The arena was nothing like the unassuming yet large square cube on the outside. The teens and Drake, who finally caught up with them, were taken aback by the landscape when they entered. Halls as wide as streets filled with people from the city, shouting and chattering as some went to box offices for tickets, and others pointed to futuristic monitors hanging from the ceiling.
The monitors showed blank screens for now, on the tabs next to the zeroed out numbers, which looked like some form of real-time stats. Below them, match schedules and odds for said matches.
“Wow, ain’t this place fancy?” Drake whistled.
“It’s so crazy big…” Landin agreed, his head on a swivel to look around.
“Where should we go?” Charlotte asked, trying to navigate the crowds.
“Not exactly sure,” Drake said, scratching his head and also looking around.
Natto tapped the top of his head, pointing to an elevator entrance marked by a bright red border, “That way. It is the fighter entrance for the matches, Drake can enter for now to set up the rules, but you will need to go to the spectator section with everyone else afterward.”
“You heard the squirrel, march!” Drake commanded with a smirk.
“Pardon Monsieur. Where should we go?” Mordred asked.
“Oh,” Drake paused, then shrugged, “Tag along and hang out for a bit you three, don’t want to lose you in this crowd.”
He waved everyone into the elevator, the door closing, only to stop and reopen as a man covered in fur with a long white robe stepped in, holding a broom.
“Pardon the intrusion, just heading up to clean.”
Drake raised a brow, “Are you part of the Arena?”
The man turned, his monkey face giving a toothy grin, two long canines making a mischievous expression.
“That would be correct, sir. Call this one Gnokuw. I cleans up around here.”
Drake felt his hand tighten, his blood beginning to boil as his heart rate sped up.
He’s strong. Feels like… Taliya…? Drake thought.
“That right, Gnokuw? Is that all you do?” Drake asked leadingly.
“Tis what I do sir, don’t ask too much of this old coot. Just an old man who likes cleanin,” Gnokuw beamed scratching the back of his head, his lips curling into another grin.
“Shame,” Drake sighed, choking down his rising pulse as best he could.
“Something the matter, Lord Drake?” Atropos asked.
Drake gave her a reassuring smile, “No, just a little,” he looked at the back of Gnokuw’s head, “Disappointed. Anyway, you four ready? Get some more skills?”
“Four?” Atropos and Charlotte asked in confusion.
“Atropos and Clotho aren’t fighting as well?” Charlotte asked.
Drake shook his head, “Nope, the deal was for only you four at the time.”
Natto tapped his head, “I do believe it would not be an unreasonable decision to add the other two.”
“Why’s that?”
The doors opened, Gnokuw stepping out with a wave as he turned the corner, the lights or sun beaming in blinding the rest of them for a moment as the roar of a crowd hit their senses.
Their eyes focused and looking out they found packed arena seats behind what looked like nearly transparent fields of some kind. The four walls covered a square white arena, on the other side a large line of people exiting a similar elevator.
Drake whistled.
“Now how’s this for a crowd! Do we really have that many people to fill something like this? And are those added people or something?”
Natto nodded, crossing her legs as she raised up her nose.
“I thought it would make for a better show to spread the word. When I revealed that the victor of this little challenge would also remove you as city lord, and annul your marriage to Sah Ul’ we had guards, adventurers, and others line up all the way around the corner. We had to stop sign-ups around 100 I will admit, can not have the odds skewed too far in one side’s favor.”
Kalik scoffed, taking a step forward ahead of the group, “For them perhaps. A hundred? There will not be enough for the rest of you.”
Atropos glided next to him, a face of ice and a smile just as cold.
“So these little cockroaches want to stand in Lord Drake’s way? How amusing,” she huffed.
A yip sounded next to Drake, looking down he saw Ifrit manifest from a magic circle. Landin unfurrowed his book as he cracked his neck.
“This ain’t nothing after all those fights with Sarah.”
“Agreed. This will hardly be a warm-up,” Charlotte said coldly, a lick of electricity snapping off her leather armor.
Quetz hovered forward leaning prone on her arms, her expression bored.
“Ehhhhh, they don’t look like fun. Quetz is disappointeddddd…..” she booed.
Clotho was the last of the group to exit the elevator, the ground slightly sizzling below his feet.
Drake smiled, feeling a tingling of anticipation on the back of his neck, raising the hair on his skin with excitement.
“Maybe I should…..”
“No!” Natto snapped, pulling his ear, “You stay out of this! Just get over to that terminal and set those blasted rules! Certainly, you wish to let the children deal with this and not ruin it for them!”
Drake frowned, but fixed his posture and face as he nodded to the backs of the six, “Do they look like children anymore to you?”
[Charlotte McClarin Level 14]
[Kalik Tu’ Rahk Level 14]
[Landin Raymond Level 14]
[Atropos Pagos Level 14]
[Clotho Pagos Level 14]
[Quetzel Mano Level 14]
—------------------
Drake walked up to the control console, meeting him there was someone he hadn’t seen in quite some time.
[Haygur Rahk Level 18]
“Look who’s here,” Drake said, giving a smile.
Haygur spat on the ground.
“Have your babes stopped their shaking knees?”
Drake scoffed, hearing Atropos giving a deep growl behind him.
“Should you really be saying that after my assistant decided to even out the odds by giving you an extra fifty or so people?” Drake prodded, raising his chin, “You don’t have any qualms with me adding the two little pups here right? Being the big strong adult you are with over a hundred people against a mere four babes, was it?”
