Chapter 27: Fight Night Part 2
"LADIES, GENTLEMEN, AND DEVILS OF ALL NATURE! WELCOME, WELCOME WELCOME TO SUCH AN EXCITING DUEL. FOLKS, IT WAS ONLY A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT WE HAD A MATCH THAT SHOOK THE UNDERWORLD TO ITS CORE! A NEWCOMER FROM THE PEERAGE OF THE BEAUTIFUL RIAS GREMORY STOMPED ON TO THE SCENE AND ELIMINATED RISER PHOENIX AND HIS ENTIRE PEERAGE WITHOUT BREAKING SO MUCH AS A SWEAT. YOU ALL KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT OF COURSE - BUT IF YOU DON'T, FEAR NOT - FOR YOU WILL SOON ENOUGH. THE MATCHUP WE HAVE FOR YOU TODAY IS EVEN MORE STUNNING THAN THAT LAST ONE, FOLKS. THIS ONE IS A REAL DOOZY. AND AGAIN, THE HAND OF RIAS GREMORY IS UP AS A PRIZE!" the announcing Devil shouted; the same one who officiated the match between Elros and Riser.
-o-
"At least he didn't call you the fairest maiden in the land this time," Akeno giggled.
"Oh no! Please don't ever say that again!" Rias whined adorably; she loathed that title.
"Don't worry sweetie. Although, I'm sure Elros would agree," Venelana said. That brought a smile to Rias's lips; if he were to say such a thing, she'd be fine with it. As they giggled at her expense, the announcer began to talk again.
"Allow me to first introduce the challengers. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for Lord Anders Canio, heir to the Canio family. He is ranked 12th amongst the duelists, and his powers are well documented to strike fear into his opponents. LORD CANIO!" the announcer yelled.
A magic circle opened and Anders stepped out, gruff as usual. He wore his usual; a black t shirt and black jeans, a smug look on his face as he observed the portcullis that Elros would step out of. He threw his arms high above his head and began to look around at the crowd, winking here and there at some women who swooned.
-o-
"Ugh, he's so creepy. They all are," Rias groaned.
"I know. But ranked 12th… that means he's strong, right? Do you know anything about him?" Akeno asked. Rias shook her head; she admonished herself for not doing some research on the three that challenged Elros. She could've offered him some help, but he simply had to walk this alone.
"His family's power is Demonic Transformation. I haven't seen what the form is, however, so I can't comment on that. He is quite powerful, however - that much I know," Sirzechs said as he watched the match intently.
"Hey, lil sis," came a voice from behind them. Kuroka had shown up, smiling lightly and disguised.
"What're you doing here?" Rias snarled at her; she wasn't Kuroka's biggest fan, especially with how close she was to Elros.
"Relax, princess. I'm not here to fight. I… just want to cheer for Elros," Kuroka said, blushing. Everyone looked to Rias, who was staring hard at Kuroka. After a tense minute, she nodded and turned back to the stadium. Kuroka let out a deep exhale of relief, turning her attention to the fight as well.
-o-
"Now that isn't all, folks! We promised you that this was going to be one heck of a match, did we not? If there's one thing I know about Mr. Eärendil, it's that a one on one fight is simply not enough for him! So, allow me to introduce his second opponent, ranked number nine - LORD BASTION MILCOM!" the announcer roared, to a thunderous applause.
Another magic circle opened and Bastion stepped out, flipping his hair back slightly. He had his hands tucked into his pockets as he nodded at Anders before looking around at the stadium.
-o-
"Elros is going to fight both of them?" Akeno asked, gulping. She should've figured that he would agree to something like this.
"This must be why he trained for so long," Rias said, shivering slightly. She knew that Elros's opponents would be tough - much more than Riser. That he was fighting two highly ranked opponents back to back had worry claw its way deep into her heart. She felt her mother tighten her hold on her; Rias could tell she was just as worried. Looking to her father, however, she saw that his was impassive - did he know?
"Is Elros gonna be ok?" Gasper asked worriedly.
"Of course he is, Gasper. Two on one? He's got this in the bag," Issei said, although he was beginning to sweat. These guys weren't pushovers, in as much as he could tell.
The crowd, however, continued to love the match up. They were roaring happily and placing their bets, getting great odds on their favorites.
-o-
"Folks, settle down! I'm not done yet! Lord Anders and Lord Bastion are two of the most powerful - and popular - duelists in the Underworld. They are ranked twelfth and ninth respectively, against Mr. Eärendil's still impressive eighteenth. However, there is one more person on this side of the field that we have left to introduce. She is ranked fifth amongst all duelists. She is one who needs no introduction, my friends - simply welcome Lady Elizaveta Fomina!" the man yelled excitedly. There was a pause before the stadium exploded in sheer delight - especially the male population.
Instead of appearing out of a magic circle, Elizaveta was much more dramatic. A powerful blast of thunder rocketed down from the open stadium, burning the spot it crashed on black. As it subsided, she was standing there in all her glory. Her battle gear was exactly the same as what she wore during the negotiations; her wavy hair cascading down and her purple dress hugging and accentuating her features. Her gold and blue eyes barely washing over Bastion and Anders who smirked at her. The cat o' nine tails rested comfortably in her hand as she stared at the portcullis.
-o-
"HER, TOO?" Rias roared.
"I was afraid of this," Lord Gremory sighed.
"Father?" Rias asked, gulping. Everyone looked at Lord Gremory.
"The match was supposed to be in a few more weeks initially. However, the date can be changed if a majority of the contestants agree to a new one. That usually means that both contestants have to agree to it - as most duels are one on one. However, I suspected when I heard that Elros wouldn't be fighting them one on one, or two on one. I surmised that this would be a three on one fight. It appears that that is the case," Lord Gremory said.
"IS HE INSANE?! THESE… THESE GUYS ARE SERIOUS BUSINESS, AREN'T THEY?!" Issei exclaimed.
"Indeed they are. I'm not quite sure what he was thinking, but… I fear that he might've bitten off more than he can chew," Lord Gremory said uneasily.
"What do you mean?" Rias asked, her heart sinking.
"Riser was a different case. Anders, Bastion, and Elizaveta are extremely formidable challengers. However, were this to be one on one, I believe that Elros's victory would be assured. But three on one… against such powerful contestants? It might be more than he can handle," Lord Gremory said.
Rias felt tears come to her eyes as she looked at the stadium. If he lost that meant that she wouldn't be able to be with him. She couldn't imagine a fate worse than being separated from him, especially if it meant she would be engaged to one of the other two men on the field. They revolted and disgusted her; she'd sooner marry a slug if that were the case. Rias felt her mother tighten her hold; there was worry in Venelana's eye as well.
"NO! ELROS HAS THIS!" Gasper shouted as he stood up, intently staring at the field.
"He'll win, Gaspie. Just watch," Koneko said as she hugged the vampire.
-o-
"Folks, I can understand your surprise. After all, we have three extremely powerful contestants in the stadium right now, ready to fight. So you're thinking: what can this be? Is this a Fatal Four Way? A tag team match? No. None of that. Let's just say that when Mr. Eärendil fights, he prefers to give his opponents as much leverage as they can gather. So this match will be A THREE ON ONE FIGHT!" the announcers roared to a massive applause.
"This is gonna be great," one Devil said excitedly.
"No way that the lowborn is going to beat these three," another said.
"GIVE US ELROS!" cheered several women in delight.
"SERIOUSLY! STOP JERKING US AROUND, OLD MAN!" another Devil roared at the announcer. The people wanted the beatdowns to begin; whoever would dish them out and whoever would receive them was irrelevant.
-o-
"Calm down, folks! I still have to announce the wagers and terms of the fight! So yes, this will be a three on one fight. All contestants will be allowed the full use of their powers - that includes the aid of their familiars. As for the wagers - as I said before, Lord Anders and Milcom are vying for the hand of the beautiful Rias Gremory, who I am told is in a happy relationship with Mr. Eärendil. However, that's not the only hand at stake. If Mr. Eärendil loses this match, he will be betrothed to the beautiful Lady Fomina, who has taken quite the interest in the young man!" the announcer said.
A loud cry of boo's erupted from both the men and the women in attendance; obviously, no one thought much that. Elizaveta, however, continued to stare at the portcullius.
