Liliana left the waiting room, the door slamming behind her as she stalked through the tunnel, anger weighing hot and heavy in her blood.

Her bonds were affected by the anger Liliana refused to leash leaking through their bond. Lelantos’ tail flicked sharply behind him as a growl rumbled in his chest. Polaris’ ears were pinned to his head, fangs barred as he pressed against Liliana’s leg. Nemesis’ coils were almost dangerously tight around Liliana’s throat.

“So.”

Liliana drew up short as the voice echoed through the empty tunnel. Koth’talan was leaned against the wall once more, but his shoulders were drooped under the weight of defeat.

“You lost.” Liliana’s voice was more a growl than human speech.

“Yes.” Koth’talan’s eyes shut as if the admission was a physical strike.

“I won’t.” Liliana took the few steps necessary to come up even with the taller boy. Koth’talan opened his eyes and Liliana read so many emotions in his eyes in the split second it took him to hide them beneath his iron mask of indifference.

“No. You will not,” Koth’talan said finally, and Liliana could read the request on his face.

“I’ll make it hurt,” she answered that request with a show of teeth that more snarl than grin.

“Good. Show them those fangs.” Koth’talan gave her a weak smile as one finger pressed under her chin, raising her head before he turned and walked off, to await his chance at third place.

Liliana did not watch him leave. She strode out onto the sands, her bonds beside her as they met Upperton in the center. The girl regarded Liliana and her bonds before nodding slightly. Liliana controlled her rage enough to nod back before the rules were read.

“She’s going to come at us fast. Try to knock me out before any of you can turn the fight around. We’re going to let her.” Liliana told her bonds as they ignored the rules being read. She felt the reluctant agreements given by her bonds as she nodded at the professor.

Unseen, Nemesis slipped under the collar of Liliana’s shirt, winding down her arm as the shields dropped.

Liliana took a deep breath.

Felt her heart beat in her chest. Once.

The professor called the fight to start.

Several things happened at all at once. Liliana’s combo activated, flooding her body with power even as her mind cleared of the red haze that had taken over it as [Battle Clarity] gave her control once more.

A second beat.

[Perception] screamed.

Upperton vanished in a blur of speed even as Polaris and Lelantos stepped aside. Liliana’s foot slid across the ground as she twisted her body. A long, metal needle passed by Liliana’s face as her hand struck out, closing tightly around Upperton’s neck.

A third beat.

Liliana let out the air in her lungs.

“You always strike from behind.” Liliana noted, voice cold, detached as the other needle like weapon struck at her arm, her shield flickered. The lightest possible shade of yellow washed over her.

“It makes you predictable.” Liliana continued speaking as Upperton stared at her, eyes wide, confused, as Liliana smirked. Her free hand whipped out, grabbing onto Upperton’s wrist as she tried to desperately strike once more with her weapon, this time at Liliana’s face.

The other girl’s eyes flickered over Liliana’s shielded body, at the light yellow color of it, at the fact that it had yet to deepen. The question of why the poison had not affected her was so clear Upperton didn’t even need to speak. Liliana took pity on the girl and her confusion.

“Poison resistance.” Liliana explained coolly as her hand tightened on Upperton’s neck.

“Let’s see whose poison is stronger, shall we?” Liliana asked, lips stretching in a fanged smile as Nemesis emerged from Liliana’s sleeve, striking at Upperton’s fearful face.

Liliana kept her grip, lifting Upperton off her feet as Nemesis wrapped around the girl, form enlarging and catching her arms under tight coils as Liliana let go of the other girl’s wrist. Liliana released her hold on Upperton’s neck and stepped back as the girl’s body vanished under brown-green scales, only her head visible.

Nemesis’ coils constricted even as she struck again and again. Liliana watched, her hand dropping to lie between Polaris’ ears as Nemesis kept Upperton tied down. Her shield slowly turned from yellow, to orange as Upperton tried to escape. Earth rumbled and shook around the pair, but Nemesis had an Earth affinity too, and would not so easily permit a mere human to use it against her.

