"G-GRAH!" I let out in pain as a fist hit my jaw awkwardly. The resulting pain made me stumble away. Until, I swung back at him, emptying out his lungs in the process.

Then, he spat on me with contempt, "HIT HARDER, BUG!" he roared as he charged and slammed against me. And, for a few moments, I was on the ground facing an unrelenting assault.

"How about I bite you?" I asked him a low growl before my jaws clamped down on his shoulder.

"BLOODY BEAST!" he screamed before he started to punch me with an extended thumb. Each time he tried to gouge my eye out before I spat him out. The relief that this gave him also let me kick him off. As awkward as it was.

"Feel like giving up?" I asked him before I struck at his chest. Only to be blocked by the swift raisure of his arms.

He then countered with a couple of jabs before he swung under. And I fell to the ground once again as if I wasn't more than two metres tall. Thankfully, I caught his leg before it fell down on me. And I swung him over in time with my roll.

"COME ON! I DIDN'T KNOCK YOUR TEETH OUT!" I yell down to him before I grab him and hoist him over my head. But the shredding of cloth made it clear my grip was loose.

"BUT I HOPE THAT DID!" he yelled as I stumbled back, clutching my snout. He had just twisted out of my grip and struck me with his knee!

Yet, despite wanting to go at him again, I couldn't help but stumble back, "I hate this taste..." I comment to myself quietly. A thick layer of blood had been mixed in with my spit.

But, while I was focused on the daziness in my head and the blood in my mouth. He had charged at me again and was delivering a flurry of punches to my chest. Each blow broke and cracked my carapace until flesh was forced out. At least, until I was able to backhand him out of it.

From which I then moved on to trying to run him down. His swiftness, however, made sure I would not draw blood. And, instead, my momentum was used against me. He bent me over and swung up.

"GAH!" I choked loudly as bile and blood shot out of my mouth. I was then briefly in the air before a heavy thud rang throughout me.

"Get up, I'm not done with you." Seigunfrei asked me as he took this moment to catch my breath while I shuddered to my feet. Even now, I was still losing. I admit, though, I took a beating before we got here...

"You best hope and pray I am done with you quickly then, AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!" I told him with a low tone before I roared and struck him right on the forehead. Unlike how I would have taken it, however. He flipped back to his feet before he hit the ground.

"I can see why she came to me instead of, YOU!" he told me before I received more punches and more kicks. He then took my shredded up claw and squeezed it. I collapsed while letting out a bloodcurdling roar. He may have not been using magic, but it burned all the same

My other claw, though, was free so I grabbed the side of his head. Bringing him down as quickly as I could before dropping a fist on him. And while I hid the other, bloodier claw, I carried on slamming. Until he stopped me by the wrist.

"Look at yourself compared to me, Bug! She will never go back to you!" he growled up at me. And his words made me look into the mirror-like clouds. And he was indeed right. He might have been bruised and cut slightly.

But I was clearly thrown under a fully-loaded hauler...

"KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!" I demanded when I got my arm free enough to grab his head. Loud bangs then filled my ears alongside muffled grunts. And, even further below, the ground cracked and split.

"Get off me, bug!" he said slowly when he finally got free. And, despite all my fury coming down on him. All my weight and bulk, he was still lifting me up. So I relinquished my grip and kicked my way out of his.

Once again stumbling backwards until I reached a pillar at the edge. And, for some reason, I felt tired, so very tired. My vision was struggling to stay clear and everything hurt. I was even starting to slip due to all the blood pouring down onto my smooth feet.

"I... Will..." I tried to say before I fell to the ground with a resounding crash. Tattered breaths kept on leaving me at every opportunity until I saw his boots appear in my narrowed vision.

"Just like last time." he commented before spitting down at me. And, then, as if it was the only noise in this vast chamber. I heard Rose's tubes tap the ground rapidly before I heard two bodies gently collide.

And, with anger renewing what energy I had left, I got up with a terrible growl, "I don't think so!" I uttered. Charging at him once again, getting caught the moment I got near him and her. Yet, I kept on pushing us past Rose who fell to the ground in shock.

"Th-That's enough!" she cried from the floor while me and him shuddered back and forth. Yet, this time, I was able to overpower him by not letting him abuse my size. And I was soon bearing down on him with exposed teeth and vicious growls.

"You heard her!" I hissed before I shot a sudden surge of strength down on him. Causing him to slip up and me to fall on top of him. I then lashed out with as much fury as I could muster. Striking at him until red blood splattered out each time his head flicked.

Yet, I had not paid enough attention to my surroundings. And, instead, I came face-to-face with a spell made up of swirling, razor winds. I barely got away from him before the spell struck and was watching in terror as he got up. Yet, it became clear he had no intention in moving.

"Roseli, behind me!" he barked as I quickly moved to the other entrance. And, a stalemate ensued with a terrified woman in-between us.

"STOP IT!" she screamed before she broke down crying.

"Roseli, you know why I have to do this, so don't try to stop me." he told her with a soft tone that did not match his posture or state.

"I know... I know..." she whimpered before he gaze slowly turned to me while I struggled to stand against a wall.

"Stay out of the way..." I told her, but, she did not move. So I went to try and move her instead for some reason. Yet, that just made him sacrifice his magic to keep me away.

"DO NOT LAY A FINGER ON HER!" he screamed as he swung over and over. Sometimes to my arms, sometimes to my body. They all hurt, and I showed it as much. Each time, he just kept pushing me further and further back.

