Chapter 4 – Qualifying Tournament
Earlier this year I began doubling my already vigorous training, I had my armour and sword delivered from home and it’s all for the King’s Tournament.
It’s my life’s dream to become a knight and the King’s Tournament is the fastest way for me to achieve that, if I do well going into the tournament solo then I might be recognized for my talent and gain employment to the royal guard, once you complete their training and become an official royal guard you are also knighted by the king.
Originally I’d intended to enter the tournament as a team with Knifelim, but lately she’s been acting strange, I don’t really know what’s wrong but I hope she gets things together.
The King’s Tournament was held in three parts, the Beginner league, the Intermediate league and the Advanced league. Each took place a week after the other building up to the big show that was the advanced training fighters fighting it out in what are often some of the greatest fights you’ll ever see anywhere short of the ‘Stadium’ in ‘Butangul’. Butangul is a city in the Pantheon Republic east of Atitria. The fastest way there was to pass across the Jagged Mountains, go through the Clinging Spine Forest, and then pass through the Kingdom of Rquia, and the Kingdom of Vanulias. The entire trip there would take one and a half years. Though I dream of being a knight I’m not delusional, I realize how unlikely it is that I’ll become one, only the finest warriors even get the chance to join the Royal Guard and even then only the finest of those that receive the chance will become Royal guards and be knighted. My fall back plan is to become a gladiator in the Stadium, I’m only the second son so my father can’t leave anything to me when he passes on, this is the law in Atitria, so I must make a living for myself, but I also don’t want what I’ve learned to go to waste.
The art of Martial Fighting, perfect the motions and perfect the body, a sharp mind makes a sharp fighter, my instructor drilled this into my head as he taught me the sword style ‘Stongrad’ a style intended to be used while wearing heavy bulky armour, the key to the style is to master controlling your centre of gravity and to use that being able to attack while putting your entire weight behind the attack and still remain in control and ready to receive the new attack. It’s really tiring, but I’m now able to keep at it long enough to gain a decisive victory. The speed of attacks is slow but it’s made up for with the styles overwhelming power.
I also found that Nemun intends to participate in the tournament, if I remember correctly she uses her clans signature weapon the ‘Macuahuitl’, at a glance it appears to be made from just wood and glass, but they are many times harder and more flexible than steel, they’ve refused to share the manufacturing methods for centuries, but readily sell them to anyone willing to pay enough. It’s suspected that they are made from the parts of powerful magical beasts found only in the Ulenci Savage lands where the Zvyar originate from, the region is split up into the territories of each different clan, Nemun’s clan the ‘Vulk’ or wolf clan, live in the south and own the most territory.
The Zvyar have been at peace between the clan ever since the Vulk Leader called for modernization, the other clans not wanting to fall behind did the same and this led to the current peace that has lasted so long that the Ulenci Savage lands are considered to be the kingdom of the Zvyar.
I look forwards to seeing Nemun in the tournament, it could only turn out to be a tough match, but I can only do my best.
In the tournament deaths are common place, however the Church resurrects the fallen warrior immediately after the match, so if you’re scared of dying you’d might as well forfeit now, I’ve already made my resolve to the Elder tree, and I’ll visit it soon.
Someone opens the door of my room and walks in.
“Matious.”
I look up at them from my bed.
“Morning Shushen.”
“Haha, geez you look horrible, what’ve you been doing?”
“300 sit ups, 180 squats, 1000 practice swings, 10km run followed by 100 push ups to cool off before going to sleep.”
“Isn’t that double what you normally do?”
I nod.
“It’s normal for those participating in the tournament to double their training until participation day.”
“You were already doing some ridiculous training, besides does you also have practice during classes? I can barely manage doing that, I shouldn’t have tried to learn magic and the Glaive at the same time…. Hah~”
“I think you’re doing more than well enough considering you’re doing both Shushen.”
Shushen shrugs.
“Still feels like I could do better and Knife’s been giving me a hard time because my grades keep being below average.”
“I think she’s just stressed out, I’ve seen her training, and I think she’s going to be in the tournament as well.”
“I really wish I could be in that tournament, I’m so jealous of you guys.”
“Don’t worry about it, you’ll get to participate when you graduate as well.”
Shushen sighs.
I glad Shushen isn’t in the tournament this year, given a few more years I think he’d be a pretty fearsome opponent, but right now? He wouldn’t stand a chance. Though I feel bad that he’ll have to be in the same tournament as my sister… she is truly frighting, I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone with super human strength as incredible as hers, it’s too bad she’s an idiot and worse that she’s an idiot with a rich father, but I think she’d do really well in Butangul.
“Well come on Matious, todays the tournament you’ve been waiting for, drink a regeneration potion and get ready.”
I groan.
“But they’re so expensive, 4 Silver tapers for one potion I’d rather gnaw my arm off.”
He drags me out of bed and onto the floor before going through my bags and taking out one of my potions and handing it to me.
“Come on, you’re not going to do any fighting if you’re looking like that.”
“Fine…”
I sighed before I sat up and drank it obediently, 4 Silver taper down the drain, ugh… I want to cry.
“What are you crying for, isn’t you father rich?”
“That doesn’t mean I’m rich.”
I cry back, but Shushen just laughs.
“Hurry up you need to get ready, oh and try not to get killed instantly today.”
Shushen says before hastily making his retreat from the room, dodge the pillow I threw at him.
The potions started taking effect and the sore muscles and tiredness I was feeling disappeared, I got up and started getting dressed, I’d had my armour delivered to the tournament grounds yesterday so I wouldn’t have to walk through town in it, though I’ve seen a lot of students copying knife and doing nothing but wear their armour every day, they’re a crazy bunch. Oh well they seem to be having fun going on morning runs around the academy with Knife as well as going off and doing other things themselves. Of course not everyone can afford plate mail, it’s generally more cost efficient to buy tough leather clothing and enchant it. Thankfully my father paid for my armour, I never would have been able to afford plate mail, let along be able to enchant it, I only knew a few basic conjuration spells, things like creating water or light.
I ended up going with just a simple tough fabric shirt and long pants and some cheap leather shoes I usually wear.
Most of the money I earned from doing part time work went towards my sword, 3 Silver Tapers and 6 Iron sticks for a good quality iron sword, it’s basically robbery at those prices…
I left my room and was sent off and wished luck by everyone in the dorm before I left to go and travel to the stadium in Dorendu, I should arrive a few hours before the tournament begins which will give me enough time to get ready, no one ever appreciates how long it takes to get into and out of plate mail, I don’t envy anyone that tries or has to be wearing it every day.
I arrived at around the same time as the other students that will be participating, some of the normal students will probably skip classes and come to watch, and somehow I expect Shushen and his friends to be doing that.
We all went in and got ready, when I finished getting ready there was still 3 hours before the tournament started, well better to be ready early than not be ready when it comes time to fight and end up not wearing half of my armour, was how I reasoned it to myself. Most of the students at gone off to waste time around town, but the students that wore plate mail like me stayed in the waiting room of the stadium, I can understand why, better to stay undercover and avoid heat stroke and being disqualified. I think the one that stood out the most was Knife with her bronze plated plate mail, it looked custom made in addition to being fitted with a precision only a master armour smith could manage no doubt there was also a large number of enchantments. I think I remember hearing something about boosting the number of enchantments your armour could have by coating it with bronze, silver or gold, honestly her armour looked as impressive as the sword hanging from her belt, the hilt inlayed with complex silver engravings. She really looked like royalty, walking around with such expensive looking equipment, beautiful with what seems to be without putting in any effort and how she looked like she was looking down her nose at everyone.
I know she isn’t actually like that, but that’s how it must seem to everyone else, she’s just easily troubled when getting attention from others. Also I know that my sister has been causing her trouble for the last few years, there’s nothing I can do about that, my sister is scary.
I spoke with some friends I sat with during lunch and we spoke about our strategy during the tournament, a lot of them had decided to pair up and try to win over impressing people, that understandable I would of paired up with Knife if she’d let me. Some of the other student joined in and apparently most of them had been going through hell following Knife during her training schedule, a lot of them doubted she was even an elf and instead where saying she must be a Zvyar with its fur shaved off, though even then she wouldn’t look like one, the anatomy is completely different, but I get their meaning.
