The realm of the Demon Lord is a turbulent place, one couldn’t say it’s always at war but saying that conflict is prevalent would be correct. The realm consists of many different vassals with their territories and people. The main opposing force was naturally humans, they bordered the western territories of the Demon Realm. While the United Cities had successfully challenged the Demon Lord many times, the source of conflict wasn’t humans. Often it was the vassals seeking to undermine each other only to raise their status and rank, to better themselves in front of their tyrant – the Demon Lord. After all, in the Demon Realm, one rule reigned supreme: Might is Right. Hence, it was not uncommon for one race to subjugate a weaker one.

An example of a strong vassal was Centauri, they were a proud race of centaur warriors. The rule ‘Might is Right’ had served them well, and for a time they were at the pinnacle of their strength making a good bulk of the Demon Army. The Centauri Cavalry was known far and wide, and they were feared. And all was well.

Until it wasn’t. Through some unfortunate twist of fate, the United Cities ended up marching their armies through Centauri territories. Well, this wasn’t the first time, nor would it be the last something like this happened, but then again the fate… It wasn’t just a human army, one or two, it was a whole lot of them, a full Crusade. But even then, this should have been okay-ish, if only the neighbouring vassals have sent their support in time.

Maybe it was because the Centauri bullied the weaker neighbours a bit too much, or maybe it was just a bad spell of luck. In the end, the support didn’t even come. The humans laid waste to the Centauri castle leaving centaurs fleeing in shame. Either way, such defeat was unacceptable, not in the Demon Realm. They could flee to their neighbours, but the neighbour didn’t mean a friend, at best they would end up as slaves and at worst as meat to feed war ogres.

The options were scarce and most unpleasant. However, there was a rumour of strange land with strange people. A rumour of a dark sorcerer who tamed spiders and ruled over them. This, and that he gathered other lesser monster races under his wing to build a faux-kingdom. A monster kingdom in The Dreaded Place, it sounded dubious at best.

Regardless, even the most outrageous rumour had a sliver of truth to it and so the Centauri put a bet on this rumour and fled to the east and towards the endless jungle. The retreat came with a cost, opportunistic humans and then Demon Realm slavers pursued them. The Centauri men and others who were able had paid the price, sacrificing their lives so that the remaining few could flee. The herd shouldn’t be left without a leader, so she – now the last remaining Champion, was trusted to guide them.

A mana-sensing crystal (Mana Compass) has guided her path, and the rest is now history.

…

A centaur maid was brushing the Champions hair, getting rid of the dirt accumulated through the long journey.

“I didn’t expect this.” The reception was welcoming. “They had tents for all of us, and the meals were full.” This was unprecedented.

The maid simply nodded continuing to clean the hair.

“Did they expect us? It looks like they did.” She snorted thoughtfully. ”The dark sorcerer must have spies in the Demon Realm.” She paused and pushed the resurfacing memory of the screams and burning castle away. “And the spiders…” They were different than she expected, more people than monsters. “They can talk.” She recalled a memory of a chirping spider. “But not In Demon Language.”

The maid shuddered remembering the spiders.

“At least one of their Champions can speak properly.” She snorted thoughtfully again. “That and his horns mean that he is from the Demon Realm. Meaning…”

The maid didn’t need to say anything.

“As per demon custom, I’ll challenge him and claim his position!” She nickered excitedly. “That will secure our place here… Or should I petition to meet the spider tamer first?” She shook her head. “No, to begin with, we need to show our strength. Might is RightI” She neighed.

The maid knowingly stopped brushing the hair and sighed.

“Maid, send a message to their Champion. I want to duel him. And get my armour ready.” She ordered.

…

He was standing in front of a nervous-looking mare. He was shaking his head in disbelief.

“Can you say that again? I’m not sure I can understand.”

“You’ve been challenged to The Duel of Champions.” She squealed.

