15

👍︎︎︎♒︎︎︎♋︎︎︎◻︎︎︎⧫︎︎︎♏︎︎︎❒︎︎︎ 📂︎🗄︎🖳︎ 🏱︎♋︎♓︎■︎

"I'm glad to see you accept the challenge," Hades said. "I suppose we could have it now. It IS past 10:00 which means your mana should be full."

"I object!" Thor shouted, "I am not letting you do this!"

"I'll be fine," The Puppeteer tried reassuring. "Trust me. I always keep my promises." He faced Hades. "I suppose we could indeed have it now."

"Good. Good. I'll let you prepare. Take out whatever cards you're going to need because let me tell you. You're going to need them."

The Puppeteer carefully gathered 10 cards. Everyone there was watching intensely seeing what his masterful plan was. "I'm ready."

"Thor," he gestured, "How about you do the honors of counting us off?"

"I…"

"Good. Ready when you are."

Thor looked towards The Puppeteer who gave him a nod and a smile. He sighed and began counting off. "3… 2… 1… go…"

It wasn't close. Hades was able to move faster than the human eye. Anything The Puppeteer could have planned wouldn't have worked.

The crowd looked away.

Ben and Sorben were in shock.

Instogras gave a devilish grin.

Thor had a face of horror and fell to his knees. He started to weep.

"Interesting." Hades said as he pulled his weapon out of The Puppeteer's chest. "You managed to both leave a slight mark on me and prevent your own death. It seems like your title of summoned is well deserved."

The Puppeteer coughed up a little blood, "Well… you did give me time to prepare… Had you not… I would…" He collapsed revealing the cards he had played. "Arrow of Disturbance", "Future Sight", and "The Second Outcome".

"I'll be taking my leave now," Hades stated, "You best tend to him so he doesn't die." He looked down at The Puppeteer's near lifeless body and picked up a card. "I'll be taking this as my prize." He walked away while Sorben and Ben rushed over towards the body.

* * * * * *

"Wh-where am I?" a dazed Puppeteer asked awakening from his slumber.

"He's awake!" Ben shouted, "Everyone he's awake!"

A flurry of footsteps rushed towards The Puppeteer. He looked up and saw many people including those in the crowd of his duel.

"You're really stupid you know that?" Sorben said, "One unlucky strike and that blade would've pierced your heart."

"Hey I…"

"And don't even mention the cards you played. Had you not played them fast enough that blade would've killed you wouldn't it have?" Sorben sighed, "Well at least you're alive. I can give you that much. Plus there's one more person who'd like to speak to you." He leaned down and whispered in The Puppeteer's ear. "It's not going to go well for you."

Sorben left and in came Thor who's eyes were red most likely from crying. The Puppeteer gave a weak fake smile as if to say "We're cool right?" only for Thor to give him an expressionless stare and slap him.

"OW!" The Puppeteer exclaimed, "What the Jesus Fucking Christ was that for?"

"YOU COULD'VE KILLED YOURSELF!" Thor ranted, "YOU HEARD THE STORY OF THOR AND YOU STILL WENT AND ALMOST GOT YOURSELF KILLED! YOU EXPECT ME TO BE FINE??? YOU'RE ONE OF THE ONLY PERSON OTHER THAN SORBEN THAT I HAVE LEFT." He stopped and took a deep breath. "Ah feels much better? What about you?"

"Could be better, but first things first. I apologize."

"For what? Almost getting yourself killed?"

"Well that too. I was very inconsiderate about what happened in the forest. I didn't know that you've been through that kind of trauma."

"It's fine I guess." Thor started, "I didn't expect you to know about it."

"I guess we're cool then?"

"No, not really. I'm still pissed that you almost got yourself killed so I'm going to be making sure you don't do something stupid."

"So you're saying I can't go on missions?"

"If you really want to go on a mission I'm going with you. Plus you need to heal first. I'd say you'll be good in about a day or two."

"I'd argue I'd be better sooner." The Puppeteer tried to get up but let out a voice of pain and fell back down onto the bed. "Where's my box?"

"Here it is!" a cheerful Ben said as he rushed back in. "I didn't mean to listen in on your conversation, but you guys were a little loud."

"It's fine," the two said in unison.

"I just need my box," The Puppeteer continued. Ben brought it before him and he tried to reach for it only for the pain to continue. He let Ben come closer and grab it without moving.

"Let's see here… Not that card… Frick wrong mana cost… Ah! Here it is! Remove Wounds! Just gonna play this on myself…" The Puppeteer began to glow a magical beige white. "And we're all set!" The Puppeteer stood up moving his arms, legs, and torso to make sure everything was fine. "Alright then, Let's go on a mission!"

"No!" Thor objected, "I don't care if you are feeling better, I am not letting you do anything dangerous for the rest of today!"

"Fine."

Chapter 15: Pain END