“Are you two ready for this?” Jackson asked, shutting down the sheet. “Our last fight of the season — we’re heading to the playoffs either way, but I don’t want to go easy today. You know what Briggs says. That’s a loser mentality.”
Asena growled and Scrappy spread his wings, almost knocking Jackson’s hat off his head.
“Let’s finish strong!”
Asena’s bark turned into a fierce howl and Scrappy cackled like the villain of some old fairytale.
The buzzer sounded. Jackson grinned.
Showtime.
Chapter Three
In spite of his misgivings over the past few days, Jackson felt the familiar thrill of the upcoming battle when he stepped into the long tunnel leading out to the arena. The evening air felt warm on his face, painted with the white glow of the stadium lights. His match was a primetime event, or at least as primetime as things got in the Bronze League. Although the outcome of the battle had no playoff implications for Jackson, the schedulers apparently thought people wanted to see how the win-or-go-home Ron Shakur did against a member of the Fab Four.
“Coming to us tonight as the Red Team, please give it up for Jaaaacksooooon Huuuuunt!”
The announcer drew out the vowels in Jackson’s name, giving him plenty of time to jog out of the tunnel, hands raised. The modest crowd cheered, pumping even more adrenaline into Jackson.
I love this.
Like so many matches before, Briggs and Kay waited at the edge of the ring in the spot reserved for his crew. Kay gave him a wink and a thumbs up; Briggs, his sideways smirk. Since they’d gone on tour for the DBL, Briggs almost looked like a completely different man than the one Jackson had first seen puffing stogies at the Underground fights. The coach adopted a trendy, carefully groomed look for his tight-knit gray hair and wore an all-black ensemble. Seeing him under the lights, it wasn’t hard for Jackson to look through the wrinkles and find the man who had been one of the Gold League’s greatest tamers. It pumped him up even more knowing he shared an arena with Cassius Briggs.
“Let’s take care of business — I’m ready for a steak, whiskey, and a night off!” Briggs shouted over the crowd. “Your treat!”
Jackson laughed and shook his head. Briggs had odd ways of putting him at ease or building Jackson up when he thought he needed it. But they always worked.
Crossing the painted lines of the field — tonight it was grass — Jackson looked across at his opponent. He’d seen Ron fight off and on throughout the circuit. His Glauco and Bovan combo weren’t anything fancy, but Ron used them to full effect. The Elemental matchup between the two tamers would make for a good show.
The two tamers met in the circle in the middle of the ring. The referee for the match gave them the standard rundown: fights were conducted to knockout, if the ref thought any Djinn were in danger of passing total zero or otherwise too impaired to continue the match, she could end the fight.
“Confirm your understanding!” the ref shouted over the crowd.
Both Jackson and Ron nodded. Ron grinned like he had something up his sleeve. Jackson gave the same look back. If there was one thing he’d learned from Briggs, it was how to deal with head games from showboating tamers.
“Tamers, shake hands!”
“Let’s give them a show, eh, Jackson?” Ron said as their hands parted.
Jackson nodded. “Good luck!”
Each tamer returned to their box on the opposite end of the rectangular ring. The ref retreated to her sideline and raised an arm to signal the beginning of the match.
A loud buzzer sounded and, on the scoreboard, a gigantic purple three flashed out of the projector.
Jackson curled his hands into fists and took up a stance similar to someone about to start a round of punches on a weighted bag.
The buzzer sounded again, flashing two now.
Jackson clenched his fists tight enough he could feel his nails biting into his palms.
The buzzer sounded, a one appeared. In the next instant, a large ding sounded and a green light appeared over Ron’s head.
“Asena! Scrappy!”
There was no need to shout their names as Jackson released his Djinn, but he’d always liked the way it sounded, and it reminded him of the fairytales of tamers in ancient times who summoned their monsters with magic.
Asena and Scrappy blasted forward in streams of orange and purple light. Across the ring, Ron’s rings emitted a tan and aquatic blue light as the Bovan and Glauco materialized.
