Arc 1: Wyvern Rebellion - Chapter 8|
Abernathy and Gideon stood in the center of the arena. Abe adjust his sword while Gideon stretched all parts of his body.
"I gotta say, I'm excited to be able to fight you senpai. From what I've seen, you're pretty resourceful." Gideon remarked.
"You seem pretty confident." Abernathy said.
"I have to be. Especially with the match ahead." Gideon stated.
"Are you sure you want to fight me?" Abernathy asked with an eyebrow raised.
"I can't get better if I don't challenge myself. Master Basil wants us to be ready for the future. And I think you'll be the right amount of training for me." Gideon said.
"Is that so? I suppose you have a point. I haven't tested my skills in a while." Abernathy agreed.
"Are you two done with the small talk?" Fiora asked. It had been a while since she's seen her friend fight. And the small sparring match earlier was only a small piece of what he was capable of.
"Yes. I'm ready to begin." Abernathy answered.
"Everyone, please step back." Basil ordered. Everyone spaced themselves back to their spots they were at for the first match. Abe pulled his sword and readied himself. Gideon got into a sprinters position, digging in his fingers into the earth.
"Begin!" Basil shouted. Gideon dug his arms into the ground and pulled out stone.
"GeoGuard: Full Armored Knight!" He cast. The stone enveloped his whole body while he ran at Abernathy. He reared a fist and swung with all his might. The Time Anchor mage deflected each attack, attempting to get in his own strikes, though the sword would bounce off.
"GeoGuard: Knight's Cannon!" Gideon cast. His right hand began to rapidly collect stone and grew to gigantic proportions. He brought a fist down on Abe, who leapt out of the way. The impact sent up dust. Abe was on guard, expecting an attack to come.
"GeoGuard: Stone Wall!" Gideon cast. A wall of stone rose, blocking Abe's view.
"He's going to attack from a different angle." Abe said to himself. He was going to try to break through the wall when his instincts kicked in.
"GeoGuard: Stone Arrows!" Gideon cast. A barrage of jagged rock shot from the other side of the wall, aimed at Abe.
"GeoGuard: Castle Buster!" Gideon cast. His fist impacted the wall, sending the stone shrapnel flying in all directions. Abernathy flew out of the way, the shrapnel hitting the wooden dome.
"Shit, that was a close one." Abe said. He quickly looked over himself for any injuries. So far so good. He knew he had to go on the offensive, but Gideon's stone armor was tough.
"I remember when Abe used his magic against the Fenrir Ants. Time Anchor magic. Somethin' about turning back time." Fiora commented.
"Not exactly. He uses time magic, but he doesn't actually turn back time." Lyra corrected.
"Explain it again to us. He did it a while ago." Fiora asked.
"Right. Well, I'll give you a refresher. When he uses his magic, he essentially sets a marker on an object or person. Once he does that, he can essentially anchor himself to that marker. If he touches that marker, then he can travel back in time, and return to the present. That's the gist of it."
"What's the difference?" Fiora asked.
"Well... he's not too open about his magic. I can probably guess that he himself travels through time, and not manipulate time itself. From what I've seen, he uses his magic to go back and fix things he messed up, or to make sure something happens. For example, those lights he places, are actual anchor points. He'll go through something and if the result isn't what he wants, he returns to that point, and exhausts it." Lyra explained. Viperion tilted her head.
"You know a lot about his magic, senpai." She pointed out. Lyra waved her off.
"Only because I watched him." The Star Weaver replied.
"But if that's the case, then why hasn't he tried to change something big. I mean, he's got the power to do so." Fiora asked. Lyra wanted to answer, but she had that question as well. Why didn't he try? Or rather, did he do it already?
"Maybe he has." She said, unsure of the answer herself.
Gideon breathed heavily. He could feel his magic starting to waver. He wasn't expecting it to be this tough.
"I haven't even made you use your magic, senpai. What would it take?" He wondered.
"Why don't you keep coming after me, and we'll find out?" Abernathy taunted.
"Alright, I accept." Gideon smiled. He used his magic to gather more earth, forming a large hammer.
"GeoGuard: Earthshaker!" Gideon cast. He charged, slamming the hammer into the ground. Abe dodged it, but Gideon continued to swing. Abe tried to counter, but it bounced off the rock. He looked for an opening, but he couldn't find one.
"GeoGuard: Earth Rampart!" Gideon cast. A thick rampart of stone rose, towering over Abe.
"That's an impressive amount of rock. How are you pulling it up?" Abernathy asked, hoping to buy some time.
"The rock and earth around me. I can pull it up from anywhere as long as I have a connection. GeoGuard: Avalanche!" Gideon cast. A swarm of rock fell from the sky, aiming at Abe. The mage was able to dodge most of them.
'It's like fighting a demon. And I'm losing. How the hell do I stop him?' Abernathy thought. He stopped a boulder in his tracks. It was heavy, but he pushed against it.
"You know, you could just forfeit, senpai. No shame in it." Gideon said, breaking his focus. Abernathy looked to Gideon, who was walking toward him.
