At least the sadistic spectators had their canopies. Hmf.
The moment Tornius regained himself, he raised his weapon. I saw my chance.
I rapidly dashed forward, slashing at his arm as I slid by… Well, a part of it anyway. I mean, come on! It was a great deal larger than me…
The beast roared an ear-piercing roar and his arm raised. For all I know, it was just as good as a pinch! I gave way and pulled my sword along with. I took the risk and threw myself at him, ducking and dogging each hit he threw at me with exceptional skill and agility. I stabbed him in the leg above his massive hoof, but it didn’t seem to have much effect on him.
Tornius gave another violent strike and swung the club toward me. I jumped out of its way and fell to the ground, but instantly got back to my feet, giving way just in time to miss the club that swung round towards me. I held my sword at a ready and got ready for any attack he dared to use on me.
A thought came to mind. What if I could use his weapon against him since my sword was obviously not of much use? I ran towards him and made a stop at his leg. I stood and waited alertly as Tornius took another hit. I leaped out of its path as soon as the thing reached me. It was a lucky strike. He had hit his own leg with his own weapon, but this only seemed to anger him much more than before. At first he gave a roar of enragement and then fury filled his soul, blazing a feral flame at his eyes. Somehow, it felt as though he had picked up speed, driven the wrath he carried for me.
This is not helping at all!
He landed a fist to my gut and knocked me back. For a moment my feet kicked in mid-air before I skidded across the muddy ground. I was quick to regain my feet. Another fist came at me and I leapt out of the way, quick enough to regain myself to grab a hold on the furs of his wrist. He raised his hand and I clung for dear. When he was close enough in range, I let go and pushed myself at him, both my hands tightening their grip on my sword’s grip. I raised the sword as I closed in on him. It was a good leap and gained me a bit of an upper hand as the edge of my blade was sent penetrating his thick hide.
I slid down – a pirate on a ship’s sail – leaving behind a long bloody gash tearing across his chest and stomach. Soon enough my feet at his stomach and I pushed myself away. I was sent flying towards the ground as the Minotaur stumbled back, growling and roaring at the wound I gave him.
It was a bit of a hard and rough landing, but I managed to take the distance. I was quick to my feet.
I reeled away as the Minotaur swung his club at me, his strength fuelled by his rage.
Another fist was sent flying my way, too quick for my liking and I had to act fast. I bit down on my teeth and closed my eyes as I stuck my sword’s edge at him. My blade pierced deep into his fist as it sent slamming into me. My breath left me at the sudden impact, but I kept my stance, pushing forward and against the force of his fist. My feet slid across the muddy ground, gathering piles of gravel and the wind yanked at me from all sides. Still, I didn’t let go of the firm grip I had on the hilt of my sword didn’t let go. I slammed into the wall and the beast yanked his hand away, shaking it wildly from the anguish my sword had managed to give him.
Flashing a glance down at my sword, I saw its entire blade covered in pitch-black blood. The stench was putrid. I managed not to gag and pulled away from the wall, running forward.
Focus, Carlaylin.
I raised my sword by my side for another attack. I was just starting to feel confident again.
Focus.
I struck where I could and dodged every hit the best I could, trying my absolute best to avoid that terrible looking weapon of his.
Tornius gave another ferocious swing of his club and missed me by mere inches, but one of the spikes did manage to catch me, tearing through the skin at my cheek and I fell. It was but only a graze, but still stung and burned from the touch of rusted metal. I ignored the wound, hopped to my feet and struck few counter attacks of my own, swinging my sword at where ever I could see the open opportunity.
I managed to block off the blow from his fist once after, but he managed to knock me off guard. My vision blurred. I started seeing specks of blood as he hit me with all his might. My vision struggled to adjust properly.
