Flames of War and Passion (Razgriz x Ironic)

Koriand'r reached her hands through the gaps in the steel bars, as if she could actually protect him from the harm he would face, but she knew it was useless. How could she try to help someone else when she can't even help herself.

"Be careful, Khrelan... Please!" She shouted out in a raspy unused voice, cracking as it reached a high note. The fading sounds of the guards laughter and Khrelan's pleads vanished, leaving her in solitude.

She sighed softly, her alien heart pounding, wondering if that was the last time she would see him. There was something about him that made her, what was it? Want to care? Maybe it was their similar attitudes. They were both assholes once they first met, but that was on her part. Now just thinking about her rude actions made her chuckle. What a first impression, hm?

Footsteps echoed again, why were the guards coming back? Did they forget a key or something? The battle hasn't even began so Khrelan wasn't being brought back to his cell. Placing her back against the cold cement-like walls, she watched inventively, trying to make out who the person was in the shadows.

"Hello, my beloved Koriand'r..." It was Tresdin...

---

"Open up the gates!" King Myand'r shouted, speckles of spit leaving his mouth, his hands raising up as the crowd's shouts grew louder.

Slowly, the gates creaked open with life, only darkness was apparent from inside the gate, but then a small figure walked out, full of armor and ready for an intense battle.

Her name was Shyvanna, the half-dragon. Her skin and hair was similar to ice, burning cold to the touch, yet flowed normally. She was beautiful, absolutely breathtaking. Her looks were definitely deceiving, no one knowing what they were truly messing with until they got on her bad side.

Her title, the "half-dragon" would be seen soon. Once her fury reached a certain amount, her power ravished her, transforming her body into something more magnificent yet deadly. This battle would be a good one.

"Now would you look at that?! Fire against Ice!" The King stated in astonishment, his eyes blinking at the sight before him. It was quite ironic how they would be matched up like this. Would the man quickly turn the girl into a puddle, or would she freeze him eternally?

It certainly seemed his plea had fallen on deaf ears, for the opposite gate had soon opened to reveal his opponent. He stared in absolute awe at the creature that strode from the gate; it seemed ready to fight, to participate in this festival of uncaring hostility. Something which Khrelan was not. He might have a warrior's build, but he did not have the mindset. The most killing he had done was in the hunt, providing sustenance for his tribemates, and the most physical he had gotten were the play-wrestling he had done as a child and young adult.

The next words made Khrelan look up to the King, "Now then, lava man, will you still participate willingly? Or will this turn into a boring one-sided fight where she just kills you? She was one of many that came here willingly, you know. From what I've learned, her kind love to fight...You won't like what they do to those they perceive as 'cowards'." This made the crowd laugh, some of them pointing at Khrelan, who just frowned and looked back to his opponent, "I'll admit right now, I am nothing of a warrior. I am a hunter, but I will not hesitate to defend myself."

He honestly did not know how to tackle this creature; there was nothing on his home planet that looked anything like this. And try as he might, he could not find any visual weak points to attack like he could with the beasts of his home world. "If I am forced to do this...Then I can only hope I am strong enough" Khrelan thought to himself, his body tensing and starting to glow as more heat poured from his form. He had no idea if this new form of his crippled or strengthened him; he didn't even if Verath still resided within him to provide guidance.

"Verath, my Patron, Father of our People....Please, I ask for your guidance." mused Khrelan, to which there was no response. He could not feel even a smidgen of the mighty Spirit's energy, not like he could when he was meditating back on his homeworld.

---

Tresdin looked at his beloved, concern apparent in his green hues; dear lord, these people were monsters! "Kori...I brought some medical supplies. Do not worry, no one knows I am here" he stated, pulling a small duri-skin pouch from within an internal pocket of his fine-cloth vestments.

Opening it, he then pulled what appeared to be a roll of leaves; oozing out of one end, though, was a pinkish slime. It was fairly viscous, however, as it did not drip. "Here, take this and spread it on your wounds. Use the leaves to cover them after; it will help with the healing process." he then said, holding it to her from between the bars.

"Kori, I know you might think I hate you...But truly, I do not. I did feel much pain when you denied our union, but this. This has gone too far. Do not worry, my beloved, I will help you find a way out of this." Tresdin added, giving her a small smile to show he meant what he was telling her.

Shyvanna walked slowly towards her opponent, flipping her pony tail that was waving in her front to go towards her back. Her eyes were piercing blue, giving off a cold mist into the air. Fighting was something she lived for, something she did all of her life. Even when she was younger she fought violently, never giving mercy to her victims.

Taking her right gauntlet and left gauntlet, she combined the two together, forming a weapon that looked like a dragon. The teeth were razor sharp and dripped slightly with water. She let out a snarl, showing her teeth at the man who she wanted dead.

"Don't piss me off too much, you won't like me when I am angry." In a sassy tone she spoke, raising her chin up as she glanced at him. "Awe, are you scared to fight? Please." Pacing herself, she spread her legs evenly, getting in a fighting stance, her hands extended in a dragon-like weapon gauntlets.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let this new battle BEGIN!" The King shouted, the crowd cheering them on, still laughing at the earlier humiliation brought to Khrelan. In their eyes, cowards didn't win, they died. That's what happened in life. Survival of the fittest. If he backed down, he would die for his punishment.

A loud battle horn rang, signifying that the games have began. Shyvanna stood stiil, eyes narrowed and waited to see what this character would do. She wanted to make sure she knew his moves, the way he tensed up before he let out an attack, the pacing of his breath. Everything.

---

Kori couldn't help but feel skeptical about all of this. What kind of man, after being turned down, willingly comes to help the damsel in distress after she shunned him away? "Thanks for the offer, but I don't want it." She turned her back on him, giving him the cold treatment. It wasn't his fault, truly. He was only doing what was right in his and hers kingdoms eyes. He was in the same boat at her, but he agreed on the arranged mirage. She did not.

"Kori, you need to learn a few things." He paced himself, walking back and fourth the cell. His hands were folded gently behind his back, still holding onto the pouch he presented to her. His eyes watched his footsteps, carefully in thought. "I am here to help you. I hate your father for his harsh punishment. It's wrong. Sickening. Who would throw their child in harms way?"

