The priest vacated the arena but I didn't leave. Instead, I made the centaur children's day by summoning level 1 al-Mi'raj for them to fight. The little fillies and colts shouted in joy as they fought the critters one-on-one. I used {Song of Heroism} and {Song of Sacrifice} to bolster the centaurs. That increased their damage by 50%, reduced the damage they took by the same amount, and on top of that, I shouldered another half of what was left on my own pool. Since I controlled the critters, they weren't adding their paltry Strength score or proficiency to the damage either.
Bolstered by my buffs, they killed the horned furballs to exhaustion. Then the teenage ones that took the trial wished to try their luck at groups of the furry murder-rabbits. I let them, with the same buffs. I healed the few bruises they had and we called a day.
The next day, we were back in the arena. The bookmakers declared our first duel was a tie and just because the spectators wouldn't let any of them leave the valley alive, they extended the bets to this fight, claiming that the one we had yesterday was just a warm-up demonstration of summoning magic.
The Warmaster was again on the other side. "No magic this time," he declared.
"No spellcasting, I hope you mean. I'll be at a disadvantage since I'm naturally immune to divine magic."
"No abilities that cost MP," he clarified.
"I don't have an MP pool," I retorted.
"Liar, you used summoning magic!"
"Are other resource pools okay? Can I fuel my abilities with HP?"
"You can use HP. I don't mind if you want to kill yourself faster."
I checked a seldomly used Perk that changed into an ability when I got these proficiencies.
* Blood Rituals: Use fresh blood to fuel spells. Each 10ml of blood is good for (Donor's Level + Proficiency/10) MP. Rituals take at least 1 hour.
I didn't have an hour. Yeah. No abilities with an Energy cost it is.
"System, for the duration of this duel, block all resource pool usage for both me and the Warmaster. Ask for the user's permission first."
> ACKNOWLEDGED. Denied.
Was worth a try.
> Queltphion offered you a quest.
>
> Win this duel without killing your opponent and without using any Resource pool other than HP. Either will be considered defeated after reaching 500,000 HP or less. For the duration of this duel, the following effects will take place:
>
> 1) Detailed information on damage multipliers won't be shown.
>
> 2) You both will be aware of the opponent HP percentage left.
>
> Rewards for victory:
>
> * As much Exp as killing your opponent with your best multipliers.
> * One martial Perk selected by Queltphion.
I accepted it. The Warmaster fell on his knees, shouting praises to the God of Soldiers, War, and Balance. I always thought it was interesting that Balance was with one deity and Justice with the other. The spectators whispered among themselves but soon they were all praising Queltphion. I came to the definite conclusion that every divine intervention was a marketing ploy by the deities. Net faith should always be greater than zero.
"Are you ready?"
"Yeah," I flapped my wings and shapeshifted them away. "Let's do this!"
He charged. I charged. Enraged and with a true horse's lower body, my Attributes went up by 24 points.
At the last moment, we both vanished as we activated {Flash Step}. He was slightly faster than me and got behind me a fraction of a second before I moved to where he was. His massive mace grazed my tail. I needed to take his advantage down a peg.
> Eldritch Presence
Hats off to the guy. He had enough Ego to keep active after taking a hit from my aura. But now I had a clear advantage. I couldn't use {Royal Aura} nor {A Capella} as both had an Energy cost.
He had more skill with his chosen weapon than I with the spear. But my evasive abilities were top-notch. While he evaded most of my stabs, thrusts, and slashes, I flowed around that mace of his easily.
Preponcius used some ability to make him faster and he started to connect more of his attacks. As he went sideways, I had trouble keeping him in my field of view because I had this huge butt to move around. My inertia was literally killing me, no matter how fast I was.
After the duel, I learned how to counter this close-quarter strategy. By acting as a freaking equine should, and moving to put him behind me, instead of trying to keep him in front. Then all I had to do was a buck and kick, as that was a ridiculously powerful attack.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
But at the time, I didn't think of that. I was focused on something else, and a realization hit me.
At least it wasn't the mace. I'd figured out some of his Perks. This guy was a centaur-killer. When we discussed yesterday, he wasn't looking down on me, he was looking down on centaurs as a whole. Hiding the damage multipliers was highly suspect too. Was it so I didn't notice his stinky little centaur-killing Perks?
Fuck it. Two can play this game. He was half-human and counted as such for my {Favored Enemy} Perk. The other half was a dragon so it counted too. I didn't get the bonus twice, though. Time to turn the game on his head. I transformed my lower body into a giant dire anaconda.
Pride was an emotion for fools. I didn't want to defeat him as a centaur to prove some species superiority. I just want to mop the floor with his smug smile. I assumed {Snake Fortress} form by coiling my tail and used the bigger reach of my spear to skewer him once and for all.
Now, no matter how he danced around me, I was always facing him. Furthermore, his damage dropped by a lot. More than what fortress mode could reduce. He had a centaur-killing Perk, that was confirmed.
He tried to withdraw but I could move slower without breaking the tail fortress. One-tenth of my move rate was ridiculously slow but it was still twice as fast as a normal lamia. Not fast enough but as soon as he started to give ground to keep me away, the crowd started to boo him.
That was my cue to use {Diva Presence} and {Captive Audience}. Winning a contested Charisma test against these savages was like an elephant beating an al-Mi'raj. My HP skyrocketed as I gained ten percent of each barbarian spectator's HP regeneration.
Preponcius reached the arena wall. Cornered, he went back on the offensive. I backed off and he didn't chase. I gained some time to recover more HP and check my notifications.
