Jack spends the rest of his night helping out with some of the repairs. Cutting out wood, carrying out stones and more. The sun rose the next morning, its radiance providing the village’s people with much needed light and warmth in this difficult time. In the distance, the sound of horse hooves broke the heavy silence among the destroyed community.

  A sleep deprived Jack was helping with fixing the roof of a destroyed herb store when his head snapped back to the oncoming royal caravan, the caravan was tightly guarded by the Veil Order, the Queen’s personal unit. Jack swooped down from the ladder he was on, his eyes heavy, dark circles visible, his hair smelled like dirt and blood.

  As the caravan reached the gate, the Veil Order formed a barrier for the Queen to safely get out. A man with an eyepatch opened the door with grace. The Queen exited the caravan with noble movements, her royal robes were the same green the flag bears, the crown on her head was minimalistic, few gems, a more neutral silver color so that she doesn’t stand out too much.

  Queen Stella: She cleared her throat with a trained cough. “People of Mourfou, you have been under immense pain these days. The troll attack has damaged not only your property, not only killed your people, it has also filled your soul and mind with despair. I am not here to simply give you funds, I am here to help you bring back hope into this village, bring back the spark you have lost. We will rebuild your homes and pay our respects to the dead, I won’t be like the Kings and Queens before me, I will not be locked away in my castle and ignore such issues. I will be here and help, and relieve your terrors.”

  The Veil Order salutes in unison as Queen Stella finishes her speech, instantly murmurs begin from the Mourfou people, “What does she know about grief?”, “Do you think she will be better than her ancestors?”, “She is so young and naive”. Jack pays the village people’s murmurs no mind, instead, he heads towards the well, splashing some water on his face. The cold water wakes him up a bit, he feels the footsteps of someone walking up behind him.

  Eyepatch man: “You Jack Lancaster? The Queen wants to have a word with you. Come to her tent in an hour, make sure you take a bath.” The man leaves no room for argument as he leaves.

  Jack studies the man a bit, confident strides, a unique looking blade on his back, one Jack has never seen before, the man has broad shoulders and a beard that dances at the line between needing a shave or letting it grow out. Jack heads towards the inn he stays at, after a quick hop on the public shower, Jack switches to something more appropriate. Something that won’t scream ‘Violent adventurer’. After getting dressed, Jack heads over to the Queen’s tent.

  The eyepatch man is waiting outside the tent, his hands folded in his chest as he looks at Jack. He signals to the two guards to make way and let the kid enter.

  Eyepatch man: “You better not even breathe wrong in front of Her Majesty or else your throat will meet my blade.” The man says as he stares at Jack

  Queen Stella: “Taimos! Don’t intimidate the guest.” The Queen warns the eyepatch man, before she sets her expression in a more friendly tone as Jack takes seat opposite of her. “Please ignore Taimos’s aggressiveness, he takes his role as my personal guard a tad too seriously. It's finally nice to see you up close Jack, Sir Aphelon has spoken very highly of you.” The Queen has a warm smile on her, an aura of politeness and care. Her hair is the color of autumn leaves, always styled by her maids. Her skin was smooth, except for a handful of scars in her arms and her collarbone.

  Jack’s heart raced a bit when he saw the beautiful Queen, his pulse tightened and his pupils dilated, he tried to distract himself, looking at the way the tent was built, even looking at Taimos sometimes.

  Jack: “Your Majesty… You know of me, by Sir Aphelon? How come you know him?” Jack tries his hardest to sound formal.

  Queen Stella: “Sir Aphelon was the general when my mother was Queen. After my mother’s passing, he retired and moved into Freka. My mother also told me of the tragedy that happened to you and your family Jack. The Tabaki monks were one of the oldest clans the Kingdom of Carca has, and it seems you are the only living member.” Stella pauses when he sees Jack’s jaw tighten a bit, not wanting to remind the adventurer’s past.

  Taimos: “Let’s talk about the trolls. What did you find, Lancaster?” Taimos breaks the silence, wanting to get to the bottom of this mess. He runs a hand through his black hair, styled in a slicked-back fashion.

  Jack: Jack takes a second to recount all the things he saw, both in the cave and in the battlefield. “I went to their nest first, thinking that they were simply some weird anomalies. But in their cave, I saw runes, the kind that suggest human intervention.”

  Queen Stella: “Hmmm, human intervention. It's true that trolls can’t decipher magical runes. This is interesting, why would a human go out of his way and imbue trolls with magical runes?”

  Taimos: “We shouldn’t ask why, the answer could be anything. For monetary gain, power thirst. The real question should be how, slapping runes onto a manaless being is not gonna give them the ability to use magic, the person who did it is surely someone very well versed in magic, or something so horrifying it can break the rules of magic.”

  Jack: “I also found something else in the cave. It was a crystal, a glowing crystal that radiated a sense of dread and fear, even a small one managed to make me fearful of it. The troll that used magic also had several crystals imbued in its body. Maybe there is a correlation there.”

  Queen Stella: “We don’t have such gems recorded on our database, do you have maybe a sample?” Her fingers tap against the oak desk, the sound muffled a bit by the map of the world that is laid out.

  Jack: “Unfortunately I don’t, the one I found in the cave I destroyed in my panic and the one found on the troll leader disintegrated right after I killed him.”

  Taimos: “Interesting, we will keep that in mind. Do you have any leads on who is the one that helped the trolls?”

  Jack: “No not really, none of the villages are that masterful in magic.”

  Queen Stella: “I have an idea.” The Queen suggests as she rubs her chin. “How about we lure the culprit out?”

  Taimos: “And how will we achieve that, Your Majesty?”

  Queen Stella: “The only lead we have right now is that they are a powerful magic user and that they are probably up to no good. They don’t care about how they achieve their plan, not even a bit of mercy. They will also probably work in the shadow’s, under the noses of the population and the guards. Unless, we offer something so enticing that they will have to play by our rules.” The Queen adjusts her crown in a nervous manner.

  Taimos: “I think I understand you, the only thing that will make them move out of their comfort zone is something so powerful it is worth it. But how can we achieve this without raising their suspicion? Surely they will understand it is a trap when randomly a powerful artifact is up for grabs.”

  Queen Stella: “There is only one way, Taimos, do you remember what we disagreed on at the previous Royal meeting?” The Queen says as a smirk appears in her face. Her confidence is clearly growing.

  Taimos: “Yeah, the Magistrate wanted to bring back the Magica Games.”

  Queen Stella: “That is our bait, but we will need it to be on an even bigger scale. We have to convince the other two Grand nations to join in as well, a tournament so big, the culprit cannot simply pass on.”

