Not long after the march stopped. Even though it was still some distance away, but from their view they could see the high walls of Dragonhold.

Oberon then instructed that they would be setting up camp here for the night.

With his instructions being carried out, the soldiers set up camps and wodeen siege engines, which cutt off every road that would lead out of Dragonhold from the front gates.

Soldiers drove stakes into the ground, and built barricades while at it.

The Warning bells from within Dragonhold had also gone off the moment the scouts at the top of the walls saw the enemy's forces.

…

Soon after, Camp was set and people gathered around different camp fires

Arianna was with Kayden and Sorkin under a different camp they had set up. Kayden understood she was not in talking terms with Laela as of the moment and since they both could not share Elena, she had to come stay with them.

However he didn't know why they currently had differences between themselves and when he asked, Arianna refused to say anything about it. So he let it be.

Laela on the other hand was helping Elena and Piers set up camp tent. The elf still looked very much sad and wasn't talking much.

Aiden then approached their tent at some point, and Elena and Piers gave them a little bit of privacy.

"Hey" Aiden began, causing Laela to stop in her tracks with her back turned to him. She also did not reply him.

After waiting a moment and getting no reply, he sighed. "I was going to say that maybe we should talk after all these is over."

She was silent still.

"Be safe out there tomorrow" Aiden said finally, and then turned to leave.

"You too" Laela let out. Aiden paused for a bit hearing that and then smiled slightly before leaving the tent.

Even though she felt so hurt, tomorrow was a war and the last thing she wanted was Aiden ending up badly hurt.

As soon as he left, the sobbing and tears returned.

---------

The Next Day Had Arrived.

The Day Of The Contest Of Champions!

The day when history was either going to change or repeat itself.

Lord Oberon was seated on the back of a white horse, with Thamoryn standing to his side. They both stood some distance infront of the Gates of Dragonhold.

Though this time, they were much further away from the Army. They came to finish up a preliminary rite required before the Contest Of Champions began officially.

Then the gates of Dragonhold opened, and the King sitting on a white horse as well, along with the Grand magus, Mumbleton, marched out.

When they got into proximity, Jarius stepped down from his horse and walked towards Oberon with mumbleton.

Oberon also stepped down from his horse to meet Jarius in between, with Thamoryn by his side.

Oberon had an exciting grin on his face. Jarius tried to maintain an expressionless demeanor even though he was distraught by all of these.

"How does it feel knowing that today you lose your throne?" Oberon sneered

"Let's get the contest started, shall we?" Jarius said simply while staring into the eyes of the Lord. He beckoned towards Mumbleton who moved forward with the scroll containing the signed challenge from both parties.

He opened and read it out;

"By decree of His Majesty, King Jarius Crowley, Sovereign of the Nine Kingdoms and He who sits upon the Wyrm-Seat — a Contest of Champions is hereby declared between His Grace and Lord Oberon Thorne, Ruler of Xathia.

The conditions for victory shall be met only when one of the chosen champions falls in death or yields by spoken surrender.

Let it be known that the fate of this contest shall bind their lords in equal measure; that whosoever's champion is vanquished shall yield both life and legacy to the victor

In so doing, the defeated house shall be stripped of all royal claim, and none of their blood shall ever again bear the title of King or Ruler within the realm."

Once he was done reading, he stepped back and Thamoryn walked forward with a thick rope, and a short knife.

She handed the knife over to her Lord first, and oberon took and sliced his palm slightly with it. He barely grunted under the pain of cutting himself.

Then he handed the blade over to Jarius who did the same by cutting his palm slightly.

Thamoryn took the knife back and motioned her hands together which was the signal for Jarius and Oberon to shake the hands cut by the blades.

Once they both did, thamoryn ran the rope across their hands, and knot it into a bind. Then said the chanted the words of the oath spell;

"By word and will, let covenant take form.

By blood and breath, let vow be sworn.

None who stand beneath the land's sky may flee their fate,

For oath and soul are now as one.

Should either hand betray this bond, May the earth itself rise to claim the fallen."

The rope that binded them together looked like it had been caught under an aura of blue flames. It burnt the rope to ash but without affecting them. This signified that the oath spell was now complete and would take effect.

The Contest Of Champions was usually accompanied by an Oath Spell between two parties. This was so that none of them could go against the words of the agreement laid down within the challenge.

However, this was not without loopholes. The words of every line in the agreement sworn on the oath spell had to be true and remain true at the time of binding the oath.

If not, the binding consequence would never truly take effect.

This was exactly why Oberon saw that Cedric Greystone was made Regent of Xathia prior to this step of oath taking.

The content of the challenge referred to Oberon as "Ruler Of Xathia", but if he wasn't the ruler of Xathia anymore, then the lines of the oath they had just sworn was void.

Which in itself made the effect of the oath spell, void as well.

So if Oberon decided to go against the oath, he would not be affected, cause the oath binded Oberon who is Xathia's ruler, not Oberon who currently is only but the Head Of House Thorne.

And ofcourse the other party, being the King, didn't know of this either

Thamoryn continued, "The contest will begin shortly. Name your champions"

"Aiden Crowley" Oberon said with a confident smile on his face.

No reaction came out of Jarius who simply named his own champion, "Lysandra Crowley"

And that put a brief uncomfortable reaction on both "Thamoryn's and Oberon's faces. They had both not seen that one coming.

And Oberon wondered what Jarius was playing at by naming his daughter who definitely paled in comparison to Aiden, as champion.

Thamoryn then declared, "The battle of champions shall began at High Noon" and afterwards, both parties returned to places.

Jarius and the others returned back into the city of Dragonhold.

…

"Dragonhold named their champion, You'll be facing your sister." Oberon broke the news to Aiden at the Camp site.

Aiden's eyes widened at this realisation. He didn't exactly see that one coming.

Oberon noticed the reaction on his face and asked, "Is that going to be a problem?"

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