Realm of Token

Kurja was an excellent combat and strategy teacher. Her own personal skills accumulated over time showed her prowess with not only hand-to-hand combat, but tactical skills involving the use of a wide range of weapons. She had always been gifted with quick feet and swift agility, like a cat, in a way. Her broad knowledge of all things strategy-related had earned her a well-deserved place among the Imperial Guard, and her ability to predict her enemies' movements even in the heat of battle gave her the advantage. Now, the Imperial Guard had yet to see action regarding combat against the Elves and, the biggest annoyance to the Demon race, Vampires. So far, the Imperial Guard had only been used for ceremonial purposes and to guard the Queen. But Kurja was not the type to simply stand and guard a pair of giant iron doors. So, after receiving permission from the Queen herself, she became a combat and strategy teacher for the young Demons of Bellcrest. Naturally, her parents were very proud.

As the sun beat down hard on the small cove of Bellcrest, Kurja's class had officially begun. It didn't take place in the arena like it had the other day, for the heat was far too extreme to expect her students to perform at their top level. Instead, they met in a small field on the other side of town, where the trees provided them with ample shade and a nice breeze every once in a while. A small stream ran through the field, which some of the older students went to in order to cool down. Usually, Demons held a high tolerance to heat, but that did not mean that they were immune to it.

Once she had made sure that all the practice weapons were accounted for, she stepped up to the front of the group, her hands clasped behind her back as she surveyed the heads of her students.

"Alright, class. Today, we will be practicing some basic sword techniques. For the older students, I have something a little more advanced." Kurja began, pacing back and forth in front of them. With a small smile, she flicked her crimson gaze to her sister, who was currently deeply interested in the hopping pattern of a frog. "Older students, you will combat my sister here. She is going to fight in the arena today, along with myself, of course."

"Do you know who you're fighting?" One of her young students asked, raising her hand delicately.

Kurja shook her head. "That information is not disclosed until the fight has begun. But, I am confident in my ability to win, as should all of you." She stepped to the side and motioned towards Jester, who stood beside her with a big smile on her face. "Jester will demonstrate what to do in a match. Pay close attention, now."

Kurja stepped back and watched as her students faced off against Jester. They were all very talented in combat, but the biggest problem was that they all acted too brash and arrogant,  which was a surefire way to lose the battle. Jester, however, was no pushover, and certainly wouldn't let a bunch of small children get the better of her.

Jester stood straight, her red hair held in a messy bun at the base of her neck. Despite Kurja telling her to wear combat clothes, she wore a basic shirt and jeans that were the exact opposite of what Kurja had wanted. But apart from the clothing option, her stance and the careful way her eyes examined each student facing her was exactly what Kurja had expected. Jester was by every means an expert at combat.

As Kurja expected, the first student to move was one of the tallest boys in the class. He was what was known as a Havoc Demon, the larger breed of Demons, and he had the looks to prove it. His horns were far more prominent than Jester's, which curled around his head as if to frame his face. His tail was longer and thicker, and his teeth were sharper. He had bright red eyes, like the rest of them, but he had dark black hair that was pulled into a ponytail. His muscles were well defined, and he stood with a stance that made him appear much stronger than he actually was.

Without a word, the Havoc Demon lunged forward, swiping his large claws at Jester's face. She moved to the side and kicked out, knocking him off balance. She spun around and elbowed him in the back of the neck, causing him to fall to his knees. She jumped onto his back, wrapping her legs around his waist as she locked her arms around his neck in a choke-hold. He reached around, desperately trying to pull her off of him, but she was too fast and managed to slip away, kicking him in the side of the head and knocking him down. He rolled over onto his back, gasping for air as he stared up at her, his eyes narrowed tightly.

Kurja smiled to herself. Jester moved so fast and so agile that it did make her jealous. She could never match that type of speed.

The next student attacked, coming in with a roundhouse kick aimed at Jester's head. Jester ducked, spinning around and slamming her elbow into the girl's back. The crack that echoed off the trees made Kurja wince, and she let out a sigh. Of course, the last thing on Jester's mind was going easy on the students. Jester was naturally very strong, but when she fought, she somehow became ten times stronger than she already was. It was hard to believe that she was only fifteen years old. She fought as if she were in her mid-twenties and had years of fighting under her belt.

