"There is no honor in killing a wounded opponent." Nina growled, slowly rising to her feet over Kendra's corpse.
"You had a healer, all I did was even the odds. I could've hit you instead, and killed two injured opponents afterwards. Is that more honorable?" I asked, walking toward Nina hoping to hurry our fight along with some goading. Korbin couldn't possibly keep this up, especially if he's dealing with Aerin. Nina's eyes narrowed, her body locking for a second before sneering as she replied.
"Fuck you."
Mana surged through the muscles in my back blasting another Lightning Strike now aimed at Nina. Contorting her body under the jagged stream of lightning, Nina shuffled her feet across the red grass, picking up speed exponentially with every step quickly closing the 5 foot gap. The Flow in her hips exploded into a constant diagonal spiral, pirouetting high in the air like a human bullet.
A burst of near-transparent mana exploded behind Nina, sending her and her Flow rocketing towards me. Her daggers spun at her sides, leaving double images in the air from how fast she twisted. A small pop sounded as her body lurched past me with three strikes slashing across my arm, bicep and shoulder. It didn't hurt nearly as bad as the numerous blows I've withstood throughout this tutorial thus, though the multiple cuts left my arm covered in my own blood.
Another pop sounded as Nina's foot touched land, launching her into another perpetual sideways spin.
*pop*
In a blink, Nina's daggers slashed down across my collar bone, my other arm managing to deflect her following two slashed to my gut and leg. Before I could follow up with a counter strike of my own, her feet blasted off of the ground, leaving a gust of wind pushing across my legs as she somersaulted away.
*pop*
My eyes narrowed on Nina's back foot, seeing her boot plant on thin air behind her as the familiar crackle of her changing directions on a dime sounded. Her body yet again spun through the air like a bullet, the Flow flying through every limb without any sign of slowing down. Out of the edge of my vision, a twitch in her hip caught my attention.
*pop*
Like a lit match to a river of petroleum, the Flow in Nina's body ignited in a flash of translucent energy launching her down onto my head. My eyes were able to track the Flow in her arms enough to parry the first two spinning slashes, however her third curved around my guard in a U formation, sinking her dagger into my shoulder. My lead elbow smashed into her jaw, smacking her away as she ripped her dagger from my arm.
Fuck, she's faster than me.
Feeling at my arm, a steady sharp sting settled in the depths of my shoulder bone. Yet, my range of motion was surprisingly unaffected, nor did I feel like I couldn't keep going. Looking up, Nina was actively rubbing at her jaw, leaking blood from her lips.
Fast, but weak.
"-UGH"
Cassi's guttural cry from outside the orange fiery dome stole my attention, turning to find Keith's massive curved sword protruding out of her back. Cassi's head lurched forward with her mouth agape, blood spilling from her lips. Suddenly her arms lunged up, dropping her bo staff and clasping her hands around Kieth's neck. Cassi pulled her arm over his head, wrapping her forearm around his throat and locking the other arm around the back of his neck. Her legs wrapped around Keith's body, locking an ankle under her other leg.
Aaron's white robed figure dashed across my vision, clashing the blade of his Katana into the polearm of Korbin's battleaxe. Aerin followed with a flurry of strikes dancing across Korbin's battleaxe as he struggled to parry away the barrage of blows. Then, his body ignited in a mass of flickering orange flames as Korbin upped his speed dramatically, twirling his battleaxe at Aerin as if it were completely weightless.
I'm running out of time.
Turning back, Nina was already beginning her next aerial assault, leaping into the air and twisting unendingly. As she lifted into the air, white flashes of her Flow circulated throughout her limbs in a frenzy of momentum. Then, the energy dimmed in her shoulders, intensifying in her abdomen and hips.
*pop*
Water Stepping to the side, Nina's twisting body descended onto the floor beside me, a torrent of wind gusting around her slashing daggers swiping harmlessly beside me. A surge of mana shot across my arm unleashing a Lightning Strike for her back as she passed. Nina's foot slammed into the air in front of her, kicking her body to the side. Not before my strike sliced across the top of her shoulder, sending a jolt of lightning through the wound.
Nina's body convulsed for a second floating through the air away from me, nearly causing her to lose her balance upon landing. Not willing to give up my advantage I pressed forward, beginning my own assault of consecutive slashes and stabs. Nina's body swayed with inhumane quickness around 4 of my strikes before back stepping away, kicking off the air and flying high above. Flipping her head upside down, her boot slammed into the air blasting a gust of wind leaping into another perpetual sideways spin-cycle.
