[Darin groans and manages to get an arm underneath his sagging frame. He can't even begin to count how many bones were cracked and breaking, creaking under his weight. He may be super strong, super resilient, but against blows like the ones he can dish out? He may as well just be a normal man. He coughs, blood spattering the stone below him. Every breath was like a twist of a knife in his chest. Punctured lung? Probably.]

[But even through it all, he's grinning. Not because he's cocky. Not because he's got a plan. But because the words Shiro's shadow is spitting, designed to hurt his lighter half, only manage to swell Darin's heart with pride. And so he chokes out a laugh.]

Y'know...I know you're trying to hurt me but...I can't help but feel a little...happy about that...!

[Darin pushes himself shakily to his knees...and then finally to his feet.]

But he should know...I'm not going anywhere anytime soon...!

[Bold words for someone who's barely standing on his own two legs, but he's glaring his own shadow down. Darin's shadow, roughly halfway between the distance separating the two friends, merely shrugs.]

But does he know why you're not going anywhere anytime soon? Should I tell him?

[He laughs heartily and stretches out his arm towards Darin. In that moment, the arena wall ripples like quicksand, churns and burbles until a massive stone hand erupts and stretches out, reaching for Darin's back. It wraps around him and yanks him back towards the wall with a rush, slamming him into it. Then, as fast as the hand melts away, barbed chains erupt out and begin ensnaring him like vines. He screams in pain as the barbs bite deep into his body, scraping and hooking, pulling his arms away from his body to hang him on the wall. Every time he thrashes and struggles, the barbs cut deeper, their hold tightens, and soon the wall is streaked with rivulets of blood.]

[Darin's shadow turns to Shiro.]

Let's have a talk, "best friend."