This is it. The true climax. The greatest battle to be published in my story has now come to fruition! Has everyone placed his or her bets on Gregor? It's a good choice, but who's to say what's to happen? After all, Christopher is a top general of Regalia. For those of you who want to give Christopher the benefit of a doubt and say that he's going to give Gregor an actual challenge, well…you may be right.
Enjoy this battle, my readers, for I am not yet done with this story. The biggest and most interesting treat is yet to come in the chapters after this. But for now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the read.
Philosophical note: Everything is useless…until you learn how to use it. The same thing applies to power. If you don't know how to use it, then it is useless to you. But if you have power, and you do know how to use it, then your enemies are in for a nasty surprise.
Gregor awoke to the sound of a clanging bell, and was instantly alert. Ares appeared in the doorway. "It's time, isn't it?" Gregor asked.
Ares nodded. "I am afraid that I am only here to escort you. Word travels around Regalia quickly, and word that involved the Warrior traveled around far more quickly than normal. The arena has been filled to the brim with screaming fans, and trust me, you do not want to be worn out before your battle with Christopher," he said.
"Screaming fans? Do they think this is a game or something? Someone is going to die today!" Gregor said.
"Perhaps that was not the right term, then. All you need to know is that they are all cheering for you, Gregor. Christopher was not well loved by anyone. If he wins and becomes king, Regalia will rebel, and few people will want to join him. If you become king, far less people will rebel. I do not to tell you this, but…you must win, Gregor," Ares said.
"Yeah, I know," Gregor growled. He got up and did all the morning hygienic practices before changing into his outside clothes. A servant delivered Gregor's breakfast directly to him, and although Gregor was apprehensive, he ate as quickly as he could. After breakfast, he climbed onto Ares's back, and the bat flew him to the arena entrance, where they were greeted by Mareth and Miravet.
"Greetings, Gregor. Are you ready?" Mareth asked.
"Is my armor ready?" Gregor countered.
"Yes," Miravet answered.
Gregor smiled. "Then so am I."
Miravet led them to a room within the arena, where the spiked armor that he wore in the Cutter Lair awaited him. As he started putting it on, he looked at Mareth, whom he noticed was looking at him. "Is there something wrong?" he asked.
Mareth looked down. "Gregor, there's something you should about Christopher. The power and skill that he commands is worlds beyond Duncan's," he said.
This made Gregor stop as he was putting on his gauntlets. "What do you mean? Wasn't Duncan about as powerful as Christopher is? I thought they were around even in that department." he asked.
"Ripred fought Christopher twice. Of those two times…Ripred only won one of them, and that was just by a narrow margin," Mareth said.
Gregor dropped his gauntlets. "No…way," he breathed.
Ares looked down as well. "It's true. I saw it myself. No one was more surprised than Ripred. And Christopher is not a rager. For him to have enough skill to defeat one of the most powerful gnawers in the Underland…it would be inconceivable to anyone, until you see it yourself," he said.
"So you know now, Gregor. You know what you are up against. Christopher is at least as strong as Raphael. You must be careful," Mareth said.
Gregor slipped his gauntlets on, shaking his head. "Oh, damn it to hell. What have I gotten myself into?" he asked. As he put on his armored trousers, he looked at the others. "Do you have any tips, at least? Does Christopher have any weaknesses that I can exploit?" he asked.
"His arrogance, for one thing. It is clear that he does not think that you would be a challenge to him. As for physical weaknesses, he used a single broadsword to battle Ripred. He was skilled and serious in fighting, and was focused completely on attacking, like you, Gregor. Ripred beat him the first time because of an unguarded spot, but the second time, even he couldn't find a weakness. It may be easier for you, for he may not take you seriously. Still, I would aim for the unguarded points in his armor. The neck and the genitals, for example," Mareth said.
"I always aim for spots like those," Gregor answered, finally putting on his spiked mail shirt and putting his sword in his belt.
"Warrior, you have guests," a guard from the door said, bowing reverently as he moved out of the way to let the guests in. This revealed the guests' identity to Gregor. And he was right. Luxa and Raphael walked into the room, both of them neither smiling nor frowning, but with their mouths set in straight lines.
