Note to the reader: *.......* means he's saying that in his head.

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I feel like I should explain something. Like I've mentioned before there are two types of mana in the world of my story. Inner and outer mana. So far you've mostly seen inner mana which is what Becket uses on plants. It's the mana stored inside a person. Inner mana is mostly used to power a races unique magic or objects that require mana like the title stone. Outer mana is what mages use. Outer mana floats in the air and is neutral so mages take it into themselves and convert it into one of the four elements using a chant to cast a spell. Inner mana can run out and slow the body down while outer mana will never run out. All people are born with the ability to use inner mana, but some are better at it than others. People who can manipulate outer mana are much more rare among the humans. The mages aren't all powerful though since they are typically weak at controlling inner mana. Controlling outer mana requires concentration and puts a burden on the mind so it can be strained during fights.

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Chapter 18

Since I couldn't leave through the door without running into those knights I decided to go out the window. I stuck my head out of it and felt a cold chill brush across my cheek. There were a couple places I saw that I could jump to, but I decided on a balcony about a floor below me. After leaping out of the window I easily landed where I was aiming, but someone was there.

Becket:"Uh?"

A knight was standing a few feet away from me. He stopped moving the second I landed. Once I saw him grasp what was happening I jumped from the balcony towards him.

Gene:"Wait it's me!"

I wasn't able to stop because of the momentum I had picked up so I shifted to the side and slammed into the wall.

Gene:"You ok?"

Becket:"Damn it. You should've said something sooner."

I pulled myself off the ground and stood up. Gene removed his helmet and revealed a slight smirk on his face.

Gene:"That was terrible aim. You completely missed me."

Becket:"I missed on purpose. If we would have collided it would've made a lot of noise."

Gene:"Oh. Sorry then. So any luck."

Becket:"No, you?"

Gene:"I got a sword."

Gene put his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist.

Gene:"I did find what I think was the armory, but it was guarded. Though I was able to get this from a room of weapons and armor being sent for repairs."

Becket:"So you got a damaged sword."

Gene:"It's better than being unarmed. Plus now I look completely like a knight."

Gene stretched both of his arms out and did a 360 degree turn so I could see his entire outfit.

Becket:"Yeah."

Gene:"So should we keep searching or try something else?"

Becket:"I'm gonna keep searching."

A shadow appeared on the balcony I just came from.

Aelisia:"Hello again."

I pulled my dagger out while Gene drew his sword.

Becket:"What do you want?"

Aelisia:"I want you to come with me."

She vanished and I felt a hand grip the wrist holding the dagger. I immediately dropped the dagger and caught it with my other hand then pushed it right up against her throat.

Aelisia:"Oh! Good reaction, but you'll never be able to pierce my skin."

She leaned her neck forward trying to shove the dagger into her throat. The result was it snapped.

Aelisia:"See."

She wasn't wearing armor. Actually now that I could clearly see her I noticed she was wearing the typical tight black outfit all knights wear under their armor with her sword connected to a belt hanging on her waist. The sword looked slightly curved with a pure white sheath, silver hilt and guard. It looked a lot like a katana. Her completely gray hair was tied back into a ponytail. With an up close look at her face I guessed her age to be around early 40s and her body was thin, but tight and firm.

Since my dagger was broken I was now unarmed so I tried to trip her by kicking the back of her shin, but it felt like I was kicking a stone wall which only hurt me. I still couldn't get my hand out of her grip. Gene had his sword pointed at her.

Gene:"Release him!"

Aelisia:"Listen you two. The king has decided for Becket to duel Felix. Regardless of who dies a lot of current problems will be resolved."

Becket:"What happens to me if I win?"

Aelisia:"Who knows?"

She shrugged.

Gene:"Answer him!"

She ignored Gene.

Aelisia:"Ok lets go. Oh yeah you there."

She looked at Gene.

Aelisia:"You might want to go around back to the knights training grounds. Get there fast if you don't want to miss anything."

