Chapter 137 - 133: Second Team Matchup!

Chapter 137: Chapter 133: Second Team Matchup!

No rest for the weary. Or the wicked.

A few matchups take place. Competition gets knocked out. Ophion and Zuba dispatch their challengers handily, without even breaking a sweat. That’s good, I suppose. Better the devil you know, and all that. We can face them later.

I trot over to Lightning’s box in the stands, because I’m allowed. The buzzer signals a five-minute break between rounds. Kaline shouts at me not to be long, that my name could get called next. With all love and respect, I only half listen to her. I have to feel Lightning’s fur against mine and the cubs’ kisses on my face.

Maartenwitz is right there to escort me up to the box, and I get a whiff of approval from him. "Be quick about it," he warns.

Once Lightning’s welcoming face comes into view, I just can’t focus on anything else. Then the cubs slowly stand up. [Papa!]

Their tongues are like sandpaper, but I don’t care. They feel like silk to me before long, any they bathe me in their love.

Lightning nuzzles me, and I draw strength from her warmth. [I was so worried. Especially when Gussie and Peridot were fighting. I never really doubted them, but--]

I lick her to soothe her. [I felt the same. Now, we wait. We wait for our turn. The next one is going to be a challenge. That dragon is fearsome.]

[It could melt through walls.]

An exaggeration, but not by much. Burni will use her firepower to full effect, and Demos and Einswine will be directly in the firing line. Fortunately, Demos can Super Jump, and Einswine’s hide is as tough as steel. Still, it will be a nail-biter.

Leonie and Finn swarm around me. [Papa, stay.]

[Oh, my loves, I wish I could, but I will be back.]

I kiss all over their precious little faces and Lightning’s. Leaving feels like trying to split myself in half, but I have to return. All animals have to stay on the arena floor most of the time in case their match is announced.

I just barely make it to our circle on the arena floor before the announcer calls the next match. "Demos of House Riddlehoeven and Einswine of House Lammermoor against Burni the Dragon of House Gratin and Phanias the Jaguar of House Artemidoros!"

A chocolate cloud, Demos stalks toward the platform, which has lowered back down to the ground. A bristly cloud, Einswine keeps pace with him until they climb on the platform. Burni hauls her green-and-gold bulk onto the platform while Phanias leaps on top of it. Vedette and Elandior join Demos and Einswine while the other team’s tamers approach. Athalie Gratin, a stout middle-aged woman, stands next to Burni, while Phanias’ tamer, Thanatos Artemidoros, a thin, gangly man in his twenties, checks his beast to make sure that he is healthy.

The platform levitates off the ground to its usual spot.

The countdown starts, from the announcer and the screens. "3...2...1...Ready...Set...BEGIN!"

Burni conserves her fire, not making the same error that Kythian did in the last match with the Shooting Stars. Instead, Demos and Phanias circle each other, two predatory beasts. Vedette enhances Demos’ natural ferocity, while Thanatos Artemidoros supercharges Phanias’ speed.

But Burni’s head whips around, neck snaking, as her golden eyes try to get a lock on a target. Summoning the element of surprise, Einswine charges Burni with all his strength, snorting and bellowing. His strategy is simple: Get Burni to unleash her firepower early. A risky, potentially hair-scorching maneuver. On the other hand, if Burni breathes fire, then maybe it could, well, backfire on her.

A pause. A moment, then two, then three. Burni’s head bobs around, tracking Einswine, but she does not budge, Einswine is forced to retreat rather than crash into her. As thick as her scales are, it would be like a gnat crashing into a wall. Einswine is too smart for that, and he skids aside, rotating and reorienting in more ways than one. Burni refused to take the bait.

I send a cheer to Einswine. [It’s early. How long before she loses patience?]

A grunt through the mind-link. [I don’t fancy getting smashed finding out.]

Typical Einswine. If our group had an elder statesman, he would be it. I suppose it’s being bonded to an adult, powerful elf that gives him his air of authority.

Lobo counsels him. [She has to let loose sometime--EINSWINE! LOOK OUT!]

A torrent of flame rushes at Einswine, and he skates across the platform, as much as someone with hooves and his bulk can skate. The odor of singed fur and bristle. A squeal of discomfort. Not pain, because Einswine is stoic.

