After another long day of school, Honey finally finished her homework and plopped down on her bed. It was the first time this week that she had had a real break.
Between sparring, school, and other studies, Honey had barely found a moment to herself. The high point of her week had been sparring with her mother, but that had been a few days ago. How had time passed so quickly?
'If I didn't know mom was busy, I could ask for a rematch just now. Though I don't think my body could take the abuse.' Honey sighed.
Really, she was mentally exhausted and physically sore. There was only one thing to do when her body and mind wanted to take a vacation.
Pulling out her communicator, the teen lay down and held it over her head. It was time to watch something.
The girl flipped through the tournament highlights of the day before.
The individual competition was drawing to a close. The enormous pool of competitors had already been narrowed down to the final eighteen. Many had fought hard and lost harder.
'Too bad Mongrel didn't join the tournament this year.'
Like many others, Honey had secretly hoped the enigmatic duelist would make a surprise reveal after entering under another name. But as the battles progressed, it was clear that none of the contestants could match Mongrel's battle prowess.
Much speculation had resulted from his absence, overshadowing some pretty spectacular performances. Honey scrolled idly through the comments.
"I don't see how they can choose a winner. They should all forfeit and name Mongrel the winner. He isn't even there, and he could still beat them!"
"He is like no other in our generation. I don't blame him for not bothering to humiliate everyone again."
"Lord Mongrel is my hero. So wise and brave. I got his name tattooed on my arm so I can remember to act just like him."
"I still say he cheated. No way he beat Queen Bee in a fair fight. He probably left the Dreamscape out of shame."
"Yeah, keep taking your Copeium, or whatever helps you sleep at night."
"I think that after Morgan took his heart in the Dreamscape, he fell in love with her for real. Have you seen the rumor that they are secretly married? Morgan and Mongrel for life!"
"I'd unironically watch a movie about that."
"You all can have Mongrel. Queen Bee forever! While you continue whining, I'm going to go watch her and Fireshing obliterate the competition in the semi-finals."
A small notification in the corner of the screen caught Honey's attention. The semi-finals were beginning...right now. Honey clicked on the link.
'Hm, don't mind if I do!'
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"Welcome to all of you just now tuning in. We've been having quite a bit of fun over here in the Dreamscape," Syclus laughed. "I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed hearing the views of our seasoned veteran, Dimi, on all things duel-related, but now it is time to get down to business."
"Indeed, except for those notable duelists like Cinav and Starxeras, our individual competition has been lacking much spice. The group competition, on the other hand, has been on fire! We are down to our final four teams: Dawnbreak, The Librarians, Gilded Glory and The Blazing Bees." Dimi nodded.
"I find it interesting that all four of the final teams have less than the seven maximum combatants. Dawnbreak has the most with four competitors and both The Librarians and The Blazing Bees have only two. How do you account for this?" Syclus tapped his chin.
Dimi leaned back with a contemplative gaze. "Ah yes, that is quite interesting. I think it comes down to cohesion. It is easier to know two or three others intimately, studying their battle style and knowing their strengths and weaknesses. The larger the group is, the harder it can be to present a unified front. Strength in numbers might hold true in a war, but in this tournament it has been the opposite. Today we will see if being small but mighty will continue to reign victorious."
"While I am looking forward to seeing Dawnbreak and the Librarians go head-to-head later this evening, this battle right here is shaping up to be the most epic we have had yet in the competition. What do you think of our competitors?" Syclus looked at his papers. "The statistics on both teams are unbelievable!"
"I agree. Queen Bee has always been a favorite of mine. She seems to have chosen very well with her young counterpart Fireshing. I was a little worried about Miss Fireshing burning Bee, but we saw in the last battle that the Queen seems to have found a charm to combat the flames. While the noble Queen Bee has all the skills for close range combat, the red-haired wonder can keep trouble at arm's length. They really do compliment each other. With that winning combination, it is no wonder that they are undefeated. Ah, and here they come!"
As Dimi spoke, the two powerful ladies manifested in the arena. On the other side, three more competitors shimmered into existence.
Syclus leaned forward in excitement. "And they are joined by Gilded Glory. This shining group is led by none other than GoldieRider. The woman is a phenom in the Dreamscape. Most men and women lose their heads around her...literally. That is thanks to her razor sharp blades and even sharper wit."
"I was shocked when Goldie told me over coffee that she wanted to form a group," Dimi said, pursing his lips. "But meeting the Queen in battle has been one of her goals, and this was her way to do it. I am so glad it worked out for her."
"And what a team Goldie chose! Sharkey's Aspect has proved particularly useful for this type of arena. Water manipulation? I mean, come on! The man's value cannot be underestimated. Fireshing will have to be careful if she doesn't want to end up all wet!" Feeling suddenly thirsty, Syclus took a sip from his cup. The words 'Eat at Kbot's Diner' were clearly pointed toward the camera.
"Let's talk about the elephant in the room for a second: the third member of the group who goes by the name Lost. With the other two being such overwhelming powerhouses, Lost has been able to sit back and avoid too much confrontation. It has everyone wondering what ace the man has up his sleeve." Dimi wiggled his eyebrows, teasing the viewers with a knowing grin.
Syclus nodded, "I hope we will find out here today. I think the challengers are just about ready. Any final thoughts before the carnage begins?"
The veteran of the Dreamscape smiled broadly. "I wish both teams well. The key in this battle for Gilded Glory is to strike fast and decisively. The longer the fighting draws out, the more the Blazing Bees will be able to put their skills and ingenuity into action. Those ladies learn quick. Glory will have to give it all they've got if they hope to come out on top!"
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"Sweetheart?"
Honey dropped the communicator onto her face, startled. She had been so immersed in the commentary that she hadn't even heard the knock.
"Yes?"
"What are you doing?" Fort peeked in the door.
"Nothing," the girl looked at her father curiously. "Why?"
"I thought I heard some male voices." His eyes narrowed.
Honey gasped. "Dad, you know I would never!"
Her father's face broke into a wide grin. "I'm just kidding. We have the semi-finals on in the living room. Wanna come watch?"
Honey popped up from the bed. "Count me in!"