A man and a woman stand within the crowd watching as a soldier of Nulfond toys with a warrior of Shanese. The woman holds a type of hard candy in her mouth, sucking on it slightly as the man forms a flame from his pointer finger, lighting some kind of stick before holding it in his mouth. “That was Aurora and we both know it,” the woman says as the Nulfond soldier delivers a sharp kick to the Shanese warrior knocking them to the ground.

  “And what of it,” the man takes the stick out of his mouth blowing a cloud of smoke into the air before he returns it to his mouth. “Those in power don’t care about her anymore. It’s all about the weapons now, not some raging killer we had on a leash.”

  “If she were to discover what has become of that house she will likely slaughter everyone in Nulfond,” the woman’s voice grows urgent as she talks. “We have both seen what she is capable of. We both know that she needs to get that leash back on,” the woman spits the hard candy out of her mouth as the Nulfond soldier slowly walks out of the arena as the Shanese warrior limps out.

  “The weapons are stronger than her. Mass production has begun if she were to go on another rage through Nulfond she’d be killed before even a single district falls,” the man blows another cloud of smoke into the air as he talks. “The weapon S-G-05 will easily show that I promise you.”

  “S-G-05 is on her side of the games but who’s to say they won’t be teaming up during the team rounds?” the woman grabs another piece of hard candy from her pocket, a blue one. “If they are allies for those rounds she’s just gonna learn how to beat S-G-05 and you know it.”

  The man laughs as he blows smoke into the air before tossing the stick behind him. “You know that I can pull strings to have it go however I want so I’ll guarantee that Aurora is dealt with.”

  As the woman sighs she turns to look down at the arena as the announcer yells throughout the arena. “Celina from the unnamed mercenary group will be facing off against Lady Molt, a noble of Zashan!”

  Celina stares down Molt as they slowly approach each other. Molt smiles as she looks Celina up and down. Celina is seemingly more on edge than normal as she watches Molt observe her. “You know your sister could’ve been the greatest thing to ever happen to your family. Such a shame you had to go and ruin it for them.”

  Celina’s eyes widen as memories flood her eyes. That bloody restaurant followed by the sound of laughter. Then the sight of Chiasa. That wide smile as Celina fulfilled her end of the deal. Then the sight of Celina’s mothers face filled with horror as Chiasa’s smile seems to unnaturally widen as a knife plunges into Celina’s side.

  “Get yourself together!” Chiasa’s voice floods Celina’s mind as her eyes slowly refocus. “Just cause she knows what you did doesn’t mean you gotta cry and lose your focus,” the voice that once ordered her to kill for power and even attempted to kill her now orders her to care for her life. “You know killing is seen as normal in these games,” as Celina stares down Molt she can see Chiasa walk behind grabbing Molt’s shoulders before pointing at her head. “You still want more power don’t you?” The crowd has stopped shouting and cheering now as if they were frozen. “That envy you had when you killed them and made deal after deal with me so you could be who you are now is still there. What’s wrong with killing one more when you’ve already killed so many for your power,” Chiasa dissipates before reforming in front of Celina, her hand extended for a hand shake. “Deep down you are the same girl. So envious of the power others have you’ll do whatever you need to to be them. So go ahead and shake my hand.”

  As Celina reaches her hand out to Chiasa a wide smile spreads across Chiasa’s face. Within a second of their hands grasping each other's hand the crowd begins to shout and cheer again and as Celina stares down Molt her eyes are filled with purpose. “Oh my. It would seem the family killer is still the same as she always was. Are you gonna kill me like you did your sister?”

  Celina says nothing as she rests her hand on the hilt of her sword waiting for the match to begin. Godwine watches gritting his teeth as a voice speaks to him. “She hasn’t changed a bit,” before Godwine gets a chance to say something back the announcer’s voice pierces the air.

  “Celina vs Lady Molt starts now!” As the announcer’s voice declares the start of the match Celina seemingly disappears, wind blowing throughout the arena as she moves. Molt smiles calmly observing the field, noticing her movements no matter how fast she moves.

