Chapter 46: A Dance of Sword and Magic

"Kill him! Kill that fucking Succubus!" Drahnemys was screaming in rage as she ordered the Demon hordes around Jorael to kill him.

"JORAEL!!!" Cyn'Thia screamed at the top of her voice as she saw the Demon weapons inches from the Traveler's throat.

...

At the start of that fateful day, the 30th Demon Tournament finale was about to begin, the final match between the Goblin Champion Jorael, the Krypster-slayer, and the Beastman Champion Bhaal, of the Sword Dance.

The Demons on the streets were respectfully letting Jorael and his group pass, but this time his following had grown because behind the Goblin clan, Polyanthus and the Cyclopes, and Thrarn and the Giants followed them.

"Will ya finally shoot the beam?" Kimora asked out of the blue as they were walking towards the coliseum.

"No, I will not do it.

I'm not going to kill him."Jorael replied.

"Duh... I wanna see some heads fly." she commented disappointed.

"I hope they're not ours..." Cyn'Thia pointed out worriedly.

"I will not allow that to happen." Jorael said solemnly, full of confidence.

Meanwhile, in the rear, the Cyclopes seemed to be enjoying themselves with the Giants.

"Pah pah pah!

I hope Krypster-slayer becomes our General!

I will follow him blindly..." Polyanthus screamed as he laughed.

"Wah ah ah ah!

You are right.

He is so strong that he could beat Queen." Thrarn shouted as he laughed too.

"Ah ah ah!

Brother will beat everyone!" Bromur said as he joined the colossuses.

"Who are you?" the Cyclops and the Giant asked together in confusion.

"Ah! I'm Jorael's brother!

Not by blood, but by fate...

Ah ah ah!" said the Dwarf.

"I think I can understand why...

The weak will join the strong to feel safe." Polyanthus said.

"Son of a Brutynrnmandyrm!

I am not a weakling!" Bromur replied apparently offended.

"Wah ah ah ah!

Little Goblin, stay safe…" Thrarn laughed as they almost reached their destination.

Once they arrived at the coliseum, everyone could feel the electric atmosphere present there, as all the Demons were eagerly awaiting the final match. As Jorael headed underground, Cyn'Thia made a few recommendations before leaving for the Goblin stands:

"Jo, please...

Don't reveal the blood of your mother and father yet.

Take your time with the Queen."

"I'll try...

See you later, Thia." Jorael replied.

"Please... don't overdo it." whispered the Elf with sparkling eyes, before finally leaving.

Underground, there were fewer people than in previous days, as there were only two Champions. Bhaal was already there, and he was warming up by swinging his swords.

Jorael finally gave a closer look at the Demon Beastman that was a feline type, a leopard. His fur was yellowish-brown with black spots, as his eyes were blue. He wore comfortable white pants and a blue-colored jacket that matched his eyes. As weapons, his two steel sword blades were slightly curved, like scimitars.

When Jorael got close enough to him, Bhaal during his practice moved quickly swinging his swords towards the Goblin Champion and suddenly stopped with the blades very close to Jorael's helmet.

"Woah... You got too close!

Be careful!" Bhaal exclaimed.

"Oh sorry, I was mesmerized by your moves.

It was like a sword dance…" Jorael appreciated after apologizing.

"Hurray! I'm glad you liked it!

Now, if only Drahmy could like it too and see me as a man..." Bhaal said.

"Do you perhaps... like the princess?" Jorael asked.

"Of course I LIKE HER!

How could you not like such a sweet and cute Demon?!" screamed the leopard Demon.

"Sweet and cute?

I honestly thought she was pretty cocky and bossy...

But she is definitely good-looking." Jorael replied.

Bhaal suddenly pointed one of his swords at Jorael's neck and asked in a menacing tone:

"You... you don't like her, do you?"

"No, by the way, I'm married." Jorael replied.

"Oh... then you don't know her." Bhaal first said lowering his scimitar, then continued with his speech:

"I've always seen her since I was a child when my father took me with him to the palace for the Queen's meetings.

Drahmy always pulled herself out of those meetings and played with me. That's why I know she is another person when she doesn't have to put on a show.

