The opening ceremony ended and I found myself wandering up towards Havier Regina’s box. Chrysus had lost his composure for a moment when I arrived and I was pretty pleased about it. My face hadn’t hurt from smiling in over a year, it was an uncomfortably pleasant feeling.

  As I entered, passing one of his guards who didn’t even attempt to stop me from entering, I laid eyes on my friends for the first time in so long. My heart almost leaped into my chest; I hadn’t realised how much I’d missed them.

  “It’s been a while,” I said as I walked slowly into the box. All eyes turned towards me.

  “It’s only been a week,” Rex said with a smile, “but I’m glad to see you back here and safe… wait.” He stopped, moving towards me, he looked me up and down and his eyes widened. “By the gods, you’ve done it?”

  “I have.”

  He patted me on the shoulder with both, furred and meaty, hands. Once upon a time his strength would have forced me to my knees, but not anymore.

  “Then you just might stand a chance in this ridiculous tournament,” he said in a low, harsh voice. “Though I don’t understand why you wish to take part in the first place. Getting involved with the gods is never a good idea.”

  “Considering our goals and the appearance of my back we were going to get involved with them eventually anyway. At least this way we won’t be caught off guard.”

  I had spent a lot of time considering my position in all of this. Diako’s offer was a means to an end and I planned to seize it with conviction. I needed the map pieces, I needed power. If I could win this tournament I’d gain both. Killing the samurai, who I now knew was the culprit behind the stolen skins from Morningstar, would make me the closest contender for the Celestial Map. Though I still wouldn’t go around murdering outworlders, the more pieces I absorbed the more powerful my soul became.

  Back at High Rock when I’d absorbed the pieces there I saw the change in my soul core. I hadn’t understood it then, but a year can change a lot of things. I’d spent a lot of time meditating and contemplating the ongoing changes to my soul, the mysterious soul power I possessed. And I concluded that map pieces made it stronger, made me more powerful.

  Once I surpassed the level cap I was certain that I would be able to wield that power whenever I liked. So in the meantime, collecting map pieces from zealots would only serve to strengthen my soul’s power. Which in turn would get me closer to discovering how to bring my wife and child to this world. Diako had also promised to help me with that, but I was sceptical. Still, what other choice did I have?

  Rex sighed and stepped away. The moment he let go of me Bell pounced on me, dashing into my chest. Not so long ago that would have been staggering but now I stood like a brick wall before her as she threw her arms around me and buried her head in my chest.

  “It’s good to see you,” she said through a muffled voice which vibrated as her warm breath moistened my armour. “I bet you haven’t taken your armour off since you left have you?”

  “I’ve… washed,” I replied.

  “Sure…” she giggled. “Azzy has grown so big, will you let me ride him?”

  “It’s fine with me if it’s fine with him.”

  Almost as if on cue, my circling dragon landed on the edge of the box and opened his wings, posing like a coat of arms on a knight’s shield. He was a sight to behold, though sadly he wouldn’t be allowed to fight in the arena with me.

  “I have returned,” he bellowed, lifting his head regally to the side.

  “You’ve grown to quite the size dear dragon,” Chonkers said, approaching him.

  “I have. So much, I fear, that you are no longer big enough to count as an afternoon snack for me. kitten.”

  Chonkers scoffed before turning to me. “Once you reach the next level, and time permits, come see me at the guild and I’ll update your card. You’ll have to sit the silver rank exam this time though, there’s no waving it I’m afraid.”

  I nodded politely to him. “I’m surprised to see you here.”

  “I won’t be staying. These competitions sicken me and I have more important work to do. But as director it was my duty to attend the opening day and show my face.”

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “It looks like you’re close to keeping that promise you made me back in Cali Port,” Sally said, seizing my arm and shaking it.

  “And yet you still pull ahead of me,” I smiled.

  “Well I have been at it a lot longer than you have. Though with the speed at which you gain levels I’m sure you’ll overtake me one day. Gonads,” her face turned suddenly serious. “My time in Cali Port made me realise something and I know it’s sudden when you’ve only just returned but… can I-”

  “Yes,” I said with a grin.

  “You didn’t even let me finish!”

  “It’s still a yes.”

  “Fine, then transfer me all of your gold,” she winked. “And then, allow me to join your party.”