> You gained 4 proficiency points in Spear. You have one free ability.
>
> * Combination Strike: You slash then stab with the spear at once. The stab has a damage reduction equal to (100 - Proficiency/5)% damage.
I quickly picked the ability. Unraveling my tail, I went in for the kill. {Triple Stab} was thirty-something points of proficiency from really being a triple attack but I could combine both abilities to deliver four attacks almost at once. With each attack staggering him for 83 milliseconds, he was losing any edge he had left. It was bloody exhausting to keep going at this rate, but I had one last trick to finish this duel once and for all.
> Searing Horn
>
> Light Lamia
People in this Age of Eclipse had very sensitive eyes. I made my tail, horn, and spear shine as bright as they could. Once he was blinded, I went around and stabbed his back. With a {Backstab}. But not {Assassinate}. His HP plummeted.
I wrapped Preponcius with my tail and started to constrict him while I wrestled his weapon out of his hand. Once I had his mace, it went to the item box. He came close to escaping my wraps a few times. The guy's Strength score must be nearing the two hundred. I knew he hadn't the {Pinnacle of Strength} because people could only have that at the fourth rank, after level 160.
But the duel was over once he hit less than 500,000 HP.
> Quest Completed!
>
> You gained the Perk: Myrmidon Mastery (ultra-rare): "War Maneuvers" is always considered one of your species proficiency picks for free. You do not, however, have a fast-growth allotment. If you pick it as one of your normal proficiencies, increase the learning speed by 10%.
>
> You gained 60 points of proficiency with War Maneuvers. You have four free abilities.
>
> You gained 71.4B Exp (Base 213,160 x334,937.1 multipliers)
The Exp was barely enough to gain 7 levels on each of Class and Species.
> You reached Pegasus Heritor level 7.
>
> You gained 3 species Perks.
>
> You reached Centaur Gladiator level 7.
>
> You gained 3 Class Perks.
War Maneuvers looked like a lot of work to sift through. It had combat stances, attacks, shouts, buffs, even small or large-group specific abilities. I had to examine it with care. The requirement trees were complex, with branching options.
I would check on that when I got back home. I would now savor the victory and its spoils. Back to my normal form in all its glory.
With the block on magic lifted, I put the priest in a bubble of {Healing Water} wrapped in a {Force Sphere} floating next to me.
I projected my voice over the valley, "Hear me. I am Snowdrop, [Heritor] of the Unicorn King. This valley and monastery once belonged to my ancestor. I defeated the High Priest in a fair duel overseen by Queltphion himself. I claim everything as my domain."
Walking to the center of the arena, my eyes drifted until I met the chieftain of the centaur herd currently taking the trials. The whole herd was in attendance and all attention was on me. "Approach, chieftain," I ordered.
The big centaur jumped from the grandstand and walked over the blood-soaked arena floor. Right. I asked Pandora to assume her blood aspect. The priest probably needed it. He'd used a water-breathing spell so he wasn't drowning. Wasn't trying to escape what was basically a prison either.
"[Heritor]," the centaur said very politely as he approached. "I'm chieftain Jerysius. What do you ask of me?"
I lowered my head slightly to recognize his position. "Chieftain. I acquired the Unicorn King's spear and horn, along with pegasus's wings. I'll create a kingdom in these plains where centaurs will prosper. I have Stephano, Talysius with me. Enantinos became king of the human lands to the west. We are allied with the elves of Fulgen.
"I ask you only this. Help me."
The centaur looked at the priest floating inside the floating bubble at the corner of the arena and back at me. His gaze was fierce but I didn't flinch.
"I have witnessed the power of your magic and the admiration our youngsters have for you. As all chieftains, I learned the legends from our elders. I never believed them," he declared with a hard stare. Then he grinned. "Until today. I've seen you defeat a strong enemy with only your wits and weapons. You are worthy, [Heritor]."
He knelt on his front legs. "I pledge the loyalty of my herd to you. It is my wish to have a place in your kingdom."
The other centaurs lowered themselves too. Even those of other species were either kneeling or bowing.
"I heard your oaths and it is with my heart soaring as a herd gallops over the plains that I accept them. I'll make a home for all centaurs. The other species, so long they are friendly and behave, will be welcome as well. And not as slaves or servants."
I put my social abilities behind my speech. I didn't feel bad since I wasn't lying to them. The arena erupted into cheers and shouts of praise. The centaurs drummed on the stone floor with their hooves. It was intoxicating. It was part of the reason kings and princes became so drunk in their own power they couldn't see a foot in front of them. At least not before the foot kicked them on the nose.
The high priest banged on the sphere. I dropped him and the water, transforming a good portion of the arena around him into swampy mud. The dragon-man stood and approached.
I kept my eyes on him. He approached and knelt before me. "[Heritor]. Before the eyes of my Lord, you are worthy. His priests are at your service."
He stood and made a gesture to silence the crowd. He shouted, "Our lord Queltphion recognizes Snowdrop the Unicorn [Heritor] as the rightful owner of this valley. At this moment, no rules are changed. Behave, for you are beholden to the future Queen of these plains."
That made me wonder, how much of his behavior was an act? Another trial? A theatrical farce to gain approval for me and faith for Queltphion?
That was a problem for later.
"Jerysius, are your supplicants done with their trials?" He nodded. "Then, gather your herd on the arena floor. We are departing to our capital."
He whistled and made some gestures with his hand hoisted up high. The remaining centaurs jumped from the grandstand into the arena.
I opened a rift to the Ethereal and led my people away from the valley.
I led them home.