Jester easily defended herself against Kurja's students, which was as big a punch to Kurja as it was to the children. Having trained these kids by hand, it was almost embarrassing to watch her younger sister almost effortlessly knock each student down. It made her think of how hard she had tried to get Jester to be serious about learning how to fight. But now, she had gone past the point of being serious.

The last student to attack was the one who was most like Kurja. He was a tall Demi-Demon with short strawberry red hair and bright red eyes. He was more muscular than the other students, but not by much. He was one of Kurja's top performing students that had aced each lesson that was thrown at him. She was proud of the impressive progress he had made since joining her class, and now was the time for him to demonstrate exactly what he had learned.

"Don't go easy on me, Jester. Show me what you can do." He said, extending his hands out in front of him, claws ready for battle.

Jester grinned. "You asked for it!"

The two lunged at each other, exchanging punches, kicks, and slashes. Kurja watched in awe. This boy was able to keep up with Jester, a feat that hadn't been seen until now. Mostly, Jester finished her opponents with quickly timed strikes and called it a day, but obviously, due to the circumstances, she had to refrain from using her full strength, so the fact that the students were still standing wasn't a surprise to Kurja. But it was the fact that Jester was dodging the blows yet using only half her power for her punches was deeply impressive. Kurja watched in amazement as the two traded blows, neither gaining any ground.

Suddenly, Jester ducked underneath the boy's punch and slid her foot behind his ankles. She hooked her leg around his and yanked her foot back. He fell backwards onto the ground, hitting the dirt with a grunt. Jester wasted no time in pinning him, straddling his chest with her legs and placing her dagger at his throat. His eyes widened in fear, and he looked up at Kurja for help.

"Relax, she won't kill you. But she did find your weakness. Never let your guard down. Opponents will always aim for the legs." Kurja said, projecting her voice so each student heard her.

"Yep! So you gotta keep moving." Jester helped the boy to his feet, then clapped him on the back. "Not a bad form, though. Pretty strong punches, too."

"Uh...thanks?" The boy said, unsure if what she was saying was a compliment or not.

Jester giggled and skipped over to her sister, placing her hands on her hips. "So? Did I pass? Or did I fail? I can't tell."

Kurja sighed. "You are not enrolled in this class, so passing or failing does not apply to you. However, I believe you provided my students with enough combat training for today. Next, we shall move onto weapon care."

While Kurja handed out her assortment of weapons to her students, Jester dusted herself off and rested against the thick trunk of a tree. She watched as her sister spoke to the students, a smile on her face. It was times like these that she treasured. Seeing her sister happy was a rare occurrence, especially recently. She was always busy with her teaching and her planning and her multitude of other responsibilities. It wasn't often that the two got to spend time together, and the arena taking place in only a matter of hours also put a strain on the enjoyment of time spent together.

Jester sighed, kicking a pebble with her shoe. She wished Kurja would give herself a break once and a while. Ever since she was old enough, Kurja had been putting more and more effort into making sure she was ready to fight. They used to be able to play games, but now it was all about fighting and strategies. Kurja had changed drastically. Jester could only think it was because she was worried about losing, which wasn't fair. No one would ever win every single fight they went into. That's just how life worked. She wanted to tell her sister that it was okay, but she knew her sister wouldn't listen.

Jester sat silently, watching her sister speak to her students, then remembered the events of yesterday, and the boy she had met. Sure, he was grumpy and seemed very angry for no good reason, but she felt a sudden urge to speak with him. She wanted to know why he was so surprised at hearing that she would be fighting in the tournament. A small part of her thought that maybe he was fighting in it as well? And that's why he seemed so surprised. Yes, that must be it! That was the only possible explanation. There was no way he was just interested in her for no good reason. There had to be a reason behind it, and that was it!

She hurried up to Kurja's side and eagerly tapped on her shoulder until she got her attention.

"Yes, what is it, Jester?" Kurja asked, her patience running thin.

"I was thinking...I mean, I was wondering if I could go into town? Just for a little bit?" Jester asked, placing her hands together and pleading.

"Jester, I thought you said that you were going to participate in my lessons with the students. If I do recall, you begged and pleaded until I agreed."

"But this is important!" Jester protested. "I won't be long, I swear! I just wanna see someone."

