Narf interfered and arranged the setting of the last round. He wanted to see how the idiot-looking Xel and Kelf would measure against his sub-commanders. Of course, since this was a competition he would not expect Tor and Rif to use their maximum powers. But who knows, the two might exceed expectations.

This time all four were in the same field fighting each other. Each standing on one side of the field, outside the enclosed square area in which the center was the trophy. The one who was able to take the trophy back to his side of the field would be declared the winner.

There was high anticipation among the crowds and tension among the fields. Each was thinking that they had to fight three others with unknown powers, except for Tor and Rif who knew each other.

The referee gave the signal to start. But no one moved. Rif was observing his opponents, Tor was just looking at the trophy, Kelf stared straight with that face of his and Xel, was looking like a man who was in the wrong place.

In a supposedly four way fight, there was no knowing what would happen if one goes first. Would the other three attack him? If that was the case he would be in trouble. Usually what one would do was to wait for the right opportunity. But in this case, no matter how long you wait, things would still be the same.

In the end, there was no point to look for an opportunity. Guesses and predictions of others’ course of action would just be a waste of time and effort. If that was the case, just get it over fast.

Kelf started the fight. Suddenly from below the ground shot out a big pillar of ice that sent the trophy up into the air. Tor jumped towards it but Kelf threw an ice dagger at him. The fight had begun.

All Kelf had done was to sent the trophy up into the air. Just that little spark was the signal to start. Just like when all sides were ready for a conflict, a small trigger, no matter what it was, would always start a fight. While Kelf was busy with Tor, Rif threw his skeleton with the neck and skull towards the trophy in an attempt to take it but an arrow appeared which severed the neck of the skull before it could reach the prize.

The trophy was still now going upwards, resting on top of the ice pillar. Kelf ran towards the trophy at the middle of the field. And this time Tor and Rif ran towards the same target too. Tor reached first and went to the top with just one jump. But just as he landed on the ice, Kelf melted the pillar and caused Tor to lose his balance.

At that point of time, the water crystallized again, this time into long spears and shooting upwards. One of the spears caught the trophy by the handle and sent it even higher up into the air. The rest simply went for Tor. As if he was swatting at a fly, with one light smack Tor broke all the ice spears going for him.

Narf was getting excited that the Kelf was giving them a ‘hard’ time. Of course, this standard was more than enough. What the military wanted was people with potential. He did not expect anyone to be good enough to be immediately deployed to missions or battles, because chances of that happening were almost zero. What this competition was trying to achieve was to take in elites who would one day be able to take down at least one company, or at least a platoon by himself or herself, not just normal foot soldiers who could be recruited anywhere.

Kelf certainly looked like he had potential. No, he looked like he was good enough to be deployed immediately. Narf did not expect him to give his two sub-commanders a hard enough fight for them to be a little serious, for those two were way beyond the level of commoners.

If Kelf was able to win them in an all-out fight, then Kelf would not be just any commoner. Of course he knew, Kelf and Xel did not fight to their best. He knew they held back, which was why he was interested in them. They were people whom the military needed. Of course, the military, given their current state of powers, would not be desperately needing talented people, but if there could be newcomers who could help them substantially, why not?

Even though he knew they reserved their powers, he was confident they would still lose if it came down to an all-out fight, which was not going to happen in this competition. Xel was still standing at his own line.

Tor thought back: Narf was telling Rif and himself, ‘Don’t bother about taking the trophy but focus instead of forcing the other two to use their powers to their maximum. From what I see they haven’t been fighting seriously. I want to see how good they are.’

What a waste of effort and time. Tor did not like it. But orders were orders. If his task was to bring out the two people’s powers, he would do it. The trophy started to fall. The spear which went up melted. Kelf did not see any point in it hovering over the air. Tor was now going towards Kelf. He charged at him directly but a wall of ice formed in front of him. With one punch he hit the ice wall and all the ice broke to small pieces. But the pieces of ice turned into water and fell, soaking Tor’s clothes which covered his arms, then they froze again.

Rif was looking at Xel and thought: what is he thinking? Not moving and let us fight? Then I will just take the trophy and run back. I’m going to see what he will do.

So as Kelf and Tor were fighting he jumped towards the trophy again. Kelf saw and jumped towards it too. Tor punched the ground and broke the ice again, then he rushed and grabbed Kelf’s leg and smashed him onto the ground.

Just as Rif was going to take the trophy an arrow shot out, barely missing his fingers as he quickly took his hand back, and the arrow went to the trophy on a straight course so that it hooked onto it. Then it flew towards Xel. The other three were stunned. It looked like he was going to get it. So that was his plan, to let the others fight, and when the opportunity came, shoot out an arrow to take the prize back.

Because he had not moved away from his side one step, the distance to be covered by the rest to prevent that from happening would be longer, and hence would buy enough time for the arrow to return.

But was that true? Maybe it would be better if Xel had jumped in personally to handle the rest of the three for that few moments. The objective was to bring back the trophy to the line, it did not specify that Xel had to be there together with the trophy. Xel should know that.

And indeed he knew he should go out and block the other three, but he did not do so. Why? The purpose of this competition for him was done with. Xue was already out of the game, and Xel had already taught her what she needed to know. All the stuffs about the third prize and the money was just an excuse for Xue to come in and fight. Now that was done, there was no reason for Xel to go all out. He would just play along and then get out of the competition.

Tor appeared behind Xel to hit him. Big ice balls fell from the top. And the skeleton whip was flying towards him. All the attacks took place at the same time and Xel was the target. Smoke and vapor rose up from the point of attack due to the collisions. After it cleared, the audience let out a gasp. The three other contestants frown and did nothing.

There, surrounding Xel was a cube made entirely out of arrows with Xel inside. It totally blocked all the attacks. All three attacks combined did not even hurt him. He had formed that many arrows as a defence in a span of less than a second. But the trophy was crushed.

Then the arrows of the cube started flying towards all his opponents. It looked like now he was taking all of them at once, as compared to his previous stance of being a spectator. What a change in battle strategy.

As the others dodged it and prepared to fight again, and as the cube disappeared he appeared and said, ‘Wow that was scary.’

He looked at the destroyed trophy.

‘I don’t want to play anymore. The trophy has already been damaged, and if I continue any further I might just die from all of your strong attacks.’

With a smile he told that obvious lie that he was just a weakling and walked away with that, giving up the right to fight for the first place. The whole place was filled with the stunned faces of both spectators as well as competitors.

Tor and Rif looked at Kelf.

But Kelf, in a way, was like Xel, ‘I don’t want to compete anymore. Both of you are teaming up. I will just get the third prize.’

It became quite a disappointment for the crowd just when they thought that Xel’s defending move was the beginning of an exciting competition. In the end Rif and Tor had to play for a bit just to come up with a first and second position.