Lyriss looked at the scene in front of her eyes in stupor, though her face remained in a professional smile. At first the fight just happened like most had envisioned. The darkness faded, having been replaced by the iron sand of the Colosseum of Blood, the chosen stage for the starting round.

From the myriad of monster that could possibly appear after the iron gates opened nothing made their way through them. Instead one of the worst foes burst through the ground, the Hunger Worms. Shouts of joy rang out, greeting the end of another species.

Everybody believed that the goblins were finished, even the brother of the previous chosen was barely able to deflect the worms, not to mention keeping his companions safe. He gathered them around himself, trying his best to keep them at bay, but the monsters ability to burrow through the ground left him unable to form a proper defense as they could just shot out in midst of them.

The other beast didn’t fare any better than them, with most of them soon turning into minced meat, the cranes barely able to fly above them, though unable to seriously harm them without getting struck down in their attack.

All until one worm neared a body, burning in a white golden fire. Some wondered why a burning corpse was teleported into the arena, but the interest of the worm showed that it was still alive. Not to long though, they thought, as it didn’t move till the worm stood above it, ready to tear it apart.

But what happened next shook them deeply. While there were those that could easily stop them, these beings were at least of a much higher level than these goblins. Yet this thing easily killed them all while it disregarded them. It shouldn’t have been possible! It shouldn’t even have been there!

Shouts of unfairness rang out, speaking of manipulation and a biased system. Who the hell would manipulate the tournament for some green skins? She wanted to mock them but what would that do? As such she did what she could, continuing her job and trying to defuse the situation.

“What do we have here? An unknown supporter for the goblins!” She shouted out in excitement. “Does it have what it takes to help the goblins survive their plight?” Though her words may have sound calm her mind was in a turmoil. Damn Safrone, I didn’t hear anything about this! Unbeknownst to her, Safrone was equally surprised to her.

“It’s too hot the worms can’t even get near! It looks like we’ll see a resurgence of the goblins.” She tried her best to turn the atmosphere positive, but the shouts of those who prayed for their deaths jeered at her. Though another group let out cries of joy, encouraging this unknown helper. “Just where did it come from, based on its looks it seems to be an elemental. Did the goblins’ dungeon spawn inside a volcano?”

Another worm, another burning mass of flesh and another urge to bawl out everything in my stomach. If these worms aren’t going to kill me then this headache will. I staggered, my body still not moving like I want to. Why would it though? In a short moment of rest in between the worms I looked down, seeing the grievous state my body was in, worst of all the holes stabbing into my lung, only blocked by dry blood.

But any further checkups had to wait as the worms once again came onto me, this time from both sides. I lifted my right arm, the white fire forming an enormous claw which stopped the worm in its way. Clenching my hand into a fist the claw clenched into the worm, stake like fingers pushing into it, making their blood shot out like a bubbling geyser.

But as I wanted to lift my other arm my body refused the movement, sparks of electricity coursing through it, hindering it from following my brain. Just what did I do to get in this state? I couldn’t remember. Even if the pain from the headache stopped, I had no time to try to think about it as another maw closed in, the insectoid arms already stabbing at me.

With no other choice left I at least tried to dodge, but my tingling legs even disrupted that idea, making me fall sideways. While the sudden shift in position still made most of the claws pass my body the same couldn’t be said for my stagnant legs as one was pierced through.

Before the worm could swallow me, I twisted my body, compressing my fire before I blasted it into its mouth. Inside it exploded outwards, spreading its head far and wide across the battlefield. While its end was just like any other worm that attacked me, this one impaired my already bad mobility.

But instead of another wave of enemies an inexplicable calm followed, in which the worms just stared at me. It didn’t last long though, as shortly afterwards the ground beneath me began to shake. I didn’t need to guess what it was, already having seen one of the green-skins being swallowed up from beneath.

The shaking made it even harder for me to keep standing. Despite that the following worm springing up from beneath me didn’t came, instant the whole ground shifted at once, the worm crashing into a stiff platform, formed from molten sand sticking together. A muffled cry of outrage followed, probably the worm burned its mouth while trying to pierce through it.

This didn’t hinder the other worms from rushing at me, the sudden shift beneath me making me fall over, unable to stand up once more through my wounded leg. I could only do so much, lying across the floor as more and more worms rushed towards me. After the tenth or so died they once again moved to attack me in a pincer.

While the first one wasn’t much of a problem, dying before it even came near me, the second attacked from behind, making me unable to turn over before its teeth ripped at me. Thinking that I would become worm food I wouldn’t just take it quietly. I raised my temperature, waiting for the moment I was torn apart while burning another worm from inside. But what came was a deep, gloomy voice.

“You’re going through all that, even killing my brother in the process, only to die as a worm’s snack?”

“Do you really think I want to?” I twisted my body, pushing my functioning arm against the ground to flip over, a humongous green-skin filling my vision. One arm was stabbed into a worm, blood-colored claws piercing out at the other side. The other was slung around a worm, flexing to keep the worm from moving until the giant’s muscles crushed it. “You try fighting while your only functioning limp is you arm.”

“At least my brother seems to have gotten a few good hits through.” He smirked.

“Maybe.” Not that I would now right now…

“I’ve got an offer for you.” Dropping the two worms he stepped towards me, slashing at another worm.

“Even if I’m a murderer?” I made a ferocious grin, lifting my hand towards him as I formed another fiery claw.

“To honor the wish of my brother,” he didn’t even flinch as the claw passed beside him, burning another worm into ashes, “and save our people,” stabbing sideways another worm fell against his claws, “I’m even prepared to make a deal with the devil.”

I started to laugh maniacally. “So, I’m the devil in your story?”

“What other being would bring demise to an entire race, only for them to come to it begging for their lives?”

“Doesn’t sound like begging to me.” I scoffed at him.

“A true warrior never begs.” His smirk turned into a full-blown grin, showing of his pointy teeth as he reached out with his hand. “So?”

Grabbing onto his hand I spoke. “Let’s show them hell then.”