You have entered: Shadow Arena
This location is home to underground fights and illegal betting. None of the normal Arena rules are in effect—fight and survive.
The roar of the crowd assaulted her ears as Phoenix tried to tune it out, dread following her entrance. Her heart raced as she scanned the arena, her eyes focusing on the opposite side where her opponent stood. Alyssa was also in rags, clearly a Culled as well, but where Phoenix was unarmed, Alyssa possessed a well-crafted bow and a quiver full of arrows.
Well, fuck me. I get stuck unarmed against a goddamn archer.
“Ladies and Gentlemen! The final fight of the night!” A loud voice boomed over the arena, reverberating off the stone walls. Phoenix tried to pinpoint the source of the sound, but the echo made it hard to find.
“In the right corner, we have The Archer! She’s won over 40 fights, bringing down some of the biggest opponents with those sharp shooting skills! Will she be brought down tonight?” The crowd cheered, their anticipation palpable.
“And in the left corner, we have a newcomer! Her name is Phoenix, but can she live up to the mythical bird’s fire?” The announcer's voice dripped with theatrical flair, igniting the crowd’s excitement. “I’m your Arena Master for the night, here to bring you step-by-step coverage of the fights!”
The crowd roared at the comment as the announcer continued. “Can she take down one of our most deadly first-year competitors? Bets are now closed! Fighters, approach the middle!”
Phoenix stepped forward, her pulse quickening. Your opponent shows you weaknesses from the very beginning; analyze everything. Make sure you understand your opponent before you fight them. Look for weaknesses. The voice of her old Drill Sergeant, Ritten, echoed in her mind, urging her to remain focused.
Alyssa (F)
Essence Level: 11
Her gaze swept over Alyssa, noting the taut muscles in her back and arms. The way Alyssa held her bow indicated she was no novice; she had honed her skills through countless fights. Phoenix mentally noted the girl's posture, the tension in her shoulders—Alyssa was ready to unleash her deadly projectiles. The biggest weakness of any ranged attack is if the opponent can get up close, and that’s exactly what she was going to do. Phoenix thought, determination fueling her resolve.
“The rules are simple; everything is legal. You may use whatever skills or abilities you have available to you. The fight ends when the other is dead. You will know because the shackle will be released from the other’s wrist. May Shadow favor you! 3… 2… 1… FIGHT!”
The moment the words left the announcer’s mouth, Alyssa was already moving, sprinting back toward her gate in an attempt to create distance. She’s nothing if she can’t use her bow. I have to get in close. Phoenix ran after her, adrenaline pumping through her veins, trying to close that critical distance. Fuck me, she’s fast as shit.
Alyssa grabbed an arrow as she ran, nocking it with practiced ease. Turning on one foot, her eyes flashed with determination as she released it. The arrow whizzed past Phoenix’s head by mere centimeters, embedding itself in the sand with a dull thud.
“Shit! That was way too close!” Panic surged through Phoenix, but she shoved it aside. Keep moving! She continued to pursue Alyssa, refusing to give her any time to stand still. The more on the back foot your opponent is, the less time they have to plan their attacks.
Unfortunately, Phoenix had no long-range skills to use; her entire strategy hinged on getting close to her opponent. Alyssa wasn’t making it easy—she kept knocking and releasing arrows behind her, each narrowly missing Phoenix by inches. Her build clearly features Agility and Endurance. She’s fast.
Running after her wasn’t going to solve the problem, Phoenix realized. What do you have around you, soldier? What can you use to your advantage? She scanned the arena, but there was nothing but sand stretching endlessly before her.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
The sand! An idea sparked in her mind. As she ran, she scooped up two handfuls of the gritty substance. The next time Alyssa turned around, Phoenix hurled the sand into the air, hoping to obscure her movements. It seemed to work—Alyssa lost sight of her, releasing an arrow that shot way off target.
“Gotcha!” Phoenix thought, emboldened by her minor victory. But her luck quickly ran out.
Alyssa, regaining her composure, nocked another arrow, her focus razor-sharp. Phoenix felt the adrenaline surge again, but her heart sank as the arrow caught her in the left shoulder, embedding itself deep and sticking fast.
Health at 80%
The white-hot pain burned through her, an inferno igniting in her shoulder, and her step faltered.
“And now you will die like everyone else who challenged me before you!” Alyssa shouted across the arena, her face triumphant, the confidence radiating off her like a beacon. Phoenix clenched her teeth against the pain, her resolve hardening.
