The royal gardens of the castle, once a refuge of serenity and natural beauty, had been transformed into a stage of opulence and power. The new generation of geniuses, each a shining star in their own right, entered the space with firm steps and calculating gazes. The setting had been meticulously prepared for them, with modifications that blended the splendor of royalty with the functionality needed for a gathering of such extraordinary minds and abilities.
The ancient trees, which once stood as silent guardians, were now framed by arches of silver light, interlacing like glowing spiderwebs. Exotic flowers, never before seen in the kingdom, bloomed in perfectly aligned beds, their petals emitting a faint phosphorescent glow. Polished stone pathways, adorned with runic inscriptions, guided the guests through the garden, leading them to a wide, circular clearing where the true spectacle was about to unfold.
As the geniuses approached, a central area stood out—a space reserved for interactions and conversations that could shape the future of their respective nations. It was a circle of comfortable seats, each adorned with the symbols and colors of their occupants, arranged randomly around the beautiful garden.
Servants moved gracefully, serving drinks while soft music played in the background, its source impossible to pinpoint. Some groups were already relaxing, free from the moral and formal obligations of the main hall. Meanwhile, others continued to arrive, mingling with those they had the most affinity for.
I felt somewhat out of place, not recognizing any of the figures present, but I was saved by someone I hadn't expected.
"What is the host doing standing in the middle of the path?" Thadeus asked.
I was surprised by the approach.
"Hoo... I'm just clearing my head before drowning in this sea of disputes and chaos," I joked.
"Hahaha... at least you already know what's coming. Come, let's join the Lunaris."
Walking side by side with Thadeus, we headed toward one of the central chairs, where Aeloria and Seraphine were seated.
"Glenn... let's duel!" Aeloria challenged me before I could even sit down.
"Come on, let me breathe first, you maniac."
"Grr... you owe me a rematch!"
"Sure, sure! Don't be in such a hurry to get electrocuted and sent flying out of the arena again!"
"Lucky shot! Lucky shot! I still don't understand how that happened!"
"Aeloria, don't be a sore loser!" Seraphine corrected. "Look at how Thadeus lost to Glenn without a Nexus and isn't whining like you!"
"Hey... are you trying to start something? You wanna fight me, then?" Thadeus shot back, clearly annoyed by the comment.
"Can I sit here?" a feminine voice asked.
We all turned to see Athena watching us with gleaming eyes, gesturing to a seat beside Seraphine.
"Of course!" I replied, shrugging.
The sound of two chairs scraping against the ground followed, and surprisingly, two people joined the group—Athena and Vex, who had invited herself, sitting beside Thadeus.
"Lady Vex!"
"Just Vex for you, Glenn," she replied.
"Right! Make yourself at home."
An interesting group had formed, with me at the center. I took the opportunity to introduce everyone to Athena and Vex. But I didn't expect what was coming.
"The stench of a wet bitch has filled the air!" Athena said acidly, directing her words at Vex.
"I didn't know they allowed harlots at official banquets," Vex shot back.
"Apparently, your people lost all common sense when they took you off your leash!"
"And the clerics of the Church of Three Destinies failed to exorcise your evil spirits!"
The exchange of open insults quickly turned the pleasant atmosphere into a tense situation.
"Do you two know each other?" I asked.
"Yes!"
"No!"
"Yes or no?"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"Phew..." I sighed, looking at the other members of the group, who were also watching this strange interaction.
"They hate each other!" Thadeus said.
"Yes!!" both women replied simultaneously.
"Can someone explain what the hell is going on?" I demanded.
"You should stay away from bad influences, Glenn. Hanging around these smelly bitches might give you fleas!"
"You should stay away from these lunatics, Glenn. In the name of faith, they'd burn their own parents!"
The insult-slinging session escalated further. Athena and Vex despised each other so bitterly that their insults reached rock bottom.
"Hey... hey... hey... Enough! I think we've all gathered that you hate each other—no need to keep polluting our ears!" I interrupted.
"It's all her fault!" Athena snapped. "There are people we trust, people we support, but in the end, they always stab us in the back. How could someone who calls herself a friend steal another's boyfriend without a second thought?"
