10. Grace

The moment Tix emerged victorious from the pits, my heart swelled with relief and pride.

I had watched the tension of the battle play out on his face, and the weight of my own anxiety had been crushing.

As soon as he stepped out, looking up at the Prize Pool, our gazes locked, and in that instant, all my fears melted away.

It felt like we were the only two people in the universe.

When he finally reached me, his strong arms lifted me with ease, and I wasted no time wrapping my arms around his neck, peppering his face with eager, relieved kisses.

As we made our way to his cell, the corridor's echoing footsteps created a rhythm that matched the pounding of my heart.

With every step, I felt the firmness of his chest and the comforting vibration of his laughter as he teased me about my outburst of affection.

The door to his cell slid open with a soft whoosh, revealing a room that was sparse but tidy.

As soon as the door sealed behind us, Tix gently laid me on his bed, his hands cradling my face.

The fabric of the bedcover was soft and slightly cool to the touch, but it warmed quickly under me.

Gazing up into his eyes, I saw a mixture of pride, relief, and a deep longing.

We had been through so much, and this was just the beginning.

We still had obstacles to face, and secrets to uncover.

For now, in this quiet moment, there was just the two of us.

"I was so scared for you," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper, fingers tracing the dried blood on his lip. "Every time you were hit, I felt it."

He leaned down, capturing my lips with his.

It was a gentle kiss filled with gratitude and the promise of more.

Pulling away, he whispered against my lips:

"I draw strength from you, Grace. Knowing you were there, watching, hoping for my victory… it gave me the determination to push through."

I smiled, running my fingers through his hair.

It was softer than it looked, with an unexpected silken quality. "You never cease to amaze me, Tix. Every day with you is an adventure."

His chuckle vibrated through me, a deep and pleasing sound. "And every day with you feels like a dream I never want to wake up from."

There was a comfortable silence, punctuated only by our shared breaths and a raucous laugh that reverberated down the infinite prison hallways.

It was moments like these that made all the danger and uncertainty worth it.

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Tix leaned closer, his lips brushing my earlobe. "Now, how about you act like the Prize I claimed…?"

I laughed, drawing him closer. "With pleasure."

As our lips met once more, the outside world faded away.

The trials and tribulations, the looming threats, everything took a backseat.

For now, there was just us, lost in a world of our own making.

A world filled with love, trust, and unspoken emotions.

I pushed his shoulder, and he obediently rolled over.

I straddled him, holding him pinned beneath me.

Then I reached down and found the hard rod I knew would be present in the front of his pants.

I released it, and it thudded heavily against my ass.

I pulled my negligee off over my head so he could see me in all my naked glory.

I took his cock in my hand, grinning at the feeling of him growing thicker still.

Once I was ready, I angled Tix inside me, moaning as I slowly lowered down onto him one inch at a time until he consumed me.

Then I began to bounce, riding him and his full intimidating length.

I groaned again, sparks of pleasure giving birth to supernovas already.

My pussy grew wet and hungry nearly forcing me to I ride him harder.

Tix placed his hands on my hips to help pummel me from below when I fell tired.

After a few deliciously deep thrusts I managed to get my breath back, and start riding him even harder.

This time, I would be the one in charge.

I would be the one to dominate him.

The Champion.

My Champion.

And when he finally began to grunt in the back of his throat, I knew I had to keep on going, had to keep riding him, no matter how exhausted I was.

And when his hips began to buck in time with my frantic bouncing, I felt the hot wad of his seed course through me, as he pulled me tight to filling me as deeply as he could; before I collapsed on top of him and his arms wrapped lovingly around me.

We didn't need the secret exit to escape this place, I knew.

We just needed each other.

* * *

The excitementand relief of Tix's victory slowly ebbed away as we lay next to each other, our fingers interlocked.

My heart was still racing, not just from the fear and the thrill of his fights but from the intimacy of the moments we had just shared.

The warmth of his body was comforting, a strong anchor in the midst of all the chaos.

"Ready for the dreamworld?" he murmured, his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine.