"I've been thinking about it, but you haven't done anything to me yet. So why bother?" Abernathy asked.
"I'd rather you not get hurt." Gideon replied.
"So far, you've barely been able to catch me. Last thing I'm worried about is getting hurt. Why don't you start using your head?" The Time Anchor mage suggested.
"My head?" Gideon repeated.
"Your magic is based around rock and earth. You can manipulate that at will. So why aren't you using that to your advantage? You attach the rock to you and then you use it as an extension. You've been able to move the stone around like this. But you're miner background is showing. All these formations are to create tunnels or to keep earth from collapsing. But this isn't a mine. You're a mage in a guild. You have to think outside of the box." Abernathy pointed out. Gideon smiled.
"I guess I never thought about that. But you're right. I can use this to my advantage. Alright then." Gideon cast his magic.
"GeoGuard: Armored Knight!" Gideon began to pile on rock on his body. Abe raised an eyebrow.
"That's the opposite of what I just said." He expressed. Gideon chuckled.
"Don't worry. I heard your advice loud and clear." The young miner replied. He slammed an open hand onto the ground. A pillar of rock shot upward, sending him upward. Abernathy's eyes followed, a chuckle coming across.
"He did learn." He said. He pinched his fingers and created a shard of light. He tossed it into the air and simply watched.
"GeoGuard: Champion's Cleaver!" His voice rang. His armor peeled off shaping itself into an enormous sword. He aimed the point at Abe and his fell back to the ground, "Now I've got you!" Gideon called out.
"You sure did." Abe replied. He pinched his fingers and time stopped. Everything around him was frozen solid. The light shard slowly began to burn away, signifying how time he had left to do what he wanted. He began to walk toward Gideon. He circled around the boy, looking for an opening. He could just destroy the sword, but it was too risky. Gideon could still defend himself with the armor. For the moment, he tossed another shard of light on the other side of the arena. Once the first shard was used up, he snapped to the second shard, consuming it immediately. Time resumed as normal. The sword sliced through the ground, splitting the earth. Large pieces of debris flew everywhere. Basil took the initiative and pulled tree roots to block the rocks.
Gideon turned, shocked.
"To see it is one thing, but to have it used against you is another." Gideon commented.
"That's what makes it dangerous." Abernathy added.
"I see. Then I guess I should use my trump card." Gideon cast a spell. His body began to glow.
"From what I remember, you try to find openings and exploit them. What if I give you no openings?" He asked. Abe was surprised by the bold claim.
"GeoGuard: Unbreakable Body." Gideon cast. His body was completely encased in stone, "My dad used this once to clear an entire mountain. Sorry master!" Gideon apologized.
"Sorry? For what?" Basil asked.
"Because I'm gonna make this place a mess." Gideon replied. He stomped his feet into the ground, anchoring himself. At first, nothing happened. Then, small tremors echoed across the rock. Slowly, the tremors became more and more violent.
"GeoGuard: Rockpocalypse!" Gideon cast. Abernathy felt the ground shake beneath him. He looked around, seeing the earth shift.
"Earthquakes!?" Coral exclaimed.
"Gideon! You mole man! We're still here!" Fiora exclaimed. The very earth splintered into huge pieces. Abernathy ran, trying to avoid the upturned stone. He jumped, dodging the chunks.
"Sorry everyone! I have to keep going!" Gideon called. The shaking intensified, sending Abernathy into the air. He landed on his feet and rolled. The shaking threw him off balance and he fell back. He tried to get up, but the ground shifted, knocking him off balance.
"Abe!" Lyra called. The stone continued to crack open, until it opened under Abe, swallowing him.
"Stop it!" Basil ordered. He extended his hand and cast a spell. Tree roots sprouted from the ground and grabbed the stone armor. Gideon gasped, realizing his mistake.
"Master!" He called.
"Sorry Gideon. But I can't let you keep going. I'm calling the match." Basil called. The tree roots shattered the stone armor, sending rock flying. Gideon stumbled back, falling to the ground.
Then, time went backwards. Gideon was returned to the arena. His stone armor slowly reformed. The earth pieced itself back together. And finally, Abernathy ascended from the hole that claimed him.
"You newbies never cease to amaze me." he commented. The rewind was nearly complete, a hidden shard of light going out on Gideon's armor.
Gideon stomped his feet into the ground. At first nothing happened. Then, small tremors echoed across the rock. Abe took this chance and sprinted at Gideon. He began to fill the air with shards of light.
"What is happening?" Luna looked to the senior members. Basil smiled.
"He turned back time. This is the second time he's been through this." He explained.
"GeoGuard: Rockpocalypse!" Gideon cast.
"Looks like he's making a change this time." Basil pointed out.
"Chrono Anchor: Point of Origin!" Abernathy cast. The shards of light all shot toward the ground, sticking to it. Every tremor was rewound, going through a loop of small tremors. Gideon's eyes widened when he saw the shards.
"What did you do, senpai?" He asked.
"Your Rockpocalypse is in an infinite time loop till I let it go!" Abernathy revealed. The young miner was shocked.
