The Return to Phantomile
~ VISION 1-7: The Dream Arena, Part 2 ~
An hour has passed since the last fight... As Klonoa and Huepow were back in their own room, they were currently feasting on the next round of food brought over to their table by the Nagapoko servants. This time consisting of bread, mutton, cheese, apples, ale and red wine.
Klonoa then took his first bite of the mutton and cleanly ripped off the meat from the bone using his sharp teeth... taking in nearly the entire piece of meat... this time, Huepow didn't even pay attention as he was too busy eating bread with some cheese on it. As Klonoa noticed that Huepow was way too focussed into eating food himself while currently stuffing his face, he smirked a bit at him.
Klonoa: What was that about 'eating too much' that you mentioned before?
When Huepow heard Klonoa's remark, he seemed to get a bit embarrassed.
Huepow: W-well... awakening the Wind Sword took a lot of concentration and energy, you know! Of course i'm going to be worn and hungry after that!
Klonoa laughed a bit, as he pulled off the last piece of mutton off of the bone. Then he grabbed a golden cup of red wine, and carefully drinked it... which widened his eyes a bit when tasting it.
Klonoa: Wow... It's still a bit bitter, but... it's so much sweeter than the last one!
Huepow: I honestly don't even dare to try ale...
Huepow then took a bite of the apple that he had in his hand.
Huepow: It seems like such a vulgar drink.
Klonoa: Me neither, i'm definitely never drinking that again. Say... when did you estimate our next match would begin?
Huepow: If it's like last time, we can assume it will still take about an hour or so from now. Maybe a bit shorter as there's less matches to be held until our next one comes up...
Then as Klonoa tried to grab a piece of bread while Huepow was talking, they both heard a scream across the hallway. The two stared a bit out of confusement at the door, as they stopped what they were doing.
Huepow: ...
Klonoa: Again with the halls? What could it be this time?
Klonoa and Huepow carefully got up, snuck to the door, and slowly opened it, looking off into the distance further up to the right where the sound came from. They saw two iron armored guards wielding torches next to what seemed like a upright-eared, brown/white furred foreign cabbit with a dropped iron sword on the ground in the middle of the hallway. Next to him was an iron sword with a golden hilt... The cabbit was completely unresponsive... there was even a tiny bit of blood on the ground.
Armored Guard 1: Another victim?
Armored Guard 2: See?! I told you that this isn't a coincidence!
As Klonoa looked a bit closer, he realised something... And thought back all the way to the reception when they first entered the colosseum... Then when Klonoa snapped back to it, the Armored Guards were checking up on the body.
Armored Guard 2: So he's truly dead... if only we weren't so late on this...!
Armored Guard 1: There's no blood on the weapon either... Strange...
Klonoa: That's... that's one of the other contestants who signed before us!
Huepow: What?!
Klonoa: But... who exactly is he?!
Then the first armored guard managed to obtain a door key from the victim's body that said...
Armored Guard 1: "4-3"...?
Huepow: So... he was one of the lower contestants on our bracket? ?
As Klonoa and Huepow were standing there in shock from this realization, the bell went off in their room, as they looked on over to the teleported pad that activated.
Huepow: It's already time for the next match?!
Klonoa clenched his fist a bit out of frustation.
Klonoa: Ngh... our next opponent must probably be the foe who is causing this...!
Huepow: ...Unforgivable...
Klonoa held up the Wind Ring, as Huepow quickly tranformed into the ring spirit form and then entered the Wind Ring. Klonoa then ran up over onto the teleporter pad and immediately got warped onto the battleground.
When the light disappeared, Klonoa noticed it was now early in the night, and the audience was loudly cheering for him... however, his opponent was not there yet. He stays a bit on edge as he looked around... Eventually, another foe appeared... It appeared to be a cloaked person, who had their back turned to Klonoa.
Announcer: I don't even need to say anything at this point... We all know the drill, and are anticipating for this match! Place your bets now in 20 seconds!
