Rumble on RPA(our first tournament)

[DreamLand]

Sorry this post is a little delayed, I haven't been about much as of late.

In any event, congrats Auki. If I was to lose to anyone, I'm honored that it was you. I just wish our match could have been a little more fleshed out. I'd love to have a rematch sometime, either with Amleth or one of the other characters I have in the works.

I know that everybody might be a bit burnt out on what was a fairly slow moving tournament, but I really do hope that we have another one sometime in the near future. Maybe even some variation, like a 2 vs 2, round robin, or even character switching in between rounds.

For any who have bothered to follow Amleth's little side story in between rounds, here is the conclusion.

Spoiler: The End of Amleth's Tale 

Amleth's suicidal tactic had, regrettably, failed. He was consumed by the great beast. His death was not permanent of course, but the scars from his defeat would never quite heal.

"You failed me boy..." I spoke to him in the darkness of death, my voice at a small, angered growl.

No words left his mouth, but I could hear his mind tremble. He was overcome with grief, not fear.

"Wake up."

As he was restored to the realm of the living, his body slowly began to manifest itself once more. The first thing I saw was his hollow, tear stricken face. I found him knelled on the ground. His body was flooded with sickness, his mind polluted with self-loathing, and his soul stained with despair.

He had lost the will to live.

"Kill me" he said. For a moment, I felt like obliging him. But I relented.

Amleth's arm jerked up, as that mighty shield flew from his arm with a harsh pull. It floated in front of him for a moment's time, before it took upon it's true form. For the first time ever, I appeared before my champion.

"Normally, I might be apt to grant that desire. You have failed to win the tournament. More importantly, your final match was a bore. You never stood a chance...but I suppose that's not really your fault, huh?" My voice piqued with interest. "You are a dying Alk with pathetic magic, yet you managed to best fighters endowed with the greatest of power using nothing but your own wits...perhaps you're cause is not totally lost."

He raised his head. His heart raced. The point was direct. "What do you wish of me?"

"You are feeble..." I continued, "but your potential is undeniable. If only you had found me before your body had weakened so...no matter. Considering you obtained silver, I now some to you with a new proposition: I grant one wish...and in exchange, your soul becomes my property, to do with it whatever I would will."

His answer was racked with visible angst, but came across promptly all the same. "I agree to your terms."

I smiled. This boy would prove himself useful in the years to come.

"Well then little Amleth...what would you have of me?"