The duel was arranged. Yuma arranged it to be on floor ten, at mid-day. It had been two days since Tatamis death, and Phoenix had received no stop shit for it. Tatami was a well like and respected member of the Dragon rider guild, and many blamed Phoenix for her death. And quite honestly, Phoenix agreed with them. It was his fault, but that didn't stop the death threats, conspiracy letters, and hate mail. Hell, some random players even attacked him during dungeon raids, and inside safe zones.

But the last straw for Phoenix was Yuma. She was encouraging the behaviour being demonstrated towards Phoenix. She was going so far as to call him a murderer. And after that Phoenix snapped, he took no shit from anyone, and once he was home, cried himself to sleep, riddled with the guilt. The others did everything they could to deflect the damage being done to Phoenix, but it was no use. It always went through to him. But that ended at mid-day. After that, he would make sure that it ended, no matter what.

Phoenix stood inside the stadium on floor ten. It was a replica of the roman Coliseum, and absolutely packed. Players lined every seat, and the cheering was ear shattering. Not that it was for him, as soon as he was in sight, people threw food, and started booing him. Sighing Phoenix went back inside to talk with the others. "It's not looking good." Phoenix sighed placing his hands on the back of his head. "How bad could it possibly be?" Amara asked, sounding hopeful. "A few people threw knives at me, and were in a safe zone." Phoenix grumbled. The news wasn't promising.

"Ok, well there's got to be some people out there cheering for you." Suki said bitting her lip. "If there are they're being silent." Takara sighed. It was true. Anyone who had defended Phoenix had been absolutely crapped on, so if they supported Phoenix they stayed silent. "Yeah, I hate to say this Phoenix, but you are seriously unpopular." Mono said twiddling her thumbs. "Well I better not lose." Phoenix grumbled. Giving everyone a hug Phoenix went out into the arena, to face his deadliest opponent yet.

As Phoenix entered the arena the crowd booed and screamed. But Phoenix didn't care, he was already dead inside, these people could do nothing to him. Yuma was waiting for him at the centre of the arena, sword and shield in hand. "Honestly Phoenix, i didn't want this many people here, I had no idea this fight would draw such a crowd." She said earnestly. "Let's just get on with it, there's no point in prolonging." Phoenix sighed drawing his swords. Sending the duel request, Phoenix readied up. Yuma accepted the request and took up her position. A thirty second dimer sprung up above them, and the crowd roared with delight.

As soon as the timer hit zero Phoenix was off. Both of his sword buzzing with energy he swung directly at Yuma's throat. But quick as a flash she brought up her shield and deflected the blow, but she was knocked slightly off balance. A plan was forming in Phoenixes head. He struck Yuma's shield with a volley of blows, leaving deep indentations in her shield, and deeply annoying her. But Phoenix had done what he'd set out to do, Yuma had stumbled back a step, leaving her open. Seizing his chance Phoenix drove forward with both swords. Just as he was slashed across the chest.

Yuma had used her own momentum to swing around and hit him unawares. Phoenix hit the ground hard, and then quickly rolled out of the way of another swing. Yuma was really gunning for him now. But Phoenix didn't know why she was so angry, yes her friend had died because of him, but it didn't warrant this kind of ferocity. Every time Phoenix tried to go in for a shot, Yuma would deflect it and put him on his ass. And every time she did so there would be a taunt. "I could have saved her." "You let her die." "You killed her." She would say. Phoenix was losing his patience, and his strength. He was at half health, and he hadn't even hit Yuma once. And his anger was getting to him.

He and Yuma had locked swords, trying to push the other backwards. "Yuma, you have every reason to hate me, but I didn't kill Tatami." "No, there has to be someone to blame, and that person is you Phoenix." "No, she chose to save me, stepped in front of the swing, that's not my doing." "No, you should have died not her." "And you think I don't agree with you?" Phoenix growled, stepping back.

Yuma fell past him and found her feet. But she didn't move. "What?" "Oh you heard me." "But then why haven't you,,,?" "To honour her memory Yuma, it's all I can do." Phoenix drove both his swords into the ground. "What are you doing?" Yuma asked her head cocked to one side. "No weapons, purely skill based, you can use magic too if you like." Phoenix said emotionlessly. Yuma looked surprised but obliged, throwing down her shield and sword. Phoenix knew what he had to do, it wasn't fair, but it was the only way he could win. His body again surrounded with the magical aura Phoenix, felt the power run through him. "Supersonic." He muttered.

