Volume 4, Chapter 5 – The Tournament. Qualification
Uyana and I got off the train and walked along the paths between the tents, where fighters from all over the world were gathering. I couldn't close my mouth at the scale of this event — I thought it would be a Colosseum and that's it. But instead, a whole festival had assembled, like a state holiday or a concert of popular artists. The warriors were so different from each other that I couldn't even imagine people dressing like this here. It looked like a flash mob.
Painted armor, strange helmets, someone in a costume holding a five-meter sword, someone dressed like a king but with a prop crown, fighters in just shorts and T-shirts with daggers, towering mountain-like men clad in steel from all sides, holding hammers as if to drive the entire pyramid into the ground.
And after a couple of minutes of wandering between the tents, collecting decibels from the participants' conversations, we approached the registration desk.
A tired girl sat there, quite young — maybe twenty — yawning, sipping water, and smoking a cigarette.
"Name and which state," she yawned, setting her cigarette in the ashtray.
"Seraphim. Democracy of Silence," I answered calmly, stepping under the registration awning.
"The second one already... What is this state?! Well, whatever, what do I care," she yawned and handed me a slip with my name and origin. "Go to the qualifiers."
The girl finished with me and looked at Uyana.
"Name and which state," the Girl asked monotonously.
"Victoria. Democracy of Silence," Uyana answered calmly.
The girl nearly rolled her eyes.
"I see. Go to the qualifiers," she held out a slip to Uyana too.
And I stood there thinking. (The second one? So who was the first to come from my country?)
(Who knows about the Democracy of Silence, can get to the tournament quickly, and isn't afraid to name themselves from that state? It must be someone fearless — and if they're from the ordinary world, clearly a psychopath. Considering how the states of this world reacted to the official creation of the country — rejections and declarations of war. Rekhilon being the exception. But who is it...)
I stood there thinking while Uyana surveyed the tent field.
"Isn't that..."
"Not now," I thought, trying to figure out who this person was and whether they were dangerous.
"Seraphim!"
"Wait a second."
"Seraphim!" Uyana slapped me across the face and knocked out a tooth again.
"Huh?" (That hurt.)
"Isn't.
that yours?" she pointed at a guy in black-and-white striped clothing, with a beret and a red scarf, holding a baguette and a rapier.
He was beating a huge brute with the baguette across the face, bouncing off him, knocking out three others, and throwing the baguette into the fourth'sHe face — then immediately swung his rapier, destroying a tent, and taking its poles, chained two more with clothing to the trees.
"Looks like mine..." I watched in shock as Lelik had his fun.
"Lelik!" I shouted turned, stopping his baguette assault on the brute's helmet.
"COMMANDER!" he shouted, kicking the brute unconscious, and ran — literally destroying every tent in his path like ribbons at a marathon.
A Guard walked up to us.
"Violations. Assault, destruction—"
Uyana put two gold coins in his pocket.
"Ah... It was just a regular training session. All the best," the Guard spun around and walked off.
I looked at Lelik and couldn't understand. How? How did he get here — doesn't CUB send him on operations? And why do we always meet in the strangest moments, especially since he always appears epically — like the wyvern incident in Rekhilon, or that clearing after the forest where he beat up syndicate agents.
But... God. I love his unpredictability so much. The fact that you can see him at the strangest moments. It deflates all the pathos of this flash mob — especially when he knocked out six people with a BAGUETTE. Is his baguette made of steel?
"Hoo-oh. Glad to see you, Lelik," I sighed — but Lelik was already in position, his hand behind his back, extending his baguette one-handed, pointing it at Uyana, who also had a BAGUETTE. (Does he print them?)
"Huh?"
And they began their duel — moving in a line, forward and back, lunging, blocking. A regular baguette duel.
Uyana knocked the baguette from Lelik's hand — and he instantly fell onto his hands, rolled, and pushed Uyana away, and while she stepped back, he swept her leg, which she jumped over — and Lelik, in the lying position, swung his leg, knocking out her baguette, then jumped back, adjusting his long mustache on his white-as-plaster face — and began a mime routine mocking Uyana.
