Climbing the arena ladder is just as much about tenacity as it is skill. Skill will get you far, but it will only get you so far. At a certain point, you need to be willing to risk incredible pain to win. Often, the difference between a champion and everyone else is the willingness to lose an arm to take a leg.

-Basen Koh on climbing the arena league ladder

A brilliant light emerged from the bottom of the island, floating far above the arena. It fell downward like a plummetting stone. Voices grew alarmed as the ball of light hurtled toward the arena floor. Just as panic threatened to overwhelm the crowd, the light vanished, revealing a small group of people. Translucent white discs manifested under their feet and guided them through the air.

Reid spotted three women and two men. The older man was clearly the king. A golden glowing crown on his head and a scepter adorned with a shining white jewel gave away his position. His platform moved more quickly, and he made a lap of the stands. He smiled and waved at the people, and they cheered him and knelt in respect in equal measure. The rest of the group was deposited on the platform before Reid while the king completed his circuit.

"He's younger than I thought," Reid said.

The king had black hair and a short black beard. He looked younger than Reid's father.

"I think he's thirty-nine," Leah said.

"Correct," Garret said. "His father passed on the scepter twenty years ago, and King Hessian was crowned the next year. The old king lived for a few more years, but I've heard his health had been failing due to some malady or another."

Reid couldn't imagine becoming a True Mage at nineteen years old and king at twenty. The king finished his circuit and landed in front of them. Leah leaned over to voice the question Reid had been asking himself.

"Should we bow or something?"

Garret shook his head, watching the king greet the arena officials.

"No. Outside the palace or an official audience, King Hessian does not demand displays of subservience. I know I don't have to say so, but he is still our king, so be respectful."

When the king turned to the audience where they were sitting, Garret bowed his head respectfully, so Reid and Leah did the same. When Reid looked up, the king was stepping onto the runic platform used for voice projection.

"Greetings, my loyal subjects."

The crowd fell quiet when he spoke.

"What a joy to return to the arena once more! I must apologize to you all for making such an unorthodox entrance and interrupting the contests in progress. I look forward to seeing their conclusion and the grand battle to come. I would invite the arena officials to begin once more, but first, I believe my home is making it rather hard to see."

The king raised his scepter toward the sky and pointed it at the floating island. A tangible energy moved through the air, invisible but felt by everyone in the arena.

"Away!" the king commanded.

The palace began to move away, and the sun's full light soon filled the arena. The king stepped away from the announcer's platform, and the arena broke into cheers and conversation once more.

"Making a giant floating castle move with one word has to be in the top ten coolest things I've ever seen," Leah said.

"How does it even stay up there?"

Leah shook her head, unsure. Reid looked at Garret, but he wasn't paying attention. Instead, he polished some buttons on his coat. Reid noticed for the first time that the seat next to Garret was empty.

"Garret Sands," the king said.

Reid turned away from Garret and found King Hessian Avennia approaching them. Reid bowed awkwardly in his seat. Now that the moment was upon him, he didn't care what Garret said; he was bowing. Leah seemed to agree, but she went as far as getting out of her chair to kneel. Reid liked that better but didn't want to change positions mid bow.

"Your majesty," Garret said, inclining his head. "It is an honor to see you once more."

"Your father didn't want to come to his own festivities?" the king asked, indicating the empty seat beside Garret with an open palm.

"He should be arriving soon."

"Didn't want to see the amateurs in action? That doesn't surprise me."

The king surprised Reid by turning to him and Leah. "I see you have some new company. A pity Basen never comes. I know my father always enjoyed watching him in the arena, and he never fails to entertain."

Reid wasn't sure if he should respond, and now he was stuck in the awkward position of not knowing if he should bow again, too.

"This is Leah of the Dusk Guild," Garret said, introducing Leah first.

"A Dusker? Does Basen know he gave his seats to you?"

Unlike Reid, Leah didn't have any trouble addressing the king.

"Yes, Your Majesty. He gave them to me personally. In fact, he traded them to me for the opportunity to come to my Dusk Guild assessment."

The king didn't show any surprise at this, so he clearly knew Basen well.

"Of course he did. I have no doubt that is an interesting story."

The king looked at Reid, who was still frozen. Garret introduced him as well.

"This is Reid Aveno. He's a merchant working with Basen at his new shop."

"Another, no doubt, interesting story. A pleasure to meet you both. I would love to chat, but it appears that despite my request, the arena organizers are waiting for me to finish before restarting the festivities. I should not dally. Enjoy the contests."

