The Tournament (2)

The weather had cleared as the sun rose. No longer was the sky blanketed in thick clouds, patches of azure shone through the gaps. Food was still being distributed from stalls towards the outer edges of the event. They were to have a quick thirty minute break from the duels, a respite that Cain was going to take full advantage of. Cain had gestured for Eleni to come with but she had simply shook her head. The other participants from the Third Company seemed disinterested in breakfast. The spectators, however, all hurriedly dispersed to get some food. The collective opinion seemed to be that a show was more enjoyable with something to chew on.

Am I the only competitor that's hungry?

Cain paired up with his usual suspect Horrow and began making his way towards the nearest food stall. As he passed bystanders, he could feel some gazes turn towards him. He barely made out some of the whispers he could hear as he passed.

"Hey, its that participant from earlier. He was an absolute demon..."

"The way he took down his opponent was incredible..."

"Pfah, he has nothing on that Bellona girl though..."

It seemed as though the spectators had picked up a certain interest in the orphan. Cain was incredibly pleased.

As they should.

It didn't take long for the two Inductees to reach their destination. A large congregation of spectators and Institute staff stood in groups, many engaged in excited chatter. Most were discussing the recent duels, commenting on specific fighters. Eleni made up most of the conversation, many marveling at her skill at such a young age. She was clearly the star of the this year's Tournament. To be fair, her bleached hair and red eyes were definitely hard to miss in the ocean of brown, gray, and black. Many others were also trying to predict the year's champion. Eleni's name was tossed out the most. Jorn was mentioned multiple times as the 'scary-looking giant'. He also heard a couple talking of someone named Floki.

Cain continued surveying the crowd until some spectators caught his eye. For the past few months, the only thing he had seen people wear were Institute uniforms. Within the mix, Cain finally saw people wearing colors other than black, white, and brown. A couple of steps to his left was a group of men and women wearing elegant formal suits and dresses. Long red robes fluttered in the winter wind behind them. They stood proud and socialized in an almost elegant manner. Most notable was that slight arrogance in their eyes when surveying the crowd.

Nobles.

Cain knew that nobles were allowed to spectate the annual Tournament. It still felt weird seeing them up close. He had only ever seen nobles give occasional speeches to the 'less fortunate' masses back in Laconia. And that was always from afar. Of course, this was excluding Eleni and Horrow. It seemed that most of them were viewing the duels in their private watchtowers. Cain hadn't seen any during Conduit Horicus's opening ceremony. He had heard from Instructor Thorne that affluent nobles occasionally used the Tournament to scout potential talent ahead of their graduation. Cain would have to work hard to make an impression. He would most gladly stand guard at some cozy noble castle than at the walls of the Line.

A few of the nobles gave the two boys sideward glances. Most likely due to the presence of Horrow. Seems as though a few of them recognized the Patriarch. None, however, came to approach.

Cain took a large bite out of his loaf of bread. Horrow stood to his side nibbling on his own. The boys shared some pleasant small talk, chatting about Cain's first duel. Horrow seemed to be proud of his friend, giving Cain a hearty smile.

"I think you're going to end up going all the way to the finals! It's incredible how good you've gotten with your blade."

"Thanks man. Hopefully I actually manage to win this thing. Maybe somebody will knock Eleni out of the Tournament by pure luck. Wouldn't that me amazing..."

The two boys were so focused on their discussion that they barely noticed the large man striding towards them. Cain turned in surprise for his vision to be filled with an incredibly wide chest. He looked up at the man and slightly shrunk under his piercing gaze. Horrow turned with Cain, a flash of recognition dancing through his eyes. The man was large. Stupidly large. Large enough to give even Jorn a run for his money.

By Fa.

He was a whole head taller than Cain, his arms as thick as Cain's legs. He had a barrel chest, his uniform threatening to burst open any moment. He had a thick and powerful waist, with even wider legs to match. A scruffy blonde beard covered his thick jaw, thick eyebrows resting above his angular blue eyes. His long blonde hair was messily combed over to the side with a horizontal scar parting his hairline in half. Two pins on his left chest reflected sunlight almost directly at Cain, making his squint.

A Head Instructor!

Before either Horrow or Cain could say anything, the man knelt and bowed his head at Horrow. Right knee on ground, left hand on his left knee, and right hand on heart, he voice rumbled in the late morning breeze.

