The two opponents stared at each other across the tilt yard. A strange silence came over the field as if the very world held its breath for a moment. The only thing that could be felt in this strange bubble of silence was an intense eagerness with an undercurrent of the constant anger that was the nature of all those that participated in this event.

  Red Thrust from his side of the tilt yard took a moment, flexing his spear, separating it, and combining the legs that made up the spear. He was making sure he was ready for this moment, that his body was as close to peak condition as he could get it. His constant shift from one large spear to several smaller ones and then back again caused a sharpness to be added to the anticipation in the air.

  Razor Leg was not as active himself; he watched Red Thrust trying to find the perfect angle to redirect and control the flow of the match that was soon to begin. He found it a difficult idea, as the spears he saw were either large or many, which seemed to him something that was hard to use his usual tactics on. So countering his opponent this time around would be a challenge. Though he knew he had no choice, and he would simply have to find a way to do it despite the odds.

  Though both squires of rage found themselves clearing their minds of anything but the constant rage they felt as that unheard signal was sent for the last time of this tournament. So the two charged from opposite sides, both going at full speed across the tilt yard. Once again both meet in the center, as had been the habit of all those who had participated in the tournament.

  The two met in a class of red limps, trying to pierce with a single spear, while Razor Legs redirected it away from himself using his spikes as he had before. The clash did not make a lot of noise, unlike previous matches. As Razor Leg prevented a true clash of weapons by redirecting the thrusting spear leg away from themselves. Due to this, both squires found themselves on the other side of the tilt yard from where they had started, no worse than when they had started.

  So both turned and charged again, both of them eager to gain victory and gain the glory of knighthood. Though the next clash was as wounding as the first, and so were the next several clashes in the middle of the tilt yard. Neither side is delivering a winning blow, but neither side is doing all that much damage to each other either. This stalemate went on for a time.

  The quiet sounds of their crossing in the tilt yard were a stark difference to the massive clashes and sounds of the previous matches. Though eventually another change occurred as Red Thrust decided he had had enough of this stalemate and so changed tactics. So in their next clash in the middle of the tilt yard, Razor Leg found himself facing multiple smaller spears instead of one larger one as he had earlier in the match.

  This not only put Razor Leg on the back foot but was also a realization of Razor Leg's earlier fears. As he had a much harder time deflecting several smaller spears as opposed to the earlier large one. As such, he began to take hits as he redirected a few spears, letting the rest hit him solidly on his body. These rapid and sudden impacts threw him off his balance, causing him to stumble, but he managed to right himself before he buried himself into the dirt of the tilt yard.

  Razor Leg found himself on the other side of the tilt yard, fearing his chances at victory. While Red Thrust found himself all but tasting his victory to come. These emotions the two had merely fueled the ever-present rage, and so the next clash was filled with far more emotion and power than all the previous matches.

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  The two meeting in the tilt yard once more, with Red Thrust pushing his smaller spears forward with even more power. While Razorleg desperately tried to redirect them with the thorns on his leg. The power and speed behind the smaller spears caused a ringing sound to be heard as they met the blocking thorns. For the first time in the match, the loud clash of weapons was heard through the tilt yard and stands, showing just how drastically the match had changed.

  So on it went with the match, another dozen clashes happening as Red Thrust tries to deal the final blow with one of his smaller spears. While Razorleg tried desperately to redirect and found himself just a bit worse for the wear for his efforts as more than a few Red Thrust spears found their mark.

  Razor Leg found himself getting desperate trying to find a way to turn the battle around. Though unknown to Razor Leg Red Thrust, he was about to spring his trap. So it was in the next clash of weapons that Razor Leg found himself outplayed. As several of Red Thrust's smaller spears broke his thorns, causing him to drive himself into the dirt from the force of their breaking. For a moment silence reigned supreme, and then Razor Leg shot up, digging himself out of the small dirt he had made.

  His form filled with fury, ready to charge, but then Lord Red Razor Armory spoke. "The match is at an end, and Red Thrust is the winner. Your rage does you credit, but now is not the time. So go to the stands and observe the knighting with the others." Lord Red Razor Armory says with a mix of calm and ever-present anger. So Razor Leg obeyed reluctantly, his anger driving him to continue, but he ignored it and made his way up the stands quickly.

  So it was that Red Thrust found himself alone in the tilt yard while looking up to Lord Red Razor Armory, who was looking down at him. For a long moment there was complete silence, then Red Razor Armory spoke. "You have won the tournament, Red Thrust, so let's see if you can handle knighthood." Red Razor Armory said in an angry warning tone.

  That was all the warning Red Thrust got before a crushing rage settled over him, grinding him into the dirt. It filled him, and it burned through him, changing what he was into something greater. As Red Thrust felt the physical rage, he knew it was Red Razor Armory's burning rage. He had only one response, the same as all the others watching from the nearby stands.

  "Beautiful." Red Thrust said at the physical range of Red Razor Armory. Then the transformation took all thought from him as it shifted him. The process extended his leg spears even further and added new legs to his body, and then he stretched himself to double his original length.

  Maxwell had been watching the tournament and finding himself enjoying it. Wondered what exactly happened to Red Thrust besides the obvious physical changes. A purple scroll appeared to show him what had changed exactly and what it would mean for him and his kingdom.

  Maxwell looked over the details of the changes that knighting brought. Which honestly seemed to him that they were being made as close to smaller versions of Lord Red Razor Armory's as they could benefit from. Though as with a few others within his kingdom, he wasn't too sure how to feel about them being able to invade, especially as their kind were perpetually angry.

  Well, Maxwell thought of the implications of knighting, and the other squires watched the newly knighted Red Thrust with a kind of angry hunger about them. It was clear to all of them that Red Thrust was the first knight, but they also knew he wouldn't be the last; they would make sure of it. So it was with ambition in the surrounding squires that the future of knights was decided.