by Kaden Reed
“The teams are entering the arena now,” Bob announced, and the picture changed to display a large pit of sand that was mostly empty with the exception of four stone pillars that framed the middle of the arena.
Three contestants could be seen stepping onto the sand from the north and the picture changed to zoom in on all three, “the Amorak team is the first in the arena.”
“There is the leader of the team, Samantha,” the picture framed a tall athletic woman dressed in brown leathers with various gold talismans tied to it, “with her Mender class, she will be the lynch pin to their entire strategy.
“Next to her is the Guardian that everyone knows as Mud,” the picture switched to a broad-shouldered man, covered from head to foot in plate mail armor with a bushy beard extending passed the bottom of his helmet. He was carrying a large kite shield in one hand with a sword in the other. Runes could be seen covering every inch of his armor and sword. “his tactic of creating a mire to slow down his opponents and then wade in and kill them earned him his namesake, Mud,” Bill announced.
Bill continued, “Guardians, are unique in that they don’t channel magic directly, needing to use runes instead. A Guardian usually has access to dozens of runes, so they must plan which runes to utilize on their gear in advance of any combat. Most Guardians have developed multiple combinations of runes that are effective in a diverse set of circumstances. However, due to each rune being given personally by a Dungeon, it is extremely rare to find two Guardians that possess any of the same runes, which makes facing a Guardian very challenging and unpredictable.
“Guardians are so much fun to watch in these competitions. They always keep everyone on their toes, just waiting to see what they will come up with next,” Bob chimed in, “the last member is Kayper, with the ranged assassin class, Skyguard.”
“Kayper is a recent addition to the team,” Bill said while the picture switched to a tall lean woman, dressed in dark leathers, with a quiver of arrows strapped to her waist and a bow clutched in her hands, “their usual third team member, Leone, was benched in favor of the ranged assassin.”
Bob added, “I think that decision has served the Amorak team well so far in this year’s championship. Although, I can’t help but wonder if Leone the Berserker would be preferable in this match against Kairos.”
“Kairos does favor the style of tactics that quickly overwhelm the front-line fighters of their opponents. With only one melee fighter on the team, Amorak may be in for a very rough time,” Bill finished in solemn tone.
“Here comes the team from Kairos,” Bob chimed in.
As the picture changed to show the three members from Kairos entering the arena, opposite of the Amorak team, “their leader is perhaps one of the most well-known Khanri of this time, Falcor the Fire Warrior,” the picture zoomed in on a man clad in gleaming gold plate mail with a reddish hue that covered everything but his face. He rotated slowly in the center of his group, waving his two-handed claymore over his head at the crowd, with one hand, “his three hit combo, charging rush, flame step and fire sword, is legendary,” Bill exclaimed with more than a touch of admiration in his voice.
“That combo has sealed the fate of numerous opponents,” Bob agreed, “however, his teammates Aleina the Phoenix and the venerable Halpert, deserve equal credit in securing Kairos’ legacy these last few years.”
The picture zoomed out and Falcor was joined by a small petite woman dressed in a red robe with gold accents on his left and a lean wiry man dressed in leathers the color of dried blood, on his right.
Bill added, “definitely! Aleina’s ‘in-your-face’ fire magic and Halpert’s twin daggers are amazing. Each one of them deserve a spot in the Khanri Hall of Fame.”
“Do you know that since Halpert has joined the Kairos team seven years ago, he has never been killed during a competition,” Bob questioned Bill, “no other member of a team, in any point in the four hundred years of the Khanri competitions, has ever been able to go as long as he has without being killed in a competition. I think I remember reading that the second longest was a former Guardian on the Akashi team, who last competed in the year three hundred and thirty-seven.”
“Really? I didn’t know that,” Bill exclaimed in surprise, “is the record for just the championships or is it in all of the competitions that are held all year?”
