The Next Queen
Night descended upon the open Arena. The moon and the stars above shall bear witness to the scuffle between the two sisters.
Torches surrounded the round corners while women worked on the tribal drums, their thunderous and intense rhythm stirred the soul of the Amazons who wondered what the early cause of the gathering was for.
The Queen entered upon the stage, her gait proud and regal as she took the center. With just a single step of her heel, the drumming ceased.
Ysbeil glanced at the massive crowd filled with nothing but battle hardened women.
"The opening ceremony for the fertility festival won't be until the next day, but this address is something equally as important, for this night would determine who shall rule over our tribes once I step down. The next ruler shall be wise, her decision catered for all. Her might, worthy enough to be crowned as Artemis' champion. Before we begin I would like to call upon the seven tribes who traveled across the seas to continue the Amazon lineage. From the frigid north, I call upon the Tundra Legion."
A band of pale skinned women with golden hair and blue facial paint marched onto the stage. Although the new Amazon lands were tropical its climate, the ice denizens still wore their fur hemmed clothing to wear the pride of where hailed.
"Next, the Dragon Warriors from the east continent."
Hailing from the faraway east were warriors whose eyelids were more sharp than their brethrens. Their vest and skirt clothing covered the most skin, but still had plenty of room for agile combat.
"Take the stage, Earth Splitters from the south."
The ebony skinned warrior women who advocated raw might marched up to the stage. Even if they came from the same tropical climate, their tribal clothing had patterned colors unique to their culture.
"Warriors from western peninsula, Armored brigade, your Queen calls you."
The most unique among the bunch sporting full plated armor, forgoing the creed of agility for defense, marched to along the other tribes onto the platform.
"Galgotia, the brigade of solidarity, step forth."
Residing near Elaria's borders, the Galgotia tribe took the city's creed and welcomed each and all races, making up of orcs, tieflings, dwarves, and other races, the Galgotians rose alongside their sisters.
"The House of Shadows, reveal yourselves."
Women whose faces were veiled, their main trade being spying and espionage, stepped out from the shadows as per the order of their Queen.
"Lastly, the main tribe, Artemis' warriors represent."
The main tribe, who Artemis graced personally, volunteered to bring fruit for the next generation, walked up to the stage.
All seven have gathered, all seven shall declare their allegiance to whoever shall win the right of succession.
That is what it means to be the Amazon Queen.
That is what Antani and Alara strived for.
Their gazes filled with respect, the seven tribes awaited for their Queen's announcement.
"As you may all know, age will soon claim me, but fret not, you shall witness firsthand the right of succession between my two daughters. Their potential, far greater than mine, one of them will surely lead the tribes to even greater heights. The Question is, which one? To answer that question, the right of succession shall be held now. Do you swear by Artemis' name that you seven shall obey and recognize the authority of who shall ever emerge as the victor?"
In unison, through their sisterly bond as warriors, all seven of the tribes took their knee and pounded their heart at the same time. A symbol of their eternal allegiance to the tribes.
The Queen smiled, for Artemis' authority still remains strong.
"Then all seven of you shall observe the struggle of my daughters. With the opening ceremony concluded, let us depart the stage for the two who will fight for Artemis' favor shall stand and fight upon it."
The Queen and all Seven of the tribes vacated the arena.
+++
Ellamir handed her regalia to Antani, Ellamir's hand clasped Antani's as she turned over her soul weapon to Antani, praying that it would be enough to realize her lover's dream.
"I know you can do it. Believe in my Aeon, believe in yourself."
Yulia, equally as confident in Antani's kill, encouraged, "Go kick your sister's ass."
"Fight, become Queen!" Gloria nodded.
"Yeah, I - uh, You're one of the strongest sword fighter I know, there's no way you'd lose this." Surrounded by nothing but women, the out of place Stefano tried his awkward best to encourage his friends.
"There's no way you would lose, your clan is behind you." Shatter sound meant her party, how tightnit they are made the werewolf associate their relationship akin to what their clan was made of.
The overflowing support from her friends made Antani feel like she could take on all seven of the tribes combined. The emotion made her lips curve into a heartfelt smile, "Thank you, everyone. Don't worry, there's no way I would lose."
With her dark regalia brandished, Antani went up the arena, empowered by those believing in her.
+++
Alara had arrived, her sister glancing at her with determined eyes made the giantess finally recognize that their clash was inevitable.
"That regalia, that must be the dark elf's. Wicked as they are, I am forced to admit that is one exquisite Aeon. If you shall face me with that, then let me face you with mine."
Alara doesn't want to kill her sister, but she didn't want to lose her birthright either. The victory Alara would attain will no doubt be weighed by the gravity of what she would lose.
But now was not the time for such musings, now was that time to show everyone watching that her role as their next Queen would be cemented.
Alara tossed the regular spear she was carrying out of the Arena.