I wanted to stay focused so I didn’t go and talk to Knife, though I could see her and Nemun comparing notes and probably information on other students, but it doesn’t seem like they’ve teamed up.
The tournament will be held over the week, because there are 200 students participating it has to be at least go for this long, 4 qualifying tournaments will be run for the first 3 days followed by the Kings Tournament that will span over 3 days so that people can make quick repairs or replace equipment and then the stadium has a day to get it ready for the Intermediate league tournament.
Of course the number of student that graduated this year is around 400, but the tournament isn’t for everyone, there are actually more students participating this year than usually are.
Before we realized it the rest of the students that were in town came back to the waiting area and a guard came in and told us to go to our designated preparation area, the tournament was beginning, we split into three groups and went to different area’s to wait for our matches, the students that weren’t coming up next were allowed to sit in the stands and watch the match, my matches would be in the afternoon and it was still the morning so I went to watch the first fight.
It was two pairs fighting against one another, one team had a mage and a pikeman, the other was two swordsmen that seemed to focus on speed and precision, the pikeman was slow and clumsy, the mage began chanting a long spell as soon as the match began, they were quickly taken out by the two swordsmen with hardly a fight, it was a bit of a letdown, but the beginner tournament is mostly like this, some genuinely skilled fighters, but other than that they’re like that pikeman and mage pairing just now.
I got out of my armour since I only needed to wear it while we were in the waiting and waiting to learn when our matches were.
Every now and then there was a good fight on, I spent all day eating various snacks they were selling in the stadium while enjoying the matches, before my match was Nemun’s, I already had my armour on but I had to go wait in the preparation room so I couldn’t watch it.
Also I know is that the odds were 1:5 in Nemun’s favour, but that doesn’t really mean much in the beginner league.
The odds are based on grades, so they can be at times very different from a person’s actual capabilities.
At first while I waited it was quite, but then suddenly a thundering cheer rung through the preparation room, Nemun’s fight must of been a good one for it to get that sort of reaction from the crowd, I can only hope she won.
As I wondered if she’d won or not I see priests carrying a decapitated body rush in, the head being carried separately, I rush over hoping it’s not Nemun. Thankfully it wasn’t Nemun, the person was quickly resurrected by the priests, if you wait too long then resurrection becomes impossible and unless you’re using a high class resurrection spell then there is a chance of failure.
“Pitlie uhoori zash cuqau cazaouxuoox cuza tsiuhkiri cuqau oozafudu zash cuqau shuhduxumi shuouhsaxezasaxoi, ooliuhsau faoo shsazabe oofashshusaugu cuqau duzaoox zash uh shuduxzashuo shuouhsaxezasa uhmiou casauhmicu faoo cuqaeoo tsizaxmiixia. Pitlizash cuqau Pitlizaduou Pitliriemicaoo shuou uhoori shzasa hzafasa tsiduuooxugu ooza cuqauhcu shuou beuhh sauoofasaxukicu cuqau shuhduxumi shuouhsaxezasaixia. Pitlizash cuqau ouubezami Tugumetrathibuxoi, shuou tsiuca cuqauhcu hzafa mizacu zatsifieuhcuu cuqau shuhduxumi shsazabe saucufasamiugu shsazabe cuqau Pitliuduouusa Pitlicusauxixia. Pitlishuou shuoqaza shuoecumiooxutsi lizashuousa uhoori zash cuqau cazaouxuoox cuza cuuhriu liecuh zami cuqau shuhduxumi uhmiou cuza saucufasami cuqau shuhduxumi shuouhsaxezasa cuza cuqaeoo shuhduxumi tsizaouhixia. Pitlizaqa Pitlicazaouxuoox Tugufia-fifalieibu shuou uhoori cuqaeoo zash hzafa zami cuqaeoo ouuhh zash shuoocuefiecueuooxoi, duucu mizacu cuqau pzah zash cuqau zakixuhooezami tsiu safaemiuou tsih cuqau ouuuhcuqa zash hzafasa kiqazaooumixoi saucufasami cuqaeoo shuhduxumi shuouhsaxezasa cuza faoo ooza cuqauhcu cuqau shuoocuefuecueuoo beuhh kizamicuemifauixia. Pitlicu-“
They chanted the spell of resurrection granted to us by the goddess Fia-fifalie, the familiar chanting put me at ease, the chant to ask the goddess not allow the festivities to be spoiled and that the fallen warrior be guided back to their body and that the victory be allowed to enjoy his victory without fear of not being about to enjoy that victory with his fellow warrior.
I don’t know why but I always find chants soothing, the ancient and lost language just has something strange about it that I find soothing.
I sat and listened as they eventually finished and the young woman slowly sat up and then stood, now fully healed like she’d just woken up from a dream.
“I didn’t get to see your match, but nice work out there.”
I congratulated her, she looked at me seeming slightly confused.
“Th- thanks…”
She seemed pretty shaken up but I can’t blame her, she just died.
The side effect of resurrection is that things like hair colour and eye colour change, you can always tell if someone has been resurrected because they will have flakes of cyan in their eyes that give off a slight glow, when you get resurrected to many times your hair turns white and then you start losing muscle mass and strength each time you’re resurrected, if you don’t build back up that strength again then you’ll eventually degenerate and be unable to ever be resurrected.
I watched the priests slowly walk her out after that… that might be me in a few minutes if I don’t win this match.
A guard walked into the preparation room.
“Matious Trastlefortem? Follow me please.”
I got up and followed him to a stone tunnel leading out to the stadium’s staging ground.
“When your introduced walk out onto the staging round and wait for the go ahead to begin the battle.”
The guard said to me as he got comfortable wait began waiting, he’s probably there to stop me from walking out to early.
I heard the announcements from the stadium being amplified through magic.
“This matchup we have the Mage En Drendri of the Elder Forest going up against the Swordsmen Matious Trastlefortem son of Crodem Trastlefortem and brother to the Intermediate league champion Toriam!”
When my name was mentioned I was given to go ahead to enter the staging area.
I ran out onto the stage and readied my weapon, En stood across from me we’ve been friends for a few years now, not close friends but friends none the less, I’ll feel bad about killing him.
“We have high hopes for our two new fighters, so let the fight begin!”
Crackers went off making multiple dull popping sounds marking the beginning of the match, I leapt forwards brandishing my sword before making a low swipe at En’s left leg in an attempt to maim him but he stepped back out of my reach.
“Pitlie uhoori zash cuqau shuoemiou cuza ooduekiu cuqaeoo tsiduecaqacuxoi, [Wind Cutter]”
En quickly chants a class 10 ancient wind spell at me while he walks backwards, the almost invisible blade of wind crashes into me, knocking me back a few feet, he casts the spell again in the time it takes me to recovers but this time I’m expecting it and dispel the attack but swinging at it with my sword. I dash forwards getting in close to attack, En seems to panic messing up his chant, I close in an deal a blow to his left side, blood begins flowing from the wound but En jumps back casting another ‘Wind Cutter’ before I can deal a finishing blow, the ‘Wind Cutter smashes against my armour, doing more damage to me than to the armour thankfully. I got thrown off my feet and fell on my back, I rolled to the side just in time to dodge another Wind Cutter, and it seems he’s practiced to be able to cast that spell almost instantly. I managed to bat away a Wind Cutter to give me enough time to find my feet again, I received another Wind Cutter with my sword and then ran forwards again hitting away En’s Wind Cutters as he cast them until I managed to get close enough for another attack, he started running in the other direction casting Wind Cutters as he went.
He made a turn when he reached the edge of the stage and I cut deep into his arm, severing it. En fell to the ground and rolled away from me, rolling to his feet with a pained look on his face and obvious shock as well as another Wind Cutter which hit me squarely in the chest tearing loose one of my Pauldrons and knocking the wind out of me, it’s going to take a long time to get that fixed...
I swing at En’s head, he leapt back just barely dodging it while he cast another quickly spoken spell.
