Without A Heartbeat

Scarlett could smell blood. It came as an overwhelming force that seized her nose and made her salivate. Lifting her head, she saw that the flames had gone, replaced by thick smoke that curled in the gap between the wall and door. In the centre of the small round room she had found herself in, stood a chair. The freshly dead body of a man was slumped on it. Both of his wrists had been cut to allow blood to seep into two buckets.

Scarlett was on her feet before she knew it, staggering over and collapsing next to the body, her hands holding onto his knees for support. The smell of blood was overwhelming and made her shudder as she inhaled. Clawing up the body, she collapsed into him, sending the chair toppling over and spilling one of the buckets. The claret liquid spread out in a pool, splashing against the walls. Scarlett fell into it, sliding and coating her whole body in blood. Drool spilled onto her lips and she lowered her head, preparing to drink.

Clank. Clank. Clank.

The sounds were the same as the ones from the corridor. As hard as it was to pull her head away from the precious lifeforce just beneath her ruined body, she looked up and saw a series of holes in the walls. Most of them were loaded with the same stakes that had almost ended her life before. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a voice told her that to drink would mean death. The cruel paradox she found herself within was excruciating. Sitting up, she stared at her hands, which were covered with the blood of the dead man’s body. Focusing her mind, she was able to retrieve a singular thought.

I…can’t…drink.

The hunger screamed at her to take a sip, to allow the precious blood to heal her wounds and repair her. To give her the strength she needed to continue. She raised her trembling hands to her lips.

Clank. Clank. Clank.

No…

Scarlett threw her hands down, as her body convulsed from the agony of resistance. It took every ounce of her willpower, every technique that Henry and Doctor Hudson had taught her to stop herself. She cast her mind to her family. Forced herself to understand that she would never see them again if she took even a single taste of the blood.

Crawling through the mess, her mind wavering, Scarlett inched through the room towards the simple door at the far end. It took her an eternity to reach it, and she barely had the strength to lift herself onto her knees to turn the doorknob. She slapped a palm against the wood, leaving a bloody handprint as it swung open. Falling back down, Scarlett dragged herself across the threshold until she was on the other side. Rolling over, she kicked the door and it slammed shut behind her. Darkness started to seep in at the edges of her mind.

“You have come this far. Do not fall unconscious now.”

Scarlett turned her head and through wavering vision, saw Huntmaster Solignis standing in a stone arena ringed a pit of flames that cast an orange glow onto his pale face. He was topless, his silver beard held fast with a number of leather bands. His exposed skin was a map of scars and old wounds that had healed badly. In one hand he held a cup.

“If you can make it to me, you can drink,” he said, offering the cup out towards her. The scent of blood emanated from it.

“I can’t,” Scarlett breathed. “I’m too weak.”

“You can and you will. Move.”

Using the doorknob for support, Scarlett hoisted herself up. Her knees trembled and she collapsed against the door, her wounded cheek pressing into the wood. Tears of exertion formed in the corners of her eyes as she fought to stand up. Taking the unsteady steps of an infant, Scarlett edged towards Faru. Several times she fell to a knee and had to force herself to stand up again. After what felt like an eternity, she reached the Huntmaster. With a whimper, she collapsed into his arms. He tilted her head back and bought the cup to her lips. Warm blood seeped down her throat and with sudden instinct; she seized his arms and locked them in place as she greedily gulped the liquid down. Slowly Scarlett felt strength return to her – not enough to be back to normal – but enough that she was able to stand on her own feel and her wounds start the process of healing.

Faru released his hold on Scarlett and she doubled over, eyes closed and gathering her thoughts as the blood did its work. The cloud in her mind parted enough that she was able to gather her thoughts and put them into a coherent order. She rose back up and stared at the Huntmaster, whose torso was now smeared with the blood of the dead man.

“How could you put me through that?” she seethed. “I almost died.”

“Except you didn’t, Scarlett. You had the strength to make it here, and I am so very proud of you.”

As much as she wanted to, it was difficult to stay angry with the Huntmaster. He had such an honest way about him.

“Is it over then, did I pass?”

Faru shook his head. “Not yet. There is one final stage of the Gauntlet remaining.”

Scarlett felt her lifeless heart sink. “What must I do now?”

The Huntmaster tossed the cup into the flames, which consumed it as if it were a soul being cast into Hell. “You have to fight me.”

No words could express the horror that descended onto Scarlett as Faru’s words hit home. “Fight you? Have you lost your senses? You almost killed me in the temple, I wouldn’t stand a chance against you.”

“You would not have stood a chance then. However, you are stronger now Scarlett, more so than you seem to realise. Simply look at what you have survived so far. Many would have given up long before they even reached the trials, but you kept going. That is a sign of a true survivor.” The light of the flames flickered against his eyes, making him appear as some fallen angel. “I have given you enough blood to satiate the hunger and allow you to continue.” He opened his arms into a wide gesture. “All you must do to win this fight is land three clean blows on me.”

Three blows. Just three clean blows.

“If I do that, I can leave this awful place?”

Faru nodded. “The Gauntlet will have been conquered. I must warn you however, I will grant you no quarter.”

Scarlett gave a caustic smile. “I don’t think you ever have.”

“Are you ready to proceed?”

