Calevaro was losing. The clearing they’d been fighting in was now disturbingly familiar, as the prince had been desperately moving in a slow circle around it for nearly an hour. At this point he’d even memorized most of the areas of poor footing, and stepped around certain rocks and fallen branches without thought.

  He’d used every ounce of skill he had to survive this long, but he knew he was on borrowed time. Thavin was both relentless, and more powerful. His ability with his halberd didn’t match Cal’s precision with his blades, but that slight advantage wasn’t enough against an opponent a rank higher. Calevaro could feel the pulsing emptiness where his Fire Bond should be, and his Lightning Bond was hanging on by a thread.

  He hadn’t been able to summon his lava serpent before Thavin’s Spirit had managed to disable that rune, but he’d been relying on Tonitru more and more just to stay alive. As the red-armored prince dashed forward on a wave of sand, Cal was forced to call on the thunder drake once again.

  Tonitru crashed down on Thavin from behind, the conjured sand exploding as the drake unleashed a blast of electric power. At Dusk rank the Familiar looked mostly the same, though twice as large, and his weight alone was enough to send the sand prince tumbling away, granting Cal a moment’s reprieve.

  Unfortunately that size was a detriment at this point, and despite the intention to recall the Familiar immediately, Thavin had clearly been waiting for this moment. He arrested his fall with an expert flip, and leaped back in a heartbeat, his weapon ahead of him and glowing with power. Tonitru was only just beginning to transform back into light when the spear-point lanced through his chest, and the drake howled in defiance and pain.

  Across the clearing, Calevaro collapsed as he felt his second Bond lost, with no chance of returning during the duel–especially given how soon it was likely to end. His body barely listened to his commands as he forced himself to one knee, panting and sweating, as well as bleeding from a dozen shallow wounds. He looked up to see his opponent approaching slowly, his helmet back off and a smile of supreme victory on his pale face.

  “It was always going to end this way, little prince,” Thavin said in his slightly nasal voice. “I’ll admit that I’m impressed you lasted as long as you did, but you couldn’t have beaten me at Dawn rank, let alone now.” He moved closer, the halberd propped over his shoulder, its blade already red with Cal’s blood.

  “Are you really going to stay silent? This entire duel you’ve done nothing but glare out at me from inside that armor, and you’ll die the same way?” He laughed. “Perhaps you’ve simply never had anything worthwhile to say.”

  He took another step, and Cal cleared his throat loudly, which halted the man. “I am not gifted with words,” he whispered.

  Thavin looked genuinely disappointed. “Please tell me that wasn’t it. I need to tell this story later and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t die as such a pathetic little wretch.”

  Cal forced himself to stand. “There is much I could say to you, Thavin, though it demeans me to speak to one such as you. I could tell you that you’re an insult to us all, the worst of the royals, who are tragically famous for being petty and small minded.” He straightened his back, stretching his sore muscles.

  “I could tell you that you’re a joke. I could repeat all the things that others say about you when you leave a room. I could point out that you are the least of all of us, and even the lowest among your own family. But I find I don’t need to.”

  Thavin sighed dramatically, as if expecting better. “Go on, tell me why not.” Calevaro smiled from within his helmet, but said no more. Thavin’s face contorted. “Truly? You’re done? You miserable arrogant little fool, you’ve always been odd but–” his sentence cut off into a gurgling scream, and he fell to one knee, clutching at his chest–though wisely his helmet reappeared along with his stone armor.

  Cal moved forward raising his blades. “Why?” he answered. “Because I’m not one for words, and I've distracted you enough.”

  Ethan Bishop–having finished his surprise attack against Thavin’s unusual Spirit Familiar–appeared a moment later. His blade dripped black energy as it lanced through Thavin’s lower back.

  The sand prince was well trained, and had adjusted himself to prepare for the attack, but still wound up with a foot of sword sticking out from his side. The stone of his armor exploded backward, knocking Bishop away and the blade with it, and Thavin hastily pivoted to put his two opponents in front of him once more.

  He was hunched to one side, the wound was on his right, making it difficult to lift his blade, and his fury seemed to radiate from him in waves. “How?!” he screamed. “How did you escape?” Bishop appeared next to Cal, looking haggard but in much better shape than the prince felt. He didn’t seem any more inclined to speak, however, and the two moved forward to finish the fight together.

