In the coliseum, everyone was astounded when Yogurna the Harpy disappeared right before their eyes after her bright purple heptagram appeared enchanting the spell.
"Caw ha ha ha!" whispered the Demon, laughing as she dissolved out of nowhere.
"S-she's making the same move she did in the previous match!" whispered Cyn'Thia.
"Tché... luckily we told Jorael." Sulth'krag commented.
"I dun think it would have been a problem for him anyway..." Kimora pointed out.
Silence ensued throughout the coliseum, as one of the contenders disappeared while the other remained motionless without moving a single muscle. Jorael with his eyes closed focused on increasing his perception of hearing through his ears and thought:
'She is flying...
I hear her wings flapping in front of me high in the sky.
Now she has stopped gaining altitude.
...
This time I'm going to need this rusty sword.'
He drew his sword and stopped, while the audience began to murmur because they thought something was going to happen soon. Jorael still with his eyes closed thought:
'She is there holding her altitude... is she trying to create tension and stress on me?
...
There she is... she swooping down!'
All the audience was staring at was the only visible Champion on the ring, when suddenly he swung his sword for seemingly no reason, but sparks appeared from the sword, and noises of metal collision echoed across the arena.
As the crowd did not fully understand what had happened, Yogurna reappeared in front of her enemy and shouted angrily:
"How could you parry my spear?!"
"You are perhaps invisible, but not yet inaudible." Jorael said as the audience started cheering for him realizing what had happened.
"Caw... You're a surprisingly resourceful fake Goblin.
However, this will not save you from my fury!" Yogurna screamed as she charged flying at full speed with her spear aimed straight at Jorael.
The Harpy began to attack furiously with her weapon trying to skewer the Goblin Champion, while he nimbly dodged her blows by backing in a circle into the ring.
"Caw... dodging and parrying is all you can do!?" Yogurna exclaimed as she continued her dangerous attacks.
"I wonder how long you will be able to keep up with these energy-consuming attacks..." Jorael whispered.
"CAW! Shut up!" the Harpy screamed furiously.
As the fight went into a deadly dance spinning around the ring, the Queen whispered to her daughter:
"It looks like he's not only skilled with Magic but also very agile. Not to mention that fantastic save at the start of the match..."
"I understand mother... he has completely captivated you." Drahnemys replied.
"I haven't been so excited about a game in a long, long time." Shaneh smiled back.
"A-a sincere smile?!
The last time I saw you like this was... "the Princess commented, recalling a distant past.
"It seems the match is changing..." the Queen said as she watched the match closely.
"CAW..." Yogurna yelled as she flew back away from her enemy to breathe and regain some stamina.
"I told you..." Jorael commented pointing his rusty sword at her.
Meanwhile in the stands of the Goblins, Kimora, as usual, was too involved in the fight and screamed at the top of her voice:
"GOOO JORAEEEL!
KILL DAT CHICKENNN!!!"
"Shh!
Kimora! Don't encourage him to be reckless!
Also, we have to keep a low profile, don't scream like that!" Cyn'Thia was whispering as she tried to bring the woman back to her seat as Bromur and the Goblins laughed as they watched the whole scene.
Back in the ring, Jorael was stalling and waiting for her opponent to make the next move. After she caught her breath, she said:
"Caw... are you so afraid you won't attack me?!
I take advantage of it then...
I summon Thee strength, of Her who awakened us, Silence go!"
Yogurna enchanted with Arcane Magic the spell to deprive the opponent of the voice.
'No, this is a spell I cannot afford to be hit...' Jorael thought as the purple heptagram formed and the spell was cast towards him.
A few seconds passed as the Harpy continued to pour her Magic into the spell, unfortunately for her, to no avail.
Suddenly, she fell on her knees to the ground panting heavily, and said in confusion:
"Huff... huff...
How can it be?!
Why is your Magic Resistance so high!?
I would have almost run out of power if I hadn't stopped!"
When those words were said, the Queen gasped and smiled even more pleasantly than before as she watched her fight with her daughter.
Yogurna rose quickly and placed herself in the same attack stance as before, ready to attack with her spear. She whispered:
"Caw ... I have to win.
