“How did I miss the kid!?” Zack shrieked as we watched Leo seemingly appear from nowhere.

He leaned down to Weis and whispered something to him. Which turned his excited face into a more of a grumpy look.

I slowly lowered my weapons and looked them over a bit.

“Everyone cahlm down, playse! it was just a misunderstanding!” Elizabeth cried out to Zack.

Who slowly stepped down toward her, like he was descending down a staircase on air. Fire still rotating around his hand. I looked over to Weis and Leo. He seemed to have tamed the beast. Weis was looking bored and agitated. And was grumbling something in japanese.

“What do you mean misunderstanding!?” Zack yelled. “Did Mr.Anime not try and fillet my sidekick!"

And there he goes calling me a sidekick again..

“He won’t attack again.” Leo called out to us. “Besides, none of us have attacked either. Nor has anyone struggled out of the pathetic vines you made.”

I guess he had a point there. Everyone was pretty calm, even Weis.

“Excuse me charmander!?” Zack roared.

“I believe you.” I called and quickly jogged over to them.

“Are you insulting the mighty wizard!?” Zack hollered as he dropped down in front of Leo.

Bean turned and gave Leo a similar glare.

“You know, your breath is almost as bad as your goblins. So I suggest you move before I make you move.” Leo bellowed back as he glared at Zack.

But Zack didn't move an inch. I saw Leo lift his hand, and I could see the rugged draconic scales begin to form on his arm.

“You wanna go barney!?” Zack roared.

Crap! I needed to stop this!

I quickly dashed over and slid in between them just in time. Leo's reptilian claws slammed into my shield. Wisps of steam rose from his fist as he glared at Zack.

“Let’s just calm down, alright?”

I grunted as I looked back into Leo's eyes.

He looked astonished for a moment. Staring back into my eyes. Then, he quickly pulled his hand back and turned around.

“Whatever.” He huffed.

“Oh no we're not do-!”

I swiftly turned around and yanked Zack's hair.

"The hell are you-!”

Blue sparkles appeared around his face for a moment. Then Clank! He fell face first onto the ground as I summoned the heaviest helmet I could think of over his face.

Zack flailed around as he desperately tried to yank the helmet off. The idiot wasn't even looking for the latch lock..

The vines suddenly vanished from around everyone. Retreating back into the ground.

“So I take it your here for a sparring match?" I asked.

The girls stood up and stretched. Isabella looked rather annoyed, while Elizabeth had a chipper smile still on her face. While Weislung just looked pissed off.

“Fune ni modorimasu. Itsu tatakaeru ka oshietekudasai.” Weis grunted to Leo.

“Hai.” Leo replied.

“yup! We ool ready challanged a few othas. So you’re next on the leest.”

“Ahhh! I’m gonna kill you!” Zack roared.

I looked over and he had vines and Bean trying to help rip the helmet off.

“How can I say for sure I’m not gonna die? There’s always the chance I won’t be regenerated.” I replied, ignoring Zack's threat.

“We have a working deal with those goddesses. Guaranteeing a regeneration after the match.” Isabella spoke up.

“No offense, but am I supposed to just take your word for it?” I asked as I crossed my arms.

“You don’t have to. If you check your book, there should be a note inside of it for this specific challenge.”

I raised my brow, and held out my hand. I swear, everyone is in such a hurry to kill each other…

I sighed and focused on the book. The blue flares appeared around my hand as my book formed. I quickly opened it up and found a letter with a red stamp seal inside the front page. I hesitantly grabbed the letter and opened it up.

Yup, everything they just said was true. Just like Zack they got permission to kill me. How does that even work!? Am I the only one who dosen't have the goddesses on speed dial!?

I looked up at the two of them. Both giving me a prideful smirk. They were clever. They could see exactly how I work, and account for it. And the most I'll gain is how they work. And they still have all the other swordsmen info. I needed to use this leverage as a way to get more info.

Clearly this tournament had to be something serious.

“Alright, I’ll agree to the match. On one condition.”

Isabella raised a brow.

“And what might that be?”

“I want you all to share the info you have about the other swordsman.”

“Sure!” Elizabeth chimed.

“No way!” Isabella said in unison with Elizabeth.

“Look, you came here out of the blue and attacked me, and my city. Then expect to get three death rounds out of me? For essentially nothing? No way.”

“And what’s stopping us from just fighting you right now?” Isabella huffed crossing her arms.

“Aha!” I heard Zack cheer and pant as he threw my helmet off.

“Well for one, I could just hold back. Remember I’m just a sidekick. Zack would totally over take the battle, and your whole goal for scoping me out would be for nothing.”

“There’s also the fact that we have the legendary Jack frost on speed dial.” Zack said with a laugh. “See were kind of Arthurs favorites. So I know he will be delighted to help us out."

“Wow, you're not trying to kill me? I’m surprised.” I chuckled.

“Shut up.” Zack snapped.

I could see the panic slowly rise on Isabella's face. But what threw me off was the focus on Elizabeth's face. She seemed like she was analyzing me. What was it that Leo called her? The Siren? I needed to look into that later...

“Y-your bluffing..” Isabella stammered out.

“No he’s not. I met him myself, he seems like he’s their handler. When I was chasing the knight he was always right on my tail. I wouldn't be surprised if he was watching us right now. You're better off agreeing to the terms. It's not like you have a lot of info in the first place."

“Shut up! He doesn't know that!” Isabella roared.

“He does now..” Leo muttered.

Isabella looked over to me and frantically looked back to Leo.

“Ppfft this is a cakewalk! You don’t even have to win for the information!” Zack chuckcled.

