"I changed my mind," Becky said, shuffling away from Mason. "I, uh, pulled my ankle last night. Don't think I can duel today."

Apparently Tommaso being left in an unconscious mess on the training hall floor left a bit of an impression. Mason stalked after the cowgirl, Streak slowly moving up to block her from the other side.

"I thought you were going to smash my pretty face? Here maybe?" Mason gestured at his cheek. "Make my pretty eyes black and blue?" He bat his lashes for effect.

"Umm." Becky ran into the wolf and froze.

"Can I try Carl?" said Garet, earning a surprised look from pretty much everyone. "With respect," said the spearman, going a little pink under all the scrutiny. "Just...want to see what that's like. If there's anything I can do, you know? If I try my tricks."

Carl grinned and winked at Becky. "Saved by the gentleman from Colorado. Well. If the man wants the Glassassin, the Glassassin he shall have. Get that lazy Italian off my court!"

John mostly carried Tommaso to the sideline. Mason was still in Becky's personal space, though he was getting kind of turned on playing the wolf to Becky's sheep, so it was becoming far more of a groping prelude to a porn scene than a fight scene. And by the look in her eyes the feeling was definitely mutual.

Mason caught Phuong's vaguely sour-faced disapproval.

"Sorry Phuong."

"Sorry Phuong," Becky mumbled, and the older man nodded. Even so, Becky stayed close and held Mason's hand, cuddling into him to watch the next 'match'.

Not that Mason expected it to be much of a match. Garet didn't even have a prestige class yet. And Carl was...terrifying. They also hadn't really tested the training hall to see if it could handle something like the 'Glassassin's’ weapon. Mason sighed and intercepted the spearman, keeping his voice low.

"You sure? You could pick an easier target. Carl's knife is...something else. I don’t even want to fight him. No shame here in backing out, I'll grab you another player right now."

Garet shook his head.

"Thanks, no, I don't mind losing. I'll learn something."

Mason nodded, then walked to find Carl doing a series of ridiculous stretches nearby.

"Hey, uh," he kept his voice low, "go easy on him. Stab something non fatal to start."

"Stab his leg," Carl thrust with finger guns, "you got it, kid."

"I'm serious. I don't want to lose any players for some stupid reason."

"I got it, I got it," Carl waved him away, then both players moved to the court and activated 'Challenge Mode' on their own, eyes glazing as they picked through options.

Mason felt a bit tense, though it was probably paranoia. Becky took his arm again and called with one hand on her mouth.

"Don't worry, Carl! I'm sure the men'll look after Sylvie when you're gone!"

Becky thrust her hips, and a few players whistled or cheered, including a drunk-looking Tommaso. Carl pointed an arm at Becky and summoned his knife, expression hardened, tone darker.

"Careful, girly. Or you're next."

Then he broke and grinned, hopping back and forth as the red and blue lights flared, the shield coming up.

"I’m glad he’s a giant goof because he really is scary," Mason said, and Becky nodded with a giggle.

"He reminds me of my uncles." She sighed. "I hate it when I think about family."

Mason squeezed her hand, knowing Becky and probably everyone else were wondering how much family they might have alive in the east. Not that they could currently do much about it.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Garet stepped out into the court with his spear twirling as Carl vanished. This was probably going to be a short fight. Mason doubted the brave and possibly stupid spearman had any real way of figuring out where Carl was, let alone stopping him from silent murder. But everyone stood in silence, waiting to see what would happen.

After several long seconds, Garet seemed to sense something and spun, phantom spears popping up all around him at strange angles. Carl appeared and flashed with blue light, then warped across the court.

"Son of a bitch!" he called, looking at his leg. "It like...shocks you. And it fucking hurts. OK! Alright! Now it's on, my friend!"

Carl vanished again, and Garet took up a defensive stance. He'd already lasted longer than Mason expected.

"Who are you going to fight first?" Mason said, and Becky shrugged, cuddling into his chest.

"Don't care. Probly Phuong, or somethin'. Just so I can see how it all goes."

"Hear that?" Mason called towards the swordsman. "Becky wants to start with the old, and the weak."

Phuong frowned but didn’t look away from the fight.

"If Miss Rebecca would like instruction, I would be happy to assist. After I've finished with the brash young men."

