Chapter 163 - 159: Tournament Finals: Bottomsley Sudden Death?

Chapter 163: Chapter 159: Tournament Finals: Bottomsley Sudden Death?

Gussie and Demos square off against Ophion. The playing field just got more interesting. I hadn’t realized that we could TIE House Bottomsley.

[Lobo! How can we tie them?]

He answers as if he’s been thinking about this for years. [It’s a rule that’s not often used, but it seems to be in play now. Someone making things interesting, perhaps?]

I think seriously. [Maybe several someones? If the Mushroom Man and System both arranged it, then this could be a game-changer.]

[The players behind Ophion and Zuba might be allies.]

That’s news to me. [I thought we couldn’t exactly count on them?]

Lobo growls. [Let’s just say System’s influence is waning. Players are starting to wake up. The livestream of this e-sports event has exposed System in a big way. Players are talking. We absolutely can partner with Ophion and Zuba.]

[But Zuba fell off the platform-]

[Haven’t you heard? Times are changing. Turn and face the strange.]

I purr at the David Bowie song lyric quote. [So, Zuba is still in the game?]

[I know. It makes zero sense, but then, so does you waking up while System thinks it has you controlled. The matrix is breaking down. The rules are being rewritten in true digital collaborative fashion. People are taking control.]

This gives me a boost. [Lightning! The rules have changed.]

She rubs up against me, grounding me. [Well, naturally. Try to keep up.]

I’m elated. [Every second. Down to the microsecond. This is revolutionary. This is happening right before our eyes.]

Ophion shoots out and clamps his jaws close to Demos, who rolls off to the side while Gussie gets airborne. Both are going to be hard targets. However, Ophion is determined. Losing Zuba has lit a fire beneath his scaly skin. With dogged determination, he strikes, making several sallies toward Demos and Gussie.

[Stay still, you two!] Ophion’s hiss is full of vexation. [You owe me after what you did to Zuba.]

[All’s fair in love and war!] Demos clamps his paw down on Ophion’s length to trap him, while Gussie pecks closer to the tail.

Hissing and rearing, Ophion shakes them off. He has definitely grown in strength and power over the course of the tournament. His scales have gotten tougher. A thicker snakeskin to withstand the opponents gunning for him. He is one tough python. In a way, it would have been an unfair advantage for Peridot to fight him. She knows his every curve and wriggle, and vice versa.

The announcer calls out, "Ophion is evenly matched against Demos’ bruin might and Gussie’s quick agility. He could easily swallow Gussie, were it not for tournament rules. Crushing Demos would also be feasible. However, there will be no swallowing and no crushing today!"

Lobo woofs. [The announcer’s a trip. Thinks nothing of narrating total brutality.]

I purr in agreement. [It is a beast ELIMINATION tournament. Not a beauty contest.]

Lightning quivers next to me. [But Gussie and Demos could still be hurt.]

Try telling Gussie that. She loops in and out, leading Ophion on a merry chase, a red-and-orange fishing lure or decoy. Because she knows Ophion won’t clip her wings, she’s a daredevil.

[GUSSIE! Be careful!]

Gussie squawks, "You can’t get me, Ophion! URK!"

Ophion’s tail has smacked her, and she goes spinning, a whirlwind spinning. Demos roars and bites Ophion, only to feel the brunt of his tail as well.

The battle snowballs into a free-for-all, with Ophion battling both of them. Impossibly, Gussie recovers and whizzes toward Ophion. She descends on him. Pecking, scratching, never letting up on him. She is fast and furious, and Ophion keeps angling away from her, but she hammers away.

Maybe Ophion will go down. After all, System did say that Lobo and I alone would fight the final battle. Not a word about others fighting alongside us. What would a tie even mean?

[Lobo? Lightning? And by that I mean Damon and Amber.]

Lightning responds quickly. [We know who you mean. What is it?]

[System said that only Lobo and I would fight in the final match. How does a tie with House Bottomsley fit into that?]

A long pause from Lightning. [Maybe System meant that out of all the beasts in our house, you two alone would fight for the fate of the world. After all, System has changed the rules and omitted critical information before.]

Lobo woofs. [Makes sense.]

Gussie flies straight at Ophion and this time...SLAM.

His tail knocks her down. She tumbles to the platform, a leaf in the wind.

All of us in House Riddlehoeven-Lammermoor stop breathing.