  Taimos: “You really think that Markia and Soupa will agree with this?”

  Queen Stella: “Of course they will, Markia’s people are still hurt after the war on the Salamandra village and Soupa will take any chance they can get to grab powerful artifacts.”

  Taimos: “Hmmm, this does sound like a good plan, no way the culprit can simply ignore the first event that all three Grand nations come together.”

  Queen Stella: “Perfect, I will write up a letter for the two leaders proposing the idea, Taimos you go and talk with the Magistrate and find an artifact powerful enough to be an enticing prize.”

  Taimos salutes as he heads out of the tent to go back to the capital and take care of the new business. Queen Stella sighs, a burden finally leaving her chest. Her hands tremble a bit, her knee a little jumpy, she looks at Jack and prepares herself.

  Queen Stella: “There is one more thing I want you to do for me Jack. I want you to be the representative for our Kingdom.”

  Jack: Jack's eyes widened, he couldn’t believe that the Queen herself was asking him to become the Carca Kingdom’s representative. “I am honored… Your Majesty. But surely there has to be someone more qualified than me.”

  Queen Stella: “You were trained by one of the most genius military minds in our lifetime, you have an incredible power and most important of all, you have faced the foe’s creation, you are more than qualified Jack.” Stella says with a sweet voice, her warm hands holding his.

  A fluttered Jack stands up abruptly as he salutes the Queen, his stance sloppy. His heart pounding at his chest.

  Jack: “ You can count on me, Your Majesty, I won’t let you down!” Jack says with a loud and clear voice, trying to hide the nervousness he feels.

  Queen Stella: “Good, we will inform you when things get set up. Feel free to rest or help with the restoration of Mourfou.”

  Jack bows as he storms out the Queen’s tent. With new found motivation, Jack constructs a grueling training regime that includes, reconstruction of the village, doing push ups with Roguard on his back and of course magical training by firing lighting bolts on innocent straw dummies. Jack is breathless after each session, his knuckles bled but it did little to stop him from becoming stronger.

  He doesn’t train only for the Queen’s respect, or catching the culprit. He does this for himself, to show to his parents who watch him in the afterlife, that despite the fear and insecurities his heart goes through, he never breaks, he never gives up.

  Two weeks have passed since the troll attack. The village is back to its past self, in some areas even better, Jack with the help of the Veil Order and the Queen have transformed this village from an ordinary farming destination, to a hub of countless traders, merchants and even adventurers. The village celebrates their new beginning with wine and songs. Bards play tunes of the lightning touches, their lutes and harps creating melodies that invigorate the village’s people.

  Jack however is not celebrating with the rest of the village. He sits in a stool beside the bed of the comatose Linda, her breath steady, her hair a river spilled across her pillow, almost like paint in a picture. Jack’s finger lightly caressed Linda’s cheek, his eyes watery as he tried to push back his emotions. Leaning in the doorframe of the infirmary however stood Rogaurd, his only hand holding a cup of wine.

  Roguard: “Still can’t accept the fact that it wasn’t your fault ey?” Roguard says as he takes a sip of his wine.

  Jack: “How can I Roguard, all the signs point to me.”

  Roguard: “Right now it doesn’t matter Jack. The only thing that matters is how you bounce back from the pain the attack has caused you, heard you are representing the Kingdom in some new tournament. The tournament of Afion was it?”

  Jack: “You heard right. Afion was a powerful magician that once united the current day three Grand nations, imagine how long ago he was alive.”

  Roguard: “I am sure you will do great Jack, if there was one person for the Kingdom to choose as the representative, I will always choose you. Other candidates don’t have your drive, your determination.”

  Jack: “Thanks Roguard, I know you will always be there to cheer and support me when I need you.”

  Roguard: “Nothing man, win this thing, for me, for Linda, but most importantly, for you, you deserve it.”

  Jack sheds one final tear over the bed of Linda before he stands up and grabs Roguard’s shoulder. His emotions are a mix of grief, fear, anticipation and the crushing weight of expectations.

  Jack: “Promise me you will look after Linda, if she wakes up, I want you to tell me as soon as possible.”

  Roguard: “You have my word friend. Now go and kick some ass.” Roguard flashes a smile of genuine happiness for the young adventurer.

  Jack smiles as well as he leaves the infirmary, he decides to join in the village’s celebration. He drank and danced the night away, even showing some cool tricks with his lightning. The kids were at awe as they saw Jack transform a lightning bolt in the shape of a kitten. Jack felt at peace, even for a bit. Like the world was lifted off his shoulders.

  Taimos who returned from the capital watched Jack from far away, a small smile escaping his cold and calculating personality. Queen Stella was busy with paperwork in her tent, still the songs and the atmosphere of hope and happiness uplifted her mood, even bopping her head in the song's melody for a bit.

  The next morning comes fast, the sun filtering through the wooden blinds in Jack’s room. The room smelled like alcohol and sweat. Jack was enjoying his precious hungover sleep just as a loud noise woke him up. Standing in the door is Taimos, his usual cold expression on full display.

  Taimos: “Get dressed and pack your things, we are leaving in two hours.” Taimos throws a folded silver colored cloak, bearing the symbol of the Carca Kingdom. A green lion roaring.

  Jack: Jack rubs his eyes as he tries to take a good look at Taimos, his head a mess from last night, like a goblin snuck and started hammering his brain away. “Already? I thought we had like another week for sure.”

  Taimos: “You will be surprised by how fast things can be done with the financial power of the three Grand nations. Make sure you present yourself with the cloak, it was her idea for you to wear it.”

  Jack nods and Taimos leaves Jack on his own to get ready. Jack quickly heads into the public washrooms, he splashes several buckets filled with cold water from the well to wake himself up. He rubs some plants that leave a soapy kind of feel and after a quick rinse and dry up, Jack puts on his battle gear. The gauntlets now feel lighter, like they are also ready to prove to the world their might. Jack finishes his look with the cloak, it is made with a one of a kind silk, the quality of it easily distinguishable from far away.

  Jack meets with Taimos and the Queen in the gate, the Veiled Order statued like gargoyles as they await orders to evacuate. Queen Stella beckons Jack to come to the carriage despite the grumpiness from Taimos.

  Queen Stella: “Ready Jack?”

  Jack: “Ready as I will ever be Your Majesty!”

  Queen Stella: “That is what I like to hear, come, let me fill you in the Tournament details on the way to the colosseum.”

  Jack heads inside the carriage. The vehicle is made from a high quality wood, probably teak. The inside was what made it stand out however, the velvet seats were made from durable leather, their smell that of an afternoon breeze. Just as Jack sat down, the cushions adapted to his body, Jack melted into the seat. Taimos took the seat beside him, his eyes glued on the window of the carriage, half bored and half alert.

