The applause was thundering, causing Aria and Jack to cover their ears in discomfort. Alex and Odere limped over to the door to the infirmary, arguing with each other about something that was lost in the cheers. Helsay emerged from the door, hobbling on his misshaped foot with a sympathetic smile on his young face.

Several moments of quiet conversing later, Helsay held out his left hand, supporting himself on his stick with his right, awaiting something from the two men. Alex sighed, removing his dirtied shirt, revealing his sweat-glazed muscles, earning another cheer from the women in the audience, though the loudest cheer came from Daeden, who was practically leaping out of his seat to get a better view.

Helsay placed his hand on Alex’s exposed chest, rippling dark magic out from the tattoos on his wrist. Alex seemed to lift slightly, his exhaustion flowing out like a sigh. Helsay removed his hand, saying something that Corvus assumed was ‘Put your shirt back on.’ Alex laughed, walking back to the centre of the ring, slipping his damp shirt back on, much to Daeden’s disappointment.

“Right. What’s say we get started?” Alex said over the dying applause, his confident voice revitalised.

“You would do well to remember that I am their teacher as well, hamster!” Odere yelled painfully, Helsay shushing him as he continued healing him.

“Well, you're a little busy right now. I’ll get things started, why not?”. Alex called, smirking at the gruff old man. He turned back to Corvus’ group. “Enjoy the show?”

“Yes.” Aria, Henrith, Damian and May all called out in unison, barely containing their excitement.

“Um, yes.” Jack shuffled his feet, trying to focus just on Alex’s face.

“I did too.” Lanya nodded awkwardly.

Johanna remained silent, searching Alex’s face for his feelings, her hands resting on the enormous sword beside her.

Corvus on the other hand, was looking over at Odere, curious about the magic that Helsay was using. Helsay caught this expression and smiled warmly in his direction, an air of pride towards the sling around his chest.

“Glad to hear it!” Alex puffed out his chest, grinning to himself. “That’s what you can become if you train, and train hard. Of course, you can’t get there for years, but as a wise man once said, a journey of—” Alex began, his self assured aura was painfully apparent.

“Blah blah blah.” Odere interrupted, walking over to the group, his strength renewed, though his height was still lacking. “Stop the sermon and get on with the training.” His scowl deepened when Alex rolled his eyes and flicked his hair.

“The old goat is right. Lets begin our journey now. Partner up, lets go!” Alex clapped his hands, eager to start fighting again.

The group shuffled around into vaguely defined pairs. May and Damian immediately darted to be together, but blushed when Aria smirked at them. Jack moved towards Lanya, extending his hand with eagerness, but she shuffled back, bumping into Henrith, who was slightly taken aback. With a glance to Aria, who nodded protectively, eyeing Jack, Henrith and Lanya paired up.

Jack fumed with indignation, as a few chuckles were heard from the audience. He turned to Corvus, anger and embarrassment covering his face.

“You, go with me!” Jack demanded, his hand on his rapier in an attempt to be threatening.

Corvus and Johanna’s eyes met. She smiled sadly, indicating that it was ok. Aria walked up to her, trying to engage in small talk to make up for their lack of chemistry. Corvus turned his eyes back to Jack.

“Ok.” Corvus shrugged, standing beside Jack, who was muttering something less than flattering about Henrith.

“Good. Now, using only the weapons you have on your person, you will spar. No summoning for the time being.” Alex scanned the group, focussing in on Aria and Lanya. “Ladies. Weapons?”

The twins looked at each other, then back at Alex. Aria smirked, while Lanya looked to the ground. In unison, the two pale twins tugged at leather cords on their hips, revealing a long, leather whip for each of them, tipped in a small blade. They each flicked their wrists, revealing hidden daggers tied to small lengths of rope.

Alex chuckled and Odere snorted disapprovingly. The Cindrians were known for their honour and dislike for tricks and subterfuge, though Johanna and Cleo didn’t seem to adhere to that particular stereotype.

Odere spent the next few minutes explaining the procedure if someone got badly injured, as was fairly common apparently. Almost no one was listening, but he continued stubbornly.

