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Open on Grand Festival Hub
Hyperion and Chrysanthos are standing on screen.
Chrysanthos: I hear you’ll be facing Quiahuitl next. She’s going to be a tough opponent.
Hyperion: And eager to face me probably with how much she talks about dragons as a threat to her people. Losing to Aris would be annoying, losing to her feels like it’d be playing into her hand.
Chrysanthos: Considering she formed an entire empire, I’m sure she has a way to turn any defeat into a different kind of victory. Stick to your battle strategy, it worked just fine in the last round.
Chrysanthos: In our few encounters she reminded me of the worst of my father.
Hyperion: There are too many men like your father, well women in this case. I’ll try not to let someone like that win.
Exploration Start
You have another chance to play around with your moveset before the next battle. There are technically some obstacles in your way to the next battle but it’s easy enough to jump over the inconvenient crates. You can stop to talk with some NPCs on your way to the next battle now.
Enthusiastic Hyperion Fan: Hyperion already took down one tyrant, what’s one more?
Bitter Mondragaen Noble: The sooner Metrophanes is eliminated from this tournament, the better.
Curious Revolving Sea Merchant I wonder when Hyperion is going to show his true power? He must have something planned for later in the tournament.
Once you reach Metrophanes the next scene will start.
Exploration End
Metrophanes: Oh Hyperion, on your way to the arena?
Hyperion: Yes.
Metrophanes: May your luck be good. Though I have a feeling we’ll be facing each other rather soon, so I have no doubt you’ll win this round.
Hyperion: I hope you’re right. Say… what do you think about the fact that I haven’t been using my power.
Metrophanes: I think it’s yours to use as you see fit. You didn’t kill me when I deserved it after all of that puppet impostor nonsense, restraint is one of your better qualities, though I know you’ll deny that.
Metrophanes: If you wanted to fight with your power over light, I wouldn’t fear any sort of incident happening. But if you refuse to use it then that’s how it will be. I just hope it’s not a choice stemming from a lack of confidence.
Hyperion: Thank you.
Hyperion walks past Metrophanes.
Transition to Burned Grove
The stage is set on a small pyramid in a grove, fighters can duke it out on the pyramid’s flat top, or go down the steps to the forest floor, where you’ll quickly run into the trees that serve as the stage’s walls.
In the background are burnt trees, giving the stage its name. A statue of a female talpman stands in the background on the top of the pyramid.
Hyperion and Quiahuitl stand at the pyramid’s top.
Battle Start
Positioning won’t be too difficult for this battle, because Quiahuitl will be coming right at you. Her quick attacks can lock you down through sheer aggression, but the key is to block and wait for an opening to grab her.
Quiahuitl’s rubber ball projectile can be hit back to her, but on the stairs it’s harder to find the right angle for you to hit, while Quiahuitl’s moveset lets her easily find the right angle from any part of the stage. You’re better off blocking the ball instead of going for the rally on the steps.
Win or lose this match will go by quickly, you only need to win a few engagements to achieve victory in this match.
Battle End
Hyperion and Quiahuitl are back at round start positions, Quiahuitl is knocked down but picks herself up.
Quiahuitl: Immortal gods! Out of all the dragons to lose to, it had to be the coward afraid of his own strength.
Hyperion: I don’t use my power without need, which clearly it wasn’t for an opponent like you.
Hyperion: (I shouldn’t be so easily provoked, this isn’t like me. I should probably apologize.)
Quiahuitl: And that only proves my point about your kind further. At least while you’re hiding away in obscurity, I’ll be accomplishing feats people will remember.
Hyperion: But your performance here won’t be among them.
Quiahuitl: Nor yours, it’s only a matter of time before you lose to those unafraid of who they are.
Quiahuitl walks off screen.
Hyperion: (This victory feels terrible. I need to calm down or the next rounds will be a disaster.)
Chapter END
Note from the Author: There was no NPC eavesdropping last chapter, but now it’s back. I think it helps a bit with fleshing out the world. Thank you for reading, as always feedback is welcome in the comments.
| Prologue/Introduction | Table of Contents | Profiles | Non-Gamer Primer |
Interesting! I had assumed that the way this worked would be that, while reading one character's story, you'd be reading the version of the story where they won the tournament, but Quiahuitl never fought Hyperion.
YAY 💚 IT'S QUIAHUITL
it's been too long, I missed her