"LOOK OUT!" someone screamed behind me before another giant saw blade launched out of the wall. But, despite their worries, it shattered on my arm like thin glass on rock.
"Why not just wait until I have gone ahead?" I asked them before my next step set off some kind of focused magic bomb. One that seemed to be trying to tear me apart by focusing its power directly into me. Yet, like every other trap, it was too weak to so much as bother me. I was not surprised, this was made for young students.
Not someone who was once a Valkinvar...
"We are on a timer, mind you!" one of the boys nearly shouted as those behind me switched between careful movement and trailing behind me.
"And I have made it clear I am not here to win this event." I remind them before I set off even more traps. Only moving to respond whenever it was something designed to knock me off my feet.
"And why not!? It's one of the biggest events of the year! It's the Suhurlodst Academy of Arcane Learning and Understanding Inter-House Talent Display!" I was enthusiastically reminded by someone unable to wrap their head around my obvious ulterior motive.
"If it means so much to your confidence and pride to win this, then go on ahead." I tell them before I intentionally start to set traps off to drive them off. It had worked, to some extent, but, they were not weaklings, these students. They were still the best this place had to offer, so quite a few kept up with me.
So, I came to a stop and closed my eyes. Reaching out with an ethereal grip with a degree of skill many of them would not have for decades to come. And, when I found what I was looking for, I lifted a fist and punched down a wall. Standing at the hole's side as the dust cloud dissipated.
"What you want is that way, keep going forward." I tell them, the simplicity of my instructions confuses many. But, I left it simple because this was meant to be, as they loved to remind me, a talent display. They needed to win on their own merits here, not mine.
"Then why are you headed that way?" one girl asks me as she fiddles around with the strings on her instrument.
"Personal business, now go." I tell them one final time before I set off even more traps. And, that seemed to encourage the last few to leave me alone. Yet, just in case, I shot off down a tunnel at my fighting speed to put some distance between us. Hopefully, as well, the shockwave would warn them off even more.
However, now I could say that I was lost. I was originally following the proverbial scent of foreign magic. As that would lead me to the one I most sincerely wanted to see gone... But, having done what I just did.
The scent had spread itself out, and I could no longer make a good guess as to where that thing might be. A distant light, however, seemed to be the best route as I could feel a slightly familiar aura of magic. Undisturbed as it might be. In fact, whoever this aura belonged to was not threatened at all.
They were enjoying themselves while not fighting...?
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"Helllo? Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-llllllllllllllllllllllllllllll-oh!" I called out to the vast chamber I was in. And, I smiled when my voice echoed back to me. Then, I looked down into the strange square that was below me in this carefully put together room. Something also perplexed me, because, I had a feeling this place needed music.
But, I was left crossing my arms and pouting before long. No one was here and I did not want to leave this place until someone had come. Yet, it had been a short while and still, no one had come since the wall snatched me away. I couldn't even annoy my sister...
"This is BORING!" I then spoke before I screamed in frustration. If I left here, I might miss one of my friends! So I could not leave this place until something interesting happened, at the very least... But no one had come yet!
"AH!" someone then all of sudden yelped before they just suddenly appeared on the floor. A clear sense of relief went across their face when they found out their instrument survived the brief drop.
"Hello?" I said with a small wave as I leaned down from the stage-like place to look at them.
"What House!?" she asked me with an alert voice before light suddenly flooded the place. My answer did not even need to come as my hair gave it away. And my skin tone. And my clothes.
Basically, everything about little, special, old, but not actually me!
"Hello!" I repeated again with a smile as a bunch of others with instruments suddenly appeared.
"Clarman!" the boy with the large, metal, barrel-like instrument let out when he saw the girl who had ignored me.
"There's an Oddity!" this Clarman, pointed out rudely. And, I cross my arms and frowned at her.
"I have a name!" I said with a gentle stomp of my foot before they all suddenly set themselves up.
"And we're Dangerous Sound!" Clarman said to me without even asking for my name first.
"Rude!" I said before I blew a raspberry at them, sick of them already. Only to then dance around a spell that formed out of the long whistle one of them had. Well, it wasn't a whistle, but it reminded me of one!
"A dancer, hm? Well, let's see if this will help you escape." she confidently said to me before she started to play. And while she did not sing, it was clear she was really eager to. However, despite how seriously they were all taking it, I was quite enjoying the game-like nature of it all. Their attacks matched the sounds and beat of the music.
So it made my favourite thing to do all the more fun because now there was a sense of tension! A kind of excitement you did not really get when dancing. Well, there was the entrance exam, but I was worried for my friend there.
"Come on, give me a faster tempo!" I taunted them with before I laughed as I span around their three-dimensional, magical music notes. The guy who was on the large instrument, however, I had to use my magic to block as his spell made a big one.
"You heard her!" Clarman sang before she furiously danced her fingers about while her ear listened closely to the instrument. And that stick thing she had, I thought it was going to burst alight! That was how fast she was going!
"Oops!" I let out before I used my magic to block some kind of attack from under me. The one playing this strange box with keys on it was making the floor dangerous too! And, even as the spells steadily started to wear me down and sometimes scrape me. I was still having fun as it was still music.
"NOW!" Clarman shouted before a large blast suddenly sent me flying into the wall.
"Ow..." I let out seriously before I shook my bleeding head. A few tears in my eyes as that had interrupted my fun. I know I really should have taken this seriously, but I couldn't help it. This was music!
