Chapter 259 – Floor 51: Part 3

  “Will you be fighting him?” Mathew asked as they walked back to their car. The driver was waiting outside of the black sedan and immediately opened the door for them as they approached. Seated in the comfortable and warm vehicle, Adelaide waited until the door was closed before responding.

  “Of course not, don’t be absurd. We have someone specifically for these sorts of challenges.” Adelaide scoffed as the car began to drive slowly down the road. The Eclipsed watched them warily as they passed, and the tension in Mathew’s shoulders only relaxed when they were far away from the warehouse.

  “Tell me about the ‘Old Way.’ I assume it’s a duel to the death, but what are the rules?” Mathew asked, and Adelaide turned toward him with a taunting smile that turned to a playful pout.

  “Young men and violence, it’s all they are ever interested in. Here you are, in the backseat of a car with a beautiful woman who is more than willing to indulge in your fantasies, and all you want to do is discuss ‘The Old Way.’” Adelaide teased. Her pout turned into a smile when she saw Mathew roll his eyes and turn away from her.

  “If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. I’m sure I’ll figure it out soon enough without your assistance.” Mathew replied.

  “You’re too easy to rile up, Mathew. You’re so serious all the time; it will give you wrinkles, you know.” Adelaide poked him in the cheek with her finger and laughed when he let out a huff in response.

  “We don’t age.” Mathew retorted.

  “Lucky for you; otherwise, you’d be a wrinkly old prune with all the frowning you do.” Adelaide said. Finally finished with her teasing, her smile faded as she answered Mathew’s question.

  The Old Way was the term for formalized duels established between the Clans and those possessing Aether-Enhanced Bloodlines. They were formed as a result of multiple incidents where towns and even cities had been destroyed in violence.

  Mathew could imagine the amount of destruction someone as powerful as a Grand Elder could cause, and he had no doubt there were entities in this world with even greater abilities.

  The rules of the duel were simple. Two champions were selected from amongst the warring factions who would fight at a set time and place, out of sight and without impacting the area around them.

  “Who is the Clan Exaltis champion?” Mathew asked when Adelaide stopped her explanation. Their car had nearly returned to the building where Mathew and Adelaide lived, the streets gradually turning cleaner and better maintained as they travelled through the richer neighbourhoods.

  “Dimitris has served in the role for several centuries. He reports directly to the Grand Elders, so we must inform them of the challenge immediately.” Adelaide replied. The car rolled to a stop in front of the building, and the driver exited to open her door.

  Page Break

  “Dimitris will not be helping you.” Lila stated, her full, red lips pulling upwards in a smile. She seemed to immensely enjoy tormenting Adelaide, and her eyes were filled with joy at the sight of Mathew’s Elder's realization that the Clan would not help her.

  Adelaide turned pale, and Mathew caught a slight tremble in her hands as the Grand Elder’s words sank in.

  “Why not? The problem is solved, and the Challenge has been issued.” Adelaide responded, and Lila’s smile grew even wider. The Grand Elder raised her hand and extended her finger with a nail painted as red as her lips. She waggled it back and forth as she uttered a ‘tut, tut’ noise.

  “The problem wasn’t yours to solve, my darling. The investigation of Club Eden and the resolution of its troubles was to be the test of your beloved Initiate. If we had wanted you to interfere, we would have assigned you to do the work instead.” Lila explained, her eyes slowly moving from Adelaide to Mathew, and her smile took on a different meaning.

  Rather than teasing and enjoying Adelaide’s predicament, Mathew could sense that Lila was filled with anticipation.

  The trio were meeting in the Grand Elders' quarters on the top floor of the Clan Exaltis building. The room itself was minimalistic and simple, with a contemporary design with white walls, large windows, and dark hardwood floors.

  However, the furniture and items within were different; each piece was an antique that told the story of the Grand Elder’s long life. There was a stately-looking desk that the Grand Elder sat behind, its surface worn smooth with centuries of use.

  Ornate bookshelves crammed with books and scrolls lined one wall, while cabinets held a multitude of other trinkets.

  Adelaide and Mathew had barely entered the building when they had been summoned to the Grand Elder Lila’s chambers to discuss recent events.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  “What do you expect me to have done? Allow Mathew to meet with the Chief of the Eclipse and deliver the Clan’s demand alone?” Adelaide scoffed at the notion and shook her head fiercely.

  “Yes. It was to be a test, and if he failed or stumbled, we would have a better understanding of his limits. Now, all we know is that his Elder is overprotective and has no faith in her Scion!” Lila snapped, her smile fading as she slammed her hand against the desk with a loud ‘crack.’

  “If Dimitris will not be assigned as Champion, what would you have me do, Grand Elder?” Mathew asked, already knowing what he would be tasked to do. His interruption drew Lila’s attention away from Adelaide before she could respond to Lila’s remark.

  “Resolve the task given to you without outside interference.” Lila ordered, and Adelaide’s face flushed red with anger as she leapt from her chair.

  “Absolutely not! I forbid-” She yelled, only for Lila to cut her off.