Damian and May were chattering excitedly, as they so often did. Henrith was doing a surprisingly good job of consoling Lanya, which was undoubtably due to his close relation with the wilder of the two twins, who was desperately trying to hold a one sided conversation with the absent Johanna.

Jack was his usual grumpy, entitled self, muttering and kicking the sand. Corvus was looking to the stands, where Gilgamesh was making a rather entertaining show of trying to find a seat.

“Right!” Alex shouted, the second Odere closed his mouth, catching the whole colosseum by surprise. “Enough dawdling. Lets get to fighting!” His excitement was infectious to the whole group, with the exception of Corvus and Johanna, who absent-mindedly followed their partners.

“You there. Corvus, was it?” Odere called, walking up behind Corvus.

Corvus turned, lowering his gaze to meet the short man’s eyes.

“Need something?” Corvus tilted his head slightly.

Odere turned around, pointing over at the infirmary door and the small corridor in front of it.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“The area around that door has been treated. Should your hand get damaged, it is safe for you there.” He explained, regarding Corvus with the same mild irritation that he looked at the world with.

Corvus took a breath. He had hoped it would never come to that, but the reality of that space being needed hit harder than expected. He nodded, earning a strange look from Odere but he walked away nonetheless.

“Hurry up!” Jack was angrily stamping his foot.

Corvus walked over to him, taking in his equipment.

He was wearing similar combat gear to his own, with the addition of a long rapier and nothing else on his belt. In comparison to Corvus, he was basically fighting unarmed.

Corvus drew a single cutlass into his one free hand, holding it point-down for safety. Jack did the same, a smug expression plastering his face.

“Everyone ready? Then begin!” Alex’s voice cut through the arena, followed by a chorus of excited applause from the audience.

Corvus raised his cutlass, pointing his left foot forward. It was the opposite of his usual stance, but he would have to make do if it meant protecting his hand.

Jack smiled, raising his body so it was perfectly straight, pointing his rapier straight forward. He began circling Corvus, causing Corvus to shift his stance round awkwardly. He stepped forward cautiously but confidently, swiping Corvus’ blade away and stepping in to stab at his shoulder.

Corvus dodged, smacking Jack’s blade aside with the guard of his cutlass, then striking at his outstretched arm. Jack gracefully drew it back and stepped to Corvus’ side, sending a flurry of small stabs at Corvus, most of which were caught by his protective clothing.

Corvus retreated, realigning himself to Jack, who’s grin was ever-growing.

“My swordsmanship counters yours. Your style is made for linear duelling, but I wont let you use it!” Jack smiled maliciously, speeding up his movements.

He gracefully stepped around another of Corvus’s slashes, striking with the sharp edge of his blade against Corvus’s wrist, drawing blood. A small laugh escaped Jacks lips as he began another assault on Corvus’ flanks.

The steady advance of Jack’s blade was difficult to defend against. The constant changing of stance and his unfamiliarity with his left hand interrupted his concentration, made his cuts fly off course, made his guards ineffectual, not to mention Jack’s style of delivering one or two tiny strikes then moving again made him impossible to predict.

Corvus was beginning to get irritated. Any other style of fighting and he would at least be on an even playing field, but the quick circles and flanking made him impossible to counter. Corvus knew other styles of fighting, but with his arm in the sling, he couldn’t use them properly or skilfully enough to protect it. He would have to do this defensively, cowardly, or deceitfully.

Corvus chose deceit.

He changed his grip on his blade, bringing his arm back and tossing the blade at Jack, who's expression shifted from enough confidence to rival Alex to surprise and terror. Jack broke his posture to swing at the flying blade, smacking it just out of the way. All the while, Corvus pushed himself forward, drawing his second blade from its sheath on his right.

The distance was closed in an instant, and by the time that Jack looked up from the thrown blade, Corvus was already past the tip of his rapier. Jack tried to slash, but only met the steel of Corvus’ cutlass as it rushed passed. Panic overtook Jack’s face as Corvus tucked his left foot behind Jack’s heel, and pressed his elbow into Jack’s chest, pushing him over.

Jack let out a high pitched squeal as he tumbled into the dark sand, sending his rapier scattering. Corvus pointed his curved blade down at him before he could get back up. A small chorus of laughter echoed out from the audience, followed by a small applause. Henrith and Aria joined in the laugher, distracting them from their respective fights. Lanya was kind about it, sighing and waiting for Henrith to be ready again.

