<h4>Chapter 157: A Short Breather</h4>


    "Well, shouldn''t we first discuss why you think your team will let us passed? Kress did just participate in an attack against us" said Grace


    Kat shrugged lightly "He seems to have some problem with me specifically. The rest of us all agreed to just run away if we could, but we were under no circumstances to team up with each other"


    "Huh." Said Grace "Why would you decide that? Surely your own team would be the most trustworthy"


    Kat nodded "Well, perhaps with the exception of me and Kress yeah. But we decided the scariest thing would be to team up and then have everyone else team up against us. We weren''t sure where we''d get spawned in"


    "Spawned in? I don''t think that tranted" said Grace


    "Uh, dropped, teleported" said Kat and Grace nodded


    "Well, I can see that being a reasonable fear. Even you struggled fighting off a full team of people, I doubt you''d have managed against fifteen others" said Grace


    "Well, the real concern was fighting twelve and having three of you guys run for the orb" said Kat


    Grace nodded "Yeah, if that rest stop wasn''t in the way I can see how that would be an issue for you all. I wouldn''t count you guys out though, I bet Green could make it to the orb if not first, at least before itpletely expires"


    Kat nodded but then her eyes went wide. "Grace, do we have time to be resting right now? Green might already be at the orb"


    Grace shrugged and leaned further back until she wasid t. "Well, we aren''t even in any condition to catch up with her let alone fight. Plus, no offence but I''d rather fight Green in the finals than you if ites to that"


    Kat let herself rx and let out a deep breath to copy Grace. "Yeah, I''m not sure I''d really want to fight you either after all this. What about the rest of your team? Do we have to worry about them?"


    Grace bit her lip "Yeah… well… yeah" Grace let out a sigh "Most of them would want to fight you for the experience. Even though we are still trying, the team doesn''t have a shot at winning anymore. Ryo and Rakhor would want to fight because they can


    "Lynn might as well, depending on the mood, though Estelle would be able to talk her out of it, and she wouldn''t be interested in fighting if she was by herself" said Grace


    Kat nodded "Rakhor seems like a bit of a strange name for an elf, is there a story behind that?"


    Grace wheezed out augh "The same as the rest of us. We weren''t always beautiful elven maidens. Well, I mean, I was, but even I''ve taken on a different appearance"


    "Oh?, So are you guys rted at all?" asked Kat


    "Lynn and Estelle are real twins. They hardly batted an eye after we all got changed. Just a couple more look-alikes for the pile" said Grace


    Kat smiled slightly "Sounds like you are pretty friendly with them" said Kat


    Grace lifted her shoulders in a weak shrug "I guess? Ryo''s family, and we''ve known the twins our whole life. Rakhor is new, but he''s been a good friend. I suppose considering what a little terror Ryo has been sometimes I get along better with the twins"


    Kat tilted her head "Didn''t you say you were the only elven maiden before? How does that work if Ryo''s family?"


    Grace nodded "Adopted cousin. Ryo was a cat beast person before. An absolutely adorable little terror. They took the transformation rather well. I… well, I think it bothers them a bit, but being the same race as the rest of the family more than makes up for it"


    Kat nodded "Yeah that makes sense"


    The conversation stopped for the moment. Only the faint breeze and the bright sun to keep thempany. Kat was trying to recover her energy. Forcing herself to talk was more ufortable then she was letting on while she was so low on energy.


    Grace for her part didn''t know what else to ask. She wasn''t sure if she even could enquire about Kat herself, and was happy to let them sink into silence. It was apanionable thing though.


    Despite perhaps not having full trust in each other, neither doubted the strength of the contract binding together and had enjoyed their time working together. After five minutes had past and Kat felt morefortable speaking, she did.


    "Did you know?" asked Kat


    "What?"


    "Did you know that Skye would attack uster on?" asked Kat


    Grace bit her lip "Well, I didn''t know per say, but I certainly wasn''t surprised. On the one hand, it''s just a contest, and on the other it''s perhaps the most important challenge they''ve ever faced.


    "She just seemed the type of person to not feel too strongly about betrayal when something so important is on the line and the consequences are minor. Especially with it being, well, you" said Grace


    "I don''t quite follow" said Kat


    "Well, I imagine, at the start, she didn''t care at all because you''re just a demon. Then after getting to know you, she apologised, but hoped it wouldn''t be a problem because you''re a demon" said Grace


    "Ok, but I still don''t follow" said Kat *You more or less just expanded the point without adding much Grace… though I guess she is tired.*


    "Right sorry. Let me get my thoughts in order" said Grace. After a moment to regainposure, she resumed speaking "So, you are here because it''s a job. Maybe a bit of fun as well, but you aren''t emotionally invested in this the same way the others are.


    "Skye, and the rest of your team have probably trained their entire lives for this one shot at glory. The rewards for winning are nothing to sneeze at, and I think that she''d trusted that those rewards didn''t matter to you. What mattered waspleting your job"


    Kat nodded "Yeah I don''t really know what the rewards are, and you''re right I''d never heard of the tournament before a couple days ago. But what about you? Are you not invested the same way?"


    Grace sighed "Not really? I mean, we are doing this to break the curse, but that only really effects Rakhor. Sure I look a bit strange, but I''m still an elf. The twins went from human to elf and hardly batted an eye.


    "Ryo… well as I said it''s a bit moreplicated for her, but I''m not sure her hearts in it. I mean sure, she''d do anything to win, but not anything to break the curse? If you understand the distinction


    "Really, we are doing this inrge part for Rakhor. He''s the only one who''d certainly, 100% choose to change back. Hell, he''d probably pain a ratherrge tithe for the privilege. I''m just not so sure the others would.


    "Of course, now that you''ve said something owns my soul, perhaps the others are missing theirs as well. Maybe winning is a bit more important now, but I just don''t know, you know?" said Grace


    "Hmm, I think that missing your soul is different than having it be owned by someone else. Not sure why but I feel it''s an important distinction" said Kat


    Grace nodded "I can imagine why. Just because I don''t own my soul doesn''t mean I''m not using it. Or perhaps I''m like, paying rent or something. If it was missing, I''d likely be having more issues."


    "Hmm, yeah I guess that is somewhat of a concern for you now isn''t it?" said Kat "I''m not sure if I should apologise for that one. Ignorance is bliss as they say, but I think I''d rather know than not"


    Grace nodded "I to agree with that. Though I wonder about the others. I''d certainly like to hide it from Ryo… perhaps the twins as well. Rakhor should know, he''ll be fine, but…" Grace sighed.


    Kat was about to nod along when arge booming sound rang out like a ship''s horn. The ground shook, and the loose stones kicked up from the recent fight ttered along with it. The water in the fountain shook tremendously as the sound continued to ring out.


    After thirty seconds of that rming sound, Kat sat up and looked towards the tower. Above it now shone a bright white light, shooting up into the domed ceiling surrounding the final stage. Looking at it closely revealed it to being out of the left side of the tower, but it was unclear how high up it started.


    Kat and Grace shared a look of concern before dragging themselves to their feet. "I guess this is the call to end our break"


    "Well, I suppose it is" said Grace as she started to walk around the area. Stretching her legs and picking up any intact loose arrows she could find.