Viseral moved so fast, Peacock didn’t register what had happened until Alainn’s cry crashed over him.

Viseral pivoted, grinned at Peacock, and threw something at his feet. A clawed, red hand, covered in blood. Buzzing filled Peacock’s ears as nausea rose. That’s… Alainn’s….

“Look lively, dumbass, or she loses her right hand next.” Viseral laughed, his voice distorted through Peacock’s muddled brain.

So, this is it, then?

Nex’s words sank in. There are many ways to hurt you.

Peacock trembled as he stared at the severed limb. He could take anything for her, but causing her this kind of torture? It made him want to disappear, wake up in a bed somewhere, and realize this was all just a long, hellish nightmare.

An angry shout from Alainn, followed by a grunt from Viseral, dragged his eyes back up. Claw marks stretched across the bottom of Viseral’s belly. Alainn stood on her back legs, her remaining hand swiping toward him for another strike.

Viseral lunged sideways. He hit Alainn with the bulk of his body, sending her crashing into the central cages. She slumped silently to the ground. A green light appeared over her, restoring her lost health and limb.

The buzzing in Peacock’s head grew louder and spread through his body. Viseral and Nex could, and happily would, do this all day. Peacock couldn’t rely on a barb’s poison, or his own pain to take him away from reality.

Viseral closed in on Alainn.

Peacock shifted his gaze to the man. He hadn’t moved from his position against the arena bars. His eyes were wide as he regarded the two dragons in front of him. His lips were moving, but if he was speaking out loud, Peacock couldn’t hear it. Not that it mattered. The buzzing turned to a whine. That was no man. It was his target, and the ticket out of this hell.

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Peacock’s limbs seemed to move on their own, eating the ground between him and the man with ease. The left hand vanished with a snap of his jaws. Peacock spit it out to await new orders. His target’s mouth opened wide in a scream.

***

Peacock paced in his cage. The whining in his head was gone, a thick blanket descending in its place. He was ready. Ready to do what Nex commanded. He couldn’t stop. Alain would get hurt if he stopped. Peacock shoved down the surfacing memory of Alainn’s hand separated from her body. No, he couldn’t stop. So why had Nex left him here?

“Peacock?”

Peacock stopped pacing and cocked his head. Alainn, now fully healed and in possession of all her limbs, narrowed her eyes at him. Was there a flicker of anger in her gaze? Why would she be angry after all he’d done? Peacock hissed as a spark of rage ignited in his core.

“No, I’m not angry at you!” Alainn reached through her bars toward him, her expression softening. “Calm down. Please calm down.”

Peacock nodded and pressed against the bars, as close to her outstretched hand as he could get.

“Good… I’m going to give you something. When I do, equip it. Just think about putting it on, okay?” A large pearl with a galaxy at its center appeared in her hand.

The room came into sharp focus as Peacock gasped. “How’d you get that?”

Good to know you’re back. In the arena, you… blocked me out. Alainn rolled the pearl to Peacock.

He snatched the orb up and imagined wearing it.

UNKNOWN RELIC ORB3549 EQUIPPED

Alainn pulled her hand back and smiled. I pulled that from Viseral. He’s got a one-track mind. Makes him an easy mark.

Peacock stared at the pearl in his hand. What does it do? Lightning shot up his spine as an idea hit. Is this it? Is this how they’re cheating?

Yes, I think so, at least partially. Artifact orbs are similar, and they are a normal item in the game, but are exceedingly rare. They grant their wielder a special ability unique to their build. These, though, they’re sort of like temporary blank spells. Too bad I don’t have time to study them.

What do you mean?

The sound of enormous claws running across stone echoed from the cavern entrance.

They know. Alainn grimaced. Go south. I’m sorry, Peacock.

What—

Chaos erupted. Nex appeared at the entrance, all barbs at attention and raw fury in his eyes. The pearl in Peacock’s hand emitted a clear, bell-like note as Alainn stood tall and beamed at him. Everything went black.