Some time earlier that day.

With the first few rounds of group one already concluded, only two participants on their side stood out to me. The first was seemingly a half-giant by the name Krogr, one in whom flaunted raw strength—using his hands only—without a weapon. The other, one in whom was constantly referred to as “Lord” each time the announcer mentioned him, concerned me far more than the former though. A stoutly, grey-haired man adorned in dulled silver and battered armor that had been near the Queen during her speech—Vostoun. I had learned what exactly that title was in reference to shortly after observing his fights.

Name: [Vostoun Caelios]

Rank: [Human]

Level: [57]

Class: [Runic/Templar]

Alignment: [Lawful Neutral]

INFO:

Titles - [Follower of the Twilight],

[General of the Crethian Army]

A surprising appearance, from not only a member of the Caelios family, but of a member of the Twilight Templars. One that aligned themselves with the Church of Evening, but unlike those clergymen that were pacifists, the Templars were thorough and direct in reminding people who the one and only Goddess was. More than anything, in MO, they sought after unabating blasphemers and those of Nephilim lineage—creatures said to have been given form by Celestials. They weren’t particularly too fond of Disians and demi-humans either.

The Caelios really are close with the Crethian royalty of this world it seems. That being said, are you having fun here? A random General participating in a tournament? That’s a bit unfair, I’d say.

From what I had witnessed thus far, his title of General wasn’t just for show either. Wielding a decorative, black and gold-coated Morningstar, he swung the behemoth as if it were a standard flail. And despite his armor being battered, it felt as if it were exactly the opposite of that. It was hard to tell from a distance, but there was definitely something special about it.

Well, even if he makes it to the finals, I don’t plan on fighting him. My only goal here? Two wins, and hopefully nothing more! The fields so far have seemed rather annoying, to say the least.

Vostoun now stood atop the balcony once again, near the Queen’s side as I snuck a peek in his direction. And as if the person far across from me was keeping a constant eye on me, watching my every move, they suddenly spoke up.

“You should learn to focus more on what’s in front of you. Your opponent is me, is it not?”

Across the ever-shifting arena, now with feet submerged in a volatile sand along with myself, stood a man clothed in a rather traditional, martial arts-like outfit with small-framed and dark-shaded glasses.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!! It’s now time for the next round—the next fight—from group two! Unfortunately, with the previous combatant nowhere to be seen, she was disqualified. BUT! Let us not allow such a disappointment to thwart our spirits, our expectations for this next thrilling showdown! We’ve seen many...”

Amid the announcer’s prattling, I decided to refocus my attention on the presence in front of me. Yet, even with the resounding voice of the announcer, I could seemingly hear another voice alongside it some distance away from me.

“This truly does seem to be the case, doesn’t it?”

Hm? Is that him talking? To himself? I don’t see his mouth moving at all though...

In my sudden confusion, another startling event followed. This time, the voice came from a short distance behind me.

“If you’re not Euler, then who might you really be?”

In a jolt and quick turn of my body, I was greeted with emptiness behind me. Yet, the voice had definitely come from nearby. Looking back at the man, he tilted his head, smiling as he continued.

“I was told that man, Euler, had gone missing a short while ago, so we were to work under the assumption that he might have decided to enter into the tournament himself—not making use of a substitute—this time around.”

His mouth remained unmoving in the distance, revealing a foreboding tidbit as his voice was seemingly being dragged by the wind, circling near my ears and myself—and only me. I couldn’t help but dart my eyes around my surroundings, even while nothing was clearly nearby.

Euler is missing...? I was just with him this morning... Unless, does it have something to do with the letter? Did something else happen after?! And...

I immediately became more interested—and cautious—in who this person, Guil, before me was now. I hadn’t seen him prior at the upper eastern halls as he didn’t show up until the start of this very match. Yet, as I attempted to use [Investigate], I was given nothing useful. A status menu hadn’t even appeared.

“But with you here now, that doesn’t seem to be the case after all. Such is the reason I now ask; who are you, how do you know Euler, and do you know where he is currently hiding?”

A series of questions, asked with a cocked head, an unmoving mouth and eerie smile. Yet, before I could even give a thought to any of them, a sudden and familiar shout and an accompanied set of cheers overtook the arena.

“STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAART!!!”

At the announcer’s usual signal, the sand beneath us suddenly trembled—as a dozen sand storms, twisting and obscuring the field replaced the scenery that was once the arena and crowds. Shielding my eyes with my arms and quarterstaff in hand, I was now at a disadvantage. I hadn’t completely prepared, nor could I tell where my opponent was currently.

