The next thing Hanna knows, she's surrounded by six security guards shielding her from the projectiles and ushering her out of the arena as quickly as possible, stationing themselves outside the preparation area once she's safely out of sight. But it's when she sees her husband's thunderous expression that she begins to understand just how far she's stepped over the line.

"Unbelievable," Rob growls. "Do you have any idea what you've just done‽"

"I uh… I guess I got a bit carried away," Hanna quietly admits, her ears drooped.

"'A bit carried away'," Rob repeats, doing all he can to keep his voice level. "Count yourself lucky Carol and Milla rushed to the infirmary before you got here."

"I guess they're not happy with me," Hanna guesses.

"That's an understatement," Rob confirms.

"I didn't mean to hurt her," Hanna explains. "I just wanted to win, that's all."

"You nearly killed her!" Rob snaps. "All because of your pathetic fucking grudge!"

"How bad is she?"

"Oh, now you're concerned."

"Please, just tell me."

Rob takes a deep breath to calm himself a little. "She's alive."

"Thank the Ancients," Hanna sighs in relief.

"That's it, is it?"

"What else is there?"

"The fact you almost turned on the crowd."

"I‑"

"I saw you reach for your headband."

Hanna remains silent, unable to think of anything to say.

"I've already called HQ," Rob informs. "Leaders Song, Metharom, and Kyokan are on their way to take you into solitary until both the Fire Crystal and the Shade Virus device can be removed. In addition, you will undergo a full psychological assessment before being permitted to leave HQ and resume your normal activities."

"Are you really going to let them lock me away?" Hanna asks.

"It was my idea," Rob explains. "I'm doing this because I love you."

"Funny way of showing it," Hanna snorts derisively.

"Then it's true: you've forgotten who you are again," a fragile soprano voice interjects.

Hanna turns to see Maria and Tai, the former with tears in her eyes, the latter holding her hand in comfort. "Maria, I‑" Hanna begins.

"I don't want to hear it," Maria interrupts. "Leader Julian may be using you for an icky experiment, and I'm very angry with him right now, but I'm even more angry with you. There was no need to hurt Lilac the way you did. You didn't need to use that much power just to win a tournament match. But you did anyway. Yet again, you let your ego get the better of you, and look what happened. You should count yourself lucky you have people who want to help you. If you didn't…"

"If you didn't, you would be the next Corazon," Rob finishes.

"…am I really getting that bad?" Hanna asks. "No, don't answer; I am," she admits a moment later. "I just… I just want this shit outta me."

"It will be if you let us help you," Rob assures.

Hanna takes a deep breath. "OK."


In the infirmary, Milla is sat beside Lilac's bed holding the unconscious dragoness's hand, and Carol is talking to the chief medic. "How is she, doc?"

"Surprisingly intact, given what happened," the doctor assures. "A few cracked ribs, but they'll mend within a couple of weeks. Once she's awake, we'll run further tests before deciding whether to transfer her to a hospital for observation; we don't want to send her home with undiagnosed concussion."

"Any ideas when she'll wake up?"

"…Carol?" Lilac murmurs.

"I'll let you talk in peace," the doctor offers.

Carol dashes to Lilac's side and grabs her free hand as the doctor leaves the room. "I'm here, and so is Milla," she assures.

"…where am I?" Lilac asks, her eyes fluttering open.

"You're in the infirmary," Milla answers.

"The doctor says you have a few cracked ribs and might have concussion, but that's all," Carol adds.

"How did that happen?" Lilac asks, confused. "Last thing I remember is a fireball‑ Ah… Guess she finally beat me then."

"If it makes you feel any better, the crowd hated that she won," Milla informs.

"It didn't get violent, did it?" Lilac asks, concerned.

"They pelted her with paper cups, only some of which were empty," Carol answers. "Security got her out of there before it escalated."

"Good," Lilac sighs in relief. "Where is she now?"

"With Rob, Maria, and Tai, waiting for Leaders Song, Metharom, and Kyokan to take her away," Carol informs.

"Guess they're not taking any more chances," Lilac concludes, sitting up and wincing as her cracked ribs flex painfully. "Spending the next few weeks laid up's gonna get boring fast."

"I can always 'find' an elixir," Carol offers cheekily.

"Thanks, but I'll be fine," Lilac smiles. "Where's Maria Notte? I'm guessing she's looking for an interview."

"She's waiting outside," Milla answers. "She explained it wasn't her choice; Mayor Zao ordered her to wait for you to wake up to get an interview."

"Thought so," Lilac replies. "May as well get it over with, if only to assure the public I'm fine."

"Are you sure you're up to it?" Carol asks, concerned.

