by Kory Shen
The mage watched me coolly, then raised her hand. A fireball flew towards another approaching knight. The fireball collided with the man in an even larger explosion than before. The knight, armor and all, flew backwards a good ten feet. She looked back at me with a smug expression.
Fuck that. "Power to fifty percent." I aimed my left arm at another knight. "Triple shot."
This time, my attack knocked the knight into another knight behind him, sending both flying a dozen feet in the air.
I tilted my helmet at the mage. "Come on. What's your name?"
The mage frowned as if I had cheated. I held my hands up. "What?"
The mage sighed. "I'm Kuri."
I smiled. "Nice to meet you, Kuri."
* * *
In the end, there were only four participants left: me, the mage Kuri, and two well-armored knights. Kuri and I had paired up for the remainder of the fight, and it looked like the two other knights knew each other as well. Each was equipped from head to toe with elite Sentinel-class armor. They both carried a sword and shield, an unusual set of equipment for plain knights but more commonplace among Sentinels. Ordinary swords weren't the most effective weapons against other knights, but Sentinel weapons were far from ordinary.
Based on the identical serpent emblems on their armor, I took the two knights to be brothers.
The rest of the participants were dead or injured and had been carried off the field. All eyes were on the four of us in the center of the battleground.
Kuri and I faced the two knights. Kuri was breathing harder from the exertion of the battle, and I now understood why she wore a headband. The heat of her flames combined with her fighting style had left her fair skin coated with the sheen of sweat.
I hardly felt the bulk of my own armor, since its enhanced strength made it essentially weightless. But the combination of Power Gauntlets and Windweaver Boots the knights wore would have had the same effect, not to mention the magical shielding from their Prism Breastplates and the boosted stamina from their Zeal Helms.
One of the brothers stepped forward slightly and waved his gauntleted hand at me.
"You, Sir Knight. There's no need to fight among ourselves. Join us. The Melee can have three victors."
Several people in the crowd shouted. They wanted to see a fight, not a parley.
I glanced at Kuri. Her shoulders tensed as she waited for my reply. "Nah. I'll have to pass. That doesn't seem very gentleman-like, teaming up on a lady." I smiled at her, before realizing that she couldn't see me face.
I pointed at the other brother. "I could say the same to you. You, the quiet one. Join us. Three versus one. Not bad odds, eh?"
The knight shook his head. "I would never betray my family. We stand or fall as one."
I shrugged. "Then, we fight." I looked at Kuri again. "Mira," I whispered. "How's she doing? Can you tell?"
"Unclear," Mira said. "Her physiology is unlike any that I have encountered before. A human should not be able to withstand the stresses her body has endured."
I examined Kuri more closely. Sweat and dirt marred her porcelain features. Her eyes were tight at the sides, and her posture wasn't as relaxed as when I had first met her on the field. She was tired, for sure, but she had somehow managed to make it this far. Definitely not a damsel-in-distress. Still, I should help her.
I raised my hand at the approaching brothers. "Wait. How about one of you fights me instead? That way, no matter the outcome, three can join the Sentinels."
The brothers whispered to each other briefly. "Agreed," one of them said. "I'll fight you."
"What are you doing?" Kuri asked.
"Saving you again," I said with a bow.
"I don't need saving," she hissed. Before I could react, she dashed toward the nearest knight, her hands glowing red. The knight pointed his sword at Kuri.
"Mage!" he spat with disdain.
"Fuck." I aimed at the other knight. "Max power. Triple shot."
The triple shot would have probably cut a hole cleanly through ordinary armor and should have been enough to overpower Plate Shields or Prism Breastplates. I realized too late that what the knight raised to block my attack was, in fact, a Mirror Shield.
I dove aside as my triple shot struck the Mirror Shield, but the rebound wasn't aimed at me. "Kuri!" I screamed. The triple shot bounced off the shield and hurtled towards Kuri. She dropped to the ground at the last moment, the attack barely missing her. She sent a fireball at the knight opposite her.
Kuri yelled. "Are you trying to kill me?"
