Ronald looked pretty good in his armor. The white cloak of Sir Frederick allowed him to cut a dashing figure for a halfing. But, unfortunately, he also looked very nervous, looking out over the cheering crowds. Ronald was also aware of this fact.

Relma thought he might be more prepared than her, though. So she technically didn't even qualify. Actually, most people in the tournament had yet to qualify. This could have boded better.

He glanced at Sir Frederick, who had been allowed to sit in the stands. "Are you sure about this, Sir Frederick?"

"I am," said Frederick. "You more than proved yourself in Khasmir and Blackfear, Ronald. I am not expecting you to win. Merely represent me with the bravery and skill befitting your station."

"I'm afraid I'll fail at that," said Ronald.

"Nonsense," said Frederick. "Just keep Varsus occupied long enough for the other battles to finish. That is all you need to do."

Ronald nodded. "...Alright."

Relma looked away from Ronald to where William and Estela glared at one another. William's sword was drawn, his hands were clasped over it, and his shield was lying by him. On his arms was a new violet scarf, and Relma hoped this one didn't have any enchantments on it. Estela sat a little away, sharpening her blade, eyes hardly leaving her enemy.

"Are you ready for this, Estela?" asked Relma.

Estela looked up. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Relma looked over to her other side, where Ajax stood on one hand. His hair was hanging down low, and his clawed hands were flexing. "Ajax, what about you?"

Ajax let himself down and put himself into a cross-legged position. "Garrick is not going to know what hit him. I live for this. You try to survive until I've taken down the others."

Reginald and Varsus were a little beyond William. Beyond them was Saphra, who was knitting. Then there was Garrick, who appeared to be meditating. Ham was pacing back and forth, shield slung over his back. And Fayn was testing the weight of her claymore.

The wait ended.

Davian came forward, and the crowds cheered. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the melee event!" The cheers grew even louder. "Today, we do not have a free for all! But a full-scale battle! Two sides gathered to determine the strongest! In the one corner, House Gabriel, House De Chevlon, and their allies!"

Those named stood and went forward into the ring to rising cheers. Relma hoped Ham did better in this round than in his last fight. Then again, if he did, it wouldn't be to her benefit.

"And in the other corner, the Heir of Kings and she assembled disciples!" cried Davian.

Relma sighed. They rose up and walked out to meet their enemy. As they did, Estela sheathed her sword.

"I wish he wouldn't keep calling us that," said Estela under her breath.

"It's just drama." said Frederick as they passed him ." Don't pay it any mind."

Estela stopped and looked at him. "Don't you really like that nonsense?"

"To a point," admitted Frederick. "I use it because it helps with my image. I'm not the strongest person in this tournament. But they believe I am because I put forth an image well and pick my battles."

"But you would have beaten Varsus," said Ronald.

"Well, I confess, I am one of the strongest," said Frederick. "Do me proud, Ronald Fulsof."

And out they went. They assembled across the ring, and then they waited. There was a sound of drums beating, and Relma wondered how they would win. If, she reminded herself if they would win.

Ajax and Garrick were equally matched. Ronald might be able to stalemate Varsus if they were lucky. Estela was a bit below William. That left Relma to fight Fayn, Ham, and Reginald. There was no, if at all. Unless Relma's suspicions were correct, this bout was already lost.

"Keep your backs to each other," said Estela. "If we stay tight, they won't be able to come on us from multiple sides."

"Then Fayn will just use her fire whip," noted Relma.

"Oh," said Estela.

"Let the combat begin!" cried Davian.

The two sides ran toward each other. Once again, Relma felt that peculiar sense of detachment as she ran forward. And then several things happened very quickly.

Fayn summoned a whip of flame into her sword and lashed out with it. But it caught Reginald in the back. The orange-haired De Chevlon screamed in pain and fell forward into the dirt. Fayn lashed out again at Ham, but he warded off the assault with his shield.

"Reginald!" cried Ham.

The De Chevlon's and Gabriel's fell into chaos. Ronald rushed at Varsus and met him in a flurry of blows. Varsus seemed to be having the better of it with precise defenses. William and Estela met sword to sword once more, and once again, William seemed the master. Relma brought her sword toward Ham, who blocked the stroke and drove her back.

"Contract breaker!" roared Garrick in fury as he charged toward Fayn. Where was Ajax?

