Round 2: Shale vs Imorii

Shale hadn't had time to witness the match with her next competitor but she had heard that it had ended in a single strike and had been the fastest and bloodiest victory of any match. She didn't ask around but her elven ears were able to pick up some info on who she was fighting that she might better gear herself for a chance of victory. One thing she did hear is that the person never introduced themselves and just appeared without ever speaking a single word.

One rumor was that the opponent seemed to have some ice like ability. That she may in fact not be human. Shale couldn't afford to assume simply chopping this foe to bits would be enough, if it was an ice elemental golemn then it might simply reform. She'd need something that could hamper magic. Going through her mind Shale couldn't think of any magical weapons she had that could do this. It meant it was time to make some and shop around.

This would require some traveling so she told the judge to make half the stage forest and let the opponent pick the other half. She told them she might be a little late but would be arriving as soon as possible.

What she ended up buying were wizard orbs. They were glass spheres that were charged with a single element. They could be thrown like grenades and would expel their magic upon shattering. She also bought a special whip that had a receptor for the spheres that could take in two. Each strike of the whip would fully drain a marble and it would need to be reloaded. The bright side to it running out of ammo so fast was it was incredibly powerful when discharged. Here came the time consuming part of her preparation. Shale knew the enemy had swords so to prevent the whip from being cut she threaded some elven twine through the steel cable adding plenty of strength and mild magic resistance.

Shale loaded up the whip with two electric orbs. There was a plus to having empty orbs as they would refill with whatever magic the whip was attacked with. This might prove to be a very useful defensive tactic but for now Shale was in an offensive state of mind and was not prepared for the whip to be attacked. Rather she wanted to punish her opponent for having swords, which were generally highly conductive. If she caught her opponent off guard she'd finish the match with the crushing force in her hammers she thought.

Shale also brought an escort of pixies, luckily, even though she saw them as people and individuals she was not banned from using them last time. She was pretty sure the arrogant humans saw them as merely items at her disposal not loyal friends that they really were.

Shale decreased the size of her pressurized gas canisters to merely six inches long and two inches in diameter. Six were filled with hydrazine, two with neon, two with helium, two with hydrogen, four with dinitrogen tetroxide, one with chlorine, and one with sulfur hexafloride. None of the cans had any marking or apparent way to tell them apart, though some had spark triggers when crushed.

These wizard orbs she carried in a rucksack, the cans she also carried likewise but would discard to the floor when she entered the stage. She carried some new items with her now. Normally she never brought a bow with her. Today was different. These were genuine elven smithed arrows and a real elven bow. It was a rare treat or perhaps a fare warning of just how serious she was today if she was using these. The arrows were known to pass through as many as three armored individuals before stopping even sometimes through tree trunks.

Shale wore two sledge hammers at her hips armored pauldrons and a breastplate which covered a certain necklace. She wore her same armored boots and also carried to claymores and an axe which were all wrapped up in a cloak. While she didn't have them on her because the bow was in the way she still had the leather strapping to hook up two weapons on her back should she abandon the bow and quiver of twelve arrows. All her melee weapons and armor were composed of a super strong and heavy iridium based alloy insulated with mica and padded with leather.

The wizard orbs were 4 electric (two of which were pre-loaded, 4 fire, one ice (which was actually just a stabilizer that stopped vibrations), 2 dark, and 2 light. It was not possible to have earth, air or water magic as they were physical materials though she did have one healing orb as well.

She wasn't done yet, no this elf abusing her barbaric strength and elven multitasking over complicated her packing with some more gear. She brought a small belted pouch that had brought several bite sized pieces of magical mushrooms. The colors being 4 red, 2 pink, 1 orange, 1 yellow 2 green, 3 blue and 4 purple.

Once all her stuff was gathered she'd enter the stage being careful to bring her newest and strongest weapon. The Ring Glaive. It was unlikely she'd ever use it on this fast opponent but she'd be prepared for anything. And of course she also carried the two whips. The recently bought one looped up against her belt just below her left hand and the prized one from having slain a dark elf hidden inside her belt sleeve.

Immediately she dumped the extra gear to the side and sent out her pixies into the forested half of the stage to her left. They were three inches in stature and their dragonfly wings carrying off their glowing bodies into the shelter of the trees. There were two of each color mentioned with the mushrooms.