Until I felt my body seemingly open up when my foot lanced out to provide support. And, he was too quick to realise what had just happened. So I had to try and keep myself out here for long enough so a spell could form. But, he was too strong...

"Nin... Please..." Rose began to say, and, he stopped and looked back at her in confusion, "Beat him... BEAT HIM!" she cheered on...

She cheered me on...

"Roseli...?" he let out in shock as his grip suddenly loosened. A mistake he would come to regret as Rose's words had the opposite effect on me. And I cocked my arm back while he was distracted. It was then too late for him to realise why a blue light had appeared.

Then, a bright explosion roared to life as I felt him leave my grip. And, for a brief moment, I knew he was in that arcane fireball. I then felt joy and happiness when I saw him lying on the ground. But, he was not out yet.

So, I watched with concern as he picked his bloody self up before he snarled at me. Despite what he had just heard as well, he maintained a rigid form. He did not just lash out at me like I had been doing with him. Yet, what Rose said clearly still bothered him.

He just wouldn't stop looking at her as his body shuddered. And, once again, I charged at him. But, to confusion that only filled me afterwards. I struck him down with a solid swing to the head. A blow that sent him straight into a pillar before he fell down cold.

"That's it...?" I asked no one as I stared intently at his still form. Had I won? Did I, like, was this the moment where I triumphed? Where I actually won...?

"Nin..." I heard a tearful, joyous voice behind me let out quietly before I felt something I haven't felt in a long time. I felt the warm body of Rose as she tried to envelop me as much as possible.

"No... Get..." I started to say, some anger still in me. Anger meant for her. But, I just couldn't get her off of me, and, I fell to the wall and slid down it.

"You did it..." she reminded me before her tears began to roll down my bloody chest. And, for a moment, I felt happy. Happy enough to forget what had just happened. Happy enough to just stroke her hair and breathe.

"One fight is all I can do then, huh?" I asked her for no reason over than I wanted a reason to smile at a bad joke.

"N-No, there's a... Come on, my Love!" she said, calling me that name again. And, while it lingered in my mind, she pulled at me until I went along with it. But, I had to slam my foot down to stop myself just falling down again.

"A little h-help...?" I asked her with a painful wheeze whilst clutching my side. All this pain was becoming increasingly noticeable and I was barely holding it in. Maybe I could just start swearing over and over. Yet, Rose's touch made it bearable, I did not want her to let go.

"Come on, it's not far this way." she told me urgently as she tried to rush me down the hall Seigunfrei came through initially.

"What's this w-way?" I asked her before I slammed a claw on the way. The blood coating it, however, made sure I could never get a good grip.

"Sei- He told me that, after he would somehow beat you," she started to explain before she laughed, "that he would take us here to recover."

"H-How would he know that?" I asked, ignoring the details regarding their plot.

"He asked the people who gave us these." she told me before she passed me the device. I then just dropped it and left it behind so I could focus on not falling over. Rose might've been offering me support, but, she was not strong enough to hold me, should I fall.

"I would very much like to get there, then." I tell her with a nod as her tail flicks at me. The smile she had was soon to disappear as well, once she saw the blood on those fine hairs.

"Don't worry, my love. I'll see to it that you can prove yourself once again." she told me, and, once again I found myself ignoring her words. I just wanted to pretend she was not that oblivious to what she had just said.

"D-Down there... Is that it?" I asked her with a heavy wheeze. I really was on my last legs at this point and the energy put into me by combat was vanishing.

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"Nin!? NIN!?" I cried in worry as my love suddenly collapsed to the ground. And, to my shame, the sudden weight made me drop him. Yet, even after I got my act together, I could not get him up. He was just too full of magic!

I just did not know what to do, I could not move him yet the room was right there. Even if I could not get him to the centre of it, if I could just get him to the edge. Just like how it worked when he and the other were fighting... But, I should at least try, no?

"Okay, okay... What can I do...?" I asked myself as I tried to think of something my magic might be able to do. Yet, because I did not come in with a staff, I had nothing to use as a conduit. Unless I risked our safety by trying to use him as it. And, I was rightfully hesitant towards such a plan.

If he was injured like this, linking our internal-magic's together could injure him or kill him! There was also the problem of me being so much weaker than him. Having all that power just surge into me... No, my safety meant nothing compared to his right now.

If the risks were greater for me than they were for him, it was an acceptable outcome. So, I took his hand into my own, then, I knelt down beside him. I tried to comfort him as much as I could. Any shock might mess with the experience, after all.

"It's alright, my love. I am here to help." I whispered with a smile when I saw his eye flicker open and shut. Then, I became stiff when I suddenly felt his magic pass into me. It was absurd how much he had in comparison to myself. It burned and my body was not ready to hold such power.

Soon, as well, I even started to feel sick as his stronger, vastly more potent magic began to evict my own. It was a peculiar experience because it hurt so much yet his magic kept healing the damage. I couldn't even get tears to come out because of how the pain kept vanishing so quickly. It did not, however, stop the shudders and twitches I was experiencing.

"AH!" I let out when I couldn't keep quiet anymore. However, it seemed to work and I was slowly able to start dragging him if I put all my effort into it. Yet, my body was not made for this either. My stupid points couldn't get a grip, even with the tubes I was wearing.

So I was constantly slipping and scraping the stone floor. So close was I to just falling down each time, but, I was able to get him moving. Even if I sometimes stopped so I could change how I moved him. Then, another surge of pain shot through me and I nearly flew away from him.

