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"Fight! Fight! Fight!” The crowd started chanting around them and a surge of adrenaline rushed through Jackson, confirming what he’d always known: this was where he was meant to be. Laila stepped away from both the Djinn and raised her hands. She made a quick overhead clap, signaling the start of the fight.
“Asena, Wild Bite!” Jackson shouted as loud as he could but wasn’t sure if his Djinn could even hear him over the crowd and music blaring throughout the warehouse. Instead, Asena took a few cautious steps forward, sniffing at the Gruffoat — apparently, she’d only been intrigued by the other Djinn, not ready to do battle with it. Rather than order his Djinn to attack, Drill laughed.
“Hey kid, this ain’t a daycare!” he shouted into an audio projector attached to his neck. “Did we come here to fight or have a playdate?”
The crowd roared with laughter and Jackson felt buried in a wave of embarrassment. The Gruffoat continued to stare at Asena, ready and waiting for its tamer's command to attack. The Lyote, on the other hand, circled the opposing Djinn, still sniffing and inspecting the strange creature.
“Asena!” Jackson yelled as loud as he could. “I said Wild Bite!”
The Lyote looked at Jackson, a confused expression on her face. Overcome by laughter, Drill didn’t have the capacity to speak, let alone order his Gruffoat to attack.
Then all at once, something seemed to click with Asena. The orange Lyote bared her teeth and launched herself at the Gruffoat. Her powerful jaws clamped onto the goat Djinn’s hind leg and the Gruffoat bleated in pain and anger. Jackson’s screen flashed:
CRITICAL ATTACK
The Gruffoat’s health points descended from 63 to 20 but the fight wasn’t done yet. The opposing Djinn whirled around, trying to hook Asena with its long, twisted horns. The Lyote held onto the Gruffoat’s leg as Drill started motioning and silently conveying his next attack. Jackson knew he had to do something.
“Asena, disengage! Use your Fire Growl!”
Whether she heard him or not, Asena finally lost grip of the Gruffoat’s leg and backed up. She turned to Jackson, a confused look on her face, as if she hadn’t heard his command.
“Fire Growl!”
In the brief moment of misunderstanding, the Gruffoat struck. Its horns and powerful head rammed Asena in the side, rolling her across the sand-covered ring. Jackson glanced down at his stat screen: 86 to 26 just like that.
To her credit, Asena recovered enough to jump to her feet and dodge the next charge. Rather than looking back at Jackson again, however, the Djinn took matters into her own hands. Instead of a Fire Growl, as Jackson continued to call out, she tried another Wild Bite move. This time, the Gruffoat expected the attack. With a sweep of its horns, the Djinn deflected, and the two faced off against one another, just a couple of successful hits away from being KO’ed.
“Finish her, Billy!” Drill shouted. “Use your special!”
“Asena!”
The Gruffoat reared up on its hind legs, the front ones kicking out. Throwing its head back, it came down and butted the ground hard. A pulse of dirt, shot toward Asena and hit her full-on, flipping the Lyote into the air.
Asena hit the ground hard and didn’t move. Jackson cried out and ran to her side. Still projecting, his stat screen flashed red and two bright letters appeared: KO.
“Come on, girl!” Jackson said, gently shaking the Lyote. “Come on, get up!”
“You need to get her inside her ring!” Kay appeared at Jackson’s side and did a quick inspection of Asena’s still body. “She doesn’t have anything broken but she should be recovering in stasis to keep her safe!”
Jackson wanted to throw up. He stood and held out his ring, recalling Asena inside. When he looked up, both Laila and Drill were standing a few feet away. Laila had a knowing look on her face and shook her head. Drill just grinned and folded his bulging arms over his equally bulging chest.
“Sorry, kid. Come back when you can play with the big boys,” he said.
“I didn’t do so bad!” Jackson retorted. Inside, he felt sick with worry over Asena and didn’t even sound convincing to himself, though.
“You got in a cheap hit while Drill dicked around being a hotshot,” Laila said. The playful expression she’d worn since they’d met her was gone now. “That’s the only reason this fight wasn’t a landslide. Thanks for bringing the envelope from Tak, but it’s time for you kids to go home.”
