Elias Leywin POV
"What's the matter with you, then?" Curtis asked with Grawder padding along at his side.
"Nothing, nothing," I waved as we neared each other.
The summer sun hung high in the sky as it blazed down on us. We continued on until we stood shoulder to shoulder at the arena's apex.
"Tess lost earlier, I wanted to fight a Conjurer, uhhhhhh."
"I'm aware, Bladeheart blitzed the poor princess," he said, his eyes scanning the wall of people ahead of us. "See, there she is, give her a wave or something," he added, pointing ahead of us.
I followed his finger towards the premium viewing area packed with familiar faces. The silver-haired princess was now wearing a sleek green dress in stunning contrast to her earlier light mail. She sat beside her father, mother, and Grandfather, who had come to watch the final day's fights.
'And her loss. A shame really, I wanted to be the one to beat both royals…'
In the same box sat both the Greysunders with a small bundle in hand. Curtis's own parents and sister sat between both sets of royals.
All six lances stood tall in white as they watched over their lieges.
Though the most stunning spectacle was the fourth family that sat amongst the royals. My own.
From what little I could make out, both my Father and Mother looked petrified, though my mother seemed to calm with the presence of both Priscilla and Merial, who sat with her. However, it didn't stop her open hostility to the Greysunders or Olfred, no matter how justified it may be.
My Brother and Elijah chatted away with Claire and a man I didn't know, but could only assume had some relation to the red-haired teen. Ellie stood near and played with both princesses, though the elf continued to sneak glances at my brother.
"Quit gawking at my sister," Curtis groaned.
"I'm not, you prune," I grumbled.
We stood in silence as cheers and shouts washed over us. The crowd's anticipation was palpable, coming in waves that almost physically crushed us.
"Hey, Curtis?" I asked, nudging his side.
"What?"
"You ready to lose?"
"I'm not going to lose no matter how much you cheat," he smirked.
"Cheat?" I narrowed my eyes as I leaned closer to him.
"It's quite suspicious that you've had two byes and a forfeit leading up to us fighting. And that's not even mentioning who decided last-minute that she wanted to referee… I'm not accusing you of anything but…"
"She was always going to oversee the semi-finals and finals," I groaned as I settled back in line. "When I kick your ass," I turned my head to look my older friend in the eye, "And I mean when, not if, not but. When I kick your ass, you better not use that as your excuse for losing to a 9-year-old. Don't worry, I'll be sure to drag it out long enough for you to think of one."
He smirked as he went to speak, but was cut off by the deafening roar of flapping wings.
A grey-haired woman descended before us on Wyvern back. She climbed down from her bond and strode towards the open space before us.
"Thank you all for gathering here for the second semi-final of the Day!" she exclaimed to the crowd as she stood between us.
"See cheating already," Curtis grumbled.
I elbowed him.
"Following the Earlier Victory of Claire Bladeheart, this fight between Elias Leywin and Curtis Glayder will decide who will join her in the Summer Series Grand Finale!" Grandma's voice carried across the arena with ease, despite the roar of the people.
"You still have time to back out, you know," Curtis said, leaning down towards me.
"After you, my prince," I smirked with a slight bow.
"Boys," the director smiled, "I wish you both luck, and please avoid anything fatal, okay?"
"So I'm allowed to cut off a limb or two then?" I asked, smirking at my friend.
"As long as you heal it up afterwards, I don't see any issue with that," she smiled.
"I'll be sure to avoid any organs, then, they're always a pain to heal," I sighed.
"Or you could just not aim to cut off my limbs,"
"I guess, though…" My eyes dropped, "There is one limb I'm okay with cutting off," I added with a smirk.
His hands shifted to cover his groin. "Don't you even think about it!" he protested.
"Too late." I snapped back.
"I'm glad you're both so fired up," Grandma laughed. She turned from us as a gust of wind carried her to the VIP box.
"Right then," Curtis nodded, "Come on then, Grawder," he rolled his shoulders as he stepped back across the arena floor. Grawder prowled beside him, the massive lion's claws sinking into the packed sand with each slow step.
