The Coliseum was a massive, grand structure located in the northern area of Yivesh. Having just visited the city center not long ago, Samantha thought to herself that it would have blended in perfectly with the striking architecture there. Here, however, the circular structure surrounded by a wide ring of open space could not be overlooked by any passersby. Currently, this ring was dotted with pop-up merchant stalls looking to make some money from those visiting the Coliseum. All manner of items were sold, from clothing, to food, to medicines, to weapons, but Samantha didn’t pay the criers asking for her patronage any mind since she already came prepared with everything she needed.

She looked up at the looming building, drinking in the 50 foot tall stone walls. They seemed more imposing now that she was about to be one of the combatants that so many people watched and cheered on.

There were at least a dozen sets of ornately railed staircases carved into the rock of the walls in a spiral pattern, with regularly spaced landings dispersed throughout where visitors could walk through an open archway that led to the inside of the building. Samantha remembered from her own time visiting as a mortal that beyond each archway was a short tunnel that opened up to a row of seats that circled the Coliseum grounds. Since there was no fee to watch a duel, there was no seating that any one person could reserve–though there was an unspoken rule that the weaker a person was in cultivation, the further away they would sit.

The ground-floor seating which bordered the fighting area in the center of the Coliseum was the smallest section, and generally taken by those of Mid-Bronze rank or higher. This allowed them to have the best view of the action, as well as made them the first line of defense in case of stray combat arts or debris. From there, the rings of seating gained height and distance from the fighting area similar to the inside of a bowl.

Lost in thought, Samantha didn’t notice her father’s outstretched hand behind her until it was gently placed on her shoulder. Her parents had been putting on their best fronts for her the whole walk from Cray’s Creations, chatting with her amicably about nothing in particular. Unfortunately for their valiant efforts, Prey’s Awareness allowed her to see every crack in the facade whenever she turned away from them and they didn’t think she could see them. She wouldn’t dare bring it up, though. It was sweet that they were doing their best to put her at ease, even in this situation.

“We know you need to go and meet your adjudicator, so your mother and I will go on ahead. We’ll be towards the back, but we’ll cheer you on loud enough so you can hear us in the fight! Good luck.” Aldon said, tousling her short hair playfully.

“You be safe too, little man.” Martha cooed, crouching down and scratching Silas behind the ears. Silas positively purred with delight as his back leg thumped rhythmically at the spoiling touch.

“Wow, so I’m no longer the favorite, huh mom?” Samantha teased, giving both of her parents a sweet hug.

“Psh! Don’t be silly. You’re the best daughter I’ve ever had.” Martha shot back with a wink.

“...I’m the only daughter you’ve ever had?” Samantha replied.

“You’re right. That also makes you the worst daughter we’ve ever had!” Aldon added on cheerfully. “Go on now, or you’ll be late.”

Samantha waved goodbye with a laugh and made her way through an oversized front entrance that was exclusively for employees or combatants to enter the Coliseum. After asking a few helpful people for directions, Samantha found the private room that she was scheduled to meet the Adjudicator in.

The room looked like a perfect cube had been hollowed out from the thick rock walls surrounding the arena. There were no windows and only a single door leading into the room, but the space was not as claustrophobic as she would have thought. A delicately carved wooden table set with two chairs on top of a vibrant patterned rug drew her eyes to the center of the room. A qi lantern giving off a warm glow above the table did its best to make the space more welcoming, and allowed her to see the various scrolls around the room clearly. Every scroll depicted a different scene from nature, and they all seemed to be painted by the same skilled artist.

As she closed the door behind her and took a seat at the table, an enchanted script on the backside of the door lit up. The symbols etched into the stone door reminded her of the stitching on the changing tent she had used in the black market, and she guessed that it secured the room somewhat against scrying or listening in.

She scooped up Silas into her lap and stroked the fur on this head absentmindedly for a moment. His warmth and softness was comforting, and helped to take the edge off her nervousness. She leaned back against the chair, closed her eyes, and let out a deep sigh.

Feeling her stress, Silas nuzzled into her palm, “We’re going to win! Don’t worry. We practiced so many strategies… there’s no way we can lose!”

Samantha could feel Silas’s slight nervousness through their bond, but couldn’t help but smile at his enthusiasm anyway.

“It’s not just that. I was remembering the last month and couldn’t help but think about how stupid I had been acting. And for what? It ended up not mattering anyway.” Samantha elaborated.

“What do you mean?” Silas asked.

“I mean… after our fight with the brothers in the forest, practically every action I took was out of fear. I snuck into town in the dead of night, terrified that they somehow had the whole city looking for me already. It worked out all right, but things could’ve ended badly for us if I was caught. It would’ve been difficult to explain the situation to an Enforcer in a way that didn’t make me look like a criminal–especially considering that trying to carry undeclared spirit beast materials into the city counts as smuggling.”

“I didn’t like that night either. The wall was way too high!” Silas pouted.

Samantha gave him a scritch behind the ears and continued, “Then, I didn’t even feel like I could go home directly to my family. After what… nearly two months away…? I knew how worried my parents must have been about my safety, but I was too afraid to be seen associating with them so soon after the incident. I was scared that if someone recognized me, they’d connect the dots about who I really was and my parents would suffer the consequences.”

“The snack woman must be protected.” Silas agreed solemnly.

“Then I decided to try and have Thomas feel the situation out while I hid in the slums–again, out of fear. Sure, I had some interesting experiences while I was there, but also horrible ones. Would Aiden still be alive if I had never gone there in the first place…?”

Silas pressed himself closer to her, doing his best to radiate reassurance.

“And, to top it off, that was where I made my first kill–against another person, I mean. I tell myself that they were evil people… that they deserved what they got, but is it really so clear cut as that? Was it my place to bring my own form of justice down on them? Or maybe I should be more honest with myself and call it what it is: vengeance.”

“Why be upset that you were stronger? That’s how it is. If you have the power, you take from others. Supplies. Territory. Life. What you take and for why doesn’t matter, only strength. It is natural for things to be that way.” he questioned, confused about her dissonant feelings.

“Maybe.” Samantha conceded, “Maybe as a cultivator I will need to adjust my thinking some to be more like yours. Still, that entire situation put a time limit on my life here. If the Rat King was speaking the truth, if I don’t leave for the second floor in the next 16 days, I’ll be locked out of System Functionality–whatever that means. Even if he was lying, I don’t doubt that there will be some hefty consequences for missing the time limit, even though I couldn’t find more information about it in the Atheneum.”

