"There she is!"
Sally jumped on the ice princess the second she walked through the door.
"Ouch! C'mon girl. You know my skin's still sensitive!" Queen complained but I could see the slight smirk forming on her face.
"Aye, girl. That was a fine showing if I do say so my self. Gave me goosebumps, that power of yours," the general congratulated her with a pat on the back.
"Hmph! Not bad. For a kid," Clare mattered.
Everyone was pleased by how well she performed including me. I'm not sure even I would have survived against her without my trump card. And something tells me she was still holding back a few more surprises up her sleeves.
***
[Nice of you to show up, Bradley. You ready for this?]
[Please, I've got a cute girl to outdo over here. I think I'm more than ready for some elf]
[What kind of question is that? Obviously the 'Warlock king' ability. What else?]
[Go to hell you damned system! My first time using my new ability against a good opponent and you deny me my ability?! You know what? No.]
[I mean no, I don't have to follow squat of what you just said!]
[Positive]
***
<*New Mission acquired!*>
***
[What is thi–No!]
***
<*Fight your next match without using any of your abilities except enhancing your speed to win.*>
<*Reward: A new skill*>
<*Penalty: A skill is taken*>
***
[WHAT KIND OF BULLSHIT IS THIS!]
[I'm gonna kill you....I'm going to research a painful and gruesome way to kill this damned stupid system! Mark my words!]
***
'He's gonna regret making a fool out of me. Didn't I have an appointment with his god?' I smirked evilly as a brilliant scheme hatched in my brain.
"Oh my! Max, you good?"
A hand clasped my back to shake me out of my thoughts. Mr Ben stared worriedly at me. He wasn't the only one though, all of them looked worried.
"What? What's with those looks, guys?"
"Young man, you looked like someone just issued your death sentence, then suddenly, a creepy smile appeared on your face. All this when your opponent was just show on your screen," a hard voice answered. General Zard, everybody. Never misses any detail.
"Ah that, who I'm I fighting again?" I asked as I laughed nervously while rubbing my head. Can't tell them I was talking to myself now can I?
"You didn't see, or were you too blinded with fear to see?" Queen chuckled.
She's gotten awfully cocky after her match. I would really love to put her in her place but unfortunately, without my spells, I'm basically a walking target.
"Mandrax, you are fighting a prince, one of the representatives' son. Be careful. I hear they've all been specially trained for such match ups while everyone else attended highschool before camp. Also, this particular prince came out on top in both academics and battle prowess so he's no small deal," Mrs Kelly adviced.
"Yeah, well. He's never been trained to fight against me,"
"That's the spirit! Give him hell for me," the general smacked me to the door.
"Ow! OK, ok, jeez!"
I walked out the door and made my way to the arena while having a little more chat with Bradley.
***
[So, other than improving my speed, Can I use the–]
[Or the–]
[What about the–]
[Let me finish goddammit!]
[Then what if I'm in critical danger? Then what?]
[great]
***
Hope I don't have to resort to that. I really don't like that curse the system has. Take a skill from me if I make the slightest mess up and use my ability?! That's no easy penalty.
On to a serious fact, was the arena always this big?!
The corridor I was walking in just now looked like one of the largest tunnels I've ever been in. And boy was it dark. Is that how everyone felt when the walked into the arena?
"*psst!* Yo, lad? Get over here!" a harsh whisper muttered as it interrupted me from my thoughts.
"Wha–who?"
"Don't ask too many questions! Just get over," the raspy voice repeated.
Besides my better judgement, I chose to listen to what the unknown person had to say.
"Who are you?"
The dude came out of the shadows in a black hood covering his face. "Not important."
"Um... I think it is! For all I know, you could be one of the elves!"
"I've got little time to say this, but listen well. Drop out of this fight,"
"Hard pass, my dude. That's not possible. Wait... Were you the one who scared Harold off?"
"The smarter of the both of you, obviously. He sensed something was off about his fight so when I warned him, it was just the push he needed. Question is, will you follow his lead, or will you walk to your death?"
"Hmm... Interesting question. But look at it from my perspective. If there is something wrong with the fight against my opponent, wouldn't it be more unwise to allow him to join the elites and ruin the mission given to them?"
"Don't worry about that. I'll have it sorted out. The most important thing here is your life!"
"Sorry, 'guy'. I have to do this. And this conversation of ours just gave me more reason to win. But just answer me this, why do you care so much about my life? As far as I know, not a lot of people do so."
The mystery guy took of his hood. I found myself staring back at the battler of the castle. "I don't need a reason to care about a warrior of the king, do I? You've been warned!"
He disappeared back into the shadows before I could talk.
What was that all about? But I'll take his warning to heart. Onwards to battle!
My eyes were suddenly attacked by bright lights as I finally arrived at the entrance. Sounds of distant chatter and cheers could be heard as everyone knew this would be the final match.
"They way I see it, this one's definitely for the elves," someone said from audience.
"Don't count your chicks before they hatch, I tell you!"someone else joined in.
