Naewauld citizens packed the arena to watch the scry of the Ascendant Games projected on the spinning cube. A giant party to honor Heir Rosaline Highsmythe and her engagement to Maxwell Bitterly, as well as both of them making it to the final ten. The Queen purchased the whole colosseum for those from the capital, a common tactic to boost authority, so this wouldn’t be out of place. But this should be an uncommon event.
Hand Four-Five-One joined the serving staff in passing out tankards. Her uniform matched those hired for the day, short, revealing, and distracting enough that people looking wouldn’t question why they felt flushed and excited while looking at the girls. The barrels brought in for the day were laced with the odorless, tasteless, skill invisible additive that increased aggression and suggestibility. She took a sip herself, having long since developed an immunity to the powder used.
[Menacing Thoughts] bled into her targets. Off-hand comments became slights. Slights turned into vendettas. With the right push, it could turn into murder. Here, though, she diffused it enough to creep into the attitudes and emotions of the masses. Gripes about that bloody necromancer spread through skills like [Rumors] and [Trash Talk] by the other hands among the staff.
An inferno was coming. They’d seen it spark the other times Princess Rosaline and Lady White met. A lovely bit of drama for the audience, even if many of the details behind their feud didn’t make the final showing. Oddsmakers, prophets, and simple common sense predicted it. A rude word or a slap should be able to send the crowd into a fiery fury. They would be the wind to spread the flames.
“They can’t do that!” The yell echoed as Harmony ambushed a half-naked Max on his way to meet his fiancée. Flashes of the romantic picnic Rose was setting up, their first since they isolated for their mimic problem, played interspersed with the insult.
Hand Four-Five-One suppressed a giggle. It was happening. She turned up the heat and boosted her skill. A fight, an actual fight!
Gasps of horror as Adric took the arrow meant for Harmony.
Confusion and uncomfortable squirming as the princess's hair melted off her head and face, and clothes burned off her body. Hearts broke at the sickening damage as metal links were ripped bloodily from Rose’s head.
Maxwell’s betrayal under Harmony’s evil influence was a twist none of them predicted.
Rose’s body convulsed in its final moments before leaving, and as the kingdom's new heir blinked out of the Games. Outrage that she only got eliminated by the need to break her seals and defend herself. That rage, that beautiful rage.
Four-Five-One wanted to weep at the angry red faces as the entire audience surged out with murder on their mind and fists in the air.
She didn’t need to follow. Outside, torches and fire stones were ready to be handed out. Rumors of where supporters of House White could be found. Where Harmony White would be after The Games returned her to the guild house.
Hand Four-Five-One spoke to the empty stands. “Burn baby burn.”
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