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Chapter forty five- Duel

James stood in the circle with Nora and Diana along the edges guarding two weapon racks. Each had two sets of weapons. Two of swords and two of staffs. The champion looked around to the crowd of watchers. Among them the queen. " It is fine if you call your companions. It is not a fair fight for you to go against four others."

James smirked. " The last time you were in that dark lords lands. You had to play some trick and run away did you not? When he called me there to claim me he let me go and said never come back."

The heros paused to the comment and so did most of the crowd. " I will not equip a weapon, no summon will be allowed either and I will not use my companions. As a duel there will be no consumables to be used. The fight will continue till one side remains able. Do you agree to these terms?"

The champion hesitates. " Outnumbered and unarmed? Now you seem to be making light of us. I will feel bad if you do not at least have a weapon."

James starts to stretch his arms a little. " If I wanted to make light of you as you say I would be wearing nothing but my unders. Do not forget my clothing may look as if nothing but are as good as heavenly armor."

The champion sobered up some. He remembers now that the few times James fought along with them he never once sustained damage with the exception of the dark knight at his own wedding. If they put everything they had into it they would be on par to that. " The conditions are agreed upon we confirming the rewards of the duel then. So there is no arguments from either side."

James nods and turns to Nora guarding the swords. " These weapons on display are the successes my apprentice made. I admit I created the method of their creation I am by far not as skilled as she is. Against my advice she did not destroy them after their creation. The swords are one of fire and one of earth. Each boasts an attack power of over two hundred and fifty. With an additional fifty elemental affinity that can damage it's own element as if not there. The fire one boosts speed as well by thirty points. The earth boosts defense by twenty. They can be wielded by any warrior class type."

James turns to the wands. " These two are of air and water. They boost the magic stat by a comparable level to the swords. With physical attack of their element. The water boosts recovery and elemental defense as well as wind further increases the magic potential of attacks."

James steps back. " If you wish confirm the reward to your liking?"

The champion subtly looks at the crowd. " We shall take your word for it. You, we know, are a honorable man at least."

James steps in between the heros and the weapons again. " If you should win this duel the weapons are yours. If ever they need repair I, or one of my guild, will repair them free of charge. When you should perish, either by the hand of enemy or time, my guild will reclaim the weapons so they do not fall in the wrong hands. If you should lose the duel then it is agreed that I shall not be punished for not outright turning these weapons over. In addition no further requests made upon me shall be made. Even if by royal writ."

The heros look to the queen to confirm this and she only nods. " As her majesty is the highest ranking official here she will judge the match. She will do so under the watch of the gods. At her command we shall begin."

The queen raised her hand slowly before lowering it quickly and James takes the first turn and he buffs his defense. The heros began the fight by doing the same. The whole party of them all received attack and defense boosts. James then took a pose for a charged punch in preparations for the next attack. As he thought the samurai acted first with the highest speed to knock him out of his focus and James smirked as his counter activated from his lure skill he used last turn. With the counterattack he would deal the same damage he received but lure doubled that damage when he dodged without taking any damage at all. Even armored the samurai went flying backwards knocked out. With a ko with the lure also James took a portion of the samurai's stats as well as a all the positive buffs he had before his attack.

This made the Champion hesitate and enter a protect stance for the other two while they started to cast magic leading to James turn again. He knew that if he tried to break threw the defense of the champion he would fail. With the buildup from the samurai he knew his best bet was a all hit skill as he jumped up and lands his fist on the ground to create a shockwave to both disrupt the spellcasters and stun the champion while taking down a portion of his hp. With protect still active, leaving the champion unable to do anything else and the spell casters stunned from their failed spells James decides to boost his position even further by entering the charged punch stance again. James knew this next move would end the fight. If the champion attacked that would leave an opening for their victory but if he hesitated in protecting the spell casters instead of attacking his next attack would win the match. James knew there was a small chance but to his surprise the champion attacked him. Knocking him out of stance and letting the spell casters both prepare their spells for casting. One to bring back the samurai to the fight and the other to take out James defensive shield.

