Clovis headed back down the tunnel, waiting at the closed arena gate.

He listened to the voice of the announcer, "Listen! Prepare yourselves! Our newcomer, Cyrille Dusk has elected to fight once more! Who dares answer his thirst for blood? None other than the Lady of Slaughter herself!"

The crowd went wild. Clovis wasn't sure what to expect.

The gate barring his way, opened. Clovis headed out into the central arena only to be met with someone who wasn't exactly… intimidating. Were they playing a joke on him?

The announcer spoke once more, "All of you are well aware of our newcomer! Cyrille Dusk! Give him a round of applause!"

No one did. In fact, he swore the booing grew even louder than his first match.

Clovis twirled his spear as he shouted, ""Despise me all you wish! It changes nothing! I am Cyrille Dusk and I will not lose!"

The announcer's voice boomed once more, "Now give a round of applause for our Lady of-"

The lady across from him slammed her spear into the ground, "Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP! I can introduce myself!"

Clovis understood now. Something was… off… about his opponent.

She smiled at him, "Hiya! I'm Peri! P for pulverize, E for eviscerate, R for ruin, and I for impale! Fight me and make a lot of tomato juice! Kee hee!~"

His opponent was unnerving. The way she stood, the look in her eyes. She wasn't easy prey. There was something wild about her, something untamed. He knew that look.

She was a rabid dog. One that needed to be brought to heel.

Anticipation filled the air as the two stared each other down. She gave him a mocking waive as they waited for the battle to begin.

The announcer seemed to feed off the anticipation in the air, delaying the start of the match.

Peri started to impatiently tap her foot, "Come on!"

"Let the battle… begin!"

Clovis hesitated, his gut telling him not to immediately warp.

The moment the battle began, Peri shoved the butt of her spear behind her back. The handle would have struck him in the groin if he had teleported behind her like his previous opponent.

She quickly changed her grip, angling her spear forward in challenge. She was clearly on guard.

Fine.

He'd just need to be… faster.

Clovis smiled at her.

He warped.

He thrust his spear forward, back of right knee.

The handle of her spear blocked the thrust.

Clovis warped.

Left shoulder.

Hit.

The head of his spear dug into the center of her left shoulder for a moment before she shifted in an attempt to grab the handle of his spear.

He chose to warp back to his starting position. He didn't need to go all in. He could just exhaust her.

Peri's teeth were clenched, her shoulder bleeding as she… moved.

She was fast, far faster than any opponent Clovis had fought outside of Plegia.

The tip of her spear was thrust towards his pelvis.

He warped away.

Clovis thrust his spear towards the back of her neck, aiming for her spine.

She moved her head just enough for his spear to merely cut the flesh of her right shoulder instead of digging into her.

Clovis warped away from her once more.

She was breathing heavily, blood dripping from both of her shoulders.

He assumed that would be enough for her to surrender.

He assumed wrong.

She stood still, a manic grin on her face, "Good! Good! Good!"

She was dancing in place as she held her spear in a ready position.

Was he going too easy on her?

Clovis closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

He opened his eyes.

He was back in Plegia.

The air cracked as he warped.

He appeared right in front of her, thrusting his spear directly towards her lower stomach.

She didn't seem to expect his sudden increase in speed.

His spear hungrily pierced her body, ripping and tearing her flesh as he drove it deeper and deeper.

She dropped her spear, falling into his embrace. He supported her weight, keeping her upright as he held her against his shoulder.

It was the end of her battle.

Or so he thought.

The dulling light in his opponents eyes relighted as the crazed bitch drove her teeth into the area between his shoulder and the right side of his neck. He could feel her teeth break his skin, followed by a quick scrape of her tongue.

He was bleeding.

Clovis shoved her off of his spear, twisting the weapon as he kicked her free.

She fell onto the floor, laughing.

She grabbed her spear, slowly standing back up. She barely remained on her feet, partially using her spear as a brace. Her other hand clenched at her gaping stomach.

How? How could she still stand with her intestines exposed? What was driving her forward?

The announcer's voice filled the stadium, "The match is-"

Peri screamed, "NOT OVER! NOT OVER!"

Rather than forfeit, she grinned, "Your juice tastes good!"

She let go of her bleeding wound, letting her blood freely drain as she charged forward.

If nothing else, Clovis could respect her drive to die standing on her feet.

He dodged away from the thrust of her spear aimed at his throat.

Clovis couldn't stop himself from smiling. He was having fun.

His feral opponent continued to try to stab him with her spear. He kept dodging, watching as more and more blood drained from her wounds.

A final burst of strength.

She didn't have much longer.

Clovis warped, swinging his warp staff towards the back of her knee. His blow caused her to trip onto the hard floor of the arena.

Without an ounce of hesitation, Clovis drove his spear into her back.

He pulled his weapon free, flicking her blood across the arena floor.

She was wheezing, yet she still lifted her head.

Peri was engrossed by his mask. The intensity of her gaze almost made it feel like she was staring through it.

"Enough," Clovis spoke.

She stayed down, her gaze transfixed on him as she bled on the floor.

The audience seemed horrified, as the announcer announced Clovis's victory.

They cursed his name, the crowd breaking out into a booing chant, "Cyrille the Accursed!"

Clovis ignored the chanting, heading back towards his tunnel. Healers rushed out from both his opponent's tunnel and his own. It would take a miracle for them to put her back together.

Clovis turned around to give one last look at his fallen opponent. It would be a shame if she died. She was a rabid beast. One he saw potential in.

Kellam tackled him in a hug as soon as Clovis finished getting paid by the employee for his win against Peri.

The big man was crying, "I… I bet 2000G on you from my own funds!"

Clovis hugged him back. Kellam earned 20,000G off of that single match. That amount of gold was well over a year's salary for a Ylissean knight. Kellam handed Clovis over his own massive winnings.

Clovis had 20,500G total after his victory. He needed more.

Kellam had tears in his eyes, "This means so much to me, you don't even know. My mother has been hounding me about fixing up our farm. I've been saving up, but with this I think I can get the repairs done as soon as we get back without setting myself behind."

"We're not done yet, Kellam. Keep betting on me."

As Kellam enthusiastically nodded, Clovis watched a guard run into the lobby towards the employee behind the bars. The two talked for a few moments before the employee waved Clovis over.

"Cyrille, I hope you're up for another match. The crowd is calling for your blood. They want you back out there. You have a few minutes to get yourself ready. I'll wave you over when it's time."

Clovis accepted the "offer". He headed back over to Kellam.

It seems Cyrille Dusk's presence is being demanded in the arena. I wasn't even given the choice to back out of another immediate fight."

Kellam looked worried, "Are you up for it? That bite mark looks bad."

Clovis brushed his concerns off, "She mostly got the shoulder. There'd be more blood if she hit anything important. She's the first one to wound me in a while."

"If you say so… How much are you betting this time?"

"10,000G Kellam. I don't care who I'm up against. I'll win."