#khadrim

          From behind the pillars there were creatures watching, hiding in the shadows. Some were unspeakable and others could have passed for human. They all watched him with that same greedy, wicked glare. Shadows darted left and right, too quick and too faint to properly comprehend.

           This was Yobira.

           There was no mistaking that. Any doubts that may have still lingered in Khadrim's mind of the existence of other worlds had finally been satisfied. How desperately he wished to go back in time and apologize to Tenameru for being such an arrogant ass. In his mind's eye he could still see the blue haired elf smiling. It wasn't the kind sad smile he remembered upon their first meeting. Rather it was the blissful and carefree smile he'd caught just before Tenameru had passed from existence. What was the name he'd said before he took his last breath? Nina? What did that mean?

           Thinking of Tenameru was calming.

           The elf was finally free. Free to be with the wife and children he'd lost so long ago at the hand of the same villain. Maybe that was it. Maybe his wife had been named Nina. Khadrim would remember the name. He would never forget those who had been lost at the hand of Eierthian, the madman. Blinking his eyes open again he stared down at his now gloved hands.

           Someone had changed his clothing. He'd been so consumed by rage that he hadn't cared at the time but now the thought sent chills straight down his spine. Those demonic hands touched, groped, dressed him in the black, red, and brown colors of the world around him. His costume was covered in belts and buckles. He felt oddly naked without a jacket. Glancing at the sky Khadrim saw it shifting menacingly. Something about this calmed him, brought him back to reality.

           This was Yobira.

           He was trapped in Yobira.

           The only friend Khadrim had died in his arms not even a few hours ago.

           Then he'd slaughtered a man beyond recognition in retaliation.

           Maybe this was the fate he deserved after all.

           The ache in his chest was hollow, the sorrow so incredibly debilitating he could barely keep upright. There was no time to dwell on the river of emotion suddenly passing through him. Not when he was suddenly lifted completely off of his feet. Turning in place he reached to stop the scarred man from grabbing him but much to his horror and panic there was no one there grabbing him. Khadrim was floating!

           Gyakutenno approached him, his slicked back black hair glimmering red from the sunlight.

           "You will speak when spoken to. Do you understand?" The man's voice was angry and commanding but something about his sunken yellow eyes struck Khadrim. In Dimitrius' eyes he'd seen cunning, malice, the distinct urge to do harm. Even the man named Cronos had radiated with wicked intent. Hell, even Eierthian's orange eyes had reflected nothing but the urge to do harm. This was not so with Gyakutenno. "I said do you understand?" Gyakutenno pointed toward the ground and allowed Khadrim's feet to rest against the stone.

           With a strike like a cobra his hand grabbed Khadrim's throat and squeezed. "Yes or no." Instead Khadrim latched onto Gyakutenno's wrist, squeezed and then kicked him hard in the stomach. Gyakutenno stumbled but didn't fall and chuckled under his breath. Still, Khadrim saw nothing behind his eyes. They were yellow in a way that reminded him of the assassin who had shown him mercy and warned him of a greater enemy. For a brief moment he recalled her voice but what words she'd said, he couldn't remember. Had she suffered a terrible fate in her attempt to spare him? She had defied the Lord of Yobira to keep him safe.

           "Don't touch me." Khadrim's mouth tasted stale, his voice sounded gruff and foreign. This was the first time he'd spoken even a single word since Dimitrius had cast that horrid spell on him in the theater. It was the flood that broke the dam imprisoning him. Where he hadn't been able to move or speak he suddenly could all at once! Gasping suddenly for breath he turned away from Gyakutenno and nearly collapsed as his knees trembled. "Oh, shit…" Breath short, bile burning in the back of his throat, he panicked and anxiety gripped tightly at his lungs. He was in Yobira! How was he going to get out? Was it even possible?

           "There's more resistance in you than I expected." Gyakutenno paced in front of Khadrim and with a graceful wave of his right hand flames burst to life over each of his fingers. Khadrim blinked in confusion, trying to catch his breath. As the mage snapped his fingers the fire disappeared and left behind thin strips of paper, each covered in intricate lettering Khadrim didn't recognize. "Stand up." Khadrim hadn't realized he'd been hunched over trying to catch his breath until his spine was rebelling and forcing him upright. His eyes flickered over the formidable man standing in front of him and then all around him.

           This was magic.

           How was he supposed to combat magic? Khadrim had done so a very small handful of times in his life but never to such an extent! Look at how poorly he'd fared against Dimitrius! "I'm going to ask you one more time before I find out the hard way."