I stretched my neck as I walked in the opposite direction. The cheers overhead crashed together into one endless wall of noise. Thousands watched us from above, thousands more watched us in their town centres.
I looked back towards the box where my father held my mother, both looking pale.
'Geez, have some faith in me…'
Ellie bounced excitedly against the railing while Arthur held her back from practically throwing herself into the arena.
'I can always count on you, El'
I pumped a fist towards her. She waved wildly and shouted something I couldn't hear, though whatever it was upset my mother.
With a snicker, I pulled my arm back. I rolled the same wrist as golden flame flickered across my fingers.
"Oh, we're starting like that?" he called from across the arena.
"What's that supposed to mean!" I shouted back.
Grawder lowered himself as he allowed his bond mate to climb on his back.
"Don't crush the poor cub!"
Grawder let out a roar, silencing the crowd.
"Thank you, Grawder," Grandma smiled as she hovered above us. "Are you both ready and able?" she asked.
"Yes, I am, Grandma," I nodded.
"Yes, director," Curtis said in kind as he drew both blades free from his hips.
"Then begin!" she exclaimed as she exaggeratedly hammered her arm down.
Golden flame exploded behind me as I shot forward. Heat screamed across the sand in my wake while the crowd above vanished beneath the thunder in my ears.
Curtis's eyes widened as I closed the distance between us in seconds.
"Oh, fuck me-"
I rose high and pressed him from above. Steel rang across the arena as my blade slammed into his crossed swords.
The impact cracked through my arms as sparks burst between us. Grawder skidded backwards beneath his rider, the lion's claws carving trenches through the packed sand while orange flame erupted along Curtis's blades.
His eyes widened as my own golden fire crawled down my weapon toward his hands.
"Seriously?" he grunted.
Golden flame rolled down my blade in violent waves as I forced harder against him.
"Did you expect me to go easy on you?" I asked.
"Yes?" Curtis strained as the points of his blades pushed further and further apart until they lay parallel with each other.
Swinging my leg around, I struck his chest. Air burst from his lungs as he toppled sideways off Grawder's back.
Free of his bond mate's weight, Grawder pounced up at me from his hind legs. His teeth wrapped my hanging left leg as he bit down.
"AAAAAAAA!" A guttural cry left me as the beast's jaw tensed around my calf.
Like a rabid dog, he shook his head and flung me away like a human chew toy.
Landing 20 meters from the world lion, I climbed up on my right knee. With a groan, I reached hesitantly towards my left calf, where the muscle was loose, and the bone was exposed.
Through gritted teeth, I pressed my left hand into the wound. Golden flame lit the bloodied area as tendon wrapped bone and muscle layered above.
Ripping my hand free from my leg, it snapped up and caught the still bloodied snout of the charging World Lion.
"Grawder," I growled, using my friend's bond to climb back to my feet. "That hurt," I grumbled, now towering over the prostrating beast.
I held his jaw tight with my left hand as I reached for the tuft of his mane with my right, "Sorry 'bout this big guy, but you've really pissed me off!" With a groan, I hefted the beast off all four of his paws and threw him across the arena.
The World Lion flew just over 30 meters before skidding to a stop against the wall.
"You threw him?!" Curtis exclaimed.
"He ate my leg!" I retorted towards the recomposed prince who stood tall with his twin blades dipped in either hand.
Curtis opened his mouth to answer, but Grawder beat him to it with an offended roar as the lion staggered back to its feet. Dust shook from the beast's mane while its amber eyes locked onto me with murderous intent.
"See?" I pointed toward the lion. "He's fine and knows what he did."
"You're insane," Curtis groaned as Grawder prowled beside him with lowered shoulders. Curtis ran a hand through his bond's mane as he looked at him with a solemn expression.
'What is this? What are they- Oh… Oh!'
Curtis's shoulders jerked sharply.
His mahogany hair rose wildly around his head, spreading outward into a mane-like mass while faint orange lines crawled beneath his skin. His pupils narrowed into slits as heat burst from his body in uneven pulses.
Completing his transformation, he and his bond let out a terrifying roar that reignited the crowd's deafening cheers.
"Elias!" he growled inhumanly.