I had to dance to it!
"AGAIN!" that same girl shouted before another such blast came at me. A smaller one from under blasting me towards it. But, I cut through the larger spell and crashed down with a magnificent splash.
"Very well, I will take this seriously." I said to my not-present sister who would've likely been telling me off. She did not like it when I joked around during moments like these. And that blast that had hit me reminded me why I needed to take this seriously. The safety measures helped prevent death, they did not stop injuries from happening.
"Dance until you drop, then!" Clarman told me before she conducted her group into a far more aggressive tune. One that had sudden spikes in pitch and an almost scary atmosphere to it. I was even worried that what I heard would hurt me too! Thankfully, it did not.
So, any spell that neared me I could kick and dodge. The larger ones I had to dance in preparation before a stunning final move stopped them in their tracks. And, what I usually used to enhance my performance, the flicks of water. Had become my means to predict what they were going to do.
The slightest disturbance on those bubbles of water and I spun out the way. Or, I stomped the air and let my magic build up. Soon, a whirlwind of violent water was surrounding me and it was growing. Each twist and turn only making it go faster.
And, then, it exploded with even greater force than when it was spinning!
"Are you alright!?" Clarman asked her band and clearly, her dear friends while I was picking myself up off the wet wall. They had set off another large spell, but, it just collided with mine and backfired on all of us. I hadn't even realised they had done so!
So I guess I still wasn't taking this seriously...? Or, had my love of dancing blinded me to such a development...?
Yet, now was my chance to interrupt this group and pick them off. I only needed a source of music, they needed each other. So, I first went for the one I felt like was the worst one. The boy with the drums.
"ANZHUB!" some of them screamed in shock when I slid under the others and sent him flying. My feet having struck his own instrument and making it a weapon for me to use. Yet...
Being in the air did not make him defenceless. And he picked up his drums before his landing detonated the surrounding landscape. An earthquake-like feeling soon began to rumble through the arena now as well. As each hard slap or rapid tap reverberates powerful magic throughout the place.
"W-W-Woah!" I let out in surprise as my throat shook from all the vibrations and tremors. Then, I was suddenly flung to the ground when a powerful blast emanated from him. I was unsure if it hurt, but, it was disorienting. And I was soon trapped between his magic and the others.
But that only made me dance with more skill and determination. I even began to spin in the air and somersault through the gaps in their magic. Each roll or hop brought me ever closer to the drummer who was calming down. So, maybe, I had to deal with the others first?
Yet, he also kept making me want to get rid of him as all this shaking was upsetting my tummy.
"Left, right, one, two!" I started to repeat over and over until I was close enough to hook my foot around his instrument slightly. Yet, that was still enough to send it crashing away from us.
"Dirris!" I heard spoken before I was suddenly lashed at by enhanced strings. So fine that they cut into me like a sword or knife might.
"AH!" I screamed in pain as I began to get tangled up in the potent string. But, once I was done shivering in pain and crying a little, I noticed they had to sacrifice their instrument to do this.
"GET HER!" Dirris cheered as the others began to focus their magic on me once again.
"Come on, come on!" I begged the string as I tried to break free of it. Just barely slipping out with a mixture made of my greasier blood and my limitless water magic. An unsettling sensation, however, filled me when I saw my blood in my magic. It was distracting and worrying.
"GET HER!" one of them then shouted when I finally broke through the string. But, in doing so, I had dug it deeper and had gashed open my legs.
"Some help would be appreciated..." I tearfully joke as I tried to clog up the wounds with my water magic. Yet, I was given no room to breathe and I was quickly back on the defensive.
"KEEP HER OFF-BALANCE!" one of them sang before a blast of magic flew up from under me. Yet, I was able to flip over it before falling down when the impact made my wounds squirt. My vision was even growing hazy at this point...
Too much blood...?
"No, come on, I have to last so I ca-" I began to say to myself before another blast of magic crushed me against the wall.
"AGAIN!" one of them shouted before my stumbling form was flung back against the wall. Then, I just fell down and silently cried as my magic wavered before it spilt out around me. With it, the colour of my blood that it was trying to hold back.
"Aw... I wanted to do this with my friends..." I whined with a sniffle before I rescinded myself to being kicked out of the event. But, when I suddenly started to feel cold, I felt life fill me up and I shot up to my feet. Jittering about, hoping to find my sister somewhere ready to help.
It wasn't, however, it was just my body giving up. Yet, this might've been my sister helping me after all. Because I was no longer treating this with any kind of brevity. It might have been spilling, but, I could feel my heart pounding ferociously.
I could do this... I could!
"One final song for you." Clarman uttered before she tapped her foot so her group would gather around her. And, of course, as they did that, I struggled to maintain form. Because, if they were going to sing for me. I could at least dance for them.
Their gentle tune started off soft, but, I could see the magic building up. This truly was their namesake. Yet, as the rhythm and power slowly travelled towards me, I began to move. One step forward, another step back. A slide to the side and a twist to bring it back around.
And while my face contorted and warped with each bit of pain I felt, I kept on going. I kept on dancing until I was ready to start moving towards them. The main spell had yet to come, but, they were not just using one method to stop me. Smaller projectiles were also getting in my way.
There was a pattern to them, a chorus as it were. And as they kept their song going, I figured it out. What started as me painfully trying to avoid attacks turned into a learned dance. One that dictated where I would go to be safe while I built up magic of my own.