Kio nervously walked on over to the better's desk, as he gulped when looking on over down onto the battleground, listening to the other audience betters nearby.
Better 1: Urgh... this fight is so cloudy, my gut feelin's disappeared entirely
Better 2: The poor kid'll never stand a chance, i tell you.
Better 3: I don't even dare to bet on this one...
Kio: U-umm... I'm...
Kio then harshly slammed down his pouch of 20 golden coins.
Kio: I'm voting for the Child of the Wind!
The other ten or so betters lurking around the betting desk turned a bit quiet, and let down a big "oooohhhh".
Better 1: Ooohhh man... he's just goin' for 'em...
Better 3: Look, i would vote on the kid too... but... We have all seen what his opponent is like.
Better 4: That's a bold and reckless one, i tell ya. Especially with 20 of those dorees!
Meanwhile Klonoa looked on over to the cloaked person, and looks directly at him from behind in the distance.
Klonoa: Hey! Are you the one who's been causing major trouble down the hallways?!
The cloaked person didn't reply back...
Klonoa: Hey! Answer me! ! Who even are you?!
The cloaked person then turned its head a tiny bit towards Klonoa's direction, and softly said...
Cloaked Person: Didn't you check the board? Well, i guess you can at least learn to know your opponent's nickname before your doom.
Klonoa: ...?
Announcer: Three!
Cloaked Person: I am...
Announcer: Two!
Count: The Count.
Announcer: One! Let the match of...
The Child of the Wind VERSUS The Count...
BEGIN! ! ! !
Then within an instant after the announcer yelled "begin", the black cloak came a bit loose for a fraction of a second, revealing The Count to be a purple goblin with big ears, spiky blonde hair with one string clumsily sticking out, and wearing a fancy black/white suit under his black cloak with white gloves and black shoes, and lastly, having black eyes... Which then immediately lighted up red as he turned around within that fraction, and then within a flash rushes on over to Klonoa so fast, he nearly disappeared from his vision.
Klonoa: Huh-?!
Klonoa immediately held up his Wind Ring in defense as he then tried to dodge the unforeseen approaching Count. As Klonoa just barely dodged to the side when the Count got close to him, the Count stopped right in his tracks, sliding over the sandy floor almost halfway across the battleground, and then is revealed to have pulled out a pocket knife from his right hand during all of this... Then all of the sudden, Klonoa's right arm bursted open from the cut, and a few drops of blood fell... Klonoa was in shock, and a bit of pain.
Klonoa: Nghhh...!
The Count turned around, as he looked at the bit of Klonoa's blood that was stuck to The Count's pocket knife, and smoothly licked it. When he turned around to Klonoa, the Count seemed surprised himself.
Count: Oh? Well, isn't that odd... you're the first to have actually withstood that attack.
Klonoa: W...What...?
Count: See... usually my opponents die of the rather fatal strike from that attack in an instant. But you are the first one of my foes so far to have withstood it...
The Count then noticed the open would on Klonoa's right arm, as it was dripping out a bit of blood, analysing the amount of blood drops that were falling down at this rate.
Count: But... That doesn't mean you are going to survive either.
The Count then slowly raised up eight fingers of his two hands, and stuck them out to Klonoa.
Count: If i were to guess... at this rate, you have eight minutes left until passing out from blood loss.
Klonoa's eyes widened a bit from the shock of hearing this... The Count then readied his rather wild fighting stance, as he switched his pocket knife between hands.
Count: In the meantime... i'll have some fun jests with our one-sided fight. Have at you!
The Count threw his pocket in the air and then kicks the knife at Klonoa's direction, which flies directly towards his eyes... Klonoa barely dodges it, as it leaves a scratch on his face, just barely to the left of his eye. The scratch then began to open up and started to bleed. Klonoa tried to quickly wipe the scratch on his face.
Klonoa: Krch... These wounds are starting to hurt...!
