His instincts barely saved his life. His muscles started moving before he knew what he was doing. He started running sideways, attempting to make him harder to hit. There were multiple pillars in the courtyard, and he planned to use them. He heard the sound of the bow twang as another arrow was released. He barely reached the column before the arrow smashed into the other side. Jack had his rifle on his back, so quickly flipped it off his shoulder and began to return fire. He stayed behind the cover, just putting the riffle around the corner and firing a quick burst.

He barely had time to notice an arrow flying at him from the side. Shit. He ducked the arrow, only to be struck with another from behind. The arrow stuck deep into his shoulder. Jack’s vision went white for a moment as he acknowledged the pain. They are using elemental powers to control the arrows.

Jack released a quick pulse of his aura to try and tell where his opponent was, but he got nothing. He was exhausted from fighting the beast earlier. He had badly burned his palm helping Ariel and now he had an arrow in his shoulder. He couldn’t get his mind in order enough to feel his aura accurately. He dropped to his knees barely avoiding another arrow, when a small object fell out of his pocket. Jack had received presents from his friends throughout the years. Most of the presents had seemed reasonably useful in one way or another. Every present except what Chad had given him. Chad gave Jack a small explosive as a present. When he received it he was extremely nervous it would go off. But Chad had explained it was a special material that needed a code entered into the device before it would activate. Jack quickly remembered the code entering it. He couldn’t help but cringe as he typed in the immature code.

8008

Activation successful. Detonation in

9

8

7

Jack waited for 3 then he threw it, while covering his ears.

BOOM

The explosion filled the room with thick dust. No one could have survived that.

His opponent had used their elemental control to save themselves from the blast. Only barely. Their arm was badly burned. But they were still standing. Jack looked at them and they looked at Jack. After a moment Jack slowly drew his sword and performed a light dueling bow. His opponent seemed surprised by the motion, then after a moment they dropped their bow, drawing their sword and mimicked the bow.

Jack knew that this was a professional he was facing. They would have 4 elements and much more practice and experience than him. I need to be creative.

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The two figures just stared at each other for a moment. Then they charged. After a moment Jack was able to confirm his opponent had the air element. They used it to quickly propel themselves across the distance. Luckily Jack had been sparring plenty with Ariel and saw it coming. With an elegant roll Jack smoothly evaded his opponent opening strike. He spun quickly attempting to counter, but his opponent was much faster with their air control. They easily pushed themselves out of the way of the strike, while at the same time maneuving themselves to riposte while Jack was off balance. And that’s when Jack parried with Jared’s sword. He had picked it up when he bowed earlier. Jared sword was nothing special, but it was a solid sword and Jack had plenty of practice wielding swords. He had never practice duel wielding before, but in this moment that didn’t matter.

He blocked his opponenets strike, then had an idea. While there swords were connected Jack sent a blast of electricity. Through his hand and into the sword. It wasn’t much, he didn’t have much mana left. But his opponent was shocked for a moment and it definitely hurt. They stumbled back for a moment. Jack attempted to press his advtantage, before he saw a motion to his left.

And then an arrow flew right into his chest.

It was hot. Then his chest was cold. Ow. That hurt. His adrenaline was keeping him calm in the situation, but he knew he was very likely doomed. He dropped to his knees with a hand on the arrow. He just stared at it in disbelief. Then his vision started to go dark. He dropped to his hands and coughed blood. Looking forward he could barely see Jared’s unmoving body. His eyes were still open.

No. This isn’t right.

The anger surged through his veins like a thousand volts of electricity. He felt it crackling under his skin, and a strange sensation of power coursed through him, unlike anything he had ever felt before. He tried to reel it in, to control the emotion that was rippling through him, but it felt like a living thing, and it only seemed to grow and expand with each passing moment. Power filled his chest. It was slow. It pulsed with his heart. Everything began to burn as he fell into a pit of despair.

I don’t care anymore.

He thought of Jared. He had gotten to know him through the year. He was a great guy. He was nice and supportive and always helped others. He didn’t deserve to die with an arrow in his throat.

This isn’t right.

The power responded to his anger. Electricity seeped from his pores. This time the electricity wasn’t blue or purple or even red. This time the electricity was pure black. The black electricity blazed through his veins. The power didn’t look like electricity. The power was darker than the night. Every nerve in his body felt like it was on fire.

I don’t care anymore.

Rage consumed his thoughts. He slowly lifted his arm and pointed toward his opponent. Time seemed to stop. Nothing appeared to move except the black electricity. It slowly flowed and weaved toward the archer, who stood motionless, eyes wide with a combination of terror and disbelief. It was silent - not even a whisper or breath could be heard. The black power slithered right up and engulfed its target. The whole scene unfolded in excruciatingly slow motion.

Jack watched in disbelief as the archer's body seemed to disintegrate atom by atom, as though they were a sandcastle being washed away by the tide. The archer didn't scream or flail; they merely stared in shock at their own body in disbelief.

Jack wanted to look away but couldn't. He felt riveted to the spot, unable to comprehend what he was witnessing. It was as if the laws of nature had been suspended for this one moment; what was happening before him seemed impossible.

Suddenly, the moment ended. The archer was gone as if they had never existed. Jack collapsed to the ground. He knew he was going to die. But that didn’t bother him. He crawled over to Jared’s corpse and closed his eyes. Then his adrenaline finally seemed to run out and he collapsed onto his friend’s lifeless corpse.