"How'd you do that?" Gideon asked.
"By watching you closely!" Abernathy answered. He jumped, clearing the distance between them. He thre more shards of light into the air.
"You've gotten better! So I'll reward you with a spell I haven't used in a long time! Chrono Anchor: Grand Army!" Abernathy took his sword and slashed at the armor. It didn't so much, but he then disappeared in a shimmer of light.
"Abe-senpai is gone!" Viperion shouted.
"Not quite. Look!" Coral pointed out. The shards of light in the sky all began to warp. Then they were each replaced with an Abernathy. They each held their sword, poised to strike Gideon. In a chorus of yells, they descended, each taking a slash at the armor. There were hundreds of him, dropping from the sky and cutting at the armor, then disappearing in a shimmer of light. Gideon tried to double up on his stone armor, but he couldn't keep up.
"How can you keep up with all that magic?!" Gideon asked.
"Easy! Because I'm the time anchor! I don't need magic to make myself useful!" Abe answered. His attacks became quicker, faster. The armor began to crack.
"Now then. It's time to end this." The time anchor said. All the different Abernathys disappeared, leaving only one. He took the last swing, completely breaking down Gideon's armor. The miner fell over, exhausted.
"I surrender. You win, senpai." Gideon said. Abe held his hand out and helped Gideon up.
"Good match." Abernathy praised.
"Yeah. Thanks." Gideon said. He walked over to Basil and sat next to him.
"Abe. That was incredible!" Coral cheered. She ran over to her friend and hugged him. She squeezed him hard.
"Mmf, Coral stop" He struggled to say, being suffocated in her chest.
"But you were amazing! I didn't know you were that powerful!" Coral complimented.
"Yes, that was amazing, Abe." Lyra said. She was smiling as she came over. "That means you have no excuse now."
"Excuse?" He asked. Basil appeared behind him, an evil glint in his eyes.
"That was well executed. Almost as if that was an S-Class mage's performance." He said.
"Hang on! You're not going to-!" Abe realized.
"Yup! You're being forced to take the S-Class exam!" Basil announced. Abe groaned and put his face in his hands.
"Of course. Of course you would do that. After all, why wouldn't you?" Abe complained.
"Come on! It's not that bad!" Coral reassured.
Gideon walked up to the group. "How'd I do?" He ask with a tinge of defeat in his voice.
"You did good." Abe complimented. Gideon sighed and shook his head.
"Thanks. But I didn't do well enough to beat you." He said. He had a smile on his face, but Abe could see the disappointment.
"I won't lie, you made me use a great deal of my magic, and I had to get creative. Gideon you're a force to be reckoned with, it's just our magic were a bad matchup. But, I didn't see anything I would call a fatal flaw. It's nothing to be ashamed about." Abe comforted. He pat the taller mage on the back.
"Thanks Abe, that means a lot." Gideon replied.
"No problem. But I need a nap." Abe said. He yawned and stretched.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but you deserve it." Lyra agreed.
"I'm glad we're on the same page." Abe said.
"Now, who's up next?" Basil asked. He scratched his chin looking to each member.
"Ah yes, Fiora and Coral! I'm especially eager to see this match." He expressed. Fiora pumped her arm and pointed at Coral.
"Best bring your A game! If not, I'll burn you to a crisp!" Fiora grinned.
"My, you're certainly eager to fight." Coral replied. She was slightly taken aback by her friend's enthusiasm.
"Just excited to get my hands dirty. Beating you means I'm a step closer to preparing for the Grand Magic Games." Fiora explained.
"It's always about the games with you. You just can't wait, can you?" Lyra teased.
"And what's wrong with that? I'll make people call me the 'Flame Empress'." Fiora retorted.
"Has something to do about that girl we saw that day, doesn't it?" Abe asked, "Her name... Seraphine." He recalled. Fiora clenched her fist and growled.
"I'm not gonna let her pass me." She declared.
"Who is Seraphine? You've never mentioned her before." Gideon asked. Fiora shot a glare at him, then sighed.
"Her name's Seraphine Valente. She's a wizard who uses fire magic." She explained.
"Why would she pass you?" Luna asked.
"She's my rival. She's always been better than me, ever since we were kids. The last time we fought, she destroyed me. That was three years ago. Since then, she's made a name for herself by wanting a spot in the Grand Magic Games. She's competing in it in a couple of months. Now it's my turn to show her what I can do." Fiora nodded and walked out to the center of the arena.
"Puts pressure on me to make sure I work Fiora hard." Coral said with her usual smile.
"She is a contender. I wish you luck in your rivalry." Luna said.
"Thanks, I'll need it." Fiora replied. Coral joined her on the field. "I'm going to make you go all out if you want to work me hard, senpai~"
"Be careful what you wish for." She replied with her signature smile.
