As Nakito steps outside, the warm sun shines in his face, his mood improves, while he is finally alone again. He walks down the streets, greeting the other aristocrats formally, although they mean nothing to him and he means nothing to them.

  Once he arrives at the tournament grounds, he walks up to the head referee, Baldian, a knight with brown hair and a long beard. He always wears his chainmail and has a big scar over his nose.

  "Nakitooo, my booyy!" Shouts Baldian Rock laughing and takes him in his arms. "Good to see you! You're probably here to know when and who you're gonna fight in your first round?" Nakito nods, standing stiff in Baldian's arms. "Thanks, good to see you too...and yes, I was about to ask you exactly that."

  "Well, well, well...your first fight will be in about 10 minutes. Do you see this guy over there?" He points in the direction of a young soldier. "He will be your first opponent. Easy fight, you will probably win the tournament, you're the favorite of the whole city! Besides..." He lowers his voice a little. "A lowborn like him probably won't even dare to hurt you."

  Nakito smiles, well knowing he will probably win. No one can dodge his arrows, as he had been training with the bow since he was a small child. He can also handle a sword very well. "Yes, I think you're right, I will win."

  Baldian laughs. "As confident as ever! Alright, see you on the field then." He says and walks away.

  "Time to prepare myself then..." Mumbles Nakito and walks around, watching the other participants. There were many soldiers, knights, even some other aristocrats...none of them seemed to be any challenge. But then there was a hooded figure, leaning against a tree. His black cloak was covering the whole body.

  It would have seemed like he was sleeping if his head hadn't followed Nakito wherever he went. Damn, who is this guy, thinks Nakito. He can't be an aristocrat, because I don't know him. Probably just some ugly farmer, who doesn't want to show his face. I shouldn't care. Thinking that, he went to the fighting ground, his first fight starting soon. The young soldier chose a short sword. No one even questions the difference in weapons. It is each participant's own choice. Baldian walks up to start the fight. "You both know the rules. You can surrender anytime, otherwise the fight will go on, until one of you is unable to continue. Good luck." He smiles and goes back. "Time to teach this cheap soldier a lesson" Mumbles Nakito. Before his opponent can react, he shoots an arrow directly through the soldier's leg. "Winner: Nakito. You will advance to the quarterfinals." The young soldier is being treated by doctors while he is bleeding in pain, but Nakito doesn't even pay any attention to him, or the fact that the wound probably ended his career. The hooded person who just effortlessly slew a knight is far more interesting. "Mr. Kalvar from outside progresses to quarterfinals!" Shouts the referee responsible. So, from outside, Nakito thinks. I was right, a mere vagabond, nobody of importance...and yet, that sword technique...

  "Nakito, are you alright?" Asks Baldian Rock behind him. "Y-yeah...I was just watching this fighter...do you know anything about him?"

  Nakito stutters. "Well, no... I have seen him here for the first time as well. He probably comes from one of the surrounding villages...although a two-sword technique is unusual...well, don't worry! He won't get further than the semifinals." Calmly explains Baldian to him. But the cloaked figure didn't lose. Neither in the quarterfinals, when he had to fight a mountain of a knight, nor in the semifinals, when his opponent was a young nobleman who certainly bribed the referee, because he would pause the duel whenever the cloaked figure was about to land a hit. Everyone was shocked that someone even dared to disarm a noble.

  At some point, Mr. Kalvar became visibly impatient. He gave the young noble a chance to attack. The fool took the bait in his arrogance. Looking back to that moment, the noble will wish to have run away as fast as he could. Just when everyone thought the stranger was in mortal danger, he parried the other's blows with ease and before the referee could call a break, the young nobleman was already dead, to the horror of the audience. The fight was decided a victory for the hooded figure and although the crowd was raging and protesting, he was allowed to continue. "Monster, disgusting murderer, bloodthirsty freak" they screamed, but it was all useless, because Mr. Kalvar hadn't broken any rules. When the two faced off in the final duel, Nakito felt he could not have hoped for a more worthy opponent. This would be his moment to demonstrate the strength of the von Sahlert dynasty. This would be his moment to make his father proud; to show he would be a worthy heir.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "You're the stranger? They're already calling you the monster of Lorraine. It will be my pleasure to put people's fears at ease." Nakito spoke slowly, savoring every word, as they waited for the starting signal. Finally, he could show off his skills against a true opponent. One who's death the people wouldn't mourn.

