Gizzy strolled though the street towards the sound of cheering and celebration, Nicole beside her, noticing the flags of a green dragon being waved and set on fire.
“House is never gonna dry out, is it?” Nicole asked.
“Oh the house itself will air dry, the furnishings are fucked.” She said casually, as the rest of the gang gathered and stepped to the top of the hill, beholding the arena. Like a coliseum of sand and mossy stone, half broken and rotted with age.
So you have recovered and decided to join us.” Said the king, shirtless and bloody from a fight”
“You’ve seen better days.” Gizzy noted.
“No we have not. Every day is a great day when a dragon has fallen, and everyone here fights with honor and money, for sport and fun. We all have a good time before the main event, even myself.” Krade boasted. “So your magical weapon is worthy of the robes, who will test it this fine morning?” he asked as Gizzy stepped up.
“I will.” Gizzy nodded.
“Ha, which of your MEN will fight?” he replied.
“I fight for my pack, consider me a man today.” She insisted.
“Where you are from, perhaps, but this is Dyrecove, and in Dyrecove we do things differently. No woman enters the arena, especially with talk of the mythical white witch and your...hair color. Argue if you wish but since the dawn of this village, no woman has fought in that arena. You want the robes, that weapon should be so powerful even your weakest man could stand their ground. So choose your strongest and wisely, one of your male fi-”
“Vinn. I choose Vinn.” Gizzy said.
“Really?” Vinn sighed, slightly annoyed.
“You’re the strongest.”
“Damnit…I gotta Fupar someone? I hate Fupar.”
“It’s not Fupar.” Gizzy scoffed.
“It’s an arena death match. How is this not just medieval Fupar with less hair?” He asked.
“King Krade…Does Vinn have to kill his opponent or just reach a declared victory? Can he force them to submit and spare them?”
“Death.” Krade insisted.
“Shit, it’s exactly like Fupar, BUT, this time with someone smaller and different weapons, and since we have 2 men in the group, and Nathan would die... you kinda have to Fupar his ass. Sorry Vinn. You got this. ”
“Man, this blows hella ass. Fine, give me the stupid axe, I guess I’ll murder some jackass for glory or whatever.” He sighed.
“No.” Silverback said stepping up. “Bout time I pulled my weight around here.”
“Nathan you’ll die.” Gizzy scoffed rolling her eyes.
“Krade said a weapon powerful enough to defend the village should be wieldable by the weakest. It makes a statement if I fight. I’m supposed to be the leader, Vinn doesn’t want to fight another arena death battle, he’s done enough. I’ve done very little, and the only fight I started so far, I lost.”
“You killed a king.” Gizzy shrugged.
“Lucky shot, I was aiming for the dragon. I got heart, Damnit. It may be old but I don’t wanna make Vinn fight. He’s not used to that new body like I’m used my old one. His footing is wrong, he’s used to hooves. You’ve seen him stumble on air. He’s our best man on a bow, Gizzy I’m a grown-ass adult, I wanna do this. Nicole’s got a husband to lose if he can’t keep his balance, I’m only team leader in public, this is a public event. I'm only here because I got nobody to leave alone if I die.”
“Nathan, I swear to Odin if you get yourself killed to impress people and Dee cries, I’ll clone you back just to beat your ass.”
“I planned to stay here anyway, I gotta fend for myself. If we do this, and succeed, mission over, I’m gonna be staying alone while you all go home. I need to stand up for something. This is for the group, but it’s also it’s for me, it’s for my crew, and it’s because Damnit I’m still useful. Give me the axe.”
“Fine. Silverback will fight.”
Silverback powered up the axe. Feeling the heft increase as he dialed it back. Just enough to glow. A slender man in dark green, almost black robes, entered the stone circle, as everyone cheered and chanted a strange name.
“That’s Amkor.” Krade boasted. “Our most powerful mage.”
Amkor lifted both hands up, blue fire materializing at his fingertips as the robe’s intricate inlay and symbols glowed the same color. His eyes, peering through thin slots in the face covering under the hood, glowed a deathly cyan, the symbol of the death god on his chest, ablaze and rotating in concentric rings in opposite directions.”
