THE NORTHERN KING

Melisa hated this second round, she didn't like the idea of being on a continuous climb, a few times her hand slipped only to be saved by her hook and rope.

Giants are not made for climbing, they preferred their feet planted on the ground, like large trees, and her theory was true as the twins struggled in this round.

The fighters were separated to different part of the tower and at the toll of the bell they climbed.

Once you started, there was only one way up, climbing down was an immediate disqualification but from the loud scream, followed by a thud sound and then silence, some fighters had chosen the shortcut to hell.

The climb started out alone but as they climbed higher, there were fewer flags and more people, Melisa didn't have to explain the rest.

She had successfully gotten two flags and was more on a race to get the third one when she was pushed by a bushy man—she called him bushy because of his untrimmed hair and beard.

She was close when she managed to move to the side to avoid a kick to her face from Thag.

“Even at this height you move well” he called out as he grabbed the bushy man who wasn't so lucky to escape the giant throwing him down, he screamed and tried to grab her, but she simply let go using her hook and rope to swing to the other side of the wall.

She turned to see Thag smirking as he slid down the rough wall toward her, she turned to the other side to see a boy far too young to be in this game.

He was pale with black hair and white roots, he had green eyes that glittered, he was rather slender almost like he hasn't been fed and from the state of his armor, Melisa was thinking that was the case.

“It's okay” she couldn't help but call out as she extended her hand towards the boy, Thag was already closing on them when the boy missed his jump and slipped.

She jumped after him as Thag landed on where they previously were, shaking the tower as he watched them fall, his gold pupil gleaned as he turned to continue his climb.

Melissa's mind went blank from shock, she swayed her head trying to throw the fear but crashed into the tower's wall, that was enough to bring her mind back as she grabbed the boy's hand and threw her hook, it caught hold as it slowed their fall.

Melissa's hand bled from the friction cut of holding the rough texture of the rope.

Her chest seized up from her previous crash, her arm hurt from holding her and the boy who appeared to be unconscious, she shook him as he woke up screaming.

“Quiet down, or I might just drop you” she called out, she felt pain from her side causing her to whine. Her dress was getting wet from the blood seeping through, she had probably broken something, and it had punched through her skin.

She wanted to curse, but she had to remain calm to not lose consciousness herself.

“Hey listen to me, I want you to climb

then I can pull myself” she instructed, but the boy looked down and panicked before looking back at her with his eyes wide from fear.

“This is not the time to be afraid, listen to me for someone your size you are pretty heavy, and I don't know how much longer I can hold you so you better start climbing” she added.

The boy looked down again for good measure before turning back to her, nodding as he stationed his feet on one of the rough brick and pulled up only to miss his foot and almost crash, but Melisa pulled even harder.

“Come on, you can do better” Melisa called out as the boy swallowed hard and pulled again, this time pushing through as he climbed.

He was halfway through when he stepped on her side, Melisa cried in pain as she tossed the boy upwards and let go of the rope.

Her eyes turned blank, she knew she was losing consciousness, and she couldn't stop It as her brain immediately jerked back, the rope was still wrapped around her waist.

She groaned from pain, her breathing was hard as if her lungs were filled with liquid and her being upside-down wasn't helping, she managed to throw her head to see the boy holding the other side of the rope.

“Can you pull me up?” Melisa asked, hoping her voice was loud enough for him to hear.

“No, I can't” the boy replied.

“What? Why?”

“I don't think I have enough strength to pull you up with causing any more damage” he replied.

Melisa sighed, she hated the idea that she had to climb with this pain.

“Hold the rope even if it is the last thing you do” Melisa called out as she managed to pull herself to find a foot and pull up, her body screamed from pain, she locked her teeth to prevent herself from going into shock.

She couldn't bring herself to look at the stands, she didn't know what was in store for her if she turned to look her lord in the eye, but she kept pulling herself.

The other fighters had given them a large gap, she was behind with fewer flags and time, and now she was practically injured pushing her body to the limit.

But she was going to continue climbing no matter what, she willed her body, even begged it, even if she had to. No way was she going to give up here.

She was going to do this for her master, lord…lover, she was going to win for ivo.