Gar’An Kordis
Level: (B) 38
Race: Eldaerie
Class: Banner Bearer
H: 1490
S: 1680
M: 870
Upon seeing Joe on the platform, the prince took a step forward, peering up at him. “It seems that my warning went unheeded.”
Instantly Joe’s emotions became charged with anger. Well, here we go with the System’s fuckery again. “And I thought I was pretty clear that you could take a long walk off a short pier with your threats and general assholery!” Joe stood; arms crossed in defiance of the army displayed before him. An army that, on the inside, scared Joe to death. These guys could steamroll everyone here. We are screwed. The only thing I can do is buy everyone some time to get in place if we really are going to fight it out.
The new elf Gar’An, with the banner, turned red in the face at Joe’s words, “Heathen! How dare you speak like that to the Prince of the Realm!”
Joe snapped at him, “Tell you what shorty, why don’t you keep your mouth shut, the adults are talking.” System? What the hell? Joe could feel the anger seeping into his bones. He practically vibrated with the desire to tear these pompous asshats apart. From his vantage point, Joe’s voice carried, and he could see the ripple effect his words had on those within earshot. The elves were not happy. Hearing noise behind him, Joe glanced back and saw a small host of people running down the road towards his position; at the lead were the dwarves alongside Harrison, Ronald, Kyle and other warriors from the community.
The banner carrying elf went apoplectic but was shut down by the prince with a few quietly spoken words. While he calmed somewhat, the young elf looked daggers at Joe. The prince calmly regarded Joe once more, “It seems you have found a class, or at least the Shoppe. It is certainly a bold choice to have a status spell show you as a Justiciar. And at the advanced rank no less. If you were hoping to use that as something of a scare tactic, I am afraid you wasted your gold.”
Joe began chuckling then turned serious, “What do you want Ke’han?” He gestured at the city behind him, “You really going to come here and try and take my city?”
The young elf practically exploded with indignation, “You will not speak to the prince with such familiarity you filthy peasant! You will refer to him as Your Highness!”
The prince motioned the elf back with one hand and looked at Joe shrewdly, “So it is your city, is it? That is a bit of a change from the last time we spoke. I do recall you saying that you were, in fact, not in charge.” There was a smirk on his face that rankled Joe, or maybe it was the long drooping moustache ornamented with beads that made the elf look like a douchebag. Joe supposed it was a combination of both.
“Yeah, well, things change, and you didn’t answer my question.” He looked at the young elf, “Ke’han.”
The prince winced slightly as Joe was obviously baiting the younger elf, but he kept his demeaner calm all while the banner bearing elf turned several shades of red. Even the warrior woman was beginning to show her ire at Joe’s antics. “That is true. In answer, as I stated upon our first meeting, I am here to claim this land for the people of Alantria.”
“Well, sorry to burst your bubble there my guy, but we claimed it first.”
“Whether or not you currently occupy this land is irrelevant to me. I did not lie when I said that I would return and take it by force if necessary.” He ended his declaration with a predatory smile.
Something in Joe snapped and he dropped from the platform to the ground in front of the wall. Behind the wall Joe could hear voices suddenly raised in alarm, he definitely heard Iona yell, “What the bugger is he doing now?”
A second after he landed, a figure landed next to him. Bixby crouched, his hackles up, and a low rumble issued from his chest. He still had his shape shifting amulet active, but his armor was visible and from Joe’s perspective he looked plenty scary. The elves, for their part, all reacted together. The guards stepped forward in front of the prince, but none drew a weapon.
Warning! You have stepped beyond the limits of [New Santa Cruz’s] domain. The bonuses from your city titles are no longer in effect. You must return to within the city limits to gain the title effects once more.
