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Chapter 15: The second task

It was 5th March and Arthur was worried the second task was tomorrow and it was so much more dangerous that the first. He thought about the other contestants were they as scared? Probably not Juliana, Evelyn, Torvald, Sasha, Marcus, Adewulf, Yana, Madeline and Radko all seemed to be very brave. No assists were allowed to participate in this one as they were suposed to be one on one duels. Arthur wondered which one he would get.

The 6th March came too quickly. Arthur was rounded up and brought to a small tent outside could be an arena a bit like the colloseum. Arthur felt even more dread setling in. He din't have a good memory of these and neither did Marcus. Arthur looked over at Marcus who was shaking in the corner.

"Champions gather round" A man with silver hair and and tiny ponytail that protruded from it and was precariously put over his right shoulder called us over. I remembered he was

"Kei-" My mother started and I remebered this was Keivan Rus. Russia, Belarus and Ukraine's father

"Yes Evelyn?" He gave her a Russia smile

"Nothing sorry." Sh backed quickly down.

"Okay as you know 6 people may move on to the next task and 4 may not. There are ten creatures to 'duel' so to speak and you will hopefully not die. Beautiful ladies first" Keivan said and held open a box to Germania who glowered at him.

Adewulf drew out the number 3.

"What?"

"Oh did I not mention you don't know what you're going to face before you do? Whoops."

He the held the box to my mother who got a number 6. Juliana got number 9, Torvald number 2, Sasha number 4, Marcus number 1, Yana number 7, Madeline number 5 and Radko number 8. Then I was left with number 10 and was last. Again.

/If you don't care about other contestants skip to the end/

Arthur heard the burst of a canon and Marcus walked out of the tent.

Inside the Arena.

There was a giant cage with a black curtain over it. The cloth was pulled away and some people screamed. Inside was a monster. It had two heads one of a lion and the other a goat. It's tail was a snake. As Marcus watched the creature blew fire at him. It was a Chimera. Marcus bare dodged the flame. The two who had pulled away the cloth quickly opened the cage and the Chimera was free. Marcus did the first sensible thing and cast Pyrum resistio on himself. If he ran he would have obviously died. The Chimera blew fire at him but it did nothing. He was equaly happy his clothes weren't burned either. However fire breath was far from being its only weapon. The Chimera's tail rose up and bit Marcus on the shoulder. Marcus then fell to the ground, defeated.

After Marcus was taken to get the poison sucked out of his shoulder the second canon went and Torvald entered the arena.

The vampire was released from it's cage. It couldn't approach Torvald though because he had a crusafix around his neck. Torvald then summoned a silver sword from nowhere and cut the vampire's head off.

This lost him some marks as they weren't supposed to kill any of the creatures.

The third canon went and Adewulf marched into the arena. The curtain was drawn back at the play began.

The werewolf beared it's teeth and charged. "Protego!" Adewulf cried and he was protected.

"Plumbum Argentenium!" A silver bullet flew out of Adewulf wand and hit the wolf in the knee. Adewulf was declared the winner.

The fourth canon sounded and trembling Sasha stepped out. The king of beasts stepped out. A Gryphon. Half-lion and half-eagle. It soared into the air and flew at her she screamed and fell to the ground and the beast narrowly avoided her. She screamed and screamed and finally some people came and locked up the gryphon again. They escorted the shaking girl out.

A fifth canon went and Madeline glided into the arena. A gigantic cage was there and the curtain was drawn back. It was a Golem, a giant creature made just of clay. It was released and stomped forward. She dived under it's legs using aquamenti and wetting the clay between its legs and the creature started to turn round she made a huge risk and slid under its legs again but stayed the she, as fast as she could started writing in the clay. She finished the characters שינה. The golem fell back. The characters were hebrew for sleep. She had guessed the golem being of jewish origins this would work. The crowd let out a giant cheer.

The sixth canon then fired and Evelyn walked out. The cage was released and there were many gasps around the arena. It was a Hydra. The three-headed serpent-water monster which breathed fire. Cut 1 head of two more would take its place. Evelyn bravely threw her cloak off and brought out the blue paint. She rolled up her sleeves and got ready to tackle the beast. The Hydra was released but the blue paint made the creature weary. She summoned Excalibur and got her wand out. She jumped up and sliced off the middle head and before it could grow she pointed her wand at the monster and shouted confringo. Flames exploded on the stump. The Hydra backed off and she was claimed victor.

The seventh canon boomed over the cheers and Yana walked in. The cage was opened at the same time as the curtain was drawn. A creature walked out and sat down staring into Yana's eyes. It had the body of a lion and the head of a women. It sat down and stared straight into Yana's eyes. Yana started to feel uncomfortable. She pulled out her wand and shouted stupify but the spell bounced of it and Yana had to duck. "Answer my riddle and you can pass," said the Sphinx "however if you get it wrong I will kill you."

"Okay you're on"

"I make you weak at the worst of all times.

I keep you safe, I keep you fine.

I make your hands sweat, and your heart grow cold,

I visit the weak, but seldom the bold.

What am I?"

"I-I" Yana blabbled

"Waiting" The sphinx starts to pace side to side. Slowly sharpening her claws as she got ready to pounce.

"Is it…?"

"Yes…"

"Fire?"

Suddenly the Sphinx stopped and turned looked Yana straight in the eyes and pounced. Yana screamed.

Wizards flew and pulled the creature off.

"Fear the answer is fear." The creature nodded and left. Yana had a bad cut across her leg and chest but would be fine.

As she was carried out an eighth canon was sounded. Radko walked out. A giant bull-man walked out of the cage. "A MINOTAUR?!" Radko jumped out of the was as its axe came down on where he'd just been. He sent spell after spell and hex after hex at the beast but all missed. An axe came down and Radko was very lucky the blade missed his shoulder but the shaft dislocated it. He fell down in pain and the Minotaur was subdued.

Arthur's pov:

The ninth canon sounded. The last one before mine. I saw Juliana leave and peeped out of my tent. She was facing a massive dog bigger than a horse but smaller than an elephant. It had black fur and red eyes. "Are you scared little girl?" It barked out.

"No puppy." She snarled back. The hellhound roared and in a flash was behind her. She pointed without looking into it's eyes and said "tuum oculos deleo" (I destroy your eyes) There was a bang and the bog fell backwards. Permanently blinded. It yelped and many wizards came on to help it and Juliana left triumphant. Alfred ran in and helped the hellhound and carried it out to the astonishment of many.

Then my canon went. I braced my self took and deep breath and stepped out of the tent.