"Trust? All that's in that twisted head of yours is how to gain more advantages, how to get more benefits. Not once did you ever see us as equals. It's not my fault you only used him as a lucky charm and never actually cared about him!"
"That doesn't change the fact that you're a shameless slut!"
"And you're a fake, snobbish, rotten, virgin hag. That's why he preferred all of this," Vex gestured to her own body.
Athena stood up, her energy flaring. Vex mirrored her, ready to start a fight right then and there. Chairs flew from their abrupt movements, but before the brawl could erupt, an atmosphere thirty times denser locked them both in place.
"Phew... Seriously, I thought I'd get at least thirty minutes of peace," I complained. "If you two want to fight, you'll have to go there!" I pointed to the semi-translucent platform floating above the garden.
The commotion drew the attention of everyone in the garden, who quickly crowded around us.
"Deal!"
"I accept!"
Vex and Athena didn't hesitate. I dispelled the amplified gravity, freeing them.
"Aster!" I called out loudly.
A few seconds later, my new attendant, dressed in a luxurious black suit, her golden hair gleaming and intense blue eyes sharp, approached me.
"Yes, young master!"
"Phew... How are the preparations for the honor duels?"
"All ready, young master," Aster said, handing me a small necklace, which I put around my neck. "Once you channel your energy, you'll be controlling the protective runes. Here are the challengers' bracelets," she handed me a box with a pair of silver bracelets.
"Thank you!"
Aster bowed gracefully under the intense gazes of many young men and withdrew like smoke.
"Alright. Does anyone else intend to settle their disputes tonight?" I asked.
"Yes!!" two deep voices called from behind me.
Turning, I found Balthazar already clad in black armor, a longsword at his waist.
"Balthazar, who are you fighting?"
"Me!" Tagilbor answered, dressed in his traditional light attire.
'Tagilbor? That's unexpected!'
"Ladies, would you grant me the honor of fighting first?" Balthazar asked.
"Fine, it'll give me time to put on my armor!" Vex replied.
"Yeah, run while you can, you bitch!" Athena taunted.
"Enough!!!!" I cut in before the chaos could continue.
"Phew... you guys... haa..." I sighed, disappointed that I couldn't even relax for ten minutes.
"As usual, honor duels are meant to settle what words cannot. Truth is dictated by the victor. But of course, we can't have you killing each other in the queen's garden!" I said, pointing to the semi-translucent platform slowly descending from the air, stopping just over a foot above the ground.
"Since, amazingly, I'm not the one fighting, I'll be the judge for tonight's battles. And as you all know, killing or severely injuring your opponent is forbidden. My presence here is to ensure you don't cross that line. Any objections?" Silence was the general response.
"But honestly, I don't even get why you two want to fight!" I said curiously.
"Tagilbor's master, Saerion, and my father, Dimitri, were disciples of the same teacher long ago. Since then, a rivalry formed, one that somehow passed down through the generations to us," Balthazar explained.
"Though I'm not one to resolve everything through battle, my master taught me that some traditions shouldn't be broken—and so here we are," Tagilbor replied.
"Alright! Have it your way."
"The battle ends when one side is knocked unconscious or admits defeat."
"Understood!" Tagilbor responded.
"Tagilbor?" I asked. "I thought you were a philanthropist?"
"I am, but I've been avoiding this duel with Balthazar for a long time. So we decided to settle it here and now!" he answered respectfully, a stark contrast to the girls' bickering.
"Fine, use these!" I tossed the two silver bracelets to them.
With two claps, all the chairs in the garden floated about six feet in the air. Now, everyone could sit and still watch everything happening in the arena.
The two—demon and elf—leaped into the space. Channeling my energy, golden runes glowed around them, expanding the interior into a much larger dimension with powerful barriers at the edges.
'Impressive!'
On one side, Balthazar stood, drawing his longsword and gripping it with both hands. On the other, a brush-shaped necklace glowed, lifting Tagilbor's robes.
'It's going to be a long night!' I thought.
"The arena is where honor is measured with fists and truth is revealed in combat. May the gods bear witness, and may the strongest prevail!" I calmly intoned the duel's chant.
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!"
And just like that, everything descended into madness and chaos.