Duel

 

Jax opened his eyes. He'd slept like a log after a final training session with Jack, who was now standing outside his door.

"Wake up," Jack said. "You don’t want to be late, do you?"

Jax yawned and slapped himself in the face, before staring at his reflection in the mirror.

"I've become groggy and my senses have dulled," he sighed, rubbing his eyes. "To think it'd be so difficult just to wake up."

Jack opened the door a crack and peered inside.

"You're in the body of a fourteen-year-old," he said. "Isn't it expected? Don't tell me when you were fourteen, you were waking up and falling asleep at a moment's notice like a veteran?"

"No I…" Jax paused. "What was I doing when I was fourteen again?"

Jack laughed.

"Come on," he said. "Get your formal clothes on. The duel's going to start today."

Jax sighed and started pulling on the white fabric tunic and ochre-coloured suit Hemia had found for him, over leather body padding for the fight ahead, before throwing the curtains aside, expecting the warm sunshine of Chyraea to fall on his face. What greeted him was a dark sky and a silver moon staring at his face like, 'haha, loser'.

"…what the hell?"

"It's a three-hour journey," Jack explained. "We had to wake you up before dawn."
"What did I expect?" Jax asked, rubbing his eyes.

 

***

 

The carriage jolted for the final time, and then came to a shuddering stop. It was a rather pretty wooden carriage, with tinted windows and drawn red curtains, and a slightly domed roof covered in a layer of bright blue velvet. It was drawn four white horses, and the four servants waiting for it stood to attention. There was a thump behind the door, and then Lloyd, Edith, Jax and Trillian spilled out onto the grass in a heap, and then scrambled away from each other, retching.

"Shit!" Jax cursed thumping himself on the chest. "I can't believe I got carsick!"

"…you're like a child," Jack muttered, just loud enough for only Jax to hear. "No one would believe you were a three-thousand year old godly regressor."

"I don't know," Jax hissed back. "Maybe my brain also de-matured. Either way, I prefer this."

Jack couldn’t help but agree.

"I… I…" Lloyd said, his lips trembling, and then threw up into the grass, prompting Edith to run to his side.

Trillian laid back onto the grass outside the battle arena that Gilsend was shamed at every year, breathing heavily after being tossed around by the carriage.

"Great start," he mumbled.

Then he saw the four servants staring at them and in an instant he was back on his feet, dusting himself down and straightening his collar. In half a second he was back to his usual regal, noble self, which Jax found pretty impressive how quick the transition was.

 

"Right this way, sir," said the servant leading them into the arena.

The place could hardly be called an 'arena'. There were no stands, no walls, just a fence around a square of rock ground, with a few seats for the heads of each family. There were no commentators, but a few onlookers with crystal balls enchanted with recording magic were standing to the side. Ruxlyn had already arrived - Jax saw the haughty, disgusted faces of Jonas and Marco, an uninterested-looking blonde boy about fifteen who Trillian told him was Harold; a tall, muscular guy with long, red hair tied back in a ponytail, a goatee, and red lines shaped like claw marks painted down his brown-skinned chest. Jack nudged him and whispered that the redhead was Vulnis. Three of Ruxlyn's four fighters were present - Harold, Marco and Vulnis, and their former fourth, Jack, was here with the Gilsends and his former commander.

"Who's Ruxlyn's fourth?" Jax asked.

"Look," Jack replied, jabbing a finger at a young guy in a white armoured suit who was tramping up, head held high like he was the king or something. "That's the youth captain of Ruxlyn's cadet guard squad. Jasper Brent. Rumoured to be-"

"-to be a monster, yeah, yeah, they all are," Jax says. "So I guess that makes me God then."

Jack smiled to himself under his fingers.

"…yeah. I forgot who you were for a split second there."

 

Cedric didn't usually bite his nails. Hemia slapped his hand away, telling it was un-noble-like.

"Are you nervous?" she asked.

"…I don’t know," Cedric said. "Have we got an idea of who's going against who?"
"Yes," said Aaron, from his place behind Cedric at the sheltered tables. "Miss Alicia will duel Sir Marco in the first round. Sir Keynes will take on Sir Vulnis in the next. Jax will take on Jasper Brent in the third. And then finally, young master Trillian will duel Harold."

Cedric thought long and hard. Finally, he asked -

"What do you think will come of this year's duel?"

Aaron paused.

"…I think we have a better chance," he said finally. "A better chance than previous years."

