Chapter 43: 43 : Day of the Challenge



"Sir, it is time. Everyone is waiting at the town square" Lillian Said, bowing lightly

"Good, I'll be there shortly. You can leave" Elias ordered as he fitted the buckle on his outfit.

It was finally the D-day, Elias had spent the last two days getting familiar with his new spells and skills, in preparation for the tournament.

In those two days, Elias discovered that there was only one thing in the system that could not be influenced by FWPs, and that was his stats. Stats had to be improved by him independently, so to raise his strength stats, he had to exercise and workout, to raise his intelligence stats, he had to read more, and so on and so forth.

The results of Elias's training reflected in his stat menu, "Stats menu" He called out

[ FWP : 17,050/10,000,000,000

Name: Elias Ashdown

Class: Swordsman, Farmer, Mage(Contractual, Caster)

Title: Farmer, One blessed by Fate, swordsman, Child of Light, Child of Destiny, Loved by mana, Mage

————————–————————–

Health: 2560/2560

Mana: 410,000/410,000

————————–————————–

Strength: 25

Agility: 21

Speed: 23

Stamina: 79

Intelligence: 150

]

'It is finally time, five Expert-level mages versus me. Today I show the whole of Eldoria that Elias Ashdown has arrived and is not to be taken lightly' Elias thought to himself, a confident grin on his face

He pulled out an obsidian-colored ring from his inventory, "Let's see how well you work." He said aloud as he slid the ring onto his middle finger. He thought of the destination he wanted to go to, visualized it and immediately Elias disappeared, leaving the space he once occupied empty.

The venue of the tournament was an arena in the Third District, Lord Varric's domain, where Elodorian military forces train. It was a massive coliseum, very similar in design to a stadium. Its massive, circular walls, adorned with detailed carvings of mythical beasts and legendary battles, rose high into the sky, shielding the surrounding buildings with its shadow

Archways, grand and imposing, punctuated the perimeter, each gateway guarded by stern-faced soldiers clad in gleaming armor. Within, the arena was a vast expanse of sand. The seats made of stone benches and wood were tiered in concentric circles, and could accommodate thousands.

At the heart of the coliseum, a grand dais stood, draped in rich banners and silks embroidered with sigils that represented each of the ruling family, reserved for nobility, one step higher was two seats reserved for the king and queen.

Above, an immense retractable canopy, operated by a complex system of ropes and pulleys, provided shade for the spectators.

Alan walked to the center of the arena and showed his respect to the king and family heads by taking a deep bow. He cleared his throat, and then began,

"I know you are all wondering why the King has demanded you all be present today, especially here in District Three, a district that is not easily accessible to the common man.

Suddenly, an audible Pop! Sounded in the midst of the family heads and the royalties, the sound was accompanied by a subtle whoosh.

Now occupying a space that was once empty, stood Elias in his full glory,

"There's no need for you all to fight over me, as flattering as it is, it's very immature," He spoke with a confident smirk on his, "I'll be choosing who goes first" he declared

[+20 000 FWP]

Immediately Elias manifested, Lord Varric, Lord Thane and Lady Isolde reacted

Lord Varric, was the first to react, he was on his feet in a heartbeat. His great axe, a weapon that had seen countless battles, gleamed menacingly as he brought it to Elias' neck. The sharp edge pressed lightly against Elias' skin, a silent promise of swift retribution should he prove a threat.

Lady Isolde's response was equally swift. Her palm, decorated with rings that glinted in the sunlight, pointed directly at Elias' face. The air around her hand crackled with latent magical energy, ready to be unleashed at a moment's notice. Her eyes, cold and calculating, bore into Elias, assessing his every move.

Lord Thane, rose from his seat with the fluid grace of a seasoned mage, and pointed his wand at Elias' head. The tip of the wand glowed with a faint, ominous light, indicating the power contained within.

As everything unfolded, King Alaric sat on his seat, unfazed by the scene that played out before him, whilst Lady Selene simply turned to look at Elias.

"Ahh...No need to be so Brash" Elias said, pushing away Lord Varric's axe with his index finger

"Elias Ashdown?" Lord Varric was taken aback, he asked as he lowered his axe

"Elias?" Queen Seraphina muttered

"Am I dreaming or did the farmboy just teleport?" Thane asked

"How did you?" Lady Isolde asked

"Magic," Elias replied, jokingly "As I was saying before, I will choose who goes first"

"And what makes you think you have that right?" King Alaric demanded,

Elias stepped forward, "It's only natural, after all, the odds are stacked against me, at least I have the luxury of choosing who will seal my fate. And besides, I am the youngest, I deserve that at least," he said

King Alaric adjusted himself on his seat, looking directly at Elias who had a broad smile plastered on his face, and that gave the king an unsettling feeling.

"Hmm...fine. Make your choice" King Alaric finally said

Elias's smile widened, and his fingers extended as he immediately pointed to Thane, "You, I want to fight your challenger first"

"Me? Hahaha," Thane laughed, "Fantastic!" He exclaimed

Elias smiled, "I should be down there now. See you when I see you," He said, before vanishing with an audible pop, as the air rushed in to fill the space he once occupied.

King Alaric sat upright, his gaze serious, "We have to win this challenge, no matter what?"

"Why, my king?" Thane asked,

"That boy has not once referred to me as 'my king', or 'your majesty' since he stepped into this kingdom. If we cannot put a leash on him now, he will grow to be something far beyond our control" He explained

Elias suddenly materialized beside Alan, causing Alan to skip a few feet backward.

"Don't be scared, it's just me. Go on, Introduce me, and let us get this over with"