Mason grinned, looking back to the fight just as a spray of color flashed. Garet closed his eyes and spun, swinging at nothing as he blinked and tried not to panic. Then Carl formed from nothing and leapt at his side, and the spearman spun and skewered him through the chest.

The shield didn't even flash, and for a moment everyone stood in panic. Then the illusion popped, and the real Carl flashed behind Garet, and stabbed him in the leg.

Blue light flared with a bright colored hue. The spearman cried out as if agony and dropped, his leg seemingly paralyzed. He swung his spear in a defensive blow, but Carl easily stepped away.

"Ah yeah. That looks bad. Sorry, buddy," he said, grabbing the weapon and plunging his weapon down for the kill. Garet shook like he was bring electrocuted, then slumped to the floor with a groan.

[Duel Complete. Safety protocols removed. No injury detected.]

"Huh." Mason stuck out a lip and nodded in approval. "Looks like weapons are easier for the system to deal with. I think you might have gotten the worst of it, Tommaso."

The Italian just nodded happily, looking high as a kite, eyes still glazed. A few players chuckled. Garet and Carl came out together, Carl slapping the younger man on the back.

"A good try, buddy. You almost had me with those spears. I guess it was me who got a little cocky."

Garet grinned and nodded in thanks, then walked off as if locked in concentration.

"I think he's one to watch with a bit of experience," Carl said to Mason a little while later. "Brave. Real warrior."

Mason nodded, then motioned everyone to come in.

"Well," he said. "Now we know it works. For the next two days I want everyone dueling and training as much as possible. But we need to avoid serious injury. So try and be careful. Test things out. If you get hurt, don't be proud, go straight to Alex or the infirmary. Now—we need to talk teams. Anyone have any thoughts before I give you mine?"

"Ah, sir?" Garet spoke up from the bench, still massaging his leg.

"Go ahead."

"Well, I, uh," again the man went a little pink as everyone turned. "I think there's not much to say. We don't have much diversity. So the only question really is where Rebecca and Alex go. And I guess maybe Seamus."

Mason nodded, gesturing him on.

"I figure with, uh, Rebecca's targeted shield thing, she's a lot better in the threes. And Seamus'll need protection, plus he’s got a lot of area. So probably he and Alex should be in the six. At least that's what I was thinking."

Mason grinned, because he was thinking the exact same thing.

"Totally agree," he said. "I'm thinking Carl and Becky in the three. No disrespect, but I doubt the third matters. By the time a team manages to bring down Becky's shield with her aegis on Carl, I think they're almost guaranteed to be dead."

Carl flexed, and Mason rolled his eyes.

"I'm happy to go with the six team, Patron," Phuong said. "I know the rewards are less. But I would like to help ensure a victory."

Mason nodded and put a hand on the man's shoulder, thankful as ever for his generosity and support.

"With Alex, Phuong, and Seamus with the six, you're already pretty scary." Mason winced because Tommaso was probably the logical choice for the third.

He had an actual range attack, such as it was, which was Carl and Becky's only real weakness. With his speed he could also maybe keep himself alive without protection. Not that he was thrilled to put Tommaso on Becky’s team. But he had to be above that kind of nonsense.

"John, Garet, Jason, you good to fill out the six? Tommaso the third man with Becky and Carl?"

The players all nodded, only Becky looking a bit surprised. Then she frowned.

"So, if you're doin' the twos with Blake, does that mean Annie and Seul-ki are as well? They'll be, um, pardon my French, pretty screwed."

"No," Mason said. "They're doing a three with Blake. So you're going to have to deal with them. If Carl can get at Blake, it should be over."

Carl winced, no longer looking thrilled.

"That's a big if, kid."

"Won't be as bad as you think," Mason said. "I'll teach you his tricks. Mostly Telekinesis is the problem, but he can't do it if he can't see you. Either way," Mason shrugged. "I guess we win. You'll get rewards for second place. And we're probably underestimating the eastern teams. As along as one of you guys wins I'll be happy. Top two would be even better."

"But uh, Mason," Becky's eyes rolled in confusion, "if Blake's doing threes, who the hell is doing twos with you?"

Mason sighed, hoping what he was about to say didn't sound too stupid. Or arrogant.

"No one. Haley assures me there's no rule saying you can't run with less. I'll take the twos alone."