Posted by As Aker cleared the doors leading into the foray Vance was standing there waiting not sure if he should be smiling, scolding or concerned. As Aker walked up to Vance, Vance couldn’t help but call out irritated “That hurt you more than me? Not once but twice you told that monster that? What were you thinking?”
Aker who saw the genuine anxiousness and worry in Vance’s face felt joyful, having someone who genuinely cared for you could make all the difference in the world.
“Hehe” Aker responded back to Vance’s questioning, a laugh that was meant for someone who got busted doing something wrong and not a laugh because something funny had happened.
“Don’t hehe me. Why didn’t you step back out of the attack of the Fire Ape when it swung from the side instead of jumping up and at it? Do you know how dangerous that was?” Vance who now was clearly frustrated couldn’t hold back his frustration any longer as he began questioning Aker relentlessly.
“Master, I was going to step back but as I was getting ready to, I had a sudden thought. I suddenly thought why would I back away? Didn’t I already decide to attack? Didn’t I already decide to defeat it? I felt like if I backed away then I would regret it. I had to press the attack, I had to push forward, from the bottom of my soul I knew I was going to get hurt but it didn’t matter. It wasn’t like I blindly attacked, it was only a Level 1 Basic beast, even if it is close to intermediate it’s still a basic. I’ll be fighting for a long time, am I supposed to back down at the first tough opponent I’ve had to face since after my third day here?”
As Aker was expressing his thoughts Vance couldn’t only hear his conviction but he could feel it. He could feel as the boy described not the want but the need to push forward. Perhaps this is what separates Emperor Candidates from others…. perhaps Emperor Candidates have a need to push forward and conquer deep-rooted in them.
As Vance was contemplating Aker’s words, he was distracted by Aker suddenly passing out. As Aker began to fall Vance put his arms out catching his young disciple and gentle raising him up in his arms.
Vance could feel the steady pulse and even breathing of Aker so he wasn’t overly concerned as he walked him over to the medic station.
At the medic station Dr. Life & Death was waiting at a table as if anticipating the injured return and care needed for Aker. Upon Vance laying Aker down Dr. Life & Death looked him over and concluded he just needed some rest. After checking on Aker’s injuries many times in the past few weeks Dr. Life & Death had deduced that Aker had incredible vitality as he recovered very quickly from all of his injuries.
As Aker lay their resting and recovering from a hard-fought battle over in the luxury box a man was fuming mad. This man who could instill fear with just a glance and that many would refer to as a lunatic was staring down the room full of cold sweating men. Never would they have thought that His Majesty The King would appear here in person to watch the fight. Blane had shown up after the first altercation between Aker and the Fire Ape where he got the opportunity to watch the boy get pummeled. He had been pleased with the scene even if the boy had exchanged blows having cut the arm of the Fire Ape. At the end of the day that massive and giant Fire Ape had a lot more leeway for injury than Aker so even if they just exchanged blows Aker was destined to lose.
When he walked into the room, he had hushed the guards so none of the men watching the battle below noticed that His Highness had entered and was watching the fight from behind them. It wasn’t until the Fire Ape had ripped the boy off of itself and tossed him helplessly through the air that Blane truly enjoyed the fight and started to relax. As Blane saw the motionless Aker laying on the floor, he couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of relief and comfort.
It was at the moment that Aker stood back up that the rest of the room realized that there was another person behind them. Upon seeing The King standing behind them and observing the boy as he gallantly raised himself up, fear started to creep up on the group of men. As a frown began claiming ownership over The King’s face the group knew that if the boy was to survive and win they would be in trouble.
As they were staring at The King and getting ready to show him the common courtesy The King bellowed out “You idiots can’t do anything right……You all tell me who is going to pay for this!”
As Blane was yelling out at the room full of scared and cowering men they all heard the sound of a roar coming from the arena floor and the eruption of the crowd.
Everyone within the room turned around and took in an eye full of Aker in his heroic pose growling to the heavens as the Fire Ape screamed out in pain its massive body only balancing on its knees. From their vantage point it appeared that the Fire Ape was down on the ground paying homage to its king.