In a moment, Relma had no time to think. She was being driven back by Ham. This was not the angry, overconfident, and slightly inebriated Ham before. He had, apparently, turned over a new leaf. And that was not good for her.

Relma quickly found herself fighting to stay in the tournament. Her shield was bashed from her grip, and she felt her arm wrench. She fell to one knee and parried a stroke from Ham, only for him to twist his blade and send hers flying.

Taking a chance, she rolled past him and snatched up her blade. As she did, time seemed to slow down.

Then she saw Garrick. He was assailing Fayn with vicious strokes. Their swords were moving faster by the moment. And yet Fayn was losing badly. She already had several major wounds. Moreover, her flames were useless against Garrick's winds. Then she was thrown down, and Garrick raised his sword to kill her.

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Relma rushed forward, Lightning Trail in hand. As she did, she felt that same battle she'd had when beneath the Heaven's Eye. She interposed herself between Garrick's blow and brought up the sword. Their blades met, and there was a flash.

Relma was forced to one knee, and Garrick staggered back. He recovered quickly and glared in a fury. "Step aside, or you will join this heretic in death. Those who violate contracts deserve no mercy."

"Aren't you overreacting a little?" asked Relma.

"No," said Garrick.

He swung his sword again, and this time when Relma met it, she was also thrown down. Again, the wind howled as he spun the blade and brought it down for the finishing blow!

And then Ajax was there. He landed on the flat of Garrick's blade and kicked him in the face. Garrick fell backward, landing as Ajax landed on one hand and caught Garrick's blade in one hand.

Bringing it around, he plunged it two feet into the ground next to where Garrick was lying. "Get up, Dust Elf," said Ajax. "I won't let my glory be stolen by a surprise attack."

Garrick grasped the sword and pulled himself up, bleeding from the mouth. Relma looked to Ajax. "Where were you?"

"Oh," said Ajax, "waiting for the most dramatic moment.

"Remind me what happened the last time you tried this, Relma?"

"Thanks, Ajax," said Relma.

"Thank him after you are yet alive," said Garrick. "Winds of the Dusk Lands! Gusts of the Sea of Power! I command you!"

Ajax met him in battle. Wolf and wind clashed again as the power of Ajax's howling drove away the wind.

Relma turned to Fayn and helped her up. "Fayn, you should get out of the arena. Now."

"Hardly," scoffed Fayn, readying her blade. "I'm going to win."

And then Ham was on her, attacking her in a fury. Her sword and his were a blur as they closed. Why was Ham so furious? And why hadn't he interfered earlier?

Relma looked where he had come from and saw Reginald. Moving over to him, she kneeled and realized how pale he looked. Then, setting a hand on one armored shoulder, she tried to heal him. Only then did she realize how weak he was?

Fayn's surprise attack would kill him if Relma didn't do something.

So she focused on healing his injury. Restoring burnt flesh. Mending wounds.

As she did, she felt like she was something greater. Something was looking down on the tournament from above. She saw William and Estela fighting it out, and William was having the best of it. He'd broken her shield and had not cast aside his own. It was all Estela could do to hold out.

Ronald and Varsus were still dueling, but Ronald was being demolished. Varsus made small strokes, deliberately baiting him and delivering minor wounds. It was clear Ronald would be the loser here. Varsus was just better.

Ham was demolishing Fayn. He'd taken her off guard and wasn't letting up for a moment. As Relma saw him kick her in the chest and send her reeling, she reflected that Fayn probably deserved it. Yes, her actions were to Relma's benefit, but they'd still been wrong. She could have just declared for Relma.

And then there was Garrick and Ajax. They were going at it with clear bloodlust. Both had dealt with the other several wounds. The winds howled like a razor, but Ajax howled in turn. No doubt, the crowd was enjoying the spectacle.

Where should Relma logically go next in this tournament once she healed Reginald?

If. If she healed Reginald. He was stable, but she didn't like leaving him out here. So, reaching down, she pulled him over one shoulder and carried him gradually out of the ring. His weight was immense, and she nearly stumbled as he did. Then she turned to where Varsus was on the verge of beating Ronald.

Raising Lightning Trail, Relma rushed toward Varsus with a battle cry. He brought her sword around.

Varsus turned his own blade and disarmed her. Then, with a twist, he slammed her in the forehead with the pommel of his sword. As Relma hit the ground, she reflected that she should have seen that coming. But judging from how Ronald started attacking, she seemed to have done some good.

