Metal screeched as the hammer bore down. For a second, the shining aura of mana inside the device flickered out of existence.

Then all at once, a murky gold wave of mana exploded forth. The energy stretched across the sand, my body and theirs. It rose high into the air past the pillar and well above the seats of the stadium till it stopped and folded inward.

Writhing threads branched out, connecting together. As they touched, they flattened and the muddled gold turned into a seamless dome that covered the sky.

Peter raised his hammer, brushing off bits of iron and crystal flakes from his arms. "Took you long enough. That contraption hurt like a bitch."

"Did you have to hit me as hard as you did? My arm's are still vibrating," Helmet-head complained as he approached the pillar.

"He's a tricky bastard. Had to make it believable. Besides, blame Chaddy. All he had to do was get the guy to come to him. Couldn't even do that."

"Don't-"

Blondie stood up in outrage and raised a shaky arm. His sword swerved through the air and he growled and stabbed it into the ground, using it as a crutch. "Call me that cursed nickname one more time, and I'll have the House blacklist your name!" He coughed and blood dribbled down his chin joining the black-sooted stretch of skin across his chest. "You said it'd be easy. He didn't do a single damn thing you said he would! Don't blame me."

Peter shrugged. "Don't threaten me with a vacation. And it wasn't my information. I told you what the analyst said. I wasn't even the one to hire him, his house did. Blame them. Hell, blame yourself, you telling me you couldn't get a single rise out of him?"

When he said 'him' Peter jerked thumb toward Helmet-head. Blondie's eyes darted over but he shook head and refocused his angry glare toward the traitor.

"How dare you blame me for your incompetance! Don't forget what you are. Remember your place sellsword!"

Peter's hammer came up, resting against this shoulder with ease. Mana slipped from the shaft and streamed against the air with violet ribbons snapping into black dust that flaked away. "You're not my client. So I can tell you stuff it."

"Enough!" Helmet-head ordered.

While the two argued, he moved closer, slowly circling around to my back. I clutched my chest, feeling the ache continue to throb as something squirmed against my skin.

Looking up, the dome surrounding the fighting field never wavered. I could see people through the murky mana; they chattered with narrowed eyes while some looked confused and angry. None however, reacted.

I turned to further up and spotted the announcer. His face was tight and he clutched both fists at his side. He looked away from the arena, staring at the wall towards…

"Excuse me, but I have a question," I coughed.

"Who said you could speak?!" Blondie roared.

So this is who he is. Pathetic. All the peacocks are the same insufferable assholes, good to know I wasn't going crazy.

Helmet-head stopped behind me with his sword at my back and his shield up. Even with whatever crazy plan they had going on, he kept his caution.

"What do you want to ask?" he said.

"You're entertaining him? Why?" Blondie said.

"He's under our control, what he asks won't matter in the end."

I'm going to beat those words back into your metal-plated skull.

Outwardly, I showed a happy smile on my mask. "Even if you manage to do uh, this, you'll be punished. That was an outside device. The arenamaster won't accept that. Surely you know that. Also, I'm not exactly crippled here. If you want to, go ahead and stab me if it'll make you feel safer."

Peter pushed the tip against my skin, cutting through the fabric of my hoodie.

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"She won't be a problem, and neither will you."

"You're willing to be this villainous in front of a crowd? Wow, and here I thou-"

"They can't see inside the barrier, fool! You're bluffs won't work this time!" Blondie snapped.

Helmet-head sighed. "Peter?"

Peter raised his foot and the purple around his hammer twisted down to surround his boot. Where it wisped purple it became black as tar and hissed. He stomped and the world twisted.

Pain erupted in my gut and my senses screamed as the squirming felt needlessly. It tried to push deep, go into my muscles and past, deeper even further and into my mana channels. Sturmrorex roared in defiance and burned it away but not all. Soon his roar turned low and his control waned.

His next impressions slipped away and his sound rang distantly as if from far away. I tried to summon mana into my claws but it sputtered out. It rubber-banded back into my chest deepening the aching pain.

What the-

Peter jumped down and crashed into the sand. He strode forward, dragging his hamer behind him while he raised his free hand and conjured more of the tar-like mana.

Searing welts formed in lines against my arm and toward my chest. I tried to back away but Helmet-head bashed me forward. Peter's boot landed against my chest and purple ribbons wrapped across my arms, binding them tight.

