Zoe pondered her choices as the horned beast swung its swords against the force field trapping it in its square. Each blade was almost as long as Zoe was tall. The metal gleamed under the lavender sky, but the chipped and jagged edges fractured the light into sinister glints. They looked like instruments of cruelty, of tearing flesh, rather than the neat slicing of a true sword.

There were echoes of the surgeon in that thought, but the judgment wasn’t wholly hers. Once more she was aware of the trembling power within her that came from being Rue’s champion. What horrible twist of fate had led to her fighting for her nemesis? Even after the scene in the Gambler’s game, even after witnessing the death of Lorrilla, Zoe couldn’t bring herself to side wholly with Rue, but —

[Yes, you are wise to doubt him]

The Gambler’s words sidled up into her brain as the golden god loomed upon the horizon like a sun melting down the wall of the sky. He shimmered, indistinct with distance, with smoke, with the inability for the mortal eye to gaze upon what was truly real.

[Side with me, and together we can bring down this upstart. Think of the rewards I can offer you. Think of being Queen of your world!]

It was a fair offer, though could she trust it at all? The Gambler had proven himself to be as devious as loaded dice.

[I resent the comparison]

And she hated Rue, even though she knew that his actions on Earth were a symptom of a larger system… a system even now whispering in her head to turn her to its cause.

Her fingers twitched, as the Black Star spoke to her without words. Zoe agreed, and though she couldn’t speak, she could still act out her thoughts, and so she raised a single chain in impudent defiance at the heights of gold in the distance.

Laughter boomed out like fists thumping shields. It echoed around her and swept at her back and she glanced over her shoulder. Behind her, silver filled the sky, silver, and blood, as Rue towered in his form of raw and warlike power.

[Greed is a poor substitute for revenge, Gambler]

Rue’s voice was rich, and bold, and filled Zoe’s heart with a fervor.

[Zoe, you helped me start this fight, and so I ask you to help me finish it. Once we finish here, I will send you home, and you may resume your quest]

The Gambler laughed.

[What a foolish offer. Why should she trust you?]

Rue’s answer rang out like a blade through a raindrop.

[The enemy of my enemy is my friend]

ding!

Friends!

Zoe nodded her affirmation, and the swordlike power within her sharpened.

Ahead of her, the four-armed beast contested its challenge. Spikes of gold thrust up from the ground. It moved with deceptive speed for something so large. As a spike shot up like demonic bamboo, it would swing its blades and hack away at the growth. Despite its maniacal slashing, it suffered injuries. A spike impaled its foot, and with its movement hampered, it suffered two more spikes to the leg and torso before the challenge ended.

Blood matted the fur of its muscular body. It heaved, steam escaping from its lips as it glared at Zoe with hateful eyes.

She grinned as the sound of dice rolled through her mind. It would be good to fight something, instead of having her fate plucked at like she were a butterfly pinned in place.

[Six]

Once more the wind lifted at her back. Not as strong as before, but still Zoe charged forward across the tiles. The beast stood in the other lane of tiles, but it prepared its swords as she neared. Conflict was soon, she could taste it, and so, with fists ready, she selected her upgrade.

* [I Stand With You: Channel the martial prowess of allies into your chains, creating surges of formidable power. The specific effects of the surge depend upon the connected ally]

* [I’ve Got Your Back: Enhance your chains to become an impenetrable shield and safeguard your allies. Your commitment to standing as a stalwart guardian increases your defensive strength]

* [I Will Carry You: Dynamically adjust the weight of your chains by channeling the power of the bonds you share with your allies. Enhance agility with light chains, or increase weight for devastating blows]

If she were anywhere else, she would probably choose [I Stand With You]. She wasn’t sure how Anton or Bella would manifest through a chain’s abilities, but they weren’t here to help. Rue was technically her ally, but the bond she felt was one of convenience, not true friendship.

Likewise, the ability to protect allies would be useless if she never made it through this ordeal. Which left her with the final choice [I Will Carry You]. At once the most independently useful, and the one she could use right away. Even if its ability was diminished without access to her allies, she could still use it immediately.

[Black Star upgrade confirmed]

ding!

No! Stop! Ah, it tickles! Zoe it tickles!

Zoe reached the final square and as she did, laughter pulsed up from her metal fingers through to her throat. The chains fleshed out as they repaired themselves. She grinned as the sixth square lit up under her feet. The same square as the one beside the beast. She could smell its matted fur and sweat. The musk of a creature of wild and furious hell.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

[You have received the challenge: Duel]

The beast roared at Zoe and swung two of its swords in a massive overhead chop.

[Self Reflects the World]

She dodged to the side as mirror encased her skin. Her hands and feet didn’t feel any different, but with a thought, they became lighter. Not a lot, but enough to make avoiding the beast’s heavy strikes even easier.

She ducked under a sweeping slash and propelled herself closer. Her fists increased in weight as she struck at its side. Knuckles met furred muscles. The impact rang out fat and solid. The beast grunted and spun. Zoe dodged away, but a blow caught her ribs. Mirror deflected the blast, and the beast stepped back, but Zoe felt the power behind them.

