[{}]Champions War[{}]
Chapter 0: The War Begins

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There exists a land in a different world similar to our own. One where magic and monsters roam its surface, where heroes and villains alike are born that defy the world itself. There the fantastical is the ordinary and mundane. This is the world of-

Sourn

And within it lies the beginnings of an event that shall change not only Sourn but our world as well.
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*Meanwhile in a large stone castle a council of wise kings, and queens sit in a circular chamber as a booming storm roars outside its thunder booming through the halls of the castle. Before each of these leaders of various kingdoms and states is a stack of paper filled with details of individuals that can only be described as deviants of their own kind even in this world of fantasy. Slowly one king reaches for the stack and begins to slowly read through its contents and soon the other's follow before the king speaks up in a dull somber tone.*

King 1:...So it appears our fears have become true.
King 2: Unfortunately yes as you can see on these pages are a number of individuals that we can no longer ignore lest we risk the destruction of our countries and mayhaps even Sourn itself. *The king put the pages down as they scattered lightly, each page holding what seemed to be names of people or at least what seemed to be a title they held. The king leaned forward placing a hand to his chin in thought before speaking.* These individuals are ones we simply can't ignore while they aren't the most dangerous people to have appeared throughout Sourn these ones show the most potential in becoming problems down the line.

*A few of the kings and queens began to murmur amongst themselves before quieting down at the sound of a single clap coming from a queen who held a grim look on her face as she picked up a few of the pages clearing her throat before speaking.*

Queen 1: the Inferno, the Damned Paladin, the Matron of Entropy, and the Lying Prophet...a list of troublesome individuals indeed as I'm sure everyone here is aware but the reason we've all met is so we can decide on a way to deal with them all before the situation devolves into outright war amongst themselves. *She taps one of the pages with her nail, her brow furrowing as she glances at it.* Which according to some of us here could happen any day now regarding two of them.
King 3: That's right the Matron of Entropy and the Eternal Experiment's kingdoms are almost threatening to go to war against each other. Where they will more then likely recruit many of the individuals on this list to aid in this war I don't think we all need a repeat of what happened to the Culvan kingdom when the Burning Behemoth first appeared.

Queen 2: What do you suggest we do then? If we let them fight they'll bring ruin to this world. We can't risk such a situation happening. Some of our kingdoms need to survive or else life as we know it will fall to ruin!
King 1: And that's precisely why we have convened. We must figure out a way to handle this situation with little to no impact on Sourn or at the very least its people.

*A king stood up and slowly pulled out a rolled up scroll that appeared ready to fall apart at the slightest breeze. He placed it on the table he was sitting at with a few of the other ruler's.*

King 4: I believe we have a few options available to us. Each of which could let us end this without much effort at varying costs...
Queen 3: And what are you recommending?
King 4: We could gather assassins to kill the ones we can and those with political power we blackmail into a corner. The catch with this one is how some of them retaliate beings such as the Forgotten Martyr hold no ties to the land they inhabit and can be impossible to kill even with the most powerful spells, or magic items.

Queen 4: I believe that option would lead us to absolute ruin. Do you expect regular assassin's to kill some of these monsters? I mean trying to end the life of someone like the Feral Huntsmen would be suicide in its own right.
King 2: Then that's one option off the table already. Hmmm perhaps we offer compensation to have them lie low. A number of these people are mercenaries. After all we could hire the ones we can collectively to hunt down targets under the pretense of a major contract. So it would be reasonable to let these ones lay low and pick them off one by one.

Queen 1: I think the issue becomes apparent then on how long we can keep them on a leash. The cost alone could put each of us into financial ruin.
Queen 3: She makes a point however the idea of having them kill each other off does have its appeal.
King 3: I agree but how would we even attempt that? Many of these bastards can barely be tracked on the best of days and it's already a time bomb when they enter war we can't be slow and timely for this.

King 1: Then perhaps we make it a competition some are dumb enough to fall for it outright like the Prideful Pugilist and the Dreaming Paragon. And the smarter ones we can trick into joining with rewards or money. And if need be like mentioned earlier blackmail them.
Queen 4: Hmmm a competition could potentially work but we've already seen the aftermath of when some of these people fight against each other. The fight between the Mindless Knight and the Storm's Temptress last month is proof enough of that.

