Within the crater where he still lay, and barely conscious, Zeno looked around and found the Arcane King's mages surrounding him. Sigils of all colors decorated the air, and where he lay, a yellow bonding ring hovered around him, preventing his movements. He could do nor say anything at this time.
When Alphonzo made his way over to him, Ryo attempted to grab his shoulder but was immediately stopped. He looked down, and he was also bonded. His eyes whipped to Alphonzo and then Henza behind him.
"Stand down, Ryoku. You have done your part. Now please… do not be a hindrance, lest you want to be considered Zeno's accomplice."
Partially releasing the bond, Henza flicked a finger, allowing Ryo to speak. "Alleged… You still have no proof it was him just because he arrived in Viper's place."
Alphonzo took his time to speak purposefully. Ryo knew the tactic better than anyone. "I understand that you, Rex, Snow, Zeno, and even Greed are very close," Alphonzo said as if disregarding Ryo's plea. "It is concluded, but even in the incident of the abandoned church, Rex had vouched for Greed and the Black Wolves. If it were not for the required attendance of Henza at the Kingdom's Guild Meeting, Henza would have technically been in the right. That is not the case, of course." He glared at Henza for but a moment, then back at Ryo. "But I digress. It seems you all have a soft spot for each other. Meaning all reason, even though it is valid, is thrown out the window."
Ryo said nothing. He was just, and he was fair, but when it came to his close friends, he silently admitted that he was biased. Alphonzo had won with reason yet again, regardless of how warped the reasoning was.
Sensing his cooperation, Alphonzo ordered Henza to release Ryo with a mere nod. When he did, Ryo retracted his advance and just stood there.
"Thank you for your understanding. Now if you would please make your way back to the Warriors' Keep, that would be much appreciated, 'Heart of the Valley'," Alphonzo said lastly to him as he proceeded to head over to Zeno.
When he and Henza arrived, he merely observed him with cold eyes, then said, "Take him."
In an instant, all the mages, including Alphonzo and Henza, teleported somewhere away. Only Ryo and the settling dust of the morphing arena were left to the audiences eyes.
The audience murmured to themselves at the occurrence; left to question what happened.
When Star saw, she stood up, put her foot behind Havoc's seat, and pointed her finger at the arena, shouting, "HEY! I KNOW THAT GUY! HE'S THE FUCKER THAT MESSED WITH US AT THE DEN!!"
Brand gasped stupidly after she said this. He had barely realized it himself as Star referred to Henza, who was there for but a moment.
Their banter was quickly shut down as the announcer's voice entered everyone's ears, "We're sorry for the confusion, folks! It appears Zeno was heavily injured from that battle, so we had to escort him out and away from the Tournament. If you'll help me give one more deserving round of applause to our winner, Ryoku of the Crimson Dragons, we will begin the next match soon after!"
Distracted applause sounded as Ryo stood there with no trace of having ever smiled just minutes before.
Greed:
I clicked my tongue at what the announcer said. "You're not fooling anyone with that B.S." I said to myself.
But Zeno… was it really you?
I supposed I understood Alphonzo's logic. With Viper vanishing upon entry to the ring and then Zeno appearing in her place, and the capabilities of his magic—which I had no idea that he could do… I hated even thinking this, but with Cecillia out of the picture, he was truly the primary suspect at this time.
Though I couldn't quite put my finger on it, the entire thing just seemed… wrong.
If it really was Zeno responsible for the vanishings, why reveal himself like that? And for what reason did he have to do it? The dots weren't connecting. And perhaps it was because I, too, was biased when it came to my friends…
From the corner, I saw Golden Boy Lance pacing like he had been the entire match between Ryo and Zeno. It was like he was on edge about something, and I could only guess it was because Viper had been taken, but for some reason… that didn't seem to be the case.
At this moment, the ones who were left in the Keep were: myself, Jo, Nash, Lance, Rex, Snow, Rok, Goro, and Ryo when he comes back here.
From twenty-four contestants to now nine, it was alarming how easily all these high-profile mages were even taken without any of us knowing. And who knows how many people from above in the colosseum were taken as well.
It was then; Daz's mages had entered, guarding every entrance of the place—two to each entrance/exit.
With Alphonzo and Henza away from here, we were all still suspects involved with the vanishings.
"Bit excessive, don't you think?" I said.
"It makes sense why they're doing it, though," Nyx replied.
