Asriel vs Zeke (VI)

"What is all this?" I heard a voice behind me.

"Corneria? What are you doing here?"

I was a little surprised to see her with us in the middle of the stadium. Her tone sounded a bit altered, like angry, though her face remained as expressionless as usual.

"He killed your opponent. How are we going to solve that?"

"I don't think that's the main problem here..." she as usual seems to live in her world. "Maria is safe, it's no longer necessary for the tournament to continue"

"No Asriel" said, opening his book and pointing it at me. "It is. As I told you before, I have to win this, and for that you must be victorious in your battle and then we'll face each other in the next round"

This is already worrying. Does she really want this to go on as planned?

"Wait Corneria! That woman was impersonating Zeke and following Rowen's instructions all this time to force me to participate. She even locked Maria and Zeke in some strange dimension. Don't you think that's suspicious?"

"That-"

"Wow, this was something unexpected"

Again a voice appeared from the sky falling on us and interrupting our conversation.

It was the old tournament organizer, Rowen himself.

Still in the same formal attire, black gloves and top hat. With a walking cane in his left hand and a monocle over his right eye. All the trappings of a wealthy old man. In his other hand he held a megaphone, which he proceeded to keep inside him.

"You, at last deigning to show your face"

"It's a pity there was no winner, we'll have to improvise as we go along. Let's see, let's say that a final combat will no longer be necessary"

"What do you mean?" said Corneria with her usual face, although with an apparent tone of concern. "We are still in the middle of the semifinals. After Asriel's problem is solved and I win the next match, it will be the finals between us. Hence-"

"As I said, it's not necessary. Everyone is disqualified"

"But-" Corneria sounded quite distressed.

"Not that it mattered in the end. Everything in this tournament was nothing more than a performance to entertain me, and within the majority have left much to be desired. To top it off a couple of intruders showed up and interrupted. What a disappointment, they need to be punished"

"Stop joking" Zeke appeared at our side stepping forward pointing his scythe at us. "You sent your minion to lock me in that dimensional prison. I don't know what you intend and I don't care. You'll pay for it"

As soon as he finished speaking he vanished, covering himself with his cloak, and a few seconds later he was behind him, burying his weapon in his back.

However, to everyone's surprise, Rowen was able to take the blow with his free hand without even blinking.

"That's all you have to offer?"

"What!? How did you go-?"

"Do you really think with that strategy of yours you'll manage to do anything to me? You're just a kid"

Grabbing the edge of the weapon he brought it closer to hit Zeke's stomach with his cane, it shot out with a lot of force hitting against the wall shattering it to pieces.

"Zeke!" Maria shouted worriedly.

"This is not good, I doubt he will let us out of this place just like that" I said leaving Maria's support and pointing my katana at him. "Why don't you enlighten us a little and explain your plans so we can understand them?"

"Since you say it so politely, why not? You only have a few minutes to live anyway. You know that when a Seeker dies his Object returns with his Holder, right? Well, if there are 2 Seekers facing each other, one of the Objects may recognize the other as worthy and determine the winner as its new owner after the death of the loser. Of course there are other ways to do something similar, like with this Object I have here" he said taking out of his pocket a pen. "This one allows me to set up an area where the rules must be followed by everyone who enters it. The rules I set up are those of this tournament"

This guy then made an area stipulating that it was forbidden for Objects to return with their Holders. With each bout that ended the losers' artifacts would be accumulated until only one finalist remained. Could that be why our Spiritist powers are locked?

"But now you say it's no longer necessary? Didn't we entertain you enough?"

"My idea was to do a variety show. So I sent out 15 invitations to various Seekers across the continent. You seemed to be close and I waited to confirm if you could be one of them. Seeing that you were unwilling to enter, I decided to take certain liberties and guarantee your participation by means of a trophy"

"How dare you treat my prized companion as if she were an object!"

"Asriel"

Maria's hand was placed over mine and she squeezed it. I know what you intend, you're telling me that upsetting me won't do us any good.

Taking that into account I took a deep breath and calmed down.