"OLIVER YOU SHINSTER HE IS THE PRINCE OF HARPANIA, THIS IS A FELONY."
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, my bad," I laughed awkwardly while avoiding eye contact. At least I'll get the reward I thought to myself.
Right?
10 minutes later...
Sorry what.
All of a sudden I was shoved onto the floor and forced to kneel in front of the queen. My hands were held back by two guards that towered over me. The colossal throne room that seemed to have no roof had statues of the 9 different races every couple of meters; along with paintings on the wall possibly representing history of the Harpies. Dozens of what seemed to be important Harpies were lined up on the side leading up to where the queen sat in the middle of the room.
A battered and beaten Ovis was hunched over on his throne, as he shot an angering gaze towards me. The Queen's presence was enough to almost force you to kneel as she looked at me with confusion. Her wings were significantly larger than any other harpy I've seen with a beautiful blue glow coming off her feathers. The queen had short light blue hair to match her wings and her pale white skin paired with her aquamarine eyes was mystifying, she also carried a beautiful marble like sword at her side.
"Human, you are here sitting under the Queen of Harpania for harming a member of the celestial family, what do you say?"
"Ummmmmmmmmm," I continued to look dumbfounded as dozens of harpies prepared spells and pointed swords at me with the intention to kill.
I slowly and carefully turned my head to the right to face Avem. She showed me a face of disgust and discontent. I had to choose my words carefully, I can use this situation to my advantage, as long as I make my way out of this with my life.
"Greetings your majesty? Yes, I may have punched a member of the celestial family, but I had not known this fact before approaching him. I had simply seen him abusing this fine harpy next to me and proceeded to protect her as any man should." Did I really do something wrong, your majesty?
Instantly the room fell into a silent shock, there was whispering and the guards who prepared their magic yielded and the spear men retracted. The queen smirked as she looked at me with a keen interest.
She then let out a sympathetic smile towards Avem, but Avem jerked her head to the side in anger. Her sympathetic demeanour instantly changed to one of anger.
"Is this true Ovis," she said in a dominating yet soothing voice," did you really harm your sister the way the human tells us you did."
"OF COURSE NOT MOTHER I WOULDN'T DARE DO SUCH A THING," Ovis yelled in desperation and panic," HOW COULD YOU BELIEVE THIS HUMAN OVER ME, THE PRINCE OF HARPANIA. AND WHAT DOES IT MATTER IF I HARM MY SISTER SHE IS JUST A PATHETIC GRACE."
"OVIS, don't speak of your sister in such a manner," her voice echoed around the room as Ovis instantly cowered in fear and did as he was told.
"Human, since you are new to this kingdom and you have taken care of my daughter, I shall give you a chance to save yourself from punishment, because though you have protected my daughter, you still harmed a member of the celestial family."
"I shall offer you a duel, if you win the duel, you will be offered your freedom as well as some reward. If you lose the duel, you will be exiled out of the kingdom and will not be able to receive quests related to our kingdom. Do you accept."
"I accept," I said without hesitation. Considering my "battle" with Ovis, this duel would probably be very easy. It also seems as though that there is a questing system in this world, and the queen implied that there are different quests for each kingdom. I couldn't help but smile.
"Ovis, as you are too injured to battle, I shall have you choose a warrior to take your place in this duel."
"Gladly mother," Ovis suddenly looked better and walked away with arrogance to find his warrior.
As Ovis left the room, Avem and I were pulled by the guards away towards the arena we would be fighting in. When we entered the preparation room, Avem whispered to me.
"Psssst, Oliver, listen to me.
*smack*
"HEY," I loudly whispered in annoyance as she smacked me on the back of my head.
You made a huge mistake, Ovis is weak, and I mean very weak. Though the harpies are considered a weak race compared to the others that doesn't mean we aren't strong. Don't underestimate us. And don't forget mother is a Celestial being, if you do anything to upset or unimpress her...
"What is a celestial being," I asked with immense curiosity cutting her off in the middle of her serious speech.
"DO YOU EVER LISTEN TO OUR LESSONS," she whispered loudly.
"YOU NEVER TOL-
"Human," the same guard approached me, "it's time for your duel." He said as he let out a smile with ill-intent.
He lead me out to the arena. As I was walking towards the arena I could hear cheering in Harpian. I noticed when I walked into the arena that no harpy attending the event was sitting, but they were perched on a round wooden platform. The ground below was clear, thats when I realised that the entire Kingdom of Harpania was in the sky. The thought of being in a flowing city excited me to an extreme, but it also made me nervous looking down to what seemed to be an endless abyss.
I stood in the middle of the arena looking around, seeing Harpies of all different colours looking at me either in excitement or resentment. An announcer took the stage and suddenly I heard him whispering to himself.
"Re sey waomr afney lafwas of onmafro, O onreyn seyey o sneyadey af WAOMR FOMMEYL."
In that instant a some sort of funnel made of wind appeared in between both of his hands, almost as if he was holding a tornado. He then spoke into the funnel and his voice boomed around the stadium.
*In Harpanian*
"WELCOMMMMEEEEEE, MY FELLOW HARPANIANS. ARE YOU EXCITED?!"
"YEAHHHHHHHHHHHH," hundreds of harpies perched on the stands cheered with all their hearts.
"NEXT TO ME STANDS THE HUMAN THAT DARED STAND UP AGAINST THE CELESTIAL FAMILY, THIS HUMAN HAS ALSO GOTTEN THE ATTENTION OF OUR ONE AND ONLY CELESTIAL QUEEN, QUEEN SIREN."
As the announcer exclaimed his speech, Queen Siren flew from the top of arena, as she flew down everyone in the arena admired her for her beauty as she elegantly glided to her seat reserved for her. She then looked at Oliver and smiled as she did before.
"NOW, MAY I PRESENT TO YOU THE OUR BEST HONOUR STUDENT FROM OUR SIREN'S ACADEMY OF WIND , PULLI."
The crowd went wild hearing the name of the harpy that would fight in Ovis's place.
OLIVER'S PERSPECTIVE
As the announcer finished the door on the other side of the arena opened. A blinding light was emitted from the door that was opened. I squinted my eyes as I got used to the light and when I saw who came out of the door I was utterly shocked.
When I saw who I was fighting I couldn't believe it, is this fair?
A small almost child like harpy appeared in front of me. Their short snow-white hair blew in the wing as did their feathers white as snow with eyes more gold than gold. In my head I thought that this battle would be easy, there is no way I am going to lose to this kid. I mean look at him. I am almost a meter taller than him. I also have mana punch which from my experience seems to be a what we gamers like to call a "busted ability."
I knew I had this in the bag.
"So you are the human that the queen is so interested in," he said to me filled with curiosity, but no sense of arrogance.
"You look interesting for a human I must say, I've never seen one like you," Pulli said this with a quite condescending tone which annoyed Oliver.
"Hmm yeah, well you are quite interesting looking yourself you pipsqueak, there is no way I am losing to you."
"Mhm," he said as he closed his eyes and put his hands behind his back waiting for the duel to start.
"ARE YOU READY," the announcer made sure to say in english so Oliver knew when to start.
"STARTTTTTTTTT."
[Mana punch, 100 mana]
Right as the announcer said start I lunged towards Pulli as fast as possible using my right hand to imbue the magic of mana punch. My fist inched closer to him, as I smiled. This was my victory.