The three clad in worn hooded cloaks, now seated, Ellie, as hyper as ever, sat beside Lilinette, as Lilinette sat in the middle of the two. Kane clutched at his hood, trying to conceal his face.
"Now, let's it begiiiiiiiin" the commentator's voice echoed.
Yahoo!! Yeah!! Yay!! Wahoo! Yoo hoo!!
The spectator's cheers filled the air.
In a moment, flocks of angry bulls sprang from the cell they were locked in beneath the stands, The bulls towered above the height of an average bull, with bulging muscles, and glowing gems can be seen embedded into some areas of their body, the more the gem glow, the angrier they become.
"I thought they had stopped the mutation of animals, what the hell is happening here" Kane mused.
"Poor things, that glowing gem is a common type artifact, it can mutate animals, making them gruesome and more aggressive" Lilinette replied.
"I guess we can't do anything suspicious here, our hands are tied, and we wouldn't want to risk our exposure" he grumbled
"Interesting, that man is big! his aura is like boof!!" Ellie exclaimed cheerfully, not paying any attention to the captains' discussion, munch! crunch!! eating at her chips, her eyes glittering in excitement.
The bulls bear down on the huge man with incredible speed, dust spewing in their wake, there was a crash, for a moment the only thing visible was a fog of dust, but then the view became clearer by the minute.
The huge man was the only figure standing, every one of the bulls was lying down, their body bruised, the glowing gems broken.
"Wow!! Thalric defeated the ten mutated bulls bare handeeeeedlyyyyy..." shouted the commentator.
Yahoo!! Yeah!! Yay!! Wahoo! Yoo hoo!!
Another round of cheers from the spectators.
"But who will face this man today, I wanna risk and earn cool money"
A voice of a middle-aged man among the spectators muttered.
"You are right, the odd placed on Thalric to win is too small, but that's to be expected, even with the reward of ten thousand gold coins, no one is bold enough to face Thalric, I think we should forget betting, and enjoy the fight" his friend replied.
Three fat figures entered the colosseum, endowed with the Royal robe of minister, each with a Royal guard clad in armor and armed with a spear.
"Our special guests of honor have arrived, they made this event possible, let's stand and welcome them in respect" the commentator announced as the three ministers were ushered to a place prepared for them.
The spectators stood and shouted cheerfully.
Minister Finn!! Minister Agramon!! Minister Vekgrim!! Your Lordship!!
Cries of admiration feel the Colosseum.
After a while, they settled down.
"His Lordship, Minister Finn said is there anyone willing to face Thalric?"
The commentator asked the spectators, his voice echoing Among the surface of the colosseum walls as the noisy crowd's voices subsided.
"Anyone?" He asked again.
"So the ministers are behind this event? Tsk!, Those corrupt pigs" Whispered Kane to Lilinette's ear, covering his mouth to avoid being heard.
Too close, too c-close... Lilinette thought
Her face blushed as she clutched tightly at her hood.
"Ellie wants to challenge" shouted happily Ellie, almost on the verge of jumping from her seat, but her mouth was covered by Kane's hand as Lilinette dragged her back at the same time.
"You—?" The commentator asked pointing at Ellie.
"No no no, she didn't say so" Kane cut in, grimacing amateurishly.
"Phew! That was close" he whispered, brushing off some beads of sweat from his furrow.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! You want to get us killed?" He asked Ellie furiously.
"Are you scared Captain?" Ellie replied teasingly with a mischievous smile, she grinned at Kane.
"Tsk! That is not the issue here" he retorted poutingly.
"Two of you, be quiet, we can be overheard"
Scolded Lilinette.
"The Ministers said they will triple the reward, that will be thirty thousand gold coins, thirtyyyyyy... Incredible!!" The commentator exclaimed, indicating with his fingers, his body moving in an advertising manner.
There was frequent murmur among the spectators, but no one was bold enough to risk their life.
"No matter how you look at it, there is a catch in this, I wonder what the minister is planning?, It seems as though they are trying to find someone whose strength rivals that of Thalric" he mused
...anyway, time up let's leave, we have training by noon in the barracks, remember?"
"Aw, Ellie wishes to challenge, but it can't be helped right? Captain?" She pouted
"Yes, no way around it, let's get our ass off here" he concluded.
"We will branched to the ice cream store on the way ok? Ellie dear" Lilinette said patting Ellie on her head.