Kurja looked at her, then sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Fine, fine. You can go. But hurry. You only have an hour. I'll meet you at the school in one hour. If you're not there, I'm leaving without you, and you will walk home. Enjoy explaining your tardiness to mother."

"Yes! Thank you!" Jester kissed her sister on the cheek, saluted to the students, and darted off along the old beaten dirt path towards town.

"Remember that we need to be at the arena by five o'clock tonight! No later than that, you understand?" Kurja called to her. The only response she received was a half-attempt at an over-the-shoulder wave goodbye.

***

Jester trotted down the street, waving hello to everyone who passed. She received several strange looks from the passerby, and it wasn't until she realized that she had dirt smudges and grass stains decorating her clothes and knees. She made a mental note to clean it all off later.

The old workshop was in the exact same place as before, not that she expected it to move. She was pretty sure that even if it wanted to go somewhere else, it would find a hard time doing so, what with having no feet or eyes.

The workshop was just as run down as before, but now the front door was closed and locked, which meant that it was closed for the day. She halted for a second and looked around. The main house was seemingly empty as well, with no lights on inside and the front door closed tightly. A weight of disappointment washed over her, and she placed her hands on her hips, staring at the ground.

"Why would the shop be closed today? Is it because the arena is today? I mean, that makes sense, doesn't it?" She wondered out loud.

"What do you want?" A familiar voice asked.

Jester jumped and whirled around, coming face to face with Lenix. She had never seen him so up close before, so it was a bit startling. The features of his face were well-defined, and the deep red of his eyes contrasted sharply against his dark skin. His hair was spiked like it had been the other day, and there was no more ash and soot on his face. Jester suddenly felt very dirty and messy compared to him.

"Oh, I uh...I was looking for you. I finished some fighting practice with my sister and I thought-"

"We're closed." Lenix interrupted, sidestepping her to place the box he was carrying on the porch steps. "Get lost."

"Closed? Because of the arena?" Jester asked, following closely behind him.

"What do you care?" Lenix grumbled at her. He turned around and crossed his arms. "Yes, we're closed because of the arena. There's nothing more to it. Now get lost."

Jester frowned. "You don't have to be so mean about it. After all, we're both Demi-Demons, so we should be friends!" She spread her arms out at her sides and moved in for a hug, but Lenix quickly placed his hand against her forehead, holding her at bay.

"Yeah, that's not how the world works." He pushed her back, then turned and headed around the side of the house.

"If this place is closed, why are you here?" Jester asked, crossing her arms in an attempt to seem like an authority figure.

Lenix stopped and sighed. "None of your business."

"Why are you so mean? What did I ever do to you?" Jester asked, walking over to him.

"What didn't you do to me? You're literally the most annoying living and breathing thing I've ever come across."

Jester placed her hand to her chest with a gasp, as if she were deeply insulted by his remark. "How rude!"

"Oh, please." Lenix bent over and scooped up a pile of old farm tools. "I'm just doing some extra work for extra money, that's all. You can leave now."

Jester watched him work in silence for what seemed like hours. Every time she tried to start a conversation, he simply grunted in response and refused to answer. This went on for longer than she would have liked, and he never once stopped for a break. Even when sweat built up on his forehead and armpits, he kept working. He ignored Jester when she returned to the old home with two lemonades, and he ignored her still when she drank both of them. Jester couldn't understand his temper and attitude. There had to be a reason why he was doing everything in his power to be rude to her. A part of her wondered if it was because he really did hate her, or if it was because he didn't like company. Either way, he was giving her a hard time, and it was bothering her.

"Don't you ever take breaks?" Jester finally asked, kicking her feet back and forth on the bench she was sitting on. The sun had slowly dipped down below the trees, but it was still plenty bright enough to see around the village, which meant that Lenix was still hard at work. He chopped wood, he fixed fences, he did anything that Zadak would order him to do, and then some.

Lenix, who had just finished patching up a hole in the barn roof, wiped his forehead and glanced over at her. "When I'm finished."

"You're never finished."

"Then I guess I don't take breaks." Lenix grumbled.

Jester hopped up from her seat and walked over to him, examining all the work he had gotten done. "You sure work a lot. My sister would like you."

"I don't care if your sister likes me or not." Lenix huffed as he carefully made his way over to the ladder on the side of the barn, stepping down slowly.