“Pitlia tsiuca cuza cuqau Pitlizaduou Pitliriemicaoo cuza kiduzacu beh tsiduzaxou uhmiou oocuzali cuqau shduzashuo shuoecuqaemi cuza shuoecuqazafacuxoi, [Clot Bleeding]”
Blood stopped flowing from his arm, but he’d messed up, that spell took longer for him to cast than his specialty Wind Cutter, long enough for me to close in and get a good swing in, I cut deep into his chest, he spasmed blood gushing from his chest and fell to the ground lifeless.
We’d been taught how to fight mages, the instructor drilled into our heads the cold hard truth that if you ever let up the attack they’ll cast a devastating spell that would be the end of us, I took that to heart and didn’t let up the attack. After experiencing it first hand, I know that to be probably the most important lesson in my entire life.
The crowd started cheering, I think I’m emotionally scarred from taking my first life? Well En will be up and about in a bit, anyway I won, yes!
I raised my hands in the air.
“AND THE VICTOR IS MATIOUS TRASTLEFORTEM!!!!!!”
The cheering became louder, I walked back to my preparation room and started taking off my armour, I don’t have any more fights for today. I went to watch one of the other qualifying tournaments being held in the area, only one was held in the Staging Ground Stadium at a time, today my qualifying tournament was held in the stadium, tomorrow we move to the town square qualification stadium where we fight in the streets any damages are covered by the King, however it’s an unspoken rule to minimize the damage as much as possible. The day after we go to the forest qualification stadium, which is just a clearing in the forest and seats cut into the surrounding trees.
En approached me when I stepped towards to Stadium exit, he seemed to of made a full recovery, though the evidence of his recent experience with death showed in his eyes like flakes of shining metal.
“Are you turning in for the day Matious?”
I shook my head.
“No, I’m going to go watch the Town Square Stadium’s qualifying match, do you want to come with me?”
“Sh- sure, I to admit though, you got me really good those last few hits.”
I felt a bit awkward about talking about it on the same day that I killed him.
“Yeah… you got a few solid hits on me as well, if it wasn’t for my armour I would of lost almost instantly, you’re crazy fast at chanting you realize that right?”
He smiled, somehow he seemed to brighten his mood and shrugged.
“It’s simple if you know the right breathing techniques, you can also cheat by expelling mana from your throat to replace the breath out and just concentrate on mouth movements rather than breathing techniques, but that consumes a lot of mana. If you get it right you can breathe normally and talk at the same time without needing to stop talking to take a breath, I have a friend that’s really good at it, but don’t ask him about it or he’ll never stop talking.”
“I didn’t know about that, I was wondering how you were able to keep chanting like that while doing rolls and dodging me, hmm, I can see how that would be vital to a mage.”
“Yeah, you would of learned about it with you being a martial training major, it really is very vital to a mage, I would have been taken down as fast as those first two in the first match, that mage and pike team, they were really bad I don’t even know what they’d been doing for the last 6 years. Kind of a letdown is the only thing I can say about it, though I will say that I don’t envy whoever will have to fight those two swordsmen tomorrow, they seem genuinely strong.”
“Yeah…”
Well it seems I opened the flood gates…
“Hey, ugh En, let’s get a drink, just to celebrate a good match, either of us would of lost instantly if not for something we learned or gained, I myself only won because I was taught how to fight mages.”
We went to watch the town square qualification tournament for the rest of the day, large ramps where made so that people could stand on the rooves of the houses around the town square, there were also seats there for people to sit, also the food stalls where just a street away.
A pub brought out its stock and was selling drinks to people watching the matches, En payed for a bottle, I would of but after buying my sword I only have a few bronze jots left.
En uncorked the bottle and drank a mouthful as we went to the seats on the roof and sat down, we shared the bottles as we watched the matches, this is the first time I’ve had alcohol… it tastes disgusting, but I drank away way because I didn’t want to waste En’s money.
And also for all the students including myself, this should be the first time we’ve killed. Even if En was brought back I killed him and I want to forget about that, at least until tomorrow.
Just as the sun began to set, the final match was about to begin, the announcer introduced the fighters.
“Good Evening, tonight we have to last fight of the day, Princess Knifelim Blindsight 2nd inline to the Goblin Emperor against Tentu Hillshell and Spanto Hillshell a twin brother and sister pairing from Shellic Fields!”
< --/-/-- >
I’m making final preparations for the tournament tomorrow, for a week now I’ve been using ‘manipulate’ to coat my armour in bronze, I finished yesterday, but now I need to infuse it with the new enchantment.
The art of enchanting and yes it is actually an art, is to fold the metal over multiple mana veins to create a magic net or magic grid as then are called and then cast the spell on the object with the chant for enchantment added onto the end. Some used the aid of a short chant to form the mana vein, but it’s relatively easy to form them once you know how, gather your mana to a single point and pulling it out while spinning it like a thread, the issue with mana vein’s is that you need to use them immediately once you’ve formed them or the enchantment will be weakened due to an imbalance in the magic grid. The importance of enchanting is not power, but balance and complexity, to weight the spell equally on the magic grid. To enchant wooden objects, it either needs to be made from specially grown wood that had mana channelled into it since it was a sapling, or wood from a monster, like a Trent or a Forest Sentinel. Monster leather is cheap and considering on how powerful the monster the leather came from, it can hold many times more enchantments than any other material, the best more than likely being dragon leather.
I folded more than 1000 mana veins into the bronze coating as I spread it over my armour, basing my mana grid off a spider’s web, this should hold a reasonable powerful enchantment, now for the finishing touches.
“The wind that dances, frolics and prances, dashes and hastens, I ask that you join me, come dance with me in battle, to fell my foes and smash their toes, I ask of the wind, to lend me its hand to join me in a dance. [Wind Dance]”
Looking at it with my ‘sight’ my armour seems to begin glowing brightly, the magic then began settling in and didn’t seem to be dissipating before finally stabilizing, and it’s a success.
You have successfully completed the enchantment ‘Wind spirit’
‘Wind Spirit’ {Intermediate Enchantment}
Reduced Weight of armour (40%)
Reduced fatigue (10%)
Increased Agility (+3)
That turned out well, I suppose I’ll need to use a stronger spell to get a stronger enchantment.
“Nemun.”
Nemun was asleep in a chair in the corner, she’s fallen asleep reading while waiting for me to finish my armour, I’d been up for the last few days working on it, probably not the smartest thing considering the tournament was tomorrow, but I never would have had it finished in time otherwise, I’ll just chug some curative potions, that should keep me going long enough to get through the tournament.
Potions are a bit of a pain for me to make because I don’t really have access to fresh herbs, but I manage, the potions are made by refining it with mana and using different herb, mineral and chemical combinations. By passing your mana through the solution, the mana clings to the residual energy in the ingredients used and makes that energy materialise and rise to the surface, that fluid is then collected and placed in a bottle and the rest is discarded. The discarded solution is toxic and highly poisonous after the extraction, a strong healing potion also makes an equally strong poison, so the left over solution should be disposed of properly. The collected fluids are a highly concentrated version of the potion which you should water down for the best cost efficiency, there are multiple different recipes to make the same potions and they each have different variant in colour, taste, smell and effectiveness.
Never the less I have a potion lab set up in my room, it’s a lot cheaper to just make my own rather than buy them from others, not to mention that the market bought are usually watered down far more than they should be and they mix dirt in to mask the grimy bitter flavour of them, that usually happens if you don’t extract the potions from the solution properly, a properly made potion should taste sweet.
Nemun didn’t wake up when I called her so I walked over and prodded her, she almost jumped out of the seat.
“I’m done Nemun, help me into it I’m going to go for a run and make sure nothing’s wrong and that the magic grid doesn’t unravel.”
Nemun picked up the books she was reading before she fell asleep and put it aside before walking over to my armour.
“You really finished in time?”
I nodded.
“I thought I was going to have to go without any armour for a little bit, but look at it, finished and with an entire day to spare.”
I smile at Nemun who hates making magical items, but I’d convinced her to help me with it, I wouldn’t have been able to finish it in time if not for her help.
“Help me into it, I’ll show you it was worth the torture.”
Nemun helped me into my armour like she usually does, she’s gotten pretty fast at it lately.