Samantha sighed again, “I’m just saying, it was all for nothing anyway. I did all these crazy things to avoid this outcome, but looking back I think it was inevitable, you know? Yivesh is big, but not that big. You’re too unique, Silas. No matter how I hid or changed my appearance, if the Braxand family really wanted to find me all they’d need to do was look for you. I couldn’t have evaded them forever. I’m nervous about how things will go today, but also relieved. At last this will be put behind me, one way or another.”

Samantha opened her eyes as the aura of a Peak Copper cultivator washed over the room. She moved to stand, but the man waved her down.

“Your companion looks comfortable on your lap, it’d be a shame to disturb him.” the man said, smiling warmly at her and Silas. “I am Holt Dempster, and I will be your Adjudicator today.”

Samantha bowed her head towards him as he took his seat across from her, “My name is Samantha Cray. It’s an honor to meet you, Adjudicator.”

“Have you participated in a sanctioned duel before, miss Cray?” he asked, pulling out some paper and a writing brush to take notes.

“No. This is my first time.”

“Would you like me to fill you in on the general process? Or are you already familiar?”

“I know a little, but if you could give me a brief overview I’d appreciate it.”

“Certainly. There are generally two categories of duels: spars or dispute settlements. You listed the duel as a dispute settlement when you rented the Coliseum space and hired me, hence why am I meeting with you before the fight. My goal currently is to get both sides of the story without one party intimidating the other into changing how they describe the situation. If this was just a spar, we’d only be meeting on the field to go over a few details like win conditions, you see.”

Samantha nodded along, nothing sounding too out of the ordinary.

“I’ve met with Eileen already to hear her side of things, but please don’t worry about me holding her words against you. I am an impartial third party, just here to record the details for my report however things play out. Once we’re done here we’ll go to the Coliseum floor to introduce you and your situation to the audience, and then solidify the other fight details there. Once things are agreed on by both parties you fight, I record who wins, and you both leave–dispute settled. Any questions?”

“Things like wagers are decided in the arena after the introductions, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct. Years and years ago wagers used to be decided privately before the match, but some cultivators got it in their heads to start publicly betting as a way to enhance their reputation or tear down their opponent’s–shows of wealth, proof of determination… that sort of thing–and then that eventually became the norm. I’ve seen people bet all sorts of things in my time working as an Adjudicator! Money and spirit pearls, obviously, but also more eccentric things. Siblings or children to be married off at a later date, vows of service… I even saw one instance where two men wagered that whoever lost would need to strip naked on the spot and squawk like a chicken towards the audience!” Holt laughed.

“And everyone will be able to hear what is being wagered? During my past visits as a mortal I never had any issues with hearing what was happening, but I just want to make sure.” Samantha confirmed.

“Yes. There are some qi enchantments that enhance the sounds coming from the arena. That way even audience members in the back row of the Coliseum seating will be able to hear what’s being said clearly by those in the dueling area.”

“Perfect.” Samantha said, satisfied.

“If that’s everything you wanted to ask, why don’t you tell me what started this feud with the Braxand’s.” Holt said with his brush poised to write, gesturing for her to begin whenever she was ready.

Samantha obliged.

The day was unusually cold for this early in the dead season, especially with the sunlight shining directly down from overhead. It was not enough to truly bother a cultivator, but Samantha could see many mortals in the Coliseum’s stands dressed in winter garments and drinking hot beverages as they watched the fights throughout the day. Her parents were no exception, huddling together under a blanket as they watched her with obvious worry. As the last set of severely bloodied duelists left the arena floor to make space for her upcoming fight, Samantha could see her parents noticeably paled. Thomas-along with some of the owners from the Southern Business District who were interested in watching her fight-sat near her parents and looked to be trying to encourage them.

Samantha and Eileen stood before an Adjudicator in an empty space near the perimeter, Eileen looking as bored as she had when she had originally challenged her.

“Let us go over the final details that I will be writing in my report–please speak up if anything I say is incorrect. This fight will be categorized under dispute settlement on my report, not a spar. The Challenger, Eileen Braxand, accused the Challenged, Samantha Cray, of dishonorable acts against her kin that resulted in injury and loss of a family artifact. The Challenged Samantha Cray has protested this claim, and counterclaims that Eileen’s kin were the ones who behaved dishonorably and she was acting in self defense. The winner’s claim will be regarded as truth, and their honor will be upheld. Any objections so far?” the Adjudicator confirmed.

Eileen shook her head at the question, but Samantha spoke up, “I do, actually.” She turned to Eileen and addressed her, “Eileen, are you the one accusing me of shameful acts? Or are you just standing in for my real accusers, who are too weak or cowardly to confront me directly?”

“I am the one accusing you.” Eileen said, a spark of confusion showing in her expression.

For her plan to work, she needed the three brothers to be directly involved with the duel. If Eileen took full responsibility for the accusation and the results of the fight, it insulated the trio from any consequences if Eileen lost, which wouldn’t do.

“In that case, I decline your challenge. You were not present during the event, and thus have no real stake in the fight. Let those who were involved step forward and challenge me for their honor, or let them remain silent and I will accept that as an admission of their wrongdoing.”

The crowd began murmuring at her words. The whispered cacophony of conversations sounded like the crowd had a fair mix of intrigue and displeasure at this turn of events.

“Decline? You’ve already accepted! This behavior is utterly shameful.” Eileen protested, irritation lacing every word.

“When I accepted the duel a week ago, there were four challengers. Now I see only one. Did the other three lose what little dignity they possessed on the way to the Coliseum? Can they not bear to even stand face to face with me? Do they cower in the shadows hoping that someone else will scrape together the remains of their honor for them?” Samantha said with obvious scorn.

“I am the one who will be fighting you. Non-combatants have no place on the Coliseum’s arena floor.” Eileen countered.

“While you may be the one fighting, this dispute is a matter of honor, wouldn’t you agree? You have chosen to participate based on the testimony of your family, yet they will not even show their faces to take accountability for their claims? I would argue that their behavior is utterly shameful, not mine.”

The mood of the crowd slowly shifted at this exchange. Samantha could feel the audience's curiosity growing at what she was angling for and how this would play out.

Eileen looked to the Adjudicator in hopes that he would step in, but Holt gave no indication that he would interfere at this time.