With that, the king returned to his seat and nodded to the arena announcer. It took Reid a few moments to remember to breathe and a few more to realize that he hadn't actually said anything to the king. He wasn't given the time to reflect on it, so he tried to shake off the surprise and swallow his budding self annoyance.

"What a treat to watch such excellent combat with our king! Let's get these festivities back on track! Next up is the final round of our miniature arena league tournament. On the east side of the arena! You saw her in the painful conclusion to the quarter final round, inflicting incredible damage on her opponent. You saw her in the semi final round, where she put on a flawless fight, untouchable from beginning to end. Wielding a bow with the power to create and duplicate arrows, I give you—The Endless Quiver!"

The contestants were already out on the sand, and the woman waved to the crowd and pumped her bow into the air.

"On the west side of the arena! You've seen him slicing magic, breaking spells, and cutting opponents. His abilities haven't been flashy, but he fights like he was born in the arena. His opponents can't stop him, and their magic can't touch him. Wielding twin blades with the power to banish magical effects, I give you—Mage Breaker!"

The man with the twin blades ignored the crowd's cheers. He spun his weapons and watched his opponent. They faced off on either side of the center of the arena, and it seemed they would have the entire space to work with this time.

"What do you think?" Reid asked Leah.

"Endless Quiver, for sure. That guy isn't going to be able to get anywhere near her."

"Yeah. His magic seems defensive, and I haven't seen any long range abilities."

Garret didn't weigh in, but he was studying the man called Mage Breaker.

"Begin!"

The Endless Quiver drew an arrow from a quiver at her side and loosed it. She didn't duplicate the effect, content to see how her opponent reacted. Mage Breaker dodged to the side and sprinted for a stone pillar, taking cover.

"Is he trying to lure her in? Can she just wait him out?" Reid asked.

"No idea. Garret? What are the rules?"

Garret cleared his throat. "The bounds of the arena will shrink. Like the lines we saw in the previous rounds, they'll be forced to engage eventually, as leaving the bounds means a loss. A shrinking arena benefits them both, depending upon how they use it. I imagine we won't see much direct confrontation until it starts closing in."

Garret's words proved true. Mage Breaker dodged around pillars and doubled back, trying to draw the Endless Quiver close, but she kept her distance. After a few minutes, the red line appeared on the arena's perimeter. It slowly drew inward, but the path was uneven.

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"It isn't randomly contracting," Garret explained. "The circle always shrinks toward the midpoint between the contestants, so the side furthest from that point will contract faster."

That meant the circle quickly closed off half the cover they'd had before. The Endless Quiver moved to the edge of the circle as far from Mage Breaker as she could.

"That's so smart," Leah said.

Reid saw why in a moment. The circle contracted more quickly on the opposite side, and Mage Breaker was forced out from behind his pillar as the boundary cut off the last points of cover.

As soon as he was out in the open, arrows flew. He battered away some with extraordinary reflexes. Reid didn't think that was the kind of thing a four star should be capable of, but Mage Breaker was doing it anyway. Any duplicated or magic arrows broke apart near the swordsman.

For a moment, Reid thought the man just might be able to win. Then, an arrow glanced off his shoulder, spinning him. The next arrow took him in the back of the leg, and Reid winced and rubbed at his own hamstring.

"He lasted longer than I thought," Reid said.

"Wait," Leah said. "It's not over yet."

The Endless Quiver had been a poor choice for a name. She reached down to the quiver at her waist, but it was empty. She reached behind her back but found no more arrows. All the rest of her projectiles were outside the bounds of the fight, save the arrow still in Mage Breaker's leg.

"Oh, wow."

They didn't charge each other. The Endless Quiver could still shoot arrows, but they were magic and broke like all the rest before Mage Breaker's power. He stumbled forward as the circle shrank. After a few tests, the Endless Quiver resigned herself to pulling out a long knife she had strapped to her leg and tossing away her bow. Mage Breaker smiled, and when the circle was a mere five yards wide, they finally exchanged blows.

Reid watched at the edge of his seat. The crowd seemed to hold its collective breath; the only sound came from grunts of effort, the clang of metal on metal, and thuds against sand from the contest below. The Endless Quiver managed to gracefully dodge twin blades. She deflected some blows with her knife or avoided hits altogether. She fought safely, but without taking risks, she couldn't make any offensive moves. Mage Breaker was clearly in pain. He winced with every movement, and Reid could see his blood staining the sand. One final roll was a little too slow. The Endless Quiver took a slash to her knife hand, crying out and dropping the weapon. Before she could react, Mage Breaker stepped past her and kicked the knife out of the ring.

Or at least he tried to.