Elandior recoils. Whatever Einswine feels, Elandior is getting it in full measure.

Lobo woofs. [Einswine, RUN.]

[NO.] Einswine charges, full bore and full Boar Mode. It’s a full-out supercharged attack.

Lobo growls. [Under her tail! Weak spot.]

Oh. That makes sense. A dragon’s behind might be a vulnerable area, like any other being’s.

Burni’s behemoth tail lifts on cue to avoid the pesky inconvenience of Einswine slamming into it. Penny wise, pound foolish, and the payment is coming due. Einswine’s tusks embed themselves deep in Burni’s scaly bottom.

"AAAAAAAH!"

Burni’s scream is pure fire, her head snapping diagonally and shooting flame into the air. Tiny sparks and embers rain down. Pungent smoke fills the air.

Einswine stamps his feet and postures. [Singe me, will you?]

Burni snarls. [ROAST BOAR! That’s what you’ll be.]

Einswine huffs, all pride and dignity. [NEVER mention roast boar. EVER!]

It reminds me of Pumbaa from The Lion King enraged and charging the hyenas, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, because they called him a "pig." Technically, he’s a warthog, not just a pig.

Meanwhile, Demos slams into Burni. Not in the tail, but hard enough to make the dragon sit up and take notice. That massive bear musculature and strength come in handy at times. Adding insult to injury, Demos burns Burni with Shooting Stars by superheating the area under the dragon’s tail.

In a kind of relay race tag team, Einswine valiantly takes on Phanias, who pounces, claws extended. Eyes gleaming, Einswine presses his hooves into the platform and it shakes violently. Phanias is knocked off balance, and cats do not always land on their feet. In fact, Phanias tips over and lies on his side, hissing.

When did Elandior learn that trick? Maybe Elandior just taught it to him? The power of a mature, advanced elf is fearsome to behold.

The announcer gives us a play-by-play rundown. "The platform is sturdy! It’s enchanted. the little earthquake spell is not going to do much beyond knocking Phanias down."

Burni takes flight, while Demos Super Jumps to avoid Phanias’ fate. Of course, Einswine employs steady pressure, with Elandior’s graceful hands pushing down as if he can make the very air into a weapon. Of course, air pressure is a powerful force.

Phanias levers himself up, but Einswine continues to shake the platform, and Phanias can’t get his footing.

Not to be outdone and a good team player, Burni attempts to finish roasting Einswine--ugh. But it’s hard to hit a moving target despite his bulk. He’s fast, and he slows down the shaking effect so that he can skedaddle out of the way of the line of fire.

Phanias, fed up with being a sitting duck, er, cat, pounces with a scream, and Einswine runs full tilt at him. while shaking the platform so that Phanias leaps...

Off the platform.

For one heart-stopping, tension-electrifying, slow and agonizing moment, Phanias is a golden figurine, suspended in air...and then plummets to the ground.

A collective gasp from the audience.

The announcer shouts, "Phanias fell! He is out of the tournament!"

Conjuring up a powerful wind, Thanatos breaks Phanias’ fall, blowing him safely to the ground. But the damage is done, and Burni now has to carry the entire team.

The announcer warbles, "Burni will have to use double the firepower to beat these two. Unfortunately for Einswine, Burni can fly! The efficacy of Einswine’s Tremor Spell is nil! Demos’ Super Jump will be—"

Demos Super Jumps, quashing whatever the announcer would have said. Vedette’s face is pale under the lights. Clearly, she did not anticipate Demos just jumping, pun intended, on the announcer’s suggestion, not without communication with her.

[Demos! What are you doing?]

That comes from Lightning. She is chewing her nails, or at least that’s how it sounds.

I double team him. [Do you want to leave Einswine to Burni’s tender mercies?]

[Cool the chatter!] Demos soars, his claws outstretched, and lands...

On Burni’s wing!

A screech and a spurt of flame from the dragon. Burni does not know what to think or where to look. Thrashing in the air, Burni tries to dislodge Demos.

[Good show!] Demos looks up imploringly. Encouragingly. [Stay on him, for Primal Beast’s sake! Stay on him! Do not let go!]

I almost can’t look!