"Ace Voltaire and Azure Arcus versus Zoltar: the Conqueror."
"Dominique, are you okay?" Simon asks, resting a hand on her shoulder.
"No."
"They'll be okay. They're strong as hell," he reassures.
"Zoltar is was my caregiver as a child. I called him my father at one point," she reveals, "I inherited my magic from him. He uses Soul Snatch, too."
"Are you afraid he'll get hurt?"
"I want that fucker to die." Dominique's eyes turn cold.
When Ace and Azure reach the arena, it's covered in mirrors. Their reflections overlap and burn into mind bending images. Everywhere they turn, they meet up with their own eyes. The mirrors encircle, snake, twist, and wind into a endless maze. A faceless voice pangs:
"Your darkest fears! I know them! Your regrets! I know them! Allow your reflection to consume you in your greatest darkness."
Azure shields her eyes, "don't look into your eyes. Look down!" She glances at Ace, who quickly got sucked into the reflection. He touches the glass. In the reflection, he is weak and faded. His face is young and youthful, but drained of happiness. A gaunt boy walks with him.
"Hey, Ace, Ry, what you did yesterday seriously pissed me off." A huge boy stops them. He furrows his messy eyebrows together, rubbing a wrap bandage on his arm. "Just 'cuz you have magic doesn't make you tough or cool. It sure as hell don't make you strong. I'll beat the shit out of you."
"Yeah?" Ry's voice quivers, "you and what army?"
"I'll fucking beat you dead by myself!" the larger boy threatens.
"Yeah?" Ry croaks. The larger boy grabs his collar. His face scrunches up.
"Aren't you gonna fight me, Magic Princess?" the boy hisses at Ace.
"I," he stutters. His knees knock together. The larger boy laughs, dropping Ry's collar. He launches a fist into Ace's stomach. Ace heels to the ground in pain. His fingers massage his aching abdomen.
"You dickhead!" Ry hollers.
The larger boys sneers at Ry. "Say it again!"
"You're a dickhead!"
"Fuck you! I'll kill you!" A fist crushes Ry's jaw. His teeth bounce out of his gums. Blood dribbles down his chin. A hand wraps around his wiry throat. Another hand curls to a ball and glides across his cheeks. Bruises form to cuts to become raw skin. Blood soaks up his face and swells up his features. Ry heaves heavy breaths. He sputters and coughs blood. Ace watches with squinted eyes. He cries over the pain in his stomach, he reaches up to touch his friend. The larger boy knocks straight up Ry's chin. Ry turns limp in his arms.
"Ry!" Ace wheezes.
"Oh! Shit!" the larger boy drops Ry to the dirt. He looks around for other witnesses, decides Ace is unimportant, and sprints away. Ace cries, slapping Ry's distorted face with the pads of his fingers.
"C'mon, you're fine. Don't be a pussy," Ace teases in between tears of pure sadness. You're so weak, you're so weak, you're so weak, you're so weak.
Ace's fingers linger the mirror. Tears streak down his real body and mimic his reflection.
Azure looks up to Ace's agony. Her gaze becomes trapped as well. She cocks her head to the girl in the mirror. The Azure of ten years ago, scribbles in a notebook. She flips the pages of a book. A girl walks into her study space. Azure scrubs her glasses on a dirty shirt.
