“I didn’t, I just was trying to get you up and it worked.”
Flint wipes his face off, “That’s what my dad always does to get me up in the morning when I sleep heavy.”
Vernon says while smacking his lips, “Can you guys keep it down over there, I’m still trying to wake up over here. I hate loud noises in the morning.”
Rushing out of the room, and into the lobby they run into Coach Hill, who has the bus waiting for them. The roads are surprisingly clear and they were able to make it quicker than expected. They pull into the participant valet line as they get close.
Vernon looks up the building not able to see the peak. He has to pause for a minute to stare up at the awesome building. He turns off his overlay and just looks at the building. No advertisements or digital overlay signs to obstruct his view.
Marie says, “What are you looking at babe?”
Startled he replies, “I just turned my overlay off and I was looking at this building. Every piece of it is just so masterfully made. I would like to think I must have been an architect in a previous life.”
“Previous life huh, was I there?”
“Of course you were. You are the one whom my soul loves.”
“Aw... I love you too Vernon.” Marie grabs his hand and squeezes, “But we really have to go and sign in now.”
“Oh crud, you’re right sorry.”
The sign in process was simple enough. They waited in line with a few other participants, and scanned in. Vernon was relieved to see that there was no additional scanners this time, but he still had to check in and register his equipment. Vernon can finally feel himself finally getting excited. He still can’t believe he’s there, or that he’s in the semi-finals.
A familiar voice calls out from behind him, “Vernon, is that you?”
“Vargas, how are you doing? And congratulations on winning the last tournament. I watched the show you put on, it was impressive.”
“I’m doing just fine, and thank you. I’m looking forward to our teams facing one another.”
“I’m looking forward to that. Just make sure you end up in the final round.”
Vargas nods, “Good luck Vernon.”
“You too Vargas.”
***
In the locker room waiting for the quarterfinal qualifiers to finish, Vernon is watching the scoreboard to see which team they are going to fight next. It was between Bastille and New Atlantis. Vargas’ team from Pharis, his, and a new team he had not seen before were already qualified. The new team was called Paladin Military Academy. It registered yesterday, and has no losses, points or games.
Vernon gets a notification and says, “Hey Duke look at this, Bastille just won the last quarterfinalist qualifier.”
“Great, I was getting tired of waiting.”
Marie asks, “This is going to be a big battle isn’t?”
“We have come a long way and this is what we have been spending all that time training for.” Vernon places his hand on Marie’s shoulder, and then looks to everyone else. “We’re going to be great.”
***
The four teams are in separate tubes below the main floor. Vernon can see Vargas and they nod at each other. Tyler Hemlic walks up in between the groups, gesturing to someone. Vernon feels the ground shake as everyone makes their way to the main floor. Reaching the main floor, Vernon could see the inside for the first time, and it was filled with people. The crowd was roaring for the four finalist. Tyler appears at the top of a set stairs in the middle of a stage. He is now dressed in full formal regalia. All his metals shine out from behind his long brown coat and on either side of his coat’s arms is five stars in a star pattern. Extending his hands out in front of himself he broadcasts a video message to all those in the Coliseum.
“People of Eden, I thank you for joining us today for this Mixed Magical Arts Tournament. We have finally come down to the top four teams in this first year for High School level MMA. We are pleased to present you with your semifinalist! From Pharis we have the Lightning Squad with team leader Vargas Mitchell. Next is Saint Anthony’s Fire Cats with team lead Vernon Douglas. This next team has battled through the ranks yesterday and today to qualify, the Bastille Slammers. Finally we have a new team from right here in New Atlantis. They are a part of the military academy and have not lost a single match here today or yesterday to secure their spot. I would like to introduce you all to the Paladin Military Academy Soldiers.”
The crowd erupts in cheers as each team is introduced. The whole coliseum is vibrating with excitement with what is to come. Tyler continues.
“They will be participating in elimination only rounds. Once all members of an opposing team have been stasis’d the match is over. There is no time limit. The rounds will begin shortly and may the stars guide you.”
***
Vernon has to choose the team setup before the match. He chooses Duke, Ashley, and Flint. They are up against the Bastille Slammers, and he has done a little research on what they are going to be like. Bastille is a prison dome in the middle of the desert on the far side of the content. This is where they house all the worst society has to offer live. The people that live there of their own freewill are the knights and their families. They spend years honing their craft and are masters of lockdown techniques, walls, holds, and slow spells.
He passes the word around to the group to be careful and stay close to each other. As the door opens, they get a look at the coliseum floor. The battle field is open and there is no place to hide or cover to take. A near two hundred years of open space. There is a hint of tropical smell in the air, from the hand full of trees hugging the outer edge. Both teams walk onto the field and lock glares.
Vernon eyes each one in hopes of identifying what roll each plays, but can’t tell them apart. They all bare the same uniform and are even all the same body type. All four of them have helmets and a bulky jump suit.
Vernon says to his team with confidence in his voice, “Alright everyone. Just concentrate and remember all the training we went through to get here.”
Duke replies, “We’re all going to be here for each other, no worries there Vernon.”