She snapped her fingers. Drill and two other bouncers stepped forward, surrounding Jackson and Kay.
“Jackson, we need to go,” Kay said, pulling his hand. “Right away! Asena needs to recover enough so that I can look at her before morning.”
Jackson shrugged her off again. “I’m not going anywhere until you promise me another fight!” he yelled at Laila. “One that’s not against your bodyguard — I want a fair shot!”
Laila laughed, but it was cold and completely unamused. “You wouldn’t stand a chance against anyone kid. And a fair shot? Tell me how that wasn’t a fair shot just now.” She nodded to Drill and the other meatheads. “Get him out of here.”
Drill nodded and the two bouncers grabbed hold of Jackson’s arms. He struggled, but couldn’t do anything in their powerful grips. All around, the spectators started laughing.
Jackson roared with rage. No matter how hard he flailed, he couldn’t break free. At last, they reached the outside of the warehouse and the bouncers dumped him onto the cement, banging up his knees and elbows.
Ignoring Kay’s protests, Jackson tried to run back in. Drill blocked his path and shoved him hard, sending Jackson flying again. “Look, dumbass, it’s over,” he said. “If you can’t handle losing, you’re not going to make it as a tamer. I’m trying to be nice and reasonable here. Go home before I have to hurt you.”
Jackson pulled himself to his feet again, ignoring the smarting scrapes on his elbow and knee. “I’ve got to fight.”
Drill pulled off his jacket and handed it to one of the bouncers. “Oh, you’re gonna get a fight, all right, if you don’t get out of here in the next ten seconds.”
“You must feel tough, picking on a kid, three to one.”
Everyone turned at the sound of a hoarse voice. The speaker, a bulky, dark-skinned man, stepped off the wall he’d been leaning on across the street and walked toward them. The stranger studied the group under hooded eyes before taking a long pull at the thick cigar in his hand.
“If the little dumbass would go home there wouldn’t be a problem,” Drill said. Although the newcomer was big, Jackson didn’t think Drill would have a problem taking him, but Laila’s counterpart seemed hesitant, if not intimidated.
The new arrival came to Jackson’s side and a strong smell of whiskey filled the air. Already embarrassed by being dragged out of the warehouse, Jackson stepped away from the dark-skinned man. The last thing he needed after the public humiliation was some bum coming to his aid.
“Drill!” Laila emerged from the warehouse and was making her way toward them, the irritated look still on her face. “What in the hell is taking — oh, so you’re here tonight, huh?”
The stranger didn’t answer, just took another pull on his cigar and pursed his lips, letting the smoke leak out into the night air. At last, he nodded at Drill and his lackeys. “If you’re looking for a fight, let’s go in the ring.”
Laila laughed, cutting through the man’s intimidating air. “You don’t have any Djinn, old man!”
The stranger grinned, the remnants of his cigar clutched on the side of his mouth that had a slight droop. He pulled it out and studied it at arm’s length before flicking it aside. “I wasn’t talking about a Djinn battle.”
With his salt-and-pepper hair and weary, drooping face, Jackson didn’t think the old man would make much of a go if Drill or the bouncers took him up on his offer. Although his stained trench coat hid most of his body, Jackson got the impression the stranger’s bulky frame had gone to seed years before.
Laila, Dri
ll, and the other bounders shared a laugh, but the man seemed unfazed. He looked at Jackson.
“Yeah, okay,” Laila finally said. “Guys, head inside.”
“But, Lai —”
“You heard me, Drill. Inside. We’ve got more important things to worry about than these losers.”
The bouncers made their way back in, and as he turned away back toward the street, the mysterious stranger turned to Jackson.
“Go on kid, show’s over for the night,” he said.
Still chuckling and staring, Laila shook her head. “Oh, how the great Cassius Briggs has fallen!”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Jackson stared in amazement at the figure of the stranger — Cassius Briggs — as he walked down the street into the night. This was literally the man whose matches he watched non-stop growing up. Jackson knew he had to talk to him, but before he could go after the man, Laila pointed a finger at him.
“Tell your buddy Tak that what you brought me in that envelope doesn’t cover all the interest he owes me,” she said. “He’d better get the rest to me soon or we’ll be paying him a visit.”
