"Why the long face?"
"Why don't YOU have one?"
Ota wobbled over, still holding her dueling weapon with a massive grin. Her fight lasted five rounds, each lasting almost ten minutes.
Both Ota and her opponent could barely stand by the end of it, completely exhausted and drenched in sweat.
Despite getting unlucky with her weapon choice and losing her duel, she seemed more enthusiastic for some reason.
Unlike E ranks lightwood basic weapons, C used a mixture of hardwood and blunted metal weapons, making them far more unwieldy than their normally created counterparts.
I wouldn't be surprised if they weighed over twice of what they should.
"Because I lost fair and square. Same goes with the guy you beat, higher rank in a lower bracket. Stop beating yourself up over it"
"I fractured his ankle! Why shouldn't I worry about it.... I..."
She grabbed my shoulders and shake me side to side.
"Come on! Snap out of it! It's not that serious! Man... You really don't deal with this stuff well..."
"..."
Even though I didn't know what to say, seeing people hurt, even if just a little, by my own hands, felt wrong.
"List... *sigh* Torse... He's the kind of guy who'd help an old lady get in a carriage, then punch anyone who talks shit if he has a few drinks. People take advantage of him, but he ain't a saint, got it?"
"But, he seems like a nice guy"
"Nice guy, yeah, good joke. What happens when a lightweight gets drunk and wants to relieve some stress?"
"I don't know... a lot of things, right"
"Nope, it's always the same. People become more emotional"
"So?"
"If I tell you, you have to promise me not to get mad, ok?"
"Sure?"
"PROM-ISE ME"
She made sure that I looked directly into her eyes, with her arms still on my shoulders.
What's she so worried about?
"I promise not to get mad, ok?"
I spoke nonchalantly. This whole conversation seemed silly to me. What I felt cam from my heart, just as killing the Overlord was my duty. Hurting someone weaker, rather than protecting, made me feel like I was twisting a knife into my own gut.
It was wrong.
Ota sat down next to me, leaning against her dueling halberd.
"Good. Alright... How do I say this? About, I guess a year ago? I kinda partied up with him. We did a few jobs together, joined some other people, did the usual thing- At the end of Rise we had our own little party, through Gale we grew a little bit closer and by Scorch we were drinking buddies"
So she had a party before all this?
"What happened?"
"It was after a pretty normal job, around the middle of Tranquill, we killed a few Rock-Wyrm's that popped up in the quarry. Then... we uh... decided to celebrate in the nearby tavern, you know, Merrah's place. I think it was called the 'Tuckered Traveller'? I don't know..."
As her eyes filled with joy, they quickly turned to regret, recalling what happened next.
"We got a bit drunk, and Torse said some things and grabbed me. I... I twisted his arm and slammed his head on the bar's counter, just out of instincts, you know? He and the other guys, even our priest, didn't approve. I didn't know what to say, but one of em tried to fight too..."
"Wait, then, no, in Tranquill? So like-"
"I ended up starting a brawl, got these in it-"
She lifted up her padded gambeson jacket to show some scars under her ribs and one on her right arm. The wounds were noticeably worse, as if she had directly avoided getting them treated properly, instead choosing to have them cauterized.
"Probably the only cuts I wish I didn't get... In the end, we trashed another table and got a soldier involved. He broke up our fight pretty fast, knocked me out in the process. Stathon then took me to that shitty fort. You know the rest.."
"I'm... sorry to hear that"
"Stop. Don't feel sorry for something that's not your fault! I told you, the last thing I want is your damn pity"
Her voice grew more coarse as she spoke. I accidently made things worse.
Maybe she wanted me to be angry instead? I don't get this sort of thing...
Scrambling to find a way to switch the topic, eyes wandered over to her weapon.
"So... uh-"
This is awkward
"*Sigh* I- What's with the Halberd"
"Oh. Well... It might have gotten a bit damaged, could you take a look at it?"
"Yeah sure..."
She relentingly handed it over to me.