"Mine." Kori growled. "Tell me something I don't know." Sighing, she turned back around to look at the man she was destined to marry. "Look, I don't mean to be harsh, but I feel like you're up to something of your own. Why did you honestly come down here for me? Huh? I made you look like a fool in front of my entire kingdom. I don't believe you when you say you don't hate me. I already hate myself."

Tresdin stopped in his tracks. He felt sympathy for the poor girl. He wanted to take the pain away. He walked towards the bars, extending a hand outwards. "Please, just let me help you. Let me give you the care you need. You will see that I am a good guy." Taking the pouch he still had in his grip, he set it gently on the ground in front of her.

"Please, place those on your wounds."

Khrelan didn't move an inch, not even as his opponent transformed part of herself into a weapon. A very dangerous looking weapon at that. Just how was he supposed to fight this creature? He had no real experience, but it was obvious to him by this point that she was not simply going to let him walk away. But that didn't mean he couldn't try to reason any way.

As the battle horn sounded, he froze, expecting her to rush in and assault him; his eyes, having shut in response, slowly opened to reveal this strange creature staring intently at him. It was a look he knew from his hunting days: She was sizing him up. Trying to analyze the best method of attack. Even he could tell that much.

As the stare-down continued, people were starting to get riled up and upset over the lack of combat. "I don't know if you understand, fire pit, but the horn sounds means the battle has started." stated Myand'r, causing the crowd to laugh. "I already told you, I will not spill blood!" shouted the young alien, making the crowd 'Boo' at his unwillingness to engage. Turning his gaze to his opponent, "Please, we don't have to do this. You are not my enemy, nor am I yours. The King is our enemy! We can both walk away from this!" he then pleaded to Shyvanna, to which the King replied, "My oh my, you don't understand still? In the event of a forfeiture, we execute the coward on sight! This is a matter of survival of the strongest, not the most diplomatic!" This made the audience cheer and the pit in Khrelan's stomach sink; was there no end to his depravity? He couldn't forfeit now, and he had a strong feeling his opponent would not take such a choice either.

---

As Tresdin tried to reason with his beloved, his sharp hearing picked up the sounds of footsteps; the guards were returning, it seemed. Plus, it did not seem she was keen on listening to him at the moment. They were too close for him to sneak out, which left one - very unpleasant - alternative.

Reaching further in and shoving the medicine into her lap, he whispered "Hide this from the guards in your garments. You know what will happen if they catch either of us with it." Pulling away, he stood up and added, "Forgive me for what I am about to do, my dearest Koriand'r." Just then, the doors swung open.

"Bah! What a boring battle! Fire man's just trying to talk his opponent to death!" said one guard, to which the other replied, "Wouldn't be surprised if the ice beast ripped him to shreds for being a coward" This made them both laugh, but stop when they laid eyes on the Prince. Snapping a salute, the guard on the left stated, "Your Grace! Why are you here...If I may be so bold?" Tresdin smiled and replied, "Bold you are, but I am here to gaze upon my...wife-to-be. I can see now she is where she belongs. Groveling in the filth she holds so dear; I guess she did me a favor standing me up." He then spat on the floor of her cage, just missing her but making the guards roar in laughter as he turned and walked out the door.

"I'll be back to entertain myself later...Do try to leave her intact and without many bruises, would you?" asked Tresdin in a convincingly cold tone, to which the guard on the right said with a sickening grin, "Of course, your Highness."

Not a single word phased the frozen ice statue, but she did give off a sadistic smirk. "This will be way easier than I had anticipated. Such a shame, I seen so much untapped potential from you, too bad I won't be able to see it for myself." She clonked the weapon together, making a sharp snapping sound emit off into the arena, similar to the resonate of teeth slamming down.

The crowd was beginning to rustle in seats, seeming rather bored and uninterested at where this battle was heading, and Shyvanna was feeling the same way just as much, her maw yawning tiredly.

"Just execute him!" A random spectator bellowed out, causing an uproar of approval by many other around the mysterious Lumbian, applaud and clapping reverberating off the ancient cement walls. Disapprovingly, Shyvanna shook her head, and cocked her shoulders upward, and stared into the inferno man's black pitted eyes. The heat was felt even from her distance, and it was easy to tell that his conflagration could spread rapidly and destroy everything in its wake.

"No need to take unrealistic measures. Let me settle this once and for all so I can face a more worthy opponent for my tastes." Something strange, yet breathtakingly beautiful was happening to the woman. She bawled out to the celestial skies, jumping in the air, her body transforming into an elegant yet lethal dragon, soaring into the skies and heading in the fire torch's direction. Her hands turned into long and prickly wings, the wing web shining with frozen fractals. The long scaled tail oscillated, the razor sharp caudal spade would seem to pierce any thoracic cavity like the fatal tip of an arrow.

A blue blaze circled around her, the freezing heat would seem to be cauterizing to the hot flesh of fire on Khrelan's body. Shyvanna now only stood a mere foot away from him, and she raised up her talon-like claw above him, ready to strike down.

---

The medication made a light thud against her exposed thighs, and hastily she tucked it into her cleavage, the pink slime at the end of the rolled up leaf tingling against her orange flesh. But she couldn't help but wonder... What was he going to do?

So, following his lead, she sat there and stared up at the Prince whom she was going to marry, and she listened carefully to his words... But she couldn't help but ask herself, did they have somewhat of a meaning behind them? Is that truly how he felt about her secretly? Then, why would he try to help her? Was she just a bet and he wanted to win the money? Kori could only begin to think of many more possibilities to his words, for show or not, and tears began to stroll down to her cheeks.

It was true, she was in this awful mess just because she hadn't married this man. How different would things be if she did marry him? His spit glistened against her neon green irises, leaving the reminder of the awful words he just spoke to her.

So, this was it? Even if she did win the competition, what would she get out of it? Her reputation was crumbled and ruined, and other galaxies probably heard her dismaying actions by now. After Tresdin had left, the guards soon followed closely, chattering and laughing just the same as they came in.

Taking this valuable time, Kori gripped at the medication that was lodged in the crevice of her bosoms, and generously, applied the leafy substances over the opened lacerations, feeling the slime seep and comfort her, though she flinched upon the initial impact of them. Just as Tresdin instructed, the leaves sat on her skin to heal, and already she felt the reaction kicking in.

