Jade War

Anden and Cory rejoined Tod and Derek at their own table, then took turns going upstairs to fetch food and drinks. Anden’s wet clothes were soon dry; the basement was warm, and as more people arrived and filled the space, it grew somewhat uncomfortably stuffy, yet no one seemed to mind. The cockfighting appeared to be the main attraction, but people were also playing cards, drinking, and socializing. Anden overheard several nearby conversations heatedly discussing Espenia’s involvement in the Oortokon War. Two young women sidled over to their table, looking sly. “Hey, Cory.” One of them pouted. “Why don’t I ever see you anymore?”

“Aw, Tami, you’re seeing me now, aren’t you?” Cory slapped her ass and pulled her into his lap. She gave a squeal of mock indignation and draped her arms over his shoulders.

Anden looked away uncomfortably. He slurped another mouthful from his steaming bowl of noodles, which were indeed well worth Dauk Sana’s recommendation, and turned to Tod. “I didn’t know this place existed. Is it always like this?”

“No, only on certain evenings.” Tod glanced at Cory, deferring the explanation to him, but the Pillar’s son seemed distracted, so Tod turned back to Anden and said, “When it’s not a grudge hall, it’s a training gym.”

Anden looked around and saw the folded blue gym mats leaning against the wall in one corner, the stacked wooden blocks and closed equipment bins. “A gym for Green Bones,” he said.

The chatter in the hall abruptly died away. The girl hopped reluctantly out of Cory’s lap and hurried back with her friend to their own table. A few oblivious teens in one corner of the hall continued chatting, but several nearby adults shushed them so remonstratively that they fell silent. Anden turned around on his stool to see that the latest cockfight had ended, and now two men were stepping over the blue ropes. They took off their boots, then their shirts, and handed them to friends standing on the other side of the cordon before facing each other.

It was easy to hear the scrape of chair legs as Dauk Losun pushed his seat back. There seemed to be nothing to distinguish the Pillar from those around him—his seat in the room was not better than anyone else’s; he wore a red sweater vest and wiped his mouth with a paper napkin as he stood up—yet no one else spoke a word as Dauk cleared his throat and said, “Orim Rudocun, you’ve been offered a clean blade by Yoro Janshogon. Do you accept?”

“Yes,” said one of the men, who was of slightly heavier build than the other. Neither man actually carried a blade. They touched their clasped hands to their foreheads in brief salute but did not pause to offer up any prayers to the gods.

The challenger, Yoro, launched himself at the other man with an angry shout. It was over quickly. Yoro drove his shoulder into Orim’s chest. They staggered together into the blue ropes, bringing the cordon down with them as Yoro dragged his opponent to the ground by the neck. They rolled about in a tangle for a minute. Orim flailed and caught Yoro a blow across the face, but the slighter man ended up on top and clamped his hands around his rival’s throat. Snarling, he shook the other man—the back of Orim’s head smacked against the concrete floor with a sound that made everyone in the hall flinch—then he jammed crossed forearms against Orim’s windpipe, leaned his body weight forward, and began to press with all his might. Orim sputtered and kicked and clawed at Yoro’s arms. No one in the hall made a move. A few worried murmurs began to rise.

Seconds passed; Orim’s face turned purple. Dauk Losunyin stood up again and said, in a stern and concerned voice, “Mr. Orim, do you yield? Raise your hands if you do.”

For a moment, Anden thought that Orim would refuse and consent to be choked to death. Then, reluctantly, he opened his hands in a gesture of submission. Yoro spat in disdain, then released him, stood up, and strode away to gather his shirt and boots, staunching his own bleeding mouth with the back of his hand. Orim lay on the ground gasping. Two of his friends lifted him to a sitting position and, taking him under the arms, helped him out of the hall.

Someone righted the rope cordon. The Pillar sat back down. Anden caught a glimpse of Dauk; he looked relieved as he leaned over to say something to Rohn Toro. People turned back to their tables and conversation returned to the hall.

“If you can believe it, Orim and Yoro used to be good friends,” said Derek.