The rose and the lion
Two fighters stood several feet before each other as they prepared for a clash, a clash of different skills and talents. A curly haired raven locked girl sporting sliver like armor detailed in its entirety. her shining red eyes glowed with a mesmerizingly haunting glow, on her palms floated a crimson ball of blood ready to form into whatever she desired. around her levitated several scarlet knives formed from her own blood poised to skewer the foe before her.
the sword singer stood before her, two scimitars of dangerous length held by his sides, his eyes focused entirely on her hands and the floating knives around her. the moment the horn sounded off he dodged the knives sent to him before dashing towards her hoping to close the distance. she scowled a bit before forcing the blood below her to wrap around her anf keep her elevated away from him as the two crimson balls in her hands formed into a bow and several floating arrows. knives formed from the blood on the field constantly keeping the sword singer on his toes.
she fired off arrow after arrow constantly keeping him pressured, she was rewarded by a mistake. a simple slip on a bit of blood allowed an arrow to pierce his leg and a knife to pierce his shoulder. he shrugged off the pain and launched one of his scimitars towards her, but she simply dodged. suddenly she saw him pull his hand back before the scimitar came back on her right. she felt a thread wrap around her neck as the scimitar spun around her and wrapped her up tightly suffocating her and smashing her back down on the arena.
Leonel watched in pure silence, his eyes dilated as his mana thrummed within him in protest, his armor and halberd where subconsciously equipped in a single second as he stood in wait. atop the stands lady Hoslow watched with a small smile which was not shared by the two brothers who practically looked like rabid hounds ready to pounce if it were not by the crimson tentacles holding them down. Iris kneeled as her crimson eyes darted around trying to locate and manipulate loose blood but every time, they glowed the thin wire only tightened removing more oxygen and cutting deeper into her skin.
" The rose of house Hoslow, I was instructed to maim you to the best of my abilities when we dueled, I am sorry, but this is my job" he said before brandishing his scimitar and striking down at her. yet before the blade descended any further, he halted completely, his eyes turned bloodshot and simply popped like grapes as blood poured out like a geyser from every orifice. he seemed to be choking before turning around and coughing out his own still beating heart before collapsing.
the horn sounded marking Iris as the clear winner of the match as she stood up and sliced the wire on her neck with her own blood before flicking her hair giving the crowd more to roar for. she turned towards the now relieved Leonel and sent a mischievous smirk his way before making her way to the healer. now with four last warriors, Leonel, iris, Gunther the bandit, and Magos Stryker the finals were decided. the final three matches would be held on the next day as decreed by the arena master as everyone filed out. Leonel exited from whence he entered to see his pride waiting alongside the Hoslow family.
" Well done child, you have successfully tripled our wealth, i must say you are quite handy in combat, I do wonder how you'd be in bed? I'll let Iris tell me that later" lady Hoslow said almost whispering the last part although since everyone here is a fighter all heard it. Leonel remained stoic on the inside even though the ambient temperature within the helmet kept rising. Iris blushed fiercely although her stare never left him, he took this chance to push the embarrassment towards someone else as he summoned the violet roses and presented them to the gob smacked Iris.
"I came across these earlier in the day and they reminded me of you, I hope you like them" he said as he smirked inside his helmet, 'this should pay her back for that little joke she played in the arena free for all' he thought. "~Oh my~" lady Hoslow exclaimed as she watched her daughter fall and hard for the young knight before her. the two brothers tried to whistle in agreement, but two tentacles shut them up preventing them from ruining the heating up atmosphere Leonel accidentally created as payback.
Iris stared at the flowers before her, tears dripped down softly as a simple memory, just one played within her mind. a raven-haired girl rode atop a strong tall man within the plains of mount gelmir. he told her jokes and simple stories as she giggled atop his shoulders, her little violet eyes taking in the scenery, yet they could not remember what he looked like. " Father! father! look! pretty flower!" the girl yelled out as her small hand and outstretched finger pointed towards a lonely violet rose standing proudly atop a hill overlooking the plains, they walked upon.
" Oh? yes it seems to be quite the pretty flower, not as pretty as you though, my little rose" the man said as a hand snaked up to her arm pits releasing a peal of giggles from the girl. " Tell you what, stay here and father will go and get it for you alright?" the man asked as he put the girl down and kneeled before her. "nhn I'll be here!" she nodded excitedly. Iris snapped back at the touch of a gauntleted hand upon her shoulder, " you alright? hey I'm sorry I didn't know you didn't like flowers, ill-" he was cut off by her jumping onto him forcing him to vanish his armor lest she hurts herself.
He stroked the back of the crying girl in utter confusion, she raised her head and tiptoed up matching his height as her arms wrapped around his neck with one hand still holding onto the now neglected bouquet as two lips met. The pride watched in shock although the internal happy squeal from Vitani could almost be heard within the mind of Leonel if his head wasn't in full disarray. She pulled away with a smile of pure joy, "thank you, they are beautiful" she said before a crimson tentacle separated them. "Now now children, save it for the bedroom" lady Hoslow said as she realized that quite the crowd had gathered around originally there to congratulate the warriors now there to witness such a scene.