As Klonoa was wiping his wound a bit when off-guard, the Count then came nosediving with a headbutt at him, causing Klonoa to crash onto the ground, and be sent sliding over the sand, with his open right arm over the ground, making it pour out a bit more blood. The Count just smirked as he stared at Klonoa from the distance.
Klonoa: M...Magya! !
As Klonoa carefully and slowly got up, he switched to the Wind Sword form for the Wind Ring.
Huepow (Wind Ring): We're on a time limit because of these wounds inflicted too?! Man, this guy plays dirty!
Klonoa: Ngh... He fights rough... way too rough... If i'm going to get at even odds with him, i need to make him pass out before i do! !
Klonoa then began to dash on over to the Count, who stood completely still and just left himself open... As Klonoa then went in to slice him in the right arm, he manages to easily to so... but the energy blade of the Wind Sword got stuck in his arm, with no blood leaking out.
Klonoa: W-what?!
The Count then devilishly grinned a bit, as he pulled out another pocket knife, and stabs the guardless Klonoa in the chest with it as deep as he could, and then harshly pulled it out. Before Klonoa could heavily scream from this really sensitive wound and the pain inflicted, the Count sends Klonoa sliding with a kick to the stomach right at the wound, with a small spray of blood being flung out of Klonoa's stomach from this kick, stopping next to the pocket knife that was lying on the ground in the sand...
Count: Get ready, kid! !
Then immediately after, the Count quickly followed and picked up the pocket knife that lied on the ground. Now wielding the two of them in both his hands, the Count attempted to slash Klonoa's entire face with his two knives, before he had any time to cover himself with anything... this left multiple deep scratches on his face, and even over his eyelids. All these scratches quickly opened up and start to bleed rather harshly. And from there, all the agony and pain just came out simultaneously from Klonoa, as he screamed loudly enough that it could be heard across the entire colosseum...
Klonoa: AAARRGHH! ! ! !
Meanwhile, the Count swiftly jumped backwards as he was screaming, listening to it rather gracefully. The Count then put his pocket knives backed as he laughed, looking at Klonoa in the distance. Who was still trying to reopen his eyes after the inflicted wounds on his direct face.
Count: Khehehehe...
Then Klonoa finally reopened them, and looked at his stomach below, covered by the black t-shirt. It was covered in blood at the bottom, from the gaping stomach wound... and still was continuing to bleed. He slowly looked up to the Count in the distance, and tried to talk to him.
Klonoa: J...Just... Just what is your grand plan to all of this...?!
Count: You wish to know, puny boy? Very well...
The Count then closely walked on up to Klonoa, and started to speak quietly right next to him.
Count: Since you're the only one who managed to take a stand against me for so long, before going to die at my hand... i'll let you in on it.
Klonoa: What do you mean?! You're not allowed to kill me in the arena! Or anyone else! !
Count: Oh, i'm aware. The rules said so. But it never said anything about your opponent dying outside of the ring by... 'accident'.
Klonoa was in utter shock when he heard that from the Count... he couldn't even move for a moment... after that, he turned pretty angry, having realised that the Count did indeed kill two opponents in the tournament.
Klonoa: No... you didn't... How could you?!
Count: Those two fools i had to fight before were nothing but a free source of sweet, thick blood... I drain them on the battlefield, and leave them to die outside of it.
Klonoa: But why?! Just... just who are you, exactly?!
Count: You're slowly catching on, huh...? Congratulations! Since you finally figured out a part of this 'mystery', i'll let you in on everything...
The Count then deeply sighed, as he looked a bit more serious towards Klonoa.
Zweegle: My true name is Zweegle. I am a goblin, who has been roaming the world for a long time... I was first bitten by a bat in my youth hundreds of years ago, and since then... I haven't been myself. I turned into what they called a heretic vampire. I still remember vague memories of my past before i became one, but... those days are long gone...
Zweegle looked at his hands a bit as they trembled... Klonoa, while still pissed, also seemed a bit confused.