“Oi, who are you calling a child?! Ahh?” Kalik snapped, trying to rush forward only to be pulled back by Quetz who leaned back in the air, her hands pulling back on the sides of his face.
Haygur growled, “Two or two hundred! It makes no difference! The hardened warriors of the Rahk are more than enough for children who have never known a real fight!”
“Hey, who wants to break it to him,” Landin whispered, nudging Charlotte and smiling.
Charlotte on the other hand was having none of it, her usually icy glare had turned to a death stare as she leered at Haygur, the aura around her thickening as sparks began to crack.
“Good, done deal then. Six on…” Drake looked to his shoulder.
“One hundred and twenty-three,” Natto said casually.
“One-hundred and twenty-three. All skills allowed. So Natto, how does this work exactly?” Drake asked, pointing to the console.
“Place the settings you desire into the screen, then deposit the appropriate Monster Cores to fuel the arena system. The system will emulate real battle situations, meaning loss of limb, injury, and death. Once a participant is felled, they will be forcibly expelled from the arena. A few hundred F-Rank Cores should suffice or a handful of E-Rank Cores,” she explained.
“Proceed quickly, or are you stalling for time? Are you not happy your little newborns will only have to feel the pain of defeat once under such a worthless leader-”
Drake snapped to, his hand raised bathed in red and golden light as he stopped the electrified spear and black-licked scythe, the clash of weapons silencing the room for a moment.
“Hey now… The fight hasn’t even started yet, he really would have died you two,” Drake frowned.
Charlotte and Atropos scowled, releasing a puff of air as they righted themselves from their strikes.
“You’ve been talking a lot like you know something about us. Yet, it seems like you’re the only nervous one here, fool,” Charlotte sneered.
“Insects should sit silently, waiting to be crushed. No, one like you can hardly even be called intelligent. Unable to see the greatness of Lord Drake,” Atropos glowered a thin smile, letting her fangs show, her fur-tipped ears and tails standing on end.
Drake shooed the two back into their corner and turned to Haygur, the man’s mouth hanging slightly open. Drake shook and held his hand up, smoldering slightly as he blew on it, the skin slowly healing in real-time.
“Well, good luck,” Drake encouraged, giving a toothy grin.
—-----------
Drake had finished finalizing the rules. A standard team elimination battle, six versus one-hundred and twenty-three, no recovery items allowed.
He, Mordred, Luciem, Glenn, and Natto moved to the stands trying to find open seats, when they spotted Bjorn, a red headed giant in the sea of spectators standing above them all, waving Drake and crew over.
“Oh, you came?” Drake asked, seeing Sah Ul’, Julia, and his family in the area as well.
“Yeah, nothing to do, and the house we picked out won’t be built till later anyway. And it's honestly hard to miss this event, bro. Little lady put posters all over town,” Bjorn scoffed.
Drake turned his head, Natto whistling innocently.
“Right. Well, should be a good show. They’re all fired up, had to stop them from killing someone before it even started…” he shrugged, moving down the aisle to a seat next to Bjorn and Sah Ul’.
Sah Ul’ was already thumping her feet excitedly looking at the teens ready themselves for the fight, nearly tripping Drake as he passed.
“Someone’s invested,” Drake smiled, then looked over Bjorn’s shoulder, “No Chelsea?”
Bjorn shook his head, “She’s with Megan right now, something weird is going on with her she said. And by weird I mean she’s obsessed with you.”
“Not sure what more I can do there… I’ve turned her down several times man…” Drake sighed, taking his seat only to hear the loud rumble come from both the seat and his butt.
Sah Ul’ jumped to attention, ax at the ready.
“What manner of beast was that?! A monstrous frog?” she growled, scanning the surroundings.
Drake frowned, pulling the pink cushion from his seat, and turned to see his brothers snickering.
“Really? This is the best you got?”
“We’re making do with what we have. Don’t worry, we got more where that comes from,” Travis chuckled, getting a high five from Dillon.
Drake shook his head, doing his best to calm down and explain to Sarah that it wasn’t a monster, just a monstrously bad joke.
The match countdown timer appeared on the hanging screens just outside the arena’s transparent walls, and the stands began to erupt around them.
Lucium carried Mordred to her seat, sitting next to her and Glenn, while two empty seats remained next to Bjorn.
A tap on Drake’s shoulder made him turn before he had the chance to ask about them, a familiar face looking at him with an uncharacteristic worried expression on it.
“Julia? What’s wrong?”
She gave an anxious grin, “A lot. Bjorn told you about Megan right?”
Drake nodded.
“It’s worse than that. Much worse…” she began explaining, “Drake, she isn’t eating. She is barely functioning. It’s like she’s possessed.”
Drake raised a brow, Natto munching on snacks while sitting on his opposite shoulder willfully ignoring their conversation.
“I’m not sure what I can do about that Julia, I’m not a doctor. Has she gone to see the Doc?”
She shook her head, “It isn’t anything like that, I think it’s something mental. Maybe a curse? Are there curses now?”
Drake gave a nudge to Natto who nodded back.
“Apparently. But she’s a priest-type class, she should at least have a skill for resistance but we can have Yorth look at her when he gets back.”
Natto tapped his head, thumbing to the stands behind them, Mikhail’s party looking at the screens with excited anticipation.
“Thanks… But I think you should talk to her,” Julia grimaced, “I don’t know what else to say, but she’s fixated on you in an unhealthy way. She was like this with Chris but… It’s worse, like a hundred times worse.”
Drake rubbed his temples.