"Yeah, but…" I paused for moment before going on, "I think Zeno's innocent."
"They don't seem to think so," Nyx said lastly.
I took out my comm and messaged Code, asking him if everyone from the crew and Belle were still there. He replied right away with a simple, Yes… with a follow up, and how are you messaging right now?
I left him on read.
Before the Tournament, we all had our comms confiscated, but I managed to sneak mine in. I couldn't use it while Alphonzo was here, and earlier before Rex and I went looking for that shadow, there wasn't much reason to check up until now; I'd just make myself look more like a suspect in his eyes. But since he wasn't here anymore, it was the perfect time.
I was then sent a message separate from his. It was from Star, with a group photo she had taken just now, attached with a simple message saying, I've been a good girl.Please get me choco bars later! Thx Teddy. ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
I sighed and then looked at her photo more intently, zooming in to where Belle was sitting in the corner with that pretty smile of hers.
I messaged her next, And how is my princess doing?
Fine :)… and you?
Aside from being held captive like a prisoner, I'd say I'm doing just fine as well…
I saw a bubble appear as she typed, but I didn't give her a chance to respond before I added, Be careful. Okay babe. Not a question.
I put my comm away before I started looking too suspicious. One of Daz's mages, however, had been looking at me for a while since I took it out.
He held a stern look my way as I pretended I wasn't doing anything. Then without a second thought, he left his post and started walking toward me, but before he could confront me, a scrimmage erupted on the other side of the Keep.
"Move, now!" Lance shouted at the mage guarding the exit.
"I can't, sir, I was ordered to stand here and keep watch by the Arcane King," the mage replied.
"He doesn't trust us, but he trusts you?" Lance jabbed. "Move aside, or I will move you myself."
The mage who was making his way to me shifted his attention over to them and so did each of the other mages as they quickly gathered and surrounded Lance.
"You all think you can take me?" he said to them as he proceeded to walk in between the two mages guarding the exit, but the same mage he had been talking to stepped in front of him. And that might have been his biggest mistake…
Without warning, the mage flew across the room and smashed into a wall, knocking out immediately upon impact.
From where Lance had stood, he held his arm and fist to the side after merely back-fisting him. When he looked over his shoulder at the other mages who surrounded him, the glower from his hazel eyes alone was enough to make them withdraw.
"That's what I thought," he said in response to the silence they all gave him.
They did nothing as he continued on his way through the exit, notifying only Daz of the potential issue that was now making its way up to the arena.
Ryo had at last come back from the opposite end of the Keep just as that squabble ended, unbeknownst to him of what had just happened.
"What did I miss?" he asked obliviously.
***
Back in the ring, the announcer was presenting the next match, "And now we will be bringing our next two contenders to the ring! For round 4 of the second stage, your two fighters are—Goro of the Snow Lilies vs. Gr—"
The announcer halted his announcement when this individual entered the arena. His golden-clad boots echoed throughout the place as he marched to the center of the ring with that permanent scowl he had on his face.
"L-Lance of the Golden Roses! Uh… perhaps you misheard the call—"
"Silence!" Lance shouted.
Belle sat up immediately when she saw him enter. What are you doing, Lance? she thought to herself.
"I'm tired," he said, and the place went silent. "I'm tired of the way this Tournament is going. If I wait any longer, any one of us could be next… and I don't want to take the chance."
The audience was confused at what he was saying. They began murmuring to themselves as the announcer hesitantly tried to interject, "Excuse me, Vice Captain Lance, there seems to be a huge misunderstanding with the situation—"
"There is not." He impeded again. His voice sounded as if he was speaking through a microphone with a stern and commanding tone etched into each syllable.
Daz simply watched as the announcer looked over to him for direction.
"I say we make things more interesting." He paused as the whole colosseum hung on to each word. "Greed of the Black Wolves. I challenge you to battle in the ring."
My eyes homed to the screen as all eyes homed in on me. Even the screen above switched over to view me from within the Keep.
So I got up from the couch, faced the projection above me, and found Lance's face as if he was looking right at me.
"Looks like I'll be keeping my promise to Rex's subordinate after all… Fine. I accept."
***
**an unknown place**
A girl had woken up in a dark hallway. It seemed like the halls beneath the colosseum, but there was something different about this place…
When she opened her one eye to the darkness, she looked around, whipping her head in a state of confusion and obliviousness.
She spoke to no one in particular, "Huh? Where the hell am I?" Ophelia asked.