2021 Writer League

Appearance: A woman of slim, but muscular build, showing her intense training. Her skin is a crimson red and her hair is a dark black that goes to mid-back that she keeps tied back with a simple ponytail. She has two horns coming out of her head, but they are mismatched. Her right horn is short and pointed, as if it was broken off at some point. The left is longer, close to her head with a slight curve in the center so that if you looked closely, it could be mistaken for the top of a quarter note. Her eyes, which are round but normally kept half-lidded to give her a more demure appearance, are likewise mismatched in color. Her left eye is an amethyst purple, while the right one is a shimmering golden color. Her face has a sort of softness about it and her ears are slightly longer than a human’s and come to small points at the tips.

Her outfit, in seeming stark contrast to her personality, is a bright, lilac piece that seems made to draw attention to her. She wears a violet leotard, over which she wears a white dress shirt buttoned all the way up and a golden vest likewise buttoned. She then wears a lilac coat with gold trim over those, with two long coat tails with bells attached to the end that trail off behind her and frame her slim, arrow tipped tail. The interior of her coat has numerous secret pockets from which she draws weapons from. She wears a pair of lilac high heels, though her opponents will quickly discover that these shoes can actually “break off” the heel and switch to more comfortable for combat flats, while she uses the new blades as preliminary throwing knives to test her opponents. She also wears what appear to be fishnet stockings, but are actually just tights that are skin color to her with the appearance of fishnet stockings, which she uses to hide some of her weapons. Overall, her ensemble resembles strongly that of a magician’s assistant in appearance.

While she does primarily fight using her fists and legs, she does carry a small assortment of weapons to use in fights she deems necessary. Her primary weapons for fighting at a distance are two sets of throwing knives, which are hidden all throughout her body. One set is made of tempered silver, while another is a darker red in appearance, forged using her blood as a quencher. She also possess a ninjato with a dark crimson blade, also forged using her blood, which she brings with her as needed. It is a short blade, only about half an arm’s length, but she keeps it in a bigger blade’s sheath to deceive her opponents of its length. Her tag is a simple necklace around her neck.

Personality: Piano is shy and demure, almost to a fault. She refuses to talk to most people, usually preferring to have her brother handle most social situations. If she must talk to someone, she tries to keep the conversation shorter, getting the important points across while still respecting the other person’s desire to talk to her by not brushing them off. She is highly empathetic, but due to her abilities and work, she’s been forced to stay more closed off and reserved to protect herself. When she thinks she can get away with it, she’ll try to help people in silent ways that she hopes goes unnoticed, so her presence will go unseen.

Piano’s abilities and skillsets lead her to be very observant, easily able to notice things that most would miss, but could hinder her job if she didn’t notice them. She is also a pretty good judge of character, usually able to get a good idea of what kind of person they are with some cross confirmation from her brother, Forte. While he’s more logically and socially intelligent, her words carry enough weight that her words are needed before he can confirm a plan. She often puts Forte’s desires and tasks ahead of her own, her diligence often ensuring that she’s still able to get what she needs in the end.

In combat, she generally has two methods of acting. When dealing with those not worthy of “stealing” from, she prefers to put a swift end to combat, knocking out her foes before they have to feel any pain. If they prove stronger than expected, she’ll resort to blades and other implements, but still tries to ensure it’s painless as she takes them down. Piano only kills as a desperate last resort, and will retreat long before resorting to it if possible, and taking as long as possible to start resorting to lethal level force.

If her opponent is worthy of “stealing” from, however, then she will instead try to draw out the combat as much as possible, attempting to watch them fight for as long as possible, even at great risk to herself. Once she has completed her observations and performed the “theft,” she will quickly switch strategies to take out her opponent so that she might retreat with that precious “talent” in tow. In all things, she tries to ensure her presence will interfere as little as possible while getting the most of what she wants.

Backstory: Piano and her brother, Forte, were born in a war torn continent, with various powerful factions fighting each other and bringing ruin and destruction everywhere. The two were orphaned for as long as they can remember. The pair managed to survive by working together, the male half using what boyish charms he had to find marks and distract them with his slowly developing silver tongue, while Piano used her burgeoning physical abilities to pick up what food and money they needed to get by for the week.

That changed when Forte tried to use his usual tricks against a much more observant target. But rather than get angry at them when he caught them with his wallet at their hideout, he gave them an offer: a place to find food, shelter, skills beyond what they could imagine, and a purpose greater than even the gods could offer. Forte eagerly accepted, with Piano coming along for the ride.

Over the next decade or so, the pair were trained extensively into their own specializations, with Piano honing her physical talents. She mastered quite a few martial arts techniques, unarmed and with a variety of weapons. This training was augmented when she was in her teens, when she was granted the ability to “steal” the “talents” of those she observed for a decent period of time, allowing her to master skills in hours or minutes which took their practitioner entire lifetimes to perfect. Her quiet nature was also honed to make her a perfect spy, with enough social training to make a decent infiltrator, at least when paired with her brother.

Eventually, the pair were deemed ready and sent out into the world to collect talents of great importance, which the two were beginning to work on. They were handling targets of middling difficulty to obtain and were working their way up to bigger targets when Piano got an invite to join this tournament for a wish. While the pair seemed skeptical of the whole thing, the moment she saw her brother’s eyes read the words “God Eater,” she knew what she had to do. She’d participate in this tournament, collect what she could while her brother did his “work,” and if she was lucky, she’d even get a wish out of it. What she’d wish for, not even Piano knew.

Abilities: First and foremost, Piano is an expert martial artist, with a mastery of a wide variety of fighting styles from stand up striking to grapples and ground combat. She also has skills in most forms of bladed and bludgeoning weapons, as well as a number of ranged weapons and firearms. Her chosen style however, causes her to mostly use her weapons defensively, using them in various locks and holds so she can strike with her fists and legs. But for the purposes of the tournament, she will have her ninjato sword and a few sets of throwing knives hidden among her person.

Devil Blood: Being a descendant from devils, her blood has a high corruption factor about them. When her blood touches someone that isn’t devil related themselves, it begins to burn their skin much in the same way a powerful acid does. It does affect objects as well, but to a much lesser degree, only causing slight corruptions of the material and maybe melting some holes with enough blood. Her weapons that were forged using her blood carry some of this corrupting property as well, causing intense pain and making it difficult for healing magics or regeneration to occur along the wound for some time.

Ki: Through intensive training, she is able to manipulate the natural energies flowing through her body, allowing her to enhance her body’s performance in a variety of ways. Mostly this results in the strengthening of her blows and defenses, allowing her just slightly superhuman physical abilities. She can also alter her temperature nearly 50 degrees in either direction, alter the flow of blood in her body to gather in one place before impact or speed it up to create a doping effect to further enhance her strengths, hold her breath for dozens of minutes even without prior preparation, mitigate the effects of foreign chemicals in her body to a decent degree, and sense the life forces of creatures around her in a limited area. As this draws on her life energy, though, it can easily wear her out if used too long, so she tries to limit her use of this in short bursts, and not too much at once unless absolutely necessary.

Talent Thief: A unique ability of hers, this ability allows her to, after a certain period of observation, copy the ability of the person in question perfectly, including aspects of that ability the person didn’t show her at that moment. With martial techniques, this lets her instantly understand their principles and weaknesses, allowing her to create counters to them while she incorporates the strengths into her ever expanding fighting style. She can also copy non combat abilities as well. Her current list includes:

Sewing
Pickpocketing
Wood carving
High level culinary
Piloting of a number of vehicles
Skydiving
Underwater Basket Weaving
And several others

While her ability to copy physical abilities is flawless, she does not possess the capability of copying magic or abilities wholly stemming from magic.

Strengths: Olympic level physical capabilities, further enhanced with ki, keen senses, martial abilities that make her hard to deal with at close and mid ranges, ability copying for physical skills, devil blood that corrupts on contact.

Weaknesses: Lots of ways to drain her stamina and wear herself out, few long range options for this tournament, bludgeoning attacks don’t allow her to use her blood effectively, blessed weapons or attacks from beings that are blessed are more effective against her, for opponents with interesting talents will risk drawing out the fight to get them.

Motivations: She’s merely trying to provide an entertaining show so as to allow her brother to get everything he needs. She will attempt to win the tournament, but she has no inkling as to what she would wish for if she won.

Supporter: Forte

Aliases: Forte (like the skill), The Silver Tongued Snake

Age: 23

Race: Devil Blooded

Gender: Male

Height: 5’9”

Weight: 135 lbs.

Appearance: In many ways the opposite of Piano, Forte is a thin male, with short black hair neatly trimmed and styled and crimson skin. His horns are similar to Piano’s, only their position on his head are flipped. Likewise, his eye colors are flipped sides, over which he wears a simple pair of glasses. He occasionally wears hats to cover his horns as needed, and he keeps his tail under his clothes to hide it as well. His facial features are sharp and handsome, and his slightly narrow eyes belie a hidden cunning that matches his sardonic grin.

His clothes, also in contrast to the bright colors of Piano’s outfit, are darker and more subdued in color and presentation. He wears a white dress shirt under a simple black vest, with a twead jacket over top with leather patches on the elbow. He wears black dress pants and simple black Oxford style shoes.

He keeps a small bag on his side, which holds a number of books locked with a key only he can get access to. He has a simple wand in the shape of a fountain head pen, which he uses to write out his spells when needed.

Personality: Forte’s demeanor is one that appears to be open and communicative, but with that he hides a secretive and conniving personality. He often speaks with an overbearing, overly complicated manner of speaking that combines older words and fictitious words with which he overwhelms the listener with a deluge of language to misdirect his conversation partner. Despite that, he still manages to maintain an amiable talking style, often putting on the charms with people he’s interested in.

An objective oriented person, he’ll use whatever means he needs to in order to get access to the people he’s most interested in. He will tell whatever lies are necessary, manipulate whatever persons he needs to, and utilize whatever schemes puts him in front of his target. But once he gets what he wants, he abandons all interest in the subject in question, quickly departing before too much attention gets drawn towards him.Combined with his particular ability, he does possess a certain degree of egomania revolving around himself and his sister.

Despite this, he desperately does not wish to have his presence at events of importance noted, quickly vanishing the moment things start heating up. He always prefers, if having to get involved himself, to use means that don’t implicate himself in events, only resorting to more drastic means if pushed to the last resort.

Backstory: When his sister and him were taken in by the group that trained them, he was taken aside to hone his already skilled tongue to allow him to be a better manipulator. Both of people, and of the arcane arts. Trained in magic along with deception and other espionage techniques, Forte proved to be a skilled speaker and an adept spellcaster.

Like his sister, he was given a unique ability to steal something from others. In his case, he was given the ability to “steal” people’s true names, writing down their personality, motivations, and other defining traits into a particular way of writing their name. With that in mind, he was tasked with grabbing the names of figures of great importance, so that their names can be recorded carefully.

Using the guise as a writer journeying to do research for his magnum opus, he conducts interviews of people high and low, gathering names of ever increasing importance. When Piano received the invitation to participate in the God Eater’s tournament, his eyes gleamed, as he thought that it was time that he started moving up to taking from the gods themselves.

Abilities: With words being his primary means of navigating difficult situations, he is both a skilled negotiator and a highly proficient liar. He often tells lies on multiple layers, allowing his targets to detect certain lies to allow himself to hide bigger lies more easily. He’s a good judge of character, allowing him to more easily manipulate people to do what he wants.

Devil blood: Like his sister, his blood has corrupting properties. Unlike her, he is unable to control the flow of his blood, making it much harder for him to weaponize his blood. But he can find uses for it, on occasion.

Illusion and charming magics: A spellcaster of decent talent, Forte’s main focus of expertise is on utilizing illusions and enchanting spells to delude and lead his opponents in the directions he wants to go. He can create pretty realistic looking illusions, allowing him to disguise his appearance, create images and objects to mislead his enemies, and subtly manipulate someone’s choices to make them think they want to do something minor that benefits him. He likely is capable of doing more magic, but for this tournament, he would rather keep his abilities on the down low.

Name Thief: After conversing with someone for a certain amount of time, Forte can attempt to “steal” the true name of someone. This process involves careful study of the person’s personality and way of speaking, so he requires them to talk for his ability to work, but he usually can get anyone to do that for him. Once he’s written it down once, though, he can copy it anywhere he wants as many times as he wants. He usually keeps these names in one of his many locked books, each one holding more important names than the last.

Method of Assistance: While Forte is almost assured that his sister can best most of the other competitors in the tournament using her skills, he’s certainly not above tipping the scales in her favor. He employs means of subterfuge and sabotage prior to the start of the match, looking for ways to weaken her opponent before the match starts, though in ways that are not obvious in intent, nor easily provable to connect to him. He won’t get too involved otherwise, preferring to go after his quarry such as the God Eater and other persons of interest.

Motivation: To fish throughout the tournament for important people, stealing their names as he sees fit. His biggest prize is of course the God Eater Chifu, towards whom he’ll do anything to gain her true name. If Piano wins, he might suggest ideas for wishes for her, if he doesn’t end up taking the wish for himself if she lets him.

Piano & Forte

[Piano & Forte] Audition

Original Doc

“Good ladies and gentleman of this fine establishment this evening, I must humbly thank you all for being such a wonderful audience for my magical illusions! I do hope I have lifted the veil of the mundane from over your eyes onto the true wonders that exist in the world!” The handsome man on stage - an illusionist by trade if his large crimson cloak perfect for obscuring his next trick, voluminous scarlet top hat with plenty of space for secrets in abundance, and larger than life personality was anything to go by - gave his audience his deepest and most sincere bow as one of his beautiful assistants stepped out of the hanging structure she had just been seemingly teleported into to join his bow, another running from her place at the side of the stage to join them. Both women were dressed in lilac leotards underneath a white dress shirt and a lilac coat with long tails with bells attached to the end, gold trim abundant throughout the design, with lilac high heels and what looked to the audience to be fishnet stockings rising up their long legs to meet the outfit above. The beautiful blonde woman with the clear pointed ears of an elf, not normally found this far into civilization, was joined on the magician’s other side by a red skinned woman with long dark hair and a pair of mismatched horns - one short, one long and flowing towards her back - as the two colorfully dressed women bowed next to him as the crowd before them erupted into cheers at the wonderful performance, the spotlight bright upon them as they breathed heavily from their work.

“That was a marvelous performance.” A well dressed woman adorned with quite a few sets of jewelry said to her partner at one of the tables near the front, the pair having gotten a good view of everything from their seats as the magician put on quite the masterful performance. “I can’t believe we were able to see the Great Illumaine in person like this. You’d almost believe he was using actual magic for his tricks, the way they’re done so perfectly. It makes his admission that everything is done without any actual spells being cast all the more impressive.”

“Quite so.” Her partner chimed in, clapping his well-adorned hands a few times in appreciation as well. “We have the Vicatrino family to thank for tonight’s performance. I heard it’s the Don’s daughter’s birthday tonight, so she asked him to get Illumaine for her birthday entertainment. I guess even a world famous magician like him can’t resist the call of the Vicatrino family.”

As Illumaine and his assistants stepped off the stage as the curtains drew across, the couple sat down as the woman spoke up. “So true. I knew accepting their invitation tonight was a good idea. I mean, I’ve been meaning to butter up with the Don, but getting a show with such a spectacular magician was a nice treat as well.” The two laughed in a haughty manner, the woman covering her mouth with a gloved hand as she did. “And an elf and a girl with devil blood as assistants. That’s quite the rare pair there. I guess Don Milifone put some good coin into the entertainment.”

“I wouldn’t be sure of that.” The man spoke in a low whisper, covering her hand with his as he spoke quietly. “Elves don’t normally leave their forest homes and venture so far into civilization. I personally think she was a present to Illumaine in exchange for coming here.” The woman looked at him, glancing around before mouthing the word “Slave?” He nodded, steepling his hands in front of him as he leaned back into his seat with a serious expression. “The Don is rumored to often force people into serious debt, then force them to work in order to pay it off. I suppose this girl got lucky that she just has to perform in a magic show.”

“No doubt. And what about the other woman, the devil child? Think she’s one of those too?” She said “those” like one would speak of an exotic animal, rather than as a person.

The man considered it for a bit, a frown forming on his face as he thought. “Hard to tell. The elf tried to look happy, but she couldn’t get that sad look out of her eyes. Poor thing’s probably untrained in how to hide her feelings. But the horned girl… I don’t know, something about her seemed different. And I could swear she kept gazing up at the Don’s booth when she thought everyone was focused on the tricks.”

“Oooh~” The woman suddenly looked interested. “Do you think she joined the show to try and get close to the Vicatrino Family? Help put on a good show with such a prestigious figure and maybe earn their favor that way? Maybe ‘accidentally’ finding herself in the Don’s bed tonight? I hear his wife is on a trip to another continent this evening, so he’s probably feeling pretty lonely~”

The man shrugged, clearly unconcerned as he held up his glass as a waiter walked close with a bottle of champagne, filling it with practiced precision. “Seems likely. Why else would anyone come here willingly if not to win the Don’s favor?” He and his partner laughed another haughty laugh together, clinking their glasses together in celebration as other guests seemed to share in that sentiment all around them, all the guests eager socialites trying to earn the mafia boss’ favor that night. Unaware, of course, of the coming force of change that was about to unfold that very night.

--------------------------------------

“I must say, Mr. Illumaine, that illustrious performance of illusory imagery and marvelous manipulations of minstrel oratory and mazed masses to magnify your magecraft monumentally. It would scarce cross one’s thinking that such a phenomenal artist of sleight of hand started his professional vocation as a mere peterman.”

In Illumaine’s dressing room backstage, two men sat across from each other, each in a different state as they spoke to each other. The magician was currently reclining across a comfy couch in his room, his cape and hat haphazardly hung nearby as the man looked almost unwell now that the public’s gaze was away from him and he was talking to the person in front of him. That individual, in contrast, was much more cheerful, his tanned hand holding a pen on his notebook as looked at the magician intently. He wore a simple vest and shirt combo, and wore a simple bowler hat on his head and a simple pair of glasses on his face as he spoke a veritable cascade of linguistic chaos upon the beleaguered magician, who sighed in response.

“I still can’t believe you squirreled that bit of history out of whatever dark hole you found it in. Guess I shouldn’t underestimate the ability of a journalist looking for a scoop. Especially one willing to blackmail a magician in exchange for an interview, an exclusive backstage pass for after the show, and for having me take on that deviled woman nearly three days before the biggest show of my life.”

The apparent journalist laughed, as if the illusionist said something humorous. “Forsooth, not to brag on about myself overmuch, but my abilities as an intelligencer are among the most first-rate for my chosen occupation. Though I’d scarce imagine that your opinion of the maid I presented to you is held to a much greater regard than my own talents?” He looked almost smug as he spoke, sitting up and smirking down at Illumaine.

The magician, for his part, sighed. “I’ll admit, I had my doubts about her when she first showed up for practice after my last assistant suddenly came down with a severe illness right before the show. She was so shy and scared to talk to just about everyone, I thought there was no way she’d make it on the stage for the show. But when we started practicing the tricks, it was almost amazing how quickly she picked up how each trick was performed and could pull it off flawlessly. Hell, I could swear she could probably do my part as good as me if I let her.” He gave a humorless laugh, looking more scared at the prospect than amused.

“A frightening prospect for a world class illusionist, I would presume.” The confident smile the journalist gave him was enough to unnerve Ilumaine. “Be that as it may, the tricks were accomplished and the illusions upheld. And likewise, you have upheld your end of the bargain, so I am of the opinion that there is not much-”

“What are you really after?” Illumaine cut him off, sitting up now as the self-confident journalist fell blissfully silent. “You’re not really here for me, are you? You’re doing this whole bit as a formality, aren’t you? There’s something else you’re here for, which is why you wanted to do your little interview here, rather than literally anywhere else. What’s your angle?”

The tanned skinned journalist gave a thoughtful expression at that, as if not sure how to answer. Then, he shrugged, his aloof smirk returning. “Why else would one venture to such a place as evenfall approaches? I wish something of Milifone Vicatrino only he can grant me.”

Illumaine, for his part, looked blown away at the bluntness with which the journalist laid out his intentions. The color in his face drained, taking on the color of one of the wings of the doves he released for the climatic finish of his show. His whole body seemed to shudder and nearly collapse in on itself with the weight of those words. “You’re fucking crazy. You have to be.”

“Be that as it may, it is what I intend to do. So, before I depart, might I request for your name once more. Not your pseudonym, of course. Your name of birth, if you so please.”

The illusionist sighed, running a hand through his hair as he seemed to look more exhausted than he was right after getting offstage, this conversation more harrowing and filled with frights than his burning box escape trick. “The name’s Paul Morgetson. That do it for ya’?”

The man’s pen was writing extra fast, the magician couldn’t even keep up with it, his eyes used to following elaborate sleights of hand unable to fathom the pen work. Though now that he was looking, was the pen suddenly more brown than black like before? And Illumaine… Paul could swear there was a slight flash of red as the man was writing. No, he shook his head, looking up at the lights above. Must’ve been the lights in this dressing room. They were much too dark and mood setting to be useful for seeing anything in this room.

The moment he was finished writing, the notebook slammed shut loudly, the pen stashed away in a coat pocket, and the notebook itself returned to his bag as he quickly rose to leave. “Well, Paul, this conversation was rather illuminating I must say. But I must beg your pardon, but I simply have another interview to conduct with the famed proprietor of this establishment, and you have an iron horse to catch with your illustrious servant whom you wish to release from captivity. I pray my work offers you a modicum of assistance in gaining such distance. And with that, I bid you adieu.” And with a bow of similar magnanimity as the one the magician gave on stage earlier, the supposed journalist took his leave.

“What a fucking madman, that guy…” he cursed, looking at the closed door. He then walked over to his desk and opened a drawer, confirming he still had his train tickets for that day. The famed magician sighed, then reached into a breast pocket and pulled out the picture used in the “assistant” catalogue Vicatrino showed him of the elven girl, sighing sadly at it. Then he steeled himself, spun around quickly, and got to work packing his bags. If shit was about to go down, he’d better make himself scarce to avoid the wrath of Milifone. He knew better than to be around when he was put into a bad mood.

Outside the room, meanwhile, the journalist was walking over to the dressing room of the devil blooded assistant, knocking twice upon it, followed by a pause. He knocked twice more, paused another length, then four more knocks. A second later, the voice of the woman inside responded. “Did you get what you required from him?”

“But of course. To do otherwise would’ve been an insult to the labor of my trainers that poured their life’s work into perfecting my skills. The Great Illumaine’s true name is mine to behold.” The man looked smug, twirling the pen… no, the wand in his hand as he spoke. He leaned against the door, ensuring he could hear her as clearly as possible as she spoke, given her soft tones she usually relied upon to convey her intent.

“That is good. Then we are prepared to tackle the real challenge for today?” She sounded somewhat relieved at first, then apprehensive, though not seemingly at the task at hand. “I just want to get this done. I think I’ve talked to enough people to last me a month.”

“Now now, my dearest sister.” He reassured her, tapping the door slightly. “I understand that such people work must’ve been quite the ordeal without your more articulate brother to fend off any ill-intentioned suitors and the world weary magician wounding you with venomous criticism that were without much merit in the end. I most humbly apologize for having abandoned you so cruelly to such a task when it is my most elusive target you were giving me the simplest of assistance with.”

“It is fine, brother. You were busy studying how many guards he’d have and how the security would be set up. I was just reading your work on that before we started. With all this, I’m not as worried about what I need to do.”

“And for what reason were you afeared for then? If any task allows the two of us to consult and collaborate with one another, then it is one that is already complete, except for the doing of it. My work will be complete post haste.” He glanced over to the side, noticing a trio of guards heading his way, one with a small batch of flowers in his hand. “Now I must bid you adieu until we reconvene shortly. Your most ill-favored of suitor approaches.”

Piano groaned inside as her disguised brother began to step away, letting himself get revealed as if he was casually walking away from down the hall. Two of the guards instantly shot up, hands going for their guns as they called to him. “Oi! What’re you doing back here?”

The supposed journalist gave a deep bow, pulling out his notebook. “I do apologize for my intrusion. I was merely conducting an interview with Illumaine in his dressing room. I have my pass here to prove my intentions.” He pulled out the small card that had let him in, which caused the guards to relax, though the one with the flowers still glared at him.

“Well, you did your business, now fuck off. You can’t be hanging around here looking for more scoops, reporter man.”

“As you wish.” The writer did not argue, quickly moving past. Once he rounded the corner and was out of sight of anyone else, he dropped his disguise, revealing his more devilish appearance, a male mirror of the assistant the guards now approached. “Our first steps in this operation are progressing with great speed. I shall now hurry hence to my location, that I might meet my target at the designated locale.”

As he donned his next disguise as one of the guards and walked off, the three guards were cooling down from the confrontation and approaching the door to Piano’s room. The one with flowers was looking confident while the other two looked bored. “Why’d ya even bother with the flowers, anyway? It’s not like you gotta impress her or nothin’. It’s not like she can really refuse ya, can she?”

“I know that, moron! But it’s good to put her at ease, make her think she has a choice. Otherwise, she might run for it and that would be a pain. All I gotta do is give her the flowers and make her let go of the door and I can make my way in regardless of what she wants.” The smile on his face was cruel, while the other two nodded on.

“But why her?” The third asked, looking confused. “Isn’t the elven bitch one of our bosses girls? You give her an order and she’s gotta listen.”

But his companion shook his head. “Nah, that girl’s Illumaine’s now. I can’t touch her or the boss says that’ll be bad for business. But this girl’s all clear. Besides, I’ve always wanted to try those devil bloods. You know what you can use those horns for?” He raised his eyebrows suggestively, then all of them laughed.

“Well then you’ve lost the race to her! Some other bloke’s done broke the one before you could get it!” The cruel laughter grew louder at that, though Piano had long been listening to their conversation prior to that. She took a deep breath, steadying herself as she heard a knock on her door.

“Who is it?” She tried to make herself sound meek, which wasn’t that hard given her demeanor. The guards outside could hear the bells on her coattails ringing as she approached the door.

“Open up, buttercup! I’ve got some… important business… to discuss with you.” The trio of snickers outside indicated otherwise.

Piano opened the door, her garb a little more open than normal as she appeared to be part way through getting changed. The guards' eyes indicated they noticed the change, while the devil woman appeared to look shy at them all. “Oh, I apologize. I didn’t think there would be so many of you. Now, what was this about important business?”

The lead guard was already in action, pushing his clump of flowers, which was more a grouping of wildflowers found around the perimeter of the building than anything one would give a lady, into her hands and taking her hand’s place on the door. He quickly took a step forward, towering over her as she appeared to almost shrink in his presence as she clutched the greenery to her golden vest. She let out a nervous noise as his hand went to her cheek, causing her to take a step back, the bells ringing with the movement as he gave a low chuckle and stepped more into the room with her.

“Oh, just a few things I’ll need to discuss with you. I’ll just shut the door now, hmm?” Even as he said that, he was already beginning to close the door behind him, the other two guards giving her smirks as they took positions outside the door to make sure nobody disturbed them.

The two outside heard the bells on her coat ring a few times as the two inside seemed to move deeper inside, then silence overtook them. The two men stood fairly still, used to this kind of work, as they watched the magician and his other assistant walking together hand in hand at a hurried pace. The men said nothing, though they snickered to themselves once Illumaine was out of earshot. But as time went on more and more, the two started to get annoyed.

“What’s takin’ ‘im so long? He should be done by now, shouldn’t he?” He slammed his fist into the door, knocking loudly as he shouted. “Hey, bastard! You done in there or what? We got other shit to do, yeah?” The was a prolonged silence, which set both the guards on edge instantly. They drew their sidearms, one of them pulling out their key to the room. “Morgan, speak to me mate. You in there?”

They waited for a few moments, waiting to hear something inside. When only silence greeted them, the older guard started silently counting down with his hand, the other reaching forward with the keycard. As he clenched his fist, the keycard unlocked the door and his hand went to the doorknob and swung it open. The two rushed in, only to be greeted with a strange sight indeed.

Their companion, who was hale and hearty not too long ago, was now slightly pale and unconscious. His hands and feet were both bound with lengths of ropes, intricate knots tying him down and keeping him still. The older guard rushed forward, going at one of the knots with gritted teeth. “Fucking shit, what ‘appened to ya? How’d you let that little girl get one up on ya?” As he struggled with the knots, seeming to make them worse, he swore up and down. “Damn it all, boy, aren’t you gonna help me?”

He was once again met with the quiet room. As he froze in place, listening carefully, he suddenly heard the clattering of something metal onto the ground. Grabbing his gun and spinning around, he saw his companion still near the entrance. The younger man’s gun was on the ground, one of his legs kicked out as he tried to brace himself on the other, the devil girl’s arm around his neck as he struggled vainly for another second before passing out from oxygen deprivation.

“Wha-” He barely had time to react as she dropped his unconscious friend, pushing one of her shoes as the heel broke off. Catching the flipping heel on the arch of her foot, she swiftly lashed her leg out towards him, the purple stake striking at his firearm and sending it spiraling out of his hand. As he jolted and drew his knife, the second heel was already released and flung his way. He managed to swat the projectile out of the air, only to see that she had crossed the length of the room in the span of that motion, her fist colliding with his jaw and sending him reeling back in pain. She quickly grabbed a hold of his arm and with two twists, released his hold on the blade before shoving him back and delivering a straight kick to the upper chest that sent him flying into the large mirror in the room. As the glass shattered from the impact, his eyes rolled up in his head as he passed out, a rain of shards following him as he collapsed painfully onto the ground in front of the table.

Piano maintained her battle stance for a moment, her calm breathing barely rising above the ambient noise as she listened for further backup. Hearing none, she silently dashed to the door, her lilac form a blur as she moved swiftly to ensure no danger was outside. Once fully aware there was no greater danger set to arrive, she set to work. She grabbed the keycard from the younger guard, checking to make sure he was still alive in the process. She went over to her couch, removing the cushions to reveal the blade she smuggled into the mafia’s stronghold when she had arrived. She also grabbed the removed heels from her shoes near the third man, checking him to make sure she didn’t go too far with him. Seeing he still was breathing regularly, she silently stalked out of the room once more, placing a sign that indicated that “she” didn’t want to be disturbed as she danced among the shadows of the theater’s backstage towards the restricted access areas.

Pausing at the door, the lilac shadow closed her eyes and focused her thoughts to the internal energies that flow within her, using it as a reference point as she expanded her mind’s eye to look for other sensations similar to it on the other side of the door. She detected four men on the other side: two close to the door, and two down the hall, slightly elevated which indicated there were stairs on the other side or some form of ramp. Breathing a long breath that shifted the flow of ki, she pressed the keycard to the lock, unlocking it with a beep. She backed up slightly, then gallop stepped forward into a front kick to slam the door open.

The first guard was hit with the door as it swung wildly towards him, slamming into his chest as he let out a noise of surprise as Piano burst into the room towards the second while the other pair at the top of the stairs were still reacting to the sound of the door being kicked in. As the second guard drew up his gun, she quickly took control of his wrist and forearm and began pulling him along with her in motion, now making it difficult for the other two to aim at her with their guns as she almost seemed to dance with him as her partner. As the first shoved the door on him shut with a huff, he suddenly found his partner flipping towards him, having just been judo thrown towards the occupied guard as they now collapsed into a heap of tangled limbs and cursing.

The moment the other two guards raised their weapons to fire, a flash of steel reflected in the air as a pair of throwing daggers came hurtling their way. One guard was slow on the draw, his weapon being knocked from his hands as his fingers were slashed from the projectile, while the other ducked out of the way. By the time he recovered and went to draw a bead on her, she was already gone from that position. He looked slightly right just in time to see her running along the wall at him before she pushed off and with a spinning kick, sent him flying into his friend and knocking them both down the small set of stairs together in a huddle, crashing down at the bottom with a loud thud.

She only took but a moment to relax, however, as she could already sense another guard approaching, one with a stronger flow of ki within him. Sure enough, another guard rounded the corner, a man with an orcish appearance to him and a hand made of brass. As he saw the unconscious guards behind her, he grinned, throwing aside his gun and pulling out his blade with his hand that still had flesh, his brass right clenching into a fist as she pulled one of her throwing daggers out to match his steel.

The two began circling the hall towards each other, crossing the distance between themselves within a handful of moments. Both their blades touched each other, but still neither swung as both began applying pressure on the other’s knife, attempting to gain control before attacking with the more threatening fist each had prepared for the other. His natural strength was greater than hers, but she had a much more masterful control of her blade, which made him hesitate to press too hard to avoid her pulling a trick on him.

First he gained the ground with the center of his blade at the tip of hers, leveraging it back. Then she slid down to his hilt and started twisting, causing him to move his feet quickly to circle with her motion to avoid being disarmed. He made a feint, pressing in slightly before easing off, but she didn’t change her actions too much in response as she saw the test for what it was. The two were locked blades for what felt like an eternity, his cruel black eyes glaring at her mismatched pair as the only thing that separated them was the steel between them.

But his patience wore out before hers. He quickly pressed his full weight onto her knife for real, clearing it to the side as his brass knuckles came hurtling towards her with the weight of his anger and frustration behind him. But she clearly had been expecting it, spinning into the pivot he did, causing his fist to scream past her head and embed itself into the concrete wall behind her with shattering force as she quickly bent his arm to make him drop the knife before he could pull himself away from her. He sent a wild backhand towards her, which she had to lean back to avoid, only for him to try and drop his whole arm down onto her to crush her.

She quickly pushed off the ground and planted her feet on his chest, before similarly pushing off of him to create some distance. He stumbled back, before stomping after her as she handspringed back onto her feet, kicking out as he got within range. He blocked the kick initially, only to receive a fist to his solar plexus that he couldn’t see through his guard. His skin was tough, able to withstand the average person’s punch, but even so, her blow still struck home hard and drove the air out of his lungs with sharp precision. He let out a groan of pain, clutching his chest as he kicked out at her to let him recover.

But Piano ducked under his kick, before her leg snaked out and struck his plant foot behind the knee, causing his leg to buckle and his balance to go out of whack. She then gripped his face and pushed further, lifting him off his feet and slamming his head against the wall with enough force to slightly crack the wall herself. His limbs slumped with unconsciousness, blood trickling from his head as she let him fall to the ground.

Piano took a breath of relief as he stopped moving, having had to exert herself quite a bit to override his natural toughness. She bent down to check on him, making sure she didn’t hurt him too badly, though she was sure the only thing she heard crack was the wall from the force. Sure enough, her knowledge of first aid told her his skull hadn’t fractured or anything from the blow and had held strong. She glanced around to make sure she wasn’t spotted by anyone else, despite knowing there was no one else in the immediate area, before darting off to another section to continue her mission.

As she left, one of the guards began to stir, lifting his head up slightly in confusion. Remembering what happened, he reached down to his radio and turned it on, issuing a warning to the rest of the building.

“Intruder…. Alert…. Highly dangerous….. Be….. Careful-”

Piano slinked into the shadows of the next room as the alarm was raised, all the guards suddenly having their weapons drawn and were on the lookout for her. In the distance, she could hear the screams of guests as they were starting to be ushered out. She knew from the floor plans that the major exits were now going to be occupied with guests all streaming out, and her current rampage would take her along the back exits that would normally be used by VIPs. If she did her job right, then Milifone would have to take the exit of last resort: the roof, where Forte would be waiting for him.

But first, she thought as she focused her attention on the guards, she’d have to continue taking down threats. Moving along the shadows silently, not even her bells making a noise as she moved, she closed in on the first guard. The moment she felt the others weren’t looking at him, she wrapped an arm around his neck, kicked his legs out from beneath him, and dragged him into the darkness using strength enhanced with ki as she pressed her forearm against his throat to strangle him. Once he stopped struggling beneath her, she let him go and climbed a nearby vent duct, taking her above to another guard who was looking down at things. With a swift chop to his neck, she knocked him out, grabbing his body and gun before either fell and created noise.

After ensuring his safety, she leapt down at another guard below, her knee slamming down on his shoulder as he was quickly knocked unconscious before she flung herself at another pair of guards who started to turn to see what was happening. They were both quickly dispatched with a series of blows from her fist and feet, alternating between the two as she quickly swapped between threats. By the time she finished with them, she was already drawing a throwing knife and chucking it at the nearest corner as a guard rounded it to see what the commotion was, dropping his Tommy gun as his hands were slashed, before a punch to the throat and a knee to the stomach drove all air and consciousness from him. She then dashed off to the next room, following each bit of life she could sense as she continued her mission.

-----------------------------------------

Within minutes, nearly thirty guards were rendered unconscious or unable to fight as she moved from room to room, as other guards found fallen comrades and began flooding their radios with panicked reports, unable to find the devil in darkness downing all of them. Milifone huffed angrily as he could hear the panic in his men from one of his personal guard’s headsets. “What the hell did I pay you all for if you’re going to fail like this at such an important moment?” he complained, to which the guards around him all looked nervous. “So, how’s my escape route looking? Is it clear?”

“No sir. It would seem the intruder has taken out most of the guards around the back exits. It would seem our only option would be the secret roof exit.”

“Good thing we had that installed long ago for just such an occasion. Take me out of here before I make your wives and children into my next products.” He looked icily serious for a man half of their sizes, and the four quickly began to stride towards the secret entrance to the rooftop exit. As they opened the door to the exit, simultaneously getting another report of a fallen guard, the two in the front froze as they saw something they weren’t expecting.

Placed on the small rooftop balcony was a table for two, that was already lit with candles and a bottle of wine set near the middle. Two glasses were set at each end of the table, one empty, and one half filled in front of a man strikingly similar to the assistant that had performed onstage earlier that night. The devil man adjusted his glasses on his face as he gave a cheery wave to the guards now pointing guns at him. “Greetings and salutation, fair folk. I do most regrettably understand for what reason that you draw such devices upon me, but I must most humbly request you lower them for the time being. I wish no great harm upon your charge. On the contrary, I but require a brief exchange of words with your employer, merely to satiate my curiosities before I return to you the ladder with which you plan to make your descent and evacuate to safety abroad.”

He gestured towards where the ladder should have been, which was in fact missing entirely. As the guards ran over to look aghast at the problem, Milifone stepped forward confidently, the shorter man glaring up at Forte with an expression that promised death. His bejeweled hands clasped in front of his rather prominent belly, before he walked over to the chair proffered for him. One of the guards quickly ran forward to pull out the chair, pushing it in as Milifone made himself comfortable on the plush cushion. The mafia don snapped his finger and the guard swiftly grabbed the wine bottle and filled the glass with crimson liquid with practiced precision.

Milifone swirled the wine in the glass with a careless gesture, examining the swishing fluid before tasting a sip of it. Deeming it satisfactory for the conversation at hand, he finally addressed the diabolic writer. “So before I let you drag this thing out to something stupid like what sort of reason you have to get revenge on me or whatever you little people come up with to justify coming at me, I have to know: how did you get Illumaine to let you little devil girl onto the show for my daughter’s birthday? I explicitly told him not to include anyone in the show that wasn’t needed. I even provided him with the two slaves he wanted to make his show work. He shouldn’t have been a security issue. So how could your girl have gotten in?”

Forte shrugged as two of the guards stood a distance behind him, posting a guard there as the other two lingered on Milifone’s side to keep watch. “I merely proffered some help to assist Illumaine when circumstances struck dire for him. Unless you can conceive of some method of providence that allowed my mortal hands to direct a pestilence upon the second maiden that was to provide entertainment for the night. There has been a minor plague spreading among some of the encampments you provide for the provisions with which you stock. I’d say then that the err in the security lies upon your shoulder, not upon mine or the illusionist.”

Forte lifted his glass, going to take a drink before a loud shot rang out into the night sky as his glass shattered in his hand and spattered his clothes with wine. The writer looked unfazed as he set the broken glass down, picking up a cloth to wipe some of the mess up as Milifone’s gun shook in his hand with anger, his warning shot making his intent clear as he let out a calming exhale. “I will not have you tell me how to do my job. I’ve been in this business longer than you’ve been alive. So I’d watch what you say with that tongue before I have my boys remove it.”

“I must beg your pardon.” Forte said, in a tone that almost implied just the opposite, his smirk not wavering in the slightest as he set the stained cloth aside. “But as a writer, I study a great many things, and it is with great trepidation that I find that you develop a more logical outlook on the methods those who are in the employ of the things you study. I was merely speaking what I would have my characters do in my novel, if I wanted to prove them a competent slaver. I meant no injustice upon your professional aptitude.”

The three guards all looked apprehensive at the conversation going on as the shorter man merely cycled the next round in the chamber of his revolver. “Of course you don’t. Otherwise, I’ll finally get to see if devils bleed red on the inside like the rest of us do.” Milifone took another sip of wine, his hand now steady pointing his weapon at Forte.

“Oh, I would not advise that. I’m afraid my blood possesses certain qualities that you might find distasteful for your flesh. But enough about me. I would much rather hear the tales of the man that managed to build his way into the Vicatrino family and marry his way into his name.” Forte leaned forward on the table, his notebook on the table as he prepared to take notes.

Milifone just laughed at that, looking back at Forte with a cocked eyebrow. “That old tale? I’m sure you’ve heard all the rumors already. Why talk to me about that old thing?”

“Oft in tall tales and darkened speeches, the crux of the matter gets lost in the fog of misinformation and confusion. I find that it is thusly a more lucrative venture to seek out the subject in question, to get the perspective closest to the matter, as they would have the greatest investment in ensuring the tale gets told honest.”

“There’s really not that much to tell if I’m honest.” Millifone admits, shrugging carelessly and leaning back as the pair of guards listened intently to the conversation between the two seated men. “You might say I’ve always had a talent for inspecting people and determining their exact worth in society. So I decided to make a career out of it. Turns out the mafia’s always looking out for people like me, so I made a killing pretty quickly.”

Forte laughed, jotting down a note as he winked down at the half man. “I’m sure it would also prove a significant asset when it comes to threat assessment, am I wrong? I would presume that is why you felt little danger in engaging me in conversation as we are, that you presume I could not overpower you directly.”

“So it would seem.” Millifone looked miffed at that, having not expected such a reaction. “Though there’s something about you that throws me off. After all, not just anybody can even get this close to me, much less talk to me. Just who are you?”

Forte just waved away the question. “I am merely a crafter of inken words with a keen interest in people of import as inspiration for the major cast of my magnum opus. Think of me naught. After all, this conversation is all about you.” He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out his cigar case, taking his time picking which cigar he wished to smoke. As he picked his chosen poison, he put away his case with a casual ease as Millifone watched confused. As he pulled out his lighter, the Don’s bodyguard reached for his weapon, but lowered it as Forte merely lit the cigar, a small stream of smoke emitted from the cigar.

As Forte leaned back, Millifone shook his head. “No, I don’t think we’re going to continue this conversation anymore. You see, I am a busy man and I don’t quite have time to amuse every writer that wants to take down my life’s story. Now give me my ladder back or I’m going to make sure you’re sleeping with the fishes.” He raised a hand and his solitary guard raised his weapon again… then they both realized the problem. “Wait, what the? Where did my men go?”

Before Forte could answer with words, the last guard suddenly felt a fist to the jaw. As he reeled in pain, Piano swept his leg and punch his chest, knocking him out with a solid blow to the sternum. The silent warrior stood up straight as Millifone fell off his chair, screaming as he did. “What the fuck? How the hell did you get up here so fast? I thought you were beating up all my guys downstairs?” As he panicked, he reached behind his back and pressed a button hidden beneath his clothes.

Piano quietly shrugged, as Forte spoke up. “My sister here is quite the talented warrior, hence her name. Her skill in the martial arts are almost unparalleled by anyone on this plane or any other plane in existence. It is of no shame for your blackguard that they stood naught a chance to her fist and fury. But enough talks of mundane quality. Mayhaps we can return to our prior conversation of a more important matter.”

Millifone just shook his head, as Piano’s head whipped over to the nearby wall. Forte quickly moved to the side as Millifone laughed. “You think a man like me would plan an event for my little girl and wouldn’t provide the best security available?”

There was a series of thunderous crashing sounds coming from the passageway Millifone had come up from, drawing closer and closer with each one. That was, until finally the door was punched in, flinging the entryway into the table as they both smashed to pieces and flung over the side, much to the horror of the guests fleeing below. As the smoke around the former opening began to dissipate, there was a slight clicking sound, before a cacophonous boom as Piano rolled out of the way of the blast area. The piece of building where she was standing was nearly obliterated from the force of the shot, as the shooter was now revealed in the blasted away smoke.

A troll of monstrous size now stood, eight feet in height and a pillar of flesh and muscle. He wore a badly fitted suit, torn pants, with one hand completely free to utilize his sharp claws, while the other held an oversized double barreled shotgun, which he broke open to reload as he let out a massive snort. Millifone let out a whoop. “There you are, you lazy bastard! Now do what you were paid for and smoke these intruders!”

As the troll nodded, six daggers suddenly sprouted from his chest. Three were made of steel, and three of what appeared to be a red metal. As the troll looked down annoyed and swept five of the daggers off his chest, Piano closed the distance and kicked the tempered steel still embedded in its chest. It merely caused it to roar in anger, swiping at her as the blade dragged across its chest and she was forced to make her distance with several backflips, diving to the side at the last minute as another blast of its weapon rang out, demolishing the railing and a distant tree was stripped of all greenery.

As the troll glared at her and reloaded, she saw that the large wound was already healing, as had most of the other wounds. But not those of the red steel. Those still bled red, though the troll didn’t notice as it began to charge towards her, stomping his foot just before he swung, trying to stun her with the shockwave. Her legs shook from the force, but with the strength of her ki, she was able to push through and dive just under his arm, running past him. As she did, she drew her blade, slashing his side and drawing more blood. But the toughness of his skin meant that her blade didn’t pierce as deeply as she was expecting, making only a flesh wound in the process.

With a roar, the large beast of a man swung his shotgun behind him, clipping Piano’s horn as she tried to duck under it. As she stumbled, she heard the click of the shotgun being fully loaded and leaned to one side. She then quickly ran the other way as she heard the roaring destruction of the adjacent wall as she shook her head and recovered. She closed the distance as he attempted to reload, slashing at him two or three times as he roared in anger. She leaped over another lumbering slash, landing on the arm as she cut an x across his chest.

Suddenly, he swung the shotgun first, making her backflip away from him. But it seemed she underestimated his reach, as suddenly the talons of the troll finally connected along her thigh, leaving a large gash. But as Millifone cheered, Forte smirked as blood spurted out of her leg at an incredible rate. As the black blood splashed across the troll’s face, it suddenly screamed in horrible pain, covering its eyes as steam rose from beneath his fingers. The troll stumbled back, swinging his hands angrily as he tried to gain distance from her. But he forgot how far along the balcony he was, pressing against one of the destroyed sections of the railing. As it leaned back, losing its balance in the process and firing his shotgun into the air and destroying more of the balcony roof, Piano gathered all the ki into her legs as she crossed the distance in four steps, before leaping up and delivering one last kick that sent it tumbling back over the edge. A second later, there was a terrible crash, a series of screams, and the alarm of a car as the troll fell upon a limousine that was parked out front for Millifone. The half man ran over to the edge, looking down at his fallen bodyguard distraught as Forte and Piano approached behind him.

“Well, I can quite imagine that you're feeling the weight of all those coins spent plummeting into the depths of nothingness. A real shame as well. That monstrous brute was quite the fearsome beast of a sentry. I doubt you could find an equal nearly as impressive if you searched for the next century. But mayhaps you will be capable of locating such a wondrous find Mr…?” Forte clapped a hand on his shoulder, blowing a bit of cigar smoke into the mafia don’s face.

“Millifone. Millifone Vicatrino.” was the weak response returned to the writer. Forte eagerly wrote it down, nodding his head excitedly as Piano took some of the scraps of the tablecloth to patch up her leg, which had stopped bleeding due to her ki’s control of her blood.

“Thank you kindly for your time, Mr. Vicatrino. It was a valuable experience indeed.” Forte stood up straight and snapped his fingers, dispelling the illusion hiding the stairs as he went towards it. But as he did, he also revealed a small white fox sitting in front of it, a large fluffy tail with an eye symbol flicking behind it and a scarlet letter in its mouth. “Ah. And pray tell, what is this canid doing so deep in the clutch of civilization?”

In answer, the fox leaped over to Piano and handed her the letter. The devilish martial artist looked confused as she opened up the letter. She looked down at the pretty script, Forte looking over her shoulder.

To Piano <insert last name here>,

I wish to invite you to a tournament of amazing proportions, taking place in the Crossroads, with fighters from across the planes of existence. And such an impressive challenge deserves an impressive reward: one wish, granted by me. I hope to see you fight, and I look forward to seeing what your heart’s desire might be.

The God Eater, Madame Chief.

As Piano finished reading the note herself, she could hear her brother getting excited as he got to the end of the letter, letting out a huge puff of smoke.As he rubbed his hands together, she just flung a knife up to the balcony roof, snapping a rope and causing their stuff to come swinging down from the rafters and land in her arms.

“Well, dearest sister, I must apologize deeply for asking you to work on such tasks of great magnitude in such rapid succession, but a name like “the God Eater” is one that I simply cannot pass on. We shall be attending this Crossroad’s tournament post haste.”

“Of course brother. Perhaps there will be talents to steal among these fighters, along with your names.” She looked down at the letter again, then at the fox.

“I have little doubt in that, and great faith in your talents. Let us be off with not another ounce of starlight wasted shining down on us further.” He tossed his cigar to the side, the remains of it bouncing off Millifone’s head as he still sat distraught.

“What would we even wish for?” Piano asked confused, looking down at the last part. Forte shrugged, uncaringly.

“Such petty desires are beneath us. We have more important aspirations to reach for. Though I would imagine that since you are like to win such a martial event, I suppose we should place some of our thoughts into deciding what such a reward should be.”

“Very well. I accept your invitation.” Piano spoke to the fox, who’s tail suddenly grew in size and wrapped around the siblings, the large eye symbol looking out. Then, with a wink of the eye, the trio suddenly vanished, leaving Millifone alone on the roof with the sound of sirens and screams echoing beneath him, an unknowable future remaining ahead for him.

------------------------------------------

As the devil pair suddenly blinked, shading their eyes as the sudden shift from near dusk to bright daylight was nearly blinding to them. As they recovered from the shift in lighting, they saw the bustle of people milling around the town. As they started getting their bearings, they saw a pair of guards begin to approach them. Forte instantly stepped forward, holding out the letter he took from Piano’s hands.

“Good day good sir, good madam. I do believe I was invited to this tour-” But even as he spoke, the guards shook their heads, pointing at Piano instead.

“No sir. We’re here for Mrs. Piano here. She’s the competitor.” The twins looked surprised they could tell, but one of the guards just gestured at his neck. Piano reached down, seeing a small tag around her neck now. “That’s your tag, lose it and you lose your place in the tournament. Mrs. X would normally give you the rundown, but she’s currently speaking with another contestant. Follow us, we have a powerpoint to show you.”

“Hold, good sir!” Forte called to the guard as he tried to lead Piano away. “ I have a few brief, but vastly important inquiries to make of you. Would you set aside but a few more moments of your likely crowded itinerary.” The guard sighed, clasping his hands together in prayer.

“Madame Chief, please give me patience.” The guard muttered to himself. His hands glowed. Forte raised an eyebrow, curious about the gesture.

“Firstly, I wish to ask for the locale within which I might rest, preferably one circumjacent to our immediate area.” The female guard pointed at a tall building in the distance, with what looked like two sleeping foxes on top of it. “Verily. As for the second inquiry, might I inquire as to where I might find where vast multitudes prefer to gather for recreation in this fine borough?”

“You’ll want Sake’s Bar. Most people like to drink there. Is that all, sir?” Forte gave a nod, and the guard looked happy, nodding to his fellow guard and then to Piano, before leading the way to a nearby building.

As Forte watched the three of them walk away, he couldn’t help but laugh to himself. There were so many interesting people walking around him. Oh what fun this “tournament” was going to be for him. But first, he had to find more information on this “God Eater” that seemed to be running this tournament.

Piano & Forte

[Piano & Forte] Round 1: A Dance in Shadows

Original Doc

Dawn of Conflict:

Tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock.

The ever present ticking of the countdown on the monitors surrounding the Cross Colosseum was enough to set everyone in the surrounding business district abuzz with excitement, even as most of them attempted to keep their heads down and busy with their day’s business. At 8am exactly, the brackets for the afternoon’s tournament match would be announced by none other than Miss X, who had seemed pretty excited at even announcing the time of the announcement, having put on quite a show of it the day before.

As the time of revealing closed in more and more, bystanders began to slow their gait, their eyes, feelers, tendrils, and other sensory organs towards the gigantic screens that encircled the top of the Colosseum, waiting for the sounds of Miss X’s voice to ring out from them. With only a minute left until the announcement, the normally bustling Business District of the Crossroads suddenly went eerily silent with everyone’s gaze all facing the same direction like they had all been brainwashed to watch the same program.

With a sudden hiss of static, the screen began to shift as there was a collective gasp of surprise from the bystanders. With a few flickering transitions, the blank screen began to show the image of a pink heart nearly filling the screen. There was a cheer from the audience then, as the “heart” began to move around frantically.

“Hello? Is this thing on? Can all of you bea-u-tiful people see me?” The source of the voice began to back up, revealing the tutu wearing, cat-inspired figure of Miss X for all to see. She spun around on her spot on the platform in the arena, spinning her microphone in her hand as she gave a cutesy pose to the camera as her bells jingled with all of the excited movement.

“Can my wonderful fans hear me?” There was a loud cheer from the people outside, which she put a hand up to her ear as if to hear the sound that bellowed from all around her and filled the business district with noise. “Good! That’s the sound I love to hear in the morning! Now, are you all ready to see a heart pounding show today?”

She grasped her chest as she said it, a large, pink cartoon heart bursting out of her chest in a few exaggerated pumps as she said that. The audience gave a loud cheer, though not quite as loud as the first as laughter also echoed from the surroundings from the absurd display she put on. “How meow-verlous! Now, while I don’t have a concert planned for today, I did bring you something even better: the first round of the Crossroad’s Tournament, starting this afternoon!” More cheers as she pointed up in the sky dramatically, holding that pose as the adoration poured in from around her.

“Madame Chief has brought together eight of the best fighters she could find, all vying for a wish granted by the God Eater herself? Isn’t Mom just the best? Who will have what it takes to earn that coveted wish and get whatever it is that they desire? Join me in this purr-fectly spectacular adventure!” She gave a cheerful pose as a fireworks display went off behind her, creating another roar of cheers from the surrounding audience.

“Now, let’s give you all the thing you’ve been waiting for: the name of the warriors who will be fighting for your entertainment!” She gestured upwards with her hand as the camera followed her movements, going to a large screen she projected as eight names appeared on it:

Quan vs. Prince Armius Tu El Kaligos

Piano vs. Angelique.

Volley vs. Vilivian.

Rum vs. Pembrooke.

As these eight names lingered on screen for a bit, all the people surrounding the Colosseum began to murmur to each other, each trying to figure out if anybody had heard about or seen these eight in town over the last day or so. Some made note of Volley, the nephew of the bartender Saki, who had a reputation among regulars of the bar. Pembrooke also created a stir, many having noted the mech near the beach for storage and the man who maintained it for the tournament. The rest didn’t seem to ring any particular bells at the moment, though a few did begin to ring as Miss X began to move and take the focus of the camera and audience once more.

“Ahem. While we currently won’t show the fighters themselves until the tournament proper, that doesn’t mean you can’t all start getting ready to show them that good ol’ fashioned Crossroads Pride and give them a hearty cheer of welcome, does it?” The roaring cheer in response was enough to shake buildings, each person giving a bellowing cry of welcome with all of their might as Miss X gave a cheer of her own. “And now, let’s leave this off with a quick word from Madame Chief!”

Miss X gestured behind her, to the regal red chair that Madame Chief typically sat on. It was empty when the camera focused on it, but when Miss X said those words, nine tails suddenly obscured the throne from nowhere, each of the eyes giving the camera a wink. Then, with the ringing of bells, the tails parted as the elegant Madame Chief now sat upon her throne, resting her chin on her hand at a tilted angle with a look of amusement on her face. She donned an outfit of resplendent red and gold, her nine tails acting as a cushion for her as she sat with her legs crossed as she gazed down at the camera with her pipe in hand.

“Show me a good time, and I might just grant one of your deepest desires, dear travelers~” She gave a blow of smoke from her pipe, the lens of the camera being filled with white and red smoke. Suddenly, everyone who was watching the broadcast had their vision filled with the smoke as it took the form of a white and red flower that bloomed, then scattered in a brilliant light as people clapped and cheered for the start of the tournament.

With that, everyone was suddenly sent scattering. Some went to begin producing merchandise for the competitors, while others began making bets and wagers both openly and in secret shady corners. Some went off to scour for the competitors or to talk with those who might not have seen, while others went to where they knew they might find one or two.

At the beach, a mech was suddenly seen powering on and taking off, it’s thrusters giving off a whitish-blue hue as it flew high in the sky above the Crossroads as people shouted up at the fleeing competitor. The pilot inside just gave the crowd a salute, waving down at them as he flew off to a different section of the Crossroads so he could focus on his maintenance of his ATG.

The Fox’s Den, meanwhile, was being overrun with curious customers that were both trying to start the gossip of the fighters, while others began poking around for the whereabouts of Volley, not realizing the boy was already out training for his match that day. At first, Saki tolerated the sudden increase of noise, but as more people came in without getting drinks and started getting more nosy and invasive, eventually even her patience ran out as she set a nice Irish coffee for one of her customers, a tanned skinned demon woman accompanied by a blonde woman that was trying to look small among all the noise looking for her exactly. “Pardon me just one second.” the oni bartender excused herself, rolling up her sleeves as she walked to the divide in the bar that let her out.

Grabbing the first four of the intruders she could reach, she pushed them all close to give herself a good front of the group, then bellowed, “If you all aren’t going to be respectful customers, then I must ask you TO LEAVE!” With a strength beyond imagining, she began shoving into the group, creating what looked like the most lopsided scrum the multiverse had ever seen. The massive press of people slowly grew as she pushed them back more, the crowd gathering their strength to try and stay in. But as the oni gave another mad bellow, they found that their combined strength was no match for her, and soon the backline of the horde was starting to get pushed through the door at the entrance.

There was a brief pause as the largest section of the crowd were all squeezed together and blocking the door, giving the rest hope that they might stop the furious oni’s forward press. But with a crossing of her arms and one last shout with all of her might as she charged forward, the crowd was suddenly all pushed through the door at once and sent flying through the air outside as Saki slashed her arms in an X-formation. The forms of a few dozen people now laid outside the tavern in various states of consciousness as Saki dusted off her hands.

“And don’t come back until you learn the first thing about how to behave in a bar!” She ordered, glaring at them all before returning to her position behind the counter, cleaning a glass as everyone in the bar gave her looks of awe or respect at such an impressive display from the former champion. She looked to the next customer she was supposed to help before the interruption, as if nothing had happened. “So, did you need anything from me?”

Meanwhile, at the Kit Inn, one competitor and her brother were about to begin their day of preparation for the tournament...

Initial Discovery:

“So, that is the visage of that which I seek~” Forte gave a pleased hum at the end of the presentation, having finally gotten a good look at his quarry. Piano sat nearby, taking an oiled rag to her ninjato in preparation for the fight she was going to face that afternoon. “She certainly strikes a most stunning figure for such a title as ‘God Eater.’ That moniker is most assuredly deserved having now gazed upon her myself~”

He took in a deep inhale through his nostrils, trying to pick up the last lingering smells of the opium that the Madame Chief had blown in everyone’s faces. In normal circumstances, he would’ve pulled out his cigar as if to match the atmosphere the God Eater had presented. But seeing as he was alone with his sister, he had no need to put up the front of a smoker when he had no need for disguises. Instead, he directed his attention to the seven names he wrote down earlier, of the other competitors in the tournament, tapping each one of them with his wand as he gave a thoughtful look.

The room he and Piano shared was rather sparse, a bare room with two beds and a few bits of furniture. While they had been there a day or so, their presence in the room was practically nonexistent, with only the slight ruffling of the pillows and blanket a sign the beds were slept in and even then, it seemed it was rather light sleep from the pair of them. Neither of the twins kept any of their personal items set up anywhere in the room, as if they were hiding every aspect of their personality in case an intruder broke into their room to gather information on them.

Forte sat near one of the desks, his notebook open in front of him as he consulted his notes, while Piano’s weapons and other supplies were on the other table as she prepared them for tonight’s battle. They were arranged by type, half made of tempered steel, half made with steel quenched in her blood that gave a dark red tint to it. Forte looked down at his notes, circling the name “Angelique” written down in plain letters, the rest of the words around it written in his usual cipher.

“But first, I suppose we will need to start making arrangements to gather certain pieces of intelligence about the ones arrayed against you in this contest of martial capability. Having said that, this Prince Armius certainly draws the gaze of this humble writer.” He shook his head, looking back towards his sister. “But I would scarce say it would be ill of me to focus on my ambitions and not on the pressing matter of your opponent indeed. This Angelique figure shall be the first one who’s form we shall firmly take grasp upon before you must render her unable to progress in this tournament hence.”

Piano shook her head herself. “It shouldn’t be a problem if I have to take care of it all myself. It’s what we usually do.” She inspected the keen edge of her blade, pulling out a whetstone and sharpening the weapon slightly to make it easier to slash open her enemy and put the corrupting force of her blood in her enemy. She also had a collection of knives on the table nearby, ready to be re-hidden throughout her body.

“All the same, I must already endeavor to inspect each of the warriors to see if they are of great import individually. A paradigm shift to put your priorities over mine is but a trifle for me. Be not afeared, my sister. I shall be the opening cannonadery in bringing down your foes, each in turn. Plus, assuring your victory is the most erstwhile manner in which to place myself within striking distance of the famed God Eater herself~”

Piano just gave him a long look, before nodding and sheathing her blade. As she started to hide her daggers in the various hiding spots she had sewn into all of her clothes, Forte looked at the tourist map of the Crossroads he had found, tapping certain landmarks with his finger. “The Fox’s Den shall be the most expedient location for intelligence gathering. I would imagine with some coin, the barkeep lips should prove the most likely harbor for that which I desire.”

“Of course brother.” she responded simply, the last weapon hidden out of sight. “And I shall keep an eye out from the shadows. If anything goes wrong…”

“It won’t, dear sister. Any chicanery I participate in should go unnoticed by any that would be of consequence. The Crossguards have yet to take issue with my probing inquiries, so I have little doubt my current escapades shall be of little fault. And if it does prove to be of a more troublesome scenario than originally scripted, then we have quite a few alternative ventures at the ready to pursue before danger assails us too greatly.”

Piano looked worried, but said nothing as she stepped out the window, bracing herself on the edge of the ledge as she looked at her brother. Then, without another sound, she disappeared over the roof of the building, climbing up and seeking out the shadows as her brother calmly closed the window behind her, chuckling to himself as he looked down at the list of names with a confident smirk. “And now, to which of you will my gaze land upon first? Shall I find my target on the first outing, or shall it be quite the ordeal to obtain what I desire?”

With a hum, he stepped out of the shared room and locked the door behind him, smiling to himself as he made his way out of the inn. By the time he started making his way out the door, his features were already being altered by magic, his skin now an olive color, his eye a shared hazel, and his more diabolic features hidden from sight. With his disguise in place, he began making his presence known to the locals by beginning to interrogate them about what they might know about the other fighters.

While he had said that the Fox’s Den would be the best place to look for information, he also knew that most people were more perceptive than they gave themselves credit for. And yet, so far, he didn’t get any usable information from anyone on the street. It seems with so many unique individuals running around the Crossroads, narrowing down the likely candidates for the tournament was already a full-on game that even the people who live there all their lives still hadn’t mastered. If he was going to have any hope of finding Angelique or any of the others, he was going to need to turn to an expert in information gathering, such as the bartender of the Fox’s Den.

For a moment, he thought he felt someone move past him, though when he turned back, he saw nothing. Forte brushed it off at first, but then he noticed that he could no longer feel his sister’s gaze watching over him. Assuming she went to investigate whatever he felt and knowing she could catch up with him at the Fox’s Den, he shrugged and moved on to the bar itself.

Though instead of heading straight there, he took the scenic route, both to ask a few more people questions and to give his sister time to finish her own investigation. Despite his confident words earlier, he knew he didn’t want to be entirely alone when he had finally caught his quarry.

He knew how much anger his words could draw upon himself, after all.

------------------

With all the troublemakers having been forced out by Saki earlier, the bar was now much calmer, though there was still an air of excitement as discussion of the potential fighters was already abuzz. There were quite a few people of various races sitting around talking, including quite a few Crossguards that were off-duty. Though one didn’t seem to want to wear his outfit right, the top half hanging off his chest and his raccoon like tail swished behind him while he drank at the bar near a tan girl and her blonde companion.

One woman looked confident, talking loudly to her companion as her teeth showed from how excitedly she talked. The blonde woman, which Forte could only tell from the strands that stuck out in front of her hood, rubbed her arms that were covered in long sleeves as she seemed to quietly respond and looked around the room as if looking for a threat. Her eyes met Forte’s and she gave him a glare, but he just seemed to brush it off for now, looking away casually as he strode forward. Forte decided to sit between the two groups, bracing his arms against the bar as he looked out for the barkeep.

He didn’t have to wait long. Within the minute, the red oni barkeep made her way down from the VIP Lounge, carrying with her an empty margarita glass as the sound of a woman giggling followed her down. As Saki resumed her position behind the bar, she turned her attention to the newcomer. “Welcome to the Fox’s Den. I’m sure you’re here for the same reason everyone else is?”

“Ah, I believe my motivations have been sussed out so expediently. Was my intentions so wantonly painted on my visage?” Forte gave a chuckle, tapping his fingers along the bar as if writing a message.

“No. But it’s what everyone’s talking about, since the tourney starts today.” she replied coolly, not responding emotionally to his baited response. “And I’ll give you the same answer I gave everyone else: buy a drink or two and I’ll point you in the right direction.”

Forte considered it for a second, then put down some coins on the bar counter. “Consider this a forward payment for the next few patrons that wish to partake in your potages. Though I doubt with all the festivities, such a kind offering will last until even half till eventide.” He smirked at his joke, though Saki only rolled her eyes.

The man in the Crossguard outfit suddenly turned to Forte, setting down his cup of water as Saki casually walked over to take it away, placing some utensils on the counter in front of him instead as his tail swished behind him. “Why would you do that?”

Forte gave the man a curious look as Saki raised an eyebrow, looking between the two of them. “And pray tell as to what you are referring to?”

“What you just did, buying all those drinks, but not taking them yourself. Are you planning on giving those to your opponents, in hopes of inhibiting them for the match tonight? In which case, I will pass. If you’re hoping to get any information by giving out those drinks, then I’m sure the locals will appreciate it more than your opponents will. Or are you hoping to do both?” The man gave Forte a strange look at that.

Forte, for his part, looked rather bemused for a moment, though his usual visage soon graced his face once more as he recovered and thought up his next line of dialogue. “Ah, that is indeed usually the custom upon most planes I have visited upon. I was hoping to use these potages as a means to ply for intelligence about the warriors. But not because I myself will be participating in the melee. I am but a mere journalist, investigating those participating in the Cross Tournament and encouraging the excitement surrounding them all.”

The man tilted his head, nearly tipping over during the motion.. “A journalist, you say? And you’re interviewing all the fighters?”

Forte gave a nod of his head, pulling out his notebook. ”Forsooth. I also intend to interview the proprietress of the entire battle royale herself, Madame Chief. I imagine she would make quite the interesting character interview.”

“The God Eater? Is your only purpose in doing all this really to talk to the goddess of the Crossroads?”

Forte gave a thoughtful expression at that, though inside he was already pretty settled on his response while Saki moved down the bar to talk to the two women for a bit. “I suppose if I must conjure a response to that, I would say that while I am interested in the competitors themselves, I would be remiss to say that I’m not supremely fascinated in the likes of a mortal who has ascended to godhood.”

“Are you interested in immortality then? Are you hoping she can provide you with the means to obtain it yourself?”

“Not in the slightest, good sir.” Forte said, sounding offended. “I’m merely satisfying an idle curiosity of mine regarding such beings. Is there aught wrong with that? Such creatures are rare treasures, anthropologically speaking. To pass such an opportune moment to seize upon an interview with such a being with such a storied journey into the present.”

“I suppose not.” The man responded, returning to an upright position. “But if that’s all you're interested in, then I can satisfy it for you. After all, I am an immortal being forced to inhabit a mortal body for this tournament.”

Forte leaned back for a moment, seriously studying his conversation partner. His eyes narrowed, the disguise’s brown sparkling for a moment with his natural colors before he spoke. “Is that so, good sir? Well then, I pray you tell me more of such a revelation, for you have most certainly captured my fullest attention.”

The man in the Crossguard uniform crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. “I am a shinigami, a death god that guides the souls of the deceased to the other side. In this place, I go by Rum. I suppose it is the custom of mortals to say it is a pleasure to meet you.”

If Forte was surprised, he did well to not show it as he pulled out his notebook and wrote something down. “A most interesting admission indeed. And one of the names of the warriors participating in the Madame’s tourney. I was seeking out the likes of you. But I think that this was quite the initial greeting. I gathered enough material to establish a preliminary article upon your personage. If you progress any further amongst these fighters, I shall need to conduct a secondary interview. Mayhaps we can settle our little discussion at a later time, in these common halls. For unlike you, time is ever my enemy and this eve’s tourney is fast approaching.”

As he said that, Saki returned with a plate of food, which she placed in front of Rum as he turned to her. “I suppose. For now, I would like to eat. Having a mortal body is so troublesome.”

The barwoman gave a sigh. “I’m sure it is for someone like you. I can’t believe the Madame is having me take care of you while you’re here. I already have my hands full between the bar, Chifu, and Volley.” She then turned to Forte. “And as for you, you wanted information on the fighters, right? Well, you’ve already met Rum, so I hope that makes you happy. If not, I can point you to one more fighter.” She jerked her head down the bar.

At the other end, the two women were discussing quietly among themselves, one with a new tankard of ale in her hand as she spoke, the other looking like she was doing her best not to draw attention to themselves as she tried to hush her companion. Forte gave the two of them a studying look, ignoring the scarfing noises of Rum behind him. Saki produced a glass from seemingly out of nowhere, cleaning it with a rag as she shrugged.

“One of those two girls is the fighter you’re looking for. I would tell you which one it is, but you didn’t give me enough coin for that after I already gave you Rum. You’ll have to figure out which one is which on your own.” Saki gave him a look as Forte’s confident grin returned to his face.

“This should make for an amusing diversion indeed. I prefer this kind of task than a more simple retrieval mission of intelligence. I must thank you most sincerely for your continued generosity and your assistance in guiding me towards my incoming interview.” He stood up from his stool, making his way over to the girls.

As he began to approach, both girls took notice of him. The blonde woman was instantly on the defensive, giving Forte a quick glare. The tan skinned woman, however, quickly turned to block her from sight with her body, giving the newcomer a friendly smile.

“Well hey there. What’s a guy like you doing, approaching two girls at a bar, especially when one has a drink in her hand? That seems awfully suspicious to me.” Her words sounded somewhat hostile, but her smile showed she wasn’t upset with him yet.

Forte returned her jovial mood with a grin of his own. “I happened to notice you partaking in a beverage of a spirited variety not too distantly ago. Perchance you did not depart with any coinage when you conducted your transaction?”

The women looked somewhat confused at his words, taking a few moments to translate his words in their heads as he grinned at them and seemed to jot something down. The blonde hair woman still kept her glare at him, while the tanned woman recovered her smile. “Yeah, I think. The bartender said that this drink was free, already covered on someone else’s tab. Were you the one who bought this drink for me?”

“I am afeared I am merely guilty of a misdemeanor in that regard. While I purchased a few drinks, none of them were patently directed for your tastebuds. You merely took advantage of my more general generosity.” He took a seat near the tanned woman, leaning onto his hand as they talked.

“Well thanks anyway. With how crazy today is going to be, I think this drink will go a long way before the match.” She raised a toast to him, taking a draught of alcohol as he laughed in response.

“Forsooth. This eve will prove quite the exciting event indeed. I pray that all of the fighters prove to be as capable as their selection by the God Eater would suggest them to be.” At that, the blonde woman seemed to wince, though the tanned demon’s body blocked his view of her.

“Well I don’t know, you tell me?” The tanned woman flexed her arm, showing off her impressive muscles. Forte raised an eyebrow, sitting up as he looked at her musculature. The fact that she gave away her identity as the fighter so quickly was suspicious to him, especially since he hadn’t even asked them yet. But he said nothing as he reached forward.

“Would you mind if I assessed your prowess for myself more tactilely? I don’t quite have the keen gaze when it comes to physical strength, so I prefer to use my more finely tuned fingers to make a proper judgement on such matters.” He gave a wry grin, laughing as he did.

The tanned woman gave her own laugh, not seeming to reject his reach. “Normally I’d charge for such a touch. But since you bought my drink for me, I suppose that should be fine.”

Forte took a feel of her arms, impressed by the raw strength she seemed to possess. He didn’t quite have the skill to assess someone’s physical ability like Piano could, but even he could tell just how strong she was. If she really was one of the fighters, she might prove to be a formidable opponent indeed. Though unless has some other talents that make her strong, Forte doubted she would be an opponent Piano couldn’t beat.

“I must say, I am quite impressed indeed. Whatever implements of destruction you utilize must be equally as intimidating as your strength alone proves you to be. I feel great fear for whomever draws the rather dubious misfortune of facing you as a rather formidable obstacle in their bid for the God Eater’s wish.” He thought that flattery might prove useful against such an opponent.

It did seem to endear him to her, as she laughed and gave him a smack on his back in a friendly manner, though the term “God Eater,” drew a shudder and a shake of the head from the less talkative woman.. “You’ll have to wait till the match to see that. I don’t give up anything valuable on the first date. Good try though.”

“A great shame.” He teased back, winking at her. “Surely I can gleam but a small morsel of your talents just prior to the match as recompense for purchasing your eve’s quenching?”

“Sure. Are you volunteering to be the testing dummy?” She gave him a laugh, giving him a punch on the shoulder. Even though she was being gentle, his arm still felt slightly sore from the bump. He gave her a laugh as his eyes began to sparkle with mischief as he was ready to move to his next target.

“I had to endeavor to at least make the attempt to get that exclusive scoop prior to the match. Journalistic instincts. Speaking of such…” He leaned around the demon woman, looking at the blonde hiding behind her. “... my instincts tell me that I would be remiss if I didn’t address your partner to your far side.”

The blonde woman flinched, keeping her arms close to her as she turned to the conversation now that she was being addressed. “Your instincts are wrong. Keep that tongue to yourself if you’d like to keep it.”

“Ah, what a fiery maid indeed. I thought I was already discussing matters with the firebrand, but it was in the shadows I should be wary.” Rather than be upset, he looked rather amused by her words. He seemed used to dealing with aggressive people, leaning into the conversation as he now had two people to split his attention with.

She rolled her eyes. “Congratulations, you got yourself burned. Not back away before you really get yourself seriously torched.” The tanned demon between them just took a sip of her drink, a look mixed between worried and amused by the developing conversation. But she made sure to keep her body in between them literally, ensuring that he knew she was keeping her friend safe.

Forte took note of this, looking between the two women with great interest. ‘So the demon warrior is protecting the more humanly maiden? An archetypal relation to point, but that is not like to be the sole facet of this pair. Mayhaps the more solemn one is of greater import than the demon wishes me to circumgather by information gleamed thus far.’

Speaking out loud, he addressed the frailer woman once more. “I do beg your pardon, but if these sparks are the greatest your embers can burn, than I have little to be afeared when it comes to the bite of your choleric tone. I’ve dealt with harsher hellfires than the small blaze you wish to set upon me as your definition of ferocity. Nonetheless, I should as like begin making my intentions known to the pair of you. I am but a humble journalist sent to the Crossroads to do my due diligence of covering the Cross Tournament. In particular, I choose to focus on exposes of the warriors commissioned to compete to give the audiences abroad a greater appeal towards the ones they wish to cheer for.”

The hooded woman gave him a skeptical look, not really believing him. “Sorry, I’m not doing interviews at the moment. You’ll need to talk to my agent, and they’re sick at home.Besides, I have nothing to do with any of this. So why don’t you go take a hike and look somewhere else for your big scoop.”

“Well as it just so happens, my darkened companion, that the proprietor of this establishment, after I made the purchases of the spirits your partner currently imbibes so dutifully, imparted onto me the knowledge that one of the eight warriors gathered for this day was seated in this specific location, so I would be rather remiss if I allowed such an individual to leave my area of inquiry without a preliminary conducting of ideal exchange.” As he spoke, he began writing down more notes in his little book, drawing the blonde’s attention.

“Then like I said, it’s got nothing to do with me. She’s the one fighting, so go back to talking to her.” She jerked her head at her partner, her arms staying crossed near her torso. The mentioned friend gave a polite wave, smiling all the while.

But the writer was undeterred. “Alas, as amusing of a conversation partner your living blockade is to engage with, my instincts inform me that you are the more likely one to engage with. Given the defensive behaviors both of you exhibit towards yourself, either your constitution is that of a far weaker being to gauge as capable, or certain conditions have led you to masking your role in this adventure. And given the amount of gudgeongry you have proven to manifest thus far, I have little reason to trust that it is the first condition that you exhibit. Which leads me to the latter, which seems a much more logical approach.”

Both women stiffened for a moment, looking at him with more openly suspicious looks. The demon responded first, leaning onto the bar to further block his view. “Oh yeah? Well as nice as it is talking to you, my friend said she doesn’t want to talk to you, so I’d suggest backing off now.”

“I pray you give me but a few moments longer. I consider it a duty of a most royal calling to-”

“And what do you know about royalty?!” The hooded woman slammed the bar with her fist at that, surprising the two more demonic individuals and spilling the rest of the alcohol. Forte had to bite back a grin as he jotted down something in his book, though he hadn’t noticed the almost metallic bang of her arm on the bar, nor did he notice her curled up fingers having a more metallic appearance as well.

‘The portcullis has lifted fractionally.’ “Well, while I certainly can make no claims about my condition as a member of nobility, I have conducted quite a few interviews with members of said status back on my plane of existence. As a matter of speaking, engaging in verbal combat with yourself has proven to remind of me of-”

“Don’t you dare compare me to them, you flashy bastard!” she shouted at him, standing up and her hood coming back to reveal her full face. Her blonde hair resting just past her chin swished with the motion, her dark blue eyes in a hard glared meeting his false hazel ones. The shadows around her feet seemed to darken, almost moving, but Forte had no way of noticing that between meeting her gaze and the demon woman going to stand up as well.

“I pray beg your forgiveness, I meant to draw no further ire by the comparison. Though I see little reasoning for such acts to draw offense, no matter how much I ponder it. Your raiments certainly lack a regal regalia’s appearance, though your feminal visage certainly draws one’s thinking towards-” His smirk was unmistakable as she went to take a step forward, the whole bar’s attention now drawn to the shouting match.

“YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME! DON’T YOU GO MAKING ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT ME!” She went to move forward, but the tanned woman put her arm out. “Vivi, let me go, I’ll-”

“No Angie, you need to calm down.” Vivi said, rolling her shoulders as she looked back at Angelique as Forte grinned at having finally confirmed it. “You need to save your energy for your match in a few hours.”

Angelique shook her head, still angered at his words. “You heard what he was saying. He knows nothing about what I’ve been through, and he’s making all those assumptions about me! I’m not going to sit here and just listen to him smugly talk about me like he knows anything about me!”

“If it is of any assistance,” Forte added, causing both girls to turn to him, “I was not attempting to make any such assertions that were meant to cause distress. I was merely probing into the psyche of my interviewee, hoping to gleam anything worthy of telling a story about. If you wish to relay it to me, I can be more careful in crafting what linguistic communications I impart upon you.”

Angelique glared at him, a few spells already on the tip of her tongue for him, but Vivi’s touch drew attention again. Her companion shook her head in an attempt to calm her, though she knew at this point, a fight was going to break out. It was more of a question on who would be dealing with this annoying guy.

“I’ll deal with this guy.” She began to walk forward menacingly, cracking her knuckles menacingly before raising her fist up as she prepared to give him a haymaker he won’t forget anytime soon.

As the other patrons in the bar looked on excitedly, Forte didn’t even flinch. He simply reached up to take off his glasses, as if preparing to take the blow. But as he started adjusting his clothes nonchalantly, he stood in place as Vivi’s fist began to rocket forward towards his face, racing towards him with an alarming speed and the force of a semi as….

--------------------------

Piano was balanced on her heels on the rooftops, jumping from roof to roof after her brother as she stepped with quick, but silent steps on the angled slopes above the street. She wasn’t the only one above the others. Various winged beings and other entities that do not wish to be seen were also skulking along the roofs with her. Most didn’t acknowledge her presence, but a few attempted to proposition her, which she quietly denied while making sure she didn’t lose track of her disguised brother.

One didn’t take too kindly to that. He was a man with large ears, tanned skin, and a pair of bat-like wings protruding from his arms. He gave her a wide grin. “Now come on little girl, spend some time with me before the tournament begins. I can guarantee you a good time if you just follow me~”

Piano gave him a suspicious look, not sure why this guy was approaching her. Her mismatched eyes examined him, though she quickly noticed his own eyes all over her. She got a bad feeling just being around him, and the way he smiled at her gave off a feeling of depravity. If she went with him, it was unlikely to end well for her.

So instead, she tried to wave him off. “Sorry, I was busy with something. Maybe later.” Internally, she cursed that she wasn’t being more forceful in her rebuke of him. This feeling solidified into regret inside of her stomach as he raised an eyebrow, leaning in as her insides churned with disgust.

“Oh really? Running around on the roofs in that outfit is something important?” He pointed at her flashy outfit, especially the lilac heels she was balanced on. “It certainly seems like you’re looking for attention. And I have plenty of it to give you~”

Piano gave a shiver of disgust, glancing away to look for her brother’s form below, though she noticed the creepy bat man’s ki move closer the moment she looked away. She didn’t move as she turned her attention back to him. “Like I said, I’m sorry, but I’m busy. I really should go…”

He attempted to grab onto Piano’s arm. “Now hold on girlie, we ain’t done-”

His words were interrupted by the heel of a palm slamming into his nose, a sickening crack echoing out as his nose broke upon impact. As Piano broke his nose, she reached past his face to grab the back of his head, kneeing him in the face before sending him tumbling off the roof. She knew his wings would allow him to slow his fall, so the light impact she heard below was not a surprise. She glanced over the edge, seeing him slumped in a pile of garbage in an unconscious stupor. Someone else looked over at him, then shrugged. “I’ll call the Crossguard to pick him up. They’ll deal with that creep.”

Piano just nodded, before moving on as her brother finished speaking with a few people and continued his way through the business district. As she watched, she saw a pair of Crossguards move past her brother. As they did, she suddenly felt a ki presence that was moving at an impossible speed. Her head whipped over to the source, her eyes narrowing in focus.on the person that was rapidly approaching.

She saw a blur of a man, with pale skin and dark hair with white streaks. She couldn’t make out too many other features as he ran through the Crossguards, nearly upending them as he ran by. She noticed her brother looking around, though he didn’t seem to notice anything as it happened too quickly for him from his position. Figuring that he might be a fellow competitor, she stood up fully and began to make her way after him.

At first, she did a decent enough job catching up. He was always slightly faster than her, but every time he needed to turn, she would cut diagonally along his path, closing some of the distance between them. Her own parkour skills, stolen from two people of exceptional talent in the skill, meant that her movements had as little waste as was possible, ensuring she remained at top speed at all times as she crossed gaps and roofs faster than their occupants could even realize she was there. She watched his running form, trying to see some of the mechanics of his movements to see if they were worth stealing for herself.

But as it turned out, his technical running form wasn’t quite as good as she suspected. If anything, her form, borrowed from a professional runner, was a superior form for a natural runner. The ki within his body also seemed to flow at an almost unnatural rate, providing his body with the life energy needed to operate at an even greater speed than was technically needed to operate at the speed he currently was going. Which meant that his ability was either a natural quirk of his body or it was done by magic, neither of which made them great candidates for her to steal his talent from him. But if he really was an opponent she would be facing in the tournament later, then it was worth observing him to look for weak points to exploit instead.

As she cut a tight corner to try and keep up as he turned, someone almost got in her way. She had sensed their approach and had already adjusted her path to avoid them, but the lady she blew past still gave a shout of surprise as Piano passed by, drawing some attention her way. Looking down, the devil blood saw her target looking up at her. He seemed confused at first, but then he seemed to laugh.

“Oh? You thought you could keep up with me and wanted to go on a run? Well then, how about we have a little race then? See if you can keep up with this!” He gave her a quick wave, then with a slight tensing of his legs, Piano could feel the ki in his body explode into activity. In the blink of an eye, he was already at the other end of the street, turning the corner at breakneck speed.

Piano’s jaw dropped slightly. She had expected his speed to be higher than he was showing before, but such an extreme difference was something beyond her expectations. She knew that even if she pushed her body to its breaking point, she could never hope to even trail behind him, much less match him. In just a second and a half, he had already left her ability to sense his ki. In ten seconds, he would likely already be a quarter of the way around the Business District.

Such impossible speeds would certainly make him a difficult opponent, Piano reasoned. She’d have to start planning her strategy to take him on now, if she wanted a chance to beat him in the later rounds. She dropped down to the ground level, landing with a gentle touch, not even a bell on her coattail ringing as she looked at the chaos his passage had caused. Many people were knocked over from the speedster having blown by them, and there was a few carts of fruits and vegetables that had been scattered by the quick passage of someone jumping through the gap. If she didn’t see for herself who caused it, she would’ve thought a hurricane had passed through and wrecked the whole street.

As she began to collect her thoughts and recover her senses, she suddenly felt another powerful source of ki in front of her. Her eyes looked up, purple and gold eyes met emerald, a stern expression on the shorter woman’s face as the latter seemed to study the former. The large braid of red hair easily dwarfed Piano’s ebony in volume, while the woman’s clothes were rather plain in comparison to the outrageous flashiness of the false magician. A sword was at her side, but the moment Piano looked at it, the shorter woman turned her body to hide it slightly, forcing Piano’s eyes back up as she began to speak. “....Your blood.” The woman’s voice was low, so low Piano almost didn’t hear it at first.

Piano looked confused, staring back at the woman with a look of surprise. “What are you talking about? What about my blood?” While her voice remained steady, it had a certain timidity to it when compared to the sturdy tenor the woman spoke with.

“Your blood.” The woman repeated again, her gaze unwavering in the other’s shyness. “When I first met the oni that runs the bar, I thought her blood would be the one that runs the hottest in this place. But yours… the taint that your blood carries is almost blazing in its aggression, on its desire to be let onto those near you. I couldn’t let you walk by me without getting a better look at you.”

At that, Piano’s eyes went from fearful to examining, a reaction the woman seemed to approve of. While Piano didn’t think of her blood as something of a big secret, in a tournament like this hiding that fact before the fights would have given her a slight upper hand, a tool her opponents wouldn’t expect.

But this woman seemed to have the ability to sense it. The most obvious thought was vampire, but her being out in the sunlight meant Piano had to dismiss that line of thinking. There were several creatures throughout the multiverse that could sense blood after all, most of which also tended to feed on it. So the fact that this woman approached Piano on the subject of blood meant…

Piano tilted her head to the nearby alley. “I think we should talk out of sight. I think people are looking at us weird. It’s making me uncomfortable.”

The woman raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t think it was anything for someone like you to be embarrassed about.” Nevertheless, the woman followed Piano into the shadows. It seemed that whoever this woman is, she certainly had the confidence in the strength her ki implied to the martial artist.

“...I’m not used to beings like you being so direct about my blood.” Piano explained, crossing her arms in a somewhat defensive gesture. “I have to fight today, so I can’t let you have any. I’m sorry, you’ll have to wait till after the tournament is over.”

The woman looked surprised, as if not expecting that kind of response. “Don’t worry, I am in complete control. While the fragrance of your blood is certainly the most intoxicating one I’ve experienced in a long time and the strength and aggressiveness your body possess interests me, I have no need to drink it, if that’s what you fear. Your blood is the most unique I’ve ever seen, so I’m very interested in seeing how you utilize it, Blackblood. For you are not alone in being a warrior in this tournament.”

Piano let her mild surprise show, her mind racing. There were only two identifiably female names on the list besides her own, with Volley and Rum being potential candidates; Angelique and Vilivian.. And one of those was her opponent. If she had found her now, this was a great chance. “...Piano.” was all she whispered back, judging the reaction of the older woman.

The woman in front of her listened, then gave a noise of disappointment. Without even saying her name, she had already identified herself as not being Angelique, which meant that this woman had to be one of the three likely candidates on the opposite side of the bracket. “I am Vilivian. It means both of us will have to win two bouts if I am going to have a chance to see what makes your blood so special for myself.”

Piano looked away at that, looking slightly embarrassed at those words. While it was what she intended to do, it was weird to hear a potential opponent encouraging her to win. Especially one that was mainly interested in seeing her blood being spilled. “Of course. I have things I want to get-”

But she stopped as both she and Vilivian sensed more people approaching. Piano recognized one of them, as the batman from before landed in the alley with them, a small gang of thuggish looking individuals accompanying him, including a large stone man who cracked his rock like fists. His nose was still bent at an odd angle, and his voice was more nasally as he spoke. “So, this is where you were trying to go, girlie. But I’m afraid this is as far as you go without paying your debt.”

Vilivian jerked her head towards them, looking at Piano. “Do you know these males, Blackblood?”

Piano shook her head quietly, glancing between the woman and the men. She didn’t think he would be this persistent, nor that he’d have this many allies. Her first instincts told her to run and hide to avoid drawing too much attention, but it didn’t seem like this guy would let her go so easily. Maybe she could knock him and his buddies out so she could get away from him and meet up with her brother. But with that many, she might start burning through her stamina to do so, which would make the fight with Angelique later that much harder.

The batman meanwhile was looking at Piano’s conversation partner with a sneer, looking down at her with his crooked smile. “Ah, so is this who was so important for ya’ to meet that you couldn’t spend time with me? You should’ve let me know, I would’ve invited her too.”

The glare she gave him was withering, making the man step back. But he quickly got his nerve back as she shot an equally withering retort at him. “I have no interest in males like you. Leave us now. This is your only warning.”

All the men looked at each other, then they all began to laugh. Both women stared as some of the thugs began to double over with laughter. Even the large stone man, who easily towered over eight feet, was chuckling with its arms crossed in front of it. “Now boys, these girls are clearly new to the Crossroads. So they don’t know who we are. Look, there’s a reason the Crossguards don’t mess with us. So you best be coming with us.”

“We’re not interested, male. We’ll be going now to continue our conversation.” The red haired woman whirled around to walk away, Piano getting ready to follow her with wide eyes, looking back at the thugs.

“Nuh-uh, where do you think you’re going little ladies?” The batman asked, his sneer at its widest as he jerked his head. The stone golem walked forward, reaching forward to grab the red haired woman’s arm.

The moment his hand touched his arm, her head spun around, a dangerous gleam in her emerald eyes as she grabbed a hold of his arm. Pulling him forward with impossible strength, she gave a haymaker directly into its face. The large man suddenly went flying down the alley, bits of his stone skin cracking and flecking off its face as he went flying towards the other. Most managed to dodge, but one man was completely crushed under his friend.

All of the thugs looked shocked at the feat of strength. Piano also looked surprised, but quickly sprang into action as well to try and end the fight before too much attention was drawn to them. All of the men spun around, just in time for one of them to receive a right cross from Vilivian, turning his neck at an impossible angle with a loud crack, while another had his leg kicked out before being axe kicked into the ground by Piano.

While they took out the thugs, Piano knocking them out and Vilivian seeming to kill them with single blows, Piano watched her future potential opponent movements to see how she fights. All of the Matriarch’s movements were smooth, controlled, and deliberate with no movements wasted. Her impressive strength meant that she just needed direct hits, so she seemed to always aim for the torso. As she watched Vilivian, Piano came to the realization that what Vilivian fought with wasn’t a martial art in the traditional sense. It was more like a proto-martial art, the base upon which other martial arts could be built upon.

For someone of her talents, such a thing was highly sought after, especially one as refined as Vilivian’s. Piano had to be careful to put some of her attention on the thugs, choking one of them out as most of the others went to try and gang up on Vilivian, only to get flung away and most of them knocked out from the backfist she dished out on them. The devil blood would have to try and watch most of this opponent’s matches, but knew if she really wanted it, she would have to face her in battle herself.

None of the men that were arrayed around them even stood a chance with the combined force of both warriors, Piano’s skill and Vilivian’s overpowering strength too much for even the toughest of them to handle. Neither woman even suffered a blow as Vilivian killed a solid quarter of them, the others she fought being severely damaged, while Piano did her best to cause as little permanent damage as possible while she incapacitated them.

.As the stone man stood up once more, he gave a loud bellow and charged forward, running towards Vilivian with both hands raised in a hammerblow. But just as he reached her, she leapt up towards his head, jumping over his attack as he cracked the ground. She gave a ferocious punch to the face, fully cracking it with the force as a shockwave emanated from it. She followed through on the blow, using gravity to enhance her already immense strength as she slammed his rock-like skull onto the earth below, cracking and shattering the ground with the blow as the force of it shook the nearby buildings.

Piano, meanwhile, noticed the batman beginning to fly away. Running up the wall slightly, she jumped after him and grabbed his leg, throwing him off-balance as she slammed him into the ground. With a quick blow to the back of the head slamming his face into the ground, he was once again rendered unconscious for the day.

Vilivian stood up from the small crater she had created with her attack, shaking off some bits of rock from her hand before brushing back a loose strand of hair from her face, turning back to Piano. “Tch. Just as I thought, these weren’t even worth my attention. Now, back to what we were talking about…”

Piano cleared her throat a little, looking embarrassed once more as she had turned to see people outside of the alley looking in with slack jaws, having been disturbed by what they had heard, especially the sickening sounds of men losing their lives. The talent thief didn’t want too much attention drawn as it was, and certainly not by getting into fights alongside supernaturally strong fighters she’d have to take on later. “I, uh, think we’ve caused a bit of a mess. Perhaps we can continue this later, when everybody isn’t looking at us.”

Sure enough, Piano could hear them discussing if the two women in the alley were some of the competitors and excitement was beginning to rise where fear or surprise once took hold. Piano’s skin darkened as she began to blush, wanting nothing more than to return to the shadows and be hidden. The Matriarch gave a sigh. “I’ll let you go for now, Blackblood. But I will take your words as a promise of future meetings.” She began to walk away, then looked down at the foes Piano defeated. “..You’re too soft. Someone of your pedigree had the right to end these fools for bothering you. I suppose that’s something else for us to talk about next time.”

The older woman left the alley first, the people blocking the entrance parting ways as she made to walk past them. Despite visually being one of the smaller people on the streets as Piano followed her out, the latter’s ki sense showed that she was in fact one of the biggest people in sight. She would prove to be a dangerous opponent for Piano indeed.

As Piano made her way back towards the Fox’s Den, she suddenly felt the presence of the speedster’s key as she felt a hand on her shoulder nearly as soon as she felt it. “Good try. Maybe next time.” Before she could turn to see him, he was already down the street and moving out of sight. Piano gave a confused look, before walking away.

The devil blood moved quickly, trying to reach her twin before he got too into trouble. Just as she was reaching the entrance, she felt the presence of several strong kis. Most were inside, three of them close to where her brother was. There was another source that inside was unlike anything she had ever felt before. It gave off such a strange, almost otherworldy aura, it almost distirubed her.

But the presence in front of her gave off an almost overwhelming sense of strength, even greater that Vilivian gave off. She had only felt a few people of this level of life force, and all of them had been people she wanted to avoid. It was so great, she almost didn’t notice the also powerful, though clearly malevolent source that was right next to them, which only made it even more overwhelming just sensing the pair of them. She began to look for the source of it, just to see who she would need to avoid in the future.

But then she heard a commotion inside, and knowing her brother, it was likely not good for him. Hoping the overwhelming presence didn’t notice her, she dashed into the Fox’s Den, looking to see what was going on inside.

-----------------

As Viola reared her fist back to punch Forte, the false journalist just rocked on his heels, presenting his cheek to her. As the tanned demon’s fist came rocketing towards him, there was a flash of red and violet raced across the room.

In just a moment, Piano had raced from the entrance to the bar, placing herself between her brother and a threat. As the punch reached her, Piano caught the blow, redirecting the force of the attack into a more circular motion and causing the demon woman to get flung into the air. With the force of her own attack being used against her, Viola was flung halfway across the room and landed with a hard thud, causing drinks on the nearby tables to vibrate and nearly tip over if their owners didn’t grab them hurriedly.

Everyone looked at the newcomer with some surprise, Saki and Forte being the exception. Forte looked proud of his sister, while Saki was keeping a careful eye out to make sure the bar fight didn’t get out of control. But she had noticed that Piano had carefully aimed to ensure Viola wouldn’t hit anything. It would be interesting to see what some of these new fighters were capable of up close.

Angelique looked concerned for her friend, running over to help her up. “Vivi, are you ok?”

Vivi got up slowly, rubbing her back as if it was sore. “Well, I wasn’t expecting to be on the ground while trying to punch a nerd. But that wasn’t too bad.”

Angelique looked up at Piano, glaring at her. “So why did you decide to jump into this? This fight had nothing to do with you.”

Piano looked back at her brother, who gave her a shrug and a smirk at everything that was going on. “I was just protecting someone who lets his words get ahead of himself sometimes. I’d like to ask you all to forget what he said and just move on.”

Angelique glared at her even harder, pointing at him. As she did, Piano noticed that while ki flowed through her body like normal, her arms didn’t seem to receive any. Looking closer, Piano noticed the metallic look on her fingers. Between the expression and emotions she showed, and the damaged her body seemed to sustain, Piano could sense there was something dark involved in her past. ‘Prosthetics? I can only imagine what she’s been through. The anger and sadness she holds must be great.’

“He just sat there insulting me this whole time! He needs to apologize first, and even that won’t be enough.” Angelique stood up, as did Vivi.

Piano stood her ground, still in a martial arts stance between them and Forte. She shook her head, even knowing he probably was purposely pushing the pair’s buttons. “I doubt he sees anything wrong with what he did. He thinks that to best find out a person’s true personality is to see every aspect of them, including anger. Please don’t hold it against him.”

Forte gave an almost mocking bow at that, smiling up at them all. “A more apt description, I could scarcely manufact. I must thank you so kindly for such a succinct description of my interviewing process.”

Vivi cracked her neck at that, rolling her shoulders in anticipation to continue the fight. “Wanting to see our true personalities, are you? Very well, why don’t I give you a close up preview?”

She held her hand out, and Piano grew more tense as a shape started to appear in her hand. A large dark red club with dark gray spikes materialized into Vivi’s hand, who then swung the weapon a couple of times as if to test the weight despite clearly being very familiar with the weapon. Behind her, Piano could hear her brother writing down a few notes on what was happening, the sister sighing knowing he was getting his job done.

“You ready, devil girl? I’m not going to hold back for you!” Vivi charged forward, swinging her club at Piano wildly. The acrobatic warrior backed up as she was approached, her brother quickly moving out of the way as they reached the bar. Jumping over Vivi’s attack, Piano grabbed the mostly empty drink that the former had just been drinking and flung it in the demon’s face, blinding her for a moment as the slighter girl leaped over her to get space once more.

As Vivi cleared her eyes and turned to face Piano, the latter began to move to circle… and there were two of them now. The tanned demon rubbed her eyes again to try and clear them, but the illusion still remained. She looked between them for a moment longer, then picked one and charged. This Piano went to dodge, but Viola anticipated it and went to intercept her with the swing, only to pass through air as the illusion faded.

She wheeled around to find the other, only to feel the heel of Piano’s foot embed itself into her cheek. Viola barely moved from the blow, as Piano realized just how tough her opponent was and quickly dropped low before Vivi could grab her leg and retaliate. Piano glanced at her brother as he began writing again, seeing his lips moving as he began to cast another illusion to aid her in this fight.

But before he could finish, he suddenly felt a woman drape herself upon his shoulder, the man nearly dropping his notebook as he moved to catch her. He certainly wasn’t as strong as his sister, but even he could carry someone as lightweight as this woman, both physically and in relation to alcohol. The woman had red hair and dark clothes, with the smell of alcohol on her breath as she looked up at the man who caught her with a smile. Two pairs of mismatched eyes met, both having a single gold orb, while red and purple separated the similarities between them.

“Thanks for catching me~ I heard a lot of noise downstairs and came wandering down to see what was happening. Looks like I tripped down the stairs. Good thing you were here to catch me before I hurt myself~” As she explained herself, she gave no effort to remove herself from his person. He tried to push her away, but she seemed to only cling tighter to prevent him from letting her go. If he didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought that she was trying to keep him from casting more illusions to help his sister, but he knew that was impossible. There weren’t many in town who would know he had that ability.

As his sister was forced to cede more ground to the more powerful woman as she was chased away with club and fist, Forte turned his attention to his new burden. “Ah, so you ascended down from the heavens above to alight yourself among the rest of us mortals. Shall I take this to confirm that you must be a rather frequent imbiber of this establishment’s spirits to be so easily allowed within the hallowed halls of the VIP lounge above?”

The woman nodded heavily, resting her cheek on his shoulder as she watched the frantic fight in the center of the room, people moving out of the way as Piano dived over a table to avoid an attack, only to scramble underneath as Vivi raised the table up to get another swing. “That’s right~ I’m the most regular regular Saki’s got~ My name is Chifu, the local gossip~ It’s a pleasure to meet you~”

“And the personage I go by is Forte, a traveling author who seeks interesting characters of note to utilize as fascinating facsimiles in my tales. With their permission, of course~” He gave a wink, which sent the woman giggling. “And if they protest, I can always manufact a character of merely passing likeness, so warped by my influences that any comparison is rendered null to even the sharpest of critics.”

Forte’s sister, meanwhile, landed a couple of blows onto her opponent’s torso. Against most opponents, this would be enough to wind them, but Vivi was a more experienced warrior than that. Instead, she attempted to grab Piano’s arms, but the smaller woman was too quick to be so easily grabbed by such an obvious grapple. Vivi then thrust her club forward, forcing Piano to create more distance. Vivi looked around at the bar, knowing she couldn’t use any of her magic in the bar without risking being kicked out, but this woman was just too hard to hit normally. Getting frustrated, she jerked her head towards the entrance, but Piano shook her head, not agreeing to a situation that would give her opponent an advantage. Giving a snarl, Vivi charged forward, closing the distance once more to finally land a hit.

“Are you really now?~” Chifu asked, a hand on her lips as if to hide her smile. “And would you mind if I got a sneak peek at it before you finish?~”

Forte gave her a wry smile, shaking his head in disapproval. “I’m sorry fizgig. I’m afraid I’m not in the business of giving away my manuscripts to anyone but my editor before it is of a remarkable quality. I would lose what upper hand I have among writers. You’ll just have to purchase a copy of my tome once it is of adequate work along with the rest of the multiverse. Mayhaps if you keep as good a company as your reputation at this place of patronage suggests, I might offer such a grimoire at a more reasonable rate~”

Chifu gave a disappointed whine, though she was still smiling. “Really? Oh well. I suppose I might have to get some reading done for once instead of just enjoying all of Saki’s wonderful drinks~” She looked over at the fight going on, seemingly amused by the fight. “My my, those two are raring to go~ Too bad we won’t be seeing them much during the tournaments. I’m sure everyone would love to see it~”

Forte looked at the woman suspiciously. Something about her appearance bothered him. Her hair and outfit… he swore he had seen them before. But he couldn’t quite place it at the moment as he shook his head to focus. “And pray tell how you came to that conclusion? Have you been eavesdropping on the going on of this tavern long before you claim to have investigated the source of this frenetic activity?”

The woman just gave a happy hum, rocking back and forth. “Like I said, I’m the local gossip~ I know things that other people don’t~”

Forte gave a small frown, though his smirk returned just as quickly. “That doesn’t quite rectify my lack of knowledge. Are you truly leading me to believe you noised about and stumbled upon the knowledge of the competitors so easily, when their announcements were but a mere few hours prior? I have been venturing forth throughout the district since the announcement hence, and I’ve just barely scraped together but a pair of fighters, much less the full eight figures entailed in the tourney. Your intelligence gathering skills must be on par with all but the most legendary of spycrafters.”

“I have my sources~” Chifu teased with a grin. She then pointed at the fight in question. “But we’ll have to continue this conversation later. Maybe over drinks~ Right now, things are about to get interesting~”

Piano at this point stood away from Vivi, the former looking barely phased by the combat while the latter took a number of light blows across her body that were starting to wear on her. Growing tired of this, Vivi gathered earth magic through her club, the whole thing thrumming with energy as the very air vibrated from its power. Even if she missed now, the impact of her blow would send vibrations that would disrupt Piano, making it easier to land the next blow.

As Vivi charged with a roar once more, Piano’s mismatched eyes grew wide… then turned towards the entrance, no longer paying attention to the woman in front of her. As the club was raised high to strike, a translucent barrier suddenly materialized between them, to the shock of just about everybody. The club met the barrier with a loud clash, the air bursting with a shockwave from the pure force of the two sides. For a moment, it seemed everything froze, all becoming still. But then with a shattering sound, the barrier broke and Vivi’s arms were thrown back, the War Beast being driven back by the small eruption. Everyone turned their attention to where Piano’s was, looking at the one who finally intervened in the fight as even the Crossguards were caught unsure of how to proceed.

At the entrance stood a tall man with black hair and golden eyes, his gray cloak fluttering in the wind from the outside and his wine colored jerkin showing he was ready for combat, his hand resting casually on the sword at his waist. His other arm was up, having just projected the barrier to stop the last attack as he looked somewhat surprised. He looked down at his hand with some surprise, as if shocked by something as he flexed his fingers under his own gaze.

Vivi turned to him and called out, “And why are you stepping in now? First she throws me across a room, now you’re throwing in forcefields. Has anybody here ever heard of a fair fight?”

The man looked surprised at her hostility, though quickly brushed it off. “My apologies. But that last attack of yours looked like it would do quite a bit of damage to this bar, and I don’t think anyone would appreciate that, so I decided to protect it. But I must say, you’re pretty strong. My barriers aren’t that easy to break.” Despite how boastful his words were, he sounded rather humble as he spoke as he gave her a big smile. He seemed almost excited at the prospect that someone could break his forcefields.

“What- I- Thank you?” Vivi said in confusion, before shaking her head. “Whatever, you’re right, I let the fight get ahead of me.” She turned to Saki, bowing her head in apology. “Sorry for nearly breaking things in your bar.”

Thanks to Piano and Vivi being careful even while fighting and the quick work of the patrons and staff, only a few drinks were spilled in the ensuing brawl, but no furniture or tables were broken, and with no downward swings till near the end, not even the floor was damaged by the battle. Saki just cleaned a glass, though her sleeves were conspicuously rolled up at this point. “It’s all good. Next time take it outside or I’ll throw you all out myself, competitors or not.” She pointed at the three who were scheduled for the tournament that day.

Piano looked to her brother, who nodded to her slightly, before she turned her attention to Angelique, studying her future opponent. Vivi and Angelique look surprised, looking first at Piano then the newcomer realizing these were two of the people they would need to take down. Angelique focused on Piano while Vivi walked up to the male.

“Wait, you’re one of the competitors?” the blonde asked incredulously, looking at the red skinned woman. The two women couldn’t be more opposite in appearance. Angelique was quiet, subdued, and darker in terms of clothes, while Piano was bright, flashy, and stood out with her clothes. With each motion the latter made, the bells on her coattails didn’t chime for even a second, her movements were that graceful and careful. And she seemed capable of taking Vivi in a fight, who was a strong fighter herself. Something about this woman made Angelique feel… angry? Disgusted? Maybe jealous, that she could wear something like that so openly, without any sort of fear? Whatever it was, Angelique just glared at her opponent, still upset she had intervened when it came to Forte.

Piano just gave a nod. “I’m Piano. And if my information is correct, you are my opponent in the upcoming fight, aren’t you?” To the devil blood, the slim woman across from her was reserved and defensive, seeming to keep as much to her chest as possible. While Angelique got a good showing of what her opponent could do, Vivi being the one to fight meant that Piano was going to go in blind to her match that day. It was not the best situation, but one thing Piano could tell was that if Vivi was the better fighter of the two, then Angelique would be easy to physically overpower. Which meant there was likely another trick to look out for. Piano bit her lip, trying to prepare her battle strategy.

Angelique looked surprised, not expecting to run into her opponent before the match. “You? Then why would you go jumping into fights before our match?”

“I wanted to make sure my brother didn’t get too hurt. He really doesn’t mean any offense with his words. He’s just trying to learn as much as he can. It just sometimes comes out in a way that upsets people. Please try not to hold it against him.” Piano gave a slight bow, as if asking for forgiveness.

“Brother?” The look of confusion on Angelique’s face was apparent, as she turned her head towards the “journalist.” He was busy setting Chifu onto a barstool, Saki pouring her another drink as she giggled to them both. Angie turned back to Piano. “How is that your brother?”

Piano just shook her head. “You’ll have to talk to him about that. His secrets are his, and mine are mine. Not that I have many secrets.”

“I’ll pass if you don’t mind.” Piano shrugged at the former princess’ response. Her brother could solve that problem if he needed to. “But since you seem to be in the mood to share, why don’t you go ahead and tell me what you plan to wish for if you win. What are you fighting for that that fox woman can give you?” She referred to Madame Chief with some derision, an obvious distrust plain in her words.

Piano shook her head once more. “I don’t really have anything I want to wish for yet. There’s nothing I can think of that the Madame Chief could give me. But my brother said it would be a waste to let the opportunity for a wish go by, so I decided to participate anyway to see what I can get from it.”

The statements were all independently true, so Piano wasn’t technically lying. It was true that she had no wish, and that Madame Chief couldn’t give her anything. But her brother could certainly get something important from the God Eater, and the tournament held quite a few things that Piano needed. So Piano didn’t feel too guilty telling all those half truths.

“So we’re the same then.” Angelique nodded. “Neither of us knows what we want, but both of us joined this tournament anyway. But only one of us will get the chance to figure out what we want out of this.”

Piano gave Angelique a solemn look, her purple and gold eyes looking so sad as she spoke. “Well I hope that either way this goes, you find whatever duty in life you need to find purpose in what you do.”

Angelique looked absolutely befuddled by that. “What are you talking about? What do you mean?”

But Piano didn’t continue the conversation from there. Instead, she went to one of the staff members and got a mop to help clean up some of the mess, leaving Angelique entirely alone with the words the devil blood left for her.

“What does that even mean?” Angelique asked once more, looking both confused and angry at the farewell she was given.

Vivi, meanwhile, stood in front of the man who interrupted her fight with Piano. She was just shorter than him, and he seemed rather calm as she assessed him. “And who are you? You seem pretty confident, with all you said.”

The man was quick to answer, a confident smile on his face. “I am Prince Armius Tu El Kaligos. Back where I’m from, I was referred to as the Strongest Man in the Universe. Though it seems when I came here, some of my power was limited to make it fair for everyone else. I’m still testing my limits, which is why I was surprised you could break my forcefield.”

Vivi raised an eyebrow. Meanwhile, across the bar, Forte’s ears perked up on hearing the words “Prince” and “Strongest Man in the Universe.” He looked to Chifu as she was happily drinking a margarita, sipping some of the salt off the rim as she wiggled in her seat. “Mayhaps we can reconvene tomorrow so that I can enjoy the splendor of your company further~ After all, you seem to be quite the fount of intelligence.”

Chifu gave a giggle, licking her lips satisfied with the taste of her drink. “Sounds like fun~ See you tomorrow.”

With that, Forte began crossing the bar, moving past Angelique as she talked with his sister. Vivi, meanwhile, motioned outside. “Strongest Man in the Universe, huh? Why don’t I give a shot at knocking you down a peg outside?”

Prince Armius gave a huge smile at that, excited at the prospect of a spar. “I’ll let you try. You’re pretty strong, so it’ll be a good warmup for my match today.”

Both fighters stepped outside, Forte joining them with a notebook in hand. The two stood across from each other for a few moments as most people cleared off the street to give them room for a fight. Vivi’s weapon began to vibrate once more with earth magic, while Armius drew his sword to be safe.

Then both rushed forward, weapons swinging with immense force. The clash in the middle created a shockwave of immense size, cracking the earth beneath their feet as the two held for a minute. The vibrations rattled Armius’ sword, but his arm held steady as he soon overpowered Vivi. With her weapon lowered by the weight of his sword pressing down on her soul weapon, he punched her in the chest, sending her flying down the street.

As Vivi finally slowed down, she coughed a few times, trying to recover her breath from having all the air forced out of her chest from that immense blow. He wasn’t kidding when he was saying he was strong. And if he was to be believed, he was even stronger than that.

The man, meanwhile, was shaking his arm, the vibrations making the tips of his fingers go slightly numb. “Wow, that swing of yours is really strong. Nothing’s affected me like this in all of my life. There are some really impressive people here.”

“Forsooth.” Forte chimed in, hiding his shock at the power of the blow. The strength and speed with which this man fought was almost unimaginable. Even if Piano did her best, even Forte doubted she could take him in a straight fight. If this man made it past this round, Forte would have to do something in order to help his sister beat the Strongest Man. “Though I could scarce say anyone is nearly as impeccable as you, Prince Armius. Your surely live up to your moniker.”

The Prince looked surprised, looking over at Forte. “Thank you, I suppose. And who might you be, stranger?”

“Myself? I am but a humble traveling crier who specializes in the craft of transcribing events onto paper and ink. I am currently on a journey to gather the personas of those that wish to challenge the trials of the wish granting tournament. As such, you are one of the ones I wish to speak with.” Forte gave a bow, holding his hat onto his head as he grinned up at the prince from a distant world.

“Really now? Well, we can talk later. That sounds interesting.” As he spoke, he turned back to Vivi, whose weapon was now wreathed in flames. He gave a smile and a wink. “But first, I have a spar to settle. The first fair one I’ve had my entire life.”

As both powerhouses hefted their weapons and charged towards each other, a flash of pink suddenly erupted between them, sending them skidding to a stop. Large white and red signs advising them not to proceed forward were imposed between them, blocking their vision of each other.

“Now hold it right there, busters!” Miss X shouted loudly, causing everyone around to cheer at seeing her. “Look, I like watching epic fights as much as the next announcer, but a girl’s gotta think about the people that spent money on PPV for these fights! Can’t have you guys giving away free fights on the street like that! Save it for the arena!”

Both warriors looked embarrassed, while the writer on the sidelines gave a low chuckle as the rest of the crowd laughed at Miss X’s jokes. Both weapons were stowed away in their respective sheathes, as the holographic barriers were lowered.

“You!” Miss X turned to Vivi. “You’re not fighting in the tournament, so normally we don’t care if you get into a fight or two. But you’ve fought not one, but two of the contestants of today’s matches before their opening fight today! You’re going to spoil all the juicy surprises for the audience if you keep this up!”

“And you!” Now it was Armius’ turn. “We’re having your promotions lined up as the Strongest Man in the Universe! Don’t go wasting all that young energy on random street fights! There’s a wish granting tournament you can try it all out on!”

“And you!” She wheeled towards the entrance of the bar, where Piano and Angelique now stood, the latter looking at the former as Miss X talked to Piano in a reprimanding tone. “You’ve gotten into not one, but two fights today! And fighting alongside one of your competitors too! Are you trying to draw attention to yourself?”

Everyone looked surprised at the revelation that Piano fought multiple times today. Forte was surprised that Piano would do something that draws so much attention to herself, when normally she’d keep out of sight, out of mind. Vivi and Angelique were surprised that after all of that fighting, Piano still looked perfectly fine, barely a drop of sweat on her after fighting two fights in one day.

“Now, I’m a nice girl, and give all my kittens one free forgiveness. So to help make things up to me, why don’t you all head towards the Cross Colosseum? The first match starts in just a little bit. I bet you all didn’t notice the time flying by with all the action going on.” She winked towards the “camera,” much to the confusion of everyone standing nearby that wasn’t local to the Crossroads.

As everyone began to depart towards the Coliseum, Forte turned to his sister. “Well, I’ll continue gathering intelligence from the audience. It’s not oft I pass the leading role upon you, but it is onto you that the spotlight of public perception lays upon you. I entrust it to you with hope you’ll uphold my legacy with the grace with which you fight.”

Piano just gave her brother a nod. “I’ll try to win. There’s already one person I’d prefer to fight. Her talent might be worth it.”

Forte gave a grin. “That’s splendiferous. I’ve got a quarry or two to pursue myself. May we both gain purchase on our objectives.” And with that, the two twins parted ways, independently making their way to the Coliseum with the rest of the throngs of people.

-----------------------

“Goooooooooood afternoon my darling little kittens!” Miss X’s voice echoed over the various speakers both around the Coliseum itself and the Business District surrounding it. “I can practically feel the energy all over town, all that excitement over the fights tonight! I know some of the fighters couldn’t wait till their official matches to get things rolling, so let’s hurry things along before these guys chomp through their bits!”

There was a large roar of excitement that ripped through the crowd, as the eight fighters were assembled below. As Piano suspected, the speedster from the streets earlier was one of her potential opponents. He gave her a wave, his crooked smile showing he recognized her from earlier.

To her right between her and the speedster was Prince Armius. He gave her a small nod, recognizing her from the bar just moments before. To her left, Angelique was still looking at her, still trying to figure out what Piano had meant earlier. Just beyond Angelique, there was a boy with red skin like her, who seemed to resemble the barkeep Saki from earlier. He wore a white t-shirt and black cargo shorts, and his two horns were shorter than even Piano’s. He was bouncing on his heels, clearly ready for his first round match as he shadowboxed the air.

Just past him, Vilivian stood with her arms crossed. She looked at all of the competitors with her cool gaze, but her eyes locked onto Piano’s with greater interest, the conversation from earlier still echoing in Piano’s head. Past her, the one known as Rum was just standing around, looking at everything with an almost imperious gaze, his tail slowly moving behind him.

Lastly, and most striking of all, was the fighter at the furthest end. He looked like a military man, with his black undercut, tan bomber jacket, and a black pistol at his side. He stood at attention as the audience's eyes were on him… and the large mech behind him. A large machine of steel and firepower, the multiple guns mounted along it certainly made it an intimidating sight and put him in a league of danger along with Vilivian and Prince Armius.

As the fighters all stood at the center, Miss X started going over the rules while Madame Chief sat behind her in a relaxed pose, smoking her opium as she looked down at all of her assembled warriors. “So for these fights, there are two ways to achieve victory.” She materialized a second her that looked evil, with a necklace with a bell around its neck. She quickly reached forward and snatched the bell from the evil clone, which made exaggerated swinging motions as it’s tag was stolen. “The first is to steal your opponent’s tag and hold onto it and yours for thirty seconds. Like a nice little game of tag. Only with explosions!”

She then wound up a punch and hit her clone which made a dramatic motion to collapse on the ground. “The other is to knock out your opponent or otherwise render them unable to fight further. This one’s pretty exciting for the audience, so we hope you all pick this one the most!”

There was a loud cheer from the audience in agreement, as the evil clone exploded into fireworks, a heart shaped explosion emanating from it. She leaped through the smoke and slid to the front of her platform, fireworks firing off around her as she got into position at the end. “And now let’s get our first match going! Quan and Prince Armius, take your place on center stage!”

The two men stepped forward, facing off with each other as the rest started to leave the arena, Pembrooke taking the longest since he needed to climb back into his mech, activate it, and maneuver it back into the fighter’s waiting room.

“Now keep your eyes quick and ready for this first fighter, or he’ll have already stolen the show! Here comes Quan coming in hot! A rough and tumble fighter, he goes to show that when life’s got you down, all you gotta do is pick yourself up and work to make it better! Having superspeed to move faster than the eye can see certainly helps with that! Let’s hope his opponents can learn to keep up or he’ll be running circles around them!”

There was a smattering of applause, as Miss X presented an animation of a man moving lighting fast across the screen, as a picture of Quan took up the screen. The speedster gave the crowd a wave, smiling cheekily as he did.

“And his opponent needs no other introduction that his name, the great Prince Armius Tu El Kaligos, the Strongest Man in the Universe! And that name’s no joke either! He’s the real deal! Where he’s from, every aspect about him seemed almost made to shape the world to his will! Can anyone hope to somehow match and take down this behemoth of a warrior, or will he be able to prove that he’s worthy of the title of Strongest Man in the Multiverse while he’s at it?”

Lots of oohs came from the crowd, as the image of the Kaligos family crest was proudly displayed on the screen, followed by Armius’ visage gracing the screen. The man himself gave a humble wave as well, before facing his opponent once more.

Miss X gave a hearty cheer of her own, before setting a countdown to display on the screens, around the Coliseum, and in front of each of the fighters. “Now make sure you guys trade a nice, friendly blow to each other to get the match going right after the countdown! Three! Two! One! Fight!”

As the countdown finished, Quan quickly crossed the distance. Armius quickly swung out a punch, meeting Quan’s in the middle as their blows clashed. As they did, an unnatural shockwave radiated out as a loud bell sound rang out from the clash, and suddenly their entire surroundings began to shift…

--------------------

As the first match began with a roaring cheer, most of the other fighters were preparing for their matches in the waiting rooms. Most were alone in private rooms, doing what last minute prep they needed, but Pembrooke required a small hanger to prepare his ATG in. As he performed a last minute tune-up on the mech, he heard a small clearing of a feminine throat. Looking away from his work, he would see Piano beginning to approach him.

“Oh, you’re that Piano girl, right?” he asked, more confirming it rather than actually seeking information as he got back to work on his machine. “We’re on other sides of this bracket, so we won’t be seeing each other for a while. So why are you coming to me now?”

Piano looked a little awkward at first, trying to find the words to say. In truth, she didn’t really have anything she wanted to say. She was more interested in what he was doing. Mech repair and mech piloting were two skills she didn’t possess yet, so she was hoping to catch him doing the former for what little time she had with the monsters that were the first two fighters going at each other.

“Yes, I am. I just…” She thought for a second, biting her lip in thought. “I just wanted to talk to you. Since we don’t have to worry about fighting immediately, we can get to know each other a bit before we get matched up?”

“Why would we do that?” Pembrooke asked somewhat incredulously, not looking at her still. “A soldier who gets to know his enemy is a soldier that hesitates at the wrong time.”

“A soldier, you say?” Piano didn’t look surprised. She wasn’t that familiar with mechs, since they weren’t common yet where she was from. But she could tell that it didn’t look like something a civilian could make. It definitely had the look of mil-tech. “So then you were sent into this tournament as part of your duty as a soldier?”

He gave a sigh at that, shaking his head. “No. No I didn’t. I’m doing this for my own sake.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. Not everyone can do nothing but serve their duty for all of their lives. Having personal aspirations is normal behavior. Especially when one is being offered anything they desire.”

“Sure, that’s fine when you don’t have responsibilities to anyone or anything else.” He shot back. “But for those of us who hold the line of duty, this could be seen as pushing my luck. It’s just…” He gave a sigh. “There’s so much I want to do, but I’ve had to put my duty first. This is my first time really doing something for myself.”

“That’s good, isn’t it?” Piano said, though she looked pretty guilty herself. She could see lots of similarities between his duty as a soldier and hers as… with what she does with her brother. She’d never had a chance to do anything for fun herself, always putting the needs of survival or her work over her own happiness. “People aren’t made just to work. They need recreation to keep themselves sane.”

“I suppose that’s true,” he conceded, “but why do you care? We’re possible enemies in the next couple of days.”

Piano gave a shrug as there was a loud cheer. “I don’t know. Perhaps I’m looking for something myself and was wondering if you could help with that. Maybe we can talk another time to figure it out. But I have a match to make it to, so maybe another time.”

And with that, she began to walk away as Miss X announced the winner of the first match, leaving yet another contestant confused by her motivation.

Battle of Darkened Warriors:

“Alright everybody, who thought that last match was super exciting?” There was a loud cheer of agreement. “Madame Chief sure knows how to pick a good start to a match! Now, we’ve got a bit of a calmer one, but I’m sure these two beautiful girls packed a few surprises just for us!”

Standing at the center of the arena was Piano and Angelique, standing apart from each other as they looked at the other with some determination. Piano was starting to focus herself into mission mode, while Angelique was still looking at Piano with suspicion from her comments from earlier.

“For our next match, we’ve got a warrior that looks like she’ll be putting on quite the show for us all! Let’s welcome Piano to the Colosseum! While her looks might be flashy and her personality might be timid, I wouldn’t take my eyes off of her! Otherwise, she'll have you reeling on the ground faster than the Saki Special on an empty stomach with her martial art moves! Will this Violet warrior have what it takes to bloom on the field of battle, or will she wilt away under the pressure?”

The image of a purple flower began to bloom, revealing Piano’s face as people began to cheer. Piano didn’t even react, her usual timid demeanor being pushed down for her combat demeanor.

“And for her opponent, a regular to tournaments like these worlds over, we have Angelique! An experienced veteran at fighting opponents from all walks of life and forms of existence, her experience and skill are sure to lend themselves well to a bout in our humble Colosseum! Whether through crushing blows or devastating magic, there’s no doubt this silent warrior will prove to us all what it is that keeps people like Madame Chief clamoring for more from her!”

