The fight commence shortly, six groups will be battling at once, each team has their own opponents to face and only three groups would ascend to the next Quest. Astrid can’t help but felt a sense of fear seeing how her Vice Commander Lucius was standing at the middle of the Grand Arena, facing none other than the Prince of Haybeast himself. Lucius was paired up with Sir Peter of the Holy Knights and Prince Leandro was with the mysterious mage from earlier. No matter how much she looked at the situation at hand, dealing with Prince Leandro was way too much for Lucius to handle.
Prince Leandro launched at the two Knight as soon as the signal rang inside the arena. Sir Peter managed to use his shield to intercept his attack, giving Lucius and opening to attack the prince. But Prince Leandro brushed him off with ease, he was battling with the two knights simultaneously, the prince was laughing and taunting them endlessly, reveling in their misery like a true beast that he was.
“You don’t have to watch the Beast playing with your people Knight Commander, your focus should be on that mage hiding behind Leandro,”
“The mage?” Astrid was quick to shift her attention to the mage behind Prince Leandro, it took her a while to realize why Crown Prince Drystan was telling her to pay attention. The mage was casting spells discreetly, and the person who he was aiming those spells was none other than, Prince Leandro himself.
“What is he doing?"
“He’s weakening the Beast,” The prince spoke matter-of-factly that deemed her speechless, why would someone dare to fool the Prince of Haybeast? Only people with strong magical affinity could see through the mage deception, but still, one could lose their life if he would be caught.
“But why would he do such thing?” Prince Drystan looked at her blankly, Astrid felt so small in his gaze for some reason. The battle went on for a while, the two Knights was deemed hopeless in front of the Prince of Haybeast, a fact that was already set in stone before the fight begins.
“Stop making me wait too long, Beast,” Astrid losing her mind when the Crown Prince of Hayes himself decided to voice out his contempt, she watches in horror as Prince Leandro grinned devilishly on the center of the Arena.
“Why would you agitate him like that Your Highness!?” Astrid was trying her best not to lash out at him, after all, she’s just a knight in front of him.
“Do not fret Commander, the mage has more brains than that Beast, he knew that killing an opponent will make them out of the competition in no time,” his words sinking into her head and despite her initial displeased, Astrid watched the rest of the fight unfold before her. 54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWM0lK4IAuo
Prince Leandro raised his fist and soon enough, the two Knights were trapped inside a ball of liquid. Astrid heard about that elemental magic that the Prince of Haybeast can use at will. Magical Beast were born innate with the power of the four elements; earth, water, fire, and air, but only a few can awaken more than one element in their lifetime. But Prince Leandro was an exception, he who was born between an elemental mage of Valtos and the king of Haybeast made it possible for him to inherit the capability to wield the elements of water and fire simultaneously.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHv6olOGTY
Astrid could only stare anxiously as she sees her Vice-Commander Lucius trying to break the sphere, not even Sir Peter’s little amount of Holy Power could escape Prince Leandro’s magical sphere. The two Knights fighting so hard to breathe and retain their consciousness but to no avail, it was a painstakingly long battle to watch. Every second passed by ever so slow, and with one last glance to her direction, Lucius closed his eyes. The sound of Prince Leandro’s laughter echoed inside the arena as the two knights fell helplessly into the ground.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9QcgF0bGp
Princess Astrid was livid; she was itching to wield her sword and fight Prince Leandro on her own. The healing mage managed to treat Vice-Commander Lucius wounds, but he hadn't still not regained his consciousness much to her dismay. Vice-Commander Thamuz managed to defeat his opponent but was severely injured too, a part of her regretted letting them join in the first place, but what could she do now that it was her turn to fight again.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTS9CWOkWw
“I shall punish you if you lose to that Holy Knight,” the Crown Prince of Hayes words sounded so gentle and melodic to her ears that it was hard to hear the threat behind his words.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWv6WhUAUQG
“You don’t have to worry about me My Lord, losing was not part of my plan too,” Astrid cannot afford to lose on the Quest that she picked herself, but more so, she simply cannot lose to anyone, it would jeopardize her plans for her future and the future of the Empire.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNYym0aHP2
The fight started as soon as the bell rung loudly inside the Arena, the hostility of the Commander-in-Chief of the Holy Knights was so evident as he wields his sword towards her, Astrid was quick to evade his attack, but Claude Montegreal was no fool, his sword was clashing with Astrid’s blade in no time.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNhKOeTGbb
“What a warm welcome, Commander-in-Chief,”54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIKCDjS6hh
“I’ll make sure to finish you here, Knight Commander,” it was all empty threat to her ears, despite the fact that Claude imbued his sword with Holy Power, Astrid knew that it was not enough to beat her. It was because, Princess Astrid Von Malthor was born with the ability to manipulate and deflect Holy Power. It was a rare ability that was vested to the Malthor household once in every century since the founding of the Empire of Shentis. People of the Empire no longer believe that a child from the house of Malthor could produce such rare child again due to the extinction of their bloodline, but her birth was considered a miracle after all.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTHuiX2GWo
Astrid was fighting with Claude while absorbing his Holy Power, tiring him out faster and giving her all the strength that she needed to defeat him easily.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3U6FBcnuu
“I thought you’ve grown stronger Claude, turns out, you’re still a child who couldn’t defeat me,” Claude swings his sword in anger, it was sloppy and truly disgraceful to watch, Astrid met his sword in mid-air, taking advantage of his clumsiness, she directed his sword to his throat, stopping him in an instant. 54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEp17CxM4j
“Yield,” it was not a threat but an order, out of her little respect to the Holy Knights, if Claude decided to stubbornly continue with their fight, she has not much choice but to break a few bones and knock him off.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExKJHeRInE
“You’re as arrogant as ever Knight Commander,” The fury on his eyes was something that she could never understand, after all she never harbored any ill thoughts over someone, at least until she met the Prince of Haybeast.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZGvK5zfbz
“I see, you’re still as naive as you once were,” before the Commander-in-Chief could even make a move, his body was already falling into the cold concrete. Astrid absorbed his remaining mana, causing his body to collapse in an instant.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1FJSEd5cY
“Good work, Knight Commander,” Perhaps she has gotten used to the Crown Prince of Hayes sudden presence that it no longer surprised her as much as before, Astrid was so caught off her fight with the Commander-in-Chief that she barely pay any attention towards the Prince fight with the Sorcerer, but now that she saw the man lying unconsciously on the ground, she can’t help but wonder what had happened while she was not looking. After all, Augustus Light was not an easy opponent, not that she was expecting the Prince to lose either.54Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKc8FALTzm
The sun was setting in a distant, painting the sky in a beautiful shade of purple and tangerine, the loud sound of the horn blasting inside the arena, signaling the end of the First Quest. The thousand participants from the entire Kingdom were long gone, and only twenty of them remains.
