The Duel
On the 21st day of Il-Sgynk, the Second Prince of Cepae was attending a duel. The duel was to celebrate the victory of man over the cold winter months. It was a jovial atmosphere throughout the capital city, with many members of the nobility joining the celebrations by donating food and being kind.
Inside the capital city the sun was high up, with it's heat piercing though the chills from the night before. The city was built up, with most homes attached to each-other, and many being two or three stories tall. It was loud outside with the sound of people cheering and enjoying themselves throughout the city. School children did not have school on this day due to the celebration, and many were exploring the city with their friends. It was a picturesque scene.
The Second Prince was pleased with the festivities, for he knew that there was so much work in creating a festival like there was today. It was now his time to enjoy the celebrations and watch some of the finest knights, and soldiers fight. This tournament was not some fight anyone could enter, these fighters had either won many tournaments before, or had very strong military careers.
He looked at the area, it was an area made for this festival many years ago, it was a massive circular pit, almost twenty five meters in radius, with a soft dirt floor. Around the pit there was a five meter wall made of the finest stone which had been smoothed down to perfection. Attached to the wall, five meters high, were the stands for people to view the event. The stands stretched up thirty rows high, they were filled with fans, some who had a favourite fighter, and some who would be pleased as long as there was an interesting fight.
The fans whom had a favourite fighter had flags with the family crest of the fighter, this made the Prince happy for he knew that all of these fighters had worked hard to be here and that they have been awarded with titles, and crests.
"Please welcome the Prince Haimirich Abdiapetus of Cepae"
Haimirch smiled as he walked toward the stage, he was excited to speak for it had been a while since he had been able to start one of this events.
"Hello" he boomed out with his voice, "Today we have the greatest fighters from the entire realm, they are fighting for the glory of our country in this duel. We have fighters from Eos, to Astraeus, and they have come here only to show their power to you: the glorious people of our amazing nation. But don't worry, no fighter will go unrewarded, by competing they are all getting 1000 Gold Marks." The crowd was stunned with this enormous figure, it was enough for one to buy a title and a small territory. Just by competing they would be set for life. The crowd went wild, all hoping to be able to fight in this tournament one day.
"If a fighter defeats another fighter, they get 1000 Gold Marks, they can defeat another fighter though surrender", Haimirch breathed in, "or death", as his voice boomed like a cannon the crowd cheered as if there was no tomorrow. "Now the prizes that are most important, for third place there is an artifact that we found in an ancient mausoleum, while it may look like a ring, it actually has the capabilities to allow the user to store items inside. Don't worry we left 10,000 Gold Marks inside for your trouble." The crowd cheered, the Prince with confidence then said, "Now for second place, we won't disappoint you, we have decided that the one who gets second gets an enchanted sword. This sword has been enchanted with the power to light the opponents on fire, when it contacts them." The crowd was stunned, a weapon of this power could change the tides of a war. "Of course as always they will be gaining 20,000 Gold Marks." The crowd cheered, "lastly for the victor of the battles, I will make them a lord, I will give them three thousand acres of land". The crowd was stunned, they knew that this was truly a once in a life time thing, these games were a chance for the lowest person to become nobility.
Haimirch smiled, knowing that his propagandist speech had the desired affect on the lowly citizens. He walked up to his booth, it was a large sitting area with a large table filled with food, to either sides of him were his advisors, who he had brought to discuss the fighters.
The announcer for the event then screamed with full volume: "May we all praise the Supreme Emperor Iapetus before we begin these events". The crowd all muttered their personal praise which they had been practising since they were young. "Now lets start this tournament with an amazing battle between Gealbu, a fighter from the north who's fighting style revolves around his technique, he will be facing Elam, a quick on his feet fighter who has a very quiet battle style." The Prince looked towards the pit and saw a man wearing chain armour, he was holding a short sword in his right hand, he had nothing in his left. He was towering over a smaller man whom was wearing a dark cloak the man in the dark cloak was holding a daggers, they glimmered in the light. The taller being Gealbu, and the smaller being Elam. They both stared at each other, waiting for the announcer to start the fight.
"3, 2, 1, Fight", as the announcer screamed both of the fighters started to fight each other. Elam sprinted forward and swung both of his dagger, as Elam was running forward Gealbu positioned himself into a strong stance, when Elam swung his dagger, Gealbu carefully blocked the swing, creating a clanging sound which made all the spectators pause for a moment. Gealbu swung his sword down, aiming for the right side of Elam's neck in this moment of pause. Elam was able to move to avoid being killed, but he gained a cut on his neck, the only reason people could know he had a cut was that there was blood slipping though the bottom of his cloak. Gealbu swung again this time coming from the other side of Elam's neck. This time Elam was able to put up his dagger and offer some passive resistance, while Elam was blocking Gealbu's sword with his right arm, no one noticed Elam pull out a dagger, one which was hidden inside of his clothing. He swung with his left arm, with his hidden dagger and he stuck the side of Gealbu's neck, the dagger broke though the skin, then found itself lodged in the bottom of Gealbu's chin bone. The crowd stared at the people for a moment, then starting cheering, they shouted Elam's name, as if he did not just murder someone.
As Elam attempted to pull his dagger which was stuck in Gealbu's body, an advisor of the Prince, with the name Obadiah asked Haimirch a question: "What do you think about this person?" Haimrch responded quietly while clapping his hands as if this was the greatest day off his life. "While they may a strong fighter a person like them, one who hides their cards is not what we need for this kingdom, they would be good being in our special forces, but not in our politics." The advisor smiled in agreement.
A minute after the announcer started another fight, this time there were two fighters, one whom had no weapon, and another with a hammer. The one with no weapon was called Dayo, and the other called Dara. They both had readied themselves for the upcoming battle. When the battle started Dara swung his hammer with full force in a sideways motion, this caused his body to swing a bit, but he made his point clear. If you come close you will be obliterated. Dayo was bouncing on his toes, attempting to stay in a dynamic stance waiting for there to be an opening in Dara's stance. Then Dayo moved foward, Dara swung down attempting to strike him, as Dara swung down, Dayo kicked, his leg moved fast to the point only a select few could see it move. The foot hit Dara's head and his head flew in the air while crumbling inwards on it's self. Dara did not move. His body just stood there, the hammer continued striking towards the ground. He never fell over. He just stood there, with blood pouring out of his decapitated neck, the crowd watched as Dayo pushed the standing body onto the cold dirty floor of the pit.
The crowd once again went wild, rarely do they see such a strong fighter, someone who can win a fight without a weapon. For the crowd, joy had arrived while watching a fight like this, all their pain and misery from the past year was a fragment of a memory as they watched, and enjoyed the next matches.
Slowly but surly Dayo, and Elam pushed though the bracket, sometimes with a long match sometimes with a short one, they travailed though the rankings. Sometimes their opponents were spared, sometimes not. The fans enjoyed it. Meanwhile all this was happening, Haimirch was not having a good time.
A messenger had approached him, telling he had vital news from the outskirts of the nation. Haimirch quickly told all of his advisors to leave the area. Then the messenger said what the messenger had to say.
"Eos has fallen?" he spoke quietly, but with anger at the scared messenger, who was regretting ever coming to tell the news. The Prince stood up pushing his foot against a small bump in the wood under his seat.
"How many people know", said the Prince staring at the messenger like a snake stares at a mouse it has been strangling for the past minute, as if it knew the rat did not have much longer, and if it knew it would profit greatly from it's demise. "Just me, and you. The King is on the Grand Campaign with the First Prince, where us glorious humans will take back the Sruthadh River from the evil Otcorn race." The Second Prince smiled. "Good…I hope you brought a weapon, your going to get the honour of fighting the winner of Elam's, and Dayo's fight." The messenger screamed "You can't do this to me. Please don't do this." Haimirch crooned a little tune as he called his guards over. "Don't hurt him, just make sure he cannot speak." The guards nodded slowly and approached the messenger. The messenger noticing the guards were approaching screamed "EOS HAS BEEN INVADED." The Prince smiled at the messenger, saying "Right now, although you may think that you are alerting everyone, no one can hear you. I have triggered a spell formation that was set up three years ago after another one of my secrets almost got leaked, and the guards, they simply do not have the ability to betray me", the Prince laughed, "they don't even have the ability to breath without my permission, how could they betray me."
As the Prince said this a guard poured a small substance into the mad messengers mouth. Then the screaming stopped, no sounds could come out of the messenger's mouth, the messenger stared at the Prince in horror as the Prince's guards brought the messenger to a small cell next to the stage.
The Prince then invited his advisors back, "What was that about" Obadiah asked. "Don't worry." The prince smiled at Obadiah. "We should instead enjoy the match and see who will be our champion."
The Prince then walked to the edge of his seating area and spoke with authority to the people below. "I created this event to see the greatest fighters our country has to offer fight, for us all to enjoy ourselves, no matter the background, or the culture. To show off our countries wealth which all of you enjoy. Now I present to you: The Joyous Dayo, and the Quiet but Intelligent Elam. They will fight for your enjoyment, because you all deserve this because of your hard work." The crowd cheered as the announcer, announced the start of the fight.
