Huh?
"Hmm. Aren't we supposed to be finding out whoever's responsible for this?" I ask Jean.
"Oh. We're doing it, though. We're investigating." He replies.
"Hmmm. I have doubts. Why is the queen looking for a concubine, then? There's even a woman in the mix."
"Oh. Queens are usually weak. Therefore, they are disregarded as rulers. That's why the queen must always look for someone who can fit the description of a capable one. It's her task to pick those who are worthy."
"Hmm. What does that have to do with being a ruler? Can't she rule by herself?"
"Do you remember the power rule? The strongest wins. Queens can rule themselves if they're strong enough, but that happens very rarely. Do you see the large gem on Estressa's crown? That can gauge someone's magical power. Only royalties can wear it."
"What's it made from?"
"Oh. Incidentally... A part of it's made of Void Stones. Just like the ones I produce."
"Produ--"
"You there!"
The queen points at something behind us so I look behind my back, seeing a bunch of Chimerians talking while eating some kind of fruit. I look back to the queen, catching her glance as I did so. I look back again, but Jean shifts my body back to the direction of the crowd. I was about to scream at him when I realized why he did it. The queen was pointing to me... Oh. That's wrong. She was pointing at Jean.
"Do you wanna be king for a while? I won't stop you." Jean starts.
"Isn't she talking about you?"
"Oh. She's actually pointing at you."
"Hmm. Bullshit. Don't you know her, though?"
"Well, yeah. I've messed with her several times before."
"Hmm.. Wait. You guys are enemies?"
"You there! The fellow with the bright, yellow eyes!" Estressa calls. "Come to me!"
Jean shoves me, and I glare at him before going to the small stage. Four people were already behind her, so I'm guessing the queen chose them as fellow candidates. One was the Farhas kid from before, the two looked like twins, and the last one... I swear I've seen him before... Hmm... Ah! He's the guy with the rapier back at the theatre. The one who easily defeated his opponent. His eyes look a lot like Nelen's... What was I thinking again? Ah. Seriously. Aren't we supposed to focus on finding the heads of Cerberus?
"Lucky them. Even if they lose, they'll be assigned as a Royal Knight." A face in the crowd whispers.
"Hmm. Excuse me. What is that?" I ask Estressa.
"Would you like to state that again?" She asks.
"Uh. What's a royal knight, Your Majesty?"
"They are those who are in charge of guarding the royal family. You'll be one if you lose the trial."
"Hmm. But I'm already working for someone."
"State your allegiance."
"Jean. I think you guys have met before. He's the guy with the heavy, black armor."
"Jean?... Ooh. You're working for The Black Scourge? You must be very special."
"I don't think I am... Wait. You said something about a trial, yes?"
"Correct. All five of you are going to have a match. Whoever stands last shall be the winner."
"Hmm. Aren't we supposed to be focusing on tracking Cerberus?"
"Correct again, but Stassians won't have order if you leave them to themselves. Everyone will go their own ways, until someone with power directs them. That has been the principle since the beginning of time. Now come outside, all five of you. We shall do the trial there."
She and her guards lead us outside, and I look back at the gates to see Jean waving his hands. We arrive at the middle of the city, where the castle's hill stood. All four of them press their marks on their own, weird spots, so I follow along. The Farhas kid has his mark on his palm, and he summons a broadsword too heavy for his size. The twins had their marks on their necks, and both contained twin blades and a scepter that's pleasing to the eye. Red eyes from the theatre here had his mark on the middle of his chest, although I didn't see it because his clothes blocked it.
"Hmm. Interesting. So clothes can't block weapon marks?" I ask him.
"...It depends. You should focus on the fight. These guys are not pushovers." He replies.
"And you think I'm scared?"
"You should be." He brandishes his rapier. "This is a chance to rule a kingdom."
"But I'm not interested in that."
"Win the battle first. Only then will I speak to you."
"Xaar. Who's gonna be first on the list?" One of the twins reply. She's full of energy, unlike her brother.
"The kid, Xerr. Let's pluck him while he's young." The twin with the serious demeanor replies.
