{Reipon}

Ceiling.

Grounds.

Floor.

Ceiling.

Grounds.

Floor.

Bones grew tired of shouting some thirty loops ago. How the Seamswalker ever managed to create a perpetual conduit—one end opened two feet below the top end—was beyond Bones.

All he knew was he was about… ten more falling loops from vomiting. Or passing out.

“I.” One loop.

“Give.” Another loop.

“Up.” Last loop before the bottom conduit disappeared, and Bones mercifully sprawled onto the floor, a teetering mess.

He was so grateful for the solid, steady ground he kissed the white tile and let himself collapse to hug it. Nice and cool. Rest. Perfect spot, too. With his head turned this way, Bones got to watch the action closer than ringside.

And what action.

Sagan and Tameka faced off against Xelan, the last standing member of team Icari. Talk about saving the best for last.

Xelan opened his wings and let his eyes shift to Atramentous. He perched—dramatically, in Bones’ opinion—on an obstacle like an enormous bird of prey.

A chorus of noise erupted from the stand. Boots stomped in a steady rhythm. The crowd wanted action, and they were about to get it.

The Prince of Cinder straight up disappeared. Bones never saw him move. He simply reemerged behind Tameka and Sagan and somehow sent them flying in opposite directions. The Seamswalker spilled into the stands in a clumsy attempt to catch herself.

Andrew, Kyle, and Tumu “Ooo”ed with a wince because landing in the audience was an automatic out. No hurting the bystanders.

“Fuck.” Sagan stamped her foot with a cute pout.

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Meanwhile, Tameka picked herself up, standing on the obstacle she’d landed on and opened her wings. She stared up at Xelan, who flew outside of reach in the room’s center.

“Daddy so high!” Pax shouted.

The crowd cooed. What else could they do but fall at that toddler’s adorably small feet?

Despite his son’s distracting cuteness, Xelan kept his eyes on Tameka, affording her the respect of a worthy opponent. His voice projected with authority in three pitches. “You won’t render me unconscious so easily. It’s time to practice your ability while fighting. Are you ready?”

Tameka looked ready all right, but not to fight—once more, in Bone’s humble opinion. Her chest heaved with excitement, not exertion. Her eyes shifted into Atramentous jewels. The woman looked ready to rip Xelan’s clothes off and go to town—

Again, the Prince of Cinder seemed to disappear and reconstitute from the ether behind Tameka. It was that super fast speed of his which allowed him to move so fast the nacre nanite fields considered him a projectile. Wingmaster slowed down to deliver blows to avoid its rejection. He snaked his arms around her in a hold meant to knock her out.

But the redhead wasn’t having it.

Tameka threw them both backwards against the obstacle’s high wall, crushing their wings around them. In her efforts, she frowned with concentration—obviously working her mojo.

Which Bones was grateful he didn’t endure this round. Although, he couldn’t decide which was worse. The infinite falling loop or recovering from a drained nacre—

A cry brought Bones’ attention back to the action. They grappled on the obstacle with Xelan on top, locking long legs and arms around Tameka to render her powerless.

Fury didn’t like that.

She rolled them off the thirty-foot obstacle, leaving Xelan no choice but to release her in order to catch himself in a flurry of black feathers.

Tameka barely buffeted her wings before hitting the ground. She glared up at Xelan, seething now in a less-sexually charged manner.

Damn, Bones wished he had some popcorn. Or the will to get up off the floor.

Especially as Xelan’s nose dripped a trickle of blue blood. The crowd gave a unified grunt, as was required with first blood. As more blood rushed from him, the peeps in the stand hushed with anticipation.

Tameka gripped her fists in concentration. Xelan let her take from him. Now this seemed less of a fight and more of a test of their limitations.

The surrounding air warmed and thickened. Hair stood up on Bones’ scalp—for which he was glad something on him could stand at all. Sizzling energy nipped at his goosebumps.

What was this? It felt new. Although oddly reminiscent of that time, Rayne and Nox went blow for blow on Volcano Day—

Holy Thunderdome.

Lightning zapped the grounds only a few feet from Bones. Someone lunged and snatched him from the embers that sparked. Everyone ran to the exit, carrying the unconscious to safety.

Everyone except Tameka and Xelan.

They both fell to their knees across from the other in the ring. Xelan refused to give in, and Tameka siphoned from everything she could.

Suddenly, Bones surged with energy. Enough to stand and help with the others—

No. They all woke up now and huddled in the entryway with the rest. Those with Icarean and Progeny blooded shifted their eyes to Atramentous thanks to the influx of power. The rest zinged with it. So alive with it, as if the sun kept them awake—

Tameka cried out, and Xelan shouted, “I relent!”

They both collapsed.