"In addition to that, Mr. Eärendil has also agreed to wager his stake in the Phoenix Fortune that he had won from Lord Riser. The judge informed me that Lord Anders and Milcom also wanted Mr. Eärendil to stake the peerage he won from Lord Riser as well!" the judge cried out to another round of cheers.
-o-
"Oh, no…," Mihae said, gulping.
"Did… did he stake us as well?" Marion asked, her heart sinking. They had just gotten settled with Elros - and now they might be shifting again.
"Let's… lets hear it out before jumping to conclusions," Isabela said. The announcer continued.
-o-
"However, Mr. Eärendil refused that wager. What is it that he said, judge?" the announcer asked the judge who sitting next to him. To the surprise of the announcer, the judge wasn't even paying attention to the three on the field. All he did was stare at the portcullis, as if mulling something over. However, he heard and replied.
"Quote: 'You bet the lives of your families. I consider those girls mine,'" the judge answered. Several in the crowd cheered, while just as many aww'd.
-o-
The girls smiled wide as they heard that.
"He's so sweet," Xuelan said in admiration. Riser had bet their lives without giving it a single thought; Elros, meanwhile, refused to even consider it unless the contestants bet their own loved ones.
"Extremely sweet," Mihae agreed, her heart happy and soaring again. She admonished herself for thinking for a second that Elros would bet them so easily. He wasn't that kind of person.
"Well, Elros does know exactly what to say. That much is evident," Bürent said happily. She made a mental note to prepare an extra special feast for him with Marion. Looking sideways at her friend, she saw Marion was thinking the same thing. Both of their eyes traveled to Rias who was smiling wide at what she heard as well.
"I can't believe we even considered that he'd risk us," Isabela said warmly. She didn't want to leave him so quickly after meeting him.
'What a loving man,' Yubelluna thought happily. She felt her confidence in his win rise even further; he wouldn't let Rias get away from him as well - they were madly in love with each other, after all.
-o-
"Continuing with the wagers - Lord Anders and Bastion have bet their own wealth as well. Should Mr. Eärendil win this match, his wealth is going to increase immeasurably so - placing him comfortably as one of the wealthiest men in the Underworld!" the judge said. Everyone cheered at that; large wealth transfers were a favorite amongst the people;. Seeing someone rise from nothing, seeing another fall from grace - it was something most could get behind.
"And there is but one wager left to announce - and this is on the heads of Lord Anders and Bastion. Mr. Eärendil requested that should he win this match, Lord Anders and Bastion not be allowed to vie for the hand of Lady Rias again. To that effect, he chose to stunt them entirely. Should the Lords lose, they will hereby be banned from participation in any Duel or Rating Game henceforth!" the announcer yelled. There was a pause before the cheer erupted again.
-o-
"The new kid doesn't fuck around," a Devil seated a few rows in front of the Gremory's said.
"Seriously. He's not content in just beating these guys… he wants to take their livelihoods. Fucking love this guy!" his friend said excitedly.
"This is gonna be epic," a girl said to her friend who nodded vigorously.
"Looks like Elros intends to put these matters to rest once and for all," Venelana said.
"I'm surprised they took the wager. If he wins, they're done," Akeno said.
"Good. Maybe after Elros wins this match, these guys will learn to back off once and for all," Rias said fiercely. Akeno and Venelana looked at each other and smiled before turning back to the stadium.
-o-
"This match… this match is going to be one for the history books, folks - that much I can assure you. In his last match against Lord Phoenix, Elros Eärendil put on what I - indeed, many of us - consider to be one of the greatest showings in the history of the Underworld. Never has one man taken on an entire peerage and come out on top in such a stomping manner. The match we have today, however… Should Mister Eärendil pull off a win, he will not only jump multiple spots in rank - and be amongst the Top Five - but he will cement his legacy as one of the most fearsome men to everDuel. You wont' want to miss a second of this. Now ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for Elros Eärendil!" the announcer roared.
The stadium exploded with the force of a bomb as a massive cheer and stomping went around. Bastion and Anders scoffed; the cheer was much louder than the one that they had received.
The portcullis began to thunder as the chains creaked and the gates opened.
-o-
Elros kept an impassive face as he walked out, the robe billowing behind him as he did so. Unlike last time, he didn't measure each step. His knew his opponents and they knew him; the Devil world at large knew about him as well. Theatrics wouldn't be of much use here; that said, the frown he wore had some people talking. He heard several Devils commenting on his demeanor - how he appeared so serious as opposed to Anders and Bastion who wore cocky smirks.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the man to beat! Many of you will scoff at me for saying such a thing, but I hope that the three competitors have a plan to deal with him! Mr. Eärendil is full of surprises as we saw last time - am I the only one who remembers those wings?! I daresay not!" the announcer yelled, eliciting more cheers and applause.
"Well, lowborn? Ready?" Anders asked as he rested his hand on his knees, licking his lips as he prepared to spring. Elros didn't spare him a glance as he continued to look straight ahead, making sure all three were in his field of vision.
"Cat got your tongue?" Elizaveta asked, eyes narrowed. Still, no response.
'Hmmm…,' Elizaveta thought as she prepared to strike as well.
"Ok, I am told that the dimensional barrier is lowered. BEGIN!" the announcer roared. The crowd gave one more clamorous cheer before settling in for the match, excitement etched on everyones face.
-o-
"Michael, Azazel - good to see you," Sirzechs said as he greeted the two arriving dignitaries. They had done a considerable amount of glad-handing hours before the event had even begun; now it was time to sit back and enjoy it with the rest of the Devils.
"Greetings, Sirzechs. Hello, Zeo, Lady Gremory, children," Michael greeted, wearing his usual serene smile.
"I thought you two would be at the announcers block," Zeo added, his eyes still glued towards the arena.
"We would be if the match kept it's original date. However, as it stands, we're freed from that particular responsibility - at least for now. Ah! Jason," Michael suddenly said. Rias and Akeno nearly snapped their necks off as they swiveled. The rest of the peerage turned as well as they took in the arrival of the new man - Jason Blood.
"Hello, Michael. Lady Gremory, Lord Gremory," Jason said, nodding at the two before taking a seat next to Michael.
"Mr. Blood! What're you doing here?" Rias asked.
"I am here to watch Elros at Michael's behest," Jason replied as he set his eyes on his friend.
"Who are you?" Kuroka asked.
"This is Jason Blood. He's a friend of Elros - probably the one here who has known him the longest," Michael answered. With that, even more necks twisted to look at the man. Besides Rias's peerage and the Gremory's, no one knew about anyone from Elros's past.
"Hello," Jason said solemnly, not sparing anyone a glance.
"You're a friend of Elros's?" Sona reiterated.
"I am, Miss Sitri," Jason replied.
"For how long?" Tsubaki asked.
"Hmm… I met him when he was 10 or so. A while, as it stands," Jason replied.
"Mr. Blood - be honest. What do you think his chances are of winning this match? He's up against some powerful adversaries," Xenovia wondered, uneasy as she asked. She didn't want to doubt Elros's ability, but the odds were again stacked against him.
"If he uses his ring, Elros's victory is assured. If not, I still have faith although the match might be a bit more… violent," Jason said, his mouth twitching slightly.
"Violent?" Issei asked.
"Yes," Jason replied.
"And… what do you mean by that?" Kiba inquired.
"I mean that it will be violent," Jason answered. While that didn't really explain anything, Kiba turned back to the match.
"How's Vali doing?" Azazel wondered as he looked at Kuroka. She sighed and shook her head.
"I won't say. He's alive, if that's what you're asking," Kuroka answered. Azazel nodded; he could infer the rest.
"Vali Lucifer?" Jason mused.
"Indeed. I told you about Elros's scuffle with him," Michael whispered.
"Yes. He tore his wings off, if I remember correctly," Jason said as a small, sardonic smile played on his lips.
"What's so funny about that?" Kuroka asked, eyes narrowed.
"Nothing, miss," Jason replied.
-o-
"He's mine!" Anders roared as he sprung into an attack as soon as the call was sounded. He rushed Elros at an astonishing speed, his fist reared back as he attempted to punch him. Elros planted his feet firmly on the ground and waited for Anders to get close. As soon as the punch flew forward, Elros deftly caught it in an outstretched palm. Anders was visibly surprised that he so easily avoided the attack; the moment gave Elros the time he needed to launch is own. Drawing Anders in a bit, Elros reared his head back a bit. He thrusted it forward, punishing Anders with a head butt that sent the Devil flying back. He landed at Bastion and Elizavetas feet, both of whom weren't amused by his antics.
