Chapter 10: The First Tamer Tournament
Riven stood at the edge of the grand arena, his breath steadying as the roaring crowd filled the air with excitement. The vast, circular space stretched before him, an expanse of sand and dirt, surrounded by towering stone walls adorned with banners in bright reds, blues, and golds. The atmosphere was electric, charged with anticipation, and for a moment, Riven felt the weight of the expectations pressing down on him.
It was his first tournament.
His hands clenched around the straps of his leather gloves, the familiar weight of his weapons settled against his back. He was surrounded by competitors who exuded confidence, their faces hardened by experience. Riven couldn't help but feel a wave of doubt wash over him, his stomach tightening with nerves. These were not just simple tamers; they were seasoned fighters, some of whom had won countless tournaments and had earned their place among the city's elite. To them, this was another day, another competition. To him, it felt like the start of something much larger.
"You're ready," Eryk's voice cut through his thoughts, calm and reassuring. The older man stood beside him, his arms crossed, his eyes scanning the arena with practiced ease.
"I'm not sure about that," Riven muttered, glancing at the fierce competitors who lined the opposite side of the arena. Some of them already had their creatures by their sides—massive beasts that looked like they belonged to another world, their eyes glowing with a predatory hunger. Riven could feel the pressure building, the weight of his own self-doubt gnawing at him.
"You're better than you think," Eryk said with a knowing smile. "This is your chance to learn. Even if you don't win, you'll walk away with something valuable."
Riven nodded, swallowing his anxiety. He had to focus. This wasn't just about the win—it was about proving to himself that he could stand toe-to-toe with the best, even if he didn't have the same experience or powerful creatures at his disposal.
The horn blew, signaling the start of the tournament. The crowd erupted into cheers as the first set of matches began. Riven took a deep breath, his eyes following the movements of the fighters. The combatants seemed to move with such fluidity, as if they had been born for this kind of battle. The creatures they controlled were formidable—dragons, wyverns, and massive armored beasts that could crush a man with a single swipe of their claws.
Riven, on the other hand, had only his instincts and the small, but fiercely loyal, creature at his side. His tamer's bond wasn't like theirs. While they had years of training and experience, he was still learning, still growing. And he couldn't afford to waste this opportunity.
The announcer's voice boomed, bringing Riven's attention back to the present. "The next match is between Riven the Tamer and Thalia of the Thunderstrike Clan!"
Riven's heart skipped a beat. He looked across the arena to see his opponent—a young woman who stood with a poised confidence. She had long black hair tied into a high ponytail, and her eyes gleamed with a sharp, calculating intensity. Standing beside her was a creature unlike any Riven had seen before—a massive, jagged wolf with glowing blue eyes and sparks of electricity crackling around its body.
Riven felt a chill run down his spine. Her beast was unlike anything he had ever encountered. It was fast, vicious, and had an element of power that made Riven's creature seem almost insignificant by comparison. But there was no turning back now. He had to fight, even if the odds were stacked against him.
"Stay focused," Eryk's voice echoed in his mind as Riven stepped forward into the arena. "Remember what you've learned. It's not just about power. It's about connection."
Riven nodded, trying to block out the overwhelming noise of the crowd as he summoned his own creature. His familiar, a large wolf-like creature with silvery fur and a graceful, yet sturdy build, appeared beside him with a soft growl. The creature's eyes glowed with a gentle blue light, a stark contrast to Thalia's fierce wolf.
The match began with a loud horn blast, and immediately, Thalia's creature lunged forward, its muscles coiling with raw energy. The wolf's paws crackled with lightning as it bounded toward Riven's side of the arena. Riven's heart raced. He barely had time to react as the wolf dashed towards him with blinding speed.
"Focus, Riven," he muttered to himself, urging his creature to move. He raised his hand and called out to his wolf, directing it to jump to the side. His creature leaped with surprising agility, narrowly avoiding the crackling claws of Thalia's beast. The ground beneath them trembled from the force of the electric wolf's landing.
But Riven's wolf wasn't fast enough to dodge the next attack. Thalia's creature whipped around and shot a bolt of lightning directly at him. Riven's creature yelped in pain as the electric shock sent it stumbling back, its fur singed from the impact.
Riven gritted his teeth, feeling his pulse race as he tried to regain control. He couldn't let his creature fall now. He had to fight back.
"Use your surroundings," Eryk's voice rang in his ears. "Don't fight her head-on. Think smarter."
Riven's mind raced. He knew Eryk was right. This wasn't a contest of brute strength—it was a test of strategy. Thalia's wolf was powerful, but it was also predictable. The lightning strikes, the quick movements—they were all patterns he could exploit.
"Alright, let's try this," Riven muttered, shifting his stance. He raised his hand and called his creature to him, drawing it closer with an agile, flowing movement. Then, with a sharp command, he directed it to circle around the electric wolf. Riven's creature moved quickly, darting through the arena and using the natural terrain to its advantage, ducking behind pillars and leaping over low walls.
Thalia's wolf snarled, its blue eyes locked on Riven's creature, but it struggled to track the rapid movements. Riven smiled to himself, sensing the momentary frustration in the beast's attack patterns. His creature was quicker on its feet, more agile in this environment. He had an edge, even if it was small.
The electric wolf charged again, this time throwing its body forward in an attempt to trap Riven's creature in a corner. But Riven had anticipated this move. He signaled his wolf to leap upward, and it sailed high into the air, narrowly dodging the charge. With a swift twist of its body, it landed behind the electric wolf, catching it off-guard.
Riven saw the opening. With one final surge, he called his wolf to attack, directing it to strike at the electric wolf's legs, where its defenses were weaker. The blow landed with a resounding thud, and Thalia's creature yelped in pain, stumbling.
The crowd roared with approval, but Riven didn't have time to celebrate. Thalia's wolf was still dangerous, and it wasn't about to let him win so easily.
The electric wolf recovered quickly, but the damage was done. Thalia's creature was slower now, its movements sluggish, while Riven's wolf remained agile. The fight wasn't over, but Riven could see that his strategy was working. He just needed to hold on for a little longer.
In the end, it was not enough to secure a victory. With a final flash of lightning, Thalia's wolf landed a decisive blow, sending Riven's creature sprawling to the ground. But as Riven called his creature back to his side, he didn't feel defeated. He felt something else: resolve.
Riven met Thalia's eyes as she stepped forward, offering him a hand. "Not bad," she said with a smirk. "You'll get better."
Riven took her hand, shaking it firmly. "I'll be back next time."
As the crowd erupted into applause, Riven knew this was just the beginning. He had lost, but he had learned valuable lessons. And those lessons would carry him forward into the next battle, the next tournament, and whatever challenges awaited him in the future.
End of Chapter 10.