p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="dd9bb5efce7161c2e832e3d2df2cc984"An uproar from the crowd echoed throughout the stadium as she took a heavy swing at the Orsimer towering above her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3cd3cdc8261788bff5e74d01da431a95""Strike me again!", he cried out./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ce4e8af3e73adaa276f3444b88b7b3c7"She hesitated. Killing him like this felt wrong. He wasn't fighting back at all. Ever since he learned the truth about his heritage, he had lost the fight he had in him. The fight that kept him going all these years. Even when he was training, it seemed he didn't have any desire to advance. Just a reigning grand champion, waiting for someone more skilled to come along and end his suffering once and for all./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="dd179fae86b5aa62a8880519448cdd8c""Please!", he cried again, "Just kill me already! Can't you see it's what I want?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="ae9356ddfc9eda0136f6b3280c7b2a96"Dragonheart jolted backwards. It was getting weird. Another bead of sweat rolled down her forehead, the sun's rays blanketing over the entire arena. She could barely bring herself to kill him in this fashion, but she knew damn well that if she didn't kill him, he'd surely end up doing it himself. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d81fb67f254464147401a819d6c1605a""Come on, em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Grey Prince!"/em, she rallied./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="02cc9346ae2527902161aaf8292e99bb"She had made an attempt to rile him up, but failed as Agronak ceased to fight back./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7bf984b62954186f7317cd65517932cb""The very blood that runs through my veins is that of a blood-sucking monster! I'm no 'Gray Prince', I'm the spawn of evil! Kill me and get this over with!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="7249db873bd0b254ac1d7461ae78a19d" She winced as took a swing at his neck, and screams filled the stadium, but not the type of screams she's used to. The crowd cheers differently when you kill the Grand Champion. Aside from the usual cheers of winning bets, there were shrieks of anger. Of money lost and faith shaken. She'd never felt so hated and loved at the same time./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="3bf6db9bcba875a6f63d5846c01bf43c"The Orc's towering body gave way, falling onto the grated arena grounds and leaking out into the Arena Bloodworks, his head rolling around like an empty vase. It was hard for her to believe she had come this far. She was grateful that it hadn't all gone to her ego. Not yet, at least./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="8dd2a37791ee9920702c3300d058bb6e"She never wanted to kill Agronak. Technically, she never did. His death was an assisted suicide at best, but over the short span of their time training together, they had become good friends. It was undeniably awkward for both of them as she climbed the ranks, but they both understood what was yet to come, and that neither of them made the rules. They both knew that the day would come when they'd both walk into the arena, and only one of them would walk out. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="af58edd0657b2120941df247a4810949"Still, they never let it come between them. Not as friends, and not as training partners. They'd acknowledge the inevitable, and that was that./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="f0beebf834cd0b50bbeea1875ff8b020"Life was simple. Life was good. But with her new title, life was about to get a whole lot more complicated./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="88c78ce127d73c1729f648da8d19fd3b"em style="box-sizing: border-box;""I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."/em, she stared at the collapsed body, her own thoughts deafened by the crowd. The weight of her situation had already set in. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="02a575164c1e1aa2f1dba47dd6d6fa8e"She staggered all the way down the spiraling corridor that led to the Arena Bloodworks. The sharp pounding of the crowd's cheers throbbing within her head was unbearable, and her legs grew weak with the downhill strain as she slammed a bloody hand against the wooden door, which was already coated with the blood of the arena combatants that came before her. It swung open, and she fell right through./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="edd7e08e38f7005e25807aa655f8c829"She stumbled into the training area as Owyn came to support her, and Ysabel to congratulate her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="6025161561edc6742235cc77ed1bf866""By the love of Shinji, you did it! You beat the Gray Prince! This... This is unbelievable! That makes you the best fighter the Arena has ever seen! You actually did it!", Ysabel trailed off, her voice slowly fading away./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d46687de9b115aaceb61344ef57f6c7f"Dragonheart grew limp in Owyn's arms, and then she was out./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #222222;" data-p-id="d46687de9b115aaceb61344ef57f6c7f"-/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="94a715930c3400e1fdcc632a16d3b0e8"Upon waking up, she was met with a grace period of a few seconds where she had forgotten where she was, as well as the events of the hours before. Then the soreness kicked in, and the faster she came back to consciousness, the faster everything caught up to her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e1f4b1d1d9521579c6d8c05fddb6b43a"She rubbed her eyes awake and slowly got to her feet, before she found herself rushing for the Bloodworks exit./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1f9bccfadea14d931baad3b02bab771a"She emerged from the door, and quickly purged into the first bush she saw, just outside the entrance. The coldness of the night accompanied by the quietness of the streets let her know that it was well after hours. Her heart jumped as a voice rang abruptly from behind her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="32494474ee8600922788bbb98a30d71a""Wow! You're the Grand Champion!", it said as she continued to retch./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1eb1e7e06ec075d633fa3226b768ad8f"She remained hunched over the shrubbery for about a minute longer. Once she gave herself a chance to regain her composure, she turned around, and there em style="box-sizing: border-box;"he /emstood. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4b40cc122b5e9dffd5dcf05e76a0a38b"The same bastard wood elf that had been pestering her on a weekly basis, sending her letters upon letters of his boundless adoration scribbled in em style="box-sizing: border-box;"grave/em detail, imploring her for some kind of response. She never did think he'd have the gall as to approach her outright like this, but he had clearly proven her wrong as he stood there, his unsettling smile ever so illuminated by the flames of his torch./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="08b12308e4c779e7cc90f008a1e556e9"She hadn't ever seen him before, but something about the way he carried himself instantly let her know that he was em style="box-sizing: border-box;"definitely/em who she thought he was. Who else would wait outside the arena HOURS after closing in hopes that she might come out?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ecf2e19543436d6bb14b7b5013f9f983""I saw your fight against the Gray Prince! Y-You're the em style="box-sizing: border-box;"best!/em Canem style="box-sizing: border-box;" /emI... Can I follow you around? I won't get in the way!", he fumbled over his style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="82d81443475c6ca6f952184edeac8b2c"She thought about him and the letters, and sighed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2243eecef93fa5d44f8079872f205ba7""How about I buy you a drink, and perhaps we talk?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="51ae1652ddb2da1efdc6d31dafa36d07"She was already heading to the tavern anyways, why not make this loser's day while she was at it?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="97de8e2c56f4dff4ec472740e9461626""Really?", his eyes lit up with excitement, the same star-stuck expression on his sweaty face at the sight of the disheveled 'Champion'./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c4f6912f54bb9af4d9b059fcff81e6c3""...But get in the way, and become the dirt I walk on!", she said, jokingly keeping up this faux gladiatrix persona in which he believed her to be./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0bcb32c5c894a20527953b06ec6950ea""Wow, you're really the best! I'm going to follow you... and watch you... and...", he trailed off, "...Worship the ground you walk on!"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5cc5888b08dc0c9d403484a1b40392cf"The Bosmer stared almost pervertedly as the new champion turned to walk, and he followed in suit. She could feel his eyes on her, and something about it just felt...wrong. But having a fan this devoted? That's something she could get used to./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" /p