Johanna was not that kind. She dropped her large sword, and wrapped her arms around Aria’s waist and tripping her into the ground, slamming her into the cushiony sand, then rolling swiftly off, hand on one of her many blades. Aria gasped and laughed at the same time, winded but still cheerful.

“I yield, you…crazy lady.” Aria took deep breaths to compose her laughter, laying in the sand.

Johanna stood up, picking her large sword back up and resting its point in the sand. She looked over at Corvus who returned her gaze, smiling. Corvus looked down at Jack.

“Sorry. Switching.” Corvus shrugged, sheathing his cutlass and grabbing his other one off the ground beside him. Jack looked like he wanted to say something, but Corvus didn’t stop to listen.

He and Johanna walked over to each other, eyeing each other's weapons and standing a reasonable distance from each other to allow a fair fight. Just as they were about to begin, Alex’s voice cut through the arena again.

“That’s enough! Stand up and listen carefully!” He was standing beside Jack, raising a quizzical eyebrow at why he was still lying there. “You can summon now. Use your weapons carefully and effectively. Begin!” He grinned widely, as if he was waiting for this moment. The audience agreed, giving supportive cheers and applause.

Corvus turned back to Johanna, who shrugged.

“Up to you.” She said, quietly.

Corvus shrugged back, raising his first cutlass in a defensive stance. That sword of hers would be difficult to deal with if he wasn’t careful, not to mention the subtle shapes and glints of concealed weapons.

Johanna took the hint, raising her massive blade and advancing slowly. Her expression was slightly pained, as if using the blade was tiring for her.

The moment Corvus advanced, she dropped the weapon and started sprinting forward. Two long daggers appeared in her hands, flashing out from her wrists. She leapt up like a cat, driving the blades downwards. Corvus quickly stepped in, raising his blade to redirect the sharp daggers and shifting into the space where she once was.

She landed on the sand with a thud, rolling most of the impact out. She threw the daggers forward, reaching inside her leather jacket again. Corvus deflected the blades, pointing his cutlass forward to dissuade her.

She wasn’t dissuaded. Instead, she brought out what looked to be a meat cleaver, except far sharper into her left hand. She lunged forward, bringing her cleaver down to Corvus’ neck. When Corvus went to guard, she used her other hand to grasp the blade of his weapon, moving it aside.

Corvus let go of his cutlass, using the armour on his clothes to take the blow. The armour parted, allowing the blade to hack halfway into his bone. Corvus brought up his leg, pushing her back to give himself space. She tumbled in the sand, raising her red eyes to his. She looked at the cleaver in his arm and her eyes widened, her hands going to her face in shock about what she did.

Corvus raised his arm to his mouth, gripping the handle with his teeth and pulling it free. The wound closed in several seconds, cracking and twisting shards of bone and sinew into place with sickening cracks and squelches of air escaping the wound. The audience was silent as Corvus flexed his arm, checking to see if it still worked. All the other fights had stopped, staring at Corvus.

He looked around the arena, curious.

“Why have we stopped?”

Johanna was speechless, gawking at Corvus.

“You…your…your arm?” She stammered, desperate to make sense of what was happening.

Corvus looked down at his torn sleeve.

“Oh. That? Don't worry about it. It's happened more than you might expect.” Corvus shrugged, picking up his discarded cutlass and returning it to its sheath.

The colosseum was silent, the audience and all the combatants staring at Corvus. Gregory was leaning forward in keen interest while his two guards were frozen in surprise.

“Did I do something wrong?” Corvus tilted his head.

Alex strode forward, a warily surprised expression on his face.

“No. Not at all. We just didn’t expect you to be able to…heal like that.” Alex crossed his arms in confusion.

“Fair enough.” Corvus shrugged. “Are we still fighting?”

Odere looked around the colosseum, his scowl deeper than before.

“I’m sure they'll appreciate the spectacle. We should continue.” He nodded gruffly at Alex.

Alex shrugged, shaking his head in exasperation.

“Alright then. Keep it going!”