A’nar watched the female fighter below. One of his oldest friends, Iron, had sworn on the sacred sands of Al’Safar her fights would be the opportunity of a lifetime.

Relaxed. Calm. Like she is demonstrating a kata. A’nar thought his partially blind eyes seeing more than mere sight. A group of young Ranked is nothing more to her than a light afternoon stroll in the pavilion gardens.

As the Rank Ten Team, Shatterstorm, reached the midpoint of the Arena sands Lady Eve exploded into motion. Her speed was faster than mortal sight, and A’nar watched through his Sight as the stone cracked from the starting point of her movement. In a single instant Lady Eve was behind the enemy team, casually throwing the splatter off her bloodied blade. In the instant that red smear struck the sands, three bodies crumpled from the Shatterstorm team.

The glass and water mages, and last the bow. A’nar gasped. Spatial movement! Blessings of the ancestors, a Tier Three with one of the High Elements!

A’nar controlled his breathing and calmed his shaking hands. Gesturing to one of the nearby servants in the luxury suite he owned the elderly merchant of the Golden Sand said, “Bet all my liquid assets on the woman, Lady Eve.” The servants were well trained at his eccentrics, and this one was no except departing swiftly without delay.

Unfortunately there is simply not enough time to place anything but liquid assets on her. By the time any property sold, she would be finished with this endeavor. A’nar thought. Perhaps she is raising funds for something?

Scribbling a note in code into his personal Skill known as Trade Scroll he went back to watching the fight. A’nar shook his head as the two remaining melee fighters and the fire mage attempted to encircle Lady Eve with fire and blade. A simple duplication of her previous trick and the fire mage joined the other fallen mages on the arena’s holy sands. The last two melee fighters burst out with Skills to burn their potential in exchange for heightened power but it was useless, as anyone could see.

A’nar saw Lady Eve make two shallow cuts on the assassin, her sword moving like a demon possessed before it then shattered the cooling gem on the tank’s plate armored helmet. His brow tightened in confusion as Lady Eve retreated instead of pushing the initiative further.

“Mercy? No, something else…” A’nar mumbled to himself before his sharp Sight caught the tiny coin sized rot spreading from the two minor cuts on the assassin’s skin. His voice echoed with horror, “Cursed weapon, how utterly tyrannical!”

Weapons that could spread Curses were known far and wide, each demanding a specific price for their use. Most were created from the grudges of their dead wielders, but quite a few could be crafted with the right mindset. Lady Eve had ten weapons visible, five swords, and five daggers if all of them were Cursed it would be a terrifying prospect. A’nar could practically see the odds changing in front of his eyes for the next fights, as the implicit power of a Curse was a titanic force multiplier.

Iron! Damn dwarf! I could have made so much more with a little extra time to work with you metal soaked midget! A’nar thought bitterly. So much gold lost from lack information. I’ll make sure there’s nothing but vinegar on my table when you visit next shorty!

He could practically feel the gold slipping through his fingers. A’nar gave a deep sigh before watching the results of Lady Eve’s strategy. The rogue slowly succumbed to the rot, his body collapsing mere minutes after the sword had inflicted wounds. Finally, leaving only the plate armored fighter alive and alone on the sands. The tank’s ending was written in the sacred sun though, as without the cooling gem his armor slowly but surely started cooking him alive inside. As the last of the Shatterstorm team flailed ineffectively at the lightly robbed form of Lady Eve the curtin closed. The tank attempted with futile effort to close in on her dancing form in order to bring Skills and Spells to bear, but anyone watching could feel cold shivers on their spine. Death was baking the plated mail wearer without mercy.

Ruthless! A’nar thought praising the woman. Taking the least effort for the maximum results, pure art!

With a final flourish Lady Eve managed to get a solid strike in on the plate mail wearing tank slipping her sword into the armpit. Backing off, she watched without mercy as the rot of her Cursed weapon claimed the final enemy. After the tank collapsed on the sands unable to hear the roar of victory, Lady Eve raised her weapon in a salute to the fallen before then saluting the crowd as she turned in a circle.

A’nar watched as she vanished from view down the ramp in the arena wall which appeared heading to her room for rest. With a grin he turned to the servant that entered his own luxury suite a moment later and asked, “Is it done?”

“Yes, Exalted Golden One. All liquid assets have been placed on Lady Eve.” the servant replied while bowing. A’nar waved him off before opening his Trade Scroll to verify the claim. After ensuring all liquid assets were indeed reserved for betting, he moved to the contact section of his scroll. Tapping a few names A’nar invited several allies of his trade consortium to visit by penning a magical missive to them with his fingers. The cost of sending through his Trade Scroll was minor compared to the benefits of such great individuals attending.

