Soon the others arrived (Neflite and Cuchullin) and started talking to Yohko. Cuchullin told her of the secret tournament and why he had left so suddenly. During this oration, Neflite and Inferno returned to the Tournament Grounds. Meanwhile, Yohko wanted to come to the tournament to watch her brother fight,and they were just about to return, when they saw about a dozen robed and hooded figures coming down the streets towards them. The two looked over, just as the devils (called Ghaouls) threw off their robes. Ghaouls had lizardlike appearences covered with black scales, and wickedly hooked claws at the end of each finger. Yohko and Cuchullin were in their element, however, as battling devils was their job. And so Cuchullin took out his massive ax, and Yohko took out her massive sword...Sometime later, the two wounded warriors returned to the compound after defeating the Ghaouls. When their story was told, we all wondered what devils were doing in the streets of Tiran...
Cuchullin quickly realised that the ever enthusiastic Yohko probably shouldn't be around the "bad influencial people". (Such as Inferno) and so he took her to his room and tied her to his bed. A few minutes later, we heard about the next fight: Illawyn VS Cuchullin. We all went to watch. Most people were hoping Illawyn would win, especially Paulonos. Anyways, Cuchullin managed to defeat her using his huge ax Devil-Render. No one was really surprised. (See *Inferno's Power Chart) After that fight, we ate a meal and Cuchullin untied Yohko who was rather angry at him. Soon though, Neflite checked his computer and found out the next fight. Zayeljiin VS Tearos. Anticipation was high as we filed into the arena. Krodaine sat waiting, beside his wife Morelaine. Still in the shadows behind them stood Lanktin.. Zayeljiin took one look at the armored Tearos and used his Dori-Noro, a special Zelzakian attack that can pierce any armor. The fight grew intense shortly after that. In the end, Tearos vanquished the powerful Zayeljiin. Krodaine smiled and annonced that the semi-finals would begin the next morning...
The next morning, Inferno felt a bit better, and he checked his computer eagerly. The first semi-final fight was to be Cuchullin VS Neflite. Inferno knew that Cuchullin was good, but he also knew that Neflite was VERY good to have bested him. And so he knew Cuchullin didn't stand much of a chance. And so it was. The two tore up the arena, but in the end, Neflite vanquished the massive Cuchullin. And so we had one of our finalists...Yohko was a bit upset, but Inferno couldn't have cared less. He then noticed that Zayeljiin was mysteriously absent. When he asked Dillon about it, he told him that Zayeljiin had left the night before. And so only eleven remained. Anyways, the next fight was soon annonced and was to be Tearos VS Eshainin. In other words, Light VS Dark or as my friend put it "The Angel VS The Devil". We all inwardly hoped Tearos would defeat the smug Eshainin.
The fight begun with high excitement and anxiety. Tearos, on the other hand, seemed perfectly calm. Eshainin was the same as always, smiling smugly. The fight began moments later. We all leaned forward in our seats, and Lanktin leaned forward from his standing position. The two warriors were a flurry of attacks and dodges, until finally Tearos lauched a UNIVERSAL GLOBE (the most powerful attack in the game) at Eshainin. The globe exploded, tearing out an entire section of the wall. We were all amazed. And then, Eshainin stepped out of the smoke rising from the ruined arena. He was still smilling smugly, and hardly looked defeated. Then he too launched a universal globe back at Tearos.
Unlike Eshainin, though, Tearos didn't rise from the explosion.
Neflite suddenly said "You mean I have to fight that guy?!!" He sounded a bit shocked. Krodaine then announced that the finals would take place in the evening. Neflite VS Eshainin....
We all ate a hushed supper. Eshainin was not with us, and that just made Neflite more tense. We were all waiting for the fight to begin. We hoped Neflite would win, but I wasn't too hopeful. Inferno and Cuchullin grimly concluded that Eshainin was by far the most powerful fighter here. And so we waited in grim silence until it was time for the Final of The Tournament Of Champions. Neflite fought a rousing battle against Eshainin, but try though he might, he was no match for the smug warrior. And so the tournament had it's winner. Krodaine stood up from his seat and declared that Eshainin would come alone for
"the final challenge." Smiling, Eshainin departed and as did we.
Back at the bar, everyone began pouring drinks. The tournament was over. The following morning, we would all leave.
Inferno was still depressed at how early he had been defeated and also the fact that he would only receive a small amount of money.
It was at this point that Eshainin approached Cuchullin, Neflite and Inferno. He told them that he suspected foul play at this final battle. He said he would give them all the prize money he would have won if they would sneak in to aid him in case of a betrayel. At the mention of money, Inferno perked up. Everyone else seemed interested as well. And so, before the event was scheduled to start, our heroes sneaked into the arena and stood directly below Krodaine's booth, where they could watch unobserved. They were waiting when Eshainin entered for the final challenge...