"Please, come back alive Khrelan..." She found herself whispering out, closing her eyes softly and laying her head against the cold metal bars that confined her in the dark cold cell.

The disgust on Khrelan's face became readily apparent as one of the spectators called for his execution; did these people have no sense of morality? No sense of decency or caring? Was this really how their planet and its people were and nothing more? The very thought made a wave of unfamiliar sensation, like he ate the wrong type of berry on his homeworld without all the spinning and double-vision.

He then felt a chill run down his spine as she howled a bestial howl, her form launching to the heavens and transforming into something both magnificent and obviously deadly. His body froze in absolute terror, and even as she descended towards him, he could not react. Not even when the razor edge of her talons raked through his semi-molten flesh.

A loud sizzling and whistling resonated as her bone-chilling cold and his flesh-scorching heat met, her claws tearing through his exposed torso; not even a sound was made, the impact throwing him to the floor on his back, where he lay unmoving. It seemed like he was done, never to return to his people. It hurt, dear Verath, it hurt so much but he could not cry out in pain. Could not utter a single pathetic sound; though his voice was silenced, his mind remained active even as the light faded from his eyes.

"I guess...This is it then. Verath, my father...I have failed you. I have failed the People. I was never meant to be your vessel. I only ask that you forgive me for my weakness." pleaded Khrelan mentally, hoping to die with at least some of his hope vindicated that the Patron did not revile him. And for a while, there was silence. Even as the King declared Shyvanna the winner and ordered his guards to dispose of the fire pit's corpse (though Khrelan himself could not hear any of this), he heard nothing in reply.

"My child, I do not find you pitiable. Do not mistake your inexperience for cowardice, but for now...It seems we must fight. But you will not die this day...We still have a duty to accomplish. The Cycle and the People will live on; believe me when I say I chose you for a reason." was the reply within, Khrelan's inner conscious feeling joyous at hearing their Patron Spirit's words. "But, Father...Violence was never a part of our culture. Nothing like this. How am I supposed to engage when they are not my prey?" asked the alien

"That is, unfortunately, something I fear can only be learned and never taught, my child. But I will be here with you...Never think I would abandon you...But for now, let me handle things, Khrelan of the Plagnor Tribe. Surrender your conscious mind to me for a time, meditate as you did back on our world. It will not be long, but I feel it should suffice for helping us live to see another day." then replied Verath; he would help his vessel emerge victorious, and if anyone tried to stop him...Well, they would face the wrath of a God. These fools had defiled this innocent young male, and made light of his duty. Verath never really considered himself a prideful deity, but he would not stand for such atrocities. Not to the People which gave him purpose.

Seeing no other choice, Khrelan did as such, letting his mind empty and fade. And what came next would surely shock everyone present.

Just as some guards were ready to put their hands on Khrelan and take him out of the arena, plumes of fire erupted and formed a protective cloak around the alien's unmoving form. Light returned to Khrelan's pupils and the guards retreated immediately, fright registering on their faces. The King himself grew quite interested, a rather bemused grin crossing his cheeks "My Queen, by all that is right, look at that! Fire pit can rise from the dead!" The crowd was enraptured, their gazes transfixed on this bizarre sight. And murmurs of excitement came even more as Khrelan stood, an air of defiance now surrounding him as if daring future competitors to challenge him.

"Fellow Luimbians, it seems this fight is far from over! Haha, let's see if Fire Pit can vindicate his earlier cowardice!" shouted Myand'r, to the roars of approval from the audience. Verath, now having full control of his vessel's body, tested each digit and limb as if to shake off some dust. The ragged slashes on Khrelan's chest vanished and closed, his flesh now heated to a whitish-orange and crackling with immense energy.

"You...Ice creature, symbol of stagnation and resistance." boomed Verath, his vessel's voice changing from one of innocence to one of power and strength. The once-darkened pits of his eyes now burned with an unseen intensity, literally small pockets of flame and light, "I understand that you wish for single combat. I will grant you that request, if it means I may return home." His hands clenched, soon being engulfed in fiery radiance, "But don't expect mercy."

His body then seemed to explode and vanish, reappearing instantly in front of Shyvanna before delivering a series of fire-fueled blows to her face and abdomen, sending the monster hurtling towards one wall of the arena even as he rushed in on the offensive. If she wanted a fight, then she would get one.

This fight was achieved without great effort, such a pity. Fire pit had so much untapped potential, but this was bound to be his fate. The half-dragon towered over the male, a grimace painted on her porcelain white lips. Bittersweet. This victory almost felt like a waste. Nothing was gained out of it.

Once the pyromaniac took his last gulp of this alien air, the crowd erupted in cheer. Though, it was not as boisterous as previous fights. Shyvanna took her shoulders and gyrated them around a bit, getting out the knots embedded in her muscles. The sentinel's gathered in to remove of the limp carcass, the woman turning her back and walking out to her own exit. It seemed to be done and over with, until a bright flicker of flame glinted against her sleeking armor. Swiveling her head around to face the gusting heat, her jaw nearly fell off. Was this even... possible?

He was alive, and more pissed than ever. "Heh, finally, a worthy challenge that teases my appetite." Licking her maw with great elation, she cocked her chin upwards, sizing him up as she had done previously. What has gotten into this man now? Did the face of death persuade him to exchange lethal blows?

The dragon's eardrum's began to spasm. Sonorous his voice was now, quite different than how it was seconds ago. She payed close attention to the details, and came up with the conclusion that something had snapped inside of him. Was his pride torn? Was there an unknown beast that needed to be awaken, and she had deemed successful? Either way, she got what she wanted now.

Maybe if she wasn't so lost in thought she would of been well prepared for the sequence of blows that came to her fractal-like face and toned abdomen. The feeling shared the similarity of a ton of heated bricks ruthlessly being thrown at her. He was indubitably right, not a lick of mercy was given, and he used everything he had against her.

Bam! They heated blows would not stop, and she had to take action until the right hook would do the job in making her unconscious and susceptible to death. Just as she locked her blue crystal irises on the next incoming uppercut, she leaned downwards, avoiding the chaotic fist and delivering her own violent punch to his abdomen. Damn! Was that made out of cement?! Oh, how her knuckles cried out in pain, but she showed no emotion of her twisted discomfort.