“I’ll visit her before we leave, but I can’t promise anything.”
Julia smiled, patting his shoulder, “Thanks. That’s all I can ask…” her face brightened slightly, “So looks like your kids are losing the public vote. But 70 to 30 isn’t bad considering the numbers.”
Drake clicked his tongue, “Bah! I wish it was more skewed…”
Bjorn chuckled, “You bet, huh bro?”
“I don’t bet. I prophesied. It isn’t betting when you know the outcome,” Drake smiled.
“Indubitably, my Lord! This one has also placed a sizable fortune on thou’s students,” Theodore said, making his way down the aisle, Harley’s hand in his as he helped her across.
“Theo! Was wondering when you’d show up!” Drake cheered, “Are you sure you should be betting like that?”
“This one has full confidence in my Lord’s students to overcome any obstacle! A few hundred against the future stars of my Lord’s city! Ha! They could make it several thousand and this one is sure it would remain a spectacular victory!”
“Speak for yourself! You are spending all of our candy money!” Harley protested, giving him a reproachful glare.
She shimmied across the row, sitting on the other side of Bjorn, and waved to Drake.
“Mr. Wallen, I may have something interesting for you that has just come in,” she smirked.
Drake raised a brow, eyeing the countdown that was closing in, the crowd began the thunder loud and louder, even Sah Ul’ beginning to stand and cheer.
“Yeah?” Drake asked.
Harley popped several cards in her hand, splaying out the white square backgrounds to hide her feline smile.
She snickered, “The photoshoot of your dear wife has finally finished printing, I managed to find someone with a battery to help print them. I’m low on ink but I believed this was worth it.”
“What?!” Drake shouted, grabbing for one of the photos.
He turned the square piece of laminate, his eyes bulging.
“You’re giving me these?” he asked, his eyes more serious than they had ever been.
“Not quite,” Harley laughed wagging a finger, “50 F-Rank Cores per photo.”
“You’re charging me?! Why should I pay for photos of my own wife?!”
“Ah…” Harley sighed frowning as she attempted to place the photos slowly into her sleeve, “You don’t want them then?”
Drake stayed her hand, gripping it, “I’ll take your whole stock,” he said without hesitation, “Do you have larger prints of the swimsuit photo?”
Bjorn shook his head trying to focus on the oncoming match that was supposed to decide the fate of the city and Drake’s position as its leader. Yet Drake himself was somehow more adamant at the moment at googling at photos of the person next to him.
Drake coughed, placing the photos into his inventory, his wallet much lighter.
“I hope to do business with you again.”
“Why of course,” Harley smiled, satisfied.
The crowd began to settle, the sound of the countdown becoming more and more pronounced, a hand gripping his shoulder.
“Patriarch, they are about to begin!” Sah Ul’ yelled excitedly, almost jumping out of her seat.
Seeing her shake with anticipation, her excitement became infectious. Drake had no doubt that the teens would take home the win after seeing their progress over the week. Their victory was more than assured. And he knew that Sah Ul’ also knew that, having been the one who trained with them.
But to see her usually serious face brighten with the pride of seeing the kids she had nurtured with him proving themselves here brought up feelings of both longing for the future but hesitation for what might come.
Claire was someone he had grown to love during the tutorial and he had an obligation to her just as much as he had to this love he had for Sarah. The thought filled him with more confusion and frustration than he had felt during his entire life up until now.
Was it right to love two women at once? What if there were more that he would still meet? Just like Bjorn had said he and they would live for thousands of years now. Would they meet someone else as well? Would he be alright with seeing them with someone else? Was it fair if he asked them to accept that he had more wives, yet they had to share him?
He had no idea. It was a bridge he would be forced to cross once the time came, but he did know he loved them deeply. And he knew he didn’t just collect whoever passed him by offering. There was something there. Complicated, but there.
Before he could delve deeper into his internal turmoil the sound of the beeping overtook the crowd and his rambling thoughts, turning to a mechanical voice counting down.
10
9
8
7
The monitors zoomed in on the teens scanning the field to show the opposition of more than a hundred guards and adventurers.
Drake however didn’t use the monitors, his visual and audible acuity far surpassing superhuman as he looked down proudly at the teens lining up.
6
5
Then in the last seconds, he saw and heard the groups begin talking.
“So these are those same kids? They sure grew up.”
“Ha! Yeah, it will feel a little bad beating up on kids but, it is what it is!”
“Don’t hold it against us kiddos!”
Charlotte’s aura alone crackled and snapped forward, burning deep black lines in the white floor of the arena between the groups, her eyes glowing with a deep yellow.
“Ah, no hard feelings,” she muttered, raising her chin as she pointed her full-length spear at Haygur, “You insulted the one person I admire. The person who saved me and my brother. Make sure you thank him,” she slammed the butt of her spear into the floor, “Because if it was not for this arena, you would not be leaving this building alive.”
4
3
“Do not think you are the only one saved by Lord Drake. It is only natural that those who insult him should perish,” Atropose agreed, her own aura beginning to burn, manifesting as it twined around her in black shadow-like flames.
2
1
“Hey, hey! Are we fighting? We’re fighting, right? Quetz is going to pew pew bang bang them ‘kay?” she chirped, jumping up and down as she nudged Clotho next to her.
[Begin]
The mechanical voice raised its volume, a loud buzzer announcing the start of the match.
Drake grimaced able to hear the conversation in the arena.
I’ll have to teach them some moderation… He thought.
The moment the buzzer went off, buffs and skills were used to enhance and protect the adventurer’s side.
