The World That Broke

XXII

The announcer's voice crackled through the arena, dripping with sadistic glee. "Also remember! Still no killing! The rules from Stage One remain in effect! Feel free to do whatever suits you, as long as you stay true to my rules!"

I glanced at Sarah and Selena, keeping my voice firm. "We hide and endure."

Neither of them argued.

Turning my focus to our circle, I reached out with my senses, feeling the subtle shifts of energy that marked the boundaries of our territory. There were three others inside, and the auras radiating from the area gave me enough information to piece together the barrier's mechanics. It wasn't just a physical space—it was an isolation field. Only five people could exist within it at any given time. If a sixth tried to enter, the barrier would reject them, forcing them out through sheer will of the rules. The territory belonged to the first five who claimed it, and if anyone was expelled, the boundary would reset, opening it up to new challengers.

"With the no-kill rule in effect, playing defensively is our best bet," I murmured, my eyes fixed on the hunters circling just outside our barrier.

We had carved out an isolated pocket within the chaos of the arena, blending into the melee with Selena's impeccable concealment skills. She'd shrouded us in a nearly imperceptible veil, her aura work precise and practiced. Sarah had added an additional layer with her barrier, though it wasn't as seamless—it might not hold up to close scrutiny. For now, though, we were lucky. The other hunters were too busy fighting over nearby circles to notice us.

Selena leaned in, her voice a whisper. "Do you think it's safe to stay passive like this the whole time?"

I shook my head slightly, watching the frenzied combat beyond our veil. "No. Someone's going to find us eventually. We're in a crowded space, and it's only a matter of time before someone gets curious or reckless." I met their eyes, lowering my voice further. "We need to eliminate nearby threats when the opportunity arises. Sitting back isn't an option."

As if on cue, Sarah raised her hand, her wrist flicking in a subtle motion.

I watched as an aura formed—a translucent bubble of pressurized air that floated toward a nearby contender, a mundane caught in the middle of the chaos. He didn't even notice it until it enveloped him like a silent trap.

The effect was swift and brutal. The air around him thinned, and his face turned pale as he gasped for breath. His knees buckled, his movements slowing as panic overtook him. Within seconds, his body went limp, collapsing unconscious from oxygen deprivation. Sarah didn't let it go far enough to kill him, but the satisfaction in her eyes was unmistakable.

She turned to me with a faint smirk. "Consider that a preview."

Selena shifted uneasily beside me, but I nodded, meeting Sarah's gaze with steady approval. "Effective," I said calmly. "We'll need every edge if we want to hold this territory."

It was time to send a message—not just to Sarah, but to the Troupe she represented. If they ever considered using me as a pawn or a tool, I wanted them to hesitate. Personal strength was a kind of currency no one dared undervalue.

I turned to Sarah, extending my hand. "May I?" I asked, tilting my head in a polite request.

Her brow furrowed, suspicion flickering in her sharp eyes.

Before she could answer, Selena broke the tension with a teasing laugh. "Reynard, seriously? You just met her, and you're already holding hands? Better hope your wife doesn't hear about this." She arched an eyebrow, feigning innocence as she added, "You know she won't take it well."

I shot Selena a sharp look. "This is just a prerequisite for my ability. Believe me, it's nothing romantic."

Selena suppressed a laughter at my pathetic attempt to defend myself.

Hiding the intricacies of one's abilities was common sense in this arena, but I wasn't one to shy away from revealing a sliver of mine—especially when the prerequisite was so blatantly obvious. Letting myself be hindered by this one minor weakness wasn't part of the plan.

Sarah eyed me with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. Her fingers twitched at her side, and I could tell she was weighing the risk of whatever I was about to do. After a moment of hesitation, she extended her hand toward mine. "Fine," she said, her tone sharp with caution. "But fair warning: this comes with consequences. I don't take kindly to having my aura meddled with."

"Noted."

Our fingers met, and I activated Soul Link, feeling the distinct pulse of her aura surge into me. Her essence was potent—wild, untamed, and alive with the force of the wind. It mirrored the defiant edge she carried, sharp and unyielding. I concentrated, syncing our energies, equalizing our auras, and drawing on her wind attribute.

The shift was immediate. Air currents seemed to gather beneath my skin, swirling with an eager readiness to be harnessed. I released her hand, allowing the borrowed portion of her aura to dissipate smoothly as our connection broke.

Sarah's eyes widened, her usual composure faltering. She stared at me, the faintest flicker of surprise betraying her controlled demeanor. "What… did you just do?" she asked, her voice low and cautious.

I gave her a slight smile, keeping my tone light. "Consider it a brief exchange. I can borrow abilities if I link to someone's aura. It's a knack of mine."