Ewan sat at his desk, poring over the book. He's flipped through it hundreds, perhaps thousands of times, trying to find anything that will give him a clue of where to start. He pulled off his eyepatch from his right eye in frustration. His eye was closed, three small scars covering it, his hand rubbing the side of his face in frustration. The symbols, language, and anything else was nothing that he's ever seen. This couldn't be draconian language, it was different. It had to be some type of ancient language, something that was lost to the ages.
"Damn it." He muttered. He was in his apartment, the curtains drawn shut. He hadn't eaten much, he just wanted to focus. Wyverns. A race that never had gotten attention until recently. He had only two pieces of documents. The first was this book. The librarian had found it, hoping to help in his search. And second was a symbol. It was a tribal image of a draconic figure. But, it wasn't a dragon. He had found it in one of his expeditions to an ancient ruin. It was carved into a wall, faded from the test of time. He had found the image after an accident during the ruin dive. Part of the passageways collapsed, taking one of his eyes.
"Why can't I figure this out?" He wondered. He had no leads to follow. His resources were dried up. He had exhausted them all.
"Dammit all." He cursed. He slammed his hand on the desk. The book cover flapped closed, the pages flying by. It stopped at a blank page. Ewan raised an eyebrow and flipped back.
"That's odd. Why is this here?" He wondered. He picked up the book, flipping through it. Every other page but this one had something on it.
"I can't believe this. Why didn't I see this before?" He asked himself. He stood and grabbed the book, making a path back to the library. The sun had begun to descend, the stone streets of Magnolia Town taking on a shade of orange. Ewan walked, book in hand, muttering to himself.
"I can't believe I missed that. I must have been so blind." He reprimanded. He had finally made it, the old man closing shop.
"Oh, you're back. I figured I wouldn't see you for a couple of months. How has these last couple of weeks been?" He asked.
"I found something. I need you to look at it." Ewan informed. He held out the book, open to the blank page. The old man looked through his glasses, then back to Ewan.
"Why that's... it's a blank page." He remarked, "This is important, why?"
"It's a blank page within a book that's filled to the brim. Why is it empty?" Ewan asked.
"I don't know, but I don't think you should dwell on it. The book is very old. It's possible that the page has just worn away, and nothing more." The old man mused.
"I think it's something more. Please, give me a moment of your time. I want to do an experiment." Ewan requested.
"I've told you this before. I'm retired from magic, and I don't like using it. And you should know that already." The old man stated. Ewan was not having it.
"I know what you're going to say, but I don't think you're done. There's still more you can do." He said. He then walked in front of the old man, holding the book in his hand.
"I know what you're doing. But I'm not going to use my magic." He said. Ewan began to get frustrated.
"Come on! Please. I just want to see if this is true." Ewan pleaded.
"What exactly is this all about?" The old man asked. He knew he would have to get Ewan to reveal why he needed his help. Ewan was silent, as if trying to find an answer. His finger pointed to the page.
"There are mysteries and secrets that this world of ours has. Earth-Land is filled with magic and life that have yet to have been discovered. And this page is a link to the past that no one looks at. The present and future are important. But, what about the past?" He explained.
"You sound like one of those young historians who go digging up relics. Why do you need my help?" The old man asked.
"Please. I want to test something. Can you cast a simple spell on this page? Anything will do." Ewan requested. The old man sighed.
"If it'll get you to stop. Fine, but just one spell." The old man relented. He held his hand over the page and concentrated.
"Magic of the ancients. Magic of the stars. I give you the gift of life. Life Spark." He cast. A spark of light appeared from his hand and touched the page. When it did, the light began to spread across the page. As the light spreaded, a seal appeared and rejected the spell. The old man looked at the occurrence with interest.
"It disabled my spell... Interesting." He noted. He turned the page over, looking for any more secrets it may hide. He then looked to Ewan.
"The author's seal is protecting this particular page. I can only assume it holds some secrets that he deemed too valuable." He explained.
"So there's magic that can do this?" Ewan asked.
"Nothing like this I've seen before. Usually magic casted like this has a deadline to fade away or has a set of conditions that need to be completed. But this seal is neither of those. It's designed to protect this page no matter what." The old man described.
"Can you get rid of it?" Ewan asked.
"Give me some time and I can figure it out. However, I'm not sure if it's safe. I can't tell if this magic has a failsafe in case someone tries to break it." The old man replied. Ewan was intrigued by the seal. It was far different from other seals he's seen.
"It feels like someone is trying to protect something, or someone. What does this have to do with the Wyverns?" Ewan mused aloud.
"Wyverns? Where did you hear that?" The old man asked.
"This book's runes are not draconic. They are a language that I haven't seen before. But many symbols share similarities with the dragon language. So I've been trying to find what it could be." Ewan explained.
"I see. Well, I'll work on deciphering the seal . This little mystery seems to have reignited my passions. Was it fate that this book came across my library, who know." The old man replied.
"Thank you. I appreciate it." Ewan thanked.
"No need to thank me. I just hope you find what you're looking for." The old man replied. He then smiled, a memory resurfacing.
"You know, the first time you came in here, you were a different person. You were a little green behind the ears, like you didn't know where to start. But now, you know where to go. You're paving your own way. I wonder what happened." The old man said with a smile. Ewan looked down and closed his eye.