           "Yes, I can fight." Khadrim nodded and answered at last. For a moment he thought he saw a flicker of satisfaction on Gyakutenno's face but his eyes reflected nothing. Still he struggled to breathe. His chest was on fire, it was very distracting.

           "The way mortals fight, I presume?" Gyakutenno scoffed and above his fingers the papers shuffled. Khadrim felt his stomach turn. Suddenly the air grew thicker and he felt like the space around him was shrinking even though he knew better. "Have you ever actually fought anyone worth fighting before?"

           "I…" Khadrim wasn't sure how to answer that question and he was going to say just that but suddenly his tongue felt too big for his mouth. This time Gyakutenno did smile. With his left hand the scarred man touched the tips of three of his fingers against the papers and they stuck to him as though part of him. It wasn't just anxiety hindering Khadrim.

           "My Lord says that you are going to be a great warrior, perhaps even greater than I am. But you are mortal. You are much easier to kill than I am." Gyakutenno looked him over. "I see no magic inside of you. But there is something… I can't put my finger on it."

           "What are you?" Khadrim managed to find his voice though it was strangled and terrified.

           "What are you?" Gyakutenno tilted his head knowingly and then with a flick of his hand the papers were gone and so was Gyakutenno. Khadrim turned in place and readied himself for a strike but he wasn't quite sure what he was preparing for. Magic was something he had very little experience with until the past week! On top of that Khadrim was sore! He'd been in fight after fight this last week and his muscles were aching in objection to his every move. How many times was he going to get his ass kicked over and over before his body completely gave out?

           "Gotta focus." Khadrim wiped at his eyes as he took slow steps backwards though he wasn't sure how he would focus when he could barely control his body nonetheless breathe. If he was going to fight someone equipped with powerful magic he would need a better vantage point. They were in some sort of an arena it appeared. Khadrim didn't want to be near the pillars on either side that hid the creatures watching him like it was some sort of sport.

           This struck Khadrim. Gyakutenno was right. Perhaps he hadn't been taunting him after all and had instead been warning him. Yobira was full of creatures way more formidable than anyone he had encountered in Eurchiro. If he stepped outside of this arena, this plateau, without more training he wouldn't stand a chance. These creatures were more powerful than anything he could have dreamt up. Sure, he'd fought Agarwaen but he had only won because she had given up. Even then the only magic he'd seen her use had been the jewel on the back of her hand and he'd broken it! Yobira was on a completely different level than anything he'd thus far witnessed.

           As he slowly crept backwards he bumped into something very solid and turned in a panic. There was nothing there. Surely there had to be something. Gently reaching, sure enough his fingers touched an invisible wall barring him from moving any further and yet he still saw nothing. Risking any pain that would follow, Khadrim clenched his fist and punched hard at the invisible wall with a shout. The air rippled in front of him and with a shattering sound one of the three pieces of paper Gyakutenno had held appeared in front of him and the wall broke.

           For a brief moment the paper floated in mid air then the edges hissed and crumbled to ash before the rest burst into flame. Black glyphs of ink appeared around the ashen paper, spreading in giant waves and then formed a wall of fire. Khadrim backed away from the warmth of the flames and then shook out his hand as he felt a sudden burning in his fingertips! His glove had been on fire and his skin bubbled painfully even after he patted it out frantically.

           There was a sound behind him and instinctively Khadrim ducked and just in time. Something struck hard at the air above him. Gyakutenno stood before him and kneed Khadrim hard in the face with a thud. Khadrim stumbled backwards but kept from falling into the wall of flame. His nose bled freely, dripping down his face and into his mouth, the cartilage completely shattered. Wincing, Khadrim punched the air in frustration and shouted in pain before narrowly stumbling out of the way when Gyakutenno came at him again.

           The scarred man disappeared in a burst of flame and smoke and then reappeared with the same trick of magic. Before Khadrim could turn his feet were swept from beneath him and he fell onto his back with a thud! He rolled from one side to dodge a punch and then to the other to keep from being kicked in the ribs. Gyakutenno stood over him and Khadrim kicked him hard! Leaping to his feet, Khadrim stumbled and nearly lost his balance.

           Gyakutenno stood waiting for him to strike but Khadrim did not seize opportunity. His face was burning with pain! He had no idea how he was supposed to fight this monster or anything else in Yobira! He barely knew how to stay standing! Between the pain in his face, his burnt hand and terrible fog in his mind, touching and prying, ordering him what to think and feel, Khadrim didn't think it was possible to focus enough to fight back! Something deep within was telling him to fight but how was he supposed to decipher which thoughts were his own and which were planted by Dimitrius? Maybe that was the point.