It must have been more than twenty rounds of give and take before they broke down James to the state of barely standing. However he did not just give them the headway. He managed to take out both the spell casters. James stood panting with his left arm limp and bleeding from several cuts. The other two were in not much better shape as James decided to gamble one last time. He takes a deep breath and preforms a yell that echoed in the distance. He could hear the crowd react to the taunt and as he hoped the samurai took the bate.

The version of taunt James just used was not a normal one but one called thorn taunt. Where he will allow an opponent to hit him with full certainty with a crit on top but in exchange his opponent will be hit for that damage in full as well. Because samurai excel in speed and offense and in the weakened state a full crit of damage made them both fall over and the champion took a knee relieved. " And the victor is!" As the queen announced James raised his fist in the air and leans forward. " I am not done yet."

James starts to stand as the champion raised to a stable stance again exhausted. " I must admit you put up quite the fight. However it it my turn."

James continues to move forward as his fist starts to glow. " The special skill I just used to get back up. It is called absolute stand. It has two effects. When the owner of this skill is about to fail this skill gives him one last move. The second effect of this skill makes it my turn regardless of other conditions in place."

James continues to move forward. " It took me a while to create, practice and perfect these fighting moves. By far this is my final finisher. You are far stronger than I gave credit. However this is the end. This last move is called elemental reversal. It deals damage to both of us based on the strength of your elemental resistances."

The champion looks at James worried. " Are you trying for a tie? You must have elemental resistances as well. You must not be more than a single hit point now."

James nods. " It is true I have a single hit point the truth is I have no elemental resistance. My natural magic resistance is just so high that it seems like I do." James puts a hand on the champions shield. " It was a good fight."

The glowing becomes brighter before an explosion appears from it knocking the champion away into the other three heros. As smoke around the explosion area fades James is left standing looking at the queen. " And the victor is guild master James."

James smiled as he fell to his knees. Diana and Nora rushed to him out of worry. " James, you were amazing. Will there be a day where I will not be impressed with you?"

James smiled happy at Nora's comment as they both help him to his feet. " I swear you should have brought me along as well."

James has a thought and turns to the weapon's racks. " There was no condition for not seizing these weapons."

James looks at Diana and she goes from under James arm to the soldiers taking the weapons on the racks. In an instant all of them had flame appear threw their midsections as if cut threw and Diana on the other side of them. This sent them into a panic. " These weapons are the property of my husbands guild. As the guilds defender thieves must deal with me!" The queen bites her lip. Diana in turn sheaths her sword and the fires go out to the relief of the soldiers.

Chapter forty six- Kira's last day

Kira watched as the other three left for the day with the queen and heros. It annoyed her she was not going with James but she did not mind too much as she brought out the slab of meat for Jeffry. He ate it happily. He then rubbed against her happily as well. " Easy now Jeffry."

He backs off and looks to the distance. " What is it?"

Jeffry moved closer to Kira as if to cover her up protectively. Kira felt the chill down her back as well. " I know. Master senses it too. Trouble is coming."

Jeffry nuzzled her some more before opening the way for her again. " I got to go now. I am needed at the church."

Jeffry starts to push her in the direction and Kira laughs a little. " All right, you can come too."

Jeffry jumps up some joyed as he starts traveling along beside her. After about half way Kira turns back to him. " Your a father now right Jeffry? What is it like being a parent?"

Jeffry pauses and seemed to sigh. Kira giggled a little to the reaction. " It is fine. I am sure master will let you raise your own babies one day."

Jeffry hops a little joyed as she takes out a piece of charcoal and a pad and writes down the note. Lately she been writing the things down she wants to have James do one day. They are little requests. Make a good home for the orphans and her children. Give them the chance to live a happy life. With plenty of food and companionship. To be treated fair. For Nora and Diana she also wanted him to give them happiness and long happy lives. To get along well after she is gone in the coming years where old age will eventually take her. She smiles putting the notepad under her breast again thinking of Jeffry for something. He was a good pet. One of the family.

