The Primordials: Lustless Prides (Book Three)

Chapter IX: Calm Skies

      With Damien and Arne's brief exchange now over, Trik and I made our way to the center of the stage-less grounds where they stood.

      "Watching you all fight never ceases to amaze me," I praised as we approached them.

      "What was that with your skin earlier," I asked, turning my attention to Arne.

      "Hm? Oh, this?" Arne responded as the texture of their fist changed, giving off a grey metallic sheen. "Not sure, but I can coat my body in this stuff, making it even harder than normal."

      Viraa?

      Yes?

      Care to elaborate?

      Hmm...It's a concept of a temp cintracy called Hardshatter. It allows the user to give their skin a metallic coating, making their body many times harder than usual, providing incredible durability and defensive capabilities. When coupled with spirit enhancement, it makes Arne impervious to most physical attacks.

      But Damien supposedly fought and won before...

      Yes. Hardshatter is strong against physical means, not spiritual ones, Viraa explained.

      And I'm going to guess Arne's other cintracy is a eutierric ability to control the earth?

      Close. It's a eutierric cintracy that lets them manipulate neta. It's a more general term for rock and ground material. Not every planet is called Earth, you know.

      "Wait," Trik said, directing his attention at Damien. "I thought no one could harm you due to your Submission ability."

      "My pheromones don't work on those who have no libido or interests of the sort. Though rare, I do come across people like that occasionally."

      Arne proudly threw their arm around Damien's neck.

      "That makes me the only Primordial capable of fighting him without holding back," they boasted with satisfaction.

      I immediately thought of Tymon and his Shield cintracy that would probably allow him to do the same.

      "Now that that's done, we should get moving; there's a lot to discuss," Damien expressed, looking at Arne expectedly.

      Arne raised their arms in a giving-up motion as if to show they wouldn't resist.

      "A deal's and deal, I'll agree to go with you all, but first..."

      Arne took my hand and walked me a little further toward the stadium's center, where they raised it high and announced me as the champion to conclude the SVVL tournament.

      Though initially confused about everything that had just happened, the crowd slowly rose into a cheer, seeing as that was probably the most eventful tournament they had ever attended.

      "Congratulations, you just became a millionaire," Arne said beneath the excitement of the crowds.

      Once the stadium was empty and Arne's pet lion was left in the care of someone they trusted, we returned to HQ. Arne wasn't as fast as Damien, so it took a couple of hours, but it was still far quicker than our other options, so Trik didn't complain. Not that he flew himself anyway.

      Once we arrived, Arne got registered and was informed of their connection to Viraa, the existence of cintracies, and the threat we faced from Avarice's group.

      Arne listened as we spoke but didn't comment much on it. They seemed more intrigued by the clothes my mother made for them.

      "They're loose, light, and don't restrict my movements... I like them. They're battle-worthy," Arne said with approval after trying the clothes on.