Chapter 6. Oh Nineveh!

THREE DAYS AGO, IN THE CRYPTS OF BANE

Standing shirtless on the gritty sand, my chest is heaving, and my heart is pounding in the hollow darkness. The Rings of Sand is a shady hall in the temple, having a fighting ring at its center. It is where we test our close combat skills against each other under the supervision of our tutor. Today, it’s my turn to entertain Al-Ain, and my opponent is unavoidably Karen.

“Focus is the key,” his grumpy voice rings out.

With the corner of my eyes, I can make out the outline of his body atop an elevated platform. My fellow trainees are standing by the edge of the ring, forming a circle around Karen and me. Their sweaty chests are rising and falling, the smell of their sweat cascading my nostrils. They echo a familiar chant: Hee! Hee! Hee! A rhyme with an intense tempo that takes my breath away!