“Shit.” Muttered Silverback “I didn’t know we were using fire and stuff. Is it too late to pussy out?” he hollered back.
“BEGIN!” hollered Krade.
“Never mind.” Silverback yelled, dodge-rolling out of the way of a fireball attack.
“Gizzy, he’s gonna die.” Nicole muttered.
“I know, here’s the plan. If it starts looking bad, I’ll jump in and distract him, you shield and heal Nathan. We’ll deal with the gender rules after the fight."
“What do you mean IF it starts looking bad. It started off bad. That axe doesn’t have fireball blocking stuff. We should have thrown him my staff.”
“Well, he insisted on fighting, I thought the robes just acted like armor, your staff has no offensive weaponry against magic armor. I didn’t know there was fireball shit involved. I’ve seen Nathan throw an axe, he’s pretty decent, give him a chance to win this one fairly.”
“Fair my ass, he’s a normal guy fighting a fucking fire mage in god robes.”
Nathan circled the robed inferno, taunting him.”
“Get closer, you ninja-lookin prick. If you’re invincible, prove it.” he said. Amkor lowered his hands and retracted the fire, throwing a spinning kick at Silverback. He blocked it and punched for the nuts, his fist softening on the cloth as if hitting water, followed by the other foot spinning its way to Silverback’s shoulder. He staggered back, swinging the axe and striking the robes in the chest, spark flying and Amkor stepping back silently and casually. Silverback ran full speed up the wall and leapt, raising the axe and turning the handle, the blades glowing and becoming heavy as he swung downward. The impact on Amkor’s head sent a wave of blue energy outward, deflecting the axe and lodging it in the hard dry ground, as Silverback rolled to gather his wits, now weaponless.
“We have a problem.” He sighed. Amkor grabbed the axe and tried to lift it, yanking himself down slightly, like trying to lift Thor’s hammer. He tugged again as Silverback rushed in and drop kicked at full velocity, striking the robes like hitting a wall of stone. He hobbled back to the wall as Amkor puzzled and gave up on the weapon, generating flames and lifting them up to attack. Gizzy reluctantly moved to jump in, and Nicole went flying into the arena.
“HEY! THAT’S NOT THE PLAN!” Gizzy barked, following around to assist. Nicole did a superhero landing, immediately regretting it as her knees throbbed, lifting her head slowly and pointing her staff.
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“Pick on someone your own mage.” She growled.
“That doesn’t even make sense!” Gizzy said, hopping down. She put up an energy shield, rushing in and grabbing the axe, turning the handle to lighten it and lift it, pushing the fire back as Amkor slid to the wall and Gizzy’s angle was blocked by a Nicole. She thrust the axe forward, pinning Amkor and then turning the handle, dropping him to the ground under the weight, unable to get up. She stuck the staff to his eye and the crowd went silent.
“Covers everything but the eyeholes hu? You know what happens if I summon lightning directly against your eye-slot? I bet the robes will be fine and the guy in them will just turn to pulp.” She said to Amkor. “So either yield and take off that hood or get turned into red slush inside of it…your choice.” She bluffed. He retracted the flame and bowed his head, removing the hood and holding his hands out in defeat.
“Kill him!” yelled someone from the crowd.
“No.” Nicole said proudly, removing the axe and letting him breathe, the defeated man gasped for air and sat up, still at the barrel of Nicole’s staff, and looking afraid for his life. “No more killing to prove a point. You wanted a demonstration of our weapon’s power, and you got it. Nathan fought well, do we have a trade Krade? She said, feeling silly that it rhymed.
“Finish him off.” He ordered.
“N-no. I don’t kill people. He doesn’t need to die. He’s lost. I won. Our weapons beat your robes. Do we have a trade or not, asshole?”
“The robes are bound to the wearer. As long as he lives, they are nothing but cloth and stitch to you. End his life and claim the robes, and their power is yours."
“I don’t wanna kill anyone. This is just stupid. There has to be another way.” She insisted. Amkor, drew a knife and got up, rushing at Nicole’s back as Gizzy swung overhead, the rush of blue behind Nicole’s back startling her as she turned to defend, and the man stood outstretched, as if plunging a dagger into her back, but missing his stabbing hand, frozen in shock as his head slid off slowly. Krade dropped into the arena, strutting up to Gizzy, now fully katana-out and teeth gnashed.
