Michi lay sprawled in the dust of the arena, blood dripping from his mouth, his left arm hanging uselessly from the brutal slam he had just endured. The bulky man loomed over him like a living mountain, his chest heaving with every breath. The crowd roared for blood, stamping their feet on the stone benches, the chants of "Kill! Kill! Kill!" echoing across the wide colosseum.
With sheer willpower, Michi forced himself up. His legs trembled, and pain burned through his broken arm, but his fingers curled around the sword thrown at his side. He gritted his teeth, tasting iron, and rushed at the massive man with all the strength left in him.
"AAAAH!" Michi screamed, swinging the blade. The sword clashed against the bulky man's gauntlet with a metallic ring, but the blow barely scratched him.
The giant smirked and with one swing of his arm, he sent Michi crashing to the sand again. Blood sprayed from Michi's lips as the crowd cheered louder.
Still, Michi rose again, wobbling, dragging the sword along the sand. He tried again, slashing furiously, but each strike was blocked, parried, or brushed aside. Then a colossal fist slammed into his stomach, lifting him off his feet. He slammed into the ground, choking, eyes rolling back for a moment.
The man stomped on Michi's chest, cracking ribs. Michi gasped, his broken arm jerking involuntarily. The crowd howled in delight as Michi was picked up by his hair and hurled across the arena like a ragdoll.
Minutes felt like hours as Michi tried—again and again—to stand, swinging his sword only to be overpowered, tossed, and beaten to the point where his body could barely move. The bulky man slammed him into the wall again, and Michi screamed as fresh pain seared through his bones.
Suddenly, a deep, commanding voice boomed from the top of the arena, silencing the crowd.
"This is not fun."
Gasps echoed among the audience.
"Soldiers," the voice continued, dripping with authority, "take this bulky man away. Bring out the prisoners."
The bulky man snarled in frustration but obeyed as soldiers rushed to escort him out. The colosseum gates creaked open, and the clanking of chains echoed as two new figures were dragged into the light—Yusuf and Bilal, both bloodied, bound, and broken from previous tortures. Their faces were gaunt, their steps barely steady, yet they were forced forward by cruel kicks from armored boots.
They were thrown to their knees before Michi, who, despite his injuries, instinctively tried to reach them. But soldiers swarmed him, grabbing his arms, his legs, and his neck, pinning him hard into the sand.
The deep voice thundered again, introducing itself.
"I, Khalab Omat, the ruler of Zephyrelle, stand before you!"
The crowd erupted in cheers, chanting Khalab's name as the shadowy figure at the top balcony spread his arms.
"This boy," Khalab roared, pointing toward Michi, "seeks to destroy our precious land! And before him—these two resistance scum dare oppose my rule. Yusuf and Bilal will meet their fate first!"
"DEATH! DEATH! DEATH!" the crowd screamed.
Michi's eyes widened. "NOOOO!" he cried, thrashing against the soldiers, his raw voice breaking. "Stop it! Please!"
The soldiers struck him across the face with the hilt of a sword, splitting his lip, silencing his pleas.
Two other soldiers marched toward Yusuf and Bilal. Without hesitation, they began torturing them.
A whip cracked against Yusuf's back, tearing flesh open as he screamed in agony. Another soldier heated a brand in a brazier, then pressed it against Bilal's chest. The smell of burning flesh filled the air as Bilal howled in unbearable pain.
Michi cried louder, shaking his head violently. "STOP! PLEASE, STOP!" His broken body twisted against the chains pinning him. Tears blurred his vision, falling hot into the blood-stained sand.
But the torment continued mercilessly. Soldiers struck Yusuf's ribs with clubs until bones snapped audibly. Bilal's fingers were crushed one by one under armored boots, each crunch echoing in Michi's ears like thunder.
The torture went on for what felt like eternity, the crowd cheering with every scream, every drop of blood spilled.
Finally, with gruesome flourish, one soldier lifted a massive axe. In a single brutal swing, Yusuf's head rolled onto the sand. Michi screamed so loud his voice cracked.
Moments later, Bilal met the same fate, his head severed and thrown aside as soldiers laughed, kicking the corpses like lifeless dolls.
The crowd roared in ecstasy, chanting Khalab's name as if it were divine.
Michi could not move. His chest heaved with sobs, his throat raw from screaming. His tears mixed with blood as the soldiers grabbed him by the hair and dragged him forward. They shoved his face into the blood and flesh of Yusuf and Bilal, smearing it across his mouth and nose, forcing him to choke on the stench.
"NOOOOO!" Michi wailed, the sound breaking into despair as the world around him faded. His body slackened. Darkness consumed him.
In his mind, he awoke to horror.
Before him stood another Michi—his own self, but broken and battered. This Michi's head barely clung to his neck, blood dripping from torn flesh. A gaping hole yawned in the center of his chest where his heart should be.
The broken Michi staggered closer and grabbed his counterpart by the shoulders. His voice was cold, echoing like a nightmare.
"Do something… or this will be your future, darling."
Michi shook his head violently, tears streaming. "I—I couldn't save them! I'm too weak!"
The broken version smirked, his one remaining eye gleaming. "Then devour despair. Open the Eighth Sin. Release your energy. Soon… I will meet you personally. But for now—" his grip tightened like iron—"I'm letting you use some of my power. Consider it… a demonstration."
Back in the arena, Khalab began to laugh, spreading his arms.
"Are you happy now, Jaxor, my Ahrimvar friend?"
A tall figure beside him chuckled darkly. "Hmm. Very soon, this land will be yours properly. And our queen… she will be pleased. Hail the Auran Covenant!"
"HAIL!" Khalab thundered in return.
But then—the soldiers near Michi froze. His body, lying motionless, began to tremble violently. Black energy seeped from his wounds, spilling across the sand like liquid shadows. His chains rattled as cracks of dark lightning coursed through his veins.
The crowd gasped. Soldiers stepped back in fear.
Michi's eyes shot open, glowing with an unnatural black radiance.
The arena had awakened something terrifying.