GENERAL OPPONENT STATS
Djinn: Bovan
Level: 21
Element: Plain
Species Rarity: Common
HP (Hit Points): 325/325
EP (Elemental Power): 100/100
Attack: 150
Defense: 130
Speed: 100
Accessories: None
Items: None
Status: Neutral
GENERAL OPPONENT STATS
Djinn: Glauco
Level: 22
Element: Water
Species Rarity: Common
HP (Hit Points): 280/280
EP (Elemental Power): 170/170
Attack: 100
Defense: 95
Speed: 110
Accessories: None
Items: None
Status: Neutral
The Glauco looked like a combination of a turtle and a squid Djinn. It had a bright blue body with black spots and tentacles coming out of the end of each of its four fins. Its rounded head sat on a long neck featuring a single, black eyeball the size of a volleyball. The lack of a shell made its Defense relatively weak, but what it lacked there was made up in pure Elemental Power — an Element that Asena was weak against, no less.
The Bovan, on the other hand, was all about Defense and physical attacks. Its thick, bovine body was almost all black, except for a white patch on its chest and forehead. The bull Djinn let out an angry bellow and charged forward, horns as long as Jackson’s forearm, heading straight for Asena like a jousting knight.
By the time all four Djinn were on the field, Jackson was already giving commands.
Scrappy shot forward at the Glauco and, just as it pulled within striking distance, released a howling gray wind. The attack struck the amphibious Glauco in its single, black eye. The Djinn reared back just as Asena’s Earth Hunt struck beneath it. Snapping jaws materialized out of the grass and attacked the Glauco, appearing as a pack of dirt and gravel-formed Lyotes.
Just as Asena released her attack, she darted to the side, completely dodging the Bovan’s rampage. Jackson knew from his studies that agility was the downside of the big, powerful Djinn. They had killer Attack, but generally lacked the Speed to land a hit on quicker opponents. Also, as fights progressed, they tended to grow more frustrated and enraged, thus weakening communication with their tamers.
The Bovan skidded to a halt but had to make a big, wide turn to get back at Asena. While Scrappy continued to harry the Glauco with his taunting debuffs and draining Wind attacks, Asena teased her own opponent. The Bovan always swept his horns or kicked his feet just a moment too late and hit the empty air where the Lyote had been just a moment before.
We’ve got the fight in hand, Jackson thought. Briggs’s strategy was working to perfection. Scrappy had the Elemental advantage over the Glauco, and while the Glauco was trying to take on Asena, it was too slow to pin her down. Meanwhile, the Bovan became more frustrated with Asena and Jackson could tell Ron’s hold over the Djinn was starting to wane.
Just then, Scrappy launched a Dive Bomb, but surprisingly, the Glauco dodged. Jackson’s Scoundrook landed in a heap of feathers from the overcommitted attack, giving the Glauco enough time to launch a Water Jet right at Asena.
Look out, girl! Jackson warned.
Too late. Jackson realized he hadn’t told her which way to look out from. Asena rolled to the side, confused, just as the Water Jet hit the ground behind her. Although the attack wasn’t a direct hit, the splash damage
knocked off 25 hit points. Worse still, it gave the Bovan the opening he’d been waiting for.
While Asena shook off the water and tried to orient herself, the Bovan scooped her up on his horns and flung the Lyote into the air. Jackson let out a shout and cringed as Asena hit the ground several yards away and lost a third of her remaining health.
Hold back, Jackson commanded the Lyote after she’d gotten back on her feet. Scrappy had also recovered from his epic miss and continued to harry the Glauco as commanded. The opposing Water-Elemental Djinn had 130 HP left — less than half of what is started with.
“Get Asena in there and finish the Glauco!” Briggs shouted from behind Jackson. “Stop screwing around and end this!”
Jackson nodded without looking. No time for being passive. He commanded Asena and Scrappy to strike in tandem with a Headbutt and another Mocking Wind, hoping Asena would be able to land a hit and dodge any incoming attacks from the Bovan as it charged in.
A blast of cutting wind followed by Asena’s ram attack hit the Glauco and dropped its HP down 65. Both had been critical hits, and the Elemental advantage Scrappy had on the opponent certainly helped. Jackson pumped a fist and ordered Scrappy to finish off the opposing Djinn with one last Mini-Twister while Asena distracted the Bovan.
