Chapter Ashborn 335: Vaak vs Nor

Chapter Ashborn 335: Vaak vs Nor

Vir paced around the waiting area, feeling like an eternity had passed. He wore his newly polished armor, and his katar and Chakram both glistened in his hands, ready for the fight.

If only he felt ready. Left alone along with Shan in a large room at the edge of the arena and a single Bairan guard, dark thoughts filled his mind. Until now, he’d been fixated on Cirayus, thinking him the only real threat. But the results of the qualification challenge had humbled him. He’d barely eked by, and though it wasn’t an outright test of combat, to have come in last...

Zarak’Nor would not be an easy opponent. With all of his handicaps, Vir would have to bring his very best. Even then, Vir had a bad feeling. Never had the stakes been higher. If he lost here—if he failed to obtain Balancer of Scales...

Vir took several deep breaths to center himself, resisting the urge to tap into the Foundation Chakra as he’d be using it extensively in the upcoming fight.

He glanced out the window. The Tournament was scheduled such that the main fights were hours apart—both to increase the feeling of suspense, and to get people to stay through the challenge fights that went on continuously. If the main duels finished early, most spectators would leave. And that meant less money flowing into Thaman’s coffers.

When the commentator finally announced Vir’s name, he was both horrified that the moment had finally arrived, and relieved that the endless wait was over.

“And now, my dear demons and demonesses, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! The second and final bout of the day! Our first competitor is a young demon, claiming affiliation to no clan.”

“That’s right, Samik,” the other commentator replied. “He bears no official Guardian Rank. Yet he claims to be of the Ash, and from what we saw in the qualifiers, I have to say, he certainly lives up to the title!”

“Indeed. Vaak didn’t break a sweat in there. To say nothing of that Artifact Chakram he wields.”

“That is one nasty weapon, I must admit, and let’s not forget his companion, the prana wolf! Even our reigning champion will have to play it safe with this one.”

The commentator’s words were followed by a round of booing.

“Well, now,” Samik laughed. “This will no doubt be quite an opening battle, folks! Without further ado, let’s bring out our Vaaaak—Of Ash!”

Vir made sure he waved enthusiastically to the crowd, ignoring the extremely lackluster response—most of which came from Baira and Panav. He was at least glad that there was no booing. If he won this bout in the manner he intended, he suspected there would be far more of that next time.

Doing his best to ignore the enormous floating projections that were currently showing Vir, he shifted his gaze to the very tops of the grandstands. To the small rooms that ringed the arena—one per Clan section. The seats of highest honor, reserved for the Rajas and their retinue. Except for the Aindri, every Raja in the realm was in attendance.

Which meant Chitran Raja Matiman was gazing down at him even now... Vir wondered how the Raja would react if he had even an inkling of who he was looking down at. Vir wondered how any of the Rajas would react.

Only Thaman and Kira knew of his identity and existence. The others were still in the dark. To them, the Akh Nara was dead.

It would be pandemonium, Vir concluded. It might even be the spark that triggered the next inter-clan war.

And all that protected him—protected the realm—from that fate was the tattoo Cirayus’ granddaughter had inscribed upon his chest. A tattoo that required a constant flow of prana, and that—against an Iksana bearing Sight like Zarak’Nor—would be instantly discovered if Vir let up for even the briefest of moments.

More than losing, it was this possibility that scared Vir more.

“And now, introducing one who needs no introduction. Our Reigning Champion. The Gold-Ranked. The One. The Onlyyyy. Zarak’Noooooooooor!”

Vir was surprised to learn Nor was only ranked at Silver, though he supposed his scale was broken with Cirayus as his point of comparison. The Ravager was one of the few Seric-Rank demons in the entire realm, after all. And while Vir had been classified as Steel by the Overseer, he had to wonder where he’d rank unfettered, with full access to his abilities. Given the beasts he’d slain in the Ash, he doubted very much he’d rank anything other than Seric.

While that was a minor consolation, it wasn’t one that would be immediately helpful in this match.

The Iksana appeared from the opposite side of the arena, taking his time as he stomped to the stage, utterly ignoring the crowd that exploded in cheers, hoots, and stomps for him. Not just the Iksana, either. Every section of the stadium lit up with roars. Still, despite the energy, Vir couldn’t help but feel a little smug that Nor’s reception wasn’t even in the same realm as Cirayus’.