She was taken aback so much by the hardened skin that she would almost find herself face-to-face with five knuckles, but luckily for her dodged them right on cue. Whipping around him, her body seemed to shape shift back to what it was previously at all in the blink of an eye. Her muscular arms coiled around his neck, attempting to bend him over backwards while applying a choke hold.

"I like this side of you, please show me all you got." She teased, her tongue slithering around the roof of her mouth to add emphasis to her words.

Verath felt the hardened muscle be impacted by Shyvanna's powerful strike, but it did not budge; no, a mortal creature like her would have a very difficult time landing any successful hits like that. However, his endurance would not last very long, and the deity knew that; he did not truly know how those fools' interference had affected the bond between himself and his host, but the ties between were severely weakened. He could not keep this up forever, not that he intended to in the first place.

Regardless, he tried to strike her again, his fist hitting nothing but air and the wall behind her before she mounted his back. Her arms locked around his throat, applying enough force to where he was bent back a fair ways and his air supply was being cut. Despite him being a deity, being in this mortal shell had all the same weaknesses apply. Including asphyxiation.

"You...will have all that I can offer, monster. You will taste no victory this day." he spoke in a somewhat strangled tone; her icy composition and the heat from his flesh battled with each other as he tried to pry her arms off of him to no avail. And while the thought of overheating himself to burn her off crossed his mind, he did not know how well that would work. An alternate strategy did occur to him though; turning around so that the dragon's back was facing the wall again, he placed his hands palms out and bent at the legs.

A short but powerful burst of flame erupted from his hands just as he jumped backwards, slamming her into the wall with considerable force. He then did it again...And again...And again. The structure seemed like it was going to break from the sheer magnitude, crack fingerlings snaking out from the impact point and growing larger with each repetition.

Regardless the crowd cheered Khrelan on, excited that 'Fire Pit' was finally showing respect for their tradition and giving them a show. Myand'r smiled evilly as the fight progressed; yes, if Fire Pit kept this up, he could see him going all the way to the final round. He would gladly accept this alien as his Champion should he prove victorious, and grant him anything his heart desired.

Everything was coming together in the young dragon-woman’s eyes. Holding him securely in this choker hold was deeming to do the trick. Soon, if she calculated correctly, he would be asphyxiated and limp under her feet in ten seconds tops. But… things did not consider to go her way.
Her body whipped around and it felt like slow motion. Next thing she realized was the harsh pounding of her back against the cement built wall. It shook through her body like a disastrous hurricane, bound to break her at any moment. She totaled four times that he pulverized her back against the wall, but lost the tally after that.

A crack. Was that her armor or the wall behind her? Everything was going blurry and weak. He was stronger than she had anticipated once his true form was released. She couldn’t keep this up much longer if this was just the beginning. No. Not at all. The grip on his neck was loosening up, and her body was falling limp. It can’t end this way, it would be far too easy for him. After all of that shit talking she had done she would make her look like a sucker if she lost.

Using the last bit of might that she mustard up, she bit at his neck pugnaciously. The striations of her teeth buried deep into the scorching flesh, hearing the light singe of ice against fire. Crudely moving her head from left to right, she tried to tear off the chunk of meat she had just sunken her canines in. She felt like a coward going for a move like this, but this was the last option she had.

Slickly she wrapped her arms around his chest, and attempted the same manner but with her claws instead. Mining into the blistering ash of his surface to slash it away and make his shell become vulnerable to her future attacks. “Fall!” She screeched in between her clenched teeth on his skin, ensuring that pain rippled throughout his body.

Verath halted his relentless battering after about seven times, not wanting to burn his energy too much lest it severely try the already-weakened bond between himself and his vessel. Only to find that Shyvanna still had some fight in her, as her jagged teeth and razor-like talons clawed into his flesh. It hurt this time, sparks of agony raze through him even as she muffled into his shoulder for him to fall, to be defeated.

Even as she tried to move her head, one head grasped the frigid tendrils of her mane and tried to stop her from tearing out Khrelan's throat. He could feel his power waning; it was increasingly obvious that he needed to finish this before he would have to withdraw and recover.

All the while, the crowd was going wild; just like the last fight, what was a seemingly one-sided victory was now a battle between two ferocious combatants. "Fight! Fight! Fight!" the majority of the audience chanted to the chorus of whistles and hollering.

Taking a firmer grip of her hair with both hands, Verath blocked out the noise and grunted; he could feel some of his flesh being torn away as he yanked her off of him, throwing her over his shoulder into the hardened ground. "Damn you, monster!" he shouted as he drove a fiery fist into her face. Again he went, upping the intensity of the heat, then again with hotter flame. He then stood her up and lit his free arm ablaze before driving it into her abdomen.

A column of fire erupted from the limb, propelling Shyvanna to the very center of the arena. Verath then fell to a knee, his breathing ragged as his eyes remained fixed on his opponent; he really hoped that this would be enough, as he didn't have much left in him.

"Finish her! Finish her! Finish her!" the crowd began to chant again, feeling like the fire-shrouded alien had an extreme advantage. Regardless, Verath took a deep breath and stood shakily, the tears in his skin slowly closing up. He then began to walk, fire coming alive all around him for this battle's finale.

Shyvanna managed to chomp off a large lump of ashy skin as she was thrown like a ragdoll. It left a foul pungent taste linger in her mouth. Letting out a muffled groan, her back bounced up against the rocky terrain, the armor shattering even more than before. Wincing slightly, her head turned to face the fireball that came lurching towards her. What did he call her? His words were muffled out by the chants from the people all around, but the fist in her face was as clear as day.

The pain was agonizing, worse than she had anticipated, and truthfully, the worst one she had ever received. Just when she thought that was all she was going to get, he struck her again, and again. Each time it was intensified, more brutal than the last, another record for her. Hemorrhage began on her opened lacerations on the inside of her mouth as well as the outside, a dark blue goo oozing from them. She was dazed out, the galaxy swimming in her eyes. But the beautiful arrangement of twinkling hues faded once a fatal blow to her stomach made her jump up in gut-wrenching agony.

