The females around him had taken on an aggressive, dominating manner, while the boys seemed to have taken more vulnerable traits. Girls were applying to become Fighters, while the boys were… who knows where? Linhart was still extremely confused, but seeing these fine, fit females parading around like macho men in such sporty clothing, awoke something sadistic inside of him. He looked over at Serapha and smiled.

  “Oh gods,” he whispered in her ear, sliding his hand down Serapha’s leg and back up the inside of her thigh, “Is this heaven or hell?”

  Serapha moaned, but covered her mouth as Xenia raised a hand and the audience immediately fell silent.

  “Welcome, new blood.” Her voice rang out like a bell. Linhart, having never heard her speak before, was enraptured. “It is good to see so many of you interested in the art of melee. This is not only the best css to push your physical limits, but it is also the only css you can enter without first completing further assessments by the academy.”

  Stretega Xenia was pacing back and forth, looking at the students sitting on all sides of her, like a tiger sizing up prey.

  “But you need to understand that being easy to join does not equate to being easy to complete. Only half of you will make it to the junior year, and half of them will become seniors,” There were audible gulps from some students, “But those of you who do make it will become fighting machines.” A cheer arose as she cast her eyes around the audience, and Linhart couldn’t help but think that her gaze locked on him… just for a moment.

  “I see a growing number of boys adopting the fighting lifestyle,” she put a hand to her chest, “which warms my heart… With more boys in the front ranks, the war will be very exciting, indeed.”

  Many of the girls in the audience whooped their approval, but Linhart noticed a few of the other males were exchanging nervous looks.

  “Some of you freshmen will get a taste of the fighting ring today,” she continued, “But first, let’s see some elite seniors in action. Fighters, pair off!”

  The four seniors split into two groups; the red-headed sharpshooter matched with a toned, ebony-skinned beauty, and the tiny porcein-skinned healer matched with a heavy-built brunette. This brunette had short hair and a pretty face, and she was the only fighter who was built like a wrestler. As both pairs squared off, an excited murmur rose up in the crowd. For many, this was their first time watching elite fighters spar. For Linhart, this was his first time watching hot girls wrestle.

  Xenia had dropped into a low crouch facing the square, giving Linhart a good look at her toned back, narrow waist and teardrop shaped buttocks. So elegant. “Begin!” she shouted.

  The fighters circled, sizing up their opponent. They each moved with grace, and Linhart was skilled enough to see they had masterful stances and footwork. The girls were taking their time looking for an opening in the other’s defense.

  The redhead slid a hand up to her opponent’s shoulder, and the dark-skinned woman stepped to the side, knocking that hand away. Suddenly, they pressed forward, the two busty women in a lockup chest to chest. The crowd cheered, and Linhart felt a girl’s hand caress his left side. Serapha, on his right, was once again moaning in delight, but her sounds were lost in the crowd.

  “Oh Lin, your hand is on my leg again,” she gasped, “I can’t focus on the fighting.”

  In the second match, the brunette with her great size advantage, was chasing her opponent in circles. The petite girl was an expert at evading, but it looked like she was permanently on the defense.

  Suddenly, from the first pair, the dark beauty spun quickly around, her arm snaking around and grabbing the red-haired vixen’s shirt from behind and threw her cleanly to the ground, her tank top ripping in the process, exposing her pale rounded breasts tipped with tiny pink nipples. The movement was quick and the fall was dramatic. The two women began rolling around, legs tangled, their hair spilling everywhere. Several maneuvers ter, both girls’ shirts were ripped and discarded. Hands gripped hips, wrists, thighs. The redhead was struggling, but the ebony warrior was forceful and deliberate, pinning her shoulders to the ground. Her huge breasts now hanging down, they covered the redhead’s face completely, making it very hard for her to breathe. Why was the girl not submitting?

  The hand on Linhart’s side had crept beneath his shirt, and the stranger’s arm was now wrapped around his ribcage. He looked over to see the hand belonged to the gorgeous freshman he’d gnced at earlier. An olive-skinned girl with rge brown eyes and a heart-shaped face. Her gaze was fixed on the match, her mouth a thin unreadable line, but her delicate hand was roaming all over his chest. What the hell was she doing? Assaulting him?

  Linhart looked back to the second match, and saw that the brunette had somehow caught and secured a choke-hold around the neck and right arm of her much smaller opponent, cutting off her flow of air. The tiny girl did not go down without a fight, her legs bending and twisting in every direction fighting to get free, her free hand squeezing and twisting the brunette’s boob, but her wild resistance was quickly diminishing.

  In the end, the petite girl’s resistance had only managed to slide those loose pants over her slim hips and down around her knees revealing a pair of frilly red panties for all to see. Her body had gone limp. Xenia knelt, checking the girl’s condition, then tapped the big girl’s arm, a sign for her to release her now unconscious opponent. Her limp body fell with a thud to the ground.