An emerald sword appeared in Uyana's hand — like the one I'd broken. Lelik pointed his rapier at her, but wrapped (unable to cut anything).
A crowd began gathering to watch the fight, and I stood with my mouth open but also very interested in who would win.
"That's illegal..." the Guard said, walking up to me and watching the fight with as much interest as I was.
Without looking, I reached into my pouch, pulled out a gold Euro coin, and shoved it into his pocket.
"A training bout," I added, having memorized Uyana's wording and tactics.
And so the second round began.
Uyana vanished, appearing behind Lelik — and instantly taking a foot to the face. (Crowd: Ooooh.) Lelik made a sharp horizontal strike behind him, catching a heel to the face (OOOOOH), and Uyana vanished and flew from the sky, aiming for Lelik's head.
Lelik stood in front of the crowd and mimed a wall above him, then quickly pulled an invisible rope, moving himself out of the strike zone (Hahaha). Uyana vanished and rammed her elbow into Lelik's stomach at the same speed (Ooooh). He caught her by the neck and began kneeing her stomach — and Uyana vanished, grabbing his neck from behind — and Lelik vanished too, making her stumble forward, then reappearing in the same spot and kicking her away. He turned back to the thousand-strong crowd and began entertaining them with tricks and baguette juggling.
Uyana appeared out of thin air next to me.
"An interesting character..."
"Yeah..."
And Lelik continued entertaining the crowd — and at the end began handing out autographs in French, signing "The True Frenchman from the Democracy of Silence" in their language.
(Lelik is Lelik... It's all so Lelik-like...)
"Alright. Let's leave him here. Let's go to the qualifiers," I suggested, and Uyana and I headed toward the massive pyramid.
Inside, multi-level empty stands rose upward, shrinking with each floor — until at the very top there was only one seat.
In the center of the pyramid stood a man, some kind of mannequin, and a line.
We joined the line. And while we stood, I managed to figure out what the mannequin was. It was a measurement of the strongest strike — to immediately sort participants into equal groups for sparring.
Uyana and I advanced in line. Inside the pyramid it was cool, with a strong wind blowing from above, cooling all the sweaty participants in their gear.
"Will the mannequin break if I hit it with the rapier?" I asked Uyana over my shoulder.
"Presumably. If you could strip the magic from my hand and my sword, a magical object would hardly withstand it..." Uyana explained. "And if I were you, I'd watch that rapier — because when people find out that it—" she leaned in and started whispering in my ear, "—that it can cut anything, they might start hunting you like they hunt your subordinate. By the rates — well, I think just the rapier is a couple thousand gold, with you dead — five thousand, alive — ten thousand, and alive and whole — I'd say up to twenty thousand."
(I see... Headhunters from states and syndicates — or is there only one syndicate in this world? And what do I do? Handing out the state's strategic weapon is too much — even Lelik fought the crowd with a wrapped rapier, and the fact that he cut through a tent — any sword can do that. So I need to think — definitely not use the rapier. What do I do...)
"Next!" the Man at the mannequin shouted.
I looked around and didn't notice that the next one... was me. And I hadn't thought of anything. What do I do?
"Name!" the Man continued.
(Alright, just... I'll probably punch it.)
"Here," Uyana whispered, handing me the emerald sword.
"And you?" I asked. — (Man: NAME!)
"I have a ruby one too."
I nodded.
"My name is Seraphim," I stood before the mannequin.
"Well, finally! Woke up. Give me your strongest strike and the slip from registration."
I handed him the slip.
"Oh, wait. I hope you're not planning to cut the mannequin in half?" he asked, seeing which state I represented.
(I see... Looks like I overestimated Lelik.)
"No, I won't."
"Well, hit it then."
I swung and thought. (How many mages are here? If I turn on magic, will my strike be stronger?)
"How many mages are here?" I turned to Uyana, and the whole crowd sighed, saying "Oh, Archon" [like our "Oh, Lord/God"].
Uyana looked around.
"One. Me. Outside — twenty."
(So I can use my aura — the twenty mages won't see who used it, and they won't start worshipping me.)
