Sally rolled across the soft grass and giggled. Laying on her back, she looked up at the blue sky and sighed. “It’s been so long since we’ve eaten some Kurux.”
Theo flopped down on the ground beside her and chuckled. “The sky is spinning! Can’t think why they banned us from eating them.”
If they weren’t supposed to be eaten, then they shouldn’t taste so good. Absurdly good. It was like inhaling a room full of freshly baked cakes. “It’s a natural high,” she complained. “Creator did something right.”
“Tell me what’s on your mind then, Sally Danger.”
She furrowed her brow and propped herself up on one elbow to look down at the prone vampire. “What makes you think I have anything going on up there?”
“We both know you could have done better against Humphrey. Instead, you wanted to escape the tournament.”
Sally prodded him with a finger. “I’m a necromancer that uses minions and daggers. I wasn’t going to beat a knight with a greatsword without any skills.” She exhaled through her nose. “But sure, you’re right, as always. I will be leaving soon.”
Theo turned his head to smile at her. “And you’ll miss us all?”
“You especially.” She pouted.
“We won’t be apart long, whatever happens.” He closed his eyes. “Anything you want to do before you go?”
She hummed to herself and wiped the Kurux gore from her mouth with the back of her arm. “I’m going to see Lucius in the morning, and then Chuck wants us in. I guess tonight it would be nice to throw a blanket on the roof and sleep beneath the stars.”
The vampire grunted. “Consider it done… my queen.”
“Hey you, don’t fall asleep. We’ll get in trouble if they find out we’ve been eating the Kurux again. They’re endangered.”
There was no response from Theo, aside from a soft grin on his relaxed face. Sally sighed and put her head on his chest. With a smile, she closed her eyes too. After all, getting caught was half the fun.
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Dent staggered backwards, blood dripping from his left arm as he adjusted his positioning. “Not bad. You have an interesting style.”
His opponent was the woman wearing a purple veil over her eyes. With a padded purple dress with splits along the thighs to allow her free movement, her attacks had been both elegant and quick. The bright silver sword now had slivers of Dent’s blood running along it. Dark brown hair tied up, pale skin, and a neutral expression on her face.
The symbol of a crescent moon on her veil was familiar to him, if only vaguely. One of the Player guilds. Perhaps he should have done a little more homework.
“I am an acolyte of the sword. Through it, I become whole.” The woman slid her foot back and readied her blade. “You are testing me at present, to see where my weaknesses lie.”
“Although I don’t hold as much romanticism for a weapon, I respect artistry when I see it. How much of a disadvantage are you at by obscuring your vision?”
A wry smile crossed her lips. “How much of a disadvantage are you at with a fake hand?”
Dent grunted. “Touche.”
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Humphrey sat in the VIP suite on his own, head in his plated hands as he watched the fight in the arena. All the lustre of the competition had worn off, after his tough love against Sally had caused her to run away with the vampire. He could still feel the glare of the Mummy from across the other side of the arena.
But what was he supposed to do?
He knew what she was capable of, and if he had allowed her a moment to breathe, she would have eventually turned the tables on him. It was in her nature to rise above those who didn’t take her seriously enough. He had seen it enough times with Players. They’d monologue, or think she was just like a System-created Monster, or that she’d just be a weak zombie due to her appearance.
Turning his own hand against her, however… now that had left a sour feeling inside his metal shell. Right before she was about to go off and not see him for an unknown time, too…
Once this tournament was over, he’d find her and apologize. Do something to cheer her up. He sighed. Although he had won, it didn’t feel that way.
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Lucius fidgeted uncomfortably.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
The Mummy sighed before relaxing. “Sally has messaged me. She is fine.”
“That’s a relief,” the Shade nodded. “We have a session tomorrow, but I didn’t think she’d need to find more things to talk about.”
Jackie shook her head. “If anything, Sals probably did a lot worse than the tin can.”
“How do you mean?” Fran rubbed at her eyes.
“Think of it like this,” the mobster worked her neck out. “The zombie gets beat up all the time doing her Events. Get’s healed up right after. Bet she’s out living it large already. Humps there still has that wound in his big metal heart for what he’s had to do.”
“It will linger through his next fight,” Norah added, nodding slowly. “She always finds a way to win.”
Lucius rubbed at his chin and watched Dent fight. “Considering she did well against Kyle, I was surprised how one sided the fight went.”
The Mummy shook her head. “I can’t think of anyone she’d want to fight less. Without the spark, she had no reason to win.”
“Lotta history between the pair,” Jackie agreed. “Makes you wonder…”
“Wonder what?” A question mark appeared beside the head of the Shade.
Fran looked between them both, and leaned forward, lowering her voice. “What if the brackets were set a certain way so they would meet?”
