*Clang*
*Bang*
*Crash*!
[Haha! I haven't this much years in centuries]!
If it wasn't for my connection with Voxea on a spiritual and slightly mental level, I wouldn't be able to keep up with any of what was going on right now.
It wasn't that Voxea and Piercer were moving at such high speeds that I couldn't keep watch with my eyes, it was just so fluid and dynamic that it was almost dizzying watching them move. I had to focus almost exclusively on my bond with her just to feel even a millisecond of what was going on.
All the moves she was exchanging with Piercer were the exact same ones she was teaching me during my off hours. Granted, she did it with much more mastery than what I could currently do.
I've heard stories among travelers that while binder duels were flashy and loud, the duel among those who were weapon trained could be...otherworldly. They would mention things like "the thrill of the threat of death" or the "innate desire to match wits". I didn't get it at the time, but it was at this moment that I finally understood what they meant.
Every thrust, every counter, every strike seemed to be done with such precision and force that it was like I was reading a book of profound wisdom. I felt that if I could just copy just one move during this duel, I'd be able to beat anyone and anything.
Voxea and Piercer clashed spears again, but then suddenly disengaged and leaped away from one another, creating a sizeable distance between the two.
But the thing was, it felt like the killing intent between the two was reaching some kind of peak.
[I do believe it's time for us to finish this dance of ours, oh mighty Piercer. Shall we stop this little warm-up and finally go for each other's throats]?
{Very well}.
I could feel the aether around me starting to grow discordant as the two of them entered very different looking fighting stances.
Simultaneously, two incredibly elaborate spell circles began to manifest behind them. The power radiating from them began to cause the space around to distort, Lighting and Ice aether clashing into each other.
I didn't know what was gonna happen next, but I knew it was going to be big.
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[Now, my lady!], Triton relayed while landing a solid kick against the bull-headed Terrorcotta Soldier's chest, sending it stumbling backwards.
"By my will, I bind you to my service"!
Savina focused her aether into the empty drajule in her hand, causing a giant armored hand to manifest in front of her.
The armored hand shot forward and grabbed the Terrorcotta Soldier like it was a doll. The Terrorcotta Soldier kicked and struggled against the grip, but it didn't stop the armored hand from flying back towards Savina and merging with the empty drajule.
Savina shuddered as she felt a bond forge with the strange clay majimonster.
Staring at the drajule in her hand, she noted that it was now a brown and orange color and now radiated the power of Earth and Fury.
"I shall call you...Atlas", she said as she pocketed the drajule.
The Fog of War began to disappate around her after she had bond the new majimonster to her will.
She was all set to go help the others or get the heck out of dodge, only to stop dead in her tracks.
"Whoa...".
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[Ulvor! Lava Ball, but kill the heat]!
The Eruptodon let out a bloodcurdling squeal before spitting up a ball of molten rock that went flying towards the leaping rabbit-man Terrorcotta Soldier.
*Splat*
*Thunk*!
[Direct hit]!
The ball of molten rock managed to hit the rabbit-man in the leg, knocking it back to the ground and coating it entirely. Additionally, the ball of magma was cooling much faster than normal, locking it into place.
The rabbit-man raged and whacked at the cooling magma that was encasing it's lower body, unaware that the Eruptodon was about to bulldoze it into the aether.
[Magma Rush, Empowered]!
Bori focused on his bond with Ulvor and supercharged the technique.
Invigorated by his binder's aether, Ulvor rushed forward, it's whole body burning hot and bright like a volcanic eruption. Every step he was taking in this moment, melting and distorting the floor.
The rabbit-man finally noticed that Ulvor was charging towards him, but it was too late by then.
*CRACK*!
The rabbit-man shattered upon impacting with Ulvor's charging form, bits and pieces of clay flying through the air.
As Bori's Fog of War began to fade as the small bits of clay began to disintegrate into small motes of light.
"Mess with the boar, you get the tusks!", Bori shouted in victory.
He was just about to jump in joy, when he felt the aether suddenly go haywire.
"What in the-oh. By Terraboar's tusks...".
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[Alto, Blaze Burst]!
[Valdos, Rage Fang and toss that thing]!
A Fire affinity spell circle formed in front of the Amphiboil moments before releasing a pillar of flame that sent the snake-man Terrorcotta Soldier flying.
On the other side, the Ferroena chomped down on one of the turle-man's arm and began to swing it around like a ragdoll before sending it colliding with the flying snake-man.
*CRACK*
*BOOM*!
The collision between the snake-man and turtle-man was powerful that the two majimonsters were turned into aether upon impact.
"We did it"!
"Hell yeah, sis"!
The two siblings congratulated each other about winning their first official battle as binders. A crowning achievement in every young binder's life.
"Now come on sis, we gotta...whoa".
"I knew she was strong but...".
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*BOOM*!
The hawk-man Terrorcotta Soldier let out a grinding cry as it was slammed into the ceiling by a cannon ball of air.
[While it's stuck in the ceiling, Indigo use Drillnado]!
The Djinncense began to concentrate Wind aether in the palm of her hands until a small visible tornado began to form between them.
*VOOOOO*
Once the Wind aether in the mini-tornado was dense enough, Indigo let out a howling war cry as she slammed the tornado straight into the Terrorcotta Soldier's torso, ripping it into aether.
"Aether to aether, Dust to dust", Albina mused after Indigo literally crushed her opponent into aether.
A sudden change in the surrounding air suddenly grabbed at her attention, breaking her away from her musings.
"Well I'll be brewer girl...gonna put on another show"?
_________________________________________________
[Silvia].
[Yeah]?
[Be sure to carve this next move into your heart. You'll probably need it some day].
[I... don't think I'll be able to replicate that...].
[No... you'll be better. Now then...Woden's Charge]!
{Leigong's Judgement}!
As the two declared their techniques and rushed forward, the spell circles behind them activated!