Martin was currently sitting in his private booth, overlooking the arena. The fight would begin in roughly 5 minutes, and he had to admit, he had no idea how this was going to go. Delvin was truly a monster, both in power and in personality, at least of what he heard was true. He believed it was, but he also lacked the evidence to definitely prove that to be true. If they were true, murder, kidnapping, rape, slave trading, it was all damning, and he had no doubt his party was complacent in this. He looked over at the booth where they were, studying the half vampire closely.
"She was probably forced to be apart of some of that. Those eyes of hers... are surprisingly gentle, but filled with pain." He muttered, turning a looking at the group that was with him.
"So, Cecilia," He said, facing woman, "Will Elias win?"
Cecilia looked as if she was holding back a laugh from his question, but she answered quickly enough.
"He already has. It's just that no one knows it yet." She said with a proud smirk, and Martin raised his brows.
"Cecilia... the troll was one thing, but this?" Serena said from off to the side, "This is Delvin Montenago..."
Cecilia groaned, and she turned a tired look on Serena.
"Everyone has seen what my mate can do, and yet everyone still doubts him. It's annoying." She said, making Serena grimace, but Cecilia just sighed, "Just watch the fight. Then, you'll understand."
"Master Elias will win!" Benji said enthusiastically.
Cecilia actually chuckled. For all of his weirdness and strange obsession with Elias, she truly seemed to like the boy. Martin didn't understand how anyone could hate these people simply because of their race. They were honestly some of the most pleasant people he had ever met. Not unlike the other nobles that he had to deal with regularly. His parents were outliers in that they taught him strong values, like treating people as equals, and doing your best to help and provide for those under your rule. He wished his hands weren't so tied some days, as he was truly sick of so much of the shit that they let happen on a daily basis.
A loud horn echoed throughout the arena, and both combatants stepped out from their ends of the Arena. Delvin wore a confident smirk on his face, but it was so damn fake that it gave Martin pause. This man was truly afraid of Elias, and as Martin looked at the other man, he could see why. Dark armor with a flowing cape that made him look like a villain, that long white ghostly hair, more ominous than his wife's beautiful hair, yet that wasn't what drew his attention the most. No, it was those glowing red eyes, and in them, there was a coldness, and an anger that actually made Martin's chest tinge with something that he hadn't felt in a while, and he wasn't even facing the man.
"That man... is terrifying." He thought, looking over at Cecilia, who was just smiling as if nothing was wrong.
■ ■ ■
Valerie watched the man step out of his side of the Arena, and her chest tightened as she thought about the words he had said. Despite his appearance, his words had seemed gentle, and even kind, but she couldn't get over how terrifying the man was. Vampires were natural predators, and even as a Dhampir, she had some of those instincts in her brain, although not as strong. So, her surprise when those instincts had screamed at her to run as far away as possible from him was staggering. He was not only strong... he was an Apex Predator. No, not just that, he was demise of an Apex Predator.
Still, she couldn't run, bound as she was by the slave collar. She hated it, and she hated these terrible people. Delvin had made her awful things... killing, capturing, luring, and all she wanted to do was run as far away from him as possible. The only saving grace was that, despite Delvin's evil proclivaties, he resfused to even entertain the idea of using and abusing her like he did to so many women. She was nothing more than a useful monster to him... and she was actually grateful for that. The amount of times she wanted to just rip his throat out and save those people had driven her made, and left her with many sleepless night that she spent sobbing to herself.
Unlike vampires, she did not require blood to live. Drinking the blood of another was a requirement for a vampire due to not being able to passively regenerate mana. They were able to suck the mana out of a person via their blood, but many of them went to far, enjoying the feeling of literally sucking the life out of someone. As a half-human, she was able to regenerate her own mana like any other human or humanoid race, such as the Beastkin, Elves, or the like. She could drink blood to further increase that regenerative effect, but she actually did not enjoy the taste of blood, nor did she delight in killing... so that's why it always hit her hard when she was forced to do so.
Why was life so unfair? She never asked for any of this... she didn't want to hurt people. She often dreamed about living a normal life, where she was free to live, and make her own choices in life. Would this man, Elias, help her, or just use her like Delvin did? He didn't seem to be like Delvin... his affection for the beautiful cat Beastkin was immense, and treated her so well it still confused her. He was terrifying... but he seemed different, despite that. As the fighters took their stances, she watched with baited breath. If she knew one thing, it was that she would most likely have a new Master once this fight was over.
