Age of Strife Book 0: The Path of War

Chapter 16: The Tides of War Come to Shore

After Hiryu's duel with Veronika, the subsequent victories fell towards Je-Yel, Tervar, and the Sister of Order whose name was Irene. As Hiryu rest and recovered in the preparationroom having Kasumi in company he overheard Je-Yel and Tervar speaking to each other in hushed tone "That Champion of Centura, the boy is holding back on us." Tervar whispers. "Perhaps, though he thought it not necessary to use the fight?" Je-Yel whispers back. "Maybe, maybe not because that damnable Martial Mimic she had him on the fence. His back to the wall and everything, but then he what pulls a sword out of the aether? I think he's something more and he needs to be dealt with first!" Tervar whispers. Je-Yel audibly hmmms before walking away from the conversation, Tervar calls out "You know it needs to be necessary!" Hiryu sees Je-Yel walk by with a thoughtful expression as he takes a seat before him; Tervar appears and takes a seat on the same bench as Hiryu and Kasumi. An awkward silence permeates between the three contestants as each of them knows that four contestants would be fighting each other in the final match and only one would truly win the tournament. Kasumi cutting through the silence asks Hiryu "So... Hiryu, what weapons will you be using now that your short sword is broken? Those swords you summoned were very... surprising to say the least, are they to be used?" "Uh... no, I won't use them. They are more of a... situational type weapon and I'd rather not rely on them too heavily. I'll use my fists as I've been taught before." Hiryu says to Kasumi with assurance. Tervar and Je-Yel though not obvious have taken an interest with Hiryu's choice or rather lack thereof weapon, the two give each other a solemn nod as the two have clearly come to a decision. Kasumi sees this and gives Hiryu a wary look as to warn him what he will face, seeing this Hiryu responds with a simple nod. Soon the roar of the audience can be heard and the Sister of Order Irene appears to take a rest in the preparation room. She looks no less worse for wear as there's barely a scratch on her, and she sees Je-Yel and Tervar with impressed looks. Irene stretches and takes a deep breath to relax for a moment before saying "So... we're all that remains." "So it would seem." Je-Yel says "Indeed we are." Tervar answers. Hiryu simply sits in silence as Kasumi begins unwrapping the bandages on Hiryu to reveal the wound he sustained to be healed. "You, the backwater champion... Hiryu right? What was that whole thing with the summoned swords about back in your fight?" Irene asked. Kasumi gave her a spiteful look, but Hiryu answers "A weapon I had hoped to not use during the fight, purely situational and merely something I don't want to rely on." "Really, because it seemed like you could have used it earlier and you would've won prior matches faster. You sure you aren't holding out just for the sake of it?" Irene says in a more pressing manner. Hiryu gives a long pause for a moment before answering "No... Not at all, I'm trying the absolute best of my abilities." Hiryu's lie is evident to everyone in the room though Kasumi didn't wish to pry, the other contestants clearly wanted to push Hiryu beyond what he's initially proposing for the tournament. Hiryu himself didn't believe this lie either as more and more prominently in his eyes he saw that armored warrior haunting him again, this time more closely and more clearly. Ferris arrives in the preparation room where he sees Hiryu, Irene, Je-Yel, Tervar, and Kasumi sitting on the benches waiting. "Ah you're all here. Sister, thank you for your service but you will not be need right this moment you may leave." Kasumi nods in response as she begins packing her things and bowing good to Hiryu and the others before leaving. "Now the four of remain, such is the finale to the tournament I suppose. You all know what is to follow next, the final match will be a free-for-all battle royale, and only one of you may win the honor, and glory of being the tournament champion." Hiryu, Je-Yel, Tervar, and Irene all look at each other in solemn silence as this merely confirmed what they suspected already, and that each of them have made peace with that. "So you will each take up a position of the arena to start with, and for then on you... well you already know what will happen. The match will start in the next three minutes... so do whatever preparation you need quickly, and good luck to all of you. Whoever is the last standing, I will see you soon." Irene, Je-Yel, and Tervar stand