A shimmering barrier of force appeared over the Arena. He had not seen this from within when he’d fought. James hoped it was what prevented outside interference.
“Let the fight begin!” boomed across the stadium.
Brody was still wearing his full plate, visor down. In his right hand was a one-handed straight double-edged blade, something you would typically see a knight with. In his left was a heater shield.
In contrast Edward wore his full Crocodile leather armour set, silken cloak of the wilds, and two handed war hammer.
Both parties pulled cards out and played them, with no outward effects.
“Given your upcoming competition I will not comment on Brody’s abilities other than their effects.” Prax said as a precursor. Clearly he would be commenting on the fight.
“That would be my card, but what’s Brody up to?”
“Nice card to get low level by the way.” Prax commented.
Neither party attempted ranged combat.
James guessed arrows wouldn’t do much against Brody’s armour so that made sense.
Prax nodded as if he’d said it out loud.
Brody moved forwards in a straight line. Edward moved along a path that took him close to a boulder.
Edward looked far more comfortable with his movements as he approached Brody’s shield side.
The first blow was Edwards Hammer on that shield. The sound echoed, like it was in the viewing box with them. It was a heavy blow, but Edward was clearly testing the waters as he leaped back well before the expected jab.
“Pretty standard probing attack there,” Prax commented. "No abilities wasted.”
Suddenly Brody was charging across the Arena, faster than normally possible.
Edward reacted by sweeping the legs, causing Brody to stumble his shield into him, rather than the shield bash that was intended.
It still knocked Edward back.
“Opening with a momentum card based shield bash, without even feinting. Brody’s showing his inexperience. But not too bad for a week’s learning curve.”
Edward showed situational awareness as he launched himself off the ground, to the nearby boulder, and came down with a hammering blow.
Rather than dodge, Brody met the blow with his shield. The shield was obviously enchanted but Brody’s arm shook with the blow.
“Dodge! Or at least deflect. Come-on.” Prax’s voice droned on a little disparagingly. “This is why I don’t like Bob’s approach. There’s just no making up for time spent training.”
Edward used the momentum to roll away from the followup swipe, but still took a glancing blow to his back. It had no force though, and didn’t pierce his armour.
They parted, and both again played a card.
The air rippled slightly around Edward's war hammer.
Brody’s sword took on a slightly blue sheen.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“That’s an expensive sword,” Prax noted.
Edward ran at him, but Brody touched the sword to the ground causing it to be nearly instantly covered in Ice. Nearly instantly was not instantly though and Edward launched into the air before it caught his feet. He swung mid-air horizontally hammering into Brody’s side. The blow had added sonic infused damage which must have done at least some percussion damage through the armour.
“Good strike! That’s expensive armour too.” Prax’s voice got more and more derisive.
Brody stumbled sideways, not impeded by his own magic at all. Edward however, couldn’t capitalize on it as he slid and fell from the unsteady footing.
“Ha! Got him now.”
It should have been Brody’s turn to attack, but instead he pulled a potion and drank it. He straightened up as if he was no longer in pain.
“Wasted opportunity! I can’t watch this.” Prax did not walk away however.
No matter how cajoling he was, James and Ken did not bite.
Drinks came over and only Prax partook.
Meanwhile, Edward cleared the ice’s edge, stood, then started circling around it, cautiously.
Brody stayed in the middle, waiting for Edward to come to him.
Prax gave him a nod.
When it was clear the ice wasn’t going to disappear, Edward created a bit more distance and got out his duffle bag.
“Ha!” Prax said in response.
Brody seemed to be waiting for that moment as his sword and shield disappeared, and lance appeared instead. He charged.
“The fool! Edward didn’t just happen to stop paying attention.”
Edward threw a handful of metal somethings on the ground and rolled to the side.
The lance tip barely missed him, but now it was Edwards turn to have the floor advantage as Brody fell over from the metal balls.
Edward got to his feet and feinted.
Brody rolled to get out of the way of the blow, straight into Edwards actual strike. There was a sickening sound as flesh and bones crunched.
“Ha! Now that’s how to bait someone.” Prax exclaimed.
Brody went limp.
Edward raised the hammer again for a two handed downward blow.
Suddenly light flashed from Brody’s armour. Edward was shoved backwards, while also being blinded. His warhammer went flying.
“Finally, a good use of gear. You should invest in some protection against light based attacks. They are more common than you’d think.”
Brody pulled another potion and downed it.
“No! It’s only a little pain. He’s blinded. Time for the kill!”
Edward kept backing away until his back hit the wall. He then took out a rejuvenation potion and drank it. Throwing the empty bottle forwards where it hit nothing. Edward kept ducking and weaving until his eyes cleared.
Meanwhile, Brody only got to his feet once the potion had taken effect.
The fool doesn’t know how to fight through the pain. He was used to his armour fully protecting him.” James said.
Prax shouted “Exactly!”
The problem was that Edward's weapon boost only lasted a minute. Without that he probably wouldn’t be able to do much.
It was Edward’s turn to surprise James as he triggered a speed skill of his own. He sprinted for the hammer, withdrawing an axe from his inventory on the fly, and throwing with extra force from the momentum.
The axe hit Brody in the chest, a fatal blow for most opponents. The extra force knocked him away from his weapon, but the superior armour protected from the sharp edge.
“This is bloody pay to win! I hate that. Still within Bob’s rules.” Prax grimaced.
Edward scooped up his warhammer, but took a cutting blow to his back in the process.
“That would have hurt if not for your cloak James.” Prax said meaningfully.
Prax may have seen the same blow decimate Edward before. He didn’t know. It made James sad.
Brody lunged, intending to skewer his opponent.
The warhammer disappeared from Edwards hands. He grabbed the overreaching sword arm and pulled, leg out to trip. Brody over balanced and fell to the ground. The warhammer came out again and cracked into his back.
Brody fell to the ground and Edward replaced his warhammer for a dagger. Knee and weight on Brody’s back, He leveraged up the helm and placed his dagger to Brody’s throat.
“I concede” rang out.
“Now that was good,” Prax said, leaning back.
The bubble of force disappeared and a rain of coins came down.
James turned, intending to go to the teleporter, when he spotted on another monitor a card appearing in Brody’s hand.
“The winner is Edward!”
The crowd roared out in applause.
Prax frowned.
James called “Look out”. But it was too late.
Moments stretched.
Edward’s eyes that were looking up at James and Ken, converted from triumph to alarm.
Brody's hand came down on Edward's foot and Edward vanished.
Prax disappeared too, re-appearing in the Arena.
Another card appeared in Brody’s hand but the hand was ripped off before it could be played.
Bob appeared, grabbed Prax’s hand and they both disappeared. The hand and card fell to the ground.
James grabbed Squire and threw her at the hand and card.
Ken’s lightbolt got duplicated, shot out and imposed shock on Brody.
Jerking, Brody managed to get closer to the card. His left hand reached for the card, then was severed as one of Marrick’s axes completely ignored the armour and took off his entire arm.
Squire got to the hand and picked it up, moving it and the card it still clenched out of range.
Brody slumped to the ground.