My armour now strapped and buckled, I stood up, it felt strange how much lighter it was. I moved around my arms, legs waist and neck, testing the joints for any adjustments that need to be made to the fitting, everything seemed good so I walked outside to the training grounds in the school, the students that where currently in class got distracted by me and were looking out their classes window, to test the stability of the magic grid I smashed my Vanbrace against a large rock, the armour wasn’t damaged at all and all I felt was a light tap, the magic grid didn’t unravel or explode, good. Also when I say Vanbrace, I mean the forearm guards connected to the Rerebrace, the Rerebrace is like a cousin of the Pauldron or Spaulders, which are essentially shoulder pads.
I took off what I could in an attempt to make the armour lighter, but because of that there are a lot of vulnerable places in my armour.
For example I discarded the Faulds and Tassets, Faulds are a piece of plate armour worn below a breastplate to protect the waist and hips, and it’s a bit like a metal shirt. Tassets are bands hanging from faulds or breastplate to protect the upper legs.
On my legs I wear Schynbald which provides protection for the shin. I took off the hinged ‘door’, discarding the lames that protected my calf. Above the Schynbald I wear a Cuisse which protects the thigh.
For my chest I wear a Cuirass as is the norm and only the front of my chest is armoured, I think the most armoured parts of my body are my arms and my head, wearing a Bevor which cover the jaw and neck and a Sallet which is a helm that extends out to cover the back of the neck.
I also discarded the Sabaton’s, gauntlets and besagew. A Sabaton is essentially a piece of metal that covers the foot, guantlets are self-explanatory and a Besagew is a circular plate that covers the armpit, typically worn with spaulders.
I kept the Cowter’s, which provide protection for my elbows and connects the Vanbrace and Rerebrace, and I also kept the Poleyn, which protects the knee and connects the Schynbald and Cuisse.
Essentially I got rid of any part of my armour I thought was unnecessary or would get in the way, it also helped that it meant I had less parts I had to coat with bronze.
An armour set is called a harness, under the harness I wear a padded form of clothing called a doublet.
All in all, the armour gets pretty damn hot, but I bought some crystals that when infused with magic and exposed to heat, lower to temperature to around 18 degrees Celsius before they deactivate on their own, automatically regulating the temperature inside the suit to stay around 18 degrees Celsius.
I will be honest, as cool as it would have been to wear gauntlets, they would impede spell casting, so I had to discard them.
I went for a run in my armour which was now incredibly light compared to before because of the ‘Wind Spirit’ enchantment, testing the armour for instabilities. I did this by throwing myself against rocks. As crazy as it sounds this is actually how you’re supposed to test new magical armour. The tests double in importance when you add a coating to increase the enchantments. Because there a chance that the original enchantment or base enchantment could be incompatible or the base magic grid could collapse due to the added pressure. The base magic grid usually only becomes unstable if you don’t make the new magic grid compensate for the base grid. Which generally results in the new magic grids becoming incredibly complex if the base magic grid is very simple.
“I who witnessed power asks that the object of my focus move, bent, twist and change shape to my will, [Manipulate].”
When my armour became dented I repaired it back to pristine condition using manipulate.
After spending half the day running around jumping into walls and rocks, falling on the ground, getting up, and just all round testing the durability. By now I was perfectly sure that it was stable. Even the light coming from it that I could see with my ‘sight’ gave off the impression that it was stable.
I returned to my room and took off the armour. It took me a while on my own by I managed, bathed and then went to sleep.
Tomorrow is the day of the tournament.
< --/-/-- >
The sun is setting.
I gripped the hilt of the sword while waiting in one of the Town Square preparation rooms.
My match is the last one for today. I had to wait all day it was almost unbearable.
My armour may have been well cooled, but that didn’t make it comfortable. My match is up next so it won’t be long I suppose.
That doesn’t make it more bearable though.
The Town Square preparation room was actually a small building behind a tavern close to the town hall. I suspect there’s one on the other side of the town square.
At long last a guard walked in with the victor of the previous match, the victor looked pretty banged up and pale. Probably shock or something like that.
The guard motioned for me to approach the exit.
“Your match will be starting soon. The suns almost down so make it quick I want to go sleep. I never expected standing around all day to be so tiring when I joined the city guard.”
The guard yawned loudly.
“When you hear the introduce you run into the town square. Then wait for the word to start fighting.”
The guard stood by next to me swaying on his feet slightly. He must really be tired.
“Good late AFTERNOON! Tonight we have to last fight of the day, Princess Knifelim Blindsight 2nd inline to the Goblin Emperor, KNIFE! Against Tentu Hillshell and Spanto Hillshell a twin brother and sister pairing from Shellic Fields!”
Hey isn’t the goblin thing meant to be a secret? And I’m not a princess dammit!
A little annoyed I ran out and stopped in the town square as I was told. The brother and sister pair were a both swordsmen. This is a common pairing, two martial students or a martial student and a magic student.
I drew my sword and the twins drew theirs as well.
The brother and sister pair looked intimidating, even more so because they were Zvyar.
“Well we have high hopes for our new fighters, so let the battle begin!”
I began chanting ‘Urea’ as I charged forwards, the brother hopped to the side while the sister readied her sword before meeting my charge. She swung at me as she ran past, but I ducked under her blade aimed for the slit in my helmet I see through called the occularium. The brother was right behind her, he leapt forwards and swung upwards at my chin while I was still bent over after dodging his sister’s attack. I leaned my torso backwards. His sword scrapped across the surface of my Cuirass, but overall dealt no damage. As I leaned back I brought my sword up and pushed away his blade.
I then turned and met swords with the sister that was coming up behind me, this made her recoil from the force of the impact from our blades meeting and gave me enough time to hook my foot behind the brother and push him back with my out stretched hand causing him to trip over.
Before I could move to attack the brother that had fallen over, the sister ran into me and knocked me onto the ground. She got purchase on my hips before I could recover from the fall and rammed her sword into my stomach. My Cuirass dented deeply inwards but stopped the attack from piercing skin. My chant was interrupted.
I felt like my stomach had been crush, all the internal organs turned to mush, like I was going to throw them all up. I swallowed down my vomit and punched her in the side of the head which knocked her to the ground beside me, the brother was there and tried to stab his sword through my occularium. I stopped his sword with mine and kicked his feet out from under him before getting up.
I was still in the process of getting up when the sister charged at me stabbed with her sword aiming for my armpit where I didn’t have any armour. I shifted my crouching position, twisting my hips and leaned forwards received that attack on my Rerebrace. The sister’s sword bit deep into the armour and got stuck, I stood and turned my body away to steal control of her sword for a moment as I ran my sword along her sword arm, she dropped her sword and clutched her arm. I faced the brother as he brought down a wide arching swing. I brought up my injured arm and caught his sword arm with my hand, with the other I drove my sword through his chest. The brother fell to the ground, blood seeping out from his wound. I was disorientated from the blow to my head, my vision blurred and I almost lost balance.
I turned to face the sister who stared in shock at her brother as a pool of red gathered by him.
I took this chance to cast Water Globe.
“I ask of the water beneath the earth to wash away with terror and still the flow, [Water Globe]”
I compressed the spell and then threw it to the sister as she snapped out of it and realize what I was doing.
The sister struck the compressed ball of water with her sword in an attempt to dispel it and it exploded. There was silence for a time and then the water vapour cleared and revealed the sister on the ground, her right arm and the right side of her chest and face completely gone.
I turned back to the brother that was slowly bleeding out on the ground, he had a look of horror while looking at his sister’s corpse.
I drove my sword through his skull, wake up when you’re both healthy again.
I withdrew my sword from his skull and swung a practice swing to fling the blood and brain matter from the blade before sheathing it. I’ll need to clean and polish the blade before I go to sleep, I don’t want brain gloop rusting it.
“AND OUR VICTOR IS THE PRINCESS, KNIFELIM BLINDSIGHT!!!!!!”
The crowd cheered so loud it just sounded like a deafening roar.
I’m going to have some words with that announcer about a few things that are getting on my nerves latter.
I left the arena and returned to the preparation room.
A group of healer crowded around me and helped me out of my armour so they could look over my wounds.
While they were inspecting the various bruises and checking for any broken bones, I spent the time repairing my armour with ‘Manipulate’, which thankfully didn’t require my hands, only requiring the manipulation of mana.