           Gyakutenno disappeared in a puff of smoke and fire and then suddenly dropped from the sky and smashed right into Khadrim feet first. Khadrim fell to the ground but managed to at least stay on his knees. Blood dripped over his face, his nose was throbbing and crooked.

           "Enough!" Khadrim shouted in anger as Gyakutenno disappeared. He swore for a moment he could see a flicker of hidden movement around him and so he turned and blocked before Gyakutenno could strike at him again. Laughter echoed through the arena. "Stop laughing!" Khadrim felt that familiar rage bubble inside of his chest. It hurt, ached, drove him mad. Before he knew what he was doing he was swinging at the scarred man who blocked him with ease.

           Khadrim leapt aside and dodged another swift punch but Gyakutenno's fist grazed still at his arm. Those stupid papers were still stuck to Gyakutenno's fingers! Every strike that met its target burned away at his flesh, his clothing, bubbled at his skin! The pain was overwhelming, blinding! He could barely stay standing! How much longer would he manage to keep conscious with his skin literally boiling?

           It was those papers. He had to do something about them. Khadrim ducked low but was kicked onto his back where he slowly got to his feet and was kicked instead to the side. At least it didn't burn when he was kicked. Gyakutenno appeared behind him with a flash and barely rested every one of his fingertips against his back. Khadrim screamed in agony as the fire spread over his body. Desperately he rolled onto the ground to extinguish the burning and the pain.

           Then he rolled onto his stomach as Gyakutenno grabbed his ankle and dragged him. The fire burned at his leg. Khadrim kicked hard to get away. Gyakutenno let go, disappeared again and Khadrim jumped to his feet though he immediately limped on his right leg. Tingling in his nerves radiated all the way up his thigh, making it twitch.

           Finally as Gyakutenno appeared in a flash of fire and made to strike once more Khadrim grabbed his wrist, kicked the mage hard and then twisted him around and tore the papers from his fingers.

           There was a brilliant burst of light and a crack in the air that sent such force at Khadrim that he flew head over feet and slammed face up on the stone with a thud! Looking at the papers he felt them fade to ash in his palm. On his back, Khadrim lay and closed one eye that was now stinging from the blood that dripped from his very broken nose. Mouth open he gasped for breath.

           Footsteps approached and soon Gyakutenno was staring down at him.

           "Smarter than I expected." He offered a hand to Khadrim who ignored it. "Faster too. Who taught you to fight?" He shook his hand in front of Khadrim again to indicate he should grab it. "You are going to have to start listening to me or I will make this very painful for you."

           Reluctantly Khadrim grabbed Gyakutenno's outstretched hand and got to his feet. Then he leaned over and nursed his throbbing broken nose.

           "Ugh, can't breathe." He grunted and felt around for the misplaced cartilage. His stomach lurched upon realizing just how out of place it actually was.

           "I have been fighting since before I have memories." Gyakutenno grabbed Khadrim by his hair and forced him to tilt his head back. "Stop panicking, you're making it worse." With a wave of Gyakutenno's hand there was a horrid snap and the break in Khadrim's nose repaired itself in a flashing of blinding pain.

           "Son of a…" Khadrim stumbled backwards and swung again at the air in frustration. "Warn me or something, shit!"

           "I have fought for every breath I have taken." Gyakutenno approached Khadrim cautiously. "Fire burns through my veins. The very lords of this place trained me. So who trained you?"

           "Did you just magic my nose back into place? Ugh…" Khadrim held his hand over his nose, the pressure behind his sinuses made it feel like someone was inflating a balloon between his skull and his skin.

           "You're acting like a child. You've felt worse." Gyakutenno's eyes flashed dangerously. "I know you have."

           "I can't focus! This place… it's this damned place!" Khadrim shouted in frustration and then gripped at his head. He swore he could see Dimitrius in his mind's eye watching but knew that wasn't possible. Was it?

           "Calm yourself." Gyakutenno tilted his head to the side again curiously. "You are in Yobira. I'm sure that it must seem strange after being in Eurchiro for so long but if you do not adjust then you will die. Your soul will be trapped here and you will have no chance of leaving ever again."

           "Yeah, because I have a choice right now."

