Isran gnced at Alden, he seemed a bit bumed out that they weren’t being put in the same team for the next challenge. Isran was actually happy. She wanted to fight him, she had lost every single fight they had had and she wanted a chance to beat him even if it was a part of a group.
They had been told the previous night to gather in front of the barracks much earlier than usual, at seven am.
The gnome stood on his wood crate podium and told them what they could expect for the fifth challenge.
“As you know the games only st for a week. Each challenge has taken up one day but the next two challenges will be taking several days. You are adventurers and so the time to show your combat skills has finally arrived. You will be put in groups of five, totaling four groups.”
He waved over a guard.
“Like the previous games, you have been paired up. There will be a total of six matches, with each team competing three times. The challenge will st for three days. The days of Wilner, Hipettime, and Deskian.”
He added a few things, reiterating warnings about cheating and wishing them luck and the blessings of Vycor, before the guard he had waved over to the stage and started calling out teams.
Isran was in team two, with the elf she had been paired up with in the first challenge. Alden stuck out his tongue at her when she turned to look at him as he walked towards his group.
The elf nodded at Isran with a smile and introduced himself to the group. Isran appreciated his assertive nature.
“My name is Elowin. My css is a assassin css primarily, but my skills can supplement for face-to-face combat.”
A rge orc with swirling tattoos on his skin grunted, then smmed the rge shield in his hand on the ground. He said nothing else, he didn’t need to.
“I’m Ara. I’m a lightning mage.”
Isran tilted her head. Must be a very powerful css to have.
“I’m Dawn.” Dawn was a short orc, shorter than even Isran. He was probably as short as Elysi. Which for an orc was an interesting sight.
“I’m a mage. Specialize in protection.”
Isran swallowed as everyone’s eyes turned to her.
“I—uh—I’m Isran. I’m a knight…?”
Elowin—the elf—smiled and nodded, almost encouragingly. Isran appreciated it.
“Uh.. my css isn’t specific or anything… but uh…” She lifted her greatsword. “I am a swordsman.”
Elowin cpped. “Alright now that we have that out of the way. Some game pnning?”
The shield bearer grunted. Isran wasn’t sure if it was in agreement or not.
After taking a piece of paper from the guards, Elowin had them all gather closer and started jotting down the game pn.
“If there are any specifics we should know about, to either use to our advantage or avoid friendly fire you should say them now.”
Isran opened up her skill menu, thinking about if her skills needed to be broadcasted to people who could potentially become foes along the line.
AVAILABLE SKILLS
LOYAL BLADE
ANY BLADED WEAPON YOU WEILD WILL BE EASIER TO USE. THE WEIGHT WILL BE DECREASED AND IS LESS LIKELY TO FALL FROM YOUR HAND.
PROTECTOR’S OATH
THE PROTECTION OF YOUR COMPANIONS IS OF UTMOST PRIORITY TO YOU. WHEN YOU SWEAR THIS OATH IN COMBAT THREE CHOSEN ATTRIBUTES ARE MULTIPLIED BY THE NUMBER OF COMPANIONS YOU ARE PROTECTING
UNBREAKABLE
YOU SURVIVED A NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE AND IT HAS NOT SHAKEN YOUR RESOLVE. THIS SKILL MAKES YOU INVULNERABLE ONCE YOUR HEALTH HITS TEN POINTS OR LOWER.
[DURATION: 10SEC]
[COOL DOWN: 24 HOURS]
UNAVAILABLE SKILLS
LOYAL STEED
YOU HAVE BEEN RIDDEN BY A SOUL BLESSED BY THE PERSONIFICATION OF LOVE AND SEX. THIS SKILL INCREASES YOUR ENDURANCE STAT BY 10 POINTS.
She decided she didn’t.
Elowin went first. “I have a skill that makes me harder to see when I am in shadow, but since we are in an arena there will not be much shadow.” The elf looked up at the rge orc.
The man grunted.
“I have a protective barrier that repulses enemies… but if you are outside the given range when I cast it you will be automatically categorized as an enemy.”
“What is the range?”
Dawn’s eyes shifted around nervously before he sighed. “Two spans.”
Elowin wrote that down.
Isran had no idea what two spans meant, but she would make sure she was close enough to Dawn when he cast his spell.
Ara took out a smooth wooden stick. “I have a specialized channeling staff but…. Anyway, wherever I point my staff, lightning will follow. It moves in a retively straight line, but if you’re caught too close…” She shrugged gently at the end of that.
The rge orc grunted and patted his shield. Isran was surprised there were shields that big avaible, but she hadn’t been paying attention to anything but her sword. It also seemed adventurers weren’t the biggest fans of shields.
It reminded her of the shield she had used when she first arrived in Neos. She had asked Elysi to sell it a while back. She kind of missed it as she looked at the orc. Not for use, not really. But more so sentimental value. It had saved her life numerous times.
Elowin turned to her. “Isran?”
Isran blinked a bit and nodded nervously.
“Anything we should know?”
Isran gnced at her sword and shook her head.
She was actually quite excited to use her Protector's Oath skill. Phaedra had said she could swear whatever oath she wanted since she wasn’t a mage but she had to be actively trying to activate the skill.
After running over a few movement strategies and positions to use everyone’s strengths and weaknesses they split up. Isran went to Alden, who was already waiting for her, leaning against their building’s wall.
“Hey, hot shot.”
Isran ignored the very non-Neos speech pattern and settled by Alden’s side.
“Enjoy your team?” Isran asked him quietly.
“Yeah it’s fine… a lot of mages but I’m not really compining.”
Isran hummed in response. The arena was blocked from view by a rge wall that separated the barracks from the adventurer’s hall. Isran noted how clean it looked. It must’ve been cleaned in preparation for the games.
“I’ll make sure to beat you.”
Isran smiled. “I’m looking forward to your crushing defeat.”
“Oh is that so!” Alden smirked.
Isran ignored Alden's mocking tone and watched the other contestants. Alden recognised that she needed some quiet and settled silently by her side.
Pic 4