"Aw, Ellie is happy, Lilinette's face is as cute as ever under the ragged cloak" she replied grinningly.
"You don't have to add that rag part, do you?" She retorted, looking embarrassed.
The three took their leave clutching at their hood as they made their way out of the Colosseum.
***
"Kai! Come and have a drink" With a bowl of water in his hand, Xerves beckoned to his tiger cub. The cub, with white fur, came out of the thatched hut in the jungle.
"But where the hell did this old man go"
He muttered, placing the bowl on the ground, Kai padded closer and began slurping the water. Xerves patted the cub's head affectionately as it drank.
If I remember right,during my last training session, he told me would be out for a while , tsk! That bald old man, anyway, I'm not lonely. He pouted looking at the sky.
In the great Juda jungle, a dense forest where Xerves lived with his master and tiger cub, mortals rarely ventured or no mortal has business there.
Bordering Shadowfell, the outskirts of Dragonicania, Xerves had battled countless demons there, honing his skills, thanks to these battles, he achieved the First State.
But demons rarely resurface there these days, instead, sightings of demons resurfacing from dimensional portals were being noted in the various outskirts of Dragonicania.
This left to reconnaissance Squad being stationed in various outskirts of Dragonicania, except until recently in Shadowfell, where a surge of molecular energy was detected, and no traces of the reconnaissance team were found there.
We are out of foodstuffs, gotta go earn some money and replenish, maybe I can earn by activating artifacts in the city, I will find some artifact activator to lend a hand in any adventure guild, he thought.
Xerves, a teenager having unusually immense molecular energy, could easily earn money if he registered with one of the city's adventure guilds, but he never wanted attention, that is just how he was.
"Kai, let's move. Off to the city!" he lifted Kai onto his shoulder.
"Hold tight so you don't get kinesia, I'm gonna use energy boost to speed off," He said, and then he sped away.
Reaching DragonCore, the bustling city closest to Shadowfell, Xerves slowed to a stroll, Kai trotting at his side. The vibrant streets were alive with people of all ages and backgrounds. Market stalls overflowed with exotic goods, the air filled with the mingled scents of spices and street food. Musicians played lively tunes, adding a festive atmosphere to the scene.
"Watch it, boy!" a gruff voice retorted ahead of him. Xerves had almost collided with a burly man carrying a heavy sack.
"Sorry..." Xerves mumbled, stepping aside.
"Tsk! What kind of teenager takes a stroll with a cub?" the man scoffed, glaring at Kai before turning away.
"Kai, come here," Xerves whispered, beckoning the cub closer. "I think you'll need to hide for a bit." He gently lifted the young tiger into the leather cross bag slung over his shoulder.
The cub settled inside, peeking out with curious eyes. Xerves scanned the bustling street, his gaze landing on a large building in the distance. It stood out with its impressive structure, rising up to six floors. A sign above the entrance read "DragonCore Adventure Guild."
"I think I'll try that," he murmured to himself, feeling a mixture of excitement and apprehension. He took a deep breath, straightened his cloak, and walked purposefully towards the guild.
As he approached the guild, he took in the details: the sturdy stone walls adorned with banners of past expeditions, the large wooden doors carved intricate designs of dragons. The sound of clashing swords and hearty laughter drifted from within.
Xerves stepped inside, immediately enveloped by the warmth and noise of the bustling guild hall. Adventurers of all kinds filled the room, from grizzled veterans sharing tales of past glories to eager novices scanning job boards for their next quest. The air buzzed with excitement and camaraderie.
He made his way to the front desk, where a stern-looking woman with sharp eyes and a quill in hand was busy jotting down notes.
"Excuse me," Xerves said, trying to sound confident. "I'm looking for a job."
The woman glanced up, her eyes narrowing slightly as she assessed him. "Newcomer, huh? Name?"
"Xerves," he replied, feeling Kai shift slightly in the bag.
"Xerves, eh?" she repeated, jotting it down. "What's your skill set?"
"I can activate artifacts," he said, hoping it would be enough.
Her eyes widened slightly, intrigued. "Interesting. We could use someone with your talents. Head to the second floor. You'll find the job listings there. Good luck."
"Thank you," Xerves said, nodding.
As he made his way up the stairs, he couldn't help but feel a thrill of anticipation. With Kai hidden safely at his side, he stepped into the bustling world of DragonCore's adventurers, ready to face whatever challenges awaited him.