In the pitch blackness of the pit, it's immediately clear what demons have the advantage down there. Atop the...ring, there are a good bit of demons mulling about each other. By my count, there are at least a dozen or so demons down there with their numbers increasing when a daring demon takes the bet and tosses themselves in.

"What is this? Why are we here?" I turn to ask Hargoil, knowing the answers to the questions already but wanting to hear them aloud all the same. Hargoil doesn't meet my demanding gaze, rather immersed in conversation with a long-nosed demon. It tosses a short glance at me, the dozen red eyes scattered across its forehead blink all at once and turn back to engage Hargoil.

But I'm not to be ignored. I raise my voice and demand, "Hargoil! What is this!?"

He turns to face me, his expression sombre. "This is where you fight your first real battles, the ones that'll tell you if you're deserving of life."

"I am deserving of life, I know that already." The notion that I have to prove myself deserving of life in any way, to anyone or being repulses me. The Deities have already overstepped on that part.

He snorts, then turns to face me. He stares me down and asks, "But are you deserving of power? If you want to find out, and if you want it...then I guess you'll have to hop on in."

I'd roll my eyes all the way to the back of my head if I could, "And why aren't you taking the delve with me? Don't you want power? Hm?"

He smirks, "But I do have power...and I am getting more."

Faster than I anticipate, his hand thrusts forward. I grab his wrists and clutch but he's already brought up a sharp beetled foot. His kick lands firm on my chest and I'm sent flying through the air as I plummet into the pit.

His smile is replaced by a grin full of teeth. "If you think that was bad just wait till you see what happens next!" He calls.

The ground comes up fast, I land hard and slide across the earth, rolling over and over until I come to a stop. My vision blurs and I cough having taken a breath full of dust. I waste no time fueling my entirety with Essence, my feet tense, ready to leap.

"I wouldn't attempt leaving if I were you, we don't like quitters." Hargoil's condescension rings clear in my mind and I groan.

"I didn't sign up for this!" I yell right back, "Get me out of here or-"

"Or you'll call Calridian? Gerim?"

When he places emphasis on their names like that I realise neither of the two could give a damn if I'm dead or alive. Heck Calridian would likely want to watch, see if he'd made the right pick for his suicide mission.

Still, my muscles tense, readying for a great jump. I can see a clear path out of here already. The first jump should take me up on either one of the pillars beside me, and then from there I can make a greater leap for the pit's top. It's a clear and easy escape for anyone to attempt...but if it were that easy to leave, Hargoil wouldn't have tossed me in.

He chuckles, "I'd hate to see you die...so I guess...don't do that. I've got a lot riding on you winning."

That gets a pause to my incendiary thoughts, 'Winning?'

I nearly snap my fingers and call myself silly. Of course, Hargoil isn't the risk taker...he wouldn't toss me in here without expecting some kind of profit from it, Essence. I glare up at the fiend now realising he's sold me as his champion─ the bastard, he's not getting a drop of Essence if I can help it. If I have to beat it out of him I will.

But first...

A cursory look in any direction grants a menacing, ugly view of demons teeming with hostility. Some are on four legs, some on two and some crawl on their bellies. But there's one thing common between every demon in the ring with me─ each and every one of them has an icon.

I can identify their species or type or whatever it's called on the stat sheet. And each of them exudes power similar to mine─ Crimson. They're all Crimson level demons.

And that means they're strong...strong as I am at the very least.

I let my eyes wander about, taking in the sheer size of the pit and the numbers of demons filling it. I let the vague, innate demonic sense guide my eyes, as I watch everyone stalk me in much the same fashion. If there's no getting out of here then my biggest concern would be the demon on the far end of the ring, standing all by its lonesome.

It's not an imposing figure, but it's still a demon and it's a threat. The demon stands at least twice my height and has a broad, thick neck, wide shoulders and a hulking body. It has the scarce features of some kind of bird. By the way their neck hangs low with the black beak I'd say it's a vulture.

[Udele]

The Udele stands on two legs─ long and thin like a bird's. Its four-clawed arms are folded across its chest and covered with feathers I'm highly suspicious of. There's a strong sheen of power to their arrangements, silk and soft looking. But I know something's up with them. Poking out behind it are wings covered in the same suspicious feathers.

A long wiry neck wobbles with each glancing turn at the many potential opponents, but then its three disturbing eyes meet mine and bulge. I force myself to look elsewhere, the last thing I need is to challenge it one-on-one and make it hunt me specifically.

'If this is a royale then I'd like to see what everyone is capable of.'

I already have some idea though, I've taken on three Crimson level demons on my own before succumbing to my wounds. But that was then, I've grown a bit since my first years in the desert and I'm starting to get familiar with my body. However reluctant I am, it's something I've got to do if I want to accomplish anything here.

'In the end, this is a good thing.'

If I manage to win─ no, when I win, I'll be taking all their Crystals by right. Hargoil better not pull any funny business either or I'll fucking take his too. More Crystals means more Essence and if Hargoil is right then...that means more points.

One more demon lands in the ring, a slithering long demon raised on its stomach. It hisses at everyone, its mouth filled with sharp teeth. Its claws are like little daggers, and I can tell that it's going to be a threat from the start.