Joe closed the screen, but before he could speak, there were several loud thuds behind and above him. He turned to see what the source of the sound was and saw six enormous gargoyles all perched on the wall above him. Then the small gate opened, and his friends poured out, flanking him and Bixby. Joe turned back to the elves, “You’ve got an army and I’ve got gargoyles.” Joe saw Rory out of the corner of his eye. The dwarf was practically frothing at the mouth, “And one really pissed off dwarf!” He added towards the prince. Joe crossed his arms, “If you really want to get into a dick measuring contest, then by all means, let’s get into it.” He uncrossed his arms and took a step forward, “But if you are really determined to have a fight, then I will gladly throw down with you, you pompous, arrogant fuckwad of an asshat.” Joe’s anger began to stream off him and his aura burst loose causing the elves in front of him to take a step back in surprise. He pointed his finger at the prince, “I can guarantee that the moment you raise a weapon in the direction of any of my people, I will put my boot so far up your candy ass that you’ll be chewing on leather.”
“ENOUGH!” The yell took everyone by surprise. The warrior woman, Rainia stepped past the honor guard and stood before Joe. “I will no longer tolerate your blatant disrespect of my Prince, nor the denigration of his character with your crass words.” She dropped her metal gauntlet at Joe’s feet. “I Rainia Ta’Aladar, Champion of Alantria do hereby challenge you to a duel to the death!” She narrowed her eyes at Joe in her anger, “I will enjoy killing you.”
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Everyone reacted at once. The dwarves were shocked. The humans were both angry and a bit confused. What Joe noticed above all the noise though, was the prince’s reaction. He looked on the woman’s outburst and softly said, “Oh, Rainia, what have you done?”
Behind Joe, he heard the sentiment echoed by Kier, “Lad, I sure hope ye know what you’re doing.”
Something in Joe broke. It was that intangible lizard brain part that controlled the fight or flight response and was the voice that warned of danger. That part vanished in a mental puff of smoke. Behind his leather face mask, he smiled. It was not the smile of someone amused at a joke, but rather a wicked, dangerous smile that promised carnage. At the same time, Bixby triggered his amulet, and the shape shift was dispelled. The large black dog’s visage practically exploded into the near horse sized hell hound that was his now true form. Friends and foes alike took a step back at the violent burst of claws, fur, and fangs that Bixby had become. Joe’s smile grew larger.
The young elf blanched at seeing Bixby’s transformation, “What is that? How could you bind your soul to something like that?”
Joe shot a side eye at Bixby, “What him? He’s a good boy.” He bent down and picked up Rainia’s gauntlet. “So, is this the part where I hand this back and say I accept?”
An armored hand on Joe’s arm stopped him. Kier stood looking up at him, “If you truly mean to do this, lad, you should know that as the challenged, you can make a demand on the chance that you win. But I tell you this, she’s a Champion and higher level than you ta boot.” The concern and fear were evident in the dwarf’s bright eyes.
“Thanks Kier. I appreciate the advice, but they started it and I’m going to make sure they know to never fuck with me… us, again.”
Kier took a step back in shock as he saw Joe’s eyes. “As you like then, laddie.” The cleric moved back a few feet and whispered to Iona, “Tis a madness there, deeper and far more sinister than anything Rory could conjure. I fear for the lad’s soul.”
Joe ignored the talking going on behind him and focused his attention solely on Rainia. He tossed her gauntlet back with a dismissive air. “Tell you what. I’ll accept on the condition that if I win, your people leave my people alone. I don’t give two shits if you go build a city somewhere else, just not here.”
Rainia looked to the prince, who reluctantly nodded his head. “Agreed!” She spat.
Challenge Offered! You have been offered a System sanctioned Challenge. You may receive no aid from others until the challenge is complete. Forfeiting the challenge will result in a permanent deduction of 15 Willpower and 5 Luck as well as the permanent destruction of one random ability. Do you agree to the terms of the Challenge? Y / N?
The notice shocked Joe as he read it. Holy fuck! Okay, this is seriously serious. He took a deep breath. In for a penny, in for a pound. Can’t puss out now. He chose Yes.
“Well then, I Joseph Sherman, Jotunkin, Dragonslayer and defender of New Santa Cruz, accept your challenge.”
The atmosphere shifted immediately. The honor guard withdrew to stand behind the prince once more. Then the elves backed up quite a way. The dwarves, understanding what was about to happen, began ushering the humans back and away as well. The two sides cleared out a large, mostly circular space. Joe recognized that it was to be an arena of sorts.