Vir sized up his opponent the moment he stepped out from his waiting room. Like most Iksana, Nor wore only light armor, with a half-helm that protected his head, a small chestplate, and small metal guards on his forearms and shins. Vir noted the demon was barefoot.

Unlike Aalok’Yar, who wielded a spear, Nor wielded a straight longsword that bore none of the distinct curve of a talwar, as well as two daggers that were sheathed on his hip. In his offhand was a small round dhol shield, similar to those Vir had seen warriors wield in both the Human and Demon realms.

By his equipment alone, Nor was a demon who prioritized arts and mobility. This was corroborated by Vir’s understanding of Nor’s past fights—narrated to him by Cirayus. The giant had told him a great deal about this particular opponent, in fact. Everything from his style to his habits to his favorite opening moves.

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

Vir took a deep breath, centered himself, and prepared to open his Chakras on a moment’s notice.

“Go all out,” Vir muttered to Shan, who stood beside him, teeth bared at Nor. “And be quick. Never linger in one place.”

Shan glanced up at Vir and barked. Vir returned a tight smile.

It wasn’t the Ashfire Wolf Vir was worried about.

“Combatants... FIGHT!”

Though it hadn’t penetrated his heart, and though Vir’s enhanced body prevented it from penetrating too deep, excruciating pain still bloomed in Vir’s head, threatening to take him over.

Simultaneously, Life Chakra attacks assaulted his mental defenses, forcing him to keep his Foundation Chakra open.

Immediately, Vir worked his blood, moving it away from the wound, ignoring the pain.

The only issue was that Nor’s weapon was still in Vir’s chest. It was an issue... But also an advantage.

“Shan! Now!” Vir shouted, grabbing Nor’s sword hand with both hands, clamping it in an iron grip.

The Ash Beast slammed into Nor’s back, and clung there, biting viciously into the demon’s exposed neck and activating his Aspect tattoo.

Nor, unable to move, took the attack and roared in pain as Shan's fangs seared into his flesh.

Empowering his legs, Vir swept the Iksana’s feet out from under him, and with one hand on Nor’s arm and the other on his shoulder, managed to roll so that he was on top of the demon.

Shan let go, but re-engaged, biting Nor’s leg and holding him there.

But Vir hadn’t just flipped Nor. He’d flipped him in a very particular direction. A direction that took him right to his Artifact Chakram.

Straddling Nor, Vir picked up the weapon and brought it to Nor’s neck.

The demon went very still, staring at the weapon in terror. Words might’ve been unnecessary, but Vir wanted to take no chances.

“You’ve seen what this can do,” he said. “And I’ll tell you right now, I haven’t opened the Shield Chakra. If you hit me with a Warrior Chakra attack, I’ll be forced to take it in full. And I know you know what that means.”

For one, it’d mean Vir would be crippled for life, but it also meant Nor would be disqualified from the Tournament, and would likely face criminal charges. It was, perhaps, an unorthodox way of fighting—admitting to a weakness.

Vir didn’t care. He’d use every means at his disposal to win. Especially when it meant depriving his enemy of an ability that would have killed him in any setting outside a sanctioned, nonlethal tournament.

Nor looked at Vir with a blank expression for a long moment, and then, without emotion, he spoke.

“I yield.”

There was silence for a moment. Then two.

Then the commentator finally spoke.

“V-Victoooor, Vaak!”

There was another moment of silence, and then the arena erupted. Not with cheers, but boos.

“It was the wolf!” They said.

“Wolf’s victory!”

“No, it was the Artifact! That’s cheating, using a weapon of the gods!”

“Freeloader!”

“Hack!”

To Vir, the denouncement came as a mark of success. He’d done it. He’d not only defeated Nor, he’d won in a way that would cause his next opponents to underestimate him, paying more attention to Shan instead.

It was, in fact, the best possible outcome. For there was a saying to warriors who ventured into the Ash.

The Shrike hides its talons.

The first round was over. Only three more to go.

Vir stepped off the stage and smiled.