"I still trying to find my way." He answered.
"Is that so?" The old man asked. Ewan looked up at the old man, then to the book.
"I'm getting closer." He stated.
The polar opposites stood across from each other in the wooden arena. The sun rays were turning orange, setting the mood a bit differently. Fiora stared down Coral, her hands flexing and moving, preparing herself.
"I'd ask you not to burn down the arena, but I know Fi-chan won't oblige." Basil commented playfully.
"It's alright master, I'll make sure to keep all the explosions on the inside." Coral replied with her smile.
"You can count on that, 'cause I'm gonna be the one blowing things up." Fiora threatened. She let loose a burst of flames to emphasize her point.
"You've got a good sense of humor, Fi-chan." The ocean mage commented. She chuckled a bit, bringing up a hand to her lips. Fiora lips drew up to a grin.
"Then you'll find these flames hilarious." She said. Her hands let loose a massive burst of flames, rushing towards Coral. The other mage didn't even flinch, letting the flames pass by. Fiora followed up by sprinting at her
"W-wait! I didn't say 'go'!" Basil exclaimed.
"Blazing Soul: Explosion!" Her reared fist crackled, her orange fire taking the form of a skull. She then unleashed her attack, sending the fiery skull towards her target. Coral gave a half smile, waving her hand in front of her.
"Mystic Tideflow: Tsunami Wall." Coral summoned forth a large wall of water. When the fiery skull made contact, it erupted, but no cloud of steam appeared. The crowd was in awe, the members of Emerald Oasis smiling.
"It's interesting to see Coral use her magic like that." Lyra commented.
"What do you mean?" Gideon asked.
"Our Coral here is usually our resident healer. She's studying under the master. When she uses her Mystic Tideflow magic, it's usually to heal." Abernathy explained.
"What does it mean if she is using it like this?" Luna inquired.
"Means she's 'healing' Fiora's attacks. In what way and what it means, I have no clue." Abernathy explained.
"How fun." Luna commented. She liked figuring out things like this.
The battle between the two was intense, with the two mages displaying a great deal of power and skill. Fiora's flames were overwhelming, the heat being felt where the rest of guild was sitting. Coral didn't move, using her ocean magic to block Fiora's attacks. Every flame that struck her water would suffocate, but no steam would appear.
"What the hell is this?" Fiora demanded, "You're not putting our my flames. You're doing something else." She stated.
"Perhaps. Perhaps not." Coral answered. Her hand glowed a soft blue color, the water forming in her palm. She threw it forward, the water quickly wrapping around Fiora's leg. It sunk into her, taking away her fatigue. Fiora felt a strange feeling. It was warm, like a blanket.
"You're using your water to heal me?" She asked. Coral smiled, her blue eyes shining.
"I am. I don't want you to get tired before you figure out how to approach this fight. Not everything can be solved with brute force~" Her melodic voice sang. Fiora grinned.
"But it works the best!" She replied. She ran at Coral again. She got close, throwing a punch at her. Coral didn't dodge, opting to raise her arm. Flames erupted, covering Fiora. Coral didn't move, her arm being covered with watery armor. No cloud appeared this time either. Fiora's flames burned hotter and hotter, jetting out behind her, trying to break through. The red head roared trying to push with all her might. Coral lifted her other hand, a whip of ocean water appearing behind Fiora, wrapping around her waist and pull her back unexpectedly. Fiora flipped backward and landed on her feet, jumping back several hops.
"Why isn't my flames melting your water? Or at the very least causing steam." Fiora asked. Coral smiled and waved her hand, the water dissipating.
"I've been healing your flame magic." She answered.
"But I don't understand. That's not possible, is it?" Fiora questioned. She couldn't understand how that was possible.
"Well, no. It's not normally. But if you train hard enough, you can heal anything you want." She explained, but her smile revealed it may have been a tease.
"This isn't fair! How am I supposed to fight you if you can heal my attacks?!" Fiora exclaimed.
"It's not about fighting me, it's about beating me. You're trying to force me down, but what happens when you meet an opponent that can't be moved?" She asked.
"I'll blow them up. No problem." Fiora replied with a smile.
"Is that so?" Coral asked.
"Yes! Because I don't lose!" Fiora declared. She then charged at Coral again, her right fist lighting up. Coral smiled and crossed her arms.
"Then, I'll meet your full force." She replied. She spread her arms, two waves of water appearing in her hands. She brought them forward, a swirl of water coming forth to meet the attack. Fiora smirked.
"Blazing Soul: Fireworks!" She cast. She punched the air, the flame magic shooting forth. It separated into many smaller fire lls. They moved past Coral and surrounded her. Fiora skidded on the ground waiting for her favorite part.
"Boom." She stated. The fireballs exploded all around the ocean mage, engulfing her in black smoke. Fiora grinned.
"Like I said 'Coral-senpai', I'll blow them up no problem!" She declared.