King 2: So we can all agree a competition of sorts is the best direction we can take for this matter?
Queen 1: Yes.
King 1: It's fine with me.
Queen 3: I see no issue with it.
King 4: Better than some of the earlier ideas.
Queen 2: Sadly I must agree.
Queen 4: Then it's decided we will work this as a competition. But what do we do to convince them to join becomes the issue.

King 3: What if we offer a reward such as anything the winner desires.
King 1: Think for a second a offer such as that depending on the winner could lead to larger issues then having them just fight.
King 3: That is a fair point hmmm...*He slowly glances over at the scroll that was placed down earlier.* By the way, what is that scroll? Seems ready to fall apart.

King 1: Thank you for bringing it to my attention. This scroll is something that was given to me ages ago when I was first coronated. *He slowly picks the scroll up and unravels it revealing an ancient language of some type that seems indecipherable to anyone in the room.* As you are all aware we are not the only world that exists, the world beyond ours works in tandem in some ways such as random objects showing up out of nowhere bringing new technologies we have never seen before. And sometimes even people who bring advanced knowledge to create said technologies and at times we have come to rely on these people as champions of our kingdoms and people.

Queen 2: Are you suggesting this scroll somehow involves that other world? What do they call it again Earth?
King 4: Correct they've brought technology such as firearms and even steam engines to our world if it weren't for them Sourn would probably have perished during certain events millennia ago. But why does this concern the matter at hand?

King 1: On this scroll gives the ability to travel to that world.

*The other ruler's eyes went wide in shock, each glanced at the scroll with disbelief at the notion that was just brought up. While teleportation magic was possible it took many highly skilled mages to even perform a simple one. But a scroll that is capable of bringing people to a different world? It was impossible to believe.*

Queen 3: Are you saying this...scroll is capable of something that not even the most renowned mages in all of history could accomplish? Sorry but that sounds a tad far fetched.
King 2: I have to agree even if this were true it's not like we could just send them off to a different world and expect them to behave.
Queen 1: what if we also acquire a rule keeper for it a referee is what they're called I believe. We could easily find someone capable of enforcing rules to keep this rabble in line.

King 4: I believe we're still glossing over the issue of sending them to a different world. Sure we can keep them on a leash with some rules but it's loose leash at best we have no way of keeping them in order once they arrive there.
King 3: Tell us is there some sorta fail safe with this Magic Item or do we just have to put blind trust in hoping they just won't murder each other and the poor souls of that other world?
Queen 2: Yes it's well and good until we suddenly have no way of getting them back here and they start to destroy this Earth.

King 1: I'm having one of my closest confidants analyze this item as soon as this meeting is adjourned. But from what they've told me already there's a number of fail safes to ensure that would eliminate most worries we could have.
Queen 4: And what would some of those be?
King 1: The details were vague since he barely gave it a cursory look of it but one of the fail safes seems to be that while they exist there death is naught but impossible for them.
Queen 3: What does that even mean?

Queen 1: Hmmm it sounds like some type of immortality if I'm not mistaken.
King 1: Correct even if they "die" while in that world they will just be revived. However this is just one fail safe we are aware of it will take time to learn them all and even then we would still require time to find each individual.

King 3: I think our course of action is clear then. It seems this option...while wholly outlandish seems to be the safest option to pursue any objections?

King 1: None.
Queen 1: I have none.
King 2: If it gets it over with let's.
Queen 2: If it's truly the only option available.
Queen 3: At least it saves the headache.
King 4: I'm fine with it.
Queen 4: Might as well go ahead with it.

King 3: Now...who do we send as this "referee"?
King 1: I believe that confidant I mentioned would be the perfect person for the job seeing as he will also be the one utilizing the scroll itself.
Queen 2: You wouldn't happen to mean...Them would you?
King 1: I do they possess both the ability to handle these individuals should the need arise and their name is feared throughout Sourn should someone earn their ire.