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  Celina attempts to slash Molt only for her to easily deflect the strike as if she knew the future. “Poor Celina still so dependent on that speed of yours,” Molt evades every attempt Celina takes at hitting her. “You should know that foresight magic is such an easy way to deal with people who depend on speed like yourself,” another simple dodge as Celina sends herself flying past Molt. “Such a pathetic way to fight.”

  Celina attempts to make several fake outs but Molt doesn’t react to almost all of them, simply slightly moving or not at all. “To hide behind your stupid magic is something a coward would do,” Celina runs towards the corner of trees.

  “To think that you would resort to ambushes,” Molt slowly enters the forest after Celina. “Every leaf, every sway of the branches, I see it all. Every outcome I know them all.” Celina stays low, slipping from bush to bush. “Once I see you every outcome will become clear to me.” As Celina ends up behind Molt unnoticed she attempts to charge forth. “Even the slightest noise and I’ll know.” The foliage rustles as Celina bursts forward. Molt calmly deflects the attempted strike. Yet Celina doesn’t stop. Stab and strike after strike she doesn’t retreat. As Molt continues to dodge and deflect the attacks Celina shows no notion of stopping.

  “Was this the outcome you foresaw?” Celina questions Molt as she throws a kick aimed at her side. Molt simply smiles, catching Celina’s leg.

  “All you had to do was play your role little girl,” Molt’s grip tightens as Celina attempts to swing her sword until Molt simply deflects it into the ground. “You just had to ruin the role of your family didn’t you?” Celina attempts to deliver a punch but is simply too far away. “Like I said, you and your family would’ve become some of the greatest.”

  “Shut up!” Celina shouts as she struggles. “I won’t play my damn role! It is my life, I get to decide what I do!”

  “That is where you are wrong little girl,” Molt’s voice grows more dangerous with each attempt Celina makes at freedom. “Your sister would’ve become an elite and you and your family would’ve gotten to join her.”

  “You think I give a shit!?” as Celina shouts out at Molt she catches Chiasa’s tails swirling around her captured leg. Celina grits her teeth as she feels the fur run across her leg. She can’t tell if this is Chiasa invading her mind once more or if this is real but the fear is more real than she could ever imagine.

  “I never said I think you don’t care sweetie,” Molt lets go of her leg before delivering a harsh punch directly into Celina’s chest. “What I meant was, why take that away from your loving family?”

  Celina rolls slightly as she lands on the ground the feeling of sand fills her right side. Her vision blurs as memories of her past flood her head.

  “Father the nobles said they’ll inform the king of my progress and that soon I’ll be ready.”

  “Thank you [][][][][][][][], you have made us so proud of you.”

  As Celina’s vision slowly refocuses Molt stands above Celina looking down at her with a wind smile. “To think you took away the most naive puppet from us,” Molt slowly forms a cuff out of the air. “If you wish to be your sister so badly then I suppose I can fulfill that wish.”

  Within a second Celina’s eyes widen and with a swift motion she delivers a harsh headbutt knocking the cuff out of Molt’s hand and sending her stumbling backwards. “Fuck no!” Celina stands up resting a hand on her head. “My sister would have never served you or anyone in Zashan!”

  “She was a naive girl. Those are my favorites to take advantage of. They give in so easily and become the perfect puppets,” Molt touches her forehead some as blood drips down. “You will have to serve her role now sadly.”

  Celina’s feet move almost on their own as Molt suddenly charges. Celina steps through the sand as she retrieves her sword. “Don’t you talk like my family was some tool for you to use you scum,” Celina stands ready to fight as Molt extends her hand.

  “To care about your family even after you slaughtered them,” the air around Molt’s hand seems to move to her will before a pitch black knife forms protruding from her palm. “Truly a pathetic and simply hypocritical one you are.”

  Celina grits her teeth as she runs forward sand flies behind her with each step. “Shut,” Celina takes a large step as the black knife flies towards her. “The,” Celina grabs the knife as she stares down Molt. “Fuck,” Celina readies her blade aiming towards Molt’s forehead as she stands in disbelief. Up!” With one swift clean motion Celina rams her sword into Molt’s forehead and as blood flies covering the sand beneath them Celina sees Chiasa’s smile spreading wide once again.