The crowd roared as the Heroes of Stone walked back to the Champion's Room, and from the Shadow Lord's balcony they could hear murmurs of Bigsby and Sarqen's feats, as well as Yirki's long-range shot of the sniper. As they passed on the ground floor, the Boss stared at Yirki as he passed, not breaking that gaze until Yirki disappeared into the hallway.
"They're something, huh?" the Shadow Lord said, deep in thought as he watched them walk away. "There's something familiar about them that I can't put my finger on... Like I've met them before."
"I meant to ask you about that," the Boss said, glancing back at him. "Didn't they stand against your forces? Why haven't they been arrested or executed?"
The Centaur laughed as she approached, standing next to the Shadow Lord. She towered at 8 feet, her Great Axe at her side crackling with electricity. Her hazel eyes were speckled with emerald green that caught the light.
"You've been here a grand total of an hour and you're already questioning the Shadow Lord?" she said, resting a hand on her axe's handle. "You tried to read my Fortune when you got here, why don't you ask your spirit friends?"
"Settle down, Darsica," the Shadow Lord said, resting a hand gently on her back, the sun hitting his mask and reflecting magnificent colors. "You asked me a similar question a few hours ago. And I'm sure Sawyn would be asking the same thing if she were here."
He walked over to the railing and placed both hands on it, tapping it with his fingers as the stadium began to magically clean and prepare for the next event, a roof materializing to darken the arena.
"Four Roads was burnt to the ground and my protection pulled from them. They were not successful in their stand, and their leader was killed," the Shadow Lord said matter-of-factly. "Plus, it'd be much better to kill them here, where people from all over the Kingdom can see the power I have at my disposal and what happens to those that oppose it."
"I definitely understand that sentiment," the Boss said, feeling the weight of the mechanisms of the device underneath his cloak. "I understand that all too well."
"Find me the sniper and you can take over security for the rest of the event," the Shadow Lord said with sudden authority. "Find him before the third day, and bring him to me alive, and I'll double the pay."
The Boss's mouth widened beneath his mask, his broken teeth and gray flesh pulled taut. If his heart were still beating, it would be pounding out of his chest. He had never imagined he'd be able to pull off the things he has done with this body, but everything had been going his way.