The soon as I regained my focus, I looked in front of me. I saw nothing but one massive club heading toward me. My vision flashed and my lungs shrivelled as its wooden exterior rammed into me, me luckily missing most of the wide-spaced spikes. Nothing could save me from the blow. I felt as my bones crunched beneath my skin and my feet leave the earth. I shot through the air and my back crashed into the arena wall. Like a fly on the wall, I merely dropped and ploughed to the muddy earth. I saw black, my breathing heavy. Soon enough I came to, left to hear nothing but the own relentless thumping of my head against my skull. My body was numb. I couldn’t move. I was too stiff. Not long after, the pain returned, bit by bit. My entire body was riddled in agony, burning and stinging with an incomprehensible pain.
I could but only lay there, motionless, on the ground with the rain pounding down at me. I was drowning in a pool of my own blood, dark crimson seeping into the dark muddy earth beneath. Gasping for air wasn’t easy. There was nothing. Nothing but for the sound of my own heartbeat, deafening the sound of the applauding crowd. I tried to keep my eyes open and looked at the Minotaur with a blurred vision. He just stood there, thinking that he had crushed one more mortal for victory and won.
I couldn’t move. I started giving up hope. I knew that this was the end, that I was going to die, bleed to death perhaps. But there was something that got me moving forward... That little something the soon as I heard a ruckus up above, I tried to lift my gaze to see what was going on. Guards rushed into the skybox close by, grabbing Terrowin and locking his arms behind his back with the idea that I have lost. He tried to pull away in a massive struggle, never before so bewildered. The soldiers pushed him to his knees and held the edge of a sword to the back of his neck. He froze, eyes widened, engrossed with great apprehension.
No…
I couldn’t let this happen just because I was foolish enough to accept that deal.
NO.
I was the cause and now I will be the resolution.
GET UP!
I bit down on my teeth, weak, but yet finding the vitality to sluggishly get up. I used my one hand to ease myself up. My face screwed with eternal pain as I tried, but I kept on moving. Bit by bit I pushed myself up with all the strength I had left to muster. So now and then I would lose strength and fall back down again, but that didn’t stop me. As I struggled to get up the announcer took his turn to speak, “What’s this? What – I – how?”
He seemed to be at a loss for words as shock settled over him like a cold and cruel layer. “How can this be possible? No ordinary human can survive a hit like that! The combatant is alive and going!”
It may be true, but I’m not ordinary, now am I?
I gradually rose to my feet and unsteadily tried to keep my balance as I stood. I grasped my upper left swordsman’s arm. Blood streamed down my arm, spewed from a large and open wound. A terrible wound. Blood dripped to the earth and the pain was unbearable. I was unable to escape from it, but knew that there wasn’t much of a choice. I was fine with me dying. But not Terrowin. No. That was a mistake I had to fix.
My shoulder was dislocated and I knew what had to be done. I pushed it back into place with scream, but soon recollected myself. I felt so weary. I felt terrible.
I rolled my shoulder to see if it was still working. I touched my cheek and examined my fingers. Blood and dirt. My expression turned solemn. Determined.
Looking up, I noted the guards, frozen and postponing Terrowin’s death sentence and watched as I continued what had to be won.
Game time.
I felt it inside of me. Like a lion, my soul roared. Oddly, I was given a new and extra feet of strength by something I couldn’t explain, something that gave me life. New life.
I stared
at the Minotaur, but determination and courage returned. With much effort, I managed to retrieve my sword from the wet earth.
I lunged myself at it. I had one thing Tornius did not have. I had the element of speed. He struck his club at me, but I dodged and rolled away, regaining myself quite fast. His club was stuck to the ground. I saw this as an open opportunity. I grabbed a hold on one of the spikes. The club broke loose from the earth and the Minotaur yanked it up. It was quite a force I had to work with and kept a tightened grip on the spikes, finding good enough footholds on the other spikes below my feet. The frigid wind tugged at my hair.
The soon as the altitude seemed sufficient, I let go and pushed myself off. I was an eagle, a bird high in the sky, almost weightless during that one second. I maneuvered myself with one smooth set of actions.