As the crowd erupted in cheers the room was silent and somber. Everyone within the room watched in absolute horror as the boy suddenly stopped and bowed towards them as if thanking them. Was this boy out of his mind? He openly and willingly mocked the very people who dictated his life and death as if though he was announcing that they had no control over the situation.
The message must have been expressed loud and clear because in the next breath Blane with all of his force yelled “Get out! Everyone but Fastagio get out of my sight now! If you aren’t out of here in three breaths you can also become a guest of our pits!” Fury and anger resonated in every word Blane shouted out as his glare forced everyone within the room to cower down like a mouse trapped by a cat. Without taking a breath or further looking at His Majesty everyone within the room began sprinting as fast as their legs would carry them.
After everyone had left the room Blane must have managed to calm himself down while everyone was scrambling to exit because when he turned to Fastagio his voice was still irritated but normal “Are you even trying to kill that boy?”
“Your Majesty of course you know I’m trying. While he was successful today it wasn’t outside of expectation. In fact, if it wasn’t for my idea of forcing him to continually fight the Kulga he probably would have done much better against that Fire Ape. Don’t forget he was certainly injured in that fight just now.” Fastagio remained calm as he spoke with Blane. More than anyone here Fastagio understood Blane as they had grown up together and even plotted Vance’s downfall together. Fastagio knew that as long as he participated in Blane’s less than reputable plans that Blane would take care of him. Fastagio also knew that was the case as long as he never questioned or threatened Blane’s rule. Blane was absolutely the type who hated when people questioned him in any capacity, even if it was for his own good.
“I’m glad to hear that….”a wicked smile slowly developed on Blane’s face. Fastagio who had known Blane for decades instantly knew that something wasn’t right and he was the one who was going to be getting the short end of the stick over it.
“Perhaps then we can both lose sleep together over that kids’ life. Since you have plotted his death that makes you an equal accomplice to me, at least that’s what “they” will hear if we should be discovered.” Blane wasn’t even pretending that this wasn’t blackmail as he spoke to Fastagio.
“What do you mean? Why would we lose sleep over some brat?” Fastagio was truly confused. He had already considered why Blane wanted this kid gone so badly but how could some common kid fighting in The Pits cause the king of the entire Underground Empire any heartache at all? That would be the equivalent of the ocean fearing a rain drop……it was simply absurd.
“Hahahahaha….what would you say if I told you that kid down there is a failed Emperor’s Candidate?” with a laugh full of mockery either for himself or for Fastagio Blane asked.
“I would say it was more likely that he is my very own long-lost Grandpa than an Emperor’s Candidate.”
“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA……perhaps you should go down and call him GRANDPA then because that boy down there is certainly an Emperor’s Candidate. Not only is he an Emperors Candidate but he is a fully-fledged member of our empire.”
Fastagio didn’t even pay attention when Blane told him to go call a young boy “Grandpa” and only focused on the fact that he was being told that the boy was an Emperor’s Candidate. “Impossible, something like that is impossible. Surely your wrong.”
“I’m not wrong, he was tested and he even activated a tattoo…. well its hard to call it a tattoo but there is no doubting it, that boy is a bonified Emperor’s Candidate. He was discovered on an unexplored area of space, well not only was it unexplored, unless you knew exactly how to get there you could never find it. It was only by a miracle that the kids home planet was discovered. After discovering him there we brought him here, activated his genes, and he received the tattoo…..”
“Then why is he down there in The Pit fighting? Do you know what it means for us to have our very own Emperor’s Candidate? Right now, we are merely a power on the outer fringes of the universe but if we had an Emperor’s Candidate that wasn’t owned by them our power would grow beyond belief. Even if he wasn’t a particularly strong Emperor’s Candidate it wouldn’t matter. So many empires just knowing that we own one would……”
“You think I don’t know that!” Blane cut into Fastagio’s ramblings. Fastagio was starting to get excited and animated as he spoke causing Blane to start to lose his temper. “Why the hell do you think I brought him here secretly? Why do you think I branded him before doing anything else? I thought about everything you were talking and so much more. How much could I conquer with my own…. huh……it’s not worth thinking about anymore…” As Blane was speaking, he suddenly trailed off. He had put so much thought into how sublime it would be, but it wasn’t worth thinking about anymore.
