Previously on Protector’s of Worlds:

Our three heroes have met Roin Desen, Floso’s lover, who is currently in a contest to see who’ll be the next chieftain. After returning from a hunt, bringing in little food, Roin was confronted by Envi, his rival who tried intimidating him before the fight tomorrow. Luckily, Roin was able to keep it together, saving it for the fight……….

Who will be victorious? Let’s see, shall we?....

X

The tribe was in the midst of preparing for the finals, forming a circlish arena using stones and placing torch poles on the sides.

While he was getting in one last exercise, Roin was encouraged by his parents, Floso, Julie, and many of his friends, wishing him the best of luck while Calem and Marcel stood back, watching all this go on. Taking a quick glance to his left, Calem noticed Envi Renemi looking at him and his friend. Calem nudges Marcel with his shoulder as they noticed the Iguacko with his arms crossed and a look of contempt on his face.

“Is there a problem, pal?” Calem asked.

“Don’t call me pal….freak,” Envi replied.

Having heard that, Marcel walks over to Envi, not taking the insult to his friend lightly.

“What did you just say?” Marcel said, clearly angered.

“Didn’t you hear me the first time, meat bag?” Envi said, not being scared and keeping up the insults, starting to enrage Marcel as Calem joins in right beside him.

“You better tone down that attitude of yours before we do,” Marcel said, trying to get the Iguacko to back off.

“Why don’t you make me?” Envi said, standing his ground, irritating the two as both clenched their fists in anger, looking to hit the disrespectful lizardman. Just when it looked like there was going to be a fight…..

“Is something going on?” A voice said that turns out to be Julie’s, stopping the three before they could land any blows. Calem and Marcel remained silent but Envi just scoffed at the two as he pushed them aside before stopping beside Julie.

“You better savior every last moment.’ Envi said as he starts whispering in Julie’s ear. “When the time comes for me to become chieftain, you and your friends will have a proper place here……..as my trophies.”

With a big grin and chuckling like a maniac, Envi walks to the arena while Julie turns her face towards him with hostility just when Calem and Marcel approach her.

“What’s the deal with him?” Marcel asked.

“Envi?” Julie replied. “He’s just an asshole.”

“You aren’t wrong,” Calem said. “Let’s just hope Roin humiliates the bastard.”

X

With everything set up, the contest can now begin. Every tribe member surrounds the circle, chanting with anticipation with the beating of drums joining in and the torch poles lit up. Calem, Julie, and Marcel were amongst the crowd but didn’t take part in the chanting.

The current chieftain, Velu walks to the center of the arena, raising his staff to the air, causing every member to stop as silence fills the air…..

“Fellow members, I welcome you all! It has been a long voyage to get where we are today! Many young males have taken part: some claimed victory with great honor and bravery and some were defeated with disgrace and embarrassment. They all showed great potential, but only one must be picked. So, let us see who is worthy….”

Velu stopped as he tabs the ground hard a couple of times with his staff.

“Roin Desen! Envi Renemi! Make yourselves known!”

Just before heading to the center, Floso stops Roin as she gives him a kiss on the cheek.

“Good luck,” Floso said, encouraging him.

Smiling and filled with spirit, Roin walks to the arena where he meets eye-to-eye with Envi, who had a big cocky smile of determination that caused Roin to take on a blank expression.

“I wish you two the best. May your ancestors watch over you.” Velu encouraged the two as he joins the crowd.

“Hope you don’t cry when I beat you. That would make you look bad to the others,” Envi said, provoking his opponent.

“Funny…..I was gonna say the same thing to you.” Roin said which made Envi a little mad.

With that, the fight begins!!

Not much happened in the first half, Roin and Envi just circled each other, waiting for their enemy to strike first as the crowd watches on. After only a few more moments, the first one to attack was Envi!

He charged straight toward Roin, who stood still. Looking for a quick victory, Envi attempts an uppercut, only for Roin to move aside in an instant, having Envi miss and stumble around a bit. Frustrated by this, Envi attempts various attacks, like punches and claw swipes, but all were evaded by his rival, who didn’t even get a scratch on him.

In the crowd, Floso was watching this all go on, worried about the safety of her soulmate.

With swift movement, Roin swings his tail and hits Envi’s jaw, knocking out a few teeth and bringing him down for a bit. After wiping the blood off his mouth and spitting more out, Envi, now more furious than ever, proceeded with his onslaught, only for Roin to dodge the incoming attacks, clearly seeing them coming.

In the midst, Calem and Marcel were dumbfounded, not only by Roin’s excellent fighting skill but how he was able to control the majority of the fight. Julie was just watching the action, smiling as Roin was making Envi look like an idiot.

Deciding to put an end to this, Roin begins his assault, landing a combination of precise punches, kicks, and tail whips, battering his opponent. Envi tried to counterattack, but all were blocked as Roin kept at it.

Knowing well that his victory is close, Floso quietly began cheering him, as well as the three humans as they joined in with her along with a few other Iguackos.

Backing away, Envi, whose face was battered, bruised, and bloody, tried to keep himself from collapsing. It wasn’t until Roin dealt the finishing blow, delivering a tail swing to Envi’s face, spraying blood out of his mouth and nose before going limb and collapsing to the ground.

With him down and out, Velu steps forward……….

“The match is over!” Velu shouts, signaling the end of the fight.

A loud applause came from the crowd, clapping and cheering at Roin who smiles and raises his fist up. Floso let out a sigh of relief, knowing that the contest is now done…….

“Not Yet!”

The cheering came to a stop when Envi was able to get up, despite the fact that his legs were buckling, which made Roin shake his head in disappointment.

“The fight isn’t over! I can still go on!” An enraged Envi said while spitting out blood as he limps towards Roin. “Come and face me, you bastard!”

“Envi!” Velu yelled out, as he confronted the young and rash Iguacko. “Stand down, now.”

Having the urge to keep on going but with the current chieftain now right in front of him, Envi has no other choice than to back off and leave, kicking dirt as some Iguackos move to the side, allowing him to pass by.

“It has finally come! Iguackos, I declare that If I feel too weak to carry on or if death strikes me, the one who will lead our people into the future is…….” Velu stops before pointing his staff at the winner. “Roin Desen!”

The tribe proceeds to cheer on Roin, chanting with celebration.

“Looks like the Iguackos got themselves a good leader,” Calem said as he started clapping while Marcel whistled.

“No doubt about that,” Julie said in response to Calem.

As he was waving to the crowd, he saw Floso, who was smiling and waving at him. This filled him with joy as he starts punching the air multiple times, exciting the Iguackos…..