Realm of Monsters

Team Hollow Shade stepped out of the dark tunnel and stepped into the coliseum’s arena. Stryg squinted as the sun shined down on them, it was bright enough to irritate his eyes but not enough to trigger their change. Freya squinted as well, though she kept her eyes on Stryg. He had yet to really talk to them about being an Aspirant and the way Freya awkwardly looked at him made it amply clear that he should.

Callum ignored the harsh sun, he just stared warily at the silent crowds in the stands around them. Nothing seemed to bother Sylvie, the bright sun nor the silence of the crowds. She simply waved at the spectators as if she was walking down the market streets on any ordinary day.

“Why aren’t they saying anything?” Callum whispered. “Usually they’re so loud.”

“It’s weird, right?” Sylvie said. “I heard the crowds cheering for Team Murkton right before the Heralds announced our entrance.”

“It’s uncomfortable, they’re all just staring at us. I rather hear their booing over this,” Callum said.

“They’re not staring at us, they’re staring at Stryg,” Freya noted quietly.

Her words flew right past Stryg. He was too focused on examining the coliseum. Gone were the pillars and the artificial lake that had covered the entire arena during the 2nd Challenge. The arena’s floor had returned to its usual hard stone with a faint layer of sand above it. Four large pools of water had been built around the walls and between the tunnel entrances.

The other three teams already stood at the center of the arena waiting patiently. A few paces away, Ophelia Thorn stood on a small stage that had been erected just for her. House Thorn’s enchanted cloak, Blossom, was wrapped around her shoulders. Small purple veins streaked across the cloak’s white petals and seemed to almost pulse with life.

Ophelia reminded Stryg of the fairies he had seen in Glimmer Grove forest. Though where the fairies seemed warm and full of life, Ophelia seemed cold and lifeless.

As Stryg and his teammates walked up to Ophelia, Stryg slowly glanced at each member of the other teams. They all stared at him with guarded expressions, some were filled with curiosity, fear, others envy, but many held a glint of anger in their eyes.

Freya bowed her head, “Lady Thorn, Team Hollow Shade stands in front of you, ready to accept your Challenge.”

Ophelia’s blue eyes flickered to Stryg for a brief moment then settled on Freya. “...Captain Goldelm, I see your bravery and I accept your resolve.”

Ophelia pulled her arms from under her cloak and raised them high. In her hands, she held a small jade vase. The crowd suddenly broke into cheers at the sight of the vase.

“Lady Thorn has commenced the Challenge of Spell & Steel!” Mark Stemme announced from the Herald’s Tower.

“Whose names will she draw first?” Jane Stemme asked excitedly.

“I don’t know, but I can tell you who the people want to see,” Mark said. “Stryg, the Ebon Aspirant of Hollow Shade.”

Stryg looked up at the mention of his name. He glanced around stiffly, confused.

“We got to see a large repertoire of spells from the Aspirant a few days ago, but that was in a team battle, and even then he managed to fight off several opponents!” Jane exclaimed. “How do you think his competitors will fare against him now?”

As the Heralds discussed their predictions Ophelia shook the jade vase and tipped it down towards her open hand. A green marble with a golden number etched across its surface, fell into her palm.

She shook the jade vase once more and poured out another marble, this one was black though it still had an etched golden number.