"Get up, fool! What were you thinking?" Elizaveta snarled as she hoisted him up, gripping his hair tightly.
"I want to end this quickly so we can get to the real fight. How much trouble can one Devil offer to us three?" Anders asked, locking eyes with Bastion. They looked back at Elros who hadn't moved an inch, regarding them with a frown.
"I fear you two are not regarding him as a threat," Elizaveta sighed as she looked between her teammates.
"Of course not! He's-," was all Bastion got out when he was blindsided by a vicious attack from Elros who got tired of waiting for them to finish their conversation. Entirely unawares of his presence, Elros got between the three and smashed his ring hang into Bastion's face, sending the Devil rocketing back, his suit jacket tearing in multiple places. He deftly turned that into an elbow into Anders' jaw, sending him buffeting back as well. Elizaveta, however, managed to dodge before Elros got an attack in. She hopped back around ten feet, her eyes narrowing.
'I didn't even see him move. Is that his Demonic Power?' she wondered, priming her weapon.
-o-
"Anders and Bastion are both down, thanks to that quick assault by Elros Eärendil! I'm afraid you boys won't have much time to talk if Mr. Eärendil has anything to do about it!" the announcer yelled. The crowd cheered, happy that finally someone was doing something.
-o-
Elros began to circle his opponents, all three of whom decided to congregate together once again. They were on the defensive now as they watched his movement, none of them daring to attack lest he catch them unawares or off guard yet again. Bastion and Anders decided to pull together at last - some pride could be set aside to deal with Elros quickly.
"That was a cheap shot, bastard," Anders snarled as Elros continued to prowl. Elros offered to no reply.
"Well?!" Anders yelled. No reply yet again.
"We should move to end this quickly," Bastion whispered to Elizaveta.
"I agree. Shall we?" she asked, her eyes flitting between them. With cocksure smiles, they nodded.
Suddenly, Anders smashed both of his fists together. A bright and blinding light encircled him; so bright that Elros had to cover his own eyes. He went back a few feet, putting some distance between what might come next.
-o-
"What's he doing?" Rias asked nervously as she covered her own eyes.
"I believe he's undergoing his transformation," Sirzechs noted.
The light burned for a few more seconds before it finally died down. Almost everyone gasped in shock at what stood where Anders had just a moment ago.
"What is that…," Rias asked, her hands covering her mouth in shock.
-o-
Anders hadn't moved an inch from where he initiated the transformation. He felt all eyes finally fixed on him as he underwent the change, smirking internally at the responses he elicited; one of fear. One of terror. One of shock.
Where once stood a man, now stood something far more powerful, towering, and terrifying. His height grew by at least two feet as his entire body was covered in a black obsidian kind of material. His ears elongated upwards as his face contorted into a snout. He wore a golden chain that wrapped around his body, giving it the appearance of a kind of armor. His muscles were much more defined, although looked more like a hard rocky substance as opposed to flesh. His fingers grew into talons as he primed them and snarled at Elros. Anders looked like an Anubis, Elros thought; his beady white eyes focused on him.
Anders opened his mouth wide and let out a murderous roar as he planted himself firmly on the ground next to Elizaveta and Bastion, both of whom smiled at the sight. Their smiles soon fell as Elros offered no response - not one of surprise, shock, terror, or fear. He barely regarded the transformation with a frown.
Bastion primed his attack next. He held a hand out at Elros. It wasn't long before a multitude of weapons suddenly began appearing in the air. They slashed, sliced, severed, hacked, chopped, pierces, thrusted, and smashed through the open space in front of them, giving off a menacing aura. Swords, daggers, battle-axes, hatchets, machetes, rapiers, sabers, scimitars, and every other bladed or blunt edged weapon one could think of was pointed at Elros. Still, he offered no reaction - something that unnerved Bastion greatly. He could hear the shock and awe of the crowd, yet the one person who should've been most shocked simply frowned.
Suddenly, the light overhead began to dim. Everyone turned their head up to see what was happening as the artificial light of the underworld began to lessen and lessen. Dark and stormy clouds began to circle overhead, commanded easily by Elizaveta who had her hand pointed at the sky while she looked at Elros for any hint of a reaction. It wasn't long before the low rumble of a thunder was heard and lightning flashed across the darkness. Seconds later, a downpour began in the arena, accompanied by sudden and powerful bursts of lighting leaving impressions on the ground. Finally, Elros showed a reaction - but not the one they expected.
They expected to see fear or apprehension - but all they saw was Elros lean forward, getting ready to attack once again.
"He should be trembling right now. Something isn't right," Bastion noted.
"Enough talking. Let's end this!" Anders roared as he leaped forward. His speed was suddenly incased by an impressive amount. Elros barely saw the attack coming as he felt it; a powerful fist smashed into his stomach and rocketed him back into the stadium wall.
-o-
"ELROS!" Rias roared in horror as she saw it. This was only the second time she could remember him being struck in such a way, the first by the monster than nearly killed him.
"My God," Michael whispered as he watched Anders attack. His speed and strength had increased massively as he howled his excitement to the cheering crowd who ate it all up.
"That's gonna leave a mark," Azazel noted, frowning as well. As he turned to his side, however, he saw Jason was smiling - as though he was enjoying what just happened.
-o-
Anders reared back as he let Bastion take the next attack. As soon as Elros landed on his feet, he was off of them. Bastion sent forth countless weapons that attempted to slice or hammer Elros apart with a combination of sharp and blunt attacks. He had a difficult time avoiding them all; several he was not able to. He thanked the thought material of his robe; were he wearing anything else, the result could've been vastly different. The robe stood up remarkably well against the blunt weapons, but the sharper edges began to cut through. Elros noted with interest the cuts began to burn as well, as though they were self cauterizing. The dance continued but suddenly got much harder for him to avoid. Elizaveta had joined in. Thunder and lighting danced towards him, keeping him on his feet. However, her attacks were much harder to avoid thanks to their speed and ferocity. It wasn't long before a particularly powerful one found its mark. Elros was struck viciously by a bolt that rocketed him backwards. Bastion stopped, allowing Anders to get another several hits in, rocketing Elros back.
Anders refused to stop however. Grabbing Elros by the face, he threw him into the air. Elizaveta followed up. A vicious lighting bolt was called down and it struck him, cratering him into the ground below.
-o-
"FOLKS, ELROS EÄRENDIL IS BEING MANHANDLED OUT THERE! THIS IS A FAR CRY FROM HIS MATCH WITH LORD PHOENIX. WHEREAS MR. EÄRENDIL HANDILY CONTROLLED THAT MATCH, LORDS ANDERS AND BASTION AND LADY ELIZAVETA ARE A FAR BETTER MATCH UP FOR THE YOUNG DEVIL! THIS DOESN'T BODE WELL FOR HIM!" the announcer roared.
-o-
Rias and Akeno felt their tears come forth as they watched the match. Elros wasn't putting up a significant fight against the three, all of whom easily took the advantage. Anders covered the close range and powerful strikes while Bastion and Elizaveta kept themselves at a distance and peppered him with long range attacks. While Elros was back on his feet, he wasn't able to do much but dodge the attacks.
"Oh, no, no, no. Please, please, please don't lose Elros. Please. I don't want to lose you. Please… you've gotta fight back," Rias said softly as she rocked back and forth. Venelana and Zeo looked at her with a worry in their eyes. They knew how much she loved him; after all, she wouldn't give her virginity to just anyone. They gulped as they continued to watch the match, the fear evident on their face.
Yubelluna and the others were just as shocked. During their match, the tide was completely turned. Elros had dominated it all, only taking a few hits here and there. He alone stood tall while the crowd watched in awe at what he did to Riser and Ravel during the final moments of the match. However, this time it was completely different. Anders, Bastion, and Elizaveta were in veritable control, not giving him a seconds respite.
