Within the massive stadium, Ethan and Poison settled into their seats, surrounded by a sea of enthusiastic fight fans. The arena was electrified with excitement. The atmosphere in the air sent shivers down the people's spines as they found their places. The stadium was renowned for hosting the best fights, and tonight was no different. Fans of all ages and backgrounds had gathered to witness the thrilling spectacle. Banners and flags bearing the names and slogans of their favorite fighters infested the venue. In the front rows, friends and family of the competing fighters exchanged excited chatter, their faces reflecting a mix of pride and anticipation. Among the thousands of spectators, Ethan and Poison blended seamlessly, two more faces in the enthusiastic crowd.
The stadium was alive with excitement as the audience eagerly awaited the fighters' entrances. The large screen suspended above the ring displayed a live feed of the backstage area, where the fighters made their final preparations. Ethan and Poison were mere spectators on this grand stage, fully engaged in the collective buzz of the audience. The atmosphere around them crackled with joy, each person in the crowd eager to witness the upcoming battle.
“Is it alright for me to ask why we’re here?” Ethan finally gained the courage to ask.
Being in public wasn’t really his idea for being discreet when they were wanted criminals. Well, they weren’t wanted, but they were wanted in a way? Like, no one knew they were behind the latest crime spree of burglary, but still. It would be better for them not to be out and about, right? At least, he thought so.
“Do you see that human on the big screen?” Poison asked.
Even a pointless waste of oxygen, like Ethan, knew who Zoey Winters was. He couldn’t escape the reaches of her reputation, even in the solace of his online games or with his favorite Beetubers. Ethan had no choice but to do some research on the girl. It turned out she was just some famous fighter. Well, she was more than just some famous fighter… Zoey was a girl! A female fighter that was outshining any other male fighter her age because Ethan only knew about Zoey and didn’t know shit about any other fighter in her generation. Male or female.
Seeing her up on the big screen made him really confused, though. She looked tough, but she was tiny as hell. Zoey had the muscles of a fighter, the demeanor of a bad bitch, and she was definitely black. Ethan was surprised by how often Zoey’s race came up when people talked about her online. But then again, it was the internet, so not really.
“Yes.” Ethan would have to be blind not to see one of the reasons that everyone showed up here.
“She ruined my life and nearly got me killed.” Poison calmly shared.
She turned her head slightly, her gaze fixed on the enormous screen where Zoey Winters, the object of her deep-seated resentment, was being celebrated by the masses as she walked toward the ring. Ethan could feel the anger dripping from Poison, even though she looked like she was in complete control of her emotions. Poison's posture stiffened, her grip on her armrest becoming a vice, and her jaw clenched with an intensity that could shatter diamonds. The atmosphere, once crackling with excitement, seemed to warp around Poison. For a brief moment, everything faded into insignificance for Ethan. The banners, the cheers, the very air itself were swallowed by the vortex of Poison's seething anger. Sensing the storm brewing within her, he dared not utter another word. He could almost taste the bubbling fury radiating from Poison. Poison's eyes remained fixed on Zoey, her gaze an icy dagger slicing through the ecstatic atmosphere. Her silence spoke volumes, an unforgiving rage that needed no words to convey its depth. It was a promise of retribution, a silent vow to settle the score with the girl on the big screen.
“Want to expand on that a little more, or…” Ethan hesitated to ask.
Poison answered his question with silence. Ethan did not follow up despite being incredibly curious about how a superstar fighter was capable of ruining a monster’s life and nearly killing them. He knew she was capable of clawing through steel and using poisonous acid to melt glass. How did a boxer beat a monster that can do some shit like that? Maybe daemons aren’t tougher than normal humans, and Zoey snuck up on her from behind or something? But then that brings up the question of why the hell would someone as famous as Zoey Winters attack Poison. Could it be that Poison tried to attack Zoey but failed because she’s a great fighter?
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That didn’t make sense either. Zoey would be dead if she was a regular boxer. No matter how talented a person is at fighting. Poison had claws that could cut through steel and actual poison on her side. All she would have needed to do was flick some drops of it on Zoey, and her skin would be melting. So, it couldn’t have been that Poison attacked Zoey. It only made sense that Zoey, for some reason or another, snuck attack Poison. And somehow was successful to the point where Poison believes her life was ruined and she was nearly killed? No, no, no… Ethan was missing an important part of the puzzle. He just didn’t know what.
