Chapter 8: Like The Wind

Skysin Rillem-

Standing next to them, Raine turned to me, "how disrespectful of me to not introduce myself lad. I'm Raine, it's nice to meet ya Skysin," Raine remarked, extending his arm to me.

"It's alright, nice to meet you too Raine," I responded, shaking his hand.

The purple gem before us wedged inside the railing glowed a violet hue, in an instant, we teleported on the middle of this massive arena.

It caught me off-guard a bit, but the gem must be infused with spatial energy.

Two figures appeared before us. A round man and child. The adult - Marcus - has tamed, seaweed green hair, and a thin mustache. Wearing a brown doublet with black trousers, and dress shoes. Although, he is on the larger size when it comes to weight.

As for the boy, Rolland, he's around my age at least, a few inches taller than me. The same seaweed-colored hair, a bob-cut style, his bangs brushing across his forehead. Wearing a black battle robe with a large broadsword latched to a belt, wrapped around his back.

But he's shaped weird, almost like an…egg.

I raised a brow, pretty much examining the round boy.

Egg…man? No.

Egg…

…Boy?

Eggboy!!

Marcus and Rolland stepped forward, approaching us. Rolland's father gave a courteous bow, shaking both Raine, and my dad's hand. "King Valorrey. General Rillem, it's an honor for my son to battle against yours," Marcus bowed once more.

Dad nodded, "…of course. May the best win."

Marcus bowed once more, then the adults all backed away from me and Rolland. While dad and Raine walked past me, dad patted my head with a confident smile, "do well Sin."

I grinned looking up to him, "right!"

The adults took a step onto the purple gems inserted inside the floor. They disappeared in a flash, teleporting back into their respective boxes.

I turned around, staring at the round boy before me, noticing the smug smile on his face. Rolland seemed to have flexed his nonexistent muscles, speaking in a condescending tone, "so…your General Rillem's son? I thought you we're a little girl at first."

I frowned, sighing from his words. Every. Single. Time…

Do I really look that much like a girl? It's so irritating…

I hope I grow up to be really muscular...

Rolland unsheathed his sword, spinning the grip of his weapon in his hand as he chuckled, "so, girly…should I go easy on you? Although, it would be funny to see you cry for daddy."

I rolled my eyes, slightly raising my arm to my side. Doing this, a small violet portal appeared. I slipped my arm inside, pulling out a sharpened, silver cutlass. Over the past three years, mom taught me how to make pocket dimensions. I'm nowhere near as powerful as mom is, but it's still quite handy. I can place whatever I want inside, whether its inanimate or alive. In contrast, I still have a limit to how many objects or people can enter.

Mom also stated that when my control is better, and get stronger, I'll be able to create entire dimensions. Like my own little world as such.

Rolland was caught off-guard from my action, lifting a brow, "w-what?! You have spatial kinetics??" He exclaimed, taking a step back from me.

Ignoring his question, I aimed my weapon at him, "you talk a lot, Eggboy."

The announcers voice had boomed throughout the area, "the match is about to begin now! On a count of three everyone!!"

Rolland shook his head out of daze, clutching onto his sword as he glared at me, "no matter. I'll be sure that you lose…"

As the announcer began counting down, the entire audience counted with him.

"THREE!!"

"TWO!!"

"ONE!!"

"GOOO!!"

As the adrenaline started pumping fiercely in my soul, I grinned, clutching onto my weapon and lunged towards Rolland, swinging horizontally to his waist.

Rolland hastily fixed his posture, placing the broadsword near his side, blocking my attack. But the force of my attack was enough to knock him back a few meters.

Rolland winced, absorbing my attack as his arms retracted behind him. He kept his legs steady, and leapt high into the air, slamming his sword down to my head.

I quickly reacted, setting my cutlass above my head and sitting my hand near the upper base of the weapon, parrying his heavy attack. Enough force to make my feet lodge into the ground.

When Rolland landed onto the ground, he brought his sword to the left and forcefully slashed to my chest. Swiftly, I leapt over his blade, and spun like a tornado, sweeping my foot across his cheek, thrashing and kicking him away from me.

But I must say, I expected Rolland to be much more skilled…especially with how much crap he was spouting. His attacks are a bit sloppy, and not exactly precise. It seems I overestimated him…

Rolland groaned rubbing his cheek. Erecting to his feet, he gave a light scoff, "…tch, it seems I underestimated you…"

My face cringed as I grounded my teeth.

Looks like we had alternative thoughts about this.

Rolland grasped his weapon and made green aura slowly creep from his body. "It's time I finish you, Skysin…" He muttered, making the arena floor shift and rumble.

The ground under his feet started to grow and build, slowly molding into a giant, human-like figure. Rolland made the blob of rock swivel, transforming into a rugged, towering golem.

