Gregor guided Junipher and the coyotes through a large cave system that his people had left behind. They hadn’t collapsed all the caves, only the one leading to the Mayor’s mansion. This particular tunnel opened up into the collapsed building he had met with April and Grant over a week before. Junipher and the coyotes burst out of the building intent on rejoining their lover and master, respectively. Gregor on the other hand went looking for his intended opponent. I’m coming for ye Grant, and I’m going to end you when I find you.
An explosion sounded from City Hall and Gregor looked up with a smile as he watched Karl carry a stunned Mayor into the air before launching her back towards the ground at an extremely high velocity. Then Karl descended out of sight and the city suddenly came to life with barely contained tension. People emerged from their hiding places to see what the commotion was as a group of Red Bands sprinted down the road the same direction Junipher and the coyotes had headed. They paid no attention to the short bearded man as he kept largely to the shadows.
He considered his next move, part of him suggested the youth would head to the city center with the Red Bands, but the more devious side knew that wasn’t what he would do. Gregor knew that deep down, Grant was a coward and a bully. He wouldn’t run to the fight, he would run from it. So he wracked his brain for a moment remembering the conversations he had with the man while plotting the previous fall of the Mayor. Which, based on the most recent notification, was this time successful.
Mayor Carol Blevins, owner and administrator of the City of Flagstaff has been defeated!
City Core is now available for capture.
Well, that seals it, the fuckwit will run now. Gregor remembered the cowardly bastard stating he had family in Phoenix, a large city to the south. So with that, he turned onto a road that would lead to the South gate and hoped against his abysmal luck that he would catch wind of the young man. The curse he placed on him should in theory give some indication of Grant's presence when Gregor was close, though he’d never invoked a System enforced curse before, and he wasn’t sure what form the information in question would take.
He was beginning to doubt it would work as indicated when a ping alerted him to a tracked target less than a couple hundred meters from his current position. A general direction was highlighted in his vision in a sickly orange hue and Gregor began running as fast as his short legs could carry him. Fucker’s almost at the gate. Won't be due for Karl’s people to catch the fucker running and kill him before I could. As soon as Karl’s so called festivities kicked off the team left behind moved to remove the crucified from their torture. Karl was essentially the spear of the attack and the distraction for the rest of them to operate unimpeded.
Gregor rounded the corner quickly and knocked a woman over who was staring towards the center of the city where more explosions and gunfire could be heard. He went to apologize when the focus of his ire appeared from a different alley a hundred meters away.
Grant’s bright blue eyes locked on Gregor’s pale green and the two froze. One’s face a mask of terror, the other’s a rictus of hate. Time seemed to slow as realization dawned on the young man’s face and he turned, too late, to run for the city exit. The System had already taken control of the situation and already the arena was being created. Gregor chuckled silently as Grant ran into the partially formed translucent barrier of energy and fell backwards to land hard on his ass.
A Challenge of Destiny has been issued by Gregor of the Broken Rock Clan against Grant Hughley!
… Initiating isolation and non-interference protocols, all parties not involved in the Challenge will be removed from the arena of battle.
Gregor vaguely noticed as the woman he had plowed over in his haste shimmered a light blue and was teleported to the edge of the restricted area several meters behind him, still sitting on the cement and looking even more bewildered. More people that had been previously occupying the area appeared next to her, or on the opposite end near Grant.
Gregor summoned his weapon and shield from his inventory and flexed his arms adjusting to the weight of the equipment and stared daggers at the bewildered young man he had come to kill. Grant was clearly engaged in a heated discussion with his Virtual Assistant, one he didn’t like the answers to. Gregor waited, he wasn’t in any hurry now. His prey was absolutely cornered and there was nowhere to run while the System enforced a Challenge. This would play out until one was dead or enslaved to the other. Silently Gregor was enjoying the way the boy squirmed.
Finally Grant stopped arguing with his assistant and turned to face Gregor. The two glared at each other in barely contained hate. Grant drew his swords and began to monologue, Gregor just casually watched the man as he spoke, “Of course you’re little ass had to come back and fuck shit up! You know, I was living better than I had ever dreamed possible after the deal I made with the Mayor. Oh, I knew it wouldn’t last forever, that bitch is racist as fuck! I had a plan though, and it was almost finished, you couldn’t stay away just two more days? FUCK MAN!”
Gregor began walking towards the arrogant youth and responded, “Grant, you’re a traitor and... a bully. Furthermore, you’re an honorless, arrogant, coward. I’m going to give you the death you deserve, Grant, a painful one. So why don’t you shut the fuck up and fight.” The Master of Hammer and Anvil slammed his heavy hammer into his plain round shield, the sound of metal on metal echoing across the silent street reverberating against the buildings and the magical barrier.
Grant stumbled as the echoing sound of a forge being worked physically slammed into him. He scowled and cursed, “Fuck you, man!” Then he activated a skill that made him invisible to the gathered onlookers and charged forward, weapons ready. While the relatively low leveled people gathered on either end of the street weren’t able to see Grant, Gregor was a Master Class warrior and craftsman who possessed a comparatively ludicrous amount of perception.
