3rd Autumn Moon, 908 – Telo Martius Colosseum

It was a spectacle for the ages. With the rebuilding efforts of the colosseum complete, a new match was scheduled for the afternoon, one that excited the citizens of Telo Martius. Drums and horns roared over the excited cheers of onlookers as they gathered through the gates and into their seats. They raised their banners and stomped their feet for the main event.

How long has it been since the last execution match?

Though excitement rang through the air, none was felt by the execution party itself. Making their way up to the colosseum in a line of shackles and chains, the convicted party reluctantly followed the squadron of guards without putting up resistance. Fighting against it would prove troublesome.

And what a treat it was for the city.

A former champion.

A cowardly Subterran.

A feisty Subterran.

An old man with big dreams.

And the thief who attempted to assassinate the emperor.

This would be the first time in forever since more than one entered an execution match.

As they drew closer to the colosseum, Melissa glanced over her shoulder and whispered, "So, uh…how scared should we be?"

Vilde winced. "Very."

Galus gulped. "Big scary."

Terrowin sighed. "Steel your nerves, everyone. We shall not let Nero's tactics dissuade us. We are here to prove our worth, and none of us shall die on this day."

Alfhild huffed. "{I can't believe I got dragged into this. I could be bathing in the magma baths or rereading some of Siegfried's glorious labors. No, I'm here babysitting an old man and lining myself up as someone's dinner.}"

Melissa smiled over her shoulder. "That's the spirit, Alfhild! We'll get through this together." She frowned when Terrowin snorted and looked away from her. "What?"

"Nothing."

Melissa pouted, but brushed it off and looked back at Vilde. "You're the only one familiar with these execution matches, right? Any tips?"

"I'm not sure how useful I'll be to you, Commander Harlow," Vilde admitted. "I'm still reeling from my injuries even with Terrowin's healing."

Terrowin sighed. "Forgive me. I'm not used to using my abilities to heal others."

"You did your best," Melissa assured.

Alfhild snarled. "{Will someone explain to me what you're all chattering about?! Do we have a plan to fight or not?!}"

Terrowin glared at her. "{Patience. Part of plan.}"

"{Part of plan? What are you talking about? How does us getting dragged to our deaths count as a plan?}"

"…" Terrowin looked away.

Galus' eyes widened. "{What are you two talking about}"

Melissa frowned. "Uh, is this a private conversation or…?"

Vilde groaned. "If that thing doesn't kill us in one shot, this is going to be a long day."

Melissa looked forward at the colosseum and frowned. The closer they got, the louder the cheering. The vibrations of their cheers alone rattled her to the core. She could hear them chanting something over and over again.

"Tyranno! Tyranno! Tyranno! Tyranno!"

"…" She glared. "How can anyone celebrate such a gruesome display of violence?"

"Cultures change," Terrowin said. "There were ancient cultures that believed in sacrifices, and they were seen with the same respect as the ascension of a king. This is simply the way of New Chariot's culture, even back when the first remnants of it invaded Virdis." He glared. "They're surprisingly less bloodthirsty than before, believe it or not."

"It still feels wrong."

"It's not something you can undo overnight, and it may not be something they want to change about their culture. Even so, don't hold it against them, Harlow. This is how they were taught and raised. It may take several generations for a different era of New Chariot to arise from its history."

She pouted. "Sometimes I wish there was a faster way…"

"…Indeed."

The colosseum's shadow engulfed the guilty party as they made their way through the entrance. Several gates lifted through the singular hallway, leading into the wide open arena that would serve as their burial ground. Melissa clutched her hands together, the shackles rattling against her wrists in anticipation for the match.

We can do this.

The last gate lifted, and the soldiers stopped to undo the group's shackles. Once they were freed, the guards shoved them into the arena before ordering the gate to slam down, separating the prisoners from their only easy means of escape. With no other choice, they advanced into the open space.

All around them, hordes of Telo Martius citizens cheered on, the roar of their cries and stomping howling even greater than what was felt outside. Though the abundance of cheers for the favored Tyranno overpowered most of the audience's excitement, a fine ear could pick out cries of support for Harlow herself.

Terrowin chuckled. "Seems you have a small fan club in the audience."

Melissa sighed. "Lucky me."

Then, like a lit candle being extinguished, a deafening silence washed over the arena. Startled, the guilty party turned their eyes toward the royal booth looming above the civilian seatings and gazed upon the emperor himself reclining in his chair. He sat surrounded by his harem girls, who affectionately adorned themselves around his throne. Seated by his side was his father, and standing at attention around the booth was Commander Nemesis, Advisor Gemini, Terminus, and Jason.

Nero smirked. With a snap of his fingers, Invidia propped up a megaphone stand before him. He stood from his throne, grasped the megaphone, and cleared his throat.

"Ladies and gentlemen of Telo Martius! Welcome…to the Execution Death Match!"

The crowd roared with excitement, waving their banners and stomping their feet with even greater vigor.

Melissa winced. "Execution Death Match? That's…a rather redundant name."

"Really emphasizes the intended outcome of our being here," Terrowin mumbled.

Galus cowered behind Vilde. "T-Too loud."

Alfhild glared. "{I've heard of the spectacles foretold by the kingdom's elders, but I never imagined such savagery could rival our own.}"

Vilde clenched his fists and growled. "I hoped I never see another of these death matches again, but to think I'd end up as the next one."

"Sorry, Vilde," Melissa mumbled.

"I made my vow. I will fight by your side no matter the cost, Commander Harlow."