  "Don't be so sure, nobleman." The stranger whispered with a strange accent. "I won't be as gentle with you as I was with the other one. I don't have the time or even the intention for a long fight."

  Nakito, only a little intimidated by this, tried to take in the moment. He enjoyed the cheering crowd, the smell of the grass, he could see that his family was already there and even the king was watching him. No, he certainly wasn't going to lose this fight!

  "Well then! The rules are clear. The winner gets 30 gold coins as prize money and the title 'strongest fighter of Lorrain'. I want a fair fight." Baldian said and took a few steps back. "So then...3..." Nakito gripped his bow tighter, ready to pierce the first arrow through the stranger's body. "...2..." The noble tried to look his opponent in the eyes, but his face was well covered by the cloak and saw nothing but darkness. "...1..." Now was the time. With that money, Nakito would finally be independent from his parents. "...0, fight!"

  Without hesitation, the stranger charged at von Sahlert, but Nakito was ready. He drew his bow, aimed, and fired. "Now I got you," he whispered confidently. The arrow was shot straight at the other's heart. The latter, without slowing down, parried the arrow with one sword mid sprint while attacking with the other. "What??", "How?!" The audience was excited, as most of them have never seen that level of coordination and reflexes. Nakito, surprised beyond measures himself, didn't have time to think because the counterattack was following quickly and he had to jump back, drawing the next arrow. "Damn it...," Nakito cussed. "How could such a beggar have learned that?!" Undeterred, Mr. Kalver continued to storm at him. The next arrow was shot, which the stranger deflected again. This time, Nakito had already expected that. He had a bag with sand, dirt and other things attached to the arrow, which now exploded in front of the stranger's face. "Ha! Got you!" Nakito shouted triumphantly. The next arrow flew and hit the stranger in the leg.

  "Surrender or I must kill you, monster of Lorraine!"

  With the crowd cheering behind him, Nakito got bold and approached the stranger, trying to pull down the hood off Klaver's face. To bold apparently, because the latter, although wounded, jumped up, whirled around with his swords and blindly hit Nakito at the shoulder. A terrible pain flashed through his entire body, not just his shoulder. "W-what have you soaked your swords in?!" Screamed the noble in pain.

  "Oh, I don't know...I don't think I'm going to tell you. It's none of your business and you humans wouldn't understand the name anyway." The figure whispered sadistically. 'You humans?' Nakito thought. But what is he then...

  Baldian, with a mix of regret and disappointment in his eyes, stepped between them. "Nakito von Sahlert is unable to fight any further. The victor is Mr. Kalver!"

  No one applauded, but the stranger didn't seem to care about that.

  Confidently, he stepped before the king: "Well, what about my prize money?"

  He asked bored, making the crowd gasp about the disrespect.

  "Oh, you'll get that." The king answered thoughtfully. "But before that, I would like to know what the warrior capable of fighting so ruthlessly and brutally looks like."

  Mr. Kalver was silent at first, but then he mumbled: "I'm afraid that's none of your business."

  " To bad that is not your decision to make..." The king said, his voice being barely more than a whisper, yet he spoke with so much spite that Nakito could clearly hear it.

  "Guards, pull his hood down!"

  The king shouted, guards instantly approaching.

  "Okay, okay, no need for violence," The stranger shouted, laughing. "There shouldn't be any more dead people."

  With those words, Kalver pulled down his hood.

  He was a young elf, with black hair, pale skin, and a small scar on his chin.

  The audience was outraged.

  "Don't give the elf any gold, filthy murderer, how dare he kill humans?!".

  The first tomatoes were already flying, but the elf skillfully dodged them.

  Meanwhile, Nakito watched his opponent carefully. So, he had lost to an elf. He had heard of the master swordsmanship of the elves in the books he had read and was proud to have fought one. It was the first elf he had ever seen and probably the first and last one for most people. Some people were even doubting their existence. It was interesting to have finally met one, but Nakito was hoping the blades weren't lethally poisoned.

  "Well, young elf, here is your gold. I hope you know that your face will now be known all over the kingdom" said the king, the smile slowly forming into a knowing grin, while the elf seemed genuinely horrified.

  The king threw him the money in a pouch and the elf took it, disappearing towards the slums. Nakito, unable to stand the exhaustion any longer, fainted.