Act 2: Upheaval IV - The Green Bachelor

Steve laughs again at Nadia's sweet burn. "That's an image."

Mihai calmly walks over - "Should i comment on the Victory Smooch, or has it been done to death yet?"

"Maybe I'll find a monastery with a hot babe running the place. Hmm. Why not run your own monastery, Szef Zerva?" He smirks. "I think you'd be a wonderful teacher."

"...Forget i asked."

When Konrad says Nadzieja's name, she realizes he's been speaking to her. She looks away from the crowd and asks, "Sorry, can you repeat that?"

"He said you'll make a good leader," Zenobiusz says with a grin.

"Oh... Thank you."

She smiles at him, happy of her victory, and turns to face her family again; she wants to join them. But before she can leave, the Arena's white mage begin to examine the adventurers for any possible injury.

"I apologize," one of them says. "It'll take but a moment."

"Please do."

Steve watches them work.

Spellcraft to see what spells they are casting if any and how strong. 24

Mihai waits for the healers to do their thing, then searches his pocket for the key and goes over to Duma, to undo his shackles.

"Unless those are your thing..."

"Well, um, that too."

When the mages come with their spells, Konrad steps away with a hand raised up to stop them. "That is quite alright, I am fine."

"Excuse me, Szef Duma," he says, addressing the szef of Clan Dziki in Wytrwaly. "Now that the fight is over, might I be able to convince you to throw your support behind Nadzieja?"

Steve:

The white mages return to the passageways of the Arena—some of them with a concerned face—while the people begin to calm down; they want to see how the two teams will interact now that the battle is over. The announcer knows this and he waits for the right moment to interject.

Zenon Duma laughs at Mihai's joke. "Sometimes. Am I glad my arrow missed your head!"

"We might have won if it didn't," the red mage retorts.

"You're teaming up with my sister now? I thought I was the Szef."

He gives the shackles back to Mihai, picks up his bowblade from the ground and listens to Konrad's request. "Oh, there's no need to convince me," he says. "I already planned to support her bid for the title if she won."

"You did?" Nadzieja asks, surprised. "That's... uh, thank you Zenon."

"What can I say? I do like beautiful women who tell me what to do."

Szef Zerva sighs at this lame joke, and Duma's sister rolls her eyes at her brother. The rest of his champions are quite amused however.

In response to Maryn's comment - "I would have survived that and the spell, and then my counterattack would have been that much more powerful - you barely survived it as it is. I wasn't kidding back there when i tried to warn you. Nadzieja literally saved your life with that trick."

"I'm still surprised Konrad didn't blast you on your butt." Steve shrugs.

Zenon Duma puts his hands on his waist and confidently declares, "I'm sure things would have worked out in the end."

"Come on, just say thank you," his sister says.

"Nevar!"

Konrad laughs at Duma's antics. "At any rate, I'd like to discuss it with you further in private before we rest, if you have time."

"Sure thing, Wildfire." Szef Duma pats Konrad on his shoulder before turning to the young monk. "Nadzieja, I sincerely hope you become First. Myr could do without Leopold's pride and Wanda's austerity."

"...This is the best compliment you've ever given me," she says. "Thank you."

"And I mean it." He nods with a serious expression. "So how about we go on a date?"

"Oh, for goodness' sake—"

"Come on, one measly date! You just broke my dreams of becoming First! I deserve that at the very least!"

"Goodbye Zenon." Nadzieja begins to walk away from him.

"Nadzieja, wait." - he calls after her - "We actually should have a talk with Szef Duma now."

"Not now Mihai. Come on, let's go."

She gives a knowing look to the three adventurers and keeps walking away, expecting them to follow her.

He looks at Duma - "Later, then." - and resumes being bossed around.

"See ya around gents. Madame." Steve tips his hat to Duma and his team. He starts whistling the tune he wrote for Yen and follows after Nadia.

Konrad waits a moment for her to get further away. "I'm sorry, you really do owe her your life for that kiss."

He looks at Angelika one more time before he follows Nadia out.

"She can kiss me anytime she wants," Duma replies with a laugh.

Angelika notices Konrad's gaze just as he is turning away. This is when the announcer decides to interject and with a booming voice, he says, "Everyone, a round of applause for Szef Duma and his champions!"

The crowd eagerly acquiesces to this request and stand up for the Dziki warriors, who despite the outcome of the battle don't feel like losers. The announcer waits for a moment before he talks again. "The next battle shall begin in one hour; please keep your tickets until the end of the Tournament."

The fairies and carbuncles don't waste their time and immediately invade the ring of sand.
____________

Nadzieja appears overwhelmed when the rest of her family and clan stand up to congratulate her. She receives hugs and handshakes from a lot of people and will certainly be busy for a few minutes at the very least. She's not the only one though; Zenobiusz is receiving the same treatment, and many of the clansmen genuinely thank the adventurers for protecting their leader.

"Are you okay!?" Amber exclaims as she hugs her brother before stepping back to examine him and the rest of her companions. "You've got holes in your clothes."

"Yeah, are you sure you don't need more healing?" Fluffle asks, ready to use his cantrip of Life if needed.

"I'm fine, just a bit winded." - he reassures as he hugs her back - "Yeah, Duma's Aspect shot a bunch of spikes at me. Healers took care of it, though. It's fine, Fluffle, thanks."

"We're alright, don't worry. Those white mages know what they're doing. Actually, I can repair clothes for whoever would like it. I can do that for our fearless leader, if she would like to go first."

He looks at Nadia.

"I'll definitely take you up on that offer Konrad." Steve puts his finger through the holes in his shoulder and then shakes the hand of a well-wisher from Nadia's clan. "We're lucky we got Duma down when we did, I don't think we would have survived another round of that spell."

Mihai hesitates a little, but takes Konrad up on his offer.

Konrad:

Nadzieja is in the middle of the terraces speaking with her clansmen who are congratulating her. She's too far to hear anything the party members have said.

"Here you go," Amber says. She presents Steve with what she promised him; an orange slushy. "Can you drink it though?"

"Yeah, that looked like it hurt," Fluffle remarks.

Florolf suddenly appears between Steve's legs, his eyes fixed on the slushy.