           "Ah, but that's where you're wrong." Gyakutenno spoke knowingly. "It's not the choice you may hope for but it is a choice nonetheless. You can continue to be this whiny child you've become, this weakling paralyzed by fear or you can fight."

           Khadrim silenced and turned the words over in his mind. He knew he had to fight, he really did. But in reality all Khadrim wanted to do was curl up and mourn the loss of his friend, mourn the loss of any chance at a normal life. Every part of Khadrim wanted to retreat inside himself and give into the overwhelming sorrow that hung on him like a noose. How was he supposed to fight for a life he wasn't sure he wanted? Khadrim had always been proud of the way he handled the chaos in his everyday life but now he suddenly felt as helpless as those he watched and envied day in and day out in Gii.

           "When I was a kid I was attacked by a monster." Khadrim took a deep breath and swallowed the fading pain in his face. He had to suck up his inner objections. If he had to fight to get out of Yobira then he was going to fight. Gyakutenno didn't seem a likely ally of any kind, but he didn't feel much like a villain either. There was something so indifferent about him that Khadrim kept tossing between wanting to ask him for help against Dimitrius and wanting to kill him. It wasn't that Gyakutenno was wicked. He was most definitely fearsome, it was that he simply did not care. Gyakutenno felt no pity for him and neither did the creatures that hid behind the pillars to catch a glimpse of Gyakutenno's training session.

           Unlike Gyakutenno the creatures observing were curious. They enjoyed watching his pain. So what if he used that to his aid? If he could gain the favor of the creatures living in Yobira then he would consider it a step in the right direction. Surely there were those in Yobira who had information on how to resist the spell that hung over him and how to get back to Eurchiro. Khadrim knew there was no safety in Eurchiro but he wasn't sure there would ever be safety again no matter his location. He could barely stay upright, how could he possibly consider escape?

           If Gyakutenno was going to teach him how to combat supernatural forces then maybe he could hone his edge. Maybe in the long run this training would backfire against Dimitrius.

           "And so you learned to fight to prepare for the next monster?"

           "No. I murdered an entire town of people." Khadrim spoke flatly and Gyakutenno seemed surprised with just a hint of amusement. "I had nowhere left to go so I ran. In the mountains there were priests who took me in when I was starving. I asked them to teach me to protect myself. I was only a kid. I'd never even fought a fly before." Khadrim returned to his full height and stretched his fingers, still burnt and pained from ending Gyakutenno's spell. "They taught me to fight."

           "Priests?" Gyakutenno spat, his lip curling in disgust.

           "Very devout. There are these temples all around Eurchiro where high priests dedicate their lives to preserving artifacts supposedly left behind by the Bomowé. They were very strong. Protectors of history or something." Khadrim nodded and pinched his nose. "They pitied me until they discovered the monster within me. Then they died too. From there I learned bits and pieces wherever I went. I'm obviously not practiced. It's not like many people screwed with me until about a week ago." Khadrim spat in irritation.

           "Are you familiar with magic?" Gyakutenno flicked his fingers again and showed Khadrim the flames that appeared at his will and the papers that danced on top of them before disappearing into ash.

           "Yes." Khadrim spoke hesitantly. He'd never considered the odd skill he possessed magic, not until that moment.

           "Show me."

           "I…" Khadrim looked at his hands and then back at Gyakutenno.

           "I said show me." Gyakutenno's expression grew dark. He did not care about who Khadrim was or where he had come from. Most certainly the mage did not care about what he'd been through. Any words he spoke were designed to manipulate, to make Khadrim comfortable enough to do what was required. There were no niceties in Yobira for Khadrim and most certainly none from Gyakutenno.

           "I can't." Khadrim released the grip of his clenched fists and sighed.

           "It was not a request. Show me." Gyakutenno took a threatening step toward Khadrim who backed up nervously.

           "It doesn't work like that! I don't do it on purpose!" Khadrim didn't want to share why he usually used his magic even though it seemed like Gyakutenno would attack him regardless of what he said. The last thing Khadrim needed was for Gyakutenno to have another reason to instill fear.

           Grabbing Khadrim resolutely by the shoulder, Gyakutenno stared down at the boy, only an inch or so taller than him. When Khadrim did nothing but stare Gyakutenno thrust his fist hard into Khadrim's gut. Then he back handed Khadrim so hard that he felt his jaw snap and dislocate. Flopping onto the ground, Khadrim rolled onto his back and made to get up but the pain in his face made him dizzy. The red sky spun menacingly overhead.