"R-Rose?" Nin croaked as he crawled up to me. A look of concern on his face as his blood rapidly clotted and the wounds closed. I had done it? I must have, because even I started to feel better.

"It's alright, my love, you're fine now." I tell him before I rested my face in his hand. Stroking my own up his arm while he made a miraculous recovery before my eyes.

"You fine on the floor, or do you want to get up?" he asked me as he begun to shake his head and sigh out his ease.

"I would prefer your arms." I answer with a giggle before I shoot up into his greater grip. Hugging him tightly and making sure I could feel his heartbeat. I had missed this so much... I could finally feel it again, and, I could also sleep better at night now.

I had gotten so used to feeling his chest thump with power at night. It was just one of many things that bothered me while I was away from my love. I had come to miss many things I had taken for granted before I made that mistake. But, he was willing to forgive me for it, no?

Then, his chest moved away and he started to walk, "Would you mind taking a seat, Rose?" he asked me. His hand gestured down at a bench that must've been built before this tournament started.

"My love?" I let out in worry while complying with what he had just asked of me. Was this the moment I was fearing? Would it all have been for nothing? The pain I have suffered during my time away from me?

"Why did you leave me? I needed someone to be there for me... And... You just left. You left and guided me to one of the most embarrassing things I have ever been through." he asked me with clear hurt in his voice. And, even though he clearly tried to keep a straight face, I could see the subtle quivers it made.

And, it hurt to hear him ask that, and I went silent, "I..." I started to say before I stopped.

"Rose, come on, it's not a hard question to answer." he told me with growing signs of frustration.

"It is... And, well..." I started to say before I swallowed my pride and fell to the floor. Grovelling before him as if I was some root begging for mercy after they committed a crime.

"What...?" he let out as I shook under his gaze.

"I'm sorry, Nin! I really am... But, I didn't know what to do! Since I met you, you have been one of the strongest people I have ever known. But to then see you in such a pathetic state... I felt embarrassed, I didn't want to be near you and I-"

"Be quiet." he said clearly, but not loudly. Yet, it might as well have been like that as now I was terrified. I was, for a moment, seeing him as only an osibindah while I was down here. And, to my shame, I flinched when his claw came to grab me.

Yet, I found myself confused when its grip was gentle and it led to a hug, "Huh?" I let out with both words and my true-voice. And, the soft light they let out complimented his features well. Because his expression was not hard, it was soft and loving.

"Just forget about it all. What happened, happened." he told me as he squeezed me gently. Then, his fingers snuck in a sneaky pinch on my rear which led to me smiling.

"It's not the time or place for something like that, my love." I pointed out before I moved my lips closer to his. Yet, my lips would find their place on his cheek, not his lips like they have done before. And, for a moment I saw hints of greater pain.

It worried me because since I have met him, I have learned several things about him. One of which is how he hides his distress and his worries when they aren't flowing out. Something very bad must have happened while we were separated and it worried me. I could not have the father of my seed refuse to share my affection in its purest form.

Yet, I could also not just ask him about it as he would just avoid the topic. I also did not want to risk it all just coming out onto me. He never responded well to just being asked and poked. I had to show patience if I was to find out what was bothering him.

"So, seen as you knew about this place, do you know which way is safe?" he asked me.

"Why would I know that?" I asked back.

"Well, Toothless back there told you about this, surely he told you about other things?"

"Toothless?" I questioned, giggling at the nickname.

"Come on, you saw my spell hit him! Surely his perfect jawline is a mess now." my love scoffed before he puffed out his chest. And, I would give the praise he wanted. After all, he had so very clearly won it.

"I wish I never saw you that night, you know."

"Eh?"

"Because it spoiled me to the sight of how much you have grown!" I excitedly cheered while bouncing my tips up and down. Light taps filled our ears before I came to a stop. A smile on his face that soon cracked into a grin.

"At least now I know as well what it looks like when it hits someone." he admits before his hand comes and lays claim to my rear again.

"So... What kind of magic is that, anyway?" I asked him while trying to keep my love in check. But, with how firm his grip was, it was hard to keep my mind in order. I even had to resort to wrapping my tail around his wrist just to direct my mind into something else.

"Elementless magic from what I have been told." he said to me, and, I gasped. Both because he was a teasing annoyance and because it was such a shock to here. He could use elementless magic? I haven't heard of that ever being used outside of the rare stories I have been told.

About a land long before Jhroungijherammujhernosumonaterikra ever awakened. Long before even our most primal history as well. Back when my kind still bore some resemblance to the plants we came from. I was sure even our sacred Garden Mount was even near the ancient ruins I was thinking about!

"Rose?" he called as he nudged me with his shoulder.

"Sorry, my love. I'm, just in shock to see such magic in my lifetime. H-How did you ever learn it!?" I said before I eagerly asked him for the details. If by circumstance it involved me, then I would be ecstatic as my influence on his magic was always a goal I have had.

But, he went quiet, "I think I know the answer, but..." he said before a tear came out of his eye that he ignored completely.

His actions made me frown, but, I chose to ignore it as well, just in case, "So... What other spells have you learned?" I started off slowly before I let my lust for his experiences come back.

"Well, this is the only spell I have made work. Everything else is boring, though." he answers with what I hoped was him just being humble. And, while I was shivering with joy at the power of these spells he was showing me, I could see what he meant. But, even then, to solidify his magic into a weapon was still a feat in and of itself!

I could not even cast impressive magic without a conduit or help! Yet, here he was, casually going about it without a single thought about its grandeur! And, the room his words left made me desire him more. Because it was clear he wanted to grow to an even greater height!

