"Why did even staying still make it happen?" I asked myself before I brought my tail around to my front. I was now separated from everyone else and I didn't see a point in calling out for help. I could not smell anyone but I could smell someone else.
"H-Hello!? Is a-anyone there?" this someone nervously called out as their equipment jingled and their staff tapped the stone. But, as I had an advantage for now, I started to crawl away. Both hoping they did not find me and that they were actually a friend.
"HUH!?" I yelped all of a sudden when the dark room we were in suddenly lit up. A resounding snap-like noise filled the air as well as our screams.
"ODDITY!" the girl I was trying to hide from screamed before I sensed the build-up of magic. But, no spell would come.
"Had she only seen my shadow...?" I asked myself in confusion before I looked up at the lights. There was no way it could have been that because the light was above.
"SUDDEN WIND BLAST!" she screamed before a pale, green bolt of magic exploded near me.
"HEY! WATCH IT!" I demanded out of reflex more than anything.
"S-Sorry..." she meekly apologized before realising our situation. And, the grip on her staff changed so that she could aim better. But, I had long since vanished into a nook to escape her. Which, might have been a bad idea as my bombs were scraping the walls.
"Gods please, gods please, gods please!" I began to repeat when I heard her approaching from behind
"Wind Slicer!" she declared before a blade of wind sliced the tip of my tail just as I got out.
"I'LL KILL YOU FOR THAT!" I screamed back at her through the gap before horror went over my face. Pride aside, if I hadn't gotten out of that gap in time...
"Oh, I made her angry..." the girl whined as she began to stutter and hyperventilate.
"You did far more than that!" I call back to her as I try to find a means to climb up the stone I was hiding behind.
"T-Truce? I'm Aisriget, so now we aren't strangers and we c-can be friends..." she cried out nervously from the other side as she clutched her staff.
"I reject your friendship!" I call down to her before I throw one of my bombs at her in an attempt to knock her out. But, there was an advantage I had here.
She needed to say her spell to cast it...
"Ew! It's all slimy..." she whined after I had missed the easy shot, "Sudden Gale Blast!"
But, my quick flinch allowed it to miss, "You get right here and answer for my tail!" I bark before I hop down. Surging what magic I could into my claws before charging at her. Yet, what we found out terrified me.
"Oh, hehe, this isn't too bad." she says with a smile right before my face. She was strong enough to casually push me to the ground. Yet, a quick stab at her wrist made her drop her staff before I fell.
"Get off!" I growled up to her as she saddled up on my gut. My hands restrained in hers while she clearly tried to think of something to do.
"Just surrender, okay?" she begged of me, her words clearly referring to the time out rule this event had.
"No." I snapped before I spat at her face. Hoping another disgusting thing would get her off of me.
"AH!" she screamed before she started to gag. And, with the pressure eased, I ran out from under her. Sliding around before watching her cautiously.
"So it does work." I comment with a cocky smirk as she looked at me in despair. She had just lost the ability to speak and lost her spell casting ability! Now I was the only one who could cast spells! So, I returned magic to my claws and charged.
Slicing and jabbing at her with what little martial arts I had learned before being shoved aside. An unfortunate reminder of the fact that I was very much weaker. And, with my spell being made for such close range. I had practically screwed myself over.
"WHAT DID YOU JUST DO!?" she screamed hysterically at me before she became amazed by the flaw in my magic. That was the first time I was actually able to use the spell... No one was willing to test it prior with me. For obvious reasons admittedly...
"Someone help..." I squeaked before I dove behind cover.
"Sudden Gale Blast!" she said once again before a hard-hitting gust of wind shattered the stone. A shower of pebbles rained down just after. Some scraped past me while others tapped the ground.
"Gods, what am I going to do!?" I both let out in panic and prayer before I ran away. I was trying my best to block out her words. But the ground around me suddenly glowing green reminded me of her advantage. And one lucky shot sent me flying into a hard, rock edge.
I hissed in pain before then collapsing down a level. Was this really it? One fight and I was already done for? Against someone from Traditional House!?
No... Wait... I did have the means to go against her in a ranged fight! I just had to find somewhere to hide so I could change my bombs!
So, I quickly got up and dove down into the maze-like area below and hid. Carefully letting my nose and ears guide me before returning up top. I then quickly unscrewed as many bombs as I could and shoved debris into the water-saliva mixture.
"H-How are you back up there!?" my opponent let out in confusion before she let loose a light barrage. And, I ended up losing my bombs because I panicked.
"Dammit..." I growl while leaning out to watch as she pulled herself up. And, instead of seizing the moment. I stayed still, scared of what might happen if I ran at her. Yet, eventually, I would muster enough courage to try and flank her.
I would go far and wide before I sprinted towards her quietly. Leaping at her at the final moment and bringing her down to the ground. Then, I quickly rushed for my bombs before she brushed my tail. And instinct opened me up to a whack from her staff.
"DON'T TOUCH THE TAIL!" I roared at her as I found myself with a primed staff right in my face.
"S-Surrender, please!" she begged before I felt magic build-up at the end of the weapon.
"Didn't you hear me?" I asked before I began to spit at her with wild abandon, "Don't touch the tail!" I repeated before I shoved her onto an activated bomb.
"GET OFF!" she screamed before she suddenly vanished when the bomb exploded. I then fell to my side and shuddered in the next few moments.
"I... I really need to find the others." I admitted before clutching my injured tail. And, while I was happy to have just won that fight. Somehow. I was terrified of meeting anyone else.
Not everyone would have Aisriget's nervousness, reaction to spit or spell casting ineptitude. So, I was best off just hiding behind the others as they tried to win this thing. Besides, if I was this badly hurt just fighting a Traditional House student, what good would I be elsewhere!? But, even amidst the panic and terror...
I still found myself smiling at what I had just done. I had beaten a witch on my own without anyone else! I had done it! I had met the impossible goal of most oxfuinei!
"But, I would still like to find the others..." I told myself with a nervous smile before I noticed how her staff was still here. Maybe I could use it to some effect later in the event? If not, it was a weapon to smackheads with! But, I ended up dropping it when something entered my head.
I was not expecting it, but, I had an inkling as to what it might have been. I felt similar when I was stabbed by the airship thing a short while back. A sudden surge of knowledge had entered me at that moment. Knowledge of how to use spells pre-built into the staff...?
"So she couldn't actually cast spells?" I asked myself as I went through the knowledge that had just appeared. But, no, none of the spells this staff had was what she cast. This staff was basically a glorified poking stick, in actuality.
Yet, I kept it anyhow. Having additional mass to circulate magic through was a good thing. And I intended to at least learn something before my next fight. So, I might have to copy Aisriget's speech tactic.
Just think of a spell and give it a name, right? No, there's no way it could of been that easy... Magic wasn't just something you could learn with some words! Right?
I admit I was not really a witch, so I was probably wrong here... But, still, I was having some doubts as to if I could think of something to cast. I had never really considered such a means before. I normally just thought of my claws and words...
"I guess I can practise a little." I eventually say with a shrug before quickly making sure no one else was here. Thankfully, I was alone for the moment. So I found some unscathed stone and stood before it. I then tried really hard to think of some kind of magic attack.