Chương 1244: 1274 - Old Allies; New Foes

Blood thundered through Leon's head, pounding his skull like a drum. Rage boiled his blood and had his heart beating like it wanted to break through his chest and beat the Phoenix before him itself. Leon kept his face confident and stoic, however, smiling at the man who'd ruined the good impression left on Leon after their first meeting.

"You do not lack courage," Bennu said in response to Leon accepting his challenge. Leon's grin widened until he was practically baring his teeth. His reply, however, was cut off as Anushirawan made his opinion known. Clapping his hands, the sound of which cut through the excited and frantic whispering and cheering that had erupted in the wake of Bennu's challenge, the Sun King rose and began striding toward Leon and Bennu.

"Such valor!" he boomed.

"The vigor of youth! The drive to prove oneself! May none of us forget such things when we grow old!" The crowd parted before Anushirawan, allowing his quick access to Leon and Bennu, the former of whom was surrounded by friends, family, and allies both old and new, including Jennifyr and Varon. Bennu, on the other hand, had his attendants beside him, and after he made his challenge, Leon noted several Lords fall in beside them, making their allegiances known without saying anything.

He memorized their faces as Anushirawan halted beside them.

"A challenge during the opening ceremony is just what is needed to liven it up!" the Sun King boisterously declared. His expression fell in the next moment, however, and he observed, "This challenge sounded personal on your part, Prince Bennu…"

"I cannot turn my eyes away," Bennu hotly said.

"Though my respect for your lineage is great, Leon, I will never allow anyone to come between me and my heart's desire."

"Hasn't Serana turned down your marriage offer enough?" Jennifyr testily asked.

"Dragons respect strength," Bennu explained, his yellow-gold eyes flickering to the Blue Dragon.

"I haven't proven myself enough."

"And challenging a mage a full tier below you will prove your strength?" Varon pointedly asked, his tone ice-cold. Another voice joined the exchange, her tone one of excitement and interest.

"Despot Leon played his part well before a crowd of millions; his performance showed that he can match a thirteenth-tier in power, should the need arise."

"My thanks, Lady Esmerelda," Bennu said as the Gale Queen joined Anushirawan.

"But your words aren't needed. My challenge has been answered. Now I will see this done."

"Before that," the Sun King interjected, "I want to make sure you understand this, young firebird: I will not allow death to come to any who take part in an honorable duel." Bennu smiled, and the roar of Leon's blood intensified as nobody seemed to argue with the fact that a similar warning wasn't given to him.

"I understand," the Phoenix heir said, his grin turning vicious for a moment.

"As do I," replied Leon, even if everyone else thought his input needless.

"Then we shall have a duel!" Anushirawan roared, and almost the entire Royal Platform erupted into cheers, and given the relative power of those on the platform compared to those in the titanic stadium, the sheer power in their exultations drew almost every other eye in visual range.

"Give me… two hours! The ceremony is close to beginning, but I specifically left openings in the schedule to account for challenges like these! I even set aside private chambers for any challengers to prepare in!" Anushirawan waved to someone Leon couldn't see, and a moment later, a pair of eighth-tier mages appeared beside the Sun King.

"My men here will show you two to those chambers. Please prepare well."

"Gladly," Bennu replied as he spun and led his entourage away, following close behind one of the Sun King's attendants. Leon almost did the same before a tug at his arm pulled his attention from the Phoenix's arrogant back to his family and friends. Elise had been the one to tug his arm, but it was Jennifyr who spoke, her voice low and private after Varon inscribed a quick rune in the air.

"Leon," the Blue Dragon said, her expression carefully schooled, "this is… This changes things."

"Are you confident of your chances?" Varon hurriedly interjected. Leon spared Bennu one last look before he and his followers vanished into the crowd, most of whom still had their eyes glued to him.

"I wouldn't have accepted the challenge if I didn't think I could take him," Leon said.

"But… it'll be hard. We could speak more on that elsewhere…"

"No," Varon stated to Leon's surprise as he and Jennifyr shared a knowing look.

"This forces our hand a bit… We'll try to meet up with you later. For now…"

"We have to return to Uncle Prasinos," Jennifyr finished.