Ashley yells as the buzzer goes off signaling the start of the bout, “Let’s get this show on the road!”
The Slammers form up in a diamond shaped pattern and start walking carefully toward the group. Vernon tells Flint to try to stay toward the back and get set up. Flint nods, and begins his preparations. Duke and Vernon rush out to meet the group and Ashley heads toward the middle of the field. Duke and Vernon being to preparing their runes as they sprint over.
The right person waves their hand and slows Duke to a crawls pace. Vernon bursts into the air as the left opponent almost blocks his path with a rock wall. Vernon is directly over the Bastille team and creates a sheet of ice, dropping on top of them. He watches as they huddle together. The front person creating a barrier over the group.
The ice is absorbed by the shield and a yellow light appears above Ashley’s head. The ice sheet now hovers above her and continues it fall. Duke turns and releases a ball of fire shattering and melting the ice, leaving Ashley unscathed. Flint is still doing his preparations.
Vernon bursts back toward Ashley, and watches Duke bursts past him. Duke quick charges and lets out a rainbow colored flash. Vernon takes the cue, shielding Ashley and Flint with an ice barrier. The four opponents stay low and to the ground and are all looking in all directions. Their helmet visors changing colors as they look back and forth.
The person in the back of the diamond stands and points to Duke. A stream of orange red plasma flies in their direction. The left walls him in with an opening for the attack, and the right slows him in place. Vernon sees Duke trapped, and tries to form an ice barrier to soften the blow. He isn’t able to finish it in time. Duke is thrown against the newly formed wall, and forced through it.
Vernon's adrenaline kicks in as he yells, “Flint are you ready?” Desperation coming through in his voice.
“Just finished, ready when you are.” Flint replies back, grabbing a tiny vile of blue liquid and drinks it. He then pulls up his long rifle and aims.
Vernon yells, “Do it!”
Flint pulls the trigger. The first runic bullet reaches the shield of the Slammers and goes though it as if it were paper. The front opponent is hit in the helmet, and it splatters across the visor. He then fires three quick rounds. Each hitting the other three team members of Bastille. The Slammers looks at each other and try to remove the goop from their visors. As they each touch the material it explodes with electricity, scattering the group.
Vernon yells to Ashley while they have an opening, “Ashley get Duke!”
Four more bullets ring out at the feet of each of the Slammers. A viridian glow fills the spot of impact as vines begin to grow and encroach upon them. Three get caught in the grasp of the vines, leaving only one free.
Vernon wind bursts in, connecting a punch. He adds a wind burst behind his elbow then his shoulder, and a gale as it connects. Flinging the straggler into the coliseum’s wall. Their helmet cracks with an echo across the field.
She takes off her helmet and her blond hair falls to her side. As the helmet moves away from her face an old scar across her face is shown. Flint wastes no time, and fires three more shots to her midsection.
As she looks down the fight in her eyes changes to regret, and she lets out a sigh while shaking her head. “So close...”
The bullets explode, stasis’ng her on the spot. The three tangled in vines forfeit as Vernon, Duke, Flint and Ashley surround them. The crowd erupts in cheers. Vernon turns his thoughts to the final match now, and can’t wait to see who he’s going up against.
24
Eugene and Alexandria are watching the displays toward the top of the Coliseum, when she receives a message.
‘Meet me in the main hall Captain.’
She shows Eugene, and he nods, knowing the only person that would call her that would be Tyler. She makes her way to the Main hall where Tyler is waiting for her. Different scenarios are running though her mind as she approaches the door. She opens the door to the suite, and finds Tyler standing by the glass looking down on the coliseum floor. He turns his head and acknowledges her while entering.
“So how are you liking the tournament so far? Your son seems to be doing pretty well.”
“Yes he is, and it’s interesting to watch. This is a large place here.”
“For the last round I really think you should come watch it with me in the officials’ booth here. There is something I need to discuss with you.”
***
In the locker room Vernon is overjoyed. He looks over at Duke, Ashley, Flint, and Emma carrying on and laughing. He can feel himself genuinely happy. He can’t remember the last time he felt like this. Marie has made is life worlds better, and the light she has brought to him is has made him happy, but this feels different. Like he is doing what he was supposed to be doing.
Marie smiles, “I’m glad to see that you’re happy.”
“I’m just overwhelmed that we actually made it to the finals. I mean this is where I was aiming for but, we are actually here. We’re here!”
“You can thank me later.” Duke chimes in, “Large pepperoni pizza from Paladin Pizza.”
“One for me too Vernon.” Emma says laughing.
Vernon laughs, “Alright pizzas on me if we get this. So here’s what we are going to do. Ashley and Flint I want you two to sit out for the last round.”
Ashley stutters, “Wait what...I’m your healer.”
“I know Ashley, but I want to blow out the last match. I have never see anyone try a dual elemental team before let alone go out without a healer. I’m hoping to catch them off guard and rush them.”
“This seems real risky Vernon?” Marie questions.
“It is. It could be the reason we lose, but it also just might be what we need to win this whole thing.”
Emma says, “I’m in.”
