Ninety-four,

  Aegis counted the silver coins in his pouch and exhaled.

  Not enough,

  Six more…and no one would drag him back by the collar tonight.

  A young cambion with four horns walked down a stone road. Gray-black buildings passed as his lean figure moved forward.

  CLANK.

  Coins clanked as Aegis tossed the pouch into the air. It was small — too small to matter to anyone but him. The pouch landed neatly in his palm as he whistled.

  He just hoped not to lose the wager today.

  The ground trembled.

  A roar rolled through the street like distant thunder.

  Dragon’s Fall — the only place where his pouch could get heavier.

  He quickened his pace; the duel would begin soon.

  SPLAT

  He could feel something soft under his tattered leather boots. He lifted his boot to see what it was—

  "Great! A Klucking hound decided to grace me with its filth." He threw his arms up in irritation, wiping his boot against the stone and made his way to the arena.

  …

  Soon, before him, metal stairs rose, stretching upward toward the arena gate where a colossal skull guarded the entrance, its jaw forever screaming. Its hollow eyes pierced the crowd.

  He always wondered what the skull had looked like alive.

  Many fiends moved past him, climbing the stairs. Aegis joined them.

  Step after step carried him higher, to the entrance. The metallic smell hit him.

  Blood, sweat, Ale.

  Dragon’s fall welcomed him.

  Inside the arena hall, the blood wager pit stood on his right. Claws slammed counters as a few fiends argued.

  Aegis didn’t delay; his feet carried him toward it. The board on top of the counters read, “Norkhon challenges Zigor.”

  He made his decision and turned toward an empty counter. “Ninety-four silver on Zigor.”

  A familiar slender fiend nodded and entered his name.

  Am I forgetting something? Suddenly, the whole arena vibrated, interrupting his thoughts.

  He shrugged it off and walked toward the spectators’ attic. Cambions and poor fiends surrounded him as he looked for a spot.

  This spot looks good.

  He approached a spot beside an obsidian pillar.

  Aegis grimaced as the stench of sweat invaded his nostrils. An old fiend beside him had waved his arms, shouting at the fighters.

  An involuntary gag followed. The fiend’s eyes turned toward him. With haste, he covered his mouth and ignored the smell.

  Soon, the champions’ names resounded, and the spectators beside him roared.

  The sound of steel rang across the arena as they began the duel. Growls rose behind him. Claws scraped railings. Blood sprayed into the air as the steel met flesh.

  A wide smile spread across Aegis’s face, exposing two fangs.

  “Yes, kill him!” he muttered as he felt his pouch getting heavier with each blow. He could feel it getting closer as the fiend he wagered on rained slashes. Six more silver!

  The fiends beside him surged forward as the two-horned head struck the sand. His pouch suddenly felt lighter than it should have.

  What the kluck? His palm covered his face as he mumbled. “No, no, not today!”

  His voice vanished into the cheers, howling for more blood beside him.

  “NORKHON!”

  “NORKHON!”

  “NORKHON!”

  Norkhon brandished his battle axe, covered in blood.

  “YGREAHHHH!”

  The railing rattled against his belly as screams echoed. A few claps resounded from a golden dais built on top of the upper level.

  Aegis’s gaze lingered on them. He always wondered what it felt like to sit above everyone.

  “There he is!” The words hit him instantly, the wager collectors. Without looking back, Aegis shoved through the crowd like prey escaping.

  But he rammed into someone as the crowd surged forward. His hand shot forward and caught something heavy, but before he could leave, the stranger shoved him into the wall beside him.

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  He let out a sharp grunt and looked up.

  A kick smashed into his face, pain burst across his cheek. “You bastard!” The fiend snarled, “If you touch me again, I’ll behead you.”

  The fiend kicked him again, this time in his ribs and spat on him. Aegis held his ribs and watched him leave.

  One day…

  But for now, he took out a pouch full of coins and shook it. The coins inside clanked.

  Fool.

  He swallowed iron and kept moving. As he made his way toward the Blood Wager Pit, he kept eavesdropping. It had earned him quite a few coins before.

  “A necromancer!”

  The brazier beside him flickered. Necromancer? Aegis froze mid-step.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Don’t you know? A corrupted Eldari arrived in the Inanitas a few months ago.”

  “He made quite a name in other Dominions.” The voice paused for a moment before continuing, “I will be the one to disembowel him!” A snarl followed.

  “Hold your claws, some say they saw wraiths around him while he was fighting.” Another fiend joined in.

  An Eldari necromancer, huh? That sounded expensive.

  He reached the Blood Wager Pit. Growls rippled across the hall as fiends argued over payouts. Aegis crouched and made his way to the counter. Inside the counter stood a slender fiend with a single horn on his forehead. He looked at Aegis as he reached into his pouch and placed some coins on the counter.