"She's really nice, though! She's super pretty and smart and she fights really well and-"

"I said I don't care!" Lenix snapped, halting in his tracks. "Holy crap, how much energy do you have? Why don't you ever stop talking? I mean, I tell you to go away and you stay. I tell you to shut up and you talk even more. What is with you?"

Jester blinked, then smiled brightly. "I'm a Demi-Demon. I have lots of energy."

Lenix narrowed his eyes. "Is that supposed to be funny? Because I'm not laughing."

"Oh, I bet you're laughing on the inside, though." Jester said, flashing her best toothy smile. "Come on, admit it: I'm a sheer joy to be around."

"Why'd you come here in the first place? Did you need something made, cause I can put in an order for you if that'll make you go away." Lenix asked, with almost a hint of desperation in his voice.

"Oh, no, I don't need any armor or anything like that. I wanted to hang out with you. You seem pretty interesting, Lenix. You got this whole bad-boy persona that really shines through when you talk." Jester explained, flicking her tail back and forth lightly, gently brushing the tips of the grass blades at their feet. "I just thought that I would make a new friend, ya know?"

Lenix groaned. "No, I don't know. And I don't want to know. I don't need any friends. The last thing I need is a friend."

"That is the saddest thing I've ever heard."

"Don't start."

"Come on! Let's go have some fun, huh? Do something super cool? You have all this time, why not do something worthwhile?" Jester asked, grabbing his arm.

He yanked his arm away, a growl escaping his throat. "What I'm doing is worthwhile, weirdo. I'm making money to survive, that's how the world works."

"But we're the same! You have no friends, I have no friends! We should be each other's friends!" Jester said with a bright smile, a look of pure excitement on her face.

"I can definitely see why you have no friends," Lenix said, crossing his arms. "Now leave me alone. I have work to do."

"You can take a break, though! Come on, let's go explore the woods! I'll race you to the lake!"

"The lake?" Lenix repeated, quirking a brow. "Why the lake?"

"So we can see if this thing floats or not." Jester held up a small metal item. It was an hourglass. It looked as if it had been made by a child, as the sand was leaking out of it, and the edges were slightly bent and broken, but Lenix had seen her fiddling with it earlier while he had been working. Vaguely, however, he did recognize it to belong to Zadak. It took him a second to place the object with a memory, but it eventually smacked itself into his brain. It was the special hourglass antique that Zadak kept inside his house in a locked box under his bed. Lenix only knew about it because Zadak told him never to touch it. But somehow, this girl had stolen it and was now attempting to float it on the lake.

Lenix instantly tensed and made a move to grab it from her, but she jumped out of his reach. "Give that to me! You'll get me fired if that's broken!"

"It's already broken," Jester said with a look on her face that suggested that Lenix should have already known that.

"It's an antique, of course it's broken! But it belongs to Zadak! How the hell did you even get it?" Lenix hissed, yet again trying and failing to snatch it from her.

"Well, while you worked super duper hard, I climbed into the attic and watched you work through the little window there." Jester pointed upwards at a small window at the top of the workshop. "I eventually got bored of that, though, and explored the house. The box really wasn't hard to break into, honestly."

"I swear, if you don't give me that hourglass, I'll-" Lenix began, but Jester had already taken off into the woods lining the workshop. There, the sun’s thinning glow did not reach, thus sending Jester running into complete darkness filled with whatever lurked in the night. Naturally, however, Demons did not fear the creatures that called the forest their home. After all, the Demons themselves were a more forceful being to be reckoned with than any wolf or bear or mythical beast that may present itself. Like any other part of Token, the forest was big and winding and mysterious and full of unexpected twists and turns.

"Stop! Hey, get back here!" Lenix snarled, racing after her.

Jester giggled and ran faster, her legs carrying her as fast as they could. She could hear the sound of his boots crunching in the dirt behind her, and the occasional snap of a twig that met its untimely demise.

The chase reminded her of when she was little and Kurja would run after her. Jester loved running through the forest and hearing her older sister right behind her. It always gave her a sense of exhilaration and happiness. The wind rushing through her hair and the feel of her lungs burning from the lack of air only made it that much better.

Finally, after running through the thickets and over the fallen logs, she came to the edge of the lake. The water was calm and smooth, like a mirror, reflecting the slowly setting sun. Jester smiled brightly and held the hourglass over the water, letting it fall from her fingertips. Lenix slid to a halt beside her, panting heavily as he watched the hourglass disappear beneath the water. Bubbles rose to the surface as the small glass object sank to the bottom, creating ripples that disrupted the otherwise perfect reflection of the sky.

