CHPT 480: Many Games

"I'm going first…" Maris said as the ambient buzz of the foul mouthed and bug eyed crowd continued all around them.

"Girl what the hell? How can you say that when you haven't spoken to anyone?" Maris watched Warren, his face twisted up in its usual frantic confusion as he the suns rays reflected off his coarse oily black hair.

"Same way Ronin claims he's the strongest and he hasn't fought everyone." Eyes of random Glorian Students fell on her at the negative mention of his name.

"Watch your mouth, Orphan." Samuel's voice was like growls from a dying Goblin. Ugly and just barely human.

"I'd much rather watch your hands hovering over your blade." Maris replied as she rested on her own.

In the controlled chaos the other groupings of students had already selected their first combatants of the participating groups.

The Glorian and Arthurian students were all that remained.

"Come on Students of Glory! The crowd waits to see your first combatant!" The Announcer yelled from the center stage as they worked below. Sunlandian Warriors in their black cloaks and pyramid helmets worked war drums around the stage, coaxing everyone into a battle frenzy with every pound of their stretched skins.

Boom….boom—BOOM…..Boom….boom—BOOM…

It wouldn't have been a problem if they weren't first seed. Meaning they were going first. As the worst rated among all Nations they went first against the best. Students of The Sunlands.

The crowd raged. Happy for the massacre. Happier that it was only just beginning.

Students spread out and inched away from Samuel as if he had the plague. Claude crept closer, getting between him and Maris.

"Out of my face, mutt."

Claude hung on Ursula and Cassidy's cool. Frosty enveloped him in support.

"Ugly comments don't land anymore. You look like shit too, Samuel." Claude said, low enough that only beings with superhuman hearing could fully understand. Even then, there was too much activity for everyone to be listening.

"Looks mean nothing for me. Not like they do for you, Claude. You're lacking in confidence as much as you are in pedigree. I see it in your walk still. You TRY to look the way others naturally are. I see it when you hide from me. Leaving your….underlings to face us."

Samuel was so talented when it came to getting under Claude's skin. Not even because his jabs rang true or were clever. They were simply…. dripping with arrogance and smug pride in a way that was so….. oppressive. Like he truly viewed everything from the sky.

The same way the woman's voice in his dreams was— not in arrogance. But that same down looking dominance filth.

Claude stowed away that revelation.

"You'll see if I'm a pretender up there." Claude pointed to the platform.

Samuel's temples flexed.

"Yea….everybody fights." He didn't even discuss that with anyone— or like everyone enough to want them all rallied with him. He was just talking. All he knew was his people would fight. Potential be damned.

"LETS GOOO!"

"Hold on!" Samuel and Claude yelled at the announcer. Spreading the students surrounding them even further.

"…..hohohoho! A little friendly hot bloodedness? How enticing!" The Announcer yelled.

"Awe damn! We're famous." Warren replied, looking up at the stone structure leading to a cube above the arena covered in Runes that projected an image of Claude and Samuel facing eachother. Suddenly the vision Runes all along the walls surrounding them made sense.

"You're wasting time." Samuel said flatly. For the first time Claude watched him stuff away his pompous narcissism.

"[Remember the goal.]"

"Right….. Samuel and Bengal are here on a mission. Recruiting. Samuel and Bengal walk in Jack's paw prints." Claude thought. It would explain why he was so adamant on the weakest nation staying out of the way.

He had to think fast.

Or just speak, "You know what go first."

Maris smelled of anger….. like fire in an old furnace.

Samuel viewed him with confusion.

"I'm sure you'll be able to witness every student fight after you get skinned facing the Sunlandians."

"What makes you think I'm losing?" Samuel pushed past him and headed towards the stage— much to many students dismay.

"[The Third World Power Transfer Theory.]" Arne replied jokingly giving Claude an idea.

"What makes you think you aren't? I know for damn sure the Third World Power Transfer Theory applies to you just like us. Your specialty goes as far as the coastline. Even now."

Samuel rose the temperature around them as he came to a stop. He growled and grabbed a student. Goren, the prodigal Healer who was too shy to touch people he didn't know.