“No. I feel as if I might faint at any moment. But then again we are here now.” She raised her fists as Larik had taught her. “Let’s get this over with.”

Faru gave an impressed smile. He placed one arm behind his back and held the other upright, hand straight and open. “Begin.”

Scarlett launched a fist at the Huntmaster. He flicked his head to the side and cuffed his palm against her cheek with enough force she felt her jaw click. Shaking her head, she circled around him, looking for an opening. Faru moved with the grace of a dancer, his feet making no sound as he stepped. Scarlett unleashed more punches in quick succession, each of which the Huntmaster blocked with his arm and then kicked her in the chest. The blow sent her rolling towards the edge of the area and she snatched her hand away just before it sank into the flames that ringed the arena.

Scarlett flipped up onto her feet, shaking away the grogginess and letting her fangs shoot down. Crouching down, she sprinted at the Huntmaster and as he snapped a punch towards her, she jumped right over him, landing on the other side. He turned with impossible speed and unleashed a series of spinning kicks, which she dived under. Still rolling, Scarlett launched to her feet and continued to circle him. He counters every move I do, she thought. If I am going to win then I need to trick him.

Scarlett rushed towards Faru and coiled back her right hand, telegraphing a vicious punch. The Huntmaster snapped out a palm to block it, but instead the girl feinted to the left and sank a fist into his side. Pain swept down her knuckles, as if she had punched a rock. Faru gave her a gentle push and she took a few steps backwards, shaking her hand out and squaring herself.

The Huntmaster raised an index finger. “One.”

Things changed then. Faru altered his stance, bringing his other hand around and coiling them both into fists. He crouched down and locked his knees, moving forward with jerking sweeps that covered great distances in seconds. A blow landed in Scarlett’s face and she staggered backwards, tasting blood. Trying to counter with a punch, her arm was caught in Faru’s steel grip and she was launched over his shoulder onto the ground. His foot stamped down onto her chest and she heaved as she felt her sternum crack. Descending into a coughing fit, blood flecked out onto her lips. She raised her hands in defense and had them battered away. The Huntmaster descended on her and rained blows into her sides. The pain she had felt in the temple began again and she screamed as unbelievable agony rushed through her.

No, not again!

Coiling up her knees, she pressed her feet into Faru’s chest and stamped as hard as she could, shoving her off him. He took a few steps back and she rolled away, climbing to her feet and stumbling before she regained her balance. She wrapped an arm around herself; feeling like her ribcage would fall apart if she didn’t.

“Good, but that does not count as a clean blow I’m afraid.”

All Scarlett cared about at that moment was getting away from Faru. He ran towards her and she veered to the side, narrowly missing a flying kick. The Huntmaster skidded on the stone floor and spun around. He jerked forward and sent a flurry of punches towards Scarlett, which she ducked and weaved away from, using a combination of instinct and training. A blow landed on her bad shoulder and she whirled around like a spinning top. He finished with a roundhouse kick and she corkscrewed to the floor. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she dragged herself along the stone, trying to summon enough strength to stand up.

He’s too powerful.

“Think of your family Scarlett. Fight for them.”

Faru’s words hit the chord she needed and with a grunt of exertion, Scarlett climbed back up. Running towards the Huntmaster, she unleashed a series of punches and kicks with incredible speed. He blocked all of them with the sides of his arms and legs. In response he fired out a palm, which Scarlett ducked underneath, unfurling and cracking her knuckles against the underside of his chin. His head flicked backwards and he grunted as blue blood sprayed from his mouth. He retreated, but Scarlett wasn’t done. Bridging the gap between them, she kept punching and kicking, trying desperately to land the final blow. Something locked onto her leg, and she glanced down to see that Faru had it in his grip.

He bought his fist down onto her kneecap and she felt it shatter.

The pain was so great it was ineffable. An odd whooping sound escaped her throat as Faru cast her away like an old toy. Lying on her side, she whimpered as she clutched onto her knee and felt the fragments of bone grind under the skin. Leaning over, she retched until a stream of blackened blood spilled from her mouth onto the floor.

“Two,” said Faru and moved towards her.

“Wait,” she gasped, holding up her hands.

His face carried a somber expression. “I am so sorry, but I cannot give you respite.” He ran forwards, carrying the determination of someone ready to finish the battle.

Scarlett waited until he was almost on her.

Flipping onto her feet and ignoring the unbearable pain from her knee, she dove forward, driving her forehead into his nose. His blood sprayed over her face as it crumpled and he stumbled backwards, falling to the floor. Scarlett’s wrecked knee completely gave out and she fell down next him, her eyes watering from the pain. Her own blood seeped down from her crown, spilling into her eyes. With trembling hands, she cleared it and stared at the Huntmaster, who sat up with a shocked expression on his face.

“How did you do that?”

Struggling to hold onto consciousness she gave a weak smile and pointed at her knee. “That attack hurt a lot, but after all the pain I have received it could have been worse. It certainly wasn’t enough to make me vomit. I did that myself.”

You tricked me,” he said with a chuckle.

“It was the only way I could land another blow,” she whispered as the pain from all her wounds crept in on her and her vision faded. “It still counts as a clean blow...doesn’t it?”

“Yes it does.” Faru’s face broke into a smile. “Congratulations, Scarlett. You have completed the Gauntlet.”

The girl smiled as her head hit the ground and everything went black.