Then I sent her a personal message. “Thank you. I’ve been looking forward to fighting you more than anyone else in the competition. If things were different, I like to give you every opportunity to show me what you’re capable of. But today, I don’t have that luxury.”
As if answering both of my last responses, she replied verbally, “Don’t worry, after I win against you, I’ll beat Manu bloody until even Gansuk looks handsome.”
I grinned in response. I liked Eshana, and I didn’t want her to think any differently, but I was done with this competition. Any thought of depending upon strategy or holding back what I was capable of had shattered when Manu had almost shattered Sai’s core. I had 404,480 MPM and 2,743,101 MP to play with before I would have to tap into my refined mana. I’d planned on using my Metal Dragon Form as a strategic play, but I threw all of that out.
As the announcer started the fight, I began to change into my Crimson Incubus Form. I could technically increase my Light Magic Buffs while using it, but it would make it much more likely for someone to notice. That didn’t mean I was out of options.
I channeled mana into Incubus with abandon. Without Vampire Form, I’d lost the Intelligence buff, but what was 1,000 Intelligence anyways? The cost of my Incubus Form went from 12,000 Mana Per Minute to 768,000 over a few seconds. The heat inside of me boiled. With over 35,000 Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, I put a cap on my mana flow as I reached 7x Crimson Incubus Form.
It had taken me over ten seconds to prepare myself. Eshana had taken full advantage and raised a wall that completely cut herself off from two-thirds of the arena. It was the second time I’d seen her use this defense. This, and not the little dome she’d used in the last fight, seemed to be her trump card. It meant that there wasn’t just a wall between us, but a large pool of water that she could hide in. Finding her wouldn’t be easy, and I could only hold my form for a couple minutes.
Pulling my wings tight against my back, the tiles beneath my feet cracked as my image blurred. Instead of trying to conserve mana, I threw even more into my Incubus Form’s rarely used Enrage and Fire Breathing abilities. Borrowing Sai’s approach in his match against Manu, I flew forward like a red-hot coal, quickly reaching top speed. When I neared her thick wall of stone, I didn’t rear back to attack it with my fist but lowered my head as if I were challenging Waldemar the Minotaur Captain to a headbutting contest.
The Enrage ability was similar to Werewolf’s Bloodlust. Because of my experience hunting with Travis for all those weeks, I didn’t lose myself in the ability’s rage. Instead, the memory of fighting with my friend merged with the fury I felt from seeing Sai near death.
It wasn’t fair. Eshana shouldn’t have had to be the one to fight me after what had just happened to Sai. We should have had the most impressive fight out of the entire preliminaries. But I was incapable of holding back. Her wall parted as I passed through it like a wall of talc. It was a mound of powder that crumbled to dust in my wake.
Her wall was taller and thicker this time, which meant there was much more water. But plunging into it I was like an ever-burning flame. A volcanic source that sent the entire pool boiling within seconds.
As I searched for her beneath her pool’s surface, I noticed that the heat from my body was so immense that the water wasn’t even touching my flesh. The bone armor over my chest turned to ash the moment I stopped providing it mana. As the water pushed toward me, it turned to steam before it could reach. The steam pushed the water back over my head as it sought a means of escape. Of course, I responded as any enraged fire monster would. I added even more mana to turn up the heat.
If I had known that Eshana had already leapt from the pool because she wasn’t able to take the heat, I would have cooled my temper right there. But in a sense, I’d forgotten her in the moment. Sucking in a massive breath, which wasn’t even necessary for the spell, I dropped 100,000 MP for no other reason than because I could. An inferno of fire spewed from my mouth. Hundreds of gallons of water went gaseous in an instant as even more was pushed back as if by a formidable wind.
She wasn’t even directly above me, but as the waters were pushed back, I saw her near one side of the arena looking down at me with all the color drained from her face.
