Chapter 3: You Reek Of Blood

The two fighters walked in circles with each other. Like predators, they glared at each other waiting for the other to strike.

"You know, out of all the wenches in that room, I didn't know what to think of you." The Ice Queen spoke with a charismatic tone that demanded respect.

Ariel merely tilted her head. Her face was still expressionless as she swayed her body from side to side. 

"When we were told that this would be a tournament to the death, I scoffed at the fact that you would be my first foe." She pointed an accusing finger at her. "This is a place where the strong eat the weak. Where warriors put their lives on the line in mortal combat."

The Ice Queen opened her hand as a cold mist started to leak from her palm. The mist grew thicker and denser until it eventually started to take shape into something solid. By the time it was done, a large claymore of ice was now in the Ice Queen's hand. 

She aimed the point of the sword at Ariel's throat. "But you… You are no warrior. I don't sense any fight in you at all."

The Little Mermaid merely looked at the sword to her throat. Her face is still unchanged, expressing no sign of distress.

"Yet even though you lack fighting spirit…" The Ice Queen gripped her Claymore tightly. "You reek of blood. Why is that?"

Ariel's eyes widened for a split second before her shoulders dropped. She stared directly into the Ice Queen's eyes and, while her face was still expressionless, it looked like she was glaring at her. 

The edges of her sewn lips curled into what seemed to be a smile, as if to say: 

"You want to find out?"

Before suddenly disappearing from sight.

The Ice Queen's eyes widened in surprise to see her adversary vanish into thin air. But was quick to regain her composure when she felt a slight breeze on her blindspot. Quickly turning around, she used her Claymore to block a slash attack from behind.

Realizing her sneak attack failed, Ariel quickly jumped back to avoid her enemy's range.

"And the first to strike is none other than Ariel herself!" Humpty exclaimed. 

"Pretty dirty move!" Dumpty added. "Almost as dirty as my tube socks!"

Humpty punched Dumpty in the back of the head.

The Ice Queen squinted her eyes back at the Mermaid and focused on the wenches hand.

While it was hard to notice before, Ariel was hiding several kitchen knives beneath her sleeves. Several blades were wrapped around her fingers, used to form makeshift claws for herself.

Creative, but ultimately worthless.

The Ice Queen charged forward, swinging her Claymore to bisect the bitch in half. But before it could make contact, the little mermaid flipped into the air. Using the momentum from her jump, she raised her hands high and prepared to do a downward slash. A trail of water seemed to follow behind the direction of her claws.

The elf anticipated this, however, and immediately raised one hand above her and quickly formed an ice shield. As Ariel's claws made contact, a huge splash of water burst from the point of impact.

The force of the explosion knocked the two fighters back a few meters. 

"Most impressive…" The Ice Queen smirked. "Can I assume that what you used was Mermaid Magic?"

"The heck is Mermaid Magic?" Dumpty asked. "Some kind of deodorant?"

"No, You Fool!" Humpty shook his head in disappointment. "It's Just Magic Used By Mermaids!"

"So it’s Deodorant for Mermaids?" Dumpty got hit in the back of the head.

"It's just the ability to conjure ocean water right out of your fingertips!" Humpty explained.

"Oooohhh…" Dumpty rubbed his head. "That's pretty cool."

"You're A Commentator!" Humpty yelled at Dumpty. "Be More Excited!"

The two fighters didn't pay any attention to the chit-chat to them as they charged at each other for another attack.

The first to attack this time was the Ice Queen, who thrust her claymore towards Ariel's chest.

The Little Mermaid was quick though and dodged to the side at the last second. Seizing the opportunity, Ariel slashed at her foe's arm.

The Ice Queen swiftly dodged out of the way, the knives making a small scratch on her clothes. She grits her teeth having barely avoided the attack. But Ariel was not so forgiving and continued her assault, forcing the Ice Queen back. 

"Seems like the Ice Queen is getting cornered!" Dumpty exclaimed. "Like prey, she flees from the predator only to have her back against the wall!"

"But like all cornered beasts, they are at their most dangerous!" Humpty responded.

And he was right. While it seemed like the elf was being backed into a corner, she was still smiling. 