"I think so too," Hemia said, laying a hand on her husband's shoulder. "You have to believe in our sons and daughters, as well as those who were guided to our side."
On the other side of the arena, Jonas made himself comfortable in an armchair that had been carried all the way from the Ruxlyn Estate just for him. Beside him, a man even taller and bulkier than he was lounged, dressed lavishly, his small moustache and green hair greased and gleaming in the sunlight. He wore a long, dark red coat with a faux fur scarf, and his ears, fingers and neck were adorned with jewellery and accessories. He was staring disapprovingly at Marco, who was making a scene as he screamed and shouted.

"NO!! I must fight that bastard brat who disrespected me!! I have to make him know his place!!"
"Enough," the man said.

At once, Marco quietened down.

"…yes, father.." he said, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the edge of his suit tightly.
"You can always trample him - after."

At this, Marco instantly brightened, and his usual arrogant, half-evil smile reappeared.

"Remember what your job is today."
"Yes, father!"

Henrick Ruxlyn, the patriarch of the Ruxlyn Family, brought the glass of blood-red wine to his lips as he watched Marco march off. The other members of his family lounged around nearby, excited for the fight.

 

Alicia clenched her fingers tightly. She was nervous. How could she not be? To her, the wall called Marco Ruxlyn seemed like an obstacle she could never hope to pass. She almost regretted choosing to fight him, but in that moment Jack placed a hand on her shoulder. He was only so much older than her, but his gaze felt reassuring and confident, not to mention he was incredibly more skilled.

"Hey," he said quietly. "Don’t worry about anything and just let loose. There's no point holding back now. Because either way, the friction between Gilsend and Ruxlyn will be set alight after this duel."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm saying to stop holding back," Jack whispered.

Alicia looked at him, someone who'd fought against their house for several years now giving her reassuring words. It almost seemed like a dream.

"…okay."

She stepped out into the light.

 

Marco, dressed in his full, blood red battle suit, stepped out into the arena, head held high and sword at his waist. Whoops and cheers erupted among the spectating crowd at his arrival, and he raised a hand in greeting to all of them. His green hair glittered in the hot sunlight, and an arrogant smile was imprinted on his face, which made Jax want to punch him in his perfect teeth. Jack felt his anger and nudged him.

"Why so mad?" he hissed. "Shouldn't you be able to control yourself?"

Jax let out his breath and relaxed his shoulders. He wasn't yet used to the mentality of a fourteen year-old - having a much lower patience than before, and getting angry more easily. He sighed. There wasn't much he could do.

"Shut up," he whispered back. "If anything happens, I'll deal with it."

"Reliable as usual, hm?" Jack grins.

"Shut up."
Alicia walked up the stairs to the arena to face Marco, and his smile grows wider when the crowd's sentiment flipped on its head, turning from cheers and praise to jeering and booing. Someone threw something red and unpleasant towards her, and it sailed towards her head, but she dodged it easily and glared unwaveringly at Marco. The crowd of assholes, which had been waiting for a reaction, saw that they weren't getting on and calmed down, disappointed. Someone yelled at Marco to crush her. Jax snorted.

…it's important that Gilsends achieves a… 'complete' victory here. In order to sway public opinion about us for a better foothold in what will come after this. It's not just important that we 'win' here. We need to destroy them.

Jax glanced around. Jack was sure to easily beat his opponent, and it didn't look like Alicia was going to have much trouble with Marco. If she could overcome her nervousness and indecision, that is. He was confident in his own skills. That just left Trillian, and his glowing eye, who Jax was sure would also secure a dominating win.

 

A battle between a swordsman and a mage was usually an obvious victory… for the swordsman. Because a mage needs time to cast spells, and despite ranged capacity and potential for extensive damage, a trained swordsman can easily close the distance whilst defending themselves against the mage's spell, and take out the mage in one strike, due to their low defensive capability. It is a widely known fact in the world of Chyraea, that a mage can never defeat a swordsman in a one on one duel. Although, of course, there are always… exceptions.

 

Ignoring the various pieces of rubbish being launched her way, Alicia stepped into position, across the arena from Marco, who still had that disgusting smirk plastered over his face. This was her first time fighting for her family, and she could hardly control the shaking of her fingers, and she gripped the hem of her battle dress to calm herself down.

Deep breaths, Alicia Gilsend. Deep breaths. Everyone is… watching you.

"Why would a mage want to fight a swordsman?"

"Is she brave or stupid?"

"Please win, young master Marco!"

She shut out the jeers of the crowd, and waited for the referee's countdown to finish. Five… four… The feelings churned within her as various thoughts of failure washed over here.

No… be strong. When… Arthur isn't here… I am the eldest child of House Gilsend. And I will protect my family.

…three… two… one.

The ref's arm whistled downwards like an executioner's axe beheading its next victim.