Alex didn't have to wait long before another challenger stepped up into the platform, this one was a burly brute of a bear kin. A nose that had been broken one to many times, thickset brows only his large expressive eyes saved him from looking like someone only a mother could love. Without any preamble he adopted a fighting stance. Alex stopped chatting with the girls and moved to his side of the fighting platform, taking stance Alex waited on the referee to begin the match. The referee called to start, the bear kin instantly charged Alex arms spread trying to tackle him. Smirking at the simple tactic that would probably work on most people smaller than the bear kin Alex simply stood there and waited.
As the bear kin got into range his arms snapped closed like the teeth of an animal trap, at least that was what was supposed to happen. What actually occurred both arms were caught in a vice like grip and the bear kin was brought to a screeching halt by Alex who just stood there foot braced behind him. Alex smiled at the look of confusion on the bear kins face, "Size doesn't always indicate strength", he uttered. Alex then reared his head back and brought it shooting forward to slam into the bear kins face in a vicious headbutt, the bear kin dropped like a rock out cold.
Alex used the time it took the ref to end the fight and for the first aid team to arrive to properly set the broken nose for his unconscious opponent.
The crowd buzzed at Alex's second victory, the first displayed his skill the second had shown he was much stronger than he appeared. Alex simply went back to chatting with the girls as he waited for the next opponent to come up. After short wait Alex's second challenger appeared this time it was one of the few women who entered the competition. As with the previous two fights both of them took up position and waited on the referee.
The match began with the female fighter closing in rapidly on Alex but unlike the bear kin she kept full control of herself and started to probe Alex with a variety of attacks. He calmly countered waiting for an opening. She was quite skilled, and while Alex could easily overwhelm her he saw no need to injure her pride, just as he had respected the bear kin by meeting strength with strength, with her he met skill with skill. He treated the fight as if it was a spar using his opponent to hone his skills.
After a minute of exchanges the female fighter made a mistake, overextending on an upper cut she left herself open, Alex took full advantage and swung a precisely aimed blow into the fighters midsection, her breath blasted from her lungs and she collapsed to her knees, she couldn't breath and almost blacked out but Alex slammed an open palmed slap into her back to get her lungs functioning again. The referee called the match and that was Alex's third win, two more to go.
He ended up waiting twenty minutes until someone who hadn't seen his previous fights, and was all bent out of shape due the bevy of beautiful women talking to Alex decided to ascend to the fighting platform and issue his challenge, sadly no one warned him before he went up into the ring. Thinking Alex was just a pretty boy who got lucky the man started mouthing off unfortunately for him one of the things he started mouthing off about was the girls. While Alex didn't do any permanent damage during the ensuing massacre the loud mouthed idiot certainly would be ingesting all his food through a straw for a while.
After fight number four Alex went back to talking to the girls again, as they were chatting away about random topics someone called out to Alex.
Alex looked for the source of the voice, it sounded vaguely familiar. Looking around he spotted a old friend in the crowd, Alex waved to him and indicated he should come over, nodding to signal his acknowledgement the main retreated into the crowd for a minute then appeared heading over to Alex with a woman and child in tow.
"Yo Burr, long time no see,", Alex greeted him with a raised hand while remained seated cross legged near the edge of the platform, "Forgive me for not giving a proper greeting but I can't leave the platform just yet".
"No problem", Burr smiled at Alex, "Of all the people to meet here you are not one I expected, it's good to see you my friend", he walked up to the edge of the arena so he and Alex could clasp hands.
"That same could be said of me seeing you here", Alex chuckled, "Let me introduce you guys, Burr meet my fiancés", Alex indicated each of the girls in turn and introduced them, the girls politely nodded to Burr when introduced curious as to where Alex knew him from. Having completed his introductions Burr reciprocated and introduced his wife Alexia and their son Michael.
Alex grinned at him, "I knew you had a wife but you kept the fact you had a little one a tight secret".
"In the line of work we were in back then it doesn't afford to advertise you have family, they are too easily used to manipulate you", Burr explained.
A childish voice piped up, "Dad did this big brother fight in the arena as well?". Burr bent down and picked up the young lad, "Indeed he did son, I already introduced him as Alex, but in the arena he was called the bladedancer".
"No way", the young boy exclaimed, "I thought the bladedancer was bigger and older". Alex and the girls burst out into laughter. "This is indeed the bladedancer", Burr reassured his son, "He joined the arena when he was fifteen years old, we all thought he was some wet behind the ears kid who was just looking for excitement. He soon proved us all very wrong within a year he had taken the champion position and proceeded to defend his title from all challengers for the next year until he retired from the arena. He retired the youngest undefeated champion the arena has ever seen".
Michael was staring at Alex with stars in his eyes "So cool", the girls giggled while Alex looked a bit embarrassed.
"What brings you to the capital city of the beast tribes?", asked Alex.
"I retired about six months after you left, I had enough winnings, from the fights to see us through to our dotage, we decided to head home to the beast tribes, Valent is nice and all but the syndicate started acting up again the moment you weren't there to dissuade them from their more notorious behaviour", said Burr. "How about yourself, how did you end up here?".
"Long story short I'm traveling around seeing the sights and enjoying life, previously we visited the elven kingdom and due to a small mishap there we were invited to come visit the beast tribes", Alex explained.
Kayla snorted "Small mishap he says, that's like saying a city being sieged is a minor inconvenience".
"Oh ho sounds like a story do tell", grinned Burr.
Kayla explained the chain of events in the elven kingdom as Burr and his family listened with rapt attention.
"So let me get this straight Alex here saved the mix blood elves from mass exile averting what could have caused a bloody civil war, plus he is the official protector of the elven kingdom second only to the queen and is considered a hero to the people?". Burr couldn't get his head around what he was hearing, "You certainly don't do things by half measures do you, which brings up something I'm curious about with all your standing and achievements why aren't you a seeded contestant?".
Alex shrugged, "All I know is one or more elders got a bee in their bonnet about me competing, they wouldn't allow the king to give me a seeded entrance so here I am getting the prelims out of the way.
Burr pondered something and spoke to Kayla, you're Lady Melliandra's daughter if I guess right correct?". Kayla nodded in the affirmative curious as what that has to do with anything.
"It's a fairly well known fact that the elders aren't happy with the daughter of Lady Melliandra hooking up with a human, the other well known fact is the reason being one of the elders planned on you marrying his grandson who is about your age. We have barely been back in the city for a year and even we have even heard about it." Alexia spoke up.
Alex rolled his eyes at this little revelation, were the elders really that petty that one of them is making things difficult for him just because Kayla had chosen him instead of some guy she doesn't even know.
A voice resounded out from the other side of the platform, Alex I will officially duel you here to decide the right to Kayla's hand in marriage.