I need a chance ... "
Then, she launched into the attack, while Jorael was ready waiting to dodge or parry her blows. However, at the last second, the Harpy threw her spear forcefully aiming at his chest.
Jorael quickly avoided the spear but in doing so created an opening because her enemy hadn't stopped her flight, but she instead flew directly towards him and she grabbed him with her bird-like feet on his shoulder lifting him off the ground.
"Caw ah ah ah!
I'll lift you to the sky and then I'll drop you! "Yogurna said laughing as she gained altitude.
"Sigh... it's so stupid." Jorael whispered as the audience cheered loudly.
"Caw... huh?" she murmured in confusion.
"I summon Thee strength, of Her who awakened us, Firebolt go!" he enchanted using Arcane Magic.
"W-wh... are you craz..." Yogurna was screaming but the fireball had already been thrown at her, even though she immediately let him go when she heard the spell.
The fireball exploded abruptly when it touched the Harpy, collaterally hitting Jorael who was sent flying by the blast in the direction of the ring.
As he fell from about twenty mels high, the crowd was silently shocked by what they were seeing.
'I will not be able to stop without hurting myself...' thought Jorael, then immediately enchanted:
"I summon Thee strength, of Her who awakened us, Hydro go!"
The huge ball of water appeared just above the floor of the ring to the amazement of the crowd who saw Jorael plummet and sink into the water, and immediately afterward the unconscious Harpy.
After a few seconds, the ball broke up, wetting the entire ring, where Jorael was finally visible holding unconscious Yogurna in his arms.
The audience in the stands and on the bleachers went into a frenzy, ardently chanting:
"Jorael, the Krypster-slayer!"
The Princess did not hesitate to delay in decreeing the winner of the match by saying:
"...a-and the winner is Jorael, the Krypster-slayer!"
As the coliseum was enveloped in screams of excitement, the winner raised his head to look at the Queen's booth, but unexpectedly she was not there to celebrate the victory.
"Jorael goes to the third round!
You can go, and while you're at it, take the Harpy away if that's not a problem for you..." Drahnemys said as the audience laughed.
The winner left the stage amidst a shower of applause, carrying the loser of the match in his arms. After descending into the underground, he went straight to the infirmary, where the healers were waiting to try to cure the loser. But there was none of this because upon entering the room Jorael Sixth Sense warned him that something was wrong.
And there he saw her.
Queen Shaneh of the Demon Kingdom was right there alone, patiently waiting for him to enter the room, in all her charming beauty with a white and purple dress that greatly enhanced her more than generous body shapes.
"Ara ara, the first Goblin I've ever laid eyes on capable of enchanting the Hydro spell.
Who could have imagined that a member of such a proud clan would have learned another spell..." Shaneh spoke in a very provocative tone.
Jorael, who at first was a little frightened and surprised by her stunning and unexpected presence, tried to remain calm and laid the wounded Harpy on a bed. Then he bowed his head and politely said:
"Why ... it is an honor to meet the Queen here, may I ask why and also where are the healers?"
"Oh... I gave them a break.
I must confirm my hypothesis.
But tell me about yourself, Jorael the Krypster-slayer..." the Queen said as she came dangerously close to him, causing various alarms to go off in Jorael's head as he replied:
"Tchè... Goblin fights and wins the tournament.
Makes Goblins proud."
"Sigh... Don't disappoint me with this fake Goblin speech.
Please tell me...
What. you. want." Shaneh whispered very provocatively as she nonchalantly pressed her body onto Jorael.
"W-what!?
P-please my Queen, don't tease me like this...
To be completely honest, I just want to talk to you." Jorael revealed the truth as he pulled back a little.
"Ara ara... now I felt something sincere.
This time you didn't let me down, but to talk to me you have to deserve it." she whispered again teasing him as she winked and approached him again.
"But... we're talking now.
Please, I would like to ask…" Jorael was saying before the Queen silenced him by putting a finger on his mouth and she said:
"Sh sh sh...
