When the figure before Arren heard his words, he frowned slightly.

“Hey, please remember that my name is Sieg, not Golden 29.”

Arren rolled his eyes at Sieg’s words.

“Fine, fine, I’ll try.”

Hearing the annoyed reluctance upon Arren’s voice, Sieg sighed.

“You need to stop disliking things just because he is responsible for them. I know it’s uncommon, but I was the one who chose to accept the name Reed gave me.”

By now Arren had risen from his stone bed and met Sieg’s blue eyes at equal level.

“I know… Listen I have no issues if you choose a name for yourself, I have no issues with calling you by it. But that Reed fellow is bad news, he is placing things in your head that slaves like us shouldn’t dare think.”

Arren spoke from concern, however beneath that tone was an unquestionable disdain of the fellow in question. The two had known each other since the days of the white rooms, yet it wasn’t until this stage that such a large difference in opinion had risen.

Regardless, both Arren and Sieg did not wish to argue over a topic which neither would compromise on. They already had too many wasted hours traveling down such a dead-end road.

In the end they would just need to back down. Sieg took the initiative and changed the topic.

“Anyway, I came by to check up on you. The others are talking their usual shit but don’t let it get to you! There are still two more Battle-Grade Days left, more importantly, the last Battle-Grade Day will surely have special rules which will enable even those at your rank the opportunity to rise to the Dagger rank!”

Sieg had a concerned look on his face, yet that sight strangely enough made Arren irritated. After all, Sieg was within the Golden Rank, one of 30 elites which held such a stance and second only to the 10 swords. Within the previous two stages, Sieg struggled considerably. As a result he had developed into a timid individual who lacked confidence.

When coupled with his naturally slim appearance, he had been considered a frail stag before the tigers of this generation.

Yet when they arrived into the third stage, his talent for magic was revealed. At the same time, Arren’s own incompetence was exposed. Like a falling star he crumbled down while Sieg soared to the skies like a dragon.

As he was now, Sieg had nothing to fear.

How could you understand?!

Arren did not allow his irritation to appear upon his face. After all, it was not Sieg’s fault that he had fallen so far from the peaks which he previously stood. He sighed.

“Thank you Sieg. Truly I appreciate your concern, but they speak what is true. I’m not likely to live past this stage.”

Sieg’s expression turned ugly.

“So what? Forget about how bad it looks on the surface, believe in yourself regardless! If you can’t do that first then you really are a dead man.”

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

I do! But even still…

Arren’s fighting spirit had yet to be snuffed out, however he could not say that the coming two trials did not scare him. They did. Before Arren even spoke, Sieg examined their surroundings. Once he was certain no one was around, he leaned in and whispered.

“Listen, I know how you feel about it but you have to actually consider that you might not make the ranks in time. Please, reconsider doing Reed’s plan with me.”

Arren scowled then shook his head in adamant denial.

“No. I’m sorry Sieg but Reed is crazy for even thinking of such a thing. You shouldn’t entertain the idea either, you are in the golden rank after all, why risk your life in such a terrible gamble?”

Sieg showed signs that he expected this answer. He just sighed.

“Because I wish for something beyond this… I don’t understand, even at death’s door you remain so stubborn.”

Sieg rubbed his brows, irritated.

“I merely don’t want to die, that is the extent of my ambitions Sieg. I would think you would have understood that by now.”

Sieg stared at Arren for a few moments, his thoughts impossible to read. Then he was about to speak when a different voice called out.

“There you are.”

Almost in sync, both Arren and Sieg turned towards the direction of the voice. Arren frowned while Sieg smiled. Before them was a tall figure with handsome features, green eyes and short brown hair. This was none other than Reed himself, the topic of so much discord between the two old friends.

Reed scanned them both with his eyes, his stare somewhat uncaring when landing upon Arren. He soon looked past Arren however, turning instead to focus on Sieg. His lips curled and he began to approach.

“Sieg the ending of this stage is approaching quickly. We can’t let ourselves get complacent, we need to come together daily from now on and discuss everything we saw.”

Sieg nodded.

“Yes I know, I just wanted to check on my friend before I went to meet with you.”

Hearing such, Reed was not surprised. Instead he turned to watch Arren again, his eyes turning a little icy.

“Walker 248, sorry but I will have to take Sieg away.”

Arren shrugged.

“Go ahead, I can’t stop you two from talking…”

He hesitated but continued in a more serious tone;

“But hey, do me a favor and stop putting ideas into Sieg’s head. I don’t wish to see my friend die before my hair turns gray.”

Reed raised a doubtful eyebrow.

“So you say, but at this rate I would be more concerned with your hair turning gray at all.”

Of course, the implication behind such words was obvious. Arren frowned and his voice went from serious to angry.

“Duly noted, but worry not, I’m a walking dead man, sure, however my corpsy legs still have a lot of sprint in them. Who knows, I might reach the Dagger Rank yet!”

Reed chuckled mockingly, then scoffed.

“I wonder, do you even believe yourself when you say such words?”

Arren was not ready to back down, however before he could continue his spar of words Sieg angrily interjected.

“Hey, stop bickering!”

Sieg turned to Reed.

“Reed stop treating him like he is already dead. I told you before, didn't I? He is coming with us! Even if I have to drag him!”

Sieg then shifted his focus to Arren.

“You too! Stop provoking Reed. While you're at it, stop being so stubborn and understand that some of us have greater wants. If everything goes to shit when this stage ends then disagree all you want, I don’t care, I’ll take you with me even if you kick and scream the whole way!”

Seeing how riled up Sieg appeared, the two dropped the issue immediately. Arren shrugged it off whilst Reed tilted his head to the side with rolling eyes. Seeing this, Sieg sighed.

“I’ll be going. Make sure you show your prowess in tomorrow's exercise. It’s your specialty after all.”

With those parting words Sieg went to Reed’s side and the two left shortly after. Arren meanwhile was left staring at their backs. When they were out of sight he could not help but sigh to himself.

Tomorrow huh…

Each day had a designated focus which the slaves would practice, with a trial exercise at the day’s end. The Sixth of the Seventh had always been left as a random slot. Only at the start of each week did the focus become known. And this week they had announced it to be combat focused.

Such news made Arren feel better, after all when they had been within the second stage, one which centered around combat prowess, Arren had been at his peak. So ferocious was he then that the other slaves had given him a nickname: The Crimson Demon.