Shale drew forth her bow as roots from the trees took hold of her weapons. The stage to her right would be whatever Imorii had chosen it to be. The gaint door would seal her inside a last assurance that as of now only one would be walking out alive. It was okay, Shale liked life or death stakes. There was a line down the center of the stage straight to where Imorii presumably would enter from.

Shale said nothing and drew forth an arrow and aimed. Even over the entire half a mile the arrow Shale aimed at where Imorii's nose was not raised for arc even one inch. Elven arrows went straight and were too fast to be effected by arcing in distances less than two miles. If Imorii had the speed to dodge this arrow she would be impressed, for it would travel the whole distance and possibly half way into the eight inch thick steel door behind Imorii. This was of course assuming that is her opponent was not already in the stage in which case she'd fire the arrow based on using her ears or what she saw.

Shale was a little on the late side after all with the time she'd taken to prepare that whip. When and if Imorii saw her, her eyes would notice a light haze of white light wafting off Shale for about forty feet. This was her life energy that was given off just by her existing. Herself would appear as a blinding white core of life when she was looked at directly. Each heartbeat sent out another gentle wave of life that would possibly bring forth blades of grass or bring dead branches back to life. The amount she'd emit would be small and not influential in the match, though if Imorii's magic viewing eyes could be overloaded this might pose as an obstacle to Shale's frosty skinned foe.

Another thing is the whip at her side would be released an absorbed by a vine while she'd presumably choose to ready a second shot.

Shale could easily see how fast and decisive this person was. Perhaps it was her but she thought she could almost recognize the individual. The words: "You are the one I was waiting for," confused her some. If it was a trick though to take her mind of battling it wouldn't work.

Even from the cover of the trees Shale's ears read the situation like her eyes were peeled wide open her opponent without obstacle taking note of the insane level of reflex. She sent out the vine encasing the electric whip into interception course while tossing her bow behind her to hit the metal door. Whipping out her sledge hammer on her left hip she gave a mere flick of the wrist tossing it with brute force into the on coming coat. With enough force to send it the other direction and possibly shatter it depending on the brittleness of the crystals. Shale would take her second hammer and ducking down extend her hand up to let the tip of her hammer clash defensively with the attacking sword. This prevented the foe from simply tossing a sword at her head.

The electric vine would whip out a wide arc that would sweep the ground. It would not hit Imorii now but when she landed there would be no choice but to tank the hit for the timing was already decided by inertia and gravity unless Imorii could somehow change her path mid flight.

Meanwhile roots would absorb the other items. Shale would not know Imorii could see their path highlighted by the life force of the plants underground and continue to assume she had an element of surprise at her disposal. A few items would not sink however, the claymore and axe would be gripped by vines. It was likely she would need them soon, the delivery was already being prepped. Despite the number of things being simultaneously controlled Shale lost no concentration at all.

To say Imorii was fast was an understatement but to say Shale was unable to keep up was just as ridiculous. Shale had an incredibly fast mind, years of multitasking and fighting made it easy for her plan her next move when most would merely have time react. The acceleration of gravity was a relatively slow force to be bound by in the case of these fighters and with Imorii's sword pulling upon the hammer Shale's right arm refused to relinquish Shale had no choice but to be stabbed two inches deep into her armpit before her center of gravity had fallen into a proper angle for her legs to jettison her to her left.

This countered any plan Imorii had to dodge that direction keeping the coming whip on path. This also prevented the sword from doing more than giving a thin lick before Shale pulled out of its range. Now came the reinforcing vines handing off axe to her left hand and claymore to her right which was busy holding the hammer. Dropping the hammer and grabbing the sword the hammer had only time to fall two inches before vines sprung from Shale's cotton shirt twisting the hammer forward like a battering ram slightly Shale's right or Imorii's left should her opponent be facing her by now.

Which the limited traction one could get on the ground it wasn't possible for Imorii to dodge the direction the hammer slightly leaned in. Shale knew this and held her left handed axe in case Imorii still felt the need to be offensive in this moment. Shale almost had to hide a smug look knowing she could bat down any predictable sword thrust with ease. Imorii's only other plain alternative seemed to be to back up but that was precisely where the whip was waiting. As for if Imorii jumped up she would be bound in a predictable trajectory and it was not a mistake Shale would let go unpunished. Just in case something unpredictable were to happen two crumple detonating hydrogen gas canisters were being shoved close to the surface through underground vine pods.

