Jax'in was woken up by some very insistent shaking from Vera. She was wearing her silver and purple shirt along with a pair of gray silk pants. Before he even opened his eyes he heard her melodic voice.
"Jax'in, you need to get ready."
"Huh, what?"
"Hehe, c'mon and get up already." she said, throwing the covers back.
"I want to know what you got~" she pleaded jumping on the bed next to him
"Alright I'm getting up." Jax'in chuckled, opening his eyes as he sat up.
*Pting*
-User has learned new Spell (Hell Bolt)-
-Hell Bolt: Rank 1, Cost 12 Mana (User fires a bolt of black flames that coat the target, dealing 100% Intelligence in damage over 10 seconds)-
"Sooo, what did you learn." Vera insisted.
"Hell Bolt."
"Really?! You learned Hell Bolt?" she cried in response
"Yeah, it's at Rank 1, but wow..."
"It's a high level Initiate ranked fire spell."
Jax'in began checking his gear one last time as he prepared for the fight ahead.
"How many times can you cast it?"
Vera asked her question as he slipped inside of his chainmail, only for him to give her his reply after buckling his sword to his waist.
"Maybe a dozen times."
*KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK*
They both looked up and eyed the door before speaking in unison.
"Enter."
No sooner had they spoken, than a timid looking butler walk in.
"G-good m-morning, Your M-majesties."
"Please, relax and speak freely." Jax'in calmed the butler
"As you wish My Lord... Crown Prince Vearus wanted you to take this."
The butler pulled a letter out of his blazer before presenting it to Jax'in. As Jax'in took the letter from the him, the butler promptly turned and walked out the door without a single word more.
"Huh, is there a chance that he would be calling the Challenge off?" Jax'in said while holding the letter above his head.
"No, It's probably just a letter filled with insults if his recent behavior is any indication." she huffed
Jax'in merely shrugged as he opened the letter. The contents of which detailed the order he would make Jax'in follow.
"To the whoreson Jax'in Gail'Toren.
My order is as follows, you must leave the Mana Oasis by sundown today, and should you ever find your way back, offer your neck so I may remove your head from your shoulders.
Signed and Sealed, Crown Prince Vearus Heftus Nekaria"
Jax'in and Vera developed two completely opposite emotions from Vearus's letter. While Jax'in was the picture of lethal calm, Vera. Was. Not.
"That overconfident, conceited, pompous bastard!" she screeched.
Vera had become so incensed at her brothers brazenness, that she threw her saber across her room, smashing the mirror on her dresser.
It took quite a bit of honeyed words and smooth gestures to finally calm her down.
"I want you to knock him off the fucking arena!" she snarled with heaving shoulders.
"I will do my best to win, my fluffy tailed beauty."
At first Jax'ins words didn't register in Vera's mind. Then, with a deep blush took to her cheeks as she curled her tail around his wrist once again.
"We should get moving." she mewled happily.
She dragged him out of the room with her tail. Guiding him through the halls until the roaring din of a crowd could be heard in the distance.
"They're really looking forward to this, aren't they..." Jax'in remarked nervously.
"Of course. The last challenge to take place happened nearly a century ago." Vera smiled.
As they approached the large stone doors leading to the arena just outside, Vera and Jax'in came face to face with Vearus. He made quite the imposing figure.
He wore steel plated chainmail with half plated leg guards. And leaning against the stone wall next to him was a steel claymore that was as long as he was tall.
"I don't expect this fight to take long." Vearus sneered "So have this city beyond your sight before sundown."
"We'll see." Jax'in stated.
The calm confidence in which he made this statement did nothing but cause Vearus to let out a low growl. And so they stood there, waiting for the doors open and let them onto the stage.
"Are you both ready?" King Ysna's booming voice came from just beyond the doors.
"Yes."
"Yes."
As soon as Jax'in had answered his question the doors began there slow outward swing. Jax'in and Vearus began walking the moment the doors opened enough for the both of them to walk out onto the arena.
The roaring din became infinitely louder as they walked out onto the stage. The roaring of the crowd, impossibly enough, got louder as Vearus raised he sword in salute to bystanders.
"Challengers. Enter the stage." boomed a voice from the stage.
Jax'in and Vearus glared at one another one last time before climbing the stairs onto the ring.
"My name is Instructor Naiji, I will be referring this battle."
"The rules are as follows. First, the only items allow are the ones you have brought with you. Acknowledged?"
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Second, if either of you step outside the ring you lose, if you verbally concede you will be escorted off the ring. Acknowledged?"
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Finally, any and all skills may be used, and if you are to lose your life on this stage you hereby acknowledge that no repercussions will fall on the other for your own stupidity?"
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Then fighters, move to the designated areas."
"Draw swords" the Instructor boomed as they both entered the marked areas, presenting their weapons in a ready stance.
"Begin!"
-Sprint and Windwalk activated-
-User agility increased to 130-
To most of the spectators eyes, Jax'in suddenly disappeared. Only to reappear behind Vearus in the same instant, cleaving in a powerful downward strike aimed at Vearus's head.
*CLANG*
To everyone's surprise, Vearus had moved his blade in the nick of time. Neatly parrying Jax'ins strike, grabbing him by the wrist and hurling him towards the edge of the arena.
Vearus raised his weapon thinking he had just won with that move. But the crowd was absolutely silent, and it unnerved him. He quickly spun on his heels, eyes half shut and weapon raised to block any incoming strike.
To his bewilderment, no strike came. He quickly looked up to see Jax'in, sword planted firmly in the stone of the arena, holding himself aloft.
The moment he lowered himself back down, feet firmly inside the arena, the crowd went ballistic. None of them had ever seen something like that done before. And Jax'in now knew exactly where his advantage lay.
*CLANG*
-Sprint increased to Rank 4, Cost 2 Spirit/15sec (Increases user Agility by 80% while active)-
-Windwalk increased to Rank 2, Cost 2 Mana/15sec (User creates a gust of wind behind himself, boosting Agility by Users Intelligence)-
-User agility increased to 140-
*CL-CLANG CLING CLANG*
Right there on the stage, in front of thousands of spectators, the people of Nekaria witnessed the true birth of a monster.
-Moon Cleaver increased to Rank 2, Cost: 7 Spirit, 5 Mana (User enhances their weapon with Lunar energy, enhancing the blades damage by Intelligence + Strength x 40%)-
The only time most of the spectators would see Jax'in during the fight would in small flashes. The speed at which he struck Vearus left the crowd nearly speechless.
One moment he would appear to the side of Vearus leaving a silver streak in the wake of his blade. The next he would be sliding on the stone, digging his blade deep into the stone with a grin plastered on his face.
However, what the crowd couldn't see, was that for every strike they saw him parry, or block, three more chipped away his armor. He had been put into the defensive. And there was no opening for him to turn the tables.
Jax'in wasn't just fast in Vearus's eyes. The strength he held in each swing was maddening to him. Vearus had assumed that fighting Jax'in would be like any other sparring match he had experienced.
That's when it happened. Vearus saw the silver flash again. Moving with every last ounce of agility he could muster, he brought his blade up in a desperate block. Hoping that this last attack would give him the insight he needed to win.
*CLA-PING*
In that last swing Jax'in had put every ounce of his remaining Spirit and Mana. Cleaving through Vearus's own weapon, and leaving his pointed directly at Vearus's neck.
"..."
"I... I concede..." Vearus stammered.
Silence.
Complete Silence.
"The victor..." Instructor Naiji's voice finally broke the silence "The victor is Jax'in Gail'Toren, King of the Moon Elves!"