  “It won’t end like this!” Thavin screamed, then rushed forward, ignoring what must have been terrible pain as he two-handed his weapon once more. The fight was very different now, however, as he lacked a Spirit Familiar of his own, and not only faced two warriors, but also two Dusk rank Spirits that were now both attacking his Bonds. Cal didn’t know what had changed, but smiled when he realized that Bishop had somehow overcome whatever had been holding him back.

  As the three warriors moved around the clearing, the war in the Astral raged. Cal’s Spirit was as precise as Calevaro himself, and used every possible opening to attack with its own blades, always aiming for Thavin’s Bonds. Bishop’s attacks were completely different, as his Spirit seemed to ignore the pain of attacks inflicted against it, its hands extended like claws to dig into the sand prince’s chest.

  Whenever it made contact, burning Astral flames ignited, searing into the Spirit with a savagery that disturbed Cal, and enraged Thavin. All the while Zephyr and the mysterious Familiar with the blade attacked as well, slashing with sword and talon at every opportunity. After only a few minutes Thavin was hurled back, his Stone Bond crumbling.

  To his credit he was back on his feet almost immediately, screaming in rage and agony. Cal and Bishop moved in, only for a wave of sand to push them back momentarily.

  “You’re forgetting something, little prince!” He pulled a vial of deep red liquid from his inventory. “You forget who I am! I am Arinaen, and we never enter a fight we aren’t sure we can win!” He down the vial in a single gulp, and Calevaro cursed aloud.

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  “What the hell was that?” Bishop asked, likewise in poor shape, bleeding from wounds old and new.

  “Blood-sand,” Cal answered without hesitation. “It isn’t supposed to exist. It’s something an ancient Arinaen Champion could supposedly create with her abilities. Temporary strength and power, but leaves the user nearly dead after the effect ends.”

  They both watched Thavin’s body pulse and his armor bend, struggling to contain the straining, bloated muscles within. “How long before it ends?” Bishop asked quietly.

  “Too long,” Cal said. Then he felt pain explode from his side.

  ***

  Ethan leaped back as Calevaro was struck by a halberd moving impossibly fast, the prince was launched out of the clearing to crash into the trees beyond. Thavin ignored him and stalked forward.

  “You!” he screamed, his voice breaking with pain and madness. “You’re ruining everything! Where is my glory? Look what you’ve done to it!” His halberd swept out again, and only [Dimensional Mantle] saved Ethan. The polearm continued swinging, over and over, Ethan barely raising his blades in time.

  He went back to his abilities as the man kept coming, not even considering Astral attacks as his life dangled by a thread. [Ghosts Among the Reeds] burst out of him, and all three died simultaneously in a single, powerful swing. They exploded with retributive damage, shredding through Thavin’s armor, but only leaving shallow wounds beneath.

  Ethan called upon Revan, for a distraction, only to feel the devastating pain of his Familiar being cut down almost immediately. He watched his friend desperately breath a stream of flame at Thavin as the halberd was swung two more times, banishing the Guardian in a flash of light.

  Tomo did better, making a rare physical appearance in battle. Twice his illusions saved Ethan, and he even managed to hold his own for a few exchanges, his twin katanas expertly deflecting Thavin’s attacks. Ethan was forced to withdraw the demon when the sand prince swung his weapon with enough force to shatter both of Tomo’s blades.

  That left few options, as Ethan cycled to Dimension. He could likely move around the arena for some time, chaining rifts, but to what end? Thavin would execute Calevaro, then either chase Ethan down, or simply let the match end and rightly declare that the dead prince had cheated. There was only one other thing left to try, and it was a longshot at best.

  Leaping back with all his strength, Ethan used his newest Dimensional ability. A rift opened next to Thavin, who turned to look at it in wonder and confusion. Three knives flew out in rapid succession, charged with what appeared to be electricity. The prince deflected one, while the other two erupted when they struck his armor, the electrical charge arcing across his body.

  Ability: Unstable Bleed (First Dawn: 3%)

  Type: Dimension, Chance, Trap

  For a variable mana cost you may attempt to create a small, and unstable Dimensional Bleed. This effect comes in the form of a rift, which summons shards of possible realities into this one for a limited time. Effects are unpredictable, but are likely to produce a positive outcome. You may choose to use this ability for a higher mana cost, allowing you to summon shards of more unlikely realities.

