Soon everyone had gathered in the Opal Colosseum to watch my lord Millagua fight Zeph to the death.
Zeph’s squire was a minor deity I had seen around–a slight, genderless godling, an empath who drew their power from the excitement of others nearby. I knew who they were but I didn’t know their name. It didn’t matter. What mattered was my determination. I knew that if I could succeed–if my master, Millagua could succeed–my enchanted helms would be in high demand. Maybe then I could move up in the world from being a minor god myself.
Millagua and I stood under a magnificently carved overhang, a lip of precious stone which hung out over the plated floor, where we were able to stand in the shade. Across the colosseum, Zeph stepped out into the light. The crowd roared as the man stretched out his muscular body.
He wore shoulder plating and chest armor and shin guards, all plated with scales to maximize flexibility. And he carried something peculiar–a silver staff with a glowing red jewel on top of it. The jewel glowed as Zeph planted his staff in between two of the plates on the ground and held his hands up to the sky.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
I looked up and there was Isshakhu, sitting in the stands. She wore a shimmering gold-yellow dress. Her hair was up high, tamed by a thick gold band that looked like a big vase with spiky leaves growing out of it. Isshakhu held gold binoculars up to her face, watching as she cheered on.
Millagua turned to me. “Where is my son?” he said. I didn’t know where Siynh had gone. I only shook my head.
“Well,” said Millagua, “there’s no turning back. This is it.” He put on his Tripunctum helm, fitting it carefully over his head. It was a beautiful piece of enchanted armor, and I was proud to see it worn by such a well-known god on such a public occasion.
The Tripunctum gleamed in the sunlight.
As Millagua lumbered forward onto the open territory of the colosseum floor, leaving the dugout behind, Siyn came running forward to wish his father the best of luck.
Unfortunately, he only caught his father’s back, and the sorry pair would never meet again.