The pain hit her.

Ow.

Looking at Garrick and Ajax, she saw they were mustering themselves for a final strike. Suddenly Relma was no longer looking at their flesh but at their spirits. She saw Garrick as a shadow, cold and dark. And Ajax was light incarnate, burning all who gazed on them. The two opposites surged toward one another, and she saw the wind spirits with Garrick. They were horrible to behold; their fangs bared.

The two met. Light and shadow met and struggled.

Then they passed each other. Ajax landed on his feet, then stumbled forward to one knee. Garrick stood tall for a moment, leaning his blade on one shoulder. Then he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Ajax glanced back and smiled.

Then Relma saw the flesh again. Fayn had recovered somewhat from her previous fighting. She was now fighting evenly with Ham. Both were furious and intent on defeating each other. So intent, they didn't react in time when Ajax surged toward them. With two strikes of his legs, he sent both sprawling with his hands, claws at their throats.

From there, he rose and rushed toward Varsus, who even now had his blade to Ronald's throat. The blonde knight reacted quickly and began to parry Ajax's onslaught. For a moment, they fought back and forth as Varsus yielded ground. Then they slowed to a halt, and Varsus stabbed at Ajax. His blade nicked his left shoulder, but Ajax caught him in the neck and forced him to the ground.

"I yield," said Varsus.

Ajax arose and looked to William. Estela had lost now. Her blade was on the ground, and her enemy's sword was at her throat. Ajax howled in triumph and rushed at a weakened William. But William ducked low and smashed his shield into Ajax as he came. They tumbled over each other, grappling. The sword was thrown from William's hand, but he drew a knife, and soon he and Ajax were locked in a death grip.

Relma stood up painfully as William was thrown off. Ajax arose and charged at him.

And then came the whispers. Everything slowed, and Relma saw the scarf around William's arm begin to pulse as he focused his will. The world suddenly seemed to be shrouded in innumerable spider webs. With each breath they took, billions of threads were severed. And billions were spun. Many possibilities that could have been were gone, and many that could never have existed opened.

The strands of fate. You could look at them for centuries and not understand even one person's future. But she could see her own strands and saw they led in one direction. Whatever she did, whatever she sought, her path was preordained. All her efforts would lead to a singular event in many possible ways.

It would occur by her hand or the hand of a descendant. Baltoth would die. Harlenor Reunited would come to pass as had been prophesied. But how it happened was in her power to choose. But not just her. It was in the hands of everyone. In the hands of Varsus, William, Reginald, every living creature...

Even Baltoth himself.

The future was set. But how it was defined was their privilege to choose.

But for now, new threads were spun for a different purpose. Rioletta's will was sent forth into the threads themselves. They appeared around Ajax, slowing him, trying to bind him in place. He struggled in them as William snatched up his sword and rushed at him.

William was about to set his blade to Ajax's throat. Then Ajax howled. It was louder and more furious than before. The rage of a cornered animal that knows its fate but will not submit without a fight. The crowd shrieked in terror; some ran screaming, clutched their ears, and fell to the ground.

But William did not.

The threads were broken. Ajax surged forward and bowled William over. The two tumbled down, and then Ajax fell limp to the ground. William's blade was in his chest.

Cheers came from the crowd as they came back. Relma felt sick.

"Quiet!" snarled Relma. "Haven't you people had your fill of death with all the wars! Now it comes to this celebration, and you cheered for it! You should be ashamed!" The words did not seem her own. She ran over to Ajax and kneeled by him. His face was pale, and his eyes were afraid. He was not breathing.

William came by him. "I... I did not mean to kill him. I tried to move my blade, but when he fell, he... it ended up in him... I..."

No.

Relma drew out the blade. She looked at the black weapon, a terrible thing bathed in the blood of wicked creatures. It was bound to its wielder and had taken on traits of those he had fought. But it did not reflect him fully.

She set down the blade and set her hands on Ajax's chest. Then, closing her eyes, she saw that a claw had severed the strands of fate. This was no longer a person but an object. His spirit was gone, drifting off into its next life.

Relma called it back.

The threads of fate had been severed. She took them up and set them back in place. This body was no long Ajax but an object of meat and bone. Relma breathed back life into it.

Ajax's eyes turned to her. "Relma..."

"Idiot," said Relma. "You should have worn armor." And then she began to shudder as her vision blurred and everything went black...