This demon is a lot like the [Tokek] demons I intimidated at the entrance─ a snake with batlike wings longer than they probably should be. Its skin is a dark brown and it has a forked tongue. But the thing that sets it apart is the two long spikes protruding from its back, they're as thick as my forearm and they shoot out to impale whatever gets close enough to them.

Right off the bat with its flapping entrance, it oozes Essence─ thick, rich Essence. The kind clearly not of my level and as such, I'm not surprised to find nothing identifying the demon in front of me.

'Definitely a Blood Orange level.'

And one that's stronger than Gerim as well. I bring my racing mind to a halt as there are only two reasons why a demon of this level would toss itself into a ring of Crimsons.

Either it's here to mediate─ if mediation in a royale can be achieved─ or it's here to take us all on.

'The latter seems more likely.'

I look around the ring, seeing how the other demons are reacting to the new arrival. They're not happy about it, but none of them are fighting her either. Demons have proven to be one-tracked in their thinking and I've displayed said qualities as well, always thirsty for more Essence, more flesh and power to consume. But that doesn't mean they're stupid, far from it.

'Every demon I've come across has acted in a way that'll guarantee them the most from an encounter...even if it means throwing themselves letting someone else get in on all the fun first.'

The tense silence that follows the demon's entrance isn't a coincidence─ everyone is watching the other, waiting and even baiting for the first, lethal move on the serpentine demon.

But nothing happens, rather the demon slithers along and her voice booms within our heads, "The rules remain unchanged! With Calridian's blessings the last one standing wins it all!"

'A mediator then.'

"As always, Calridian is due a percentage of all earnings...or if he wishes, all of it. All agreed? This will be the first and final chance to leave the ring!" The demon stares down everyone, her eyes piercing and daring for a single coward to step out.

'As much as I want out...'

It sounds like a good enough deal, a head start on my growth and one I'll need before I head out to deal with this Morthul demon. Gritting my teeth, I watch as no one steps up to take the lifeline. The demon nods and stares up the pit, at the demons congregating the audience.

"Place your bets now, no takebacks, no refunds!"

The mediator makes a gesture and someone pours down a pile of crawlers, similar to the kind that creep around Calridian's Lair but much smaller. They make themselves scarce, out of sight and some even dig into the ground. Before I can ponder what they'd be needed for in a pit fight the demon yells, "Make a good show of it!"

The ring vibrates with violence the next moment─ a claw snaps down where I stood a second ago, the assailing demon a three-legged hybrid of a scorpion and a spider. Its long tail swings about and the stinger at its tip shoots out, impaling a demon behind me. It screams in agony, twisting and turning as the venom eats into its body.

Eyes wide and alert, I see the claws of another demon closing in on my position and I throw myself back, avoiding the attack with ease. But there are demons on every side of me, some buzzing through the air delivering stings and acid spits, others swinging from the chains overhead with claws extended, tearing flesh and sending blood splattering everywhere.

Worse yet are the hounding voices.

"Dodge it!"

"Kill him now!!"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!"

The psychic bombardment from the audience is enough to rattle my senses and I find myself unable to focus on anything other than the onslaught of unsolicited battle advice. I grit my teeth and try to shut it all off, deafening myself to the telepathic messages.

Before I can manage to complete the shut down a demon slams into me from the side, knocking me into a pillar. A gush of air escapes my lungs and the demon grabs me by the neck. Its claws digging deep into my flesh, I try to twist away, but it has a firm grip on me.

It's a [Kahri], a humanoid insect demon I can't identify. It's got three other arms, two holding onto the fresh corpses of different demons and a pair of bulging white eyes that may or may not be separated. Thin wings buzz on its shoulders as it presses me against a pillar, mouth drooling.

Cursing my carelessness, I beat against its arm and kick at it but it doesn't even twitch. The demon grins and bites down into my shoulder, scarfing down on my flesh. I cry out and try to punch it now that it's close, but it dodges the attack and my fist merely catches the side of its head.

I don't dare let up though, I continue to slam and pound against it, even as it takes hungrier bites out of me. My desperation grows as behind it the chaos of the royale sets to find us. The [Udele] I picked out earlier snaps through demons one by one, on a steady path towards us.

"Aargh!!!" I let out a desperate scream and flood my single arm with all the Essence I can manage and smash it against the [Kahri's] head, setting a good dent in it, enough that it lets up on its feast.

The [Udele] approaches from behind and grabs my assailant by the shoulder. The vulture-headed demon makes a show of ripping out the [Kahri's] wings and tossing them aside before lifting the demon itself and setting off into the air with its own feathered wings.

The [Udele] caws as I fall free to the ground and watch. Flapping a few feet in the air above the chaos, the [Udele] draws on either limb of the wingless [Kahri], delivering further mutilation as it pulls out two of its arms and lets it drop to the floor, instant prey for the others.

'Fucking hell.'

There's only one thing I can do not to die now.

With the threat of the [Udele] above me now I grab on all mana and set it on course as I chant, "Wekt! Wekt! Wekt! Wekt!"