Pushed into the makeshift area, I stood before my opponent. He was bigger than me, in both height and weight. A more defined body as well. I could tell he fought many times. I could see the bruises on his knuckles and some on his elbows. It may of been from all the work we've already done today. Maybe that might mean that he's tired. I hope I'm right, I don't want to lose. Especially, since I'm tired myself. The cheering crowd, made up of slaves and slavers, egged us both on. It was kind of weird to see the two groups mix. It seems like a fight would get anyone to band together. I looked towards to see someone in the crowd, I don't know who it was but they were trying to call out to me, maintaining direct eye-contact. It was hard to hear them over all the shouting. Is that a face- A split second of a hot stinging feeling on my cheek flared before I felt pain erupt. Standing my ground, I look across to see the boy already coming into my guard. I held my arms up in some sort of defence, body being guided by instinct, as he sent a jab to my face. I successfully blocked that but that was more out of luck than skill. I know I can't dodge fast enough and not skilled enough to dodge so I stepped towards him. I remember hearing somewhere it's better to step into someone's guard. Don't know why. He seemed shocked, at least, I think he was since he lowered he hesitated slightly. I took advantage and sent a punch to his stomach. He wasn't quick enough to move his hands from his head and suffered the consequences. He hunched over for a second before glaring towards me. I tried to pull back my arm but he was too fast and grabbed my arm. Pulling me in, the boy sent an elbow to my face. I heard a cracking noise as my nose took the damage. Even as he hit me, I was unable to let go. So I took advantage sending a kick to his stomach, hitting him in the same place. He hunched over again, eyes popping out and hands snaking around his stomach. He fell over to the floor just below me in pain. I looked over him in satisfaction. That wasn't so hard- I fell to the floor feeling absolute pain. Tears welled up in my eyes as my hands flew to the pain. What the hell? What kind of guy hits someone else in the dick? Dick move. (Teehee) Smug expression plastered on his face, he looked down upon me as he cracked his knuckles. I sent a grin back making him look back at me in confusion. I pulled my leg back from where I snaked my foot around his own making him floor backwards to the floor. I jumped up and sat upon on his chest. I know I can't win in a normal fight so I'll whittle him down till he gives up. I pulled back a fist and sent a punch to his face. He held up his arms in a guard and blocked the attack. I knew he would do this but he wouldn't be able to do it for long. With this logic, I sent punch after punch to his face. I was right in the sense that he couldn't take it for long. His arms were slowly losing energy as he tried to block me, they fell closer and closer to the ground. The only reason they were up in the first place was because he was extremely stubborn. It was at that point that my hands started to hurt, my knuckled specifically, and my body lost it's energy. I suspect that I was running on fumes, adrenaline or the mix of both. One second, I had been sending a barrage of punches , and the next, I could barely pick my arms up. My head was getting hazy and I couldn't think straight. The boy had taken the advantage and pushed me off of his body, grinning the whole way. The last thing I saw was the same grin on his face before he had sat upon my chest, his arm extend back and fist tightened. I came to in some sort of room. Certainly not my cell. There were all sorts of valves and pipes that made up the walls of the room. There were many of these slavers around the room, prodding and poking the valves. They seemed to look different to the first one I saw. Maybe more sophisticated… …or maybe it was the lab coats. I tired to call out to them but I noticed that my mouth was gagged. Not only that but my whole body was chained down to the ground. I tried to get their attention but stopped when I noticed something. I couldn't hear anything, anything at all. I could tell there was sound coming from them, evident by the smoke coming from the valves and the moving mouths of the slavers. Moving my head around, I couldn't feel any sort of headphones that could be covering my ears. A loud 'thunk' kind of noise make me look to my feet, I stared as I move my foot again. 