Vastarael faltered when he heard her voice but before he could recover, a chain landed on his chest, sending him to crash onto the arena walls. He felt his body regenerating from the chain attack but he didn't have time to think. He dodged another chain that tore off part of the arena walls.
'Phaenora.'
He began dodging tens of chains as he talked to her telepathically.
[This must still be the evaluation. It sends us back in time and gives us seven tests. I think this is for the Divine Beings alone. But why here?]
'So, what do you suggest we do?'
[Take Minafallen as your subordinate.]
'...'
[As a Divine Being, you can have subordinates. And to be fair, if Minafallen is a woman, that means that the entire history of the academy is a lie. Also, Thyrexxa would have intervened if this altered time. So we're supposed to be at this point in time.]
'But what does this have to do with taking Minafallen as my subordinate?'
[Think about it. If we're experiencing this, then other Divine children will too. We need to take as much resources as we can before we come back to the present. And... it would be stupid not to take her in.]
Vastarael used his glaive to shatter more chains but they were getting more by the second.
[She said she wanted help. As a gladiator, she wants to escape. However...]
"These are the levels."
He spoke out loud as he began running at top speed around the arena, dodging and slashing the chains.
[Huh?]
"The male voice said that we must pass all seven levels, remember? This must be the first one. We don't know what the second one is but seems that we'll have to gamble."
[You're taking her in?]
"Yes. And escape this place. Let's see what happens next."
Vastarael's body trembled slightly as he fully regenerated from the earlier blow. The chains were closing in again. This time, he wasn't interested in prolonging the fight He raised his hand, letting the sapphire Essence ignite across his entire body, enveloping him in a radiant, almost blinding glow.
Minafallen faltered. She lashed her chains faster but Vastarael didn't flinch.
He dashed forward, closing the distance between them in a few seconds. Minafallen barely had time to react before his fist collided with her makeshift defenses, shattering her chains and sending her flying backward. She skidded across the stone floor.
"Why are you holding back? If you want to survive, show me your true strength. Otherwise, this will end very badly for you."
Minafallen gritted her teeth as she summoned more chains. The metal links created a defensive barrier. She launched herself at him but Vastarael sidestepped the first strike, then caught the second chain with his bare hand. The glowing links sizzled against his skin but the sapphire energy surrounding him neutralized the attack almost instantly. Before she could react, he yanked the chain, pulling her toward him. His knee met her stomach with devastating force, knocking the air from her lungs and sending her sprawling.
Minafallen coughed violently but she pushed herself up.
"Is that all? I expected more from someone called Minafallen. You're a legend. Shouldn't you be doing more?"
Her eyes flared with fury. She lunged again.
Vastarael didn't even summon his glaive this time. Instead, he moved in close, dodging her slashes with ease. He caught her wrist and twisted it sharply. The sword clattered to the ground and before she could recover, his palm slammed into her chest, sending her flying once more. She hit the arena wall with a sickening crack, slumping to the ground. The crowd's cheers faltered into stunned silence.
Vastarael approached her slowly. Minafallen tried to rise. Her chains flickered weakly around her but she couldn't summon the strength to form a proper defense. Her chains lashed out one last time in a desperate attempt but Vastarael swatted them away effortlessly. He grabbed her by the arm and slammed her back into the ground, pinning her in place. The chains dissipated into nothing, leaving her defenseless. Blood pooled around her as she knelt on the ground.
Vastarael released her and stepped back.
The arena was a mixture of cheers and shocked murmurs. Vastarael ignored it and knelt down, lifting her chin gently with his hand. Her onyx eyes met his, filled with pain, exhaustion, and acceptance.
"You're mine now. You fight for me, Minafallen."
She hesitated. Then, with a weak nod, she submitted.
"Good."
Phaenora's voice reverberated in Vastarael's mind:
[Do you wish to make Minafallen your first subordinate?]
'Doing your job now, huh?'
[Just say yes or no.]
Vastarael didn't hesitate. "Yes."
The moment the word left his lips, a pulse of energy rippled through the arena, silencing the crowd instantly. Minafallen's body began to glow faintly. Her ragged breaths evened out and she gasped as her body was lifted off the ground. Her pale, malnourished skin regained its luster. Her tousled brown hair lengthened and grew silkier. By the time she was done, he was almost out of essence.
If it wasn't for his father's training, he would be coughing blood on the hot stone floor. He was used to having his Essence drained that his body got used to it. His Omniphage ability got to work, slowly absorbing the energy from the atmosphere as his body created more. He would be back to normal after six hours, give or take.
When she finally descended to the ground, he stepped closer.
"Minafallen. From now on, you shall be known as Chainless."
She hesitated, still dazed from the transformation before nodding slightly. Vastarael reached up as he removed his black, faceless mask, revealing his face for the first time. Minafallen's lips parted slightly as her onyx eyes widened in stunned disbelief. His face was perfect.
The audience gasped collectively. Even the announcer fell silent, as if struck speechless by the sight.
"You were bound to this place for too long. Tell me, Minafallen, what do you want most right now?"
Her lips trembled again as she stared at him.
"I… I want to be free."
"Then rise, Chainless. You're no longer a prisoner of this place. You're no longer a mere gladiator. You're mine now. And I promise you this. Under my guidance, you will know freedom."
Minafallen stared at his outstretched hand. Slowly, she reached out and took it. The moment their hands connected, a surge of energy coursed through her, binding her to him in a pact stronger than any chain. For the first time in her life, Minafallen felt truly unbound.
She bore a new title, Chainless.
[You have completed the first level. You have chosen to take her as your subordinate. This was not anticipated but well done.]
He saw the blue hologram in front of him and narrowed his eyes. He did not like the way the masculine voice spoke.
[Here are your details for the second test. Good luck.]
Vastarael's eyes scanned the glowing words. Then, to Chainless's confusion, he started chuckling softly. The sound grew into a smooth, dangerous laugh as he turned his head slightly.
"I see," he murmured. "So that's what you want, huh?"
The hologram flickered as he reached out and dismissed it with a flick of his fingers, his attention now focused entirely on Chainless.
"No matter. We won't play this little game the way they want us to. We're going to escape this arena. Right now."
He raised his hand. Complex runes began spiraling out from his fingertips, forming a blazing sapphire Mystic Circle above his hand. The crowd gasped as the circle expanded.
"Chainless. You will leave this place. Head to the Mountain of Sinners. It's far west of here. Do not stop until you reach it. Understand?"
Chainless hesitated, glancing at the thousands of spectators watching, the armed guards stationed at every exit and the shimmering barrier that enclosed the arena. Her gaze flicked back to Vastarael. Even though she could speak much, he could tell what she was thinking.
"I'll catch up. Don't worry about me."
With a flick of his wrist, Vastarael released a blast of plasma.
The barrier around the arena cracked. With a shattering sound that reverberated across the city, the barrier broke apart. Guards began pouring into the stands and rushing onto the arena floor. Vastarael turned to Chainless.
"Go."
Chainless gave him a brief nod. With a graceful leap, she soared into the air. Her chains shimmered faintly as she used them like grappling hooks.
"Stop him!"
A guard shouted, drawing the attention of the remaining soldiers to Vastarael.
"You should've thought of that earlier."
The soldiers swarmed toward him but Vastarael was already moving. His hands summoned another Mystic Circle, this time unleashing a shockwave that sent the guards flying.
"Plasma. The art of energy my father trained me. It's easier than I imagined. Or is it because I'm the son of the strongest mage? No matter."
With a graceful leap, he followed Chainless as more soldiers poured into the arena below. The last thing they saw before he vanished entirely was his defiant grin.