Ascension: Quest For Revenge

The Arena (Part 2)

Axel kept trying to get up, but the announcer shot a ball of energy at him every time. A lot of the audience now began rioting, resisting the guards and yelling at the announcer.

Axel again tried to get up, but this time he was prepared. He muttered a spell, and created a small golden sphere around his left hand, which acted like a magnet. The moment the announcer shot at him, the sphere absorbed the energy. He then aimed it at the announcer, and shot the ball of energy at him. The announcer frantically shot another projectile, but missed. The ball of energy hit him, throwing him off the platform. He fell directly down below, but used his amulets to create a repulsive force that softened the landing.

This was the encouragement the audience needed to begin fighting the guards. Normally the guards would’ve fought back, but due to the sheer number of people against them, they had no choice but to flee.

Meanwhile, Belle and the dwarf were engaged in a furious battle against the elf. The mage summoned a glowing animal in front of the two, but the dwarf immediately decapitated it with his axe. The elf smartly kept his distance from Belle, because he knew she could easily kill him at close range. The dwarf pulled out a bomb and threw it towards the elf, who immediately caught it in midair using telekinesis and threw it back at the dwarf. The bomb instantly exploded in a flash of dark red glow, killing the warrior.

The elf pushed Belle away with telekinesis, but she immediately shot flames from her hand towards him before he could use a spell to kill her. She then immediately ran up close to the mage, then began a flurry of attacks with her sword, which the mage was forced to block or parry with magical shields and weapons. The elf was a mage, however; not a warrior, and with the gushing wound in his chest, he barely held his ground against her. He constantly kept trying to use a spell or some form of magic to push her away, but never got the chance.

Axel ran towards her to assist. He muttered a spell and frost covered the tip of his staff. He pointed it towards the elf, and shot a white beam. The elf quickly defended himself against the ice by creating a shield, but that split second was all Belle needed to attack. She swung her sword towards the elf’s wrist; chopping his left hand clean off. This removed five of the ten magical rings he possessed, immediately weakening his powers. The elf knelt down in pain; but right before Belle was about to finish him off, the elf shot a wall of force towards her, pushing her away.

Axel already knew the elf was out of tricks; the battle was already over.

The elf used telekinesis to pull Belle’s sword out of her hand while she still lay on the ground, then shot it towards Axel; a final desperate attempt to kill him. However, telekinesis is powerful magic that needs a conduit (such as rings or a staff) to be used through so that the mage isn’t immediately exhausted. The elf was already five rings less, and his final attempt was a telegraphed move. Axel easily stepped aside and caught the sword by its wooden pommel. He charged his staff with electricity and shot a constant bolt of thunder towards the elf, who squirmed on the sand in pain.

He turned to Belle, and tossed the sword to her. She walked up to the elf and ran it through his stomach, putting an end to his misery.

The third and final trial was now over. Axel and Belle won. The audience cheered loudly for the two remaining souls standing on the sand, amidst the dead.

“Unbelievable,” Belle said in astonishment, with a grin on her face. “We did it. You were right. We won!”

“That we did,” Axel said with a smile. After living in misery and preparing for the trials for four years, it felt incredible to have finally won the Ascension Trials.

It didn’t go quite as I had planned though, Axel thought to himself, remembering some of the ones who died. He had thought it would be simple; that he would easily kill everyone in his way and get to Bluegate. He didn’t expect, however, that he would save someone during these trials, or that others would help him, or each other.

He turned towards the trapdoor that he dropped through from the last trial. The mage, who he had hoped would survive, never came out of that trapdoor.

His gaze now turned towards the announcer, who was approaching the two winners, his glasses missing.

Axel also didn’t expect the announcer to cheat.

Up until now, his main goal was to survive; he never gave much thought into why the announcer decided to participate in the battle by shooting at Axel.

“Uh, Mr. Brooks,” the announcer said while laughing nervously, “You won! I knew you two would emerge victorious-”

Axel lifted his staff towards him. The announcer immediately stopped in his tracks and backed up. The audience erupted in unrest, cheering loudly. After a few seconds, they began screaming together: “KILL HIM! KILL HIM!” repeatedly.

“Now, wait, Axel, please,” he said. “Don’t kill me. I’m sorry I tried to cheat. I’ll do anything you want.” He continued to ramble on, saying anything and everything that could potentially save his life.

“Don’t worry,” Axel said. “There’s been enough bloodshed. I’m not going to kill you. You’ll get your comeuppance eventually.”

The announcer was visibly relieved. Axel slowly walked closer to him, the staff still aimed at his face. The announcer again felt a chill down his spine.

“Tell me something,” Axel said. “Why? Why did you attack me?”

The announcer continued to stare at him in fear.

“Answer!”

He flinched for a second, then said, “I just knew you were someone important. Someone the king would want dead.”

“What made you think that?”

“While in court up above, I eavesdrop on the spies. Every now and then I find out something interesting!”

“Get to the point!”

“I once heard two spies report to the king. They told him ‘Brooks still lives’. The king didn’t believe them at all, and killed them both. I figured if I showed up with your corpse, he would believe me and grant me a reward!”

“Showing him my corpse would just prove that I was dead.”

“Well, assuming you’re one of THE Brooks, the king believes you died in the war five years ago. He would expect a skeleton, not an intact body.”

“How do you know about the Brooks?” His staff began glowing blue and pink.

“I used to live in Bluegate before the war! I would hear the name every so often!”

“Axel,” Belle intervened. “More guards are on their way. They’ll be here in minutes. We need to go.”

“You’re right,” Axel agreed. He turned towards the announcer, and made his staff disappear. “I AM one of ‘the’ Brooks!” he proclaimed. “I AM still alive! Give me the pass to Bluegate so I can prove it to him myself.”

The announcer searched his pocket frantically and pulled out two small black cubes the size of dices, with glowing blue edges. He tossed them to Axel.

“Two dragons will be waiting for you outside the entrance,” the announcer explained. “You’ll need to fly towards Bluegate. Those keys are to-”

“I know how these work,” Axel cut him off. “And know this; if I see a single guard or an assassin anywhere across Rayfort by tomorrow, I’ll kill him. And then I’ll come after you.” He shot a blast of magical energy at the announcer’s gauntlet, breaking it and shattering all the amulets, freeing the souls trapped inside.

“No!” the announcer cried.

“And don’t you dare touch that crystal,” he said, pointing towards the crystal attached to the belt of the dead warrior. “Don’t even think about it.”

He turned to Belle. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

“Good thinking,” Belle quickly replied, and they ran towards the arena’s exit before more guards arrived.