Ariel, unaware of what was about to happen, swung her claws once more. Water trailed behind the blades propelling her attack at high speed. But before she could make contact with her foe, the world flipped. 

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Time seemed to slow down as the Little Mermaid noticed how everything was now sideways. The bleachers, the floor, and even her opponent were standing at a weird angle. The weird sight before her took less than a second to figure out.

It wasn't that the world turned sideways. 

It was her that was flipped sideways.

And that meant only one thing…

Time resumed as Ariel fell to the ground. Quickly lifting her head, she looked at the floor to confirm her suspicion when she saw it covered in a thin sheet of ice. 

"I put that there while you were busy trying to shred me to bits." The Ice Queen disclosed. "I was hoping you'd slip."

The Little Mermaid looked up at her opponent and saw that was aiming the claymore downwards to stab her. She immediately rolled out of the way as the sword pierced the ground she was on before.

She quickly got up before the elf could get another attack in while she was down. 

"Seems like neither of them is giving an inch for their opponent." Dumpty rubbed his chin. "No one has landed any actual damage since the fight started!"

"Give it time, Dumpty…" Humpty turned to look at his brother. "Both sides are applying q tons of pressure to the other. It's only a matter of time before the dam comes crumbling down…"

The fight continued. The Ice Queen continued to swing her claymore at Ariel, and each time the mermaid dodged. 

Seeing as how she can't get close, the Little Mermaid launched several more knives out of her sleeves. The blades flew like bullets, leaving a jet stream of water as they shot toward the elf with killing intent. The Ice Queen skillfully blocked them all with her sword and charged forward.  

Ariel decided to get a little tricky with her attacks and prepared her next barrage. Holding some more knives in a strange fashion, she chucked them at the elf. The knives spun like shurikens as they flew towards her.

The Ice Queen proceeded to go and block them again, only for the knives to curve midair, avoiding her sword entirely. She swiftly stepped back to avoid them in time. But one blade skimmed her face, cutting a lock of hair. 

The Ice Queen touched her cheeks and felt a wet sticky sensation. When she looked at her hand, she saw a dark red liquid covering her gloves.

It was blood.

Her blood.

"First Blood! I Repeat! The one to get the first blood is Ariel Hafgufa!" Humpty exclaimed.

"Damnit…There goes my 20." Dumpty mumbled.

The crowd raged with excitement from the first few minutes of that clash. 

Ariel stared at the Ice Queen mockingly. Tilting her head, her sewn lips creepily smiled again. If the elf had to guess what exactly she was thinking it would probably be:

"Still don't think I'm a warrior?"

The Ice Queen gripped her claymore tightly as she glared back at her.

Back at Mr. Anderson's throne, the big cat was spectating the battle with awe. Right next to him was some puppy with a human head.

This was Why-Dog, Mr. Anderson's pet.

"That mermaid is holding it together better than I thought…" Why-Dog mumbled. "

"Well of course she is!" Mr. Anderson laughed. "Ariel Hafgufa was an infamous cutthroat who dabbled in the ways of the assassin. She killed numerous suitors vying for her prince's love before she was done in herself."

"Ok, you just said a lot of things out of context…" The strange puppy looked at his master, quizzically. Off-guard at what he just said. "Cutthroat? Assassin? I was pretty sure none of that was detailed in the original story.

“People tend to butcher the source material all the time...” Mr. Anderson charmingly put his hand on his chin. “Remove a detail there. Add some romance here. It makes the story really appealing for young folk.”

“Are you saying you know the real story of “The Little Mermaid”?” Why-Dog tilted his head. 

“Maybe I do. Maybe I don’t.” The cat replied. “Just know that I wouldn’t pick these maidens unless they knew some real skills.”

“Skills that acquired over time that make them a nightmare in battle?” The puppy wagged his tail.

“Exactly!” Mr. Anderson nodded, leaning forward to get a closer look at the mermaid. “I know exactly where Ariel learned to fight like that. Do you wanna know, too?”

Why-Dog enthusiastically nodded his head.

“Very well. Then let me tell you the story of a beautiful mermaid, a handsome prince, and the love that was washed away by the tide…”

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