Enter The Ninjaverse

Lloyd clamped a hand down on his side. He felt like he should be bleeding. In fact, he should have been broken apart by now. He should have been unable to move. But this body refused to do that. Even as he felt the pain, he wasn't able to see its results. He couldn't feel anything other than the pain, the sword in his hand, and the ragged breath that came from his lips.

In front of him, Hackler lay on the ground, a sword implanted in his chest. The ghost slowly clawed his hands to the hilt to rip it out. As he did, the crowd around both him and Lloyd cheered. The ghosts in this arena were relentless. Hackler dragged himself forward, coughing and spitting to himself. A few of his allies came down to slowly help float him away to be healed. If there was one thing that Lloyd had learned in the Cursed realm, it was that even if only a ghost could harm another ghost, it didn't mean that killing them was easy.

"That's it!" Lloyd shouted, his voice tired and gasping for air, "You... you said that if I beat him, I was to be set free!" Lloyd looked down. His left leg had a chain clamped around it, one that stretched all the way to the other side of the arena. An unbreakable chain for him, "Let me go! I win!"

The arena let out a loud noise, one Lloyd didn't understand. Lloyd looked down at the arena floor, gripping his fists. His body stung. It'd been days of fighting. Weeks of this. Months. The moment he arrived, he'd been on the run. Not like he'd made it far. And they'd dragged him here, chained him up, and told him to fight for his freedom. They'd never stopped. A ghost didn't need to sleep, nor to eat, nor water nor rest. He was here to fight. For the amusement of all those that came.

"RELEASE ME!" Lloyd shouted, "Do it now!"

From a special booth above the arena, Lloyd saw a flash of a deeper green than the rest of the Cursed Realm. He immediately leapt backwards, just in time to avoid having an arrow shot into his shoulder. The crowd roared at this. The archer slowly floated down from the stand, his bow in hand and another arrow notched.

"Did you think it would be that easy?" Soul Archer cackled, "Do you want your freedom so badly!?" The arena laughed along with him.

"You..." Lloyd gripped his side, "You're the one that captured me. You brought me here. Release me! I've fought everyone you asked!"

"Oh, you have... but you still don't seem strong enough..." Soul Archer raised his bow, "Why not... one final match then? If you can beat me, I'll break that chain and let you go back on the run. And if not, well... our next tournament needs a champion fighter to break." The crowd cheered.

Lloyd felt anger swell inside him. Another match? Now? He knew it was all against him. He didn't have a choice. Not like this. He shook hi shead harder. No, he had to stop this. He couldn't keep doing this. He raised his head, his entire body sparking with anger and rage. He hefted his blade up and held his other hand in front of him.

"Fine, fine!" Lloyd gasped out, his voice distorted by his ghostly form, "I'll take you on! Fight me!"

No sooner had Lloyd said that, Soul Archer let loose his arrow. Lloyd dodged to the side, causing the crowd to roar up again. Shaking himself off, Lloyd shouted in anger and rushed Soul Archer, his sword raised over his head.

Soul Archer fired arrow after arrow at him. Lloyd slashed at them, knocking it aside. He knew this place. He knew what these ghosts could do. He didn't have his power, but he had his will. He pushed himself right into Soul Archer's face, slashing his sword right up against the bow that he held to knock him aim off. The bow felt unbreakable, but Lloyd was determined. He pressed his sword against it harder, trying to break it.

Lloyd cried out in pain. He looked down. Soul Archer had taken an arrow and rammed it into his side. Lloyd's strength failed him as the new pain blossomed forward. Soul Archer smacked his face with the bow, knocking him onto his side. The crowd cheered as Soul Archer reached down, grabbing the chain connected to Lloyd's foot. With a mighty heave, he yanked Lloyd into the air and slammed him down. tHe arrow broke apart, burying the arrowhead deep inside him as Lloyd screamed out with the pain, clenching up on the ground.