“Enough. We will not tolerate you slandering us any further!” a male voice shouted as the trio of brothers stood from their place near the halfway point between the front and back row of seating.

Samantha could see that Eileen was positively fuming, her teeth audibly grinding at the outburst from the brothers.

“We do not cower behind anyone. Let it be known that I, Liam Braxand, do accuse you.” Liam declared.

“And I, Anthony Braxand.” Anthony agreed.

“And I, Darryl Braxand, accuse you as well.” the gruff, scarred brother said.

At least I finally know all of their names now.

The Adjudicator nodded sagely at their words and announced to the audience, “Let it be known to all that Liam, Anthony, and Darryl Braxand have officially added their accusations to Eileen’s. In doing so, they have made themselves an involved party in the outcome of this duel. In my report, the Challengers will now be listed as Eileen, Liam, Anthony, and Darryl Braxand, with their champion being Eileen. Do all parties agree to this change?”

“Yes, I agree!” Samantha quickly affirmed.

“We agree!” the brothers cried out in unison.

Eileen looked exasperated, but eventually shook her head in disbelief, “Fine. I agree as well.”

“Are there any additional conditions anyone wishes to place on the outcome of the duel?” The Adjudicator continued, filling in some official looking forms as he spoke.

Eileen pulled a clinking satchel off her waist and placed it on a nearby table, “I suggest a wager of 50 gold.”

“I decline the wager.” Samantha said, and Eileen looked over to her in surprise.

“The value of my honor cannot be matched in gold alone. I have taken incredible offense to the blatant lies you have spread about my character, and demand a cost that is equal to the insult. I propose something else. Let the losing parties be subject to such shame that even their presence on this floor is a disgrace to their family name. Those that lose must banish themselves to the second floor within the next month.”

The entire coliseum–including the Adjudicator–seemed to breathe in a single gasp of shock.

While it was not strictly forbidden for cultivators to ascend to the next floor, such a fate was usually reserved for only the most heinous criminals among them. As far as anyone knew, to ascend to the second floor was certain death, since none who passed through had ever returned to say otherwise. This wasn’t for lack of trying to obtain the knowledge either.

In the past, many adventurous cultivators were offered wealth, lordship, and treasures for the simple act of ascending and immediately returning to relay their experience. It was determined after so many unsuccessful attempts that it was either impossible to return, or they died before they had a chance to do so. To prevent more needless loss of cultivators on the first floor, this practice was discontinued. However, it was still possible to ascend without a criminal punishment.

Through Samantha’s research in the Athenaeum she discovered that, though greatly discouraged through lack of information and the construction of the Lord’s Palace around the ascension obelisk, the right to ascend was sacred and protected by the system itself. If a willing cultivator declared at the Lord’s Palace their intent to ascend, none would dare stand in the way or else they’d risk the System’s wrath.

“Outrageous! This cannot possibly be allowed.” Eileen exclaimed, looking to the Adjudicator to back her up.

“Outrageous? Perhaps. Allowed? I’ll need to confirm. Let me consult with my peers for a moment–this is a first for me.” Holt admitted.

Holt quickly made his way into a nearby door that led into the inside of the Coliseums walls.

Everyone was shocked into silence for a brief period as they watched the Adjudicator depart, processing the gravity of Samantha’s wager. As if signaled by some outside force, the audience burst into a thundering racket of speculation and conversations. Couriers and messaging arts were rapidly sent out of the Coliseum, spreading the word about the duel with ascension on the line. As the minutes passed, more and more people flooded the stands until there wasn’t even any standing room left. Even the front rows where only the strongest were seated filled to capacity, everyone’s interest piqued by the situation.

I’ve got you now.

Holt returned as promised, his expression placid and giving nothing away. The audience quieted, awaiting what came next with palpable anticipation. “I’ve spoken with the other Adjudicators present, as well as sent out some external inquiries. As you both know, the Coliseum is a place of combat, but not death. It’s not permitted for a duel to purposefully end a life, either inside or outside the arena grounds.”

“Obviously, this isn’t allowed then!” Eileen said smugly, her tense posture relaxing.

“However…” Holt continued.

Eileen’s smug expression shifted into one of grave concern.

“While it is speculated that only certain death lies beyond this floor, that’s something that has never definitively been proven. Thus, I’ve determined that this bet will be a valid one–but with one caveat. A blood price of 50 gold may be paid by those who do not wish to ascend on a loss, similar to how reparations are paid for deaths caused. Is this agreeable?” he asked.

“Yes!” Samantha immediately agreed.

Eileen hesitated before asking, “May I consult with the head of House Braxand, who is in attendance today?”

“You may not.” Holt denied. “This decision is a matter only for the involved parties in the duel. You of course may always decline the wager or refuse the duel entirely.”

Eileen, who had been so confident not long ago, now radiated uncertainty. Samantha imagined that this entire situation was much more than she had bargained for when she initially agreed to duel in lieu of the Low Copper brothers. Samantha could tell Eileen was considering declining as the woman cast her gaze over the packed Coliseum, weighing the loss in reputation to herself and her family name if she backed out now. Even if she only declined the wager, it would reflect incredibly poorly. Samantha was putting her life on the line to uphold her honor–at least to the eyes of the public–and for her opponents to lack that same resolve was telling.

“We accept!” Liam, the eldest declared. The two brothers nodded in agreement with his words.

Eileen spit out an expletive under her breath.

And now, you’re the ones who’ve sprung my trap.

Eileen glared openly at the trio, who looked down on her from the audience with arrogant confidence. She shook her head again in disbelief, before bringing her shoulders up in a shrug and barking out a laugh. “Fine. You already have my blood price there, Adjudicator.”

Holt nodded to Eileen, “and you, Samantha?”

“This duel will either end with my victory or my ascension, Adjudicator.” she replied respectfully.

“Very well. And you, Liam? Anthony? Darryl? Will you pay the blood price or will you ascend in the case of a loss?” the Adjudicator inquired.

Like all the blood had drained out of their bodies, the trio went as white as sheets. Anthony was the one who spoke up this time, “Does the gold paid by our Champion not cover us as well?”

Holt shook his head, “As I said, a blood price of 50 gold must be paid by those who do not wish to ascend. Eileen has paid 50 gold for herself. Will you offer payment, or will you ascend?”

“Will you accept a payment slip from our house?” Anthony asked, desperation tinging his words.