Before the Scoundrook could summon the attack, the Glauco started to glow.
“What in the —?”
Jackson stared, leaving Asena and the Bovan to continue their dance without his attention. If the Glauco was attacking, it was a move Jackson had never seen on any of Ron Shakur’s tapes. As far as Jackson could tell, it wasn’t any move a Water-Elemental Djinn should have known.
A piercing cry sounded from within the radius of the glow. The light completely covered the Glauco. Jackson’s heart froze. He knew what was coming.
It can’t be. No no no no no!
In a sudden whoosh of light and an overwhelming scent of muddy lakewater, a new Djinn appeared where the Glauco had been. Even the Bovan and Asena paused to look at the evolution. Jackson’s holo-watch beeped and the Djinncyclopedia app launched itself upon recognizing a new Djinn on the battlefield.
GENERAL OPPONENT STATS
Djinn: Loquatic
Level: 22
Element: Water
Species Rarity: Common
HP (Hit Points): 295/295
EP (Elemental Power): 178/178
Attack: 108
Defense: 104
Speed: 120
Accessories: None
Items: None
Status: Neutral
The Loquatic retained the same color as the Glauco, but was now encased in deep blue scales and a series of sharp, spiky protrusions running along its spine from head to tail. The newly-evolved Djinn hissed, revealing rows of razor sharp teeth below two black, saurian eyes.
Jackson cursed under his breath. Not only was the Loquatic stronger than the Glauco, but its health had completely replenished as well, virtually giving him a third Djinn to fight against. Across the arena, Ron let out a triumphant shout.
Time to change tactics — Asena, Scrappy, we’ve got to get the Bovan out of the fight!
“What are you doing?” Briggs shouted when he saw the Scoundrook and Lyote converging in tandem on the Bovan. “Stick to the Water-Elemental!”
Jackson ignored his coach — thanks to Asena’s nipping, the Bovan had about 200 HP left. Jackson hoped Asena and Scrappy could dodge the Loquatic’s water attacks long enough to finish off the Plain-Elemental, and then converge on the new evolution.
All right, guys. Fire Bark and Mini-Twister, together! Jackson told them through telepathic command.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jackson saw the Loquatic open its mouth and a whirlpool start to form within.
Asena threw back her head and let out a series of yips, each one birthing another long tendril of flame. The Bovan dug at the dirt with its hooves, bellowed, and lowered its head for the charge. Scrappy beat his wings together, fanning Asena’s flame.
A blast of sheer Elemental Power release almost knocked Jackson to his feet.
When the dust, flames, and water all cleared, several things were apparent, but only after watching the holo-recording post-fight could Jackson discern what happened.
The Fire Twister created by Asena and Scrappy struck the Bovan mid-charge, dealing out massive damage. However, at the same time, the Loquatic released its Water Torrent attack, not at Asena, but at Scrappy. As Asena bounded away from what Jackson thought was the incoming Water attack, the charred, smoking Bovan struck her with its Thundering Charge. The Lyote yipped in pain as first the head, then the diamond-hard hooves of the Bovan trampled her into the soggy, torn turf. Knockout.
Jackson tried to quell the rising panic in him as Asena’s still form glowed in vermillion and was sucked back in her ring. Scrappy was still on the ground, shaking the water from his feathers, just as a Water Jet hit him.
Get up, boy! Get up!
The tough magpie Djinn used the last of its strength to rise in the air, just as the Bovan passed beneath, its horn a breadth from Scrappy’s tail feathers. Once in the air, Jackson commanded Scrappy to strike with another Mocking Wind. A glance at his holo-watch told him the Scoundrook was almost out of EP. If this attack didn’t land…
Scrappy cackled like a mad scientist and fanned his wings until a gale whipped across the whole ring. A huge gust of wind, filled with purple, black, and gray feathers struck the Loquatic. It slammed into the Water-Elemental Djinn and refused to relinquish its hold.
The Loquatic might have been given new strength from its evolution, but Scrappy was an Intermediate-Form Djinn, too — with an Elemental advantage, to boot. Jackson glanced at the projection above Ron and saw the Loquatic HP bar flashing madly — a critical hit.