Before such a deadly expansion could occur Shale would shatter that feeble connection and obliterate the defending crystals with her claymore. Whether or not breaking the connection would work or not they annoyed her.

A curved thrust was no use against a fighter of her caliber, she'd simply slap the attack out to the side making an opening and hindering Imorii's momentum to spin. Though the injury the little the expansion of crystals in her arm had done was enough to slow her right arm as it had severed a few muscle ligaments.

Shale jumped back and crumple-detonated the hydrogen cans sending a shower of dirt rock and possibly fire damage into the frosty foe. At the same time the whip would come in and strike Imorii's back. There was no use in trying to block it with a horizontal line of crystal, for Shale controlled the vine and lowered it below the line of crystal and raised it up to strike Imorii's shoulder. Upon contact the vine whip would explosively discharge visible electricity that would incinerate the vine and leave Imorii dressed in arching ribbons of light.

"Epsah medah."

This was the time Shale needed to bash her fractilied arm and shatter all the tiny crystals inside into the equivalent of powdered snow. Sure it hurt, but pain was something the berserker could shrug off without a second blink. The few tiny threads in her cells known as cytoskeletons could easily outnumber a normal human's cell by eight times. This made her muscles much more durable and possess a far greater contractile strength. Even ripped they'd be superior.

Waisting no time dropping her weapon a tiny vine from her shirt brought a piece of red mushroom from her baggy and forced it in her mouth. The hammer that had attacked Imorii was pulled back towards Shale. Somehow Shale doubted the electric attack would be enough to finish her foe if it struck, so she sent herself forward with a new tactic. Grabbing the hammer above her head the grotesque effect of the mushroom would finally take place sending out an unbelievable shower of blood that would begin the second the shower of dirt ended.

The magical expansion of blood was so fierce that without an injury from which excess blood could be purged the treatment was lethal. Out would come the powdered crystal bits for the most part and using her forward momentum Shale would lower the hammer and bring it up in an uppercut with force Imorii couldn't block with body weight alone. The axe was ready for the unexpected.

High above in the crowds someone in orange skin was smirking. Zathire grinned to see this Imorii. She seemed like an even match to Shale. Perhaps she was just the right stepping block with her decent speed she seemed like the equivalent of a low class dark elf. He somehow didn't see this Imorii winning the fight but he was fairly confident that it might push Shale farther than she had ever gone before. The mother also seemed to be watching for once. Normally such events brought no such attention from her, though whatever she was thinking, it was not something that she brought about in words.

In the time the blood cleared a yellow and two red pixies would be overhead ready to strike at Imorii's eyes there flames being roughly one foot in length and able to permanently blind a vulnerable eye. They were also of supernatural decent meaning their flames burnt ethereal forces as well. As of now they'd wait eight feet above the heads ready to dive bomb in a moment of confusion.

Despite the alloy metal Shale's weapons and armor were made up being highly conductive, the handles and insides of her plating were insulated with mica, so no heat or electricity would pass through to Shale instead the energy would remain in the violent end of her hammer.

Shale's left-hand axe would reach across and grab both ready to jab sabers in its arch and yank them to Shale's left making way for the hammer with an overhead swipe. Likely Imorii would be forced to dodge sideways since overhead are too powerful to block with her level of power and he extra weight of her weapons. As the stun was said to be three seconds, Shale would still have time for a harsh follow up and would aim to smite down upon Imorii's trapezius.

Also the the pixies would ambush now, knowing that if Imorii intended to kill them that Shale would end the fight here and now with her axe. There intended target being the ears and eyes. They were caughtious creatures but understood Shale's life to be worth more than their own, knowing what the elf had done to protect their species.

To say that all was Shale had done was not the case. More vines were coming from the soil and the second claymore and the hammer stuck in the crystal coat were on their way. Should this go on a bit more Imorii would be severely outnumbered fighting against weapons from all angles. While Imorii had possessed the speed advantage before it was soon to be lost.

A whip was also being re-coated in a vine.

Zathire and Mellen were now watching with feint smiles. Of course they saw it likely that their daughter would win. As weak as Shale was in comparison they were pleased with the speed at which she had progressed.

"Come on Snowflake is that all you got?" Shale would smirk mid attack, showing by how she held her words, how little doing all these things effected her concentration. This might possibly be distracting her foe.