Holt turned towards a man sitting in the most prestigious section of the front row. Despite the coliseum being packed to the brim, no one crowded this man as they stood near him. He looked older, perhaps in his mid 60’s or early 70’s, but was in incredible shape. His muscles maintained their wiry definition and his eyes were sharp and calculating. His long, white hair was tied back in an elegantly styled low ponytail, and his neatly trimmed beard enhanced his statesman-like appearance. He was richly dressed in vibrantly colored robes, multiple luxurious layers gracefully flowing over shining jewelry.

“Master Braxand, will you offer up the blood price for these members of your house?” The Adjudicator asked, bowing deeply to the man.

The man turned his shrewd gaze to her and met her eyes before looking her over once. He seemed to be evaluating her, and once he was finished he nodded to himself and beamed a smile at her. Samantha was surprised to see that there were gaps where some of his teeth should be. It didn’t match with the perfectly manicured appearance he maintained everywhere else.

Suddenly, Samantha’s eyes widened in recognition as her enhanced mental acuity kicked into overdrive. If not for her recently opened mind meridian, there was no way she would’ve been able to connect the drastically different appearance of this man to the one she had met in the slums. The smile gave it away though. She was certain that she had just found Ol’ Man Whisper once again, as unlikely as it seemed.

“I will not, sir Adjudicator.” Ol’ Man Whisper asserted cheerfully.

Liam pushed his way through the packed crowd until he was close enough to jump down to the arena floor. Upon landing, he prostrated himself in front of the master of his house, pressing his face into the dirt before him. “I beg you, Master! I know that you are generous, and this amount is but a pittance to your vast wealth and power.” Liam pleaded.

Ol’ Man Whisper laughed lightly, as if he hadn’t a care in the world and a man was not actively begging to him, “The young miss Cray said it best, no? True honor cannot be matched with gold alone. Did you think Eileen hesitated in accepting these conditions for herself? She knew exactly what would come to pass due to your hotheaded foolishness. You cannot complain now, as you were the ones who authored your own fate this day. All you can do is pray that your champion can extricate you from the expertly laid trap.”

He paused and looked at Samantha to directly address her, “This is the second time you’ve impressed me. Well done.”

If Samantha had any doubt in who she was dealing with before, this comment would have sealed it for her.

The crowd whispered in curiosity again. Even Eileen seemed confused by Master Braxand’s words, wondering how Samantha’s and his paths had crossed before.

“Please, master!” Liam cried.

The killing intent of a High Bronze weighed down on the Coliseum, causing most of the mortals to faint immediately. Only those shielded from the onslaught by nearby cultivators’ aura (such as her family) managed to stay conscious. Many cultivators bowed under the weight of it as well, even Samantha falling to her hands and knees as she felt his indomitable aura tighten around her very soul.

“Beg once more and you and your brothers will be dead to this family. I have spoken. Now, face your fate with dignity.” Ol’ Man Whisper commanded, his voice thundering through the space like the word of a god.

As suddenly as it had appeared, his killing intent was drawn back to himself and every person took a few moments to regain their senses.

“W-well then.” Holt announced shakily, doing his best to keep proceedings moving smoothly, “As commanded by Master Braxand, the three brothers will not offer up the blood price.”

Liam dejectedly pulled himself up from the ground and made his way back to his brothers.

“Combatants, the conditions for the duel have been set. You fight until surrender or incapacitation, with no other restrictions. Please take your positions.”

As instructed Samantha took her place in the wide circle of dirt across from Eileen. She set down her backpack behind Silas and opened it in preparation to access the contents. She looked down at the Jackalope, checking with him that he was ready, making sure that his vest and its contents were secure, and giving him an encouraging pat. Despite scanning the skies, she did not catch any glimpse of the Sungleam Eagle, and suspected that it would show itself at the least opportune time.

“Let me know as soon as you sense anything, and I’ll come back to defend you.” Samantha promised.

“Yes.” Silas agreed. “Let us show them who the prey really is.”

Though his words were steady, Samantha felt his nervousness getting the better of him. Perhaps the prospect of facing a natural predator in this exposed environment was kicking his survival instincts into a frenzy.

“I won’t let anything happen to you.” she assured, “Even if we lose. I’ll keep you safe.”

“Thanks, Samantha.” Silas replied, his anxiety settling some.

The Adjudicator began counting down from 10, and Samantha readied her weapon and took in her opponent’s appearance. Eileen was dressed in gray colored battle robes, a light cloth armor with hardened leather panels in the most critical areas. As Samantha had expected, Eileen chose to fight with a straight sword and shield. Hoping to get a bit of an edge before the countdown finished, Samantha spent one of her 29 qi points on Inspect. Unfortunately, Eileen had some sort of defensive art or technique already in place, because Inspect seemed to glide right off of the woman. It was an unusual sensation that Samantha hadn’t encountered before. As soon as the thought crossed Samantha’s mind, a notification confirmed her suspicion.

*Ding* Inspect has been countered by Unknown Art! Target notified of the attempt.

Eileen smirked as her eyes darted briefly to the side, reading the unseen notification. She pressed her killing intent outwards in an attempt to throw Samantha off balance, but the grounded tranquility gained through Sage’s Rumination and a returned blast of Samantha’s own aura attack helped Samantha keep her focus sharp.

“...1 …Fight!” the Adjudicator finished counting down.

Rather than jump forward into unknown danger, both women circled and tried to feel each other out at first. Samantha doubted trying to use Inspect would work even with more qi dumped into it, so she did her best to leverage her mind meridian instead. She processed and responded to every detail faster and more efficiently than she ever had before.

Eileen’s gait was steady without any obvious favoritism for one leg or the other. She kept her center of gravity low and balanced, ready to react to any sudden movement from Samantha. She held the sword in her right hand and a round wooden shield bound with metal in her left, the grip on her weapons relaxed, but not loose. Every movement seemed simultaneously precise and graceful as Eileen looked over Samantha as well.

Deciding to prod Eileen with an attack to get a feeling for her reaction time, Samantha put one point into Swift to close the distance and stabbed forward with her spear. Eileen effortlessly parried the blow with her shield, then shot forward with lightning quick reflexes.

Samantha was caught off guard by the speed Eileen possessed. She was faster than Thomas, which was concerning because all of the reports that Samantha had seen suggested that Eileen was a well-balanced fighter. She worried that this meant that all of Eileen’s attributes were this high, but couldn’t linger on the thought.

