Emily was an odd case in class even though she didn't have a weapon skill her magical skill Astral weapon required her to use a weapon. So she was specially allowed to use a weapon in training but because she didn't need a specific weapon mister Zealand had organized that she would get a different weapon every lesson. Today her weapon was a heavy mace.
Even though she was the strongest in class, I didn't like sparring against her so much. I would always lose and she would need a break after each match because of her magic skill. But today was different because my body still arced from yesterday's training and the pain had started to return.
When the first round started she immediately used her astral weapon skill and send it my way. I knew that because of the limitation of her mana she could use her skill only for 20 seconds, so I evaded her weapon each time with a different combination of steps. It felt great that I could use what I trained yesterday so soon. It was then that I suddenly felt a soft impact on the back of my head, I stumbled a bit from the unexpected hit, but still managed to remain standing.
Turning around I could see Emily standing behind me, smiling. "With this, the first round goes to me." She said to me matter of factly then turned around and walked back to her starting position to rest. One of mister Zealands Bodydoubles looked at me and then asked me, "Regis, can you tell me why you lost ?" I didn't think for long before I answered," I think I was too fixed on evading the astral weapon that I lost sight of Emily sir". "That's right, you did good in evading her skill, but you still need to be aware of your surroundings, take care to not repeat this." was the response mister Zealand gave to my half-hearted answer. I just nodded at him and then turned back to Emily.
We rested for a short while and when Emily nodded at me it was time for the second match.
We both tried to glare at each other and could barely hold back laughing. Because of this, I was surprised when Emily started to sprint in my direction, I had expected her to keep her distance.
Her skill was more suited for ranged combat and I knew that she usually kept her distance to melee fighters. Something wasn't right. When I was in reach for her weapon she swung at me, I prepared to block her attack but at the last moment, I could see her sides of her lips trembling. She was suppressing a smile. So I did something more out of reflex than a conscious decision. I used a shifting three quarter sidestep to end up beside her followed by a sliding back cross step to turn towards her. With this simple maneuver, I completely vanished from her vision. My vision had changed as well, now I could see her astral weapon that was hidden from me before. If I hadn't moved the way I did I would have lost this round too.
Emily had already started to turn towards me and was again in mid-swing, but that wasn't all her astral weapon moved to swing at me too. I wanted to move away from both of the attacks, but that felt wrong there was something that wanted me to do something different. So I did just that I took a single step towards her while using my shield to block her astral weapon. Not expecting this she needed to stop mid-swing as I was way to close to her and she hurriedly tried to increase the distance between us. This didn't work out at all as her balance was completely broken and she fell on her ass. Using this moment I knocked my shield against her head. Of course, I did it gently and then I said, "It looks like the second round is my win."
She looked at me her eyes a bit teary and asked me," How did you know about my astral weapon? I made sure that you couldn't see them at all." "Yes I didn't know about your astral weapon, but when I was about to block your swing your lips twitched a little and that gave it away." after I told her she clicked her tongue. "next time I will get you," she said to me. Mister Zealands Body double just watched our exchange and said nothing.
After another short break, we started our next match. This one we started again by glaring at each other but this time we didn't find it as funny as before. We slowly started to shorten the distance between us. When I was inside the reach of her weapon, I saw a small shimmer to my left and at the same time, Emily swung her weapon from my right, trying to corner me with her astral weapon. I knew that if I evaded her astral weapon then I wouldn't be able to block her attack and if I evaded her attack then her low sweeping astral weapon would knock me from my feet. So I did something, that I would have never thought of if not for yesterday's training. First I stepped so that I would evade the Astral weapon and then used a high sidestep to step onto her Astral weapon using the power of it to carry me out of range for her attack. It was extremely difficult and I barely remained standing after this maneuver.
Emily was surprised but she didn't let that hinder her. She quickly followed me and swung at me once more, while her astral weapon followed after her and had a shorter arc around her body so I couldn't get close this time. Sadly I still hadn't regained stable footing and so couldn't evade but somehow I still managed to block her attack. It was then that the arc of her astral weapon extended and she landed a hit on me. The hit sends me flying, but somehow I manage to still regain my footing and remain standing.
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This round was my loss but before any of us could say anything mister Zealand said, "Farald that was pretty solid use of your skill continue just like that. Regis, What the hell was that. That was stupid and unnecessary. If you had just stepped over her attack, you wouldn't have broken your posture and would have been in an optimal position to counter." We both answered mister Zealand's body double and then sat down for a short break.
In the short break, I was thinking that so far all I did was reacting, this time I want to be on the offensive. So as soon as the next match started I started to run towards Emily. This time Emily tried to keep her distance and harass me with her astral weapon. After I had evaded her weapon for 10 seconds still trying to shorten the distance Emily let her weapon disappear.
So I started to run towards her while keeping up my guard against her astral weapon. Just before I could reach her astral weapon appeared not even 5 cm before my face. I couldn't react before I hit it face first.