You know... she's stuck with her mind to two centuries ago when her father died.

I want to save her from the cage she built herself, a cage without bars or chains that no one but me can see.

For this... I need to win.

To prove that I am no longer a child."

"I admire your passion and altruism, but I have to win too.

You said your father took you to the palace, why is that?"Jorael asked out of curiosity.

"You do not know?

My father Dagan is one of the four retired Generals, which is why I was often in the palace." Bhaal revealed.

"Oh, sure..." Jorael whispered as they began to hear the clattering of the crowd in the coliseum.

"It looks like it's starting.

May Atremis guide us..." the leopard Demon said as he made his way to the staircase leading to the ring.

They both climbed the stairs after the attendants waved them to get into the ring. The crowd waiting for the finalists screamed like never before in anticipation of the start of the match that was finally about to begin thanks to Princess Drahnemys who announced:

"It's a beautiful day here in Drahyr!

Atremis is blessing us with such a wonderful day, that maybe She is watching the game closely too!

Let's not waste any more time for the final match of the 30th Demon Kingdom Tournament!

On the one hand, the most unexpected entrance to the tournament. The Goblin Champion that surprised everyone with his magical abilities that no Demon has ever achieved. From Osbillach, the one and only, Jorael, the Krypster-slayer!

On the other hand, one of the audience's favorite. Son of the outgoing General Dagan, the Beastman Champion Bhaal, of the Sword Dance."

Both contenders received cheers and cheers from the audience, but Bhaal didn't seem satisfied until he spoke:

"Drahmy!

I will dedicate this victory to you!

And when I win ... you will marry me!"

The coliseum fell silent first, then the she-Demons in the crowd began screaming at the unexpected proposal.

"I-idiot!

W-who ever agreed to this?!" Drahnemys screamed angrily and blushing as the whole coliseum laughed.

She recovered from her anger and announced the start of the match:

"If you get knocked out of the ring, you lose!

If you get knocked out unconscious, you lose!

If you give up like a coward, you lose!

If you die... you die!

May Atremis lend Her strength to you.

3...2...1...FIGHT!"

"I've already shown my skills, so I'll go all out...

Haste!" Jorael exclaimed unexpectedly as he cast the Green Magic spell on himself.

"Speed won't be enough!" Bhaal yelled as he ran towards his enemy with his swords ready.

Jorael also ran to meet him at higher speed, drawing his rusty sword, ready to deliver a blow.

"Thousand Cuts!" the Beastman said as he attacked with his scimitars unleashing an excruciating amount of quick blows, which Jorael could read and parry with his sword, or so he thought.

When Bhaal passed over the Goblin Champion and stopped, Jorael was sure he had parried all the blows thanks to his increased speed, but he soon realized how wrong he was.

"The armor is falling!" the crowd shouted as the pieces of Goblin's armor were falling, exposing his bare arms and legs.

'Shit! I didn't even notice!' thought Jorael as he watched the pieces of armor fall to the ground.

"You were good at blocking the vital blows, but you didn't notice the faster non-vital hits...

You better find something to do, or you'll be naked." Bhaal said making everyone in the crowd laugh.

"You're right. Firebolt!" Jorael yelled as he suddenly cast the Arcane Magic spell.

The fireball quickly snapped from the glowing purple heptagram towards the leopard Demon to his surprise. When the flaming sphere almost reached Bhaal, he shouted:

"Beast Slice"

With the parallel oscillation of the scimitars, he created an airblade that cut the fireball in half, causing it to explode before it reached its target.

"Shit." Jorael whispered when he realized that his enemy was no joke.

"My turn...

Beast fangs! "Bhaal yelled as he grabbed his swords by reversing the hilt, with the blade pointed at the ground, then swung his scimitars towards Jorael, pushing two airblades plowing the ground.

"Woah!" Jorael yelled as he leaped aside, evading the airblades that plowed the water out of the ring, and exploded on the perimeter walls of the stands to the panic of the audience.

"You are really, really dangerous.

Protect!" Jorael said as he stood up, casting a physical defensive barrier over himself.