  It was by far Ethan’s strangest, and least reliable ability. ‘Likely to produce a positive outcome’ was the only part of the description that gave him any hope that it could help, but it was unquestionably a wildcard play. He didn’t really have any idea what to expect, and was as surprised as Thavin when his own daggers emerged from the rift. Although they apparently came from a potential reality where he had a lightning power instead of [Volatile Infusion].

  It was far from enough, however, as the sand prince merely looked confused by the attack. He immediately turned back to Ethan, who was trying to lure the man away from the Calevaro while buying as much time as he could. Lacking any other brilliant ideas, he used [Unstable Bleed] again, hoping for more confusion if nothing else.

  The second time was less effective, as–of all things–sand poured out of the rift that appeared before Thavin. Even berserk from the concoction the man had used, he still cocked his head in disbelief as he watched it pour from the portal like water. With a gesture he sent the sand flying at Ethan, who was grateful to be wearing a helmet for once.

  Ethan swore, especially when he saw Thavin charging at him once again. He pushed a little more mana into [Unstable Bleed] and tried again. This time it worked, as the rift appeared on the ground. As the red armored warrior ran forward, a mid-sized worm burst upward, clamping onto his leg.

  The prince barely slowed, simply lifting and then stomping his armored foot down, shattering teeth and sending the worm back into the rift. Ethan could only shake his head in irritation. Well, there’s a reason I’ve never been a gambler, he thought. He mentally cycled through his options, then let out a sigh. But to hell with it, if I’m suddenly a betting man, I may as well bet big.

  Ethan did something stupid then, the kind of stupid thing he’d been trying very hard not to do lately. He pushed all his Dimensional mana into the ability. He left nothing for his defenses, nothing even for a desperate escape. He was relatively confident that between him and Tomo he’d be able to limp away, maybe disappear into a corner if that’s what it came down to. But for now, this was his last play.

  The rift that opened this time was larger, and it appeared between Ethan and the charging Thavin. Strangely, nothing happened at first, and the prince seemed ready to ignore the distraction as he began to go around the glowing portal. Then an armored man stepped out.

  Ethan recognized the armor, it being the deep purple of the royal family, and his eyes widened as he considered that he might have just summoned a second Calevaro. Then the truth revealed itself. This man was larger, the armor heavier, and he lifted not twin blades but a thick-bladed two-handed sword, which burst alight with flames that Ethan was sure he recognized.

  He had indeed summoned a prince of Viridus from another potential reality, but in this one it was Kentevaro who had accepted the challenge.

  This time Thavin seemed properly taken aback, and barely managed to raise his halberd to block when the massive sword struck down. It cut through the sand prince’s weapon with ease, the steel haft melting like a candle when hit by the burning blade. Kent took another step forward–one of his last as Ethan felt his mana burning away and his scars screaming–and the heavy sword swung again.

  Thavin managed to raise his broken weapon to slow the strike, but still went down to one knee as Kent’s fiery blade buried itself in his shoulder. Abruptly the lost Chosen of Flagras began to fade, his tether to this reality failing, but Ethan could only grin as he recognized that the man’s work was done.

  Calevaro’s blade tore through Thavin’s rent and damaged armor, piercing through the man’s neck from behind. Without his Stone Bond, Thavin couldn’t resist the surprise attack. He sputtered and went limp as the two brothers–their faces unseen behind armor–had just enough time to share a nod before Kent disappeared, the rift collapsing as it pulled him back through.

  Ethan allowed himself a single moment to confirm that Thavin was dead before he cycled back to Mystic. He gave Calevaro a nod of his own before disappearing, becoming a Trick of the Light as the Arena registered the sand prince’s death, and began to revert to its original state.

  Ethan had no idea what the spectators had seen through all that, though he could only assume the Arinaen’s deception would account for Thavin losing. It would do them no good to lose the duel and be caught cheating at the same time. Either way, he had no time to wait and find out. Injured, one Bond down, and exhausted, Ethan still had something else to do today.

  He’d succeeded at what he’d chosen to do, and helped Calevaro. He’d earned a little break for personal revenge.