Chuckling once again I said, “So, how do we do this?”

Pan broke down the rules for me and they were quite simple. He would go to his throne, and we would start at the entrance of the clearing. Once we both gave the single, we were ready our fight would commence. No holds bar. Use whatever means necessary to win. Once we or he was dead. A winner would be determined. It was incredibly simple. Basically, other than starting on a signal, there were no rules. Without waiting for things to get awkward I walked to the edge of the clearing.

“In a hushed tone I said to Whisper, “I’m going to do this one on one. I want to give him the fight of his life. But I also want him to respect us more at the end of the day. Are you ok with this?”

Placing his hand on his head Whisper said, “I knew you’d say that. In fact, Pan and I bet on it last night once he told me his plan.”

“You what?” I said in surprise.

“Yup.” he said, “Pan told me his plan after I told him about you. Saying he was so excited to fight a god and his guardian. I told him that you would probably want to fight alone. Wanting to challenge yourself and gain his respect in the process. So, we bet on it.”

“And what did you bet?” I asked in curiosity.

“You’ll see.” he finished.

Scan Results

Creature - Satyr, Dungeon Master

Name - Pan

Combat Type - Druid Barbarian

Threat Level - D

Special Skills - Shapeshift, Nature Magic, Primal Magic, Water Magic, Wind Magic, Lightning Magic, Healing Magic, Speak with Animals, Speak with Plants, Control Plants, Psychic Scream, Silent Spell Casting, Mobile Spell Casting, Dominate Animals, Rage, Poison Resistance, Immune to own Poisons.

Whisper stepped aside and sat down at the very edge of the clearing leaning against a tree. Even going so far as to set his bow down and taking off his quiver, using it as a pillow. Pan’s frown was immediate.

“You didn’t tell him, did you?!” he said, shouting at him.

“Nope. I tried to tell you this was a bad bet. Now you’ll have to pay up.” Whisper replied with a smile.

Frown, deepening further Pan said, “Oh shit. I guess I really can’t lose now.”

Confused, I only looked between the two. Pan in a panic and Whisper with a look of smug satisfaction. Pan did say he always keeps his vows. I wonder what they bet on for him to get so worked up. Slowly drawing my weapon, I signaled to Pan that I was ready. He did the same and without warning. A fully grown goat the size of a rhinoceros with massive antlers instead of horns. Blasted in my direction at full speed.

Following his incredible charge bloomed flowers that popped with yellowish green pollen. Coating everything in a fine powder behind him. I cast Flight on myself and took off into the air. So, I thought. Right before I finished casting the sound of a scream hit my ears and my thoughts were muddled and I ended casting Entomb on myself. This worked out in my favor though because the next thing I knew. There was a massive shockwave, and my prison broke apart like ashes in the wind.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

There stood a humongous goat, bull, rhino, deer, bear thing. Stumbling around, trying to keep its balance and stay on its feet. I took the lucky opportunity to strike him with a few slashes from my scythe and finished by casting Entangle on him while leaping away from his position. Gaining some distance from him on his flank.

That last spell made zero difference when dealing with Pan. He tore through those vines like they were made of wet paper. Bellowing in my direction, eyes bloodshot and full of rage. And just as before I went to cast Entomb on myself like before since it worked so well the last time. A scream bounced around in my head, causing me to cast Wind Tunnel on myself and to my side. Flinging me into a wall of trees that sprung up out of nowhere, Pan still charging in my direction. Only needing to make a small loop to get me in his sights again.

Getting back to my feet, groaning in pain. I dove to the side as Pan Smashed through the wall of trees like they weren't even there. How in the world was I going to beat him? Every time I tried to cast a spell; his scream would cause me to cast something totally random. I don’t really have a way to counter him other than with magic. Thinking quickly before he finished making his loop. I stuck my scythe blade into the ground and started running around. Dodging his charges without casting any spells. I noticed something while I was thinking and wanted to test it out.

The fight continued like this for some time before I thought I was ready. Then finally the moment came. Stepping on one of the runes I’d carved into the ground, vines burst forth wrapping around Pan. Yeah, that didn’t do anything, Pan burst through those vines like I’d just splashed water in his face. Fortunately, I’d placed more runes into the ground, and I learned something. Pan couldn’t interrupt written spells and it was totally stupid to try and stop him using any form of nature magic.

By this point Pan was breathing heavily. Charging full speed around the clearing in a mad dash to get at me was wearing him down quickly. Giving me chances to counterattack more and more throughout the fight. The Problem was that the available space to me was constantly shrinking. The flowers that were constantly blooming behind him were spraying their pollen everywhere. I just knew that the cloud of pollen was chock full of poison. Judging by literally everything in this place having some kind of poison cloud skill. It was do or die time. I was starting to get tired, and Pan had wounds all over his body from my shallow but numerous counter attacks I’d landed on him after one of his charges.

Pan stopped for a moment, sensing that this was going to be the last bout. I took a defensive stance, prepared for his charge. What I didn’t expect was for his antlers to become clad in lightning. Sparks dancing between the points on his horns. Stomping his hooves, he let out a roar, howl, thing causing water droplets to form in the air. The lightning arced from his horns to the droplets. Jumping across the battlefield. Pulling them closer to him. Cloaking his entire body in lightning that would clearly hit everything within 20 paces of him. I could see victory in his eyes. Not only that but also respect. He clearly didn’t expect to use what I thought was his trump card. I gave a bow of understanding and respect back towards him.

With another hoof stomp he charged at me with blinding speed. Much faster than before, he was a flash of lighting and fur beaming in my direction at tremendous speed. His horns crashed into me causing an explosion of lightning and blood to shower the space around us. Or so he thought. I’d placed us between one of my runes on the ground and stood on another. Once he stepped on the rune the ground turned to mud. Slowing him down, still fast but not lightning bolt fast. The rune I stood on I triggered just before he hit me. Learning from his first charge I wrapped myself in stone and he crashed into its might full force. Blowing the rocks away in a shower. Stunning him far more than the first time it happened.

Not wanting to make him suffer I aimed for one of his vitals that would cause his death to seem like the lights just winked out. Causing him no pain or suffering of any kind. I respected him far too much to do that and it was the reason our battle took so long. I wanted him to have a clean and agony free death before he joined my team.

Without delay I cast my new spells Isolate Soul and Soul Preservation to keep both his soul intact and safe until I placed it into the body of an Oni. Also, to preserve his dungeon. I didn’t want to destroy it though the reasons were a bit different now that Pan was an ally. Same outcome in the end though.

Once I was finished with that I collapsed to my back without ceremony and fell asleep. On waking I saw Whisper sitting in the same spot as before. Though he was geared up and ready to go. Standing he noticed me and got to his feet as well.

I asked him, “What did you guys bet?”

Whisper's smile widened. Going much further than I’d ever seen it go before. A rye, devilish smile and a twinkle in his eyes.