Each twist and wobble and swivel swirled that power around me while the chamber filled with green light. To counteract their own harassment as well, I started to call on the water I had spilt prior. My blood, corrupting as it may be to my water's beauty, it was helpful. Because the blood helped me grasp onto it and manipulate it.
Then, all of a sudden, a yelp, a scream of surprise and the stutterings of shock. That magic was interrupting them and the larger spell was growing slower and slower. The music even had to change because some instruments were called away. Yet, they could not stop my magic from building up.
I may have wanted to be with my friends like these lot were. My magic, however, did not need friends to be strong. I used my magic to entertain them. And an entertainer had to be able to stand on their own!
"Shkcias porll ala mewcika!" I thanked them in my own tongue before I leapt towards them. Twisting and turning with my gathered up magic swirling about me. And, I brought it down upon them before they could stop it. A booming crash then interrupted all of the music.
And I heard the crashing of the waves once again as my magic flooded the area. A disturbing mix of choking and other noises one might hear from a drowning person also could be heard. So, I quickly dispelled the spell once I had heard enough of it. Then, I slowly started to smile as I was of the impression I had just won!
But, the sound of coughing and choking quickly brought me back into a serious state. Yet, no spells would come at me and no magic could be sensed. Most importantly, no music. It was just coughing.
"Are you alright?" I asked Clarman as she laid before me, weakly clutching onto the wall.
"No... No..." she said before she spat out some of my magic. I was left frowning yet she was smiling once she had finished coughing.
"Why are you smiling?" I cautiously asked her just before looking about. Was she smiling because the rest of her group were about to attack!? Was she just bait!? How did they come up with a plan like this!?
"It's alright, they're all gone." she uttered with awe as she continued to smile. A small trickle of blood made it down her head as it became clear she had gone head-first against the stone.
"I repeat my question..." I say, unsettled by the smile right now.
"You are an incredible dancer..." she answers with a gaping smile as her eyes look at me as if she had fallen in love.
And, I blushed as if we were, "Th-Thank you..." I beamed out while twisting my foot on the wet stone.
"Truly, you are amazing... You beat us by learning our music... I couldn't dream of a better way to lose!" she cheered before she flinched in pain. And, despite my sudden attempts to try and heal her. It being my instinctive reaction.
She declined for an obvious reason, "Your music was nice too... When it wasn't..." I said back to her, not wanting to be the only one being complimented. Yet, I could not ignore the harsh truth about that music. My legs and body were a torn-up mess now and it hurt badly...
I could clot the wounds to some extent. But, there was no way I was making it through another fight. Especially if that fight lacked a rhythm for me to get used to! Even then, I was probably going to just get kicked out of the event.
"Say, when this is all over. How about you come to Exceptional House and dance for us? We won't try to kill you as well." she offered with a joke at the end. I even still giggled at it despite what it referred to.
"That would be nice." I chirped as I began to shake my hips a little at the thought of it.
"Anyway, you best get me out of here. I'm no good on my own. Our magic works best as a full band!" she told me, full of pride at what she and her friends could do.
"Uh, I'd rather not play a role like that..." I nervously told her as the idea of just hitting her with magic to get her out was unsettling. It was like I was being asked to just execute someone!
"Then, at least be the one to tell the entirety of Suhurlodst Academy of Arcane Learning and Understanding that you earned this!" she said, encouraging me with eager flicks of her wrist. That device we were all given shook about her wrist as she did so.
"Okay then." I relented as I moved closer to her wrist and held it in my hands.
"That button there yes."
"Okay..." I quietly uttered while my finger hovered near the button.
"But, those words you said, what were they?"
"I said 'thank you for the music' in my tongue." I answer with a small smile. I did enjoy finding a moment to speak the tongue Mummy spent so long teaching me.
"I see..." she sighs out happily, "Then, let me say it again, thank you for the performance. It was excellent!" she complimented once again. And, in a fit of embarrassment, I slammed my finger on the button and she just vanished like that.
"Ow... Ow..." I let out as I slowly got up to my feet. Hobbling to the nearest exit as now it was clear I needed to seek help. I couldn't just wait for it, so, hopefully, I could wander to my sister. I was familiar with her magic and she was with mine.
So, maybe calling out to her with it would bring us back together. And, then that could roll into us finding the others! We could win this event and enjoy the victory party! And even if there wasn't one, we could still make one ourselves!
"I even know where I can get music for the party!" I giggled as my hand slapped the walls as I slowly moved down a passageway.
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"This is, peculiar." I commented as I walked past all manners of people dressed in familiar yet strange clothing. Glowing pictures were all around me as well. With their messages clearly focused on many things. From an animal that reminded me of Waionr's loyal beast to a bottle with a red label.
If I did not have a goal in mind, I might've explored the world these students had created. Yet, I did have one in mind, so I just kept on going. Briefly flying every now and then to the surprise of no one. However, despite me flying, none of these people were.
"They aren't even acknowledging me." I said with a clear sense of shock in my voice. Even back in Thurn's Forge, the home of the Valkinvar, people still watched us! They still looked up in awe as one of us flew by them or even walked by. Granted, I had none of my gear, but still!
I was flying as if it was a natural thing and none of them even cared. They still continued to not even care when I dropped back down. The sudden force even cracked the pavement and they still kept on going about their fictional days. It was such an odd thing to be unnerved about as well.