"That's impressive Fi-chan. I didn't know you had a special attack like that." Coral commented. Fiora was confused. The smoke cleared and Coral was standing there. She was covered in bubble of water. Fiora's eyes widened in surprise.
"Wh-what? How?" She stammered.
"I put up a bubble of water. It wasn't hard. Your fireworks spell is quite powerful though, but it seems like you're trying to prove a point." She said. The bubble popped, revealing the ocean mage.
"Don't you dare think I'm not fighting you seriously. I know what I have to do." She stated. Fiora regained her composure and nodded.
"Fi-chan, I'm not saying you're not taking this serious. But, like Gideon, you're not thinking outside of the box. You both are more alike than you realize. You've been trying to run down every obstacle in your path that you think it's your only approach. You need to expand your horizon." She lectured. Fiora tilted her head.
"The hell does that even mean?" She asked. Coral folded her arms and shook her head, her smile fading into a disappointed look. Basil chuckled on the sidelines.
"This reminds me when Coral was setting Zephyr straight the first couple of times." He reminisced.
"Is that so?" Luna asked.
"I think so. Coral has a way of making you question things, even if it's something simple." Basil answered.
"So, what did she say to Zephyr?" Viperion asked.
"Oh, well, at first she'd ask him to think about his actions and consider the responsibility of being chosen by an elemental spirit. He'd nod his head, and then he would keep doing all the pranks he wanted. Then she stopped using her words and let her fists do the talking. Boy, the look on Zephyr's face when he discovered that Coral's smile had more to it." He looked at the young man and smiled. Zephyr, having recovered a bit from his fight with Viperion, looked to the side and blushed. Sylph gave Zephyr a little pat on his head.
"It's alright, Zeph. I think they call it 'tough love'." She commented. Basil laughed.
"Indeed, it is. But Zephyr isn't the only one she had to lay the hammer down on. When Coral is mad, she can be quite scary. Some of you have been witness to it." He said. All the ladies' faces grew neutral, indeed remembering that Coral.
Coral unfolded her arms.
"Fiora, when you use your magic, you always use force. You may be powerful, but your flames aren't meant to always be used as a blunt object. If you just used your head, you'd find many ways to use your fire magic." She lectured. Fiora made a face.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"I'm saying, try to be more creative with your magic. Your flames are powerful, but there are many ways to use them that doesn't involve brute force. In the future, there may come a time where taking everything head on isn't going to work." She explained.
"That's too easy, I'll just to burn harder and explode harder." She said defiantly. Coral frowned, her lips drawing to a line.
"I'm saying you need to try. There's no such thing as a pointless exercise, and it will help you in the future." She repeated.
"You know what I think senpai? I think you've lost your touch. I hear Kraken this or Kraken that. But, at the end of the day, all I see is a girl who thinks she's so much better than everyone else. I've heard the stories. You just float around like a freaking angel, smiling and being nice to everyone. But, really, you're just a coward who can't stand up for herself and takes the easy way out. You cared too much about what people said or thought about you. And because of that, you never did anything that you wanted. You just let people walk over you." Fiora explained. She knew that she shouldn't be saying that, but she had been holding that in for a long time. Coral's hair covered her face as she tilted her head downward. The senior members were about to interject but Basil stuck his arm out.
"Fiora is right. I think these two girls need to learn something from each other." Basil confirmed. There was a reason he didn't replace any of the members to fight another member. The matchups couldn't have been more perfect. Each fight so far served to teach each person a lesson. Zephyr learned his limits, Viperion learned to push herself, Abe needed to understand what it meant to try, and Gideon learned there's more to fighting than brute force. Problem was, Fiora was the same way. But, she was more stubborn and angry. Coral had to show her the value of restraint. But at the same time, Coral had been holding back too much since joining. She needed to accept who she was and come to terms with it.
"I'm... a coward?" Coral asked. She brought her head up.
"A coward who doesn't stand up for herself. Yep, that's exactly what I think. If you've got a problem, senpai, just come out and say it." Fiora challenged. Coral was silent.
"Coral?" Lyra called. She was worried that Fiora had gone too far. The ocean mage's blue eyes were wide open. Her aura changed. The wind picked up around her and a low rumble echoed. Her hands trembled at her sides, her arms twitching. The older members drew back in fear.
"I see... you think I'm too nice. That I let people walk all over me. Is that right?" Coral asked, her voice had an edge to it. The temperature around the arena rose. Fiora smirked.
"Yeah. I do. And you know what? I think you need to get out of your own way. You just stand around, afraid to be yourself. You need to stop being so damn passive." She taunted. The ground trembled, the ocean magic leaking out of the ocean mage. Fiora felt her confidence fade a bit, but she kept it up. She wasn't going to back down. Coral grabbed something from her sleeve. It was a ribbon. She picked up her hair and formed a ponytail. Coral then grabbed her kimono and threw it off, revealing herself to be in her underwear. The guild was shocked. Abernathy covered Zephyr's eyes.
"You hit every damn button I had, 'Fi-chan'. It's about time I set you straight." Coral declared. "Mystic Tideflow: Deep Sea Summon." She cast. A familiar water mist appeared, but it became much larger than what the others were used to. Zephyr finally ripped Abe's hand from his face and his eyes widened.