'thunk' There it is again. It's like there was a wall by my foot. I stared at the area but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I looked around as much as I could only to notice something that I should have noticed before. Above me was a large glowing light that was a shade of pale blue. I stared at it closely, surprised that it was not a light, it was cluster of crystals. I watched as the lights in the crystals seemed to waver, like ripples in the water. It was fascinating. I've never seen something like this in my life. 'tap tap tap' The sound of tapping pulled my attention to the glowing crystals. Oh look, Asshole is here. And he brought Fatass. Fatass looked to be what most people think Otaku's look like. Fat, sweaty pits, greasy hair and thick glasses. The two look like they were having a conversation, well it more like an argument as they both just shouted at each other. A small sneer fell upon my face as I stared at Fatass's saliva flying everywhere. Some of it missing my face by centimeters. Hmmm, this just makes this all the more weirder. An invisible wall that is soundproof but can let substances in and out. Fatass looked pissed before his stormed past Asshole. He stepped towards the middle of the room facing towards us. I looked in confusion as he said a few words and gestures with his hands. I watched as Asshole had crossed his arms and leaned upon one leg. If I could see his face, he must be pretty annoyed right now. I get you man. I mean man, he must be a full scale weeb if he acts…like…this? WHAT THE FUCK? I screamed internally as a large white circle had appeared with in the room. The circle hand some weird pattern within it that made it look exotic but I did understand one thing. THAT WASN'T NORMAL. Is that…Is that a magic circle? I watched as a large desk started to (AND I SHIT YOU NOT) grow from the ground. An extensive screen had grown upon the desk as it made it's climax. Small circles appeared on the ports of the screen before wires had slithered out of them towards a deep pipe that had been conveniently placed right underneath it. I gulped as Fatass had smirked deviously. His hands had become after-images at the speed he was working on the computer. Just as quickly as he started, he finished without warning. Sending a thumbs up to the man beside me, Asshole had looked towards me, sending a thumbs up of his own. I would flip him off if I could but I was currently preoccupied. He must of known this, maybe it was my expression, and left me, laughing the whole way. He walked towards a large valve that was sticking out of the wall and started to turn it. The sounds of things snapping into place above me turned my attention to the beautiful crystals. Slowly but surely, there were more and more appearing above me. Linking the valve, Asshole, crystals and sounds. I came to the realization that the crystals, no matter how beautiful, will be disastrous for me. Kind of like a Yandere. Not wait, exact like a Yandere. The crystals became started to glow brighter and brighter, it started to get to the point where I had to squint my eyes. Under all that light, I heard the sounds of hears turning reminiscent of clockwork. Crystals started to spin, I couldn't tell by looking straight at them but instead with the way lights had started to move around the wall of the room. The crystals started to increase in speed, the sound had reminded me of vacuum starting up. I turned away from the crystals as they were getting to bright to see something weird happening to my body. It was kind of like this vapour that started to escape from my body. I moved my arm as much as I could in the restraints to see it slowly follow my arm. I was…I didn't have any words to describe the feeling, only that I feel stronger and more powerful… …but also tired. Suddenly, everything stopped abruptly, unlike how the crystals had started up. I felt disappointed at the revalation. I wanted to experience it again. Asshole and Fatass were fighting again, this must be a regular thing for these two. Fatass looked to be protecting his desk with the way he tries to stop Asshole from getting closer. Asshole himself was screaming at Fatass, I couldn't tell what he was saying but he seemed very passionate about it with the way he was screaming at Fatass. I raised an eyebrow when Asshole punched Fatass in the face, not really expecting it but not caring either. Sending me a two finger salute, Asshole had pressed a button on the screen and… I'm awake now. It's the library. I'm back at the library now. Wow, it's as cool as I remember. Cool. "Hey Pride~, I want to talk to you." I called out into the distance. It feels a bit hot in here. That weirdo was probably watching me, if he could hear everything that could also mean that he would also hear in his own library. Wait…that must mean that he has super hearing, like a superhero. Wow…that's pretty cool. "Oh, the mutt is back. Have