"So, uh, my love... Nin..." I began to say slowly when my mind failed in its quest to distract itself from his hand.

"Yes-yes?" he said quickly alongside a tightening grip.

"I, I am still a virgin, you know...." I told him truthfully while one of my fingers began to play with my loose clothing.

"Wow, that is impressive." he said as if I was some loose slut.

"Excuse me!?" I nearly roared while he started to laugh in my face.

"D-Don't hit me!" he said between laughs as my face turned red with anger.

"You did not just imply what I think you did!" I said before I stamped one of my points to the ground with a sharp thud. I swear the Avenging God will grant me power if he did mean it like that!

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"You have got to be kidding me..." I groan, exhausted like everyone else from the constant battling we have faced on our way here. Something about this place had picked off our numbers and placed others before us. Yet, thankfully, most of them were not exactly House Exceptional material. The confusion of it all even led to our own team firing upon us.

"Does anyone still have a map?" someone asked before I raised a tired arm in the air. The item in question was soon snatched from it. But, I dismissed it with an annoyed gesture. I was just too exhausted to care right now.

We had been running and dodging incoming spells for quite some time now. Even the arena we were last in had been left a smouldering wreck because of the quantity. I don't even think I have been much use up to this point either. Not knowing how to cast a decent spell and all that.

"Alright, next wave, go!" one of our stronger teammates ordered confidently. Thankfully, that stuff all sorted itself out quickly. So, no one was tripping over each other just to get the top position. It was held by our best teammates, after all.

Which, unfortunately, meant a certain someone too...

"You heard him, up you go, Ravineer!" she cackled before I was grabbed by the scruff of my neck and thrown out of the trench.

"WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM!?" I shouted down to her while she kept a smug grin directed at me.

"Go on, get." she said as she gave me a little wave before a fireball exploded near me. And, as I wanted to at least be around until the end, I charged on over to a nearby wall. Then, I waited for anyone else to come, but, I was left watching the others. She had thrown me out on my own with no one else...

Because I was now watching the others charge down a building filled with mostly Errakurds. So, when the spells began to focus on the larger groups. I slipped out of this cover and made my way over to a destroyed building. Breathing in what air I could while choking because of the smoke and dust.

"Blegh." I spat before I ran once again, this time, barely avoiding a jet of fire that suddenly came out of a building.

"THERE!" one man declared before he brought the building down with a sudden wave of magic. Yet, its collapsing frame slid towards us. And I was nearly crushed, having been the one close enough to get shot at initially.

"MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!" another shouted before a lighting bolt struck him down in an instant.

"FOCUS YOUR MAGIC ON THAT WATERTOWER!" was the order that followed before the sky seemingly became infected by a storm. Thankfully, all that magic evaporated the water before it got too close. So we just barely managed to survive electrocuting rain.

"You, what magic?" someone asked me with a confident stare as he saddled up next to me. His thick, well-built hand rested on my shoulder while my mind kept wandering. And, I mean, how could it not? Everywhere was a battlefield right now.

"I can rust m-metal." I told him with a jitter before another stream of fire shot over us. But, this time, that fire lingered about as if it was fed fuel.

"Alright, I think we might be able to work with that." he said before he dragged me to my feet and through an alleyway.

"H-Hey, hold on!" I let out as I started to struggle against his grip.

"What?" he asked as he suddenly spun around and stuck himself to a wall. The distant sounds of violent splashes filled our ears as his gaze grew impatient.

"If you are one of the elected leaders, shouldn't you be back there!?" I asked him as this was an irresponsible way of going about things. We needed our leaders to guide the main groups. Not one useless kid from the ravines...

"I'm not, I just need some help." he answered before we started moving again. Yet, I was following him as if I was being controlled.

"So, what is the plan, exactly?" I asked him as it was clear my body had made a choice for me. We would be following along with whatever plan this guy might've had.

"See that metal thing over there?" he asked me while carefully gesturing his finger around the wall.

"How could I not?" I answered.

"Enough of that, but, yes, your magic will come in use here if it is up to scratch."

"You nabbed me without so much as checking how strong I was!?" I nearly yelled before some more foreign magic rained down around us.

"If you can make the metal weaker, then that is all I need." he said to me as his eyes made sure mine were stuck looking into this. And, he had an effect on me, I didn't know how to describe. I felt, confident that I could do this.

"So what do you need weakening?" I asked as my fingers started to fiddle with the necklace I forgot to remove this morning. It was nothing special, just another bolt I had been rusting.

"Going by its shape, we just need to cripple its legs and gravity will handle the rest." he explained with a clear voice despite the rain of muddy debris. Then, all of a sudden, the wall behind us exploded. And out came someone with a staff surging with lighning.

"LOOK OUT!" I nearly screamed before he shoved me aside after I tried to get him out of the way. He met this Eusorochiian head-on and he tried to get around that staff. But, the reach the lightning user got was too great. So, I decided to get involved by charging up my hand with magic.

And, when I got a moment to use it, I unleashed a wave of rusting magic. Weakening the staff to such a degree that it snapped when this guy missed and hit a steel beam. And, with that staff gone, my current companion slapped the guy away. A loud boom that should not have been that thunderous.

"Thank you." he quickly said before he slapped an opening into the wall that we would go on through.

"Wouldn't it have made more sense to get more help!?" I ask him just before he jumped over a low-hanging wall. One that I had to slowly hop over as I was nowhere as athletic as him.