Borrowing abilities—that was the simplest way to explain it. In truth, I could do far more. The wind attribute I'd taken from Sarah didn't vanish after Soul Link faded. It lingered within me, like a second layer of potential, ready to be wielded. She probably assumed I'd returned it entirely, but I held onto its essence, careful not to lose focus and let it slip away.

Turning to Selena, I said, "I need a bit more of your aura."

She raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical but not questioning. Selena knew my limitations. My aura pool wasn't vast enough to handle prolonged fights without some creative resourcefulness. With a small sigh, she extended her hand, and I activated Soul Link again.

Her aura flowed into me, expanding my reserves. I also took her disguise attribute, letting the energy twist and reimagine itself in my mind. Selena's technique was delicate and precise, but I had my own ideas. I envisioned an airless bubble, something suffocating yet deceptive.

With a careful tweak, I adapted the disguise attribute to mask the source of the aura. Instead of appearing as my own, it would seem to radiate from someone else entirely. I cast the bubble with precision, targeting a hunter who'd wandered too close to our territory.

The air around him thinned, and he froze, gasping for breath. His face contorted in panic as he looked around, his gaze locking onto another hunter nearby. Fury flickered across his features, and within moments, he charged at the unsuspecting rival.

The effect was flawless. The two clashed in an instant, their misunderstanding fueling a brutal exchange. Despite the no-kill rule, their strikes were fierce, driven by rage and desperation.

Beside me, Sarah chuckled softly, clearly impressed. "Using someone else as the fall guy. Clever, Reynard."

I allowed myself a small smile, watching the chaos unfold. "Best to keep attention anywhere but here. They'll wear each other down soon enough."

The two hunters were oblivious to our presence, their fight escalating into a full-blown spectacle. Around us, others turned their attention to the skirmish, drawn by the commotion. Our veiled territory remained unnoticed, safely tucked away from prying eyes.

It was a sneaky strategy meant to harrass them and fight each other.

The fight outside our territory raged on, swift and brutal. Each clash drew more eyes as the chaos in the arena intensified. Hunters fought like cornered animals, their desperation fueling a frenzy that rippled through the crowded space.

Meanwhile, in our well-guarded circle, we remained undisturbed. Hidden by Selena's precise illusions, our little stronghold was invisible to the frantic hunters around us. Each second brought us closer to the five-minute mark, and with it, victory in this stage of the test.

I stayed focused, launching discreet, ranged attacks to pick off nearby hunters. My strikes were subtle—small bursts of manipulated air that sent fighters stumbling into one another or out of their own circles entirely.

Beside me, Sarah joined in with calculated precision, her spells a series of concentrated gusts that knocked unsuspecting contenders off balance. The two of us worked in tandem, creating a web of confusion among the ranks. No one had the clarity to realize where the attacks were coming from, each assuming it was the work of someone else.

Selena, on the other hand, looked as if she had no care in the world. She lounged back on a conjured sling chair, half-seated, half-reclined, like she was sunbathing on a beach rather than hiding in a life-or-death contest.

"Enjoying yourself?" I muttered, sending another gust toward a hunter and watching him stumble backward into the fray.

Selena didn't even open her eyes. "Just waiting for you two to finish up. This is a timed exercise, remember?"

Her tone was light, but I could sense the undercurrent of focus. The shimmering veil of her disguise remained perfectly intact, shielding us from view even as the chaos around us reached a fever pitch.

"One minute left, exactly," Sarah murmured, her voice cutting through the noise with a sharp edge.

As if summoned by her words, the announcer's voice blared across the arena, booming with a renewed intensity.

"Attention, contenders! One minute remains before the test concludes!"

A glowing countdown appeared above the arena, each number ticking down with an eerie, electric hum. The luminous display cast a harsh light over the battlefield, illuminating the desperation etched into every contender's face.

The announcement sent the hunters into a final frenzy. Teams scrambled to secure their places, and the nearest circle became a chaotic free-for-all. Fighters hurled one another out of bounds with reckless abandon, each trying to claim the space for themselves before time ran out.

I glanced at Selena. "Keep us hidden for this last stretch. They're bound to go for an easier target than us."

She smirked, giving me a lazy salute. "Not like they can see us. I've got it covered."

The numbers continued to fall, each glowing digit a countdown to chaos. Sarah's subtle attacks didn't let up, nor did my steady barrage. The hunters outside were too busy tearing each other apart to even consider looking for us.

"Ten seconds!" the announcer bellowed, his voice echoing through the arena.

I felt the tension rise around me as Sarah and Selena shifted their stances. The final seconds ticked away, but I wasn't worried. Inside our veiled territory, we were invisible, untouchable.

The last number on the countdown flared in the air, and then, with a resonant hum, the test was over.

~022