There was a passage of shadows across the screen, before Angelique’s face peered out from the darkness as people cheered for her. She tried to keep small, not wanting too much attention on herself as she steeled herself for the first round of yet another tournament for her.

“Now, onto the main event! Fighters, ready yourselves!” The countdowns appeared again, the audience priming themselves to count down with it. “Three! Two! One! Fight!”

Both women ran forward at roughly the same speed, meeting in the middle of the circular arena. Both planted one foot and spun around into back kicks, both of their legs meeting up high. As they clashed, the same strange shockwave and the ring of a bell chimed out as the environment went into a metamorphosis

The ground beneath them became soft and muddy, pockets of water beginning to form around them. Dark trees encroached above them, darkening their surroundings even more as a slight fog began to settle over the arena.

“Looks like we’re going to a dank, dark swamp everyone! Hopefully we all brought our bug spray to keep away any nasty mosquitos!” Miss X commentated, the holographic woman not being in any danger of that.

The two women split apart for a moment to assess their situation, adjusting themselves to the softer ground. But that time was plenty for Piano, as she suddenly broke off her heels. As Angelique looked over just in time to see lilac projectiles hurtling towards her. She managed to block both of them, kicking one away and dodging out of the way of the other.

But as she went to look for her opponent, Piano was no longer in front of her. Looking around, she suddenly took a punch to the face as Piano snuck up the side to strike her.

“Ooooh, hidden weapons in the shoes! Piano knows how to turn any part of a women’s wardrobe into a weapon! Talk about femme fatale!”

As Angelique recovered, she threw a kick out towards Piano, who easily matched the kick with one of her own. The two women exchanged a series of kicks, each one switching back and forth between legs with ease with each blow. Piano was utilizing kickboxing techniques from multiple styles to change up her angles, forcing Angelique to try and counter as she kept switching things up.

“We’ve got a mirror match folks! And what a reflection it is! I don’t want to look away, and I’m sure none of you guys do either!”

But despite Miss X’s words, it wasn’t quite the mirror match it seemed to be. With each blow they exchanged, Piano’s strength proved to be just a bit stronger, pushing Angelique’s leg just a bit aside with each one and recovering her attack just a bit faster. After one particularly strong kick, Piano managed to transition from a back kick into a full body spin and a haymaker across the former royalty’s face. She swayed back and forth into a rolling combination of punches, getting a few good hits in before Angelique could start blocking. The moment she crossed her arms to provide herself some safety, Piano gave a straight kick that pushed Angelique against a tree.

At this point, it was obvious that Piano was the physically stronger warrior. If the fight continues as it does, there’s no way Angelique would win. She would need to switch up how the fight is going if she wanted to win. She lowered her arms to begin taking on the lilac shadow… only to find herself alone.

“Uh oh! Looks like our flashy friend is really good at hiding! Guess the mind games begin now! Look out in every shadow for devil bloods!”

Piano, rather than lying in wait to attack, was instead running from the middle towards where she remembered one of the exits was when the arena was normal. She had a few things she wanted to test when it came to the arena for future rounds. And if it made Angelique more stressed or angry doing so, it’ll make fighting her easier. After all, Piano could sense her ki from any point in the arena, so approaching would be easy.

After a couple seconds of running, she reached an invisible wall. ‘So, the arena stays the same diameter, thirty meters to any side from the center it looks like. Now to test this wall.’ She stepped back, and gave the wall a kick. There was a soft ringing of bells, the solid impact of the invisible wall taking her kick with ease. ‘Pretty solid, but could break with some force. Let’s see if it changes in strength on the part that should be a solid wall’

She walked about a meter to the left, where she figured it would be a wall again and gave another kick. There was another ringing of bells, though this one was much softer in volume. Which confirmed to Piano that there was a difference in the strength of the walls. ‘It’s like they want us to fight out of the arena at some point...’

“Looks like Piano is testing out her new fighting space! Smart, but she’s given her opponent too much time and her location! Watch out, danger!”

“Take aim, my shadow archers!” The incantation of Angelique began to emanate from the mists of the swamp. “Notch the might of darkness for your target is in sight!”

For a moment, there was silence once more, then suddenly the area around Piano was bombarded with sharp knives and arrows made of pure shadow. Piano quickly drew a pair of throwing knives and deflected some of them as she dove behind some cover. The bark of the trees were being torn off, limbs being severed and ripped asunder by the barrage of projectiles as the wall behind Piano began to ring with the sounds of bells going off repeatedly from the impacts.

Normally, her opponent switching from blunt force to sharp implements was of benefit to Piano, but with the distance between them, it would be ineffective to start bleeding now. She’d have to get close again if she wanted to damage again.

As the storm of blades finally dissipated, Piano rushed out of her hiding place and closed in on Angelique. If she had to chant to use magic, then all the devil blood had to do was stick close and give her no chance to chant anymore. Within a second, the blonde was in sight and Piano prepared to attack. But with a wave of Angelique’s hand, a tendril of shadow erupted from a nearby tree and struck the martial artist in the shoulder.

Piano whirled away, unable to toughen her skin from the unexpected blow as she quickly tried to recover as Angelique closed once more. Piano quickly lashed out with a back kick to meet Angelique’s front kick. At the last second, Piano noticed the purplish energy surrounding her opponent's foot, giving her just enough time to brace for her mistake as their feet met. With an overwhelming force as gravity suddenly shifted itself to her opponent’s whims, Piano’s kick was blasted through and the thin red girl was sent spiraling into the swamp, tumbling on the ground with the ringing of her coattail bells as she did her best to protect her head and horns.

“Piano may have been winning earlier in the physical department, but now magic’s on the field! And with all this swamp, she’s got enough mana to blast away to her heart’s content! Looks like the magician is putting on quite a show with her new assistant!”

Angelique chased after her opponent, who suddenly leaped from the ground onto a nearby tree, before springing forward back towards the foe who sent her flying. But as she charged forward, Piano swung her arm, sending three steel projectiles towards her now surprised opponent. With a swipe of her arm, Angelique sent another tendril to deflect the three projectiles, only to be met with a fist to the face as Piano closed in during the opening to get a punch in.

Now Angelique was sent rolling as Piano quickly went to hide once more. Direct confrontation was no longer an option, as Angelique’s magic was both versatile and powerful. ‘Looks like she uses shadow magic.’ Piano began to break down her opponent’s magic. ‘And it looks like on her world, shadow and gravity are intrinsically linked. So she now has power, range, and options on her side. I’ll have to be careful how I-’

Her train of thought was interrupted by the sight of a small bubble floating to her right, as deep a purple as her natural eye color. Her eyes widening, Piano quickly ducked and scrambled out of the way as the bubble touched the tree where she was. With a sound like a shotgun blast, part of the tree’s trunk was blown off, sap oozing from the gaping hole in the tree.

Piano quickly rose up, only to see two more bubbles making their way towards her as she heard a pair of other blasts from different directions. She could try to avoid them, but she had a feeling Angelique would just keep sending them until they either hit or she learned Piano’s location. So instead, she drew two throwing knives and flung them at the bubbles, popping them from a safe distance as two explosions erupted back to back in the middle of the air. The knives were bent, rendered useless from the strength of the bubbles.

“Looks like Angelique was holding a bubble blowing party with nitroglycerin in the bubble formula! Too bad Piano keeps popping them with those sharp knives of hers!”

Angelique soon came to investigate the rapidfire popping, and was met with Piano rushing her once more. Both women started clashing with kicks, though now with the knowledge that at any point, the magic user could enhance her blows to get the win. She was, in fact, giving herself a bit to cooldown after using so much magic back to back, welcoming the physical match for a bit. But any moment, before Piano fully overpowered her again, she would use another gravity kick to set up her next move to finish off the devil blood.

But Piano didn’t let it go that far. After a few blows, Piano drew a pair of red throwing knives, different from the purely steel ones she had thrown earlier. At this range, there was no time for magic, so Angelique had to block with her arms. As the blades grazed her arms, there was a soft hissing noise as something about the weapons began to burn away at her clothes and some of her arms.

“A close range blade attack! Wait, what’s this? Something’s happening to Angelique where they hit! Looks like Piano’s blades have got an extra nasty surprise on them!”

Angelique, put off slightly, quickly prepared another gravity enhanced kick to create some distance to think. But this time, Piano dodged the blow, catching the leg with one arm. Holding her securely in place, Piano then swept up the veteran tournament fighter’s other leg and caught it too, holding her in perfect hammer throwing position. Piano began to spin in a circle, disorienting Angelique with the centrifugal force before flinging her into one of the thinner trees.

The impact looked painful, as Angelique was slammed in the center of her back into the tree. As she opened her mouth to let out a small scream of pain, Piano suddenly closed in and slammed her open palm into her opponent’s diaphragm, muting the scream into a painful exhale as all the air was driven out of her. Piano let Angelique hit the ground gasping for breath, then kicked her in the stomach to send her flying a bit away.

“Looks like Piano’s got the upper hand again and she’s getting brutal with it! Looks like she wants to end it before Angelique can use her bigger spells to really get the win here!” The audience gave oohs of sympathy for Angelique as Piano hit her opponent hard.

Piano moved forward to try and finish the fight, but a shadow tendril wrapping around her ankle put a stop to that real quick. With a quick whipping motion, Piano was flung away from Angelique, hurtling towards a tree some distance away. Piano couldn’t recover control before she hit, so she figured out where she was going to be hit. Manipulating the ki in her body, she toughened the skin and muscle around her chest and arms, crossing the latter over the former as she suddenly made impact. It still hurt, but it was nowhere near as damaging than if she had just taken the hit. But as she went to stand up…

“Sdoulc fo dica, dnecsed! Nrub yawa hself dna enob ekila litnu enon sdnats ni ruoy yaw!”

Between Piano and Angelique, a cloud of green suddenly began to form. In an instant, all the grass and trees in the area began to corrode away, until there was nothing left of them as the caustic cloud burned away all within its touch. It then began to slowly roll in the direction of Piano, who was forced to beat a hasty retreat.

“Madame Chief! It looks like someone’s pissed! A cloud of acid is filling the arena, burning away all those good, solid, oxygen producing trees! What’d they ever do to you, Angelique, besides hit you just now? The barrier Madame Chief put up should protect all of us, but in any case, it looks like Piano’s in a really dangerous situation!” The whole audience gave a gasp at the cloud of acid, some people in the front row still fleeing higher as a safety precaution to ensure they didn’t get hit.

Piano ran in the opposite direction of the cloud as quickly as possible, though she quickly ran into an issue: the edge of the arena. Despite looking like a swamp, they were still in the Cross Colosseum, and she just hit where the wall was. She knew there was no way she could break through it before the cloud reached her, and she doubted even with her blood, she’d survive direct contact with the caustic barrage. As her options slowly dwindled, she began to breathe very quickly, as if she was beginning to hyperventilate as…

--------------------------

After about a minute of having the Caustic Cloud spell up, Angelique dispelled it before the wind could pick up and carry it back towards her. Where once there were plants and wildlife in half of the arena, there was now nothing but mud and water, all living things in its path were completely wiped out. She had heard the sounds of bells ringing, surely from her opponent trying to escape, but those had stopped halfway through, which was a good sign for Angelique.

“That should’ve taken care of her, right?” Angelique asked out loud, visibly frustrated and angry. She had pushed herself near her limit, and she was getting tired and frustrated. She didn’t think her first opponent would push her as far as she did, and she wasn’t looking forward to dealing with the others.

“Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.” Miss X gave a loud hum, looking at Madame Chief. The regal goddess, flanked by her five Crossguards, merely gave a coy shake of her head, laughing to herself with her pipe. Miss X turned back towards the “camera.” “Sorry, but it looks like your opponent’s still kicking! Guess you’ll have to find her and knock her out or take her tag!”

“Are you kidding me?” Angelique roared with frustration. “There’s no way she survived that! Just let me go and I’ll-”

Her tirade was interrupted by the sound of a bell ringing off to her left. Her head whipped over, to the section of the arena where the treeline still existed. Did she really manage to…?

“Alright, let’s get this over with!” she roared, racing over to where she heard the noise. As she passed by one of the ponds, a hand suddenly grabbed hold of her ankle. Before she could even comprehend what happened, she was suddenly dragged under the water.

When she could see again, she saw a horrific scenario: she was now underwater with Piano above her holding her down beneath the surface. Of course Piano escaped the spell by going underwater, it was the only possible explanation. But surely she must be running low on oxygen right? It would have to be a breath holding contest, though the punches Piano was raining down made that difficult despite their weakened force underwater.

In truth, Piano had prepared her lungs to hold her breath for as long as possible. She couldn’t set up all the way, so she only got a little over forty minutes of air in her lungs before she dived under the water. She thought the spell would last longer than it did, but when Angelique ended it early, she knew what she had to do. This method would both put the battle into an endurance race that Piano easily won and render Angelique’s magic unavailable.

“An underwater battle! This fight has everything! Let’s see who can hold their breath longer! Though it looks like Angelique is already beginning to struggle!”

Sure enough, Angelique was already starting to run out of air, while Piano was still taking control, starting to wrap her hands right around the magic user’s neck to speed up the process. Panic began to set in as oxygen levels were getting low. ‘No! I’m not going to lose this early! I can’t lose like this again!’

Getting her foot under Piano’s stomach, gathering as much mana as possible. Powering the strongest gravity spell she could, she shoved up with immense force, blowing both Piano and almost half the water out of the pond, the ground appearing dry now as the devil blood was sent sky high with a gasp of pain. A good portion of the excess moisture was even blasted off of her from the force, her damp clothes flapping in the wind as she reached the apex of her launch.

“Hrrraaaaggggghhhhhhhh!” With a roar of anger as she regained her breath, she used one more gravity spell to hurtle Piano down to the mud, the red skinned woman bouncing from the force of impact with a low thud before slamming back onto the ground as the gravity spell forced her back down. A trickle of black blood began to trickle down from the top of her head, a good portion of her body now bruised and injured as she lay unmoving for the moment.

“What a turnaround! She sent Piano flying high like a firework, only to slam her down like a meteor back down to earth! Will that be enough to finish off this intense battle?” The audience was beside itself in excitement, people screaming like mad at the exciting turn of events.

Angelique did not seem to think so. As she stumbled out of the now half empty pond, she made her way over to Piano’s prone form. Standing next to her head, Angelique put a gravity spell on Piano one last time as she lifted up her foot. This is the end…

Piano’s golden eye suddenly shot open, shooting up just as Angelique’s foot slammed where her head was. Standing up on her hands even against the force of the gravity, the lilac clad woman gave a kick to the black clad woman’s face with a blow that was much harder than any that had come before. As they both got back onto their feet, it was clear something was different with Piano.

She had been lucky to toughen her body at the last moment before she slammed into the ground, which was the only reason she was still conscious. But she was fast burning through her stamina, so she couldn’t take anymore damage like that. And she hadn’t achieved her objective, so she had to go on the offensive. Getting her blood pumping through her body at a much faster speed, doping up her body to act at a much faster rate was her last resort to win. Piano’s skin was now darker from the increased blood flow, her veins bulging on her skin as they worked much harder than they usually did. A blood vessel on her forehead also pulsed, her eyes looking bloodshot with black veins as she got into a fighting stance.

Angelique, meanwhile, had already pushed her mana to its limit. She needed time to recover, so she’d have to fight kick to kick with Piano. But the moment she moved forward to attack, Piano had already reached her, slamming a fist into her chest, before kicking her side and sending Angelique stumbling away.

“Uh oh! Looks like Angelique is looking tuckered out, while Piano’s putting on a desperate last push! Who’s gonna run out of steam first? It’s all coming down to the wire! I can barely keep on my stage with all this excitement!” The audience was completely silent at this point, everyone at the edge of their seats as they watched closely to see who would come out on top.

Piano comboed attack after attack on Angelique, her power and speed much faster than she had shown throughout the whole fight thus far as her opponent was put fully on the defensive. But the wound on her head was bleeding quickly, and she could feel her heart and lungs tightening from the intense strain doping her blood put on them.

‘Come on! Come on! Show me what I need!’ Piano begged in her mind, punches and kicks coming out faster and faster. At last, Angelique lifted both of her arms to block. But this time, she angled her block to ensure she covered both her head and chest, having learned from Piano’s blows earlier in the match. ‘There! Objective complete!’

Drawing a throwing knife while she faked another punch, she barely grazed Angelique’s arms as Piano placed the knife on her forearm. Her pronounced veins made it easier for her to surgically slice open her vein and aim her pressurized blood.

Nearly a liter of black blood shot out of her arm as an intense spray that completely splattered both of Angelique’s arms, her sleeves already being corrupted into nothing. At this point, Piano was pushed to the edge of her endurance, but as long as she held out for just a few more seconds, she could win. As the blood soaked into the metal of Angelique’s arms, they began to sizzle and smoke, the connections keeping the arms together beginning to fall apart as they were being corrupted and damaged.

“What’s going on?” Miss X was beside herself, as was the audience as they all screamed in horror or excitement at the gout of blood. “Piano’s arm sprayed blood like a fire hose! And what’s this? Angelique’s arms are made of metal? And they’re beginning to melt? Who knew Piano had acid blood in her? I guess Madame Chief invited a xenomorph into this year’s tournament!”

Piano charged forward while Angelique looked confused at what was going on. She attempted to summon shadows to save her, but Piano was too fast, planting in front of her opponent and spinning around into a back kick directly onto Angelique’s arms. Both limbs shattered from the impact, scattering into pieces around the veteran tournament fighter as she was slammed into a tree. As she slid down into the pile of scraps that were her arms, Piano made her approach towards her fallen opponent.

The blood vessels throughout her body began to calm down, the skin lightening up slowly as the veins stopped bulging as Piano got close enough. Angelique looked rather disturbed at the whole turn of events. As she looked down at where her arms were, her damp blonde hair covering her face, she let out a noise of sorrow and anger. “It’s really not fair.” She said in a low voice. “You’re strong, you’re pretty, and you're confident to wear stuff like that. We couldn’t be any more different. I guess I’m just a broken girl after all.”

Piano hesitated with her hand hovering near Angelique’s neck for a moment. “That’s not entirely true. I can’t tell you how to make yourself confident to do what you want. That strength is for you to find. And I don’t think you could’ve ever found it here.” And with that, she reached forward and took off the tag. “Just sit there and let the match end. I don’t want to hurt you anymore than I have, physically or emotionally.”

“And Piano has taken Angelique’s tag! Let the countdown begin!”

As both women in the arena stared at each other, one with a look of defeat and one with a solemn, but somewhat comforting smile, they both listened as the audience and Miss X counted down till victory. Madame Chief simply looked down at the proceedings with an amused smile on her face, already giving a light clap even before the countdown ended and fireworks began to erupt as the arena returned to normal, all of the damage to the swamp vanishing as bells rang once more.

“And there you have it folks! The winner of the second match of round one, after one of the most intense mirror matches I’ve ever seen, is none other than Piano! Be sure to give her a Crossroad’s Cheer as she moves on to round two to face the previous match’s winner!”

As the crowd began to cheer, Piano walked around and picked up all of her weapons. After putting the heels in her shoes back on, she walked forward and bent down to Angelique as the latter looked confused, before picking her up in a fireman’s carry.

“Hey!” the woman complained, trying to look over her shoulder at Piano. “I already lost, you don’t have to embarrass me anymore! What do you think you’re doing?”

Piano gave a shrug as she began walking out of the arena to the applause of the audience, noticing Vivi’s ki beginning to go to meet them at the exit. “Well, you need new arms after I broke yours, right? There’s a blacksmith that can handle that for you in town. And besides,” she adjusted her grip of Angelique on her shoulder, “I heard from my brother you don’t like being treated like a princess. So this was the only thing I could think of.”

As Angelique looked mighty embarrassed by the whole affair, Piano couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. After all, from the moment she had noticed the arms, she had instantly thought of the ever grouchy blacksmith Nephro she had met the other day. She had known he could build prosthetics, such as his own, and that was a skill she highly sought after. But he wouldn’t show her his skill just on its own. He kept turning her away, saying he didn’t have time for apprentices and would rather deal with actual paying customers if he had to deal with other people. But if she brought someone who needed a new pair of arms…

As Piano began to exit through the doors to acquire a new talent with Angelique’s unwitting aid, Madame Chief watched the two leave with a smirk of satisfaction. Her eyes twinkled with mirth as the tail on Angelique slowly began to fade, and a second tail grew on Piano as the tails on each of the God Eater’s side seemed to “blink” in response.

“My my, that was a rather amusing match to say the least~” The Madame commented to her guards, the six of them all standing at attention near her. “I look forward to seeing how the rest of this tournament proceeds~ And to see which wish I get to fulfill~”

As she spoke, the Crossguards all were busy dealing with a crisis, as there were only supposed to be five guards guarding the God Eater at this time. But they seemed to have an extra for some reason. But they knew not to interrupt the Madame Chief while she was being amused, so they stood at attention and waited to deal with it later.

Meanwhile, the disguised imposter did all he could to contain his own smirk, glad that his sister’s match proved to be a big enough distraction to allow him to infiltrate the God Eater’s personal guard. The next steps in their plans could continue without a hitch, as the next two days were sure to prove to be an exciting affair...

Piano & Forte

[Piano & Forte] Round 2: Violet Winds

Original Doc

Dance of the Fox and Snake:

“And that was our last fight of the day folks!” Miss X’s cheery voice rang out over the speakers, drawing some boos from the audience as they were disappointed that the fights were over. “Settle down, settle down everyone! After all those intense matches, our fighters need a little cat nap to recharge perky and ready for tomorrow’s fight! And plus, now that you’ve seen some of their stuff, you can go buy their merch at one of the many stores in the business district to show support for your favorite fighter! Twenty percent of all proceeds go towards the Rescue Fox Foundation, so that no fox goes unfed!”

There was a mixed applause at that as people began to stand up and leave, talking about the day’s matches. While they were used to some of the fights being brutal in the past, most had seemed to underestimate this year’s fighters, thinking all of them were looking softer than previous years. But after the first couple matches, the crowd’s lust for blood had been more than sated, and the latter half also kept it up. Many who hadn’t picked their favorites that morning were now more sure of which fighters remaining they would root for.

“Alright my kittens, good night! Sweet dreams! I love each and every last one of you! Hearts for all of you!” Miss X gave a cheery wave, before fading from view. At the same time, the curtain to the God Eater’s private booth was drawn to a close, the snow haired goddess giving a look down at the audience below with great amusement as her view faded.

As the room darkened from the lack of natural light coming in, Miss X reappeared with a wave, approaching the goddess. “That was such a good group of matches, Mom! All of them were absolutely amazing! I can’t wait for tomorrow’s matches!”

The God Eater gave an amused chuckle at that, giving a languished wave at her holographic daughter. “I’m glad you’re having so much fun~ You did such a wonderful job entertaining the audience today, as you always do~ Maybe I should give you a bigger allowance as a reward for your hard work~”

Miss X laughed at that, going to elbow her mom as her limb phased through the God Eater. “Yeah right, like that’s going to happen! We both know you’d want to spend all that money on more bo-”

The white haired fox simply raised a finger up to Miss X’s lip, silencing her in an instant as the announcer looked confused. The kitsune goddess merely waved six tails, causing the hologram to examine the guards in the room carefully. Seeing the problem, she nodded her head in understanding.

“Well, I believe today’s been exciting enough for me~ I think I’ll go rest in my room~ You four,” The God Eater pointed to four of the Crossguards in the room, who all stood at attention for her command, “you all gather the palanquin and bring it to the Fox’s Den, as usual~ You two will come with me~ Daughter, I take it you’ll ride on the palanquin back home and say hi to all your adoring fans~”

“Of course Mom! Operation Placating Palanquin is a go!” Miss X then disappeared in a cloud of pink hearts, presumably waiting below for the four Crossguards who likewise made their exit. The God Eater then turned to the last two guards in front of the sliding door at the back of the VIP room.

“Now then, shall we retire in my suite?~ Kindly get the door for me, would you boys?~” She gave them a languid smile, as the two guards reached for the edge of the door. As their hands touched the slight opening simultaneously, the sounds of bells filled the room. When the doors were opened, a luxurious suite appeared before them in an impossible location, since the only thing that should’ve been on the other side of this door was the opening towards the arena.

The bed was made with soft linens, with several sets of large, fluffy pillows like curled tails curving from the head around the sides. A large gathering of pillows sat right in the center of the crook of tails, looking perfect for a goddess to lounge comfortably upon. There were several other large pillows scattered around the room to lounge in, all with a perfect view of one of the many windows that looked out towards the four corners of the Crossroads. As the sun was beginning to set outside, it cast the whole room in a brilliant orange light, coloring the various amounts of white and darkening the red as the God Eater entered her abode with her two Crossgurads.

She sat down on one of the large cushions sitting near a small kotatsu, a bottle of sake and a pitcher of water already waiting for her there along with two small cups. She gestured to one of the guards, signaling him to come forward and pour her a drink. As she did, the other Crossguard gave the indicated one a look that was hard to read through the blindfold, but the body tension indicated some hostility as he then bowed and stepped out of the room.

With just the two of them alone in the room, the Crossguard grabbed the bottle of sake and poured one of the ceramic cups full for her, being rewarded with a soft chuckle of amusement as she gestured for the guard to sit. “Please, have a seat for a bit~ I know you were standing around for quite a bit today~”

“.... And what, pray tell, gave up my ruse?” The “Crossguard” asked, lifting up a blindfold to reveal a golden iris looking back into her golden ones as she gave him a knowing smile. She watched as his features shifted from a more generic humanoid into the familiar figure of Forte, his tail seeming to reappear in the gap in the Crossguard pants as it curled behind him with some amusement, before moving out of the way so he could sit. The God Eater’s own tails swished behind her, the eyes on them almost seeming to look down on him when she no longer could, given his taller stature. All the eye iconography was certainly making him wonder if she could see through all of the eye motifs throughout the town, which would make his work much harder. “I had imagined that my visage was impregnable to scrutiny and my thoughts masqueraded perfectly. I did not think there was a singular flaw in my trick for you to exploit.”

“Nothing silly like that~ I simply know all of my Crossguards very well, from their names and personality, to their family life and hidden desires~” She explained, pointing one of her tails towards the door. “For example, the man that just walked outside has a daughter with an interest in mechanics~ He’s hoping working will give him enough money to get her through school~ So the moment I didn’t recognize you, I was interested to see who you really were and what you wanted with someone like me~”

“‘Someone like me?’ What curious phrasing indeed.” Forte mused, leaning into his seat as he watched her take another sip of sake. “I would not expect such humility from the goddess of the Crossroads, a multiversal hub of travelers and those of great power. Someone who can maintain order and guidance for those beneath you cannot truly feel fit to have such humility and submissiveness about her position. Nay, I would expect one in such a position to be more regal and prominent.” He gave her a flattering smile, as she started waving it away.

“Me?~ All of that?~ That’s not possible~ I’m just a little fox that likes to have a little fun that everyone’s making a bigger deal about than needed~ Keep putting all these expectations on me and you’ll make me blush~” She laughed at that, refilling her cup with sake as Forte drew out his notebook. His wooden pen was in his hand, the golden eyes of Madame Chief following it as he spun it in his hand before putting pen to paper.

“And yet here you preside, the hostess of a cross-dimensional tourney of powerful warriors that you’ve managed to collect with the promises of a wish beyond imagining and yet you dare say you are not worthy of regard? Surely you see the folly in that?” Forte challenged her with an inquiring look, while she merely shrugged it away.

“I just give people what they want~ Just like you sister, Forte~ I’m sure there’s something she’s looking for by coming here, don’t you think?~”

Forte looked somewhat surprised for a moment, before quickly recovering. “I’ll pray leave the manner of your intentions for inviting my sister to your tourney for a moment. What sorcery did you utilize to acquire knowledge of my name without my granting it to you, either via verbal audition or mentally thievery?”

The God Eater gave him a wink, swirling her alcohol in the small cup in her hand. “I know the names of every person within my domain~ I hope you don’t mind me knowing that~”

“As it happens, I have a preference for giving myself a proper introduction. But I suppose for one of your position, you had no ken of such a restriction, so I shall provide you some grace in this instance. But mayhaps in return, I can receive some small manner of recompense.” He gave her a sly grin, which she matched in kind.

“Oh really?~ And you don’t think getting to talk to me alone is a good enough apology?~” She gave a chuckle. “I’m even offering you some of Saki’s best~”

“Are you implying that what the bartender uses below to cater to her clients is not her most refined potables? That she serves second rated brews to those that grace her with coin?”

His teasing was met with an amused chuckle from the goddess, who didn’t take his bait. “You’re avoiding my question from earlier~ Why did your sister want to get a wish from me?~ What could she possibly want that her brother couldn’t get for her?~”

Forte gave an expression of annoyance, but inside he was practically leaping for joy. He had successfully ensnared her in his conversation. Just a little while longer and his fangs would be ready to bare themselves towards a goddess and he could ascend to greater challenges. It took some effort to keep his expression from showing too much of his inner thrill as he responded, “While my sister and I are but one soul divided among two vessels, that does not grant me a greater insight into her inner motives than anyone else can hope to glean. You’ll have to seek that answer for yourself when she comes to you to have her desire granted.”

“Confident she can win, are you?~” The God Eater mused, her tails swishing behind her one at a time with amusement. “She’s got some tough opponents ahead of her to beat if she wants to get her wish~ Maybe you should try and wish her some luck~”

Forte gave her a wry grin, leaning back into the cushion behind him, his tail flicking to his side. “I have little need for such advantages. My sister has proven herself martially again and again in our travels. I only pray that she doesn’t feel too guilty at bringing harm to her opponents to surpass their threats. She is a sensitive soul, you know, and such harsh actions take a considerable toll on her psyche.”

“I see~ Well, Saki has plenty of alcohol to numb the pain if she needs it~” Madame Chief gave a laugh, taking another drink of said alcohol as she got more comfortable in her cushion, seeming to lower her guard around him.

Forte grinned to himself, writing down something in his notebook. “Unfortunately for her constitution, she’s developed a strong tolerance for any foreign substances that attempt to influence her bodily functions or mental faculties, so imbibing of spirits is a trial truly too difficult for her to overcome.”

“Oh?~ Well that’s a real shame~ I would’ve loved to see what she looked like wasted~ Maybe I’ll ask Saki to look into making something strong enough to get even Piano drunk~” She gave an almost evil sounding chuckle at that.

“And what intentions do you have with my sister? Needs I keep my gaze upon you to make sure you have no ill acts to direct towards my sister?” He teased the goddess, raising a suspicious eyebrow at that.

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about what I’m going to do~ But after today’s matches, there’s going to be lots of merchandise and other memorabilia of your sister and the other contestants~ You’ll need to keep your eyes on all the men buying stuff of your sister~”

“I have a keen eye for men of that baseborn calibur. They shall not even get within the same locality of my sister’s presence.” Forte gave an almost smug look at that, straightening up proudly as he did so. “And if they did, I’m sure what blackguards managed to make their way towards her would quickly regret such a chance misfortune.”

“Is that so?~” The God Eater seemed amused at that as well. “Maybe I should direct some people her way to see how she deals with them~”

“Don’t force my hand against you either, Miss God Eater.” Forte teased, before seeming to “realize” something. “But I am afeared we have strayed towards topics that are otherwise ill-needed. Mayhaps we should bring this little interview to a close. And to draw these curtains hence, I suppose I should ask for a proper name to put down for your entry, if you would be so kind?”

Forte’s grin externally was friendly and conversational, but internally, there was a wicked amount of pleasure at what he was about to steal from her. His wand was in his hand, ready to take down her name as she looked at him with slightly pursed lips, as if thinking about her answer.

“Hmmmm~ Well, if you have to write down a name, the God Eater should work~”

Forte gave her a long look, his grin plastered on his face before he wrote in his book. But as he finished writing the name down, his golden eye seemed to dull slightly, losing some of its glimmer as he looked back up at her. His tail froze in place at his side, anger welling up inside of him at having been tricked at the name. He went to open his mouth, though not even he was sure what he wanted to say right now.

But at that moment, the sliding door reopened and two Crossguards entered the room. One of them pointed a syringe gun towards Forte, the loaded syringe dripping with tranquilizer as the writer looked his way as he composed himself once more. “Intruder, the Madame might have allowed you to enter her room with her, but now I must ask you to leave. Immediately.”

Forte looked at the man with a long look, as if wanting to object. But then he looked behind the threatening Crossguard to the three behind him, and merely shut his notebook, shaking his head. “I shall permit this abrupt departure for the time being. But I little doubt this little interview between us has ceased but for the shallowest of descents of Time’s sands. We shall have to reconvene, mayhaps after my sisters success is assured for all to bare witness to?”

“Maybe~ We’ll have to see~” Was all the response Forte got, which he seemed to accept. He strode forward between all the Crossguards, who watched him carefully as he left, before looking at their goddess. She merely took a sip of saki as the elevator doors opened and closed, sending its lone passenger back down towards the Fox’s Den below as Miss X appeared in the room now.

“I wonder what was up with him?” Miss X asked, tilting her head as a number of question marks floated around her. “Isn’t he Piano’s brother? He seems to be following you around like the woman that’s with Taleus in the other tournament. They both even disguised themselves as Crossguards. The similarities are almost spooky!”

“Popularity is certainly a curse, isn’t it?~” Madame Chief giggled, as she began to shift her form from her goddess form to her more casual Chifu guise. She then turned to the Crossguard with the syringe gun, the yellow skinned humanoid putting away his weapon as his antennae twitched. “And what made you all run in like that?~ Did you sense something up with him?~”

“I sensed a great surging of anger, along with the feeling of a wounded pride.” The man said calmly, the empath bowing his head as he spoke. “While I’m sure he couldn’t hurt you seriously, we felt it was best to keep the competitor’s brother from doing anything rash to avoid disrupting the tournament.”

“And that’s why we employ you~” Chifu complimented, reaching up to rub his antennae. This caused the Crossguard to blush, before walking away to take a stiff stance to continue his guard duty. “Well, if we’re worried about what he wants, I’ll try to figure it out tonight~ I’m sure I’ll be having some interesting drinking partners tonight~”

Miss X just giggled as well, looking at Chifu. “Well then, I’m going to have to keep an eye on things too!” Both women looked at each other with a grin, knowing that tonight was going to be an interesting one.

Mounting Pressure:

“Ok, now I just need you to flex your elbow at first. Start from there, then we’ll go to the wrist and then the fingers.”

Nephro, the local blacksmithing expert, currently had Angelique sat in a seat in the back room of his shop, a new pair of prosthetic arms attached to her as the mechanical prodigy tested the connection with the blonde magic user before sending her off. In the corner of the room, Piano sat watching, her golden eye seeming to glitter with a mysterious light as she watched the proceedings.

She had brought her opponent to this place partially to assuage her feelings of guilt at having broken Angelique’s metal arms, and also as a method of finally getting Nephro’s prosthetics-making talent. It had taken quite a bit of convincing on her part to convince both Nephro to let her watch and Vivi not to smash her face into the wall for what she did to the demon girl’s friend. But eventually she was allowed to do her job and she successfully pulled off her theft. Now all she had to do was find the perfect time to make her leave without causing a scene and she would’ve done a perfect job.

Angelique flexed her fingers, the former princess having been silent nearly the whole time Nephro worked. Once he gave her the green light that her arms were working fine using his machines and knowledge, she walked over to where Piano sat. The devil blood looked up at the blonde, which gave the latter the perfect opening to grab a hold of her neck. Piano did nothing to fight the grab, trying to remain calm as Nephro gave a cry of protest.

“You have no idea what it is you did to me today.” Angelique stated coldly, looking Piano in the eyes as she lifted the latter onto her feet. “The memories you forced me to relive. Another pointless tournament where I’m left lying on the ground, armless and broken. And for what? You don’t even know what you want, yet you’re willing to go so far as to destroy my arms? What are you hoping to get by doing all this?”

Piano stayed silent for a while, the glimmer in her eyes now gone as regret was clear on her face. Vivi stuck her head in at this point, looking at the two women while Nephro huffed with annoyance at the distraction. Finally, Piano gave an answer in a quiet voice. “I thought based on how well you fought around your arms, I thought you had that wound for a while. I didn’t realize it was so fresh for you, nor that it was so deeply rooted. If I had, I would’ve looked for another way. I didn’t intend to hurt you, I was just trying to ensure the fight ended as quickly as possible, and that was the only way I could see without drawing my sword. All I can ask for is your forgiveness.”

“My forgiveness?” Angelique asked in a dangerously low voice. “You think you can just blow off my arms like it’s nothing and then turn around and ask for forgiveness? You’re going to have to do a little more than that.” She let go of the thin martial artist’s neck, Piano instantly recovering having made sure to hold her breath before being grabbed.

The moment she was free to act, she let Angelique back up, before the young devil blood went on her hands and knees, bowing before a now surprised Angelique. “Of course. Words can only do so much. And while I can’t offer to give you my wish, this is the only thing I can think of to show my sincerity in wanting your forgiveness. I’m not asking you to be my friend or anything, but all I ask is that you don’t treat me as an enemy for what I did to you. Could you find it in your heart to do so?”

Angelique took a step back, as if unsure how to react to this. She looked to Vivi, who only shrugged to show that it was all up to Angelique how to respond. Eventually, she gave a slightly annoyed huff and responded with an equal measure of annoyance. “Have you no shame? Or did you lose it all so you could dress like that?”

Piano was sort of glad this position made it impossible to see her face, for she looked plenty embarrassed at Angelique’s words. “I don’t know what my clothes have to do with this, but I feel plenty of shame. I just don’t think it should stop me from doing what needs to be done in situations like this.”

Angelique just rubbed the back of her head with her new hand, before putting her hood back on to hide her expression. “Just stand up already, would you? And if your annoying thesaurus of a brother waiting outside to ambush again? Should I send Vivi outside first to send him running?”

Piano stood up quickly at that, brushing off her dirty, damaged, and somewhat bloodstained clothes as she straightened herself up. “No, I think he said he had other work to do. He should be busy with that for most of today, so he can’t talk to you anymore today.”

“Lucky me. Well Vivi, let’s go back to our room. I think I just want to take a nap until our boat comes to pick us up.” Angelique brusquely strode out the door with but a moment’s wave to the two remaining occupants of the room.

Viola looked back towards her retreating friend, looking worried but slightly relieved, before giving the two in the room a wave of her own as friendly as she could manage. “Sure thing Angie. I’ll bring you your food tonight, but tomorrow, we’re going to go out in the town while the fighting’s going on and everyone else is busy.” The pair quickly left the store, leaving the young prodigy and the talent thief alone.

Nephro gave an annoyed huff of his own, bothered by all the distractions that were going on today. “Was there anything else you needed from me today? I noticed those daggers of yours were bent pretty bad. Did you want me to fix them or did you bring them in to admire the damage under my lights?”

Piano looked at the couple of bent throwing knives she had set down nearby. Angelique’s bubbles had bent the blades facing completely backwards, the points practically buried in the hilt at this point. Piano shook her head. “Sorry, I didn’t mean for these to take up space. I just brought them with me as a memento. These are just tempered steel, so I can easily replace them. Don’t worry about it at all.”

“Ok then. And what are you going to do about your clothes? I doubt you’ll want to walk around with all those holes in them?” He pointed at her clothes, which were torn in places from the attacks Angelique had leveled at her with magic. It was also covered in some of the black blood of the devil woman. “Not that I do much with clothes. Although I was working on an electro-polymer bodysuit lined with nanomachines to enhance the physical capabilities of the body, but that’s more of a side project. Otherwise, clothes are off limits as a job.

Piano looked down at it, and then shrugged her shoulders. “I guess I’ll just sew this outfit up the best I can and prepare another one for after the tournament. Looking at every other fighter ahead of me, I don’t think it’s worth burning through that much material for a new outfit every match.”

“And what sort of material would that be? You said the other day that most materials couldn’t hold your blood for long, and the ones that did wouldn’t be enough to hold blood for quenching. And yet your clothes aren’t being destroyed by your blood. So what’s it made of?” His metallic claw closed around his hand and opened with a snapping sound, the click of his bladed feet as he adjusted his position to look at her.

Piano gave a slight flush at that, as if embarrassed by the information. “Well, this is normally just plain silk, the kind you can find in any dimension and world. But there’s a certain alchemical process that you can treat the bolt in that purifies it in a way that lets it resist the corruption of my blood. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about alchemy, would you?”

Nephro just gave a disappointed look, shaking his head. “Sorry, I don’t deal in magic. I prefer things grounded in logic, reason, and science. Something that’s consistent, not up to the whims of the universe it takes place in. You’ll have to look to Saki for something like that.”

“The barkeep? Got it.” Piano nodded, taking that information in. While it was certainly a surprise that the bartender of the Fox’s Den was talented in alchemy, that was unfortunately a talent that Piano possessed, so there was no point trying to steal it. But having an alchemical lab was not possible for Piano on the road, so borrowing Saki’s would be appreciated so she could fix her clothes.

“Is there any other reason you’re standing around here then, or can you go now?” His metallic claw whirled as it shut around his robotic hand, his impatience to get back to his many projects apparent in his body language as he snapped her out of reverie.

Piano shot to her feet, grabbing everything that was hers. “No, sorry. I’ll leave now.”

“Good. Get going.” He hurried her along as she quickly stepped outside, apologizing the whole time for taking up his time as she retreated to outside of the store. With a quick motion, he slammed the door shut, putting up a sign to indicate he wasn’t accepting any more customers for the day.

Piano looked back at the building with a sigh of relief, glad she could get something she was after today. It was only at that moment did she realize there was the ki presence of someone nearby that she recognized. One that went at a remarkably high speed, high energy and full of life.

“Man, it sure looked like you guys were having a good old party in there? Were you girls having a special talk with no boys allowed? Oh wait, I guess that one kid was there too, so I guess it couldn’t have been too girls only if he was allowed to be in there. So I guess you guys were making up then? My opponent and I left on good terms cause we didn’t really hurt each other, but I suppose that’s cause we didn’t really fight, cause that would be crazy! I was fighting the Strongest Man in the Universe! There was no way I could take him on in a fight to the death! Thank goodness there was this whole tag thing, right? Otherwise it would be hard for people like us to win against some of these monsters, am I right?”

If Piano hadn’t spent all of her life listening to her brother’s ever evolving barrage of language, such a lightspeed interrogation as the one she received from Quan would’ve been overwhelming for the wallflower of a warrior. As it was, she had to grapple with which parts of his verbal assault was meant to be responded to or not as she formulated her own words. “I was just making sure she could get a new pair of arms. The blacksmith here did a good job, so everything’s good. And the tags are nice, they mean we can end the match on our own terms.”

“Yeah, I think I’m going to need it again this time.” he admitted, moving up to get near Piano’s face and causing her to flinch and take a step back. “When I signed up for this tournament, I didn’t expect to run into anyone with acid blood. Then again, we’ve also got a chick who can transform into a horrifying monster and a guy with some giant scary metal monster with him, so I was hoping you’d be the least horrifying of the group. But I guess a kung-fu fighter with acid blood is probably the least intimidating look of the three.”

“Thank you?” Piano said with some uncertainty, trying to decide if he was complimenting her or not. She certainly didn’t want to be seen as scary or imposing. Especially because that would draw too much attention to herself by being intimidating. “I just use what I have, same as everyone else. There’s nothing that special about me.”

“So you’re saying I have a chance?” Quan shot back, giving a wiggle of his eyebrows and a cocky grin at that. Piano could only respond by looking somewhat bewildered, backing up slightly as he moved forward to keep the distance the same.

“I mean… doesn’t everyone have a chance of winning?” Piano asked, unsure herself. “I wouldn’t think the God Eater would set up a tournament where only one of the contestants has a real chance to win? All of us should, while not equal in power, be able to win with some skill and quick thinking?” Her tail curled around her wrist in a comforting act, tugging slightly and applying light pressure to soothe herself.

“I suppose that’s true.” Quan agreed thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. “But she is a trickster goddess. You never know what sorts of schemes they can get up to. I remember one time I met a fairy queen that offered me a place to sleep, only to realize she meant that I was the place for others to rest! I just barely managed to get out of there before I became a spider hotel! Luckily, I was able to convince her that unfortunately, I have a strict no tarantula policy for my body, so she was forced to look for someone else to set up shop somewhere else.”

The face Quan had was one of delight, having just shared what he thought was a funny story. Piano, on the other hand, had an expression of immediate concern as she thought about what he said. “I’m sorry that almost happened to you. I hope the Madame Chief doesn’t do the same to us. I would hate for those little foxes to try and live in me. They might get hurt by my blood.”

Whatever response he had been expecting, that was not it, as the young speedster began to laugh in response. “Yeah, I suppose they would have to worry about that. The rest of us don’t have that to protect us though, so we might be in trouble.”

“I suppose that’s true.” Piano said thoughtfully, adopting a thinking pose herself. “Well, I know foxes hate the smell of garlic, so maybe you can just eat more food with garlic in it so they don’t want to live in you?”

“That could work.” Quan admitted. “But I don’t think I could do that. I’d get tired of eating garlic after enough time.”

“That’s true…” Piano agreed, looking concerned at this. “But I suppose the tournament is only going to last another couple of days, and there are dozens of recipes that include a decent enough amount of garlic, so there should be enough variety for you before anything could happen.”

“Huh. Guess I’m going to be snacking on some garlic then.” Quan snapped his fingers, pointing at her. “Thanks for the advice, uh, Piano, right?”

“That’s the name I go by here.” Piano affirmed with a slight nod. “And you’re Quan, right?”

“Call me An. I like it better. So, since we’re opponents, we should get to know each other better. For starters, we should talk about your match. Your moves were incredible! And the way you kept her from getting your tag… actually, what is your tag? I don’t think I ever saw it in your fight with that girl with the prissy name. Can you show it to me?”

But before she could open her mouth to speak, she suddenly felt her brother’s usual presence returning to her side. At the same time, she noticed Quan start looking in his direction as Forte strode up back in his usual attire, interceding between the two future fighters before the scene could continue further.

“I must sincerely beg your pardon, dear lad, but I’m afraid if one is hoping to obtain such vital intelligence, then it would be most generous if one were to offer the same level of intelligence prior to ensure an equal sharing of material. Mayhaps you could procure us with this information post haste, if it is of great interest to you?”

Quan gave him another look, as if trying to read Forte, before smiling and pulling out a knife. “That was a lot of words, but if you’re asking me to share first, check out this knife! They gave it to me when I came here. Doesn’t it look pretty cool? Makes me glad I signed up for this thing to get one of these!”

Forte examined the knife with some apparent curiosity, though his sister noticed a certain stiffness in him that was abnormal. The only other times she saw it was when his targets had lied to him about their names. Which to her meant that’s what had just happened and he was highly irritated. Hopefully he doesn’t do anything in his anger to her future opponent....

“My, what a charming apparatus you’ve managed to procure.” Forte complimented falsely, a charming smile on his face as he spoke. “And pray tell, from whence did you obtain such a dagger? Mayhaps you perused the wares of the humble blacksmith we stand afore and made you acquisition thenceforth, whether by legitimate means or by falsifiable trickery and peddermantry to forestall such funding necessities?”

He gestured at The Iron Claw, to which Quan just gave him a blank smile in response. “Yeah, I’m just going to pretend what you said made sense. Anyways, this place is pretty cool! Look at the flashing lights on the outside! It must take a lot of magic to maintain all of that!”

Forte looked at the neon lights on the building, and on the ones around it. “The lighting is certainly an aspect of the Crossroads that captures one’s focus upon any manner of examination. But the lighting of the noble gas neon to produce such fluorescent displays is but a cheap parlor trick to entice the baseborn into the meager shops they adorn is a classic trick for civilizations possessed of more modern technologies. You certainly are not so easily swayed by such simple pagentries, as a moth is drawn to roaring flames?”

“Are you calling me a moth?” Quan asked, tilting his head to the side with his arms crossed. “Cause I’ll have you know I am a hedgehog, thank you.”

“Forsooth?” Forte questioned, reaching forward towards Quan’s hair. “Then if I were to probe these protrusions upon your brow, I can expect to feel a pricking sensation upon my extended appendages?”

Quan instantly backed up, creating the desired distance from the twins that Forte was aiming for, as well as finding a weak point. “Don’t touch me!”

As Piano relaxed now that Quan had backed up, she turned to her brother. “Thank you. Talking is more your strong suit, so I’ll let you talk to him. I’ve got things to take care of before tomorrow.”

“Of course dear sister.” Forte assured her, even as his tense body language did nothing to reassure her. “Your brother Sharp shall handle such niceties normally expected of you.” He gave her a bow, sending her on her way.

Putting a mental note of the false name he was going by for now, Piano gave a polite wave to Quan as he quickly got himself back to a normal state, before quickly vanishing into the shadows.

“Wow, it’s crazy how easily she can disappear without magic!” Quan remarked, pointing to where he last saw the devil blooded woman. “That would’ve been useful when I was running away from those killer sword bees a few months back. I think they can lock onto you by smell, because I had to go sewer diving before they finally left me alone. But I got to meet a sewer naiad that was able to show me all the cool things she collects from people flushing it down there.”

“Well my spirited cadet, I would scarce imagine she would have provided you some other remedy to such a malady if she were still present, but I am afeared that today’s performance has siphoned what energy she possesses for social events. She shall need eve’s touch to squander up another dosage of charisma for tomorrow’s bout with you, Mr. Quan.” Forte’s performative language was followed with a gesture to follow.

There was a bit of suggestive magic in Forte’s tone, but Quan just shook his head for a moment, frowning slightly. Forte frowned in response as well, wondering why the magic didn’t take hold. But even without the arcane persuasion, Quan soon caught up and they walked down the neon lit streets as the sun began to set beyond Ume Bay.

“Just call me An. I don’t like being called Mr. It makes me feel old.” Quan corrected, looking at the various shops like it was his first time down them. “And you said your name was Sharp? Does that mean your blood can turn into swords? Or does it smell like cheese? Oh oh, or maybe it tastes bitter? What does Piano’s blood taste like? I’m sure it must be sweet, before it melts your tongue off.”

Forte gave a chuckle, shaking his head. “I’m afraid I do not possess such fantastical properties within the sanguitas portions of my physicality. All of our ken possess the same corrupting qualities in the black ichor we spill. Such a state is both highly feared and desired by those that differ from ours.”

“Interesting. Hey, they sell rings like mine over there!” The fae boy pointed to a nearby stall, which directed the diabolic man’s mismatched gaze towards a nearby stall, where a stout man with a tangled beard. In front of him was an array of rings for both fingers and necks on the counter in front of him, which a number of interested passersby were examining for themselves.

His was not the only stall on this street that had paraphernalia of the Cross Tournament fighters. Nearby, a long haired woman had a stall of figurines of Pembrooke’s mech, and a blue skinned man sold red and gold hair ribbons for Vilivian and Piano respectively. There were even a few shops that had the costumes of all the fighters for people to cosplay as. There were a few Vilivians and Pianos walking around already, and there was someone walking out of the shop in a Quan outfit, with a fake forehead scar stickered onto his forehead.

“It certainly seems that this tourney provides not only a spectacle within the hallowed fields of the Colosseum, but upon the streets of the Crossroads itself.” Forte commented wryly, looking at a pair of men leering at a woman in Piano cosplay with more causticity than his blood could ever hope to burn them with. “Mayhaps the God Eater puts on this tourney merely to give the mercantile class extramaterial products to produce for such a splendiferous event for her own amusement? For the performance of the fighters certainly does not cease the moment the Colosseum empties its stands at eve’s fall.”

“Uhhh…” Quan seemed confused with the way Forte talked, trying to process all the words he just heard. “Well, there’s quite a lot of cool looking people around. Look, that one looks like the lady that’s running this thing!”

Forte looked to where the young fae was pointing, where sure enough several women were dressed very similarly to the God Eater, wearing a similar dress and tights with the ornate design on them, and a singular fake fox tail that bounced behind them. Their hair was styled similarly as well, with two ear-like protrusions sticking out the side, though the total length of hair varied by woman. They were all milling outside of a grand building, with flashing lights drawing attention to it and a large fox mascot curled around the top above the words “Faux High Inn.”

As the two men looked, one of the workers noticed them and approached, a dark haired woman with light black scales along her face and arms as she leaned in seductively to address them. “Good evening gentlemen~ You two look like you could use a little more excitement after those matches earlier~ Why not join one of our lovely little foxes to cozy up against at the Faux High Inn, run by one of the very mayors of the Crossroads itself, so the quality is guaranteed~”

Both men gave her looks of interest, though it was Forte who spoke first. “My dear madam, did you say that one of the fine established leaders of this province? What makes such a political leader run such a fine establishment such as this in his free time?”

“Oh?~ An educated gentleman?~ I appreciate those~” The woman complimented, moving to his side and grabbing his arm. “And you’ve got it backwards dear~ He became a mayor because of how he ran the inn~ After the Madame’s lodges in the Fox Den and the Kit Inn for the fighters, the Faux High Inn is simply the best place to lay your head~ If you’d like, I could show you why~”

“A most generous offer indeed~” Forte replied, graciously removing her arms from his with a gentle touch. “But I’m afraid I agreed to be company to this young cadet for the eve, and must decline your offer at this time. But mayhaps when I have a free opportunity I might rejoin your number, so that I might get a chance to greet this enterprising owner of such a luxurious establishment.”

She then looked to Quan, giving him a smile that he easily shot back. “Oh, that shouldn’t be an issue dear~ We’ve got plenty of special offers available during the tournament, including group rates~ I’m sure I can get a good deal for you two~” She gave them both a wink, gesturing to the other girls around that were talking to other people passing by.

Quan looked eager to say something, but Forte just raised a hand dismissively. “I’m afraid my young companion here might not have quite the experience to handle such temptuous encounters. I was merely seeking to speak with him upon the ordering of food and beverages at the Fox’s Den. He seems to be quite the store of divers tales to tell.”

Quan finally spoke up, looking offended at Forte’s words. “Look, I might not know what all your fancy words mean, but I know when I’m being underestimated! I’ll have you know that one time I went on a date with three different water spirits all at the same time. Compared to that, this will be nothing.”

Forte gave him a raised eyebrow, looking amused. “Oh? You hear that fair maid? The cadet sees you as of little challenge. I’m almost tempted to bestow upon him the opportunity to test his romantic prowess against your occupational experience~”

“I think he is.” She replied, leaning over to talk to Quan, running a finger through her hair. “And looking at you more closely now, you’re one of the fighters in the tournament aren’t you?~ You’ll get a special rate as well~ So what do you say?~ Care to put those water spirit seducing skills to work on me?~” She reached forward to give his arm a squeeze playfully, trying to draw close to him.

Quan quickly ran around to the other side of them before either could react and gave Forte’s back a pat. Forte raised an eyebrow at the younger man, but said nothing. “Sorry, but he was right that we wanted to get food! I haven’t eaten since the match began, so I’m going to have him treat me to some good ol’ bar food. Maybe afterwards we’ll come back!” He shot her a pair of finger guns, his rings flashing in the multicolored lights emitted by the pleasure bar.

She gave the two of them a pout, as Forte helplessly shrugged. “Fine, I know when a girl’s not wanted. You two enjoy your boy’s night. If you need a girl’s company, you know where to find us~” She gave them a wink, putting on one last show for them before beginning to walk away. But then she turned back to them. “Oh, and tell Chifu I said hey~ And that she needs to stop by again soon~ It’s been ages~”

“I’ll be sure to pass on your regards~” Forte gave her a deep bow, holding his hat to his head as he did so. Quan gave a friendly wave and a “Bye bye!” before the two men walked on into the coming night towards the towering Fox’s Den.

As they walked along, Quan’s hands behind his head as he did so, he gave Forte a curious look. “Why didn’t you stay to talk with them? You seemed interested in that place. I wouldn’t have minded going by myself. Or I would’ve gone to look at all the lights around town once it’s dark out, I’m sure it’ll all look better at night, you know?”

“I’ve certainly got my reasonings.” Forte replied casually. When this clearly did not satisfy the younger man, he went on, “From my initial findings and postulations, I imagine such an establishment is unlikely to lose either workers, leadership, or clientele in the nearest future. As such, I see no immediacy in partaking in that particular maiden’s company. What’s more, I intuited that the proprietor of the business was not available at the current time. As the most highly stationed figure among the staff, it would be of great shame to spend time there without seeking the value of their conditioned time also. Overall, there is little opportunity to be gained by seeking a venture there at the present moment.”

“So basically, you’re saying nobody there was worth your time, right?” Quan replied after a moment of thought.

Forte gave a slightly displeased look at that. “That’s a rather unflattering manner to phrase it as, but I suppose there is a measure of truth that could be gleaned from that. But to say that was the whole truth would in fact be a lie of omission, a crime I imagine neither of us truly wishes to commit.”

Forte gave a smug smile at that, which Quan missed as he looked away almost casually. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“But of course. My profession involves a certain deal of perusing, both of the inken intention of others and the verbal conveyance. I do tend to have a habit of delving deeper into either on both accounts. But in this case, it has led to certain discernments I’ve made as to your demeanor.”

“You’re saying you know something about me?” Quan asked, clearly confused.

“Most certainly.” Forte confirmed, nodding his head as he adjusted his glasses. “You are an itinerant wanderer by nature, are you not? You only reside in a destination for as long as the novelty remains, before departing the moment your interests begins to wane and the looming specter of boredom rears its fangs toward you. Such a free-spirited individual would be unlikely to linger long in even a locale as mystical as this one if there was nothing to tether him strongly to such a place.”

“So you think your sister can beat me, huh Sharp?” Quan shot back, though whether that was to dodge Forte’s assessment or not was hard to tell.

“That is beyond any reasonable doubt.” Forte said with a level of assuredness that showed there was not a trace of doubt in his mind. “Unlike my sister, who spent the brief interlude during which your match took place to converse with the machinist, I took the liberty of viewing the fullest extent of your bout. And I must say I am not terribly afeared for my sister’s chances of matching you in combat, much less overcoming you in such a trial.”

“Ok, now I know you’re calling me weak.” Quan gave a big pout, crossing his arms and puffing out his cheeks. “Look, they put me up against a guy called the strongest man in the universe. What’d you want me to do, fight him fair?”

“That wouldn’t have been quite the necessary action, no.” Forte conceded, smirking down at the shorter man. “But presenting at least the front of a capable warrior might’ve made my presumptions harder to come upon. Especially since you were first matched with such an imposing figure, one might presume you would at least put up the pretense of presenting a challenge. The fact you went straight for circumnavigating your opponent indicates that your fighting prowess is likely less than my sister’s, who would’ve been able to confront such a formidable opponent.”

Quan’s mouth dropped in shock, looking at Forte unbelievingly. “Wait, you’re telling me that quiet girl could take on that strong guy? She could barely hold a conversation with me, but he could beat that guy? Wasn’t she all beat up after her fight?”

“Which only serves to exhibit the fortitude possessed by the martial artist known as Piano, that she was able to fight despite such formidable odds against her. In comparison to a man that took the simple man’s solution, it’s impossible to fathom a scenario in which she does not come out on top. With motivations as fickle as yours, the moment my sister proves more dominant and more challenging to overcome, you’ll quickly cede the match to avoid the trouble.”

As Forte gave that prediction, the boys had arrived at the Fox’s Den, the older man holding open the door to look at the younger one. The fae looked at the devil with a look that said he was about to give him a piece of his mind, only for the two to be interrupted by a voice from inside.

“So here’s where you two were!” The cheery voice of Miss X greeted them as she stepped out of the bar, looking at the two with almost pulsating heart eyes. “I’ve been looking for you two! Come on, get inside before it gets really dark out!”

She gestured for them to enter, which both men did with false, but convincing smiles on their faces as they followed the announcer into the building. Inside, the building was full of people excitedly talking about the matches earlier that day, which were still being played on various tvs throughout the bar as people wildly gesticulated at them to prove their points. Various specials were being served tonight, each themed after the eight fighters originally hosted, but with the four semi-finalists being the more popular drinks. Over at the bar, Saki was serving a glass of milk to Volley, with Vivi talking to him and seeming to give him advice over her tankard of ale.

“You said you were seeking our company, were you not?” Forte asked as they walked in, giving Saki a nod as they walked by. “Was there anything of notice you wished to impart upon us? Any alterations to the ceremony that might inhibit or enhance the enjoyment of those partaking in the festivities?”

“What? Oh no, nothing like that.” Miss X waved away his question, before giving a pop idol wave to one of the patrons that noticed her. “Everyone’s here celebrating the matches from today and there were a few of you missing. Where’s your sister F-”

“My kin is taking care of certain affairs prior to her match tomorrow.” Forte interjected before she could reveal his true name. “I would imagine she’ll make a passing appearance in due time, but I harbor little hope that she will linger longer than it takes to accomplish her desires. Her social faculties are also strained from today’s proceedings, both for the duration and the preceding times of combatual engagement. She will likely perform a spiritual cleansing throughout the night to permit her to engage once more upon the sun’s grace returning.”

“Really? That’s a shame. I was hoping to talk to her after that exciting match she put on today! And I’m sure Chifu would love to talk to all the contestants before the next match!”

“The local gossip?” Forte asked, amused. “I had some business to attend to her about, courtesy of the Faux High Inn. Might you assist me in reaching her?”

“Yeah, sure!” Miss X agreed, directing them towards the stairs. “She’s up in the VIP room. As a competitor and a supporter of a competitor, you two are allowed to follow me up!”

“Most excellent.” Forte bowed, stopping near the bar to address Saki. “I would request a brandy brought up for me. And for my younger companion…?”

Quan shook his head and waved his hands, protesting exuberantly. “Nah, I don’t drink. Not after I had some Ogre Brew and lost a whole week to it. But I will take some chips and salsa.”

“Oooh, Chifu will love chips and salsa!” Miss X commented, halfway up the stairs already. “And she’ll probably need another margarita to fill her up!”

Saki nodded, sliding another glass of Demon Blood down the bar as the trio ascended the stairs to the lush and well decorated upper floor of the VIP lounge. There weren’t many people up there, but there was one in particular that Forte recognized: the lush Chifu, who was leaning against some cushions with her opium pipe in hand and letting a lazy trail of smoke rise from her.

As she saw them approach, she waved, slowly sinking off the cushion until she was fully on the ground, before standing up with a slight sway. “Good evening everyone~ It’s so nice to see everyone after such exciting matches~”

“Did you even get to see any of them?” Miss X asked, going to “sit” on one of the cushions. “Or were you passed out during my amazing commentary?”

“Well…” Chifu trailed off for a bit, rubbing her head and giggling. “I might’ve slept through the first match… and the second match, and the third and the fourth… But I was awake for the last two!~”

Forte and Quan both laughed, but the faster boy answered first. “There wasn’t a fifth or sixth match. Maybe you were dreaming a little too much while you snoozed!”

That got a laugh out of everyone as Chifu gave a big pout, crossing her arms and sitting down near Miss X with a huff as she looked away from them all. Forte and Quan sat across from each other, just as a server with a lizard-like appearance walked up and delivered the orders from earlier. Chifu gave an excited squeal, forgetting her anger as the lizard woman put the margarita and chips in front of her, as well as the brandy in front of Forte.

“A most excellent and timely service. Though I would expect no less from an establishment that wishes to house a goddess.” Forte’s comments were paired with a quick raising on his glass before he seemed to take a sip. Quan and Chifu began to dig into the chips, both getting generous dips of salsa with each one.

“Wait, you mean that white haired woman lives here?” Quan asked, surprised at that. “I would’ve thought she’d live up in the mountain or some other mumbo jumbo. The gods I’ve seen had all these elaborate set-ups that made seeing them hard, and then they’d always talk down at you like you were stupid for bothering them. It was always annoying whenever I accidentally ended up in one of their places.”

“Yeah, Mom lives upstairs!” Miss X supplied, as Chifu put her lips to the salt-covered rim of her glass and took a deep sip of margarita with a pleased smile. “She’s probably resting up after everything that went on today so she can look her best for the matches tomorrow! Like your’s and his sister’s! I’m sure you two are anticipating that match first thing tomorrow!”

Both men kept quiet for a second, though it apparently seemed to be Forte waiting for Quan to respond, who himself was munching on some chips. But eventually, the young fae spoke up. “Yeah, I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. I think this fight’s a little more fair for me than the other one, so maybe I’ll get to show off all my awesome moves I couldn’t pull off on the other guy!” He made some karate chops in the air, sending a chip flying towards another table and nearly hitting one of the wait staff.

Forte gave a slight bow of his head. “I’m sure then that my blood can utilize more of her martial arsenal that she held at bay out of fear of harming an opponent as physically ill-suited as as an arranged opponent. But surely the male specimen of physical prowess that could stand so mightily against the Universe’s Strongest Warrior must surely be more formidable and thus more worthy of her greater strengths. Mayhaps we should refer to this cadet as the Prince’s former title in his stead?”

Quan thought about that a moment, before flexing his arms like a strongman. This got a laugh from the two girls, with Chifu laughing the hardest as she was only just able to keep a steady hand on her glass while she covered her mouth with the other. “I think I’m ok with that. Give me something new to share the next place I go.”

“And if my sister proves to be the conqueror in tomorrow’s bout, you will be forthright in bestowing your newly obtained title upon the one who seizes victory over you?” Forte asked with an amused smile, lounging on a hand while he swirled his brandy in front of himself.

“Sure, no problem. Names come and go, but fun never goes away.” Quan looked unconcerned as he shrugged. “And this place has been fun so far. There’s so many interesting people that I haven’t met yet! Like all those women at that one place!”

“Forsooth. The fine women of the Faux High Inn send their regards to you, Mrs. Chifu.” Forte relayed with a nod of his head.

“Ah, it’s been a while since I’ve seen those girls~” Chifu purred, lounging back in comfort. “I should stop by once the tournament is over~ Their boss owes me a few drinks as well~”

“Mayhaps I can accompany you on such an expedition?” Forte offered, adjusting his glasses. “I do have an interest in some of the finer individuals this section of the multiverse has to offer~”

“Why am I not surprised?” Quan said “under his breath,” causing Miss X to laugh at that. Chifu gave her own giggle, looking at Forte.

“I’ve never gone to meet escorts with an escort~ It should be something fun~” Quan ate another handful of chips, before waving for one of the wait staff to bring more.

“And what’s your sister going to do while that’s all going on?” Quan asked, leaning back in his seat. “She’s not going to stick around waiting for you to finish all this stuff you’re going to be doing, is she?”

“She can manage her affairs while I manage mine.” Forte explained, turning to Quan. “When we are ready to depart, she and I can reconvene at our leisure and venture forth back to the lands we alighted on prior to our sudden but fortuitous invitation to this gala of carnage.”

“But what about what she wants to do?” Quan asked, seemingly confused.

“And by what are you insinuating from such a statement?” Forte asked, in a more neutral tone from before.

“I mean, it sounds like she’s not going to have a say in it and is just going along with what you want. It just seems a little weird, you know?” Quan explained as both women looked between them. “Are you sure that she’s doing what she wants or is she too scared to ask for what she wants?”

Forte kept a cool gaze as he set his glass down and pulled out his wand, spinning the pen-like device idly. “Piano is a woman grown, with her own means of reasoning and parsing out what actions should constitute her interests and ideals. If my engaging in the local populace should prove to be troublesome to her desires, then she is free to set her own itinerary. We have our methods to reconvene at a later date to resume our partnered journeying, so it’ll be a trifle for her to depart on her own.”

“And if she wins the tournament, I’d be happy to talk to the winner of the tournament while she waits for her brother!” Miss X chimed in, waving her holographic arms as the women reasserted themselves into the conversation. “Assuming she’ll talk to me, given what you guys have said!”

“Speaking of winners~” Chifu added, her eyes going to Quan. “What do you think you’ll wish for if you win?~ And what do you think you’re sister will wish for if she wins instead?~” She addressed the last sentence towards Forte.

Quan perked up, giving a big smile. “I have no idea what I’m going to wish for. Maybe I’ll ask her to send me somewhere fun once I’m done here. Think I can put getting my wish on hold until I need it or do I need to cash it out right after I win? What’s the interest rate on a wish? How long would it take for me to build up to a second wish?”

“That’s not quite how it works…” Miss X corrected, rubbing the back of her head. Quan shrugged with an “Oh well,” as the woman turned back to Forte. “And does your sister have a wish in mind too? Have you guys talked about it?”

Forte gave his own shrug, as if it wasn’t an issue. “She is still undecided as to the exact nature of her desires of which she will make her request of the God Eater. But regardless of that lack of fulfilling knowledge, we have certainly enjoyed our visitation of this proud section of existence. I’m sure by tourney’s end, I can scarce imagine she will fail to manifest a meaningful manifestation of desire to have bestowed upon her.”

Chifu tilted her head for a moment, taking another sip of her drink. “Well, have you given her any ideas?~ I’m sure she’d grant your wish if she can’t think of one~”

Forte kept a straight face as he turned to the smiling drunk, though his hand went to his books hidden within his jacket. “I have no desire to perform any chicanery towards my own blood. Her efforts garner their own rewards and I would not seek to seize such a serendipitous opportunity after she has tilted with such marvelous meleers.”

“Oh?~” Chifu mused. “So you don’t have any wishes you would like to see fulfilled?~”

Forte gave her a look, the names that he took down in anger after failing to get the Madame Chief’s name burning under his fingertips. But he gave her a grin. “I have nothing that I desire so strongly as to cause undue distress to the one that shares my blood.”

“If you say so~” Chifu said cryptically, as Miss X stifled a laugh. “In any case, we’ve got two well-traveled men with plenty of stories to tell, a night ahead of us, and plenty to drink~ Let’s say we swap stories and gossip for a while?~”

“An exchanging of storied tales and flights of fancy? A most astute of games indeed.” Forte agreed. “We shall allow the youngest of our number to establish the genre and tone of said tales, and I shall adjust to his pace.”

“Only if you can keep up!” Quan challenged, giving him a grin. “Cause I got a story about meeting a burning man riding on a Charizard and I know you can’t top it!”

“A competition, is it?” Forte seemed rather amused, pulling out one of his books to consult his “notes.” “Well I hope you’ll forgive my determination, for I am the more competitive of the pair that is Piano and myself. Though since my stories come somewhat from the lived experiences of others, the vernacular used to convey them will be of a more rudimentary temperament to make it easier to parse for those not educated to be fully elucidated”

“This should be fun!” Miss X cheered, hearts radiating off of her.

“Yes it should~ It’s going to be a long, fun night~” Chifu purred, leaning onto the cushions as she took a breath of her opium pipe with a smile.

“But I must request that you indulge us as to the manner of the inciencidary individual’s origin of flame? Was it a natural occurrence, a freak twist of nature, or a manufacted means of self-immolation?”

“Well, I wasn’t there exactly for how he got on fire, but I do know it involves the Charizard, some bad decisions, and six gallons of fish oil, which might have been my fault…”

While Quan began to set the scene for his story, Forte began to do his own scene setting, his wand “writing” in his book like he was taking notes. While magic couldn’t affect the young fae directly for some reason, as long as the spell didn’t affect anybody, it should work out. The rest would lay on Forte’s skill with words and getting Chifu to act the way he wanted to, and he could get everything he could possibly want.

--------------------------

Piano quickly and quietly made her way to the room she shared with her brother, ensuring that she ran into no one else of note on her way there. Once she was there, she decided to give her brother time to lead Quan somewhere before she made a public appearance again. She took out all of her useable knives from her clothes and got into a meditative stance, concentrating on her ki and feeling the life energy flowing through her body. Against her next opponent, she knew that her physical senses would only slow her down, so she would need to rely on her ability to sense his ki if she hoped to deal with him.

‘..You’re too soft. Someone of your pedigree had the right to end these fools for bothering you.’

‘You don’t even know what you want, yet you’re willing to go so far as to destroy my arms? What are you hoping to get by doing all this?’

The words of the other women in this competition rang in Piano’s head, making it harder for her to concentrate on her meditation. After about twenty minutes of failing to meditate, she knew she needed to do something to get her mind off of her worries. Grabbing her sword to have something to defend herself and going to her bags and grabbing her bulky brown sewing supplies bag, she made her way over to the Fox’s Den.

The bar was still fairly crowded as she entered, though Volley had already vanished back to his room at Saki’s order. Vivi was still drinking at the bar, though now she was joined by Pembrooke as the two enjoyed drinks side by side as they laughed and joked with each other.

Piano hated how much she feels like she stands out now that she fought her match, much less with her bloodstained and tattered clothes, but she made it to the bar without being spotted. Saki didn’t notice her arrival at first, tending to the needs of the other patrons. The oni woman began to clean some of her glasses, still not noticing Piano until the young woman gave a slightly embarrassed clearing of her throat, startling the stronger woman.

“Oh, I didn’t notice you girl.” Saki apologized, looking to Piano as she spoke. “Though I think that’s more because you need to learn to assert yourself. So, what do you need? Did you come to try the drink we made in honor of you?”

Piano flushed, not wanting to think about anything she just said as she reached into her bag. “Well, I heard you were an alchemist, so I needed you to make something for me.”

She placed three bolts of silk onto the bar, as well as two different vials and some herbs as Saki looked somewhat excited and set down her glass. Piano continued, “I need you to make a potion to soak this silk in so it resists my blood. It’s a mix of troll blood as the base, with essence of light and Bouldilair’s herb mixed in. You’ll stir it counterclockwise once every minute for ten minutes, then put in the bolts and stir continuously for the next thirty minutes. Once the mixture becomes a bright yellow, you’ll pull out the silk, put more herb in, then put them in and let them soak again for another thirty minutes with no more stirring, and then it will be finished.”

Saki took all of that down in her head with a nod, her gaze never leaving Piano as Pembrooke and Vivi looked over at the now rapid fire talking Devil Blood with some confusion or awe. “Alright, I’ll have your materials out in an hour. Essence of light, huh? I assume that’s to counteract the corrupting force, with the herbs maintaining the mixture’s consistency, given how fickle the essence of light is…”

Saki still went over everything out loud with some excitement as she took the bolts and walked into her backroom, giving a motion for one of the other servers to take over the bar. Piano requested a glass of water to drink as she now had to wait, while Pembrooke moved over to talk to the young woman.

“Wow, I’m pretty sure that’s the most anyone’s heard you speak at once since you’ve been here, from what I’m told.” he joked with her, giving her a smile as she flushed with embarrassment.

“Is it? I didn’t notice.”

“You must really know your stuff! I didn’t even understand half of the things you were saying there.” he admitted, as Vivi nodded in agreement.

“I have to know this one. It’s the only way I can make clothes for myself and my brother.” Piano looked away shyly, drinking her water to try to avoid talking.

“Wait, you can make your own clothes too?” His surprise was apparent, as he leaned in to talk to her as she moved away. “So you can fight with crazy kung-fu moves, you can do some weird alchemy stuff, sew your own clothes, and seem like you know something about machines? Is there anything you can’t do?”

“Well, there’s lots I haven’t learned to do yet, but I’m working on that.” Piano said quietly, looking away still. “My brother and I didn’t get many luxuries as kids, so we had to learn to take care of ourselves, including making our own clothes. So really, what I do is nothing special.”

“Ah, I see. Sorry to hear that.” Pembrooke apologized, bowing his head. “Here, how about I get you a drink to make up for it and we can talk while we wait for Saki to come back with your stuff?”

“Sorry, I need to keep my head clear. I have to patch up my clothes, sew a new outfit for after the tournament, then I’m going to go into the woods to do some training to prepare for tomorrow’s match. My opponent’s pretty fast, after all.”

“He is.” Vivi spoke up. “And hey, be careful out there. Not only are there ghosts in the woods, but Angie was harassed by some weird guy out there, so look out for stalkers. You did win the first round after all and I’m sure people will be after you.”

“Ghosts and stalkers? Well, I already knocked out some people following me yesterday with Vilivian, so I don’t think anyone will come after me today. As for ghosts, I’m not sure. I’ve never seen a ghost, as they were a major information leak threat so they were always exorcised upon being discovered. Hopefully I can do something about them…”

“Information leak?” Pembrooke asked, leaning in. “What, is your world at war or something?”

“The section of the world I’m from is always at war.” Piano explained, looking at Pembrooke. “Various factions vie to rule the entire area. We have to hid underground in various hidden bunkers to avoid being killed during assaults. So when somebody dies, a priest immediately goes out to make sure there are no ghosts, who might be resentful enough to tell an enemy where people are hiding.”

“Damn, that’s rough.” Pembrooke said solemnly. “And you said you and your brother lived on your own? That must be why you had to pull yourself up like that.”

“Pretty much. We couldn’t afford a spot in the shelters normally, so we had to make our own way in the world. But as my brother has said, the experience also made me fully capable, especially for situations like this.”

“But not ghosts.” Vivi pointed out. “What are you going to do about them?”

Piano nodded. “I have my sword, I’ll be fine.”

Vivi looked at it. “I suppose you didn’t bust that thing out on Angie, so I have no idea what it can do. But if you say so, I’ll let you do you.”

Piano nodded once again. “Thank you for the warning.”

There was a brief pause, as the other two waited for Piano to add something to the conversation, but she just kept looking at the bar counter as she waited for Saki to return. Pembrooke tried to get her to join in on the conversation, but small talk with Piano only lasted a few lines before she went silent again. Eventually, the two went to talking mostly to each other, though they both made valiant attempts to get Piano to contribute with occasionally surprising insights.

But eventually, an hour or so passed and Saki stepped back out with the bolts of silk. Fresh out of the concoction, the silk seemed to glow slightly as the oni handed it over to the devil blood.

“Well, that was certainly an interesting recipe to make. If you need me to make it again, don’t be afraid to ask. I even went ahead and made extras of the ingredients just in case, so you don’t have to hand those over next time.”

“Thank you kindly. If you all will excuse me.” Piano gave a deep bow to all three of them. “Thank you two for talking with me. I wish you luck in your match tomorrow, Pembrooke.” And with those final words, she stuffed away the silk and made her way back into the now night air.

It didn’t take her long to get to the Sacred Forest, climbing onto the roofs to parkour above the milling nightlife below in the Crossroads as she made it to the dark forest. She journeyed in for a few minutes, clutching her bag to her side as her grip on her blade never wavered. Once she made it to a clearing with a boulder at the center, she decided that’s where she would stop for the night.

Taking off all but her leotard, she climbed to the top of the rock and pulled out all of her sewing supplies along with the enchanted silk. Grabbing her coat first, she began to stitch up the holes Angelique and her made in them, using the silk to patch up the bigger gaps as her stolen expertise quickly fixed up the first couple articles of clothing. Once she was done sewing, she would wash out the blood in a nearby stream and clean it up for tomorrow’s match.

Just as she finished repairs and was laying out the silk to make a new coat for herself when she suddenly felt a presence. She didn’t sense any ki, which is why she didn’t notice them approaching earlier. Which meant…

“Foolish mortal!” A ghastly voice echoed over the clearing, as a woman with a fox tail and translucent skin floated out from the treeline and made her way towards Piano. “That you came out here alone was your biggest and last mistake! Surrender your body to me and-”

Before the ghost could finish it’s spiel, it suddenly noticed that Piano was no longer on the rock. At the same moment, she “felt” the corrupting blade of Piano pass through her body. While the weapon itself had no effect on the ghost, the sensation of Piano’s blood’s corrupting influence sent a shiver down the ghostly spine of the woman.

Piano, for her part, looked down at the blade with some interest. “Didn’t feel like anything. Guess them not having flesh really makes a difference when it comes to hitting things.”

While she was musing about her first time slashing a ghost, the ghost in question was reeling from the feeling of being slashed by Piano’s sword. While it did no damage, it was so unpleasant that she decided to disapparate rather than try to possess Piano again. So did the other ghosts that had surrounded the clearing also began to disappear, the haunting atmosphere they had established slowly fading as Piano felt she could relax again.

“I guess ghosts aren’t so bad after all. Time to finish sewing, then I can work on some speed exercises.”

Her next couple hours went by without further issue, two new sets of clothes laying on the boulder and her clothes for the tournament hanging to dry on some nearby tree branches. With that done, she stood in the middle of the clearing, picking a set of trees to serve as her practice dummies. She closed her eyes, sensing the faint bits of ki that flowed through the trees as she imagined them to be Quan moving around quickly.

For a few moments, she stood with her hand on her sword. But what made her hesitate was not the thought of her opponent, but imagining the moment beyond him. She imagined Vilivian or Pembrooke standing before her, with the God Eater looming above her, magic in hand representing the wish that was waiting upon victory. What did she truly want from this tournament? What could she do to prove herself worthy of getting such a wish?

She saw Angelique’s angered expression once she lost, and Vilivian’s disappointed one in the alleyway. And feelings of doubt further arose. But then she saw the God Eater’s amused expression and her brother’s high expectations as he expected her to win the tournament. His words prior to the first day of the tournament ringing in her head.

“While your purpose in life does not normally suggest actively causing harm to others, in this one instance we must make special exception. While I know your gentle demeanor will stay your hand from bloodshed beyond what is necessary, that in itself may prove to be the boon you need to get the decisive slice upon your opponent’s flesh to warrant your blade’s purest victory.”

With a dash of speed, she rushed forward and drew her blade as she delivered a swift slash. But instead of slicing through the tree, she instead had just the tip of her blade cut into the bark, leaving a small cut along the bark. She smiled to herself in victory as she looked at her work, a black corruption spreading across the bark as it ate its way through the living material.

All she had to do was repeat that against Quan and she should be good. She had another hour before her clothes were dry, and there were plenty of trees along the clearing to practice that cut.

An hour later, at the edge of town, Vilivian spotted the young Devil Blood woman stepping out of the treeline, a bag under her arm and her clothes freshly mended with sweat dripping down her forehead. But the thing the Matriarch noticed the most was the look in Piano’s eyes.

“That looks suits your blood better, Blackblood.” Vilivian commented to herself as she saw the girl walk towards the Kit Inn. “We shall see each other in the next round.”

Deep in the forest, several trees had large gouges melted into them, with several of them having collapsed from lack of support as the bark was corrupted away. Even the boulder in the center had a large cut in the center of it as a final practice, with the surrounding rock crumbling away from the corruption.

As Piano laid her stuff down, she noticed her brother wasn’t home. She remembered who he was with, and the anger she had noticed in him. Knowing her brother was capable of fending for himself, she wondered exactly what he was going to do to Quan tonight as she got the rest she would need for her match tomorrow, planning to meet with her brother again after the match…

Violent Winds

Forte and Quan had traded stories for a while now, each of them telling more and more extravagant stories with each one, as if trying to one up each other. Miss X, halfway through this little competition, got up and left, citing other business she needed to get to. Chifu, meanwhile, had passed out around the same time, too drunk to continue listening despite how much fun she was having.

As Forte finished his story about two lovers in opposing families nearly ending their lives in order to be together before cooler heads prevailed, Quan punctuated its conclusion with a yawn, looking at the night sky outside the window.

“Man, that was a lot of fun. Despite sounding like a pretentious jerk, you’ve got some fun stories in you. Maybe when you finish that book you kept mentioning, I might have to steal a copy to read. Make sure you get a print all the way over to my world when you finish.”

“I can promise you that my utmost desire is to spread my literature to every bit of earth and stone that a star’s light descends upon, from the far-flung reaches of the multiverse to the core that these Crossroads lie about. Though I do pray that if you must commit larceny to retrieve my novel, that your pettemanry goes towards another so that I might receive the royalties due to me.” Forte gave an amused chuckle, sounding quite tired himself.

“I can’t promise you nothing!” Quan promised, before stepping away from the table.

But he only got a few steps away from the table before suddenly his entire surroundings had changed. From the sounds of bar goers downstairs loudly cheering and the darkened interiors that had been the atmosphere, an unsettlingly quiet bar brightly lit greeted him. Forte and Chifu disappeared, replaced by a startled looking serving man who looked at the hedgehog fae with confusion. As Quan froze in confusion at the sudden change, Saki stepped upstairs, pointing directly at him.

“There you are! Everyone’s been looking for you! Your match begins in ten minutes. You’re pretty fast, so I’m sure you can make it in time, but you better hurry!”

Quan looked at her with some horror, before running back to the table. As he did, the night sky filled the windows once more as Forte and Chifu reappeared.

“What did you do?” Quan asked, looking tired, confused, and upset at what was going on. “How did you make it night out?”

Forte just gave a tired grin, his eyes barely keeping open at this point. “A mere parlour trick, one that could fool even your senses if you were thoroughly distracted. As fate would have it, you are so enamored by the sound of your voice telling your finest tales and the rapt attention of those around you, that your surroundings and perception of time are easy to blend into false pretenses. But now you have to contend with my sister, whose refreshed condition from an eve’s embrace should surely prevail.”

Quan gave Forte a dangerous look, before beginning to run away. But he was stopped by Forte’s voice calling out to him as the Devil Blood stepped out from the illusion, dispelling it.

“One last delay, if you scarce mind?”

“What? Hurry up, I’m in a rush?” Quan asked quickly, running in place as adrenaline jolted him awake for a little bit.

“I merely ask for your personage before you depart.” Forte asked, a tired smile on his face as his pen rested in his book.

“You’ll hear my name when the match is announced.” Quan looked confused at the request, looking towards the stairs ready to leave.

“But as a writer, I have perceived that one’s name is most well suited to being spake into existence by one’s own tongue.”

Quan stayed for a few more moments, before shaking his head. “Nah, I’ve dealt with enough fairies to know that’s a bad idea. You can ask someone else.” And without another word, Quan disappeared from the bar, leaving behind a slightly disappointed Forte.

At that point, Chifu began to stir awake, causing Forte to turn his attention towards the drunk. “Ah, fair maid. I see your slumber proved to be most fruitful.”

“Mmhmm~” Chifu responded sleepily, rubbing her eyes. “I’m surprised I didn’t wake up in my bed, but at least I woke in time for the matches, right?~”

“Of that, I grant you the finest of assurances.” Forte gave her a bow, before opening up another book and turning to her. “It is with grave misfortune, however, that I will be partaking in my own day’s rest to recover from last night’s revelries, and must decline the ability to view my sister’s match live. But I pray that you’ll give me your word you'll share your interpretation of my sister’s match, and that you’ll bestow upon me your name before I depart, so that my spirits will soar their way to the land of dreams and pleasant manifestations.”

“My name?~ It’s Chifu~” The local gossip replied simply, smiling at him. Forte eagerly wrote it down… only for his golden eye to dull, and for the first time, an expression of anger flashing across his face before he cooled it to a look of disappointment.

“So even you are nothing but a peddler of false truths, are you now?” Forte spoke flatly, closing his book with a snap. “I certainly hadn’t expected the likes of you to prove to be so deceptive.”

“What do you mean?~” Chifu asked, but got no reply as Forte spun around and walked away. The drunkard looked at the departing Devil Blood with a cocked head, before giving an amused smile once he left. “Well, that was an amusing diversion~ But I suppose I have my duties to attend to~ Saki, could you get the door?~”

“Just this once.” Saki said simply, walking to the nearby door. As Chifu approached, her visage slowly shifted to that of her goddess persona, safe in knowing Forte was heading straight back to his room to pass out. As she reached the door, the sound of bells rang and Saki opened the door to the God Eater’s booth in the Cross Colosseum.

Saki walked over to the table as the last bits of the God Eater’s tail disappeared through the door, reverting it back to it’s normal passage to the upper floors. As she did, she saw the various margarita glasses that had built up through the night, not picked up as the staff didn’t notice the trio disappearing. There was also the empty bowl for the chips, and a completely untouched glass of brandy, resting where Forte sat.

Saki picked up the undrank drink, looking annoyed. “What a waste of good brandy.” Shaking her head, she cleaned up the rest of the table and got back to work.

At about the same time, the curtains to the booth were revealed as the God Eater sat down, and Miss X began her announcement.

“Fans of fury and fire and flames and fashion and force and foes, are you all ready for a spectacurific set of fights today? Well, are you? I can’t hear you! Good, that’s more like it! Welcome back to day two of the Cross Tournament! Today we bring you two more matches full of fighters willing to bring it all to bare it all in order to earn the right to the God Eater’s wish today! Which of these vicious four will be moving on to the final rounds and fighting their hearts out for our amusement? Let’s find out!”

There was a loud cheer from the audience, various members of the audience holding out flags and banners to represent their support for each of the competitors.

“Our first match is between two speedy individuals with lots to prove and little to lose! Which I guess means they’re probably ramped up to max speed, so we should be too!”

“Quan managed the biggest upset of the entire tournament, managing to trick the Strongest Man in the Universe and steal his tag in record time! No one was expecting such an opening move! But now he’s against a tenacious opponent that’s less likely to have her tag stolen in such a way, so we’ll have to see if he can put up a fight against her!”

“Piano, meanwhile, went through her own struggle, getting chased around and beaten up quite a bit in her match before she finally managed to overcome her opponent’s fearsome magic! But this next foe has speed that will send her head spinning! Let’s see if she has any more tricks hidden up her sleeve that will let her match the raw speed of this fae wonder!”

“No matter what way it goes, I’m sure this battle will be blazing before us in the blink of an eye! So keep those eyeballs open reeeeaaaaalllllll wide, and we’ll see which of these two comes up on top!”

Piano was already waiting in the arena for her match, fully dressed in her usual outfit and her weapons hidden throughout her body once more. She looked well-rested and determined as she looked at her opponent’s entryway, waiting for the speedster to arrive. As time dragged on and he didn’t seem to show up, the audience began to grumble and complain, some even going so far as to boo and loudly yell at the God Eater as to where her fighter was.

With a sudden blur of movement, Quan entered the field. “Sorry guys, sorry! I just slept in a little!” His joke was enough to settle the crowd, several people laughing as those that still grumbled at least did so under their breath.

“Well, now that our two fastest fighters are here barely on time, how about we hurry along to their big match, shall we? Ready? Set? Begin!”

Both the red skinned woman and the scarf wearing boy rushed forward, their fists meeting in the middle as a bell chimed throughout the arena and the space around the two changed. The brightly lit arena shifted into a dank, dark sewer, slightly dirtied water going ankle deep for them in the half-pipe shaped pathways. Two side walkways higher up provided dry places, as did metal grated bridges spanning across them at various points. Metal pipes lined the ceiling as the two fighters could see, though the audience through Miss X’s eyes could see directly into the square shaped area, getting the best view possible of the fight.

“Looks like we’re going underground for this fight! Too bad we don’t have any skaters among the fighters, because I’m sure this map could let you rack up a high score like you wouldn’t believe! But I suppose to these two, the highest score will be that wish they’re fighting for!”

Quan and Piano leaped away from each other, the former shaking his fist from the impact. “You know, I watched your fight yesterday, but I didn’t realize just how hard you were pun-”

His talking was interrupted by two purple projectiles hurling his way. Normally, his quick reflexes could’ve easily dodged it, but his exhaustion from staying up all night dulled them slightly as one of the sharp heels managed to graze his cheek.

As he looked surprised, his regeneration healing the small cut quickly, Piano was already flinging several throwing knives in his direction, a mix of steel and blood forged knives flying through the air towards the speedster. Now more prepared after the surprise attack, he quickly ran around the corner, causing the blades to spark against the wall behind where he was.

“Looks like this match opened up real quick, with Piano’s heel attack barely grazing him. He’s already on the run from Piano’s rain of steel, and now he’s going to get a good layout of our map for today’s match! Talk about thinking on your toes!”

Piano stood in place, her eyes closed as she followed his ki. She felt him run around for about twenty feet on that side, before repeating the same for the opposite side of her. As he ran the twenty feet on the side behind her, she felt she had a good grasp of the layout of the arena as she heard his splashing footsteps approaching behind her.

He closed the distance between them as he rounded the corner, going to punch the back of her head. She quickly spun around to kick at him, but he easily dodged the attack and lunged for her neck where her tag was.

But just as his hands got within an inch of her neck, her hands quickly clamped down on his arm. He looked surprised, only for him to get locked into a judo throw and slammed into the ground with her on top of him.

She knew he would go for her tag, just as he had with Armius yesterday. So she focused her ki senses to the area in front of her neck. The moment his arm crossed that area, her arms would automatically go in without her conscious input and grab him. She was sure after this, he wouldn’t try again, so she had to take advantage of this and wear down his durability.

“Uh oh! Looks like Piano’s caught our little speedster, unlike the Prince yesterday! And as we saw with Angelique, that’s the last place you want to be with this fierce martial artist! Here comes a flurry of blows!”

With him pinned beneath her, she focused her ki into her fists to strengthen the blows and began delivering hammer blows down on him. At first, he merely raised his arms to block the heavy blows raining down on him, each impact feeling like an actual sledgehammer coming down on him. But as he got used to it slightly, he began to use one of his arms to punch back, hitting her side even as it felt like punching a tractor tire from her hardening her muscles with ki.

But as he was keeping her focus on his upper half, he moved his stomach and hips as quickly as possible to try and wriggle free from her pin. After a few exchanges of blows, which she blocked with her other hand to keep him from going for her tag, he suddenly created a gap and quickly clambered out from underneath her, running to the corner once more. As he rounded the corner, he felt a sharp pain along his right thigh, the sound of a throwing knife hitting the wall echoing as he disappeared around the stone wall.

As Quan went to catch his breath, his regeneration working hard to recover from all the bruises, he looked at his leg. There was a good size cut on it, which he watched to see it close. But then he felt something burning along the wound as the wound refused to close. He looked confused, trying to figure out what was going on with his tired brain.

But he didn’t have any more time as he saw a flash out of the corner of his eyes as three more crimson daggers hurtled towards him. He hadn’t even heard her run over! He ducked under them, before running away more.

“That stupid Sharp!” Quan complained. “Making me stay up all night, not letting me talk to Piano before the match, and messing with my head!”

“After quite a daring escape, our Quan has taken some injuries! While most of them are healing, it looks like that cut isn’t going to close anytime soon! Got to watch out for anything red with Piano, because that’s especially dangerous! It looks like it’s taking all Quan can do just to get away!”

‘With motivations as fickle as yours, the moment my sister proves more dominant and more challenging to overcome, you’ll quickly cede the match to avoid the trouble.’

Quan stopped as he remembered the brother’s words. An anger filled the pit of his stomach. He was proving that prissy jerk right this whole time! He was running away from Piano because she seemed overwhelming to him. Well, there was enough of that!

Pulling out his knife, he spun around and charged around the corner. At first, he didn’t see her in the passageway, but looking up quickly proved to save him as he dodged out of the way of more throwing knives as Piano descended down knee first. Quan quickly backed up, before charging forward at her. As he did, he saw her grip the hilt of her sword, her eyes flashing his way.

‘Ha, she’s finally pulling out that sword!’ Quan thought. He looked at the length of the sheath, quickly calculating his speed compared to hers and the length of the sword. ‘I should be able to get a good slash or two on her before she can get that thing out, and then I’ll be too close! I’ll dodge her blood and-’

As he got close to her and was about to swing his knife her way, he felt another sharp pain across his chest. A spray of his blood shot out, as Piano’s blade was held out in her right hand perpendicular to her body as she completed her slash. He looked at her sword and realized…

“It’s shorter!” He exclaimed out loud, his dulled reflexes nearly causing him to take another slash from her anti-regeneration sword as he stumbled back. Piano pressed the attack, returning her blade to its sheath between each slash as she kept up with him.

“My oh my!” Miss X cheered as loud as the audience as Piano’s mysterious blade finally emerged. “It looks like our pretty little Piano is a master of Iaijutsu! With stunning speed she sliced Quan’s skin, and that wound isn’t going to heal anytime soon! I guess we can see why Piano had to hold back with poor Angelique now! Good luck Quan!”

Piano pressed her attack a few more times, before Quan suddenly lunged forward between two of her attacks, nicking her arm. He quickly dodged to the side as a small jet of black blood spattered the wall behind him, the stone beginning to melt. As he gave a cocky laugh, however, he felt a dull thud on his side and he was sent flying away. Rolling to get back up, he saw her finish swinging her sheath in her left hand, as she now held both parts of the sword.

“Lucky hit!” Quan complained, before lunging forward once more. She blocked the stab with her sheath, swinging her sword at the same time and forcing him back.

“Same for you.” Piano said quietly, as the two got locked into an exchange of blows with each other, with Quan managing to tag her a couple of times. Once or twice, a jet of blood shot out from Piano as she was hit, forcing Quan to retreat. But occasionally, a slash would go unerupted, which Quan noticed.

“Guess it takes you time to do that spray thing. So if I keep slashing, you can’t keep doing it!” Piano leaped back before taking another hit, sheathing her blade as she did so. She got into a wide stance, preparing to slash him when he got close. “That same trick won’t work twice! I’ll get your tag this time!”

Quan charged forward at an even faster speed than before, reaching her just before her blade was drawn. Drawing on her ki, she sped up her slash to try and match it, only for him to dodge out of the way by stepping back.

“See, you miss-”

Before he could finish his taunt, he suddenly felt a burning pain along his shoulder, causing him to drop his knife. He looked to see a spray of blood splash on him… coming from her sheath.

“Uh oh! Looks like Quan wasn’t paying attention to what his opponent was doing while he had the upper hand! While he was focused on the blood not coming out of her, he didn’t notice her feeding blood into her sheath! And that extra space in her extra long sheath serves as a perfect holder for some extra blood that she could send at him for extra pain! Only an experienced warrior would even think of that! Just how dangerous is Piano really?”

Quan was forced to fully retreat at this point, needing to take time to recover from all of his injuries. As he disappeared around the corner, Piano did nothing to follow him, instead choosing to catch her own breath for a bit. While she was bleeding from quite a few places at this point, his wounds were much bigger, and the strain from not being able to regenerate from them was sure to take its toll. He would likely need to catch his breath and plan his next move, but he will eventually need to come to her. Time was not on his side. So she needed to prepare a welcome for him good enough to let her finish him off.

Quan, for his part, was on the opposite side of the arena from Piano, taking a deep breath as he clutched his chest. While the corrupting influence of Piano’s blood did a good job keeping him from regenerating quickly, his body still was healing at a faster rate than likely any opponent Piano’s faced thus far, the wounds closing imperceptibly slowly and the blood splashed on him only burning him on a surface level. But even with those advantages, he was losing blood fast. She could probably follow it, he was leaving so much behind.

“I’ve got to beat her soon. She’s not even doing that doping thing she did against that prissy girl.” Quan reasoned. He saw a few of her throwing knives on the ground nearby, and he quickly ran over to pick one up. “At least I got a weapon again. Now, all I have to do is catch her by surprise before she sees me get close and then I’ll win!”

“Sounds like Quan’s got a plan!” Miss X commented from above to her adoring fans, who were all cheering at the heavy bloodshed that was going on between the two speedy fighters. “It looks like we’re getting to the decisive end of the bout! These next few moments will decide the match, so don’t blink or you’ll miss it!”

Quan rushed around two passages, getting back to where he last saw Piano. She was nowhere to be seen standing in the area, but he saw her match with Angelique. Looking down in the dirty water, he got a glint of gold in the water. Smiling to himself, he quickly closed the distance between them and stabbed down.

But there was virtually no resistance as he struck through the coat and down into the stone ground below, where the crimson blade sunk in. His mouth hung agape, processing what happened as the bells on Piano’s coat rang from the impact.

But that wasn’t the only thing ringing around. Quan looked up just in time to see Piano slash through the last of the pipes in the ceiling, causing a sudden cascade of metal to rain down on Quan below. The way she had damaged the pipes, there was no way for him to retreat either side before he’d get caught. He’d have to dodge them where he was.

The speedster moved as fast as his body could, weaving between the pipes as they collided loudly with the stone floor and sent water in the air as they rolled in the half-pipe between walkways. He was beginning to laugh, giddy at how his speed saved him at this moment. But then, as he saw one pipe fall to his left, he saw a glint of gold.

In an instant, Piano leaped off the falling pipe she had been hiding behind towards Quan as he was slightly in the air to leap over a rolling pipe. With a quick draw and swing, she crossed where he was and carved the tip of her blade along his back. A spray of blood filled the air as Quan gave a cry of pain, dropping her throwing knife as he fell. His eyes rolled up in his head as the pain overwhelmed him and he passed out on top of the steel pipes, his speed allowing him to dodge all but her slash.

“And what an exciting finish for that match! With a leap from a cascade of falling pipes she made herself, she launched herself at Quan and slashed open his back! At this point, he has been rendered unable to fight, making Piano our decisive winner!”

The surroundings shifted as bells rang once more, allowing Piano to hear the roaring cheer of the crowd as she returned to the Cross Colosseum. Her various thrown weapons collapsed onto the real ground as they were returned to their true location in space.

As that happened, she immediately went into medic mode, holding closed Quan’s wounds as she waited for the medical team to arrive to help him. She felt guilty that she went that far as she did, but she remembered the promise she made herself last night.

“To make up for the pain I caused Angelique, and to meet the expectations of my brother, the God Eater, and Vilivian, I will do what it takes to win, and make it up somehow with my wish. If not to the ones I hurt, then to Fate itself. That will work, right brother?”

But she had yet to consult her brother on her more consolidated goal for her further participation in the tournament. And as a stretcher was brought out to take Quan outside of the arena, Madame Chief looked down at Piano with amusement.

“My, doesn’t she seem more sure of herself?~” She commented to a Crossguard, who were all confident that Forte wasn’t among their number again. “I’m glad I invited her as I did~ She’s proving to be far more entertaining than even I had expected~”

As she watched on from above with amusement, she saw Piano receive Quan’s tag from one of the medics, and his two tails vanished from him in her eyes to shift to Piano’s backside. Invisible to all but Madame Chief’s select few, Piano’s four tails now swished nervously with her spade shaped tail, signifying her place as one of the two finalists to face off for one chance at a wish.

“Looks like this crop listens to my instructions to a t~ This should be an exciting tournament to the end~”

Piano & Forte

[Piano & Forte] Round 3: Black and Purple

Original Doc

Settling Ebony

“Nah, it’s fine. We were fighting, stuff like that happens, you know?”

Laying on the bed of the infirmary, Quan gave Piano a smile. Several bandages were wrapped around his torso, slightly stained with blood on the back. But at this point, they were starting to be mostly for show, as the corrupting taint of Piano’s blood had begun to fade and his regeneration picked up again once more. Within a few minutes, he would be fully healed and he’d be out of the infirmary anyways.

But even still, Piano seemed guilty about how the fight ended. While it was the most surefire way of ensuring her would go down, and having been careful to keep it shallow to avoid permanently damaging him, there shouldn’t really be anything for her to apologize for. Even still, she bowed her head, her tag swinging on her neck along with Quan’s, Armius’, and Angelique’s.

“Even still, I need to at least apologize. It probably hurt a lot.” Piano insisted, not looking at him as she started down at the ground in shame. “So even though you say you’re fine, at least let me apologize for my own sake.”

“Fine, fine, I forgive you and name you knight of the Crossroads or whatever else I need to do to let you get over this.” Quan said casually, waving his fingers on her shoulders in a mockery of knighting. “Does that make it up to you?”

“I-I suppose it would…” Piano confessed, her tail curling onto her wrist as she scratched her face.

“Good.” Quan relaxed on the bed, his hands behind his head. “To be honest, that pain wasn’t too bad. No worse than when I stole fire honey from Infernal Hornets. Those guys know how to sting real good. And besides, this place was getting a little too stuffy for me anyways. All you people with your prissy names. Now that I’ve lost, I can hit the road as soon as I want to. I don’t have to stick around if I don’t want to anymore. But it would’ve been fun trying to trick that God Eater lady into giving me her powers if I won. Maybe you can do it for me?”

“Uh… well, I don’t really know if that would-” Piano began, only for Quan to cut in.

“Nah, you couldn’t do it. She’ll probably run circles around you even if you tried. Better to stick with whatever you want. What is it that you want?” He began to lean forward with interest, only to wince in pain from his back muscles stretching over the wound.

“Well, I want-”

“Nah wait, don’t tell me. It’s bad luck to tell someone your wish before you get it.” Quan shook his head. “And since you beat me, I guess I want you to at least win so this back pain ain’t for nothing, you know?”

“I’ll-I’ll do my best…” Piano stammered, flushing from his expectations.

“Though I’m also glad I didn’t win. Imagine me, going against that monster of a woman!” He gave a laugh, which did nothing to cheer Piano up. “One wrong move and I’m a hole in the wall. Now that would be some serious back pain!”

“Uhh…. yes, I suppose she is a rather intimidating opponent…” Piano agreed, thinking back to the fight in the alley yesterday. “And I have to beat her tomorrow if I want to get that wish…”

“Well, good luck with that. Maybe I’ll stick around to watch it. I’m sure it’s going to be wild!” Quan laughed as if it was none of his business. Well technically, it wasn’t, but Piano’s stomach twisted at the ever looming figure of Vilivian on the horizon.

Her worries were extra strong because of her other purpose coming here: to collect particularly historic or valuable talents. And Vilivian’s unspoiled martial arts were unfortunately one of those talents she knew she had to seek out. Which means she’d have to draw out the fight for a while to observe it enough to “steal.” And even once she succeeded in stealing her talent, Piano would then have to take on a Vilivian that didn’t easily tire in comparison to her, that had magic at her disposal, and had a monstrous form to overwhelm Piano’s meager strength even when the Devil Blood was doping herself up. In a fair fight in that arena, there was little chance Piano had of winning, even if she tried to steal the tag.

In the arena…

In the arena?

“Yo, Piano? Are you doing alright there?” Quan sat up and waved his hand in front of her face. “You’re spacing out on me. It’s kind of freaky, and I sleep in haunted houses all the time.”

“I’m…. I’m sorry…” Piano vaguely apologized. “I need to go find my brother. Take care of yourself…”

“Okay, take it easy!” Quan called, relaxing back down on his bed. “Hey Doc, I think my back’s hurting something fierce! Maybe something sweet will help distract me from the pain!” The last thing Piano saw of Quan was his cocky smile as the doctor passed her to check on his patient.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Back at the Kit Inn, Forte was just beginning to wake up, grumbling slightly as the light of the soon setting sun hit his eyes, forcing him to squint. He looked at his bedside table for his glasses, seeing them lying next to the healing crystal he “borrowed” from Vilivian last night when he took that short little excursion from keeping Quan up.

He picked up the gem, admiring it in the light of the sun once again with his smirk. “Isn’t it rather marvelous, blood of mine?”

He glanced over, seeing his eyes mirrored back at him by his sister as she leaned against the wall. He noticed more slash wounds across her body, likely from her match earlier. But given her lack of worry at disappointing him, instead having a look of some shame but still having some resolve, he reasoned she had won her match. He gave her a proud grin.

“I suppose some manner of celebratory guerdon bestowing is in order as proper celebratory procedure for making it within a stone’s throw of having whatever appetency you are possessed of granted by the God Eater. And I believe I have the perfect knick-knack that should receive your grateful thankings.”

Forte held out the crystal to Piano, who took it in her hand with a curious look, looking down at her brother. The writer took his time responding, grabbing hold of his glasses and polishing them with a cloth to ensure they wouldn’t inhibit his vision before donning them and standing up.

“They are a sort of sanative crystal, infused with the magic of a witch and the woman who will prove to be your opponent.” Forte explained, causing Piano to jolt in surprise. She looked at the crystal more closely, as if she’ll be able to see the magic in it now. “You must simply crush the jewel in hand and allow the electrical current of its healing property course through you properly and any exsanguinating wounds upon you shall cease to be.”

Piano looked to her brother as he lifted his shirt to wrap his tail around his torso to hide it as he began to redress himself to get to “work.” “And will this recover any blood I’ve spilled? Can I use this to replenish my blood after spilling a bunch of it?”

Forte shook his head sadly, putting on his vest with a quick buttoning that was well practiced. “I am afeared that crystal does not possess such astounding properties. It is merely the sealing of wounds both internal and external that it enacts.”

“I see…” Piano commented lightly, before pocketing it. “Well, I’ll be sure to use it tonight when I’m done.”

“This eve?” Forte asked, surprised. “Should not wait for the opportune time on the morrow against your opponent if you wish to stand a greater chance of defeating her? She is quite the fearsome foe.”

“I don’t think so.” Piano shook her head. “Aren’t you the one that says I should be at my best before I put on one of those performances? I always listen to your advice.”

Forte looked at her for a moment, then gave a grin. “But of course. And I as ever shall trust your judgements when it comes to labor of a physical manner. In which case, we should begin the discussion as to the rewards for your endeavor.”

Piano looked back to her brother, a look of guilt on her face. He put on his coat, before finally donning his hat as well. “And I have a proposal for your consideration. It would seem that the God Eater keeps herself at quite the distance from the usual populace, and I am afeared that her security is wisened to my tactics. As such, I would pray request to utilize your wish to create greater access for ourselves to her presence.”

Piano rubbed her foot along the ground, her arms behind her back as she looked at her brother. “About that… I might already have a wish in mind that I think would work out better for the both of us. Would you trust me to make my wish instead?”

She flinched at the expression on his face, a look that told her he was dumbstruck by her boldness for a moment. Internally, Forte’s stomach was roiling from anger and shame, as another step towards getting all he wanted seems to have crumbled beneath him. His whole trip into the Crossroads, he was getting thwarted left and right, unable to do his own duties properly. If it was just once, it wouldn’t be so bad. But the fact that even Chifu, the drunk gossip gave him a false name. It was infuriating and humiliating.

And then for his sister to deny his request without any sort of hesitation was just another blow to his pride. While he always tried to maintain a give and take relationship with his sister, where they worked together to meet both of their needs. But even still, he was used to his sister always giving in to whatever he asked for. So the fact that she refused him and offered her own solution was a blow to his pride.

But only briefly. The confidence she showed to be able to directly ask something from him was something he could only commend her for. His confident smirk quickly returned as he gave her a deep bow. “In that case, blood of mine, I shall take heed of your wisdom and defer to your ingenious plottings. Therefore, to what end shall I assist you?”

Piano looked surprised at how quickly her brother recovered. She had expected him to be more reluctant given the frustration he had been facing. She hoped that if everything went well, she could help him regain his injured pride. “I don’t need too much from you. Just keep Vilivian busy for a bit while I start preparing for tomorrow’s match. Would that be alright with you?”

“It’ll be my pleasure to be of assistance to you, my meek sister. I shall ensure your social obligations are fulfilled by my locutions.” Forte gave a bow, looking out the window. “I can scarce imagine she’ll be far now. You should depart before she catches hold of your scent.”

Piano gave her brother a hasty bow. “Thanks Forte. I promise I’ll win tomorrow.”

“Your victory in battle tomorrow shall be my prized reward for efforts rendered this eve. Until victory’s achievement on the morrow.” He tipped his hat to her, before his sister departed on her way out of the window, climbing onto the roof of the Kit Inn to make her way to her first destination.

“Now, let’s see how much my aid will prove to assist in this little bout.” Forte mused to himself, making his own way out of the Kit Inn. “Let’s see if the seeds of friendship I’ve sown these previous two days prove to bear fruit.”

Rushing Violet

Vilivian walked with purpose down the streets of the Crossroads, returning back to the Kit Inn where she was likely to find the Blackblood girl. Her next opponent in the tournament, the final one she had to beat to win the wish.

She had seen the girl fight a couple of times now. Once in an alley with a bunch of males that the Blackblood showed far too much mercy on. She had also watched the girl fight her two matches ahead of her each day, defeating the magic user with the false arms and the quick fae that had tried to run circles around the otherwise swift girl. And both times, the spry girl seemed to overcome great odds.

And last night, the Blackblood’s brother had managed to secure one of the healing crystals she and Wendy had made. Which would make for a useful tool in the fight tomorrow. Although Vilivian was sure she was stronger physically, both before and after transforming, she knew not to underestimate her enemy.

She had learned that lesson the hard way all those years ago, against the man whose silver sword she now bore on her hip. In fact, that sword Piano had piqued her interest during the second match. It seemed to bear the same presence as the blood that flowed through her veins in Vilivian’s senses. Not only that, but the ease that the girl had swung the weapon showed a level of skill in it far beyond what her tender youth and naive manner in fighting would lead the Matriarch to expect.

So she wanted to talk to the younger warrior before their match the next day. Partially as a formality, as she had spent time with the other two opponents she faced, getting to know them before the match. Both of her opponents had proven to be far more interesting than she would’ve given them credit for prior to engaging with them. And Vilivian had already engaged with Forte, Piano’s twin, so she knew some things about how to deal with her.

But there was another purpose to meeting with Piano prior to the match. She had noticed last night that the younger girl seemed to look forward to her match with more confidence than she had possessed when they had first met in that alleyway. In the first match, she seemed to hold back, not using the sword at her back. And in the second match, the girl did not get her blood flowing nearly as fast as she did in the first. And the level of dedication to putting down her opponent in a worthy manner changed between the two matches.

So Vilivian wanted to confirm this newfound confidence by speaking with the girl directly. To make sure that she wasn’t going to hold back on Vilivian now, and to get an idea of why this girl even decided to participate in the first place. But she had to find her first.

At this distance, Vilivian could feel the black blood of one of the Devil Blooded sitting in the lobby of the Kit Inn. But given how slowly the blood flowed in the veins, more like a river of ink rather than the burning black that flowed through Piano’s, the likely person sitting there is…

“Good eve and great tidings be upon you, fair maiden~” Forte’s voice, a mix of delight in seeing her and a note of amusement rang clear across the lobby to Vilivian’s ears. It was hard to tell if he was genuinely mocking her or if his voice just had that effect, but either way, it was hard not to take offense to the tone. It was only due to her interactions with him the last couple days that she didn’t feel the urge to slam him through a wall.

He could be helpful when he wanted to be, and his way with words was certainly impressive. But the only thing she wanted to hear right now was: “Where is your sister, Wordsmith? I wish to speak with her.”

“You wish to speak with my paired partner in familial matters? Why alas, I am afeared that I have not the slightest of inclinations as to whence my sister has departed this eventide. And she isn’t one who cares to be noised about on. If you wish to engage in conversational matters, I should prove more than sufficient a partner.”

He gave a bow, though the smirk on his face never seemed to go away. He seemed to be enjoying this whole interaction, almost as if it was a game.

“Sorry, I would rather speak with the Blackblood girl. She is my opponent tomorrow after all.” Vilivian didn’t seem to budge, but Forte’s demeanor didn’t change.

“A most reasonable desire indeed.” Forte agreed with her, nodding his head readily. “And yet all the same, I must provide an obstruction to your attempts, as per my kin’s desires. She wishes to be left to her own devices, to prepare her mental faculties for tackling such a formidable opponent such as yourself. I pray beg that you acquiesce to such a request for the sake of my sister’s more timid tendencies.”

Vilivian blinked in surprise at the request, not used to the normally steadfast Forte that seemed to own any situation he’s in. While he did seem to exude all the same confidence that he had in previous engagements, it seemed to be with the knowledge that they were for the most part even in terms of favors being done. He no longer had quite the upper hand over her.

“Wordsmith…” Vilivian began, looking up. “I can already feel that your sister is not in this building. She’s probably long gone by this point to somewhere else in the Crossroads. If I have to guess, you’re here to slow me down.”

“A rather accusatory proclamation indeed.” Forte looked offended at her words. “Can’t a gentleman simply wish to accompany the one finalist that I have not spent the better part of my time on this mortal coil besides for but one eve?”

“Haven’t you taken up enough of my time the previous two nights?” Vilivian asked, cocking her head. “I’ve only had one conversation with your sister and she’s to be my opponent in less than twenty-four hours. Getting to talk to her for a little while should be fine. I feel we’ve talked more than enough.”

“Forsooth, our engagements have spanned quite the period these days thrice. And yet to a Matriarch such as yourself, such a brief period must seem almost transient in nature, would it not?” He gave her a sardonic grin as she stiffened, now mildly interested in him for the moment.

“And where did you hear of my people’s name?” Vilivian turned to face him fully now, resting a hand on her hip. Despite being nearly half a foot shorter than the gentleman snake, she still managed to exude a dangerous presence that made her seem to be the tallest person in the room.

“My my, that’s quite the exhibition of charismatic strength, sentinel of Graal. Though mayhaps you would be better served directing your ire towards the sotted woman who spends her eves besmirching her constitution in spirits serviced by the oni woman. There you might find a safe harbor for such fury towards treachery.” Forte seemed unaffected by Vilivian’s anger the whole while, even though his sister was not nearby to protect him from physical harm.

Vilivian gave a huge huff, crossing her arms. “I should’ve known that Trickster was involved in such a scheme.”

Forte’s smirk twitched for a moment, before it regained it’s smug confidence in quick form. “I can see we’ve both been befouled by that slovenly wench’s schemes. For one who seems well at ease within the depths of her tankard, she is possessed of wiles and insight beyond what her unsightly demeanor might otherwise offer. A most tedious danger indeed.”

“She is.” Vilivian agreed. “And how did she go about telling you about me?”

“It was not a particularly malicious manner, if that is what troubles you.” Forte assured her. “She merely began rambling upon some of the hidden aspects of all the contestants of the current contest, as expected of a drunkard. Any of your people’s secrets remain unspilled, if that was your concern. That’ll be something I’ll have to extract from you by my own hands~” He pulled out his notebook and pen, looking at her with a smirk.

Vilivian gave a sigh, knowing she’d have to try and convince him to let her go to pursue her real quarry. “I don’t have time to do this tonight. It would’ve been better to do this the last couple of days.”

“Forsooth, such foresight would’ve been advisable. Alas, I must instead strike at a later time than I would normally permit. Mayhaps you’ll grant me such mercy out of an abundance of confidence towards our kinship?” Forte’s words were laced with poisonous friendship, and Vilivian stiffened.

But not because his words affected her. But because she could feel her mind being probed by a magical intrusion. Her sense of her magic gave her some cognizance on such things, and her paternal heritage gave her resistance to such mind-altering magics as the one that was attempted on her. Looking closely, she could now almost see the fey chains that the writer had attempted to bind her in with his words laced with magic, the specter of the serpent he seemed to truly be looming behind him.

She thought back to how he always seemed to get his way whenever he spoke. Whether it was getting the dock workers to forgive her for the misunderstanding with the paints that Volley had used. How he managed to get the wine he used as a gift to get the healing crystal for Piano. While certainly he was a skilled master of his craft when it came to using words to get what he wants, the use of mind manipulating magics certainly would enhance his ability to get whatever he wanted. While her trust in the man had gone down, she could at least respect his capabilities and be wary of them from now on as she just glared at him.

Seeming to realize his magic had no effect on her, he changed gears in an instant, as if unperturbed by the resistance he was suddenly facing. He simply continued on, still holding his pen to paper as he looked at her intently behind his glasses. “Now then, I would scarce imagine an interview can begin thusly without first the subject rendering forth her name fore me. Therefore, I must ask you to state your name.”

Vilivian met his gaze and found a level of intensity in them beyond what she expected from a writer. His golden eye looked at her with an almost greedy glint in it, as if hearing her name was the only thing that mattered. Whether this was a desperate maneuver or the first step to another plot of his, something about his question made Vilivian feel uneasy.

“You already gave my name, Wordsmith…” Vilivian said hesitantly, keeping her eyes on him.

“That is truthfully spoken, my companion of the night.” Forte gave her a confident smirk. “And yet, I find that hearing one intone their own title with their own vocal cords possess a more formal air for beginning such matters.”

“I’m running out of patience for your games, male. Move aside, or I will push past you to find your sister.” At this point, she realized that Forte had moved himself to block the entrance, still leaning against the doorway with his notebook still out looking expectantly at her.

“I promise you, fair maiden, I present myself before you with forthright intentions. At this point, I am beyond such frivolous pastimes.” There was an edge in his voice, the playful teasing in his voice replaced by a hint of anger. “I’ve been met with several misfortunes since bestowing my presence upon these Crossroads, so I intend to at least make some progress with my interview of you this evenfall.”

Vilivian raised an eyebrow, looking him up and down as if inspecting him for his prowess even as she knew the answer. “Do you really intend to stand in my way? Even after seeing what I can do?”

“That I intend.” Forte confirmed, turning his attention back to his notebook. “So as to my first inquiry-”

He got no further, as he suddenly felt a hand on his chest. Before he could react further, Vilivian shoved forward with all her might, sending the taller man flying out from the doors across the street. Two Crossguards seemed to materialize out of nowhere, using their arms to catch and slow Forte’s launch before he crashed into the buildings, though were only successful in mitigating the damage to the buildings, as Forte’s hat flew from his head and he spat out a glob of his own inky ichor from his mouth.

He collapsed to his knees as the two Crossguards released him, onlookers staring at him as he coughed in pain and looked up. He watched Vilivian look at him for a moment, before she walked into the night streets of the Crossroads, her way lit by the various neon signs that populated the buildings of the city.

Once she was gone, he stood up gingerly, feeling a severe ache in his back that he knew would last him the next couple of days. But he felt he bought his sister as much time as was reasonable of him to achieve, so he was able to put on his confident facade once more.

‘I leave the rest of your duties squarely in your capable hands, Piano’ he thought to himself, putting on his hat once more and turning to the opposite direction that Vilivian disappeared off to. ‘Mayhaps I shall try my hand at some easier marks, to ensure I haven’t truly lost my touch here in these Crossroads…’

The thought didn’t seem to please him, as he too disappeared in the night, knowing his fury wouldn’t be satiated until he got at least two dozen names to put in his notebook. If he got at least one of the mayors of the town, that might be a worthy enough entry to satisfy his anger. Maybe the Faux High Inn’s owner would be in? His steps quickened, eager to put his frustrations behind him and return to a better mood.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The soft trickling of the hot springs water flowing down from the upper rocks to the lower created a soft ambiance throughout the rest of the room. In this slightly steaming room, Piano sat under one of these mini waterfalls, her legs crossed and her arms in a meditative pose as she focused her ki throughout her body, working on getting it to flow quickly through her in preparation for the next day. The water flowing from the top of her head and down her body soothed her body, while providing a decent mental distraction to make this a good mental exercise.

She had been there for an hour by now, so it was close to midnight by this point. Having spent most of the night preparing for her match, this ki exercise was the last thing she needed to do to give herself the best chance of beating Vilivian. Between her and Armius, they were the two opponents that would give her the most trouble due to their physical strength. Not that the other fighters weren’t likely to be troublesome. But Piano had felt comfortable that she was physically stronger or on par with the other five.

But Vilivian possessed a monstrous amount of strength beyond what all but Armius could wield. Not only that, she also could use magic, a talent Piano did not have at all and could never learn. So the Matriarch will always have that advantage over Piano. She also had the transformation into her demonic form that would also prove to be a major problem for Piano.

And lastly, Piano’s duties as a historian meant that Vilivian’s martial arts were something she would have to acquire. Which means she couldn’t just go for the win as fast as possible. She’s forced to drag it out, to steal the talent that Vilivian had, even if it means risking a loss against the Sentinel. This was definitely going to be a challenge. As was what was about to happen…

“There you are, Blackblood.” The voice of Vilivian sounded, just as Piano expected when she sensed the shorter woman’s ki. Vilivian appeared through the slight steam, not even a towel on her as she approached the still towel-clad Piano. “Your brother tried to keep me busy, but I got away from him. I’ve been looking for you all night, but I didn’t expect you to be up here.”

“H-how did you find me then?” Piano asked, putting an end to her little exercise and beginning to stand up.

“Well, that would be because a little fox told her~” A friendly voice called out. Looking over, the two contestants saw the ringleader of the tournament, the God Eater herself, striding in. With nothing but her tails to cover her and her hair in a ponytail, she smiled at the two girls. “I thought it would be interesting to have one good conversation with the two finalists and the host the night before the big fight~”

“Tch.” Vilivian clicked her tongue, looking at the God Eater with some annoyance. “I dislike using your help, especially after you gave the Wordsmith all of that information on me.”

“And yet, I helped reunite you two for this little talk~ You can at least say thank you to me~” Madame Chief teased, sinking herself into the hot water as two of her tails formed a pillow for her to recline her head on as she settled in. She gestured to the other two to join her, which Vilivian did after a moment and Piano did after some hesitation.

“I’ll deal with you in a bit, Trickster.” Vilivian said, trying to brush off the God Eater. Madame Chief simply laughed as Vilivian looked at Piano, who flushed from the attention. “I wanted to talk with you, Blackblood.”

“So I’ve heard…” Piano replied meekly, not making eye contact as she desperately wanted to just sink under the water and be forgotten.

“Yes. The last couple of days, I’ve been talking with my other opponents, learning why they wanted to fight in this tournament and what they would wish for. And I’ve certainly learned a lot about people from other places. And so I wanted to know what brought you here.”

Piano stayed quiet for a bit, her mismatched eyes looking at Vilivian. Eventually, in a small voice, she said, “When we first got here, I didn’t really have a reason to fight. My brother wanted to meet the God Eater-”

“Which was a really fun meeting, might I say~” Madame Chief interrupted, a coy smile on her face.

“H-he doesn’t quite agree…” Piano thought back to her brother’s anger yesterday. The God Eater simply shrugged, as if that wasn’t her problem. “But anyways, I mostly agreed to fight to let him interview people in the Crossroads. We hadn’t had a chance to come here yet, so it was a nice excuse.”

“So you’re only here because your brother wanted to come here?” Vilivian questioned, raising an eyebrow. “Do you truly have no will of your own to fight here?”

Madame Chief looked at Piano as well, who bit her lip in thought. “It’s not that I didn’t have a reason to come myself… It was just that my reasons for being here weren’t as strong as my brother’s…”

“Were?~” Madame Chief chimed in. “But that changed, didn’t it?~”

“Well…” Piano began, looking away. “When I fought Angelique, she seemed pretty upset by me beating her. Not just because she lost, but because of the fact that she lost to me. That I wasn’t good enough to lose to. And that hurt…”

“Without doubt.” Vilivian agreed. “Your value as a warrior was judged twice that day. Once by Angelique and once by me.”

