Funny how the sins of the past catch up to you when you least expect it. Tre’yan stared at the ghastly forms of the dead, a mockery of the living who had witnessed his defeat at the hands of a capable MMA fighter. Why had he taken the fight? Why? Because of his absolute confidence in his own skills, Tre’yan had made the one mistake that haunts all fighters. He believed his own hype; he believed that there was no one alive that could touch him.
The images flooded back, each moment realizing he was rapidly losing control, losing the edge to dominate, to impose his will. It was a feeling he did not enjoy. The eerily silent arena filled with the dead. They were staring at him, their hollow eyes and malignant grins, a grim reminder of the other world.
How it must have been for Dyayun when Tre’yan killed him. The realization that he was no longer dominate, that his skills had faded, had become a twitch too slow. Tre’yan allowed a sliver of a smile to slip past his stoicism. Each step he climbed filled him with a cold resolve, a fury, an appetite for pain.
Stepping into the ring, Tre’yan stared at the spot where he lay, where the large man had taken him off his feet. Where he tasted defeat, where he felt the gnawing realization that he was not invincible, not unbeatable.
The gloves felt heavy, solid on his hands. Staring at them, he felt a certain comfort in knowing that the fight to come would be one standing up. He would not have to worry about leg sweeps or take downs. No. This fight would be a brutal and deadly affair. Slamming his gloves together, the fighter known as Tre’yan T’mass stared at the crowd then at the tunnels where his opponent would enter. If Dyayun wanted to have this fight, then he would get everything that Tre’yan had. Perhaps the old champion felt a desire for revenge; perhaps he felt he had to show to himself that he was the better fighter. To sustain his existence to prove that he lost on a fluke, that he had not been beaten by a better fighter.
Again that sly smile slipped loose. Again the gloves crashed together creating a loud explosive pop that filled the arena, lingering ominously. Tre’yan knew, and Dyayun would remember, he was not invincible.
The images flooded back, each moment realizing he was rapidly losing control, losing the edge to dominate, to impose his will. It was a feeling he did not enjoy. The eerily silent arena filled with the dead. They were staring at him, their hollow eyes and malignant grins, a grim reminder of the other world.
How it must have been for Dyayun when Tre’yan killed him. The realization that he was no longer dominate, that his skills had faded, had become a twitch too slow. Tre’yan allowed a sliver of a smile to slip past his stoicism. Each step he climbed filled him with a cold resolve, a fury, an appetite for pain.
Stepping into the ring, Tre’yan stared at the spot where he lay, where the large man had taken him off his feet. Where he tasted defeat, where he felt the gnawing realization that he was not invincible, not unbeatable.
The gloves felt heavy, solid on his hands. Staring at them, he felt a certain comfort in knowing that the fight to come would be one standing up. He would not have to worry about leg sweeps or take downs. No. This fight would be a brutal and deadly affair. Slamming his gloves together, the fighter known as Tre’yan T’mass stared at the crowd then at the tunnels where his opponent would enter. If Dyayun wanted to have this fight, then he would get everything that Tre’yan had. Perhaps the old champion felt a desire for revenge; perhaps he felt he had to show to himself that he was the better fighter. To sustain his existence to prove that he lost on a fluke, that he had not been beaten by a better fighter.
Again that sly smile slipped loose. Again the gloves crashed together creating a loud explosive pop that filled the arena, lingering ominously. Tre’yan knew, and Dyayun would remember, he was not invincible.