*ATTENTION ALL CONTESTANTS. AS NIGHT APPROACHES ON THE SECOND DAY, WE HAVE DECIDED TO SPICE UP THE COMPETITION. THE LOCATION OF ALL CONTESTANTS RANK 10 AND ABOVE WILL BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE. THE NAMES OF THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
FIRST PLACE: Kiraen Liora (Pronounced: Kir-eye-en Lee-Ore-uh)
SECOND PLACE: Ruinia (Pronounced: Ruin-E-uh)
THIRD PLACE: Lia Darkova
FOURTH PLACE: Eridea Jaze (Pronounced: Er-id-ee-uh Jay-z)
FIFTH PLACE: Saf
SIXTH PLACE: Wreant Polue (Pronounced: Ree-ant Poll-Yu)
SEVENTH PLACE: Guira Liora (Pronounced: Gear-uh)
EIGHTH PLACE: Gale Honra
NINTH PLACE: Elizai
TENTH: Fred
YOU MAY CHECK YOUR MIRRORS TO ASCERTAIN THEIR EXACT LOCATION. IT HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH A MAP AND THEIR MARKERS WILL UPDATE IN REAL TIME. IF AN UNRANKED (anyone below rank 10) CONTESTANT DEFEATS SOMEONE ABOVE RANK 10, THEY WILL ASSUME THEIR POSITION IN THE RANKING AND RECEIVE THE OPPONENT'S SCORE.*
There was a slight pause.
*DING. ADDITIONALLY, THE AVAILABLE ZONES WILL BEGIN TO SHRINK. IF YOU ARE WITHIN AN AREA THAT IS NO LONGER ACCESSIBLE, YOU WILL BE TRANSPORTED TO ONE THAT IS. HAPPY HUNTING.*
.....
Lia and Lacey were approaching a large mountain. It was still far off in the distance, and the sun had just begun to set. Lia wanted to hurry, she would finish Ruinia off quickly if she needed to.
Lia spat out a large curse. "Damn, she knows we're coming now. Others will likely follow us. Are you prepared to fight if need be, Lacey?"
Lacey showed a small smile. "For you, anything." Her smile seemed...unsettling to Lia, but she wasn't sure why.
Pushing that thought aside, She nodded in response. "Let's go then."
.....
The three figures watching nodded in satisfaction at their latest game change.
Silvana, the Elven Witch was the first to speak. "This should make it more interesting, no? We're in for one hell of a battle between Ruinia and the Darkova girl."
The old and long-bearded man spoke in response. "I think the girl will draw it out, but I'm afraid Ruinia might not stand much of a chance."
The man in perfect silver armor spoke. "I believe in Ruinia. If she succeeds in lasting out the rising of the sun, I would like for her to be in my class."
Silvana chuckled. "She won't make it that long."
.....
Lia and Lacey had made it to the base of the mountain just as the moon began to rise. Night had officially fallen. The two of them stood at the base of the mountain, Lia's rage was beginning to roil up.
It was slow at first, but the more she thought about it, the worse the rage got. She didn't know whether to give in or resist. Lacey was, quite literally, her first friend. Although Lia wasn't sure how that happened so quickly, the feelings were still there.
Saro attempted to speak and assuage Lia's concerns, but Lia's rush of emotions flooded her the moment she tried. The rage was unending, unceasing. She didn't know whether she would remain herself, and she closed her feelings off from Lia, knowing that she wanted this, needed it.
Lia's eyes began to glow red. Her sclera was drowned in red. Her mind was swimming with rage. It made her feel slightly dizzy, but she couldn't have cared about that.
How could she? She was about to confront the person that hurt her only friend. The first person she made actual contact with in the outside world. Her mind was full of rage and hatred. It burned so deep. The area around her eyes began to display dark black markings.
A figure in a black hooded long cloak suddenly descended from a cave high up in the mountain. It floated high above the ground as it began speaking. "So, it was Lia Darkova and her pe-"
The voice of Ruinia was cut off by Lia's hand. She had grown large bat wings, and was flying next to Ruinia. Her face was twisted into a snarl. Her fangs were extended. The hand that suddenly gripped Ruinia's head was clawed. The nails were painted red, long, and exceedingly sharp. Mana of Decay clung to her fingers like an aura.
Lia's form seemed more regal, yet there was an air of otherworldliness about her. She looked dangerous and extremely pissed off. The bat wings that extended from her back were large and imposing. They were all black and tinted with red accents. Lia had taken the form of a noble vampire for the first time.
Lia's clawed hand slammed Ruinia's head into the side of the mountain. Once, twice, three times she slammed Ruinia into the mountainside. Her eyes narrowed and her mouth broke into a smile that showed her extended fangs. She tossed the unconscious Ruinia onto the ground.
Ruinia had lost consciousness after the first hit. She awoke with a start as she hit the ground. 'Gods be damned. What-'
Lia flew down at an impressive speed and stomped on Ruinia's stomach. Ruinia coughed up an impressive amount of blood that was immediately used to form spikes. Lia moved a hand down and the spikes impaled Ruinia's arms. She was pinned and Lia repeatedly stomped on her, over, and over, and over.
Lacey watched with fascination. Her mind wasn't on how brutal Lia was... She was fixated on how gorgeous Lia looked. Her mouth twisted into a smile of sick sadistic joy.
Lia removed the spikes and picked Ruinia up by the throat. She had, of course, lost consciousness. Lia slapped her across the face hard and she woke up with a start.
Lia spoke, her words spilled anger, fueling the ever-present fire in her mind. "You are nothing but a weak piece of garbage. You have brought this on yourself."
Lia slammed her into the ground once more, forming a large Ruinia-sized dent. She tossed her by one of her legs towards the mountainside. She slammed into it with such force that the mountainside had a large crack run up its base.
Lacey's eyes narrowed as she turned around. She hadn't been lying when she said she would practice. Her mana domain had detected someone. She spoke with a cold and bored voice. "Go away."
A male voice responded. "You must be Lacey, then? I'm Kiraen Liora. I suggest you move."
Lacey scoffed. "And what for? Why should I move?"
In the background, there was a large cry of pain as Lia had torn off one of Ruinia's arms. She tossed it aside like garbage and immediately used blood magic to stop her body from pouring blood out by the gallons. Lia's sadistic smile hadn't left her face and the fire of rage was only growing.
Kiraen nodded at Lia. "Ruinia's going to die at this rate."
Lacey shrugged. "So what? I don't care."
Kiraen let out a sigh. "I guess it's too bad." The sword on his hip suddenly began glowing as he dashed at Lacey.