The two men stood motionless. The collision of their energies created many sparks in the air between them.
"[Arsenaal]" – Both of them shouted in the same moment and two nearly identical glowing rings appeared on their backs.
The only difference was the color. The God Guard had a white ring with some specs of blue energy while Loranna had a pure golden one.
"Outsider, I admire you. To reach your level is nearly impossible. But you won't be able to beat the power of God which is empowering my weapons."
Loranna only smiled indifferently and dashed forward. A golden sword appeared in his hand and he thrusted it trying to cut his opponents throat. Lyrò grinned and summoned a sword.
The weapons collided and the golden sword without giving any resistance dissipated under the the opponents might.
Or at least the God Guard thought so.
A golden spearhead appeared just before his left eye ready to pierce it along with the rest of the head.
*BOOOOM* An explosion shook the plaza. Lyrò managed to parry the deathblow with a quickly summoned shield.
Another three explosions, more powerful than the first one, made everyone tremble.
Master Loranna was already preparing the fourth arrow but suddenly from behind him appeared a giant ice snake and pounced at him.
"Such a bother…" – He commented before smashing the creature with a huge golden hammer. – "A weapon master using a magic staff? That's why I like fighting other masters like me: for the sake of innovation!"
Lyrò appeared from the cloud of dust. Some small scratches could be seen on his face and armor. Just like Loranna said, the God Guard was holding a glowing magic staff in his left hand.
"Magic has its own good uses in combat, Outsider."
"[Starfall]"
A huge magic circle appeared above the arena and from it started rapidly falling blue energy orbs. From some distance it indeed was like a very localized starfall. Most importantly the density of falling orbs increased near the Loranna's position wherever he moved.
He summoned a sword and started deflecting the orbs, but a sense of danger made him instinctively summon a shield with his other hand.
Just in time to parry a thunder shot by Lyrò.
Nameless was observing the whole fight but couldn't follow all the exchanges. 'Too many weapons…well, they are weapon masters so it's probably normal.'
"Isn't it better to concentrate only on one weapon and be very good with it?"
Even if he said it very quietly Gherda still somehow heard him. – "Normally you would be right, but this logic is completely refused by the weapon masters. They master every single weapon they use to the absolute pinnacle. And that's why there is so few of them."
She was observing the fight with extreme attention. – "Only the most talented one's can become weapon masters…"
Other explosions interrupted her. Lyrò and Loranna were bombarding each other with volleys of arrows.
But none of them was able to hurt the other one.
"You're good, Outsider."
But the only answer to his comment was a cross slash with two kukris. He dodged it and immediately counterattacked with a few throwing knifes.
They made a strange curve before being intercepted by the same number of kunai thrown by Loranna. For some minutes only a sound of colliding metal could be heard in the arena.
"Can't say the same about you, God Guard."
Loranna dashed forwards slashing with a long katana. Lyrò stepped back to avoid the slash but suddenly felt some tearing pain from his stomach area. He looked down to find a tip of sword emerging from his belly.
Some blood leaked from the corners of his mouth. "How…ARRRG."
The one who was holding the sword suddenly turned it tearing the surrounding flesh. A fountain of blood from the wound was accompanied by the one from Lyrò's mouth.
"It's very easy. One day, many years ago I had an epiphany."
Some one pulled out the blade from Lyrò's body. His pupils constricted. Another Loranna appeared in his field of vision. – "You know what is the best weapon in the universe? It's the weapon master himself!"
Suddenly Lyrò noticed that behind his opponent there were two concentric glowing circles instead of one.
"You…" – Another fountain of blood stopped him. – "…summoned yourself as a weapon…Marvelous."
The God Guard fell on his knees and remained unmoving.
Loranna looked at him with some pity. Even if his eyes were covered by a bandage Nameless could still feel his gaze on Lyrò.
"The day you abandoned your name as Weapon Master and became a God Guard you were bound to lose against me."
He turned around and walked back to the captain's side.