With another wave of his hand, Nero instantly silenced the crowd. With his laugh projecting over the colosseum, he raised his arms in a grand display and exclaimed, "What you see before you are five troublemakers who dare defy the kindness we've bestowed upon our prisoners. We offer them a chance to prove their worth, their right to freedom, and they repay us by attempting their foolhardy schemes of escape and defiance. They who oppose the fires of New Chariot, aiming to extinguish the flames of war for their so-called peace. To dismantle the very name of New Chariot and force us back into the dark times of poverty and suffering!"

"BOOOOOOOOO!" the audience roared, some going as far as throwing garbage into the arena.

Terrowin winced as an old banana peel slapped him in the face. "He really knows how to excite a crowd."

Nero laughed. "But do not shame them, my beloved people. We are not an unfair empire. We've given them every opportunity to save themselves from their punishment, and we will continue to offer such kindness. If they truly value their lives, what better opportunity to prove their worth than with the ultimate test of life? No longer will this be a battle for glory. There can only be one outcome in this duel: death."

The group noticed movement in the front rows. Looking around, they saw ten soldiers dividing themselves up around the edge, and the group could tell they were mostly made up of Psychic-Types. Ones that knew a certain move that was instrumental in warfare. A move they were currently channeling in unison.

"Let these fools decide their own fates," Nero continued. "Do they have the strength of mind and body to grasp the shackles of life that bind them to this world? Do they have the will to keep on fighting for their beliefs? Then I offer them this ultimatum. Achieve victory, and you will walk free without resistance. Or, you may simply die like all the rest. The choice is yours."

The guilty party backed up to the far side of the arena as a swirling vortex of psychic energy appeared in the center. Something pulsated from the other side of the vortex, exuding a demonic presence without even physically existing in the arena. Something…truly monstrous.

Nero's eyes sparked with dark lightning. "There's only one constant in this world. No matter the advancements of society, war will always exist. Now, let's show them what a real war is. Come forth, Executioner of Telo Martius! Feast upon your latest victims! Rise, Tyranno!"

The vortex erupted into a swirling pillar of light, blowing up a cloud of dust through the arena. A hideous roar ripped through the booming noise, and a gigantic creature leapt out onto the arena grounds with a thunderous landing. The sheer presence of this monster rattled the arena itself as a secondary squadron of soldiers cast a barrier over the open space.

The dust settled, and the group stared up at the massive creature wrapped in tattered fabric and decorated in chains. A Tyrantrum littered with old scars across his entire body, towering over and eclipsing the guilty party in its suffocating shadow.

Melissa's eyes widened. "Oh…Oh sweet Arceus…"

Vilde grimaced. "Shit…"

"Tyranno bad," Galus whimpered.

Though the group stared up at the monster in horror, Alfhild was the most rattled by what towered over them. Though fearless in the face of danger, her eyes welled with tears at the sight of the monster's visage. "{By the suffering of Siegfried's honor…}"

Terrowin's horror slowly turned to anger. He clenched his fists, spiked wood formed over his wooden arm. King Obsidian. It appears…I found him. I found Oddvar.

"If Oddvar has truly lost his mind to his instincts, then I ask you…when you face him, I ask you to execute him. Swiftly and mercifully. Put him out of his misery. Do this, and I shall assist you in realizing your vision."

You poor beast. Forced to fight for so long. I will end your suffering.

Year 830 – Subterra Kingdom

The Subterra Kingdom had no place for the likes of the Savage Kin. In the development of society, the likes of such savagery that was once appreciated by the underground dwellers slowly eased its way out of common practice. No longer was it held in the regards and pride it once stood for, not when it became too much of a burden to stomach those savage roots.

Thus, the Savage Kin stuck to their own, either adopting the path of restraint or the path of hunger.

A young Tyrunt known only as Oddvar couldn't decide which path he would take. Fighting against his own hunger for flesh, but wishing to remain with the friends who chose the path of restraint. He was stuck at a crossroads with no idea of how to pursue acceptance.

Thus, he was a lone child searching for purpose in the depths of the underground, surviving off the edible minerals his kingdom lived off of. It was customary for children at a certain age to fend for themselves in the Subterra Kingdom, though a part of Oddvar wished he could rely on his parents just a little more.

How he longed for acceptance.

"{Greetings}."

Lost in his train of thought, Oddvar realized he ended up somewhere in the underground magma chambers. Confused, he looked around for the one who called out to him before spotting a shape emerging from below the magma pools.

It was a Virdisian Tirtouga. Magma red skin, thick rock armor that covered most of the head and body, and cracks of heat lining the shell that jettisoned steam from the ports.

Oddvar blinked. "{Hello?}"

The Tirtouga propped himself onto the surface and smiled. "{Do you want to play with me?}"

"{I…}" Oddvar frowned. "{I can't.}"

"{You look fine this close next to the magma pools.}"

"{No, I…I mean you don't want to hang out with me.}" He turned away from the turtle. "{I am a Savage Kin. I…don't want to eat you by mistake.}"

Rather than be alarmed by the half-threat, the Tirtouga merely tilted his head. "{Do you want to eat me?}"

"{No—}" Oddvar gasped as something lobbed him in the back of the head. Startled, he spun around and saw the turtle bouncing a ball of magma in his flippers.

