Lotus Needles

---Indigo---

I tried to follow Aaron and ask why he was suddenly so afraid, but the thick crowd swallowed Aaron in their midst. I only heard his anguished cry when Reginald fell on the stage, lifeless. I couldn't figure out how Reginald died. It was clear that Eric didn't stab him. There was blood trickling from the corner of his lips, but how did he die? Aaron must've seen something; otherwise he wouldn't have pushed through that crowd like that.

Then I heard Aaron insult Eric so bad even I was shocked at his use of vulgar language (Aaron never cursed before!). I feared for Aaron's safety, because Eric looked mad enough to murder Aaron. Then I heard the words that almost made my heart stop: "I, Aaron of the Roselands, hereby challenge you." I stood there, shocked into silence and frozen with fear.

"No!" the words exploded from my mouth. I shoved through the crowd, trying to reach Aaron in time. Too late. The crowd closed behind him as Aaron strode purposefully towards the stage. With a leap, he somersaulted into the air and landed on the stage with the grace of a gazelle. Just like the many amazing fighters before him, Aaron found taking the stairs a waste of time.

"What the hell does he think he's doing?!" Lucian cursed beside me.

"I don't know! All I know is that Reginald was his cousin and Aaron's really upset over his death!" I replied worriedly as I continued to push through the crowd. "Excuse me….that's my friend up there… pardon…" Lucian and I wove between the people, trying to get closer to the stage.

Up on the stage, Aaron stood facing an angry Eric. Eric's pale face was even paler in anger, and a vein pulsed on his forehead. "You stupid little brat," he spat. "I will destroy you, just like I destroyed Reginald."

"Is that so?" Surprisingly, Aaron wasn't furious anymore. He quirked an eyebrow coolly. "Why don't you actually play by the rules and we'll see who beats who?"

"Play by the rules?" Eric scoffed. "What are you implying, boy? That I cheat?" He looked around, as if expecting the audience to back him up. Everyone glared back. Shrugging, Eric turned back to Aaron.

"Yes. You cheat." Aaron said calmly. "You manipulate illusions and cast dark spells and purposely try to kill people." The crowd gasped. Never had someone accused Eric this outright before, but dark magic? Illusions? Pushing it a little too far, buddy.

"Dark spells? Me? Ha!" Eric jeered. He scrunched up his face and mocked Aaron in a high-pitched voice. "'You manipulate illusions and cast dark spells'. Yeah right. Who's gonna believe that?!"

Aaron crossed his arms. A sly smile flitted over his face even as the spectators murmured and doubted his word. Who even uses magic anymore? "Maybe that was a bit of an overstatement. Let me rephrase that," Aaron said evenly. "I may not have proof for the other fighters, but I do know what you did to kill Reginald."

Eric's smirk grew wider. "Do tell what this 'proof' of yours is," he said in a bored tone. Eric's thugs snickered.

"You killed him with the hand that you concealed with your body," Aaron began to explain slowly. Lucian and I stared up at Aaron, who was so cool and collected. "You concealed five thin silver needles in your hand, each tipped with a strong poison. While you distracted us with one arm, flailing around and pretending to lose, you herded the unsuspecting Reginald against the wall. With a sleight-of-the-hand illusion and practiced skill, you shot the needles onto his chest. The result was instant death."

"Oh?" Eric raised an eyebrow questioningly. "And how do you know that?"

Aaron took a deep breath. "Because my mum, Athelia Edwards Kane, was murdered that way."

A hush fell over the crowd. Many of the fighters gazed up at Aaron, their eyes wide. Then the murmuring began:

"Athelia Kane? The Athelia Kane?"

"He's Athelia's son?"

"My, no wonder I thought he resembled someone I once knew."

My mouth fell open. I looked at Aaron in a different light, even though he still stood the same way on stage, calm and patient. This time, I didn't miss the fire in his eyes or the pain and anger that leaked through his composed demeanor.

I remember vaguely asking Aaron about his family a long time ago back at the Academy. He told me that his mum died when he was young and that his father raised him and his older brother alone. He seemed really sad when he talked about it so I dropped the subject. I've always assumed his mum died from a disease or in an accident. But apparently, the well-known Athelia Edwards Kane had died from murder.

Eric seemed a little dazed at this fact too. A weird look crossed his face but he quickly composed himself again. "So? You still have no proof that I used the Lotus Needles on Reginald."

I blinked, suddenly realizing what he said. Several fast-thinkers in the crowd began shouting, having realized as well.

Aaron smiled triumphantly. "I never mentioned the name of the trick you used, Eric. How did you know I was talking about the Lotus Needles?"

"I—I read about it," Eric spluttered, face red. He, too, had realized his mistake. "It matched the description you provided, so I assumed—"

Too late. "Tsk tsk, Eric. No use denying it."

"You still can't prove anything!" Eric was shouting now, his fists balled at his sides.

"Oh yes I can. If you unbutton Reginald's shirt you will see five black spots on his chest in the shape of a star. Any doctor or medic would be able to extract thin silver needles from his skin. Want to test my theory?" Aaron smiled humorlessly at Eric, who was getting more and more flustered. "If I'm right, you're a cheater. If I'm wrong, you get to humiliate me in front of the whole world right here."

The crowd began chanting for Reginald to be checked. A local doctor and two assistants walked up the stage where Reginald's dead body still remained and proceeded to peel open his shirt.

"No!" Eric made a lunge for the doctor, who yelled out in alarm and cowered away. Aaron yanked out his sword and blocked Eric's movement.

"What, scared that your true intentions will be unmasked?"

"No, but—" Eric started to protest and think of an excuse.

"No? Then you have no reason to be afraid, right? After all, it's my reputation that's at stake here, isn't it?" Aaron's cool voice only seemed to anger Eric, but he stepped back to let the doctor conduct his inspection, scowling all the while.

The doctor and his assistants gasped in unison. I craned my head to look, standing on my tiptoes. What happened? What did they see? I saw the doctor's back to the crowd, doing something. His assistants were wide-eyed in disbelief.

After a short while, the two assistants carried Reginald's body to the front of the stage for all to see. I gasped with the crowd. Indeed, as Aaron said, there were five black spots on Reginald's bare chest in the shape of a star. In the hand of the doctor, catching the light of the torches, were five super thin silver needles. All were tipped with black.

"Eric is a cheater!"

"Eric murdered Reginald!"

"Kill him! Kill him!"

"Avenge the fallen fighters!"

Everyone was shouting even louder than before. Several people were trying to rush up the stage. Here was the proof that Eric was playing dirty. He needed to pay for his sins. Eric's goons were engaging in combat with the fighters who tried to go up and murder Eric. The local law enforcement tried to stop the rioting but had little success. Tempers were running high. The tension that simmered for four years finally broke.