  I laughed and nodded, though of course I was not going to give her my gold. She’d probably see it as an insult if I tried. “As far as I was concerned you were always a member of Dissident Flame. You just didn’t realise it.”

  She nodded and stepped away. Rex patted her on the back and welcomed her aboard. Bell was too busy cooing over Asmodeus to realise what had just happened.

  “Kid,” Panda said tugging at my armoured pants. “I don’t want to interrupt, but I noticed something odd earlier. There are only six champions. How is this tournament going to work with six, I thought it would be one on one battles until only two remained but that can’t be the case with only six people. The numbers don’t work.”

  It was Jack who answered his question. The man looked haggard and tired. Probably from being possessed by his god so much. I shivered at the idea and wondered if he was aware of what was happening when Diako was driving him like an anime mech.

  “It begins that way,” he said. “But once there are only three left the final battle begins. All three champions fight against each other in a free for all with the last one standing being declared the winner. It’s a new rule for this tournament. Previously there were only five gods and their champions so the hosting god’s champion would have an automatic place in the finals. But since Nyx is here too, taking part in his first tournament, they’ve had to change it up.”

  “That’s troubling,” I said, casting an eye over at Lucas whose face seemed to echo my thoughts. “That means if both Chrysus and Nyx’s champions win then it’ll basically be a two on one for me."

  “Assuming you make it that far,” Havier said with a wink.

  “It’s worse than that,” Lucas said, his face bleak and his beard greying. He looked so much older than he had when I’d met him. “Chrysus is using this tournament as a way to forge alliances like I told you before you left. If he is successful then I fear there might be no way to prevent it from being one sided.”

  “So I’m going to need to be strong enough to beat two champions at once?” I asked. “My power has grown, but I don’t know if I’m strong enough for that.”

  “You’re definitely not,” Bell said, stepping away from Asmodeus to rejoin the conversation. An uncharacteristically grim look was etched onto her face. “You didn’t see her fight, Kaleb. That samurai woman is a devil, she’s so fast I couldn’t even see her attacks. If you face her in the finals I’m not sure you’ll win even if it is a fair fight. Fighting two of them? You’ve no chance.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I said playfully. “But I agree. Two champions at once is a no go. So what do we do?”

  “We forge our own alliances,” Rex said, crossing his arms.

  “It’s not a bad idea…” I began. “But will any of the gods be willing to ally with a mortal like me?”

  “Of course not,” Jack said. “But they might be willing to ally themselves with Diako. Especially if that alliance also means a deal with the emperor of Castalor, the man touted to become the next god.” He cast a discerning eye over at Havier and I followed the line.

  In moments all eyes were on the man who had remained uncharacteristically quite through all of this. His large head was rested on his fist as he looked me up and down, allowing a small amount of his aura to leak out and surround me. The last time he’d done that I’d nearly collapsed, this time however, I weathered the feeling.

  My stomach twisted and I felt his overwhelming will trying to crush my own, but the strength of my new level helped me. Then a notification popped up.

  Skill: Usurper has activated.

  I’d gained that skill a long time ago and I’d barely ever used it. Perhaps never. It was a passive skill which strengthened my soul against something called a monarch-based attack. I had a feeling it was going to come in pretty useful over the next week.

  Usurper (unique)

  Due to your needless refusal to bow to kings, your soul has been forever changed.

  The bane of gods and royalty alike, you’re not only defiant and disrespectful to authority. You’ve gone as far as to usurp the throne of the Goblin King from its rightful heir.

  Your soul has gained strength.

  You are immune to monarch-based soul manipulation skills.

  Havier Regina let his aura filled gaze linger on me for a moment, but since my skill had activated it felt like no more than a slight haptic buzz in the back of my skull. I was immune to whatever skill he was trying to force on me. After a moment, he smiled.

  “There’s more to you than I originally thought,” he said wistfully. “Fine, I’ll help you. I’ll make introductions for you so that you can meet with the various, willing gods over the next week or so. It’ll be up to you to convince them to join your side though. As it so happens I have my own affairs with each of them anyway, so you can tag along.”

  “Wait, why do I have to negotiate?” I asked.

  “Diako is famous for his lack of people skills,” he smirked. “You’re his champion, you have authority to act in his proxy for the time being. Isn’t that the entire point of this tournament?”

  “It is,” Jack nodded. “Though I will ask my god for his permission first. I see no reason why he won’t give it though. For some reason he seems to like you, Kaleb.”