THEOS

Ella drew her sword, but before she could make a move Luke stopped her by extending his hand in front of her face while simultaneously covering his lips with his index finger– a symbol which even on Theos meant be quiet.

Granted, Luke didn’t know the full extent of her powers or abilities other than the fact that she was faster than him. What he did know was that if she attacked, or gave away that they were here, she’d ruin his ambush.

Thankfully she didn’t fight him on it, and remained put while the figure looked around the clearing from a vantage point above the treeline.

It wasn’t anyone Luke recognized at first glance from the previous stage of the tournament, but that was because whoever it was, was dressed in black robes, and was covering his face with a robe.

Based on the build, it could be either Spiros or Theseus if either of the two had changed their robes, but that wasn’t saying much.

Outside of the occasional exceptions, most human cultivators gravitated towards similar builds and body types. Lean with muscles that were prominent but not outrageous. The type that just looked fit, like runners or swimmers instead of the bulging muscles favored by bodybuilders.

He kind of looks like the grim reaper now that I think about it. Luke mused. Even as he slowly brought the slice of Pizza towards his face and took a bite. Taking great pains to chew quietly, lest he give up their spot. Then turning to Ella, he urged her to do the same.

She looked at him like he was an idiot for suggesting they eat while a potential attacker was so close, and perhaps he was, but pizza time was pizza time.

So, pointing at her pizza and then her mouth, Luke took another bite of his own slice. She gave him another look, but eventually a hint of mirth found its way to her eyes. Unable to resist, she took a bite of her own.

It warmed Luke's heart to watch her face light up in delight the moment the taste hit her tongue and she eagerly went back for a second and third.

He couldn’t say he had spent a lot of time with the castle chefs at the Capital trying to teach them how to make his favorite food. Mostly, because the head chef had caught onto Luke’s meaning almost immediately and had a very close approximation of Earth pizza ready in under an hour with hardly any input from him.

But still, he was proud of the fact that he had introduced the dish to Theos.

Earth would always hold Luke’s fondest memories, but pizza made the whole planet a little more tolerable. And some guy looking for a scroll wouldn’t ruin Pizza time, and especially not when he was introducing the food to a sad little girl. Not on Luke’s watch.

Whoever the guy inspecting the clearing was though, was cautious to the point of being annoying.

He lingered at the very end of the tree line, looking for signs of traps or an ambush for one agonizing minute after another. Looking into the clearing from almost every angle he could without actually entering what he had arbitrarily decided was a safe range. At one point he even disappeared and came back with a bunch of stones, and dropped them into the clearing, hoping to set off a trap or something.

Which all but confirmed the fact that he wasn’t an ally. Theseus just seemed the reckless sort, and would have reached into and grabbed the scrolls with a tendril of water. Spiros… actually Luke didn’t know what Spiros would do in the circumstance.

Probably just charge in though. He’s not an idiot, but he’s not a worrier either.

It made for a rather boring show, but Luke kept a tight grip on his sword the entire time and activated the First Stance too. On the off chance that their near silent chewing exposed their hiding spot.

Something that Luke didn’t think was likely.

The forest wasn’t loud, but it was full of the singing birds, whistling wind, the shrieking of distant rabicorns, and a million other sounds of life. The canopy was too thick to see them from up above, and he had chosen their spot wisely. The only place they could be seen from was where he had left the scrolls, and the moment the guy went anywhere near them, he would find the trap he was looking for.

Hopefully.

As long as I don’t listen to whatever sad story or good points he has for us to not fight and join up, I can send him home guilt free.

Yeah.

Whoever said ignorance is bliss, was really on to something.

Ten minutes and eight slices of cold pizza later, Luke was thoroughly annoyed.

Watching him investigate the clearing had been fun for a bit. Like a reality show. The longer it dragged on though, the more Luke felt like activating another instance of his spell, and just start raining fire on the guy.

Not that he would. He wanted to keep the spell intact long enough so that he could replicate it. Which meant not using it unless he absolutely needed to.

Is my trap that obvious? There’s obvious signs of battle. It’s not crazy to assume two people went at it and mutually eliminated each other. Just go in for the scrolls, get stabbed, and clear the cue for the next guy!

At this rate he’s going to stay here until someone else comes and starts fighting him for it.

Ella tapped him on the shoulder, and then pointed at her sword and the intruder. They couldn’t talk, but her eyes full of judgment and impatience, bored into his with clear intention.

Luke shook his head, and offered her another slice of pizza instead. They had already waited this long, and if the guy had gotten to this round of the tournament and already possessed a scroll, Luke reasoned he’d decide to go in eventually. Every second something didn’t spook him, he would be more and more tempted to take the scrolls and run. Especially since there were both colors of scroll in the pile.

Honestly, his caution is kind of admirable. Luke thought begrudgingly. Mostly because he felt that he would have fallen for the trap he set. Or maybe I’m just being too harsh on myself. That many scrolls sitting unguarded is suspiciousbut he's gonna bite… Any second now.

It took another five, torturous minutes of the intruder flying around and looking for traps, before his ring flashed under the sleeve of his robe, and a wooden staff appeared in his hand.