"I was born ready," I said with feigned confidence, although the apprehension of facing the dreaded obstacle course again gnawed at me.

Instead of leading me to the familiar grounds of the course, Tix shook his head, his blue eyes serious. "Not today," he said. "We need to be prepared for tomorrow's battles. I can't rely on luck again."

My senses heightened as we delved deeper into the dreamworld.

The familiar shift in perception was like stepping into a painting, where everything was both sharper and softer.

Colors vibrated with life, sounds had a surreal clarity, and even the air felt charged.

We walked hand in hand through an endless corridor that mimicked the prison's layout.

While I could feel the cold, sterile floor under my feet, there was a peculiar weightlessness to our steps.

The walls, normally plain and unremarkable, now shimmered with an ethereal glow punctuated by scattered clouds of dreams.

Each cloud was a gateway to a prisoner's mind, some more active than others.

The sound of our footsteps echoed, creating a rhythmic pattern that seemed both distant and close, like a heartbeat reverberating in a vast emptiness.

The essence of the dreamworld was always strange to me.

It was a combination of something fresh, like after a rainstorm, and something more ancient and musky.

We approached a cell that was already alive with a dreamscape.

I could see it — a white, fluffy mass reminiscent of a cotton cloud but threaded with tendrils of black. "That's Fleth," Tix whispered. "I'll be facing him tomorrow. And it looks like he's about to have a nightmare."

Fleth was one of the most feared fighters in the pits.

The stories about him alone were enough to paint a menacing picture.

And that was before knowing his appearance.

He was ruthless, cunning, and took pleasure in toying with his opponents.

And his Prizes.

The sight of his dream was intriguing.

Despite its predominantly white hue, the black tendrils seemed to be growing in size and intensity. "Why does it look like that?" I asked, my voice hushed.

Tix's face was serious, as he explained. "The white represents his normal dream state. The black tendrils? They indicate the presence of fears, insecurities, or traumas. When they take over, the dream will become a nightmare."

A mixture of curiosity and apprehension filled me.

This could be the key to Tix's success in the upcoming battle.

If we could understand Fleth's fears, maybe we could use them against him.

"We need to be careful," Tix said, squeezing my hand for reassurance. "Entering a nightmare is unpredictable and can be dangerous."

I nodded, taking a deep breath.

The dreamscape changed as we got closer, becoming more intense, a hint of something smoky and charred. "I trust you," I whispered, my voice filled with conviction.

Tix gave me a nod, his lips curving into a brief smile.

The moment was suspended, the world around us fading away, as the only thing that mattered was the connection between us, strong and unbreakable.

Then, without another word, we stepped into Fleth's dream, plunging into the unknown.

* * *

The sensationof entering another's dream is unlike any other.

It's like being submerged underwater, feeling the pressure on all sides, then bursting forth into another realm entirely.

When Tix and I entered Fleth's dream, I was met with a disorienting kaleidoscope of colors and sensations.

The ground under my feet felt soft and pliable, like walking on a sponge, while the sky shifted in a dizzying array of pastel shades, from lavender to mint green.

The air was thick with burnt wood and blooming flowers that made my nose twitch.

My ears picked up the distant rumbling, and I turned to see a massive volcano in the distance, spewing a column of ash and lava.

Yet, the most unexpected sight was right before us.

There, in a grassy clearing, sat a young child playing with wooden toys.

It took me a moment to realize that the boy with curly hair and chubby cheeks was Fleth.

He seemed lost in his own world, the joy of childhood evident in his bright eyes and delighted giggles.

"Is that… Fleth?" I whispered to Tix, my voice filled with incredulity.

He nodded. "Dreams have a way of showing our most vulnerable selves," he murmured.

I reached out to touch a nearby tree, and its bark shifted under my fingers, turning from rough to silky smooth.

It felt alive like it had its own heartbeat.

Every sense was heightened, every detail magnified.

The distant singing of a bird sounded like a full-blown orchestra to my ears.

Suddenly, the scene shifted.

