Neck snapped, the planar window the fool had opened closed, cutting off his exposed head and hands, which fell unceremoniously to the ground. I took a moment to steady myself, urging my cells to divide and grow. Fanfare sounded from above, but I ignored it. My focus was the daggers. I needed to take possession of them before the regulators purged the arena. Each shuffled step found me closer, and I was about to lift the nearest with my mind when a stone took me by surprise. I lurched forward, the ground rushing up to meet me, and my hand landed cleanly on the naked blade.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

　　I froze, breath sucked into my chest—

　　shzzzzzt