The Forsaken Hero
Chapter 629: Colosseum

Chapter 629: Colosseum

All thoughts of Fable vanished as I sensed the powerful aura of his opponent. The island we stood on, home to a few small cottages, was several hundred feet above the mountainous island. It was impossible to see exactly who was battling below, but both auras were unmistakable. Luke and Fable were definitely fighting.

Elise led us across the floating stone pathway down to the mountainous island. The path was longer than most, falling at a steep angle until it reached the rim of the lower island.

The island was massive, easily the largest island aside from the fortress in the middle of Haven. The mountains were steep and rugged, forming natural walls that shielded the hollow center. Thick clusters of trees dotted the mountainside, with sparse undergrowth sprouting through the rocky ground. A narrow pass with sheer cliffs for walls proved the only entrance into what Elise had called the "Colosseum."

More shockwaves roared through the canyon, making me wince and cover my ears. Here, close to the epicenter of the fight, they carried the force of a stiff breeze, clawing at my hair and clothes. I quickly wove a Sound Ward, and we continued on.

The rocky floor of the ravine turned to sand as we crept through the narrow pass. Thick ribbons of earth magic laced the stone, strengthening it to withstand even eighth-level magic. I paused, leaning over a particularly dense cluster of magic, only for Elise to take my hand.

"You can look at them later," she said with a giggle. "They’re hardly the most interesting thing in Haven."

With some reluctance, and an encouraging smile from R’lissea, I allowed her to guide me. After a few winding turns, we broke out into the open.

The inner reaches of the island were as spectacular as the outside, with towering, dramatic cliffs and ancient trees. The center was a gaping hole in the mountains, forming a spacious circle a thousand feet across. The circle was made of thousands of delicate runes carved into the earth, glowing like miniature stars. There were, perhaps, thirty feet of open ground beyond the radius before the cliffs. A single remnant, dressed in leather armor, a long sword at his waist, leaned against the wall beside the entrance.

The cliffs towered far over my head, blocking the night sky except for a small circle high above us. The stars felt far away, and despite the spacious circle, the walls loomed over me, seeming to close in from every direction. The only exit was the chasm behind us.

"Isn’t this place awesome?" Elise asked, gesturing wide at the sweeping scenery. "It’s way cooler than the dueling grounds at Western University."

I swallowed hard and clutched Elise’s sleeve. My chest felt unnaturally tight, my tail twisting in panic.

Her brow furrowed in a frown. "What is it? You look pale."

"I-I’m alright," I said, taking short, deliberate breaths. "It’s just...tight."

R’lissea laid a hand on my shoulder, pulling me against her side. "It can be a little intimidating the first time. The mountains are so big and close..."

"Like a cage," I mumbled, leaning my head against her. My horn fit snugly against the inside of her shoulder.

A storm of power erupted in the center of the arena, black and gold clashing in a tempest of eighth-level mana. Shockwaves erupted from the collision, tousling my hair and causing R’lissea’s grip to tighten.

"There they are," Elise said, nodding toward the explosion. "They’ve been going at it every day now."

I squinted against the glaring light. As I’d sensed before, Luke and Fable’s aura tangled in a brutal conflict. My wolf emanated power I’d never sensed from him, reaching the beginning stages of the eighth level. It was enough to make the earth groan beneath his claws, and the soft light of starlight emanated through the very fabric of fate.

Luke, his aura in the middle stages of eighth, felt equally strong and daunting, dancing around Fable’s claws with a grace that belied his power. His sword trailed long ribbons of curses that hung in the air long after it passed. His cloak streamed behind him, billowing in the small, shadowy cyclone of his aura.

Every time the two clashed, shockwaves ripped through the island, leaving long, deep furrows on the arena’s floor. But even the most powerful attacks dulled the moment they passed over the circle of runes, reduced to the wind and faint aura we’d experienced till now.

I watched with bated breath as Fable circled Luke slowly, his tail flicking back and forth. He favored his right leg, where black wisps of curse magic laced a bloody laceration on his shoulder. Luke turned with his movement, keeping the tip of his sword between himself and the wolf. The demonkin’s chest heaved with every breath, but his aura never wavered.

