Written April 25th 2021 6:47 PM

The crowd was roaring, cheering so loudly it made Ailith’s ears ring. It was an infectious energy and she found herself grinning despite the beating she had taken so far. The newly named First and Last had taken out a bulette, two manticores, and a massive cyclops with no casualties. Honestly, Ailith was damn impressed with all of them and how well they worked together. As the group walked back out into the arena, which was now submerged in water with only four walkways leading to a central platform, Ailith tried to think of what they could possibly be fighting next. Maybe it would be a shark, or a giant… squid? Octopus? Either way, she wasn’t sure how much use she was going to be in this round, she had never been swimming before and couldn’t be sure she wouldn’t just sink like a stone.

As the group spread out on the walkways to avoid a targeted attack on all five of them, Ailith noticed ripples in the water to her right. Before she could shout a warning, a black blur burst into the air. That definitely isn’t a shark, Ailith thought to herself, mouth agape. A black dragon hovered above them and the crowd fell silent as the creature roared, “I am Vydaleoss, Matron of the Swamp! I will destroy you and then bring ruin to this forsaken city!” Ailith threw herself to the side as Vydaleoss screamed, “Death!” and unleashed a cloud of green mist from its maw, engulfing Xiv and Talus. She heard coughing and hacking from inside the cloud, which obscured her view of Ace and Feyra. Ailith could only hope they were far enough away to avoid it. The cloud slowly dissipated, revealing a still standing Talus and Xiv, the latter of whom was crouched behind their shield, a hastily drawn sigil drawn on the front. Talus was covered in what Ailith recognized as acid burns, and he gave a bellow of rage as he looked up at the dragon. Feyra and Ace looked on with wide eyes, Feyra gripping her bow and Ace prepping a spell in retaliation. It’s go time.

Vydaleoss was burning through their resources; Ailith wasn’t sure how much longer they would be able to last. She could barely feel her Ki running through her, and both Ace and Xiv were using their weakest magic. The dragon kept darting back into the air, rendering Talus and Ailith useless and frustrated. Ailith wiped her face, sweat and blood smearing the dirt accumulated there. Across the platform, Feyra was nocking another arrow, a look of sheer determination on her face. She aimed up at the dragon, who was snarling at them with a look of what Ailith could only describe as disgust. Ailith watched as Feyra loosed the arrow and kept her bow raised, waiting for the arrow to hit its mark.

Vydaleoss screamed as the arrow lodged itself in her chest, leaving a gaping wound that smoked a bit at the edges. She dove at the First and Last, swiping at Ace who dodged out of the way and swung with her rondel, a last ditch attempt to bring the dragon down. Ailith’s heart was in her throat as Ace carved into the side of Vydaleoss’s throat, blood spraying across the front of the young girl’s dress. A swirl of shadows engulfed her and she vanished, reappearing ten feet in the air, wings fully expanded. The dragon collapsed, body lying half in the water, slowly staining it black with blood. Ailith felt the tension in the air as the party and the crowd waited for another attack.

No attack came. Instead the sound of the crowd grew louder once more and Ace flew down to the platform as the First and Last converged on her, yelling and cheering along with the crowd. She was beaming, her teeth white against the blood splattered on her small face. The crowd kept yelling as medics rushed into the arena, a chorus of “First and Last, First and Last!” that echoed in Ailith’s ears long after the doors to the arena closed.