As the young traitor’s barely visible outline swung to slice at Gregor’s neck, the Dwarf activated a skill and made a short hop backwards that deftly avoided the sword strike, then launched forward immediately afterwards and slammed Grant in the face with his shield. The college bully spun away stunned and bloody as the force of the attack shoved him back a good ten meters. By virtue of his Advanced Blade Dancer class he managed to stay on his feet and avoid a swing from the Dwarf’s vicious looking hammer. He was certain if that weapon made contact with any unarmored portion of his body the bones underneath would instantly shatter.
“You’re kinda slow little man!” Grant taunted trying to evoke a reaction. Gregor just stared hard from behind his shield. Grant charged forward in a mad flurry of alternating sword strikes. Gregor’s shield rang with every strike, stoking Grant's frustration and anger. When the ability ended Gregor slammed his foot down creating a shockwave that shoved Grant back again, several meters.
Gregor charged forward as Grant stumbled and let his hand release from the haft to catch it by the loop of leather attached to the bottom. He began spinning the weapon counter clockwise as he approached then swung it straight up into the young man’s chest. Grant was lifted fully off his feet as the head of the hammer slammed into his chest. The only thing that kept his chest from caving in was the armor he’d taken as tax from an angry adventurer wanting to get back in the city. In fact, pretty much all of Grant’s equipment was gained after he flipped on his former lover. Stupid cow, he thought has he soared down the street and managed to land on his feet by virtue of his Cat’s Grace skill.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Grant scowled at the short broad shouldered man and began Blink Stepping in a zigzag pattern on his approach of the angry Dwarf. He spun away from an overhead swing from the dwarf, then ducked again under a back swing that led with the conical spike that adorned the back side of the hammer. Grant did not want to get hit by that. He turned in a spinning strike that connected both swords across the Dwarf’s ribs in a shower of sparks. Anger billowed in Grant’s chest as the realization one of his strongest attacks had been deflected by the short man’s armor. Gregor didn’t even grunt in acknowledgement.
Before Grant could attack again, 250 pounds of fury was carrying him, shield first through the wall of a building, further destroying the landscape. The duo stopped abruptly when the energy of the charge ability petered out and Grant was pinned to a brick wall. He coughed at the painful impact and blood dribbled from the corners of his mouth. He had definitely broken some ribs.Grant panicked when he realized the dwarf hadn’t released him and the fury in the Dwarf’s eyes made him flinch in terror.
“That’s right, worm, squirm in fear. I’m going to crush your head, Traitor.” Grant’s eyes widened in fear as the Dwarf’s hot breath washed over him. He knew if he didn’t do something quick he would die in the next few seconds. He activated what he considered his ultimate escape ability and disappeared in front of his attacker. Gregor stumbled forward with a light clang of his shield against the brick wall he’d previously pinned the dishonorable young man.
Gregor stepped out of the building they had smashed through to find the coward attempting to cut his way through the System barrier in an attempt to escape. Glass crunched under his feet and the man halted his attempts to break through the barrier. He turned and laughed manically at the Dwarf and spat a glob of blood on the ground. “So I guess this is it, huh?”
“It is.” Gregor stated simply.
“Well, I’m not ready to die here, so, let’s do this.” Grant resigned himself to the fight and chugged a health potion before launching into a swift series of attacks that caught Gregor by surprise and pressed him back.
The fight now began in earnest as skills and abilities were activated and the already ruined section of the city was further reduced to rubble as their clash caused explosions and shockwaves to ripple across the street. Onlookers watched with intensity as the two warriors clashed furiously against each other. All pretense of pulling their punches to limit the damage to the surroundings dissolved as they hammered and cut each other repeatedly. The crowd around the battle grew while gunfire and explosions echoed in the distance. The population of Flagstaff wasn’t sure what was going on in their city, though they knew that both battles were significant.
Soon the battle within the System barrier had reduced every building within the segregated space to their foundations. No one would be found seeking shelter on this section of the street. The two fighters heaved heavy breaths in exhaustion. Gregor was surprised by the sudden amount of resistance Grant had put up. Grant’s strength was flagging and the young man knew he was outclassed, but he wasn’t ready to die here, so he fought with everything he had.
“I see you’ve found yer iron. Too bad for ye it was forged too late.”
“You think we’re so different!? I used that stupid cow for what I wanted just like you did! Go fuck yourself, Gregor!”
Gregor looked at the foolish young man with disdain, “No, we are very different. You have no honor, Grant. Your treatment of your fellow beings is abhorrent. As I’ve said before, you’re a coward and a fool. Let’s end this now.”
Grant lunged forward with speed that many of the onlookers couldn’t track. Gregor had no problem following his weakened movements however, as the young man thrust forward with his blade Gregor raised his shield over his head and crouched low and brought the conical end of his hammer down on his opponents instep. The crack and shatter of bones was heard by the enraptured spectators who winced at the sound.
