Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Tournament Training–Have to Get Serious!

TWO DAYS LATER

Again!

Lobo pushes me across the training area onto my back, and Minette clicks her tongue. “No, no, Lobo. Good try. But you are still thinking like a beast without powers. You are a Journeyman and should be used to having powers by now. Did your former Mistress not teach you? She is an elf. You should have had MORE training and better training.”

On my back with my feet stuck in the air, all akimbo, I feel my spine locking up. Not broken, because Lobo ISN’T using his beast power to his advantage. But my back is stiff and sore, and I never noticed that the training area is made of steel, not tile. An exaggeration, but not by much.

And I’m pulling my punches with Lobo. After all, there’s no need to go full Beast Mode.

For all that, he hasn’t managed to immobilize me. Minette is right. Ex-Lady Lammermoor really did not do Lobo any favors. All these rounds haven’t moved the needle in terms of preparing him for the Beast Taming Elimination Tournament.

[What is that, the tenth time?] I can’t resist messing with Lobo.

He growls. [Do you want to see what number eleven looks like?]

[I don’t think the Mistress will allow it.]

Wincing, I roll over and wobble as I get to my feet. I’ve lost HP, Speed, and Endurance, but I’m not the one getting lectured.

Oops, spoke too soon. Saline calls out, “Blaze, you beat goblins, you can fight Lobo. Don’t hold back just because he’s a friend now. You won’t be fighting him in the tournament!”

Groaning, I concede she has a point.

Lobo is more than a friend, even if he doesn’t know it. In the real world, he is my brother. My human brother. Right now, Damon is sitting behind a screen, using the beast taming game as a way to cope with losing his big brother. And he is probably getting yelled at by my parents. Well, not yelled at, but nudged, as in: We need you. Don’t turn into someone who doesn’t bathe and doesn’t eat a proper meal and just plays that d*mn game every spare minute you have.

Interrupting my thoughts,Lobo bares his teeth. [If I were one of the beasts in the tournament, you would be out already, and everyone would be booing the House of Riddlehoeven.]

If a bear could facepalm, Demos would do it. Instead, he shuts his eyes, squeezing them tight. [Wake me when it’s over.]

Minette pulls Lobo out of the arena and whispers to him. Lobo grins. The kind of grin that says I am in trouble.

Kaline calls out, “BLAZE. Back in the game!”

[What do you want me to do?]

[Use your Shooting Stars first. We’ve been practicing. And try to heat up the floor around him. Just let him feel a little heat.]

Why didn’t I think of that?

[The shooting stars burned through a chain in the goblin lair. I can do this! I can keep the floor hot one section at a time. I just have to avoid hurting Lobo. And getting too close so he doesn’t see what I’m doing.]

My feet quiver as the stars pour forth. A little golden shower, hovering and sizzling and floating. Control them! I need to direct them.

Lobo bares his teeth, and then he’s gone like a silver streak, burning up the arena. His natural wolf speed is nothing anomalous, but the fire is. Silver and purple fire, coming at me hard.

NO.

He’s not even staying still!

The shooting stars turn into confetti as he whizzes past. He isn’t staying in one spot. Did he somehow get Kaline’s playbook?

How do I stop him? I don’t know where he’s going next!

[Kaline! What do I do?]

Kaline is on her feet, glaring at her mother. “MOM!”

“Heed your own warnings, daughter.” Minette raises her chin, so stubborn like her offspring’s. “Lobo has to perform at his peak. It’s not his job to make Blaze’s task less challenging.”

Competitive streak flaring to life, Kaline turns to me. [Blaze, don’t try to catch him where he is, try to nab him where he might be going! The floor isn’t infinite.]

Why didn’t I think of that? From Lobo’s trajectory, there are only two paths he could take. I’m going to slow him down. Maybe I can create a shooting star mesh?

I summon up a row of shooting stars, one after the other, lining up. It looks uneven, like a child drawing a straight line for the first time. But it’s enough. It stretches across Lobo’s possible paths. And it appears too fast for him to reverse course at his speed.

BOOM.