The Frozen King was gloomy, his face covered by black lines. – "Now I extremely curios to know what other surprises your crew hold…" – Suddenly his face distorted from pain and his eyes became completely white for a moment.
He looked back inside the palace. Nameless could swear to have heard some incomprehensive voice originating from the depths of the frozen building.
The whiteness receded from Victor's eyes and he nodded respectfully. Then he turned back and smiled. – "It seems that I will have to fight myself."
Captain stood up but Victor shook his head instead. – "And why do you think that I will choose you, Ocean Lord?" – His smile became even more brilliant than before.
He looked on the John's team when a slight breeze carrying other words of the mysterious entity from the palace. Victor nodded for a second time.
"So, who do you want to fight against, Your Majesty?"
Captain's voice was carrying enough cold to make shiver even these ice-born people. 'He is furious.'
The Frozen King seamed to be in a grocery deciding for an apple presumably greener than the other ones. His index slowly pointed on every remaining member of the opponent's team. – "I'm so hesitant. Don't really know who I must to kill first…" – He wore an extremely troubled expression. – "Maybe the weapon master?" – Loranna stepped forward. – "…No, this is not ok…"
Suddenly his eyes shined. – "I know! I will simply start with the weakest one! Hahahahahaha." – And his finger pointed towards the audience seats. Captain raised his eyebrow but when he looked in the direction where Victor pointed his pupils constricted slightly. The vine on his temple swelled visibly.
Nameless was also shocked while Gherda could only inwardly sigh. 'What…?!'
Victor pointed exactly on his seat. – "I choose that boy." – Still savoring the rage of Captain John, he looked directly towards Nameless. – "I challenge you, outsider boy."
Nameless paled and looked at Gherda. She glanced at the smiling King. – "You have to fight…no other choice…"- Captain was didn't release any energy but a centimeter-wide layer of black and slightly transparent substance started covering his body. Victor was surprised to notice that he felt a bit of fear when he saw it.
Suddenly Gherda's voice broke the tension.
"King…Your Majesty, I ask you to change the conditions for the victory since the opponent is only a not awakened kid. Wouldn't it be too dishonorable to crush him with you glorious might right away?"
Captain also nodded. – "Yes…I…also…think…so." – His eyes were slowly coloring in red.
Meanwhile the boy already stood up and went towards the arena.
'I'm dead!'
'Why did he choose me?!'
'This adventure ends here…'
'F*ck'
A lot of simple thoughts were going through his mind but the most predominant was the first one.
'I'M DEAD!!!!"
Victor also stepped inside the arena but under two menacing gazes his expression was pensive. – "Well, you are right. It won't be honorable to win this way." – He sized the opponent in front of him and seeing his weak and small body nodded. – "Boy, if you manage to hit me even once, the win is yours. I will use the powers only at just awakened person. Try your best."
Nameless was startled for a second by this concession but then some black lines appeared on his face.
'I'm still dead!'
The same reaction had Captain and Gherda. But they couldn't do much since the conditions indeed became more favorable...
'Maybe he can survive?' She thought but discarded this hope immediately after.
The king was still the king. Powerful and backed by a god.
Nameless couldn't possibly win.
[…]
Many pairs of eyes were concentrated on his small figure but there was no one who looked at him like at a living creature. There was pity for his bad luck and disdain for his weakness in everyone's gazes.
'I can just surrender…I'll die anyway…'
Suddenly Nameless sensed a very piercing gaze on him. It was captain John. His fists were white from being too clenched. There was infinite malice and anger in his figure and gaze, but it wasn't the thing that surprised Nameless. There wasn't pity or disdain. Only anger.
'I'm a part of the crew of the Sorrow of the Black Sea. Even if I'm only a temporal member, I have to fight.'
Some small fire started burning inside of him.
It wasn't a fruit of conviction, but a strange sense of duty.
Duty to protect the honor. Not the John's honor but the honor of the ship itself.
The small fire became a scorching blaze.
Captain relaxed slightly and inwardly nodded. Some appreciation could be seen in the eyes of everyone from the crew.
'Good kid…Never surrender.'