Galarion exploded in a shower of flowers and cotton candy. His large form shrank into the size of a bloated puppy before he lazily floated closer.

"Enjoy your meal?" I asked.

He grabbed the sides of my face and bashed his squishy head into mine. "Very… Full. Sleepy."

"Go rest. Are you sure you picked them clean?"

I gestured to the three bodies hanging off spears on the side of the pillar. The injuries were gone for the most part, leaving only a paltry sum of wounds and random scratches. Except Peter. He continued to look like a corpse with pale skin and black veins. Even after Áine poured a decent chunk of her skill into his body, his condition hardly improved. At least he wasn't on the verge of death.

For now.

Thanks to Galarion's energetic ministrations, they were all unconscious from shock.

Can't erase the mental trauma without rooting too deep. Still, that's more than they deserve.

"Ready? You know what to do." I said, tapping my head.

Galarion bobbed and his tentacles stretched deeper, going through my ears. I directed my thoughts and felt him pry them free. When he was done, I blinked and he slipped into my chest, returning to my soul realm while I parsed through what I remembered.

The rest of my familiars had already returned, leaving me alone with the three idiots. My head tingled as I tried to remember why I trussed them up on some pointy sticks and left them hanging on the pillar, but oh well. Past me must have thought it poetic to crucify them. What an edgy bastard.

I reached down and gripped the runic device. The pool of mana inside the metal continued to hum and send invisible branches into the sky, fueling the barrier.

I sighed. "Too bad. Could have been a useful item. Oh well. Galarion should have copied the runes for later. Now to pull the trigger…"

A building annoyance built in my chest and I turned the small cube around. Originally, I had planned to simply carve through the runes and toss it aside. Instead, I had a new idea. One that seemed far more interesting. My claw came down and I forced mana into the tip. Suddenly the feeling sputtered and the annoyance faded away. I retracted my mana and shook my head.

Yeah, no. Let's stick to simple, no need to blow myself up.

Crystal nails met metal, and sliced through the device like butter. In an instant, the metal began to glow and turned ice cold. Seconds passed and there was a hiss, like steam as the mana streamed out of the device and into the open air.

In the sky, the barrier cracked and shattered into chunks of glass that faded away. Color and sound returned and I watched a man's eyes grow wide. He slapped his friend's shoulder and began hurriedly pointing in my direction. Soon, others reacted and the audience roared in excitement.

More than a few turned from me to the three bodies tied to spears and gasped.

My eyes weren't on them for long. The sand around the monument began to change color at a rapid pace, matching my original corner.

Guess the device was blocking arena's enchantments somehow.

Time ticked by, and I waited for the allotted time. I searched the sky for the announcer but didn't see anyone other than the people in the crowd. When the time reached its max, my bracelet changed colors, signifying my win for the current round.

The other's bracelets also changed but nothing happened. I waited to see if healing skills would start to bombard them but again, nothing.

Time to go.

I flicked my tail and raised a fist, earning an uproar of cheers. Not everyone looked happy, a good portion boo'ed while more than half simply looked confused. Numerous people whispered and pointed, their anger not wholly directed at me, and more at the situation. I didn't blame them. They paid decent money, and some had even travelled far and wide only to be screwed over by a magical barrier.

Not that I was complaining. It would have been impossible to do whatever it is I did to the nobles with prying eyes. I could get away with a lot of things, but not open and deliberate use of illegal skills.

When I jumped down, I heard questions shouted my way but I ignored them and headed into the exit. As I came to the end of the tunnel I heard shouting and sped up. A golden barrier blocked my path and I came to a stop to stare at the scene before me.

"You really think you can take me? That's arrogance I didn't expect from your lot," Myol said.

"We're not the children from a decade ago. Try us," Isaac spat.

Broken Tower as well as Sereza and Khrem stood on the otherside of the barrier. Myol positioned herself between them, with her arms crossed. Broken Tower's weapons weren't out, but their hands rested atop the handle of their weapons.

"Let us through. What they are doing in there breaks several laws. You know this," Teddy said.

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He looked the calmest, but his expression held zero amusement.

Myol clenched her jaw. "You cannot see inside the barrier anymore than I can. You do not know if laws are being broken or not. Now stand down."

I coughed and drew the eyes of everyone in the room. "If it comes down to it, my money is on them."

The barrier faded and Teddy approached. "Are you okay?"

"Tired, but that's it. What's going on here?"

Isaac stabbed a tendril toward the arena-master. "She wouldn't let us through. Apparently the Unshakeable is as corruptible as the rest of the assholes."

"Try me Dawnborn. Try me."

"With pleasure!"

Igas grabbed Isaac's waist and grounded him as he lunged forward.

Celenae summoned her own barriers and trapped the two inside. She sighed and walked over. "We saw the other fighters pull out a device and trap you in a mana shroud. When we attempted to question Myol, she refused to answer. Things got… heated. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Like I said; I'm tired but fine. For the record, and I really don't care about them but I wasn't going to be accused of murdering someone–you might want to get medical aid to the sellsword," I said.

Myol frowned but closed her eyes. Her head turned upward as if listening to someone then she shook her head. "He's cursed and more. The other two are… unharmed."

I shrugged. "Again, not being accused of murdering people. Although, I have questions."

"If you are done, then get out," she snapped. "The next round will be held tomorrow."

"Fuck that. You can't tell me what they did was legal."

"They have been disqualified, not that it matters. You clearly won."

