Chapter 108: Third Trial

As the group embarked, Pria, the Mage, would be feeling somewhat skeptical about the competition, seeing the Knight hold a visceral expression amidst his face, being thwarted over and over again by a mere child. The mage would try to get close to the knight, the Archer in which took notice of her skittish nature. "H-h-hey...We don't...HAVE to do this...right?" She would ask, to which the Knight looked at her with a calm, yet still visibly angered expression.

"At this point, we cannot simply leave now. The brat would make sure we live with this shame for centuries. At this point, its now or never." He'd explain.

"I-I-I'm sorry-"

"Do not apologize. The brats merely have more knowledge than us. THAT is why they're winning. They think they're Sooooo cool with carrying this type of stuff amidst their minds, but WE are better! WE are stronger! WE can beat these brats in their own game! WE are a team, nay, a family, and no evil shall come to us as long as we sti-"

"Are you guys doing a friendship speech thing?" Harvard would ask, interrupting the Knight, before he'd check the books once more, with Solomon taking his pick on the enemy. "Seriously, I'm starting to wonder how did you guys beat up GWOG himself. You don't HAVE to say it. We can see it for ourselves."

"AND I SUPPOSE YOU THINK YOU CAN STILL BEAT US!? WE'RE DAMN NEAR INVINCIBLE HERE!!" The Knight blindly retorted, causing the children to stop themselves and look at the man in disbelief. They looked to each other, flabbergasted at such words, pondering many theories that all equate to wondering if his head was dropped as a baby. It baffled them so much that one of them almost let out a laugh, before continuing on, maintaining their composure. The Knight was visibly aware that such mockery was going to continue, before stopping besides a lake-like region, where a man with a green outfit relaxed in. The Card Magician looked upon his books to see if it was the correct story: "The Legend of GWOG the Gallant, Chapter 27: The Archer of Gaia." "Seriously? An Archer? That is our next stop?" The Knight complained, to which the child nodded almost instantly to confirm his suspicions. "Fiiiiiine. Fiona, if you mind.." He'd state, allowing his Archer to prepare the attack.

Fiona would actually snap her fingers for one simple thing, to direct Pria to provide a buff through the use of her magic. The boys would be confused by this, seeing the Mage perform her request, mumbling small words before the bow started to glow a bit. Fiona would give her answer before firing her shot. "You didn't said we can't use folks to assist us, right?" A Smug expression was made, somewhat bending the rules for her favor, before casting and firing the arrow, ensuring that she shot it before the man would react. Once the arrow collided, a giant explosion of dirt, water, and smoke was coated in the area, the residue blocking the result of the impact. Fiona simply gave a smirk before turning around, walking off. "There we are! Two to one! You really just gave me a freebie over the-" She stopped herself when she saw Harvard's expressions, one that was adamantly unchanged, one that has recognized the magic the Archer seemed to have. A Smile. Without saying a word, she drew her bow and directed Pria to buff her bow once more, aiming at the debris, much to the confusion of the Knight. She couldn't make out what was going on through the smoke, so she'd come a bit closer, armed and aimed for presumably his head according to where he previously was.

SHIKK!!

A Shot right through her lungs, pushing her back and landing her straight across the ground, her body damaged further. She grasped at the arrows tightly, noting that it was in the same color as Pria's magic. Pria, meanwhile, would panic and try to heal her, to which the Knight grew even more pissed and looked onwards, watching the dust clear as the Archer was alive and well, arrows made from Pria's magic armed and ready. "THE HECK IS THAT ABOUT!? WE CLEARLY SHOT HIM DEAD IN THE HEAD!! YOU CAN'T JUST IGNORE THA-" The Knight would complain, nearly screaming his voice away before the Archer explained himself.

"Well howdy to you too, par'ner. I was wondering what magic I stole and used on, and it turns out to be that nice lady over yonder! Sorry about that!" The Archer stated, providing the answer that left the Knight stunned.

"It's fine.....It's fine..." Fiona would respond, still clutching at the wound and ripping out the arrows to ensure the healing would go faster, recognizing that it punctured her lungs as well, forcing her to stay on the ground and relaxed. The Knight would be infuriated at this display, before Solomon would go next, already learning what needs to be done. The Archer simply charged up another arrow, before Solomon would initiate his spell, one that Harvard was very much aware of: A Barrier, surrounding the likes of the Archer, the small lights flickering and moving, holding each other together like they were in a circle, dancing away. 

"Well now, What would this lil' predicament be?" The Archer would ask, shooting the magical arrows right at the barrier, witnessing Pria's spells be casted through it once more, being blocked off entirely due to the barrier itself.

"Ok, Do we tell him or not?" Solomon would ask, looking towards his group. The children looked among one another and nodded accordingly, most likely due to him being innocent amidst all this. "Ok, Archer Guy, Letting you know this now, any attack you make while sealed in the barrier is inevitably gonna hit you back twice as hard. I'd rather you just surrender and not get yourself killed by it." He would warn. The Archer would try to go for another way out, reaching his hands out and trying to cast his own magic, attempting to steal and seal the barrier to be weaponized as more arrows, watching the barrier mold small parts of itself to the aforementioned arrows, a demonstration for the Knight regarding his own style: Weapon Magic. He quickly stopped himself when he felt that damage tenfold almost instantly, his hands burning like mad, forcing him to pull it away. Bits of skin were seen at the barrier, cooked alive and stuck on it.

"A'ight! Fair's Fair! I yield! Sheesh, I didn't expect you youngin's to have that one!" The Archer announced, to which Solomon disabled the barrier and spare the Archer's life. 

"And that is three to-" Solomon would state, before once more the expressions of the Knight twisted. Something was off, however, with such an expression. His eyes were a solid red with a black iris and a white pupil. His mouth was more feral, like a wolf's set of teeth. Veins were visible on his forehead, and his voice was more deeper and harsher than before. The children, specifically Harvard and Zazel, jumped back in shock at such an abrupt change. They looked on one another wondering what has happened, with Harvard assuming he must've took it too far, before the Knight lunged for the books, examining each one, before pointing his claw-like finger at Zazel.

"YOU!! YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE EXEMPT FROM THIS, YOU DEMONIC FREAK!! YOU FOUR ARE AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE TO THE LIKES OF MALAK THE MARVELOUS, AND YOUR HUMILIATION SHALL NOT GO UNPUNISHED!! I SHALL SEE TO IT YOUR HEADS WILL ROLL, EVEN AT THE COST OF MY LIFE!!! WE ARE GOING WINNER TAKE ALL HERE, AND THIS SHALL BE YOUR FINAL OPPONENT!! PRAY TO GOD FOR MERCY, BECAUSE I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T AFTER THIS BLASPHEMY AGAINST MY PRIDE!!!" His voice rang loud enough for everyone to hear. Even his very friends were taken aback by such an aggressive tone, and the children were terrified of such rage. Zazel would try to brace himself in case he is being struck, before realizing that the Knight wasn't attempting to harm him. Rather, he was pointing at a book. A Specific book that the Demon began to dread just by the name alone.

"The Legend of GWOG The Gallant, Chapter 31: The Chapel of Champions."