He snickered. "{Then you won't mind taking a dip with me and having some fun?}"

"…" Oddvar stared at the turtle in astonishment as the magma dripped harmlessly off his rock skin. He nervously approached the magma pool, a small bubble of anxiety still holding him back. "{A-Are you sure?}"

"{Of course I am! Besides, I'd be too tough for you to eat.}"

The Tyrunt's eyes widened for a moment, then he burst out into laughter. "{Th-That's why you're not scared? You're so stupid!}"

The turtle grinned. "{Come on, the magma's great!}"

The last of his anxiety extinguished, Oddvar backed up to give himself a running start and leapt into the magma pool, splashing molten rock over his new friend. He emerged from below, howling with laughter. "{This is fun!}"

"{I know, right?}"

"{I'm Oddvar.}"

"{I'm Obsidian. Want to be friends?}"

"{Sure! Friends forever?}"

"{As solid as granite!}"

The colosseum rumbled with the excited cheers of the audience, basking in the arrival of the execution beast himself. The mighty Tyrantrum that towered over everything. A beast capable of rending the flesh off its prey with no hesitation. Its roots as a predator to all it looked down upon, swelling with the fires of hunger.

Who shall be its next meal?

Melissa's group carefully shuffled back from the beast as he remained motionless for the time being. At the moment, Tyranno appeared to be distracted by the roar of the crowd and attempted to sniff out his next meal. Each rumbling growl he made shook their bones, and each swipe of his tail kicked up a mini dust storm.

"Th-That's…T-Tyranno?!" Melissa gasped. "I-I've never seen a Tyrantrum in person before! A-Are they normally this big?!"

Terrowin glared. "Steel your nerves, Harlow. Don't let his stature intimidate you. This beast has a savage nature to him, so we have the advantage in intelligence. We need to formulate a plan while he's distracted."

"R-Right…"

Vilde groaned, massaging his head as the audience's cheers grew louder. "My headache's back. Can barely hear anything…"

Alfhild glared at Terrowin. "{You understand King Obsidian's deal, right? Even though he is not my magma brother, I dare not end his suffering with my own hands.}" She grimaced at the mindless expression the tyrannosaurus wore. "{What horrible treatment has he been subjected to?}"

Terrowin nodded. "{Understand concerns. I shall…do as said. Will you help battle?}"

"{…I don't have much choice.}"

"Good." He knelt beside Melissa. "Seems we've all come to an understanding. You and I will have to spearhead the attack strategy."

She nodded, albeit nervously. "R-Right."

He looked over his shoulder. "And I expect the rest of you to follow us without question. This is a life-and-death matter on our hands."

Galus gulped. "Galus understand."

"Uuuuuugh," Vilde groaned, still dealing with his headache.

Terrowin nodded and returned his attention to Melissa. "We have a limited time before Tyranno turns his sights on us, so let's using every second available."

Melissa glared. "Okay. Okay, I'm calm." She took a deep breath. "W-Well, I think the best plan would be to divide his attention. I imagine he'll be susceptible to tunnel vision and confusion if we constantly bombard him with attacks. We can eventually throw him off balance."

"I agree. And after that, we aim to restrain his legs. Once we remove his legs from the equation, we can focus on whittling him down until he can no longer fight."

"It's as good a plan as we can get. We'll…bombard him with our strongest attack—"

"Eh?" Vilde huffed.

"—and work on using the open space to keep our distance from retaliation," Melissa finished.

Terrowin nodded. "Alright." He turned back to the others. "Everyone, listen up. We're going to—"

The pair froze as Vilde suddenly sprinted past them with newfound vigor. Slowly turning their heads forward, they watched as the Armorouge sprung into the air, hovering over the Tyrantrum's head, and brought his pauldrons together.

"Burst Shot!"

A fiery explosion ejected from his cannon, lighting up the beast in flames. Tyranno reared his head back and roared out in pain while Vilde flipped through the air and landed perfectly on the ground.

Melissa and Terrowin's jaws dropped. "Eh…?"

Vilde stood up, dusted himself up, and gave a thumbs-up to them. "Alright, I distracted him—"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Melissa and Terrowin screamed.

"EH?! You said Vilde, bombard him with your strongest attack!"

"I/SHE SAID WE'LL, NOT VILDE, YOU IDIOT!"

"ACK! I MISHEARD!"

As the embers died down, Tyranno's sharp gaze instantly snapped toward the Armorouge. Letting out a guttural roar that made the earth tremble beneath his feet, he charged at Vilde cloaked in a vibrant blue aura.

"That's Head Smash!" Terrowin yelled.

"Shit!" Vilde took off running, staggering as the earth shook with each of Tyranno's heavy stomps.

Melissa winced. "Ooookay, minor setback. Hang on, Vilde!" She tightened her leg muscles before sprinting after the dinosaur at breakneck speed.

Terrowin glared over his shoulder. "{Alfhild, Galus! Follow me, and we—}" His eyes widened as only Galus was present. "Where's Alfhild?" Galus weakly pointed around him, and Terrowin saw the pink gremlin charging into battle with a shrieking war cry. He facepalmed. I'm too old for this.

Nero threw his head back with laughter while balancing a glass of red wine in hand. "We only just started, and they're already falling apart. This is supreme entertainment."

Tiberius sighed. "You're putting Tyranno at quite the disadvantage. He won't be able to handle five opponents at once."

"Don't be so sure, Father. The show, as I said, only just started." He glanced at Jason. "Take notes, Stormbreaker. This is how you get results. You don't play nice with your enemy."

"…" Jason glared. I'm not going to doubt Melissa. She knows what she's doing.

Salacia the Ampharos sat on Nero's armrest, wrapping her arms atop his head. "It does add a certain excitement to the match than just the usual one-on-ones. We've getting a lot of fun matches ever since that Buneary showed up."