"What is that?" Bhaal asked confused.

"An extra security not to end up with a severed arm..." Jorael replied.

"If you say so...

Embrace yourself, I'm coming!" the leopard Demon screamed as he rushed in Jorael's direction.

The two began to exchange sword blows at each other, sometimes parrying, dodging, or lightly injuring each other's skin.

While the fight was underway, Princess Drahnemys commented on the Queen's balcony:

"Come on! Why it takes Jorael so long to win..."

"Ara ara... are you afraid of getting married, Drahmy?" Shaneh made fun of her daughter.

"S-shut up mom!

Do not spout nonsense like that idiot..." Drahnemys replied annoyed.

"...and here I thought that you would finally have already made grandchildren for this poor old fox..." whispered the Queen.

"G-grandchildren!?" the Princess exclaimed embarrassed.

Back in the ring, the sword fight seemed to lead nowhere. Bhaal's scimitars had just grazed Jorael's protected skin from his spell, and his rusty sword did almost no harm to the leopard Demon.

"This is tiring." Jorael said.

"I can go on all day.

You may know how to hold a sword in your hand, but as far as technique is concerned you are a disappointment." Bhaal exclaimed.

"It hurts to say you're right..." the Goblin Champion said as he backed away from his enemy.

"And now?" Bhaal asked as he too backed away.

"If you are not tired yet, I will make you so.

Curse!" Jorael said as he cast an intermediate spell of Green Magic.

A thundering black sphere emerged from the heptagram and headed for the Beastman Champion.

"Again with these things?

Beast Slice!" Bhaal screamed as he swung his scimitars against the black orb.

However this time, the Magic orb was unaffected by the attack and it finished its run by enveloping the Demon. First, the globe expanded twice its size, then suddenly imploded into thin air in a roar.

At first, Bhaal was afraid that he had been hit by a damaging physical spell, but as he seemed to be fine, he said:

"What the fuck was that?!

Ughhh..."

The leopard Demon suddenly fell to his knees to the bewilderment of the audience, and he began to gasp profusely.

"Huff... Huff...

The fuck?!" Bhaal exclaimed in confusion still on his knees.

"I have forcibly removed a quarter of your Magic..." Jorael explained.

"This seems... overpowered." whispered the leopard Demon as he stood up again.

"It is a bet:

if the spell fails, I'll be the one to lose Magic instead." Jorael explained.

"Oh... so you're that confident..." Bhaal said as he again assumed an attack stance as the crowd screamed in excitement.

"I suggest you stop using your Demonic Arts." Jorael said.

"Afraid of losing?" Bhaal asked provoking his enemy.

"No. I think about the bad impression you would make with Drahnemys if you faint..." Jorael said.

"Oh shut up!" beastman shouted as he charged at Jorael who defended himself with his sword.

As Bhaal's ferocious attacks were deftly deflected, the Demon suddenly cried out:

"Beast Slice!"

This time, Jorael tried to parry the attack with his rusted sword, but when the airblades struck the sword, it was cut in half and then hit the cuirass, destroying the already damaged front and wounding Jorael's chest.

"Shit, heal!" Jorael exclaimed and immediately cast the spell of White Magic on him to heal.

The wound on his chest began to regenerate, to everyone's amazement. After the spell healed Jorael's chest, he immediately cast another:

"The propagation of Magic on your techniques makes Protect almost useless...

Shell!"

The Goblin Champion applied another level of defense on himself, casting a Green Magic spell that reduces Magic damage.

"You're amazing ...

Everyone here has never seen such a display of Magic.

I couldn't ask for a better opponent to prove myself and prove I'm no longer a child!" Bhaal said as he charged once more with his swords ready.

The clash of the two Champions resumed, and Jorael barely defended himself with a broken sword, but the defensive spells he had previously cast provided enough protection.

"Ahhhh this is not good...

Whirlwind of Swords!" Bhaal exclaimed as he whirled his swords at his enemy, eventually wounding him in a vortex of blades and destroying most of the Goblin armor.

"Ughhh... that was tough." Jorael said finding himself barely naked apart from the helmet and cuirass that covered his back and pubis.