It had been hours sense Kira arrived at the church's orphanage. She explained the situation to the priest and sisters telling them that she and the orphans may be moving to a new country due to political strife. They understood in earnest. The situation was not uncommon for them to be part of. It was not uncommon for those with power not wanting to be dragged into another's fight. After that she spent time with the children with Jeffry. Even thou he was a battle hardened wyrm now he still had his soft side. Letting the young have turns on his back as Kira taught them how to hold on to his spine. It was not hard for him to carry five or six of them at a time. He was lost in having fun and being careful that he almost missed the smell of smoke and blood. His alertness signaled Kira to the same. Kira smiled sweetly. " All right everyone. Time for lessons. Lets go inside and get ready."

There was some awws and such from the children but most went inside without much of a fight before leaving four that was on Jeffry's back originally. Only the first one was down as the second tried to get off two goblins jumped from the top of the church and Kira entered her berserk form and took them by the neck as the landed in her hands before slamming them on the ground. Kira then rushed to Jeffry and pushed the child back on his back and took the one on the ground as more goblins appeared followed by an orc. Kira knew this must be an advance party for them to attack inside the city undetected. This fight was not to be won while guarding the children. Even without them it would be trouble for the two she knew. Jeffry read the situation as he started running as Kira put the fourth child on his back and he started running. However he quickly noticed she was not with him after a while. Jeffry only paused to look back a moment before realizing she must have stayed to defend the others. Jeffry knew only one thing. He needed to go to his master.

Chapter forty seven- Jeffrys message

Jeffry arrived at the arena where so few were. A journey that took only minutes but felt like an eternity. He did not risk flying where he could run with the young on his back but as soon as Diana saw him with the crying children and the blood on two of them she knew something wrong. " Those are Kira's hand prints. These are orphans we left at the church."

James stands uneasily. Even if his body had healed by the healing potions he was still fatigued. " Then we know where we are going."

James looked around to find the queen and the heros were already gone. In fact most were. He pushes forward but stops as Nora took a hold of him. " You are in no shape."

James looks at her. " I am not sure what is happening, but I need to be sure those weapons get back safely. That I leave to you. I will ride on Jeffry as we go."

She nods understanding as she moved him to Jeffry to be on his back. " Nora take the children as well. They need a safe place."

She nods again as Jeffry took off with Diana keeping stride. " It seems he is leading us to the church."

James yells to Diana and she unsheaths her sword. " I can smell blood and fire."

James takes a moment to smell it too. " Diana, I am far to weak right now to be much use. I can fend for myself but that is my limit. If what I think is happening happened Kira may have stayed behind to guard the children and the church."

Diana starts to move ahead of Jeffry because he was both slowing down and her speeding up. To run so far so fast with a load each way would wear even an experienced wyrm and Jeffry was not use to running with a load. When they arrived a path of death from Diana's sword threw all manor of creatures could be seen. All they had to do was follow the flaming corpses before coming to a sealed door riddled with weapon piercings and blood. The shape of blood on the door made a cross. That only caught his attention for a fraction of a moment before he saw Diana with Kira's head on her lap. Her body was pierced and cut threw several times. " When I got here there were orcs and goblins trying to break threw the door. Kira, she used herself as a barricade. Even in death she was protecting what was behind the door."

James looked at Kira's lifeless and mutilated form unsure. Her clothing was in tatters but something caught his eye. A little note pad. James took it thinking it was her accountant book but instead found the title of it. He slowly looked threw it as tears formed in his eyes. When he came to a blank page he had read her wishes in full as he raised up and dropped the booklet. He grabs the doors and pulls them right off their hinges and the nailed boards with them as well. In the back of the room he saw the other orphans with the priest with a mace as a last line of defense. " Come now. We need to get you some place safe."