"I know I promised you an introduction…"

"Don't worry about it," Leon said, and the Blue and Green Dragons nodded to him before immediately leaving. With them gone, Leon, along with his friends and family, followed the second of Anushirawan's attendants deeper into the stadium.

"Why would you accept such a challenge?!" Miuna hissed, her shadow looking like there was nothing she wanted more than to leap from her palanquin and strangle Leon. Fortunately for him, there were still other men present.

"To make a challenge so publicly…" Archelaus muttered as he paced back and forth, "there are few responses a Lord can give."

"Damn the Lordly considerations!" Gwarim boomed.

"There is only one answer a man can give! And Leon, my friend, you gave it! Please, I ask you, allow me to serve as your second once again!"

"You'd do that?" Leon asked, his tone lilting in surprise.

"Against a Phoenix? That could be a powerful enemy to make…"

"Damn the Phoenixes!" Gwarim declared.

"Honorable by their reputation, but I am a Storm Lord! And when a friend is challenged, no Storm Lord worth even the faintest of sparks would abandon his friend!" Leon couldn't help but smile, and his lips only pulled wider as he looked around the room, seeing similar sentiments in many of the expressions he beheld. His Paladins, of course, looked confident. There was some anxiety in the eyes of his wives, but all of them, even Elise, met his gaze with determination. It was Anzu who responded next, though.

"My brother won't lose to that candle-dove! Not now, not in a million years!""'Candle-dove'?" Alix whispered audibly.

"We're going to have to work on your insults, Anzu…" A frown passed over Anzu's white face.

"Little flame? Dumb bird? I thought it appropriate…"

"It was more than appropriate," Leon said with a loud laugh.

"I… I appreciate it, brother." He paused, his rage cooling in the light of so much support from his people.

"Bennu isn't Mikaela. This is going to be a hard fight. He looked like a man who knows his way around the battlefield."

"The Phoenixes prize peace," Miuna said.

"But they are prodigious warriors, and their power gives them immense healing capabilities."

"All healing powers can be overcome," the Jaguar declared.

"That depends on how far our King wants to go," Zhang responded.

"It's not to the death, though it should be," Daryun stated.

"Back on Demetrion, such a public challenge would only end in blood, by Yrati's command!"

"We don't serve your war god," Archelaus responded.

"But he isn't wrong!" Gwarim insisted.

"What is a man who lets such a challenge go unanswered! Especially with the Sun King guaranteeing survival, this is a chance to go all out! To prove our worth as Storm Lords! To show the other Lords what you showed in your lands, Leon, when you kicked out Terris! The Storm Lords are not to be ignored!" Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

Words of agreement echoed through the room, while the elders from the Ten Tribes accompanying Leon stomped and roared, few though they were." Leon …" Miuna hissed, none too pleased, "might we speak more privately?" Leon turned the question over a few times, but it was Cassandra who immediately shouted, "All right! That's enough fluffing the ego! We have a duel to plan for, so all of you, out!"

Most of the others filed out, though Archelaus and Gwarim lingered until Leon nodded to the two of them, silently asking for a moment alone with Miuna and his wives. Though neither seemed thrilled by it, they weren't particularly upset and nodded to him as they followed the others out. Once the door closed behind them and privacy wards snapped into place, Miuna came barreling out from behind her palanquin's screen.

"Why?! That was so… foolish! Bennu is too strong!"

"My husband can take him," Cassandra quickly declared, and Leon found her confidence inspiring.

"Bennu has led a hundred campaigns!" Miuna shot back.

"All of them victories for his Clan! He defeated Despot Angrian at the Battle of Atalonia, crushing a force of a thousand arks with only three hundred! He annihilated Basileus Freikist in a single move only five years ago when the fool publicly declared his intention to court Princess Serana! It's… Leon, she's your mother, there's no reason to have this fight! I'm sure that if you explain, Bennu will—""Nothing changes," Leon interrupted.

"He drew my blood. I don't relish this… much … but too much of the universe runs on strength for me not to respond with strength. Bennu's thirteenth-tier, and will be far more skilled than Mikaela, and I'm sure better even than Triyr. But… I can't run from this. If I do, others will think me weak, and they'll attack me if they get the opportunity. It would bring too much risk for my Kingdom to back down now."