Soon, a crushing weight fell onto my back and neck, slamming me into sand. I turned my head at the last second, expecting to see Helmet-head holding me down.

He wasn't. The air distorted and Peter moved his boot to my back, increasing the weight two-fold.

"We won't make the same mistake the other's did. They bound you, but they were too stupid to bind your mana. Not taking chances here," Peter explained. He turned to Helmet-head, his hand near my throat. "My identity will be burned after this. I heard what the Lightcrests are like, are you sure they won't retaliate?"

"It's been assured that they won't interfere. Do it. We'll triple your price if you can make it permanent."

I tried to push against the restraints but Peter flexed and the weight increased, while new ribbons formed around my wrists, binding them to my fingers.

"Feisty aren't you," Peter shook his head. "Permanent curses weren't part of the deal. I don't like changes. This wasn't what you asked me to do."

"Get on with it, already! It's more than enough money!" Blondie growled.

Helmet-head raised his hand and silenced the other noble. He turned back to Peter and summoned a black-satin pouch. Peter caught it as Helmet-head tossed it over.

"Three times more than the initial payment plus guaranteed access to the arcanium rift. Is that sufficient?"

Peter opened the pouch and shook out a tiny, blue key made of hazy crystal. He whistled. "Oh yeah, this'll do. You'll have to give me a minute to tier up."

"Can you keep him bound while you do?"

"The control field ate my mana for hours. It'll keep the binding curse fed but it's not foolproof. I won't be able to keep my Gravity Flux active while I do. Can you handle that?"

Helmet-head nodded. "Chadsworth. Guard his head."

Peter removed his boot and sat beside me. He sported a satisfied grin and reached a hand to pat my cheek. "Thanks to you, I'll be set for the next tier. Sorry about this though, just business. You understand."

"Is that so? Just business? So what are you going to do to me?"

"Nothing much. The nobles are really angry at you. Pissed them off real good. See this?" He held up the blue key. "Worth more than some families have in their vaults combined. You stirred the pot and they were willing to pay me this to do it. See, I'm handy for just about any job, but I specialize in curses. Ain't cheap, takes its toll on me and weakens me for as long as I have a curse active. Making a permanent curse to root deep in your soul? I'll be fucking useless for a year if not more, but hey it doesn't matter now that I have this key."

"Curses? You gonna make my ears bleed with a potty mouth? That's sad."

"Why are you talking to him? Get to it already!" Blondie snapped.

Peter ignored him and leaned forward. "As I said, not much. See, they don't want to kill you but they won't allow a rabid dog in their yard. You're already feeling the effects, the suppression of your skill. The curse is simple but effective. Defang the mutt, remove its tail and cut off its claws."

"You're binding my mana?"

"Worse. I'm placing a contract in your soul and corrupting it. Maybe you can recover with enough resources but you'll have to permanently burn away your mana pool to do so." He removed his hand and moved into a meditative position. "Simple yet effective."

Peter closed his eyes and I felt fluctuations in the air around him. The gravity on my back faded away but Blondie's foot smashed into the back of my head, pressing me down.

"Move. Try something. I dare you," Blondie whispered.

For a moment I contemplated fulfilling his wishes. Instead, I closed my eyes and entered my soulspace.

I appeared on my island and looked up to see a twisting black ribbon making it's way toward the center of the island. Around me, my familiars gathered. They took their places amongst the pedestals and I approached the throne in the center.

Out of all the shit I expected to partake in today, how was I supposed to predict this?

I shook my head.

You weren't. It's impossible to predict the crazy. Focus on now. The bastard said a contract… How unfortunate for them. Should sit here and wait, let them waste their time and then surprise them. Heh.

In the outside world, I tapped Galarion's mind. He responded but even his response felt sluggish while Sturmrorex was completely cut off. His presence existed inside my body, but I couldn't hear his responses let alone feel them.

That; that sparked fury inside my soul. My claws strained against the throne and I raised my head. No waiting around. No more bullshit today.

They said they couldn't see into the arena. That means I'm hidden...

I stood up and rose into the air, stopping below the approaching ribbon. My voice filled the insides of my soul and my familiars returned the call.

No more waiting around. They wanted to play, so be it!

I grabbed the ribbon and sank my claws into its fabric.

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