"Too many and we'd get spotted."

"I think we just were!" I point out, referencing an event he most assuredly has not forgotten.

"She was a stray, always get a few idiots who go off on their own."

"You mean like us!?" I asked him, increasingly hysterical because of how we were hearing less and less wind blasts. More of the magic was beginning to sound like fire, lightning and water.

"You just disproved yourself." he told me with a straight face before we ran off again. This time, however, we came upon a fence made of metal wire. Yet, it was covered in some kind of plastic or paint. Either way, he was insisting I do something about it.

But, whatever this material was, it was thick enough to hold it all together even after I applied my magic. It also only rattled violently when he tried to do that slapping spell again. Then, he disappeared before he came back with an enemy. And, I panicked when a cloud of smoke and embers came my way.

"Move." he told me before he and this girl he brought got into a very hands-off fight. The pair of them both prodding the other with quick jabs and spells. Yet, the way this guy kept casting his spells gave me an idea. So, while she was focused on his continued assaults from his right, I charged from the left.

Bringing her down to the floor and keeping her there despite her protests. He even came in and helped and we managed to stop her from using her magic. I was then shown fingers that began counting down. And, when it ended, he ran towards the bit I rusted, yet, I was too slow.

"GAH!" I heard him growl when he took the spell meant for me. Then, he shoved this girl at the fence who in turn melted it before a lucky spell took her out.

"You alright?" I asked him as I really was not expecting him to save me like that.

"It's just there, get in there and bring it down." he dismissively ordered before he took up a position near one of the metal legs.

"How much?" I asked him, even though I had already started to rust it as much as I could.

"That'll do just fine." he told me before he slapped it down. Yet, the tower did not collapse.

"I'll take out the other one!" I said to him before I weaved around and began to rust it. Yet, it started to fall towards us and we had nowhere to go!

"COME ON!" he encouraged me after he came in and helped me catch it.

"MY MAGIC NEEDS TIME TO GO AWAY!" I point out, terrified of the idea of being crushed. Yet, this only made him double his efforts and his growls filled my ears alongside the screeching of the metal. And the twang of whatever those wires above were.

"Good job." he said before I received a pat on the back.

"WHAT'RE YOU DOING!?" I screamed as he had stopped trying to move it.

"Thanking you." he clarified before the metal thing suddenly jerked away from my hands.

"Huh?"

"There was another group waiting for a signal." he clarified before a bunch of accented screams went silent as the sounds of wind magic came back.

"I'm not doing that again..." I pant out before collapsing onto a box. Sighing my fatigue out again while he watched me.

"You might just have to, we have to push onwards in that direction to get to the goal." he tells me as he walks around the fence that would've trapped us moments ago.

"I'm sorry, but, I can't exactly go on here." I inform him before I wave him off.

"Because you're a pathetic ravineer who has no right to be a part of this institution?" he insulted out of nowhere.

"Your plan relied on me!" I nearly shouted as my body filled with energy and I moved over to him. Slapping on his chest but not moving him.

"And they will continue to do so." he said with a much kinder tone as a weak spell from him urged me on.

"No, you don't get to say that and ju-" I start to say before he shoves me to the ground. A conical-shaped projectile made of fire soared over mere moments after.

"So, what's your name?" he asked me before he got down to a knee to avoid some more spells coming at us from the village across the still green field. Even if it was rapidly being burnt down by fire and lightning.

"Baltanthan..." I utter as I slowly use my hands to get back to my feet. And, I dropped down just like he did while his gaze became fixated on the distant village.

"Michney, and, I need you to listen carefully."

"W-Why?" I asked as I moved closer to him, confused about this sudden concern from him.

"In the distance, can you see it, a mighty aura has just stepped into the arena." he told me, and, I went cold despite the fires burning around us.

"Exceptional House!?" I uttered in shock. Words that he only nodded to before he tore a pipe out of the ground.

"Most certainly, now, listen, get back to the main group, have them do what they can. Set up a firing line so we can whittle them down." he explained before he started to move in another direction away from the cover.

"Where are you going!?" I asked him with a hiss before jerking away from a bolt of magic.

"To see what I can do to help." he vaguely explains before he enters a full sprint and disappears into the burning woods.

"Great..." I groan before turning around so I could head back to everyone else. If I was lucky, she would not be here and I could hopefully just get my message through. However, I had no confidence that it would work. Just taking this small village was a nightmare in and of itself.

And it was by a miracle we have only been fighting those on our level so far. Then, all of a sudden, the ground shook and a shockwave washed over us in a tide of dust. It scared me, because I could also see the remnants of a spell linger in the air. A huge, towering cloud that went so high it flattened out in the clouds...

"EVERYONE! EXCEPTIONAL HOUSE IS HERE!" I scream to them once I stumble back to where everyone else was. Yet, they were a little preoccupied with getting debris off of others. And, I was quickly pressed into service to try and get it off.

"AH! IT'S IN MY LEG!" the girl under me screamed as men were directed about to use our internal magic. And, maybe a few instinctual behaviours as well. Either way, this girl was soon being dragged away in tears while leaving a bloody trail.

"What's this about Exceptional House?" someone asked me quietly after we had moved to another spot to free someone.

"That explosion just now, it's one of them!" I whisper back to him for some reason as my previously ignored news spread like wildfire.

"W-What're we going to do!?" he asked me with a shiver and quake in his voice. And, I could not blame him, how could anyone.

