STELLA CADENS! The fire surges out from my hand with utmost ferocity. She somehow managed to side roll out of the way, despite that fact.
Dang, I really thought I had her!
Seems I have to get closer.
When she was running laps around me I thought I was having a main character moment. I thought I'd be able to see and keep up with her. But looking back, I was totally mistaken.
Maybe not totally mistaken, but I could barely keep track of her, when she went backwards and positioned herself like a track runner something inside of me just clicked.
It might've been fear, it might've been inspiration, for all I know it could've been both.
I wanted to use Stella Cadens on her, hoping that it'd be enough to win. But before I could fire it she was right in front of me.
So I had to improvise, I thought back to that bright light I saw when I fired that beam of light at her and I tried to draw upon that mighty power.
I also thought about the one and only time I ever used magic without point my hands at something; when I was burnt alive in the nightmare. Even though it was just a dream, I could vividly feel power bursting forth from my whole being.
One way or another it worked. I managed to blow both of us before her attack could land.
I passed out afterwards and when I woke she was walking towards me, looking even toastier than before.
I thought I was a goner but she walked right passed me. Which means my hunch was right, she's not some nefarious external threat, she's part of the test. I figured that out from her appearance and the simultaneous disappearance of the bartenders.
My eyes were only slightly opened when she walked past me, the reason she didn't attack me because she must not have noticed.
I try to use the element of surprise to my advantage, but as I get ready to fire my magic at her she turns around.
I'm not sure if it was the adrenaline or pure fear. But I managed to assume my previous position before her gaze could reach me.
That was different from anything I've ever done with magic, it's like I started and stopped it. When her back was turned I was about to let it go, but when she turned to face it I held it in.
It left a strange burden on my hand, with a painful pressure building up with every passing second. When she had walked a sufficient distance, I finally released it.
She didn't even see it coming, it lands square on her back, and my gosh she's tossed like a ragdoll on impact.
That brings us back to this moment, the moment I lost the protection of a surprise attack. The moment she rolled away from a blast of fire.
Well this isn't that bad, I had a contingency plan for if something like this were to happen.
If a situation like this were to arise where we were both beaten and exhausted. I wanted to ensure I'd come out on top.
That's why I asked for buffs that would only take effect when I was heavily injured. The handsome coward and the seven other supporters all advised me against it saying something along the lines of:
"Why waste power you could have in the moment, power that could end a battle decisively! It's foolish!"
It was doolish but turned out great!
Huzzah!
Although it didn't quite happen as I expected. For starters I didn't think it'd be this difficult, which was a huge lack of foresight on my part. I thought I was just going to waltz up to her, say a few mean words, then after struggling for close to half an hour when we were both beat up BAM!
With a surge of power I take her down. Secondly the extra power I would've gotten wouldn't have been enough. After fighting her I can say this confidently.
'Hey lady! Why don't we call a truce? Neither one of us are in good enough shape to continue with this.'
She gets up from the ground then says "Maybe you don't, but I can do this all day."
Damn, why must she be so unrelenting?
Well, it's not like I expected talking things out to work anyways.
While my body is still in shit condition, it's much better than before. My bleeding had stopped and the burns all over my body aren't as severe.
The boosts must've even increased my pain tolerance.
I can't spam Stella Cadens from across the room since she can just dodge it. I have to get up close to her to have any shot at winning this.
I point my hands backwards and spread out my palms hoping to "release the dragon" as Hank calls it.
Ok, showtime!
STELLA CADENS!
There's a strain on my body from moving so fast. The force of the recoil is so intense yet pleasant.
When I'm a few feet away from her I say it again
'STELLA CADEN-'
THUD!
Something small and blunt slams into my side preventing me from saying it.
Gasp!
She threw her knife at me!
My momentum's carrying right to her, I don't have time to cast Stella Cadens. I have to think of something and quick!
Before I can devise a plan, a hand wraps around my face.
When did she?
SLAM!
She slams my face into the concrete floor.
Groan
TWACK!
She kicks me in the ribs before the rest of my body can reach the ground.
That kick sent me flying!
It's so disorienting moving backwards while upsidedown.
I stretch my hands to the ground to help dissipate the force, I'm sent tumbling erratically against it as a result.
CRASH
CRASH
CRASH
It's finally stopped. Screw it, there's no more plan, just rush her!
My legs push off the ground with tons of force as I feel every muscle fiber twitch in perfect coordination.
I may not have be as powerful as her, but these buff have made me hella strong.
The pattering of my steps sound like heavy rain with how quick they are. It's as if my feet barely touching the floor. This feels more like floating than running.
I've never ran this fast before, and honestly... I might never run this fast again, I can't waste this once in a lifetime power, I have to beat her before my thirty minutes are up.
I cock my left arm backwards at full force once I'm close enough to hit her.
She hasn't moved an inch from where she was when she grabbed my mid air, slammed me into the ground then kicked me away.
Don't tell me she's trying to copy what I did before and lock in on my movement.
Eh, who am I kidding? She's probably just trying to conserve energy.
'HAYAH!!'
I unleash my fury into my lightning fast punch and-
HUH!?
She's no longer in front of me she's to my right. What kind of trick is that? I could've sworn my fist made contact with face.
Knots form in my stomach as the whole world flips upsidedown and the ground is am inch away from my face.
Oh wait- it's just me.
She flipped me upsidedown!
What kinda of martial art-
Choke~
She lifts me by my shirt collar lunching me into the air to at about waist height temporarily cutting off my air supply by doing so.
I channel the inner carriage wheel within me and quickly spin sideways putting all the force I can muster into my fist.