"Salve Lord Fabii. It is an honor to be graced by your presence. If you do not remember, my name is Jamie el Fornell, Head Instructor of swordsmanship for the Sixth Company. I come to you as a former vassal of your Familia. Eight years I spent under Vicar Landon of the First Legion. Two I have spent personally serving at the Fabii Estate. I had heard you had been sent over to the Institute not long after I left. Please do excuse me for not finding you earlier. I wasn't permitted from meeting with any Inductees of another company until today."

Horrow gave him a nervous laugh, glancing at the curious bystanders that stopped to see what was going on.

"Get up Head Instructor, get up! Thank you for seeking me out but there is no need to kneel! You are my superior here, it would not be right for an Instructor to kneel before an Inductee. Please, rise."

Head Instructor Fornell raised his head, his face showing visible internal conflict. Slowly, he got back to his feet. The two men's size difference was comical.

"Apologies Lord Fabii, but it would be improper not to show a Patriarch the respect they deserve. You may not remember Lord, but I have met you several times at the estate. I must say, you are growing to be a fine young man."

Horrow laughed at the compliment.

"Of please, I've barely grown three centimeters since I was last home. Thank you for you dutiful service to my family. I must say, you are a far ways from home."

The man responded,

"Likewise Lord. My contract to your family ended three years ago. I owed some favors and was eventually stationed at the Institute as an Instructor."

Head Instructor Fornell glanced at Horrow's barren belt. A single eyebrow rose ever so slightly.

"Lord, are you not a contender in this year's Tournament? By Hela's name, that makes absolutely no sense. Which company are you in? I believe I must have a discussion with your Head Instructors."

Horrow looked over to Cain and gave him a sorry smile.

"Sorry Cain, would you mind giving us a moment of privacy?"

"Oh yeah, sure, I'll head over to our seats first."

Horrow gave him a thankful nod before turning to speak with the Head Instructor. Their spoke in hushed tones as they began walking to a more isolated location. Cain turned to return back to his seat.

Hmm. Is it a coincidence that Horrow ended up at this Institute? The one where his father's former soldier teaches at? And why would he be confused by Horrow not participating? Hmm...

He mulled over his thoughts as he took another bite of his bread.

...

Cain slumped into his chair, exhausted beyond belief. It was not midday; the sun was hanging high in the sky. It had stopped snowing earlier and the clouds had fully cleared. Cain had just finished his third duel and was sporting a couple scratched here and there. However the main problem was the last hit he had just took. His last opponent had been one tricky bastard. An incredibly defensive fighter from the Second Company, the taller boy he fought was an elusive counter-attacker. His defense was near impenetrable. Not only was he incredibly talented with the blade, his footwork was elegant. he fought like a dancer: light-footed and precise. Every time Cain attacked, he would deflect his blows and then lash out like a snake. And every time Cain tried to corner him against a wall, he would expertly circle around him. Only by purposely baiting a large opening did Cain manage to finish him off. While he had won, he was sure he bruised his rib.

Curses. Hope this doesn't impede me too much in the next round.

Excluding Cain, there were now only six other people still left in the Tournament. There were originally supposed to be two others but they were deemed unfit to continue. His duel had been the first to finish for the round just before the upcoming semifinals. The referees had removed the internals that had bisected the dueling grounds. Instead of four moderately-sized grounds, there was instead one large one. Out of seven competitors left, three were from his squadron: himself, Eleni, and Jorn.

Cain couldn't help but feel pride for the Red Squadron. Never before in Laconian Institute history has more than one member of any squadron entered the Tournament's semifinals. Assuming at least two of them proceeded to the next round, they would be breaking that 75 year old record. Already rumors were spreading about the Red Squadron of the Third Company.

