It had been too long, and the news of a deadly and important fight was spreading through the arena, but because of the fact that my fights were famous for always bringing money and entertainment, it didn't take too long for it to get around, especially if it involved the fights between the top fighters here.
Now, people and crowds are filling the arena for today's night fight and awaiting our appearance. Everyone seems to be on the edge of their seats in anticipation of the show that's coming. I got my sword equipped and ready for a battle.
As, my footstep echoed in the hall, walking to the arena field to fight tonight with a deadly enemy, the guard leading me opened the gates and announced, "Today, one of our glorious fighters will defeat the unbeaten king, the current champion, who ruled over our battles since eighteen-years!"
Every voice became silent.
In front of the audience, I could clearly see the enormous crowd, in my first battle with Warfare I was filled with nervousness and fear, however, when the first battle passed, all my fears faded away, and a feeling of confidence emerged within me.
Seizing a moment to glance around, I observed a sea of faces, countless individuals gathered for the impending battle. Amidst the crowd, I caught sight of the Blackthorn family, their presence undeniable. However, there were others, obscured by various objects, concealing their noble identities with care. It became evident that not only the Blackthorns but other influential families also had a vested interest in this event, their concealed faces veiling their true intentions.
As I faced my opponent, I focused all of my attention on preparing myself to deal with the assault. However, my heart was thumping loudly in my chest. This person could quite possibly defeat me in one strike, I needed to stay on top of the game, to react as quickly as possible.
Long-await, my opponent has stepped out of the gates, but unexpectedly before this, I felt an intense killing aura from my opponent. Now, looking at him it was a terrifying creature that made my skin crawl with uncertainty, he was average height man, however, his facial features were hard to figure out, though his mask covered most of his face, he wore black armour and a dark red scarf around his neck. He wielded a dagger in his hand.
"And here we have is our undefeated king who is now entering the battleground." The announcer's voice carries in the large arena.
Cries of wild cheers followed, followed by an enthusiastic roar from the spectators as soon as he made an appearance in front of me.
"We all see a terrifying hunter," the announcer continues, "that is approaching our glorious victor, who has been undefeated for eight years of winning brutal arena battles."
Looking at him, a bitter taste develops in my mouth.
"Our undefeated king's abilities to manipulate illusion, he is swift for an assassin, a deadly killer who likes to drag his victims agonizing to death. Finally, our victim tonight be our beloved angel-gifted boy."
Now, I understood why everyone was eager to see this fight in particular.
There is no way I'll lose against him tonight. I have the necessary abilities to win against him.
"We're ready?" the announcer's voice rang out once again. "Start!"
Shapeless voices flooded the scene cheering for the both of us, but the sound of blood pumping echoed loudly in my ears.
He came at me like a flash of lightning. My opponent was using his speed to avoid fighting in close quarters, but that did not concern me because I'm a wind and lightning mage, a magic that I can use to slow down my enemies.
I raised my sword and blocked his dagger with the blade of my weapon, kicking him in the chest while pushing him back to create some distance between us.
His dagger slashes towards me with blinding speed, but I dodge the attack easily, swinging my sword to deflect the dagger harmlessly away, the impact causing him to stumble backwards.
In that moment of weakness, I darted forward, cutting my sword down in a powerful strike that would have severed his head from his body if he hadn't leapt out of the way.
My opponent had anticipated my attack, using the momentum of his jump to propel himself onto his feet with his dagger outstretched towards my chest, but I wasn't about to allow that to happen.
I caught his arm in a vice grip before he could complete his attack and threw him across the field with enough force that he slammed into the wall hard.
The audience was silent, and then, their cheering began anew as soon as the man emerged unharmed from the rubble, a feral smile upon his face as he turned to face me once more.
"Is this it?" I asked with a grin.
He responded by attacking me with even greater ferocity than before. His movements were graceful, yet they carried the unmistakable savagery of a predator.
Having the upper hand in this fight, I am in no mood to drag this out for too long, but I don't want to get careless. I have to make every move count, lest I want to fall prey to his speedy attacks.
"It seems we are evenly matched," my opponent said as he turned away from me, "how interesting."
I frowned at this, wondering if I had been wrong to underestimate him.
It's hard to say which one of us has the advantage in this fight.
I had no intention of becoming his plaything. In a swift motion, I charged at him, my sword cleaving through the air with deadly grace. He barely managed to evade it in the nick of time, clearly caught off guard by my sudden attack.
My sword connected with the stone wall and sparks flew everywhere, a cloud of smoke billowing up around us. I kept attacking until the smoke dissipated, but my opponent was nowhere to be seen.
"Where are you, coward?" I demanded, eyes darting left and right as I tried to locate him.
Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my neck, and before I could react, everything went black.
My vision came into focus slowly, and my head felt heavy. I found myself lying on the cold ground, unable to move or speak.