Samantha jumped backwards to try and gain back the decreasing space between them, but she couldn’t outpace the more experienced woman. Eileen slashed forward in a sharp crescent with her straight sword that Samantha was barely able to deflect with the shaft of her spear. The heavy blow was powerful enough to knock her spear far out of position, and Eileen took advantage of the opening. Eileen whipped her sword into reverse with a backswing that grazed Samantha’s armored torso, scoring it with a clean line across her chest.

Fortunately, the armor crafted from a Rank 3 Iron Boar’s leather held up against the blow. Eileen seemed momentarily surprised that Samantha wasn’t bleeding, but quickly recovered and continued the onslaught.

Samantha tried to strike out with the butt end of her spear as she pulled the weapon back into position, but Eileen’s shield predictably got in her way. Though she had purposely trained for fighting against an opponent with this weapon set, Samantha couldn’t deny how annoying it was. Eileen wouldn’t give her any breathing room to strike with the spearhead or attached counterweight, and the constant dodging she needed to avoid a potentially fight-ending blow left her unable to set up the proper footing for a kick. She kept trickling qi into Swift as the seconds ticked by just to keep up with the relentless woman.

*Thump*

Eileen finally backed off the assault as Silas landed a clean hit to her right leg and caused her to stumble slightly, looking more miffed at the interruption than injured. Eileen whipped her sword out at the falling Jackalope and caught him across the back as he twisted his body through the air. The leather from his vest helped to lessen the depth of the cut somewhat, but it was not nearly the same quality of protection as Samantha’s own armor.

*Ding* Sword strike against Silas has activated “As One”. Moderate wounds for Silas have been transformed into Minor wounds for Silas and Samantha.

Samantha used this disruption to reset her spear position and take stock of her condition. In this opening salvo of blows, she was already down to 24 qi and bleeding from a few nicks, plus the strike that just landed on Silas. In short, the situation could be worse, but it could also be a whole lot better.

Silas, suffering from a mirrored set of injuries, dipped into his vest’s healing supplies and consumed a minor healing pill. Samantha needed to conserve as much qi as she could, and though Flawless Regeneration could help her out in a pinch, she wouldn’t waste the qi so long as Silas could reasonably heal them with medicinals.

Now that Samantha was not fighting on the back foot and Silas was helping to occupy Eileen’s attention, Samantha began her own barrage of attacks. She didn’t aim for strong, damaging thrusts, rather opting for quick strikes at odd angles as she twisted her spear in unexpected ways. This minimized the opportunity for Eileen to knock her spear off course again and close the distance once more.

Neither woman made much progress at markedly wounding the other at this stage. A tense stalemate ensued and was only possible because the threat of Silas throwing her off balance during a critical moment split Eileen’s attention. What injuries Samantha did manage to land, though not intended to be severe wounds, did even less damage than she was expecting. The spearhead had difficulty penetrating the exquisite material of the battle robes, and even when Samantha managed to cut through, the tip of her blade seemed to only cause superficial wounds as it glided off of Eileen’s skin. Samantha inwardly cursed at what appeared to be some sort of body-hardening art thwarting her efforts.

A sudden chill of terror made her hair stand on end as Silas sensed something approach from above.

“It’s here! It’s here!” Silas screamed into her mind, the Jackalope tearing away from the pair of women as it juked and dodged in wild patterns across the open ground back towards where she had placed the backpack at the beginning of the fight.

Trusting Silas’s judgment completely, Samantha committed to the riskiest part of their battle strategy.

Going into this fight, Samantha knew that winning was impossible if they needed to take on Eileen and her Sungleam Eagle simultaneously. Eileen was too experienced, and had been at High Copper long enough where the stat differences between them would be nearly insurmountable. The only chance she stood was fighting alongside Silas against Eileen alone, meaning her first priority was getting rid of the bird no matter how much qi it would cost her.

Samantha dumped 10 points of qi into swift, bringing her qi pool down to 14 and her Agility up to 22. The last time she had raised her Agility this high she had torn her body apart every time she moved. Now though, after increasing in rank, having her aptitude for Agility raised, and minor gains from consistent training, that outcome wasn’t a concern.

There was a tearing sensation as Samantha flew across the arena like a speeding arrow–but it wasn’t her flesh. As Swift gave her more traction, allowing every ounce of her acceleration to be preserved, the sudden shift in speed and direction caused her shoes to explode off of her feet. It was a good thing she had done so much training barefoot.

Time seemed to slow as she gained on–then passed–a fleeing Silas on her way to the open backpack. She came to a stop, dropped her spear, and grabbed hold of the precious item inside with both hands, noting a diving eagle plummeting on a direct collision course towards her companion through Prey’s Awareness. It was mere moments away.

“Now, Silas!” Samantha commanded, and it was only due to Silas’s unwavering trust in her that he immediately ceased all movement. He stood stock still as the predator descended, fighting every instinct that told him he was about to die.

Samantha initiated the Active effect of Prey’s Awareness, causing her sphere of perception to blast out around her in a 15 foot radius. Like her experience in the Lattice, she saw everything. Eileen was charging at her at a full sprint a mere 13 feet away with her shield held forward like a battering ram. The shield glowed yellow with qi, making it obvious that this attack was backed by some manner of combat art. The Eagle was at the edge of her perception, but descending at a predictable angle as its wings extended to exit the dive and scoop up her spirit bond with outstretched talons. Silas, unable to completely fight off his survival instincts, had begun growing the largest set of antlers Samantha had seen from him thus far in an attempt to defend his cowering body.

Unlike her experience in the Lattice, the enhanced processing power her open mind meridian afforded her protected her from fatal damage from mental overload. This wasn’t to say she could use this ability without cost, though. A notification appeared as a small pressure began building behind her eyes.

*Ding* Mental Overload has activated “As One”. Minor wounds for Samantha have been negated for Silas and Samantha.

Intrinsically, she knew that the pressure would continue to build and worsen the longer or more frequently she used this ability without proper rest in-between. She likely wouldn’t be able to leverage this skill again during this fight without major damage to herself.

Samantha pulled the heavily weighted net out of the backpack with all her power and began twisting her body from right to left into a throw. The pressure built further.

*Ding* Mental Overload has activated “As One”. Moderate wounds for Samantha have been transformed into minor wounds for Silas and Samantha.

Samantha calculated the trajectory of the bird, predicted how the net would fly through the air once she released it, and launched it forward with all the strength she could muster.

