If the others could have a bird's eye view of the courtyard, it wasn't too different from a sports pitch. Though few would turn out for a game such as this.

"Since it's such a DELICIOUSLY rare occasion to ever see someone akin to you, little lady, I'd like for this to be a truly spectacular game. Lumra! Hurry yourself, lest I whip you."

Lucy came face to face with a fellow Haberdashphylacterist, but she had no idea who they were, not that she knows them all; there are 10 billion individuals on Maliterr. His outfit was almost the same, except his had an off-yellow putrid look about it and brown buckles that seemed to have just been stitched in for the sake of it.

"Good luck." Lucy said to this person called Lumra.

Lumra appeared dead behind the eyes, and that reflected their dialogue in many ways. Like the total silence in response to her well wishes. That's a little rude. Lucy shook her head.

"Oh, this is truly going to be a rising occasion, HEE HEE. Oh yes, I pick the one with the strange sword over there, you. You're going to be the clapper for me. How MARVELLOUS."

Oh great, pick the one with no bloody armour, of course. Wardi thought. He said, "I need a moment," and jumped into the corner behind some random hay.

Fuck. I got nothing I can use but a mid-range regeneration potion. Wardi poured a bottle of old beer he had around to make it seem like he was doing what he intended. Drinking the potion, he just had to hope for the best now and jumped back out.

"Alright then, I'll pick you, Mr King." Said Lucy.

"Of course, I wanted that role. I'm so happy this day!" The king was far too happy for such a child's game.

How the flying fuck is he the king? Thought Rhua, watching the environment in case of any interference.

"Darling nephew, you can referee for us; come along now." Bagu walked into the middle of the ring shaking his head when he looked at both players. "Remember the rules."

1. Basic Arts only.

2. You can't channel the Art for more than four rounds.

3. Outside help is a disqualification for that round; I will be looking around vigilant.

4. You only guess when "Go" is said.

"Alright then, let's start. Ele-Menne-Go!"

Both casters had conjured Gorthen orbs on the two counts. Wardi had guessed his right. Whilst the king had guessed wrong. Lucy flicked the orb at him, and he overdramatised his pain in response. "Ugh, outrageous! For the King to guess wrong. All the shame will come my way." The king said.

Sparing no time, Bagu counted in the next round.

"Ele-Menne-Go!"

It was the same again as last, with both casters creating Gorthen orbs and the king guessing wrong. He stayed quiet this time. Rhua could see the king was twitching in his face for his failures. She kept her hand at the hilt, ready for anything. The Kings guard were as motionless as the rest of the staff here. Staring intently at the games that were being played.

Many rounds went by. Unbeknownst to his own group, Wardi's skill had upgraded during his recent level increases. Now he could feel elements around him during his scans. But he had to be careful; it had become more taxing to use than previously. Technically cheating, but Wardi was more interested in getting everyone out than playing silly games. There was no guarantee they would get out either, even if they did win. The King was becoming a sore loser, having got most of his guesses wrong. In a moment that surprised no one, he insisted on changing the players.

"Nooo~ I'm having no fun. You peasant over there, you're taking his spot now!" The King pointed at Isaac, and he staggered over to where the game was being played.

"That's not fair! Look how weak he is; he's barely standing." Said Lucy, annoyed at the king's childish mentality.

"I don't care; I'M THE KINGGGGGG. So do as I say. New rule: now we play with two orbs!" He replied to her.

Rhua tightened her grip; she wanted any excuse to charge into the idiot and knock some sense into him. Particularly after speaking to her friend in such a way.

They began playing again, now having to guess twice each round. Wardi was not so relieved, preferring to be in the game rather than watching frail old man Isaac about to get hurt.

"Ele-Menne-Go!" Bagu shouted.

A simple child's game began to turn into something not so fun or innocent. Small little stinging orbs had started to become things that would cause quite a bit of damage to those without protections. Something Isaac found unwelcoming, as he was slammed by something not far off from being a swirling rainbow. The wind was taken out of him, and he lay on the floor curled in pain.

