Two hours passed, and more than half of the participants had been eliminated. Plasma beasts were grouped in to grades, from grade one to nine, with nine being the most powerful. Participant's plasma beasts were chosen according to their strength, so the stronger you are, the higher the grade of your plasma beast. The coordinator approached the podium to announce the next match.
"Princess Keziah Lutigel, please approach the 6th dome"
The arena was filled with numerous domes which allowed various battles to take place. Plasma barriers, created by experts, enveloped the domes to prevent the battle from affecting the audience. Keziah rose from where she was seated and walked towards the arena. As soon as she stepped into the sixth dome, the plasma barriers were erected.
"Let the match begin"
The ground below Keziah began to shift and creak. The ground split in two to reveal the beast Keziah was to face. The audience gasped and began to murmur. 'Are they trying to kill our princess?' 'How can she face that?' 'But I heard she's really strong' 'What did you expect, her sister is a bloodlord after all'. All these thoughts were voiced out by the people watching the fight.
Keziah stared at the beast that growled and snickered at her. The beast was a rhino type wolf with bones that protruded out of its spine. It claws were razor sharp, and it was about ten times the size of a human.
Keziah smirked. This was a fifth grade beast. Under normal circumstances, people her age should only be able to handle a third grade beast. The difference in power for different grades was so large. The plasma beast charged at her with great power. Even though it was so huge, it's speed was not affected in anyway by its size.
Keziah just stood there, watching the beast. There was an uproar amongst the crowd. Everyone was wondering what she was trying to prove, if she didn't dodge she would die. Rain watched the battle intently. Keziah wasn't stupid, so, he knew if she didn't make a move, there was probably a reason. The plasma beast crossed the dome and was about knock itself into Keziah. Her eyes flashed. She immediately threw a hand out and caught the beast by its horn, stopping it in its tracks. She flipped the beast, crashed into the ground and pierced straight through its thick skin to grab it's core. The crowd gasped. They couldn't believe she killed a plasma beast without plasma force. Rain watched as Keziah removed the core with a bloody hand from the beast. Unlike what the crowd thought, Rain knew Keziah used plasma force. Since the skin of plasma beasts were thicker than armor, there was the need to apply plasma force to various weapons to fight them. Applying plasma force directly to one's hand to use as a weapon was almost impossible. Using weapons had a higher rate of success, since weapons themselves were forged from the core of plasma beasts. Only the truly talented could kill a plasma beast directly with their hand.
Keziah walked from the arena towards her seat. She didn't know why the spectators were so impressed. She had been killing plasma beasts with her hand for as long as she could remember. She always assumed everyone could do it.
Rain watched the next few matches. Various nobles came to display their strength. Rain was particularly intrigued by two people. A noble named, Sonia Ramsey. He knew her from a party he had attended with Cassandra. She had defeated a fourth grade plasma beast with one strike. And then there was Lucas, one of the commoners who participated in the tournament. Actually, Rain didn't even know how he defeated the fourth grade plasma beast. When his plasma beast was released, he stomped his foot on the ground and destroyed his dome. By the time the smoke cleared, the beast was incinerated. Rain had really underestimated the humans.
By noon, all the participants had finished their battle except for Rain. The coordinator stepped forward.
"The first round has been completed. There was a total of three hundred and forty seven deaths and two hundred passe-"
"Wait"
The crowd turned in Rain's direction.
"I haven't had my match yet"
"Mr. D'Rudolf, with all due respect, we don't have any first grade beast for you to fight"
The crowd snickered and laughed. 'What does he plan to do up there?' 'I heard he barely has any plasma force' 'Isn't he the one who was taken in by the bloodlord?'. The crowd whispered amongst themselves. Rain walked towards the coordinator.
"Just give me what you have"
"If you were to die Princess Cassandra wou-"
The coordinator stopped talking. The look in Rain's eyes sent a shiver down his spine.
"Fine. Don't say I did not warn you"
The coordinator pointed towards a dome.
"Enter that arena"
Rain entered the arena. He turned to look at the coordinator who had a sinister look on his face. He sighed and shook his head. Cassandra sat with her father looking down from the VIP area at Rain. Even though Rain was being mistreated, there was nothing she could do. Rain had to face these things alone.
Rain's sword was attached perfectly to his back. He drew his sword, waiting for the beast to reveal itself. The ground parted way for the plasma beast to be released. Rain threw his sword to the ground when he saw the plasma beast. He was shocked. It was a grade six giant lizard beast. This was a high grade beast. There was no doubt about it. This was planned by the elders to get rid of him. He knew the elders hated him and wanted him dead, but he didn't expect this.
Rain grinned. He was shocked because he expected the elders to make him fight a grade eight or even nine plasma beast, that's why he drew his blade. What could a grade six beast be able to do to him, he didn't even need his sword for the fight.
. . . .
Two figures in dark robes observed the battle about to take place. Another figure approached them.
"Has everything thing been set?"
"Yes. Master"
"Good. Everything is in place. We are the light of Delaric"