Ceres the Mighyena snickered as she poured herself a glass of wine. "Not that it'll matter since they have no chance of winning."

However, a little smirk appeared on Fortuna's lips as she nestled into Nero's lap. "Ooooh, I wouldn't count them out yet. I'm putting all my money on them."

Ceres spat her drink onto the floor. "EH?!"

Juno facepalmed. "Good lord, she's gone mad with confidence."

Nero smirked. "What a fascinating risk, my dear." He scratched under the Pachirisu's chin. "Your lucky senses are abuzz with potential?"

Fortuna purred against his touch before grinning. "Fortuna favors the bold."

"Hmm. I may have to keep an open mind, then."

Juno glared. "You can't be serious. They're going to get torn to shreds just like all the others."

Nero shrugged. "Perhaps, but the chances are never zero."

"Are you seriously going to go through with that whole letting them walk free nonsense? I don't think them surviving an execution is grounds for earning their freedom."

Nero grinned. "Juno, my dear, stop fretting over nothing. I'm just here for the show."

"…" The Blaziken looked away with an annoyed huff.

Vilde ran as fast as his legs could carry him, reaching the arena walls before immediately dodging to the left. Tyranno rammed full speed into the wall, shaking the barrier that kept the combatants sealed. After recovering from his near-death escape, he turned and fired a Burst Shot into the dinosaur's head.

Tyranno instantly recovered and charged at Vilde full speed. However, hopping along the arena and building up momentum, Melissa catapulted herself into Tyranno, kicking him in the head. She felt the air rippling off her kick, but was shocked that the dinosaur barely staggered from the heavy hit.

On top of that, her whole body shivered in pain. How hard are his scales?

Tyranno whipped his head and sent Melissa flying up into the barrier, where she skidded along the ceiling before careening into the ground. Tyranno stomped twice before charging after the fallen rabbit.

"{Stone Edge!}" Alfhild ran in from Tyranno's right and punched the ground, erecting a wall of sharp stone to block off his path.

Tyranno activated Head Smash and completely ignored the rock wall, shattered through it like it was made of paper. Alfhild growled and punched the ground again, this time sending out a Stone Edge to barrel into the dinosaur's legs. The rocks got caught between him and tripped him up before he could stomp on Melissa.

Galus quickly soared by, plucking Melissa off the ground, and took off into the air. "Friend Harlow! You okay?!"

Melissa's eyes spun dizzily. "Don't parade about marshmallows, I'm as distinguished as the eternal watermelon…"

On ground level, Alfhild ran around Tyranno as he picked himself up. She jumped onto his back and ignited both her fists in the dark energy of Foul Play. Racing up to his neck, she unleashed a violent barrage of punches, using his own strength against him.

Tyranno roared out in anger, stomping his feet repeatedly. The arena proceeded to shake, throwing Vilde and Terrowin off-balance and even causing the barrier to tremble. Because all the energy of Tyranno's stomping was being contained, it worsened the shaking withing the arena.

"E-Earthquake!" Vilde yelled.

Terrowin slammed his hands down. "Grassy Terrain!" A pulse of green light extended from under him and engulfed the arena, casting in under an aura of forest-like energy. With the deployment of Grassy Terrain, the Earthquake's power was dramatically reduced.

Once Vilde found his balance, he aimed his hand. "Burst Scatter!" He fired a stream of fiery pellets, running it across Tyranno's face.

In response, Tyranno's scales shined in a metallic sheen, greatly reducing Alfhild's and Vilde's attacks. Feeling the Tinkaton's attack diminishing, Tyranno shockingly jumped and tilted himself upside-down, attempting to crush Alfhild under his weight. She barely managed to leap out of the way before they hit the ground.

Alfhild landed on her feet and glared. "{Iron Defense, too?}"

Terrowin glared. "That's bad."

Galus floated back down to them, dropping Melissa off. After shaking her head clear, she asked, "W-What's bad?"

"I don't think Tyranno's as mindless as I thought. He's clearly gone too far back to his savage roots to understand what's going on, but his time as a soldier might not have met the same outcome."

"S-Soldier?! What?!"

"Long story. My point is, for him to actively attempt to crush Alfhild in such a manner, we can no longer assume he's acting purely on instinct. He might be forming rudimentary plans, too. Our only saving grace so far? He might not have the capacity to use enhanced moves."

Vilde brought his pauldrons together. "Alright. I'll draw his attention while you—"

"No!" Melissa yelled. "We can't leave one person to take on all of danger! We need to wear Tyranno down—"

"{FOR SUBTERRA!}" She gasped as Alfhild went charging into battle again.

"Stop and listen!" she screamed.

Terrowin groaned. "Can't be helped." He ran after Alfhild and untangled his wooden arm. "Spirit-Binding Forest!" He elongated his arm, extending it past Alfhild, and expanded it into a net of interlocking roots.

Tyranno recoiled from the wooden arm and roared as the roots wrapped around his body. He thrashed and gnawed on the wood, trying to tear it apart, but his teeth could barely dig through the tough bark. With him restrained, Alfhild activated Foul Play again and lunged for the beast's jaw, delivering a sharp uppercut that snapped his head back.

At the peak of his fury, Tyranno's eyes turned a fiery red. Though unable to break Terrowin's bindings, his newfound berserker strength allowed him to slowly untangle the roots restricting his legs.

Terrowin grimaced. "Outrage?"