up from the benches to walk to the lifts and begin their ascent and wait for match to begin. Hiryu now alone thinks on what he would do, he knows the three would conspire to eliminate him first given the usage of the six swords. Dreading the prospect a voice cuts through in his mind and before he sees the Armored Figure sitting on the bench saying in an ancient tongue only he can comprehend 'Chosen, you must accept what you are and with it the blade's will. You cannot deny me forever and you will fall should you delay any longer.' Hiryu only looks with fear in his eyes at the armored figure before walking to a lift to be brought up to the arena. Finally reaching the arena grounds and walking onto the stage where he sees Irene, Je-Yel, and Tervar standing apart from each other awaiting for the start. The announcer's voice rings throughout the arena and says "Ladies and Gentlemen, we have finally reached the final match of the imperial tournament. Tensions are high and bets are placed who will win the determination of the Vanguard Je-Yel, the barbaric rage of Tervar, the tactics and battle strategy of the Sister of Order Irene, or the luck and wit of the Champion of Centura Hiryu? Fighters ready up!" Hiryu readies his fists, Je-Yel readies his shield, Tervar readies his axe, and Irene manifests magic spears around her. "Ready, Set, Fight!" As Hiryu dashes to the center where he meets Je-Yel and strikes first with a sweeping kick overhead but is blocked by Je-Yel's shield. Using force Je-Yel pushes Hiryu off and causeshim to bump into Tervar who grabs Hiryu into a hold, attempting to capitalize on Hiryu's restraint he swing his flail but is kicked by Hiryu pushing him back. Hiryu head-butts Tervar with the back of his head, and manage to break free of his hold by elbowing at his sides. Hiryu rolls out of range for Tervar but magical spears come down toward him as Irene's attention is on him. "Tell me, why do you hold back? Clearly you have the ability to take us on as an equal but yet you restrain yourself, are you trying to insult us with your "lesser" abilities?" Irene asks as more spears appear around her. "This is my best!" Hiryu says before back flipping away from JeYel's swipe toward at him as he retorts "You lie and we all know it! This tournament is to honor the fighters of the empire and you sully it by holding back!" A battle roar is heard from Tervar as he charges at Hiryu and yells "C'mon then! Show us your best! We all saw it when you faced against that martial mimic, commit to yourself!" Pinned to the wall Hiryu's head pounds again as he sees the armor figure behind Tervar, again in ancient tongues he could understand he says 'Use the blades, chosen! Your life depends on it now and your defeat is at hand! If you don't use the six blades now then you will be consumed by the festering feeling within you!' Hiryu feels the blades beckoning him as he is tempted to call fourth the blades, but Hiryu kicks Tervar's shin forcing him to lean toward Hiryu and allowing him to punch him in the face. Pushing Tervar back he dashes once more away from him and readies his fists for either Je-Yel or Irene to close the distance on him. The two were about to charge at him until a loud horn is heard throughout not only in the arena but outside too, silence takes hold for a moment but the whizzing sound of a projectile is heard and soon after the crashing quake of impact. The audience looks around in confusion before the announcer says "All attendants please leave the arena and into the coliseum's wards in a quick and orderly fashion. This is not a drill, get to safety." The audience begins to stand and make their way to the exits with assistance of staff guiding them, Hiryu and the others in the arena itself look around in confusion as to what is happening until another loud whizzing sound is heard and soon enough lands then impact at the coliseum's arena. People began panicking but with the assistance from staff almost all the people in the audience managed to escape until a breach in the coliseum's southern wall is made allowing for Beast-Kin soldiers to flood the seats and the arena itself. The announcer flees but Kazuma being nearby due to seating uses the sound horn to exclaim "Contestants in the Arena's stage hold off the Beast-Kin soldiers until the Imperial Garrison arrive! We'll gather the other contestants to assist within the coliseum, so focus on them!" before leaving to assist inside with the other Monastic leaders. Hiryu, Je-Yel, Irene, and Tervar look at each other for a moment before turning to face off against the flow of Beast-Kin soldiers.