“Take it.” Leona’s eyes gave away her excitement. The longsword she handed me weighed more than I’d expected. The cool metal seemed to send a shockwave through my skin as I held it awkwardly with two hands. I ran my fingers across the smooth surface before letting the full weight rest in my right palm.

“It’s just two of them right?” I kept my voice as even as I could. I couldn’t afford to show fear. There may have been a small tremor on the final word.

“For now.” Her words were far from reassuring.

I hoped she would enjoy the show from atop her ivory tower. I also hoped the resident monk who stood silently to the side eyeing my small frame was as good a healer as the residents of the House of Cards claimed.

I suppose it is my own fault if I’m honest. I have again and again begged for equality. I have screamed from the top of my lungs that I am not afraid, I am not a child, I am not fragile.

Yet, standing in front of the large doorway that will lead to a battle against Leona’s troupe, I find myself feeling much less sure.

The monk seemed to find the humor in moment as well, I had never before seen him smile. He opened the door for me and stepped aside. I cannot say for sure, but I’m almost certain I saw him wink at our glorious leader as I stepped past.

The room was larger than I’d expected. Even as I stepped inside, the utterly blank space began to transform. The marble floor sprouted stone walls that were more rubble than substance. Soon a circular structure surrounded me. The ground beneath my feet was soon covered in a thick grass and the ceiling disappeared wholly revealing a sunny day with the sort of clouds you just want to lay back and search for shapes in.

I considered just abandoning this mission and doing just that until I noticed what began to take shape just outside the walls.

Stone seats spread out as far as I could see. For the first time it truly hit me that I was no longer reading stories of men and women fighting to the death inside an arena.

I was living it. And honestly, I was scared. I fought back the urge to vomit or urinate in my trousers as I stood stupidly holding a weapon I wasn’t sure I could use.

It was far too late to back out now. I needed to prove something here. I swallowed the lump that filled my throat and forced my voice to sound brave. “Bring it on Leona.”