you come crawling back to me after what you did?" I thought he was calmer but his anger was shown as he hissed the last part of his sentence. "Yeah~. I-um…" What was I saying again? "Did I do something? You sound angry." "You acting high and mighty before but, like this, your nothing but a drugged up." "Didn't I say it in the first chapter? Don't do drugs kids." I wagged my finger at him. "…Or did I say that I did drugs?" Man~, this is so confusing. Pride sighed to himself, "There's no use talking to you like this. It's like your trying to chase your own tail." "Hey…" I called out to him, finger pointed towards him. "I don't have a tail. No siree~" I looked back to check. Yep no tail. "This is quite annoying." He rubbed his temples, looking back at me. "What are you doing now?" "What?" I said, pulling my trousers down. "I wanted to make sure I didn't have a tail." Pride stared at me for a second, before making weird faces and sounds. It was too funny to watch and I couldn't help but giggle. Wait a second, "Hey I do have a tail." I called out to him, getting him to look at me from up there. "But it's on the wrong side." Does his hand smell or something? He keeps putting it on his face. Without warning, Pride snapped his fingers and… I can't feel anything anymore… IT HURTS. HE'S LYING, IT HURTS. It's like floating in saltwater. DON'T LISTEN TO HIM. THERE'S NO WATER. I don't even recognize the chains on my body anymore. YES HE DOES. THEY'RE DIGGIN INTO OUR SKIN. WE CAN STILL FEEL IT. Is something hitting me? HE HASN'T EVEN STOPPED. HE WONT' STOP. HE'S LAUGHING AT OUR PAIN. This feels…calming. IT'S NOT CALMING. IT'S TORTURE. WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE. WE NEED TO MAKE IT STOP. Yes…Calming. …It huts. …Stop it. ... … … … … Why? Did they are they doing this? … … … … … I just wanna go home. What…What just happened? I calmed my breath, I think I was having a panic attack. I haven't had one in a long time. My arms are locked together in a vice-like grip around my knees. It took me a second but I was able to relax enough to let them undo themselves. I stood up on weak knees. I had found myself on the ground, fallen on my side. "I thought that drugging you deal with you but as you can see…" Pride trailed off. He was standing at his usual spot at the second floor, I stared at him with narrowed eyes "Why the hell did you drug me?!" I snarled. Pride sneered "Did you not hear me? I will not repeat myself for you." Another time and I would have wanted to hand him by his intestines but, right now, I couldn't care less. Phantom pains started to creep up from whatever happened, even if I don't remember my body still does. That last thing I saw was Asshole pushing that button. "Can you explain to me what happened?" I asked Pride. Even if he was huge dick, being polite might win me some graces with him. His sneer had grew, "Ehhh, You insult me and ask something from me? Why should I grant you this?" The sneer had turned into a smirk. I sent one back. "Oh~,…"I made sure to drawl that out, "…You really can't show me? No matter and here I thought you were deserving of you title. This should be nothing for you." I closed off picking at my nails, I wanted to look as unimpressed as possible. It worked if we count the expression of Pride's face "Is that it?" He scoffed "That's all you want? So be it." He didn't let me answer him back as large mirror appeared before me. It followed the same design as the rest of the library with it's golden-laced wood casing. I stared at the mirror, looking at the child before me. He reminded me of a smaller Pride with his black hair and cute Innocent face. The eyes…The eye were beautiful up close, the symbol may only be seen as you get closer to the black iris but it looked better in my opinion. I had no other words to describe the eyes, it make the rest of the boy look horrendous in comparison. "I spent a long time creating that body." Pride voice called out, much closer that before but I didn't dare turn away. "I created it in my image, a creation of beauty if I say so myself." He was being completely arrogant and I could feel the ego coming from him but I nodded in agreement. "Now…" A weight coming from my back pushed me forward into the mirror "…relive your wish." "AAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH..." The kid screamed out in pain, gag fallen off a long time ago. The tow men outside of the glass had taken care to dampen the sounds that had come from the container. "Hmmmm…" Fatass from before had mused aloud. He looked upon the console that had shown the kid's mana output. Mana seeming to be extracted at the usual rate ,if not a bit slower, but there was a lot of resistance. "it doesn't