Marion and Bürent tightly held on to each other as they watched, tears beginning to form as they saw him be buffeted left, right, and center. Mihae had buried her face in Isabela's shoulder. Isabela seemed on the verge of turning away as well. Xuelan rocked herself gently as she trembled and watched Elros get beaten down. She remembered their dinner on the beach and how peaceful and remote it all seemed now. Karlamine held on tightly to Kiba's arm as she watched, her face pale.
"Elros! Come on, you can do it!" Gasper yelled, tears beginning to form in his eyes as well. Koneko meanwhile held on to him, watching the match intently as well. Although, she refused to cry - she wouldn't believe for a second that Elros would lose in such a devastating manner. Kuroka noted that and smiled, although it turned to a frown as she saw how the match progressed.
-o-
"Not so cocky now, are you?!" Anders yelled as he kicked Elros in the right side of his body, rocketing him back. Elizaveta followed with a spear of thunder that pierced his side as well, drawing forth more blood.
"Perhaps he should've thought about this a but further," she offered, her voice colder. This wasn't what she wanted, truth be told. She wanted to fight him one on one - to see how strong he really was. But with Bastion and Anders - both fearsome Devils in their own right - it was all to easy. She observed the man she had fallen for with a bit more distaste than before. Elros was bleeding from his mouth as his robe was littered with rips and tears and holes, blood seeping out from many of them. He struggled to get to his feet - although he did so eventually.
"Just stay down. We'll put you out of your misery soon enough. Not until after we've had a bit more fun, however," Bastion drawled as he sent another axe at Elros. He barely dodged it before getting to his feet again. It didn't do him much good as Anders quickly elbowed him in the jaw and rocketed him back further.
-o-
"The boy is much less impressive than I initially thought," the fourth ranked duelist proclaimed to the other three in attendance. He was a older and wizened Devil, his white hair falling to his shoulders as he observed the match with beady red eyes. He wore a white robe that cascaded to the ground, repelling dirt as he stroked his chin with a long, tan finger.
"I wouldn't call it just yet, Cimeries," the third ranked duelist answered him. She was a stunning blonde with a kind face and full red lips. She wore a simple black dress, covered at the back by the straight hair that fell to her thighs. She observed Elros with ocean blue eyes, watching his every movement. There was something about him that seemed off to her, although she couldn't place it.
"As you wish, Lillian. But what do you two think?" Cimeries asked, turning to the second and first ranked Duelists.
"I've no opinion," the second ranked duelist replied from the shadow.
"And you? Luke?" Lillian asked. Upon being addressed, the man gave out a beaming smile. He was an older tall and handsome blond who wore a white dress shirt with a black bowtie. His slate overcoat revealed a half inch of cuff. He wore matching slacks and black boots. In his hand, he swirled a wine cup as he observed the match with great interest.
"I assume you will all see the results soon enough," he answered.
"I daresay we see them now. Although you still haven't told us why you chose to appear now. No one has had wind of you for a decade," Cimeries replied.
"Well, a handsome young Devil appears in such a fashion - I must take an interest!" Luke said happily, drawing a scoff from the tan man.
"And you, Yama?" Cimeries asked, referring to the second ranked duelist.
"I've no opinion. Silence," Yama replied, his voice monotone.
-o-
"If you beg us to stop, we might consider it!" Anders roared at Elros as he pummeled him harder, rocketing him at Elizaveta and Bastion who rocketed him back at Anders.
"I daresay he's barely functioning on his own recognizance, Anders," Bastion scoffed as he observed Elros. He had to admit that he was stunned by the match that Elros had requested of his own volition. To take on one of them would be a trying task; to take on all three at the same time would be damn near impossible. It had irritated him that a lowborn Devil would ever dare to challenge him, Anders, and Elizaveta in such a manner. This was him getting even.
"I do not wish to draw this match out further than necessary," Elizaveta said as she observed his state.
"You don't find this amusing?" Anders asked with a roaring laugh that spread throughout the entire stadium.
-o-
"How dare he?!" Rias snarled.
"I'm going to tear him apart after this," Akeno growled, making a note of the three. For trying to humiliate Elros, she would have them all pay dearly.
"I think I'll help," Tsubaki added coldly as she her eyes scanned the field for Elros. She saw him getting up again - surprisingly quickly, she thought.
"What… what is Elros's plan? I mean… he must've had one going in, right?" Sona asked, her worry evident in her voice. Everyone gulped as they looked at each other with uneasy eyes - did Elros even have a plan? Did his win against Riser get to his head?
"Mr. Blood? You've known him the longest. Is… what do you think?" Venelana asked as she turned to the look at the man who simply observed the match without any semblance of emotion.
"'Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first then seek to win.' I have faith in his victory. How it plays out remains to be seen," Jason said.
"How can you say that?! He's… he's not exactly putting up a fight out there!" Issei said desperately.
"The fight is never over until it's over. So long as he stands, he is in play as much as he was during the beginning," Jason answered.
"What the hell are you even talking about?!" Issei cried out. Finally, Jason turned to look at him. As he did, Issei sat own, gulping. The stare was one that cut through him; the ice in his eyes evident. He turned back to the match without answering.
-o-
"YOU'RE BORING ME!" Anders roared as he threw Elros into the middle, forming a triangle around him with Bastion and Elizaveta on the other side.
"The same goes for me," Bastion said.
"Likewise," Elizaveta said. To her surprise, however, Elros got up, giving them all a hard look. Suddenly, Anders came up behind him and restrained his arms together, not letting him move. Bastion rolled up his sleeves and walked up to Elros and began pummeling him with punches in his stomach, drawing forth more blood from his mouth.
"Is there a reason you don't respond to us?" Bastion asked as he got in a few shots in his face. Elros's head simply hung there as he regarded Bastion.
-o-
"I can't say I didn't see this coming, folks! The 18th ranked duelist versus the 12th, 9th, and 5th! I'm not sure if Mr. Eärendil's win from his last duel got to his head or what - but he is completely and totally outmatched here! All I hope for now is that those three end it quick to save the man some humiliation!" the announcer yelled, to loud jeers.
-o-
"I thought this match was gonna be fun or something. That guy isn't even putting up a fight," one Devil scoffed.
"Maybe Rias will finally see the light. This guy barely got any hits in this entire match!" another one added.
"Good thing I got odds on the three. This is about close to finishing," another mused.
"Shame. He's so cute as well. Not sure how cute he's gonna be after this is finished, though," a female Devil added.
As Rias heard their comments, her Powers of Destruction began to emanate. As the people in front of her felt it, they scrambled to change seats.
"How dare they," she growled, baring her teeth. The next person to insult Elros would feel her wrath in the most painful way possible.
"Don't let them get to you, sweetheart," Venelana said soothingly.
"Do you hear how they're talking about him, mom?!" Rias asked as tears flew from her eyes. The match wasn't going at all like she hoped. If it continued, she knew her fate would be sealed. She'd rebel until the very end, she thought.
'To hell with the wager! I'm his! And he's mine! And if those two assholes have a problem with that, I'll fight them for it!' she thought viciously.
-o-
"Let us finish this," Elizaveta said.
"Very well. I'll give you one more chance, lowborn. Is there anything you have to say before I take your woman?" Bastion asked.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Bastion. Rias is gonna be mine. See that body of hers? Mmmm… I'm going to enjoy going at it again and again and again. She'll be begging for me to split her open," Anders growled, leaning close to Elros's ear.
-o-
"I think I'm gonna be sick," Rias said as she heard them talk about her. The whole stadium heard.
"As am I," Venelana said, her own Power coming forward at hearing someone speak about her daughter like that.
"Fools," they suddenly heard Jason say. He was shaking his head as if disappointed.
"What? What is it?" Akeno asked quickly. He offered no response, however - they all turned back to the match just as quickly.
-o-
As Elros heard Anders talk about Rias in such a manner, he felt his anger flare. He looked up at Bastion who was still a few inches shorter than him, even as he slumped. He felt Anders grab his hair to make him look at Bastion completely. The time was now, he thought.
"Well?" Bastion asked.
Elros stared at him before offering his reply. He pooled the blood in his mouth before he suddenly spat it forth, covering Bastion and making him flinch. It was all the time he needed to react. Covering the back of his head in a walled construct, he lurched back and connected with Anders snout, making him recoil in damage. He surged forward and kneed Bastion in the temple before stunning Elizaveta with a kick square in her stomach. As she rocketed back, Elros reached into his robe. A second later, he drew the bowie knife as he regarded the three getting back to their senses.
