The people in the stands are unable to hear their conversation, but they do notice something.
There are veins spreading and bursting all over Kasanova’s face. His eyes are already bloodshot but if
gazes could kill, he would be able to kill anybody in this world with a single gaze right now!
Everybody except for a single person: Imogyeran still has a slight smile on his otherwise surprised
face. If anybody knowing Imog’s personality could hear this conversation, they would put their hands
on their head, massaging their temples.
But sadly, there is nobody there to tell Mr. Kasanova, what is going on.
…
<
Kasanova came inside prepared to die, because his most treasured belonging had already grown enough
to be left on its own. For Imogyeran to demand his most prized treasure while wearing a face like this
is simply unacceptable!
But before he could prepare an attack, his body was buried in the rock, only his face looking out of his
small, new prison. The ground inside was a composite of five different rocks specially made to capture
wild animals. It had paralyzing neurotoxins, cement like solidity, concrete-like viscosity, tobacco like
numbing agent and a spider-web’s adhesive properties, all specially mixed together.
< I still don’t get it.>> Imogyeran got closer to Kasanova’s face and then he did something unthinkable: He unbuttoned his pants’ front and said this: < them.>> !!! For the sake of Kasanova’s pride we will never talk about what exactly happened after that moment. … The entire village is shocked. Even Kasanova does not have the experience or knowledge on how to behave in such a situation. There is exactly one emotion that presides over all his over emotions in this moment: Shock! After Buttoning his pants once again, Imogyeran continues talking with a smile on his face. < He gestures to the figure of Raul on the sides to come closer before raising the small guy up and cuddling his face all over Raul’s body. *drip* < … He stopped for literally a few minutes to play around with Raul before remembering he was in a conversation. < has had quite a few encounters with your son Kasim and is very impressed with his growth.>> He was still petting Raul’s bald rock-head. Raul was having the cutest smile in the world right now, resulting in a few murmurs in the crowd despite the current situation. *drip* < like them! Also I didn’t really ask for your opinion, did I? I will fairly ask Kasim for consent and if he agrees he will come along. If not, then I don’t yet know what I will do. It honestly depends on how much I like him. Any questions?>> *drip* The old, dripping man, who had just lost over 20 years of life in this conversation, weakly asked this: < < <<… Will you let him go if he asks to be let go?>> < them to accompany me for the rest of their lives. But it does ultimately depend on their decision.>> <<… >> The old man had to process this input for a second before opening his mouth one more time: <<… Why did you not tell me that from the start? I would have agreed without hesitation? Was it your resentment towards me that resulted in this?>> Imogyeran has a puzzled look on his face. < that beat me up before throwing me off the cliff. You and that other subordinate were mostly up for debate. But don’t mistake yourself! I still have a bill to pay to the Kasim and Kassandra duo for hurting my feelings!>> <<… Will you kill them?>> < Hihihihi! I can already imagine the look on their faces! Sheer Bliss!>> < < deal with them. Condemning you for doing the same would just be hypocrisy. Aside from that, I have you to thank for giving me another member to my family!>> Imog takes three steps and three jumps back, before shouting in the language beyond humans: < *ROOOOAAAARRR* A prehistoric roar shakes the world! From below the cliff surrounding Medalia village, there is a giant monster rising to light and constricting around the entire village! A long train of compartments, each one larger than three adult males holding hands together, slowly Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. comes into view for the Medalian spectators. Their front and back is covered in shells of extremely dark red and a ghostly blue. The shells melt into a single peak at their ends and a narrow opening at their back, contracting and expanding, while the creature glides through the air. Inbetween, there is a gray matter, moving and breathing like a thousand breathing animals. Fire is spewed from these openings, colored in red and blue like a giant flaming monster, frightening the people from young to old. The entirety of a body too huge to fully understand nimbly flies onto the stage and envelops both Kasanova and Imogyeran, creating a closed, spherical environment. The inside of this ball of pulsating fire is warm but not hot, cool but not cold. It has a surprisingly complicated ambient to it. < emitted from the dark-red flames illuminates every shadow leaving nothing but caricatures of what was originally existence. This bright illumination… I learned the perfect word for it: Hell! Did you know? Hell is originally a word to describe a certain spice, which is used to conserve food while simultaneously expressing a state of utter illumination and light! Hell, this is the prison of light, capturing this moment of yourself and bringing you in front of me to be judged! This is your Hell! HAHAHAH!>> … <<… you were supposed to play alon… you know what? Forget it. Let’s just say, that this is Aranierô Aranierí, my newest family member and I call this place hell. It’s really bright and comfortable inside here!… No reaction? *Sigh* I really don’t like that about you. Not even the slightest sense of humor in your soul. Even my Grandpa, the grumpiest person I know, would at least play along a little with my performance but all you do is do your own thing. Whoever married your boring ass, I am sorry for your suffering!