With a roar, Fable surged forward, battering at Luke’s sword with a claw while snapping at his throat. Luke sidestepped toward Fable’s injured side. The wolf turned sharply, lashing out with his other paw, but the curse suddenly flared up. Black needles dug into Fable’s soul, disrupting the flow of his mana as it reinforced his body. Instead of strengthening his muscles equally, his leg received only a portion of the intended mana, throwing off his balance.

The wolf stumbled, and Luke succeeded in drawing a bloody cut across his side. I winced, fingers digging into my skirt, as Fable barked and leaped away, streaming blood behind.

Luke wasted no time pursuing, leaving craters behind as he lunged forward. He slashed his sword prematurely, launching a vicious arc of darkness at the wolf. Fable was forced to duck under it, and by the time he recovered, Luke’s sword descended on his injured side again.

I turned away, tail limp, when Fable’s soul suddenly pulsed with light and he vanished. The strands of fate around him flared, overloaded with power. An instant later, Luke collapsed, his sword flying across the circle. Fable appeared atop him, claws pressed to his neck.

The two remained motionless, small beads of blood trickling down Luke’s neck. I gaped at them, tail rigid, forgetting even to breathe. It had happened so quickly that if I would have blinked, I would have missed it.

Luke’s sword crashed into the barrier with a thunderous clang. It lost all momentum and fell to the ground, clanking several times in the deafening silence. The world resumed, and I gasped for breath, sagging against R’lissea. She held me, smiling faintly.

"Pretty impressive, aren’t they?" she asked.

"Damn it," Luke grunted, pushing at Fable’s paw. "Get off me already."

Fable held his claws to the demonkin’s throat a hair longer before retreating. His lips curled in a wolfish grin.

"I had you that time," Luke muttered, getting to his feet.

He reached out, and his sword shivered, lifting off the ground and flying to his hand. He caught it without looking and roughly sheathed it. Fable sat down and tilted his head. Were it not for the smugness practically oozing through our bond, his expression might have seemed innocent.

"Sloppy," the remnant beside us said, glaring at Luke. "To think you lowered your guard to such an extent. How many times will you taste defeat before you learn?"

Fable perked up, ears swiveling toward us. His golden eyes fastened on me, and he kicked off the ground with enough force to crater it, streaking toward me in a blur of silver.

"He literally stops time!" Luke’s eyes flashed with irritation as he turned to scowl at the remnant. "How the hell am I supposed to–"

Fable bowled into me, tearing away from R’lissea. I gasped as the world spun, filling with silver. By the time everything stopped moving, I was lying flat on my back, Fable’s heavy paw pressed against my chest. His tongue rasped across my face, leaving thick globs of saliva behind. His tail wagged violently, joy pulsing through our bond.

"Fable!" I cried, gasping for breath, "Stop it! That tickles!"

I tried to push him away, but it was like moving a mountain. His paw kept me from curling up and hiding, so I covered my head with my arms.

"And to think I wanted to see you," I mumbled.

He pushed his nose under my arms, giving me a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"Fable, get off her!" R’lissea said, hands on her hips. "Gentle, remember?"

The wolf flinched and, somewhat reluctantly, lifted his paw off my chest. I gasped for breath, letting my arms fall weakly to my sides. When I tried to sit up, a sharp pain pierced my side. Bruised. Definitely bruised.

"Good to see you too," I muttered.

Fable hung his head as R’lissea continued to scold him, but his tail continued to churn. Elise offered me a hand, and with her help, I succeeded in standing. She whispered a healing spell, and the ache faded from my body, leaving only an ever-growing sense of exhaustion.

"Xiviyah?"

I turned at the voice, stiffening as I met Luke’s dark, piercing eyes. He stood exactly where he’d been before, his tail frozen mid-twitch. His gaze was intense and unwavering, causing my heart to flutter. I hid against Elise, tail curled shyly around my ankles.

His expression softened in a relieved smile. "You’re finally awake!"

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