  Stella took the seat opposite of the two men, her royal robes changed from last time, now wearing a dress of pure white. Her hands fidgeted, but she kept her composure, her eyes flicked to Taimos, a silent order to start the conversation. With a sharp tuck on the horse's reins, the carriage driver started the journey to the Tournament’s arena.

  Jack: “So, uhm, where is the Tournament gonna take place?” Jack is the first to break the silence.

  Taimos: “Well originally we agreed that it would take place in our Kingdom's capital, Pridmos. But at the last minute Markia’s King, Alexander, wanted it to take place in his colosseum, he told us that the day of the tournament was special to his people. We agreed.” Taimos was clearly pissed about it.

  Queen Stella: “Later on we found out that the day of the Tournament was the day of the beginning of the Salamandra war, ten years ago.” The Queen’s head dropped in embarrassment.

  Jack: “What? We are talking about a tournament that will unite the three grand nations even for a day and Alexander just makes it about him?!”

  Taimos: He bangs his fist on the seat’s armrest. “Of course he makes it about him, he always does. That narcissist, not only did he commit a national war crime, but he also boasts about it. He is lucky we found out too late or we would have kicked him.”

  Queen Stella: “Taimos! Please, behave.” Her voice carried absolute order. She sighed, as she prepared herself. “Unfortunately, we will have to deal with it. Jack, you should not forget your goal, you have to find the culprit, winning the tournament is secondary.”

  Jack: “I won’t disappoint you, Your Majesty. So, what relics are offered up?”

  Queen Stella: “We offered the Tome of Constellations, it is considered a forbidden text that holds the secrets behind powerful magics, like star and space magic. Markia offered the Bloodberserker-”

  Taimos: He scuffs, cutting Stella off. “Typical Markians, they find the most gruesome weapon and they offer it, what a bunch of brutes.”

  Queen Stella: She keeps her composure, except for a glare that would freeze anyone else other than Taimos. “The Bloodberserker is a sacred greatsword that has been in the Markia’s royal family for eons, it fuels the wielder with an unquenchable thirst for blood, enhancing their strength at the cost of madness. Last, Soupa is offering the Eye of Tomorrow, a mirror that can see into the future.”

  Jack: “Damn, well I believe that culprit will be tempted to join, no way they simply let this opportunity pass.” He looks at his gauntlets as a faint spark appears, his body subconsciously ready for the fight.

  The ride for the Colosseum is not that far, considering the speed of the carriage, it will only take about 12 hours to reach the town of Acedia, the closest town from the Colosseum. The Veil order was marching alongside the carriage, their pace was in sync, their feet never tiring, their faces blank and emotionless, the very best soldiers that Carca can offer.

  Dusk was starting to fall as the carriage reached the borders of Markia’s Kingdom. The Markia guards tensed up as they saw the royal carriage, they stood up and saluted fast. The Veil Order looking at them like afterthoughts.

  Queen Stella: “We are arriving at Acedia shortly. The tournament starts tomorrow. Make sure you are ready Jack, we cannot afford to lose.”

  Jack: “Understood” A faint drop of sweat appeared on his forehead, his mouth felt dry and his heart beat fast.

  Taimos: “I am going to make sure that the inn we are staying at is safe. Don’t want the two of you getting hurt before the big day.”

  Taimos leaves the carriage as it stops moving, the Veil Order surrounds the carriage with efficiency. Jack notices Stella’s eyes flickering from place to place, he smiles but says nothing. He finds it comforting that he isn’t the only one who is nervous.

  After Taimos confirms the area is safe, Queen Stella and Jack leave the carriage and with the Veil Order surrounding them like guardians they head to the exclusive inn where they will be staying for the duration of the Tournament of Afion.

  The inn in question is the Dancing Dragon. For Acedia it is considered one of its very best inns, for the likes of the Royals? Not really. Taimos is visibly upset, he huffs and puffs all the time, he stares at every single missed detail. Dust on the top of a shelf, a handful of crumbs in a corner where the bedstand is.

  Taimos: “Your Majesty, the living conditions in this room are unacceptable. Would you like for me to raise concern over it?”

  Queen Stella: “Settle down Taimos, you are overfixated on spotting the smallest details. The room is fine, besides, I will be the only one in here. You and Jack are in a separate room.”

  Taimos: “I understand Your Majesty, but this is inexcusable.”

  Queen Stella: “Shush Taimos, I understand that you care for me. But come on, this is too much. The room is fine, now take Jack and go and get me the paperwork I have to sign.”

  Taimos: “You are right Your Majesty. I will bring the paperwork as fast as possible.”

  Taimos leaves the Queen to her private room, of course he sends five Veil soldiers to guard her while he and Jack head over to the Town’s center.

  Taimos: “Get up, we are going to grab some things the Queen needs. Well I am, you are going to wait like a good boy.”

  Jack: “Then why am I going too? If you can do it yourself?”

  Taimos: “Because the Queen ordered it. Trust me I don’t want to babysit you either.”

  Reluctantly Jack follows Taimos as the two of them take a walk towards Acedia’s shopping district. The town is filled with merchants, some trading their spices they gathered from around the world. Others scam unknowing tourists with their ‘powerful magic artifacts’ and ‘dangerously rare’ weapons.

  Markia’s banners and propaganda of the evil nature of the Salamandra are all over the town, Alexander’s way of making sure everyone who comes and sees the Tournament knows of his victory and his achievements.

  Taimos and Jack arrive at the Town’s hall. The buildings in this area are made from bricks and coated in a colorless cement. The roof is messy in a couple of places and the inside smells a bit like a house that hasn’t been used in a bit.

  Taimos: “Alright Jack, you head over to the tavern for a bit until I finish with the paperwork.” He throws Jack a gold coin. “And don’t start any brawls, got it?”

  Jack: “Yes sir!” Jack says with a slight grin as he watches Taimos turn his back and get inside the town hall.

  Jack walks for a bit before he finds a huge tavern. A squeaky wooden sign sways left to right, it reads ‘The Cleansing Ballad’. As Jack opens the heavy wooden door, the smell of alcohol and sizzling meats hits him instantly, the bar is packed with adventurers and general travelers that came from all over the world to watch this Tournament in person. The tables had a wide variety of people from different social and cultural backgrounds. The usual nobles with their pristine robes and expensive liquor, the shady figures in the tables at the back waiting for the perfect opportunity to pickpocket someone and of course the bards singing their hearts out.

  But Jack notices something that he has not seen in a tavern before, three people, one woman and two men sit at a gambling table, the green felt shining under the tavern’s lamp and candle lights. Jack smirks as he walks straight at the gambling table.

