The wind carriage came to a halt in front of a structure that defied every known law of architecture.

  —Incredible... —Newtonio muttered, adjusting his glasses—. A castle with structural density based on water vapor... It's a solid cloud.

  As they stepped down, they were greeted by Eleson, the royal butler. The moment he saw the wounded soldiers, he let out a scream that nearly shattered the sound barrier.

  —Noooo! Lady Ehecatzin! What are we going to do? The tournament is soon, and almost all your men are out of combat!

  Ehecatzin smiled triumphantly and pointed at Newtonio.

  —Relax, Eleson. I found the strangest and strongest "mage." He defeated a demon all by himself.

  —Oh, really? —Eleson looked at Newtonio.

  Newtonio, however, wasn't paying attention. He was crouched down, scraping the castle wall with a screwdriver.

  —Amazing! —he shouted—. How are they achieving molecular cohesion in this material? This is going to revolutionize civil engineering!

  Ehecatzin had to drag him away by the arm while he kicked in protest.

  —Noooo! Let me go! This is for the sake of science!

  They arrived at the grand banquet hall, where two imposing figures awaited them.

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  The first, clad in elegant silver armor, stepped forward and gently kissed Ehecatzin's hand. His name was Erlon.

  —My lady, I hope this journey has brought us the warrior we require.

  The second was a towering giant in red armor, thick beard, and unmistakable warrior presence. He let out a booming laugh. It was Leónida.

  —I want to see who my battle partner will be! —he roared, slamming a fist on the table.

  —Ta-da! —Ehecatzin announced proudly, presenting her guest.

  Newtonio stepped forward, dusted off his lab coat, and spoke calmly.

  —Pleasure to meet you. I am a scientist. My name is Newtonio.

  Leónida burst into laughter.

  —This skinny brat? I'm Leónida, boy, and your aura is pathetically low. You've got no warrior's spirit.

  Erlon, more diplomatic but equally skeptical, leaned toward Ehecatzin.

  —My lady... are you certain? This man doesn't look capable of holding even a dagger.

  —You should have seen him! —she insisted—. He used an alchemical gas that made the demon cry.

  Newtonio crossed his arms.

  —Tournament? War? Listen carefully: I will not participate in anything involving violence. Science was created to advance civilization, not destroy it.

  Leónida stood up. His shadow completely covered Newtonio as he leaned in until their noses were almost touching.

  —Are you a fraud who's afraid to fight? —he growled.

  Ehecatzin quickly intervened.

  —Newtonio, it's not a war. It's a friendly coliseum. Killing and lethal powers are forbidden. It's only... a demonstration of skills.

  Newtonio sighed. If he wanted to continue studying the cloud castle, he had limited options.

  —Very well. I will participate. Under strict industrial safety regulations.

  Leónida gave him a "friendly" shove that nearly knocked him over.

  —That's more like it! No need to get all tense, skinny one —he said, bending down to meet Newtonio's eyes with a teasing grin.

  Newtonio didn't blink.

  —There is no tension. My cortisol levels have simply risen slightly.

  Leónida blinked.

  —Corti-what? Is that some kind of blood magic?

  Newtonio was already pulling out his notebook.

  Note: The cognitive processing capacity of the natives appears inversely proportional to their muscle mass.