I gazed at the twenty-foot golem, then snickered Rolland with a smug grin, "heh, it looks just like you. Fat."

Rolland's cheeks grew red as he scowled me, "shut up!!" He shouted, making the golems large arm draw back, and shoot towards me.

As I expected, it's quite slow in speed.

Just as its rocky fist entered striking distance, I leapt over the golems hand, and landed on its arm as it smitten the ground, creating a deepened crater.

I began scaling the giant rock soldier, running to its rugged face. When I got to its shoulder, I fixed my cutlass while coating it in ice, and ran the blade through the golems head, slicing it cleanly in half. Causing the entire thing to be frozen in crystal ice.

When the golem was about to collapse, I placed my foot atop its dissected head and jumped into the sky.

I aimed my alternate hand at Rolland with a predatorial smile and bombarded him with a fleet of sharpened icicles.

Rolland's face blenched in fear while he shifted back, avoiding my flurry of attacks. He raised his arm, conjuring a tall wall, blocking off any more of my icicles. When I landed onto the ground, I made a jagged ice blade grow onto my other arm.

I took off, increasing my speed as I dashed towards Rolland.

Rolland made spikes protrude from the wall and shot javelins of rock towards me. I began slicing and dicing through all his projectiles as I circumvented through them.

Striking one down, I came to discern another speeding towards me. Briskly, I side-flipped to my right and attempted to run around the barricade. But Rolland made the wall adjust, trying to follow my movements as he continued shooting barrages at me.

I sucked my teeth out of vexation and further enhanced my movement, traveling near the speed of sound. I completely eluded past him, standing behind Rolland while he didn't notice my presence.

Rolland had figured that I wasn't in front of him anymore, and when he turned around to face me, he squealed like a little girl, swinging his broadsword at me.

I blocked his weapon with my blade, and swung my heel onto his stomach, knocking him through the wall as he skidded across the ground.

When I expected him to stand, he simply laid there, splayed on the ground.

My eyes had blinked a couple of times as I blankly stared at Rolland; he looked dead…

I notice the crowds' cheers had altered into murmurs of question too. The announcer spoke, "um…medics? Can you please check on Rolland, please?"

Two individuals – a man and woman – dressed in blue shirts and trousers, ran up the stairs and onto the arena floor with haste. They both took a knee as the man lifted Rolland's torso and sat him on his leg. The woman pressed her hand on Rolland's chest, examining his well-being.

When woman raised her arms and waved them, most likely a message, the announcers voice spoke in an astonished tone, "it seems Rolland has been knocked unconscious! Which makes this Skysin Rillem's victory!!"

As the man made a bed of wind, to assist Rolland off the stage, the crowd yelled, "way to go Skysin!!"

"WE LOVE YOU!!!"

"LET'S GO SKYSIN!!!"

All I could do was stand, staring at the medics as they took Rolland away.

'The hell…?' I muttered to myself.

What type of victory is this? This battle was supposed to be exhilarating, blood-pumping, awesome!! But the results of this battle were more than horrible, it's horrendous…

I sent my cutlass back into my pocket dimension and walked back to the gem, letting it transport me back into the royal box.

Approaching everyone, mom embraced me with a kiss on the forehead, "you did amazing honey!"—She tilted her head— "what's the matter Sin?"

I vaguely sulked shaking my head, "it's nothing…"

Dad patted my head with a chuckle, "I think Sin's a little disappointed is all."

Raine nodded, "well…there did seem to be a difference in experience, including strength between Sin and Rolland."

Audrey chortled, "maybe Elaine or the other child will be closer to Sin's match. After all, they still need to battle."

I looked up to Audrey, "who's Elaine?"

The adults all chuckled as we took our seats, when I sat next to Ru again, Raine answered, "Elaine's our daughter, she's your age. A few days older than you are, actually. Elaine's been taught in hand-to-hand by me and a friend of ours. She might be closer to your match if she defeats her opponent."

I grew a bit excited, I only fought against Crim and my family in hand-to-hand, but I've never learnt any fighting techniques, only based on instinct really. I bet it'll be fun to fight against someone who's actually trained in that type of combat. Even if it's not as entertaining as battling with swords.

Ru patted my head, keeping the same indifferent expression, "…congrats on your win." She worded quietly.

I smiled, "thank you!" But I still felt dejected from my win, I expected too much from Rolland.

The announcer chimed in my ears, "alllright, everyone! It's time for our next two contestants!"

After another pause, catching everybody's attention, he resumed, "for our first, a young girl from a small village out in the Nova Region. Quite the talented swordswoman, who's capable of even battling against teenagers and adults. DELILAH OPHEREY!!"