*pop*
In another puff of translucent energy, Nina launched down toward me, her blades cutting through the air along her descent. The near blinding Flow glowing along her arms all at once pooled into one arm as I lunged upward at her attack. An abrupt withdrawal of energy in my gut overtook my body as my blade whizzed across my body, slicing Nina's arm off at the elbow and cleave ring through her ribcage activating Flow Sever. Nina collapsed to the ground behind me, blood pouring from her elbow and body as I dropped to a knee, checking my status to figure why I'm hurting like this.
Health: 85/180
Mana: 65/224
Stamina: 432/693
FUCK.
Stress began to overtake my thoughts knowing full and well it hadn't been the 30 minute minimum wait time since my last mana potion, regardless of mine having to take time to restore mana. Looking down, Nina was staring up outside the bubble, wearing a weary smile as she lay bleeding on the low red grass. Looking up, Korbin was by himself glowing with bright orange energy, fighting off Aerin and a slow moving Kieth.
"You're people are strong, I'll give you that, Nina." I said, walking over to her prone body and kneeling my knee down on her spine.
"As are you, I hope we're able to make it to your settlement back in the tutorial in time. With you guys, we just might just have a chance." Nina grunted with her chest compressed to the ground under my weight.
"What? Why wouldn't yo-"
*BOOM*
An earth rumbling blast sounded from outside the orange domain, a massive cloud of smoke blocking my vision from seeing any other fighters. Before I could make out any figures, the orange dome suddenly fizzled out of existence, the cold breeze carrying the aroma of burning metal and hair sending a shiver down my spine as it hit my face. As the smoke cleared ahead of me, Korbin emerged holding himself up by his battleaxe, standing over the crispy remains of Kieth's massive body.
*ding*
Peering down, Nina's head lay motionless facedown in the blood soaked red grass. Looking back up, Aerin's figure dashed across the smoke-filled battlefield, a massive gust of wind blowing away the cloud of black smoke as his katanas pierced through Korbin's neck and spine. Korbin's body flinched before going completely limp, dangling from Aerin's swords before being discarded to the floor. Aerin glared at me from afar, slowly walking toward me as I stood over his sister's corpse.
"Your people are powerful, but you fight discordantly. It was far too easy for my family to separate you, something she will absolutely take advantage of." Aerin yelled from around 15 yards away. I slowly began making my way towards him, trying my hardest to ignore the terrible aching in my stomach.
"I keep hearing about this 'she' who's coming for us. Who the hell is this 'she' you're referring to?" I asked, recalling the Porphynaen leader's last words before I stabbed him in a fit of rage.
"Really? Korbin hasn't told you anything of our situation, has he?" Aerin asked as we drew closer, his body language appearing as casual as it had before our truce had ended. Meanwhile, I fought every urge I had to collapse to the floor, grasping at my screaming stomach.
"Do I strike you as the type of guy who cares about those kinds of details? Fuck, it enlighten me." I said, growing tired of being judged at for being out of the loop.
"No, it's not my place. Your general has decided to withhold that from you. All I can offer you is what I have to Korbin," Aerin said, lifting his blades from his sides and entering his fighter's stance.
"-a swift and honorable death for any who do harm to me or my family. You've proven yourself a formidable warrior, Tom, and I look forward to one day fighting alongside you. You have my utmost respect." Aerin said, bowing his head.
Um…okay?
"Thanks, you guys are crazy strong, too. Aerin…can we fight now?" I asked, the rage for the constant aching pain leaking into my tone. Aerin glowered back at me as he replied.
"That bloodlust of yours will be your undoing, my friend. May the best man win." Aerin's body bolted up into the air, ricocheting off thin air and slashing multiple strikes toward me from afar as he descended. The sensation of a thousand microscopic needles picking my insides caused me to grunt sliding away from his barrage of incoming air slashes, multiple powerful gusts of sun ripping across my back and shoulder. A twinblade barely rose high enough to deflect Aerins direct stab with his Katana, leaning his shoulder over with my parry while launching his foot up, smashing into my temple. Blood dripped into my mouth from biting my own lip forcing my arms to deflect another pair of slashes as Aerin dashed from side to side.
How the hell am I supposed to beat this guy?
Aerin's guard dropped as he turned to leap away, finally giving me an opening to counter strike. As my blade lurched forward for the small of his back, a heel flew up behind him, crashing under my jaw and shaking my vision momentarily. His kicking leg flew in front of him, planting onto thin air and flying back into my chest. The wind whizzed in my ears flying backwards through the air before crashing onto the red foliage, rolling into a purple patch of tall grass.
He's too fast, and I don't have enough mana to use any skills.