Dag’s anguished cry pierces the air. "Get up, Gussie bird!"

Lamant rushes over and picks up valiant Gussie, cradling her. We send Healing Potions, but Gussie barely moves.

"She will be all right," Lamant shouts, and the crowd applauds for brave Gussie. The orb levitates Lamant and Gussie away.

Minette blows them both a kiss, and Kaline’s emotion surges as she calls out, "Well done, Father!" Vedette also waves, regal and dignified.

The announcer is suitably subdued. "5...4...3...2...1...Gussie is out. This means that House Bottomsley and House Riddlehoeven-Lammermoor are automatically tied going into the final round. Checking with the judges to see if whether Demos and Ophion need to fight it out to see if there is a winner."

A collective pause and hush in the room while we await the judges’ verdict.

I nuzzle Lightning. Meanwhile, Finn and Leonie whine, confused. [Is Gussie hurt badly?] Finn looks upset.

Leonie licks him. [She will be fine, brother.]

Dag’s flapping distracts me, but I can smell his distress, and that makes my heart softer. "Gussie! Gussie hurt?"

[She’ll be fine.] I communicate with Dag. [She’s strong.]

He’s inconsolable. I didn’t realize how much he likes Gussie. All their squabbling.

Kasz chastises Dag, telling him to buck up, that Gussie needs him strong, because she is strong. Honestly, Kasz has a point. But Gussie might enjoy Dag fussing over her.

[Don’t listen to Kasz.] I am honest and sincere with Dag. [Fuss over Gussie when you see her.]

[Really, Raar?]

I offer a little "mrrp" of affirmation. [Really. You will see.]

Vedette and Demos eye Martyn and Ophion with skepticism. Martyn’s face seems incapable of looking pleasant, but he at least is neutral.

The announcer calls out, "It’s a tie! The judges have ruled that there is no need for Demos and Ophion to fight each other. Gussie and Zuba have sacrificed for their teams, for their houses. Truly noble and selfless."

Loud applause, and roars and squawks and coos and hisses and all kinds of animal noises honoring Gussie and Zuba and their performance.

The announcer adds over the applause, "A remarkable turn of events! A very rare occurrence in tournament history. It has happened before. But this will be a watershed moment, perhaps."

A bit of System commentary, perhaps? Or commentary from the forces behind the Mushroom Man? Whoever is responsible is right. It is a watershed moment where we fight back against System with new allies.

The announcer concludes, "House Bottomsley and House Riddlehoeven-Lammermoor will face House Milian in tomorrow’s penultimate match! A round of applause for all our champions!"

The platform drops down to the arena floor in record time, but we reach the floor before then. Lightning, the cubs, Dag, and I race down with Kasz, Tomas, and Maartenwitz close on our heels. We swarm Demos and Vedette, cheering for them. Meanwhile, Martyn and Ophion hang back, diffident. Ophion meets Peridot’s jeweled eyes, and Peridot gives a little wriggle. After a beat, Ophion mirrors her. Progress!

Confetti drifts down to commemorate this occasion, and the entire arena applauds as long and hard as possible. Longest sustained applause. Do these NPCs understand what is at stake and that we are on the verge of winning the final battle?

Martyn’s gruff voice reaches Minette, Kaline, Vedette, and Elandior. "It was a well-fought match. Perhaps we may put aside our rivalry."

Demos, Lobo, Peridot, and I approach Ophion. Demos offers an "uff" to break the ice. [Sorry I bit you. It was all part of the game.]

[I didn’t even get to squeeze you. Much.] Ophion’s tongue flicks out lazily. [The bird was the gutsiest among you, except for the tigers. My tail should have flattened her.]

Lobo growls. [Don’t sound so cavalier about that. We are on the same team. You, me, Blaze, and Zuba. Fighting for the same goal.]

I drape a paw around Ophion’s length to show that there are no hard feelings. [One for all and all for one!]

Naturally, I’m borrowing that from The Three Musketeers, but whatever works.

Finn and Leonie hang back, cautious, while Lightning pats Ophion’s coils. Skeptical Demos doesn’t join in, but Einswine nudges Ophion gently with his snout. This is as close to a truce as we can get right now. Minette puts an arm around Martyn Bottomsley.

The announcer calls out, "Clear the field! Everyone get some rest! You will need it!"