Within the hour, Justin, Eldrin, Kargan, and Lila were gathered in a circular arena within the palace. The ring was vast and imposing, with high stone walls encircling a sandy floor. The seats around the perimeter were packed with Elven nobles, their expressions a mix of curiosity and disdain. Ornate banners hung from the walls, depicting a silver tree on a field of gold. The sunlight streamed down through the open roof, casting a golden glow over the combatants.
So far, their opponent had yet to show up.
“Plan?” Justin asked.
“Well, you did a good job of riling him up,” Lila said.
“It might make him overly aggressive,” Kargan said. “Either way, we’ll need someone to tank the hits. I volunteer. Mine is the only tank class.”
“You are too low level for that,” Eldrin said. “You might survive for a while, but the Vault would not make this one versus four unless Seraphael proved a fair challenge. It would make more sense if you functioned as a healer.”
“Hmm, you might have a point there,” Kargan said. “Well, what’s your plan, then?”
“I will take on the role of tank, fighting with my sword. My higher level and evasiveness will prove key. You will keep me healed with your Vital Surge, and if possible, maintain your Ward of Aegis to improve my defense and the power of your healing. As long as I can draw his attention and keep him focused on me, we should be able to beat him. I’ll do everything I can to bring down his Thera. Once he loses that, he loses his advantage.”
“I could use my Ward of Aegis,” Kargan said. “Maybe bait him into charging us, then set up the ward quickly. Should knock him back, or at least stagger him a bit.”
“Hey, that’s a good idea!” Lila said. “But will it work on someone as strong as Seraphael?”
“We’ll have to see,” Eldrin said. “It’s certainly safer than me trying to take on both the beast and its rider. Assuming this works, focus everything on Seraphael. He’s going to be the weaker of the two.”
“Either way, that monster’s going to be quick,” Justin said. “What if it goes around you and attacks us directly, Eldrin?”
“In that case, Kargan is the second line of defense. Lila can stay behind him and throw her knives with ease.”
“What about me?” Justin asked.
Eldrin thought for a moment. “You can join the melee if you judge it safe. While fighting is not your forte, you are Level 6 now, and have unlocked Improved Cane Competency. Just try to stay back if Seraphael focuses on you. And of course, your Dazzling Display and Dandy’s Swagger could prove pivotal to distract the enemy. And if you can stun him with your Poison Barb, all the better.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Justin said. “It’s easy to fluster a blowhard like Seraphael.”
“That can be a good thing or a bad thing,” Eldrin said. “Either way, your skills have proved pivotal in every Vault so far. Just play it safe. I don’t want you risking yourself too much. While this Vault is only Level 8, we shouldn’t let that make us too confident.”
“Eldrin,” Kargan said. “If we need to switch out the tank role, there’s no shame in it. That bow of yours could probably do even more damage than your sword.”
“Sensible,” the Ranger said. “If I need to swap positions, I’ll let you know.”
With the plan set, they continued to wait for their opponent’s arrival.
At last, the iron gate at the edge of the arena raised foot by foot, and out came Seraphael atop his Thera, which was covered in silver armor. It loped gracefully to its position on the other side of the arena. It was also quite larger than the one Justin had seen in the streets, probably bred for battle. Seraphael twirled his staff, his silver hair and armor making it difficult to tell where his skin began and armor ended. He gave a cocky, self-assured smile, as if this trial were already decided.
The crowd erupted in approval at Seraphael’s entrance, their cheers and applause echoing through the arena. Nobles shouted his name, their faces alight with admiration. It didn’t seem to matter what he was fighting for. Justin could only assume that the majority not only supported their champion but wanted continued war with the Orcish Federation.
“I want to wipe that stupid smile from his face,” Lila said, twirling her knives.
The announcer, a tall Elf, stepped on top of a podium over the gate Seraphael had emerged from. His robes were deep green, embroidered with silver thread, and his presence commanded the attention of the crowd. His voice was like rolling thunder.