Gene:"What?"

She gripped my other wrist and pulled me back out to the balcony then jumped into the air. I was shocked as I felt my feet come off the ground and we flew into the air. We went up an impossible height then started falling back down.

Becket:"What the fuck!"

I activated my wings. They manifested and I immediately tried to fly, but Aelisia was insanely heavy and I still wasn't sure how to use these wings so we continued to plummeted straight down. We landed with a loud bang as chunks of rock were sent flying in all directions along with a cloud of dust. A few meter wide crater was made around us and Aelisia released me. I was a little disoriented from the jump, but I quickly regained my senses."

Becket:"Why the hell did you do that!"

Aelisia:"Fastest way to get you here."

The cloud of dust began to clear and I noticed I was surrounded. I was inside of a coliseum and all the seats were filled by knights. I was standing in the center of the coliseum circled by walls three times my height. Partially broken pillars and walls were spread out all around me. There was a spot that seemed to be for important people where I saw the king, princess and who I was guessing was the queen.

Aria:"Becket!"

Something slammed into the side of my head. I actually stumbled a little before regaining my balance. An annoying little fairy was now attached to the side of my head.

Becket:"Hey get off."

Aria:"No!"

I peeled her off, but not without her struggling with everything she had to hold on. She continued to struggle as I held her in my hands.

Becket:"Calm down Aria."

She slowly stopped her struggle likely because she ran out of energy. I started to hear the knights comments.

Knight 1:"Hey he's got wings just like the fairy!"

Knight 2:"She must of blessed him!"

Knight 3:"I want a blessing!"

King Francis:"Silence!"

The crowd of knights stopped all the noises they were making. After making my wings vanish I climbed out of the small crater still holding Aria and walked closer to the stage-like part where the royalty were seated. Aelisia followed behind me. The stage was surrounded by knights in mostly blue armor with a few that wore green. I hadn't run into knights with this color armor yet so I stopped to look them over. It was easy to tell they were much more experienced compared to the other knights. The youngest one looked to be in his mid-thirties.  

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King Francis:"You will duel against Count Felix in a death match."

Becket:"What happens if I win?"

King Francis:"You will be pardoned from your crime of attacking the princess."

*Is he telling the truth?*

Becket:"Fine but I need a new weapon."

One of the seated knights unsheathed their sword and tossed it down to me. It landed right in front of my feet.

Becket:"Thanks."

I was clearly being sarcastic. I picked it up and looked it over. It was a plain sword in good condition. I looked up at the three on their stage. The princess seemed to be trying to hold back a smile.

Becket:"So when will we start this match?"

King Francis:"In a moment. Now Becket do you accept this duel against Count Felix?"

Becket:"I don't think I've really been given a choice so sure."

King Francis:"Very well. Enter!"

On the opposite side of the coliseum an iron gate opened. Out stepped Felix dressed in a full set of purple armor with a sword at his waist. Another knight following him into the coliseum holding something wrapped in a cloth. I turned back to look up at the people on the stage. The king and queen showed firm stoic faces so I couldn't guess what they were thinking, but the princess was looking with hostility towards Felix. I glanced down at Aria still in my hands.

Becket:"Go find somewhere to sit while I fight."

Aria:"Make him suffer."

Becket:"Sure now go."

I released my grip and she flew up to the stage and landed on the princesses shoulder.

*What is she doing up there?*

I pushed that thought out of my head as I turned to face Felix. The knight with him handed the object over and exited through the gate which then closed.

King Francis:"Count Felix do you accept this duel against Becket the elf?"

Felix:"Of course my king!"

King Francis:"Very well then."

The king closed his eyes for a second then reopened them and stood up.

King Francis:"Let the match begin!"