  Jack: “I thought gambling was not allowed in a tavern. Well it makes no difference to me, I was itching to play some cards.” He dips into his seat as he calls the waiter. “Grab me an ale and some change for these three gold coins will yah?”

  At Jack’s right sits a hulking orc, his armor noticeably small, one of his green pecs out for everyone to see. To his left sits an elegant high elf, her perky ears twitching as she notices Jack and his gauntlets, assuming their worth right then and there.

  But most importantly, to his opposite sits a human. His hair is long enough to where he wears a hair stand to see properly. His facial hair is a goatee that is groomed to perfection. He wears purple robes that have intricate golden symbols on them. He shuffles the deck of cards they borrowed with a finesse Jack has never seen, the cards flow from one hand to another like a river.

  The waiter returns with Jack’s order and a handful of silver coins. Jack organizes his things as the man with the purple robes finishes shuffling. He gives the deck to the woman and after a cut, the man starts to deal five cards each.

  Robed man: “Welcome traveler,in Markia gambling is allowed everywhere, whether that is good or bad, you can be the judge of that. The name is Paros, this is Bulgar and the elf is Utopa. I expect you know how to play five card poker.”

  Jack: “Call me Jack. And of course I know, I was not born yesterday.” He says as he takes a look at his cards, a two pair, Kings over fives alongside a seven of hearts. Jack sets his cards down as he awaits his action.

  Bulgar: “Skip the formalities, we are here to play cards, not discuss the weather.” The orc takes a look at his cards, his eyes squinting a bit to look at the better, he sets them down gently as he grabs a handful of silver coins. “Bet five silver.”

  Jack takes a good look at him, the way he breathes, heavy and slow. The way he looked at his cards tells him something, he is probably bluffing.

  Jack: “No reason to not chit chat a bit huh Bulgar?” Jack tries to bait a reaction, but the orc is surprisingly unresponsive. “Call, five silver.”

  Utopa takes a look at her cards, her poker face is truly one of a kind, she showed zero response, zero emotions to her opponents when she checked her cards, instead, she set them down and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it up with the flame of a candle she took a long drag, the smoke coiling around her in mesmerizing patterns.

  Utopa: “ I call the five.” She talks with a deep and hypnotizing voice, letting the L’s and the N’s drag out.

  Paros: “I’m out!” Paros folds his cards as a faint smirk appears in his lips. “Bulgar you are first, how many cards do you want to switch?”

  Bulgar: “Tch, let me switch these two” Bulgar quickly tosses the two cards.

  Paros deals two cards with precision, Bulgar’s eyebrows drop, he clearly didn’t improve, but maybe he will still try to bluff.

  Bulgar: “I check!” The orc shouts, his meaty fingers tapping the felt with an aggressive tone.

  Jack: “Paros, switch me this one.” Jack tosses his seven of hearts to the dealer. Once Paros deals his card, Jack looks at it, it's the nine of diamonds. No improvement, judging however by Bulgar’s reaction, he has to hope a small bet will make him call. “I raise seven silver.”

  Utopa looks at Jack like she is ready to murder him, her almond eyes giving her the look of a viper. She doesn’t want to switch cards, she simply reaches for her coins and tosses a handful in the middle.

  Utopa: “Raise twenty one silver.” She takes another long drag of her cigarette, this time she directs the smoke at Jack, a deliberate power move.

  Bulgar: “This is getting too much! I fold.” The orc spouts with an angry tone as he slams his cards on the discard pile.

  Jack now is at a conundrum, can he win a showdown against Utopa? He has an okay hand that can win against pairs or even most two pairs. But Utopa has chosen to not change one of her cards, meaning she has an already good hand, straight, flush or full house. On the other hand it can be a bluff, her reactions though make it hard for Jack to tell.

  Jack: “I think you are bluffing, I call!”

  Utopa smiles as she turns over a full house, Queens over threes. She smiles as she takes another drag of her cigarette, putting it out on the floor.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Utopa: “Tough luck blonde, maybe you will get me next time.” She reaches over as she collects her earnings.

  Jack doesn’t respond, he lost fair and square and it was a gamble he was okay with doing. He looks at Paros who giggles a bit, he notices something, under his robe, he sees a faint insignia, he has seen it before, in some texts that Sir Aphelon made him to read.

  Jack: “Hey Paros, that insignia... Are you an Arcana mage?”

  Paros instantly drops the cards on the floor, his hands tremble, his teeth clenched. He quickly regains his composure, making sure he covers his insignia with his robe.

  Paros: “Heh… Yeah, although I thought people forgot about us.” Paros trembles with his shuffling now, his previous elegance and mastery forgotten. A faint bead of sweat formed in his forehead.

  Bulgar: Upon hearing of Paros’s origin he gets enraged. “What did you say you little shit? Are you the one who burned your Academy to the ground?” He stands up abruptly, the whole tavern watching the table. Bulgar grabs a bearded axe from his belt. “Tell me right now before I stain the felt with your blood. You rigged this game didn’t you? Sleight of hand and all that?”

  The tavern is now in chaos. Utopa reaches for the dagger hidden in her boots. Jack takes a fighting stance as lightning dances around him. Paros’s right hand drops to his Arcana cards to his hip, ready to draw one if things escalate.

  Paros: “Hey now I didn’t cheat, and my past is none of your concern." He tries to calm Bulgar down.

  Bulgar: “I don’t give a shit. You are dangerous, you cannot control your own power! How should I trust you?”

  Paros: “Hey now relax okay?”

  Bulgar: “Shut up, don’t tell me what to do!” Bulgar brings his axe up and with a swing he brings it down onto Paros.

  Jack puts himself in between of the two, blocking the orc’s strike with his gauntlets. The tavern is shocked, none dare to interfere as Jack’s lightning surges more and more.

  The tavern’s door is kicked open, in walks Taimos, his face pure fury. In one hand he holds the paperwork for the queen, his other hovers over the hilt of his sword. His one good eye staring at Jack and Bulgar.

  Taimos: “WHAT THE HELL DID I TELL YOU JACK?”

  Jack: “This guy started it!” Jack says as he points to Bulgar with his head.

  The Orc grumps and puts away his weapon, the rest of the tavern quite down as they see the Veil Order’s insignia on Taimos’s steel chestplate.

  Taimos: “Grab your things Jack and let’s get the hell out of here, before we have to answer to the Markia’s city police.” Taimos says as he takes quick breaths.

  Jack turns off his magic as he takes his remaining money, before he can follow Taimos however, Paros grabs his arm.

  Paros: “Hey man I am sorry I got you mixed up in my troubles.” Paros says as he looks at the ground, feeling ashamed.”