I could see Isabella's eyes get wide. Then she got a devilish smirk onto her face. Crap, I should've put a helmet within a helmet on him…

“Then I wager that you get more information per win. you can beat us all, you win all the information.” Isabella hummed.

“Oh! That sounds loike fun!” Elizabeth cheered.

I face palmed.

“You just had to say something didn’t you!?” I grumbled.

“Maybe next time you won’t. I don’t know, summon a damn death trap on my head!”

“This info could help us both you idiot!” I yelled back.

“I’m sorry, maybe I could’ve thought of that if I wasn’t dropped to the ground!"

Then we both started yelling at each other. I was so mad! These guys have way more experience fighting gifted! All I've done is fight petty thugs! How the heck was I gonna win!?

“Oye! Boys!” I heard Elizabeth yell.

We both stopped and turned toward her.

“Is it a deal? Knight?” Isabella asked.

I growled a bit at Zack, who just stuck his tongue out at me.

“Yeah, it’s a deal.” I huffed.

“Great! waell come on aboahd the Floyin Dutchman!” Elizabeth cheered.

….

“Ya know, I don’t think we’ve ever been on a boat before.” Zack chimed as we both stared in awe at the deep blue sea.

It was weird. I’d seen the ocean hundreds and hundreds of times before. But It was a whole different experience on a boat! It was like we were one with the waves everytime the boat swayed.

“Does my trash raft count?" I laughed.

"Oh yeah! When we tried to go down the river with Annual!" He chuckled. "She was so mad at you!"

We both just started laughing at the memory. And this time around, it just felt good to laugh. To remember her.

I turned back around to everyone else. Weis was on the deck with us making sushi from scratch. He looked way too excited making it. While Isabella just leaned against the railing texting someone. And leo laid on the floor.

Then there was the warm and cheerful Elizabeth happily skipping over to us.

Then I felt a shiver run down my spine as I glanced over to an empty steering wheel.

"Elizabeth! Aren't you supposed to be steering!?" I yelped in a panic.

She just chuckled and shook her head.

“Don't worry about' that. Oy just physically steeuh faw funsees. Oy can control this ship weeth my moind. Even whaen Oy'm flyen it.” She said proudly.

I wonder..

“Really? That’s super cool, can you control everything on the ship?" I asked curiously.

Maybe I can trick her into talking about her powers.

“Well nao, just the theengs built into the shiiep! Oy even cawntrol the cannons and the ammuneetion. Buh' Oy cahn only load the ammuneetion intao the cannons faw some raysawn."

"That's a really cool ability still. Is your power just control of your ship? I noticed you were like flying earlier." I asked.

"yeah, Oy cahn floy and-" She stopped mid sentence, and gave me a smirk. "Oy say whaht yoah doin."

“Did you finally catch on parrot for brains?” Leo called out from the floor behind us.

Elizabeth huffed.

“lets chuynge the topic than Mr.smahty pants. Tell me about yourself. Loike what's yoah favorite colah?”She asked sitting down criss cross in front of me.

I followed suit and sat down across from her.

“I like the color blue, it's always been my favorite.” I hummed turning back at the sea.

“ I like the color red, the color of fire baby!” Zack cheered.

He shot up using his fire and landed on the railing. What a show off...

“ Oy loike the colah orange, it's bright and excitin loike autumn layves.”She hummed as she pulled her legs in and hugged them.

I stared a bit at her. She was so cute, like an innocent little puppy.

“So what compelled you to go out at sea?” Zack asked.

“Well Oy didn't have much of a home t' begin weeth raylly“” She sighed looking down to her knees.

“What do you mean? If you don't mind me asking.” I sounded a lot more worried than I intended.

It just bothered me alot. Seeing her happy go lucky smile just fade away like that. It was wrong.

“Nao it's foine, moy fymily is just raylly poor back home is all. Oy want to' change that faw them.”

She spoke now in a much softer tone. I could tell something heavy was on her mind, I didn't think she was telling the full story. I needed to say something. So I started to speak the first thing that came into my head.

“ My mom died when I was younger. I stupidly ran in and fought a guy who was trying to attack this girl, and ended up getting my mom shot in the process. So I understand if you don't want to relive the past. We all have things that scar us. But those scars are just battle wounds that prove that we can survive. I'm sorry If this seems a bit sudden and all, but I think you have a great smile and I'd like for you to keep it.” I unconsciously was talking now, I wish I would have shut up sooner.

Come on Stryder! You have a great smile? She's probably gonna think you're flirting!

Zack looked at me like I just spilt the beans or something. Elizabeth didn't look at me still, but she was definitely blushing. Oh crap Luxs advice on girls was lies!

‘Say the first thing that comes to mind Stryder.’ Girls like honesty Stryder’.

“Thank yah. Oy appreciate an honest man” She chimed as she leaned over and kissed my cheek.

The voices in my mind went quiet. And I couldn't think straight. I was definitely blushing. She gave me a smile, and I smiled back at her.

“W-well you have my mom and my sister to thank for that.” I chuckled.

“Wow, Stryder you didn't scare a girl away on the first conversation, you've really leveled up!” Zack laughed out on the railing.

Elizabeth joined in and started laughing herself. I rolled my eyes and turned to see Zack. Laughing so hard that he fell back off the railing. Towards the ocean.

"Ah! Stryder! Help!" He yelped as he fell off.

I quickly summoned a chain and sickle and attached it to the railing. Then I quickly leaped off and grabbed his ankle just in time.

"Ah my hero.."

"Can't you walk on air!? Or call for Bean!?" I yelled.

"Huh, didn't think about that.."

“You idiot..” I huffed.

“ Instant karma” Elizabeth joked while laughing from above.