"Is there something that you guys want to say to me before I go?" Gregor asked.
Raphael shrugged. "Well, the first thing I want to say is that there's a hell of a lot of people out there who want you to win. I don't think I need to tell you this, but…you've got to win. There'll be a lot of disappointed people if you don't," he said.
Gregor sighed. "I've heard that a lot of times already. Once was enough. Please tell me something I don't know," he said.
Raphael smiled a bit. "Well, your sisters are safely out of the fight. Dulcet, Temp, and Rendfire will be keeping them out of trouble. We really owe that gnawer a lot." Gregor nodded in agreement. "Also, if you lose, and Christopher kills you…Angelina, Larry, and I will jump into the arena and kill him. That way, he's dead whether he wins or loses, and you don't have to worry about him marrying Luxa. The code of honor doesn't apply to us after a battle. If he kills you, he is dead," Raphael said.
"But if he kills me, then he's obviously strong. I just heard that he beat Ripred once. Are you guys sure that you can take on someone like that?" Gregor asked.
"I don't know about the others, but I don't care about something like that. If Christopher kills you, then he kills my friend, and I must have compensation for that. Besides, I don't like Christopher, so if he kills you, then I will kill him. You know as well as I do that while you were the strongest fighter of our little group, I was also the executioner if you didn't kill your opponent. And killing someone like that…will pay off my debt to you." Raphael smiled, and for once in his life, looked embarrassed. "If you die, then I want you to die knowing this…you were more to me than just my friend and leader. You were my best and greatest friend, and like a brother to me. It was an honor fighting alongside you," he said, bowing his head with deep respect and a bit of reverence.
Gregor smiled and bowed as well, touched by his friend's loyalty. "Stop talking like I'm going to die. You've just convinced me even more not to lose. And I feel the same. You're my best friend, Raphael, and also like the brother I never had. You've stayed by my side even after I told you about the Underland. I owe you a lot. Thank you, Raphael," he said, holding out his fist. Raphael bumped it with his own fist, and then they slapped each other five with their palms, and then with the backs of their hands.
"I hate to interrupt, but I wish to speak with Gregor as well, Raphael," Luxa said.
Raphael looked at her and smiled in understanding. "Very well. I'll head back to the audience. Hopefully the others haven't had too much trouble saving our seats. See you later, Your Majesty," he said, bowing and then leaving the room.
Luxa looked at Miravet, Mareth, and Ares. "May I have some time alone with Gregor?" she asked. All three nodded and left, closing the door behind them. Once they were gone, Luxa pulled Gregor's face down to hers for a deep kiss. Gregor put his hands behind her head and pulled them even tighter together. Their lips stayed locked for about a minute before they had to pull apart, their faces red and gasping for air. "Raphael…he is a very loyal friend," Luxa said.
"He is the only human I would trust my life with in battle, besides you of course," Gregor answered.
"His behavior is similar to that of an ordinary Underlander. I do wonder why that is so," Luxa said.
"His parents always acted like that, at least in the short time that I knew them. I guess they rubbed off on him," Gregor said.
"The short time?" Luxa asked.
"A few months at most. They were killed before I could get to know them better. They were killed…just like all of our parents," Gregor said. Luxa nodded solemnly. There was not one person in the group that Gregor led whose parents were still alive. It was one of the similarities between them.
"Gregor, please win," Luxa whispered, burying her face in his chest.
"For you, I would do anything," Gregor murmured.
"But there might be someone else that you have to win for," Luxa said. When Gregor looked down at her, she returned the look. "Gregor, you should know…when we had intercourse, it was my first time, and it was wonderful. However, it also happened to fall right before my normal time of month, which is now. Only…it never happened."
"What are you saying? Are you…?" Gregor breathed.
Luxa rubbed her stomach and blushed a bit. "Perhaps," she said.
"Then I must win, no matter what. At the very least, I must ensure your survival," Gregor said. "I swear to you, Luxa. I will kill him."
"I love you, Gregor," Luxa said, kissing him once more.