Stella moved, "He isn't even participating, asshole!"

Before she could reach him, Samuel shoved him, only for Goren to fall forward but cover no ground as if physics didn't exist.

Maris took advantage and jumped up on the stage.

"Finally!" The Announcer yelled in excitement.

Down below Stella, Chase and Conroy moved to help their teammate, finding that his legs were bound in grass vines.

Conroy smiled faintly, "Crafty.."

"Whatever….. you did nothing." Samuel shoved past him to occupy the edge of the student formation. The suns rays shined on his black knights armor as he punched his helmet angrily. He stood near Bengal.

Claude turned his head to face him, "How do you know she's not like me?"

He whispered it. But he could smell anxiety flow from them both.

"How many of us do you think are here? How's a Remus nose? Are you as alarmed as I am in your presence? Do you feel the violence….. do you want it to go there….. when it's just the two of you?"

As if a ball dropped somewhere, the arenas noise meant nothing in relation to the intensity of what just transpired.

It was only a test. Something he guessed at days ago. But after having Cassidy run rounds scenting men, women and children all through the crowd and behind, he was left with a pretty simple answer.

Of course there were enemy Lupines…. Somewhere. Just not in the Tournament.

Technically, Samuel was outnumbered.

"[So this is the plan…]" Arne commented as the Announcer had Maris and her opponent take the stage.

"The Dominator said the best way to handle multiple enemies is to make them face each other. She said men did it in prisons all the time. Rival gangs and what not. This isn't prison…. But we are in a cage. Samuel and Ronin are inside it with me. I'm going to turn them on each other….. or at least try. So yea, I'm going to fuck with Samuel's head until he slips. Then it's one down….. a dozen more to go."

"[Do you feel that you're putting them in harms way?]"

"Samuel had no morals as a human. Then he became a Lupine of Remus and killed who knows how many for the fuck of it. They're in danger no matter what happens. All that matters is if I can do something about it."

"[Very well. May we work diligently... diligently indeed.]" Arne sighed but his voice hardened with resolve in its silence.

The Announcer seemed to glow with excitement at what was to come.

He spun and danced, letting the sun dance on the reflective surface of his jewelry as his cape and robes fluttered like a dress made of wings. The drummers freestyled to his movements and the crowd clapped in rhythm.

Celebrating violence.

And then he stopped.

"OHHHHHH LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. Here we go! First fight down and my bloods pumped. Do you feel the passion here?!"

The crowd roared. Claude smelled more anger and anxiety. Impatience— they wanted him to shut his trap and start the fight so the bet money would flow.

"Alright! In our first bout, we have a Glorian Female Student against her Sunlandian counterpart! Let's have your names and Class!"

"Maris. Swordsman." Ursula, Warren Isaac and Conroy's team hollered in support. Some of the crowd cheered. Post interview week she'd gained a sort of niche fanbase. Men and women drawn to her….. cuteness in combination with her cold character. Otherwise nobody cared. Aside from Rupont….

"AND YOU??"

"Obi Steel. Tank."

The Announcer chuckled, "Well well…. We are off to quite the mismatch!"

"Should've taken the drink MARIS!" Donna yelled somewhere in the distance.

"Rules are simple. You can go anywhere you'd like within tournament combat areas. But if you run for longer than thirty seconds in one sitting you take a penalty that the next student in your class will face. Be it a lost weapon….. no armor…. It's randomized and all deadly to your success as a team."

The crowd raged, throwing food and spittle in response.

"New Rule?" Claude thought.

"[Must be. Doesn't do anything but risk people's pockets. But it does help you all.]"

"In what way?" Claude asked.

"[It gives you the opportunity to scout the areas for your next event….. if you can reach it in time. Very interesting. They've tied risk management, tactical awareness, zone mapping and team tactics all into a one off Martial Arts Expo. Interesting.]"

Claude thought it all over as Maris and Obi readied their weapons.

"Do we go for the kill or stop at first knockdown?" Maris asked casually.

"You'll know when to stop…" The Announcer chuckled before jumping out of the area with a gust of wind. "BEGIN!"