Chapter 29: The One-Hour Window
The heavy iron door slammed shut with a THUD, which cut off the roar of the crowd and the lingering scent of the swamp.
After it followed was silence.
The silence was heavier than any noise, but it not only contained the weight of the exhaustion, but also of the victory.
The adrenaline had disappeared and it's place was taken by weariness.
Rolf who as tired due to his match, slumped against the stone wall.
His usual boisterous energy was nowhere to be seen. His B-Grade mana core had worked overtime to secure his victory, but because of the injuries inflicted by Kaelen, he was far from recovered.
Nyssa, without waiting for a single second, took him to the stone bench.
The shy and flustered scholar was nowhere to be seen. She was replaced by a field medic who was an expert in healing spells.
Her mana flowed smoothly into Rolf's injuries, which made his injuries heal faster.
His torn muscles and vessels were being healed at visible rate.
Due to faster healing Rolf could feel a little pain as his torn vessels were getting fixed.
"Did you see how he looked when I slammed his head in the ground? Hahahaha! That was really satisfying!!"
Hearing his question, she smiled a bit continuing her work and said, "Yes, I definitely saw the look of death on his face. Your technique, while biomechanically unsound, was effective."
"That's your way of saying I looked like a raging idiot," Rolf laughed, then groaned as she prodded a bruised rib.
"Worth it."
Once the worst of the wounds were stabilized, Nyssa cleaned her hands with a conjured stream of water and turned to me.
I could see her cheeks flush due to exertion.
I looked at her and her eyes met with mine.
There was no hesitation in them which was present before this day.
She came a bit close and then said, "Thank you, Grik! For trusting me with the fight."
"It was never a question, Nyssa," I replied.
"I knew you'd dismantle him."
A beautiful smile which was enough to shy the moon away appeared on her face.
It radiated warmth and care. She gave me a small nod and went back to treating Rolf.
While they were occupied, Kaelith approached.
She moved with her customary silence, a shadow detaching itself from a darker corner of the room.
She didn't look at Rolf or Nyssa.
Her silver eyes were locked on me, and in them was an emotion I hadn't seen before.
It wasn't just respect.
It was a terrifying, absolute acknowledgment of a peer.
"You do not fight like a typical knight with honor," she said.
It was the highest compliment she could possibly give.
"No honor. Only the kill."
I met her gaze evenly.
"Honor is a luxury. And we monsters do not have the luxury when we are fighting with our lives on the line."
A flicker of approval could be seen on her face for moment.
But it was hidden with ease.
She came a bit closer and asked with her cold voice.
"For the final duel," she murmured as her voice has shifted to being deadly serious.
"Are you going for the Crown or just the victory?"
The question was not easy to answer and neither did Grik had an answer for this question.
All he wanted was survival right now. But Survival without the liberty of freedom was useless.
The Zenith Tournament was brutal, but it was one thing to defeat an opponent, another entirely to end them.
My answer was simple and immediate.
"Whatever it takes."
A slow, dangerous smile touched her lips.
"Good."
She didn't say anything more and she didn't need to.
She got the answer to the question she was looking for.
I leaned back against the cool stone, and looked at my squadmates.
There was this feeling of closeness in the air. It felt as if these were my people.
If these people stood with me, then building a world of my desire would no longer be a wish.
I looked at Rolf, who was a worthy Vanguard.
He had become my close friend as we were roommates.
We shared some secrets and kept some.
Not because we didn't trust each other, but because we were not ready to accept them as realities for ourselves.
And we both knew it.
As for Kaelith, she was like a guardian who cared for us in the shadows.
She never showed it on her face, but it was palpable enough for those around her.
She belonged to a noble family, but there were circumstances.
Everyone has circumstances and so did Nyssa. She also belonged to a Noble Hobgoblin lineage.
I sometimes ask myself if I should just be proactive and ask for those secrets, but I never did.
because I was afraid.
Afraid of breaking this sweet relation that I have built with them.
Afraid I will break it, if I took a wrong turn on this thorny path.
Anyway, they were no longer just tools in my ascent and by no means, were they a means to an end.
They were my pack.
My responsibility.
The Sovereign's Conduit was activated and I could feel it throbbing like a heart around my Mana core.
It was not hungry for predation and anything.
It was filled with protective instinct of protecting this little pack of mine.
Now all I wanted was this peace.
The LP and titles did not matter much, but I have another reason to get stronger now.
The bone-horn blared from the arena outside, its sound deep and resonant, signaling the end of the one-hour window.
The final duel was imminent.
I pushed myself off the wall and looked at each of them one last time.
They stared back, their faces a mixture of pride, concern, and unwavering faith.
They knew.
They all knew I was the only choice.
I was their Champion.
And I would not let them down.