I closed my eyes, and Uyana did too.
(I am a mage!) — I believed.
[The aura flooded the entire pyramid with thick dark-blue glow.]
STRIKE!
"YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T BREAK IT!" the Man shouted.
I opened my eyes and looked — smoke was rising from one half of the mannequin, and the other burned with a quiet blue flame.
(I am not a mage!) — I believed.
"Oops! Sorry," I smiled.
"Here, take your slip," he shoved a slip at me with the rank "S." "And now a technical break — half an hour." — And the whole crowd walked off in shock and anger that they were forced to wait again while the mannequin was repaired.
Uyana rose from her knees and looked at me. She wanted to say something but decided to stay silent, and together with me, amid the crowd's displeasure and shock, headed toward the exit — where twenty people with fear on their faces ran toward us. They questioned the crowd about the "strangeness." And they, in turn, pointed fingers at the two strange ones — namely me and Lelik. And I, as a good Commander, dumped all the mages on Lelik, saying he taught me to strike like that.
Lelik's face at that moment was something else. When twenty mages surrounded him, trying to ask about the power he was hiding. And, of course, Lelik, to avoid talking, simply vanished.
(Is it bad that I dumped it all on Lelik? I don't know... But he can just disappear, and the mages will go about their business with the memory of this flash, while I can't do that — and I really don't want to have a conversation with twenty mages. I just wanted to check whether this aura amplifies my strikes — and yes! It does. I cut a magical measuring device in half with a sword. Maybe this aura works as an area buff, and those same Abrams could fire some kind of empowered rounds?)
And if it works that way, then I could become someone who doesn't depend on his officers — but someone who can influence their protection, which would mean I wouldn't have to worry about them so much. Because if ordinary rounds in the aura can pierce any magic defense, then no one will want to attack the officers — or the entire Democracy of Silence. And if we use M-BOPS, that would probably amplify it even more...
I walked past the tents with the sun in my face, thinking about this.
(If this aura really can become something that protects my officers outside the Democracy of Silence, then it can be used and experimented with. But I definitely can't use the rapier with this aura — it's like grabbing red-hot metal without gloves. I understood that from Uyana's reaction to the rapier.)
"What are you thinking about?" Uyana tapped my shoulder.
"Huh?" — I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at her. "You know... Thank you."
"For what?"
I stopped in the middle of the tents, surrounded by a hundred flash-mobbers, and looked into Uyana's emerald eyes. Her hair easily slipped from behind her ear, and she calmly put it back, looking at me impassively with a cold gaze... Just like Aviana... But that one.
"And what about me?" Aviana asked.
I flinched — Uyana pointed her sword at her, but Aviana didn't even flinch, hands behind her back, perfect posture. Gleaming in her white jacket with red sleeves and gold trim. In a white skirt and black stockings, she looked at Uyana and me, head tilted on her shoulder.
And suddenly ten flash-mobbers drew their swords, surrounding Aviana. And, by the way, six of them were the ones Lelik had beaten — maybe their scuffle came from their past acquaintance at the clearing. But why had Uyana only pointed out Lelik to me, not her own people? How does she even run her business... Syndicate business?!... Can you even say that about syndicate affairs?
"Tell them to stand down," I said to Uyana, a little offended that she'd decided to hide a whole organized crime group right here.
Uyana nodded, and everyone dispersed, slipping back into their roles as "ordinary participants."
I looked at Uyana but decided to hold off on the conversation — I wanted to find out what Aviana was doing here.
I turned my gaze back to cold Aviana.
She stood across from me with a calm face and slowly drew a pistol from a holster under her skirt and began raising it to her temple — and I couldn't do anything, only watch. I couldn't even make a sound. She looked at me. Click... Shot. But she didn't fall — blood poured from her head, streaming onto her snow-white jacket and slowly dripping to the ground while everyone around celebrated and noticed nothing — as if a piece of Aviana's brains had fallen at someone's feet. Her eyes began to fill with blood and fell out.
"Seraphim!" Uyana knocked out my tooth.
I blinked rapidly — and before me stood a living Aviana, and nothing had happened.