  Mere minutes after the match had begun it now ended. Two girls were left twitching on the ground, while the victors smiled broadly and waved to the audience. Linhart’s body was heating up to record levels. Did no one else see how hot that was?

  First, the matches in his previous life had never left a fighter unconscious or partially naked on the ground. On top of that, why was this girl he didn’t know touching his body? His dick was pulsing harder and bigger than he’d ever thought possible and to the point that it had become painful. What the hell was going on?

  Stratega Xenia raised her voice and the audience fell quiet once again. “Congratutions to Altheia and Doreia on their hard-fought victories.” She held each fighter’s hand up once and the crowd erupted in appuse. Doreia, the ebony fighter, shamelessly dispyed her breasts as she strutted and flexed her biceps at the cheering audience members. Healers emerged from the door carrying stretchers, and quickly moved the barely conscious fighters off the field and through the door.Now Xenia stood alone in the ring. Her piercing green eyes scanned the audience before she procimed, “All of you will have your chance in the ring in the coming weeks, but only two of you will fight in front of the freshman css today.” She stopped very near to where Linhart was seated. “Who among you is ready to be honoured?”

  A cmbering of voices arose with upthrust arms as half the audience got to their feet, eager to prove themselves. Linhart thought that the only volunteers would be girls, but even some boys were getting into it. His eyes fell upon a boy sitting in the front row, directly across from him. Is that who he thinks it is?

  Drystan had a lean, stretched-out looking body. He hadn’t yet become the macho beefcake he was two years from now. But he was on his feet, and his hand was raised, somewhat timidly. Even from this distance, Linhart could see a look of determination in his eyes.

  Xenia, having made her way to him must have noticed the look too, as she seized his upraised arm, dragging him into the middle of the square. She stepped back and her voice boomed, “State your name, new blood.”

  “My name is Drystan Pyrion.” He spoke with confidence, but was he blushing?

  “Freshman Drystan… Tell your cssmates why you want to be a fighter.”

  His hands moved nervously, and as he spoke Drystan looked out across the crowd of onlookers. “I feel it is my destiny to command a fighting unit. I want to lead troops and make a difference in our war efforts.”

  Linhart froze. Those words were uncannily close to the events of the day that had just been unravelled. Was Drystan a Mnemon as well?

  The rest of the audience was ughing and shouting. They seemed to find his expnation ridiculous, but they seemed impressed with his courage and his straight, lean body. Many girls were making sounds like wild animals. Drystan just stood there, waiting, as Xenia scanned the audience for his opponent.

  “And who is willing to fight this brave fairborn?”

  The crowd had gone even louder and more berserk. Girls were jumping up and down. Only Serapha, squirming beside him, had not gotten to her feet. Linhart was caught off-guard, as the girl beside him seized his shoulders, forcing him up and out onto the field. “Hey!” He stumbled a few steps and then fell to his knees at the edge of the square.

  “Excellent!” Xenia hauled him to his feet, “This feisty flower looks eager to fight.” The audience reaction was a mixture of excitement and mirth.

  “Show us your chest!” a crass voice called from the back, but another responded, “Hey, respect our boys!”

  Xenia’s grasp was firm and strong and her skin was soft as silk. She took Linhart to the center, where he stood next to Drystan, who stood a head taller than him but was equally thin. Xenia demanded, “What is your name and purpose here, new blood?”

  Linhart was never afraid. He could face the greatest dangers without flinching, which is why, despite his small size, he had been a well-respected front-line fighter. But he could feel embarrassment, and right now he was so embarrassed he couldn’t look up.

  You see, as he’d felt up Serapha and been fondled by the other girl, his dick had gotten rock-hard. And now, even with all these eyes fixed on him, it was still standing at full attention. The audience was beginning to notice, and breathy murmurs could be heard. Some girls were pointing fingers.

  “My name is Linhart Aetherion,” he began, desperately willing his erection to go down. He csped his hands in front of him, but his pants stood out like a tent in front of him. “And I want to become a fighter, to show my strength and my courage.”

  His response was met with an awed silence, and Linhart felt that every eye in the Pit was trained upon his crotch. Xenia, as well, regarded his situation stoically, and quipped in a low voice, “You’re certainly showing your strength right now.”

  Turning to the audience, she announced, “The match will be between Freshman Drystan and Freshman Linhart. Choose your favored!” The audience, still on their feet, began chanting. Some were saying Drystan, but an equal number were chanting Linhart. There was a predatory note to the way they were chanting, and Linhart wondered if he and Drystan were safe among these girls. How would he get away from the Pit once the fight was over? He noticed that Serapha was pumping her fist in the air shouting his name. Maybe Serapha could help?

  “The match continues until one of the freshmen is unable to continue. No tapping out, no holds are barred… Just like in battle.” That was new. Tapping out was the safest way to submit, and a number of low-blows and groin grabs were barred, in order to minimize the risk of injury.

  Fighters, square up!” Xenia commanded. Linhart and Drystan turned to each other, assuming ready stance. “Fight!”