When they pulled apart, Gregor gazed at her with all the love he had in his heart. "I love you, too," he said.
Luxa began to leave, and as she did, it looked like they couldn't bear to let each other go. Their fingers stayed together like one of those cheesy romance scenes in movies. Finally, Luxa turned and left, slowly closing the door behind her. Gregor looked at the wall behind him, where there was a body-length mirror. When he was satisfied that he was ready, he turned to leave.
"Warrior, it is time," a guard said.
"Yes, of course," Gregor said, turning around.
"Sir, if I may say this, you look very sharp in that armor," the guard said.
"The late General Solovet said that black armor gave off a frightening appearance. That was why she made me wear it. I hated my black armor back in the War of Time." Gregor clenched his fists, hearing the metal clink of his gauntlets. "This suits me better."
"It does, my lord," the guard said. "By the way, the Queen left this for you," he added, handing a sheathed sword to Gregor, who accepted it. The hilt was ornately carved silver, with the guard in the shape of an eagle with six wings. As he started unsheathing the blade, he saw that the eagle had two heads, and the design was split at the base of the blade so that it could be seen the same from both sides. The blade itself had a luminous azure color, as well as double-edged and with the end shaped like a frozen version of a visible tide on a calm sea, which meant that it was heavier there. In other words, it was highly efficient at cutting. Gregor took a few practice swings, and then made his judgment.
"It's beautiful," he said. It was true. The azure blade was at least as dangerous as Gregor's own sword, and that sword originally belonged to Sandwich. He was admittedly curious about whom it belonged to, so he asked.
"This is Altric. It is one of a pair of swords used by the kings and queens of the past. The previous owner of Altric was King Damian, Queen Luxa's father. Many of the Regalian queens naturally used its sister blade, Lorelei. However, Altric and Lorelei have barely ever been used together throughout the years, but I have heard that the man and woman able to fight in perfect coordination using Altric and Lorelei are the greatest of combinations in battle, and therefore they are deemed the king and queen of Regalia. Many couples have tried this and failed, including the royal couples. However, Queen Luxa has already shown that she can wield Lorelei easily, and you seem to be able to wield Altric without much difficulty. I believe it is a sign," the guard said.
"For what?" Gregor asked.
"Anyone who can wield Altric will be considered Regalia's true king. Generals Christopher and Duncan have never tried to use it. But you may be able to. In that case, then I consider you to be our true king," the guard said.
"Who are you?" Gregor asked as they neared the entrance into the field.
"I am Lieutenant Laxos, second-in-command of General Mareth. But in the end, I am just a humble soldier with much respect for you," Laxos said, bowing and leaving.
Gregor sheathed Altric and hid it behind his back so that it would be out of sight from the front. Then, he walked out into the field, where Christopher was waiting with a cocky grin on his face. As Laxos had said, Christopher was wearing an armor of the purest white. However, his obsidian blade was of the deepest black. Gregor heard the cheers of many people, and jeers from any others.
"Are you ready to lose, Warrior?" Christopher asked.
"I am always ready to lose. That's why I fight with all my strength," Gregor said.
"We are gathered here today to watch the battle to decide whom Queen Luxa shall marry! On the right, the man with the white armor and the black blade—Christopher! And on the left, the man with the light blue armor and the legendary Sandwich's sword, the Warrior, Gregor!" Mareth shouted.
Gregor could see his friends near the front of the arena. To his relief, his sisters weren't there. However, he could see that Larry, Angelina, and Raphael had their weapons drawn and their eyes glaring at the field. He could tell that they were ready to jump into the battle if necessary. But I'll make it so that it won't be necessary, Gregor thought.
"Fighters, are you ready?" Mareth asked.
"Just say it!" Gregor and Christopher both shouted.
"Fight!" Mareth ordered.
Christopher drew his sword and charged at Gregor, attacking with a lazy slash and betraying his overconfidence. Gregor easily dodged the blade and sent a savage kick at Christopher's gut. Christopher, not expecting the move, was thrown back, having had the wind knocked out of him. "Come on! You can do much better than that! I know what you're capable of. I haven't even drawn my sword yet!" Gregor taunted.