She could do nothing to stop him from forcing her in the midpoint of the arena. It was hard to admit that now she was useless. Broken like shattered frozen fractals. She laid sprawled out like a starfish, spacing out at the sky as her breathing was wheezed. The in-and-out of her heart was slowing down, and she was willing to accept the awaiting doors of death. Stubborn she was, but she was not afraid to admit defeat when it was apparent.

Slowly, the crowd was dimming down. Once boisterous and loud, now nothing but a silent whisper, even yet still fading. Her vision, once full of vibrant colors and brightness, now diminishing into nothing but the blackness she peered into as she slept.

And she was okay with this.

With little time she had left, she twisted her head to look at Khrelan, giving him a faint smile and nodded her head. She let him know it was okay to finish her off. Give the crowd what they wanted. If this was her fate, so be it. No sense in denying it.

Now, she could rest in peace, knowing she put up quite the show in her final rounds. Indeed, he was a worthy opponent and would go far in this journey. “Well played.” With a cracked voice she spoke, closing her eyes once last time to wait for the final blow that would make her darkness last for eternity.

Verath only stood over his opponent, seeing the fractured fractal beauty lay on her back; his eyes narrowed as she whispered those words of finality and surrender, feeling a little sick with himself that he went this far.

"Well played"

That was what she said in her broken voice; he could hear the fading life in her voice. Her soul crying out to be released from her mortal shell. "I wish we had met under better circumstances" was all he said as he raised his left hand, his hand held flat in front of him as fire engulfed it to form a type of blade. "This will be quick, ice creature...You deserve that much". he muttered as he prepared himself to sever her neck with a single precise strike.

It was here that he then heard a voice. Khrelan's voice:

"Verath...What...What did you do to her?"

Verath cursed; he really hoped that he could keep his vessel's consciousness out until after it was done. But it seemed this battle was more trying than he anticipated, and allowed Khrelan to view what had happened as aftermath. "My child...Understand that I did not wish for it to go this far. But this is what had to be done." "No, there had to be something else to be done!"

Verath shook his head, "Forgive me, Khrelan...But on this world, your survival is paramount. We must play by their rules, or we will never make it back home." All he heard was then "Verath, no!" within his mind before the blade of fire struck down, severing the creature's cervical vertebra and ending her suffering, leaving only a small hole in her neck as evidence of the attack. With the killing blow dealt Verath stood back up, victorious, making the crowd roar back up in cheers. He could hear Khrelan's utter silence, knowing it was only shock that held his tongue; Verath then said, "Khrelan, my son...I'm sorry, but I need to recover." and before, Khrelan was fully back in control, his form falling to his hands and knees from exhaustion.

And though no one could see it, Khrelan began to sob; his form had been used to take a life. A life that did not deserve to be extinguished. It was the first time he'd ever done it. How could these people stomach this? He felt like emptying his stomach all over the arena floor; it was like his heart was made of stone, there was so much guilt and it weighed so much it hurt.

“I have just about seen it all now…” The king muffled as he looked at the arena below him, Khrelan kneeling over the opponent he had just slain. If only they all could see the pain and suffering they had put the vessel into. But even if they had, would they really change their prospective or change the way they think about the battles?

More than likely not.

Standing up from his throne, Myand’r out casted his opened arms to the stadium, taking in all of their boisterous applauds and cheers, shouts and whistles. Ah, music to his ears. “We have a winner, one that was even more striking than the previous battle!” He was right, the one before had nothing on this one. This was, as of now, the fight of the century.

“I wonder what made your views change so drastically, fire man.” Taking his forefinger and thumb, he pulled gingerly at the swirling fires of orange hair that was on his chin. He twirled them, thinking attentively as to what flicked his switch. “I will await anxiously to see you fight night time. In fact…” Casting a gaze out towards the crowd, he placed both hands on the balcony, leaning inwards as if he was yelling a secret.

“Perhaps a fight with the lovely Koriand’r and Pyromancer would deem worthy, am I right?” And as expected, the spectators erupted in encourages, wanting to see the two fight to a bloody death. Tresdin, on the other hand as he was standing nearby the kind, dropped his once clenched jaw. This man had lost is mind, just asking for his daughter to be killed. What kind of man would be willing to watch his daughter take her last breaths? He wanted to keep up and protest, but instead he quickly turned away, heading towards the direction of where the Princess was kept.

“Haha! You got it!” He laughed aloud, his beer belly jolting as he laughed warm heartedly. “But this fight will have to wait.” The watchmen that were standing near the arena encircled the two opponents, two grabbing at the carcass of Shyvanna and three helping the crumbling man to his feet. They shackled him back up, a click of the manacles resounding as they pushed him towards the pending door.
He needed time to heal for whenever he was requested back with Koriand’r. “Now, let’s get on to the next one!” And with that, two gated doors opened to allow the next adversaries to face each other.

A beast with two heads, bird-like feet, and tentacles as arms and a tail rose from the darkness of the door. With each walk he took, it thudded against the gravel beneath him, and he let out a roar that would cause the crowd to cup their ears. This beast came here unwillingly, putting up a fight the entire way. They call his species Brofimez, one that is under the risk of being extinct, but not even that was enough to make the king decline him into the tournaments.

What was on the other side of the arena anyways?

The other arena door opened, revealing a large Orzan warrior; his skin the trademark green of his people, bright brown hair was braided into seven tails as symbols of his tenure of Warmaster of his tribe. The Orzans were a warrior largely located towards the Boiling Plains of the south, but one thing that defined them was their prowess in battle. Wearing Durgskin armor - insectoid creatures that rested within volcanic cracks and possessing thick hides to resist extreme temperatures - over most everything except for his head, his red hues glinting with mild interest

"So it's true, you managed to wrangle a Brofimez. It barely looks juvenile! Myand'r, I joined this tournament for glory, not to put down something that can hardly defend itself!" the Orzan spoke to the King, to which Myand'r grinned, "Yes, maybe it is a bit young, my friend Urk. But this one is feisty. Killed two of my strongest men trying to just hold it down." Urk smiled, "Is that so? Well, I will be the judge of that!"

Brandishing a sword made from Jedin bone - a prized rarity from an equally hunted species on this world - he growled and pounded his chest armor, "Come on then! Let us see if you can make it to adulthood!"