Within a few moments the three people he contacted arrived, each taking a seat facing the arena floor. A’nar was pleased that his servants remembered the specific foods and drink each visitor enjoyed. Once everyone was settled, the real meat of the discussion began.

“Lord Glass, Guildmaster Zif, and my most hated competitor Caroline, thank you for attending.” A’nar said.

Lord Glass was a tall thin figure with coal black hair, golden eyes, and a fine oiled beard of darkness bedecked in expertly woven robes that sparkled with tiny piece of his namesake embedded upon them. As one of the foremost glass mages in the city, it was his apprentice who had recently fallen.

Zif was the local guildmaster of the Adventurer’s Guild branch with unearthly beauty that transcended mortal limits. Her current form was one of the great Nephilim half-breeds and A’nar suspected she was older than the city in truth. She was an astute water and fire mage, her blood allowing her to combine both magical schools with minimal backlash. While he had no proof, A’nar suspected both of the remaining fallen mages were disciples.

Caroline on the other hand was a mortal version of the unearthly beauty of Zif. Her golden hair, sapphire eyes, and generous figure ensured most negotiations went in her favor. A’nar managed to avoid the active aura of Charm the female merchant exuded being dependent on Sight which effectively countered her abilities. She was well known to fund any good looking gladiator that relied on the more physical pursuits to win. The blond merchant often charmed said gladiators into complete obedience before having the fighters sign contracts of almost complete slavery. However, she wasn’t above giving those in her employ a little extra to help win a fight, and if A’nar wasn’t wrong the cooling gems were just such a gift.

“What do you want A’nar? Your message was tantalizing but brief.” Caroline said, leaning back on her chair and raising her goblet laden hand for more wine. The hateful blond merchant knew that he only kept the best for guests of such stature, and she always drained at least a cask of his best wine dry.

“I wondered if any among you would like to bet with me? I have several properties within the city I would be willing to wager, if anyone is interested.” A’nar said with his trademark grin.

Glass took the bait first and asked, “Agreement under the System?”

A’nar nodded and said, “The Gilded Cage, Sapphire Serenity, and Heaven’s Bath. Each for each.”

All three of his visitors glanced at each other before Caroline sipped her now full goblet and asked, “Gold or equivalent?”

“Equivalent is fine.” A’nar said waving one of his fingers as he let the sparkle of the jewels inlaid within his rings flash in the soft lighting of his room. “Each of you can put up one, I’ll put up all three, agreed?”

Each of his visitors looked thoughtful before they nodded in agreement.

Zif said, “I’ll put up one of the warehouses near your own by the docks.” A’nar nodded before looking expectantly at the other two. Lord Glass said, “I’ll put up my smallest mansion within the city limits.” Caroline followed Glass’s statement by saying, “I’ll put up the gladiator training center in the Arena.”

“We’ll have the wager last until the twentieth round, since there is no telling if Lady Eve will stay past that.” A’nar said, receiving noises of agreement from the others.

After everyone was satisfied with the details a System message flashed a wager agreement to each of them. Upon signing turned their attention to the sands below as the next round commenced. A’nar was thrilled at the wagers, since he knew for a fact that Lady Eve used spatial manipulation due to his Sight. The likelihood of any contest short of the last five rounds containing Champions defeating her was almost nil.

If she’s canny enough to conceal her Law of Space as a physical skill, I’m willing to bet she has a way of dealing with Elementals too. A’nar thought. The only reason these three fools bet is because they cannot see what I know.

A’nar snapped his gaze to Lady Eve as she stepped out onto the sands for the next round. No longer did he see a mere challenger, instead the woman was like a walking fountain of gold. He took a sip from his wine marveling at the vintage as the Voice of the Arena echoed once more.

“The challenger, Lady Eve enters to grace the sands once more!”

“The Rank Nine Team, Melt, is here to demonstrate their skill!”

Both teams reached the small raised stone dais while waving to the surrounding crowd. Not a trace of the previous battle could be seen, as the Arena sands were well known for devouring anything left upon them after the winner departed.

Melt specializes in fire based long range attacks, hot enough to turn sand into molten glass. A’nar thought his eyes looking deeply at the sand below. However, it won’t help them now.

Lady Eve took a single step landing to the side of the seven mages that formed Melt. She turned to the left, causing the enemy team to be arrayed against her in a disjointed line. Fireballs, flame blasts, heat rays, and a firestorm all missed their target as she took a second step toward the enemies. When she almost instantly appeared behind all the mages, A’nar gave a wide grin. The frozen tableau beneath him demonstrated once more the crushing superiority of his chosen champion.

Like soft feathers falling, each mage fell separated into chunks. It was even more eerie as their spherical fire shields held the remains inside. Only a few glowing lines crossing the spheres demonstrated where each shield had been precisely penetrated by the sword that reaped their lives.

Fantastic. A’nar thought with a well-hidden grin.