The Forsaken

explodes, louder than the fireworks. “The battle ends when only one of you is left alive!”
    Gadya sinks into her warrior stance, bending her knees, keeping her center of gravity low. She holds her spear lightly with both hands so that the weapon remains flexible. The iron tip is angled in my direction. She never takes her eyes off my face.
    I try to mirror her stance, but I feel clumsy and awkward. My knuckles are white around the spear because I’m gripping it too tightly. Am I really going to die? Killed by the very person who saved my life here? Everything is starting to get slow and dreamlike.
    Gadya advances, moving rapidly on the balls of her feet like a dancer. I’m immediately forced into a defensive pose. I decide to use my spear as a shield, holding the shaft in front of my face, hoping to deflect the inevitable blows coming my way.
    Gadya always told me to watch my opponent for signs that they’re about to strike. She told me that faces, eyes, and posture can help you gauge what you’re up against. Give you an advantage.
    Most warriors have a “tell,” Gadya once explained during one of our training sessions. That’s how you knew to throw your spear at the big girl. You sensed what she was about to do. Always be on the lookout for subtle movements and adjustments, ones that accidentally reveal your opponent’s true intentions.
    I have fought with Gadya at my side. And I’ve practiced with her in mock battles back at the village. But the only tell I’ve ever observed is a slight widening of her eyes before she makes her first assault on an opponent. Other than that? Nothing. And here, in the firelight, I can’t even see her eyes well enough to read them.
    Gadya must also know all of my tells. But hopefully I won’t give my plans away today, because I’m not going to be attacking. I’m going to be defending. She must strike first, because I refuse to strike her.
    Gadya dances closer, and I raise my spear a split second before she lunges forward. My spear catches the tip of hers, deflecting the blow. She has hit me hard. My arms reverberate with the impact, my palms aching and burning. I stagger backward, almost falling down.
    I know I should lunge at her now and strike back. That’s what the roaring crowd wants, and probably what Gadya wants too. It’s what I’m supposed to do. But I just crouch in my defensive posture. Waiting for the next blow to arrive.
    The whole time, food, trash, and spittle are flying past both of us. It’s like being in a storm of garbage. I can smell the stench coming off the crowd. Fireworks explode above us continually, leaving acrid gray trails behind them.
    Gadya comes at me again. This time she aims lower, but I deflect the blow once more. Her spear slides up mine. I move my hand at the last second to avoid getting my fingers sliced off. Our spear tips lock at the top for a moment.
    We’re breathing hard, our heads close together. Gadya hisses something at me. I barely catch it.
    “What?” I whisper back, startled, thinking I heard her wrong. She’s pushing as hard as she can with her weapon. My muscles strain. I struggle not to get pressed down to the earth.
    “Quit fighting!” she spits again. No one else can hear us. They’re just excited that we’re in such close combat. “I’ve got a plan!”
    Can I trust her? Or is she messing with my mind? Sweat runs into my eyes, stinging them, but I can’t wipe the droplets away. “What are you talking about?”
    The crowd is still screaming. They probably think we’re hurling insults at each other.
    “I picked you because you can fight!” Gadya whispers. “I need you.” Her mouth is pressed against my ear as we struggle—although I’m slowly starting to understand that it’s a mock struggle. Just for show.
    “What do we do?” I whisper back.
    “We turn around,” she continues. “Each of us stabs the drone behind us. Markus knows what to do next. I’ve signaled to him secretly.” We’re both straining to breathe. The crowd is getting louder. I know we can’t keep talking, because they want to see blood.
    Gadya starts to release the pressure on my spear. “We attack on the count of three. After that, we get into the forest and run!”
    I know she’s right. If we keep playing by the rules of the Monk’s drones, one of us is going to die. And neither of us deserves to. Weirdly, I’m not scared anymore. I’m just relieved that Gadya is still my friend.
    Gadya begins whispering the