"Ugh, bastard. I can't take too many of those." Isaac groaned. Whilst he wasn't bleeding, he was certainly going to be bruised internally with how hard he was hit from the attack just now. Lucy helped him with healing, but the game was far from over.

They played another three rounds, and it seemed that the King may have also begun to use some sneaky tactics of his own, as he was able to guess without any hesitation what elements were popping up. The odds of him getting so many consistently were just not likely.

Wardi couldn't wander off. There was no telling what may happen if he did anything brash. Sending out his scanning skill, he was trying to pick up any faint traces that may help. It certainly wasn't the clowns along the walls; they weren't moving at all until someone answered wrong; they gave thumbs down when that happened. And it didn't seem to be the captain of the guard either. He was barely breathing. Was there even anything under that armour? The thought crossed his mind.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

In the next round he watched like a hawk for any sort of movement or sign from Lumir; could he be sending signals somehow? Bagu counted them in. Ele- Menna-

There's foul play. I know it, so who is it!? Lumir gave no signs as he revealed his hand for the round. King Blau jumped for joy, having had another two correct guesses. The clowns along the tops of the walls joined in the revelry.

"I can't fucking figure this out; there's cheating, but I don't know what it is." Wardi says to Rhua. She nodded in agreement.

"From getting none right to every answer right. Yeah, I'd have to agree he's pulling a fast one here, not that you can talk." She replied.

"Whose side are you on? I want to get the fuck out of here, lass."

"Bollocks to this madness! You take the king; I'll take the captain." Rhua said, twitching as she watched Isaac take another blast to the floor. That scrawny sod is going to drop in maybe one or two big hits. I'm not being part of his murder."

"Sounds fair; I'm just going to go for it." Wardi replied. He dived into the shadows, attempting to stab the king from behind.

Dozens of distorted voices began to cry out. "N@@# NnOOo0 IntERfeerINg~" The clowns along the walls began merging into each other, forming a hulking mass of a clown. That was so large it buckled the walls with its weight. "HAhAHAAAAha!" it said as it landed and shook the ground.

"Great, a giant psycho clown." Said Wardi, trying not to laugh at the absurdity.

"YOU'VE RUINED MY GAME, AND NOW I'VE LOST ALL MY STAFF. Shouted the king

Rhua lunged at him and smashed his head with her shield. "Give it a fucking rest already." The captain of the guard began to return to his senses after the incident.

"What's happened here? Why is the king on the floor!?" Bagu calmed him down, "Edward, my uncle was under the influence of something wicked, and it's about to rear its head up right about n~"

A monstrous head to and fro'd above the eastern wall. Grinning menacingly as if it were ready for something.

"Lumir, are you with us?" Lucy asked him.

"Of course, now that I can think clearly." He had a surprisingly raspy voice considering his stature, Rhua thought. "Hey captain, we'll need all the help we can get; that thing looks dangerous." She followed up with. He nodded before carrying the king and Isaac away from the impending fight.

An unexpected alliance was formed now that minds have been cleared of ill will. The clown didn't waste time in starting the fight off, having already been winding up two attacks. Its long, extending arms rose high in the air. Its left hand glowed black whilst its right glowed red. It attacked surprisingly fast for its size, drooling as it did so, dissolving the stone around itself.

"Better not let that touch you; it'll tear your outfit to pieces." Rhua stated. Swapping to her other armour. She shone brightly on the makeshift battlefield. The grinning thing seemed mesmerised by her new appearance and began targeting her. Howling as it tried to grab at Rhua, and a shield met its hands with violent force.

"OHH~ hand hurt, hand hurt! We get you for that, stupid girl!" It swiped across in a wide arc. Skimming over Lucy's head, Lumra ducked to avoid it.

Surprised it went for me so quickly; I guess that attraction effect on the winged hussar's plate really works. Rhua thought whilst dodging to the sides of a hand grabbing her manically. Parrying with precise sword swipes. Blood spurted out of large gashes across its now exposed hand from the attacks.

