As the room began following the queen, Shade, Crest, Clift, Marlin, Krum and Niranene made their way together with Lily and Alex. Ava remained put and was content to be silent.
When Alex began telling his siblings about his choice in having Lily, she saw how enveloped they got in the conversations. Lily decided to walk with Niranene and hum to herself quietly. And Krum walking nearby. She then realized Crest was next to her and reached up to scratch her behind the ear in the same place that Shade loved. The scratch and attention was foreign to Crest, but after a moment she realized she too loved it and moved closer for more. Marlin brought up the rear with Clift and were both silent in their own worlds.
The head healer of the city gently elbowed Lily to gain her full attention. “First I must ask if you properly cleaned the wound he inflicted?” Lily nodded simply for it was Niranene’s right to ask as a skilled and concerned healer. “Might I also assume that the wounds were just deep enough to leave a scar?” Again she received the same silent gesture. Then Niranene admitted something she was unprepared for. “Last night you frightened me at first.”
“Did I? How?” She asked, tucking a strand of pale hair behind an ear.
In a lower tone she admitted “At first a strange noise woke Marlin and me from our room. We are, after all, two doors down and the hall doesn’t dampen noises much.” Niranene raised an eyebrow and an immediate surge of heat filled Lily’s delicate and fair features before a proud grin surfaced. “It wasn’t until I got closer that I realized what the sounds meant.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t even notice Alex was making his fiend noises.”
“That is where your assumption is wrong.” Niranene corrected with a wicked smile. “Alex made not many sounds compared to your vocalizations.”
It was now that Lily’s face flamed like a red beacon and her embarrassment found an entirely new level. “I… I didn’t even realize.”
“Did you enjoy it?”
“More than I dared dream or even conceive to be possible.” She admitted when she knew not a person within earshot could overhear this conversation.
“I’m glad you are finally as happy as me. I see how happy he makes you and that is all that matters. Now you needn’t worry about him running off with another pair of pretty legs. Congratulations on your marriage, Lily.” Niranene then squeezed her arm with her fiend’s and Lily’s joy remained high.
The conversation ended as Marlin spoke up “Lily, I forgot about this.” She turned to see him digging in the saddle that Clift carried. He soon approached with a thin piece of square white marble that was twelve inches in length and a stick of charcoal. “Allahandra gave just about all of her advisors one of these and asked me to hold on to it for you until you came out. She’s also having many boards with chalk made for just about everyone to carry throughout the city to quicken the assimilating of the people with the fiends. This is for you and Crest.”
“Thank you.” She said while accepting the gift and the conversation change. Then she took the charred stick, wrote “Did you enjoy your night?” and turned it to her new partner.
Crest knew she had nothing to communicate back with so she barked and growled in such a frequency that even a simpleton could distinguish she was talking. Alex turned to look at her and moved carefully enough not to knock Ava’s balance off. “She says to tell you she had a wonderful time scouting the city. She and the leaders find how humans live fascinating and unique. She also said she met the boy with the helmet, the one we first met in the city, and gave him a ride like Shade did.” Then she said something that made him bark and howl back at her. She in turn replied and it made him smile. “She said Shade also led them to the market and a baker instantly recognized Shade and gave each of them sweetbread for free. Apparently she has a sweet tooth that has been awakened.”
“That means they are a good pair.”
“Not just them.” And Alex raised his hand for Lily to take it and she widened her steps to take three steps at a time until she reached him. Her simple touch was what he needed. He was a person of two world, the human and the fiend, but now he finally found a balance between them and couldn’t be more content.
The rest of the descent was filled with idle chatter and the hum of the main hall continued to build, only there were other sounds that weren’t as common.
Once in the audience hall the room was filled with the warriors of Freelan and spread throughout were a dozen or so fiends freely doing as they wished. Some fiends were given tastes of the human meals and mead. Some Fury sat upon the few stone rafters supporting the ceiling and upper floors. Many quieted as the queen entered and politely bowed in respect. As they made their way to the raised platform that held the queen’s throne and long table, Breaker could barely be seen standing beside the throne.
Soon enough Allahandra and her most loyal companions stood upon the platform and joked loud enough for all to hear “It looks as if I might need a larger stage if my friends get any larger.” And it was received with joyous laughter. She then turned and addressed her extensive family. “My people, you hearten me with what I see! It seems my judgment wasn’t false for we can socialize with creatures that we once thought a threat to our very survival.” She stopped only for a moment when Alex stepped in beside her to roar to the fiends. She smiled and continued. “I hope the fiends had a pleasant night.” After Alex translated she was surprised at the intensity of their response and approval she felt from such a reply. He nodded that they weren’t disappointed. “As you have all heard by now, my hero, back during the last siege of the city, has been confirmed as the legitimate heir to our enemy’s throne.” This announcement was taken with mixed emotions. Many hated Ra’van with a passion, but they couldn’t deny Alex’s intensions. “He has brought us a fighting chance which will take some time to get used to, but ultimately it will be Runkamon’s downfall.” This was accepted with cheers, howls and roars. “Now some of you will be paired with a fiend just as the generals and commanders have, even I have a guardian.” She added quickly. Breaker came closer, hearing Alex’s translation. “I will not have anyone pair up if they do not wish, but from what I’ve been told, do not take this partnership lightly. We must treat them with the same respect you hold for those sitting beside you, if not more. They will not trust us until we prove ourselves, but they will give proper respect to ease any worries of their intensions. For now, socialize and get to know the new inhabitants of our fair city. Furthermore I have something I wish to ask everyone.” As the hall silenced she turned to Alex. “Alex, now that you have returned to us I have wondered what kind of skills someone like you is capable of. What I need to know is if you will give us a demonstration.”