I guess, being a soldier, I was too used to people looking my way when I came in. The power of a Valkinvar turned the heads of even the most magically inept. We could control it easily and with great finesse, but, even then, you could still feel it! No one here, however, seemed to care or feel it.
So, I decided on flying up and away from the streets. Primarily, so I could find the exit to this place, yet, to also escape the weird people. And, as I rose up higher and higher, I saw what this city looked like from up above. It was a very regimental place, one made on a grid of some kind and I could see its flaws clearly.
Those vehicles they were driving were clogging up the streets and it clearly frustrated these people. Yet, they still carried on as if it were a normal thing to experience. Even the sky seemed relatively busy as there were these strange machine birds coming in all over the place. None came too close to this island we were on, however.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
"A whole city, just for a school tournament..." I let out in awe once I reached a statue extending from a tall, square building. Most of the buildings were square, in fact, but this one stood high above them all. Its spear-like top makes it reach even higher. Unfortunately, though, I could only see more of this city or other ones.
There was no out of place opening for me to go through... There was, however, a great aura of magic coming from the large strip of greenery in this city. This greenery was blocky too. like the rest of the city. And, that is where I started to float towards as maybe they knew the way out.
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"This looks nice." I comment as I walked through a bright, moonlit field. It had flowers that had petals that shined like the single moon in the sky. The grass was translucent and had an eerie beauty to it. And the sky was just full of these little lights and bright patterns that seemed cloud-like.
And, as I walked through this place, occasionally, I ran a gloved hand along the foliage. I began to feel as if my words did not paint the right picture when it came to this place. I had said it so casually when I had entered this place. Yet, I was completely enamoured by it all in so short a time.
It wasn't just the looks of this place either, everything about it was so calming! The gentle rushing of distant water and the sweet smell of the blooming flowers. If it wasn't for the fact I had been separated from my friends and those who could keep me safe... I'd be enjoying it all to its fullest extent.
However, as that detail came back to the forefront of mind. I started to realise a whole lot more that this place was not safe. Even if it did have everything it needed to be a relaxing place. Even a romantic one if I was still with Nin.
But now I couldn't stop squirming and blushing at the idea of Nin being here. A beautiful backdrop to a beautiful confession sealed by the kiss I have waited for patiently... Yet, I then came to a stop and grew worried. It was under a beautiful night sky like this that Nin took the bracelet off, it was a garden too...
Of course, I shouldn't be assuming things here, Nin clearly had a lot on his mind. But, still, it having happened, I can't help but feel the ideal confession had been poisoned. At the same time, however, maybe it was that rejection that would make the eventual one all the sweeter. After all, it would mean I made him fall for me...
"Oh, no, Einervaene, focus!" I giggled to myself while trying to hide my blush from the world around me.
"Yes, Einervaene, focus!" someone suddenly said before a spell narrowly missed me. The jump of shock I went through having saved my life from a circle blade. One that cleanly cut through the earth and the flowers with ease before it headed back. As fast as it was here as it was going back.
"R-Right... Tournament thing." I mutter with less visible embarrassment as I straighten myself out. Staff held firmly up while my opponent twirled their wrists and fingers. Razor-sharp hoops of bright, emerald wind magic on each of her limbs. And, I was growing very worried, because that magic looked awfully bright...
Yet, everything here had a peculiar brightness to it. Even my own magic seemed to be turning white from how much brightness it had. But, I did not have time to observe her as she quickly attacked once again. And it did not take much for me to fall to the ground.
"H-Hey, hold on!" I pleaded before narrowly avoiding one of her blades that had carved its way towards me. Just then, I barely made it back to my feet before some more spells came my way.
"No, I quite like the advantage I have." she quipped calmly before she began to make wild gestures. And, I shot myself up into the sky with my staff. Getting a clear view of the spells as they all sawed back to her.
Then, after dropping back down with the help of my staff. I thrust it up at her, hoping I could catch her with its spiked tip. Her magic, however, just reached her in time and she began to erode at my staff. Turning a once lethal pike into a smooth-tipped yet blunt stick.
The quick changing of my body into lightning, however, prevented that magic from being turned on me. And I was left panting at her when she backed away in fright at the sudden change. Yet, she did not stop and quickly went back to throwing her magic at me. It was difficult, but I think I was able to avoid most of it.
"Tsk." she tutted before her sly smirk was suddenly lit up by a green light.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" I screamed violently when one of these blades suddenly cut through my arm. Yet, because I was made of lightning right now, the pain was only a brief thing.
"Shock the shocker out of her shocking spell?" she asked before she started to overwhelm me with whistling blade after whistling blade. Thankfully, however, conducting my magic through my staff allowed me to counter some. But, I was also not skilled in doing so and some still made it through.
Then, when it finally did come to an end, she shot some kind of gust at me. And all the plants she had torn apart were suddenly blown into my face. And, while I was too busy getting plant matter out of my eyes. She charged.
Her pair of saws just barely missed my body but hit my arms just fine. The pain easily made me drop my staff. Then, I moved onto the back foot by her aggressive insistence. Her vicious swings just kept on coming.
"NO!" I screamed just before one of them struck across my arm. The attack somehow disabled my lightning form partially. And, I became terrified as my main way to keep an attacker away had been compromised.
"So all I have to do is cut along the dotted lines? Oh! I feel just like a kid again!" she cackled before she flipped away from me. A pair of her blades flew out of her hands before she landed gracefully.