  Jack: “No worries man, I know how you feel.” Jack has felt the loss of family, just like Paros’s incident. “Meet me on the hill outside of the town in an hour will yah?”

  Paros nods as he releases Jack’s arm. Jack follows Taimos as the two of them head back to the Queen’s chambers. The walk is silent, until Taimos decides to speak.

  Taimos: “Do you know who that boy is?” Taimos’s expression is more serious than usual, a hint of sadness in his merciless heart.

  Jack: “I know of the accident that occurred in the Arcana Academy, the dude himself? No.”

  Taimos: “That kid is Paros Fool. When you join the arcana mages your last name changes to the Arcana you have most connection with. Be careful around him, for him to be here he is most likely a contender as well.” Taimos doesn’t say more, he simply continues walking.

  Jack doesn’t say anything back. He feels like him and Paros have some similarities together, like they share the same pain, only on different spots. After Taimos delivers the paperwork, he heads straight to bed. Jack however sneaks out, wanting to meet up with the young arcana mage.

  The sky is dark, a handful of clouds, almost unnoticeable drift across. The moon is dimmer than usual, a new moon approaching. The wind is light, but it carries with it the scent of the town as Jack nears the hill.

  Paros is already there, his eyes shut. He is laid down on the cool grass, the scent of earth and freshly cut grass grounding him to this moment, his mind however is wandering, the past, the present, the future. Paros hears Jack coming from his footsteps.

  Jack: “You are gonna get your robes all dirty.” Jack smiles, trying to lighten the mood.

  Paros: “Don’t worry, I have plenty of spare robes in my room. So Jack, you didn’t tell me that you were the champion of the Carca Kingdom. I only pieced that together when Taimos came and scolded you.”

  Jack: “Yeah, to be honest, thankfully I didn’t. I didn’t want to see the reaction of Bulgar when he found out.”

  The two men laughed, a light hearted emotion for the two people that have been plagued by their past.

  Jack: “So… Are you competing in the tournament? Or are you here to place bets?”

  Paros: “Well, I didn’t want to come at first. But my master, Master Elliot, told me that it was time for me to forget the accident and continue with my life. He thinks the Tournament will help me find out who I am, even if I don’t win.”

  Jack: “Your Master sounds like a nice person, an accident of that magnitude would have broken down others emotionally.”

  Paros: “Tell me about it… What do you know about the accident?”

  Jack: “Well, the texts I read said that it was a fire that spread and burned it all to the ground.”

  Paros: “That’s only half the truth… You heard Bulgar, he said the truth. I was the one who made the mistake… Who caused the accident.”

  Paros takes a deep breath, he doesn’t talk about his past all that much, let alone to a stranger he played a single round of poker. But for some reason he feels at peace while talking about his mistake with Jack.

  Paros: “When I was still a student at the Academy. Everyone praised me for my critical thinking and my strategic mind. As I grew older and older, my performance dipped, it was a mixture of me not honing my abilities right and the weight of expectation wearing me down.”

  Paros: “Then, one day, while we were in class and showcasing our power reports. I wanted to show everyone I still had it. That I was the Paros they still remembered. When I drew the card, MY card, it reversed. Then an explosion, and the fire spread…”

  Paros: “When I woke up… I was in the courtyard, Master Elliot was walking towards me, bloodied. He didn’t say anything, he simply hugged me as he cried. Later on he told me, "I killed everyone with my power, Master Elliot barely managed to survive…”

  Jack listens to Paros talk about his accident, how unconsciously his hands fidget with the strap of his boots, how he looks at the grass on the ground.

  Jack: “It's painful to lose people you care about. Even more so when you think it’s your fault. I only know that your power reacts to your emotions, maybe it wasn’t all on you Paros…”

  Paros: “Maybe… but I can’t sit there and not take accountability for my actions, I activated the card, it is at the very least partially my fault. The thing is that I have to live with it. Although sometimes I find it hard to do.”

  Jack: “I know how you feel Paros, when I was young, I saw my family get murdered in front of me by a demonic entity so powerful it still haunts me every waking moment of my life. But I will live on, for me, for my family and for all others that join me.”

  Paros: He smirks a bit, finally finding someone who understands him. “Guess we two are the two most broken people in the whole world.”

  Jack and Paros fistpump each other as they spend a little more time together, talking about their journey’s, their travels and over all their nerves for the up and coming tournament. The two now friends bid farewell as they head to their separate rooms.

  Jack gets up bright and early. Only to find out that Taimos has gotten up even earlier than him.

  Taimos: “Tch tch, late again Jack. Go get washed and dressed, we have the most important day of our lives today.” Taimos has a more teasing tone for this hour at least, then back to regular Taimos.

  Jack gets washed and suits up, he looks ready for war, even if the jacket’s collar is a bit tight, even if the cloak is one degree off than it should be, Jack doesn’t care. He wears his gauntlets and meets up with the Queen and Taimos.

  The Veil Order is as always, ready and fully surrounding the Queen. Trained since young to be the very best of Carca’s troops.

  Queen Stella: “Wheew, even I am feeling nervous for today.”

  Taimos: “I feel like shit that I will have to look at that asshole Alexander once more, god I hate him.”

  Jack: “I am feeling confident, we will find the culprit!” Jack says as he claps his hands, a faint lightning spark appearing.

  Queen Stella: “At least you are in a good mood… Alright lets go!”

  The Queen demands and the Veil Order follow, their march just at the right pace. Stella gives Jack a small cyan colored crystal.

  Queen Stella: “Take this. It is a communication crystal. You can communicate with us while you are at the Tournament’s safe zones, so that we can better keep track of the culprit or others that might thaw our plans.”

  Jack: “Noted, but I still don’t know the specifics of the Tournament.”

  Taimos: “Do you think we do? Apparently Alexander has kept it a secret from everyone, the Tournament’s announcer will reveal everything to both contestants and viewers.”

  The three of them alongside the Veil Order move through the streets of Acedia. The sounds of trumpets and drums filled the atmosphere with excitement. Confetti soars the air as the crowd celebrates the event that will be remembered for eons. A few people even cheering for Queen Stella as she heads to the colosseum.

  As the three of them reach the colossal Tournament stage, Jack is amazed.

  Jack: “Holy shit, this thing is huge!”

  Taimos: “Yeah, it's the second largest colosseum ever built, only losing to the now underwater Grand Arena.”