He shot right past Yuma and made a wide arc around the stadium running of the walls and then racing towards the centre of the Arena. At the last possible moment Phoenix jumped and swung around in mid-air with his heel, aiming for Yuma's head. It would end the fight. But, then phoenix saw something unexpected, something impossible. Yuma's fist flying towards his face, it was going faster than he was. The blow landed square on his jaw, and sent Phoenix flying twenty metres back into the stadium wall. He was imbedded at least a foot into the wall. And struggling up to his feet Phoenix notice the loser icon hovering over his head. He had lost the duel, and was now a member of the Dragon Rider guild.

The crowd roared in applause and Yuma exited the arena, clearly proud of herself, picking up her sword and shield. But Phoenix staggering off to his designated exit was dumbstruck. How had Yuma done that? She had been moving faster than he was. He had been traveling at just over the speed of sound. How was she able to move faster than him? These were the questions that swam through his head, and he slowly made his way to the Dragon Rider guilds headquarters, and report for duty.

A couple of hours later Phoenix sat in his new quarters in the giant castle that was his new guilds home. And since he was in one of the top guilds he had to change his colours. From black, to light blue and silver. He looked ridiculous. He was in a guild, a god damned, fucking guild. Under normal circumstances Phoenix would have felt fine. But he was deeply unsettled. Yuma had somehow become faster than him. She hadn't used magic, and she definitely didn't have a hidden skill. So how did she do it? He just couldn't figure it out.

Takara was there to introduce Phoenix to the guild, and give him the grand tour. The castle admittedly was very impressive. It housed over a thousand players, had training rooms, kitchens, dining areas, and lounging areas for kicking back. And all of it was extremely well decorated with a Swiss design. But even though the castle was cool, it would never be home. But Takara was trying her best to cheer him up. "Oh come on Phoenix, it's not that bad." "I lost in a duel for the first time in this game, Yuma kicked me out of my own guild, and now I look like a clown." Phoenix complained pointing at his new uniform. "Yeah, but you look seriously cute, and the blue matches your eyes." She said grasping at straws. "Cute? I'm supposed to the Phoenix, the best swordsman in Helios, I'm supposed to be imposing, not cute." He sighed, flopping back on his bed. "Well, if I can't cheer you up, then maybe the others can." Takara groaned walking out the door. Phoenix jumped up, and followed her. "Wait, the others?" he asked trying to keep up with Takara.

As it turned out the entire membership of the Honour guard had quit and joined the Dragon Rider Guild. And Phoenix was unpleasantly surprised. "What are you doing here?" He growled, not sure whether to be mad at himself, or the others. "The honour guards, not the Honour guard, without you Phoenix." Tem said sheepishly, clearly uncomfortable in her new, bright blue guild uniform. Amara, Suki and Mono were also in matching uniforms, and both of them looked extremely uncomfortable. "But what about the Honour Guard, it's our gild, we can't just abandon it." Phoenix said clenching his fists. "Phoenix it can wait, and were here to support you, even if it means abandoning the guild." Suki said solemnly. Phoenix knew he wasn't going to get anywhere with this, so he gave up and left. He had to report for duty.

And the first thing he had to do was show his skill level. Absolutely ridiculous, his reputation, and his fight with Yuma should be enough. But since he was a newbie he had to be tested. And his supervisor was had a lower level than him, and he still had to be tested by him. But on the Brightside Tem was with being tested alongside him, so it wasn't so bad. But still it was just annoying. Their instructor was around twenty years old completely bald, and exploding with energy. His name was Trent, and was just annoying. He never shut up, and never stopped moving. He obviously had serious ADHD.

They were on the floor twenty dungeon, just to keep it easy. Phoenix and Tem, tore through the monsters in front of them. And all the while Trent was telling them how good they were amongst his non-stop jokes. Phoenix and Tem just sighed, they weren't even trying. Eventually it was break time. Phoenix provided their rations, which were just regular ham sandwiches. His cooking had seriously dropped in recent days. And while everyone tucked in Tem shuffled over to phoenix a concerned look on her face. "Hey, Phoenix, you ok?" She asked casually. Phoenix thought for a minute and put down his food.

