Oh. I cheated. There's a song in this one. I don't own it. It's called... er... the never-ending story... i think. by nightwish. good song. anyway yup. the tournament continues. the beginning seems a little rushed but there are two battles at the end. one is in further detail than the others. now... it's not as short and easy as it seemed. just imagine really epic battles. it's hard to describe fights ya know? anyway... yeah enjoy... oh yeah and if I accidently say I or me... ignore it. i'm working on something else right now and that one is in... first person? you know the POV when you use I and me. so sorry about that. and ignore my awful grammar.
Cheering echoed through the air as first the brown fraction fought each other until one victor remained. The victor for the brown was a woman from the north east region. She had long dark brown hair with feathers in it. She wore reddish brown war paint on her eyes like a mask and white above and below the red. She was a fierce fighter, a worthy opponent.
The Purple warriors were next. The brown warrior were brute and stable with their stances. The purples were different. They fought with their heads held high. They were very noble when they fought. That was the only way that you could describe their fighting. The winner was a tan man, who had his chest paint with different black marks. He was from the South East region.
After was the yellow fighters. They were more flamboyant and almost… hyper. The winner of the fight was a shabby but happy man. He was a very good fighter. He was from the north east region, the same as Artemis.
Next was the red warriors. They were evasive. They didn't fight with brute and didn't go for fatal blows. The winner was a darker man that wore bright red war paint on his eyes. He wore little armor. He was from the central region.
Next was the green warriors. The used more magic than the others. Artemis leaned over to Arthur.
"Greens are known to battle long because they use magic to heal themselves quickly during the battle. It's not a lot of magic," she said. "Most servants reserve their magic during the tournament to give everyone a fair chance to win, but I should tell you. Most of the people here do know magic." Arthur looked at her.
"I decided let us forget that I am Prince while we are here. Magic does not bother me right now. I have more important things on my mind."
The green winner was a man from the south west region. He was dark like the central warriors, but his facial structure was different. He wore feathers in the little hair he had.
The black warriors next were brutal. They rallied on sheer strength and brutality. The always attempted to go for the kill. The black winner was a pale woman in all black skimpy clothing from the north east region.
Whites were evasive like the reds, but when they did attack their attacks mattered. They were hard and merciless attacks. They gave no weakness to their fighting. A plain man with slightly darker skin and long brown hair won. He was from the north west region.
The blues were then called. Artemis went to her tent. She only wore her arms brace. Nothing changed in her outfit. The did not put on their armor until the final matches. The others were in there for support.
"Give them no advantage," Arthur said.
"Let the battle come smoothly," Merlin said. "Don't force it."
"Be both evasive and brutal," Ava said.
"But don't forget your honor," Arthur said. A plain sword was strapped to Artemis's waist. Her name was called. Artemis took a deep breath. "Good luck," Arthur said before kissing her. She turned and went out the tent into the arena to face her opponent. Her opponents were actually easy to beat. She came out on top easily.
Everyone cheered loudly. As she took a bow and left the arena. The champions stood together in front of Erus.
"Congratulations. You eight have made it thus far. The tournament continues tomorrow. Only one will come out on top." Cheering echoed through the volcano.
Artemis went back to the tent alone. She just needed some alone time. Her head wasn't clear today. Artemis went to the section were she had slept the previous night. She sat on her bed and put her elbows on her knees. She might have fought well, but she wasn't all in it. Her head was rattling. Erus's threats, Cassandra's warnings… it was making her stressed. She rubbed her forehead.
"You definitely need vacation," Arthur said. Artemis looked to him. He was lingering in the entrance to her section of the tent.
"I can't afford a vacation," Artemis muttered.
"True. Now is not a good time, but perhaps when we return to Camelot you and I could go somewhere. My family owns a castle farther in the south for such purposes."
"Mm… sounds nice," Artemis admitted. Arthur sat next to her.
"You seem really gone… lately," he said.
"Gone, that's an interesting choice of words."
"It's the best way to describe it."
"Hm… I've just been doing some serious thinking is all," she replied. Arthur put his arm around her and gently squeezed her.
"I've got your back," he said. "You can lean on me, Artemis. I'll be there for you." Artemis smiled. She laid her head against his shoulder.
"I know," she said. Arthur kissed her gently. Without a sound or a signal while Arthur and Artemis kissed Erus stood in the entrance. She saw them, and suddenly her whole world was brightened. A smile crept onto her face and she turned humming. She left the two alone… for now.