(What was that...)
"PTSD," Aviana concluded.
"W-why?" I spat out another tooth and paled, hearing Aviana speak.
"Because. You have a memory of me dying... But I don't recall such a thing," Aviana clarified coldly.
"Do you know each other?" Uyana asked.
"Yes... This is my officer," I said quietly, cautiously.
"I won't linger. CUB has launched Operation 'Bread and Circuses.' All available officers are going to the tournament, and a hundred Yellows in soldier bodies," Aviana explained and quickly walked toward the registration desk.
(I see... Apparently, CUB realized that since I reacted positively to Lelik in an operation where I was supposed to be alone, they needed to dump everyone here. But that doesn't matter now. So much has already changed. And this meeting with Aviana finally changed everything.)
I felt a hand at my face — and my tooth reappeared.
"Thanks..."
"You're welcome."
"I wanted to say," — I looked at Uyana, — "but first: why did you hide your people?"
"That's me. I don't talk about my agents," she parried, crossing her arms and hiding them in her sleeves, watching the participants walk through the tent camp, enjoying the event.
I was glad and smiled. (She didn't lie — she really stayed herself. I was truly wrong when I called her a fanatic.)
"Gentlemen," a piercing voice rang out. "I ask everyone to form two lines. For inspection. Immediately!"
I looked around in fright — I saw no one.
"Who's that?" I asked, frightened.
"Archmages," Uyana said through gritted teeth.
And all the participants reluctantly, with grumbling, began forming lines — and before them stood two Archmages, to whom all the faithful bowed and passed prayers, asking them to relay them to their Archons.
These Archmages looked specific. One was dressed in black clothing with very wide corners on the shoulders of his mantle, covering his entire body down to his feet — the fabric had many patterns that shimmered and flowed from top to bottom, and the sleeves were so huge that I could fit entirely inside, especially noticeable when he raised his hand forward, beckoning a new participant.
The second was a woman with a fox mask and long red hair covering her entire back. Dressed in a red mantle cinched at the waist with a wide ruby belt. On her feet — high titanium boots, probably weighing two hundred kilograms each.
They looked exactly like everyone else here. (Strange, with their own style. Why is Uyana trembling so much?)
I walked up to Uyana, who had already joined the line.
"What's so special about them?" I asked.
"Can't you feel their power coursing through your veins?" Uyana tried to calm herself.
"No."
"Madam. The Archmages are asking everyone to repeat the phrase: 'My wisdom — raise your hand' and then they're released," an Agent reported and headed back to the tents.
(What... Are they... Looking for me? Is it because of my aura? If I say that, he'll obey. But what do I do? I can't run away.)
Smack.
"Ow!" — I spat out a tooth. (How does she knock them out so easily?)
Smack.
"Th-that's enough," I spat out another tooth, rivers of blood streaming down my chin.
Smack.
"WH-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" — I spat out another tooth.
"For your own safety," she parried, wiping her bloodied knuckle on her skirt.
Poof.
My bleeding stopped, and all the places where teeth had been — regrew.
"I'd also suggest cutting the places where teeth are missing with the rapier," Uyana said, fully calmed and in control of her emotions.
"WHAAAT?!" — I opened my mouth, gaping with a hole the size of a chocolate bar you could just shove in without even breaking teeth.
"I doubt they're idiots and won't heal your teeth for that action," she added.
"Guys. I don't know what kind of mating games you have going on, but this smells like BDSM," a participant in line decided to chime in.
"MOUTH! (Me: MPH!)" — Uyana and I snapped at the guy in unison — and then two Clowns pulled him out of line, and he came back without teeth, and the clowns winked at Uyana.
"I c'n do the thing—"
"No choice. You have three minutes to think. Until your turn comes," she finished, not letting me get a word in.
And the lines were indeed moving — I could already hear the Archmages' voices. (I can't even ask her to heal my teeth for a second so I can ask why I can't just bow to them. But if they're looking for me — why? What will they do? Archmages are basically just "fathers in the church.")