"Sorry—" Kuri's fireball ricocheted off the other knight's Mirror Shield and slammed into me, punching me backwards. The temperature inside the armor briefly rose to an uncomfortable level.
Magical strikes were too dangerous against Mirror Shields. Kuri and I nodded at each other. She ran towards her knight, leaping forward with a kick.
I turned to face my knight and charged. The knight adjusted his stance, bringing his sword arm into a ready position. The sword shimmered with a blue light. As I approached, the knight stepped forward and swung.
What was it? A Shock Sword? No, the coloring looked off. I pulled back to dodge the blow. Vorpal Blades were bluish, weren't they?
"My armor can take a hit from that, right?" I asked Mira.
Mira hesitated. It was only a fraction of a second, but I heard it.
"That is normally the case," Mira said. "However, the combat properties of these knights defy rational explanation."
I sidestepped to avoid a downward swing to my head.
"So you're not sure," I said.
"No, I am not," Mira replied.
This time, when the knight swung at me, I twisted around and grabbed his wrists, using his momentum to jerk him forward off his feet. He twirled with vicious speed as he fell, slamming the edge of his shield into my ribs.
"Shit!" Even through my armor, that had hurt. But I saw my opportunity. "Triple shot."
The knight somehow sensed my coming attack and twisted away with cat-like agility. My attack struck the ground instead, throwing up clods of dirt.
"Might I make a suggestion?" Mira asked.
"Suggest away," I said.
"Do note that each triple shot has a refractory period while your tri-beam's capacitors recharge. Alternating between modalities would allow a steadier consecutive rate of fire."
The knight charged me like a bull, his head down and Mirror Shield raised.
I kicked the shield squarely in its middle to stop the knight, but the attack reflected back onto the sole of my foot, knocking me backwards. "Speak like a normal person!"
"You cannot use your triple shot as frequently as using each individual attack."
"Got it!" I aimed at the ground beneath the knight's feet. "Ice bolt."
Windweaver Boots made knights into slippery dancers, but that worked both ways. He was now standing on a two-feet wide patch of frozen earth. I feinted a second attack from my left arm. When the knight raised his Mirror Shield, I ducked low and kicked him hard in the shins. The knight slipped.
"Fire bolt." The frozen ground thawed instantly, sending a sheet of white steam into the air, blocking his view. I punched hard into the mist, connecting with what felt like his helmet. He thudded to the ground on his back.
"Lightning Bolt."
The shock struck him in his legs. There was a brief cry from the knight, then he fell silent. I had beaten the knight.
I checked on how Kuri was faring. A swordless and shieldless knight was trying and failing to dodge a flurry of fire-sheathed punches and kicks. I caught the smell of burnt flesh and looked more carefully at Kuri's opponent. Kuri kept striking the same point on the knight's breastplate, where an orange glow had begun to develop.
She was cooking him alive.
"Kuri!" I called out. "We won. There's only three left. You can stop now!"
Kuri didn't pause or glance in my direction as she responded. "I'll stop when he yields. You didn't hear what this dog called me."
She sent another burning punch into the knight's chest.
"Just yield," I said to the remaining knight. "Your brother's down."
"Never!" the knight screamed. "I will never lose to this slut of an abomination!"
"See? You hear that?" Kuri asked.
I rolled my eyes. "Don't be stubborn. I can smell your chest hairs burning." The knight didn't look like he would give up soon. I glanced about for the match officials, but they were nowhere to be found. Everyone else seemed happy to let the fight play out
"Kuri!" I yelled. "Kuri! Just end it!"
Kuri's face tensed, and for a second, I thought she would end it, but on her own deadly terms.
Her next punch, though, struck the knight on the chin of his helmet. A fireball exploded from her fist, knocking the knight's head sharply backward. He went limp, dropping to the ground unconscious.
"Mira, he's alive, right?" I asked.
"Affirmative," Mira replied.
Kuri stopped moving, staring at the fallen knight. She looked past me to see my own defeated opponent, then nodded.
"Well done, Jakson." A faint smile appeared on Kuri's lips before skittering away, replaced by her usual stony expression.