But the teens had buffs of their own, new skills Drake hadn’t seen just yet coming to light.
“Our victory to the sound of thunderous applause!” Charlotte roared.
An intense yellow magic circle encompassed their side, small threads of lightning snapping to life on all the teen’s persons. Each thread dissipated just as quickly as they appeared leaving a light yellow glow on them.
The room had grown dead quiet the moment the first second rolled past, the next second the spells and buffs completing,
A third second, Atropos and Charlotte reared back their weapons. One a spear covered in lightning, the other a two-handed scythe bathed in purplish black.
The next, the weapons flew through the area, crossing the distance and heading straight for Haygur.
Haygur however was a veteran warrior, seeing both the weapons coming from a mile away.
Drake didn’t know Haygur’s class, but he seemed to have some combination of speed and strength, as he deflected Charlotte’s spear with the flat of his own ax blade, opting to dodge the flame-covered scythe of Atropos.
But Haygur's eyes bulged just as Drake’s brows rose, the silence from the crowd only broken by the sound of the weapons being deflected, the next beat, both Charlotte and Atropos appeared instantly holding their weapons, right above Haygur.
“The thunderous roar of your end is nigh. Foclóir Gaeilge!” Charlotte shouted coldly.
“Your fate ends here! Fate’s Rend!” Atropos sneered.
The sound of a lightning strike clapped the area and room as Charlotte thrusted a lightning-clad spear in and through Haygur, the shockwave of the skill and weapon slamming into the floor pushing back the few others around him being caught off guard. Then four quick slashes leaving four black lines of fire in the air separated Haygur, separating him into burning pieces of black fire.
The man didn’t even have time to scream before his body fell broken and falling to pieces, while the two women remained standing on the smoldering ashes. The pieces suddenly turned to blue particles and disappeared from the arena a moment later.
The silent arena erupted.
Arthur_Inverse Spoiler
You may read ahead on my Patreon if you wish, it usually hovers around 20+ chapters ahead of the current free release. Cheers.
I would like to give an extra thank you to my T1 Patrons :
BelligerentGnu, Scott F. Fletcher D. Yang A. Aaron R., Liam B., Wolfram K., Naoggeddon, Matthew G., Abdulaziz A., Pratish S., Sam4005, Salfallen, Wedmark D., ytm, Navarre C. H.
A bigger thanks to my T2 Patrons: Fallacha, Gavin T. Mike, Sphinxes, Benji, Isaac H., M. R., Tyler, Nic, Blacklark57, Aksam, Benji, M.R., Braincase, Shakekiller, Regan B., George M., Brother Grey, Jakub T., Nim, Talen D., James M., Liam B., DayWalker, Mark W., Rowan James, Woody, Johnnyboy 117, William N., Daniel W., Ruadhan, Alain
And a massive thanks to my T3 Patrons: Jesse M. C Alex G. Bum Bumbo, Paul F. Liam B., Eb, Richard M., Richard R., Pergamon, Gavin T, Carolyne, Thomas B W., Zachary G., Michael W., skeri123, Leon O. Alfredo S., Richard B., Sye, Coco-Jin, Zu'ul, eroth, Adrian D., Chris M., Jan T., Nathan V.M., Olivier M., Ugly Bastard Tag da Best, al, David E., Green S., Greenboy676, Mark T, Nathan V. M., Jame I., Firinen, Raymond N., UnknownS0n, Romain V., Daniel R., Aran K., Mr. Book-Stash, Jetforce, Tanner, Swampfox, SupremeTempest, Bryan R-B, Josh, Mason G., Navarre C H., Pratish S., Jacob F. Adam G., TheGreenKraken, deadmo, Happy Pixie, Jake T., James N., Jhon A., Curtis M., John A., Shadowpulse, Melanie S., Jessy P., Patrick W., skeri123, John A., Arterion, Jordan J., TheAverageNerd, Albert, Alexikon, Kenneth K., Col A., Alex, Malcolm W., Thortinshire., Bladesunder, jason p., thethra, Maxwell J., Aditya V.K., Hartley, Chase, Rawin R., Nevan, Faerwynd, Nikalas, Zachary M., Levi C., Killertiger95, Arthur C., Alexander R., dragonsalver, Terrance S., Alexander R., Bruce F., vividlearner744, Al, Alric G., Lalanne M., Krimo, Johnathan H., JarryD,Skys, Tyler L.. Shakekiller, CardOne4All, Reuben E., Sam S., AA, Freya, Cody D., mafytoogamer, Dupl3x_, Thereader, Jordan M., Piotr, Ilan, My Name is Klondike, Michael W., Arron H., Jaklelope, Zero_to_Nero, Goldenatte, Wh1t3f0rg3, Andrew M., Fabrice, Alec G., Kris C., Seth F., Thedeathnote, Rowan J., Tiki, Timothy B., Firinen, ThePickleBoss, Brayan R., Leon J., AkisP, Fortunis, Aegir, Chris B., Barry P., CHoobler, Harlemisha, Jonathan G. Jr., Iranoc, Matt M., Eric L. S., Joe, Malcolm W., Thrangnar, 1FantasyFanatic, Alex W., Jason P., Jakleope, Matt M. MrTwinkles99
An extra ordinary extraordinary thanks to my Only T4 Patron: Reinaldo Akeva Davila
And a special thanks to my very first two patreons:
Mark M., and Mr. Redd.
P.S. If I ever miss you in the shoutouts please just send me a message on patreon.
