56TH GEAR - COUNT GAYLORD DRACULUS OF THE MANGO CRISTO
This is the Semifinals Round of the Regional Speedmage Tournament. Thankfully, the whole Merry Knights Guild arrived on time with no issues. Nobody overslept, nobody got electrocuted, and nobody barfed. We only had some issues with Cruzo because he ate too many chili burritos yesterday, so he has occupied one of the restroom cubicles for almost thirty minutes now.
“One more step closer to becoming a Speedmage Champion! I’m so exciiiiited!” Flu pumped her fists with full energy.
Flu is in top shape too. We only practiced until ten yesterday, so it was guaranteed that she got a good night’s sleep. She’s way better off today, so I expect better results on her performance for this next match.
I read the rules of the Regional Speedmage Tournament. The Top 3 contenders will be entering the National Speedmage Tournament this Christmas, and winning the Semifinal Round will guarantee us a ticket to the nationals. So it is safe to say that as long as Flu wins this fight, even if we get beaten by Vincent, we will still have a second chance against him at Christmas.
“Go for it Flu! You are the proud ace of the Merry Knights! Seize victory and make your president proud!” Ericka cheered our best contender.
“I will do my best, Prez!” Flu pumped her fists yet again.
“And good luck to you also, Coach. I was grateful that you joined the Merry Knights. Cruzo and I may have lost, but we will never get this far without you.” Ericka smiled with a blush. She’s breaking her character and now saying her honest gratitude to me.
“W-Well.” I scratched my head and looked away to hide my flustered cheeks. “I am glad that you picked me as your coach too, Prez. You gave me this opportunity, so I will never fail you.”
“Ehehe! What’s with these cheesy lines? This is not the finals yet, so go and get wild out there!” Ericka patted our backs and pushed us to the open arena. “Break a leg!”
“You got it, Prez!” Flu smiled with cemented resolve. “I will run so fast until I break all my legs!”
“That’s not what she asked for, Flu,” I said as a background remark.
Flu and I went to the viewing stage and then we checked our equipment. I put on my headset, while Flu started to stretch like a cat. She also tried hopping and used a weak wind enhancement on her feet to check her Speedmage Shoes for problems.
"All good to go, Coach!" Flu beamed.
The opponents have also made their appearance. Lilith Nightshade is a peculiar beauty with a tall sexy body build but with a menacing smile and glare. She is a witch for having an enchanting and alluring but dark charisma.
Her Speedmage Shoes is Baphomet, a unique black high-heeled boots that channel best with dark magic. It has worn-out gold linings in it which makes it look like an antique. This Speedmage Shoes is best suited for spell casting, so I guess she is a Counter Speedmage.
“Well hello there, Fluonessia-girl, and Jonathan-boy.”
The opponent navigator greeted. He is a tall pale white man with crimson eyes. He is wearing a long black cape and an antique tuxedo, which gives him the vibe of a monarch. But since I can see his fangs peeking from his lips, I am sure that this person is a vampire.
The vampire genuflected as he introduced himself. “My name is Count Gaylord Draculus. Please don’t misinterpret my name as I am not gay. I am a lord though, the Duke of Mango Cristo. I was the one who impaled one thousand crusaders five hundred years ago during the War of the Cursed Gate Guardians. I’m pretty sure you’ve read me from your history books. But now, I had a change of heart and fell in love with Speed Battles, so I have no desire to destroy this world anymore.”
I know he is a vampire, and he possesses extraordinary power that can destroy the world with just a single spell, but the names coming out of his mouth does not want me to take him seriously.
“N-Nice to meet you, Mister Gay Vampire!” Flu excitedly greeted.
“Ara ara, you seem like a nice girl, Miss Fluonessia.” Lilith talked with her fingers crawling on the side of her face. She gave a cold glare with her crimson and gold eyes. “Too bad you will be broken beyond redemption.”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Let’s have a good game!” Flu squealed yet again, completely ignoring Lilith’s remark.
“Heh!” Lilith gave a single laugh and then she went down towards the Triangle.
Count Gaylord also turned his back and geared up with his telepathic headset, which looked like an antique telephone that can be attached to his left ear. The magical technology of vampires sure is weird.
“Get into the Triangle, Flu. And remember what I taught you last night.” I said to my Speedmage.
“Okie dokie, Coach!” Flu pumped her fists again. Then she went down and took her ready position at the 1st Checkpoint Tower.
Soon, the referee approached the Triangle and then readied his whistle. He raised his hand and then announced out loud.
“Semifinals for Block B! Are you ready!?”
Flu and Lilith nodded to the referee, and both went to their ready positions. The referee then raised his two hands in the air.
“On your marks! Get set… Go!”
Fweeeeeeet!
As soon as the whistle was blown, Flu immediately had a good jump start with her speed spell!
“Wind Accel!” Pink wind contrails followed Flu wherever she go.