With his legs partially freed, Tyranno began spinning in place, pulling Terrowin off the ground. He bit down into the roots, whipped them and Terrowin into the air, and swung him down into the arena.

Terrowin immediately detached his arm and extended new roots from his shoulder, molding them into a slide to break his fall. He landed with a hard tumble, but the angle of the slide greatly displaced his momentum and deposited him roughly, but safely onto the ground.

"Terrowin!" he heard Melissa scream. Right as he stood up, Tyranno rammed him with a powerful Iron Head, sweeping him off the ground and slamming him against the wall. The old Sceptile gasped blood as the wall cracked against his back.

Tyranno whipped his tail around, dealing a hefty Breaking Swipe that sent Terrowin sailing. He skipped twice off the ground and landed in the center of the arena. He clutched his bruised arm, feeling his strength diminishing.

I haven't been in an actual fight since that time in the Forbidden Forest. Agh, no…that's not right. Agh. As Terrowin picked himself up, his senses went crazy with alarm as Tyranno sprinted at him with Head Smash. "Bramble Bulwark!" Terrowin twisted his wooden arm around himself, creating a makeshift cocoon. He braced himself once the Head Smash connected, sending his tightly woven shelter flying back.

Tyranno stomped after the wooden cocoon, but Melissa dashed around the dinosaur's footsteps before delivering a rising kick to the jaw. She sprung off his face upon getting his attention and hurried off to the other side of the arena with the dinosaur in hot pursuit.

"Help, help, help, help!" she screamed.

Vilde ran after her and Tyranno. "Burst Volley!" He summoned a swirling cluster of pellets and fired them at the back of Tyranno's head, exploding on impact.

Tyranno roared and furiously stomped his feet down, triggering another Earthquake. Due to the Grassy Terrain being in effect, it dampened the severity of the tremors, but it still threw the Armorouge off balance. This gave Tyranno all the time he needed to charge down Vilde and strike him with the power of Outrage.

"GAH!" Vilde skidded off the ground, pieces of his armor chipping away. He caught the ground and stopped himself, but Tyranno had already caught up and struck him with Breaking Swipe. "AAAAGH!" He sailed into the wall, breaking off more of his armor.

Melissa gasped. "He's relentless!"

Alfhild grimaced. "{Is it just me, or is his Outrage lasting longer than it should?}"

Galus trembled nervously. "Bad time."

Melissa clenched her teeth. What kind of beast is this Tyranno? Terrowin said he was a soldier of the Subterra Kingdom, right? Our chances aren't looking too good.

Year 855 – Subterra Kingdom

"{Focus, Odd.}"

"{Can't. Too…tired.}"

"{You need to get a hold of yourself.}"

Obsidian and Oddvar stood in the royal chamber of the Subterra Kingdom, having the entire area to themselves. Obsidian stood by his friend's side as the Tyrantrum sat on the hot ground with his legs crossed. In front of him was a cloth sack, and something was cooking underneath. Though obtaining flesh was considered taboo in some circles, a couple of subterran Veluza kindly donated some of their sheared flesh for the occasion.

Oddvar panted as the aroma of cooked meat wafted across his face. He twitched and squirmed on the ground, shifting his weight so much that lava peeked out from below. Oddvar was much larger than the other Tyrantrum that lived in the Subterra Kingdom. In fact, he was the largest Obsidian had ever met. To many, he was a beast among beasts.

As a Savage Kin, his primordial instincts were something to be feared.

Obsidian paced around the struggling dinosaur. "{We can't have another incident like last moon. We nearly lost the battle because you let your senses get the better of you. As king, I cannot allow you to rampage recklessly and put our allies in danger.}" He frowned. "{And as your friend, I want to help you overcome your instincts.}"

Oddvar finally worked up the nerve to turn himself away from the smoking bundle of flesh and huffed in frustration. "{It's not as easy as restraining myself. This is my culture we're talking about. I don't want to follow the path of a carnivore, but I value my roots as a primal being. I want to curb this hunger, but it's…it's always going to follow me, Obs. What if I go crazy and lose myself?}"

Obsidian patted his back. "{Odd, you're not going to go crazy, and you're not crazy either. You're one of our proudest warriors. I won't let you fight this battle alone.}"

"…" Oddvar closed his eyes and sighed. "{It's hard being a Savage Kin. We don't belong anywhere. Not down here, not up on the surface. We live to immortalize the truest form of our ancestry as beasts, and we've been trying to lean away from some of our crueler practices. Not everyone will understand us. They'll just see us as monsters who hunger for flesh. We still do, but we're trying our best. What if I never curb my hunger?}"

"…" Obsidian smiled. "{Well, I've always told you I'm too tough for you to eat, so I'd say you'll always have me to pull you back down.}"

Oddvar chuckled. "{I could tear you apart.}"

"{You don't become king of the Subterra Kingdom by being a weakling.}"

"{Care to be proven wrong?}"

Obsidian smirked and backed away from the dinosaur. "{How does a round of Magma Arena sound?}"

Oddvar stood up and smirked back. "{First to knock the other out of bounds wins?}"

"{You know it.}"

Oddvar stomped his feet down, sending tremors throughout the chamber. "{This ought to knock my nerves back into place. Don't fret too much when I clobber you across your throne room.}"

The Virdisian Carracosta raised his flippers and laughed. "{Shut up and come at me with everything you've got!}"

The duo let out savage roars that bounced around the rocky chamber, and they rushed each other down, colliding with incredible force that shattered the floor under them and spewed magma onto the surface. Even as the magma dripped over their bodies, they proudly held their ground, attempting to push the other back.

