The final installment of the epic fantasy
DISCLAIMER: If you haven't read Part One, click here to dive into the story, and click here to trace back to Part Two.
Land of Dyers, dragons, beasts from the other side
Wyverns kill Gryffens, take up home and reside
Grand dragons like Yggverns snack on them all
I’ve seen a Gryffen fight two Flyverns in a brawl
Standing there, a Yggvern then ate all three
Though Light Elves and humans had made many flee
They made mountains their homes, caves deep inside
Worlds sometimes collide despite the divide
Pray, it’s useful as fighting – men fall
Even Dyer’s no match: all men, they maul
Day does come soon where human company
Adds teams of Dyers, beasts to pedigree
Our allies the Elves had an annual contest
Challenging arts, sparring those worst to best
Pow’r decided by tournament, King, crowd
Being for sport, t’was no killing allowed
Tow’r of the King housed Arena of Glory
The competition was of fable or story
Extending invite to Adepts, us too, to test
Who was most worthy of challenging quest
Intending to impress, all nations were wowed
Best fighters determined strong from the proud
Expending coffers for costs to make history
Contest aside: it’s about to get gory
Four leagues, classified Novice to Elite
Four fighters from each class see who’ll be beat
For nights, we sparred to represent our class
Bout by bout, I’d defeat, repeat, surpass
O’er nights, the fights left leaders in surprise
I was among the Elite in disguise
Though stronger near Living Tree, Elves met defeat
Once at the contest, we swept each athlete
No competition; save from Adepts, alas
The art shook the tower; Silt used such mass
So much stone their art would utilize
After our first bout – contest moved – it was wise
Winners received orphaned Chimera young
Created in Light’s Dimension, where they sprung
Beginners to arts when we first fight as one
Forming new skill before each night’s done
Dinners over the course of the contest, much revelry
Each dawn saw the spawn of a new ceremony
Silt masters first carved out hillside among
Vast valley, our stadium: we sung
Built seats and podium – then battle begun
Ne’er larger stage for play, no comparison
Fill’t massive lake for Water specialty
Arena now ready for debauchery
Swinging with art, I let it just hit me
Really deflecting, I draw life from tree
Stinging attacks returned, this Elf flails
Complete dark aura surrounds like veils
Bringing Blood or Light – I absorb it with ease
I can withstand thousands of attacks like these
Spinning kick sweeps, several blows to the knee
I tried to hold back from all-out killing spree
Pinning his foot, then back of knee so it ails
Easily have competition ‘gainst rails
Winning in sight: holding hit, watch him seize
Almost gently drop this Light Elf to knees
Many of my fights were called off early
Moved up, matched with those footed more surely
Any art or Element, I’d withstand
Elevated skill was at my command
Maniacs attacked; soon only we remained
Solely advancing; ground just we gained
Three nights in, our crew endured, purely
First place was held definite, securely
Ev’ry other soldier was at reprimand
Count them withheld, in distant land
Me, I could no longer hold arts restrained
Last fights coming up – pain soon then rained
Being for sport, I held hits left and right
Cheering cohorts, I’d hear every night
Seeing haymaker, I duck and strike kidney
Hearing his bad luck: saying, “what’s with” me
Freeing arts, I release skill to part seas
Deafening roar fills valley, lighting trees
Matching Ramses’ Fire, we escalate fight
Ovations and gasps from spectacular sight
Scratching my leather cloak, blast with debris
Screeching Plasma shot stings: agony
Catching attacks, deflecting with ease
Screaming direct hit then makes him wheeze
Coldest Winds, he’d hurl with each hand
But I have ancient skill at my command
Boldest blasts break brawny branches and bows
Primordial power breezes past clothes
Oldest energy from the deepest well
Original Ancients couldn’t block this spell
I blaze forward; the strike, he can’t withstand
Ramses was shocked, the distance I spanned
My Fire then ripped through armor to expose
His scorched dragon leather; the metal glows
Why continue? Ramses, in ranking, fell
His seared shoulder; my art past parallel
Scales were required to mend sparring gear
Competition never seen like this here
Tales then began – I destroy scales, vaporize
“Challenger wrecked and repaired armor, likewise”
Wails of opponents left the Elves shaking
Contest to me, though history in making
Rake and I battled next round, near peer
My Silt being new, I held him in revere
Make no mistake, Rake made a mountain rise
Deflect and mix Silt, Wind, Fire: his demise
“Take a Plasma pill without bellyaching”
Silt shot knock out: evades Plasma – hit Quaking
Daughter of Water, Snow Girl brings her Wind
Down by lake, I keep Chione held, pinned
Thought her power would be a true test
Onslaught of Water and Ice: learnt I’m best
Brought her top art, full pond – pure energy
I match Water with Plasma, art still new to me
She turned steam into needles, then she grinned
Attacked from all sides, she thought I’d be skinned
We speed through fog, spirits, then manifest
Smacked and cracked armor – she’s alive, be blessed
Be certain: no one needed referee
Unmatched are my arts – soon all would agree
Ben, Serket, Akil, and I were last left standing
Each Leader’s power well past understanding
When Ben and I fought, testing technique still
He warned his unparalleled quells could kill
Then his Sap Petrified me – pow’r of our Sages
Governing deepest wells, teaching what rage is
Our own people’s Spirit Art demanding
Ancient ceremony and Magic commanding
Pow’r expressed by one’s heart, talent, and will
Passed down generations through Petra’s lands still
Hour of reckoning, a fight of the ages
Inherited art entangles – then he engages
Bleeding him with Blood spells, Aura blasts too
Free of Sap briefly, my barrage landing true
Needing no nuanced enchantment, Ben sends
And sets-loose command spells to wicked ends
Reading each attack, dodging, deflecting
Unleashing on Chakra points not protecting
Locked up mine arm; a late shot breaks through
Chopped off my staff’s end; not much I could do
Stocked up like steel, so strong nothing bends
Lopped off long lengths now – nothing this defends
Walked-up, winding the arm it’s affecting
Stopped off to use his blast for arm’s correcting
Arm still sore but set back in place, I churn
Dragon Fire: hands out, fingertips are jaws to burn
Charm or amulet would be ineffective
My Fire now surpassing idols, protective
Harm still awaits me, though I held my own
Boldest blazes, most cases, would burn to bone
What felt like hours; Ben then ensured I’d learn
Silt’s power to protect, deflect, or return
But both knowing Blood and Light, reflective
His Silt rendered my Fire defective
Soot singed his face, and it glowed in wind blown
Silt’s advantage, though – this match: set in stone
Details of his art, I must leave obscure
I’m entrusted to keep it from those not yet pure
The scales of my armor, though, cracked – rib too
Holding tight, my side; his Wind, staff wont outdo
The sails of speediest ships couldn’t compete
Protecting my left flank, I shore-up my feet
Petrification staved-off; no staff – can’t endure
His Sap at age two: two ranks past amateur
Petra’s formation to now, very few knew
Strength of his Silt or had pow’r to subdue
Pitch and oblation of Fire – I still met defeat
Though Silt Elite barely believed I’d be beat
Akil met Serket in the last semi-round fight
With my new family, guess I’ll rest for the night
The real Demigods who know Gods’ real names
So few of our kind; the world, truly, it shames
A million art-forms then materialize
These two, like me, naturally: unreal in size
Her power, I can’t describe; my throat is tight
His knowledge won’t get through to the erudite
Sure to cure all impure, were they to endure Flames
Serket’s wisdom outsmarted; correct her aims
Perfection of Magic through Primordial eyes
Wise use of Venom wins this Primeval prize
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