“Really Emma, you sure?”
“I am. All that training with your mother on controlling my form, I’m dying to test it out. If Marie is out there with me, I know we can get it done. Well done even.”
Vernon says, “You have been hanging around us too much. That was a bad joke, even with our standards.”
Marie giggles, “Oh, I get it, well done. Like meat.”
Duke laughs, “That’s better than your first joke you told me Vernon.”
Emma says, “Then just forget the joke, and win.”
Marie smiles, “You’re right Emma, let's do this.”
Vernon stands and looks across the faces of his friends and says with passion. “Guys and gals, this has been the best year that I have had in as long as I can remember. I just want to thank each one of you for that. Let’s end this on a positive note. Like Emma and Marie said, lets bring this home!”
***
The finals are here. Behind the doors to the main floor Vernon and the group stare at the door. It slowly hinges open and the crowd is eerily silent. Plants of all shapes, sizes, and colors fill the floor of the coliseum, filling the air with a sweet and tropical fragrance. The center of the field is completely open, with two walk ways cutting through the foliage leading to the center. Tyler’s head appears across the shield covering the main floor, and announces the two teams that are in front of everyone. The crowd cheers as Tyler gives them the go to fight, and the shield barrier charges to full with a hum.
Vernon gets a good look at the three they are up against. They look like the two girls that mistook him for someone else the night before.
Marie asks, “Vernon, isn’t that the three we ran into last night?”
Vernon agrees, “I think it is, yea.”
Marie jokes, “I guess we will get to know them after all huh?”
“Looks that way." Vernon says. “Stay on your toes everyone. They haven’t lost yet, and I am willing to wager it wasn’t luck.”
Vernon can hear the conversation as Eve and Britney look up to Adonis and ask in unison, “Do you want to finish this for us.”
He looks back over to them with a scowl on his face, “You girls can handle these four just like you have all the other rounds. I was hoping for some real competition but there's nothing but amateurs.”
“But brother, we want to finish this quickly...,”
“So we can go shopping.” Eve starts and Britney finishes.
“You two are so aggravating sometimes, finish it quickly yourselves, I'm going to sit here and watch.” Adonis says while walking over to a tree on the battle field. He waves his hand through the tree and it falls to the ground leaving the stump, where he sits down.
“Awe, your no fun sometimes Adonis.” The girls say in unison.
Britney looks to Eve, “You know the drill Eve.”
“Same to you.”
Eve and Britney turn toward Vernon and head their way. Eve takes a few steps ahead of Britney staring Vernon down. Britney uses this distraction and disappears into the cover of the surrounding trees and shrubbery. Eve stops only a few steps away.
She demands, “So which of you is the strongest here?”
“We are.” Vernon says motioning Duke to step forward.
“Two on one, I’m not normally that kind of girl, but I like it.” Eve says and begins to roll her head around and crack her knuckles. “I remember you from last night, you’re the guy I thought was my brother. Let’s see if you are as strong as he is.”
She wind burst forward going for Duke first. She’s fast. Vernon can track her but isn’t able to move fast enough to intercept. He can see Duke block the first punch not the second.
Vernon turns to see Emma and Marie watch Duke as they scream Duke’s name. Brittany comes flying out of the brush behind the two girls with a stream of fire gushing out of each hand. He has a near uncontrollable urge to run to Marie’s aid but fights the urge. She is capable and they are using fire against her, she’s fine. He repeats that a cou
ple of times and concentrates on the girl in front of him. He lets his mana flow into his runes, drawing the magic into his fist. He creates a pillar of ice, hurling it at Eve.
Duke quick charges and releases everything at Eve. She grabs the pillar, breaking it off in her hands, and swings it at the array of spells headed her way. Shards of ice fly in every direction. Eve stands there, unfazed.
Emma and Marie have transformed into their elemental forms and are fighting fire with fire. Vernon sees Britney holding her own against both of them, and is winning the fight. He then gets an idea.
“Duke lets change focus to the girls’ opponent.”
“Alright.”
Vernon calls out, “Swap!”
Emma and Marie turn and start melding two spells between them, creating a giant fireball. Duke quick charges again but doesn’t unload all at once. He rotates through throwing bolts of ice, lighting, earth, and wind at Britney. Vernon wind bursts past Eve as she turns to see Britney under fire.
Eve appears in front of Vernon before he can get close, in mid-kick. He grabs hold of her leg, not having time to bracing himself. It stops him in his tracks, but he holds on. She lifts him into the air with a smile on her face.
Marie screams Vernon’s name. He turns to see a spike of flame headed in his direction. It flies past his and Eve’s heads, and into Britney’s. A barrage of fire spikes follow spewing out of the ball of fire. Britney blocks them all.
Duke positioned himself behind Britney, and is all a glow with each of his runes humming with power. A prismatic display of colors and spells flows forth. Britney takes the attack from behind and falls to a knee. The dazzle of lights and magic make the crowd erupt and go wild.
Cypher Theorem Series Box Set: Books 1-3, The Zero Class, Shadow Moon, Dragon Fire: A Science Fiction Fantasy Page 16