One thing that Wardi noted was that it began to smell like an abomination did, yet it somehow maintained some sense of intelligence compared to the previous encounters. A hybrid of sorts, he thought.

Lucy and Lumra retreated out of its arm's length and began to channel cast together. Having noted it was using darkness and Agni, they channelled a light and aqua attack together. Despite the lack of potion use, the attack was going to be incredibly powerful. The two synced well together as a gargantuan figure from the art formed; a bow and arrow materialised in the hands of the figure. Completely lacking any appearance but the outlines of a humanoid. As it began to pull back the bow, Lucy and Lumra poured their Lùth into the attack further, glowing white as they did so. It unleashed the arrow blindingly fast, yet it did not seem to meet its target.

A lone figure floated in front of the clown. Wearing clothing none of the group had seen before. A long coat that would touch the ground if they were standing on it. Karamel brown-coloured and wearing a hat and mask that covered their face entirely.

When Wardi examined closer. He could tell that the figure had deflected the attack away at the last minute; his hand was marked slightly from the impact. He just deflected that like it was nothing… This guy is going to be trouble. Wardi thought.

"Peidiwch ag ymyrryd â'r wawr yn codi, Dyma eich rhybudd olaf." ["Don't interfere with the rising dawn. This is your last warning.]

His voice whispered across the battlefield. Working its way into the minds of everyone there. Bringing them to their knees.

"Ugh, what the fuck was that!? He's in my head!" shouted Rhua. "He's in all of our heads actually. Gah, ya fucker, piss off out of there!" Wardi responded. Lucy had managed to clear her head of the corrupting words and cast 'Ostrze Wiatru' at the individual. Glowing green, the wind blades flung at the individual. They connected with shrieking sounds; he remained their floating, unfazed by the impacts.

"Guys, I think we're in serious danger." Said Lucy.

"I concur; I heard that language from back there. I only understood a small portion of it. Why is someone speaking such ancient words and giving us a warning with them?" Said Edward, having rejoined the fight.

"You speak Valisisk? Rhua asked, rushing over to him; overwhelming muscular strength allowed Edward to wield what would be typically a two-handed great hammer in one hand; his shield was more like a door compared to Rhua's.

"Absolutely not, but I recognised the word for warning: Rhybudd. The king is privy to old texts and such. I came across a dictionary of sorts. It's not important, though. How are we going to deal with this one?" Edward said, bringing his arms closer to his body.

Two bladed weapons towered behind this new foe. Iridescent purples, with turquoise blue hooked blades at either end. Spinning violently fast, to the point it was blowing the clown away from its grip on the wall.

The figure turned and pointed at Edward. One of the blades stopped, and he had no time to react as it split his shield clean in half and stumbled him backwards. The group looked over to see the weapon embedded in the ground, then it instantly reappeared without any movement behind the figure again.

Edward howled with pain, holding his heavily bleeding arm hanging by a thread. Bagu, trying not to gag at the sight of sinew and blood pissing all over the floor, looked away as he tried to heal him. "I think we need to run everyone, like, really fast, and NOW!"

"There's no way we can escape someone that can attack at that sort of speed." Lucy said in response.

The figure began to descend to the ground and walked slowly towards the alliance. Some guards and Autom's that had been positioned elsewhere in the vicinity had joined in. And began to charge at the individual.

"NO!" jumped forward shouting; the guards stopped in their tracks. "You can't fight him; he will kill you instantly. Fight from the back." The Autom's being machinery, they only followed orders of those attached to them with authority. The figure raised a hand, and both blades stopped, disappearing and reappearing, knocking the machinations into the air. Chunks of them fell to the ground as the blades tore through metal like it was butter.

"FUCK MEEE, I've never seen something like that before… Who is this guy!?" Wardi was mesmerised at how easily the Automs were shredded into pieces. They tried to begin self-repairing; the sheer overwhelming damage negated it, shutting down.

A one-man army vs a small handful of barely passable adventurers, and a few guards. An award-winning recipe for disaster is incoming.

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