The guard jumps to attack, his sword clutched in both hands and poised behind his head. Before he can land a blow, Sigvid seizes him out of the air, bringing him down on his knee and snapping his back.
“Sigvid!” The Battlemaster has recovered. “As much as I would love to advertise that one of my combatants is keeping the Queen of Timber as a pet, we must all endure the coldness of reality. Relinquish her to my care, and she will safely return to her lodgings. Of course, this is the last time she will ever call upon you again.”
Sigvid backs up closer to Avina, his hand gripping her arm.
“How about this? You get the fuck out of my way so I can take her and leave this fucking shit hole. I will not kill you. This way, we both win.”
“Why would I let my cash cow walk right out from under my nose? Your little friend, here, has been dumping her inheritance on your Arena comforts. You both funded the renovations to my home.”
No more talking.
He slams the cell door on the Battlemaster’s arm, snapping it. He knees him between his thick legs and then tosses him to the ground. For good measure, he stomps on the man’s side, hearing ribs snap. Sigvid grabs his face and drags his nails across it, gouging four chasms.
As Sigvid stands to deliver the killing blow, three other sentries appear and restrain him long enough to inject a needle into his neck.
Fucking Azure Blooms.
Knowing he has little time before the effects render him unconscious, he uses his last bit of strength to rip off the head of the guard who administered the sedative.
He immediately feels his muscles relaxing.
“Sigvid!” She shrieks as he collapses to the ground. “No, Sigvid!” She is in hysterics. Her hands clutch his armor cuirass, pulling him toward her.
My little Queen?
But their moment breaks. Once again, the Battlemaster rips her from his arms. Only this time, he is helpless to stop it.
“No! Sigvid! Let me stay with him!” Her slurred cries are the last sound he hears before the Azure Blooms drown him, and his sight fadesto black.
September 25, Year 100, 9th Era
Treland Arena
Time bleeds on without Sigvid processing.
The Battlemaster made a fatal error in keeping the Timber Queen from him. And Sigvid will ensure he pays for his misstep.
“How was isolation?” Champ’s voice is surprisingly refreshing after time spent alone.
Sigvid grumps. “How long was I there?” He leans against the cell door to hear Champ better.
“Couple days.” Champ is quiet momentarily and then adds, “I heard everything that night, Beast. You have a fun way of displaying hate.”
Sigvid shakes his head, his mind constantly replaying her body bound in his chains.“There is no doubt I seek vengeance. But it threw me into a rage when he took her—my property. I am the only one who can hurt her. The Battlemaster is lucky they had that shot of Azure, or I would have torn this place down.”
“What would you have done to her after murdering everyone in the Arena?”
“I would have only murdered the guards who tried stopping me. The men forced to fight deserve their revenge. But the Timber Queen,” his voice drops to a low growl, “she will regret her actions. I will tear her apart slowly.”
“Those moans you gave her? Were they hate moans, then?”
Sigvid grumbles. “Yes, they were hate moans.”
A genuine laugh echoes from Champ’s cell. “What about murdering three guards trying to rescue her? Was that hate, too?”
“She belongs to me and me alone. They tried to take her from me, and I could not allow that.”
“And what compels you to want her?”