“Right…” Piano said, flinching at the memory. “And my brother worked hard to make Quan tired for me, so I couldn’t hold back for his sake. And for Quan’s sake as well. After all, everyone coming here must be worth something for you to call them here, right?”

“But of course~” Madame Chief teased. “Angelique, Quan, Volley, Pembrooke, Armius, Rum~ Everyone of them had quite a few chances to win~ It’s interesting that it’s you two that made it this far~ But all of you are very interesting and strong in your own ways~ It’s been lots of fun watching you all fight to the best of your abilities~”

“Exactly…” Piano agreed, nodding. “All my life, I did well by not standing out. I liked staying out of people’s attention and doing what was needed in the shadows, letting my brother soak up all the attention. But from the moment I accepted the invitation, I couldn’t just hide to the side. It would be insulting to everyone else.”

Piano stood up, water dripping from her body as she gave Vilivian a determined look. Back out of the water, Vilivian noticed that the wounds Piano had gotten from her two fights the last two days had all vanished, scars and all. The Matriarch raised an eyebrow at Piano, standing up herself.

“And at this point, winning the tournament isn’t about the wish. Though I guess it never really was, cause I was already happy for the most part with my life. It was only after today that I even figured out what I wanted. And at this point, I’m already well within the spotlight. I might as well go all out for the win. So tomorrow, Vilivian, I-”

Piano hesitated for just a moment, before steeling herself again. “I.. I will beat you! Not for the wish, not for some other objective. I will beat you, fully and completely, for myself. I hope you’ll forgive me.” Her shy personality quickly returned, bowing in apology to the shorter girl.

Vilivian gave a slight scoffing sound, though the slight smile on her face told Madame Chief that the older woman was not offended. “I was coming here to convince you to go all out against me. A victory against an opponent that held back wouldn’t be as satisfying for a conclusion. Though I wonder if you can win without that healing crystal your brother managed to bargain from me.”

“O-oh, that?” Piano gave a nervous little laugh. “My brother always said that a performer should always look her best before the most magnificent shows. And I guess this would be such a show.”

“And here comes the Wordsmith’s words, crawling from the lips of another.” Vilivian complained with a grin, shaking her head as Madame Chief giggled nearby. “But are you saying that you can beat me without that little advantage?”

“I think so. If I couldn’t, then I wouldn’t have been invited to this tournament, would I?” Piano tilted her head in thought, getting another giggle out of Madame Chief. “And since we’re on the subject, you won’t be holding back, will you? You were against the other two you fought, so I don’t want to win because you were holding back for my sake.”

Vilivian crossed her arms, looking confident in herself. “I suppose I shouldn’t look down on you, Blackblood. While I still won’t use the sword against you for personal reasons, I promise not to hold anything else back against you. I’ll bring to bear all of the might of the Sentinel of Graal. Try not to break too quickly.”

“I’m not that fragile…” Piano complained quietly, looking away. “And I promise to use every bit of talent I’ve built up for myself to take you down.”

“And no help from your brother.” Vilivian added. “From what I’ve seen, your brother has done most of the work against your opponents the last couple of days. But I won’t fall for his charms and magics, nor do his words hold any influence over me once you were the one to be my opponent. You will have to defeat me with your own strength if you wish to win and join your blade as the second to have taken me down..”

“The only way I can earn my wish is beating you by myself. Otherwise, my wish is useless.” Piano matched Vilivian’s gaze once more, her purple and gold eyes shimmering with a strong determination as they met Vilivian’s emerald ones that matched that determination.

“And what might that wish be, exactly?” Vilivian asked, curious.

“I’m sorry, I”m afraid I can’t tell you that.” Piano apologized, wrapping her tail around her wrist. “I’ve been told it’s bad luck to share a wish before it comes true. So you’ll have to wait.”

“Aw~ Who’s the party pooper that told you that?~” The God Eater complained, pouting adorably from her still lowered position.

“From someone who seems to have a lot of knowledge on such matters.” Piano said vaguely, a sheepish smile on her face as she thought to Quan’s words from earlier.

While the goddess still sulked, Vilivian looked thoughtful. “Well, it’s not like I had a solid idea of what to wish for myself to share. Perhaps it will take form during our fight tomorrow.”

“That would be nice…” Piano nodded, holding out a hand to shake Vilivian’s. The Matriarch accepted after a moment, still unused to civilized customs. “In that case, may the best woman win tomorrow.”

“Woman? So you don’t view me as a monster, as does everyone else in this town?” Vilivian asked curiously, still gripping Piano’s hand.

“I mean… even if you are, that doesn’t really change anything. Either I win or you. Luckily, I think I have a talent or two for fighting monsters…”

“Very well. Trickster, no more words will be needed. You’ll get the entertainment you desire from the two of us.”

“This will surely be a treat~” Madame Chief hummed, her grin a devious smile at the thought of tomorrow’s match. “Do be sure to put a good show on for me, dear travelers~”

Black and Purple

“What a beautiful day it is today, my lovely fans, is it not? Just a perfect day for bloodshed and spectacle, and I have just that kind of content for you for this concert! The God Eater brought eight unique fighters from across the multiverse to our humble Crossroads to compete for one wish from our local resident goddess! Two remain after two intense days of battle, and now they face each other on this final day, both having hardened their hearts to be willing to take down the other and prove themselves worthy of having their wish granted more!”

Miss X’s proclamations brought about a host of cheers from the audience as she began the final day of the Cross Tournament with overwhelming exuberance. Her platform seemed to spin and dazzle even more than the last two days had even shown. Given this was the finale, it seemed Miss X didn’t want to hold anything back.

“Our first competitor is the shy martial artist whose skills have proven themselves over and over against the fiercest opponents in the multiverse, Piano! Her previous two opponents showed off impressive magical and physical abilities respectively, putting Piano up against a tough fight! But her opponent combines the best of both worlds, creating the ultimate culmination of danger to finish off this tournament! Let’s see if she has what it takes to overcome impossible odds as the obvious underdog in this match!”

“And across from her, the fearsome demon that has inspired terror in her opponents and the audience, Vilivian of Lilith! With brutal force she managed to trash her two powerful opponents, proving she was on top of them! But now her opponent isn’t going to try and match her blow for blow, but use cunning and skill to overcome her disadvantage! Can Vilivian adapt her strategies to these new tactics or will her reign as the powerhouse of the Cross Tournament come to a screeching halt?”

“These two women are masters of their bodies and minds, right down to the strange colored blood they both have! I’m sure the fight that’s coming up will stain the battlefield in all sorts of colors, I can hardly wait to see it! While I’m sure they’re not super eager to hurt each other, they both have one dream, one wish to earn the right to see become real, so they’re going to have to put aside what little friendliness they have with each other and put it all on the line for victory! Get ready folks! The show is about to begin!”

Both women had stood in the arena, neither one having been late and both showing signs of being ready to begin. Vilivian was dressed in a simple white blouse and black leather pants, though both were not long for this world with the way Vilivian has fought thus far. Her silver sword keepsake was already buried in the ground, stuck so deep as to render it impossible to remove by the hands of others. Piano, on the other hand, was still dressed in her slightly tattered, but still flashy and elegant raiments as she adjusted her stance back and forth. Her sword was prominently displayed on her back, her intentions to use it obvious to all as the two women stared at each other with barely any expression on their face.

“And it looks like these two are raring to go at it themselves!” Miss X proudly called, floating high above them at equal level to the God Eater’s balcony, the goddess watching down at the two below with a look that showed how entertained she already was with them. “So let’s get this countdown going! 3! 2!”

Below, Vilivian shifted her stance, holding her arms forward ready to fight. Across from her, Piano did something completely different from previous bouts, getting on all fours with all four limbs in a solid starting position, her body poised in the air as she prepared for an all out sprint. Vilivian’s mouth twisted into an almost demonic smirk at the expression on Piano’s face, the latter having a cold expression that seemed to almost be dissecting her opponent before they met.

But it was the glint in the Devil Blood’s eye, one that seemed to be viewing Vilivian as prey to be hunted that really got her fired up. The scared, timid girl she fought alongside two days past was buried now, leaving only a calculated warrior that would do anything to complete her objective. And Vilivian could hardly wait to cause such a strong will to fail its mission.

“1! Let’s get this show going!” Miss X gave a cheer, fireworks shooting up above her and bursting.

The instant the explosions went off, Piano rushed forward with impressive speed, crossing the distance between her and her opponent before the Matriarch could even realize it happened. Rising up, she launched a straight punch that was met by a jab from Vilivian, the force of their opposing blows creating a ripple in the air as the chime of bells rang out around the arena. But instead of the field shifting significantly in biome, instead only a transparent wall shimmered around the edge of the battlefield. The God Eater seemed to have deemed a change of scenery unnecessary for this bout.

Piano instantly launched into her next attack, flipping into a front handspring as her right heel had been popped off as the punch landed. Catching the dart with her toes, she slammed it down on Vilivian’s shoulder, drawing purplish blood with a grunt of pain as the lithe girl leaped in the air.

Her other heel was already spinning in the air between them, Piano twisting into a spinning kick to launch it towards Vilivian. More prepared, the Matriarch knocked the purple projectile aside with a backhand, only to notice too late that Piano had continued her rotation and landed a hard haymaker into the red head’s jaw, sending her rolling onto the dirt.

“And Piano draws first blood, launching a devastating short range assault that lodged one of those deadly heels of hers into Vilivian’s shoulder before clocking her jaw! Where were starts like these the last couple of days?”

‘Burst!’ came a quick incantation of magic from Vilivian, a purple aura surrounding her arm as she swung in Piano’s direction, causing the earth to explode between them and send the girl running back to avoid shrapnel.

But four throwing knives quickly hurtled themselves between the blast, which Vilivian deflected by pulling out the heel from her shoulder and smashing them aside with the makeshift weapon. She then tossed Piano’s heel back at the younger woman, only for a red blur to dash underneath it and land a blow on Vilivian’s stomach. The Matriarch tried to back up, but a hand gripping her arm held her long enough for three more gut punches to land, each one causing Vilivian to bend over more, before the last one was used to flip Vilivian onto the ground with a hard impact.

Vilivian barely had any time to recover before she had to dodge out of the way as Piano brought her foot down in a crushing axe kick towards her head. Vilivian rolled a good distance away, doing a sweeping backhand to stop Piano’s assault as she had to leap back.

The Matriarch cracked her neck for a moment to adjust it after such a hard landing, before she was the one to approach. She kept her arms in as Piano got into a defensive stance at the charge, before lashing out with a punch with no wind-up. The slim martial artist barely dodged out of the way, her hair whipping up from the gust of the powerful blow so close. Vilivian soon had a hook shoot out towards Piano’s side, the martial artist deflecting it with an open palm as she now squarely faced her opponent once more.

A barrage of punches soon followed, with Piano deflecting each one with an open hand every time, sending the blows harmlessly to either side as she maintained her position. Every time Vilivian tried to trick her from another angle, Piano’s centralized stance made it so she could always respond before returning to the same position. It didn’t help that Piano’s longer reach meant she had more time to deflect the blows versus Vilivian’s shorter arms, keeping a set distance between them.

But Vilivian had an idea, looking down at the planted feet of the Devil Blooded. Dropping low to sweep her legs, she was surprised to see that Piano was already in the air and kicking down at her. She raised her arms to block, as Piano flipped back to regain distance.

Vilivian raised her arm again, directing the flow of magic once more as her arm radiated a purple energy. ‘Burst’

But even as she finished the incantation, Piano was already crossing the gap. As the ground behind her exploded, Piano already slammed her fist into Vilivian’s face and sent her sailing across the battlefield. As Vilivian rolled onto her feet, Piano had reached her again and kicked her in the chest, knocking her to the ground. Piano quickly leaped on top of the fallen Matriarch, using her hips to pin down her opponent’s stomach and hold her in place as Piano began to rain blows down.

Vilivian moved her head out of the way, covering it with her arms as the surprisingly powerful punches of Piano were something she couldn’t take too many of in this form. And yet, the flow of the Blackblood’s life essence was still keeping a slow flow through her veins. It didn’t have any of the fiery passion that she had used to defeat her first opponent.

Bucking her hips powerfully, she flung Piano off of her. As Piano stumbled onto her feet, Vilivian leaped up and closed in, beginning her own counterattack with a straight punch. Piano toughened her muscles as she raised her arms, getting sent back into the wall as she let out a gasp of pain. But she barely had time to react before another explosive fist slammed into the wall where her head was.

“What happened to your resolve, Blackblood?” Vilivian asked, slamming more blows towards the Devil Blood. “Have you already lost the nerve you showed me last night?”

Piano didn’t say anything at first, her eyes focused on Vilivian’s punches, seeming to pay attention to how she prepared each one. This seemed to help her block them as well as some other purpose. Her golden eye seemed to flash with glimmering light with each punch, whether it hit or missed.

Seeing an opening in the barrage, Piano leaped up and curled her body as she pressed against the wall. Pushing off, she soared over Vilivian’s head and landed behind the red head. Vilivian spun around in a backhand, only to see that Piano had contracted into a ball again on the ground, before both feet launched upwards into a vertical dropkick that rocketed Vilivian’s head backwards.

While she was still recovering, Piano spun her upper body along the ground, kicking her foot out with great rotational force to Vilivian’s side. A straight kick quickly followed, before a sweeping kick to knock the Matriarch down again. The comboed woman tried to lash out with a kick of her own, but Piano’s leaping kick dodged past it and retaliated in one motion as the added force of gravity made Vilivian grit her teeth in anger and pain.

But the Matriarch finally got a grip on Piano’s leg. With a tightened grip as Vilivian stood up, the red skinned woman was sent in a semi-circle straight towards the wall with the ringing of bells. But just before Piano’s torso reached the wall, her other leg wrapped around Vilivian’s waist and locked with her grabbed leg in a tight grip as well. Both of Piano’s arms hit the wall loosely, defusing some of her impact before using her muscles and ki to quickly push off above Vilivian again before her face slammed into the wall. With a twist of her hips, all of the force from Vilivian’s attack was used to twist the older woman until she was flipped upside down, before Piano slammed her feet down and sent Vilivian’s face into the dirt with a loud crack. Whether it was the ground or Vilivian’s skull was hard to tell as Piano flipped away from the impact with a slight flourish, her arms shaking from the amount of force they just absorbed.

“What an absolute rush of battle!” Miss X cheered above, as the formerly breathless audience that had simply sat stunned watching the battle now began to roar with excitement at the exchange of blows they just watched. “These two have been on each other almost every moment, with barely enough time to breathe! Let alone get any words in on the action! These two are finalists for a reason!”

Vilivian slowly stood up, purplish blood leaking from her broken nose. Putting a hand on the broken nose, she gave a sharp twist and a dull crack to set it back in place as she glared green eyes at Piano. “Your soft nature betrays you. Not only for holding back against the opponents that came before me. But for you holding back still against me.”

Vilivian rushed forward, dodging out of the way as Piano gave a sweeping kick by rolling past it. Spinning around, she swung her fist Piano’s way as the martial artist spun back to create distance. She quickly planted one foot and kicked out, forcing Piano to swing her leg to block, the Devil Blood gritting her teeth as the force of the meeting was overwhelming even with toughening her muscles. She was slower to recover than usual and had to bend back pretty far to avoid the follow-up attack, nearly falling over as the fist barely grazed the tip of her nose.

“Like now. Your arms are nearly numb from those last few blows and you think you can use your legs to hold me back until they recover. But then what? You’ve shown no drive to defeat me thus far. Recovering now or later won’t change the way this battle will go if this keeps up.”

Sure enough, Piano was being put on the back foot now, constantly being pressed back by Vilivian’s continuous assault, as if undaunted by the blows she suffered earlier. The blood from her shoulder and nose seemed to be mere inconveniences to the Matriarch, her gaze entirely focused on her retreating prey with each swing of her well trained fists and legs. While Piano had caught her by surprise at first, her centuries of experience now allowed her to adjust to the younger girl’s tricks, not allowing her to even get a solid foothold to utilize her impressive acrobatics.

“What’s this?” Miss X called from her platform, shading her eyes to get a better look. “Piano, the surprising underdog that had managed to pull ahead of her opponent, is now falling back! Is Vilivian really too monstrous for anybody to defeat?”

“You’re wrong…” Piano’s voice was quiet, but still was loud enough for Vilivian to hear as the red skinned girl leaned past the flying fist heading for her head. “I wasn’t holding back. I just couldn’t try before now…”

Piano’s eyes, the only shred of her determination that Vilivian could see up until now, seemed to shine even brighter with determination. No, not determination… hunger. The same hunger her brother displayed last night asking for her name. No, not that either. As she looked into the golden eye of the young woman before her, Vilivian realized that there seemed to be some form of satiation in it as Piano looked at Vilivian.

Vilivian lashed out with another punch to the jaw, but Piano dodge low and past it, planting her feet in a low stance as the shorter woman looked surprised. Not only was a dodge like that impossible with the punch she threw just now, but because she could sense the blood in Piano’s veins flowing into a fiery heat in her arms as she prepared her attack.

She raised her arms to defend, but Piano’s first punch snuck right past her guard and slammed into her jaw. As her head shot to one side, Piano stepped forward and planted her lead foot, before twisting her whole body for a second face shot. With each punch she stepped forward, rolling back and forth with each consecutive punch as she regained the upper hand.

“And our comeback queen returns with a devastating Dempsey Roll directly to Vilivian’s face! It’s a shame, because she’s rather pretty when she’s not in her demon form! But whatever leads to victory must be done!”

Vilivian finally dodged back and tried to punch back, but Piano moved to the side and grabbed her extended arm. With a few joint locks, she quickly twisted Vilivian’s arm and flipped her onto her back. Vilivian rolled onto her feet and raised her arms. ‘Ward!’ A shimmering blue barrier blocked the back kick Piano sent her way, the purple shoe slamming into the magic wall with some considerable force for the weaker woman.

As Piano pulled her foot back, Vilivian dropped the barrier and rushed forward to punch at her opponent. Piano, for her part, began to channel more of her life energy into her fist as she watched her opponent approach, her knowledge of Vilivian’s talent for hand-to-hand already allowing her to dissect her opponent’s approach. As Vilivian went to punch, Piano unleashed the same exact punch, but faster and with a longer reach, her ki-enhanced strike stopping Vilivian in place.

As her eyes went wide, she stumbled back as a swift kick, just as powerful as the punch she just received, slammed her into the wall. It felt like a weaker version of herself hitting her at this point. She raised her arms to block the next punch, but both limbs were sent upwards. Piano then got into a sideways stance, holding her fist an inch away from the staggered woman’s chest. Gathering her ki in her stomach, she let out a long exhale as she quickly surged the ki into her fist.

With a brief thrust forward, Piano’s fist slammed into Vilivian’s chest with more power than anything Piano had thrown before. Pain radiated from her chest and back as Vilivian was slammed into the wall with nowhere to go as Piano’s fist held her there. The Devil Blood then stepped back, allowing Vilivian to fall to her knees to catch her breath after having all the air knocked out of her, Piano stopping a few feet away.

“What an impressive arsenal of moves Piano’s brought out today! Kung-fu, boxing, Muay-Thai, Judo, Capoeira, and now the fearsome One-Inch Punch! Piano’s shown off a lot of skills these last few days, and it never seems like she runs out! Does our martial artist have more collective experience in those skills of her’s than even Vilivian has experienced?”

Vilivian stood up slowly, using a hand on the nearby wall to help steady herself as she coughed a few times. She then slammed her fist into the wall, a loud bell noise ringing out from the spatial barrier that protected the structure holding up the audience. “Alright Blackblood, looks like you weren’t holding back on me. Good. I was hoping to make you draw your sword before I adopted my other form, but it seems I’d lose before that happens. But you do know…”

As she spoke, Vilivian’s body began to twist and change, muscles beginning to grow in size as her body elongated upwards. Her clothes began to stretch and then tear with a horrible ripping sound, any modesty concerns set aside as her torso began to shrink in on itself, and a long, segmented tail began to emerge from her lower back. Her skin began to turn to a charcoal gray, hardening visibly even as it grew taut over the growing musculature as she rose over two meters in height. Her hair had disappeared, her skull elongating into a calf-like structure and a large beak beginning to form where her mouth was, a long tongue snaking out.

…THAT YOU WON’T BEAT ME WITH CHEAP TRICKS ANYMORE.

“And there it is!” Miss X cheered above, a thrill of horror music resonating from her platform as a stinger at the unveiling of Vilivian’s demonic form. “The form that trashed her previous two opponents! But Piano’s proven herself against the odds! Will our underdog be able to overcome this new threat?”

UNLIKELY. Vilivian sounded confident from her telepathic message, shifting her enormous weight on her elongated legs as she stretched claws the length of Piano’s forearm. NOT UNLESS SHE IS TRULY HIDING SOMETHING ELSE FROM ME.

Piano didn’t say anything, merely adopting another defensive stance before gesturing at Vilivian to come at her. But the Matriarch’s rising confidence meant that she not only accepted the challenge, but did so with overwhelming force as she rushed forward towards Piano.

SINK. At her command, the hard earth turned soft beneath Piano’s feet, sucking in her purple shoes as her mismatched eyes darted down for but a moment. Cursing internally at losing her footing, Piano had to adjust her defense as Vilivian reached her, raising her arms to block as a clawed hand swiped upwards toward the martial artist to cleave her into pieces. The shattering of metal showed that she was able to draw throwing knives to avoid being sliced into ribbons, but they did nothing to stop you lithe girl from being flung halfway across the arena from the sheer force of the monstrous Vilivian.

But even flying through the air, Piano’s senses were focused on her opponent, making sure she could have a safe landing as she flipped onto her feet. The moment she dispersed the impact through her leg muscles, she dodged to the side, avoiding being impaled by the segmented tail thrust her way. She reached for the intruding appendage, only to dodge backwards so that the two clawed arms that were about to pierce her torso instead slammed into the invisible wall blocking the exit of the arena with the peal of two bells.

FOOLISH GIRL. DO YOU NOT THINK I’VE HAD ENEMIES ATTEMPT SUCH A MANEUVER BEFORE YOU? YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST, AND YOU WON’T BE THE LAST TO TRY IT.

As Vilivian reprimanded her, she used her tail and claw to block Piano’s methods of escape now that she was backed against the wall, while her free hand began to slash forward at the small girl. Letting out a long breath, Piano began to sway her body, her form appearing to almost be “pushed” out of the way of Vilivian’s strikes with each dodge. The sound of bells ringing grew louder with each swing, and behind Piano, subtle cracks began to form in the spatial barrier that normally barred exit.

Madame Chief, the goddess of the Crossroads responsible for creating the barrier, smiled with amusement as she felt her simple spell beginning to shatter under the might of Vilivian’s demonic strength. “My, just how amusing shall these two prove to be?~” she asked herself, as the spider web of cracks began to solidify into a more substantial tear.

Then, with a loud noise of a bell cracking, the barrier behind Piano shattered completely, leaving a sizable hole in its make. The instant it appeared, Piano spun around and began to sprint down the passageway out of the arena and back into the Crossroads itself.

WHY DO YOU FLEE, BLACKBLOOD? Vilivian’s voice roared in her mind, before the Matriarch chased after the quick-footed Devil Blood.

“Oh my!” Miss X gave a cry above. “It’s been a while since the competitors have broken loose of our Colosseum! While those in the physical audience will be upset that their tickets they worked hard to get are useless, have no fear! The show will go on! Follow me!”

With a shift in her will, Miss X’s platform began to float up above the Colosseum, her heart-shaped pupils scanning the surrounding streets for the two fighters as they zipped down the streets. Then, there was a cacophonous blast as wood soared into the air, and Miss X took that as her cue to head towards it, knowing her targets would be there.

Sure enough, as she floated high, she could see the young Piano getting up from the debris, having barely dodged out of the way as Vilivian had used her powerful magic to blast apart a nearby wall to try and slow the Devil Blood down.

Her plan worked, as Vilivian quickly reached Piano as she landed on her feet once more, forcing the Devil Blood to draw her sword to block the swiping claws, the clang of metal on bone ringing out across the street. Piano quickly swiped her sheath to her left, deflecting the tail sent to impale her before spinning out of the way of another swipe of claws and slashing out with her sword to Vilivian’s exposed side.

But the only thing she got was the sound of metal scraping on something hard as her blade failed to pierce through the tough hide of Vilivian. With how dark the Matriarch’s skin was, Piano couldn’t see if her blood’s corrupting influence was having an effect or not, and she couldn’t hold still to watch as a large backswing sent the young girl rolling below it. She made another slash at the large target that was Vilivian’s back, only for her blade to be rebuffed again by the hardness of the skin.

YOUR STRENGTH IS NO LONGER ENOUGH FOR YOU TO WIN. SURRENDER NOW, BLACKBLOOD. Vilivian’s words echoed hollowly in Piano’s mind, her crimson blade batting aside the clawed strikes of the Matriarch with closer and closer margins, as she began to feel the claws brush her skin. Close enough to touch, but not enough contact to cut. But eventually, Piano’s luck would run out.

And sensing the tail behind Vilivian beginning to prepare to strike as one claw strike forced a step out of Piano, she began to shift the flow of her blood to the most likely contact point, hoping a spray of blood might gain Piano some distance. For a moment, it seemed Piano’s plan was going to work, seeing the tail head towards the correct part of her body as she braced for the pain.

But then, the tail snaked to the other side of Piano’s body, piercing through the red skin of the young girl as she yelped in pain and the bells on her coat rang from the forced movement of being stabbed. Little blood spilled from the piercing, though a slight coating covered the tail as Vilivian tried to shake it off with a few flicks once she withdrew the tail before the corruption could truly set in. I CAN SENSE YOUR BLOOD’S FLOW FROM YOUR VEINS. SUCH TRICKS WILL NOT WORK ON ME. SURRENDER NOW, BLACKBLOOD.

Piano staggered back, a gout of black ichor pulsing from her wound as she could no longer keep its flow from the wounded area. Instead, she attempted to slow the flow of her blood to keep the bleeding to a minimum as she faced Vilivian with an unfaltering expression.

SO YOU WILL NOT SURRENDER? VERY GOOD. LET US KEEP FIGHTING, BLACKBLOOD, AND PROVE WHICH OF US IS TRULY SUPERIOR. Vilivian’s hollow voice echoing in Piano’s head seemed excited, which matched the body language of the Matriarch as she crouched into a predatory stance.

“It looks like the dynamic of our fight has shifted back to what we all expected it to be!” The cheerful X called from above, as if oblivious or excited by the danger Piano was in. “It seems that Piano is now the one being hunted by Vilivian! Oh, I got chills thinking about what’s going to happen next! I think you kittens better prepare for a wild ride!”

Piano was used to fighting monsters larger than herself. She had even fought some with a good amount of intelligence like Vilivian. But unlike past large creatures she had fought, her sword did not easily cut through its flesh, nor did the corrupting influence of her blood seem to bother Vilivian’s flesh at the point of contact or if it did, she was showing no signs of pain.

A monster whose body could fend off Piano’s unnamed blade. Too strong to overpower or reliably use martial arts on. Too tough for her blade. Too intelligent to outwit easily. And a fresh wound that meant she couldn’t use her ki and body control to enhance her blood flow and make her stronger. Too many factors against her.

But she had to prevail. As Piano widened her stance in preparation to fight, Vilivian lunged forward with both claws, bringing them both down onto Piano. Piano raised her blade and sheath, holding off the descending death before deflecting her arms to the side. Hooking her sheath against the Matriarch’s leg and her blade to her side, Piano used the deflection knocking Vilivian off balance and twisted to flip the large monster completely over to slam onto the ground.

Vilivian’s tail quickly lashed out to strike at Piano, the small girl barely blocking the whipping appendage with her sword and sheath, though she was launched a distance away so she couldn’t follow-up on the fallen Vilivian. But Piano seemed pleased by this, as she quickly rolled onto her feet as Vilivian struggled to hers and ran into a nearby building.

The small counter of the flower shop greeted Piano across the way, displaying a number of prices for flower collections themed around Miss X and the God Eater along with normal selections. Rows of flowers filled the sides and on displays running down the middle of the floor, filling the air with a bouquet of aromas that was tainted by the smell of Piano’s blood. The crimson girl glanced behind her, hearing and sensing Vilivian get up, causing her to run deeper into the store.

The hulking gray demon woman lumbered to the front of the glass windows, “looking” inside for the girl whose blood she could sense. Rather than just burst in, which she figured the girl was expecting, Vilivian raised her arm. SHATTER.

The entire front of the store exploded into glass shards, sending sharp projectiles and flower petals hurtling into the air. Piano quickly dived behind the counter, grabbing a glass vase and dumping it out as the wall in front of her was peppered with glass shards that exploded on impact with the wall.

Piano didn’t need to try and see through the still raining bits of glass and petals to know that Vilivian was charging towards her through the destroyed shop. She could feel the monstrous ki rushing towards her. She leaped up in the air just as a gray claw swiped through the double set of glass that had separated them, wiping the counter in one strike as the Devil Blood twisted in the air.

Vilivian’s tail then snaked up to strike, causing Piano to stab her sword into the nearby wall and use her gymnastic talents to pull her body just barely out of the way, her body curled around the appendage as it pierced the plastered wall. With her other arm, Piano swung it around and flung the vase towards Vilivian’s face.

The Matriarch raised an arm to block the projectile only to realize too late that the glass container had been partially filled with Piano’s blood as she destroyed the front. The even more fragile than usual glass broke upon impact, sending black blood to cover the gray skin of Vilivian’s arm and parts of her chest, just barely dodging her head out of the way.

As she hissed in pain, her pain as the skin now being affected by such a large amount of the corrupting influence on it, the pain was then doubled as Piano flipped forward once, slamming her blade into the weakened flesh. The sharp sword managed to lodge itself about half an inch into the muscular forearm of the Matriarch, drawing violet blood for the first time in this form.

But Piano’s rush of excitement wouldn’t last long as Vilivian reared her arm back and swung it forward, sending Piano careening towards the wall. She just had time to toughen her muscles to dull the impact somewhat as she smashed through the wall and left a sizable hole in the back of the flower shop.

“What an intense indoor combat! Although Lily’s Forever Flowers has been decimated by the magic of Vilivian and the clash of might of both our finalists, her damages will be covered by the wonderful insurance policies we offer in the Crossroads! Which allows us to watch this marvel of a combat without fear for the small, locally operated businesses that we support here! Now give a cheer for our fighters, especially Piano for having drawn some blood against her fearsome opponent, though she’s clearly lost the greater amount so far!”

Piano gave a wracking cough as she recovered from the impact, though she quickly scrambled away before a pair of clawed, three-toed feet slammed into her back as the ground shook from the terrible impact. Piano dodged a few more chasing stomp, before trying to pull a springing vertical dropkick onto the large skull of Vilivian, who simply took the blow while barely moving from the full body weight of Piano.

Piano flipped off of the large demon, landing with her arms outstretched and fists closed as Vilivian rushed towards her. Pulling her left arm, the glint of light off a string showed as the large gray woman reached high to strike. At that moment, Vilivian realized her mistake as she finally noticed the sensation of Piano’s blood moving above her.

A storm drain above suddenly burst as black blood melted through the remaining fastenings holding that section up, causing it to spill the remaining corrupting blood down towards Vilivian’s back. WARD.

A shimmering blue barrier erupted from Vilivian’s raised arms, blocking the corrupting force as the blood began to taint the shield to black. As she was blocking high though, Piano drew a throwing knife and slashed her own forearm, sending another jet of blood directly onto Vilivian’s chest with a mental howl of pain. The slender tail of the demon woman lunged towards the Devil Blood, but she rolled out of the way and threw back three throwing knives that lodged themselves into the weakened chest area with a small spray of violet.

“Whoa! Where did that come from?” Miss X certainly seemed surprised. “It looks like Piano had planted a bag of her own blood here ahead of time to catch her opponent by surprise! Did she really plan this fight out this far in advance? Has Vilivian been playing into Piano’s hands this whole time, while we all thought she had the upper hand? What a devious trick from such a meek girl! Guess we’re all still learning to be worried about the quiet ones!”

The bag in question fluttered down, revealing it to be made of the same material as Piano’s clothes, having quickly sewn several of these bags and filled them with her blood throughout the previous night before healing with the crystal Forte got for her. She hid a few of these, having planned to use them to catch Vilivian by surprise and hopefully coat her in blood, or at least create openings to strike with her sword. But more blood-covered skin would mean more weak points, which would make Piano’s job easier.

THIS STILL ISN’T ENOUGH TO DEFEAT ME, BLACKBLOOD. Vilivian’s voice rang in her mind, as if intruding on this optimism that the martial artist possessed. YOU STILL HAVE TO GET YOUR BLADE PAST MY CLAWS AND TAILS. AND I’VE FOUGHT MORE SWORDSMAN THAN YOU KNOW TECHNIQUES OF. I WON’T BE SO EASILY VANQUISHED.

Piano flung another pair of throwing daggers, which were easily shattered by a swing of Vilivian’s claws. Even as injured as she was, the Matriarch still showed no sign of slowing. Piano could speed up her blood flow to maybe get a few blows in, but with the open wound she had, she couldn’t do that for very long. She’d have to create another opening.

Retreating backwards, Piano ran down a block with Vilivian hot on her heels, before diving into another building. Vilivian again stopped outside, though this time she took her time to examine the situation. She could feel Piano’s blood moving rather sluggishly in her veins, trying to conserve their energy for combat. She could also sense the droplets of blood Piano was leaving where she ran, like a trail of crumbs leading to her… and the large bag of blood hidden between the two floors of this building.

THAT WON’T WORK THIS TIME, BLACKBLOOD. That was the only warning Vilivian gave before gathering the energy and commanding presence needed to keep the next spell under control. DESTROY.

The entire building erupted in a magical explosion from the ground up. Piano gave a cry as the building blasted upwards by the force of the spell, before it all came crashing down in a huge pile of rubble as wood and stone collapsed on top of her, the neon sign in the front exploding from the force and riddling some of the weaker portions of Vilivian’s flesh in glass shards that she didn’t react to.

“There it is folks! The spell that destroyed half the arena in Vilivian’s first showing against Volley, once again used to great effect! Mr. Roberts is going to have a fit now that he has to repair his shop, but I’m sure he’s having a blast right now seeing all this destruction! I know I am! Let them hear your excitement, everyone!”

There was a roar from the Colosseum as Vilivian strode forward. She could sense where Piano lay, and was intent on finishing the fight quickly before she pulled any more tricks. But as she got to the large rock she could sense the young girl under, she felt the blood begin to quicken beneath her feet.

With great force, the rock was pushed away by Piano's prone form, which Vilivian caught with both hands, stopping it in its tracks. But before she could throw it back, a crimson blade oozing with Piano’s blood in Vilivian’s senses pierced through the rock in a swift stab, catching Vilivian’s chest as she gave a grunt of pain. The blade then twisted, slashing fully across the gray chest of the Matriarch as a gout of violet sprouted from the wound as the rock was carved through like butter. Weakened by the slash, the rock then shattered in Vilivian’s powerful grip, revealing visually to her the bloodied Piano.

Her clothes were even more tattered than before, her head was bleeding slightly from where she slammed her head into the ground and she was covered in bruises, but her face and skin were darkened. Her head and side wounds bled more quickly than before as Piano had quickened her blood flow to give herself a boost in strength to get this blow.

“But that hasn’t been enough to put down Piano before and it won’t start now as she managed to turn around and really draw some blood with that powerful strike! Will this finally be the turning point in this fight?”

As Vilivian looked down at the blood spilling from her, almost impressed with how much this young, small girl was pushing her, Piano used her boosted strength and speed to quickly rush back and begin making her way up the hill on the next street.

It took a second for Vilivian to follow, sensing Piano’s blood slowing down to conserve her remaining blood supply. She likely had already lost a quarter of the blood needed before she passed out, she couldn’t afford to spill more just yet.

As Vilivian began to run up the hill on all fours to catch up, Piano had finished messing with the brakes of a wooden cart full of fruits, vegetables, and other produce and kicked it down the hill towards the Matriarch at high speeds. The powerful demon caught the cart as it reached her, slowing it to a stop, only to realize that there was another blood pack above her head and that Piano was quickly following after the cart to take advantage of the opportunity.

SHATTER. The cart began to explode from the magical force imbued into it, only for Piano’s lithe form to leap through the debris and deliver a cut to Vilivian’s arm, cutting through the already nicked portion from earlier and managing to cut through some muscle as she leaped past. She then grabbed the string, pulling it and releasing her next payload of black blood onto Vilivian.

The demon roared in pain in the minds of Piano and Miss X once more, before rushing after the former to slash at her with the nearly foot long claws on her arms. Piano’s sword was raised to block it, but the weapon was sent up in the air upon impact, as well as a portion of the nearby wall being gouged out and the pipe along the outside getting nearly wrenched out from the force as Piano flipped in the air.

But with a quick movement, Piano grabbed the broken pipe that jutted out and ripped the other half off its weakened bolts with a yank, swinging the makeshift club with the force of her rotation. While Vilivian’s skin was tough, the blunt force of the blow was enough to make her legs buckle for a second as Piano landed and began another swing with a strong stance. The Devil Blood had stolen a few talents of club fighters and baseball players, so she used their techniques to maximize the power of each swing.

But eventually, Vilivian managed to move an arm to solidly block the attack. But the moment impact was made, Piano let go of the pipe and leaped up, grabbing her sword just as it was reaching her and slashing, getting another good hit on Vilivian. Giving a howl of pain and anger, Vilivian lunged with her injured arm, only for Piano to fling her sword up and duck under the attack, speeding up her blood once more as she grabbed the pipe before it hit the ground.

What followed was a nearly non-stop, high speed combo of Piano as she kept juggling the pipe and sword in the air between attacks, switching between sword talents and club talents along with her enhanced strength and pouring as much of her ki into each blow as she could manage. With all of the power and the rapid fire nature of the assault, for the first time since she transformed Vilivian was being driven back, gouts of violet erupting from each bite of Piano’s blade.

Just as she started getting used to the current pace of Piano’s blows, though, Vilivian was soon met with a third implement as the sheath for Piano’s sword came into play once more, slamming into the wounds the sword had left with pinpoint precision, causing another burst of pain that forced Vilivian back another step as Piano’s wound bled freely and swiftly once more. Each time Piano switched to a new weapon as it came down to her hand, she used a different fighting style for that weapon, ensuring that Vilivian couldn’t be too confident as to how she’ll fight with that tool. For a minute, Piano was fully on the offensive.

“Wowwy wow! Look at Piano swing all those weapons! If I didn’t have perfect vision so I could see all you lovelies in the audience, I would think she has three arms to swing them all! What blinding speed, just like she used to beat down Angelique! What an impressive feat of juggling, swordsmanship, and… pipesmanship? It’s certainly a strange weapon to be using! But she used them both to beat Quan! And it looks like she’s finally putting it all together to finally take down the unstoppable monster that is Vilivian!”

But even as she spoke, Piano’s movements began to slow down, forcing her blood to do so as she was starting to see spots in her eyes from blood loss. As the assault finally died down, Vilivian thought she saw her opportunity and stabbed the tail forward, trying to pierce Piano while she recovered.

But Piano saw that coming too. Flipping up and leaving the pipe to be impaled through and split apart from the sheer force of the thrust, Piano grabbed her unnamed blade with both hands and swung it in the cleave she made to Vilivian’s arm earlier, finally cutting through it all the way with a yell as she sliced off the Matriarch’s deadly appendage.

“Dismemberment!” There was a roar of excitement from the Colosseum once more. “Piano has done the unthinkable and sliced off Vilivian’s arm with her own strength! Black and purple is really starting to fly in this match! It’s still impossible to tell who will win at this point, but it won’t stop being exciting until the end! Keep your eyes wide open like your ears at my concerts!”

Vilivian gave a growl of pain and anger as a flood of purple ichor splattered onto the ground next to her dismembered limb, painting the cobblestone streets of the Crossroads violet as she tried to staunch the bleeding. CLEVER, BLACKBLOOD. DOES THAT BLADE OF YOURS HAVE A NAME?

“No…” Piano finally spoke, looking at the purple blood on the red blade. “Truth be told, this sword probably shouldn’t exist… Nor should my participation in this tournament…”

AND YET IT’S SLICED THROUGH ME WITHOUT A SLIVER OF SILVER. COMMENDABLE. BUT I HAVEN’T LOST YET.

Before Piano could understand what Vilivian meant, the Matriarch began to run down the street. Piano was bewildered for a moment, before beginning to chase after the large demon.

“What’s this?” Miss X looked shocked from above, her heart pupils nearly popping out of her eyes in exaggeration. “Vilivian is running away from Piano? The nearly unstoppable demon is running away from the smaller opponent, after beating such powerhouses as Volley and Pembrooke’s ATX? I’m sure nobody had that on their sports bets! Just what will happen next?”

The answer swiftly came as Piano realized they were running towards another hiding spot of her blood packs. Vilivian leaped up towards the storm drain it was hidden in, burying her claws into the wall of the building before thrusting her tail up to pierce the bag. Black blood began to pour from the hole… directly into Vilivian’s waiting maw.

For a moment, nothing happened as she downed the ebony ichor. But then there was a mental growl of pain that slowly rose in volume to a roar as Vilivian crashed back down to the earth, clutching her chest in pain. If she had eyes, they would bulge from the corruption attempting to eat away at her insides, which were also being matched by her Matriarch powers attempting to use the blood to heal her. This seemed to go on for a few seconds, during which Piano worried about striking for fear of accidentally killing the older woman.

But eventually, it seemed that Vilivian’s nature won out, as flesh began to grow out from the stump of her arm, forming a new one in a matter of seconds. The injuries on her chest healed in a patchwork manner, the parts still coated in blood not healing while those just outside of the black patches slowly began to reform. The Matriarch began to breathe heavily from the exertion, before swinging her head around towards Piano.

“What a shocking twist! After two and a half matches of people avoiding Piano’s blood like the plague, we finally have someone that drank it up like Chifu drinks margaritas during happy hour! And it looks like it worked out in her favor, since she looks fully recovered! All that work Piano did to do that much damage, gone in a flash! Things are starting to look hopeless for the Devil Blood!”

Piano’s heart had certainly sunk at that. She hadn’t considered the possibility of Vilivian getting any benefits of drinking her blood, since that usually just killed people and even vampires tried to avoid drinking her blood. And she had already lost too much blood as it was and she didn’t have many blood packs left in the Crossroads to coat Vilivian again. She couldn’t pull off the same strategy twice. So she only had one move left.

She turned fully around before Vilivian could get into a charging position and began to run full sprint down the hill, clutching her side as she did so. Soon, she heard the horrific sounds of Vilivian chasing after her. But she also noticed that the demonic woman’s ki had diminished greatly in force. While she recovered externally, that stunt must’ve taken a lot out of her internally. She’s likely counting on using the last bits of her overwhelming physicality to crush the weakened Piano before the damage was too much.

But Vilivian wasn’t going to let Piano escape just because she was hurting. BURST. With an eruption of sound, the ground beneath Piano exploded, forcing the girl to roll into a nearby alley to avoid the blast. While the alley itself was a dead end, Piano was already clambering up the walls as best as she could, hissing in pain as she stretched injured muscles as Vilivian clawed at her from below.

But even before Piano had gotten to the roof and headed for the next one, Vilivian was firing off another spell. SINK. The roof Piano landed on next went from solid to a semi-liquid state, causing the martial artist to go through the roof to the floor below just as she heard a crashing sound beneath her. Looking around quickly as she sensed Vilivian’s ki lining up below her to strike, she dashed towards a window at full speed and jumped out of it, sending glass cascading below as the wooden floor behind her was torn asunder by a large claw.

Piano made a sharp ninety degree turn as she heard crashing sounds beneath her as Vilivian smashed through walls to get back under her, heading for the front and leaping through another window to get back to her full sprint. But even as she did…

SHATTER. The storefront behind her exploded into debris, bits of stone slamming into Piano who gave a gasp as she was sent tumbling towards the ground. She slammed into it at an awkward angle, not able to get her bearing before she crashed to toughen her muscles as she tried to roll to recover. Her shoulder ached with pain at nearly being dislocated, but she quickly scrambled to her feet and slammed it into a wall to set it back to normal as Vilivian was hot on her heels.

“And now the destruction is really kicking off as both girls desperately try to do what they want! Walls and floors are no longer obstacles for Vilivian, much to the escaping Piano’s dismay! Will she be able to reach where the next step of her plan is before her gray pursuer gets those sharp claws on her?”

But as they reached a straight path, Piano noticed that Vilivian came to a stop behind her. Not slowing down to look back, Piano dashed as fast as she could to gain distance, only to realize what was going on as Vilivian planted herself firmly at the end of the street. The Matriarch gathered magic inside of her and began opening her mouth as a pink glow began to emanate from her core.

“Uh oh! Looks like Vilivian is going to finish things off with the blast that halved Pembrooke’s ATX! The barrier protected the Crossroads last time, but there’s nothing in its way now! This is sure to be total destruction!”

The God Eater, overall amused with the match so far, gave a slight frown at that, not wishing for the town to be destroyed merely for her amusement. She held her power at the ready as she watched what happened next.

Piano, for her part, was trying to use Vilivian’s ki to gauge what she should do as the demon’s life force seemed to almost swell before the attack. Just when it reached the apex and was starting to drop, Piano put all of her ki into speeding up her movements, throwing herself fully to the side and into a building as a beam of deadly pink energy raced down the street. The whole street was overtaken by the blast, the ground being incinerated by the magic as it rushed down the way towards a tea shop at the end.

With a ringing of bells, the door to the tea shop slid open, catching the deadly attack into open space. Outside of town, another set of doors opened to release the blast harmlessly into the air, lighting up the sky with a glow of pink as a good portion of the Crossroads was spared.

But all of the shops along this street were now missing their fronts, as they had been disintegrated by the force of the blast. Piano had just barely evaded the attack, bits of glass in her arms from having landed in shards of glass to dodge. But she didn’t have time to worry about that as Vilivian was finishing catching her breath and seemed to have noticed Piano’s continued survival. Getting up and moving on all fours to take off as soon as possible, Piano made her way to the entrance of the Colosseum she had just left not too long before.

Just as she got there, Vilivian had managed to catch up and was swinging down at Piano with both claws with a mental roar. Piano drew her blade and raised it to block, but the weapon was knocked from her hands as she was sent flying back from the force of the swing. Piano clutched at her wounds, her whole body sore and aching as the Matriarch closed in.

YOU DID WELL, BLACKBLOOD. THIS IS THE HARDEST I’VE FOUGHT IN A LONG TIME. YOU HAVE MY RESPECT. BUT THIS IS THE END. Vilivian’s words sounded hollow as usual, but there was a level of respect in the tone as she began to move forward slowly. Then she began to break into a charge, lunging at Piano with her claws outstretched.

And that’s when she noticed the silver sword right next to Piano… and the black blood that had seeped into the cracks. With a shout of her own, Piano grabbed the hilt and pulled the silver blade free, dodging under the claws of Vilivian and slashing her from shoulder to hip, spraying purple blood down as they parted.

Vilivian crashed into the ground as the pain distracted her, bouncing once before landing with a heavy thud a distance away. Piano had been lucky to get knocked where she was, gathering what blood she had left to pour into the small gap between the sword and the ground to corrupt and weaken the earth to draw the blade. Silver, luckily, was resistant to the corrupting effect, ensuring the blade would still be sharp.

As Piano held the only weapon to defeat her before, Vilivian knew she could no longer face Piano in this form. She had used all of her magic on the streets before, and her strength was sapped from drinking the black blood earlier. Piano still had a strong enough flow in her veins to be able to push one last time, and with a silver blade in hand she could likely slice Vilivian to pieces with ease.

So with one last slam of her fist, Vilivian began to stand as her body began to shrink, her skin lightening as her organs began to fill out her torso once more. Her muscles shrank as she resumed her normal, though the wound she sustained in demonic form remained as purple blood continued to freely flow from the purple slash. Her red hair regrew and her green eyes reopened as Vilivian stood in human form once more, no shame in her lack of clothing as she stared down her opponent.

“You’ve far surpassed the expectations I had for anyone in this tournament, Blackblood, I must admit. But I have my pride as a Matriarch and the Sentinel of Graal, and as such, I cannot lose!”

Flipping her foot up, Piano’s crimson blade leaped up to land in her palm as she rushed forward. Piano looked surprised that Vilivian had landed near her sword, before searching her talents for the best sword talent to face a weapon wielding Vilivian. Her chosen talent normally held a shield as well, but she figured her sheath could prove to serve the same function.

“Oh my! It looks like this finale is baring it all!” Miss X cheered excitedly at her position above the arena once more. “No more demon form! No more planned ahead tricks! No more fists! No more words! Two women! Two swords! One winner! Let’s see which one comes out on top!”

Vilivian sent a wild swing at Piano, which the latter deflected with a swift movement. Even in that brief exchange, Piano knew she couldn’t match blow for blow with the Matriarch, as her strength was still overwhelming. But on the other end, it was clear her skill with a blade had rusted from disuse. Piano’s multitude of swordsmanship talents should allow her to pull ahead and win in no time.

But it was also clear that Vilivian was getting some of those old skills of her’s back after just a few blows as she got used to Piano’s blade. Within about twenty exchanged and parried blows, Vilivian’s swings became more focused and deadly, forcing Piano to utilize all of her talents to avoid being slashed in two by the cleaving strikes of the Matriarch. Vilivian had a wide smile on her face, seeming to enjoy herself despite the amount of violet blood flowing down her front as she fought.

Piano, meanwhile, was looking concerned, her skill only barely keeping her alive, but with each second, her own blood was leaking from her own wounds, and she wasn’t nearly as durable as Vilivian was. She was already feeling the exhaustion from so much blood loss to maintain her doped state long enough to injure the demonic Vilivian, and her eyesight was being darkened by spots in her eyes. She had to finish this fight quickly.

Gathering the last bits of energy she had, she sped up her blood flow once more, pumping more blood and oxygen into her limbs as she launched into a frenzied assault. Vilivian looked surprised, but redoubled her own strikes as black and purple blood began to streak off from glancing blows between the two.

Then Vilivian attempted a thrust when she thought Piano was open, only to find the sheath for the sword she was using waiting for the strike. As the sheath and sword met, Piano twisted the blade around and tried to throw Vilivian off-balance before stabbing down with the silver blade. This was however met by a shoulder check from Vilivian right to Piano’s wounded side, sending the girl sprawling back with a whimper of pain and a flash of darkness behind her eyes.

As Vilivian reclaimed the sword that should not have been made, she leaped up and attempted to impale Piano once more, who contorted her body to dodge around the blade as the ground beneath them cracked from the force of the blow. She wrapped her legs around Vilivian’s neck and twisted to slam her face first into the ground before flipping away just in time to avoid the furious swipes from the redhead in response.

Piano felt that, while the silvered blade was far more durable than normal blades, against the fierce blows of Vilivian and being wielded by Piano, the blade would not sustain many more direct blows. So as Vilivian charged forward, dragging the crimson blade through the earth before delivering a powerful swing that Piano swayed out of the way of, she knew she had to end it in the next blow.

Backhanding Vilivian to create distance, Piano crouched into a low stance with the point of the blade forward before lunging upwards. Vilivian, in turn, recovered and pointed Piano’s blade down and thrust, both women meeting partway with their blades disappearing into the other woman’s torso.

For a terrible moment, neither woman moved, the entire crowd going silent as they waited to see who won. After a few moments, drops of black began to appear on the ground as Piano’s wound bled first, the tip of her sword buried above the previous stab wound she sustained.

But then with a slight push from Piano, the tip of the silver sword emerged from Vilivian’s side, the longer blade running through its keeper before Piano’s blade could pierce its owner beyond the first inch. Giving a coughing laugh in pain, Vilivian gave Piano a pat on the shoulder before her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she collapsed on the ground, both blades leaving the respective women as a pool of purple began to grow from the fallen woman.

“AND WE HAVE A WINNER FOLKS!” Miss X cheered above the now roaring crowd as Piano bent down to grab the tag from Vilivian, before covering her with her tattered jacket for modesty’s sake. “THE WINNER OF THIS YEAR’S CROSS TOURNAMENT IS NONE OTHER THAN PIANO! GIVE HER A ROWDY CROSS CHEER!”

Piano stayed conscious long enough to listen to the crowd cheer in adoration of Piano’s stunning victory over Vilivian, meekly waving at the audience. She saw her brother sitting near the front of the crowd, his face pale from the fight he just witnessed but applauding all the same at her victory. She then looked up to meet the God Eater’s gaze, who nodded approvingly at the girl.

She then looked down at Vilivian just as paramedics arrived with blood packs and began to feed it to the unconscious Matriarch, whose wounds healed before they became fatal with that bit of assistance. Once assured of Vilivian’s safety and feeling the arms of the medic on her shoulders, Piano herself collapsed from exhaustion, not wanting to feel people’s attention for a while.

Calming Covenant

It was a full two days before Piano woke up after winning the Cross Colosseum. When she did, her body was covered in bandages and wearing a red and black patient outfit as the tattered clothes she wore over the tournament laid on a nearby table. Her sword was also leaning against her bed, her numerous throwing knives also arrayed in neat rows on the table.

She had expected to wake up and see her brother there, but instead saw her opponent Vilivian sat there. Unlike Piano, she showed no signs of lasting injuries thanks to her Matriarch blood regenerating her flesh after some blood consumption. She wore a black shirt and red leather pants, along with Piano’s lilac coat that hung on her shoulders.

“You’re awake, Blackblood.” She said simply upon seeing Piano’s eyes open, sending the shy girl’s face flushing a darkened color. “It took you long enough. I don’t know how these tournaments of strength normally go, but I do not believe the winner is normally permitted to rest so long after her victory.”

“Uh… no, I suppose not.” Piano admitted. “But I don’t have that much healing unlike you. Are you ok?”

“I’m fine. I’m more than durable enough compared to the rest of you. And yet you proved to be the superior warrior. This is only the second time in my entire lifetime that an opponent defeated me fairly in single combat. And even with the same blade was I felled. You’re truly a remarkable fighter.”

“I… ah… I…” Piano seemed to be embarrassed by the praise, hiding her face under her blanket. “I didn’t do anything special. Just what I was supposed to do…”

“Well then I suppose you should finish this task of yours.” Vilivian said with some finality, holding her hand out to Piano. “You have a wish to obtain.”

“Right, of course.” Piano stood up, looking nervous due to her state of dress. Luckily, there was another change of clothes likely provided by her brother in the room, which she changed into. Dressed as she was before, Piano went to leave, Vilivian giving her a strange look as they walked together.

“I’m certainly not one to make much comment on ones clothing, as I simply don what Saki puts on my bed after each match. But do you not possess any additional garments for you to wear?”

“Oh, yes, my brother selects clothes that are considered stylish from each of the places we visit. But since I was asked to put on a performance fighting in this tournament, I thought I should still get my reward in the same…”

“I suppose that makes sense. But perhaps you should wear something else. I would think it would be interesting to see you outside of your combat attire.”

“Uh… well, I have a nice dress I can wear after this…” Piano flushed as they exited the Colosseum and made their way towards the Fox Den. The streets outside were still filled with the noise of construction, as the people of the Crossroads were busy fixing all the damage the two had caused in their fight. The entire street Vilivian obliterated was closed off as they had to recobble the streets.

“We certainly did a lot of damage…” Piano looked guilty, rubbing her arm as her tail wrapped around her wrist.

“That’s battle. There’s no shame in what we did.” Was all Vilivian replied, no emotion on her face as she looked at the destroyed store fronts.

“Right…” The two walked in silence the rest of the way, until they reached the entrance of the bar. Inside, there were people already chatting and drinking when the two women entered.

All heads turned to them, before a cheer came up as they recognized the Cross Tourney winner stood embarrassed at all the attention. “Welcome to my bar, fellow winner.” Saki greeted from the counter, giving Piano a warm smile in congratulations. “The Madame will meet you upstairs in the VIP lounge. Your brother is also up there talking with Chifu, so let him know you’re ok.”

“Th-thank you.” Piano flushed at all the attention, her tail wrapping even tighter around her wrist. “I’ll be sure to do so…”

Piano quickly ran up the stairs, Vilivian following idly behind her as the red skinned woman vanished from the crowd’s sight as Saki laughed and shook her head at the bar. Reaching the VIP lounge, the Devil Blood soon found her twin sitting at a counter alone. He noticed his sister’s arrival and stood up quickly, giving her a gracious bow.

“My most wondrous sister indeed, an avatar of Nike herself, it is good to see that the shackles of exhaustion and pestilence no longer plague you and tether you to the bed in the Colosseum’s hospice.” Forte made his relief and care for his sister known to her, though Vilivian just seemed to absorb the barrage of words with the same uncaringness as she did to his flattery. “I take stock in the knowledge that you have come to collect the well-sought prize of the God Eater’s wish granting capabilities?”

“Yes brother.” Piano said with a slight bow of her own. “Thank you so much for your help. I know helping my needs has taken time away from your work.”

“Think naught of it.” Forte said, but she knew her brother was still infuriated at being thwarted multiple times over the last few days. And it would seem that he still wasn’t having any luck, given how he was tilting his head in silent frustration that only she could recognize. “I still have a fair few days of interviews to conduct.”

“I suppose so… Were you not talking to Chifu again?”

“On that, I have not the slightest inclinations as to her location.” he admitted with his usual smirk. “She made a sudden departure from our follow-up interview but a handful of minutes prior. Mayhaps the spirits she imbibed throughout our collaging had finally inflicted their dreaded curse upon her constitution?”

“That’s about when you woke up.” Vilivian commented in a low voice so only Piano could hear. “As I would expect of the Trickster.”

“What do you…” Piano began to ask, before they were interrupted.

“I heard someone was needing my attention?~” the sultry voice of the God Eater interrupted the sibling reunion, as a pair of doors opened to reveal the goddess. “Ah~ There is my new winner of Cross Tourney, here to collect her wish I take it?~”

“I suppose I should…” Piano said nervously, glancing at her brother as she did. He raised an eyebrow, but gave her a nod to encourage her.

“Very well~” The God Eater’s tails spread out, the eyes on the tail seeming to blink as they looked down at Piano. Behind the martial artist, eight fox tails seemed to appear behind her, making everyone look surprised at the sudden appearance. “And what is it that you wish from me?~”

Piano stayed silent for a minute or two, aware of the gaze of the three in the room as she gathered her courage to say her wish. She glanced at Vilivian, who just nodded to push her to speak, before looking to her brother once more. He gave her a smirk, jerking his head towards Madame Chief to signal Piano to talk. Piano took a deep breath, gathering the last bits of courage needed before she spoke.

“I wish… I wish…” Piano took another deep breath as the God Eater stood tall, not saying a word as she smiled wryly at the Devil Blood. “I wish… to have a means of returning to the Crossroads safely on my own. That is my wish.”

Piano’s wish drew surprised reactions from both her opponent and her brother. The former’s eyes widened for a second before tilting her head in thought. Forte, meanwhile, looked absolutely stunned at the request, his eyes flicking as he tried to understand the purpose of the wish.

“Is that all?~ Well, I was hoping for something spectacular~ But a wish is a wish~” The God Eater gave a wave of hands, the sounds of bells ringing out loud as her tails waved, the tails behind Piano moving in rhythm as a ninth tail began to grow to match the goddess’.

And then with a brief flash, the magic was over. The tails behind Piano were gone. And in their place, there was a small fox plushie in her hand, a small letter in its mouth.

“And there we are~” Madame Chief gave a soft sigh, sitting on a nearby table as she pointed at the letter. “All you have to do is take out the letter and open it and it will transport you here, just like it did at the start of the tournament~”

“I see… Thank you…” Piano gave a slight bow.

“I look forward to hearing of where you go when you use that to come back~” The God Eater rested her head on her fist, producing her opium pipe with the other hand as she watched Forte approach his sister.

“Dearest blood of mine, might I receive a proper introduction towards the reasoning behind the necessity of such a method of transportation?” Forte tilted his head, and even though he gave her a smile, she knew he was hurt by the implications. “Have I not transported you between worlds faithfully all this time?”

Piano looked somewhat ashamed, but still looked her brother in the eyes. “It’s nothing like that… I just know that you have a lot of people to ‘interview’ here, and I’ll be finishing up my tasks before you do. I don’t want you setting aside your work for my sake again. You always give up things for me.”

“So how then do you intend to traverse the planes of the multiverse? Will you be utilizing the unique quirks of this Crossroads in order to move on to other modes of existence?”

“Exactly. We can make this place a steady base for ourselves. You can get a place where you can work on your ‘writings’ while I travel to learn more. Wouldn’t that be fine?” She looked to the God Eater, who smiled.

“Well, there’s certainly a few places available~ I could even get you one close to the Fox’s Den so we can talk more~” The God Eater gave them a wink, manifesting a set of key with a jingle.

Forte gave it some consideration, pulling out his pen and spinning it in his hand. “... if that’s what you intend to do, then I shall not provoke any hostilities by seeking to end such an endeavor. This will be a rather intriguing period in our life spans.”

“That it will brother… that it will…” She began to back up, heading towards the stairs as Vilivian stepped back. “So since we’ve got this all settled, I’m going to go look for Pembrooke. I would imagine he’s still fixing that mech of his…

Vilivian nodded, following her down. “The Soldier is down at the beach along with the Smith repairing the golem he fought me with. I think the Fey child and the Specter are there as well.”

“That’s a lot of people… but I do want to see how such a machine is repaired…” As she spoke with Vilivian, her golden eye seemed to sparkle in anticipation for acquiring new talents.

Forte watched his sister leave, a mixture of anger and pride in his expression before he turned to the God Eater. “Well, with that whole affair to be engaged with over the next few days, my conversation with the truant spirited wench has been postponed. Mayhaps you might be willing to take her place?~”

“I’ll certainly try my best~” The God Eater said, clearly amused as the pair sat across from each other at a table.

----------

It was about two weeks later when Piano decided to take off to the next world she would go to. She and Forte had found a place to stay in the Crossroads, and she had gathered quite a few talents from the other contestants. During her stay, she agreed to accompany Vilivian back to her home dimension, with the hope that they might be able to explore the human realms together.

Piano had finally changed out of the flashy outfit, switching to a more oriental styled dress with flower designs, including a patch of flowers on her left shoulder, and high cuts on her legs to make it easier for kicking. Angelique had muttered under her breath about how “Of course she looks good in that too…” and Vilivian had wondered why such an outfit had to be so loose and exposing if it’s supposed to keep Piano warm.

As Vilivian and Piano were getting ready to leave, something about the day felt off for Piano. She convinced her traveling partner to go on ahead out the gate, and Piano would catch up within a few hours. Vilivian seemed confused, but agreed to go on ahead.

In the meantime, Piano climbed her way up the mountains of the Crossroads, looking down at the place she had fought for glory she did not wish for. As the mountain breeze caused her hair to sway slightly, she took a deep breath, both enjoying the air and preparing herself mentally for what she thought was to come.

An hour or so later, she had descended the mountain and was making her way out of the same gate she knew Vilivian had just left. But instead of an empty path beyond the gates where the Crossguards keep watch, a figure stood barring her way.

Standing there with a purple glowing broadsword impaled in the ground in front of him was a man with tanned skin and darkened hair, his eyes covered with a blindfold with golden eyes designed on the front of it. His clothes were a light green with more golden eyes across the front of it. His arms had three gold eye tattoos each, for a total of six eyes that almost looked like they blinked as he moved his arms to grip the hilt of the blade again.

“There you are, heretic.” The man spoke in a low, dangerous tone. “Did you think you and your brother could escape the Ruler of All’s justice by retreating to the den of a goddess whose powers are used to suit her own debauchery? If not for those insistent guards of hers, I would have pursued you within the streets of this twisting place and painted its streets black with your blood and sins.”

Piano had figured the Ruler’s angels would’ve chased the two of them all the way to the Crossroads. She was glad that the God Eater had protected the two of them as part of Piano competing, but she knew she couldn’t rely on the goddess’ protection forever. And she didn’t want Vilivian involved with this, since the blades of the Watchers could easily pierce the demon’s hide.

“The God Eater, she claims herself to be.” the angel continued to rant, his anger at having to wait clear. “My lord sundered an entire world and took down an entire pantheon of gods. Compared to that, one single fox should be nothing to us. But I prefer not to have any collateral damage when I perform my duties. In all of my days, I have never allowed another that didn’t deserve to receive justice to be harmed as I perform my functions.”

Piano gave no verbal response, instead drawing her sword and preparing to face him. In response, the man tilted his head, before pulling his blade out fully as purple fire began to pour from the edge.

“You think you defeat me with your paltry skills simply because you won some contest of might? Your arrogance is nearly as unsightly as your sins. I shall ensure that both stain my blade as you watch your life drain from your body.”

“... I have a friend that’s waiting for me down the path…” Piano proclaimed, somewhat timidly. “I didn’t want her to get involved with the likes of you… And I don’t want you going past me to harm my brother… You may be somewhat important back home… but for the sake of the history we both wish to write, I cannot allow you to do what you want.”

“That heresy you speak of is nothing but a means of extortion and an attempt to overthrow the Ruler of All. As such, you will die for such a sin.”

“No. As much as I hate to do it, it will be you who dies today. I’m more talented than you.”

And with that, she rushed forward, her blade drawn back as the crimson edge prepared to meet purple flames. The angel roared in fury as combat began, the Crossroads getting one more front row seat of the timid Piano’s fighting as purple and black clashed one more time.

Piano & Forte

[Piano's Epilogue] The Devil Blood and the Angel of Judgement

Original Doc

Standing atop one of the many mountain passes of Mt Mei and the surrounding mountains, Piano took a deep breath of mountain air, looking out to the landscapes that surround the Crossroads below her. While it would have taken most people several hours to climb such a distance up a mountain without climbing gear, Piano’s stolen talents gave her the ability to easily scale such a trek in only an hour. Which was good, as she didn’t want Vilivian to leave her too far behind on their journey to the demon Matriarch’s homeworld to continue searching for talents to steal. While this wouldn’t be the first time exploring a new world, it would be the first time she did so without using her brother’s magic. As such, her nerves were starting to get to her.

To help alleviate that, she had switched out of the showgirl attire she had usually donned in her adventures up until that point, made to make her stand out so she could disguise herself as a showgirl as needed and steal talents up close, as well as to showcase her impressive talents in stealth. But since that made her uncomfortable, she switched to robes more fitting for a martial artist.

Her attire was now a dark blue gi with purple flower designs, with loose flaps that hung about knee length down her front and back, with both halves of the outfit tied together by purple string along her hips and golden ties up her front to cover the white undershirt beneath it. She wore white pants and blue flats, and her sleeves only went down to her mid-forearm and billowed out slightly, leaving plenty of room to expose her arms. Her hair was no longer in a ponytail, instead simply tied back with a purple ribbon, and she had a small bundle of flowers tied around her longer horn. She had a much larger bundle of the flowers on her left shoulder, a group of purple lilacs that covered her shoulder and gave off a light fragrance as purple leaves billowed off in the mountain wind, with new leaves regenerating due to the flower’s special nature.

Already she could feel her ki flowing through her body more easily, his spirit more at ease to allow the ki to flow through her more easily. It also reminded her of her days “training” with the other martial arts masters she stole her abilities from, which were certainly easier for her to manage socially. All of this instilled her with a confidence she hadn’t felt in years, paired with her newfound confidence gained during the Cross Tourney. It was enough to almost make her smile.

Almost. But then that feeling returns. The one that made her send Vilivian ahead while she climbed the mountain to clear her head. The feeling filled her with a familiar sense of dread, one she hadn’t experienced since she and her brother left their homeworld of Etch for the first time.

The feeling of one of the agents of the Ruler of All being nearby, and looking for them specifically.

It shouldn’t be all that surprising, really, that an agent would search the Crossroads for people like them. With as much world hopping her brother and her were doing, having a central location was an obvious move for them to do, as she had foolishly established by making it her wish.

But what concerned her was how quickly they had found her and her brother. She didn’t think either of them were worth the effort of sending an enforcer off world, when there was so much to manage on Etch as it was, with the illegal migration between Cubbies and criminal elements beginning to gain strength in Aspect. Compared to all of that, a pair of historians like Piano and Forte couldn’t really be a priority, could they?

She looked at the southern gate of the Crossroads, as if she could see the threat from here. While normally, her ability to sense ki extended out only a few meters to overwhelm her, up here in the mountains that range was greater due to the harmony she felt in the moment, aligning her emotions with her ki more easily. But even that extended range only doubled the range, to sense all but the faintest of ki around her.

Instead, she felt the intruder by the exuding hatred and purpose he seemed to project towards her and her brother, as if trying to call them out to the source. The God Eater could likely manage a greater presence than this person, but her purpose never led her to do this. Whoever this person was, they had all the arrogance that the servant of the Ruler of All should have. And it was likely he wouldn’t leave without a confrontation.

Piano took a long, deep breath of mountain air. As much as the idea of going down and confronting whatever monster that was waiting for her was scaring her, what scared her even more was the idea of this person running out of patience and charging in at her brother was even more terrifying. So with one last wistful look at the surroundings from up high, she began to scale down the mountain with the practiced ease of decades of training she had stolen from others.

In only an hour, she was at the base of the mountain and had crossed through the Crossroads themselves, now at the southern gate herself. The Crossguards that manned it, their eyes covered as always by blindfolds, gave her no looks or signs one way or another about what was about to happen. But they were clearly aware of the presence outside, weapons more at the ready than usual as they gave a signal, calling for the gates to be open.

The large red doors silently slid open, revealing a large dirt path that extended out not only for miles, but across worlds if Chifu was to be believed. The area was sparse, with virtually nowhere to hide, as the nearest tree was at least two hundred feet from the gate. There was a ditch along the left side of the road, from which Chifu knows how many carriages pulled off to the side for inspection over the years. Under normal circumstances, the path would represent the beginning of a journey, a new start to adventures waiting to come.

That would be true, if not for the figure currently standing in the center of the road about fifty feet from the gate, was a figure with a broadsword embedded in the ground in front of him, the weapon glowing with a purple light that looked sinister to Piano. He had tanned skin, stood about half a foot taller than her, and had darkened hair that went down to his neck in a style that looked elegant while ensuring it stayed out of his smooth, almost beautiful face.

Not that it would block his vision, as his eyes were covered in a purple blindfold, with golden eyes emblazoned upon it, acting almost as surrogates for the ones they covered. He had several other golden eye designs across his body as well. His light green undershirt, covered by a white overcoat, had three eyes on it while the jacket had six eyes in total across the front of it, with at least eight more along the back.. His arms each had three golden eyes along the inner forearm, for a total of six across both arms as well. He wore simple green pants and a pair of black boots, and the clinking of chains against each other as he moved told Piano he likely was wearing a thin layer of chainmail under his clothes, likely blessed to protect him from the curse of her blood on his vitals.

But what scared her most was the blade he now tightened his grip upon, purple flames flickering off of it. Piano recognized a blade blessed by the Ruler of All when she saw one. One cut from that thing would result in an immense amount of pain for the Devil Blood. Even a Matriarch like Vilivian would be cut to pieces by such a blade honed by holy magics as that. That was the reason Piano wanted to be sure that they weren’t seen together by this man, to avoid getting Vilivian hurt.

“There you are, heretic.” His voice was low and dangerous sounding, like a fire lowly crackling, waiting to erupt into a blazing inferno. “Did you and your brother really think you could escape the Ruler of All’s justice by retreating to the den of a goddess whose powers are used to suit her own debauchery? If not for those insistent guards of hers, I would have pursued you within this twisting place and painted its streets black with your blood and sins.”

Piano glanced back behind her, to the pair of Crossguards now standing at attention near the gates outside of the Crossroads. While they certainly looked ready to fight to defend the town, it did not seem likely they would raise their weapons to protect her. It did not seem that the goddess’ will sheltered her from this danger any longer, now that the tournament was over.

The angel continued to rant, his anger at having been forced to wait to fulfill his duties clear. “The God Eater, she claims herself to be. My lord sundered an entire world by himself and brought a pantheon of gods to its knees by his own strength. Compared to that, one single fox should be nothing to us. But I prefer not to have any collateral damage when I perform my duties against the wicked. In all of my days, I have never allowed another that didn’t deserve to receive justice to be harmed as I fulfilled my oaths. And today will not be any different.”

Piano didn’t respond verbally, but instead went for the sword hidden behind her back slowly, drawing it and holding it in front of her. The angel tilted his head at her, a cocky smirk on his face as he pulled his blade from the ground to aim it at her, purple flames now dancing across the blade. It was about a hand’s length longer than Vilivian’s Excalibur, and was easily double the size of Piano’s blade. In every respect, he held the visible advantage.

“You think you can defeat me with your paltry skills simply because you won some contest of might? Your arrogance is nearly as unsightly as your sins. I shall ensure both stain my blade as you watch your life drain from your body.”

“...I-I have a friend waiting for me down that path…” Piano proclaimed, sounding somewhat timid as she slowly steeled her nerves. “I didn’t want to get her involved with this… And I don’t want you going past me to harm my brother… You may be important back home… but for the sake of the history we both wish to write, I cannot allow you to do what you want.”

“The heresy you speak of is nothing but a means of extortion, an attempt to overthrow the Ruler of All by rewriting history to your liking. For such crimes, I will silence you here and now!”

“No.” Piano’s confidence was now manifested, her mismatched eyes narrowing towards him. “As much as I dislike doing tasks like this, I will ensure you die today. After all, I am more talented than you.”

Piano began to rush forward, moving forward with surprising speed. The blindfolded angel seemed unaffected, raising his blade. “I shall make you swallow your pride, along with your tainted blood!”

He cleaved downwards, the air screaming as purple flames arced down and the ground split from the blow. Piano easily dodged the blow, thrusting forward to try and pierce him. But with the distance she had to cover, he easily recovered enough to dodge around her, attempting to elbow her back. But a kick upwards met his blow with a shockwave impact, Piano was surprised at how powerful such a simple attack from him was as she barely knocked it upwards.

As the two got some distance between each other, they silently acknowledged that this fight would not be won so easily. They slowly circled each other, their cursed and blessed blades staying between the two of them. The two forces could almost be felt in the air between the blades, as if drawing the weapons together to determine which was superior. Piano knew that the amount of cursed blood she put into making the sword would allow it to survive a few direct blows from that blade.

But there was still the worry of the sword shattering from enough of the curse being broken from the power of his blessing. Her cursed blood wasn’t that strong after all. Despite all that, not having something to block the blade wasn’t an option, so she had to make do with what she had. Cycling through her various sword styles in her mind, she settled for the Cloaked Blade style, one that was useful for sneak attacks and hit-and-run style fighting, avoiding direct clashes in favor of wearing him down and looking for openings.

And her best chance to do that was to figure out what sword style he used. His broadsword was larger, suggesting a few styles that she already knew to come to mind. But to test which ones, she began to dart in, making feinting attacks mixed with dodging to bait out strikes. Sometimes, he refused to take the bait, instead chasing her and attempting to grapple her with his left hand, which she slipped away from each time as her eyes went wide.

But a few times he did swing, and she began to pick up patterns with his striking style. He preferred using only one hand to swing, almost exclusively his right as he made quick, sweeping cuts that served to try and kill her as well as push her back to then go for thrusts. He never switched which hand the sword was in, but would occasionally use a two-handed strike, adding surprising speed and power to try and catch her off guard.

Those facts combined, Piano realized he must be using an Aleclucian style of fighting, famous for its defensive tactics mixed with ferocious strength to lure enemies in before cutting them down with a vindictive strike. It is a style that relies on outlasting an opponent’s patience, using as little energy as possible until it’s time to make the killing blow. So drawing out the fight would not fully be in Piano’s favor.

But she noticed that his stance was slightly different from the normal stance you would take. In the usual Aleclucian style, you would keep the arm not in use close to your body, to catch the opponent’s arms after a dodge or to quickly grab the hilt for a two-handed strike. Instead, he kept his arm much further out, which slowed down his response to openings. Against most opponents, such a delay would usually not matter, as his strikes were otherwise lightning fast. But to the nimble and observant Piano, those microseconds of delay were an opening she could exploit.

Switching her sword to her left hand, she switched her own stance to the Rising Lightning stance, one that was much more aggressive and pressed on the attack more. She circled around his right, forcing him to make wider turns to keep her in the threat area of his weapon. During one of those turns, while his foot was still raised, she rushed towards him as she reached into her sleeve with her free hand. The gold along his arm seemed to glimmer as he had a cocky smile on his face.

She tossed a pair of throwing knives in one smooth motion, forcing him to swing his blade to deflect the projectiles. Piano reached him in that exact moment, her blade thrusting forward to strike the center of his torso during the opening. But she felt something sweep towards her left hip, forcing her to toughen her muscles to catch the kick to her side. She grit her teeth, her thrust going off to the side as it merely grazed his right side as she was knocked to the side. The angel gave a hiss of pain, growling as Piano looked up.

Angels could normally regenerate, but the curse of her blood should be able to prevent even that. But what she saw surprised her, as purple fire shot out like a jet from the wound. She could see wisps of her black blood mixed in the flames, before the wound closed with a golden light. He scowled down at her, swinging his blade in anger.

“Foul women! How dare you strike my form! Does the depth of your sins know no bounds? Will you continue to pile onto your list of crimes?”

“But I didn’t do anything!” Piano shot back, throwing another knife his way. He swung his broadsword with great fury, an arc of blessed fire shooting out to melt the steel as Piano backflipped away from the attack.

“Oh, but your sins are truly many. Did you not think we knew about the knowledge that you and your brother acquired back on Etch and that it would draw our suspicions? Your brother gathered the names of a good number of the most loyal men to the Ruler. And the knowledge to make blades like the one you point at me is too dangerous to allow in the hands of a group as unpredictable as yours.”

Piano moved forward, ducking under another gout of arcing fire as she swung at him “We’re nothing but historians! We simply want to know the true history of the world.” She gave a feint, but a glint of gold on his left arm indicated he wasn’t falling for it as he punched towards her. “Is that such a crime?”

“It is!” His punch barely missed, a kick from Piano striking his side with a snapping kick that made him grunt. He struck his blade down, a pillar of fire creating a gap between them as Piano leapt back. “You make such sincere claims, but really it's just an excuse to gather strength of arms to fight and the discontented who would be willing to use them to overthrow the Ruler, just as he once overthrew the unjust system the gods before him once upheld! Don’t think we are unaware of what truly lies in your hearts.”

The two began to exchange blows, Piano’s aggressive style putting the angel at a disadvantage.While his power and speed was usually enough to overwhelm any opponent, her innate knowledge of his fighting style along with her superior speed meant that even with the flames trailing his swings, he was unable to get a solid swing at her. And while she wasn’t able to get a solid hit on him, she was at least avoiding his sword, avoiding putting pressure on her blade as she forced him to take a step back, followed by another.

“You don’t know anything about me… I haven’t done anything to hurt anyone who didn’t deserve it all my life… S-So just leave me alone!” She ducked under a slash, kicking the angel in the face. Drawing a blood forged throwing knife, she threw it up at him, trying to get some more damage on him. While he seemed able to burn away the curse, it did seem to take more energy out of him than he would like, which would make it easier for her to wear him down.

He tried to lean back to avoid the knife, but the blade managed to graze one of the golden eye designs on his coat. Piano cursed to herself, knowing that the blow would not cut flesh, instead merely clipping his clothing. But as the slight cut bisected the image, the angel gave a horrible scream, stumbling back as he sent fire in every direction, blood seeming to spurt from the “wound.”

“You filthy heretic! How dare you!” The man screamed, his face twisted in a snarl, flames erupting from the wounded shoulder. “I shall turn your bones to ash and scatter them across every Cubby so not a soul could ever bring you back!”

Piano looked concerned as more flames billowed out of the broadsword, before the angel started spinning the sword around in circles, creating a near impenetrable wall of fire as violet embers struck out towards her. His sword seemed to glow a white hot, although the light it soon gave off gave the impression of holy magic more than pure heat.

She ducked back, covering her face as she recognized the fighting style. It was an efreeti fighting style known as the Flaming Wheel Blade. It was one of the more aggressive fighting styles, using the constant movement of the sword along with ever erupting fires to continuously close in, thwarting off attacks while incinerating any enemy that stands in the way. To most people without any resistance to fire, such an onslaught would be impossible to overcome.

But Piano had already stolen a talent for this fighting style as well. As such, she was intimately familiar with its weaknesses as well. While the flames made it impossible for anyone to get close, they also blocked the vision of the user. It made them susceptible to sneak attacks. As long as she got behind him, she could wait for his swings to create an opening to strike at him.

Switching to a reverse grip to use a more assassin-based fighting style, she quickly slipped around his whirling flames and got behind him. She saw that eight more golden eyes adorned the back of his jacket, all of which looked wavy in the haze of the flames circling him. As she prepared her next attack, he gave a cocky smirk.

“Don’t think you can easily escape the gaze of justice!” He whirled around, sending searing holy flames her way. She was taken somewhat by surprise, only barely dodging out of the way. But the close call with holy flames might as well have been a direct hit as she screamed in pain from the passing burns she received. “Submit to justice now, and I’ll make your death a swift one heretic! I might even ensure the same for your heretical twin!”

Piano didn’t respond, her tail flicking behind her with nerves as she looked at him again. Like her, he didn’t seem to need to face in her direction to be able to “see” what she was doing. But given the flow of his ki, she didn’t think he had the same training as her. He didn’t utilize his ki for any attacks besides what most people managed by accident while using brute force. So there had to be another method that he was “seeing” her.

She looked through the whirling flames moving slowly towards her, at the wicked face that grinned down at her with the promise of flaming death. And then at the bisected eye design on his left shoulder. At the impossible pain that had come from the attack. At how he could “see” when she was drawing her throwing knives from her sleeves as the tattoos on his arms glittered. At his unusual fighting stance that otherwise hindered his ability to strike. And the answer came to her.

Just as he closed in with a twisting blow that slammed towards her position with a wave of fire to accompany it, she focused her ki in her legs, sprinting off to the side to fully avoid the blistering heat as about six feet of the road was gouged open with a horrid black scar. Planting her ninjato-styled blade into the ground, she drew a number of throwing knives. Most of them were made of pure steel, but every fourth one was a throwing knife that had been forged with her blood.

Looking to test her theory, she began throwing sets of four throwing knives at the angel as he turned to approach her, her defensive stance ready to meet her attack. She had one blood-forged knife in each volley.

“Useless!” The torrents of flames raced out to meet the weapons, melting them in intense heat until they were puddles of molten steel on the ground. But Piano noticed that he took even greater care to have the path of the whirling blades meet the blood knives, ensuring they were knocked aside if they didn’t melt in time. Especially if it was aimed at one of his eyes, the desperation he showed to try and keep the blades from touching him was obvious, the angel clearly not used to feeling pain.

He then changed his stance slightly, bracing one foot back as he increased the speed of his swings, creating an almost perfect cocoon of fire that covered his upper chest and shoulders. With a powerful push off, he rushed forward and blazed through the path between them, completely destroying the last volley of knives heading towards him. But just as he nearly reached her, she also took off with her own burst of speed.

What the angel didn’t realize was that all of the thrown knives had focused all of his defenses upwards, including the Blazing Bull technique he was currently using. As such, his legs and lower body were free of flames, giving her enough room to run beneath the holy fire. As her hand slid along the blunt back of her blade, she could hear him cursing above.

With a graceful swing of her sword that sliced through the holy flames with more ease than she expected, the remaining two eyes on his left side were sliced in two, although the chain mail beneath ensured his torso wasn’t also split in twain. Before he could recover, she spun behind him and gave another long slash, a spray of red dancing along her blue and red form as four of the eyes on his back were likewise blinded by her cursed blade. She then got into a low stance, ready to try and pierce his heart from behind.

But the angry roars of pain from him caused her to hesitate, giving him a chance to swing a fist back at her. She managed to block it, but the blow knocked her blade from her hand, sending it skittering into the nearby ditch.

“I’ll crush you like the bug you are!” The angel rushed forward, swinging his sword wildly at Piano. Settling the flow of ki within her, she used only the slightest of movements to dodge the blade, before delivering a flowing palm strike directly to his stomach. As he doubled over in pain and rage, she twisted around him and grabbed hold of his arm, twisting it far enough to force him to drop his blade. With a spinning back kick, she sent the blade flying off in the distance, negating its threat for now.

She felt his ki whirling behind her and barely raised her arm and toughened the muscles in them in time to block the kick, though she was still knocked off her feet to fly back a couple feet. Landing gently, she rushed forward to meet him again before he could recover, her open palm strikes flowing like water as she deflected his massive haymakers while the petals from her shoulder fluttered around them.

He seemed just as well trained at hand-to-hand combat as he was with a sword. His style was highly derivative of boxing, though with the occasional elbow and knee mixed in to try and confuse her, which he only managed once before she adjusted to the deviation. Like with his sword style, he had a more open-armed stance to his style, letting the eyes on his arms see as much as possible before going in for the attack.

And it took a while for him to go for the attack. He fought like a true power-boxer, using jabs and hooks to lure Piano into position before going for the hard straights and uppercuts using his impressive strength. Once or twice he nearly got her, the Devil Blood barely able to tilt her head to turn the devastating attacks into glancing blows, even as she stumbled back from the rushing air that slammed into her at the same time. He would also throw in gouts of holy flames into his attacks, either using them to try and enhance the power of his punch, or creating pillars of flames to force her to dodge, which he would quickly follow up with a powerful attack at surprising speed.

But even with all of these advantages on his side, Piano could see right through him. He had surprising speed for the amount of power he put out, but even his blistering attack rate couldn’t keep up with the more lithe fighter. Piano easily danced between most of his attacks, delivering open palm strikes to his chest, arms, and chin. The angel was sturdy, but he was not accustomed to having an opponent that outskilled him, and his frustrations showed.

To Piano, there was a noticeable gap between him starting an attack and him following through on it. The loss of most of his vision on the left side of the body was clearly having an effect, as he had to make more of an effort to see where she was, creating openings for him to be struck by the swift crimson fighter. His armor prevented her from using punches that would do more damage, and though her palms hurt with each strike, the way he started to swing his arms more wildly indicated that all of the regeneration he was having to do was starting to take its toll on his energy. He was forced to try and end the fight early, so now he was expending more effort to try and hit her.

But the increase in power in his swings soon turned against him as well, as Piano switched to a style of fighting resembling judo, using the gap in their strength to her advantage by using his momentum to send him tumbling to the earth with a heavy slam. He grit his teeth and stood up, shaking his head. But he soon received a kick to the head, his nose snapping for a moment before it healed, his teeth grit as he slid back.

“I studied you long before I came to track you down!” He roared, swinging his arm up as a pillar of fire rose. Piano easily stepped out of range of the attack, tilting her head to the side to avoid the straight right before sweeping his legs out from under him. “I thought I could kill you with little effort before breaking past the guards to slay that snake of a brother you have! So why are you still standing?”

“I told you before: I’m more talented than you are.” Piano replied simply.

To her, it was the truth. While his fighting styles were certainly deadly and it was clear he was well-trained as one would expect of an elite soldier of a conqueror who single-handedly subjugated gods, he didn’t have many opportunities to fight anyone with real skill. The delays in his attacks, both physical and magical, were the results of using his strengths to oppress those beneath him, as opposed to actually fighting. He had never been pushed to his limits, nor had he ever been in a situation where he needed to develop his fighting style beyond the basics.

So it was no surprise that against someone who had the skills of several masters of their crafts as her arsenal of weapons, such sluggish attacks would prove ineffective. He didn’t have the true power or experience that the likes of Vilivian had, nor had he been pushed to the brink of survival to allow his magic to come readily to his fingers as Angelique had been. Compared to both of them, he was a much more manageable opponent for Piano to flex her skills on.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about, little girl!” He gave out a burst of holy flames in all directions, forcing Piano to back up. “All these eyes over my body are each gifts from the Ruler of All, as proof of my diligent obedience to his glorious ways! And you cut them down like they are nothing! Do you know the amount of shame you bring upon me with your sacrilegious blades?”

A red blade suddenly flew through the air, slicing one of the eyes on his arms in half as he roared in pain from what was otherwise a shallow cut. Piano just tilted her head, looking at him as purple flames erupted from the wound.. “B-but that’s it… All of your strength, all of your abilities, all your power… they are all gifts from the Ruler of All. You don’t work for your place. That’s w-why you can’t win.”

“I serve the Ruler of All! The greatest being in all of existence! Even his attention alone is the highest praise one can receive! Someone like you, who crawls in the shadows to avoid it, would never understand!”

With the furious cry of a beast, he raised both of his arms, creating two pillars of flames to block Piano’s path to escape before rushing forward with a haymaker straight for her center of mass. And with the speed of the punch, she wouldn’t be able to throw him like she did before.

But his anger also gave her an opening. As his fist swung down, he managed a direct impact onto her stomach, his grin malicious as he cheered. “Got you now, heretic!”

“No. I have you…” Piano whispered back as he tried to pull back his fist. But he soon realized that she had not only toughened her abs before the hit to soften the blow, but she had also been positioned in such a way that allowed her to “catch” his fist and trap them in her muscles. As he attempted to pull his fist back, she put one hand on his arm, gripping tightly to keep him from moving as she placed her open palm on his chest.

She took a deep breath, feeling the flow of oxygen moving through her body as she focused internally. Her ki likewise began to flow within her, moving from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. Bracing her feet on the ground as she prepared her attack, she opened her eyes to see him panicking as he clearly understood that something was about to happen, his mind too flustered to use flames to help him escape.

With a twist of her hips and a slight movement of her whole body, her ki surged through her palm into his chest, a pair of cracking sounds ringing out as she struck him with a Heavy Palm strike. It was very similar to the One-Inch Punch she used on Vilivian, though with the obvious difference of using an open palm versus a closed fist. The One-Inch Punch was usually more effective due to it being a focused, direct strike to one area over the wide area of the Heavy Palm. But that dispersion of energy goes both ways, as the blessed armor would hurt her with a focused strike, while the palm strike relied on the “weight” of the blow to do damage while keeping the blessing damage to her to a minimum.

But that same armor proved to be rather effective. She was hoping to cause a fatal strike by breaking at least six or more ribs, but she felt his ki flow around two of them, showing which ones broke as he staggered back in pain. He glared at her, watching as she shook her hand to try and shake some of the pain and numbness out of the appendage.

“You think you’re so clever, so talented. Don’t you, heretic?” The angel's voice was low, angry, and dangerous. His breathing was more labored, the effort of the battle starting to show. A purple glow emanated from his throat, showing his holy flames at work ensuring not an ounce of her cursed energy remained in him. While visibly he looked mostly healthy, his ki and form indicated that he was starting to wane.

In contrast, Piano’s form looked more visibly damaged. Her arms were burned, there were several bruises hidden underneath her clothes. She had used about half of her hidden throwing knives, including a third of her blood forged blades that were melted in holy flames as red had been incinerated in violet. She glanced over to where her sword lay, wishing she had it so she could put an end to the fight.

Despite all of that, Piano’s breathing was still steady and calm, her mind and body in perfect harmony as her ki flowed through her limbs in preparation for her next movements. Her stance was sturdy, low to the ground in a defensive manner as she assessed her opponent, trying to figure out the best way to approach him. After all, a cornered animal is a dangerous thing to approach, and since this was likely the first time he had ever been pushed to this point outside of training, his desperation was quickly showing itself in the flow of his ki as it wildly surged through his body.

“I have slain hundreds of warriors, all traitors to the Ruler of All.” he continued, flames dancing along his arms now. “I have killed men whose names will be remembered, who have committed crimes more vile than yours. So why is it that you are the one that has brought me to the darkest of depth such as this? You are nothing. You are not special. You are a mere thief, using your stolen trinkets. Against one who has worked hard such as me, you should not win!”

He drew his arms back, the cackling of flames mixing with an almost angelic song as the holy blaze shot forward in a sphere of destruction. Piano ducked beneath it, trying to press close while he was swinging wildly. But even maddened and half blind with rage, he still possessed impeccable aim, sending a bolt to intercept her path and forcing her back once more.

Forced to mid-range once more, she threw a pair of knives, but only succeeded in baiting out a fireball from one of his hands, melting them as his other raised a pillar of flames to send her scrambling to the side to dodge. Pushed to his brink, he was now forced to expand how he used his flames to try and take her down. This last ditch maneuver was enough to put her on the back foot, her mind scrambling for a way to close the gap.

With her throwing knives useless, she decided to try and approach instead, hoping to overwhelm him with speed in order to take out a few more eyes. She dodged another fireball and rushed forward, watching him prepare to intercept her with another bolt of holy energy at her feet. Just as he sent it flying, she leaped in the air, planning to fly over it to reach him.

“Think again!” As he shouted in victory, she watched the ball hit the ground beneath her and explode into a pillar of fire. Her eyes widened and she barely twisted to the side, but half of her body was engulfed in holy flames. She screamed in pain, rolling onto the ground between them as she tried to put out the blessed flames as her cursed blood roiled inside of her in protest. Purple petals floating off of her shoulder now burned with violet flames, creating an ember shower that rained down before eventually the flames died down there and the ever growing flowers could regrow to their normal forms again.

Just as she got the last of the flames out, her body smoking as she shivered in pain, she sensed his ki above her at the last moment before he kicked her in the stomach. She didn’t have time to fully toughen her muscles, feeling the impact as she gasped in pain and lifted about two feet into the air. Guessing his next attack, she toughened her arms and covered her face as he slammed a flaming fist into her guard. She yelled at the holy energy smiting her devilish form, sending her rocketing about ten feet back as she rolled upon contact with the ground. She laid in a heap at her resting point, trying to regain her internal harmony as her body screamed in pain.

She had never been hit by so much holy power before, and the sensation was almost overwhelming to her, as if experiencing a total rejection of her existence by the force of apparent light. Her arms felt like they had nearly been burned off, even as she looked down at them to see that they were still whole despite the smoke that emanated from the impact zone. Her bones likewise felt brittle after contact with the holy power, as if the next strike would break them and allow his flames to sear her torso if forced to block them again.

“Where’s all that confidence now? A little fire on your body and you’re down for the count?” The angel called, marching towards her while he let violet flames drip off of him. “You were having so much fun stealing away my gifts, so I think it’s only right if I get even as punishment for your crimes.”

Piano’s eyes grew wide, not looking at him as she could sense his menacing ki approaching. She can’t close in on her own in her current condition, and her throwing knives were useless. She could try and ambush the angel as he went to attack her, but if she failed, she would be incinerated in a holy smiting in what would surely be one of the most painful deaths a member of her kind could be killed. She would need some way to overcome him if she wanted to turn it around.

But that’s when she remembered the item she asked Nephro to make for her. Reaching down to her waist, she unwound her secret weapon and wrapped it around her arm as she stood up, careful not to let him see. Hiding her hand behind her back as the angel of judgment looked at her, she flung her right hand forward in a similar motion to throwing a knife as she was sure his loss of eyes reduced the likelihood that he saw exactly what was going on.

Sure enough, he swung his arm up to create a pillar of flames, intent on burning the “knives” coming his way. But he was in for a surprise as a small chain continued out the other side of the conflagration, slashing at his inner thigh as he gave a grunt of pain. With a twist of her arm, she sent it wrapping around his leg, pulling him off his feet and dragging him towards her.

The chain was a thin length of silver metal in tiny, imperceptible links that made it seem like one whole length of material. The end wrapped around Piano’s arm had a blunted weight the size of a golf ball to act as a balance, while the end wrapped around the angel’s leg had a pointed tip with a small weight behind it to add mass and force to the blow. It was designed to be used for quick whipping slashes, as well as its current use of ensnaring enemies and dragging them close.

By the time he recovered enough to lift his arm and head to see what was going on, she was already on top of him, slamming a palm into his nose as it broke from the attack. At this close, he saw that she had a blood forged dagger in her hand. Before he could raise any flames in defesnse, she slashed twice at the eyes on his right arm, before stabbing into the eye on his right shoulder.

As he screamed in pain, she leaped off of him, coiling the chain under her foot. As she landed, she stepped down hard on the chain while she pulled on it with her other hand, creating a swinging motion that lifted the angel up in the air with intent to slam him hard on the earth and expose his back to eliminate them so she could perform sneak attacks to finish him off.

But she suddenly felt a slight jerking motion as he stopped in the air above her. She looked up as she saw a set of three flaming purple wings as he hovered above her. Which confirmed for her his ranking as an angel.

It was obvious from his skills and the amount of holy energy he gave off that he wasn’t a high ranking angel, which are only sent after the most egregious of enemies of the Ruler of All. And while she would’ve felt that a low ranking angel fit for smaller transgressors would be sufficient for how much of a threat she was, clearly an all-powerful entity had other ideas, as low ranking angels didn’t possess wings.

So clearly he was a mid ranked angel, one fit for the execution of powerful officials who betrayed the ruler or great warriors that needed an angelic warrior to bring them down. His boasts from earlier were clearly not for intimidation. He had likely killed countless men whose names her brother would’ve loved to have. And he was appointed as the personal executor of her and her twin.

His wings, however, could not let him climb higher. Only stop his fall and allow him to control his descent. But it was enough for him as he pulled his leg up with tremendous force, the chain coiling up before yanking her along with it. Just as she reached him, his fist came hurtling down towards her stomach as she kicked her leg into his side. The two flew apart from each other, the chain unwinding from his leg as Piano slammed into the ground hard, barely able to cushion her impact while he descended much quicker than he would’ve liked, stumbling on the landing.

“I’ve been forced to give this everything I’ve got today. More than any other enemy I’ve ever faced before, you’ve pushed me. This is an absolute disgrace to me. I’ve lost half of my eyes to such a lowly threat such as yourself. I will make you suffer for every eye you’ve stripped from me. That I promise.”

He created a barrage of flaming pillars to try and trap her while he went for his blade, but he saw that she was already in his way. Her skin was now darker, as the flow of her blood increased in speed to dope herself up. She slammed her palm into his chest, a ringing of metal echoing out as he gasped in pain. She kept up her assault, ignoring her own pain as she used her toughened muscles and ki to make use of every ounce of enhanced power to batter the blessed armor that had been vexing her for so long.

With each blow and step back he took, more of the rings of the armor began to bend and unlink from each other, the armor beginning to break under the assault. In a desperate attempt to stop the hammering upon his ribs, he flung his hand towards her to try and torch her with a jet of violet flames to the chest. Her enhanced speed, however, ensured that she easily ducked the strike, looking directly into one of the two remaining eyes on the front of his coat as she reached into her sleeve.

“Don’t you dare!” he screamed, terror clear in his voice as a red knife was drawn from her sleeve. The ever calm Devil Blood said nothing as she slashed out the two remaining eyes on his coat, before grabbing and twisting his left arm, forcing him to double over to avoid the arm breaking. She then stabbed through the arm twice, piercing the two remaining eyes on that arm before flinging the dagger to fully blind his arm eyes as he yelled at her. “No no no no no no no NO NO NO NO NO!”

He kicked out at her, catching her in the stomach and sending her spinning back away from him. As she regained her footing, she felt him behind her with her ki as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her in a bear hug with his superior strength. His body then began to heat up, as he used his holy flames to become a living furnace to burn her alive in.

“Your people, while in rebellion of the Ruler of All, could once resist even the fires of hell as they plunged themselves in the inferno in order to strike a decisive blow towards our rightful ruler. It was only fitting then, that he stripped them of their strength with flames, and cursed their blood for their acts of treason. And it is only more fitting that you be burned alive, just as a witch is burned at the stake for her sins.”

Piano hardly seemed bothered, using her own ability to control her body temperature to lower hers, keeping her insides from overheating as she struggled for a moment. Once she was in position, she kicked her leg up all the way over her head, slamming her shoe into the front of his face. He swore as his nose broke again, letting her go and backing up as he clutched the slowly regenerating part of his face.

Only for the hand to get pulled away as her silvered chain wrapped around it, pulling him in as she reared her free hand back for another palm strike. With a roar as she poured every ounce of ki and strength she could into the blow, she smashed the heel of her palm into his chest, a shattering sound ringing out as his armor fully gave out along with three of his ribs. Light shone in all directions, Piano wincing as the holy energy hurt her even in that form.

Spitting up red blood mixed with violet flames, he shook off the chain and swung fire towards her. But he only ended up scorching the air, as Piano had already looped around him. As his golden eyes spotted her, that soon became the last thing they saw as four throwing knives embedded themselves into the holy gifts, the curse within them snuffing out the Ruler’s blessing once and for all.

The angel gave a lamentable howl, his coat, vest, and armor sliding off his form to reveal his bare, muscular form, tattoos similar to the ones on his arms apparent on his torso where the golden eyes were on his coat. All of them had a black slash through them now, indicating that the curse had blotted them out. The blindfold wearing fighter then spun around, fury clear on his face.

“At this point, I’m not going to kill you because I was ordered to.” He stomped forward, flames bursting out from under his feet with each stomp. “And I won’t kill you because you are a danger to society. I will kill you because I want you to suffer as you’ve made me suffer.”

“Likewise. I need to stop you, because you’ll hurt those I care about. I can’t let you win today.” Piano got into a low stance, holding her hand forward as the chain twirled behind her using her other hand.

There were a few moments where the two looked at each other, a light breeze carrying away petals from Piano and purple embers from the angel of judgment. The nearby Crossguards, who had grown in numbers as the fight raged on and attracted quite a lot of attention. The blindfolded guards looked on with bated breath, waiting to see what would happen. A X-Camera was floating above the gate, likely recording the fight for the God Eater to enjoy front row seats to the battle.

With a burst of flames, the two rushed forward as a collective gasp rose up. The two clashed elbows, before Piano ducked as a flaming fist swiped across at her. She leaped up as it passed, kicking him in the side of the head. He kept himself stable despite the damage, grabbing her leg and trying to slam her down. She pushed her arms out, stopping her fall with only a slight quiver to her arms. She twisted herself around, kicking him a number of times on each side until he let go.

As she flipped back onto her feet, she had to raise her arms to catch his fists as he punched down at her with both hands, using his greater strength to try and oppress her. She struggled to keep him back as their hands locked for a moment as he leaned in, the eyes on his blindfold glittering with malicious intent.

Piano’s head suddenly lunged forward, biting down on her hand. The angel looked confused, only to laugh at her.

“Getting desperate now, aren’t you?” The angel mocked, forcing her down on her knees. “You didn’t even bite my hand with that one!”

Piano smirked at him, before opening her mouth as her black blood trickled out for a moment. The angel attempted to pull back, but Piano’s grip tightened as her blood spurted out with high speed and pressure. His face got coated in cursed blood, but most especially his blindfold as the purple fabric turned black.

“AAAAAAHHHHHHH!” The angel stumbled backwards, grabbing his face as violet flames fanned out, sputtering more than before as his energy was running on empty. He pulled his blindfold off, finally revealing his true eyes.

They were a pair of golden orbs, with purple flames instead of pupils. They burned with an intense hatred for Piano as his fists were alight with holy flames. “Your crimes are far too great to be judged by normal means. I shall ensure your soul reaches the Ruler of All, that he might punish you accordingly. Your brother will likewise be sent for direct punishment. So lie down and accept your fate!”

Piano backed up as he began a furious combination of punches, her palms meeting them as the air seemed to explode from the force of each exchange. In this moment more than ever in this fight, he was still the stronger of the two, so continuing the trade in strength would result in her losing. So she tried to use her chain to drive him off. But even as he was getting cut by the chain, he seemed to ignore it as he grabbed hold of the length of silver, trying to pull her forward. She leaped off the ground, jumping over the punch as she did a spin kick in the air, sending him reeling as the chain wrapped around his neck.

She pulled taut on the length, strangling the angel as he struggled to pull the thin metal from his throat. He tried to spin around, hoping to untangle himself that way. But the chain was too tight around his throat for that to work. So instead, he swept his arm to create a low blast of flames, forcing Piano to jump in the air. As she was airborne, his wings sprouted out once more and he launched himself towards her, closing the distance so the pressure around his neck loosened as he began an aerial assault on her.

Piano defended herself as best as she could, but she didn’t have much leverage for power fighting in the air, only managing a few kicks compared to the hail of punches that pummeled her. The two were quickly parted by a punch to her gut that sent her careening into the ground, causing the chain to finally slip free from his neck.

Engulfing his fist in flames, he descended down after her, his fist now a flaming meteor aimed for Piano’s skull. But with a quick motion she pushed herself out of the way, coiling her body in on itself as his fist hit dirt. She then thrust both feet upwards, slamming into his jaw and sending him airborne once more. As he tried to recover in the air, he opened his eyes to see Piano right above him with her foot high in the air. He raised his arms in time as she ax kicked him, sending him back to the ground with a painful grunt.

“Where did all that confidence of yours go, heretic?” The angel asked as the dust around him cleared, swiping his hand to incinerate the throwing knives thrown his way. “You’re starting to look exhausted. Preparing yourself for the gallows you deserve?”

Piano’s breathing was getting heavy from the strain of speeding up her blood flow, her body shaking in pain as every muscle screamed for her to stop. But unbeknownst to the angel, she had finally lured the fight to the exact place she wanted to be. She just had to draw him in without him noticing where they were.

“I still have enough of my talents to beat you. I refuse to lose here.”

“You still wish to spout your nonsense, heretic?” The angel sneered, his flaming pupils blazing with righteous fury. “Very well. I shall burn your folly into the dirt behind you!”

With a swift combination of punches, he sent a flurry of fireballs towards her. She swung her chain a few times, detonating a few of them some distance away before being forced to weave between them. She could feel his ki getting close even as the violet barrage blocked her vision, so she wasn’t surprised when his fist suddenly lashed out at her through the flames. She leaned back to go into a back handspring to avoid the attack, but the angel managed to grab hold of her chain.

With a yank he tore the weapon from where it was wrapped around her arm, sending her spiraling in the air as she tried to correct herself. He chased after her, a wild smile on his face as he took aim at her chest for another jet of flames. But just as he thrust forward to fire, his foot suddenly slipped from a change in elevation, causing his attack to fly off-course as he looked down in surprise.

He was so focused on trying to kill Piano, he hadn’t noticed that he had been rushing towards the ditch on the side of the road. His eyes went wide, looking back up at the Devil Blood as she landed. Her foot slammed down on the hilt of her ninjato, flipping it in the air behind her before she snatched it out of the haze that surrounded her due to all the flames, her confidence clear on her face as she now had the weapon advantage over him. He glanced over at where his weapon was, but realized that she would close the distance before he reached it.

But even that thought was enough to fill him with anger, as he realized that the gesture was an omission at to what ways she was superior to him. “You think you’re better than me? A glorious servant of the Ruler of All?! THINK AGAIN, WORM, AS YOU BURN IN HELL!”

Putting all of his flames into his right fist, he sent a withering blast of fire surging forward, his flaming pupils burning just as intensely as he laughed maniacally at his imagined victory. “RULER OF ALL, I SERVE YOU ALWAYS!”

But his victory cry was cut short as he saw his attack was being split in half. Looking surprised, he could see Piano’s red-tinged blade slicing through the purple conflagration. Growling angrily, he poured the last of his energy into the attack, trying to overpower her. His body glowed with the excess holy energy he was using, cracks on his arms shining blinding light through as the ground under his feet cracked from the power he gave off.

But Piano’s blade seemed to slice through the flames with continued ease, the air behind the weapon streaming from how cleanly she swung the weapon. Within moments, she had crossed the distance, her eyes meeting his as time seemed to freeze for just a moment. The look of hatred in his face was mixed with a level of fear, while Piano looked as calm as she usually did when fighting, her mindset focused on winning the fight and maintaining internal harmony to get ki in perfect flow throughout her body.

Then she passed by him, stopping a little ways away as his flames died down with him still in his attack pose. Their backs faced one another as neither moved, the wind blowing Piano’s hair and the petals from her shoulder in graceful waves as nobody moved, nobody even breathed as they waited for what would happen next. Her darkened skin slowly lightened back up to its usual light crimson as her blood returned to its normal flow, no longer needing to strain herself anymore.

And then Piano moved first, flicking what little blood remained on her blade onto the ground before slowly sheathing it, taking a long slow breath as the weapon slowly slid into the extended sheath. Just as the sound of her hilt hit the wooden entrance of the weapon carrier, a spurt of blood shot out from the angel as his head slowly rolled off his shoulders, falling into the ditch as the curse of her blood kept him from regenerating from this wound. Piano had done it.

She killed an angel all on her own.

But as the Crossguard began to cheer and Miss X’s voice started congratulating the martial artist on her victory, Piano felt a disturbance in the fading ki of the angel. A sudden surge in power and energy.

Her eyes going wide, Piano dashed forward as light began to emanate from the still standing body of the angel behind her, violet flames erupting from the stump of his neck. With a loud explosion, the angel self-destructed, blasting apart about ten feet of the path leading into the Crossroads, purple flames scorching earth to a pitch black as Piano barely escaped the blast radius. She rolled along the ground, her bruised body screaming in pain from all the impacts.

As she came to a stop, the last burst of the angel had subsided with only a few bits of flaming debris still falling as she lifted up her head to see the charred center where the angel once stood. His flaming blade was also destroyed, any holy power left in it long faded as the Ruler of All’s blessing was revoked from the loss. Piano breathed a sigh of relief, closing her eyes to offer up a prayer of thanks for having pulled through.

The Crossguard quickly ran over to check on her, helping her to her feet. Piano was still shaking, the adrenaline slowly fading as all of the aches and pains could really be felt. They tried to take her back into town to get looked at, but she waved them away.

“No, I couldn’t possibly… I’m not a competitor anymore… I couldn’t ask for more of Madame Chief’s hospitality… Besides, Vilivian’s probably waiting for me…”

She slowly walked away with wobbly steps, stumbling for a moment as she nearly fell over. But it worked out for her, as she was able to start picking up all her weapons again. She would need a forge when she got to Vilivian’s world, as she was almost out of throwing knives from having them all melted. She gave a sigh, wondering how she would explain what happened to Vilivian.

Luckily, it would be several hours before she had to do that, the night having long fallen as Piano walked the path away from the Crossroads. Just as she felt like her feet would give out on her, she saw a small campfire. Even though she knew Vilivian wouldn’t need a fire for warmth or to cook her food, she knew it had to be the Matriarch telling Piano where to meet her.

As the Devil Blooded girl stumbled over to the open stump for her to sit on as Vilivian watched her expression carefully. “I take it your battle with the Brightblood was a considerable one, Blackblood?”

Piano looked surprised for a moment, before tiredly nodding. “Y-Yes… He was after my brother and I, so I-I had to take care of him…”

“It’s easy to imagine the Wordsmith getting in trouble with an individual like that. Is there a reason you sent me ahead to deal with him alone, when we could have crushed him together? He did not seem that formidable of an opponent from my brief glance at him as I passed him on the road.”

“B-B-Because it wasn’t your problem… I didn’t want you to get hurt b-because of me…” Piano looked down at the fire, her tail wrapped around her wrist in comfort, even as the burns on her arm hurt from the pressure.

“Did you think I was too weak to face such an opponent?” Vilivian raised an eyebrow at Piano, drawing a knee to her chest as she held it close. She cocked her head towards the younger girl, examining her reaction closely. “Did beating me truly give you such an inflated view of your skills compared to mine?”

“N-N-N-No! N-n-nothing like that!” Piano panicked, waving her hands. “I just meant that since I figured he’d be an angel with a blessed weapon, which is already as effective on someone like me. I could only imagine what it would do to a Matriarch like you…”

“So it was for my protection?” Vilivian just looked confused. “But then, wouldn’t it have been easier for the pair of us to work together? Between both of our strengths, we would’ve crushed without you being injured.”

“T-That’s not the point…” Piano sighed, trying to find the right words. She wished for a moment her brother was here, before realizing that moments like these were why she had to be apart from her brother from a bit, to grow in this regard. If she couldn’t talk to Vilivian, someone she had gotten to know over the last couple of weeks, how could she talk to anyone besides her brother?

“W-What I mean is, that angel was after my brother and I for crimes he thought we committed back home… Just because my brother and I are interested in learning more about the world… about the worlds, I should say, them what the Ruler of All wishes for us to know… He’s afraid that if people know more than he thinks they should, they’ll overthrow him…”

“And do you wish to overthrow this ruler? He attacked you first, so it wouldn’t be dishonorable to strike back at him in revenge.”

Piano waved her hands, trying to de-escalate the conversation. “I’m not interested in something like that… My place in history is not to be the one to slay the Ruler of All…”

Vilivian leaned back, looking thoughtful at Piano’s words. “So your problem is the opposite of the one I accused you of earlier? You don’t believe it's your place to achieve the greatness you are capable of, Blackblood?”

“I…” Piano looked down, her hands clasped together to help calm herself. “I’m so used to just staying out of the spotlight, that the idea of being a part of something like the work I’m doing is already pretty out there. The fact that I’m traveling across worlds learning new things is something I could’ve never dreamed of years ago… And now I’ve killed an angel, one of the top enforcers of the Ruler’s will… I just don’t know if I can go back to being who I was before… and that scares me more than anything…”

“...Then maybe you can use this opportunity to disappear.” Vilivian suggested, causing Piano to glance up. “He seems all powerful when you are forced to be under his gaze at all times. But the fact that his angel couldn’t come for you until after you left the Crossroads means that his strength does not carry the same weight over you as it once did. Maybe this is a chance to remake your life using your own strength, rather than relying on the whims of the Trickster. Nor on the machinations of that Wordsmith who’s blood you share.”

Piano looked almost shocked at the idea, along with being a bit frightened. “I-I suppose that’s true… But if one angel can find me, then so can another… and I doubt the next one will be as ill-prepared as this one…”

“Then grow stronger. I have faced some powerful warriors in my centuries of guarding Graal. And I can see from my fight with you that you still have much room to grow, Blackblood. Such an opponent should be beneath you. And perhaps your journey across my realm will show you a path worth following.”

“...Thanks for the encouragement, Vilivian… Now, let’s get some rest… We have a long journey tomorrow…”

Piano began to prepare her sleeping area as Vilivian simply laid down on the dirt with seemingly no care. As Piano laid down in a small sleeping bag, her eyes stared up at the stars, she thought about what today’s battle meant, and what she would have to do in the coming days. She could feel her ki flowing out of control from all of her worry and concern, realizing she wasn’t going to sleep tonight.

She had much to think about, without any assurance that she’ll find an answer that can assuage her fears. But at least for now, she could rely on the fact that she had a strong companion to help keep her safe. Hopefully she would be able to find an answer for herself in that time.

Piano & Forte

[Forte's Epilogue] ChifuxForte Date Night

Original Doc

“You’re in a really good mood today, Mom!”

Miss X was up in the God Eater’s penthouse suite at the top of the Fox’s Den. The goddess was currently in her Chifu “disguise,” sitting in front of a large mirror and working through her hair with a brush as she hummed happily. Miss X could practically feel the invisible tails swaying happily behind her mother.

“You think so?~” the goddess asked, practically wiggling in her cushioned seat as she faced her daughter to beam at her. “Well, I guess that isn’t much of a surprise~ After all, I’m going on a date tonight~”

“You are?!” Miss X jumped up off the counter of the makeup table as she looked at her mom with excitement. “Am I finally getting a dad or another mom?”

Chifu looked asconced at the implication of Miss X’s statement, before better thinking on it and mentally being forced to concede her daughter has a point. “A dad, if I’m lucky~ Forte’s taking me out to dinner~”

Miss X’s excitement waned slightly, looking at her mom with some confusion. “Forte? You don’t mean Piano’s brother, do you?”

“The same one~” Chifu replied, grabbing her rouge and beginning to apply it to her face to add a bit of blush to her cheeks. Soon she had her usual blush on her face, with not nearly the amount of alcohol in her that normally resulted in it.

“But isn’t he the one that’s been going around on dates with a bunch of other people to interview him for his book? I think he spent some time with every mayor of the town, as well as several other women. He even spent an entire night at the Faux High Inn!”

“And?~ There’s nothing wrong with him getting a feel for the local people before going for the biggest prize herself~” Chifu set down her makeup and looked at her top, adjusting the chest to make sure it didn’t slip. She then reconsidered it and brought it lower, so it’d be more likely to have an “accident” during the dinner.

“And he’s been asking everyone weird questions during it, things I don’t think are appropriate to ask! And he always asks for their names afterwards and- “

Chifu reached a hand forward to put a finger “over” her daughter’s mouth. “Shhhh, it’s ok~ I know what I’m doing~ I’ve talked with him before in the bar~ He’s very handsome and I like the way he talks~ And I know what he really wants~”

“You do?” Miss X looked surprised, ignoring the finger over her mouth. “How do you know?”

“Well~” Chifu drew out with a smirk, standing up to get a look at her full body in a mirror. “Forte certainly likes to act cool and in control and totally mysterious – which is hot, by the way~ But when he doesn’t get what he really wants, he gets adorably angry~”

Miss X’s face lit up, smiling as she caught on to Chifu’s plot. “And you got him mad at you?”

“Very mad~ And he seems like the type of guy that doesn’t give up when he doesn’t get what he wants right away~ So if I play my cards right, I should be able to get what I want without giving up all the goods~”

“That’s very sneaky of you mom~ Well, go out there and get me a dad then!”

“Will do~” Chifu made her way over to the elevator door with a sultry sway to her step, the bells in her heels ringing with each step. Bidding her daughter farewell with a wave that was eagerly responded to, the doors closed over the goddess’ form with another ringing of bells to tell that she was descending down to the bar.

Miss X waved for a few seconds even after her mom couldn’t see her anymore before giving a satisfied sigh, happy that she might be getting a dad soon, even if it was Forte. But then she thought about some of her mother’s words near the end and a frown came over her face. “Give up the goods? What did she mean by that?”

------------------

Forte waited outside of the Fox’s Den alone, wearing a rather striking white suit with a red vest instead of his usual darker attire. He decided a decent contrast in colors, while still sharing some color overlap would make for a more striking statement. If it just so happened that those colors matched the God Eater’s true colors, then as far as Forte was concerned, that was just a fortunate coincidence~

As Chifu stepped out of the Den in her usual attire, Forte held out his arm for her to take. “Quite a most pleasant eve to rendezvous indeed~ It is most fortuitous that you would commend such a precious time as this to accompany me on a brief sojourn of your most beloved burgess~”

“I’ve been looking forward to this date all week!~” Chifu cheered, latching on to his arm with clear eagerness as she pressed her body against his side as she got as close as possible. “Are we going to go to the hot springs together~ I’m sure we’ll really get to know each other there~”

“If that will permit you to divulge more of your own sequestered secrets for greater usage in my own crafting of worlds using ink and imagination, then I shall easily acquiesce to such a shift in my meticulous planning of this present eve~” Forte’s eye twinkled mischievously as Chifu gave him a pout, pulling his arm against her more.

“Fine, we’ll skip the hot springs this time. But next time, you better take me~” Chifu gave a fox-like grin as they began to walk down the streets, the goddess in disguise humming happily. “So, if we’re not going to the hot springs, where are we going tonight?~”

Forte gave a smirk, leading her towards the western portion of the Crossroads. “We shall dine at the Vermillion Grill. I have found their cuisines to be rather delectable after partaking in their choicest selections on several occasions. Your influence that allows you to cultivate an entire section of civilization ripe with the talents of the multiverse is peerless~”

Chifu giggled, helping him weave through the streets of her city as she knew it like the back of her hand. She looked up at him, her two-colored eyes meeting his as the golden light in her left eye seemed to glitter with excitement. “So does that mean you like being here?~ Maybe enough to move in permanently?~”

“I’ve taken such fantastical ideas into consideration.” Forte admitted, causing Chifu to cheer with excitement for a moment. But a signal from his hand caused her to quiet as he went on, “After all, this location’s more central nature within the fabric of the multiverse makes for a rather convenient starting off point for conducting journeys into various other realms to look for interesting locales to utilize in my tale to be told.”

The goddess looked slightly dejected, pulling away from him slightly as she merely held his hand at this point. “Oh… I see.”

“Please, pay my practical mindset towards such a marvel of a magical feat not as a diminishing of the wonder of this place. But as one bestowed with the fortuitous fate of endeavoring to consult with the most remarkable of individuals across the multiverse as part of my occupational duties, it's easy to get lost in the mire of such excellence.”

“And you consider me one of those excellent people?~ Well, you certainly know how to raise a girl’s spirits~” Chifu teased, clinging onto him once more as she was happy again.

“As is the proper thing to do as a man~” Forte shot back, bumping into her. He knew that if he wanted to get her name, he needed to keep her thinking she had a chance of getting him. The more they flirted, the higher his chance of getting her name was. He had already failed twice with his usual methods, so he was going to have to try more aggressive methods to get what he wanted.

The Vermillion Grill soon pulled into sight, set at the edge of the high wall that led down to the coastline below. The two-story building was made of dark brick, with several brasiers arranged outside to light up the exterior with flickering lights, not unlike the neon that flooded the Business District of the Crossroads. There was a large sign of a red phoenix-like bird displayed above the entryway, that in the darkening night light with the flicker flames below, projected a large shadow on the wall above that seemed to “flap” its wings on occasion.

“It’s been so long since I’ve eaten here~ I wonder if Hino Tori still knows how to make my favorite steak just the way I like it~” Chifu mused, looking up at Forte with a glimmer of excitement in her eyes.

“I would scarce find surprise if the man hasn’t made efforts to perfect that particular craft every passing day since last you’ve graced his hallowed halls of work, in hopes of pleasing you with a far greater cuisine upon next you chose to dine on his feasts~” Forte seemed amused himself, looking into the building as if he could see the man.

“I hope so~ It would make this date even more perfect than it already is~”

Forte led her into the building, where a brown-haired woman with similarly colored wings like that of a hawk sprouting from her back gave the two a bow in welcome. She did not speak, but instead gave a gentle cough, holding out her hand expectantly as her other hand went to the red ribbon that circled her throat. Forte produced a small letter from his breast pocket, handing it to the woman as she smiled professionally at the couple. Her eyes flicking through it, she nodded as she accepted the reservation letter.

Grabbing a pair of menus, she took to the air, flying gently above in her light vermillion dress, the ends floating down to her ankles as she waited for the pair to follow her, before she easily wove above the tables to the rear of the building. Exiting out to the ocean facing balcony, the waitress led them to a well decorated table with an amazingly spectacular view of the sea. Setting the menus down at the table, she floated aside for the couple to take their place at the table.

Walking over to one side, Forte drew out the chair and gestured to Chifu, who giggled as she gracefully sat down in front of him. Pushing her seat in for her, Forte took his hat off and hung it on the back of his own chair as he sat down across from her. He then turned to the waitress, giving her a nod.

“If you would be so kind as to procure the Chateau Rouveau De Chante I requested the other eve, I would greatly appreciate it~”

The hawk woman held a hand to her throat, releasing a musical trill in response before flying upwards, heading to an area on the second floor only accessible to the flight that is common among the employees of the Vermillion Grill. Chifu looked up at where the girl had departed, a soft smile on her lips.

“It’s nice to see that Aria is still doing well, even if she hasn’t managed to speak yet~”

“Would not such a malady be but a trifle for one the likes of yourself to solve?” Forte asked, tilting his head before letting it rest on his chin as he leaned forward to study her with a snake-like grin.

“It would be no problem at all~ But she doesn’t want me to fix it for her~” Chifu rested her chin on her own steepled hands, rocking her head back and forth with a smile on her face. “The slash she took to her neck only damaged her vocal cords~ With enough practice, she can learn to speak again, and she’d rather do everything herself~ Reminds me of a certain writer I know~”

“And to what end are you insinuating with such phrasing?~” Forte grinned, playing dumb to let her talk longer in order to meet the conditions to attempt to steal her name once more.

“That it was rather kind of you not to try and bully your sister in using her wish to get what you wanted~ It’s much more interesting to watch you try and get everything on your own~”

Aria flew back over, carrying a bottle in one hand using a napkin to shield the heat of her hand from the chilled bottle, two wine glasses in her other hand. Setting the glasses down first, she withdrew her wine key and opened the top of the bottle, the satisfying sound of a cork popping off preceding the smell of wine washing over them. Floating over Chifu’s right side, she poured a glass for the disguised goddess, before repeating the motion for Forte’s glass as well. Nodding to the two of them as they nodded their thanks to her, she returned up to the wine storage to keep the bottle chilled for them.

Forte and Chifu grabbed their glasses, raising them in a toast before the latter took a healthy sip of her glass. Forte merely feigned a sip, watching his date partner with an amused smile. Alcohol should also lower her inhibitions, which should allow him to steer the conversation to his advantage and get her name.

Chifu, of course, wasn’t worried about that. She drank harder stuff than even this wine, and she knew he didn’t have the money to get her drunk enough for that. But she certainly wasn’t going to stop him. Free wine is free wine~

After finishing his “sip” of wine, he set his glass down to address her words from before. “And to what end do you think I am endeavoring towards by remaining in the Crossroads, beyond what I’ve stated plainly?”

“Well, you’ve certainly been talking to some rather interesting people~ It must be kind of nice not having to watch over your sister, now that she is off journeying with Vilivian in her world~” Chifu sets the glass down, glancing at the menu for a moment as if trying to decide what she wanted.

“You’ve certainly accumulated a fine collection of individuals to this stretch of space you’ve carved for yourself~ How could I not take this opportunity afforded by my blood’s wishes in order to fully devote my attention to so many interesting figures and locales to investigate with the acuity it deserves to be put under scrutiny for~” Forte kept his attention on the goddess, who hummed to herself in thought as her legs kicked lightly under the table.

