The Forsaken Hero
I closed my eyes and let out a shuddering breath. My fingers were numb and cold, my arm aching where the needle pierced the vein. Something clattered onto the pavement, and I looked down to see the needle. It had slipped out of my hand. Nothingness swirled around me, bringing the first sense of peace I'd felt in my short, miserable life. There was no one to miss me, and no one I would miss. There's always someone else to beat or rape. The regulars would move on quickly. I died. Only...wasn't death supposed to be dark? And since when did 'nothingness' have so many gods? Discord: https://discord.gg/PX3xqJdZMY
Sparring Match
Before we began, Selena took a second to lay out the rules of the spar, as much for myself as the onlookers. Spars were generally much more casual than duels, and lacked the magical wards and protection. As such, it was considered good etiquette to withhold any magic or attacks that would endanger the lives of the contestant or the convenience of an observer.
That didn't mean incidents were avoided, of course, but skilled Life Mages were always on standby in the training field. In this case, Selena herself was an extremely talented Life Mage and could guarantee the safety of anyone sparring under her instruction.