"The sooner the public sees I'm alive and well, the less chance there'll be any issues," Lilac explains.

"Fair enough," Carol accepts. "Just be quick, OK?"

"OK," Lilac agrees.


A few minutes later, Lilac returns to her hospital bed, feeling a little woozy. "I guess I wasn't quite up to it after all," she admits, her dizziness forcing her to prop herself up on the bed. "At least the crowd is reassured."

Carol and Milla help the concussed dragoness into bed. "You should have waited for the doc to give you the all‑clear," the wildcat replies.

"I'll be fine," Lilac assures, breathing as deeply as she can to maximise oxygen intake. "I just need to rest for a bit."

"The doc did say you might have concussion," Carol informs. "Do you feel any nausea?"

"Thankfully no," Lilac answers. "Just a headache and dizziness."

"Then you're staying here until the doc says you can leave," Carol instructs kindly.

"If you say so, Nurse Tea," Lilac quips.


While Lilac rests in the infirmary, Leader Julian Cummings approaches the competitors' entrance to the Battlesphere, where two armed guards block the door. Just two? Hardly a challenge.

The guards spot Julian immediately. "This area is off‑limits," the senior guard warns, he and his associate blocking the door completely.

"I know," Julian replies. "I simply wish to ensure my adopted daughter is safe."

"I understand your concern, but we cannot let you in," the guard informs. "I assure you everything is being done to ensure the safety of everyone in the Battlesphere."

"How can you be sure?" Julian asks.

"Because we are," the guard answers, making it abundantly clear his patience is running out. "Now leave."

Without warning, Julian snatches the rifle from the senior guard and shoots them both in the head, killing them instantly. Too easy.

Discarding the rifle, Julian enters the Battlesphere.


In the preparation room, Maria's ears twitch as they pick up a hint of two sharp sounds in quick succession.

"Something wrong?" Tai asks, sensing Maria's unease.

"I thought I heard… I'm not sure what I heard," Maria replies, trying to hear the sound again.

"Should we go investigate?" Tai asks.

"We're here to guard Hanna though," Maria reminds.

"She's not going anywhere," Rob assures.

"Couldn't even if I wanted to," Hanna adds, referring to the heavy‑duty chains firmly securing her to her chair. "I still think these chains aren't needed."

"I'm not taking any more chances," Rob reminds.

"Ropes would me more comfortable," Hanna argues.

"Ropes you can burn through?" Rob replies.

"Good point," Hanna accepts.

"We won't be long," Maria assures as she and Tai leave to investigate the noise Maria heard.


Maria isn't the only one who heard the noise; in the infirmary, Carol did too.

"Is something wrong, Carol?" Milla asks.

"I'm not sure," Carol answers. "Stay here while I go check, and make sure Lilac stays in bed."

"I wasn't gonna follow," Lilac fibs.

Carol simply replies with an unamused look.

"…OK, I'll stay here," Lilac acquiesces.

"Be back as soon as I can." Carol jogs out of the infirmary in time to meet Maria and Tai running down the corridor. "You heard it too?" she asks, falling into step with them.

"Yup," Maria confirms.

"Let's hope it was just a car backfiring," Carol replies as the trio continue towards the competitors' entrance.


A few minutes later, the trio of felines arrive at the competitors' entrance and find the murdered guards. Exchanging worried looks, they are all thinking the same thing: this is Leader Julian's work.

Hoping they can stop him in time, all three immediately head back into the Battlesphere.


As the three felines find the guards, the door to the prep room opens. "I knew you'd interfere," Leader Julian greets, addressing Rob.

Rob draws his sai and places himself between Julian and Hanna. "You left me no choice," he growls as he advances.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Julian advises, revealing the small remote control with a single button in his right hand. "And yes, it's what you think it is."

Rob stops immediately. "You really are a monster."

"All I'm doing is realising the full potential inherent in all Avalicians, a potential denied to us a millennium ago," Julian replies.

"And using me as a fucking lab animal," Hanna growls.

"I needed test subjects strong enough to handle the transformation," Julian explains.

"Test subjects‽" Rob exclaims. "You wanted to put that shit into someone else?"

"Of course," Julian confirms. "How else can I learn how the Shade Virus interacts with a draconic genome?"

"Wait, hold on," Rob replies, a little confused. "Lilac left the Scarves before anyone knew about the Shade Virus, or the Elemental Crystals for that matter."

"Brevon didn't develop the Shade Virus," Julian explains. "He stole it, just like he did the Fire and Wood Crystals."

"Who did he steal the Virus from then?" Rob demands.

