"Ah the blood pit one my father's greatest creations, an arena for all those that wish to spill blood for money and sharpen their skills. Mostly people that come here are spectators that bet on the fights that occur in the pit however there are the occasional few who wish to test their might within." Lillian admired the blood pits infamy and explained how the lascivious and sadistic nobles rarely fought themselves.

"Slaves, Brawlers, Gladiators and Monsters fight it out within the pit, some spectators even throw in bystanders on the side lines just to see more crimson soaked guts flail around. Winners are awarded platinum excluding slaves of course they get an extra day to live, if they are lucky." Azazel had a bloodthirsty grin on his face, looking as if he wanted to join in as well.

"There are two types of fights, the first being a one on one as simple as that while the second is a large free for all in which up to thirty people battle it out to reign supreme. You must kill at least one person to be spared at the end of the fight but if you wish to take all the rewards you should kill everyone, winning in the free for all naturally grants higher rewards. So shall we head over?" Lillian was intrigued with how Malice was going to respond, she thought there was definitely a possibility of him withdrawing.

Malice nodded his head and walked with the crimson haired siblings. After a short walk through a long hallway they arrived at a large steel door where deafening screams resounded from behind. Lillian slightly opened the doors increasing the volume of the shouts even more before closing the door behind her.

"Follow me to where the fighters prepare." Azazel instructed as he made his way through a wooden door nearby.

Malice was close behind and proceeded down a dark and damp stairwell before arriving at what looked to be a prison, passing by each cell he finally found himself in front of another large steel door where a almost naked man with an enormous black beard stood.

"Master Azazel it's good to see you, have you come to fight again or do you want this little lad to spill some blood?" The black bearded man had a raspy voice and spoke with a solemn tone.

"Rhodar, my friend here wants to have a go at fighting in the pit. So set up a match to his liking, I'll be in the stands if either of you need me. Good Luck!" Azazel gave Malice a pat on the back before leaving the way they came.

"So young one what type of fight you looking for?" Rhodar questioned Malice looking down on the twelve year old like he wouldn't last a second in the pit.

"Set up a free for all, the amount of people matters not however, I would like them to all have Mortal Iron essence. I'm not in the mood to die today but make sure they have some strength I won't improve killing defenceless children." Malice wanted to fight but not to the death in any way, he wanted a fight where he could improve but also not die a dog's death in a fighting pit.

After about twenty minutes, watching several fighters go in to the arena and only a few coming out, Malice’s battle had arrived. Walking through the large steel doors alongside several other fighters.

'It sure as hell lives up to the name of The Blood Pit.' Malice observed his surroundings, he was in the middle of an indoor coliseum with 3 meter high walls with spectators standing on top. Body parts, blood, weapons, excrement and sand covered the pit in its entirety. The pit was covered in an unquestionable oppression coming from the bloodthirsty crowd. Situated in a certain place were four chairs of the four, three were occupied with Malice identifying Lillian and Azazel as two of them however the last was taken by a towering figure with blood red eyes that could reach into your body and suck out everything within, crimson hair tied back to show a concaving scar across his right eye and chin. Without a doubt this was Azazel and Lillian’s father, Dantallion.

Malice stood on the blood soaked sand in the pit and counted a total of thirteen opponents, two measly thin slaves, three female slaves, two well built slaves, three light armoured warriors, two old men with deathly auras and a young girl with black crystalline arms.

'Those old men seem pretty dangerous but the others should be less of a challenge since I can use my Serpent Sword spell. Yet that little girl also seems odd if I was to guess I would say she is part demon but I'm not certain.' Malice thought over who would be easiest to handle and who he should be wary of.

"The Mortal Free For All may now... Begin" Dantallion gave a reverberating shout and commanded the fighters to start the blood works.

Malice darted towards one of the light armoured warriors channelling his essence into his arms and legs. He did not want to use his spell so early on and thought that using his essence and his fighting ability he could take on a simple warrior without a weapon.

"Foolish child I'm part of the Vengeful Rhino grou..." Before the warrior could even boast Malice was in front of his eyes with a punch aimed right at his chin.

Yet Malice was caught off guard by a sudden whistle of an arrow making him retreat and unable to continue his attack. Malice looked over and saw the arrow land near the warriors foot showing that it had not much power behind it, another warrior stood close by looking smug after seeing his trick work.

'I was too cautious and thought some one had shot at me but the fucker just threw it? Well now I'm annoyed!' Malice wasn't happy he was tricked running towards the man he attacked previously, seeing this the man retreated however, Malice didn't give chase and instead picked up the thrown arrow launching an assault on the warrior who threw it.

The arrow throwing warrior was now focused on a female slave and had just grabbed the slaves neck preparing to strangle her to death.

"Manta!"

With a shout, blood spilled across the face of the female slave that was being strangled, looking up she saw an arrow spouting from the warriors eye with someone standing behind him with a smile on his face. This was obviously Malice and he was rather pleased killing the man who tricked him.