[collapse]
The arena was nothing like the unassuming yet large square cube on the outside. The teens and Drake, who finally caught up with them, were taken aback by the landscape when they entered. Halls as wide as streets filled with people from the city, shouting and chattering as some went to box offices for tickets, and others pointed to futuristic monitors hanging from the ceiling.
The monitors showed blank screens for now, on the tabs next to the zeroed out numbers, which looked like some form of real-time stats. Below them, match schedules and odds for said matches.
“Wow, ain’t this place fancy?” Drake whistled.
“It’s so crazy big…” Landin agreed, his head on a swivel to look around.
“Where should we go?” Charlotte asked, trying to navigate the crowds.
“Not exactly sure,” Drake said, scratching his head and also looking around.
Natto tapped the top of his head, pointing to an elevator entrance marked by a bright red border, “That way. It is the fighter entrance for the matches, Drake can enter for now to set up the rules, but you will need to go to the spectator section with everyone else afterward.”
“You heard the squirrel, march!” Drake commanded with a smirk.
“Pardon Monsieur. Where should we go?” Mordred asked.
“Oh,” Drake paused, then shrugged, “Tag along and hang out for a bit you three, don’t want to lose you in this crowd.”
He waved everyone into the elevator, the door closing, only to stop and reopen as a man covered in fur with a long white robe stepped in, holding a broom.
“Pardon the intrusion, just heading up to clean.”
Drake raised a brow, “Are you part of the Arena?”
The man turned, his monkey face giving a toothy grin, two long canines making a mischievous expression.
“That would be correct, sir. Call this one Gnokuw. I cleans up around here.”
Drake felt his hand tighten, his blood beginning to boil as his heart rate sped up.
He’s strong. Feels like… Taliya…? Drake thought.
“That right, Gnokuw? Is that all you do?” Drake asked leadingly.
“Tis what I do sir, don’t ask too much of this old coot. Just an old man who likes cleanin,” Gnokuw beamed scratching the back of his head, his lips curling into another grin.
“Shame,” Drake sighed, choking down his rising pulse as best he could.
“Something the matter, Lord Drake?” Atropos asked.
Drake gave her a reassuring smile, “No, just a little,” he looked at the back of Gnokuw’s head, “Disappointed. Anyway, you four ready? Get some more skills?”
“Four?” Atropos and Charlotte asked in confusion.
“Atropos and Clotho aren’t fighting as well?” Charlotte asked.
Drake shook his head, “Nope, the deal was for only you four at the time.”
Natto tapped his head, “I do believe it would not be an unreasonable decision to add the other two.”
“Why’s that?”
The doors opened, Gnokuw stepping out with a wave as he turned the corner, the lights or sun beaming in blinding the rest of them for a moment as the roar of a crowd hit their senses.
Their eyes focused and looking out they found packed arena seats behind what looked like nearly transparent fields of some kind. The four walls covered a square white arena, on the other side a large line of people exiting a similar elevator.
Drake whistled.
“Now how’s this for a crowd! Do we really have that many people to fill something like this? And are those added people or something?”
Natto nodded, crossing her legs as she raised up her nose.
“I thought it would make for a better show to spread the word. When I revealed that the victor of this little challenge would also remove you as city lord, and annul your marriage to Sah Ul’ we had guards, adventurers, and others line up all the way around the corner. We had to stop sign-ups around 100 I will admit, can not have the odds skewed too far in one side’s favor.”
Kalik scoffed, taking a step forward ahead of the group, “For them perhaps. A hundred? There will not be enough for the rest of you.”
Atropos glided next to him, a face of ice and a smile just as cold.
“So these little cockroaches want to stand in Lord Drake’s way? How amusing,” she huffed.
A yip sounded next to Drake, looking down he saw Ifrit manifest from a magic circle. Landin unfurrowed his book as he cracked his neck.
“This ain’t nothing after all those fights with Sarah.”
“Agreed. This will hardly be a warm-up,” Charlotte said coldly, a lick of electricity snapping off her leather armor.
Quetz hovered forward leaning prone on her arms, her expression bored.
“Ehhhhh, they don’t look like fun. Quetz is disappointeddddd…..” she booed.
Clotho was the last of the group to exit the elevator, the ground slightly sizzling below his feet.
Drake smiled, feeling a tingling of anticipation on the back of his neck, raising the hair on his skin with excitement.
“Maybe I should…..”
“No!” Natto snapped, pulling his ear, “You stay out of this! Just get over to that terminal and set those blasted rules! Certainly, you wish to let the children deal with this and not ruin it for them!”
Drake frowned, but fixed his posture and face as he nodded to the backs of the six, “Do they look like children anymore to you?”
[Charlotte McClarin Level 14]
[Kalik Tu’ Rahk Level 14]
[Landin Raymond Level 14]
[Atropos Pagos Level 14]
[Clotho Pagos Level 14]
[Quetzel Mano Level 14]
—------------------
Drake walked up to the control console, meeting him there was someone he hadn’t seen in quite some time.
[Haygur Rahk Level 18]
“Look who’s here,” Drake said, giving a smile.
Haygur spat on the ground.
“Have your babes stopped their shaking knees?”
Drake scoffed, hearing Atropos giving a deep growl behind him.
“Should you really be saying that after my assistant decided to even out the odds by giving you an extra fifty or so people?” Drake prodded, raising his chin, “You don’t have any qualms with me adding the two little pups here right? Being the big strong adult you are with over a hundred people against a mere four babes, was it?”
