Sael continued to run in a large circle around Silver Dawn. If he slowed down even a little the chains would start to restrain him and the blades would come flying in. If he tried to get closer the walls would appear to block him. Plus he still couldn't see thanks to whatever that first attack had been. Several times he summoned and tossed his spear but each time something intercepted his attack. 'Great, I'm a pure melee being kited by a debuffing ranged attacker. This sucks. Shouldn't they be running out of stored spells, where is my opening?' He tried tossing his spear before dashing in from a slightly different angle. There was the loud thum sound of his spear striking something solid and another wall rose up blocking him forcing him to turn aside.
In the stands the crowd watched the odd fight but was starting to get bored with nothing new happening. For several minutes they'd watched the Twilight King running in a circle while Silver Dawn stood in place sending out blade attacks any time he slowed down. It was far from the most exciting of fights and more than one person was starting to yell out for something to happen.
"You should just give up. There is no way to beat me now. You lost the moment you let me set the battlefield. Consider this a free lesson. I will charge for future ones though!" Dawn chuckled feeling relaxed. So far everything had gone just as he and his sister had planned. The Twilight King was powerful but so far hadn't used any real tactics. He expected any time now he would use the same powerful ability he'd used to beat Granite Fist but they had a plan for that as well.
'Damn it. I can try mountain breaker but since I can't see with the range on my combat awareness he can probably dodge it easily enough. I guess I only have one last trump card left.' Sael leaned forward and kicked it into overdrive throwing up sand like the wake of a ship as he circled. Dawn watched him and grinned as he saw his opponent start to speed up.
'Any second he will launch up like before. The moment you do, you are mine!' Dawn and the rest of the arena watched closely sensing something was about to happen. With an explosion of sand the Twilight King disappeared. Everyone looked up expecting another of his aerial divebombs. The moment he disappeared Dawn canceled all his existing spells except the blind and activated his last stored spell. Silver rose up like a pillar next to him before umbrellaing out into a narrow pointy shape. Spikes and blades formed on the outside of the umbrella before it started spinning until it became a blur. 'Blinded with his range he won't be able to dodge when he comes down in time. I'm not as sure as my sister that you will survive though. But that is…'
His thoughts were interrupted by a fist colliding with his face, his trump card Silver Sentinel absorbed most of the blow as the force was dissipated in the form of ripples across the coating of liquid silver illusioned to match his skin. Still, he went tumbling away to bounce across the sand like a penny on a speaker as his magical protection tried to throw off the kinetic force it had absorbed. Sael was honestly shocked no walls had blocked his attempt, by activating Hasten he'd hoped to out run them but nothing had happened when he tried to close in. He gave the strange umbrella a moment's thought before dashing towards Silver Dawn lying prone in the sand.
Dawn never saw him close in just as he hadn't seen his previous attack but he felt the blow to his gut, even as his silvery protection reflected most of the force applied; it was still greater than it could handle. Sael looked down at his right arm that he'd just slammed into the mages gut with enough power behind it, he was sure it would have ended the fight. Instead, his fist and arm had shattered under the reflected blow but it quickly healed. Yet, he'd been rewarded with a grunt of pain from his enemy. 'Well, I can't stop now. This is my only chance!'
Unleashing everything he started to pummel the prone mage with all his might. Around them the sand rose up in waves as Silver Dawn's magical shielding tried it's best to dissipate the force it couldn't completely reflect. As effective as the Silver Sentinel spell was, the minor amount of energy that wasn't dissipated or reflected from each blow began to add up. Dawn was a mage not a warrior and like most mages hadn't honed their body nearly as much as their mind. Soon enough blood spurted out from his mouth as his inner organ just couldn't handle the kinetic energy being hammered into them.
"I Yield!" Dawn gasped out only moments before Sael's Hasten expired. When his vision returned he stood up as the mage rolled over in the fetal position groaning. White robed mages were already rushing over and Sael noticed the arena looked a mess. There was no crater this time, instead there was a smooth hard packed sand with a ring of loose sand piled up in an almost perfect circle around them. As if someone had swept the sand away from them in all directions at the same time. As the white robed mages took his opponent away Sael gave half hearted waves to the crowds.