Ophelia grabbed the green marble and read aloud its sigil, “Undergrowth’s team member Number 3. Damian of the Great House of Parvus.” She rolled the black marble between her fingers and read its sigil, “Hollow Shade’s team member Number 4, Sylvie…”

~~~

“They drew my name, I’m up first!” Sylvie jumped. “Oo, I’m nervous,” she shook her fingers.

“You’ll do great, I’m certain,” Callum said with a careful smile.

“You guys really think so?” Sylvie asked.

“Definitely. Show those damn Undergrowthers to not mess with Hollow Shade,” Freya grinned. 

Stryg glanced at Damian and his teammates across the stadium, “Damian is strong for a 3rd year, but I’ve seen you in action. Just don’t underestimate him and you’ll be fine.”

“Don’t underestimate him, gotcha,” Sylvie nodded seriously, though her crimson eyes seemed playful.

“Sylvie, are you gonna bring your enchanted ax or aurum aegis with you to the duel?” Freya asked.

“Huh?” Sylvie cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“The 3rd Challenge’s rules state you can only bring one enchanted item and one weapon with you to any of the duels,” Freya said.

“What!?” Sylvie yelled. “What do you mean I can only take one?! Since when has that been a rule?!”

“Lady Thorn literally just explained it to us before she sent us to this side of the arena…” Freya frowned, “Weren’t you listening?”

“I sort of tuned her out after I heard my name being called, ehehe,” Sylvie winced with a smile.

“Why don’t you take aurum aegis,” Callum suggested. “You can always just use an ordinary battle-ax. There are plenty of free weapons to pick from on the rack.” He pointed to the weapons rack behind them.

“But they won’t be as sharp, I won’t be able to cut anything with them…” Sylvie pouted.

“An aegis will keep you safe, it's an incredible advantage in any fight. You’d be an idiot not to take it,” Stryg said coldly.

“Ugh, fine,” Sylvie groaned. “I’ll grab one of those stupid axes. But when I lose because I can’t even cut a piece of fabric with a dull ax I’m gonna blame all of you.”

~~~

“Are you ready for this?” Veronica asked worriedly. “That girl’s huge, are you sure you can take her?”

“My ancestors used to hunt down viperidae the size of a small house, I think I can take her,” Damian said in a relaxed tone.

“I don’t know… she managed to cast that stone wall in the last Challenge. It took a lot of firepower just to destroy it,” Veronica said.

“He’ll be fine,” Heather said. “In terms of firepower, Damian is the strongest on our team, excluding Calex of course.” 

Calex abruptly stepped in front of Damian and looked him up and down. “You’re wearing enchanted chainmail underneath your shirt?”

Damian smiled proudly, “It was my father’s. He gave it to me when I came of age. It’ll stop an arrow or blade no problem.”

Calex nodded, satisfied. “Just make sure you don’t get hit with a bolt of lightning or fire.”