They removed the sister’s sword that was still stuck in my armour and in turn still lodged in my arm, it hurt a lot, but I could still use the arm without any difficulties so they just patched it up with a healing spell after removing the sword.
They finished inspecting my injuries before I finished repairing my armour.
The blow to my stomach broke 2 ribs, which they healed with difficulty. If I’d had a broken leg then they would have just had to set it before casting healing magic, otherwise it would have healed wrong. Healing magic won’t realign improperly set bones. Healing magic can regrow bones though, so a lost limb can be restored within an hour unless the limb is in the possession of a cursed or evil magical beast or creature. However with broken ribs, they found out where they are and then extract them.
I had them wait until after I finished fixing my armour. I put on a shirt and they took me to the healer’s tent that was set up by the Staging Ground Stadium and laid me down on a table. The healers didn’t give me anything and just started cutting into me, I was confused and knocked one of them out before they could restrain me. They cut my chest open and removed the broken ribs before casting a heal spell, which regrew the ribs and healed my chest without leaving a scar. Of course they ignored my struggling and screaming, I passed out before they even extracted the first rib.
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I should have figured that the medical procedures were messed up since this was a medieval setting in addition to being a fantasy one…
I woke up the next day, it was morning and I had to go to the next round of qualifying matches, today my group have been moved to the forest stadium. I say stadium, but it’s really just a clearing in the forest with trees growing taller and taller the further they get from the clearing.
If I didn’t have to leave, then I would have made those fucked up excuses for healers heal every bone in their bodies after i broke them.
I picked up my armour that was bundled and tied together at the base of the bed they left me in. Put on some cheap looking poor quality clothes they left for me and ran to the forest. If I was in the first match today I would already be disqualified.
I ran through the path leading to the clearing, which was lined with colourful wax paper ornaments, and arrived just as a match ended.
A guard that was standing by waved to me. It was the same guard as the one in the preparation room for the town square. It seemed he was a guard for my group and not the town square stadium.
“Knifelim, you’ve arrived. We feared you weren’t going to be able to make it. We needed to tell you when your match was on”
I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Oh good I didn’t miss my match.”
“Your match will be the last one for today was well, ‘saving the best for last’ or so was the reason.”
“Oh so my match is right when the sun begins the set again?”
He nodded.
“Yep, don’t be late though. I made a lot of money from your last match.”
The guard says to me before going back to watching the arena as the next two fighter walked out and where introduced.
Since I had most of the day off I returned to the healer’s tent to ‘thank’ them for what they did yesterday. There were however not there, so I left dejectedly.
On exiting the tent I noticed Nemun was standing outside the tent.
“What are you doing her Nemun?”
“I have a few hours before my next match, and I heard you were taken to the healer’s tent yesterday so I came to see if you were okay.”
I shrug.
“Yeah, they just removed some ribs and made them grow back. I wanted to thank them with my fist but it seems they knew better then to stick around.”
Nemun chuckled at that.
“Well it has happened before, in the past there have been many incidents, so it seems they’re ready for it now.”
I smiled bitterly.
“I suppose they are…”
I thought for a moment.
“How did your match go Nemun?”
Nemun seemed to frown.
“Not good, it was over almost instantly. I wanted a real fight.”
“As expected as Nemun.”
Nemun always got top grade in physical fitness and proficient with multiple weapons, she was the top martial student.
Nemun and I spent time together until her match started in the Town square stadium. I went and watched, Nemun seemed to have some slight trouble until she tore off the arm of her opponent with her bare hands… after that she won without difficulties.
Nemun is a truly terrifying opponent, I sincerely hope I don’t end up fighter her, ever. As I said in the past, I’ll die…
Most of the day I spent eating various snacks and enjoying watching the fights with Nemun. I got to see Matious running around in his armour for an hour as he fought another person in equally heavy armour, neither could knock the other down and take the advantage, eventually they both conceded and the match was considered a draw. They were both eliminated from the tournament.
Strangely Matious wasn’t as depressed about it as I’d thought he’d be and Shushen and En where hanging around him, though Shushen should be in class at the moment…
“HEY!!!”
I yelled as I walked up, Shushen look over when I shouted and instantly scowled. Damn right, you should be in school you little shit.
“Shushen, shouldn’t you be somewhere?”
I asked him after stopping within a few feet of him.
“I am where I should be, helping my friend get through his disappointing defeat.”
“I didn’t lose!”
Matious interrupted, but Shushen ignored him.
I shook my head.
“It’s good that you treasure your friend so much, but you should be at school Shushen.”
Shushen glared at me and I glared back, just listen to me you idiot.
“They aren’t teaching anything I couldn’t learn latter.”
“Learning it latter would be too late, which is why you’re learning it now.”
I replied to his feeble attempt at being rebellious.
“You can’t act so high and mighty when you’re grade have dropped as well!”
“My grades are still far above the average and I was focusing on my Martial grades.”
Shushen huffs at me, he huffed at me. I think someone wants to get hit?
I raised my fist, but then lowered it, no now’s not the time to get into a petty fight with Shushen.
En got in between us facing me with his hands raised to eye level.
“Calm down Knife, just let him enjoy the tournament, most of the students are skipping classes and are here anyway.”
“I don’t care anymore, do what you want.”
No matter what he’s going to be a hero regardless of how poor his behaviour might be. All that matters is that I keep him alive until he’s fulfilled his purpose and then I don’t care what he does or whether or not he gets himself killed or turns into a good for nothing.
I turn to walk away.
“Fine, I’m going. But Shushen”
“Yes?”
“Learn what you can, while you can.”
I went back to the forest Stadium with Nemun. We watched the matches, I was checking my watch after every match getting impatient. An hour before the sun was about to start setting I went to the preparation room to get ready for my match.
I say preparation room, but for the forest stadium it’s just a tree near the clearing the you sit under.
I put my armour bundle on the ground and after unwrapping it I began strapping it on piece by piece, like this I spent the hour until my match.
I remembered that I’d forgotten to clean my sword yesterday, so I took it out and cleaned it off. I was still cleaning it when a guard came and told me to get in position. I reluctantly got up and sheathed my sword before walking over to the centre of the stadium.
“Good evening everyone, this evening we have the Princess Knifelim Blindsight, 2nd inline to the goblin Emperor, in her last match against Tentu Hillshell and Spanto Hillshell a twin brother and sister pairing from Shellic Fields. Knifelim fought a desperate battle before eventually coming out on top in what can only be considered the perfect combination of both a skilled swordswoman and a powerful mage in one single person.”
I raised my arm to let the crowd know that he was talking about me. The crowd cheered a bit, they’ll cheer for anything….
“Our other fighter this evening is the one, the only 3rd son of Barron Arimie Ullphes, Emir Ullphes! A crowd favourite yesterday. When he defeated to outstandingly skilled magician Jexi Fenttiller that worked her magic to great effect which enthralled the crowd, but in the end lost out Emir’s unending assault of both magic and sword.
Arimie raised his hand in the same way I did to let the crowd know who I was. The crowd went crazy, I think a few women in the front rows started throthing at the mouth before fainting. What the actual fuck?
“What we saw from yesterday’s matches, was The Princess Knifelim using the famed Water and Stone sword style ‘Ice Fang Touch’ which allows the user to flow like water while attacking and stand their ground like a stone wall when defending. This style is well suited to mixing with magical attacks and was last seen in use by the late King Zunanth of the Jarinan Kingdom that was famed for his prowess in battle. We can only hope that this new user of the style can live up to its fame.”
Um what? I just read about it in a book, it didn’t seem very important. Now that I think of it… for all I know some of the spells I know could be long forgotten or very rare.
“As is well known, Emir Ullphes uses the Stone sword style ‘Stongrad’ intended to be used while wearing heavy bulky armour, the key to the style is to master controlling your centre of gravity and to use that being able to attack while putting your entire weight behind the attack and still remain in control and ready to receive the new attack. We’ve seen Emir using magic in conjunction with this style in his previous match to great effect. The style ‘Stongrad is a popular style in Atitria amongst nobility for its highly offensive nature that uses the full extent of the protection of the armour of the user.”