"Damn you are still standing.

I'll have to hit you har..." Bhaal was saying before unexpectedly collapsing to his knees and whispering:

"Huff... Huff...

Shit."

"I told you so.

Just give up." Jorael said.

"Huff... Huff...

Never." the leopard Demon responded as he tried to stand up.

"Sigh...

Firewall!" Jorael cast a spell of Arcane Magic.

A pillar of fire engulfed Bhaal, burning him for a few seconds in the disbelief of the crowd.

As the burned Demon was collapsing to the ground, Princess Drahnemys was announcing the winner:

"Jorael w..."

But she did not finish the sentence because Bhaal unexpectedly launched one last swift attack with his swords without Jorael noticing in time.

"Yaaah!!!" the leopard Demon yelled as he aimed at Jorael's head.

The skull of Warg that served as a helmet for the Goblin Champion split in half and one of the halves fell to the ground, just like Bhaal after delivering his blow and passing Jorael.

"Drah... my..." were the last words for Bhaal who collapsed to the ground unconscious.

"Jorael won!" Drahnemys yelled as the entire coliseum began cheering for the winner of the tournament.

The Queen and her daughter nonchalantly jumped off the balcony and headed for the ring as the crowd chanted:

"Jorael, the Krypster-slayer!"

As Shaneh and Drahnemys got closer and closer, Cyn'Thia commented during the Goblin celebration:

"Now is the moment of truth.

Jo, please..."

The Queen arrived in the ring and finally spoke:

"Demons,

We've had our fights.

We had our fun.

We finally have our Tournament Champion.

Don't you all think it's time for the Champion to reveal himself?"

While the whole crowd went mad in agreement with the ruler, Drahnemys approached Jorael and whispered something unexpected:

"C-can you... heal Bhaal?"

Jorael nodded as he approached the leopard Demon who was lying unconscious on the ground and healed him to the amazement of the crowd.

Then came the moment everyone in the coliseum was waiting for, and the Goblin Champion finally removed the remaining half of the helmet and said:

"No wonder I'm not a Goblin, hehe...

Can I take Sulth'krag, the leader of the Goblin is safe now?"

As the audience began to murmur about the Champion's identity, the Queen smiled and said:

"Wouldn't it be better if you first said which clan are you from?"

The crowd yelled and nodded in approval of Shaneh's question, but Jorael replied:

"I can't. Not now... I'd like to talk to you first."

As the audience showed its disappointment by booing him, but suddenly there was a scream and a figure could be seen slowly approaching the ring.

The limping Demon began to scream again as he approached the ring:

"Grunt...

I kept silent throughout the tournament, even though my clan was the victim of the Goblin conspiracy.

I learned the identity of the winner and his true nature.

For many nights I wondered if it was right to let him compete, despite his tainted blood.

I would like to share my concern with you..."

"No! Don't do it!" Cyn'Thia yelled as she, Kimora, and Bromur were ready to jump out of the stands.

While everyone encouraged Borkan, the leader of the Orcs, to reveal his true identity, he did not delay the response and said as he stepped into the ring:

"I've already made up my mind, but I think everyone must know that Jorael, the Krypster-slayer is...

A Human and Succubus half-breed."

The entire audience was silent as the news crossed the coliseum. Both the Queen and the Princess were initially baffled, but the astonishment for Drahnemys soon flared up when she asked him:

"...it is true?"

Everyone stood up waiting for his answer, while Jorael's companions and the Goblins were already descending into the arena.

The Tournament Champion thought of trying to lie but felt it would be easy for the Queen to find out while she was staring at him as if he were her prey. Finally, he gave up and whispered:

"That's why I only wanted to talk to you, Queen.

Yes... I'm half Human and half Succubus."

"KILL HIM!" Princess Drahnemys immediately screamed in her powerful voice that everyone could hear perfectly after hearing Jorael's words.

The entire coliseum began to burst into the arena threateningly encircling the ring as the Champion's companions and the Goblins joined him in the ring before anyone else.

"Tché... Borkan you've done a really good job in causing this uproar..." said Sulth'krag while he drew his sword to protect the shoulders of Jorael.