“Oi, who are you calling a child?! Ahh?” Kalik snapped, trying to rush forward only to be pulled back by Quetz who leaned back in the air, her hands pulling back on the sides of his face.
Haygur growled, “Two or two hundred! It makes no difference! The hardened warriors of the Rahk are more than enough for children who have never known a real fight!”
“Hey, who wants to break it to him,” Landin whispered, nudging Charlotte and smiling.
Charlotte on the other hand was having none of it, her usually icy glare had turned to a death stare as she leered at Haygur, the aura around her thickening as sparks began to crack.
“Good, done deal then. Six on…” Drake looked to his shoulder.
“One hundred and twenty-three,” Natto said casually.
“One-hundred and twenty-three. All skills allowed. So Natto, how does this work exactly?” Drake asked, pointing to the console.
“Place the settings you desire into the screen, then deposit the appropriate Monster Cores to fuel the arena system. The system will emulate real battle situations, meaning loss of limb, injury, and death. Once a participant is felled, they will be forcibly expelled from the arena. A few hundred F-Rank Cores should suffice or a handful of E-Rank Cores,” she explained.
“Proceed quickly, or are you stalling for time? Are you not happy your little newborns will only have to feel the pain of defeat once under such a worthless leader-”
Drake snapped to, his hand raised bathed in red and golden light as he stopped the electrified spear and black-licked scythe, the clash of weapons silencing the room for a moment.
“Hey now… The fight hasn’t even started yet, he really would have died you two,” Drake frowned.
Charlotte and Atropos scowled, releasing a puff of air as they righted themselves from their strikes.
“You’ve been talking a lot like you know something about us. Yet, it seems like you’re the only nervous one here, fool,” Charlotte sneered.
“Insects should sit silently, waiting to be crushed. No, one like you can hardly even be called intelligent. Unable to see the greatness of Lord Drake,” Atropos glowered a thin smile, letting her fangs show, her fur-tipped ears and tails standing on end.
Drake shooed the two back into their corner and turned to Haygur, the man’s mouth hanging slightly open. Drake shook and held his hand up, smoldering slightly as he blew on it, the skin slowly healing in real-time.
“Well, good luck,” Drake encouraged, giving a toothy grin.
—-----------
Drake had finished finalizing the rules. A standard team elimination battle, six versus one-hundred and twenty-three, no recovery items allowed.
He, Mordred, Luciem, Glenn, and Natto moved to the stands trying to find open seats, when they spotted Bjorn, a red headed giant in the sea of spectators standing above them all, waving Drake and crew over.
“Oh, you came?” Drake asked, seeing Sah Ul’, Julia, and his family in the area as well.
“Yeah, nothing to do, and the house we picked out won’t be built till later anyway. And it's honestly hard to miss this event, bro. Little lady put posters all over town,” Bjorn scoffed.
Drake turned his head, Natto whistling innocently.
“Right. Well, should be a good show. They’re all fired up, had to stop them from killing someone before it even started…” he shrugged, moving down the aisle to a seat next to Bjorn and Sah Ul’.
Sah Ul’ was already thumping her feet excitedly looking at the teens ready themselves for the fight, nearly tripping Drake as he passed.
“Someone’s invested,” Drake smiled, then looked over Bjorn’s shoulder, “No Chelsea?”
Bjorn shook his head, “She’s with Megan right now, something weird is going on with her she said. And by weird I mean she’s obsessed with you.”
“Not sure what more I can do there… I’ve turned her down several times man…” Drake sighed, taking his seat only to hear the loud rumble come from both the seat and his butt.
Sah Ul’ jumped to attention, ax at the ready.
“What manner of beast was that?! A monstrous frog?” she growled, scanning the surroundings.
Drake frowned, pulling the pink cushion from his seat, and turned to see his brothers snickering.
“Really? This is the best you got?”
“We’re making do with what we have. Don’t worry, we got more where that comes from,” Travis chuckled, getting a high five from Dillon.
Drake shook his head, doing his best to calm down and explain to Sarah that it wasn’t a monster, just a monstrously bad joke.
The match countdown timer appeared on the hanging screens just outside the arena’s transparent walls, and the stands began to erupt around them.
Lucium carried Mordred to her seat, sitting next to her and Glenn, while two empty seats remained next to Bjorn.
A tap on Drake’s shoulder made him turn before he had the chance to ask about them, a familiar face looking at him with an uncharacteristic worried expression on it.
“Julia? What’s wrong?”
She gave an anxious grin, “A lot. Bjorn told you about Megan right?”
Drake nodded.
“It’s worse than that. Much worse…” she began explaining, “Drake, she isn’t eating. She is barely functioning. It’s like she’s possessed.”
Drake raised a brow, Natto munching on snacks while sitting on his opposite shoulder willfully ignoring their conversation.
“I’m not sure what I can do about that Julia, I’m not a doctor. Has she gone to see the Doc?”
She shook her head, “It isn’t anything like that, I think it’s something mental. Maybe a curse? Are there curses now?”
Drake gave a nudge to Natto who nodded back.
“Apparently. But she’s a priest-type class, she should at least have a skill for resistance but we can have Yorth look at her when he gets back.”
Natto tapped his head, thumbing to the stands behind them, Mikhail’s party looking at the screens with excited anticipation.
“Thanks… But I think you should talk to her,” Julia grimaced, “I don’t know what else to say, but she’s fixated on you in an unhealthy way. She was like this with Chris but… It’s worse, like a hundred times worse.”
Drake rubbed his temples.