"I can't believe you did that." Lenix said breathlessly.

"Why not? It's just an old hourglass." Jester shrugged, then bent forward with her hands on her hips, gazing into the clear surface of the lake.

"It's an antique." Lenix explained, moving to stand beside her. "Zadak will be furious if he finds out I lost it."

"Actually, you didn't lose it. I plopped it into a lake." Jester said matter-of-factly.

"That's even worse!" Lenix shouted, grabbing her by the front of her shirt. "Do you have any idea how much that thing could have cost? Probably a fortune! And now it's gone and he'll blame me!"

"Relax!" Jester pried herself free from his grip, then burst into laughter. "I'm just kidding! It was a prank!"

Lenix stared at her blankly. "...What?"

"I just wanted to mess with you! That hourglass is actually back in the box where I found it. I just made a replica with my handy-dandy magic, silly. This was fun though, huh? Running around, getting your heart all racy!" She grinned brightly in the equivalent manner of a mischievous child.

"You little-" Lenix began, but stopped himself. With his heart beating and sweat sliding down the bridge of his nose, his chest rising and falling heavily, the strong urge to smile overcame him. He felt a laugh bubble up in his throat, and a chuckle escaped his lips. "That was pretty funny, I'll give you that."

Jester laughed again, this time more happily and genuinely. "You see? I told you having fun is fun!"

He didn't know why, but his anger that had been swarming through him had vanished, and was replaced with something he hadn't felt in a long time. The feeling of happiness. A sense of joy and relief that he never thought he would ever feel again. The happiness of making a friend, the happiness of seeing someone smile because of him, the happiness of being with someone who enjoyed being with him. While Jester was truly the strangest being he'd ever met, she had an air about her that made her invulnerable to insults and immune to ridicule. She only saw happiness and joy and fun in everything, which was truly an amazing thing for a Demi-Demon like her to do. It was very rare for any Demon to possess such a personality. Most were either far too stoic to hold up a conversation, or their muscles were so big that their ability to perform coherent sentences was impaired.

Suddenly, Jester let out a small gasp and pointed at the sky. "Oh! Look!"

Lenix followed her gaze, and a smile broke out on his face. A shooting star flew across the sky, leaving a bright white trail in its wake. It lasted a few seconds, then disappeared as quickly as it came. It had been so brief, but so beautiful.

"Wow! That was so cool!" Jester cheered happily, clapping her hands together. "I've never seen one up close before! Did you make a wish?"

"Wish?" Lenix scoffed. "I don't believe in all that make-believe crap."

"Well, I do, and I made a super cool wish, but I can't tell you or it won't come true." Jester said, sticking her tongue out at him.

Lenix rolled his eyes, then glanced over at her. "You know, you're pretty weird."

"I get that a lot. I don't know why." Jester said with a genuinely confused look on her face.

Lenix sighed. "So...you really didn't touch the hourglass? It's in the box safe and sound?"

Jester nodded. "Yep! I figured it was important, so I didn't touch it. But I still wanted to play with you a little bit before the..." her voice trailed off, then a splash of fear washed over her. She whirled around and grabbed Lenix by the shoulders. "The arena! It's tonight! Oh no! Kurja is going to be so mad! I'm gonna be late!"

"Who's Kurja?" Lenix frowned. "Your sister?"

"Yes! She's going to be so mad!" Jester gasped and ran off towards town, sprinting as fast as she could go.

"Wait up, I'll go with you!" Lenix shouted as he gained pace, running alongside her. "I wanna see this tournament of yours."

Jester smiled. "Really? You want to come to the tournament with me? That would be so awesome!"

Lenix shrugged. "Sure, why not? I'm not participating, but I'll watch. I have nothing better to do."

"I thought you were super busy," Jester said with a knowing glare.

"I am, but I think I deserve a break."

The two raced off into the darkness, heading back towards town. While the night was still young and the air was still warm, there was a certain feeling that Jester felt in the pit of her stomach. When Kurja was mad, everyone knew it. Her face would get red, her voice would get louder, and she would scream and shout. If Jester was lucky, she would get out of it with a slap on the wrist. But if Kurja was in a bad mood, well, then Jester had to face the consequences. She turned towards one of the closest shops to them and asked the merchant what time it was. The time that she received, however, was not what she had expected. It was almost five o'clock. Which meant that she had twenty minutes to get to the arena. And that was a very long walk.

