Scarlet

Before I can ask anything about what he just said, I hear the Fae King’s sister’s voice echoing out from the screen that is in the sky.

“Well, well, well, it looks like our resident Dragon Slayer is finally awake!”

My eyebrow twitches for some reason.

Huh. I don’t like Nyx.

No idea why, but I just don’t like her.

“After missing out on four Competitions, she’s still the top ranking competitor of the tournament,” Nyx continues, sounding a lot less motivated than her brother when he’s commentating. “But will she be able to keep that lead after coming back?”

Well, at least I’m still at the top.

“Just a little warning for our resident royals, if you don’t return to the tournament grounds within half an hour, the next competition will begin without you,” Nyx says, making me almost glare up at the ceiling.

Yeah. I really don’t like her.

Wait a second…

I frown as I look at the people around me.

Allen, Cynthia, Leonidas, Amelia, Gramps, Belle, and Arthur.

Did they…

“They all stayed with you for the entire time you were out,” I hear Tar say out of nowhere, right as I feel something plop down on my head.

I don’t even have to look up to know that it’s Tar.

But what he said…

“You all… stayed?” I ask while looking around at them. “While I was out? Even with the tournament…”

They all smile at me and nod.

Both Gramps and Leonidas pat my head, meanwhile Amelia and Cynthia hold my hands. Leaving Allen to answer, “We couldn’t leave. Not while you were unconscious.” His eyes don’t leave me as he speaks. “None of us would ever leave when you’re in that state.”

I feel a pinch in my chest where one of my hearts are. And along with that pinch, I feel tears beginning to flow down my face as I smile.

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All of them reach forwards to hug me only to bonk their heads. And Arthur and Belle, who are standing at the foot of the bed, begin to laugh at what just happened.

In the middle of all of this, I begin to laugh as well. A full belly laugh as my voice rings out through the room, surprising them all.

Then I lean backwards, using my hands stretched behind me, my elbows on my pillows, to hold my weight as I tell them all, “I love you guys.”

Pure shock stretches across their faces, but I’m not done as I look at Allen and tell him, “Dad, thank you for taking me in.” Then at Cynthia. “And you too Mom.” And while those two are still shellshocked, I turn to Amelia and Leonidas and say, “And while I still don’t like what you did in the past, I can at least understand why you did it. And I do appreciate the results that have come from it.”

Both of them start crying, which makes the corner of my lips quirk upwards.

I turn to Gramps and tell him, “Thank you, Gramps, for everything you’ve done for me since I came to Tartarus. And for stopping the war.”

He continues patting my head as he says with a sad and slightly guilty look on his face “I’m sorry for everything you’ve been put through, sweetie… I… I’m sorry for everything.” He glances at Amelia, Allen, Cynthia, Belle, and Arthur. “Sorry to all of you as well.”

Now I’m not sure if the others are more shocked about what I said or what he said. Because now they’re all staring at both of us instead of just me.

“For the war, for the killing, for all of the humans that were killed over the years…” Gramps continues while looking me directly in the eye, briefly glancing at Amelia and meeting her in the eyes as well before turning back to me again. “And again for not keeping Oberon on a short enough leash.”

The others all share glances amongst each other, but right as Amelia is about to respond, Nyx’s voice echoes from the screen again.

“Can you hurry up? I want to start this competition if you don’t mind.”

My eye twitches again.

Then I ignore her and float up into the air simply by controlling the blood in my body directly before patting Gramps on the head with a grin on my face.

“Don’t worry, Gramps,” I tell him, “while what you’ve done can’t be forgotten and won’t be, you’re still Gramps.”

His eyes widen and begin to fill with tears. But I don’t give him or the others a chance to say anything as I tell them, “Let’s go finish things up.”

Tar, take me to the tournament stadium.

“Roger that!” he exclaims, sounding amused.

Then I find Tar and I traveling through the void until we arrive at the entry square of the universe. And immediately after that, Tar vanishes to go to the void as I float myself up into the air and shoot straight up and over the stadium, stopping high in the air once I make it to the center of the stadium.

All of the people in the stadium begin to cheer my name or one of my Titles. Meanwhile the other competitors all look up from their many towers scattered across the stadium’s arena.

I feel a rush of adrenaline and excitement at the sight of the millions, even billions of people scattered across this stadium and the other four stadiums surrounding it. With those other stadiums having a screen showing what’s happening in this one at the center of their arenas.

Hmm, I wonder… just how powerful is my Ruler of Blood skill?

Just how powerful is a transcendent skill…

And I’m apparently not the only one to wonder, since people begin chanting it all across the stadium. In fact, even Nyx looks slightly curious as she watches me without a word.

So I spread my arms out on both sides of myself, and immediately latch onto that new sensation that I can feel.

Then I flood the sky with blood, blocking out the light entirely.