D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

*I guess Thyme’s just having a bit of fun. Kat took another sip of her drink. It’s pretty nice though I have to admit, tastes a bit like pears… Oh, Oh* ”Hey Green what does your drink taste like?” asked Kat

”Um, fruit? Didn’t you say that already Kat?” asked Green

”Yes but I suspect it tastes different to everyone” said Kat ”Mine tastes like pear for example”

”Oh, yes it seems your right then. Um, mine tastes like serella” said Green.

*Oh bother, I don’t recognise that. Did Green recognise pear? Um, let’s get a second opinion.* ”Hey Nixilei what does yours taste like” asked Kat

”Just plain water” said Nixilei

*I have no idea how to react to that answer. What does that even mean for this drink. What does it say about Nixilei if it takes on our favourite flavours or something.*

”Now that everyone’s had a drink can we get back to the questions” asked Skye

”Calm down, why are you in such a rush” said Jim

”I just think this is pretty cool. Sorry, I’m a bit excited I guess” said Skye

As Skye said the Ryo finished gulping down her drink ”Ok I’m ready”

Kress glared angrily at the water in front of him and the rest of the contestants not willing to join the conversation.

”Seems it’s fine to start up again there are only a few questions left in this round. The next question is. During the maze, the second event, Green entered the Temple of Riddles. She was asked a series of questions by the guardian of the place. What was the answer to the second riddle”

Skye instantly hit the buzzer ”The riddle was what runs around a city but never moves and the answer to it is a wall”

”No hesitation, I like it Skye. So we are still in the same round, but the next few questions won’t just be about our tournament but about the Tournament of Five and some of it’s history” said Thyme

”Thyme, can you provide me a fake set of glasses for this section” said Ryo

”Sure thing” said Thyme throwing over a pair of glasses with fake lenses

Clapping his hands together Thyme looked to the rest of the contestants for a moment to see if they were going to say anything but when nothing was forthcoming Thyme began to speak. ”Firstly, what was the name of the first team that won the original tournament”

Skye and Ryo both pressed the button down in an instant before heads snapping to each other to see who was first. ”Ryo, just barely edged you out there Skye. You first Ryo, what is your answer” said Thyme

”The very first competition was actually a draw intentionally to further cement the end of the war. They did this by stacking the games and teams in such a way that they’d end up with the same number of victories. Back in the original tourney each race fielded only one team, and there was no preliminaries” said Ryo pushing her glasses further onto her face.

”Excellent answer Ryo. Correct and even with more information than required” said Thyme.

”Next question. After existing for many years the Tournament of Fives opened up to allow for multiple teams applying by themselves. This was a cause of contention mostly due to the varying rates at which the races age and was deemed unfair by some. Who was the person behind this change and why did they want to make it” asked Thyme

Once again Skye and Ryo pressed the button at almost the same time followed slightly by Jim, and Kress didn’t even attempt to answer. ”Skye, it’s all yours” said Thyme

”It was introduced in the 12th iteration of the tournament and the one to propose it was a dwarf by the name of Reckal, no clan affiliation. Originally he was met with massive pushback, but he simply beat everyone else on the committee in a fight and said that anyone could show great strength if allowed and none should be barred from entering the tournament” said Skye

”Perfect answer” said Thyme ”Next question. After running the competition for over a century the first dryad entered and competed. This was the first and last year a dryad would ever compete. Who was it and why were they banned”

Nobody put moved for the button. They all glanced around wearily. Ryo and Skye especially were eyeing each other, waiting for the slightest movement in each other’s hands signalling they were about to try and make a guess. Jim watched them both warily as well, but wasn’t as ready on the button.

Kress however eyed his button suspiciously and would occasionally sneak glances at Thyme every now and then.

”Thirty seconds” said Thyme as the big numbers appeared above his head.

Kress gaze on Thyme intensified. *Wait, was it Thyme? Could Thyme be the dryad they are talking about?*

Kress glanced at the others and noticed none were really paying attention to him. While they were distracted with each other and the timer was counting down he debated over pressing it. His hands wavered over the button until he glanced at the scoreboard and saw himself firmly in last place.

Slamming his hand down on the button he looked Thyme dead in the eyes and said ”It was you. You were the one dryad and you competed, by yourself and still won”

Thyme burst into laughter ”Oh that’s funny” said Thyme as they slapped their hands against their knees. Thyme kept this laugh going until it was getting awkward for everyone else before finishing ”And also entirely correct. Yes that’s right, I stand before you the only person in history to win the games by themselves. Of course, dryads were quickly banned from the tournament of fives, which is fair considering it is for the weaker members of each species before they truly gain power

”Good guess Kress. Now for the next question. Over the course of the tournament, there have been a number of powerful and unique rewards for the winners. What was the prize for the 12th tournament, the-” Thyme was cut off when once again Skye and Ryo pressed their buttons not a hairs breathe apart from each other.

Thyme motioned towards Ryo to speak ”It was one piece of armour, or a weapon crafted by Reckal himself. Or at least, that is what he said was the prize. The truth of the matter was that his wife made the gear in his stead, but she was the much superior smith, Relanna the Anvil”

”Correct once again Ryo. Now for the final question in this round, and please listen carefully it is quite a long one” said Thyme. ”Over the course of history, the Tournament of Five has been successfully completed almost every year since the great war. Despite this though, there have in fact been a few times where the tournament failed to conclude or failed to start. I need you to name three of those times and explain the specifics as to why the tournament was unfinished”

Skye and Ryo pushed their buttons shortly followed by Jim. ”Skye, you first” said Thyme

”The three I will mention it, the great plague, the eternal winter, and the great collapse. The great plague was during the 15th tournament and as the name entails, a great plague ravaged the capital the tournament was meant to be held in, thus leading to the cancellation of the tournament that year

”The second was the eternal winter. During the 28th tournament the weather had become so fierce that it was impossible to travel unless you were part of the inner continent. The tournament was suspended so that the organisers could protect the cities and villages from the cold and help grow enough food to make it through the weather. The final one is the great collapse. This was during the 88th tournament and is famous because during the grand finale the arena collapsed into an ancient ruin. Instead of continuing with the tournament the teams opted to explore as the grand finale but none returned” said Skye

Thyme sucked in a breath ”Ooh I’m afraid that’s wrong Skye. Ryo your next”

”Well, the great plague did happen, however it was actually the 115th tournament not the 15th” Ryo then went on to explain the eternal winter and the great plague before ”And the final one I will mention is the 3rd tournament. The third tournament’s catastrophe has no name, because it was no great event, simply there was a mistranslation and they held the fourth tournament instead. For some reason nobody noticed this error until after the tournament had concluded and thus the 3rd tournament never happened”

Thyme raised a hand and then lowered it again. ”Hmm, I’m, well I guess that’s correct actually. Assuming it’s true, but I do believe I’ve heard something like that one moment” said Thyme as they brought out a small stick and put it to their ear.

”Chronicler? Yes, can you confirm if the 3rd tournament ever happened?” asked Thyme

”No, I’m not joking” said Thyme ”A mistranslation was the issue”

”Yes, yes, ok thank you” said Thyme putting away the branch ”Ok the Chronicler has confirmed your correct. Five points to you Ryo”

”Wait you know the Chronicler?” shouted Nixilei

”Yes” said Thyme simply

”What are they like” said Nixilei agitated

”Please calm yourself. If you wish we can discuss it later, but for now, we have the final round of our little quiz to prepare for” said Thyme grinning madly