^^ The Sparrow Tattoo ^^

--- 98 Days AD 14:00 ---

About fifteen seconds later, the others arrived, and I stepped into the shadows that had grown on the walls as the day went by, distorting the light so it went around me. I immediately faded into the darkness, and smirked behind my mask as the match was started.

"Happy hunting, my friends..." I grinned.

---

I slipped directly behind one of my opponents, and then used a spell I'd created to make a Peter Pan effect, making the Shadow of a person corporeal, and then sentient, but subservient, exactly like a familiar.

I cut the man's shadow away from him without him noticing, and he froze, his eyes dulling as he was knocked unconscious from the shock.

I pushed his shadow into my skin as magical ink, in the shape of a tribal Sparrow, beautifully drawn, that swam across my skin freely.

I checked the boys pulse, which was steady. Then I darted off, heading for the second person.

---

I soon stood in the shadows behind the last person, my skin covered in new tattoos, each of which spelled out my story ever since I came here, adding to my skin story.

'I wonder how having the shadows of my fallen enemies sewn into my skin will appeal to Sami's gods... Hmm...'

I stepped forward to snag the last persons shadow, and the ground under me exploded.

I was thrown back, slamming into the wall, my invisibility shaken, and I stood slowly, shaking myself off, as the person in front of me began throwing magic in my general direction. I threw up a ward, dropping my invisibility, and then began sucking the air away from his lungs, pulling it to myself.

He clutched his throat, and slowly fell, suffocating. As soon as he passed out, I let air return to him, making sure to re-inflate his lungs.

I stood, victorious, and then went up into the victors box.

I quickly kissed tizzy, sitting down in a large, comfy chair, and she gasped. "What was that you were doing? I never saw someone drop like that, and I couldn't even see you until that last fight!" She asked.

"I was stealing their shadows. See?" I let one glide around under my skin, formless for now. I didn't have any use for the tenth shadow, so I was just keeping it for now.

She gasped. "Oh my gods! Why would you steal their shadows?!? And How?!?" She asked.

I shrugged. "There's a legend, where I'm from, of a man who cut his enemies shadows off, and used them as sort of... Second bodies, that could go anywhere in the world. So I tried it out, and it worked. A lot like Familiar magic, actually."

She huffed. "Barely a Mage for three months, and you're already bending the laws of magic."

I laughed. "I was never one for laws." I shrugged.

"Ahem. Yes. Wonderful bouts, all of you. Here is the list of names, of people who are moving on to the main tournament, and have a chance of going forward, in the Beginner Magical Warfare class...-"

He began listing names, and I smiled as Tizzy and I were both named, as well as that Ira woman.

Then Tizzy went over to the announcer, who stood in the balcony a few feet away, and smiled, taking the microphone from the Referee, obviously taking his place.

"Hello, everyone. I am Simatis, the Physical Warfare College Master Physical Warfare Specialist, or MPWS, and I'll be refereeing this Physical Preliminary. Now, for the first round of the Beginner Physical Warfare Bouts..."

My name wasn't called in the first, like I expected, so I fetched my weapons, quickly re-arming myself. Gem and Pepe were stored in my jacket, and I smiled, getting the idea to put them into my skin as well.

I did a bit of a twist on my magic, and instead used a piece of my own shadow to pull Pepe into my skin. He went smoothly, as several other victors watched, looking equally fascinated and Disgusted.

I pulled him out with no effort at all, and sent him back, creating a small leopard tattoo on my palm.

I smiled and sent Gem into my other hand, with another part of my shadow. I grinned when a coiled dragon appeared on my right palm.

I hummed and nodded, putting my gloves back on and rolling my sleeve down, then situating my scaled armor.

My name was called in the second bout, and I smirked, when I heard Ira's name also called.

I grinned, again leaping straight into the arena, and rolled to break my fall. I drew my sword and one pistol, loading it with high-powered tranquilizer ammunition.

Soon the others arrived, and I listened to the rules intently.

"Students and Professors, Guests and Family, we now begin... The Beginners Physical Combat Preliminary!" Tizzy shouted, drawing roars of
Approval.

This was little more than a showcase for the college to keep getting funding, and my disgust for it was mirrored in several of my competitors faces.

"Remember the rules. No maiming, No Magic, No killing, and most of all, Remember... This is none other than a showcase for your talent, so you can be elevated through the ranks!!! Show us your skills!! Ready??? AND BEGIN!!" She shouted.

I darted forward, dodging arrows and one stray bullet, and shot three of the ten before they started dodging. My sword clashed with a fourth assailant, and I broke his knee to distract him, knocking him out with my sword hilt.

"Lord Caleb, another Maiming will result in your forfeiting any chances of advancement..." Tizzy admonished me.

I darted off, not sparing her podium a second glance, my sword deflecting projectiles repeatedly.

I flipped over one person, in front of me, and punched the back of his head as I touched down, his brain stem being shocked.

He slumped, and I continued on. There were two opponents left- make that one. And she's charging me... I leapt backwards as the woman in front of me, who I recognized as Ira, slashed at me, then she shifted into a Leopard, surprising me.

I shifted as well, and tackled her, snarling. She hissed in confusion as I suddenly turned into the same animal as her, but a bit bigger.