“I suppose that’s true~ Though it’s not like I asked anyone to stay here in particular~ I merely gave them an interesting place to stay and let them come and go as they please~ I think letting people have that kind of freedom is important for letting the most interesting people thrive~” Chifu grinned, cocking her head as she looked pleased with herself.

“And freedom in abundance you provide~” Forte praised her easily, his silver tongue hidden behind a pleasant smile. “Not a man is here that would wish to be elsewhere~ It must take an impressive force of will to maintain this level of peace without threats of agony~”

“Oh, it’s nothing special like that~ I’m just an innocent little fox~” Chifu teased, sticking her tongue out playfully. “You’re really making a big deal over nothing~ Your ability to travel all over is what’s really impressive~ You could’ve come here all on your own even without my invitation, right?~”

“I suppose you’ve made such a traversal spell rather simple to accomplish~ Merely a few words and a wish towards this region of the multiverse and this wonder of the cosmos presents itself~ The sole reason I did not permit myself an earlier sojourn was due to the necessity to explore various realms from a perspective that requires not journeying forth from the direction of the Crossroads~ All eyes that can see these things watch this place for people of note, so I did not wish to draw the gaze of too many strange and austere individuals~”

“I suppose that’s true~” Chifu leaned forward, reaching forward to stroke Forte’s arm. “I usually keep those kinds of people out because they only try to start trouble~ And not the fun kind, like you cause~”

“Are you calling me a problematic individual?~” The writer merely raised an eyebrow, an amused smirk on his face as he leaned back in his chair, glancing to the side to see if their waiter was approaching.

“You help keep things interesting around here~ So you won’t hear me complaining~” Chifu teased, winking at him. “Normally I have to wait for the next Cross Tournament to be entertained, but with you around, I at least have something else to keep my attention for the time being~”

“So I’m being tracked now, am I?” Forte sounded like he was offended, but his smirk only made Chifu laugh more. “Should I take greater care to absolve myself of pursuers in any future endeavors I undertake while circumjacent to your vision?”

“Please don’t~ I like watching what you do~” Chifu gave him a pout, her cheeks puffing out before she took another swig of wine.

“I’ll keep your objections to how I conduct my business in consideration on future ventures~” Forte gave a smirk at her expression, as the waiter finally approached.

The waiter was an olive skinned man with a tuft of black feathers on his chest that worked as a makeshift cravat with his outfit. His black wings fanned out behind him, giving him an elegant look along with his styled black hair and his cool red eyes as he reached the table, looking at the pair of them.

“Good evening, Mr. Forte. Good evening, Ms. Chifu. It is good to see the two of you dining with us once more.”

“It’s good to be back here again, Garu~ It’s been far too long since I came here~ Which is really such a shame~” Chifu giggled, leaning forward to squeeze the waiter’s arm.

Garu gave a professional smile, not letting the goddess in disguise fluster him as he turned to Forte, his wings flapping once to stretch them out as he spoke. “And I see you have joined us for a second evening as well. I hope your dinner with Lady Kanari went as you expected?”

“Your establishment has more than proven its remarkable quality and care in terms of the preparation of cuisines to engorge oneself upon while enjoying the fine company of the Scarlet Hawk~ Her rather exotic taste in appetite was a rather intriguing venture to set upon, delving into culinary expeditions I had yet to tread in my world crossing sojourn. And I’ll be delighted to engage with some of those same foodstuffs once more this eve.”

“Very well sir. What will the two of you be having this evening?” Garu looked between the two attentively, no writing pad in his hand as he turned to Forte as the Devil Blood began to speak.

“For an appetizer, we shall partake in the Olive Tapenade Crostini, along with a pair of salads. Her’s shall possess fresh fruits, while mine will have salmon roe. For our entrees, she shall have a Phoenix Grilled Filet Mignon, topped with mushrooms and your finest sauces. As for myself, I shall indulge in the Vermillion Flambe Steak Diane, with the same adornments as my partner’s.”

“Yes sir.” Garu bowed, lifting up with a few flaps of his wings. “We shall have your meal prepared as quickly as possible.” He then took off towards the window of the kitchen as Chifu giggled.

“Well aren’t you well-researched?~” Chifu teased as she looked towards her dinner partner with a raised eyebrow. “Who gave away all my favorite foods from here?~ Did Kanari tell you too much after getting drunk off of wine?~”

“You wound me with such harsh accusations.” Forte put a hand to his chest, looking offended. “Though I will admit that while colluguing with the leader of the western portion of the Crossroads, she might have mentioned a fair few wine and dining enterprises with the Madame Chief and her usual dining expertise~”

“That traitor~ I’ll have to get back at her tomorrow~Maybe I should take her out for some drinks~ She was always such a lightweight, I’m sure she’ll do something she’ll regret with my encouragement~”

“As one would expect from a trickster goddess such as yourself~” Forte gave a chuckle, reaching into his jacket. “Mind if I partake in a cigar while we wait for our appetizers to arrive?”

“Only if you give my pipe a light~” Chifu pulled her own pipe out, tamping out her previous smoke before adding a new cut of her favorite plant of choice. Forte pulled out his own cigar, using a gold-plated lighter to light his tobacco. He then stood up, walking around the table as Chifu presented her pipe to him as he lit it for her. “Thank you~”

“Your appreciation is but one payment I will accept for such a trifle of an assistance to provide for you~” Forte stayed on his feet for a moment, looking out at the bay as he gave a puff of smoke.

“Only one payment?~ And what other payments are you hoping to get?~” Chifu lifted up her eyebrows, crossing her arms as she leaned back with a flirty smile.

“The kind of benefits that are natural to arise when prolonged time in your company is allowed~” Forte gave her a smirk as he sat down, glancing over at Aria as she returned to fill their drinks and set ashtrays for the both of them. “Hopefully you won’t be remiss to entertain my appetencies by indulging in an interview or two with myself?”

Chifu gave a slight pout, before her sly smile returned. “Really?~ You get me all to yourself, and all you want to do is talk with me?~ That’s so boring~ Why don’t we be more entertaining?~”

“Oh? And pray tell what you imply by that?” Forte raised an eyebrow as Aria went to Chifu’s right, pouring wine into the proffered glass by the slowly inebriated goddess.

“Well, you want me to share stories about myself, right?~ So why don’t we trade?~ You tell me a story about yourself, then I’ll tell you something about me~”

Another waitress, a blonde woman with long hair that covered her eyes and silvery wings, flew over with their appetizer and salads. The appetizer was toasted bread with a green paste topped with tomatoes, nuts, and goat cheese. Chifu’s salad had a mix of fruit with light olive oil, while Forte’s had a light mix of salmon to accentuate the leaves. Both the appetizer and salads were of smaller portions, to ensure they wouldn’t get full before the main entrees.

As the wait staff flew away to attend to other guests, the couple began to taste their food. Chifu made a noise of appreciation at the Olive Tapenade, another hand under her chin to keep any of the olive paste from falling on her clothes. Forte enjoyed one of the little snacks himself, having tasted them the other night with one of the leaders of the interdimensional town.

“Lady Kinara certainly has a remarkably refined palette that she seeks to encourage those around her to indulge in also.” Forte commented, before following it up with a bite of his salad. “I imagine her talents as a leader are likewise exoitic but effective.”

“She certainly knows her way around the docks~” Chifu said with a wink. “I’m sure you learned all about it the other night~”

Forte gave Chifu a long look as the trickster smiled at him, wiggling her hips as she danced happily at her teasing, seeming to get a reaction out of him. “And pray tell what you mean by that?”

“Well, she led you back to her estate that evening, didn’t she?~ I just want to know what you two did once you went inside~”

“You mean you didn’t attempt to intrude further into my private affairs? I could not fathom an end to your meddling when it comes to matters that entertain so greatly as my occupational objectives.”

“I have my limits~ I’m not going to invade the privacy of one of my trusted leaders just because she’s hunting for my new favorite toy as well~”

Forte gave a chuckle, raising his eyebrow. “I was not presently under the impression that anyone had laid claim to ownership over me. By what right do you have over my personhood?”

“Divine right, obviously~” Chifu winked at him, leaning forward so her chest rested on the table past her salad. “I won’t hate on Kinara for going for you too~ It just means she has good taste~”

“Are you quite sure of your amiability towards whatever conjured relation I am possessed of with the Scarlet Hawk? Because I can certainly sense some enmity from you over the supposed rendezvous. Might that be envy I detect in your tone?~”

“No, of course not~” Chifu batted her eyelashes at him, even as her invisible tails flicked angrily behind her. “I’m just saying that her feathers were probably really soft, weren’t they?~ Though not as soft as my tails are, of course~ I take extra care to keep them nice and fluffy~ Maybe you should come feel them~”

“Your offer is most generous indeed~ But allow me to head off any jealous intentions emanating from you. My time within the Vermillion Palace was merely to indulge in some of the lady’s private spirits and to discuss a few more personal aspects she wasn’t comfortable sharing in a public venue. I had no carnal relations with Kinara Akai the previous eve.”

“Oh?~ Is that so?~ Well, that’s your loss I suppose~” Chifu began to wiggle more in her seat, clearly happy as the two finished their salads and the rest of the appetizers.

Two servers came over to take away their plates, creating room on the table for their next plates as the couple went back to smoking. As Forte tapped some ash into the tray, he leaned forward to address Chifu once more.

“Now that I’ve upheld my portion of this arrangement, I do believe it is time for you to divulge certain information onto me.”

“Hmm?~” Chifu raised an eyebrow, not knowing what he meant.

“I informed you as to what I did with Lady Kinara. Therefore, I have the right in inquire into your life prior to your ascension to your current goddess state~”

“Ah~ Fair fair~” Chifu nodded, pouting a bit. “I suppose I did say that~ Though I was hoping to ask a real question from you for that~”

“That was your own fault in being too inquisitive at my personal affairs in the Crossroads~ Now, please begin sharing your own prior experiences if you would~”

“Are you not going to pull out your notebook for this?~” She gestured to his empty hand, causing the author to raise an eyebrow. “You’re about to get some juicy details from me~ I would think you’d want to write down every word I say~”

“There will be little need to render your words into ink. My mind can function as a trap for intelligence that is of greater interest of mine. I shall be remiss if I miss even a single syllable attempting to transcribe your narration. I shall suffice with my auditory skills alone~”

“If you say so~ Especially since there isn’t that much to tell~” Chifu took a moment to smoke her pipe, as if to gather her thoughts. “I was just a little fox that spent her days romping around the woods I grew up in and playing tricks on all my fellow animals~ Then one day, a god showed up as he usually did~ So I made fun of him a little and he got all mad at me!~ Can you believe that?~”

“Truly a most unwise move of that entity indeed~” Forte agreed, nodding his head. “You would think such an entity would be wary of such hubris.”

“He was never much of a smart god, if I’m honest~ He like showing off, with all his fancy light and cool powers, giving random animals intelligence as he wished~ So I made fun of him for doing it again, and he said that if I thought I could do better, then I should prove myself~ So he puts a series of challenges in front of me, and I beat every one of them~ Then, one thing led to another, and I got the chance to eat him~ And that’s all there is to say about that~”

At that moment, Garu and another waiter came over with their entrees, setting the plates in front of them. Both of their steaks looked somewhat similar, though Forte’s was of a thinner cut and had a small glaze of alcohol and a single red feather on top of his. As Garu set the plate down and backed up, there was a cry from a bird that emanated from the inside of the restaurant.

Forte’s plate set alight in golden flames, cooking the meat as Chifu gave an excited clap at the spectacle. By the time the flames died down, the delicious smell of the food began to waft up as the first server left the table to serve others.

“Enjoy the rest of your meal, sir and madam.” Garu invited, watching as the two cut into their meat to ensure they were satisfied with the quality. Once they both gave an appreciative noise at the taste of the meat, the black feathered man began to float back, departing to prepare the rest of the night.

The two sat in silence for a bit, enjoying their food to the point where conversation was nearly forgotten, both of their smoking implements burning out. The smoke still rising from them was swept away by the sea breeze, causing the pair to look out at the setting sun as orange light danced off the perfect ocean water. The sight made the perfect backdrop for the date, a fact that helped make Chifu’s cheeks flush with color. She grinned happily, sneaking a glance at Forte as he seemed likewise content with the view.

“And now it’s time for you to share more of your own history, Forte~” Chifu teased, pointing her fork at him.

Forte looked back at her, somewhat surprised. “Forsooth? To what end does that serve? My story shall not be one attributed to any one character of any of my novellas I intend to derive from the world of ink and paper. Why then should such a matter be discussed?”

“Because I’m interested in learning more about you~ After all, your sister won my tournament, which makes you by extension interesting yourself~ Plus, it’s fun to listen to you, so hearing you talk more would be nice~”

Forte frowned for a moment, thinking about how long they had been talking. Realizing that he needed a little more from her, and that if he didn’t entertain her more, she might leave without giving him what he needed. Giving a sigh, Forte opened his eyes to the eagerly waiting Chifu.

“Very well. To what matter shall we explore to satiate your need for intelligence on a meager writer such as myself?”

“I just want to know about where you grew up~ You always keep your past a mystery, which makes you so interesting to talk with~ I want to learn all your little secrets, no matter what it takes~”

“Is that all? A mere contrivance of information to impart? Very well.”

Forte made a dramatic motion of cracking his knuckles as he prepared to give his story. Chifu leaned in intently, ready to listen to every word he said with rapturous attention.

“My blood and I hail from the most idyllic setting of Paragon, a bastion of technology and prosperity. A locale that is often blessed by the Ruler of All, the people of the Cubby are oft enhanced with technological marvels that grant those fortunate enough to afford such surgical masteries to graft them on. It is also the sole beneficiary of the direct passage to the Ruler of All’s palace, meaning that only those whose lineages proved themselves worthy to the young conqueror during his campaign of ascension are permitted to remain in his good graces. Such was the nest in which I resided.”

Chifu just nodded along, smiling almost vacantly as she just stared at Forte talking clearly entertained.

“Piano and my own parents passed away due to an unknown disease when we were young, leaving us to our own devices in the metropolis of Vaingloria. While the social support systems of Paragon are second to none, we still had to perform some novel duty in order for the other pseudo-aristocracy of our peers wouldn’t conjure some method to remove us for indolence. So my sister began to study the various martial arts she now understands so thoroughly in order to take a rank among the Gear Guard. I, meanwhile, pursued the more creative arts, honing my skills with ink and paper to take on the role of a writer. I ventured among the more clandestine members of society in order to realize the more villainous elements of my magnum opus. From there, I decided to explore the multiverse, in order to obtain a wide array of personalities to employ when it came time to turn script into novel. And thus have I sojourned to your humble cut of multiversal cloth that is the Crossroads.”

Chifu gave him a wide, knowing grin as he finished his little tale, clapping a little as she did. “You certainly are a wonderful storyteller, Forte~ Maybe I should have you read me bedtime stories to help me go to sleep at night~ You have such a wonderful voice to listen to~”

“Your words are most kind, Madame Chief~” Forte gave a slight bow, taking another “sip” of wine as Chifu finished her own glass across from him.

“Indeed~ You weave such thrilling stories as well~ If I didn’t already know that you were lying about all of that, I might have believed every word you said~”

“I beg your pardon?” Forte looked confused, keeping a calm smirk on his face. “By what measures are you utilizing to render such accusations of falsehood against me?”

“Oh, I heard your sister talking to Vilivian about where she actually grew up~ Dissonance, was it?~” Chifu had a glimmer of mischief in her eyes as she called him out, though Forte didn’t look too upset at that.

“Is that so? I suppose my sister saw no need to hide our origins from such a tremendous opponent. It’s not as if the Matriarch would ever utilize that information for nefarious purposes…”

“And you think I would?~” Chifu batted her eyelashes at him, trying to look innocent despite the wide smirk across her face that indicated that she was up to some sort of trick.

“I would not be faulted for suspecting some sort of trickery from the God Eater~” Forte glanced over as the waiters came by to grab their plates as they finished their meals. “I would be much afeared that you might further ensnare members of those Piano and I collogue with into this flight of fancy you organize.”

“I wouldn’t think of doing that~” Chifu protested, puffing out her cheeks once more. “I would just like to see the place you grew up in~”

“If you were more open as to your intentions, mayhaps I would entertain such a notion. As it were, I do believe it is my own chance to venture for more intelligence from you~”

“Fine fine~ What do you want from me this time?~” Chifu looked at him with some intent, having also been measuring how much time they had been talking. She almost knew what question was coming next. As smart as Forte was, when he was going after his main objective, he was predictable to the trickster goddess.

Sure enough, the expected words left his lips after he addressed the waiter to indicate he would be the one covering the check. “I’ll simply request what I have once before: I wish to learn of your title of personage. Your true one this time, if you would~”

Forte’s expression, while at a first glance still confident and friendly with his smirk, took on a harder edge as he watched her closely. Chifu seemed to give his request deep thought, putting a finger on her chin as she looked up to the darkening sky.

“Hmmm~ Weeeelllllllll, I suppose I have kept you hanging long enough on that one~ Ok, I think I can do that~”

“Most excellent~” Forte took hold of the check that Garu handed him, looking at the cost before pulling out the right number of coins to cover the charge. With his other hand, he surreptitiously drew his pen, setting it against the back of the check as he looked back to his date partner with a most wicked grin. “So, to what name should I put you down as?~”

“My name… my real name… is Vix Volpe~”

Forte’s pen moved with a fast movement, his ability to steal names attempting to activate and finally achieve his goal that he had in mind since arriving in the Crossroads.

So when he didn’t feel the magic pull her name from the ether, his anger quickly rose up as he glared at her. She simply looked at him with polite confusion, though the small smirk growing on her face showed she could see him getting upset.

“You have delivered yet another falsehood upon me. Do you truly enjoy playing me the fool in such a manner?”

“Well, I have a reputation to maintain after all~ I can’t let people think that I’m too easy~ But chin up~” She reached across the table and pushed his chin up, her mismatched eyes meeting his. “Maybe your strategy was flawed from the start~ After all, this wine wasn’t enough to get me drunk~ There’s no way I’d slip up like this~”

“That is a fair assessment.” Forte admitted, putting away his pen. “Then I take it a return to your favorite haunt shall suffice for a start to this change in strategem?”

“If you mean the Fox’s Den, then you would be right~” Chifu stood up quickly, almost pulling Forte back up on his feet as he grabbed hold of his hat. Giving a wave to Garu and Aria as they bowed in farewell to them, Chifu latched herself to Forte’s arm as he began to lead her back to all the alcohol that was waiting for her back home.

And if she kept playing her cards right, maybe she can make sure Forte takes a few drinks himself. She was excited to see what new sides of him she could draw out before their date was over.

Vilivian

by cmk

Vilivian

Reference Sheet
Audition	Passed
Round 1	Won
Round 2	Won
Round 3	Lost to Piano & Forte
Tournament Status:	Lost in R3

CMK

Aliases/Nickname(s)

cmk

Pronouns/Gender/Sex

[entry/entry/entry]

Vocation

writer

Discord:

cmk#1730

Vilivian

[Vilivian] Reference

Original Doc - Vilivian's reference sheet.pdf

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-- [Quote source]

[Describe your character briefly.] Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Table of Contents

Backstory
Personality
Abilities
Strengths
Weaknesses
Gallery
Author's Notes

Backstory

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Personality

NAME

Aliases/Nickname(s)

[entry]

Profile Data

Race

[entry]

Pronouns/Gender/Sex

[entry/entry/entry]

Age

[entry]

Weight/Height/Build

[entry/entry/entry]

B/W/H Size

[entry]

Hair/Eye/Skin Colour

[entry/entry/entry]

Distinguishing Marks

[entry 1]
[entry 2]

Abilities

[entry 1]
[entry 2]

Strengths

[entry]

Weaknesses

[entry]

Preferences

Weapon(s)

[entry 1]
[entry 2]

Likes

[entry]

Dislikes

[entry]

Creator

[Link to Creator's sheet]

Abilities

Ability 1

Ability 2

Ability 3

Strengths

Weaknesses

Gallery


Competitor headshot - by Vashle	Finals portrait - by Vashle	Prize - by Vashle

Author's Notes

Vilivian

[Vilivian]: Audition

Original doc

Vilivian listened intently to the distant sounds of battle. A few dozen men descended into the treacherous depths, and after several hours only a handful heartbeats remained slowly closing in on the penultimate room – where she resided.

Surrounded by stone, with a river flowing in the tunnel on her right side, Vilivian was sitting in the middle of the chamber with her legs crossed, holding on tightly to the large sword sheathed in a dark blue scabbard.

Behind her lied the stone door to the inner sanctum where the end goal for all that ventured into the maze-like complex of caves and caverns was hidden - a holy artefact capable of granting eternal youth.

Vilivian closed her eyes and prepared her psyche for combat. It’s been over a century since someone managed to venture all the way down here. Several, since someone forced her out of her human form.

Single mistake can lead to her fall. She can’t allow herself to die. Not yet. Not until she keeps her promise.

She clutched on tighter to the sword.

As she descended into tranquil meditation, she suddenly sensed a movement. She opened her eyes but saw no one at the entrance.

Instead, she lowered her gaze and rested at a small fox with white fur and strange markings on both its head and puffy tail. It sat in front of her, staring her down, slightly wagging its tail.

Nixen? No, it’s two tails short. She doesn’t remember any fox-like creatures belonging to her clan either. Perhaps it belongs to the humans upstairs?

It mattered not, she concluded quickly. She couldn’t allow her thoughts to stray like that right before combat . . .

Then again, some sustenance before battle would do well for her right about now.

Vilivian’s calm demeanour turned ravenous as she launched her hand forward trying to reach the fox's neck and then snap it in one motion, but not a blink could pass before the animal disappeared from her sight and all she managed to grasp was an envelope of some kind.

Perplexed and calm again, she looked over a beautiful red letter with a golden seal protecting its contents.

A message? For me?

The seal carried a sigil she didn’t recognize, but she could sense some manner of magic surrounding it. She unsealed it, and inside she found a plain note that read a few largely written words.

Reach the Crossroads and claim your wish.

Vilivian slowly mouthed every word while following along with her finger. When she finally managed to fully read the passage and comprehend its meaning she found herself more dumbfounded than before.

“Crossroads?” “Wish?” She frowned in disappointment that the first written message she’s gotten in her life spoke rubbish.

Suddenly, Vilivian felt a jolt of excitement as the smell of blood filled her nostrils. She cast the letter aside and fixated her attention on the new arrivals in her chamber.

Three in total; the bald one in the middle had his otherwise turquoise tunic shredded at left shoulder and completely soaked with his blood. He carried a longsword in his right, bandaged arm. He was clearly exhausted, but his eyes remained determined. Same was true for his companions.

On his right, the blonde archer had his hairs near his face stuck together with blood. Though his bow fastened on his back remained nothing but a fancy stick with a string at this moment; the quiver at his side was empty and all he wielded was a small hatchet.

The last man, on the bald man’s other side, managed to carry only a leftover of his heater shield. His left arm was lost; all that remained was a stump, freshly bandaged and blood-soaked. He was on the verge of falling down and it showed but remained steadfast standing near his companions, stubborn as an oak of a man that he was.

Vilivian stood up with her Friend’s sword in hands and fixed it into place.

‘Shite.’ Said the archer quietly as he saw her force the sheath into the ground through the cold stone floor.

‘I say,’ the bald man’s voice echoed in the chamber, ‘You’re no ordinary waif, are you?’

‘On the whole, I fare far differently from your kind.’ Vilivian positioned herself between the sheath and the men. ‘I wouldn’t take me lightly, if I were you.’

‘We won’t be threatened away, wench.’ Said the disarmed shield man. ‘We may have lost many men-at-arms on our way down here, but we still outnumber you three to one.’

‘A notion made redundant given your state. And my “threat” was merely a fact for you to consider, should you attempt to challenge me.’

‘Do we have a choice in that matter?’

‘Few can make it through the half-point of this dungeon. Fewer reach this very chamber. I conscript the strongest and most vicious of the beasts roaming the world above. Retrace your steps, and claim their heads. Return topside with bagged glory at your side and most importantly – your lives.’

Bald man chuckled through pain, perplexing the otherwise stone-faced Vilivian.

He raised his sword and pointed at her.

‘I am the Prince of England. The future ruler of the lands this dungeon’s adjacent to. My family’s been looking for it for several generations and I’m fully aware that it will relocate the moment we exit onto the surface. It will take two ages to find it. It’s now or never.’

His retainers remained unflinching; posing battle-readiness and determination.

Centuries ago, she wouldn’t have thought twice about facing someone like the Prince. Her duty as a guardian and ignorance of an outside world compelled her to throw hands at the throat of any guest in this dreaded chamber.

She would kill and feel jubilant, but not because she took life but because she was satisfied and proud of fulfilling her duty.

However, oft happened that the challengers would only descend down here to die. Spent by battles above; hoping to find refuge, but finding only their tomb.

Sometimes she’d talk them up, right before they bled out. They’d tell her of the tales and views above. Other times they’d ask her to pass along their last message to their loved ones. Though she had no means to do that herself she employed the courier when she was able to.

She saw the same men standing in front of her. She wondered how many dominions fell apart because heirs apparent were killed by her.

But abstaining from this fight would be insulting. Least she could do was honour their valour.

‘Your titles and lands have no value here, Prince. Only strength. Your resolve, however, has been noted.’ She brushed back the streak of her fire-red hair. ‘Show me what you can do.’

‘Will you not reach for the sword behind you?’ Prince asked.

‘I shan’t. It’s not for me to wield.’ She clenched her hands into fists and leaned into a fighting stance. ‘As you were.’

***

Vilivian stared at the contents of the letter whilst standing among the fallen bodies of the prince and his retainers. She couldn’t help herself. Ever since she read that message her thoughts have been partially occupied by the implications and possibilities.

My wish, she clutched the letter, crumbling its edges with her fingers. She doesn’t possess such a thing. Only a millennium of duty, isolation and unkept promise.

Crossroads . . . She’d like to at least investigate the matter of this wish, but did it even exist?

She hid the letter in her ragged knickers. She noticed that Prince breathed and managed to muster enough strength to crawl away while she was preoccupied with her thoughts. She cursed her own negligence. Or was it a blessing?

Vilivian approached and crouched in front of the prince that desperately tried to scutter away using only his elbows. She broke his legs after all. Or was it ribs? She lost herself in thought halfway through that fight.

‘Are you wise?’ she asked.

Prince hissed and answered through gritted teeth.

‘You mock me.’ He stopped and looked at her straight into her emerald eyes. His glare remained defiant. ‘I lay a broken man and you lavish in your superiority. At least have some decency to finish me off!’

‘I’ve no contact with the topside world, Prince. I hear very few tales down here. Answer my questions, and I might be able to grant you a new purpose.’

‘I will not be pitied!’ He shouted angrily.

She waited out the echo.

‘Think of it as an opportunity, Prince.’ She pressed on relentlessly. ‘No heirs apparent should die pointless deaths.’

Prince was clearly agitated by hearing her call his expedition “pointless.” Vilivian knew exactly how these humans that came down here felt. They did not appreciate their short lifespans enough. They were too attached to their lives. And that’s why she knew he was going to cooperate.

‘Fine.’ He said at last. ‘What do you want to know?’

‘Do you know of a place called “Crossroads?”’

Prince scoffed. ‘An old wives’ tale?’

‘So, you know of it?’

‘“A place where dreams come true” or so they say, but you need a very exclusive invitation apparently. And no one knows how to get there.’

Invitation. Vilivian was already in possession of one. All that remained was the means of transportation. She left the Prince and approached the blade she stuck in the floor. Without any trouble she pulled it out.

Her right side of torso ached as she clutched it close, but it was one painful memory amidst the sea of soothing ones.

She was not unattracted to the idea of leaving this place. Her mind often considered the possibilities and it was as simple as leaving through the front door.

Yet, it was difficult. She felt guilty over the prospect of abandoning duty she performed her whole life. Defending the artefact was the only thing she knew for most of her time spent here.

She gave a glance to the door to the inner sanctum and with a heavy heart turned her back.

For the sake of her impossible promise, she was willing to abandon her integrity as the vanguard of this place.

With the scabbard in one hand she approached the Prince and grabbed the wounded royal by his collar.

‘What are you doing?!’ he shouted as he tried to push Vilivian’s grip away.

‘Thank you, Prince.’ She said as she dragged him to the river. ‘Allow me to repay your kindness.’

‘You said you’d let me go!’

‘No. I said I’d give you a new purpose.’

‘You deceived me!’

She grabbed his throat and hung him above the water. Underneath the surface a mirage of green colours hinted at a presence of the spirits of the drowned; awaiting their next meal.

Slimy, dark arms reached out of the water, trying to reach the prince by his ankles. Two dozen of them, ravenous for the fresh blood of the living. It’s been too long since their last meal.

‘I don’t do tricks, Prince. It’s your kind that’s renowned for it. All who challenge me resign their life and only through victory can they claim it back. I gave you a chance. You didn’t take it and it’s time for you to die. All I can do now is to make sure your blue blood doesn’t go to waste. The Ferryman must be paid his toll; be it blood or gold.’

She dropped him into the waters and the Drowned immediately reached his body. Prince struggled, desperately pleading for her help as the arms reached around him and slowly dragged him down. Vilivian patiently waited for him to be taken, unbothered by his distress.

Finally, he disappeared in the deep river and the water returned to its original colour. The old magic made its leave.

A bell sounded in the darkness of a tunnel to the right of Vilivian. From it emerged a small wooden boat. The golden bell was hanging at the end of the curved post on the rear.

The vehicle was manned by the Ferryman; a humanoid, robed in tatters much like hers. Its face was completely unseen under the hood; not a shadow but a glimpse of darkness impossible to illuminate. Its rowing hands – the only visible part of its body - were bandaged by a white cloth. On its hip, tied to a cincture was a small lamp – its glass walls emanating a blue hue of light.

The boat stopped next to Vilivian. Ferryman pulled out its oar and stared at her with its darkness.

‘Can you take me to a place called “Crossroads?”’ she asked. ‘“Where dreams come true?’”

Ferryman brandished an oar affirmatively.

‘Let us be off then.’

Vilivian stepped onto the boat and took a seat, clutching her keepsake. She felt her stomach turning. She was abandoning her duty. Shame washed over her like a cold shower.

She rejected her mantle as the Sentinel of Graal, and all that remained was Matriarch Vilivian.

Thick, white fog enveloped the boat and moved alongside the underground river. It was like moving through a white puff.

Suddenly, Vilivian was blinded by a light. She, who spent her whole life in a dark cave barely lit by glowing fungi, was unaccustomed to the overwhelming shine of the sun.

All at once she experienced completely new sensations. Smell of the river mixed with the fragrance of flowers blooming on a nearby meadow. Distant sounds of creatures she never heard before and people. She could sense so many of them and not one was near expiring.

Ferryman stopped the boat at the nearest suitable bank and Vilivian got out sword in hand. She was so used to the cold feeling of stone in her chamber that the sensation of grass underneath her naked feet fascinated her.

‘Thank you, Ferryman.’ She said back to the ghastly figure. The Ferryman tipped its eternal darkness-holding hood and rowed away upstream.

She turned back again and saw a person staring at her. Clad in black and white attire which was antonymous to her wild and abundant hair, not to mention her horns and ears like knives.

Her skin was as if covered in light burns. Unsurprisingly so; Vilivian could sense that woman’s blood carried scalding levels of ardour for destruction.

Holding a basket full of mushrooms in her right hand and a lone mushroom in her left, she stared Vilivian down.

Former sentinel scrambled trying to remember good manners her Friend taught her a long time ago.

‘Good afternoon,’ she said rather awkwardly.

‘It’s morning,’ retorted the woman. She approached Vilivian. ‘Where’d you come from?’

Vilivian realized that it’s better not to mention the specifics of her former abode.

‘A cave.’ She answered.

‘Don’t be a smartass.’

‘I do not lie,’ Vilivian said sternly. ‘I received a letter mentioning this place.’ She thought for a second. ‘This is the Crossroads, right?’

‘Letter?’ Her face warmed up. ‘And yes, that’s the place.’

‘The letter mentioned coming here to “claim my wish”,’ Vilivian pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from her knickers. ‘Therefore, I employed the Ferryman’s services to have me brought here, to the Crossroads.’

‘The Ferryman? You mean the chap that just rowed his boat up the waterfall like it’s nobody’s business?’

‘The very same. I find them to be a very reliable and competent entity.’

‘Right, right. Say, wasn’t there a fox attached to this letter?’

‘Fox?’

‘Yes. White and fluffy little fella with strange markings.’

‘Well, there was a fox . . .’

‘“Was?”’

‘I tried to eat it. I think it might’ve sensed my intentions and . . . ran away. Very quickly, I might add.’

There was a moment of silence while the mushroom-picking woman grinned ear-to-ear, baring her fangs.

‘Oh, this I have to hear.’

‘Sorry?’ Vilivian was confused.

‘Don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place.’ She took a glance at Vilivian’s back and frowned. ‘Anyhow, my name is Saki. I am the owner and bartender at the Fox Den. A local tavern.’

‘I am Vilivian, Sentinel of—’ she bit her lip and started again. ‘I am Vilivian of Lilith. I’m a Matriarch. It’s good to meet you, Bartender.’

They shook hands. Vilivian was impressed how much control Saki had over her strength despite her destructive ambitions.

‘You can call me Saki.’

‘I won’t. But thank you.’

‘. . . Sure. Let’s get to Fox Den. We’re going to get you some clean clothes and a meal first.’

Vilivian was, again, dumbfounded by that proposal.

‘Why, what is wrong with my current outfit?’

Vilivian looked down. True, her tunic was barely holding on and had myriad holes in it, but the lower garments were in good enough condition. They can certainly last at least another half a century.

‘You need to look decent if you’re going to take part in the tournament. There’ll be children watching, you know?’

‘Tournament?’

‘Not to mention, it’s rather breezy in these, innit?’

‘Quite windy, true. Very well, lead on.’

***

Several patrons occupied some of the Fox Den’s tables at this time of the day. They were regulars apparently. Humbly tending to their drinks while Saki helped Vilivian get clean and dressed up.

Vilivian was bewildered by the showering apparatus. Hot water flowing at command without any use of magic. And people use it every day. Every day! Vilivian had confidence in her fiendish endurance, but wouldn’t bathing that often be detrimental to ordinary human’s skin?

Afterwards she was given a set of new clothes along with the fitting undergarments. Vilivian was attired in a red blouse along with black trousers and leather boots. Saki even tied Vilivian’s long hair into a braid, finished off with a colourful ribbon, much to latter’s dismay.

Keeper of the Fox Den observed as Vilivian clumsily used a knife and fork to cut the meat.

‘So, you didn’t even notice the letter?’

‘No.’ Vilivian tried to pin down the elusive pea with her fork. ‘It wasn’t after I failed to grab the fox that I realized there was one.’

Vilivian managed to nail the pea and triumphantly ate it. The silverware lightly stung the insides of her mouth.

‘I see. And why exactly did you want to eat that fox? Did it tempt you somehow? Appeal to you?’

Vilivian made a really confused expression.

‘I was hungry.’

Saki nodded. ‘Seconds?’ she asked.

Vilivian pushed away her plate.

‘I’d like you to tell me about the wish instead.’

‘Right. See—’

Door to the tavern opened with a slam.

‘SAKI!’ shouted the arrival. ‘A terrible atrocity had occurred!’

‘. . . Perfect timing.’

Saki sighed and reached for a pint mug. Rest of patrons turned back to their drinks once they realized who the newcomer was.

She approached the counter. Jingling of bells accompanied her every step. She was just slightly taller than Vilivian, thanks to her heels.

Woman carried herself with elegance matching the dark dress despite the sudden outburst. She sat down at the counter next to Vilivian and crossed her legs. Saki had already put a pint of ale in front of hair.

Woman drank it all and put it down in one motion after which she let out a satisfied giggle. Vilivian watched in fascination.

‘She drank it all in one go . . .’

‘It’s Chifu. She does that.’

Chifu turned to Vilivian. She just noticed that she had two irises.

‘Why, hello there, cutie,’ Chifu giggled as Saki poured another filling of ale.

‘Good morning.’

‘It’s afternoon. My name’s Chifu. I’m your friendly neighbourhood kitsune. How do you do?’

‘I am Matriarch Vilivian of Lilith. It’s good to meet you, Kitsune.’

‘“Matriarch?” Now that’s some strong title. Oh, and please, call me Chifu. Everyone else does.’

‘Thank you, but I won’t.’

‘Why not?

‘My kind uses names only for our friends or family.’

Chifu laughed.

‘Well, why didn’t you say so from the start?! Let’s become friends! The best of friends!’

Vilivian watched in disgust as the kitsune wrapped her left arm around her and took the pint into her other hand.

‘Don’t touch me.’ Said Vilivian coldly. ‘Please.’

‘Nuh-uh. How else are we going to become friends, Viliv? Saki! Best ale for my best gal!’

Vilivian cringed. She had no intention of getting pulled into the fox’s drinking games, but she felt as if she was losing control of the situation.

‘I don’t like ale.’ She mumbled out.

‘Make it wine, then!’ Chifu shouted with unrelenting fervour.

‘I don’t—’

But there already was a glass of wine standing in front of her. Vilivian looked at Saki pleadingly, but the bartender only shook her head.

‘Just let it happen, lass. She won’t let up.’

Resigned, Vilivian picked up the glass. She sensed the fruity fragrance as she put it up to her lips. The combined sensation of multiple flavours lingered when she swallowed the sip.

Wine was good and she hated herself for enjoying it.

She put down the glass and Chifu squealed quietly.

‘Yay~’ she drank her ale. She put down her ale.

Then her gaze wandered lower.

‘Oh, wow, what’s this?’

She reached for an item resting on Vilivian’s lap – her keepsake sword sheathed.

All Vilivian’s monstrous instincts lit up the moment she noticed Chifu’s hand. She instantly grabbed her wrist and didn’t let go.

‘Handssss. Offff.’ Vilivian growled. She was barely keeping herself from transforming.

But Chifu didn’t seem to be bothered by the hostility showcased by the Matriarch.

‘Goodness me!’ Chifu said surprised and turned to the bartender. ‘Saki, I think her grip rivals yours!’

‘Cease your elaborate trickery, Vixen.’

Chifu grinned.

‘Trickery! That’s good! That’s fitting! You may call me Trickster, then! Until you inevitably become my best friend, of course.’

Saki decided to finally interject.

‘Wasn’t there some terrible atrocity occurring, Chifu?’

Chifu looked at her horned friend, and thought for a while. Her expression changed to that of indifference. ‘Oh, right. That.’ She said in a bored tone and turned back to Vilivian with her mischievous smile back on her face.

‘Mind letting me go, love? It’s hard to drink when you’re grasping my hand as if I was your first love. Unless . . .?’ she tilted her head, exposing her neck.

Vilivian released her hold. She turned forward to her glass of wine and sipped it.

‘Your culture confounds me.’

‘I think that’s just Chifu,’ Saki smiled and turned to kitsune. ‘So, what happened?’

Chifu downed the rest of her ale in one go again and put the mug down. Saki was already on the refilling duty.

‘Oh, Saki, my dearest friend!’ she cried out. ‘The most horrifying occurrence had occurred! I was up, in my humble abode, meditating . . .’

‘Napping.’ Saki decided to storm through Chifu’s rant by cleaning the glassware.

‘Meditating,’ Chifu insisted. ‘While all of a sudden one of my familiars – you know them, you love them – appeared before me! Strung out and exhausted, terrified and shaking! Oh, I could only wonder what kind of monster would terrify one of my cute little foxes like that!’

To Vilivian, Chifu’s voice started grating on her. It was increasingly more vexing to listen to her, so the matriarch decided to mute herself out of conversation completely and focus on the drink. She decided to wait for the kitsune to leave the tavern before she asks Saki about the wish.

‘Argh, the things I would do to the scoundrel that endangered my kin! The things I’d do to make them regret it! Argh, I will find them and make them pay and . . . and . . .’ Chifu yawned and leaned on the counter. ‘Eh, this is boring. I wanted to make you feel all bad so that you’d try and make it up for me and I’d have you become my friend, but no. Boring You’re boring, Viliv.’

Vilivian looked at her in shock.

‘You knew?’

‘Duh. What do you think I came here for?’

Saki and Vilivian answered simultaneously.

‘To drink.’

Chifu pouted. ‘I could’ve come for something different! Like tax collection!’

‘You don’t do that.’ Said Saki.

‘Well, maybe I should start!’ she exclaimed and went back to her melted and comfortable self. She sipped her ale. ‘Who gets an invite is often a lottery. You’re not the first food stamper who tried getting her claws on one of my familiars. But most often they manage to escape intact along with the letter. You’ve some quick hands if you managed to get that scrap of paper before my familiar jolted away.’

‘Thank you.’

‘You’re welcome. Foxes can transport their recipients here after they agree to come. Letters also wield that power though I suppose you weren’t resolved enough to join us, were you?’

‘I was resolved enough to abandon my duty – have been for a few centuries. This invitation of yours was the kind of push I needed to make my final decision. And the circumstances allowed me to use Ferryman’s services, too. As for the wish . . .’ she grasped the sheath. Memory of received injury coursed through her body. ‘I’m old enough to know that nothing comes without a cost.’

‘You’re not the only one who’s interested in that wish. There’re many people . . . with many desires they’d like to fulfil. That’s why we’re organizing a tournament. Three rounds. The champion gets a wish. Simple, isn’t it?’

‘Too simple. What do you get from all of this?’

‘Fun.’

Vilivian frowned, taken aback.

‘You might’ve enjoyed a millennium staring at the stone wall, Viliv, but I bore very easily. I can’t handle an afternoon without something happening, much less three hundred sixty-five thousand. So yes; the invites and the tournament? All for my personal indulgence.’

She finished the remaining ale.

Vilivian shook her head.

‘It can’t be that simple.’

‘It is. As simple as saying “Very well. I will participate in this tournament, Chifu.”’

Vilivian hesitated.

‘I’ve come this far . . .’

Chifu yet again burst out in almost hysterical laughter.

‘Far? Darling, you’re barely done with the formalities. Those rounds will not be your typical knight-errands, warlords or princes wishing to prove themselves a little more than bland stereotypes. No. They’re all as determined as they are unique. Variety being the spice of life and all that. Well then,’ Chifu raised her refilled mug. ‘What say you, Matriarch?’

Vilivian knew that she wasn’t going to just be handed over the wish. But perhaps it is for the better. She had finally done what her Friend been telling her to do for so many years. She left that accursed place. She was now in the same spot as her sisters. A vagabond.

She felt as if she had committed a grave sin. It was hard to let go of her sense of duty after so many years, stubbornly clutching to it. Ideally, she’d envision herself going back to that chamber after fulfilling her promise, but it didn’t matter.

Vilivian could sense that Chifu was not just some beastfolk with a talent for the arcane. There was certainly a great power within her and if the spatial magic she uses is any indicator of her other talents then she just might be able to grant Vilivian her wish.

At this point, Vilivian is willing to take any chance to keep her promise.

‘Very well,’ Vilivian looked at Chifu. Vixen raised her eyebrow curiously. ‘I will participate in this tournament,’ she paused for a second. Chifu smiled. ‘Trickster.’

Chifu cliqued her tongue. ‘Oh, you teasing minx!’ she laughed. ‘I promise you, by the end of this tournament, I will have you call me by my name.’

‘Your tail also appeared,’ said Saki.

‘My tail?!’ Vilivian panicked and turned around. There was indeed a tail – but it wasn’t her own, but was instead a piece of giant fluff sticking out from above her buttocks. ‘Huh?’

‘Cute, isn’t it? Consider it a sign of status as a participant. It shouldn’t hinder any of your abilities, so you needn’t to worry about it affecting you.’

‘Its size is distracting.’

‘Just ignore it.’ Said Saki.

Vilivian did as told and turned back to her refilled glass of wine.

‘It’s on the house,’ said the bartender. ‘Good luck.’

Saki tended to rest of the patrons. Vilivian was left to her own drink. Chifu seemed to have lost any interest in talking as well. She sipped her ale and giggled to herself occasionally.

Vilivian never expected that her first contact with a civilized world would be in Crossroads of all places. She could’ve gone anywhere, but she hired the Ferryman to take her here. It was refreshing; meeting people without any killing intent.

Yet, she couldn’t help but have this gnawing feeling in the back of her head. She knew she didn’t really belong here. She didn’t really belong anywhere but that place.

‘. . . What will happen if I lose?’

She directed the question to herself rather than to anyone in particular, but Chifu answered nonetheless.

‘Well, you’re free to spectate until the end of the tournament, of course. After that, you can do whatever. I’m not going to just throw you out like some rubbish. If you’d really wanted I could bring you back to your world. Even that cave of yours if you really want.’

Vilivian glanced at the Trickster. Chifu was playing with her white, gold-embellished pipe; balancing it and spinning atop of her finger.

‘Frankly, I don’t know why you’d ever bother protecting that little cup.’ Chifu said mockingly. ‘I say, let the people find out on their own that their age is the least of their problems.’

‘Short lifespans lead them to desperate measures,’ Vilivian recalled the Prince. ‘They fear they won’t meet their ambitions in their lives.’

‘They’ll reach them all in a century or two. Then there will be nothing for them to do.’

She inhaled from her pipe and exhaled to the side. Even on the other side, Vilivian could smell the tobacco.

‘Eternal life is boring,’ said Chifu.

Vilivian nodded.

‘Isn’t it?’

***

Vilivian

[Vilivian] Round 1: Parallel Regrets

Original doc

Sunset over the Ume Bay painted the sky orange. The alleys of Phoenix Coast were filled with people. Day and night workers exchanging shifts, patrons going to and from taverns and few merchants closing up their stalls and shops for the day.

Vilivian walked through the streets as she usually would ever since she arrived in the Crossroads. The fresh air in her lungs, the warm sunlight teasing her skin. Novelties of the outside have yet to wear off on her.

And yet, she had a hard time suppressing the sheer anxiety stemming from her inexperience in dealing with crowds. She couldn’t help glancing back every several seconds and would reflexively hold on to her keepsake sword, tied at her back, every time someone would come close to her; anyone a potential thief. Each look directed at her felt judgmental. She felt cornered like an animal in a maze with her humanity barely holding her back.

A wolf in sheep’s clothing. A fitting metaphor in Vilivian’s opinion. One she did not fully understand until she set out on her first trudge through the Crossroads.

Some would presume her fears exaggerated. True enough, but while the crime is at its lowest whether it’s because the residents here are a decent bunch or because the would-be offenders know better than to cross guards and their benefactor remains a fact unknown.

Whatever the answer to that query was, Vilivian opted for vigilance even it was mentally taxing.

And it was on her usual route towards the docks that she broke that concentration and allowed herself to be mesmerized.

A mural painting on the side of the gate that led down the docks compelled her to approach it.

The depiction presented a village at the night time. Comically large stars illuminated the straw shacks and wooden houses, placed atop the gardens of flowers just above the running river that mirrored the sky at the bottom of the painting.

She approached the mural and touched it.

‘Hey.’

Sensation of memories flowed from within, but they were not of the place like the one pictured. There was no fragrance of flowers. No chirping of night time creatures and no wind whistling through the grass.

‘Hey!’

There was only cold and damp confinement barely illuminated by the cave fungi accompanied by the sound of water dripping from the deeps and a voice that sounded just like—

‘HEY!’

Vilivian snapped back to reality and let go of the wet mural. She looked to the side.

Young and red-skinned oni glared at her. Two small horns stuck out of his unkempt short black hair and a tail was tied around his waist. His white t-shirt and cargo shorts were stained with a plethora of colours. In his right hand he was holding a paintbrush whilst his left was stained with paint much like his shirt. He appeared upset as he glared at Vilivian through his bushy eyebrows. She had no idea how to react.

‘Sorry?’ she guessed.

‘Well, you better be,’ he exclaimed. ‘What’d you touch the wet pain for, eh? Look at your hand, be all dirty now!’

Vilivian looked at her hand. Indeed, wet paint from the mural lingered on her fingers. She wiped it off on her black pants.

Much to the oni’s dismay.

‘AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!’ he yelled out. ‘What are you doing?! Do you have any idea how hard it is to wash it off? And it’s such a nice pair of pants, too!’

‘It’s fine.’ Vilivian still had a hard time comprehending the whims of fashion. ‘It’s wasted on me.’

‘Well, that doesn’t mean you should waste it! What did denim ever do to you?!’

‘Hypocrite.’ Vilivian argued, strangely irritated at the audacity of the child. ‘You’re stained as well.’

‘Duh. I painted this whole thing. It’s a given I’d get dirty in the process.’ He said proudly.

Vilivian’s irritation momentarily subsided. She looked at the youth in shock.

‘You made this?’

The boy chuckled and crossed his arms with confidence. Some of the paint from the brush splattered on the mural.

‘A masterpiece, isn’t it?’ he said with a smug smile.

‘It’s certainly inspiring . . . I think I’ve seen a picture similar to this in a book before?’ She hesitated. While she was still compelled to touch the mural again, in order to relieve the memories out of curiosity, she restrained herself from doing so.

‘Hah. To think somebody else would paint that dump.’

‘Still, this artwork must’ve been a great undertaking . . .’

‘Hah. Well, you know me . . .’

‘I do not.’

But the boy had already started talking.

‘T’was like any other morning, see. I get out of my room and think, wow, what a grand day it is, so I go out into town and take my usual stroll looking for fun and trouble and I find this wicked good waffle place. I take a couple for a road as my elevenses and keep on going on towards the beach, because let me tell you that place is smashing in the mornings and that’s when I come across this wall. Yes, this exact wall and I think to myself “Now that’s the least piss-reeking wall in this town I’ve come across so far!” and with me not being able to pass this chance to celebrate my finding I decided to paint on it. I leg it back to the tavern and ask Chiefu if I can do my artwork. She was on the lash last night, so she vomited, and I took that as a yes. As I was dashing back here I realized that I think better when I’m running so I did two laps around the town and planned out the painting in the meantime. When I was about to get to work I realized I had no paint so I started running again, looking for someplace to get me some and wouldn’t you know it, there’s a whole cargo boat down in the docks with crates filled with cans of the stuff just waiting to be used! I nicked a couple of them brought them here and let me tell you – the beginnings? They’re the hardest. Especially when you’re holding a waffle in one hand and try to paint with the other. I finished my food and went looking for a brush but the morning was ending so pressed for time I thought – Who has the bushiest hair in the town? Answer? My aunt! So, I go pick it up and come back here and then,’ he presented with his arms the painting. ‘My magnum opus.’

Vilivian was staring. She’d never hear someone talk so much, in such a short time and yet to manage to convey all the information so earnestly.

The boy grinned at her before he blinked and looked up at the sky.

‘It’s getting really late, innit? Oh, well, off the clock to get some grub. Name’s Volley, by the way.’

With a smile he extended his arm. Vilivian looked at him and then at it.

“Volley” didn’t seem to be aware of the effect the painting had on her. She wondered if the sensations she encountered really stemmed from the mural and wasn’t but a hallucination caused by recent stress and anxiety.

However, nothing like that ever happened. For now, she crossed it off as a mental fluke caused by her inability to properly adjust to a new environment.

‘I am Vilivian. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Child.’ She ignored his hand.

He retracted it anyway, indignant.

‘Child?! You could be my sister!’

‘I am not one.’

‘Yeah, no crap, that doesn’t change a fact you’re no older than twenty-five!’

‘I’m . . . much older than that.’

‘What? Thirty-five?’

‘Much more.’

Volley scratched his head and grinned, showing off his fangs.

‘Good for you! You’re looking very well for your age!’

‘Thank you?’ Vilivian was still uncertain about compliments. People in Crossroads carried honesty completely differently from the people Vilivian faced while she was still a Sentinel.

The oni boy smiled again.

‘You’re welcome.’ He discarded the paintbrush to the side and stretched. ‘I am going to take my leave now, if you don’t mind. I’ve been at it all day and that got me real hungry. My aunt’s probably getting pissed, too.’ He turned around to leave before he waved. ‘Good night, Miss Viliv!’

‘. . . Good night.’ Vilivian waved back, slightly surprised.

Their parting was a given, but she couldn’t help but feel a little sad. It was entertaining talking to Volley. Or at least, listening to him talk. His enthusiasm was certainly unmatched by anyone at Crossroads.

And yet, strangely familiar.

She looked at the mural again. The village shown in all its rural splendour. She meant to ask him if it was where he came from, but she doubted she’d manage to get a word in with that boy.

She contemplated touching it again, but out of respect for the young artist she refrained. At least, until the paint dries off.

‘Excuse me, Miss?’

Vilivian turned around to see two dock-workers approach her. They were relatively familiar people. She’d often see the likes of them working with the boats down in the docks. At times, she’d stop and observe. Sea life was a complete unknown and she showed great curiosity regarding life in the waters.

But the men in front of her didn’t seem to be keen on the idea of exchanging cultural differences and the inner workings of marine life-style. In fact, the man in front seemed to be profusely agitated to the point where his monobrow resembled the letter V.

Vilivian might’ve been socially inept, but she wasn’t a fool. The tension in the air was almost tangible. She needn’t use her sensing abilities to realize that men in front of her were a potential threat, and as with any threat, she decided to face it head on.

‘Gentlemen.’

Worker in the back appeared more reluctant and hesitant than his colleague. One in front immediately pointed his finger low behind Vilivian. She followed with her eyes and found empty cans of paint.

She looked at her fingers, still slightly stained with the river’s blue, same as her pants she tried wiping off with earlier. Her foot touched something. She looked down and noticed a brush Volley left. The hairs painted the side of her boot with white colour.

Implication was obvious and her opinion of the oni boy dropped significantly.

‘There’s a misunderstanding.’

‘It always is.’

‘I’m not a thief.’

‘It’s hard to tell, Miss. Come with us down to the docks and we’ll figure it out with the guard. If you’re innocent, you’ll be on your way.’

‘No.’ Vilivian frowned and stepped back. ‘This has nothing to do with me.’

‘Listen,’ he reached out his hand to try and grab her.

And for a brief moment all Vilivian saw was a red flash as her instincts took over. When she regained her self-control, the painting on the mural had a slight human-sized indent and the man who reached out to her was lying on his back, with some of the paint and pieces of the wall stuck to him.

Vilivian’s body went on full alert. As she heard voices of shock from the few passers-by behind her with right hand she clutched onto her keepsake, fearing for thieves. Her left arm’s veins were glowing with blue light, ready to cast magic at any moment.

In her extreme anxiety, the stares of strangers burned more than any silver. She was a foul beast, unleashed in the middle of the town and her human side struggled to keep her beastly instincts in check.

Surrounded. Cornered. A scenario so very familiar to her. She sensed fear and tension and her own body mimicked that. She needed to get out and the only possible way was to slaughter through them. She fixed her eyes on the knocked-out worker’s friend. Meek in stature, fearful, but refused to abandon his friend. He wouldn’t struggle . . .

Suddenly, from the direction of the docks appeared a new figure. Vilivian focused her eyes on the silhouette boldly approaching her. Clad in elegant dark clothes and a black hat, the arrival had crimson skin and carried a bag on his side.

It wasn’t until he was but a few meters away from her when his presence caused her to take on a defensive stance and step back.

The beast within cried louder as it reflected what she sensed in his blood. It was marked with alien taint. Searing and aggressive.

‘Stop,’ she growled. And so, he did. He retracted his last step and raised his hands to the level of his neck and held them there. She managed to get a good look on his face. It was sharp and attractive and the man didn’t carry any sign of apprehension on his expression.

‘I’m not here to melee, Miss.’ He proclaimed loudly. ‘Though, I suppose you could say I’m here regarding that unfortunate thieving accident.’

‘I’m not a thief!’

‘I never claimed you are,’ he said calmly. ‘Alas, your reaction leaves little in your defence. Then again, I know just how fraught with distress those kinds of events can be for some people,’ he looked to the side and muttered out, as if to himself, ‘I truly do.’ He then turned back to Vilivian. ‘The matter of thievery was handled. The guard was called and they found the receipt. If you follow me down to the docks, we will be able to resolve the matter appropriately, without any further injuries.’ He glanced at the man lying on the floor. ‘Why, I believe even this little incident can be easily swept under the rug.’

‘And if I don’t come along?’

The negotiator thought for a while.

‘Then, I will try, albeit reluctantly, do my best to drag you by myself and will most likely be brutally savaged in the process.’

‘That,’ Vilivian started sharply, but saw reason. The man was speaking with reason, and though his words clashed with the ferocity of his blood, his confidence instilled calmness. ‘Is an accurate assessment.’

‘Forsooth? Would you kindly come with me, then? For my sake?’

Vilivian’s instincts were still on edge, but she relented from her fighting stance. Veins on her arm stopped glowing and she relaxed her expression.

The elegant man lowered his arms and bowed his head with a thankful smile.

‘Thank you, Miss. I knew you’d come around. I am a travelling writer.’ He bowed, ‘I go by Forte. It’s a pleasure.’

‘I am Vilivian. It is likewise a pleasure to meet you, Wordsmith.’

‘“Wordsmith?”’ he said, amazed.

‘Is something wrong?’

‘On the contrary, I’m intrigued! But,’ he clapped his hands. Vilivian flinched. ‘Why don’t we go down the docks and have this whole misunderstanding sorted out, shall we?’

***

Vilivian followed the self-proclaimed author down the docks whilst carrying the unconscious worker on her shoulder.

In black and red uniform, a singular the guard was overseeing the movement of the cargo, partially stolen. When they arrived, Vilivian was met with cold stares from the workers, even though the Forte explained that she wasn’t involved with it at all.

And all should’ve ended then, but it didn’t as Forte wouldn’t stop talking.

She had never seen talk so much about anything. Even the oni boy – a real culprit – didn’t move his lips nearly as much, probably because Forte was talking nonsense throughout most of his speech.

And yet, somehow, two of the workers teared up, the now conscious unconscious man verbally apologized to her and the guard took off his hat out of solemn respect. It even got to a point where Vilivian was offered a job of moving the cargo. Given that the man she threw at the wall had suffered a concussion and she felt a little bad about this whole ordeal, she accepted the offer and without any struggle helped to move out the cargo for the day.

She was even paid a bag of coins for her effort. And it was a fat one, unlike the ones the nobles who challenged her tried to buy their lives with. Vilivian finally had a chance to repay for the generosity the Bartender of the Fox Den showed her as she sponsored not only meals, but also a room in her tavern.

By the time the sun set completely, Vilivian was walking back to the tavern, holding the pouch in her hand, thinking about today’s encounters, the last of which was yet to end.

Though she could only hear her own boots’ footsteps, Forte the Writer was following closely behind her with a smile on his face and hands behind his back. At first, she thought they were going in the same direction, but the more turns they took the more suspicious she became.

‘What do you want, Wordsmith?’ she asked as they walked finally. Forte laughed, whether at the nickname or her question she couldn’t tell.

‘Why, it’d be unsightly of me to let a lady wander around alone late at night, wouldn’t it?’

‘You approached me with your hands up in the air. Weren’t you afraid?’

‘Afraid? Hardly. Cautious? Most certainly. Indentation in that wall is sure to spawn several urban legends in the future. Some might even start praying to it.’

She stopped in the middle of an empty alley lit by the street lights and turned around. She stared into his heterochronic eyes. His grin remained unwavering.

‘Answer my question.’

‘Is it really that hard to believe that I simply wanted to appear gentlemanly to the good people of Crossroads?’

‘Kindness conceals blades no worse than the shadow of a cloak.’

‘Train of thought heading straight on towards extinction! Surely you realize that my efforts here are a result of your charm and beauty?’

‘I faced men singing exaggerated praises only for me to get distracted with their rabble before they tried to slide a dagger into my back. You are good at what you do, Wordsmith, yet, when I see your lips move all I hear is rubbish.’

‘You needn’t be so reserved, Miss Vilivian. You shan’t find a dagger in my hands lest you consider a glass of wine at the dinner table a suitable tool of carnage. I won’t kill you.’

‘Will you try?’

Forte chuckled.

‘I swear on my honour as an author, Miss Vilivian!’

‘The issue I take with that, Wordsmith, is I’ve had dozens of individuals swear on their supposedly renowned reverence and most, save one, showed nothing but a cowardice oft accompanied by a glint of silver. What say you to that?’

He shrugged.

‘That they’re amateurs? I take pride in preparation, Miss Vilivian. Unlike them, I am fully aware that the person I’m dealing with is capable of tearing the limbs of a man as if they were petals of a flower.’

‘You’re done with the gallantry, then?’

‘I shan’t ever. But I won’t continue to insult your intelligence with unnecessary flattery. You’re clearly a woman who knows her own worth.’

‘And what am I worth to you? Why, pray tell, despite having no intentions in harming me, have you designed to assist me against your better judgement?’

She realized she must’ve slighted him in some way as he began scowling and smiling at the same time.

‘Your beastly short-sightedness is apparent, Miss Vilivian.’ His courtesy coated in venom. ‘While to you it might’ve appeared as if I pulled you out of the worst mistake of your life, to those people I was a saviour who rescued them from a wild animal about to break loose from its chain to gut them. And now they owe me their lives.’

‘You planned this whole ordeal?’

‘I’m good, Miss Vilivian, but not that good. It was by absolute chance that we met then and there. And as for why I’m following you, Miss Vilivian, it is to see whether you are the person of integrity you make out yourself to be with your eloquent disposition or whether you’re nothing, but an animal in dire need of caging.’

‘You think I owe you.’

‘You do owe me, Miss Vilivian. How many would you be able to cut through before you even started to calm down? How many before the God Eater brought down the hammer?’

‘And by the boats? When you had me help these workers?’

‘I simply wanted to warm you up to myself. I intended to subtly indicate your obligation towards me as we talked by the dinner, but I recognize now that you’re no fool. Consider the sack of coins as your introduction to civilization. I, however, must know whether or not you have enough human decency to pay off your tally.’

It hurt her pride to be called beastly by that individual. The man certainly carried his supposed superiority on his sleeve and didn’t hide the fact that he was out for himself more than for anyone else. Still, he was right. Her anxiety and her inexperience in dealing with people would have resulted in a massacre had he not arrived to talk her out of it.

‘I’ve my pride, Wordsmith. I’ll repay that debt, so long as your request is reasonable. I give you my word.’

Forte laughed mischievously.

‘Ah. But that is the word of a monster, isn’t it?’ That one statement hurt the most. ‘No matter as for now it will suffice. Should anything arise, Miss Vilivian, I’ll be certain to find you. We’ll meet in due time I’m confident. Good night.’

She watched as the self-proclaimed author disappeared in the darkness of the alley. With his words still resounding in her head she turned heel and left for the Fox Den.

***

With the witching hour slowly approaching the tavern was ripping apart in chaos as the patrons of the establishment were nearing dangerous levels of intoxication. Still, the waiters and waitresses have managed to wrangle them by skilfully subduing the rowdier customers whilst still handling the drinks.

Vilivian pushed through to the bar where the Fox Den’s oni owner and barkeeper – Saki - filled the glass pints with beer straight from the tap and handed them over to waiters.

‘You’re returned rather late this evening,’ Saki spoke to her once Vilivian sat down on the barstool. ‘Took your time taking in the sights?’ she signalled something to one of the waiters.

‘A series of strange happenstance had me occupied for the latter part of the day.’

‘Oh? Do tell.’

As Vilivian was about to explain she noticed someone familiar sitting on a stool next to her. Wearing the same familiar white shirt with the same unkempt black hair and red skin, an oni boy was chewing on some manner of red fruit or vegetable.

‘It’s you.’ She said in mild shock.

He turned to her with his mouth full. He frowned in thought as he swallowed and then he grinned widely, baring his fangs.

‘Miss Viliv! What a coincidence to meet you here! How do you do?’ said Volley with pieces of food on the sides of his mouth.

‘You’ve met my nephew, I take it?’ said Saki as she put a plate of food in front of Vilivian.

‘That child is your kin?’ Vilivian looked in disbelief.

She then proceeded to inform them about the events beginning from meeting Volley to her helping out the dock workers with their cargo. Throughout her retelling she noticed Saki’s glare towards her nephew turn sterner and colder.

As she finished, Volley laughed and shrugged.

‘Oh, wow.’ He said. ‘Good thing all’s well that ends well, eh? YEOWCH!’

He was smacked with a boot Saki took off.

‘You thieving little tyke!’ she scolded him.

‘I left receipts!

‘With MY name on them!’

‘Come on! It’s not like you ever spend money on anything!’

‘I pay taxes!’

‘Do you, though? Ack!’ She struck his head again.

‘I’m sorry for him, Vilivian.’ Saki sighed and put her shoe back on. ‘He got you in the worst kind of trouble possible and was gotten out of it by the worst kind of person too I imagine.’

‘The aftermath was less than ideal, but I hold no grudge. I was a victim of a circumstance more than your nephew’s folly.’

‘Yeah, Auntie, I meant no harm to her.’ Said Volley and pushed his plate towards Vilivian. ‘Here, Miss Viliv, have some of my watermelon as my plea for forgiveness.’

Vilivian took in hand the red “watery melon” and put a bite-sized piece in her mouth.

The sweet and juicy piece exploded in her mouth.

‘. . . It’s been many years since I had such an exemplary vegetable.’ She stated.

Volley frowned, a little confused, but continued to smile nonetheless.

‘It’s a fruit.’

‘Still, Vilivian, I thought you could tell when someone’s related through your sensing abilities?’ Saki asked.

‘I do,’ Vilivian admitted. ‘But I have toned it down ever since I arrived here. Sensing too many creatures at once makes this ability a hindrance to my mind.’

‘I didn’t know you could just “tone down”.’

‘Neither did I. I suppose I adapted to my environment. With so many beasts and monsters around, the mating seasons in the dungeon were . . . unbearable.’

Volley opened his mouth in amazement and his eyes started to shine with excitement.

‘Did you say “dungeon?” he asked.

‘Yes.’ She answered, slightly taken aback.

‘What kind?!’

Vilivian wasn’t sure on how to answer that question.

‘The underground and magical kind?’ she guessed. ‘It was built and used by my clan back when we still considered it a home.’ She tried to recall its layout back when she still used to frequent the higher floors. ‘It has several levels and they’re mostly occupied by the beasts and monsters.’

‘Is there any treasure?!’

‘Just one.’ She said dryly. ‘You’ve the spirit of an adventurer, don’t you, Child?’

‘Dungeons, monsters, treasures, good fights and survival! I live for those things. This place is the first one in a while where I stayed for so long since leaving home.’

‘Why did you leave? I find it curious to see a child like you on the road unattended.’

He pouted.

‘I’m sixteen.’

Vilivian looked at Saki askingly.

‘Is that a lot for an oni?’

Saki smirked as she cleaned the glasses.

‘Even humans would consider him a pretentious brat. But he’s always been an odd one out even amongst the oni. Much wilder than other children. Much stronger too, which is why I recommended him for the tournament.’

Vilivian glared shocked at the oni teenager.

‘You’re a contestant, too?’

‘Wow, and you?!’ he exclaimed excitedly. ‘That’s great! Oh, I can’t wait to see you fight! Hey, is that sword your weapon? It looks so imposing!’

He pointed at the sword Vilivian carried. The sheath didn’t look much like anything with the cloth wrapped around it.

‘It’s not mine.’

‘Does it have a name?!’ he seemed to ignore her.

‘It’s a keepsake.’ She fruitlessly tried to explain.

He frowned.

‘“Keepsake.” That doesn’t fit at all! Imposing swords should have cool names like Shadowbringer or Chaos Shard or Excalibur!’

Vilivian froze up.

‘Truly.’ She said weakly.

‘Ignore him, Vilivian. He’s the type to name a hairbrush. That being said, I need to get a new one. I seem to have misplaced mine . . .’

‘Wow, Auntie.’ Said Volley. ‘That’s crazy.’

She looked at him. He looked at her. She was glaring coldly. He was grinning.

Vilivian barely dodged the incoming swing aimed at Volley’s side of the head, but he managed to duck below it.

‘Ha! Missed m—’

He didn’t dodge the returning strike.

Saki massaged the back of her fist as Volley lay knocked out on the floor.

‘Still . . .’ Vilivian said, watching the knocked out boy. He started snoring. ‘I am rather surprised to see how different the two of you are.’

‘It’s not like I was the one to raise him. He could use a little more tough love during his upbringing, but I suppose he wouldn’t grow to be such an empathetic young man as he is.’

‘He has a certain charm, that’s for certain. I feel like I lower my guard when I’m around him.’

‘That’s the effect he has on people. Someone so good-natured and innocently naïve makes it unbelievably easy for people to endear themselves to him. You think Chifu would let just anyone see her swimming in her own sick? He’s just as good at making friends just as Wendy is at turning any ordinary tea party into an alchemical experiment.’

‘I find it curious that both of you carry the same passion for havoc, but the way each of you wield it is vastly different.’

‘How so?’

‘You, Bartender, are like a river of magma. Calm and mesmerizing, but you’ll relentlessly destroy anything that’s in your path.’

‘Poetic.’

‘Thank you. I’ve been reading a lot lately.’

‘And my nephew?’

‘He’s like . . . What did you call that orange-haired vixen with a metal stick the other day?’

‘Unhinged?’

‘No, no. You used a metaphor.’

‘Ah. “Powder keg.”’

‘Indeed. He’s brimming with energy and yearning for conflict to an extent that any manner of provocation, no matter how miniscule, is enough to set him off exploding.’

‘He’s got a tendency of getting into trouble uninvited.’

‘I can’t help but feel jealous. Merely sixteen, but he’s been striding the world for a few years by now.’

‘I get that blues sometimes, too. I start reminiscing and remind myself that I wasn’t always a hag and had a childhood.’

Vilivian scowled. She tried reaching back into her memory, to the point her head started hurting. She could recall her combat training, her sisters and the lessons her Mother taught her, but other than that . . .

‘I can’t recall much from my childhood, sadly.’

‘It’s been over a thousand years for you, right? It’s a given you’d forget some things.’

Vilivian spent the rest of the evening in wistfulness. She never really thought much about her past, especially so far-reaching one. She still thought she ought to remember some events from that time, but she couldn’t really come up with anything of substance. There was only darkness and fighting, much like throughout most of the rest of her life.

After finishing the meal Saki prepared for her, Vilivian was proud to finally pay for her stay. Though the Fox Den’s bartender insisted on those meals being on the house as a way to repay for Volley’s mischief.

Saki eventually gave in and took some of the Vilivian’s money after which the Matriarch retreated to her room to sleep.

***

Vilivian rarely slept before coming to Crossroads. As her life was to be in constant challenge, she developed a meditating technique that allowed her to stay on guard whilst receiving the much-needed rest.

It wasn’t until she arrived at Crossroads that she for the first time in her life slept in a bed on a soft mattress underneath a clean sheet. It has been so very long since she slept so soundly that the tiniest sounds didn’t manage to wake her up.

She, however, had to suffer through her dreams.

And tonight she had trouble falling asleep. Her conversation with Forte the Wordsmith was still haunting her thoughts. Her uncertainty in regards to her own humanity stressed her out.

She struggled in her sleep; sounds of water drops dripping and dripping inside her head were either very distant or oddly close and its direction swayed and Vilivian swayed with it, trying to struggle out of darkness while the volume of the noises steadily increased.

She’d finally make out an image and see herself in a dark room. She was holding a book. One that showed an artwork she recognized as the very same she saw painted on the mural in the city. The picture then shifted into an unrecognizable mess of colours as her heart sunk. Her vision faltered and turned to intangible darkness that started spinning and she felt the ground beneath her fail and disappear. She clutched onto the book hanging in the space, terrified of letting, of slipping and falling down. The sounds came into the crescendo when they suddenly turned into a sound of knocking on a door and Vilivian came awake in bewilderment.

Her head was hurting, her limbs stiff and she tasted blood in her mouth. She had lost her sense of time, but the light coming through the window drapes signified the start of the next morning which meant she slept some hours.

She briefly tried to remember her dream, but her head was in too much pain to focus properly.

Somebody knocked on the door.

‘Vilivian?’ Saki's voice sounded from outside. ‘Are you decent yet?’

She sat on the side of her bed and started picking up her clothes. When she was attired, Saki entered and helped her do her hair as well point out which articles Vilivian put on wrongly.

With her hair tied into a braid they exited her room and made their way down to the tavern. In the mornings, only a few patrons populated the Fox Den. Once down in the tavern, they were welcomed by a cheerful screech of the town’s favourite drunkard.

‘Ayy, Vilivian! How are you doing, Best Friend?’ Chifu the self-proclaimed “friendly neighbourhood kitsune” raised her mug at the sight of Vilivian.

‘Our relationship is not that of friends, Trickster,’ said Vilivian as she sat down on a bar stool next to Chifu’s. ‘I must say, not seeing you yesterday evening here at the bar had my mind—’

‘Worried?’ Chifu teased.

‘Otherwise occupied.’

‘Curious what I was doing, aren’t you?’

‘I wouldn’t want people to make wrong assumptions about me.’

‘That you’re my friend?’

‘That I care.’

‘I heard that you got into a little trouble yesterday.’

‘Yes. I apologize about your wall.’ Vilivian automatically assumed that the Trickster knew everything about everything.

‘Don’t worry. At least the drunkards have got something to admire while they piss at it.’

‘Viliv wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place if you weren’t black out drunk yesterday and didn’t agree to Volley’s whim, y’know?’ Saki said as she placed scrambled eggs and sausage in front of Vilivian and took Chifu’s mug to refill it.

‘Are you really going to chastise me for filling your coffers?’

‘When it comes to discipline of my nephew? Yes. He’s a self-proclaimed “pilgrim,” travelling ‘round the world and he’s got a tendency for getting into trouble and beating his way out of it. That’s why I wanted him to come here; to learn that there’s always someone stronger than him, because otherwise, at one point, if he doesn’t come to conclusion that not everything will go his way, he’s going to get himself into a fight he won’t win and any last-minute epiphanies aren’t going to be of any help.’

‘Saki, please. It’s ten in the bloody morning. Volley’s a child. Let him be and eventually he’ll learn responsibility on his own.’

‘I don’t want him to take advice from a woman who ignores most of her work only to go drinking. How about some water?’

‘I’ll start drinking water when marine life starts taking bathroom breaks, but thanks nonetheless.’

***

Feeling better, as she ate the meal prepared by Fox Den’s owner, Vilivian thought back to her dream. She remembered the book picturing the very same village that Volley painted on the mural in the city. It was hard to tell the accuracy of the vision. Ever since she started sleeping properly in the Crossroads she had a hard time differentiating between dreams and memories resurfacing from her long life-span.

Vilivian finished her meal and paid for it, still much to Saki’s chagrin, but at least this time she didn’t complain as she was busy arguing with Chifu about the intricacies of parenthood.

Vilivian realized that she lacked proper skills and knowledge about the subject at hand and made herself scarce.

With the keepsake sword tied behind her back as usual, she intended to go into plains, find a nice meadow and meditate until late afternoon. This time, however, nearly as soon as she crossed the door out of tavern Volley appeared in her immediate vision, wearing his signature fang-baring smile.

The oni boy saluted with his two fingers and other arm on his hip and clicked his heels.

‘Tally-ho and pip-pip, Miss Viliv!’ Volley greeted her. At least that’s what she thought he did. Confused, made her best guess.

‘Good morning?’

‘Couldn’t be finer, could it?’ he looked up at the clear sky.

‘I wouldn’t know.’

‘Right. The thing is, Miss Vilivian.’ He took a deep breath. He then bowed his head. ‘I’m really sorry!’

Vilivian blinked.

‘Sorry?’

‘Yeah, that’s what I’m saying, Miss Viliv.’ He tried to look into Vilivian’s eyes, but turned away embarrassed. ‘Thing is, I completely brushed off the trouble I caused you yesterday, y’know. I never really think about that kind of stuff because the consequences usually just catch up to me and me only, but t’was the first time something happened to someone else, and well, I can’t help but feel guilty about it, y’know? I pretended that it didn’t bother me, but I honestly just didn’t want to admit my mistake and, well . . .’ Volley kicked the ground. He looked up at her again and bowed his head. ‘I am really sorry.’

Vilivian stood impressed. Both Bartender and the Trickster acted as if Volley was an irresponsible child, but he showed a great level of responsibility for his actions. The most mature humans she met had trouble as much as to admit defeat; something they claimed to be their pride and while she could understand that sentiment there’s only so much one can do with only two limbs.

‘Raise your head, Child. Sole fact you recognize your mistake speaks volumes.’

‘So . . .’ he said as he slowly raised his head. ‘You’re not holding a grudge?’

‘No.’

Volley glared.

‘Oh, wow. Yeah, OK. That’s good.’ He then burst out laughing. ‘Oh, that’s good! Very good, Miss Viliv, I was terrified, you know?’

‘Were you?’

‘See, Auntie told me a little about you. You spent many years alone and that you weren’t used to the outside world and stuff, so I kind of assumed you’d be a stick in the mud since you also didn’t shake my hand back then . . .’

‘It’s not a custom I’m used to.’

‘Eh, that’s fine, let bygones be bygones, y’know? I’m not mad. But there is one thing I’d like to ask you.’

‘That being?’

‘So, I heard from Auntie that you fought a lot of people, right? Whilst protecting that treasure in your dungeon?’

Vilivian grew sceptical.

‘I have.’

‘Truth being, Miss Viliv, I need advice! The tournament’s going to have strong people and I need some kind of weapon. Something cool to beat people with, like your sword!’

‘As I said it’s not my—’

‘And you probably saw a lot of weapons considering your experience, so would you please come with me to the shop and help me pick one out? Please?’

‘Well . . .’

‘Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with a cherry on top?’

Vilivian wouldn’t answer a mere beggary so easily. Usually. But something in Volley’s pleads called out to her.

‘I don’t mind,’ she said finally. ‘But most of the weapons I know of were used on me rather than by me.’

‘Yesss!’ Volley exclaimed happily. ‘Thanks, Miss Viliv! Come, follow me, we have to go to the Business District.’

‘Wait, do you have means of procuring equipment or are you going to misuse your aunt’s wealth again?’

‘Yes and no? She gave me some allowance to spend. There’s enough for something to slice and dice the peeps with.’ He pulled out a small purse from his pocket. ‘Now, come on! I’ll show you some cool stuff on the way there!’

He grabbed her hand and started pulling her towards the district. She was certainly startled, but didn’t resist. Instead, an old feeling resurfaced from within.

That of a sisterly affection.

***

Vilivian couldn’t help but hold onto the sword. The Business District was bursting with people, much worse than in the streets the evening prior. She’d usually be out in the plains at this time, but as she stuck around with Volley she had no choice.

Still, she followed him and realized again just how much more endearing and good-natured the oni boy is.

‘You’ve eaten breakfast already, haven’t you? I know Auntie made you some, I ate the same thing. After we’re done shopping let’s go to that waffle place I was telling you about yesterday. They were SO worth forging Auntie’s signature and now that I can pay for it we can get some completely fairly and without hassle. Oh, and let’s go check out the mural, too. I’m actually curious about the dent you made, believe it or not. I just hope it won’t be too uncomfortable for you, you know? We can stay away if you’d like, no pressure, wouldn’t want to jinx the day, eh? Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask; do you fish? Because I’d like— Oh, excuse me.’ Volley bumped into an elderly man and spilled his groceries. He quickly picked up the bag and whatever fell out of it and handed it over. ‘Apologies, my good sir. Here. Be safe! Right. What was I talking about?’

‘Fishing.’

‘Right! Thanks. So, I’ve been by the riverside lately and I saw a fish. This big! And I thought to myself . . .’

It was a joy to listen to Volley talk so enthusiastically about every little thing. The energy this Child emanated almost made Vilivian want to start skipping in rhythm to his words. She never had such impulses, but perhaps it was a given. Here, she could be carefree and with Volley around she didn’t worry about her beastly instinct arising.

When was the last time she thought of her siblings? When she felt a sting in her blood that signified that her last sibling passed away? She certainly didn’t think of them during her lonely stay in the dungeon. For the most part she forgot that she even had siblings . . .

Her head suddenly started hurting. It was the same pain she felt when she awakened this morning after having that dream. She resolved herself to ask Volley about his home village later, as she suspected some manner of connection.

‘Here we are, Miss Viliv!’

Volley pointed at the sign above the stone workshop. Smoke emerged from a chimney at the top of the building and from the inside one could hear the sound of metal being struck. The door was wide open for anyone to enter.

She followed him inside and saw the blacksmith at work, hammering a piece of metal on the anvil; blue-haired and clad in black; the smith had his whole right arm covered in metal and his legs resembled a pair of blades. He was certainly young, though he appeared much older, when comparing his height to Volley’s.

Smithy looked up with his one uncovered eye and let out an exasperated sigh at the sight of Volley.

‘What do you want again, kid?’ he asked.

‘Kid?!’ Volley repeated, indignant. ‘We’re just a year apart, Nephy!’

‘It’s Nephro, if you must. Leave. I have work to do and I don’t accept payment in forged IOUs for my goods.’

‘How about I pull out that stick that’s stuck up your ass? It’s a win-win; I get something to bludgeon people with and you stop being an insufferable prat. And besides, I’ve got my own dosh this time.’ He pulled out the small purse and shook it. Coins sounded from the inside.

Nephro’s face expressed nothing but doubt. He looked at Vilivian.

‘Should I call the guards?’

‘As far as I know it’s his to spend.’ Said Vilivian. ‘Good to meet you, Meister.’

‘Likewise, Miss,’ Blacksmith said, slightly taken aback, but he didn’t let that expression linger. He turned to Volley. ‘Fine. What do you want? That baseball bat from yesterday is up for grabs if you’re still interested.’

‘Now, now. Since I’ve brought an expert here,’ he pointed at Vilivian with his smile. Nephro raised an eyebrow. ‘I want to get an opinion. What do you think, Miss Viliv?’

She hesitated.

‘The spear had always caused me a lot of trouble.’ Claimed Vilivian the Expert.

‘Spear it is! Blacksmith! Where to?’

Nephro pointed towards a neat row of spears and spear-like weapons. Volley approached it and picked one.

The result was comical to say the least. Volley was much too short to use that spear in the most efficient way.

‘I’m not feeling it, boss.’

‘You look like a monkey with bamboo.’ Nephro said without missing a beat.

‘Wanna go, blueberry-boy?!’ Volley pointed the spear at the smug blacksmith.

‘I think,’ Vilivian interjected. ‘That you should use something that’s best for close combat. Like a mace.’

‘I’ve got plenty of those.’ Said Nephro and pointed at another pile. ‘Take your pick.’

Volley put away the spear back to its place and reached for one of the maces.

He took a few swings with one hand. ‘Now that feels good, I’ll admit.’

‘Great.’ Nephro said. ‘That’ll be—’

‘Oh, right. Miss Viliv! Since we’re here, why don’t you let Nephy check up on your sword?’ Volley smiled. ‘I’d like to test this thing up against you and I wouldn’t want to do some otherwise mitigatable damage.’

‘No.’ Vilivian clutched the sword. ‘That won’t be necessary.’

‘I have to agree with Volley, as a blacksmith.’ Said Nephro. ‘You’re a contestant and the tournament’s right around the corner. You wouldn’t want it to falter at the most important moment.’

‘I. Said. No.’ she growled.

Silence befell the workshop. Volley and Nephro stared in shock at Vilivian’s angry grimace.

Her scowl was finally interrupted by the loud crack of coal in the furnace. She let go of her blade and looked down, ashamed of her outburst.

‘That sword doesn’t belong to me,’ she explained. ‘It’s a keepsake that my Friend entrusted to me. And until I can give it back to him I won’t let anyone touch it.’

‘I understand,’ said Nephro apologetically.

‘Wait, Miss Viliv. Don’t you use any weapon at all then?’

‘I used to. But I had no reliable way to maintain it so unarmed combat remained my only way of dealing with my adversaries.’

‘Then why don’t you get a weapon for yourself, too, Miss Viliv?’ Volley smiled earnestly. ‘I think a cool sword would be a great fit for you! Like a sabre, or a rapier, or . . .’

‘No. I’m far too experienced in unarmed combat to make a switch like that so suddenly. You shouldn’t look at a weapon as merely a tool for combat, but as an extension of your skill and abilities.’

Volley stared with his mouth open before he suddenly threw the mace back onto the pile.

‘That’s so COOL!’ he exclaimed. ‘You’re right, Miss Viliv. I don’t need no weapons! I’ve been fighting, kicking and punching and biting my whole life. There’s no reason to change it up now!’

‘I’m . . . glad?’

‘Come on, Miss Viliv. Let’s go to that waffle place.’

Volley practically ran out of the workshop, leaving both the Meister and Vilivian confused.

‘You know,’ said Nephro after a while. ‘I’m selling some knuckle dusters if you’d like. Good for punching. Some real proper brass and silver.’

‘No, thank you. I am allergic to brass.’

***

Vilivian caught up to Volley and then he did as he said they would.

Firstly, he led her to the waffle house he mentioned earlier. A neat, not too large parlour that served food through a window. They were delighted by the delicious taste of soft cake and whipped cream. At a certain point she confessed that she never had any dessert before in her life and that most of her meals consisted of raw meat.

‘Whaaaaaat?! That’s crazy, Miss Viliv! Listen, we gotta re-educate you, because food is one of the best parts of life! Let’s go, there’s this shed by the docks where some old guy is selling meat-filled buns to kill for, believe it!’

And so, they went towards the docks. They found the restaurant owned by a cute elderly couple. Each of them got a hefty serving of strangely named foods like pasztecik, gołąbki and barszcz.

After resting a while, Volley took a few meat buns to go and headed towards the riverbank.

There, Volley presented to her how to make a fishing rod.

‘You need a good base, so take for example this cool stick I found here. It has to be sturdy and long, but not too long so that it would break under the weight of the fish. Then, you attach a string. Make the knot nice and tight and we still have to attach this smaller string here to the end of the other string. Watch . . . And there. Now, the hook. Having a nice, specialized hook would be fine and dandy, but sometimes all life gives you are lemons so I gotta make do with this very small rock here. So long as the bait hangs on to it anything works. Now, see here . . . Done. Alright, give me one of those meat buns.’

He tied the meat bun to the makeshift hook.

‘There’s this fish in this river, see. A fat piece of work. I saw it when I first arrived here and have been hunting for it ever since, with no luck. Bastard’s smart enough to not get caught by any ordinary means, but today will be different.’

‘You’re strangely determined for this.’

‘Of course, I am! Nothing tastes better than a meal you’ve caught and gutted on your own!’

‘I agree with that. Still, I saw how much you ate. Are you hungry, still?’

‘Are you not?’

‘I didn’t say that.’

Volley laughed out loud as he handed the fishing rod to Vilivian.

‘Alright, Miss Viliv, here’s the plan.’

She panicked.

‘You want me to hold this?’

‘Duh? It takes two to catch this big of a game. Don’t worry, all you have to do is to pull upwards when the big shadow appears underneath the line. I’ll even shout when.’ He took off his shirt and went a few meters away from the river. ‘OK, Miss Viliv! Throw the bun into water.’

With a quiet splash the bun landed in the water and fully submerged itself. Few quiet seconds passed.

‘Gently, Miss Viliv. We are hunters and that fish is the prey. We must exercise a great deal of patience if we want to— NOW, MISS VILIV, THERE’S THE FISH BASTARD!!’

Shadow appeared where the string was submerged and Vilivian immediately pulled upwards. The bun went flying into the air and following it graciously was a very large catfish.

As Vilivian stood flabbergasted by the sheer majesty of such an animal, Volley took a running start and at the very edge of the bank jumped into the air.

With two legs he kicked the Fish Bastard out of the air, knocking it out in one hit and sending it to the land on the opposite side of the river while Volley himself plummeted down into the waters below.

‘Child?!’ Vilivian shouted in distress.

After a few seconds, Volley emerged from the water and a huge weight lifted off Vilivian’s shoulders. She sighed as the boy laughed wholeheartedly.

‘Wow, Miss Viliv! You will not believe . . . How strong . . . This current is . . .!’ he laughed and swam to the other side where the catfish landed.

Vilivian smiled. She experienced a completely new feeling, seeing Volley raise the fish triumphantly signifying his success. She felt pride in someone else.

And all he did was catch some fish.

***

With the fish in tow they went towards the forest. On the way there they gathered some wood and rocks and made a fireplace surrounded with stones to roast the fish on.

‘Bastard,’ Volley cursed. ‘My matches are completely wet.’

‘Is that bad?’

‘I’ve got no means to start a fire now, Miss Viliv. Guess I’ll have to do this the old-fashioned way.’ He reached for a few sticks and a rock.

‘Allow me.’

Vilivian extended her arm and pointed her palm at the prepared firewood.

‘Enkindle.’ She chanted, her voice echoing. Veins on her arm flashed with blue light and the wood suddenly burst into flames.

Volley’s eyes and mouth opened wide in amazement.

‘THAT’S SO COOOOOL!! Was that magic?!’

‘Yes. It’s not my area of expertise, but I can command it reliably enough.’

They roasted the fish and ate it, all the while Volley continued to question Vilivian about her magical abilities. Queries, to most of which Vilivian couldn’t find appropriate answers.

Once done with the fish they rested a while and decided to return to the town.

They went to the last point of their schedule; the mural where Volley painted his artwork on and where Vilivian got into a fight.

There were more people than yesterday, but no one seemed to pay any attention to the village showcased on the wall. The indentation remained and Volley investigated it with fascination.

‘Blimey, Miss Viliv, that’s a big hole. I’ve got to say that seeing my work like this? Pretty damn impactful. Damn, I’m good, aren’t I, Miss Viliv? Miss Viliv?’

Vilivian stared intensely at the work. The painting was exactly the same as in her dream, but it didn’t cause any reflections or remembrance to her. She touched it, to the same lack of effect.

‘I’ve seen a picture such as this before. In a book I read . . . a really long time ago.’

‘I remember. Not that surprising.’ Volley leaned on the mural. ‘There’s been plenty of people going in and out of the village. Adventurers, scholars, merchants. Someone’s been bound to make a painting of it.’

Vilivian nodded.

‘What’s it like?’ she asked.

‘The village? It’s great. Lovely, really. Kind of suffocating, though.’

‘I see . . .’

‘Ah, but I don’t mean it in a bad way! It’s just . . .’ Volley scratched his head. ‘It wasn’t for me, you know? I love my home, really. Ma’ and Pa’s there, and all the guys and gals, and I loved the plains out there as well as fishing in the river, but . . . Everything was the same. Same people, same fish, same food and also school . . .’ he grimaced. ‘The world is just way too beautiful to not enjoy it, you know?’

She didn’t answer.

‘It has been like that for you too, right, Miss Viliv?’

She turned to him.

‘I mean, I know you spent a long time in that dungeon . . . Like, a really long time, like holy moly, I wouldn’t be able to sit a day in the same place . . . Isn’t this . . .’ he pointed at the sea that could be seen from the gate next to the mural. ‘So much worth leaving that place behind?’

Vilivian stood next to him and looked out onto the sea as well.

‘When I was younger,’ she started. ‘I would often fantasize about leaving the confinement of my sanctuary. Things like sea, rivers, forests, towns and cities were nothing but my delusions in the few times I managed to dream. And now that I am free to explore more of the wide world, that desire is certainly much stronger.’ She clutched the keepsake. ‘But I have a promise to keep. And this tournament . . . That wish. It’s the only means through which I can achieve that.’

There was a pause of silence, as they wistfully admired the view.

‘Well, then,’ Volley said finally. ‘How about you come travelling with me?

She looked at him, perplexed.

‘After you’re done with your promise, of course.’ He smiled. ‘I mean, it’s not like you’ll cease to live after you’re done with it, right? The worst part about travelling alone is that there’s nobody to share your experiences and adventures with you. So, if you’re willing, I’d be one to show you what the world has to offer! What do you say?’

Vilivian smiled, but before she could answer, she was struck with a splitting headache. Her ears started ringing and the pain was so intense that her vision faltered for a moment.

‘Miss Viliv?’ Volley panicked.

‘My head hurts . . .’ she massaged her temple.

‘Auntie Saki probably has some medicine at her place, Miss Viliv! Come, let’s go!’

Volley wasted no time pulling her behind him, and she allowed herself to be escorted as the pain didn’t seem to cease anytime soon.

At Fox Den, Saki immediately gave Vilivian some sour-tasting medicine and told her to sleep on it.

Vilivian did as recommended and bid farewell to Volley before going to her room. There, she fell into the bed immediately, taken by sudden exhaustion.

She struggled to fall asleep. The pain wasn’t going away and she felt as if the world was spinning around her.

Eventually, she’d be drawn into spiralling darkness; not into a dream or a nightmare, but rather a conscious glimpse into her past.

***

In the lower levels of the Graal Sanctuary she walked through the empty halls lit by golden candelabras. At the crossroads, she turned right and opened a heavy wooden door.

Inside the room, even rows of bookcases surrounded a long stone table in the middle. There, a lone figure studied a tome by the light of a candle.

‘Can you afford to read those volumes considering your current predicament?’

She asked as she sat down on the opposite side of the table. He raised his head. His hair, curly and short, was of fiery-red colour. The candlelight reflected in his emerald eyes.

‘On the contrary, Sister, I find my studies to be reinforcing my strength required for the challenge ahead.’

‘What strength could you possibly garner from those?’

‘That of knowledge.’

‘And what wisdom have you acquired so far?’

‘That of magic.

‘What ludicrous notion. We are half-human, Brother. We are resistant to magic.’

‘Resistant doesn’t mean immune, Sister. I may not be able to influence your mind, but I may be able to shatter the earth underneath your feet.’

‘It won’t stop me.’

‘It will threaten your footing. Perhaps just enough for my spear to find your heart.’

He grinned and she answered with a smile on her own.

‘There may be truth to your preaching, Brother. Fine then, enlighten me. What arcane advantage have you acquired from this volume?’

‘This one? None to speak of.’

‘You jest?’

‘No. This book is nothing but a recollection of the travels of a certain human. It provides no advantage that could be utilized in combat.

‘Why study it then?’

‘For inspiration, Sister. Unlike you, I have something to look forward to if I leave this place. Much like arcane grimoires and the combat bouts we perform are nourishments for mind and body respectively, inspiration nourishes the soul. I must have a goal to strive for, otherwise, what am I fighting for?’

He turned the book around and pushed it towards her.

‘It describes the world. The locations, geography, the all kinds of people and even food, that is more than just a roasted piece of flesh of whatever meat our sisters managed to hunt. Read it, Sister. Stars only know, you might use some inspiration and perhaps, I’d be one to show you what the World has to offer, someday?’

She took the book in hand. The painted sketch showcased a tall waterfall at midday. She turned the pages and admired the pictures. Manned garrison at noon. A forest during a storm. A village at night.

‘These places may lie in your future, Brother. But to me they are but fantastical delusions. My place is here in the Graal. You, too, Brother, shouldn’t take the privilege of training with me and my sisters for granted.’

‘Alas, you’re the only one who’s willing to spar with me. Only one, in fact, who shows me any sign of affection.’

‘You’re my Brother.’

‘Our sisters don’t consider me such.’

‘They hide their fear of your strength and potential through mockery, but I know what lies within you. You can overcome the challenge, and become our equal.’

‘Even though I’m a male?’

‘A notion overruled by your bloodline. They don’t realize that, but I do. You’re of Lilith’s brood just like we are.’

‘Thank you, Sister.’ He smiled. ‘Mother was right when she said that out of all her daughters there’s the most human in you.’

‘That fragment of my person won’t make me go easy on you.’

‘I wouldn’t slight you by insinuating that. It’d be an honour to face you at your full strength, Vilivian.’

‘Be careful what you wish for, Cassius. You won’t be able to achieve your dreams if you fall to me.’

His laughter echoed in the chamber, startling her.

‘Then, all I have to do is make sure I don’t lose, right?’

***

She wasn’t aware when she woke up from the backdrop of her mind. At some point she realized that she was lying in the darkness of her room.

Once her eyes adjusted she noticed the dim light of the moon and stars shining through drapes, barely illuminating her room.

Her headache was gone, and though she felt sluggish she was strangely energized. After ensuring the safety of her keepsake, she left.

Loud singing, violent cackling and overall debauchery in Fox Den remained a constant of Crossroads’ nightlife. The priest was drinking with the devil, a teapot dealt in the cards for a horseman, a kitsune and a Polish migrant. The masked vagabonds were the quietest, sitting in the corner slowly sipping their drinks.

Vilivian approached the bar where Saki was tirelessly working the tap.

‘How’s your head?’

‘The pain is gone, Bartender. Thank you.’ She noticed the empty bar stool. ‘Is the Trickster away for tonight?’

‘She’s hard at work actually. Or, as hard as she can work, I suppose. Tournament brackets are out tomorrow, so she’s making sure nothing’s confusing.’

‘Turns out the Trickster is not a slouch she makes herself out to be, then?’

‘Just because you see her drunk in the ditch all the time doesn’t mean that’s her only quality.’

‘It’s certainly her least endearing one.’

‘She would take that as a compliment.’

‘She would.’ Vilivian sighed.

‘Aren’t you famished?’ Saki asked. ‘I can cook you something up if you’d like.’

‘No.’ Vilivian turned towards the exit. ‘I’m going to take a walk.’

Vilivian was caressed by the night time breeze upon exiting the tavern and let her legs naturally gravitate towards the plains.

She couldn’t stop thinking about her . . . vision? It was certainly not a nightmare, as it was too real to be a simple dream. Perhaps her own mind, influenced by her magic, began to uncover memories buried deep inside her heart. The parallels regarding her past were apparent and she feared the next time she’d fall asleep. She was afraid she’d be reminded of the savagery she had committed in the flashes of beastly fury. What she did as a Matriarch was nothing but a tradition, but as a human she committed grave atrocities.

“The most human” of her sisters; Vilivian. She used to take it as an insult, then became indifferent and now she considered herself to be cursed with it. Her human nature is what made all of those feelings and memories resurface after all this time and effort to bury them.

When she left the artificial lights of Crossroads and walked out the gate leading towards the river she could finally see the moon and the stars above this land.

She looked up, unconvinced. The beauty was there, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling that it was merely an illusion created by the Trickster considering her spatial abilities.

Vilivian herself wondered just how much of “human” was she showing. She nearly lost control simply by being falsely accused. She’s agitated any time someone even implies touching the keepsake. She wasn’t cut out for being a human, but she didn’t want to return to the beast either.

She reached the bridge crossing the river when she noticed a character sitting at the riverbank. Volley was sitting with his legs crossed and his tail tied around his waist. He was fishing in the river with a bucket on his side. The source of her woes happily humming in the rhythm of cricketing coming from nearby grass fields.

She approached the Child. He turned to her, very happy to see her.

‘Miss Viliv! Is your headache gone?’

‘Yes, completely.’

‘That’s great to hear! Auntie’s a pro alchemist with grand deal of medical skill so it was satisfaction guaranteed. Would you like to take a seat?’

He moved the empty bucket out of the way and Vilivian sat down.

‘Not biting, I take it?’

‘Oh, they do bite, Miss Viliv, the bucket was for all the meat buns I bought for myself. I’m letting the fish go as I catch them.’

‘What? Why?’

‘Live and let live, Miss Viliv! Besides, we’ve eaten that Fish Bastard earlier, and the smaller ones are barely nourishing. It's good fun!’

‘Is it now? I’m rather surprised you can still have so much energy at this hour.’

‘I’m giddy with anticipation, Miss Viliv!’ he said excitedly. ‘The brackets are out tomorrow and I just can’t wait to see who’s going to be my opponent! There’s so many contestants and they’re all kinds of fun people! There’s a talking rabbit! And a witch! Miss Viliv, I haven’t been this excited in a long time! I see that smirk, Miss Viliv, it’s true! So many strange and strong contestants all in one place just to . . . er . . . I’m sorry.’ He said suddenly.

Vilivian frowned, concerned.

‘What for?’

‘Well,’ he hesitated. ‘You’ve had this headache earlier, right? And I thought that may be because of me. I’ve got quite the mouth, I know, people tell me but sometimes I simply can’t stop talking and so I wouldn’t want to upset and bore you at a time like this and—’

‘Child,’ she interrupted. ‘I am well enough acquainted with you to know that I cannot ever be inconvenienced or bored by conversing with you, even should I wish it.’

He was slightly shocked at her statement, but smiled and turned away, flustered.

‘Thank you, Miss Viliv.’ He then pouted. ‘Though I’d like it if you would cease to call me a child. I have a name, you know?’

‘My people don’t use names lest it’s for our friends or family.’

He caught a fish and then released it.

‘Am I not your friend?’

‘Were I too deem you as such, a certain someone would be very upset.’

Especially since she’d probably learn of it somehow.

‘What about your friend?’ he asked. ‘The one who’s sword you’re guarding? Did you call him by his name?’

‘Sometimes. It was hard to get used to it.’

He caught another fish and then released it.

‘What was he like?’

Vilivian stared into the water, quietly watching the tackle bob at the surface of water. Volley got flustered again.

‘Sorry, was I out of line . . .?’

‘No. I was never asked that question, that’s all.’ She thought a little more. ‘He was one of a kind. When challengers approached me in my sanctuary there was always one trait they shared in common. Their injuries. There always was a bloodied bandage hanging off their body, or a broken rib or missing eye or other limb. But the only blood spilled that he brought was that of the monsters he killed without much effort. That’s how I knew, that he’d be the most powerful adversary I’d face.’ She smiled faintly. ‘While the others brought magic, wrath, armies and trickery, all he brought was his sword and conviction – that he wouldn’t yield until he claimed the treasure.’

He caught yet another fish and then released it.

‘So that’s when you decided to become friends, right? Because of his unique resolve?’

‘We fought. I was defeated.’ She touched the scarf tied around her left arm. ‘He removed my shoulder and I would’ve succumbed to my injury had he not removed some of his blood and fed it to me.’

‘Ew.’

‘I get that a lot.’

‘How does that work . . .?’

‘My species feeds on blood. In our true forms we can use it to regenerate parts of our bodies.’

‘Why, that’s convenie— Wait, true forms? Miss Viliv, you have a second form?!’

‘Yes?’

‘THAT’S SO COOOOL!’ he shouted.

‘. . . Is it?’

‘Hell yes! What’s it like? Do you have wings? A tail? Do you get stronger?’

‘I do have a tail, yes. And I suppose I gain prowess in my abilities.’

‘Can you show me?’

‘I’d rather not.’

‘Right, sorry!’ Volley turned back to fishing. He shook his head happily, baffled. ‘So cool. So, hey, he claimed your treasure, right? What was it?!’

‘It was—’

‘Wait!! Don’t tell me, let me guess . . . A large diamond!’

‘How is that a treasure?’

‘Seriously? To three! Let me to three guesses . . . mmm . . . An imperial regalia! Or a magical sceptre!’

‘Neither. It’s a cup and a fountain. Together capable of granting eternal youth.’

Volley frowned in disappointment. Again, he turned towards the fishes.

‘That’s so boring.’

Vilivian giggled.

‘Isn’t it?’ she said remembering her conversation with the Trickster. When she looked at Volley again, he had his mouth open and eyes fixated on her in amazement. ‘Is something wrong?’ she asked.

‘Oh. Sorry. I didn’t hear you laugh before, that’s all . . .’

‘Well,’ she smiled wryly. ‘I am not the type and I never had a reason to. Even the moments I spent with my Friend have become soured when he left me his sword.’

‘Did he . . . die?’

‘He made such an implication. He made no promises when prompted about his return, but I in my naïve stubbornness promised him that one day I’d return it to him. And I spent the next several centuries hoping that he would be the one to come to me. How pitiful I was.’

‘I think you were exemplary, Miss Viliv.’ She raised her eyebrow. ‘The whole time you spent waiting you never let go of that hope. There was a wish - a goal that you want to achieve, and despite knowing how far-fetched it was you never gave up. And now, against all the odds you’ve got that chance to make your wish come true. Why, you even stayed true to your vow and guarded that treasure even though you were probably tempted the whole time to just up and leave, Miss Viliv, I know I would! That kind of persistence takes guts, Miss Viliv! And I say you’ve got a whole lot of ‘em!’

‘Do I?’ she smiled.

He caught a fish. He released it.

‘Since arriving here I’ve been thinking that if I fail I’ll go back to that sanctuary to continue protecting it.’ Volley looked at her with concern. ‘Though this time not to abide by a thousand years old vow, but to protect the artefact of my own accord, from those undeserving.’

‘Don’t even think like that, Miss Viliv!’ Volley scolded her. ‘You need to approach a fight with confidence! Like I do! Though, usually I get my ass handed over to me in the first few seconds . . . but I bounce back. Sometimes literally!’

He laughed and Vilivian couldn’t help but smile at the boy’s positive attitude.

‘And besides,’ he continued. ‘Even if you fail and go back to that dungeon I’ll make sure to visit you. Hell, I’ll even challenge you for that treasure of yours.’

‘If you lose, you will die.’ She said out of habit and before she could stop herself.

Unbothered, Volley smiled as he wrestled with his fishing rod.

‘Then, all I have to do is make sure I don’t lose, right?’

She stared, at loss for words. She wanted to say something, but all she managed to do was to sadly look down to the waters below.

‘. . . Right.’

***

One man once said to Vilivian, that when gods decide whom to grant their favour they do so by throwing a dice. She never paid much heed to that claim nor did she care much for any deities that would look down upon her, even if they exist, because even the almighty must succumb to the whims of fate.

But Fate wasn’t whimsical nor did it play dice. It played chess. And for her stay in Crossroads, Vilivian thought she was going to stand some chance going against the grain trying to attain the unachievable in a reality completely different from her own. Even though her memories have been pried open by the presence of an extremely familiar oni child, she thought it as nothing but a slight setback.

It was as she stared at the promotional posters for the tournament and saw her match-up in the first round to be against Volley was when she found out that Fate was playing using two queens all along. Fate won.

The Child was bursting with excitement once the news reached him and though Vilivian smiled along with his jubilation she was dreading the fighting day.

Though his appearance was very lacking, his behaviour and attitude reminded her so much of her late brother that she was certain if she could bring herself to hurting him.

Thus, she prepared the best she could. She avoided sleep as in to not allow any more of sour memories to come to light and instead meditated. Tried to see Volley not as her brother, but as an adversary that she’d revel in every opportunity to defeat.

And up until the very last moment, she thought herself to be prepared.

***

‘Welcome back, Crossroads!’

X’s voice exploded in the colosseum amongst the cheers of a few thousand spectators.

Large screens both inside and outside the arena showed the pink-haired host and announcer of the tournament floating on her platform hyping up the viewers to the sound of extremely mediocre rock music.

On the balcony in-between the stands, on a chair as grand as the God Eater’s appearance sat the deity herself, overlooking the tournament with a glass of wine in her right hand.

Next to her, for some reason and on a slightly smaller chair, sat Saki.

‘I understand it’s your nephew fighting and that’s why I allowed you to sit here. But did you have to come in dressed like this?’

Saki was wearing a cap and a white shirt, both depicting Volley’s face.

‘I brought you my best wine. Stop complaining.’

‘I know you’re biased, but couldn’t you spare some love for our lovely Matriarch? I thought you were so much closer than that. You put so much effort in that braid, after all’

Saki turned to her and expressionlessly raised a small flag that had Vilivian’s face on it.

‘Who even sells these?’

X’s voice resounded once more after the music ended.

‘This is your best girl Miss X coming at you from the Cross Colosseum! With the first semi-final decided and we’re now about to see who will take the first spot in the second round of the other side of the bracket! Ladies, gentlemen and variations thereupon! Please, welcome: Volley, the Oni Traveller!’

Wearing a white shirt and cargo pants Volley exited onto the arena amidst the loud ovations. Screens showed as he cheerfully waved back, revelling in the energy of the stadium, most likely the most excited of all the contestants.

When he arrived in the middle the screens focused on X once again.

‘His opponent is nothing to scoff at, however. Give the warmest welcomes to our second contender! Vilivian of Lilith!’

Vilivian entered the arena. Her tag – the scarf around her left arm – was gently fondled by the wind as she made her way to the middle to join Volley. She held her keepsake in her right arm.

They stood in the middle, several feet apart. Vilivian stared as Volley did his last-minute stretches. Carefree. Eager. She could sense in his blood that the call to start the fight will be the call for him to unleash all of his strength and energy against her.

‘You know what’s boring?’ X put an arm on her hip. ‘An empty stage. So, why don’t we put some green up on this canvas!’

She raised her finger up to the sky and, as if with a snap of a finger, the stage began being covered in wild forestry.

Trees and grass started emerging and cracking from the tiled stage. Lush bushes and trees grew thicker and closer towards the outer ends of the arena while area close to the centre remained mostly grass field and only small circle around Volley and Vilivian remained tiled.

While Volley and rest of the arena watched the spectacle in amazement, in her mind everything quieted down. She tried to diverge her focus to the spatial magic, but her mind was already lost and all she could see were the parallels of her regrets.

She remembered how over a thousand years ago, just like Volley now, against her stood her own brother. With the same carefree attitude and boundless energy and skill. She remembered him and what happened afterwards. The flash of red, the monstrous savagery, blood on her hands and the taste of flesh.

She winced and looked at her keepsake. For the first time in her life she prayed. She prayed to her Friend to help her find her resolve and overcome this challenge.

For she couldn’t do it by herself.

***

With his boots tied up and the tag jingling in rhythm to his movements Volley was more than ever prepared to face his first opponent. Past twenty-four hours all he could think of was this fight and he was aching with anticipation. His legs and arms were ready to swing by themselves. He bumped his fist.

‘What are you going to do about this sword, Miss Viliv?’ he asked, barely containing his happiness.

Silently, Vilivian took the sword in both arms and firmly planted it into the stage next to her.

‘Listen, Child,’ she said in her usual stern but this time kind of sad voice. ‘Fight as if you were to fight for your life. Anything less than that will be nothing short of disrespectful.’

Volley grinned ear to ear showing off his fangs. His tail flailed wildly with excitement.

‘You’ve got it, Miss Viliv.’ He bumped his fists.

‘Are the fighters ready?!’ X’s asked as the screens showed the fighters from her perspective.

Vilivian brushed off some of her fire-red hair to the side and clenched her fists.

Volley leaned into a fighting stance and bared his fangs.

‘Alright, Miss Viliv!’ he shouted. ‘Let’s make this a good one!’

‘BEGIN!’

The ground shattered underneath Volley’s step due to his unshackled strength. He jumped legs first into a dropkick and flew towards Vilivian.

Just barely, the Matriarch managed to block by crossing her arms but was staggered backwards, barely maintaining balance as she stepped onto the grass whereas Volley landed beautifully and started running at Vilivian full throttle.

She readjusted herself in time and with her right arm tried to strike an upcoming oni. He knee-slid underneath her swing and tied his leg around her leg and tripped her.

Yelling, she fell face first into grass, spawning laughter from the audience.

‘Come on, Miss Viliv! Show me what you can do!’

Whilst getting up she turned around swiftly. Her right arm was glowing blue.

‘Sink.’ she chanted and swung her open palm at his feet. Volley’s eyes opened wide as he noticed the ground underneath him to wobble and drop. He looked up and saw Vilivian approaching with malicious intent.

He launched his right fist that was caught easily by her. Her grip was painful and Volley winced in pain. Volley tried to grab her side and throw her, but she quickly proceeded to strike the side of his neck with the edge of her other hand.

He felt a powerful torrent of pain course through his body. He still managed to hold on to her, but he momentarily lost all strength in his grip.

She struck again. This time he couldn’t hold out and all his limbs went soft. She grabbed him by his arms properly and started spinning him.

The audience cheered louder with each full spin she performed and concluded at the crescendo when she let go of Volley and threw him head first into a tree.

He regained some air control during his one-second long flight and managed to turn his back towards it. He crashed into a mighty oak with it, shaking the tree and causing some branches and leaves to fall.

His Oni endurance came in clutch as he recovered from that toss. As he got up, he noticed Vilivian raising forward her glowing arm.

‘Break.’ She chanted and pulled her clenched fist to herself. There was a short sound, as if something simmering, behind him.

He ducked, and the small piece of bark that was precisely behind his head exploded into sharp pieces. He covered himself when he noticed that Vilivian approaching was much closer than he first anticipated.

She reached to grab him and he barely ducked under her arm and rolled behind her. He grabbed her braid and Vilivian tried to reach him with her back turned but he stood at the hair’s full length. He pulled and kicked her back, smashing her onto the tree.

She bounced off. Her nose started bleeding with purple blood, but she remained firm on her feet as she tried to regain her composure.

Volley, meanwhile, took a running start and tried to dropkick her yet again. She moved out of the way, but Volley bounced upwards and turned in the air.

As he was falling, he extended his leg as much as he could and Vilivian watched in shock as she was clobbered in the face with his boot.

Audience roared in excitement as both fighters fell to the ground. Volley gathered himself much faster and immediately reached for a nearby branch that fell off the tree.

He took a heavy swing at Vilivian’s head who was just standing up.

The branch broke. The upper half simply fell off while Vilivian barely flinched.

Volley looked at the broken branch. He then looked at Vilivian’s unamused expression.

‘Bollocks.’

‘Quite.’

Audience gasped as he was sent flying across the field by Vilivian’s powerful punch to his chest. He rolled on the ground and when he stopped he lied for a few seconds before he got on all fours. He coughed violently and when he stood up he held onto his chest. Vilivian wiped the blood off her face and she, too, was panting her lungs out. Both fighters decided to catch a breather.

‘Finally, my dear viewers!’ X’s voice resounded throughout the stadium. ‘We get to catch a small respite from the non-stop action ever since the start! Both fighters took on some heavy hits but neither are willing to waver just yet!’

Volley’s thoughts raced through the various plans on how to improve his defences. Though they went about even when it came to their respective assaults, Volley had an inkling that Vilivian wasn’t nearly as spent as he was. There’s only so far, an oni stamina can take you when you take on an opponent of that level.

He realized, from her ground-shaking spell as well as her fire spell she used couple days earlier, that she has, to some extent, to aim where she casts magic. She seemed reliant on it, likely because Volley made himself too evasive to her direct strikes.

There was also something else bothering him in the way she battled. He felt as if she wasn’t fighting to the best of her abilities.

He wanted to hit himself for thinking that. Miss Vilivian had her pride and for her to hold back would be hypocritical, but . . .

Volley cracked his knuckles.

‘Alright, Miss Viliv! Here I come!’

He started running and he did not intend to stop at any moment. He carefully watched Vilivian’s mouth and arms. As he saw her clench her fist at the ground he jumped immediately.

‘Shatter!’ she chanted, and the ground erupted upwards, but wasn’t even close to Volley.

She instead raised her arm and chanted again. ‘Rise!’

From the ground between them emerged a thin earthly wall, but Volley did not care. He smashed his whole body through it much to Vilivian’s surprise and audience’s enjoyment.

‘Ward!’ Vilivian chanted once more as stepped back since Volley was right in their face.

A blue and very thin translucent wall appeared between them, but the oni was already in full swing.

The barrier was much tougher than the earth wall, but Volley shattered right through it; the barrier disappeared into sparkling dust. His fist maintained its velocity and struck her right in the face.

As she was sent flying, again, the audience roared once more, but Volley felt no satisfaction from that strike.

Vilivian gathered herself just as quickly as before, and while the exhaustion started showing, it didn’t seem like the fight would end anytime soon.

‘You know what, Miss Viliv?’ Volley grimaced. ‘You aren’t that strong, at all.’

She looked at him, surprised.

‘I mean, logically speaking, you can’t be, right? Unless you’re holding back, but I don’t believe that to be the case, Miss Vilivian. That would make you a hypocrite, wouldn’t it?’

She scowled.

‘Don’t lecture me, Child.’ Her right arm shined as she waved it.

He just barely escaped from the exploding ground. He got taken by surprise by her chantless magic. But that wasn’t enough.

He evaded her next two spells and delivered a punch to her stomach and as she bent forward he elbowed the side of her head.

Vilivian was once more lying on the ground, and once more, stood up as of nothing had occurred to her. It was so frustrating to see her like this.

‘How about you stop treating me like a child, eh, Miss Viliv?’

‘Fine.’ She said coldly.

Vilivian crossed her arms in front of her. All veins on her body shined with blue light. Arms, neck and the light even pierced through the clothes.

She then spread out her arms to the sides unleashing a powerful shockwave.

‘Destroy.’ She commanded.

Earth trembled underneath them, and after a moment cracks started appearing in the ground around where Vilivian was, expanding further around her.

Volley realized that there was nowhere to dodge and so he started running away, but the tremors caught up. With a yell he started falling down.

A large part of the stadium collapsed underground. Trees and bushes were pulled into the ravine, breaking and crashing into pieces. The foundation of the stage itself crumbled to dust and collapsed into the deep.

X was floating around on her platform transmitting everything that had occurred to the arena. From above it was as if someone cut the circle in half and furthermore, both fighters disappeared from view.

***

Volley was half-covered in dirt when he came to. He opened his eyes to the aftermath of what could only be described as a cataclysm. At the bottom of the large ravine, he stood on a rubble that was probably lying on top of another rubble. He looked up. It was about fifty feet to the topside. He could also make out the keepsake Vilivian stuck into the stage. The piece of ground surrounding the sword was hanging on a prayer. It seemed as if it were to collapse at any second, but somehow remained unmoving.

Volley decided to walk forward along the concrete wall, limping slightly. There was dirt everywhere. In his shoes, in his shirt, in his pockets . . .

The concrete rubble from the foundation the stage was built upon along with collapsed trees and bushes made this giant hole into a labyrinth.

He smiled proudly. Miss Vilivian could really make a mess if she really wanted to. He wondered, however, where is she now? Is she hiding? How did that magic affect her?

He felt a sudden pinch in his leg. He looked down to see that he cut his leg on a sharp tree branch.

‘Man . . .’ he sighed, exasperated. The wound wasn’t big, but it was going to be a pain later if it gets infected.

There was a lot of random stuff lying around. He wouldn’t be surprised if Vilivian were looking to ambush him.

And immediately as he though that, a pair of arms broke through the concrete wall behind him and pulled him against the wall by his neck.

He struggled with her arms and realized that she was going for the bell hanging on his neck. The tag.

Quick, Volley! He thought to himself. Use your head!

And he did.

He rammed the concrete wall with the back of his head. He had to do this twice before the wall collapsed and behind it Vilivian yelled out as the rubble struck her.

He would turn to strike her whilst he had the advantage of surprise but . . .

Volley couldn’t help but look at her in disappointment.

Exhausted and spent, Vilivian stood weakly. Gone vestigial, once a stoic woman did not seem so threatening to him anymore.

‘You don’t intend to fight me seriously, are you?’ Volley asked disappointed.

She didn’t answer.

‘Are you quiet because you know you’ll lie?’

No answer, still.

‘So, I figured. You won’t fight me seriously, and won’t tell me why . . .’ He looked down.

And then smirked

‘Fine.’ He said. ‘If you won’t get serious, I will make you get serious.’

He glanced back and upwards at the keepsake still stuck in the ground. Vilivian eyes followed.

‘Don’t try it.’ She said coldly with a scowl. She took a step forward.

But Volley already had a mischievous grin painted across his face.

‘Oh, yeah? Check this out.’ He reached into his pocket and took out some of the dirt and threw it into Vilivian’s face. The woman coughed and spit as it got into her mouth and eyes while Volley sprinted towards the wall.

Out of nowhere, X floated in on a platform and started commentating on the climb

‘Looks like contestant Volley decided to take on this Olympic climb! Will he manage to reach the figurative gold in the shape of the sword?! Or is Vilivian going to reach him first?!’

It was at least fifty feet tall. Steep and littered with obstacles like large trunks or pipes and other rubble. Volley could see the path even before he started climbing.

It did require a little focus. The trees were wobbling, ready to fall at any time, but he reached almost the half-way point confidently and without much issue. He looked down to see where Vilivian was and she, too, had already started climbing. Despite her exhausted appearance, she was swiftly albeit carefully climbing several feet behind him.

He didn’t really care for the keepsake itself. But if it would make Miss Vilivian take this fight seriously then he wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity.

He was but fifteen feet away from the top. He made a risky jump from a large tree brunch onto a fallen tree. The tree moved and fell down. He barely jumped to a next platform before the tree pummeled down and almost hit Vilivian. She clung to the wall and the falling debris landed below her creating a make-shift bridge between two concrete platforms.

‘Heads up, Miss Viliv!’ Volley shouted cockishly. ‘The sword’s almost within my reach!’ He jumped to another platform and when he looked below he noticed Vilivian stretching her arm out. He braced himself. There was no time to dodge.

‘Shatter!’ Vilivian commanded, but nothing expected happened.

Unbeknownst to most of Crossroads, magic that Vilivian uses, while very flexible it’s also very petty. It’s not merely a tool, but a living entity. It reacts according to emotions, needs to be mastered by its user and can get just as well get exhausted. The spell Vilivian used to destroy the arena took as much toll on her body as it did on the magic within her. It required rest and forcing it to work while in that state was akin to slavery. And Magic was very harsh about that. It refused to obey Vilivian and punished her accordingly.

Vilivian screamed in pain as the veins on her right arm snapped one after another, purple blood gushing out. She lost balance and started falling until she stopped on the tree that Volley knocked out earlier, having her stomach impaled on a broken bough.

Under her weight the tree fell off further down and when it struck the ground with a loud thud, Vilivian rolled off to the side. She lied on her back, motionless as she slowly bled out.

‘Miss Vilivian!’ Volley shouted in terror as the audience gasped.

He started climbing down, his heart hammering and a sense of guilt setting in. At half-point he jumped without any care for his well-being. The landing numbed his legs for a second, but he ran up to Vilivian immediately.

‘Miss Viliv?’ he asked weakly.

He quickly studied her body. Her eyes were closed, her right arm was covered in purple blood. The wound on the side of her stomach was the size of a tennis ball. But despite that, he could tell that she was merely pretending to be unconscious.

‘Looks like we have a winner!’

Volley looked up to see Miss X floating down the hole.

‘What? No, stop!’

The audience cheered loudly. Their laughter further sunk Volley’s heart. He was utterly confused by their reaction. He couldn’t understand why they cheer when a person is in such a condition. He, who had never taken a life and who treated fighting like sport, did not understand that greatest audiences are brought out by public executions.

‘Contestant Vilivian has fallen victim to her own overconfidence and was knocked out by the environment!’

‘She’s still conscious!’ he said, but his voice was muffled. He was no match to the audience in that regard.

Miss X flew out the hole and announced to the audience:

‘And thus, the winner of the third fight is the Contestant Vo—’

‘I TOLD YOU TO STOP!!!’

Volley’s roar silenced the stadium. He reminded everyone that he was an oni.

Miss X looked askingly at Chifu up on the balcony. The God Eater nodded.

‘Miss Vilivian.’ Said Volley. ‘I know you’re awake.’

She opened her eyes, likely out of respect for Volley’s instinct. She stared into the sky over the arena. Volley thought about the words he should speak to her, but before he could settle on something Vilivian spoke up.

‘. . . Why won’t you just take the scarf?’

Her voice was quiet and spent. Volley looked at her tag – the white scarf and thought a while.

‘I don’t want to win by accident, Miss Viliv! Not like . . . this. Why did you hold back?’

There was a pause that for Volley felt like an eternity. Vilivian took a long breath and spoke truthfully.

‘. . . I had a brother once. But the Fate willed us both born into a brood of a Matriarch. I was the eldest and strongest. One to become the Sentinel of Graal and guard our home. And my brothers . . . A nourishment. Means for the daughters to increase in strength as flesh empowers flesh . . .’ she paused and took another breath. ‘My brother was given a choice by our broodmother – to fight for his freedom against the strongest. I . . .’ she hesitated. She was holding back tears. ‘I saw a spear coming towards my heart and in fear I allowed my monstrous instincts to take over. I shattered the spear and his windpipe. I felt him die in my blood as I consumed his. Every bite was like silver, stabbing at my heart. Painful and burning guilt, that I hid away deep in my soul and you . . . You are a walking irony that unearthed it. Fate's constant reminder of my fragile humanity and the nature of a beast. You look nothing alike. You’re shorter. You’re an oni. Your hair’s black while his was flames and his eyes resembled mine, not yours . . . Then why . . . Why is your attitude . . . Your behaviour. Your words and this boundless positivity no matter the situation . . . Why do you remind me of him so much? I don’t want to relive those regrets. I don’t want to lose control . . . I don’t want to . . . kill . . . Cassius . . . again.’

Tears were falling down her cheeks onto the concrete. Volley watched as the woman he thought impervious cried for her brother. He never would’ve expected himself to be the cause of her worries. He wasn’t surprised at all at her reluctance. He was disgusted at the audience’s reaction earlier, and now comparing himself to her he saw in just how different the world Miss Vilivian lived in.

But they were sharing this one and whatever Vilivian’s thoughts on their relationship were, Volley considered her a friend. And he refused to leave her in that state.

‘Miss Vilivian, I don’t think you’re not giving yourself enough credit. There’s no reason for me to believe you’d ever lose control.’

‘I almost killed the man in the docks, that one day. I almost spilled the blood of innocent people. I am a monster, proven by my actions and the people who saw me.’

‘Miss Viliv, you spent a thousand years in a cave! Everyone would be as cautious as you were! And whoever called you a monster he better put a sock in it before he says something he really shouldn’t. You fought me, Miss Viliv. Even though you were holding back I did push you to your limits. There were plenty of occasions for you to lose control, but you didn’t. You’re no monster. You're decisive and unyielding. I saw the flash in your eyes when I threatened to take away your keepsake. I know that your pride and your promise didn’t allow you to forfeit the fight outright. I’m not going to imply that I know your brother, but if he really was anything like me then I’m certain he wouldn’t hold a grudge.’