Two reasons kept her silent: one, her teeth were gritted from the pain of the arrow, and two, she didn’t respond to dumbshit, and that was the most self-absorbed, cocky, arrogant bullshit she had ever heard. If she hits me again, I’m done.
Fighting through the pain, Phoenix lunged and roared, channeling her frustration into a primal surge of energy.
Skill Activated! Howl of the Alpha I (Legendary)!
Alyssa’s eyes widened, her entire body locking up mid-draw, caught off guard by the intensity of the skill. I’m NOT going down like this, not again. Phoenix thought, propelling herself forward, desperate to close the gap.
3 paces to catch her. The skill began to falter. 2 paces; Alyssa began to draw her arm back again.
1 pace, and Phoenix jumped on top of her.
She landed squarely on Alyssa’s back, grabbing her bow and throwing it to the side. Straddling her, Phoenix unleashed her built-up fury and frustration, her vision going red with rage. She rained down blows on Alyssa’s face, and blood began to fly with each devastating strike.
Alyssa had no vitality to speak of, which made sense based on her archer class; she had never had to worry about getting hit—until now. Phoenix felt a primal instinct take over, and in a moment of sheer desperation, she bit down on the soft part of Alyssa’s neck, only releasing it when she felt a sickening crunch.
Finally, she looked down, horrified at what she saw. Alyssa’s face was black and blue, some of her teeth lay scattered in the sand beside her, and her shackle had fallen off, now a grim reminder of the fight for survival that had just transpired. Phoenix heard a faint chime as the notification appeared, but she ignored it as she stumbled back, sinking to her knees. Her whole body was numb, even the arrow sticking out of her shoulder was of little consequence.
“We have a winner!!!” The crowd was silent for a second before erupting into chaotic cheers. Those who had bet on the underdog celebrated wildly, their shouts filling the air with a sense of euphoria, while others cursed under their breath as they realized they had lost considerably betting on the established fighter.
“With a crude method of winning, Phoenix has taken down her first opponent in the Shadow Arena, winning herself another day! And with that, ladies and gentlemen, the fights of the night are closed—come back tomorrow for another round of epic battles!”
Phoenix barely registered the announcer's words as she was suddenly grabbed by someone, a guard walking her back to the exit. Bento’s sickly grin entered her view, and she felt her stomach turn.
“Well, little girl, you have won me a lot of money tonight,” he said, his voice dripping with insincerity. “I have to say I didn’t think you had it in you. I believe this partnership will go very well.” Phoenix didn’t have the brain space to even snap back at his use of ‘partnership’ to describe what was going on here.
He started to walk away but seemed to think of something else, turning back to her with a calculating look. “Get her the basic healing; can’t have that shoulder stopping her from winning again.” He said to the guard holding her.
She was shuttled to a tent just outside of the arena, but not even the thought of escape brought her out of her shock. The weight of her actions settled heavily on her shoulders, and she felt the adrenaline begin to fade, leaving behind a hollow ache.
“Hey doc, we got one here for you. Basic healing, left shoulder. Took an arrow to it.”
“Yes, I can see that, as it seems you were nice enough to leave it in,” came the response from a man who entered the tent from the other side. He had soft eyes and a kind face, a stark contrast to the brutality that surrounded them.
“Well, Phoenix, you had an eventful night,” he continued, his tone gentle. “Can’t tell you how lucky you are that the arrow wasn’t a couple of inches to the right, or she would’ve ended you right there. Let’s see…” He continued to mumble to himself as he approached her, his hands glowing with a soft warmth as he examined her wound.
She vaguely felt him pull out the arrow, the sensation sending a jolt of pain through her, but that was quickly followed by a soothing warmth that radiated from his hands into her shoulder. He kept talking to her, his voice a calming presence in the storm of her thoughts, but she couldn’t muster a response, her mind still reeling.
After the healer finished, she numbly followed the guard back to the cell. She walked in and sat down in the corner, her body feeling heavy and unresponsive. Becca looked at her with a pitying gaze, the understanding in her eyes only deepening Phoenix’s sense of isolation.
“It’ll get easier,” Becca said softly, her voice a quiet reassurance in the dim light of the cell. But Phoenix felt nothing but soul shattering pain. I don’t want it to get easier. I’m not a monster.
She curled up in the corner, wrapping her arms around her knees, and closed her eyes. Exhaustion took hold, but as she drifted off to sleep, the images of the fight replayed in her mind—Alyssa’s face, the sound of bones breaking, the taste of blood.
Tomorrow would come with new challenges, and she would have to fight again.