-o-
"A knife?" Yubelluna wondered.
Rias, Akeno, Sona, and Tsubaki all felt as though they had been struck by a bolt of lighting. All four of them were suddenly standing as they watched the match with a sudden and renewed interest, taking the others by surprise. Jason in particular narrowed his eyes as he watched their reaction and listened closely to their hushed conversation as they huddled closer together.
"T-that knife," Sona whispered.
"It… no. It can't be… can it?" Tsubaki asked, gulping.
"I… don't know," Akeno said, shuddering slightly.
They all recalled the tale that they had heard from the old man in Death Valley - about Elros sneaking up on a deer and killing it in its sleep; about him standing over his father, the bowie knife in hand.
"I… what's he going to do?" Rias wondered, her heart sinking slightly.
"I don't know. But… I… what's going through his mind?" Sona asked.
"I think their comments about Rias pissed him off. A lot," Akeno answered. They slowly turned back to the match.
-o-
Elros kept a watchful eye on the battlefield with the aid of his ring as he inched closer to Bastion who attempted to wipe the blood away.
"Why yo-," was all Bastion got out before he felt an excruciating pain.
Elros held the knife in his right hand. His thumb rested on the pommel which was pointing towards him while the point faced outwards. He plunged the knife deep into Bastion's right thigh before replanting it between his fifth and sixth rib. Both shots were perfectly placed and pierced him deep. Holding him by his hair, Elros suddenly began to punch him square in the mouth. What bravado Bastion had was all of a sudden lost as Elros's flurry became more and more wild.
Suddenly, with a punishing smash, he drove Bastion into the ground. Elizaveta and Anders (both of whom had recovered by now) were seemingly frozen in place as they witnessed the speed and brute force of the attack. They were about to attack when suddenly, Elros began to go wild.
Holding Bastion down by the throat with his left hand, Elros brought his right hand back and suddenly began laying into the Devil, not using the knife at all. Bastion couldn't move as he felt his jaw begin to break under the punishing attacks. The crowd cheered at the ferocity of the attack. As opposed to the finesse that Elros had used last time, this time it was absolute brute force that he employed.
As Elros laid into Bastion, he began to feel a warm liquid spray onto his face. Blood erupted from the Devils mouth as he screamed in agony at the attack, his horrifying cries wafting over the stadium. Finally, however, Elros relented and stepped off, taking a few steps back as he looked at his knuckle. He noted a few hard chips stuck there. Without emotion, he pulled out the teeth that he broken loose from Bastion's mouth and tossed them on the ground, turning his attention to Anders and Elizaveta while Bastion struggled to get up. Noting that, he brought his foot up and stamped it on the Devil's mouth, knocking out a few more teeth. He finally removed it and let Bastion get to his knees. He gave a violent cough and suddenly his hands flew to his mouth - more teeth came loose.
"What did you to me you bastard?" he cried out in a pained voice as he attempted to collect them from the ground. Elros side kicked him away, making him drop at least nine of the pearly whites.
-o-
Rias gulped as she saw the blood covering Elros's face. The most terrifying aspect was the look in his eye; one that betrayed no emotion, that barely regarded what he had done. She wondered if this is what the old man was talking about?
"It appears as though the tide is turning," Jason mused.
"That was… vicious," Azazel said.
"He knocked at least a third of his teeth out," Issei said as he recoiled and felt his own, making sure they were still there.
"Elros is capable of making a point when he wishes," Jason said.
"With a father like his…," Rias suddenly said. She quickly covered it up, her heart sinking as she locked eyes with Akeno, Sona, and Tsubaki who all seemed worried by what she said. They were thankful that almost everyone was more focused on Elros than her.
-o-
Elros primed the knife in his hand again as he began to circle the stadium. Bastion was still struggling to get up while Elizaveta and Anders were on their toes, wondering about the next attack.
"Bastard," Anders snarled.
"Perhaps you shouldn't have angered him for no reason?" Elizaveta suggested. She admonished herself for not finishing the match sooner; she let Bastion and Anders get carried away with their fun.
"We're still m-," Anders began before he and Elizavetas eyes went wide in terror as Elros closed in. He rocketed Anders back before he grabbed Elizaveta by the throat. He managed to slice her viciously across the stomach before she rocketed back. However, that didn't stop Elros's advance. He began stalking towards her while keeping a marginal eye on Anders and Bastion with his ring.
"You wish to fight me, then?" Elizaveta asked. No reply. That put her on edge.
"Have some thunder!" she cried out, sending a few bolts at him. Green lightning rods suddenly appeared in front of Elros, drawing the lighting towards them and leaving him completely unfazed as he continued forward. The color drained from Elizaveta's face as she saw that. No one had ever blocked her attack in such a manner before.
-o-
"Why didn't he use his ring from the onset?!" Rias asked.
"Seriously! He could've avoided so much damage!" Akeno said, anger seeping through her voice.
"He likely has his reasons. He usually does," Michael said.
"Man, what's going on with him though?" Issei asked, an unusually contemplative look on his face.
"What do you mean?" Asia asked.
"I… every time Elros fights, it's like he becomes a completely different person. There's no… smack talk. There's no fighting spirit! It's… like he just… I don't know how to describe it, guys! But you know what I'm talking about!" Issei said. The others looked at each other and gulped; they knew what Issei was trying to say.
Elros never participated in smack talk. Bastion, Anders, and Elizaveta all seemed to have things to say, but Elros didn't partake with them. Since the match started, he hadn't said a single word. The only noises he made were grunts here and there as he suffered through their attacks.
-o-
Elros approached closer to her, his knife still primed to attack.
"You must know that drawing this out won't do you any good," Elizaveta cried out to him as she launched more attacks that he absorbed. He offered no reply, inching closer.
Elros stalked Elizaveta as a predator would stalk a prey that was backed into a corner. His movements were measured and paced, each bringing him closer to his destination. Elizaveta noted a glint in his eye - something she had only seen from him when he wished them luck after the negotiations. She suddenly remembered the feeling from that event - one of dread. As she revisited that moment, she felt it again - the dread that Elros inspired when he wanted to.
Wet from the rain, he closed the distance between them and towered over her. Elizaveta couldn't bring her hands up, stricken by the fear he struck into her heart as he offered no response save the knife that dangerously glinted in his hand. He reared it and struck it deep into her throat. He heard the shuddered breath she gave as it was precisely plunged. Drawing it back out, he brought up his leg and kicked her square in the stomach as she flew back, her fingers going to her neck. Her eyes widened in fear as a couple of her fingers slipped through. She felt her jugular artery which he had not cut - either because he did not want to or because he missed it. As she pulled her fingers back out, she saw them covered in blood.
'He… he could've killed me,' the thought suddenly struck her. If Elros had gone in half an inch further, there was a strong chance that he Elizaveta would've died on the spot, much like a human. As she saw him again, she saw the glint in his eyes and she understood.
'It was on purpose. He knew he could've killed me,' she thought. Her hand flew to her heart and grasped at it as she felt the onset of the one emotion that terrified her, that terrified everyone - fear.
Elros could smell it in the air as he prowled around. The fear was potent, permeating through the pores of his contestants. The bravado they had faded; Elizaveta was stricken by his brutality while Bastion was finally standing, blood pouring from his mouth and mixing with the bile and teeth on the ground. Anders remained the least injured, although Elros would soon see an end to that. He quickly erupted to where Anders was, appearing before him in a flash. Using his ring to create a heavy construct, he smashed Anders right in the snout, making him crumble under the pain.
"NO!" Anders roared as he felt it; his snout broke, mangled by the weight. It wasn't enough for Elros, who coated his hands in green and began viciously laying into Anders. The attack was more vicious than what he inflicted on Bastion. Elros held the transformed Anders down by the throat as he continued to pummel the elongated snout, making Anders cry out in visceral pain as it continued to crumble under the relentless fury.