  As Jack marvels at the architecture, he starts hearing shouts. He glances over to the sign-up booth to see a woman arguing with the receptionist. The woman is dressed lightly. A puffy off-shoulder top, its color that of aged blood. She also wore white genie pants and her shoes were some black Yemeni, their toes slightly pointed. Her hair was long and wavy, its color charcoal with some red highlights. Her outfit was completed with a golden chain with symbols that hung from her waist. On her side was a long semi curved Yatagan, its edge sharp and its wooden handle blacked like it was burnt.

  Red haired woman: “WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO BE UNDER MARKIAN BANNER TO PARTICIPATE?”

  Receptionist: “I am sorry miss but I have order from his Highness. All Salamandras are to be under Markian banner and jurisdiction."

  Red haired woman: “You are telling me that if I win that bastard gets all the glory? NOT A CHANCE!” The woman’s scales almost slipped out for everyone to see, her eyes slit.

  Queen Stella hearing the commotion raised her hand and the Veil Order stopped, she quietly walked over to the sign up booth, her heels clicking on the stone ground. Taimos right beside her.

  Queen Stella: “What seems to be the problem here?” She says with a calm voice.

  Receptionist: “Oh… Your Majesty… Well you see this woman here requires to be under Markian rule, because of her heritage…”

  Queen Stella: “From now on she will represent Carca, do you understand?”

  Receptionist: “Bbut… I have orde–” A faint drop of sweat forming in his palms.

  Taimos: “Do you really want to defy an order from a Queen?” He says as his hand hovers over his sheathed blade on his back.

  Receptionist: “Of course not… Eris, you are now representing Carca.” He says as he stamps her documents.

  The woman, Eris, says nothing, no thank you, no nothing. She grabs her papers and heads inside the colosseum, into the contestant’s area.

  Taimos: “Great, Alexander now forces the Salamandra’s to participate only under his rule. What a despicable human.”

  Queen Stella: “Let’s not lose track of our goal. Jack, we will talk again once you are in the arena. This might be our only shot.”

  Jack: “You got it. We’ll talk later.”

  Jack enters the contestant’s area. It is a spacious room where about one hundred contestants are preparing themselves. Some are sharpening their weapons with wetstones, some are praying to gods for their victory and some are meditating.

  Jack finds Paros shuffling his deck, the Arcana cards are taller than a standard playing deck, the back of the cards shining with a soothing purple color.

  Paros: “Whatsup Jack, are you ready for the Tournament?”

  Jack: “Yeah man, I have been training all month for this. Just don’t cry when I win!”

  Paros: “HA! You really think that? You are underestimating me!”

  Paros and Jack have a laugh, two people that have come together and are ready to take the world head on. A man approaches them, he wears light leather armor and carries with him a Bo staff. He laughs hysterically as he approaches the duo.

  Qos: “Aren’t you that one mage that burned down his academy? Paros right? Hey man you are pretty famous in Soupa, your buddy Ermes keeps mentioning you, and not in a good way.”

  Paros: “Ermes is a snake that can’t be trusted, he sold me out on the exams and he will do it to anyone if it means saving his ass.”

  Qos: “Hehe, Ermes told me you would say that. But I don’t care about your two’s beef, I only want to see the power you hold. That power that burned down the Arcana Academy. Once the Tournament begins, I will hunt you. Try not to lose before I get to you.”

  With that the arrogant contestant leaves. Paros’s eyes narrow in agitation. He pocketed his cards in his holster as he tied his hair back in a man bun.

  Jack: “Who the hell was that?”

  Paros: “Qos. He is the golden boy of the Soupa Kingdom, reportedly he has never lost a fight. He is so sure of himself he doesn’t use lethal weapons, he thinks he can win only with his mastery over space magic.”

  A new voice booms in the contestant’s area, coming from a tanned man with bizarre platform boots and loose fitting outfit. Beside him stood a short man with big glasses and an even bigger book.

  Tanned man: “You forgot to mention that he is also the Tournament favourite. Bastard has never lost it makes sense.”

  Jack: “There is no way that is true, everyone has a weakness.”

  Tanned man: “He doesn’t, but I don’t really care. I will fight on my own terms and win. The name is Izanas. This is Rombo.” He points to the short guy, he simply waves. “Don’t worry he just doesn’t speak much. We are from the Islands near the Floating Spire. Judging from the clothes, you are Carcan, and you are the Arcana mage.”

  Jack: “You would be right. Good to meet you. Although we shouldn’t be too friends, I will have to beat you when it comes to it.”

  Izanas: “Yeah man that is understandable. That’s what everyone's mindset should be, unfortunately this looks like it will be a very political Tournament.”

  While the contestants are preparing for the Tournament. Queen Stella and Taimos are currently walking towards their Royal boxes. Suddenly they come face to face with Alexander and his body guard Basos.

  Alexander: “Queen Stella, I am happy you made it here safely. However, I am not happy about the fact that you took one of my precious ‘tools’.”

  Taimos’s hand flies to the hilt of his sword, his one good eye scanning the two Markian’s for any intention to hurt the Queen.

  Queen Stella: “Disgraceful as always Alexander, you want to make everything about you. The day you decide to stop ogling at yourself will be the day the three nations finally settle their differences.”

  Alexander: “I made history Stella, I conquered the unconquerable. I can do whatever the hell I want. Unlike you, didn’t some of your towns declare independence from you?”

  Queen Stella: “Yes and I took it like a champ, not like a coward like you.”

  The tension is almost suffocating, the two bodyguards have their hands on their weapons. Taimos with his sword and Basos with his glaive.

  Alexander: “Tch, let's see whose champion actually wins shall we? I heard you recruited that one light bug that ‘saved’ a village.”

  Taimos: “That kid can cripple an entire battalion with a single thought. Don’t underestimate him.”

  Basos: “Ours has slain Salamandras like they are chickens, I like our chances.”

  Archie: “Children.”

  King Archie of the Soupa Kingdom along with his own bodyguard, Ermes appear behind Queen Stella and Taimos. He is dressed in his magical robes and with the crown of the Magical Maestro.

  Archie: “None of your contestants will win. Qos will obliterate them all. And he can do it in his sleep. So how about we all take our seats and enjoy the spectacle.”

  The three Royals and the three bodyguards look at each other, daring anyone to make a move. After a bit, everyone heads over to their boxes, Taimos glaring at the other two Royals, his eyepatch flaring blue for a bit.

  As the time for the Opening ceremony approaches. The seats fill up, the contestants are finishing their preparations. And Jack scans the field, some of them stick out as mysterious figures, but nothing is concrete. Everything will be revealed in the Tournament.

  The bell on top of the colosseum is rung. The participants walk out of their area and head directly to the sandy floor of the arena. The magical crystals that will broadcast the Tournament to the entire world activate. Light mages use spells to illuminate the arena floor, other mages use spells so that the audio can be heard from everywhere.

