85 Alex

As Will walked away with Maya, Alex watched them with slight hesitation. Though he knew the prince had done him a favor which he would never be able to pay, he still felt like it was dangerous to be holding onto such a wealth of gold. "He didn't even take back his crystal." He looked down at the swirling crimson vortex within the stone.

Alex put the gold in his pocket and walked out of the arena. He could feel the announcer's greedy gaze fall upon him as the crowd finally departed. The show was over today, and they needed to gossip with the rest of the city about the fight between the Crimson Dawn and the Crimson Prince. He knew he would be hearing of it for many months.

"Kid! Come here!" The announcer boomed from his own seat. Alex obediently followed his order and walked to the announcer podium. "I know the prince gave you something," he brought his hand out expectantly. "What is it?"

Alex put his hand in his pocket and took out fifteen of the twenty gold coins. "This will be enough to buy me and my sister out of your service, right?" He gave the fifteen coins to the announcer.

"I believe I said fifteen gold coins, yes." His eyes shined with the amount of gold one fight produced. "If you want, you can leave immediately, but your sister will have to produce fifteen gold coins herself."

"That wasn't the deal." Alex complained. "You said fifteen gold for the both of us!"

"I did." The announcer stroked his beard. "I meant both of you give me fifteen gold to end your contract." A greedy smile spread on his face as he looked down on Alex. "You could always stay and help her pay off her debt, or we can always hire her out to some of the young lords for a while. I'm sure she will follow you soon." He chuckled as he saw the young man's face pale.

Alex thought about the young lords and what it would mean to have Lucy sent to them. It was as bad as saying they would send her to a brothel. His anger surged forth, if the announcer were to pay attention, he would see red sparks coming from the young man's eyes.

'Stay for now.' Alex almost jumped out of his skin as he heard a familiar voice within his mind. 'You won't be there for long, I promise.' Alex could feel the anger resonating within every word within his mind.

"I'll stay to work off my sister's debt." Alex resigned himself to his fate. Perhaps the prince would buy the both of them out of servitude. He couldn't help but remember the look of interest he saw within the young royal's eyes as he fought with him.

"Good, good!" The announcer boomed with enthusiasm. "You brought in quite a crowd today! Not many can go toe to toe with the Crimson Prince and gloat about it!" He smacked Alex on the back. "You did good today!"

The announcer put the fifteen gold coins in his coin purse, then produced twenty copper. "Take your sister out and get her some new clothes." He handed the copper to Alex. "When you return, make sure to give your lineage weapons to the quartermaster before dinner."

'Get your sister and go to the Crown Embassy. We will talk more there.' The voice spoke within Alex's head again. He bowed to the announcer and left the arena.

'What do your days look like most days?' The prince asked. 'Do you always fight?'

'No,' Alex spoke through their connection. 'Most days he has me fight, but others I'm used for manual labor.' He walked down the street towards the busy part of the city.

'Do they train you to use the crystals?'

Alex shook his head, then remembered that the prince was nowhere near him. 'No.' He thought. 'They put us in a cage with a bunch of other people, then use us for a free for all. We train with these battles, many people don't survive. The ones who do go to the arena.' He thought back to the many battles he had within that cage. The announcer would put his sister with him for the free for all as incentive for him to win. He knew that Alex would always protect Lucy.

'Don't worry, your days of fighting in a cage are almost over. As for your sister, you both can stay in the embassy with me and Maya. We have just finished unpacking and it seems too large for the both of us.' Alex felt a rush of excitement along with a hint of nervousness.

The walk back to his living quarters consisted of a lot of twists and turns within the main roads of the city, but then turned to the alleyways. Alex made his way through the maze of alleys and stopped alongside what seemed to be an emergency shelter from the weather.

He knocked three times and waited a moment.

A panel slid from the door revealing two eyes from the other side. "Crystals." A voice sounded as another panel slid open underneath the first. A hand appeared upturned, waiting for the crystals.

Alex emptied his pockets as he had a hundred times before. He put the many rings from his fingers in the hand, followed by a few stones he had just in case. He looked at the hand and his eyes widened. He had completely forgotten that he had put the storm crystal in with the others. He saw for only a second the crimson cyclone within the stone before the hand closed and disappeared within the door.

'Don't worry too much.' He heard Will within his mind. 'That crystal isn't worth more than you or your sister's lives.'