"Don't scare our teammates, Ravineer." a certain someone scoffed as she shoved me against a wall. But, while I was growling out my frustrations at her, she took command of the situation.

"Fellow leaders, take a look around, this is what our power can do! On our own, we might fall, but together, even Exceptionals will fall!" she cheered. And, to my despair, she was joined by those who were just as cocky as her. Which, unfortunately, seemed to involve a lot of our leaders... She wasn't seriously considering sending our best fighters at an Exceptional like this!?

"WHAT'RE YOU DOING!? WE NEED TO EITHER PULL BACK AND LET THE ODDITY'S HANDLE IT OR DULL IT SO WE CAN FINISH THEM OFF!" I roar into her face. Enraged that she would want to do something so foolhardy.

"Do not get in my face!" she snaps at me before she sends me flying with a push. A display of magical superiority that only got everyone laughing at me. At least, those who agreed with her. And, just like that, I watched helplessly as she halved our numbers...

An Exceptional had taken to the field, and she was content to make us failures. And soon, I was left looking up at staff-holders and spell chanters. The lesser runts of Suhurlodst Academy of Arcane Learning and Understanding that had chosen to take part. The worst of the worst as some might say.

Even for a place as storied and revered as this...

"What're we going to do?" one person asked.

"That spell still lingers in the sky!" another said with awful fear. Her shaking finger spreading into others as despair settled in.

"WE NEED TO RUN FOR IT! GET TO THE END!" one cried before I grabbed him by the shoulder and forced him to stay still.

"No! If we march out like that, we'll just get picked off by House Oddity as well!" I tell him just in time for another great explosion to happen.

"TO THE OUTSKIRTS!" someone roared before more buildings started to collapse when the shockwave came by again. Yet, I could not find the courage to move, and, instead, I found myself trapped under brick and steel.

"Hey! HEY!" I began to shout as it became clear I was one of many left behind in the chaos. Then, when I could only hear the pain of the newly trapped and retrapped. I fell to the ground and hid my face behind my hands. Maybe, if I was lucky, the Exceptional would ignore or miss us.

"Someone, please..." I heard a girl cry. It was as if I could here her body convulse and bleed. All around me was just the sounds of pain. I just did not know what to think of it all.

I knew coming in here would've exposed me to unpleasant sights as this was an arena of battle. I even thought I would be able to stomach it as I have seen what Nin can do. I've been with him as he tore apart animals so we could then eat it the coming night or that morning. Yet, hearing the voice of people made it different.

"IS ANYONE STILL ALIVE!?" I heard Michney roar in question before the rubble began to move. Cries of thanks soon drowned out the pain as others began to beg for aid. And, soon, I was face-to-face with him again. Yet, unlike the others, I was just trapped, not injured.

"I wasn't able to do what you asked." I tell him with a rather flat tone given my circumstances. Yet, he did not seem to care. Instead, he just focused on getting me out until a gloved hand reached in for me.

"I'm not done with you yet, Baltanthan. Traditional House still needs you." he confidently spoke to me as I took his hand and was pulled out. And, what I saw when we got out only made me want to get back in there. We were left with even fewer people who could help.

"How many of us are there?" I asked when I noticed how others were beginning to file in.

"Eight-hundred fighting witches." Michney answers before he begins the process of making us march out of this village.

"N-No, hold on!" I complain before I slip out of his grip.

"It can wait." he says calmly before he rests a leg on a pile of bricks.

"No, it can't. You ran off to do something, and now you're back!"

"I am, I am here to make sure my House wins." he says after getting on top of the rubble.

"ARE YOU BLIND!?" someone roared up at him before all the injured began to remind him of their state.

"I AM NOT, BUT YOU ARE! ALL OF YOU CAN STILL FIGHT! ALL OF YOU CAN STILL CAST AND CHANT! DO YOU NOT REMEMBER THE SONG!?"

"THAT'S JUST A STORY YOU IDIOT!"

"YES, A STORY OF HOW THE WEAK BROUGHT DOWN THE MIGHTY WITH WILL! WITH DETERMINATION! UNLESS YOU MEAN TO TELL ME EACH ONE OF YOU ARE COWARDS! BECAUSE I NEED BRAVE MEN! POWERFUL WITCHES!" he roared, shaming us all while provoking us all.

"WE ARE NOT COWARDS! WE WON THE BATTLE FOR THIS VILLAGE!"

"And now you will win the Inter-House Talent Display." he tells us before he hops down and walks off. Yet, he did not do so alone, because steadily, people were filtering in after him. I myself was amongst these people. I had been a victim of his leadership, after all.

I had seen that he could, in fact, lead us to some kind of victory. And, even as a few spells flew by him, he kept his head high as a small army gathered around him. Quickly, I then made my way to the front to speak with him. Maybe I could at least get some details about this.

"Wouldn't it make sense to go with your plan, to hold the line?" I ask him before he tsks and shakes his head.

"No, I went off to see what that spell was like. We would just get wiped out if we held the line in a town." he explains as we came up upon a ridge. His hand spanned out to the horizon that was dotted with vast craters. And, all I could see was a single person walking amongst the debris. No doubt the Exceptional who had done all this.

"So what is the plan now?"

"We make way for the arena exit. Bottleneck them into a place they cannot run from." he tells us, but, his plan took us straight past them...

"That exit?" I asked him, hoping he would clarify it to be a different one.

"No, that one." and his words made my fear right.

"Okay, h-how do you propose we get there?" I ask him. Some despair made its way out of my dried out lips.

