YUVEN

Everyone is out of the way. Everyone is where they should be. All the reports are quiet. Yuven sat in one of the tents, readying his armour for the next fight, where he put on a mask. It's all a game to them. As it was in Tebora. He wrapped the straps of the armour tighter against him. No matter who they send, they don't know what it's like to fight for their life against a being who wants nothing more than to eat you and leave nothing behind. He holstered his two shortswords, sending ice magick through the runed metal as he waited for the horn to blow.

Their cheers dug into his temples. Their whoops of seeing a real fighter grounding him back on the live he led.

'We don't do this for thanks. We know only of our oath to the Storm.' Yuven held the sword horizontal from his face to gaze at his reflection. You didn't seem too impressed, Fenrer, but it's not you I'm trying to fool. He sheathed it back on his belt as the wind hushed through the tent. A fortnight of this farce, and we're getting close to the reason we gather here.

Sympathy never entered the tourney goers expressions. They came for a fight. They came to view the best shows of magick power. He took down each opponent, none who compared to the Derelicts. None with their ferocity, or met his own. Dashed expectations... but what do I expect? The only thing they ever fought was each other. He tilted his head back when the horn blew to signify the last bouts. He donned his helmet, bringing down the visor to cover his face. To block the Storm Warden from the crowd. I'll reveal myself when I win this... and maybe we can stop wasting time. Lead entered his boots as he stomped to the new playground to prove the worth of their mettle. They moved the stands to lay around a small basin of water. Perfect, my arena. He clenched his fists and stepped through the small archway for the fighter's entrance.

Cheers whispered down his spine and broke the barrier around his head. He bit on his tongue and faced the king's pavilion. Sovereign Hirishi smiled down at him, though King Reyn tipped his head. He sent his gaze over to Fenrer and Adara. He grinned at Adara's curious, awed expression.

So easily impressed... and unwilling to see deeper. Unable to keep up his smile at Fenrer's frown, he tilted his head and refused to bow as he stepped onto the water basin. Ice stretched around his boot, but he took care not to go too far, to upset the balance of his body against the natural flow of the water.

'It's just a small step, Yuven,' Neven encouraged him when even the smallest wave within a creek upended him. 'Follow its path, and it shall carry you.'

Yes... Yes, it will carry me. He waited while his opponent of the last bout walked onto the basin from the other side. Storm Wardens he had sent to watch the tourney raised up the magick barriers, sending their power within the conduits. Yuven switched his attention to his enemy. They wore light gray leathers. They'll be quick and light on their feet. Simple matter of stopping them in their tracks, and one well-placed blow will show them all. He lowered his gaze to the chakrams on their belt, and mulled over his options. Ice whispered in the center of the chakrams, and he settled on his strategy and waited for the horn to blow.

The cheers continued.

I'll show them.

The battle horn exploded through the air.

He acted first.

He slid across the water, and snapped around when the other Naveeran slid out of his way, using their chakrams to send a gust of wind into his visor. He brushed the snow out of his way with ease, keeping up the attack. He kicked the heel of his boot into the ice. Shockwaves rippled underneath his feet, and he grinned when the ice hid the water racing for the fighter. He jumped back when the ice exploded into a pillar of water, where glyphs sent it upwards.

It's all just a game. I can't even take them seriously.

He lunged back when the fighter jumped onto the new ice pillar, balancing on its small top with ease. One small hop in place, they hopped off as sharp glyphs evened out the pillar. He kept himself light on his feet, though his chain mail made it difficult to match the weightlessness of his opponent. They slid around him with ease, and threw a chakram at the barrier, which rolled along its surface to gather the excess energy.

You think that trick will work on me? Yuven pushed off from their next attack, sliding away from the loose chakram as it sliced through the air and met the other side of the barrier to continue its spins.

About time I showed the Anima what Fenrer meant with magick being an extension of ourselves. Yuven slid into the path of the chakram, which bounced off the barrier. He focused on the water below, and brought it up. The chakram slammed into it, turning it to ice. He grabbed the edge, forcing it through their foundation as it cracked. He sent his foot into it, and the icewave crashed through the world. The other Naveeran leaped over it, grabbing their chakram as they went and the ice turned back to water.

Go on, dance.

Yuven launched an ice spike at them, and they dodged.

He threw another ice spike, but followed its path. In turn, the fighter sent both chakrams down the barrier to race along it. He came closer, tourney sword ready to finish the job.

You've left yourself defenceless.

He slammed his foot into the ice to stop himself from sliding further. Sword downwards, he twisted the edge and sent it upwards as the screech of ice entered his ears. He grunted when something impacted into his helmet, and sent it off his head to crash into the ice. Metal clattered with the crumbling of pearls as wind blew them both back and the crowd gasped with predictive fervour at a change.

His chest burned, and he glanced up to see the damage.

Snow-white curls flowed with the wind as his opponent stumbled onto their feet, holding their cheeks.

No.

The enemy opened their eyes to reveal the ice blues as they kept both hands on their cheeks while the chakrams floated beside them.

The King of Naveera.

Bloody fire entered his heart as he took in breaths of ice. Mist left his nose as he took one heavy step forward.

He clenched his fists as spires cracked around him, abandoned to the monster inside of him. The Naveeran king blinked out of their daze and met his eye. Fear shot through the blues, and he relished the fleeting moment. A growl raised up to his throat, where his wyvern spirit licked the taste in the air.