‘How can you be so sure . . .?’

‘Because I’m incapable of holding one.’ Volley laughed. ‘Just like I believe you’re incapable of evil. I say, after a thousand years, people ought to change. And I’d like to believe that you’re no longer the same Vilivian you were back then.’

‘I don’t understand . . . You could simply take the win. Be one step closer to your wish. Why . . .?’

‘There’s only two things I want right now, Miss Viliv. The first one is a good fight, which only you can grant me at the very moment even despite your injuries. The second, is for you to recognize your own ability, Miss Viliv. As you can see, you’re the only person qualified for granting them. So, why don’t you hurry up and get up, eh? Don’t you have a promise to keep?’

After a few moments of silence Vilivian smiled slightly. She then let out a short scoff and raised her arm.

‘Do you mind helping me up, Volley?’ she asked.

And with a grand smile he did. Her right arm was slightly numb, but it was functional and the pain ceased. With her other hand she held her wound in the stomach.

‘Are you alright, Miss Viliv?’ he asked worriedly.

‘I’m fine.’ She said, ‘It’s hardly the severest wound I was dealt in my life. And it will most likely be rendered unworthy of consideration later.’ She smiled.

‘Oh?’ he smiled excitedly.

They moved towards the large climbing wall and though Volley was worried whether or not Vilivian would be able to beat the large obstacle; to his surprise she managed to climb up just fine by following behind Volley and listening to his directions.

It took them about ten minutes due to Vilivian’s injuries, but they eventually reached the top and were met with both cheers and jeers.

They went towards the middle of the half of the arena that wasn’t destroyed by Vilivian’s spell. Just like at the start, they stood several feet apart. To one side, a large hole and Vilivian’s keepsake stuck as it was, and on the other a thick forest, untouched by Matriarch’s arcane.

‘My dear Crossroads!’ Miss X tried to get a hold of the audience's mood. ‘The fighters’ truce is about to come to an end! Are you ready for the continuation of the greatest show on heaven and earth?!’

Members of the audience were swept away by X’s call to hype and answered with loud cheers.

‘. . . It’s not surprising they’d treat us with disdain, though aren’t they a little too gullible?’ Vilivian said in regards to the audience.

‘If a person dying is what makes them cheer they can piss right off.’ Volley said then smirked. ‘Hell, I just might and go to the town to grab some food just to rile ‘em up a little more.’

‘That certainly sounds like something you’d do.’

‘Doesn’t it? I reckon we both acted largely out of character today, eh, Miss Viliv?’

‘For better or for worse I suppose.’ She chuckled. ‘I have to thank you, Volley.’

‘Come now, Miss Viliv, let’s not get all sappy here . . .’

‘Truly. Thank you.’ She smiled wryly. ‘The promise I made to my Friend means the world to me and you reminded me of that. I had forgotten my resolve that allowed me to abandon my duty to pursue the wish and to tackle this completely new world head-on. You reminded me of that . . . I do not believe that my regret will pass in many, many years, but thanks to you I also remembered that I shared more with Cassius than just blood. He dreamed of travelling the world. The very same dream you and I have. And once it’s all over I intend to live out my life for the sake of this dream.’

Volley laughed cheerfully.

‘Glad to hear it, Miss Viliv! Why don’t I show you some of my favourite places, eh? There are few that have some really good food.’

‘I’d love to.’ She laughed, shortly. ‘I must also apologize to you.’

‘Apologize?’

‘Yes. Imploring you to fight for your life whilst holding back myself was unfair and disrespectful. I wanted for you to stay on your guard in an event that the worst should come. It never would and I understand that now. I disregarded my own humanity that I attained during the years I spent interacting with. I truly apologize.’

‘You needn’t, Miss Viliv, but I’m glad you see it that way. I guess I can consider one of the two wishes granted, then.’

‘Ha. Then all that remains is for me to make up for my lack of courtesy. I won’t delude myself, Volley. Wounded, in this form I cannot possibly hold a candle to your strength and endurance.’

‘Does that mean . . .?’

‘The audience is getting impatient.’

She clenched her fists. All veins on her body lit up with a bright purple light.

‘Only handful pushed me to this point. Just one lived to tell the tale.’ She smiled, almost ravenously. ‘It’s been too long.’

Her torso grew in size exponentially, ripping through her blouse. The flesh morphed; her wound healed, her breasts disappeared and her skin changed to a dark, coal-like colour. Her arms grew in length and her fingers turned to claws.

Her legs and feet grew in size tearing through trousers and boots respectively. Her feet turned to talons and from her back she started growing a tail.

Her head had lost all its hair; falling off and withering away in a sparkling dust. Her head turned white in colour and grew in both size and length, starting to resemble a calf skull. Her eyes and nose disappeared inside the skull-like flesh

And, with a loud thud as Vilivian’s newly grown tail – long, bone-like and segmented – crashed onto the floor, the transformation was complete.

Cross Colosseum stood silent as Vilivian towered over the oni warrior, at least triple his size.

Most if not all were disturbed by the terrible spectacle of flesh and bones. Her body continued to twitch and stretch a little as it accommodated its new size. Her purple heart could be faintly seen beating underneath her thin chest. Her long arms housed her vile claws that reached her knees and her pointy tail scraped the floor. There were no eyeballs though there were eye sockets. No mouth to speak of. The only article of clothing that remained intact was her tag. The white scarf adapted to new body and was snugly tied around Vilivian’s left arm.

She was a creature accommodated solely for hunting. A cryptid horror. And as Volley watched in an expression that was somewhere between terror and amazement, he could only utter two words.

‘. . . So cool.’

It was Miss X’s voice that broke the silence.

‘What is this?! It looks like Contestant Vilivian who seemed to be in a lot of trouble had an ace up her (now torn to shreds) sleeve! She’s turned into a bona-fide monster!’

I AM A DEMON.

Everyone flinched as they heard Vilivian’s morphed voice resound in their heads. It was echoing, almost hollow. Her telepathy reached all the living beings in the stadium.

Miss X looked around confused. ‘What’s going on?’ she asked.

Volley took a few steps back and put up fists. His destructive nature of an oni was at an all time high, but at the same time there was this feeling in the back of his mind that his fighting spirit won’t be enough to topple Vilivian in that form. She had an advantage in every aspect.

‘That’s it, Miss Viliv. No more holding back, got it?!’ he shouted.

I SHALL GIVE YOU YOUR GOOD FIGHT, she said and then immediately got on all fours, ready to pounce at any moment. THOUGH IT MAY BE TURN OUT TO BE TOO GOOD FOR YOU.

‘And I wouldn’t have it any other way!’

GOOD! FEAST YOUR EYES ON THE MIGHT OF THE MATRIARCH!!!

She rushed him on all fours and though Volley barely reacted and managed to jump to the side, he was caught by Vilivian’s right hand and was carried a distance. She ran on her two legs at ludicrous speed with her tail wailing around in the wind.

With her one arm, she crushed him into a tree, scraping off the bark with his body. His shirt was torn and his back was bleeding as she then planted him into the ground like a tree.

He gasped out for air as his body was crushed by her hand. She raised her fists into the air and cast them down at him.

Perhaps it was the impending doom that granted Volley a second wind, but he managed to crawl underneath her legs as she attacked.

Her fists quaked the earth and Volley lost balance for a moment. He turned to see her tail coming to stab him and he grabbed it.

He fruitlessly tried to wrestle with it. Perhaps to topple her to the ground. Anything to gain him advantage.

But instead, she lifted the tail and Volley along with it and through a quick fling crashed him into yet another tree.

Bark and leaves fell on knocked out Volley, who struggled to maintain steadfastness in the situation, but he was certain that something was broken. Before he managed to even notice Vilivian she had lifted him with her left arm.

‘You know,’ he said weakly. ‘Despite what I said, I wouldn’t mind if you held back a little.’

I AM HOLDING BACK.

‘Ah. Bully for you, then.’

He was tossed at the ground and rolled on towards the thicket.

Yep. Something’s broken, alright.

But at this point pain was a minor inconvenience. Thankfully, he realized that brute force wasn’t going to cut it when he did.

YOUR RESILIENCE IS ADMIRABLE, VOLLEY, Vilivian’s voice reached him as she trudged towards his direction. Her talons crashed the ground beneath with ease. BUT YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO HOLD OUT FOR LONG.

Volley laughed

‘Yeah, well . . .’ he raised his tail. It was holding onto a white scarf. ‘I don’t have to.’

Vilivian looked at her left arm. Her tag was gone.

HOW . . .? Her hollow voice for the first time sounded confused.

‘I snatched it when you grabbed me. And now . . .’

He shoved the white scarf into his mouth and tried to swallow it.

FOOL OF AN ONI! Her voice echoed strongly in his head, almost dazing him.

She rushed towards him in all fours, but Volley had already jumped into the thicket, trying to hide himself and escape.

‘I simply cannot believe it! Contestant Volley who was on his backfoot since Vilivian’s transformation had managed to snatch away his adversary’s tag and then ATE it! Will he be able to overcome this challenge?! Find out in THIRTY SECONDS!’

Thirty seconds. That’s all he had to run around for. He had hoped he’d be able to swallow this thing whole, but it was too thick to go down his throat and was actually choking on it. So, he simply held it in his mouth, opening it just enough to get air when he needed.

He crawled on his stomach through the grass as Vilivian desperately rampaged just behind him. His small frame actually allowed him to remain somewhat stealthy.

He knew that it wasn’t the most “honourable” way of settling things, especially after all the big talk he did earlier, but that woman was capable of using his body as a lumberjacking tool. He was never as thankful for his oni heritage as he was now as it allowed him to survive her first onslaught.

Suddenly, the sounds stopped and so did he as to not give away his position.

I CAN SENSE YOU.

His heart almost jumped out when Vilivian broke through a nearby tree and lunged for him.

‘Ten seconds!’

X’s voice resounded as Vilivian grabbed him and started slamming his back into the ground.

‘Nine!’

Thud! She slammed him again, but he valiantly kept his mouth shut and the scarf safe.

‘Eight!’

Thud!

‘Seven!’

Thud!

‘Six!’

RELINQUISH IT.

‘Nuh-uh!’ he uttered.

‘Five!!’

THUD!!! and Volley felt something break.

He opened his mouth to scream and the scarf fell out. Vilivian snatched it with her own tongue – long and red and as flexible as her tail.

She then threw him out of the forest like a baseball. He rolled on the ground and the audience gasped as he almost fell down to the ravine.

‘She did! Contestant Vilivian retrieved the tag!’

Yeah, I know, he thought. He stood up, somehow. He had a rib broken. Maybe two. Perhaps three. There was also something sloshing inside him and it couldn’t be good. Also, he was getting hungry.

He turned back and saw Vilivian slowly walking out of the forest. Her tongue out holding her own scarf. She put it all inside her mouth.

Yeah, he deserved it. Good on her, he laughed in spirit, because laughing physically hurt him.

He was in a predicament. What else was there for him to do? The only good idea he had just went down her stomach. Ask her nicely to surrender? It had the biggest chance for success!

He didn’t intend to go down without a fight. As long as he could stand, as long as there was an oni blood coursing through his veins, he was willing to fight. He was going to fight.

Volley then looked to the side and saw it.

The keepsake.

She said that her friend used it to cut her in half. If he could use it. Just one good swing.

He looked at her and she stopped moving. She waited.

She knows, doesn’t she? He thought.

Of course. She can easily stop him from reaching for it. Hell, she’s probably daring him to go for it. “Piss around and find out” is what she’s probably thinking, he guessed.

Well, I just might piss around and potentially find out! I will piss around and fight until I drop dead!

He laughed weakly.

As if . . . Yeah, maybe yesterday. Or a week ago, he would’ve. But Miss Vilivian wouldn’t want him to do that. She’s gone through enough already. And there was also Auntie watching . . . and the creeps in the audience would get turned on by that.

No. He got what he wanted. His good fight. He wasn’t keen on dying during it. So laughable, his attitude was. Ah . . .

But all he needs . . . is one good swing.

Volley smiled.

Then sat down on the floor.

‘I can’t keep this up anymore.’ He laughed happily and took off his tag. ‘I surrender.’

There was a brief silence and then an explosion of applause.

‘And that’s it! Contestant Volley forfeits his tag! Everyone! Please! Warm ovations to the winner of today’s third fight and the third semi-finalist: Vilivian of Lilith!’

Volley lied on his back. Exhausted, spent and hungry. He laughed as much as he could without feeling too much pain.

ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THIS? Vilivian’s tender voice echoed in his mind.

‘Aye,’ he said, unsure if she could even hear him. ‘T’was a bloody good fight.’

***

Sunset over the Ume Bay painted the sky orange and Vilivian watched it from a distance; from over a calmness of the Zo River to be exact, as rare as it happened. She was leisurely spending her time fishing. Her keepsake sword was stuck in the ground next to her and an empty bucket on the other. She was given a new set of clothes after her fight. A loose white blouse and short pants along with “sneakers”. Her right arm was bandaged and her wound on the stomach treated as there was a scar left.

‘Poor haul?’

She looked up. Chifu was standing above her holding a large bottle, probably of some alcohol.

‘It’d be great. If I was slightly better at it.’ She waved her fishing rod.

There was a bite. It escaped.

‘You weren’t there to see the last fight of the day.’

Chifu sat down next to her.

‘No.’

‘Aren’t you interested in who you will go up against?’

‘I’ll see tomorrow.’

‘Taking it easy at last, hm?’

Vilivian smiled briefly.

‘Yes.’

‘You know, that was some fight. Saki was literally at the edge of the seat the whole time. Frankly, I was thinking that I’d have to hold her back from jumping into the arena when you started mauling the poor boy down.’

‘I would never hurt him.’

‘Yes. I’m glad to see you understand that yourself now.’

Vilivian smiled again.

‘That being said, where is Volley?’

‘He’s resting. I might’ve broken several of his ribs and also caused heavy internal and external bleeding. But he’ll be fine.’

‘I’d expect him to be with you. He’s your friend after all, you know? Since you used his first name and all.’

There was a bite. It escaped.

‘Isn’t jealousy generally frowned upon in deities?’

‘There are gods much pettier than I, Viliv, trust me.’ Chifu sighed. ‘And to think that I even sent for a bottle of your local delicacy.’

Vilivian glanced at the bottle. ‘What is it?’

‘Mushroom Juice. I have to say, Viliv, if the mages of your world were as competent at magic as they are at making alcohols from deep-dwelling magical mushrooms then maybe they wouldn’t lose almost a thousand years’ worth of history.’

‘What?’

‘Nothing. Why don’t you have a sip?’

Vilivian took the bottle and uncorked it. She took a sip and moved it around in her mouth then swallowed it.

‘How is it?’

‘Bloody.’ She handed back the bottle and Chifu took a sip.

‘I’d say it tastes kind of like a sweet tomato.’

‘I never had a tomato.’

‘Goodness me! what does Saki feed you, then?’

‘Meat.’

‘Right. Birds of a feather . . . You know, that bottle was really difficult to obtain.’

There was a bite. It escaped.

‘I doubt that.’

‘Alright, it wasn’t that hard, but I had to go certain lengths, you know?’

‘I appreciate it, Trickster.’

‘I just feel like our friendship isn’t moving anywhere . . .’

‘Our relationship is progressing just fine, Trickster.’

‘I’m just worried that you’ll start calling Saki by her name before me . . .’

‘Your fears are understandable, Trickster.’

‘Now, you’re just mocking me, aren’t you?’

‘I would never.’ Vilivian said deadpan.

There was a bite. It escaped.

And then they both laughed.

‘Ah, Viliv, your melodic laughter is a cure for the soul. Judging by your attempts at humour, is it alright to assume that you’ve let go of all your regrets and are now ready to lead a carefree life in pursuit of happiness?’

That caused Vilivian to ponder.

Where would she be if she had lost the first round? If she succumbed to her depression and guilt? Would she return to her home world and join her sisters in the Pendulum? Or would she return to Graal to try and wait until someone kills her.

It was difficult to not cling onto the past. The regrets and traumas were a part of her experience. She wondered even, for a little while, whether or not she should change her wish.

Though, knowing him, he would be much angrier than happy if she brought him back. And besides, she wanted to live out their dream for the both of them.

Crossroads proved that there are worlds worthy of travelling to, but if she were to leave now, she’d like to walk hers. Visit the places that she and her brother would read about the volumes in their library.

It wouldn’t be anytime soon that she’d come to forgive herself for what she did, but that way she could at least exercise some of his will.

Vilivian smiled at the river.

‘If only it were so easy.’

There was a bite.

She caught the fish.

Vilivian

[Vilivian] Round 2: Good Fun

Original doc

It was a couple hours before midnight in Crossroads – the greatest melting pot of cultures on that side of nowhere and also there. A thin rain drizzled from the dark empty sky, barely visible in the streetlight, spilling from rooftops into small crevices in the concrete and created a tiny river that coiled around town’s streets. Night’s damp cloak caused even the most nocturnal of residents to seek refuge from the drizzle with few exceptions.

One of the semi-finalists of the Crossroads Tournament – Pembrooke Artysup – was one of those exceptions. Alone, he staggered slalom down the alleys of Crossroads, unbothered by the rain falling on his exposed head.

Pembrooke wasn’t the kind of person to drink a lot. He liked to but never pushed himself beyond a certain limit. Tonight, however, was a cause for jubilation – he won! The moment he entered the Fox Den the drinks started pouring and as a semi-finalist he had no other option but to indulge himself along with some other patrons. He was eventually advised by the barkeep to get out and get some fresh air – true, he might’ve become very noticeably ill from too much drinking. Either that or she told him to leave because he called another patron a cunt.

But that’s how it is sometimes. For every couple dozen people celebrating your victory there’s always that one person who will undermine your achievements. A natural thing would be to ignore such individuals and get on with the drinking, but at the time the natural thing seemed to be mouthing them off.

Yes, Pembrooke might’ve achieved his victory through very underhanded means. Yes, he might’ve abused the naivete of his opponent, but that’s life. And life is like a . . . like a . . .

He almost walked into a lamp post, but he managed to (through drunken grace) avoid it at the last second. He grabbed it, did a full spin and continued walking down.

He breathed in the air and started humming as he continued his line of thought.

Life is like an animal. A mammal. Female mammal. Think chicken. Hen. That’s poultry. Think pets. Puppies. Dog. Bitch. Life’s a bitch. It’s perfect, in the beginning – you care for it and in exchange it smothers you with love and affection. But then it grows up. It starts biting when you try to pet it. You go out on a walk and it pulls the leash. You collapse into mud and then it starts pissing on you. So, you decide to train it and it takes years of hard work and commitment to teach it one trick, but you’re done and are proud of it so you take it to the park to let it play with the other dogs and all the other dogs are much younger and far more talented and disciplined and you get jealous, but you still care for your dog because, well, it’s your dog and you only get one so you stick by it and when, just when, it finally opens its bitter heart to you, starts caring about you . . . then you realize that it’s dying and miserable and you start thinking about putting it down but you don’t because despite everything it never let you go and after all this time you’ve grown so attached that despite all of its flaws you hold onto it because it’s yours. Even when laying stuck in a gutter, with everything lost or gone, your life . . . that bitch . . . It’s all you’ve ever had.

His world started spinning so he crouched down by the nearby wall and belched. He stared down the water moving through the street into the drainage. After he calmed down he decided to call it a day. He stood up and decided to find his way onto the beach.

Pembrooke took a few steps before a character emerged from darkness. She was a shorter woman. Her red hair glittered, wet from the rain and her sharp emerald eyes drilled into him intensely, like a hunter analysing their prey.

‘What’s that smell?’ he asked.

The woman raised a bucket in her two hands showing him the insides. A few small fish were gathered at the bottom. They were a rather miserable haul.

‘I see.’ He said and got a closer look at the woman. Her right arm was bandaged and through her shirt he could see that so was her stomach. He took a long and good look before he sobered up and realized that her white blouse was completely see-through.

‘Ma’am, your shirt!’ He turned away shyly.

‘What about it?’ she asked, slightly startled by his reaction.

‘It’s wet! Completely see-through!’

‘Indeed. The rain caught me off-guard.’ She looked up and blinked quickly as some drops got into her eyes.

Pembrooke took off his bomber jacket and handed it over to the woman.

‘Please, cover yourself with it!’

‘I’m not cold though . . .’ The woman frowned but she did put down the bucket and took the jacket nonetheless.

He looked at her finally. He was so confused. Why was he more worried about it than she was? He felt like a fool. They stared at each other for some reason. He was expecting some sort of thanks, but he realized that there wasn’t any coming further cementing his foolishness. Perhaps she caught him staring?

‘I’ve gotta go!’ he said quickly and excused himself, not even bothering to glance back. He felt his ears redden from alcohol. Yes, alcohol. Must be.

He arrived at the beach where the almighty Axelion was parked.

Metal; a humanoid machine, was kneeling in the sand – with its one eye it watched the horizon. It’s now become a landmark in the Crossroads. During daytime, folks would come to admire it; children play with it – use it as a large and unique jungle gym.

Pembrooke didn’t mind so long as no one got in. He was willing to trust that the guards were doing their jobs keeping it somewhat safe.

He climbed up into the cockpit. Stale air vented out and let in some fresh rainy fragrance. He didn’t mind some of the rain getting in.

He closed the cockpit doors and made himself comfortable. The inside was snug although a little dirty. There were empty bags after snacks lying around, a few loose bullets and even a grenade hanging from the ceiling. For luck.

He contemplated briefly connecting himself to the Axelion, but decided against it ultimately. He’s had enough of the world for now. The magic that was there at the start perished rather quickly. It’s more of the same – just with more flavours.

He closed his eyes and dozed off. It was an eventful day. He’s won his first round. And while Pembrooke didn’t really consider it satisfying he at least ended the day on an altruistic note.

Pembrooke had a feeling that he knew that woman from somewhere, though. He tried his hardest to remember, but he kept going back to that . . . another memory.

He listened to the rain battering the Axelion. He was slightly chilly without his jacket, but he quickly began snoring anyway.

***

Vilivian arrived at the Fox Den, bucket in hand. It was still packed, but it was relatively quiet. A couple of laughs from every other table, many guests eating or drinking alone or just people seeking temporary refuge from the rain.

As she walked towards the bar she noticed a few anxious glances thrown her way. Ever since her showing at the colosseum some people haven’t been reacting very well to her presence. Thanks to her experiences during the first round, she’s learned to accept her demon side and not allow it to overshadow her humanity, but most of the population didn’t know that.

Their affection wasn’t her goal, though it did sting a bit, but at least she didn’t have to pretend to be more human than she already was.

The customers she walked next to recoiled; perhaps out of apprehension held towards her or the repugnant smell coming from the fish bucket.

She put the bucket on the bar in front of Saki – the Fox Den’s owner and bartender.

‘I’ve brought the fish.’ Vilivian announced.

Saki peered down the bucket and witnessed three fish, two of which resembled a half-decay fish corpse and calling the third one “a fish” was an overstatement of the century.

Despite their sorry state the oni bartender nodded seriously.

‘I can make this work.’ She picked up the bucket and went towards the kitchen.

Vilivian sat down at the barstool and tried to somewhat fix her wet hair.

‘Cute jacket.’

Vilivian looked to the side. Next to her, Chifu was smiling with a mug of beer in one hand and a pipe in the other.

‘Trickster,’ she nodded her head and looked down at her brown jacket. ‘I received it from a stranger. He expressed . . . strange concerns over apparently lacklustre attire.’

‘You wouldn’t want to catch a cold before your fight tomorrow, would you?’

The Crossroads’ Madame laughed happily and drank her beer. From the seat next to her leaned out a teenage oni.

‘G’day, Miss Viliv!’ he said. He wasn’t wearing any top. His torso was almost fully bandaged save for a few spots.

‘Hello, Volley.’ Vilivian smiled warmly. ‘How are your wounds?’

‘Bloody excruciating!’ he bared his fangs in a wide grin.

‘Oh . . .’

‘Don’t fret, Miss Viliv. Auntie gave me some good ointment and now it only hurts my ribs a little when I have a giggle!’ he laughed. ‘Ack!’ he scowled through a smile and returned to his meal.

‘I thought seeing her nephew beaten into a pulp would get Saki to go all soft and bring out her best potions brews in order to bring her baby back into fighting shape.’ Chifu chucked.

‘I’mh nhot ha bhaby!’ Volley said with a mouthful of food.

‘I think she made it a point that Volley cannot handle her strongest potions. Then again, I am surprised to see you here at this hour, Trickster. Doesn’t that kind of festivity spawn an immense amount of work to the benefactor of the event?’

‘You overestimate how organized this place really is. Besides, I have a very efficient Clean Desk policy.’ She said smugly.

‘Why don’t you enlighten us about your Fireplace policy then?’ Saki emerged from the kitchen and put a glass of white wine in front of Vilivian. ‘Far as I know that’s where most of the paperwork ends up.’

‘. . . It’s a work in progress.’

‘By the way, isn’t that Pembrooke’s jacket?’ Saki pointed out.

‘I don’t know, they didn’t introduce themselves. Who is he?’

‘That’d be your opponent tomorrow..’ Chifu smoked from a pipe. ‘Cute kid, if a little jaded.’

‘He was rather flushed when we met. He’d turned his eyes away and told me to cover myself with this.’ Vilivian looked at Chifu askingly. ‘Should I try and repay his kindness?’

‘It’s been raining, eh?’ Chifu smiled. ‘He is a teenager, so he’s already got his due, but why not?’

‘He’s twenty-one.’ Said Saki.

‘So, a teenager that can drink. Big difference.’

‘Rather significant.’ She let out a sigh. ‘I had to ask him to leave my establishment.’

‘Gotten rowdy?’

‘Hecklers. And he’s the type that fights back. I think some fresh air did him good considering he wanted to help out Viliv.’

‘Or maybe he just remembered her fight. How do you find your new reputation, Vilivian?’

‘Not as constraining.’

‘Isn’t freedom wonderful? Don’t be afraid to make use of it. Some shopkeepers wouldn’t dare to stop you in fear of seeing your other half.’

Vilivian frowned.

‘. . . Are you telling me to rob shops in your own town?’

‘Sure, just don’t get caught. Or else I’ll have to punish you.’ She drank the beer. ‘Oh, don’t make that face, Viliv. It’s not like I’m greenlighting breaking windows and burning down the restaurants. All I mean is that a simple suggestion that you may transform at any given moment may make people more amiable.’

‘Chi!’ Saki scolded her.

‘No.’ Vilivian shook her head. ‘I’ve reconciled my natures. I am a demon, but I won’t let that part of me forfeit the law and customs of a civilized world.’

‘Pragmatic.’ Said Chifu with a hint of disappointment in her voice. ‘And ultimately dull and boring.’

‘I don’t require my life to be constantly entertained, Trickster.’

‘But after a thousand years you don’t want it to be bland either, do you? Life’s like a drink, Viliv. There’re myriad recipes, but everyone’s got their favourite one. And everyone’s fixing their drinks by adding in their own personal touches. Change up the ratio of order and chaos a little, sprinkle in some love or add in a touch of adventure. However, there are many who try and experiment and they just can’t get it to taste perfect, because they lack that. The one secret ingredient. And some go through their lives supposedly fulfilled and content yet lacking that something.’

‘What’s your ingredient?’

‘Fun!’ Chifu answered without hesitation.

‘I don’t believe I can make my life revolve around “fun”.’

‘Maybe you shouldn’t though it would be entertaining to watch you pull pranks on people. You’ve centuries ahead of you, you know? As your friend I’d be pained to see you constrain yourself by a single-mindedness.’

‘I know what my purpose is, Trickster. I’ll win your tournament and after that . . . I might travel. And I’ll be satisfied by simply adhering to the rules instated wherever I end up.’

‘Of course! Nothing wrong abiding by the laws of the land you walk. However, abiding by them is one thing completely separate from letting your mind be influenced . . . No, policed by those laws. Even the greatest dimwit can find purpose through the freedom of their own thoughts. And some worlds . . . want to take away even that.’

‘I find that hard to believe.’

‘Why, Pembrooke’s world particularity regarding martial prowess may spawn some comments should you ask him about it. Then again, you wouldn’t want to be so easily influenced; your beliefs may fall in with the lies his world tells tales of whilst the truth is stranger than fiction – at least it would be from your point of view.’

‘What should I do then?’

‘Ah, see. That’s the question you shouldn’t ask. You ought to ask “what would you do” or “how would you approach this”. Do not imply your mind to be a grade-schooler’s notebook; anyone can scribble whatever rubbish comes across. Treat it as a canvas. A creation of inspiration collected from the people you desire so much to emulate . . . That being said – if I were in your place I’d ask myself: what would make me happy?’

Vilivian frowned.

‘Bringing back my friend, of course.’

‘And then?’

‘Well . . . Without pondering I can say that . . . this question’s not as easy to answer as I’d think.’

‘Indeed. Let’s drink to that. To the pursuit of happiness!’

Chifu clinked Vilivian’s glass of wine with her own mug of beer. Two women then downed their drinks.

‘What would my drink of life be?’ Volley asked.

‘Grape juice.’ Chifu answered without looking at him.

Saki approached to refill Chifu’s drink and looked sternly at Vilivian.

‘Long-term goals aside, let's talk right now. I think you should take a shower, Vilivian. You reek of fish.’

Vilivian frowned like a scalded cat.

‘I already bathed twice today.’ She argued. ‘Once in the morning and once post-fight.’

‘Yes, but you reek of fish right now.’

Saki’s cold glare sent chills down the Matriarch’s spine. Both Chifu and Volley instinctively turned away from Vilivian’s pleading glances, knowing fully well that the thousand-year-old half-demon was fighting the inevitable.

‘. . . I was out in the rain though . . .’

‘Shower. Now.’

***

Pembrooke woke up in the dimness of his Axelion. He tried to stretch his numb legs; he looked at his wristwatch – he’s been napping for almost an hour though it felt like days.

Energized, he stumbled out of the cockpit onto the sand and relieved himself at the end of the dock. As if in trance he watched the sea reflect the moonlight behind him, his shadow malformed in the water; the ocean fragrance was a fine cure for his headache.

The smell of the marine reminded him of the encounter with the red-haired woman earlier. He remembered remembering her, but he couldn’t remember what exactly he was not remembering. Was she on stands perhaps? He could’ve sworn he’s seen her earlier, maybe in the tavern? A chill ran through his body and he sneezed. Hard. The kind of sneeze that’s as loud as a jet engine and shakes the earth as much as the body.

Pembrooke recoiled, the pain in his head worsened for a moment and he remembered.

There was a woman – and that woman then changed into a monster. A very scary monster. And then that monster beat the ever-loving crap out of some kid.

There was also a lot happening beforehand, but Pembrooke spent most of his time during that fight standing in the line for beer which wasn’t even worth the wait. The swivel they served was so watered down it didn’t matter if it was the finest ale in the town.

That woman is his next opponent. What was her name? Vena . . . Veli . . . Vili . . . Not important right now. His approach to the battle is a priority.

He sighed, resigned. That sounded like tomorrow’s Pembrooke’s problem, not his.

Fancying himself a drink he left for town.

As he walked, he thought about the tournament. His rich imagination considered the possibilities regarding the wish. He fancied himself a new bike. That would make him happy, wouldn’t it?

As he asked himself that the inner voice almost immediately answered with a resounding “No.”

That’s the problem. Nothing he did or worked towards carried a single prospect of satisfaction or happiness. It’s as if he biked fifty kilometres uphill only to find out that the pancake shop he strived to eat at was mediocre at best.

Yes, he made a good workout. Yes, he did eat an ultimately nourishing and tasty meal, but it wasn’t fulfilling enough to justify the effort put in.

Not to mention, that the biker he passed at the foot of the mountain somehow managed to get up there faster, enjoyed his meal much more and went down the hill being ultimately satisfied.

It was just so vexing. All the effort he puts in, all the little satisfaction he gets from a job well done is snuffed out by a prick with less brains than a comatose snail who happens to be slightly more talented than he is. It’s all so tiresome.

He arrived at the Fox Den. At that point all he had on his mind was a drink. He reached for the door and it opened suddenly.

‘You!’ Pembrooke pointed finger at the familiar red-haired woman. She was wearing a red jacket and blue jeans. Sword was tied behind her back and her hair shined in the dim light.

‘Me, indeed.’ She tilted her head. ‘You’re . . .’

‘Pembrooke. Pembrooke Artysup. It’s a pleasure.’

‘We’ve met. I’m Vilivian.’

‘Yeah, we have I . . .’ he flushed at the memory. ‘I gave you my jacket.’

‘Indeed.’ She handed over the folded cloth to him. ‘And now I return it.’

‘Oh. Thank you.’

‘It’s been cleaned and dried by the Bartender.’

He put on his tan jacket and everything seemed right in the world.

‘Right. So, we’re opponents tomorrow, eh?’

‘I’ve been told so by the Trickster. I’ve been on my way to return your jacket to you. You retire to sleep at the beach, correct?’

‘When I don’t feel like rooming at an inn.’ He shrugged. ‘Could’ve come in the morning.’

‘I may . . . have issues when it comes to returning the items lent to me.’ She looked aside and grimaced.

‘Really? Well, I won’t blame you then,’ He chuckled. ‘Sorry for the trouble. Still, it’s awfully considerate of you.’

‘If that’s your impression of me. I’m rather perplexed to actually find you awake at this hour.’

‘I got thirsty. Besides, I could say the same to you.’

‘I don’t need nearly as much sleep as humans do.’

‘Right, because you’re a . . . er . . .’

‘A demon.’

‘I was going to say “a monster”.’

‘They’re synonymous to most, I find.’

‘Sorry! I meant no offense!’ Pembrooke panicked.

‘None taken.’ She smiled slightly.

‘Er, yes, well . . .’ he coughed out. ‘So, what are you doing tonight? I mean, in general. Since you don’t need to sleep. Just out of curiosity.’

‘There’s a meeting for me to attend. I intended to head there after I’d given you back your clothes, so I suppose I’ll go there now.’

‘Right. Right . . .’ Pembrooke was surprised to find himself disappointed. ‘Don’t let me keep you then.’

Vilivian stared at him for a few seconds before she spoke up.

‘Actually. Would you mind accompanying me?’

He raised an eyebrow.

‘If you don’t mind missing out on a drink that is.’

‘Not in particular . . . What kind of meeting is that? Is it shady?’

‘I don’t possess enough knowledge to assess what comes across as “shady” in this town. As far as I can see everything’s legal. It’s nothing endangering though, if that’s what you’re asking.’

‘Well,’ he scratched the back of his head. ‘That’s fine. Where to?’

‘The inn.’

***

The Kit’Inn was a part of the larger building connected to the Colosseum. It had a neatly decorated interior that housed the Crossroads’ travellers as well as a lot of cats.

One could literally trip over one whilst walking in there. Even the receptionist at the desk carried feline ears.

At the second floor of the inn, Vilivian knocked on the door with Pembrooke standing behind her.

There was a sound of something being moved. Then something is being thrown. Then glass breaking. Finally, the clicking sound came from the lock and the door opened slightly and from the dimness of the room half a pair of round glasses emerged.

‘Whomst?’ said the woman.

‘Sorceress. It is I – Vilivian of Lilith. I have come as we agreed.’

The door opened wide and the “sorceress” inside welcomed them with a large smile. She was a young woman; close to Vilivian in age, Pembrooke thought. She was wearing a purple dress fastened by the belt. Large, round glasses covered her green eyes and her vividly green hair was tied into thick twin tails.

‘Viliv! Good to see you! I’ve been worried you wouldn’t make it. Oh?’ she looked at Pembrooke. ‘Who’s this?’

‘He’s—’

‘My name’s Pembrooke.’ He answered. ‘I was asked to come here, though I’m not exactly sure why.’ He looked askingly at Vilivian and the other woman followed suit.

‘Apologies. I’d like to give him something, so I’ve brought him here.’

‘Give me something?’

‘Oh, it’s perfectly fine! My name is Wendy Williams.’ She smiled. ‘It’s nice to meet you, Pembrooke.’

‘The pleasure’s all mine, Wendy. Sorry to bother you unannounced.’

‘Don’t mention it. Please, come in! And mind the glass.’

She let them into the room. A heavy stench of chemicals lingered in the thick air of the room. It was enlightened by a standing lamp in the corner. Strange variety of tools littered the only desk in the room and somewhere underneath the thick layer of parchments one could find a carpet. Wendy’s bed appeared to function as a storing space. Only a fraction of it remained clear and Pembrooke wagered that if Wendy curled up and lied down she’d fit right in.

There was a singular plant on a windowsill. Its colourful leaves led Pembrooke to believe that it was victim of Wendy’s magical experiments. As did most thing in the room.

The curtains were clearly set aflame at some point. The beige ceiling had a large, dark stain in the middle and the only chair in the room appeared strangely ordinary.

They closed the door and stepped in avoiding the broken glass vase. Pembrooke could’ve sworn it crawled.

‘Please, sit whenever!’ Wendy said frantically. ‘Not on the bed though! There’re combustible rosebuds fermenting under the mattress. And try to avoid putting too much pressure on the floor. I had to rent out the room below due to risk . . . You can lean on the wall if you’d like. They’re safe. I think . . . Oh, there’s the chair!’ she pulled up the aforementioned chair.

‘It’s fine. I’ll stand.’ Said Vilivian.

‘I’ll sit. I feel like whatever you’ll talk about might take a while.’ Pembrooke sat down on the chair but almost immediately jolted back up. ‘What did I sit on?’

‘So!’ Wendy clasped her hands. ‘Vilivian. Am I to understand you’re willing to share your knowledge of magic with me?’

Wendy was brimming with excitement. She was the type of gal that got excited about all things scientific and theoretical. On the contrary, Pembrooke yawned as he leaned on the wall. He was partly invested in this meeting. Mainly due a fact Vilivian wanted to give him something. For now, though, he was as useful as pogo stick on a minefield.’

‘Be heeded, that I don’t know all there is about my world’s magic. I’ll only relay what I know in exchange for your own knowledge.’

Vilivian put both her hands behind her and stared at Wendy. Her face was like stone.

‘Fair. We’re here to learn. Where to start . . .’ She pondered for a little. ‘Well. Firstly, the magic in my world is granted by the influence of certain crystals. The magi are gifted with the ability to use an energy called “mana” in order to cast magic.’

‘So, there are those who aren’t gifted with it?’

‘Theoretically. Crystals not only bring the gift of magic, but also vitalize the lands allowing for agriculture. Lands are otherwise left barren and inhabitable. So, yes, most born in our towns are gifted with the ability to use magic. Unless the crystal is at life’s end, but the town usually moves to a new location when that happens.’

Pembrooke looked up.

‘Wait. What’s the lifespan then?’

‘On average, about a hundred years?’ Wendy scoffed sadly. ‘If the fortune favours, that is.’

‘But that’s barely a few human generations.’ Vilivian said mildly distressed.

‘You’re practically nomads.’

‘Yes. It’s troubling.’ Wendy smiled wryly but cheered up immediately. ‘In any case – magic! It’s near impossible to channel mana without some help. In my case - I use glyphs.’

Wendy waved her gloved finger in the air. A rainbow trace followed it and she drew something resembling something resembling spikes. She then picked one edge and pulled it with her finger. The magical painting convened at her fingertip and changed its colour to bright orange. She then locked it in her fist and opened it palm up – a small flame burst above it.

Pembrooke barely held off himself from applauding.

‘Some use staves. Or tomes.’

She closed the flame in her hand and it disappeared. She looked straight into Vilivian’s eyes, barely containing her excitement.

‘Your turn.’

Vilivian raised her right hand. Pembrooke watched as blue light engulfed veins on her hand. She snapped her fingers and a flame appeared above her palm as well.

Wendy’s eyes opened wide and she immediately lunged for a notepad on her desk and started making notes.

‘Magic is in the blood. It runs through every creature in my world.’

‘Fascinating! Then how do you manifest it?’

‘It depends.’ Vilivian extinguished the fire. ‘For most creatures it responds to instinct or emotions like fear and anger. Humans, however, have to train themselves to command by the force of their will.

‘That’s a given. One wouldn’t want to cause mayhem due to angrily thrown magic!’

‘Magic won’t answer to the emotions of a human. Not on a scale you imagine at least.’

‘Why is that?’

‘Humans are . . . resistant to it. Their bodies largely nullify its influence. What a demon learns in a year, a human requires ten. They not only need to adapt themselves to magic, but also bend it to their will.’

‘Interesting . . .’ Wendy noted that down. ‘Then, would you mind if we did some experiments? I have prepared a few trials that should go with any kind of magic . . .’

Wendy reached for something on her desk. Pembrooke was about to groan. He was barely keeping himself from dozing off where he stood.

Thankfully, Vilivian was there to stop Wendy’s relentless pursuit of knowledge.

‘Sorceress, the time for experiments will come later. There’s a question I’d like to ask. Are you capable of any restoration magic?’

Wendy turned around towards the Matriarch immediately, fascinated by that question.

‘Restoration . . . Personally, no. It’s a complex and difficult school of magic to master. Just conjuring up elements is hard work, but skilled healers are far and between. Why the question?’

‘I know restoration magic.’ Vilivian admitted and before Wendy managed to pick up her jaw and express her excitement she continued. ‘But it is an extremely painful process for the recipient.’

‘How come?’

‘The wound is fully healed. The flesh knits, the blood is cleansed and the innards set back into their proper place and form. And the healed one feels all of this. The stretching of a skin, the flushing of a—’

‘We get the point!’ Pembrooke interrupted. Wendy herself was listening with a sickened curiosity, but he wasn’t into the gore dramas.

‘. . .Yes. Most patients die from shock when they’re healed by magic. And using it on myself would be . . .’

‘Akin to performing a surgery on yourself, I understand.’ A chill ran down Pembrooke’s spine as she said that. ‘I have no knowledge of restoration magic, unfortunately. I’m sorry. Besides, I don’t know if I’d be able to teach you the magic I use.’

Wendy looked down sadly, but Vilivian’s face remained focused.

‘Can you enchant items, then?’

Wendy looked up.

‘I do . . .?’

‘What if I enchant an item with my own restoration spell and you could perhaps modify it by using your own spells?’

Wendy adjusted her glasses. Her expression changed to more focused and got enchanted into the conversation.

‘An item wouldn’t be able to contain two spells at the same time. I could sense particular vibrations when you cast spells. I’m not sure if the combined strength of two arcane forces wouldn’t be too much.’

‘Ah. Right you are. However, those are two different kinds of magic. Perhaps an exception may be found.’

‘It still depends on how they’d resonate with each other. They’d be enchanted into one object after all.’

‘We’d know if the repercussions were tragic. Some magic escapes into the atmosphere whenever I command it. If there were to be any consequences I’d sense it and I’m sure you would too.’

‘Don’t tell me you think that such a small magnitude of those spells would be enough to deem their union safe?’ Wendy smirked.

‘It doesn’t have to be strong.’ Vilivian raised her chin proudly. ‘The restoration spell I want to enchant in is effortless to any capable mage of my world. It’s the excruciating pain part that requires amendment.’

Wendy put her hand on her chin and thought awhile.

‘There’s still the issue of what exactly can I do to numb the pain. You’ve described it as excruciating, but I don’t know any pain-relieving spells.’

‘Surely, it wasn’t merely boasting about your intelligence back when you introduced yourself to me at the river.’

‘Well, I wasn’t expecting you to be demanding such feats from me! And while, hypothetically speaking, the idea is plausible it is as I said – without means to reduce the pain it won’t mean anything unless we find another trained enchanter.’

Both women pondered, whilst Pembrooke became one with the third wheel. What the hell are they talking about? He thought.

This ordeal was strange in the weirdest way possible. His opponent was trying to get him a crutch – and he couldn’t fathom why? To mock him? Out of some strange respect? Not only that, but he could notice that every now and then Vilivian would throw glances at him. It flattered him, certainly, but he’s begun getting suspicious. It was as if she was expecting him to pitch in to this madness, but Pembrooke wasn’t too keen on playing those games.

And yet . . .

‘What about electricity?’ he blurted out. The women looked at him. Vilivian was somewhat lost, but there was a flame behind Wendy’s glasses.

‘Electricity . . . It does possess some analgesic capabilities . . .’

Wicked smile appeared on Wendy’s face. She immediately pulled up the chair to her desk and started drawing something on a piece of paper. At first, it resembled something akin to electric current, but then she started adding more and more drawings all the while Wendy laughed and mumbled under her breath.

‘The current needs to be strong enough to numb . . . but not strong enough to kill . . . targeting the nerves? Oh, yes. Yes! That would do. Ah. But it’d shatter, wouldn’t it? Mmm . . . how about crystals . . . they’re pure magic and if I realigned these drawings into something more compact . . . Oh, my, yes. Yes. Yes!’

Wendy started cackling as her pencil burned through the paper. Vilivian and Pembrooke looked at her worryingly.

‘More of a witch than sorceress, isn’t she?’ Pembrooke whispered.

‘Be mindful you don’t repeat my mistake and say that out loud.’ Vilivian said in a pained voice and then she smiled at him. ‘Though I suppose she’d let you let it slide considering you resolved our conundrum.’

‘Might as well contribute.’ He shrugged. ‘Though I can’t say I understand why you’d want me to have such an item. We’re adversaries.’

‘As of tomorrow, I’d like to think. Consider yourself kindly repaid then.’

‘All I did was give you a jacket because I thought you’d be cold! And you want me to have a magical healing thing?’

‘Yes. Is that a problem?’

‘It’s not the kind of repayment I’d have in mind.’

‘What, then?’

‘I, well . . .’

‘EUREKA!’

Chair clattered as Wendy stood up. She held a piece of paper in her hand that showed a drawing so complex that Pembrooke didn’t bother even analysing the piece.

‘It’s a rather complex glyph,’ Wendy looked at her masterpiece. ‘But I believe it will lead us to a satisfying result.’

‘How will that work? I know very little about . . . electricity.’

‘Well, I’m not going to go into detail,’ Wendy reached for her bag and pulled out a few crystals. They were finely cut and the size of a small stone. They each possessed a lustrous, bright lavender-like colour. ‘But to put it as simply as possible – I’d like you to enchant these crystals with the restoration spell. Then, I am going to enchant it with my glyphs. They’re constructed so that they will trigger my spells as a response to any outside interference – in this case trying to use the item by using magic . . . Both, you and I, should be able to use it by channelling our magic.’

‘And what of the pain reduction?’ Vilivian asked.

‘Yes. Well, that’s a complicated part . . .’

‘That’s the complicated part?’ Pembrooke said in disbelief.

‘. . . I believe I could manage to numb the pain by coursing electricity through the nerves. It won’t completely negate the pain, but it should at least make it bearable. There’s also the minor pain that will come with being electrocuted.’

‘How minor?’

‘Ever been struck by lightning?’

‘No.’

‘It’s like that except it's not as deadly. I don’t know how much elemental energy I should pour into it, so for a test drive I’ll have to “wing it” as they say. Here.’

Wendy handed her over one of the crystals.

‘If you’d be so kind as to infuse it with the spell . . .’

Wendy prepared the notebook as Vilivian looked over the small crystal.

She put it in her palm and covered it with the other. She closed her eyes and focused. Blood veins on her arms started glowing with blue light as she chanted.

‘Mend.’ Her voice echoed. A silent cracking could be heard coming from the crystal. After a few seconds she uncovered the now changed crystal. The lustrous colour was gone. It was dim, carrying a strange gradient of dark green and navy blue making the crystal appear lifeless. The longer Pembrooke stared the more he felt as if the colours moved.

‘Is that it?’ Wendy asked unconvinced.

‘Yes.’ Vilivian handed back the crystal.

‘It doesn’t appear magical at all. Even less so?’

Vilivian shrugged.

‘What you and I consider “magical” may as well be completely different things. Your spells, if you could?’

‘Right! Of course.’

Wendy cleared the table and put the crystal in the middle of it. She placed the drawing she painted on earlier next to it and her fingers traced the lines as if she learned the patterns.

She then painted a glyph above the crystal. A violet circle surrounded it and from the insides of the stone a bright light started fighting off the dark colours brought by Vilivian’s magic.

Wendy visibly struggled with her spells. She raised her other hand and painted another glyph and the lights coming from the stone intensified. It was like a neon party in Wendy’s room right now. The colours reflected from her glasses and the festival of lights made Pembrooke grow more and more wary. He’d glance at Vilivian but he’d find her expression as nothing but stone.

The light show ended abruptly. There was only a simmering sound coming from the crystal and Wendy’s heavy panting. Her hands trembled above the crystals and her face was pale.

‘Is it done?’ Vilivian said almost heartlessly.

‘Done?’ Wendy said weakly. ‘It is. Should be. Wasn’t easy though. I felt as if your magic tried to push me away from changing the crystal to the point I thought it was going to attack me . . .’

‘Of course, it did. It’s magic.’

‘Well, my magic can’t do that! Most of the time . . . Oh, the cultural differences are more and more apparent.’ She then smiled content. ‘Ah, but the experience will make it worth it, even if it’s a dud.’

‘Is it?’

‘One way to find out, right?’ Wendy stood up and reached for her bag and pulled out a large knife. ‘Would you kindly stab yourself with that knife?’ she handed it over to Vilivian.

Pembrooke frowned.

‘Of course,’ Vilivian answered.

Pembrooke realized he was the straight man here.

‘Hold the freaking phone!’ he interrupted before Vilivian had a chance to shove the blade into her stomach. ‘Don’t you see there’s an issue with this!’

Wendy and Vilivian exchanged looks and then both made a silent “ah”.

‘You’re right. I’m sorry, Vilivian.’

‘Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us.’ She started taking off her top. ‘The Bartender wouldn’t be pleased if I bloodied my clothes again.’

‘That’s not what I meant!’ Pembrooke stopped her quickly. ‘The knife! Don’t you think that’s going a little too far?’

‘We need to test, don’t we?’ Vilivian asked.

‘Can’t we test it on animals?’

‘I thought Vilivian was fine with wounds.’ Wendy said. ‘After I watched your fight it almost seemed as if you were having fun . . .’

‘Far from it.’

‘Oh.’ Wendy’s face’s suddenly been overcome with guilt.

‘But there was a time in my youth when I enjoyed pain.’ Vilivian said with a soured expression.’

‘Youth? I thought you were my age!’ Wendy said, surprised.

‘I’m really not.’

‘Then shall we find another test subject?’ Pembrooke asked.

‘No.’ Vilivian shook her head decisively. ‘Dawn will startle us sooner should we begin to look for an animal in the darkness. It’s the fastest way.’

‘Well . . . Could you at least not do it in the stomach?’ Pembrooke asked.

‘Does it matter?’

‘It does to me.’ Pembrooke said sternly and looked her in the eyes. A difficult feat. Vilivian’s glare would turn away most predators. She observed him for a while before she finally conceded.

‘Fine.’

She sat down on the chair and uncovered her thighs.

‘That’s still a little—’

‘You complain too much.’ She said irritatedly and plunged the blade into her leg. Wendy jumped terrified and Pembrooke’s eyes widened in shock.

Vilivian gritted her teeth as she reached as deep as she could with the knife. She then with one swift motion tried to pull it out, but it caught on the skin and she slit it apart.

He could hardly watch her do it to herself, but it was difficult for him to look away. He was simply staggered by the length that woman was willing to go.

If Wendy’s face was pale before, now she could serve as a fairly good lighthouse. She covered her mouth and he suspected she must’ve forced herself to stay put. That girl didn’t appear to be very good with blood or injuries of any kind.

Vilivian groaned in pain as she threw the blade aside and reached for the crystal. She merely put it close to the wound when it lit up.

And then shattered.

Pembrooke was about to jump in order to tend to her injury, but then Vilivian groaned loudly and jumped in place as electricity coursed through her body. The wound itself started healing.

Both Wendy and Pembrooke couldn’t believe their eyes. The flesh knit itself as what blood poured out onto her leg was cleaned and returned back inside. As morbid as the process was, the end result didn’t even leave a scar. Vilivian smiled, satisfied.

‘How are you feeling?’ Wendy was first to break the silence.

‘Good. Marvellous work, Sorceress.’ Vilivian’s lips frown the other way into something resembling a smile.

‘And how was the numbness?’ Wendy had already forgotten all the blood and injuries and returned into the Scholar Mode. She picked up her notepad and started noting the experiences which Vilivian was very happy to share.

‘The jolt may have been a little too strong. I can’t exactly feel most of my body yet, and I’ll need to when I use it mid-combat. My legs recovered faster – my spell must’ve diminished some of that numbness in the process. In general, the initial shock was the most painful, but it was short. I couldn’t feel the mending of my flesh at all.’

‘That’s great. Greater than great. Very great, I’d say. There’s a word for it, isn’t there? Not important. I believe that I can reduce the strength of electricity. The pain from restoration may be more distinguished, but it should allow for more mobility during combat.’

‘Good. How many crystals do you have left?’

‘Three!’ She pulled them out of her bag.

Vilivian proceeded to enchant every single one of them with her Mend spell. Wendy put them evenly on the table and looked them over ravenously.

‘Oh, this is going to be exciting! The possibilities!’

‘One for each of us, correct?’ Vilivian stood up. Her legs still seemed a little numb.

‘Yes. Oh, yes! And do you mind if I take some of your blood for analysing?’

Wendy pointed at the bloodied knife lying on the floor.

‘. . . Help yourself. Shall we come by in the morning to get our crystals then?’

‘You can come back in an hour! No, not an hour. Forty minutes. I’ll be done in forty minutes. Give or take.’

‘Are you certain?’ Vilivian frowned. ‘It seemed as if enchanting that one stone took a lot of strength out of you.’

‘Oh, yes! It did! And I might die if I’m not careful. But I’m just too excited! It’s the risk I’m willing to take. Consider it a friend’s favour.’

Wendy grinned at Vilivian and the demoness returned the warm smile.

‘Then . . . I appreciate your sacrifice.’

‘Me too. For whatever it’s worth.’ Pembrooke added.

‘Don’t mention it.’ Wendy laughed cheerfully and then turned serious. ‘Now, shoo. I have glyphs to do, magic to cast. I need to focus.’

‘Very well,’ Vilivian nodded and turned to Pembrooke. ‘Shall we take a walk then?’

From her expression, Pembrooke deduced she didn’t expect anything else but an affirmative answer.

He shrugged and followed her out of the room, leaving Wendy to her own cackling and devices.

A strange smoke moved away from the window.

***

Crossroads night was deep and old by now. For Pembrooke, nights like these were nostalgic, and not always in the positive sense of that word. Too often, he’d walk down the dark streets in the secret hours and felt the night stretching away. Unlike day, it remained the same. The menace lurking in the velvet shadows may have changed its talons, but it would never change its nature.

Pembrooke wondered which one was Vilivian as he followed her, hypnotized by the tiny sway of her red braid. Was she the fiend lurking in the shadows or was she the mere visitor to the aeon-old world of darkness?

Their steps were the only sound echoing among the alleys of Crossroads. “A walk” she called it, but the way she led told him there was a destination.

He decided to break the half-silence by asking a question.

‘Why are you giving me that stone?’

‘To repay your kindness.’ She answered without stopping.

‘And what’s the real reason? What's the ploy?’

‘Ploy?’ She stopped and turned around.

‘What’s use do I have for a stone if I don’t possess any magic. I wasn’t born in Wendy's world so I can’t use her magic to activate it nor was I born with the same kind of magic you do, not to mention I’m a human which also complicates things, doesn’t it?’

Vilivian smirked.

‘You’re very attentive.’ She complimented him.

‘Not like I had a choice but to listen to you.’

‘You always had a choice. You chose to stay and listen instead of dozing off like any ordinary dullard would I’d wager.’

‘You’re quite the flatterer. Now, answer my question.’

Her smirk turned into a genuine smile. As if she appreciated the fact that he didn’t sway from his pursuit of an answer.

‘Magic isn’t required to use the enchanted items, at least in my world. As I’ve said, humans are trained to bend magic to their will. And that includes the objects as well.’

‘So, I’d just have to think very hard about wanting to have that rock heal me?’

‘Most likely. Humans of my world may have difficulties, but you haven’t evolved the same way they did. It stands to reason you wouldn’t have much issue if any.’

‘That does make sense. Though, If I hadn't seen you stab yourself in the leg I probably would’ve remained sceptical.’

‘Well, I’m glad that showing did manage to also alleviate your doubts. Or do you have something else to complain about which, I found, you very much enjoy doing?’

That last quip Vilivian spoke out in a somewhat soured voice even though she persisted through with her smile.

There was some funny retort he could muster up. But he spent enough time with Vilivian by now to know she’s the kind of person that’s fully capable of stabbing themselves with a knife and thus needs to be watched. Preferably from a safe distance.

‘Sorry . . . Where’re we going?’ he uttered.

‘The beach.’ Vilivian answered and turned around.

‘The beach? But that’s where the . . .’

Axelion stood as he were; dormant, watching the horizon. Pembrooke watched Vilivian approach it. The woman walked around it, curious, studying its every aspect.

‘A giant, statue-like machine.’ Vilivian said in awe. ‘Trickster told me. It belongs to you. How do you control it?’

She’s literally just checking out my secret weapon, and I’m not in the slightest concerned with that, he thought.

Vilivian appeared truly enchanted by the old technology. She looked like a giddy schoolgirl at her party. He couldn’t find her less charming if he wanted to, though she certainly made that difficult at times.

She walked around it, studying it, but not touching; drilling it into her memory. Pembrooke stood a little further away.

‘It’s named Axelion. I control it from the inside. It’s a rather complex piece of technology that requires unique training to pilot.’

‘So wondrous, how far has humankind gone with technology. I can scarcely imagine the way wars changed with these on the battlefields. Not that I’d experienced any proper prior to this, mind you. But what I’ve learned simply doesn’t compare to something like this.’

‘I don’t believe the ways have changed very much through the times.’ He crossed his arms. ‘Merely the means.’

His expression soured. He didn’t really like talking about anything regarding his homeland and when it came to warfare it was pretty much that.

He felt a tiny pebble hitting his shoulder. He looked to the side, but nothing was there.

‘I remember the first time I faced crossbowmen. Such speed for such simplicity. I came very close to dying that day and without even transforming. Few inches to the side and I would’ve met my final death by a silver bolt to my heart.’

‘Crossbowmen?’ Pembrooke scoffed condescendingly. ‘Wait until you learn about guns.’

‘Gonnes?’ she turned around.

‘Guns. You’ll see tomorrow.’

She smirked slightly and got back to observing Axelion’s only eye. Pembrooke was once again struck by a tiny pebble. He looked around a little more, but nothing caught his eye.

Distracted, he’s spontaneously decided to muster some courage.

‘Would you like to eat dinner tonight?’ His voice cracked.

‘I’d like to eat dinner every night.’ Vilivian answered.

‘Right, er . . . Same.’

His stomach turned from the embarrassment that quickly turned into irritation once he was attacked with a pebble again.

Angered, he moved towards the direction the pebble came from, but was stopped by Vilivian’s question.

‘Are you going to use it?’

Expression of her voice was devoid of any tone or emotion. He looked at her back, slightly perplexed, but he answered honestly.

‘No, I don’t think I will.’

‘Why?’ she asked immediately.

‘Well,’ he smiled confidently. ‘Since you’re giving me a crutch in the shape of the healing item I believe using Axelion in tomorrow’s fight would be a little too much. Besides, I didn’t use it in my first fight, so . . .’

‘I on the other hand believe that you should use it.’ she turned around and glared at him. ‘Nobody said it’s going to get easier.’

‘Maybe,’ he said, irritated. He’s been strung along by that woman until now, but telling him how to do his job was a line he wouldn’t let her cross. ‘But that’s not up for you to decide.’

‘No, it isn’t.’ she started approaching him and her each step made him more inclined to reach for his sidearm. ‘But as a soldier you should take all options into consideration.’

‘I’m not a soldier.’ He scowled.

‘You were trained as one, though, weren’t you?’

‘I’m not one.’

‘Then, what are you, Male?’ she stopped a few inches short of his face. ‘You’re no Soldier. You’re no Warrior, either. What are you?’ she repeated.

‘Who said I have to be anything? For all I care I just might remain strider forever.’

‘You feign ignorance, but your blood says otherwise. It reeks of hesitation despite your otherwise insurmountable confidence.’

‘How do you even—’

He was hit with another pebble. At this point, Pembrooke snapped.

‘That’s it!’ he shouted out and pulled out his sidearm. Vilivian took a step back. ‘Who the hell is chucking those freaking rocks at me?!’

Suddenly, a pale spectre appeared in front of them.

‘It’s me.’

‘A GHOST!’

A gunshot resounded throughout the town.

Vilivian was in pain, crouching on the ground and holding her ears. Pembrooke watched as the bullet he fired into the spectre stopped at his chest and unceremoniously fell to the ground.

‘Oh. Ow.’ The spectre’s expression was seething with sarcasm.

‘Huh.’ Pembrooke sheathed his weapon, slightly surprised. ‘Frankly, I thought it’d go through you.’

‘Depends on my mood, really.’

‘Funny that.’

‘Innit?’

‘. . . What . . . was . . . that?’

Vilivian asked meekly as she slowly stood up, still agonized.

‘That, Viliv, was a gun. A main lead in our performance tomorrowe’ Pembrooke patted his sidearm cockishly.

‘Ah, the two of you are contestants in tomorrow’s second round! Delighted to make your acquaintances. My name is Armel.’ he introduced himself cheerfully.

The spectre put one arm behind him and bowed his head slightly. His pale everything could hardly be seen through the pale everything else. Armel was a ghost quite literally through and through.

‘I’m Pembrooke.’

‘Vilivian of Lilith.’ She returned the bow. ‘You’re of regal descent, I take it?’

Armel let out a short laugh.

‘It’s the crown, isn’t it?’ he pointed at his head. ‘I was a prince once, indeed.’

‘Once?’

‘Well, I am dead now, aren’t I?’

‘Rather content for a dead man, aren’t you?’ Pembrooke scoffed. ‘Have you been here the whole time?’

‘Throughout your conversation and longer. Including Pembrooke’s pitiful attempts at romance.’

‘Bog off. Why the hell were you throwing rocks at me?’

Armel turned away slightly abashed.

‘. . . Because I’m jealous of happy couples that come here.’

‘Hypocrite!’

‘I beg to differ! Unlike you, my woes go beyond awful pick-up lines!’

‘What? Was the soup too salty, Your Highness?’ Pembrooke said mockingly. ‘Or did one of your concubines run away?’

‘Don’t call me that, please.’ Armel frowned.

‘How’d you die, Spectre,’ Vilivian asked. ‘If you don’t mind my asking.’

‘Not at all.’ He said and turned around. He pointed at his back.

‘Goodness,’ she said. ‘Those wounds . . .’

‘Bullet wounds.’ Pembrooke clarified. ‘There’s one . . . five . . .’

‘Seventeen.’ She counted.

‘Someone must’ve really wanted you dead, eh?’

‘I’m quite tenacious, too.’ Armel turned back.

‘So, what’s the woman problem you're having, Your Highness?’ Pembrooke smirked.

The dead prince gave him a cold glare.

‘It’s certainly far more elaborate than your attempts at “romance”, lad.’

‘You made attempts?’ Vilivian looked at Pembrooke.

‘That’s . . .’

‘Well, an “attempt”. Singular. I wager he barely mustered up the courage to ask—’

‘Vilivian, shouldn’t we go to Wendy’s?’ Pembrooke interrupted as his cheeks flushed.

‘Have forty minutes passed already?’

‘Yes!’ he said desperately. ‘We wouldn’t want to keep her waiting, would we?’

‘No . . . No, we wouldn’t.’ Vilivian gave them both a very calculated look.

‘Now, then, let’s go and . . .’

‘Spectre, how would you like to accompany us for a while?’

‘Why?!’ Pembrooke exclaimed.

‘I don’t mind,’ Armel said, slightly amused by Pembrooke’s reaction. ‘Is there anything specific you’d like of me?’

‘Yes, I’d like to speak to you later. For now, we ought to make our way back to the Sorceress.’

‘Oh, joyous night.’ Armel laughed. ‘We can talk on the way there.’

‘How about we don’t?’ Pembrooke grumbled.

***

Vilivian listened to the men’s bickering on the way back to the inn. Armel and Pembrooke made a surprisingly animated duo despite one being an aloof loner and the other being, well, dead.

The once a prince would constantly try to bring up Pembrooke’s folly and give him wayward advice regarding romance, whilst Pembroke tried to get the prince to open up about his own trouble.

She wasn’t exactly listening to them. She was rather troubled by the fact that she couldn’t sense the Spectre, but he made an appearance of a decent sort despite being a prince, but that’s what they’re really good at, aren’t they? Appearing.

When they arrived at Wendy’s door, Vilivian was about to knock but she stopped herself. She sensed two people inside. One was obviously Wendy; she’s gotten accustomed to her smell. But the other one . . . It was tainted.

‘Vilivian?’

‘Is something wrong?’

‘We’re about to see.’ She answered them and knocked on the door. Wendy’s voice answered from the inside.

‘Come in.’

Vilivian entered and the boys followed behind her.

Inside, Wendy was sitting by the desk, a bottle of grape wine was sitting next to her and the glass. Standing in the middle of the room, as if waiting for an audience, was Forte.

Red-skinned gentleman in a fine white dress shirt and black pants almost danced as he noticed Vilivian coming in.

‘Miss Vilivian!’ Forte applauded. His heterochromatic eyes showed youthful enthusiasm and his wide smile could charm almost anyone.

And yet, when Vilivian glanced at Wendy, she could easily notice Sorceress’ exhaustion.

‘Wordsmith,’ she said dryly. ‘I did not expect to find you here.’

‘Quite the happenstance I must say, wouldn’t you, Miss Williams? I was visiting another friend at the inn when I happened to overhear a voice of struggle here. I knocked and when there was no answer I entered fearing some harm would’ve come to Miss Williams!’

‘Struggle?’

Wendy looked down in shame. Her face was pale and her legs and hands were trembling.

‘I used too much magic and I couldn’t move my body.’ She confessed. ‘I fell off the chair and tried to crawl onto the bed, but . . .’

‘Thankfully, I was here otherwise you might’ve found her unconscious on the floor.’

‘Aren’t you the hero?’ said Pembrooke wryly.

Forte looked at him and then at Armel and smiled.

‘Miss Vilivian! Are these per chance friends of yours? I’m delighted to see you’ve managed to form relationships that go beyond the prey-hunter dynamic.’ He took off his hat and bowed. ‘Forte is my name; I’m a researcher, traveller and a wordsmith, as Miss Vilivian put it. Delighted to make your acquaintance.’

‘Name’s Pembrooke. Pleasure’s all mine.’

Armel stayed silent.

‘I’m more than a demon, Wordsmith, I’ll have you know.’ Said Vilivian.

‘You make a good case, that much I’ll admit. Your showing on the colosseum, however, left a lot to ponder still. Just what part of you is speaking right now?’

‘Both.’

‘And your eyes did not ease up one bit. Your guard is still up and those with keen eyes can tell that there’s something . . . savage about you.’

‘You won’t be shocked if I kill you right here and now, then?’ she allowed herself a slight smirk.

‘Vilivian . . .!’ Wendy exclaimed, shocked.

‘You wouldn’t, would you?’ said Armel, uncertainly.

Pembrooke just laughed.

‘Spare me not death, but the empty threats. I fully know you wouldn’t kill an innocent man.’

‘Innocent?’ Pembrooke interjected before Vilivian could answer. ‘In Crossroads? We ought to lock you up based solely on rarity value alone.’

‘What do you want, Wordsmith?’ Vilivian asked. ‘Tell me, before you give me an actual reason to spite you.’

‘After I helped Miss Williams sit up and treated her to some of the wine I had on hand,’ he pointed at the bottle lying on the table. Wendy turned away in disgust from it.

‘You just happened to have a bottle of wine on your person?’

Forte made a very offended expression.

‘There's a great deal of people who know me and rely on me. The bottle of the finest pinot noir was a gift from one such person.’

‘I understand that this bottle is one of a kind, then?’

‘As priceless as it is difficult to make,’ said Armel. ‘Few vineyards can cultivate the grapes for it, and fewer are capable of developing the complex taste the pinot noir is highly regarded for.’

‘A fellow connoisseur! I don’t believe we’ve met! May I have your name?’ Forte asked, grinning.

‘Names are for friends.’ Armel said coldly.

Vilivian could barely notice Forte’s lip twitching.

‘Dead men tell no tales, indeed. In any case, Miss Williams informed me of the crystal she’s been enchanting and their restorative capabilities. I, of course, found great interest in them as a fellow researcher.’

‘You want one, don’t you?’

‘You owe me, after all.’

‘Indeed. Wendy, are you able to . . .?’

‘No,’ she shook her head. ‘Those three are my last! I could order them, but . . .’

‘I reckon you want it today?’

‘My sister is taking part in the semi-final, Miss Vilivian.’

Vilivian sighed.

‘Considering your sister’s skill, I doubt she’ll have any difficulties with the Speedster, but fine. Take it, it’s yours.’ She nodded at the table.

Everyone, including Forte, looked at her surprised.

‘Are you sure, Vilivian?’ Wendy asked.

‘What the hell?’ Pembrooke bolted forward angrily and stood between her and Forte. ‘You don’t owe that pusher anything!’

‘I do, actually.’ She ignored Pembrooke’s glare. ‘But that equals my debt being repaid.’ She said urgently.

‘I’m not one to slander my own words, but I must say I expected more resistance from you. Glad to see you still manage to carry yourself with some sense of rationality.’

‘Aren’t you giving it up too easily?’ Pembrooke argued.

‘I’d rather not remain in his debt any longer. I’d rather give up a healing item now than face some impossible demand later. Besides, he’ll likely ask his sister to steal it away should I withhold it.’

‘Do go on, I love eavesdropping!’ Forte said, indignant.

‘Shut up! You’re the most at fault here!’ Pembrooke snapped at him.

‘Ah, Mr Pembrooke, your words wound my very soul.’

‘Colour me surprised, I didn’t know you had it in you.’

‘Oof, nothing like a satirical quip from a person who covets his lacking intelligence through sarcasm!’

Pembrooke glared daggers at him before turning back to Vilivian.

‘It’ll be hardly fair if I have means to heal myself and you don’t, you know?’

Vilivian raised her eyebrow.

‘There is some integrity to you after all.’

‘What is that supposed to mean?’

‘I could always give up my crystal . . .’ Wendy proposed, but both Vilivian and Pembrooke rejected that idea immediately.

‘Out of question.’

‘HELL NO!’

‘Sorry.’ Wendy said meekly.

‘Both you and the Sorceress need the stones more than I do. I’ll survive.’

‘You know,’ Pembrooke hissed. ‘I’ve a feeling you’ve been underestimating me this whole time. Ever since we talked at the beach . . . No, ever since you first offered me the crystal.’

‘I never underestimated you.’

‘And yet I have a feeling you think you’re stronger than me.’

‘Of that, I am guilty. I am stronger than you. By a lot.’

Silence befell the room. Vilivian did not elaborate as this was no boast nor a threat. Simply a statement. Forte chuckled in the background as Pembrooke grimaced. Armel and Wendy watched the tension rise.

‘To be completely honest, I don’t care much how you intend to resolve this conundrum though I’m convinced the result will be at least somewhat comical.’ Said Forte and grabbed one of the crystals from the table. ‘That said, I did not expect you to have a playful side. My sister painted you as someone who doesn’t play with their food.’ He glanced at Pembrooke.

‘Ah, you mean the scuffle the Blackblood and I participated in when we met?’ Vilivian shrugged. ‘I admit, the way people of Crossroads belittle their mortality is astounding.’

‘You’ve enjoyed it.’

‘As much as you could enjoy swatting flies.’

‘Which for you are most encounters.’ He shook his head and turned to Wendy. ‘My thanks for your hard work, Miss Williams. Please, consider the wine a gift for your efforts.’

Wendy gave the bottle of wine a glance of disdain.

‘Thank you . . .’

‘Miss Vilivian. Gentlemen.’ He bowed. ‘So long.’

Forte whistled his way out of the room, juggling the crystal in his hand. Wendy and Armel followed him out with their gazes, whilst Pembrooke stared at the floor with his arms crossed. Vilivian simply stared forward. She hoped that the crystal would prove useful to Forte’s sister. Meeting her in the final would be the only positive consequence of this ordeal.

‘Of all the bloody brands,’ Wendy broke the silence by cursing the bottle. ‘He had to pick that one.’

‘Will you be getting rid of it?’ Armel asked.

‘It is rather expensive, isn’t it? Eh, maybe I’ll use it for potions or give it to Saki.’ She sighed and picked up the remaining crystals from the table. She handed one to Pembrooke.

‘This one’s yours . . .’

He looked over the dimmed stone and then asked Vilivian.

‘Why are you so adamant on giving it to me?’

‘What answer are you expecting?’

‘A truthful one.’

‘I don’t have one like that.’

‘You don’t?’

She shook her head.

‘I’m positive that I’m not sure that I have an answer that will satisfy your query.’

He looked at her confused. She remained stoic, as always. He sighed resigned and hid the crystal in his pocket.

‘I need a drink.’

And then he left. They heard him walking down the hallway.

‘. . . This one’s for you, Viliv.’ Wendy handed over her crystal.

‘Your. Not mine.’ Vilivian said.

‘You’ll need it for tomorrow’s fight, won’t you?’ Wendy smiled.

‘But your research . . .’

‘Won’t go anywhere. It’s not like we can’t make more once I get more crystals, right?’

‘Yes, but it’s rightfully yours. You don’t have to compensate me for my debts.’

‘Then, I’m giving it to you as a gift. From a friend.’ She smiled.

Vilivian looked at Wendy’s tired expression then at the crystal and returned the smile.

‘Thank you, Wendy.’

The Sorceress giggled happily. ‘You’re welcome.’

‘This may not be my place to ask, Vilivian,’ Armel started carefully. ‘But what exactly do you make of Pembrooke?’

‘Mediocrity.’ She answered bluntly.

‘You’re harsh . . .’ said Wendy.

‘I’m generous.’

‘He wouldn’t take kindly to that comment judging by his reaction to what you said earlier.’ Armel pointed out. He may have bickered with Pembrooke, but he couldn’t help but express worry over the soldier's reaction.

‘It’s a fact. He’s the one who’s overcomplicating this.’

‘He may be overcomplicating because he doesn’t like the truth.’

‘Yes. But nothing has to stay true forever.’

‘If you say so . . . By the way, didn’t you want something from me?’

‘Hm? Ah, yes.’ She stretched. ‘I do fancy a drink, however. Mind joining me in the Fox Den, Spectre?’

‘Well, I can technically drink . . . I don’t mind.’

‘And you, Wendy? We’d love to have you.’

‘I am tired, but . . . Well, I can have a cup or two.’

‘Let’s go then.’

***

They would catch up to Pembrooke rather quickly and despite the boy’s grumblings he didn’t mind accompanying him to the Fox Den with some conversation, though he didn’t exchange a word with Vilivian. On the way they discovered that all but Pembrooke had a mutual acquaintance in Aude – a vixen friend of Armel.

Fox Den in the middle of the night was like any other bar in the multiverse. It was like this almost everywhere.

Night time bars were solemn, calm and slow – perfect for the people who want to just be without interruption. It was too easy to get into an argument or a brawl earlier in the day, but now there were few people – all of them brooding or drinking wistfully with an exception of that one man who ate the ceiling once and now everyone’s too scared to get rid of him.

The group sat at the counter and Saki counted on her fingers.

‘Alright, to get the orders right. That's a pint of lager for Pembrooke, glass of rum for Armel . . .’

‘Make it double.’

‘I’ll just charge you a whole bottle.’

‘Aye, fair enough.’

‘. . . hot chocolate for Wendy . . .’

‘Oh! With extra whipped cream and marshmallows, please!’ Wendy asked excitedly.

‘. . . and a glass of pinot noir for Vilivian.’

‘Please.’

‘You know, I could give you that bottle . . .’ Wendy said.

‘I refuse to acknowledge any gift coming from that man.’ Said Vilivian, soured.

‘So, you are upset.’ Pembrooke gave half a mocking smile.

‘Yes. That’s part of the reason I’m drinking now.’

The drinks were put in front of them. They looked at their drinks. They drank their drinks.

‘. . . You know what gets me?’ Wendy started, after a while. ‘The fact that the first thing he did after helping me up was putting down that bottle, as if it were a boon of some deity and then had the audacity to ask me about the crystals. Researcher. Pah!’ she sipped her chocolate. The whipped cream formed a moustache on her mouth.

‘. . . What gets me,’ said Armel. ‘Is how pretentious he was the whole time.’

‘The way he speaks is also annoying.’ Added Pembrooke.

Everyone nodded. They drank their drinks.

‘So, Princeboy,’ said Pembrooke. ‘Who’s the gal?’

‘Subtle as a brick.’ Armel sighed. ‘You might know her . . .’

‘It’s probably Aude.’ Said Saki.

‘It’s likely Aude.’ Wendy added.

‘Must be the Vixen.’ Vilivian settled.

Armel groaned as Pembrooke chuckled happily.

‘There’s the subtlety you wanted so much. I take it you’re breaking up?’

‘We’re hardly a couple.’ Armel admitted. ‘“Partners” is more like . . . It’s complex. Frankly, I’m shocked it took me this long to realize the feelings I have for her . . .’

They drank their drinks. Saki knew her customers better than anyone so she silently refilled them, including Wendy’s hot chocolate and the whipped cream.

‘I’d worry about the health of any relationship involving Aude. And I mean the literal, physical health.’

‘He isn’t really risking much considering he’s dead.’ Said Vilivian.

‘Well, each to their own, I suppose . . .’ Wendy whistled.

‘You people are a little unfair. Listen, I know that Aude may be . . .’

‘Unnecessarily violent?’ Saki observed.

‘A sociopath?’ Wendy deduced.

‘Mad.’ Vilivian stated.

‘All of the above?’ Pembrooke finished.

‘You’re . . .’ Armel sighed loudly. ‘All correct.’

They drank their drinks. Armel turned to Wendy.

‘So, Wendy. Let’s say you’re a woman.’

Pembrooke’s beer stopped midway to his lips. Saki almost dropped a glass she was cleaning.

Wendy looked at him, uncertain.

‘. . . I am a woman, Armel, but fine. It shouldn’t be too hard.’

‘Another woman. And someone told you that they loved you. How would you react?’

‘Before or after they questioned my sex?’

‘I was setting up a scenario. You know what I mean!’

‘That depends. Have they just blurted it out? Have I known them for a long time? I lack some context. Why? Are you scared things won’t proceed naturally?’

‘I am, since we’ve had an argument. When we . . . if we manage to make up, I'd like to push things forward, but I’m not sure how to consider Aude’s . . . unpredictability.’

‘It will certainly take time.’

‘And I’ve nothing but that, but we’ve been practically joined at the hip ever since we met!’

‘In every sense except literal, I’d wager.’ Pembrooke snorted.

‘I would never think of her that way! I’d look to her for support and guidance, and . . .’

‘And what support and guidance did you find in the sway of her tail?’ Vilivian asked.

‘That’s not what I— I wouldn’t—’ Armel’s ghastly visage was mottled with red. ‘What about you, Vilivian? What would you do if someone were to profess their passion for you?’

‘Most men that did tried to deceive me. The one man whose feelings were genuine hesitated in the most important moment and watched his companions be slaughtered by my hand before I killed him as well.’

They listened in shocked curiosity.

‘Love is ethereal.’ She drank her wine. ‘But don’t take my thoughts at face-value. Demons like me can’t feel love beyond familial camaraderie.’

‘You can’t?’ Wendy asked. ‘Then how are you . . .’

‘Do you really want to know?’

‘. . . Yes.’ she answered, uncertainly.

‘No. You don’t. This once, I’ll spare you the burden of knowledge.’

‘Burden of knowledge . . . Funny. I came here seeking exactly that. Means to save my home and at the same time I was running away from it. I’m scared that one day I might find out that there's no such means.’

They looked at their drinks. They drank their drinks. Armel immediately downed the glass of rum and refilled it from the bottle.

‘The last memory I have of home is of it being in a civil war.’ The ghost stared at his drink wistfully. ‘How many years have passed since it ended . . .? What has become of that nation, I wonder sometimes . . .’

‘My home’s a stone cave deep underground I spent a millennium in.’ Vilivian said. ‘You certainly have much more freedom of guessing.’

‘Yeah. Well, we most likely have lost and once the new order established itself they moved on to the things proper nations do, like preparing to wage another war.’ He scoffed. ‘What of you, Pembrooke? What’s your home like?’

‘Quiet.’ He answered. ‘Content. Nothing ever happens aside from vandalism and occasional mariticide.’

‘Mariticide?’

Pembrooke laughed gravely. ‘It’s a cheaper alternative to a divorce.’

‘Sounds almost dystopian.’ Wendy commented.

‘And yet it isn’t. Everything works properly. Attend education. Attend mandatory military service. Finish education. Serve the nation. Sometimes fight for the nation. It’s a cycle that works. I hate it, but it works. Not everyone’s a farmer, but everyone’s a soldier.’

‘So, you say.’ Vilivian said. ‘Yet, you don’t behave like one.’

‘Oh? And how would a soldier behave then, Lady Vilivian? Enlighten us, please!’ Pembrooke raved.

‘Thorough, unburdened by morality but proud to serve..’

‘Proud to serve, she says . . .! Proud of fucking what? Do you want to know what being a soldier is really like?!’

The chair cluttered as Pembrooke stood back up and drunkenly stumbled towards Vilivian and glared at her. She looked back at him

‘Do tell.’

‘Ever been on a farm outside the town? They’ve got animals there – cows, to be specific. And you know how it is, sometimes a cow will take a steaming pile of shit in the middle of the field and do you know who has to clean it up? Not the owner, not even the bloody farmhands, but disposable schmucks trained and dedicated to flip the dung over the fence. That’s what being a soldier is like. What use is my pride for?’

‘You don’t need to be proud of the flag you serve, Pembrooke.’ Armel said. ‘Be proud of the strength you can achieve by yourself – of the obstacles you can overcome . . .’

‘Shut it. I received the harshest training my nation can offer. I am one of the most skilled to pass the boot camp. And I still know that pretending to be a “good soldier” is nothing short of lying to myself.’

‘Like you are right now?’ Vilivian asked. ‘Your insecurities regarding your abilities are apparent.’

‘What do you know? Why do you care? Was that thing,’ he pulled out a crystal and showed it to them. ‘Supposed to be a pity gift from you to me?’

‘You’ll die without it.’

‘Is that a threat?’

‘Prediction, Male. You may have your training, but without the tools that don’t at least match up to my abilities you remain just a human. The crystal will spare you a single mistake.’

‘For all of that talk of overconfidence you’re awfully full of it, aren’t you?’

‘I have experience to back it up. Do you?’

‘I am in a semi-final, am I not?’

‘And what is that supposed to indicate?’

‘. . . That “just a human” is going to emerge victorious against you tomorrow.’ He said quietly.

Pembrooke scowled and left the Fox Den. Wendy and Armel, who had no idea how to include themselves in that argument, exchanged looks. The prince especially bearing a very unsatisfied grimace.

‘Vilivian,’ he started. ‘I don’t think there is anything in particular you wanted with me.’

‘You had a strangely friendly dynamic with him back on the beach,’ she confessed. ‘I was curious to see how it would develop.’

‘I tend to get along with other people.’ He said. ‘But much less so when they treat me as an unaware part of an experiment.’

‘I’m sorry.’

He shook his head, resigned.

‘You’re not the most socially adept person, are you?’

‘No,’ she gave a half-smile.

‘Who am I to judge? I can hardly make up my mind about a girl I love. Oh, well.’ He stood up. ‘No hard feelings so long as you don’t do it again. I take it you agitated Pembrooke in order to make him bring out his best in your fight?’

‘I simply spoke the truth. He’s the one who’s incapable of facing it.’

‘Sure.’ He smiled smugly. ‘Well, I’ll be taking my leave. Good luck in your fight.’

‘Thank you.’

‘See you around, Wendy.’

‘Good bye, Armel.’ She smiled back and after he left she turned towards Vilivian. ‘I should probably get back too, Vilivian. It’s been . . . a very long night.’

Vilivian smiled warmly at the sorceress. ‘It most certainly has, Wendy. Your work will not go underappreciated.’

‘No, please, don’t mention it. As much as I want to see my work be put in practice I hope none of you come to any grave harm.’

‘Will you come to watch?’

‘Of course!’ she said happily. ‘After spending time with both you and Pembrooke I’d be a fool not to root for either of you. Make sure you give it your best, alright?’

‘Naturally. Thank you, Wendy.’

Wendy smiled, bowed and left.

Vilivian was left alone with her drink and Saki. Their attention was suddenly brought to the very familiar jingle of bells coming from the stairs leading up to the VIP area of the Fox Den.

‘Wendy, Armel, Pembrooke . . .’ Chifu approached them and sat down next to Vilivian. ‘You keep making friends, Viliv, but you won’t call me by my given name. What gives, she pouted.’

‘Apologies, Trickster,’ Vilivian turned to her drink. ‘I’ll make sure to compensate you eventually.’

‘I didn’t expect you to be awake at this hour, Chifu.’ Said Saki.

‘Oh, I woke up with a hangover so I thought I’d get some medicine from my bestie!’

‘I’d like to get some sleep sometimes too, you know?’

‘I know.’

Saki sighed.

‘The usual, then?’ She approached the tap. ‘And you Viliv? A refill?’

‘If you’d be so kind, Saki. Thank you.’

‘Anytime.’ Saki smiled smugly and looked at Chifu who pouted at them both.

‘That is just rude is what that is!’

Saki put the drinks in front of them. In one swing Chifu downed half her pint while Vilivian gently sipped her wine.

‘Ah. So, Viliv. Mind enlightening us what was the purpose of this whole charade you put up with Pembrooke?’

Vilivian gave her a single glance, but nothing beyond that.

‘You know, at first I thought there was some infatuation on your part. A handsome man through a simple act of kindness enkindles the cold, cold heart of a demon . . .’

‘I’d sooner lay with a woman.’ Vilivian said emotionlessly.

‘. . . Then you take him to Wendy’s. “Bold”, I thought to myself back then, but you started talking about magical rocks and I kind of lost interest. But then you kept . . . pushing him. Trying to bring out a reaction – not that difficult, mind you - I just didn’t paint you as someone who would willingly spark a conflict. So, truthfully speaking, Viliv – why did you anger him?’

‘For fun.’ Vilivian drank her wine.

Chifu and Saki looked at her surprised.

‘Oh. My. Me.’ Chifu said. ‘I’ll tear up. Our little demon’s all grown up now!’

‘You did inspire me, Trickster.’

‘You hear that, Saki?’

‘Let’s hope she won’t take up your drinking habits.’ Saki mumbled and left for the kitchen.

‘The first time I encountered that Male I didn’t know who he was. Aside from the random act of altruism and the stench of alcohol I could sense his self-doubt and diffidence. I took him as just another average human of the Crossroads. Plenty of people like him in this place. The second time, I knew that he was my opponent. And I was . . . intrigued. How could someone so mediocre pass on to the next round? I was told he’s a soldier, of course, but his adversary was an immortal, which means that the technology and skills he boasted were, to some extent, truthful. Led by curiosity, I offered him the healing crystal expecting him to either accept it– as a soldier should use every tool, or reject it due to his pride as a warrior. He took it, but treated it as an offering of pity from me.’

‘And what’s the conclusion you draw from this?’

‘That his first victory weakened him. He’s not used to feeling empowered, and any slight or doubt made towards his ability invokes anger within him because deep down he believes it. He’s lying to himself.’

‘Sounds about right.’ Chifu drank.

‘You knew?’

‘Plenty of people doubt themselves. Plenty of people get on a success high. Pembrooke is, well, just an average guy with pretty good skills. Your expectations of him may simply be too high.’

‘They may be. But I did provoke him deliberately. I want him to fight to his fullest strength tomorrow.’

‘Why is that?’ Chifu asked. ‘You realize that him not holding anything back may result in your loss?’

‘I do, but I can’t help it. I want to have fun.’

Chifu raised her eyebrows. Vilivian smiled ravenously.

‘You were right. Emulating civilized society will be . . . boring. I realized that as I sat down with Wendy and the Spectre. I could pretend to be a human, hide away my demonic nature and abilities, but they didn’t pretend to be someone they aren’t. Wendy openly experiments in her own room at the inn and even rented the room below her just to be safe. She’s willing to knock on Death's door in order to pursue her scientific research . . . and the Spectre is probably the only person capable of out drinking you. How long will I last, pretending to be something I’m not?’ She giggled. ‘Not to mention . . . when I fought Volley I realized that I really like a good fight.’

‘. . . Careful, Viliv. Your Matriarch is showing.’ Chifu said.

‘I’m glad. I don’t want people to mistake me for a simple human.’

‘Good show tomorrow, then?’

‘If that Male manages to live up to his potential, yes. Definitely.’

‘Will he?’

‘One way or another, Trickster, I will have my fun. And you will have yours.’

Vilivian smiled mischievously.

‘Well then,’ Chifu raised her glass. ‘To good fun.’

***

Crowds have gathered at the Colosseum shoving in the seemingly unending lines. The semi-finals attracted many more spectators than the first rounds despite it being seemingly the hottest day of the month.

Pembrooke was sweltering in his black and white modular slim suit awaiting his turn in Colosseum by the bathrooms in Fighters’ Area. It provided little durability, but the manoeuvrability provided by the attached air-pack in the back was too valuable to pass on.

He had second thoughts on leaving Axelion behind, however. He was rather drunk when he declared himself self-sufficient. Still, he believed he had something to prove – and that was that he was a little more than just a pilot of a giant fighting robot.

He looked over the equipment. Pembrooke had his knife sharpened at the shop and he checked his handgun twice. Other than that, he only had the healing crystal. He considered throwing it away in fit of rage last night, but some notion deep in his mind prevented him from doing so. Common sense, most likely.

He felt really bad about shouting at Vilivian like that, but it’s not like she wasn’t at fault either. Her perception of some things was very old-fashioned. She needed to be enlightened about some things and . . .

He shook his head and took a deep breath. No point. It’s now or never in a few minutes. All he could do was to prepare himself mentally.

Chifu smiled content as the second semi-final was a few minutes away. She watched over the Colosseum from her balcony, alone.

She got rather excited yesterday night and that excitement persisted through to the current moment, as rare as it happens. Vilivian’s little epiphany might just be the spice this tournament needs.

‘Humph.’

She heard and turned her head towards the sound. Volley was climbing the wall of her balcony. He had a bag tied around his neck and in his hands, he was holding a folding chair and Vilivian’s keepsake.

‘G’day, Miss God Eater. Today’s a scorcher, innit?’

‘Why are you here?’

‘Duh, to watch the fight. Miss Viliv asked to watch over her keepsake here, see?’ he showed the sheathed Excalibur. He then unfolded the chair and put it next to Chifu’s throne.

‘You’re joking.’

‘‘Course not. Here,’ he reached in the bag and pulled out a cold can of beer. ‘My Auntie said to give this to you.’

Chifu took the beer.

‘I’ll allow it. What are these?’ she pointed at the box Volley opened.

‘Animal crackers.’

‘. . . Can I have some?’

‘Fine. But the elephant-shaped ones are mine.’

‘Is there a fox one?’

‘Welcome back, Crossroads!’

X’s voice exploded throughout the arena. The filled stands cheered in excitement as the screens showed her floating above the colosseum.

‘Guys, gals and pals, it is nigh time for us to settle for the second finalist of the Crossroads Tournament! Both fighters gave us a grand showing yesterday, but who will manage to emerge victorious?! Please, welcome – Vilivian of Lilith!’

Jeers mixed in with the ovations. Obnoxiously energetic music accompanied Vilivian as she exited onto the arena as calm as ever. She was clothed in a red blouse and black pants and kept her left arm behind her back.

Once stopped in the middle of the arena Miss X continued to speak.

‘Her opponent is considered an underdog, but he’s known to bring an upset! Please, welcome – Pembrooke Artysup!’

Pembrooke exhaled and put on his sunglasses. He made sure his watch was tightly fit and entered the arena.

The sun scorched the arena and Pembrooke was already getting high on the atmosphere amongst the ovations, the loud music and the heat.

He made it to the middle where Vilivian was waiting. The argument was still fresh; Pembrooke feared that she may try and press on his psyche. Any word coming from her lips could become a means to weaken his morale.

‘Hot day, isn’t it?’ she smiled softly as she watched a butterfly fly by.

‘Ah. Yeah.’ He answered, uncertainly.

Miss X’s voice resounded yet again.

‘What a weather, am I right?’ her laughter echoed. ‘Let’s heat up the atmosphere even more by making the arena a little more fitting!’

A sudden and powerful gust of wind kicked up around them. Dust rose up, confusing them and blocking off view. Pembrooke covered his head with his arms and after several seconds of violent winds he witnessed the arena change.

Golden sand surrounded him, including the footing. He could barely make out the stands, peeking from in-between the dunes. Vilivian was as perplexed as he was, but she did not allow that expression to linger for long.

She chased away some of her hair in the front. ‘Shall we?’

‘Are the fighters ready?!’ Miss X exclaimed loudly.

Pembrooke put his hand on his handgun as Vilivian clenched her fists and took a stance.

Melee? Yeah. No.

‘Begin!’

Before Vilivian could take one step in his direction he pulled out his gun and shot her shoulder. The bullet went in and blood dripped into the sand. She groaned and collapsed on one knee, and Pembrooke hesitated. A quick thought said; is that it? Which was immediately replaced by “hell no”, but before he could double-tap he noticed Vilivian smirk smugly.

‘Ah. That surprised me.’

Her words, and that smirk, somehow maddened him immensely.

‘Ward.’ She chanted and stood up – quickly and effortlessly.

Pembrooke moved back as he fired three more bullets, but only one managed to graze her shoulder until the translucent magical shield was put up in front of her.

She ran towards him with her arm extended and the shield covering most of her front. He lowered his weapon and shot at her leg just as she was jumping and proceeding to dropkick him in the chest.

They both collapsed with his handgun falling out of his hand and sunglasses off his head. He gathered himself as quickly as he could and reached for it, but Vilivian was already swinging at him.

He reached for the combat knife strapped to his hip and ducked down avoiding her swing. He immediately stabbed to counter, but his arm was grabbed and that’s where he realized Vilivian’s inhuman strength.

She raised his arm effortlessly despite his opposition and with her other fist she struck his ribs. The audience yelled out in shock.

Pembrooke coughed out, stunned in grave pain as he collapsed onto the sand along with the knife. He looked up at Vilivian who merely glared at him from above. Her shoulder wound was dripping with blood, but she didn’t seem to mind.

‘Get up.’ She said stone-faced as the spectators jeered at her.

He tried to, truly, but as he took breath to gather strength a sharp pain coursed through his chest and he fell back again.

‘I must’ve fractured a rib or two. Pardon me,’ she said in a scarily sweet voice. ‘I tend to forget how fragile humans really are.’

He grimaced. She had that expectant look on her face and he had no choice. He reached for his pocket and took out the healing crystal. He put the crystal near to where he was struck and focused.

Heal me, he thought. Heal me and let me kill this bitch before she kills me.

The crystal shined then shattered. Pembrooke felt a painful current run through his body.

He could feel his insides put themselves back together. His ribs returned to their form, the blood getting cleansed and the pain that came with it. He would scream if it weren’t even more painful, so he gritted his teeth and focused on staying conscious.

It passed eventually and all he felt was slight numbness in the chest and voltage jolting him every few seconds.

He stood up, Vilivian standing calmly a few feet away. It was incredible how quick he got better. The healing spell was truly something to behold.

‘Again?’ she asked smugly. She glanced over at the knife to his right and at the gun to his left. He’s had about enough of her toying with him.

He leaned forward and pressed a button on his modular suit and the sudden burst propelled him forward knee first into Vilivian’s head.

The Matriarch collapsed shocked, but still conscious whilst Pembrooke managed to stick the landing perfectly. He rushed to recover his gun, sand not making it any easier and when he reached it he turned immediately and fired upon Vilivian.

The woman had already created a barrier with her one hand that blocked his shots. With the other hand she raised it into a fist, glowing blue.

‘Burst.’ She chanted and the ground beneath Pembrooke trembled.

‘Fuckin’ magics!’ he cursed as the sand around him exploded violently and pushed him back. Course and rough on his eyes he could barely notice Vilivian approaching him yet again.

He tried to aim, but she grabbed the handgun and wrestled it away as she headbutted him. Pembrooke staggered backwards, his nose bleeding, he wheezed in pain.

Vilivian stood with a gun in her hand. She rotated it around in her hand, studying it like the most diligent scholar.

‘Technology is incredible,’ she said in awe. ‘Such simple concept; aim and fire. And you can’t even see the projectile. If it were made of silver I might’ve died.’

She aimed it at him and pulled the trigger.

Strange, thought Pembrooke. He’s been so used to the sound of gunfire he’s learned to ignore it most of the time. And yet, that single gunshot echoed in his mind, hollowing out everything else.

He looked down and saw blood pour out the side of his stomach.

‘Ah.’ He finally heard himself gasp as he grabbed his wound and fell sitting down on the sand. His head bobbing up and down as he realized his own mortality.

Miss X floated above them, showing them on screens as the audience was made spectacularly silent.

‘Well,’ Vilivian said, disappointed as she snapped the handgun in two and threw the pieces away. ‘It seems rather efficient on you, however.’

‘Don’t compare average humans to monsters like you.’ He uttered.

‘You think you're average?’

‘Shut up!’ he snapped and winced. He was struggling for breath. ‘You’ve made your point yet? You beat me. I was wrong. I lost. I couldn’t do anything.’

‘You’ve already had everything you needed to defeat me,’ she crooked her head observing his wound. ‘You simply chose to not do it.’

‘What use would that thing be?’ he cried. ‘Against witches? Ghosts? You?’ he coughed violently and then said in a weak voice. ‘What kind of training or equipment was supposed to prepare me for the supernatural? For things that were simply born better?’

Vilivian pressed her lips, vexed.

‘Don’t blame your own incompetence on birth rights or the unknown. I am over a thousand years old. Not all my victories were decisive and I have suffered losses as well. But I got stronger. I trained and learned.’

‘My world was at peace – I had no reason to put in any effort!’

‘Then why fight in this tournament?’

‘Because . . . I wanted to prove to myself that I am more than I thought!’

He coughed, but Vilivian remained impassive.

‘Whether I should consider your fallacy a consequence of your inflated ego or sheer stupidity is hard to say.’ She approached and picked up the knife he dropped earlier. ‘You could’ve been more but you were content with a single victory. You saw yourself invulnerable enough to stop trying. Here, Male.’ she stabbed the knife into the sand in front of him. ‘Kill yourself with it and prove that you at least posses the bravery of a soldier you were trained to be. Or surrender. At this point that’s what I’d expect from you.’

He looked at his reflection in the blade. Damn it, he thought. That’s not how it was supposed to go. A quick, maybe fun tournament. Maybe a prize; some means for him to realize that his life isn’t pointless. That there is more to it. And what did he find? Death.

With a trembling hand, he grabbed the handle. He never thought to end up this way. He looked up at Vilivian. Anger numbed the pain as he slowly stood up, groaning.

He’s lost a lot of blood and Vilivian looked in surprise at his endurance. It was as if he sustained himself on hatred alone.

‘Is that your last breath?’ she asked.

‘If I surrender now, I’ll just prove myself wrong.’ He pointed a knife at her. ‘That way, I can at least go out in blazes of damned glory.’

Vilivian scoffed.

‘You can’t even do it yourself, so you need me to kill you for you? Pathetic. Why not prove me right and show me that there is some semblance of warrior spirit within you?’

‘You’re still on about that?’ he smiled wryly. ‘I didn’t even bring the fucking thing to the arena. And with this wound . . .’

Vilivian threw something at him. He managed to grab it in his bloodied hand and he could feel the healing crystal tremble in reaction to his blood.

She smiled at his flabbergasted expression.

‘You . . .’

‘Don’t need it.’

He glared at her mocking grin and then he put the crystal next to his bullet wound.

‘I hate you.’ He stated.

‘I know.’

He writhed in pain and fell on his knees as the electric current stunned him. He felt slight discomfort as his insides twisted back to their proper form and the bullet got expelled from his body.

Not even a scar remained and aside from a slight numbness he was feeling good. The pain subsided and his breathing stabilized.

‘It doesn’t change the fact that Axelion isn’t here, you know?’ he said, happy that he managed to avoid death for now, but still aware that Vilivian may change the fact relatively effortlessly.

‘Oh!’ Vilivian exclaimed rather loudly. ‘I’m certain that some dramatic convenience would be nothing but a trivial matter for someone who treats spatial magic as a hobby!’

She made a quick glance at God Eater’s balcony; someone chuckled from that direction.

A powerful wind picked up into a sandstorm around them. Pembrooke got near-sighted very quickly as the sand had gotten seemingly everywhere. A sudden burst of wind from behind him dispersed the sand and when he turned around he saw Axelion.

Twelve-metre-tall machine, slightly covered in sand; the knight kneeling before Pembrooke, as ever as it could be to fight – awaiting orders.

He turned to Vilivian who pushed away some of her hair.

‘You’ll regret it, you know?’ For the first time during this fight he exuded confidence.

‘Show me, then. And in exchange,’ she clenched her fists. The veins on her body lit up with purple. ‘I’ll show you.’

The audience cheered on loudly as Miss X commented colourfully.

‘What is happening?! Contestant Vilivian willingly helped her adversary! And what is that machine and where could it have POSSIBLY come from?!’

Pembrooke climbed onto Axelion’s cockpit in the back as Vilivian’s body changed.

Her clothes were torn apart as her torso and legs grew in size. Skin turned hard, into a dark colour as her limbs grew in length and fingers turned into claws. From her back a tail started emerging – long, segmented and flexible its point was sharp.

Anything resembling humanity disappeared – even her face. The eyes, lips and nose were gone and her head turned white and morphed to resemble a calf skull.

Inside Axelion, Pembrooke immediately connected himself to the machine. The mecha came to life as its senses became Pembrooke and vice versa.

+++ Reactor Outputs NORMAL +++

+++ Ammunition Systems NORMAL +++

+++ Missile Systems NORMAL +++

+++ Limbic Systems NORMAL +++

+++ Sensors NORMAL +++

+++ Welcome Back INSERT YOUR NAME HERE +++

‘Alright, Axelion. We’ve got ourselves a demon to kill!’ Pembrooke high-fived the grenade hanging from the ceiling. For luck.

+++ Acknowledged +++

The Axelion stood up; the noise of the engine drowned the sounds of the colosseum as the mighty goliath stood up ready for a fight. They watched Vilivian finish her transformation; the purple light within her glowed for a little before dying out. Her hollow eye sockets observing him.

‘Let’s dance.’

The autocannons mounted on its head took aim and fired before Vilivian managed to move. The projectiles pushed her back, but didn’t manage to even put a dent in her skin.

She charged toward him brushing off the projectiles that managed to hit her and once she was close enough she jumped.

Axelion’s right arm moved quickly, but with very mechanical motion and Vilivian was swatted out of the air like a fly. She collapsed into a dune and was partially covered by sand.

Mecha’s right arm equipped itself with a beam saber and the mechanical knight charged forward. Vilivian dug herself out of sand and with her enhanced agility and speed dodging the strike wasn’t difficult. She jumped up on the Axelion’s arm, wrapping her extended tail around it and climbing atop towards the head. The autocannons took aim and fired at her, but Vilivian persisted through. Once she reached the head she smashed in the eye.

+++ WARNING! Damage to Main Sensor Detected +++

‘I can see that!’

She then tried to rip out the autocannons and though they still managed to open fire at Vilivian which caused her to recoil; she jumped behind them onto Axelion’s neck and tore them out from there.

+++ WARNING! Damage To External Cannons Detected +++

‘I fucking know! Grab her!’

Axelion’s free hand managed to pluck Vilivian and threw her into the sand at its feet just after she tore the cannons out. The saber came down to pierce her, but Vilivian moved aside and tried climbing the arm once more, but Axelion moved back and instead kicked her.

+++ External Cannons Not Detected. Would You Like To Send Report? +++

‘Do not send the fucking report!’

Vilivian was sent flying, but neither the kick nor landing on sand didn’t cause her any damage either.

Though Axelion lost two weapons he was glad to retain the main eye’s functionality. Relying on auxiliary sensors, while possible, was difficult especially with something so fast moving.

Pembrooke had another beam saber fire up in Axelion’s other arm and he charged her. The heat coming from exhausts in the back burned the sand into glass as Axelion took swings at Vilivian. She ducked under and climbed on its leg from behind.

‘Again?! Fly up!’

The thrusters pointed downwards as Vilivian climbed the leg. She saw flame appearing in one of the exhausts and barely jumped away towards the middle where the door to the cockpit was. Axelion launched into the air and Pembrooke decided to let gravity do the work.

Axelion rose through the air and Pembrooke started hearing pounding.

‘What—’

Another loud bang and a dent appeared in the door to the cockpit.

‘Shit!’

Axelion sped up its Ascend. Vilivian could barely hold on.

‘Pleasefalloffpleasefalloffpleasefalloff!!’

They were slightly above the stands when Vilivian fell off and dove to the sand below. She helplessly flailed in the air and landed in the dune kicking up the dust.

Axelion landed as well, blowing away the desert.

‘Where is she?’ Pembrooke asked.

+++ Unidentified Lifeform Detected Approximately FIVE Meters Below This Unit +++

‘Below? What is she—’

The Axelion started sinking into the ground. The sand gave out beneath it and started falling into the ravine from which Vilivian emerged. She quickly climbed the back of Axelion and started attacking the thrusters. Pembrooke surrendered his sabers and desperately commanded the giant to grab her, but the Matriarch deftly avoided capture whilst removing mecha’s flight ability all the while it sunk deeper into the underground.

+++ WARNING! Thrusters ONE and TWO Capability At Minimum. +++

+++ WARNING! BOTTOM LIMBS Functionality Obstructed +++

+++ Would You Like To Troubleshoot For Help? +++

‘Fuck!’

He looked at Vilivian. She placed herself a safe distance from his hands. Her blood veins started glowing with purple light. He could see her heart light up like a star.

‘What’s she doing?’

+++ DATA NOT FOUND +++

Vilivian opened her mouth. The insides were dark as the abyss. A purple light appeared within.

‘She’s using magic!’

+++ DATA NOT FOUND +++

‘Fire the rockets!’

+++ PREPARING MISS—

ERASE. Vilivian’s voice echoed in Pembrooke’s head.

Energy gathered in Vilivian’s body was unleashed through her mouth. Magic at its purest took the form of a pink beam as it was launched at the Axelion with a singular purpose – to remove everything it meets.

The Axelion was cut in half separating its torso from legs. Pembrooke was just above when the beam struck and it continued going towards the stands – the spectators tried running away, but the beam dispersed ceremonially just as it was about to hit.

Axelion’s torso collapsed onto the sand with Pembrooke still inside. He cried in pain as he was thrown around the walls inside.

‘A giant, fucking, robot . . . Fuck!’ He noticed Vilivian slowly approaching him. Her tail waved from one side to another. She relished in it, he just knew. That monstrous expression didn’t show anything but he knew she was being smug.

But then, a glimmer of hope.

+++ MISSILES PREPARED +++

+++ TARGET LOCKED +++

+++ FIRE? +++

‘Yes! YES!’ he shouted.

+++ FIRING MISSILES +++

From the back of his torso Axelion launched four rockets into the air. They quickly set course onto Vilivian and the Matriarch didn’t even react when they struck her.

The explosion would’ve levelled the buildings, but on this makeshift desert all it did was create a temporary sandstorm.

Pembrooke wasn’t ready to throw in the towel just yet. He’s come too far. He grabbed the rifle and a spare magazine and took off the grenade that was hanging and hid it in his pocket – for luck.

He had to kick the hatch open. The wind immediately got into his mouth. Why was it so freaking hard to see anything?

He slowly walked up to where Vilivian was standing; his rifle up, squinting eyes to see as much as he could without being bothered. And then he saw her. Oh, what a beautiful view it was.

She was kneeling. With a large wound on her stomach, that showed her pink flesh beneath the coal skin. Her tail was gone as well as her right arm was completely gone, a bleeding pink spot was there instead. The left one had an elbow become a piece of meat barely connecting two parts of her arm. Her mouth was open wide with her tongue sticking out.

The tag, on her left arm, was slightly dirtied, but was left otherwise undamaged.

‘I told you you would regret it.’

INDEED, Vilivian’s weak voice echoed in his mind. SEEMS I WAS . . . CARELESS.

‘It’s over. I’m not going to make the same mistake as you did. I won’t kill you though. That will make us even.’

He heard her chuckle.

IS THAT SO? CLAIM MY TAG THEN. YOU’VE EARNED IT.

‘You could just surrender.’

YOU DIDN’T. WHY SHOULD I? COME NOW, I CAN BARELY MOVE.

He looked at her barely attached arm then looked at her unmoving expression. He aimed his rifle and fired. He shot off the piece of meat and the lower arm fell to the ground. ‘There. Now, I can take the tag.’

CLEVER.

‘Well, I hope you will remember this lesson.’

LESSON?

He approached her, close enough to snag away the tag and spoke softly near where he thought her ears would be.

‘Don’t tell me what to do. Because I just might do it.’

It felt cathartic. For a moment.

THERE IT IS.

‘What is?’

PRIDE.

Tail emerged from beneath the sand and stabbed him in the right shoulder. She’s buried it! That bitch!

He wailed in pain holding his shoulder. He then watched his terror as the bloodied tip of the tail drips his blood onto her tongue. It wiped his blood clean and when it retracted back inside her mouth all of her visible veins, outside or inside lit up.

A red flash occurred in her hollow eyes. Her flesh started moving, growing and then suddenly burst as her arms grew back. The wound on her stomach healed impeccably fast and she stood up – fit as a fiddle.

He grabbed his rifle despite the wound and reached for the grenade. He pulled the pin and threw the grenade at the feet of the Matriarch as he made his distance.

He fired off bullets as the explosion consumed Vilivian who covered herself with her arms. All forty-five rounds went into the cloud of smoke and sand. He exchanged the magazine as quickly as he could with the wound in his arm and just in time as he saw silhouette emerging from the cloud. He aimed his weapon.

And hesitated.

Vilivian emerged – in her human form. Naked. Her emerald eyes glaring with determination and her fiery red hair flowing loose in the wind. He couldn’t take a very good look as she immediately struck him in the abdomen. His eyes open wide as he dropped his weapon and fell to his knees.

‘Damn . . . it.’

Pembrooke fainted, finally.

‘Sleep, Warrior.’ She said and took off his wristwatch and not long after Miss X announced her victory.

***

A post semi-final Fox Den was filled to the brim, though this time it felt even more so as people actively avoided being in Vilivian’s vicinity.

Pembrooke was considered an underdog and was rather well known in the town, whilst all people knew about Vilivian is that she sometimes is a monster. Her cruelty towards her opponent in the semi-final also hadn’t gone unnoticed and resulted in spawning several unkind rumours about her.

Vilivian didn’t mind. It was to be expected. She fully embraced her demonic nature and decided to live both as a human and a Matriarch. She was rather happy about that resolution – the only thing between her and the wish was the final – and she just couldn’t wait for the next day.

‘Congratulations on victory, Viliv.’ Saki gave her wine. ‘This one’s on the house.’

‘Thank you, Saki.’ Vilivian smiled and tasted her sweet and mellow strawberry-flavoured drink. She was clothed in the red blouse and black pants – courtesy of Saki, yet again.

Uncouth conversations could be heard from other tables. Words like “brutal”, “savage” and “bloodthirsty” seemed to epiteph her name the most.

‘Sorry about that.’ Said Saki.

‘It’s fine. It’s natural to fear.’

‘And if that fear turns to anger?’

‘That would be very entertaining, indeed.’ Vilivian smirked.

‘Ah,’ Saki shook her head. ‘What has become of that well-mannered lass who sought no conflict?’

‘Oh, I’m still here, don’t worry.’ Vilivian gave her a comforting smile. ‘I simply know my limits a little better.’

‘Mhm. You know, I could put you in a waitress uniform if you’d like. That may disperse some of those rumours.’

‘You don’t have to bother, really. And I can help you anytime, should you ask.’

‘I might take you up on that offer sometime.’

‘But not the dress, please. I don’t really . . . feel comfortable wearing that.’

‘But you do feel comfortable being naked in front of thousands of people?’

‘Well—’

‘Did you have to turn back human? I’m pretty sure you could’ve flicked his head and won.’

‘Yes, but . . . When I drink blood as a demon I get into a frenzy. Going back human allows me to better control my urges. Otherwise he might’ve ended up dead. I didn’t want that.’

‘You shot him!’

‘I encouraged him! Otherwise he’d wallow in his self-pity until the end of times.’

‘Well . . . For what it’s worth I think he got better thanks to that fight. I saw him at the beach screaming profanities at the ocean. He’s more upset with the fact he forgot about the tail than that he lost.’

‘He’s a young male with great potential. It’d be a shame if the human race lost him.

‘So . . . Only one more round left. Are you ready?’

‘I cannot wait.’

‘What will you do if you win? I mean, after you make your wish? I remember you being rather stuck up on that.’

‘I just might return to my home world satisfied with a job well done and a promise kept. I might travel. Why, staying here doesn’t seem that bad of an option. So much freedom . . . so many consequences to deal with. Or maybe I’ll do all of it. Being a timeless creature is an advantage in this situation.’

‘That does sound like good fun.’

‘Doesn’t it?’

She drank her drink.

***

Vilivian

[Vilivian]: Round 3: The Allegory Between Instances of Aptitude and Practice

Original doc

“No creature found on Britannia is as vile and monstrous as a Matriarch – a devil-spawned demon borne of gluttony, and lust given physical form. These vile shapeshifters take on forms of fair maidens while they lie in wait for their victims and change into grotesque monsters while they prowl. Fortunate few are killed immediately but damned are the souls of men spared to be taken away into servitude as means of sustenance or reproduction. Despite their sex, their strength rivals two dozen hardened battalions and possess endurance of a Goliath. They are heartless, without virtue, conscience, and scruple. Matriarch experiences an absolute ecstasy as she inflicts suffering and death. They are wicked and filthy monsters, existing contrary to nature and it takes several a holy knight – equipped with silver blades, indomitable wills, and zealous purpose to face down that immoral breed of chaos.”

Dust kicked up as, with a heavy thump, Piano closed the encyclopaedia. Fiends, Demons and Devils: Pious Guide to Extermination was the long title of one of the very few books that possessed information on Matriarchs. Not one, however, had any information regarding their weaknesses and mentioned only their affinity to silver.

Volumes were dated and inaccurate – transcribed by the members of piety recollecting the stories they’d hear from the survivors of Matriarchs’ onslaught. There was little wisdom compared to the amount of sheer bafflement at the sex of the demons, right next to the common religious gibberish that made Piano roll her eyes every two sentences.

Piano had utmost confidence in her own abilities. She was a fantastic duellist and was great at improvising, but none of her talents were capable of mending broken ribs. Vilivian will not play into feints and other tricks. She’ll punch every opportunity she sees and Piano saw how durable that woman is. Even with her ki she’ll need to land several good hits to wound the Matriarch. Vilivian needs only one good hit.

Piano sighed and put away the book on the shelf. Strange, she thought as she looked around. The library seemed desolate though even in the late afternoon it was still occupied by several people, but the reading tables were emptied, with some books remaining open.

She received her answer once she sensed a familiar energy approaching her. She turned to face Vilivian walk up with solemn expression. Clothed in red and black, the long braid swaying slightly and her sword hanging on her back.

‘Blackblood.’ Vilivian nodded slightly. Her emerald eyes seemed to drill into Piano’s gold and purple.

‘Vilivian,’ Piano reciprocated with a nod of her own. ‘Rare to find you in here.’

‘Indeed? I find myself spending most of my free time in here, though, I suppose it is curious to find a literate monster.’

Piano could only look away in slight embarrassment. It was not the assumption she wanted to make, but it was difficult to disagree with the masses.

After her second round against Pembrooke, Vilivian’s reputation took a large dive. She toyed with the man. She effectively defeated him thrice; twice was he brought back from the brink of death thanks to the magical stones they brought. It was hard to find method in that madness and thus she was dubbed as such. People were afraid.

Piano empathized with Vilivian to an extent. There was almost no history documented on Matriarchs. So little was known about them – only guesswork and spite from survivors as few as they were. Matriarch’s life seemed to be only about fear.

Vilivian passed her and reached for the book Piano just put away.

‘Studying us?’ Matriarch asked.

‘I tried to.’ Piano admitted.

‘It is a deathly profession – to study Matriarchs. We have no history. No civilizations, no cities built.’

‘You have traditions.’ Piano argued. ‘Otherwise, you wouldn’t call me by that moniker.’

Vilivian browsed the same pages Piano did.

‘Perhaps. But my understanding is different from others’. Even among the Matriarchs there seems to be lack of common history.’

‘Your name implies some form of society.’

‘They are short-lived and redundant after the brood reaches maturity.’

‘None tried to unite?’

‘Unity! Do you know what we call a gathering of clans?’

Piano shrugged.

‘A massacre. We fight each other because the blood demands it. The only reason that mothers aren’t killed by the children is out of respect.’

Vilivian put away the book.

‘You won’t find victory in the past, Blackblood. There’s only present. Only me.’

‘Is that supposed to be an advice of some sort?’

‘In a way,’ She thought a while. ‘A little more silver couldn’t hurt you.’

Vilivian smiled at her. Piano was taken aback by how composed the Matriarch was. In all their other interactions, Vilivian spoke as if their duel was a prophecy long-time coming; an event to decide the fate of the universe. Now, she was almost tranquil. Even her ki seemed to be . . . settled.

‘You’re different today,’ Piano said finally. ‘Very . . . glad.’

‘I am very glad indeed. To find you trying to fight your own battles by yourself is but one of the reasons.’

‘. . . What are you trying to say?’

‘Do not pretend as if Quan’s performance today wasn’t subpar compared to his previous showing.’

‘It’s his fault he didn’t take himself into consideration before our fight.’

‘I don’t care for the games your brother plays with other contestants. I appreciate the fact that I’ll face you instead of the speedster, but right now I’m a bundle of suppressed instincts held together by the realization that a single day is insignificant in a life of a Matriarch.’ She bared her teeth and smiled; for a second, Piano could see a ravenous glint in her eyes. ‘Not fighting you right now is not as easy as it would be to render your brother deceased. Do make certain he realizes I’ll suffer him no longer, Blackblood.’

With a final smile, Vilivian excused herself to another section of library while Piano exited the building in a hurried walk.

Outside, Piano stopped to calm her quickened heartbeat. She did not realize how stuffy it was in the library until she took a heap of fresh air.

Sun was setting and the people were leaving to bars and homes in preparation for the final day of the tournament.

Piano wasn’t expecting Vilivian to openly threaten her brother like that. It was to be expected. The Matriarch suffered no fools indeed, something Piano learned first-hand the first time they met, and if Forte managed to prove himself cumbersome enough Piano felt justified about forewarning her brother. She must protect him.

But before that she had to fully prepare for the fight with Vilivian. There was plenty of options to defeat her in her human form, but once she transforms all the advantages, that Piano may have, are made obsolete.

Silver. The best tool for killing magical beasts in Vilivian’s world. Piano possessed a set of silver blades, but would the Matriarch feel anything more than a slight prickle?

A proper weapon was required. She made her way to the smithy. Its chimney puffed smoke and she could hear a voice coming from the inside.

Inside, the resident blacksmith – Nephros, blue-haired and clad in black, quietly worked on an arrangement of metal components welding them together. On a chair next to him, with a basket full of walnuts at his legs, an oni youth – Volley – was cracking nuts and eating them whilst conversing with Nephros.

‘. . . So, this sword, eh? Miss Viliv been asking me to hold it sometimes when she’s busy and that thing is like, super heavy. In two hands, it feels as if I were carrying several barrels for my auntie and more. And there ain’t no power coming from it, it’s just so heavy you get blisters by carrying it around and when I tried to tie it behind my back like Miss Viliv does I had to constantly fight off the gravity from pulling me backwards and when I asked her about it she said that there’s nothing special about this sword and that it’s really just a long piece of metal with very sharp edges and I’m like, well, yeah, clunky things like that don’t have destiny written all over them, y’know and I just— Miss Piano!’

Volley bared his fangs, but unlike Vilivian there was nothing but childish happiness emitting from it. He still had bandages wrapped around his chest, but his strength found no issue breaking the nuts.

Nephros looked up from the table and glared at her. His weary eyes told her story of his unsuccessful attempts to rid himself of the talkative guest and he looked at her wondering whether she’s here to bother him or to make an order.

She had no intention of holding him any longer than she had to. He couldn’t be older than eighteen, but in cynicism and world weariness he was about fifty.

‘Are you here to take him home or to make an order?’ Nephros said sternly. ‘I’ll settle for one or the other, please.’

‘Come on, Nephy, that’s now how you greet a customer!’ Volley said and extended his hand towards Piano. ‘A nut?’ he offered.

‘No, thank you. I need something made.’ She said to the blacksmith.

Nephros let out a sigh of relief and looked at Volley but the oni boy spoke out first.

‘I’m not leaving, yet.’ Volley shoved a nut into his mouth.

That was the end of it. Nephros let out an exasperated groan and looked at Piano, trying to look as accommodating as he possibly could.

‘How can I help?’

‘I need a silver blade. And it needs to be light to use.’

Nephros groaned again and hid his eyes in his one non-crabby hand, and Volley chuckled.

‘Not you alone, Miss Piano.’ Said oni.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Ever since Vilivian’s fight with Pembrooke people have been lining up orders for anything silver. I’ll tell you what I told all of them. I can’t make the blades out silver that will be good for combat. The material’s simply too bad; you’ll find more luck trying to bludgeon her with a rock.’

‘Are people that scared of her?’ Piano asked, slightly surprised. She was fully aware the effect Vilivian had on people, but she wouldn’t think it would lead them to arm.

Volley looked down at his nuts.

‘Thinks have gone beyond fear.’ Nephros’s expression turned sour. ‘It’s borderline anger. I put out few blades before I caught on to it and stopped. I won’t be responsible for their deaths.’

‘People like underdogs, Miss Piano.’ Said Volley in a sad voice. ‘Pembrooke was kind of liked by the spectators. Just a guy who knows how to do stuff – has no inhuman powers and such so people wanted him to succeed, but Miss Viliv . . .’

‘Went too far.’ Nephros finished.

Volley couldn’t find words refute this and looked pleadingly at Piano. She opened her mouth to answer, but she couldn’t. It’s not that she wanted Vilivian burnt at the stake. What she felt towards the Matriarch was contrary to everyone else’s opinion, but she couldn’t openly condemn their anger. Her ability to evoke those feelings was what drove her to the blacksmith in the first place.

She ignored Volley and focused her eyes on Nephros; trying to avoid oni’s puppy eyes as much as possible.

‘I still need that blade.’

‘And I will make an exception. But, as a professional, I refuse to give you a blade made of pure silver. I don’t care that it works in other worlds – the metals I have don’t work that way.’

‘What can you do, then?’

‘Carbon steel plated in silver. Maintenance-heavy if you want that silver to be effective, but considering your many talents, you’ll do fine. The price, however, . . .’

‘Doesn’t matter.’

‘Any other specifics?’

‘Yes. Forty inches at most. Light, double-edged and capable of both thrusting and slashing.’

‘Got it. Now leave,’ he pointed his crab-hand at Volley and snipped. ‘You, too. I need to be alone for this.’

‘Fine, fine!’ Volley showed him the tongue and put some of the remaining walnuts in his pockets for the road.

They left Nephros to his work. Piano’s mind ran through strategies, but she couldn’t put anything together as the teenager’s presence was so unusually timid it was almost frightening.

She didn’t mind his company as she knew it was short lived. Then again, she felt as if he was expecting her to ask him about his rather obvious worries, but it was difficult for Piano to even pretend to be empathetic. Vilivian brewed her beer and now had to drink it.

They reached a plaza in a business district – right between the Golden Fox Gate and long street leading straight to the Cross Colosseum. Plaza’s landmark was the slaughterhouse. It was, in large part, a windowless building, save for a few small windows near the flat roof.

They looked in the direction of the mob gathered alongside slaughterhouse’s bricked wall. The mob listened to a heckler – a relatively short man standing on a plywood beer crate. His dark and greasy hair poked out from underneath his black hat and the red blush across his unshaved face told story of where the contents of the crate disappeared to.

‘Gather and listen, my friends!’ the heckler cried. His voice, while uneven, was resolute in message. ‘The last day of the tournaments draws near! And with it, the God Eater’s elaborate joke closes in on its final reckoning! The Matriarch!! A wolf in human’s clothing . . . Brought in here by the God Eater as a courtesy to the unwashed beast of the unscoured depths! I know you hurt for unlike that thing you have a heart! You may feign ignorance, but I know better. You’re afraid . . . I hear you utter prayers; I saw you turn your purses inside out seeking solace in trinkets and offerings, but she won’t save us! She would see us tear each other apart for her entertainment! No! We must stand together! Turn our fear into anger! Drive the fiend back to its lair!’