Dayo who had beaten all of his opponents, quickly readied his stance. He chose a light stance, implying his assumption that he would be moving a lot while fighting against Elam, who uses daggers and quick attacks. Light murderous intent stemmed from Dayo. Elam on the other hand had almost no presence in the area, he was in a walking stance, which would have been a sign of arrogance were one to have not seen his focused face. As for usual Dayo was unarmed, and Elam was using two daggers.
Both of them moved lightly, while keeping a safe distance from each other—they were looking for openings. Then Elam jumped forward attempting a diagonal swing from the top left to the bottom right with his right hand. Dayo jumped back with focus, staring not at Elam's right hand but at his left, where the dagger was no where to be seen. As the strike was dodged Dayo kicked a roundhouse kick with his right foot aiming at the the left rib of Elam who was in front of him, Elam did not use a lot of effort to move back, but once the unsuccessful kick was past the side of his rib cage, with the foot in front of the solar plexus Dayo converted his kick into a side kick. Elam seeing this used both of his hands to cushion the undodgeable blow. Elam was sent backwards three meters. He looked winded for a moment, seeing this Dayo jumped with a flying sidekick towards Elam, as Dayo jumped he twisted his body 90 degrees and turned his flying sidekick into a jumping back kick. This kick was being sent towards Elam's face. A moment before the kick landed Elam awoke from his torpor, and moved his head as fast as he could. He was not quick enough. While the movement removed death as an option it resulted in the side of Elam's face to be hit by the kick, resulting in his left ear being removed from his head, and his left eye to never be opened again.
Silence flew onto the arena, the crowd stared in horror as Elam did not surrender, but instead put a throwing dagger into his left hand and thew it at Dayo, who was just landing on the ground after his kick. Due to the new lack of depth perception Dayo was not instantly killed from the throw, but instead received the dagger throw into his chest, just a couple inches from his heart. Dayo fell to the ground, Elam seized the opportunity and pounced like a leopard onto Dayo, quickly removing his life from him. Elam stepped back after doing his damage, and he, the crowd, the prince, and the messenger watched as blood flew out of Dayo's body. Eventually like an old sprinkler, the water stopped coming out, and then it dripped onto the pit. After a while the crowd started cheering, chanting Elam's name. Elam smiled, and sat down. Blood poured from his face, he did not look worried, but instead was happy, knowing that he had won the competition.
The Prince then smiled out to the crowd, "Well done to our great Champion, Elam of Cepea. A man of great skill, and dedication. A man of high intelligence. A man who I hoped from the very beginning of the tournament would win.
The ruling family of Eos, the Provalyat's has declined over the past hundred years to the point where we have caught them working with our archenemy, the Otcorn race. They have been removed from this position, and their titles will be stripped in the coming days, I say this because Elam will now be ruling over this great, and powerful territory".
The crowd was stunned over the new revelations, the Prince's advisors were stunned over both the two points. "Elam is doing our country a great service by taking over this land and helping our glorious nation." The Prince smiled and breathed in. "Lastly as a sign of our power against the Otcorn race, Elam bearing my will, will execute a traitor from our race who thought it would be smart to attempt to murder me while posing as a messenger, one of the most noble positions in the country. Thankfully my guards who were raised in the public training program were able to save me."
"Now let us execute the traitor and began another new year of power and strength for our glorious nation." The citizens cheered, the messenger was pulled out into the pit, where Elam was sitting, Elam was quiet. Elam stood up and passed a knife to the messenger. "Fight well, and maybe you will live," Elam said to the messenger. The messenger stared at Elam knowing that murdering him was his only chance of survival. The announcer screamed one word.
"Kill".
In less than a second Elam's knife was inside of the messengers head. Elam pushed it though to the point that he could see the tip coming out the other side. This brutal murder took a moment to kill the messenger. In those final moments when the knife was inside the messenger who was still alive, the messenger tried to scream, no sounds came out, slowly a look of horror spread across his face, with understanding that this would be his final moment as part of the living. He, a hardworking soldier who fought for his life to return to the Prince, to tell him important news, who had to leave his friends and family behind, who all hoped for him to reach the Prince and tell him this news, news that could save many lives, all of this, all of his hope, his friends, and his families hope was betrayed, ripped apart and shredded. As he died his face became sad, and a tear started to form. The tear never had enough time to form, for his life had ended.
The crowd cheered as if there was no tomorrow. The Prince smiled.