He couldn’t wrap his head around it. He didn’t even get the full story of the Centauri and they were challenging him. He had to wonder: Did he do something to offend them? Or was this just a strange custom?

“Can we talk this out? Can I refuse?” He asked the centaur messenger.

“Refusal would be the same as admitting the defeat.” She bowed apologetically.

“So I must duel your Champion?”

The centaur nodded.

“I guess, there is no harm.” He shrugged. “I agree to this duel, but where and when?”

The Centauri messenger relayed the details. It was now and in the Centauri Camp. Now was now, and it would take him a mere moment to get ready, so he went straight away.

Right in the middle of the tents, the area where the food would normally be served was cleared. Here, the nearby centaurs gathered to watch, they had pleasant expressions on their faces.

Good! It seems that sorrow was forgotten even if for a moment. This was clearly meant as some sort of entertainment. To boost the morale of the Centauri refugees.

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The hustle and bustle attracted not just the centaurs but the Lamia too, albeit due to short notice there were only a few. The crowd parted letting him into the clearing and he felt the centaurs’ gazes fixate on him. It was obvious they were curious about him, and it was likely they found him just as exotic as he found them.

Further away, there stood a now familiar Centauri Champion, her armour cleaned and now shiny. In her right hand was a lance and in the other hand a kite shield. Unfortunately, her face remained hidden by the helmet.

“Champion, so you come!” She neighed at him from a distance. “Let’s fight!” She kicked at the ground with her hooves.

[The Duel of Champions is now in effect], the message told him.

She didn’t leave any space for questions, and he had so many. The rules haven’t been made clear! And he was taken by surprise. How dirty! He had the Plate Armour on already but the Devouring Spear still needed to be retrieved.

“[Strengthen],[Piercing Thrust].” An empowered lance flew right to his midsection.

“[Bastion]” He cast just in time.

The thrust was very powerful, so powerful that the lance (mind you, reinforced with metal) just shattered into pieces of scrap and wood. This was meant as a killing blow no doubt.

Was this more than just a strange Centauri game? – He had to wonder. Well, if she wasn’t pulling any punches neither he will. He retrieved the Devouring Spear from the Magical Inventory.

Similarly, the centaur page threw another lance to their Champion. “That trick won’t work twice! [Cavalry Charge], [Overwhelming Force].” She neighed at him and launched herself into a sprint, the lance tip glowed with power.

“Wrong!” It would work two more times, but maybe she had a counter, so he decided not to risk and met her charge with his own.

The spear clashed with a lance, they kissed each other tip to tip. And obviously, the legendary equipment would come out as superior. The lance just shattered again as if it was nothing making the Centauri neigh in frustration.

“Oh no you don’t.” This time he won’t let her to just sprint past him. “[Assassin Strike]!” Without turning around or looking, he slammed the butt end of the spear into her back.

Maybe he should have aimed better, maybe he should have tried to look even if at a glance, but considering the speed of the charge every millisecond was precious. While he aimed for the back, he struck somewhere else; centaur anatomy and the like. He had rammed the spear at her rear, a strike was still a strike and all of the assassin multipliers applied, so it came mercilessly at full force. And, [Chaos Blessed] just activated as a cherry on top.

The Centauri Champion shrieked in a voice most shrill, but more terror than pain.

He too looked at his actions with horror. “What have I done!”

The centaur collapsed on all of her sixes (like in all six limbs) – prone and her rear pushed high in the air, “Take it out!” She cried out through tears.

“…” Everyone looked in shock.

Was it luck, or was it great misfortune? Somehow the butt end of the spear had found a weak spot in plate armour and even smashed through the chainmail. And then it went in somewhere it shouldn’t. Chaos!

Humiliation! “Take it out!” She commanded wiggling it ever so slightly.

Everyone just looked, and it didn’t look like there will be volunteers. He wondered if he should call a doctor, but there were no spider doctors and a simple Heal didn’t seem like the solution here.