(A thousand Archmages worship me. But if I reveal myself now, it'll be an announcement to the entire planet, among people from all states — and then the tournament might simply not happen because of twenty mages bowing before me and two Archmages following on my heels. But what do I do? The line is inexorably moving — I can clearly hear the bassy voice of the man and the very squeaky, almost childlike voice of the girl. What do I do...)
(What do I do...)
I started "biting" my nails — but I had nothing to bite with. (What to do...)
(Wait. If I'm not mistaken, Operation "Oh God, Villain!" is currently underway — with the sheep on the Boeing and the Archmage. Maybe I could ask CUB to deploy the Archmage here to calm his friends' ardor. But how do I summon one of them and ask them to explain what's needed? What to do?! What to do!)
Panic grew from my desperation. I'd already found a way to solve everything — but I was toothless. I couldn't even pronounce the summon of Lelik and ask him to deploy Clarence to the ground...
I sharply pulled Uyana down and pulled out the pistol, frantically writing — first in French from stress, I'd literally forgotten the language I learned for a second, then started writing.
"Shout. Lelik. Clarence. Here!!!!!!" — and jabbed hard at it and at her mouth.
"LELIK! BRING CLARENCE HERE!!" she shouted at the whole line, and everyone turned.
"Ooooh! Yes! We need him here! He's that eccentric and st—" some new smart-ass didn't finish before Lelik's foot hit the back of his head.
"Yo! Boss, why're you toothless!"
I, trembling, ran up and jabbed at the ground.
"Yeah, boss, I already dropped him from the plane. Seven minutes to fly, and, by the way, it's kinda cold and there's not much air up there — well, don't worry, COMMANDER! He's an Archmage, plus he's been dead for ages anyway!" Lelik answered cheerfully in his "French costume."
I tried to step out and go to the back of the line, but a special forces soldier in chrome chainmail with a case appeared before my face.
(Oh God! He probably can't be bribed with gold. What do I do — a minute before my turn, and I've got a Ruman special forces soldier in front of me, clearly watching to make sure people don't leave the line or run away.)
I sighed and whistled. (I'll have to think of something and believe that I'm not a mage and I'm not an Archon! Maybe if I don't believe I'm an Archon, it'll work like the magic toggle? But I don't believe it and don't take the Archon thing seriously anyway... But what do I do... Why did they decide to knock out all my teeth right now and leave me in this state!)
I just crawled through the line joylessly. (I don't want to confess to two Archmages and twenty mages that I'm an Archon. What will happen then?)
(Probably: they'll bow their heads, all the participants will learn about this novelty, and a bunch of new forces will appear — those glad to see a new Archon in their foundations, and those absolutely unhappy that an Archon appeared and is breaking the old orders of the three pillars. They might declare war on the Democracy of Silence — and since all the officers are here, they might try to attack them too, which could expose everyone I've been trying to protect. The Archmages probably won't just let me go. If it were their familiar, well-known Archmage, they might bow and leave — but they'll see I'm new, and then they might start asking questions or doing something worse if they're as crafty as Uyana. Bowing a thousand dead Archmages is one thing — bowing two living ones, constantly integrated into society, is another... What do I do...)
And then... Before my eyes appeared huge steel boots.
"Lift your head, dearest!" the Archmagi squeaked.
I slowly lifted my head.
"Repeat after me. My wisdom — raise your hand," she asked.
I looked at her face — but there was only a fox mask, cinched with a thick red belt, covered by scarlet hair.
"Mah wisd—"
"Oh, my Archon Azuy. What misfortune has befallen you?" she slowly extended her hand, her sleeves flowing down, freeing a warm hand.
I got scared that she wanted to heal my teeth — and Clarence was still five minutes away — and stepped back.
"Don't be afraid... I follow the wisdom of Azuy, and I will help you," she took a step toward me — and it felt like the whole world shuddered under her boots.
(If I say those words now, everything will be ruined. Then there's only one option left.)
Snap — the cloth flew off the rapier, and I pointed it at the Archmagi.
The Archmage looked at me in surprise, thinking I was crazy — and the Archmagi stepped back, tilting her head onto her shoulder, and every step she took made me shake like a five-point earthquake.