Dammit! I was too busy focusing on that chatty bastard’s words! But, he’s in a similar situation to me. I don’t know why [Investigate] didn’t work, but just refocus on the fight for now, and—

“My, you have yet to answer me. I may have no orders or reasons to kill you, though, I am in need of answers nonetheless.”

Once again, the voice seemed near me. Even amid the violent and static-like noise blaring from the sandstorms nearby—his voice was clear. And as I turned toward its direction, a strong gust of dense air suddenly hit my already lifted arms, pushing me back slightly.

“I’ll just have to make do with whittling you down for now until I am given what I want. Any time you’re ready, though, feel free to speak.”

Strike after strike of the same attack came from different directions, while all I could do was guard. I decided to attempt to shift his pace as I then shouted back.

“You know! You keep droning on with questions about this, and questions about that, but you haven’t even introduced yourself either! Who the hell are you, and why are you after Euler?!”

Guil's attacks then came to a sudden halt as the whirling winds became the only sound. Shortly after, his voice tickled my eardrums like a faint but isolated whisper.

“Forgive me, you are correct. A lack of manners, one that is quite disgraceful on my part.”

I could only imagine him now bowing amid the sandstorm as he continued.

“I am Guil, a mere Qualm. Nothing less, and certainly nothing more.”

“A Qualm...? What the...”

A sudden scoff was then accompanied by a laugh-like tone from the man.

“Ha. I see. Bred, lived, and guided by ignorance. Is it part of your trade to accept any request without questioning the why? How does it feel being completely in the dark, despite already being involved, hm?”

I could feel bumps form across my skin in response to his following question. I couldn’t completely fathom what he had been implying at. Was Euler involved in far more than I had realized? I could only think such as the man’s voice became louder and faster.

“You’d do well as a Seeker—blind but guided, emotionless yet invested—strung along by the higher echelons, the tips of the poisoned branches, without care! I am but a dedicated Qualm, tasked with killing that man—but that choice is of my own desire, my own form of vengeance! A fitting job given to I, is it not?”

At the end of his nonsensical blather to my ears, the attacks recommenced. The only thing I could gather from what he said, was that Euler was being targeted for whatever reason. Hit after hit, dodges upon slight grazes of contact—I attempted to find out more as I began to ready my counterattack in thought.

“Euler... You said he was missing, right?! He shouldn’t have any reason to run in the first place, given what that letter said!”

The letter was nothing more than a continuation of the first, one that continued to seemingly string Euler and Alisa along. Once again, it had stated that their child would be given to them with upon completing the new condition—make it to the semi-finals of the tournament. An unnatural, weirdly planned out and given request, but their child was involved. All they could do was listen and try to achieve just that.

“Ha. The Phyron family? The same idiotic swine that roll around their muddied sanctuaries—their safe havens paid in blood of the lesser—without a regard to anything but themselves? Ha. It’s only because of them that she was allowed to be freely taken by him!”

It was if I had flipped a switch within him, as a barrage of air bullets attempted to burrow into my entirety.

“If I could kill them too, I would! Yet, I was told not to get too involved! In exchange for bringing that child here, I could do what I wanted with that rodent—Euler! The Phyron family didn’t know a single thing about their whereabouts after all. Ha. They don’t care as much for their daughter, as I do! I was the one that sent that letter!”

“?!”

A frenzied portrayal. Unlike his attacks, his words were blunt and laced with the feeling that everything he was saying was truthful. The man encircling me now, enshrouded by the sandstorms, was at the center of whatever Euler and Alisa were involved in. And he alone was seemingly acting in obsession toward Alisa for whatever reason. Yet, a thought couldn’t help but sneak out as I voiced my question aloud.

“If you’re not with the Phyron family nor were you sent by them, then who...?”

Another scoff whizzed past my ear, as Guil was rather forthcoming in his declaration.

“This is the third time I am expressing who I am, and have yet to learn who you are. I am Guil, a Qualm of the Eboracum. Lest you remain in that ignorance—but even saying this to a nobody means nothing.”

His tone was disgruntled and now shifted from the previous fervor he once held.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! Our apologies! It seems out combatants are on a date rather than having a fight! What a joy, pleasure and gift that they’ve allowed for us as we bear witness to the birth of a new connection! To share in their bridging of unknown grounds—the budding love between two men! What a sight, what a majestic flower this may become! Let’s give them a round of applause, shall we? It’s a festival of trials after all!”

In a roaring stretch, from each side of the arena, cheers and claps commenced. I couldn’t help but feel that this really wasn’t the right timing on the announcer’s part, but either way, it was finally time to initiate my counterattack. Placing my quarterstaff before me, I quickly picked out a handful of spells in succession.