Most of the listeners were amused by the madman’s spouts, but Piano was terrified the few people that listened intently. Their faces might have betrayed no deep interest, but their eyes reflected his zealousness.

She looked at Volley. His breathing was short and rapid He clenched and unclenched his fists and his lip trembled. She wasn’t surprised that the youth had trouble holding back his anger.

‘In this trying time, we must rally behind the ones capable of vanquishing such evils! And who, but the monster’s equal? The other side of the bracket! Yes, the Crimson Dancer! The shining star of the tournament! Kind, graceful and beautiful! She’s the one we need to follow. Grant her our support! We must prove a point that things like Matriarchs have no place in our town!’

Piano cringed hard. She instinctively took a step back and was about to run in the opposite direction. She noticed the speaker glancing in her direction and her heart stopped for a bit but was saved by the crossguard entering the scene.

‘That’s enough of this!’

The mob split as the beast-woman walked in and crossed her arms in front of the madman. She was almost reaching his head despite him standing on a box.

‘You know the rules – no stirring up shit during the tournament!’ Her beastly eyes drilled into him, but the heckler remained undeterred.

‘What rule am I breaking, officer?’

‘Sowing of discord among the populace and public disturbance, firstly and secondly.’

‘I am merely conveying the truth that everyone is aware of but too afraid to act upon! If my words cause them to act on their just hearts, then I pray they’ll be able to overcome whatever obstacles they face!’

‘That’s fantastic,’ the beast-woman sounded exhausted. ‘Now, get off the box and stop the show or I’ll bring you in.’

‘Crossroads is a place of freedom and understanding, first and foremost. You have no right to arrest me!’

‘Perhaps not, but I can still bring you in under article 54, section 1 that stands for “Pissing Off An Officer That Is About To Go Off Duty And Is Too Tired To Deal With The Legislature.” Now, relinquish the box and I won’t have to put you in one for the night.’

The madman mumbled, but he conceded and gave back the crate and drunkenly stumbled out of the area. The guard scattered the on-lookers with one more shout and left as well. The mob returned to their daily lives.

Piano and Volley got out of the view. Well, Piano did. Volley just kind of followed her.

‘This is mad.’ She stated.

‘Innit?’ Volley agreed. ‘Day’s barely ending and there’s people like him already. It’s like someone’s had a vendetta against her since day one . . .’

Piano couldn’t agree more. Too little time passed since Vilivian’s fight ended. Even if there a movement against her – it turned into an audible spite a little too fast. And she had an idea who was behind it.

‘Glad to see the guards doing their work, though, I suppose.’ Volley said.

‘Quite. I feel like you were about to do something incredibly stupid there.’

‘I wanted to steal his box. Without the height advantage no one would hear him.’

‘Nigh impossible to argue with this reasoning.’

They continued to walk together for a little while. She felt a slight comfort seeing Volley a little cheerier. At some point, they separated. Volley returned to the Fox Den and Piano made her way to the room she shared with her brother in the inn.

Did Piano feel anger? Yes, naturally, albeit seldom. She couldn’t quite say if she were ever angry with her brother. Upset or slightly inconvenienced by his methods? At most.

She was aware that he focused on his meeting with the God Eater during their stay in Crossroads but knew little else about his actions. Piano thought herself a woman of integrity willing to fight on equal terms so long as they remain as such.

The thought of being unknowingly assisted from behind the scenes maddened her somewhat.

She entered the room and saw her brother sitting on his bed. He had unusually matted hair and was wearing only his dress shirt. He appeared as if he had just woken up and opened the window to let some air in.

‘. . . Victories mount as fame blooms like a petal,’ he stood up, smiling. ‘Fantastic work out there, Sister.’

‘Brother. You look . . .’ she raised eyebrow.

‘Unkempt?’ he laughed at his appearance. ‘I’ve had a long night. After your fight I needed a little nap. I just came to.’

‘I take it you didn’t see the second semi-final then?’

‘There was no point.’

‘Vilivian won.’

‘As was expected. Miss Vilivian would have to play her hand extremely poorly to come out that scuffle defeated.’ He frowned. ‘Is something wrong?’

Piano sighed and closed the door. She paced around the room before she finally stopped and turned to him.

‘People are afraid of her.’

‘They were before.’

‘Not to that extreme. People are actively avoiding her, exiting the rooms she’s in, whispering behind her back . . . There were few like that before, but now there’s even an angry mob gathering! The progress is not natural. Fear turned into anger way too quickly.’

‘That does seem extreme.’ Forte remained nonchalant.

‘So?’

‘So, what?’

‘You didn’t have anything to do with it?’

Forte made surprised expression.

‘The brew of her errs is for her taste only! Why would I bother with that she-beast?’

‘You interfered with Quan.’

He glanced to the side for a split second.

‘Come now, we talked a little but that’s about it!’

‘I wasn’t born yesterday, Forte.’ She said exasperated. ‘For how long?’

‘. . . Larger part of the night. I, truly, had nothing to do with that hatred towards Miss Vilivian, though. I’ve been asleep ever since your fight ended.’

‘And . . . do you intend on doing anything to her?’

‘Now, the magic won’t work if I do tell you.’ He smiled confidently, but Piano was slightly panicking.

‘I’d urge you to reconsider, Brother. I talked to Vilivian . . .’

‘That must’ve been detrimental to your intelligence quotient.’ He said apologetically.

‘She warned me . . . To warn you that if you try interfering, she’ll . . . she won’t take it in stride.’

‘I can fend for myself, Sister.’ He patted her on her shoulder. She grasped it with pained expression.

‘I don’t think she cares for that.’

‘And then you’ll find an opening . . .’

‘Just this once,’ she interrupted. ‘Just this once let me fight by myself. I can handle her.’

Piano herself wasn’t certain of that, but she’d anything if that meant keeping her brother away from harm.

Forte frowned and thought a while. He smiled finally and said:

‘I was just looking out for you.’

‘And I appreciate that, truly. But you go great lengths to help me. I don’t want you to go too far.’

‘You don’t have to convince me that hard, Sister. Very well. I shall leave Vilivian in your capable hands.’

‘Promise.’ She insisted as she didn’t let go of his hand.

He smiled and opened his mouth. He then closed it quickly.

‘Before I do that,’ he reached for his dress shirt pocket and pulled out a stone – crystal, devoid of any glimmer or light. ‘This is for you.’

She recognized it instantly.

‘Isn’t it . . .?’

‘Miss Williams’ fine craftmanship, yes. A rejuvenation crystal, though I’m yet to see it action . . .’

‘I saw,’ Piano took it in her hand. ‘Vilivian made Pembrooke use two of those. They proved fruitless in the end . . . How did you get this?’

‘Vilivian owed me a favour.’

She gritted her teeth.

‘So, you did provoke her after all!’ she pushed his hand away.

‘That was before she threatened us!’

‘She threatened you! And she wouldn’t have if you just trusted me to win!’

‘My trust in you is unmatched, Piano! But even something as incorporeal as luck requires certain modicum of skill involved. All I wish is to slightly sway the scales your way.’

‘And if you sway too far, you’ll fall and die!’ she shook her head. Her expression was mix of fear and defiance. She hated these thoughts, but she couldn’t run from that very simple truth. ‘I want to protect you. My wish is to be able to protect you! But I can’t do it if you carelessly put yourself in those kinds of dangers!’

‘We only have each other, Piano. Quis curat ipsos curantis? Who shall care for the caretaker? I shall.’

‘And what if that’s not enough? What if I’m too weak, and you come to my aid and you get pointlessly hurt because of me?’

‘You are not weak!’ He reassured her as he put his hands on her shoulders, but she stepped back immediately.

‘That . . . I must see to myself.’

Piano turned around and left the room. As she went down the stairs, she cursed herself for running away like that, but she knew that if she had stayed and continued to argue with him, she’d eventually concede.

She looked at the darkening sky and sighed. She had to defeat Vilivian to prove to herself – and to Forte – that she’s reliable enough to protect them both.

Question remained, however, how?

Forte stood astounded for a second before he slicked back his hair and fixed his dress shirt.

‘Now, that’s comedy.’

‘You listened?’ Forte turned around towards the window. His voice carried a heavy hint of disdain.

A piece of porcelain pottery flew in with dark wings emerging from underneath the lid. It landed on the floor and the smoke emerged taking form of a character old and emaciated. Blue-skinned with knives for ears, bloody sclera, and red irises. His torso was stuck to the smoke emerging from the porcelain pottery.

The demon stroked his white beard with perverted satisfaction.

‘It’s what I do.’

‘Our business concluded the moment I paid you for the information.’

‘Then you best hope she doesn’t give that stone back. You’ve paid a lot.’

Forte sat back down on his bed.

‘My sister’s no fool. And Vilivian would have mocked her if she did. What do you want?’

‘Come now, a rupture in your seemingly steadfast relationship? A day before the final? Textbook dramaturgy that would sell like hotcakes given the right crowd.’

‘Am I being blackmailed?’ Forte gave a hearty laugh. ‘I’m not sure what to feel! Intimidated? Amused?’

‘Laugh it up, deviling. I know the right people.’

‘Who? Vilivian? She has nothing to pay you with and will most likely throw up in disgust before you as much as utter a word. Yes! Disgusted! That’s what I feel like.’

Camio’s wicked smile persisted.

‘Now, now. We wouldn’t want Piano to cry her heart out once they find her darling brother’s body with a shattered ribcage tomorrow morning, would we?’

Forte grimaced, but what disgusted him even more was the fact that Camio had the audacity to threaten him like that.

He approached the desk and opened a drawer. Underneath the clothes, in-between golden scarf, and black vest a pouch of coins. He grabbed it and threw it Camio’s way.

‘Take it and leave us alone.’

Camio cackled as he caught the pouch and started counting coins. He was a demon forced to live in a piece of teaware for all eternity. Lifetime of humiliation turned the demon into an ill-tempered and spiteful wretch, but the old hand knows how to make a living. He works as an informant who likes to charge Forte ludicrously large amount of money and though Forte doesn’t hold Camio in high regard he understands that this shapeshifting teapot is a valuable “ally” to have in Crossroads. At least, for times he feels like it.

‘See? Nothing wrong with showing a little respect for the elderly every now and then.’

‘You sicken me.’ Forte said.

‘Flatterer. Bet you say that to all yer informants, eh?’

Forte generally found people who deal with subtlety to be far more dangerous than people who exercise their physical prowess.

Vilivian, for instance, was simple. She’s strong and has no way how the world works. If you piss her off, all you must do is run in the opposite direction. People like Camio were guile; possessed wisdom and could probably think in italics. Such people needed to be watched.

Preferably from distance.

Forte decided to pull out his notebook. Camio was certainly one of the smarter residents seeing as he was yet to reveal his full name.

‘If you’re done, leave.’

‘So, are you going to interfere?’ demon asked instead.

Forte leaned forward and spoke quietly. ‘Can you keep a secret?’

‘Of course.’ Camio assured him.

‘So, can I.’ Forte smiled at the demon’s grimace. ‘Point is – you don’t need to know. Now, leave,’ he opened his notebook at the page where Vilivian’s name was written. Directly interfering? That depends. He’ll do as he always does. Listen and watch. ‘I have some catching up to do.’

***

Vilivian entered the Fox Den, the now so very familiar bar to her and one of very few places she felt safe, though it seemed as if she’d have to try to find herself in any real danger.

As she made her way to the counter most patrons quickly got up from their seats, their drinks unfinished and left the bar in a hurry, toppling against each other and the furniture leaving the establishment mostly deserted save for those who know better.

Saki shook her head in disappointment as Vilivian approached with a frown on her face.

‘I keep scaring off your customers.’ She said with remorse as she watched Saki clean glasses.

‘They’ll come crawling back once they tire of the hog swill they serve at the other bars. Besides, it makes space for more civilized clientele. It’s a nice change of pace, especially during tournament season. What about you, though?’

‘I’m alright.’ Vilivian sat down and rested her arms on the counter.

‘There’s nothing wrong with feeling hurt, you know.’

‘I’m a Matriarch. As far as I know humanity has hated me since the dawn of time.’

‘Crossroads is more than just humanity, Viliv. Anyone that saw or heard about your fight with Pembrooke has it out for you and most of them are in it through herd mentality. It can be very overbearing.’

‘I’m a thousand years old, Saki.’

‘A thousand spent in a cave without interaction with any society, Viliv. Civilizations, and people, can turn hateful for the pettiest of reasons. You might have had your “good fun”, but from the outside you were sadistic and monstrous.’

‘The same people spiting me are the same people that cheered when I was bleeding out during my fight with Volley. Problem seems rooted elsewhere.’ Vilivian tried to justify herself.

‘Hypocrisy, thy name is Crossroads . . .’

‘If it really is such an issue why the Crossguard isn’t doing anything to prevent these rumours?’

‘Not exactly dissentious enough for the guard to get involved. Either that, or Chifu’s holding them back. That woman would see this whole town burning if it meant getting a kick out of it. That doesn’t change the fact that you should look out for your reputation . . .’

‘My reputation is apparently a consequence of actions I made even before the tournament started. I’ll deal with them myself.’

‘I’ve no doubt you will. But know, that it’s natural to get mad. Get even. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not.’

‘I know that.’

‘Good, because—’

Saki was interrupted by the sound of shattering glass. They turned around to see that someone threw a brick through the window. They heard footsteps running away.

‘Oh, hell no!’ Saki’s face twisted into rage making Vilivian’s hairs stand up. She threw the rug away and gave chase. ‘Watch the counter, will you?’

She quickly ran out of the shop. Her heavy steps shook the remaining glass.

At the same time, from upstairs, a faint jingle and Chifu walked down, sleepy and yawning. She looked towards the exit with annoyed grimace.

‘Just my luck.’

‘Hello, Trickster.’ Vilivian bowed her head very slightly.

‘Viliv!’ Chifu’s expression lightened up instantly. She briskly walked over to the counter and sat next to Vilivian. ‘Fantastic fight today. How are you holding up?’

‘Good.’

‘Bully. Mind working the tap and pouring me a pint? It might be a while before Saki catches up. That guy’s pretty fast despite his height.’ She turned on her seat and leaned her back on the counter.

‘You know of him?’ Vilivian stood up and walked around the counter.

She’s acquired certain degree of experience working as a waitress for Saki – though she had a feeling that the oni gaslighted her into wearing a rather revealing waitress uniform. Vilivian noticed that other waiters had much less frills and didn’t have their legs as exposed. Nonetheless, the Matriarch welcomed the experience, though it was strange that there were much fewer problematic customers whenever she was taking a shift.

She filled a pint with Chifu’s favourite as the Trickster continued to speak.

‘Vito is an obnoxious contrarian with drinking problem and strange fixation on knives and revolvers.’

‘Is he the one that started these rumours about me?’

‘Please. He’s just a loudmouth. The first word people would use to describe him is “idiot” if the word “gross” didn’t stick out its greasy hand.’

‘Saki won’t encounter any issues apprehending him, then?’

Vilivian put the pint on the bar and Chifu turned around, grabbing it, and taking a deep sip.

‘Aside from spewing spit and vomit on her clothes? None. Be as it may, the angry mob is very empowering. Besides, not that Saki should bother. For all your supposed responsibility she’s the one dealing with the consequences.’

‘If she hadn’t gone, I would have.’

‘You ought to be glad she did. I don’t think chasing a random man through the streets of Crossroads would do any good to your reputation.’

‘There’s no pleasing you, is there?’

‘Au contraire.’ She raised her glass. ‘Don’t take it wrong way. It’s just that listening to you and then watching you gives off the impression of you being rather hypocritical.’

‘The point, Trickster.’ Vilivian gritted her teeth.

‘Take your wish. Does it remain the same?’

‘Of course.’

‘You want to resurrect your friend. Why?’

‘So that I may keep my promise. I want to give him another chance in life. I want to give him a chance to once more see the world he used to cherish and so much.’

‘Very selfish of you, isn’t it?’

‘How is that selfish?’

‘Oh, Vilivian, darling. What’s the world against the cruel passage of time?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You and I know how painful living for centuries can be. But unlike humans, gods and Matriarchs are solitary creatures. We’re used to this. But your friend? He was the only human to ever drink from the Grail. The only human to acquire eternal youth.’

‘Humans covet immortality when it’s offered to them. Why would he shun away a gift the most of his kind sacrificed so much for?’

‘Was he like the most of his kind, though?’

‘No.’

‘He met you when he was in his early twenties. He’s known you and visited you for about . . .’

‘I can’t recall—’

‘One hundred and eighty-seven years. He lived through a dozen of human generations, Vilivian. He saw his friends and family expire as the youth never abandoned him. We may have learned to cope but he was never meant for immortality. When he gave up that blade, he resigned himself to death. Do you truly want to torment him with prospect of another eternity?’

‘He won’t be alone.’

‘Don’t you think it’s too late for that? He’s been dead for centuries.’

‘I made the promise—’

‘Yes, you did. Do you think he went along with it because he expected to survive? Or because he hoped it would encourage you to leave that cave instead of waiting for him like a hopeless housewife?’

Vilivian opened her mouth to retort, but she stopped short of cursing Chifu. A seed of doubt took hold in her mind, and she began to slowly realize her own stupidity until a wash of wrath took over.

‘We’re done here.’ She said deadpan.

‘I figured we would.’

Vilivian walked out of the Fox Den leaving Chifu to her pint.

Trickster hummed a melody as she drank her beer with satisfaction.

***

Piano walked the dozing-off streets of Crossroads. Like a phantom, she inconspicuously avoided anyone who would stumble upon her and if anyone called out to her, she’d disappear from plain sight. She clutched the rejuvenation stone in her hand. She didn’t want to use it, but she knew she needed it. It allowed her one single mistake.

What about the second and the third?

She took a deep breath and tried analysing their match-up once more.

Vilivian could shatter a concrete wall without putting much thought into it. Piano could do the same, though not without help of her reinforcement abilities. She would rather avoid fisticuffs even if it meant using her sword to fight. She thought that ordering that silver blade would put her mind at ease, but she could shake doubt off her mind. There was an advantage to be found, depending on how the arena would change. Vilivian spent most of her life in secluded cave unlike Piano who travelled with her brother and fought in a variety of different environments. But the Matriarch had magic and her heightened senses to combat any attempts at subterfuge . . .

Piano was agitated. Her head hurt and it was clear she was still reeling after today’s fight. It was time for a break.

She stepped into the first bar she noticed and almost immediately regretted her decision.

The plaster seemed to be coming off the walls and the grey tiled floor was dirtied with muddy footsteps. There was no free table and nearly all seats by the counter were taken. And the worst part?

They all noticed Piano as she entered. Two dozen mouths went silent as they watched her cheeks blush. The only sound remaining being music coming from a beat-up radio standing atop of a refrigerator behind the bar.

It was a different kind of pressure. It wasn’t like they were expecting a performance. More like call to arms.

She slowly approached the bartender, ignoring the spectators.

‘. . . Excuse me, may I have some cocoa, please?’ she asked shyly.

Silver-haired bartender took a mug from a rack behind him.

‘Would you like it cold or hot?’

‘Cold, please.’

He nodded and she watched him prepare it. Firstly, he put in the cocoa mix in the mug, poured in some milk, whisked it, and handed it over. It’s not like she expected to be made with cream milk, chocolate flakes and a straw, but she expected there be some effort.

‘Err, how much do I . . .?’

‘For you, lass? Not a dime. It’s on the house.’

Piano was getting stressed.

‘I can’t accept it.’

‘It’s fine, don’t mention—’ The bartender tried to insist but Piano leaned forward with the mug clutched in her two hands.

‘Please, let me pay.’ She begged which could be paraphrased as “Let me be normal.”, but that gathered even more cheers from other patrons that saw that as a showcase of Piano’s humility. That wasn’t her goal, but for now she decided to ignore the unwarranted attention.

She felt like sitting by the counter would gather too much of it, so she looked around the tables. It was surreal to see that poor excuse of a restaurant to be this filled. Was it the alcohol? Or the food? If the cocoa was anything to go by, the fish and chips, advertised above the entrance, must be raw and uncooked.

Piano took her cocoa and looked around the free tables. There were none, of course. Each had one or two customers eyeing her.

Except one.

Piano took a deep breath and with a beverage in her hands she sat down opposite of the lone blonde girl, slowly sipping on a tea. The girl looked at Piano with disdain.

‘Must you?’ Angelique asked.

Piano mouthed a silent “Please” as the stares intensified. Angelique looked back to her drink without a word. Both ladies sipped silently as the usual murmur and life returned to the tavern. Seemed like everybody knew the value of a solitary drink.

Cocoa was delicious, despite its simplicity, and calming, but the situation wasn’t exactly relaxing. Piano just had the luck to run into the opponent she defeated in the first round of the tournament. Angelique was aloof and cold towards her, even more so. She was wearing a thick, black hoodie, hiding her arms.

It was all very awkward. Piano was used to those, and she’d think nothing of them, but it was slightly unsettling how detached Angelique was.

‘. . . I never knew there was bar like this in Crossroads.’ She said after she took a sip.

‘As is the case with most folk.’ Angelique didn’t look up from her beverage. ‘But ever since people realized where Vilivian spends most of her time they’ve been looking for someplace else.’

‘Are you here because of her as well?’

‘No.’ Angelique smiled wryly and drank from her cup. ‘I can simply appreciate a little irony.’

‘Irony?’

Angelique rolled her eyes.

‘This bar’s name is “Losers’ Bracket”.’ She explained.

‘Oooh . . . How did you find her fight?’

‘A one-sided beatdown. I’ve seen better.’

‘That’s all?’

Angelique squinted sceptical.

‘What is more to say?’

‘Seems everyone has a few sentences to say about what happened to Pembrooke . . .’

‘You really know how to make me feel special. Thing is I don’t care, Piano. I’m not really stocking up on pity these days. Why’d you pay any heed to these rumours? Say, are you scared she’ll do to your arms what you did to mine?’

Piano bit her lip.

‘I’m sorry.’

‘I know.’ Angelique shrugged. ‘Then, are you?’

‘I’m not scared. She unsettles people and—’

‘She did that before and that didn’t stop them from gawking while she was in her maid uniform.’

‘Maid uniform?’

‘If anything, I’d bet your brother had something to do with riling them up so much. You know, given she’s your next opponent.’

Piano quickly snapped away from trying to imagine Vilivian in a maid outfit performing maid duties.

‘My brother wouldn’t do—’ She hesitated. ‘My brother had nothing to do with it.’

‘You’d trust him on that?’

‘Yes. You and my brother have started on a very wrong foot, I get that, but he doesn’t deserve—’

‘Yes, he fucking does.’ The now empty cup of tea shattered underneath her force. Despite her new arms, Angelique still had a hard time grasping their strength. ‘Some things are ought to stay hidden. Ought to be . . . forgotten,’ Angelique shivered as sad grimace flashed her face before it turned back to anger. ‘What right does he have to glimpse into my past? What selfishness drives him to do that?!’

‘It wasn’t selfishness.’

‘What then?’

‘I cannot say.’

‘Why not?’

‘I just can’t!’

Piano almost shouted. Customers turned to watch but Angelique scared them off with a glare. She then turned back to Piano and spoke quietly.

‘I pity you. You’re an earnest person who means well, most of the time, but you’re blindsided by your sentiment. It’s a shame you’re the one competing. I’d pay double to see Vilivian make him suffer.’

Piano could hardly hold back anger anymore. That hostility towards her brother was exhausting. She could understand and she wished people looked at him from her perspective. She wanted to make amends to Angelique, but so long as their feelings on Forte conflicted there wasn’t much for her to do.

She stood up leaving her cold cocoa half-empty.

‘I don’t believe there’s anything else for us to discuss.’

‘There never was.’

Piano left frustrated even more so than before. So much for a relaxing mug of cocoa. She thought of simply going back to her room and retiring for the day, but she didn’t want to confront Forte. Few people followed her out, but she quickly lost them moving through alleyways and taking quick turns.

It’s all so tiresome, she thought. She stood in a dark alleyway watching the residents turning in for the night as the sun was almost set.

Her victories and talents. They all seemed so hollow, now. The anger and grief directed at her brother ricocheted and struck her instead. Between Angelique and Vilivian, how many people should she feel responsible for? How many wounds has her bias cause? She always considered hers and Forte’s abilities as means of preservation; to be an invasive but necessary process toward a greater cause, but what worth were they, really?

Was the way she utilized the talents she stole truly the extension of their potential? Or was she merely imitating those who perfected them with their honed wisdom? Could she truly shine better than her victims who were bolstered by their experience? How much of what Forte learns truly serves the greater good if there are people who spite him afterwards? Is it worth it?

‘How are you doing?’

She turned back to see a familiar youth standing behind her in an alley.

Her today’s adversary – Quan – was standing with a cheery grin on his face. He waved happily. He was wearing baggy pants that were torn at knees and just a sleeveless puffer jacket on his torso.

‘Hello, Quan, I’m . . . Doing okay, how are you? Your wounds . . .’

‘Healed. People here know their stuff.’

‘And they even gave you a new jacket . . .’ She looked him over.

‘Gave? Sure, let’s go with that.’ He chuckled. ‘So, what you’re up to, Piano? Looking for trouble or hiding from trouble? I could use some of that latter.’

‘No, I’m just . . . resting.’ She admitted and leaned on the wall.

‘Wack. Let me get some of that, too.’ He said coolly and leaned on an opposite wall. Something squished and he crossed his arms and stood upright instead. ‘So, get this, Piano. Couple alleys away there’s this bar named “Losers’ Bracket” and I thought to myself “Perfect”, because I like some of that good irony. I go in, order some milk, drink it up, and it turns out you can’t take it on tab and that’s just a downright downgrade from the Fox Den, ain’t it?’

‘So, you ran away from paying.’

‘No. Of course not. Well, not exactly . . . Okay, I didn’t want to pay, but not because I’m a penny pincher that won’t pay for a glass of milk it’s just don’t have any money and I wanted some milk.’ He frowned. ‘You alright, Piano? You don’t look too good.’

‘I’m fine.’ She lied and then immediately came clean. ‘I’m not. I’m scared. Or anxious. Or both.’

Quan nodded seriously and put his hands in his pockets.

‘Yeah, I’d be too if I were fighting Vilivian tomorrow. I’m glad I lost the semi-final.’

She looked at him in shock.

‘You are?’

‘Have you seen her fights, Piano? I would get my shit ROCKED if I got through. No joke, she’d kill me with her glare five seconds into the match, you know?’

‘. . . It’s weird.’

‘My self-preservation instinct?’

‘You lost your chance at wish. I’ve hurt you and you gained nothing in return.’

‘What are you talking about? I got these awesome scars!’ he unzipped his jacket and showed his scars. Piano winced. ‘It would’ve looked much cooler if I had few more on the front, but you know, it’s all good.’

‘Is that really not a concern to you?’ Piano turned away until Quan closed his jacket.

‘I’m a fast healer, Piano. Besides, you don’t join a tournament without expecting to get hurt even a little.’

‘You still wouldn’t fight Vilivian.’

‘The odds aren’t really in my favour even if I played the hit’n’run game. Chicks like her have experience and the only thing attracted to me are rats. I wouldn’t have to worry about good night’s sleep, though it’d be pushing it if I said it would help my chances.’

Piano looked down in shame.

‘I’m sorry about that. You may have stood a better chance if you were rested. My brother may have cheated you out of victory.’

‘Played, certainly, but hardly cheated! I’m not a saint myself, Piano, I’d say he got me fair and square all things considered.’

‘Others don’t seem to view that way.’

‘Nah, I wouldn’t think so. He’s going to get himself killed if you don’t watch out for him, though.’

‘And how should I do that?’ she asked seriously.

Quan shrugged. ‘I dunno. Beat Vilivian before your brother does something stupid? You have to relax, Piano.’

‘I can’t relax!’ she exclaimed frustrated. ‘I can’t take a walk; I can’t drink at any bar. Everyone’s treating me like some sort of idol! It’s too much!’

‘Well,’ Quan said after a while. ‘There is a spot . . .’

***

Sun drowned in the dark clouds setting in the horizon. Day was coming to an end and the residential area of the town had bustled, with people preparing to rest before the final day of the tournament. Vilivian walked these streets without any care for the citizens’ dismay towards her. She was lost in her thoughts, hardly paying attention to where she was as her legs were simply given command to “walk away”.

The keepsake was strung on her back, but no one would be stupid enough to try Vilivian’s patience as they even moved to sides when she walked.

Compassion and consideration were never her strong suits. She was a Matriarch. The very perversion of those emotions.

She wallowed in her immortality blind to the fact that she wanted to impose the very same thing to the person she held the dearest. If such feeling was real.

Ever since coming to Crossroads she changed; with her speech patterns trivialized and her demeanour softened she thought that her humanity would be accepted. Alas, the truth was the opposite.

Was the hate she received justified? Was the change in her character merely a play; was the ability to mimic human behaviour and habits that is attributed to Matriarchs the reason she found herself content in this place? Was she truly changing, embracing her human nature or was she merely biding her time, much like her violent sisters, to spring a trap and devour her victims in a brutal fashion so distinctive to her kind?

She considered herself above every other member of her race. She outlived most if not all and her honour and duty made her believe to be much more than just a vile monster, but wouldn’t her violent habits overrule such notions? Things like honour, mercy found had place during a bloodbath; and though being spared by her Friend showed that there may be the place for that, was it really a good course of action? What guarantee was there that she wouldn’t become an unshackled beast, left free to prey on the innocent?

Despite her calmness, Vilivian had to strain herself to ignore such abundance of people. Their fears and anxieties, passions and desires reflected on her and fuelled her instincts. And no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t stop herself from getting giddy from sensing Piano’s blood.

Why did she start calling her Blackblood? It was a moniker for a naïve tale the passive Matriarchs told themselves off about a representative of their kind that would lead them from hiding into the conquest of the wide world.

Was it because she wanted to remain respectful to the symbolism of her race? Or was it a desperate attempt to clutch onto her true nature.

Was the wish to bring back Arthur truly what she desired? Or was she merely paying heed to the “Honourable Matriarch” she envisioned herself as? Would she cause him gladness, or would she sentence him to the life in the world he doesn’t recognize anymore?

Wouldn’t it be better for her to get rid of her beastly instinct and fully commit to the humanity she so desperately tries to imitate?

She stopped in the gate atop of the stairs going down towards the docks. A very familiar spot, she turned her head to the mural painted on the wall nearby.

An artistic talent was showcased wonderfully in the picture of a village at the night-time. It was that very image that caused her memories to resurface - the memories and regret of possessing such volatile nature which was later proved and exploited by the Blackblood’s twin brother.

She looked closer at the mural. It was as beautiful as it was, and still retained the shape of a man dented into it. She noticed a figure sitting down by it.

‘Volley?’ she said in surprise as she approached the boy – the very author of this image.

The oni looked up with a spent expression on his face. He mustered a smile and looked at her. There was a crate sitting next to him.

‘Oh. Good afternoon, Miss Vilivian!’ as he raised his head, she noticed it was bruised.

‘It’s evening. Stars above, Child, what happened to you?’

‘Ah, this? Yeah, there was some guy slandering you in the plaza. I stole this box, he was standing on it to look taller than he is, and then, uh, well . . .’

‘He did this to you?’ Vilivian gasped out bitterly.

‘What? No! He chased me, but I couldn’t see the bloody staircase and I fell down several flights . . . Well, at least I lost him. Are you okay, Miss Viliv?’

She sat down next to him.

‘I feel awful.’ She answered.

‘Aye, that was a stupid question. I’m sorry, Miss Vilivian.’

‘It doesn’t bother me, Volley. My reputation is the least of my concerns.’

‘I’ll come cheer you on tomorrow, OK, Miss Vilivian? I’ll be yelling the loudest out of them, no matter how much they try to outperform me!’

‘Thank you.’ She smiled faintly but it quickly disappeared.

‘Miss Viliv?’ Volley’s voice was quiet, full of concern.

Vilivian frowned.

‘I don’t know what to do, Volley. Should I attain victory tomorrow, I will be able to ask Trickster of any wish I desire.’

‘You want to bring back your friend back to life, right? Or has something changed . . .?’

‘I’m scared.’ She admitted. ‘I thought that humans cherished their lives to the point they would risk attaining immortality. That’s how most of the challengers I faced acted. They had families, kingdoms, friends . . . but they would come seeking what I understand is perceived as a fairy tale in my world. But he lived his life fully and I understand that the reason he left me his sword was because he was content with leaving the mortal plane. I’m scared that if I bring him back, he’ll turn it away. He’ll shun me for bringing him back to the world there is nothing waiting for him anymore.’

Volley put his hands between his knees and curled up as he listened.

‘It’s difficult to keep suppressing my instinct. To keep being civil and calm. I am content being friends with you, your aunt and Wendy. To just pass time amongst people who aren’t afraid of me. But the only time I feel like myself is when I’m fighting. When I’m being a Matriarch . . . I’m scared of realizing that those feelings may be fake – an aftereffect of some instinct that compels me to camouflage myself as a human.’ She took a deep breath. ‘I keep wondering if that side of me was gone. If I were to stop being a Matriarch and was just . . . Vilivian. Then, I think I could finally realize what I really am.’

It was first time since she’s met him that Vilivian saw Volley carry such a judgemental look on his face.

‘Don’t you have a promise to keep?’

Her eyes widened in surprise.

‘Miss Vilivian that I got to know keeps her word. She is trustworthy and proud of her heritage. I don’t understand why you would think that ridding yourself of that part of you would do you any good.’

‘Because I can’t live among humans otherwise. Volley, Matriarchs are—’

‘You know what, Miss Viliv? I keep hearing about how terrible Matriarchs are. How vicious and bloodthirsty of a species are you, but honestly, not once have I seen you prove those rumours right. You can be ruthless, yes, but you were never cruel! I find you constantly composed!’

‘I restrain myself. The day I met you I nearly lost control—’

‘You got angry! So, what? I get angry all the time! When there’s beans in my food, when I tug my shirt on a door handle, how stupid the people cheered on you dying during our fight were. And the same people are now flocking to ignorance because it smells familiar!’ His expression turned spiteful for a moment, but then relaxed as he looked at her. ‘If you became a human, Miss Vilivian, then you wouldn’t be yourself, but somebody completely different. It’s just,’ he made a pained expression. ‘There’s nothing wrong with being who you are, right?’

She turned her gaze away from him and pondered.

‘I never took other people into consideration. I’m inclined to lose some parts of myself if it means I’ll never have to hurt anyone needlessly.’ She scoffed weakly. ‘I’m not even sure if that’s what I really feel like.’

‘You do!’ Volley stood up. ‘And I believe that. But you must believe in yourself, Miss Viliv! You can change! What’s all that time for if you’re not going to put it to good use? You don’t need a wish to become a better person; all you have to do is to try. And if your friend is really as great as you described him then I’m sure he’ll be fine being alive again.’

‘He’ll be alone.’ She lamented.

‘What? Do you intend to drop dead the moment you make a wish? There’ll be a whole world for the both of you explore! A new time! Doesn’t that sound like a grand adventure?’

‘Well . . .’

He grabbed her hands and helped her stand up.

‘You need to relax, Miss Viliv. All that stress and overthinking isn’t going to help you in tomorrow’s fight. Better get to it with clear head, I know what I’m saying, let me tell you. Follow me. I know where you can rest without any interruption or hindrance from those zealous buggers.’

***

The night had already set by the time Piano got into the hot spring that was the part of the inn she stayed at. It was a small, enclosed area, partitioned off by tall wooden fences. Water poured from in-between the grey stones surrounding the bath. Moon illuminated the open-air bath as the breeze rustled the trees planted around.

Piano shivered and submerged herself in the water up to her neck. Her hair was tied into up and a towel rested on her head. She felt her anxiety evaporate as she was soothed by the warmth. Following Quan’s recommendation paid off even, though his interest was to raid the inn’s pantry while she bothered the staff to let her use the baths.

Nonetheless, it was a nice change of pace. Here, she could relax before the final fight. Gather her thoughts and go into tomorrow with a clear head. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Then the door slid open and Vilivian entered the area. Were Piano completely indecent she would’ve climbed up the fence and ran away. Instead, she nodded her head slightly, trying to hide her nervousness albeit pointlessly.

‘Vilivian.’

‘Blackblood.’ The Matriarch answered with a nod of her own. Her hair was relatively bunched up atop her head, but it looked to be soon coming down once she got into water.

She was holding a towel in her right hand and calmly entered the spring, moving next to Piano whilst throwing the towel on the side. After few seconds in her red hair let loose and fallen gently into the water. She relaxed almost immediately. Piano wondered if it was due to the spring or because nobody bothered Vilivian about the dress code here.

Vilivian closed her eyes and breathed out.

They sat in complete silence, interrupted only by the buzz of waking nature’s night life.

Piano took that opportunity to look over her opponent. Such small but well-toned build, no visible scars despite her age and despite being naked and relaxed she could sense she still had her guard up. To some extent, that flattered Piano.

‘Nervous?’ Vilivian asked suddenly.

Piano turned her head. Her neighbour opened her eyes and looked at her. Piano turned away again, shyly.

‘It’s not like I have to tell you.’

‘I was being courteous.’

‘How dignified.’

‘It is written all over your face, by the way.’

‘I’m anxious.’ She snapped. ‘Fearful, maybe. Today’s been strangely long.’

Vilivian closed her eyes again and leaned back her head.

‘You’re concerned and uncertain. A little agitated but that may be because of me. Not fearful, though. It’s different from how you were yesterday. Resolute. Determined. What changed?’

‘Why is that your concern now?’

‘I’ve been looking forward to our fight for quite a while, Blackblood. I would rather face you at your best. Besides, if you’re here with your concerns that means you haven’t talked with your brother about them. This may be your only chance to address your troubles.’

‘You threatened my brother.’

‘Everybody gets one. As you well know.’

Piano nodded begrudgingly. In the first encounter with Vilivian they were both attacked by a few alley goons right after the Matriarch gave them a very clear warning. Apparently, the Crossguard realized that cause of death of those who ignore it should be considered as a “suicide”.

‘It’s because of you.’ Piano confessed.

‘Me?’ Vilivian raised her head and looked, surprised.

‘I was determined before and after my fight with Quan. I radiated confidence. But after I saw you fight, I started having doubts. I started researching your people. Your habits, weaknesses, abilities. As you saw, results were less than satisfactory.’

‘What did I do?’

‘It’s just . . . All worked out way too good for you, you know?’ Piano smiled wryly and looked at her. ‘All the setbacks you encountered were basically self-inflicted; you hardly struggled when fighting Volley and Pembrooke. Your victories were ultimately decisive and even if I managed to gain an upper hand at some point there’s still that blasted transformation of yours that seems to throw all the enemy advantages to the side.’

‘I—’

‘I was confident. I was resolved to meet your expectations, but then,’ Piano took a deep breath. She was getting unnecessarily heated. ‘You threatened my brother. And that made me realize my wish. I want to protect him. My only family. But different kinds of doubts raised in my mind. Would I able to stop you if you focused on him? What would I do if I were in danger, and he came to my rescue and got hurt in the process? How can I be certain that whatever he may plan on doing doesn’t backfire terribly? You have a powerful resolve, Vilivian, and I don’t know if I can match it with my skills.’

Vilivian waited for a moment. She looked up into the sky and finally said:

‘I’m one thousand one hundred sixty-two years old. I spent all those years in seclusion of sanctuary, protecting the artefact from those who would want to obtain it. I fought and killed warlords, kings, knights, rogues, and mages. I had no means of retreating, and no means of surrender as my pride would not allow it. Every fight could’ve been my last and I had to learn, to adapt. My exposure to the outside world was limited to those encounters. At one point, I went centuries without transforming because no one could stand to challenge me. Until I was about five hundred years old when I suffered my first defeat. Would you like to know how I lost?’

Piano nodded.

‘I made a mistake.’ Vilivian smiled and even chuckled. ‘He feinted a low cut but struck low and had me carved up neck down, off with my shoulder completely.’ She drew a line with her finger on her body. ‘I would’ve bled out had he not fed me his own blood allowing me to heal myself. Which means that the only reason I’m here is because I got lucky. Lucky, that the person who nearly killed me saw as more than the monster I am.’ She grimaced, and for a second Piano thought Vilivian was going to start crying. ‘I went centuries undefeated. And then the man that had beaten me perished himself.’ She lowered her head. ‘Nobody is impervious.’

‘The man that bested you . . . Is he why . . .?’

‘That was the initial idea. Now, I fear he may reject me if I brought him back. And that would mean returning to the prison I spent millennium in.’

‘Why must you?’

‘Because what else should I do? Suicide? Or trying to integrate into society as a human?’

‘Would that be so difficult?’ Piano asked.

‘All it takes is one moment of intense stress. A slight lapse in my ability is enough for my instincts to take over. Then it’s just . . . red.’

‘It can’t be easy.’

‘It isn’t. Your brother took an advantage of that.’

Piano bit her lip and looked away in shame. Noise stopped and the air was filled with the metallic clang of sudden silence. Two women just sat there as if they weren’t going to tear each other apart tomorrow. They both hated how their minds worked. One of them should probably leave the room and slam the door as a sign of disapproving argument, but she was too shy to do that, and they just sat there giving the situation one more chance to be resolved on somewhat peaceful terms.

‘I know you don’t believe it now, but you already possess all the skills you need to prove that you can protect your brother.’

Piano smiled cheekily.

‘Is that supposed to be up-lifting?’

Vilivian frowned slightly distraught.

‘I find empathy to not be my strongest suit.’

‘I appreciate the thought. You know, I’m a good learner . . . I pride myself in a fact that I possess a lot of talents, but I don’t know if they’ll be of any use.’

‘Back up your gifts with your experience. Talent is good motivator, but without practice they will get you only so far.’

‘Speaking from your own circumstances?’

‘I killed many talented people.’

‘Say, what qualities of a Blackblood do I have? Aside from my blood being what it is?’

‘I don’t know.’ Vilivian answered deadpan.

‘You don’t?

Matriarch shrugged.

‘At first it may have been my instinct. As I said, the name has different meaning depending on the clan. Mine believed Blackblood to be the fate-defying leader of great prowess, whose blood burned with rage and vice.’ Vilivian looked at her with awe. ‘It’s a title of respect.’

Piano nodded.

‘I respect you, too, Vilivian.’

‘I appreciate it.’

They sat in silence for some time. Then, in silence, each of them left without uttering as much as a word of good luck – for they realized that skill, not luck, will bring about the culmination of their duel.

Or so they presume.

***

The skies above Crossroads were grey with rain clouds. Despite that, the gates of Cross Colosseum were swarmed with people carrying raincoats and umbrellas.

The attendance was the tournament’s highest. Nearly all of Crossroads intended to watch the final fight between Piano and Vilivian be it on stands or on one of the jumbotrons placed outside the arena.

Just as ubiquitous as the attendance was the spectators’ favour towards Piano. There were those who admired Vilivian and intended to cheer for her although they were in relative minority.

Wearing a red jacket and a black hat, Vito was in the front of the queue to the beer stand inside the arena. He rubbed his hands as he approached the seller.

‘Give me twelve of those, boss.’ he ordered.

The seller poured twelve cups, each containing less than half a litre of beer and put them in a carrier. Vito paid and already reached and downed one of the cups.

The beer was expensive, awful, and watered down, but that’s why he bought twelve cups and HE WAS going to get his fix. He finished, belched, and threw the empty cup away.

‘Starting out strong, eh?’

‘Fuck!’ he yelled out in surprise.

Vito turned towards tall, red-skinned stranger in a black coat. He was wearing black-rimmed glasses and had a friendly smile on his face.

‘Who’re you?’

‘Apologies for the scare, good man! I go by Bandoneon. Might I have your name?’

‘What’s it to you?’ Vito asked suspiciously.

‘I’m a writer! Traveling journalist! Take your pick, friend.’ Bandoneon pulled out a small journal and a pen. ‘Am I to understand that you’re responsible for the movement supporting the efforts of contestant Piano?’

‘Aye!’ Vito unzipped his jacket and showed his shirt with Piano’s visage on it. ‘That’d be me!’

‘My, my! I have heard great things about you, friend! Are you alone in your endeavour?’

‘Nay!’ He spun around showing the people, mainly pointing at the queue to the beer stand. ‘We’re all here because we support Lady Piano! Two dozen good lads and ladies and some things I don’t entirely understand, but I don’t judge, you know. Any fan of Piano’s is a friend of mine and all that stuff.’

‘Such following! Such heart! May I have your name, then?’

‘Eh . . .’ Vito said uncertain. The journalist was cheerful. Too cheerful. The kind of cheerfulness that was kind of vague that sober men should learn to dread. But Vito wasn’t sober.

‘Friend, I believe you’re making history! You’ll be the star of my article! Please, friend, do it for me!’ Bandoneon insisted.

Vito hesitated but eventually gave up. ‘Aight, mate. Name’s Vito. Remember that name!’

‘Oh, I most definitely shall!’ Bandoneon chuckled as he wrote Vito’s name in his notebook. ‘And what, if I may ask, are your thoughts on contestant Vilivian?’

‘Wretch and a loser. Not worth facing off against Lady Piano!’

‘Such passion! You’re assured of her victory, but what will you do otherwise?’

‘Won’t happen. Not with our cheering. Not with our support. Piano’s too powerful, see?’

‘Well, but there’s always that chance, isn’t there?’

‘Listen, Brandon . . .’

‘Bandoneon.’

‘Lady Piano’s the most graceful there is. She’s the Empress of Eloquence, the Mistress of Morality, the Princess of Passion, the Duchess of Domination, the—’

‘I get it.’

‘Ain’t no way in hell she loses to that she-beast Vilivian, you get it? There’s just too big of a difference in class. Too grand of a gap in their levels. Lady Piano can do everything and Vilivian can do . . . much less. We’re going to support Lady Piano in any way we can. And I mean any way.’ He patted his holster.

‘Goodness! And how will you handle the Crossguard? The God Eater herself?’

Vito grimaced heavily.

‘Pah! It’s clear that the God Eater’s losing a grip on her town. Why else would she invite something like Vilivian to her tournament? She’s padding the tournament with rubbish and the good people, like Pembrooke, suffer as a consequence! She’s a monster, both of ‘em! Hear, hear!’ Vito shouted suddenly. He walked up to an empty crate lying nearby and stood up on it.

He called people to hither around him and they did – few dozens of them, more than Bandoneon expected and much more than Vito expected. Nonetheless, he took a cup in his hand, as if readying a toast, and spoke:

‘Ruin is upon us, comrades! And only the flame of passion carried by Lady Piano can save us from the darkness spread by the plague-bearing demonic fiend that goes by Vilivian!’ he spit on the floor. ‘She may have the strength and endurance, but it’s our support that will bring glory to Lady Piano! We shall proudly gaze from the stands of the arena; we will be watchful for any foul play the demon may put into practice! We shall show the God Eater and her lackeys, fattened by decadence and luxury, that we – the people – are the hope and the future of Crossroads!’ he downed the cup in one go. ‘Walk with me! Let’s show the true spirit of Truth! Freedom! Justice! Hurrah!’

The crowd cheered twice as loud, and the few dozen went towards the stands. Vito stepped of the box and looked at Bandoneon who was slowly clapping, with a flabbergasted expression. Vito showed him thumbs up and followed his fellow compatriots.

‘This is amazing.’

Forte stopped clapping and let out a hearty chuckle of disbelief. It was obvious to him from the very beginning that knowing how to operate a doorknob was enough to be considered savvy in Crossroads, but this was incredible. He didn’t have to resort to any tricks or convincing. These idiots talked themselves into their crusade against Vilivian by themselves and fuelled it with alcohol.

He checked his notebook. He didn’t even have to write Vito’s name. That cretin’s face was an open book, albeit banned in several countries. His hatred and zealotry stemmed from his disdain for the Crossroads’ deity more than towards Vilivian’s demonic nature.

No matter. It was less work for him. He now regretted not waking up early enough to wish his sister good luck.

She was already asleep by the time he returned from Fox Den day prior. And this morning, she was already gone along with some of their money.

Nonetheless, he was confident he could enjoy himself today. Everybody deserves a day of, right? He smiled in spirit as he walked towards the stands.

***

Nephros yawned. He was sitting in front of the table in his smithy as Piano walked in.

‘Is it ready?’ she asked. Nephros pointed his crab hand at the blade resting in a black scabbard on the white cloth on the table.

‘See for yourself. A colichemarde. Blade is thirty-two inches carbon steel plated in silver brought from Vilivian’s home world. Steel, oval grip, wrapped with wood should make for easy handling even if it gets wet, bloody, or otherwise. The pommel and guard are steel, simple as.’

Piano put a sack of coins on the table and unsheathed the rapier. The blade was fully white, but no light reflected from it.

‘So, pure . . . It’s silver?’

‘Yes. Might be some strange variant due to all the weird stuff in her world. I thought using it would make it easier to cut through that demonic hide of hers.’ He started counting the coins. ‘I also wanted to use absite – a unique ore that exists in her world. Apparently, it’s used in smithing and construction in her world, but the bloody thing’s one of the very few things prohibited to import.’

‘Why is that?’

‘“Hazardous to the environment and the people.” Which is funny considering half the population is just that. When I asked Vilivian if she knew she just told me that the unpredictability and instability of raw magic is too dangerous to handle and . . .’ he waved hand. ‘Bleh.’

Piano slashed the air few times. She looked at the blade uncertain.

‘Do you mind if I sharpen it?’

‘I already did, but . . . it’s all yours.’

‘Thank you.’ Piano instead picked up a file and sharpened her rapier. She went at it for few minutes before she looked at it.

‘You done?’ Nephros asked.

‘Not quite.’ She reached to her pocket and took out a silk handkerchief. She very precisely made sure to sharpen the edges by almost cutting it in half. Nephros looked up curiously when she was done.

Piano slashed the air once more and was still not satisfied. She looked around the shop and then went to the corner. She started picking up cobweb.

‘Now, you’re just pretentious.’ he commented.

She rubbed the webs on the blade. She did so for a full minute before she was done.

She swung twice in the air.

‘Come now, there’s no way it’s going to/ /better.’

/cut any/

He went silent.

She swung again.

‘What/ /the/ /damn?’/

/in/ /god/

She smiled satisfied.

‘Now, it’s sharp.’ She put it back in the scabbard and fastened it to her right side. ‘Is the money sufficient?’

Nephros blinked twice.

‘Yeah. It is.’ He quickly returned to his usual deadpan self.

‘Then I’ll be off.’

She exited the smithy and took a deep breath. She looked up to the sky.

‘It’s going to rain.’

She turned her towards the arena and headed there. She couldn’t be more equipped than she was now. Armed with new-found confidence, perhaps spawned by Vilivian’s words day prior, or maybe due to the fact that she couldn’t avoid the inevitable anymore.

A devil-blade for Vilivian’s human half, and the silver blade for the monstrous one. It was almost poetic. In addition, she’s equipped with a set of six silver knives hidden throughout her body. Just in case.

And, of course, the rejuvenation stone she got from her brother. Hopefully, she won’t have to use it, but she wanted it more as a “good luck” charm more than anything.

The approach to the arena was much denser with people, but it’s not like the whole town was eager to watch two women fight each other. It was certainly the attraction of the year – but there were still those who didn’t care much for it. Piano still saw families and small groups of people hanging out and treating the day as usual.

Still, she was astonished to see so many people in front of the arena cheering on her as she approached the entrance. The Crossguard had to hold back some of the spectators.

On that note, Piano noticed that despite much larger attendance the number of guards stayed the same as day before if not decreased.

She shook her head. No more distractions. No more doubt. She entered the dark corridor, waiting to be announced.

***

‘Hello, Crossroads!’

The Colosseum erupted in loud cheer following X’s call. The announcer was wearing a cute, pink raincoat as she flew above the arena.

The stands were brimming with people wearing raincoats. Some spectators spelled out Piano’s name with coloured plates. There were few eager fans of Vilivian and naturally the God Eater in her own private sector. Dully swirling her wine, waiting for the fight to begin.

‘This is the day we’ve all been waiting for, oh, so patiently! And finally, after two days of awesome fights and incredible stakes we are at the penultimate stage of the Cross Tournament! You all know what’s coming after the next two announcements. The weather may be damp, but we’re all burning hot with anticipation for the final encounter of the tournament! The Silent Shadow against the Matriarch! Devil versus Demon! Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome our contestants – Piano and Vilivian!’

They entered the arena from two opposite sides. There were cheers and jeers, the latter directed towards Vilivian, but they were quickly subdued by the sheer fanbase of Piano’s.

They met at the middle and as she did in the first round, Vilivian pierced the sheath of her keepsake into the ground.

‘You took it with you today?’ Piano asked.

‘I couldn’t find Volley all morning,’ Vilivian looked at the stands. ‘I hope I hadn’t slighted him somehow.’

X’s voice resounded.

‘What is going to be their wish? What is it that they’re fighting for?! We’re all about to learn and you know what? Today’s arena doesn’t change! No more deserts! No more sewers! Today, our contestants will rely on their own abilities and resourcefulness!’

An open fight with Vilivian wasn’t exactly what Piano envisioned in today’s fight. She had hoped for some nice advantage coming from the change of environment. Nonetheless, she was confident in her own ability to improvise.

‘And now, without further ado, let us begin the final of the Cross Tournament! Begin!’

X’s voice quieted down and all that remained was the hubbub in the stands. Women stared at each other.

‘You appear to be more confident than yesterday.’ Vilivian noticed.

‘Indeed,’ Piano admitted. ‘Perhaps it’s the talk we had yesterday. Or maybe it was just a stage-fright, as seldom as they happen. You look awfully pleased as well.’

‘I reckon I should start enjoying the moments more. No point worrying about the future until it happens, right?’

‘Indeed.’

Both women smiled warmly.

Vilivian brushed some of her hair to the side and clenched her fists.

‘Shall we begin?’

‘May I?’

‘After you.’

Piano readied her fists as well. She put her left foot behind. She then put her right even further behind. On the third step, Piano turned around fully and sprinted towards the exit to the town.

The Colosseum went silent in astonishment as they saw Piano leave. Only the God Eater herself was barely holding in the laughter.

And it was Vilivian’s laughter that broke that silence. She grabbed the keepsake and tied it to her back.

‘You’re wise beyond your years, Blackblood!’

With a brisk walk she followed Piano out of the arena.

The arena remained stupefied.

‘Ladies?’ X said in a confused voice. ‘What about the tournament?’

***

Piano exited the colosseum and quickly scouted her surroundings. She felt Vilivian’s ki approaching dangerously fast.

It was the gate of the Golden Fox that brought her attention. It was on the other end of the long street, but she had an inkling – an idea to gain an advantage over Vilivian and it was on that plaza.

She ran up to the beer stand and jumped up on its frail roof. From there she climbed onto the roof of the taller building.

The tiles were wet and angled; she had to focus to not fall. She turned around and saw Vilivian emerging outside. The Matriarch looked up and smiled slyly.

Piano wasted no time in moving through from one end of the roof to the other. She stepped carefully as Vilivian observed and followed from below.

She leaped to another building. A tile slid off, and Piano barely held on.

‘Bloody heels!’ she cursed as she gathered up and continued moving swiftly. She had to sacrifice speed to maintain the safety should she fall off.

‘My sisters would often tell tales of the thrilling chases they experienced while hunting their prey.’ Vilivian spoke loudly from below as Piano continued moving. ‘I wonder how many of them died in an ambush. Would they fall to you? Will I?’

There was a chant in those last syllables and Piano noticed blue light enveloping the tiles in front of her. They exploded violently, throwing debris in her face, but in one swift motion she dexterously avoided the attack and leaped to the next roof. Her moves were cat-like, except she didn’t spray urine at every other wall.

It’s exactly an ambush, Piano thought. More of a change of scenery.

She finally reached her destination and took a turn to the roof of a bakery that went parallel to the slaughterhouse the heckler was standing under the day before.

She jumped off onto the street and backed away towards the door inside; she watched the turn, expecting Vilivian to appear suddenly. And as her back touched the metal door to the building, the Matriarch appeared, destroying the corner of the bakery, and picking up a brick she immediately threw at Piano.

She ducked and elbowed open the metal door and ran inside as the brick shattered above her head.

Vilivian entered the slaughterhouse after her opponent. As she passed the threshold her senses were immediately overtaken by the intense smell of blood and death. She walked forward, but the building was in complete darkness – it was out of use for today. There were few windows near the high ceiling, but they didn’t illuminate much, nor did the open door.

‘Clever,’ she said. ‘Trying to disorient my senses while also staying hidden. I understand there’s no means of convincing you to come out into the view?’

‘The first rule of subterfuge,’ Piano’s voice echoed. ‘Is to shy away from the light.’

‘Then I’ll bring the light to you.’ Vilivian’s arms lit up with blue light. A flame appeared above her palms. She threw the first towards one edge of the large rectangular room and the second to the other.

Flames sparked something a lot as they travelled and when they exploded so did a now visible machinery. The flesh of the carrion lit up; the dust exploded. Floor, crates, and tools susceptible to flames burned relentlessly and now most of the building was visible to Vilivian.

She readied another flame but was struck into the shoulder with a blade. Her veins ached as silver dug into the magic, but Vilivian pulled it out quickly and tossed the fireball towards the direction the knife was thrown from.

High above, the flame illuminated Piano’s silhouette that dodged the flame that struck the office at the end of a long metal walkway that went along the wall near the ceiling.

‘I see you.’ Vilivian said and noticed the metal staircase leading up to her.

She climbed as fire spread on the ground floor. She didn’t take her eyes off from her.

Piano didn’t just stand waiting. She tossed two more knives Vilivian’s way, both of which the Matriarch scarcely evaded. Annoyed, she tore out a piece of railing and tossed it as a makeshift spear. Piano ducked, backing away towards the office. Vilivian continued to climb and readied another fireball she tossed towards the office. The bricks collapsed and flames spread inside. Piano stopped and turned around.

Vilivian climbed onto the bridge and with malicious intent she started approaching Piano.

‘No more running.’

‘I’ll take a five.’ Piano grabbed the left hilt with her right hand.

On the approach, Vilivian raised her left arm and chanted:

‘Shatter.’

Wall next to Piano exploded, sudden daylight distracting her, and allowing Vilivian to close the gap. Just barely, Piano managed to slash upwards straight out of her scabbard. Vilivian evaded as the blood splattered and ate through metal and masonry. She grabbed Piano’s sword hand and launched her fist at her, but it was caught by Piano’s other hand.

Piano immediately pulled Matriarch onto herself and headbutted her; Vilivian was concussed and shocked to find so much strength in that strike.

She let go of the Blackblood and was put on backfoot, retreating towards the staircase as Piano slashed at her with her short weapon.

‘Perhaps it’s about time to use that blade of yours!’

‘It’s not mine to wield!’

Vilivian’s arms lit up. Flame appeared in her right hand which she threw from below, whilst her left pulled the bricks from the wall onto Piano. She blocked the fireball with her blade; the explosion was tiny, burning her clothes ever so slightly, but the falling debris caused her to lose balance. Seeing the approaching Matriarch forced her to slash on a cumbersome angle.

But they were both stopped dead in tracks as the walkway swayed and creaked. It was supported by steel beams, but the floor they were placed on was burning down – the whole bridge was on a time limit.

They both realized this.

‘Break!’ Vilivian chanted immediately and the ceiling would’ve fallen on Piano had she not dashed blade-first ready to thrust.

Vilivian tried to duck underneath the coming blade but Piano read her like a book. She feigned a strike and instead Vilivian was met with a knee to the face.

She grabbed Vilivian’s braid and pushed her onto the railing and stabbed her face. Matriarch barely managed to stop the blade with her hands. She wrestled Piano, trying to turn her blade against her.

Piano reinforced her strength with ki, but Vilivian still just barely managed to turn the blade against the aggressor. It was halfway turned towards Piano’s neck when the walkway trembled heavily. They both lost balance. Vilivian collapsed on all fours letting go of the blade. Piano held onto it but was pushed back against the wall.

The support wouldn’t hold out much longer. It was Piano’s cue. She ran towards the hole in the wall Vilivian made and escaped.

Vilivian tried to follow her, but the beams collapsed, and she fell along with them into the flames.

Piano jumped into a lush greenery of bushes in a small alley between the slaughterhouse and a tailor shop. She looked up. Dark smoke was leaving from the holes Vilivian made with her magic. The skies were dark, she noticed and a slight drizzle seemed to be coming down.

Piano sheathed her crimson ninjato and breathed out. She didn’t realize she was getting suffocated towards the end there. She moved around the building and returned to the plaza.

Cheers erupted when she came into view. On the main street and in the little alleys, in the windows of houses and shops people were watching and cheering for her. They were not in the slightest concerned with the burning building right in front of them.

She turned around in the middle of a plaza and looked at the slaughterhouse. Were the flames capable of defeating a Matriarch?

‘The Matriarch’s fallen! Long live Lady Piano!’ she heard a familiar drunken voice. ‘Hip-hip—’

Suddenly, the wall broke down and along with smoke and flames exited Vilivian.

The cheers quieted down, and Piano smiled slightly. I wouldn’t think so, she thought.

Aside from a few scorches on her clothes, Vilivian was seemingly without any serious injury.

‘I saw you fall into flames. How are you so pristine?’

Vilivian spread her arms slightly and they lit up with blue light. A translucent barrier surrounded her.

‘It will falter against any above-average attack, but it’s effective against flames.’ The barrier disappeared. ‘Were you hoping for an easy win?’

‘Victory is a victory, though it would be a little anticlimactic should you perish in a self-inflicted fire. Were you at least satisfied with our little skirmish?’

‘It was a sufficient enough warm-up, but I am hungry for more. Shall we continue, or will you run again?’

‘I merely wanted to gain an upper hand by luring you into an environment you had no experience fighting within. You’ve proven yourself more than capable of turning the tide, even if for a rather chaotic outcome.’

‘I didn’t mean it to explode if that’s what you mean.’

‘I believe it. In any case, I don’t suppose you’ll allow me to escape again?’

‘A correct assessment.’

‘You won’t mind if I get serious, then?’

‘By all means.’ She took a stance.

Piano unsheathed her ninjato and held it low in her right hand.

In but blink of an eye she approached Vilivian, catching her off guard and by feigning an upward slash threw her blade high into the air.

Matriarch was unsure whether to follow the blade's owner and she instead chanted a barrier while Piano reached for her rapier and immediately slashed at the arcane shield.

The silver and magic clashed, a loud metallic sound erupted in the plaza and the spell was broken. Vilivian watched in astonishment as then, Piano performed a somersault and kicked the now falling ninjato straight into Vilivian’s shoulder.

She screamed as the blade sank and burned her from inside; pain comparable to the scorching of a silver and before she could fully register what happened, Piano was already near her to pull out the blade and went behind her to slash the back of her knees with it.

Vilivian fell forward as Piano returned to the front and sheathed her blades. The crowd cheered as the Matriarch was on her knees, panting in pain and holding onto her wounded shoulder. Piano allowed herself a smirk of pride of a job well done.

She glanced at Vilivian’s tag. The scarf on her left shoulder. She could snatch it and win so easily, but she was elated with the realisation that Vilivian can be felled. Piano can protect herself and her brother. That was her true talent. And Vilivian’s martial arts? They were soon to become hers as well.

‘Serious enough for you?’

Vilivian laughed through pain as she let go of the shoulder and barely stood up. Her struggle was accompanied by the jeers and calls for Piano to kill her.

Piano couldn’t help but feel slight shame and guilt over the behaviour of the spectators. She doesn’t like being in the centre of attention herself but putting her on the spot like that disgusted her to an extent. Perhaps she should’ve ended it right then and there.

‘Seems your talents took me by surprise.’ Vilivian said. Her wound was dark, and purple blood had stained her red blouse. ‘Truly, I didn’t expect those kinds of feats.’

‘I’m rather surprised. If I knew direct confrontation would end like that, I wouldn’t insist on the change of scenery.’

‘So much for that mutual respect. Now, let’s try that again, shall we? I won’t be caught off guard again.’ Vilivian’s face turned deadpan, and her eyes seemed to drill into Piano to the very core.

The Devil-blooded woman turned serious as well. Losing focus against Vilivian was what she was afraid of before – she can’t allow herself to simply get lost in premature jubilation.

She dashed and with her crimson blade at the ready.

‘Rise!’ Vilivian used her right arm to cast a spell and from ground emerged a wall that blocked off, but frontal assault was never Piano’s plan. She bounced off to the left and intended to strike Vilivian’s right shoulder from behind, but the Matriarch seemed to have expected this and Piano was welcomed by Vilivian’s Elbow.

She collapsed on the ground in pain, losing her blade. She felt Vilivian’s grip tighten around her neck as she was picked up with minimal effort and turned around. Piano tried to free herself from the grasp to no avail and was consequently ran into the wall of the bakery they were passing earlier. Her ki reinforcement and adrenaline made the pain bearable once Vilivian used her body to repurpose the mason-work. She then used the Vilivian Knee to push her in further.

‘Thing about speed, Blackblood.’ Vilivian said as she held her opponent in the air. ‘Is that past a certain point it becomes very predictable.’

Piano flicked her sleeve and a knife appeared in her hand. She stabbed Vilivian’s forearm. Matriarch had to let her go and Piano kicked her away mid-air and managed to land on her feet. Vilivian pulled out the knife from her arm and tossed it away. She took guard.

Piano pulled another knife from her other sleeve and charged the Matriarch and the two women engaged in a very scrappy melee.

Piano evaded and slashed, though made of silver, her knife didn’t seem to make nearly as much impact as her ninjato did. Vilivian grunted in pain, but she toughened out all of Piano’s strikes. Her knife was eventually knocked out and it turned into full-on fisticuffs. She would evade most of Matriarchs attacks, proceed with counters and land a good hit or several. She used her martial arts to their full extent, but Vilivian was so pent up on magical adrenaline she was basically a punching bag that hits back.

Forte watched the fight anxiously in the crowd gathered on the plaza. The rain intensified as two women exchanged blows, but he wasn’t at all happy with how it proceeded.

It was very clear who was winning in those trades. Piano might’ve appeared deadpan and focused, and her moves struck precisely and powerfully, but she was having trouble matching Vilivian’s endurance. She needed to retreat, and take a breather, but Vilivian closed the gap each time she tried to do just that. She was like an annoying hamster. Hamster that hit like a sledgehammer.

Piano was trapped and forced to fight on until her endurance gives. He kept hoping she would start running but she kept pushing. Why didn’t you just take the bloody tag, Sister?! What talent could that woman possibly have that is worth all this pain?

He noticed Vito standing near the front in his stupid hat. All these zealots were strangely quiet ever since they found out Vilivian’s doing fine work being Piano’s equal. They all stood frozen and just watched the beating.

He approached the drunkard.

‘You,’ he grabbed Vito by the shoulder.

‘Huh?’ disgusting smell erupted from his mouth. ‘Oh, it’s you, Brandon.’

‘Brandon? Right, whatever. Say, don’t you think that the Matriarch’s having an advantage?’ Forte asked even though it caused him no end of frustration.

‘Eh, yeah, well, she’s got the momentum, but I bet Lady Piano will get it back any moment now . . .’

‘Well, it’s better safe than sorry, right? Didn’t you say you were going to make sure she wins, and all that?’

‘Yeah, but that was on the colosseum you know. Here it’s just . . . too intimate, you know what I mean?’

‘I don’t.’ Forte hissed and then his heart sunk when he saw his sister fall to the ground by receiving Vilivian’s left hook to the temple and was consequently kicked in the ribs. He watched in terror as the crowd moved back away from her body.

Rage started overtaking his body and mind.

Cowards. The lot of them are nothing, but cowards! Of course, they are! What did I expect from a bunch of drunkards! They boast, they sing, they HATE, but they will not act on it, no. The reason they’re not cheering for Vilivian now is because it would be too embarrassing, wouldn’t it? I despise them. This can’t stand. This WILL NOT stand!

Piano held onto her head. A slight concussion. Nothing a good headshake won’t fix.

Oh, she needed a plan. She didn’t want to use her silver sword – not yet – she couldn’t risk losing it like she did with her other blade.

Her martial arts were impeccable, but Vilivian was a literal wall. Low sweeps? She’ll jump on you and pummel you down. High kicks? She’ll grab the leg and break it in two. Haymakers? She’s seen it so many times she could write an essay. Anything melee that remotely worked were defensive moves or random acrobatics. Vilivian learned as she fought and wasn’t afraid of taking a heavy hit. She was—

Piano’s thought process was interrupted by a heavy kick to the ribs. She was prepared for it, but she had hoped to at least finish the thought.

‘Get up.’ Said Vilivian harshly.

Piano felt more embarrassed than she was in pain now, but she liked to think it was Vilivian’s way of showing affection. A motivation of sort. For all she knows, she might’ve just bludgeoned her head in with her boot.

‘Is kicking down the fallen all you can do?!’ Someone shouted from the crowd.

Both Vilivian and Piano turned towards the source. Piano felt something unpleasant swell in her chest. The murmur started arising amongst the spectators. It became louder with each second.

‘Monster!’ someone shouted.

‘Back to England with you!’

Vilivian listened in confusion when the first voice spoke again.

‘Vane! Cassius! Arthur! Do you think they will forgive something as monstrous as you? You’re not a human, you’re a vile beast!’

‘How do you know these names?’ Vilivian asked coldly as she scouted the crowd for the source of voice.

The crowd got agitated, instantly coming to defence of their member.

‘What’s it to you, bitch?!’

‘Stay off, and keel over already, demon!’

‘Kinslayer!’ shouted the first voice, once again.

Piano noticed Vilivian clenching her fists.

‘I know your scent.’ Vilivian was livid.

I do, too, Piano’s fears were realized. She couldn’t let him get hurt. She needed to get Vilivian’s attention.

She lunged quickly for Matriarch’s tag while she was distracted, but her right arm was intercepted and Vilivian fell on her with her hand on her throat.

‘Is that how you intended to win, Blackblood?’ Vilivian’s voice carried nothing but spite. ‘By breaking my mind?’

Vilivian’s iron grip was incredible, but at least the pressure was off Forte. All she needed to do now is to . . . get . . . free . . .

Vilivian wouldn’t budge – not to kicks or punches or anything. She crushed her chest slowly choking her with cold and ruthless expression. She could not reach her blade, nor could she cut herself to burn her. Her vision blurred as life slowly ebbed away.

And then they heard the gunshot howl.

Piano breathed out as Vilivian collapsed on her back – purple blood oozing from hole in her chest. The Matriarch touched it in disbelief, as if hoping it’s just an illusion.

Piano turned around and saw her Forte in a raincoat, holding a revolver.

‘Oi, that’s my gun!’ shouted the man Piano saw giving speech the day before.

Forte’s hand trembled and dropped the handgun, as if he himself couldn’t believe what he had just done. They looked at each other and with terrified expression, Forte escaped through the crowd.

‘Is that how I perish . . .?’

Piano turned stood up and looked at Vilivian. She was kneeling, watching her own blood on her hands.

‘Vilivian, listen . . .’ Piano was interrupted.

‘That’s exactly what happens, Monster!’

The man in red jacket picked up his handgun and raised it to the sky.

‘Wait, you don’t understand—’

‘We understand everything perfectly, Lady Piano!’ his perverted zeal sent shivers down her spine. ‘We may have faltered, but we retrieved our vigour! We shall not be intimidated neither by the Matriarch nor by the God Eater! Finish her now, Champion! Send her back to rotting hell that spewed her out!’

The large crowd joined in the call for murder. It was a horror. So much hatred and spite, without a reason. It couldn’t be real – it was too unnatural. It must’ve been a ploy. A trick? It couldn’t be her brother’s but who’s then? They all wanted blood – and Piano was sure they didn’t even know why. She wanted to stop them, but she found herself speechless. Too scared, too shy.

Vilivian listened as her already bleeding heart broke. Though not in any immediate danger her mind was reeling in fear – her instinct slowly taking over, and she couldn’t rein them in.

Her thoughts rushed from one point to another; the yesterday’s conversations, the today’s events, and all that the people of Crossroads talked about her started taking its toll.

A fiend. A monster. Called as such by the people she thought admirable. Their ability to persevere, their ingenuity; the compassion Vilivian envied and could only dream of conferring to someone. She wanted to be on equal terms with them.

She feared hurting them. She feared taking away a life without a reason. Her promises. Her friends. She dreaded losing those things, because they were the closest, she ever was to being humane. But those fears were redundant. Volley, Saki, Arthur, Wendy . . . Whether they indulged her pitiful fantasies or sought solace from her anger and angst didn’t matter anymore.

She was full of anger. And if you’re full of anger, there’s no more room left for fear.

Vilivian placed her hands on ground. Her blood sinking into the cold, wet stone. Rain battered her back, and her wound dripped with purple.

‘You’re all scum.’ Vilivian’s quiet voice escaped; her seething rage quieting the rowdy crowd down. Piano took step backward, grabbing the hilt of her sword. ‘Your veins are more mud than blood. Decadent in your pretentious mediocrity you refuse to acknowledge your innate weaknesses. You assume your high perch, dictating and fearmongering as if you know what I’m like – why my kind are like! You are cowards, willing to lie, deceive and kill when it’s convenient. You claim I exist to bring naught but murder, but I am more. And You. Will. Learn.’

Her arms lit up with blue light and the cobblestones in the plaza did as well. Somebody shouted “Run!” and the ground started collapsing. It consumed whole plaza into the depths, along with part of the warehouse and other nearby buildings including the bakery, two houses and a donut shop.

And of course, people.

Piano turned around the moment she saw Vilivian’s arms light up. She turned on a heel and started running as earth was consumed along the way. She jumped to grab the roof and climbed, just barely making it on top as the building she was on top of collapsed as well. She jumped to another building, further down the street whose part also collapsed.

With ground finally certain underneath her feet she looked over the scene. The giant hole in what was once a plaza was being filled with rainwater and sewage. There was chaos, there was blood there was almost certainly death.

‘. . . Fetch me the rope . . .!’

‘. . . Use the soap I say . . .!’

‘. . . Guards! Guards! Where’s the bloody guard . . .!’

She couldn’t see Vilivian anywhere nor could she sense her. Did the Matriarch die? If she had, she would have known about it, right?

It was a complete pandemonium. She saw Volley climbing down the hole to look for people. Couple of mages and witches came out to tend to the wounded and help with bringing out the victims.

Piano noticed a silhouette of a man deep in the crater. His lower body was crushed by debris. The broken sewer pipe was slowly flooding him down. She thought him dead, but she could still sense his ki albeit very faintly.

She jumped onto the street and then into the crater. Dark dirt was unstable, and she had to squeeze in-between two large pieces of concrete to get to him. She dropped even lower, and her feet submerged in the water.

She approached the man – he was unconscious. Piano moved the concrete block aside and saw the man’s bruised and bleeding legs. She pulled him up and put him on her back and at the same time someone shouted and threw a rope.

With a lot of effort and a lot of reinforcing she managed to climb the rope with the man weighing her down. She was sweating and struggling near the top with her hands and body trembling she was panicking about dropping the man.

At the very top three residents grabbed him off her shoulders and pulled him away while Saki helped appeared and pulled her up.

‘You alright?’ the oni asked.

‘Where’s Vilivian?’

‘Wasn’t she down there?’

‘I can’t sense her!’

‘Well, she’s somewhere, then, otherwise you’d have her tails attached to you! Blast it, Chifu, where are you? And where are the damned guards?!’

Saki went to reinforce the rescue missions, while Piano looked to the other end of the chasm. If Vilivian’s alive she needs to find her. Before she finds Forte.

***

Forte discarded his raincoat and glasses and jogged frantically through the streets. He was running for two minutes but he tired rather quickly was eventually brough down to a brisk walk.

His body trembled with excitement and adrenaline. Despite rain, his agitated blood warmed him up. He breathed in and out trying to put together the events that had occurred.

‘I shot her.’ He mumbled. ‘I shot her!’

He was willing anything to save his sister and he did. There was nothing to regret except for missing the head. The tremors he felt a few minutes ago must’ve been Vilivian’s doing.

He walked, he took turns into alleyways, sometimes he looped but every twelve seconds or so he looked behind his shoulder.

‘Oi, mate. Over here.’

He turned towards the alleyway. A familiar and disgusting sight awaited him there; Camio, in his form of a porcelain spider called out to him.

Forte looked around before he entered the narrow alleyway. ‘What do you want?’ he asked. ‘I’m slightly peeved and in a hurry.’

‘Calm down,’ said Camio emerging from his porcelain pot. ‘Thing is that I’ve been paid to keep you out of harm’s way.’

‘You were? Why you?’

‘I know this town just as well if not better than the God Eater herself, lad. Every nook and cranny; black markets, clubs, smuggling dens . . . I know where she can find you, and where she can’t. Be honest, do you think there’s anyone willing to melee with that thing?’

‘She is chasing me then?’

‘She sure as shit ain’t dead. And you did get the warning.’

‘You still haven’t told me who is it that employed you.’

‘A little bird that goes by “Not Your Bloody Business”. I’m a professional, guv. Not exactly willing to spill the beans on who pays my bills.’

‘You’re being strangely conscientious.’

‘I take an offense to that.’

‘What of my sister?’

‘Last time I saw her she was saving some schmuck from the chasm Vilivian made. She’s probably looking for her right now. Probably scared of what Vilivian might do to you should she catch you. She was looking pretty pissed right before she turned everything to shitter.’

Forte smiled smugly.

‘Well, I always wondered what her breakdown would be like. Had few theories on it.’

‘I am open to ideas.’

Forte froze up. His brain spanned all manner of wild and incoherent fantasies as he tried to provide a rational reason on why Vilivian was standing behind him. It all came down to Camio’s insufferable smirk.

‘You stalled me. You betrayed me.’ He said to the lesser demon.

‘Technically, I betrayed my employer. I’m so glad I took the payment upfront.’

‘Why?’

‘Remember when you called me disgusting?’

Forte grimaced into anger.

‘Are you that petty?’

‘I’m worse. Truth being, I just really don’t like you. Welcome to the real world, kid.’

‘You—’

‘Enough.’ Vilivian spoke out. ‘Leave, Demon. Your sole existence is an affront to your kind.’

‘Yes, ma’am.’ Camio said quickly and hid inside his pot. He then emerged wings and flew away.

Forte finally turned away to Vilivian. She was much closer than she expected. A few meters at most.

The Matriarch was standing upright, with cold, but focused expression. Her red blouse was dirtied by earth and soaked with rain and her own blood. There were scrapes in her black pants and her braid was dishevelled and wet. The sword remained fixated to her back.

He looked over the shoulder. If he ran quickly enough . . .

He fixed his shirt and took a deep breath.

‘Say, are you giving me a chance to escape?’

‘An illusion of one, at most.’ Vilivian spoke softly.

‘I remember wounding you,’ he looked at her chest.

‘I healed it.’

‘I recall the process being rather excruciating without any anaesthesia.’

‘I endured it.’

Her calmness agitated him. He expected her to be furious, quippy and ready to murder him on the spot, which she probably is but she doesn’t feel like it.

She was glaring at him, like a predator stalks their prey. Well, I hope you choke on it.

‘I hope you at least understand why I did it.’

‘I do.’

‘No way for us to settle it peacefully, then?’

‘No.’

‘And yet, you don’t seem as wrathful, contrary to the evidence in the plaza.’

‘I’m past the age of temper tantrums dictating my actions and feelings. I came, however, to an epiphany that I am a monster. And nothing will change that.’

‘You ceded to some tavern banter?’ Forte scoffed. ‘I thought you better than that, Miss Vilivian.’

‘You haven’t, but that aside, I simply realized that there’s no point pretending to be something I’m not. I’ll do what I want. And I still have a promise to keep.’

‘A promise, forsooth! To teach me the ultimate lesson! I am to die in the name of your principles?’

‘No.’

‘No?’

‘I killed a lot of people, Male. Mainly in defence. I have never had any significant connection to my victims. Until now, however. Revenge is a novel concept to me.’

She cocked her head and gave him a sadistic grin.

Oh, dear. What have I unleashed onto the world?

‘Now, then. What happens now?’

‘That depends on you.’ She said. ‘Will you run? Use one of your tricks? Talk?’

He scratched his chin.

‘Myriad choices equal myriad outcomes. Without delay, I say, it would be impudent of me to be disillusioned with the promise of safety and health, alas I can’t help but to conceal my true intentions for as you see—’

He then turned around and started running in the opposite direction. He sprinted, as fast as Forte could sprint which wasn’t very fast, but it did cause Vilivian to give a hearty laugh.

She then reached out her arm and grabbed air. She tightened her grip and the spell broke.

“Forte” that was running away dissolved into particles while the real one appeared in her hand, held by the throat. He tried to swing his legs at her and punched her arm, but she didn’t budge.

‘All at once. You really are an entertainer!’ Vilivian laughed cheerfully and threw him out onto the street. He landed in the puddle of rain, his body aching from impact.

‘You carry yourself expertly when it comes to illusions. But your scent is unmistakeable.’

She walked up and straddled him. She grabbed his hair and held it against the puddle. With her other hand she ripped open his shirt and vest revealing his crimson chest. She caressed it before cracking her fingers and raising her hand high.

‘Killing you would be cathartic, but ultimately wasteful. And ripping your tongue, while satisfying is pointless if you’re going to die anyway.’

Forte looked to the side, hoping for the rescue. If this were a story, a thunder would strike Vilivian down. Piano would come just in time to save him. But this wasn’t that kind of story.

She pierced his skin with her nails and buried her fingers in it. He groaned as she pushed deeper, and his blood burned her fingers.

‘I will make sure that every word— no, every breath you take; every time you grasp for life will cause you the same pain you caused when you shot me. It will be a very slow nightmare.’ In the instant she pierced his lung she pulled out as he twitched in agony. She looked at her burned fingers and smiled in blissful contentment.

She stood up, as he lied half-unconscious in the intensifying rain. His life slowly expiring.

Vilivian felt weight on her back. She had trouble standing and she glanced over at the keepsake tied to her back. Once, the blade’s weight would concern her, but now she frowned in disdain and untied the useless piece of metal. It fell on the ground; a thud muffled by the rain.

‘Vilivian!’ she heard shouting. About fifteen meters, she saw Piano standing in shock and disbelief. She looked at Forte and then at Vilivian. Matriarch smiled as she met Piano’s glare. Heavy rain splashing on top of their heads.

‘What did you do?’ Piano shouted out.

‘I always considered my seemingly endless lifespan a curse, Blackblood. Let’s just say that this once,’ she looked at Forte over her shoulder and smiled as he let out a slight groan with each attempt to breath. ‘I will enjoy time’s relentless flow.’ She looked back at Piano and took a fighting stance. Piano discarded the scabbard she used to store her crimson blade in and took a stance as well.

‘You’re going to pay for that.’

Matriarch could sense wrath slowly taking hold in the young woman. Yet, she retained a magnificent control. Fear, anger, anxiety. . . Piano had suppressed them all and focused on the task ahead. Vilivian scoffed and her expression turned serious.

‘I’ll hold you to that.’

Both women started running at each other and met in the middle. Vilivian met a haymaker which Piano quickly kicked away and struck her chest twice with her fists, before Vilivian managed to swing wide. Piano evaded low and struck into stomach and face in two quick moves. As Matriarch recoiled her face slightly her right hand came down with a chop. Piano leaned left and attacked her head with two quick strikes which were evaded and countered by Vilivian’s left arm coming down like a hammer.

Piano defended herself with her right forearm. Vilivian gathered some of the rain in her palm and threw it in her face, blurring her vision.

Despite that, Piano predicted Vilivian’s next two strikes and deflected them. It was Vilivian’s habit to always go for the chest. Piano was finally getting a read on her opponent’s moves.

She followed up with a strong kick with her left leg to Vilivian’s ribs. Matriarch answered with another wide swing Piano dodged and then deflected oncoming chop from below.

Yet another kick to the ribs and Matriarch made pained expression. Piano continued with a strike to the cheek, then another to the chest and went for a kick with a right leg.

Matriarch, unsuspecting a kick from the other side, didn’t have a choice but to finally be toppled down by Piano’s strength and was effectively, albeit very briefly, moved out of the way.

Piano wasted on time and rushed towards her bleeding brother. The tournament was secondary. The safety of her brother was paramount.

‘You’re as predictable as sunrise!’ Vilivian’s arm lit up when she raised it.

Cobble wall erupted right between Forte and her. She could’ve jumped it or destroyed it, but she was afraid of the rubble hurting her brother should the wall be destroyed either by her or Vilivian.

She turned around to see the Matriarch charging her with her fist ready to strike. Piano put her hand on the hilt of her silver rapier.

She needed to disable her. When Vilivian was close enough, Piano ducked unsheathing the blade aiming to slash Vilivian’s side.

But as Piano did to her before now Vilivian did to her. Matriarch feinted, and instead kicked Piano’s head, felling the young devil and her blade.

Reeling from hit, Piano saw Vilivian take the blade in her hand and approached her. Before she could react, it was sunk in her gut.

She yelled out in pain as Vilivian twisted the blade. She knew exactly where to strike to inflict as much suffering without killing her victim and yet, she didn’t seem to enjoy it one bit. Rather, she was very indifferent.

Devil blood ate away the silver coating as she pulled it out, and Piano held onto her wound as it ate through her clothes. Gasping for air, enduring the pain, and trying to maintain consciousness.

‘It’s time to choose, Blackblood.’ Vilivian said deadpan. ‘I know you have the stone. I know you must realize that your brother is holding you back. Choose. Your life . . . or his.’

Piano reached for her pocket and pulled out the rejuvenation stone. The seemingly empty crystal was heavy and capable of healing one fatal injury. She clutched it in her hand.

It was the easiest choice of her life.

Determined, she crawled towards her brother. Her wish. Her life. It didn’t matter anymore. He had to survive. It was pointless to go on trying without him.

She managed to get to him, whilst holding onto her wound. She raised her trembling hand holding the crystal over his wound. It was fine. He was going to resent her for that, but it was OK. Those were the consequences. And she was willing to pay them. She wanted to win, and she wanted to live. But if the price was to be left alone in this world, if the price was to fill a grave with his body . . . then it was too high.

She saw shadow, and then was kicked away by Vilivian. Crystal rolled on the ground as she recoiled in pain. ‘Why . . .?’ she asked. Her eyes swell up.

‘I expected you to hold some sentiment,’ Vilivian picked up the crystal. ‘But I didn’t expect you to choose poorly. Your potential, your innate abilities are far too great to be discarded in exchange for this male. In this adversity, you will find anger – and anger will give you strength.’

‘I don’t want it! I want him to live!’

‘I’m afraid I’ve already made my choice.’

‘It isn’t yours to make!’

‘I’m glad you get the point.’

Piano tried to crawl away as Vilivian grabbed her and held her down with one hand. Devil kicked and flailed trying to escape. ‘Stop!’ she screamed. ‘NO!’ tears started falling from her eyes. She was sedated as the crystal shimmered with magic and her wound started healing.

The electric current numbed the pain of the mending spell and Piano’s cries became quieter. She was finally let go as the crystal crumbled from her hand. Piano looked in despair as slowly subsiding rain swept away the dust.

‘No, no, no!’ she collapsed on all four as her body was still numb from the spell. Vilivian took a step back. She sensed fear and anxiety; desire for revenge, to get even. Perpetual wrath stirred in Blackblood’s veins, fuelled by her loss. Vilivian expected her to explode; to attack.

But Piano broke down in despair instead. Her tears abundant and consumed in the rain. She crawled up to her brother. ‘Please,’ she begged. ‘Please, heal him!’

Vilivian stood astonished.

Piano leaned above Forte. She gently grabbed his hair. ‘Forte?’ she said weakly. ‘Brother, can you hear me? Please talk to me!’

His eyes were shut. There was no answer.

‘Please! Please . . . Don’t leave me.’ She sobbed quietly.

He’s barely alive, Vilivian thought. You should be able to tell, WHY can’t you tell?

That vortex of emotions she sensed inside was gone. Naught but grief and guilt remained. What Vilivian once saw as a penultimate to great power now devolved into emotions of no value. Despair brought no benefits; it sowed nothing but self-doubt and Vilivian recoiled in disgust sensing those things in her opponent.

Livid, Vilivian grabbed Piano’s hair and pulled her back on her knees.

‘Explain to me, Devil. Why?!’ she yelled. ‘Why do you care so much for this male? He’s a wretch! He’s been holding you back your whole life! He demeaned your victories; he halted your growth by interfering into fights he had no business doing so! He brings misery to all he talks to, possesses no respect for anything but his own desires and you revere him, deluding yourself that you must depend on him like human must depend on air, or fish on water! Why, why, why?! What is so special about him that you abandon what you are and forsake all that you could be?!’

‘He’s my brother!’ she cried. ‘He’s all I have!’

Vilivian’s face turned from wrath to guilt back to wrath in a span of two seconds.

‘“All you have?” You have talent! Your skills are supreme! There is so much potential waiting to be unlocked! Why are all those things suddenly made redundant when that deadweight is removed from the equation? Why? Is it pity? What poison did he give you that made you so reliant on him?! Do you understand where you would be if he were dead? Do you understand where you would be if . . . if . . .

Where would I be if my brother were still alive?

Still stuck in a cave, most likely. Though perhaps with more reliable company than wild beasts and creatures. With loneliness never infecting her sense of duty she would remain as the Sentinel of Graal. Fated for eternity to guard the artefact until she was killed and beaten.

There was a time in her life that her siblings were all she had. Her sisters, as crude as they were, still acknowledged the bonds of the brood and would visit every so often. She felt their deaths through the blood – it was like the very last conversation she’s had – a storm of emotions they experienced as they perished, and it was usually just . . . anger.

Vilivian desperately sought some sort of sense of belonging, whether it was by softening up to some of the challengers or insisting on a promise to a dead man. She opened herself to the idea that the outside world may not be so terrible after all.

She yearned for the place of belonging – a place where she could be herself and be accepted for who she truly was – a Matriarch. The invitation to the tournament was a chance – a hope for her to finally find her place.

But she’s committed fratricide and felt she had no right to be anything but an outcast. And the more she acted as one, the more people despised her; turning the circle where she would become even more withdrawn and forgetting the people who did reach out to her and gave her place.

Piano’s twin may be the only reason for her to walk the earth. Should she really take the only solace she has in the world. Was his sin truly so grave? He almost killed me. And he’s teetering on the edge himself. What if he didn’t learn his lesson? He’ll learn again.

Vilivian was proud of the experience she accumulated throughout the centuries. But some of these experiences, she would rather never pass on.

She let go of Piano’s hair as anger within herself came to a sudden halt. She walked around Forte’s body and leaned on the other side.

Piano stared, uncertain, afraid, but said nothing.

‘It’s going to hurt.’ Vilivian hovered her hand above the wound in Forte’s chest. ‘Mend.’

Forte groaned in pain as light appeared in Vilivian’s veins. Piano grabbed her brother’s hand and tried to soothe him as the flesh knit and grew inside his body. He writhed, and as he moaned and coughed when his lung was being returned to its health.

After nearly full minute, the last tissue was healed back, and Forte finally breathed out uninterrupted. Piano was elated to see her brother turn his head towards her. He tried to speak to her but struggled to get even a word out.

Vilivian stood up and Piano followed suit.

‘Why?’ the young devil asked.

‘Because you wanted me to.’ Vilivian picked up the silver rapier from the ground.

‘And you very clearly didn’t. Was it one of your games?’

‘I don’t play games. You failed, Blackblood.’ She threw the rapier hilt first towards Piano who caught it without an issue and then sheathed it. Vilivian then approached the keepsake and picked it up in her two hands. Its weight became manageable. ‘You couldn’t protect your brother. I simply allowed you to improve on that.’

‘I am not the Blackblood you think me to be, Vilivian!’

‘No, you’re exactly what I think Blackblood should be. You were willing to die for him. To beg me to help him. I couldn’t even protect my own brother from myself.’

‘I thought your clan view Blackblood differently . . .’

‘My family is dead, Piano. I endangered the people of Crossroads thus betraying those who thought me decent.’ Vilivian frowned sadly. ‘I’m the last one. All I have left is a promise.’ She clutched the keepsake closer to her.

She looked at Piano with newfound resolve.

‘I don’t want your forgiveness, Blackblood. Merely a fitting finale for this pitiful parable.’

Piano looked back at her brother.

‘Someone will come and get him, I’m certain.’ Vilivian reassured her.

‘I know.’ Piano dried off her tears with her sleeve. ‘He’s come that far he won’t die now. Our fight has been prolonged enough. I’m willing to finish it.’

‘Good.’ Vilivian smiled then exclaimed out. ‘I know you can hear us Trickster! Move us somewhere where we can finish it uninterrupted!’

There was a silent pause during which the rain subsided. Then, the world moved while Piano and Vilivian stayed in place. They saw all of Crossroads move next to them until finally they found themselves in the middle of Cross Colosseum.

The arena, now emptied, was wet. The dark clouds were still hanging above in the sky, but there was nothing that would interrupt them anymore. No crowds. No brothers. No rain.

With trembling hand, Vilivian unsheathed the keepsake. Piano swallowed. The glint shined in the middle of the arena as the legendary blade saw daylight for the first time in four hundred years.

And though the blade shined, it didn’t appear to be anything special. It was a sword. A long piece of metal with very sharp edges. There was truly nothing out of ordinary in its appearance other than the blade’s blueish colour with silver spots.

But she noticed that it didn’t quite fit the scabbard. The blade was longer and the hilt much more suitable for wielding with two hands size of someone exactly like Vilivian.

‘Excalibur.’ Vilivian presented the weapon as she discarded the scabbard. ‘Legendary blade forged in times where function preceded over form. Its weight depending on the wielder’s guilt, balanced out by their resolve.’ She swung the air a few times. She had no trouble carrying the blade almost the same length as her. ‘I had hoped for it to not see daylight until I can present it to him. I’d kill anyone that dared to show any interest in it and now I’m the one wielding it. What’s one more broken principle, however? I must keep my promise. I will bring back Arthur. And it’s only fitting that his sword would help me achieve that.’

Piano untied her black scabbard and unsheathed the silver blade. She discarded the sheath and looked over the rapier’s blade. Its tip was slightly charred due to her devil blood, but she swung it confidently as well.

She put her left hand behind her back and positioned her blade low, slightly to the side.

‘Excalibur or not.’ Piano spoke confidently. ‘After I defeat you, I will claim my wish. And I’ll make sure that the events of today never happen again.’

‘Well said,’ Vilivian said and started circling around Piano whilst holding Excalibur high. ‘There will be no more interruptions in this venture, Blackblood! Now show me what you CAN do!’

Both women may have been wounded and spent but were still unwilling to compromise anything other than a decisive victory. With the only witness to their battle being the God Eater herself.

Vilivian slashed vertically. Piano parried it to the side and counter with a slash on her own that the Matriarch evaded. They struck relentlessly, each unwilling to give up an inch of advantage. Every time Piano’s silver blade struck Excalibur’s, a bright light of magic gleamed and a sound of corrupted, metallic sounds echoed in the empty arena.

***

Crossroads was covered with a blanket of mist. The sound of several dozen was heard walking through the main street towards the colosseum.

Men, women, humans, beastfolk, demons and devils; elves and dwarves; they were all armed with weaponry and prejudice. In their eyes a feverous zeal; in some uncertainty. On the very front, leading was Vito. He was holding his handgun high in the air.

‘Step up, ladies and gentlemen! A little bird just told me where we can find the Matriarch! Follow me!’ he shouted. ‘And we’ll bring that demon to justice for what she’s done to our beautiful town! It is now the time for mortals to take hold!’

Cheers erupted behind him. Towards the back there wasn’t as much commotion. It was rather difficult to hear him and even then, some of those people didn’t really share his mad ideas. They really were there just for the drama and any excuse to beat up someone else was good enough.

‘STOP!!’ somebody shouted.

And they did. Short of twenty meters away from him.

The saw an oni boy standing on a wooden box in front of the entrance to the colosseum.

He was wearing a white shirt and his shorts. He was raising his arms as if trying to fully block the entrance.

‘What’s the idea, brat?’ Vito shouted.

‘I can’t let you interrupt Miss Vilivian’s fight! Turn around and leave!’

‘Or what?’

‘I’ll beat you up!’ he jumped off the box and cracked his knuckles.

‘Are you daft?’

‘I’m not daft! I’m Volley! Miss Vilivian’s my friend and—’

‘Ah, a fiend sympathizer! Your statements are already made redundant. We don’t have to fight you, kid. We’ll just walk you over!’

‘It’s the quality that matters, not quantity.’

A woman exited the arena. She was carrying an umbrella in her left hand. She was wearing purple dress and large witch hat.

‘Hello, Miss Wendy!’ said Volley. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘Good afternoon, Volley.’ The mage smiled at the boy. ‘I was worried about Vilivian after she destroyed the plaza. I’ve been all over Crossroads looking for her. I’m glad I finally found her . . .’

‘Are you another sympathizer?!’ Vito was spitting everywhere.

‘I am her friend.’ Wendy said firmly.

‘You saw what she did to the town! Homes destroyed; families shattered! She has to pay!’

‘I am perfectly aware of what she’s done. I don’t believe, however, that’s done that out of malice or ill intent towards any resident of Crossroads. Even you. She was desperate.’

‘Desperate to kill.’ Vito growled. ‘Enough! Two against an army what possibly do you hope to—’

‘Three.’ Another person came from the direction of a side street. She was wearing a black sweatshirt with her hoodie on and was hiding her hands in her pockets.

‘Hello, Miss Angie!’ Volley waved at her as if there wasn’t a horde of angry people waiting to slaughter them.

Angelique waved back, slightly taken aback by his innocent friendliness.

Vito snarled.

‘Will you fight us to spite Piano? So regretful of your loss—’

‘Shut up.’ Angelique exclaimed and pulled her hands out of her pocket. ‘I don’t care for Piano. But I saw Forte getting carried away by Fox Den’s barkeep and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I feel inclined to return a favour to Vilivian for making my day.’

Crowd behind Vito grumbled. The voices of uncertainty gained volume.

‘That’s it!’ Vito raised handgun. ‘It’s time for you to—’

They were once more interrupted. A young man wandered in-between two groups, gathering their attention with his nonchalant biting of a chicken sandwich. He munched, carefree, as everybody stared at him.

Once he realized where he was, he looked at the mob then looked at Volley’s group.

‘What?’

‘You there, Quan boy!’ Vito shouted. ‘Come join us and let’s trample these pathetic collaborators!’

‘Do not listen to them! Help us if anything!’ Volley shouted.

‘Why?’

‘It’s the right thing to do!’

‘Eh.’ Quan turned to Vito ‘What’s your offer?’ Quan asked suspiciously.

‘Freedom! Truth! Justice!’ Vito claimed and the mob behind him cheered.

‘Hard pass. You can’t fill your stomach on those, y’know? I tried.’

‘Of course, there shall be a feast fitting for champions once we’re done!’

‘See, now, that’s an offer.’

‘Food?! Really?!’ Volley shouted in disbelief.

‘Fine choice, comrade!’ Vito said to approaching Quan. ‘Let us trample these fools and after that we shall teach Matriarch a lesson she’ll never forget!’

Quan stopped.

‘You mean to fight Vilivian?’

‘Of course!’

‘Oh, you’re capping if you think I’m going to fight her. I’m with them!’ Quan said and like a blur appeared next to Volley. He smiled at Wendy. ‘What’s up? Name’s Quan.’

‘What? Coward! Why would you choose the losing side?!’

‘Listen, mate. Even if we lose, I at least won’t have to fight Vilivian. I like my limbs as they are, thank you very much!’

Angelique scoffed.

Vito was red with fury.

‘You idiots! Fools! Buffoons! What do you think it will give you, hiding underneath that demon’s skirt?! You all will suffer, punished for your ignorance! And the God Eater?! She, too, shall know . . .’

He rumbled on as Volley and the gang watched him impressed.

‘The lungs on this man.’ Quan said.

‘So, do we have any plan or are we just going to wing it in hopes they forget who the enemy is and start beating each other up?’ Angelique asked.

‘We need to huddle up. The numbers aren’t quite in our favour.’ Wendy advised.

‘Fear not, for I have the strength of ten!’ Volley remained undeterred.

‘And there’s a hundred of them.’ Angelique noticed.

‘Fortune favours the bold!’

‘And they favour themselves.’

‘Despite the impossible odds you’re still here, aren’t you?’ Wendy said.

‘Difficult, not impossible.’

‘Why don’t we have some fun, eh? One who knocks the most knuckleheads out, wins. You up for it, Volley?’ Quan smiled.

‘Any time, any day!’

‘Can we focus? We’re still outnumbered.’ Wendy stepped behind the group.

Vito was still screeching while the small group bickered. Even the mob itself started getting uncomfortable with the man’s fanaticism.

His words were finally cut short when someone from the crowd behind him pulled him by the collar and threw him to the ground.

‘Who dares—’

‘Me.’ Said the orange-haired vixen. She was wearing a golden crown. ‘Now shut your mouth before I make you swallow your teeth.’

Vito thin-lipped as she brandished her bat onto her shoulder. He trembled, pinned under her condescending glare. She walked towards Volley’s group. There was slight excitement in her step.

‘I followed this cavalcade hoping for a shot at Vilivian, but here I found something more interesting. A fight that happens only once in a lifetime. Some of the best Crossroads can muster team up to go against the impossible odds. I simply cannot miss a chance like this.’

‘Aude?’ Wendy spoke softly.

Volley matched her glare and as he put up fist, ready to throw down with her. He was stupefied when she turned around and stood next to him, ready to fight. She gave him a cocky grin as took a fighting stance; her bat ready to swing at the mob at any moment.

Now, the five of them stood stalwart against the mob.

‘Oh, for the love of . . .’ Vito shouted as he struggled to get up. ‘JUST KILL THEM ALREADY!’

The mob was waiting for that command. With their battle cries they charged toward the group of five people.

‘So, what’s the plan?’ Wendy shouted, slightly concerned.

‘Bash their bloody heads in!’ Aude shouted, bloodthirsty.

‘I’m not really physically capable all that much!’

‘Play to your strengths,’ Armel appeared next to Aude. Slight glow appeared around both. ‘Let Aude and Volley take the point. Don’t let Wendy get overwhelmed and stick together!’

‘There’s ghost fighting with us, hah!’ Quan laughed as he brandished his knives.

‘Oh, Angie, what have you got yourself into now . . .’ Angelique lamented quietly as she positioned herself behind Volley.

The crowd was about to run into them – a large bull beastman led the charge. The ground quaked underneath their boots.

‘Let’s do this, Armel!’ Aude shouted.

‘Naturally.’

Aura surrounding her and Armel intensified giving them, as if covering them in white flames. Armel disappeared into Aude’s crown.

The vixen met beastman head on. She crushed her baseball into his torso and flung him away. Laughing, she proceeded onto the next opponent, focusing her bat on their heads and knees.

From the outside, the battle in front of the arena’s gates was a complete havoc, but a more focused eye could discern how well the defenders have divided up their roles in battle.

Aude and Volley were the vanguard – both could easily handle several enemies at once, though Aude’s opponents had lower chance of getting back up due to their more severe injuries.

Wendy stood in the back, using her elements of lightning, fire, and ice to disrupt the enemy advance. Nothing overly damaging, but she preferred to save her more powerful spells in case of emergencies.

Not that any occurred. Angelique and Quan both took on more supportive roles. She used her magic to immobilize and disrupt much like Wendy did but in addition knocked out anything that wasn’t worth wasting magic on.

Quan was like a fly. He was everywhere in battle at once being more of a nuisance than an actual threat, but he performed his duty of cleaning up anything Volley, Aude or Angelique missed very well.

Wendy was focused on spell-weaving. As she completed casting spell in one hand, she casted another with her other hand. She tried to be very economical with her magic. She noticed that the mob started surrounding them; more coming from the sides, giving Quan and Angelique more to work with than they could handle at once.

As Wendy focused on trying to support Volley’s onslaught, she noticed a handgun emerging from the crowd. Vito got closer and took aim at her. She was about to shout when a blur passed through, and revolver fell out Vito’s hand. He was then tackled by Angelique, causing his hat to fall and show off his receding hairline that might’ve blinded few members of the mob. He consequently had his face rearranged into a pulp which was an impressive feat on its own.

Wendy then noticed someone pick up the revolver. A black-haired youth, with tired eyes aimed it at her.

‘Pembrooke . . .!’ she said in shock.

‘Focus, Wendy,’ he said.

He fired twice. She felt bullets swing next to her head and then two bodies collapse. She unleashed a spell, and a shower of ice pelleted the man trying to blindside Aude. He lost balance and fell. He struck his head on a small stone, losing consciousness and ultimately being saved from vixen brutally savaging him.

Wendy looked at Pembrooke as he walked up to Vito’s rearranged body and started taking out bullets from his pockets.

‘If it weren’t for your magic, I might’ve not survived my round with Vilivian, Wendy. Consider this a favour returned.’ He grabbed the revolver in two hands and started picking off anything that would try to get into the backline.

Gunshots, magic, and screams caused due to fracture were the most prominent sounds now.

Aude’s playful laughter didn’t exactly fit with the sound of bones breaking, but it didn’t stop her from enjoying every moment of the fight.

‘Oh, this is hardly a hallmark of my career, but it’s so much fun!’

‘I told you it would be interesting.’ Armel appeared, sitting on one of the larger bodies. Someone tried to hit him, but the fist phased through.

‘Oh, Armel. You know me so well . . .’ She said in sultry voice. He smiled as the assailant who tried hitting him was dropkicked into the group of five other men by Volley.

‘How about dinner later? There are few places I saw last time I was on a walk.’

‘You guys want dinner?’ Quan blurred after he tripped up the man trying to charge at Angelique. ‘There’s a nice restaurant by the warehouse in business district. Hardly any rats, and let me tell you—’

‘Can we focus!’ Angelique shouted as her shadows stopped three men in place that were then beaten by Aude.

Wendy was preparing another spell when Pembrooke walked up a little closer to her.

‘So . . . Armel is a ghost, right?’

‘Pembrooke, I am trying my best to focus so that my spells don’t blow us up to kingdom come. Do NOT ask me that question.’

‘How do you think they—’

‘I said don’t!’

***

As the fight raged on outside the arena, there was one in the very centre of it, with much higher stakes.

Vilivian’s style was quick and aggressive. Not willing to give Piano room to breathe and despite most of her attacks being evaded or parried, she succeeded in putting on a pressure.

Piano, however, was much more confident in her sword skills than Vilivian was. Matriarch wasn’t using techniques she was familiar with, but the swordplay was very unrefined and poor. All she need was a single opening and when she’d get one . . .

Piano led the Excalibur to the ground and when Vilivian tried to lift it up she was forced to defend herself against Piano’s attacks. Series of unrelenting strikes pushed the Matriarch back as she tried to gain distance so that she could launch and offensive once more. She would finally try to get her with a thrust.

Piano parried and led the legendary blade in a circle and unarmed the Matriarch. They watched Excalibur fly away and land on the ground.

Piano aimed her charred blade at Vilivian’s throat who looked at her blade in disbelief.

‘It’s a fantastic work, this blade of yours,’ she said. ‘You could use a bit practice, though.’

Vilivian smirked.

‘Well, it’s been a little over a thousand years.’

Her veins started shining turning purple.

‘I won’t let you!’ Piano shouted and slashed at her. Matriarch ducked under and grabbed Piano’s arm. She broke her wrist on her own shoulder disarming the young woman. Rapier fell to the floor. Vilivian delivered a powerful strike to Piano’s chest sending her flying.

Vilivian’s veins turned purple once more. She began transforming. Desperate to stop her, Piano picked up the Excalibur and threw it without any effort.

Vilivian just barely managed to fall to the ground avoiding the flying blade. The magic finally started working and her body changed.

Her clothes torn apart as she increased in size; Piano watched in horror. She saw it twice already, but it was completely different feeling seeing it from that close.

Her hair fell out and instead gained tail. Her limbs and body morphed into caricatures of their human forms gaining reach and sharpness. Her head was like a white skull, with her eyes hollow and devoid of any light. And there she was in all her Matriarchal glory. Vilivian’s tail flailed on the ground. She stood upright. Only her tag remained – a scarf on her left arm.

Piano had to defeat her in that form. Form, that she prepared for by buying that rapier. But now, she lost it and she had just thrown away her only weapon, by trying to avoid the situation she prepared for.

Vilivian spoke no words. She instantly got on all four and charged.

Piano’s body was overcome with extreme anxiety. She just in time managed to decide to dodge-roll to the side as Vilivian’s tail barely missed her legs.

Piano stood up and sprinted towards the sword. She didn’t turn around. She heard the Matriarch slide and turn and chase further. Piano felt her hairs standing up and chills running on her back with apprehension.

She reached the Excalibur when the steps were at their loudest. She grabbed it and instantly slashed around her, trying to strike the Matriarch.

Vilivian instantly dodged back and ploughed the ground, tossing the debris at Piano, trying to distract her. Piano jumped back avoiding it, keeping a close eye on the Matriarch.

They circled around each other.

YOU WIELD EXCALIBUR EFFORTLESSLY, there was sense of awe and admiration in Vilivian’s voice. EVEN ARTHUR FELT ITS WEIGHT AT SOME POINT.

Piano hadn’t realized it by herself, but indeed, the blade wasn’t as heavy as Vilivian made it out to be. She could lift it very easily. It also fit perfectly in her hand, though she felt as if the sword itself changed its form to allow her to use it one handed.

YOUR RESOLVE MUST ADAMANT, OR YOU STILL POSSESS THE INNOCENCE OF AN INFANT.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

INDEED.

She struck with point of her tail and Piano blocked with the broad side. She then attacked with her claw and Piano managed to parry it as Vilivian withdrew her arm the moment it made contact.

For some reason, Vilivian wasn’t keen on clashing with that blade. Did it have some effect on the Matriarch? Or did Vilivian simply not want to dilapidate it any further?

It was an opportunity, nonetheless. A reason for Piano to go on offensive. Matriarch tried to toss and throw rubble at her, but Piano would push through and try and strike either at heart or any limb.

Piano used the fact that Vilivian didn’t want to destroy the sword patiently. She waited for the Matriarch to slip up. Vilivian finally struck with her tail trying to trip her up. Piano reinforced the strength in her leg and stepped on it and then proceeded to cut it at its thinnest part.

Vilivian let out a screech of agony as her tail bled purple after being cut off at half-point. Piano pressed the advantage and thrust at Vilivian’s heart. She covered herself with her left arm and the blade pierced right through the onyx skin, just barely missing the chest because the guard got stuck on the arm.

Piano cursed when Vilivian grabbed her with her right hand. The grip was too powerful for Piano to wiggle her way out and her skin too tough to be broken by Piano’s fists. Excalibur fell out of her bleeding wound onto the ground.

Piano refused to submit. She raised her knees and reached for her boot. She took out her last throwing knife and slashed open her forearm. The devil blood splashed onto Vilivian’s face and burned her.

Matriarch recoiled in pain, as the acid slowly ate away her face. Piano fell onto the ground. She quickly picked up the Excalibur and charged the Matriarch once more.

Vilivian’s veins lit up with purple light. Her heart could be very clearly seen beating inside her chest. She looked straight at Piano.

She knew what Vilivian was doing, and she refused to stop. She’s put all her faith in the ability of the ancient sword.

Vilivian opened her mouth. A wave of pure magical energy was fired at Piano who swung the Excalibur just at the right moment.

There was a loud sound – the colour of magic filled the arena. Both finalists were consumed by the explosion of fantastic light.

***

Wendy struggled to put up any more glyphs. Not because she was exhausted, but because she had to prioritize her targets very well.

Pembrooke has run out of ammunition and has been picking off single strugglers. He was a decent fighter, but the moment he’d get outnumbered he was done for. Angelique scarcely used her magic anymore and only picked fight nobody else could. Likewise, Quan’s blurs and appearances became scarcer.

Aude and Volley managed to keep up, though the vixen started showing signs of exhaustion as well. Her aura dissipated some time ago as well. Volley was seemingly the only one that was as brisk now as he was in the beginning.

Their opponents had a very large number advantage. And despite group’s best efforts – some of them stood back up again (unless they were handled by Aude) for more. They kept coming, and Wendy has decided to give in to desperation – before they get seriously hurt.

This is going to hurt, she thought. She wasn’t big on inflicting pain. She really wished she could just knock them out, but to win immediately she had to use all her strength and magic. Frankly, it was going to hurt her more than it would them.

Orange glyph appeared in her right hand and violet in left. She put them closer together and focused, connecting both magics.

Taking from experience while working with Vilivian she tried to create something extraordinary. Something massive, but subtle and yet extremely efficient.

He felt energy being sapped from her very being. Two glyphs connected into one as she ran through the concepts and ideas in her head on how to handle the literal bomb in her hand.

The result was an unstable sphere of fire and lightning. She could sense the energy expanding - demanding to be let out.

She threw it high up. It flew into the air before exploding just above the end of colosseum walls.

The few dozen red-blue bolts fell freely, before suddenly sharpening and turning towards their targets.

Lightning fast, all still-standing members of the angry mob were hit with exploding surge of energy, sometimes even jumping to next targets. In few blinks of an eye, all their opponents were knocked to the floor, with members of Wendy’s party being omitted.

They looked at the battlefield, now littered with bodies.

Wendy collapsed on her knees.

‘Eureka . . .?’ she said slightly perplexed.

Her body was numb. She had never exhausted herself so much with magic. Thunder and fire. But what allowed her to use such combination was . . .?

‘THAT WAS SO COOL!’ Volley shouted in excitement.

Aude’s ears were flat.

‘And slightly . . .’

‘Unclimactic?’ Armel finished with a sigh of relief. ‘Good. It started getting a little dire towards the end.’

‘You mean it started getting good.’

‘But it was fun while it lasted, right?’ Quan said as he pulled out a bin bag from his pocket.

‘I want a beer.’ Said Pembrooke as he holstered Vito’s handgun behind his belt, claiming it for himself.

‘I think I might a beer.’ Angelique massaged her forehead through her sleeve.

‘Fox Den?’

‘Maybe later. I have to find Vivi, first. She was probably helping people out near that crater.’

‘Quan?’ Aude asked. ‘What are you doing?’

‘Getting my pay,’ he said as he pulled off shoes off Vito. ‘Do you know how much a good pair goes?’

‘That’s rather . . . gross.’ Aude grimaced.

‘No, no,’ Armel argued. ‘He has a point. See, back in the day . . .’

From a nearby alley, a pair of eyes watched them.

Well, shit, thought Camio from underneath the lid of his pot. I didn’t expect them to turn that around.

He’s been observing how Vito’s mob endeavour was going since the beginning. It was entertaining to see them all fall like dominoes; it was just as entertaining to see the smaller group struggle more and more. Until the witch turned serious that is.

‘I’d rather skedaddle before they notice me . . .’ and as he said that he noticed a large shadow loom over him. He was then picked up and turned and his eyes met Saki’s.

She was furious.

‘Blimey,’ he said.

‘Hello, Camio.’ She said scornfully. ‘You know that I don’t appreciate you betraying me. Why must you pick the worst moments to do that?’

‘Wait, Saki, I can explain! I’m a demon! That’s what I do!’

Saki shook her head disappointed.

‘Well, I hope that you know what that entails. It’s back to Closet of Comeuppance for you.’

Camio’s ethereal face turned dreadful.

‘No. Saki, no! Please not the Closet of—’

But she closed the lid shut and then duct taped all around the pot. She put it underneath her arm and whilst humming returned to Fox Den.

‘Are you alright?’ Aude asked.

‘Yes,’ Wendy smiled. Her muscles ached, but she recognized that she wasn’t in any danger. ‘I just need a little rest and I’ll be fine.’

‘You know, that was some fantastic magic.’ Armel said.

‘And volatile,’ Angelique added.

‘I thought I should’ve done something sooner rather than later. We weren’t exactly in the best positions.’

‘I still would’ve rather fought it out till the end.’ Aude said irritated and then turned to Armel. ‘Whatever. What about that dinner—’

Then they all felt a large wave of energy coming from the arena. A great pillar of rainbow light shot up to the sky dispersing the clouds. It persisted for few seconds before it dissipated.

Pembrooke looked at Wendy.

‘Did you do that?’

‘Gods, I hope not.’

***

Vilivian felt the warmth of the sun on her naked skin. She was lying on the ground, returned to her human form. She recognized the smell of after-rain breeze. She tried standing up but was too weak. The resonance of silver and magic had sapped nearly all her strength.

The wound in her right forearm remained and she felt that part of her face was scarred after being struck with Piano’s black blood. Her fingers were also scarred from the time she wounded Forte. Her hand instinctively reached for the tag. The scarf was still there, unscathed.

She mustered whatever strength she had and stood up. The clouds above the arena were gone, sun illuminated the colosseum.

She looked forward and noticed Piano standing up in the distance. Her clothes were in tatters; she was bruised and burned. Her hair had come undone. She, too, noticed Vilivian standing.

They both started approaching each other. Slowly stumbling along the way, exhausted and spent. Walking hurt, but they would not deter.

Vilivian passed Piano’s silver rapier, but she ignored it, while Piano passed Excalibur and chose to ignore it as well. What little strength they had left could not be wasted on wielding weapons.

Vilivian was the first to throw the first punch and she missed. Piano stumbled to the side and countered with right hook. It was a very weak strike, but Vilivian nonetheless fell down.

She was panting. She finally felt her age. But she refused to back down. Not yet, she thought.

Through the pain, she stood up and swung again. Piano dodged, despite being just as spent as she was. There was another counter; Vilivian endured it and took yet another swing.

Piano shoved it away and struck Vilivian in the cheek with her fist. Vilivian tried to reach with her other fist to trade, but Piano moved her torso back, barely evading it.

She was then struck by Piano’s left fist while she blocked Vilivian’s with her right and struck again with her left. Vilivian took a wide swing, but Piano crouched and struck her chest.

When Vilivian tried to uppercut, Piano once again dodged it and hit her chest again. No matter what Vilivian did, Piano read her every move. She found counter to every strike. An opening in every stance. She had answer for every one of Vilivian’s moves.

And while she stumbled backwards under the strength of Piano’s attack, she refused to give. She planted her foot as firmly and leaned forward. Piano went for another direct attack with her fist. Vilivian stood – and took it straight to the face.

Though the sheer force should’ve toppled her and knock her out, she persevered. She grabbed Piano’s armed and pulled the Blackblood closer. Vilivian’s right fist went forward and struck her rival’s shocked face with every ounce of power.

Piano fell backwards and Vilivian fell forward along with her. She landed on all fours and Piano’s body fell on the side. With all her energy gone, Vilivian could only muster a glance in her direction.

The four tails on Piano’s back glimmered for a moment before they disappeared and Vilivian felt them appearing on hers giving her the collective eight.

She couldn’t laugh, cry tears of joy. She could barely breathe, but she managed to utter last couple words.

‘Well fought.’

She stared at the ground, doing her best not to pass out, when she saw a glimmering light appear before her.

She raised her head to see the Trickster in all her God Eater glory.

Her pure, shining white hair and the nine tails contrasted her magnificent attire. She crouched in front of Vilivian and reached out her hand.

She looked into her golden eyes and her soft, satisfied smile. Vilivian grabbed the hand and stood up.

They looked at each other silently. Vilivian was the first to speak.

‘I’m sorry.’ She said sadly. ‘About your city.’

‘It’s fine. I expected this.’ God Eater spoke calmly.

‘I hurt a lot of innocent people.’

‘We’re in Crossroads, Viliv. They’ll get better.’

There was a short silence during which Vilivian came to realization.

‘It was you, wasn’t it?’

God Eater smiled proudly.

‘You were the one who incited hate towards me,’ Vilivian continued. ‘You’re the one that had that lesser demon betray the Wordsmith. You’re the one who had would . . .’ Vilivian shook her head in disbelief. ‘See her city burn if she’d get a kick out of it.’

God Eater cliqued her tongue.

‘Not quite. Believe it or not, I had very little to do with Camio’s interference.’ Pipe appeared in her hand. ‘I had hand in inciting the mob and I did give my guards a little vacation for the duration of that brief . . . Well, let’s call that “revolution”. Camio, however, was on Saki’s payroll and decision to betray Forte was his own. The old coot is just extremely petty, and Forte was the perfect occasion to teach a lesson to the “whippersnapper.”’ God Eater chuckled. ‘Saki knew that Forte would somehow bring your wrath on himself, so she tried to at least delay his demise until after the fight. Unfortunately, in that dire situation the only person Forte would show any semblance of trust other than his sister would be his former associate.’

‘But why would you put your people against me?’ Vilivian said hurtful.

‘Two reasons,’ God Eater raised her finger and smoked her pipe. ‘Firstly, every so often there happens a person coming to Crossroads that has dreams of deicide and revolution for the sake of “the people”. They usually try to raise up a mob and I need to gently swipe them into the river so that they don’t spread it to ordinary folk. It’s quite effective, but since I do it as a deity there’s always one or two that slips away and continues to spread the poison until it’s time for cleansing. This year, I decided to have the people of this very town handle it for me. Not in my name, but in the name of their friend.’

‘Me?’

‘You were perfect,’ God Eater smoked again. ‘An unknown. Unashamed of her demonic heritage and ruthless, but also honest and respectful. You incited fear and hate in people who only saw you in the arena, but you made comrades of people who earned your trust. You lured out the masses, who through you wanted to hate me, against the few people who had some sort of faith in you.’

‘The townspeople won’t forget.’

‘Not outright, no. But town will be rebuilt, and the wounded healed. In a year’s time they’ll be treating you like another regular at Fox Den.’

Vilivian pondered that in silence.

‘What was the second reason?’

‘I wanted you to think about yourself.’ God Eater smoked her pipe.

‘What do you mean?’

‘The reason we had that conversation yesterday, after your fight was because I wanted you to decide on a wish that would be yours.’

‘Mine?’

‘If you wish for the Holy Grail to be destroyed, I will grant it. If you wish for your demonic half to cease, allowing your humanity to finally grow, I will do it. If you wish for your Friend to be brought back . . . I’d like to do it because you want to, not because you think you need to.’

God Eater smoked again and looked up. The clouds were drifting away from the Crossroads. Summer shining once again above the town.

‘If you lost, would you be able to live with that failure? Despite all you said about travelling the world with Volley, or on your own, or even returning to guarding the grail? Would you spend time in Crossroads, drinking and working at Saki’s, visiting Wendy, and partaking in all her deadly experiments?’

‘. . . I don’t think I could.’

‘Me either. Thus, I sowed that doubt.’

‘Why go that far for me? I never held you in high regard.’ Vilivian said with regret.

God Eater shrugged.

‘Empathy, maybe. Longing for companionship? I appreciated the few evenings we spent together at the bar, just drinking. I spend a lot of time with the residents there, but it’s rare to find someone who understands eternity.’

Vilivian couldn’t help but laugh.

‘So, even the God Eater has a human side.’

‘You’d develop yours too if you spent a millennium talking with humans instead of killing them.’

They both laughed shortly. Vilivian took a deep breath and turned around. She went to pick up Excalibur. It felt so light. Though the blade’s gone blunt it still retained its power.

She went for the scabbard and sheathed her keepsake safely and then returned to the God Eater. The deity looked at the sheathed sword and smoked.

‘Are you sure?’ she asked.

‘You already know.’

‘Sometimes, I like being surprised.’

‘So, you haven’t seen anything beyond my victory?’

‘I haven’t seen anything beyond your coming here.’

‘I see.’ Vilivian took one last glance at Piano. ‘I can wish for anything, right?’

‘I’ll grant you any wish, Vilivian. I can free you from your duty forever. I can allow you to be human. And I can, and will, bring your Friend back if you wish so.’

‘No matter my feelings?’

‘No matter.’

Vilivian thought for a moment.

‘There are many possibilities for me. To walk the world free would be . . . fun, I reckon. And becoming human would certainly be a fascinating experience. But I know what I am. And I have a promise to keep.’

God Eater sighed.

‘Of course, but before that,’ she snapped her fingers. Vilivian’s wounds healed, her clothing reappeared, and her hair was tied into a braid once more. There was still exhaustion, but she felt energized. ‘We need you to be looking your best at your long-awaited reunion, right?’

‘Thank you.’

‘Sure. Now, I know your wish, but the satisfaction should be yours.’

‘No, truly,’ Vilivian smiled brightly at the God Eater. ‘Thank you for everything, Chifu.’

The God Eater stared, deadpan. But then her lip trembled. She averted her gaze as she teared up slightly and Chifu started pouring out.

‘Piss it all,’ she complained. ‘Do you know how much effort goes into being a serious and earnest god?’ she wiped her eyes with her sleeve. ‘Brace yourself because I’m coming in for a hug.’

Chifu did as she said and wrapped tightly around Vilivian. The Matriarch hugged her back with one arm.

‘How does it feel hugging someone for the first time in your life?’ Chifu asked.

‘. . . Fluffy.’

‘You got that right.’ Chifu let go of her. ‘Now. Go ahead.’ Chifu said with earnest smile.

Vilivian nodded and swallowed. Her heart was beating fast. She was afraid of stuttering or mis-saying her wish. She could feel her eyes welling up.

She clutched Excalibur closely to her chest and finally took a deep breath.

‘Please,’ her voice cracked. Tears started pouring out. ‘Please, bring Arthur back to life.’

Chifu smiled warmly and raised her fingers, ready to snap.

‘Gladly.’

