Arthur could feel the emotions in the surroundings. There was the curious, the cautious, and the displeased. However, what he felt more than anything else were the wrathful souls that inhabited this place. From a glance, he could tell that there were many tragic stories sewn into this place.
"Princess Tiara!" the dark elf ca forward to greet Tiara by bowing and kissing her hand. "It puts my heart at ease to see you. How is the queen?"
"My mother sends her condolences regarding your two brothers, Malrik," Tiara said with a broken expression. "I wish that we could have done sothing."
"Their souls now reside in the great forest, and their deaths will never be a waste," Malrik said with a stoic expression, before he turned toward Arthur. "…Who is this?"
"This is Arthur Netherborne, the Guildmaster of Ascent and the King of Wrath," Tiara introduced him with pride before explaining to Arthur. "My people choose to isolate themselves from the world. None of our people have any electronics."
"A pleasure to et you," Arthur said as he offered a hand toward the dark elf, who stared at his hand and then chose to ignore it. He turned toward Tiara with a frown. "I guess they aren't keen on handshakes either," Arthur said with a smile.
"You are being rude, Malrik," Tiara reprimanded with a frown. "Lord Arthur ca from a distance to save our forests."
"If he had any desire to help, it should have been a lot sooner," Malrik said with an expressionless face. "The world sees him as a hero, but where was he when our lands were corrupted and our forests withered?"
"I never said that I am a hero," Arthur replied with a smile. "But I indeed refused to help Janea before because it was none of my business."
"And it still isn't any of your business," Malrik said without a change in his expression. "Janea will overco this on its own."
"Enough!" Tiara blurted, afraid that Arthur would no longer help them. "You aren't capable of killing the mutated monsters, so how would you stop famine? How would you kill one of the four horsen?"
"I have found a way," Malrik answered with an expressionless face. "I refuse to let him aid in this fight, Your Highness."
"Do you dare disobey the queen?" Tiara questioned with a frown.
"If it ans that he would leave, then yes, even if it costs my life," Malrik said in a voice filled with absolute determination. "This is where I draw the line."
Tiara looked speechless, unable to believe what was happening. The rest of the elves stood behind Malrik, looking at their group with weariness. Arthur felt bad for the princess, who stood flustered and embarrassed that her own people were not listening to what they were saying.
"Can I suggest sothing, Princess Tiara?" Arthur said as he stepped forward from behind her. The princess looked at him with a lost expression before nodding. "Malrik, right? I can see that you have many tattoos. What do they symbolize?"
"Each tattoo represents a battle that a warrior of Janea has fought," Malrik answered in confusion. "What about it?"
"That ans you are a warrior, and a leader too. This makes it easier. If I am stronger than you, how can you refuse to let help?" Arthur said with a smile. "We can settle this with a simple duel."
"My lord, I don't think that violence would prove anything," Princess Tiara advanced, warning Arthur that this was a bad move. Arthur smiled but did not answer her, and still looked at the elf.
Malrik looked at Arthur with confused, amber eyes. He seed to understand what Arthur was planning to do, but he could not agree to fight the strongest man in the world and hope to win. However, he could not back down either in front of his people.
Tension rose between the two parties, but Arthur seed relaxed. Whispers spread among the crowd as they gathered around, and words traveled fast. Before long, Malrik could not refuse.
"Where are you planning to go with this?" asked Malrik. "I recognize your strength, but I reject it. If you win, do you believe that the people of Janea will welco you with open arms?"
"More or less," Arthur said as he cracked his knuckles with a grin. "Are we doing this or not?"
Malrik was silent before raising his hand, and then forming a fist. The crowd exploded into cheers as they rushed in different directions, creating a path for the two. "Follow to the arena."
As the two began leaving toward the arena, Tiara snapped out of her daze and rushed to stop them. "Wai—" she called out but an arm reached out and held her back. She turned back to see Diana looking at her with a smile.
"Trust Arthur more," Diana said with a smile. "And let's enjoy the match."
Tiara stared at Diana with a stunned expression, but her sentint was shared by the rest of the elves. A giant crowd ford around the wooden arena in the middle of the camp.
Arthur and Malrik stood atop the ring. The elf took out a long spear that spiraled on each end and brimd with destruction. As for Arthur, he just began stretching his arms and legs.
"How do we decide who the victor will be?" asked Malrik with a frown, his long blonde hair cascading in front of his eyes. "I don't want to kill you, after all."
"You don't have to worry about that," Arthur said with a smile. "If you can land a single hit on , then it would be my loss."
"…Are you mocking , Arthur Netherborne?" Malrik scowled at him with rage. "This is an honorable fight."
"If you do land a hit on , then I'll change the rules for you," Arthur said before he stopped and opened his palm toward Malrik. "Co at , elf," he said with a grin as he mockingly gestured toward him.
Malrik was fuming as he took his stance, holding the spear with both hands as he prepared to attack Arthur. The crowd held their breaths as the two fighters faced each other, one wrathful and the other smiling.
Boom!
The wrathful elf was the first to attack, slamming his foot on the ground and rushing toward Arthur. The ground beneath him shattered to pieces as the elf disappeared and turned into a hurricane.
Malrik appeared in front of Arthur, stomping on the ground again as he attacked with his spear. It looked like a snake lunging at its prey, who remained motionless despite the incoming attack.
The elf smiled in victory as his spear slamd into the figure in front of him. His expression changed in the next instant as he t no resistance, and the black and golden robes disappeared. Malrik was confused as he turned around to see Arthur standing in the sa stance several feet behind him.
"That was it?" Arthur asked with a smile. "I'm sure that you have more than that."
Malrik gritted his teeth in anger as he slamd his foot again, letting mana burst from his body like an inextinguishable fla. He rushed toward Arthur again, but the sa thing repeated itself. Just as he was about to strike Arthur, he disappeared and reappeared in a different location.
The crowd stood silent as they watched Arthur refuse to attack, but Malrik still helpless to land a single strike. The fight dragged on and the elf was becoming increasingly tired.
"This is not a fight!" shouted Malrik with exhaustion as he stared at Arthur. "Fight instead of just running away!"
Arthur was silent, staring at him with a smile. Then, he took a step forward and pushed forward with his hand. It was a gentle push in empty air, but the consequences were disastrous. A force of impact rushed out toward the elf before he could react.
Boom!
The force slamd into Malrik, sending him sliding backward. His feet dug into the ground as they left deep trails in his attempts to remain inside the arena. His body stopped inches from the edge, but the efforts took their toll on his body.
"Cough!"
Blood gushed out from the elf's mouth as his lungs were filled with blood. His knees kissed the ground as he tried to breathe with blood covering his bare chest. As he struggled for a breath, the crowd held theirs.
"This is what happens when you bite more than you can chew," Arthur said as he lowered his hands. "You aspire to save Janea with this ager strength, Malrik? How?"
"Close your damn mouth!" roared the elf before he began coughing more blood and attempting to rise. "I refuse… to let you swoop in and take the glory. Those we lost… those we sacrificed… they will not be a backstory to your glory."
Malrik rushed forward again, leaving a bloody trail behind him. Arthur sighed and ford a fist. Then, he took a step back and punched out. The world was upturned, and the arena was peeled off as the elf was sent flying by the impact.
The elf rolled on the ground with more blood splattering on the ground. Malrik stopped rolling just as he reached the edge, with half of his body already dangling off. Blood trickled down the arena, falling on the green grass of Janea.
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