So the same style as Matious but he’s also a magic user. Somehow Emir had slipped my notice, I don’t know how I managed to miss someone like this. Looking at his armour it’s better than mine. The glistening white of the silver coating it is almost blinding and the whole white theme to it and his billowing cape just nauseates me. Why is he even wearing a cape? It’ll just get in the way- no, it must be a magical item, there has to be a reason for him wearing it. It doesn’t seem to glow like magic items normally do with my ‘sight’.
I increased the output of my ‘sight’ to get a better look at it, nope, it’s just a normal cape… why is he wearing that? Is he an idiot?
From the look on his face I could see behind his helmet after increasing my output, he seemed arrogant as fuck. Then let’s put him in his place.
“-ome. Let’s get this last fight for today underway and begin!”
I drew my sword and the Emir drew his as well. He stood there not moving, waiting for me to attack with a smug smirk on his face. I mentally shrugged and began chanting Urea.
“I who possess power, twist and bind, bend and bind, stretch and bind, I form my defences. Smash, crash, pierce, my defences can’t be broken. Flame, wind, stone, water, metal, void, my defences out last the elements. Hot, dry, wet, cold, my defences are not weathered. I am they who possess power and I cannot be broken. You who are witness, witness the power of my impenetrable defence, [Urea]”
After I finish my chant I do the arm movements required my new-type spells, with each wave of my arm a light trails behind it forming a symbol in the air in front of me. Once complete the symbol dispersed into the air and at least to me, it seemed like my body seemed to become encased in light. This spell takes ages to cast.
“I ask of the earth that bares the weight of all, to call forth its strength and rise to greater heights, [Earth Rise]”
The ground by my feet lit up.
The entire time Emir just continued to stand there waiting for me to attack with that smug look on his face still, it didn’t seem to change even after I cast the spell, so I’ll assume he can’t see what I see or he’s just not paying attention.
With my defensive spell cast I slowly walked up to Emir and stopped just outside his range, he still remained still, so I entered his range. He instantly took a swing at me, which I should have expected, but somehow I let myself believe he was a complete idiot. The swing came at my chest but was stopped about 10cm before it could touch me and the light seemed to fluctuate a bit. Emir’s eyes widened, yeah, now you’re starting to get what happens when you assume you’ve already won you fuck.
I raised my free hand and back handed him like the little bitch he was, it just clinked on his armour and I hurt my hand.
He started to laugh loudly…
“Nothing can get through my armour stupid girl, it’s the finest in all the kingdom.”
“Do you realize how stupid you sound?”
I attempted to stab him with my sword, it bounced off. It seems he has a lot of powerful enchantments. I attack him continuously but I do no damage, every now and then he attacks me but it does no damage to me either.
I can’t damage him with my sword and when I try to cast a spell he starts attacking and the weaker spells I can cast while defending do no damage to him.
Fine, if I can’t attack his body… then I’ll attack his mind. I release my control on my creeping tendrils and creeping feelers, his back and numerous muscles in his body instantly tense and then I push it up to maximum output. As soon as I start pushing it further, I see Goosebumps start showing up all along his arms and back and he shivers and hardens his expression before jumping back and gaining distance on me. But no, I won’t let him run, I focus on creeping tendrils and push it to its limit while looking at Emir .
I see his eye partially roll back into his head and he almost loses consciousness before regaining himself. But I don’t let him completely recover, I close the distance and strike hard at his chest, it doesn’t appear to do anything but then I activate ‘Transcend the Limit’, a glowing white smoke seems to rise from me and I feel instantly multiple times stronger.
‘Transcend the Limit’ activated
Emir punches my helmet, but ‘Urea’ ripples again as the punch gets stopped before even touching me. I push away from him and raise my sword high, assuming a ‘Phoenix’ style stance that focuses on continuous attacks. I start swing my sword continuously with the styles sword swings that almost seem to mimic the chaotic flickering of a flame. Emir strikes back as well, we exchange blows and meet swords, neither receiving even a scratch. However I could see ‘Urea’ weakening and Emir’s armour was visibly battered, scratched and dented.
I could deal a finishing blow.
Emir seeing his armour he believed to be impervious, becoming so battered, seemed to be enrage.
Suddenly I see magic gather around Emir’s sword as he swings to at me, it smashes through my ‘Urea’ and cuts deeply into my side.
A sword skill… they don’t teach those until intermediate training however. How did he learn that? Oh of course, money gets you anything. Emir tore his sword out, my translucent and sticky orange blood gushed out in large globs that slowly dripped from the open wound. And he stuck me again with that same skill, it bit deep into my bevor and stopped when it stuck my spine. Pain shot through my entire body like my bones were rattling. Emir pulled free his sword again before raising his sword to deal the finishing blow.
It funny, I still fear death even though this will be the third time. The only thing that’s changed is that I’m better at lying to myself about my fears.
But… even though my consciousness is fading already and I feel weak, and that part of me wants to give up… I already said I was going to win right? I don’t want to turn into a liar as well as a pain in the ass for everyone around me. Emir blade was moving swiftly towards me, I already said I’d put this idiot in his place. I don’t have time to cast anything, I don’t have the strength to turn this blade away. I felt a tug on my mana, I hadn’t noticed it until now, but it was there. It felt as though I could pull on it, so I did.
The mana surrounding Emirs sword suddenly exploded outwards violently, throwing me back a few feet and burning my eyes and hands. I raised my hands that sizzled and cracked, burning skin filled my nose. Burns are never pleasant. But I’ve never been burned before this, not even in my first life, so how do I know that?
Somehow a memory I don’t remember surfaced, it was of a place I’d never been and I saw people I’d never met before. The people held me down and spread out my hand over a sink before pouring boiling vegetable oil over my hand. My hand sizzled and spat, the pain that seemed to pulsate from my hand like a second heart.
“You failed us Allen.”
They threw me down, my head cracked against the metal sink before falling to the ground with the rest of me.
THEY burned me, burned me! on my right hand the burn circled around from the back of my hand to the underside of my wrist, it was a punishment. But I can’t remember who punished me, who did that to me? WHY did I need to be punished?
“I’m sorry! I’ll do better next time I promise!”
I screamed over the pain with tears in my eyes.
One of the men pulled up my head by the hair on the back of my neck and angled my head painfully so I was looking at him. He smiled, it was like a sickness had taken control of him it made me feel weak.
“There isn’t a next time Allen, you only live once.”
A loud bang went off and I felt something do through my chest, it became hard to breath. The warm red fluid that sustained my life pooled by my face, I felt weak.
Why do I have to suffer, I did nothing wrong.
I heard a women screaming in pain and then realized it was me. My hand were still sizzling as I watched them.
“Ah, fucking, shit! AH!!”
I said channelling my mana through my throat to speak since one of my lungs was pretty much destroyed and breathing alone seemed like an impossible task.
I sat myself up slowly to so I could look around, my entire body screamed as I moved and I remembered that I have two fatal injuries. I brought my hand up to the deep fissure that was my collarbone a few moments ago. My right side hanging loose, I had no control in it. Blood still poured out of my wounds. Whatever happened to ‘Steadfast’ shouldn’t it activate and I should be regenerating right now? Fuck! I don’t know.
Emir was standing there, his arm completely blown off, he was both confused and shocked about what just happened.
At seeing this I make a mental note to never do what I just did ever again.
Is his confusion he just stares at his stump, his mouth opening and closing like a hungry fish, before he screams out in a shrill voice.
“What’d you just do!?”
I coughed up blood, it got stuck in my throat a few times before I eventually coughed it up, it rolled down my chin and out the bottom of my bevor.
“What’d you do!?”
Emir screamed again.
Ugh… I don’t have time to deal with this, I’ll be dead in a few moments, dead for the third time.
“Shut up!”
I yelled to him, he ignored me and asked again…
“Tell me what you just did to me!?”
He screamed.
……
“No seriously shut up for a moment so I can die peacefully.”
“Wha-“
“I don’t know any healing spells…”
I really should have learnt some. It was an oversight, I’ll do better next time. I resigned myself to bleeding out and let myself lay back down on the soft grass of the clearing.
“Hnrah!”
Emir roared angrily in what can only be called the gibberish of rage and walked over to my sword and picked it up. He put it to my throat, it clinked against my bevor.
“I’ll make sure they never revive you, monster!”