"Well," I laughed under my breath, "There it is! Your beast will!" I shouted back over the crowd's renewed vigour. "It's about time you took me seriously!"
Looking to my side, my eyes caught the reflection of silver. A smirk lined my face as I pulled my sword free from the sand. Taking it in both hands, I held it before my face.
"It's only fair I award you the same consideration!"
Mana surged through my core. The pathways throughout my body screamed as golden fire ignored them and bled through from beneath my skin.
"Ignite."
The arena vanished beneath blinding light as fire spiralled high into the sky. Heat hammered against the walls and bounced back in on us. The packed sand around me blackened instantly before softening into molten glass beneath my feet. Power flooded every inch of me.
I exhaled and held my sword in my extended right hand, pointing it at him.
Curtis lowered himself beside Grawder, both of them staring at me with matching predatory focus.
I took a step towards them, and in the very same instant, they vanished.
The explosion beneath their feet reached me a heartbeat later as orange flame flashed towards my chest. Curtis appeared before me with both blades already descending.
'When did he pick them back up?'
I barely managed to lean away before the first blade carved past my face. Heat ripped across my cheek. The second sword followed from below, angled for my ribs with enough force to gut me outright.
I swung down in a wide arc, smashing his weapon from his grasp and sending it scattering into the sand.
Freeing my blade from the ground, Grawder slammed into me. His shoulder crashed against my side like a battering ram. Cracks spread beneath my feet as I skidded and rolled across the arena floor.
Curtis shot after me instantly, now atop his bond. Flame lightened in Grawder's mouth as Curtis's face twisted in concentration.
I stumbled to my feet as the glow brightened. With a wobble, I stood straight. My arm shot forward as mana gathered in my open palm.
'I can't believe you, of all people, have made me do this, Curtis,'
"[WORLD'S HOWL!]" He cried as he jerked his arms forward. The world Lion roared and unleashed the gathered flame, shooting it at me in a concentrated burst.
"[Rhongo-"
My arm tensed slightly.
'Wait, I don't want to kill him'
The wall of fire grew larger as it neared me.
'But I don't want to die…'.
"-Myniad]"
The ball of plasma elongated and smashed into Curtis and Grawder's spell.
After a brief tug of war between light and flame, Rhongomyniad triumphed over Curtis and Grawder's combo spell before punching through the fire.
The arena disappeared beneath blinding gold.
Heat swallowed the air. The shockwave hammered into me hard enough to slide my feet backwards through liquified sand. For one horrible second, all I could hear was ringing.
Then the screams started.
The light dissipated, and smoke rolled across the ruined arena floor in thick black waves. Burning glass crackled beneath my boots as I staggered forward, my breathing ragged.
'Shit…'
A massive shape lay collapsed against the arena wall.
The World Lion's chest heaved weakly, his scorched mane smoking as faint embers drifted from his fur. Curtis lay several meters ahead of his bond, unmoving amongst shattered stone and melted sand.
"Curtis!?" I called, already running towards my friend, "Are you okay!?"
I knelt down and shook his form as blood pooled from beneath him.
"Shit…" I shook him again and again. "Curtis? Wake up, buddy. I don't want to go to jail for regicide, you know what they'll do to someone as cute as me in prison." I shook him again until he coughed.
"Thank the Gods," I sighed, falling onto my behind.
"Fuck you," he groaned weakly.
He struggled as he climbed up onto all fours- well, three and a halfs in this case. Any concept of his left arm below his bicep was missing as blood flowed unevenly from the open wound.
I clambered towards him and helped him sit.
"You deserve far worse than prison for this," he coughed as he looked to his bond, who lay sprawled only a few meters ahead of us. "How is he?"
I gathered a ball of flame in my right hand and threw it at the unconscious beast.
"Fine," I smiled as I clicked my back.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" he said, waving his stump at me.
"Gimme a minute, I'm tired too,"
"Fine, fine," he groaned as he ran sand through his left hand.
I withdrew my sword from my dimension ring. I smiled as I lifted his head with my weapon. "Yield now, and I'll heal you up."
"You're an asshole, you know," he laughed, raising his right hand and left stump.