This tournament setup for the quarrels is just unfair. Quenton thought as he watched the end of the round-robin portion of the quarrels. Unlike the other parts of the competition here those who had done well in the previous competitions automatically advanced to the next stage.

All the ones who had done the worst had to do a big free-for-all battle, then they had to meet the “silver” ranked contestants in a round robin, with the ones from it going to the final elimination style tournament to crown the final winner of the quarrels.

Quenton and Hop had barely managed to qualify for the elimination tournaments by default after blitzing through the skill competitions. Which were just like the ones would expect from a dog show back on Earth, just with accommodations for flying and magically talented monsters. The only section Hop hadn’t aced it was the final intelligence and memory-based trials, where surprisingly the undisputed best monster had been Candle.

Candle had handled the puzzles and memory tasks with such contemptuous ease that even Quenton and Julianna had been a little annoyed with the smug kobold after he rushed back to a jubilant Camilla. It had not been enough to win Camilla and Candle a place in the elimination tournament as their beauty talent show had been Candle trying to sing opera with a voice so atrocious that Quenton’s mind had shut down out of desperation to save him.

The only one who seemed to enjoy the song had been Camilla who had cried tears of joy and applauded like Candle had rescued an entire cancer ward when it was over. She must really love the little guy to appreciate that performance.

Quenton thought absently. However, the uncontested winner of the beauty contest had been Aliza Warwin. She’d been gorgeous as she’d been at the gala, wearing a lovely forest green gown with a high collar and long daggered sleeves, with a belt of gleaming silver. Her scarlet hair was twined back in an elaborate french braid and gleamed like stained glass in the sunlight.

Her serpent was likewise lovely in its own way, its gleaming slit amber eyes and curled tongue flicked as it slithered forward with a sharp hiss.

It had turned its golden eyes on judge Duchagne and began to sway, slowly back and forth like a pendulum. As it swayed, Cordelia stepped forward.

“Rise.” She lilted. Duchagne stood obediently.

The serpent’s eyes were wide and unblinking, it’s rhythmic swaying quickening and becoming more violent.

“Walk to the stage.” Aliza beckoned, as the judge briskly strolled forward.

As Sylvanius bared it’s gleaming fangs and flicked it’s tongue, the judge stood before them, face slack and dull.

“Now stroke Sylvanius.” Aliza said, smiling triumphantly as Duchange lumbered up the stage and gently, almost reverently, stroked Sylvanius’ scales.

Aliza then snapped her fingers and the judge’s body went lax before snapping back to attention. She flushed, looking down at herself, Sylvanius, and Aliza.

“That was…very…very impressive, Lady Warwin.” Duchange said, as Aliza curtsied in triumph.

Quenton frowned, fussing with his gloves as he thought back on the performance. She’ll be tough to one up.

Camilla had been eliminated during the round robin as Candle had little defense against the various bird monsters in combat. Julianna had managed to qualify to the end stage along with Quenton, as had Aliza Warwin and her posse member Sophia Callahan. I hope they are eliminated before I get to them or things are going to become even tenser. He thought as Quenton strode down to get ready for the first match.

 

---

 

Quenton had to first face off against one of the round robin winners. His detect weakness and rank talents told him that her slug creature was weak when untethered to the ground and that her social level was 15.

The quarrel proceeded without real issue. Quenton ordered Hop to dive into the slug and sink his claws into it before dragging it up into the air and slamming it into the ground over and over again. Which quickly ended the battle as the slug burbled and quivered with terror after having been manhandled. Quenton felt a flash of guilt though he knew the slug was likely more startled than truly distressed.

 

Note: You have won the first round of a tournament social conflict. Rewards will be deferred until the tournament is complete.

 

Huh, that’s new. Quenton thought absently as the system notification flashed through his mind, but before he could examine it further his attention was dragged back to the present by the sound of a pained feline yowl.

Quenton spun around as quickly as his gown allowed him to and spotted the source of the scream. Julianna and Aliza Warwin faced off, her basilisk coiled around Ariella, crushing it in a merciless squeeze of scales and coils as the cat-sith howled in pain.

Julianna was darting across the grass over to her companion as Aliza hissed out a command and the basilisk let her fall to the ground with a quiet thump. “Ariella! Are you….” Julianna halted her speech abruptly as she cradled Ariella, shooting a furious gaze at Aliza.

Aliza barely reacted. She stood before them, the image of a perfect lady with a plastered on expression of concern as she looked down at Julianna and Ariella. “I am terribly sorry Lady Tufont, to harm Ariella was never my intent.” She gestured to her basilisk. “I will of course, pay for any wound care or replacement that proves necessary.” The apology was stilted and formal and Julianna’s face flickered with barely contained fury before it sank into resignation. “All is well Lady Warwin, I…I am aware that such accidents are not uncommon.”

Quenton grit his teeth. He knew rationally that Aliza was being gracious for a lady of her station, high above Julianna in rank and popularity she easily could have turned the incident to appear as Julianna’s fault and exacted punishment. Instead she had done her the proper courtesy. Still it rankled him to see Julianna meekly accept the barest politeness, knowing that if she showed any anger it would be she who was seen as transgressing.

Julianna curtsied and quickly carried Ariella to the belinarian, basically a monster vet that the tournament had kept on staff.

“Hop, we have to vanquish Sylvanius. Got it?” He murmured.