When it started to swing at me I used a backstep to escape the attack. But just then realized that Emily had already moved and was right next to me. She had used her astral weapon as a distraction to close the distance without me realizing it. Luckily I saw her before she could hit me. Using a quick sliding step to turn myself I trusted my shield into her weapon. I felt the full force of her blow travel through my body. If I hadn't managed to get a firm stance this would have blown me away instead
most of the force was redirected and her weapon was blown upward. She still had the weapon in her grip but this was an opportunity I couldn't waste so I used my right hand to punch at her. Just as I was about to hit her her astral weapon appeared once more blocking my punch.
Not wanting to waste my advantage I grabbed her astral weapon and tried to kick her. Just as my foot was about to reach her she took a step back and her astral weapon disappeared from my hand.
She grinned at me as her astral weapon appeared once more and swung at me I easily evaded it, but I was hit by something in my back. I turned and just saw that another astral weapon disappeared. I had forgotten that she could do that. Emily wasn't the strongest in our class for nothing she was so strong that she didn't use all she could most of the time. With her astral weapon skill at level 2, she could summon and control up to two copies of her weapon. But normally she just used one because that was enough. But today I had somehow managed to bring out her second weapon. I was happy so happy about that that I didn't hear what mister Zealand said.
After waiting for the next round I was nervous. I knew that now I would face Emily while she didn't hold back. I slowly closed the distance between the two of us. Emily stood still. I slowly closed the distance but she just stood there. Then without any warning, two astral weapons appeared one to my left and on on my right. Quickly I rammed my shield into the left one and move in that direction to evade the other. Both Weapons disappeared. I looked at Emily she started to walk slowly towards me. I was nerves, my mind was prepared that something did happen at any moment. I felt pressured by her presence alone. I started to sweat and she continued to slowly walk towards me. I just stood there ready for anything that could happen expect what she did next. An astral weapon appeared under her foot and flung her at me and then both of her astral weapons appeared next to me and swung at me, I was so surprised at her action that instead of evading or anything else I threw my shield at her.
She just recalled one of her astral weapons and let it appear before her to deflect my throw.
Barly I managed to dodge the other attack. As Emily was still airborne I just threw a punch at her, but she used her astral weapon as a steppingstone to jump over me and evade my attack. Her landing wasn't graceful at all but she still managed to catch herself before she could fall. An astral weapon appeared between us to buy her time but I myself increased the distance and tried to regain my shield. Her second weapon appeared just as I was about to regain my shield and tried to cut me off from it. I still somehow managed to evade its attack and regain my shield just in time for a second attack.
The astral weapon disappeared, I looked around for Emily and couldn't find her. then at the top corner of my vision, I could see the shimmering of her astral weapon and looked upwards. There she was using her astral weapon to fly. The moment our eyes met I could hear her click her tongue. She flew a bit away and then dropped from her weapon.
Not wanting to lose such an opportunity I started a mad dash for her, it was then that another astral weapon appeared. Stopping dead in my tracks, I was once more forced into a reactive role. If I wanted to win I needed to change something. It was then I remembered that this was a magic skill that needed mana so I just need to make her waste more of it to win.
I started to rush her once more but this time no astral weapon appeared. Even when I got into melee range she just swung her weapon at me. I quickly parried her attack with my shield, she used the backswing of her weapon to increase the distance between us. But I wouldn't let her get away that easy. Just as I took a step forward something appeared right under my foot and flung me forward. She used that moment to swing her weapon at me. I reacted as fast as possible and used my shield to block. I managed to block her attack but she had used the momentum of her weapon to shift my position and as I was airborne I somersaulted before I heavily landed on my back.
Right after I landed Emilys to astral weapons appeared directly above me and I couldn't move. Before I could free myself she swung her weapon against me and then lightly tapped against me. Just at that moment both of her astral weapons disappeared.
She smiled at me and reached for my hand to pull me up. I let her pull me up. When we were both standing again Mister Zealand said, " That was an excellent battle. So tell me what can you both do to Improve?" Emily started first," I shouldn't use my weapon to fly, It reduces my mobility and consumes too much mana, instead I should try to use the catapulting more efficient and train it a bit more." "Yes that is a pretty good analysis and Regis what can you improve." mister Zealand changed the focus to me.
"I should try to remain calmer because I was so nervous I stupidly threw my shield. Even if it helped me at the moment it left me pretty open." I answered his question. "Good, both of you have made good progress today. Farald you finally started to use your skill for more than attacking continue working on that. Regis your use of skill in battle is still unrefined, but I see potential just continue working on it and you should catch up to the others fast. I think that is enough for both of you for the day. Regis can barely stand and Farald you have overdrawn your mana. You should both go to the Infirmary getting yourself healed up." Concluded Mister Zealand our duel. Now that he pointed it out I realized how wobbly my legs have become and Emily was visible paler than usual. So we both moved towards the infirmary as mister Zealand had suggested.