Well, it's not a golden spear, a dagger, or a trident, so guess it really isn’t the others. Where did they go then? After some other scroll maybe? Obviously they fought someone or something, but…

Shaking the thoughts out of his head, Luke refocused his attention on his sword. His mana spilled out of it, and wrapped tightly around the blade in greater quantity, and just for fun he activated his bloodline. The blade lit up in his eyesight under the shallow layer of soil. Ready to break free from the ground and eliminate yet another trial taker.

The guy, even after deciding to make a move, moved exceedingly slow. Inching through the air at a rate of some feet per minute, but eventually his feet touched the ground.

He walked gingerly with light footsteps towards the scrolled, his head on a constant swivel, and with his staff extended all the way from his body, he poked one. Cringing back, like he expected it to blow up any second.

Luke waited.

The guy sagged with relief when nothing happened. Luke could feel the tension draining from his body.

Luke waited.

The intruder, with his staff pressed against one of the black scrolls, and began to roll it towards him.

Luke waited.

The scroll at his feet, he slammed the butt of his staff onto the edge of the scoll. One end slammed into the ground while the other lifted into the air, rotating all the way. The guy inclined his head, and stretched one his hands to grab it.

Luke struck.

Maximus shot out of the ground and in a split second shot straight into the guys stomach. Luke intentionally avoided hitting any major organs, but having a sharp hunk of gold severing your tissue was never going to be a pleasant experience.

To Luke’s surprise, the guy didn’t immediately glow with the red and orange light and fliker his way back home.

With how cautious he is, I guess it makes sense that he hasn’t been hit yet. Luke mused even as he telekinetically pulled his sword out from his foes belly.

To the guy’s credit, he immediately slapped the golden blade away and it a move that bought him a few more seconds, pinned Luke’s blade to the ground with the butt of his staff.

Were this any other person or time, doing so would have deprived Luke of his greatest weapon.

Instead, he hadn’t even bothered activating the First Truth of Death. Mostly to save on mana, but also because the guy had trapped himself.

Luke was eager to see what he would do next. Perhaps extending the fight after it had started wasn’t the wisest move, but he was curious to see what other warriors were capable of.

He had a good measure of Spiros and Arya, but their skills and techniques were so close to his own that he didn’t learn much.

Theseus drew much of his rather significant power from his bloodline. If he had a technique on top of that remained to be seen. If Luke had to guess though, he would have at least one.

Women A and Lady B had been interesting foes, but Luke knew if he took that fight the slightest bit unserious, he would be the one going home. There was too much unknown about them and the way they were pursuing him, to risk indulging his curiosity.

This guy though… well he was as good as defeated. For one, he couldn’t move from his spot without freeing Luke’s sword, and for another Luke wasn’t alone.

The guy clutched his stomach and stumbled to his knees. His eyes scrambled over the treeline until they eventually found Luke and Ella hidden in the canopy of a tree a ways into the forest.

Luke waved. Then concentrating on his sword, tried to slide it out from under his foe's staff. It didn’t budge in the slightest.

Undeterred, Luke kept pulling on it. Trying to slide it forward and back, even as the potion they all had consumed slowly stitched the overly cautious thief back together.

“Do you want me to finish him?” Ella asked, her wings stretching out behind her.

Luke was about to say yes. Ready both to activate his spell and the First Truth of Death in an attempt to direct her attack, but a flicker of red and gold high in the sky caught his attention at the last moment. He smiled.

“Nah, give it a moment. We’ll be fine no matter what.” Luke said loudly. Making sure his voice would carry to their newly arrived audience.

“Are you sure? He looks like he wants to take his time again.”

Luckily for both of them, Ella was proven wrong a moment later.

The unknown trial taker stumbled to his feet, and firmly planted his foot on the flat of Luke’s blade and lifted his staff.

They watched as he pulled his hood off his head, and revealed himself. His nostrils were flared in pain, his chest heaving as took one labored breath after another, and a mixture of blood and saliva spilled from his lips.

Instantly, Luke recognized him as one of the few people who was still going strong near the end of the trial. His tan skin rapidly began to take a pink hue while his blonde hair started to rise from his head.

Seconds later the veins on his forehead and neck began to swell, and his robes rapidly filled out.

Some kind of berserker? Luke thought unconcerned, and took another bite of his pizza. Beside him, Ella sifted and flew off the branch in anticipation.

The guy kicked Luke’s sword out from under his feet behind him while he shot towards them blindingly fast. Using the hard ground and clearly augmented strength to propel himself forward to achieve a speed much faster than normal and kicking up a cloud of dirt and other debris from the forest floor.

Unfortunately for him, his attempt was doomed from the start.

Maximus turned around mid air, and when he was a mere dozen feet away stabbed into his shoulder. Ella, unable to hold herself back, shot towards him. Meeting his staff with her blade.

The guy grunted, and with a roar, he pressed against her blade and in a move that surprised Luke, batted her away and sent her tumbling into the sky. Seemingly unconcerned and unbothered by the fact that Luke had his own weapon buried in his flesh.

Hmm. Stronger than I thought.

Not that any of it mattered. Because a moment later, a golden spear fell like thunder from the sky, and in a burst of red orange light, he was gone, and a white scroll fell to the ground.

“He hung around longer than I thought.” Luke said, biting into the crust of his slice.

“He’s a Spartan. Their constitutions are something else.” Spiros said, flying into the clearing Arya and Theseus close behind him. “What are you eating?”

“Bread with tomato sauce and cheese, want some?”