"But—" Miuna protested before Elise cut her off.

"My husband has made his mind known. Now, we can only support him." The fire-haired woman nodded confidently, though Leon could see the quiver in her hands and the slight tightening around her eyes. She was nervous, but she was trying to hide it. Leon glanced at the other two women who had yet to speak; Valeria was characteristically stoic, but her sapphire eyes had narrowed slightly in anger. She didn't entertain thoughts about his chances against Bennu, and she agreed with his reasoning; that much he could see.

Maia, meanwhile, made her thoughts known, sending them directly to Leon through their connection. [Don't lose.] The simplicity of her statement, spoken like a Queen commanding a slave, lightened Leon's heart considerably. [I won't,] he replied, before flooding their connection with love, among other emotions that brought a flush to Maia's bronze cheeks. He didn't linger on those thoughts, however, as he didn't want to distract himself from the upcoming fight with love.

Against such an opponent as Bennu, he was going to need all the tricks he had at his disposal.

"Miuna," he said.

"Yes?" the Princess responded, her tone rather dejected.

"I have an idea of what Jennifyr and Varon are doing. At least, I hope I do. When they return… can you do what you can to help them?" Several silent seconds passed as Miuna visibly debated with herself whether to accept or continue trying to get Leon to back down. Finally, she sighed, sagging slightly, and said, "Yes, Leon. For you, I can do that."

"Thank you," Leon replied, packing as much meaning as he could into those two simple words.

"I should… arrange something…" Miuna said as she returned to her palanquin.

"We should all take some time to prepare," Leon added.

"I have less than two hours now to prepare for a fight against a Prince of the Phoenix Clan…"

War Cry was a silent ark, despite her name. Those who filled her halls were the best of the Great Black Dragon Clan, and they understood the value of discipline. It was a far cry from the chaos that raged far below the ark, down on the plane. Fargrim sighed as he studied the proposals from his fellows in the other six Great Dragon Clans. Prasinos had convinced them all to participate in this century's Belicenian Games, and to prepare, Fargrim had led his Clan out to conquer many planes.

In what he knew would be a herald of the Games, they returned to Arushae victorious. They wouldn't be competing in the Games as separate Clans, however; rather, they'd pool each of their very best into the finest teams that the Games had ever seen. More than fifty events, from foot races to improv poetry recitals, would see their Clans win. Only a quarter of the total events, sure, but it was still more than what most others participating in the Games were enrolling in.

As he was reading some of the reports on how the combined teams were performing in their practice events, Fargrim felt the arrival of other dragons to his ark, and he couldn't help the shallow smile that broke across his face. He set aside the correspondence and prepared for his guests' arrival, clearing his table and straightening out his simple black clothes.

When the three were shown in, he stood waiting for them, though his eyes tracked the moving murals on the wall that showed the Great Black Dragon smiting a massive World Tortoise with his Eye of Calamity.

"Fargrim, my brother!" Prasinos declared as he entered, closely followed by their niece and nephew, Jennifyr and Varon.

"Prasinos!" Fargrim welcomed as he turned to face the White Dragon Patriarch and embraced him.

"Brother!"

"Look at you," Prasinos said as they parted.

"Still sulking alone in the dark. Brother, you should've come to the opening ceremony today! Or at least spent the day with our brothers and sisters on Verdant Howl!"

"My mother was disappointed you declined the invitation," Varon added with a cheeky grin.

"Please bring my condolences to her," Fargrim said apologetically. The last thing he wanted to do was cause harm to his brother Clans.

"You can do it yourself, you know," Varon leadingly stated. Fargrim laughed and was about to respond when Jennifyr interjected. The young woman had worn an impatient expression since her arrival, and though he disapproved of her interruption, he was hardly upset.

"Uncle, we need to borrow Serana. Please."

"It is a matter of some import," Prasinos stated.

"What matter is it?" Fargrim asked, his mood falling as his defensiveness spiked.

"My dear niece is a fine woman," Prasinos said, his hands going up to keep Jennifyr and Varon from speaking, which both seemed keen on doing.

