Chapter 6 : WE ARE DONE

Soon the birds chirped and the cocks crowed because it was morning.

The morning everyone was waiting their whole life for.

It was the day someone would be crowned as the champion of the tournament....A day that meant celebration.

A day everyone cleared their schedule to see what could possibly be the fight of their life.

Everyone was anxious but the anxiety of the fighters were unmatched...

"Eleanor, daughter you have to eat something" said her mother.

Eleanor sighed "I'm not hungry ma" "but you cannot fight on an empty stomach...you need energy".

Eleanor stayed quiet trying so hard to hold back her tears.

" let me guess, you are thinking about Amon. You are thinking about you fighting him right"

Eleanor sniffed "well ma, it is not my fault. Amon is my best friend and I have to fight him. I was always so sure I could fight him without any emotion but I just can't. I just can't fight him ma"

"okay, daughter. I just want you to know that we are here to support whatever decision you make...whether to forfeit or to go on with the fight, we are with you to the end.And for Amon, I think you can handle it.. you can fight and not hurt him. Those are two distinctive words"

Her mother kissed her on the forehead and left....

Soon, the fight was about to take place.

As the colosseum was packed to its fullest and the people chanted the names of their favourite fighters.

Amon walked into the arena with his father "you better not fail me today...I don't care what you do, how you do it or whatever.. I need this trophy. You have to prove yourself to me by winning this trophy. Don't do anything stupid or else you will regret it deeply"

Amon replied with a sad head nod "I am his son and all he thinks about is that trophy"

Amon got to eleanor "hey , see you out there tonight"

Eleanor smiled "bring a leg". " I think the popular phrase is break a leg" replied Amon.

Eleanor smirked "I meant it literally cause you are gonna need it out there..oh, and don't think I will pull punches "

Amon smirked as Eleanor left..

The cadel then came to Amon

"Amon, have you spotted Aura because I cannot find her. And for some reason, my foresight is not reaching her"

"no, cadel. we met her yesterday and she was fine"

"I don't suppose you have seen her, marko?"

Marko smirked "nope, but I do hope she is alright"

Amon could sense the joy in his smirk. He knew marko had something to do with Aura's disappearance. Amon was trying to grab his stuff when he noticed the lightning strike on the waist of marko..

His thoughts ran wild and that clearly assured him that marko was responsible for Aura's disappearance.

"that lightning strike certainly looks good on you" Amon exclaimed.

Marko smirked " shut up, freak"

"hmmm, so this how you solve your problems...you eliminate them before they become threats. Quite expensive, wouldn't you agree"

Marko sat down beside Amon " exactly, and I look to do the same to you as I did to her"

Amon turned to marko, faces inches away.

"I do hope you are considering the obvious fact that?"

"that what?" lamented marko

"that your sins will come back to haunt you and that you will account for them one by one.

See you in the colosseum" Amon patted marko on the shoulder.

The shouts and chants of the people were silenced when the cadel rose into the air....

"I welcome all and sundry to the Most Anticipated Event of the year. The event that has made the unknown known..Welcome to the CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS"

The crowd went wild with shouts and chants.

"Today is the day, our fighters who have shown a lot of potential get to have a chance at being crowned THE CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS. So without wasting much time... wait, getting some new information. From what I have been told.....Due to the unattended absence of Aura... I am afraid she cannot compete so instead of the normal two champions crowned....we are gonna change the rules a bit...it is now gonna be a triple threat to determine the winner..

so introducing first She is THE QUEEN OF SPADES.....Eleanor.....

The crowds popped from their seats with shouts and chants as eleanor made her way to the battle arena..

And introducing next is the son of our superior...Amon....

The whole colosseum shook with shouts and chants as Amon walked down to the battle arena with his head down clearly avoiding his father's glare....

And the last competitor....he says his powers are unmatched in the magic system...Allow me to introduce to you.....the JUDGEMENT..... THE END OF DAYS.....Marko..."

The shouts and chants of the crowd were deafening....marko walked with his head held up high to the battle arena.

The cadel explained the rules of the triple threat"and now the only thing left to do is to make this fight official... may the best fighter win"

And just like that the fight began.

Eleanor and Amon turned to marko...

"inferno" and the path was lit on fire....marko smirked "pathetic"

Amon cupped with bolts of torment and started shooting it towards marko who used his metals to deflect it.....

Eleanor sped on the wall forming an ice sword and then slashed marko which he dodged and hit eleanor in the chest....

Amon kept shooting the bolts...Marko got the upper hand and shot his metals all around the colosseum targeting Amon and eleanor...

Eleanor slashed through the metals and made her way to marko.

Marko drew out his sword and the two clashed.....

"you will never win" "the goal is not to win....the goal is to beat you" smiled eleanor who punched marko and cut his knees...

Amon cut through the metals and conjured the dimensional collapse.....

