The spectators looked on as the elders deliberated on what just happened. Typically, the recipient of the terrors test didn't fight back and was normally so exhausted they wouldn't be able to stand. In Von's case, not only did it not seem to affect him, but he also managed to turn the tables on his challengers causing many to soil themselves or go mad from the experience. Then, he still had the wherewithal to be able to repair the damage they sustained and use elemental magics to clean their clothes and was worried about their mental health. Some in the crowd started to wonder if he was really seven or if he actually was a powerful chronomancer who turned back his age just to determine the caliber of the students. Only the council members might know, but if he was, they weren't letting the cat out of the bag.
As the mental magicians examined those who participated and found them fit enough to move around, his defeated challengers were teleported to the healer's tower for a significantly more in-depth evaluation of their minds and psyches. Von seemed very appreciative of this and proceeded to aid in transporting those to the tower.
Once the last of his challengers was teleported to the healer's tower, the elder with the scroll stood before the council. "Based on the reactions of all present, in the mental terror challenge, Von is again victorious." She then took five steps toward Von and shifted her head slightly to the side before saying, "Congratulations again. You are quite impressive." The corners of her eyes lifted slightly in what one might consider a smile.
"Thank you, elder." Von replied as he bowed slightly. 'Congratulations, and a compliment?' Maybe she really wasn't as still as she seemed initially. Looking at her actions, the way she walked, the brusque way she spoke to everyone, and her ever squinting eyes, she seemed very draconian. Now, however, she might actually have a personality behind those eyes, or 'maybe I'm simply breaking down the barrier,' he thought.
Instead of a single opponent, two individuals with bright orange hair dressed in identical yellow clothing stepped forward simultaneously. The two teenagers looked nearly identical except one was male and the other female. Together they turned in a single ball to the waiting Monica who looked puzzled.
Seeing her look of confusion, the two said as one. "We are gemini. Our species are born as twins and do everything as one with our counterpart. Our thoughts work as one, we feel what the other feels, and taste what the other eats."
Monica shook a little as the two speaking everything at once was more than a little eerie, then looked to Archmage Alden who smiled at her as he nodded. "If only one were to challenge him, the other would attack too no matter where they stood as they are of one mind." Turning to Von he inquired, "Do you feel confident in facing Arron and Arin?"
Von, who also felt something amiss as they spoke to Monica hesitated for the first time so far. Looking at the two of them, he raised his eyebrows before finally responding. "They challenged me as one, and Thain accepted on my behalf. If he has faith I can do it, I shall try."
Bowing his head slightly, the tortoise turned to the spectators announcing the start of the decision-making process. "Arron and Arin is your next challenger, Von. As before, you have two minutes to decide your challenge."
In unison, the two stated, "Time magic, we are seventh rank adepts in chronomancy. We can also transform into a variety of creatures and living with our twin allows us to have strong mental abilities. We have seen your abilities with the others and would like you to challenge us to a battle of chronomancy with no other magics involved."
'Spooky, definitely spooky.' He thought before declaring, "I will choose to battle the two of you in temporal combat." Having witnessed several classes explaining time magic's use in combat, he felt more than prepared to take them on. Their ability to think as one was the only thing he was uncertain about. He wondered if it were true, and what effect it would have upon the challenge.
The three of them were walked to the very center of the nexus and everything to the edge of the amphitheater was removed leaving a vast, open arena, devoid of physical structures but filled with shimmering energy fluctuating with the ebb and flow of time. At the center stood the trio of combatants – two challengers, one male, one female, facing off against a single defender. Each chronomancer emanated an aura of power as their shields formed around them. Their temporal presence was tangible as they prepare to engage in a battle transcending the bounds of ordinary perception.
The two challengers, Arron and Arin, were seasoned practitioners of chronomancy, each wielding a unique style and approach to time manipulation despite their oneness. Arron, with his confident demeanor and analytical mind, specialized in precise temporal adjustments, while Arin possessed an intuitive understanding of temporal flows.
Facing them as the defender was Von. Renowned for his unparalleled mastery over the various magics, he was so far, untested as far as the spectators knew in the realm of time magic. With his calm demeanor Von stood ready to defend against the combined onslaught of his adversaries, drawing upon centuries of classes viewed during his experience touching the great hourglass.
As the battle commences, the arena crackles with energy as the three chronomancers sped themselves with respect to their surroundings before engaging in their vicious tangle of temporal manipulation. Arron and Arin coordinated their attacks, seeking to overwhelm Von with a barrage of temporal distortions.
Arron's first weave of temporal magic aims to throw Von through time, disrupting his temporal anchors and destabilizing his position in the present. However, Von's defenses were formidable. With a precise counterattack, he enlarged the temporal shield around himself, deflecting Arron's assault and maintaining his temporal stability while causing the attack to nearly strike Arin.
Meanwhile, Arin employed her intuitive understanding of temporal flows to anticipate Von's maneuvers allowing her to dodge the deflected attack. She then weaved intricate temporal patterns, attempting to age Von rapidly and weaken his temporal defenses. Yet Von remained steadfast, his mastery over chronomancy allowing him to reverse the effects of Arin's attack and restore himself to his youthful state.
As the battle intensified, Von unleashed a devastating counterattack of his own. Drawing upon his mastery over the fabric of time, he sends rippling waves of temporal energy cascading towards his adversaries, disrupting their temporal weaves and throwing them off balance by attempting to age one and revert the other to their childhood.
As the battle unfolds within the temporal nexus, Arron and Arin unleashed barrages of temporal assaults, each more intricate and devastating than the last. In a decisive blow, Arin compressed the flow of time around Von, causing moments to stretch and contract in erratic patterns. This compression distorted Von's perception of time, making it difficult for him to anticipate their next moved and leaving him susceptible to sudden temporal shifts as Arron channeled Von's own temporal energy against him, attempting to create feedback loops to amplify the effects of his own magic. Together their attacks were successful allowing the feedback loop to threaten to overwhelm Von's temporal defenses, forcing him to expend additional energy to maintain his stability within the temporal nexus.
Von created a temporal rift shattering some of the surround stone but breaking the weaves disorienting him. Sending the rift between the two of them, they instinctively formed one large shield to force the rent in time to shatter. The force of the impact cause both of them to stagger back as they produced additional weaves.
With each passing moment, the arena became a whirlwind of temporal energy, with past, present, and future converging in a chaotic maelstrom of possibility. Arron and Arin pushed themselves to their limits, but Von's defenses prove to be insurmountable as he drew not just on the enhancing capabilities of his own emperor-level focus, but the strength of the great hourglass crafted from the heart of the demon lord level ancient time dragon within the tower.
Despite the relentless onslaught of temporal assaults, Von remains resolute, using his mastery over chronomancy to defend against his adversaries' attacks with unwavering determination. With each wave of temporal magic, he adapts his defenses and counters with calculated precision, determined to emerge victorious from the chaotic maelstrom of the temporal nexus.
The difficulty was beginning to show in his face as sweat poured from his head. Every time he sped up, they did as well. The two of them could attack and defend simultaneously requiring him to shatter two defenses and fend off two attacks. This was the worst challenge so far. Von would never have imagined how synchronized two beings could be prior to this, yet here was a perfect example. Had it been only one of them, he was certain he would have already won, together, it was worse than fighting ten or more wizards as their thoughts were always perfectly aligned. Worse, they didn't give him time to ponder a suitable strategy to deal with both of them at the same time. His heart began to race in his chest as he struggled with remaining undamaged. What could he do?