Christopher gritted his teeth and attacked with more ferocity this time, but Gregor stepped aside, grabbed his arm, and hurled him backwards once more. "Hand-to-hand combat isn't my style, but if it's enough to defeat you, then you are truly pathetic! I don't want to have to hold back against you. Try again," Gregor said.
Christopher roared and attacked in earnest, drawing a broadsword from his waist. Now he focused on completely crushing Gregor, as his blades came at the young warrior from both sides. Gregor ducked under them and drew his sword, holding it above his head when Christopher's two blades came down on him. Gregor held the sword with one hand on the handle and the other on the flat of his blade, allowing him to successfully push Christopher back once more, although this time it wasn't as far.
"Excellent. You are taking me seriously. Now I know that I don't have to hold back!" Gregor shouted.
"You talk too much! This is battle!" Christopher returned. He came down in a hammering series of blows, his swords attacking Gregor with impressive speed. He kept Gregor in his sights, yet there were no obvious openings, even to Gregor's rager senses.
"Christopher…he is worlds beyond Duncan!" Raphael exclaimed.
"I told you. Christopher defeated Ripred once. Such a fighter can overwhelm Gregor as well, no matter how powerful he is," Nerissa said.
"But we have to give him our support. He's the only hope Regalia has," Larry said, telling what was to everyone else, an obvious lie. The entire group knew that if Gregor were cut down by Christopher, then they would finish what Gregor started and cut down Christopher themselves.
"Look at him! He's actually giving Gregor some difficulty! We might have to step in once this is over," Angelina said.
"Wait. We must have faith in Gregor. Faith that he will win, no matter what! He must!" Luxa said.
"I know, Luxa. And he will win. Christopher may be strong, but if anyone can defeat him, it's Gregor," Ares said.
Raphael smiled at them. "Yeah. And that's why we have to have faith in him. He's going to win," he said. Then he looked at the field. "You hear that, Gregor? You have to win!" he shouted.
Gregor heard his friend's cheer, but barely acknowledged it because the familiar rager senses were running at full force. Christopher was attacking with all his strength, and he was like a swarm of bees attacking an adversary. His blows came in rapid succession, and some attacks from the side proved that unlike Duncan, Christopher might have deserved the title of General.
But if Christopher was a swarm of bees, then Gregor was a whirlwind. His attacks came in even faster than Christopher's, and this speed allowed him to deliver more powerful blows by actually turning his face away from Christopher for a split second before spinning around and attacking with a strength that may have even surpassed Ripred's. Gregor was fighting at a speed that only a rager could command, and Christopher knew it.
The once-revered general was now on the defensive. While he had the advantage in weapon numbers, he soon found that Gregor's fist could be considered a weapon as dangerous as any sword. Gregor's one sword easily blocked most of Christopher's attacks, and he took the opportunities to land several blows with his free fist. Gregor also had the opportunity to attack with the many spikes on his armor, and as his blocks became weaker against Gregor's attacks, Christopher felt the first touches of fear and doubt creep into his mind.
Gregor got in a solid punch, and Christopher was fully thrown back, panting. Gregor's rager senses wore down, and he found himself panting, too. While he had fully mastered the rager sense, he found that his body could tire out easily after a while under the sense's influence. Christopher noticed this. "Had enough, Warrior?" he taunted.
Gregor ignored this and moved on. "Let me ask you something before we try to kill each other again. If Clovis was really on your side, then why did he get Duncan in trouble by telling Raphael about what he was doing to Nerissa?" he asked.
"You're half right. He did get Duncan in trouble. However, Clovis was not on our side at the time," Christopher said.
"Explain," Gregor growled.
"Duncan wanted to take Nerissa for himself, so he attacked her and attempted to rape her. However, he did not expect Clovis to walk by and tell Raphael. And, well…you know what happened. After I found out that Clovis was responsible, I found him in the halls and threatened him with death if he pledged eternal loyalty to me. I thought he could be useful, but in the end, he was useless. There was no point in threatening him. He was not on Duncan's side, but mine, and yet he had no personal loyalty to me," Christopher said.
