As the group walked to their fitting, Rowan bounced beside Ash. For once his mouth wasn't moving. The surroundings kept his attention.

They walked from the lush indoor garden into a spotless hallway. The curved ceilings were covered with mirrors, giving any contestant that looked up a birds-eye view of themselves. Every so often the mirrors would turn into screens, showing snippets of past Dragon Bane competitors in mid-fight. One could get lost watching, and yet they didn't have time to stop.

Turning her eyes from the screens, Ash's turned to the young man beside her. A grin stretched across his face and his eyes shone.

Seeming to notice the gaze on him, he twisted to meet Ash's eyes.

The girl couldn't help but feel curious about this ever-cheerful person.

"What level are you?" she ventured.

Rowan gave her a sidelong glance accompanied by a lopsided grin. "Why would I ever tell an opponent that?"

Ash shrugged. "You seem pretty content with being on friendly terms.

Rowan tutted. "And yet we have every advantage keeping our ace cards up our sleeves as long as possible." He tilted his head. "How about this? I'll tell you my level if you tell me yours?" He winked, eyes sparkling.

The group turned a corner, Ash and Rowan's conversation going unnoticed by the others who were each lost in their own thoughts.

Ash eyed the young man.

"Touché," was all she said after a moment.The matter was settled.

With a chuckle, Rowan put both arms behind his neck for support. His eyes flickered to the current battle scene playing above. "I'm not here to win," he revealed.

Ash's tilted her head.

The grin turned to a gentle smile on the young man's face. His eyes turned to the boy and girl that walked some distance ahead of them. "Do you really think I could face Skylar or Mason in the arena?" He shook his head. "I can't do anything to hurt my friends."

From behind her lashes, Ash shot him a sidelong glance.

Rowan sensed her question without words being spoken. "Winning isn't the only thing about Dragon Bane," he revealed. "Some contestants get recruited into high-end jobs. Bodyguards, officials, and so on. Even if you don't win, if you make it far enough and survive, it puts you among the strongest out there. A great thing to have on your resume."

Ash chewed her lip in thought. "You're doing it for a job?"

Rowan shrugged. "There can only be one winner. I'm not blind. I know there will be stronger opponents out there. I can only go so far." He thumped a hand on Ash's shoulder. "That being said, don't think I'm giving up before trying," he assured. "I'm going to give it my all, to fight so that I won't have any regrets. But, I also think it's important to know when to step down."

Ash didn't reply.

They turned another corner, the mirrors above disappearing.

"What about you?" Rowan asked as they approached a door ahead. "What's your reason?"

Ash slowed, catching up to the group which had stopped ahead. She didn't say the words that came to her mind, for they were from a voice not her own.

For the briefest moment, Rowan tensed, seeming to sense a foreboding air radiating from the girl beside him. He wasn't sure if he'd imagined it, but for the briefest moment, he thought her eyes changed color.

"Step on through," Dawn ordered the group as she opened the door.

Ash hurried to follow, glad Rowan didn't push for an answer.

For at that moment, Callous' words rung in her ear. What was her goal? Complete and utter domination. To win the Dragon Bane and receive the winner's prize. Why? She couldn't answer a question she didn't have an answer to.

Callous didn't stir, not even revealing a hint.

A spacious room greeted the eyes of the contestants.

Several men and women sat at wooden tables, materials in their hands as they sewed. To another side, two were throwing a variety of weapons at a dummy wearing a black outfit. A third person watched, recording each result on a chart in his hands.

A cluster of dummies to the side wore a variety of black uniforms.

"I'll give them a pass on the color this time," Rowan announced. Like several others, he bounded off to take a closer look.

Dawn, who'd turned to a man dressed flamboyantly, gave a nod. She motioned to the contestants. "There are a total of three designs to choose from," she announced. "Once you choose, there will be no option to change." She let her eyes roam over the young men and women. "As stated in the rules, limited armor of your own may be added after."

The rest of the competitors moved toward the uniforms.

Two men and a woman watched from the side, each looking as nervous as the last.

While Ash walked, she shot them a glance. The designers, she realized. Their state of nervousness wasn't a surprise. For the designers, this was a chance in a lifetime. If the final winner wore their design, their place as a designer in the fashion world would be set.

