I turned around to greet the voice that had interrupted what was shaping up to be a rather intimate moment between  Frannie and myself. Behind me stood Ella and Leyanna. The elf gave me a polite nod and a smile.

Leyanna just raised her eyebrows. “Well, did you save us a seat?”

Well, she seems more amused than mad.

“Of course, best in the house!” I replied, bowing low and gesturing in an exaggerated fashion to the ledge upon which Frannie and I had been sitting just moments earlier.

Frannie swept her hands in the exact same motion, copying me. Enjoying the theatrics.

Ella burst into laughter and Leyanna smiled in spite of herself.

“You are a bad influence, Georgie!” the redhead said. Shaking her long hair back and forth.

The four of us all took a seat.

Ella seemed much better now, her spirits heightened. She was even ooh-ing and aah-ing at each bright explosion in the sky. The two girls had brought us cups of hot chocolate and a blanket to sit on. The night was clear and the bright hues of the fireworks lit the sky up in a gorgeous fashion.

But of course, nothing is ever easy in this world.

I had been eyeing the time and it was 8:45. The duel was fast approaching. If I wanted to meet Elrick and stay true to my word, I had to leave now and make my way down to the pavilion.

“I have to go,” I said matter of factly and began to rise.

“You really want to to do this still?” Leyanna asked, immediately realizing where I was headed

I nodded then turned to the elf maiden who was looking up at me. “I know you didn’t ask for this Ella, but Elrick went too far. I’ve dealt with bullies like him before and there is only one thing he understands.”

Ella nodded and said softly. “I understand… but be careful Elrick may not look like it, but he knows what he is doing in that ring.”

“I promise, I will be. Now, you three enjoy the fireworks,” I said turning to go.

“Are you crazy?”  Leyanna asked from behind me.

When I looked back, the three girls were all on their feet.

“What?” I asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Leyanna asked exasperatedly.

“We are going with you,” Ella said. “You are… m-my champion after all!” she smiled, leaned over, and kissed my cheek.

A warmth crept through me and I was at a momentary loss for words.

Leyanna whistled. “Look at him Ella, I think he’s blushing.”

Oh boy, I better win now.

***

The dueling area was a big tent on the outskirts of town. As we made our way towards it the exciting jovial atmosphere of the festival gave way to the seedier underbelly of Vale. Strange and shady characters sporting a variety of half-concealed weapons and concoctions lined the streets and talked in hushed whispers.

We had no trouble finding the place, we merely had to follow the drunkards and signs sporting crossed swords. When we arrived the tent itself was also clearly marked with the same banner, two crossed swords. Cutlasses. Not that it mattered.

I’m betting I’m going to use one before the day is through…

A large burly dwarf that had a beard to put Barbold’s to shame stood out in front, a double-bladed ax clutched to his chest. As we approached he snorted and coughed up a large globule of phlegm onto the ground. I grimaced and Frannie hissed quietly.

This place is about twenty lawsuits waiting to happen. What on earth am I doing here? What is Elrick doing here? Isn’t he supposed to be a fancy guy?

I put my hands up to show I had no weapons as we approached the guard. “I’m here to participate in a duel.”

The muscley dwarf put aside his axe and reached behind him, pulling out a clipboard.

The real weapon every bouncer has. The list.

“Name?” he asked gruffly

“George… look… I didn’t sign up anywhere I was just told to come here…” I explained

The dwarf thumbed through several pages, humming and hawing. “Nope, no George on here. If you wanna watch the fights, it’ll be fifty gold a piece.”

Fifty gold? That’s insane! Even with my score today. And for each one of us!?

I looked at the girls. Ella seemed uneasy, Frannie looked ready to pounce and Leyanna wore a scowl. Just as I was about to tell them we should turn and go, that it wasn’t worth it, the tent flaps opened and a familiar loathsome face appeared. It was Elrick.

“They are my guests. And he is on the list. Check for  ‘peasant farmer’,” Elrick smirked.  The tall elf was no longer wearing his nice street clothes, already he was half-outfitted in mail armor. Getting ready for the fight.