"Oh no, he's summoning him." He stated.
"Who's him?" Viperion asked.
"There's one fish that Coral used to bring out when she was still a delinquent. He's her ace in the hole." He answered. On cue, an enormous figure swam out of the mist, the aura menacing and threatening. He was a great white shark.
"Meet my friend, Titan. He's an ally I made when I was still a delinquent." She explained. Titan turned towards Fiora, his mouth opening wide. He showed the rows of sharp teeth, gleaming in the setting sun.
"I bring Titan out on special occasions. So, if you think you have me all figured out, then you must be ready for the fight of your life. I hope you're ready. Ocean Fusion: Jawsurge." She cast. With a sudden jerk of motion Titan swam toward Fiora, his jaws wide open. Fiora punched the air, a burst of fire erupting from her hand, giving her the chance to dodge. The shark kept swimming and turned his body toward Coral. He swam through the air with all his might, speeding toward Coral. A thick ocean mist erupted for their collision. Seconds later, Coral stepped out of the mist, revealing a set of armor. The armor was blue, with shark tooth like decorations. She wore huge gauntlets wrapped with razor like spikes. The femininity and elegance of Coral was gone. What replaced it was an overwhelming sense of being hunted by an apex predator. Fiora had never been so scared in her life.
"That's the armor she used to stop Zephyr's prank several months back." Gideon pointed out with realization. He looked to the young mage, he was staring at Coral.
"Zeph-kun, are you ok?" Viperion asked.
"When she brings Titan out, that means she's very serious. That's why she's one of the few people that can stand up to me. I'm amazed all Fiora had to do was taunt her. Usually it takes a lot more to get her that angry." Zephyr commented. Basil shook his head.
"No, it was the fact that Fiora reminded her of her past. Coral explained she was a troublemaker. Always fighting and always going all out. You can feel the magical aura pouring out of her, can't you?" He asked. Zephyr nodded.
"The others can't feel it, but it's coming off her in waves." He answered.
"That's because she's letting go. Her magic is always being contained. You and Fiora have been the only ones to be able to push her to the edge like this." He said. Zephyr watched Coral as she faced off against Fiora.
"You got something else to say, punk?" Coral questioned the fire mage. Fiora's confidence was all but gone. The ocean mage's voice sent chills down her spine. She was getting in some fighting stance, but she was still scared. She's never seen Coral like this. Her arms slowly became covered in yellow flames, but she wasn't going to let Coral know she was afraid.
"I told you I was going to make you go all out." Fiora taunted. Coral walked toward Fiora, her armored boots causing the ground to rumble. Fiora took a step back.
"And I told you to be careful what you wish for. You're going to regret the day you said that." Coral threatened. She took one more step before she disappeared completely. The only sign that she was just standing there was the mini crater her boot made. Fiora put her hands up, her eyes moving rapidly around the arena. She was trying to locate Coral, but she couldn't. The wind picked up and she heard a swish behind her. She turned around just in time to block Coral's massive punch. The impact caused an explosion, sending Fiora flying. Fiora hit the ground hard, her yellow flames covering her arms. She rolled a couple of feet before sliding into a standing position. By the time she looked, Coral was gone again. She jumped into the air, flipping backward. The ground where she once stood erupted with water, almost catching her. She landed on the other side, her feet skidding on the ground.
"I'm not gonna be able to land a hit if she keeps disappearing like this." She muttered. She felt the wind again, but above her. Coral was descending toward her, her hands together for a hammer fist punch. Fiora barely had time to dodge, the impact sending her flying toward the arena's edges. She hit the tree roots and fell to the ground.
"Master, isn't Coral-senpai going to far?" Gideon asked with a sense of urgency, approaching Basil. Basil didn't look concerned at all. He just smiled and shook his head.
"No, if Coral is angry enough, she won't hold back. Though, I think Fiora has met her match." He then turned his head to look at Gideon. "When you fought Abernathy, would you have wanted someone to stop the fight?" He asked.
"Well, no. I wanted to see it through until the end." He answered.
"As does Fiora, I'm sure. These two are going to learn something from this. Coral needs to know she doesn't have to hold back and accept her past. And Fiora needs to learn that there exists power much greater than hers in this world, and that she has a long way to go if she wants to be Flame Empress." He said. Gideon nodded in understanding.
Fiora wiped her lip and got into another fighting stance. Coral was waiting for her. She was done messing around.
"Alright, enough games. I'm going to make you eat dirt!" Fiora exclaimed.
"I wish you would. But I know you're afraid, Fi-chan," Coral called. Her eyes narrowed.
"How did you-"
"Your flames. They are attached to your emotions. Your magic fueled by your passion. I know you're scared and I know you're trying to hide it. But, you've made me mad. And when I'm mad, there's no place to hide." Coral called. She slammed her foot on the ground, water rushing out of it. Fiora tried to summon her flames, but they wouldn't come like she wanted. Her yellow flames covered her arms, but they burned just enough. She felt like she was losing control. She heard another swish and ducked, barely missing Coral's fist. She rolled to the side and swung her arm, trying to hit Coral. She missed.