Grant howled in pain and hopped back in an extremely weakened defensive stance. He looked down at his ruined foot and scowled. He glared defiantly at his inevitable end. Gregor gave him no more time to consider his options and smacked him down with his shield. Grant’s injured foot crumpled under the assault and he soon found himself lying flat on his back. He tried to raise his swords in defense and Gregor’s shield batted his weapon away and his hammer came down hard on his other wrist, painfully shattering the bones in his arm, forcing him to involuntarily release his other weapon. He proceeded to kick the weapon across the street and returned to stare down at the beaten youth.
“I told you I was going to crush your head.” Gregor raised his hammer over his head with both hands, “Any last words, young man?”
Grant tried to say something smart through the pain in his body but only gargled his own blood in his throat. “Fuck it, no one wants to hear your shit anyway!”, Gregor responded to the struggling youth and brought his hammer down on Grant’s head, loudly cracking the cement underneath.
Challenge of Destiny between Gregor of the Broken Rock Clan and Grant Hughley of Flagstaff has been resolved!
Gregor of the Broken Rock Clan has been recognized as the victor!
Gregor walked away from the traitor's body covered in his blood and brains. The System enforced barrier dropped and the people who had gathered quickly parted to give him room to leave. He listened to the fighting in the distance and decided Karl had his battle under control and what he really wanted to do was see to the girl April, to find out her fate. So he strode casually towards the south gate where Karls people should be engaged in rescuing the crucified.
*****************
Captain Devers had gathered his people in a clearing just off the highway approximately 10 kilometers from the city of Flagstaff. He was discussing whether or not to approach the large city and seek supplies or hope the Guard base at Fort Tuthill was still standing. If so, they could simply avoid civilization and supply themselves. The people of Laughlin were grateful for their removal of the massive Stoneback Crab, and allowed them to resupply from the System Kiosk, which was a nice surprise. However, when they tried to pass through Kingman it seemed to have gone full Mad Max. They had lost several men fighting their way out of there and he wasn't interested in a repeat of that particular dumpster fire.
His loader was on radio duty and called him up, “Captain! Scouts have a report for you. They got eyes on the city. Sergeant Grant says you’ll want to see it for yourself.”
“Alright, hey, XO! You got the company while I go meet with the scouts.” Captain Devers climbed onto his tank and hopped in the commander’s hatch. His crew was already saddled up and ready to go.
“Miles, you got a route for us?”
“I do, Sir, System makes that part easy.” His driver responded and fired up the tank.
“Let’s go, then.” And the tank rolled out across the highway and followed a fire trail up the side of a tall hill through a forest of tall Fir trees. Ten minutes later he found the scout teams HUMVEE parked just below the crest of the hill with a Private standing guard while the rest of the team were hidden amongst the trees and bushes observing the city of Flagstaff almost ten kilometers away.
Sergeant Grant appeared from seemingly nowhere and saluted the Captain as he crawled down from the tank. Probably one of his stealth skills. Crazy ass System abilities. “Sir!”
“At ease, tell me what we got.”
“A crazy fuckin’ shit show, that’s what. Someone’s attacking the city. Pretty much by himself.”
“What?” Captain Devers’ curiosity was now running overdrive as they walked up the hill to gain a clear line of sight on the city below.
“So, over here you’ll see where one big mother fucker just merc’d the Mayor and is currently engaged with the city guard. And over here, there’s a barrier called a Challenge of Destiny between two individuals, got the notification up here, guess we’re close enough. And then there’s that shit over there.” The scout platoon Sergeant pointed to each action as he briefed the Captain.
Captain Devers’ heart leapt to his throat as he gazed down at the third point of interest. At the south gate was the unmistakable shape of his daughter, Samantha. A glowing pink hued aura ensconced her form and she floated off the ground several inches, blades of energy spinning around her, lashing out at what he assumed were the city guard. His breath caught when he realized she was missing her left arm below the elbow. His mind raced and the urge to run down the hill and protect her warred with his responsibility to his men.
“That’s my daughter.” He whispered barely audible to the Sergeant, “Why’s she fighting against that city?”
“Oh shit, well, you missed the part where she and her team ran up and removed people from crucifixes, sir. I think this is a revolt.”
Thoughts roared through his mind as he watched the three battles below. The big man that had just killed the mayor and a large group of guards was now joined by a green woman and two very large coyotes. Those three alone tore a bloody path through the city reaching the man and then they engaged an incredibly powerful magic user together.
The segregated battle further south was coming to a conclusion and the Captain turned his vision back to his daughter and her friends who were preventing any of the city guards from escaping. They demonstrated remarkable teamwork and coordination, like they had fought many times together, and Captain Devers couldn’t deny a small amount of pride in his daughters martial prowess.
“Alright, Sergeant, it looks like this fight will be over before we reach it. Stay up here and maintain a visual. I’m going to get the company moving and you can join us after we reach the West gate. Should take a half hour.”
“Yeah, this fight lasts another five minutes, tops.”