---

Khrelan was easily led off, his feet dragging as the horrid image of his opponent played again and again in his head: She just laid there...Didn't even flinch when she was killed. Even as his hand struck her down and robbed her of life, she did not struggle. As forced the last glimmer of light from her eyes. How could he let things come to this? His people were not violent, this was not how they treated each other! This was wrong; his elders might have taught him to accept differences, but this was wrong! In every conceivable way.

"You'd think for someone who redeemed himself in the Arena, you'd be a little more...energetic." said one of the guards, taking him back to that freezing cell. "You saw how resistant he was before, Agn'r. Undoubtedly this was his first real kill." said another to which a third leaned in and whispered, "Don't worry Fire Pit...First one's always the hardest." This comment made all three of them chuckle; before long, Kori would see that Khrelan was in fact alive.

"Regardless, Fire Pit, that was a hell of a show. Easily the best fight I've ever seen" Agn'r stated as he pushed Khrelan back into the cell; the cold light did nothing to even stir the alien, his glowing embers for eyes dulled and seeming to burn a hole through the floor. "Well...Looks like he won't be talking." said the other guard, to which their comrade, "Come on, he's boring. I hear Warmaster Urk's taking part!" "An Orzan!? I love watching them fight! Such brutality and ferocity should only be witnessed in this tournament after all, haha!" The three guards then left Khrelan and the former Princess to themselves, the room falling back into silence.

The young Brofimez would only cast an unamused glance at the shrieking man that called himself Urk. Already he was in an upset mood due to the long journeys and hardships, and this Orzan was only ruffling his chains. Exhaling out of his four large flared out nostrils, he would only thump into the center of the arena. The beast did not say a word, but his body language would be easily depicted. His pace was sluggish, eyelids half closed and his shoulders slumped down ever so slightly. He was in no mood to fight, but anxious to get this ordeal over with.

No weapons would be clenched in his grip, only using what he has physically. On his planet, they did not use resources. Instead they would use the good ‘ol fashioned way. The tentacles that were his arms would extend out tiny little jagged thorns, acting like suction cups to hold onto its prey as well as send the rarest type of poison into the bloodstream. It could be fatal, but only if a large quantity could nestle its way into his opponent’s veins. The only downfall was that the thorns would squirt around a little less than half a cup, and it would take around a gallon to kill the victim. This was where his feet and fangs came into play, endeavoring to kill the target that was as an alternative of relying on its venom.

His tail would whip back and forth, signifying his aggression and how quickly his blood began to boil. Much like Khrelan, he did not want to fight. It seemed unfair and unrealistic to be put into these situations, but he would face the music and do what was needed to get back to his home planet. Unspoken, yet very intelligent he was. Why should he waste a breath of air on just a taunt? Stopping in his tracks, he would look down on the small ant below him, not event attempting to throw the first punch.

---

Kori was laying on the cold cement floor, trying to sleep as her body healed from the seeping leaves pressed firmly against her wounds. Light blinded her sealed eyes, and quickly she opened them to sit up straight. Was it Khrelan, had he survived his first round? As the silhouette came closer and her eyes adjusted to the change in light she could see the glow of the molten lava cracks embedded in his ashy skin. Silently she thanked her God for sparing his life and she waited until the guards left to talk to him.

“I was so worried about you.” Kori muttered out to him, scooting closer to the slit steel barrier that separated the two. It wasn’t hard to see how emotionally hurt the battle had caused him. Should she shut up now or continue talking to him? “Never mind that.” She muttered, feeling a bit stupid for talking at such an awkward time. Placing a hand behind her head, she scratched it nervously, until a thought came into her mind.

Scurrying over to the pouch with the medicine inside, she would toss it his way, whispering softly, “I know you probably wish to not talk, but I handed you some medicine. I am not sure if it’ll work for your species, but it’s worth a try. Take the leaves and apply the coated side to your wound and keep it there for a while. Just make sure the guards don’t see it. I don’t want to risk anything.”
Shifting on her knees, she would rest her back up against the cold bars, sighing softly before lastly adding, “I am here if you want to talk, Khrelan. I won’t make you, but just know I will listen to you…”

Khrelan just sat in his cell, the words Kori spoke nothing more than a dull buzz in his ears. He kept rubbing his hands, rubbing them as if to scrape something off. Even if he could see no blood, he could feel it there. The stain, the mark that gave evidence to his deplorable act. He could still see the creature: Lying there. Motionless. Lifeless. By his own hand, he had executed her. And for what? To celebrate survival? What about her? Would she celebrate?

He wanted to cry. To cry out in despair, to wail until his fiery throat went raw and then some more. But he had no strength; he could hardly even sit up. Khrelan just curled up into a ball, lying fetal position on the floor and letting the freezing light wash over him. This was punishment for his crime, to let the cold radiation sap his strength. "I killed her...I killed her...I killed her" he told himself mentally, feeling an unfamiliar sensation wash over him.

Eventually, it got to the point where he suddenly over on all fours and wretched. Nothing came out, just dry heaving from the wave of sickness that washed over him. How could he live with himself for doing such a thing?

Verath meanwhile, could sense the despair and he wanted to intervene. However, the fight was far more taxing than he realized and if he wanted to stay with Khrelan, he needed to preserve his strength. He also didn't want to leave his vessel to bear this alone...But as it was, there was nothing he could do. Maybe in an hour, he could try to speak to Khrelan. Hopefully the young Praoamian would understand why he had done what he had done.

Silence.

It throbbed so gravely that Koriand’r’s ears would ring to make up for the lack of sounds in the cellar. She sat there for about thirty minutes, unspoken and waiting for a sign from Khrelan. Nothing. Did that fight really take all that much away from him? His pride, mortality?

Scooting closer again to the caged bars, she snaked one of her hands in the slit, and luckily she was close enough to be in contact distance as long as she outstretched her arm. Gingerly, her fingertips would skate against his forearm, barely in reach but able to touch.

“Khrelan…” She would whisper out, her voice soft and comforting, as if she could take anyone’s worries about in a heartbeat. It was her goal to be there for him, to try and at least give him comfort from the things that her kind had done to him. It was painful to watch a man break down in this way. No one could help him but himself, she thought, but as long as he knew someone would be there… hopefully that would do just the trick.

