The Time Stone Crystal

Chapter 38 - Duel with Romanov

THE steps of Brutus' messenger were fast as he made his way to Kairo and the others. They were on the balcony as they watched the trainers with Jigger, Hander, and Kristoff.

"Master Brutus!" said the messenger.

"Why Elliot?"

"A message from Baccus." It handed the scroll to Brutus.

“Again? Can't he wait? ” He took the scroll and read it, then looked at Kairo. "He already knows, and he wants to do the duel but not with my men but with your men, Master Kairo."

"I 'm looking forward to that," Kairo replied.

"Which of your men will fight?" Brutus asked.

"None of them will fight, but it's not me," he said thoughtfully.

"You?" Brutus's face showed that it was unbelievable.

“Yes. Tell Baccus that the duel will be held at the Gladiator Arena tomorrow afternoon.”

"Are you sure you think that, Master Kairo?"

“Yes. I don't want to hurt anyone in this place so that no one will attend except a few vital in the duel. "

“It's up to you, Master Kairo. Baccus' man Romanov is the one you will encounter. Be careful of that one, and that he is cunning.”

"I'm always ready, Brutus."

Later, Weng approached her husband. "Is there a problem?" she asked. Earlier, she noticed that they had a problem, so she came near to them.

Kairo turned to her. "Let's practice at the training ground."

“Huh? Why? ” she wondered.

"Come with me,” he said.

She no longer objected and went with her husband downstairs. As she walked, she held his husband's hand and noticed everything that happened. Weng felt her ability to handle whatever was going on in her husband’s decisions, and she saw an extreme danger that would occur between a man she didn’t know. A creature who worships Hyperion’s cruelty and evilness.

"Huh!" She immediately let go of her hand while holding her husband.

"It's a bloody battle tomorrow, so I need enough strength from the stone crystal in your neck."

“Kairo..”

"Don't worry, and I will do everything to overcome it."

"I'm scared."

They stopped, and her husband faced her. “Don't be afraid, and it will bring unwanted energy to the stone crystal. I think we can pass this test. He will never be able to get the stone crystal, and just here, I will vanish the memory of that man.”

She just nodded.

They continued walking again until they were at the training ground of the gladiator warriors. When the men saw them, they stopped and stared at them.

"Master Kairo, what are you going to do here?" Jigger asked.

"Practice," he replied.

"Rehearse with Lady Weng?"

"Yes, Jigger."

Kairo walked towards the rows of weapons then took two swords then threw them towards her, but she caught the sword instantly. She has that kind of sense that even small things she sees, hears, and feels. The people were amazed at what she did, and then she waved her sword. Ever since she had the ability given to her by Crystal, she became immortal in her power.

They went to the middle part together with Kairo.

"Fight with me as long as you can."

"Okay."

The warriors there stepped aside first to allow them to carry out their duel. Others like Aurora, Thiara, and Brutus were already up there to witness them.

She held her sword tightly because this was the first time she would face Kairo in training. I can do it!

“Relax, my wife. It is not a bloody battle for us.”

“Kairo? A-Are you speaking on my mind?”

“Yeah. I want you just to be complacent and always remember that fighting is not a way to be powerful to anyone, but it is a way to fight for your life and rights. If your opponent doesn’t want to keep alive, you can decide for the two of you. You can choose in two parts; life or death.”

"I understand. But what if my opponent is as cunning as Hyperion?”

“Choose your life rather than death. He does not deserve to live in this world and do not deceive by that one. Remember that he can take on human or animal form if he wants to. Even me."

"Even you?"

“Yes, Weng. Even he can deceive me, but you will know if I am the real one or not.”

"How?"

"Like this!" At once, it rushed at her as fast as he could.

"Huh!" She became alert.

She saw every move of Kairo in a slow-motion time she does. That ability also works spontaneously whenever she needs it. Kairo made a s***h on his swords, and then she moves, bending her body to avoid his attack. But her husband followed that up with an attack with his right foot to kick her, so she also raised her right foot to stop it. She pretended to be a martial artist with their legs straight upwards.

"Nice try, my wife!" Kairo smiled.

“You’re too fast, my husband! But I will not allow that to be the case at all! Haahh!” She moved as they clasped their legs up and around so that her left hand could kick her husband.

"I won't give you a chance to hit me, my wife!"

Kairo also moved quickly so that it hit her foot, and then their swords collided again. Others couldn’t follow their actions, and she learned something from her husband's movements. He's cautious, but every move is well planned.

A powerful attack by Kairo pushed her hard, but she made the sword stand on the cement floor. Fortunately, she was able to resist his powerful force that ordinary creatures couldn’t follow, but intense energy covers the surroundings. She stopped a few meters away from her husband.