A little girl had teleported onto the stage. Shoulder-length, dark orange hair with curtain-like bangs that swept over her forehead, hanging above her big, copper-brown eyes. She wore a simple black shirt and a grey battle skirt falling over her knees. On her waist, a silver sheathe of a long sword latched to her belt.

The announcer spoke once more, "as for the other, the esteemed daughter of our rulers. Although she's only seven, she packs a lethal punch! Our young princess, ELAINE VALORREY!!"

The citizens roared in excitement and worship, screaming her name.

"YEAHH ELAINE!!"

"OUR PRINCESS"

"WOOOOO"

"YOU GO PRINCESS"

The other child teleported onto the stage.

Straight, crème-colored hair that draped to her back, with two bundled buns sitting atop her head. She wore two glistening diamond earrings and had smoothly, cool peach skin. Innocent, glossy cinnamon-colored eyes with curly eyelashes. A silver necklace enveloped her lissome neck, laid over her elegant sky-blue battle-robe falling to her ankles, sporting a pair of blood red slippers. Her hands sheathed in golden gauntlets.

After the crowd finished counting down, they all shouted in unison, "BEGIN!!!!"

Delilah unsheathed her long sword and rushed Elaine, slashing her blade horizontally. But Elaine quickly dodged Delilah's sword weaving under.

Delilah performed another attack, and Elaine leapt into a back flip, flawlessly avoiding the blade.

Elaine seems to be very nimble; it'll be hard to land an attack on her.

Delilah continued to push on, unleashing a flurry of virgules and thrusts, but Elaine remained on the defensive, effortlessly circumventing through Delilah's barrage.

Just when Delilah raised her sword and veered it down to Elaine's head, Elaine pivoted her foot and side-stepped to the left.

Delilah's wide-open, and Elaine lowered her posture and shot a powerful hook onto the side of Delilah's stomach, sending her back a few meters.

As Delilah was casted away, she aimed her hand and fired multiple spheres of wind.

Elaine willed translucent-like aura around her arms, and dashed to Delilah, all while blocking the balls of wind with precise punches and kicks, propelling them away from herself.

Just when another projectile was about to thrash Elaine, she briskly palmed it, changing the trajectory and making it smite Delilah's sternum head-on.

Delilah had faltered taking a step back, then Elaine lunged towards her, preparing to release another powerful punch.

Delilah hastily reacted, swinging her blade towards Elaine's torso.

However, Elaine swiftly side-flipped over Delilah's attack, and when Elaine landed, she skewed a quick chop onto Delilah's wrist, causing her to lose grip of her weapon.

When Delilah's weapon had smitten the ground, Elaine executed a ferocious combo.

Elaine grasped Delilah's shoulders and kneed her stomach, shot a palm onto her chest, and spun like a ballroom dancer, landing a roundhouse kick onto her neck, knocking Delilah off the stage and onto the grass below.

The crowd all cheered away, and the announcers voice boomed in awe, "ELAINE'S THE WINNER!!!! The final match will be held in ten minutes! Until then, enjoy your time here, thank you!"

After Elaine and Delilah exited the stage, I noticed that Ru had a small, yet proud smile on her face.

But it seems Elaine is going to be challenge, I didn't expect her to win so easily, she managed to not get damaged either.

"Wow! Elaine did fantastic. You guys really trained her well," mom remarked lightheartedly.

Raine chuckled, bashfully rubbing the back of his head, "she's a very determined girl, that's all I can say. She definitely has her grandmothers' spirit."

Audrey nodded, "indeed, she's turning out to look just like mother…"— Audrey quickly changed the topic— "Have you heard from Savitra recently? I messaged her with the pager vestige a month ago, but she never answered."

Both dad and mom shook their heads, then mom replied "no, we haven't…the last time we spoke was around the same time as you. She could be busy with being a duchess."

Audrey rubbed her cheek, "I just hope she's not stressed by anything…"

When it suddenly grew quiet, I decided to speak, "how come Elaine doesn't come up here?" I pondered, since her family is all in this box.

Raine chuckled, "she's usually like that. To keep her concentration so she won't be distracted."

I nodded from his words, but I can't wait to fight against her, I hope our battle isn't anything like Eggboy's.

After ten minutes had passed, the announcer's voice sounded throughout the coliseum, "ok everyone!! It's time for the finalists! Skysin Rillem!! And Elaine Valorrey!!"

When I stood and walked to the purple gem in the railing, Audrey spoke, "well then Sin, good luck to you, and my daughter. May the best win." Audrey smiled with a nod.

I grinned, "right!"

Instantly, I teleported back onto the stage, coming to see Elaine a few feet from me.

Silently staring at each other for a couple of seconds, Elaine's cheeks had flourished in rose, but she quickly withdrew her head away from me.

I titled my head a bit, confused by her actions.

What was that?

"It's time for the countdown everybody!!!"

*****