The eting was disassembled. Brains and the engineers went together to discuss the way forward. Four humans had just died almost instantly after entering the portal.
No human would retry that, even if the deal promised they would return to the world of the living.
But beneath the darkness of doubt, the mission had helped them gather so useful information—important data that would help with different calculations: the cold mist that froze anyone who entered inside, and the glowing beneath their feet. In a scientist’s eyes, everything was a scattered puzzle waiting to be pushed together and fixed.
Alexander, after leaving the eting room, moved through a long corridor almost absentmindedly. Its floor was glassy and dark. His sight was forward, fixed on a door that led to the Captain’s office. He had not yet entered it since becoming the captain, and this was going to be his first ti—the first ti he would be enlightened about the deep secrets the Grid Lions might have.
"Don’t mind the intruition "
A voice behind him stopped him as he reached for the doorknob.
Alexander turned back, and there he was—Pascal, the very person who had co with Sandra the day she was recruited. His hair was scattered everywhere as if he never cared to fix it. Even in his Grid Lions suit, he carried traits that made him look more like an outlaw.
"I want to report a problem, and I was told i have to report to you.. which is pretty weird because you are the person the report is about "
Pascal muttered, his tone revealing that he was closely observing everything happening. He looked at Alexander as if he could see his lungs and intestines.
"Say what you want?"
Pascal smirked faintly, clearly anticipating that reply. His chest lifted as he stood firmly like a man giving a presentation.
"As you probably know, the captain’s councilor has just went to dust. And in the Sa ti period the capatin has went into a deep coma"
What are you getting at?
Alexander wondered. Pascal’s speech was heading sowhere, and his gut scread that it wasn’t sowhere good.
Pascal raised his hand, gesturing calmly as he explained.
"According to the gridlions handbook, if we ever reach in that case where the captain and counselor are an able to operate as their positions suggest, another leader must be chosen imdiately....and that individual must be chosen by battle. "
He went straight to the point, his cunning eyes narrowing as he watched how Alexander would reply.
So that’s where he’s getting at. I knew that not everyone would accept as the new captain. Especially since everyone suspects of killing that stupid elve. If I denie, it will make my leadership look like a dictatorship.
Alexander processed the situation in his mind. He knew he had to tread carefully inside the clan. Politics governed the actions of many, a habit carried from the world of the living. Humans always had an itch to involve politics even in the most noble things in the world.
"Lee just get that clearly first, you are inviting for a challenge for the title of the captain "
Pascal nodded in acceptance without even a flinch, despite who he was challenging.
"Alright, then I accept your challenge "
"Amazing, we will fight today in the after noon...and before I forget, the fight will be to the death "
Alexander’s right eye flinched. The rule of the fight struck him to the core.
Ever since the beginning of their conversation, he had felt Pascal’s killing intent radiating like a dark murderous light. But he never expected him to actually go that far. That point alone confird sothing that had been at the back of Alexander’s mind ever since he saw Pascal.
He was receiving backing from other mbers of the Grid Lions—mbers who were too afraid to show themselves. They had chosen Pascal because of his toxic character to speak for them.
And even more than that...
They wanted Alexander dead.
"Are you sure you want a fight to the dead , I am way more powerful that you ever could be in two years ?"
"Let worry about, you just get ready for the fight "
Pascal’s villainous grin never withered from his face. He looked like a vendor in the market trying to sell cheap goods—you didn’t know how, but you could just tell whatever he was selling had to be fake.
Alexander opened the office door, light shooting out along with a cold breeze.
"Then afternoon it is "
Pascal smiled like a man who had just been told he was going to be a father, walking down the corridor with confidence that Alexander had taken the bait.
Suddenly—
A frequency of magic cringed into his ear, ringing up and down as an invisible voice ca through it.
"Did he accept "
It was the goddess’s voice, heavy and strong, carrying the sa glorious presence it always had.
"Yes, hook line and sinker "
" perfect then, if you use the new powers I have given you to successfully kill him, I will select you as the new lord of hope, everyone of these people will worship you as my iron hand and together we will kill every last of the Demon kind until nothing of them is ever left on the face of the universe "
Her voice carried pure hatred—hatred many would not wish even upon their worst enemy. But it was her enemy she was speaking about, so she was willing to use anything to take them down.
"Don’t worry, I have it all figure out"
The tables had seriously turned now. The goddess who once backed Alexander had now turned against him, just like she did with Jamie.
...... ... ... ...
The fight was happening in the Grid Lions underground training area, so that was where all of the Grid Lions mbers were.
It looked like an arena, with chairs surrounding it that were filled with more than 299 mbers. In the middle of it was the ground.
No one other than the clan mbers knew of this recent predicant—or so they thought, since the goddess was already aware.
Alexander and Pascal stood on opposite sides of the battle arena.
So of the spectators shouted, following the human instinct to cheer when it ca to anything involving competition. Others stayed reserved, sitting down like they were attending an executive event.
Alexander gazed upon the stadium. The people and elves looking at him brought back mories of when he first arrived in Midworld inside the hall, or even the latest of them all—when he was in the arena waiting for the third ga. But that wasn’t the main thing on his mind, because the spectators started to cheer even louder than ever.
At first he thought the cheers were directed at him, you know, being their captain and all. But after seeing how they looked at him like trash, he realized sothing pretty destructive.
Almost seventy percent of the people in the Grid Lions hated him.
For a reason he had never been introduced to.
Elves maybe, since he had killed their leader in the faction and he was the only suspect in the issue. But the humans—their problem with him seed deeper than the roots of a mango tree.
"Get ready to play "
Pascal tried to intimidate Alexander, even though his face showed little emotion.
Suddenly Alexander stood in a fighting pose, his right leg slightly pushed back but not in a way that disrupted his composure. Then, like a kung fu master inside a movie, he extended his left hand forward as if calling Pascal toward him.
To Alexander’s surprise, Pascal took the sa pose—the exact copy of it. The way he did it even looked better.
Alexander was baffled at first, but then he thought it was just a coincidence, sothing that could occur in a fight.
Reviews
All reviews (0)