Suddenly, Elros put both hands on Anders snout, holding the top and bottom. He began to force his mouth open, hearing the cracking of the hard skin as he did so. Flakes and blood began to fall off as he stretched it wider and wider. It wasn't long before a sickening snap was heard; Elros had snapped both pieces vertically in their respective directions. Anders let out a loud howl of pain as he tried to touch the broken pieces of his mouth, but doing so began to tear them off what little skin was holding them together.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!" he roared, his voice slightly warbled as his tongue dangled and fluttered helplessly in the soft wind conjured by Elizaveta's storm. As Bastion and Elizaveta saw it, they're eyes widened in shock.
The predators very quickly became the prey.
-o-
"My word… Folks, this match just got turned on its head. Elizaveta, Anders, and Bastion held a very strong and early lead on Mr. Eärendil, but that's all changed. Mr. Eärendil has… responded to the three Devils in a very - resounding - manner. I hope these Devils have something up their sleeve, otherwise… they might very well have to fear for their very life," the announcer said, his gulp audible. While the excitement was more palpable through the air than ever, it was underlined by the horror of the attacks.
-o-
"I'm gonna be sick," a member of the audience said.
"This guy is a monster. Jeez…," another gulped as he heard Anders jaws snap.
"They… have a chance, don't they?" a younger Devil asked.
"It's still three on one," the parent answered, although their voice was faint.
-o-
Anders and Bastion reconvened at Elizaveta's side as they observed Elros. Anders was back in his human form. The damage was lessened this way, but if he tried to transform again, it wouldn't heal the damage he had suffered. He would have to tough it out, as would Bastion.
"You bastard!" Anders roared, about to leap. Elizaveta restrained him, however - if he tried to attack like this, Elros would surely eliminate him without trouble.
"He still hasn't said a word," she said, still caught up on that.
"It's… who the hell does he think he is? ARE YOU TOO GOOD TO SPEAK TO US?!" Bastion yelled as another tooth fell loose. Finally, Elros opened his mouth to speak for the first time during the match. The world was silent as they listened.
"Do you speak to cattle before you slaughter them?" he asked, his voice carrying over the battlefield and the audience like a frost. The competitors felt a shiver go down their spines as they finally knew where they stood with Elros.
As the cattle to his butcher.
-o-
"This doesn't bode well for Miss Fomina or Messrs. Canio and Milcom," Jason mused.
"What does he mean by that? 'Do you speak to cattle before you slaughter them?'" Akeno asked. As Elros said that, a collective shiver went down their spines. Was that really how he thought of his opponents?
"That is how Elros fights," Jason answered.
"But… that…," Rias began, trying to find the appropriate words.
"As I mentioned during his fight against Cattleya, Elros is not fond of talking when it comes to fights. Often, countless lives rest on his shoulders. To waste a second is to condemn another life. Would you rest easy with such knowledge?" Michael asked.
Rias gulped as he asked that.
'I… haven't even spoken to him about that. About what that's like… about the impact on his mind. I… keep getting wrapped up in my own stupid things! He cares so much about me! He's getting hurt and fighting for me and what have I done for him?! I've barely offered him my time to talk about what he's going through! DAMN IT! FUCK! FUCK!' Rias thought, her mind exploding at her own self in a furious anger. Whenever they talked, it was about how she was and what she was going through. She felt hot tears glaze her cheeks as she thought about the only time when she even attempted to talk to him was about his past - to say nothing about everything else accomplished.
'It can't be easy to live with that knowledge. We laugh it off when we're fighting against someone, but… it's not funny. Every second we're wasting, some is getting hurt because we thought we had to make a clever remark. He doesn't have that luxury,' Akeno though. In this, they were worlds apart. Elros had to make snap judgments on thousands or millions of lives; she didn't have to shoulder the responsibility.
'He's had that responsibility since he was a child. I've my families affairs, and they're not exactly easy but… this is a completely different level. Oh, Elros…,' Sona though, wiping away her own tears as she observed the match.
'The pain of his past is shining through. How he's carrying himself…,' Tsubaki though, remembering what the old man told them about Elros' bearing being much like his fathers. She wondered if this is how he conducted himself?
-o-
"H-," Anders began before Elros cut him off.
"No talking," Elros said as he rushed forward, knife in hand and positioned himself between them. His arm was a blur as it went high, medium and low; horizontal and vertical; fast and slow; here and there. Before long, all of them were cut as bruised as Elros was, their blood spilling as it mingled with the rain and covered them in a gruesome red. The speed and brutality he employed left them slumped on their knees soon enough as he continued to walk around them, noting the damage he did. A few inches here and there and all three might've been a puddle on the ground. It was a while before they got their feet, looking up at him.
"We have to end this. Now," Elizaveta said.
"What's the plan?" Anders asked.
"Buy me some time," Elizaveta said as she suddenly held her hands out in front of her, palms facing each other. Elros watched as he saw electricity began to cackle between them as Elizaveta began to chant. Anders and Bastion nodded at each other before erupting forward, a newfound energy in their hearts. As cocky as they were, they knew Elizaveta was the most powerful of the three. More weapons began to fly at Elros as Anders quickly locked hands with him and began to take a close combat approach again. Elros deftly evaded some of the weapons and began to employ more constructs to avoid the others.
"What the hell is that green stuff?" Bastion yelled at him, getting angry that so few of his attacks were finding the mark. Elros offered no response as he quickly put Anders in a sleeper, choking him. He relaxed slightly and brought the knife to his right side and began to puncture Anders between the ribs. His terrifying cries of agony reached over the crowd as Bastion felt his will falter. He knew that Anders would be healed after the match was over, but some scars would remain - especially on his psyche. He gulped as he saw the perfect placement of each tab - between the ribs and careful to avoid any organs, yet still inflict pain.
Elros the knife in Anders side, scraping against the bone and nerves. He heard Anders cry out louder than before as he pulled the knife out and plunged it in his right wrist, cutting the median nerve. Anders felt an excruciating pain before he felt Elros kick him in the lower back and send him forward. He felt himself losing some feeling a few of his fingers. As he got to his feet, the bravado was all but gone as he turned to face Elros again. Elros pressed his attack and closed the distance between them quickly, stabbing Anders multiple times across the chest and stomach. Blood erupted from his mouth as it filled his lungs, splashing over Elros and covering him further. Anders fell to his knees, gasping for breath as deeply as he could.
Elros turned to Elizaveta, but Bastion did a decent job in protecting her. Conjuring forth more weapons, they began to fly and swirl around Elros, although none were making it through his constructs. There were green rods, rams, beams, and boards - all of which easily took the brunt of the damage. Not a single crack was seen in them - Bastion's willpower wasn't close enough to be on par with Elros's.
Elros set his sight on Bastion and quickly rocketed towards him. Instead of hitting him, however, he overshot Bastion by a foot. Wrapping an arm around his neck, he drove the pommel of the knife into Bastions spine, making him shriek in pain as his legs buckled under the pressure of punishment.
Bastion suddenly found himself in a sitting position. As he looked down, he saw that his hands and legs were strapped in with a green material as something was lowered onto his head.
"What is this?" he roared as he tried to break free. That's when he felt a tremendous pain course through his body. He opened his mouth to shriek in terror but no sound came out.
Elros watched emotionlessly as a loose thunderbolt from the cloud overhead struck the green lightning rod he had constructed. It was attached to the electric chair he had assembled and tied Bastion down to. He saw the blood come out of Bastion's ears as horror was etched across his face.
-o-
"What the fuck?!" someone roared as he saw Bastion being electrocuted. He covered his childs eyes, sparing them the torture that Elros put Bastion through.
"He's gonna kill that guy if someone doesn't stop the match!" another Devil yelled.
"How the hell can they not take care of a single lowborn?!" an elder Devil asked, snarling at how easily Elros took control of the match again.
-o-
Kuroka flinched as she heard Bastion's cry of pain. While she didn't see Vali's fight against Elros, she thought she had an idea of what was going through Vali's head when his wings were torn off. Elros brought the same level of brutality to this match, it seemed. His opponents were sporting multiple bruises and cuts, all likely taking significantly more damage than they anticipated before the match began.
As she saw Elros, she noted that the pain he inflicted on others - or had inflicted upon him - seemed to barely register. He simply stood by as the thunder coursed through his opponent, not offering any semblance of guilt. It was a stark contrast from how he was when he spoke with her in private.
