Desolate Mage: A Legend Reborn! 10 Peril Approaching/ Scheming is Strength 5

"Pull her up." She sternly commanded her second in command, Rosa; a taller, brown-haired girl - one considered timid among the trainees; but when it came to her mistress' commands, she was the fiercest and most loyal of wolves.

"Do it - just the head" Rosa kept her guard up as she gestured to the 6 people struggling to keep the detestable rank number 2 girl down. She customised her mistress' orders - something that Seline valued and liked enough to give the weak girl ranked in the 200s the position of "captain" of her personal "army".

There were 2 more boys on standby holding cudgels; ready to strike at Moira just in case she broke free. In addition, she had placed 2 look-outs; just in case any unwanted visitors came - or members of the management happened to pass by.

The boys and girls carefully raised the girl's head out of the waters; causing her to gasp and desperately draw in quick breaths of air.

Then the dominating girl slapped her; hard - causing her to sputter and choke.

"Well well well... Fat pig; do you admit now who the superior one is...?" She held Moira's chin in her hands; roughly pulling her face up - forcing the blond girl to look her in the eye.

The drenched girl only continued to breathe deeply, not replying.

Irritated that she had not gotten the reaction she wanted, The voluptuous girl gripped her chin harder, but Moira remained silent, unyielding.

Frustrated, the gang-leader girl decided to dangle the carrot. "We-ell~... Y'know, it doesn't have to happen this way..."

She pulled the restricted girl's face closer; her subordinates obliging and lifting the girl up slightly. "All you need to do is to swear fealty to me... And swear to never, ever speak to Lars again."

'That's it... Let me see you beg... Plead... Cry and grovel before me...!' The bitch queen of the Arena continued smiling, but her thoughts were dark and morbid.

'And then... When you've broken down and can take it no longer...' She smiled gently, like a goddess of mercy granting her grace to a suffering petitioner.

'...I'll kill you anyway, like the fat pig you are!'

Seeing that the girl was silent, she pushed her a little more, to give her some light at the end of the tunnel.

"Well...? Hmm...? What's it going to be...?"

Then the blonde captured girl bit down on Seline's hand - as hard as she could.

"Ahhhhh!!! Damn you, damn you damn you damn you!!!!! I'll kill you!!!!" She struck the biting girl again and again and again, trying to force her to release her hand. Finally, Moira could not hold on any longer, opening her mouth that was now filled with blood and some fragments of flesh.

Then she added the insult to injury.

"Tastes... Like..."

"A slutty pig... Hehe..."

Seline's face turned. Despite her mannerisms, she still kept her purity; believing that only Lars and Lars alone deserved to taste her womanhood. The words of her rival struck a nerve in her.

Her complexion changed colour like a chameleon - from her current rosy pink, to red, to white, then red again and finally a deep, dark blackening - so enraged was she.

But she didn't lash out. She nursed her injured hand, the bite marks likely to leave scars on her fair skin.

No, she just spoke quietly, serenely - words that struck a chill in her listener's hearts.

"No more chances. So here's the deal. You touched my man. Today, you die." The sadistic girl smiled in satisfaction with a dangerous glint in her eyes - smug and exultant at her all but assured victory. Then she drew her face nearer the captive girl's and said; "No one will help you - even if they come, can they defeat all of us...?"

The cruel leader of the mob of boys and girls laughed in the subdued girl's face; then stopped when she heard the reply.

"Lars will... Lars will come. He will save--"

"Ahhhh!!!! Shut up shut up shut up shut up!!!!!" Seline screamed, covering her ears with her hands - even ignoring the injuries to bloody, punctured hand.

She was livid; seething and unable to keep her calm facade anymore. Moira retained the exact same face; one of mocking, confidence - and defiance. The unstable villainous leader of the pack hated the blonde girl who she considered a slut and bitch; hated her face more than anyone; more than anything else. The face that stole her Lars away from her.

Stepping away, Seline pulled out a handkerchief to dry her hands; then spoke gruffly to Rosa. "Finish up and clear out! You know what to do."

As she quickly left the scene to keep her cool and maintain an alibi of innocence, she heard the sound of splashing water; a girl's head dunked below the surface once more.

She smiled in victory.

* * * * *

Rosa was agitated and fidgeting as she watched the rag-tag team under her hold Moira's head under the water.

That was one of her worst traits; one that weakened her combat capabilities and left flaws in her stealth – she could never master her body's reactions. Whether fear and anger… Or lust and love for her red-headed queen; Seline.

Despite it being her queen's direct commands; Rosa was antsy about this whole setup. She herself would have preferred to slit the slut's throat and be done with it, but her mistress seemed to have other plans.

'Let her bloated corpse be a warning to every other bitch there is around – a perpetual sign that says, "Hands off!"'

Rosa recalled the temptress girl's words with bitterness and resentment. Why did she only have eyes for him, a wretched *boy*?! Why couldn't she just see that she, Rosa, could give her more fulfilment and pleasure than any disgusting male ever could!

She blushed, moaning softly as she thought about her curvaceous dominatrix's soft, supple skin and long sensual fingers. Fingers she'd love to taste, and then she'd show the natural red-head what else a girl could do with those fingers that no boy would ever know…

*Clink!*

"What was that!?" She snapped out of her fantasies; face still flushed, cheeks red.

She felt as if a hand gripped her heart. The air she tried to draw into her lungs felt murky; heavy. Without realising it; her shortsword was already in her hand, gripped so tightly that her fingers were white. The blade of her shortsword vibrated slightly – evidence of her state of mind.

*Clink!*

The sound she – no, all trainees dreaded was approaching.

*Clink!* *Clink!*

A wavering shadow was cast on the walls where they stood; the torches lining the passageways serving as a backlight to the living horror who stalked the halls. A shadow that terrified and would petrify all that saw it by the fear it brought – if not for the fact that all who saw the shadow would immediately turn tail and flee.

*CLINK!* *CLINK!* *CLINK!*

She gritted her teeth and tore her eyes off the coming shadows, gaze falling on her team; an action that took incredible willpower. She shouted pre-emptively to stave off her team being routed merely by a shadow or a hint of the monstrous trainee… Or at least she hoped her words would have enough of a galvanising effect to inspire her team's courage to complete their task.

"DON'T RUN!! Don't be afraid! Don't you know the law of numbers?!? Just finish the job! Look; she's almost out of strength to struggle, once we're done, we can easily take him—"

There were no cowards in the Arena, but everyone who was still alive had something in common. Survival Instinct.

The law of numbers did not apply to Linges.

She was left mid-sentence; mouth open with a look of sincerity and pleading on her face.

They could not take the pressure anymore.

The first to run was the look-outs; they disappeared without a trace. Not to be outdone, as if in silent agreement, all five of the boys and girls holding Moira fled the scene; scattering down the myriad pathways. The two on standby were no longer to be seen.

No one would risk their lives when the tell-tale sound of Linges' chains was heard – even if it was just a ploy. Why risk it just to call the bluff when the only chips on the table were your life?

Rosa ground her teeth in frustration; fear, anger, lust and loyalty mixing together in her brain – until she made her decision. She sighed, closing her eyes.

She could only be true to herself.

She ran.

Only a fool would stick around when Linges was in town.

Only a fool like the Lunatic Deathwish, Lars.

Chapter end