My arms shook, pressing myself back to my feet and peering up over the tall purple grass to find Aerin calmly walking over with both Katanas drawn his sides.
"I didn't realize you were in such a weakened state, this victory feels unmerited." Aerin said, making his way over as I rose to my feet.
"Why are you talking like I'm already dead? I still feel a heartbeat in my chest." I shot back, ignoring the blood dribbling down my lip onto my robes.
This is it? I'm going to lose in one of these little tournament games again?!
"Your spirit is admirable, Tom. I have no doubt you would give me far more trouble with something left in the tank." Aerin replied through a kind voice, keeping his pace towards me while I shakily retreated.
"This isn't a eulogy. I don't need your pity, and I have a terrible relationship with 'admiration'. You seem like a good guy, but your kindness is nothing less than patronizing to me. Stow it for someone weaker than you." I replied, trying to cull my involuntary resentment. Aerin's eyes narrowed, staring deep into my eyes.
"It appears even the noblest of warriors carry their demons. I will make this quick, my friend." Aerin said, closing his eyes and solemnly bowing his head.
Why the hell is my mama pool so FUCKING small?
My bubbling hatred for losing this event quickly redirected towards myself for having neglected developing a larger mana pool. I've spent precious time developing over a dozen skills specifically for defeating my enemies, yet I can't use ANY skills unless I wanna risk dying to mana s-
Wait a minute, who cares?!
A flash of translucent light puffed behind Aarin, launching his body through the air hurtling directly at me. Closing my eyes, every ounce of my will poured into one skill, readying myself to replace any mana requirement with both of my resource pools. From the very pit of my excruciating stomach sparked a flicker of energy, detonating an eruption of mana flowing through every fiber of my being. Opening my eyes, Aerin's bullet-like speed flying through the air subtly slowed, just enough for me to make out every detail of his body.
A surge lightning mana wriggled along the outside of my skin, cascading unstably into both of my arms while raising a blade up and slapping Aerin's lunging blade. His body twisted to the side, his Flow rocketing down his midsection toward his legs. The edges of my blades flashed a bright white burst of light piercing into Aerin's knee, cutting off his incoming head kick with a Flow Strike. Twisting my hips, I pulled Aerin around my hip, slamming his body onto the ground.
Aerin's back bounced off the purple grass, his foot blasting the air under him dashing away like a shot out of a cannon. My blades slapped together, aiming a jagged purple Lightning Bolt through the back of his calf. The strike burned through his leg, leaving a visible hole as he tumbled to the ground.
Ignoring my flesh currently flaking from my face and arms and Water Stepping over to Aerin, channeling lightning mana internally as I approached. His legs spun like a helicopter towards my head, lifting him up from the ground and back onto his feet. His wounded leg floated behind him, though he moved as naturally as someone with two completely intact shin bones. His eyes narrowed under his white clothed face covering, twisting his arms forward for a double slash to my head and midsection.
A concussive burst of white energy blasted at the end of my twinblades, Flow Inversing both of Aerin's strikes at the apex of their Flows. The Katana's hilts ripped back in his wrist, falling to the ground between us. Aerin's eyes widened as he stumbled to the side, kicking his foot to the side attempting to air step away.
A wave of unbearable pain climbed onto every molecule wriggling through my body unleashing the Lightning Strike I'd been charging the last 10 seconds. Bright purple energy covered the edges of my vision, jagged branching blood vessels glowing along the corners of my peripherals. The red grass underfoot slid under me like a raging river quickly converting into Aerin's leaned figure through the air.
The world began fading into darkness as my charred hand holding my blade hurtled towards Aerin's neck, a muffled explosion and the brief sensation of immense pressure in my chest finally pushing me over the edge of unconsciousness. After a brief period of oddly serene darkness, my vision returned standing in a large marble room. In front of me stood the only 4 individuals I planned on trusting anytime soon, sitting along a 4 piece sofa facing a massive projection of the world I just died on.
"Tom! Holy shit?!" Derrick yelled, running up and grabbing my hand for an incredibly masculine bro-hug. I looked back at him confused as we pushed off one another, not fully understanding his excitement.
"Yeah man, that was fun. Damn shame we could only snag second place, that's my bad." I replied, looking over at the rest of our squad apologetically. Almost all of them laughed amongst themselves in response before Korbin strolled over.
"Buddy, what are you talking about? You killed him, Tom." Korbin said, patting me on the shoulder, wearing a smile I'd only ever seen from my father after scoring my first goal as a kid. Peering over his shoulder, Cassi and our tanks were still slapping five and laughing as they revered their battle, Lonni loudly recalling how he was killed.
Wait a minute, I fucking won?