look like he unlocked his magic. His body is still resisting the ethernano from entering his magic container. It seems like he it wasn't a wizard." Asshole scoffed "Who cares about all this mumbo jumbo? It's the kids fault for losing the fight." He chuckled at the memory "Though, I liked his enthusiasm. Plus, the way he was carrying those boulders, I thought he was using magic." Fatass rolled his eyes, " Clearly not, plus the only thing you actually care about is watching children fight each other. I don't see the point in all of that." "Bah, you don't understand, you uncultured swine. The thrill of seeing beaten and battered kids, sweat dripping down their bodies from all their work, going at each other with nothing left to lose. It stuff like that, that keeps my day going. " Asshole shuddered in glee as he spoke passionately. "Yeah, Yeah. Make yourself useful and turn up the amount of crystals in the container. I can't handle his screaming." Asshole turned to the wheel that was on a nearby wall, "Are you getting soft on us? You should have seen him before, the little cunt deserves what he gets." As he cranked the wheel, the bright light that had descended upon the child's body had increased twice-fold, causing his face to stay stuck in an expression of pain, no noise erupting from the child. 20 Minutes later, the console had shown to have stopped extracting mana, indication that he had no mana left to take. Asshole sighed "And here I thought he would have survived, all bark and no bite this one." Asshole was about to continue when Fatass slammed his hands down onto the desk, "W-What is this? His mana is…" The body of the still standing child started to twitch from within the restraints. First it was the finger, then his arms, his legs until ,eventually, his whole body started to spasm. Fatass stopped Asshole from pulling out the boy in favour of watching what was happening. It was then the lacrima had started up again but this time pulling more magic than it physically could do at this stage. Asshole had scrambled towards the wheel, pushing all his weight to increase the amount of crystals above the child. A large smile of glee appeared on Asshole's face, "We've got a Wizard. We've got a actual Wizard." Fatass didn't reply. He was still in shock with the revelation of a wizard in their mist. They had both lost track of time with how much this child has been building up their mana reserves. A normal child wouldn't have even lasted half this time. I was pushed out of the mirror, landing on my back. "Well,that was…something." Every time I wake up, something new is thrown into my face. "Bloody Mary shows many things," Pride called out. "This was barely even scratches it's surface." He was back up on his second floor, looking down with a barely hidden smugness. "Bloody Mary?" I asked, that was a weird name to call a mirror. "Yes, Bloody Mary. I had called it that after hearing something from your own world. It is quite foolish to summon a demon but to each their own." He shrugged. He just proved my theory of not being any where near home but another world as well? If knows things from my world than he must be able to take me back. Ever since I heard his voice in that…area, it's been a non stop roller-coaster of emotions. I need a break but I'm most likely not going to get one. Wait a second. In that mirror, was that me unlocking my magic? They called me a Wizard and all. If so, why not use Pride to learn magic? If I play to his pride than I can get virtually anything I want. He seems to easy to manipulate. "Is that all you can do here?" I asked him, making him turn his attention towards me. "I mean you got this cool library and all but how do I know if it's as good as you state it is?" I saw his mouth twitch before he school his features, "A dog is unable to understand the knowledge that my library can bestow upon someone." "When we first met, you said to me 'I shall reward you'. Or have you forgotten?" I had to make an effort to hide the smirk on my face. "Yes I did. However,-" "However, does it not hurt your pride to not reward those who you believe deserve it? Especially when it's so insignificant from your power." A shiver went down my spine as I stared into Pride's eyes. His eyes were spinning extremely fast, fast and bright enough to make it seem like they were golden. "DO NOT THINK I CANNOT SEE YOUR GAMES. I HAVE LIVED FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, I WILL NOT BE BESTED BY A COWARD STUCK WITHIN A CHILD'S BODY!." He didn't shout nor did he scream. No feeling of fear in my body and he did not get physical. He did nothing to let out but I knew that he was angry. No he was furious. "So…"He calmed down. "What do you want?"