I regained myself and held my sword at a ready. I started to fall. I gripped it tight in my bare hands and let the awfully sharp edge face down. I was above the beast. For but a millisecond I was afraid that I would miss it and plummet to my death, but I made it. I really made it. My sword stabbed and slid into his neck from behind. I could feel as my blade pierced thick hide, veins, then bone.
The beast let go of a drilling roar, crying in terrible agony. It went feral, trying to bat at me, but his hands couldn’t find me. He stormed about like a raging bull. But by sheer luck, he soon lost his power and couldn’t keep his balance for much longer. Its life drained from its body and its body went numb. It wasn’t long before it tilted forward and, after a brief and suspenseful pause, it started to fall, down to the cold ground beneath us.
I held on for dear life, shutting my eyes as the strong wind threatened to yank me off.
The soon as it crashed to the earth, the force heaved me off. My hands let go and I shot forward, rolling across its head and tumbling from its snout. I rocketed to the earth and ploughed the ground. It wasn’t long until my body came to a halt. I groaned. The unnecessary exertion wasn’t exactly something I needed at this moment…
I wearily opened my eyes. That new life was still with me. That new strength still coursed strongly through my veins, as if by magic. I felt invincible.
Gradually I stood.
I heard but not a word. All was silent but for the breeze and the rain spinning down in vortices it carried.
All was silent. The crowd was still. I felt as all eyes were on me, seemingly stunned. I climbed the Minotaur, grabbed its large and thick horns and swung myself onto its head with skilful agility. I reached for my sword and pulled it from the beast’s neck, even though it almost felt stuck at first. I wasn’t about to leave Cassius’ sword behind.
I scanned the crowd. And then I raised my sword in sign of glory, honour, valour, righteousness and prevail.
My strength didn’t allow me long and I faltered, swinging the sword back to my side and grabbing at my gaping wound on my side, ignoring the one on my upper arm.
The crowd had burst into applause and I could feel an aura of respect. People began to rise from their seats. One by one they raised and the cheers only grew louder, but nothing pleased me. Nothing.
I found myself unable to smile. I couldn’t even force a faint grin. My expression remained solemn.
It took a while before the announcer could find his words.
“Ladies and gentlemen! I present to you… your new CHAMPION! Carlaylin Thorel!”
The cheers grew only louder by the minute. There was a thought I couldn’t ignore. I became incensed. I practically breathed fire.
“IS THIS A JOKE TO YOU?!” I yelled, trying to get the people to hear me loud and clear.
The masses leisurely fell silent.
“A game? Forcing millions of innocent people to give up their lives just for your SICK entertainment and pleasure?! You treat us like we are nothing! Only when we manage to please and impress you we earn your respect – respect that yet fades away with time! Only to be regained again by taking others’ lives once again!”
I could hear murmurs and mumbles emerging from the stirring crowds.
“This is a great dishonour to all, yourselves and Morrowburg!”
I paused to examine the audience’s expressions. Some were furious, others were in shock. A few seemed to realise the truth, but others only stared carelessly at me as though I was nothing but a little brat getting in their way.
“I did not rid this world of Tornius for you or pleasure,” I continued, “But rather for a cause of more important, more important than all of this!”
As the people sat quietly and tried to think about my words, the announcer soon interrupted by saying, “Y-You may choose you winnings.”
I growled.
Bastard.
My eyes lividly scanned the crowds. I looked up at the tower balcony and saw that Du Perron was gone. Somehow I just knew that this would’ve been his plan. I clenched my fists. I wanted to make clear what I wanted.
“I choose the Star of Hallos!” I swear that I heard a few gasps coming from the crowd.
I heard a slight creak on the far end and then noticed the gates to the dark tower-like structure to be sliding open. I veered around to face the entrance.
“Come and claim it, then,” dared the announcer devilishly.
I gave my sword a few swings and studied the crowd. Not even a single word was spoken.