The two coughed a bit, Leonel immediately equipped his armor hiding his visage while Iris hid behind the violet roses as a crimson blush of embarrassment overtook her yet annoying butterflies kept flying within her stomach. An Awkard carriage ride back and the Hoslow villa came into view, Iris did not let go of the flowers even after lady Hoslow told her to, dinner was awkward to say the least as Leonel couldn't hide behind steel plate and iris had to place the waters in a water pot lest they die. "Well then Iris do take him to his room this time, rest plenty son, make your mother wealthy tomorrow" lady Hoslow said as she stood up and headed for her room letting the maids clean up.
The two brothers took this chance to sneak off towards the city's night life leaving just the two awkwardly sitting at the table. Leonel used every ounce of concentration to focus on the mana flow within him keeping him cool like a cucumber. Of course, that immediately broke when Iris cleared her throat gaining his full attention. " W-we should go to bed, I plan to best you tomorrow after all" she said as she stood up and waited at the door frame for him. He did the same and let her lead him to a guest room which separated the two. He lay down on the ample sized bed as he played back the events of the day.
He tossed and turned that night fighting the weird feeling in his stomach, but nothing could push him onto the land of dreams. A knock on his door was heard " enter" he said only to see the door opening revealing Iris in her night gown holding onto her pillow illuminated by the moonlight. Not a word was spoken as she climbed in and the two fell asleep soon after.
The arena was positively exploding with activity, stands full to the brim with peasants and nobles alike eager for the three matches of the day. everything quieted down when the arena master showed up. " PEOPLE OF CAELUM, I WELCOME YOU TO TODAY'S FINALS, WE HAVE FOUR GRAND WARRIORS FIGHTING TODAY, THE CRYSTAL LION OF THE NORTH LEONEL" the arena master yelled out as the crowd went wild with Leonel stepping into the arena, halberd on his shoulder and an ethereal tail swishing in the wind.
"NEXT WE HAVE THE GRAVITAL MAGOS STRYKER WHO'S MAGICAL EXPERTISE WITHIN THIS FIELD IS ONLY SECOND TO GENERAL REDAHN THE STARSCOURGE" arena master said as a mage drapped in purple robes with some plate here and there exited his respective elevator sending a good chunk of the crowd into a wild uproar. "THIRD WE HAVE THE SHADOW, THE MENACE, THE UNSEEN GUNTHER OF THE POISONED DAGGER" the arena master yelled out as the bandit now equipped far better and likely wielding powerful poison judging by the vials upon his waist.
"LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE THE BLOODY ROSE OF HOUSE HOSLOW, THE MESMERIZING ROSE, LADY IRIS HOSLOW" he yelled out as Iris ascended, her curly hair catching a breeze which sent the younger male audience into a frenzy as violet roses were thrown onto the arena, yet her eyes never left Leonel as a challenging smirk was sent his way.
"NOW THEN LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TODAY WE PRESENT YOU WITH THE BEST OF THE BEST, I HOPE YOU ALL PUT MONEY ON THIS FOR IT WILL BE QUITE THE BATTLE, FIRST OFF WE HAVE MAGOS STRYKER AGAINST THE CRYSTAL LION LEONEL PLEASE TAKE YOUR POSITIONS" the master yelled out as the tow jumped onto a brand-new arena. Leonel stood in wait, halberd in one hand and a piece of glint stone slowly rotating within his palm giving off an intense blue glow.
Magos Stryker stood before him at the end of the arena as he slammed his staff down onto the stone below him which sent a wave of purple lightning below him as the stone below him ripped off and floated him up several feet. around him balls of gravitational magic slammed on tot the stone ripping up more as it aimed towards Leonel.
"BEGIN" was all the fighters needed for pieces of stone to be launched to the other side. Leonel saw the pieces of the arena incoming and simply let go of the shard which tapped onto the stone below him " crystal dome" he uttered. the arena soon turned into a blue hell as glint stone tore the stone below them apart without a care. the incoming boulders were smashed into pieces by the carnage which just erupted. the glint stone reached the edge then suddenly grew extremely rapidly creating a thin barrier stopping the Magos from going any further into the air all while allowing the audience to watch the battle.
the Magos watched in horror as the arena simply turned into rubble below him knowing full well that he could not manipulate mana infused glint stone and small pieces of gravel for the cost is far higher than mana-less compact stone. he threw both his hands up as his platform descended onto the ground, " I admit defeat" he said. and with those words the glint stone around him simply shattered into small glittering pieces giving the audience quite the show as the sun's rays deflected off the stone. although slightly disgruntled people did realize that they where simply poorly matched due to Leonel's ability to rip the arena into pieces then infusing his mana into it effectively neutralizing gravity magic which requires inanimate objects of no mana.