Hallowed Kaline (1) (MANUSCRIPT)

Issue # 25 Lying Introductions

                "You're a... faerie? Wh- What!" Kyle backed up closer to the window of the headmaster's office. "And you're saying Thaddeus and Ithaca don't want to be champions anymore? What the hell? Wh- Why?"
            "They're a hungry bunch. Always looking for the next biggest opponents to fight. Let's hope they don't bite off more than they can chew." The headmaster stroked his cheek nervously with his right hand. "And yes, Kyle. You know the legend of how there are three tribunal faeries? Malechor, Choronzon and... me. That's how I knew-" 
          "Knew? Knew what?" Kyle's mouth hung open. 
         "That Maximus killed Malechor all those days ago. You see, us faeries are more ancient than you humans. Our race spanned far and wide across the globe until a great... flood... came. It wiped out many of the ancients. A smaller race at the time found itself able to survive. Humans. They did not manifest powers of magic, but they had brains over brawn and built ships. Boats. Sails. Marine technology!"
         "N- No." Kyle stepped back. "No w- way! You're saying the faeries ruled this world before humans did?"
        Agnus nodded. "You know it to be true, deep down, Kyle Chimner. Why do you think my eyes are so beet-red? Hmph. Nevertheless, Max is now fighting Thaddeus and Ithaca by himself. Whether or not you get the role of champion isn't up to you. Perhaps it never was. If Maximus Kaline loses, some other student will take Thaddeus's and Ithaca's place. If Maximus wins, you'll get the most prestige role that there is in this school- For a student, I should say. I apologize dearly, Mr. Chimner, but I had to do this. Your actions are unfortunately not going to be linear with you becoming Titanium-Corps' next champion."
            "What do you mean you 'had' to?" Kyle's right eye twitched. "I still don't get it- Why you seemed to have made a deal with those two guys. Thaddeus and Ithaca are damned... traitors."
          "Thaddeus and Ithaca wanted to start arranging their own fights, you see. They were tired of random students coming up to them and challenging them. The two brothers would beat down anyone who came across their path. Therefore, they wanted to be in control of who they fought. As an ultimatum, they said they were going to slaughter the entire school with their mechanical swords. The same swords which we've loaned them for battles in the arena, and if I didn't approve-"
          "You really couldn't do anything about that? Why should a school's headmaster be fearing what students say they're going to do?"
           "Because, Mr. Chimner. We did a foolish thing. We didn't just loan them the swords, we completely gave ownership over to them. That's what happens when you become champion of the arena. So we can't just deactivate their swords anymore from this office. My golden remote, which has access to all the swords in this school, does nothing to Ithaca and Thaddeus. I thought I could trust them. My trust, was unfortunately, misplaced. And I can't do anything as a tribunal faerie, for I will be exposed. Think about it. If the Complexia Portia, a local religion about this area, knew who I really was, I would lose their abundance and support."
            "So if what you're saying is true, then is Max really in trouble? He's fighting for his live against those guys?"
           "Potentially, the brothers could kill him, yes."
          "Alright, lesson learned, teach! Don't be givin' students ownership of your shit!"
          "Hmph. You don't think I already know that at this point? And is that any way to speak to your headmaster, Thanatos Agnus Og?" 

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                "You guys are tough, there's no doubt about that!" Max felt blood dripping from his cheeks and lips.
           "Max! Just surrender!" Natalie watched from afar, folding her hands together. "You heard what they said. They have the ability to kill you now! Thaddeus just confessed to the fact that Father Agn-"
         "Yeah, yeah. That may be true." Max coughed. "But I can kill them just as well."
        "Again, there he goes with spouting that bullshit, yet I'm seeing none of it!" Ithaca jumped to Max, cutting at his leg with the sharp metal from his sword.
        "You know what you guys? I admit it. I'm gettin' a bit exhausted here!" Maximus grinned a toothy grin, flipped in the air, and landed a hit on Thaddeus's right wrist with his own mechanical sword. "I can no longer really dodge your attacks. I'm already dripping blood like some kind of fruit that was just sliced open. Ha. Ha. Well, maybe that's a bit exaggerated. Tad graphic. Bit colorful. Yeah. But I'm not going to give up! Not when Kyle is on the line. I won't lose and allow this Octavian Antony guy to take Kyle's spot."
           Thaddeus pointed to a scoreboard that Natalie was holding up, which read 49:7. "Hmph! A true friend. There's no doubt that we're not invincible against you. However, look at the ratio. And there's only ten minutes left to go in this fight. The day has winded down quite quickly, Kaline."