Chapter 31: The choice
The medical bay of the Colosseum was becoming Glen’s second home.
He sat on the edge of the diagnostic bed staring at his bare left arm. The black veins from the demonic infection had receded hiding deep beneath his skin but he could still feel the cold heavy weight of the fragment resting inside his spiritual core. It was quiet for now satiated by the slaughter of the wolves and the undead dragon.
"You are an idiot Mcdonald."
Glen looked up. Isla Sinclair stood in the doorway of the medical bay her arms crossed over her combat duster. Caleb Sterling stood right behind her leaning on his wooden staff and shaking his head.
"I won did I not?" Glen asked pulling a clean black shirt over his head.
"You almost lost your mind" Isla corrected walking into the room. "I saw your eyes in the arena. I saw the black mana pouring out of you. Whatever you stole from that mutated kid in the second round it is toxic. It is eating you alive."
"I have it under control" Glen lied grabbing his heavy black longsword from the corner of the room.
"Sure you do" Caleb sighed tossing a small digital tablet onto Glen’s bed. "But that is not why we are here. The semi final bracket just dropped."
Glen picked up the tablet. The screen displayed the final four competitors.
Match One: Isla Sinclair versus Caleb Sterling.
Match Two: Glen Mcdonald versus Evander Buchanan.
Glen stared at the name. Evander Buchanan. The S Class Dragon Knight. The golden boy of the Hunter world.
"You made the top eight Glen" Caleb said his voice serious. "You secured the Independent License. The Association has already processed the paperwork. You are officially untouchable by the local guild managers. Duncan Carmichael cannot send assassins after you anymore. You won."
"So forfeit the match" Isla demanded. "Evander is an S Rank dragon knight. He is not a beast summoner who hides behind wolves. He is a close quarters monster. His base physical stats are in the thousands. If you step into that arena with him he will break every bone in your body."
Glen looked at the tablet and then looked at his two allies. They were right. Logically mathematically and strategically fighting Evander was suicide. He had achieved his primary goal. He had the license. He had the freedom he had craved since Awakening Day.
But as he looked at the black longsword resting in his hand he remembered the suffocating pressure of Evander’s aura in the hallway. He remembered the pity in the S rank champion’s eyes.
"I told him I would make him bleed" Glen said his voice quiet but absolute.
"It is just pride Mcdonald" Isla snapped stepping closer. "Pride gets Hunters killed."
"It is not just pride Sinclair" Glen looked up his dark eyes locking onto hers. "The whole world is watching this tournament. The corrupt guilds the Association and whoever is pulling the strings at Eden. If I forfeit now they will just see an F Rank Mimic who got lucky and ran away when a real Hunter stepped up. I need them to know that the rules have changed. I need them to know that even gods can bleed."
Isla stared at him for a long time. She saw the stubborn absolute resolve in his eyes. She recognized it because she had the exact same resolve burning inside her own chest.
She let out a long frustrated sigh. "Fine. But after he is done with you do not expect me to carry you home."
"I will bring a mop and a bucket" Caleb offered helpfully.
Glen smiled strapping the heavy black sword to his back. "Thanks guys. Your support means everything to me."
Glen tightened the straps, feeling the familiar weight settle against his spine. The black sword was heavier than usual, or maybe the demonic fragment inside him was. Each breath tasted like iron and old blood.
For a second the medical bay lights flickered, and he swore the veins under his skin pulsed black again, whispering promises of power if he just let go. He clenched his fist until his knuckles turned white. Control. That was all that mattered now. Isla was right about the risk, Caleb was right about the odds, but neither of them understood what it felt like to be called weak your entire life and finally have the world forced to watch.
An hour later the Colosseum was vibrating with anticipation. The crowd was on their feet screaming the name of the S rank champion.
Glen walked out of the dark competitor tunnel and stepped onto the white sand. The afternoon sun beat down on the arena.
Standing fifty yards away was Evander Buchanan. The Dragon Knight wore his pristine white military uniform. He did not carry a shield. He held a long elegant lance forged from glowing golden metal. The weapon radiated a holy oppressive heat that made the air around it shimmer.
"Match Two of the Semi Finals" the announcer’s voice boomed echoing across the stadium. "Glen Mcdonald versus Evander Buchanan."
Evander rested the base of his golden lance against the sand. He looked at Glen his amber eyes calm and completely devoid of malice.
"You have earned the Independent License Mcdonald" Evander said his voice carrying perfectly across the distance. "You have achieved your goal. There is no shame in yielding. If we fight I will not hold back, I will show you the absolute peak of the Awakening system."
Glen drew his massive black longsword. He gripped the hilt with both hands planting his boots firmly into the sand.
"I did not come here to yield Evander" Glen smiled his dark cocky smirk firmly in place. "I came here to collect a drop of blood."
Evander closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh. When he opened them the polite noble knight was gone. The amber eyes glowed with the terrifying vertical slits of a dragon.
"Then prepare to be broken" Evander whispered.
The mechanical chime echoed through the stadium.
"Begin."