The sun-drenched meadow transformed into a darker, more chaotic version of itself.

The pleasant chirping of birds was replaced by the alarming screech of unseen creatures.

The rumbling of the volcano grew louder, its eruptions casting a fiery glow over everything.

A sense of impending doom filled the air, and a palpable tension settled over the meadow.

Fleth, as a child, seemed oblivious to the danger, his focus entirely on his toys.

Then, from the edge of my vision, a figure emerged.

A female, her features a blur but her intentions clear.

With a sense of urgency, she rushed towards the young Fleth, scooping him up in her arms.

His startled cry pierced the air, full of confusion and fear. "My toy!" he wailed, reaching out towards a wooden figurine he'd dropped in his mother's haste.

The female didn't pause.

She wrapped him in a cloth, shielding him from the ash that was now raining down.

Her actions were swift and precise, a mother's instinct to protect her child overriding everything else.

I felt a pang of sympathy for the young Fleth, witnessing a traumatic memory from his past.

The loss of that toy, though seemingly insignificant in the face of a volcanic eruption, symbolized something much deeper.

A loss of innocence, perhaps, or a moment that shaped his future self.

Tix pulled me close, his grip on my hand tightening. "We need to leave," he whispered, urgency evident in his voice.

The dreamworld was growing more chaotic by the second, the line between reality and nightmare blurring.

As we began to pull away, I took one last look at the young Fleth, his wails growing fainter as the distance between us increased.

His mother's protective embrace, her unwavering determination to keep him safe, stayed etched in my mind.

It was a reminder that even the fiercest warriors had their vulnerabilities, moments from their past that shaped them.

More than anything, it was a testament to the enduring bond of love and the lengths we'd go to protect those we cared about.

Unfortunately, the dream wasn't over yet.

It was about to get a whole lot worse.

* * *

The escapefrom the erupting volcano wasn't linear.

It twisted and contorted like the most treacherous of paths, leading Fleth's mother to a roaring river.

The water sparkled, reflecting the colors of the molten sky.

A cacophony of voices filled the air as countless species ran, staggered, or glided to safety.

Their fear was palpable, a shared emotion that cut through the barriers of language and culture.

The scorching scent of the molten lava and the acrid smell of burning foliage was overwhelming.

The splashes of the frantic aliens diving into the river added to the sensory overload.

It created a discordant symphony of chaos that pierced the ears.

As I stood there, anchored by Tix's grip, I could virtually taste the ash and smoke on my tongue.

However, amidst this bedlam, it was the sensation of the humid air, thick with tension, that unsettled me the most.

My skin prickled, a sheen of sweat forming, as I watched Fleth's mother clutching her son to her chest.

The chill of the river diverged from the searing heat as steam rose in billowing clouds from where the flaming rocks met the water.

Suddenly, a dark shadow loomed overhead.

A massive rock, smoking and encased in cooling lava, careened from the sky, smashing into the landscape.

The shockwave was palpable, the ground shaking underfoot.

My ears rang with the explosion, and I instinctively closed my eyes against the shower of debris and steam.

When I opened them again, a heartbreaking scene unfolded.

Fleth's mother had been struck, causing her to stumble and release her precious cargo.

Young Fleth, wrapped in the cloth that had been his protection, tumbled into the raging river.

His muffled cries reached my ears, his struggle evident even through the thick fabric that encased him.

Instinct overpowered reason.

I lunged forward, desperate to reach out and pull the child from the water to save him from the swirling currents and the choking fabric.

Tix's strong hand clasped my wrist, pulling me back.

"It's not real," he whispered urgently into my ear, his breath warm against the cool skin of my neck. "This is a memory, Grace. We can't change it."

"He's drowning!"

My voice wavered, anguish evident.

Tix's gaze remained locked onto the spectacle before us. "We need to see how it plays out. This could be the key to understanding Fleth's weaknesses."

I watched, breath held, as the young boy fought for his life.

The wet fabric clung to him, threatening to pull him under.

