Chapter 80a
Chapter 80a
Sog stared at the pages before him. Seven slips of paper, each with notes from the others as well as one from Jazzjak. He had read them each multiple times, and the fact that they all basically had the same point frustrated him.
*****
You played around and didn’t take it seriously. Had you pressed your advantage from the start, I would have most likely lost.
*****
Tanila’s point hit home as he had held back far more than most of them even realized.
*****
It seemed like you were having fun, as if this were a game, and forgot that this was a battle that determines life and death.
***** Sog snorted at Fowl’s assessment, knowing that the dwarf he liked to drink with was absolutely correct. He had seen it as simply something fun to partake in.
*****
You have faced death before and survived. The cost of regaining the strength you lost was tremendous. I wasn’t sure if you’d play around or go all out, but I needed to see how you’d react when chosen first, and against an opponent you should be able to defeat.
*****
Max’s words stung the most. His friend was right. Facing the others in the arena on Igarra’s world should have made him realize this wasn’t a game. Knowing how many Divine Points Max had spent to provide this training area was for this reason alone.
“You going to frown all day, or are you going to say something?” Cordellia asked.
Looking up, the demon saw the six other gods and their helper watching him.
Organizing the papers into a neat pile, Sog nodded. “I messed up and you’re all absolutely correct. I didn’t take this seriously. I’m sorry. Some of the points you all mentioned were really good ones. Take, for instance, Rakonath telling me that I’m too focused on charging head-on.”
“There’s a time for that,” the dragon said, “but part of your problem was you weren’t taking it seriously, so you ran at Tanila even when you knew she was laying traps for you. I think the hardest part in all this is that we cannot judge our opponent by how they look or what we think they can do.”
“Yeah… I get that,” Sog replied. “Still… I’m sorry I let you all down.”
Max chuckled and it made the demon look at his friend, who was shaking his head.
“You didn’t let us down,” Max stated. “Part of this was for everyone here to learn from that fight. If you haven’t realized it yet, I’ve watched all the others write down a few things for themselves, even Fowl.”
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“Hey… that seems like you’re saying I don’t write down things that often,” their dwarven warrior replied. “I’ll have you know I keep meticulous notes on my beer crafting.”
A snort came from Batrire, who nodded in apparent agreement.
“I guess the real question I have is when do I get another turn?” Sog asked. “I mean, I feel like I need to prove myself.”
Max motioned to Jazzjak, who tapped on his tablet, pulling up a list for everyone to see.
***
Arena Matches
Sog vs Tanila - Winner Tanila
Rakonath vs Batrire -
Cordellia vs Fowl -
Sog vs Max
Tanila vs Cordellia
Fowl vs Rakonath
…
***
Dozens of fights were listed out and a few grunts and whistles came from those around the table.
“Wait… why do I have to fight Rakonath?” Batrire asked. “I mean… he’s a dragon and I’m a healer? How is that fair?”
Sog felt a twinge of sadness for the group's healer but immediately sensed he knew why Max was doing this.
“Arena matches aren’t fair,” Max replied, his face harder than usual. “When we reach past the sixth tier and are fighting on worlds and have gods invading our homes, we’ll not get to blueberry-pick who we fight. Whatever you’re faced against, you’ll have to find a way to survive.”
“But a dragon,” Fowl muttered. “That’s like putting one of us against a Void god, or–”
“And then what will you do?” Max replied, cutting him off. “Lie down? Quit? Give up? Or will you do whatever you can to try and win or hold them off until help might arrive?”
Sog watched the others at the table all grimace and frown, realizing how painful and hard Max was about to make it for them.
“I get it,” Sog said in that quiet moment. “I had heard the stories of how you all trained back in that other place on your world. Fowl told me about when Max and Tanila had to fight and how hard that first match was between the two of you.”
Sighing, the demon tapped one of his sharp nails against the table. “Getting my arse handed to me because I wasn’t being serious was… is a bit humbling. Each of you is right. I need to not hold back any longer. I mean, you can all complain about who you’re facing, but I’m looking forward to when I fight Max. Do I expect to win? No… but you can bet every Divine Point you have that I’m going to give everything I have this next time.”
He watched as Max smiled, nodding once at him.
“That’s… what I’m looking for,” their bald friend said. “That right there. I don’t care if you win or lose; what I care about is that you don’t hold back. I want you to cheat. I want you to take a pound of flesh whenever you can. The only way we’ll survive is if we show every other god out there, we’re not going to let them walk over us.”
A fire stirred in Sog’s chest. Max’s words were kindling something he hadn’t felt in a long time.
I guess I’ll have to let go when Max and I finally face off.