  The announcer clears his voice as he takes a deep breath. He grabs a wand infused with the same magic the audio has. The crowd is silent, grounding themselves in the experience.

  Announcer: “Ladies and Gentlemen! Warriors and spectators from all over the world, I welcome you to the Tournament of Afion!”

  The crowd goes ballistic, the drums and the trumpets creating a spectacle that will be remembered in history.

  Announcer: “One hundred and ten combatants have been gathered here to fight for three world altering artifacts. Let's start with the introduction of our organizers shall we?”

  Announcer: “In this corner we have the King of Soupa, the land where knowledge is everything. Give it up for the Magical Maestro, Archie!”

  The crowd is excited as the lights shine upon the King, he puts on a fake smile as he waves at the crowd, Ermes standing in perfect posture.

  Announcer: “King Archie has added the ‘Eye of Tomorrow’ into the prize pool. Winners should be excited in opening up a fortune telling shop! As for their champion, Please cheer for Qos, the unbeatable!”

  The crowd roars, coins flying in the air as people put their life savings on him to win. Paros looks at Qos with disdain as the light shines on him.

  Announcer: “Now, in this corner we have the Queen that has taken the world by storm! Not only for her beauty, but also for her sharp and calculating Royal skills. Please, a warm welcome for Queen Stella!”

  The crowd roars even higher, many in the crowd mesmerized by the way the light hits her angles. Taimos just stands there, his face stone cold.

  Announcer: “The Kingdom of Carca has offered the ‘Tome of Constellations’, a must have book of powerful spells for every librarian! Their champion is none other than Jack Lancaster!”

  The crowd cheers a bit, not really knowing Jack’s accomplishments or achievements. “First time I have ever seen him…” “If he is a champion of a Grand nation he should be strong…” “He won’t last three seconds against Qos.”

  Announcer: “And now the best for last. The King of the Greatest Empire that has ever been recorded in history. The King that on this day, ten years ago, he conquered the monstrous Salamandras. Please, give it up for King Alexander!!!”

  The crowd is a mixture of cheers and boo’s. Markian’s passing out from the very sight of their leader. Alexander is standing proud, wearing a cape of Salamandra’s scales. Jack notices Eris in the crowd of contestants, her eyes are wide and slit, a predator ready to pounce.

  Announcer: “Our glorious King has offered up the Bloodberserker. This sacred royal relic outclasses all other relics by a margin! Defending the Kingdom’s honor is our champion Feramos!”

  The murmur of contestants are heard when the hulking ironclad general is revealed. “Isn’t he then one who slayed the Salamandra royal family?” “The butcher born in flames right?” The champion was masked, he looked at Eris, crossing his thumb over his neck. Eris simply snarled as fire escaped her mouth.

  Announcer: “With the introductions now over, let’s quickly discuss the rules of the Tournament. The tournament will take place in an magically generated island called the Isle of Afion! The island is divided into four different regions. The Waking Forest, The Ruined City, the Volcanic Battlefield and the Cursed Waters. Each player will be randomly dropped into one of these regions. When the Tournament begins, all players will be given 5 points each. When a player reaches one hundred points they win and get teleported out of the arena, moving onto phase two of the Tournament. Now you might be asking, Mr announcer, how do I get points? Great question. There are three ways to gain points. First, is to collect these orbs! Depending on the color of the orb, the point reward is different, red orbs are worth one point, yellow three and green five. The second way to get points is to defeat magical beasts scattered around the island, depending on their size and toughness, different points will be given. The Third and most fun way to gain points is to defeat other competitors in combat! When player A challenges player B the two of them are officially at a duel. The only way for a duel to end is for any player to win and gain the points of the loser. For a player to flee, but their points are halved. Or from a mutual truce. Additionally, one more person is allowed to enter a duel, they can pick whose side to choose but the point reward is split evenly between them. Don’t worry about death! In the event of a deadly blow, you will be teleported into the medical bay and be promptly eliminated! Additionally in the island there will be limited safe zones for contestants to heal up. You can’t stay longer than fifteen minutes though!”

  Paros: “So essentially, a one versus one can become a one versus two or even a two versus two.” He says as he caresses his goatee.

  Announcer: “Everyone got it? Great! The first 20 to pass the one hundred point mark pass on to the next phase. Good luck!”

  The Magical crystals in the edges of the arena start to glow. The mages chant their spells, their voices synchronizing like an orchestra. The contestants see white as they feel their bodies leaving and reappearing in the fabric of space. Qos is unbothered, he has done this way too much to react.

  Once the white disappears, Jack finds himself crouched on the ground. His head is a mess, his eyes gloomy from the teleportation. He vomits once, letting the dizziness fade away. He stands up and looks at the scenery around him. A lush forest, the trees almost touching the sky, the bushes thick, the dead leaves that crunch under his feet. He wastes no time. He starts running. He has a culprit to find.

  Paros finds himself inside a building, the furniture is all destroyed, the wooden floor damp in some spots. He checks outside from a window and sees all of the building half submerged in the floor. A giant church was the only thing that stood tall despite the catastrophe around it.

  The crystals are broadcasting the game throughout the whole world, families bundled together to watch the spectacle. Taverns are filled to the brim with customers who are already betting the victor.

  Jack sprints around the forest, his lightning dancing around him as he picks up some magic orbs along his way, bringing his point total to 15. As he approaches a clearing he feels the ground start to shake, he looks to his left. Appearing from the shadows, a huge lion the size of a watchtower appears. It roars, declaring his power over the contestant.

  Jack smiles, his Lightning roaring in response as he takes a battle stance. The lion charges recklessly, it raises its claw ready to tear Jack into tiny pieces. Jack reads this and sidesteps the attack with ease. He then calls upon Lightning. The skies darken above them, Jack stretches his hand to the sky. The lion tries to get out of the way of the attack, but it can’t escape the light speed barrage that is about to hit it. The Lightning bolt strikes the lion on the back, it roars in pain, its nerves cooked, its mane singed. But it doesn’t yield yet, it pushes forward. It runs towards Jack as it opens its maw, ready to eat him. Jack however jumps over the desperate attack of the lion. He charges his gauntlets with Lightning as he delivers a devastating blow at the lion’s head. The lion drops down, the arena’s magic making it disappear, pushing Jack’s total points to 25. Jack continues on, without resting one bit.

  Paros on the other hand is still at the Ruined City, taking his time exploring the area, gathering some hidden magic orbs and making sure he is fully aware of his surroundings. He stands at the city’s square.

  However, a loud voice breaks the eire atmosphere of the Ruined city. The voice is rough and laced with arrogance, the rhythmic tick-tack sound of the person’s boots adding to the unsettling feeling.