“Shadow Accel!” Lilith activated her speed spell a little late, but she quickly catches up on Flu! Dark streaks followed the steps of her feet!
Flu is taking the lead, and Lilith is eight steps behind! This is good because Flu is getting the upper hand in terms of speed! We will get the first point!
I have watched Lilith’s previous Speed Battles in this tournament and saw her tactic. In all her matches, she tries to best her opponents in terms of speed and touches the Checkpoint Tower first to score a point. Then she tries to prevent her opponent from scoring, which made all her matches only end with a 1:0 score.
If we get the first point, all her tactics will be thrown in the dumpster!
Three hundred meters… Two hundred meters… one hundred meters…
Flu is still taking the lead, and the gap is getting wider every second! She approached the 2nd Checkpoint Tower and was about to swipe her hand on it, but-
“Do it.” I heard Count Gaylord whisper to his weird telephone.
“Aether Switch,” Lilith spoke, and then in an instant, she switched places with Flu!
“E-Eh!?” Flu was astounded when she realized that her hand hit nothing but air. Then she looked forward and realized that Lilith has already taken her position near the 2nd Checkpoint Tower!
Lilith smiled menacingly as she tapped the checkpoint!
Beep!
Point for Lilith, at 0:1!
Darn, it! She has a spell-like Aether Switch!? So outspeeding her is not an option!
“Ara ara, I got the first point. Too bad, it is over now, Miss Fluonessia.” Lilith menacingly smiled at the approaching pink-haired Speedmage.
The witch-like opponent just stood near the 2nd Checkpoint Tower. She does not have any plans on scoring further, just like what she did in her other matches.
“Flu, step on it!” I shouted. “Try to get past her and touch the Checkpoint Tower!”
“R-Right!’ Flu said as she boosted forward. “Yaaaaah!”
Bzzzt!
In an instant, Lilith blocked Flu’s path with her extended hand. Because of the magical barrier’s repelling effect, Flu has launched away from the Checkpoint Tower!
“Kyah!” Flu cried.
“Ara ara, you shall not pass~” Lilith smirked.
“Flu, try to do some feints and lose her!” I advised.
“R-Right!” Flu boosted forward again as she went to the right!
But Lilith followed her and intercepted once again with the force of the repelling effect of the magical barrier!
Bzzzt!
“Kyaah!” Flu cried. “I can’t make a feint, she’s blocking me before I make a move!”
I clenched my fists. This fight is just dirty! Lilith is abusing the rules about a Speedmage being forbidden to hit the opponent before touching the 2nd Checkpoint Tower! Since Lilith has already scored a point and Flu has not, Lilith has the upper advantage of bumping into Flu whenever she has the chance!
If we try to violate the rules and strike Lilith, it will constitute a foul which will make Flu’s score negative. We cannot afford to do that!
“Flu, Phoenix Arrow!” I said out loud. “Aim at the Checkpoint Tower!”
“R-Right!” Flu jumped with fire enhancement, then she created an Air Trampoline and stepped on it! “Phoenix Arrow!”
Flu went like a raging garuda, diving towards the Checkpoint Tower for her first point! But then Lilith immediately reacted with her golden eye aiming at Flu!
“Aether Switch!”
Flu and Lilith’s position changed once again, and now Lilith is flying like a Phoenix Arrow! She immediately spawned vampiric dark wings on her back to control her flight and then struck Flu at the right!
“Kyaaaah!” Flu cried as she was launched further away from the checkpoint.
“Flu, try to charge at your full speed! Once she intercepts you, ready your Chain Trampoline!” I said.
“Right!” Flu nodded.
The pink-haired Speedmage surged towards the Checkpoint Tower, but Lilith intercepted her with the repelling force just like what happened earlier!
Bzzzt!
Flu has launched away once again, but this time, she was ready. She acrobatically regained her balance in midair and then created an Air Trampoline and jumped on it!
“Yaaaaaah!”
Flu flew forward, aiming for the checkpoint. But Lilith once again intercepted her from the right front!
Bzzzzt!
She was deflected by Lilith once again!
“Kuuh!” Flu has launched away once again, but this time she created a second Air Trampoline! “Yaaaah!”
Bzzzzt!
Deflected again! For the third time, Flu created a third Air Trampoline, now her speed at eight times! She surged forward at breakneck speeds, aiming for the Checkpoint Tower! It would be impossible for Lilith to react this fast to block her path off!
“Just one touch!” Flu cried.
However, Lilith has another trump card on her sleeve.
“Blink.”
Lilith immediately teleported right on Flu’s face and slapped her with the repelling force of the magical barrier!
“Kyaaaaaaah!” Flu cried as she was launched and fell to the ground.
“Flu!” I cried.
Suddenly, I heard the opponent navigator chuckle. Count Gaylord’s wide shoulders are vibrating and he is grinning with his fangs shown off. I gritted my teeth and glared at the damn vampire who has been mocking us.
“This Speed Battle is over, Jonathan-boy.”