Chapter 95 Defeated (1/2)

As Arran walked off the arena floor, cheers and jeers sounded froh he felt so so public a defeat, the only part of him that had been injured was his pride, and despite his annoyance at being defeated, he could not help but be impressed by how easily his opponent had secured a victory

That the er than him was clear, but even then, he should have been able to at least put up a fight Yet instead, he had fallen for what appeared to be a siical feint

His opponent had distracted him with a fireball, then used the distraction to hit hiic — Earth, perhaps? — and take him out before he could recover

It was a sily well-practiced tactic that had left him completely flummoxed, and in a real battle, it would have cost him his life before he even knehat had happened

That he had encountered the tactic now instead of later could al about it would only help hih, he stepped past the guards at the exit of the arena, and into the mass of people that waited beyond

The croas loud and rowdy, so thick it was i into someone, and soauessed

Yet even if Arran wasn't strong enough to win the tournament, he wasn't quite so weak that he couldn't force his way through a crowd, and he did so without hesitation

The few people who tried to get in his ere uncereh frorow thinner, if only slightly

”There you are!” someone called out over the noise of the crowd

Arran looked in the direction of the voice and saw Darkfire h the mass of people

”Took me a while to find you in this esturing in annoyance at the crowd around the that she wasn't at Darkfire's side

”Some servant came for her,” Darkfire replied ”She said we should hts will be”

”We o, then,” Arran said ”Get there before the rest of the crowd”

”You don't want to watch the final fights?” Darkfire asked ”I know you had to throw your fight, but there should still be soood battles to watch”

Arran shook his head ”I didn't throw the fight I was defeated”

At this, Darkfire's eyes ith surprise ”That was actually real? He beat you that easily?”

”I didn't stand a chance,” Arran said with a sigh ”He was stronger than me, and his tactics were better, too”

”Huh” A thoughtful expression appeared on Darkfire's face, and Arran knehat he was thinking If Arran couldn't win the tournament, then Darkfire would have even less of a chance And although Darkfire would stay in Hillfort for so to cross the border, too

”I suppose I'll have to start training harder,” Darkfire muttered, an uncoo,” Arran said ”I've had enough of this place”

He kneould be better for hihts, to see if he could learn anything hters' skills and tactics Yet between his fresh loss and the suffocating thickness of the crowd, he couldn't bring hier

Darkfire took a look at Arran, then nodded ”Alright,” he said, and Arran was thankful that he didn't ask any questions