"Grunt... I'm more on your side, you know.

But I want to hear what everyone thinks." Borkan replied.

"Ya idiotic pig could have just waited a lil..." Kimora said as she had her daggers ready.

"Please, I just want to talk to you ..." Jorael whispered to the Queen.

Shaneh smiled, and as the Demon hordes approached them she simply said:

"You don't have to convince me..."

"Jo, what do we do now?!" Cyn'Thia asked worriedly.

"Do not move.

Everyone... leave them alone." Jorael replied as he stared at the Queen, while everyone was confused.

The Demons arrived in the ring and were ready to take down the Champion.

"Kill him! Kill that fucking Succubus!" Drahnemys was screaming in rage as she ordered the Demon hordes around Jorael to kill him.

"JORAEL!!!" Cyn'Thia screamed at the top of her voice as she saw the Demon weapons inches from the Traveler's throat.

Swords, spears, halberds, axes, and weapons of all kinds were about to kill Jorael as the Demons surrounded him, but he was confident in his divine power and whispered:

"Eye of Gaia!"

Jorael's eye turned to gold, but grey was the rest of the world. Time stood still and the crippling headache began in Jorael's head.

"Ughhh... Why does it always have to be like this..." he whispered as he slowly walked through the ring, passing through the Demons.

"Now please... listen to me...

Fuck! My head!

Arghhh!" Jorael said as he collapsed to his knees in pain right in front of Shaneh and released time to its normal flow.

The Demons thought they had pierced the Champion with their weapons, only to find that he had disappeared from nowhere.

"Please, I beg you." whispered Jorael still on his knees as he held a hand to his head in pain.

Everyone was confused as to why he instantly teleported right in front of the Queen, but strangely she showed her most sincere smile and said:

"Arise, Champion.

In the face of all these astonished Demons, we still have one last match to fight.

The one where the Champion can fight the Queen...

Brace yourself!"

"MOM!" Drahnemys immediately cried out in disappointment.

"...but I don't want to fight you." Jorael said getting up.

"Eh? You said you're ready?!

Let's go!" Shaneh said as she started kicking Jorael surprising everyone.

Everyone fell silent and made room in the ring for the two as the Queen was kicking Jorael violently, or so it seemed.

"Pow! Pow! Pow!" it was heard as Jorael blocked or avoided her blows.

'What the fuck is she doing?!

There is no real strength behind those kicks, no murderous intent...

Is it all a... show?' thought Jorael as he continued to dodge or parry her kicks.

"Let's see if you can survive this...

Kick of the Beast!" Shaneh screamed as she kicked with her leg high into the sky, creating an airblade aimed at Jorael. The Champion protected his head with his arms as the airblade hit him.

'It felt like nothing!' he thought as the crowd stood in awe because no damage had been done.

"Here I am!

Cat Paw!" The Queen screamed as she ran towards Jorael and then hit him in the stomach with her palm.

After the blow, she was really close to him and she whispered without none but Jorael hearing her:

"Cough or something, come on..."

Since the blow she dealt was nothing, Jorael confusedly followed her instructions and coughed.

"Good, now hit me and yell something..." she whispered again.

Jorael was a little mistrustful of her actions, but continued with the charade and yelled:

"Uhm... Sage Punch!"

He punched her in the stomach, and she theatrically went flying pretending to have received a hard blow and fell to the ground groaning in pain.

"MOM!" Drahnemys shouted in anger.

"Ugh... what a strength..." Shaneh whispered before pretending to pass out.

The crowd was thrilled by the surreal scene that had happened right before their eyes, but when they began to realize what had happened, the Demons began to bow.

"W-what is it?! Waaa..." Bromur said as Cyn'Thia grabbed him and Kimora to make them kneel along with the Goblins as well.

Amid Jorael's disbelief, as he slowly walked around the ring, Drahnemys stormed off in a rage.

The Tournament Champion asked the Goblin chief in confusion:

"Sulth'krag, what's going on?!"

The leader of the Goblins was on his knees with everyone else, then raised his head to Jorael and said solemnly:

"Tché... well...

You're the Demon King now "