"Under the cover of fools." he says before his pipe gestures to the group made up by her cronies... He was willing to let her group be wiped out just to beat one Exceptional...?

"And when they are wiped out?" I ask.

"You come with me, just like before." he tells me before he pats my back and smirks.

.

.

.

"SPREAD OUT! SPREAD OUT!" I roar in desperation to those I had come down here with. We had even ended up teaming with the remaining Oddity students just to fight this Exceptional. But he was just toying with us! Our escape was gone and now he was making a point of coming for us directly.

"Pffft, can't believe he chastised me over this. You guys are weak." this Exceptional scoffed before he suddenly appeared and made another group disappear. Each one going down with just one punch or kick from his armoured fists.

"FALL BACK!" I scream before I let loose a few magic blasts at him in the hopes it would do something. But, his armour was not for show in the slightest despite its ornate nature.

"Going somewhere?" he asked me casually when he suddenly appeared behind me. Yet, a quick turn around and blast managed to keep his hands away from me.

"HELP!" I scream as an emerald orb more pure than any I have ever seen before forms in his hands. He then turned his back on me despite my desperate barrage that hit him each time.

"And, up she goes." he casually says before the shockwave of his throw sends me to the ground. And, I froze up with terror before another shockwave sent me flying. The sky's brief emerald light blinded me before specks of dirt and stone began to rain down. Thankfully, as well, that attack seemed to make him forget about me.

So I scurried to my feet and ran as fast as I could away from him. My prior bravado was but a mere ancient memory now. So forgotten that it might as well have been a legend in itself. And, my reality was instead to keep falling into the mud.

"Gods help me." I cry and sniffle while I hug my back against a trench someone's magic had made before. Each explosion I heard from then on made me flinch while the power of it shook through me. Even after going through so much earth, it still held terrible strength...

"MOVE! MOVE!" I heard someone confidently order despite what had just happened. And, when I peeked over the trench, I saw that ravineer and someone else leading those we left behind. They were pushing forward onto the exit. What I did next was obvious, I chased after them with desperate courage.

Hoping, just hoping so much that I could at least force my way to the front, "No, you're staying out here." the Ravineer said to me when his hand suddenly grabbed my shoulder.

"GET OFF ME!" I scream before I found myself surrounded by others.

"As he said, Rosheney. You will form up with us." my brother tells me before he brings me to my feet and gently slaps the mud off my face. And, I felt more so angry now. Because not only had that Ravineer embarrassed me by catching me, my own, weaker brother was now leading us...

"ARE YOU BLIND!?" I roared in question once my rage caught up with my struck down pride.

"No, unlike you." my brother chastised before he had someone sharpen the edge of the pipe he had.

"We need to get out here..." I told him in a quieter tone while the Ravineer kept watching us.

"Indeed, and we will head that way." my brother tells me after he rose up.

"So, why the point?" the Ravineer asks before his hand is suddenly taken and cut on the pipe.

"To break that armour." my brother tells him while he withholds a hiss of pain. And, while he did that, my brother used that stupid spell of his to hammer the blood into the pipe.

"Blood magic runes?" I question as the metal began to rust slowly but still at a visible speed. Like how a liquid steadily pours down the side of a glass after you had a drink.

"I doubt Baltanthan here will be able to get close enough, so, here's something that might." my brother says before he rallies those near him to follow. Yet, because he lingered behind, I ended up being pushed forward by him. Provocative blasts thudding on my back as a weak spell kept me moving.

"He's not thorough." the Ravineer comments as we watch the Exceptional student march forward to the next village.

"He's overconfident." my brother says as his eyes slowly turn to me. A red sensation fired up in my cheeks when I met that gaze as well.

"Do we even have the numbers to survive an attack on him?"

"We do." my brother nods as he turns back to look at the others as they gather up at the exit. If no one else came through there, that was what would beat this Exceptional...

"Let's get this over with, then, before my heart gives out." someone I did not know commented before everyone started to run towards the Exceptional. Yet, my feet were rooted to the ground and my brother came back to get me moving. And, to my further embarrassment, he carried me to do so.

"PUT ME DOWN!" I squeal into his ear with as much strength as I could before we suddenly drop. An emerald orb barely missing us before our path explodes at nearly point-blank. Yet, it wasn't as powerful as all the others. So, the Exceptional must have been too close?

"Alright, I'm game. Let's see what you Trads have!" the Exceptional mocked with a howl of laughter.

"Surround him, don't get close." my brother tells the group before they start the attack. Yet, once again, I could not move as I was scared. I had seen up close how powerful this Exceptional was, so why were they still going after him!? And, as if to prove my point, screams and tearing flesh filled my ears.

"COME ON! TRY HARDER!" the Exceptional barked with a thunderous boom before one of my fellow Traditionals soared over me. A brief flash signalling his removal from the event.

"Dammit, DAMMIT!" I began to say before I charged out to try and help my brother. Only to then freeze up again when I made it up to the top. Everyone was gone, they were either crippled or whisked away already...

"Get him!" my brother struggled to get out to me as he was choked by the armoured Exceptional.

"Maybe I should look for some Odds. They got fancy magic, after all." the bored tyrant of the battlefield complained.

"G-Get off my brother!" I struggle to get out before I let out a pathetic blast of magic at him. But, he just casually flicked it so it would explode prematurely. The finger he used wasn't even so much as scratched!

"Oh, you again." he comments before my brother is suddenly slammed into and buried under collapsing mud.