"That's not what it seemed like when he attacked me last night," Gregor said.
"He attacked you?" Christopher asked.
"He tried to assassinate me. Of course, it didn't work, but he showed some loyalty to you. Personally, I think he followed the fate of your brother and went mad," Gregor said. He meant it as a taunt, so he was surprised when Christopher nodded in agreement.
"For once, we agree on something. I may have loved my brother, but he was always the foolish weakling between the two of us. I suppose that was why he was betrothed to that weakling Nerissa. He was a fool to think that he could take Nerissa without consequences. Idiocy matches with fragility, I suppose," Christopher said.
Nerissa flinched, and Raphael shot up from his seat. "Oh, he did not just say that," he growled, about to jump into the field, but Larry and Angelina held him back. "Let me go!" Raphael shouted, but he eventually gave in when Ladon joined in.
Gregor pointed his sword at Christopher. "Don't be a hypocrite. You kidnapped Luxa, Nerissa, and Aurora. You thought that would come without consequences?" he asked.
Christopher shrugged. "We underestimated your resourcefulness. And now, I will become king, after I kill you!" he shouted, charging again. Gregor was unsurprised at this, but he was surprised at the strength that Christopher put behind his obsidian blade. Gregor tried to block it, but the impact shattered both his sword and Christopher's obsidian blade. Gregor wasn't prepared for this, but Christopher obviously was. With a roar, he thrust his broadsword at Gregor's heart. Gregor tried to move out of the way, but he was still rather fatigued, and the thrust that Christopher attacked with went right through Gregor's left shoulder and dislocated it.
Although Gregor was a rager, he had taken some pretty harsh cuts before. However, bone dislocation was rare for him, and the initial pain was not something he was used to. Gregor managed to keep from screaming, tore his shoulder away from Christopher's broadsword, and retreated a good distance away. Christopher did not follow; instead choosing to throw the remains of his obsidian blade next to the fragments of Gregor's dropped sword.
"You lose, Warrior," Christopher taunted.
"I'm not going to lose until my body lies dead at your feet," Gregor spat, clutching his bleeding left arm.
"It will, soon. Look at yourself. Your left arm is useless, and you don't even have a weapon. I, on the other hand, still have a sword and my arms are perfectly intact. You don't have a chance against me anymore," Christopher said, sneering. He pointed his sword into the ground. "Why don't you join me? You shall be close to Luxa, and you shall have power beyond your wildest dreams!"
"You fight for power. It's all about power and glory to you. But that stuff means almost nothing to me. I fight for my friends. I fight to rid the world of people like you. So I would rather die than join you!" Gregor shouted.
Christopher sighed. "I had a feeling you would say that. Although killing you seems like such a tragic waste…it still means nothing to me. You say that you would rather die than join me?" He raised his sword. "Well, then…you shall die!" He charged towards Gregor, his sword held in savage anticipation.
"Gregor!" Luxa screamed. Raphael fought out of the others' grip, and got ready to jump into the field. This time, though, Larry and Angelina joined him.
But Gregor wasn't done. As Christopher's sword slashed downward at his head, Gregor moved to his right with astonishing speed. Christopher was taken aback, and the surprised face turned into shock when, after Gregor dodged his attack, he used his right arm to draw another sword from behind his back. This torrent of emotions kept Christopher from reacting in time, which was why he didn't realize that Gregor was attacking until it was too late.
With a mighty slash, Gregor cut off Christopher's left arm. Christopher screamed in pain as blood gushed out from the stump. Through the pain, he fully registered the sight before him. Gregor was holding an azure sword that was dripping with his blood, the bright red contrasting sharply with the light blue. "It can't be…" Christopher hissed.
"Where the hell did Gregor get that sword?" Raphael asked, watching in awe as the blade flashed.
"It's Altric, the royal blade!" Nerissa breathed. She looked questioningly at Luxa, whose eyes were shining.