“I’ll visit her before we leave, but I can’t promise anything.”
Julia smiled, patting his shoulder, “Thanks. That’s all I can ask…” her face brightened slightly, “So looks like your kids are losing the public vote. But 70 to 30 isn’t bad considering the numbers.”
Drake clicked his tongue, “Bah! I wish it was more skewed…”
Bjorn chuckled, “You bet, huh bro?”
“I don’t bet. I prophesied. It isn’t betting when you know the outcome,” Drake smiled.
“Indubitably, my Lord! This one has also placed a sizable fortune on thou’s students,” Theodore said, making his way down the aisle, Harley’s hand in his as he helped her across.
“Theo! Was wondering when you’d show up!” Drake cheered, “Are you sure you should be betting like that?”
“This one has full confidence in my Lord’s students to overcome any obstacle! A few hundred against the future stars of my Lord’s city! Ha! They could make it several thousand and this one is sure it would remain a spectacular victory!”
“Speak for yourself! You are spending all of our candy money!” Harley protested, giving him a reproachful glare.
She shimmied across the row, sitting on the other side of Bjorn, and waved to Drake.
“Mr. Wallen, I may have something interesting for you that has just come in,” she smirked.
Drake raised a brow, eyeing the countdown that was closing in, the crowd began the thunder loud and louder, even Sah Ul’ beginning to stand and cheer.
“Yeah?” Drake asked.
Harley popped several cards in her hand, splaying out the white square backgrounds to hide her feline smile.
She snickered, “The photoshoot of your dear wife has finally finished printing, I managed to find someone with a battery to help print them. I’m low on ink but I believed this was worth it.”
“What?!” Drake shouted, grabbing for one of the photos.
He turned the square piece of laminate, his eyes bulging.
“You’re giving me these?” he asked, his eyes more serious than they had ever been.
“Not quite,” Harley laughed wagging a finger, “50 F-Rank Cores per photo.”
“You’re charging me?! Why should I pay for photos of my own wife?!”
“Ah…” Harley sighed frowning as she attempted to place the photos slowly into her sleeve, “You don’t want them then?”
Drake stayed her hand, gripping it, “I’ll take your whole stock,” he said without hesitation, “Do you have larger prints of the swimsuit photo?”
Bjorn shook his head trying to focus on the oncoming match that was supposed to decide the fate of the city and Drake’s position as its leader. Yet Drake himself was somehow more adamant at the moment at googling at photos of the person next to him.
Drake coughed, placing the photos into his inventory, his wallet much lighter.
“I hope to do business with you again.”
“Why of course,” Harley smiled, satisfied.
The crowd began to settle, the sound of the countdown becoming more and more pronounced, a hand gripping his shoulder.
“Patriarch, they are about to begin!” Sah Ul’ yelled excitedly, almost jumping out of her seat.
Seeing her shake with anticipation, her excitement became infectious. Drake had no doubt that the teens would take home the win after seeing their progress over the week. Their victory was more than assured. And he knew that Sah Ul’ also knew that, having been the one who trained with them.
But to see her usually serious face brighten with the pride of seeing the kids she had nurtured with him proving themselves here brought up feelings of both longing for the future but hesitation for what might come.
Claire was someone he had grown to love during the tutorial and he had an obligation to her just as much as he had to this love he had for Sarah. The thought filled him with more confusion and frustration than he had felt during his entire life up until now.
Was it right to love two women at once? What if there were more that he would still meet? Just like Bjorn had said he and they would live for thousands of years now. Would they meet someone else as well? Would he be alright with seeing them with someone else? Was it fair if he asked them to accept that he had more wives, yet they had to share him?
He had no idea. It was a bridge he would be forced to cross once the time came, but he did know he loved them deeply. And he knew he didn’t just collect whoever passed him by offering. There was something there. Complicated, but there.
Before he could delve deeper into his internal turmoil the sound of the beeping overtook the crowd and his rambling thoughts, turning to a mechanical voice counting down.
10
9
8
7
The monitors zoomed in on the teens scanning the field to show the opposition of more than a hundred guards and adventurers.
Drake however didn’t use the monitors, his visual and audible acuity far surpassing superhuman as he looked down proudly at the teens lining up.
6
5
Then in the last seconds, he saw and heard the groups begin talking.
“So these are those same kids? They sure grew up.”
“Ha! Yeah, it will feel a little bad beating up on kids but, it is what it is!”
“Don’t hold it against us kiddos!”
Charlotte’s aura alone crackled and snapped forward, burning deep black lines in the white floor of the arena between the groups, her eyes glowing with a deep yellow.
“Ah, no hard feelings,” she muttered, raising her chin as she pointed her full-length spear at Haygur, “You insulted the one person I admire. The person who saved me and my brother. Make sure you thank him,” she slammed the butt of her spear into the floor, “Because if it was not for this arena, you would not be leaving this building alive.”
4
3
“Do not think you are the only one saved by Lord Drake. It is only natural that those who insult him should perish,” Atropose agreed, her own aura beginning to burn, manifesting as it twined around her in black shadow-like flames.
2
1
“Hey, hey! Are we fighting? We’re fighting, right? Quetz is going to pew pew bang bang them ‘kay?” she chirped, jumping up and down as she nudged Clotho next to her.
[Begin]
The mechanical voice raised its volume, a loud buzzer announcing the start of the match.
Drake grimaced able to hear the conversation in the arena.
I’ll have to teach them some moderation… He thought.
The moment the buzzer went off, buffs and skills were used to enhance and protect the adventurer’s side.