“M’lady,” Elrick said and bowed to Ella. To the rest of us, he spared not so much as a glance before retreating once more into the tent, no doubt to finish suiting up.

“That insolent little…” Leyanna fumed and stepped forward. Frannie meowed in support.

I held out my arm, stopping Leyanna from following him. “Not yet. I’m about to have the opportunity to fight that particular battle very soon.”

The dwarf checked the list once more and found my apparent pseudonym. He nodded. “Come on then peasant-farmer,  you lot as well.”

“It’s George!” I said, as I held the flap open and the girls entered one by one.

The guard just rolled his eyes: “Sure it is.”

***

I stood at one end of the ring, facing Elrick and his posse who stood on the other  Leyanna had come down with me to be my “squire” and she stood to the left of me. The two of us appeared woefully underprepared compared to Elrick

Ella and Frannie watched nervously from the stands. I tried not to look up at them, their small smiles and weak waves made me uncomfortable and a little nervous. They seemed to be cheering a little too much. As if they weren’t sure I could win and were overcompensating.

Leyanna explained the rules as she helped me into some loaner gear we had been given by the staff at the pavilion. I was thankful for that at least. I wouldn’t have to fight in my wooden sword and Leyanna’s dad’s shirt. Instead, I was outfitted with an old and ill-fitting set of boiled leather armor and a small steel short sword.

It appeared that duels here were relatively straightforward, the first one to surrender or be otherwise incapacitated lost. They could go on as long as people liked. The participants were free to use whatever weapons or materials they liked. The way the announcer had framed it, with a grin and a twirl of his pencil-thin mustache was:

“The last one standing wins! Simple as that!”

I had signed a single sheet of paper consenting before I entered. It had made me laugh. No way it would have held up back in court in my world, but then, I was a long way from home.

And now is not the time to focus on law, but instead on the task at hand.

I hefted my new steel blade. It was heavier than my wooden practice sword, despite being about half the length. I tested out my attacks and noticed they functioned the same. A quick short slash, and a heavy attack. Each felt natural to me although I would have still preferred hand-to-hand combat. I had more real-world experience with that.

I took a look at what I was wearing, bringing up a status menu:

[ Equipped:

Steel Shortsword ( 5-10 damage)

Leather Breastplate (+5 Defense)

Leather Grieves (+5 Defense) ]

Well, I’d gone into battle with slimes and even a golem… and won, with a lot less. The extra defense seemed nice and I assumed it meant I’d lose less health per enemy attack. The shortsword having more damage than my wooden one was another bonus.

Across the way, I saw Elrick getting the final touches put on his shining suit of metal armor. It looked extremely well polished. There was not a scratch on it. The last thing he donned was his visored helmet with a red plume on the top. He held in his hands a long sword and a shield. He looked rather goofy to me, tall and skinny as he was, in such an elaborate get-up but a part of me knew not to be fooled.

If he owns something like that, it's likely for a reason and not just for sure.

Before I knew it Leyanna was patting me on the back and the announcer had begun to count us down. The crowd around us, the decorations of the tent, even Leyanna, the girls, everything… it all melted away as I stepped forward and so did Elrick. Two combatants in a ring. My mind went back to my younger days. Before I’d donned a suit and tie. Back when I had to fight for everything I had.

I don’t want to go back there, but I will if I have to.

I twirled the blade in my hand. This time I didn’t drop it. I saw Elrick sauntering over and leveled it at him, point first.

“Let’s do this, Elrick. Just you and me. No words, no bullshit.”

I heard a muffled laugh from inside of his helmet. “Come at me, peasant boy! Ella is watching. She will never choose you over me, no matter how hard you try.”

I didn’t respond. I selected my new ability.

[ You have used CHARGE ]

I ignored the text, letting my muscles revel in the sensation of my body rocketing forward, sword raised, ready to finally teach this brat the lesson he deserved.