"Know any shortcuts to the arena?" Lenix asked with a heavy pant. "It's all the way across the village."

Jester thought hard for a second. At first, she wanted to use her teleportation ability, but it was a new power she'd learned and she wasn't a master at it yet. The chances of her teleporting herself to a whole other side of Token was more likely than her actually using it correctly to get to the arena in record time. She tapped her chin, then snapped her fingers and pointed down a dark alleyway.

"This way! We can cut through the alley and come out on the other side, close to the arena!"

Lenix followed her into the dark alley, where the dim light of the sun was blocked by the tall buildings surrounding them. The air suddenly became a few degrees colder, and the breeze was more noticeable. The shadows on the alley walls danced in the flickering light of the torch lamps hanging from the walls. The old dumpsters lining the sheet-metal walls let off a foul smell of rotting meat and rancid water. Lenix wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"You sure this is the right way?" He asked.

Jester nodded. "Yup! This way we'll be out in no time!"

"If you say so. I've never been down here before. It smells awful." Lenix coughed into his arm.

"Oh, you're just being a baby. Plug your nose and you won't smell a thing." Jester said with a grin. "See? I'm doing it right now!" She took a deep breath through her nose and instantly recoiled at the overwhelming stench. She waved her hand in front of her face.

Lenix laughed. "Wow, good job."

"Don't judge."

The two continued through the dark alley, avoiding the puddles of suspicious liquid that splashed across the ground. A few rats ran over their feet, squeaking as they went. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the two made it out of the alley and arrived on the other side of Bellcrest, where the buildings were shabbier and the streets were cracked and broken. The arena stood tall in the distance, with crowds of Demons entering the building.

"Finally," Lenix breathed, placing his hands on his hips. "You think we made it in time?"

Jester looked around. "Well, no one looks angry, so I think we're okay."

Suddenly, the thunderous clashing of steel against steel resounded, echoing through this part of Bellcrest. Jester straightened and turned to Lenix, her ears twitching. "The arena already started?"

Lenix shrugged. "How should I know?"

The two raced across the old cracked street as fast at they could, the arena towering over them like a titan. It was a circular building like the practice arena setup, but made of a much tougher material. The walls were thick and tall, with giant metal doors at each entrance. The walls were stained black with old blood, and there was a strange odor wafting from the building. The crowd outside the building was mostly families, sitting around picnic tables and chatting away as they waited for their children to return, victorious or not.

Lenix and Jester entered the building and were met with a wall of sound. The clashing of weapons, the grunts of pain, and the cries of victory or defeat were almost overwhelming to the two teenagers. The inside of the arena was scarcely decorated, but made up for it with plenty of seats for onlookers to view the battles. A few Demons stood by the railing, watching the fights going on down below with great interest. The air was thick and humid, and the smell of iron filled their nostrils. Shouts of profanities echoed throughout the building, and roars of triumph followed shortly after.

Lights flooded the entire arena floor to prevent any darkness from lingering over the fights. The floor was covered in a layer of sand to provide some cushioning when the Demons fell, and the walls were lined with the same material as the floors. Weapons lined the walls, but most Demons brought their own, mainly because they thought it would ensure their victory. Most of the weapons were basic swords and daggers, but some brought axes or spears, or even hammers.

Jester and Lenix walked around, watching as the matches ended. They saw young Demons and Demi-Demons fighting each other with such ferocity that it was hard to believe they were only children. Some were able to hold their own, and others were taken down quickly. Some were even killed during the fights, which was normal, especially in a place like this. Even Lenix had to look away. Seeing all the blood and gore made his stomach churn.

Jester was beyond filled with relief when she spotted Kurja sharpening her spear blade by the bleachers reserved strictly for fighters. Kurja's crimson gaze flicked up and landed on her sister, and the look in her eyes was enough to make Jester shiver. She marched over to her sister, dragging her feet as she went, and plopped down on the bench beside her. Knowing she was already in trouble, she didn't see a point in prolonging the apology. "Sorry I'm late."