Queen 4: So our referee is the Endless Mage then?...Wonderful, just wonderful.
King 2: At least they have the power to back they're title. I'm fine with it so let's iron out the rules for this competition then shall we?
King 1: Let's. I shall inform my aides to begin the search for the participants. *He gestures for a well dressed servant to enter the room, and whispers to them causing their eyes to widen in shock. As they were handed a list before telling them to leave.* Now where were we?

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*It was a cloudy morning in Washington D.C as the air was slowly turning colder as the country entered the fall months. It was a rather unremarkable day beyond that even one that the president themself wished something exciting would happen. But currently it was just a regular day out about the town as they were being driven back to the White House.*

President:*They appeared to be a woman entering her late forties absentmindedly looking out the window sighing as she saw the town go.* Is there anything else on the agenda today?
Agent 1: You have a meeting with the secretary of defense in two hours and a meet and greet for a local school.
President: What level of school?
Agent 1: High school.
President: Fantastic...*She rolled her eyes silently cursing at what's to come.* Why can't something exciting happen for once.

*As they arrived at the White House two additional secret service agents walked up to the car to let the president out. Once she exited the car and began to walk toward the steps of the White House the sky suddenly darkened causing her to look up and behind her a large object impacted the ground creating a wave of wind and dust in each direction. In a bewildered state the president only snapped out of it as a secret service agent put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her further up the steps of the White House.*

Agent 2: WE HAVE AN UNKNOWN OBJECT ON THE WHITE HOUSE LAWN REQUESTING IMMEDIATE BACK UP!!!
Agent 3: GET THE PRESIDENT TO SAFETY!!!
President: What on earth?...

*As the dust cleared standing at the point of impact was a figure wearing black and white robes almost like a referee jersey. Slowly it stood up to reveal it had four arms each with four fingers decorated with silver rings of varying numbers on each finger. The president had to slowly crane her neck up to see the beings full height easily standing over 7 feet in height. Slowly it turned to face her revealing it was wearing a mask with eight glowing eye holes. Slowly it began to dust itself off as multiple secret service agents surrounded the being.*

???: Hmmmmm. *The being looked around at the agents raising one hand to wave before a bullet flew past their head.*
Agent 4: KEEP YOUR HANDS WERE WE CAN SEE THEM!
Agent 3: If you have any weapons drop them on the ground and slowly put your hands behind your...head?
???: *They slowly looked around at the agents before holding up all their hands before letting out a cough and putting a hand to their mask.*

Agent 4: OPEN FIRE!
*At the command the agents opened fire onto the strange being who fell from the sky but slowly they all began to notice the bullets weren't even coming close to them. The agents looked toward one of the being's hands to see it had its fingers crossed stopping the bullets from even reaching their body. Slowly they grabbed one of the bullets carefully eyeing it as if it had never seen one before.*
???: Fascinating, these are of much better design than ours. I must simply make sure to grab a book on how they make bullets here. *The being looked down at the agents who stood there in abject terror before glancing back at the bullets currently surrounding him.* Ah I suppose I should return these to you. *With a snap of their fingers the bullets that were hanging in the air dropped to the ground as if nothing was there.*

Agent 6: W-What even is this thing?...
Agent 4: T-Tell us who sent you why are you here?!
???: Ah right I do apologize I didn't mean for such a brash entrance to occur, teleportation of any variety is still a fledgling practice after all even if it's done through such a fascinating item.
*The agents stood there in confusion as the being talked before it started to float causing their eyes to widen in shock as it occurred.*

*Slowly the being floated their way over to where the president was standing before lowering to the ground bowing before her.*
???: If I may be so prudent may I be allowed entry to your home?
President: What are you...WHO are you?
???: Ah to answer that would require a long explanation I believe would best be discussed over tea. But rest assured I mean you no harm.
President: *A number of thoughts were racing through her head ranging from should she trust this thing's word to who she needs to call to kill this thing before she gulped and shakily spoke.* C-Come inside.

