Mantis was sitting near the edge of the arena, the wounds across his face and arms still closing slowly, an empty potion vial resting on the ground beside him where he had set it down after draining it.
The healing draught had done most of the work, but a body that had absorbed the kind of punishment his had taken didn't bounce back completely just from one vial, and the bruising along his ribs was still dark and tender beneath his torn clothing.
Neil walked over and stood in front of him, not saying anything for a moment, just looking at the man who had lost so thoroughly that the entire crowd was still talking about it somewhere behind them.
"Starting from today, you are a subject of my domain," he said.
Mantis let out a long breath, the kind that came from somewhere deep in the chest, and nodded slowly.
"I understand," he said. "I gave you my word back there, and I'm not the type of man who takes his word back just because the outcome wasn't what I hoped for."