"YOU!" Shale would gasp, only a moment before the singeing burn would hit her face and eyes.

In all her years of having her arms chopped off and re-healed by the psycho healer during her toddler training, all the years having her face beat in and crushed against trees in the morning to wake her for breakfast by her father, all her years killing contenders in the coliseum, Shale had never lost focus, until now.

How couldn't she? Not when she discovered the one she was intending to kill was her own child.

So project 16 was a success, she thought. It was worse than she feared yet she had no choice now. No, even if it was her own child Shale would do whatever she could to put a stop to this monstrosity.

"You; You shouldn't be alive! I destroyed the facility, you should be dead and buried along with the rest of the Xodous project." Shale could see now the skin was forming in an adolescent stage. Soon it would be complete like the father's. No, she recanted her thoughts, This was different entirely; it was some new hybrid monstrosity that was networked in with the flesh like some shell that bore itself into each cell, providing not only external defense but being flexible and internally cushioning to brute force taking on attributes from her own durable advantages and seemingly possessing the trait of being as controllable as her vines themselves.

The vine-driven weapons were still on course, the hammer and whip aproaching from Shale's left the other claymore and axe approaching from the left. Shale gave no such mercy that Imorii might be expecting, instead she slashed out despite her blurred vision, relying heavily upon her elven ears still prepared in case a surprise be in store. Using her own claymore the range being superior to Imorii's four foot saber by ten inches she'd lash forward following the back-step and slash at the arm that held the offending sword. If no attempt to defend was made other than a simple back-step then by pressing forward Shale would lob off an offending forearm with her brute strength and blacksmith mastery being enough to crush the Xodous skin.

Shale's action was not without flaw however, because that offending forearm she intended to cut was holding a blade lodged in her stomach. Luckily the crystals would not spread further once inside her, for despite Shale herself being a source of life which would provide the ideal environment for the crystals to grow, Shale was quite capable of absorbing light based magic and would convert them into her own plant based power of creation.

To Shale a mere stab to the stomach was no fatal injury, it wouldn't even hinder her performance even if it might prove fatal if left ignored too long. After all Shale was a berserker and as such pain held no leverage in this fight.

The retreat from Imorii seemed to be some reaction of her child underestimating her. So be it, the perfect time to take out a pink mushroom bit and heal the torn muscles in her armpit and restore full strength to her right arm. As she did this she burst forward ripping the second claymore from the frozen vines, the swords being the weapons she wished to engage this speedy foe with.

Obviously giving her opponent time to counter was not something Shale intended. Striking hard and fast, the time she'd taken to draw the mushroom bit was slightly shorter than the reclaiming of the frosty arm, so Shale took the first move using the range of her weapon and attacking horizontally with her right arm. If the sword connected it would hit Imorii's right shoulder and cut down to the left hip. Though this was with the tip of the blade where momentum was not as great so it might not slice that many inches through the Xodous armor before it was torqued. However Imorii could not counter with her shorter blades unless she simply wanted to nick Shale with a light and insufficient cut. Because of this Shale held her left claymore in a ready to thrust position that she might land a more critical blow when the no doubt arrogant child would come forward trying to best a battle hardened veteran.

Imorii's speed may have been great considering she had displayed in her fight with Natasha, a strike that took place in as little as a third of a blink. However Shale could land six full length swings per arm each second, so to say she stood no chance of keeping up was an exaggeration, and with that insane speed also came reaction and knowledge. It was time the rookie learn in why the elf was so much better prepared and took so much time in careful planning.

With a simple twist the saber edge running along the claymore would hit the wedge specifically designed to catch such a maneuver reinforced with an extra large hilt spanning nearly six inches to each side while as the saber had nothing but a puny hilt to protect the hand. By stepping forward and continuing the twist Shale would expertly lock the blade and with her barbaric strength twist Imorii's wrist and retake the inside. Landing a light hit that may or may not break through Imorii's skin. Then twirling the thrusting sword causing enough delay to send her armored boot into Imorii's stomach and create distance as no doubt such a lethal kick would likely not even injure her opponent though it might tear the dirt her sandals were rooted into off the rest of the ground and send Imorii into the air slightly.

Still the retreating slash was a sound maneuver and while the fast reactions of the elf spared her complete loss of the muscle the attack did indeed sever a small segment of muscle.

