talking about this great after-party at some place called the Lucky… Rocket?

I don't remember saying yes, but I must have, because next thing I knew I was in their cart going somewhere. The Lucky Rocket, they kept saying. Sounded lucky.