■ ■ ■
Delvin felt his body trembling slightly, and it was only by sheer force of his impressive will that he wasn't shaking like a leaf. The man standing across from him was intimidating, which he would never admit. Still, that angered him, and incensed him. It had to be a skill, something to induce fear into others, and that only infuriated him more. Still, despite trying to replace his fear and unease with anger, he couldn't shake the feeling of standing before an impassable mountain. Those cold red eyes staring at him, like he was an ant underfoot, was unnerving. Still, he had never lost a fight before, and this man had challenged him, putting everything on the line.
"I hope you're prepared." Delvin said nervously, "Don't worry, I'll take good care of those girls."
Despite his confident words, it did not help him, mainly because the man's only reaction was a glare that sent his heart to pounding in his chest.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" A magically infused voice boomed through the arena, causing those who were chatting and screaming to quiet, "TODAY IS AN INTERESTING DAY! WE HAVE A INTERESTING FIGHT IN STORE FOR TODAY! TEMPEST'S VERY OWN DELVIN MONTENAGO IS HERE ONCE AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME IT WAS HE WHO WAS CHALLENGED, AND TO AN HONOR DUEL NO LESS! ELIAS CROSSE IS THE NAME OF OUR MYSTERIOUS NEW CHALLENGER, BUT WILL HE BE ENOUGH TO END DELVIN'S FLAWLESS WINNING STREAK?!"
The crowd erupted into frantic whispers and applause as the man spoke, meanwhile this Elias, acted like nothing else existed except for the two of them.
"THE CHALLENGER LOOKS QUITE IMPOSING IF YOU ASK ME! JUST LOOK AT THAT OUTFIT, THAT HAIR, THOSE EYES! STILL, NO ONE HAS EVER FOUGHT OUR BELOVED LEADER OF TEMPEST AND WALKED AWAY UNSCATHED! WILL TODAY BE DIFFERENT, OR WILL DELVIN BE VICTORIOUS ONCE AGAIN? ARE YOU ALL READY TO FIND OUT?"
Cheers and shouted reverberated through the arena, with many people cheering, laughing, and even booing. Delvin knew that some of those boos were not directed at Elias. Those who really knew about him knew the things he had done, and he had probably done something to wrong plenty of people in this crowd, many of them hoping that he finally would meet his match.
"No... I am the strongest, and I will not lose. I'll wipe that look off of his face, just like everyone else before him." He said, lightning traveling across his body as he clenched his fists.
"CHALLENGERS... BEGIN!" The voice boomed, and Delvin wasted no time.
He would do this quick, and without mercy, like he always had.
[Lightning Bolt]
He held his arm outstretched, a large bolt of lightning flying out of his hand. He watched as Elias simply stood there, staring at him impassively, before the bolt slammed into the man's chest. He would shatter that confidence, and prove that he was the strongest. He continued shooting bolt after bolt at the man.
[Lightning Step]
Lightning covered his legs as he shot forward, running circles around the man at incredible speeds as he continued firing bolt after bolt.
"INCREDIBLE DISPLAY BY DELVIN! HE ONCE AGAIN PROVES WHY HE IS THE LEADER OF THE STRONGEST PARTY IN THE CITY! THE BRINGER OF STORMS, THE KING OF LIGHTNING, THE STORMWEAVER! AND HE SEEMS TO HAVE CAUGHT OUR CHALLENGER UNWARE! THIS IS NOT LOOKING GOOD FOR ELIAS!" The announcer boomed, causing the crowd to go wild.
Delvin paid it no mind. This much power was enough to kill anyone at his own rank twice over. His class was a very powerful class, which granted him even more power than someone at his rank could even hope.to muster. He was fairly certain that he might be able to take on someone at S- rank, although he wasn't foolish enough to risk that, nor shoot even higher. The dirt and dust kicked up by his attacks made it to where he couldn't see anything, but his power caused people's bodies to spasm and lock up, so he knew that the man was stuck there, forced to take his attacks from the very first lightning bolt.
A savage grin formed on his face. He had never had anything to worry about. The fact that he even thought he might lose grated on him more now than ever, and he'd make sure to take it out on that woman of his once he had his hands on them. The Baroness may be lost to him, but he didn't need that headache anyways, beautiful as she was. Hell, he might even keep the animal alive a bit longer than the others, only to break her completely. Oh, the screams she would make.
He began to laugh as he continued firing bolts, dashing in circles around the arena as a savage glee threatened to overwhelm him.