But the teens had buffs of their own, new skills Drake hadn’t seen just yet coming to light.
“Our victory to the sound of thunderous applause!” Charlotte roared.
An intense yellow magic circle encompassed their side, small threads of lightning snapping to life on all the teen’s persons. Each thread dissipated just as quickly as they appeared leaving a light yellow glow on them.
The room had grown dead quiet the moment the first second rolled past, the next second the spells and buffs completing,
A third second, Atropos and Charlotte reared back their weapons. One a spear covered in lightning, the other a two-handed scythe bathed in purplish black.
The next, the weapons flew through the area, crossing the distance and heading straight for Haygur.
Haygur however was a veteran warrior, seeing both the weapons coming from a mile away.
Drake didn’t know Haygur’s class, but he seemed to have some combination of speed and strength, as he deflected Charlotte’s spear with the flat of his own ax blade, opting to dodge the flame-covered scythe of Atropos.
But Haygur's eyes bulged just as Drake’s brows rose, the silence from the crowd only broken by the sound of the weapons being deflected, the next beat, both Charlotte and Atropos appeared instantly holding their weapons, right above Haygur.
“The thunderous roar of your end is nigh. Foclóir Gaeilge!” Charlotte shouted coldly.
“Your fate ends here! Fate’s Rend!” Atropos sneered.
The sound of a lightning strike clapped the area and room as Charlotte thrusted a lightning-clad spear in and through Haygur, the shockwave of the skill and weapon slamming into the floor pushing back the few others around him being caught off guard. Then four quick slashes leaving four black lines of fire in the air separated Haygur, separating him into burning pieces of black fire.
The man didn’t even have time to scream before his body fell broken and falling to pieces, while the two women remained standing on the smoldering ashes. The pieces suddenly turned to blue particles and disappeared from the arena a moment later.
The silent arena erupted.
Arthur_Inverse Spoiler
You may read ahead on my Patreon if you wish, it usually hovers around 20+ chapters ahead of the current free release. Cheers.
I would like to give an extra thank you to my T1 Patrons :
BelligerentGnu, Scott F. Fletcher D. Yang A. Aaron R., Liam B., Wolfram K., Naoggeddon, Matthew G., Abdulaziz A., Pratish S., Sam4005, Salfallen, Wedmark D., ytm, Navarre C. H.
A bigger thanks to my T2 Patrons: Fallacha, Gavin T. Mike, Sphinxes, Benji, Isaac H., M. R., Tyler, Nic, Blacklark57, Aksam, Benji, M.R., Braincase, Shakekiller, Regan B., George M., Brother Grey, Jakub T., Nim, Talen D., James M., Liam B., DayWalker, Mark W., Rowan James, Woody, Johnnyboy 117, William N., Daniel W., Ruadhan, Alain
And a massive thanks to my T3 Patrons: Jesse M. C Alex G. Bum Bumbo, Paul F. Liam B., Eb, Richard M., Richard R., Pergamon, Gavin T, Carolyne, Thomas B W., Zachary G., Michael W., skeri123, Leon O. Alfredo S., Richard B., Sye, Coco-Jin, Zu'ul, eroth, Adrian D., Chris M., Jan T., Nathan V.M., Olivier M., Ugly Bastard Tag da Best, al, David E., Green S., Greenboy676, Mark T, Nathan V. M., Jame I., Firinen, Raymond N., UnknownS0n, Romain V., Daniel R., Aran K., Mr. Book-Stash, Jetforce, Tanner, Swampfox, SupremeTempest, Bryan R-B, Josh, Mason G., Navarre C H., Pratish S., Jacob F. Adam G., TheGreenKraken, deadmo, Happy Pixie, Jake T., James N., Jhon A., Curtis M., John A., Shadowpulse, Melanie S., Jessy P., Patrick W., skeri123, John A., Arterion, Jordan J., TheAverageNerd, Albert, Alexikon, Kenneth K., Col A., Alex, Malcolm W., Thortinshire., Bladesunder, jason p., thethra, Maxwell J., Aditya V.K., Hartley, Chase, Rawin R., Nevan, Faerwynd, Nikalas, Zachary M., Levi C., Killertiger95, Arthur C., Alexander R., dragonsalver, Terrance S., Alexander R., Bruce F., vividlearner744, Al, Alric G., Lalanne M., Krimo, Johnathan H., JarryD,Skys, Tyler L.. Shakekiller, CardOne4All, Reuben E., Sam S., AA, Freya, Cody D., mafytoogamer, Dupl3x_, Thereader, Jordan M., Piotr, Ilan, My Name is Klondike, Michael W., Arron H., Jaklelope, Zero_to_Nero, Goldenatte, Wh1t3f0rg3, Andrew M., Fabrice, Alec G., Kris C., Seth F., Thedeathnote, Rowan J., Tiki, Timothy B., Firinen, ThePickleBoss, Brayan R., Leon J., AkisP, Fortunis, Aegir, Chris B., Barry P., CHoobler, Harlemisha, Jonathan G. Jr., Iranoc, Matt M., Eric L. S., Joe, Malcolm W., Thrangnar, 1FantasyFanatic, Alex W., Jason P., Jakleope, Matt M. MrTwinkles99
An extra ordinary extraordinary thanks to my Only T4 Patron: Reinaldo Akeva Davila
And a special thanks to my very first two patreons:
Mark M., and Mr. Redd.
P.S. If I ever miss you in the shoutouts please just send me a message on patreon.
[collapse]