Interlude III

  From the Mezzanine

  (Leah “the Destroyer” Badiaz)

  As entertaining as the matches were, and they were all entertaining so far, no one could deny the fact that every competitor had all broken ranks to stand behind the flashing lights, to both help their over worked partners in this act, as well as get a bird’s eye view of the action for themselves.

  This was how Leah “the Destroyer” Badiaz found herself standing next to Jade, as they both helped guide one brightly burning stage light at the one object that they knew everyone wanted to see, the Healer.

  Everything she did was amazing and filled with poise. Quiet and completely unwilling to speak on minute, even while providing a perfect wheel kick to completely shatter the arm of the cocky Golden Flare. Not even giving him a warning to stop, just taking the action herself to make it so.

  Seeing that snap kick, and hearing the satisfying bone crunch, Leah and all the other female warriors let out a fist pump in excitement at the act of restrained violence. Especially as each woman that had been a subject of his attentions at one time or another had all wanted to perform the exact same move to him. Yet, she wasn’t chastised, or even punished, if anything she was praised for doing the right thing and stepping up for her patients. Everyone knew that they had a star on their hands.

  After the first two fights, Leah stayed back, watching from the rafters as she was part of the third set of female combatants to go, meaning she would still have to wait four more matches between the males, and one female and one long Tamer fight.

  Honestly, Leah always hated the fights between Tamers. Yes, it showcased their importance, but only initially, with trying to kill Z-Rot infected animals, most of which were infected locally just to help with the sponsors. As it was nearly impossible to find animals that were still cute, and infected. Most quickly changed and shed their fur almost instantly. The fact that these all had their fur proved they were grown and tortured just for this competition. Still, tamers were important, and this did help show case their impact to the wildlands and their battles at the end gave the spectators the pound of blood they all desired while seeing these magnificent beasts fight.

  Fortunately, with this healer, Leah thought that both beasts could survive.

  Especially as the remarkably intelligent phase panther made sure to pull a book out of Leah’s own playbook and flirt with the healer. It didn’t matter what they looked like, so long as they could heal, and this one could.

  Also, while the black healer’s robe was unflattering to everyone, it didn’t look quite so bad draped over her. Even her eyes were not what one would expect. Bloom’s particularly those with high healing gifts are thought to have blond hair and blue eyes, but this one was different. This one had shock white hair and pinkish-purple eyes. Characteristics that would almost make her look like a DiVoratore, yet the girl had Skills, regardless of lineage.

  Then watching the match of the Tamers, Leah saw that not only did the girl have Skills, but she also had guts. Immediately running to the stage upon seeing the phase panther collapse. With deft movements, she hurdled onto the stage easily, her legs pulling her right up to the phase panther, where she waved her hand and the acid went away.

  Blinking, Leah did a double take, trying to stare down at the once sizzling white fur of the massive beast. A beast that Leah did her best to avoid, as she always thought Tamer pets were one bad rebuke away from quitting. Which the flying snake proved with her liberal use of caustic spray.

  Then the healer did something, she had never seen, standing up like haunting ghost, the healer jumped over the downed cat and held up her arms wide as if threating the giant snake.

  Acid spray!

  During this time, the monster let loose what had to be the remainder of her stomach acid and last, but grand spray of acid. Enough to first coat the healer and the panther, then coat her tamer, and then back to the healer who didn’t even drop from the first onslaught.

  Seeing the act, Leah felt her own heart beat faster, here she was, a healer who was completely fearless. One who put herself in danger, and she was now staring down a giant and possibly pregnant flying snake.

  “Come on,” Leah shouted, commanding Jade to join her. Standing up from behind the light, she knew she had to get down quickly. For a moment, she thought about jumping, but realized her knees just got healed, and while they might feel good right now, after she landed she would still need to use those same knees.

  That was why, she found herself sprinting down the long, but narrow walk way.

  Swirling down the last staircase that led out, she shouted, “all hands on deck, we have a Monster break!”

  With that, Leah reached over to the weapons rack that stood next to the entry way and grabbed a great sword as she came running down the ramp, sword drawn. Yet, what she saw was amazing, the famous Mr. Yi was in action.

  Slink, slice.

  In the span of two heartbeats he had lashed out twice, the first delivering a devastating swipe to the side of the beast, then the next to the wing. A slice where the top half of his body seemed to disappear for a moment before reappearing on the far side of the wing.

  “I thought he retired?” Jade asked from right beside Leah. Only now did Leah realize that she had been held in fear. While she would never admit it, Leah had one true fear, snakes and this monster named Hydra was definitely one of those monsters that held a special place of fear for her. Give her a wyvern, even a black dragon and they would not be as frightening as this creature was, to her.

