My heart thumped, the balls of my feet dug into the floor, the warmth and tingling of mana filling every muscle fiber with vigor and strength.
Both Lyle and Rae shot outwards to my sides, Rowan and the staff wielding woman mirrored them. My vision tunneled onto the only person left, the tall swordswoman stood firm and composed, gripping the hilt of her sword till her knuckles were white.
Shifting my weight I blitzed forward, wind barreled past me pelting my face and whistling in my ears. My opponent did not budge, she merely awaited our clash. A small part of me almost felt insulted, did she feel that advancing towards me was a waste of time? Does she think I'm weak?
I may not be very strong, yet, but I've fought with my life on the line multiple times and came out of it triumphant. Can she say the same? I doubt it..
Tightening my grip on the hilt of my blade, I let the momentum of my body carry my sword to pierce her right shoulder. Her eyes followed each of my movements yet she did not move, the tip of my blade was only inches from hitting its mark until it was met with what felt like a concrete wall.
The impact sent a wave of pain through my hands and forearms, looking to where the tip of my blade was I saw a dull blue glow. The source of the glow was a small patchwork of a hexagonal pattern, preventing my blade from piercing the woman.
Distracted, I was unable to react in time to her kick right into my chest, the air in my lungs was ripped out, sliding back in a fit of coughing, I looked back up to the woman, what the hell was that?
She tilted her head slightly with a—pouty face?
"What, never seen barrier magic before?"
Her mocking tone was filled with privilege. Who the hell does she think she is?
'Barrier magic huh, even if she is bratty that's pretty cool honestly.'
Clearing my throat and catching my breath, I glanced over to my right. Rae was down on one knee shooting her rifle at Rowan, I wasn't able to see what she was shooting or hear it either but whatever it was slowed Rowan down enough to keep him at a distance from Rae.
Shifting my gaze to my left I saw a large cloud of darkness slowly approaching the staff wielder, the crystal on her staff was glowing and spinning furiously, water was coleasing around her forming into sharp stakes, these stakes were being shot at the cloud of darkness but they didn't seem to impede it at all.
'That dark cloud must be Lyle's magic, what is it?'
Shaking my head, I have to focus on what's in front of me, how am I going to get around this barrier magic. Having a better understanding of magic would be helpful right about now.
'Here goes nothing.'
standing and dashing forward all in one motion, I held the hilt of my blade loosely and began to let it flow into a series of practiced motions, each time my sword connected it was met with her barrier and each time I let its rejection carry my blade into the next motion.
She remained still, holding her straight sword in a neutral position unbothered by my attacks, she was clearly confident in her magic not faltering.
Slowly I started to pour mana out of my center, making me faster and my strikes more powerful. The colosseum was filled with the sounds of metal clashing against magic, my idea was simple. If my opponent had to drain her center to influence the ambient mana to form the spells, I just have to be faster than her ability to form the spells or outlast her mana reserves.
So I did just that.
My blade turned into a tidal wave steel and her an impenetrable dam of magic, sweat stung my eyes as it dripped down my brow, the bones in my hands and arms ached, my lungs felt like they were on fire each breath. The arrogant girl followed me with her eyes. She didn't move a muscle, she just traced my movements, studying me maybe?
After a few minutes with no progress being made I had to change my thought process, clearly outpacing her magic was not going to work. Her sharp eyes cut into mine, not a bead of sweat on her smooth pale skin.
'How could I forget?'
I'm still only at the first Threshold, everyone else is at least at the second, some may even be at the emerging phase of the third. She'd outlast my center with ease; no amount of speed could change that, its also suicide to start rationing my mana. Enhancing the body is a key component to combat, Zeris taught me that.
Retreating back some breathing quickly, sweat on the back of my neck being cooled by a light draft sending a slight chill through me.
"Are you going to just sit there or are you going to take this fight seriously?"
My opponent's lips curled revealing her pearly white teeth, she chuckled, relaxing her posture and twirling her straight sword in her hand, stabbing its tip into the floor leaning on its hilt.
"I am taking this fight seriously. It's just,"
She shakes her head. loose strands from her tight brown bun fall on her face.
"Why should I physically exert myself when your center will be drained soon and you'll be out of this fight completely, and I won't even have to lift a finger."
My jaw tightens, my knuckles grow white from gipping the hilt of my sword harder. She notices this.
"Poor thing. Did I strike a nerve?"
It did a little. I glanced over to my right. Rae was still managing to hold her distance against Rowan, although it didn't look like he was trying very hard to gain an advantage. My gaze continued to sweep the arena, Ms. Windra had led the other students up into the cavea where they all sat to watch our battle.
My eyes finally rested on Lyle's opponent, a small petite caster. An embarrassingly obvious realization hit me. We have been going about this wrong, splitting off and fighting our own respective opponent would work just fine if we could easily overpower them. But we can't.
However, since my opponent's ego seems to be larger than this colosseum. I'm presented with this small opening..
I meet her sharp eyes once more and smirk.
"It doesn't."
Her brown knitted together in confusion. Not waiting for a response I bolted past her.
"Hey!"
Her voice drowned in the sound of a wind blowing past me. My sprint wasn't an aimless one, it was calculated and had a little bit of luck. Lyle and the female caster were in the heat of battle just behind the arrogant swordswoman. Lyle had replaced the large dark cloud surrounding him with large beastial claws.
They were made up of the same dark smokey magic. The dark smoke wrapped around his black gauntlets doubling their size and making each fingertip as sharp as obsidian..
'He can both be a caster and a mele user? So Archetypes aren't as rigid as I thought?'