“Can’t say I know where Euler went, nor would I, but I can say this. Whatever reason led you to kidnap someone’s child, to force the parents into fighting for their lives—whether it be for your own gain or someone else’s—I couldn’t care less about that right now!”

At the forming of a newly altered spell, I readied my plan in a swelling of mana. At the start, I couldn’t help but feel a bit half-hearted toward helping Euler. I didn’t know the details, nor did I want to involve myself in something like a tournament either. Yet, from Euler and Alisa’s story, to the now nonsensical confessions of the man that forced them into this mess—I hadn’t the slightest intention on allowing any more harm to be done to that family of three. My goal—my absolute motivation—now?

Let’s put an end to this, Guil. Then, even if I have to beat it out of you some more, I’ll get the answers I want afterwards!

“Casting: [Condensed Force Push]!”

Slamming the tip of my quarterstaff toward the ground, I released the swelling of mana as it tapped against the sand-covered arena. A massive eruption—of wind, sand and unfiltered force—took to the stage as I was sent flying back and away from my original spot. In a split of a second, I could just make out the still-standing Guil. At attention with his hands behind his back—still smiling crudely. I didn’t feel much before from his face, besides it feeling a bit eerie, but as of that moment my eyes made contact? I could only feel an accumulating wrath toward him now.

I should have known the moment [Investigate] didn’t work. It really is some sort of mirage.

I quickly switch to my [Abysmal End], and continued with my three preemptive spell choices. Two newly altered spells and my personal favorite.

“Summon: [Summer Pack], [Totem of the Baleful Trudge]! Casting: [Divination]!”

Four figures took shape in front of me, three wolves of fire and an altered totem. As the totem illuminated, it connected with all three wolves, filling them with a plethora of mana. I quickly resumed casting the next spell that was targeted at my previous position.

“Summon: [Elemental Spirit: Wind]!”

As it formed, the wolves made way toward the now formless entity of wind. After the force explosion from earlier, the ever-shifting field was now readjusting itself and forming new, sand-like tornados as the real Guil remained hidden within—possibly watching cautiously. And as the wolves met the Spirit of Wind, they were propelled into the sky upon meeting. I began wounding up my next and last planned spell with my quarterstaff as I shouted loudly.

“At least that loudmouth of an announcer was right about one thing! It’s a festival after all!”

At the tail end of my words and a snap of my fingers, a sudden wave of explosions—like fireworks—took place as the newly formed sand storms were once again caught in the blast. This time, by mana-filled wolves of fire. [Totem of the Baleful Trudge] was an altered spell based on buffing totems, and in this case, it filled a summon with my own mana, causing the summons to then explode on death or right before recalling. More than anything, I was in need of a blast large enough to overtake the arena—and one filled with my mana nonetheless. Since I would be using that outward pulsation of my mana as a sonar of sorts.

Now, wherever you are, Guil, here I come!

Using [Divination], I had chosen the areas that would provide the most effective result, areas that were deemed more than likely for places that Guil could hide. With the scattered storms, from both my initial burst and my now second, third and fourth—there were only a handful of spots remaining. And as I ran forth with my quarterstaff hands, the swelling of my mana once again formed at the tip. In the area where my gaze was locked onto, I could even see footprints slightly moving in the leftover sand as I rushed forward.

Let this be a grisly reminder to you, Guil. There’s no shame in scheming, tactics—even underhanded ones—are at the very heart of survival after all. But this wasn’t for the sake of survival. In all of your pettiness and unabridged obsession—you involved a child and such kindhearted people.

That erupting fury continued as I called aloud.

“Spirit of Wind, come!”

At the sudden flow of gusts forming over my quarterstaff, it became covered in the winds of the summon itself. Swirling, it sped and synced with the swelling of mana. And as I reached Guil, his concealment vanished as his appearance had shifted from that illusory smile to a now panicked state. I didn’t have it in me currently to hold back as I thought of the two people from prior. And as the two spells collided, words formed in my head.

“...[Divine Gale]!”

At the thrust of my quarterstaff, it was as if it were a spear being thrown, and a wind tunnel filled to the brim with my own mana was propelled forward. Splitting the sands of the ever-shifting field and the ground itself—it met its target with an onslaught of force—dragging him into the wall far beyond our stage.

“Ha...ha...”

In deep breaths, I watched on as the dust and sand settled in between the path of destruction from my attack. The arena, in all of its silence, hadn’t let a single peep by. Yet, of course, one man still had the ability to speak seconds later.

“...AND THE WINNER IS...EULER!!!”