PUUH that's the sound of my fist meeting her palm.
How the hell did she catch that!?
My right ear rings as a loud high pitch is produced by her palm forming a rock band with my face. I think bodyparts should refrain from making music, it doesn't right.
Ouch she slapped me! I can still hear the ringing!
From the looks of it she's not done with her assault. A flurry of flying fists come at me all at once, I must've hit my head because it looks as if ten different punches are coming at me from one hand.
BAM! BAM! BAM! Is the sound of her fists making contact with my face, each hit sounds louder than the last.
After what feels like an eternity, I fall harshly on my knees as my body hits the floor.
YANK!
Ouch, she's still holding onto my hand. I try to break away from her grasp then she pulls me in, closer towards her.
I can't catch a break-
CLACK!
She pulled me into a knee to the face. I see her winding up a killer downwards elbow strike, but right before it can nail me in the face I spit some blood in her eye, causing her flinch backwards a little.
THAT WORKED!?
That slight delay in her strike buys me enough time to move my head out of her elbows path.
She finally let's go of my hand and takes a few steps backwards to wipe bloody spit from her space.
Oho-ho! Rookie mistake!
I lunge at her, wrapping my hands behind my thighs as I do, in an effort to bring her down.
SMACK!
We both fall the floor, but her back takes the brunt of the force. I hastily remove my hands from her thighs, focusing all my attention to her head.
I can't let her get counter attack!
I opt for less powerful punched but faster jabs, as I begin to slam hands down onto her face repeatedly.
I'm actually getting hits in, wow! No, I mustn't get distracted.
'STELLA CA-'
Her feet wrap around my head, flinging me backwards causing me to land on my back.
ACK!
That would've been kind of nice if I wasn't fighting somebody.
I'm snapped out of my thoughts by an incoming kick. Somehow I swiftly yet haphazardly block it with the back of my right forearm.
The strength behind the kick was so large it flips me over a few times.
Gulp.
This lady can't be human.
She pivoted herself on her hands, then spun on the ground like a break dancer, allowing her to swing her leg with tremendous force.
She's so intense, delivering an attack like that before she could even get up.
She leaps above me, tucking her legs close to her chest.
NOPE! NOPE! NOPE! I think to myself as I roll sideways out of the of the kick.
My arm is still throbbing from tr previous one, something like that would straight up kill me.
THUMP!
A small crater forms where she lands.
It's a good thing that I dodged that. I think to myself as the nervous sweat drips off my face.
I need to find an opportunity to use Stella Cadens so I can win this fight. I spin on my back in an effort to get my hands pointing in her direction.
Heh! You're not the only one who can do spin moves. Although yours was vastly more impressive.
'STELLA CAD-'
My casting is interrupted by a boot slamming into my face.
GYOUCH!
She kicked me so hard that I'm back on
my feet.
I spring myself backwards to try and create some distance between me and her.
That last kick rattled me, I feel wobbly.
She come at me with a wound up fist, Iean backwards in an to avoid it.
Her fist halts right befode my face to confusion, suddenly I feel my weight comedown as something sweeps me of my feet.
It was a feint!
Ugh!
She lands on my back and locks my neck in a submission hold.
THIS IS BAD!
THIS IS BAD!
THIS IS BAD!
I endeavor to escape the chokehold by desperately clawing at her arms but she's latched on too tightly, they're not budging.
I switch tactics, and punch her head instead. Damn, the this angle is too weird, I can't get a proper hit in.
I can't breathe- everything's getting dark...
Before I black out I whisper Stella Cadens.
FWOOSH!
An explosion emerges from beneath my palms producing large craters in the ground and lunching both of us to the ceiling.
Her back crashes into the ceiling then she finally let's me to go.
The blast force is so great we plunge through the ceiling and land on the ground directly above it.
Oww.
What is this place? I can't help but say out loud.
There's an infinite blue expanse above us, but it's certainly not the sky. There are a plethora of giant floating cube wondering about.
"It's the dimension scatterer" she says pain slipping into her voice.
'Huh? The w-what now?'
"It's a space that exists to alter the form of the guild. It only occurs when the guild is in recruitment mode."
Ahhh.. I remember the white haired lady saying something about rooms being scrambled so that intruders can't harm anyone, so this is how that works.
Though I don't really get how it works, it's probably by "scattering dimensions" whatever that means.
'Don't you think you're being a little too aggressive for a guild employee. I mean, just what kind of test is this'
"Huh? I don't work at the guild! What the heck gave you that idea!"
Wait what- no way! That's the entire reason I mustered up the courage to fight her. I was certain that this was all part of some test.
I'm sure when I conceived this plan I felt so smart with myself. "I'm certain this situation isn't as dire as it seems" what rubbish was I saying, I was totally wrong.
I slowly get up and back away from the lady. 'You wouldn't happen to be an intruder would you?' I say while backing away from her even further.
"What I were?"
Oh my gosh- I'm totally dead!
"Oh crud, I can't believe I fought such a coward. I'm neither an employee of the guild nor intruder. I'm a state licensed adventurer working with the guild for well personal reasons..." She says while lying down on the ground.
Who says "oh crud" that's so lame.
"YOU AND THAT MOUTH OF YOURS! ITS NOT NEARLY AS BAD AS AS SAYING "oh my gosh" LIKE A WHINY LITTLE BITCH!"
Shit I said that out loud! Also really? Of all the things I've said to her, that was the straw that broke the camel's back?
"Since I can no longer fight, I guess that means you've won. You and your shitty little applicant friends have passed this trial."