Approaching the first mannequin, Ash eyed the shirt.

It was short sleeved, not preferable but it would do. A silver pattern was embroidered alongside a plunging V-neck.

The matching pants were long, but not so much that they would get in the way. Silver patterns ran down the side of the leg. Ash touched the material. It was loose and comfortable, yet when some pressure was applied, it hardened ever so slightly to offer minimum protection.

"Not bad." Ash ignored the second choice which was only an open jacket and had meshing down the back to show skin where possible.

She was moving to the third when a throat cleared beside her.

The man who'd been talking with Dawn nodded to the clothes. "These are the men's. The women's," he pointed to the other side, "are over there."

Ash became aware that all around her were the male competitors. Without a word, she turned and went to the women's selection. She slid in beside Skylar who was eyeing the options with a crinkled forehead.

Following her gaze, Ash understood.

Before her stood three mannequins. One wore a black shiny one piece. The material was so tight it hugged every curve, leaving a generous space for cleavage to be showcased, pushed up for maxim size. Ash didn't even dare to touch it for fear of making the already stretched material rip.

It was clear that with movement, not a curve would be hidden from those watching. The only saving grace was the silky cloak with a hood that hung from the shoulders, clasped with a simple bronze pendant.

Ash's eyes moved to the next model.

This one wore a two-piece. Or perhaps it wasn't fair to call it that. The truth was the top was just enough to cover the minimum. A cropped jacket went around the shoulders, hood attached to its back. The bottom shorts would make even the most scandalous woman blush. The only saving grace was the material that hung down from the back, serving somewhat as half the role of a skirt.

The knee length boots covered the most skin, adding to the controversy as they took over the role clothes should have. To add to insult, the boots sported heels – their sole purpose to elongate the legs of the wearer.

"Are these even something a seasoned veteran would wear to battle?" Skylar whispered.

"Not practical and no protection," another girl scoffed as she reached out to tap the mannequin's exposed stomach. The moment her fingers connected, ripples appeared. For the briefest of moments, the whole body flashed black, making it seem as if the model was fully clothed."

"Oh!" the girl exclaimed in fascination.

Paired with armor, the uniform could perhaps be given a pass. But Ash wasn't convinced.

"Not very convenient for a fight," she spoke dryly.

Skylar nodded in agreement.

"Wearing those is just like begging to be sliced in half," Ash added.

A designer nearby heard her. He was quick to jump in. "Defense and weapons are up to your own abilities. We simply provide the clothes best suited to attract an audience."

"Attract an audience?" Ash grunted. "I'm here to compete, not to be paraded like some trophy." She turned away. "I'll wear the men's."

Two hands landed on her shoulder and spun her back.

"Chose or one will be assigned to you," Dawn told her calmly.

Several contestants had already moved to try on the options.

Ash shot her a sidelong look, but she didn't argue. Pulling attention to herself wasn't her plan. With a reluctant sigh, she turned her eyes to the final option.

The top had sleeves that went to the elbow. The neck area dipped in a slight v, pushing cleavage up like the previous two. It shrunk in on the waist, giving it a slim image before widening again at the waist.

Two belts hung from the hips, crossing each other to rest on each thigh. They weren't just for the image, but also somewhere where weapons could be attached.

The pants – low waist – were long, remaining tight to the end. Another belt-like band went around the right thigh, another place to secure a small weapon if so desired.

Long boots, similar to the second option, went up to the knee. Unlike the previous, they had no heel. Out of the three options, it was certainly the most practical in Ash' eyes.

The silver patterns gave away that this was a matching pair to one of the men's options.

"The sizing and patterns will be adjusted for each contestant to add a bit of uniqueness," a designer explained to a male contestant strutting around in the uniform he tried on. His toned muscles were on full display by the little covered. He tightened his ab muscles, shooting a cocky grin in the direction of the girls.

Fool, Ash couldn't help but think. To her, the uniform was not in the least impressive. Rather, it made her want to eliminate the proud as a peacock opponent on the spot. Then again, the uniforms weren't for the competitors but the viewers.

"Well, at least it'll get me a fan club," a girl voiced.

Ash's gaze moved to glance at the speaker. The girl had chosen the tightest uniform of the three. It enhanced the curves of her body, making every move seductive.

