When the King is Killed.

Ren followed the flow of bodies in the major city. 

Sighing she trailed out of the foot traffic down an alleyway. 

She had sincerely hopped that she wouldn't have had to go here.

She knocked on a weathered wooden door that had many more nicks and dagger marks than she recalled from her previous visit.

"Password."

The word was spoken in the language of thieves. 

"I am alone in this art." She spoke easily.

"When we're being Observed?"

"Is when they least expect our hands." She continued. 

"A dagger to the back-"

"Leaves no wealth to loot." She finished. 

The door opened and Ren stared at the man at the door. 

"You've aged Audrestine." He said letting her in. 

"It's Audrey." Ren said on reflex. "But right now I'm under the alias of Ren." 

"The King?"

"Killed." Audrey said with a frown. 

"I see." He said. "They say it was you."

"It wasn't." She walked to a seat and sat down as the man locked the large oak door and walked behind the counter. Pouring a glass of spiced rum he slid it over to her. 

"Thank you Augustus." She said, sipping on her drink. "Surprised you remembered."

"What sort of brother would I be if I forgot my sisters favorite drink?" Augustus asked with a sly smirk. "And it's Gust." 

They both smiled at each other. 

"So what happened?" Gust asked, sitting beside her.

"He's dead Gust." Audrey whispered. 

"I know." He said setting a hand on her shoulder. "You really looked up to him didn't you." 

"Yeah." She said. 

"How did it happen?" 

"He... some sort of spell." Audrey said, regaining her composure. "They were strong. They had an Anima on their side, Though I was able to kill him and escape with Ralline." 

"You keeping care of her?" Gust asked. "Or... are you here to drop her off?"

"I'm taking care of her for now." Audrey said. "I'm going to be training her for the foreseeable future. She's a craft weaver like me. She's also been marked. But we're in need of a person capable of handling themselves incase I have to be away from Ralline."

"I'm not sure I know anyone who wouldn't assume the worst." Gust confessed. "Have you seen your bounty yet?"

"Not yet." Audrey admitted. "I'm guessing it's something with more than a few zeroes and says to bring me in alive?"

"Pretty much." Gust said. "The girl disguised as well?"

"Yes, Bell is doing great." Audrey smiled softly. "She's surprisingly adaptable, She hasn't had a real complaint except the speed of which I'm teaching her." 

"You draw in all sorts." He laughed. "Now... What are you here for? And don't say a visit because that's a lie and we both know it."

"My staff was stolen from me yesterday." Audrey said. "I'm not stupid enough to think it's still in one piece. But if I know who took it I might just be able to scavenge a few of my magic absorption gemstones." 

"Someone stole your staff, out of your hands?" Gust asked impressed. 

"He's special somehow..." Audrey said. "He likely has some sort of Divine Right. It repelled my magic back at me."

"I don't think I've h-" Gust stopped and frowned. "Actually wait. It repelled your magic, you mean it casted itself back onto you?"

"Yeah, I had to use magic to hold myself in place or get blown into the sky."

"Yeah... Yeah I might know who it is." Gust said. "Was the boy on the skinny shorter side? Blue hair?"

"Yes exactly." Audrey said. 

"Damn..." Gust frowned. "This could get real messy. You sure you want to get involved in this? How much are those gems worth?"

"They're worth more than a small town and that's not including the large one."

Gust sighed. 

"Alright then." Gust said. "You'll get your chance to meet him tonight. There's a fight in the underground colosseum. Three mages vs one little boy with a knife."

"..." Audrey frowned. "That sounds dangerous, even with a Divine Right."

"The crowd eats it up." Gust said. "He always wins. He's abnormally skilled with knives and when magic hits him it does nothing and he always hit the mage with the exact same spell if use in a different way."

'Like trying to shoot me into the sky.' Audrey realized. 

"That's sounds like a Divine Right if I've ever heard of one." She sighed. "Alright. I'll be there tonight."

"Hold up." Gust said. "To go you've got to place bets on the fights, and he's not the only one. Not to mention you've got to be vetted-"

"I remember how it works Augustus." Audrey said rolling her eyes. "I guess I'll see you when I see you."

She was stopped by a hand on her shoulder again. 

"Please try to be careful." Gust asked. "I don't want to hear them cheer your death down the streets Audrey."

"...I'll be back when I'm back."

______

Crutch clutched his new dagger tightly. It curved nicely and it felt decent in his hand. He'd definitely try upkeeping this one if it proved as sturdy as he thought.

He tied his blue hair back into a partial ponytail, keeping the most blinding part of it behind his head. He spun his dagger and balanced it's handle on his index finger.

"Are you ready Crutch?" 

