Alabaster walked around Heais’ penthouse casually, pouring himself some high end liquor before loading the bottle into his coat. As he walked he eventually found Hastreijaa. “Ah, there you are. Did you know Heais sold your brother to the Falos?”
She spoke coldly, “Yes. And when I next have the opportunity I will make sure he suffers for that.”
Alabaster looked her up and down before swiftly and effortlessly removing the pendant around her neck. “Interesting device on the back of the pendant. I used a similar one on my copy of it. Great minds.” He took a sip off his drink as she coldly stared him down. “I suggest you make your way to where your brother is being held. I have information that suggests that he and the other prisoners might be breaking free soon and he needs someone to keep his ego in check.”
Reijaa gave him a look he knew too well. Scathing suspicion. “Why would you-“
He laughed quietly, “Now isn’t the time, Reijaa. I have smuggled the truth to you at great risk. Answers will have to come later.”
She sighed in weary resignation and in only a moment she vanished out the front door to the penthouse at full speed. Alabaster lingered for a time, waiting for his host. As he bounced the stone in his palm, he considered his next steps carefully. Sure enough, Heais eventually entered the room. He looked at Alabaster in confusion before realizing what had happened. Heais fumed, charging Albaster and slamming him into a wall before smashing him through a table. The woman with a silver smile stepped out and said, “Hold on, Heais. You still need him for our deal to be completed. Break our contract and there will be a penalty.”
He growled before whistling for the guards that had been assigned to his guest. “Take mister Basterd to the arena. We are going to help him put on a compelling last performance for him.” As they dragged him up the hall, Heais gave every guard in the hallway a powerful glare. He would be beating them to a pulp later. “I can’t believe all of them failed me.”
Alabaster laughed, “It isn’t their fault. I’m very tricky.” Heais turned and punched him. “Oh, that was a good one. Solid contact. Good follow through. Too bad it doesn’t matter.”
Heais grumbled and growled, “Your death cannot ever be painful enough.” As he dragged Alabaster to the arena, forcing him into the seat next to him. His guards buried a gun into his back to try and drive home that he wasn’t going to be getting out of this. Despite that, Alabaster took a confident and secure sitting pose as though nothing had happened. Heais stepped forward, “Good morning all. I hope you had a good rest. Let’s finish this bloodsport today. The next round will be a no rules two on one because let’s face it, these are the all stars you guys are interested in seeing today. Zora and Sai versus…” he discussed with his crew before coming back, “Leithan.”
As Heais sat back down, Alabaster laughed, “You didn’t even get your contenders? That’s bad showmanship.”
His voice became as cold as ice, chilling the blood. “You put on a mask of confidence and lie to yourself and everyone around you. Even in the face of death. So parade that confidence as the age old funeral mask it is.”
“Oh, that’s the problem, Heais. I have only been telling you and the rest of them the truth. Even now, you seem to be under the impression that I have no cards left to play.” The scarlet sparks left the arena forming a network of flames covering all sound but allowing the fight to continue. Neat trick. “Reality is, you and I have never had a real conversation.”
Heais laughed derisively. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to connect heart to heart with some nobody I just met. Now shut up and enjoy the match.”
Alabaster tipped his hat and smiled, “You have no idea. Because your mind is so mired in desperation and despair that you cannot grasp the truth. With a mind this distorted, you will never reach the truth.”
Moments later, two pistol shots went off in the rafters, each striking the people holding Alabaster at gunpoint. Alabaster tossed the pendant to the silver armored figure with the pistol. As the scarlet flames disappeared, Zora and Sai jumped from the arena and began running for the door. Pine dropped down and joined them in their retreat.
Heais laughed, pushing a button on his ring. His laughter stopped when his jacket exploded. “A little sleight of hand when you threw me through the table. Next time, use a custom locking mechanism instead of factory standard. It prevents things like this.”
‘Leithan’ jumped from the arena to check on Heais. Alabaster laughed uproariously. Heais coughed from the ground, “You think you are clever, but you aren’t getting out of here alive! I’ll have you executed like the rest of the scum.”
Alabaster bowed respectfully as the security tried to surround him. “I’m lying. I’m afraid. I’m dead. I’m trapped. Do you know what all of these have in common? These are the lies you tell yourself to hide your fear. You believed yourself my predator. Reality is, there is nothing I have to fear from you.”
Heais snapped to alertness and stole the scrap blade, driving it into the chest of Alabaster. The magician laughed, Heais joining him in laughing. “I still win! I was using all of you to get a lost treasure! An old battle ritual to awaken a power that has known to fear!”
As the air became a vibrant blue, Alabaster responded, “Well, whatever you were trying to do is done.” He heard Alabaster’s voice behind him, “Because you can’t win.”
‘Leithan’ muttered, “Projections and saturation. Interesting…” As four more Alabasters materialized around Heais.
As his first foe fell and he turned to see the other four, he growled. “How!?” Realizing something was wrong, he reached into his pocket and removed the blue stone from before. It was shining bright. Crushing it in his hand, the light faded and so did the projections. “Find the bastard and those other idiots!” He looked at the arena and began to wonder something.