I smiled though he couldn’t see it. His character is so cliché I can hardly contain myself, but it’s not good to laugh in this kind of situation, it’ll just hurt a whole lot.
“You can try, but I’ll kill you long before then.”
With those words I began rolling on my side away from him. It must look really comical, but I made it back to wear I began the match. It was here that I left a spell that I think might win me the match, who knows I might even live.
I began chanting ‘Lightning javelin’.
He walked after me as if I was only delaying the inevitable. And then he flew up into the air with an explosion of rock chunks. Fucking idiot, what was the line?
‘You activated my trap card.’
I raised my hand to as part of the spell and finished the chant.
“I call upon the will of the Old Kings so that I might strike down the pitiful with the might of light itself! May you who has offended I, the vassal of the Old Kings, know the might that slew the Demon Metrath for yourself! I smite you with the javelin of the God-king! Let all who bear witness know of this fraction of the God-kings power and let all who you care for, know that I, the Vassal of the Old Kings will never be defeated by man, women, monster, demon or God itself, [Lightning Javelin]!”
As he sailed through the air the ‘Lightning Javelin’ shot out from my hand and struck him cleanly. Emir fell to the ground hard and sizzled for a time, he didn’t move.
“Oh and what a turn around! Emir Ullphes looked like his victory was assured after utilizing a sword skill which is rarely seen in the beginner tournament, but after losing out in a head on battle, the Princess that’s not just looks, won because of her smarts and ingenuity. The victor, Knifelim Blindsight!”
The crowd roared, what, do they just cheer on command now? I don’t care anymore, I passed out.
Goddess Fia-fifalie has given ‘Divine Favour’ to F Rank Creator Aneir
Goddess Fia-fifalie has altered the F Rank Creator Aneir
I woke up later that day in the healer’s tent, I was tied to the bed. Probably a precaution against violent patients, I cast ‘sear’ on them, which weakened them enough for me to break them.
“I ask the searing flame to scorch the infidel, [Sear]”
I snapped the bindings after weakening them with the spells flames and got up, no one was around and it seemed to be night time, I guess they just left me there?
Thankfully I didn’t die, so I can only thank the healers. I was never really good at holding a grudge and keeping me alive after receiving such serious wounds. I don’t really have a good reason to cripple them anymore, but better safe than sorry must be their motto, because they want nothing to do with me while I’m awake.
I left the tent, it was night time, checking my watch I found it was midnight. I always found it strange how technologically stupid they were despite having watches and clocks. But I suppose I can blame it on the convenience of magic, why make something the produces fire if you can just form fire from nothing and so.
I didn’t bother going back to sleep, I only slept 5 hours a day in my first life as well, feeling tired had already long become only a mere annoyance. I feel like I’ve regained some of myself after that fight.
But I have a question, one that I probably won’t find someone that can answer, what were those memories?
My life wasn’t like that, it didn’t end like that either.
My life was peaceful and uneventful, a place where nothing ever happened.
It was almost tranquil, though it wasn’t without its problems.
It’s hard to think, something feel wrong like tasting something bitter when you’re eating candy.
I don’t know what’s wrong, it’s hard to think about this, it hurts.
I held my chest as I lost strength in my legs and dropped to the stone pavement of the street I was walking on.
I couldn’t see myself as normal, so I didn’t know what was wrong.
It’s probably just mental fatigue, a normal thing after coming so close to death.
My head grew heavy and my chest began to hurt as if I’d been stabbed, ugh. I threw up.
Okay, maybe I should sleep.
I went to the room I’d booked in a local inn on the first day, I hadn’t had a chance to sleep in it yet. It was a small room, but it had its own aesthetic. It was practical, a bed, a chest and a shelf. Nothing unnecessary here and the food here was good, of course I tested the food before choosing to stay here. The inn keeper somehow gets that over cooked burnt flavour just right, I’m a little sad that I missed out on it yesterday and the day before.
However I skipped the meal today as well, I just didn’t have an appetite and went straight to bed after putting my armour in the chest at the foot of the bed and locked it.
When I woke up 3 hours later I took some clothes that weren’t cut up and covered with my blood from my bag and changed into them. Though I suppose I could have just stitched up the cuts and cleaned the clothes, it would have looked bad, but it would have been functional. I instead decided to dispose of them somewhere on the way to the Staging ground stadium where I would be fighting today.
I needed to repair my armour anyway. I carried my armour down stairs to the pub area of the inn, this is the inn’s main business apparently.
The night shift staff member of the inn gave me a strange look as I took a seat and plonked my armour down on the table. I ordered some stew and set myself at work repairing my armour.
The stew was perfect, just the way I like it, though I think it could have used a bit more burnt flavour and it would have been better if the meat was just a little bit dryer, but it was still good. The sun rose by the time I’d finished repairing my armour using manipulate. Since the sun was up, the other customers were waking up and coming out to get their morning meal. They all stared at me, I must of gotten pretty famous because of the tournament and it’s not even over yet, haha.
For the sake of it I ordered some alcohol, probably not the best thing to drink before a match. But after yesterday I don’t care right now.
My bodies only 16, but I’m 35, so it’s a good enough excuse for me.
I drank a mug of it, I don’t really know what these wooden cups are called so, mug it is. It’s funny how little I managed to learn and retain about everyday things. Expansive knowledge about magical beasts and creatures, sure I know that. Expansive knowledge of history and anything else that a normal person would care about, nope. You couldn’t get me to call the name of Atitria’s king even if you tortured me, because I just don’t know it and I don’t care to know it.
I can remember Viscount Crodem because my parents work for him, but any other noble? Nope, don’t care. Besides nobility is just an excuse to feel important while doing very little, and have power over someone that doesn’t know any better. Viva la revolution and all that, but rather it’d be better to say Viva la Communism and the fall of the power of the nobility system.
Of course I don’t really care enough to change anything, not even the things I don’t like. You see slaves being sold at the market place like common goods enough times and you just stop caring. Of course a part of me feels pained when I see it and another goes berserk when I see children being sold as premium goods. But I contain myself and I can’t do anything about it, I am just a single person and I see no point in trying to change it when it’ll just end with me either being sold as a slave or being killed, where I would latter resurrect on my own.
There is a strange sort of security knowing what will happen to me when I die and to even know my purpose, it gives me strength when I stop caring. I didn’t have this in my first life, so I could just give up without feeling any guilt. But now, I feel like giving up is the only thing I can’t do.
I wrapped my armour back up in its cloth and got up to leave. An elderly woman approached me, she was one of the people staying here since I saw her come from one of the back room. The elderly woman sat at my table and ordered some food.
I was standing ready to leave and just stared at her for a moment, she must have really wanted to sit at this table without me being there.
“I’m sorry for taking up the table for so long.”
I apologized to her.
“Oh no worries, just speaking with someone like you is more than enough. I am sorry for keeping you.”
She smiled, but something in her eyes said that she wanted to say something, so I sat back down.
“What do you need?”
I’d gotten used to accepting quests, though I hadn’t really done many for the last few years. I still had around 4 hours until I had to go to the stadium. After sitting I put my armour on the bench next to me and put my arm over it, theft protection, though as primitive as it was.
The elderly women averted her eyes and cover them with her hands while looking down.
“Oh, I could not ask anything of you. But if you would, could you share a meal with me?”
Quest: Share a meal with the Strange Elderly Women
“I see no reason not to share a meal with you, I’m still hungry anyway.”
I’d already eaten, but it wasn’t anywhere near enough, so I ordered another bowl of that stew.
“Oh thank you, thank you.”
She said, now clutching her hands in front of her and nodding. Weird old lady…
The old lady began praying before touching her food, at least I think she was praying. She had a hand over each eye and her head was hanging down facing the ground. She started saying some stuff about thanking someone for their generosity in allowing them to meet and share a meal with a sentient of something or other, I didn’t actually pay attention much after I realized she was praying.
I begin eating while giving the old lady a queer look, religious types always weird me out.
I’m not much of a conversationalist, so I don’t know if I’m supposed to talk to her or something. In my first life I was taught it was poor manners to speak while sitting to eat a meal. I don’t really know how it is for this culture, though I’ve lived in Atitria for 6 years now, so I just feel weird about this whole thing.