"Well that was a shitey fight. I might be leagues ahead of them physically but man I've got no tactics or skill. None of these last few wins have felt good. Am I really that simple?" Slowly he made his way out of the arena.
**********
"Well brother should I tell you all the things you did wrong?" A tall dark skinned girl with a prismatic silver right eye asked Silver Dawn who was sprawled out in a cot.
"Ugh, leave me be Avi my insides feel like jelly." He rolled over and curled up on the cot sulking.
"Now Aarun, don't tell me you are going to sulk after that horrible performance. Had the Twilight King been out for blood you'd be dead already. You are lucky he seems soft."
Aarun sat up to sit cross legged on the cot. "Soft! He's a monster. I thought we'd seen everything he had. Where were your brilliant plans for that last bit. I'm still not sure if he possesses a stealth ability or a teleportation one!"
"Neither. What you witnessed was him moving faster than your mind could process. You really should stop relying on your sister for all your strategies too." Sele entered the infirmary making Aarun hop up despite still feeling bruised all over.
"Grandmother!" Both twins exclaimed in unison.
"Sit down boy before you fall over." Sele's normal stern visage softened and a rare smile spread across her face.
Both siblings sat down obediently on the cot waiting to see why their always busy grandmother had come to see them. "Well, what did you think Aarun?"
"I got overconfident in my abilities and allowed him to trick me." Aarun expected his grandmother was there to lecture him on his loss.
"True. But what I meant was what did you think of the Twilight King? How was it to face him in battle?"
Each sibling glanced at the other, out of habit they were sitting so there silver eyes were on the same side as the other. "Avi is correct. I let my guard down and made too many mistakes. I shouldn't have dropped my defensive spells when he disappeared. It would have been better to have maintained them while summoning my counter to that aerial attack of his. I also focused too much on my plan and expected everything to fall into place. As you constantly remind us, no plan survives true battle."
Sele let out a long sigh. "I'm glad you understand your mistakes. Do try and learn from them. But you misunderstand my question again. What did you think of the Twilight King?"
Aarun wasn't sure what his grandmother wanted but tried to answer. "His physical abilities are beyond human. My chains couldn't hold him and yet he used no abilities to break them. His spear nearly pierce my aegis yet from what I can tell he used no skills when throwing it, it was just raw power. I inflicted enough wounds with my Moon Blades to kill a giant yet he remained unphased. If what we witnessed at the end was truly just physical speed then he is a monster amongst monsters, practically a mortal god. We are just lucky he lacks the ability to use magic or I doubt even you would be a match for him, grandmother."
Aarun had stated his honest belief, his sister was right, had the Twilight King been out for blood he would be dead right now. No matter how frustrated he'd gotten, Aarun had never sensed murderous intent. Still, telling his grandmother one of the greatest war mages to ever live some nobody could be not only be her match but her better was something he expected her to get upset about.
Instead to both twin's shock their grandmother grinned. "Then what would you think if I told you he possesses magical powers on par with his physical abilities?"
"That is impossible!" Both twins answered at once before glancing at each other.
"If that was true grandmother then he'd be… I don't know what. On par with a top demon lord or one of the great kings? How could such a being be… well so low level? He is just level five right?" Avi asked, wondering if somehow the Twilight King was cheating.
"He is level five. I ensured it myself. But the level system is something the Arrived brought over and isn't perfect. Still, you are right." She addressed Aarun. "The Twilight King has met with and been friendly with most of those he has faced. Please see to it that you make your way to see him. I'd love an excuse to meet him as well."
Aarun nodded while Sele turned to look at her granddaughter, her face once again becoming serious. "Now you be careful of your next fight. Unlike the Twilight King the duke's bas… son will not hesitate to kill. I have faith in you my dear but your life is worth more than winning some tournament. Do not hesitate to forfeit if the need arises."
"Grandmother! I'll never forfeit to someone like him, he…" Her grandmother cut her off.
