Chapter Forty-Five


    Ambrose now only had one Incursion to deal with. The fire giants. The dwarves had a solution, but the king was being difficult.


    “We have a counter to the array covering the fire giants, but if you want it you must solve the issue of these desert people that plague us.”


    Ambrose scowled,


    “We have three months to deal with that.”


    A booming laugh was the dwarf kings answer,


    “That man may have given you three months, but I will shave my beard and eat it if he has any intention of peace, even if we did agree to his demands.”


    “Kellan is mostly honorable. He''d honor his word.”


    Throrvin was already shaking his head, his beard like a moving bush on his chest.


    “I do not trust him. Honorable he may be, I will not sit idly while he gathers strength and prepares to attack my people. Not when you are bound to do something about it.”


    One should not allow a hoard to grow teeth.


    Akaroth mused within his mind.


    She had a point. Ambrose took a breath. He had resolved himself to slow down, and yet even now his impatience prodded him to deal with the fire giants.


    He nodded to himself.


    “If I deal with Kellan, you''ll help me take down the fire giants array?”


    Throrvin stroked his beard,


    “More than that, we shall fight beside you.”


    Ambrose nodded,


    “Okay then. Deal.”


    With that, Ambrose opened a portal back to his car. Settling into the leather seats, he considered how he wanted to handle the striation.


    The problem was not Kellan’s people. No, it was Kellan himself that was the issue. He didn''t need to remove the forerunners town or his people.


    He just had to take care of Kellan himself.


    So how do I do that? He drummed his fingers against the car. While he thought, he manifested Noelle who appeared in the passenger seat.


    Reaching over, he stroked the big cats ears. She chuffed, licking a paw. Her blue eyes were like living sapphires, reflecting the desert sun and brimming with mischief.


    For a little while she had been upset with him for not using her in critical battles. But when he''d almost died her attitude had reverted.


    “I know you want to come out more, but I can''t lose you, girl. You''re all I have left.” This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Noelle’s blue eyes bored into his. Images flashed through his mind, a cub, and then a grown tiger hunting her prey.


    He smiled. The message was clear.


    “I know you''re not a cub but…”


    She put a paw on his nose, practically covering his whole face.


    The Arcane White Tiger shook her head. More images of her, and fierce lightning, fighting alongside him. Then a cock of her head, a questioning light in her eyes.


    Ambrose sighed,


    “Yes. You''re my partner.”


    She let out a soft “Moo” and chuff. Her eyes were firm, determined.


    He rubbed her cheeks and bit his tongue before closing his eye.


    “Okay. Okay. I''ll start trying to treat you like it. I guess it''s the time for self-reflection and change, isn''t it?”


    Noelle snorted, going back to cleaning a paw.


    What about you, Akaroth? You want to get in on this?


    The cat said enough. Adequate for a kitten.


    Noelle growled, lighting sparking in her eyes.


    The dragon ignored her.


    Ambrose turned his thoughts back to Kellan.


    Any ideas? He thought at the dragon.


    A dragon does not use deception. A dragon advances.


    Ambrose grunted. Where had he heard that before? He blinked, suddenly getting it.


    “Lions are proud.”


    A trait I find most disagreeable.


    Ambrose snorted.


    Pot. Kettle. Black.


    Akaroth huffed in his mind.


    Turning on the car, he appreciated the growl of the engine that rumbled over the desert sand.


    A little bit of mana and the car thrummed with power and fire like some ancient beast from hell itself.


    “I have a plan,” Ambrose stated aloud.


    Now, he just had to hope it worked.


    He put his foot to pedal and blazed across the desert.


    ***


    Ambrose stood in the center of the tent town, and he infused his voice with mana, allowing it to boom across the city.


    “Kellan Akenyemi! Come and face me! I have a challenge for you!”


    My words rolled like thunder, stirring the sand and tent flaps. People began to pour out of their tents, faces holding curious expressions.


    Kellan appeared moments later, staff in hand, flanked by two men. His strong features were bent in a scowl.


    “Have an answer for me already, Mr. Severen? That was quick. It seems I have misjudged you.”


    His voice was thick with saccharine. It reminded him of maple syrup.


    Ambrose crossed his arms and swept his eye around the area. Yeah, plenty of people now, he thought.


    Lion’s were proud, they couldn’t allow challenges to go uncontested.


    “I challenge you to a duel. Either until death or one of us submits.”


    Kellan’s brow arched, and Ambrose saw his hand tighten around the staff.


    “I see. What is at stake?”


    Ambrose shrugged,


    “I think you know, but I’ll spell it out for you, I guess. If I win, you’ll promise, under the System, to leave the dwarves alone. Permanently. If you win…well, I’m no longer in your way at that point and Avalon will be free for the taking.”


    He was risking a lot putting Avalon on the line. It was one thing for him to risk his own life, quite another to risk the lives of his people. But it had to be done. Ambrose uncrossed his arms, flexing his hand. He had never shied away from doing what was necessary, and he wasn’t about to start now.


    Kellan pretended to think about it, but Ambrose knew he had him. People were muttering, casting glances his way. One of his men stepped forward, a nasty sneer curling his lips.


    “Our leader will tear you apart, foreigner.”


    Ambrose ignored him, merely looking at Kellan. He allowed a tiny, mocking smile to curl his lips.


    That did it. His pride was too great to ignore an insult like that. His face went as blank as a slate, but his eyes shone with sudden smoldering hatred.


    He gestured sharply,


    “Follow me, to our arena.”


    Ambrose did so, and they wound through tents until they came to a mostly clear area of sand. It was well away from the town itself. A crowd had come with, and they fanned out, keeping enough distance to hopefully not be in any danger, but still able to see the fight that was to follow.


    Tension hung in the air like a thick soup, Ambrose was sure that he could cut it with a knife.


    Kellan stood across from him, staff in hand.


    “Your terms are acceptable, Severen. Are you ready?”


    Ambrose opened his infernal dimension, a small hellish tear in reality. He reached through and pulled out Akaroth, twirling her once in his hands. Sunlight reflected off the axe, and Ambrose put just a trickle of mana into her, causing a feint rumble of to echo across the plains.


    All around, people shuffled nervously, looking upward.


    “The question is, Kellan, are you ready?”