Chapter 66: Glorious Combat
The throne room stagnated in a stifling silence, a moment drawn out into many as the Sovereign looked down upon the man who stood before him with his chin raised. A smile on his face as if he owned the world despite standing in front of one who had, 'been blessed by the gods.'
"People how after greeting me, I have overlooked your insolence so far. But I will not tolerate it for much longer." The mighty voice echoed through the hall, made so that his voice would bounce between the walls intensely. Making him seem bigger, more imposing.
"People who fear you bow. I don't fear you." Nick said, as his words left his lip the backs of people in the room straightened as the Sovereign narrowed his eyes.
Just as Samson was about to step forward a purple spear made from crackling energy blocked his path. Held by the white-haired guard, his eye holding contained and controlled rage as he bore his gaze into the back of Nick's head. The mouth of Samson was about to open and complain but one pulse of power was enough to silence his complaints.
Feeling the wave pass over him Nick just chuckled, choosing to ignore it. It wasn't heavy enough for him to even flinch.
Although he could feel that not much pressure was put into it. It was more so to let Nick know that he was there. A warning that he would step in if he was needed.
"I respect your authority and power, but I am not your subject. I will not bow to a foreign King." His words were coarse as the temperature of the room rose. Slight cracks formed in the stone around his feet because of the pressure and heat.
"Let me fight him Sovereign! I will put him in his place!" The voice of Samson called out, cutting through the pressure as he stepped forward, past the spear despite the warning looks from the other warrior. His gaze burned with perceived justice as he stared at Nick. "Unless you are too much of a coward and wish to run." His voice dropped as he issued the challenge.
Nick liked fighting, so he didn't mind. Smiling a bit his gaze started to burn as he felt that this might get exciting. He wanted to have some fun. Turning to the Sovereign he raised an eyebrow questioningly as he waited for the man's response.
"Very well, restore my honour Samson, and I will reward you. Leave this man dead." His voice was confident as if he was sure that Samson could beat Nick.
"Alright then, where are we doing this?" Nick asked as he turned to look back at Samson, finally.
---
The arena was beneath the mountain, carved into the stone, a massive cavern with a flattened floor and hundreds of rows of seats that travelled up the walls. Even giant nets and scaffolding made for stands were above the arena grounds looking down into the pit where the fighters stood.
It seemed that word had spread quickly.
The stands were filling with the trickling stream of people that came to watch the fight between the Left Royal Guard and a man who had wandered in and shown disrespect.
Cracking his neck Nick smiled, the filled stadium showed just how many people lived there. It was as large as the sports festival. It was massive, the air shook with the chatter of thousands. The bellowing cacophony of combined voices became a distorted hum of excitement that just pushed people to raise their voices more.
It was, exciting. To be at the centre of this atmosphere. It was different than the sports festival, far different. This was actually making him excited. Fighting against an unknown opponent in a real ring with his life on the line, kind of. It was exhilarating.
"We gather today to watch the execution of the man who dared to insult me. By the hands of Samson the Splitter." The voice of the Sovereign echoed through the carved cavern, the design made to echo his voice. Just like the throne room.
Smiling Nick stared at the man in the other corner. That burning passion to beat him still flickering beneath the red bangs that hung over his eyes. His body tense, a slight sheen of sweat showing the warm-up that he put himself through in the time it took people to gather.
Tilting his head Nick just raised his chin, gloating. He wanted Samson to come at him with all his might, to not hold back in the slightest.
And he felt that he would get his wish.
With no more words needed, the situation was explained. A quirk-enhanced voice, gravely and distorted broke through the loud chatter, "BEGIN!" The words were followed by a sudden burst of cheers as the entire arena erupted into action with the start of the fight and the audience standing to cheer and get a better view.
As soon as the cry started Nick sent a wave of fire crashing through the air towards Samson, the world slowed as the fire billowed out from around his feet. Out the corners of his mouth, out of his hair. From the cracks in his skin. His skin turned black with char from the heat as his eyes glew a blinding gold that stretched the shadows light a sun beaming from his skull.
Fire, hot enough to melt air. Hot enough to turn the sand floor into glass. To warp and crack the stone. Although the control kept it in the arena with focused intent, ramping up the heat in its path as it roared through the air.
Not even a second it took, people still standing to clap at the announcement to start. The cries of people were drowned out by the burst.