The celebration that night was not held by just them, but the entire blue fraction. They held their celebration in farther away from the volcano near closer to the lower levels of the servants. There was a small clearing in the middle of a large cluster of blue tents. A huge blue fire roared. There was a lot of mead and cider. They all drank and laughed and dance and sung. Arthur and Artemis danced most of the night to the various songs until the blues started chanting Artemis's name.
"Ambrosine! Ambrosine Ambrosine!"
"You want a song!" Artemis yelled.
"Yeah!" they shouted. Artemis stood on one of the bleachers that were empty.
"Okay! Silence!" They were silence. Artemis stood up straight
"Armies have conquered
And fallen in the end
Kingdoms have risen
Then buried by sand
The Earth is our mother
She gives and she takes
She puts us to sleep and
In her light we'll awake
We'll all be forgotten
There's no endless fame
But everything we do
Is never in vain
We're part of a story, part of a tale
We're all on this journey
No one is to stay
Where ever it's going
What is the way?
Forests and deserts
Rivers, blue seas
Mountains and valleys
Nothing here stays
While we think we witness
We are part of the scene
This never-ending story
Where will it lead to?
The earth is our mother
She gives and she takes
But she is also a part
A part of the tale
We're part of a story, part of a tale
We're all on this journey
No one is to stay
Where ever it's going
What is the way?
We're part of a story, part of a tale
Sometimes beautiful and sometimes insane
No one remembers how it began."
There was much cheering and clapping for Artemis as she bowed gently. Arthur held a hand for her. She gripped his hand and stepped down.
"That was lovely," he complimented.
"Thank you." She sat down and Arthur sat with her. Arthur put his arm around her waist, but Artemis gingerly pushed it away.
"What?" he asked.
"Not here. The Servants can't know."
"Do you want to take a walk then?" he asked.
"I would like that," Artemis said. She rose and together she and Arthur walked out of the party and down the nearby path that lead into the forest. Their walk last for long while until finally the edge of the island came and the ocean stood before them. Arthur and Artemis sat together on the beach just close enough to the ocean that the water touched them as the waves passed. Artemis laid her head against Arthur's shoulder. They talked about everything. Artemis was for once speaking of her past rather fondly.
"And there I was surrounded by these men that wanted to kill me, so what do I do? I tell you what I do, I jumped out the window."
"Out the window?" Arthur laughed. Artemis nodded.
"Mhm, and who do I happen to fall on, but the Sultan's son, Alden. Christ, that was a disaster, but thankfully Alden has a very good sense of humor and thought the whole thing a riot. He found it so amusing that he ordered the guards to leave me be, and I was then admitted into the court as a maid of course."
"Were you ever admitted into the court as anything other than a servant?"
"No… well, yes… but nothing spectacular. I was a seamstress for a little while and well… again nothing exceedingly interesting."
"Why don't you ever declare yourself a Servant of the World? I have… spoken to my father about them, and even he has a grudging respect for them."
"It's not that easy," Artemis said. "Trust isn't easy to come by when you're a Servant. When people know who I am they are more weary of saying things around me. When I am a simple servant… it doesn't matter because that's all I am. I can't do anything. The Servants have been feared and always will be ever since to time of Ambrose."
"The founder of the Servants of the World?"
"Exactly."
"But I thought… the way Aditi spoke of him…," he said.
"Ambrose was a good man at first. He ruled justly, but… one day he lost it. He was convinced that humans were unfit to rule. That they must be eliminated. If there's no humans, there is no destruction. He nearly wiped out an entire island known as Atlantis."
"Wait, wait, wait," Arthur said. "I've heard of Atlantis. You're saying the founder of the Servants of the World was the one who sunk it to the bottom of the ocean?"
"You think I'm lying to you?" Artemis asked. "It's true. Before he could spread his destruction any farther the Servants of the World annihilated him. His madness was forgiven with time and his name was forever remember as the name of a good man."
"And you were named after him?"
"Shut up!" Artemis said pushing him. "He was a good man just a man that in the end saw no good in humanity, and you know… sometimes I think he's right, but then sometimes I know he's wrong. Humanity has some good even if the majority isn't."
"Oh? And do I give you some hope of that?" Arthur asked. Artemis looked at him.
"No. You make me think humanity's doomed." She laughed and looked up at the sky. "I think you will be a great king, Arthur. I do not like your father's ruling, but I think I will live pleasantly with your ruling, but then again the woman you choose to be your Queen could very well affect your rule."
"You say that so calmly when you know perfectly well I do not want another."
"And you know well I cannot be at your side forever. Rules are rules."
"I do not understand the big issue with it."
