“They can hear you,” Samik said, puzzled at the demon’s behavior. Did he not know how to use these devices? While not exactly widespread, they weren’t rare, either. Most demons would have come across them.
Samik rose to leave his seat and gave the newcomer a look.
A gray demon. Curious…
He was so small—he looked like a child standing in front of the seat made for Bairans.
“Thanks,” the stranger said. “Oh, er. You may wish to stick around. I think the safest place will be beside me. At least for the time being.”
Strange… Samik frowned. Where have I seen him before? He looks as though he’s been through a terrible battle. Did he get caught in the mayhem as well?
Had Samik been in a clearer state of mind, he would have recognized the demon before him immediately. As it was, it wasn’t until the demon uttered his next words that his blood ran cold.
“Greetings, everyone. You know me as Vaak, the competitor. Allow me to reintroduce myself. My real name… Is Sarvaak. Son of Maion and Shari Garga, and rightful heir to the clan. Some of you, however, might know me by a different name. Some of you… call me the Akh Nara.”
Black flames erupted all around the Akh Nara, wreathing him in an armor of fire.
Samik stumbled, falling on his ass. The Akh Nara’s visage was now being projected across the entire stadium. Forty thousand demons stood transfixed at his otherworldly image.
“Yes, I am alive. Yes, the Chitran failed to kill me when they murdered my family and destroyed my country. And yes, I have returned to reclaim what is rightfully mine. Now, let me tell you how you all need to behave so that no one gets hurt. Return to your seats. We have much to discuss.”
The crowd that had just moments before been in total panic stilled and hushed.
Samik knew exactly what was going through their minds, for the very same thought consumed his.
Gods have mercy… We are doomed.
118THE AKH NARA’S RETURN
Vir hadn’t quite known how the crowd would react to his speech. He’d braced himself for all-out pandemonium, with magic being hurled his way from all directions.
As it turned out, everyone did as they were told and sat down. That was, everyone except the Chitran, most of whom steadily moved towards the commentator’s booth where he stood, despite the Bairans working hard to stop them.
Other than that, the stadium was eerily quiet. Vir suspected it was mostly out of fear, and winning against someone considered an invincible demigod likely reinforced the sentiment, but Vir could work with that. It was, at least, better than demons trampling over one another in frenzied panic.
Vir was under no delusion that this would end peacefully. He had a few more words to say, then after that, he would have to flee.
I wonder what will surprise them more? My speech? Or my exit. Vir smirked. Nobody said he couldn’t flee in style, after all.
Together, this day ought to go down in demonic history. As for whether it will be remembered as the beginning of a failed rebellion, or the start of a new era of demonic history, remained to be seen.
The first group of angry-looking Chitran Kothis were now only twenty paces away, having broken through the lines of Bairans trying to keep them at bay. The Bairans had a tough job, having to deal with the crowd in a nonlethal manner, and so Vir felt bad for putting them through this ordeal.
Let’s make things a little harder for them, shall we?
“Er… Samik, right? Would you mind if I borrowed this?” Vir asked the stricken commentator.
The Bairan stared back for a long moment, before finally realizing he’d been addressed, and nodded vigorously.
“Thanks,” Vir said with a wry smile. He wasn’t used to being a celebrity, and wasn’t sure if he’d ever get used to the sensation, but he had to admit, it sure had its moments.
Exiting the booth, Vir Leaped onto the arena floor, where Cirayus was being treated by a Panav.
Not just any Panav, it turned out.
“Tara?” Vir asked. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh! The Akh Nara blesses me with his attention!” Tara said, placing a hand on her forehead and stumbling. “Whatever should I do? Do I bow down? Do I strike him dead? How spicy!”
“How amusing,” Vir said, without a trace of a smile. “I take it Cirayus is patched up, then?”
“Good as new!” Tara replied.
While Vir couldn’t quite place where she stood on the Akh Nara spectrum, she seemed jovial enough for now. It would have to suffice.
Turning back to the crowd, Vir saw the Chitrans who’d nearly reached him at the booth change course and push their way down to the stadium. Considering how high in the stadium the booth was, they had quite the journey ahead of them.
That bought Vir a bit more time.
“Lad, you may come to regret this,” Cirayus said, walking up to Vir.
“I thought this was what you wanted,” Vir muttered, slightly irritated to be getting a lecture at this point.
Vir turned to find the giant beaming. “Oh, make no mistake, lad. I had hoped. I had dreamed of this outcome. A showdown at the finals with everything on the line. A glorious fight against a worthy foe at their full potential!”
Vir eyed the crowd. They were expecting him to continue, and he didn’t want to keep them waiting much longer. The main reason he was waiting was to allow Thaman’s forces to rally and organize. The more time he gave them, the more likely they would be to contain any outbreak that might ensue.
“Then why didn’t you say anything?” Vir asked, exasperated that his godfather hadn’t even breathed so much as a hint about his desires.
“This decision had to come from you, lad. If I planted the seed in your mind, however small, you would have forever questioned if this decision came from you, or if it were due to my meddling. I could not allow that. For better or for worse, nothing will be the same after this.”
Vir could see the logic in that. “That’s an awful lot of trust to put in me.”
“And was it not well-placed? But to think you said all you did! That declaration was beyond even my imagination!”
“Oh, er, that’s…” Vir felt stupid for thinking he was due for a lecture. This was Cirayus, after all. He wanted nothing more than to see the Garga restored. If Vir said they were storming the Keep tomorrow, he’d happily oblige.
“I couldn’t be more proud of you right now, lad. I take it you have a plan?”
“The plan… Is to come up with a plan. Right now.”
Cirayus roared with laughter and clapped Vir’s shoulder. “Gah, I have missed this. This rush! This feeling of being alive!”
Vir glanced at Tara, who looked away. It seemed Cirayus’ antics were just as embarrassing to her as they were for Vir.
At that moment, Thaman, followed by two dozen Bairan soldiers in full armor, burst onto the stage.
“We are ready,” the Bairan Raja announced the moment he landed. “Thank you for waiting. We are now in control of the situation.”
Vir glanced at the Kothis who had been approaching the stage, and sure enough, their progress had halted, thanks to the swarm of troops they faced. Meanwhile, the rest of the stadium watched on from their seats.
His forces had been doing an excellent job of fending off the Kothis and preserving order, but the peace was a fragile thing. A few poorly chosen words, and the chaos would erupt once again.
“Before I continue, may I clarify a few things?” Vir asked.
“I assume you mean to ask where Baira stands?”
Vir nodded. “Yes, and whether or not I have earned Balancer of Scales with this victory.”
Thaman took a long breath before delivering a short sentence, “With you. And yes.”
Vir smiled and nodded his thanks.