Upperton might have gained the Earth affinity, but Nemesis had been born with it.

Nemesis, despite all appearances, was not primarily a constrictor. She could, but she was not naturally gifted with much Strength via her species. And the serpent did not readily devote many points to the stat. However, it appeared Upperton did not devote many points to her own Strength stat either, most of her points probably going to Speed, Endurance, Dexterity and Wisdom, if Liliana had to guess.

Strike fast, and let the poison take out her enemies. Effective, until she faced someone with a stronger [Poison Resistance] than her poisons.

It left the entangled pair fairly evenly matched.

Nemesis was not strong enough to end the fight via crushing Upperton. Upperton was not strong enough to escape, but just strong enough to keep herself from being swallowed by the restraining coils.

Liliana could’ve ended the fight faster, if she wanted. Kept still by Nemesis’ thick coils, Upperton was an easy target. But Liliana wasn’t feeling particularly merciful at the moment, even if Upperton was not the focus of her ire. Sadly, the girl had to suffer for it as her apparent [Poison Resistance] was high enough that her shield took a long time to deepen despite Nemesis’ constant strikes.

Hopefully, some of the effort she had to exert would leave her weakened and tired for her fight against Koth’talan. It was the only thing she could do for her friend.

Liliana kept watching as Upperton remained trapped, forced to wriggle ineffectively as Nemesis struck at her. The fight had been decided before they ever stepped onto the sands, but Upperton fought the inevitable every step of the way.

However useless the effort was, Liliana respected it.

Upperton’s shield went red, the fight was called, and Liliana recalled Nemesis to her, the serpent releasing her prey reluctantly. Liliana stepped forward to where Upperton was on her hands and knees, from where Nemesis had let her go, coughing as if she had just been strangled. Interesting, even if the shields blocked the damage it seemed there was some mental damage left from being wrapped and constricted by a giant serpent, it seemed. Liliana picked a shrunken Nemesis up and stared at Upperton for a moment until the girl looked up at her.

“Sorry, but you were in my way.” Liliana told her.

“You.” Upperton coughed, and Liliana had to wonder if this was all mental, or if the shields really did not protect well against constriction, “did not even draw your weapon.”

“I had no need to.” Liliana explained with a shrug as her skills and spells turned off. She immediately missed the power they gave her.

“I saw your fights. Has anyone been a threat to you?” Upperton asked, rubbing at her neck. Liliana extended a hand to the girl, who swiped her weapons from where they had fallen and accepted the gesture.

“No,” Liliana said honestly as she helped Upperton to her feet and released the girl’s hand.

“I would say this must be the difference between class S and the rest of us, but I think you’re something more,” Upperton remarked honestly as she dusted off her clothes.

“Perhaps.” Liliana shrugged as she turned and walked to the tunnel.

She already knew she’d see Koth’talan waiting, and was not surprised to find him there. She had to wonder if he’d even returned to the room at all. Perhaps he had decided the trip was pointless and had waited here. Liliana almost felt bad for the shortness of her match. She had dragged it out for as long as she could.

He would have had nothing more than the few minutes her fight had taken to rest. Then again, Upperton would have no respite before her next fight began, either.

“Show them your fangs, Lili,” Koth’talan called out as he stepped forward.

“Show them yours,” Liliana murmured quietly as she watched Koth’talan step onto the sands.

Liliana looked down the tunnel. She could return once more to the empty room, and remember how recently it had been so full of voices, laughter and warmth. Or. Liliana looked toward the sands she could so easily see from her position just inside the tunnel.

Liliana turned and took a step back until she felt the cold of the stone through her clothes. Slowly, she let her body slide down the length of the wall until she hit the ground. Her knees came up, and she laid an arm across them, her head resting against it as she watched Koth’talan’s back as he stopped in the center.

It would not be as good of a view as she got from the illusion, but it felt right to wait here. Polaris sat down next to her, leaning his body into her side as he laid his vulpine head over hers. Liliana huffed out an amused snort at the move. Lelantos settled down on the ground in front of her, careful to not block her vision.