*Ding* Mental Overload has activated “As One”. Serious wounds for Samantha have been transformed into moderate wounds for Silas and Samantha.

She knew as soon as she let go that the throw would be a successful one. She didn’t have the time to celebrate though. As she had been throwing, she had also been tracking Eileen’s charge. Samantha knew that as soon as she deactivated her art, Eileen would slam right into her with bone-breaking force. Already in the process of twisting her body from how she launched the net, and with the last moments of her absurdly high Agility, Samantha planted her left foot as a pivot point and brought her right leg into form for the perfect kick.

Samantha had ordered a commission from her parent’s shop earlier that week, and it had come in just in time for the fight as she had hoped. Since she had not sourced any of the materials herself the armor piece was pricier than she would’ve liked, but it was worth the cost.

A set of sturdy metal plates inserted into her shin guards reinforced her bones as she activated a skill that would double her kick speed and increase her kick damage by half: Flurry.

With an effective 44 Agility behind her kick, Samantha returned Prey’s Awareness to its passive state and prayed that her leg wouldn’t be ripped from her body.

Eileen was practically on top of Samantha now, but her kick moved with such speed that it was nearly invisible. Eileen’s eyes didn’t even have time to widen in shock as Samantha’s metal sheathed shin collided with the outside edge of the shield and ripped it out of her grip. Eileen’s left arm was jerked across her body with such force that it shifted her approach from a straight line to a twisted tumble as the two women crashed together and were flung in opposite directions.

*Ding* Damage to right leg has activated “As One”. Moderate wounds for Samantha have been transformed into Minor wounds for Silas and Samantha.

Samantha’s shin guard crushed painfully inwards from the force of her kick, its purpose faithfully served. As she moved to recover from her fallen position and remove the spent armor, she noted that one of the Bronze cultivators in the front row had jumped to catch the deadly projectile before it could harm anyone behind him. The shield–if the crumpled mass of wood shards and metal could even be called that at this point–was completely ruined. The man held the caught trophy in the air with both hands and cheered heartily, his fellows around him getting caught up in the excitement and cheering as well.

*Ding* Damage to foreleg has activated “As One”. Moderate wounds for Silas have been transformed into Minor wounds for Silas and Samantha.

Samantha worked frantically to unlatch the stuck armor as she kept an eye on both Eileen’s and Silas’s progress in the fight.

Silas was harrying the Eagle with his antlers as the bird struggled to free itself of the heavy, twisted cords of the netting. The more it struggled, the more tangled the net became, but that didn’t mean that it was helpless. Even restrained, the Sungleam Eagle strived to bite and claw at the Jackalope that dared to fight back against it, but it was obvious that it wouldn’t be enough. As long as Eileen did not interfere, the result of the spirit beast’s struggle was a foregone conclusion.

“No!” Eileen cried in outrage, rushing to defend her eagle. Samantha finished ripping off the dented shin guard and moved to intercept.

Both women were now unarmed, Samantha having tossed down her spear to throw the net and Eileen having lost hold of her sword in her headlong tumble. As a result, what followed was a knock down, drag out brawl between the two humans.

Samantha did everything she could to delay Eileen or cause her to lose ground. With her bond’s life potentially on the line, Samantha did not discount any strategy she could leverage. She bit, clawed, struck at vulnerable areas like the face and throat, and at one point even grappled her thrashing opponent to the ground. She endured a true pummeling as Eileen didn’t seem to be focusing on defeating her, but instead was solely focused on moving past Samantha towards the fighting spirit beasts. Only Silas’s continued consumption of healing pills and herbs kept her aloft as she was struck again and again with fists like iron.

Again, it was impressed upon Samantha just how much more powerful Eileen was than herself at a baseline. Despite her best efforts, Samantha was being completely overpowered while doing minimal damage in return.

She was beginning to lose hope that she could gain Silas enough time, when a resounding crack followed by a pained screech resonated through the arena.

Silas had managed to latch on to one of the Eagle’s flailing wings with his sharp teeth and crunched down, shattering the bones within. The bird cried out in pain, unleashing blasts of sonic energy desperately in every direction as it sought to throw off the Jackalope. Notifications let Samantha know that the effect was minor, meaning that the damage would be negated for both of them. Samantha suspected the attack was more meant to stun prey than cause lasting damage.

Just as Silas was going to go for the other wing, Eileen cried out, “Stop! Enough! My bond is bested. Let him retire from the fight and I will continue alone.” She had tears running down her cheeks, her love for her companion obvious.

Samantha empathized with the woman, thinking about how she would feel if Silas was in a similar position.

“Stop, Silas!” Samantha audibly called, rather than using their bond alone to communicate. “The eagle is out of the fight. Let someone come to take him away.”

Silas looked up at her and hopped back, immediately consuming more healing pills and herbs as they waited. As a Coliseum employee carried the bird away, Samantha saw what a sad state everyone (except Eileen) was in. The Eagle was bloodied with an obviously twisted wing. Silas’s antlers were twisted up in the net along with the bird, meaning that every time the eagle struggled it risked being punctured by one of the points. Samantha could see the antlers dissolving into light as previously plugged wounds in the bird began oozing crimson blood.

Silas and herself were even more bloodied than the bird, having the damage split equally between them. At some point during her inadvertent beatdown, she had resorted to suppressing the unceasing damage notifications as the sheer volume was distracting. Samantha discretely activated Flawless Regeneration to get herself back into fighting condition during the brief respite they had found.

Both women retrieved their discarded weapons as Holt approached them, Eileen now without a shield.

“Since both parties have ceased combat, would one like to take this opportunity to surrender to the other? Or will you continue to fight?” the Adjudicator asked, his brush poised to write their responses into his report.

Looking to stall for a little more time to heal, Samantha spoke up first, “Adjudicator Holt, for me, this is a matter of life and death. Even if I were to waver in my resolve and submit to Eileen, that would spare me no suffering. My honor, along with my life, would be as good as forfeit. I will continue until the very end.”

The Adjudicator nodded as he wrote something down on a form, “And you, miss Braxand?”

Eileen first looked in the direction that her spirit bond had been taken, then up to the area where the brothers were seated, and lastly to Master Braxand. Her gaze lingered on the old man as if asking him a question, but if he answered her, Samantha did not notice it. He only looked back at her with an easygoing smile that Samantha couldn’t help but feel belied something more sinister beneath.