“Please, I know it’s hard, I know I did not see what you did or felt what you did, but pick up the pieces and try to get yourself together. What’s done is done and we cannot change that, unfortunately.” Flashbacks of her own fight crossed her mind, an ache in her heart as she watched her opponent die by her hands. Shivering for a moment, it wasn’t easy but Kori composed herself back. To be strong for the one who had fallen.

A creak in the doorway caught her attention, footsteps closely following behind. Was it a guard? No. Guards’ armor clonked when they walked, this was someone else. Now that her eyes were adjusted to the darkened cellar, it was quick to see who it was that had entered.

Tresdin.

“Hide the bag, I don’t want him to know you have it.” Kori muttered before quickly rushing away, massaging at her lap as If to rid of the evidence of her giving Khrelan the medicine Tresdin had given solely just for her own usage.

“Hello, my love. I hope you had done as I instructed.” Tresdin’s voice boomed out, pacing himself patiently until he crouched down to get on her level, eyeing her body to see the pleasing sight of the leaves scattered on the random cuts on her body. “Ah, excellent. I am pleased.” He mused, giving a firm nod of his head.

“Why do you keep checking up on me? I made you look like a fool in front of everyone, and now you want to help me. I don’t understand, Prince Tresdin.” Kori looked down at the floor, ashamed of what she had done to him. It wasn’t his fault, it was just bad timing. Rituals that didn’t make sense. Everything all at once. It was hard to swallow and he was just caught up in the mess.

Even as the kind-hearted Princess tried to soothe him, Khrelan could only feel the wrenching pain of having taken another life. Sure, one could justify it was self-defense, for survival's sake as his opponent had no intention of letting him live. But it still did little to underscore the fact that he did not kill for sustenance. He did not kill for any other reason than the circumstances forced them to kill each other. Forced them to commit an unspeakable atrocity.

He then felt a light thump, looking up to see a small package resting near his arms; his eyes then traveled up as she explained that he needed to hide the bag. His hand slowly curled over the small sack, hiding just as Tresdin came to Kori's cage. He didn't really want to overhear, but their voices carried into his ears. Listening in as the Princess questioned his persistence.

"My beloved, I would never stop loving you. When I first saw you, I knew you were the one. The one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with." He then knelt down in front of her, reaching through her bars to hold her hands gently, "And though you rejected me, I know in my heart that you do not deserve this. Your father is a monster for doing this to you." A hand then came up to stroke her cheek, "I only wish I could get you out of here sooner. But your father's power is vast, and his men are too numerous and loyal. I plan to speak to the King on your behalf, see if he will perhaps let you work your way towards being a truly free woman."

Tresdin then looked over to the fiery alien next to her; he seemed...far different from the confident, brutal warrior in the ring. Was that side of him something he kept locked away? A side he never wanted anyone to see, to have let out into this world? For him to be laying there, near motionless, made Tresdin certainly believe as such. Not knowing just what it was that the alien held within him.

"I will return for you, my sweet Koriand'r" he said to her, caressing her cheek gently as he stood and made his way out.

Khrelan had head what was said, but his unmoving form did little present any semblance of awareness. After a long protracted silence, "That one....He seemed...decent. Caring...Was he the one you were supposed to be joined with?" he then asked, his voice wispy; on his world, there was only 'the joining'. He assumed being 'married' was something similar, where a male and female were to share their lives together and produce offspring for the next generation of the Praoambian tribes.

Involuntarily Kori twitched by Tresdin’s gentle touch. She would act as if something foul had just touched her hands, but she did not pull away. Instead, she would let his thumb roll over the back of her hand in a caring way, showing affection and love. He wasn’t a bad guy at all, but she could not fall in love with a man who she was forced to marry. It was just not right for her.

Koriand’r did not respond to him, instead she listened and nodded softly. Guilt began to eat her in the pit of her stomach. Did she really have to be this discourteous to the man who only wanted to protect her and support her? Maybe she would consider to take his hand in marriage after all, but now only her thoughts and sympathy was swaying her decision. Unstable choices she may make.

Silence rang in her ears again once Tresdin left the cell. It left her time to think, but only briefly. Khrelan filled her ears, and she almost wanted to cry out in joy just by the sound of his voice. He was okay…

Automatically she assumed his words ‘joined with’ was another phrase for being married, and she nodded in the dark, following up with an affirmed “Yes.” Biting the side of her cheek, she dug for ways to explain herself into why she didn’t marry such a nice and caring man.

“You see, Khrelan… My people do not get to choose their life long partner, at least us royalties.” Letting out a sigh, she found it complicated to explain, though the situation was simpleminded enough. “I wasn’t happy with that, I didn’t get to meet Tresdin until our wedding day. I was so scared and I didn’t know what I was going to get myself into… I wanted to choose my own husband, best friend and lover. I didn’t want to get paired with someone out of the benefit of my kingdom.” Her palm slapped her forehead in a facepalm, shaking her head from side to side in disbelief.

“Shouldn’t I be able to choose the king I see fit in my eyes? I have a say too. I wanted to rebel, tell the universe that I wanted to make my own decisions. Well, this is where it got me.” A tear fell onto the concrete floor, and after that single drop multiple ones fell with it.

“It’s not fair…”

Khrelan listened as Kori told him her story; so it seemed her family threw her out because she did not subscribe to their wishes. It was hardly a fair choice...But what Khrelan was about to say could be taken any number of ways.

"On my world, sometimes these joinings are arranged are done if a clan has a significant presence over a territory and another wants to assimilate. However, we have no structure like your kind does. We believe that the people are to decide where their heart leads them, not the word of some all-powerful individual. Save for Verath, the one who gave my people Flame. Who gave them Light. But just like fire, it must have ideal conditions for it to persist...It must be allowed to have the capacity to grow."

He then sighed as he sat up a little, "Listening to you, I can understand that you feel confined. But...sometimes for the fire to grow, it must survive being doused by the waters of doubt and uncertainty. It must go without room to grow when necessary...Such is how life defines us. And how we show how strong our fire really is."

He then added, "I apologize if my words do not make much sense...I only try to relate what I have been taught. What my people have shown me to be their way, and how I must it to make my own."