"So we're okay with them using enchanted devices inside the arena? Even if you can't see what happens inside the barrier?"

She ignored the others and stopped before me. Myol looked down and glared. "You weren't banned when you broke the arena. I warned you what would happen if you stayed in the tournament. Now get out of my sight, or I'll make you."

"I thought better of you," Teddy said. He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back, placing himself between us. "We all grew up with stories about you. You wouldn't allow this to happen. So why?"

For a brief second, a blip appeared in Myol's mana. From her back a blade arched upward and hovered over her shoulder. In an instant it stretched and stabbed forward.

Clink!

I spun around and found an elf. His arm trembled as a crystalline barrier cracked underneath the arena-master's skill. Behind him, a contingent of guards in golden armor stood behind him with their weapons out.

"That is enough. Intention to harm could be seen as an attack against a court official," Ulaeyes said, voice strained.

Rather than back down, Myol conjured another blade and nearly shattered the barrier. She stalked forward, brushing past me and the others.

"I accepted your demand because it was a request given Allaron's approval. It is the only reason I didn't remove your jaw." A third blade stretched from her back and stabbed forward. The barrier crumbled and the elf gritted his teeth before Myol grabbed his collar and lifted him in the air. "To dare and bring guards into my arena without my consent, I'll beat you black and blue before I mount you atop the walls for the rest of the idiots to gawk at."

The guards at Ulaeyes' back started activating skills and building mana in their gear but Myol activated something. Three of the eighty dropped to one knee while the others began to waver. Only the head guard–the one sporting a captain's insignia–remained unbothered. However, his grip tightened on his blade.

My friends had grimaces on their face and looked uncomfortable, but were standing just fine.

Ulaeyes' cheeks were now cherry-red, while he attempted to pry Myol's fingers from around his neck. Strangely enough, he wasn't shaking like his men, only twice as angry.

"Unhand me," he spat.

Myol lifted him higher, and tightened her grip. A blue crystal appeared by her shoulder but she slammed a fist and shattered it before it fully formed. "King's advisor or not, you have forgotten who I am. Do not overestimate yourself, Ulaeyes."

"I am the advisor of the royal court! The king's ha-" His tirade was cut short as Myol shook him silly. When she stopped he sputtered and turned even redder. "You da-"

By the third shaking and the fourth shattered crystal, the head guard moved forward.

"Lady Myol. Please put sir Hulten down."

She stopped and turned to the guard. "I am no lady. Call me that again and I'll break you."

He winced but nodded and gestured to Ulaeyes. "I understand, arena-master. If you please, we are here under business regarding the security of the kingdom. We have the king's approval."

From his breast pocket he removed a small crystal made of cerulean blue. Myol snatched it and pressed her thumb against the glass. Light shined from within and symbol of a golden sun with a crystal at its center displayed on the wall.

Myol crushed the crystal and shook the dust free. "And?"

"Lady-"

She shook Ulaeyes a fourth time. "No."

"Arena-master-"

She stopped and raised Ulaeyes even higher. Remarkably, beyond looking like a tomato, he seemed unharmed, albeit exceedingly enraged.

"What are your intentions in coming down here and attempting to insert authority?"

Ulaeyes grabbed her arm and dug his fingers into her unbending flesh. He didn't speak however and the head guard wiped sweat off his brow before nodding.

"Mam," he flinched when Myol glared at him but continued on. "The combatant known as Mordred is to be detained and questioned."

"Under what suspicion?" Myol asked, her voice cold as ice.

"That's classified information."

"I see."

The guard sighed in relief before he was lifted into the air. Myol's form turned bright as mana filled the room. The guards who had remained standing collapsed under the pressure while the weakest slipped onto the floor, unable to move.

Behind me, Isaac grumbled but Teddy's skills activated and his aura helped relieve some of the effects of Myol's aura. Thankfully, I wasn't affected, something that Ulaeyes noticed but was otherwise unable to mention. Myol's hand continued to firmly grip his neck, having moved from his collar to fully strangling the man.

"You have one chance. Either answer my question or I will send you lot back to the castle in a box. What will it be?"

The guard panicked and his gaze shifted over to Ulaeyes.

"T-tell her," he coughed.

"Yes, sir." He turned to Myol. "Mordred is to be questioned under the suspicion of being involved in the recent incident in the underground. We have it under good authority that he is capable of using blood-aspected mana. There is also suspicion of using mind control and mental-aspected skills against section four sub clause thirty-seven. He is to be det-"

Myol slammed him into the wall.

"There are more forbidden skill users in the underground than there are roaches. Dragonshit. What's the real reason you are here?"

"To detain the combatant Mordred under the suspicion of-"

"Useless."

She lessened her grip on Ulaeyes' neck and brought him closer.

He seethed and took a deep breath. "You'll be punished for this."

"They can try. Now why are you here, rat? Not the lie. The truth. If you lie, I'll know. When you do, I'll fulfill my promise to you three years ago."

The elf's eye twitched but he looked away and raised a finger in my direction. "He has a skill that controls a person's mind. He is to be punished for violating the citizens of Solunaria."

My eyes narrowed. Broken Tower as well as Sereza raised their weapons.

Myol turned and regarded me. "Do you have proof of this crime?"

"We do."

"I see," she said. Myol pursed her lips and mana flared from her chest. It washed over me and her eyes glowed gold. "Well, Mordred? Is this true?"

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