"Hey, kid. You heard that? They're ganging up on you." I walk towards the teen. "Need help?"
"I would appreciate that, mister. Thank you." He smiles with his blue eyes. He looks like the younger and nicer version of Aldwynn.
"What's your name, kid?" I practice a few swings.
"Arlynn. Arlynn Farhas, mister."
"Hmm. That sounds like a woman's name. Okay, Arlynn. We're on a temporary truce. Get ready."
I grip my scythe hard, and Estressa channels a spell for a few seconds. Her eyes start to brighten, and bright, yellow flames surround us as soon as she raises her right hand. So this'll be our ring, huh? This looks nice. The Chimerians then start chanting something. It's quiet at first, but it gets louder with each passing minute. Now they are shouting. I can also hear what they're saying now. Throni Pugna. What does it mean?
"In the everlasting name of the Curator..." Estressa offers her crown to the sky. "May you all begin!!"
Xerr lunges and goes for the kid as soon as the words escape Estressa's lips, but Arlynn's quick reflex prevents him from getting stabbed in the right leg. Xaar whispers a spell and creates a serpent made from green flame, launching it in Arlynn's direction. I negate it by chanting the magic on my weapon and swinging at the spell. Red eyes uses the distraction as a chance to stab Xaar, but it fails. That reminds me. I haven't asked the bastard's name yet.
"What's your name, red eyes?" I shout and swipe at Xerr. The bastard ignores me.
"Ooh, Xaar. We've got two handsome boys here." She sings to her brother and lunges at me. "Don't worry about me. I'll satisfy these two by myself!"
"That sounds perverse."
"Takes one to know one. What's your name?"
"I don't know my real one, but you can call me Sol. That's what my boss calls me."
"I like you, Sol. You've go spunk." She tumbles just in time to avoid Arlynn's slash. "You sweet boy. You want attention? Come here. Let me pamper you."
"Uhh... I..."
Arlynn blushes and backs away, giving Xerr an opening for a swipe at his armor. She hits him in the chest and tries to throw her other blade at me. I tilt my head to the left, and the purple blade misses the tip of my ear. I jump and kick her on the stomach. She yelps, throws her other blade to my left chest, and re-summons her weapon. This doesn't hurt as bad as-- Oh. There's something weird magic in it. Ooooh, shit. It's starting to kick in. Ooooh... It's fine. I can still do this. I just gotta wipe them out before I pass out. My head feels light. I think I might pass out.
"Whoaaaa. This feels weeeeird." I stumble.
"Are you okay, mister?" Arlynn comes to me and tries to chant something, but the girl blocks her path.
"He's not gonna respond any time soon, sweetie. One blade can tranquilize a giant. Imagine two."
Is what she says, but my scythe finds her way to her belly and hooks her. I'm still drowsy from whatever she did, but proving people wrong is what I do best, so I gotta make it happen. Only this time, I'm fighting for the throne. Not that I hate it, of course. Ruling a city could be nice, and I'll never know until I try. Arlynn rushes to me and touches my shoulder, and for some reason, my drowsiness is gone.
"Thanks. What's the spell called?" I ask him.
"Somnu Prohiber, mister." He swats on Xerr's blades, launching them outside the flames.
"SOMNU PROHIBER!... Oh. Wow. I'm fully alert again. Thanks, Arlynn."
"Please don't shout the spell out loud, mister. Only kids do that."
"SOM. NU. PRO. HI. BER."
"I'M HERE!" Xerr intrudes our conversation with a small fireball. "Don't forget about me, boys. I'm lonely."
She lunges and send a flurry of swipes at me, bruising my left arm. It burns, but my blood feels cold. Hmm. This is not the time to be lost in thought. Somnu Prohiber. I attack her with wide swings, but she dodges by somersaulting backwards. Arlynn uses this a chance to rush forward and kick her, but it misses. Meanwhile, Xaar is shielding himself with a barrier as red eyes tries to break it down by stabbing it with his rapier. His sister's not noticing. Best if I take this chance.