As I've explained to everyone, you'll have to win every game unless you want the poor Goblin leader's head cut off his body. "
"I don't understand, but it's ok..." he replied.
Shaneh then walked over to the door to leave the infirmary and said with her back turned showing her fluffy white nine tails completely hiding her body:
"You don't have to convince me, but the others...
Remember that rumors are spreading about how an Orc survived burns that healers said were fatal.
If you have any tricks to come up with to cure that Harpy, do it now, before the healers return from their hiatus.
It's refreshing to see someone care so much about opposing clans after so long...
I talked too much.
Win, and you can talk to me."
The door closed as the Queen left the room, leaving Jorael alone with his thoughts:
'What the fuck just happened?!
How much do you know!?
Did Borkan spill the beans?
No… I do not think so.
Besides, I had no intention of curing the Harpy.
I did it for the Orc because I needed him alive...
Do she… want me to do it?'
Amid his thoughts and worries, he wasted no time and cast a healing spell, regenerating the burned tissue and wounds of the Demon who lay unconscious on the bed.
Still full of thoughts, he left the infirmary to join the others and the Goblins. Without even realizing it, he arrived at the reserved Goblin booth.
"Jo, are you okay?!" Cyn'Thia asked seeing that he was behaving strangely.
"...I just met the Queen." Jorael whispered.
"WHAT!?" Bromur cried in surprise.
"Tchah ah ah ah!
I told you made a good impression..." Sulth'krag commented.
"Are we safe?" asked the worried Elf.
"It seems so.
She is quite... weird I would say.
It seems that she already knows a lot, yet she is fine with it." he replied.
"What did she say?!
Was it like seeing a goddess up close!? "the Dwarf asked excitedly.
"She definitely has a certain charming presence ...
... and she told me to win.
So that Sulth'krag can live and I can talk to her again." Jorael explained.
"I do not understand…
Did the Orc chief snitch?" Cyn'Thia asked.
"No, I don't think so.
My Mother's blood would have mattered more...
At least I believe this." Jorael replied.
"Tché... then you know what to do." Sulth'krag stated as Kimora approached them and said:
"Ahhhh Goblin Champion... Ya are goin' to fight such a big dude next game.
By the way, I was watchin' the match after yours, did I miss something?"
…
Meanwhile, on the Queen's balcony, she had returned to her seat, smiling as she hadn't been for a long time.
"What have you been up to mother?" Drahnemys asked a little worried.
"I had to go to the bathroom." Shaneh responded by lying.
"There is no way.
What have you done? "The Princess asked.
"I gave someone a little encouragement; I hope he will show his full powers ...
Although I don't know what they are. "The Queen replied.
"Who?! Jorael?!
How come?" Drahnemys asked as her mother smiled at first, then said seriously:
"Because we need it."
...
At the end of the day, Jorael, his companions, and the Goblins returned to the inn. Walking the streets had become really difficult as his name was widely known throughout the city, and hordes of Demons flocked to the newly acclaimed finalist who wowed the coliseum.
When the group finally managed to enter the inn, they quickly realized that, like the day before, the Cyclopes were celebrating another victory for their Champion. But this time the atmosphere was different.
"Jorael! The Krypster-slayer!
We were waiting for you and your clan to return!" Polyanthus, the Champion of the Cyclopes unexpectedly exclaimed acting amicably.
"Uhm... yes?" Jorael whispered a little surprised.
"Come here with us to celebrate our victories!
Pah pah pah!" The Cyclops invited, beckoning them to sit at their table.
"Are you sure?..." Jorael asked doubtfully.
"Come on! All your friends are welcome to eat and drink too!" Polyanthus insisted.
"Ah ah ah! Goblin brothers let's go eat and toast for the two Champions!" Bromur yelled as he and the Goblins began to climb into the large chairs.
"...okay." Jorael whispered still full of doubts.
"I'll keep my eyes on Bromur and Kimora, to avoid trouble..." Cyn'Thia whispered in Jorael's ear as she followed the others.
Jorael also found a place next to Polyanthus, and the Cyclops immediately began to toast:
"Tonight, we celebrate our two glorious victories!