           "Show me." Gyakutenno took a step closer, barely giving him another glance. The mage reached for the clasps on the armor that covered his shoulders and with a click unlocked them and pulled them free. Tattered cape and armor clattered to the ground. The silver, gold, and red mail hidden beneath glistened in the fading light of Yobira. Khadrim slid backwards on his hands, moving as much as he could but as he tried to object his jaw wouldn't allow him. Adrenaline pumped through his veins. He swore that his entire face was throbbing with pain. Closing his eyes tight he tried to will it away, to force some kind of cognitive rationale but nothing was working. As he opened his eyes they changed, redder, glowing. His heart was practically exploding in his ears, drowning out the menacing sound of Gyakutenno's armored boots as they drew nearer.

           Khadrim felt a horrible crack in his ribs as Gyakutenno's boot made contact. The wind knocked right out of him as he rolled onto his stomach and made a feeble attempt to get back up. The air grew thick, became more difficult to breathe and his face contorted uncomfortably. With a horrible howl of pain and a terrible snap, he opened his mouth. His teeth were suddenly too big to fit, the already shattered bone shifted and a deep scream of agony faded into a monstrous roar. He was going to become that thing. Gyakutenno would regret treating him so harshly.

           Maybe the monster buried within him could help him escape Yobira.

           "That's better." Gyakutenno reached for a fistful of Khadrim's white hair and lifted him off of the ground. Gritting his now fanged teeth, Khadrim's vision was blurred and could focus only on little details. Even Gyakutenno's gums were scarred. It was fascinating.

           "Let go!" Khadrim's shouted but the words were slurred, even in the deep growl his voice had become.

           Gyakutenno's laughter echoed throughout the arena and for a brief moment the air fell completely still. Then his smile faded and with great force he smashed Khadrim's face so hard against the ground that his nose immediately snapped out of place and his cheek bone shattered! Gyakutenno rubbed Khadrim's face in the blood that pooled beneath him and he gurgled and choked as it flooded through his sinuses.

           Shadows gathered around Khadrim as he desperately grasped at the stone, trying to push up and away from the pool of his blood. The shadows swallowed parts of him, the air around him pulsed with dark energy. His hands shifted and changed but the sword that would come to aid him in times of crisis didn't appear. Instead his entire hand changed, his nails hard as steel, his fingers elongating into menacing claws.

           Gyakutenno didn't release the grip on his hair but watched as the boy suffered and struggled, as shadows whispered around him words neither could decipher. Arching his back, Khadrim felt his bones ache and stretch, his muscles split. With a shout Gyakutenno smashed his face once again into the ground, hearing the terrible crack in his skull. Then he stood and placed his armored foot on the back of his head and held him in place. Khadrim clawed at the ground desperately, stone splitting beneath him but still he was too weak.

           "Do it!" Gyakutenno ordered and then swiftly kicked Khadrim again in the ribs. When all he did was cough he kicked again and again! The toes of his armored boots broke flesh and pierced his lung. Blood poured onto the ground beneath Khadrim. Shadows that had once begun to consume Khadrim, to aid him, subsided and disappeared in a hiss as darkness enveloped Khadrim, just around the edges of his vision. The pain was so miserable, too much for him to handle. He could barely think.

           With a disappointed sigh Gyakutenno kicked him onto his back and towered over him. The boy twitched and his features returned to normal though horribly maimed and destroyed. Reaching downward he grabbed Khadrim's jaw hard and popped it back into place. Khadrim screamed in misery and writhed on the ground beneath him. His cries echoed through the whole of Yobira. The blood loss was debilitating, his vision was blurred, his hearing muted, his stomach churned.

           Gyakutenno held up two of his fingers on his left hand and the papers again appeared in a puff of smoke. Khadrim swore that even in his blurry vision the lettering on the paper changed before his eyes.

           Gyakutenno placed one of the papers against Khadrim's chest and there was a hum in the air that shook Khadrim all the way through. The pain lessened and began to fade and then was gone completely. His vision cleared and he felt his bones repair and mend. Khadrim stared at Gyakutenno as he caught his breath. Carefully Khadrim groped at his side in search of the wound that had ruined his lungs but there was nothing there. The paper against his chest disappeared and Khadrim swore that this time he saw its master catch it. It was so quick an action that Khadrim couldn't be sure and his head was still spinning.

           Earlier he'd thought that the paper had disintegrated but perhaps it had never truly been destroyed and the magic returned to whom it belonged to.