“Fine,” I murmured, sliding off the Minotaur’s arm, landing swiftly on my feet. I shot one more final glance at the crowd before dashing off, entering the tower with absolute haste.
I entered through the old stone archway, but found the inside staircase to be old and ruined. It was silent with nothing but the sound of my rattling armour as I ran up the darkened staircase.
I guess it to be a typical challenge Du Perron had set up to protect himself from losing his possessions to champions, but I accepted the challenge. It was but only a wrecked and timeworn staircase that was constructed in a spiral, leading to Du Perron’s office at the top. I rolled my neck and instantaneously started moving up the stairs. Some of them were massive and gave me no choice but to leap upwards to grab the edge, heaving myself up with all the strength I had left. I rushed up the dark stone stairs and avoided any unstable ones, giving way for any traps that were placed proximately.
Along the way I did pass some vast gaps that led down to what looked like nowhere, an abyss of nothingness and most probably a bunch of undeniable spikes… No, thank you.
I think the floor must’ve given in quite some time ago.
I scraped all my courage together and jumped towards the step, grabbing its edge, but my other hand slipped. I found myself facing the deep dark chasm below, dangling from the step by one hand.
Bits and crumbles of grit fell skidded from the step and down into the chasm bellow.
I snapped out of my daze and fear of falling and tried to focus. I looked up and grabbed a hold on the step with my other hand and managed to pull myself up.
I rolled forward, but yet remained flat and stationary on the cold stone surface. I could only lie silently on the ground, staring upwards.
“Wait for it...”
Just then a large wooden tree trunk with a sharpened edge, adjusted onto a thick rope, swung pass and hit the opposite wall. I could feel the air as it swooped by, crashing into the wall.
At least I didn’t get crushed.
“Knew it.”
I rolled out of the way and got back to my feet, continuing the dangerous path and avoiding all the traps and possible dangers. You know, the usual: bear traps, shooting metal arrows, whirling blades, a pack of blood thirsty poodles, electrocution ropes, and pretty much anything else you can think of. I tried to get to Du Perron as quickly as possible.
Soon enough I came across a door of wood at the very top. I was quite exhausted, the exertion working a terrible strain on my wounds and aching muscles.
I tried the handle, but, as I expected, it was locked. I grunted. There was no time for this.
I stepped back and landed a forceful kick to the door and it burst inward, swinging from its half broken hinges. A web of cracks was left behind on the wall. The office room was completely out of context with the staircase. All was brand new. Just like the last time I came here.
Bookshelves stood on various spots alongside some other comfortable chairs. Parchments lay about, gauchely spread out across the desk in the middle. Du Perron’s office once again… It might have given a warm feel, one linked with the décor, but I could still smell the cold it masked.
A man with the same round, recognizable spectacles and suit and short grey hair looked up.
We meet again.
He seemed shocked by my sudden appearance. He was sitting in Du Perron’s chair behind the desk, which might probably be illegal. He was busy working on some paperwork with a quill in his right hand.
The secretary looked slightly frightened by my presence. His whole body was quivering.
“Uh… don’t tell him I do this.”
I rolled my eyes and stepped closer.
“It doesn’t matter now. Where is Maxus du Perron?”
The man gave a nervous smile and tensely played with his fingers.
“I-I am sorry but I’m not allowed to give you such information. I have been strictly forbidden.” I shot him a threatening look, slamming my fist to the table. My eyes danced with the same ruthlessness I carried.
I couldn’t help but lean in close, invading his personal space and grabbing at his collar.
“Where is he?!” I roared.
The secretary yelped, beads of stress sweat on his forehead like pearls.
“H-He took the artefact and left the soon as he could get the chance! His carriage is down below the tower! Please don’t hurt me! I have too much paperwork to tend to!”
I grunted and threw him back, his back violently hitting the chair. When he finally recollected himself, he adjusted his glasses, leaning back in fear as I passed by, still shaken and trembling pugnaciously.
What? Looks like you’ve seen a ghost.
Wizard of Elements Page 31