He kicked with his injured leg and seized in pain. Somehow, the Endless Quiver capitalized on the moment, spinning behind her opponent. With her good hand, she grasped the arrow still lodged in Mage Breaker's leg and ripped it out. The swordsman screamed, and she buried the arrow in his back. He topped out of the ring, and she fell back onto the sand, exhausted.

The arena exploded with cheers. Healers rushed to the contestants, but compared with what they'd already healed today, neither fighter was in poor condition.

"What a match!" the announcer said. "It's rare that we see a league fight with such tenacity. Both of these competitors should be incredibly proud of themselves. Please help me congratulate our miniature tournament champion, the Endless Quiver!"

The announcer mentioned some awards for the victor that Reid knew nothing about and declared the main event would begin soon.

"That was amazing," Leah said. She was just staring down at the arena floor with a shocked expression. "How do I get in on this?"

"You want to join the arena league?" Reid asked. He certainly didn't want any parts of his body cut open.

"Hell yes, I do."

Garret leaned forward to see Leah.

"I can probably arrange that if you'd like."

"Really? That would be amazing!"

"No trouble at all. After all, my father is Desmond Sands."

Leah glanced at Reid, but he couldn't tell her about Garret's father with a glance—not that he knew much himself. Her confused look shifted to chagrin.

"My father? The outgoing arena champion? The entire reason we're in the arena today?"

"Sorry, I didn't really know anything about the arena."

Garret sat back, stunned that someone didn't know who his father was.

Leah leaned close to Reid and spoke so Garret couldn't hear her.

"Did you know who he was?"

"I didn't even know who Basen was."

"Oh yeah. I forgot you were raised by...what were they? Swamp lurkers?"

"Bog lurkers."

"Forgot you were raised by bog lurkers and don't know anything about anything."

Reid, of course, hadn't been raised by bog lurkers, but he was too touched that she'd remembered the dumb creatures he always mentioned that he let it slide. Besides, he was pretty uninformed about many things, so she was right.

A short time later, a man sat in the seat next to Garret.

"Did I miss anything exciting?" Basen asked.

"Basen?" Garret said.

"Yes?"

"What are...ahh...I'm sorry, my father should be arriving any minute. That's his seat," Garret said, trying to compose himself.

"Oh, yeah. I ran into him on my way over. He was nice enough to give me his ticket." Basen waved the ticket in front of them.

Garret slumped slightly, and Reid felt bad for him.

"He's...not coming?"

"No, he's coming. Should be here any minute, as you said."

"I'm sorry. I don't understand."

"Get used to it..." Reid said under his breath. Leah elbowed him, and Basen glanced at him and winked.

"You will. Come now, I heard quite the commotion just a minute ago. The arena appears intact, so I'm guessing I haven't missed the main event."

Garret was too distracted to respond, but Leah was excited to tell Basen about the fight.

"You missed the tournament! That finish was so good. The girl that won stabbed a guy with an arrow."

"Stabbed? Not shot?"

"Stabbed! She'd run out of arrows and thrown her bow away earlier."

"I see. Where did the arrow come from then?"

"The guy's leg! I can't make this up."

Basen shook his head. "I should have come sooner. That does sound like something to see. Ahh, I see I've been spotted. I should probably say hello to my boss."

Basen grabbed the railing and leaped over it onto the platform. The king rose from his seat, and everyone around the platform stirred.

"Did you know Basen was coming?" Leah asked.

"Not for sure, but I suggested it."

"Business plan?"

Reid nodded. "All he needs to do is draw the crowd's attention and mention the shop."

"That's a good idea. Why do you look nervous?"

"I may have suggested something a little more elaborate."

Lean poked him. "What? Tell me!"

She poked him again.

"I don't know if he's going to do it! Let's just wait and see."

Reid looked over to where Basen was chatting with the king's guests. "Who are they?"

"The king's children," Garret said. "Do you not know them?"

Reid shook his head.

"The oldest is Crown Princess Hestia, next in line for the monarchy. Then there are the twins, Prince Devon and Princess Lira, and the youngest, Princess Eva."

They all stood with the poise Reid would expect from royalty. Princess Hestia looked around Reid's age, while the twins looked a few years younger, still adolescents. Reid wasn't sure about Eva, but he guessed she was around ten. They returned to their seats and allowed the King and Basen to speak privately. A shimmering dome appeared over the pair, giving them privacy and drawing attention from all over the stadium.

The arrival of another man in golden armor on the platform accelerated whispers. The newcomer was powerfully built with dark skin and a shaved head. He had a golden helmet tucked under his arm and a brilliant bow strung across his back.

"There he is!" Garret said, clapping.