"The tables have definitely turned. I'm not sure how much longer this match is going to go, but I daresay that the end is just in front of us," Sirzechs said as he watched with a critical eye. Being one of the few there that knew what war was like, he connected with Elros on a different scale. He could see the signs of the pain he went through, as well as a hint of the damage he had done. As he saw the looks of horror on the audience, he knew that none of them would understand; how could they?
"Isn't Elros being a bit… cruel?" Momo asked uneasily.
"He's making a statement," Jason said.
"What statement is that?" Momo asked.
"Probably that you shouldn't fuck with him," Azazel said with a low chuckle. He was enjoying the match immensely. Elros's fighting style was varied, he thought - he could brawl if he wanted to or pick his opponents off form a distance; he could put them through the motions and just as easily immobilize them if it behooved him.
"That much is evident, I daresay," Venelana said as she held on to Rias. Looking sideways, she saw a pained expression on her daughters face. She didn't seem to care about the pain Bastion was in, but rather the lack of regret that Elros was showing as he calmly let Bastion burn.
'There's so much pain there,' Rias though uncomfortably as she looked across Elros's bloodied features. She gulped as she thought of the next conflict they would find themselves in - where Elros wouldn't have to hold back at all.
-o-
As the electric chair disappeared, a bloodied and blacked Bastion fell to the ground. Blood pours from his ears and nose; his tears of pain were also replaced with the substance. He twitched heavily as his jaw was open wide and seemed locked into place. The crowd went quiet as his tongue dangled out and began to move slightly, as he tried to get some words out.
"P-p-p-p-lease. No. More. I forfeit," he said as bloody tears came out even quicker. His body was immediately transported out.
-o-
"LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, I DON'T BELIEVE IT! SIR BASTION MILCOM HAS FORFEITED THIS MATCH! HE HAS BEEN TRANSPORTED OUT OF THE STADIUM, ANDERS AND ELIZAVETA TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES AGAINST THIS FORCE OF NATURE! I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF ATTACK THAT WAS, BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT!" the announcer roared as he wiped away some sweat. He couldn't ever remember seeing that level of torture in such a brazen way in his life. It must've been decades or centuries since something like that had happened, far before his time as an officiator. As his eyes traveled to Elros, he saw him turn his attention to Elizaveta. He gulped and said a short prayer for her, suffering through the pain in his head - she would need it.
-o-
As Elizaveta saw and heard what was happening, she shuddered violently. As Bastion was struggling in the chair, she saw it all happen - how Elros fixed his eyes on her while the screams went through his ears. She knew that she had to end it now otherwise she and Anders would share the same fate.
"I c-can't believe it," Anders said as he was on all fours, shuddering violently. His eyes were wide as he heard the torture that was inflicted on his teammate, his pained voice as he forfeited the match. Elros didn't want to beat them; he intended to shatter their spirit, Anders thought. Tears began to fall from his eyes as he looked up and saw Elros standing tall just a little distance away. He regretted it immediately as Elros turned to look at him, taking his sights off Elizaveta.
'Please no,' Anders thought, his fear potent. Elros picked up on it. Out of the three, the one he disliked most was Anders. The comment he made about Rias was enough to draw out his ire. No one seemed to notice that the green ring he wore seemed to be sparking constantly since Elros took control of the match again - his willpower being exercised to its max.
'It'd be so easy to kill him right now. But no… Not with Gasper and Koneko and the others watching. I'm not my father,' Elros thought as he gritted his teeth. He heard them crack slightly, drawing a little extra blood out of his gums. While he would not kill Anders, he would certainly break him before setting his sights back on Elizaveta. Ignoring her continuously charging her attack, he began to stroll tours Anders, who was still on his knees. As he walked, Elros pointed his ring finger in front of him. Anders eyes went wide as a large gatling gun appeared.
The green weapon was a marvel to behold, even more so than the chair and lightning rods. There were two large spoked wheels on either side that began rolling of their own accord as well as a kickstand that was currently reared back so the gun could be mobile. Countless mechanisms moved in sync with each other as the gun moved. Anders counted ten barrels that were slowly beginning to move to move as Elros stood behind the gun and began to crank it. It was a slow build until the symphony of destruction finally started. Tens to hundreds of green rounds began to erupt at a deafening sound and tore through the prone body of Anders. He was unable to defend as it they tore through his arms and legs, his shoulders and thighs, his chest and stomach. Elros carefully burst any light that went to his head; he wanted him to feel some pain before the coup de grâce was dealt. Anders body shuddered violently from the impact which continued for several seconds until he fell back, a vacant look in his eye as his limbs twitched. A moment later, he saw Elros looming tall over him, a shadow cast over his face. Anders eye went wide as Elros leaned down and pressed the ring to his temple. With a charged green burst of light, Anders body was removed to the dug out, eliminated.
-o-
"Folks, I can't believe it! ELROS EÄRENDIL HAS ELIMINATED BOTH ANDERS AND BASTION! THE ONLY ONE LEFT TO BEAT NOW IS ELIZAVETA, WHO ELROS HAS SEEMED TO AVOID. HOWEVER, BEING THE ONLY ONE LEFT - I'M SURE HER TURN IS COMING UP!" the announcer yelled. He let out a sigh before turning to the judge.
"What do you think, judge?" the announcer asked.
"About?" the judge asked.
"How this match is turning out," the announcer clarified.
"Hmmm… I think Messrs. Milcom and Candio and Lady Fomina overestimated their own skill and severely underestimated Mr. Eärendil. They aren't fighting a man, it seems," the judge said, a small smile playing on his lips as he observed.
"What do you mean?" the announcer asked, frowning.
"A man would've gone down by now; as would a Devil, especially with such odds. No, Mr. Eärendil is certainly not a simple man or Devil. He's a monster," the judge said. The announcer gulped before turning back to the match; the judge was right about that.
-o-
'Fools! We could've ended the match so much sooner! They just had to draw it out and anger him! Well, I can certainly see now that my initial reaction was right: he's quite the striking man. I'm going to enjoy winning this,' Elizaveta thought as she finally prepared to launch her attack. Using a small bit of her power, began raining thunder and lightning down on the battlefield, most of it absorbed by the lightning rods that Elros continued to erect to keep himself safe. Even so, he had to begin dodging as the frequency and intensity of the attacks increased.
Keeping him on his feet, Elizaveta finally let her attack loose. As Bastion and Anders held Elros off, she had begun to charge and condense all her strength into one final attack that would win the match for her. Thunder and lightning soared into her hands as it began to crush upon itself, increasing the size of the ball. She kept it small and measured for a more precise attack, forcing the energy on itself until it had the potential to cause serious devastation, all the while kept in a space the size of a basketball.
Elros saw the attack coming towards him, a blinding white ball of light. He figured what the end result would be. No lightning rod would protect him from the attack and the power that Elizaveta had condensed would be difficult to block with a construct, especially in the little time he had. There was only one thing he could do, he thought. He quickly opened the pocket dimension where he kept his most valuable items and withdrew a small blue ring. Smiling, it slipped on as the attack got closer and closer.
"In fearful day, in raging night,
With strong hurts full, our souls ignite.
When all seems lost in the War of Light,
Look to the stars, for hope burns bright!" Elros said, his voice overcome by the intensity of the cackling from the light ball. Finally, the attack smashed into Elros, who was smiling sardonically all the way through.
-o-
As small as the light way, the impact seemed to be devastating. What was a ball sized energy burst suddenly expanded outwards as it reached its target. It detonated with the force of hundreds of demolition bombs - so powerful, that blinding light and deafening boom rumbled well throughout the dimensional barrier. The Devils closest to the action roared in pain as they covered their ears and scrunched their eyes, feeling their skin burn a bit from the force of the impact.
"SHE'S GOING TO KILL ALL OF US!" a Devil roared in anger as he ducked down, his ears ringing and temporarily blinded.
"I CAN'T SEE A DAMN THING!? WHAT HAPPENED TO EÄRENDIL? DID SHE ELIMINATE HIM?!" another Devil wondered.
Hats, glasses, purses, wallets, jackets, balloons, and many other things flew back out of the stadium as the people struggled to figure out what had happened - how powerful was the attack? What was the damage? How was Elros?
"Folks, that might be it! Although Mr. Eärendil put on an impressive showing, I think this might've cinched the win for Lady Elizaveta! Such a powerful attack and it seemed to hit him head on! If he's still in the running, I'll eat the good judges hat!" the announcer yelled.