I smiled, again remembering afterward that she couldn't see my face with the damn helmet on. "Kuri—"
"Who the fuck are you!"
I recognized the voice. I'd recognize it anywhere.
I turned around to find Lexley bearing down on me.
CHAPTER 9
Lexley marched across the field to stand opposite Kuri and me. He wore a floppy blue and gold shirt that made him look more jester than prince, but I wasn't one to question the fashion sense of my younger half-brother. Apparently, neither were his advisors.
"Who the hell are you two?" Lexley glowered at Kuri. "A mage? What the fuck is going on?" He turned to me. "And you! What is that? Some kind of new Elemental Gauntlet?"
Kuri gave me a questioning look. "Who is this?"
I was a bit surprised that she didn't recognize the crown prince. Interesting. So she was definitely a foreigner. Would they let her into the Sentinels?
I turned my head towards Kuri and shrugged my armored shoulders. "Family."
"What the—" Lexley sputtered.
"Helmet," I whispered. The helmet's front blossomed open.
Lexley jaw dropped. "You? You!" His eyes ran up and down my armor. "How did you get this?" His mouth widened into a smile. "The penalty for stolen armor is death. I've known about your little games, but I didn't think even you would be stupid enough to go that far."
"I didn't steal this," I said. "I bought it."
Lexley shifted his head, scanning the seating area for the nobles. He waved at someone in the stands.
"Vasir!"
A plump old man hastily got to his feet and jogged over, his round belly jiggling with each step. A group of tournament officials also meandered over. Meanwhile, Kuri scrunched her eyebrows at me.
"You're related?" she whispered.
"Yeah. Half-brothers," I whispered back.
The man named Vasir arrived before we could speak further.
"Can you identify this armor?" Lexley asked him.
I knew of Vasir. He was the Armor Master. All Sentinel-class armor was required to be registered with the crown when it was first forged. Lexley was trying to prove I had obtained the armor through illegal means.
"He won't be able to," I said. "This armor's old. Too old to be registered."
"That's impossible," Lexley said with a scowl. "Vasir?"
"I'm afraid the young man may be right," Vasir said. "I don't recognize it. It could be a foreign model, but I'm familiar with most of those as well. This one is…unusual." He looked up at me. "Where did you find this?"
"I bought it from a shop near the Fish District. The one run by an old mage I call Grandpa."
Vasir nodded. "I believe I know that shop." He turned to Lexley. "Your Highness, I'll pay this shop a visit to confirm his claims, but I suspect that everything is in order."
Lexley glared at me again while replying to Vasir. "I wouldn't trust a word he says. Go. See if he's lying."
Vasir shuffled off as we watched.
"And you," Lexley said to Kuri. "The Open Melee is meant to recruit new members into the Knight Sentinels. Knights." His eyes swept over her, settling for an extra second on her chest. "You don't look like a knight to me."
Kuri's brows knitted together in distaste. "Isn't it enough if I win? The rules didn't mention the need to be a clumsy oaf or to dress up in pots and pans."
Lexley laughed. "You had a splendid showing, mage, but this isn't the place for you. Here." Lexley dug in his tunic, pulling out a purse full of coins. He threw the purse on the ground in front of Kuri. "Take this as your reward and go."
Kuri didn't even look at the purse. "I fought to join the Knight Sentinels."
"Are you stupid?" Lexley said. "Knight Sentinels. You're a fucking mage."
"What do the rules say?" I asked. "You." I pointed at a mustached tournament official in a yellow tunic.
The official looked to either side.
"You." I repeated. I walked over and jabbed a metal finger into his sternum. "What do the rules say?"
The official glanced between Lexley and me. I pushed harder with my finger, digging into the gap between his ribs. The official grimaced and squeaked a reply.
"The three winners of the Open Melee shall be invited to join the Knight Sentinels. There are no restrictions on occupation, preferred combat style, race, or gender."
"Didn't a Druid join before? Druid Crom?" I asked, stabbing the official again with my finger.
"Yes!" the official cried. "But that was over a hundred years ago!"