Still the elf would persist and push forward engaging and excepting the challenge striking from all open angles intending to land as many hits as possible with her rate of twelve attacks per second.

Just as Imorii said Shale would take the loosing side. Slowly but surely she could see herself loosing, out classed brought down to her knees she could feel her life coming to an end. Sadness, despair, darkness, they were all slowly closing around her. But she was not done yet. The elf would fight on till the very last second, strident and refusing to yield till the very last strand of life was taken from her.

The path ahead would be one paved in blood. Shale's right forearm had been severed in two locations her throat partly caked and paralyzed under the cruelness of the icy breath, she could no longer open her right eye for the glass that covered her face almost prevented breathing. Her chest and arms were locked in this diamond strong casing as it had thickened even she was struggling to move in this absolute binding.

Zathire looked down. There was something he could see that the elf could not. "Yes that's right... Take everything from her... Drive her into the depths of despair for there you will find the beast that even the gods should fear." Shale's mother's eyes would widen understanding what was about to happen and would begin ushering spectators to vacate the arena.

No, anything but that. Shale thought, it would be better to die than give into that. At all costs Shale would avoid using her last card. So be it she thought. If she had to die then she would take this fiend with her.

With strength the god would not know, Shale would give it her all. Her flexing muscles shattering the weaker parts of the diamond shell and delivering one crushing hug to her enemy that would shatter the ribs of a bear. This was not out of hate but love, one last fitting act of kindness before she sent her daughter departing into the afterlife.

"You are not my daughter," Shale would say risking peeling the skin from her arm to break free and thrust the sword directly into Imorii's eye. The other hand would shatter free as well holding steadfast to Imorii's hair regardless if it was shredded by crystals as a consequence. "You were a mistake, the world doesn't deserve you. It deserves better."

Shale let go.

Her life alone may have not been worth it, but when she saw the monster before her was clearly not even effected by a lethal stab through the face then their was no need to hold back for the safety of the crowd or her own self and identity.

It was time; To cross that line.

To Imorii it would appear at first as no more than mere heat; but it was something much darker that stemmed forth as Shale's veins began to fill with blood. The static could almost be felt in the air itself though no change was being made to the atmosphere. However the life that once stemmed from Shale would fade and an almost spiritual fire would engulf her.

Globs of blood would fall from the twisted blade, but from that pain would only be felt pleasure. The alert eyes would narrow into a reddened tunnel vision and as her body temperature already raised from 116 to 122 to no rise to 144. The binds that once seemed unbreakable would snap like twigs as Shale ripped free from her bindings her skin tearing off in trails of blood.

Shale's back and legs would have large crystal anchors rooted into her body ripped clear out. Gobs of blood would spill onto the floor, yet it was now too late for Imorii to win. She had awoken the beast within Shale that had been dormant and incomplete since she was six years old. Now given a body built and strong through which to wield itself, it would tear both Shale and Imorii apart.

If Imorii wanted to coat Shale in diamonds so be it. First would come fly her fist covered in the very armor Imorii had sought to imprison her with. Shale would let out a grotesque roar as crystals and blood broke free from her mouth. Whether or not Shale's hand broke as a consequence was of no matter but it was unlikely considering her bone-structure was built for for such an event.

The power of the punch would not be like the others but hit with equivalent force as did the hammer, the second hand would latch down confidently upon the crystal en-coated blade, squeezing till her fingers bleed and pulling it towards her so she could grab the forearm and jam her elbow into another region of Imorii's arm. This whole violent rotating action would throw Imorii over her shoulder and send her flying to land on her side; but not before a steel kick came in that would likely collide with any attack Imorii had to offer and crush past it.

This was only the temporary delay for Shale would use this time to assertively resurrect her plants from the crystal display letting the life in them shatter the crystal garden while she still possessed control over her plant magic, for it was fading fast, along with her conscious, along with her weakness.

The second, or perhaps before Imorii came too a thundering hammer would come cracking forth like never before, the power behind it would only be limited by the traction Shale could generate with her feet, however the impact was sent in a way that would slam Imorii into the trees and possibly obliterate her coat.

144 would rise another 22 degrees reaching 166, Shale's power was now reaching near immeasurable proportions, the scythe seemed to be approaching in slow motion. Sensing the fear and weakness almost as if she could smell it Shale leapt up face-first to bite onto the blade of the scythe, there was no dodging the thundering plow but Shale herself was resistant to lightning, just like the Norse deity that had taken part in her father's journey through life, Shale would one day herself awaken that avatar at a stronger level.