"… Many years ago a man fell in love with the leader of the Electus. He was a King, and although he truly did love her he soon came to realize that… she offered a lot more than he thought. He used her… and by using her he nearly succeeded in reigning over humanity. Ever since the Servants were only allowed to marry other servants."
"But I wouldn't do that."
"I know, but it matters little to the others. The Electus are my friends, but… they will vote in a way that they feel is fair. They will not go easy on me."
"Then this is hopeless?" Arthur asked. "What is the point-"
"Let's not fight tonight," Artemis said. "Let's not think of the future it will only complicate the present, and I rather like the present. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift that is why it is called the "present"."
"Do you have proverb for everything?"
"Yes," Artemis replied. Arthur laughed. Artemis looked up at the sky not really sure what was going to happen next. They continued to talk into the night until they fell asleep on the beach.
Artemis awoke with the sun shinning in her eyes. Her eyes flew open.
"I'm late," she said. "I'm late! Arthur get the hell up! I'm late!" Arthur woke as Artemis stood.
"What?" he said drowsily.
"I'm late for the tournament!" Arthur jumped up. They ran through the forest and past the tents and to the volcano. Her tent was inside. The others were waiting for them.
"Where were you!" Guthrie asked.
"I fell asleep… woke up late," she said.
"Well, you better change. You're up next." Artemis changed into the black leather armor that she had worn when the Great Dragon had attacked. She strapped her sword. to her side. They all said good luck and Arthur kissed her again as she stepped out of the tent.
The fighting wasn't that hard. It wasn't until the Black Challenger that things really started getting challenging. The woman stared at Artemis with eyes of content and hatred. She moved like a panther. She was sly and graceful. She withdrew her sword and with great force and no mercy she pulled it down on Artemis. Artemis dodged it, but the black was just getting started. She was just as quick as Artemis and just as strong, but she did have a weakness and Artemis could see it. This woman put all her strength into her swings. There was a moments delay when she tried to swing back around. Artemis dodged another attack by her, but was surprised to find her retaliate by pulling a smaller knife from her thigh and plunging it into Artemis left leg. Artemis gasped, but pulled it out quickly and stumbled a bit away from her. The woman swung her sword and Artemis had to take the opportunity. Artemis purposely fell and dodged the sword. She landed behind the woman and kicked the back of her knee in just the right place. The woman's body shut down on her. The match was called Artemis won. She was helped over to her tent by the ref. Guthrie looked at the hole in her leg.
"Take it easy!" she hissed when he pressed to close to the wound. Guthrie muttered something and her leg healed. Artemis's tension died down.
"Come on kiddo," Guthrie said holding out a hand. "You still have one more opponent." Artemis stood with his help and went to face the last man. She stared at him and he at her. They circled each other. Artemis lunged; he dodged. She hit; he dodged and hit at her arm. She felt a snap. Artemis jumped away. She snapped her arm back into place and muttered a spell. Her arm healed as the man lunged at her with a spear. Artemis ducked but he was relentless. It was back and forth between them. She was the one dodging this time. He was just as quick as her, and Artemis knew this. She was dodging his attacks but just barely. She had to make a move now or they would go on like this until one of them was worn down enough and the other took advantage, but this man… he was one hell of an opponent. She saw no flaws in his style. It was just as quick, just as skillful, and just as graceful as her own fighting. There was no way she could beat him. She dodge another swipe at her only to have a kick aimed at her head. She ducked and tried to pull out his leg, but missed. Time to change styles. Artemis switched in to a solid stance. He lunged at her with his spear. Artemis moved slightly, but for the most part stayed in the same spot. She broke the head off the spear, and took a quick swipe at his head with her foot. He ducked and retaliated with a punch at her. And so it started. The quick hand to hand combat between the two of them. Artemis had the style of quick jabs, and he had a style of very well stringed attacks. Right now he was defending, but that wouldn't last for long. He struck out at Artemis hitting her stomach causing her to fly backward. Artemis landed on her back. He was quick and came back with another quick strong kick as she was down. Artemis rolled out of the way. He swung a kick at her whilst she knelt on the ground. Artemis unsheathed her sword and swung at him. He ducked skillfully. She swung and jab, and he seemed a little more carefully than before with his dodging. He didn't attempt to attack back during the that part until he managed to dodge and step around her at the same time. He grabbed her wrist and broke it. Artemis gasped and dropped her sword. She swung at him, but he managed to take her other arm. Snap. Broken. Damn it. So Artemis basically lost but see she's stubborn and doesn't go down easily. In one last ditch effort, Artemis picked both her feet up quick from the ground and slammed her feet into her opponents chest. At the same time, he struck a pressure point in her neck. Darkness swallowed Artemis.