Chapter 269 - Quarter-Finals

Ignoring the brewing trouble, the focus was placed onto the match. In a few minutes, Helga from Sepmora and Natalie of the Eastern Claireville academy would go toe to toe. Coming into this event, most of the combatants were rather unknown. Basing prediction was random, most chose by appearance. That led to many betting on the Adventurer, not knowing that setting and type of combat was best suited for mages. Not just any mage, but students who were trained specially for the time at hand.

Opposite one another, a witch versus a student of the church. If it were a few centuries back, at a time where magic was seen as taboo, this might well have been an inquisition.

"Staff paired with elemental spirit versus a special type of magic, body enhancement. They call it Devine Protection, one original of the eastern branch. From what I've seen so far, it turns the wielder into a stronger fighter. The focus isn't on expelling the mana, but rather, using it to reach a higher plane. Figures as much for the Paladin is chosen from those students," teleported with a grey mist, the sage.

"Good to have you," said Staxius with an unbothered tone.

"Likewise, majesty, likewise," the voice held a grudge.

"Seems that our team was defeated without much trouble," added Xula in a not so inviting tone.

"Perish the thought," argued Staxius, "-the elven siblings did more than was let on. I followed their fight closely, during the entirety of yesterday, they protected Eira without letting anyone know," the face seemed proud, "-serving their princess. Admirable though I feel that their potential was lost due to some feeling of longing towards their home." 

"I do have to give thine eyes credit, majesty, they were adamant on putting her highness to the semi-final. As we speak, the brother, as the crowd knows is bedridden, backed out so that to not cause any trouble. To put it in his words, '-I'd rather tend to my sister than fighting our princess. I'm but a rogue, my duty is doing the dirty work, not fight against the one I've sworn to protect.'

"I see," they faced forward, "-good children," added Xula, her face eased into a smile.

Loud chatter turned silent; the combatants entered the arena. Helga, dressed in light clothes with wands on the waist as opposed to a staff. Brown hair, tanned complexion, and a charming face – her body seemed well-trained for a school that swore to not educate murderers.

Opposite her, a girl in white and gold uniform, a small chest piece, guards for her arms and legs, not c.u.mbersome – lighter than what a thief might use. Opposed to the brother, she had two rapiers each with a flowery guard. Refine and elegant, bearing an unusual shade of blond hair paired with black eyes – her face kept a smile, one dignified and not obnoxious. 

At the same time, the first arena welcomed the other four fighters. 

"May this fight be fair and entertaining," said Helga.

"May the gods bless our fight," added Natalie. 

*Beep,* two horns that signal the start, cheer filled the whole arena. It echoed outwards the academy, even the town – further out, could hear the noise travel. 

Instantly, Helga took a long-range strategy, using her elementals, she summoned an Earth and Water golem. The limit for a mage that level was three – that done, she summoned a guardian spirit of the Lightning attribute. The latter floated around her head and transferred mana to her wand. 

Using swordsmanship seemed to be disadvantageous, however, all that crumbled the moment she used her Sword-arts. One reserved for the candidates trained to become the next Paladin. Body-enhancement cast, the lady planted her foot forwards and dashed. 

*Earth and Water Golem: Mud wall,* a wall that made the floor unstable, it grew hard to keep a good balance. Her presumptuous strike was cut short, Natalie could but jump backward. Normally, when an opponent fell back, it created an opening. Not this time, the girl had planned and called forth Hundred Swords of Retribution. A high-level spell, one that was placed as a forgotten art. A dozen sword materialized behind her back in a spiral, each slice she made, the hovering sword obeyed. 

*Weapons-Art: Wand of Absolute Defense,* with a smirk, Helga conjured an SS-ranked protection spell. *Weapons-Art: Wand of Retribution,* of the Shadow and Wind attribute, the secondary weapon cast Null, an attack spell of which not many knew what it did. Each with their own secret arts, went all out since it was for the Semi-final. Back and forth, the battle raged, one entertaining and that kept many on their toes. 

Meanwhile, in the first arena; divided into two: Adrian Odalf versus Nathan Green and Vipan Eqihr versus Tatiana Redwood. From the Order, Adrian and Vipan dominated their battle. It grew to be so one-sided that the second battle was canceled in fear of Tatiana getting killed. Vipan, holding a grudge, unleashed his unique element; gold. Anything he touched turned into the precious metal – able to break the material and use it how he wanted, Vipan never moved. From Lances to arrows and guns, weapons were called forth as if being nothing but a mere circus act. Unleashed, each weapon traveled at sonic speeds to slice, shoot, and slam his opponent. In less than five minutes, covered in blood – Tatiana fell without being able to move a muscle. 

Next to him, Adrian versus Nathan. The former had the advantage – an element invisible to the eye, he used another hidden art, *Invisible Blade,* with only a handle, he fought and landed strikes on Nathan. Unable to see the weapon, tis was a fight unfair at its peak.

"Use as many arts, spell, augmentation, I'll never lose to the likes of you," with a scream, Nathan charged, *I'll fight using all of my strength,* a splash of crimson hue, *Sword-Arts Seven-seas first Strike: Raising Tide,* as gentle as water, the blade flowed. 

Hit, Adrian fell despite the odds. Next, unconscious, Nathan followed suit. 'I did it, master, I fought using all my strength. Relying on the mana will never be something I can do. You saw the potential in my strength – I'll use every ounce of power I have to fight my way to the top. That's what I'll do – to get strong and protect my sister, that is what I swore.

