Within the white marble hallways of the palace Lorna walked with hurried steps as she rushed towards the emperor's quarters with worry plastered on her face.
Upon reaching the room, she didn't bother to knock as barged in the room and walked towards the lounge. Emperor Edward and marquis Lennard were in civil discussion as he put on armor, the armor lacked any rust or dust despite the years it spent sitting in the treasury. The royal crest was etched on the chest. A black raven with its wings spread enclosed in a pentagon. Thorns twirled round the pentagon.
"Edward, what is this I hear about a right of challenge. What is going on?" Lorna asked her voice trembling as her eyes moistened. Memories surged as she caught sight of the armor, not pleasant memories.
Edward turned around to see, a stunning woman in a snow blue princess-dress, her curves not exposed however her beauty alone spoke volumes.
"Haaa, that bastard Marcius invoked the right of challenge I had but choice but to accept it." Edward spoke after a sigh. "But you haven't been on the battlefield for 6 years, will you be alright? Why not refuse, it's not like he can do anything about it." Her concern grew further with the realization of her words.
"Lorna, its not as if I have been idle for six years, I have devoted myself to growing stronger as I did my throne duties. I will win, Marcius will set the example of what happens to those who disrespect and oppose Rynberg royalty. Alright, I am going now, Lennard come along." Edward withdrew his hand from her shoulder, with a slight peck on her cheeks he left with Lennard.
A massive colosseum stood next to the southern gardens of the palace. It could fit about 100 thousand people. A 50 meter platform lay in the middle 15 meters below the stands, crafted from ores containing dark earth essence. In the middle of the platform stood duke Marcius wearing a crimson full body armor with black gauntlets. No helmet . A fiery aura radiated raising the temperature a long sword at the hip. Emperor Edward ascended the platform as well.
"Count Von Stein, what do we do? This was not the plan." A noble whispered wiping sweat off his forehead. "I can see that baron Wright. I do not know what got into that man's mind. Hopefully he wins or else the consequences will fall on all vassal kingdoms." Count von Stein had a grim expression on his face.
Confronting the emperor was an action agreed upon by the coalition of nobles (Nobles faction). If successful they could have weakened the might of the both the emperor and royal faction in the court. However, they did not expect the emperor to not only disregard their words but also trample upon their pride.
The stoic faces of the royal faction watched the proceeding events solemnly. The royal guards spread around the colosseum. The twin gold and silver knights were also present, though unlike the nobles, no emotion could be read of their expressions.
The two men stood face to face on the platform , defiance, and stubbornness reflected in both their eyes.
"Begin!" Lennard's voice broke the thick suffocating atmosphere.
A spherical mana barrier suddenly manifested around the emperor. He twirled the shaft end of his spear pointing it at duke Marcius. Boom! A rain of magic missiles fell on the barrier as duke Marcius advanced forward closing the 15 meter distance in a second slashing at the barrier. The emperor shattered the barrier, the shockwave sending Marcius back. He slid to a stop. His spear parried the sword slashes redirecting them while the emperor fired a volley of lightning balls at Marcius.
A hexagonal barrier blocked the lightning balls while a sword beam and lava rushed at the emperor. With a stomp on the platform , a water tide of water magic stopped the lava while lighting spears rained down on Marcius. A thrust of lightning aura on the spear neutralized the sword beam. Countless thrusts made their way to Marcius as the emperor advanced.
He tightened the grip on the sword, a red aura surged on the blade as two vertical slashes split the attacks. Marcius charged forward, his slashes parried the spear far left whilst the emperor rotated the shaft thrusting with the back end of the spear. Winds surged with the thrust threatening to blow Marcius off the platform.
Both men competed in skill, moving about in the platform there was no need to go out from the start. A thorough defeat, Marcius wanted to cement his might. Crushing the soul of resistance from the nobles both royal and coalition alike.
" Infinite cuts." Countless slashes of sword aura rushed the emperor. He let out lightning spears while molten chains trapped his feet, mana reinforced his muscles as he thrusted the spear with all his might. The mana waves threatened to shatter the barrier enclosing the platform.
The tip of the spear met the tip of the sword both forces cancelling each other. The air stilled momentarily as Marcius diagonally slashed the sword downwards. The emperor sidestepped and slid the shaft back, fighting at close distance.
