Realm of Monsters

…Two nights ago…

“A pincer attack? That’s your plan?” Kalliste asked skeptically.

“Yes,” Calex nodded. “Callum’s team will be assigned the pillar between both of our teams. Right when the match begins we do a surprise attack and weaken their defenses.”

“And what makes you think they won’t just block the spells?” Kalliste asked.

“Bright magic has the fastest attack spells, they’re very difficult to dodge or block, especially when you don’t see them coming.”

“Interesting, but only a master white mage can cast destructive bright spells,” Kalliste narrowed her eyes. “Are you saying the rumors are true? Are you a master mage?”

Calex shrugged, “It’s possible to learn a spell above your rank, just incredibly difficult, and usually not as strong.”

“And yet here you are, confident as ever,” Kalliste noted. “...Say I agree to your plan. Then what?”

“I’ll aim my bright spell towards Callum–”

“For me?”

“No, because he is the only red mage on their team. Without him, they can’t use ward magic to protect themselves. More importantly, the dire vampire, Sylvie, seems to care for Callum. She seems to be the greatest threat on Hollow Shade’s team. If Callum goes down, she’ll be distracted, and her attention will be focused on my team. A perfect chance for you to strike her down from the back ”

“I see, you are quite devious,” Kalliste smirked. 

“I’m thorough.”

“Okay, after the dire vampire goes down, then what?”

“Both our teams attack the Hollow Shaders from both sides until we eliminate them from the race.”

“That sounds wonderful, but you’re forgetting one important aspect, the Murktonians. If we focus our attacks on Callum’s team, the Murkton team will simply attack us from the back, or worse they’ll just run to the finish line.”

Calex smiled, “Knowledge is power, Kalliste. And I know Gilgard Morrigan’s secret. His father is the Grand Warlord of the East and that man does not take failure lightly. Gilgard must prove himself, even if he doesn’t want to. He’s already gotten 2nd place in the 1st Challenge.”

“I’m assuming you have a plan somewhere in that speech of yours.”

“Hollow Shade’s team will be severely weakened after our first attack. If you and I split off from our teammates we can rush to the finish line. Gilgard will have to make the choice of chasing us or trying to attack our teams.”

Kalliste licked her lips, “But the choice will be already made. Because Gilgard needs to win. He’ll be forced to ignore our teams and chase us.”

“And do you think one team, even with Gilgard included, will be able to stop the both of us?”

“Gilgard isn’t a chromatic orange, is he?”

“He is not. Unlike us.”

“So no agility magic for him…” Kalliste sighed, “You really are thorough, but your plan doesn’t work if I decide not to help.”

“As I said, Kalliste, knowledge is power. You can’t afford to lose either,” Calex shook his head. “You are living in your sister’s shadow, last year’s champion. The only way to step out from her shadow is to win 1st place, to surpass her. So far you’ve only managed 3rd place in the last Challenge.” Calex shrugged, “I guess what I’m trying to say is, do we have a deal?”