“All competitions, big and small,” Bob added, “in fact, I had a chance to speak to Halpert before the start of today’s festivities and I asked him about his streak of good fortune. He said he hadn’t been paying attention and was as surprised as I was to hear about his record. Apparently, he dies frequently when exploring the Dungeon regularly.”
Bill laughed, “well if he dies frequently in the Dungeon, that is probably enough motivation to stay alive during the competitions.”
The picture zoomed out to show both teams on opposite sides of the arena. All four pillars were enveloped with a blue light that began rhythmically pulsing.
“Here we go folks,” Bob announced, “the match is starting!”
After five pulses of blue light the pillars erupted in a brilliant flash of green, “and the first match of the semifinals has begun,” Bill cheered.
As soon as the green light cleared from the picture, three streaks of fire could be seen erupting from Aleina on the Kairos side of the arena. The small fireballs closed the distance with the three members of the Amorak team in the blink of an eye.
Kayper barely evaded the fireball headed for her and Samantha was able to use her magic to conjure a small shield in front of her that absorbed the blow. However, Mud took the impact fully onto his chest, which exploded into a small inferno when it collided into him. The blast launched him backwards several yards. Landing hard on the sand he lay unmoving with a small fire growing in his beard.
The Kairos team had not been idle while Aleina shot her initial volley of fireballs off. Falcor was sprinting straight through the middle of the arena in the direction of the remaining Amorak members while Halpert ducked behind the closest of the four pillars and was no longer visible in the picture.
Kayper pulled an arrow out of the quiver on her back and took aim at the Kairos team. The tip of the arrow flashed yellow and she released. Once it had crossed the midway point between the two teams, the arrow flashed yellow again and two copies suddenly appeared next to the original, all glowing yellow.
The three arrows flew passed the running Falcor and appeared to be headed directly for Aleina. Seeing the danger, Aleina conjured a wall of fire in front of her. All three of the arrows were deflected upwards by the wall of fire, to sail off into the sky behind her. Quickly countering the attack, Aleina began waving her hands in front of her in rhythm, obviously casting a spell.
Seeing Falcor charging in her direction, Samantha made a gesture in his direction. The ground in front of Falcor erupted in vines that entangled themselves around Falcor’s feet, attempting to pull him to the ground.
With Falcor ensnared, Samantha ran to Mud, slapped a hand on his chest and began chanting. A soft golden glow gradually enveloped her hands. Shortly after, Mud began coughing. Climbing to his feet with effort, he looked around and saw Falcor using his flame step ability, fire erupting in a radius around his feet, burning the entangling vines. Mud picked up his discarded shield and sword and positioned himself to take on Falcor.
Seeing an immobile target, Kayper was shooting arrows at Falcor while he was trapped in the middle of the arena. A rune on his breastplate started glowing a bright green and every arrow she sent, bounced off of his armor harmlessly and fell to the ground at his feet.
“Those runes are definitely getting a workout in this match,” Bob said in his excitement, “he must have supercharged them for that rune to still have enough power to keep activating!”
Falcor pulled himself free from the tangling vines and seeing Mud in front of him, he pushed himself off the ground and, in a flash, closed the ten yards between him and Mud. His sword erupted in flames as he re
ached back, angling for a decapitating blow.
Mud was expecting this and already had his shield raised to intercept the strike, a rune on his shield brightened and a mist began spraying out towards Falcor. Falcor’s sword descended and crashed into Mud’s upraised shield. However, the strength of the blow forced Mud’s shield away from his body before whatever the rune was supposed to do could take any noticeable effect. Falcor stepped into the opening and punched out with his off hand, Mud’s head rocked back violently from the force of it. Stumbling back a few steps he fell to one knee obviously stunned and the rune on his helm instantly glowing a bright gold.
“I think Mud is definitely in trouble,” Bill announced with urgency in his voice, as Falcor stepped up with his flaming sword above his head, ready to deal the death blow to the kneeling Mud.
Mud shook his head trying to clear it, looking up just in time to see Falcor’s descending sword, he raised his arm to ward off the blow. At that moment the picture zoomed out and showed a huge jungle cat roaring at Falcor as it barreled into him.