"Yes sir." Crutch said nervously, letting the dagger fall perfectly back into his hand. He pulled out his other, fairly worn down, dagger and followed behind the man.

He was led outside of the small room and faced the large familiar ring. 

"AND HERE HE IS FOLKS!" The announcer said. "THE BOY WHO MAKES MAGES LOOK LIKE MEAGER FRAUDS!"

The familiar pressure of applause erupted around the colosseum.

"I KNOW WE ALL LOVE HIM BUT WILL HE BE USURPED BY THE TRIPLET MAGES!?" He looked to where the announcer was indicating and stared at three mages. Triplets if the announcer was to be correct.

'Would their magic be connected somehow?' Crutch thought. 'Could I use that against them somehow?'

"THESE THREE HAVE BEEN THROUGH EVERYTHING TOGETHER FROM BIRTH!" The announcer played up the crowd. "WILL THEIR LOVE FOR EACHOTHER BREAK THROUGH WHAT STRANGE MYSTICAL MIGHT THAT CRUTCH POSSES!?"

"I'll give you one chance!" The lead of the triplets said pointing at him. "Submit now and we wont harm you! I'd hate for your blue hair to get singed!"

"I agree!" The second sister said. "You seem pretty nice so let's not fight! Just submit and we'll be really good friends!"

"LIKE HELL!" The third sister yelled. "This Brat's giving mages like us a bad name! We have to put him in his place!" 

'Their absolutely identical but there personalities are to different.' Crutch sighed, bringing his daggers up. "I only ask that you three submit before I fatally wound you."

The first sister shivered at the boys cold words. 

"AND BEGIN!"

The first girl whispered, jumping backwards and pointing her hand at the boy.

Fire exploded around the boy. 

"H-Hah!" The first girl said shakily. "I told you to s- AHHHH!?"

She fell to the ground, rolling and patting herself as flames exploded from around her body. 

"Mati-" The second girl said, before Crutch was right under her, using the back of his dagger he woul-

A lightning covered hand caught his wrist.

As soon as one of the sparks hit him he flipped the flow of magic and spun, using his now enhanced kick to send the third sister to the side. 

Only for a cobra to wrap around his wrist.

'Summoning magic?' he asked himself, looking at the second sister who was now surrounded by snakes. 'Difficult.' 

He twisted his hands free of the first snake and blitzed forward towards the third sister who seemed surprised by his choice, as she had just barely recovered from the kick. 

"So you really can use others m-" She said before the back of Crutches dagger met her forehead and she fell down unconscious. 

He heard whispering and turned back to the first sister. 

He slashed a dagger at the ball of flames, splitting it into two. Spinning he set a hand on each sphere of flames, and threw one at both conscious sisters.

'None of their magics are connected or even related.' Crutch thought as he watched the second sister selfishly use her summons as a shield. 'Bitch, just because their spirits doesn't mean they don't feel pain.'

Just as he thought the snakes hissed in pain and writhed on the ground. 

"O-Oh quit complaining!" The second sister said. "Fine. Now then." She held her hand to the ground and just as she was about to start saying her incantation Crutch slammed the pommel of his dagger into the side of her head. 

She crumpled down and he stared at the snakes who had yet to attack. 

"She's all yours." He said walking back to the first sister who was cowering away in fear. 

The snakes quickly started to wrap around the second sister. He heard them start injecting curses into her. 

'She deserves every bit of that.' Crutch thought as he stood in front of the first sister. 

"Do you submit?" He asked, pointing his new dagger at her. 

"Y-Yes." She said. 

"Get your sisters to the designated healer. And then take her to a curse breaker." Crutch said pointing to the second sister who was still being bit by snakes. 

"DEAR ME!" The announcer said. "IT SEEMS THE INFAMOUS CRUTCH HAS ONCE AGAIN GOTTEN OUT UNSCATHED!"

Crutch walked towards the familiar face of Mr. Gibble.

"You did well Crutch." Mr. Gibble said. "I'll be sure to put some more good words to your fathers doctor."

"Thank you Mr. Gibble." Crutch said. The song and dance tedious and deadly.

"AS ALWAYS! IS THERE ANY WHO WISH TO TAKE THE TITLE OF THE GREATEST FROM CRUTCH!" The announcer always threw the bone knowing no one would be stupid enough to-

"I'll fight him." 

Crutch blinked in surprise and looked back up into the seating. Who would actually be dumb e- 

His breath caught in his throat as familiar eyes locked onto one another. The man he stole the staff from dropped from the side of the arena. 

'Oh.' He thought. Taking a shaky breath he walked back out to the center of the arena. 

"ASTOUNDING!" The announcer declared. "DOES OUR BRAVE CHALENGER HAVE A NAME!?"

Audrey stared down Crutch. 

"Ren."