“You did well, Nem,” Liliana told her serpentine bond.

Nemesis was always susceptible to flattery, and out of all her bonds seemed to crave it the most. Liliana tried not to think that it was because she had been a baby, by her species’ standards, when she lost her family.

“Of course. No human snakelet can stand against my fangs,” Nemesis hissed proudly, raising her head to sway in Liliana’s sight, barring those very same fangs. At her current size, the expression was distinctly cute to Liliana. Her fangs were so small.

“Of course not. You’re too fierce a huntress, and your venom is too potent.” Liliana humored her bond, lifting her free hand to scratch just under Nemesis’ chin. The serpent’s eyes closed as she practically melted.

“We face the kit with the loud mouth next, yes?” Polaris asked, and Liliana hummed as Koth’talan’s fight began.

“Yes,” Liliana confirmed, moving her head slightly to follow the breathtakingly fast fight going on before her.

The Academy had cruelly robbed them by not giving them sound in their illusions. This close to the fight, but protected by the shield that wrapped up the coliseum, she could hear every strike of metal on metal as sword met strange needle like weapons. It was a beautiful melody that Liliana reveled in, only wishing it was her on the sands fighting once more.

“You’re going to ask us to stand back.” Polaris didn’t phrase it as a question, but Liliana treated it as one.

“Yes. I do not need your aid to take him down, and it will be more embarrassing if I very obviously limit myself. What a delicious victory that will be against someone who values his pride above all else. To know he can’t even beat me when I’m handicapped, let alone when I’m at my strongest.” In the privacy of the darkened tunnel, with no one but her bonds to see, Liliana let a cruel smile blossom on her face.

Koth’talan was right. She did hide her fangs from everyone.

But never from her bonds, who knew her. Knew every dark corner of her soul that shied from the light. They alone knew all that she was, every part of herself that she loved and despised. Knew every part that came together to form who she was. And loved her anyway. Not despite her flaws, but because of them.

Because her flaws and her strengths made up who she was. Her flaws balanced her strengths. Her capacity for cruelty was matched only by her capacity for kindness. Her willingness to destroy anyone who stood in her way balanced her fierce loyalty.

All that made her good was mirrored by what could make her truly terrifying.

The potential to be a hero was as easily matched by her potential to be a villain.

But then again. Hero and villain were titles granted by those who wrote the history books. One person’s hero was another’s villain.

So maybe Liliana should not place too much weight in such mercurial titles.

If her enemies saw her as a villain, then all the better. Because she would become their nightmares made flesh if it would keep them down. As long as her friends still smiled at her, she cared not for what titles others might give her.

Liliana watched with slowly blinking eyes as Koth’talan met Upperton on the sands. Both combatants were obviously exhausted, and fighting through their own bodies’ limitations to finish this fight.

Liliana felt a moment of regret when she realized that Upperton was less exhausted than Koth’talan. His fight with Zir’elon had gone on for far longer than hers. She doubted his Stamina and Mana had had any chance to recover at all. Upperton had been defeated far quicker, even if she spent every moment struggling. Her Mana and Stamina would still be higher.

Koth’talan proved that he would fight through anything, though. Even as his arms shook with exertion, he kept meeting Upperton blow for blow. But whatever tricks he had up his sleeve had been used in his fight against his brother. Liliana would bet he had exhausted every last drop of his Mana in his fight with Zir’elon, and was using all he had left just to keep his runes burning so he could match Upperton in Speed.

Upperton, by contrast, likely still had Mana to spare. And this time she was not against something with a mastery of the Earth affinity that would render her efforts useless.

No matter how good a swordsman Koth’talan was, no fighter could fight without their footing. And unlike Liliana, he could not so easily take to the sky when the ground became treacherous.