  “I see you brought the coins. I was afraid I’d have to dissect you and display your body parts as a warning.”

  The slender fiend took the coins and shooed him away. It took a while for Aegis to crawl out of the crowd. He grimaced as the smell of sweat hit his nose again, this time harder.

  At last, he crawled out. He was about to leave when a voice spoke loudly, “The champion of Mistress Vakharath.”Aegis stopped. Anticipation sharpened his gaze.

  “A MILLENNIUM OLD CHAMPION, BUTCHER OF ELDARI,” Aegis ran back into the arena and climbed the railing.

  “THE KHRANE IS HERE!”

  The arena was filled with snarls.

  Aegis’s voice roared along with the crowd.

  “KHRANE”

  “KHRANE”

  “KHRANE”

  His red eyes brightened as a crimson-skinned fiend stepped forward to speak.

  The burning red suns in the sky made his gold belt shine bright, and the crimson coat over his black tunic fluttered in the wind. His matted, swept-back hair fell below his shoulders, threaded with a few gold studs.

  Khrane waved his hand, a faint smile on his face exposed sharp, jagged fangs. Khrane looked in his direction. Aegis forgot to blink.

  Had his idol noticed him, or was he going crazy? Below the dais, in the sand, twenty fighters stood. Khrane looked down.

  “Champions of the Dominions!”

  “I was told you were strong. I was told you were feared. I was told you were undefeated.”

  He let the silence stretch… a low grumble escaped as he exhaled.

  “So were the last hundred. Do not bore me.”

  His mouth parted without permission. My way to freedom…soon.

  “I think you forgot it was not just your coin.” A low growl followed.

  He knew that voice—

  As Aegis turned his head, a young fiend girl with dark-red skin stood to his right, her orange pupils seething with rage. Before Aegis could form a word, a fist landed with familiar affection. He bent and held his stomach.

  “We decided to bet on Norkhon! Why did you bet against him?” Her gaze softened despite her punch.

  “You keep doing this,” Another voice joined.

  This time it was a young fiend boy with pale orange skin and short brown hair. His brown eyes were fixed on Aegis. Silence surrounded them for a moment.

  Zerra’s mouth tightened. Kaelran didn’t meet his eyes.

  Great. They knew.

  “Sorry?” Aegis offered the weakest apology imaginable.

  “You will turn us into beggars, you dumbgrog,” Zerra smacked his arm with annoyance.

  “Also, your master was looking for you, and he is not happy,” Kaelran added.

  Aegis looked down. A moment later, he waved his hand dismissively “Ignore him.”

  Zerra leaned closer, and her braided hair moved along with her. “Did you hear this? There is an Eldari necromancer among the twenty champions.”

  “I thought necromancers died early?”

  Kaelran tilted his head.

  “Eh. Doesn’t matter, Eldari die easily anyway.” Aegis shrugged off.

  “Look,” Kaelran nudged Aegis’s shoulder and pointed.

  The elegantly dressed fiend atop the dais was about to speak.

  “CITIZENS OF INANITAS!”

  Aegis, Zerra and Kaelran turned their heads toward the host.

  “I KNOW YOUR BLOOD IS BOILING, YOUR EYES ARE BURNING. SOON YOUR THIRST WILL BE QUENCHED! THE WAIT FOR THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY IS OVER! THE TWENTY CHAMPIONS ALL ACROSS INANITAS STAND IN FRONT OF US,”

  Aegis leaned in with his hand resting over Zerra’s shoulder.

  “THE BUTCHERS, THE MARAUDERS, THE SLAYERS ACROSS THE INANITAS ARE HERE TO FIGHT THE LEGENDARY KHRANE!”

  “It is happening!” Kaelran spoke.

  “LET US WELCOME THE CHAMPIONS ONE BY ONE.”

  The crowd leaned forward in anticipation, and a low grumble echoed across the arena.

  Name after name blurred together. He stopped listening.

  His elbows pressed harder into the railing. As Aegis raised his eyes, the host leaned toward the fiend beside him and whispered something.

  "A CHAMPION BEYOND ABADDON, "

  The crowd was ready to roar once again.

  "... A CORRUPTED ELDARI. "

  "HIS NAME IS ANANKE! "

  A thunderous roar erupted but soon fell silent. Footsteps echoed around the arena. A Hooded Eldari stepped into the arena.

  His blackened plate armour clanked as he made his way into the arena. Coins hung suspended between wagers. Cheers withered into murmurs. Braziers around the battle pit dimmed. The warmth against his skin faded.

  Zerra rubbed her palms together. Kaelran turned to his friends, “Isn’t it cold?” But Aegis's bright red eyes were fixed on the new champion.

  Ananke removed his hood, revealing his face. His gaze swept the arena, emerald-green eyes scanning every face before halting on Aegis.

  The railing felt colder under his grip. “…Mistake.” The cold breath of air brushed him again.