Babylaind was a majestic city, but its stadium was twice as magnificent. It was half black, and half white, with an astounding number of seats for the audience, seated around the battlefield ten meters above the ground. Outside the stadium there were food stalls and food courts for dining, and even a small amusement park for children.
This was where King 67 and Edward’s duel with the Architect was supposed to take place.
It had been five days of resting for King 67 since he woke up, yet all preparations were complete. A duel between the architect was a must-see for many of its citizens, and as King 67 and Edward stood outside the stadium, many citizens were already inside the venue, clambering for their seats.
A duel of this magnitude should take at least seven days to prepare, so Edward had already signed up for this duel before I had even woken up?Was he that sure that I would agree to his conditions? That bold fake prince…
At the entrance of the stadium, there was a large banner, painted just days before the event.
“WITNESS THE MIGHT OF THE ARCHITECT: ARCHITECT FACES OFF AGAINST EDWARD
It said.
“Well, are you ready? Or are you still silently shivering with fear. Worry not, you only need to provide backup for me.” Edward laughed.
Disgruntled, King 67 held caressed the dagger at his waist and nodded.
The dagger was the one he had used for his duel with Edward. It had fitted him quite well, so King 67 decided to keep it.
In the days leading up to the duel, King 67 had noticed something. Edward could have just used the money he stole to pay the Architect straight away, eliminating the need to have a duel, meaning that Edward wanted to use the money against him. In other words, Edward wanted to use it to pressure King 67 to join him.
That meant that no matter what, Edward would protect him and try to win the duel himself. Yet to cover up this goal, he decided to let me join the duel. Or maybe it was just for backup.
In any case, I do not have any reason to worry.
Just as King 67 and Edward were about to enter the stadium, they heard a shout behind them.
“Brother!” A short old beggar ran up to them. It was the beggar King 67 had met on his first day in Babylaind. He wheezed as he stopped in front of King 67.
“Huff…Brother…I finally found you. What the hell are you thinking!” Agitated, the old beggar shouted.
Edward was about to intervene when King 67 held him back.
“What is the matter?”
“You…you went and challenged that guy next to you just a week before, fainted, then now you’re here with him to challenge the architect? Are you stupid? I almost fainted when I saw the competitor’s list!”
King 67 immediately tried to explain, but the beggar cut him off.
“The architect is impossible to defeat! Do you not see the scale of this duel? Hundreds- no thousands of people gather here to see him fight? Why do you think so? Cuz no one dares to challenge him, and so no one has witnessed his powers for the last five years!”
“But I’ve seen him fight back when I was young. Be careful! His glitch is basically to control anything he can understand. Do you understand how… how incredible that is? He’s crazy! He can use floor tiles to attack… or, or to take water from a cup to pierce you! Even if dueling forbids killing…yall are still sure to…”
“Based on what I know, the only way to beat him is to attack first, but you would have to be fast and your weapon would have to be powerful as well! You’d need the power of a god!
Edward smirked.
“Thank you, your information has been quite valuable.” Edward bowed to the beggar.
Well that was convenient.
“Come let’s go.” Edward urged, and King 67 followed him inside the stadium.
“No…don’t go…” the beggar cried.
And then, while casually striking his bag of gold, a cheekily grin formed on his face, below that thick moustache of his.
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“You are planning to attack the Architect first using Sword of God, right? But what if he activates his God’s plan first?” King 67 inquired while Edward put on his brass armor.
They were in the preparation shed, getting ready for the duel that was to start in a few minutes. The shed was not very large, but it had fine furnishing and a comfortable sofa, and had clearly been cleaned beforehand.
“I will simply swing my sword before the Architect can even finish saying “God’s plan”. It all comes down to a matter of speed. I' shall slash his leg before he can even begin to react. You have no idea…” Edward explained with a steely gaze in his eyes, “The sheer number of hours I have practiced for a moment such as this.”
King 67 could see within Edward’s determined eyes that he was not lying.
He meant to finish the duel in less than a second.
“On the other hand, if my plan fails, you will strike him with your dagger. If he is distracted with me, you should be able to succeed.. Yes…” the image of King 67 striking him with his dagger a mere week ago surfaced in Edward’s mind.
“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THE EVENT WILL BE STARTING NOW!”
“We should get up,” said King 67 as he caressed his dagger.
“Yes.”
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"LET US ALL RISE AND SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM OF BABYLAIND!" The voice boomed, its power echoing through the stadium, as thousands of people shuffled to their feet, filling the air with anticipation.
“From the sky to the land to the forest to the seas…”
“We march onwards…towards glory…”
“With this song we pledge to fight for our land, with courage and pride in our hearts…”
“We are one…”
And claps filled the tense air of the stadium.
