Risika concentrated her aura; unseen to the human eye, but felt by every inhuman person. The leader in the violet suit felt it. Okami and Hero felt it.

        And in a flash, faster than Dirk could react, Risika hit his sternum with the palm of her hand. Her aura sent a gentle shockwave throughout his body, causing him to stagger and fall. He would live but for now, just slip into unconsciousness.

        As he fell, Risika whispered to him.

        "Believe me," she said, as he fell to the ground. He looked up to her. With the lights shining above her, he could swear he saw the wings of an angel shimmering faintly from her in the light, like an aurora. She wore that sad, albeit compassionate look to him. "You will get out of here."

         Wings? he thought. As he faded into unconsciousness, a small flame of hope shone in him. Something in her voice made him dare to believe her.

         The crowd was stunned. Silence echoed all around. The Top Hat man went to Dirk and checked for a pulse. To his great disappointment, Dirk was still alive. He turned with a glare to Risika who gave a calm but daring look. If her opponent was knocked out, then that left no winner. She could live with not giving this dark ringleader the match he was hoping for.

          "It would appear that her opponent is knocked out," he addressed. "No fight, no winner. Both players stay another night. Dismissed."

          The crowd cursed and booed. Not that anyone cared, really. Okami took the time to see through his shadow's eyes on the humans who were not sent to see the show. There was an underground room with prison cells where humans were locked up. The reapers stood in front of the captive humans, mocking them and relishing in their rebelliousness or drinking in their despair.

         "They're definitely being held captive," Okami relayed to Hero. Hero's eyes grew serious.

          "Are there any demons around?" he asked.

          "Yes," Okami answered, seeing the group of demons around the cells. "There's more of them coming. The demonic aura is growing here...if we fight now, the humans could get killed."

          Victory? Maybe, but a very, very hollow one.