-o-
"ELROS!" Rias shrieked, although she had to cover her own eyes. The light was extremely powerful and reached all the way where she was sitting with the others. Besides Azazel, Michael, and Jason Blood, everyone seemed to be affected to some degree.
"Don't worry Gaspie," Koneko assured Gasper who was crying lightly.
"B-b-but Elros!" he said as he held on to Koneko.
"My word…," Yubelluna whispered, her eyes readjusting as the light still burned strong. She looked through the pain, hoping to catch a glimpse - but saw nothing. Her heart fell - was this it?
"How's he going to come back from that?! IT WAS HEAD ON!" Issei yelled as he stood up, forcing his eyes open and looking for any signs of his friend.
They waited for a while longer as the light began to dim down. However, as soon as it did, another suddenly erupted - but this one was different. Instead of a pure white, it was a blue and gold. As soon as Akeno saw it, she exclaimed in relief. But said relief soon turned to shock as she saw what happened. The others followed her lead, looks of amazement, wonder, shock, and awe etched onto their face - and the faces of every Devil in attendance.
-o-
As the light started to die down, Elizaveta felt her heart soaring.
"At least. We-," she said before her heart came crashing down with the force of a meteor. She suddenly felt a heat radiating outward from the blast area - one that was not similar to her attack. Her eyes narrowed before they quickly widened in shock.
Two resplendent blue wings burst out from the area of impact and began flapping, dissipating the light. As it cleared and people began to finally see what happened, they let out a thunderous cheer of applause which was quickly silence as they saw what was happening.
As the energy cleared, Elros was clearly standing there with his wings jutting out - but not from his back this time. The entire lengths of his arms had disappeared, turning into part of the fire that constructed his wings. The rest of his body was riddled with holes. His right cheek, his left eye, part of his neck, his chest, his stomach, both legs - yet the most terrifying aspect was his lips, which were curved into a sardonic smile. Elizaveta's eyes widened as the holes in his body suddenly erupted in a blue and gold flame before closing, making it appear as though nothing happened.
-o-
"WHAT HAPPENED?!" the announcer roared, unable to think anything else to say.
"NO FUCKING WAY!" a Devil roared in excitement.
"Isn't that the power of the Phoenix family?!" another asked.
"What the hell is going on?!" yet another inquired. Murmurs and cheers went throughout the crowd as they attempted to figure out what was going on.
-o-
"No way," Sona whispered as she saw Elros smiling at Elizaveta, his arms burning a bright blue and gold as the flames rolled.
"How did he do that?" Tsubaki asked in surprise, although in her heart she felt ecstatic - he wasn't hurt. At all.
"I've no idea. That's amazing," Akeno said, containing her excitement as much as she could, otherwise she'd be liable to start jumping around in joy and miss the rest of the match.
"He's certainly full of surprises," Michael said with a light smile.
"This isn't just a surprise, however! This is the power of the Phoenix Family. Are we sure that he isn't… you know…," Kiba said.
"I surmise this has something to do with his ring. You can ask him once the match is over," Jason said, smiling as he saw the sight. He suddenly got up to leave.
'Excellent work,' he thought.
"Are you leaving, Mr. Blood?" Venelana asked in surprise.
"I'm afraid so, Lady Gremory. I have other matters to attend to. Please give Elros my congratulations on his win. If you would be so kind, also let him know to come see me soon. We have some things to discuss. Michael," Jason said, nodding at the man before taking his leave.
"Some friend he is…," Azazel mumbled.
-o-
'Worked just like I planned it. Nice. Now… time to finish this,' Elros thought. Using his wings, he suddenly flew forward with a tremendous speed. Elizaveta had no time to react as Elros appeared in front of her. Her eyes widened even further as the the immenseness of his wings was finally made evident to her. They were much wider than her own, as well as much more beautiful. She wondered how such a thing was even possible for him to achieve. As she locked eyes with him, she saw the lack of emotion they held - the same as they were throughout the match. Elros wrested control back from the three and made his presence known, brutalizing and eliminating Bastion and Anders. Now it was her turn to fall.
She felt a searing as one of the wings grew smaller. Elros's hand was still on fire as he reared it back. Expending some energy, he thrust it forward with the force of a piston, encasing the fist in a blue construct that he amplified with his green ring. The fist connected viciously with Elizaveta's stomach, hurtling her upwards. The arm regrew into a flame and Elros shut upwards, pressing his attack. He shifted orientation midflight, turning his back to Elizaveta before before doing a backflip midair. Extending his right foot, he brought it down on her her, aiming at the midback. Elizaveta rocketed down, some spit flying as she felt the impact. Instead of continuing the attack however, Elros flew up and shifted in midair again so that he was looking down. The wings suddenly began to grow larger and larger, brighter and brighter, hotter and hotter. He brought them back behind him before thrusting them down towards the earth. Each wing turned into a massive pillar of blue flame as it connected with Elizaveta's prone form. The resulting explosion forced many a Devil to avert their eyes yet again.
Finished with his attack, Elros retracted his wings and fell down to the ground, landing deftly on his feet. As the light finally dissipated entirely, he saw the result: two giant craters in the ground and no sign of Elizaveta. He then heard the announcer.
-o-
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S DONE IT! HE'S DONE IT! ELROS EÄRENDIL HAS DONE IT! HE'S BEATEN ELIZAVETA FOMINA! SHE HAS BEEN TRANSPORTED BACK AND IS RECEIVING MEDICAL TREATMENT AS WE SPEAK! BUT BY HELL HE DID IT! ELROS EÄRENDIL - AGAINST ALL ODDS AND A ROUGH START - HAS WON THE MATCH!" the announcer roared as he jumped out of his seat in excitement, sweating profusely from a combination of excitement and the heat generated by the attack, which breached the dimensional barrier.
The crowd was silent before they erupted into a massive cheer - the loudest one yet. Elros stood comfortably in the middle of the arena, offering no sense of excitement - no smile or grin or word leaving his lips. He continued to frown at the craters as he heard the people go wild.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'LL SEE YOU ALL IN THE AUDITORIUM WHERE MR. EÄRENDIL WILL OFFICIALLY BE ANNOUNCED WINNER! THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE FOR THIS MAGNIFICENT MATCH!" the announcer roared.
-o-
"YAY!" Rias roared happily as she hugged Akeno tightly. Both were crying tears of joy while Sona and Tsubaki lost their serious demeanors and began to celebrate excitedly.
"I knew he'd win!" Gasper yelled happily as his eyes shone in excitement. Elros just kept getting cooler and cooler in his opinion. Koneko held on to him tightly, eliciting a smile from Kuroka as she observed the tender scene she shard with the small vampire.
"WOO YEAH! GO ELROS!" Issei yelled, exchanging a high five with Saji, while Karlamine cried tears of joy onto Kiba who held her, a fist raised in Elros's honor as well.
The girls from the peerage were all on their feet, cheering and waving at Elros who continued to look at the crater.
"That was amazing," Bürent cheered happily as she hugged Marion, who whistled in happiness.
"Very. I've never seen such a beautiful, yet terrifying, attack," Mihae said dreamily.
"He's certainly full of surprises. How his arms turned into his wings… I don't recall ever seeing such a thing," Isabela said.
"It appears we're not the only ones impressed," Yubelluna said with a grim smile as she nodded towards a gaggle of beautiful devil women below, all of whom were talking about the acts they wanted to perform with, on, and have done to them by Elros.
Hearing the lascivious thought, a powerful force began to emanate from the girls that knew Elros best. Sirzechs, Michael, and Azazel all exchanged a glance and chuckled.
"Good show, kid," Azazel said with a laugh.
"Impressive indeed. Elros seems to keep pushing the bar," Michael said with a smile.
"Well, dear? What do you think?" Venelana asked Rias.
"All I know is that I'm really looking forward to tonight," Rias said excitedly. However, as she looked at Elros, she felt her heart began to drop slightly.
'I wonder what he's thinking?' Rias thought as she noted his figure. He didn't seem happy or relieved to win - he didn't seem excited at all. He simply seemed ambivalent to the whole thing. As she looked down, she saw Elros turn and walk back to the portcullis, still frowning. Rias gulped - what was going through his mind?
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone