Something about Mephisto's presence seemed familiar. Fragments of his isolation training in the mountains played in Aurelius' memory. It didn't make sense.

  Aurelius watched as Mephisto greeted the audience with the most arrogant bows he'd ever seen and leaned over to ask, "Who is he exactly?"

  "He's the son of a senator and a legate," Alexander answered.

  "So important?"

  "Quite so. His father trained him at an early age but died in the war. Actually, your father might've..." Alexander trained off. Mephisto's opponent enters the arena, a tan muscular man with no shirt on.

  "You were saying..."

  Alexander shook his head. "Well, in any case, he continued training but changed his focus from warfare to singles combat. He won his first tournament at 22, the youngest ever. Since then, he hasn't lost in the arena."

  "So that makes how many years now? Two?"

  "Six."

  Aurelius took a second look at Mephisto. "He's 28?"

  Alexander shrugged. "It is quite difficult to grasp, seeing his behavior. Now if you'll excuse me, I must announce the games." Alexander stood and silenced the crowd before laying down the format the exhibition had.

  Essentially, it was Mephisto against anyone willing to try. The first to land a clean hit or draw blood was the winner. Participants were responsible for not dying from that one hit.

  Then the battle began.

  Aurelius followed at the edge of his seat, enhanced eyes tracking Mephisto's every movement. The man moved like an animal. In short bursts, probably meant to intimidate the enemy and give him an air of unpredictability. He zigzagged at his enemy before coming into range. The muscular man swung with ferocity that blew up a cloud of dust but hit nothing. Mephisto got in close. The man swung again, but this time in panic. Mephisto was already behind him. He put their backs together and moved along with the man.

  They circled each other like that multiple times, Mephisto dodging every wild swing without looking. He only widened his eyes, making comical expressions of surprise that made the crowd laugh. When Mephisto finally stopped the charade, he tripped the man up and walked away, whistling.

  There was an inherent disrespectfulness to his fighting style. Though he wasn't particularly fast or agile, he was erratic with a kind of finesse designed to put down the enemy.

  Once back on his feet, the muscular man came at Mephisto, roaring out of his mind. Mephisto faked a step back like he was going to counter. Then he burst forward. With a palm strike to the chest, he ended the enemy's rush and sent him hurtling into a wall.

  The impact shook the whole arena, making a little crater. There came the sound of a triumphant horn, and the crowd cheered.

  Aurelius watched with narrow eyes. "Well, he's got my attention."

  "What?" Alexander asked.

  By then, Aurelius was out of his chair and jumped over the railing of the viewing box. He landed in a crouch on the pale yellow sand and dusted off his robes. It was a bright, starry night, and the arena was lit with torches.

  Mephisto turned around. Aurelius didn't know what kind of reaction he'd expected, but laughter wasn't it. Mephisto curled up, cackling his head off.

  "Did you seriously just jump from up there?"

  Aurelius looked back at Alexander and Cade, who had come up to the railing to look. He turned back to Mephisto and asked, "Anyone can participate, right?"

  "So it goes," Mephisto said. "But are you sure you don't want to protect your reputation?"

  "From victory?" Aurelius asked, getting a laugh out of Mephisto. Then he got serious and asked, "Have we met somewhere before?"

  "I doubt it," Mephisto answered, digging at his ear. "I'd remember a face like yours." He clawed at his face in mockery. "Scarred," he hissed as though telling a horror story.

  Aurelius blinked, no change in expression.

  "Oh, don't be like that. No lady likes a humorless man." Mephisto looked up at Cade and winked. Aurelius followed his gaze and saw her chuckle a little. He frowned, looking back at Mephisto. "Are you ready?"

  "I've been ready," Mephisto said, yawning.

  Sand crackled under Aurelius' foot as he shot forward. Amusement drained from Mephisto, and he dropped into a stance. Aurelius tried to establish contact, but Mephisto managed to slip past. Turning in a hurry, Aurelius managed to block Mephisto's strike and made a counter that sent Mephisto back. Aurelius followed up with a series of simple strikes, but Mephisto had a way of getting away and hitting at an angle that Aurelius couldn't quite grasp.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  But the fourth time Mephisto went for the same kind of counter, Aurelius decided to reveal more of his arsenal. He spun into acrobatics, flipping over Mephisto.