“Let’s end this. I got what I needed,” Kairo told her.

"Okay." She was also a bit breathless.

Weng and Kairo ended that duel, but the young man did something so that it would not stick in the minds of the people who witnessed the incident. He reversed the time spell using the stone crystal on her neck that there is nothing happened.

THE next day, the duel took place at the Gladiator Arena, where only Baccus and Brutus were present. They were there on the same balcony, and the rounded arena below was visible. The Latin word arena means sand because a thin layer of sand covered the gladiators' stage. It was here that the gladiators and exotic animals engaged in mortal combat for the entertainment of the Romans and especially the Emperor.

“Brutus, thank you for accepting my invitation to the duel. I assure you that my warrior will win at this point,” Baccus said confidently.

"Just prepare your warrior, and he might come home crying," Brutus replied.

"You can't deny to me that foreign visitors killed my warriors."

“Baccus, they just did the right thing because your warriors are too cunning and ruthless. You can't even teach them sensibly, and you allow yourself to sow evil among the people. You can't deny that to us because the whole of Rome has been talking about it.”

“The world is full of violence, Brutus. If you do not keep up, you will be miserable and submissive to the powerful. Let's start the fight!”

"It's up to you if that's what you believe."

"Start introducing the warriors!" Baccus shouted.

Everyone's eyes are focus on the arena where the fighter will introduce.

"For the right door to fight for the honor of Mr. Baccus is none other than Romanov!" said the speaker.

The large door opened on the right with the muscular man, tall and ready to fight.

"For the left door to fight for the honor of Mr. Brutus is none other than Mr. Kairo Middlestone!"

The large door on the left opens, and Kairo walks through the middle of the battlefield. Unlike Romanov, who was wearing only a white and long dress and no weapon in his hand while Romanov had a shield and sword.

“Fight it to the death! I invite the opponents to take their places in the middle of the arena.”

The two walked to the middle part while Kairo looked at the balcony where his wife was. He knows it’s afraid too, but he’ll show it shouldn’t worry.

"The fight has begun!" the speaker shouted again.

They stare at a man named Romanov, but this is not what he looks like right now. It was the first to attack and rush to him. It moved quickly, pointing its sword at him while holding its shield.

"Hah!" he screamed.

Kairos wasted no time while he sat slightly but still kept his gaze on the man who rushed at him while his right hand took something from under the sand. Romanov was trying to hit him in front, but Kairo is alert and ready to obstruct his opponent’s sword. Their swords collided as the force of the wind around them was so strong that the ground shook. The other spectators on the balcony were confused.

Romanov attacked again on the left side, but it suddenly disappeared. Kairo alertly used his ability to see him, and from his golden eyes, he could see the black energy of the man in front of him. He used to divert energy to get him to go behind it, which it didn't feel, but the man's ability was more than he thought.

The force was so strong when their swords collided again in the middle of the arena. They were both alerting to flee. Their feet slammed together as they used the tip of their blades to prevent their retreat.

“You are excellent, Kairo Middlestone! You immediately see my attacks. What if you can't see my movements if I do this?”

"Huh?!" He’s alarmed, then he glanced at the balcony.

Those on the balcony were shocked when Jigger took Weng hostage while his sword pointed at her neck.

"Jigger, what does it mean?" Thiara asked in shock.

"He's not Jigger!"

"Don't come any closer!" said the pretending Jigger.

"Lady Weng!" said Kristoff.

"If anyone tries to approach, this woman will die." It turned to Weng. ” Give me the stone crystal!”

“You are stupid! You thought it was that easy? You will pay for what you did to Jigger!”

"I just put him to sleep for a while, so just relax."

"Is that so?" Weng used her ability, grabbed the man's hand then she threw it towards the arena. "Aaahh!"

The man threw and crashed into the sand, so he was forced to change into a strange form similar to Hyperion's warriors. On the other hand, Weng used the stone crystal ability and jumped from the balcony to the bottom of the arena until she was next to Kairo.

"Jigger is in danger!" she said.

"Jigger is in good hands," Kairo replied.

“Prepare yourself for the next battle. It would be more exciting and dangerous.”

“I know, my husband. I am trying to be more confident as you are. I might think that it will be easy for us to face it, and hopefully, it will end as easily as that. I am tired of searching Hyperion’s fortress.”

“We will not search for him. He will search for us. See, he’s trying to use the people around us whenever we traveled to different areas. He couldn’t stay here for so long because it his weakness. If ever we found him, he can escape right away because he has the mind stone with the power to protect him. But, the stone crystal has the most powerful stone, so he’s barely wanted it.”

“That beast! How could rude and evil is he? Disgusting!” she said as she nodded her head once.