“Not a problem, that dire vampire is gonna have to get close to me first. The arena is too large for any sort of accurate spell casting from this distance. An arrow on the other hand? Well…” Damian smirked.

~~~

After Ophelia’s drawing of the names, the arena was quickly emptied, save for Damian and Sylvie. Both of them stood at the opposite sides of the enormous arena, each one a small figure in the distance.

Mark cleared his throat and took a deep breath, “May the first duel of Spell & Steel…”

“BEGIN!” Jane shouted.

The crowd cheered excitedly, chanting ‘Undergrowth’ over and over.

Damian ignored the cheers and focused his attention on his enemy. He’d end this before the vampiress knew what hit her. His family had trained him in the ways of the bow and forestry since he was a small child. This was a hunt, the only difference was the size of the quarry.

Damian raised his bow, notched an arrow, aimed true, but he suddenly paused, his fingers trembling, bowstring held tautly. He narrowed his eyes, “...What the…?”

Sylvie hadn’t moved. She was still standing on the other edge of the arena, fidgeting with what seemed to be… her ax? She touched the edge of the ax with her finger and frowned.

Sylvie turned her back to Damian and looked up at the stands where her teammates sat.

“You gave me a broken ax!” Sylvie yelled.

“It was the biggest ax they had!” Freya yelled back. 

“Turn around and face your enemy!” Stryg shouted.

“This ax can’t cut shit!” Sylvie screamed angrily.

“Idiots,” Damian muttered. He aimed once more and let his arrow loose.

The arrow whistled through the air and shot straight to the dire vampire’s back. Sylvie flicked her hand, the ax swept behind her and blocked the arrow in mid-flight, shattering it in two.

The crowd cheered in awe.

Damian stiffened, a shiver ran down his spine. Her back was turned… Her back was fucking turned!

What sort of monstrous reflexes did this woman have!?

Sylvie finally turned around and glanced at the broken arrow on the ground with mild surprise. She glanced between the arrow and Damian briefly.

“Wow, that was close,” she chuckled. “Hey, drow guy with the bow, you almost hit me!” she shouted.

“What?” Damian frowned.

“Can you hear me? No? One sec, I’ll come closer!” Sylvie yelled and began sauntering towards him with a slow casual gait.

“What the fuck?” Damian mumbled. He shook his head, pulled his bowstring back, and fired off several shots.

Sylvie’s arm moved in a flash, the ax blocked the arrows with ease one by one. All the while Sylvie strolled closer and closer.

“That’s not possible!” Damian roared in frustration. Stay calm, just stay calm. It doesn’t matter, I have more than just my arrows.

He threw his bow aside and channeled orange mana into his hands. That idiot vampire had walked right into his range. A powerful stream of fire spewed from his palms and consumed the giant hybrid in orange flames.

Damian took a step back, confused. He thought she’d at least dodge, if not outright try to stop the attack.

The flames fluttered, a dark silhouette amidst the inferno. Sylvie stepped out of the fire, thousands of specs of bronze light shimmering around her. The crowds gasped in shock. 

She’s got a fucking aegis!? Damian’s jaw went slack. No! Even with an aegis the heat of the fire should still be suffocating!

“Why are you still standing!?!” Damian yelled.

Sylvie smiled, “Do you prefer I run?”

Damian gritted his teeth, If fire isn’t enough, then how about storm magic!

He channeled blue mana into his right arm. Lightning crackled over his hand and flew out in an explosion of blue light. Sylvie’s arm shot up and fired off her own bolt of lightning. The storm spells collided and streamed outwards, blue tendrils searing the ground all around them.

“Oof, that was close. I only have an aurum aegis,” Sylvie held up her necklace as she walked. “I’m not trying to push my luck here. Could you please relax on the lightning? We might both get fried at this rate.”

“Then stop moving!” Damian roared and slammed his fists into the ground. The sand and stone rippled from the injection of green mana. Large chunks of stone broke off from the ground and hurled towards Sylvie, or at least they were supposed to. Instead, the ground cracked into chunks all around him but they did not move.

Damian frowned, “Huh?”

“Oh, were you casting a stone spell? Sorry,” Sylvie winced. “I’m kind of already using it.”

The ground shattered as dozens of giant green vines sprouted from underneath their feet. The vines whipped out and seized Damian’s limbs. He yelled in panic and tried to move. Fire poured out of his hands and burned the vines’ thick skin, but they quickly grew back and held onto him tightly.

Sylvie hefted her ax over her shoulder and channeled brown mana into her veins. 

“This ax is ~super dull~ so I’ll put my back into it!” she grinned as vigor magic covered her arms in a bronze sheen. She dashed at Damian and vaulted into the air, her arms pulled back for a giant swing. 

“W-wait! I give up! I give up!” Damian yelled in a panicked voice.

Sylvie swung her ax down. The ax’s edge tore through Damian’s chainmail and sliced off his arm in one clean swipe.

He screeched in a gurgling voice of agony as blood spewed from the stump on his shoulder.

“Dear sweet Lunae!” Mark screamed in horror.

“T-the match is over!” Jane stammered. 

Sylvie stared at her bloodied ax and the drow spasming on the floor next to her. She winced playfully, “Whoopsies, I missed!”

“I repeat the match is over!” Jane yelled. “Damian Parvus cannot continue, so someone please get some damn healers down there now!”

Sylvie blinked, “Wait, that means I win, right? Right?” She threw the ax aside and looked at her teammates up in the stands.

Sylvie smiled wide, flecks of blood on her scarlet hair and brown cheeks, “I did it, guys! I won!”

Freya grimly stared at Sylvie, her arms were up above her shoulders as she shook her hips from side to side in a victory dance, while a half-dying drow rolled on the ground next to her. 

“...Should we be worried?” Freya asked.

“I mean… yes?” Callum said hesitantly.

“Yeah, Sylvie’s a terrible dancer,” Stryg nodded. “Gods, it hurts just looking at her.”

Freya glanced at Callum, wide-eyed. “Should we…?”

Callum subtly shook his head. “Not worth it,” he mouthed silently.