<>Thirty Minutes Later<>

*There are a number of things the President expected to deal with today: having tea with a 7ft tall creature that had more than a dozen squads of trained soldiers aiming at it was not even anywhere on that list even in her wildest dreams.*

???: Aaaa there's nothing like a cup of tea to soothe the nerves after such a hair raising experience. Tell me madam President was it? I believe I owe you an explanation for what just happened didn't I. *He slowly placed the tea cup they were holding down onto the small table they were sitting at before clearing his throat.* Now feel free to ask me anything.
President: Alright...are you here to harm us?
???: Oh heavens no why I'm more of a scholar then a fighter what happened earlier was more something I subconsciously do in a dangerous situation. But I can safely say I'm not here to harm you or anyone in this world.

President: And how can I be sure of that? I saw you stop bullets out of thin air with well...nothing!
???: You have every right to distrust me especially since your world doesn't have the same gifts the one I'm from has it seems.
President: And what "gifts" are those?
???: Magic.
President: Y-Your joking?

???: *They lightly chuckle before calming themself.* No, the world I come from is one of magic where the mystical exists alongside the natural. *They snap their fingers as a small semi-transparent cube  appears before them and the president, her eyes going wide in shock before touching the cube making its surface ripple like a drop of water falling into a still pond.* Granted not everyone in my world is gifted with the ability of magic but I'm a notable expectation.
President: Your world you keep mentioning that but what is it called?
???: Hmmmm it's gone by many names during my long life but it's commonly called Sourn.

President: And your world sent you here for a reason? We didn't detect any sort of spacecraft entering it atmosphere-
???: FWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *The being began to bellow in laughter as the president went quiet and the many soldiers began to ready to fire their weapons at him at the moment's notice.* Haaa forgive me but our world doesn't have anything like what you're saying, whatever a "spacecraft" is, we've barely developed steam engines in the last century.

President: T-then how did you get here?
???: Why? I've already said how haven't I?
President: *The president sat in thought for a moment before she came to the realization of what they meant.* Magic...
???: Now your understanding you see I arrived here with the use of a special item but I am not the only one here eith-
President: WAIT what do you mean not the only one? There are more of you?!
???: Well more of me exactly would be impossible. I'm the only one of my kind that I know no what I mean is other people of various origins. Hmmm perhaps it would be easier to show then explain.

*The being slowly began to pull what appeared to be a flat circle ruby from their robe placing it onto the table. With a quick and simple tap the ruby began to glow before hundreds of images shot into the air around them floating there as videos played.*
???: In my world we call this a Seeing Crystal. They are the closest things we have to your televisions and cameras currently, quite fascinating aren't they?

*The president couldn't hear the being's explanation as she was in stunned silence as she watched videos of...things she couldn't even begin to describe before her on one video there was a girl with pure white hair slamming the ground as pitch black bones launched into the sky only to be struck down by bolts of lightning from a woman with four wings. On another was a video of a giant creature with antlers having what seemed to be a life or death struggle with a plush toy. Quite frankly it wasn't that she was confused or in shock no. What she felt was pure terror at the fact beings such as this were entering her world.*

President: H-How....How many are coming here?
???: In total excluding myself, 20.
President: TWENTY?! *She stood and slammed her hands to the table causing the Seeing Crystal to fall to the floor stopping the various videos from playing as she looked the being in the eye.* I've allowed this farce to go on for the sake of preventing a potential war but you're telling me more of y-you things are coming here?!
???: Oh no, they're already present in the city you call the Big Apple, isn't it? Yes, that's the place.

President: They're in New York City, why so they can attack it? Is that your plan?!
???: No not to attack it, they're looking for something.
President: What can they possibly be looking for?
???: Names.
President: I beg your pardon?
???: Allow me to explain if I may. *They slowly stood from the table slowly turning to the soldiers snapping their fingers as their weapons, having them wreathed in the same substance the cube was made from earlier.* You see madam to come to this world we had to sacrifice something important to us to make sure we couldn't cause harm here. That thing was our very names not our titles or monikers but our actual names.

President: You gave up your names?...B-But why?
???: An insurance policy you see in this world we have obtained a strange form of pseudo-immortality: while we can die and be fatally injured we'll revive not but a few hours later and I can assure you it's a rather easy process to kill a few of them. But until they can find someone to give them a name which they agree upon they are mostly powerless.
President: Powerless you mean they don't have access to their abilities?