Ethan’s mental focus was forcefully taken away as he stared at the match in the ring. His eyes focused on Zoey’s masterful agility and defense. He didn’t know the first thing about fighting, but as a man, he could tell when someone was a fucking badass and when something was cool as shit. That redneck guy couldn’t land a finger on Zoey. She was running circles around him while he swung away like a crazy bull.
Briefly, it made Ethan reconsider his imaginative thoughts earlier with Zoey not being able to stand up against Poison. She was quick and agile. Maybe it would be possible for her to avoid Poison’s claws, but at the same time, it didn’t address the poison part. Ethan couldn’t think of a single person who was able to avoid multiple flying droplets of something. It’d be like trying to dodge rain!
Then, the match took a turn for the awesome as the third round started. Ethan and Poison silently watched Zoey beat a grown man into curdling up like a baby in the fetal position. Ethan wasn’t a person who liked violence unless it involved video games or violence in like cartoons or movies. But something about the way Zoey fought at the end of the match lit something up inside of him. Of course, he didn’t show Poison one ounce of this, considering her massive hate for the girl. If Poison hated her, so did Ethan!
Poison had them leave the fight early compared to everyone else. Right when it was certain that Zoey had won the match. Poison still hasn’t said a word ever since he asked her about how Zoey supposedly ruined her life and nearly killed her. In fact, it wasn’t until Jinx appeared when they left the venue and portal’d home that Poison spoke to him again.
Her feet rested on top of his back as he served as her foothold in front of the television in his room. On the television was a sports channel gushing about Zoey’s brutal finish and first loss of her career. Ethan could hear her nails piercing through her own skin as she clenched it hard enough to draw blood. Acidic burning blood that terrifyingly dripped next to his body. It was at this point that Ethan realized that Poison hated hated Zoey Winters. What a shame… He liked her as a fighter.
“Ethan. There aren’t only daemons in this world. There also exists another species that exists to kill daemons like me.” Poison revealed. “Zoey Winters is part of these species. They are called Magjistars. Completely identical to humans except for the fact that they can wield magji, just like daemons. Although in a different manner but all the same, really.” A bubbling green orb floated above Poison’s palm.
Her blood was being drawn into this poisonous ball of magji. “She is one of the strongest Magjistars in this part of the world, and I attempted to hunt her in the past but failed horribly. I had never been so humiliated before in my life before that day. After that day, I promised to kill her for what she did to me. But, at the time, I didn’t realize the massive potential she held compared to other Magjistars her age. If I had, perhaps, I never would’ve bothered her. I would’ve left the country and started anew somewhere else. But I’ve lost too much to give up at this point. Zoey’s existence is now tied to my own strength as a Daemon of Poison. I cannot progress in my strength and grow stronger until I finally kill her, no matter how many humans or Magjistars I devour. I’m on the cusps of being a Daemon King, you know? I only need one more step to make it to the realm of legends. But that one step feels infinitely far away, all because she casts a deep shadow within my magji shard. It’s stuffy. I hate it with all of my being. It’s illogical that someone like me would be so caught up in my emotions. Yet, I also learned of some of my faults because of her. I learned more about myself due to my constant defeats at her hand. In another way, I’m only as strong as I am now because of her.” Poison revealed her inner heart to Ethan. “It’s strange, isn’t it?”
“T-They say what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger…” Ethan hesitantly spoke up.
“I suppose that’s true, isn’t it?” Poison absorbed the ball of poison in her palm.
“People need opposition to adapt and grow; otherwise, they’ll become stagnant and predictable.” Ethan quoted stuff he’s seen in cartoons.
“...” Poison glanced at his pathetic figure, nothing more than a stool for her feet at the moment.
This slave wasn’t so useless when it came to using his brain. She wished she didn’t have to gradually force this usefulness out of him instead of him showing it at the beginning of their relationship as Master and Slave. If he did, perhaps she wouldn’t be so disgusted with his overflowing sense of lust toward her. But a useful slave, even with his flaws, still had use to her.
“Massage my feet, Slave.” Poison decided to reward him for his behavior as of late.
“Yes, Poison…” Ethan gently grasped her feet as he began to put into work the tips he’d memorized online for massaging.