  Qos: “I told you Arcana boy, I will be hunting you. Took me three ignorant people and two magical beasts to find you. But it looks like the phrase ‘He who preserves always wins.’ Is somewhat true.”

  Paros: “It hasn’t been ten minutes since the tournament started and you think I will believe what you say?”

  Qos: “Take a look at my points and tell me if I am lying.”

  Paros looks at the leaderboard in the sky and his eyes widen as he sees that Qos is already at 35 points. Paros takes a defensive stance, his right hand on his Arcana deck.

  Paros: “Well then, judging from your previous statement, I don’t think you are here to chit chat.”

  Qos: “Hell no, I am here to break your bones and make you feel so much despair, your only chance of winning is for you to show me that hidden power you used to obliterate a whole ass Academy.”

  Qos changes his stance, from laid back, into an offensive ready one. His wooden staff at the ready, the magic in his veins flaring blue. Before Paros can react, Qos makes a rectangle with his hand. An invisible room is made from Qos, roughly ten meters long and five meters tall. Paros feels the sensation of being trapped, but the exact measurements of the room are unknown to him.

  Qos: He laughs. “You know, you have already lost Paros. Inside the room, I have complete control over everything, I bet you that you can’t even scratch me!”

  Qos teleports behind Paros, with his Bo he strikes the Arcana mage in the back, making him stumble to the ground. Paros quickly recovers and draws a card.

  Paros: “Draw! Four of swords!”

  Four magical swords covered in fire appear from the card, each one pointing at Qos. The swords fly out with terrifying speed. But Qos just laughs, he teleports away from all of the swords that end up hitting the ground and dissolving into light. Qos however doesn’t stop, he drives his knee into Paros’s gut, forcing the Arcana mage to spit blood. Qos teleports again behind Paros, this time sweeping Paros’s legs with a bo strike. Before the mage can even fall to the ground, Qos teleports in front of him and with a right hook, he sends Paros flying into the border of the ‘room’.

  Paros hits the wall hard, he sees double, his forehead bleeding. He stands up and barely notices a small crack at the wall, one that quickly regenerates.

  Qos: “Come on Paros, is that all you do? Ermes told me that you are powerful, I haven’t seen powerful, I have only seen pathetic!”

  Paros: “Tch, looks like I have to go all out. Double draw!” Paros draws two cards from his deck, their edges flicking with a golden color. “Number 7: The Chariot! And the five of cups!”

  Paros activates the cards, their form disappearing into an ethereal light and placing themselves back to the bottom of the deck. The Chariot card grants Paros a surge of speed, a powerful golden aura enveloping him as he starts to run around the ‘room’, hoping to confuse Qos. His major injuries start to heal and soothe thanks to the second card he drew.

  Qos: “You really think that this trick can save you?”

  Qos teleports to the place where he knows that Paros will appear, unfortunately however, Paros stops his running just in time to avoid an overhead attack from Qos’s Bo staff.

  Paros: “Draw! Number 1: The Magician!”

  The card activates and sends a huge fireball at point blank range towards Qos. The fireball expands and covers almost half of the ‘room’. Paros smiles. But Qos appears behind him unharmed. He swings his Bo staff and it hits Paros straight onto his skull. Paros feels his brain hit his skull. Qos doesn’t give him time to even process what is happening, he teleports and unleashes another flurry of Bo strikes, breaking several bones in his ribs, face and his shins. Paros falls flat on the ground as his breathing quickens. The only thing he can feel is white hot pain.

  Qos: “You know, I have to give it to you, that last attack might have killed someone else. But I am not just not just someone. Now, show me the power, or I will disqualify you.”

  Paros can barely get on his knees, he coughs up blood again, his ribs bruised and his blood staining the white undershirt. He finally stands up, his knees bent trying to support him. He thinks for a bit, can he really win without the power? He places his right hand on the cards, his thoughts a flood of doubt and grief over the incident. But then he presses his hand harder on the cards, almost warping them.

  Paros: “You know what? Fuck you, I won’t listen to a thing you say! Fate knows what I need to win this fight! DRAW! Number 19: The Sun!”

  Paros draws the card, the picture of a Sun with a human face shining under the light of the arena, he holds it in his hand, not activating it yet.

  Paros: “DRAW! Number 18: The Moon!”

  Paros holds the two cards in his hand as he begins to laugh like a maniac. The two cards float upwards, ignoring the ‘room’s boundaries. Qos stares bored, but also a bit intrigued.

  Paros: “This is real power Qos, time to push myself to my limits! Oh goddess of Fate, hear my aid and create a spectacle so grand that even the gods will be jealous of!

  Arcana Fusion:Twilight Burst!” Paros screams as he spreads his arms out.

  The sky starts to move, the Sun and the Moon coming together to form an eclipse that covers the entire Kingdom of Markia. Qos’s eyes widen as he stares at the attack. When the Eclipse completes, a purple beam of celestial energy rains down the ‘room’, breaking the very spell. The beam lasts for a good five seconds of pure power. By the time it ends and the sky goes back to its normal state, the ground was a crater of molten glass and ash. Paros is still standing, most of his wounds healed, his hairband snapped as his hair pools around him.

  Qos on the other hand is left bleeding, his hair burned, his body having lost most of his skin. He is barely standing, holding his Bo staff for dear life. Eventually he falls to the ground, his throat trying to put together words he cannot speak. His body is teleported away to the arena’s medical bay, while Paros gathers his points.

  In the Royal boxes King Archie is surprisingly not mad, he turns to his bodyguard Ermes and simply laughs.

  Archie: “Looks like your ‘friend’ down there is something special. It is a real bummer that Qos lost so early, oh well, what can you do?”

  Ermes doesn’t say anything, he simply grinds his teeth and keeps his composure.

  While the sky clears up an unassuming knight enters a small cave, there to his delight he finds three green orbs, as he starts to run towards the orbs, he feels uneasy, he runs and runs but the orbs stay at the same spot, not getting closer.

  He stops, his ears ring, his vision starts to blacken at the edges. He feels a cooling sensation at his nape. He turns around only to find the exit has disappeared. “Who is there?” the knight says in a paranoid voice, his throat dry. He looks around the cave trying to comprehend anything.

  Suddenly a purple demonic clawed hand punches through the chest of the knight, the saving magic failing, the crystals showing static. The heart still beats a bit in the demon's hand. The demon laughs for a bit before he devours the man's heart in one bite. His jaw is a mess of jagged teeth and pointy fangs. After swallowing, the demon takes the exact form of the fallen knight.

  Demon knight: “Time for me to play too. Ruined one!”