They could hear Krodaine's voice from above as he congratulated Eshainin and said that if he won this last fight, he would get "what was coming to him.." And so a massive gate opened at the front of the arena to admit a massive Dark Drakhaan. (A Drakhaan is the spherusian equivalent of a dragon.) Eshainin defeated the monstrous Drakhaan without much difficulty. Krodaine smiled, and then told his guards to shoot Eshainin. Throsh and his men immeidiately fired their plasma guns at the smug Eshainin. However, with a twirl of his scythe, he deflected the deadly shots. At that point, Inferno leaped up in front of the startled Krodaine and did a Psi-Kee uppercut right to his face. Krodaine was flung high into the air, and when he came down in a broken twisted form, he was dead.
This came as a great surprise to me that Krodaine was so weak.
Meanwhile, Cuchullin and Neflite engaged Throsh and his guards. Back up on Krodaine's platform, Morelaine cowered against the wall even as LANKTIN stepped out of the shadows. A UNIVERSAL GLOBE formed in his hands which he tossed at Eshainin. That wiped the smug smile off his face. Eshainin was thrown to the ground, where he began to crawl weakly away. Inferno looked in amazement at Lanktin, who casually snapped Morelaine's neck as he came forward. "Prepare to die, Inferno!" he rasped. Inferno began to fight the powerful warrior, but it became quickly apparent that he was overmatched. Suddenly, Neflite and Cuchullin raced up to help him. Together, the three managed to defeat the cunning Lanktin, and he died there.
As the three tired warriors were recuperating, Eshainin returned to the room after having used several Medi-kits. He was not alone though. Around him were perhaps a half-dozen Ghaouls.
Eshainin himself had changed. He now wore spiked armor complete with helmet, although he still had his battle scythe. Around his neck, he wore a symbol of a horned skull. This was the symbol of Dagobros, the god of ultimate evil in Spherus. Eshainin was now revealed as his true self, an extremely powerful DOOM PRIEST! Just then, Yohko arrived on the scene. Eshainin laughed and said that they would all now die. His Ghaouls rushed at the weakened warriors. A brave stratagy was then decided. Yohko would take the Ghaouls, while Cuchullin, the PC with the most hitpoints left, would distract Eshainin while Inferno and Neflite rushed to get help. Eshainin used a special technique that drained a warriors abilities called Darkmist. Nevertheless, even as Cuchullin rushed forward to confront the evil doom priest, Eshainin used his telepathic powers to hold the very weak Inferno who was attempting to run out the main door in place. Meanwhile, Neflite flew out the door behind Krodaine's chair. Yohko was still hard-pressed against the Ghaouls...
It was at this point that Cuchullin reached Eshainin and launched a massive blow which was deflected off the spiked armor.
This, however, caused Eshainin to lose his concentration and so Inferno quickly slipped out the door. During this time, Neflite was exploring the backstages of the tournament, until he found a round-about route to get back to the competitors section of the arena. Even as Inferno began to bang on Tearos's door (judging him to be the strongest remaining) Cuchullin was VERY hard pressed against Eshainin. Eshainin had been better than Cuchullin at the tournament, and he hadn't been wearing his armor or using his full powers then. Meanwhile, back in the hallway, no one was responding to Inferno's REALLY loud knocking. Something was wrong here..(The truth was that Eshainin had put sleeping powder in the drinks of the night before.) Inferno didn't know or care about this fact; he simply kicked the door to Tearos's room down, grabbed the still groggy armorian from his bed and began running back carrying him. During this time, Neflite had raced towards the rooms. But as he passed the bar, he noticed Roccooo Dillon sitting inside. He stopped and explained the situation to Rocco, who then ran behind him to fight Eshainin. Inferno, the half asleep Tearos, Roccooo Dillon and Neflite all met up in the hall and began to race back, hoping they weren't already too late...
Meanwhile, Yohko had managed to defeat the Ghaouls, but was in no shape to help Cuchullin against Eshainin. Cuchullin himself was almost on his knees. Suddenly, a cyber spear stabbed Eshainin in the back. Emerging from the shadows was LORD PAIN!
The battle intensified when Inferno and the others arrived. Since Tearos STILL wasn't awake, Inferno threw him at Eshainin and prepared for battle. Between them, they managed to defeat Eshainin. (NO THANKS TO TEAROS!) And so the Tournament Of Champions had truly ended, forever....
Lanktin > Eshainin > Tearos > Lord Pain > Neflite > Inferno = Cuchullin = Zayeljiin > Illawyn > Frite = Roccooo Dillon > Paulonos > Brono = Throsh > Yohko > Dancing Girl = Krodaine = Morelaine = Shaigran
The whole Tournament Of Champions was infact a massive set-up. As Shaigran had said, the winners never reappeared. Krodaine was merely a pawn for the true master of the tournament, Lanktin. Lanktin prefered to control things from the shadows, and as such hired Krodaine and Morelaine to be the legit masters of the tournament. In truth, Krodaine was a wimp ,whereas Lanktin was perhaps the most powerful warrior the galaxy had ever known. He had set up the tournament to drain the powers of the winner of the tournament. Indeed, Lanktin had that very ability and had already employed it a fair number of times.
THAT was the whole purpose for the tournament of champions..Eshainin meanwhile had simply heard of the strange disappearences at the tournament and had also heard of mysterious powerful warriors there. He thought that this powerful warrior might be a threat to the doom order, and so he came to destroy it...