Koth’talan’s leg disappeared into a hole up to his knee, sending him off balance as he went from blocking Upperton to trying not to face plant. Upperton used her advantage and struck as viciously quick as any serpent. She jumped back as Koth’talan ripped his leg from the trap and pursued her, but the damage was done. His shield was steadily inching towards orange with each beat of his heart.

Slower than others, undoubtedly as a prince he had more than a small amount of levels in [Poison Resistance] but whatever poison Upperton preferred to use must be potent, for it still affected the prince. Liliana mentally filed away the information that her [Poison Resistance] was higher than Koth’talan’s, and like Zir’elon’s. Some advantages to having a venomous bond who would routinely bite her, she supposed.

Koth’talan made Upperton earn her victory, however, as he continued to chase her over the sands, sword slipping through her guard on more than one occasion, chipping at her Health each time. But Koth’talan was exhausted and Upperton had the upper hand in that regard, for all the girl was obviously tired too. She used her spells sparingly, but as Koth’talan lagged more, he became far more prone to mistakes, to not noticing the holes that opened under his feet.

Upperton used every mistake, punishing them with a ruthless efficiency, but she didn’t always get off without a cost.

The round ended when Koth’talan went down once more, seemingly at his body’s limits. His head bowed in defeat, his sword on the ground under his hands as Upperton rushed forward. In the last moment, Koth’talan exploded into movement, sword striking out when Upperton was too close to dodge.

Metal met shield and one went red.

Koth’talan shook his head, a disbelieving laugh reaching Liliana even over the distance. His shield was a bright red, Upperton’s an orange so red it almost matched his.

Almost.

But not quite.

Liliana let out a long sigh as she raised her head, Polaris lifting his own off of her. On the sands, Upperton helped Koth’talan to his feet, and the two shook hands. They broke apart, and they both turned to leave.

Liliana stood in the tunnel and met Koth’talan’s eyes across the distance. He held her gaze for a long moment, unsaid words heavy in the air between them. Liliana barred her teeth at him, fangs on full display, and Koth’talan gave her one of his rare, real smiles as he nodded at her and then vanished from her sight as he walked off the sands.

Liliana strode out of the tunnel a heartbeat after Koth’talan had left the sands. Her bonds flanked her as the crowd roared, the loudest it had been yet. They were ready to see the final fight. To see who among the first years would be declared the strongest they had.

Zir’elon met her in the middle of the coliseum, a smug smirk on his face that stoked the fires of rage ever higher in her chest. Liliana let the anger fill her, burning every trace of hesitation from her system.

“Are you ready to lose, just like that mongrel?” Zir’elon asked her with a sneer. “Or perhaps like that bitch of a princess did?” he continued to prod as Liliana regarded him with a baleful glare.

“Do you remember our first fight, Zir’elon?” Liliana asked, voice sweet as honey and as deadly as belladonna.

“Oh, do you hold that memory close to your heart? I never knew you admired me so. I have to tell you, I’m not interested in half blooded mutts like you.” Zir’elon spat the words with a charming grin on his face that Liliana wanted to claw off. Slowly. Painfully.

“No. I just wanted you to know. The humiliation you felt that day? I hope you haven’t forgotten the flavor, because it’ll be nothing compared to what you’ll taste today.” Liliana kept her voice sweet, sugar coating poisoned steel.

“You’ll think on that day and beg the gods for something as sweet as the taste of defeat you felt in front of only eighteen other students.” Liliana leaned forward, lips parting to reveal sharp fangs, “and you’ll rue the day you made an enemy of me. When you’re crying, on your knees before my blades. Just remember. You asked for this.” Liliana spat the final words out, all sweetness gone, nothing but vitriol and venom now as she leaned back.

She had timed her words perfectly. Before Zir’elon could get the words out of his opened mouth, the professor spoke, reciting the rules to them. Liliana grinned at his anger filled face. His confirmation of his understanding of the rules sounded more like a curse than an affirmation.

Liliana’s grin turned into a snarl as the shields dropped.

The fight was called to a start.

Liliana took in a deep breath and closed her eyes as light flooded the coliseum.