  “Yeah, I thought so too. Normally no one passes his trial by fire approach to be worthy of his tutelage,” Leah commented, giving a glance back to Jade. At that glance Jade dropped her eyes in despair, as she had once had the chance to be trained by Mr. Yi, but she failed. Then again, Leah herself had also failed, as not meeting the standards. That was why she was so hard on Jade, for she knew how rare of a chance this was, and she still blew it, just like Leah herself had many years ago.

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  Leah watched the healer, standing there, no weapon in hand, but still using her body to try to protect the panther that had barely gotten to its feet. For a moment, she wondered if the healer would be good enough, would be found worthy to actually be taught by the great Mr. Yi. Then she saw the moment that proved he had chosen his next protégé. Darting over the massive beast’s back, Mr. Yi effortlessly swam through the air, twisting and contorting his body until he had a quick and perfect striking angle for his Kill Strike Skill. A Skill that let him win hundreds of duels and competitions, and the very Skill that Leah had so desperately wanted to learn from Mr. Yi.

  Slink.

  The moment he was within range, Leah saw the silvery metallic gleam of metal quickly slicing through air so quickly that it only left a flash of light in its wake.

  Then the old master landed gracefully on the ground, his feet landing lightly as he prepared for his next action. But that moment, that was all the crazy healer needed as she was already moving. Giving a gentle pat to the back of the master, letting him know she was running past, and then the healer did something that almost made Leah vomit on the spot.

  The Healer dove head first into the open and bleeding neck of the serpent, and instantly began Healing. For a moment, Leah wondered what she was doing, it wasn’t until Markan and the other Tamer began working to cut still pulsing flaps of leathery hide apart, revealing a burnt and mangled body.

  That was when Leah realized what, or rather who was missing, the other Tamer.

  Suddenly the actions of Mr. Yi made more sense, it also explained why no one was complaining, as the only one who would have complained was currently being eaten by her pet snake. A snake who even in death still gnashed and wiggled its jaws around the mostly swallowed Tamer.

  At that, Leah ran forward, not to fight the monster, but to save a fellow contestant. Leah was one of the first to get to the face, and seeing the booted feet dangling lightly, she reached down to grab with Jade and a few others that had managed to come back.

  On an unspoken count of one, everyone heaved, only to find that she was wedged in there tightly.

  “Get her out, they all shouted,” for a moment Leah wondered if she should take her sword and try cutting more of the beast away. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mr. Yi and the phase panther working in near perfect unison to take down the flapping and flailing wings of the beast’s back half. The panther grabbed the wing and pulled it out wide, making it so it was even more vulnerable to attacks, then Mr. Yi finding the right pressure point struck.

  Slink.

  The blade cut through cleanly, making it so there was one less monster organ to worry about slicing the rescue team. With the first of three wings completely removed, the two continued going down to the next wing, where they repeated their operation.

  “HEAVE!” Matthias shouted, his large body and voice pulling me back to the moment and to grab those two legs and pull.

  Slight give.

  This time there was a slight give, as it felt like she had been loosened up slightly, we are about to try again, knowing that we are so close, that’s when we are stopped just before we are about to pull the tamer a third time.

  “WAIT, WAIT!” A young voice cries out. A voice that all but demands attention. Pausing, I like the others peer around the giant maw of the still moving beast’s skull to see one of the most terrifyingly beautiful sights I have ever seen. There she is, like an angry angel of death, wearing mostly charred and frayed black robes, that cover up a green blazer that all but screams child of the Bloom Household. Then as if transposed, is an angelic face outlined by shock white hair, and wielding pinkish purple eyes.

  They all stare, well Leah stares as the girl’s melodiously calm voice seems incongruous to the body before her. A body that has clearly been through hell and back. That’s when she speaks again, allowing their minds to realize that there was no trick, this was the original speaker that they all heard, “you need to pull her out from there!”

  Individually, everyone knew the words that were being spoken, but for a moment their placement and grouping together made no sense to everyone who had stopped to watch this spectacle.

  Silence.

  Leah could see the moment that this avenging angel got mad, it wasn’t a slow process, happening over a matter of seconds, but to Leah’s eyes she could see the quick change from exhaustion, to annoyance, and finally to straight anger.

  “NOW!” The girl demanded.

  With that one word, everyone began doing as she commanded.

  “Come on, half of you on this side, the other half over there,” Markan called out.

  Hearing him speak, and thoughtlessly follow the words of the DiVoratore member who seemed to be pretending to be a Bloom, it became clear that this was the healer that Leah herself had been so high on not moments ago.

  Moving into position, almost got close, but quickly backed away on reflex, when her hand accidentally touched the inside fold of the snake’s neck. A fold that happened to move and react to her touch.

  Eww!