Though a temporary reprieve, it only served to strengthen their bond a thousand times more than the last.

With the arena in disarray, Melissa took the initiative of darting around the rampaging Tyranno, peppering him with a flurry of kicks to divert attention away from her group. She sprung into the air, narrowly avoiding a heavy Breaking Swipe from the infuriated dinosaur, and took off to the back half of the arena with the beast in full pursuit.

Galus scampered over to Vilde and pulled him up. The Armorouge groaned as pieces of his armor kept chipping off. "He's still under the effects of Outrage. Don't tell me even in this feral state, he found a way to keep it active indefinitely." He glared. Then again, the price of using Outrage is fatigue and confusion. In his savage state, is there really a difference?

"No hope!" Galus screamed. "Dead meat!"

Vilde picked himself back onto his feet. "Not yet, little buddy."

Melissa continued dashing around the arena, avoiding Tyranno's sweeping tail swipes. Though she was much faster than him in bursts, the dinosaur didn't slow up in the chase for a moment, leaving no room for Melissa to pause and rest. She narrowly avoided a Breaking Swipe, the tip of his tail brushing over her fur. She staggered each time he stomped the ground due to mini Earthquakes being triggered. On top of that, his remarkable bulk made it impossible to deal any meaningful damage.

They were at every conceivable disadvantage.

"Faithless Imitation!" She clenched her fists and channeled dark clouds through them. "Althalos Style: Abyss Clouds!" She fired out the clouds as clusters of tendrils and wrapped them around Tyranno's legs.

The clouds bound themselves together, pinning the dinosaur's legs. Tyranno roared as he lost his balance and crashed down onto the ground, startling Melissa.

"Whoa!" She staggered back on her heels before smirking. "Uh, right! Okay! Now, Ragger Style—BAH!" Alfhild suddenly jumped in from behind, leaping off the Buneary's head like a springboard, and kicked her face first into the dirt.

"{Foul Play!}" Alfhild dropped down atop of Tyranno's snout and proceeded to whale on him, her fists striking down like a barrage of shooting stars.

Tyranno reactivated Iron Defense, softening the Tinkaton's punches. He lurched his head up, bouncing Alfhild into the air, and spun on his back to whip out of the air with his tail.

Melissa gasped and summoned a mass of Abyss Clouds in front of herself. Alfhild slammed into her, and they both went flying across the arena in a ball of darkness. They crashed into the wall with their landing reduced and collapsed into a puddle of dissolving darkness.

After shaking her head clear, Melissa growled at the Subterran. "What the heck was that for?! I was trying to restrain him!"

Alfhild picked herself up and snapped back, "{I don't need help from some high and mighty land skitter like you! This is Subterran business, not yours!}"

"Don't you get mad at me! You're the one who stepped on me!"

"{You and the rest of these dimwits are already in my way!}"

"Are you even going to apologize for that?! I had my mouth open when I hit the dirt!"

"{I only fight alongside my brothers and sisters, not land skitters!}"

"Woo! Cat fight!" someone from the audience cheered, earning furious glares from the girls.

"STAY OUT OF THIS!"

"{I WILL BURY YOU ALIVE!}"

The audience member quietly and fearfully sunk back into their seat.

Before the girls could go back to arguing, they felt a large shadow passing over them. Turning their gazes up, they found themselves standing under the snarling beast that was Tyranno, who had his sights set on them with bared teeth.

"…" The girls glanced at each other. "Uh, my Subterran is a bit rusty, but…{Run?}"

"{Run.}"

They jolted up and ran off screaming as Tyranno hunted them down. He dipped his head down, snapping his fanged maw close behind them. Each time his teeth snapped down, the girls yelped and sprinted faster ahead of the beast, frightened tears bursting from their eyes.

"I'm too adorable to die like this!" Melissa screamed.

"{I can't die here! My precious books will suffer without me!}" Alfhild cried.

Tyranno gradually caught up with them, close enough to bite their heads off. However, right as he snapped his teeth down, two roots shot at the girls, grabbed their ankles, and pulled them away in the nick of time. The girls screamed and hugged each other as they were flung through the air before landing in…a tree?!

They opened their eyes in alarm, finding themselves dangling in a fully grown tree. Looking down, they found Terrowin with his arm rooted into the ground. After the girls jumped down, he pressed his hand to the tree, causing it to rapidly decay into a shriveled pile of mulch.

"Are you two okay?" he asked.

Melissa groaned. "I'll live…"

Alfhild looked away with a pout. "{Um…sorry for jumping off your head like that.}"

Sensing her sad tone, Melissa smiled and patted her shoulder. "I'm sorry I snapped at you."

Terrowin pulled his arm out of the ground. "Tyranno's more formidable than I anticipated. He's not the mindless brute I was expecting."

Melissa glared. "He's remarkably intelligent even from running on pure instinct alone."

"Yes. It's clear his time in the arena hasn't dulled his battle sense."

After getting his bearings together from the girls' sudden disappearance, Tyranno set his sights back on them and Terrowin. He made a mad sprint with his head coated in an iron-like sheen, but faltered from a sudden barrage of fiery pellets. He whipped his head around and glowered at Vilde and Galus, the latter screaming from atop Vilde's shoulders.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Tyranno turned on his heels and charged at the duo.

"GALUS SCARED! BAD PLAN!" he screamed.