Short as it might have seemed, the battle lasted for a full fifteen-minutes. The fastest win came from Vipan, next was Nathan. To that, the screen came and displayed the third fight for the duo fought. With a smile, the participants left for the medical camp. 

"It has been thirty minutes," voiced the commentator, "-neither does Helga nor Natalie wish to fall. They're giving everything they got."

"I do agree," added Sophie, "-Helga and her special weapons are what has kept her from getting hit. Natalie, on the other hand, looks fatigued, her lost spell did come as a surprise. This has turned into a battle of attrition – bear in mind that whoever wins has another match." 

"GO! GO! GO!"

"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"

Moved by their spirit, the crowd chanted without care to who was to win. 

"Helga has lost," commented Staxius.

"How can you be so sure?" argued Xula for she wanted her to win.

"I do agree with his majesty on this one," added the sage.

"She relied too much on her wand whilst her elemental could be doing so much more. I get using thine best attack and defense since it makes sense. Sadly, in a real fight, what do you do if all the cards are on the table. You're left vulnerable and easy to exploit, Natalie figured as much – that girl has more in her." 

*Slash,* as voiced, Helga fell, her wands broke after an all-out attack.

"AFTER A LONG-FOUGHT BATTLE, NATHALIE COMES OUT ON TOP," the commentator screamed.

'Guess Eira will be fighting her,' he stood,'-should be a fun battle to watch. Swords versus swords.'

"Join us in one hour for the semi-finals," thus ended the matches.

"Theodore, Sage, and Lucy don't leave their side for an instant," whispered Staxius on the way out. To which, they headed inside for lunch. 'What move will you make, puppet-master,' hovered outside, the All-seeing eyes activated. 

*The fight has ended, what are we to do. Target One returned without a sign of injury, did the marksman even hit?*

*Yes, he hit the priority target. Don't forget our real objective; we must wait for the opportune moment. Move Team Beta to the front, we'll switch to close range.*

"Cake?" a scan of the area revealed nothing, "-I've some new information about the possible target. I'm sure that it's Gallienne – and the threat of a leak is nothing but paranoia. After careful consideration, it would be bad if this got leaked. Move the agents into town, report any and everything. Arrange the best hitmen we have to come in the crowd. Blend in, do whatever is needed, the priority is to have people covering everything."

"Roger that, I'll move at least twenty members inside. A few on the roads, some blending in the crowd at the taverns. I dare say that we've got Claireville under control. There are also snipers. I'm surprised how much weight the name Shadow has. I heard from Jason that the moment Karlson called in a meeting to decide who'd come here, all of them volunteered without a second thought."

"Good to hear, keep me inform," to which he landed and headed back inside. 'Your turn,' he sat and had lunch. 

*Good, they're eating. Let's move in with plan A.*

"Queen Galienne," voiced Staxius, "-who do you think will win the next match?" 

"Isn't it obvious," she smiled, "-Eira of course," her face seemed troubled. "Forgive my asking, but are you Eira's biological parent or…?" 

"Why do you ask so?" meals came in one after the other.

"It's but a mere urge of curiosity. I can't help but notice her face, her eyes, her hair, and her unusually strong element. Not to mention, her age. The talk we had earlier about an heir got me thinking," she leaned, "-I did conceive a child around sixteen to seventeen years ago," seated far apart with only a few chosen ones. Touching on the rather sensitive subject felt as if it were a must.

'Don't tell me,' the heart shuddered, "-was the babe thrown in a river perchance. Supposed that the said river led to Dorchester…"

"King Staxius," intervened Queen Mother Sely,"-let's focus on the meal at hand," she signaled to the waiters bringing food.

"Hey," tugged Xula,"-I read their minds, I'm afraid this isn't going to be easy to hear, but there's a strong possibility that Eira is her child." 

"Yes," the waiters went away, "-it was Piers who took care of the matter, but he did leave our child on a raft hoping that she'd be picked up by someone else," she said in a regretful tone.

"Queen Gallienne," he added with a deep voice, "-I've strong reason to believe that both you and Eira are related. There's no doubt about it, the ice-element is similar. I had my suspicion since the day I first saw her, you both look identical. If she tied her hair the same way as yours, I'd not be surprised if you'd be viewed as twins."

"A-are you saying," her eyes opened,"-Eira is my daughter?" she grabbed his arms.

"The possibility is there," he returned a glare, "-even so, that girl is part of my family. She's third in line for the Ardanian throne, I care not what you say, majesty. Eira Haggard was a babe abandoned and forgotten." 

"I understand what you say," voiced Sely, "-though our blood courses through her veins. She could stand to inherit the entirety of Hidros, long has my daughter tried to conceive – the regret felt for abandoning a babe came to hurt her farther down the line," the conversation turned sour.

"Please," interjected Xula, "-I've no wish to partake in a meal through this frivolous argument. Eira isn't someone's property, the young lady will decide her fate," she turned to Staxius, "-my husband has accepted that fact."

'Not again,' all around him grew dark, '-if Eira is found to be the next successor, the assassins might come after her. Why did she have to bring up this conversation? Another one of my children is at risk of death,' the eyes turned empty. "-Queen Gallienne," a subtle aura of dread oozed, "-I care not what you have to say. I'll wage war if it's forced. Eira Haggard will always be my daughter. If she chooses to return to the Riverty family, then I'll happily accept her decision. However," he glared, "-do anything that might remotely be forceful or malicious and I swear-" 

"-Calm down," Xula pulled on his collar and fed a spoonful of fruit, "-good, isn't it?" her head tilted with a smile.