Rainia took her place at one side of the circle as Joe found a spot on his and they faced one another across thirty yards of roadway. Kier’s voice lifted from the general murmur among the city populace present. “Standard System dueling rules?”
From his station standing before his army, the prince replied, “Of course. No deviations.”
Kier nodded as he stepped back up next to Joe, “A’right, listen up. Standard rules means that no one can help you. Yer on yer own. You agreed to the death, so you need to kill her to complete the challenge. Although, you can show mercy and offer her to forfeit, but by the looks of her, she’ll nae do it.”
As they spoke a commotion at the gate pulled everyone’s attention as dozens of dwarves in full battle array began piling out of the small gate and forming a crude half circle around the designated arena. The elves began to whisper among themselves and the cocksure attitude most had exhibited thus far began to falter as more and more heavily armed and armored dwarves emerged.
Duggan in his plate armor and his large blonde beard contrasting with the silver of the steel, sauntered up to Joe and Kier, “Seems that we’ve arrived just in time, eh lad? I hear there’s some uppity elves what needs their arses whooped.” He hawked and spat into the road. Joe’s wide eyes scanned the assemblage, “Donnae be so surprised. As soon as I let the clan know that you and yours were in the clutch, I couldnae keep them away. Stoneshear has your back laddiebuck.”
Finding his voice through the haze of anger and awe, Joe said, “Thanks Duggan. I have no words.”
“And none needed. All you need ta do is scrag that manky elf bitch and I’ll buy you a pint or three.” With that he ambled off to stand with his people.
Joe looked to Kier, “If I lose…”
“Donnae talk like that.”
“No, seriously, if I lose will you watch out for my people? Holly and Matty?”
“Aye lad, I will. Stoneshear will look after them.”
“Thanks Kier. Not sure what I did to deserve friends like you, but I won’t complain.” Kier patted Joe’s shoulder and went back to stand by Iona and Mirabella. He turned to Bixby who had continued to stare down the elves, “Dude. This is just me. You can’t interfere.” Bixby’s head turned and he gave an angry bark, “No! I mean it. You saw the pop up for the challenge? Then you know it won’t allow you to help this time.” He looked the shadowy hound in the eye and grabbed his face in his hands, “Trust me. Please. And watch out for our friends. I don’t trust these elf assholes not to try something shady.” Reluctantly Bixby acquiesced and licked Joe’s face. Joe sputtered, “Dude, nasty, what have you been eating?” Bixby cocked an eyebrow. “Yeah, man, I love you too.”
Bixby turned and slowly walked back to the entrance to the gate and sat on his haunches. His aura forced those around him to give him some space and he sat glaring at Rainia.
“So, are there any other rules I need to know?” Joe stood, tense, eyes locked on Rainia.
“You just need to die!” She spat, then stomped her foot on the ground.
Immediately a notification popped up.
Warning! You are locked in a Rainia Ta’Aladar’s [Eldritch Arena]. While inside this dualist domain, all movement spells and abilities are negated. Additionally, you will suffer -15% to all attack speed and damage dealt.
Joe felt his Haste spell instantly removed and that is all he had time to take stock of as the elven woman flashed across the intervening space in a heartbeat. As she moved, a golden sword, blazing with runes appeared in her right hand and her left began weaving a spell of some sort. Joe barely managed to get his swords up and crossed to block her initial attack. Damn, she’s actually a bit faster than me. Joe moved and parried her second attack, but that left him open to her spell. A cone of magical force erupted from her palm and slammed into Joe’s chest, sending him flying backwards. His back smacked into a barrier at the limits of the fighting circle, and he began to drop to the ground.
However, before he could recover, she was on him again with a flurry of sword strikes. As he fell sideways, he managed to block a few strikes, but several got through his defenses and tore into his armor and the flesh beneath. He landed in a roll and bounced to his feet.
“First blood is mine!” She crowed.
Joe glanced at the rapidly healing wounds. His own powerful abilities coupled with the Troll ring made short work of the minor cuts from her sword. He narrowed his eyes and stomped towards her, “You’re fast and your arena spell is pretty handy, but you’ll need to do a hell of a lot more than that.”