It would be easy for such attacks to shatter her technique.

The beast roared at her, spittle flying from its fangs, as it charged to cross the distance.

Zoe’s fingers spread and her chains shot out. She wrapped them around the beast's arms, slamming each pair together and binding them. With a concentration of will, she forced the chains to increase in weight. The beast pulled and Zoe slid across the tiles. She dug her heels down, but even with all her Might the creature was resisting her.

Dice clattered.

[Three]

A faint wind tickled her back, and Zoe felt her strength sag. Where before the number had boosted her strength and pushed her forward, she now felt those same effects diminished. Her momentum faltered, and the beast grinned — tusks protruding over fat lips — as it wrapped its arms around her chains and hauled. Zoe flew off her feet straight toward the creature.

It slammed its forehead against Zoe like a hammer against a nail. The crack shattered her mirrored technique and sent Zoe flying back to the ground. Her chain slipped free, loose, limp, and she crawled away to get back on her feet as the beast stomped toward her.

A sword drove down toward her. She leaped as it chipped the marble tile. Another blade descended. Her chains lashed out and deflected it — barely. She got to her feet and swayed as strike after strike came at her. The steps of the Grasping Vine came from memory to help her weave her way through the overwhelming attacks. She lashed out with punches when she could. One advantage of chains for her hands was that she could strike the edge of a blade without risking injury.

After each stroke, she left the blade humming, but — pressed as she was — she couldn’t think of how to use her body path ability to her advantage.

The beast’s eyes glowed with a bloody haze as its attacks only grew faster. Zoe focused only on making her chains as light as possible to assist in her dodging.

The lavender sky filled with gold as the Gambler leaned overhead.

[A soldier alone is a pitiful sight]

Silver speared through the God.

[Then she shall not fight alone]

[Divine Technique: The Cavalry Arrives]

Silver light flashed on either side of Zoe. The beast blinked and staggered back under the blinding assault as silhouettes formed within the luminance. Zoe released her chains before it pulled her too close.

The lights resolved into Bella and Anton. They stood limber and ready.

“We’ve been watching,” Anton said as his eyes floated out around them.

Bella’s sword rippled with heat.

“Just like old times, yeah?”

Zoe smiled. Her heart pulsed. It felt good to have them beside her once more, as though she had been fighting at half strength, but now she could go all out.

Her heart thundered.

And her chains responded. She lashed out and increased the weight as they struck the blinded beast. For the first time, she heard the cracking of bone after one of her strikes. The beast howled with pain and lashed out blindly. Bella deflected the stroke with her runeblade as Anton charged up behind it and placed an open palm upon its knee.

A flower of blood and gore erupted from its flesh.

The beast squealed, but its rage was no match for the Gambler.

[How dare you cheat!]

Rue laughed.

[The rules of war are written by the victor, Gambler. You cry out because you are used to your power, but the house can only win so many times before someone burns it down]

As Bella distracted the beast with stunning swordplay, Zoe charged. She lashed out her chains around its neck and pulled herself up to its head. Her fist crashed into its mouth. Teeth shattered under the weight of her chains. She grabbed its lower jaw and focused on her friends.

ding!

We can do it together!

Zoe increased the weight a hundredfold as she pulled down. Her shoulders ached as her muscles heaved. With a sickening tear, the lower jaw of the beast ripped loose. The creature staggered and slumped to its knees. The swords slipped from its hands and clattered upon the marble tile.

Anton stepped up and thrust a hand up inside its maw. Seconds later blood exploded out in a facsimile of a rose.

The creature collapsed, and the three humans stood breathing amidst the steaming gore. Even with the scent of blood rich in her nostrils, and her body weakened and heaving, Zoe was glad to see her friends. She relaxed the weight in her chains so it didn’t pull at her shoulders and grabbed them both in an embrace.

Anton stood there stiffly while Bella patted her on the back.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” she said.

[It seems my champions won]

Rue’s voice was rich with amusement.

[Time for that mortal blow you promised]

Silver light surged and filled the sky. The Gold retreated to the horizon as reality flickered. One moment Zoe stood upon the stage, its roof fractured, planets and stars swirling in the gaps above, the next she stood upon the tiles as Rue strode across the sky — his flesh an army of silver armored soldiers — his eyes burning forges — his blade the very cutting air, the cold, the heat, the hunger, the infections, the despair and death of imagination turned against life itself — the stage swirled around her, the floor firm under her knees, smell of blood and fear thick in her nostrils. Everyone sat once more on the stage, numb as their souls became corporeal, eyes glued to the gods in their midst.

Rue raised a hand like a stiff-fingered blade above the cowering Gambler.

[The problem with games, Gambler, is that there is always a loser]

His hand came down like an executioner’s sword and lopped the Gambler’s head from his shoulders. For a moment, there was only silence. The Gambler’s head rolled across the floor like any other decapitated monarch. Its bloody motion stopped under the golden boot of a clone.

The Gambler picked up his head with a smile.

[If only it were so simple]