>> … Imogyeran and Kasanova did not become friends and quickly parted ways from each other. Kasanova left with his life and without his pride, while Imogyeran stayed with his pride and an empty blad- an empty mind. Talking with old men truly is exhausting. Kasim tried to talk with his father, who seemed to have lost 30 years of life during this brief encounter, but he was rejected. Kasanova needed three three weeks of sleep without being bothered by anybody right now. He knew, that whatever was going to happen was outside of his capabilities anyways, so Kasanova decided to care for himself for a change. Later that day, Kasanova announced his resignation as family leader and named Kasim as the third in line of succession, meaning that the leader after Kasanova would have to choose Kasim as leader, if the latter so desired. And that is the end of Kasanova’s story, at least for the part, that we are interested in. Mostly. Back to the stage, Imogyeran once again announces something to the crowd. < LAST PIECE OF- IN HONOR OF THE LAST WARRIOR, THAT TRIED TO BEST ME, I WILL HEREBY MAKE A CHANGE IN TODAY’S FESTIVAL RULES!! NO KILLING ALLOWED ANYMORE! IF I MAKE YOU SURRENDER OR THROW YOU OFF THE STAGE, I WILL WIN! I REPEAT! NO KILLING ALLOWED!!!>> … The people really did not know how to feel. Should they feel ashamed? Doubtful? Maybe degraded or Combat-Hungry? Nobody could fully understand how the people felt that moment, only one thing was clear. On this day, the people shouted < Kasanova Rojora was celebrated as a hero. His new nickname [Lord of Flowing Water] went down in history. If anybody asked the people present, what it meant, they would keep their silence to their death. On this day, many people challenged the now slightly more calm Imogyeran, many of them lost but there were also many who won. It was obvious, that Imogyeran could not possibly fight against every warrior present and even win all of those fights. Instead however, Imogyeran continuously healed his body back to shape and fought against every single contender, no matter how often he lost and no matter how tired he became. Out of 311 fights that night, Imogyeran Ashenwald won 200 of them, drawed 50 times and lost a total of 61 fights. The boy got beaten up by his elders for his behavior that day, but at the very end of the day, nobody remembered what had happened only hours before. Or rather, they were satisfied, even when not remembering Imogyeran’s misdeeds. … There is only a single match left for the day: Kasim Rojora Kassandra decided to abstain. Imogyeran is extremely beaten up but he still determines himself to get up on his feet and fight this last fight. The new day is almost there, dawn has hidden itself behind the Medalian cliff out of consideration for the two of them. Aranierô Aranierí, Yunran, Raul, Dogogo, Gondo and Imogyeran. Everyone of them is tired to their core. The five familiars have used all their capacities for the sake of healing Imogyeran’s broken bones and torn muscle tissue over and over and over and over… Even Imog’s stamina and mental power were all supplied by these supporters. But they were visibly straining themselves to even stay awake. Imogyeran, with a beaming smile on his lips, opens his mouth: < <> The final battle is about to begin: < < < A potentially life-changing question was asked. Kasim exchanges a quick glance with Kassandra before asking this: < < At that comment, Kasim let out a hearty laugh. < the judge for this last match?>> < Most people were too tired to watch until the end and went back to their, now elevated, houses. Imogyeran has already promised to revert the results of ‘his little prank’ after he recovers enough strength. Only a few of the stands are occupied. Both Imogyeran and Kasim stand apart a randomly determined distance of 6 Kasanovas and prepare for a battle. Kasim takes a nimble stance like a predator ready to lunge forward, back bent, knees under soft tension, arms on the ground, like a sprinter waiting for the signal to start his sprint. Imogyeran is simply standing there in a leisurely stance. As Kasim found out through the last 311 battles, this was Imog’s preferred way to start things off. < Imog’s focus lies on his feet, wanting to get away from the ground as quickly as possible. < Imog’s plan is to recall all the familiars into his body, combining all the residual Lacritia they have to temporarily get to a decent level of power against his opponent. If he uses half and another halves’ half of power (75%), his familiars should be able to recover their strength fast enough to enable continuous fighting. From then all, it all depends on his own power. < The battle has started: Immediately, Kasim sprints over to Imog’s side with incredible speed. He did not even unsheathe his sword, his stride is only focused on movement speed. Imog does not even have enough time to get out of the way. In a hurry, he infuses his own fist with the remaining Lacritia in his body, intending to use the recoil time to absorb his family. *THUD* But for some reason, Kasim suddenly gets whirled back so much, that his body is thrown out of the ring? <> < < From the stadium’s edge, Kasim nimbly jumps back up and starts talking. < right Imog?>> Imogyeran might not be the strongest, smartest or nicest person alive. But if he is one thing, that would be a master of bad acting. He immediately sees through Kasim’s price-worthy bad acting and protests. < <<<>>> Now, it is Kassandra’s and Kasim’s turn to be confused. < < will still beat the shit out of you and I will still take both of you along with me, because I am. Just! That! Great!!!>> < < < <> <<… >> It’s true though. What is most surprising, however, is how Imogyeran is aware of his unreasonable nature. What part of his life made Imog self-aware of his own irrationality? His childhood under his parents? His father? His new grandfather and Elise and Ricardo from the Bluesevas? His rogue phase, until he reached Medalia for the first time? His interactions with the Rojoras and Kassandra? Imog’s life inside of a jungle for over a year? Imog’s life together with Uncle Hyoran and Maria? Or maybe the time he spent away from them? < < <<< HAAAAA?