"M-My staff!?" I let out as I struggled to keep my human hand away from those blades. Yet, now, she was aiming exclusively for my frame. And, I steadily felt my body fall apart in a way I could never like.
"Patchwork." she quickly pointed out before another gust got my face full of petals and stems. A sudden gasp then left me when I felt the continued presence of her blades in my gut. Thankfully, however, that area of me remained lightning. Even if my limbs were mostly not now.
"H-Hold on!" I tried to plead once again as my gut roared in pain.
"Win or lose!" she reminded me before I literally exploded. And, in the brief freedom that panic had given me. I realised that I had tried to turn into a lightning bolt...
But, of course...
"Annoying." she spat out as she got back up. That magic even clearly hurt her as she was covered in horrific burns now.
"I know what I need to do now..." I mutter before I make a desperate run for what I could only hope was my staff. Yet, the closer I got to it, the more desperate she herself became. And as that happened, her attacks grew larger. Her body became more involved.
What was once just little hoops of death became grand, hollow circles. They were slightly easier to predict given their size. But, it was also just as frightening because they came out not much slower. Yet, she was also keener to keep her distance now.
"Come back!" I confidently ordered once I got my staff again. And, I aimed it up the moment I did. Shooting over to her with the help of its runes and exploding once again.
"AH! S-Stings!" she screamed at first once she had finished retreating from the blast area. Yet, I was in no position to press the attack. The faulty casting of my original spell left me feeling sick and light-headed.
Everything was going numb again!?
"Huh...? I got over this!?" I frustratedly let out as I, thankfully, began to recover from a state of twitchiness. I, however, had no time to think about this, so I tried to run to her again. Only to see a splash of red before my eyes before a warm feeling covered my face.
"Keep your neck exposed for me!" she taunted as I recoiled at the sight of my blood dripping so much. She had gashed open my wrist and it was just spilling out.
"NO!" I defiantly shouted back before I plunged my finger against the wound. Welding my flesh shut once again with what little remained of my lightning form. And, I screamed to the gods for help as I did so.
"So you're not fragile as you look, big deal!" this girl shrugs before she begins to twirl a roped saw about on a magic string. And it was impossibly big compared to her other saws and blades...
"How am I...?" I asked myself as I stumbled backwards. Tears in my eyes as I finally got the pain under control. But, I quickly found the answer to my problem. My staff.
I had it made to offer me a means to use my lightning bolt spell, even without clouds. However, I could only go in the direction I aimed it at. And she had been making it nearly impossible to aim the staff. So she must've picked up on what it could do quickly...
Yet, she was also now not keeping the pressure on me. She had left herself open. So, I slowly and painfully brought the staff up. Making sure it was aimed directly at her.
Then, when she unleashed her magic, I used my own. And I easily avoided her vastly slower spell before I rematerialised by her side. Yet, this mistake of mine did not catch on until after I had grabbed her. But, it was too late to care by then.
We both knew it, and terror quickly spread across her face before I turned into my patchwork form. A vicious and disturbing reaction followed as she was quickly electrocuted into a crisp. Then, with a resounding thud, she hit the ground. The smell of her burnt flesh ruined the once sweet air this place had.
"Y-Yeah..." I let out once I realised I had won. But, the pain just came back and I fell down. Crying what tears I could before this girl slowly got back up again.
"I..." she barely got out before she struggled to get a spell going. Yet, she stopped when I quickly rose my staff tip at her.
"Lost." I finished for her before I shot through her as a lightning bolt.
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"Excuse me, do you know the way out of here?" I asked the careless fat man as he gorged himself on the food from this city. And, oddly, the people actually acknowledged him as he did so.
"Oh, do partake." he cheerfully offered before a thing was suddenly shoved in my face. Clearly, it was made of dough and had cheese on it. But, I did not want it or care for it. So I moved his greasy hand out of my face.
He then laughed before he ate it himself, "Can you answer my question, please?" I asked once again. Hoping my continued patience would at least get him to casually throw out the direction at the very least.
"Why leave? The food here is delicious!" he pointed out before he ate something else with equal gusto.
"So it might be, but I'm not hungry." I told him as I watched a pile of empty containers build up.
"Fine then, walk with me at the very least." he laughed out before he got up and moved. And, I quietly sighed, thankful I at least had a guide now. At the very least. Yet, I was doubting this guide as he dug into whatever he laid his eyes on...
Bread, sweets, meat, cheese, drinks... His gluttonous maw no limits until we finally reached a place with no vendors. No shops for him to quickly glance at or pillage. It was just a street now...
"Mechanical House have outdone themselves, haven't they?" he then asked me all of a sudden as he watched a bird.
"Yes, it is impressive." I honestly answered while still growing slightly impatient at how easy it was to distract him.
"You should learn to enjoy it, then."
That line made me frown, "I'm not here to enjoy someone's work." I tell him. A glare then slowly formed as that creature came to my mind.
"No, you are here to kill." he correctly said with his voice not missing a beat. He was sure he was right and he indeed was.
"And how would you know that?" I asked him anyway as I was pretty sure I have not displayed my intent outwardly.
"I'm an Errakurd, seeing the expressions of warriors is the natural order back home." he clarified before I saw him use his magic subtly to cook a piece of bread. Loud crunches then came from his mouth as he ate it.
"Can you lead me to the exit or not?" I asked him again, putting my foot forward to show my growing impatience. I had no quarrel with this man, but, I would if he continued to be a dawdling annoyance.