  Creeped out, Leah quickly backed out, letting dozens of the other helpers come to help pry the tamer loose. While Leah looked for something else to do, that is anything that didn’t involve moving or touching a still moving snake, she saw the moment that once proved a few things.

  First, the angel in the half eroded away healer’s robe was the healer. Second, Mr. Yi had apparently taken special interest in this healer, as he was now next to her, holding her upright with one arm, while his other forced one of the silver bottled mana rejuvenation potions into her lips. Seeing that pose, and the obvious concern by Mr. Yi it was clear that he had already grown attached to the girl, as he had what could easily be considered a father’s love in those eyes.

  Seeing that look, Leah could only nod her head in acknowledgement, her time had passed. Then looking to her left, she saw how Jade and the others had managed to finally pull the tamer free.

  “Cough, wheeze, cough!” The poor tamer had been pulled free, but she was not doing good. Then as if summoned by that sickeningly wet cough, the healer heard it, then immediately turned to get close. In so doing, she forcefully pushed Mr. Yi’s hand and arm away.

  For a moment it looked like Mr. Yi was going to protest, to force her to stay and finish the drink and take a quick break. Leah knew for a fact that he was more than strong enough to make her stay if he so chose, that his fingertips alone would have been more than enough to keep that small girl in place, but instead he just shook his head. Then as if chasing after a foolish grandchild, he followed and waited until she was set up and already healing the Tamer with one hand, while gesturing with her free right hand towards the phase panther. That’s when Mr. Yi swooped in between the two patients, leaning over and forcing the avenging angel to finish her drink, the same way a loving grandfather would for their grandchild.

  Seeing that reaction, Leah wondered what exactly that healer had done to get the indomitable Mr. Yi to bend to her unspoken will like that.

  Leah continued to watch, then saw the moment Jade got up, rubbing her mucus covered hands together as she did so, an act that almost made Leah vomit right there. Still, looking at Leah and remembering how she got a date with her once possible future mentor, Leah realized that they might need to change tactics with the old man.

  It was clear that Mr. Yi had already chosen his next apprentice, which meant they both needed to shift tactics. No longer would it just be about getting closer to Mr. Yi for guidance and pointers. But now, they would definitely need to find out more about this healer. A healer who seemingly came out of nowhere.

  Off to the sides, Leah saw how the rest of the workers were already preparing for what would happen next. While the giant corpse of the serpent would mostly protect the mostly exposed healer and her true identity, it seemed that Lucia and Luna were both standing by with a spare Healer’s robe, waiting for her to be done.

  To Leah’s surprise, it only took a matter of a few minutes for the girl to heal the phase panther, who got up, stretched and then sat protectively beside the healer while she finished working on the failed tamer. A blanket had already been thrown over her burnt body, but that wouldn’t help much. At least, Leah didn’t think it would help much.

  By the time Madame Bloom made her way to the stage, Leah thought it would be time for this healer to step aside and let the old pro take over. But instead of taking over, Madame Bloom lifted up the blanket and checked the work, and just nodded appreciatively before dropping the blanket and patting the Healer on the shoulder. Rather than using that to call it a day, the Healer would apparently continue working, until she was done. A fact that was proven by the way Madame Bloom got up and stood next to Markam first, talking to him, and then going over to Mr. Yi.

  Leah watched as a few words were exchanged, where Madame Bloom clearly seemed to be thanking Mr. Yi sincerely. Only to be stopped and have Mr. Yi bow and show a sign of respect for Madame Bloom. While she didn’t know the exact words that were exchanged, it was clear that Mr. Yi was pleased with his current arrangement.

  “She’s up!” Voices called out, as Matthias and a few others called out to Sal in the booth, letting him know that the tamer from house Serpente was up and beginning to make her way off the stage.

  Cheers!

  As the tamer rose to her feet, a blanket draped over her to protect her modesty, everyone cheered for her safety, especially once she maneuvered a naked arm free and waved it to the crowd. Seeing the arm moving freely, Leah was surprised as that arm had been mangled and burnt beyond recognition not moments ago. But now it was fine.

  Then as only people who were trained in the life of entertainment would, Lucia and Luna chose that moment of everyone being the most distracted to run forward, and yank off the loose black threads that were all that could be described of what remained from the old Healer’s robe. Then while she was still kneeling down, they worked in unison to drape the new Healer’s robe over her and quickly went to work fastening the robe in place and sealing everything shut.

  Once the healer, clad in her new gown that covered her from head to toe rose to her feet, that’s when Sal spotted his moment and took it.

  “And let’s hear it for our main hero of the night, my personal favorite competitor so far, the HEALER!”

  RAUCOUS CHEERS AND STOMPS!

  And like that, Leah knew a true star had been born. One that she knew she had to learn more about, by any means necessary.

  per day, until our reign on the top 50 stops.

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