The Loquatic let out a terrible reptilian roar and collapsed.
One down, one to go.
Jackson glanced up at the display and then at his own holo-watch for in-depth details on Scrappy’s stats as well as the opposing Bovan.
GENERAL STATS AND INFO
Djinn: Scoundrook
Level: 22
Name: Scrappy
Element: Wind
Species Rarity: Fairly Common
Tamer: Jackson Hunt
HP (Hit Points): 88/295
EP (Elemental Power): 5/110
XP (Experience): 1432 to Next Level
DJP (Djinn Points): 0 Unallocated
Attack: 109
Defense: 120
Speed: 195
Accessories: None
Items: None
Move Set: Swipe Left to See More >>>
GENERAL OPPONENT STATS
Djinn: Bovan
Level: 21
Element: Plain
Species Rarity: Common
HP (Hit Points): 156/325
EP (Elemental Power): 95/100
Attack: 160 (RAGE MODE)
Defense: 115 (RAGE MODE)
Speed: 100
Accessories: None
Items: None
Status: Neutral
The Bovan still had almost half of its HP. Even though the Loquatic’s Water attacks hadn’t been extremely deadly, they’d still lowered Scrappy health down to a third. Jackson bit his lip, uncertain. Scrappy didn’t have much EP left to play the ranged game, either.
“We’ve still got this!” Briggs shouted from his corner. “Take your time!”
Across the arena, Jackson could see Ron’s female coach shouting something indecipherable to him, too.
All right, boy. Let’s play your favorite game: hit and run.
Scrappy cawed in response and circled the arena a couple of times to finish drying his feathers, giving him more aerial finesse. Below, the Bovan bellowed and snorted, flecks of snot and saliva flying from its nose and mouth. Jackson doubted Ron had much control over the Djinn now that its Rage had set in. The status change sharply increased the Bovan’s Attack, but gave them some aid by lowering its ridiculous Defense as a
side-effect.
Following Jackson’s orders, Scrappy pestered the Bovan with small hits here and there. While Ron had resorted to shouting at the Bovan out loud in hopes of getting its attention, Jackson waited for his opportunity to strike with the last of Scrappy’s Elemental Power.
“Why don’t you come down and fight fair?” Ron yelled across the field.
Jackson smirked. He wouldn’t be baited. He had to play this one hit at a time. Dive Bomb!
Scrappy rose high above the sodden, ruined mess of the turf field and then fell like an arrow. The spinning Scoundrook angled straight for the side of the Bovan as the Djinn raged and tore at the grass.
“Buck!” Ron shouted. “Buck!”
Across the field, Jackson couldn’t tell exactly what Ron had said. Was he just cursing now or trying to call out some attack? The Bovan looked up and, behind its crimson eyes, seemed to register its tamer’s command.
Oh, crap. Scrappy, pull up, PULL UP!
Too late. Scrappy struggled to pull out of his Dive Bomb and instead, floundered just in reach of the Bovan. His opponent spun like one of his cohorts who competed in the Djinn Rodeo and struck Scrappy with both its hind hooves as the Scoundrook spread its wings to veer away.
Scrappy went down into the field and did not rise. KO. Jackson recalled the Scoundrook before the half-feral Bovan could do any more damage to his Djinn.
The screen above the arena flashed.
WINNER by K.O.: RON SHAKUR.
Ron’s Bovan disappeared with another angry bellow as the tamers walked across the field to shake hands.
“Hell of a match, Jackson!” Ron said. He beamed ear to ear. “Good luck in the playoffs — looks like I’ll see you there!”
Jackson forced a smile and returned the shake, even as he mentally promised himself he would never lose to Ron Shakur again. “Yeah, good match. Good season!”
Dropping both his fake smile and Ron’s hand, Jackson turned around and stalked for the locker room. As he reached his corner, a white-haired figured in the front row just to Jackson’s left grinned at him and shook his head. It was Vega, the man he met right before the match.
Djinn Tamer - The Complete Bronze League Trilogy Page 55