Vilde fired another round of Burst Scatter before taking off running. Thanks to the damage he took, his Weak Armor lightened him up, allowing him to keep ahead of Tyranno even at top speed. "Galus! Can you use Dragon Darts?"

"No Dreepy!" Galus cried.

He summoned a cluster of fiery Psyshocks in his hands. "Doesn't matter. You just need some ammunition." He loaded the pellets into Galus' horns. "Keep him busy!"

Galus yelped, but obliged and took off into the air. Tyranno ignored him, focusing on the fleeing land prey. Galus circled just under the protective barrier and hovered above the beast. Taking a deep breath, he puffed out his cheeks and fired the fiery Psyshocks, mixing in his own draconic energy.

The attack peppered Tyranno's back, causing the beast to stop and roar out in pain. With Tyranno distracted, Vilde spun around onto his knees and brought his pauldrons together. "Burst Eruptor!" He channeled vast amounts of heat through the pauldrons before firing a magma-like cannonball coated in blue flame.

It impacted, exploding across Tyranno's face and spreading over his body. The beast violently flailed and roared, stomping his feet and slamming his tail down. The arena began to shake again, and the Grassy Terrain was starting to fade away. Terrowin, Melissa, and Alfhild braced themselves as the arena quaked under them.

The fire stung across his eyes as he glared through its hellish curtains. Fire. Stinging. Stabbing. Scarring. How many times has he fought in this damnable arena? How many lives has he taken for the applauding masses' entertainment? How much blood has he consumed just to stay alive?

Where was he?

Who was he?

It didn't matter.

All he cared about…was surviving!

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Vilde and Galus gasped as the fire dispersed around Tyranno, who cloaked himself in a blazing aura of scarlet light. With little time to react, Vilde immediately jumped out of the way from Tyranno's sudden speeding dash. However, he wasn't spared of the attack as Tyranno whipped his tail around and clobbered Vilde across the back, shattering the entirety of his armor from behind.

"VILDE!" Melissa screamed.

Galus screeched and tried to fly off, but Tyranno jumped into the air and bit down on his tail, pulling him down. Upon landing, he slammed Galus into the ground like a ragdoll and proceeded to stomp on him with Earthquake.

"GALUS!" Melissa screamed.

Alfhild's eyes widened. "{What the?!}"

Terrowin trembled in disbelief. "Tyranno…just created an enhanced move!" Is he coming back to his senses? No. No, he regressed far too much. Is it possible that he's evolving battle strategies just to survive? Shit. But what do I do? I know Obsidian's request, but…

"Hang on, Galus!" Melissa sprinted toward the downed Dragapult.

"Harlow, wait!" Terrowin called out.

Tyranno sensed Melissa's approach and whipped his tail, setting it ablaze in the same scarlet aura. The color brought back flashes of her mission in the Echo Bell Kingdom and the horrible stench of smoke that permeated the following morning. Shaking off those memories, she bounced lightly off the ground, somersaulting over his tail and diving into Tyranno's ankle.

"Super Springy Kick Move!" She slammed her foot down with all her might, striking with just enough force to trip Tyranno up. Once he lifted his foot, she sprung back and fired Abyss Clouds to grapple and reel in Galus. "I got you!"

Her eyes widened as Tyranno immediately recovered, lunging at her with his exposed fangs. She spun herself around to shield Galus.

"Wicked Remains of the Harvest!"

Her eyes widened as giant roots sprung out of the earth around her, twisting into a gnarly hand tipped with radiant purple claws, and caught Tyranno by the throat. She looked back and saw Terrowin had plunged his wooden arm through the ground. He seemed to be panting a lot, too.

I was hoping to limit myself to standard techniques, but this is clearly beyond negotiation.

With a snap of his fingers, more twisted wooden arms popped out of the ground and thrusted at Tyranno. They dug their glowing claws into his hide, lifted him off the ground, and pushed him far across the arena, slamming him up against the protective barrier.

Melissa shook her daze off and hurried back to the others with Galus in her arms. She rested him beside Terrowin before checking his injuries. The timid Dragapult whimpered weakly. His face was scuffed with scratches, and he had blood dripping off his lip. His right horn was slightly bent.

"Galus," she mumbled.

"{Oh no,}" Alfhild gasped.

Terrowin collapsed onto his knees. His arm withered apart, causing his technique to follow suit. He clutched his face, wincing as the wooden scars on his left side pulsated. They wriggled through his skin before expanding, no longer resembling root-like veins. It was as if the left side of his face was turning completely into wood with only his eye remaining visible.

The mutations have stabilized enough to where my health is no longer at risk, but the side effects Cain warned me of are beginning to rear their ugly heads.

Vilde limped over to the group, clutching his shattered body as it slowly repaired itself. "H-Hey, h-how's Galus…?"

Melissa stroked the dragon's head. "Poor thing. He'll be fine, but he can't fight any longer in this condition." She clenched her teeth and snarled. "This…!" She stood up and glared up at the royal booth, where she met the emperor's gaze even from far away. "YOU!"

Nero sensed her anger and silenced the audience with a wave of his hand. He grabbed the megaphone and spoke aloud, "You're certainly bringing a wealth of entertainment, Skill Hunter Harlow! Don't stop now!"

"Galus has nothing to do with what happened the other night!" she shouted. "Kill the rest of us if you want, but leave him out of it!"

Nero smirked. "If I were to show leniency to everyone just because they're weak, I wouldn't be on the verge of dismantling the west. It's either you have the strength to fight back, or you fold under the pressures of war. There is no leniency in war."

She growled. "You…!"

