Arthur was not surprised by the sudden attack. In fact, he had been expecting it after goading the human for so long. Sullivan's emotions appeared on his face almost the same way Colton's did and in preparation, the prince had gripped his spear, engaging in battle the moment Sullivan's muscles tensed and a wave of magic radiated off the human's body.
In the next moment, the two of them were absorbed in a vicious duel initiated by no one, officiated by no one and with no rules or restrictions.
There were no rules in this fight. Since killing someone in this setting didn't necessarily mean they would die, the First Years weren't exactly putting a match to the death off the table and no one seemed to intervene.
Darius made a step, only to be held back by Leo, "Let them duke it out. If they don't, this feud will probably never end. They can't… really die anyway."
The silent rule that this match could be to the death passed through all the first years.
Then again, killing someone, no matter the circumstances, wasn't something to be taken lightly. In that regard, the rules were left to the two combatants to decide and everyone was reduced to a spectator.
Sullivan was quick on his feet and in all ways skilled with the sword in hand. His attacks packed a punch, forcing Arthur to employ a myriad of evasion tactics.
Sometimes, he simply took a couple of choreographed steps back at the same time the blade met his own, significantly reducing the force of the blows while other times, he was forced to parry and deflect. Only rarely did he meet Sullivan's attacks head-on.
Against all odds, Arthur was able to keep up.
The blonde swung, slashed and thrust his weapon at the white-haired boy, but nothing seemed to be going through. Arthur fought to keep his breathing steady and his heart rate calm.
This was the first time he was fighting a human. Something he thought he'd never have to with such high stakes no less.
Sullivan's killing intent was almost palpable forcing Arthur to go on high alert and execute the perfect defence.
'Damn this school… Do they really have to make this duel this dangerous? Not to mention the wounds hurt like hell…'
Arthur's chest began to burn as he strained his body to keep up with the quick and agile Sullivan. Not only was Sullivan skilled with the sword but he also had the active boost of his weapon's enchantment.
Sullivan was, by all means, the fastest human the prince had ever had to face in battle. Not like he'd faced many humans before. Even so, he was a very impressive fighter.
His fighting style was powerful and constantly pushed him backwards. His technique was refined and almost void of openings.
If it hadn't been for the troubling enchantment that made him a tad bit faster and evasive, Arthur could have broken through these openings and landed a decisive blow… or one close enough.
Where his style was weak, Sullivan compensated with a boost in speed. As a result, the blonde was a whirlwind of movement around that lancer, appearing in any number of random positions and attacking where the prince was most vulnerable.
His attacks almost landed.
…almost.
In fact, it was a surprise Arthur was still standing. Sullivan's footwork was flawless and it placed him in Arthur's blindspot several times.
The prince, however, was skilled in using the lance. Not to mention there was one more heavy flaw with Sullivan's fighting style that kept Arthur surviving by a phoenix feather.
Sullivan was easy to read.
Most fighters were easy to read but Sullivan was too…
Eager.
The blonde couldn't resist lunging at a wide opening and as a result, the prince always knew where the attack was coming from. At first, it was a hunch but soon enough, the prince was sure of it.
Sullivan was good and showed incredible skill and even more potential for a human. But he was still a human of seventeen years while Arthur was a phoenix nearing a century.
Even with the handicaps placed on Arthur by the rules of the Phoenix kingdom, dropping his power down to almost that of a human, the difference between the two of them was far too clear.
'So many openings… with more training and the right instruction, he could become a force to reckon with,' Arthur mused, losing himself to the thrill of dancing blades
The prince's eyes widened… an opening larger than anything he'd noticed before revealing itself. He skilfully deflected a thrust that was meant for his torso and stepped behind the blonde. Sullivan's eyes widened in shock before he blurred from existence.
Arthur sighed and spun on his heel and away from Sullivan's former position.
Another powerful clang of steel rang through the clearing as the blade of his sword met Arthur's spear in a fierce clash. The two of them continued like this for a while before Arthur began to notice a change.
'Ah, there it is…'
There was sweat dripping down the blonde's forehead, a look of frustration in his eyes. His jaws were set in a look of frustration. Arthur was more interested in his eyes though… The look in his eyes…
Frustration, anger… Defiance…
The two blades clashed once more, Arthur keeping up the graceful motions of his spear before stepping behind the blonde once more in an attack much similar to the one he'd pulled before.
Openings like this had appeared plenty of times before but the prince had let Sullivan be for this very moment.
Sullivan would normally activate his weapon's enchantment and blur out of sight in a burst of speed in order to counter the spear that was probably aimed at his back.
But this time, he only moved slightly. His thighs were burning from the strain and his breath had grown ragged.
Arthur placed his foot in the path of his sluggish foot and tripped the blonde before bringing the tip of his spear to his throat in a checkmate.
The silver blade sang dangerously as it dangled above the blonde's throat.
Sullivan looked up at him with a look of rage, "That enchantment in your sword draws on your stamina. How's that working out for you?"
"What are you?" Sullivan asked through gritted teeth.
"Human… just like you," Arthur replied, taking his spear away from Sullivan's throat, "Put our little feud aside and let's deal with the Behemoth?" Arthur asked.
A tense silence took over the clearing as the two males stared at each other intensely.
The blonde stared into the sapphire orbs of the white-haired boy. Questions swarmed his mind but most of all, he was faced with the decision to join forces with this 'person.'
Arthur had bested him yet again. Before the blonde could reply to Arthur's question, a voice interrupted them.
"That's enough, you two," a deep voice cut through the tense atmosphere. Arthur turned his attention to the new arrival and noticed a large boy approaching them.
The prince nearly gawked upon seeing the boy. He was the same one he'd noticed riding a demon bear earlier.
Seeing him up close now, he noticed a few more details. For one, this boy was far more built than any other seventeen-year-old Arthur had ever seen.
As a habit, Arthur made eye contact. His eyes carried with them a confidence like no other. It was the same confidence he saw in Sullivan's eyes…
…but much deeper.