"I can, but-"
"Take me, then." I tell him as I let my magic flow out around him slightly. Yet, when he shivered in response, I only saw the excitement on his face.
.
.
.
"How adorably familiar." I comment with a smirk as I walked along the ice I was making. Smiling every now and then at the vast expanse of water I was in. However, unlike my sister, I made sure I wasn't taken in by the scenery. Instead, I focused on trying to get out of this place.
And that brought me to another interesting sight because there was someone playing in the water. Yet, despite how their magic interacted with the gentle waves, it felt off. It was clearly not water magic, or, at least, not just water magic. Either way, it was probably safe to keep my distance until I could decipher their intent.
"Hello there!" this voice cheerily greeted in a peculiar way. Their voice had seemingly jumped through all these bubbles and straight at me... Instead of waving back like my sister might have, I instead chose to prepare myself.
"Oddity or one of the others?" I asked her as the air around me grew cold. A freezing mist emanated from me while this person overflowed with bubbles.
"Not Odd-" she began to say before I launched a surprise attack. Hundreds upon hundreds of sharp icicles rained down on her. Yet, with a simple gesture, her bubbles intercepted them all. Her expression even reminded me of my sister.
A childish pout...
But, I did not let that stop me, so I kept launching various ice creations at her while also trying to dig a path. Her control over these bubbles, however, was simply too good for me to just dig through like this. Each one could easily intercept my attacks and block them. However, she could not retaliate by the looks of it.
"GAH!" I yelped out in pain when a bunch of projectiles suddenly dug into my back. And, I suddenly slid away on a hastily constructed slope of ice. From this safer spot, I was able to see what she had hit me with. Bubbles...
And, filled with a new paranoia, I kept my eyes on the water for any signs of bubbles. Only to then narrowly avoid a wind-lance that shot through my ice. It's fine hole was easy enough to cover up, but, it made one thing clear. I was not safe if I just stood around.
Thankfully, my new injuries were light, so I had no problems running and sliding around her. That field of bubbles, however, would not let me go close. Any attempts to get at her were stopped. Even if I made sure to drop an iceberg on her!
"Grrr, dammit!" I let out before I avoided some more attacks from her. One nearly even came close to slicing my leg off along with a chunk of ice.
"This could've been avoided you know! If you weren't such a rude animal!" this girl complained with another pout before her bubbles began to descend upon me.
And I countered this with the overwhelming force of my ice, "SHUT UP, LARISHAZZA!" I screamed more out of instinct than anything.
"That's not my name!" this girl complained as the attacks came to a stop, "My name is Caraimmer!"
"I DON'T CARE!" I told her before I spun in the air and dropped another iceberg on her. Smiling with some anticipation as it was an absurdly huge one. Maybe, just maybe it would...?
"I bet you don't have many friends." she then commented out of the blue before a casual flick of the wrist sliced my iceberg apart.
"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?" I asked with genuine confusion mixed with rage. This was a fight was it not!? Where did that even come from!?
"I'm just saying you are being very rude right now..." she complained before she crossed her arms.
"SHUT UP!" was all I could say in response as I really had no idea how to handle this. She was aware of what this was, no!? So, in an effort to remind her, I tried to break through a specific spot in her barrier.
The ease at which she moved and created those bubbles, however, stopped that effort cleanly. And, I was left distraught because nothing I was trying to do was working... Big attacks were sliced up into frosty dust and smaller ones were just simply countered. But, I still had some ideas.
So I slammed my hands on the water and froze a vast swathe of it. Then, I dropped down under it and hoped I could sneak closer to her. Yet, now I just had a clear view as to what her ice-slicing spell looked like. Thin worms that squiggled through the water until blood was drawn.
"GAH! GA-" I screamed and coughed out as I suddenly found myself above the ice again. The sudden influx of water into my lungs was quickly dealt with. But, now I was completely at her mercy as my magic had lost its focus. All the ice was just disappearing while I tended to my new hole.
"Ew." this girl commented as she began to move closer. At least, until she saw the hole she had made in my side.
"Grrr..." I growled once I had gotten over the initial shock of freezing the wound shut.
"I'm going to close my eyes, okay? I don't... I don't like the sight of blood..." she squeaked before she did, in fact, carelessly close her eyes. Yet, the way her magic moved proved it was not an issue. Her lack of comfort had led to her developing a fine sense of magic detection indeed...
"Fine by me." I commented with confidence anyway. As, if she was now relying on finding me by focusing on magic. Maybe I could confuse her by focusing my magic on different spots?
"Huh!?" she let out in confusion when her magic suddenly lashed out at the attack I was forming. A smirk then formed on my face before I slammed my fists on the water. The waves then froze over in an instant. And, I kept it up, making sure I had frozen it solid as far down as I could go.
Yet, that just made her go ballistic and her magic was lashing out everywhere. However, she was still more vulnerable than she had ever been. And I intend to exploit that, so, while I had some breathing room. I created a spear from the ice and fired.
"Gods damn you..." I curse when she intercepted it again. And, that action only made her focus on me. So I started to run again with her magic slowly trailing behind me. She had seemingly switched to a process of slow, all-out destruction!?
This time, however, I decided to go all-in to the point of risking injury. If I just made the ice thick enough while she was destroying everything else... Maybe then I could...? I did not know what else I could really do.