“By the Dungeons that was amazing!” Bob exclaimed, “it was rumored that Samantha was given the ability to summon a familiar by her Dungeon, but I never thought I would live to see the day!” On the picture, the cat was on top of Falcor, clawing and biting at his face. Falcor was struggling to keep the six hundred pounds of feline at bay.
With a loud crunch, Falcor’s body jerked spasmodically and then went limp. The cat shambling away with several large gashes across its midsection, vapor leaking out of the wounds. The wounds obviously too severe, the large cat began fading quickly, disappearing within seconds.
As the picture changed viewpoints, the image of a panting Samantha crumpling to her knees with her back against a pillar came into view, “it looks like Samantha didn’t fare well against Falcor, but she won the battle between the team captains! That spell must have used too much magic for her. I hope she is able to recover quickly enough to remain in this fight!”
At that moment, Aleina finished her casting and the center of the arena began to shake violently, cracking open in places. Samantha and Mud were both knocked to the ground by the resulting small earthquake, however, Kayper managed to hold onto one of the pillars and stay on her feet. Out of the crevasses in the ground, lava erupted out in huge torrents.
Gasping for air like she had run several miles, Aleina was doubled over but still managed to make a series of small gestures that changed the direction of some of the erupting lava. Fist sized chunks flying through the air were suddenly jerked and thrown in the direction of the three Amorak members.
Samantha and Mud, caught in the open, received several strikes from the flying lava. One set the fur on Samantha’s boots on fire, which quickly melted into her calf. Limping badly, Mud was able to use his shield to protect her and guided her behind a pillar for protection.
“Wow,” Bill gasped in amazement, “I’ve never seen such pure power unleashed like this! Aleina must be pushing her limit to pull this off.”
The picture zoomed in on Aleina, her face was ghostly pale with an almost vacant expression. Then she suddenly jerked twice, her expression changing to confusion when a fountain of blood erupted from her mouth. The picture zoomed out and I could see two arrows that were glowing a soft yellow, were sticking out of her back.
Aleina stumbled to the side and slid to a knee. Gasping she made a gesture at Kayper who had ducked behind a pillar, when a third arrow slammed into her back. The tip shoving straight through her chest and poking out of her robes in front, effectively ending whatever spell she was trying to cast before she could finish it. With one last twitch she slumped to the floor of the arena and was still.
“Aleina, the Phoenix is down,” Bob said in a shocked voice, “that leaves Halpert as Kairos’ only hope left in the match.”
Kayper peeked from around the pillar, noticing Aleina was down and unmoving, she took a couple of tentative steps into the open, scanning her surroundings with a knocked arrow. Not noticing anything obvious she started jogging over to Mud and Samantha.
Mud was standing with his sword and shield ready in front of the injured Samantha, trying to stare in every direction, waiting for Halpert to make his move. The picture zoomed out to show half of the arena when Kayper reached her other team members and took up station guarding the opposite direction with Samantha to her back.
When Halpert appeared from the shadows so suddenly and silently, he was visible on the picture for a couple of seconds before anyone realized where he was. With two quick stabs he slammed both of his daggers into the base of the injured Samantha’s neck. Jerking with each blow, Samantha’s head lost all of its ability to be supported on her shoulders and fell limply at an awkward angle. Grunting as Halpert pulled the daggers out, blood started pouring out of the holes in her neck and the body slowly slid to the side to lay crumpled on the floor of the arena.
Hearing the squish and grunts behind him, Mud turned on his heels and slammed his sword down on the right shoulder of Halpert as he was pulling his daggers out of Samantha. Almost taking his shoulder clean off his torso with the first strike.
Halpert screamed in pain, falling to his knees he raised his remaining hand up at Mud, pleading with him. “I yield! I yield!” could be heard being yelled from the fallen man.
Mud looked from Halpert and then to Samantha’s now lifeless corpse. With a look of resignation on his face, he sheathed his sword and stepped back from Halpert.