So far, neither Eleni or Jorn had been met with much of a challenge. Eleni essentially tore through all her opponents, her longest duel being merely two minutes long. Jorn found similar success in his bouts. Every one of his opponents were deathly scared of the giant, and rightfully so. The only thing that stopped him from being mistaken as a Nomal was the color of his hair, eyes, and skin. While Cain's performances were overshadowed by the two powerhouses, he was doing fairly well. Disregarding his most recent duel, he had won most of his fights in a one-sided fashion.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Regarding the competitors from other companies, there was only one that truly worried him. Floki vir Veynar. The Inductee sported dark brown hair and eyes paired with a sharp and striking visage. He had long eyelashes and thick brows. His clear pale skin glimmered in the sun. Member of an influential noble family native to Laconia, the Veynar are one of the oldest families in the continent. They are known to work closely with the Bellona taking up the position of the second-in-command within the Laconian political hierarchy. Consequently, the boy most likely had received supplementary training before inducting. This theory was heavily corroborated by the noble's extreme lethality. Similar to Jorn and Eleni, he had demolished every participant thrown at him. The first thing that stood out was his physique. He was tall, only shorter than Jorn by five or so centimeters. He wasn't as bulky as the giant but was lean and powerful. Muscles bulged and rippled underneath his uniform with his every move. If Jorn was a bear, then Floki was a panther. His technique was also nothing to be scoffed at. He was fast, precise, violent, and intelligent. Cain was not looking to meeting him on the grounds.

Cain had asked Eleni about Floki earlier in the day. She mentioned having met him on a few occasions at certain social events for nobles. She had never spoken anything beyond basic pleasantries with the man, but she had heard that he was cunning with an incredible capability for cruelty. Cain recalled Eleni describing him as a 'well-tempered psychopath'.

Just great.

The next pair of duelists had entered the grounds. Neither looked incredibly strong. It didn't take too long for the fight to end. The was declared a victory for the gloomy looking Inductee was long messy hair. He had just managed to pull a close victory against a pretty lass from the Fifth Company. He limped off the grounds, clutching his arm tightly against his body. He didn't look like he was in much shape to continue.

Please Fa, listen to my prayers. Match me up against that boy for the semifinals.

The next duel on the bracket was announced. Cain tried to suppress his excitement. Now this was going to be an interesting match up. Both opponents had a decent chance at emerging victorious. If there was one thing he was confident, it was the upcoming duel's entertainment value.

Jorn stepped into the dueling grounds lazily twirling his sword in his dominant hand, scratching his head with the other. His opponent already stood waiting at the center of the grounds, silent and unmoving. His braided hair gently oscillated with the wind, dust floating up into the sky. Floki war relaxed, casually leaning on his sword, the ends of his mouth tugged upwards into a Cheshire grin. Jorn continued advancing towards his opponent. Soon they were ten steps away, five, three, then one.

The larger man stood face-to-face with Floki, only a couple centimeters separating the two Inductees. Jorn sneered, eyes full of malice.

"You seem like a fun toy. Try not to break too quickly."

Floki's face didn't as much twitch at Jorn's provocations. He simply cocked his head to the side.

"Good to meet you too, giant. You look and talk like a beast. Wonder if you fight like one too."

Jorn didn't respond, simply staring into Floki's eyes. The noble didn't even blink. Cain could feel the tension all the way from his seat. This was truly going to be a spectacle. They were two apex predators locked in a cage. Both incredibly territorial and aggressive, only one man was making it out of the duel. And as much as Cain disliked Jorn, he still was rooting for the unfriendly giant. There were two reasons why. The first was that Jorn was a part of the Red Squadron. Disregarding their differences, they had trained as a team since their first day at the Institute. The second reason was that Cain was confident he could win against Jorn if they fought again. However, he wasn't too sure about Floki.

Only with the commands of the referees did the two men finally separate. They each took a couple steps back and dropped into their stances. Both made their Prayer, the familiar white glow of their Blessings passing over their bodies. Still, neither broke each other's gaze.

The crowd slowly went silent, the anticipation taking root in every spectator. The dueling ground was a black hole, pulling in every gaze and taking every person's breath. Even the wind seemed to stop, time freezing in the calm before the storm. Cain could feel himself subconsciously learning forward. He spared a glance at Conduit Horicus. The man's hand was raised far above his head. And then his arm swung down.

"Begin!"

