Chapter 16: Fight!

Nightmare Moon

The next day

Nightmare Moon slowly woke up to feeling herself pressed against something. She opened her eyes and noticed she was pressed against Tristan, her arms wrapped around his muscular form.

She remembered last night asking him to sleep next to her even granting him a way to take off his armor and when he did she remembered how form fitting the jumpsuit was highlighting his every muscle. She felt a heat build on her cheeks and quickly dismissed the invasive thoughts

Nightmare thought about why she made the request, Tristan even stated he was fine sleeping on the floor. The more she thought about it the quicker she realized that Tristain was the only one that followed her for a reason other than fear or reverence. Even if that reason was to distract himself. That and thanks to searching his soul she knew him more than any other could. He was somepony that could be trusted to watch her back. Somepony that would be there if every guard and noble around her betrayed her.

Nightmare glanced at the man once more, remembering that he would be fighting to prove himself to be the mythical Demon spoke about in hushed whispers. Nightmare had little doubt he would be victorious and it would be something she would undoubtedly use to her benefit, keeping all but the most daring assassins from trying to kill her while she slept.

A knock sounded from the door, Nightmare groaned having hoped to lay down awhile longer having just raised the sun a little over an hour ago. “Who is it!?”

“Your escort, the King wants to see you for breakfast before the duel begins.”

Nightmare huffed once more and noticed Tristan standing up and stretching his arms and legs before he willed the armor back on once more. “Understood, give me some time to get ready.” Nightmare Moon responded before turning to Tristan. “Good you're up, let me get cleaned up and dressed then we will meet the King for breakfast before your duel.” Tristan nodded and Nightmare entered the bathroom with her choice of clothing for the day.

Fifteen minutes later Nightmare came out of the bathroom wearing a simple navy blue sleeveless dress that highlighted her figure quite well, exposing a modest amount of cleavage. On her head was her crown and her feet were covered by matching shoes. Tristan opened the door and followed the guard walking next to Nightmare till they got to the dining hall where he sat to her right.

“Welcome Queen Nightmare Moon, I figured you and your guard would like a meal before the duel.” Said King Steal Talon

Nightmare gave a polite smile, “I am grateful for your generosity.”

From there the group ate in silence except to ask for a dish to be passed down or some trivial small talk.

Tristain

Breakfast ended and the Griffin King got up, “Follow me to the coliseum.” With those words his guards lined up and surrounded him three in the front, three in the back, and one on each side.

Nightmare and I complied and followed the King through the winding castle halls till we exited out a door and into a large field with a very Roman like coliseum right in the middle. I was directed to a different entrance by another guard.

When we entered the smell of days old sweat and blood the inside reflected this as old stains could be seen, the walls were cracked and covered in moss.

The griffin guard lead me to another exit leading to the center of the coliseum where five griffins glared at me. The outer sections of the coliseum were a stark contrast to the fighters quarters. Pristine white marble free of blood stains sparkled in the morning sun. I could see that the Griffin King had invited plenty of nobles to oversee the fight, while Nightmare sat to the left of King Steel Talon. I briefly caught a smirk on her face only visible thanks to the zoom on my visor.

My thoughts were interrupted by the booming voice of an announcer. “Welcome ladies and gentlemen to this once in a lifetime fight. Before you are the empire’s finest soldiers of our glorious leader’s personal guard and fighting them is the mythical Demon of the legends!”

The audience cheered for a minute before quieting down as the announcer continued. “This fight is so special that the Griffinstone mages guild is charging the runes so these contestants can go all out!” More cheers followed.

“Now fighters this means you can go all out. Any killing blow will knock you unconscious though you will still feel any and all pain!”

The five griffins in front of me readied themselves, I just smiled deciding to make a show of this fight.

“Fighters, are you ready?!” The announcer paused before continuing “Begin!”

Two of the griffins charged another pair took to the air and the last one was holding a staff crackling with arcane energy. I focused on the mage first not wanting to chance his magic being able to do damage to my armor.

Drawing my energy sword I sprinted towards the mage, who started firing mana bolts at me that either dissipated upon contact with my energy sword or hit my shields steadily draining them.

The two charging griffins were dealt with quickly enough I sent a punch to the griffin on my left that would have caved his skull in, but instead knocked him out, the griffin on my right received my energy sword.

Less than twenty seconds had passed since the start and mage had my shields to ten percent now I elected to deal with them next. I was three meters away from the mage when I lashed out with my energy sword. The mage tried to block with their staff but it was simply cut in half, the mage collapsing soon after.

The airborne griffins dived at me I punched one away while the other tackled me. Now on the ground I simply leveraged my raw strength and pushed my attacker off, his friend just now recovering from the rough landing and charged at me. I shook my head and caught the griffin’s blade in my gauntleted hand and yanked it away before I slammed the blades pumble into the griffin’s head hard enough to snap the blade. The final griffin I simply walked up to, lazily dodged his sword, disarmed him and beat him over the head with the pommel of his own blade. The fight took all of two minutes.

I looked around me and five unconscious griffins surrounded me. “Well it seems much to my surprise the challenger won against our kings finest.” The announcer said with a gasp.

A gate was opened medics pouring out and I took it as my signal to leave the arena. A pair of guards lead me back to Nightmare and the Griffin King. “Well i’ll be damned, you beat five of my best guards barely taking any sort of hit yourself. Pretender or not you proved yourself Demon.” The king whistled and several guards came to his side. “I will be going Negotiations are finished seeing all our matters were settled yesterday evening so I thank you Nightmare for settling things. May the winds carry you to victory.”

“It has been an honor to be here King Steel Talon.” Nightmare replied before gesturing me to her side and speaking only after the King had left. “You held back didn’t you?”

I nodded, “The King and nobles wanted a show so I gave them one. Luna’s memories will tell you that an alicorn is one of the few being that can keep up with me.”

“I am well aware Demon, but anyway let us be off I am scared to see what the nobles have screwed up in my absence.”

The rest of the day involved getting in the chariot and the flight back was just filled with silence and small talk.

Author's Note

Here have a short meh fight chapter and blame my love of games for delays