Every splash, every frantic movement sent ripples of dread down my spine.

The world seemed to slow, each second stretching into an eternity.

The sounds of the erupting volcano and fleeing creatures faded into the background, overshadowed by the desperate gasps and choked sobs of a child fighting for survival.

And then, just when hope seemed lost, young Fleth managed to free his head from the suffocating cloth.

Coughing and sputtering, he clawed his way to the shore.

Every breath he took sounded like a sweet symphony, a testament to his will to live.

He lay there, exhausted and shaken but alive.

The scene began to fade, the vivid colors and intense sensations dulling as the dream ended.

The weight of what we had witnessed pressed heavily on my heart.

We were back in the cold, dim corridor outside Fleth's cell, but the echoes of his past still resonated within me.

Tix's grip on my hand tightened reassuringly. "Are you okay?" he asked, genuine concern in his eyes.

I nodded slowly. "That was… intense."

"It always is," Tix admitted. "Now we have an insight into what makes Fleth tick. We just have to figure out how to use it."

It was a stark reminder that everyone, no matter how formidable, had vulnerabilities lurking in the shadows of their memories.

* * *

The stillnessof the prison corridor was disrupted by the labored breaths of Fleth, whose hulking form was now contorted with restless movements.

His once-imposing presence, so threatening in the light of day, was barely believable with the vulnerability he displayed in his sleep.

His thick, scaled skin glistened with sweat as the cold, sterile light of the prison cell flickered and cast eerie shadows on his face.

I stood rooted to the spot, my eyes fixed on his, watching his eyelids twitch with every tortured dream.

I focused on the soft, plaintive whimpers that escaped his lips.

The words were few, but they conveyed more emotion than any articulate speech ever could. "Momma…"

I could almost feel the heat of the lava, the desperate yearning of a child, the terror of a world gone awry.

A soft, gentle touch on my arm broke my trance.

Tix's face, illuminated by the soft glow from the prison cells, bore an expression of understanding mixed with caution. "Grace," he began, his voice low and calming, "It's hard, I know. But remember why we're here."

I sighed, taking in a deep breath, the sharp smell of the prison's disinfectant stinging my nostrils. "I just wish we could've done something, you know? To ease his pain, even for a moment."

Tix nodded, his thumb caressing my hand in a reassuring manner, the slight roughness of his skin evident. "We could've," he admitted. "We can manipulate dreams, even turn nightmares into pleasant memories. Doing so would change his fears, reshaping the very essence of what torments him. It wouldn't work to our advantage in the pit."

I took a moment to process his words, letting them settle in.

The constant hum of the prison's ventilation system provided a gentle backdrop to our hushed conversation. "So, we just leave him like this? Suffering?"

Tix's eyes met mine, a glint of determination evident. "For now," he said slowly, weighing each word, "remember, Grace, this isn't just a passing whim for him. This fear, this trauma, has shaped him his entire life. A few more days won't change that. And when we're free from this place," his voice grew softer, filled with promise, "we can change his dreams. We can give him peace."

The idea was comforting, a balm to my troubled soul.

As I looked into Tix's eyes, I could sense the sincerity in his words.

The promise wasn't just for Fleth — it was for both of us.

A shared future, free from the confines of the prison, where we could reshape dreams and heal old wounds.

"We can't save everyone right now," Tix whispered, pulling me closer.

His breath was warm against my ear, and I leaned into the comfort of his embrace. "One day, we will."

Tears stung my eyes, their salty trail evident on my cheeks.

With Tix beside me, the weight of our predicament felt a little lighter.

With a mutual understanding, we moved away from Fleth's cell, leaving behind the anguished dreamer, with a silent vow to return.

As the distance between us and Fleth grew, the sounds of his distress faded, replaced by the ambient noise of the prison.

The promise we made to ourselves and to him echoed louder in our hearts.

The future might be uncertain, filled with challenges and battles, but it was also filled with hope.

And as Tix and I walked hand in hand, that hope was what fueled our determination to create a better tomorrow — for all of us.