???: Not entirely they still possess them but they are greatly diminished. At this very moment they are seeking out names so they can return to their full capacity for what's to come afterwards.
President: They're looking for names so they can do something later. I'm sorry but you're starting to lose me here...
???: Yes the initial reason we came here is to have a competition of sorts. A battle to determine who's the strongest amongst themselves.

President: Like some sort of fighting tournament?
???: Exactly which is why for this instance I've been given a name already Referee, a tad cliche for my role in this game but I was deemed the only one capable of such a task.
President: Your name while you're here is...Referee?
Referee: That is correct.
President: But why you?
Referee: Fwahahaha it's quite simple really. *With a clap of two of their hands the weapons that were encased were crushed into cubes barely the size of a ping pong ball.* It's because each and everyone of those 20 individuals fear me.

President: *She went pale as the Referee stated amongst all of the things that came with them they were the most feared out of all of them.* I-I see...and what about these twenty individuals how will this "competition" be run?
Referee: It will be a tournament of sorts like you said they will be separated into two factions each containing ten fighters each. *They held out two of their hands as a scarlet and silver flame appeared in the respective hands.* Factions of scarlet, and silver the side with the most wins by the end shall be crowned the victors.

President: And the people who give them their names, what about them?
Referee: Why they will be the lords of these champions and they shall be their lord's vassals protecting them from other fighters and be by their sides while they live in this world.
President: Wait, you mean they have to live with civilians?!
Referee: Yet another safety measure for they know if they attack them they will deal with me. I came to you so that the necessary resources and arenas can be provided to fight in. Make no mistake without your aid this entire venture we are trying to achieve would be for nought.

President:...And you can give me your word that no harm will come to any civilians while you're all here.
Referee: I can't speak for cases where self defense or defending their lords occur but you do have my word that I shall make sure no harm comes to anyone.
President:...Alright then but for the record I want it to be known that I don't trust a single part of this til I see some proof of what these "champions" are capable of.
Referee: Why of course at the current moment I can only provide their titles until they've acquired their names is that suffice for now?

President: It's a start now. Show me who I'm letting into my country.

*Slowly the Referee pulled a scroll from his robe and unfurled it onto the table showing a list of twenty different titles belonging to twenty different people.*
Referee: These are the champions of this war.

The Prideful Pugilist
The Dreaming Paragon
The Forgotten Martyr
The Jailed Hope
The Burning Behemoth
The Lying Prophet
The Damned Paladin
The Feral Huntsmen
The Undying Parade
The Mindless Knight
The Sightless Berserker
The Devil's Heir
The Inferno
The Storm's Temptress
The Eternal Experiment
The Delusional Illusionist
The Matron of Entropy
The Blasphemous Exorcist
The Sanguine Grove
The Unending Killer

*As the president viewed the list only a single thought coursed through her mind.*

"What have I just done..."

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*Not even an hour later a press conference was held in front of the White House as hundreds of news outlets and journalists showed up their eyes on the Referee as the equipment was still being set up, most of them muttering to each other at what they were looking at.*

Referee: My it seems I've already gotten myself some fans fwahaha! *They chuckled as the president let out a sigh before getting the go ahead that it was ok to start.*
President: My fellow countrymen next to me is a visitor from a strange world. Now they aren't the only ones here; they have arrived with 20 others for what they call a "game". But I will now turn this over to them since they know this situation better than me. *She backed away and gestured for the Referee to speak into the microphones which they hand to bend down for before tapping one letting out a ear wrenching noise before speaking themself.*

Referee: Hello people of this world, as your president said I am a being from a different world you may refer to me as the Referee and also as the president has said I am not the only one here. Now I am unsure how these go so I am willing to answer questions as I explain my purpose here. Yes you the one near the front.
Reporter 1: You said you're from a different world, are you an alien?
Referee: *They squinted their eyes in confusion before the president whispered what that meant to them.* No I am not. I come from a different world known as Sourn, similar to your world but different in a variety of ways. As I explained to the president, it would be easier to show then tell.

