Chapter 11: CHAPTER 11: The Tournament
Loud cheers echoed across the tunnel from somewhere ahead of the volunteers. The group had different expressions as some felt anticipation, others felt fear and regret while some looked calm and collected. Milas was among them and he wasn't sure how he felt. All his hopes were riding on this tournament.
They stopped at a gate and they could see some parts of the arena through the gaps of the gate. The few glimpses allowed Milas to get a grasp on the layout of the arena. The arena had boulders of varying sizes strewn all over it and an open area in the middle. There were dried blood stains on the ground and the surface of the boulders.
The group was lined up and a guard with a transparent crystal in hand approached the man at the front of the line. He placed the crystal on the man's forehead and a red glow emanated from within it. The glow lasted about five seconds before fading away. The man was pushed to the left side of the tunnel. No words were uttered as the guard walked to the next person.
This time it was a teenager who looked a little older than Milas. The crystal on his forehead had no reaction at all. The teenager was moved to the right while the guard went to the next person and repeated the process. It seemed like only one in five people could make the crystal glow. Milas was among the last five and his turn arrived. The crystal felt cool as it touched his forehead and Milas felt something rise from his chest but it felt restricted. The crystal was removed and Milas was moved to the right.
Milas saw a bright light from the edge of his vision. He heard a few gasps and turned around to find a man standing there with the crystal producing a bright red shine. The man in question stood straight with an air of confidence and dignity despite the slave collar on his neck together with the dirty and worn out clothes that he wore.
"What a surprise! A mighty vampire knight reduced to a detestable miner. I can't let you participate in such a childish competition. You my friend needs a challenge. A separate event in your honor." The guard with the whip said as he walked towards the man. His voice was casual and pat the man's shoulder while looking at him like an old friend.
"You will truly impress these snobby rich and in turn earn me the promotion that I deserve." The guard whispered into the man's ear. He then faced the other guards and announced. "The rest of you need to get these miners ready for the tournament. The left group goes first. Remember to take the collars off before they enter the arena. I don't want a redo of the fried slave incident."
The guard was about to leave when another called him. "Umm... Sir, what will you be doing with that one?"
"This one is going to get the special treatment. He is my ticket out of this hellhole." The guard said before leading the man through another tunnel.
The left group was gathered closer to the gate and their collars were taken off. They were then pushed onto the arena and the gate was shut behind them. An announcement came from above them and the seated crowd cheered in anticipation of the bloodshed that was soon to follow.
"Are you ready for the slave tournament?!" The announcer started with cheerful and upbeat voice. The crowd cheered even louder as the announcer continued. "First off, we have five Blood-born vampires with eight intermediate beasts and an advanced beast. As an extra challenge, they only have normal weapons. The last two survivors win the round. Let the tournament begin!!"
As soon as the announcement ended, several gates opened from different sides of the arena. Multiple beasts of different shapes and sizes shot out and entered the arena. The five people had hesitated for a while but one of them ran to the center of the arena where a pile of swords, spears, shields, bows and arrows laid.
He picked up a sword and slashed behind him just in time to stop the advance of a two meter long lizard. He kept swinging the sword around in order to push the lizard back. The lizard attacked with its long tail and the vampire used the sword to block. He was pushed several steps back and blood seeped from a thin cut on his chest. The blade of the sword had been reduced to a short stump.
The vampire threw the broken piece of the sword at the beast and then fearlessly charged at it. The beast dodged the blade only to receive a full powered punch to the head. The lizard was stunned making it slow to react. The vampire dashed behind the lizard and grabbed its tail with his left hand. He lifted his right hand and made a claw shape with his fingers before bringing it down at the base of the tail.
Milas thought that the attack was useless as the vampire's hand wouldn't reach the tail. Milas' eyes almost popped out when four, short, crescent shaped, blood colored objects shot out of his fingertips. The thin, fragile looking objects sliced the tail like it was butter.
The vampire jumped back with the tail in hand while the lizard ran away and disappeared behind a boulder. The vampire moved towards the pile of weapons and stood his ground. The rest of the group tried to break the encirclement of beasts and reach the weapons.
A tall woman was the first to arrive and she unhesitatingly bent over to search for a suitable weapon.
Whoosh!
The loud whooshing sound caught the attention of the group of vampires and they turned around in time to see a head roll on the dusty ground. The woman's body fell as blood sprayed on the weapons from a stump that used to be the neck. The killer was wielding the lizard's tail like a whip. The end of the tail was coated with a thin layer of fresh blood.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" A vampire asked with obvious rage.
"I'm guaranteeing my victory, that's what I'm doing." The vampire with the tail answered.
"We are surrounded by beasts and you kill your own kind!" Another vampire exclaimed whilst dodging a bite from a two–headed dog like beast.
"MY KIND?! MY KIND?! The same kind that imprisoned me. The same kind that turned me into a miner. The same kind that executed my family just because my son injured a noble in a duel." The man went into a crazed rant. "My kind could do that with no remorse then why should I treat them well. I would rather be a beast than keep being a vampire. Yes! Yes! That is what I will be. I revoke being a vampire! Which means that I can kill you for you aren't my kind."
He then dashed towards the group with the tail in his hand ready to strike.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone