With the decision made, Hao, Mentos and Yoad approached the registration booth, where a grizzled man with a scarred face sat behind a wooden counter. The man looked up at them, sizing them up with a critical eye before asking gruffly, "You here to sign up for a death match?"
Hao agreed. "Yes, I want to enter the tournament. I've got Blade Tokens right here…" He placed the bag on the counter, "And my Beast Companion right here…" He gestured to Barkcode.
"Hmm… that animal." The man seemed to have figured out who it belonged to, his eyes drifted to Yoad who he was familiar with. "So you've brought another set of competitors to test your luck. These two even look more pathetic than the last."
"Hmm, what do you mean by that." Mentos was curious, was it a regular thing for the lad to bring fighters here?
Yoad hurriedly intervened, "Don't mind him." Tapping his hand on the counter he continued, "Hey, Gragley hurry and sign my fighter up."
"As you demand runt." The man accepted the necessary items then scanned Barkcode before examining the Blade Tokens.
While he counted the tokens, Hao spoke up. "I'd like to make an additional agreement if I may. If I win my match, I want not only the Blade Tokens but also the Bastian of my defeated opponent."
The scarred man raised an eyebrow but shrugged. "That's a risky wager, but if you're willing to put up your tokens and your own Beast Companion as collateral, I'll allow it."
Hao turned to Yoad, who hesitated before giving a reluctant nod. "Alright," Hao confirmed, "we agree to the terms."
The man made a note of the agreement, and Hao signed his name on the registration sheet. With the formalities completed, the trio found a place to wait for Hao's turn to take part in the tournament.
While waiting, they watched a female fighter and her enormous Bastian dominate the arena. The Bastian was an impressive creature, with the size of a dinosaur and the agility of a cheetah. Its powerful limbs and sharp claws made quick work of their opponents, drawing excited cheers from the bloodthirsty crowd.
"She's Kiera," Yoad said to Hao and Mentos, "One of the best fighters in the Hallows. She usually fights with 3 types of Beast Companions but her main Bastian, the one that you're looking at now is called Maelstrom. It is known to be nearly unbeatable."
Hao's interest was piqued. "Maelstrom, you say? That's the kind of Beast Companion I'm looking for. It would prove quite sufficient to satisfy its thirst." He observed Judgment Day's hilt as he said this. Aiming his focus back to the arena, he listened intently to the sounds of the ongoing battle, feeling the vibrations in the ground and the shifts in the air as the Bastian moved. The sheer power of Maelstrom was evident even to a regular blind person.
Mentos garnered Hao's attention and spoke, "You'll get your chance, my friend. Just stay focused and trust in your skills. Remember, this place is enthralled by death matches. Just listened…"
Rumble!
The deafening roar of the crowd reverberated through the Hallows as they viewed the ongoing battle. Kiera's largest Bastian, Maelstrom, locked its massive jaws around the skull of its opponent.
Crack!
A visceral crunch echoed through the arena, which made the audience cheer wildly. Maelstrom tossed the lifeless body of the defeated creature aside like a ragdoll. The Bastian, with its thick, armoured skin and clawed limbs, not only resembled a monstrous dinosaur but acted just as vicious! It had been brought back to life for the sole purpose of wreaking havoc in the arena.
Boom!
Kiera who was perched atop her mighty steed began brandishing her weapon - the Serpent's Lash, which was a menacing Whip Blade that coiled and slithered like a living creature. With each snap of her wrist, the blade sang ahead, leaving a trail of crimson in its wake as it sliced through the flesh of her opponents. Her eyes glinted with a savage delight. She revelled in the gruesome display of blood and carnage that unfolded before her.
"You damn bitch! You killed one of my Bastians. I'll get you for that." Her opponent, a burly man named Torin, fought valiantly alongside his remaining Bastian. His was a hulking creature with razor-sharp tusks and a thick hide.
"Get him!" Torin's Bastian lunged at Maelstrom with its tusks aimed at its throat, ready to tear through it, however, the nimble dinosaur-like beast dodged the attack, responding with a swift, powerful swipe of its claws that left deep gashes in its opponent's side.
"I'm coming after you wench!" Torin, undeterred by the ferocity of his opponents, swung his double-bladed axe with a mighty roar, attempting to land a hit on Kiera as she rode atop Maelstrom.
"Is that the best you've got?" Kiera took this opportunity to display her exceptional skill and reflexes. She cracked her Serpent's Lash with precision, wrapping it around the shaft of the axe and yanking it from Torin's grip. "Gimme that! Now it's my turn to play!"
Whoosh!
The crowd gasped in astonishment as Kiera launched herself off Maelstrom, she landed on Torin's wounded Bastian with the grace of a predatory cat. With a flick of her wrist, the Serpent's Lash flicked about and severed the tendons in the beast's legs which quickly brought it to its knees.
"No! Don't falter! Get your ass up and fight! We can win this!" Tried all the shouting his mouth could musters, Torin's Bastian collapsed in pain among the sandy surface.
Meanwhile, Kiera leapt back onto Maelstrom, sporting a cruel smile playing on her lips. "Now that your beast has retired that only leaves you, Torin."
"Grr!" Hearing his name being uttered by his most bitter enemy, Torin, now weaponless and with his Bastian severely injured, struggled to maintain his composure. "That slippery bitch. It's that weapon of hers that is being a pain in my ass. I can't get close enough to rip her heart out."
Despite their best efforts, they were no match for Kiera and Maelstrom's brutal onslaught. Torin knew that the battle was all but lost, but he refused to go down without a fight. He charged at Kiera with a primal scream, fists clenched, desperate to land a blow.
"You foolish man, you're wide open." In response, Kiera merely raised an eyebrow and with a casual flick of her Serpent's Lash, sent Torin sprawling to the ground, bloodied and defeated.
"Torin the Beast Ravager is DOWN!" The announcer who was hovering around the arena on his flying sword bellowed the conclusion of the match, his resounding voice echoed through the Hallows as the crowd roared in approval. "And the winner is... Kiera and her unstoppable Bastian, MAELSTROM!"
"Wow, that man's voice is extremely loud." Commented Hao while covering his ear. "He's not even using a voice enhancer."
"That's Dippo for you. He's usually like that." Yoad was used to the loudness present in that place so it didn't really bother him like how it did Hao.
Mentos was also slightly affected by the noise, "With a voice that loud, he could kill someone just by shouting at them."
Kiera's match drew to a close. With her Serpent's Lash coiling around her arm, she dismounted Maelstrom and approached her defeated opponents. She stared coldly at the battered and broken bodies that lay before her. With a casual snap of her fingers, she commanded her beast to collect her winnings - the Blade Tokens and her enemy's Bastian - before sauntering out of the arena.
"Wow."
Hao felt goosebumps rise on his skin as he zoomed in on her fearless struts. The raw power and ferocity of Kiera and Maelstrom were crazy, they left no doubt in his mind that they were a force to be reckoned with. "That woman, she's going to be a challenging opponent. But I want her anyway."
"Hmm?" All of sudden, Kiera sensed a certain gaze stripping her bare, she felt violated and tried to find out who it was staring at her, but alas, her search was proven futile because far too many eyes were trained on her.
"Could she have noticed my vibrations…?" Thought Hao upon noticing the sudden change in the lady's behaviour, "She's one scary chick." He commented.
"Huh?" Seeing the trepidation in his companions, Yoad leaned in and shared, "Kiera is a great fighter. I've seen her lay waste to more opponents than you could possibly imagine. She is by far the highest-rated fighter in the Hallows and might I add, she's also the undefeated champion.
"You mean she has never lost a battle, not once?" Mentos, whose face was pale, clenched his fists and uttered, "With a Bastian like that, it's no wonder she's unbeatable." He began to wonder if Hao could come out alive if he faced her in a duel of Crossblades.
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Rumble!
Cheers from the crowd as it related to the ongoing match taking place in the arena were deafening. Hao, Mentos, and Yoad continued to watch a couple more fights. Each one was as brutal as the last, with competitors giving their all in the sandy battleground.
"That's another bloody one for yah!" Dippo, the announcer who hovered on his sword, provided rowdy commentary and insights into each bout. When the latest victor emerged, battered but triumphant, the raucous crowd fell silent as his voice reverberated through the massive arena.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Beasts Masters and Bastians, welcome to the Hallows, where the strongest warriors come to test their mettle and prove their worth!" The crowd responded in approval as Dippo paused for a moment to let the excitement build.
"Today, we have a special treat for you. A newcomer has entered the fray, and he goes by the name of...Hao Vee!" Dippo gestured to the blindfolded fighter standing in the crowd. "Come on down in the ring if you dare."
Hao knew it was his turn to fight. Mentos leaned in and whispered, "Be careful, Hao. Remember what we discussed."
Yoad chimed in as well, "And please, don't damage Barkcode too much!"