I wrapped my jaws around her throat, and squeezed, blocking the blood to her head. Soon she quite struggling, and passed out. I released her as we shifted human, her unconsciously, and me standing tall, proudly roaring to proclaim my victory.

I picked up the beautiful woman, and carried her with me to the victors box, where Tizzy looked at me oddly, then raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously? Two isn't enough?" She asked archly.

"But... She's a Leopard... And she's adorable, you can't argue that." I grinned.

She sighed. "No, I suppose not... Whatever. Do as you please."

"Why thank you for your permission." I said blandly.

She laughed, and I smiled.

"Ahem... The council would like to inform Lord Caleb that the Victor's box is only for Victors?" A second announcer's voice said gently.

I hummed and woke the girl up. "Hello, dear... My name is Caleb. I'll see you soon, hmm?"

She smiled. "Very soon... I didn't know you were a Leopard... Interesting... And I'd better get going before they decide to get rid of me." She laughed and hopped up, skipping out of the box.

I smiled. "Very amusing..."

Tizzy sighed. "Geez."

--- 16:00 ---

"And now, for the results, of the Beginners Magical Warfare battle... The council has decided on 12 students to go through, to the finals; that is to say, at the end of the term..."

The names were called summarily, and I grinned when Ira, Tizzy, and my name, were all called, along with nine others I didn't know.

Then the results for the Beginner Physical Warfare were basically the same. Ira and I were quickly passed, and we were the only two who 'passed' this time, out of our ten, and then six more were passed out of the remaining forty.

Then it was the Adept Physical Warfare rounds.

Jazz was called in the first round, and I watched her closely. As soon as the go ahead was given, she almost disappeared, drawing those two odd daggers.

I looked closer, and realized they were Brass knuckles, with knife blades on the ends and over the knuckles.

I chuckled, and watched as she cut everything that came at her out of the air, and then met the first opponent head on.

The opponent was using a sword, and so she lacked range. I saw several times she could've finished him, but she didn't see them, and I growled in annoyance. She'd been fighting for about three minutes when I lost patience.

"KICK HIS ASS AND MOVE ON, JAZZ!!!" I roared into Tizzy's mic, and she flinched, kicking him in the chest. He flew back and slammed into the person running towards them, knocking both opponents out.

She spared me a glare, and continued on, sprinting towards the next opponent, of which there were only three left because of her wasted time on the first opponent.

Tizzy smacked my arm, and I sat down, grinning.

Two of the final four fighters were fighting each other, and the third was an Archer, who was peppering everyone with blunted arrows.

She did the tactically intelligent thing, and ghosted one of the people fighting, while the Archer took out the second in his confusion.

Then she walked towards the Archer, deflecting his arrows and steadily moving closer.

He ran out of arrows, and drew a sword, attacking her swiftly. She blocked and dodged skillfully, drawing out the fight for some reason. She saw an opportunity, and took it, leaping over him, then kicking his skull sharply.

He dropped like a sack of potatoes, and she stood, grinning, and roared out her victory.

I cheered, and roared back, just because I could.

"With a spectacular victory, Jasmine Calhoun!!!" Tizzy cheered.

Jazz joined us in the box, and I laughed, pulling her into my lap. "You were great, love." I smiled.

"I know." She preened, and I laughed, tickling her.

"Don't get snooty with me, woman, I have a very large stake on your-"

"Don't finish that sentence." Tizzy sighed, rubbing her temple, and then went back to announcing.

---

I looked at the plot of land that I'd recently purchased for 3 Koi, in the forest that I'd dropped into, where the Rift actually fell under my ownership now. The forest spread across what would easily fill the USA or Russia, so my land would be completely unnoticeable, even if I built the city above ground.

I set about creating the cities access points, five in all, 1 main, three emergency, and the fifth a hidden access that led directly to the Rift, which I would enclose in a metallic Dome, and then cover with dirt and grass and trees, making a 'natural' hill.

The other access points were a little less hidden, and more... Accessible. Each of the escape points were hidden in a particularly thick 'tree', which would mimic its fellows exactly. The elevator down to the platform would be comfortably big enough for ten people.

The main entrance was exactly like that of the college, with a cliff face acting as a facade for the large, immaculate train station within.

It was going to be a Global Trade Center, even bigger and better than the Capitol.

I decided I needed Maritime Trading as well, and designed a port that would be connected to my Nexus through a long underground Pipe, which would lead to a dock out on the ocean. That meant that the trade could happen without worrying about the tides as much, and further progress business.

I grinned, and then put in the orders for the materials, already finalizing the specific, minute details.

"Come out of your nerd lab, Caleb, we're all tired from the battles today." Tizzy complained, hugging me.

"Alright, doll, I'll be there in a second. Wait? All?" I asked.

"Mm. Ira showed up. Seems Jazz and her know each other... They're in bed, if that's a motivator." She grinned.

"We both know it is..." I saved my work to the Quest, and stood, carrying her back to my Apartment, a little ways down the mountain, maybe 200 yards.

I opened my door, and froze. "Wow... I didn't know you were that flexible, Jazz."

"I am a cat, after all... But the real trick is little mi-!mm! Miss Ira, here..." She gasped, and I smiled at a grinning Ira, who was licking her lips.

"Well hello... That is quite a trick. Let me teach you a new one, kitten..." I smirked, closing my door slowly, but firmly.