"The boy's just a rookie! I give him five minutes at best!"
"My money's on the prince!"
How comforting. No, I can feel the love from all the way over here. Nice to know my odds–wait why can I hear all of them clearly?! Is... is this how they others felt.
"INTRODUCING! HE'S BEEN THROUGH HELL AND BACK! TRAINED FROM BIRTH TO THIS DAY. A WORRIOR TO SOME, A PRINCE TO ALL! PRINCE CHARLES VON HELFIER!"
He get's his own INTRO?!
Thunderous cheers echoed throughout the entire arena as the emerald door opened and a royal looking elf entered the arena with a bright smile. Some representative in the background proclaimed her love to the prince the second he was in full view.
What is there to say about him but that he looked just like you guessed it, an elfen prince. He was tall for his age, which I'm guessing is around mine, at six foot. He had a fitting but firm armor on him, his face glowing in the noon sun as his blond hair fluttered in the wind.
He's golden eyes were too busy looking at the ladies where he didn't even acknowledge my existence. He must have a lot of confidence in himself. This the last guy that was called in by the Elf King? Kind of pathetic but fair in its own right.
"AND TO THE LEFT, I'VE HEARD HE FACED A DEMON HORDE AND ANNIHILATED EVERYONE OF THEM, PROBABLY THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE ADAMANTIUM WARRIORS... MAAAANDRAX RAAANNDOFFF!!!"
The crowd went dead. Like so dead, you could hear a pin drop. A distant cough echoed from somewhere. I heard a few claps here and there that I probably didn't deserve.
"Don't have any supporters, do you?" Charles smirked as he finally stared at me.
"Please, I'm not here for the favourite warrior cliche type of crap going around. I've come here to win, elf,"
"Sure you have. It's good to have dreams, no matter how unattainable they are,"
He got a few chuckles for that.
"Really? That's what's gets you lot going? Ah... Forget it. Just start the match,"
"Yes, let's," the Beast king spoke up. He turned his head side to side around the arena, then sighed in relief. "Quickly call in another ref! Before–"
"I'M BAAAACK!" the one and only ref showed himself.
The Beast king wasted no time and placed his hands on his eyes. "Kevin, I want to open my eyes and find you in your normal referee clothes. I'm hoping for that. "
He peaked from his left eye. "No no no, please no! KEVIN! IS THIS A JOKE TO YOU?!"
Rounds of laughter echoed around the arena as everyone including me laughed at the outrageous get up he had on. The ref this time wore a large brown teddy bear suit that covered up his entire body. He wobbled up towards us looking more and more unsteady as he walked.
"Don't be fooled everyone. Below this fluffy and bundle of cuteness lies one of the most powerful armors created at my expense. Coming in with a heat and cold resistance too,"
When he mentioned cold, he threw a stink eye at the warriors observatory room. I'm very sure I saw a small shadow duck back into the darkness.
"You know what? I'm.... going to be ok with this. Just go to your happy place Jason... "the beast king muttered but he faded into the noise.
"Come over kids," the ref beckoned at us both. He grabbed both me and Charles by the shoulder and pulled us closer once we were within his range.
"Ya'll know the rules, right? Now make my work easier and more importantly keep my life as top of both your priorities. We clear?"
We both nodded.
"HEY! Don't listen to that intern! Fight to your fullest, but don't kill each other!" King Jason yelled from the background.
The ref scoffed and distanced himself from the both of us. Charles stared down at me with this superiority look on him that rubbed on me the wrong way.
"You've got no chance, Furrha," he spat.
"Who said so?"
"Like a half elf would ever match up to me. I've learned to accept other types of half elfs, but by far you are the worst kind in existence. Who ever wants a dirty mutt to taint the elven blood!"
"You've got a smart mouth on you, don't you? Too bad, I'm not so easily angered," I smiled up at him and turned my back to go to my position.
***
[Who I'm I kidding?! That tree humper just called my blood tainted! Don't get angered easily my Foot!]
[You know what, leave them! I'm gonna crush this jerk all on my own!]
***
"ALL CONTESTANTS READY?"
I nodded my head then put myself in fighting position. Charles stayed the same as I left him.
"THEN FIGHT!"
I wasted no time and used the my power to enhance my speed.
Man, isn't this guy slow! He couldn't even see it coming, so I delivered a clean kick right to his back the second I got behind him. I had no idea what my strength was, but to my shock, it was just enough to throw Charles a few metres of the ground.
Gasps from every Charles supporter could be heard, abd I was one of them too. The prince himself struggled to rise from that one attack. His mouth looked full of something. He angrily spat a good amount of dirt and stared hatefully at me.
"That look suits you. A little dirt here and there never hurt anyone," I mocked him. Veins bulged from his head and I could immediately tell he was easily riled up.
"What did you do?"
"Family secret," I winked at him.
***
[Um.... Bradley? What did I do?]
[So what you are saying is that I got super strength without even trying?!]
[I was also able to use the same speed as the time I had lightning abilities! This is so cool!]
[Oh, this is going to be fun!]