Wollman frowned suspiciously at his mate, their close-range attacks had ceased and the pair had decided to regroup.

"How is this guy still standing?"

Verpast shrugged, when he had been initiated as Disciple of Ignis he had to choose the elemental branch he would follow within the Ignis Path. Venom Fang as he'd called it was the embraced style he had developed. Mainly characterized by elemental offensive that aimed at disrupting the opponent's elemental energy from long range.

Even the strongest Disciples he'd encountered couldn't take the damage, their opponents were all taken down after just one cut regardless of how deep the wound was. The elemental disturbance their weapons carried were as potent as the deadliest potions crafted in Elba, rendering motionless the most experienced Disciples in a matter of seconds.

Vendrick's leg had been punctured but there was no apparent physical damage, not even bleeding was visible to the observant eye. The problem wasn't as apparent as it seemed. Even so he was haunted—for the burning sensation persisted and that was when Vendrick realized what was happening.

Perhaps if he had been less distracted he could have controlled this damage before it spread, but now it was too late and his legs would remain that way for the foreseeable future. Hopping in one leg as if warming up for a jog, Vendrick brought the elemental energy of his nucleus down to his toes. The elemental disturbance that cut had caused could even cause amputation if left untreated, so he had to act fast.

The elemental energy completed the crossing through his body like a ship cruising a stormy ocean of resistance. The path was arduous and long, requiring an enormous amount of concentration to be properly located. So much elemental energy could only be controlled with a very large focus of concentration and experience in his nucleus.

The fact that Vendrick needed to locate exactly which energy points were being disturbed so that he could very carefully isolate them and then slowly redo them took time. If he had found himself in this situation a year ago, while in the Disciple Step he would certainly have been defeated before he even realized his elemental fluidity was being disturbed.

However, the difference between a Disciple and a Sentinel was not only in the agility and strength of the body being reinforced by elemental energy. While that was a notable difference, it wasn't by far the biggest advantage of the warriors striving for the Sentinel rank.

The grizzled Sentinel's legs promptly gave out, the thump of his knees on the floor echoing through the entire room. The spectators went wild, clamoring for the women and men who shared their own rank to spurt blood, a spectacle worthy of the gods.

For any Disciple, defeating a Sentinel was anyone's dream as it proved effectiveness and prowess in combat even if at a disadvantage in terms of elemental energy. It didn't matter if the rules had been changed to equalize the odds, needless to say a win over a Sentinel would be a win in the books no matter what perspective was spun.

Wollman twirled his sword in the air showing off his melee skills as he approached the Sentinel, too disturbed to move as he were. Elemental energy was leaking through as the thrown projectile did its best at disrupting his nucleus control.

“Punch his teeth out!”

Vendrick closed his eyes and seriously tried to focus to gather what the leaking aura and properly put it in its place. As he medidated in the middle of the fight, he tried his best to appear defeated, exhausted. He needed to control focus on himself for once. The fans began to get passionately involved with the precarious situation in front of them. The crowd screamed like animals. Calling for an internship advancement, externalizing

"Slice his throat!"

He needed to buy time. Now his nucleus had been purified, the elemental effect that plagued his legs was gone after some needed seconds of meditation. However, his sheer physical strength did not guarantee victory. Vendrick still needed to gather elemental energy to flow into his legs so he could have enough strength to beat the two that were left.

"Cut his tongue off!"

His leg energy points needed a little more to stabilize again so he could rebuild the elemental mantle around his body. But he couldn't win this battle alone.

“Thrust his chest!”

Because he desperately needed someone to become aware of what was going on and intervene. Behind the scenes, the battle that was taking place on the main stage was something much more sinister.

“You all want blood? Yeah? Then I’ll give you blood!"

Wollman approached Vendrick, who like a pendulum swung from side to side, from the waist down he seemed to have given up on the fight.

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Now that range was no longer an issue, all that was left for him was to figure out a way to deal with the threat that was watching him.

“No, It'll do it instead. I got the first hit remember?”

“Sure sure, just make sure you get it clean. Better get it right and swift on first hit, that is—before they stop us,” muttered Verpast, just enough for only his partner to hear it. As enjoying their moment a bit too much, they couldn’t help be a showman themselves. They were rewarded well in fame for this, and they would deliver no matter how pitiful their opponent’s state looked.

Besides the golden coins, humiliating the superior elemental combatant did not only show the elemental gods that they were on the right path to becoming Lords on their own rights, but it also taught the narrow-minded Sentinels and Guardians that they were not worms to be stepped on, as they often stated publicly when newcomers arrived, curious about a comparison in strength.

