//------------------------------// // 13. Battletoads. Your Argument Is Invalid // Story: Dark Body, Light Soul (Or the Tale of the Stalfos) // by Garino //------------------------------// Chapter 13: Battletoads. Your Argument is Invalid "Ladies and gentlemen, we are now in the semi-finals of our tournament. No one wants to lose, having come this far. So let's get to it!" I looked at myself once more. I still couldn't believe this was supposed to be my 'new look.' Hopefully, Morva would laugh his ass off and I could just end it quickly. Then again, that's just wishful thinking. "Introducing first," (That's my cue!) "sponsored by Jack's Weapon Emporium, the Skeleton Knight, Daniel!" The crowd roared in excitement. That roar turned into a gasp as I entered the arena. No longer wearing a blue robe and yellow hat, I was now equipped with...well, imagine InuYasha's outfit. Now take away the necklace and turn his red robe into a purple color. And no, don't add a hat, because I ditched it. That's the best I can describe it. I could see a few spectators covering their mouths, trying to stifle a laugh. I don't blame them a single bit. "And on the other side, sponsored by Jim's Earthworm Farm (seriously?), the Dragon Prince, MORVA!" Oh, I had a bad feeling this guy was gonna be big. But it also opens up a line I could say should I win. My bad feeling, however, was unfounded. He wasn't a hulking, badass zombie dragon like I was imagining. Instead, it was...well, let's just say I thought King Griffon was the only living thing in Necro City. I also thought I was the only Legend of Zelda monster roaming around here. Morva proved me wrong on BOTH counts. How he managed to convince everyone else he was an undead dragon was beyond me. I mean, for one, he wasn't a dragon, he was an armor-wearing lizard. Dragons have no reason to wear armor, as their scales are extremely tough. Second, he had a sword on his left hip. Dragons have sharp claws and fire breath, so why would they need a sword? To his credit, though, he had what looked like pretty bad wounds no normal creature could survive. "So, you're my next opponent?" I asked seriously. "We are not opponents. I am a predator, and you are my next victim," he growled as he pulled out his sword. It wasn't anything special at first glance: a longsword made of steel, the hilt was a blood-red color with a black grip. He had no shield, so he must use the sword for defense as well as offense. "I know your kind: you're no dragon, just arrow fodder for adventurers in training." I pulled out my own sword, which had no charge (I forgot to charge it fully, okay?!?), and my shield. We both took a battle-ready stance, waiting for the first move. That's when I noticed it: his sword was glowing; a dark blue surrounding the blade. Morva swung his blade, releasing a bolt of lightning that went by my shield. But it was enough to distract me. When I regained focus, his sword was coming in for a thrust (its aura remained). I barely blocked it, but I still felt a jolt go through my bones. (Fun fact: Skeletons can take damage from electricity, but they have a natural resistance to it. WHEE!) He then went for an overhead slash, but met nothing as I jumped to the right and shield bashed him. It wasn't damaging, but I wasn't trying to damage at first: just disorient him to charge my own blade. Morva held his blade above his head. What was he planning? We locked gazes, not daring to move an inch. After a minute, my blade obtained that white glow. Now, what were lizards weak against? Before I could answer, he closed the distance between us. Instead of attacking with a thrust, he instead jumped over me and delivered an overhead swipe. Again, I blocked, but the enchantment sent electricity through my bones again. "How about you get a taste of your own medicine?" I suggested, sending my still-white glowing sword into his side. It hit his armor, but I got the effect I was looking for: he cried out in pain as he felt a shock go into HIS system. I kicked him to the ground and began charging my sword again. He got up quickly...is that a smile on his face? Something's not right. "Electric, huh? Our blades are the same," he said. "Far from it," I responded. He held his blade above his head. Don't ask how, but I could just feel energy surrounding him. Three pillars started to rotate around his body. "Behold, the power of the Dragon Prince! Dragon Strike!" Morva pointed his blade at me, and the pillars shot towards me. Even worse, a fourth, larger pillar of energy appeared in the middle of the three smaller ones. I was too stunned to move out of the way. Bad News: That hurt. Badly. Bad News: The clothes Melody handed to me before the match? Now destroyed. Bad News: My bones were charred black. Good News: I was alive and standing. (Skeleton resistance, yes?) Good News: My normal clothes (the pauldrons, gloves, boots, shorts, spiked bands) were charred, but no worse for wear. Good News: Morva had his back turned, believing he'd won. Now, usually I don't attack an enemy when his/her back is turned unless it's a free-for-all and they're preoccupied, but I wouldn't get another chance like this. It was time to capitalize. After I finished charging my blade (which was just an extra 5 seconds), I ran towards Morva, shield up. Let's get a flashy finish, preferably with fire. And boy, did I know THE flashiest finish with fire. "Special delivery for Morva!" I yelled. He turned just enough for two things. The first was to see my sword, imbued with a red aura, coming towards his chest. The second was for me to see that look of terror. I quote Hobbes: "It's that dawning moment of comprehension I LIVE for." The blade hit, sending him into the air. Somehow, I flew after him and started swinging rapidly at his body, every strike delivering another gash that was quickly sealed by the intense heat of the fire. I must have hit him twenty times before I readied for the final overhead blow. I held it for two seconds, waiting for him to turn and face the blade. We both went down, him on his back with the blade pinning him to the ground, and I was on one knee, panting. I didn't think it would take much out of me. I chuckled to myself. "Wha...what's so funny?" Morva asked. "Hehheh...soon, they'll be drag'n your ass to the infirmary," I said. I think he got the joke, because he groaned and closed his eyes. I removed my sword from Morva's chest and sheathed it. Another fight, another victory. Somehow, this fight was easier than the last. But then again, there was one more before the end of the tournament. Who was my opponent in the finals? You know the end-of-match drill: crowd roars, announcer yells Daniel is the victor, we get people cheering and booing, and I walked back to my quarters. The walk back was different this time, though. I passed through the gates and bumped into a pegasus. Did I mention that they seemed to be the race of ponies that fought the most in this tournament? Because they were. She was different, though. Her wings weren't feathery, but more bat-like. She had a blood-red coat, with a black zig-zag pattern around her hooves and chest. Her eyes looked serpentine, with the same red as her coat. Her mane was jet black, with yellow bands at regular intervals. Her tail, though...it looked like she had two of them, one fully black, the other half black/half yellow. She wore gold bands around all four of her legs, with another set around her front left and back right hooves. Just between you and me, she looked pretty hot for a pony. And very dangerous. "Um, hi," I said. She just glared at me. "My name is-" "Daniel Fortesque, the Skeleton Knight, Champion of the Overworld," she interrupted. Champion of the Overworld? When did I get that title? "Y-yeah, that's me," I confirmed. "Who do I have the honor of speaking to?" She flashed a smile, showing very sharp teeth. Another vampire? "You will learn when we meet in the finals. You...ARE advancing to the finals, yes?" "What? I-I mean, of course! I just finished my match and won!" "Then go prepare yourself. I want our match to be..." she leaned forward, close to where my ear would be, and whispered, "glorious." She trotted past me to the gate and entered the arena, where the audience just went crazy. Well...she seemed nice.