The molten man bowed to the necromancer. Orange-red drips leaked like hot candy through the cracks in its floating exoskeleton.
The necromancer circled him, and she threw back her cowl to reveal a uniformly copper face and hair. Whether she was young or old was impossible to tell. “This might be my masterpiece, a corrupted lava spirit.” She looked back at her gathering. “Observe.”
Kichi looked along the wall for handholds or anything that could get her and Masahide to the tunnel. If they fell, it would be into the moat of bubbling rock. Worse, the rock had solidified next to the walls in ripples, so if they plummeted, it might be a long, painful death.
The necromancer looked at the man’s featureless face. “Turn into a chair.”
The man melted and cooled as she asked into a stone chair.
A copper finger touched the chair. “A bit warm, but satisfactory. Now, kill Hisa and bring me her smug head.”
Kichi almost gasped but backed away from the edge to share a look with Masahide. “We have to warn her.”
“As soon as we can get out of here.”
That wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. Kichi and Masahide watched the lava man walk into the tunnel they needed to reach. That left a chamber full of hooded figures on the island and land bridge. Eventually, they filed out with the necromancer at their head. But the whole thing took at least an hour. It was hard to keep track of time, but it had to have been at least four hours since lunch.
It was time to test the amulate. Kichi put the chain around her neck and felt the world double. She felt dizzy. Things seemed to happen before they happened but by only a second.
Masahide mouthed something, and then his words caught up. “Are you okay?”
Concentrating was hard, but Kichi knew what she had to do. She put a foot over the edge and down to a foothold. She took another step down and waved Masahide to follow. She began a step and saw her foot slip and her body tumble below, so she stopped herself from taking that deadly route and chose another foothold. She did this all the way around the quarter circle and the land bridge.
She stumbled and clawed at the neckless fastener. She had to get the thing off. She was dizzy and confused. “Help.”
Masahide unclasped it and pushed it into her hand. “Can you walk?”
“Yes,” she said but almost went down on her first step. Her stomach growled, and she clutched it. “I’m so hungry. I don’t know why.”
“Here, I’ll help you.”
Bin poked out from her pocket, and the three walked into the tunnel with no light to guide them. The ground angled upward, and light bloomed ahead. The outside air filled their nostrils, and the sound of wind and the crowd at the arena. The tunnel ended at a landing on the north side. Beside a warrior statue on a rearing horse, the stairs led down from either side.
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They hurried down the stairs. Well, Masahide did. He put her on his back and descended two steps at a time. She hoped no one would notice them. A low wall encased the steps but didn’t completely shield them from view.
The scene at the arena caught Kichi’s attention. There was an eastern minotaur wielding a curved sword. She knew it was eastern because, like a camel, it had a hump on its back. The human face was wild with curly hair and a look of rage as the bull-man chased a knight around the square.
Masahide stopped to gawk and let her down. “What is this? This isn’t a tournament.”
Kichi agreed but pulled on his arm. “I need food.”
Masahide looked around and found one of the docile bears that carried food trays. He took the whole thing, and the pear-shaped creature stared after him.
Kichi buried her face into the tray of fried bread. She even licked up the crumbs. She was still ravenous, but the hunger-pain dissipated.
Whitebeard looked at them fondly. “Oh, good. I was beginning to worry you’d be late.”
Kichi pushed in close. “They’re planning on assassinating Hisa.”
Whitebeard’s smile didn’t falter. “They’ll find that harder than they think.”
She told him about the lava man, and his mouth tightened.
“I see, well, we’ll warn her. She can take care of herself, so don’t worry. Now, what do you think of this absurdity?”
“I don’t like it.”
“No, neither do I.”
The curved sword found the running knight. It cleaved an arm free and bite into the body. The knight died within seconds.
The numbers were announced once again, and Kichi heard, “Fifty.” That was her number. She wasn’t in any condition. She was still hungry.
Masahide snatched another tray and brought it to her. “Quickly, keep eating.”
Whitebeard furrowed his brow. “You used the amulate? Yes plainly. Okay, you must use it in this fight. They will put you against a much stronger opponent. Close your eyes when you can. It’ll keep it from draining your energy.”
Wolfing down another tray, Kichi wiped her face with her sleeve. “I don’t know how I’ll manage that, but I’ll keep it in mind.”
A squeeze on the arm brought her attention to Masahide, who said, “Just leave. You’re not in any condition to fight.”
Whitebeard studied her reaction.
Kichi handed Bin to Masahide. “No, I have to. Wish me luck.”
Kichi
Level: 6
Focus: Prescience
Secondary focus: Lava+1
Weapons: pure sword - 3% pure
Items: Near Field Amulet (Prescience+2, focus)