The surroundings of marko started collapsing....marko upon seeing this auctioned his popular move "shrapnel barrage"

The walls of the colosseum dissolved into sharp spikes which he shot at both of his competitors....

Marko then used his metals to make a shield to protect him from Amon's powerful move.

several spikes made their way towards eleanor....Eleanor smiled and with the technique she learnt from practice...she bended water up which caught onto the spikes and fell as mud....

Eleanor saw the concrete cave marko had surrounded himself with...

she then rose into the air and spun round and round creating a tornado. Eleanor then hit the ground sending the tornado on marko who fortified his shield even more.....

Eleanor smiled "I heard metals are good conductors of heat and "

she then rugged her hands in the sand and the tornado turned into a move only air benders could use "the thunderstorm wrath"...

The tornado spun so fast...it conjured up lightning striking the metal which fried marko.

Amon then shot marko to the colosseum wall using his telekinesis.

Amon and Eleanor stood facing each other in the dazzling arena, the weight of their friendship heavy in the air. The crowd roared with anticipation, but both of them hesitated, their eyes betraying their reluctance.

Amon's fingers crackled with energy as he conjured swirling arcane symbols, his power surging around him. "Eleanor, we've come so far," he began, his voice strained. "But only one of us can win this."

Eleanor's eyes shimmered with sorrow as she raised her hands, causing the very ground beneath her to tremble. "Amon, I know. But let's show them a fight they'll never forget."

With a heavy sigh, Amon unleashed a barrage of shimmering projectiles, each one crackling with magical force. Eleanor countered, summoning pillars of earth to deflect the projectiles. As the battle raged on, their attacks were carefully calculated to avoid causing lasting harm.

Amon's spells weaved intricate patterns in the air, while Eleanor's control over the elements was a graceful dance. They moved around each other with a sense of familiarity, dodging and countering, always holding back just enough to protect each other from serious harm.

Amon's voice quivered as he cast a binding spell, roots of energy wrapping around Eleanor's feet. "I'm sorry, Eleanor. I don't want to do this."

Eleanor's response was a sad smile. With a wave of her hand, she summoned a torrent of water, dissolving the energy roots. "It's alright, Amon. We knew this might happen."

Their magic clashed and intertwined, creating dazzling displays of light and power. The arena was filled with gasps and cheers, but underneath it all, a palpable sense of melancholy hung in the air.

As the battle continued, a shared memory flashed in their minds - a moment of laughter as they stared at the sky, a pact to support each other no matter what. Their magic clashed one final time, sending shockwaves through the whole coloseum and a bright light shone as it caused an explosion...

The dust cleared to see both competitors still standing...

"eleanor I do not want to do this" "you have to fight me, Amon or we'll both be disqualified" exclaimed eleanor...

Amon looked at his father and then the whole crowd and bowed his head in thought...

"eleanor,I can't... I just cant... I surren" suddenly metals flung Amon into the air....

Marko had recovered, eleanor quickly tried to pose a threat to marko but marko was too fast....

He blocked her attacks and pinned her to the wall using his metals...

Eleanor shouted in pain because she had broken her leg at the impact.

Marko's face lit up with an evil grin....

"I told you I was the best and now they know...you two were so predictable. I just had to stay down and watch as you turned on yourselves. it was fun until this little twig decided to surrender to you because you're friends. how pathetic, but now you can surrender to me"

Amon hissed out of pain "I will never surrender to you..."

"then suffer, my metals will not stop until they have ripped all your limbs off" marko implied..

Amon asked "who hurt you marko?"

"what are you talking about, no one hurts me. I am marko the greatest magic wielders in the kingdom" hesitated marko.

Amon saw through his words " eleanor and i , or none of your competitors have done nothing to hurt you yet you seek to destroy. someone must have hurt you.And then I ask again who hurt you?"

Marko looked into the crowd and saw his mother and looked away.

Amon caught a glance "I understand you, marko"

"you understand nothing!" "I understand that because I have the same family. A family that pushes you to do stuff you know doesn't feel right. A family that feels like you have to prove your worth in it. A family that wants you to be....you know not you".

With Amon's words, the grip of the metals started to loosen.

" and you feel like all hopes are lost....but they aren't. You can still show them who you are and what you can do. You can still show them the "you" you want everyone to see"

Marko sobbed "you don't get it, I can't.... they will never understand me"

"then you make them. one thing life has taught me is, lashing out your anger on people for things they did not do is useless. you have to turn that anger into power and show them how powerful you are. Getting the trophy and being called champion can never bring anything. it will be nothing to you"

Just when marko was about to let go, his brows sinched into anger and he tightened the grip " you're right....getting the trophy will mean nothing to me but killing you will mean everything to me"

Amon's screams grew louder as the metals tore into his skin.

As Marko, the formidable metal bender, held Amon suspended in the air, his twisted grin showed the sadistic pleasure of tormenting his adversary. The metal restraints on Amon's limbs glowed red-hot, searing into his flesh. The pain was excruciating, but Amon's determination burned brighter.

