Contents
Chapter Forty-Five
Overview
On Ox Day’s final bouts, Ruko defeats Tala, Cain brutalizes Havoc, and the Visitor outpoints Shal. Neema then faces Katsan, survives an early near-killing, and discovers her weapons stolen. Using hidden Raven war fans and ancestral technique, Neema disables Katsan’s sword arm, saves her life, and claims a shocking victory that rattles the emperor.
Summary
The afternoon’s final sequence opens with Tala challenging Ruko. Rested for once, Tala pressures Ruko and even draws his blood, but Ruko has been feinting fatigue. In the last exchange, he drops her with a kick and pins her throat until the bell, winning for Tiger and impressing the emperor.
Next, Cain meets Havoc. Personal enmity drives Cain to abandon showmanship for brutality. He headbutts Havoc mid-gambit, breaking his nose and battering him until he collapses at the bell. Cain taunts the imperial balcony as the emperor withdraws into shadow. Shal then loses gracefully to the Visitor in a restrained, almost choreographed match that maintains Dragon’s tactical neutrality.
Finally, Neema faces Katsan. Katsan opens with lethal intent, nearly finishing Neema with a pin and a killing punch. Sol expends himself to slow Neema’s perception just enough for her to evade by a hair. Vabras ends the round early, effectively granting Katsan recovery time, while Neema discovers her weapons chest has been emptied—sabotage.
At the last moment, Neema finds a pair of concealed iron war fans the saboteur missed. Drawing on Raven lore woven into months of Sol’s stories and dreams, she surprises Katsan with a forgotten style that alternates shield, blade, and baton. Katsan grows confused and frustrated as Neema’s deflections and slices mount.
In a decisive exchange, Neema’s rising fan misses the sword and instead cuts deep into Katsan’s forearm, severing muscle and tendon and dropping the blade. Shocked, Vabras hesitates; Neema immediately tourniquets the wound, commanding Katsan to live and promising answers. Medics forecast amputation but survival. Amid a stunned crowd and a gaping emperor, Vabras declares victory for Raven as Neema flicks blood from her fan in defiance.
Who Appears
- Neema (Raven contender)Survives Katsan’s onslaught, overcomes sabotage with hidden war fans, uses ancestral style to disable then save Katsan, wins defiantly.
- Katsan (Bear contender)Fights to kill for Gaida; dominates early, injures hand, then is outmaneuvered and grievously wounded; saved by Neema’s tourniquet.
- Sol (Raven/Guardian voice)Briefly slows Neema’s perception to avoid a killing blow; provides memory of Raven war fan technique; exhausts himself.
- VabrasRings an early bell aiding Katsan; later freezes at Katsan’s injury, then declares Neema victor and orders order restored.
- The EmperorApplauds Ruko’s win, retreats from Cain’s taunt, then is visibly shocked by Neema’s Raven-style victory.
- Ruko (Tiger contender)Feigns fatigue to lure Tala, then wins decisively with a kick and choke at the bell.
- Tala (Ox contender)Pushes Ruko hard but is caught by a feint; loses after being floored and pinned.
- Cain (Monkey contender, Fox rank)Destroys Havoc with ruthless efficiency, breaking his nose; pointedly challenges the emperor.
- Havoc (Monkey style fighter)Technically trained opponent; is overwhelmed by Cain, suffers a broken nose and collapse.
- Shal (Dragon Proxy)Delivers a controlled loss to the Visitor, preserving Dragon’s tactical position.
- The VisitorBeats Shal in a measured match, maintaining his unassailable points position.
- Samran Hound (guard)Shadows Neema and, likely complicit in sabotage, presides as her weapons chest is found empty.