*The Referee snapped their fingers as the same videos he had shown the president earlier appeared behind him in greater numbers but these ones were of just everyday life in Sourn showing cities, forests, castles. Each showing the various kinds of people that inhabited it. The reporters all went quiet as they watched each video before the Referee began to speak again.*
Referee: As you can see I come from a world where magic exists and is a factor in many people's lives and no doubt you've noticed the various kinds of people that inhabit it as well. What you see is just a small fraction of it though to list all the kinds of people and magic that exist would be nigh impossible at the current moment.

Reporter 2: Are you here for peaceful intentions? The president mentioned some sorta game?
Referee: Ah I knew one of you would get straight to the point. But yes we are here for a competition, a tournament if you will. *They snapped their fingers again and the images behind them disappeared until they reappeared but this time it was the same videos he had shown the president in greater numbers but in each of them were the same people.* These people you see behind me are champions of our world, a world known as Sourn. These twenty individuals are here to determine one thing. Who amongst them are the strongest.

Reporter 3: What do you mean the strongest do you mean they're gonna be fighting in some sorta battle royale?
Referee: No no nothing so brash and barbaric. *They grabbed one of the microphones and began to float upward before speaking again.* What will occur is a battle between factions each side shall have ten fighters each and over the course of ten fights the side with the most wins shall be claimed the victor and its members deemed the strongest champions in Sourn!

*With a clap the Referee caused only twenty images to remain paused in moments where the faces of each fighter was hidden.*
Referee: It is my job to watch these fights and make sure during our tenure in this world of yours they do not cause havoc and destruction. But these mighty champions are currently in the city you call New York searching for something precious that they had to relinquish in order to come to this world!

Reporter 6: And what could that be?!
Reporter 4: Just who are these people!
Reporter 5: Are they going to attack each other the second they see each other?

Referee: FWAAHAHAHAHA!!! *They let out a mighty laugh as they were bombarded with questions before the laughter died down.* Ha! I don't believe I've laughed that hard in almost half a century! But please allow me to answer all your questions starting with the most obvious one: what they are looking for are names.
Reporter 6: Why are they looking for names?
Referee: To have a name is to have power without a name. A person is powerless so they are seeking individuals of your world to bless them with names they can use while in this world. To come here we had to relinquish our true names, the ones we were given in our world so that we may come here. And once they've gained a name they shall protect that individual while they remain here and should they attack each other before a proper match.

*The Referee flew down and caused the microphone to float as they clapped each of their four hands together a large block of steel appeared roughly the size of a bus as a cube appeared around it was ground to nothingness within the cube before it vanished as the Referee swirled the dust around their hand before it was spread to the winds.*
Referee: They will answer to me.

*The reporters were stunned into silence at such a display of power before one gained the courage to speak again.*
Reporter 4: W-Will you be deciding who fights who?
Referee: Indeed I will there will be breaks between each fight so I can have time to decide the location and the fighters of the next match. Now it would be unfair to say these individuals aren't beings of great power but as long as I remain here they shall not dare attack each other if they know my wrath is what they'll face. Any last questions?

Reporter 7: Just one. Why are you all doing this?
Referee: Why?...Ah an excellent question you see these twenty champions aren't Sourn's most dangerous, nor are they the most famous no, what they are. Are beings with the potential to become the strongest of their era. And we've come here to determine who those select few will be! *They rose to the sky, their arms and hands spread out the twenty images from before appearing around him slowly listing off their titles one by one.*

Referee: the Prideful Pugilist, the Matron of Entropy, the Forgotten Martyr, the Sanguine Grove, the Burning Behemoth, and the Unending Killer. These are just a few of the beings that shall clash in a once in a lifetime battle that both worlds get to see and remembered for generations to come! So tell me beings of this world why wouldn't we see who's the strongest. Why wouldn't we give them the chance to shine their brightest as they prove themselves in such a grand event! Tell me who shall deny them such a privilege! *With one final snap of their fingers hundreds of sheets of paper descended from the sky into the reporters hands and the lawn of the White House listing each champion's title. Before uttering one last sentence.*

"For this is a Champions War."

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Next chapter: Lords and Vassals