Succession: Heir to the Empire

Nebi grinned as he too entered the arena. He focused his magic, mentally preparing himself to be ready for everything. He spoke, "If you wish, you can surrender."

"No, I won't. I'm not that weak to surrender." Epiphany readied herself, holding her sai and taking a stance.

Nebi smiled, "Good. I like a challenge." With that said, he made a hand sign and breathed a stream of fire at the Amazon.

Kegan walked into the room slowly and made his way down the steps where he took a seat close to Susanna. "So Nebi and Epiphany made it past all the crazies....I suppose that's a relief." The Half-Elf said to himself as he looked at the two both glad to see them there and frustrated that he himself had not made it there at the same time.

"Do you have a personal favorite of the two that you would like to see win Sir Ekaitz?" Susanna asked as she made conversation, trying not to see past Kegan where she knew Caesar and Kaleb were sitting only a few yards away.

"Well it would certainly be better for me if Epiphany won this round. That would mean that there would be three heirs tied with one win in the lead instead of one air winning with two victories under his belt. Much, much better for the rest of us losing heirs."

"I suppose that is true." Susanna admitted in agreement as she turned her gaze back down at the arena.

Epiphany swung back her sai, and made a quick incantation and faced her palms towards the stream of fire, and ice blazed from her hands, extinguishing the fire.

Nebi felt himself grin at her, "You've paid attention. This isn't going to be easy, is it? Good." He swung at her with his sword, muttering an incantation so that a shockwave of energy preceded his swing.

Epiphany blocked the sword, managing to get cut though and she got repelled backwards from the energy. Epiphany hit the ground, and stood back up. Epiphany muttered and incantation, which would enable her to have some speed in her swings, and swung her sai at Nebi.

Nebi grunted as he blocked the flurry of swings. He girmaced when he felt his cheek get cut. He murmured an incantation to match his opponents speed and struck back.

Epiphany managed to dodge some of his attacks, but get cut on her shoulder. Epiphany stopped and moved back from surprise after the cut. She noticed that her spell started to die out as she tried running to keep distance from Nebi.

Nebi felt himself smirk as he decided to try his new spell. He made a few handsigns and thrust his palm on the ground, attempting to transmute the ground near Epiphany into quicksand.

(( How much ground is going to turned to quicksand?))

(Just the ground surrounding Epiphany. Up to a foot or so.)

Epiphany felt the ground below her melt into quicksand, as she sunk into it. She grabbed her sai and punctured it into the hard ground. Epiphany struggled as she tried to get out of the quicksand, but the force of the sand slowly pulled her down.

C.C.

"So, who do you think will be the winner of this match?" C.C. asked Susanna.

Susanna looked up at C.C., relieved to see she had arrived. "Well this one is actually hard to say if you think about it as both of Epiphany's opponents quit and from the sound of it it wasn't because they thought she would destroy them as Carlisle seems to think that we don't realize he doesn't want the throne so he keeps reminding us and Maul was simply forced to quit. While Nebi actually fought two people that were serious opponents and won. Of course this would mean Epiphany should have more energy at this point, Nebi has actually proven he has more skilsl then a one would think young thiefs should have." The young woman explained as she recalled all the fights the two had been in.

"In the end while Epiphany is adept at defending her self from massive attacks she never seems to have any attacks besides her using her knife, everything is defensive. So I would say Nebi is most likely going to win this unless he stupidly allows Epiphany to tire him out." Susanna finished as she stated her guess.

C.C.

C.C. nodded and looked to where Caesar and Kaleb was. Or rather, were, now that they were gone. The immortal frowned for a moment before turning her attention to Susanna.

"Susanna...may I speak with you in private for a moment? I have something I wish to discuss. It may solve your...Humage problems." C.C. said. She hoped her plan would work. If it did, it may help Susanna greatly if she were ever in a dangerous situation again with Caesar, or worse Rau. Hmm...now, out of the two madmen, who indeed was worse and even more worse? Between the two, who was more dangerous? Another question to ponder for another time.

Susanna's eyebrows rose in slight surprise as C.C. asked her this question, and of course she nodded in agreement. The Noblewoman stood up out of her seat and walked past Kegan, ignoring the match for now as she walked with C.C. away from the arena. "So...?" She asked politely, with hints of anxiousness and hope as well.

Nebi smiled as he made a few handsigns, feeling himself sweat. He wanted to end this now without hurting the Amazon. A two tentacles of sand wrapped around her arms, attempting to pin them down so she couldn't escape. He called out, "Give up! You're trapped!"

C.C.

"The next time Caesar or Rau tries to harm you, Nebi and I may not be able to get to you. I...do not wish to see you die. I can give you a power, to protect yourself. This power is ancient, and has long been gone with the destruction of the Mages. It could help you the next time you are in trouble. However...this power comes with a heavy price." C.C. stated. She waited for Susanna's answer. It had been thousands of years since she had last given this power. While it was costly, C.C. wanted Susanna to have a safe guard against the Humage.

Susanna bit her lip as she thought about what C.C. was telling her. "[i]Safety would be...a marvelous thing to have and I thank you for offering whatever this plan is to me. But what is the price?" Susanna asked as she looked up at C.C., hoping that it wasn't as bad as her mind was telling her it would be.

C.C.

"It is a power given by Mages to those they trust absolutely. You must understand, that to abuse this power would prove to be fatal. However, it could protect you in a time of peril. The price for this power...is the knowledge that it may very well ruin your life." C.C. explained. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't want to give such a dangerous power to Susanna. But, these circumstances were anything but normal. Susanna could need it in the near future. C.C. desperately wanted her friend to remain safe. While she did not possibly want to ruin her life, she also did not want to see Susanna murdered by either dangerous personality.

Susanna looked around the area nervously as though she were afraid someone was watching them. "So I would be protected, but the paranoia could destroy me....." She reminded herself. But then her mind went back to the terror she had felt when Rau had arrived in Sai's body while she was talking to Arthur in the hallway, what he had almost done....it was better if Susanna didn't think about she decided.

"What is the power? It wouldn't harm you would it? Because then I simply cannot accept."

C.C.

"You mis-understand, Susanna. The power itself may destroy you, not paranoia. If the person is not able to control it, it could consume them. However...I will take that risk, because I do not want to see you die. No, the power cannot harm me. It is known as the Power of the Kings. It can only be given by Mages, and cannot affect the one who it was given by." C.C. explained.

Susanna looked back at C.C. and processed what this meant. "Well if it's only me in danger and it could stop...him, from getting too close again, then yes. Yes I suppose I shall accept this gift." She decided in an unsure tone as she looked up at C.C., as though her friend was about to inform her whether or not she had made the right decision.

C.C.

C.C. nodded and grabbed Susanna's hand. Immediately the world around them disappeared. A series of images flashed around them. They ranged from a crowd of Mages praying, to more bizarre looking ones. An hour-glass appeared before them, which was rapidly filling out the bottom half.

"Beware the Power of the Kings," an unseen voice rang out, "For only the most noble can handle its strength. Do not abuse your Geais, or it will consume you..."

Then, it all stopped. The strange images were gone, replaced by the walls of the castle. C.C. let go of Susanna's hand.

"It is done."