" Oh?, It seems like you are ready to get serious. Afterall this is getting boring." Marcius spoke as he released all his aura, a peak grandmaster. He fell shy of the rank of magician sword saint. His aura alone burned the air making breathing difficult for anyone weak. Edward responded in kind however his aura transcended the grandmaster rank, reaching the rank of spear saint.
Marcius furrowed his brows, envy and anger in full interchanging slightly however the nobles of the coalition erupted in rancor at Marcius while they discussed and schemed. The road ahead seemed bleak. Some of the Royal faction members did not seem pleased.
" Bishop Reyil, I did not know his majesty broke through finally becoming a saint spearman." A soft and poised tone grasped the attention of the nobles. Sitting high up in the stands, the pope of the church of Minthes sat with bishops and other nobles that answered to the church. He was young in years with blonde hair and red eyes that seemed to pierce the soul. His mortal aura deceiving. He was one of the strongest people in the empire. He smiled at the nobles and focused on the platform below.
The nobles did not sense the pope's arrival however it did not bode well. Though the emperor was saint rank that did not mean victory was impossible for duke Marcius. He recently ascended as well so he might not have full control or understanding on his power. All observer's shared this line of thought.
The sword came crashing down, Edward held the shaft one handedly as he blocked the attack his knees shaking. Marcius kicked viciously at the emperor's chest, the force flung him backwards.
Calming his breath, Edward observed Marcius. Both their armor were made from rare ores so a lot of force was necessary breach and injure the other however they were both seasoned veterans, the battle could go on for days without conclusion.
Lighting strikes suddenly rained down filling the air with lightning elementals, the encased his spear. The spear glowed as it rapidly distorted the air, lightning spears manifested in the void aimed at Marcius. The pope smirked at the emperor's action but said nothing. His interest grew more.
Marcius sensed danger so he warily looked at the emperor, he could feel the surge of power. He leaned his body forward, placing the sword in the sheath, ready for a sword draw.
" Absolute disintegration." High concentration of fire magic condensed into light, obliterating all in its path. A blinding horizontal light slashed towards the enemy and in return the enemy thrust the spear forward alternating between low and upward thrusts. Followed by a massive thrust of lighting that left a crater as the lighting charged like ravenous beast.
Mana barriers immediately overlapped reinforcing the one encasing the platform. The nobles deployed their artifacts protecting themselves post haste. If not, then they would die.
Hexagonal shields formed a sphere as Marcius and the emperor braced for the rebound. The spear dung into the platform. The walls of the colosseum fractured as it shook from the impact, the barriers shattered like twigs. The pope's extended hands shook, as he tried to contain the impact. If not pastes of flesh would have marred the stands.
A few nobles almost soiled themselves. This was a brush of death.
The pressure on Marcius like the ocean trench. His teeth clamped, his red hair dancing wildly as waves of mana crashed into him. He released sword strikes to counter. Blood vessels ruptured and his muscles became lazy as he was blasted onto the walls beneath the stands.
The emperor was not faring any better either, he continuously slid backwards. His muscles screamed from overburdening them with reinforcement magic. His hands no longer felt attached. He desperately tried to make another barrier however the mana was rampant. The mana singularity dispersed after a minute, a few people felt aged. Their bodies trembled, some of the chairs broke as they fell on their ass.
Casting their gazes to the arena, visibility returned as the dust settled the winds no longer surged. Marcius was on one knee as he let out long gasps of breath. The emperor stood but his hands no longer held the embedded spear in the platform.
' Quintessence.'
[ Name: Edward Hadrian Rynberg
Age: 40
Rank: Saint Spearman
Mana: 15678 (remaining; 7378)
Mana recovery: 207 mana/hr
Strength : 26800
Agility : 21453
Endurance : 57002
Affinities: Lightning (100%), Wind (80%), Water (100%)....
Abilities & proficiency : Lightning spears(100%) , Thunder god's wrath(27%), Raging waves ( 91%)...??
State: Weakened.]
The emperor willed the spear, it shook floating out of the ground. It hovered before him. His eyes locked onto Marcius' sorry figure.