***

Quan Huynh

by Ice Cube

Quan Huynh

Reference Sheet
Audition	Passed
Round 1	Won
Round 2	Lost to Piano & Forte
Round 3
Tournament Status:	Lost in R2

ICE CUBE

Aliases/Nickname(s)

Ice

Pronouns/Gender/Sex

[They/Them]

Vocation

illustrator/ writer

Discord:

Ice Cube#6432

DeviantART:

LifeofIce

Quan Huynh

[Quan Hyun] Audition: Oh, to compete for a wish

Original doc

Chifu. Cheeeeeeeeee- foooooooooooo- Maybe she should spell it with a Q. Or, maybe she should change it! Maybe- Great. Now, she has been so bored she has been thinking about changing her name. Time to spice things up now, eh?

She sent out familiars- they looked just like her!- out into the worlds. A few in this one, a few in another- as always, every single little fox easily seduced those mortals into accepting her challenge, a wondrous fighting tournament set in her own little realm, just for her! How wonderful!

Of course, there are always a few….. Difficulties. See, this world hasn't been that special, but it has been promising. And it would be annoying to send her familiar somewhere else. With a hum she checked on her little vixen’s progress. Not a single one accepted her offer, often hurrying away before the fox even approached. One with fox ears even petted her little creation, without even heeding the letter it has been clutching in its mouth! It’s own kin! What disrespect to a fellow trickster- it’s good to indulge a youngster once in a while.

Perhaps her mistake has been not sending her creation to those who truly wanted it. The desperate, the needy- but even they didn’t want her letter! Chifu scoffed as a beggar looked away from the fox nudging them insistently with its snout. Then perhaps she needed someone foolish and desperate- not that it would be hard to find one of those.

Finally, finally, she directed her vixen towards the marketplace. Sure to be full of thieves and go getters, makers of their own destiny too desperate to consider getting a job, and too stupid to figure out how to trick their way up in the world, like any real trickster should do. There were many- some felt full of magic, but couldn’t even sit up or see her familiar, while others were weaker, already chased off by those huge wolves one stall had been employing. They were simply too boring to be in her tournament, she wanted a fight, not a slaughter.

She already did one of those, and frankly, it had been uninspiring.

Her head snaps down as she lounges in the sky above the marketplace. She saw something. Something fast, now that could be enjoyable. Hunter and prey, the best dynamic one could have in a fight!

She hums as she observes- a boy, snatching food from the stall, leaving only a poof of dirt and dust behind him to mark his existence in front of the stall. Her face stretches in a toothy smile as she sends her familiar after the boy.

The little fox trotted at its master’s behest into the alley, hiding behind a few boxes, just so Chifu could observe for a few seconds longer, and maybe enjoy a little laugh.

The boy glanced around- ooh blue eyes, pretty- as if to search for any danger- before he unwrapped his skewer and began eating. What has been odd though, has been his hair. Originally down and ratty looking, his black and white hair was now standing up all on its own, and it seemed to rise higher every time the little fox approached closer.

Soo curious~

He had stopped eating and has been just listening now, looking about ready to run at the slightest sound….. Chifu giggled at his serious expression and tried to mimic it, scrunching up her eyebrows and pursing her lips, throwing herself into a fit of laughter.

With a pop, the fox teleported in front of him- the kebab went flying, he went flying, and the little fox perturbed by all the commotion, trotted over to the boy stuck in the wall, delicately handing him the letter and sitting as Chifu howled with laughter above their heads.

“He- he- Oh wow- he really just flew into a wall- Oh my goodness what a dumbass-”

She watched a few minutes more but huffed. Boring, boring, boring, just another kind, dumb, naive little kid, with more power then he deserved. She’ll be watching him in a bit anyway~ Now off to go finish her preparations for her epic battles!

---------------

Quan could have sworn there has been someone watching him. There’s always someone watching him, yes, a scraggly fae with an accent and a penchant for destruction and stealing, who’s definitely not from around these parts, but even with all his peculiarities, he shouldn’t feel like he’s being scrutinized. There are enough scraggly, thieving kids around here, he shouldn’t stand out as much as he feels he is.

This all, he contemplates as he skulks around the market, tugging his scarf up to his face, tugging the ends, pretending he just got lost- likely picking up food for a traveling family, perhaps, for the lawful ones in the crowd. He can sense the wary gazes of the stall keepers hoping to keep their wares and money intact- but what he’s feeling feels more like a god. Someone with power, someone who’s laughing at him, and that is far scarier. He pauses at a bread stand- hmm. Not in the mood… He moves on to something that smells far better.

Like that meat stand for instance.

He watches the crowd go by, pretending to inspect the wares at a nearby jewelry shop- he’s very appreciative of the luster of the gemstones set in metal- and in a flash, he spins on his heel to swipe the skewer from the fire, meat intact, so quickly that the vendor doesn’t even have time to shout, before dashing away down the road, quicker than greased lightning across half the city, dodging anything and everything in his path-

Quan skids to a stop glancing around- hm. He didn’t manage to lose them- he wishes it weren’t so obvious he has been scared, but he can feel his hair standing on end, stiff enough to stab any potential danger.

Breath. Breath, Quan. He looks around once more- and resigns himself to the ever-there paranoia and-

FUCK-

Quan throws himself as hard as he can away from the noise and from the pop- it could be anything-

And finds himself embedded in a brick wall- again.

A little white fox looks up at him, and Quan struggles to keep the scared look on his face. It’s probably a minion of some kind and he shouldn’t let his guard down- in case its master has been watching.

And he knows. He can feel it- the master is watching. It’s like all the times people have approached him with offers- of safety, food, warmth during the winter. All things he can get. What they really wanted has been him in body, spirit, or soul, and there has always been a higher power watching their minions try and get him. Sometimes they were afraid, sometimes simply lazy or dismissive. But there has always been someone.

Quan extricates himself from the wall, yanking himself out so he flopped on the ground like a bird shot out of the sky, and he laughs. If you can’t laugh at yourself, how can you laugh at anyone else? The fox- probably a familiar, based on its looks with its bright red ears and special markings- has been apparently tired of his shit, and drops the letter at his hand, and Quan lifts his head to read it.

Something, something, god, something uhhh wish? Cross?? Roads??? Chifu…..

He squinted and struggled, and tried to remember the shape of the letters on the note with the script Alexandra had taught him before she died. God. Wish. He has to travel somewhere, and he can be granted a wish by a god? Well, it certainly sounds like something someone would offer a homeless kid- but.

The power he can feel behind it feels legit. Feels similar to the gods and demigods he's passed before- not unusual. But a fox can make themselves feel much more powerful than they truly are, however, it’s the power behind him, not in front of him that proves it.

Quan nods enthusiastically, tugging at his scarf with pent up energy. “Um!! Yes, I want to get a wish from the god-”

The fox bit him, and he cursed and kicked the fox as his world dissolved around him-

His world fell in place around him again. Somewhere different. Not the cityscape he has been used to, not the countryside or even the ocean……

A bridge surrounded him, and someone smacked into him from behind as he looked around- a picturesque river flowed by, much like the sea of people weaving around him, barely sparing a glance. The wind through the air alerts him to the clinking at his fingers, and he spares only a thought for his new accessory.

To the left was the town, all reds and browns and cobblestone, while on the right was a large green field, the perfect place to hide.

He runs to the left in a blast of speed, shoving off the ground and leaving only a poof of dust as he moves with a swish. The views of the town blur together as he runs, but he catches a few glimpses of his new location. A colosseum, fancy complexes and plainer ones, a tower, gates, a spring, an ocean- one he observed after scaling a house and sliding down the roof- He takes a few sharp turns so he can see more. This time, a town with green tipped roofs, and trees. Back the other way- the ocean he had seen earlier, fancy houses enclosed into a wall, and a port. Possible escape route! He takes just a few moments to test the water- streaking across it as though it were dry land laughing at the white foam he leaves behind.

This all, of course, happens in a few minutes of a cackling ghoul- someone so pale and thin and bulging- from his clothing- and fast all at the same time sprinting around and annoying all the people in the town, weaving through crowds and stands as though he were born there.

Until someone staggers in his path- both with an unusual speed and unusual swagger and he knocks them over. His eyes bulge out. Rich lady? Between the clothing, her ears, and that.. Flute? It looked like a flute. He was pretty sure. Probably.

She smelled drunk.

He’s just about to leave, when he hears the woman start giggling behind him. “You’re not even going to help a lady- hic!- up?” She giggles again.

“Uh-” He sighs, then turns around with a bright, apologetic smile. “Yeah, I’ll help you up. I got distracted, here!” He offers a hand, in which she limply places her own in- until Quan yanks her up easily.

They awkwardly stare at each other for a few moments, Quan holding a smile in place, and the woman looking like she was staring over his shoulder in a daze.

He’s about to leave with a wave when the lady grabs his arm and starts talking with a slur. “ Mm… your tail is so pretty… hehe… I'll tell X about that- We should, mm, go to the bar!”

“That uh-” He’s trying to yank his arm out of her grip, even though his strength wasn’t enough? When she starts moving, dragging him along, despite his attempts to escape. “That sounds like a fun idea!” He concedes. Quan can focus on escaping later- it seems a lot better here than anywhere else.

She cheerfully drags him along with an iron grip, her sharp nails digging into his jacket, until they arrive in front of the bar he passed earlier. “And here hic we are! The Fox Den! The best bar in town….” She finally releases him, and beckons for him to follow. He shrugs- it seemed interesting, and the competition probably wasn’t going to start without him.

“You coming?”

“I’m coming-” He follows in with a bounce in his step, any trace of doubt erased. “I’m coming, hold on lady- speaking of which, what’s your name?”

‘I’m- hic- Chifu! The prettiest lady in town! And you must be one of the ugliest.” She announces proudly, before snorting, as though it was a grand award. Really, she seemed to speak like she was the most important person in town at any given moment, he notes with distaste. “Who are you? I don’t- hic- recognize you. You’re so little.”

As he always did when in a new area, a precaution Alexandra taught him so he wouldn’t get his name stolen- “You can call me An! And yeah, I’m new here, and 16 isn’t little!”

He grumbles a bit. “I’m here for the whole competition thing- have you heard about it? I can’t believe I have the chance to get a wish from a god- a god of kitsune even! It’s always so nice to see that a lesser god gets to be recognized by so many people, they must be incredibly grand, can you even imagine being granted anything you want-” He’s interrupted by her giggling.

“Can you even imagine- hic!- The competition! Ehehe, lesser gods are so cool, right? I mean like- a wish?” That seems to be the part that throws her into the worst hysterics, as she clutches her stomach and leans on the table, her cheek pressed face first into the wooden table’s surface.

“ I don’t know what I would wish for! Maybe money…. or more booze!” It throws her into another fit of hysterics, and this time, Quan joins her.

“Right? I mean-” He pauses and thinks. If he could wish for anything? “I think I’d wish for endless entertainment- everything is always so boring! Or I’d ask for something like-” He notices Chifu’s eyes on him and ramps up his energy. “Ooh! Or something like immortality, a glimpse of the future- anything! I’d like to be able to do anything, that way I’ll never be bored or hungry or sad again! Wouldn’t that be cool?”

She nods enthusiastically along with him. “Yes! Your wishes are so interesting, everybody else’s just aren’t, and it’s so boring…” Chifu pouts a little.

He laughs as if embarrassed, and tugs on his scarf. “See, I don’t even know how the competition works! I think that’s kind of important, huh? I have these things-” He holds up his hands with the chains, and tugs up his scarf.

“But I don’t know what to do or who to meet- do you know? You seem like- super smart and you feel like you have a lot of magic and stuff- and like! Really experienced- I’ve been through a lot myself, but I guess I don’t live in a place like this.” Quan says sheepishly.

“Well, silly!!! You flatter m- hic! I can explain anything about the tournament! It’s like- A fighting match! And you have to win- Or else, you don’t get to compete anymore, hic- I think it’s called a tournament! And you won’t, like, die, or anything. And I think-” Yet another word she draws out.

“Everybody gets these tokens!” She grabs his hand and shoves it in his face, the metal smacking him as the chains swing. “But they’re not all the same. And you have to steal ‘em! Yeah! You gotta steal ‘em or, or… Knock them out, I think, I can’t remember!” She dissolves into another fit of giggles.

Quan ponders over this for just a few seconds before he snaps back to attention. Chifu looks sleepy, and he should probably ask a few more questions before she falls asleep- and based on the way the bartender is eyeing them, he should probably make his grand escape before he has to pay for a beverage he didn’t even drink.

“Do you know what kind of god is granting the wishes? I don’t wanna be scammed here, y’know.” He nudges her playfully. He bets she doesn’t even know what it means to be scammed.

She hums, and sits bolt upright, her chest puffed. “A god just like me! Someone who’s just as pretty an’ smart an’ clever, I bet she hates getting bored just as much as I do! You won’t get scammed, everybody knows she’s very super reliable- except when she’s at the bar! She hangs out a lot at the bar.”

“......” No way. “I can’t imagine ever running into her- if she’s just like you, you might be the god, huh?”

She stares at him, and it’s as though the world falls away for just a few seconds. Then, she cackles. “HAHAHAH- no way you’re so silly! I’m not strong enough to be a god, I'm a lil old regular kitsune-” She bops his nose, and laughs at his cringe. “Don’t mistake my beauty for power, silly! I like you, kid. I’ll see you later- I can’t wait to see you win! Toodles~!”

Then with a sway and a thunk, she passes out on the table. Quan blinks. If what he thought was true, a god just passed out in front of him. He looks around.

Oh shit. The bartender. And with that, he makes his way from the boozy smell of the Fox Den, and back onto the streets, wandering while he waits for his summons to the Coliseum.

Quan glances up, down, and to the sides, taking in the Coliseum for the first time, and then more importantly the heavy weight on his hands. Quan raises his hand and tilts it from side to side examining the newly found chains on rings wrapping around his fingers like a mockery of jewelry. It has certainly been beautiful, but……

Heavy. Encompassing. Just like the larger, proper chains he used to wear when he was younger.

The intent has been different- but ultimately, both seemed to try and hold him back, he noted with disgust, seeing how the chains were so long someone, most likely him, could get grabbed and swung- strangled even, it could be used as a noose. And they could slip off so easily- he tilts his hand down and watches the rings start sliding down before he closes his hand in a fist, keeping the rings firmly on his fingers.

He has his advantages, a cover for his plans. A young face, a scraggly looking body, and the proof of his brand of honesty.

Honesty is how you speak, not your actions. No one can blame you for sneezing at the wrong time- but they can blame you for having a cold you didn’t tell them about. Simple as that.

It's not his first time being mistaken as a child but it’s proven to have worked against Chifu. They treated him like a child, but a child he was not.

He’s fast and strong- and as much as people hate to admit it, he’s smart. He’s smarter than anyone, because he can think through the information and formulate plans that much more quickly. He’s the clearest winner. He hasn’t lived through scuffles and destruction for the past 4 years without a plan. Those plans involved running yes, but it had been using his terrain to his advantage. Definitely.

Quan clenches his hands together, and ducks his face into his brightly colored scarf as he watches others explode into being around him, playing up the scene of a scared teenager.

He’s going to win.

Quan Huynh

[Quan Hyun] Round 1: Underestimation is a Two-Way Street

The massive Coliseum rises above his head, and gathered at the very front of the building are the competitors- far fewer of them than he expected! Quan huffs a laugh quietly as he ducks his head.

He’d always wanted to be somewhere like this- full of noise, full of attention, excitement, and everything in between. He relishes the confusion and the determination in the others, and he breathes.

This is nice.

A cheerful voice echoes in the streets above his head, causing heads to turn to the- lady? Girl? With pink hair, a poofy skirt, cat ears, a teensy little cape thing- it must be awful to try and steal something from her, considering how tight everything is to her body. Damn. Quan's eyebrows furrow as he starts thinking more coherently. Is that a girl? It’s always questionable, it’s not like he can tell. “Alrightttttty guys! I’m Miss X, your faithful commentator and judge, and today is our first! Day! Of! Matches! Our tournament is not only full of the best competitors from the multiverse, but also contains a grand prize! A wish from our lovely leader, your Madame Chief!” She waits a few seconds for applause- eagerly given by the people in the streets, and are quickly joined by the competitors.

“To start, we’ll announce the rules of the competition! Each of you special little competitors have a tag, something small to signify you being here- I’m sure all of you know what yours are.” That much was obvious. “And to win your match is simple! Get your opponent's tag for a full 30 seconds, and you win!” She smiles with a slight teasing grin. “And yes, knocking out or killing your opponent is perfectly fine. Nothing is too much for the best tournament in the multiverse!!”

That seemed to raise people’s attention. Quan could see creased eyebrows and downturned lips all over the place- sure signs of being worried, or displeased. Though, he had to agree. Killing? That seemed a bit excessive, especially for the level he wanted to play at.

She starts rattling off names, none of which were much of interest, except for the fact they were all pretentious as fuck.

Pembrooke? Angelique? Man, if he had to fight anyone with that kind of name he’d win the tournament in about an hour. Those prissy rich kids with stupid prissy names. And then he hears his name- and possibly the prissiest name of them all.

“ Quan Huynh, our resident speedster, seen roaring across the entirety of Crossroads in the span of a minute- versus Prince Armius Tu El Kaligos, the proclaimed strongest man in the universe!” He frowns slightly at the use of his real name, but there was little he could do to prevent it now.

Quan quickly scans the crowd for his competitor- checking faces for reactions and- ah, there he is! With the black hair and gold eyes and an awesome cloak Quan is certain is hiding something cool- aw, he's taller than Quan. Sad. It’s quick enough- in a flash, while X still babbles above their heads- he rolls his eyes, this lady was slow- up he zips, straight to Armius’s side, tapping him on the arm.

“Armius, right?” He dodged the delayed flinch of an arm in his direction. It looked like this prince guy was trying to smack him, but honestly. Too easy. “I think I’m fighting against you! I’m not so sure what I can do against you considering-” a pantomime of a sword, whilst also gesturing at Armius’s sword at his waist, resulting in a flailing from Quan- just to double check that the flinch was real, considering this guy was supposed to be the “strongest man in the universe”. “-Swords are really not fun to be stabbed with, or so I’ve heard- you can call me An!”

Ooh yeah, from the impact against Armius’s skin, he seemed at least a little above average. Quan studies him, and waits for a response from the tall man- who was simply blinking at him. Quan opens his mouth to reassure him that yes, Quan is very stupid and clumsy when the prince’s face widens in a giddy grin transforming him into the face of a little kid.

“I didn’t quite catch all of that- but yes, I’m Prince Armius.” His eyes shine with what Quan is vaguely certain is happiness and relief- and Quan flinches back from Armius’s hands reaching towards him, causing that glimmer to fade. “And I suppose you’re right! I wouldn’t know, considering a sword has never pierced my skin, and I am surely cursed in this place, but maybe if you grab ahold of it, we can both have experiences we’ve never had!”

Uh. What a weirdo.

Even with that, Quan doesn’t miss a beat. “We definitely will! I mean, I’ve never been in a fighting tournament before but I’ve won most of the fights I’ve been in in the past- From the sounds of it, I might just be a real underdog if you don’t get me out of the first round! I think we have some time before the matches start- why don’t we get to know each other? I mean, around here, it’s really boring-”

“Yes! Yes it is-”

“- unless you’re doing something, and I don’t think anybody is going to take a kid like me on for a job or anything soon- plus, the people here are all so thorny! Except for that one lady with the red hair- she was so drunk but it was fine- what?”

Quan can see Armius nodding along with his admission so far- hand moving away from the sword holder thing on his hip, and into his pockets. He holds up a hand for silence though- an incredibly condescending move, but it didn’t seem intentional. If anything, it seemed instinctual, and Quan supposed he could forgive that.

“Dark hair, right? And big fox ears? I believe I met her too.”

Quan tugs on his scarf, trying to think of the name. “Chifu! That’s it, Chifu. Yeah, I’m pretty sure she’s the little god of the world or whatever that’s supposed to give out the prize. Maybe.”

“You really think so?”

“I think so! I mean, she’s exactly how I imagine an arrogant god would be like- but you didn’t hear that from me.” That pulls a laugh out of Armius, and Quan mentally pats himself on the back.

“Well Qua-” a pause. “An, I think it would be entertaining to spend some time together before the match- what do you say we explore the town?”

“I already did!”

“You already-" His eyebrows pinch together and he frowns slightly. "Ah, right- the announcer did mention something about that- at my full capabilities, I could do something very similar.”

Quan starts walking, gently pulling Armius away from the crowd as well. Best to keep his enemies closer, and away from other people. “Oh yeah? Strongest man in the universe?”

“In my world, yes.” he says with a softness that seemed uncharacteristic. Maybe he was sad about something? “I think I may have even been faster than you.”

Oh, a challenge. “I don’t think so! See- can you go as fast as this?” And that’s all the warning Armius gets before he’s yanked by the arm through the streets and with a blur of light and dizziness and faint laughter, Armius is deposited on the beach where he arrived, lungs heaving from exhilaration- and there’s Quan, skidding to a stop before the surf- who as soon as he smiles, falls over with a plop, face first into the sand.

…… and there are some Crossguards disgruntledly brushing themselves off from the wave of sand that just hit them.

"Kid! Watch where you're going! Our esteemed Madam Chifu may have invited you, but you are not forgiven for the mess you caused in town! It was nothing but an extreme public disturbance and the next time-"

Quan raises his head and waves them off before laughing and spitting out sand. They're still ranting when Quan playfully speaks up.

“Whoops! I think I might have missed the target by just a bit~”

… and yeah, they just flipped him off. Whoops.

Armius is sat wide eyed and grinning on the sand when Quan finally gets himself out of the sand, carelessly spraying sand everywhere. “That was incredible. I cannot imagine the sheer scopes of your abilities with this display! However...."

“I still bet you couldn’t have gone that fast.”

Armius is hesitant to speak. “Well…….. I could go probably faster than that.” And then he almost seems to wince at the slight pout on Quan’s face- that shifts into a large smile.

“You’ve gotta tell me more- faster? Are you also stronger? What about how long can you go? Or can you go through walls? I ran through a wall one time! Ooh, or could you run over the ocean? Is it only your physical strength? Or are you also super magical like me? Or is it both? Or-”

Quan smirks a bit internally as he continues to ramble- it’s always a little funny to watch people try and keep up with how fast he speaks. But to his surprise, Armius simply nods and seems to be listening carefully.

“I was fast enough to be able to travel to other planets in seconds-”

“Planets? What’s that?”

“Like the sun, but it’s solid. Another world, sort of.”

“... right.”

“I killed Yvrius, a god threatening to end our entire universe, I could be stopped by nothing, I had to train myself to hold back, actually!”

“Oh me too!”

Armius gives him an unreadable look, complete with a wrinkle of the nose and a slight narrowing of the eyes which Quan does not understand beyond telling that Armius seemed annoyed, according to the bite in his tone.

“And yes, I am the strongest man in the universe- I’ve been informed it’s because there’s so much extra magic in my world. I am not nearly as strong here- but far more skilled than most of the other competitors, I think!” He finishes with an odd puff to his chest, and Quan just nods before he plops down on the sand besides Armius.

“I had to control my own powers too. I even have fancy- rings? Bands? To hold me back! I’ve been trying to get it off but I can’t figure out how, no matter what I do!” He tugs down his scarf just a bit to show a piece of gold wrapped tightly around his neck. “I think I could beat anyone if I only had the ring off…” He sighs quietly, tugging the scarf back up.

Armius pauses. Quan is willing to wait just a bit longer for him to speak.

A little bit longer…

Armius speaks up finally, curious. "You said you had multiple. And you cannot get rid of any to lessen the burden?"

“Can you break curses? Or can you take the amount of power on these stupid things?”

Armius shifts carefully. "I may, yes, as far as the second option goes. I would be willing to try. But there is nothing I can do for the first one."

Quan raises an eyebrow skeptically. "Here." He slides another gold ring out of his pocket and tosses it to Armius.

He watches coldly as he watches the man freeze up, body going tense as if prepared for a fight. He scoffs.

No one's ever dealt with it. Nobody but him.

He plucks it out of a shaking Armius's hands and frowns, feeling yet another layer of magic suppression wash over him, feeling more of his energy and power drain away to simmer under the surface. "Told you."

"I- I did not- Was that your tag?" Armius manages to get out finally, hair still on end.

“Nope! My tag is these things-” He taps on his hands with the ring-chains on his fingers, easily picking up the desperate change of subject Armius had thrown to the floor. “Aren’t they pretty? I’ve never seen such long chains on an accessory like this! I think because they’re so like- long and you would trip over them and also maybe use them as a weapon to choke someone to death, I mean, it seems like a good idea and it might happen to you during our match but also it wouldn’t make that much of a difference, because it looks like it might break! I think it’d be super sad if that happened! I mean, can you imagine losing something this valuable-”

Good, Quan was starting to lose Armius’s attention to the predicament of his utter powerlessness granted by Quan's rings. Good riddance, thinking he could take something like that. Weak. Maybe he finally distracted him enough to make him miss the threat in his words.

“- ANYWAY, what’s your tag?”

Armius hesitates, before speaking. Possibly a lie? “My tag is my belt, I believe it was replaced when I arrived here.” He clears his throat, and looks away slightly.

An awkward silence descends for all of two seconds, before Quan starts blabbering again. “I want to see how strong you are now! If you’re still the strongest man in the universe- I mean, the title has to carry over at least a ‘lil, right? We should race or something-”

“That is an excellent idea! Last one to the end of the beach, perhaps?” he says, pointing towards a small cropping of trees at the end of the shoreline. “On three? One-” a slight shift of weight, while Quan kinda stares at him. “Two- THREE-!”

Quan is off like a rocket, and he doesn’t turn back to look at Armius. If he’s racing against- he’s already there. He looks around for a trace of Armius- a smoking trail, perhaps, or falling sand. He can’t find anything and he’s about to concede defeat when Quan sees Armius trailing in the Quan’s wake- fast, yes, faster than most, but not nearly fast enough to keep up with Quan- and he even has to stop in the middle to breathe! Jeez….. His world must be incredibly wimpy if that’s all the strongest man could do. Instead, he waits impatiently for Armius to finally catch up, which he does, panting and wheezing like he had run a marathon instead of a short three or four mile run across the beach.

Quan zips over to him, consolingly patting him on the back. “You okay? I thought it shouldn’t have been that hard.”

A few gasps and coughs later. “I may- be- more out of shape then- I realized-”

“Let’s try something else then- c’mon! It’ll be fun!”

Quan waits for a few more minutes, pulling out a bag- which is evidenced to have dried cicadas inside, quickly eaten like chips, which Armius carefully avoids.

“Maybe we can try hitting something? You might not be fast-”

“How about magic?”

“I can’t do magic.”

“Oh, nevermind then-”

"You should try and punch me or something- I can probably take it!” He stands up tall, and offers a hand to Armius- which he refuses, to Quan’s distinct distaste. What, too good to touch the dirty kid?

“I don’t think that would be wise.”

“No?”

“No. I might kill you." He pauses again. "And your magic is blocked, yes? It must be difficult for you to defend yourself.”

“I don’t think you will! I’ll even smack you first so it’s fair!”

“Well….. Alright.”

Quan gently whacks Armius in the shoulder- or he thought so, and it’s enough for Armius to stumble back a bit. But his mouth is a thin line, and his eyebrows are raised- he must be thinking about something. Maybe how strong Quan is?

“Interesting… you pack quite a punch for someone so skinny.” He remarks, before winding up just a little bit- about as much as Quan would-, and goes for a light punch.

So light, in fact, that when Quan braces himself, squeezing his eyes shut, waiting for a burst of wind, or a sonic boom or something instead of the slowly moving punch, all he feels is a very light tap-

A very, very light tap.

Neither of them speak for a moment.

“Uh.”

“...... You’re alive!”

Quan tilts his head with a frown, and nods. “Yeah? Of course I am?”

Armius had ducked his head a bit. “In my world- that would have killed you instantly, I’m afraid. My new power levels are just a bit more difficult to handle.”

He rolls his eyes. My world means nothing when he clearly wasn’t in Armius’ world. It’s just an excuse. “Well, we’re not in your world.”

Armius’ face twists in distaste.. “I think it might be a good idea to move on.” he mutters.

“Will Armius Tu El Kaligos and Quan Huynh please report to the Coliseum for their match?”

Quan perks up. “That’s our cue!”

He grabs the prince once again, and they zoom to the entrance, separating at the door. “May the best man win?”

“May the best man win.” He says tightly, brushing off his clothes. “Good luck, An.”

“Have fun Kaligos!” He says with a large smile before waving and walking through the hallways to the place he was supposed to report to.

There’s no “good luck” for someone who’s about to lose.

----------

It’s all a blur before they arrive in the coliseum. Empty and flat, not even weapons scattered around- nothing but a muttering audience high in the stands above, and the announcer from earlier, Ms.X, entertaining the crowd by commentating on the round before them. Quan doesn’t think about that. It would be simple enough to focus on Armius before he starts moving.

He snorts, tilting back to lean his head up to wave at the crowd with both hands and a sheepish smile- as though he’s simultaneously cowering and appreciating the attention.

“Alright competitors, do your best! This round’s terrain will be~” A drumroll echoes from the speakers scattered around the arena.

A little screen pops up, with a symbol of a palm tree surrounded by water. “Island style! Hope you brought your floaties!” She giggles, before the ground Quan is standing on slowly rises, water rushing to fill the spaces between his island and Armius’s and the many other islands scattered around, connected solely by slim wooden bridges.

“On go!”

Quan tenses and from far across the water, he sees Armius doing the same. Quan smiles. There’s no way Armius will be able to get across the bridges before Quan does. He wraps the chains around his fingers in a tight fist.

“One.” He makes eye contact with an audience member and winks. They sniff at him and tuen away and- ah shit, yeah, that's the lady who's fruit cart he knocked over. Whoops. Anyway, there’s not any way he can lose, so why not have some fun?

“Two.” Ooh, there’s the crossguard he knocked over. She’s wearing Armius merch. Oops.

“Thr-” Quan shoots off, halfway across the arena, ready to make the best of his headstart and if he fails, well-

When he finds himself on his starting platform, Miss. X floating in front of him with a disapproving look on her face but a glint in her eye. Huh?. “No, no, no! I said on go- I’m glad our wonderful Madame Chief was able to stop you- but I’ll let it go just~ this~ once~ you clearly don’t quite understand yet. See, you wait till the whole word is out of my mouth, and then you can go. It’s very simple, alright? You should have told me you don’t understand these kinds of things!”

Quan smiles sheepishly. “Sorry about that-” No headstarts allowed. And it looked like his acting had paid off- treated like a child? Check. Treated like he doesn’t have any thoughts in his head? Double check. Subtle insults relating to his stupidity? Triple check. He’s on a roll.

Well, that was entertaining, boy.

Quan jolts. Or maybe not.

She clears her throat and turns back to the booing crowd, and a very uncomfortable looking Armius. “Let’s take it again from the top, now that the instructions are all cleared up!”

“One- Two- Three-” Ah, here we go again.

“GO!” Quan shoots off- not across a bridge, but across the water leaving a high arching wake in his path to the delighted roar of the crowd.

He basks in the attention- but Armius isn’t rushing to meet him, sadly. Maybe he would have if Quan hadn't run at him earlier. It would have made this such an exciting match. But perhaps…

Quan has whipped out a single small knife- a pocket knife- from his pockets, while Armius leans forwards in a guard, catching Quan’s knife barely before the knife hits his belt.

He shakes his head. “It won’t be that easy, I’m afraid.”

Quan only smiles more, and goes for another swing- once again, easily predicted and caught by Armius. “Wait, wait- How about this? You can try out my sword- I mentioned that earlier, yes?”

Quan backs up. A trap perhaps? But no, Armius is offering the sword out, hilt first. “Here.” Quan barely hesitates for a second before his curiosity wins. The chains fall from around his fingers as he reaches out- and the sword is simply placed in his hands-

That’s heavy. That’s really heavy. He grimaces.

Quan looks up and around. The crowd is hushed, and Armius is looking at him with a patient smile, much like how Rian-

He almost misses it.

He jams his fingers shut with a yelp. Quan’s suddenly pinned on the ground, a knee resting heavily on his chest, Armius trying to pry his hand open.

Oh no. Oh no, no, no this can’t just be happening- Armius was supposed to be weaker than him-

“Open your hand.”

“No.” He lashes out, trying to- he has to try something where’s his knife- “Get off me-”

“Once you give me your tag.” Armius says softly. “I know you thought you could beat me- but I outrank you in skill level. Give up now, I don’t want to hurt a child. Especially not one like you.”

Quan keeps yanking. Yanking harder, and harder in rage- and Armius isn’t distracted from his task at all, besides muttering a “Stop.” at Quan when a particularly hard yank starts tearing it.

He’s almost there- Quan’s grip isn’t that strong and- his rings- they're slipping off his hand and Quan’s still making a fuss-

Seconds before the rings come off his fingers- Quan kicks up-

There's a loud tear as Armius is forced away from Quan- And his belt.

Armius stares.

Quan runs.

Breathe. Breathe. He’s stronger than you realize if you get caught again-

He doesn’t think he could pull that off again.

Quan tears across the water in a blank haze. He doesn’t hear the ringer go off. He doesn’t hear the crowds roar in disbelief. He doesn’t feel the water recede beneath his feet, and he for sure doesn’t hear Chifu’s giggles in the crowd.

“And there’s our underdog turned winner, taking his victory lap!”

Huh?

He skids to a stop, still clutching the belt. He scans the audience, trying to spot Miss. X and instead makes eye contact with the lady with the wine red hair. She smirks, and slowly raises her hand in a thumbs up, holding it deadly still, until she bursts out into laughter and waves him off.

Quan shudders.

“And there! Is! Our! Winner! After a close match with “The Strongest Man in the Universe,'' He pulls out a close win, using clever tricks to steal Armius’s belt while he was distracted! Talk about a tough match!”

Armius approaches, sopping wet as he sticks out a hand for a handshake. “Good match, An. You fight well- you even saw through my ruse! That was quite clever of you even if your opening move was a bit dirty.”

“I mean, it’s one that won! So I think it still counts!” Quan laughs off, ignoring the hand. “Besides, I didn’t know you were going to do anything. I didn’t expect you to do something like that against a kid like me, heh.”

Armius blushes a bit. “Well, an opponent like you deserved it! And I was paid back by my deception by my defeat.”

“Oh really?...”

The conversation ambles on, a conversation between friends, rather then one between adversaries, and when all is said and done Quan stands by himself, looking up at the Coliseum.

Too close.

Quan Huynh

[Quan Hyun] Round 2: Together, Better

Original doc

References:

Piano is sitting on the bed, quietly tending to her wounds when her brother comes in. Even Piano could tell something was off- she carefully eyes the way her brother comes in with furrowed eyebrows, still dressed in the uniform of a cross guard. This was meant to be a simple respite to quietly celebrate Piano’s win, but it looked like it would be something more, the way he muttered and paced as though someone was stepping on his heels.

And then he stops, carefully drifting his attention back towards Piano. “Sister, I am afraid that our fate dances to a different tune than we hummed. Our melody was of Prince Armius, but her notes are discordant with his. I admit, the atrocious melody she hums... It is most bold and catchy." He resumes his pacing, his shoes tip-tapping against the floor. "I put much faith behind your indomitability in combat, and even though you've failed today, my trust remains as an unweathered stone. The stone is not to blame for the strength of the wind, and I fear for the mighty gust of this... Boy. I would watch for wear, as it seems this breeze might attempt to weaken your unbreakable ore."

He stops once more and looks her in the eyes. "Your pain is mine, sister, and I would not wish upon you harm for all the world."

“I don’t think I will be hurt, brother. When I met him, he seemed to be far more playful. Like Madame Chifu.” She says, carefully applying salve to her many bruises.

"My ear and heart are yours, you know this, do you not? Quan moved as a gale, called to existence by the great lord of the waves. He was the unjust arms of the depths, tossing the ship Armius back and forth for his amusement. A god who taunts with bright skies only to crush with howling winds! His face was a twisted mask of amusement, or did you not see? It was like beholding a muse, his face forever locked in the grimace of comedy." He rubs his forehead.

"Perhaps we are not the omniscient gods we thought, perhaps this, this boy is the eye we considered ourselves to be. But even gods will fall, as we must suppose from the name of our appointment, with the so-called God Eater. But I fear for the speed of this zephyr, for he has proven himself swift in the past. My heart lies with you, but the speed of the sunlight does not lie with your feet as with his. Nary a round matched its breadth, save the diplomatic briefness of Pembrooke’s and Rum’s. I fear I must embark on a pilgrimage to find what I can of this unnamed force."

Sensing her brother’s unease, she spoke lightly. “The people of the town will probably be able to speak on his behalf. Perhaps you can find out something about him? I watched him, and he just sped off. There is no talent or skill in his speed, it’s only ki.”

"I declare, it will take all the cunning and wits we've between us to best this breeze." He clasped her hands, earnest. "You will have to channel this unknown boy as you face him, matching him turn for turn in your humors. I will not be there for the feat, but I will return as the crow flies, with all the expediency of the traveler god himself. But I must ask, in this twisting web of people, pray, have you seen the strings he is knotted with? The faces he knows?"

She considers for a moment before speaking again. “Try his opponent from the last round. I saw the boy drag him out somewhere to talk.”

------------

After approaching the prince, who had thoughtfully given a description of Quan as simply, “Excessive. In both personality, and in power.”

When questioned (with a smile!) about who else Forte could go to to ask about Quan, the response was simply, “Talk to anyone. He gets around.”

------------

“I have come to inquire a few questions about the contestant, Quan. I am but a reporter, soon to egress the location in search of a new story, and I would like to know of his impressions upon the esteemed town of the Crossroads.” Always with a smile, always with a notebook out, Forte authoritatively asked the opening question to his interviews.

---------------

“Quan? That darn hedgehog… He shoulda thought twice about stealing from my wares! I got a good whack on him before he ran off… Maybe. I’m real good at driving those damned weasels away from my stuff but you should have heard the time I beat off a whole pack of wolves from comin’ after my meat! It all started when...” An old man ranted as he flipped skewers on a grill.

--------------

“Annoying.” A huff from Saki. “Reminds me a lot of my nephew, Volley. Too much energy and more words then he knows what to do with. He causes trouble on purpose, and that ain’t happening in my bar.”

-------------

Angelique turns, her hair flipping over her shoulder. A slight frown at Forte. “Who? He must’ve gone before me, I wasn’t paying attention to that match at all. The kid with the scarf, right?” She shrugs. “He’s fast. That’s all I’ve got.”

------------

“Oh yes, the little one. I assumed he was a human. He was not.” Vilivian only just looks up from her bucket full of fish. “He strongly reminds me of the pixies in Graal. Chaotic but.... Very friendly.”

------------

“Quan, Quan, Quan… Oh yeah! He’s really cool! He showed me how to stab people properly-” Volley demonstrates with a little swipe, startling people into hopping backward in the immediate vicinity. “And he knows a lot of really weird things. Like really weird. How did he figure out how many crossguards were here in the span of like, a day? Or two days? Like, c’mon!”

-----------

“The boy…. Yes. I haven’t seen anything like him before. He just so reminds me of... “ Rum snaps his fingers. “Champagne. Bubbly, strong, and tasteless, I believe are the words I am looking for.”

-----------.

Pembrooke shakes his head. “I thought it was crazy, meeting that fox. And then the shinigami. And then the crazy fox lady. And then I met a self-proclaimed hedgehog fairy, who proceeded to literally run circles around me to show off. I don’t know what to expect anymore.”

----------

“Oh, you mean that sweet little boy from the first match? He told me about his power, yes he did- say, I feel like I’ve been seeing you asking around far too much about that child. If you’re a competitor’s friend…..” The woman says with a frown. “I can’t tell you anymore. If you know too much about your opponent, you’ll have too much of an advantage! And that’s no fun.” She shoos him away from her stall.

He sighs deeply and pockets his notebook and pencil. “I am most gracious for your additions, miss. Goodbye.”

Forte strolls along the street, now changed out of the crossguard uniform, politely waving at the competitors he had greeted and interviewed earlier. Excessive, annoying, friendly… How strange of a combination. But most of all, they simply said fast. Too swift to catch. Always out of arm’s length, and besides talkative, no one ever managed to learn anything about him, it seemed. A loner, then, he scoffs. Loners were always far more vulnerable compared to a team.

With this information under his belt he heads back to his sister’s side… only to find her already speaking to their quarry, how wonderful! He picks up his pace, approaching close to his sister’s side.

--------------------

“Have a nice day, Belue!” Quan said cheerfully, before speeding off. When he runs, his thoughts flow like his steps, simple and fast. It’s his favorite way to think.

He thinks about all the different ways he could spend his time in the Crossroads, maybe he could try and rile Saki into a fight- He hums as he runs right past someone’s stall and steals a meat skewer. Or maybe, he could figure out exactly how many crossguards are in the city, and see what happens if one of them disappears or something. So many things to do here, and so little time- Ms.X had already put out the announcements, and damn he has to go up against the scary demon lady, somehow the one person he hadn’t managed to go say hi to just because he couldn’t track her down, like, ever.

And he had tried, too. She wasn’t in the bar, she wasn’t at the inn, she wasn’t walking around the streets as far as he could tell, and she wasn’t even staying near all those merchandise stalls near the colosseum, so she was probably just staying in her room. Or someone else’s room. Or something.

Quan was getting frustrated. Being frustrated was annoying and if he could do something about it, he should. He curses internally as he accidentally knocks over another person. He stops. A thought had dropped into his mind like a rock in the river.

His wish! It would only be two more days of not getting murdered or defeated. He high-knees above some rolling apples from a barrel he knocked over- He might not win, but he beat the Strongest Man in the Universe, he deserves some credit.

What could he possibly wish for? It was easy to think of things for now, and it would be really, really funny to see the other competitors' reactions if he wished for a sandwich or something. He flips over a passing cart and starts munching on the stolen meat skewer. A sandwich, food, food is life, long life, oh yeah. He’d mentioned immortality, endless entertainment, and a glimpse of the future. All things he could have used when he was much younger, but it was still fine now, he guessed.

Or to make things a little more fun- Maybe he could challenge the goddess herself to her godhood- if she wouldn’t grant it, he would fight for it! And he would win! It’s not like it would be har-

Maybe think a lit-tle bit quieter, boy~

He refuses to startle like he did the first time she spoke into his mind, and he doesn’t really stop. Don’t want people to think he’s insane or rude by talking to thin air. He’s faintly certain it’s bad manners to talk to ghosts and mind readers and spirits over live people or-

Are you done? Your mind runs like the wind. It’s annoying, how loud it is in there.

He skids to a stop in the alley, still eating. “Yeah, for now. Something wrong?” He wipes his face with a sleeve, hiding his smile. This- He can think smug thoughts a little later.

There was a slight edge to her mind-voice, although it was amused as ever. You wish to steal godhood from me? Or the Crossroads?

“I’m not really sure yet!” Quan rocks back on his heels.

You should be sure before you decide to challenge me~ Just imagine what could happen to you, in my town. Nothing so good, eh?

Quan scoffs. “Don’t worry, I’m only thinking about it right now. Imagine all the things you could do with a wish other than be a god. Though I’m not sure what I really want. Wouldn’t it be funny to wish for a sandwich?” Chifu was so much fun to talk to, really. She was cocky, and her banter made everything better. Maybe he shouldn’t steal from her if he could keep talking to her.

He can hear her cackle, the sound echoing in his mind. Think about what you really want. I’m not so sure godhood is it, and a sandwich might not be it either. But what can I say? I’m just a little fox~

Quan feels the presence lift from his mind and smirks. Now he can think smug thoughts. This is good. He can work with the ire of a goddess, and with any luck, he’ll be just a bit more entertaining for her!

He strolls out of the alley, back onto the bright main street and far, far across the streets he sees…..

Her.

With black hair, red skin, and yet another outfit it would be really difficult to steal from, is the person he’s been looking for for the past… maybe six hours. Ish. It wasn’t that important for him to find but either way- it’s his opponent, Piano, wearing bruises as though they were accessories.

He laughs, and speeds up, sliding in front of her. “Hello! I’ve been looking for you- Piano, right? I heard about what you looked like and I watched your round, it was really cool using swamp to hide! I don’t think I could have held my breath long enough to take down my opponent! I have absolutely no idea where you’ve been because you haven’t been anywhere I’ve checked, and I hope I haven’t interrupted you on your way to anything because I think I’d like to talk for a while-”

Quan keeps blathering as he watches her listen to him talk. Surprisingly, she’s still listening intently- her eyes haven’t glazed over once, and she hasn’t started looking away at something or someone else. But he can only do this so long, and Piano doesn’t seem the kind of gal to interrupt him, so he finishes, without wasting a breath- “Anyway! So how are you?”

She responds slowly. “I’m fine. I’ve just been recuperating in my room from my last match. Thank you for your kind words- you’re Quan? The speedster?”

“Yup! At least, that’s what I’m known for in the tournament.”

“Then it’s nice to meet you too, Quan.” She smiles at him, folding her hands together. But her eyebrows are twitching so… maybe annoyed? Instead of pleased? Or polite?

Quan draws a huge smile to his face. It would be nice if this was like his thing with Armius- an easy way to read someone and learn what scares them, or a way to connect the two of them, sympathy, he thinks is the word. “Yep! I’ve just been wandering around the Crossroads. See, I’ve been meaning to talk to you because you’re so cool-”

Piano is nodding along as Quan talks, and he still hasn’t lost her attention yet. She’s sharp, he’ll have to watch out for that. He almost pauses when someone appears on the street behind them, someone unfamiliar, not unusual, but...

… Why’s that guy coming over here?

“Piano! I see you have encountered your opponent, how exciting!” The… man? says loudly. He approached with white hair and a winning smile, similar in stature to Piano, but not in looks- and certainly not in equipment. He carried only a small bag and a notepad.

“Hey. We-”

Quan interrupts her before she can finish, turning to the man with a big smile and his hands tugging his scarf. “Are you two friends?”

“With all the surety of the stars above! It is only by the great love fate has for me that I was blessed with a glance from the lady; who, do I dare call a bosom friend? But I came here not to sing the praises of my close companion, but rather to hear your tale. How did you come to be here, cradled in the spiraling grasp of this madness; this tournament of a goddess whose own madness is sung behind closed doors. By what twists of fate are you but a maple seed on this distorting wind of cheers and screams?” Quan nods, on the outside. What the hell was this guy talking about? Friends, tale, how did he get here?

Quan opens his mouth to respond, a spiel about friendship about to spill off his tongue, but Forte’s mouth rises in a tiny smile. And then his chin raises just a bit to disguise a smirk. A smirk, surely directed at Quan’s obvious confusion.

Quan instantly dislikes him.

But he has to be at least a little subtle because, in his experience, people don’t like it if you insult their friends, because most people don’t have that many. Or maybe that was just him. And he doesn’t know anything about Piano- she might just try and get rid of him before their round, which he is faintly certain isn’t illegal.

“So, I don’t exactly understand what you’re saying but-”

“Ah, fear not, my friend! Do not worry your heart with these trite things.” He smiles at Piano as though sharing a secret, and Quan is getting closer to strangling him. Stop being so smug and showing off your damn relationship! “The turtle is never to know the heights of the eagle, and I find myself so often the soaring mind above. But I must not blame the chelonians for their ignorance, as the world is so steeped in its sweet, sticky molasses.”

“Oh no, I’m not worried. I guess I just can’t say for sure you aren’t saying anything that important. Or smart.” He says brightly. This is going to be a shitty conversation. He has to analyze every word he says, and all of his facial expressions. Give him what he wants, and let it go. Get out fast, let him spend time with his friend. Whatever. Turtles and eagles, soaring mind, plus being a prick… if he can give it, he better be able to take it. “So, it doesn't really matter whether I can understand you or not. So what’s your name?” Quan widens his eyes just a smidge and tilts his head to the side.

He hesitates- it’s almost unnoticeable, but it looks like it worked. The man can’t tell whether Quan was insulting him or not, and Quan burns from the inside out with smugness.“But what a delightful point, and such a turn of phrase! I will swoop low, perching low upon the mulberry to hear your fribble. How delightful, to be so low in the atmosphere! But ah, I must seem foreign to you, as more than a circling shadow. They call me Mezzo, for this, is, ah, my moniker.” A false name, Quan deduces, from the way “Mezzo” had looked away when he said his name. He can’t really judge- he’s been doing the same thing.

Mezzo seems to relax back into his groove, a winning smile playing across his lips. “Quan, the rabbit! The eddy in the dust! The fleet of foot and milky of bread! I would grovel if I didn’t fear that I could not reach your eyes even by doing that. But it is with utter penitence that I ask your story. I have been told of your temperament, that you were an unlicked cub and a spoony, but also that you were one who could weave the threads of magic but do little else; a pony of one trick, if you will. Did I hear wrong, or is all you’ve told to be the truth, or perhaps with your parlor tricks, but the chattering of the birds?”

He interrupted any response that might’ve been forthcoming with a grand gesture hindered by his cloak, making him look a bit silly, in Quan’s humble opinion. “Or perhaps are you a man of the grift, one who draws strength from the shadows and those who hide in them? No doubt, a man of your malefactory stature would have strings to pull?”

Quan makes a mental note to find out what those other words mean. If they were an insult, they better be one hell of a good insult. He spends an extra second thinking over the questions. One trick pony, some kind of short insult… milky of bread? Magic? What the hell was grift? Maybe his powers? He speaks and hopes he gets lucky.

“I was born with them, I think! Unless my Ma put something into me when I was too young to remember. She might’ve, she’s the kind of person who would do it, but really- it’s all-natural! And y’know-” Quan doesn’t think Mezzo would put so much emphasis on tricks if he had a natural magical ability of his own, so he refuses to give Piano another advantage by showing her the gold rings. “I could be even more powerful if I really wanted to. I have to work to keep myself slow enough for you guys. Don’t want to give anyone whiplash!” He waves his arms around when he’s speaking- Piano hops a little bit out of his space and Mezzo simply leans back until he’s properly out of the way.

Hm. Good reflexes.

“Most assuredly, most assuredly.” Ooh, he does not get the right to look that smug if he’s not even fighting. Or is Quan imagining it? He could be- he’s always been bad at reading people.”You have been most helpful, with these bits and bobs you’ve given me. I’ll be quite sure to adorn the front page with them! It is a lovely little tapestry I am weaving, like spiders of old, all full of the secret threads of this auspicious tournament. It is so full of character, color, and texture! But I fear I must admit preference in my weaving, for I have rather a propensity for the story of the man, and there are many a man in this story. It will be quite sensational, a tremor they shall feel through time immemorial!” He winked at Quan, with the playful manner of a friend sharing a secret. “Perhaps you, my little rattlecap, will be felt in that earthquake.”

Quan stares unamusedly.

“I’m not so sure about that.” Quan proceeds to turn back to Piano, to try and strike up another conversation before Mezzo tries to grab their attention again- only to find her nowhere to be seen. Shit.

Mezzo flourished his pencil with gusto. “Ah, but my dictation is not nearly at its final curtain yet! What other yarns have you denied the scarf of my story, little tortoise? I find myself longing for every fiber I can get for my craft, every past and present thread that can be grasped at. Have you any lovers, any squeezes, if you’ll pardon the peasant colloquialism? Perhaps some employment, or heroic adventure? What is your tale, oh mysterious one? Surely there is some great novella of success and victory behind those feet of yours, hidden in your footprints in the sands of time?”

“What’s there to tell? Let’s see… I ran away from home when I was twelve, I’m known for fighting things and exploring what I shouldn’t, and I’m homeless. That’s about it, I think. Also, I'm a hedgehog, not a tortoise.” Quan lists them off with a casual counting on his fingers. That’s about it, if you cut out and simplified a very large portion of Quan’s life.

“Ah, mm, I see.” Mezzo wet his finger and flipped over the page, before looking back up at Quan once more. “What of your forefathers, the ones most immediate? I’ve heard it said your matron was the one who gave you your speed, the tricks and magic you claim to have? Perhaps, did she teach you restraint, leashing in the dogs and demons of Hell? For surely, you must be exercising the control you do have?”

Quan hesitates. Control. He knows a lot about control, thank you very much.“She gave me the things to teach me how to manage it.”

Wait, Piano was gone. And it wouldn’t hurt to tell him just a little more information. Along with a few other things Quan wants him and probably Piano to know. “And I have these gold rings.” Quan pulls down his scarf to show a seamless gold collar around his throat. “They stop me from going too fast. But they also stop me from healing! She also told me to never take them off on pain of death, but y’know. She could’ve been lying. Not like me, I never lie. That came from my dad.”

Mezzo’s forehead creased in… concern? “How tragic, indeed. What a great sorrow must Atlas have felt, to be so shackled by the world! And you, little Atlas, must feel this same weight. But how does your world weigh you? Does it threaten your end at her hands, or perhaps that without it, you would be but a crumbling pillar of salt in the wind? Pray, has your tongue sung only the truest of songs since that day? It is such a thing of ease, to slip betwixt your lips the words of the fairies, all white and yet untrue. And worry not, as my sir bids, I will follow, if you so wish for none to hear the next little white lies from your lips. I am as able to withhold as I am to give.”

He closes his eyes, tugging his scarf back into it’s wonderfully safe feeling cocoon around his neck. It looks like he was starting to catch on to this! Hah, beat that, Mezzo. “She did both. But I think she specifically said I would die if I took it off. But it’s impossible. I’ve tried for way too long to figure out how to.” His eyes flare open. “And no, first of all, I’ve never lied. Never. It’s mean and horrible. And people trust you more when you don’t lie- and I need every ounce of trust to get by like this. Second of all, it is not a fae thing, that’s kind of shitty of you to say, huh? It’s like saying all demons are sadistic, are gonna steal my soul, and should be banished with a nice dash of holy water. None of which are true, by the way.” He eyes Mezzo for a reaction, but the only one is the slightest quirk of the lips, and quick swipes of a pencil across the sheet. Quan can’t get anything out of that, no emotional reaction in regards to Piano. “I wouldn’t lie to save my life.”

“Ah, but how hidden can a lie be among the truths! For even the statement of truth can be a lie, and perhaps even those were wolves among the sheep, lies among your truth...” He notes this almost offhandedly, as though he didn’t mean to.

Quan snaps. “It wasn’t.”

Mezzo looks up. “Hm?”

“You said it might be a lie. It wasn’t.” Quan points out coldly.

“Ah, and therein lies the folly of the wordsman! My leaps from platform to platform of words oft leave my balance amiss, and I see that I did not land with grace this last time. Forgive me my blunder, and pardon me my queries.” Mezzo isn’t sorry, fuck him. “But if you will allow another, pray, can you see the morrow? How do you see your bout with Piano, your tet a tet, tomorrow? How might the poets describe it?”

“She’s really strong, but I think I’m stronger. And everyone here is more skilled than me, but it hasn’t come down to skill yet. It’s been all reflexes and quick thinking because nobody has the same skills. So. I think I’m going to win. Unless something really bad happens, like our match gets sabotaged or something. I’m going to make sure nothing will mess with us by making this fight fast.”

“With haste you say?”

“Of course! And with any luck, it’ll work. For me, of course.”

“Ah, my thanks for your assistance in my journey to the truth. Do you see pain, that red hot regret of the mortal form? Do you feel your body burning with it, or perhaps hers as such? How will you fight, with the shackles constructed of entertainment by Madame Chifu, or unfettered and ferocious? Will you draw it out for the cheers, or end it quickly to their disappointment?” Forte leaves his pen poised over his notebook, posing his question.

Quan raises an eyebrow. “I don't need to drag it out to be entertaining. If it’s entertaining, it’s gonna be because Piano is really strong. Which she is. But don’t worry about her! She should be fine, and if she isn’t, she has you. Not a huge deal.” His voice grows a little bitter at the end.

Unlike Piano, Quan won’t have anyone to fall back on. That’s why he has to win.

“Ah, your kindness knows no bounds, sir, as you have shown with your indulgence of my curiosities. I am most grateful for your time, and your patience with this simple wordsmith.” Mezzo gives a cheeky salute, and off he goes.

Quan waves goodbye. Wasn’t he forgetting something?

Dammit! He was trying to talk to Piano!

-----------

“Ah, the Artemis to my Apollo, the Pollux to my Castor, I have returned!" announces Forte, with all the pomp and circumstance of a ringmaster at a circus, vibrating with gleeful energy. "I announce with the croon of a poet and the battle cry of a warrior, I have obtained the truths and stories of this fleet-foot boy! Our victory is assured by the fates, with this intervention! Like the kitten, you must go for his scruff and lift him, or failing the separation of his feet from the great earth, simply tell him he has the tongue of a deceiver, to raise his ire and collar for easier grabbing, or simply to bring his reign to a close. Or, as you are so skilled in doing, simply see into the dance chart of his steps and be ahead of them by two or three. It will not tire you so as to defeat, and it shall be but a simple task to outwit the mouse who thinks so much of himself. He plans to move with the speed of the sun’s own rays, for he rightly knows of your skill!”

Piano patiently waits for Forte to stop monologuing. He still hasn’t changed out of his disguise, white, glossy hair moving around like a cloud, his dark cloak working against his efforts to gesture. “I know. I was right around the corner, if you don’t remember.”

“Your wisdom knows no bounds, does it not! He is small, but you have the eye of the hawk and must simply swoop upon him. He will be quick, but is not also the gazelle? You must be the cheetah, my sister, as I know you will. He will be an easy catch for one so powerful as you, so long as you do not lose your faculties.” He laughed. “But I trust you will not, in your infinite knowledge!”

“I know what to do. Have a little more faith in me.” She chuckles a bit. Forte’s been nervous about her matches when he truly doesn’t have any reason to. It’s sweet.

“Claim victory, my kin. There is no doubt in my mind, my heart, eyes, that I will be here to celebrate your victory and his defeat. Take my courage, my cunning, and show to the birds why they must not sing so brash when there are cats around!”

She stands, and the two of them smile at each other. A matching pair, brawn and brains, a left eye and a right eye.

Together.

---------------------

Piano was approaching the colosseum, quietly walking. She didn’t want any more attention drawn to her before her match. In fact, she needs to prepare to fight against Quan as long as possible, and accidentally initiating a brawl would do her no good.

Quan was.... Quick. And not dumb, unlike what Forte thought. But Quan sounded like he wouldn’t be planning at all. And he likely wouldn’t be able to do anything against her blood, from the sounds of it. If she went for the collar…. She just had to come at him from the side, and not the front. And she needs to make it fast. If it comes to an endurance match, she won’t make it to the end, unless she initiates the final blow quickly. Which is likely, if she wears him down enough…

“Piano! Why’d you disappear like that earlier?” She turns to see Quan, suddenly at her side again.

She jumps a little, before composing herself. “Ah. Hello Quan. I just needed a break from him. And I didn’t want to interrupt his interview.” And people tend to put down their guards around Forte, when it’s just him. “I knew I would meet you again, anyhow.”

“Well, I just wanted to ask you- what are you doing this round? I don’t want to get hurt too badly or anything, and from the sounds of it, you’re a much better fighter than I am.” He has since turned to walk backwards, still facing her as they go down the street.

“You’ll find out. Don’t worry so much, I don’t plan on doing anything that’ll leave lasting harm.” She says with a smile.

“I don’t either! But I guess we need to keep it entertaining for Madame Chifu!” He laughs, and spins, before continuing his walk backwards. “I’m sure you heard by now from Mezzo that the match is going to be fast. How about we both promise a fast match?”

She thinks about it. Quan’s fast is probably faster than she could manage. But it would also make him sloppy, and that’s the real thing she needs. He’s inexperienced, and she doesn’t want it to come down to power. “Sure. Let’s make it as fast as we can.” Although, she would likely drag it out… but the boy looks so hopeful about it that she doesn’t dare to break that hope. He must have been really nervous about her.

-----------------

“I told him we’d make it fast. But it won’t really be fast, if I have anything to say about it.” Piano explains to her brother.

-----------------

“I know, I know, Piano said she should make it fast… I should probably watch out for my neck a little bit more, huh?” Quan says to himself.

------------

Amid the cheering roar of the audience, equally shouting Quan’s name and Piano’s name, a microphone screech reigns supreme and quiets them to a low rumble.

Miss X in all her pink glory, now reappearing in a slightly spiced up outfit, waves to the crowd, floating high above the arena. “Welcome! To round 2 of our lovely fighting tournament! Are you guys ready to rock?!” She cups her hand to her ear in an exaggerated listening motion as the crowd whoops. Miss X waits for it to die down before continuing.

“You all know him, you all love him, here’s Quan, who bested the strongest! Man! In! The! Universe!” A spotlight shines down on Quan, while a round of applause sounds, with also a fair bit of booing. He’d become infamous in the past few days for causing trouble around town, whether that be from stealing wares, or from knocking over things in his rush to get places. He doesn’t care, though. They’ll forget Quan soon enough anyway. After all, it’s not like they ever asked why Quan was stealing food, did they?

“On the other side, we have mysteriously powerful Piano! She beat the intense warrior armed with acid rain and metal arms, one of the most experienced fighters we’ve got! Let’s see how well she can do against her next opponent, eh?” When the spotlight illuminates Piano, she stands unsmiling. She’s stoic, a paragon of solidity- but when she hears some voices from the crowd swooning at her, she blushes, and looks down.

“This match is going to be simple and easy! You know the drill- take your opponent’s tag for thirty seconds, or knock ‘em down so they can’t get back up again. And today, we’re going to have no changes to the arena- except for some elegant ole moving pillars. Powerful and unpredictable, my favorite. Keep your eyes on the ground, or keep your eyes on your opponent- and make sure you wait for me to say go.” She says, winking at Quan.

“On your mark~” Piano seems to be… hopping? That’s weird.

“Get ready~” Quan watches her carefully, as she moves.

“GO!”

He almost misses it, it’s just that fast. A knife whizzes past his face and embeds itself in the slowly rising stone pillar behind him. He swings back in time, totally prepared for a frontal attack from her, but she’s nowhere to be seen. He frowns. He expected her to be a head on fighter, using her wiles only when it was necessary, much like in her first match- and the whole entire point of this was so she would underestimate him.

But Mezzo ruined that.

He curses loudly when he hears the slight whoosh of another knife cleanly dropping from above him- saved only by his reflexes jerking him to the side. He looks up, and sees a shadow disappear from one pillar falling to another one rising, and he decides to do what he does best.

Run.

He goes directly to the pillar, and with a combination of a solid jump, a knife, and climbing skills learned from all those years of climbing buildings to find a place to sleep, he’s face to face with Piano, who promptly stabs him with a knife.

He’s about to fight through the regular stinging of a stab wound when it suddenly flares in agony. His eyes glaze over for just a second, just long enough for her to go for another stab-

He can’t see much through the pain, but for fuck’s sake, he can see the red blob against the sandy background of the pillars. He growls, and he sees her hesitate for just second-

Before they’re both tumbling off the rapidly lowering pillar, Piano thoroughly tackled by Quan. He slashes her with the knife- there’s nothing in his mind now but defenddefenddefend- By the time they land, Piano’s arms, used to save her body from the knife are bloody, and so are Quan’s.

It hurts. It hurts so much- this isn’t fast- and she’s still not down, why is she not down and what the hell is that-

Another knife, this one a solid red, slashes open his cheek. A long cut, a deep cut, and it wasn’t healing. It wasn’t healing, and it hurts more then the time he got thrown into a bonfire- He scrubs furiously at his cheek to try and clear away the blood and it only hurts more-

Piano was getting closer again, and Quan had to dodge out of the way of one of the moving pillars. He wasn’t healing, and every movement hurt more than he could imagine. If he’s honest, he’s never really been hurt before. Not by anyone except those close to him.

For once in his life, Quan decides to stand his ground. Running into a wall wouldn’t work, and if he got himself trapped in a corner he would be so doomed- He doesn’t even know what her tag is, why hadn’t he asked? Because he was too distracted by her stupid friend ugh-

Quan’s eyes focus just barely on the swinging sword, and he can dodge something that big at least, especially since it was going for his neck-

Please don’t get the collar, please don’t get the collar-

- but he missteps a lunge with his knife and slashes not her thigh, but her knee- and she doesn’t seem to be bleeding at all! What the fuck!

He grunts as she stabs him in the leg, and it just adds to the building amount of pain that’s getting to him. He pushes himself to run- and he gets only a few steps before Piano gets to him again. He’s not in control when he hurts this much and when he’s not healing- each movement is jerky, but faster then the way he’s moved before.

But it means he misses when he goes for her leg.

It means he isn’t hit by the sword swinging for his neck.

That doesn’t mean nothing happens, though. Each time Piano misses his upper half- she simply redirects it into a strike somewhere else- one of his limbs, a slash that got dangerously close to the bare skin of his torso. Each time Quan tries to disable her with a knife, he misses the important things- but he would still hit flesh. Her outfit didn’t do much to protect her.

-------------

Piano was in the worst case scenario. Quan had managed to get them to an endurance match somehow? He seemed to be panicking? But about what, she wasn’t really certain. He hadn’t panicked like this in Armius’s match, and he had certainly looked completely ready to fight through the pain of a stab, and probably through the pain of her blood.

And she was preparing for more quick swipes, to make him lose so much blood he would pass out. But he had started standing still, in his panic. She thought he was a runner, not a freezer.

All of the blood loss was starting to get to her, and she knew if she waited any longer she would lose her opportunity.

It’s back to her backup plan. Go for the finishing blow, and pray Quan will move just jerkily enough to get in the way of her sword.

-------------

It’s a stalemate. The battlefield is bloody, and the pillars had stopped moving a while ago, and Quan can only barely hear Miss X.

“It looks like we’re at a stalemate, folks! Let’s see who’s the last one standing.”

Piano’s heaving with effort, and it looks like she’s using everything she has to stand, before launching herself one more time at Quan.

Who stands. And waits. And waits. Until she’s in his face and stabbing his chest with her sword having given up the idea of denting the collar off his neck, and Quan had ducked under to deliver a slash to her forehead- with a bit of wobble that causes him to lose his grip and punch right at her head, knocking her out.

And this time, she stayed down.

Quan’s sleeves dripped with blood, his knuckles made ugly cracking noises as they tried to heal, and he collapsed to his knees. His vision swam. He had never lost quite so much blood before, and he had never felt this dizzy before, or quite this hurt. Not since he was younger.

“Quan is our winner for this round! Cheer for him folks, that was one rough and tumble bloodbath!”

Does an audience really matter to him anymore? All he really wants is to not be hurt, right now. He can see Mezzo running onto the field, carefully holding up his friend. He can only wish to have someone like that to rely on…. It would be nice.

He closes his eyes and flops onto his back. All he needs is a second- a second to stop bleeding, a second to stop thinking, and he only opens his eyes when he hears shouting.

It gets closer, and when he opens his eyes, he sees Mezzo, carrying his friend, glaring, stuttering insults instead of eloquence. “You- You- You were so cruel to her. You promised fast. You truly are a liar.”

He blinks slowly, and a smile spreads across his face in a daze. He didn’t lie. He only said he would make it fast. No one ever said anything about blood or pain. Delusional, but sweet. “I didn't lie. I won. Suck on that.”

He flops back to the ground, and ignores more angry cursing and concerned noises from Mezzo. If only he could have someone like that in his life… Someone who could take care of him, who he could take care of…. There wasn’t anyone like that that he had met, huh. Could he even wish for it? Would it be worth anything if he wished for it?

Chifu laughs, as much of a triumphant sound as ever. Of course not, silly boy,

Even a wish can’t save you from your loneliness.

Quan closes his eyes.

Angelique & Vivi

by JadedStrayHyena

Angelique & Vivi

Reference Sheet Angelique [Images]- Vivi
Audition	Passed
Round 1	Lost to Piano & Forte
Round 2
Round 3
Tournament Status:	Lost in R1

JSHyena

Aliases/Nickname(s)

Jaded

Pronouns/Gender/Sex

[He/Him]

Vocation

illustrator/ writer

Discord:

JSHyena#1365

Twitter:

@JSHyena

DeviantART:

JadedStrayHyena

Angelique & Vivi

[Angelique & Vivi] Audition: Don't Call This Determination

What is the crueler fate? To be continually subjected to torment and pain by outside forces? Or subjecting oneself to the same?

Inside a sparsely lit room sat a young woman. She was trying to make herself as blind to all emotion and thought as she currently was as far as most of the details in it. She sat in the middle of the room - across from her plush bed and away from the door and the small desk and office chair in the room. The window was as shut as her mind. She would have to address it all eventually - unfortunately as she would put it - but for now, she sat cross-legged in that spot with her focus solely on three bubbles around her head.

Colored black and gray, the bubbles were barely visible in the room teeming with shadows. Occasionally, they rippled and warped like something was attempting to break out intermittently. But they mostly remained serene around her like a large lava lamp. This was something she was taught to constantly practice - she didn’t have much choice in the matter.

Focus on only the magic...your breathing… It does not control you, you control it…

Then she heard something at the furthest edges of her hearing - beyond the four walls of her room. The bubbles shimmered with the magic within them reacting to her lapse in focus.

Tune it out...just Vivi trying out a new recipe or something…

After pushing out the thoughts she invited in of the successes and failures of her roommate’s cooking excursions, the bubbles stabilized once more. But soon more noises poked at her concentration. They weren't the sounds of cooking at all. There was too much movement for that.

I don't care if she finds something to amuse herself, but I told her how annoying these control exercises are when it's not quiet - and what happens when I screw it up! What is she doing down there--?

Her thoughts quickly cut off to address the bubbles now in distressing flux like a visualization of a bass-heavy song. Breathing slowed as she got back to taming her magic, but the noises of curiosity had already slithered into her mind and were slowly gobbling up her focus like the favored prey they were.

She could have just dispelled the bubbles and cancelled the control exercise, but she wouldn't do it. No one would blame her for stopping this...no one but herself.

She went through every bit of the proper technique she was taught. But she wasn't seeing much change at first. That caused frustration and only siphoned more focus from her. The bubbles continued to be on the verge of popping, but the young woman refused to move an inch in a continued attempt to take back control. She felt compelled to try to wrangle the volatile magic orbs back to stable forms like she was taught.

One bubble proved more receptive to her efforts than the others. Slowly it returned to a stable state.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The other two bubbles didn’t agree with this however and took the third with them by majority vote. The sounds of the bubbles exploding were closer to gunshots ringing out. They could be heard far beyond the room and the house in general. Black and gray stained the walls for a few moments; the gray faded like smoke until they became nothingness and the black slid down the walls like liquid, mixing with the shadows of the room before they too became nothing.

But the young woman wasn’t as concerned with the outside world or the potential staining at the moment given she was knocked to the nearest wall head-first. A lamp fell from the shockwaves but didn’t break upon hitting the ground. Her short blond hair was disheveled as she was quite literally knocked head over heels from her starting position. As she rolled herself right-side up, flicking her hair out of her eyes, she huffed and scowled to herself.

Years later, she’s still right… Control is a bitch…

“Angie, you alright in there?”

The blonde didn’t answer immediately as she stood up and dusted herself off, inspecting her body for any injuries. Head - fine. Torso - all good. Legs - feeling odd but only from sitting cross-legged for so long.

Her arms...her arms. She often found herself staring at them - her greatest frenemies - in random moments like this.

“Angelique!? Are you hurt?”

She finally looked away from her arms as the voice of her roommate now emanated from right behind her door. She looked around the room, cursing not having a better place to practice.

“I’m fine...give me a minute…”

“Just checking. Got something to show you that you may like!”

Angelique had to wonder if that was what caused the noises that disturbed her. Her roommate knew what she liked and could consistently lift her spirits, but she doubted it would fully make up for another explosive ending to her magic control practice. She could cast just fine in her opinion - so the fact that the odds of her completing the exercise on any day could accurately be decided by a coin flip was aggravating. It’s been years without feeling like she’s made a large enough dent in progress.
It’s a line she felt painfully reflected elsewhere in her life.

Eventually, she opened the door. Her golden locks were smoothed down quickly. She was still in blue pajamas with one button near the top not present. The sleeves were quite long - going right down to her fingers.

Before her was her roommate - a dark tan and very built woman with uncombed black hair that just teased her shoulders. Dressed in violet banana shorts and a white sports bra, the woman grinned as Angelique’s face became visible. It’s the smile that showed her very sharp teeth.

In her large, cupped hands was a little white fox with red markings from temple to tail staring up at her. She knew Angelique loved animals.

“Viola, where did you--”

“This little guy got in through the window!” Viola replied.

Angelique’s eyes widened. The little fox was adorable and the markings on it were so intriguing to her. Viola knew her too well. But as joy filled her expression like a balloon, she noticed something in the fox’s mouth. It was a crimson envelope with golden trim and a seal depicting some kind of lotus flower.

When Angelique finally diverted her attention to said envelope, she stopped blinking and simply stared at it. Viola wasn’t sure if Angelique was still breathing for a moment. Then there was a sudden whiplash as her eyes widened in a type of panic but her mouth was stretched wide and her teeth were bared in rage.

This worried Viola. This frightened the white fox. The blonde looked like the sight of the envelope was about to make her shriek at horrific levels and tear heads off without using her hands.

Instead, she quickly retreated into her room, slamming the door in their faces. Then they heard her scream along with objects being thrown to the ground.

“Angie? Are--?”

“WHO THE HELL WOULD SEND ME ANOTHER ONE OF THESE THINGS!?”

“You get invited to things that often?”

It was a while before Angelique responded. They couldn’t tell from outside of her room, but she was quite literally shaking. What Viola could tell from outside Angelique’s bedroom was that Angelique’s magic was surging.

“More...than half….of these damn tournaments or magical challenges I took came in mysterious and fancy envelopes…” came a growl. “Not one of these stupid things have gone well and yet someone seeks me out for another like I’m on a damn subscription service for this!”

“Maybe your time elsewhere got you more of a fanbase than you thought?”

“None of those times went that well! Especially the last one! This is just mocking me to send this now when I’m the way I am!”

Viola grimaced a bit since she was there for the last one. “Maybe they didn’t know--”

This only caused another bit of rage to bellow from the room and Viola visibly flinched. Viola knew the last tourney - the one she had met Angelique in the first place - was the biggest one as far as importance as well as setbacks for the currently raging blonde. To even pretend she had fully gotten past the aftermath of that journey was a horrific fallacy.

Viola bowed to the possibility that she was being overly optimistic with her words - there was indeed a chance whoever invited her had no clue of her past - but Angelique needed some optimism in her opinion. The human’s opinion of herself was as dark as her shadow magic.

Viola gently took the envelope from the little fox’s mouth and started to read.

Meanwhile inside, Angelique had gotten quieter in volume alone. She was still between utter hysteria and thunderous unresolved rage - stuck at the exact midpoint between them and feeling both equally. She broke out in a cold sweat, clinging to one of her pillows like it was her connection to reality. But it was quickly slipping because the arms couldn't even feel the anchor. They couldn’t feel anything. They weren’t her real arms - another thing she lost along the way.

She wasn’t fully in her room anymore. She was back in all those failures that eventually led to her losing so much. They played in an unstoppable loop like a swirling whirlpool and she was struggling to breathe. It was hard enough to swim in that pink royal dress even if her arms didn’t appear to be fading in and out of reality.

Why…..even put this in front of me again… Every time I tried, the universe took from me over and over! How much is left to even take!? Why...why even let me be able to cast that spell that day if not to make me hurt longer…

Bringing a cute animal to let my guard down...what kind of sick joke is this!?

The worried knocking of Viola snapped her back to reality - though she didn’t move from the spot yet. She kept holding that pillow with her metal arms until her breathing could stabilize once more.

“I’m sorry - I didn’t know it’d be about another tournament,” said Viola through the door. “Much less one offering a wish.”

A wish...seriously? Not a magical item or some favor? That’s way too suspicious… All those envelopes are...but why does this one bug me so badly?

“But...it’s not a team thing like last time. It’s one on one fights over three days."

"...who?" said Angelique through the door.

"What?"

"Who sent this? Who in the most wretched of hells sent this?"

"Doesn't really-- Hold on... It’s signed...The Madame Chief of Crossroads. Not 100% on who that is. But I have heard of Crossroads. It's a really old story I heard about while traveling. It's said to be an intersection between almost all known words - both physically set by land and sea but...y'know...connected to the astral realms too. And this fox's coloring reminds me of another old story I heard - The God Eater."

"God Eater? Sounds morbid."

"A once average Kitsune that somehow bested or tricked a God and inherited its power when it got consumed. It's said she created Crossroads and defends the place from threats."

"Add three to the suspicion score then," grumbled Angelique, her hands gently pulling at her hair.

If a catch-free wish wasn't suspicious enough of an offering on its own for her - much less one offered by one of the biggest trickster races in myth - one offered by a kitsune with potentially divine power was bound to be full of shenanigans.

That didn't fully stop Angelique from unconsciously thinking of what she could do with a wish that was hitch-free. The more obvious candidates and the ones that felt impossible and forbidden all popped up with little in between.

They always go wrong...even if I’ve gotten stronger, they always seem to go wrong… I should do whoever else may get this a favor and shred it right now.

Wait, am I really that spiteful? There’s a slight chance this is legitimate and I’d be screwing that person over.

Okay, maybe I am that spiteful, but shouldn’t I be? I’ve already slightly fallen into the stereotype of every major shadow mage and Dark Arts user I’ve ever researched… Maybe going might be a chance of…

Nononono this feeling is probably part of the same trap I’m falling for! Even if I win, this could just screw me over further! What next - my legs too!?

Angelique drove herself nuts in her room before Viola’s words got through to her.

“I can fight on your behalf, Angelique.”

This causes Angelique to fling the door open again. “Wait wait what?”

“You’re freaking out about this already. Getting this right now isn’t going to help you as far as recovering from...the last tourney.”

Viola was holding the open letter sideways and a small silver charm on a string dangled out.

“We both know I’ve been itching for a fight anyway. And it’s not like I care about wishes anyway.”

Angelique couldn’t deny her roommate was a demon of physicality in multiple senses of the word. Her leading the charge would surely increase the chances of winning.

“...but what about your memories? Or stuff about your past?”

“Me not having those isn’t getting in the way of living life. You….you’re having so much trouble as is. Not that you’re not capable and stuff, but you’d benefit more from this. I owe you so much, Angelique. Doing this for you is nothing.”

As Viola turned to officially accept the invitation, a metal hand reached out to grab her arm.

“No...I’m...I want to do this….”

“Angie, are you sure? If this wish catches enough ears, it means some tough customers will--”

“I can’t keep hiding! I...even if I don’t get this damn wish, I have something to prove. After all the times I messed up or got carried through, I...can’t help wanting to try this. And find out who wants me there so badly.”

“That determined, huh?” Viola sighed, scratching her head with a sly smile. “Well, being a coach works too. I’ll be backing you all the way.”

“May need you a lot if I’m honest. Let me just accept this thing before I regret it.”

The little fox jumped from Viola’s hand to Angelique’s shoulder with the silver charm on a string in its little mouth. She took the charm and put it around her neck. It twinkled quite beautifully. Angelique thought it didn’t suit her. Regret was already creeping in.

When she sensed the aura around the little fox shift, she quickly scooped up the little fox in her arms like she was chastising her pet for making a mess in the house. She had felt this enough times to personally fear it.

“No teleportation - stop stop stop stop!” she said in panicked falsetto.

The fox suddenly stared at her, not understanding what it was doing wrong. Viola thought the little fox was in a trance.

“I-I need time to prepare and pack first! W-we’ll make it there on your own!” Angelique insisted.

Shaking its head, the fox seemed to understand and merely teleported itself away.

“Couldn’t admit that you have teleport-sickness, could you?” said Viola with a snicker.

“S-shut up! I did need to pack and decide what to wear anyway!” insisted Angelique. “And you can’t wear that.”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Not sure you’ll be happy with the attention a bra and shorts is going to draw.”

“You know style isn’t my thing," Viola said with a shake of the head, "but I’ll do my best to put in an effort for you. And I’ll call a guy I know to get us to Crossroads.”

After a nod, Angelique closed the door once more - this time more gently - as Viola went about her own preparations. She leaned against the door and slid to the ground with a silent groan.

...That’s way too nice a word for this, Vivi. It's more like a compulsion. A Death Drive in full effect with the slightest hope becoming blinding and making you forget the odds and the track record.

You were ready to do this for me, but I just couldn't let you. And if you asked me why, you'd say I'm just being paranoid or silly. You have a lot more to lose than me if this thing goes like the others. As much as you say you owe me, I'm not going to exploit that like this. You sticking with me all this time is already so much.

She finally got up to drag out her travel bag out of her closet and pack for potentially three days in a foreign land. As she sorted through clothing and tools, she stopped to stare at a drawer she had left open. Tugging it fully open, she stared at the sole item it contained. A weathered book with worn-out, dog-eared and creased pages. The book that first exposed her to dark magicks, curses and the like.

She knew Viola didn't like this particular book for personal reasons and Angelique didn't blame her one iota. Obsessed as her younger self was with learning magic, even she would have given it a wide berth once she learned about the nefarious history of it. Naturally, she only learned after she was a few spells deep.

Not sure to risk bringing you - not just for dredging memories up, but I’m not sure it’s worth it to use a spell I never used before just to even try to win this. I’ve memorized plenty. I’ll be fine. Besides...easier to save space for tools and scrap to keep repairing my arms.

The drawer was closed and locked. She continued to pack her bag, looking for outfits that wouldn’t draw too much attention. At times, she would come upon clothing she had packed for other adventures - stuff she thought she had long discarded because it reminded her of said adventures and how different she was then. Long luxurious hair, confident smile, an “insufferable” royal attitude.

She wished this could end well. But then again, she wished that for the past ones as well.

====================

Angelique had to question how many friends Viola had made from her travels and errands. She expected a ride on a magical boat - no matter the size - to be something quite costly, but Viola insisted the ride on her demonic friend’s personal vessel would cost them nothing. Angelique was gazing out on the deck of what she considered a small white and silver yacht looking out upon the ocean. A large reddish gate-like structure was visible in the distance amongst a low ethereal fog clinging to the water like a blanket.

Her outfit was simple - a black hoodie with long sleeves, red and black plaid pants and sneakers. Hoodies became her favorite piece of clothing since that day.

“You didn’t make some sketchy deal for my sake, right?” questioned Angelique as Viola came on deck to join her. She attempted to dress more than her basics with a halter top and athletic pants. Angelique wasn’t one for fashion, so she wasn’t going to judge. At least it was slightly better than her homewear.

“Nah, he just owes me. He’ll come back for us in three days,” assured Viola.

“...not assuming too much?” asked Angelique.

“Even if you don’t win, it’s a rare place for someone like you to see!” Viola wrapped her arms around the already grumpy blonde. “Food, music, culture--”

“I’m not here to have fun,” grumbled Angelique, snaking out of the demon’s hold just enough to pull the hood of her sweatshirt over her head. “This could still be just a huge trap or a joke at my expense. Let’s just find out who’s big idea to invite me here was - whether it was Miss Divine Vore or not.”

“You aren’t going to call her that if you find her, right?”

“Depends on if all I’ve said is right or not. I’m no one’s plaything.”

Eventually, they sailed through the large gate. No fog existed on the other side of the gate. In fact, when Angelique looked back the way they came, she saw no fog like they crossed through a portal or stargate. The greater port came into view; the rest of the land was not visible to them beyond two tall towers watching the ships entering like ants from on high, a sheer cliff the towers were built on and what appeared to be a beach off to the right.

“We really did cross to another world…” Angelique’s mouth briefly hung open in a brief moment of wonder.

“You sound that surprised? I did say what Crossroads was before we left.”

“I know, but...all the past stuff was teleportation to get there each time. And I never went on many vacations. So the travel here...makes it more epic, I suppose.”

Viola made a mental note for her friend to take the scenic route back after the tourney was over.

After a brief goodbye to the ship captain, Angelique and Viola disembarked with Viola taking the lead and carrying their bags. The dock area was bustling with a mix of beings - and it wasn’t mostly kitsune as she briefly thought. There were humans, demons, harpies, various beasts - and all were dressed uniquely. One was a glasses-wearing human dressed like a fantasy witch. Another was a fox girl with some kind of crown and an obsession with baseball based on her attire. An asian-looking military type, a robot, a red-skinned woman with horns - it was hard to judge who were the visitors and who were the natives.

While Angelique was curious enough about this foreign land and its bustling port area, she was still suspicious. It was the site for a magical tournament after all - it couldn’t be fully trusted.

“So now where do we go?” muttered Angelique, her hood still up.

“I can sense more people further up,” said Viola. “Thinking it’ll be easier to ask around once we’re up the steps.”

“Yeah, I guess...”

“You alright?”

“Beyond being torn about this place? Just...trying to figure out where I’m hearing little bells from. You do hear that too, right?”

“Now that you mention it…”

It got easier to place the sound as it was clearly getting louder. It was a woman stepping towards them, looking the same age range as Viola, but comparably slimmer with long dark red hair adorned with a white flower. Of course, the closer she got, the more obvious it got to Angelique that she - like Viola - wasn’t human either and too much comparison to humans as far as age would do her little good. Didn’t quite stop her from mentally tearing herself down anyway as she took in their appearance.

They were the same height - though the woman was wearing heels, so Angelique was mildly taller if they were on the same level. Her reddish eye shadow drew attention to her golden right eye. Her black dress seemed to be strapless and ended at her knees. Well, most of it did. One leg was exposed with how the dress was cut to show off the flowery design on her stocking. Over her shoulders was a separate piece that was laced up at her neck and went all the way down to her arms. In one hand was a pipe she was smoking as she approached - though she stopped as she got within an arm’s length of them. She also had a slightly drunken sway to her steps.

She’s so classy and beautiful. I just got here and I already feel like a gremlin in comparison. Is it too late for me to swim home?

“Welcome to Crossroads, travelers,” she said with a gentle smile.

“Thanks! Seems like such a nice place,” said Viola before cocking her head to the side. “Are those bells in your footwear?”

The stranger shook her foot to show the bells off and make them ring on demand - though she seemed to lose her balance for a nano-second. “They just looked so cute, so I decided to get them on a whim,” she said with a giggle. “You think they’re too distracting?”

“No, they look great on you!” said Viola with a laugh. “You sure you’re able to walk in them right now? Kind of smells like a bit of alcohol on you.”

More giggles from the smashed siren. “I can walk just fine. But I can’t help it - the alcohol at Crossroads is known across the world.”

“Really? Now I’m curious,” said Viola with a grin. “I do like having a few drinks.”

“I could escort you two to the Fox Inn,” she replied. “Some of the best food and drink you can get in Crossroads. You seem like you would have fun stories."

Angelique was immensely glad she didn’t come alone. Handling a conversation with someone so vivid wasn’t something she thought she was capable of in her current state.

“Well, you’ve been quiet, miss,” said the redhead as she stepped around to get a closer look at Angelique. “I bet you’re here for the tournament, huh?”

Angelique got a bit startled - mostly from her moving faster than she was expecting from someone who was drinking and her being in thought the whole time. “H...how did you--”

“I’ve seen quite a few people today,” she replied. “Just certain things are noticeable, hehe. But there’s no need to be nervous this early.”

Angelique had no idea how literal it was when the woman said that. Said woman could see an invisible fox-like tail trailing behind Angelique. It was present on all potential competitors.

“...I’m not nervous,” clarified Angelique. “Just...suspicious.”

“I wouldn’t worry either way,” the stranger replies. “The Crossguards are around to help everyone with troublemakers - native and traveler alike.”

Angelique's suspicion helped her find her voice and she narrowed her eyes. “You wouldn’t happen to be the Madame Chief of this place, would you?”

“Oh my, you’ll make me blush with such a comparison,” giggled the buzzed beauty. “But I think you’re mistaken.”

Angelique wasn’t fully convinced - again, it wasn’t the first kitsune she had met and the whole place made her uncertain - but when shooting in the dark, sometimes one just had to save their ammunition. Besides, she doubted anyone who would get called “God Eater” would be so drunk and silly. It was a bit disgraceful in her opinion.

“So...I guess you wouldn’t know how people got invited to this thing?” continued Angelique. “Or heard about it?”

“I have heard some were found by chance, but others were specifically suggested and sought out by reputation,” replied the redhead.

“Well, I get a bad feeling this was a sought-out case,” grumbled Angelique as her earlier bad mood resurfaced. “And I have to question what damn fool came up with the mistaken idea to invite me--”

“WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!?”

That’s when someone ran up to where the three stood. Decked out in military-style boots, black pants with a red stripe along the outer leg, golden suspenders, and a red bolero jacket, the rat-like being was looking quite furious. The cap he wore atop his mop of black hair had the same emblem that was on the crimson envelope Angelique and Viola received and he seemed to be wearing something black and skintight beneath his jacket . But none of that wasn't what gave Angelique the most pause.

For one, he seemed to be blindfolded; it was either a justice metaphor gone overboard or a special fabric that benefited him in some way. And the other...there was an opening in the black top that slightly exposed his chest. Sure, a bit of his hips were exposed the same way, but Angelique had at least seen that in practice before. She hadn’t made an opinion on male cleavage before this point.

“You were invited to Crossroads by our Madame Chief and the first thing you do upon our shores is insult her!?”

Angelique once again couldn’t muster up a quick reply, so Viola spoke up on her behalf. “Hey, maybe chill out? You’re not exactly setting a better example right now.”

“No one has the right to call Madame Chief a fool! And Madame Chief never makes a mistake!” they continued, still completely irate while the redhead only giggled and took steps back from the scene. “I will take her to task for her words if a thorough apology isn’t what I hear next from her!”

“...I don’t know if the Madame Chief was aware of...certain things before seeking me out...if she was even the one who fully came up with the idea to invite me,” Angelique finally replied. “If it wasn’t her, then I apologize for my...overreaction.”

“That wasn’t good enough, little girl,” growled the figure with his tail thrashing.

“Don’t call me little girl,” said Angelique with a twitch. “Who are you to judge my words anyway?”

“I am Setsudan, one of the Crossguards. I am just one of many who owe quite a debt to Madame Chief - and I wouldn’t be the only one who would take issue with your sacrilege!”

Angelique found herself getting more agitated with Setsudan. It was easy to see that the Crossguards were quite a big deal - the symbol implied as much - but his devotion to the Madame Chief was getting overbearing. Angelique fully crossed the line to hating this place.

“You’re new, aren’t you?” asked Viola.

“So what if I am?” Setsudan replied.

“Because reacting to someone new to your land like that doesn’t sound like something you were taught to do,” said Viola. “And it sounds like you’re trying to defend someone who doesn’t need your defending and your feelings are really the ones that are hurt?”

Setsudan growled more as some of the bystanders were paying closer attention to the scene. “Step aside. This is between me and the girl - and she can clearly speak and act for herself.”

“I’m going to have to counter that by asking you to be the bigger man and let this go,” replied Viola.

Setsudan advanced towards them with every intent to get past the muscled arms of Viola to get to Angelique. What he didn’t expect was for there to be a spiked club to suddenly be between them - with the flat end of the dark red club pressed against his chest.

“No, really,” she said, still as calm as earlier. “I gotta insist.”

This only angered Setsudan further as he took two steps back. “She understands what it means to potentially anger someone so important and powerful to these lands and yet you protect her instead of instructing her to apologize. Unless she isn’t all there - then in that case, I should be the one apologizing.”

“What did you just say about me?”

Angelique stepped out from behind Viola with an intense glare. The insult that registered wasn’t the one Setsudan intended and only worsened the blonde’s state with a perceived shot to a sensitive topic. Her mind whirled about how much he potentially knew.

“I thought I was clear. Or are you hard of hearing too, your highness?”

Strike two as far as Angelique was concerned. If anything bothered her more than a shot at her physical state, it was being reminded of anything related to her past persona.

“I’ll warn you once not to call me such things..”

“Now the Princess makes demands, does she--”

Angelique’s foot quickly connected with his groin, interrupting his speech. A few people laughed, including the redhead she was previously talking to. Viola’s guess about him being new rang closer to being true. Especially when she thought she saw another Crossguard watching from a distance and not exactly jumping to help him out.

“Now you’re pissing me off, rat boy,” said Angelique with her magic surging.

Setsudan slowly got back to his feet - still quicker than anyone watching expected - and his snarl and twitching ears and tail told the story of humiliation and anger.

“Now you’ve done it… I won’t allow you to ruin the name of the Crossguards as well as Madame Chief!”

“You did that all on your own - acting and talking like some damn hotshot,” said a still fuming Angelique. “I’m surprised they don’t give you a gag to go with that blindfold!”

A few caught themselves laughing and that only made Setsudan angrier. Now he only felt more pressure to “discipline” Angelique.

The only clue of his next move was how still his tail suddenly went still after all the time spent thrashing. He drew a blade out of his sleeve and dashed towards Angelique. Behind him appeared to be copies of himself - each with their own short sword.

The crowd was shocked the moment the weapon appeared with some commenting about the Crossguards leaning solely toward hand-to-hand combat. To hide a weapon rather than simply carry it openly had a mixed reaction regarding how they believe that was received by other Crossguards and the Madame Chief.

Viola took in all this information, but she wasn’t going to get involved immediately. For one, her dealing with this wouldn’t settle this; with him so focused on Angelique, it may only draw this out for their whole stay. And second, Viola did not need to get involved yet. Angelique wasn’t weak on any level in her opinion, no matter what certain losses said.

Madame Chief will praise me for this, Setsudan thought, grinning devilishly as he and copies were quickly in range of Angelique. This insolent child has no idea what a mistake she made!

He had no intent to do serious harm to Angelique - especially with him knowing she was an invited competitor. But if she couldn’t compete after her disrespect, he was more than fine with that. He was firmly in the mindset that Angelique had to be taught a lesson and he was going to be the one to teach it.

But it was Setsudan who would be taught a lesson instead. As he drew near her, she dodged his slash. While impressed, he wasn’t concerned as the copies were right behind her, ready to cut her. He could see them...not moving? And with pink where their eyes should be?

The second after the confusion registered, an intense pressure started to weigh him down. As much as he tried to fight against it, Setsudan dropped to his hands and knees under what felt like increased gravity due to the earlier low blow weakening his resilience. That’s when Angelique jumped into the air. On the underside of her shoe was a black and gray bubble made of magic.

It wasn’t a spell and Angelique would never claim it was. She had just messed up that magic control exercise enough to know much of a kick the penalty had. So, from about day one, she started using it for offense as well. It was either by itself or used close together with a physical strike. While curb stomping a Crossguard held in place by a gravity spell might have been enough, stomping an explosive bubble into his head was more impactful - and fun if she was honest. It knocked him out and finally stopped him from talking. His copies dispelled themselves once he was unconscious.

The crowd was in shock at the display. The blonde had barely broken a sweat. Some were cheering and others were laughing - including the redhead that was laughing at the beginning. Maybe laughing a little too hard in Angelique’s opinion.

“And to think you said you were nervous,” she giggled. “It doesn’t seem like your invitation was a mistake.”

Angelique returned to being behind Viola, not interacting much with the others around once more - including said drunk dame. “No...still pretty sure it was.”

“Well, after seeing such a display, I must treat you two and show you around,” she insisted. “After I get your names of course.”

“Oh, I’m Viola and this is Angelique.” Viola had to gesture behind her since Angelique was no longer in the mood to interact with others. “And what do we call you?”

“Oh, others have called me Chifu~”

“Well, Chifu, thanks for the offer--”

Viola found herself cut off by the clearing of the throat and tugging on her arm by Angelique.

“Can we get to the inn already?” she muttered at the level of a whisper. “You can go have fun without me once we’re checked in.”

Viola looked surprised. “You don’t want to--”

“I want to just stay in until it’s time for the round,” said Angelique, eyes half-lidded. “I’ve seen more than enough if this is the welcome I’ll get.”

Viola turned back to Chifu. “Hey, maybe a rain check? ”

After making excuses and getting the directions from Chifu, Angelique and Viola departed. Chifu didn’t look disappointed and was fine delaying it, indicating the bar wouldn’t be far from the inn. The crowd that watched the beatdown also dispersed. Only then did the other Crossguard show up. This was a female Crossguard that lacked the cleavage window of her fellow and her suspenders were off her shoulders and at her sides. While she seemed to be similar to Setsudan, she wasn’t as slim as he was, had a shorter tail, and had large noticeable ears.

As she scooped up the still unconscious Setsudan, she looked up at Chifu and quickly looked back down.

“I apologize for the trouble, ma’am,” she said somewhat meekly.

“Do not apologize,” she giggled, grinning much wider than she had been since the encounter started and showing her fangs. “I learned quite a bit from this.”

Chifu smiled and walked away, leaving the Crossguard visibly confused for quite a few reasons - one of them much more significant than the rest.

Chifu was a woman of many secrets - and one of them was only a secret to those who didn’t live in Crossroads like Angelique, Viola and any other travelers. She was the Madame Chief of Crossroads but disguised as more pedestrian than she was; the aforementioned God Eater was face to face with the competitor and her plus one without either one realizing - though Angelique did accidentally guess. She enjoyed the little things that she couldn’t enjoy when in her more…”divine” form - like drinking, smoking and chatting up anyone new to town like a mysterious stranger. The immortals needed their little pleasures to keep eternal life from being hellish - like sending out invites across dimensions to a tournament she was throwing for the fun of it. As one would.

But Chifu was on the dock of Phoenix Coast with purpose. She was hoping to run into young Angelique. Amongst the lies and half-truths she told, one thing was perfectly truthful. With some invites, the only instruction to her little familiars was to find those notable or strong in some way - those that would take the bait of course. In the case of the other, Chifu did hear rumors here and there that she wanted to see in the flesh.

But Angelique wasn’t truly on her radar...not until something happened. Her name appeared on a list she was writing when it wasn’t there before. And now, she found herself intensely focused on the reclusive blonde. To the point she had her most hot-headed and intensely devoted Crossguard recruit to be just in the right space to get a reaction.

I wondered who would dare try to influence me and for what purpose. I might be closer to the second part now. Enough Dark Arts to even make your tail turn color briefly, quite a mysterious power on top of that - all at such an age. You’re quite the curious human, miss Angelique. And I want to learn more.

Someone quite desperately wanted you here enough to think they could manipulate me so confidently. Quite lucky for whoever this is, I remain curious enough about their little scheme to allow their machinations. For now.

It may prove to be amusing...that and seeing what will make you react more and more - to crack that little shell you shoved yourself in. I need to know why you are the way you are. Mortals live a life much too short to be so miserable~

Angelique & Vivi

[Angelique & Vivi] Round 1: Don't Call Us Similar

Original doc

Damn it...this place seems even more interesting now with the sun going down...but how can I trust any of it? It’s a tournament location...the other shoe is going to drop eventually. But...maybe...

Angelique Tarrow - disabled, despondent and deceptive dealer of dark divination damage, desired to explore - despite her previous claims of not wanting to. The only time she left the Kit Inn room was to have dinner. The rest of that day was split between meditating and the other half fuming over that arrogant Crossguard. Now night had set in and the place only grew more inviting due to her magical attachment to the darkness.

Vivi’s room next door was quiet - so she either was sleeping or out drinking and looking around, with Angelique’s claim she wasn’t going anywhere likely kept well in mind. It’s not like Angelique didn’t appreciate all Vivi had done - but even if she decided to change her mind earlier than this, the demon deserved time to explore without a killjoy human attached to her hip.

Vivi had urged her to at least look around, so she would. Just not how the demon envisioned it. Out the window she went with shoes in hand and shadows to slow her fall. It wasn’t like she was on the top floor anyway.

After slipping her footwear on and pulling her hood up, Angelique took a deep breath. She was going to walk around, so there was a chance people would talk to her. She had to be prepared for that. But the night would help her anxiety about the whole affair.

Just enjoy this now before you lose tomorrow and can get the hell out… May never see this place again if we’re lucky...

Mapping out the place was easier than Angelique thought it would be - mostly due to her overhearing conversations and remembering earlier events. But even she knew how incomplete it was still.

There are five gates of the city proper. The gold fox is the main because of course it is. The vermillion bird is the south gate...that’s the direction of the beach, the port where I had to deal with rat boy, and an urban area… Crossguard HQ is above that. To the north is some kind of village and a river...and that colosseum right in the center---

Angelique’s thoughts were interrupted by someone crossing in front of her, forcing her to break so they didn’t collide. She briefly felt an urge to call the stranger out, but she held her tongue as she didn’t care for an additional encounter that day. She settled for getting a look at them to remember their face for when she was out with Vivi tomorrow.

He was about a couple of inches taller than her with a similar skin tone. He seemed about the same age range as well. His black hair was short and slicked back. His eyes were a paler shade of blue than hers. And despite the weather, he was dressed in a white tux with a powder blue tie.

Angelique was mixed on what to think of this. A whole suit seemed a bit much - but that comment was colored by her own...lax fashion that was maybe a step above Viola’s.

Could be read as pompous….arrogant...but also suave and cool. A professional...or aspires to be. Almost--

Then her thoughts stopped due to one mental word. Princely. Now she hates the sight of him. Things typically went into only two boxes with Angelique; the guy before her fell on the other side of the divide due to that mental descriptor. Unfortunately for Angelique, their eyes met and he chose to stroll over for some reason. She could only hope this would be quick.

"So I'm in the right place after all," he said once close enough.

"...am I supposed to know you?" Angelique grumbled lowly in response.

"This is Crossroads, correct? A land ruled by a wish-granting Kitsune?"

"That's what locals say at any rate. You really that lost?" Angelique couldn't help but add a sneer to her reply.

"I had figured it to be so. Because it seems that divine fox has granted my wish - meeting one as lovely as you~"

Angelique let out a noticeable exhale before turning around to leave. She couldn’t believe she just heard that. She couldn’t believe that said line was directed at her. The impeccably dressed young man got in front of her before she took another step.

“Forgive me for being so forward,” he said, looking slightly apologetic in the face of Angelique’s scowl, “but I was taught to express my feelings openly. And looking at you, I feel quite taken aback.”

“You want to save that hot air for any balloon rides that need it?” shot Angelique.

“Pardon?” He didn’t seem to understand.

“Just get out of my way,” said Angelique.

The tuxedo-clad flirt was surprised at how fast Angelique moved between various shops in the business district, weaving in and out like a shadow before he could finish his next statement. She wished she could be facetiously gracious about someone walking up and doing such a thing, but it only unsettled her how someone could tell such obvious lies.

Lies. She was often undecided if to say “lies” or “falsehoods” when it came to that kind of thing. Guess it depended on how hidden she was that day.

In either case, she couldn’t go back to the inn right away with the slight chance he’d follow with more lines, so she looked for a place to loiter until she was sure he was gone. That was when she noticed it. A bit past the Fox Den tavern was some sort of forest.

Sounds perfect. Plus another thing to explore.

She ran over to said forest, quickly going through a blue gate topped with a dragon of the same color. It was incredibly difficult to see the sky once within it except for sparse spots in the canopy. Angelique didn’t mind. There was enough light to look around. And for her, the darker the better.

He’d be a moron to follow me here. Just need to hang out for a little. Now...what’s so special about you?

Angelique found out soon enough as a wisp darted between trees out of the corner of her eye. Then another. Then another. Angelique had no way of knowing this forest was called the Sacred Forest and that it was teeming with wandering spirits.

They gathered around her, but Angelique wasn’t fearful. She was mesmerized by them. They too, in turn, seemed surprised that a human with an odd magical presence was simply walking around in their domain. Neither spoke to each other; they simply watched each other, thinking of getting closer out of curiosity but didn’t...all except for one.

“You squander your life...coming here, huuuuumannnn…” The ghost was quite grotesque looking, shrieking through a stretched mouth that didn’t seem to have a jawbone. “Not all of us...are so kind...to simply watch you…”

“So you call this living...?” She grumbled. “Good to know. Any life is a life, right?”

The spirit felt disrespected. Angelique couldn’t care less. As far as she was concerned, it was too easy to be on the outside looking in and claim that any complaints didn’t matter.

“I should take it from yooooou,” howled the ghost.

Angelique pocketed her hands. “I live by accident...this world is nothing but cruel to me. If you want this life, go ahead and try. But I tend to fight back out of instinct.”

The other ghosts gave Angelique and the sinister specter room - circling around what they expected to be a fight. Angelique barely moved as her ghostly opponent started to summon forth its power.

"It's too late to beg for forgiveness!" It howled.

"Wasn't planning to, you Scream wannabe," Angelique dryly retorted.

Before it could do anything, a beam of light cut across the forest and pierced it through the middle. The gathered disembodied souled fled at the sight while Angelique’s spectral opponent hissed like it was wounded. It too eventually fled with the rest.

Angelique didn't feel relief at all. She wasn't some damsel to be rescued. In fact, once she heard her "protector's" voice, she only grew irritated.

"That was close, wasn't it?" It was the guy in the white tux. An orb of light was in his right hand.

"You define close as hasn't even started?" shot Angelique, mentally grumbling about how he used light magic. Not that she hated Light Magic, but she was on the other side of the fence as it were. "I don't remember shrieking for a white knight."

"You appeared to be in danger!" The stranger replied. "This forest is quite dangerous for the living to dwell!"

"I don't know - I feel pretty dead inside," quipped Angelique. "What's your excuse for running in here then? You starting to go braindead?"

"I've come to help you - the one who has stolen my heart!" He proclaimed.

"So yeah, braindead then," was her reply.

Unlike last time around, the insult registered with the young man and he looked quite stung. "Your words wound the living and the dead like a spectral rose.”

“What can I say - these days, I live in the shade,” shot back Angelique. “And I don’t need to be babied.”

Angelique started to walk away, but paused the moment she heard him start to follow.

“WHAT!? Are you asking for a fight!?”

“No, I… I simply wish to apologize before you disappear again. My name is Gabriel. I truly didn’t mean to upset you.”

“Why does that seem so...what’s the word...not believable? But whatever - apology accepted. Get lost.”

“There’s something I wanted to tell you before you ran off. Can I say that first?” asked Gabriel.

“Ugh, fine. Get it over with.”

“Beware - there is danger and deception in your future regarding this tournament.”

Angelique paused. Her tag, as usual, was hidden under her shirt and hoodie and not visible in the slightest. And as far as she or Vivi noticed, the entrants in the tourney weren't fully advertised - just teased with the tagline “magic, machines, and martial arts”. Angelique went from irritated to simply suspicious.

She also didn’t get what he was trying to “warn” her about. Every tournament or trial she’s been to or heard about had some secret stuff happening. She was more familiar with that fact than oxygen.

“What are you - psychic? Or telling a little white lie for me to pay more attention to you?”

“I would never deceive you,” said Gabriel. “And if I could glimpse the future, I would see if we had a future.”

A mild sigh. “You really need to quit while you are behind. I’m starting to think the deception has already begun.”

Angelique noticed this particular shot really stunned Gabriel - the light in his eyes briefly dimmed for some reason - so she took the opportunity to disappear once more. This time, it seemed to stick. She couldn’t sense him follow, so she snuck back to her room.

However, she didn’t settle right to sleep. And no, it had nothing to do with Gabriel; that thought had already been put away. She was choosing until everyone had left the hot springs before getting clean and taking a dip of her own before bed. She had never experienced it before and deep down, she wanted to try it once.

One pleasant experience before - as she assumes - everything inevitably goes to hell.

======================

“Yo, Angie! You asleep?”

Vivi was outside of Angelique’s room, making sure she was getting prepared and wasn’t sleeping in like she would back home. Mornings weren’t the blonde’s favorite things.

Vivi’s answer was a couple of explosions. Seems Angelique was very much awake - meditating and doing her magic practice.

“Sorry - just we never got told when the matches were starting, so--”

“It’s fine.”

“You don’t sound--”

“I’m fine. Just want to get this over with.”

“Calming down and making sure you’ve eaten properly may help you now more than meditating until you’re blue.”

“Yeah...I guess. Sorry, V. Just yesterday wasn’t the best.”

“I know you’re really suspicious, but that doesn't mean it will all be bad. Just keep an open mind!”

Vivi’s smile dipped briefly upon not hearing a reply back for quite a time.

“I want to practice just a little longer. I’ll be down for breakfast in a while. You’re going back there, right?”

Vivi relaxed again. “Good food and Saki’s cool to talk to.”

Viola and Angelique had dinner at the Fox Den the previous night. While Angelique didn’t drink any alcohol that night like Vivi encouraged her to, she agreed with the sentiment that eating most of their meals there was the better idea.

The tavern was usually busy constantly due to the kind of people who passed through. Yet every table was clean and polished, especially the well-stocked bar. Vivi wondered how much the owner of the place slept. In either case, Saki, said owner and bartender, was behind the bar once more like she never left it with the only difference being it wasn't as packed. She was the most relaxed Oni one could ever meet. She was dressed like a typical waiter with the exception of the red tiger print apron around her waist. Her hair was pulled back to reveal her cone-like horns.

"Yo, cousin."

"Morning... cousin. You're actually alone this time?"

The night Angelique first met Saki, she admitted she briefly thought the bartender and Vivi could have been related - demons and onis are close beyond cultural divides and they both are quite muscular and surprisingly mellow. None of the three took it very seriously, but Chifu, drinking nearby, found this hilarious and started claiming them to be distant cousins despite that being false.

"She's meditating and stuff, but I'll order for the both of us," said Vivi. "By the time it’s done, she’ll be down here."

"Fine with me," said Saki.

After figuring out what to order - there was no point in getting Angelique a typical breakfast she would have back home - Vivi parked herself at a table and waited for the food and her roommate to show up. She ran a hand through her hair in boredom, wondering why she didn't think to comb it a bit more than she did.

"Are you eating alone, miss?"

Vivi glanced back to see a figure approaching her - a male who was of similar complexion to Saki, but noticeably younger than the bartender. His black hair was cut short and behind his glasses were mismatched eyes - the left a bright gold and the right a shade of purple. He was very slim, handsome and impeccably dressed; a crisp white shirt, black vest, tweed jacket, black dress pants, and Oxford shoes. A bowler hat topped his head.

“Waiting for someone,” Vivi said with a wide smile. “Now who are you supposed to be?~”

“A wordsmith and intrepid inquisitor yclept Forte.” He then bowed in an extravagant manner, tipping his hat just barely. “I take it you’re from otherwhere, taking a chance to be another beholder of the bread and circuses present here?”

“You could say that,” replied Vivi, only partially sure of what he said due to him vainly vomiting vocabulary. “Call me Vivi. But couldn’t anyone say the same of you since you’re here? Like all this didn’t draw your interest.”

“Forsooth, it tempts the soul of one who seeks inspiration,” replied Forte. “Though such violence isn’t my cup of tea. Couldn’t imagine hurting a soul even if they do deserve it.”

“Anyone who says ‘cup of tea’ too often usually doesn't have much fight in them.” Vivi chuckles. “I bet I could lift you above my head with one hand~”

“No need for such a display--”

Despite saying that, Vivi had gently held Forte by the wrist with a mischievous grin like she would do just that. But before anything occurred, she let him go while glancing towards a corner of the tavern.

“That your friend getting all worried? They might as well join us! I want to meet them!”

Stepping out from a shadowy corner of the tavern was another very similar to Forte, but female and with two mismatched horns - one much longer than the other. Where his hair was short, hers was long and tied in a ponytail. The heterochromic colors matched, but were in opposite eyes and she wore no glasses. Where Forte’s features were sharp and he was confident, hers were softer and she was more demure - or adorable as Vivi herself would put it. Even their clothes seemed the opposite with her dressed similarly to an attractive stage magician’s assistant. An elaborate lilac coat, golden vest, white dress shirt, fishnet stockings, high heels that matched her coat - all that over a violet leotard. She didn't dress like the type to be in the shadows, yet she was.

"My dear sister, Piano," corrected Forte while gesturing for her to join them. It certainly wasn't planned for her to join the conversation, but it was much simpler for her to do so than have attention drawn in two different directions. "I must say, your senses must be highly tuned. I hadn't even noticed she was there until you had pointed her out - and with expert ease it was executed. This character of yours is clearly mere subterfuge with your clever intellect ready to chicane clerk and chapman alike."

"Got to be the first time I've had someone buttering me up before breakfast," Viola snickered before turning her attention to Piano. She noticed the coat was more elaborate once she got closer. She had never seen a coat with coattails in the flesh before this point. "And you - if this place was even slightly busier, I might not have noticed you at all! That another trick you practice a lot?"

"Somewhat," replied Piano in a quiet voice.

"One could ask such the same of yourself," continued Forte abruptly. “A star of the land you hold dear, I am sure.”

A slight raspberry from the demon. “I don’t have a land to hail from anymore. I just do what I will.”

“And what is it thou will? You prove yourself recklessly free to err as thou will and traveling to distant lands like a free spirit yet tether yourself to a slugabed? Not that one could judge one such as yourself as one without ambition. I wouldn’t dare cause such trepidation upon your youthful spirit.”

Viola was growing more confused with Forte’s wording but she caught most of it. “When I want to do things, I just do them. Are neither of you spontaneous?”

“I’d rather not be,” said Piano.

“Perhaps on occasion,” adds Forte... “It depends on who I am with. Like you, I find myself a mummer to my muse.”

Forte continued to chat with Vivi right until the food arrived. It was a more typical breakfast for the area with a couple familiar things - grilled fish, rice, eggs, and soup with Vivi having larger servings for herself.

Vivi did say she was waiting for someone, but in the end, she let them sit before this point. Couldn’t be rude and let them stand the whole affair. But eventually, Angelique arrived with her hood over her head and hands pocketed.

“I hope you didn’t just invite random people over to our table,” she said once she was in range, distinctly looking away from the two Devil Blooded.

“Eh, yes and no,” said Vivi with a hand through her hair. “These two are--”

“Just leaving, right?” Angelique said, half hiding behind the demon.

“You don’t have to be like that, Angie,” insisted Vivi. “Just give it a chance? For me?”

“I assure you that we shall not be troublesome, miss...Angie, is it?” Forte stands to bow once more. Piano nods while adjusting herself to be slightly further away from the table.

A groan from Angelique. “Don’t make me regret this, Vivi.”

Vivi ate while being questioned by Forte while Angie simply ate and did her best to ignore the others at the table while keeping her hands mostly covered. Her best in that regard wasn’t enough as she occasionally tugged her head up to gaze at the guests at the table. Forte didn’t interest her too much, but Piano - much like other things involving her brother - was quite the opposite. Though Angelique couldn’t tell if it was curiosity or flat-out jealousy, it was still filed under interest.

She leaned over to Vivi to whisper something to her - an action that drew both Forte and Piano’s interest.

“Oh, Piano - Angie said that she likes your outfit and wants to know if you’ve done a lot of stage magic.”

Angelique grumbled since she didn’t say “like” with that much enthusiasm. Piano was surprised this wasn’t asked right out of Angelique’s own mouth. Forte was more ...intrigued.

“Oh. Thank you,” Piano replies. “I have spent a lot of time entertaining others, but I am relatively new to stage magic.”

“I didn’t expect your traveling partner to have a subdued streak like my sister,” said Forte. “Does she have an entertaining appetency as well?”

“We couldn’t be more different,” Angelique could be heard grumbling.

“So, are you another with no true origin like your traveling partner?” asked Forte casually.

“Nothing so fascinating or interesting,” dismissed Angelique.

“I knew you’d be here!” cried a voice behind the table near the entrance of the tavern.

Near the entrance of the Fox Den stood two figures in Crossugard uniforms. And from Angelique’s immediate groan, she knew one of them was Setsudan - the hidden sword God Eater fanatic. Next to him was a female Crossguard noticeably shorter and curvier compared to the slender Setsudan.

“Haven’t you bothered her enough?” said Vivi, looking back. “Still on this Madame Chief thing?”

“Set, you’re forgetting what your orders were,” the female Crossguard muttered lowly.

“I’m not here about that matter from yesterday,” insisted Setsudan with one hand holding onto one of his suspenders. “No, I’m here on a matter of personal pride! I must challenge you again!”

“Thought you gave up your pride and sense of shame for a bigger mouth,” grumbled Angelique.

“She doesn’t want you bothering her,” said Vivi, feeling mildly irritated by how much this was bothering her friend. “Don’t you have Crossguard work to do?

“After embarrassing me like that, I must prove myself worthy once again!” Setsudan demands, drawing his blades. “Don’t you duck my challenge, Princess!”

Forte and Piano noticed that Angelique didn’t even look in Setsudan’s direction despite his intent and weapons drawn. Though she noticeably twitches upon being called Princess. It was made clear enough the blond was behind the supreme defeat of a Crossguard. Was the city’s authority seen as that little of a threat? Or was this Setsudan considered that lacking and fought to - in his own mind at least - remain worthy? Fascinating.

Angelique was more focused on the table; she noticed that Vivi - despite constantly talking to Forte - had finished just about all of her food. Only Angelique had food in front of her.

“Vivi, if you want at him, be my guest,” said Angelique. “You want a fight more than me.”

“You sure?”

“Have fun,” Angelique insisted. “Bruised ego caretaker isn’t in my character description. Just be careful. Saki’s one of the few people who haven’t made me hate this place; don’t let her stuff get damaged.”

Vivi got up from her seat, cracking her knuckles with a grin. Viola loved to fight and Angelique didn’t want to deal with Setsudan; if that wasn’t win-win, Angelique wasn’t sure what was.

The only downside to this was she was currently alone at the table with Piano and Forte until the fight ended or she finished her breakfast - whatever came first.

“Was I mistaken or did that authority figure proclaim you of royal lineage?” asked Forte.

“Please just stop talking,” grumbled Angelique. “Vive left - you can do the same.”

“I suspected such a thing from your appearance. More than a mere baseborn dandiprat to be sure. Those of a higher station tend to have a certain look while downplaying their incredible importance--”

“Seriously, I am warning you,” shot Angelique once more. “Stop it.”

“I merely find myself very curious,” insists Forte, “and I clearly haven’t hidden this very well. Neither have you hidden how sensitive you’re being to gentle inquiry.”

Angelique almost felt bad for snapping at Forte...if it wasn’t for that thought on its own bothering her. Why was she sorry? He was the one chatting them up and not just leaving when she made no secret about not wanting to eat with them.

"Not everything is for inquiry of any sort," said Angelique, eating her food slightly faster. “Only makes you sound more entitled than your vocabulary ever could.”

“Your frore deposition only makes you imagine hostility against you and label me some blackguard,” insisted Forte. “I merely welcome discourse as it becomes an author like myself.”

“And your tone only makes you imagine that you’re that charming,” shot Angelique. “Not everyone wants discourse on everything that is said.”

“Your traveling partner enjoyed speaking with me and vice-versa,” replies Forte. “My work is all about communication.”

“Vivi is like that. I am not,” grumbled Angelique.

“Yet you gave her a chance to let us sit with you while you dine.” Forte seemed to smirk at this. “She is a trusted figure.”

“...friends tend to be that,” admitted Angelique. “She’s better than I deserve.”

Piano remained quiet for most of this. She had no interest in needling Angelique and any interest in the idea of her being royalty was unclear. She only came over at her brother’s insistence - and with the one who was at most a threat to him outside in a brawl, she debated simply slipping away.

That was before Angelique addressed her.

“Piano, right? ...You enjoy entertaining? You seem so shy.”

“It isn’t something I thought I’d take to, but I do,” she replied. “It’s a little way I can help others.”

Before Angelique could reply, a body went hurtling in their direction. Before Angelique could dodge or Piano could protect her brother, the figure stopped themselves from crashing into them - handstanding on one palm amidst Vivi’s empty plates on the table without breaking a single one or even tipping one over. It turned out to be the Crossguard that had accompanied Setsudan. Piano and Angelique watched with slight awe with the ease this was managed.

“I apologize about this, travelers!” she said with her free hand holding her hat in place between her large mouse-like ears.

“Doesn’t look like it was your fault. You that guy’s partner?” asked Angelique.

“Recently assigned together about a month ago,” she admitted with a smile. “My name’s Mabushii! Your friend is really into fighting, huh?”

“She loves it,” sighed Angelique. “Maybe too much.”

Then, just as haphazardly as the Crossguard came flying through the entrance, so did a short sword that could be identified as like Setsudan’s. But rather than how Mabushii gracefully avoided contact, it ended up cracking a bowl, spilling the remaining soup in it onto the table and embedding itself into a plate of fish - what was left of Angelique’s breakfast. Angelique was already irritated by Forte before this extra bit of annoyance- now she was just mad.

“I’ve officially had it with this place,” growled Angelique. “And almost everyone here.”

“I apologize, miss!” Mabushii said once back on the ground, bowing towards the blonde.

“Not you - you did what you could. Some people are just impossible,” replied Angelique after a brief look at Forte.

“The simple crime of inquiry is an offence that I will bear,” said Forte. “Mayhaps you should bethink oneself of how you have taken words beyond their context. Forsooth, thou make yourself froward to dismiss me for curiosity all share regarding the ruling classes of various societal structures.”

“Didn’t mistake you for that much of a child,” Angelique said while scooping up the plate with the sword in it and scooting out of her chair. “I don’t trust you. And the more you act like you’re innocent the more it makes you suspicious. Nothing and no one surrounding a tournament is completely honest, entrant or bystander. There’s always someone with an agenda.”

“One believes it’s your sensitivity making you make an enemy of anyone and everyone,” insisted Forte. “To be so guarded is only to your detriment, would it not be?”

Angelique looked away from Forte when that comment came up.“Maybe, maybe not… The past shouldn’t determine the future, but it certainly informs the present.”

“What has a gyre on your soul that makes you act like a pythoness?” Forte asked, getting up as well. He wasn’t sure what she was doing with that plate next.

“I really wouldn’t worry about my soul,” Angelique muttered.

Soon Vivi had re-entered the Fox Den with a dazed Setsudan over her shoulder and a couple of cuts on her exposed arms. The first thing she took notice of was Angelique’s expression.

“Something happened, huh?” the demon asked.

“Next time you want to tell me about giving this guy a chance,” muttered Angelique, “don’t.”

Setsudan was just aware of his surroundings enough to notice one of his swords that got away from him during the fight. He pulled himself free just enough to lunge for it. While Angelique did backstep, she felt an additional pull on her hoodie, pulling her even further back and dodging the grab. She didn’t get a chance to even look back with Setsudan in front of her; he needed showing up first.

Angelique grabbed the short sword with her teeth to pull it out of the plate as she slammed the remaining food and its plate into the cross Crossguard’s face, leaving him laying.

Only now could she get a chance to look back to only see one of Saki’s staff - an elven girl - much further away and wiping down a table. Much too far away to have physically done much.

Who did that then? Could it have been-

“Sorry I took so long,” said Vivi. “Was the food alright?”

Angelique grumbled once the sword was out of her teeth. “...it was good, I guess. Let’s get out of here.”

Angelique stabbed the sword into the ground through the shoulder of Setsudan’s jacket, slightly pinning him to the ground. She then shot a brief glare to Forte who hadn’t moved for this whole affair - though Piano had left in the chaos.

“If I see either of you clowns again, you’ll both regret it,” she snarled.

Angelique and Vivi left the Fox Den after a brief goodbye to Saki. It was a while before Vivi spoke up and let the blonde calm down.

“Things went that crazy when I was gone for maybe two minutes?”

“You shouldn’t play with your food. I had a bad feeling about him from the start and you talked me out of it.”

“He insulted you?”

“He got nosy.”

“That was Setsudan’s fault a bit.”

“It only made the bad feeling more noticeable honestly.”

Angelique stopped in place.

“The more I heard him talk, the more it reminded me of a sorcerer you and I both know. Same unsettling feeling behind the words. Even if he’s a little better than that...even if he or his sister aren’t in this tourney--”

“A bad omen. Don’t worry - I won’t spell it out. ...but it doesn’t mean this will go the same way.”

Angelique grumbled mentally at such a sign. Viola didn’t need to spell it out because it was being played out in Angelique’s head already. Being reminded of the team that eliminated her from the last tourney - the last major moment before her life would be destroyed - before the first round of another was cementing every bad feeling regarding how bad it would go.

It may be this round. It may be the last round if it gets that far. But there was no more shaking a certain thought. This tournament was a mistake to accept.

===============

Hours later, the first round of matches in the God Eater’s tournament were beginning. Like Angelique, everyone fighting in the tournament was given a piece of paper with one of the letters A, B, C or D. Likewise the brackets shown advertising all this only had the letters scattered around out of the usual order. Each letter would be called for a match - meaning no one would know who their opponent was until the fight started.

Angelique couldn’t care less. She was only thankful that she wouldn’t be waiting long for her fight. There was a fight occurring before hers, but she was in no mood to watch it. She just waited for the call and for the battlefield to be ready for her.

“And now it’s time for match B!” cried the overly cheerful voice of the announcer. “Competitors - to the arena!”

Let’s get this over with…

Vivi was naturally in the stands; while the demon wasn’t in the front row, she was close to make sure she could get a good view of the fight. She already was informed she couldn’t give exact advice - which factored into her being a couple of rows back. Angelique was no pushover, but Vivi knew her struggles and worries.

She was more used to physically having Angelique’s back. Anytime she could just watch or was otherwise unable to jump to help was going to bother her.

Thankfully, one distracting thought was the look and palpable excitement of the announcer - the master of ceremonies, Miss X.

“I’m not sure you’re ready enough, Crossroads!” she shouted as she floated above the coliseum. “Let me hear just how ready you are!”

Heavily reminiscent of the idols she had briefly seen on television in Angelique’s world, Miss X seemed to be the personification of “cute and lively”. She had her pink hair drawn into long pigtails and one loc of hair colored black along with a black cat ear headband. She had an elaborate black outfit that went all the way up her neck with white ruffles and a multicolored tutu-like skirt. One slightly tan leg was in what appeared to be a striped thigh-high stocking with some kind of garter and the other in a short pink ankle sock; both were tucked into black mary jane-like shoes with little bells attached.