I got the feeling she might be interested in using the weapon itself, but was conflicted somehow. Ota often defaulted to one handed weapons and shields, but I think what Skaalbran said to her made think about trying others, and she liked this.
The Halberds design was the most versatile weapon on the battlefield, and thanks to specific enchants and materials, could even redirect magic attacks if the wielder had enough skill. Not to mention its advantage with reach and far more parts to use in different situations than people often realized.
Every guard trains with one, and because of that, I did as well back in Tyrants Rest.
However, the crude Halberd I was looking over was more than rough. It reminded me of the time Rider got me to create a dagger before she let me work with her.
Wait, was that another test of will too? Argh, no wonder she didn't care how shit it was
Looking over at the rack holding other used weapons, it seemed to be a recurring pattern.
"Did an apprentice make this? It's not even Leet, it's Nori. I mean, these rivets are loose, the hardwood is way too thick, like, what is this?"
"Can you fix it?"
"I guess, wait why?"
"Um, to practice, you know?"
Huh… Well it's not the weapon I would of assumed she would be interested in
"I'll show you how to use one later, a proper one, not this, alright?"
"You know how to use that?"
"Yeah, I learned the most about Halberds, it's pretty complicated. I don't mind telling you showing you though"
"I would like that"
Is she blushing?
"Touji, right? Hope I'm not interrupting something here, heh"
Ota freaked out at the strange man's sudden arrival.
A mature Nyx wearing a blue overcoat approached us from the nearby exit tunnel. He wore a pair of fancy enchanted glasses, tinted like a yellow, purple and red sunset, held up by his nose.
He clearly had a rough life, missing bits and pieces of his body. Part of an ear and his right arm were all what could tell at a glance.
Something felt ominous about him.
"How'd you do it!"
"I'm not sure what you mean Miss Oni. Young man, your match will start soon, I'll be judging"
Wait, why are they adjusting the ring size?
"Are the rules changing or something?"
"Now, why do you think I'm here?"
"I don't know? I thought we only needed referees?"
"All questions and no answers. Seems like your Sister was right"
"You know Aris- uh, Arisu?"
I tripped over my own words when trying to pronounce her name instead of the nickname I chose.
"I did. She's grown close to my old disciple. That match against Torse was no accident, it was the best they could do on short notice, plus the receptionists wanted him punished"
What the hell is going on over in that guild...
"I'm not the only one pulling the strings behind this so called casual event, best prepare now. The Magus wanted me to pass along a message; 'A light breeze can stir the peak of any tree, and its saplings can dig just as deep, do not hold back'. Better figure it out quickly, shows about to start"
With that he wandered off before I could press him on the matter.
"What was that about?"
Ota was just as confused as me.
It was a warning, an urgent one. If he couldn't be direct it's because someone else might be listening in.
Through the chatter going around the tent I caught the grumbling of distant thunder.
I figured the adjustment to the center ring was for all the finals. When Old man and Adelard spoke up with an announcement, Enda's message came together real quick.
"Ladies and Gentleman, some of the contestants have mysteriously dropped out-"
"Mysterious? Yeah right, something fishy is going on"
The crowd was not happy, some even started tossing food and rubbish into the ring.
Acting as if he knew exactly what was going to happen, the Nyx pulled out a wand, redirecting everything thrown back into a bin. His mastery over such an advanced spell made a mockery of the upset audience.
"Hmm, what's this? It seems we have a surprise guest who will be stepping into the ring for the Grand Final"
"Argh, how do you even call this a Grand Final, all the build up is gone! We just skipped the coolest part!"
So someone paid off the other contestants? Why? What's the point if you don't earn it? Well, there isn't much of a prize to begin with, but still...
"Hmmm, One of this tournaments sponsors, Lord Holgata, would like to offer everyone free ale and food for this last match"
Lord Holgata? Bullshit
"Hear that folks, free booze!"
The crowd's attitude shifted quickly to the news.
What pissed me off wasn't the peace offering, it was who was making it.
Lord Holgata was the Lord of Tyrant's Rest, a man I had grown to despise.