"Doesn't matter," I said. I looked at the other tournament officials. "So that settles it? Kuri and I will join the Knight Sentinels."
"That settles nothing!" Lexley roared.
I moved to jab the official again, but he stepped away.
"I will…I will have to consult with the king," he said.
"Yes, we shall discuss this with the king," the other officials droned.
Lexley clenched his fists, then released them. "Useless fools."
Kuri touched my side anxiously. "What happens now? Will they honor the arrangement?" She looked down at the hand touching my arm and pulled it back quickly.
This time, with my helmet open, she could see me grinning. "It's up to the king. But if I'm not mistaken, we should both be Knight Sentinels soon."
Lexley was watching Kuri and me with a glint in his eyes. Shit. What was he up to now?
"The field this year was poor," Lexley said in a loud voice. "Perhaps we should only take a single victor." He nodded at me, then Kuri. "I wonder who would win in a fight." He yelled louder for the crowd to hear. "Shall we see them fight?"
The crowd thundered in agreement.
"Lexley…" I said.
"You hear that?" Lexley asked. "The crowd demands it. And I, as your prince, command it." He raised his hand into the air, then slashed downward in a signal. "Fight!" he screamed.
Lexley backed off the field slowly, a triumphant look on his face, as the crowd's roars grew louder and louder. The other tournament officials scrambled back to a safe distance.
Kuri and I exchanged looks.
"This is stupid. Pointless," I said.
Kuri didn't reply.
I stared. "Kuri?"
Was she going to fight? I couldn't lose to Kuri, even on purpose. Lexley would use that as an excuse to block me from the Sentinels. He lost to a mage!
As for beating Kuri…I looked into her fierce golden eyes. Would she forgive me? Would they use that as an excuse to keep her out?
"Kuri, we don't have to do this. I'll talk to the king."
Kuri shook her head. "Who are you? You mention talking to the king as if it was nothing. You are related to this foppish fool and…" Her eyes widened. "The bastard. You're the bastard. I've heard of you."
"Gee, th
anks. Pleased to make your acquaintance," I muttered.
Kuri's face set with determination. "I'll defeat the king's son. That should prove my worth, right?"
I took a step backwards. "Uh, Kuri? What are you talking about?"
Mira interrupted. "Jakson! I am detecting a spiking heat signature—"
Kuri jerked her head around. "Who said that?"
I slammed the helmet shut just before a giant fireball knocked me off my feet. My back slammed into the ground with a loud thud. The crowd cheered.
"Kuri!" I called. "Stop it! This is what Lexley wants."
Kuri replied with another fireball. This time I raised my left arm and met her attack with my own.
"Ice bolt."
Our attacks met in the middle, exploding into a cloud of steam, both of us unharmed on either side.
"Kuri!" I cried one last time in frustration. Fuck that. I didn't owe her anything. I barely knew her.
We traded fireballs and ice bolts three more times before Kuri stopped casting and moved closer to me in a brawling stance.
I could have stopped her with a lightning bolt, but I didn't want to hurt her. I waited cautiously as she approached.
How powerful were her strikes? I was about to find out.
Kuri came in fast, sending a palm heel at my helmet. When it missed, she bent her arm and sent a hard elbow to my neck.
An explosion kicked my helmet backwards, hard. If I hadn't been wearing snug armor, the whiplash might have broken my spine.
Instead, I was lying still on the ground when a torrent of flames began pouring over me. I didn't move for a second, dazed by the initial strike.
"Jakson!" Mira yelled. "We cannot take this indefinitely. Do something!"
I blinked a few times to refocus my vision. "You asked for it, Kuri." I aimed my left arm.
"One percent lightning bolt."
Kuri yelped at the shocking attack but didn't stop trying to roast me.
"I'm redirecting the excess heat to my energy stores, but I am reaching my limits," Mira said. "You need to expel the excess energy."
"What?" I asked.
"Fire your weapons! Once the energy stores are saturated, I cannot divert the incoming heat."
"I need to blow my load? Sheesh, alright, lady."
