From the second chamber—the one that launched the fireball—
something pushed through.
A limb.
Massive.
Shaggy.
Too thick to be an arm—more like a claw.
Then the rest followed.
I'd never seen anything like it.
A warped thing—half man, half bear.
Its jaws couldn't close, forced open by jagged fangs jutting at wrong angles. Its eyes—
weren't eyes.
Fire burned inside the sockets.
Not glowing.
Burning.
Alive.
It stood over two meters tall, broad-shouldered like a man—but its arms ended in heavy, oversized paws. Thick fur covered its body—
until the calves.
Below that—
smooth skin.
Clean.
Like it had been shaved.
The contrast made it worse.
Wrong.
Everything about it was wrong.
"Who—?!" it roared. "Who wants to be my meal?!"
The voice scraped through the air—half human, half beast.
Its head snapped toward me.
Drool slid from its jaws—
thick.
Molten.
It hissed when it hit the ground, eating into the surface.
"Tasty… You smell good!"
It moved.
Fast.
Too fast for something that size.
My body locked—
I dug my nails into my palm, forcing myself out of it—
and threw myself aside.
If I could've screamed, I would have.
Another fireball formed instantly in its claw—
and shot at me.
My footing slipped—I hit the ground, rolled hard—
heat tore past me, catching the edge of my pants.
Too close.
I looked at the others.
Nothing.
They were frozen.
Just like I'd been.
Another fireball—
I wouldn't make it up in time.
I lashed out with a strand—wrapped its legs—pulled.
Nothing.
Didn't even move it.
The next one came straight for my face.
And then—
white.
A ghost.
I didn't think.
Didn't hesitate.
I snapped a second strand around it and yanked it in front of me—
just as the fireball hit.
Flame swallowed it whole.
The body collapsed—melting, folding in on itself like burning plastic.
It bought me a second.
I got up.
Ran.
Toward the others.
One of them snapped out of it first—signaling sharply for me to stay back—
Too late.
Another fireball tore toward us.
We scattered.
I had no idea how to kill something like this.
No idea how to fight together without a word.
And the crowd—
they loved it.
Of course they did.
They weren't the ones about to die.
One of the others finally acted—launching arrows of energy.
The creature didn't even flinch.
It swatted them aside.
Burned them out of the air.
"Pathetic insect!"
It slammed its fist into the ground.
The earth split open.
Fire surged through the crack—racing straight at him.
I moved without thinking.
My strand shot out—yanking him clear.
Too slow.
Too late.
Because while I was pulling him away—
it was already on me.
The claw came down.
I lashed out—
missed.
The paw closed around my throat.
Lifted me off the ground.
"Tasty…"
The grip tightened.
Air cut off.
Heat built in my chest—
I was going to burn alive.
Darkness crept in—
Still—
I forced both strands out.
Wrapped them tight around its body.
Pulled.
Harder.
For a second—
it worked.
The grip loosened.
I dropped—
hit the ground—
The strands snapped.
Gone.
I rolled from a crushing blow, tried to get up—
It caught my leg.
Dragged me up.
I twisted—
It slammed me into the ground.
Hard.
Everything went black—
then pain.
Everywhere.
My mouth filled with blood.
I coughed—
red spilling out.
That was it.
And then—
movement.
The third one.
The one who had held back.
He threw himself at the creature.
No control.
No caution.
Feral.
Tearing at fur, ignoring burns, ripping into flesh with his bare hands.
The creature roared—
jerked—
its teeth sank into his arm.
That snapped me back.
I got up.
Moved.
The other one—
was already dealing with the ghosts.
Fast.
Efficient.
Two left.
Where was the third—
And then I understood.
Possession.
The one I pulled away—
He'd made a contract.
The third-level spirit had taken him.
No time.
I forced my strands tight—wrapping the creature completely.
Locking it in place.
The possessed one drove a blade of energy straight through its chest.
A scream tore through the arena.
The body collapsed.
Move.
I ran to it—grabbed, tried to drag it toward the burning fissure.
Too heavy—
My legs gave out—
Then the other one grabbed it with me.
Together—
we shoved it into the fire.
The body caught instantly.
Flames rose high into the darkening sky.
I turned.
The one who saved me—
lay broken on the ground.
Breathing.
Barely.
I dropped beside him.
Hand to his head.
He flinched.
Tried to move.
I shook my head.
Leaned in—
pressed my hand over his heart—
and drove the strand through.
No hesitation.
His body jerked.
Stopped.
His eyes—
shock.
Confusion.
Gone.
I caught him before he hit the ground.
Dragged him to the fire.
The other one stared at me.
Horrified.
I said nothing.
Held up four fingers.
Pointed at the burning body.
Understanding hit him.
Fourth level.
If I hadn't done it—
it would've been worse.
Much worse.
I dropped to the ground.
Empty.
Hollow.
And then—
applause.
Thunderous.
"It's incredible!" the announcer shouted. "The first fourth-level entity defeated! Possession! Termination of the host—all within thirty minutes! Victory goes to the specials!"
The crowd roared.
Louder.
Cheering.
Celebrating.
I felt sick.
Someone died.
Someone whose face I would never see.
And they called it a show.
Still—
I stood.
Raised my arms.
Just like the others.