Obviously with the amount of control and willpower coursing through her body unable to feel pain she would not even be able to flinch as she completed half a calculated twisting front flip then upon reaching a purely upside down position would kick off an eight inch thick tree branch above so that she could bite down and shatter the broken bits of crystal with her immeasurably strong teeth and send forth a hammer that might literally bury Imorii in the ground.

If so that madness would grant enough temporary sanity to extend a hand forward and wait for vines to bring forth the Ring Glaive. If Imorii could dodge, it would be a miracle at this point, for the Shale she was fighting now wouldn't even be on a comparable level. Any movement would be smashed at again and as her strength constantly continued to rise another block would not only shatter the sword's coating, but the blade itself at the same time.

It was over, with the trees to brace against and jump between friction and gravity were no longer there to hamper Shale's speed.

If Imorii dodged to Shale's empty hand then Shale would simply jab it into Imorii's eyes mouth or hair and slam her head into a tree.

In that moment of vine summoning, Shale would ensnare her own body in place taking hold of the mighty sword and smash down upon Imorii with the Ring Glaive. The recoiling forces would snap some of the vines that held Shale in place and she would simply ignore some of the side reaching daggers that cut deeply into her body. The tattled mess of flesh that still held together her body would be ripping itself apart as Shale hefted above her head the 230 pound cleaver. Blood would streak down her eyes in tears as her body could no longer hold back the surging pressure in her veins. and she would let out a blood curtailing roar that seemed inhuman letting loose pieces of blood and glass debris from the inside of her throat to land on her beaten daughter. Though the spray of blood and glass down would come the merciless cleaver mashing into Imorii's face and chest, disfiguring the body. Cleaving and smashing in two over and over again until all that would remain is a glob of blood, fluid and flaming crystal.

As her daughter was turned into a mangled pulp burning flames of her dying daughter would reflect in her hateful eyes as exploding bits would fly out in the wake of the sword and sear burning scars across her face. The memory of her daughter would be branded into her very skin as the streaks of blood would splatter and drench across her face. Once there was nothing to recognize Shale would then turn her attention to the crowd perhaps the announcer. This was not about the tournament anymore. This was a beast unhinged from its restraints that knew only how to create death.

As long as she lived others would die.

Swallowed in the blinding depths of rage Shale was lost and consumed in her own sea of fire. Yet for some glimmering moment she thought she could almost recognize a smile coming from that object she was killing.

Yes, yes that was her daughter, and she, she was Shale. A flickering glimmer of sadness sparked. With all her concentration Shale focused on that sadness, tried to feel it to remember it, to push all the surrounding hate away, her mind was being torn from her.

Love, love might be what it took to escape this sea and return to consciousness. As her flaming soul and hellish will burned away at the last fleeting traces of her mind, Shale pulled, stubborn strident 'till the end. She would never give up. As long as there was still something left it was not too late to undo the berserking that had begun.

Her ears began working again hearing things for more purpose than that of the utter and complete perfection of killing. Her audible memory returned to her. "I'm no longer ashamed... ... of you." Her daughter had spoke these words to her, proud that she had not died to a weakling.

Shale snapped out of it. Before her was the mangled remains of what used to be recognizable as Imorii. Her whole body ached and the pain she was once impervious to returned in full. Shale took both a blood and healing mushroom and staggered away from the field of battle dragging her mighty cleaver caked in an icy glaze.

Among the many things that dropped from her body, drops of blood flakes of broken crystal and tattered clothing were tears. Shale was not one to cry from a heartless slaughter, or from immense pain, but this was different. The tears kept coming, dripping off the burnt and chard abrasions on her face, from the one fighter that had taken her closer to the brink of death than any other.

How couldn't they? She was still a mother after all and that mammalian weakness was still part of her. Even if she had not born the child completely herself, it was still her child, still born of the same flesh and blood that made her, and she had killed her.

The scars on her face would heal with time, as no elf ever kept them for more than a few years but the one in her soul would remain, the guilt of the slaughter she wished she'd never have to bring upon herself. The sin of science she should have never tempered with.

Still it was over, she'd kept her promise to the god that she would meet him in the finals, now it was only up to him to see if he'd keep up his half of the bargain.