"The trickster got tricked, unlucky my friend you should have watched your back." Malice pulled the arrow from the warriors head and then using his essence to power his arms he threw it down impaling the female slave through the neck.

"BASTARD!!" The Warrior Malice had first attacked kicked towards Malice from behind showing his bloodshot teary eyes.

Malice simply dodged the kick and looked at the man crying on the battlefield, he could only laugh at how quickly he lost his cool in the fight.

"It's pointless talking at this point huh? I don't know why you thought there would only be weak slaves for you to harvest in the blood pit, I guess it's too late to regret." Malice didn't really care for this man's grief, kicking up the sand on the ground into the warriors eyes before smacking him to the floor.

The Warrior struggled as Malice held him to the ground, knowing full well that waiting too long would get him killed Malice quickly stood up and crushed the Warriors neck beneath his foot. Looking up Malice was fully aware and made sure there were no scavengers looking to sneak attack much like he did. Malice went onto survey the surroundings and saw that the slaves were clashing with each other knowing they only stood a chance against fellow slaves. The old men were standing at the side watching the fights play out and probably thinking over several strategies. Finally the little girl was sat on top of the last warrior tearing out his guts and bones.

A few minutes later the only ones standing were a giant slave with many wounds, the old men, the little girl and Malice.

Malice made the choice to engage with one of the old men knowing that they posed the greatest threat, preparing a serpent sword behind his back Malice set off in the old man's direction.

"I will face this child you handle the other two, make sure to not over use your abilities unless you desire to become a corpse yourself." The Old man with a black cloak spoke to the other with a silver cloak before walking towards Malice.

"May death become one with my soul and channel it's grace and evil through the undeath beneath me." The black cloaked Old man chanted some words and he seemed to be enveloped in an even more intense and deathly aura.

Malice continued forward before jumping to the left whilst his Serpent Sword continued forward, whistling through the air the deadly blade was precise and was heading right for the old man's neck.

"Skilful but not enough." The old man spoke and in a instant the sword was blocked, it was now wedged between a man's neck, however this man's head was backwards and his skin deathly white.

'Shit he's a necromancer, then again from what I can see he can only raise corpses. He and his friend can probably only raise one or two undead though considering they are in this match. I suppose I do need some one at least somewhat skilled to improve myself.' Malice decided to get serious so he conjured three serpent swords and in no time sent one towards the necromancer and another at the corpse, wielding one in his hand flanking to the left.

The necromancer ran close to his risen corpse and used it as a shield as the swords closed in, pulling bones from a corpse nearby making a bone spike and launching it at Malice. Two swords stabbed into the undead corpse, the necromancer feeling safe came out from behind his zombie and prepared to throw another bone spike. Meanwhile the previous bone spike had reached Malice which he put a lot of strength forward to block making bone shards cut across his arms. Knowing he couldn't back down otherwise he would die, Malice dissipated his two serpent swords in the undead corpse and created a larger sword. Malice pushed forward the large sword horizontally as fast as he could. Seeing the large blade the necromancer had the corpse hold the bone spike and use it as a shield whilst hiding behind it.

'Slzzzt'

With a loud cutting sound and two bangs the entire crowd went silent. The silver cloaked necromancer who was making no progress against the giant slave and little girl looked back towards his companion however what he saw instead was two lower bodies with two upper bodies scattered at their feet.

Malice had managed to put enough power behind his large sword and had used his remaining sword as a boost to put a large amount of force behind his attack, enough force to cleave two bodies in half. This was no small effort on Malice’s part as his felt like his body suddenly was five times heavier and knew it would be difficult to fight against three people.

"No! We were suppose to win, we are servants of Death and will live forever even in the afterlife!" The necromancer shouted in a furious tone.

"Awwrrgh" A screech was heard across the pit and suddenly all the flesh and bone from the dead swarmed to the remaining necromancer and without warning it burst out again like a storm of blades. Malice saw the phenomenon and created his swords combining three into a makeshift shield hoping the bone and flesh storm wouldn't cut him to pieces.

When the blood and bone had settled the necromancer was nowhere to be seen, Malice guessed his own flesh and bones were part of that explosion. The giant was groaning in pain, he had managed to shield his face but the rest of his body was cut up and mangled. The little girl had bone shards sticking out her face and chest, she had clearly been killed along with the necromancer. Malice struggled to stand up being tired from the fight, having cuts from shattered bones on his arms and a large gash on his leg inflicted from the corpse explosion.

Malice circulated his essence to push himself to actually move and then using his Serpent Sword he finished off the Giant who pleaded for his life making excuses such as having family and such. Malice was declared the winner getting a nod from Dantallion and the excited cheers from the crowd. Making his way out of the pit Malice felt his essence to be extremely hot and erratic meaning only one thing he was about to advance his essence.