So, I dropped below the ice once again and shot forward with the aid of my magic. Twisting and turning around those dangerous air wires while building up a ram. Then, I surged upwards and briefly flew in the air above her once I finally broke through her barrier. And, with a mixture of frustration and glee, I dropped what remained of my ram on top of her.
"OW!" I let out once I slammed back into the ice. However, I could find peace in the fact all those bubbles were now gone. It was just me, bleeding out on the ice chair she had carved for me. So, with this injury in mind.
I tried my best to seal it or heal it, at least, until I heard a familiar voice, "La la la la la!" my sister sang with a clear twinge of pain in her voice.
"Larishazza!?" I called out as I suddenly scrambled to the top of my floating chair.
"That you Tiya!?" my sister called back with a voice full of her usual excitement. Yet, she did not leap into the sky or come running towards me. So, I grew cautious as this might've been a trick of some kind.
"Yeah, that's you alright." I found myself muttering anyway when I heard her yelp in pain as she tried to leap over anyway.
"Oh, you've been in one too?" my sister asked when I finally got over to her bleeding body. She had even turned a ghastly pale as a result of all these injuries.
"Never mind that, are you alright!?" I asked her as I turned my attention away from my injuries and towards her. It seems even she had come into contact with that girl from before. Well, I assume anyway, her injuries had a lot of fine and bloody lines...
"I beat up some musicians..." my sister giggled with a delirious slur before she fell against me.
"Sounds like fun..." I awkwardly say as I try to heal her injuries however I could. But, as neither one of us really outpaced the either. We were just sort of forced to rest here.
"This place reminds me of home."
"Just because it has water doesn't make it like home." I remind her as I shake my bemused head.
"No... Because the sky is sunny and the water is clear." she clarifies before I finally start to take in more of the details of this place. And, I could see where she was coming from. I could indeed see the resemblance to home.
However, I still just saw it as a body of water with a distant beach far off. And, rightfully so, I was focusing more on my sister as she finally started to show her pain. Even though she was crying to, I couldn't help but smile. I even stroked her hair to try and comfort her.
"It hurts..." she whines before she starts to rub at her eyes.
"I know, I know." I gently laugh before I wince at the hole in my side.
"I think I made a friend, though..." she eventually admits with a sniffle once most of the tears were gone.
"Somehow, I felt like that was going to happen." I say before she begins to fiddle around with a piece of ice.
"I want to find the others..." she then says, her fears obvious as she suffers from her injuries.
"Don't worry, they'll be fine." I tell her as I stroke my hair. I mean, how couldn't they be? Having done what they have recently, there was no way any of them could've lost!
"Yeah... We're all going to win together..." my sister mumbled before she just suddenly fell asleep.
I then sighed, "We're in a tournament, remember?" I quietly said before I just let her sleep against me. I, meanwhile, tried to enjoy the bright day this place was modelled after.
.
.
.
"Across the water or along the pier." I told the warrior as I placed my hand on the bulbous tip of a guard rail. At first, she seemed hesitant, but, she quickly started to head towards it. However, she did not move so fast as to outpace me, even if she was flying.
"Why won't it...?" she let out in confusion once she came into contact with what should've been the way I got in. Perhaps it was a one-way door?
"I believe it will not let you pass until you have asserted your strength." I tell her, having quickly pondered another way for this door to be opened.
Then, a resounding boom shot past me, "This does not work either." she tells me as she turns around. The pier was now nearly gone as well and I was forced to take a few steps back.
"I did not mean like that." I clarified to her as my expression set itself in stone. A serious determination filled me in the coming, nerve-wracking moments.
"I am not interested in fighting you." she says, shaking her head as she did so.
"You do not have a choice, warrior. Your goal cannot be reached while I still stand." I point out.
"Very well." was all she had to say before she suddenly shot toward me. A single punch to my upper chest followed. Yet, it did not have the desired effect despite the pain I was now feeling.
"Before we get into it, might I say a few words?" I asked the powerful warrior as she took in the fact I survived her punch.
"I suppose..." she finally said after a brief quiet. It seems like something was perplexing her in those moments. A moral code that disagreed with what she wanted to do...?
"I travelled to this land of mountains for one purpose. To bring glory to my family and home. I wish to prove myself not only to my people and to those who hold the line around the Fire Mountain! But to the world as well!" I begin with.
"Can you stand against me, then?" she asked me with no mockery in her tone whatsoever. She was a warrior confident in her power!
"I do, I do believe I can stand against you and everyone shall see. So, great warrior! Will you offer me a chance to stand before Waionr, the blessed God of Honourable War!?" I asked her loudly and proudly.
"If you can stand against me." she answered before the air started to ripple with her power. A subtle yet still impressive shockwave then exploded from her. All the fragile glass near us shattered as if something physical had smashed through it. The water below even grew turbulent as her aura pressed down on it.
"I will." I tell her before I unsheath my thumb from the inside of the fist I had made. A small, delicate fire was lit upon that thumb now. And, I brought it up to my mouth. Quickly sucking it in as if it were a morsel.
Then, I felt it, I felt fire build up inside of me before I then let all of it out. With a maw that breathed fire and eyes that glowed like the Sun God's lost sun itself! A display she did not find impressive. Yet, I had one regret, because the city we were in was now gone.
"THEN LET US FIGHT!" I shouted to her before shooting toward her. The force of my launch had distorted the melting inferno the city had suddenly become.
And our following collision broke it all down further. The ground was suddenly further away. The sea had become a misty cloud of sizzling steam. All to the backdrop of the city turning into waves of fire!