Zweegle: And i... killed them. I killed them all. I left that village to burn to ash... i left that village to be buried with the rubble... and drank all of them. Drank all of my childhood friends, and family. I... I saw them as more than nothing but sources of fuel... It felt wrong, but... it felt good...! It felt GOOD! K-khehehehehe...
Zweegle then went from his more serious and sad look, to psychopathically crazy, and began to maniacally laugh and smile as his eyes flashed red again.
Zweegle: KhehehahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA! ! And i just couldn't stop...! I gave into my self desires! But... i don't care! I went on in search for more! ! And i found it here... in this paradise, full of the strongest fighters with the richest blood there ever could be! Every single one of you are nothing but pieces of blood to be devoured! And you... you will be the next one! ! ! !
Klonoa then clasped his teeth out of fury and quickly jumped backwards away from Zweegle, as he held up the Wind Ring and turned it into the Wind Sword's form.
Klonoa: Kch... I cannot die here, knowing all of this... We have to beat him right now!
Huepow (Wind Ring): Beat him?! But look at your condition... You're in no shape to fight! Just forfeit the match while we can!
Klonoa: But the rest of the final contestants are in danger if we let him have his way! And what about the Water fighter?!
Huepow (Wind Ring): O-oh... right... but please, be careful!
Klonoa: I would say that i'll try, but... I just cannot forgive a monster like him for his actions! He has to pay! Huepow! Let's go! !
Klonoa looks at the Count in the distance, who teased him by sticking two fingers in the air, indicating he only has two minutes left at this rate. Meanwhile, Klonoa was thinking to himself, as he also looked at his wounds on his body.
Klonoa: But how could i beat a vampire though...? He doesn't seem to have any weakness. The Wind Sword doesn't make him even flinch...
Klonoa then thought it a bit through, and suddenly thinks back to the pocket knives in Zweegle's jacket... And visioned the rather shininess of them.
Klonoa: Wait... something about those sharp pocket knives seemed... odd. They seemed more flashy than regular ones, didn't they?
Huepow (Wind Ring): Mm... You're right, they did seem a bit more shiny than usual.
Klonoa: If only i can at least one of them away from him and see if they have a special ability or something... wait... I got it!
Klonoa then switched back to the Wind Bullet with the Wind Ring, and aims the Wind Ring at Zweegle.
Klonoa: I could try to distract him, and deliberately have one thrown at me!
Huepow (Wind Ring): Are you crazy?! What if the answer doesn't lie in the knife?! That wound will only shorten your time that's left if that were true!
Klonoa: I...I know the risk, but i'll have to try! !
Klonoa then without any hesitation, fires the Wind Bullet at the idling Zweegle, as he suddenly noticed the projectile coming for him... within an instant, Zweegle dodged by sliding and spinning around, and then pulled out another pocket knife from his cloak, and prepares to swiftly throw the shiny knife at Klonoa...
Zweegle: Khehehe... Are you just that hurried to die?! Very well! Meet your ancestors up there soon! !
Zweegle then threw the knife right at Klonoa, as it hits him in the shoulder, causing blood to spill out of the wound... Klonoa seemed a bit unphased this time, just looking at the knife in his shoulder, closely examining it. Zweegle just stared in confusement from what Klonoa was doing.
Klonoa: It's regular silver...?
Huepow (Wind Ring): Oh... now i realise why... silver is the same material that vampires are really weak to.
Klonoa: Wait, really?
Huepow (Wind Ring): Yes... He must've thought that everyone else is also really weak to it, because of discovering his own weakness to silver! This vampire must have an ego higher than our kingdom if he really does believe it lies all in the knife.
Klonoa: So... my gut feeling was right...
Zweegle then heard Klonoa speak up a bit.
Zweegle: Huh? What do you mean, kid?!
As Klonoa pulled out the silver knife out of his back, with the wound opening up and starting to bleed even more, he looked over at Zweegle.
Klonoa: See... My aim for throwing is also what you could call... precise. And that Wind Bullet i shot at you earlier was just a distraction. All meant so i could get one of those knives of yours...