“What do you have in mind?” He asked without pause or concern.
“What I and many others wish to understand is just how much a tactical threat a lone Furion is capable of possessing. With your permission I would like to have you fight in the arena against some of my warriors. How many would you feel comfortable sparring against?”
Alex stared at the crowd and was surprised to see just how many anxious eyes wanting to prove themselves against the unknown skills he possessed. There were close to a thousand warriors in this room alone, but it was simple to keep things fair. “To make sure your warriors have a fighting chance have them all fight me simultaneously.” His calm assurance and standing of authority was the only thing that kept the hall from exploding into laughter.
“Are you sure?” Allahandra asked in a quieter voice.
“I am,” He then addressed the gathered directly. “As Allahandra wishes, I will show you what to expect should you face a Furion in battle. At noon I will be at the arena and will fight any who wish to test their mettle against me. Only this time we will alter the rule of sparring, slightly. Items will be unbound and used against me with all your strength. If you find yourself suddenly on your knee or face down in the sand, count yourself dead and step off the field. It will mean I’ve killed you if you were an enemy. Th
e first to draw my blood will be the victor of the match. There will be no rules save for killing. I will fight alone, without the support of Shade, Ava or the other fiends.”
When he stepped back Allahandra watched as her people looked to her for if he was simply boasting. “If this is his wish, let it be known at noon there will be an open tournament to any and all who can subdue Alex. Prepare yourself mentally and physically if you wish to join the tournament. Before we have our meal though, I must also inform you that tomorrow we shall begin pairing people with fiends of like temperament. There will be alterations and undoubtedly transfers in the ranks to different divisions until we find a proper place. I ask that you bear with us while we find the best way to create an equilibrium between our forces and the fiends. I’m sure Alex will help smooth out any wrinkles during this trying time.”
With that, Allahandra took Rakkian’s hand and they, with their old friends and new companions sat at the once large table that now felt too crowded with the fiend leaders.
Nearing the end of the meal an old face showed up. Angie approached with her crystal ball item that continued to pulsate with a green swirling mist. She wore another tight dress that accented her voluptuous breasts and figure that had every red-blooded male in the room follow her movements. “Long time, Angie.”
“Not long enough for you’ve given me a headache both yesterday and today.” She said mildly.
“Is there something I can do to levy the pain?” Niranene asked.
“Nay,” The best seer in Freelan said. “It isn’t a headache that you can cure. It is mostly frustration in my part for there is absolutely no way to see the future with Alex so ingrained with those that decide a great many paths for the future to take. You of all people should understand my dilemma. I’ve heard that your item was useless against him too.”
“Only the one I use to see inside someone.” The healer corrected. “My medicines worked on him just as well as anyone else.”
Alex felt it was time to explain. “What you need to know is a Furion has an item, only it is our bodies. My grandfather says it is a mystery to this day, but apparently our item rejects mental items, not visual as we once assumed. Seers see the path and possible future the mind makes, but our ability to reject makes your visions impossible to determine. To understand the complexities of the body Niranene’s item allows her mind to see what goes on inside another’s body. Any item that takes mental focus to see in or around a Furion gets nullified, but physical items work on us just as well as anybody else.”
“Interesting,” Angie said before speaking to Allahandra. “It is as you suspected. The tournament is impossible to see the outcome. Is there anything I can do for you today?”
“That will be all. Get some rest and try not to focus on Alex anymore. I do not want you getting headaches for something that is beyond your gifts.”
At noon Alex rode into the soft sand arena atop Shade’s back. Along the way many fiends heard about the tournament and asked to watch. The transition in the city went smoother than Alex dared dream, but it only reinforced his belief that Freelan welcomed those seeking freedom despite any physical appearances.
Nearly half the city heard about the tournament and came to witness what a Furion was capable of. People also made room for the fiend lords that loved a good fight. It was impressive to see the stands filled to capacity, and then some. Around the arena floor, over a thousand warrior class item wielding men and women were preparing themselves for the unknown.
As The Pack, the queen and her companions entered, Allahandra came closer when Alex slid down to survey those he’d soon face. “I wish you good luck. In case of an unforeseen accident I have alerted the healers to be on standby.”
“It is better to be safe.” He admitted.