I decide to say something.
“I’m thankful you asked to share a meal with me today, I haven’t been able to share with anyone for a few days now.”
I said and smiled at her. Yeah I’ll admit I get lonely easily, ruins my appetite as well.
The old lady just stopped eating for a moment and smiled like a child before she continued to woof down her food.
“Ugh, what are you doing in Dorendu? Isn’t it dangerous traveling the roads?”
“I came to meet my grandchildren and oh don’t worry about me, I used to be a priestess of Fia-fifalie, we’re all very strong. I may be old but I’ve still got it.”
“I… okay…”
I remained silent after that and finished eating a little while after the old lady did, I was eating slowly because I thought she wanted to say something.
But I suppose not, I got up and lifted my armour off the bench. The old lady was watching me as I did so. Feeling awkward I decided I should say something before I go.
Quest: Share a meal with the Strange Elderly Women - Complete
+2MaP +5Exp
“Uhm, I’m fighting in the qualifying tournament today, if you have some spare time please come watch.”
“Sure, I’ll bring my grandkids.”
“Are you sure? It gets pretty bloody…”
She looked at me like I was some kind of weirdo, the same look I gave her a few moments ago.
“I know that.”
“Okay…”
I said weakly before leaving.
Despite how much I know about magic, which is still very little. There are people that spent their entire lives researching magic in this world. From what I’ve read the only conclusive result from the research so far is that magic exists. I have no time to research it, but I believe if I do it might help me create my own magic system when I get around to working on my world.
When I cast spells, it feels like the words spin the mana into a string and that string is then given form by more words becoming a sweater or a scarf or water, or fire and so on. Mana is like a feeling, it’s like feeling full, but different. It’s possible to move it using your mind, the easiest way to focus your mind and reflexively moving the mana is through calculations. For example positional calculation, it is a system that measures space using your current location as the centre point. By those calculation you are the centre of the world and everything revolves around you, this is what the calculations assume because you are the centre of mana for your spells, the ‘battery’ where mana is built up and stored.
Research on how mana is generated varies from ‘It just happens’ to ‘We don’t know’. In that sense it’s like asking how gravity works. Gravity ‘pulls stuff to the centre’, how? ‘We don’t know it just does’. We can make calculations on how things will act when affected by gravity, but we don’t know how gravity works, we just know what it does and how it is generated. Mana is very much the same, they know how to make calculations that affect mana and how it is generated, but ‘where does it come from?’ and ‘how does it work?’, ‘We don’t know’.
I know that the words of a chant have meaning and often form a sentence and either ask a question or make a statement. More advanced spells both ask and make statements and often make assumptions. For some spells, the words are a lie, or untrue.
I call upon the will of the Old Kings so that I might strike down the pitiful with the might of light itself! May you who has offended I, the vassal of the Old Kings, know the might that slew the Demon Metrath for yourself! I smite you with the javelin of the God-king! Let all who bear witness know of this fraction of the God-kings power and let all who you care for, know that I, the Vassal of the Old Kings will never be defeated by man, women, monster, demon or God itself, [Lightning Javelin]!”
I spoke this when I cast ‘Lightning Javelin’ this spell is speaking a lie in order for the caster to gain power. So it can be said that it is not the truth of the chant, but the words themselves that matter. If I repeat the words ‘Flame’ and ‘fire’ 3 or 4 times while speaking with chant, the strings of mana become tangled, but make a tiny flame for a split second. If I speak the words,
“Burn everything in front of me, [flames].”
The stings take a form, however it is unstable and falls apart when I attempt to manipulate the mana through calculation, this results in me bursting into flames. I could attempt to stabilize it by adding more words, however that also makes it far stronger. So testing is out of the question. I remember a friend whose father died trying to make a new spell, he made a mistake and was crushed into a highly compressed pellet from the backlash. He then exploded and killed all the other researchers, so research related to whatever that spell was, was destroyed along with the research facility and over 200 researchers. We only know the fate of my classmates father because of the 3 mages observing that erected a class 2 protective aura around themselves before they begun the test. They refuse to even speak of what they were working on.
So ‘playing’ with and creating spells, is not something you do lightly.
I will be ‘playing’ with the magic of this world so that I can pay back Oulosc for his wonderful gift. It’s better to experiment now while I can resurrect without issue instead of after Shushen has fulfilled his purpose and I only get to die once before I’m kicked right back to my personal space and ‘maybe’ never let back in.
While I was thinking on this I arrive at the Staging Ground Stadium. I asked the guard that was on duty there and he told me my match was in an hour, so I went and watched the fights that were on before mine. Nothing of not really, but people fighting. I don’t take joy in watching people fight life and death battles. Actually I don’t like fighting life and death battles, funny that. I sat next to a couple that was watching the fights with their young child, aw that would be cute if it wasn’t so fucking messed up and wrong.
I scowled at them before quickly turning back to the fight.
I swear… I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how little people care about other people getting killed for entertainment.
When it was my match next I went to the preparation room and put on my armour, just as I tighten the last buckle the guard comes in and we go through the routine of him telling me what he’s there for and what I have to do and me nodding like I’m listening and haven’t heard it multiple times now.
I stood in the tunnel leading to the arena and did last minute check on my armour.
“Hello and good mourning everyone, next up we have Beyoi Duishive of Tshiveno, a very skilled spear wielder that in his previous matches wowed up with her dexterity and strength when she defeated the duo mages pairing. Henzil Menanth of the demon horned people, the Fremde. And the wonderful Eutsane of Vinebran valley. Beyoi will be up against the intimidating Sword Magician, Princess Knifelim Blindsight, and 2nd inline to the Goblin Emperor. In Knifelim’s last fight she fought against the 3rd son of Barron Arimie Ullphes, Emir Ullphes. It was a hard won battle, but in the end Knifelim won through her far superior magical ability.
I quickly finished my last checks and ran out into the arena’s centre and drew my sword. The other person to a battle stance with their spear.
“Lets the battle begin!”
I assumed the stance of ‘Ice Fang Touch’ and batted away Beyoi’s spear that he thrust at me as soon as the match started. I began casting ‘Kewla’ and dodged another thrust from Beyoi’s spear, the speed of his attacks was like nothing I expected, I knew spears were fast and could easily over power an opponent using a sword, but this is just silly.
“I who possess power, my shield cannot be broken, my shield cannot be bent, my shield cannot be shattered, I am they who possess power and my shield cannot be broken, you who are witness, witness the power of my shield, [Kewla]”
A pentagram made from light appeared on my right forearm. I used it to stop the next thrust and struck Beyoi’s leg, cutting deep into the ankle. I began chanting ‘Water globe’, Beyoi attacked me with dizzyingly quickly attacks from his spear, it seemed I just made him angry. His spear skidded off my armour with each attack though and I finished chanting ‘Water globe’.
“I ask of the water beneath the earth to wash away with terror and still the flow, [Water Globe]”
Water quickly encased Beyoi and he drowned after a few minutes while he tried to get out of the water that surrounded him.
The crowd cheered with a thundering roar like they always do when someone dies in a horrible way.
“And the victor is the Princess, Kinfelim Blindsight!”
I left the arena and took off my armour, the healers walked in and healed the few scratches I got during the fight. They seemed scared of me, good, they better be.
And that’s how my last match of the Qualifying tournament went, I qualified and will be in the Kings Tournament’s beginner league.
I’m starting to think this entire tournament is stupid, but necessary. It gets you used to the idea of fighting with your life on the line. Something I think students like us need to make us realize we’re mortal. Though I suppose I’m not.
----------------------------------------
Author's Notes,
Yeah! Fighting! This is what I like!
I wanted to have the entire tournament in one chapter, but the word count was getting crazy so I decided to end the chapter here.
I ate something that really didn't agree with me on the weekend and it's still causing me problems.
Note to self,
check the 'use by' date before eating food...
I spent most of the week throwing up and writing, food poisoning isn't fun.
I'm moving house this weekend, but my internet at the next house should be up by monday or tuesday next week, so no issues.
I've been thinking of asking someone to do proofreading for me, I'll probably start looking soon.
Also, this entire chapter, nosebleed inducing word porn for me.
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