“O-okay,” Jackson said, half-focused on the stranger walking away and half-wondering what new mess Tak had brought him into the middle of yet again.
“Good,” Laila said. Almost as an afterthought, she turned back and flashed Jackson a grin. “You’re a hotheaded little bastard — I like you, but you better be careful if you show your face around here again.”
Before Jackson could reply, she was gone, back inside the warehouse to her kingdom of chaos.
“You ready yet?” Kay asked.
Jackson turned on her, incredulous. “Do you realize what just happened? That was Cassius Briggs! We just met Cassius Briggs!”
Kay shrugged. “Who? C’mon Jackson, I’m ready to go home.”
Jackson spluttered, unsure where to even begin and appalled Kay could be so clueless. “Cassius. Briggs. He was the Gold League Champion twenty-five years ago! He’s one of the most iconic Djinn tamers alive!”
Kay looked past Jackson at the disappearing form of the stranger as he headed down the street. “That dude? Are you sure?”
Jackson grabbed Kay by the arm and tried to pull her after him. “I’m positive! Kay, he’s famous! He’s beyond famous! He competed in the Gold League for like, twenty years — nobody stays in the Gold League that long. If he hadn’t burned out his Djinn, he might still be competing.”
Kay dug in her heels and Sunshine grabbed Jackson’s pant leg, pulling him toward the train stop.
“If he’s so famous why’s he broke? And hanging around at an Underground fight?”
“I dunno,” Jackson said. He shook his leg until Sunshine let go with an agitated bark. “But he’s about to be famous again!”
“For what?” Kay raised an eyebrow.
Jackson grinned. “For training me!”
Before Kay could argue, Jackson tore off down the street toward Cassius Briggs. Kay let out a frustrated sigh and followed. It didn’t take the pair long to catch up to the estranged champion — Briggs had a heavy limp and seemed in no hurry to go anywhere.
“Hey!” Jackson yelled. If the older man heard them — and he had to have — he made no sign.
Jackson skidded to a stop in front of Briggs, forcing him to stop. “Hey!” he tried again, breathless. “Thanks for your help back there. My name’s Jackson — can I talk to you for a minute?”
The words came out so fast, Briggs only stared at Jackson.
“Don’t mention it, kid,” the man said in his hoarse voice. “But I’ve got places to be.” Briggs stepped around Jackson and continued walking away, but Jackson wouldn’t be deterred.
“Wait — please!”
Briggs didn’t stop but Jackson continued to walk alongside him. “I was hoping — can you give me some advice? I want to be a Djinn tamer someday and you’re one of the best there was, so I was hoping —”
The man raised a weathered hand. “You want my advice, kid? Don’t bother with these Underground fights. You’re young, no need for you to associate with places like this — save that for the wannabes and wash-ups like me.”
It was about the last thing Jackson expected and, in his mind, not helpful at all, so he pressed further. “I’m only here to raise money to save my house,” he said.
“Ha!” Cassius said. “If you’re looking for security, you can do a hell of a lot better than Underground fights — or even the whole of Djinn taming, for that matter.”
“Told you,” Kay said from behind the two of them.
“I want to battle in the real leagues someday,” Jackson said, unfazed. “but I need someone to show me the ropes.”
This time, Briggs stopped. He turned and surveyed Jackson from head to toe. Jackson held his breath and stood up a little taller, hoping he could convey a competitive, burning gleam in his eyes. After a long moment, Briggs shook his head. When he spoke, Jackson got another blast of whiskey breath in the face.
“I don’t care about your problems kid. Everybody’s got problems — the sooner you figure that out the less you’ll feel sorry for yourself. I’m not in the Djinn business anymore.”
“I can pay!” Jackson said. “I’ve got a job, I’ve got the money!”
“Didn’t you just say you were trying to raise money?” Briggs said, shaking his head. “And don’t bother. No matter what it looks like, I’m not that bad off that I need money from a kid. Now get outta here. You should be home — the Underground gets rowdier the later it gets.”
But Jackson held his ground and met the man’s hooded gaze. Briggs sighed and rubbed his eyes.