He crashes right into the trip wire of stars and loses his footing, which stops his speed streak cold. And then the floor heats up as I pepper it with stars.

[Hot! Hot!]

His feet highly discomfited, Lobo vaults into the air, doing a half-twist on the way to a somersault. The way he jumps unfolds in slow motion in my eyes.

Demos roars so hard that his jaws strain open. Gussie squawks, “Blazing stars!”

It’s funny how defeating goblins boosts your confidence! Even if I didn’t fight my way out of Kasz’s lair like some sword-and-sorcery berserker on a campaign, I still overcame impossible odds as a tiger cub. Gaining strength helps. Also, I’m growing in size every day like tiger cubs do in the normal human world. But in a magical game world, I can probably grow faster!

I direct my stars to where Lobo lands, and he whines, crab walking to a cool spot on the floor. Too late. I’ve figured out the secret. Don’t shoot at where he is. Shoot at where he’s going.

Lobo looks like he’s tap-dancing to stay ahead of my superheating trick.

The System keeps updating my stats. [Blaze Magic +2]

Minette applauds, joined by Vedette and Lamant. “Excellent, Blaze! That is hunter thinking,” Minette calls out.

“Being kidnapped by goblins didn’t hurt him,” Vedette shouts.

Kaline turns pink. “VEDETTE!”

“I didn’t say anything bad,” Vedette protests. “Do you know how many of my friends are dumbstruck that my little sister’s beast triumphed over nasty goblins in their own lair? Kasz’s clan has a bad reputation. As in infamous.”

Brightening, Kaline looks more illuminated than the marble floor. “For real?”

“Would I make that up?” Vedette presses a hand to her heart. “It’s the sort of beast taming tale that will elevate your profile before the tournament. We have a little over two months, but already people are saying that Blaze is one to watch.”

Me? One to watch?

I can just picture the tournament. Screaming fans. Intrigue. Other beasts looking at me like the dark horse. Betting shops taking wagers. 5 to 1 on Blaze. Maybe 20-1 and then somebody cleans everyone else out, making himself some nice gold.

Woolgathering, I let my stars drift apart and become unstable. Moving in for the kill, Lobo mows me down, pure vengeance in his sprint and stardust in his howl.

OOOF.

I hit one of the hot spots, and clamp my teeth down on my yowl of pain. OUCH!

My own fault. I should have been watching Lobo, and watching my stars. If this were the tournament, I’d have been eliminated. The booing fans. The beasts jeering at me, and at Demos, Lobo, and Gussie. The gambler who spent all his or her hard-earned wages betting 20 to 1 now cursing my name and going off to the nearest pub to chase the loss with ale, and lots of it.

[Getting a big head, goblin-slayer?] Lobo can’t resist taunting me.

I pick myself up and dust myself off. [Go away.]

Niall, who is sitting next to Lamant indulging in a cup of hot spiced cider and sharing a bowl of honeyed figs with his new friend, yells, “BLAZE. Don’t believe the flattery! Imagine yourself still under goblin control and fighting your way free, surviving by your wits!”

Lamant nudges him. “You know, Niall, you are a natural beast tamer. And nothing can replace a lost beast, but there are so many beasts that need someone–”

Niall stares off into the distance. “Let’s just prepare these rascals for victory.”

Gussie rubs Niall with her beak, and not just because she was sneaking honeyed figs from his hand when Lamant told her no more. “Niall is a beast tamer.”

“You’re kind, Gussie,” Niall comments, and Gussie preens. A compliment will always distract her, and Niall knows this.

He needs a beast of his own. He shouldn’t remain Fangless. Especially now that he has become part of our little motley but renowned clan.

[Side Quest Unlocked: Assist Niall in finding and taming a new beast. +10 XP]

Now we’re talking! I owe Niall. Lobo owes Niall. Gussie and Demos do, too.

[Lobo, if you can stop gloating for a moment.–]

Kaline interrupts me with a hug, pressing me to her chest. [It’s alright, Blaze. You’ll get it next time. You’re still my goblin fighter.

Well, when she puts it that way and punctuates her words with the warmest hug ever, Niall’s quest can wait.

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