"I Will have your word that you will not risk your life in this tourney or I will withdraw you myself. I don't want to lose one of my precious grandchildren anymore than I want to have to start a war when I wipe out the duke's entire line." Sele's face and tone left no room for argument.
"Yes grandmother." Avi's tone was far from enthusiastic but Sele's knew she would keep her word.
"Good. Now tell me your plan to humiliate that little runt. I would love to see you against the Twilight King." She smiled and scooted her grandchildren apart to sit with them.
*********
Sael sat with a scowl on his face glaring at the empty arena in thought. He'd returned to his group to their admiration and jubilance but his sour mood had dampened it almost instantly.
"Shall I wiggle around for you, my king?" Nee asked from his lap with the hint of a smirk. All she got was a grunt in response.
Beth punched him in the arm, interrupting her work to repair his armor. "Stop being rude she is just trying to cheer you up, jerk."
Ara looked around as if trying to find something to cheer him up with before just giving him a peck on the cheek and a smile. "Why are you so down? You won! You're going to the finals tomorrow."
Sael sighed grumbling that they were making him stop his moping. "I'm angry because I feel stupid. I muscle headed my way through those fights. I had no plans or strategies going into it. Sure I could have used Mountain Breaker but I'd probably have killed someone other than that block head Granite Fist. Even the Amazon who was supposed to be as big of a muscle head as me had way more strategy than I ever did."
"Perhaps you should invest in some magical spells? I bet I could arrange something if you like." Everyone glanced up to find the Silver Dawn towering over them with his hands in the opposite sleeves of his robe looking properly mystical.
Sael started to stand up but had to sit back down to keep from dumping Nee out of his lap. 'Damn it girl, this is getting annoying!' Mentally he cursed as he plopped back down knowing even then he'd never complain out loud. "Er sorry for not standing. I'm being held against my will as you can see." He stuck out his hand out to the mage as Nee looked completely comfortable and satisfied where she was. "That was a great fight, Silver Dawn! I'm still shocked I won."
"Please call me Aarun." He took Sael's hand. "Do you mind if I join you? My sister's fight is next and you have the best seats." After Sael enthusiastically accepted he moved to sit between Peter and Dego.
"Call me Sael. The red head is Ara, this permanent growth on my lap is Nee, the one staring off into the distance and conducting the invisible orchestra is Beth. This is Dego and the one sniffing you is Peter… Sorry." Sael nodded to each in turn and gave a half shrug at Peter sniffing the mage.
"No worries many of those I grew up with come from the Fae realms. Although I've not seen both the summer and winter court together before. Are they perhaps benefactors of yours? Are the courts supporting you?" Aarun was curious if this man's strange abilities might have come from the Fae courts.
"Um… Something like that." Sael figured it would be best not to spread his status around.
"He's our husband!" Ara injected to which Nee confirmed making Sael want to face palm but just smile awkwardly at the mage instead.
"But… They are fairy princesses are they not?" Aarun looked confused.
"How can you tell?" Sael was worried their secret wasn't so secret.
"Part of my studies involved researching the other noble lines. I recognized them from some of my books. But if you were their…" Aarun's eyebrows went up as something dawned on him. "Well that explains some of it." Aarun's mind was spinning. 'Does Grandmother know?'
Before they could continue their conversation the moderators began introducing the next set of fighters. Entering first was the Godslayer who was once again wearing his fancy armor and wielding his massive bone sword, but with one change. He no longer carried a helmet but instead had a crown of braided platinum fitted with several large gems. Once again he greeted the crowd who responded with lukewarm enthusiasm even from those who were betting on him. When he spotted Sael he gave him a fierce glare that prompted Ara to stick out her tongue and Beth to give him the finger.
When his opponent entered the arena it was nearly a carbon copy of Aarun though with the opposite eye being the strange prismatic silver color. Her loose robes hid her figure enough and with her hair cut short that one could have easily mistaken her for a man. But unlike her brother her staff wasn't a crescent moon shape at the top but a wire framed sphere where a much larger globe of quicksilver floated inside. The moment the moderator said start the Godslayer swung his already crystalized sword downward in an overhead cleave. While the mage raised her staff overhead crying out Silver Sunset.