I sprinted full speed towards Felix preparing to plunge my sword into his chest. I wanted to end this fast since I was cautious of what he had been given. Our distance was shortened in a few seconds and Felix pulled the cloth off of what he was holding. Before I could react to what I saw a red beam hit my right shoulder while another one whizzed by my ear causing me to fall and tumble forward. While still trying to get my bearings I scrambled for cover behind a half destroyed wall near me.

Felix:"Hiding Becket! Are you a coward!"

The weapon Felix had was obviously a gun, but not one I recognized. They were actually dual pistols from what I saw. It also fired some sort of beam instead of normal bullets.  

Spoiler :

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I checked the wound on my shoulder. The shot went completely through and made a perfect circle a little bigger than the size of a quarter. When the beam hit me it felt cold and hurt like hell. I had hoped the beam would cauterized my wound, but that didn't happen. I was bleeding pretty badly.

Becket:"Where did you get those!?"

Felix:"I've borrowed these artifacts from the king!"

He wasn't getting any closer so I knew I had to close the distance to win. A barrage of those red beams began hitting the wall I was hiding behind. The wall didn't stop them at all so I dashed out of cover and ran towards a pillar nearby. Felix kept his sights on me and continued firing. The guns didn't make any noises from what I could hear so I had to use my sight to avoid the shots while jumping from cover to cover. I was half tempted to throw my sword at him, but I knew that if it missed I'd be unarmed against him.

Felix:"Stop running around! Just accept your loss and die!"

While jumping behind another pillar I picked up a small rock and tossed it towards Felix.

Felix:"Aahh!"

He was hit in the forehead causing him to stop shooting for a second. I leapt out from behind the pillar and ran towards him, but he recovered fast and fired off a shot that hit my right knee. I fell forwards and landed face first and slid for a few feet before coming to a stop.

Felix:"Ha!"

I was in a lot of pain as I heard his footsteps approach me.

*Damn those guns are hard to deal with!*

I couldn't even feel my right leg below the knee, but I tried to stand using the sword to hold me up.

Felix:"Still trying to fight?"

He shot me in my left leg and I fell back to the ground. He stopped right next to me and pushed his boot into my stomach.

Becket:"Uuuhh! *cough* *cough*"

Felix:"Pathetic."

He tried to kick me again, but I caught it this time causing him to fall backwards.

Felix:"Ah!"

I pulled myself on top of him while he tried to bring the guns up, but I grabbed his wrists and twisted. He dropped both of them and pinned his arms down.

Felix:"Bastard! Release me!"

He struggled, but my strength surpassed his. My legs weren't usable and my arms were occupied holding him down so I only had one way to finish him. I kissed him. He was so surprised that he didn't move for a few seconds. When he started to feel something was wrong he began to struggle, but all his strength had already left him. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as his hair greyed and his skin wrinkled up. I pulled away leaving him barely alive.

Everyone in the coliseum had gone silent. I crawled over to each of the guns and picked them up.

Becket:"Hm? These don't seem to use magic."

I inspected the guns while everyone just watched. Felix was squirming, but couldn't move very much thanks to the sudden aging. I pointed one of the guns at him and pulled the trigger. Until now I never noticed it had a green laser sight. I blew out both of his knees as he screamed in agony.

Felix:"Aaaaahhhhhhh! S-Stop!"

Becket:"Sorry but I'm suppose to make you suffer plus I'm a little angry with you."

I tucked the guns into my pants and drew the sword Felix wore at his waist.

Becket:"That arms gonna have to go."

I chopped off his right arm.

Felix:"Aaaaahhhhhhh! P-P-Please s-spare me!"

Becket:"Ok."

Felix:"R-Really?"

Becket:"Of course."

I smiled then brought the sword down into his chest.

Felix:"Huh?"

He looked at the sword in his chest before looking back towards me. His mouth opened like he was going to say something, but only blood came out then he stopped moving. I left the sword in his chest and crawled away from him. Aelisia appeared in front of me.

Aelisia:"Good job."

Becket:"Yeah."

I had lost a lot of blood so I passed out.

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