“Oh.” He narrowed his eyes. “Like a last test before she goes-” he stopped, seeing the intense glare the Mummy was giving him.
“Goes where?” Jackie asked.
“Goes complaining that there should be a dagger tournament, or one where she could eat someone.” The Mummy shrugged. “A test to see how she fared in a more controlled environment.”
The grumbled acknowledgements didn’t seem to convince the other two very much, so the Mummy gave a renewed glare at Lucius, who sunk lower in his seat.
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Dent deflected the silver sword and lashed forward, catching the woman across the arm. She stumbled backward, twirling her blade to deter his advancement.
“I must say,” she said, between gasps of air. “While you… might not be the… flashiest fighter… you are consistent.”
He grinned, only wincing from the pain in his leg where blood soaked through his slacks. “You have a pierced lung, yet you are persistent. I admire that.”
The woman nodded, placing her free hand on the place of the wound. “While my power wanes like the phases… of the moon, you have remained… constant. Unfaltering. I am humbled.”
“Not going to submit, I hope?”
She gave a pained smile. “I am Dextra, Grand Swordmaiden of… the Lunar Retreat… and I will yield to… no mortal.”
“Then you have met your match.” Dent flourished his weapon and prepared to attack. “For I am the Will of the Blade, and no mere mortal.”
He flashed forward, and both blades cut through the air.
The two stood opposed to each other, suddenly still after the brief moment. A sword of bright silver clattered to the ground, as the swordsman slowly returned his to its scabbard. As it clicked against the hilt, Dextra toppled over into the dirt, before vanishing away in a flash of blue.
[Dent wins!]
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Humphrey looked over as the swordsman appeared back. “Another well-fought match.”
“Hmm, it was.” Dent nodded as he went over to his sword rack. “Another contact I’ll need to make for sparring. Chuck keeps saying I need to make more friends.”
The Death Knight did not respond, but continued looking out at the empty area.
“Everything okay? Looks like dismembering Sally took the wind out of your sails.” Dent placed the sword away and cupped his chin, trying to decide which would be the best to use next.
“She has not replied to me. I feel my approach was misguided and a mistake.” The flame behind his helmet was low and flickered gently.
“It’s a tournament. One I doubt she truly cared that much about. Sally isn’t one to hold grudges, especially not against you.” He looked over at the morose figure and sighed. “I’ve checked with Chuck, and she is fine. You need to get your head back in the game if you want to go against me in the final.”
With a grunt, the Death Knight stood. “Part of me understands that she played into it, so that the guilt lingered on with me through my other matches. A way should could beat me by proxy. Yet understanding does not change how my heart feels. How inconvenient.”
A flash of blue took him away to the arena, before Dent could respond. Instead, the swordsman hummed to himself as he made his sword selection.
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Humphrey appeared and brought up his greatsword to rest across his shoulders. He recognized his opponent from the starter stages. Although the man looked like he could be a Player, he was actually a Unique Monster.
“Aurelius, how ironic that we meet in this manner.”
The man smiled in return. His plated armor shone a bright silver, decorated with golden embellishments. Light blonde hair and thick mustache decorated a square-jawed face, as his blue eyes narrowed at the Death Knight. “It seems the Holy Paladins are destined to cross paths with such a blight to all that is good, such as yourself, Sir Humphrey.”
Humphrey rolled his empty sockets. The only thing worse than a paladin was the paladin. The leader and Class trainer of all the other such annoyances in the System. Two Knights of different forces was as cliche as it got, and he’d been too focused on his fight with Sally to clock he’d have to fight Aurelius next.
“I saw what you did to that poor girl.” The paladin shook his head. “I will make you pay for the injustice.”
The Death Knight shrugged. “Actually, she is my daughter.”
“You did that to your own family?” He pulled a face. “Were this not a tournament duel, I would erase you from existence for your crimes.”
Ah. He understood it now. While the crocodile tears were an overt attempt to cause him to falter, the zombie had been planting the seeds all along. So effective that even a half-wit like the paladin was wearing down on his nerves. Her injuries he had inflicted were all ones she allowed to happen - he was sure of it. He’d seen her fight enough times to know what she was capable of.
Sally did say that she would stab him in the heart, and her words had weighed heavily on his shoulders since his alleged win. Maybe this was a test to strengthen his own resolve. If he allowed his favoritism to weaken his nature, then how could he truly protect over the System?
[Aurelius vs Humphrey begin!]
“You’re in luck, supposed ‘holy’ one. For I am done playing games. Prepare yourself.”
“Gladly.”
They both flourished their long swords into a ready position. Under the blazing sun of a beautiful afternoon, two Knights that couldn’t be any more different squared off to see who would fight Dent in the Finals. Somewhere far away, a zombie was having a well-earned nap.
The System was having a good day, as far as most were aware.