Outside in the training grounds they passed through earlier, every knight-in-training gathered around to watch the match. Anyone would want to watch a man as powerful a Vogef fight. And the knights were happy it wasn't them for once.
In a small sand circle, Fishy and Vogef stood opposite each other swords in hand. Fishy's arms shook uncontrollably as if he was barely able to lift the sword. Even as he tightly gripped it in both hands, he looked as if he was nervous. He faced his opponent as the match hadn't even started, the pressure from not only the king watching from above but also his friend Clara and the village they lived in. If he failed here, his life would once again come to an end.
"Begin!" The king announced with his eyes eagerly watching.
Fishy didn't hesitate when the match started and swallowed all his nerves using the same techniques he used before he would take his university exams, expelling every last ounce of air from his body. He ran forward digging his sword through the sand before launching the sand into Vogef's eyes and slashing promptly. The knights around the edge all were worried for Vogef. Even the king sat forward in his seat out of concern. However, he need not worry, for Vogef hadn't even blinked an eye, and stopped Fishy's sword with his own.
Fishy tried attacking again. He went for several slashes but found himself quickly getting exhausted. Although he was used to forcing himself to stay up for several days, he began to feel more physical pain.
"Do you like my magic?" Vogef asked being kind enough to explain it to Fishy.
"What is it?" Fishy said catching his breath in the moment.
"Any attack I block is redirected back onto the attacker. Although it's not the full damage it slowly chips away at the attacker."
"Right…" Fishy said understanding thanks to his knowledge of video games. "So you have a special enchantment… alright…"
Having given up staying defensive, Vogef began his approach. He took one step forward and forced Fishy's throat to dry up and Clara to turn away. This didn't stop the other knights from cheering. Fishy was as far back as he could go whilst still being in the arena. He had no choice but to try and rely on his desperation from back then. Just like before, he held his hand out in front of him hoping to repeat what happened when he arrived but found himself rolling away out of Vogef's strike.
"Great reflexes," Vogef said. "Any slower and you'd have lost your hands."
Fishy didn't have time to listen to him and went back to his plan. His hands were out in front of him having created some more distance. Except, Vogef just stood there.
"Shall we end this?" Vogef announced as he held his sword in the air. The audience's chatter became more aggressive as he did.
His sword, pointing up towards the sun, absorbed the light around him, the light bent around causing anyone to think they were drunk. As his sword glowed brighter and brighter, Fishy could tell he wasn't going to be let off easily but knew he couldn't run. Having nowhere to go he faced it head-on. Hoping to block whatever was coming with his sword.
Vogef smirked at Fishy's courage and promptly thrust his sword down creating a beam that ruptured the sand around them, creating a sand storm. The beam dashed across quicker than light itself. An attack that explained his position. One that any foe wouldn't see coming or stand a chance again. Even as the dust cloud around them started to fade, no one knew if Fishy had survived.
The dust was blown away by another slash of Vogef who saw the outcome. He used a technique to make the king proud, but even as Fishy stood with blood dripping off his body, and his arms almost broken. He remained upright and attempted to continue the fight.
"HAHAHA!" Vogef let out a joyous laugh. "Never before have I seen someone redirect my attack like that!"
Fishy smirked as if he knew himself what was happening. He just used the same defensive magic he used before to try and block the attack.
"I CONCEDE TO YOU!" Vogef announced to the crowd and the king, to their disapproval.
The king tried to stand up and refute the results, but with so many guards watching and Vogef himself announcing it, there was nothing he could do.
"Do as you wish." He said before returning inside. "I'll leave that village you to, whatever your name was…"
"Stand up, friend." After the battle, Vogef approached Fishy who had collapsed on the floor and held his hand out for his opponent. "Who knew you had such strong magic potential."
"Trust me, even I didn't," Fishy said to make Vogef laugh, trying to close the distance between them.
"You are a talented swordsman, you have reflexes that I wish some of these people had and your opening move was an example of brilliance."
Fishy didn't know what to say, he was too embarrassed about hearing all the compliments that he forgot all about his bleeding leg.
"Why don't you join us?" Vogef said only for Clara to take Fishy's hand and rest it over her shoulder, supporting him.
"No thanks," She said, "He's already the chief of a village, he's our leader."
"Leader, huh?" Vogef said. "A man like you would make a fine leader! I hope to meet you again. May I ask you for your name? I believe it was something like Fishy? Correct?"
"Yes, that's right," Clara said as the secretary, doing all the talking for Fishy wasn't fully conscious. "Lord Fishy!"
"Well, Lord Fishy! I hope you continue to grow and will challenge me again with your true potential."
Despite his looks, the man named Vogef was a passionate soul. He cared greatly about Fishy and the two became sudden friends. In Fishy's mind, he was ticking off one of his invisible boxes to help him evolve his village, 'obtain powerful allies'.