“Backstabbers get convertible topped where I come from.” She snarled.
“The robes are now free to claim. This fight was anything but clear, but what is quite clear, is that we are missing a champion.” Krade angrily growled.
“I’m your champion, punkin, I’ll take the robes and go now.” Gizzy growled back.
“Go?” I don’t think you understand. I said if your man won, he could claim the robes. Your man lost, and the robes do not leave Dyrecove. Amkor fought with dishonor, and died for it, the robes are mine now. Someone must protect the village, you have not proven your weapons. So go. Leave. The robes must be bound to someone upon death. As King, I must take this burden.” He said as Nicole grabbed the robes and pulled them upward, their cloth unwrapping from the corpse and tying itself into a folded bundle in her hand.
“No.” Nicole said, the cloth wrapping up her arm and forming around her. “You would just fight and kill for it. This egotistical bullshit ends now.” She said calmly.
“Nicole, you dumb bitch, you just…does nobody understand how these work? The first person who touches them after the wearer dies becomes the new wearer until their death.”
“I know.” She said. I’m tired of the answer always being murder, so fuck everyone’s stupid rules. They’re my robes now. You said yourself these are too powerful to double up, so you can’t wear the robes and carry the sword. Someone has to wear them, or someone would just steal them. I got plot armor, so nobody’s killing me, right? This village is short one mage and their only defenses. When we leave, another dragon comes in and people die. What do they have?”
“Nicole, we follow the mission, we collect the items, destroy the dragons, destroy the items, and leave. Nothing else is our business or our problem. The mission is saving the whole damn world, not a few people at a time.”
“That’s where we disagree. The mission is saving people from chaos, not leaving villages in chaos. I’m staying here to protect them. When a dragon shows up, I’ll kill it.” she boasted.
“Nicole, you’re not a fighter, you don’t even kill people. You can’t fight a dragon alone. You'd probably try and tame it. I have 3 left out there to find and kill, and a shield to collect. I need Dee’s bow and Vinn’s help so she can use the damn thing. So we move.”
“Then take Dee and Vinn. I’ll stay and protect the village, and Nathan can stay here so he won’t die playing hero.”
“Honey…” Vinn said. “I’m not leaving you. They need me, so that means we gotta go together.”
“Vinn, I don’t need protection anymore. I have literal robes of it, and I earned them in a fight without killing anyone. Go fight the dragons, get the shield, and when they’re dead and the villages aren’t so vulnerable, then we destroy them all. Mission accomplished, and no more burned villages. Vinn I love you, but I’m not some helpless damsel like Nathan over there with a sprained ankle. I’m ordering you, soldier. Go do your job, come back to me in one piece and breathing.”
“Vinn, we need you. Dee sucks absolute dick with a bow and you know it. You’re big enough to puppet her and cheese it, and hopefully show her how to use the damn thing right. Nathan is gonna get himself killed or one of us protecting him. She can protect him here.”
“But…what if I need you?” Vinn asked Nicole.
“I’m not going anywhere. You fought the Kraken for me long ago, you can fight for me again, with me safely here. What’s safer than wearing god robes and behind castle walls? Or In a house that shrinks and kills everyone in it, or off fighting dragons with you and providing zero real support while Nathan slows you down? Or do we leave him here alone?”
“You stubborn girl.” Vinn sighed.
“You’re a warrior, Gizzy’s a monster hunting monster, Dee…has the bow stuck to her. She's also kind of a tank. You’re the team. I’m a tag-along with a stick to hide behind and now I’m double safe. A stick and robes. Go. Go be heroes, I’ll hold down the fort and wait for you.” She smiled sweetly. “We got the item. Go.”
3 horses rode into the distance as Nicole squatted down to help old injured Silverback.
“Went and got yourself hurt for something stupid, didn’t you?” she asked.
“Sure did. Should have let Vinn fight. People do dumb shit for respect. How bout that healing staff trick, I think my ankle is broken.”
“Does it hurt?” she asked.
“Only when I try and put weight on it.” he said.
“Good…you two. Help Nathan to a room in the castle where he can rest.”
“You... could just heal me.” He said again.
