Animal Guardian

"Nantori, wake up!" Ray yelled, bouncing up and down on my bed.

"Why?" I groaned, pulling the blanket over my head.

"Because your match is today!"

Match? My eyes flew open. Oh no. I'd completely forgotten I'd signed up for the King's Tournament. Why couldn't I just keep my mouth shut?

"Are you ready, honey?" Mom called from the kitchen.

"Almost!" I yelled back, almost ready to meet my end.

Dragging myself out of bed, I tied my hair back and shuffled to the kitchen for what might as well be my last meal.

"Hey, Tori," a familiar, grating voice chimed.

My stomach sank, and I turned slowly to face the one person I hated more than anyone else—my cousin, Phoebe. She was sixteen, blonde, and of average height, with features that made her annoyingly beautiful. Her good looks only added to my irritation, like salt in a wound.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped, glaring at her.

Phoebe and I never got along. Ever. She called me a cripple every chance she got and never missed an opportunity to ask, When are you finally going to die, you useless cripple? She was a Slut guardian—able to slow down time to her advantage. It made her nearly unbeatable, especially since only panthers, mantises, snakes in water, falcons in the sky, and the legendary panda could move in slowed time. She used to call me "Tori" so much that I told all my enemies to use the name. It fit the bitterness she brought into my life.

"Ray told me you signed up for the King's Tournament," she said with a smirk. "So I came to see you die."

"No one is dying!" Mom interjected, purse in hand. "At least, I hope not…"

HONK! HONK! HONK!

"Come on, let's go!" Dad shouted from the car. "We'll be late!"

We all scrambled into the car. As we drove, I couldn't shake the question burning in my mind: Why are they all so eager to watch this match? Do they actually want to see me die? That thought made my anger bubble just under the surface.

When we reached the stadium, I made my way to the contestants' waiting area. It took a minute, but I finally spotted Jake chatting with some kid.

"Hey, Jake," I called.

He turned, and I couldn't help but notice his familiar, slightly awkward grin. Jake was seventeen, with green hair that always seemed to stick out in all directions and jade-green eyes to match. He was a little taller than me, and his confident-yet-casual vibe usually put me at ease. But not today.

"Nanto? What are you doing here?" he asked, his face a mix of shock and guilt.

"You asked me to join the tournament, so I came," I replied, crossing my arms. "What's going on?"

"Well…" He hesitated, scratching his head before motioning to the kid behind him. "This is Max. He's a horse guardian. Since you rejected the idea before, I, uh, asked him to join instead." Jake suddenly dropped to his knees, hands clasped in desperation. "I'm so sorry! I didn't think you'd actually show up, and now your death is going to be my fault!"

"Seriously?" I snapped, anger boiling over. "What is it with everyone? Who said I was going to die? I'll prove you all wrong—just wait and see!"

"Next up, we have Nantori, the Cripple!"

The announcer's voice boomed across the stadium. Not a single clap followed—not even from my family. My fists clenched, rage bubbling beneath the surface.

"And her opponent is Nelly, the Bull!"

Great. Just perfect. My death wish was now officially granted.

"Well, hello, Tori," Nelly said, stepping onto the stage with a smug grin. "We have some unfinished business, don't we?"

Nelly was a slightly chubby teenager with black hair pulled into a messy bun and a face dotted with freckles. Her round cheeks and broad shoulders made her look every bit as powerful as her bull guardian. Her grin, however, was the most intimidating thing about her—it was full of malice.

Before I could respond, she charged. Her fist connected with my stomach before I even had time to react. The blow sent me flying halfway across the four-meter stage, and I hit the ground hard. Blood trickled from my nose, and I gasped for air, clutching my stomach as pain spread through my body.

"I'll show you where you belong, you useless cripple," she sneered, standing tall as the crowd roared their approval.

I stumbled to my feet, anger starting to churn inside me. But Nelly didn't wait. She charged again, lowering her shoulder to ram into me. I tried to dodge, but I was too slow. Her shoulder hit me like a battering ram, slamming me back into the ground.

The crowd cheered again as I struggled to get up.

"What's wrong, Tori?" Nelly taunted, pacing back and forth like a predator toying with her prey. "You look like you're ready to give up. Maybe you should just stay down where you belong."

My vision blurred as I staggered back onto my feet. My entire body ached, but I couldn't let her win.

"Stay down," she said with a grin, "and I promise I'll make this quick."

"You… talk too much," I managed to say through gritted teeth.

Her smile faltered for a moment, and then she charged again. This time, I was ready—or at least, I thought I was. I ducked to the side, but her arm lashed out, catching me across the face. I spun and hit the ground hard again, the taste of blood in my mouth.

"You're pathetic," she said, circling me as I tried to crawl away. "You don't belong here, and you never will. Why don't you just admit it? You're nothing but a powerless cripple."

Her words burned like acid. I pushed myself to my knees, glaring up at her. "I'm not…" I started, but the rest of the words were lost as she slammed her foot into my chest, pinning me to the ground.

"You're not what?" she mocked, leaning down to meet my gaze. "Say it louder—I can't hear you over the sound of you losing."

Rage surged through me, but my body refused to respond. She leaned in closer, her weight pressing down on my chest.

"You're done," she whispered, her voice cold.

That's when it happened.

A sudden wave of calm washed over me, and my body stiffened. I couldn't move—not even to struggle. My vision blurred, and for a moment, it felt like I was floating.

"What's wrong, Tori? Giving up already?" Nelly sneered, stepping back and preparing to charge one final time.

I couldn't move, couldn't speak. But something deep inside me stirred.

The crowd gasped as Nelly barreled toward me at full speed. I braced for the impact, closing my eyes—

But it didn't come.

Instead, I heard the sound of Nelly hitting the ground, hard. The stadium erupted in shouts of surprise. When I opened my eyes, I saw her sprawled at the edge of the stage, clutching her stomach in pain. My leg was raised, frozen in the air from a kick I didn't even realize I'd delivered.

Confusion and awe filled me as I noticed a black-and-white light swirling around my body. The crowd was in stunned silence as the light pulsed, crackling like energy.

A voice spoke in my head, clear and commanding: Choose.

I didn't understand what it meant, but something told me what to do. I stretched my hand toward the black light. It surged, swallowing the white entirely, and with it came a rage unlike anything I'd ever felt—raw, powerful, and unstoppable.

"It can't be…" Nelly muttered, struggling to her feet.

"Oh, it is," I said, my voice cold and full of fury. "And now I'm going to put you where you belong—in the grave."

With a speed I didn't know I possessed, I closed the gap between us in an instant. Grabbing her by the neck, I lifted her effortlessly off the ground.