“I… I will continue to the end as well, sir Adjudicator.” Eileen responded simply.

“Very well. Please take up your original positions and I shall count you in again.” Holt instructed, walking a safe distance away before beginning his countdown.

Samantha and Silas were far from peak condition, but the four points she had put into Flawless Regeneration had helped immensely. With 10 points left in her qi pool, she still had some wiggle room as to how she could approach the rest of the battle. She wasn’t exactly confident that she would win, but she knew that she at least stood a chance now.

Samantha looked across the arena at her opponent, trying to pick apart what Eileen’s strategy would be now. In terms of a purely martial victory, the odds were leaning more in Samantha’s favor at this stage. Eileen was outnumbered, and with Silas’s help to split her attention, Samantha felt they could outlast her qi pool until her defensive arts couldn’t prop her up anymore. If Eileen tried to close the distance like before without her shield, Samantha could make her pay more dearly for each attempt to get inside her spear’s attack range.

The question was if Eileen would maintain the same style of combat.

Samantha could already see Eileen switching to a two-handed sword stance. While she wasn’t familiar with this particular form, in general, two-handed weapon styles were much more aggressive than sword-and-shield ones. As Samantha was contemplating her options, the countdown ended.

“...Begin!” Holt called.

Eileen’s sword glowed with ominous blue energy that felt inexplicably sharp to even look at. She performed a horizontal slash through the air that sent an arc of slicing force Samantha’s way, then followed after the rapidly approaching projectile at a sprint.

Not wanting to be caught vulnerable in the air after a dodging jump, Samantha put 1 qi point into Swift to give her the boost of speed needed to duck the qi slash before it reached her.

“Do everything you can to slow her down!” she told Silas mentally, and received an affirmative in response.

Like towards the beginning of the fight, Silas thumped Eileen on the right leg as she came into range. Eileen hardly registered the blow this time though, continuing to barrel forward like an unstoppable tide. Samantha pierced forward at center mass with the expectation that Eileen would shift her stride to dodge, thus halting her intimidating momentum somewhat.

This is not what happened.

Trusting in the strength of her defensive art and reinforced armor panels to protect her from grievous injury, Eileen ran straight into the spear as if she had no regard for her own life, only twisting her body slightly to avoid being completely skewered. She moved just enough so that the speartip impacted with a hardened section of the robe near her ribs, but did not slow down or flinch at the resulting injury. While Samantha’s speartip first met stiff resistance when it clashed with Eileen’s armor, it inevitably punched through and pierced into Eileen’s left side. The defensive art did what it could to negate the damage, but a spray of bright crimson burst out of the woman as the spear gouged a chunk out from her ribs.

Silas was still doing his best to hinder the woman’s progress as Samantha had requested, but Eileen was ignoring him entirely. Despite latching onto her left leg with his sharp incisors, continuously kicking out at her with his claws, and yanking with all the force his body could muster, Eileen didn’t do more than wince at his attacks.

As Eileen’s still-glowing sword came down in an overhead chop with dangerous precision towards her right shoulder, Samantha could only manage to lift up the shaft of her spear to intersect it. Samantha knew that if she did not redirect the energy of the sword at least somewhat it would likely bisect her weapon and still cut her deeply. So, she made the split second decision to sacrifice something else.

As the maneuver required inhuman timing, Samantha utilized her sphere of dominion. Time seemed to slow as she took in every minute detail within a 15 foot radius of herself.

Just as the sword touched her spear shaft and began to cut through, Samantha twisted her spear to the side and at a downward angle, deflecting the sword so it now traveled parallel down the shaft and towards her hands.

*Ding* Mental Overload has activated “As One”. Serious wounds for Samantha have been transformed into moderate wounds for Silas and Samantha.

Samantha felt her nose start to bleed as she deactivated the sphere and continued following through with the twist. Samantha intended to push the sword enough so that it missed her hands, but Eileen’s speed and strength was overwhelming. She was only partially successful as the pointer and middle fingers on her left hand were severed from her body.

*Ding* Sword strike has activated “As One”. Serious wounds for Samantha have been transformed into moderate wounds for Silas and Samantha.

The adrenaline from the fight combined with the incredible sharpness of Eileen’s weapon and combat art made it so that Samantha didn’t feel any pain from the clean severance of her digits, but it was difficult not to feel sick as she saw her fingers fly through air. There was one small upside though. Eileen had fully committed to this charge, and with Samantha’s unexpected success at deflection, Eileen’s sword was out of alignment with her stance.

Eileen had surprised her. Samantha hadn’t predicted that the Braxand would completely ignore Silas and go directly for her, ignoring any injuries she may incur in the process. Samantha realized that this was actually an intelligent strategy on Eileen’s part. It took away Samantha’s primary advantage and kept her opponent’s attention from being divided. She had a high enough Resilience to endure the damage for long enough to potentially take Samantha out of the fight, and she was taking advantage of that fact.

Samantha was in a tight spot with Eileen’s reckless advance. Her only choice now, if she didn’t want to be constantly running away while still being cut to ribbons, was to entangle Eileen with her spear so she couldn’t get in any full force swings. Samantha drew the spear up in a diagonal line across her chest and pushed into Eileen’s arms, pinning them down. She leaned her entire body into the push as Eileen continued pressing her backwards, fighting to disengage the sword and her arms from Samantha’s close proximity.

“Put everything you have into it! This is going to get ugly.” Samantha warned Silas.

Samantha just needed Eileen to pause for a fraction of a second so that she could set her feet properly. One half step back, one stumble, and Samantha could launch a counterattack.

Silas redoubled his efforts, struggling against the High Copper woman as he was dragged behind her in the dirt. Samantha pitched in as well, crying out in defiance as she gathered her frustrations and pain into a single, powerful, push. Her screams mixed with the cheers of the audience.

It was enough. Eileen, seeing that her forward rush was stalling out, jumped a half step back and began to raise up her sword for another powerful chop.

Before Eileen could manage it Samantha set her feet, used her right foot as a pivot, and dumped 1 qi per second into Swift for the extra traction and speed. Then, she activated Flurry.

Her left shin, still reinforced with a plate of metal, crashed into Eileen’s right leg on her outer thigh. The shin guard sang like a struck gong with every kick–four kicks landing their mark before the first second ticked over. Each kick hit with the power of a blacksmith’s hammer, causing Eileen’s leg to buckle slightly as it was forced out of position for her planned sword strike.