Feeling confident, Hao nodded in response then started heading down the stairs leading to the arena with Barkcode following closely behind him. The sandy floor crunched beneath his feet as the crowd, unfamiliar with him and curious about his blindfold, began to whisper and speculate. Some spectators booed, while others wondered if he was actually blind or just putting on an act. The negative comments piled on as the crowd took in his appearance and the small Bastian he would be fighting with.
"You're not seriously going to fight with that puny thing, are you?" someone in the audience shouted.
"Is he lost? This is no place for blind men and their pathetic pets!" another jeered.
Standing in the centre of the expansive ring, Hao felt the pressure of the crowd's mockery and doubt. He tried to tune them out, focusing on the task ahead and reminding himself that he needed to unsheathe Judgment Day no matter the risk.
Meanwhile, Dippo struggled to find words to properly introduce Hao to the eager crowd. "Some of you may be wondering what he is doing in this ring with such a puny Bastian, maybe he has a death wish!" Settling for mocking the tiny Bastian, Dippo fanned the flames of the audience's disdain.
"That bastard!" Yoad felt a pang of offence upon realizing that they were insulting his Beast Companion.
"But wait, there's more!" With the introduction done, Dippo began to announce Hao's opponent. "His opponent today is none other than the reigning champion of the Hallows, the Beast Master herself, Kiera!" His voice exploded like thunder, revealing a name that was all too familiar to those gathered in the Hallows.
"Kiera!"
"Now that's a woman I want to poke properly." Yelled a man up in age.
"Aren't you afraid that she's too much for you to handle, old man? She might break what's left of you." Said a younger man.
"Nonsense! I might be old but I can still rise to the occasion, if you know what I mean." He winked at the man and cracked a boisterous laughter.
"There she is! She's coming out now! Oh my God, she's so bad!"
The audience screamed as Kiera made her grand entrance into the arena atop her overpowered beast, Maelstrom. The positivity and excitement were tangible contrary to the dry greeting that Hao received; everyone was rooting for her to make quick work of him, who they were all claiming to have little to no chance against her.
"That blindfold youth is in for a world of pain!" Dippo made his thoughts known to the audience, stating that he believed Kiera and her enormous Bastian would undoubtedly be the winners.
Joining her opponent in the centre, Kiera glanced down at Hao, smirking as she assessed him and his Beast Companion. "You really think you can take me on?" she sneered. "I could end your pathetic life without breaking a sweat. This is a waste of my time." She added that Hao's Bastian was small and weak, just like its owner, and that she wouldn't gain much from winning such a paltry sum of Blade Tokens. Nevertheless, she resolved to finish the battle quickly and get it over with.
Kiera yawned and added, "This is going to be boring." She then looked over at Dippo and commanded him to start the match. "I don't have all day to waste." And thus the announcer complied.
Dippo attempted to hype the crowd up for a battle that they all believed would be anything but entertaining before he hollered, "Let the battle begin!"
"This is it. Show them how wrong they are to underestimate you." In the audience, Mentos leaned against the railing, watching with a knowing smile. He believed that Hao would shock them all.
Yoad, however, had a different opinion. "Damn, what was I thinking…?" He now worried that his decision to lend Barkcode to Hao was foolish; he also began to think that Hao stood no chance against Kiera.
Back in the arena, Hao took a fighting stance with his left hand holding the scabbard of Vibe Edge. While everyone else belittled him, he was secretly scanning Maelstrom for any weaknesses using his Vibe Sense. He was already prepared to cut down his formidable foe.
"Hmm, this sensation...?" Kiera suddenly felt a similar feeling to what she had experienced after claiming victory in her previous match. Someone was stripping her bear with their sight; she began to suspect that it might be the young uninteresting fellow in the ring.
"So it's you?" Anger bubbled up within Kiera, fuelling her desire to make the first move. The crowd held their breath as she tensed atop Maelstrom, ready to unleash her devastating attack.
"Here they come." Hao, sensing her intent, tightened his grip on the hilt of Vibe Edge.
Boom!
Kiera wasted no time commanding Maelstrom to rip Hao to shreds. With a deafening roar, the giant Bastian lunged towards him, massive jaws agape. Hao's instincts kicked in, and he narrowly dodged the deadly strike by rolling to the side. CHOMP! The sheer force of Maelstrom's charge, however, was enough to send him crashing against the tall confines of the arena.
As he slowly picked himself up, Hao couldn't help but covet Maelstrom even more, he thought, "It will do just fine for my experiment." If Kiera could see his expression, she would know that he wanted her beast for himself, but this greed of his would not be so easily accomplished. Steeling himself, Hao prepared for the battle that lay ahead.
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
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