“I’ll do it.” He decided to sort the mess he made. “And sorry.” He added just in case.

“Be gentle!”

“I will.”

He wiggled the spear out ever so carefully. “Fuh.” He let out a sigh of relief. It came out clean; no injury. “It’s out.” He voiced the obvious.

The Centauri Champion stood up trying to recover whatever dignity remained. Then she turned around and took her helmet off. It might be wrong but even with that embarrassed and tear-stained expression, the face was still pretty. She had blue eyes and long yellow hair, and most of the human features were there, but her ears were elongated and pointy.

“I congratulate you on your victory, Champion!” She said it with a shaky voice,

[You have won The Duel of Champions.]

“So, I won…” Apparently, the questionable manoeuvre was not illegal.

“You showed great skill and tactics. To lose in such a way…” She didn’t finish.

“Yeah, I’m sorry. I think I’ve ruined the fight by accident. Wanna try again?” He offered apologetically.

“No!!!” She neighed and then bowed. “By the custom, we are to reward you with…”

“Nah, I’m good.” He didn’t need a reward. “I rather you tell me what this was about.”

For some reason she bowed apologetically “… then, Champion, shall we go and meet your Lord?”

“The Lord? But I am the Spider King?” And only then did he realise that out of the excitement of seeing real centaurs, he had forgotten to introduce himself not once but twice.

She made a whiny sound like a horse would. “You… you can’t be… you aren’t just a Champion, one of many?”

He shook his head. “No, I’m the ruler of the Spider Kingdom, King to spiders, lamias, drows and kobolds, ally to the Great Ancestral Tree. I am the Monster King.” He smiled. “But just Spider King will also do.”

The Centauri Champion visibly paled and her legs began to tremble. “What have I done…” A great sin. Contrary to the other rules, challenging someone like that was unacceptable. A champion couldn't challenge someone like a king, because kings were rulers and not warriors. But then, the King should have just sent his Champion and not fight in person. “Why?..” She dropped the pointless question, it was too late, it didn’t matter now, so instead she straightened herself. “King, will you take us as your vassals?”

He looked at her. “I’m still waiting on that story. You know, The Story.”

“Right, right…” She put her helmet back on. “Then come back to my tent. I’ll tell you everything.”

The crowd parted and so they walked through it. The centaurs were giving him apologetic looks; he wondered why it was so. But at least the lamia seemed to be happy with the ‘show’, a few of them were giving him a thumbs up; but he couldn’t stay he was proud of a victory like this.

The Centauri Champion guided him to her tent and closed the flap behind.

“The Story…” She took her helmet off. “I’ll tell you our story.” She unbuckled her chestplate. “A tale of proud and strong centaurs.” The chest plate dropped to the ground soon followed by the pauldrons. “A race of warriors.” A padded tunic joined the discarded chest piece. “I can’t reach my back, can you?”

Right, he undid the clasps dropping the armour plates protecting her horse sides.

“And the mail.”

He took that off too, it was quite heavy.

“And the padded shirt.”

He undid the buckles taking the padded cloth off; there was nothing else there. Right… “And the story?”

“I’ll tell you about our fall. Our great misfortune.” She finished taking the rest of the protective pieces. “And our trip here to you.” She looked at him.

He didn’t like that begging look.

“But first you must take your prize.” She took whatever was there to take off, revealing the scared body of a warrior.

“Prize?”

“As custom dictates, now I’m your subordinate. And considering what you…” She blushed. “My body is yours!”

“Awesome! Out of the armour already!” He clapped. “Let’s get you a dress first. A blue one preferably. Then we’ll go for a nice dinner: you, me and my wife. There you will tell The Story to both of us. Oh, and let's invite the Trusty Advisor, just in case.”

“Understood.” She gave a genuine smile and bowed vigorously.

The bounce the jiggle! Could be half-cow and not half-horse with those!

“SPIDERS!” He shouted for them feeling threatened.