"Don't you get it? This is how the world is: it's cruel, unjust, and unfair. I'm just taking advantage of that inevitability. If you're having trouble overcoming this beast, that only facilitates the weaknesses brought upon by weaker blood. There is no fairness in war. There is no honor. Be grateful I offer you this much for your continued defiance."

"…" She clenched her fists. "I'll show you…" She turned back to the others. "No more fooling around. Terrowin, Alfhild, Vilde. We need to work together. We can't take Tyranno on our own."

Vilde narrowed his eyes. "It seems we rushed too early into the fight."

Alfhild scoffed and punched into her palm. "{Your tone says more than your words. Very well. Point me in the right direction.}"

Terrowin regrew his arm before shaping it into a club. He handed it to Alfhild. "{Use this.}"

Alfhild smirked, taking the club and extended a sparkling wind around it. "{Not as good as my hammer, but it'll suffice.}"

Melissa turned back as Tyranno started to pick himself up again. She took a deep breath before raising her fists. I'm sorry, Tyranno. You're probably suffering, and you don't even realize it. This'll be over soon, I promise. She glared back at the royal booth. And after that, I've got one more score to settle before the Pandora Assault can officially begin.

"Everyone!" Melissa called out. "Follow my lead!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Terrowin and Vilde shouted.

"{Right behind you, sister!}" Alfhild exclaimed.

Their excitement was palpable across the colosseum, bringing equal excitement to Nero as he laughed. "Things are starting to get interesting."

Jason maintained his composure, hiding his internal trembling. Come on, Melissa. You can do it.

Meanwhile…

"Uuuuugh…"

Though glad to not have the emperor and especially Commander Nemesis hounding her, the young Heliolisk servant still dreaded the mountain of chores placed upon her shoulders. At least it was relatively quiet in the palace.

She struggled her way up the huge staircase leading to Emperor Nero's personal chamber, balancing a stack of laundry baskets in her arms. Each step was a herculean labor, one false move threatening to send her and the entirety of a day's work plummeting back down. The sweat dripping down her brow was worsened only by her intense aversion to the heat. Why, oh why, was she cursed with the Dry Skin ability? It was enough issue having to constantly moisturize her skin to limit her exposure to the sun, but the deathly heat of the open palace only added to the irritation. She never understood how her species could have such a close connection to the sun, yet be so drastically affected by its harsh exposure.

"Almost…there…" she whimpered.

She felt herself nearing the top step, but her exhaustion was reaching its peak. She struggled to keep the baskets balanced in her arms as she lifted her foot.

Against her will, her knee buckled under the strain, and she gasped as she and the baskets teetered backwards. "No, no, no, no, no—"

She clenched her eyes shut, waiting for the arduous ride back down the stairs and the inevitable lashing she would get from Nemesis for being incompetent, but…it never passed. In fact, she was…floating?

Her eyes snapped open, finding she and baskets suspended above the stairs engulfed in a gentle teal light. The force gradually pulled her up to the emperor's chamber, set her down, and landed the basket of clothes off to the side. The Heliolisk blinked twice, wondering if she was going nuts.

"Hello~." She gasped and spun toward the emperor's bed, where a Meowstic with an eyepatch was waiting. She smiled gently at the frazzled Heliolisk. "Oh my, that could've been messy."

The maid gulped and bowed her head apologetically. "I-I'm so sorry, miss! P-Please don't tell the emperor I almost sullied his clothes! I-I was just about to take my break, so I let myself relax too soon and—"

"You can calm down, Freya. You're among friends."

Her eyes widened. "I…huh?" She lifted her head, staring at the strange Meowstic in confusion. "W…What are you…? How did you know my name?"

She smiled. "My name is Lillia. I was told to come and look for you. I heard you were doing the emperor's laundry, so I figured this was the best place to wait. Goodness, you must be a hard worker to take on so much by yourself."

Freya frowned. "I…don't understand. Did I do something wrong?"

"Do you like working here, Freya?"

"I…o-of course! It's an honor to work for the emperor," she said unsurely.

Lillia's smile grew. "You don't have to lie to me. Confess your true feelings."

Freya winced. "I…who are you?"

"Hmm." Lillia placed her hand on the Heliolisk's shoulder. "You've been here for a long time, haven't you? How old are you? Seventeen? Eighteen?"

"S-Seriously, you're freaking me out! Who are you? What do you want?"

Lillia narrowed her eyes. "Freya."

"…Yes?"

"Isn't there anywhere in the world you would rather be than here?"

"…" Freya frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Your real name is…Freya Recke, isn't it?"

Her eyes widened. "How…do you know my family name?"

Lillia smiled warmly, pulling the Heliolisk into a hug. "Because you share that same name with someone very dear to you."

"…" Tears slowly built up in her eyes. "S-Someone…" She clutched into Lillia's dress, choking up with a flood of emotion kept at bay in her chest.

Memories of that day came flooding back. Horrible, bitter memories she tried to keep suppressed for several years. Ever since being brought into New Chariot, she had to do everything she could to get by. She endured her status as a slave, took on menial roles as a servant before earning herself some degree of reprieve as a servant of the royal palace. She never found comfort in her position, but better than anywhere else. She had no hopes of achieving anything greater, believing this was to be her life. She never dared to dream something hopeful came out of that tragedy.

But now...was she allowed to hope again?

"A…Are you…what are y-you…?"

Mom and Dad...they're both gone. But...is it true? Did he survive?

"Your big brother will be here to save you soon, Freya. I just need you to help me with something."