“Why, is he or isn’t he an Emperor’s Candidate?” Fastagio couldn’t understand, if he was an Emperor’s Candidate why would Blane give up on everything that would come from having their very own. It was unheard of…. No, it was not just unheard of it was more like a legend of a legend.
“He’s failed.” Blane responded back without the force in his voice he had a moment ago. To his dying breath he will regret that that boy was a failed Emperor’s Candidate.
“How can there be such a thing. Who has ever heard of a failed Emperor’s Candidate?”
“When his tattoo activated, he only had a tattoo covering his pinky that formed a ring. If that’s not failed then what is?” Blane asked sarcastically to an open mouthed Fastagio.
“A tattoo that was only the size of a ring on his pinky? How is that possible? Part of the reason that Emperor Candidates are so much stronger than everyone else is that their tattoos significantly boost the amount of nature’s particles their bodies can hold. Its common knowledge that the bigger the tattoo the more powerful the Emperor’s Candidate, well for the most part as I guess there are exceptions to everything, but still a pinky tattoo would be worthless compared to the other Candidates.” Fastagio couldn’t help but explain what he knew to Blane. As Fastagio was talking Blane was looking at him like he was an idiot. Who didn’t know that, especially him The King how could he not know that?
“That’s why I’m telling you he’s failed. After his activation seeing the small tattoo on his pinky what else could I do except toss him in The Pit. I never thought for a second he would even survive the first battle. He was weak and insignificant. Imagine my shock when he not only survived that fight but even today still continues to battle and win. Did you see the way he took down that Fire Ape?”
“So why don’t you try and make up with him. He is clearly a genius. Even if he is failed, he could still be our top fighter, even if he’s not a full-blown Emperor’s Candidate his skills and talent are first rate as long we don’t count the other Emperor Candidates.” Fastagio’s first thought was to pull him into their empire. Technically he was already a member, why would we continue with having him fight in The Pit.
“What do you think would happen if they found out we had found an unknown Emperor Candidate and rather than hand him over made him ours? Do you believe they would let us live? Could we just apologize to them? It was worth the risk when he was going to be a full-fledged Emperor’s Candidate but as that kind of waste would it be worth it? Also, after tossing that boy into The Pit are we just supposed to go up to him and say what, uh sorry we didn’t know you were a genius won’t you fight for us? Did you see him sneer and bow at us? No… he has to die before anyone else finds out and you have to help take care of it.”
With Blane’s words Fastagio suddenly realized how serious their predicament was. If “they” found out that the Underground Empire had hidden a newly discovered Emperor Candidate there was no way they would be allowed to keep their lives. Not only them, they might just destroy the whole empire as a lesson for other empires who had the same thought should they every chance across one.
“Why would I want to help you? I don’t want any part of this!” Fastagio could feel the cold blade of death on his throat as they spoke. Why would he voluntarily get involved knowing that the boy is truly an Emperor’s Candidate.
“HAHAHAHAHA, you fool. Didn’t I ask if you were truly trying to kill that boy. Didn’t you already respond that you were trying with your whole being. Do you believe that you aren’t already involved? There is no escape from this for you or me unless that boy disappears. The longer he is alive the more chance we run of not surviving. Now how much sleep are you going to lose over this? HAHAHAHAHAHA….I feel so much better having a brother who I can share this burden with.”
After laughing for the last time Blane walked off as Fastagio cursed him in his mind.
“It truly is truth that misery loves company” Fastagio mumbled to himself as he stared down at the arena. If before he was just trying to keep Blane happy as he haphazardly approached the boy he would now have to commit himself to it.