Chapter 18 Battle Tournament [5]

The concrete below the princess's throne started emitting steam and soon a cloud formed around it. The platform first cracked and then crumbled into pieces as the throne—along with the princess—drowned in debris.

The knights that were keeping guard tried to save the princess but since they were also standing on that same platform, they misbalanced and fell when the floor beneath their feet shattered.

The people who were sitting near the platform started screaming and ran away to save their lives. This situation threw the whole audience into panic, everyone started running trying to get outside, a stampede ensued and several people were trampled.

"Everyone, please calm down and don't panic. Trying to go outside at once won't help, many people will get injured," said the announcer, but his warning fell on deaf ears.

There was no one anyone could "not-panic" right now. The princess, one of the most important people in this kingdom was attacked and it was no joke. It was normal to assume that this was something like a terrorist attack and if it was the case then a normal person's instincts will tell them to run as far as possible.

Soon several new knights and guards entered the coliseum and ran straight toward the princess to rescue her. But at this moment, only a pile of debris and a steam cloud could be seen there.

There was no sign of the princess there, still, the guards reached there and started removing the debris and turning the stone. Ren Fuse—who watched the whole scene happen right before his eyes—also reached there and started helping the guards.

"Cough cough," they heard a voice and everyone's attention turned in the direction that voice came from.

Two figures slowly walked out from the dust cloud, one of them was the princess who was slightly injured. There was blood on her forehead and a few cut marks on her arms and upper body.

The other person with her was Anya; she supported the princess on her shoulder as they both slowly walked out of the debris. She had her left leg injured, and that was clear by the way she was walking. There was no blood anywhere but it was sure that it was an internal injury.

"Princess Rishia," one of the knights said as he quickly walked over to the princess and supported her.

"Hey are you alright?" said Ren.

"Yeah, I'm fine more or less…first heal the princess, she's injured," Anya gasped, handing over Rishia to the knights.

"We don't have any healer here, hurry up, we have to take her to a hospital," a knight proposed.

"It's okay, I'm not that hurt. Is anyone else hurt? The safety of the citizens comes first," Rishia advised.

"There was a state of panic but I think everyone has left the coliseum by now," informed Ren.

"I see, that's good then," Rishia took a breath of relief.

"Heyyyyyy! Anya are you alright?" a boy screamed.

When Anya looked in that direction she saw that Zero was coming toward her at a fast pace, he jumped over the debris and stopped just before Anya.

"Are you hurt?" he asked hurriedly.

"No, I'm fine."

"Oh I see, man you scared me so bad," said Zero, gasping. He was out of breath after he came here running.

"Who the hell are you now?" asked Ren.

"Me? I'm her little brother...by the way, did you see anything? I mean, how did this whole thing collapse," said Zero.

"No, nothing like that, it just happened out of the blue. What about you Anya?"

"I saw cracks appearing on the wall of the platform, that's why I thought it might break and ran to save the princess," said Anya.

"Princess Rishia!" a knight screamed.

Everyone present there quickly turned in his direction, "What happened?" Zero asked.

"Princess Rishia…she lost consciousness," the knight replied.

"What!"

"She must've been severely injured. Hurry up and take her to the hospital," said Zero.

A female knight came forward and held Rishia in her arms and then quickly ran toward the exit with the other knights. "I don't have much time but let me thank you in princess Rishia's place. It's thanks to you that she didn't take any fatal injury," said a middle-aged knight; he was the knight in charge of Rishia's safety.

"You don't need to thank me, anyone would've done the same thing," said Anya.

The middle-aged knight bowed and expressed his gratitude before he left to join the other knights.

"Man that sure was somethin', looks like this tournament is done for," said Ren.

Except for the local security guards, there was no one left in the coliseum, even the announcer has left. It was sure that the winner of this tournament won't be announced, at least not today.

"We should also go home, you say that you're fine but you *are* injured," Zero suggested.

Anya heard him and then nodded in response. "It looks like we also have to go," Anya said, her statement was directed toward Ren.

"Fine by me, though I do have that we'll have a re-match if possible," said Ren.

After that Anya and Zero also left the coliseum.

***

"ANYA MY DAUGHTER, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU!!!" Ron cried as soon as he saw Anya with the injuries she had.

"Ah, well...…I had a sort of accident," she replied while a weird smile covered her face.

"Come on father, don't overreact. It's not even that big," said Zero, interrupting Ron.

"What do you mean? Can't you see that your sister's injured? And you were with her right, then you should've taken care of her," said Ren, on the verge of tears.

"Sigh! Yeah, yeah, I know. Now will you give her some first aid or do you plan on crying a bit more," said Zero.