“AND WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET US INTRODUCE…FROM THE WHITE GATE…OUR CHALLENGERS!”
A barrage of boos were hurled against King 67 and Edward as they stepped out of the white gate. Edward was covered from top to bottom in brass armor, his hair swaying in the wind. King 67 had his simple light blue coat on, holding his dagger with his right hand and donning an apathetic look on his face.
“NOW! THE MAN YOU HAVE ALL COME HERE TO SEE! THE MAN WHO ELEVATED OUR KINGDOM TO GREATNESS IN A SPAN OF A MERE FORTY YEARS, OUR SAVIOUR! LET US WELCOME…FROM THE BLACK GATE…THE ARCHITECT!”
The crowd erupted in cheers, screaming even louder than when King 67 and Edward entered the stadium.
The architect, a man clad in a golden robe, entered the stadium from the white gate. He took off his hood, and revealed a regal face partially covered by a great white moustache. He had a bloated stomach, but had an otherwise average build. His bald head reelected the light from the sun above, making him seem somewhat godly, yet oddly clownish as well.
“FIGHTERS, MOVE TO THE CENTRE OF THE BATTLEFIELD AND SHAKE YOUR HANDS AS A SIGN OF RESPECT!”
Moving to the centre of the stage, Edward shook the hand of the architect, followed by King 67.
The Architect’s fingers are a little swollen…
“THE CHALLENGERS' GOAL IS CLEAR: TO GET THE ARCHITECT TO FIX THEIR TRANSPORTATION! WHEN EDWARD REALIZED HE COULDN'T AFFORD THE PRICE, HE ISSUED A CHALLENGE TO THE ARCHITECT IN THE CASTLE—A DUEL TO SETTLE THIS MATTER! THIS WILL BE A TWO-ON-ONE BATTLE, WITH EDWARD AND HIS SUBORDINATE, TOM, FACING OFF AGAINST THE ARCHITECT!”
The crowd jeered. Among the jeers, King 67 could make out the words “stingy” “fools” and perhaps some profanities as well.
“THE CONDITION FOR WINNING IS TO GET YOUR OPPONENT TO SURRENDER OR TO FAINT. KILLING IS NOT ALLOWED!”
“NOW!”
“MAY THE FIGHTERS TURN AND FACE AWAY, SUCH THAT THEIR BACKS ARE TO THEIR OPPONENT!”
King 67 and Edward turned around, followed by the Architect.
“LET THE BATTLE…COMMENCE!”
In a moment, a moment less than a second, all three fighters moved.
King 67 brandished his dagger.
“Sword of God!”
In a flash, Edward sped forward, so fast that King 67 could feel the wind rushing beside his ear.
The Architect simply turned around.
Reaching the Architect, Edward gritted his teeth and slashed straight at his legs, and blood spurted out of the Architect’s leg.
Wait…isn't that what’s supposed to happen?
So for what reason, with what purpose, was Edward crumbling on the floor?
Is he acting to lower the Architect’s guard? No.
A pile of rubble lay next to Edward, as he squirmed in pain.
The architect had controlled a part of the ground to rise up and strike Edward straight in the stomach.
King 67 digested this fact in less than a second and instantly switched to problem solving mode.
Should I go help Edward? No, I’ll get hit. Quick! Before the Architect takes his gaze off Edward, before he focuses on me, I must act!
NOW!
King 67 practically flew forward in desperation, his feet moving instinctively.
The Architect had not yet reacted!
He would make it in time!
King 67 swung his dagger down towards the Architect’s shoulder-
“Clank!” His dagger fell to the ground.
The architect had not attacked King 67. If King 67 had swung his dagger down upon the Architect in that moment, he would have won. The pain from the wound would be too great and the Architect would have to surrender.
But his sword had not reached the Architect. It had simply…fallen out of his hand.
His leg shaking, King 67 crumbled to the ground. Large amounts of cold sweat trickled slowly down his forehead, as if they were terrified of the man before King 67.
The architect turned his head slowly, almost in slow motion.
King 67’s heart beat profusely over and over.
The Architect’s bald head reflected a godly light onto King 67.
I see.
The architect smiled.
He smiled, showing his yellow teeth.
He smiled so happily, so widely, that his eyes could barely be seen through his eyelids.
He seemed to be mocking Edward, who had fallen for his plan from the very beginning, and King 67, whose spirit gave out before he could land the decisive hit.
I see now.
I am an ant, so don’t hurt me.
I am an ant, so don’t look at me.
I am an ant, so don’t notice me.
And at that moment, the emotionless King 67 felt true fear for the first time.