"Sorry doesn't always cut it, Jester." Kurja said through gritted teeth. "We're lucky you're still allowed to fight, or else I would have killed you right here and now."

"You wouldn't." Jester said, although she wasn't sure if her sister was bluffing or not. She had an incredible poker face.

Kurja looked over Jester to Lenix, her eyebrows raised in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

Lenix pointed at Jester. "I came here with her."

"Is he the 'someone' you begged me to let you see earlier?" Kurja asked, irritation lining her voice.

Jester avoided meeting her sister's gaze. "Maybe...,"

"Why were you late? What were you two doing that made you lose track of time?" Kurja asked, and the look on her face suggested that the two had been doing something 'naughty.'

"Nothing!" Jester gasped, waving her hands back and forth in front of her. "I was just talking with him and he was being all mean and snappy so I wanted to play a prank on him and pretended to take this glass hourglass thing and we ran to the lake and I tossed it in and we saw a shooting star so I made a wish and then I remembered the arena and we came here that's all!"

Kurja stared at her, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What...what did you say? I don't think I understood a word of that."

Jester sighed. "I said that I was having fun with him and-"

"I mean, I was working, but she said it would be fun, and I didn't really have anything better to do, so I went with her and we kinda lost track of time, so yeah." Lenix shrugged.

"Well, I'm glad you're finally making friends, Jester." Kurja huffed. She continued sharpening her spear blade with a scowl. "But, please, try and remember important things like the arena. If you get disqualified for being late, you can't imagine what mother will do to you."

"Yea, I know." Jester slumped, then perked up. “Are they here? Where are they?”

“I spoke to them as they were getting into their seats.” Kurja pointed across the arena floor to the other side of the seating zones, where both their parents sat close next to each other. They noticed their daughters watching them and waved and smiled, although their expressions were strained. It wasn’t often that they came to watch their children fight, mostly because they hated the idea of their kids being hurt.

Jester waved back happily and energetically, and she saw her father face-palm.

Kurja placed her hand on her sister's shoulder and gently squeezed it. "Are you ready, Jester?"

"I think so. I mean, I've trained a lot, and I know you wouldn't let me fight unless I was good enough, right?"

"Right. But the second you allow yourself to get distracted, it's all over. Do you understand?" Kurja looked deep into her sister's eyes, as if trying to make sure she really understood the seriousness of the situation.

"Yes, I know. Don't worry, I'll win. I promise." Jester smiled, but her eyes gave her away. She was nervous, and the shaking of her hand gave her away even more. Her gut twisted and turned, and she could feel the nerves in her body going off like tiny fireworks. She had never been this nervous before a fight, so why now? When she was a child, she knew she would eventually have to fight in the arena in front of everyone, including the Queen. She had never been nervous as a child, but now that she was older, the cruel realities of the world crashed into her like a freight train. She knew her easily distracted nature was bound to bite her in the ass sooner or later, but she somehow hadn't expected it to be so soon. Her eyes were wide and bright, but she could feel the sweat pouring down her back. She was terrified of failing, of letting her sister down. She couldn't disappoint her family like that, not after all they had done for her. Her father's words rang in her head from her childhood.

'Winning is what Demons do best.' He had said. That was why he was so proud of Kurja for being in the Imperial Guard. He knew that she would win every battle they went into, so he had unknowingly instilled a great amount of stress and pressure onto Kurja, who felt like she needed to be perfect all the time. And when she wasn't perfect, she was angry and aggressive and scary. It was something that had developed in the recent years, and it was something that Jester didn't like. So, she figured that the only way to prove to her father that she was worthy of fighting was to win the arena and overcome her overactive energy.

Taking a deep breath, she leaned back in her seat, staring at the arena floor and the current fight taking place. "When do we fight?"

"We're next." Kurja said bluntly, setting down her spear.

Lenix sat down beside Jester, crossing his arms lightly over his chest. "I have a feeling this is going to be quite the show, huh?"

"Maybe..." Jester mumbled, looking over at her father. He was speaking with their mother, moving his hands animatedly as if he were trying to make a point. But the look on their mother's face made it clear that she was not amused by his words. She had her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed, and her tail was flicking back and forth. A clear sign of annoyance.

He's talking about me, Jester thought, sinking lower in her seat. For the first time in her life, Jester felt that her father was not going to be rooting for her this time around. And it stung.