“Welcome, noble spectators, to this rare trial by combat! Today, we witness a challenge of great significance. On one side, we have Seraphael Thalarion of House Eryndor, a warrior of unparalleled bravery, whose deeds in battle have become legend. His skill with the staff is unmatched, and his courage knows no bounds. He rides his mighty Thera, Aravath, a beast of formidable strength and speed.”
At the mention of its name, the Thera opened its wide mouth, giving a beastly scream that revealed rows of needle-pointed teeth. Justin felt the emanation in his bones. He tried not to wet himself as he had with the other Vault trial. But in case he did, well, that was what the Ring of Hygiene was for.
The crowd erupted in cheers, their adoration for Seraphael and his mount clear.
“And on the other side,” the announcer continued, his voice dropping slightly, “we have a delegation of Mysterious Strangers from the Orcish Confederation. They stand before us in defiance, hoping to prove the sincerity of the dastardly Orcish Confederation. If they win, the Ilvari Elves have agreed, under the eyes of the Goddess Lathalon herself, to enter peace talks with the Orcish Confederation. If Seraphael wins, the war will continue until the last breath is drawn. Anything goes in this fight. May Lathalon watch over the valiant!”
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
The crowd’s reaction was mixed. Some booed, others remained silent, and a few, intrigued by the prospect, watched with keen interest.
The announcer lowered his hand, signaling the start of the battle.
Seraphael wasted no time, immediately kicking his beast into a charge, twirling his staff. Kargan gave a guttural yell, creating a Ward of Aegis that powered on just in time to deflect the creature’s assault. The beast gave a pained scream as it was thrown back by the ward, along with Seraphael, who went flying in the air.
Justin’s eyes widened. Damn, that was easy.
“Charge!” Eldrin called.
Justin didn’t immediately follow in Eldrin’s footsteps, instead activating his Dandy’s Swagger, performing a little jig and cane twirl. Some in the crowd laughed, others jeered, thinking he was insulting the Elf Warrior, but he didn’t care. What mattered was that he was infused with confidence, giving him the bravery to charge forward.
Already, Lila was tossing her knives at the beast, which was blocking her view of Seraphael. Its hide and armor were so thick that the knives simply clattered off.
Seraphael clambered up from the dusty ground, running to mount his Thera again, which had intercepted Eldrin before he could reach the Elf. Unable to get around the beast, Eldrin started attacking it with fury. Seraphael was approaching from the side for a flanking attack, and Justin rushed to meet him before he could catch Eldrin unawares. The Elf was none the wiser about Justin’s approach, apparently still rattled from his fall.
Edified by his Charisma bonus, and Seraphael still under a Charisma malus from Dandy’s Swagger, Justin hurled his first Poison Barb as he moved in.
“Getting flanked isn’t part of your strategy, I take it? So much for the best warrior in the city!”
Seraphael froze in his tracks. It was enough of a distraction for Lila to throw a fresh round of knives at him. Five in a row all clattered off his armor, but the sixth found purchase in his right thigh, embedding itself in the silvery skin where there was a gap in his armor. Such was the nature of Justin’s stun that the Elf couldn’t even scream.
Poison Barb Refreshed.
Justin began his attack, twirling his cane and giving the Elf Warrior a few good thwacks. He was about to give him a solid lump on the skull when something charged into him from behind and searing hot pain ignited his side.
Justin’s vision immediately darkened, and when the pain hit him, it was extreme. He felt himself thrown, arcing above the dirt of the arena and landing with a hard thud. His side was wet, pouring out blood.
Immediately, a refreshing coolness surrounded him, and it was as if his wound were frozen solid. He scurried to get up and defend himself, but the Thera was already focusing on Eldrin, while Seraphael was limping along to aid in his mount’s attack.
Already, the fight was bloody and not going according to plan. Justin, still reeling from the pain, at least had his wounds knitted together.
He hobbled forward, once again going on the offensive. He wondered if Dazzling Display would do any good here, but right now, no one was in immediate danger, and it would only place all the focus on him when he needed a break.
He’d use the skill when the time was right.
