Chrysalis

[Hey, what’s happening? How’s your day been?]

No response.

[Look, I don’t want to accuse anyone of being rude, manners are important on both sides of an interaction, but do you have any idea how hard it is to push a mind bridge through that helmet? The least you could do is say hello.]

My opponent, a centurion, judging by the look of his armour, does not respond, only raises his shield and blade, preparing to charge. After dealing with eighth and ninth sword members of the Folk schools, I don’t want to say defeating individual soldiers from the Legion is easy, but it’s certainly not as hard as what I was doing before.

The centurion erupts with energy and launches himself forward. To be honest, the speed is impressive, but it’s very linear, and I’m a difficult opponent to surprise.

Turning on the spot, I rotate my body and smack my mandible into the charging soldier like a bat. There’s a crunch, followed by a large thud as my opponent crashes into the barrier on the outside of the arena.

Home run!

[Nice attempt! Good speed, but you might want to work on your micro dashes. Puts a lot of strain on the body, but changing your angle of approach a few times instead of just charging straight in will help you in the long run.]

I don’t get a reply, not that I was expecting one. I’ve fought five members of the Abyssal Legion so far, and although I managed to connect a bridge to each of them, not one has said a single word, no matter how much I natter at them.

The first four were rank and file, the last was the first officer I’ve fought. Honestly, I can give them some credit for being tougher than I expected them to be. Their armour is hard as nails, and each one of them is a disciplined fighter with polished skills. I get the feeling that, unlike the Folk, who train extensively to fight one-on-one in the arenas and fighting pits, the Legion trains to fight monsters in groups, as they should. If that centurion had executed the exact same charge along with a squad, it would have been much harder to deal with; batting one of them away would leave me open to the rest of them, leading to much stabbage.

Folk are having a grand old time, and many swordsmen and women have lined up to challenge once again. However, filling up one end of the arena is a contingent of Legionaries in full armour, staring down at

decidedly

suss out my strengths and weaknesses here in this safe environment, maybe even lure me into underestimating them by having me beat up on the rank and file. As if. I don’t

report any instances of

the hint and get down here at some point. No way she hasn’t figured out what I’m

Eran Thouris continues to wheel and deal in the stands. I start to get bored of the whole

Legion crowd as an officer steps out into the pit. Helmet on, twin swords sheathed at the hips and a decidedly red tinge to the

obviously someone higher ranked, judging by the elaborate insignia engraved on the chest plate, along with the larger, more mana-dense armour. Could be her… but I better check before I make any

arena, I prepare the mind mana I’m going to need, spinning up my minds and weaving together the magic. Battering through the protections the Legion seems to build into their gear is like smashing through a wall with my brain. Not fun. I’ll get through, but

these duels, so I skitter over, making sure I don’t have a leg too far forward as the legionary opposite draws those twin

Surely…

“Begin!”

the adjudicator — not Grey today, he’s off arguing with his brother or something — gives the signal, I push forward my mind magic, slamming into the barrier head on. Whatever is woven into the helmet, it’s tough stuff, and I fail to break through on the first attempt. I kind of expected

swords, along with the armour, begin smoking, emitting a red haze that twists and warps the air. Before I

Dodge!

the side, narrowly avoiding the twin arcs of sword light. Yikes! What the heck was that?! There was something weird about those strikes, I haven’t seen anything like them from the Folk so

mind magic again as I clack my mandibles. She’s trying to make

elemental mana, ready to unleash a

DODGE!

a sizzling rage-demon, my opponent zig-zags, alternating dashes left and right before homing in on me like a comet. Blades flash, red light screams, and I am