You are not getting away. You chose this fight. I will make you commit to it. Yuven raced forward, and the king dived out of the way with ease. Yuven spun around, sending his foot into the water growing on the surface. It smashed into the king's leathers, sending him backwards towards the barrier. They caught themselves with ease as they straightened themselves out.

Defend yourself, you bastard. At least make this entertaining. Yuven rushed forward again, and readied himself as the king raised his hand.

As he raised his hand back in Tebora to sentence magickae to death.

Until the world locked him in place, mid rush to the king. Magick pulsed in his ears as he took a glance at what entrapped him. Two massive ice glyphs sandwiched him. One focal point ticked along the glyphs cardinal points. He counted down with the visible moments as the king stepped further away. The fear continued, and it was his weapon.

How dare you? You think your bloodline magick will keep me in line? You think you have the right to stop me? Yuven allowed his magick to overflow, and the ticking focal points sped up. Spatial distortion rushed around him, and he jumped into its embrace. Into the ghost of his heart. He rushed away from the time glyphs as the king dropped them. Yuven jumped out of his spatial distortion when the king twisted on his heel, sending another time glyph into his face, he broke through it, sending his spatial distortion into the center of the world's clock. Ice exploded outwards and hit the barrier, causing some people to flinch back.

Yuven punched the king away, and they hit their back against the barrier. They shuffled back on their hindquarters as he raised his blade.

He gasped when another shape separated him from the king, sending their sword into his with ease. Knocked away, he growled when he viewed his new enemy. Another king. Black-haired and with the storm rolling in his eyes.

"King Reyn," he growled.

King Reyn sent his sword through the mist, which all dropped back onto the barrier. Yuven scowled when the Naveeran king stood up and rushed away, jumping back into the stands. He frowned when Reyn brought his sword up into highpoint, a smile growing on his face, but it was showing teeth. Exhilaration and flames of a fight both entered the greys.

Fine, let's give them a show.

Blood filled his mouth as he jumped back when Reyn sent his sword downwards into the ice. It cracked in one motion of a lightning strike. Yuven hopped onto one ice block, bringing up twirls of water around him. Reyn blocked every one he threw at him, redirecting it back at him.

Fenrer. Yuven glanced at the stage, where Fenrer stood up, clutching the railings while Adara had blocked her mouth with her hands. He switched his attention back to Reyn when he stepped forward, slow and steady over the rumbling basin. Yuven rushed forward, clashing his sword with the king's. Reyn slid the blade down to his grip, then pushed him away with a burst of air. His heart clawed against his chest and blocked out all the noise as Reyn raised his sword into highpoint again.

Yuven sent another wave of water into the king's face, but spread the mist further when Reyn tried to wave it away.

Yes.

He fell into the same spatial embrace as before, allowing the mist to further block his escape as he left behind a copy. He spun around the arena to pincer the king as he kept his attention rapt on the copy. Predictable. Unlearning. None of them learned. He focused on his copy, and sent it forward to distract the king as he sped up from behind, sword to pierce the back of a monarch.

He blinked when Reyn twisted his head to the side, then swirled with his sword to send a burst of air magick in a circumference. Yuven choked when it slammed into his chest, spreading the blood further as it rocked the barrier, sending cracks along its surface. Back against the wall, he stumbled forward and hacked up the power. Reyn turned back to him as his copy dissipated with his same pained expression.

"Bastard," Yuven hissed as the crowd hushed, getting back on his feet to continue the fight.

His knees gave out with the blood as it dribbled out of his lips when he opened his mouth. Hand up to his mouth, he choked on his own blood. No! No! Tears intermingled with their salt as he coughed and tried not to spill his life on the ice. Crimson webs constricted his throat as the world blurred. People leaned back, full of judgment. Whispers rose from the crowd as he continued to choke.

No... not now...

Everything blurred, with the world threatening to reveal the hidden tendrils.

Blood squeezed between his fingers as he sent another bloody cough into his hand. He lifted his head at a shape. Reyn. He withdrew his sword, looking down on him.

Spare me your sympathy.

"Traye?" Reyn asked, voice soft.

Yuven kept his hand against his mouth. Fields of anger swept down his shoulders when Reyn knelt forward, hand out. The cheers disappeared. More whispers. He raised his head to the stands, trying to see the clarity behind his blurry view as fire chewed through his temples.

Yuven swatted Reyn's hand away with his unbloodied one, who stood up. "I don't need your help," he hissed. "Nor your pity, King Reyn." He forced himself back onto his feet, catching his breath as blood sprayed at his feet.

"I'm not pitying you, Traye," Reyn argued. "I'm just making sure my opponent isn't badly wounded."

He stumbled forward, ignoring the warrior monarch as someone else jumped onto the field of blood water.

"Yuven!" Fenrer called.

Yuven stepped away from his hand when he stretched it out. No. Not you. You intake too much darkness, and you'll be left with nothing. He shoved Fenrer away, keeping his hand against his mouth as he walked away from the crowds, who once cheered, and fell silent. He didn't want their sympathy, and didn't care for their thoughts. They never mattered.

I'm a ghost.

"Yuven, please," Fenrer insisted behind him as the whispers continued. "Your aura—"

"Gather the damned kings so we can end this summit instead of worrying about my aura," he hissed to his Oathbound, who stepped back. "I don't need help, Fenrer, I'm just winded. Just go do your damned job and let me do mine."

I'll get to the bottom of this, and find out what the Naveeran king was playing at. He glared up at the stands, where the Naveeran king hid in the shadows, away from the consequences of his actions.

You can't hide forever.