Then the sound of glass shattering broke through all sounds. Before the fire split down the centre. As if the flames and heat itself had been cut. Space itself warped around the attack as the fire was split into four even cleaves. The entire attack was nullified in a moment.
Samson standing in the opposite corner. A feral grin broke through his rage. The fight was getting his heart hammering.
His quirk: Splitting, he could split anything into even cleaves nullifying momentum or various properties of the things that he cut. Truly splitting them.
Seeing that this fight was going to be interesting Nick laughed as he stood up straighter walking forward as his voice boomed through the arena. The leftover flames shifted and pulsed with his voice.
"Yes, Samson! Entertain me!" The lust for battle dripped from his tone and burned in his gaze.
Dashing forward Samson ran at beyond human speeds before swinging his arm down. His fingers each glowing with whatever power his quirk harnessed. The air started to cleave before him as he swung his hand down.
Smiling Nick dashed from where he was, two steps, one to the right and the other to the left. And he was behind Samson, his body spinning faster than the boy could react as he attempted to turn around and fight back but Nick's super-heated kick propelled by fire was already slamming between his shoulder blades in a downwards arc.
With the hammering of his body against the sand Samson felt like he had a mountain dropped on him. Nauseating Vertigo welled up in his chest from the power against his internals. The blow had been devastating. One kick and his vision was already swimming with pain clouding his clarity. How was this man so fast!?
He didn't even have a chance to roll over before he felt a foot crush his head. The sudden darkness instant. Before he saw a red thread…
--- The Sovereign ---
The Sovereign watched in joy as the fire was split, he knew that Samson was going to win, there was no way that his soldier failed, the only one he could not beat was Saba, his Right Royal Guard.
Samson was too strong, especially against casters like Aurem. This execution was going to be glorious.
And then it all went wrong in less than a moment.
They dashed towards each other, the fight was just starting, the fire simply an entree. It was so quick, Samson had gone to attack, then he was dead.
Appearing behind him Aurem kicked his back and slammed his soldier into the ground with a deafening thunder crack sound from Samson's hardened body slamming into the floor. A blast of sand cleared away by the next attack.
A blast of sand revealed Aurem standing there, his foot where Samson's head once was now just a bloody mess.
Had Samson lost?
Just as the thought crossed his mind golden flames enveloped the boy's corpse as it lifted to its feet.
--- Saba ---
He had fought Samson and knew his strength, while it was lower than his it was close, and he would one day surpass him, he had aimed for that. Training the boy as his student. The only one was worthy to defend the Sovereign, but now he saw his pupil dead.
He couldn't help himself, the sudden grief. The power that rolled off his skin came unbidden by his will. Called forth by white-hot rage that fueled its intensity.
The pressure was enough to crack the stone as he stepped forward watching the body of his student. No, his son, was raised into the air on golden flames.
"You shall not die yet Samson, fight me until I am finished or dead! Then you will have my permission to die!" The voice of the monster said, sounding like the crackling of flames from the depths of hell.
Satan had come to his playground, to play.
Was he not even going to leave them with a corpse to bury? He would kill this man, this Aurem. He would carve his rib- What?
Samson's head was growing back, the bloody stump bubbling with heat before the fire slowly solidified into features. Samson's eyes opened in desperate shock as he gasped for air before he was dropped to the ground.
He had been killed? Was this man… able to bring back the dead?
"Do not let that rage die silver-haired guard! I felt that pressure! Come and fight me or I will leave him dead next time, both of you! Come at me together, show me devotion to your sovereign!" The voice of this wicked man yelled as the intensity of the surrounding heat rose.
Did he want to fight them both at once? He had brought his student back because he wanted a better fight? This man was mad!
Looking at the Sovereign with a pleading gaze he saw his Majesty pale with shock, his eyes wide with fear as he nodded his head, quickly waving his hand. Go.
Jumping down he felt the purple energy make armour around him, the energy condensing into plates and weapons that orbited around him.
He would make sure to kill this arrogant bastard.
--- Nicklaus ---
The ground shook with the weight of the white-haired guard's impact. The Shattering of the stone beneath his feet as he impacted the hard ground showed that not only did the purple energy weigh a lot but it increased his body's strength tremendously.
Grinning ear to ear Nick raised his hands towards both Guards that stood to his right and left before calling out once more.
"Entertain me!"
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Another chapter for you fine readers! I am very happy with this on. Let me know what you think as normal! Reviews and Comments are always welcome.
Thanks for reading.
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