I hadn’t completely lost my mind. I turned off the flames as my wings shot out, smacking the displaced water back even further. The next thing I knew, I was holding Eshana by the neck with one arm as she dangled thirty feet in the air. She hadn’t tried to evade me because she was completely incapable. She was so light.
I noticed then that I hadn’t turned down the heat as much as I’d thought. The skin of her neck was burning beneath my palm.
Drawing back the heat entirely, I floated down and set her as gently as possible on the ground.
“Sorry,” I said through mind-speak and immediately healed her throat with a stream of Dark Magic before removing my hand.
She blinked half a dozen times as if to make sense of what had happened. “I never had a chance.”
I chuckled aloud, but still replied through mind-speak. “I wouldn’t underestimate my ability to come up with unworkable strategies for you to take advantage of. Today, I just didn’t have the luxury of losing.”
She nodded sheepishly. As her eyes narrowed, I saw some of the brazen boldness return. Her hand shot up, as she directed someone behind me.
I sidestepped and turned so that I could see them both. A high-level dark elf had been standing within arm’s reach behind me. I also saw Alexandria standing next to her. Who knew what would have happened if I hadn’t stopped myself as soon as I had?
“Will you let me make this up to you?” I said privately. “I have no idea where to find good food in this city, so you can pick the place. I’m paying.” It was a long shot, but I’d been wanting to ask her about the girl that had been stuck so firmly in Khun’s dungeon spirit mind.
She couldn’t have looked more stunned if I were still holding her up by the throat. For all her flirty smack talk, it seemed the last thing she’d ever expected was for me to actually ask her out. I could be breaking every rule, but I didn’t care. I still wasn’t sure if I intended to kill Manu in our match tomorrow, but the trouble was coming whether I liked it or not
“You’re asking me out on a date?” she replied.
“I do not mean to overstep, and my intentions are not romantic in nature. Everything I said before the match is true. Feel free to bring a friend, or escort, or whatever will make you more comfortable. Celebrating how far we’ve gotten in these preliminaries would be enjoyable, I think. Few people in Hallow have much of a sense of humor. You would be doing me a favor by helping to lighten my mood. I also have a close friend whose playmate had to flee from his side when she was still a child many years ago. She’s a dark elf… If there’s a way to track her down and find out if she’s still alive, I’d also like to inquire for him.”
“You are quite odd, Zerin of Tir. Normally, I don’t trust vampires who drink nothing but the blood of beasts, but if you’re paying, then how can a girl say no?”
She gave me the name of a restaurant and I flew to my seat. I ignored the announcements about tomorrow’s finals and checked on Sai. I then reported to Jale about my date with Eshana. I truly had no intention of it being a romantic engagement in any way. Asking her felt very appropriate at the time, but suddenly I was as sweaty as a pig being readied for roasting. It wasn’t like I had a relationship with Jale, nor did I want one. So why were my nerves flaring like a teenage boy?
“I can call it off or change the arrangements if it will cause dishonor,” I added at the end of my explanation.
She closed her eyes after hearing my report through mind-speak. It was as if she’d heard a private joke and didn’t want to share. “There is no need. Only a dark elf would dare to have agreed to your proposal at such a time. You do realize that there’s now open hostility between us and a neighboring noble house and you’ve just invited Eshana to share in it with you? Hmmm
. Although, the Shahs wouldn’t dare show the same hostility to them because of their trade agreements, but this may be seen as us trying to win more agreeable terms. And why shouldn’t it…” She tapped her chin. “Go to this dinner. I’ll send an escort with you that might as well discuss a shared future. Take your mind off tomorrow’s finals and enjoy yourself.”
Why did I feel like I was going to regret this?
Chapter 27 – Chophouse
I returned with Sai to the Tir mansion where he’d already moved in. Unlike me, who had prepaid for my hotel, his funds were peanuts so free board was a big deal to him even with the VT he’d won in the preliminaries. My date with Eshana was planned for a few hours from then. Right now he needed me whether he’d admit it or not.
His apartment wasn’t large, but the bed looked comfortable enough and there was decent closet space. There was no kitchen, for members of the family were expected to eat together while they were staying under the same roof. There were a few cushioned chairs around a coffee table where we sat and relaxed. I was still used to human hotels having TVs, so it was odd seeing every room designed without one in mind.
“You have to watch out for those dark elves,” Sai insisted for the thousandth time. I knew he was trying to take his mind off his fight with Manu, so the repetition didn’t annoy me. “They’ll tease intimacy just to stab you in the back for fun while you’re going in for a kiss. I hear their women like to devour their males while mating, only to heal them back to life after they’ve had their fun.”
“Seriously?” I replied.
“Probably not, but I wouldn’t put it past Eshana. That girl is a mischief monster.”
“So what you’re really asking is for me to put in a good word for you?”
“I… Of course not.”
“Don’t worry. If she’s not interested I’ll ask her if she has a friend that might be.”
He shook his head sharply. “You’re the one courting her. Leave me out of this one.”
“Courting her friendship. What can I say, I like oddballs. You and I are friends after all.”
It finally coaxed a snicker out of him. “Why did you ask her?”
“There’s no mystery. I feel bad for how our fight turned out. I took my anger out on her instead of Manu.”
“Aren’t you afraid it might affect your chances with Jale?”
It was my turn to laugh. “I have a lot of respect for her, but I’m not interested in a romantic relationship with her either.”
“For all that is bloody, why not? From what I can tell you’re the only suitor that has a chance.”
I didn’t answer right away. Since first meeting him, I’d really told him nothing about myself, despite wanting to. I’d come to trust two vampires. He was one and Jale was the other. I wasn’t ready to tell them I was human, but perhaps I could give him a few more clues as to why I was really here.
Knowing that the Head Mistress was still capable of hearing everything I said out loud, I answered him through mind-speak. “I’m engaged. My fiancée is being held by an ancient entity and I have no choice but to complete a mission that they sent me on to win her freedom, as well as a number of my friends.”
“That’s foul,” he replied, following my lead and answering through mind-speak. “Does Jale know? She might be able to help.”
“Not with this.”
“How powerful are we talking about here? Grandmaster level?”
All that it took was a look.
“Even stronger?” His tongue passed back and forth over his top row of teeth as he thought. “And I thought you had all the luck… At least that means you’re no longer any competition.”
“Is that what it means?” I belly laughed. “So it’s Jale you’re after?”
He shrugged off my response. “You’re leaving after the Festival of Parmida?”
“Perhaps.”
“Then I’m leaving with you.”
“No you’re not.” I sat forward while giving him a piercing look. “You can’t help me where I’m going, and I hope one day to return. Get your thirst under control and train those beast-feeder biceps. I’ll need all the friends I can get. Got it?”
“Yeah, I got it… So what’s this girl like? Your fiancée? Are you sure she compares to Jale, and is she as freakishly powerful as you?”
“She’s a force of nature. She keeps me in line. Jale reminds me of her actually. As for her strength, if she’s improved as much as I think she has, she’d probably easily win the preliminaries.”
“Even against Manu?”
Remembering her ability to control the wind and create a Belly controlling tornado at a fraction of the level she must be now, if her level had neared my own… Not to mention, in her Wisp Form she was practically invincible. It was possible Manu’s Dark Magic could harm her, but I wasn’t so sure. Could Darkness and Corruption really harm the wind? The more I saw of the world, the more I realized how unique she was. Wind itself was fairly rare among the elements and her talents in it and Dexterity combined made her even more exceptional. “I suspect she’d win with ease.”
“She can beat you?”
“I don’t think I’d lose against her, but neither could I defeat her. She’s more elusive than you are.”
“Fine. Jale will just have to settle for me.”
“Take care of her. What the Tir family has built here is rare. You know that as well as I do.”
“I do. And I will.”
“And Sai, try not to wink…”
***
Jale personally came to retrieve me when it was about time for me to get ready for my date with Eshana. She wore a snug fur of black and orange that hugged her neck and shoulders. Her dress showed off her strong, feminine build.
I’d been escorted to a room that resembled a dressing area in a large department store. There were mirrors lining the back wall, and the entrance to a short hall that had changing rooms that offered some privacy. The front of the room where we stood had a number of benches where people could sit while someone modeled.
Alexandria was with Jale, carrying the outfit they’d hand-selected for me to wear. “We’ve discovered that the establishment you’ll be attending tonight has a clientele that mostly aren’t vampires. Dark elves and orcs are the main patrons, but other races including humans are also commonly served there. I’m sure Eshana chose such a place to make you uncomfortable. Will it give you any trouble?”
I knew what she was really trying to say. Would I be tempted to go on a murderous rampage and drain everyone while I was there? “It won’t be a problem.”
“Very good,” Jale said, taking my arm and sitting me down on one of the benches. “The best part is that there won’t be as many vampires spying on you and it’s very unlikely the Shahs will harass you while you’re there. I’m sure Eshana also chose it for that reason. You don’t have to worry about any of the negotiations we have in mind. Do be careful, though. You seem to know dark elves better than most, but do not forget that they are unrestrained. What we might take as offensive is nothing but a practical joke to them. Even a certain level of violence is acceptable.”
“I will,” I promised.
“Then, let’s get you dressed for the occasion.” She stood and motioned for Alexandria.
“You will be overdressed, but that is expected from the family of Tir,” her aunt said as she held up the garment for me to see. “We’ve chosen the fur of the ruby panther to be the focal piece.”
The fur was in the shape of a cloak and, despite being black as night, there was a red shimmer as it flexed and bent. It was like the yellow light of the room was absorbed by the fur, then a red light was reflected in place of it.
Alexandria continued, “This ruby panther was level 25,000 and stood twice as tall as a man. It fed a troop for two days by itself. It’s a magnificently graceful beast. To wear its fur is to wear its pride. You possess its speed and still have a red glow to your eyes, so it fits you well.”
“Which brings us
to another topic of importance,” Jale said, standing me up to my feet. “I know you don’t actually drink blood. Tonight, since the restaurant has a beast-feeder friendly menu, it’s a good opportunity for you to sample a wide variety of beast-bloods. The change doesn’t take place overnight, so there is no danger of it affecting your fight tomorrow. But absorbing blood magically will not cause the change. Think about it. It’s just a suggestion and it could be fun.”
“Then I’ll have to take your advice.” It wasn’t long ago that I’d been planning to really join them. My plans had been modified, again, but I still wished as much.
I was handed the garments and I left to change in one of the backrooms. It only took me a minute. The cloak of panther fur clung to my shoulders and hung over my chest, while only draping down to my lower back. As soon as I’d put it on, I felt that there was much more to it. Examining it, my eyes widened as I saw it added 5,000 to Dexterity. No wonder the Tirs always wore animal furs. It was one of the highest stat bonuses I’d seen from a piece of clothing.
As I walked out to stand in the center of the room, surrounded by mirrors and the two women who’d taken a seat, I felt a nervous chill crawl up my spine.
“Much better,” Alexandria said. “Now you look the part.”
Jale stood and approached me. Her eyes glistened with purple light. There was a serious glint to her gaze that held me in place. When she was no more than a foot away, she stopped and looked up at me. Unlike Aeris who was a full head shorter than me, Jale was only a few inches shorter. “I hope that you’re able to relax your mind tonight, for tomorrow’s trial will not be a minor one. I suspect that Manu has only showed us a fraction of what he’s capable of. I know you’ll force it out of him, but if you aren’t careful, he’ll end it before you have a chance to respond. Prepare yourself, Zerin of Tir. If you don’t defeat him, then I’ll have to be the one to do so in the main competition. Wouldn’t that be embarrassing?”
Underworld - Scorching Sun: A LitRPG Series Page 23