The caster had surrounded herself in a bubble of water, whilst Lyle fought like a crazed beast, he shot all over the water bubble slashing at it from all sides. Each of his slash would be followed by a trail of dark ominous smoke.
Even though her water spell was taking the trauma of Lyles magic, her leather armor was tattered and struggling to cling onto her body, cuts lined her arms and cheeks. Blood dripped down the side of her head, as she clinged to her staff using it for support.
He had done a number on her. But he wasn't spotless either. Water dripped from his lean angular face, a large gash on the right side of his abdomen still fresh and bleeding, his tired eyes now wide and bloodshot.
I didn't have much of a plan, I've never fought with other people before. I've never even been on a sports team before. I don't know the first thing about teamwork.
I could feel a pit in my stomach. I'm nervous. I'm tired. My body aches all over. I'm not made for this, fighting, it's—not my nature. Is this really going to be the only way home?
[Don't doubt yourself now Ezra. You can do this.]
My heart skipped at the sound of Divinus' voice ringing in my mind. It was short but clear. I could feel that he meant what he said. It wasn't just him trying to encourage me, he truly believed in what he said. He truly believes I can do this.
Gritting my teeth I pushed forward. The caster seemed to have caught her breath and was ready to go on the offensive. Maintaining her bubble spike started to grow from it on all sides, this was preventing Lyle from getting close to her.
Lyle seemed to have an idea on how to get around the spiked bubble and was approaching her at a deathly speed. His upper body was low to the grown, his foggy obsidian claws loosely behind him. However the casters' spikes were not static.
Three of the spikes coiled in on themselves and were shot at Lyle. They cut through the air with devastating speed sounding like a railgun. Lyle reacted just barely, nearly losing his arm.
'How is Ms.Windra allowing this?'
Lyle held his bleeding arm, face contorted in pain. His head turned and our eyes met, I could see his mouth moving but the sounds of combat that filled the arena drowned his voice.
A searing hot pain lined my back. I tumbled to the floor. The focus I had on lyles fight and my center broke. All I could focus on was the sharp pain, and how tired I was. When I finally came to a stop I didn't stand instantly.
Which in the middle of a fight was probably not the best idea. My chest churned from the overuse of my limited reserves of mana. I turned over to my back.
'Should have figured she wasn't just gonna let me out of her grasp.'
"I'll give you this, you're pretty damn fast."
The arrogant swordswoman wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. Her white teeth practically blinded me.
"Be honest with me here. Did you really think I was just gonna let you off the hook like that?"
I winced as I sat up. Only now realizing my sword was gone.
"I mean. A little yea, you did pretty much say I wasn't worth your time."
"You aren't."
She sheathed her straight sword and took a few steps closer before kneeling down. Her brown eyes filled with pride.
"Let's get one thing straight. You don't belong here. It really baffles me that the Administrators even let someone into this school that's only at the first Threshold. And it's not like you're some high ranking noble, or a prodigy when it comes to the sword. You're just—kinda average."
Her words stung. Average? I don't think an average person could go through what i've been going through. No, I'm not a prodigy when it comes to swordsmanship, but I'm sure as hell not as bad as she thinks. All she's been doing is hiding behind that barrier magic.
"And you're just a coward."
Her mask of calm and pride cracked ever so slightly.
"What was that?"
I leaned in closer. My lips curled into a mischievous smile.
"I said. You are a coward. And since we're being honest, an ugly one at that."
Her tree bark, brown eyes sharpened, brow knitted in anger, teeth now bared like an animal. The sound of another water spike being flung at Lyle came from behind me. I pulled on the initiate tether that connected Divinus to my mana center.
The white coiled Great dragon that wrapped around my arm radiated a comfortable warmth. Spark of white rippled, beginning at my palm and flowing outwards in the shape of an odachi. The light show drawed the swordswomans attention, her eyes widen slightly, the feel of the tightly wrapped cord and perfectly blanched weight of my Bonded sword brought a smile to my face.
Sweat fell from her chin. Her lips parted slightly, her confidence wavering for the first time as she realized she played right into my hands.
"Is that a…"
The butt of my sword crashed into her right temple, her body slumped over falling into my lap. Blood trickled down and dripped onto my thigh. A large breath escaped my lips and a small weight was lifted off my mind.
I rolled my former opponent off of me and gently rested her head onto the ground. As I stood my back stung from the large cut. Lyle was back on the defensive weaving through the water spikes that came at him.
I lingered for a moment. I couldn't help relish in my small victory, I may not have figured out a way around her barrier magic but it was her cocky attitude that was her downfall. I wiped the sweat from my brow, banished Divinus, getting used to his weight once more.
I glanced up at the cavea. Some of the students had shock written all over their faces. Some were whispering amongst themselves all while taking glances at me. Ms. Windra remained seated, her eyes sharper than they had been.
A chill went down my whole being. Revealing Divinus was going to have consequences. There are going to be questions about me, about him and how I got him.
[It was a gamble. But it was one you had to take. So what if all eyes are on you now, let them watch. Let's show them how capable we are.]
His melodic voice calmed my nerves. I took a deep breath. Ms. Windra hasn't budge even though I just knocked out a combatant, which can only lead me to think the way to win this is to either incapacitate everyone on a team. Or yield.
[Fair assessment I'd say. Let's help out emo boy, then we can regroup with the pretty president.]
'I'm not even going to ask how you know what 'emo' means.'
My mana center was close to being completely drained. Its lack of reserves have been the main reason I've been focusing so much more on swordsmanship. But it felt different. I couldn't quite put a finger on it but something was definitely changing within it.