I'm sorry if we seemed a little rude yesterday, but after your match today, we understand that you are a Demon to be respected.
You taught those damn Harpies a lesson...
Pah pah pah!"
"Did you follow my match?" Jorael asked.
"All Cyclopes have watched your game closely!
And we're so glad you won against that ugly chicken!" Polyanthus replied.
"Maybe... do you have a problem with the Harpies clan?" inquired Jorael curiously.
"Obviously! We can't stand them!
Whenever we fight, they fly away and try to blind our one eye.
We can never win against them!" The Cyclops explained pissed off.
"Oh... interesting..." Jorael commented.
"Take this!
Your clan drinks and eats at my expense tonight.
Drink! Polyanthus said offering him a mug of alcohol.
When Jorael took the mug, he heard Bromur shouting from across the table:
"Ah ah ah! This is so good!"
"So... are your friends also fake Goblins like you?" the Cyclops asked.
"Is it that apparent?" Jorael asked.
"They are too tall, but that's not the problem.
If they scream like that it will be easy to say that they are Demons of another clan…" Polyanthus explained.
"Eh eh, you got us..." Jorael said.
"I don't care. You defeated the chicken, so it's okay.
Hey, Philantus!
Another round!" The Cyclops yelled, gesturing for more drinks.
No answer was given by the innkeeper who was planted with his face on the ground. Kiran reached for the empty mugs and said:
"I'll do it... Phil is off duty."
"This got me thinking...
Philantus is from your clan, what happened to him?
Why is he always drunk?" Jorael asked out of the blue to talk about this and that.
Polyanthus did not answer immediately, he approached Jorael and said:
"He doesn't like this story being spread.
It's an old story, from 40 years ago. "
"Oh, sorry if I was insensitive on my part..." Jorael said apologizing.
"No, it's okay. Think of this as a gift for your action today, because he too would have enjoyed it.
Come closer…" Polyanthus whispered making sure to stay close to him because no one else should have heard the story. When Jorael approached, the Cyclops began to tell the story:
"40 years ago, he and his family were slaves in the Human Empire.
This was right before the Battle of the Witch.
When the Red Night fell, all the Demons in the Empire signed their sentence.
After the insurrection occurred, the Human's retaliation was merciless and brutal. They took it out on all the slave Demons, small or large, male or female, children or old.
Philantus's wife and daughter were brutally killed and their corpses displayed on the Wall as beasts for slaughter, like the rest of the Demons who have been captured in madness.
Philantus survived and managed to escape from the Empire. He does not forgive himself for what happened that night and even after, because when he was present at the Battle of the Witch, he escaped the terror of the Witch and the Empire for the second time.
Nowadays... he's drunk most of the time."
Since Jorael was almost speechless from Philantus's story, he was reflecting deeply on what he had heard and in order not to raise questions from the Cyclops, he just commented:
"...the Witch known as the Storm Witch, right?"
"Of course..." Polyanthus replied, sipping from his mug. Then he added:
"I wasn't there because 40 years ago I wasn't born yet, but I know hordes of Demons have been wiped out by that Witch.
The few who fled like Philanthus, well, are scarred. Some of the scars are visible in many, but in others like him not so much because the wound is in his mind. "
Jorael nodded silently as he checked the others, noting that Cyn'Thia was gesturing to leave because Bromur, Kimora, and the Goblins were tipsy and soon out of control.
"Thanks for the unexpected invitation, but we have to go because as you can see, we can't take Phil's alcohol for long ..." Jorael said standing up ready to go.
"Pah pah pah!
Philanthus alcohol is too good, huh?
You're leaving us so early, and we haven't even talked about your tomorrow's match." Polyanthus exclaimed.
"What are you referring to?" Jorael asked confused as he was dragging some drunk Goblins away.
The Cyclops took a long sip from his mug and after drinking he sighed deeply. Then, he slowly explained what he meant:
"It seems that Atremis is no longer supporting you, because I believe your luck is out.
Tomorrow you will face one of the favorite champions: Thrarn the Bone-crusher.
It was nice meeting you Jorael, the Krypster-slayer, but tomorrow…
you will die."