CHPT 495: Memories and Pressures.

He always got into something. Something dangerous, something mysterious, something..... unexplainable. And other times, all three. Most times, all three.

An earsplitting howl of pain followed by a three month long disappearance, only to return even more odd. And The Slayers Tournament was no exception.

Bane of the Beast.... none of the other Banes had such a direct title. It was always naming a skill, ability or status. But Beast?

And then the Yokai tried to kill itself. All while staring straight at Cl--

"Hey-- dude what's up with you?" Warren flicked Isaac's head with his long fingers. They were abnormally thick for his stature. The skin was tough too. Not like Ursula who must've run her fists through a thousand skulls. They were tough from abrasion and recoil. From the blow and cut of bow strings. Sometimes Isaac forgot how strong Warren was.

"Nothing, man. Weren't you the one about to piss yourself like..... five minutes ago? " Isaac replied.

"Man I'm about to piss myself right now. Are the rest of these Monsters about to wig out like that?" Warren whispered a reply.

"No. The Yokai went nuts after Claude got an unwarranted Bane. Now that he's out of the Stadium it should be back to normal.... hopefully." Ursula sounded about as sure as a drunk game of darts between Tanks.

"Well, we'll see if it's fixed soon, anyway." Ursula added.

"What?"

Ursula tapped her ear, "The next group is coming."

"How the hell do you hear tha--" Warren's words trailed off as heavy winds rocketed towards the Stadium entrance. It sounded like a tornado. Spinning winds, sands and debris scratching and banging against the outer walls. It was almost loud enough to drown out the Monsters screams.

The massive hallway leading to the stadium was suddenly occupied as two-- no three, beings entered. One wore heels, she was already incredibly tall, and the shoulder armor made her even more imposing when combined with the deep green cloak it was built into. It gave her a ghostly form. If she wasn't wearing heels it would've looked like she was floating down the hallway on air. The woman that walked beside her was the polar opposite. Young, rough, violent. She had pale white skin covered in scars. Blonde hair peaked out from behind her knights helm topped by a PitWolf pelt. Fittingly the rest of her armor was a fusion of dark metals and animal skins. Mostly Wolf. She walked with a heavy footed hunch. Like a Goblin in the midst rummaging through a village.

In her wake, she used her massive scythe to drag a brown skinned man naked and bound by branches and vines. They steamed as if they were on fire. Isaac couldn't tell if that was from the Runes etched into the bark and greenery or not. The being yelled and bellowed like an alligator. The sound was inhuman.... as was he based on the green frothy spit spewing from his mouth.

The Announcer motioned the crowd to them as they entered.

"AH! Our next Heroes to return with their pick! From New Gloria, I give you Red Vine and Skinner!"

The crowd boo'd and cheered in an uneven balance as Skinner swung the being center stage. As soon as he was airborn and disconnected from her scythe, she jumped after him, landing with her foot on his face for everyone to see. The ground cracked where they landed.

The taller dark skinned woman with greying long black hair flew after her partner in a burst of flames from her hands, landing like a ghost beside the others.

"I haven't seen them in years...." Ursula commented with a shiver.

"Bad memory?" Isaac assumed. Nobles and people in power tended to be eccentric to say the least.

"Yes. I walked in on my father attempting to..... court her." Ursula whispered over Maris to him as the crowd continued to roar like a beast tempted by blood. The commotion was different. Something changed.

"Awe damn." Warren said from Isaac's side.

Ursula nodded, "Unfortunately, he was too drunk to remember that she's disliked men ever since her family was taken and tortured by Goblins..... in a very particular way."

Maris looked away from Ursula and to the enigmatic violent young woman covered in armor and animal skin as she crouched over the oddly human appearing Monster. Searching for something.... similarity. Maybe she could also control blood.

"Anyway, the advance ended with a slap in the face. And you know who tried to burn her alive..... she would've died if Red Vine wasn't running Night Shift as Maid nearby."

Isaac felt his stomach lurch, "I read that she awakened her second Element protecting Skinner.... that was from your..... The Red Knight? God damn....."

Ursula nodded, "He burned the entire house down. Dumb fuck should be in prison."

"Red Vine was a maid...?" Warren seemed stuck on the more trivial bits.

The crowd was anything but stuck, seemingly beginning to wait for explanation. Isaac noticed another thing in the rare silence. Ursula wasn't looking center stage. She was looking at the stands.... somewhere. In those same stands, Rupont and his noble class of compatriots had a poorly hidden look of alarm on their faces if only for a moment.

The Announcer brought the mic to his lips-- only for Skinner to take it.

"To those of you that think this is a man, you're already dead." Her voice was high pitched but raspy. It fit her wiry movements. She stepped harder, the humanoid being opened his mouth showing serpentine fangs.

Someone screamed Vampire. The crowd began to panic.

"No! Stop the hysterics. This is a SkinWalker. Another participant in the dark underworlds games. They don't get out much..... and they like their curses much like your announcer.... hehe... they'll make you hate curses though.... just wait on it."

Isaac's palms sweat.

The Announcer moved to take back the mic, only to find himself suddenly looking up into Red Vines old eyes.

"Now. This brand of beast is low leveled compared to those like him. He's weak-- alone, excommunicated. The cold-blooded ones are more drawn to the surface. But he poses an all-new challenge you better hope the next generation can face head on... like me. Or they die.... like everyone else."

Skinner suddenly spun to face the New Glorian students. Isaac could see the whitish blue glow of her eyes through the slits of her knights helm. The PitWolf pelt on her head seemingly snarled in congruence with her vocal tone. Even the chains and spikes on her armor jingled, giving her voice and cadence a rugged sharp edge.

"Clean up your kills. Or he will for you."

Skinner handed the mic to Red Vine. Red Vine faced Skinner and smiled before taking the mic. She almost didn't look like an ethereal horror before turning back to the announcer and giving him the mic.

The two held hands as Skinner dragged the SkinWalker into the combat area. Isaac could hear his screams turn into reptilian hisses as they disappeared.

Isaac's sweaty palms were a memory in those moments. Now they glowed like he just scooped up handfuls of lava. The heat rose as he rubbed them together like a man in the arctic.

"You cold?" Warren asked.

Isaac shook his head, "Just warming up."

A Sky Ship flew in. Fronted by a metal Lions head and a man in Leonine Armor the color of all things solar. He looked strong. The people cheered in unison. He was strong-- he was immortal in his position. Nobody cared for the true man beneath, they cared for the title and the function. The style and cadence of royal power. The Lion.

And whatever he threw off his Sky Ship strapped to an anchor was large enough to blot out the sun from where he stood.