“I’ve seen kids like you for forty years,” he said. “Young hotheads who get fired up watching the League Championships. Most of you don’t last longer than a few months, even if you get a shot. It takes everything you got to make it in the DBL, and from what I saw in there, what you got won’t cut it. Your Djinn isn’t just some tool you can pull out to use whenever you want.”
“Then teach me!” Jackson insisted. “Mr. Briggs, I’ve got what it takes — I promise you! I just need a chance. I’m not who you think I am.”
To Jackson’s horror, his throat tightened and hot tears started to well up in his eyes. He looked away and wiped his eyes.
Briggs’s expression softened and for a brief moment, Jackson’s hope rose. Moments later, the older man’s slow shake crushed it.
“Maybe not. Maybe you’re right. But you’ll have to find someone else.”
This time, Jackson didn’t follow after the former champion. As Briggs walked off into the night, Kay put a hand on his shoulder.
“Can we go home now?” she asked softly.
Jackson nodded and tore his eyes away from the disheveled man. Together, they walked toward the train stop. Given the remote location and the hour of the night, no one else was waiting for the rail to arrive, so Jackson released Asena from stasis again.
The Djinn had spent enough time in the tamer ring to regain consciousness, and as soon as she materialized from the vermillion light, she glared at Jackson and sat down, facing away from him.
“Now you’ve done it,” Kay said. She knelt down next to Asena and started to examine her for any serious injuries. Sunshine approached the Lyote and the pair touched noses before the Fenkit gave Asena an encouraging lick. After a few minutes Kay stood up and glared and Jackson, hands on her hips.
“She’s fine but I don’t think you’re in very good graces right now,” she said.
Jackson knew Kay was right. Without a word, he walked around to face Asena and sat down cross-legged in front of her. She stared at him with hard eyes when he reached to pet her head but didn’t nip at him, which he took for a good sign.
“I’m sorry, girl,” he said. “I guess I kinda lost my cool in there. I should have realized you wouldn’t be used to the crowds and everything. Forgive me?”
This time, Asena did reach up and nip at Jackson’s wrist, but she followed it up with a
lick to show she’d get over it. She dropped her head down onto her paws and let out a big sigh, clearly still exhausted. Jackson knew how tired she was when he lifted his hand to return to her to the tamer ring and Asena gave no resistance.
Returning to the bench next to Kay, they sat in an awkward silence for awhile. He had a feeling Kay would take longer to forgive him than Asena did.
“Thanks for coming,” he muttered after several long moments of quiet. “I guess I owe you an apology too.”
“Don’t mention it. Actually, do mention it. Often. It’s the least you can do,” Kay said with a smirk. “You know I’ve got your back I — I just wish there was something I could do about your house, Jack.”
“We’ve got plenty of time,” Jackson said, trying to raise his spirits as much as Kay’s. Even so, he realized they were closing in on three months and he’d yet to make a single sun as a Djinn tamer. In fact, figuring in the cost of feeding Asena, he was more in the hole than when he’d started.
The train arrived and they boarded, once again the only passengers in their compartment. As the monorail whisked along the countryside and the dark shapes of hills and farmland flashed by, Jackson’s thoughts returned to Cassius Briggs.
He wondered what could have happened to the man to take him from Gold League Champion to drunkard outside of an Underground fight. He’d been in the prime of his career before Jackson was born and even though he’d still been competing when Jackson was too small to remember, Briggs’s glory days were long over by then.
Still, watching those fights proved Briggs had been the real deal way back when, enough for Jackson to know that if he was going to make it, he needed a coach like Cassius Briggs to help him. Gold League Champions didn’t just grow on trees — he’d have to convince the one he found to mentor him.
“I’ll be back, Briggs,” Jackson said to himself under his breath. He’d show up every night if he had to — whatever it took to show Briggs he was willing to do whatever it might take to be a Djinn tamer.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The next week passed by with excruciating slowness and agony for Jackson. After almost getting him beaten up by Laila’s goons, Tak wouldn’t reply to Jackson’s messages. On two occasions, Jackson made the trip to Tak’s trailer, but either the dude was avoiding him or he’d skipped town to escape Laila’s wrath.
Djinn Tamer: Starter: A Monster Battling GameLit Adventure (Djinn Tamer - Bronze League Book 1) Page 12