"As proof, the honorable Bennu-of-the-Flaming-Wind will be fighting another Lord for the honor of her hand in less than two hours' time. My brother, I know that you have had your eye on Bennu for a while, considering him for my dear niece's hand, and surely there are few other men worthy of her. Would you allow me to escort her to the duel and witness the power of her suitor first-hand?" Fargrim considered carefully, knowing how his willful daughter might react. Or worse, what she might say.

If she was going to watch this duel, then he feared he might have to attend, too.

'It will be good for her, though. Get her mind off that unworthy rat she accepted into her bed.'

"I am… tempted," he admitted.

"Who is the man who challenged a Phoenix?"

"A Storm Lord named Leon," Prasinos said, his glimmering white eyes locking with Fargrim's own golden eyes as if searching for something. And for a moment, Fargrim thought there was something to that search; the name 'Leon' associated with lightning certainly seemed familiar, but for the life of him, he couldn't place it.

'Hardly going to matter, anyway,' he thought as he considered what he knew of Bennu's tremendous power. Peace-loving though the Phoenixes were, they were all terrifying warriors; he fully believed that aside from the Great Dragons, Bennu was likely the best warrior in his tier.

"Very well," he said, to Jennifyr, Varon, and Prasinos's evident relief.

"I will accompany her to this duel, along with others of my Clan. If these two are fighting over my daughter's hand, then my daughter will witness it, to see if either of their efforts can possibly impress enough to touch her heart."

"Wonderful, my brother!" Prasinos exclaimed as he pulled Fargrim into a tight embrace.

"Wonderful!"

"What a disappointment," the Thunderbird said as she paced around Leon's throne in human form.

"I loved the Phoenix like a sister, and Bennu was one of my closest friends. We fought alongside each other countless times. We died together… To see one who bears their power and name act so foolishly… Leon, my boy, this is why I so rarely interacted with my descendants over the many millennia. Too long spent with power and privilege turned them soft. Keep this in mind for your own children."

"Eh, that seems like advice that won't be relevant for a while," Leon replied, covering up his immediate discomfort with the topic as humorously as he could manage.

"I don't suppose you know any flaws in the Phoenix's power that I could exploit? I… can't lose this fight… and the odds aren't in my favor…"

"Fuck the odds," the Thunderbird intensely said.

"Bring your every power to bear! Overwhelm him immediately with all you have! He has a tier on you, but you'll still be faster! Score the first hit and take him out immediately! Leave no room for the possibility of defeat!"

"I was already planning on that," Leon said.

"Violence and speed are hardly the winning strategies I was hoping for. Maybe something more specific?" The Thunderbird practically hissed in irritation as she chewed one of her fingernails.

"That brat… Phoenix fire is linked with life. They can create wisps with barely a thought and can heal faster than just about anything else in existence. I've seen sixth-tier Phoenixes survive having their heads chopped off! There were… other circumstances at play, of course, but… Bennu will be able to take considerably more punishment than just about any other opponent you've faced, Leon.

"As for fighting style… expect the creation of autonomous magical constructs—wisps made on the fly to attack you, often taking the form of various animals. Mostly birds, though, as the Phoenix at least taught her Clan the glory of our perfect shared form. Fire, life, and healing, these are the powers that you must defeat, my boy. And you have options…"

"Yes," Leon said, "I do. How about this…" Together with the Thunderbird, he strategized possible counters and opening moves to take. As the time for the duel to begin drew closer, though, anxiety started to come back, along with his anger. Victory for him wasn't guaranteed; Bennu was sure to have gear far greater than what Mikaela had, along with the skill to use it. His powers, age, and experience couldn't be discounted, either—he could, in many ways, be seen as equal to Leon in those regards.

Leon certainly chose to consider him equal, if not superior, in order to avoid underestimating him. Even if he were a more arrogant man, Leon estimated his chances at victory to be low. But given the nature of the challenge, the possible consequences of his likely loss, and the sheer wildly public way they'd have their duel, he knew that losing to Bennu was going to impose a cost he couldn't possibly pay upon him. And left him only one option: he had to win.