"He accepted it…he really accepted it!" Luxa cried. She put a hand on the sheathed rapier on her belt and pulled it out, revealing a silver hilt with the same design as Altric, except that the wings of the eagle were pointed at a steeper angle. The blade of the rapier was pinkish-purple, and it was much thinner than Altric's, more built for thrusting than for cutting. Also, there was a green jewel set into the base of the blade between the two eagle heads. Noticing the confused looks on the others' faces, Luxa and Nerissa explained the concept of Altric and Lorelei, and watched as the looks of confusion turned into looks of awe.
"A-altric? Where did you get that blade?" Christopher demanded.
"It doesn't matter where I got it. All that matters is how I use it. We're even now. We have both lost the use of one arm, and we both have one sword. Shall we end it now, Christopher?" Gregor asked.
"That…that blade is my birthright! I should be the one wielding that blade! Someone like you can never use it! It's impossible! There's no way an Overlander could use it!" Christopher screeched, charging. This time, though, it was obvious who had the advantage. Gregor was used to feeling intense pain and ignoring it, but Christopher was not. The intense pain from losing his arm as well as extreme anger and jealousy towards Gregor finally drove Christopher over the edge into madness. His now twisted mind could still comprehend that Gregor was wielding Altric beautifully, and this drove Christopher into even deeper jealousy.
Therefore, it was not surprising that Gregor had an easy advantage. With two strikes from Altric, he disarmed Christopher and then bifurcated him at the waist. Christopher gasped and began breathing shakily as the two halves of his body crashed to the ground, with the upper half landing face-up. "You're done. It's over," Gregor said. He began to walk away.
"Hold it…before I die…I want to know…why does someone like you…have so much…power…? It doesn't make sense…for an Overlander to have…more power than me," Christopher hissed.
Gregor sighed. "You're right, it doesn't. But I never asked for this power. It came out of nowhere. But how I got the power doesn't matter. What matters is how I use it." Gregor glared down at his adversary. "I use my power to protect my friends, especially Luxa. She means everything to me, and as a human, it is only natural that I fight to protect those dear to me. I fight for others. You, on the other hand, used your power for you own personal gain. You could have been a great asset to Regalia. But you gave it all up when you betrayed us. All you wanted was power and glory, both of them the wrong reasons to fight. Someone as selfish as you could never defeat someone who fights to protect those dear to him, like me," he said.
"Such…noble reasons…I see now…I was in the wrong all along…and it got me killed…" Christopher whispered.
Gregor knelt down beside Christopher's head and held Altric's blade above his neck. "Your crimes are unforgiveable, but I will grant you a swift death. Die now, and burn in hell for what you've done," he said. The azure blade came down with the speed of a guillotine in Gregor's hands and decapitated Christopher. The instant the head fell to the ground, the crowd exploded in cheers.
"WARRIOR! WARRIOR! WARRIOR!" they chanted.
"Gregor!" Gregor heard the most beautiful voice in his life behind him. He turned to see his entire group of friends running towards him. Through his pain and weariness, he staggered back, but he only had eyes for the girl in the center, the one holding a pinkish-purple rapier.
Luxa reached him first, tackling him to the ground and smothering him with kisses. Altric and Lorelei were dropped as the young couple met each other's lips, and the two swords, perhaps by sheer coincidence, landed with Lorelei crossed over Altric, more or less mirroring the position that Gregor and Luxa were in right now.
But that didn't matter to anyone. The only thing that everyone cared about at this point in time were the Overlander Warrior and the Underlander Queen, who were locked in a romantic embrace on the ground, sharing more kisses in a few seconds than some people could even dream of having in their entire lifetime. Despite the rare scene, there were no complaints or prejudiced comments against Overlanders. Instead, there was nothing but a high cheer of happiness for the young couple, and many of the citizens of Regalia realized that finally, finally, there was a chance for a lasting period of peace.
Yes. This is my truest masterpiece. Thumbs up if you agree. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, and hope that you enjoyed reading it.
However, I am not done with this story. There is one thing that I did not address yet, a loose end that I must tie up. Something that has been hinted at many times, and in the next and last few chapters, I will resolve that B-plot.
If you guys review and send me your thoughts on what you think that loose end might be, then I will update sooner. Seriously, though, the reviews help. They get me motivated.