  “Sit Down.” Lila commanded, her voice taking on a strange tone as waves of mana roiled off her. Lila’s eyes darkened until they were bottomless pits, and the room suddenly felt darker and colder. The ‘Buzz’ exploded with pain in the back of Mathew’s head as Lila’s unrestrained use of power threatened to overwhelm him.

  Mathew dug his fingers into the arm of the chair and gritted his teeth as he fought to remain conscious of the assault.

  “I’ll. Do. It.” Mathew managed to say, the words coming out as gasps. With the last word, Lila finally restrained her power. Like a curtain being pulled back, the room regained its previous grandeur; the light returned to normal. The ‘Buzz’ gradually receded, leaving Mathew panting from exertion.

  “Good.” Lila said, her smile returning.

  “If you succeed, you will be appropriately rewarded for completing your task. And, if you should die, consider it a lesson to choose your Scions better and to not interfere during their tests.” Lila said to the pair.

  Adelaide swallowed whatever response she had prepared and nodded her head sharply. She was helpless against the power of the Grand Elder and couldn’t defy her.

  Page Break

  The chosen location for the duel was an abandoned platform for an old, defunct subway station hidden below the bustling metropolis. The Clans had used it for this type of activity for decades, even going so far as to remove it from public records when it was closed for repairs.

  A healthy donation to the city for a replacement station was made, and they had a perfect venue for conflicts settled in the ‘Old Way.’

  Dim, flickering lights from wall scones illuminated the space, casting long shadows across the cracked mosaic tiles and rusty guardrails. Above them, the distant rumble of active subway trains occasionally vibrated through the walls.

  Despite its neglected appearance, the platform was clean and the structure was sound. On one side of the platform stood the Eclipsed Chieftain, Vera Kael and a number of her followers. Her Champion towered beside her, his upper body bare despite the chill of the underground.

  Mathew stood with Adelaide on the opposite side; his only preparation for combat was to remove his jacket and roll up his sleeves. The Elder was unusually silent, a result of her being forbidden from helping or interfering. The only concession Lila had made was to allow her to attend, although with a warning that the Grand Elder would know if she faltered and intervened.

  In accordance to the rules, a third party was present to oversee the duel. An older man who served as a steward to the ‘Highborn,’ even the Eclipsed were forced to recognize his authority here. Vera Kael may control a neighbourhood, but the ‘Highborn’ ruled the entire city.

  The steward’s clan wasn’t known to Mathew, but there were hints in his appearance that spoke of his abilities as a ‘Sanguine Sculptor,’ the second discipline that was offered to Mathew. The steward was tall and slender, with a form that was too perfect to be real. His pale skin had a marble-like quality, and his hair was pure white.

  “Are both sides prepared?” The steward asked, his voice raspy like the rustling of old paper.

  The Eclipsed Champion stepped forward and spoke in a deep baritone.

  “I am prepared.”

  Mathew turned to look at Adelaide and gave her a small, reassuring nod and a grin before stepping forward to speak.

  “I’m ready.”

  The steward looked from the Eclipsed Champion to Mathew, assessing them silently before nodding.

  “Then, in accordance to the ‘Old Ways,’ we have an accord. The argument between Exaltis and The Eclipsed will be settled today. The weapons.” The Steward stated, pulling out a ornate wooden box from beneath the folds of his long robes.

  Flipping open the lid, he revealed the contents to those assembled. It was a matching pair of daggers, both masterworks of an artisan’s hand. The daggers had hilts made from black wood, and their blades were silver-like and wickedly sharp.

  One of the daggers was engraved with a snarling wolf, while the other boasted a bird in flight.

  The Steward gestured from the Eclipsed Champion to step forward first to select his weapon. With the snarling wolf dagger in hand, the large man returned to Vera Kael’s side and made a few swipes with the weapon through the air. The knife howled as it moved, reminding Mathew of the creature engraved on its blade.

  Taking the bird dagger, Mathew studied it carefully as he walked back to his own position next to Adelaide. The dagger was well-made, balanced and fit his hand perfectly. When he slashed the air with it, it made a screech like a hawk as it hunted its prey.

  “We will begin at the count of three.” The steward said when both Champions returned to their respective sides. Mathew raised the dagger and took a stance with both legs apart and knees slightly bent. He could feel the familiar surge of adrenaline coarse through his body.

  The Eclipsed Champion may have some experience in combat, but no one could compare it to the things Mathew had done in the Tower. He had survived wars against monsters, undead and creatures that no one in this world would be able to comprehend.

  When the Steward counted to three, Mathew pulled on the abilities that came with his new Discipline, enhancing his speed and strength. His body was a blur as he closed the distance with his opponent. In the blink of an eye, the pair were within striking distance of each other.

  As quickly as it began, it was over.

  Mathew spun around the left side of the Eclipsed Champion, stabbing the dagger into his leg and ripping it out. When his opponent stumbled, Mathew struck him in the neck and ended things.

  Panting from the exertion, Mathew felt a sudden surge of Aether surround him. A blue haze rose from the dead Eclipsed Champion and entered Mathew’s body in a rush of power. He could feel his physical abilities reach the second Tier just as the familiar ‘ding’ of the Tower announcing his success rang out.