  He'd assumed that upon landing he'd have the upper hand. However, when he turned, Mephisto was right there with a swing aimed at his side. He was fast. Much faster than he'd previously revealed. The whole battle, he'd been waiting for an opportunity to take advantage of Aurelius' low expectations, and now he had it.

  But he had no idea.

  Aurelius' eyes lit up as a flood of essence rushed through his body. It was instinctual. He met danger with danger, and before a single coherent thought had passed through his mind, Aurelius' hand was about to shred through Mephisto's heart. In that last moment, Aurelius saw fright in Mephisto's amber eyes. Something primal, like an animal being dragged into a dark cave.

  Aurelius snapped out of it and stopped the attack. Mephisto followed through and got a clean hit. Aurelius was launched and tumbled some distance at high speeds before getting to his feet and skidding to a stop. He gnashed his teeth and readied a slash, but before he could bring his hand from behind his back, the horn was blown. The match was over.

  Mephisto stared blankly for a second. Then his expression erupted into bliss, and he celebrated in front of the crowd.

  Aurelius looked toward the viewing box. Cade was looking at him with furrowed brows, and Alexander was frowning.

  'Not good,' Aurelius thought. 'Not good at all.'

  He was supposed to keep his abilities hidden. Not only had he allowed people to glimpse them, but he had lost. Now he watched as Mephisto stroked his ego with the crowd's applause.

  Alexander gestured with his hands for the crowd to settle down. "It is evident that Aurelius is inexperienced in a tournament setting such as this." Alexander peered down at Mephisto. "I suggest a rematch."

  "Apologies, Your Majesty, there are no rematches in this event," Mephisto responded.

  "Surely this occasion demands an exception." Alexander addressed the crowd. "Is that not so?!"

  Thousands and thousands of voices roared. Aurelius realized the course of events and approached Mephisto. "Want to make a deal?"

  Mephisto turned his shaded gaze to Aurelius. "What do you want?"

  "If you decline a rematch, you'll look like a coward and fall out of favor. But if you accept a draw on a technicality, Alexander will be satisfied."

  "What technicality?" Mephisto snapped.

  Aurelius shrugged. "Make something up."

  Mephisto thought about it, and when he seemed to realize it was the best choice, he furrowed his brows. "Why don't you want the rematch?" He looked away and almost mumbled. "I know you could've killed me."

  "I've got one thing to ask," Aurelius said. Mephisto groaned. "Have dinner with me sometime."

  Mephisto looked up, scrunching up his nose. "What?"

  "I don't really have any friends around these parts," Aurelius answered. It would've been hard to explain he'd seen him in a hallucination.

  "You want to be friends with me?"

  "Yeah."

  Mephisto looked down and blinked. "Oh, well, alright then. Sure."

  "Great." Aurelius walked up to and patted Mephisto on the shoulder. "Your place. And do you have a significant other?"

  "Yeah. A fiancé."

  "That'll do. Bring her, and I'll bring my girlfriend." Aurelius waved and left Mephisto standing there, confused.

  Aurelius then jumped back into the viewing box.

  Alexander greeted him with a low tone. "You could've just killed him."

  "And rid Zalfari of a capable soldier?"

  "He's a mighty combatant, but he's no soldier," Alexander answered.

  "Whatever. He agreed to a draw. Announce it however you like." Aurelius sighed. "I'm tired. Cade, are you tired?"

  "Snoring already," Cade replied.

  "I think we should return to the palace in that case." Aurelius looked to Alexander. "Will you excuse us?"

  Alexander stared at him before waving a hand. "Go on. But never again do anything like what you did just now."

  Aurelius gave no response. The guards stepped aside and gave him and Cade way to the exit.

  Outside, Cade asked Aurelius, "Does he think he can order you around?" Aurelius gave no response. "Can he?"

  "I don't know." Aurelius shrugged, taking in the vastness of Zalfari and the barren hills beyond, all in the hands of Alexander. "I've yet to see what he'll do if I disobey."