And Jin felt cornered, with his hand over his ears he tried to focus. The problem wasn't the sadistic tendency of humans spreading like a contagious disease, he'd already accepted internally that humans always tended to violence, even when peace was an option. He could accept that things were like this long before he was born, and perhaps they would continue that way as a reaction that reflected how humans have been treated as a species throughout the kingdom's history. But now Jin just needed to be alone with his own thoughts.

He needed to think of a plan right away.

They were about to execute his brother, right then and there.

“Brother! Stand up! You can do this!"

But he fell useless, too far away to be heard.

It seemed too little, too late.

"Brother!"

Jin screamed, but his voice was completely devoured by the cheers of the crowd clamoring for an execution. Across the vast territory that spanned the vast realm of Elba, the task of defeating a Sentinel was a privilege few Disciples had the chance to complete in their lifetime. That's because every time a Disciple challenged a Sentinel, under equal conditions a Sentinel would win every time. Even if surrounded by five or ten of them. And the rarity of this phenomenon valued capable warriors even more in the eyes of the gods. Taking life from a more powerful human, however, would certainly be a guaranteed stage advance for the boys. For the gods, as heavenly gamblers, always bet on the fastest and risk-taking horses.

Jin looked around, trying to find someone who would interrupt this freak show. He scanned the multitude of faces, looking for any look that looked familiar. Among dozens and dozens of warriors there wasn't a single one who showed concern on his face, and this realization left Jin completely disgusted with this reality.

If there was no one able to help him, he would have to do it himself. About to jump, from the top of the balcony he was watching the fight, something stopped him. A hard grip followed by a tug from behind the balcony. A small girl, who looked not even half Jin's height, had stopped him on the tracks. But the strength she had with just one arm was more than enough to pull all of Jin's ninety kilos like they were nothing.

The crowd was very noisy, but this girl's squeaky voice was so unusual to the ears that it was easy to filter. And when Jin turned to the girl, he tried to observe any trace of the way she dressed, that she behaved to know which side she was on. At the moment he considered everyone on this floor besides his brother as possible opponents.

She had medium length reddish brown hair that extended to her shoulders. Her cloak hanging on her shoulders, oddly enough, shared the same insignia he had previously seen on his Vendrick's cape. However, Jin was still unsure if entertaining this conversation was the best use of his time while his brother was down there.

“Don’t go, they’ll kill you before you even get there.” She said while pulling him back further from the bars. Jin could not help but notice that her iris sparkled, the reflection to the light caused an interesting sight. Her eyes were colored in unique orange, and her finger was pointing towards the battle taking place at the center, "You see it, the one in brown cloak?"

“Who are you girl? Did you lose your parents in the crowd?”

“I'm not a child! I am twenty-one, curse you!” She quickly vented like a natural reflection to Jin's judgment.

Jin prepared to jump again, but before he could jump the girl regained his attention.

“Your brother is in great danger. There is no time, you must trust me.” Her tone of voice was shaky and although she tried to give a firm response, Jin felt she meant it.

Yet no one was wearing a brown robe unless...

Behind the battle in the center of the arena was a bleacher in the opposite direction, a platform similar to the one Jin now found himself supporting the other half of the crowd who roared with each blow delivered. But between them, there was a figure in brown, his height should be double... at least triple compared to Jin.

“Brown cloak guy...I see him. What of It?”

“Look around you, how did you think things got like this? He has put the whole crowd in a dream-like state… An illusion.”

Jin frowned, the people around them were intently watching the duel unfolding around yet something felt off. Their eyes weren't necessarily following what happened in the fight. It was almost like they weren't really interested in the fight itself, but in the result as means to an end.

“What do you mean, that's my brother in the middle of the arena. I'm sure of it.”

“No, you got it wrong, your brother is not affected by the illusion, but everyone else standing in the crowd at this moment is. They aren’t really seeing their brother, but Disciples facing a pagan demi-human in their Disciple Tribulation. If the fight ends before the technique is lifted… The trial will count as failed in their eyes, and hundreds of Disciples present in this room will put the 'feral beast' down.”

Bringing both hands to his head, his eyes held pure emotion. Fear, insecurity, anxiety did not do justice to his heart that beat like a vortex, ungoverned and aimless. His brown eyes did everything but accept reality and the situation he found himself in. Pinching Jin as if pulling him out of an authentic nightmare, the girl pulled him back to reality. There was no one else to count on.

"You have to believe me!" She shouted, one last time. “I can’t protect anyone else but you and me with what I have left, you must trust me!”

Confusion gripped Jin and overwhelmed him like a bucket overflowing on all sides. If he didn't do anything, all the disciples in the crowd would attack his brother.

All Jin needed to do was ignore how clumsy and slow he was and the fact he was the weakest person in the entirety of Sanctum to accomplish any deed.