           "Now…" Gyakutenno spoke and watched as Khadrim sat up and felt over his side in search of the wound. "Again." Gyakutenno punched Khadrim so hard in the chest that the wind was knocked right out of him. Then barely pulling back Gyakutenno jabbed him in the chest again and again until Khadrim was coughing and gagging so much that he had to fight off the darkness that threatened to send him into unconsciousness. Shadows didn't bother to come to his aid this time. Khadrim had spent so many years resisting turning into the monster that he'd hidden inside that maybe he couldn't change anymore. Gyakutenno beat Khadrim in the chest, then picked him up and threw him so he slid face first against the stone.

           Just as Khadrim was sure he would pass out, die, Gyakutenno would kick him onto his back and heal him with that paper again. This process repeated, over and over with as little progress as the last. Every so often something would shift inside of Khadrim or in a fit of rage the shadow would consume him and then leave him as weak as he'd begun. There was no change and Khadrim was terrified by this. But why was he terrified? Wasn't this what he had always hoped for? The shadows could help him escape, help him leave Yobira. But what if he couldn't regain control?

           Conflict swept through Khadrim's mind and yet when he closed his eyes all he saw was the face of the man he'd bloodied to a pulp out of vengeance. Eierthian. Was this what he deserved for taking the life of another?

           As the light of the red sky faded into near blackness Gyakutenno waved his hand and the torches at the end of each pillar came to life at his will. Khadrim lay on his back, bloodied with his face contorted in rage and anger. He'd been nowhere near becoming that creature again. No matter how hard he'd struggled it was impossible. Eyes wide he stared at the sky above. There were no stars. He could feel Dimitrius' grip on his heart and mind fading at long last. He was almost himself. Maybe he could escape if he could even walk anymore by the time the morning had come. Would anyone come looking for him? Would Seth? Would Aykra?

           No.

           No one would come for him.

           There was no one that could save Khadrim.

           He could only save himself. He had to fight.

           Gyakutenno slowly walked to where Khadrim lay beaten, trembling, terrified.

           "I expected more from you." Gyakutenno crouched by his side and placed his hand over Khadrim's face. Khadrim stared at his palm, only inches in front of his vision and waited for the next blow, the next unspeakable horror that would surely come. With a whisper, Gyakutenno's yellow eyes glazed over and turned white. Something dark and horrid spread from his fingertips, like smoke. It invaded Khadrim's senses, creeping up his nose, into his eyes, ears, throat. Tendrils of darkness spread through his body, washed over his brain. The pain was searing and Khadrim nearly vomited as it shook him deep inside. Then there was nothing and the fog that had enveloped Khadrim when Dimitrius had taken him prisoner was renewed.

           Whatever spell Dimitrius had used to subdue him had been wearing thin and Gyakutenno had done something to renew it, imprisoning Khadrim within the nightmare that was his mind. He wanted to scream, to fight back, he wanted to get up and kill Gyakutenno but he could do nothing but twitch on the ground in agony. Every move he made was pained, even breathing was a chore. Each time he opened his mouth to say something, even to beg for mercy, was ceased by the spell consuming his mind.

           His body was no longer his own and it wouldn't be until he could find a way to combat the hold this magic had on him. Gyakutenno shook his head in disappointment and wiped the blood from his gloves. Khadrim expected him to reach down, to heal the bruises and bleeding from his latest assault but Gyakutenno merely looked him over.

           "Tomorrow is a new day."

           Khadrim blinked in surprise as Gyakutenno turned and walked away. He couldn't even turn his head to follow the sound and see if he actually left. Closing his eyes, Khadrim waited for the sound of boots to return, the sound of anything, but nothing came. The pain was overwhelming, he had at least a broken rib and a broken wrist, but he couldn't lift his hands to tend to his wounds.

           Slowly opening his eyes he managed to lop his head to the side and stared toward the pillars at the edge of the arena where the shadows had watched him. Now there was nothing but darkness. Then a small flitter of movement followed by the opening of yellow and red eyes, creatures still watching him from afar. The torches Gyakutenno had lit were extinguished and darkness crept over the arena.

           Then came the whispers.

           People pleading for freedom and others taunting him for his failures.

           Khadrim coughed and blood pooled in his throat, metallic tasting and terrible. Struggling, his fingers moved and he grasped the ground and made a feeble attempt to lift his body from the stone but the magic was too strong. He fell back to the ground and surrendered to the helplessness he'd become prey to.

           Tomorrow would be a new day but it wouldn't be a good one.