"That's your father?" Reid asked. He could see the resemblance, and Desmond stood with the same rigid posture as his son.

Desmond waited outside the king's barrier for a moment, then the magical field was extended to cover him as well.

"It is. I didn't expect him to come with his armor. Does he intend to spar?"

Leah grabbed Reid's shoulder and shook him. "You didn't? Did you?"

Reid could only smile at her.

The arena's announcer finally stepped up to address the growing clamor.

"I can hear the people whispering, and they're right! Here on the judge's platform, we have not just one, but three legends!"

King Hessian seemed to realize the stadium's attention was shifting their way, so he dropped his magical dome.

"We've already introduced the king. Now give a warm welcome to former arena champion, True Mage, and the man known as the Guardian of Avennia, Basen Koh!"

The crowd went wild. Basen waved and smiled at the crowd, but he didn't play up the attention.

"Our final guest is the man of the hour. The reason we're all here. Please show your appreciation for the outgoing arena champion, Desmond Sands—the Blinding Arrow!"

Most everyone in the crowd pantomimed drawing a bow and shooting it into the air. Unable to resist, Desmond readied his bow and drew it back. A brilliant golden arrow appeared on the string. He aimed into the air and loosed. The arrow shot well above the stadium floor and then detonated in the middle of the arena. Colorful whirling lights and images of animals, stars, and flashing lights filled the arena.

Reid was mesmerized by the display, but when it was over, he had to blink away the spots from his vision.

"I guess that's why they call him the Blinding Arrow," Leah said, rubbing her eyes.

The Blinding Arrow approached the announcer's platform and traded locations with the man.

"Thank you everyone for your years of support. While it is hard to let go, it was the great man standing behind me who started this tradition, and it is my duty to preserve it. Though my days fighting aren't over, I am hanging up my title to allow the next generation of arena fighters to have their chance at greatness. I can't wait to see what they do."

The crowd thundered their approval, and Desmond waved as he returned to a seat next to the king. Basen said a few more things to the pair before returning to the stands next to Garret.

"That's our champion!" the announcer said. "And he's right. We saw a glimpse of future greatness today. I think we can all agree that the next generation of arena contestants will be extraordinary."

The announcer took a deep breath, and a drum beat reverberated through the arena. The crowd quieted.

"But now, in honor of all those who fight in the arena, those who fight outside of it, and our outgoing champion—the main event!"

The man pressed on, not giving the crowd a chance to react.

"From the western gate! A Greater Mage from the Avennish Royal Guard! Known throughout the kingdom for his mastery of water magic and his signature summoned minion, I present to you the one, the only, Arvind Sevash!"

The arena shook with the cries and cheers of the crowd. Arvind Sevash emerged from the western gate, riding a wave of water over the sand. He wore brilliant blue robes that matched the crystalline blue staff across his back. Even in the bright sunlight, it shone with barely contained power. Reid was only a little disappointed he didn't recognize this Arvind, but that disappointment was overshadowed by his awe at the spectacle. Arvind waved to the crowd and held a hand to his ear, inciting even louder cheers. The man knew how to work a crowd. He smiled and waved until he made his way to the center of the arena.

"In the interest of ensuring we get a good show, we've brought in a ringer, folks. From the eastern gate! A Greater Mage with power and prestige known throughout the land. The leader of the famous Black Dragon mercenaries and master of the Black Dragon gauntlets! I welcome the man, the myth, the legend, Lucian Rossenal!"

If Reid thought the cheers for Arvind had been loud, then the earsplitting roar for Luian was deafening. A huge man in black metal armor walked onto the sands. He held up his hands in greeting, showing off the shimmering magical items that gave him his signature power. The gauntlets were made from black scales that covered his forearms and ended at his fingertips with wicked talons.

Leah stiffened in her chair.

They knew it had been coming, but it still must have shocked Leah. She shook out of her tense response and nodded to Reid. She was alright.

The combatants met at the center of the area and shook hands before retreating a comfortable distance. Around the arena, the runic discs began to spin, and a glowing shield, not unlike the shield the king had just used, expanded to cover the entire arena. The bubble of translucent power stretched a hundred feet into the air, where it came together and sealed. With a flash, the bubble vanished, leaving a perfectly clear view of the contestants below.

A team of arena workers circled the interior of the arena. One cast magic toward the crowd while the others checked the runes. Each spell hit the invisible barrier and made it visible for a moment before fading away. The workers left the sands once their pass was complete, and the announcer stepped up again.

"A special thanks to our hard working team of protection specialists for making this event possible. Now that the arena has been checked—this is it. A battle for the ages. Arvind versus Lucian. Fighters ready? Begin!"