Change characters from Kyrexiel to Thaedric

And Lucas to Liming. Change nothing else.

Orso called him to explain the rules of the tournament the next. It was simple. Eight fighters will be reduced to four in a fight. Then two the next time and then finals which will take place in the palace.

Single elimination. Surrender or death.

Thaedric and Orso briefly put aside their hatred to work together. Simply put, Orso has swallowed his pride and shoved his hatred aside to make sure he wins.

Thaedric didn’t mind either way if Orso wanted to be looking at him with a hot glare or with a future promise of violence. He was provided with the best food the crime lord could buy with potions and herbs.

He tried to send instructors to Thaedric but he turned them down flatly. He didn’t want any progress with his martial arts but he needed to practice his new bloodline technique and get comfortable with Sandskar’s power.

Sandskar’s power wasn’t infinite or that strong. Malak proved that when he crushed the protective shield with his fist. With different tests, he realized he could withstand attack from tier three but not more, and not for long.

He was lucky those he fought didn’t have any explosive raw power techniques or his shield would have failed under all their attacks.

Still, Sandskar was a big boost to his overall power.

The first match came fast. Thaedric was looking at himself in the mirror after he was ready. His hair was still black and his eyes the same color.

He smiled and was still amazed that he had fangs. This tournament, short as it is will be difficult for him because he must make sure not to bleed. Maybe for the finals but not before.

"Smiling at the mirror," Malak said.

And Thaedric repressed a shudder. He still wasn’t used to man’s voice or appearance– chalk white and blad.

"I must see my face before I go," Thaedric said. The reason was to check if his eyes and hair remained black.

"I don’t take someone with the name, Reaper blood to be so vain," Urlk added from his place. He had changed in the one week he stayed with Thaedric. His still carried sadness but it was mixed with flaming anger that was covered with thin humor.

Thaedric flickered his hair. "I am vain as can be and I am ready, let’s go." He was dressed in a black shirt and trousers with Sandskar around him as a black cloak.

"So am I," Urlk said. He carried Thaedric’s weapon. It was still the mace but with a longer metal rod.

Malak slid beside Urlk and with Thaedric leading they went outside the room where guards were waiting to escort them out. The guards were large in numbers and Thaedric noticed that it was made up of the skilled ones.

Oros was reminding him that he was still a slave.

They went from underground into the inn and then outside. It was the first time Thaedric would be seeing the sun since he left Earth and it made him close his eyes from the sudden brightness.

The sun wasn’t spherical here. It appears like a yellow line of binding heat. He wanted to soak the warmth in but.

"Get in," Orso ordered, jabbing a finger towards the open carriage. It was a very big carriage that would carry them all at once. Pulled by a massive beast.

The carriage’s door was made of metal, and so were the windows. And inside, they sat between the guards. Orso sat opposite Thaedric and gave him a look. "You promised to win or I kill you myself."

Thaedric didn’t reply. He was looking outside at his city and his people. It was evident that his city was suffering even though this was the Crumbs, the worst place already. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

’Soon’ he thought.

It didn’t take long to reach their destination. Thaedric’s mood has darkened throughout and when he was left out of the carriage he stretched and put everything out of his mind. Overthinking it won’t solve any problem. He would have to take it one at a time and for now– there’s only fighting at the pit.

The opening match is to take place in the Gamemaster’s place. The current Gamemaster had held the position for eight years now.

It was a big building, rising into the sky. Unlike the Ometra, they don’t do underground here.

"Here we are," Orso said stiffly. He had only held the Gamemaster once and he wanted it back. It is the unofficial title for the leader of the Crime lords.

They entered and Thaedric found out that inside was even bigger than he thought. The first floor was covered by restaurants and normal business facilities but that wasn’t where they were interested, a guard who belongs to the Blade – the Gamemaster’s clan– led them up through a secret stairs.

Malak sniffed. "Ah! I can smell it. We are here!"

And they were. They stopped after the fifth floor and the door opened to a fighting arena so big it could accumulate a lot of audience from the Crumbs.

Oros grunted. "We are the last to come. Good."

The fight should have begun. They were waiting for the Ometra and the crowds were getting so impatient that they started booing immediately they saw the Ometra.

Thaedric smiled and then walked faster than the rest of the group. He waved to the booing crowd and smiled at them, gradually the noise died down and he shouted. "The Reaper blood is here!"

At first, there was skeptical silence but those who were there when he fought at the Ometra’s place raised their fist and started chanting his name. It was different from when he was in the Ometra. This was nine times the audience and his very bones reverberated with the shouting.

Oros grunted, trying his best not to sound impressed. "Come here. This is the place for us." He gestured to the corner that would lead up to where the crime lords and their people were staying.

Thaedric laughed and pumped his hands into the air. "Audiences love something they can hype. Then pull down later."