Each further punch only reinforced what had just happened. With thunderous booms each time. We erased the memory of the city and warped the land. Yet neither of us were content to linger in one spot.
So we broke off again and again and rocketed towards each other. Breaking apart the blazing tsunami our combined power made. And remaking it into many smaller ones that too were broken down. Even the sky eventually cracked as we steadily moved up.
"YES! SHOW ME YOUR POWER!" I demanded of her when I finally scored a hit against her shoulder. Only to then receive a shin to my head that sent me to the ground. However, I got back to my feet and resumed the fight instantly.
And we both unleashed a flurry of powerful strikes that flattened the earth further. Soon, we even let up on countering each other's punches in favour of just striking at each other. Yet, despite how much magic-filled fat I had. I felt her blows as if I had none at all.
Each blow struck me to the core. Leaving me shaken and eager for more. Yet, my excitement came to blind me. And she took hold of my arm.
"Go down, it will be better for you." she calmly told me with little enthusiasm. Her free hand then pistoned over and over into my gut. The explosive force it came at me with extinguishing my fires while my body rippled itself apart.
"I WILL NOT GIVE UP!" I yelled defiantly before I unleashed a blast of magic all around me. The force freed me from her grip and she was clearly left disoriented. So, I moved on to using the rest of my arsenal. And I made no point of being elaborate about it despite their scale.
I wanted to win so I did not perform any theatrics. I instead trapped her in blazing pillars that twisted around like snakes. And while she was imprisoned. I gathered up the fire-infused earth and collapsed it on her.
"WHA-" I started to let right when she suddenly appeared behind me. A sudden, uninterrupted blow to my spine sent me straight down to the earth again. And all the air left me just as quickly when she dropped on me with instantaneous speed.
However, I freed myself with the quick manipulation of the burning ground. And I danced her about the air before I dragged her down below. She then continued to impress me when she punched her way out of the earth. One final punch came straight towards me.
I countered it this time and my knees buckled as her strength rippled through me. It was not my failing strength that worried me, however. It was the fact that despite all my power being unleashed on her... A power I topped off just before we fought...
She still looked at me with apathy. She was not threatened by me at all! Unlike a weaker spirit, though. I used it to fuel my aggression and I came at her harder than I did before.
I broke through her guard and I sent her flying off. Following after her with a ferocious fire tail behind me as I hunted her across the sky. Breaking apart the smoke and cloud with each punch until I got a good grip on her.
"DOWN!" I yelled before I stopped flying through the air. Instead focusing that power on bringing us straight back down. All the while, I roared my fire directly in her face as if I was a dragon. But, she was a dragon-slayer!
And I could only just realise what had just happened before I was emptied of air yet again. This time, though, she never let it come back. What fire I could get out at this point was as pathetic as it had ever been. More like burning bile than a power gifted to me by the Fire Mountain.
"Do you see the futility?" she asked me calmly before I punched her away.
"HOUSE UR-NACE! SEE ME!" I roared to the sky as I started to call back all my power. Shining as bright as the Sun God himself before I made one final charge.
"GAH!" she let out as my blow exploded in her face. All the fire I had brought back then suddenly reentered the world. A colossal explosion that reached far beyond the sky and beyond the limits of this city. And I was smiling the whole time.
I had heard it! I had heard her pain! I was just given the divine sign I needed! I could beat this glorious warrior!
"You cannot win." she whispered into my ear from behind me.
"AGA-" I began to say before roaring in pain as my arm was twisted around my back. Then, she swung me up and over and brought my head below the earth. And her foot suddenly excavated me out of it. I screamed in shock the entire time I soared in the air.
Until she interrupted my flight with an elbow that had all her weight behind it. And when I landed, all the fires were gone. Not even the smoke was left alone. For with such force it had be blown away...
"H-How..." I struggled to get out as my eyes slowly turned towards my increasingly skinny body. All that power I had been building up was nearly gone... My clothes did not fit me anymore and I was left stumbling to my feet a naked man.
She did not land on me, though. Instead, I was witness to the land erupting around her as she smashed into it. A gasp of awe left me while terror filled me. Yet, the drive to fight was still there.
My loss would never be forgiven if I just gave up here and now while I could still stand! If I could stand before her, I could fight against her! So I just needed to get closer! Surely this was all a facade!?
"One more step and you will not walk again." she warned as her posture relaxed while mine froze.
"If I stop now... I will not be welcomed back..." I tell her as I start to burn off the power I had left in me. Something I kept up until I could more clearly see the actual shape of my body.
"They'll realise you could never win." she tells me in an effort to comfort my fears. Yet I did not want to listen. I could keep on fighting so I should! I needed to prove to her that this was indeed something I could win!
My family would never forgive me if I just stopped because this warrior said so. No matter how great she was in her power and ability. I needed to keep this ongoing... Even if I only had enough for one more strike!
"Do me the honours of one final attack..." I gasp before I nearly fall. And, when no answer came. I took her silence as a yes and I ran with all my might. The ground once again lit up with fire as I did so.
Even as terror built up in me with each stride that brought me closer. Then, when I finally hit her. I looked at her with amazement as she took it standing. Unyielding in her stance with no ground given.
And the following moments were quiet between us. She did not utter the slightest sound until the air cracked as her fist shot forward. It seemed slower this time. Yet, when it struck me, it was as powerful as it had ever been.
Then it all went dark when I hit the ground.