For the first time in all of Jorn's duels, his opponent took the initiative. Floki exploded forwards in a torrent of movement, his blade flashing forwards promising to deliver certain death. His sword snaked out, lashing at Jorn's head. The giant met Floki head on, roaring as he swung. Their blades met mid air, the loud clash of wood-on-wood echoing through the otherwise silent grounds. Floki didn't falter against Jorn's strength, immediately sending a salvo of three strikes at his opponent. Two one-handed thrusts to Jorn's torso then one diagonal slash at Jorn's dominant arm. Jorn blocked the first two then ignored the last, letting his bulk and Blessing tank the blow while he closed the gap. He simultaneously lashed out with a violent horizontal chop right at Floki's head. The noble ducked last second, letting the blade pass harmlessly above him, and cracked the edge of his blade on Jorn's exposed knee. Seemingly unfazed, Jorn followed with a heavy two-handed vertical slash. Floki expertly deflected the blow while side stepping. Jorn's momentum carried his blade to the floor on which Floki put his foot on, planting the weapon in the dirt. At the same time, Floki swung his Jian in a large looping arc to behead the bowed giant. Ever the aggressor, Jorn leapt forward last second, bashing into the smaller man. Instead of bowling Floki over like what he might have done to any other Inductee, the noble was simply pushed back a couple steps. They disengaged, taking a couple seconds to reevaluate their game plans.

The exchange lasted perhaps ten seconds and Jorn had already took a heavy hit to his head. While Floki's slice didn't connect with the meat of Jorn's neck, the hilt of Floki's sword had still found purchase on the side of Jorn's skull. Even with Jorn's thick neck and Blessing, it wasn't enough to fully absorb the impact. Jorn shook his head as if to shake off the pain and disorientation. Cain wouldn't be surprised if Jorn had a slight concussion.

For perhaps the first time in Jorn's life, he wasn't able to completely physically overpower his opponent. Jorn's entire style was bullying his opponents with his greater strength and mass. He uses his bulk to crowd his opponent and nullify any technique discrepancies that there may be. Yet for once, his opponent could stand up to his aggression. Not only that, Floki seems to be just as good as Jorn in close-quarter combat. If not better. If any other contestant had dove into the fray as Floki did, they would have found themselves on the ground. Even Eleni isn't exempt to this.

Cain could see the gears turning in the giant's head. It seemed that this fight would actually require the giant to think. Floki would be no easy opponent. Both Inductees paced circularly, both looking for the right opportunity to strike. Floki's sly grin never left his face.

"Why, you truly do fight like a beast. Maybe I'll make a trophy out of your head once I'm done."

Jorn responded with a quick thrust which Floki easily batted to the side. The handsome noble laughed.

"Is that all you got? You finally fight someone your own size and you're getting scared?"

Cain swore he could see the veins rising on Jorn's forehead. Only a split second later, Jorn charged Floki like a wild bull. He kept his sword tight to his body and began chasing down his opponent. Floki stuck out his sword like a rod in order to dissuade further advancement. Yet the giant simply ignored the weapon, pushing forwards still as if to impale himself. Realizing that Jorn wasn't to be stopped, Floki delivered a quick backhanded slash at Jorn's face. Expecting retaliation, Jorn sat into his stance and thrusted at Floki's leg. Ever so agile, Floki pulled his lead leg back to switch, then countered with his own strike. Still, the blacksmith's son advanced, blocking then attacking. Cain soon realized Jorn's plan. It was a rash one, yet suited him well. Floki was an incredible fighter, one who could somewhat match Jorn's physical prowess. But no matter the fighter, anyone would be reluctant to meet a charging battering ram head on. And no matter the fighter, no one can backpedal as fast as someone can move forwards. Jorn was an unstoppable force, blocking any potentially fight-ending blows and weathering any he deemed superficial. He beelined his opponent, giving Floki no time to get his feet under him and launch a proper assault. Floki time and time again tried to circle his opponent but Jorn's surprisingly agility stopped him each time. Slowly but surely, the gap was beginning to diminish. The only flaw in Jorn's plan was that it only worked if his opponent was at a disadvantage in close range. Floki was perhaps the only Inductee that could stand toe-to-toe with the giant in that realm. Therefore, Cain could only presume Jorn's plan was to get close enough to tie up and grapple. If he managed to trap the noble's blade, there would be a chance for the giant to simply brute force his way to a win. Floki most likely knew that. That's why his manic grin unsettled Cain to his core.

