The Celestial Forge
By: Schin Ka'Tharos
CHAPTER 22
(Part 2)
“First, we fight without forging.” She said as she reached up to her neck and a small line of celestial essence left her fingertip weaving into her chestplate. The plate released without sound and she removed it and placed it against the wall.
“So you know, you don’t have to be worried about causing any damage. We are not capable of harming this room at all.” I said in response.
"Good to know.” She said. “At least we won't have to stop the sparring halfway through. Now, martial arts only. Let’s begin.”
With that she moved a few yards away, a picture of calm ease. She turned to faced me and flowed into a combat stance. I was uneasy. I couldn’t quite get a gauge on her. Her attitude had shifted slightly since waking up from the baseline I had established for her previously. I couldn’t determine if it was due to the stress of the recent events and her brother's current peril, or if she was playing a different game.
Still, I needed to know exactly what her capabilities were and she needed to know mine. Our cooperation and synergy would be required to confidently be able to exit the tower and glean whatever we could from the garden and the tower's domain. Our lack of resources weighed heavy on my mind.
She seemed unwilling to linger and stepped into range to throw a crisp testing jab at me. It was less of an serious attack and more of a forced engagement. I easily slid off to the side and replied with a counter leg kick to her mid-section which she easily blocked. She rushed in closer, forcing more movement from me as I retreated out of any potential attack. I threw a few feints and then put together a combination of hooks and jabs. She easily slipped or blocked each blow and we separated slightly. We were both feeling each other out.
I was clearly at a disadvantage. Even without using any forging her physical upgrades from her magus advancement meant this wasn’t a fair fight. However, martial arts and martial advancement was one area I felt confident in. I was beyond seventh level martial advancement, which she would certainly have some indications of since she knew I was able to ignite my natural flame. It was my experience though, due to the singular focus on magus advancement in most of Ga’el, that most Forgers underestimated martial advancement altogether.
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It is a trend I still see today. Through their magus advancement Forgers reach just below normal peak physical human condition at 5th Apprentice. Then with one more rank, at First Disciple, a Forger almost doubles their physical prowess by simply purifying their first flow line. Martial advancement is slower, more subtle in its benefits. If you are from Jaspen you know full well. In ancient times, when eternal flames were but a myth, the path to forging required igniting your natural flame and thus martial advancement was the main path to Forging. Yet, it is hard to appreciate the slow hard way when a faster and more efficient way is available.
I fainted a retreat but then bounced forward into a kick straight down the middle. My foot split her defending elbows and slid past her raised knee to connect solid on her sternum throwing her back a few feet. I followed it up with a flurry of six strikes, a mix of head, body and leg shots. Each blow deflected mostly harmless off her as she managed to block each at the last second. Except for my final strike. I finished my combinated digging into a left hook right into her lower torso under her ribs. I heard an uncontrolled hiss shoot through her teeth as it connected.
However, in response she merely nodded to me in acknowledgment and danced around to my right side before rushing in again. Lightning fast kicks flashed out. Left foot, then right. I barely managed to block the first and tried to slip the second but it cracked into my side. I tried grabbing the leg but she whipped it back from my hold. I attempted to create some distance between us but she kept the pressure on. A combination of punches flowed out from her but I managed to slip the first two and countered with a punch that connected just on the tip of her nose. Feeling an opening I pressured with more shots that only slightly connected, sliding just off her cheek or grazing her temple.
We continued like this for some time. In a dance of physical violence. For a while the contest felt almost equal. Then her demeanor changed and immediately everything about the fight was different. She didn’t attack at first, but my strikes no longer got even close to connecting. She moved differently, like she knew where I was going to strike and how I was going to move. When I attacked she casually and precisely moved out of the way. Where I had previously felt I could at least pressure her, I knew I was no longer any type of threat.
Then she attacked. Cold eyes assessed me as she slid past a jab of mine and threw a barrage of strikes. Each one lashed out and stuck me with a precise light tap. Seemingly endless punches, kicks, elbows, and knees came at me from every angle with each striking a vulnerable spot gently before the next one that followed. Abruptly the attacks ended and she leapt back a few feet.
“Forging time” she said and her eyes caught fire once more.
Next Chapter...
Chapter 22 (Part 3)