#Chapter 172 - Exhaustion

Round after round passes, and I’m devastated when I start to see Luca flagging. It’s not obvious – not to anyone but those of us who know him intimately. But his blows – they’re a little bit slower. His footwork just the tiniest bit sloppier. He also stops showboating a bit between rounds, instead heading straight to his corner to have a tense discussion with his uncle. The crowd still roars for him, and he’s still winning round after round on skill alone… But. I can see Rafe’s point – that what the Atalaxian is trying to do here is not demonstrate his skill, or play fair, or put on any display of ability. No, he’s just here to bide his time, to wait for his opportunity, to wear down his opponent, and then strike when the iron is hot. I glance, just once, at my father and my uncle, who stand tensely together, watching the bout. And I wonder if this has been the method of their opponent for twenty years – if this has been the Atalaxian way. Or, perhaps, if this kind of brutality is