Klonoa then fiercely glared over Zweegle, completely unphased to any pain or senses in his body at this point. Meanwhile, Zweegle turned pretty nervous, checking down on the count on his fingers.
Klonoa: ...Since i know they are your specific weakness. And now, i'm going to get back at you for everything you've done, Zweegle.
Zweegle: W-wait, wait, what?! Huh?! Y-you're... supposed to be unconscious! Knocked out! LEFT TO DIE! ! !
Klonoa: Maybe you just forgot to properly count. Or... Maybe...
Klonoa then pulled back his right arm, and prepared to throw the silver knife in a precise and quick motion, as he became furious.
Klonoa: Maybe i'm just too stubborn to lose to the likes of you! ! !
Klonoa then threw the silver knife, and before Zweegle could even see it coming, it stabbed him right in the heart...
Zweegle: BLARGH...! !
This caused Zweegle to quickly cough up blood, and collapse to his knees... with quite a lot of blood slowly starting to stain his entire outfit from the rather severe wound to the heart, he noticed his body and nerves began to tremble, and could barely even move himself.
Zweegle: N...No... this cannot be...! He would normally be dead... anyone would be...!
Then as Zweegle tried to look up, he noticed Klonoa walking up to him, getting really close... grabbing him by the spiky blonde hair.
Klonoa: Never show your face in my Phantomile again. You hear me? ! ?
Zweegle was getting really terrified now... Klonoa's eyes that were directly staring into his were so fierce, they were almost blazing. Zweegle left an ear-piercing screech out of fear.
Zweegle: E...Ehhh? ! ? EEEEEEKKKK? ! ?
Klonoa then quickly and harshly sends Zweegle upwards with a Wind Bullet right to the face, as he went airborne, unable to move, looking at the full moon shining directly above the colosseum, as his eyes slowly closed bit by bit...
Zweegle: Is this... is this going to be it...?! Was i... was i really wrong all this time...? The silver... the victims... I don't... i don't even want to admit it...! Damn it all...!
As Zweegle started to fall down, Klonoa then jumped up in the air, and appeared above him, softly saying the following...
Klonoa: If we ever cross paths again and you're still killing others for your own needs... i'll send you to the afterlife with no mercy, right where you stand.
And then with all the strength Klonoa had left in him, he bodyslams Zweegle onto the sandy ground below, knocking Zweegle completely unconscious... The crowd went silent for a moment, and then they all suddenly started to cheer really loudly. Klonoa barely got up on hit feet after knocking down Zweegle in the sand... all he did was look Zweegle's unconscious body, as he heavily breathed, while his bleeding wounds were still unattended...
Announcer: That was the most unexpected match ever! The Count finally got knocked in his place from the usual cheap tactic, by the Child of the Wind using the Count's own weapon against him!
The Child of the Wind... reigned victorious! And has made it to the final bracket as contestant number four!
The crowd went completely wild, as Klonoa was still breathing, although very heavily... Then the loud fanfare of trumpets and drums suddenly kicks in... Klonoa pulled backwards, and yells out in victory directly at the moon above with his eyes closed.
Klonoa: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! ! ! ! ! !
As Klonoa finally stopped yelling, he began to turn a bit dizzy, still having his eyes closed, while mumbling...
Klonoa: At least... i saved the tournament...
Then Klonoa collapsed directly onto Zweegle's unconscious body due to the loss. The audience at this point was either still cheering at the victory, or seemed a bit confused as to what happened.
Meanwhile as Kio got handed back 40 golden coins over at the better's desk while smirking towards him, Kio suddenly noticed Klonoa having collapsed and immediately looks over to him in the distance... out of utter shock, he yelled.
Kio: No! ! !
As Klonoa just lied down onto Zweegle, with no sign of him moving at all, Huepow tried to reach out to him from the Wind Ring.
Huepow (Wind Ring): Klonoa...! Please, get up... get up...!
Everything just turned into a huge blur...