Justin ran right through the perimeter of Kargan’s newly cast Ward of Aegis and felt himself refreshed and edified by it. Both Seraphael and his mount were fighting within the bounds of the ward fiercely. Justin charged at the Thera, stabbing deep into the dinosaur’s exposed flank, which was fleshier than its tough exterior. The creature gave a high shriek, wheeling around and swiping with its armored tail. Justin was hit so hard that he immediately went flying back again.
He landed hard on his side, and once again felt himself surrounded by refreshing coolness. He scrambled up to see that Kargan was struggling, his body coated with blood from his healing exertions. But both Seraphael and his mount were focusing on Eldrin again, who was doing all he could to hold off both with his longsword and limberness. The Ranger had already taken some hits, and Justin knew he couldn’t keep it up forever, nor Kargan his healing.
It was at this moment that Lila started singing, even while throwing more knives, using her Bardic Inspiration ability. Her voice rose above the din of battle, clear and melodious, weaving a song that seemed to dance in the air. The lyrics, which Justin couldn’t even catch in the chaos, were swift and light, urging quickness and grace.
Justin felt himself more limber, and he realized she was edifying the party’s Coordination Attribute by +4. This gave him a breath of fresh air, enough to have another go at it.
Instead of attacking the Thera, Justin instead went for its rider. He lobbed another insult, hoping that his Charisma was high enough to make the stun stick.
“Nice moves! Did you learn them from a children’s puppet show?”
Seraphael’s face contorted with fury, the words cutting deep into his pride. Eldrin seized the moment, stabbing the Elf Warrior right through a gap in his armor. Seraphael’s eyes went wide as he sunk to his knees, and Justin followed it up with a series of quick strikes with his cane, ending with slicing the Elf’s neck.
The crowd gasped in shock and awe, never having expected their champion to fall so soon.
It was at this point that Justin activated his Dazzling Display, knowing that he needed some way to distract Seraphael’s Thera, which would no doubt become enraged by its master’s death. When the legendary actor Russell Crowe entered Justin’s mind, he wasn’t even surprised. He simply accepted it, taking on the actor’s aspect, grabbing the fallen Elf Warrior’s staff and throwing it into the surprised crowd, just below where both King and Queen were sitting.
“Are you not entertained?” he shouted.
The whole stadium seemed to go still, sucked into the performance. All but Justin’s companions, who continued to assault the Thera, which was also watching Justin, unable to tear its gaze away, even as it was getting attacked.
“Are you not entertained? Is this not why you’re here?”
The Dazzling Display ended, and time itself seemed to resume. The Thera roared, attacking with renewed vigor, going straight for Justin.
“Eeek!”
Justin dove to the side, in time for Kargan to approach with a blue shield of Sacrificial Armor. The beast, however, was still targeting Justin, who was running for all he was worth. The Thera’s jaws extended, and Justin performed an adroit dodge just as its sharp teeth clamped together. Without the Coordination buff from Lila’s song, he doubted he could have avoided the attack.
He slid behind Kargan, who tanked the hits of the Thera’s jaws and claws. Eldrin began unleashing arrow after arrow, almost all landing true in the exposed gaps of the beast’s armor.
By now, the creature was a bloody mess, and slowing down.
Now was the time to drive the nail into the coffin. The party came together, surrounding the beast. With coordinated strikes, and it was only a matter of time before it dropped to the dust. With a final stabbing of his longsword right below its exposed neck, Eldrin ended the beast once and for all.
As the party backed away, the crowd erupted into a mix of shock, cheers, jeers, and boos, witnessing what they perceived as an incredible upset.
The announcer’s surprise was obvious as his announcement sounded over the entire arena. “It’s over, it’s over, the fight is over! The Mysterious Strangers of the Orcish Delegation have won!”
Justin looked into the stands in a daze, battered but not beaten. A wall of sound beat against him. Many in the crowd had been won over to their side from his Dazzling Display. Even now, they were chanting, “Strangers! Strangers! Strangers!”, until the cry took the whole arena by storm.
Was this what victory felt like?
Whatever the case, it was time to claim their just rewards.