His words were inspiring, and she sat back and listened attentively. He was wise and knowledgable, but she caught on quick to something. "You know, you give such wonderful advice, but I don't think you apply your own advice to yourself." To keep herself occupied Kori began to twiddle her thumbs together, never really opening up to someone before.

She was beginning to feel a bit better, finally letting the toxicity seep out from her new cracks that had just came present. Well, she could have it worse, right? Khrelan was right, she needed to learn to grow, to use her fire, to tolerate situations that are not favorable for the fire, but as long as she had the flame under her own grasp then nothing can stop her.

"But no." Kori then added, licking her cracked lips before continuing, "You do make sense, and I inderstand it completely. I feel awful for what my people have done to you, now being a prisoner myself. I understand how it feels, even worse to be dissed by your own kind." Letting out a nervous chuckle, it was then followed by a depressing sigh. "The least I can do is to be here for you. I will be your rock to weep on, to talk to and to just overall be there."

"But I understand if you would rather resort to your solitude. I have no say." She was getting carried away with her scrambled thoughts. Perhaps it would be wise to leave the conversation she began there. "Don't forget about the medicine. It's helping me." Placing out her hand, she showcased the leaf that gave her wound the power to heal at a rapid pace.

"We need all the strength we can get. I know, I don't want to fight either, but we are fighting to live..."

"I am still learning...The last of my people to accept this were well into their hundreds of thousands of celestial cycles. I am...still quite young." he then replied; he tried to embrace his people's teachings, but it wasn't like he was thrown out of his family. He was taken from them. But then...Wasn't she in a way? He honestly did not know.

"We only use silence as a corrective means...Not for personal reasons." Khrelan explained, adding with a little more strength, "To have someone to talk to...Is a very powerful thing indeed."

Hearing her speak more, he decided to give the medicine a shot; there were still some wounds on his body, ones that had not fully healed since Verath relinquished control back to his host. Sitting up more, he took some of the strange paste and put it on the leaves as she instructed before applying them to the affected area. However, he would find her people's way of applying this ointment to not work so well for him; within moments of application, the leaves began to wither from the elevated heat and the paste soon turned to nothing but powder.

"It will take some time for me to accept this truth...But I know deep down you are right, Princess Koriand'r." he then replied, addressing her formally as a means of acknowledging respect. "I hope I can survive this...I don't know if I'll have it in me to kill someone else" he then thought to himself.

"Thank you....For giving me someone to talk to. It helps."

So, she was coming to conclusions far too quickly already. Now learning of the way his species are so silent, she could rest to know the meaning behind it. “I agree, it’s nice… Something I never really had.” Confessing, she wrapped her hands around her knees that was brought up to her chest, sniffling from crying previously.

Canting her head to the side, she watched the man attempt the use the leaves, only to frown once the outcome did not go the way she desired. “I’m sorry that didn’t work… At least it’s the thought that counts, right?” It was a shame, she wished she could help him, but she knew nothing about his species and how she could give him medical treatment. “I heard rest is the best medicine, maybe you should do that instead.”

That name. It made her cringe. “Please. Don’t recall me as ‘Princess.’ It’s a title I had lost as soon as I objected the marriage. It would be disgraceful to call me such a royal name now.” Her eyes glimmered in the light, tears wanting to fill the sockets but she had done enough waterworks for the day. It would only make her feel weak if she continued to weep.

“You’re quite welcome. I can only hope you will do the same for me. So, I thank you for that too.” Resting her head up on the bars beside his cage, she let out a depressing sigh, shuffling uncomfortably into the best position in such a harsh circumstance.

“I wish I could do more for you. Really. I still can’t shake the burden I feel for causing you so much distress. I hope you could forgive me one day.”

Khrelan nodded at her request; he would not refer to her as Princess any more, seeing as it caused her such pain. He could only imagine what was going through her spirit with all of this. With him, an outsider took him from his family...But with her, her own family basically gave up on her. Such a concept was alien to the foreigner, as his species prided themselves on doing everything for the good of the People. ALL of the people, not a select few.

"Of course...Kori. Just as you have offered to be here for me, I am here for you. I feel such a pact will aid us both greatly in this ordeal." he replied to her comment.

"But I do not see why you are the one apologizing. Your father should be the one answering for these atrocities." Khrelan did feel a little less heavy-hearted than before. It seemed opening the weight of his soul to others, like his ancestors had taught and done, was doing much to take his mind off what he had done. He still felt guilt over the loss of life, but it did not weigh as heavily on him as before.

"My match...Was with a strange creature of ice. She was called Shyvanna. I can only wonder if we could have been allies under different circumstances." he then said out of the blue, sitting up a little straighter. Truthfully, he wondered if anyone else was opposed to this barbaric ritual. "Kori, have your people always done this? Had this tournament, that is?"

“Thank you, Khrelan. It means a lot. I too believe so.” Taking her index finger, she made tiny circles on the dusty ground beneath her, feeling the small rocks brush up against her fingertip. The next thing he said caught her off guard. He was getting a bit more… outspoken? She couldn’t describe it, but the battle sure did change him in more ways than one.

“Yes… My father should be saying sorry to what he has done.” Anger. It started to pour into her veins. It was a foreign feeling, never really being angered in a fashion such as this. All of her life her father had never really been there for her, always busy doing his duties as a King or simply disinterested in bonding with the only child he ever had. Same thing goes for her mother. Being on the other side did do its justice in making her see things from a different perspective, including the tournaments. No longer would she see them fit for any means.

“I wonder that too…” It was depressing how Khrelan was speaking so openly now of his previous battle. But it was more than true. Could our forced matched enemies really be good friends in the end? Maybe their powers combined will do righteousness in the future? A question never really solved now that they were gone. Nothing but memories.

“My people have done this for a long time. Even before I was born. I’m starting to think differently now. You’ve opened my eyes.” She admitted to him, turning her head to face him, making sure he heard her. “The games got your adrenaline rushing, and it was so fun to watch two battle at it, to celebrate life, but now…” Swallowing the lump in her throat, she continued, “Now it’s disgraceful to know we do this!”

Taking her now balled up fist she pounded it on the ground, feeling the anger fueled fist shatter the pavement underneath her, causing the rocky floor to face inwards slightly. “I could just break out of here, but the consequences are far too high. Damn it…”