Eileen backed off further and tried to reset her stance after stumbling slightly to the side, her right leg looking the slightest bit unsteady. Samantha pressed her advantage, this time acting as the unrelenting aggressor as she closed the gap once more and thrust the spear shaft towards Eileen’s face.

Eileen caught the shaft against her forearms to protect her face, but that suited Samantha’s purposes just fine. Again, she put 1 qi into Swift and activated Flurry, bringing her available qi down to 3.

Aiming for the exact same place as before, Samantha was able to get 5 kicks into Eileen’s thigh this time. Each kick further pulverized the tender flesh until Eileen howled in agony and fell to one knee.

“Disengage now, Silas!” Samantha commanded as she jumped back from another blue arc of slashing energy that Eileen sloppily aimed at her knees.

Eileen shakily stood, using her sword as a support to lift herself off the ground. The spot where Samantha had been kicking had a dark red stain spreading slowly through the fabric of the combat robe, and the other leg savaged by Silas wasn’t in much better condition.

“Give up now!” Samantha implored, “You won’t be mobile enough to keep up with me anymore, and I have the better reach. The outcome is practically decided already.”

Eileen spat into the nearby dirt, “You wish.”

A shiver ran down Samantha’s spine as she felt a sudden blast of killing intent rush out from Eileen. The suddenness of it stunned her for a brief moment as Eileen activated an art which Samantha could only expect came from her spirit bond. A translucent pair of red and gold wings nearly 10 feet wide on each side spread out from behind Eileen, pausing outstretched for one terrible moment until they flapped forward with a gale of wind. As the wings extended towards her, the feathers detached from the tips of the wings and shot forward like a volley of arrows.

Recognizing that she didn’t have time to dodge, Samantha crunched her body inwards and raised her arms up in front of her face to prepare for the impact. The feathers, blessedly, were not heavy hitters individually. Unfortunately, the sheer volume of feathers made the barrage painfully effective. Samantha’s armor was able to block the damage from a fair amount of them, but many still cut through the tough leather or into exposed flesh.

“Dodge left!” Silas warned, and Samantha obeyed without question.

She threw her body left blindly even as the rain of feathers still fell on her. Yet another blue arc blasted past her, clipping her hip and shaving off a clean cut of flesh. Samantha began running as the last feathers were shot and frantically dodged the increasingly large and fast arcs. Eileen seemed to be overcharging the art to increase its effect, and Samantha couldn’t imagine that she could keep up the pace long. At least, she hoped not.

“Hang on!” Silas encouraged, “I’ve got a plan!”

Not able to do anything else but dodge for the time being, Samantha did just that. Horizontal, vertical, and diagonal arcs carved through the air like an ever shrinking net. Each strike was somehow wider or faster than the last, and they were all adding up to the point where they were nearly unavoidable.

Silas, in the meantime, had been either forgotten or entirely discounted by Eileen in her bid to make a final stand against Samantha. Thump was nearly off of cooldown from earlier, so he couldn’t use it immediately. However, he still had one art that could be useful: his antlers. He had grown an unusually large pair earlier to protect himself from the accursed bird, which meant that trying to grow another set so soon would result in unusually small ones. Still, horns were horns, and Eileen’s back was wide open.

Silas concentrated, squeezing out energy from the spent well within him, until it coalesced at his temples. Rather than multi-pointed antlers, these horns were more similar to a bull– a singular cone with a sharp point facing forward on each side. They were only about 6 inches long, but he had to hope that would be enough.

To give himself the best chance of success, he activated his camouflage to blend in with his surroundings. He moved forward towards the unsuspecting Eileen as quickly and quietly as he could, shifting his position whenever she turned to change her angle of attack on his human. Before long he was within striking distance, a mere 5 feet away.

Waiting until the perfect moment, right as Eileen was about to finish one attack and draw her sword arm back for another, he used the considerable strength in his legs to launch himself straight at her severely injured right leg. He twisted his body and head in mid air, and both horns embedded themselves deep into Eileen’s thigh one on top of the other. At this exact moment, Thump’s cooldown elapsed and he placed his hind legs against Eileen’s thigh in preparation, then activated it. His dagger-like appendages ripped themselves out of the woman’s leg, and he was flung away to safety as a wild sword swing came down in the space where he had just vacated.

Samantha was relieved as Eileen screamed and the deadly arcs stopped coming. She looked over to see the woman had crumpled to the ground on hands and knees, but she was already struggling to pick herself up again.

Using another qi point to boost her speed, Samantha rushed the fallen woman without ceremony. Talking hadn’t worked before, and Samantha wasn’t going to give her the chance to recover her wits. Upon reaching her, Samantha used the last two points in her qi pool to activate Flurry one final time. The first kick was aimed at the arm that still held the straight sword. As her armored shin smashed into the back of Eileen’s elbow, whatever defensive art Eileen had been relying on ran out. The elbow broke as it bent too far in the wrong direction, and the sword was flung into the front row where it was caught by an onlooker. The second and third kicks were aimed at Eileen’s torso, each kick strong enough to lift her entire body off the ground. Eileen fell on her back, winded from the strikes, when Samantha used the fourth and final kick of Flurry to stomp down on Eileen’s collarbone. Bones audibly crunched under Samantha’s bare feet as Eileen grabbed at Samantha’s calf with her good arm, frantically trying to push Samantha away.

Samantha lifted her spear high, looking down on the broken woman as she unleashed her own killing intent to drive her words home, “Yield!”

“I yield! Stop! You- I admit defeat.” Eileen cried out, and immediately Holt appeared beside them.

Holt physically separated Samantha from Eileen, pushing on her slightly until she was a few feet away. Two cultivators rushed over and immediately laid hands on her, performing some sort of healing art. They also gave her some healing pills as they put her on a stretcher and carried her out at a fast jog.

Samantha went over to the place where her fingers had fallen and scooped them up off the ground, figuring that it would be easier to reattach them than regrow them from scratch.

“I, Adjudicator Holt Dempster, declare this dispute settled. Let all know that Samantha Cray is an honorable cultivator, wrongly accused and justified through battle. Before one months time has passed, Liam, Anthony, and Darryl Braxand must exile themselves to the second floor, on pain of death.”

The crowd went wild at this announcement, redoubling their cheers and applause as Holt finished speaking. Caught up in the moment, she looked up at the audience and lifted her spear up in salute, smiling.