“Introducing first, walking out of Gate Alpha, is quite the mysterious competitor! She's very easy on the eyes but anywhere else she hits ya won't be as lucky! This Devil Blooded is certainly dressed to entertain, but is she dressed to kill in Crossroads!? We’re about to find out! Some call her the Silent Shadow - it’s Piiiiiiano!”

Compared to when Vivi last saw her, Piano's expression was much more neutral. Despite the crowd cheering and catcalling with all eyes on her, Piano was completely calm and ready for the fight to come.

Even if Vivi had an inkling that Piano was an opponent, so little was given away about her and her fighting style that could be advised about. Of course, the same was true of Piano and knowing just as much about Angelique.

"And introducing her opponent, entering from Gate Omega! She's quite mysterious in her own way - especially those eyes that look like they've seen the world twice over! As cute as she is, be careful how close you get because she is no pushover. She’s defeated a Crossguard on her first moments on these shores! Her name means angelic, but who knows what secrets made her lose her halo? You can call her the Heaven’s Blight - Iiiiiiiiit’s Angelique!”

Angelique entered with hood up and hands pocketed; despite not looking like it, she heard every word from Miss X and found it all a bit extra. And slightly worrying. She had used that Heaven’s Blight alias only once when she followed Viola on one random adventure.

The God Eater knows exactly who she pulled up if X didn’t just make that up off the top of her head…and I’m really doubting it’s a coincidence. So now it’s why the hell did she invite me...

“Can you make those announcements any more exaggerated?” grumbled Angelique. “What next, theme music?”

Miss X’s eyes lit up.“You know what - that’s a great idea! Maybe I’ll see if I can get that for the next round!”

“Oh dear god, I was being sarcastic,” replied Angelique with a shake of the head.

Miss X disappeared and reappeared near Angelique’s side. It was only through this it was noticed by Angelique - and Vivi who was sitting near Gate Omega - that there were pink pawprints on the underside of X’s shoes and more little bells on the back of her outfit.

Only Angelique was close enough to notice her irises were literally hearts. She was so cutesy it was going to make Angelique slightly sick for a couple of reasons.

Like dealing with someone like Piano wasn’t going to bother me enough… There’s always something to make me hate myself more...

“You’re not going to fight with your hood on the whole match, are you?” she asked. “I get fashion is important, but do you really think it’s going to stay up the whole time?”

“Can you let me worry about that and give me some space?” Angelique shot back, doing her best to not take a swing at the melodious MC.

“Can I talk to you later then?”

“Maybe - I don’t know - just move!”

Miss X disappeared once more and reappeared floating a bit above the arena, perched on a glowing platform. Hovering above one of her hands was a holo-screen showing a versus screen with drawings of Angelique and Piano.

“Everyone knows the rules from the previous match, so let’s get started! Match 2 of Round 1...starts now!”

The rules of the fights Angelique was aware of. The typical knockout or incapaciated rule, surrender or losing the tag that got the fighter entry. Both of the tags were hidden, so that wasn’t an immediate idea to go for.

Both took a stance and the audience took notice that both were taking similar fighting stances - though Piano was taking a much lower stance and Angelique with something closer to Muay Thai with one foot off of its heel.

Great...she kicks too. And she looks like she’s taller even without the heels on top of having way more muscle--

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden kick towards her face that she just managed to sidestep. Angelique wasn’t underestimating Piano in the slightest, but that speed still wasn’t something she was ready for.

Angelique responded with a kick of her own that was pretty close to Piano’s but with less of a run-up. Piano dodged this easily. This continued for a while with Miss X delighting in calling it a "mirror match" until Piano elected to throw a punch. Rather than copy that, she merely deflected that with one of her arms and quickly kneed Piano twice in the abdomen. Piano laid a heavy kick to Angelique in turn, nearly taking all of the air out of her.

She scampered back but not before Piano caught her with a few more kicks and sent the blonde tumbling over.

"Angelique quit playing Simon Says and Piano made her pay!" announced Miss X. "She played a martial arts melody with her opponent's torso!"

One of her strikes is like two or three of mine, thought Angelique as she got back to her feet. Why don’t I just surrender? Ruin everyone’s fun by not giving them the fight they want? Would serve that Madame Chief right...

“Come on, Angie! You got this!” Vivi was cheering her hardest for Angelique - and loudest.

She believes in me...stirring up what little pride I’ve got left… Well, people have gotten into fights for less.

Angelique was back on the attack and the kick-dodge exchange continued once more. And once again, it was interrupted by Piano’s throwing fists and elbows as quickly as she threw knees and kicks. But Angelique proved more prepared this time around.

She held onto Piano’s arms tightly, muting their offense. Tied up in a clinch of sorts, the kicking game resumed as the other tried to prevent any major offense...until Angelique decided to fight dirty.

Just as Piano was maneuvering herself to escape and get back on the attack - proving how flexible she was - Angelique’s foot connected with her crotch and most of the crowd hissed and winced, especially the female onlookers. But there were no rules beyond how to win and no outside help, so there were no utterances from X or anyone else official.

While Piano dealt with the heavy amount of pain such a blow would produce, Angelique’s hold on Piano shifted. Soon her fingers were locked behind Piano’s head, interlaced with her ponytail and holding her head downwards. Then the knees started to fly up rapidly into Piano’s face.

“A Muay Thai clinch from Angelique and she’s now laying in those knee strikes!” Miss X was floating around, getting a better angle of the action and letting what she saw be shown on the screens around the coliseum. “After a shot below the belt, Piano may be locked in with nowhere else to go while she’s getting belted! I think Angelique may have some hair gripped as well; I told you there were secrets behind those eyes!”

Piano toughed through the pain of the low blow to stop Angelique because all of the knee strikes would take their toll if not interrupted. But like X pointed out, Angelique had a bit of Piano’s hair as well with her clutch, making separation even more difficult. But Piano would find a way as Angelique was soon to find out.

The blond hissed as she felt pain on her left knee, not knowing what had occurred. All she felt before that moment was something dripped on her. This caused her rapid-fire assault to slow and give Piano an opening. She immediately threw a kick with her right leg like she knew what ailed Angelique and it would be harder to block with her left leg. This forced Angelique to break her clinch to block with her left arm.

Piano quickly used the new space to lash out with the limbs on her right side to get the grip to fully break. Angelique blocked the best she could with her left arm; she considered this the closest she had to an advantage over the athletic Devil Blooded and wasn’t going to fully let that go.

That’s when Angelique got alarmed when she was able to take better notice of slight changes to her attire during said blocking. The parts of her pants that covered her knees were a bit eroded - her left knee especially. Her left sneaker suffered similar, but with much lesser damage. It was hard to tell what had gotten onto them, but wherever a black liquid had gotten on her left knee, it felt like it was burning her.

Piano twisted out of what was left of Angelique’s clinch and locked in one in turn to hold the human still to deliver a high kick. Angelique grabbed Piano’s ebony ponytail and yanked it, throwing the kick slightly off track as Piano was thrown to the ground. It still clipped the blonde’s head, disorienting her. It was in this brief moment she noticed something black was coming out of her nose.

Damn it, I feel stupid. Her race is called Devil Blooded...I should have figured something would be up with her even if I didn’t know the exacts, but I got so caught up in this! I basically gave her that opening!

Piano was barely on the ground for a second before a brief surge of a black substance left her nose. The pressure was much too bizarre for a typical nosebleed; she must have had some power over her blood. Angelique went for a stomp with her already ruined left sneaker, not willing for any of that blood to get anywhere else. Piano turned on the ground to dodge the stomp, spinning herself into what looked like a breakdancing maneuver and swinging her legs towards Angelique.

But as Angelique got some distance, she noticed two objects were flying at her. She dodged one and caught the other, briefly taking a look at it. A sharp object being thrown at her was one thing, but why was it colored some kind of purple?

It was only when Piano resumed a vertical base that she noticed there was a slight height difference in now and it clicked.

Why else would she wear heels to a fight like this, even if she's that used to it? They’re basically little daggers!

“What a crazy exchange!” Miss X said while the crowd was starting to whip itself into a slight frenzy and chanting Piano’s name. “Piano denies Angelique her chance at an advantage and entertaining this crowd all at the same time! Weaponizing her blood, hidden weapons, surprise breakdancing - what can’t Piano do!?”

Angelique was getting more irritated than she thought she’d be. Mostly because she got more invested than she planned to be. The regrets came back with a fanged vengeance, tearing at her brief flurry and what it did for her self-esteem. Now the audience aside from Viola seemed to be firmly behind her superior opponent. If there was any rooting for the “underdog”, she couldn’t hear them.

If I’m really trying to win here, I’ll have to start using some magic soon. No point trying to keep it completely a secret when I may lose anyway. But with how pissed I’m getting, I can already feel it surging. I’ll get lost in it. But do they even care? They just want violence...they’re already chanting her name like I’m some ugly annoying thing to get past!

She doesn’t look like she cares either. She just keeps trying to get more of a fight out of me or she would have gone for more knockout shots like the one from the start--

Piano withdrew a couple more daggers from her outfit and tossed them at Angelique before dashing at her herself. Without the heels, there was a slight increase in speed - like she wasn’t fast enough as it was. But Angelique’s counter had her flipping backwards.

This time, Angelique had caught both daggers thrown. One was in her other hand and the other was between her now slightly exposed toes of her left foot. She even tried to kick with the same foot, which forced Piano to back up. But now she was the one who was facing daggers being thrown at her; her tactics were being copied again. Naturally, Piano dodged all three, but to the surprise of most, the one thrown with Angelique’s foot came the closest to wounding her. Angelique was grinning at what she managed; her fragile confidence was back.

“Now is that a trick or what!? Angelique doesn’t seem to have brought any weapons of her own, but she seems so at ease with those daggers, she could wield and throw one with her foot! Who could have seen that one coming!?”

Vivi couldn’t help but smirk from the stands since she obviously knew how much that was practiced and who got her into the sharp things in the first place. She didn’t think it would enter much in a battle situation, but once again, Angelique had taught her something.

Angelique grabbed the other stiletto dagger that flew past her earlier and was back on the attack. Piano rushed forward to meet her.

The dagger was thrown while Angelique was focusing her magic elsewhere. Piano dodged. Angelique went for a roundhouse kick. Piano ducked under. Piano went for a kick of her own. Angelique dodged, leaving Piano’s kick to connect with one of Angelique’s bubbles. With a literal bang, she was pushed back. The moment she looked up to locate Angelique once more, she saw a few more orbs were coming right at her.

Deflecting them would be a trial, so Piano took to dodging and cutting through them with more of her daggers without getting too close. It seemed she was getting the better of the situation once more until an intense pressure started to push her body down to the ground. It was an incredible strain to even remain standing against the force, but Piano only took a knee while the ground around her started to slightly crack.

Angelique was on top of her in a flash with a punt kick, kicking one of the bubbles into Piano’s head and trying to grind the Devil Blooded’s face into the arena floor.

“Angelique's bag of tricks is deeper than we thought!” Miss X seemed to be especially enjoying Angelique’s extra aggression. “First little bubbles, then a gravity spell and she is all over Piano!”

Piano showed how much strength was truly hidden away as she fought her way back to a vertical base and punched Angelique back. Angelique growled as she didn’t stay back for long, laying in more knee strikes to Piano’s body - though she was more careful to avoid her face and that blood.

As Angelique ran in and left her feet for a kick, Piano thrust kicked her back. But Angelique wasn’t sent flying far; the shadows beneath her grabbed onto both her and Piano. While Piano was held still, Angelique was able to spring off of them, using the momentum from the kick to flip while doing so. Her heel cracked down on the top of Piano’s head - right between her horns.

“And Angelique finally starts to firmly take the advantage against Piano for the first time with a shadow-assisted axe kick! She said ‘block this overhead’ and Piano could not!”

Angelique backstepped before Piano could lash out against her, but she didn't pursue. Both took the moment to catch their breath while the crowd cheered. They weren't chanting Piano's name at this point - or at least not as loudly as before.

Angelique met Piano's gaze with a grin she couldn't manage to hide. The usual sensations from using her magic only intensified with knowing that using it turned the tide. The biggest "mistake" in her mind was not using it sooner. She could win for once; she could feel it in her bones.

She closed her eyes for barely half a second to steady her breathing. But the slightest of sounds cut over the noise of the arena. Did Piano already make a move?

She opened her eyes...and she could only scream. Her arms past the elbows were gone. All that was in front of her on the ground were scraps of metal and seared black fabric. In the milliseconds that she shut her eyes, her arms were blasted off.

Piano looked incredibly surprised - not for the "discovery" she was fighting someone with mechanical arms however. She noticed something was off ever since seeing her at breakfast. And how tightly Angelique had her in that clinch only confirmed it for her. No, the scream is what surprised Piano. Angelique screamed like she was in pain and incredibly horrified.

The arena was briefly stunned silent by what they all could assume was interference. Those who hadn't picked the worst time to blink saw the beams of light cut across the field. This included Vivi who was intensely searching for who dared such an action. While she didn't see the attacker in the act - they had long left the spot the blast came from - she had caught a glimpse of a familiar bowler hat.

Angelique mentioning the last tournament beforehand made Vivi see red now. Thanks to that, she remembered their then team getting into serious trouble due to another slick talker's treachery.

Vivi was out of her seat in a flash, heading up the stairs of the arena for what she believed to be Forte. Her target noticed the charging demon and fled towards an exit. But Vivi proved faster and summoned her weapon, preparing to knock the Devil Blooded flat. But all she hit was air.

An illusion… Someone has something to hide, don't they?

Arguably, the Silver Tongued Snake had plenty to keep secret about. But this wasn't one of them. Aside from chatting up others in the arena, including a high-rank Crossguard, Forte was so well assured of his dear sister's victory that he could focus more on those he was vocally grifting. He had no reason to so blatantly interfere. But when he noticed the attack, there was no reasoning with the Demon at that moment - not after Angelique's earlier agitation and not with the very suspicious timing. When cooler heads prevailed, he would reappear if needed.

==============

Whoa...so the rumors in class are true? This is why you wear long sleeves all the time?

Yeah yeah, get the jokes out of the way. Angelique has prosthetic arms. Give her a big hand or whatever…

I'm not going to make fun of you. I think they look great! You look great!

You're just saying that…

I'm not! You're like...super strong to manage through however you lost your arms! And these look well made!

...a friend worked on them really hard for me. Best gift I ever got.

I'll bet. So can they do cool stuff? Rocket punch? Lasers?

What? No! They don't and I don't need or want them to. They're just for living life. Only so much I can do with my feet.

I get it, I get it. ...but I bet the robotics club would have a field day thinking up "upgrades" for you if they knew.

Yeah, well, they won't. ...he took weeks to make these just for me when he had heavier stuff going on. So I'm not screwing with the design. At most, I'll keep repairing them so they stay as is.

Besides being a big help...it's my last memory of someone I'm positive I'll never see again.
If anyone ruins these arms…

==================

While Angelique had sunk to her knees, hyperventilating and lost in the past, the crowd openly muttered and talked amongst themselves while Miss X excused herself from sight briefly.

Most uttered in concern for Angelique. Most hadn’t realized Angelique didn’t have her original arms. Some were amazed she was putting up such a fight with that knowledge in their heads. Others believed Piano was taking it easy on her. Some of the latter group started to snicker and chuckle. Angelique heard most of this and it felt deafening to her. She knew her disability would color what was thought of her and this was proving to be as much of a nightmare as she predicted. Piano could see the human growing more and more unstable.

“Your Madame Chief has rendered a judgment!” Miss X reappeared on the arena floor. “She isn’t exactly happy that someone dared to interfere in these matches. It also looks like someone had it out for Angelique and she is quite tempted to just award the match to her!”

This spooked Piano slightly. It’s one thing to lose a match - but to lose under such circumstances would prove especially problematic. This was the opposite of the entertaining she had hoped to happen in the rounds.

“Buuuuuut," Miss X turned to look right at Piano. "Since Madame Chief is sure you didn’t know about this, she’s going to give you a chance! If you can convince Angelique to continue the match, it shall continue! But you don’t have a lot of time!”

Piano was more capable of speaking than she looked and had a strong sense of empathy, but even if she could express herself more openly and spoke with the utter confidence of her brother, she knew it would take a Herculean effort to convince Angelique to continue with the energy directed at her.

She cautiously walked up to Angelique, avoiding the strewn pieces of metal from what was her opponent’s arms and stopping in place when Angelique stared at her like she was part of the mocking crowd.

“You knew they would judge you no matter what…”

“Like you aren’t?”

“I’m not judging you. I understand how you must be feeling.”

“Doesn’t look like you would…”

“...not physically, but the feeling that others couldn’t understand what you’ve gone through.”

Angelique looks at Piano with serious doubts. She couldn’t judge by appearances and she had no clue about the kind of world she came from, but it was a hard sell. Still, it didn’t sound like she was lying to her. Compared to Forte, that wasn’t saying much, but still.

Some members of the crowd started jeering, wanting to watch a fight and not some talk. Granted, they all did, but many of them were understanding that something was wrong with Angelique due to an outside party messing with things and held the blame of things going wrong to said party.

But others weren’t as patient with their bloodlust taking center stage instead.

“Finish the fight for yourself, not for them,” said Piano.

“...stop acting like you’d be happy if I won,” grumbled Angelique at a low volume, knowing the past is against her. “You’re here to win like anyone else and you just want a chance to close this out.”

“Personally, yes - I would like to have that chance,” admitted Piano. “But I would have no regrets if you came out the victor.”

“None…? Not even about whatever you came to wish for?”

Piano shook her head. “Even if I knew what I wanted to wish for, I would not.”

Angelique laid on her back, seeming to deliberate even considering this while the more outspoken members of the audience applied peer pressure. A fight ending in a disqualification wasn’t what they wanted either.

Damn it, in the end, she’s right. The wish wasn’t the biggest thing on my mind when I said yes to this. It’s finding out why I was invited here...and to see if I had what it took now. And taking the win means nothing. It’s that damn God Eater’s pity.

So even if I lose, screw it. Let’s try to shoot the moon.

Angelique suddenly pushed both feet into Piano’s torso, sending the Devil Blooded backwards. Angelique then did a kip-up and was back on her feet once more.

“Don’t blame me if you’re hurting tomorrow!” Angelique said with a vicious grin.

Piano merely nodded, black blood still stained above her lip, before going right for a punch. It collided with Angelique’s nose before she got a chance to move, but Angelique used the momentum to spin into a heel kick counterattack before stumbling back.

“Looks like the match is back on! And both now are bleeding from the nose!” Miss X shouted, getting the crowd agitated once more. “Matching each other in strikes and throwing weapons so far - but does Piano have an answer for that shadow magic!?”

Both stared each other down, wiping the blood from their faces - Piano with her hand and Angelique using what was little left past her shoulder. Rather than see if Piano would make the first move, Angelique decided she’d grab the initiative by the neck. That’s when the shadows beneath her started to move and her hair started to rise like she was underwater.

The shadows rose from the arena floor in inky tendrils and they immediately went on the attack, lashing at Piano. Despite how fluid they looked, their strikes stung the Devil Blooded, cutting at her outer clothing and leaving marks on her body. Piano was forced back slightly, but drew a short sword to combat the shadows and fought her way back within arms’ reach of Angelique.

A punch was thrown that Angelique ducked. Piano grabbed Angelique’s blond hair to hold the shadow wielder still, but the shadows grabbed Piano in turn before she could pummel Angelique.

“I’m not sure if Piano underestimated Angelique’s shadows or Angelique was playing her opponent like her namesake!” Miss X was only getting more excited as the crowd was stunned by the magic at play. “Either way, she’s tied up and she may be in big trouble!”

Angelique’s grin only grew wider as some of the shadows continued to whip at an ensnared Piano, revealing more peeks at the lilac leotard through the tears until Angelique’s hair was released. Then the Devil Blooded was picked up and slammed multiple times by the shadows in a vicious display before being tossed across the arena until her body tumbled into a wall.

Angelique seemed to be truly lost in the damage, drinking in some of the stunned reactions. She mentally wondered if they were still entertained when she was winning. Then she started to mutter to herself. Some believed she was starting to lose it even further - but the more magically inclined recognized it as a magical incantation.

“Take aim, my shadow archers!” Angelique screeched. “Notch the might of darkness for your target is in sight!”

One by one, shadows rose above Angelique’s head and formed large and menacing-looking arrows. Soon the air above her was covered in arrows - all directed at Piano who was still getting to her feet.

Piano stared at the intimidating display of magic. Not only were there still tendrils moving about, but there was a multitude of arrows ready to fire. Getting past all of that to defeat Angelique would take a lot of effort if she thought victory was still in reach.

“Quite a show of force from Angelique! And--” Miss X paused as a display popped up next to her and took up part of the screens in the arena. “And somewhere in the chaos, Angelique snatched the tag from Piano - even I didn’t realize! The thirty-second countdown to get it back has begun!”

Piano immediately brought up a hand to her neck. Amid the marks from the attacks and the popped buttons on her ruined shirt, her neck was bare. It wasn’t supposed to be bare for the tag that came with her entry was around her neck. Angelique only stared and grinned madly like she would fire at any second, but didn’t.

Now she had to find it and get it back with less than thirty seconds to do so. One of the shadows that tangled and struck her either cut the string holding it and it was scooped off the ground or it was snatched right off her neck during the attack. Either way, Angelique’s expression hadn’t shifted nor had the attacks shifted much. Was getting the tag just a lucky happening or was that the plan all along?

Piano couldn’t sense which shadow could be hiding the tag. Her only hope was to knock out Angelique quickly. She only had time for one move - maybe two.

Blood started to trickle out of Piano’s nose once more as something about her changed. Most didn’t know about her ability to manipulate her Ki and now was the perfect time to use it. She didn’t even seem to be breathing before launching herself at an insane speed.

The arrows didn’t fire, but the shadows moved when she did, trying to reach Piano before she could do anything. Despite the human’s best efforts, Piano nailed a kick at blistering speeds and sent Angelique flying into a wall.

“She nailed a kick right to the head before Angelique’s magic could react!” Miss X was enjoying every second of the fight. “She may be snagged now, but will Angelique manage to stay conscious long enough to win!? She doesn’t have to even use those arrows to defeat Piano now, but she might still go for it!”

The only thing stopping the shadows from being faster than Piano completely was Angelique being unable to keep track of her. Since she couldn’t, Angelique did what she could - protecting herself with said shadows from the kick and the subsequent wall slam. But it still rocked her to the point she felt very dazed.

Her eyes lazily glanced at the nearest screens from the ground. Fifteen seconds. Fourteen seconds. Thirteen seconds and she had Piano trapped under the metaphorical eye of her Shadow Arrows.

Piano struggled against the shadows controlled by a currently uncoordinated Angelique. If she could get free, victory could still be hers. But the arrows were still in play - now moving to point at the area she was held in.

They fell like bombs from an aircraft. Piano pushed herself just enough to tear free of the shadows with the constructs closing in. Dust was thrown up from the multiple impacts to the battlefield. The audience couldn’t see a thing.

“Five...four...three...two...one...it’s over! We can’t sense that Piano reclaimed her tag - Angelique is your winner and will advance to the next round!”

When the dust cleared, Piano was down on her knees. She wasn’t seriously injured, but the pain as well as the fatigue from manipulating her Ki to that degree caught up with her. Angelique was only just sitting up. The crowd was applauding them both - they expected Piano to be ruined by the arrows or Angelique getting caught by one last strike.

“...you didn’t even aim for me,” Piano muttered in surprise with only Angelique able to hear her above the crowd.

“Nnngh...I may have been in a bad mood from all this, but that doesn't mean I’d overdo it,” said Angelique. “You’re the one who pulled me out of the way in the Fox Den. Just consider us even.”

Shadows first helped Angelique up before they helped Piano up. Then Piano’s tag was tied next to Angelique’s since the string was snapped. Since the match was over, Vivi was able to jump down to the arena to help Angelique. There were few parts of Angelique’s arms that were worth taking, but Vivi collected all the scrap that she could.

“...you really are being cool about this…” Angelique mumbled in shock.

“Congratulations,” Piano replied with a slight bow. “I’ll make sure you find medical attention.”

“I’ll be fine,” mumbled Angelique again. “I...I don’t want to deal with anyone else right now…”

Piano could understand that, but also doubted that she didn’t need some medical attention.

Angelique started walking towards the nearest gate - the one she entered from. “...you’re cool...but I don’t want to deal with your brother,” she muttered. “Whatever he is writing, leave me out of it. I’m not worth documenting.”

Miss X started to point out to Angelique that it’s tradition to go through their opponent’s gate - symbolizing the opponent blocking the way to victory - but the Madame Chief stopped her and let Angelique and Vivi go. Angelique passed one of the other competitors on the way from leaving; the military-like figure she briefly spotted on the port when she first arrived was there working on a mech. They looked at each other but didn’t say anything. The situation was suffocatingly awkward given Angelique’s state and Angelique hid behind Vivi as they walked quickly off.

Meanwhile, up in her special platform, the God Eater was still laughing. Not just from the battle - as chaotic as it was - but from an event within it.

She expected some odd events involving Angelique, but this was more than she was initially expecting. So blatant and destructive. How flashy and amusing.

Finally, they show themselves. Well, one of them. I’ll let you escape...for now. This is one of those stories that works best if I play dumb, isn’t it? Let you believe you’re so sneaky~ But you’ll show yourself again. You need to. And then your little plot will get exposed more and more.

But you better hurry, foolish little manipulator. I’m not exactly so patient. Where the shrewd little writer failed, I think I will succeed in quenching my curiosity. And I think I could ruin everything that way~

Angelique and Vivi returned to the Kit Inn at Angelique’s insistence. She just wanted to shut her eyes despite Vivi insisting she gets treated first. But soon, there was another issue and Angelique’s scream could be heard pretty far.

Angelique’s room was ransacked and her bag was clearly searched. Stuff was missing. Vivi’s room was messed with as well, but not to any major degrees like Angelique’s - except for one. All the tools and spare metal meant for fixing Angelique’s arms were gone. The assumption going forward was whoever blasted her arms off and fled was making sure they couldn’t get them repaired easily.

Angelique’s rage returned with a vengeance. She didn’t take all of it out on Piano, so she had plenty to spare. When Crossguards - two males and a female - showed up at the room to handle a “disturbance”, Angelique’s rage scared the hell out of them. Through their visors, Angelique’s two fox tails were black and dripped with darkness.

One of the senior Crossguards on scene tried to calm Angelique down while understanding her situation, but Angelique was having none of it. He was quickly seized by Angelique’s shadows. Her speech occasionally distorted from her magic surging higher than it already had previously as she ranted and raved about the series of unfortunate events. She threatened the Crossguards to correct the injustices or they would have a nightmare on their hands. And the way she said it, there was tangible concern she was 100% literal in that threat.

Vivi and the other Crossguards managed to calm Angelique down enough to release her captive and they promised to solve this problem as they quickly departed.

“Hey, I know you never drank before, but maybe right now, you should consider it?” Vivi was nervous since she hadn’t seen Angelique this angry in years.

“...just leave me alone for a little bit...please?”

“...alright. I’ll come back up to make sure you eat and get treated later. Maybe there’s a repairman in town.”

Vivi sighed as she pulled the door closed. She wasn’t going to wait on the Crossguards either. As far as the demon was concerned, she had to make sure who made Angelique suffer like this paid dearly.

“Um, excuse me. Is this a bad time?”

Vivi turned her head to see who was talking to her. Then she had to look down since the speaker was a bit shorter than her.

It was a glasses-wearing human with bright green hair tied into two braids. There was a belt with two pockets tied around a blue dress with a yellow trim and matching puffy shoulders that were attached to the straps. The color theme continued with her thigh-high boots, gloves and a large, slightly pointed hat.

“Um...yeah, miss witch. If you’re here to speak to Angelique, this is not the time.”

“E-excuse me, but I am not a witch,” corrected the young woman. “I am a Mage and my name is Wendy.”

“You sure you aren’t a witch? I know a witch named Wendy from television--”

“I am not a witch! I--” Wendy took a deep breath. “I have come to see if I can talk to your friend. See if I could help her in some way. Her magic was surging quite a lot during the round, so I thought…”

“So you saw the fight. That covers a lot.” Vivi sighed. “...hey, just come hang out with me for a little bit, Wendy. I’ll let you see Angie later. Right now, I don’t know if she even wants to see me.”

While Vivi was escorting Wendy downstairs and away from the door, Angelique seethed on the tatami floor, not bothering with the effort of pulling out the futon.

I can’t even feel happy about winning for once… Everything’s going to hell already! And those damn Crossguards - they get eluded that easily!? When I had a dimension, I didn’t let this chaos happen! I’d run this place better then--

...I wonder if that’s even possible...if I win that wish…

===============

Excellent...she’s already shifting. It’s all going to plan.

…

Nonsense. You did well, Gabriel. Do not worry for her - believe in the plan. I’ve calculated everything multiple times. When it all ends...we’ll all achieve our happiness.

Prince Armius Tu El Kaligos

by Bootman

Prince Armius Tu El Kaligos

$prince.png$

Prince Armius Tu El Kaligos

Reference Sheet
Audition	Passed
Round 1	Lost to Quan Huynh
Round 2
Round 3
Tournament Status:	Lost in R1

BOOTMAN

Aliases/Nickname(s)

Booty

Pronouns/Gender/Sex

[He/Him]

Vocation

writer

Discord:

tabletop#4832 aka Bootman#9276

DeviantART:

BootyMcBoots

Prince Armius Tu El Kaligos

[Prince Armis Tu El Kaligos] Audition: The Strongest Audition in the Universe

Original doc

After the destruction of a supposedly invincible demon god which threatened to end the entire universe of the Last Empire, Armius didn’t know what could possibly capture their attention next. For him, the universe was conquered. He assumed he’d have a lot of free time moving forward, to do anything he wanted. He was spared from this fate by a letter from another dimension.

Armius’ brother was bent over a computer screen, his face nearly pressed against the monitor. The data had finished compiling a few minutes ago, so Armius knew it wouldn’t be much longer before Hyke revealed the findings. Armius picked up the letter and bounced it in his hands. It appeared to all his senses as simple paper.

“Well, it’s paper.” Hyke said with the emotion of a deflating balloon.

Armius quietly looked at his brother until Hyke was forced to elaborate.

“That’s all there is to it! It’s paper, inside and out. I looked at the sample you scraped off a dozen times.” The scientist put his head in his eyes, revealing the frayed ends of the white lab coat he was wearing.

“Then it’s paper.” Armius put a hand on Hyke’s back “Somehow enchanted to be even lighter yet stronger than armor.”

Hyke shook his head without removing his palms from his face.

“If there’s an enchantment, it’s better hidden than… than…”

“...Teralst during study time?” Armius offered.

Hyke snapped his fingers and pointed at Armius. He laughed and looked up with some color returning to his face.

“Well, I guess that’s that then. Sorry I wasn’t able to find anything.”

Armius felt a sudden tug in his chest.

“Well now, let’s not give up so easily. We still haven’t opened this letter from another dimension. It is addressed to me after all.”

Hyke raised an eyebrow.

“Anything could happen if you do th...”

“Unless you need me to fight another demon god, I’m willing to take the risk.”

Hyke narrowed his eyes and put up air quotes.

“‘Risk’”

Armius smiled and put up his air quotes as well.

“‘Risk’”

Hyke sighed and waved his hand.

“Go ahead. I know we should probably do this in a safe location but, you’re… you know.”

“I sure do.” Armius picked up the letter with enough force that it would have ripped any normal paper. It was so light it was as if it wasn’t there, though most things felt that way to Armius. He stepped away from Hyke and flicked his wrist to channel more mana than every archmage of the Last Empire combined.

He erected a field of translucent energy strong enough to isolate all information but visual. Whatever happened when he opened this letter, Hyke would see it, but there was no way he could be hurt by it. He didn’t bother raising such a field for himself though.Just because he had infinite power, it didn’t mean he should waste mana or his time.

He tore it just as easily as if it was regular paper. Or indeed, regular armor. Inside was a letter, and no world ending explosion. He imagined that would make his brother feel very silly for going through a dozen tests. He read it over once, unable to stop the grin on his face. He dismissed the barrier and handed the letter to his skeptical brother. Hyke straightened out the paper and glanced over it, a smile growing on his face.

“Are we sure it’s not addressed to the wrong person?”

“I’d hate to meet the other person named Armius Tu El Kaligos. I feel he’d be suffering from some rather unfair comparisons.” Armius laughed and shook his head.

“They invited you of all people to a fighting tournament? Does fighting mean something different in their culture?”

“They got all the other words right. I don’t know why that one would be the only mistake.”

“Well, want to go?” Hyke offered. “Could be a nice vacation. Not like there’s anything left for you to fight here.”

“Mmm. Maybe. I’ll decide after my appointment.”

Hyke’s eyebrows went up.

“Oh right! That’s today. Thank goodness you didn’t go.” Hyke patted Armius on the back and threw the letter onto his desk.

“I’m sure you would have found some way to deal with it without me. It’s just an asteroid.” Armius waved and walked through the hallway out of Hyke’s laboratory, his footsteps making no noise on the shining metallic floor. He looked out the windows to one side of the corridor to see the starry vacuum of space. Armius felt his chest tighten at how small and empty it seemed, yet it still held his gaze.

He could see his solemn expression reflected in the transparent aluminium window still, so he tried to focus more on the stars. But as he reached the more crowded areas of the space-fortress, he could hear conversations stall when he was near. People avoided even his reflection’s gaze. Some bowed so low their hoods grazed the floor and their hats fell off. He could tell them to stop, but he could hear their hearts beat like drums already. They might burst out of their chests if he acknowledged them.

Before he realized what he was doing, he had cast a protection spell around himself and already began teleportation. Even when he noticed, he didn’t stop. Space may have been small, cold and empty but it would still be an improvement. His vision was filled with light, and then he was on top of hard, rocky ground surrounded by stars on all sides. Dead ahead of him was the space fortress he had just been in, the palace of his father and it was steadily growing to take up more of his field of view. He sat down and crossed his legs, the fortress sitting right above his toes visually.

His vision focused and zoomed as he scanned through the windows. Few of the courtiers and servants spared the oncoming asteroid more than a glance.

“Maybe they forgot, just like Hyke.” he spoke into the void of space

Why would they remember? A new shipment of meat had more impact on their lives than this asteroid, even if it could tear right through the space station like cheap paper. He patted the ground beneath him, leaving a hand-shaped print in the rocky surface.

“Sorry friend. This is your big day, isn’t it? What were the odds of you being this big, this fast, and heading right for an orbital palace so self assured it didn’t even bother to adjust its position to avoid you. You must be so excited to do the one thing you’ve been blessed with.”

The rock’s silence spoke volumes.

“Oh I feel that. But trust me, people being scared of you gets old real fast. You’re a lot better off not even being noticed. So tell me. Would you rather be destroyed or turned around?”

The rock was paralyzed with indecision.

“Dealer’s choice then?”

Armius juggled a sphere of energy between his two hands, before dismissing it and drawing his sword. He slowly stood and raised his weapon with the tip facing the asteroid beneath him. After it was shattered he’d need to create a few thousands bolts of energy to vaporize the remains and stop any incidental damage to the space station.

“Then again.” He looked over his shoulder at the space station.

“I could let you do your thing. How do you think they would react to that?” He waved his hands in the air “‘Oh I don’t know why Father! It was like the asteroid sapped my energy! I couldn’t stop it.’ You’d be the most famous rock of all time! The rock that defeated Armius when even his fated enemy could not.”

Armius laughed and laughed, letting his full, powerful voice out. It shook the asteroid beneath his feat despite the vibrations being dampened in space. It was nice to not have to whisper for once.

“They’d probably be so scared they’d throw all the luxuries of the Last Empire at my feet. Maybe hire a talented actress to pretend to love me, as much as she truly fears me.” He wiped a laughter-induced tear from his eye.

He sheathed Crownoath and leapt off the asteroid. The force of the jump instantly turned the massive rock around and sent it flying into unpopulated space.

“Good luck finding a nice place to do your thing, friend. Thanks for the talk.” Armius waved goodbye, then he snapped his fingers and the letter teleported from Hyke’s desk into his hand. He took a comically deep breath for being in the darkness of space, then mouthed the words that would release him, at least for a time.

‘I accept’

He barely had time to take in the view of the beach and the sounds of the ocean waves in front of him before he was under attack. Though undetectable to his magical senses, he felt instantly suppressed by an invisible force that would have immobilized even the best warriors of the Last Empire, and crushed flat everyone else. He drew his sword with a comically slow motion compared to his usual speed and mentally cast a detection charm, but the range only extended a few meters away before beings stopped.

“So they’re at least that far away and probably planning to pick me off from a distance.”

As he tried to cast the same isolation field spell he had used in his brother’s laboratory not fifteen minutes ago, he felt it sputter and fail. The field manifested around him, but was a mere shadow of its former strength. He looked around frantically, but saw only the sand, the sea and a nearby city. Every sea bird was a potential threat and every mound of sand could be hiding an enemy.

“Well? Come on out! I won’t be dropping my guard so we may as well finish this now.”

The beach’s silence spoke volumes.

“Well that’s plan A down. I’d go for plan B, but first I need to think of one.” Armius looked up the stairs to the city. If they summoned him close to the city but outside it, it stood to reason they didn’t want a fight in there for one reason or another. That was a good enough reason to make it happen. With a ponderously slow wrist movement, he changed the barrier to form a hallway of force fields that encapsulated the stairs.

As he started walking up them, leaving the beach behind, he began to appreciate the depths of the curse he was under. He felt blind, deaf, numb and almost invalidically weak. If Teralst fought him like this, his brother would easily win. He wondered if Teralst would enjoy that before shaking the thought loose from his brain. He had the strength to climb these stairs but was still working with a fraction of his power.

He ignored the side entrance, wanting to get to the main city as fast as possible. As he crested the hill he saw a red gate marked with a fiery bird, and two red and black clad guards standing in front of the gate, both women. Their eyes were hidden, but when they saw his expression both of them grew concerned.

“Aren you alright, sir?”

Armius didn’t know how to respond to that question.

“Do you need help?” The other one asked.

The Prince didn’t know. Was this what needing help felt like?

“I’ve been cursed.” He said, but so quietly the noise barely reached his own ears.

The dark haired guard approached him quickly, but stayed outside the range of his drawn blade. If she was an enemy he was pretty sure he could move faster than her and take her out before she summoned any magic.

“What did you say, sir?” She asked, the expression on her face something he had never seen directed at him before.

“I’ve been cursed!” He shouted before realizing he had, but the woman didn’t recoil and her eardrums didn’t burst.

“What’s the point of weakening my voice too?”

The dark haired guard looked back to her white haired associate, who tapped her visor and shrugged.

“Sir, we can see auras. There’s no curse on you.”

He felt his muscles tense, but he didn’t move. He just looked between the two of them, trying to gauge whether or not they were enemies after all. Armius knew all too well that expressions could hide true intent very easily. During the stalemate, the white haired guardswoman clasped her hands together and bowed her head.

“Really?” The dark haired one asked.

“Shut up. We get one a day and I’m going to use it on whatever I want.”

“You were supposed to wish me a nice dinner with no calories. You owe me.” The dark haired one crossed her arms and sighed.

Armius thought about using the moment to run away, or start the fight himself, but instead he waited along with them. He couldn’t ever remember running from a fight, or starting one when he didn’t have to, and didn’t like that his panic was making him act that way. This thought steadied him, but he refused to sheath the sword.

“Well, how could I refuse such a kind-hearted wish from one of my adorable friends.” A singsong voice sounded next to the gate.

“Glory to Inari!” Both the guards spoke in unison and stood at attention, but were followed by a dainty giggle from a figure stepping out of the gate. Her hair was wine colored, while her dress was mostly black with gold highlights. Her shoes rang with the sound of bells as she crossed her legs, one in front of the other, to walk towards him. She had another new expression on her face. Not the concern of the guards, but bemusement as plain as the smile on her face.

“Now now, no need for all that.” She giggled again, in a way that almost seemed to serve as punctuation to her sentences.

“You must be Armius, the Strongest Man in the Universe! I heard you were coming today.”

Armius blinked, relaxing his sword arm just a bit.

“And who are you?”

“Just a citizen who likes to help the newcomers from time to time. You can call me Chifu” She grinned, as if defying him to point out how the guards reacted when she arrived.

Armius wouldn’t give her the pleasure.

“I was invited for a tournament, but I’ve been attacked since the moment I arrived. Not very sportsmanlike.”

She put a hand on the side of her face and made an expression of exaggerated concern. She was still getting closer to him, and the sound of the bells wormed into the back of his mind as she did.

“Oh no! Who would dare attack the Strongest Man in the Universe? Tell me who and I’ll report them to the authorities right away.” She placed her fist on top of her open palm for emphasis.

“What do you know?” He asked through a frown.

She made a little ‘who, me?’ gesture as if scientifically designed to create anger in those it was directed at.

“Well, it’s just, you’re the Strongest Man in the Universe. But you’re not exactly in your Universe, right? The air is a bit thin, isn’t it?” She was well within reach of Crownoath by now, but she wasn’t even looking at him anymore.

Her gaze shifted to the sky, and he naturally followed it. The air seemed thick and hard to breathe if anything, but he knew that was just his lungs weakening alongside everything else. If there was one thing thin about the air, it would have to be…

“There’s no magic here.”

Chifu’s eyes went wide and she doubled over and laughed in a violent fit, steadying herself on his shoulder. Once again he was at the edge of his experience, feeling a primal need to stab her and run but having never even considered something like that before, he was frozen.

“Oh there’s quite a bit of magic here, but compared to your universe I guess it must seem that way. Your spoiled, pampered little universe.”

Armius finally sheathed his sword and stared down at the manically laughing woman.

“So I’m just a fish on land, then?” He said, remembering pulling a train-sized fish out of the water and giving it to his Father when he was but a child.

“Yes you are, little guppy. You’re only okay compared to most dimensional fighters. How does that make you feel?” She looked up at him expectantly, her chin coming up to his chest.

For once, the woman waited. Which was just as well, since Armius needed time to consider all this. Here, nobody knew or respected him. Here, he lost the strength his mother died to give him. He could even lose the life she had given him, and never see his family ever again. He would have to contend, scrap and triumph if he wanted anything. So he smiled down at Chifu and felt the pride of a Kaligos surge into him.

“When is round one?”

She stared at him a moment longer, before a genuine smile spread across her face. It conveyed so much excitement that it matched his own. Chifu leaned over to look at something behind him, nodded to herself and tapped his shoulder with her pipe. She gestured towards the fire-bird gate.

“You have time for a drink before all that.”

He followed her into the city, and every step felt lighter than the last.

Prince Armius Tu El Kaligos

[Prince Armis Tu El Kaligos] Round 1: The Strongest Hobo in the Universe

Original doc

With newfound limits on his powers and a whole new world of experiences and interactions ahead of him, Armius felt like a starving man at a banquet. He would jump at the first ‘dish’ presented to him. In this case, the first experience offered to him. Chifu was quick to suggest poisoning himself publicly and the prince’s schedule had suddenly cleared up so he obliged.

“Over there is where you’ll be fighting soon.” She said as she waved to the second most imposing building in the city.

Armius tilted his head at it. If a Kaligos had decided to create an interdimensional bloodsport, it would have been far more opulent and would be able to seat a small country. Yet a wish-granting Goddess settled for this small town, and a tiny arena. Armius understood, perhaps better than most here, that power was the ability to project your will onto your environment. If a Goddess wanted it this way, there was a reason for it.

“Prince Guppy? Getting lost in the big sea again? Or is breathing still troubling you?”

The air felt thick as syrup, but he wasn’t going to admit it to her. He didn’t have a problem looking weak in general, but Chifu had a smug way about her that made him uncomfortable.

“I’m fine. It’s just...”

“I could find some lady to give you mouth to mouth if you need.” She cut him off

“No, thank you.”

“I could find some gentleman to give you mou...?”

“No.”

She was already giggling by the time he interrupted her. Armius was starting to realize that she didn’t annoy him, he just didn’t know what to do around somebody who didn’t fear him. They made their way to the most imposing building, a multi-story tower that loomed disproportionately over the rest of the city. In some cities this would have been a watch tower, a government building or some kind of historic landmark. Something that emphasized what the city (and its ruler) valued. Here it was a hotel for interdimensional warriors, and right next to it was the Fox Den.

They slid into their seats at the bar and Chifu held up two fingers at the large, red skinned and horned bartender.

“Two Margaritas.” Chifu tilted her head at Armius. “That’s for me. What do you want? Some juice?”

Armius held up one finger. “One of her Margaritas.” Just saying the word gave him a tingle of excitement.

“Oh?” Chifu folded her chin into her palms. “Not going to drain our casks of fine wine and aged Cognac? I didn’t take you for a Margarita man.”

“I didn’t take me for one either since I have no idea what a Margarita is. I did drink a lot of wine back home though, so I’m not sure why I would drink it here.” He said with a boyish smile on his face.

“Oh my. Did I bring an alcoholic here?”

“Does it count if I can’t get drunk?”

The large woman behind the bar sat down two cups with salt rims and a wedge of lime as a garnish.

“Couldn’t.” Chifu corrected.

“Couldn’t.” Armius agreed before raising the glass to his lips with her. He enjoyed the energy the drink conveyed to him. It was something meant to be truly drank, not sipped like wine. His eyes went wide and he set down the cup with a smile.

“Excellent choice. I’ll gladly take one of your Margaritas every time from now on.”

“You could order your own.” She pointed out as she swirled the drink in her hands.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” He reached back for his drink, but found a hand there instead.

“The name is Quan, you can call me An. Nice to meet you.” A grinning boy with black and white striped hair was leaning over the counter and shaking Armius’s hand vigorously.

The prince flinched and felt his heart race for a moment when that happened. He felt his mouth say the word ‘Armius’ while his mind tried to catch up with what just happened. A young man was eagerly greeting him, and Armius hadn’t been able to see him coming. In some capacity he had just been totally outclassed, and he didn’t even know how. He felt what other people called fear rise up in him, but it put a grin on his face.

“So it was you! They told me my opponent blew off the opening ceremonies to get drunk.” An held the Margarita up to the lantern light to examine it.

“What? I was told I had ti…” He was cut off before he could defend himself.

“I tried to warn him.” Chifu said while sadly shaking her head. “He even forced me to drink with him in the middle of the day.”

The bartender let out a deep, rumbling groan when Chifu said that, and An looked between Chifu and him.

“Got it. You were roped in by the town drunk. Step outside for a minute. We should probably, you know, catch up and stuff. Friendly contest and all.”

Armius chuckled lowly, relishing the feeling of being so off balance in a conversation. He took his Margarita out of An’s hand and gave it to Chifu, who seemed happy as could be to have it back. If An had already heard he was at the bar when Armius had only been there for a few minutes, there were only a few ways to explain that and they all made Armius suspicious of the organizers

“How did you get my drink?” Armius asked as he let An lead him through the city.

“I have a fake license.” An smiled at him expectantly.

“Is that a power?”

“Oh right you’re a big fancy Prince.” An waved both of his hands when he spoke

“I prefer to be called Mr. Big Fancy Prince, but I’ll let you call me Armius.”

“Well Mr. Big Fancy Prince, if I told you what I did wouldn’t it make sense for you to tell me what you can do too?” An spun around and walked backwards but maintained the same speed, gesturing with his arms as he did and nearly smacking Civilians every moment.

“Well I’ve got this sword and I can do some magic. Anything else and your guess is as good as mine.” He was putting more effort into keeping up with An walking backwards than he had ever put into anything physical in his life. As far as he was concerned he was powerless here.

An looked Armius up and down, then he clapped the man’s shoulder in a motion that Armius almost reacted to in violence.

“You’re too tightened up. We’re in for a fun little tournament, we get all the food and drink we want and if we win we get a wish. It’s so absurd that taking it seriously would be crazy, right? I’m just going to enjoy not going hungry for once.” An asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Exactly!” Armius looked around at the small town around them. “It’s something totally new. I mean, aside from the food and drink thing. I’m used to that. But everything else. I get to… compete and earn something.”

The prince could feel his normal attitude slipping. This was like talking to his brothers, but without the small element of fear and jealousy that would always undermine it.

“Right.” An paused for a moment as he shifted his arm around Armius’ back. “We can only hope that whoever needs the wish most gets it. It’d be really annoying if somebody without a care in the world got it.”

“Is the wish really that important? I just figured that was a lie.”

The two of them arrived at the coliseum. It seemed even more petty and small once he was inside it, but Armius wouldn’t have it any other way. A few rows of bleachers, a few pillars and TV screens to broadcast the fight. It was connected to the Kit-inn as well. The whole city was focused on violence and alcohol. The roughness of it all sent shivers down his spine with excitement.

“So you don’t think there’s a prize and you don’t know what you can do, but you’re going to fight anyway.” An scratched the back of his head. “Well I guess as long as you have fun, Prince. For my part, I’m going to use that wish to guarantee fun for myself for the rest of my life. It will be like my birthday every day from now until the universe collapses!”

“Fun.” Armius echoed. “I am having fun, I think. Thanks An.” He shook the man’s hand firmly.

“Wait, did you just say you were going to wish for entertainment?” Armius frowned. In his mind that wish made sense. He understood the desire for entertainment, for fun, for meaning better than others. If he had been asked about it, Armius felt like he would have agreed. But hearing those words from somebody else gave him the bitterest feeling he’d had since coming to the Crossroads.

“What better wish could there be? You don’t even know what you want. But I’ll tell you what, after the match we can still hang out.” An said while showing off his pearly whites.

The crowd started marching in, some in uniform, some citizens, some clearly from other worlds. They were all here for entertainment too, after all. As the seats of the arena filled him, Armius had a familiar feeling creep over him. He was being watched, the focus of the whole crowd on him and An.

“Well, I’ll see you inside, Prince.” He patted Armius’ arm and winked, before making his way down the arena without a care in the world.

Armius walked to his side of the arena, feeling the joy-inducing fear and a pang of confusion. Going into a battle weakened and confused was an experience worth cherishing on its own. He decided to draw his sword before a fight for the first time in his life, just in case. He hoped he wouldn’t have to kill the second friend he had ever made. His eyes went out over the crowd.

How would they look at him if he killed An?

“Ladies and gentlemen!” A Feminine voice rang out over the arena “It’s time for the next match!

There was a pink haired woman standing in between him and his opponent who he hadn’t sensed before. Was this some sort of standard ability other universes had? An appeared out of nowhere just as easily.

“It’s me again! Your lovely announcer, Miss X. Now I think this calls for a pre-round interview, so…” She ran over to Armius and pointed a microphone in his face. It didn’t escape his attention that her feet didn’t shift the dirt on the ground.

“Prince Armius Tu El Kaligos. What is your name?” The girl’s heart shaped pupils bore into his soul.

“Prince Armius Tu El Kaligos. Nice to meet you, Miss X.”

“I see! And this is your first ever fighting tournament?”

“The only one that counts.”

“Favorite food?”

“My people enjoy seafood. There are these bite-sized portions of cut fish and other ingredients I enjoy.”

“That sounds like Sushi! Excellent choice. Any hobbies?”

Armius wasn’t sure if he had ever spent so much time answering questions or even just thinking about these small, irrelevant aspects of life which seemed to consume Miss X’s entire attention. When he heard the tone of his voice, he realized he truly did enjoy exploring and reading, and that his favorite holiday was his brothers’ birthdays. Before long she seemed satisfied for now, but then her gluttonous hunger for answers turned on An.

“Quan, what are you going to wish for if you win?”

“Immortality, money, power.” Quan beamed “Whatever I think will keep me entertained the most.”

“Quan, How do you feel about your opponent skipping everything up this point to get drunk?”

“I don’t think he’s underestimating all of this… that badly. I mean, after all, he probably can’t help it.” An said in a teasing tone Armius recognized his brothers having used among themselves from time to time. They always laughed afterwards, so Armius did the same.

“Quan, your opponent is now laughing at you. What are your thoughts?

“Something something something the one who laughs last.”

“Then I’ll have to laugh once the two of you have beaten each other into a pulp! Well, I think we’re just about ready.”

Miss X stood back and out of the way. When Ryoma looked in her direction he could see a figure with many white tails lounging and looking down on the battlefield with amusement. He’d never been the object of so many jokes and treated like a plaything, but he was scared to lose this new dynamic he had with others.

“Three!”

An shook his arms and hopped up and down to stretch.

“Two!”

Armius adjusted his grip on his sword, having to pay attention to its weight for the first time in his life.

“One!”

As soon as the countdown ended, Armius saw a knife coming straight for him. An was already within a few feet and closing the distance so quickly that the Prince felt like he was moving in slow motion. He dodged reflexively, with the normal amount of effort he put into it. With his new strength this effort was barely enough to move him at all. He tried to guard the attack with his sword, but An quickly circled his stance and thrust at his side.

The knife found purchase in Armius’ shoulder, each centimeter bringing a new sensation. His body was telling him to stop, that it was broken and needed time. He couldn’t stifle his first shout of pain, but in that time An drew back his knife and jabbed at Armius again, hitting him in the left forearm. Armius was still letting out the beastial yell from the first attack, but the pain helped kick his instincts into gear. Survival instincts that ran deeper than his combat experience and demanded he get as far away from what was hurting him as possible.

He jumped away from An with his legs while his shaking arms swung the blade to fight him off. An dodged the sword swing but looked at the blade appreciatively before charging back in. Armius could see defeat and possibly death closing in on him. His training had failed him, his survival instincts had bought him a moment, and so now it was time for his mind to pick up the slack.

With his right arm he gestured an open palm at An, willing a wave of immolating fire to storm forth. By the time his severely weakened flames had started to emerge, An was already moving to avoid them. Armius used his hand to track An’s movement. His hand couldn’t quite keep up, but the fire felt like it was hitting where An had been an hour ago. Armius felt his mind work hard, coming up with another plan where one plan had always sufficed before.

His hand folded from an open palm into a pointing gesture. The difference in speed between these attacks had never mattered, but he did know lightning traveled faster than fire. A bolt of electricity cut through the air like a blade. An had already moved out of the direct hit but his cheek was singed from the attack.

Armius walked back into a corner of the arena, feeling his mana quickly leave his body through his fingers and his blood quickly leave him from his arm. The slick, wet, warm feeling spreading down his left side comforted him.Once he was safely in the corner he raised his sword and stopped casting spells, since he knew they were limited now. An looked at the dozen black scorch marks that dotted the walls now.

An rushed Armius head on, and right before the Prince’s swing would have connected, An narrowly ducked it and swiped for Armius' legs. Armius tried to meet the attack with a kick, but it only gave An an easier target to hit. The glorious warmth and wonderful pain spread from Armius’ shin, but An wasn’t done yet. The knife curved and made way for Armius’ belt. Quickly calculating the movements, Armius adjusted so that the belt buckle blocked the attack. While he did so he brought his injured arm back into the fight despite his body’s protest and fired another bolt of lightning.

It was deeply frustrating to feel himself willing the lightning to manifest, and as it was about to An had already moved far enough away to not worry about even a static shock. Before Armius could adjust the knife injured his leg again, cutting deeply into the thigh. With one hand Armius spread his cape out between himself and An, and with the other he thrust his blade through the cape straight at the kid. An would not have the reaction time to dodge it.

Because of that, he slowed the attack down at the last moment enough for An to back off. Armius wasn’t slow enough compared to An to justify this level of a defeat. Armius’ instincts and training were failing him, and he couldn’t even bring himself to go all out against somebody that was killing him. The warm feeling on his left arm was starting to go cold and numb, but at least his right leg could still feel it.

“Out of gas already, Prince? I can make this faster if you like. Or you could step out of the corner and fight the homeless kid head on.” An’s wound on his cheek healed right in front of Armius’ eyes.

Armius felt eyes burning into him. Not just the ethereal announcer, not An and not even the audience. The white figure above, the goddess who loomed over all, was looking down at him. Was she mad? Hopeful? Amused? Armius could only guess. But he had never put on a shameful display before anyone, and he wasn’t going to start in front of a Goddess.

“An. Your wish doesn’t make any sense.” That got An to stop talking for a moment.

“Let me be more clear. You don’t make any sense.” An sized him up, clearly looking for an opening while Armius spoke.

“You have power beyond anything I could ever muster, you must be exceptional by your world’s standard. You don’t have to be how you are.”

“Is this where the all powerful Prince tells me to pull myself up by my bootstraps?” An asked, his attention switching from the fight to Armius’ words.

“You have power now, as you are, and power is the ability to control your environment. The more power you have, the more the world around you is a reflection of your will. With all your power you’re alone, pursued, hungry, homeless and bored. What do you think adding more power from a wish will do for you?”

An’s smile seemed more like a mask by the second.

“If I wish for it, it’ll be done. Simple as that. What’s wrong with getting what you want?”

“If you’re going to spend your wish on something that can be achieved by talking with somebody new, drinking a Margarita and being stabbed, then you’re wasting the wish. Even if you wished for the universe and somebody gave it to you, would that much power really be enough to make you entertained if you’re bored now? You’re the common factor, not power.”

An narrowed his eyes at Armius and silently drew a second dagger.

“You’ll see, Prince.”

“No, I won’t.” Armius moved his injured arm in a chopping motion, two vertical and one horizontal with none of them aimed directly at An, so his opponent clearly didn’t feel the need to avoid it. This was An’s first and only mistake in the fight. The next moment semi-transparent panes of energy formed a hallway, stretching from the Prince all the way to the other side of the arena and catching An in the middle. The two of them were now trapped with no way in or out and barely enough room on either side of them for their shoulders.

The Prince pointed his fingers at his trapped opponent and willed all of his remaining mana to storm out as a mighty bolt. An’s eyes widened in realization. Faster than ever before, An assaulted the barrier and did visible damage immediately. Armius forced all of his remaining mana through his finger tips, but only shocked his fingers with a little burst.

“Old fashioned way it is.” Armius brandished the sword with a wounded arm and ran on his injured leg, ignoring his body’s warnings of death because he had never felt more alive. He had to go faster right now to stop An from escaping, and if he didn’t it wouldn’t matter if he could walk later. This moment mattered, and nothing else.

An was forced to abandon his attack on the barrier to avoid an overhead chop from the Prince. His opponent moved in to attack while Armius’ guard was down, but coming from only one direction made the movement a lot easier to deal with. Armius dodged the knife thrust and managed to land his first solid hit, a kick to the chest that sent An flying back into the wall of the Arena.

“You’re… you’re... “ An said between ragged breaths. “...Risking all this... for nothing! That’s not any better!”

Armius’ heart was beating faster than ever, each thud affirming his life. The smile he couldn’t stop from spreading across his face and the firmness of his resolve helped him fight off the pain. The Prince knew these were not nothing. He drew his sword back for a thrust, in that moment he stumbled slightly on his numb leg. An curled his feet behind him like a spring and leapt off the wall he had been up against to fly at Armius faster than before.

An threw one knife, which Armius barely managed to block with Crownoath the sword. This left him unable to block the tackle, and the second knife that found its way into his side. Armius rolled with the force of the slam and right and its apex, he moved his feet between himself and An. He kicked with all the force he could muster, the first time in his entire life he had forced his muscles to do all they were capable of.

An was sent flying up, shattering the roof of the hallway instantly and leaving his knife in Armius’ side when he did. Armius dismissed the other barriers and slowly stood up, keeping track of An by the sounds of the boy’s shouts. Armius had dropped Crownoath in the struggle, but it was just as well. All he needed was one more attack.

His opponent started plummeting back down towards Armius, all his speed useless during a freefall. At the last possible moment Armius’ good arm lashed out and uppercutted his foe, knuckles finding the chin of his opponent and sending him flipping into the wall of the stadium. Armius flexed his hand and chuckled.

“Hurting myself by hitting someone.” He thought aloud as he saved the sourness in his fist.

Miss X leaned over at An’s unmoving body and whistled appreciatively.

“Quan is knocked out! Prince Armius Tu El Kaligos is the winner!” The announcer declared, before she remembered she was supposed to have the last laugh and gave it her all.

The crowd cheered and clapped a fair share at the turn around. In Armius’ younger days millions of citizens would gratefully shout his name when he saved the day. Compared to that, this reaction was tepid at best. It stirred an alien feeling he had no control of deep in his chest. As unconscious as breathing or blinking, it made it’s demand known to him. Armius let out a primal shout of victory in unison to the crowd's own celebration. He was so bloody and sweaty from the exchange that only one person in all the city noticed the tears streaming down his cheeks from her view above it all.

Volley

by Explainer

Volley

Reference Sheet
Audition	Passed
Round 1	Lost to Vilivian
Round 2
Round 3
Tournament Status:	Lost in R1

EXPLAINER

Aliases/Nickname(s)

Explainer

Pronouns/Gender/Sex

[He/Him]

Vocation

writer

Discord:

Explainer#1539

Twitter:

@Explooner

DeviantART:

Explainer

Volley

[Volley] Audition: Sweet Child

Original doc

Upon floating, broken islands. Sitting in the sun filled open skies. All of them unmoving, with the exception of a few earthy masses lazily rotating in various directions. These islands go on for as long as the eyes can see and they are uncountable in number.

Most have grasses and other foliage that cling to their tops and sides. Only the bottom giving way to brown dirt and rocks, all held together by roots that grow from within the islands. Some are barren and some are completely made of hard solid rock.

Beyond these islands, a blue expanse awaits, promising infinite horizons and an eternity of shattered worlds.

A gentle wind whistles past, the dauntless floating islands are unphased by this gentle breeze, but the vines and roots that hang from them sway and dance to the wind's euphoric tune.

None of the islands cradles anything larger than a shrub or some grass. All except one, one which supports a large leafy and green tree. A strong trunk supported by roots which populate and wrap around the island's entire surface.

Under this tree, sits a boy. He would look like any normal young teen, but his skin was light red in color, revealing an otherworldly nature about him. He had two small pointed horns sticking out from short messy obsidian black hair and two small nubby tusks that grew from his lower jaw.

From relaxing, to standing on his feet at a moment's notice, something had disturbed his rest. The shadow of something large passes overhead. The boy’s keen narrow eyes turn upwards, towards a sun obscured by distant floating lands. He fails to see the owner of the shadow, but he does see something falling from the sky.

Tracing it with his eyes, he sees a barrel. This alcohol container falls at a fast pace, soon to pass the boy’s own floating island. He had very little time to choose what to do next, but he made his decision with a leap. A powerful jump sends him soaring through the open sky, both hands outreached before him as he grabs the falling barrel. Snatching it from the air he lands upon a floating landmass a distance from the tree he rested under, barrel in both of his hands.

The barrel was much larger than himself, yet the boy held it without any effort at all. The boy looked over the barrel, wondering to himself whether it was treasure or trash. Carefully studying this strange thing that fell from the sky.

Gently, he places it upon the dirt. He was quick to reach for the barrel's lid, intent on opening it and looking inside, but before he could, something came out.

With hollow pop the lid opened, the snout of a white fox pushing through it. The boy took an immediate stepped back, gasping dramatically as the cute fox appeared before him.

“There you are,” It said, a distant and feminine voice emerged from the creature. “If I’m right, which I always am, you’re Volley correct?”

The boy, shocked, points to himself at the name. There was a pause, the gears grinding in his head.

“Yea thats me,” Volley finally said, placing his fists on his sides. His thick eyebrows narrowed together as he studied the fluffy fox before him, unsure but somewhat intrigued in its intentions.

“Excellent! I am The Madame Chief, you may call me Chiefu.” The fox proclaimed proudly, “I’m here because someone recommended me to you child.”

Volley crossed his arms and put a perplexed expression on his face, tilting his head to the right side. “Nice to meet you, Chifu? What am I recommended for?”

“Haha, its Chiefu kid, and I’m the boss of your aunt, Saki.” The voice said from the fox, the creature cutely sat in the barrel, sniffing the air occasionally with its small nose. “And she said you might be interested in this!”

The radiant white fox seemed to lean forward while puffing out its chest, suddenly with a glow, an envelope seemed to materialize in thin air. A corona of white light surrounds it in its sudden appearance, before slowly dimming as it gently floats down toward Volley.

“I heard you are strong Volley, I like strength. Fight in my tournament!” Chiefu seemed to whisper from the white fox, her voice echoing in the magic she just displayed.

Volley catches the envelope from the air, inspecting it over in his rough red fingers. A look of shock, followed by an expression of pure joy grew on Volley’s face as he digested Chiefu’s words. “Oh wow! Really! I haven’t seen Aunt Saki in years! Would I really get to see her!?”

“Of course, should you accept, she’ll be waiting for you. I promise.” Chiefu chirped through the fox, “I can also promise you incredible rewards should you enter and win~!”

“Sweet! Well I’m in!” Volley states with enthusiasm, ungently shoving the unopened letter into his pocket. With a big grin he then looked expectantly at the fox. “So where do I go?”

“Oh, uh, you are actually supposed to read that.” Chiefu’s voice said with a confused reluctance.

“Nah! I’ll read it later.” Volley declared giddily, “I’ve gotta go see Aunt Saki!”

“Huh, well…” The fox’s voice fell short, as a white tail materialized on Volley’s backside, not that he noticed. The small fox gives an animated sigh, before hopping out of the barrel and sitting on the ground next to it. “Fine, that will do. Now, all you have to do is get into this barrel.”

Volley looked a little confused, but didn’t let his smile drop. “Okay!”

In a few moments Volley climbed into the barrel so that only his head and shoulder poked out the top. He looked down at the fox with growing excitement and expectation. “Alright, what do I do now!”

“Just stay still.” Chiefu voice musically whispered through the fox.

Then suddenly, faster than anyone could react, a golden invisible force materializes and slams into the cask. The white fox looked on, its small head following the wide arc of the screaming barrel boy as he flew into the horizon. Its tail swayed behind it as it now sat alone amongst the floating lands.

---------------Phoenix Bay---------------

Billy Brent Braimer or Long Nose Billy as his friends liked to call him was the best and only fisherman amongst the Crossguard in the CrossRoads. His long black hair swayed in the breeze, his 4 inch long nose twitched slightly as he appreciated the clean salty air. He stood knee deep in the water, wearing a pair of rubber pants over his lower body to keep his uniform dry, fishing pole in hand.

Truly the only companion he needed was the scream of his fishing poles reel as he cast into the deep blue of Phoenix Bay.

Hark, he notices something, bobbing amongst the gentle waves of Phoenix Bay. He finds that slightly strange, it wasn’t there a moment ago, where did it come from?

He slowly trudges through the waves, pushing against the current to find his way to the treasure brought in by the waters.

Before he could make his way up to the object, a hand blasts violently out the top of it. Billy now realizes that he’s looking at a barrel, a barrel with someone inside!

“Rah!” With a warcry, the barrel is torn asunder as a red skinned boy splashes into the water, sputtering slightly.

“Oh hells! A demon in a barrel!” Billy shouted, pointing towards Volley. “Or if I know my demons, an Oni! Now what is an oni doing in a barrel!”

“Drowning!” Volley cried standing up in the surf, looking from side to side quickly. His eyes then landed upon the Phoenix Coast in its glory. They were a bit of a distance from the buildings on the shore but that did not stop Volley’s eyes from beholding the rest of The Crossroads. “Where am I?”

“This is The Crossroads boyo.” Billy said, walking up and helping Volley to more shallow waters. As Billy did, his eyes zero’d in on the fluffy white spectral tail that poked out from behind Volley. “Oh! So you are a contestant, well that makes a lot more sense.”

Volley turned from looking at the entirety of the Crossroads to looking back to the Crossguard. “Yea, I’m a contestant, still a little hazy on the details, I still haven’t really read the invitation. My name is Volley, who are you?”

“Haha, not much of a reader eh? No worries, you look like you are plenty good at other things. My name is Billy Brent Braimer, but you can call me Billy Long Nose!” Billy said, flashing his own giant grin and offering Volley an open hand.

Volley chuckled at Billy’s silly name, grabbing the man’s hand and giving it a shake. “Nice to meet you Longnose.”

“Ha, nice to meet you kid. Now if you’ll follow me, let's get you checked in shall we?”

Volley

[Volley] Round 1: Enthusiasm and Vigor

Original doc

The sounds of fighting filled his ears and set his heart aflame. Even from here Volley could hear the sounds of combat going down within the crossroad’s arena. The sounds were distant and brilliant, giving Volley a taste of what was to come.

Volley’s face swelled with a boyish toothy grin, sunlight scintillated across his light blue eyes as he cheerily marched through the Phoenix Coastline. Abundant stalls, tricky dealers, fishy folk, and travelers flowed through the streets and passed by as the young oni child took his first real looks at the Crossroads.

Truly, this was a unique place, to bring all these people together in such a way, it was brilliant! This and other similar thoughts roamed Volley’s mind as he engorged himself on visual fine colors and curiosities in store around each and every corner.

Billy Brent Braimer, or Long Nose Billy as friends and fellow cross guards called him, had his thumbs firmly tucked under the traps of his uniform and mozied alongside Volley, yammering with him about all the cool things there was to see.

The Phoenix Coastline itself, from Volley’s perspective, was a grand gateway to the wonders the Crossroads might hold.

Long Nose Billy waved his hand in front of him, pointing to multiple distant landmarks telling Volly. “Aaand that over there is the Aristocrat District, I actually live there, believe it not, but it is not as fancy as you may think eh, it is just where the Crossguard Lookout’s are.”

Volley followed Billy’s hasty pointing, trying to take it all in as Billy described his surroundings. “So you are part of some sort of group? How many of you are there?”

“Lets just say there are enough of us eh, we protect this place and the interests of the one who runs it all. Glory to Inari! We just really want to help out.” Billy explained proudly

“Whoa that's so cool! I could use all the help I can get!” Volley cheered, “Do you guys fight a lot, are you strong!?”

“Oh yea, all us Crossgaurd’s are basically officially recognized buttkickers.” Billy said with an eager grin, jabbing at the air with multiple clean successive punches.

“Great stuff! Good to know I’m surrounded by strong people, that means there is a lot worth doing here.” Volley clapped encouragingly at Billy’s form. “I wonder if all the Crossguards are as cool as you Billy, maybe I’ll sign up!!”

“Whoa there kid, you just got here.” Billy said, giving Volley a playful jab on the shoulder. “Besides, you are already a challenger in the tournament, I’m sure you will have more than you can handle soon enough.”

Volley blinked, as if he lost focus of why he was here for a moment. Volley let the conversation between him and Billy hang for a moment as they entered a particularly noisy section of the Phoenix Coast, nearly reaching the next stage of their journey across the Crossroads.

“So I can’t help but realize that you seem a little hazy on some details eh. I can tell you have never been here before and potentially never heard of it either. Do not worry, you are not the first nor the last who has found yourself upon the Crossroad’s mysterious shores.” Billy explained, trying to come from a place of helpfulness and security.

“Well, it's not that.” Volley stretched out his words, thinking about exactly what he wanted to say next. “My aunt Saki lives here, she might be the reason I was invited at all. Aunt Saki is legendary in the eyes of all the people from back home and in my family, so I know a little about the Crossroads. I never looked for Aunt Saki, but I couldn’t let the chance to meet her pass by.”

“Well well, that is quite the story. To think you would be related to Miss Saki, I suppose it is obvious now tho haha. Well Volley, if you would like to see your aunt, then the Fox’s Den is where you need to look. Conveniently enough, it just so happens to be the tallest building in the entirety of the Crossroads.” Billy explained, pointing towards the magnificent structure which stood tall behind the Cross Colosseum.

The duo ascended the stone cut staircases, entering and then crossing the aristricat district before using a shortcut Billy was well acquainted with to pass quickly into the business district.

As Volley and Billy walked towards the Fox Den, the colosseum loomed even closer. It was a colossal structure to contain the colossal duels going down within. It was quiet now, no sounds of fighting ringing out into the air. Volley looked with wide eyes as they passed by, really absorbing the details of the circular arena and its many grand doorways inviting all within. For the first time Volley felt unsure about where his feet had taken him, this feeling lingered with him as they both walked through the colosseum’s shadow.

“The Cross Colosseum. Terrifying is it not? Like all beautiful things ought to be eh?” Billy said in a lowered voice, leaning closer to Volley to share that opinion with only him.

Volley let those words sink it, they only added to the mysterious energy Volley felt from the structure.

Billy and Volley talked very little until they finally reached the doors of the Fox’s Den. A doorway of the highest quality and craftsmanship greeted them. Beyond it a marvelous multi lounged bar awaited. It was filled with people of all shapes and sizes, the air was thick with conversation and banter, hardy laughter, and the occasional surprised shriek was all heard from the rabble. Despite the bar’s great size, its clientele were legion and occupied much of the inside of the bar.

“Alright, it is your time now Volley. If you go in there, you will find your aunt. I will go ask some questions and figure out who your opponent is tomorrow morning and return once I find out.” Billy said, straightening his back as he addressed Volley, a determined smile upon his face.

Volley looked towards the entryway to the Fox’s Den, he gulped back his apprehension and offered Billy a thankful smile. “Couldn’t have done it without you Billy, thank you for getting me here. Wish me luck?”

“Ha, I’ll save my wishes of fortune for when you step onto the Cross Colosseum eh.” Billy Brent Braimer simply stated with no hesitation and without another word the Crossgaurd walked off, back towards the colosseum they just passed by.

Volley watched Billy walk away for a moment, before returning his gaze to the doorway of the Fox’s Den. He took a deep breath and walked inside.

---

The smell of various sweet, sour, and full bodied drinks seemed to make themselves at home in the airspace within the Fox’s Den. Fun of all types was participated in by the various guests, dancing, games of dexterity, music, storytelling, and people celebrating important events such as great achievements and birthdays. As Volley slowly moved across the Fox’s Den, towards the crowded bar in the back, he began to realize that this place was more than a bar. This was a meeting place of important and interesting people, travelers, heroes, and vagabonds all drawn here to this nexus of alcohol.

After skirting past a man passed out at his table, the crowd at the bar parted before Volley and there she was.

Saki was an Oni of superior size to Volley. Her muscle mass alone must have outweighed him by two times. Her back was currently to Volley, he could see the gold band that held her imposing hair style together, the bulk of her shoulder muscles flexed with her each and every motion. Her tail shifted side to side, unconsciously moving either on its own or by Saki’s own habits. Behind her was a wall filled with bottles, they came in a great assortment of colors and shapes, she was able to reach every shelf, plucking bottles from their places, pouring the contents and then placing them back perfectly in place. These trained motions were extremely natural to her, formed over many years working behind the bar.

Volley was awestruck at the apex oni before him. He took a few timid steps forward, but did not dare touch the bar as he looked wide eyed up to Saki.

Before Volley found the courage to speak, he was spoken too. “Bought time squirt, I was wondering if you’d come running.”

Saki’s words could have swept Volley off his feet alone, he found himself dumbfounded, unable to react to Saki’s words.

“Typical for us Oni’s, we run towards things rather easily. Most of the time… willingly.” Saki gazed over her shoulder giving Volley a view of her profile. Saki’s face was so rigid and strong it could have been carved from timeless red rock. She narrowed her intense eye on Volley, their gazes finally meeting. “The thing that I am wondering is if you came running into something you are not prepared for?”

Volley had been struck by Saki’s words up to this point, but the moment Saki asked her question, Volley responded passionately. “No way!” He slapped the bar with both hands to accentuate his point, making a decent noise upon impact.

There was a moment of pause, neither Saki nor Volley moved. Saki’s indifferent enigmatic eye held on Volley. Volley in turn gave Saki as brave a look as he could, it was a candle flame to the sheer inferno that was Saki’s simple stare.

“Pfft haahaa!” Amazingly, Saki broke first, melting her stern demeanor down into something inviting and pleasant.

Volley let out a breath he had not realized he had been holding, he was relieved as the intensity of the situation lifted off his shoulders.

‘Clunk’ the sound of a glass cup being solidly placed is heard as Saki presents Volley with some sort of concoction she had been working on seemingly before he made his way up to the bar. “It’s been a while, kid. I hope you still like the sweet stuff, booz are off the limits. I don’t want to have to wrestle your mother… again.”

Volley’s face sprouted a smile as he eagerly grabbed the cup before him and downed its contents almost instantly with a few quick chugs. It was delicious, it was a mix of sweet fruit juices with certain zesty sour additions. The smells of berries and apples filled Volley’s noise as a more deliciously complicated flavor exploded in his mouth.

“Gah! Wow thanks! I definitely needed that.” Volley said, gasping for breath after finishing the whole cup. “What’s in it?”

“Lots of things Volley, there are an endless amount of tasty things out there, one just needs the courage to try them all. Welcome to the Fox’s Den kid, here’s a menu.” Saki said, handing Volley a menu she pulled out of her apron.

“Thanks!” Volley said, opening it, quickly skimming over its contents. “Btw it's uh.. It's good to see you! It has been so long, like really long!”

Saki places a hand on her chin, raising an eyebrow in contemplation. “Time works funny here, but I guess you can say that. The Crossroads is a mysterious place, just from walking through a bit of it, I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

“Yes, I have noticed, it’s different from anywhere else I have been. But I think that makes it a worthwhile place to visit! Even if I had to join a tournament to get here.” Volley explained, climbing onto one of the bar seats, looking up to Saki with big fascinated eyes.

Saki grinned down at Volley, basking a little in the young Oni’s excited energy before saying. “We will have to see if you feel that way after tomorrow. First day of the tournament, that is when the real fighting begins.”

“I’ll get a first hand experience! EIther I knock the socks off my opponent or get my socks knocked off! Just like dad would say.” Volley placed his elbows against the bar, leaning in to get closer to Saki.

Saki’s kind smile grew smaller, but did not disappear. She gave Volley a long look, up and down, doing her best to get a better idea of just who her nephew had become since the last time she saw him. “You always had a spark Volley, tho I gatta warn you kid, we both know you are tough, but you’ll need something more than just being tough to make it out there.”

Saki pointed a finger towards and beyond the doors. The direction of the Cross Colosseum. “Out there in the colosseum, you will need more and then some. It's gonna be dangerous, are you up for that?”

Volley thought about it for a moment, a confident expression crossed his face and he looked Saki in her large wise eyes. “I said I would do it and there is a great prize. So I don’t see why I shouldn’t give it a try at least.”

Saki lost her smile now, putting on a poker face, pointing towards Volley. “See, that mentality is how trouble starts. I had something to prove so I stepped onto that ring. A fire drives you Volley, the same one that burns in the hearts of every Oni. I am not your mom, I am your aunt, I’ll make sure you are safe. I can fix every part of the body with my elixirs and spirits, but I can't fix a broken heart.”

The way Saki said this in a stalwart deep tone. It shook Volley, that uncertainty he felt when looking towards the colosseum began to creep back up his spine. He found himself unable to look Saki in the eyes and he pondered her words.

Just then, breaking Volley’s train of thought was a voice from behind him.

“Ah, there you are Volley. I see you found who you were looking for eh?”

Billy Brent Braimer squeezed his way through the crowd of drinkers and approached the part of the bar Volley was sitting at, reaching an empty seat next to him. The oni boy looked over and smiled at his new friend as he joined him at the bar.

“Hello Miss Saki, good afternoon.” Billy said respectful to Saki.

“Crossgaurd” Saki said with a nod to Billy, she looked back to Volley. “I’ll let you think about what I said, I’m gonna make sure all these hooligans are respecting my bar.”

As Saki walked off, Billy leaned an elbow against the bar and looked at Volley, giving the boy a confusing look. “So I found out who you are up against.”

“Really? Who?” Volley asked, preparing himself for what Billy had to say.

“She is a red headed woman with emerald eyes eh. Her name is Vilivian. I have not seen her for myself yet, but I imagine we will both get our chances tomorrow.” Billy explained, an eager smile on his face. “You still feeling up to the tournament? You can pull out any time if you are not feeling up to it.”

Volley didn’t give the immediate enthusiastic response he had given Saki prior. After a few moments thinking about it to himself, Volley gave Billy an accepting confident smile “I came all the way to this great place and I was essentially handed a chance to potentially do something great. I feel like it would be silly not to at least give it a try.”

Billy nodded in approval to Volley’s words. Appreciating the willingness to go forward. “I would like to be there with you as you walk out, if that is okay. I did promise I would wish you luck before you fight, right?”

Volley gave Billy a toothy large grin and nodded enthusiastically. Accepting the long nosed Crossgaurd’s invitation.

At that moment Saki walked back up to the both of them. She silently handed Billy a simple glass of water, which he eagerly accepted.

“So I have something for you.” Saki stated, presenting a long object wrapped in what looked like an old blanket. “I kept this around for sentimental reasons, but I think you need it now.”

Volley’s eyes grew to the size of dinner plates, reaching eagerly for the gift Saki presented before him. The moment she let go, Volley could feel the weight of the object, surprising given its size. He unwrapped it, eagerly pulling away the blanket to reveal a weapon.

It was like a baseball bat, made entirely out of iron, with steel studs all along its face. It was old and used, old signs of battle marked its head, its handle was wrapped in an old yet tightly wrapped leather. Volley could barely believe what he had been given, he ran a finger across the steel studs in the weapons face.

“A Kanabo… and it isn’t too big either!” Volley said, holding it in his hands properly, wielding it to feel out its weight. This weapon would be difficult for any normal person to use, but for Volley, it was perfect.

“I used that when I was really young, did right by me, hopefully it will do right by you too Volley. You can use it till you don’t need it anymore. Then you can give it back.” Saki said, holding a certain kindness in her voice, she smiled warmly as Volley admired the weapon.

“Absolutely!” Volley declared, standing atop the chair he was sitting on, both hands on the handle of the Kanabo. “I’ll show you aunt Saki that I can be as cool as you! I promise, I’ll show you what I can do!”

----

The Cross Colosseum was bursting at the seams with excited and elated people. It was a circle of cheering loudness as every seat was filled with those who came to watch a fight.

It was a bright sunny day, with only a few lazy clouds drifting in the blue expanse above.

Volley stood next to the tunnel entrance into the colosseum, the noises of the fans echoed in the entry tunnel which opened to the colosseum’s center. He poked his head out, gazing at all the fans and people who filled the seats. Until he found the one he was looking for. A strong female oni, still wearing her bartender outfit, sat in a seat close to an exit, she wore a poker face and held her arms crossed patiently waiting for the show to begin. Volley smiled upon finally noticing her, he pulled back into the tunnel giggled to himself from the sheer excitement of it all.

“Ready to go?” The voice of Billy said. Volley looked over and saw the Crossgaurd wearing his own smirk, standing there with his thumbs tucked into the straps on the front of his clothing. “There be monsters out there eh. Ready to face’em?”

“Right now I feel like I was born ready. I’ve been wondering about this Vilivian red head all night, I wonder how strong she must be to be here!” Volley speculated energetically.

The Crossgaurds enigmatic smile almost seemed to glow in the light of the tunnel “Well Volley, we are all about to get front row seats to see for yourself, you just happen to be in the splash zone.”

**BONG!**

Both Volley and Billy looked towards the entry way as the starting gong was struck.

“Well, this is it, now I’ll say good luck to you Volley. In this colosseum, you’ll always need it.” Billy Brent Braimer gave Volley one last thumbs up and a confident tilt of his chin.

Volly chuckled at Billy’s gester, before shooting the Crossgaurd his own thumbs up.

**BONG!**

“Yup! That’s right! It's that time again folks! Welcome back to another great day for the Crossroads Tournament! My name is Ms. X! Pretty please give me your full attention!”

A roar of cheers swirled through the colosseum like a rogue wave as Ms. X appeared, standing proud, amongst the stands. Mic in hand, a cute bubbling smile upon her face, and a pep in step was what greeted the crowd. Many were obvious fans of Ms. X and seemed fully enthralled as she took the stage.

Ms. X skipped with a jolly jaunt, ending with a well placed swing of her hips before announcing. “Today we have the first round of what will hopefully be an exciting competition this time around! Not like that every competition is always super exciting! Isn’t that right~!”

Ms. X held her microphone out to the audience, who answered with a resounding wave of yeses and I love you’s.

“Oh yea! That is what I want to hear! Folks, I don’t think we should wait another moment to meet today's duelists. So please give them a Crossroads greeting when I call them onto the field! Let us practice that Crossroads GREETING EVERYONE!”

The entire colosseum seemed to vibrate with the sheer force of the cheers and whistles, people stomped their feet and clapped their hands. Ms. X holds a satisfied, almost proud expression as she lets the crowd go wild.

“WOO that’s right! Now that's what I like to call good PRACTICE for an actual Crossroads greeting!” Ms. X placed a hand on her hip and winked at the audience as she said that, getting more cheering and some laughs.

“But I think we’ve waited long enough to meet today’s fighters. So, ladies and gentleman, without further adieu.” Ms. X said almost cheekily, closing her eyes for a moment as she waited for the moment to build in drama. “From the west tunnel. With hair the color of fire and eyes like emeralds amongst embers. We have a warrior of a timeless nature. People of the Crossroads, please welcome Vilivian of Lilith!”

The very moment Ms. X finishes her introduction, Vilivian of Lilith emerges from the west tunnel.

Her striking emerald eyes seemed to pierce into Volley even from here as Vilivian walked with purpose towards her spot in the colosseum's center. With each graceful advance Vilivian made, her braid gently swayed like a pendulum behind her. In the sunlight, it almost glowed.

The crowd exploded in cries as she walked onto the battlefield, but she didn’t seem to pay the screaming onlookers too much mind. She continued until she reached her designated starting spot and only then did she scan the people around her. Her emerald eyes studied those in the audience, noticing details that normal people would never be able to make out. After nearly making a three hundred and sixty degree spin, assessing the people in the stands, she calmly reached behind her and pulled forth a large blade. It was a clean sharp looking sword, masterly crafted for a warrior of unknown purpose. Vilivian held it into the air, allowing all around her to see it, before sinking the blade into the earth at her feet with a quick decisive action.

Then Vilivian looked towards Ms. X and waiting patiently for what was to happen next.

“Oh yea, what an entrance! Squeee, so cool, I love contestants that can really bring that style! Now for our second contestant! From the east tunnel! A young man who found a passion for the fantastical and amazing! He’s a traveler, someone many people here at the Crossroads and relate too! Welcome to the field, Volley! The Oni!” Ms. X yelled to the crowd, who roared in response.

Volley took to the field, the sun streaking over him as he exited the shadows of the tunnel. He clenched his Kanabo in one hand, but with the other waved towards the crowd. Giving them all a large smile as he jogged onto the field.

Volley did not take too long to get to his spot on the field. Getting into place, he finally looked Vilivian in the eyes. Vilivian looked him up and down, but her expression did not change nor did her posture. The only thing Volley thought he noticed within her green eyes was perhaps a look of distaste.

Volley gave Vilivian a nervous smile, trying not to let his nerves get the better of him in this important moment. “Hi!” Volley said meekly, before offering an awkward hand to shake.

“Hi.” Vilivian said, unmoving from her poster, she eyed Volley’s hand suspiciously for a moment. Before reluctantly taking it and giving Volley’s hand a single shake.

Volley couldn’t control the shiver that ran through his body, he couldn’t place the texture of her hand, how different it was from his rough warm hands.

The moment the two shaked hands, the crowd's cheers reached an all time high. The anticipation had finally built to this moment.

Volley released Vilivian’s and and stepped back into his place, unsure what to do next. He turned his head to Ms. X who seemed to be getting slightly distracted by fawning fans.

Once Ms. X noticed both Volley and Vilivian had shaken hands and were in position, she brought her microphone up to her mouth again. “Alright! Don’t you just love to see some sportsmanship between fighters! Now then, I believe we can get ready to begin! Remember the rules are simple, fight until one of our fighters gives up or is incapacited! Good luck to you both!!!”

Ms. X floated a few feet off the ground and held a hand up to the sky. Above her, a massive number three appears in thin air. “Here we go! Three, two…”

The floating numbers counted down in cohesion with Ms. X’s words. Volley looked back to Vilivian, who was now giving him a curious look, but still with that same unlying distaste he couldn’t quite place the origin of.

“...aaaaaand ONE!”

BONG!!!!!!

Ms. X’s count ended, the sound of the went off again for a third time. The battle had begun.

If Volley hadn’t been quite literally staring at Vilivian, what happened next may have done him in instantly.

The oni boy felt an instant moment of panic the moment the count ended, because Vilivian was already on him. He did not even blink his eyes, he did not have the time, before Vilivian naturally just flowed into position and took her strike.

There was a great cracking sound as Vilivian’s bare hand connected with Volley’s chest. It sent the boy flying right across the colosseum field, almost back to where he entered from. Instead of being sent careening into the east entryway, Volley slammed into the rock walls of the colosseum with a terrible impact.

The whole audience gasped and quieted by the sudden and violent display. Everyone in the audience strained their necks to try and get a better view.

Volley gasped as a small amount of blood spilled onto his lip. His back was planted into the stone wall behind him, spider-like fractures creeping up in every direction around the impact site. Volley held his Kanabo with both hands, holding it above his chest. A small stream of what looked like smoke seemed to just exude where Volley had just barely blocked Vilivian’s devastating attack.

Volley, wide eyed, looked down at himself and the spot on the Saki’s Kanabo where Vilivian’s strike had impacted. A new battle scar had been added to the weapon. Volley then looked up and towards the center of the colosseum where Vilivian stood, arms crossed, standing where Volley previously stood.

Volley suddenly seemed to realize exactly what just happened and pulled himself from the wall, breaking more of it in order to drop to the ground. He landed on his knee and took a moment to breathe. The wind had been knocked almost completely out of him. What he didn’t do, was take his eyes off Vilivian, now knowing that to do so might mean his end.

Then there was silence, neither moved for a moment, they just stared at each other. It was only finally broken when the voice of Ms. X filled the colosseum. “Incredible! If I didn’t have my eyes plastered on what just happened I would have for sure missed it! What an incredible first attack from Vilivian! It has sent Volley reeling!”

The crowd began to cheer again, shrieking out and applauding such an incredible attack.

Volley stole a glance at the audience, he felt his heart drop as he realized that Vilivian was already gaining the support of the crowd, cheering and begging her to attack him like that again! He gritted his teeth as he used the Kanabo to push himself to his feet with it.

It was the moment Volley began to push himself to his feet that he felt something, a mistake, he had made a mistake, he felt it but didn’t know why. All his senses flared, every warning signal went off in his brain. Something old and primal in his blood was almost trying to tell him something. His eyes enlarged as wide as they would go, staring directly towards Vilivian.

Sure enough, she once again seemed to glide across the battlefield, almost floating towards Volley as she moved at supersonic speeds in his direction. Volley could now see her eyes as she came for him, they were focused and deep. As she blurred forward, her eyes seemed less like human eyes and more like the eyes of an ancient predator.

Volley realized it now, his body was screaming at him in this way because that is exactly what Vilivian was. She was a predator, he stepped into a colosseum and they had set a true lion on him.

Vilivian’s charge ended in a high impact precise strike of her fist. It was a strike that could easily bore through solid earth, which it did. Vilivian’s strike slammed into the floor of the Cross Colosseum, marking the floor of the battle field with a destructive mark fit for Vilivian’s might.

The half matriarchal knew her attack didn’t land the moment she didn’t feel breaking bones or obliterated flesh. From her perspective, Volley had almost completely disappeared, which did not suit Vilivian’s fancy. She pulled her fist out of the earth and immediately scanned the area all around herself, but her eyes failed to notice Volley before her ears did.

Vilivian could hear the sound of Volley’s heart, it was like a drum, beating harder and larger than a humans by the sounds of it. Vilivian whipped her head to the origins of that sound, it was above her.

There rising higher and higher into the air above the colosseum. Reaching ten feet, then reaching fifteen feet, the pushing nearly twenty feet high in the sky as Volley rabidly backflip spun straight into the air. He had tucked his arms, legs, and tail in towards his body to increase his center of gravity as much as possible, allowing him to backflip faster and faster as he reached max height.

For the first time since the battle began, Vilivian seemed genuinely momentarily baffled if not confused by the athletic maneuver Volley utilized to avoid her attack.

The only ones more surprised was Ms. X and the audience.

“Incredible! I’ve lost count of how many times Volley has spun in the air and he just keeps going. What an incredible way to avoid another crushing blow from Vilivian!” Ms. X shouted into her mic, nearly jumping in place as she witnessed the spectacle before her. The crowd also began to grow in intensity, cheering and screaming in emotional passion as they watched Volley do the impossible.

Volley curved over Livilian, landing closer to the center of the battlefield on his two feet. He hefted his Kanabo up a hand on his waist proudly as he wiped a bit of blood from his lip with the other, giving Livilian a lively grin.

Livilian straightened herself and let her shoulder relax and hang loose. She tilted her head looking upon Volley again with the same long silent stare she had offered him the entire time since he walked onto the field. Volley noticed something different in Livilian’s eyes now tho, that look of distaste had been replaced, it was something new, something Volley didn’t know if he liked or not.

She seemed intrigued. Perhaps somehow interested now. Then Livilian closed her eyes and she smiled.

“Hark, there are so few that I have seen look at me with eyes like mirrors. So many stupid men fail to see the mountain in between them and their ambitions… few are different… few are like you. Before I even landed my first strike, you saw the incredible incline. I thank you, I suppose, for not making that mistake. It is refreshing.” Vilivian spoke, her words held centuries of weight in them, she believed her word full heartedly and it was obvious to see that her beliefs were reinforced regularly.

“Tho I get no happiness from this fight, I am amused. Volley, I’d ask you to give up, but you would have already.” Vilivian stated simply, “Am I wrong?”

Volley held his lively smile as he listened to Vilivian’s words, as she asked her question, Volley could only shrug and give an almost sheepish expression. “Yea sorry, I won’t be giving up, sorry you aren’t enjoying this? Walking away without fully trying? I feel like I would be disappointing someone.”

“Do not apologize to me, that is most improper indeed” Vilivian said, any warmth from her face fading as she went back to staring only daggers at Volley. “This merely proves my point. I can tell from the sound of your heart how afraid you are, yet you are too foolish to listen to your own blood’s warnings. Perhaps you do not deserve that body you seem so keen on abusing.”

“I don’t know if I deserve my body, but it is my body to abuse as I choose.” Volley said, that lively smile growing somehow more intense. “You also seem really worried for my well being, which I appreciate! Everyone has been so nice to me since I got here. But unfortunately Mis Vilivian, you are also my enemy and my enemy should be wondering why I am unarmed.”

Volley spread his fingers, showing off his empty sweaty palms, his lively grin almost becoming deranged as blood slowly trickled from the side of his mouth.

Vilivian only had a moment to realize the failure in her perception, for her it was a moment of confusion and rapid thinking. All of it quantified in a single shift of the head upwords, towards the sky.

Like a judgement from heaven, Volley’s Kanabo swung around and around in complete beautiful arcing circles, falling down with the full support of gravity behind it. It fell in such a perfect rotating way, that the head of the weapon found purchase square on Vilivian’s forehead.

The impact made a sound like a coconut getting grand slammed by babe ruth straight out of the park. There was a great collective pained “ooooooh” as every onlooker collectively rubbed the spot on their heads where Vilivian was clobbered. Ms. X covered her eyes, but her heart pupils to peek out from her fingers, unable to look away.

Even Volley looked pained, his smile fading as Vilivian hit the ground hard, the Kanabo also hit the dirt and was sent skittering away…

A terrible silence washed over the colosseum, a few seconds go by, all eyes plastered on the spot Vilivian lay. The oni child held his breath, the adrenaline caused every silence moment to be followed by a fiery heartbeat that filled his own ears with the sound of thumping. A single bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face, slid off his cheek, and hit the ground.

Instantly, Vilivian was on her feet again. There was barely a transition time of her being on the ground to standing back to her feet. The entire audience gasps at her sudden jolt of movement, but none so spooked as Volley himself who took a few steps back.

The mood had changed now, Volley no longer felt good about this fight, he had felt very clever up until this moment. That all changed upon seeing Vilivian’s face.

What he saw caused him to feel a very real fear.

The spot she had been clobbered was black, like a stain across her flesh. It grew, the blackness seemed to spread across her pale skin. Like oil spilling into water, it seemed to merely spread. A few strands of her hair horrifyingly began to fall out, not all her hair, but pieces, a chunk or two, falling down past her face onto the ground. The slow changes seemed to all culminate into one sickening crack of bones that seemed to originate somewhere in Vilivian’s spine, her whole body twitched and jerked, as Volley could swear she grew slightly taller.

“I try..” She says, the words escape a quivering jaw, pure anger was palpable in her every word. “I try so hard… so hard not to kill just everyone I meet.”

Volley took further steps back, his teeth clenched together as he watched merely the beginnings of this transformation. Any expectation he may have had getting thrown out the window.

“Stupid stupid stupid little oni…” Vilivian’s face was contorted into a special type of rage, as if she was about to release years of built up frustration all at once. She began to take steps forward now, her hands reached out towards Volley revealing that her fingers were growing longer and longer right before his eyes. “I tried… I really tried. You stupid stupid little oni. Now look at what is happening, there is no way to stop it either, not until you die or are erased.”

*clank*

Volley’s slow steps further and further away from Vilivian came to a stop. His back hitting something hard. He turned his head and looked up at the long curved blade sitting embedded in the ground behind him. The moment he touched it, Vilivian stopped. Volley turned his eyes back to Vilivian and saw her unmoving now, staring at the sword he had backed into.

“Get away from that, you wouldn’t dareth touch it again. That sword is not for you.” She said almost from a distant place. “Step away from it, so I do not get your blood upon it.”

Volley, eyes filled with fear at this monstrous form of Vilivian approaching him, blinked. “T-then stay back! Or...or I’ll lick it!”

Vilivian nearly sputtered at the idea, her face now fell to disbelief. The pain from her wound mixed with her slow transformation causing her to lose herself faster and faster. “You… You would not dare!”

“I would!” Volley growled disobediently, he immediately repositioned himself so that he was facing both the blade and Vilivian.

Vilivian could only look in shocked anger as Volley reached up and placed both hands on the hilt and grossly licked the blade's surface. He looked Vilivian in the eye with desperate fear with each salive filled lick. As he pulled away there was a single line of saliva running from the blade to Volley’s outstretched tongue.

Vilivian could only stand there and watch this defilement. Finally she took a step forward, to do something, to stop Volley. However, she found that step difficult to make as her body changed further and further. Her own transformation taking hold, Volley stopped and bore witness to this horrific display. Vivilian’s hair was all but gone at this point, her skin had completely shifted black, her feet and hands were extended monstrous renditions of what they were. Soon any and all complicated thought, began to leave Vivilians mind.

Seeing this, Volley’s fear transcended itself. He stood there clenching the handle of this sword, his tongue barely in his mouth, as we slowly watched this display. Volley finally fell prey to full panic, he looked all around himself for a way out, for a way to escape. After some panic flailing Volley’s eyes centered on the blade he was holding in his hands.

This sword had gotten him into this problem and it may be the only way to get out of it. Volley could see the fear in his own eyes as he gazed into the shiny metal of the blade. It was an incredible sword and so Volley attempted to pull it out.

He gave a single mighty oni heave, the ground beneath him shifted and cracked, there was almost a groan from the ground. Despite his mighty heave, Volley failed to pull the sword from the ground, he didn’t even make it budge!

Volley fearfully glanced back over to Vilivian, who had now almost grown 3 meters tall. Her face and head had shifted into an elongated calf skull topping the horrible demon body she had had. Any former physical similarities between the horror Volley now saw before him and the woman he had been fighting was gone. All that was there now was a monstrosity that would surely kill and eat him.

Volley turned back to the blade, he once again saw his reflection in the blade. At that moment Volley felt as thoough he had lost and that it was over for him. That the journey, the adventure had ended, far too early.

He thought of Saki and how he just wanted to meet someone as cool as her. Maybe learn how to be a little cooler himself.

“GRAAAAAA!” Volley released a scream, he bared his nubby oni tusks as he released a primal deep warcry. Volley then pulled harder than he ever pulled before. Fueled by his adrenaline, his hopes, his fears, and his desire to live all came out in an incredible final attempt on the sword. The earth around the sword blade ground, quaked, and cracked more and more as Volley pulled and pulled.

As Volley roared, Saki, who sat in the audience, stood up and began to roar. The sheer energy of the moment reached deep inside Saki almost the same way it did for Volley. The bartender ripped off her sleeves, revealing her bursting muscle underneath as she joined Volley’s warcry.

Demon form Vilivian finished the extremes of her transformation, momentarily existing in the afterglow of the transition, before snapping to attention. Once again she narrowed on Volley and she too released a cry, but hers was not heard in the air, it was heard in everyone's present minds. She began racing towards Volley, prepared to finally bear down on him and tear him to pieces.

With all three screams filling the background, Volley pulled and finally the sword came free! Like a plant being ripped out of the ground, the sword took a huge chunk of rock with it, making its freedom imperfect but Volley didn’t care.

He screamed, he held the sword up high in both hands and turn to face Vilivia’s monstrous form. She came right for him as she screached for murder!

“YOU WANT THIS!!!” Volley roared as death approached, “THEN GO GET IT!”

With a single three hundred and sixty degree spin, Volley released the sword. Holding it from its handle, he spun it around like an olympic weight thrower before releasing it.

Releasing the blade into the air, arcing above and over Vilivian. The creature scraped against the ground to stop their charge, looking almost desperately at the blade that kept getting higher and higher, farther and farther. Until it flew above the Cross Colosseum, over the Fox’s Den, and into the sky where it twinkled distantly as it was flung somewhere over Mount Mei.

Vilivian, through her head injury and transformation, looks somehow momentarily baffled as the sword disappears into the distance. A baffled moment that ends with Vilivian jumping into the air and landing on the roof of the colosseum. She released another terrifying telekinetic screech that echoed through the minds of those present in the colosseum, before racing off into the distance, after her lost blade.

Volley stood exhausted, eyes wide, heavily breathing, and only now feeling all the aches and pains that littered his body after this exchange. He waited a few moments, just to see if she would come back, but thankful she did not.

Slowly the oni boy looked to the audience and towards Ms. X. All of whom were quiet other than low murmuring and whispers amongst the crowd.

Ms. X waited a moment, as if she too expected Livilia to return. When she did not, Ms. X looked around, cleared her throat, and shouted.”ISN’T THAT WHAT YOU ALL CAME HERE TO SEE FOLKS! Another incredible day here in the Cross Colosseum! What an intense exchange! The drama! The fear! Don’t you just love it folks!!!”

That is when the crowd went ballistic. All the energy they had soaked up during the battle, all the twists and turns, it was all too much. Volley was struck by a wall of people cheering his name, people were standing and clapping, some cried. It is unlike anything Volley has ever seen.

“I think I speak for everyone in the audience when I say that it is apparent Volley is the victor of this round in the tournament! LET HIM HEAR YOUR SCREAMS!”

Volley could only stand there, baffled, slowly a smile grew upon his face as he slowly calmed down from his intense encounter. He waved to the people, doing his best to thank them. People began to approach him from the stands, walking into the colosseum to join Volley. Billy Brent Braimer was the first at his side, congratulating and patting Volley on the back. Others came up to him, slowly Volley was surrounded.

Before Volley completely turned his attention on the crowd that grew around him. He looked past them all, into the stands.

There he saw Saki standing where he last saw her. A smile on her face as her tattered sleeves hung loosely in the wind.

Rum

by Cap

Rum

Reference Sheet
Audition	Passed
Round 1	Lost to Pembrooke
Round 2
Round 3
Tournament Status:	Lost in R1

CAP

Aliases/Nickname(s)

Cap

Pronouns/Gender/Sex

[He/Him]

Vocation

comic artist/ writer

Discord:

Cap#8063

Twitter:

@theoneNonlycap

Rum

[Rum] Audition

Original doc

We met where you’d expect us to meet, a graveyard.

The old widow placing flowers at the foot of her husband’s grave is such a trope. Few ever notice me, and those who do are immediately frightened, but she was a rare exception. I asked about her day, she asked about mine, and from there, we just started talking.

It was nice to have a friend. I would tell her the tale of kings and peasants, heroes and villains, and all the rest in the last moments, welcomed into my arms as equals. She would tell me about the husband she lost, the son she sadly outlived, and the grandchildren who don’t call anymore. An uneventful life for the most part, but one far too often taken for granted.

I never got to give my final goodbye. Someone else was probably tasked with being her guide. Not that I can complain. I was too emotionally compromised by then. However, she left me with a bizarre set of instructions.

I made my way to her apartment, where I found two envelopes left on the table. I don’t need to explain your red envelope. The white one was more cryptic. She made me promise that I wouldn’t open it if and unless I won, and if I couldn’t win, pass it on to whomever beats me. It’s supposed to contain her wish.

--------------------

The featureless shinigami finished telling his tale to the indescribable figure, this so-called ‘God Eater’. Her skin, hair, and everything else glowed too bright to make out any details. The silhouette and voice were the only indicator that the divine being was even a “her” at all.

“So you plan on joining on behalf of the old lady?” Asked the shady figure cloaked in radiance.

“Haha, not quite.” the death spirit admitted “My duty is to protect the cycle of life and death, and a mortal with the power of a wish is a major threat to the status quo, regardless of their intent. If her wish was something selfless and harmless, I’ll grant it, but my main objective is to prevent anyone else from getting their hands on the prize, if you would allow me.”

“Interesting.” The lack of words in her response felt very intentional. One doesn’t earn the title of ‘God Eater’ by telegraphing their thoughts or any extra information. She walked up to him and reached forward, her hand passing through him empty visage like a vacant gust of wind. “You can do whatever you want with the wish if you can win it fair and square, but this is a bigger problem.” A small chuckle passed through her lips. “I’m not matching up my contestants of my tournament against a depressed fart cloud. If you’re going to compete in my tournament, you’ll have to slip into something more corporeal… if you would allow me.”

“By all means,” he invited, “let the games begin.”

Behind the burning bright light, the shinigami could just barely make out a mischievous grind on the God Eater’s face as she raised her fingers and…

*snap

--------------------

Darkness, darkness, and yet more darkness…

...and then…

Unimaginable discomfort!

Wet organs wriggled from within, skin wrapped around like latex. The shinigami felt nauseous simply because he had a stomach capable of the sensation. By mortal standards, he was perfectly healthy, and yet he felt anything but.

Then came the first sensation of touch. It was, wood followed by a warm breeze against his cheek. There was a welcoming aura around him that eased the burden of flesh slightly. He finally mustered up the courage to open up his eyes. The blurred shapes of what looked like a tavern shifted into view along with the bar he was propped up against. He turned to see an amber glass next to him. His newfound arms scrambled clumsily as one tried to lift himself up while the other raised it. As his eyes grew focused and the liquid within the glass settled, he could make out his reflection. A relatively young man with raccoon ears stared back at him. He didn’t need the reflection to feel the matching tail behind him. Clearly, this was the God Eater’s idea of humor.

“Are you planning on drinking that or are you just admiring the color?” A gruff voice asked nonchalantly.

The shinigami could barely make out the oni bartender who posed the question from the corner of his eye, his sight finally clear, but he remained fixated on the glass. “...Is this me?” he inquired, still perplexed by his new form.

“Not unless your name is rum.” She joked in an attempt to break the awkward tension. “My name’s Saki. The boss already told me your story, so we can skip all that flowery stuff about kings, peasants, and tropes or whatnot. Do you have a name I can call ya?”

The shinigami broke his trance and realized he had stumbled into a conversation. “Uh, no. My people don’t normally have names.”

“Of course you don’t.” Saki rolled her eyes. “Do you have one you’d want to go by?”

“Rum will do”

“...Rum?” Her eyes narrowed

“That’s what you called me a moment ago, isn’t it?”

“As a joke!” Saki protested, “Look, I get that you reaper folk are all anti-materialistic with that whole ‘it all returns to ash’ mumbo jumbo sentiment, but you can’t take something as a name so lightly. It’s what the world uses to recognize you as… well you.”

“I can’t think of anything better at the moment, and by the time I do, the name ‘Rum’ will probably stick by then. Besides, I like names with fewer syllables. It helps to speed up conversation.”

“If you say so.” Saki shrugged, “It definitely has fewer syllables than ‘Hana’s replacement’, I guess.”

Rum, now with better control over his arms, carefully placed the glass down before looking back at Saki, his head tilted inquisitively. “Who?...”

“Hana, she’s the last one invited to the tournament that hasn’t shown up. I figured, by process of elimination, that you were her substitute.”

“That has to be a mistake then. The name of the old lady who gave me the invitation was Eliza.”

“I don’t know what to tell ya. There’s no mistakes on the roster.”

Rum slowly turned away, pulled out the white envelope, and stared blankly. It had never occurred to him to ask why a seemingly ordinary old lady had an invite to the tournament, and then all of a sudden, the name of the invitation’s original owner, Hana, waltz into the story, only creating more questions. His first and only friends had been keeping secrets from him

It was at that moment, Rum had inherited all the essential ingredients of a mortal: a body, a name, and a deep sense of worry.

Rum

[Rum] Round 1

Original doc

One of the cruel truths of this world is that tragedy is subjective.

20 years ago, there was a man named Anthony Freemont. He was the father of two talented and bright daughters. He was the husband of a salt-of-the-earth woman. He was the friend to a lonely and weary carpenter who was just about to turn his life around. He was many things to many people, but nothing extraordinary.

When his name was printed on the obituary, the world just kept on spinning as if he was never real. To the world, he was just another increment on a very mundane heart attack statistic no one bothers to keep track of, but to Eliza, he was the son she was cursed to bury.

She sat there in the privacy of her tiny dusty apartment, staring at the crimson envelope pinched tightly within her fingers.

That godless tournament…

She would’ve slaughtered every last contestant in it with all the wrath a lioness would show to anyone between her and her cub if it meant the chance at wishing him back, but sadly, these were not the claws of a lioness holding the letter, but the twigs of a pathetic old hag.

Time had robbed her of everything. Bones had become as brittle as sand, muscle had melted into fat and jelly, and eyes that could once see a mile away now needed glasses so that she could read and read and read obsessively that godless letter down to the last letter, comma, and period. She desperately wanted to believe there was another loophole. Something that would just let her skip it all and let her win, but no, not this time.

The letter was completely and utterly worthless to her now, yet she still held on. Why? Was it greed, was it blind sentiment, or was it some bizarre logic left unexplained? We shall never know, for the dead tell no tales, and they have no obligation to answer your questions.

--------------------

Rum stewed on this story, or at least the half he actually knew. Could that have been her wish or just a red herring. Would a dead person wish someone they would never see back to life?

“Hey, daydreamer, anyone home!” Saki waved from the other side of the bar

Rum turned to her and nodded “Good morning, Saki”

“Yeah yeah, good morning to you too. You’ve really been sitting in that same chair since last night I see. You should probably know that sitting around is bad for your health, that being something you need to take care of now that you're as flesh and blood as the rest of us” Saki pulled up a plate of french toast. “Speaking of which, eat up. There’s no way in hell you’re competing on an empty stomach”

“You sound like a mother talking to her child.” Rum winced “It feels a bit embarrassing to be lectured like this.”

“Don’t worry, it can’t get any worse than when you showed up at the doorstep naked.”

“Pardon?!”

“The boss just kinda left you there like that unconscious after explaining your whole situation to me. That’s why you’re wearing the spare uniform. It was the only thing I could find in your size.”

Rum picked up a fork and began poking at the meal in front of him in an attempt to distract himself from the mental image forming in his head. Then it dawned on him. “This is the first thing I will ever eat.”

“And?”

“I’ve never tasted anything before. Shinigami have sight, hearing and touch, but not taste. It’s not something we’d ever use because eating is something reserved for mortals. What is taste like? How is it different from sights and sounds? And why do mortals obsess over it?”

Saki scratched her head while trying to piece together the right words “I wish I could tell ya, but anything I could say wouldn’t do it justice. You’ll just have to see for yourself.”

Rum shrugged before picking up a knife and cut into the meal, mimicking the actions he had seen thousands of times before. He went through the motions, placing the food in his mouth and chewing. Then it hit him. The soft fluffy texture, the sweet sticky syrup. It may have been the only thing he had ever tasted, but it was still the greatest meal he had ever had. He shook himself out of the dopamine kick. This was sustenance. A means of ensuring he wouldn’t faint when confronting his opponent.

There was a light moment of fear as he wondered what if he couldn’t figure out how to swallow, but luckily, instinct took over and guided the nutrients to his stomach. He cleared his throat and mouth. “Thank you very much. This is quite generous of you.”

“Nah, it’s nothing. The boss made it my job to make sure the contestants are in fighting condition. Mostly, that just means patching up wounds and whatnot, but if I left you to go into the colosseum malnourished, it would be my ass on the line probably.”

“Regardless, I thank you” Rum did his best to exercise his table manners, eating, talking, but never doing both at the same time. “Speaking of which, what can you tell me about this first round?”

“I was gonna get to that. I’m not gonna sugar coat this and say it will be easy. You’ll probably need to tap into some of that shinigami magic you have.”

“Right, with the powers of a shinigami, no foe will stand against me.” Rum lied through his teeth. Much like eating, fighting was an activity reserved only for mortals, and much like this meal, a confrontation with an opponent would be as painfully drawn out and awkward for the death spirit. He gulped “Go on.”

“Your opponent is a human named Pembrooke Artysup. He’s a soldier decked out with a bunch of guns, knives and what not, but the real kicker is that this guy has his own goddamn mech. No clue how that thing is tournament legal given that it’s the size of a house, but it’s not my place to judge. You probably should see it for yourself before your match. It’s parked on the bay. The crazy thing looks like the sci fi movies I watched when I was younger, pretty otherworldly.”

“...otherworldly?...” Rum murmured “Saki, this may sound like a random question, but have you ever heard of a band called Dance Gavin Dance?”

“Oh, well sure I do. They’re one of my favorites.”

“And could you list the band members?”

Saki’s brows curled in confusion “Will Swan, Mathew Mingus, Tim Feerick, Tilian Pearson, and Jon Merth”

“And you’re sure that last name is Jon Merth and not Jon Mess?”

“Yes, I am sure. Where the hell is any of this going?”

“Nowhere, I need to get going.”

“What? Now?”

Rum didn’t bother responding. He abandoned his half finished breakfast and dashed out the door.

Saki felt disappointed. She knew his reaction had something to do with the question, but she couldn’t pin down what it was. A shinigami couldn’t be this upset over simple rock n roll trivia, could he?

--------------------

Pembrooke sat on the warm sand, taking in the cool breeze. He wiped the sweat from his forehead after a good long hour of maintenance. Checking fuel, assessing damages, he was going through the motions that were drilled into his skull at boot camp. Most of it was unnecessary, but it kept him grounded. He felt a little proud seeing that he was done fast enough to enjoy the sunrise. Or atleast, that’s what he thought before realizing that it was past 9 o’clock according to his watch. There was only one sun in the sky and assuming his watch was right, it was rising slower than it should have. This place was truly alien to him, he thought, and that’s when he heard the stranger’s voice.

“Mind if I join you” a winded Rum called out.

“What is it?” Pembrooke replied with a lack of enthusiasm. At first he mistook the death spirit for another one of those attendants until he saw the tail. Only a contestant had one of those from what he was told. He quickly jumped to his feet. “Ah Hell...”

“I want to talk, but before that, I want you to shoot me.”

“They told me my opponent would be a jackass who named himself Rum, but I didn’t think you were that stupid!” Pembrooke jeered in his confusion.

“If I am being that stupid, then what do you have to lose. The rules said nothing about prematurely killing your opponent. All you would need to do is show up to the colosseum and declare yourself the winner. Surely you can kill. You’re a soldier. That’s what you’ve been trained to do.”

“It’s going to cause one hell of panic if people start hearing gunshots.”

“You have no idea how many guns I’ve heard over the course of my existence. I can assure you that we’re far enough from town that all anyone will hear is a pop of what sounds to be a firecracker.”

Pembrooke pulled out his pistol from inside of his coat and took aim. “If you have a death wish, far be it from me to tell you what to do!”

Click

Bang

And then there was nothing. No blood, no corpse, just Rum standing exactly where he was, unharmed. He walked forward. Pembrooke took another shot.

Bang

Same thing

Another

Bang

Rum was now at point blank range. It would be impossible for Pembrooke to miss as his ironsights perfectly lined up with the center of Rum’s forehead.

Bang

“As you can see Mr. Artysup. I am not merely a silly man with a silly name. I am an immortal. A being who cannot be touched by Death, for I am its servant. Would you be willing to follow me down the rabbit hole and listen to what I have to say?”

Pembrooke lowered the gun, gripped in trembling hands. “It doesn’t sound like I have a choice.”

“Everything in existence is finite. It is finite because that is how it is meant to be. Your loved ones and the moments you share with them along with every pleasure you have or will ever experience has value because they are finite. Death is what makes them finite. Death is what gives every instance of Life meaning. I have dedicated my entire existence to upholding this principle. However, the concept of the multiverse spits in the face of it all. Everything reoccurs infinitely with no start or end, with no meaning, only madness. Even if the concept is real, you must pretend that it isn’t in order to preserve your sanity.” Rum lectured “The reason I am explaining this to you is because anything otherworldly to me is not real. I wish to avoid fighting, and settle this match between you and I through a logical debate, but I will not listen to whatever sad story you may use to guilt me into forfeiting because you are not from my world, and therefore you are not real to me.”

The soldier gritted his teeth. He understood what Rum was saying, but that didn’t mean he had to agree with any of it. Life had beaten him down and told him that he was worthless. Would he just stand here and let Death tell him the same? “Fuck that! You can go on and on about how many infinite copies there are of me, all running around the multiverse, but despite all that, there’s only one version of me here. Not two of me, not three, and not a billion. I am the first ‘me’ you will talk to and the last, and I’d say that makes me just as ‘finite and meaningful’ as anything else, so if you want to keep this ‘logical debate’ going, you’re going to have to acknowledge that I am just as real as you!” As the agitated adrenaline wore off, Pembrooke took a step back in regret as he realized what he had done. He had lashed out at a supposed angel of death, and there was no tell how he’d react.

There was a pause. Rum took in the words. He looked at Pembrooke with a small chuckle and a pleasant smile. “This is the second time today I’ve been embarrassed. To think despite all the years I’ve been around, I still have so much learning left to do. You’ve reminded me of an old proverb, ‘inchi-go inchi-e’, “one time, one meeting”. I may butcher it, but essentially, it means that every moment of life is a once in a lifetime moment. A conversation, even with a total stranger, will change you in ways that will stay with you. Perhaps, you are right. Perhaps despite everything, you are the realist thing there is. After all, there’s no one else at this present moment, and the present is all we have. Why are you here? What is it that you want from this tournament?”

“A new motorcycle...” Pembrooke looked away, knowing what a weak answer that was.

“But surely it’s not worth risking your life ov-”

“I don’t know what else to wish for. Ok?!” Pembrooke got defensive. “I became a soldier, so I could get a scholarship to college, and I’m trying to get into college so I can get a shitty desk job and work my ass til I croak. I have nothing going for me, nothing that any wish would fix.”

“You should be careful. The military has a way of taking advantage of souls that believe such lies about themselves. I’ve seen many men die and just as many survive and do horrible things at the orders of their commanding officer.”

“Do you expect me to just defect, go home, and live with my mum for the rest of my life? I’m not a grim reaper like you. I need food, shelter, and a job that can pay for both. Even then, the military would just find someone jackass to take my place.”

“That’s not what I’m saying at all. I may not be mortal, but I understand how hard it is.”

“Then what?”

Rum rolled his eyes “This is what annoys me about humans sometimes. You treat destiny and fate as something open to interpretation. If destiny is something good, you refer to it as something you need to achieve, but if it’s bad, you refer to it as something that must be defied or overcome. The truth is that it is neither. Sometimes life will put you in situations where you have no reasonable options than to submit to what fate has dealt you, but other times you will get the opportunity to decide for yourself which road to take. Your current situation may be the former, but the latter will come, and when it does, you need to remind yourself that your thoughts and feelings matter as much as anyone else because you are real. Never make such assumptions about your future that you have nothing to look forward to. That’s something you will decide later when your moment comes.”

“That’s pretty damn corny.”

“Only because I’ve had centuries to rehearse, watching soldiers willfully throw away their lives on this cursed assumption that their death is all they can achieve. For that long, I have kept quiet, but with this tournament and my current situation, I’ve been forced out of my shell. I have an old friend to thank for that.”

Pembrooke looked at his watch. He saw the few minutes that had passed by, but that wasn’t what he was interested in. He took it off and tossed it to Rum.

“What’s this for?”

“It’s my tag. I don’t know what I want to do with the rest of my life, or if I’ll even make it past my tour of duty, but either way, I sure as shit don’t want to risk my life fighting weird magical creatures in a weird fantasy world like this. I’m going home.”

--------------------

Rum made his way back to the Fox Den with his prize in hand. Saki was just as surprised to see him back as she was to see him run off.

“Hey there.” She greeted him

“Hey to you too.” Rum waved “I want to apologize for leaving in a hurry. That question I asked about the rock band was a test. I was curious whether you were from the same world as me, but after talking to someone, I’ve learned that it doesn’t really matter. You’ve helped me quite a bit so far, and I’m happy to have met you.”

“Well shucks, that’s nice and all, but where did you run off to?”

“I met with Pembrooke”

“And how’d that go?”

A woman cloaked in a black dress popped in behind Rum and interjected “It went wonderful!”

“Hey boss.” Saki nodded to Madam Chifu.

“You were watching me? Who are you?” Rum asked

Madam Chifu replied in her brash and confident voice “I’m the one managing this tournament. It’s my job to keep track of everyone. I must say that you did quite a decent job pulling the little soldier boy’s strings. He was so shocked by your bold stunt, and so easily distracted by your sugary words that he never bothered to realize that he could have simply knocked you out with a clean punch. You’re a servant of death, but you don’t have much power over a nice long nap, do you?”

Rum scowled at this mysterious lady. He may have done what he needed to win, but every word he said to Pembrooke was genuine.

“There’s only one small problem.” Chifu continued, her voice losing some of its sarcastic pep. “I have a tournament to run, and settling your match outside of the colosseum on your little date at the beach is a real let down to all the spectators. My poor little X was heartbroken when I told her your match up against Pem had to be cancelled because you already won. The tournament is going to be very dull if you keep pulling the same trick over and over. A good trickster should have more than one up their sleeve, and I’m expecting your next round to be a tad more entertaining for my audience, so here’s my proposition. Your next round will take place inside the arena. There will be a proper fight, and I will make sure your opponent is read up on every strength and weakness you have. You can either agree to these terms, or I will never tell you about who Hana was.”

Chifu’s words were laced with venom. She could have easily threatened to kick Rum out of the tournament, but she knew that it would drive him mad to never find out what Hana’s role in this story was. He had disappointed her, and now her eyes were focused on him. What would he do now?

Pembrooke Artysup

by dragey

Pembrooke Artysup

Pembrooke

Reference Sheet
Audition	Passed
Round 1	Won
Round 2	Forfeit, lost to Vilivian
Round 3
Tournament Status:	Lost in R2

DRAGEY

Aliases/Nickname(s)

Dragey

Pronouns/Gender/Sex

[entry/entry/entry]

Vocation

writer

Discord:

dragey#0182

Pembrooke Artysup

[Pembrooke Artysup] Audition: The Birds in the Sky

Original doc

Pembrooke Artysup

[Pembrooke Artysup] Round 1: A Fragile Ego

Original doc

2021 Writer League

Piano & Forte

Piano & Forte

Piano & Forte

Reference Sheet

zacknapattack

Social Media

[Piano & Forte] Reference

[Piano & Forte] Audition

[Piano & Forte] Round 1: A Dance in Shadows

Dawn of Conflict:

Initial Discovery:

Battle of Darkened Warriors:

[Piano & Forte] Round 2: Violet Winds

Dance of the Fox and Snake:

Mounting Pressure:

Violent Winds

[Piano & Forte] Round 3: Black and Purple

Settling Ebony

Rushing Violet

Black and Purple

Calming Covenant

[Piano's Epilogue] The Devil Blood and the Angel of Judgement

[Forte's Epilogue] ChifuxForte Date Night

Vilivian

Vilivian

Vilivian

Reference Sheet

CMK

Social Media

[Vilivian] Reference

Backstory

Personality

NAME

Profile Data

Abilities

Preferences

Creator

Abilities

Ability 1

Ability 2

Ability 3

Strengths

Weaknesses

Gallery

Author's Notes

[Vilivian]: Audition

Reach the Crossroads and claim your wish.

[Vilivian] Round 1: Parallel Regrets

[Vilivian] Round 2: Good Fun

[Vilivian]: Round 3: The Allegory Between Instances of Aptitude and Practice

Quan Huynh

Quan Huynh

Quan Huynh

Reference Sheet

ICE CUBE

Social Media

[Quan Hyun] Audition: Oh, to compete for a wish

[Quan Hyun] Round 1: Underestimation is a Two-Way Street

[Quan Hyun] Round 2: Together, Better

Angelique & Vivi

Angelique & Vivi

Angelique & Vivi

Reference Sheet

JSHyena

Social Media

[Angelique & Vivi] Audition: Don't Call This Determination

[Angelique & Vivi] Round 1: Don't Call Us Similar

Prince Armius Tu El Kaligos

Prince Armius Tu El Kaligos

Prince Armius Tu El Kaligos

Reference Sheet

BOOTMAN

Social Media

[Prince Armis Tu El Kaligos] Audition: The Strongest Audition in the Universe

[Prince Armis Tu El Kaligos] Round 1: The Strongest Hobo in the Universe

Volley

Volley

Volley

Reference Sheet