Before Halpert even had a chance to register his good fortune, the feathers of an arrow suddenly bloomed out of his throat. Mud flinched away in surprise with a shocked expression on his face. As Halpert crumpled on the floor, choking on his blood and slowly dying, all eyes shifted to the newcomer to the championships, Kayper, as she lowered her bow.
Kayper looked at Mud for a long moment, then turned to the now silent crowd. Her face a picture of rage, she yelled at the onlookers while turning in a circle, “you all want a reason?” She turned back to Halpert’s still shuddering body on the ground. Walking over to him, a stream of blood gushed out of the hole in his neck as Kayper violently yanked out the arrow and rolled his body onto his back with her boot, revealing Halpert clutching at his ruined throat. Frothy red bubbles formed around his hands as he slowly choked to death on his own blood.
“Because fuck him!” Kayper yelled at the silent crowd as she lifted one foot up and smashed it down on Halpert’s neck. An audible snap could clearly be heard in the silent arena. Halpert’s body spasmed once and then went still, “that’s my reason,” she finished in a much quieter, almost remorseful tone.
Kayper pulled her hair back from her face, looping it behind ears that had a slight point to them. Mud walked over to her, put one arm on her shoulder and said something softly that was unintelligible to the onlookers. Kayper seemed to deflate slightly and lowered her head as she turned away and both walked over to Samantha’s body. With noticeable tenderness Mud smoothed the hair from Samantha’s still face. Reaching down, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her out of the arena, following Kayper as she led them back through the entrance that their team came in.
“Well folks,” Bob spoke in a tentative voice, “I’m not sure what we just witnessed but the judges have ruled that since Halpert had surrendered before he was killed, his death was against the rules.”
“Not that it really matters in the end,” Bill added, “every member from the Kairos team was killed so Amorak automatically advances.”
“What a match though,” Bob interjected, “a little over seven minutes and everything was done.”
“That is what happens when both teams show up to win!” Bill exclaimed.
The picture changed to show the twins standing in an alcove that overlooked the arena, “and with that, we will have a short break before continuing with the rest of the matches,” Bob said while looking directly at the caster, “we will be back soon, so stay tuned.” The picture changed to show highlights from the recent and previous
matches with a small timer in the top right corner, counting down from fifteen minutes.
Chapter Three
Enter Team Akashi
The Shokari race is split into three primary tribes, the largest of which is the Raycor tribe. Surprisingly, in modern times when members of all the various races can often be found in each major city across the three nations, the Shokari rarely ever journey further than the City of Glasden. Preferring to remain within their racial territory in southwest Glasden.
- Excerpt from A Treatise on the Shokari Tribes, by Raine Royce, University of Glasden Historian
“Wow,” I said as I continued to stare at the picture in mild shock, “what do you think that was about?”
“No clue,” Marty exclaimed, “but I think I might be in love with Kayper now too.”
I started laughing, “Sara is going to be so heartbroken!”
“Come on Afton,” Marty stood up on his cushions, “the great and powerful Marty has enough love to give. I can keep both of them happy.”
I threw a handful of berries at him, “even though Mud didn’t do too great in this match, I still want the Guardian archetype. The way he stood up and put himself in the path of Falcor to protect Samantha. That is something I want to be able to do.”
Marty rolled his eyes at me, “so noble. Me? If someone as powerful as him decides that I am going to be the next person he kills, then I think that the hungry monster rule applies.”
“Hungry monster rule?” I asked questioningly, “what are you talking about?”
“Afton! Didn’t your mother teach you anything about surviving in the forest?” Marty shook his head in shame and then continued matter-of-factly, “if a monster selects you as its next meal, you trip whoever is near you, so the monster stops to eat them. Then you run all the way home and don’t look back.”
Grinning I responded, “I guess my mom left that one out of my education. I just have one question though, oh great and wise gnome, so what happens if you find one when you are by yourself?”