Chapter 580 - Day MMCXXXIX, Part II

The sphere of fire shattered suddenly with an explosion of pure white light and torn apart red flames. Revealing Will, who immediately rose his sword height and a blast of light smashed into the arena, straight at the alien's head, who in the last seconds avoided it. But the ray followed the pyrokinetic evaporating everything on its way.

It was hard to look at and forced me to squint my eyes into tiny chinks, but I kept watching. I didn't want to lose even a second of the fight.

Some explosions from the underground machinery shook the arena as the light finally reached its target. Then we watched as the alien desperately reached its hands in the last impossible attempt to save himself before being completely swallowed by the strange, but glorious as hell, energy.

The battleground had holes and crevasses melted down deep into the underground complex. In some places, it swelled from whatever happened underneath. The sand was either turned into a glass formed into a twister or shattered into tiny bits.

Ashal Kal Anur jumped on his feet and started clapping, with a victory painted all over his face. He looked so proud of Will that I for a second thought he might jump down, and go hug him.

The human acknowledged this gesture, and slightly bowed, while Zor'xal was so pissed, that his whole body was shaking from emotions, but he didn't yell this time, nor did he destroy another one of his floating chairs.

Will slowly drifted down with the claymore risen high in a victorious gesture. Then he simply walked back to his position with all the glass shards crunching under his boots.

Despite the fact that the arena was in a terrible state nobody was calling for a break. Ashal Kal Anur returned to his throne, and Zor'xal kept his silence, although at some point he looked at an Atri in his entourage, and the alien quickly left the arena. 

- He is very impressive - said Katri Xel Avakadaisu. - I can't believe you live only on one planet having such a powerful warrior among yourself.

- Well... Technically we are not living on one planet - said Adam. - Although such a change is very recent, just as the emergence of such a strong people among our species.

- What do you mean by that? - she asked.

Adam had to feel my gaze on himself, since he quickly glanced towards me, and then didn't answer her question. Couldn't blame him. My eyes were almost burning a hole in his face, that's how intense I was looking.

I was not the only one. Gavriil did just the same.

Atri read between the lines, and she didn't repeat her question. She just became silent, although not for too long.

- They are not postponing the fight. I could understand why Ashal Kal Anur is not doing that. He probably wants to make the emperor look like a coward by avoiding the fight, and trying to buy time, but not Zor'xal.

- Maybe he is just too proud? - Gavriil pointed out.

- He is a rat. That's how you say it? Anyway... At this point, I think, he would swallow his pride, and do everything in his power to somehow cheat his way to winning, but if he is not trying any tricks, this can only mean he has a hidden card in his sleeve. An ace.

- You think he might have somebody who could win with Will? - asked Adam.

- I told you already, he brought powerfully warriors. There could be somebody like that among them. He throws another mindless creature like C42/36 or mutant running on component P-17 Ashal Kal Anur might announce him as a loser. He can't use anything that's disposable anymore. He brought enough shame on himself by doing so and still losing. He needs to either win fair and square or make you lose and look bad, but he has no time for any schemes now to achieve that. This brings me to the only one conclusion, a hidden card.

- Maybe we should switch? - proposed Gavriil, looking at me.

- I have full confidence in Will - I said.

- If you believe in him, then I will too. People from Arc only brought us all positive surprises so far, so we should have more faith in you - said Adam.

Throughout all the time we talked, Will just waited on his spot patiently looking at the entrance to the underground complex where his opponent should come from, but that was not happening.

- You said he was not the strongest yesterday. Who is the strongest then? - asked Avakadaisu.

- Peter - Nil said immediately.

- Maybe you really should consider switching? - she asked looking at me. - You are not far from victory, and I have a bad feeling.

This caused everybody else to focus on me.

- Maybe... - started Aadam.

- No. Is this how much faith you have in a man who since yesterday is smashing every opponent he faces? Do you think he will lose? No, he won't. So stop talking nonsense. And why do you suddenly have so much faith in me? You barely saw what I can do.

- We saw the giant monster - Adam pointed out.

- Some of us even felt it - added Gavriil. - So despite all the splendor pouring down from the sky since yesterday, I know you can do more than that. 

- What are they talking about? Giant monster? - asked Atri.

- He summoned a black creature that was bigger than the whole arena they are fighting on right now - explained Adam.

- Summoned?

- Like I did with my undead, and the coffins - explained Gavriil.

The argument was stopped, as everybody suddenly focused on the holoprojection since there was some movement in the shadows of the entrance to the enemy's part of the underground complex.

Something we already saw one showed up. The very same Calludin named Nall, who killed Boris, slowly emerged from the darkness, walking towards Will. There was only peace and confidence painted all over the alien face.

My heart rate immediately increased significantly.

- How? - escaped the Atri's mouth.