The two fighters were perhaps only one and a half meters away from each other when Floki lashed out with an accurate thrust. Floki had read the timing of Jorn's movements and his attack almost gouged out the eye of the bigger man. Jorn performed a wild block, barely deflecting the blow. In that moment, he slowed every so slightly. That was all the respite Floki needed. The noble did the unexpected: he dashed into Jorn's thorny embrace. With a look of surprise painted on Jorn's face, he barely managed to block a two-handed diagonal slash that threatened to slice open his head like a fruit. But now they were close. Jorn took the opportunity to lock blades, face merely inches away from the noble's. At first, Floki stood strong. But under the weight of the larger man, Floki began to bend under the pressure. Smelling the win, Jorn began to press on with renewed vigor. But Floki simply laughed.

All of Jorn's weight was pressing on Floki's sword. In the midst of battle, with fatigue clouding Jorn's mind, his torso was incredibly off center. So the moment Floki crouched while pushing off his feet towards Jorn's flank, the sudden lack of resistance cause Jorn to lurch forwards. Now positioned at his off balance opponent's flank, Floki was in the perfect position to counterattack. But he was too close to deliver a fight-ending blow with his Jian. And he had already tried a similar maneuver at the beginning of their duel. Jorn had already begun turning, hoping to move within the range of any potential strike and tie up with his opponent. So instead of using his sword, Floki instead swung his elbow full force into Jorn's exposed face.

No matter how strong, no matter how large, there is nothing a man can do from stopping an elbow slicing open their face. Floki's elbow landed directly above Jorn's right eye with enough force to have knocked out any other Inductee. Instead, it sent the bigger man reeling, a large gash opening above his brow. Floki continued his assault, using Jorn's sudden lapse in concentration to land a clean two-handed swing right into Jorn's midsection. Twice he struck the lowest rib of his right ribcage. There was an audible crack as Jorn's bone gave out under the barrage. Jorn tried to backpedal, swinging his sword desperately to fend off his attacker. Disoriented from the pain and the blood now pouring down his face, he missed wildly, attack passing high over Floki's head. It took only four seconds for Floki to finish him off. An upwards stab at Jorn's solar plexus to knock out the air in his lungs. As Jorn doubled over, a pommel to the nose to snap his head back. Finally, an overhead strike right on the giant's face.

Jorn crumpled underneath himself, violently collapsing onto the floor. His eyes went glassy then rolled back, his arms limp at his side. Blood poured from the gash on his forehead and his broken nose. Cain found himself gripping the hilt of his word. His knuckles were white against the dark brown wood of his Jian. He had never liked the giant much. But anyone could agree that the last strike was absolutely unnecessary.

Floki stood over Jorn with a contempt smile before he was pushed to the side by a referee. Medics including Instructor Bela rushed over to Jorn's side to apply first aid. Whispering filled the stands, spectators and contestants talking in hushed tones. Cain looked over to Eleni. She sat with an unreadable expression. Instructor Thorne and Head Instructor Juniper looked enraged. Even Horrow seemed angry.

Jorn was soon helped off the grounds via a stretcher. Instructor Bela accompanied Jorn as they began to make their ways to a makeshift infirmary located to the side. That was the most violent finish to a duel so far. Every other time it was stopped - usually by the victor - before any life threatening injuries occurred. This, however, was dangerous. Cain grit his teeth.

"I declare Floki vir Veynar of the Second Company victor of the duel. We will now commence a short ten minute break before the semifinals begin."

Cain eyed Floki making his way back to his stands, receiving words of praise and claps on the back by his peers. Cain's expression darkened further.

There was no need for the last blow. He could have easily stopped it before it landed. It would have been obvious to the referees that he'd won. Yet he followed through with it still, full power nonetheless.

The next ten minutes passed in a breeze. The entire time, Cain found himself mentally reviewing all of Floki's bouts. Ways to break him.

A loud thump to Cain's left. Conduit Horicus banged his weapon's sheathe on the the stage three times. Silence fell upon the crowd as the Conduit made his announcement.

"Congratulations to the competitors that have made it to the semifinals. You have all showed incredible heart and finesse. Let that trend continue until a victor is crowned. For now, let the last three duels commence!"

The people stomped their boots.

"For the first bout, Cain of the Third Company's Red Squadron and Floki vir Veynar of the Second Company's Green Squadron!"

Time to crush a noble.