“Yea, I could…” Nicole said with a strange blue glimmer in her eyes. “But I’m not gonna.”
“Very funny. Stick me, and fix me.” he nervously smirked.
“No…you’ll just follow them and get killed. You’re a danger to yourself. Best you stay unable to run. Did I stutter? Help him to the castle, get a room and lock him in it.”
“Whoa, Nicole. This is a bit out of place. I promise I won't get myself killed, come on.” He chuckled, losing his smile as she leaned closer, eyes turning black, pupils glowing light blue like the robe's intricate seamwork.
“Stupid boy in an old man suit. I don’t believe you.” She said, strutting up to King Krade like she owned the place. “And you…this stupid ritual of killing over some clothing is over. You want death and celebration…follow me.” She said as Silverback blinked in confusion.
“Nicole, take off the robes, they're messing with you.”
“No, I’ve never felt more clarity.” She said, walking away with Krade. They stood staring at the castle.
“So you’re my new mage, my right hand in war? A girl who doesn’t kill?” he chuckled.
“No, we’re changing management here. You work for ME now.”
“Hilarious little witch. I admire that boldness, but for someone unwilling to kill to take what you want, I won’t be handing over my crown.”
"Of course, you won’t. A woman cannot be king, after all” she said facetiously. “But I can give one orders. Listen carefully. War is coming, death is coming, and neither of us wants this place destroyed. You celebrated the death of a dragon but at the cost of a village, so what happens if they attack this place?”
“With a powerful mage and the robes, they wouldn’t dare.”
“They did. And Gizzy killed a king. Your world of balance is screwed, let's be honest, it was a shit system to begin with. The chaos god is calling to his things, you can feel it in the fibers of the robes. They pull on me, the further the bow and sword get from here. It weakens and cries out. His blood, his bones, are alive in those dragons you hate. They have to die. We agree.”
“And?” Krade scoffed.
"Tell me, bucko…what do they do with the dead dragons…when they drain them of their blood?” she asked.
“All dragon blood is poisonous, even the natural ones. Especially the forsaken ones. It takes hours to cook the red out of the meat to consume it.”
“So if someone immortal were to say…drink the enhanced one’s blood. Would they die or become more powerful?” she said, taking out the small vial of ice dragon blood from her robes.
“You’d be crazy to try it. I can tell by the frost that’s Azure’s blood. That’s hard to come by. I heard a man once drank some of that and froze solid, shattered when he hit the ground.” That’s enough to kill 5 men.
“Do you believe in fate, Krade?” she asked, eyes glowing blue like the stitches of the robes.
“I have not decided yet. But those robes protect you from external forces, not poison. If you wish to die, I will gladly take the robes myself.”
“Lots of prophesies floating around, always a white witch, or a witch of the north mountains. Tell me Krade, what happens if you drink ice dragon blood and you’re already a little bit frigid reptile alien and armored by fate?” she asked smirking slightly.
“Death, you foolish girl. Fairytales are for the children and magic is for the skeptical men of power. Perhaps you should take off the robes a while and clear your head. I hear they can make even strong men see illusions of madness.” He sighed as she unexpectedly opened the container and kicked the blood back like a shot, chugging it. He gasped and stepped back, taken aback by her stupidity and disregard for her life. He waited for her to fall and shatter. She turned with a smirk and blackened eyes. “Looks like it’s not toxic if you’re already a little icy sea monster.” She whispered. Her breath visible like winter fog. She grabbed Krade by the necklace, pulling him down to her level as the chains frosted over. “You might wanna start believing in prophecy, because this world is also under new management…it just doesn’t know it yet. Please tell me you understand.” She said darkly, a single strand of her hair turning frosty white.
“I’m starting to believe.” He said, both terrified and slightly inspired.
“Good boy.” She said, as her eyes returned to normal and her demeanor returned to Nicole. Her dark husky voice raising to its usual mousy pitch. “Now…I think we need to look into redecorating the castle. It’s a little boring. You don’t have a queen, do you?”
“She passed many years ago.”
“Yea, so did the fashion. We gotta do something about that. I can’t rule in a shitty looking castle. That’s another day’s project. So…where is Nathan?” she smiled adorably as if nothing happened.