Alex sighed as the door swung open and an old man climbed out from the shelter. "Your sister is waiting for you in the sleeping quarters." He patted Alex on the back to motion him forward. "She's been waiting for you to take her for some food." His kind eyes beckoned him forward.

"Thank you, Mister Amory." Alex bowed to the old man and went into the shelter.

'Mister Amory?' The prince questioned as Alex followed a path of winding steps into the entrance.

'Think of him as our caretaker. He's in charge of keeping the peace within the shelter. He's been making sure none of the others hurt Lucy while I'm in the arena.' He said with a dull happiness. He was happy to have Mister Amory watching over his sister, yet he wished he didn't have to have him do so. He was tired of fighting, yet he knew he couldn't stop, or he would put his sister at risk.

The thought of staying at the embassy with the prince seemed to be a dream within Alex's mind. He could picture it as if it were something completely out of reach, yet something he had seen his entire life.

Even before the crystals, he was put in arenas with nothing but his hands versus a sword and shield. He had overcome many challenges to keep his sister safe. Just because the crystals could become weapons in the hands of those experienced enough to summon them, they were still weapons.

Alex walked down the final flight of stairs and weaved through a few hallways. He stopped in front of a doorway which was covered by a curtain. "Brother!" He smiled as an excited voice squeaked from a far corner.

The only light within the room was a torch right outside of the curtain. With the dim lighting, Alex could barely make out the many dirty rugs that the combatants used for beds. The overwhelming stench of body odor had already assaulted his nostrils as he took shallow breaths to try to get used to it.

A young girl with long blonde hair moved through the shadows and arrived into Alex's embrace. He held her in his arms and pat her curly blonde locks. "Ready to get out of here?"

Lucy nodded her head and smiled. "Where are we eating today?" Her stomach grumbled excitedly. Alex knew she hadn't eaten in a few days. He wished he could have given her his food, but the announcer wouldn't allow any food within the shelter, and he made sure the combatants were fed before each match in order to keep their strength up.

"Wherever you want to eat. Just make sure it's not all sweets." Alex smiled as he beckoned his sister ahead of him.

Lucy danced up the steps two at a time humming a tune while Alex followed her. He couldn't help but smile as he watched her dancing up to the light of the street level.

When they finally reached the door, Mister Amory opened it and smiled at Lucy. "You seem to be in a good mood tonight, young lady." He bent over and patted Lucy on the head. His kind eyes beamed at Alex as he walked out to join his sister. "Is there a time I should be expecting you back tonight?"

"No, sir." Alex shook his head as he followed his sister. "I made enough copper to get an inn tonight, and I want my sister to be able to sleep on a bed tonight." His hand went to his pocket without thinking and landed on the five gold coins he had left from the Prince.

Mister Amory nodded his head. "Have fun then!" He smiled brightly. "Just make sure to come back before your match tomorrow."

Alex waved at Mister Amory as he and his sister started their way through the maze of alleyways.

"Is it true, Alex?" Lucy slowed down to match her brother's pace. "We aren't going back tonight?"

"No," Alex shook his head with a smile. "We won't return. Instead I will get you some good clothes and get a room at one of the hotels. We will eat after we bathe, there's someone important I want you to meet."

Lucy danced and sang all the way to the main road. No matter how much Alex had seen his sister's cheery mood, it always surprised him.

No matter how starved they were, or how poorly they were treated, his sister had never frowned or acted in a way someone in their position should. It was like she was the sun in the darkness of his world.

Long ago, when his parents were killed, Lucy wouldn't stop crying. He remembered her kneeling over their mother, cradling her in her delicate arms. It felt like the world was ending as he saw her sobs and curses at the cruel world they were born into.

She had cried for days, until it seemed like no more tears would fall. For months after, he had seen her tear stricken face lose all emotion.

He would enter into as many matches as he could to earn money to feed her. Yet when he got food, he usually had to force her to eat for fear that she would allow herself to starve to death.

Finally after a few months, Lucy saw her brother fight in the arena. He was bare handed versus a sword and shield.

For a split second, he stared at her emotionless eyes. He had decided to give in. His defenses had dropped as the man with the sword and shield charged at him.

Though, before the man reached him. Alex had seen something he hadn't seen in months. His sister had started crying, calling out his name to win.

From then on, he would go into any arena. He would win any challenge to care for his sister. He would tear away the reality they were born into and forge a destiny that was worthy of his sister. He would climb the heavens and battle the gods themselves to see Lucy happy.