The Queen of Elysium

Chapter 33 - Bad Blood

It is the second day of the tournament and the four remaining champions stand before Elissa. Unfortunately Nero is amongst them. Although the dwarfish champion got in a few good wallops with the side of his battle axe, Nero, the slippery so and so, was too fast and emerged victorious.

Once again, the champions place their medallions into the bag so that she can make the draw for the first fight. Her fingers clasp around metal and her hand opens to reveal the symbol of a dragon. Her eyes rise to meet Kai's and the determination in them steals her breath.

Flustered, she quickly delves into the bag and studiously concentrates on the image of a trident. An excited buzz rushes around the crowd when she announces that the Dragonite and Atlantean champions will be fighting each other.

Taking her normal seat, she notes that Dusk has snagged a seat at the front along with Zane and Ianthe. She levels him with a 'behave' look, to which she gets a cheeky grin in response. He is the kind of man that likes to spread out and poor Darish is resigned to sitting rather primly in the space available.

Nero also makes himself comfortable in the front row. Thankfully, he is far enough away so as not to encroach on her enjoyment and as soon as the fighters emerge from their tents, he turns avid eyes to the arena.

Today the Atlantean has not forgone armour and is wearing a greenish-brown substance moulded over his frame. It almost looks as if he has been wrapped in seaweed, although it shimmers as though it is imbued with magic and there are lethal looking shark teeth running down his spine and arms. He is armed with a sword and a trident.

Kai is dressed in the same armour as yesterday, but there is a fierceness to the way he is holding himself that lets everyone know that there will be no gentlemanly behaviour today; this is war.

The two stand and face each other, both Herculean figures, almost equally matched in stature. The tang of testosterone swirling in the air is almost palpable.

Dusk rubs his hands. "This should be good."

Ianthe grins, flashing razor sharp teeth. "Atlantis will prevail."

Zane shakes his head. "No, my darling. I have seen Kai fight."

"Do you wish to make a wager?" Ianthe leans in and whispers something in Zane's ear which causes a momentary flicker of flames in his eyes.

Whatever it is that he whispers back leaves the pair looking like they are about to jump each other. Elissa hopes that they won't cause a scene but thinks upon it no more as the clash of steel against steel draws her attention to the arena.

The ground shakes as the Atlantean leaps, his weapons aiming at Kai, who counters the blow and remains as immovable as a mountain.

As time ticks on, neither shows any sign of giving ground to the other. A lesser man would have fallen to either fighter, but both are hardened warriors through and through.

Kai's sword flares to life, the flames roaring as his blade swings through the air. The strike glances off his opponent's sword and along the Atlantean's arm, rendering the air thick with the stench of green bonfires.

A torrent of water gushes from the trident causing an angry hiss and sending up a massive cloud of steam. For a moment the fighters are obscured, then there is a huge orange glow and Kai emerges, covered head to foot in flickering flames.

Elissa's mind casts back to when Kai rescued her in the woods. He looks now as he did then, like an avenging seraph. With the fire comes an increase in his aggression.

Alarmed that one of them is going to get seriously injured, Elissa turns to Darish, an edge of panic to her voice. "What do we do if neither concedes?"