The silence between us feels heavier now, thick with the weight of what's to come. Two hours before The Game, I finally find my voice. It's cracked, raw, but steady enough to speak.
"We're going to have to fight."
Dezirae's golden eyes flicker toward me, guarded but not unkind. She nods slowly, her ears twitching at the sound of my voice. "I know."
I lean against the cold stone wall of my cell, staring at the faint, pulsating glow of my timer. "This world doesn't care about us. It pits us against each other and calls it entertainment. But…" I hesitate, feeling the sharp edge of my words before I speak them. "But I forgive you."
Her head snaps up, her expression a mix of disbelief and confusion. "Why?"
I exhale, my breath shallow and cold. "Because what's the point of holding on to hate? We didn't choose this. None of this was ever our choice. And when we go out there, we'll only have each other to remember this moment. No matter what happens, Dezirae… promise me you'll remember."
Her lips part, trembling slightly, but no words come. Instead, she nods, a silent agreement that carries the weight of her guilt and the frailty of her hope.
"Dezirae," I say, my voice softening. "What's your full name?"
Her eyes widen at the question, but then she smiles—a sad, fleeting thing. "Dezirae Cheveux."
I close my eyes for a moment, committing it to memory. "Solice Caligo. If you win, promise me you'll remember my name."
Her brows knit together, and I see the question forming in her mind before she asks it. "And if you win?"
I force a faint smile. "Then I'll remember yours."
The silence stretches, and I let it linger, but there's one more thing I need to say. "Dezirae, I need to ask you for a favor."
She blinks, her golden eyes searching mine. "A favor?"
I nod, my voice tightening as I speak. "If you win… please, save Tsuki. Get him out of here. Don't let him die in this place."
Her ears flatten slightly, and her gaze drops to the floor. "Solice, I—"
"Please," I interrupt, my tone firmer now. "He's been by my side through all of this. He doesn't deserve to end up in the dirt of this wretched colosseum."
She meets my eyes again, her expression resolute despite the sadness that shadows her features. "I promise. If I win, I'll save him."
Before I can respond, the echo of boots breaks the moment. The guards are here.
"Time's up," one of them growls as they unlock our cells. The march down the dim corridor feels heavier this time, every step a reminder of the arena that awaits us.
An hour before The Game, we're led into the room with the time crystal. Its eerie blue light pulses like a heartbeat, and the hooded figure stands waiting, silent as a shadow.
"You're allowed up to 100 days this time," one guard sneers. "Make it interesting."
My teeth clench, my anger simmering beneath the surface. Their smirks, their taunts—it all feeds the fire in my chest.
Dezirae and I exchange a final glance. Her golden eyes shimmer, not with fear, but with determination.
Whatever happens out there, she will remember me. And I… I will remember her.
-----
I can hear them now—the devils in the crowd, screaming their heads off. This is the moment they've been waiting for: The Dark Deity's final game.
My door creaks open, and the deafening roar of the colosseum greets me. The announcer's voice booms, dripping with theatrical flair. "Nobles of Fangea, welcome back to The Game… The Dark Deity!!!"
The crowd erupts, their cheers almost drowning out the announcer. They don't seem to hate me as much as they did during my first appearance. Perhaps I've won over some of their wallets, made a few of them richer after my last match. Disgust bubbles in my chest at the thought.
I step onto the dirt floor of the colosseum, the harsh sunlight beating down on my neck. My eyes scan the stands until I see him: King Saxumidian, sitting on his grand throne, smiling from ear to ear. Of course he'd show up for this. The spectacle of The Dark Deity facing his final challenge was too good to miss.
Warden Jacques sits nearby, practically giddy with excitement. I recall the warden's sickening offer, his promise that this would be the last game. That I could walk free and gain an opportunity to serve the king. It makes me want to retch.
I lock eyes with the king and spit onto the dirt. To hell with him. To hell with his kingdom. His grin widens as if he's amused by my defiance.
"And now," the announcer shouts, his voice cutting through the chaos, "former member of The King's Guard, second in command of the Serviteur Branch… Dezirae Cheveux!"
The crowd's cheers shift to venomous jeers and boos. They hurl their hatred at her the same way they did at me in my earlier games. Dezirae's door creaks open, and she steps into the arena. For a moment, the noise fades into the background as our eyes meet.
We can't help but smile, just a little.
This is it.
We walk to the center of the colosseum. The guards behind us stand ready to remove the magic-blocking chains once the game begins.
"Good luck to you, Dez," I say, my voice low but steady.
Her golden eyes widen in surprise, as though she wasn't expecting such familiarity. Then she smiles—a real smile, faint but warm. "You too, Sol."
The nickname catches me off guard. Sol. I haven't heard that since my previous life. The sound of it stirs something in me—a bittersweet pang of nostalgia that I quickly push aside.
The guards behind me fumble with my chains, but they don't remove them. Not yet. Something's off.
"Did you think that was it?!" The announcer's voice cuts through the tension, dripping with mockery. My stomach knots. What the hell is he talking about?
The crowd's energy surges, their anticipation turning feverish.
"Mixing into the fray, the man born in a sea of hellfire…" The announcer's voice takes on a dramatic edge. My chest tightens. My hands sweat. No. No, this isn't right.
"The fire magician who has decisively won five games in a row…" My mind races, trying to make sense of this. Five games? No, no, this isn't what the warden promised.
"The right hand to King Alstidon himself…"
My breath catches, the world around me spinning as the name falls like a hammer.
"I introduce to you… Hanone Tsuki!!!"