He could feel the little wyvern make a slight incline with his head akin to nod as the two of them gazed darkly over at the foes they had to beat this time around. This shit is personal now. Quenton thought as he turned to order Hop to dismantle their next opponents.

---

 

Hop barreled through the quarter and semifinals like a runaway train, clawing and battering Sophia Callahan’s corpulent phoenix into a cawing wreck before casually dismantling a large magenta colored centipede that had survived through the free-for-all and the round robin tournaments before reaching Hop.

Quenton wondered if it was the Beast Kin talent that pushed Hop to fight with the same barely restrained anger that he felt, or if it was just because he sensed the turmoil going on inside of his mind as he glanced over to Aliza Warwin who managed to also reach the finals of the elimination tournament.

When the time came for the finals, Quenton had been stewing so much in his indignation that he ignored the pomp and circumstance surrounding the final bout of the quarrels and by extension the pageant itself.

Twice now Aliza had harmed Julianna and he knew that without his intervention she would face no consequences for it. He knew she was dangerous, that crossing her anymore than he already had could bring even more trouble down on the Morays.

Yet he flexed his fingers and took a breath. He was going to win this.

Hop was on his shoulder and he could feel his claws sinking into his shoulders as he practically vibrated with anticipation.

Aliza stood on the other side, a haughty self assured smirk gracing her rouged lips and Quenton took another deep breath. His composure assisting him in keeping the appearance of tranquility.

Basilisks in the stories usually have some kind of gaze based attack, death, petrification, or paralysis. Thankfully, Hop can’t see well, but we should eliminate the problem all together. It’s time for the trump card.

Hop leaned forward on the glove, his wings tensed with anticipation and Quenton’s heart thumped like a mallet against his chest.

The signal, a clear silver bell, rang out, and with a shrill screech Hop launched himself into the air and glided to the ring. “Now.” Quenton said quietly but he knew the keen ears of his wyvern would pick it up and understand.

Hop reared his head back and his mouth widened, they had tried the trick before but not the new spin Quenton had added.

The smoke rose and billowed, obscuring the stage. Aliza narrowed her eyes but appeared undaunted. He smiled inwardly.

WIth an elegant snap, Quenton unfurled his fan, making a show of directing it at the smoke.

As he fanned, the smoke began to coil and whirl like a gray wraith, it rose and spiraled inwards, reminding Quenton of typhoons or tornados he’d seen on television.

He brought the fan back hiding a chuckle. Smoke wyverns were hard to tame, small for their breed, and weaker in direct combat than other wyverns, yet they had their own advantages. For instance, a well-trained wyvern might develop a limited control over the smoke it emitted.

From the shrouded arena he heard Hop’s triumphant screech and his heart swelled with pride.

Aliza’s face remained placid, her anger only betrayed by a slight tightening of her lips and slight glare.

Furious hissing and screeching mingled together, as the smoke billowed and rippled.

Come on, come on. Quenton urged internally.

After several minutes of cacophonous shrieking, there was one final cry and then silence. Quenton waited with bated breath for the smoke to clear. His heart thrummed in his ears as Aliza leaned forward, craning her eyes at the arena.

After an endless minute, the smoke began to clear. In the thinning fog, Hop stood triumphant, the basilisk writhing angrily beneath his talons.

With a deafening ring of the silver bell, the fight was over.

The rest of the contest was a blur, as Julianna and Camilla cheered and rushed to embrace him as the blonde-haired judge escorted him to the stage.

“Congratulations.” He murmured, as he took his place beside Aliza and another girl. Duchange handed him a silver pendant, looking as though she swallowed a lemon.

Second place. He marveled. He had done it, he’s placed. He’d proven that Hop was no runt, that he could stand up to Aliza Warwin.

As the judge handed Aliza a golden hairband she accepted it with a gracious curtsy and turned to Quenton, offering a cold smile.

“Congratulations, Lady Moray. You have no small talent with quarrels. I do hope you have similar proficiency for more…cerebral pursuits.”

He smiled in return, ensuring none of his triumph showed on his face. For a lady of her station to lose to someone as low status as Quenton must have rankled her. The thought made him internally cackle.
“Thank you, Lady Warwin. Your victory was well earned.” Quenton paused considering his next words. “Sylvanius is a truly impressive creature, graceful, clever, why, I nearly felt bad about fighting him. Hop can be perhaps…overly fierce at times.”

Aliza’s eyes hardened as she caught the hidden barb. “Indeed, my Sylvanius is quite well bred; pedigree and refinement is, I believe, integral to training a creature. Though I suppose if all you require is capability in quarrels such traits are unneeded.” She said, her eyes lingering on Hop.

Quenton kept his composure laughing lightly. “Perhaps you could give me some advice on quarrels, Lady Warwin, afterall your Sylvanus proved quite a competitor to Lady Tufont’s caith-sith.”
For the briefest second anger flashed deep in Aliza’s eyes. “That was unfortunate truly.” She said tightly, “Perhaps Lady Tufont ought to more thoroughly prepare her pet before sending it to quarrel.”

In the corner of his eyesight, a prompt flashed.

Aliza Warwin, Weakness Learned: Pride.

Congratulations: You have won a Tournament Social Conflict, Base Points 3 + difference in Social Level. Tournaments increases base points by 1 for each round. Total experience earned: 43

Level Up: You have reached Social Level 13(101/140 Exp)

You have gained 1 free Attribute Point to spend

Talents, Resistant Clothing and Detect Faux Pas have been upgraded to Armored Attire and Detect Social Breaches.