My senses jolted back to life, and to my astonishment, my opponent stood still, frozen in place. Cold beads of sweat formed on my brow as I recalled the chilling sensation of lying there, my body growing colder by the second. Yet, before me, my adversary remained unmoved, his actions inexplicably halted.
Confusion gnawed at me like a relentless hunger as I grappled with the enigma before my eyes. The unfolding mystery left me in a state of breathless wonder. It was as though reality itself had been woven into a tapestry of intrigue, and I found myself trapped within its intricate threads.
I couldn't help but wonder at the strangeness of it all, my thoughts racing to decipher the puzzle. It was becoming increasingly clear that this deceptive magic had concealed the true nature of our encounter, shrouding it in a veil of illusion that had left the spectators oblivious to the events that had transpired.
I fix my gaze upon my adversary, a steely determination burning in my eyes. Yet, he wears a sly grin, taunting me with his words, "Well did you enjoy my little show?" he jeers.
There's no question in my mind, that my opponent knew I wouldn't lose the battle, so he purposely held back so no one would suspect him, his illusions made me believe that he had won the match.
My countenance grew solemn with this contemplation.
The flames of my wrath flickered to life within, a fiery tempest brewing within my chest as I fixed my gaze upon the imposter who dared to stand before me. He was nought but a charlatan, a counterfeit, a mockery of true authority.
The burgeoning fear that now engulfed me had surged to a crescendo.
I tightly my fist, causing his body to break down, the effect had shattered like glass to reveal his true appearance.
"You cheated me," I accuse, "but don't worry, because I'm about to put an end to this game."
A stark realization settled in my mind; I had no choice but to employ my abilities, even if it meant revealing them to the Blackthorn family. My primary aim was to confront the family's headmaster and exact my revenge, and this battle would serve as a stepping stone toward that ultimate goal. My chance for retribution would arrive, and I was determined to seize it.
How can I outcome of this match without revealing too many action plans to destroy the Blackthorn family?
So, it was time for a drastic measure.
"Here I go," I muttered quietly to myself, "I have nothing to lose. After all, he doesn't know that I'm a mage too. Just watch closely..."
Sensing the imminent threat, my opponent reacted instantly to launch his dagger at me, but I used the opportunity of my position to react fast, rolling across the ground to avoid the blade. Without getting sliced off his blade, my opponent lunged at me swiftly, wielding his dagger, and he charged me again.
In the blink of an eye, I tightly my grip on my sword and used all the force within me to slice through his flesh. But, his attack was faster.
Blood splattered across my face as his dagger sank deep into my shoulder. It burned hotter than lava as he drew it across, but instead of piercing my chest, the man stopped midway, "Well well, aren't you interested? It's funny to think that the kid who's now known throughout the entire town as the best fighter, the same one who's beaten nearly all his opponents, would still be scared to reveal his abilities. But, I have my tricks under my sleeve, kid."
He spoke again and continued, "I've learned this neat little trick. By twisting a knife in your shoulder, I can access your entire body's magic."
His words hit me like a ton of bricks, and my veins ran cold, "H-h-how do you...?"
"Hmm...what do we have here? What kind of secrets are you hiding? Is it...the fact that you can manipulate lightning, air, fire, and ice?" My opponent snickered, "Amazing! I would've never guessed." He mockingly spoke to himself, his voice dripping with venom, "To be honest, kid, I'm impressed with the amount of talent you've possessed in only Twelve years of your age."
"But, what if you could possibly experience death? The way it feels, what is beyond that door?" He uttered, "Are you ready, my boy? Because death awaits for both of us if this doesn't end tonight. This is no simple, foolish competition—if either one of us falls in this battle, that person will surely die." He menacingly warns me.
Looking at the monster in front of me, my mind froze and my body became immobilized in fear.
How much time had passed by as we glared into each other's eyes, neither one of us making a move or taking action?
He raised his arm, extending it with a menacing intent, and pointed his dagger directly at me, a silent declaration that our time had come. Then, with a swift, calculated motion, he twisted his blade sideways and locked his gaze onto mine.
"Well," he taunted with a sinister grin, "your fear and anxiety will be your undoing."
Confusion washed over me like a tidal wave, leaving me disoriented and vulnerable. Then, in an instant, a searing pain coursed through my neck, as if it were being torn asunder. My vision blurred, and the last sight etched into my memory was the ghastly glow in his eyes, an image that would haunt my nightmares for countless nights to come.
For a brief moment, weightlessness overcame me, as if gravity itself had released its hold, granting my soul the sensation of flight amidst an eternal fall. As I descended into the abyss, a fleeting sense of blissful happiness enveloped me. But then, with a sudden and brutal finality, I crashed into the unforgiving ground, and all was swallowed by an endless void of darkness.
My entire existence felt as if it were tearing apart, and my life essence spilt onto the ground. But was this meant to be my end? Had my opponent managed to kill me in that moment? A searing pain surged through my mind as I realized I hadn't had enough time to fully understand what was happening.
I found myself unable to recall the precise moment when he had ruthlessly sliced me open.