As she turned around she saw how the Hellpuppy jumped at her, trying to bite her down, exactly like the one she had defeated before. But for some odd reason, its attack looked slow to her. With a slight turn, she let March jump into nothingness as she narrowly avoided its jaws. The Hellpuppy crashed into a boulder, splitting it into pieces. Dust burst into the air where it once was and a small ball of fire shot out of it.
The fire was faster than March before, yet it was still easily avoidable for Reli. A second and a third ball was fired in rapid succession. Keeping her moving, keeping her on her toes to evade them. It looked like an intricate dance to the ones watching the fight.
It was the first time for Reli to see a skill used in combat, yet it felt natural to her. A crude smile formed on her face as she kept evading the incoming balls of fire from all directions.
She enjoyed the thrill of evading by mere centimeters. It was intoxicating her mind so much that she did not pay enough attention to her surroundings.
Reli's enjoyment was stolen from her as her body crushed into a boulder while trying to avoid yet another fireball. She looked up and saw a heavy-breathing March standing right in front of her.
“Fin...ally…. I… got… you,” the Hellpuppy panted, “You… will pay.”
“Look we don’t have-” Reli began to argue as she saw how March fell onto the ground exhausted from attacking her relentlessly.
“What a display of skill! Without attacking once, our contestant Reli has shown how marvelous she was! The winn-” the announcer screamed his voice now reaching Reli again, “Hold on, it seems as if it is not over yet!”
March jumped at Reli, aiming his claws at her face. Surprised and with no place to run, she ducked underneath the incoming attack, but could not avoid it as a whole. March's body slammed into Reli and the boulder. Giving rise to another cloud of dust.
Reli astonished by the weight behind the attack fell to her feet, scrambling and coughing. She tried to move away from the cloud, crawling outside, she looked behind her. She realized that for the Hellpuppy it was way more than a friendly spar. It was the chance to prove himself in front of the Heavenly Guards and earn their attention. She had been too naive and had taken this too easy as this was not supposed to be a fight to the death. Her new powers after evolution and the lulling safety of town had given her a sense of false security. She did want to hide her skills but if she had to use them to survive, she would do so. Reli tried to think how she could attack and hide them at the same time, but before she could think of something the dust began to settle, revealing a Helpuppy lying on the floor. Without consciousness, March was lying on the ground with no energy left.
She had done it, defeated an enemy while hiding her skills. An opponent that had almost killed her before.
“This time for real! What an amazing display of willpower. The Cereben Family can be proud. What a display of skill! Marvelous Fireballs in succession by a Hellpuppy shows its talent, we have seen the beginnings of a legend, esteemed quests! And not only that! We have seen the might of Reli. The birth of ‘The Mirage Queen’. With her and the Heavenly Guards, we are safe from the wild Demos and the ghastly rebels! We have a bright future ahead of us. A hail to our Demon King for gathering such competent Demons! All hail La’fayette!” the announcer concluded the fight. “After this stunning display, we will need some time to clean up the arena. In three bells there will be the next and final match of today! This time it will be something you have not seen before. Two Larvae fresh out of the breeding den with high stats have been selected, to fight for death, experience and, and this is what makes this fight special, evolution! Both are just this fight away from evolving into a new form! So stay tuned!”
The hobgoblin jumped skillfully down into the arena and rushed towards Reli. He grabbed her arm and raised it into the air, much to the glee of the cheering audience.
“I hope I will see you more often. You are a natural and you can gain much coin and experience here. We will make your advances easy,” the announce whispered to her with the smile of a skillful merchant, “My name is Gandreg. If you ever need something from the coliseum, just ask for me, and I will be sure to fulfill it.”
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“Is that how you do things? Slaughter the weak for the strong?” Reli asked with no intention of hiding her disdain.
“That’s how it's always been. The strong over the weak,” Gandreg said as he walked her out of the arena, “And me being weak will be useful to the strong for their protection. Like everything, we are set up to help the strong grow. To ensure survival. All in accordance to the vision of our Demon King.”
Reli did not answer, somewhere deep inside her anger tried to break free. Swallowing it down she remained calm on the outside and the two continued to walk in silence through the empty insides of the Colosseum. Reli saw many Larvae and other Demons that her skill told her were considered weak and Gandreg, skillful as he was, disappeared without another word.
“Hey, there she is my cuuuute little sister! You have done well,” Cho called out to her as soon as he saw Reli.
“Thanks,” Reli said still affected by what she just experienced, “Why did you throw me out into the arena like that?”
“We all wanted to know what he sssees in you,” Selixa answered for the Oni, “And you did not have any problemsss, did you?”
“That’s not the point!” the Dragon exclaimed, “I could have died!”
“If you were that easily killable, Cho would not have taken you with him,” Dux said definitely, “And we of Chaya would not need you if you could not stand on your own. Don’t forget, that only the strong survive. The weak are merely stepping stones and are allowed to be in our presence. It’s for the greater good.”
“Hmph. Is that so? Then how about you show me the greater good and how they get treated?” Reli demanded, “It’s not as every Demon you all gathered will be accepted like me, or will they?”
“No, they will not. But seeing them will not do you any good,” the Oni said concerned, “You should just be happy and enjoy your life, no?”
“If I am to live here, I want to know.” Reli stood her ground.
“Fine, you need an attendant anyway. Okay guys, seems like this is where we will split.” the Oni sighted.
“Yeah, I need to get to my department and look what they had been up to,” Dux confirmed, “I look forward to working with you Reli. I had been a pleasure.”
“Me too. But Reli, visssit me when you can, okay?” the Lamia said goodbye trying to hug her, which Reli skillfully avoided, “Hmph. We will go ssshoping and buy sssome nice clothesss the next time!”
After everybody had gone their way, the Oni and Dragon pair walked around the town. To Reli, it felt wrong. The Demons that were happy here, lived their life without any heed for the price the weak had to pay. Reli did not want to be like that. If she was strong, she wanted to protect the weak.
Still, it made no sense for her. She had killed the weak to survive as well. She pondered what had changed that made her consider protecting the weak.
“Before we enter, I should tell you a little bit about what you will see,” Cho said as he came to a halt in front of a huge building, ”These are what everybody calls the ‘Dens’. In reality, it is our headquarter. We, and with that I mean me, you and others in my division, are responsible for them. Depending on your skills we are either working here or outside getting all kinds of goods.”
“ 'Goods’? You call them ‘Goods’? Aren’t they fellow Demons?”, Reli asked with raised eyebrows.
“Yes, ‘Goods’. We are not only dealing in Demons but in misplaced and rare things as well,” the Oni explained, “The Demons we have here are either dangerous and uncontrollable or useful but unwilling. Either way, they will be put to good use in different ways. It’s, let's say complicated.”
“I am all ears,” the Dragon demanded to know, “How are they treated?”
“Fiiiiine, but promise me to not get made my cuuuute little sister! It will be easier to show you,” Cho said as he opened the door, revealing a foyer with a counter.