"I don't know if the boys will even have the guts to attack," another agreed as she sported the shorts and top. Her legs looked longer than usual, the heels doing their job well. "At least its comfortable to move around in." She twirled, the half skirt flying gracefully around her.

Seeing the other two, Ash chose the last uniform without hesitation.

She disappeared into the small changing room. In a moment she slipped out of her clothes and pulled on the uniform. The belts took her a bit longer.

Though the clothes were somewhat tight, they were surprisingly comfortable. When Ash moved to all sides she wasn't hindered in the least.

As soon as she stepped from the changing room, a man popped up beside her. Cooing and tutting he began to adjust the uniform, pinching here and pinning there.

When he moved to the back, Ash caught sight of her reflection in a mirror that had been carried before her. As with all the others, the uniform did its job in making the wearer look stunning. While her feminine side was showcased, the clothes added a daunting aura to the wearer.

Her black hair and eyes went perfectly with the colorless uniform. Her lips looked redder and fuller with the lack of colors to compete. The clothes fit well and didn't expose the amount of cleavage she had initially thought. Though the waist went inward, it didn't constrict her.

The skinny pants made her legs look longer, despite the lack of heels. The boots were comfortable beyond words, making it almost the same as going barefoot. In fact, the thinness of the soles helped her feel vibrations beneath her feet. A valuable asset to have.

To say the least, Ash was pleasantly surprised.

"Only a few adjustments," the man scurrying around her sounded satisfied as he muttered the words from a mouth filled with pins.

"I don't know." The familiar voice made Ash glance over her shoulder.

Skylar was turning in front of a mirror. Despite wearing the same uniform as Ash, the effect was different. With her fair skin and platinum hair, she looked porcelain pale. However, it was flatteringly so. In fact, she looked very much like a graceful elf.

More cleavage was visible in the area Skylar was currently trying to cover.

"Would you like to try on another?" the woman by her side asked.

Skylar shot a glance at the other uniforms a variety of girls around her wore. Her head shook rapidly back and forth.

"I think it looks good," Rowan announced as he sauntered over. He was back in his own clothes, already be done with his fitting. Mason followed. He, too, was already done.

The compliment seemed to give Skylar some of her confidence back and she lowered her arms.

"Wait." Rowan froze, eyes almost popping out of his forehead. "Skylar." He pointed a shaking finger, "when did those grow?"

Skylar's hands flew back to cover her chest. Mason smacked Rowan across the head, his glare threatening to burst his friend into flames.

"Can I get this in a different color?" a girl voiced as she turned and looked at her uniform from all angles. "Black is so...mundane."

The stylist near her only smiled patiently. "It's to make the blood less visible. We had some...complaints, last year."

With the go-ahead from the man by her, Ash went to change back into her clothes. She'd made her choice.

When the group was done, they were told to pick up their uniform in two days and were then were ushered from the room to make space for the next contestants. While being led to their sleeping quarters, Dawn spoke from the head.

"The opening ceremony commences in a week. Tomorrow morning you will receive information regarding the first round of competitions." She strode down the hallways with confidence. "There is one thing I can reveal now." They turned a corner. "The first stage will be a group competition."

Group competition, the words repeated themselves in Ash's mind.

Some of the competitors froze mid-step at the words, others almost bumping into them.

"This early?" someone muttered.

Group competitions, also known as team competitions, happened every now and then in the Dragon Bane. However, usually, they occurred at a later stage when the weaker competition had been weeded out. For a group, competition meant working as a team with strangers. It was a team effort, where failure meant the whole team was eliminated. Therefore, it was a disadvantage to the strong with weak members on their team while an advantage to the weak on their team.

"The selection will be random," Dawn's words made the group murmur in disapproval.

Ash scowled. At this stage, no one knew the others fighting style, strengths or weaknesses. If teams were randomly generated, a team could consist of all highly skilled competitors or the exact opposite. Therefore, the stronger competitors could be forced to go all out and reveal their ace card at the very beginning of the competition or be eliminated due to their teammates' shortcomings.

The whole thing spelled only one word – chaos.

With the new information, Ash had the same thought as every other competitor who had not seen this new development coming.

Not good.