"Well honesty, I'm pissed, and a little confused." "If it's about the honour guard, then I'm sorry, but it just wasn't the same." "You didn't have to, I would have managed." "Yeah, after the fight, that was you managing?" "I was just confused that's all." "What about?" "How Yuma was able to move faster than me." "Is that how she beat you?" "Yeah, but it's not possible to move that fast." "Well not unless you have host privileges, if you do you can go as fast as you want." Tem said taking another bite of her sandwich.

Suddenly Trent gave out a loud cry. Phoenix and Tem looked up. To see a blood red throwing knife sticking out of his back, and three red hooded figures made their way towards them. Phoenix stood up and drew his swords. Only to be struck by a knife from behind. Tem had very much the same experience. Phoenix lost all movement in his body. Then Phoenix saw the small lightning icon. Paralysis! How was this possible? The only way to get paralysis is to become a PKer. But they had been wiped out ages ago. But yet there were five of them now stood over him, Tem and Trent. They were dragged over to one of the walls and were observed for about a minute. The lead Pker stepped forward his social crystal above his head was blood red.

"So, this is how you capture the mighty Phoenix, with a simple ambush." He said leaning right up close so Phoenix could see the dried blood that was covering his face. "What do you want mate?" Trent said trying to sound confident. But his expression turned, from confidence to horror, when he saw a large serrated knife heading right for his temple. Trent was dead before he hit the floor. "No." Phoenix yelled, as he exploded into pixels. "You bastard." Tem yelled, trying to move. "Try it, and when this paralysis wears off you're going to feel real pain." Phoenix growled, as another hooded figure stepped forward. This gave them a chuckle, and brought them time.

"Oh really, and thank you for reminding us about the time limit, Forgetful warrior." One of them taunted, in a very high pitched voice. Shit, he hadn't thought about that. "What? What are you talking about?" Phoenix asked. "The item, you got for Christmas." Tem said, her eyes widening. The figures all seemed amused by this. "Yes, if only it was so easy for us to forget, the atrocities you committed against our brothers." The leader said, anger creeping into his voice.

"Your kind were killed off a long time ago, how are you even here." Phoenix growled. "You honestly don't remember do you?" The smallest of the group said, speaking in a high, yet dangerous voice. "Remember what?" "Phoenix, don't listen to them, block them out." Tem said with a sudden urgency. "Oh, so you know?" The leader said delightedly. "There's nothing to know, now shut up, because after it destroys him, he will destroy you." Tem said pure urgency in her eyes. "You know what, we don't have to remind him." A different voice called out. A girl's voice. "We just have to take something else away from him." She said brandishing a knife, and yanking Tem away by her hair.

Fear stabbed its way through Phoenix. These PKers clearly had some beef with him. They also knew a bit about him. And Phoenix knew what they were going to do. "No, your beef is with me, leave her out of this." Phoenix roared, but he still couldn't move. "Oh, please, this is pathetic, the mighty phoenix, begging." The girl laughed. Carving a large arc through Tem's chest. She screeched in pain. "No, please, leave her alone." Another swing. "Please, no, I can't lose anyone else." Another swing. "I'll do anything, please, just let her live." Another swing.

Tem's health was red, and somehow she was still smiling. "Tem, please, do something, anything, please, I can't lose you too." Tears streamed down Phoenixes face, and he willed every fibre of his being, to be able to move. But it disobeyed, he couldn't even twitch. "Phoenix, I may be a lucky shot, but I've had a good run, aaaaaarrgggggggghhh." Tem grunted as the woman cut of her right arm. "Tem, please, please, please." Phoenix begged. "But it's been an honour knowing you, and knowing the others." "Tem, no, you can't die, you can't die, please." Yet another slash. Only a hair of health left.

"Tell Mono, tell her I'll see her on the other side, tell her ok." "Tem." The final blow was struck. "Teeeeeeeem." Phoenix screeched, his eyes popping, blood shot, and weeping. "Goodbye." She whispered, as her pixels were swept off into the wind. "Now Phoenix, now you know our pain, and you will now suffer, for your sins." The woman said taking a step forward. "The pain we felt when you murdered our friends and family." All five players bellowed, leaping forward their blades drawn.