Shade and Ava gave condolences to the ones who came to test themselves, but it was actually their older brother’s test. He had trained for many months with a Master Furion, but against actual item wielding people the differences in fighting tactics were in an entirely different category. Even with all the harsh and dangerous training, facing about a thousand weapon wielding item users gave a brief moment of hesitation. Each and every person in the tournament had one goal, to defeat the Furion and Alex wasn’t foolish enough to underestimate the odds or the strength these battle hardened warriors had lightly.
As the warriors amassed and the crowd settled in for a spectacle they were sure to enjoy, Alex stood alone in the soft brown sand and watched the warriors preparing themselves. The stress began to get heavy, but suddenly he remembered all his grandfather taught him. To reduce the tension Alex dropped his black cape and began completing the series of difficult poses he was taught and many watched in astonishment how far the human body can twist and contort. Soon all eyes began to watch how a Furion prepares for a conflict.
Once the rigorous movements were completed a thin sheen of sweat glistened from the high hanging sun. Allahandra sat in a box surrounded by fiends and held in her hand an item that amplified her voice so that all in the excited crowd could clearly hear her. “Valliant warriors! You have all chosen to pit yourselves against Prince Alex to test not only yourselves, but what he can do! Remember, if you find yourselves out of place or tasting the sand beneath your feet you are considered dead and must exit the field! Are you ready?”
She received battle cries from her warriors and many raised their weapon.
She then repeated the question to Alex and in response he hopped on the balls of his feet a few times before officially drawing his sword. Its sharp pealing announcement gave all the answer Allahandra needed.
“Begin!” She shouted and the crowd yelled and cheered. The fiends took the cue and voiced their own cheers.
Immediately the long to mid-range fighters sent a volley of arrows, stones and multi-throwing style weapons all at where he stood. It was a marvel to see such accuracy converge all on one point. Alex wanted to demonstrate just how meaningless projectile weapons were and sent an explosion of heat and strength throughout his limbs.
The ornate sword flashed, stabbed and sliced at a speed that baffled the eye, but as the first volley came closer another tactic needed to be implemented. With a combination of the sword slicing through the arrows and rocks he also used the bracers on his forearms to divert the objects or use an excessive amount of strength and speed to obliterate the assaulting weapons. In a few seconds the volley was thwarted yet Alex hadn’t taken or moved a single inch since the initial attack. The ranged warriors were mostly dumbfounded, but then Alex noticed a few of the misdirected shots were coming back around with a deadly surprise. Level four and five warriors made up the bulk of the force he faced and the weapons were too fatal to be stopped for one was undoubtedly a rare explosive type arrow from a level five archer. To damage the arrow in any way automatically detonates the item and Alex breathed a sigh of relief for not destroying it in the initial strike.
Thanks for his ability to speed up his own mind he could clearly see and react to situations any normal person would have been killed from. Only three of the six remaining higher level items were a true threat. An explosive arrow, a small disk that temporarily paralyzes a person once it attaches to cloth and a three pointed throwing star that is the size of a person’s torso and also explodes when damaged or tastes blood, those three were the deadliest and ruthlessly followed its target, unless it was stopped of all momentum. He avoided the returning assault by jumping and rotating a few feet in the air to snatch the three most dangerous weapons with his free left hand. Using the rotating momentum he landed effortlessly ten feet away for one of the lesser projectiles struck the ground turned the loose sand into deadly spikes a foot in height.
With all three of the most dangerous weapons forcibly stopped Alex sat them on the ground quickly, but carefully so that none of them would detonate and kill him, and probably someone else.
If they seriously intended to use these tactics to win, Alex knew he needed to finish this before someone gets seriously
injured or worse. At least items of that power and caliber cannot be used in quick succession and take time to reappear or be used again.
In a moment fear washed over the amassed warriors as the sole target of the game sat his steely grey eyes upon them, but their training and experience kept them grounded. Then they gasped as an explosion of sand erupted behind him as he dashed with an incomprehensible and inhuman speed. Being barefoot had its advantages, especially in loose sand. In that single movement Alex dove directly into the thickest grouping of warriors and laughed at his own power.
This is amazing! He thought after throwing a man by the leg into three others and sending all of them on their backs. Just how strong will I become after all this is over? Somehow he knew that if this was all Ra’van had to fight with he could win the war practically on his own, but against a seasoned Furion he knew his expectations would prove his own end. How will I been seen after this display? Again he knew the answer. People would see me as a hero, ally and savior, but the truth would be they would also fear me probably more than all the fiends put together. I just need to keep reassuring them that I won’t become a tyrant like my uncle. Ra’van will be seen as respectable once again, not suppressive. I vow it! He then pushed the random thoughts aside as a sword that was ablaze narrowly missed his neck.
Men and women were helpless against his speed and by the time their reactions allowed a glimpse of him he was gone and they found themselves down on the ground a moment later. Against his speed they were as helpless as newborn babes. He tripped or kicked behind their knee to ground them. In less than two minutes nearly half of the forces against him were floored. Some got off surprising attacks that forced Alex to defend with his sword, but his lightning swift speed and ability to alter direction at a moment’s notice gave him an opening to strike the warriors.
Furion's Trials (Book Two of the Items Trilogy) Page 46