"ALL THAT TALK, AND NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT!" Delvin mocked with a cackle, getting lost in the moment.
He was going to end this with a show that would no doubt have the crowd roaring and cheering his name.
[Storm's Fury]
With that, he activated his most powerful skill, and as he did so, his mana flowed out of him, reaching high into the sky. A large grey cloud appeared high above the arena, lightning dancing through the cloud.
"HERE IT IS, FOLKS! THE SKILL YOU'VE ALL SEEN BEFORE, THE ONE THAT SPELLS THE END FOR ANYONE THAT DARES TO FACE THE UNDEFEATED DELVIN MONTENAGO! THIS LOOKS LIKE IT'S THE END FOR OUR CHALLENGER IF HE HADN'T ALREADY SUCCUMBED!" The announcer boomed, filling Delvin with even more glee.
Delvin grinned as he channeled as much mana into the skill as it would let him, then he roared a savage and maniacal laugh as he sent several large lightning strike down upon Elias, sparks and dirt flying in all directions as his skill tore up the ground. This lasted for several seconds, before the skill became too much to bear, and he cut it off, panting heavily. Still, the grin on his face was diabolical as he began to laugh.
"THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FACE ME! TO ANYONE WHO DARES TO CHALLENGE ME!" Delvin roared, his voice carrying through the arena, sure to be heard by everyone in the crowd. They all needed to know where they stood when it came to him.
"THAT LOOKS TO BE IT FOLKS! WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE DUST TO SETTLE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE-" The announcer boomed, only for the dust cloud to be blown away.
Delvin stood there, stunned, as an indescribable fear filled his heart. Elias Crosse, the man who should be dead 10 times over, stood there with his arm outstretched to the side, as he had parted the dust cloud with a single swipe of his arm. The silence that came over the crowd was more deafening than their constant chatter and screams. Even the announcer had stopped talking, and that was a hard feat to accomplish. Those unsettling red eyes locked on him, and he slowly began walking forward.
Delvin stumbled backwards.
"H-how? You should be dead!" Delvin screamed, but Elias remained emotionless as he just kept stalking towards him, like a predator closing in on its cornered prey.
As he looked at the man, he did not see a man. What he saw, and the feeling that pressed down on him, was anything but human. The man seemed large, larger than than the arena, larger than the city, larger than even the world itself. The man appeared to be a burning black mass to him, his aura reaching up to the heavens themselves... but his eyes filled him with a sense of dread he'd never felt before. He spent his whole life feeling larger than anyone else, but now... he felt so very small. This wasn't a man... he was a demon.
■ ■ ■
Terroth shot forward, his hands grasping the railing tightly, a look of bewilderment on his face.
"HOLY SHIT!" He said, disbelief plain on his face.
"There's... no way..." Serena said, her eyes wide.
"Master Elias is more than even I thought..." Benji said, staring unblinkingly at Elias with a look of awe on his face.
"I... held faith... but even this is more than I expected." Sheila said, her eyes as wide as dinner plates.
"Lady Osark... what am I seeing? He's ridiculous." Marina said, and Clarissa, those only one who had seen what Eli could do besides Cici, just nodded sagely.
"Why do you think I went straight to him? There is no safer place to be than where he is." Clarissa said, and Marina just gave a slow nod as she watched with wide eyes.
"I told you." Cici said with a satisfied smirk.
Martin had stood up, his hands on the railing of their box, as he stared down as Eli, and the look of shock and awe on his face was the most priceless one to Cici.
"Cecilia... what in the hell is he?" He asked, his voice shaking.
Cici just smiled.
"Just my overly protective mate." She said, watching with a smile as Eli approached Delvin with murder in his eyes.
Suddenly, Delvin screamed, sounding like both fear and fury, as he shot forward with a lightning coated fist, and punched Eli directly in the face. A loud crack echoed throughout the arena as Delvin's arm bent the wrong way and the bone of his arm broke through the skin, causing him to scream in agony.
Silence even filled those around Cici as their jaws dropped. It's like they ran out of words to describe their shock, and it almost made her giggle. She had gotten used to this a while ago, and if she was being honest... him destroying this man, both physically and mentally, just made him look really hot. He was definitely in for a good time later. As she had that thought, Eli reached his hand out towards the now sobbing man as he clutched his arm in front of himself, and Eli wrapped his large fingers around Delvin's neck.
"Well... this might get a little violent." Cici said, but again, no one said anything.