"Ignys!"
A blast of fire shoots out of my palm, but it hits air because I forgot to aim it properly. The queen's flames absorbs it. Red eyes is still stabbing Xaar's barrier, but this time, he's fighting back by casting and launching that green serpent spell from before.
"C'mere, baby!" Xerr attacks and taunts me. "You didn't tell me your magic capacity's that strong. How about a date after this?"
"I'm already dating someone. You'll have to talk to her first."
"You're a party pooper, baby. C'mon. I don't bite. You can ask her too if she wants to join."
"Pervert."
"Ooh. Feisty. I like that, baby."
She whispers a spell and creates a green orb from her hands. She throws it on the ground, and it breaks. Green smoke forms on the air, and it summons what looked to be a five-foot lizard. Great. Another nuisance. Ignys... Oh. Well, that was easy. Wait. Why is it coming towards me? Ugh. Its slithering body is making me uncomfortable.
"Arlynn?! How do you kill this thing?!" I run all over the place.
"You can't kill summoned creatures, mister! You either defeat their owners or root them in place with a spell!"
"Care to give me an example?"
"Umm... Try casting Glazys Razys!"
He casts the spell himself as he shouts, and he rushes towards Xerr, who's trying to run away now. He touches her in the back, and ice chains pop out of the same spot, constricting the green-eyed woman. She falls to the ground, but she whispers something and breaks free from it. Augerre Vyribus, huh? Oh. My body feels lighter. Maybe I chanted it by accident. Oh, well. I guess I can use it to punch this stupid lizard...
"Wow. My punch creates shock waves. This is fucking amazing."
I say as I raise my head, but all four of them are looking at me. Red eyes lunges at me, so I lunge back, sending him flying and into the ground. He manages to stab my side, though. That's pretty commendable. The twins are ganging up on me now, too. Well, this is nice. I swat Xerr's twin blades, and her brother casts that green serpent. It hits me and transforms into smoke, narrowing my vision. The smoke's making it hard to breathe. I guess I should-- Aaaand something metal hits my side. Hmm. Oh! It's broad. Just like the weapon of the kid. He launches me with his raw strength, and I roll out of the smoke and into the ground. Shit. I still feel nothing. It's as if all of this is an illusion.
"Sorry, mister." Arlynn grips his weapon and points it towards me. "Please forget the truce. We need to take you out first."
"Yeah. No grudges, baby." Xerr re-summons her blades. "You're the biggest threat right now. Right, Xaar?"
"Right. Forget the boy, Xerr. We'll deal with him later."
Xaar creates a lizard just like her sister's. Red eyes is whispering to himself, and his skin is starting to redden. Aldwynn's doing the same, and his eyes are turning all blue. Xaar and Xerr chant on their own lizards, enlarging them by seven feet more. What the fuck is going on right now? Are they serious?
"Be careful, baby. SIC!"
The two lizards attack in unison as soon as she orders it, and Xaar's throwing that damn green shit all over the place. It's a good thing this spell lasts long, though. Before I know it, red eyes is behind me, stabbing my stomach with precision. I cast Ignys on him, but he's already gone. Blue light mixed with metal hits me as soon as I face forward. I can adapt to this-- NOT! WHY THE FUCK ARE FOUR PEOPLE TARGETING ME?! THIS IS UNFAIR! I DEMAND A RELEASE!
"FUCK YOU GUYS! THIS IS UNFAIR!"
"Relax, baby. We're just using our brain. That's all." Xerr throws her blades again. "Now, stay still."
"HOW CAN I STAY STILL IF THERE'S FOUR PEOPLE ON ME?!"
"These guys are not pushovers, and so am I. I warned you." Red eyes smirks.
"I'm sorry, mister, but I have to agree with her. We have to use our brains to take the throne."
Using your brains, huh? This is just cheating to get away from me! This is... Fucking pissing me off... No matter. I'll make sure it doesn't happen. I will crush all of your faces into the pavement. Mark my words... Shit. My head. Hurts...
It's...Back... Again...