Kalliste clicked her tongue, “A Thorn indeed.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

~~~

“Callum, Sylvie!” Freya screamed.

Dozens of spells flew towards them in a barrage of magic. Stryg glanced around in panic. What could he do? He couldn’t save them. He couldn’t save his friends.

A stone wall abruptly sprouted from around the edges of the pillar and blocked the spells. The wall cracked and crumbled from the force of the bombarding magic, but it quickly began to regenerate.

“How the hell…?” Stryg mumbled.

“I’m not done yet,” Sylvie huffed. She lay on the floor, her right shoulder was covered in burns, but her left hand was securely planted on the ground, her green mana flowing into the pillar’s stone wall.

“Sylvie!” Freya ran to her.

“I’m fine, go help Callum!” Sylvie yelled.

“R-right!” Freya nodded and scurried over to Callum.

Callum mumbled a weak groan, his eyes were glazed over with pain.

Freya looked over his back and winced. “He’s badly hurt, I can’t heal all of this.”

“Do what you can! We’re not leaving him!” Sylvie said.

“We’re not going anywhere if we can’t stop our enemies,” Freya swallowed. “Stryg, we need firepower!”

“I’m on it!” Stryg raised his hands high and summoned a pair of fireballs. He couldn’t see over the stone wall, but he had a general idea of where the enemy was. With a flick of his wrist, he began lunging fireballs over the wall.

“Did you get them!?” Freya called out anxiously as she channeled healing magic into Callum’s scorched back.

“I said I’m working on it!” Stryg yelled.

“Their attacks are still hitting the wall!” Sylvie said through gritted teeth. “There are too many! I can’t keep this up forever!”

“What the fuck is that!?” Stryg looked up.

A small figure floated high in the sky. She flew slowly and her trajectory was a tad shaky, but there was no doubt she was flying.

“Master wind magic…” Stryg mumbled.

Heather laughed from a hundred paces above the arena, wind magic curling around her body. She opened up Veronica’s satchel and dumped out all the potions.

“Incoming from above!” Stryg shouted.

“AHHH!” Sylvie roared in anger and slammed her fist into the ground. 

The stone wall rose around them and formed a dome. The potions exploded in a cacophony of magical energy that tore the air itself, sending waves of energy across the coliseum. The crowds pulled back, but their cheers only grew louder. The stone dome shook and cracked, but it did not fall.

The dome slowly began to crumble apart after the explosions had died out. Stryg numbly looked through a hole in the broken dome and observed the wreckage outside. Even the other surrounding pillars had suffered damage. Had Sylvie really protected them from all of this?

Stryg bit his lip, he had underestimated her… greatly.

Freya looked at Sylvie in awe, “That was incredible.”

Sylvie gasped weakly and fell on her back, “I can’t… I’m out of green…”

The drow, Nalla stared at them from across the pillars, her eyes cold with determination. She raised her arms and a surge of flame curled around her palms until it formed an enormous sphere of fire as wide as the pillar.

“I can’t…” Stryg’s eyes widened. I can’t make a flame spell that large.

“The dome won’t hold another attack, we have to surrender now, it’s our only chance!” Freya yelled. “We still have the next Challenge! We’re not out of the tourney yet!”

Sylvie groaned, “But…” 

The other mages began to cast their own spells and aimed them at the broken dome.

“There is no time!” Freya shot to her feet.

“It's too late,” Stryg whispered.

There was no way they were going to make it out on time. Freya’s words of surrender would fall on deaf ears. The enemy was determined to end them here.

Stryg turned to his teammates, his friends. Callum lay face down, barely conscious, blood dripping across the burns over his back. Sylvie struggled to stand, her right arm lying limp at her side. She wheezed weakly and tried to hide the pain searing through her shoulder.

Their brave captain, Freya looked around desperately, searching for a way out of the half-shattered dome. Her golden eyes, always so filled with pride and confidence, were now filled with nothing but anxiety and fear.

Stryg recognized those eyes, he had seen them before… at Widow’s Crag.

The desperation, the fear, he had felt it all that night. The night that should never have happened, had Loh kept her word… 

Stryg still felt the same, he felt helpless. He knew it then, just as he knew it now… there was no way they could win.

Clypeus’ bloodied body flashed through his mind. He hadn’t been able to save Clypeus… he couldn’t save anyone…

Karen’s grin appeared in his mind. The faces of the goblins orphans he had helped rushed through his memories. Baby Kamilo’s laughter… Rhian’s cocky chuckle… Feli’s knowing smirk… Stryg remembered… All of them…

Gale’s question echoed in his thoughts. 

Who am I? 

Yet it was not Gale’s voice that he heard, but Clypeus’. 

Who am I? 

It was Clypeus’ bloody smile that he remembered. 

Who am I? 

It was Clypeus' words that echoed in his heart.

Who am I? 

Stryg couldn’t help but smile. He still didn’t know much about the world outside Vulture Woods, but he knew that his friendship with Clypeus was real and that was enough for him.

Nalla and the other mages hurled their spells in a volley of magic. The spells crashed into the ruined dome and tore the last bits of stone apart in a storm of destruction.

As the smoke settled, the scars and cracks in Hollow Shade’s pillar were evident. It was a wonder it was still standing.

Lady Thorn watched from across the stadium with content satisfaction. She bowed her head and hid her smile.

The crowd’s cheers fell at the sight of the destruction, at its finality.

The heralds, Jane and Mark glanced at each other grimly.

Mark cleared his throat and spoke softly, “Hollow Shade’s entire team seems to have fallen… A moment of silence if you will…”

“Wait, are you seeing that!?” Jane yelled.

A faint red sheen glowed amidst the smoke. A large red dome of light stood where the stone dome had once been. Dozens of intricate red ward sigils flared across the dome and at its center stood Hollow Shade’s mages, unharmed.

Sylvie and Freya stared at the wards above them in confusion. They glanced at Callum questioningly.

“...It… wasn’t me…” Callum mumbled weakly.

Sylvie and Freya slowly looked at Stryg. His back was turned towards them. His arms were spread wide apart, fingers outstretched, soft red light glowing from his fingertips.

Freya furrowed her brow, “Stryg…?”

Stryg stared past the dome, at the enemies that waited across the pillars. He could feel his all chromatic colors surging through him, pulsing with power, eager to come out.

Stryg took a deep breath and smiled at his enemies, “I am the Shield of my friends. Be it monster or man, here I stand proud and I shall not falter.”