.Elementals.

-62-

I sat there, in my lucid dream again.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" The man asked, sitting cross legged like me, face to face.

"Dude!" I brought my hands up to the side of my face. "You're Merlin?!"

"Told you, you knew my name."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't that hard to guess, you just refused to realize it."

"Fine, so be it but why are you talking to me? I can talk with your tree easily so why like this?"

"We already spoke of this Mystery, it is much easier in a dream while when you are awake I'd never be able to speak like this to you."

"Dear gods I've been conversing with Merlin all this time." I dragged my hand down my face. "Can you tell me more about the darkness? You, a dead dragon and a prophecy in a room hidden under your roots all said the same, some darkness coming to kill Audrey."

"I cannot tell you more, you have the pieces you need you just got to find what ties them together."

"But."

"But, but always but. Mystery soon you'll learn of troubling news but don't let that overwhelm you okay? Now wake up from your nap, you got a trial to complete."

I sighed as I blinked.

"And I thought you'd be more talkative now you old ass tree." I huffed as I looked up at the elm before heading out.

As I had guessed I was indeed going to be the one announcing this trial... Or trials since we have just a bit too many people left around surprisingly.

"So time for the final trial that will be fought in two parts." I declared. "First it will be an elimination round as many strong men and women are still standing able to fight, the first part will consist of a simple king of the hill type of almost game, no weapons, no armor nor magic allowed, simple brute force, a circle will be painted up on the floor and remaining in it is the goal while eliminating the competition by making touch an area outside the ring. This event will be timed, the number of participants must be cut by a third at least or another round of it will be held. The second part of this trial will consist about one on one fights, all is allowed, no rules but one, if someone surrenders the fight is ended. The first part will start soon, this hour glass will be the timer. Anyone cheating any of the rules will immediately be eliminated from the fights for the Highness' hand in marriage." I swear I heard someone whisper in confusion before saying 'fuck it I'm leaving', someone went through the trials without realizing it was for marriage?

I left my sword and staff off to the side already having read up on the trial so I could announce it so I watched the others disarm and pulled their armor pieces off.

Two orcs remained with three Lazars so five barbaric people with no magic, we need to out them while we can take out the rest later.

I walked to the clearing and sighed.

"Time for the show." I whispered, stomping my leg on the grass and it started wilting, dying and floating away in the wind as dust.

It created a large dirt circle, I stomped my foot again, fire racing around the edge and scorching the ground the create the black outline.

I waved my hand up and shot a ball of water in the air.

"All participants step in the ring, the slice counter will be spun marking the start of the fight when the water hit the ground!" I said loudly.

Em and I stood by each other by the edge, with a nod to the other already deciding on a strategy.

I watched the water splash those standing in the middle and I threw out my arm to him to grab, spinning me and throwing me up at the nearest orc.

The sole of my boots made contact with its face and I shoved into a back flip to avoid his huge hands that missed me by a hair.

I landed crouched on Em's crossed finger and pushed up in a jump and he also sent me up, adding a forwards spin to my body and hammer heeled the greenish brute right on top of the head.

His neck snapped to the side to avoid breaking as he fell over and Em caught me so my back wouldn't hit the ground.

"Good." I whispered as the destabilized orc that must be seeing stars had his hands out of the ring.

"Mystery!" I let Em yank me back as a Lazar that tried to launch at me launched themselves out of the ring instead.

"Em please." I side and with another spin he threw me up in the air.

I used the people as my stepping stone to jump up at the second orc and this time my two heels too the face.

From the hit my hands were the first to hit the ground before my legs did and when they had I slid behind the orc grabbing his face while grabbing my forearm for more strength. I smashed my elbow in the back of his knee as once it buckles he'll go down.

I lunched forwards with a roll as he thumped down behind me.

I gave a strong kick to his arm in the elbow to numb the arm completely and put my feet on his forearm before using it to push his hand out of the ring to touch the outside of it.

I crossed my arm in front of me block the punch, I slid back on dirt as if I was on ice.

My left shoulder clicked from the orc's angry hit but it will be fine, just a slight strain.

I blocked a punch with my forearm from an elf, a race I didn't really compete against until now.

I ducked and hit my shoulder in her stomach before grabbing her by the belt and col, heaving her over my head and throwing her out of the ring, I slightly cringed as I heard her arm snap as I didn't want to break bone.

I was tackled to the ground from my back, my hands struck the ground and I stopped myself in a low plank before the rest of my body could smash into it and rolled over.

"I forgot about you people." I tsked at the half human half orc looking man with a wolf head, I really forgot about the skin takers. I stood up and felt a sting.

I grabbed at my back as he licked my blood off his claws.... Shit!

Suddenly my own hand came at me.

"Don't think my form will help you win this." I hissed at my double as our forearms clashed, he.... Now she smirked at me, only things different were the sharp teeth in her mouth and the lack of beads in her hair since those weren't organic materials.

"It sure is convenient isn't it?" I could only hope the volume of blood isn't enough for him or her.... For them to keep my form in their repertoire, they could do a lot of damage.

I blocked another strike and our arms strained against each other before they tried to knee me.

I brought up my own leg, my shine clashing with their knee but feeling close to nothing from the years of training, my leg slipping between their's and yanking the support leg out and making them fall.

"You might be agile and hell even as strong as I am from copying me but you aren't me." I jumped over their lunge at my legs with a kick to the back of the head. "Plus this would count as magic usage."

"I don't care!" They rushed me and picked me up and threw me out of the ring.

I grabbed on their arm they didn't pull back in time and yanked them under, a foot on their shoulder to launch myself in crash landing inside the ring while they ate dirt and changed back so I was right, my blood wasn't in a big enough quantity to last eternally.

I sighed as a horn was blown to signify the end of the first part.

"The second part of the trial will start when the sun is at its zenith, clean up, prepare and eat as the one of one fights are coming, they will go on until the sun falls behind the mountain after that we stop and take up tomorrow." I said loudly, heading off to get someone to look at my clicking shoulder and the claw marks just to be sure it is nothing too severe.