Summoning his last reserves of strength, Amon closed his eyes and focused on channeling his innate sorcery. His palms began to emit a faint, silvery light as he tapped into the wellspring of his power. With intense concentration, he connected with the very essence of magic that flowed through the world.

In a burst of sheer will, Amon channeled his magic into the metal restraints that bound him. The forbidden metal Marko had manipulated turned against its master, defying Marko's control. The metal, now fueled by Amon's magical energy, turned cold and ethereal, resisting the fire that had previously burned it into Amon's skin.

Surprised by the sudden shift in power, Marko's grip faltered. The restraints on Amon's limbs trembled and then shattered into a shower of metallic shards. Amon fell to the ground, his body bruised and battered, but his spirit unbroken.

Harnessing the magic that coursed within him, Amon rose from the ground, his eyes blazing with determination. He extended his arms, palms aglow with silvery energy, and summoned forth a torrent of arcane power. The very air around him crackled as he wove his magic into a devastating spell.

With a roar that echoed through the battlefield, Amon unleashed a torrent of magical energy toward Marko. The sorcerer's spell spiraled and twisted, becoming a cyclone of pure magic that tore through the air, ripping through the very fabric of Marko's metal-bending defenses.

Caught off-guard by the sheer force and potency of Amon's counterattack, Marko struggled to maintain his control over the metal around him. The cyclone of magic shredded through his defenses, causing the twisted metal to unravel and lose form.

In a final, blinding explosion of light and energy, Amon's spell collided with Marko's last remnants of metal manipulation. The impact was cataclysmic, sending shockwaves rippling across the battleground. When the light faded and the dust settled, Marko lay defeated, his powers broken and his body broken along with them.

Amon stood victorious, panting heavily but triumphant. His ability to tap into the forbidden magic, combined with his unyielding determination, had turned the tide of the battle. The scars of the fight would forever mark both combatants, but in that moment, it was Amon's indomitable spirit that had emerged as the ultimate victor.

Eleanor cheered as Amon walked towards her and helped her out of the metals.

"you did it" "yeah I did which means I'm better than you" mocked Amon.

"oh please, the only reason for your victory is because I am injured. if I was active at that point....I would have kicked your ass"

Amon rolled his eyes and hugged eleanor.

Amon helped eleanor to her mother "thank you Amon. you have shown great skill and a persevering spirit"

As everyone walked by congratulating him on his victory, the cadel called unto him.

"ladies and gentlemen we have a winner. The system is proud of the power its wielders exudes. There were sixteen but now only one has been crowned the winner....And he is no other than AMON!!!!!!

The whole colosseum went shaking with chants for him.

The cadel wiped his tears " I never lost fate"

"but cadel, you said marko would win" said his assistant.

"I said I never lost faith...people change read a book and no one likes a blabber mouth"

"but you" "enough, lemme enjoy the chants of the person I never lost faith in. thank you very much" interrupted the cadel.

Amon was approaches by marko "why did you spare me".

" I didn't " "don't play dumb, I know the power that comes with the " arcane " and you somehow modified it just to stun me....why"

"well doesn't someone know his spells " mocked Amon. "you have a lot to live for and honestly, you are too good a wielder to die. I mean that power and your style of fighting is second to none".

Marko replied " I hope you know you sparing me doesn't mean we are friends "

"hell no"

"Good but I really appreciate you letting me live. I will never forget that"

Marko patted on his shoulders and left.

Amon met with his father who for the first said "I am very proud of you"

They went home "pa, where is ma" "oh she's gone to do something somewhere. Amon sit down, the elders and I have been thinking....the whole council has been thinking.

You do know that a war is coming right"

"no, nobody told me about any war" "well a war is coming and to be honest....we will lose like we have our entire lives.

They have so many advantages of over us especially since we cannot engage in physical combat because their armor has been made to torture us.. They are gaining and we need to do something " exclaimed chard roy.

"okay, I don't see what this has to do with me" chuckled Amon.

"oh but it does. we decided that the winner of the tournament will lead the war"

"what" "yes, we need a leader and there is no be who fits more than a wielders who just bested fifteen other opponents. I, I mean we need you to infiltrate the palace and discover theories and magic spells to defeat them with once and for all and "

"I have heard enough, pa" shouted Amon.

"For once, pa, for once, have you ever asked me what I wanted?.

No, why because you are no more than a dictator in my life. You tell me do this and I do and now you are telling me all this blasphemy. well today,I stand here and I tell you that I don't care about you or about your plans to invade their palace or that stupid war.

You said the champion gets to be the leader.....well I don't wanna lead. it is the trophy that makes the champion. so you can have it or give it to anyone..I do not care. I am done, I am so done with everything. To hell with you, the war and that stupid King ...to hell.