"Same people he stole most of his tech from," Julian answers. "But that's enough history: now it's time for science."

Rob dives for the remote, but he's not quick enough: Julian presses the button and vanishes half a second later, leaving Rob to crash to the floor. "Dammit! He must have used a teleporter!"

"He did more than that," Hanna replies, her voice shaking.

Rob leaps to his feet, turns to his wife, and sees her eyes have changed from vivid azure to blood red. "Shit."

"I don't think I can hold it," Hanna continues, flames licking up her body. "It's overpowering the Headband… I can feel it mutating me… Fuck, it hurts! You better run before I change."

"But‑"

"Just run already!"

"I'll get help." Rob dashes out of the room to find Carol and Milla.

Hanna closes her eyes and focusses all her willpower. I won't let you corrupt me.

I already have.


Carol, Maria, and Tai arrive outside the prep room as Rob dashes out.

"He got to her, didn't he?" Carol guesses.

"He triggered the device," Rob confirms. "Where's Milla?"

"With Lilac in the infirmary," Carol answers. "If we're quick, we might be able to‑"

An intense scream of agony resounds from the prep room.

"…or not."


In the infirmary, Lilac and Milla hear the scream.

"What on Avalice was that‽" Lilac exclaims, sitting up too fast and making herself dizzy, leaving her with no choice but to lay back down.

Milla draws her piandao and energises it. "Stay here."

"But I‑"

"Stay. Here."

"…OK," Lilac accepts. "Just be safe."

"I'll be fine."

Milla dashes out of the infirmary and quickly finds Carol, Maria, Tai, and Rob. "That was Hanna, wasn't it?"

"Leader Julian triggered the Shade Virus device," Rob confirms.

"Evacuate the Battlesphere," Milla instructs.

"We can't just leave Hanna all alone!" Maria protests. "We gotta help her!"

"We also need to make sure no‑one gets hurt," Carol reminds.

"Maria, Tai, help Carol with evac," Rob orders. "I'll help Milla stop Hanna."

Maria wants to argue further, but she trusts Rob's judgement. "OK," she agrees.

"We'll get Lilac on the way," Carol decides, leading Maria and Tai towards the infirmary, arriving just as Lilac is exiting.

"Look, I know I'm not battle‑fit, but I can't just sit around and do nothing," Lilac explains.

"Then help us evacuate," Carol replies.

Lilac clearly wants to do more, but she knows she has no option but to help with the evacuation. "Will do."

As they head towards the arena, they meet Maria Notte going the other way. "Ah, just who I was looking for," the chiropteran greets. "What on Avalice was that noise?"

"The reason we need to evacuate the Battlesphere immediately," Carol answers.

"Are you sure?" Maria Notte asks. "It didn't sound that‑"

A second, far more terrifying scream echoes down the tunnel to the arena.

"…we need to evacuate the Battlesphere," Maria Notte agrees.


Outside the prep room, the second scream turns Rob's and Milla's blood to ice.

"Last time I heard a sound like that, it was in the lava tunnels under Yamakasai," Rob recalls.

"Shade Beasts?" Milla guesses.

"A scorpion and a succubus," Rob confirms.

"What's a succubus?" Milla asks, a little confused.

"You're a little too young to know," Rob answers. "What do you think Hanna will turn into?"

Before Milla can answer, the wall separating the prep room from the lobby explodes outwards. Milla instinctively protects herself from the impact with a hastily‑raised Phantom Shield, but Rob cannot avoid being hit full force by one of the larger chunks, breaking his arm on impact as he's knocked to the floor with a yelp of pain.

"Rob! Are you OK?" Milla asks.

"I'm alive at least," Rob winces, pulling his scarf up over his mouth and nose to try and block out the dust. "Arm's broken though."

"Then get outta here."

"I'm not leaving you alone to face‑"

A piercing dæmonic scream interrupts the conversation, blowing the dust away to reveal the monstrosity Hanna has mutated into: Shade Kitsune, a three‑tailed fox measuring fifteen feet from nose to tail and surrounded by corrupted jade and orange fire, her jet‑black eyes burning with intense anger and malicious hunger as Phantom energy oozes from her bared fangs.

"By the Ancients…" Rob breathes, struggling to comprehend what he's seeing.

Milla however maintains her composure. "Run!"

Milla's barked order snaps Rob back to attention. "May the Ancients protect you."

As Rob scrambles to his feet and sprints towards the arena, Milla summons a Phantom Cube in her free hand and hurls it at Shade Kitsune.

The distraction works: the mutated vixen doesn't notice Rob escaping.

But it does mean her attention is now fully on Milla.

"…this might not end well," Milla admits to herself.