The massive arena was almost completely empty as the final match came to a decisive end. The dust from the intense battle was still floating slowly through the cool air, settling gently onto the cracked stone floor of the battlefield. Up in the rows of stands that surrounded the arena, nearly all the seats were completely vacant, showing rows and rows of empty benches. Only a few people remained in the audience at this point, scattered far apart from one another across the vast seating sections. They sat quietly, looking down at the center of the stadium where the action had just concluded. Suddenly, the loud voice of the announcer boomed through the loudspeakers, breaking the heavy silence that had settled over the entire place. The microphone crackled slightly with static before the announcer suddenly shouted, "The winner, Nishighi!" The sound of the announcement echoed powerfully off the high concrete walls, bouncing back and forth across the open space. The people who remained in the audience clapped, their hands coming together in a slow and rhythmic pattern. Because there were so few spectators left in the stands, the applause was not a roaring thunder but a soft, echoing sound that filled the empty stadium. The small group of onlookers continued to clap for a few moments, showing their respect for the victor who stood alone on the battlefield below. I watched the scene quietly, listening to the thin sound of applause fade away into the corners of the massive arena as the official declaration was completed.
As the clapping began to die down, the space directly in front of our group began to shift in a strange way. There was no warning or sound to indicate what was about to happen next. After that, suddenly Nishighi teleported to us, appearing out of nowhere in the blink of an eye. One moment the ground in front of us was completely empty, and the very next moment his tall figure was standing firmly right there before our eyes. The sudden movement was completely silent, leaving the surrounding air slightly disturbed by his instantaneous arrival. He did not look tired or worn out from the battle he had just won, standing with an upright and commanding posture. He took a brief moment to adjust his position, his eyes scanning across our small group as he took in our presence. His gaze moved past me and the others, eventually locking onto one specific person standing in our circle. He suddenly looks at Ishighi, his facial expression turning serious and intensely focused as he stared at the young man. He stood completely still for a second before opening his mouth to speak in a clear, deep voice. He said, "Why are you here, son?" The question was short and direct, carrying a strong sense of curiosity. Ishighi did not back away or look down when his father spoke to him in that firm tone. Instead, he kept his posture straight and looked directly back into Nishighi's eyes with a calm and respectful expression. Ishighi said, "We're here for you, father." His voice was steady and filled with purpose, making it absolutely clear to the standing victor that our entire reason for coming to the arena was to find him and speak with him.
I stood perfectly still as I watched the brief conversation between the father and the son unfold right in front of my eyes. My mind was racing, trying to process everything that had just occurred in such a short span of time. I got confused on what is happening, unable to understand the sudden turn of events, the unexpected connection between Ishighi and the arena winner, or what this meant for our group. The confusion made me feel completely stuck, and I could only look back and forth between the two of them as I tried to make sense of the situation. Before I could even begin to ask a question or sort through my chaotic thoughts, another sudden movement drew my attention away from the father and son. Suddenly, sir vael appeared right next to us, seemingly coming out of nowhere to join our small gathering on the stone floor. He looked completely relaxed and unbothered by the tense atmosphere around us. It was immediately obvious that he's back from the casino, as he carried a completely casual and carefree attitude, as if he had just finished a simple walk instead of returning from a place of games and bets. He stopped walking and looks at us, his eyes shifting from one face to another before they finally came to rest directly on the powerful figure of the victor. A slight, knowing smile appeared on his face as he took in the sight of the man standing before him. He did not seem intimidated by the presence of the arena champion at all. He looked right at him and said, "Oh, hello, King Nishighi. Thought it would be harder to find you." His tone was light and conversational, treating the meeting with a high king as if it were a casual run-in with an old acquaintance.
Hearing Sir Vael address the man as a king added even more to my growing confusion, making the entire situation feel even bigger than it did just a few moments ago. I was a bit surprised by this sudden revelation and the realization of who we were truly standing in front of, but it's ok. I knew that we did not have any time to waste on being shocked or hesitating, so I quickly forced myself to calm down and focus on the urgent matter that had brought us to this dangerous place in the first place. I took a deep breath to steady my nerves, stepped forward away from the rest of the group, and walked directly toward the powerful ruler. I suddenly went to Nishighi, making sure I was standing right in front of him so that he could see the serious look on my face. I looked up into his eyes and asked him if he has the absolute mana elixir. My voice was clear and filled with a sense of desperate urgency, as the survival of our friends depended entirely on his answer. The question seemed to hang heavily in the air between us as the quiet arena grew completely still once again. Suddenly, Nishighi looks at me, his sharp gaze cutting through my confidence as he listened to my direct request. He did not give a yes or no answer right away, choosing instead to study my expression to see if I was truly serious about what I was asking. He kept his eyes locked on mine and asked, "And why do you need it?" His voice was demanding and heavy, requiring a complete and honest explanation before he would even consider helping us.
Before I could even open my mouth to respond to his demanding question, another member of our group stepped forward to speak for us. Elphyete suddenly stepped in, moving quickly to stand right by my side so that she could address the king directly and support my request. She looked up at Nishighi with an expression that was completely serious and filled with a deep sense of worry for the people we cared about. She did not waste any time with long explanations or unnecessary details, choosing instead to state the absolute truth of our situation as clearly as possible. Elphyete said, "Our classmates and ma'am cherha are in a mana exposure coma." The words were stark and heavy, revealing the terrible condition of the people we had left behind and making it undeniable that we were in the middle of a massive emergency. Nishighi remained completely quiet for a brief moment after hearing her words, looking at Elphyete and then back at me as he weighed the seriousness of the situation. He could see the absolute truth in our faces and realized that we were not playing a game. Nishighi sighed, letting out a long, heavy breath that showed his reluctance but also his understanding of our desperate need. He looked at us once more and said, "Fine, but first." He paused right there, leaving his sentence unfinished for a split second as if he were waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, Celes appeared right next to him without making a single sound or disturbance in the air, standing perfectly. Nishighi looked at us and said that "my maid will come," making it clear that she would accompany us.
As I watched the maid materialize out of thin air right next to the king, I realized that my capacity for being shocked had completely run out for the day. I didn't get surprised anymore by the sudden appearances, the teleportation, or the revelation of kings and secret elixirs. I simply accepted everything as it happened, keeping my focus entirely on the fact that we were finally getting the help we needed to save our friends. With the agreement made and Celes now standing ready to join our group, there was no longer any reason for us to remain in the quiet, empty arena under the gaze of the few remaining spectators. Sir Vael stepped forward into the center of our small gathering, looking completely satisfied with how things had turned out. He raised his right hand into the air, his fingers poised and ready to take action. Suddenly, sir vael snapped his fingers, creating a sharp, loud sound that echoed through the vast spaces of the stadium one last time. The exact moment his fingers came together, the entire world around us seemed to shift instantly. The walls of the arena, the empty benches, the dusty air, and the stone floor all vanished from our sight in less than a heartbeat. There was no feeling of movement or delay, only an immediate and absolute transition through space. We all teleported to the gheji town, our feet instantly touching down onto the solid ground of the familiar streets as the surrounding buildings and pathways appeared around us, bringing our journey to the stadium to an immediate and final end.