An otherworldly chill began to creep upon the air, vortexing around Alara's outstretched right hand. The ice being released by Alara turned into a fog that covered her entirely.
A second later, all of the ice and fog coalesced into a pristine spear, its elegant beauty naught had the frailness of regular ice, but an indomitable hardness.
Alara waved her regalia, pointing it towards her sister, "Concede, Antani. Don't make me kill you."
The magnitude of pressure being exuded by the spear was on par with what was on Antani's hand. The spear, after all, was the crystallization of her sister's soul, her full might wielded as a spear.
Alara held her regalia's sword grip with both hands while raising it as high as her shoulder into the basic stance, "Right back at you, sister."
Although Queendom was on the line, the sisters naturally grinned as they were reminded of the endless sparring matches they had ever since they were young.
If this would be the last time they will be able to face each other, they instantly understood that they should do so with no bad blood between them.
As a matter of fact, Alara would begin to tease her little sister mid battle by pointing her spear near the ground, almost touching it. Alara's legs bent their lowest. With her spear pointed down, you would think that Alara was opening herself…
…But Antani grinned as she knew that trap of a stance.
Its intent was to rattle a panicked opponent into rushing her, allowing Alara to arc her spear upwards and easily skewer their neck with a spear.
Knowing the perfect counter to this low stance, Antani simply mimicked her sister's low posture and inched slower.
Alara knew since her sister went low, her spear could only penetrate up to her chin when it rises, a devastating blow still, but it wouldn't be the same caliber as piercing Antani's throat.
Once Alara recognized Antani was in striking distance, her spear shot up but the similar low stance allowed Antani to intercept its tip with her blade.
Their regalias clashed with such force that it exploded into shockwaves.
Alara used the brute force of her Jotunn heritage to break their locked weapons and skewer her sister only to find Antani wielding the same monstrous strength as her. Meaning that if she pulled backwards…
…Antani's own momentum would trip her forward. Allowing Alara to spin around the imbalanced Antani and hit her back with the tail end of Alar's spear.
Tripping a few distance forwards, Antani hurriedly turned around in fear of getting backstabbed, only to witness an even greater looming threat.
Alara's muscles taut its limits while ice vortexed around the tip of her spear, in preparation of one fearsome throw, right before its release, Alara taunted, "It seems that Regalia of yours is giving you inhuman strength, pray to Artemis that it would be enough to stop this attack."
With a scream, Alara unleashed a devastating spear throw accompanied by ice shockwaves that destroyed the surface portion of the Arena where it traveled through the air.
Antani's eyes widened in abject horror as she readied her sword to deflect Alara's attack.
Shadow and Ice collided once more, only this time, Alara's regalia was powered by a tremendous force.
An explosion of ice covered where Antani was standing. Alara recalled her spear, flying back into its owner's hand.
Before the ice fog could even clear, Antani emerged and charged towards Alara. Antani's wounds sustained from the explosion earlier imparted no pain as Antani relentlessly barraged Alara with her sword strikes.
Using her blue comet form, Focusing her mana augmentation on speed, Antani was able to wound all over while Alara tried her best to defend from Antani's sword swings seemingly coming from all directions.
Such zealous swordplay contained her desire to become Queen.
Having had enough, Alara held her spear by its end and spun it around, Antani defended but found herself ultimately being swept by the tornado of ice, the spinning spear battered Antani over and over until her legs gave in and she was sent flying, stumbling near the arena's edge.
Antani got up and charged, the wounds she sustained were merely a hindrance.
Their grand melee continued, Alara would overpowere Antani with her strikes but Antani would find a way to get even with her speed.
As the fight went on, it was clear whose endurance was reaching its limit, Antani's stamina and mama reserve was starting to wane while Alara hand only expended her mana upon manifesting her Aeon.
Alara would soon kill Antani if the outcome continued, Antani was failing to deflect Alara's thrusts. It was clear that the exhaustion would soon render Antani unable to deflect the spear about to skewer her vitals. Ellamir was about to intervene but wherein Ellamir only valued one of them, there was someone else that cherished both sisters dearly.
A mana arrow was shot between them, dispelling the trance of battle lust afflicting the sisters.
Ysbeil stood upon the Arena, she would be breaking Artemis' law that no one should interfere with the result of the 'right of succession's fight'. The loving mother that she is, Ysbeil would simply let their Goddess punish her as she sees fit for butting in.
Ysbeil addressed the crowd as well as her two daughters, " Antani had put up an exquisite battle today against her sister, Alara. Being human, Antani went up against a half-frost giant. But despite this, the outcome was clear as the battle raged on, I declare my eldest daughter the victor."
Alara raised her spear, The cheering roar from the warrior women drowned out Antani's haggard breathing. Antani ran back into their lodging, her expression was nothing but self-disappointment.
Ellamir needn't be told, she was needed at Antani's side more than ever.