"MICHNEY!" I scream before I am suddenly shoved to the ground myself. And, before I could even scramble even a slight distance away. His hand was already on my ankle.

"Spin? Spin." the Exceptional asks before a loud metal clang fills our ears.

"Keep your attention on her..." the Ravineer lets out, terrified as he backs away.

"Hey, watch the armour!" the Exceptional complains before he tears out the sharpened pipe.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" my brother then roars in time with me also hearing a wet, slicing noice.

"MICHNEY!" I cry again as I scramble to my feet. Only this time, I kept on going until I was next to his bloodied body. One leg gone because of that damn pipe.

"Now, little Trad, you damaged my armour. So, I am going to have some words with you." the Exceptional said to the Ravineer before he too was picked up and choked. Yet, I did not care.

.

.

.

"GAH!" I struggled to get out as the coward she always was ran away with Michney. A limb left behind but a life saved under any normal circumstance.

"Tell you what, apologize, and I'll give you a quick disqualification, yes?" the Exceptional asked me as metals twisted and tore my skin. Each fleck of mud stung even more than the metal as they were rubbed into the wounds.

"H-How about this for an apology!?" I said to him as I began to apply my magic to his body and arm as I struggled to get out.

"H-Hey! HEY!" he roared before I was sent flying towards the exit.

"Bugger..." I coughed out while I also struggled to fill my lungs. No one came for me either, I was just on my own with a pissed off Exceptional charging me. Then, in desperation, I held up my hand and tried to focus my magic on it. But, I wasn't able to get anything to come, even as he stood above me.

Steamy rage vented out of his helmet as his armour flaked and corroded. And, as if to mock me, he held up his own hand, and casually summoned his magic. Yet, he did not laugh. All I heard was under-the-breath insults and swears.

"FIRE!" Michney then suddenly roared to which the exit behind me lit up with hundreds of spells. The sudden barrage interrupted the Exceptional and he was sent stumbling back a mere step. The tide, however, was quickly put under control and I was forced to bear the brunt of his aura. So powerful that it seemingly burned my skin and tore my wounds open even more.

"Gah, annoying Trads." the Exceptional cursed while I fumbled through the mud for anything I could use to protect myself. He was so focused on the barrage right now that he had left me alone. Yet, it wasn't like I could go anywhere. Either my own House would shred me to pieces or his aura would tear me apart!

"HEY! FAILURE!" I then decided to roar up at the exceptional once I had covered a rock with my blood.

"Quiet!" he said as he slapped me down. But, I quickly got back up and struck his helmet with the rock. Focusing all that rusting magic straight onto his helmet so I could break it on the next go. And I kept on going even as he began to beg for me to stop.

And soon, I had a rock that had more of his blood on it than mine. A blue flash then led to me gently thudding onto the floor and I was left hiding on the ground until the barrage ended. It was a little too late in ending, in my opinion, but, the end came. Unfortunately, it did not take long either for House Oddity to come back.

The Exceptional had been a mere delay to the greater conflict we were, in a strange way enjoying...

"I need to make sure my head is on straight..." I quietly comment as I slowly get up and am barraged by cheers instead.

"HE DID IT!"

"THE EXCEPTIONAL IS GONE!" was mostly the sort of stuff I heard. But, I felt like it was premature. We had an Inter-House still to win, no? Yet, I can't say I hated it, in fact, it made me look smugly down at her.

The over-confident moron that nearly spelled doom for us all. However, I did feel some sense of concern for her brother. He, unlike her, was bearable. He, in fact, probably put me in the position to take that Exceptional out.

"You alright?" I asked him as he shuddered and ground his teeth.

"Just fine." he told me, a smile cracking into existence while his sister lost all concern.

"Get going already!" she demanded before she sent him out of the event by pressing his tag.

"Now what, Baltanthan?" someone then asked me as everyone suddenly turned to me for leadership. And, I did not know what to do. I was never a leader before. Yet, I knew why this might've happened.

And I looked down disapprovingly at the suspect who just crossed her arms. I then turned back to everyone else as they gathered around or tapped out. Their injuries from the Exceptional too much to bear. Yet, some seemed willing to just power through it.

"To the end?" I said with a shrug as I did not know what else to say. Yet, they all cheered and we ended up marching on down the arena exit. Maybe whoever else was still here would be content to fight the Oddity students. But we had a goal to reach before anyone else.

And, now that I had something propping up my confidence, I was excited by the prospect of victory. It wasn't just an intangible, maybe it'll happen thing in my head. It was a goal I could actually see us getting to!

I might've even been getting ahead of myself in my head by imagining us breaking through Exceptionals to get there! Either way, that battle left those of us left sure of one thing. The Exceptionals could very much be beaten, we just had to avoid playing it like them. We could not go fist-to-fist or spell-to-spell, so we had to be smart about it.

Target their egos, target their pride and insecurities. Play it dirty or play it sudden and ferociously. A chance was there, we ourselves just had to keep our wits about is. Thankfully, that Exceptional's power kept everyone in check.

I might've just beaten one with their help, but we all saw what that one could do. This arena was kept to the same magic level as the ground everything was built on. So, if he was to fight out there, he wouldn't seem weaker... And, that terrified me a little, knowing that is the kind of power Exceptionals have.

Better yet, we were all just students, not actual, full-fledged witches yet... Very few of us would even compare to an actual war witch or any of the famous adventurers about the land. But, this event would be a step in the direction of becoming such things. And, maybe it is about time I started to think of a new goal.

I had reached Suhurlodst, and now, I needed to become one of the greats!