Chapter 83 Lady Lenna V’Nova,

“That was fruitful.” Isaac said as he reappeared standing a few feet from Lenna and Sera. He walked over and took his seat.

“How much money are you extorting from my husband this time?” Sera asked teasingly.

“A hundred thousand gold.” Isaac replied honestly.

Sera almost spilled her tea. “What?!” She questioned. “What is he having you do? I thought it was just some gang.”

Isaac shrugged. “It’s way more complicated than that. I’ll tell you the story when it’s all over.” He promised her.

Sera schooled herself and took a sip of her tea. She had to refill her own cup and did the same for Isaac and Lenna. Marie was still gone so they talked about this and that for the better part of an hour until suddenly another Isaac walked in. Marie walked over to the gazebo and leaned against one of the columns and crossed her arms. “Miss me?” She asked in Isaac’s voice.

“Wait, how do you sound like me?” Isaac questioned with a worried look on his face. “Do I really sound like that?” He eyed Marie from head to toe. “I’m shorter than I remember.”

Marie shook her head slowly in the negative. “Because I want to.” She replied casually but did not elaborate.

Isaac frowned. “I don’t like this.” He said to no one in particular.

“It was your plan. You get what you ask for.” Marie told him with a bored look on her, Isaac’s, face. “I trust this is good enough.”

“This is eerie.” Lenna whispered looking between them. Every one of Isaac’s mannerisms were copied perfectly. His voice and posture, phrases and micro expressions. The only thing Lenna could notice was that Marie was around an inch shorter than Isaac even with whatever she had packed in her boots to make herself taller. The armor she was wearing was the same kind that Isaac had bought from the general store and the bracers were even missing. Isaac never got replacements after Fen removed them. Upon closer inspection her hands were also smaller but only slightly. Marie had to have literal pounds of prosthetic clay on her body but it was done flawlessly.

“I knew she was good but this is ridiculous.” Isaac commented.

“Of course. Who do you think I am?” Marie told him and pushed off the column. “Ready to go?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Isaac looked at Sera and then Lenna. “I think so.” He shook his head. “This is strange.” He said and he and Lenna rose to their feet. “Marie will meet you in your box at the arena, Sera.” He told the duchess.

Sera smiled. “I know. I’ll see you in a few hours.” She replied.

Isaac walked up to Marie and put his hand on her shoulder. He focused and covered her in shadows, a moment later she was gone. “Marie, keep your hand on my shoulder. Direct contact makes it easier to keep this up.” Marie did as she was told and Isaac offered Lenna his arm.

“Wish me luck.” She said to Sera and took Isaac’s arm.

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“You won’t need it.” Sera said with a smile. “I have faith in you.”

Isaac and Lenna returned to the Celestial Dawn with Marie invisible and in tow. Isaac was able to maintain her invisibility the entire way to their room without anyone noticing. Once inside Isaac released the shadows covering Marie and started pulling his armor out of thin air and putting it on one piece at a time. Lenna grabbed her under armor and walked behind the folding wall to change. “W-Where?” Marie stammered at the sight of Isaac’s armor.

“You may be able to look like me but it is easy enough to prove who is real.” Isaac commented.

Marie sighed. “Fine.” She replied. “Let’s go over the plan from the moment we leave here until the time we get back.”

“Do you have whatever you need to go invisible by yourself with you?” Isaac questioned.

Marie nodded. “Yes, but it has limits.” She answered.

“That’s fine. When Sera goes to leave just go invisible and join her. I’ll appear next to Lenna and the switch will be complete.” Isaac explained. “As for the beginning…”

—

Lenna and Marie walked into the arena. Marie smacked Lenna’s pauldron. “Tear him apart for me would you.” Marie said and grinned at Lenna with Isaac’s signature half crazed, up to no good, definitely not a villain, grin.

“As you say, my Lord.” Lenna replied and gave Marie a curt nod. “I’ll make sure to leave enough to bury.” She added coldly.

Marie had to suppress a shiver. Shadows overtook her and that was her signal. She sprinted and ran up the arena wall. She transitioned into a vault over the top. She then cleared the fifty feet to Sera’s box in a few leaps and flips up the stands without touching anyone. The stands were fairly packed. Few people had seen Lenna fight but the stories had gotten around. Marie sat in the guest seat next to Edward and the shadows faded revealing ‘Isaac’ to the onlookers.

“Get sidetracked?” Edward questioned. ‘Isaac’ had disappeared a good seven seconds before ‘he’ appeared in the seat.

Marie shrugged. “Something like that.” She told him but did not elaborate.

Edward gave her a sidelong glance but didn’t press. “I know she’s gotten stronger but I can’t shake the feeling she is still going to end up fireballing both of them.” He confessed.

Marie smirked. “The fight would end too quickly that way. She promised to tear him apart. This fight will be a statement.” She explained with a certainty that instilled faith in her words.

“I feel bad for their mother.” Sera confided in them. “Both of her sons are going to have been killed to prove a point.” Her face was a mask but the sadness was evident. With neither the real Isaac nor Lenna being present Sera was more confident in speaking her true feelings. The box stayed silent at her words.

A moment later the announcer spoke from the middle of the arena: “Eskahno Ravenborne, the platinum adventurer and leader of the Flame Ravens has challenged Lady Lenna V’Nova, the platinum adventurer and companion to the one many of you know as the Lord of Darkness!” He gestured to both of them at the same time and they both stepped closer together so there was only a dozen feet between them. “The rules are as follows: There are no rules!” At that the crowd went wild.

The anticipation of watching a pair of platinum grade adventurers duel to the death was palpable. A blood sport rarely witnessed. There were few enough platinum level individuals that duels between them were rare and duels to the death were almost unheard of. It was clear to all of those present that the duel was personal.

“I’ll kill you and then execute your master for killing my brother.” Esk told Lenna loudly enough that the acoustics of the arena carried his voice the entire way to the stands.

“He is not my master.” Lenna clarified just as loudly and with flint in her voice. “And he is a demigod. There is no reason for him to stoop to your level.” She drew her sword. “For your insult to his name, I will end you.” She explained and raised the tip of her blade to point directly at his face.

Esk drew his sword and held it limply at his side. The blade of the sword was made of confined flames in the shape of a longsword. There were bits of steel held in place by reality magic where a blade should have been. His left hand twitched with anticipation of casting a spell. The announcer stepped back and prepared to run out of the potential line of fire. “Champions! Engage!” He called and made a sprint for safety.

Lenna’s sword blazed with fire and death. Her aura blanketed the entire arena and stretched out into the stands. Enough death flames were also running through her body to cause the feeling of their presence to be projected just as far as her aura. The feeling of staring down the gaping maw of the entrance to depths of all nine hells permeated through almost everyone present. Lenna gave the feeling two seconds to settle in before she made her move. Esk was frozen for just as long.

Sera swallowed hard as her blood ran cold. It was far less intense then when Isaac and Lenna had shown her earlier that day but it was still a feeling that she never wanted to feel again. It made her feel small and insignificant. It made her feel like an ant, who only had a few more days to live, watching a human’s boot descend towards her.

Edward’s hand gripped his armrest tight enough that the wood groaned but otherwise the only evidence of him being affected was the slight strain in his face. Lucius was actively trembling but put on a strong front regardless. He had been exposed to magical fear a few times during his magic knight training but that had only been to warn them of its existence. He was nowhere near able to power through it like his uncle. Marie had a little trouble showing Isaac’s signature grin at the show but she still did it well enough that no one noticed. Not that anyone was looking at anyone other than Lenna.