"Fi-chan, you're slow. You haven't even hit me yet. I'm disappointed. Where's the girl who wanted to be Flame Empress? Be the strongest? I wonder where she went." Coral taunted. Fiora's anger flared.
"Shut up! You know nothing! You don't know what it means to be strong!" She yelled. She swung her arm again, the fireball exploding as it hit Coral. Her flames her slowly changing color. The smoke cleared, Coral lifting her arm to block.
"Since you shared what you thought, I think it's my turn to do so as well." The ocean mage reared a fist and smashed it into Fiora. Fiora was sent flying toward the other side of the arena.
"I think you're a upstart punk who doesn't know her place. You hide your insecurities behind your anger. You think that if you fight hard enough, people will listen to you. You want people to respect you, but all they see is a brat." She stated. Her aura was growing, the ocean mist getting thicker. "A brat who thinks she can play with the big boys. You've been running with the wrong crowd." She continued. Fiora growled.
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" She screamed. The flames on her arms started turning red, her fear burned away.
"Flame Empress? What a joke. I think that rival of yours deserves it more. Seraphine Valente, right?" She asked. Fiora gritted her teeth.
"Leave her out of this!" Fiora yelled. Her aura was now visible. It was becoming a dark red. Coral was closer now, only several feet away.
"Why? Because you know I'm right?" She asked. Fiora screamed.
"No! Because I said so!" She yelled. Her aura exploded outward, the red flame burning brighter. Coral raised her hand and her own aura exploded, the ocean mist turning into an intense blue. Both women's magical aura pushing against one another. Fiora began to heave heavily, her dark red flames whipping wildly. Her eyes were filled with tears.
"You don't know what it means to be strong. You don't know how hard I've worked. How hard I've pushed myself. I've done everything in my power to get to where I am. I don't care what they say about me. I don't care what they think. I only care about one thing. Becoming the Flame Empress! I've sacrificed everything for this goal. Everything!" Her flames roared around her. She remembered all the things she went through to get here. But one memory came that she had never seen before. It was her as a child staring off toward a city engulfed in flames. Snapping back, Fiora's fire explode behind her, propelling her toward the ocean mage. She reared her fist that was covered in a frenzy of dark red flames.
"Blazing Soul: Devil's Right!" She yelled. The force of her fist collided with Coral, causing an explosion of fire and water. The other members had to cover their eyes. The two opposing forces of magic pushed against each other, neither one giving way. Coral was pushed back, her armor skidding across the earth. She blew a loose hair out of her face.
"That's it. Now that's what I'm talking about." Coral muttered.
"Coral, don't hold back." Basil ordered. Coral smiled.
"With pleasure." She said.
"Blazing Soul: Demon's Hellfire!" Fiora called. Coral grinned.
"Mystic Tideflow: Glacier Field." She called. Fiora slammed both fists on the ground, red fire erupting from the ground. The fire traveled toward Coral, the ground cracking and splitting apart as it got closer. The ocean mist started to freeze, becoming ice and snow. Fiora's flames made contact with Coral, only to be instantly frozen and shattered by her cold ice. But she wasn't done.
Abernathy stared, frightened at the scene he was watching. This was turning into what he saw when he first met Fiora. She engulfed and destroyed half of Magnolia Town when she fought Orion. He turned back time to stop her. Would he have to do it again? Did he have an anchor for that, Abernathy thought.
"Woah, that's intense." Lyra said, her eyes wide.
"This is Coral-senpai and Fi going all out." Luna stated.
"I didn't think this would happen when Fi challenged Coral. But this is just... wow." Gideon added.
"They are both very powerful." Lyra said. She turned to Gideon. "Isn't that right, mole man?" She asked.
"Don't call me that." Gideon grumbled.
"Only Fi calls him that. He gets mad when anyone else says it." Abe pointed out.
"Ah, sorry." Lyra apologized.
"It's fine." Gideon said, waving his hand dismissively. Lyra giggled.
"You remind me of Luna." She said. She looked to her sister, who was ignoring her. It made her realize that after this sparring match, she and her sister would be the ones to go up. She sighed.
Viperion sat next to Basil, her eyes wide in wonder.
"They're fighting like true warriors. That's how I want to fight!" She exclaimed. Basil smiled.
"Do you remember what I taught you? You want to get stronger, right?" He asked. Viperion nodded.
"Yes. I will make you proud, Master Basil. I'll do it for you, for everyone in the guild. I want to be strong so I can protect all of you. So I can stand with you all." Viperion stated.
"Excellent. Now watch carefully. It may look like their fighting, but they are actually opening their hearts to each other. Two women with burdens on their souls, laying it all out here and now. Their souls will bare themselves to each other." Basil explained. He turned back to the battle, seeing Fiora's soul. It was a dark red, burning with intensity. It was hard to see clearly, the dark red fire blazing around it. Abernathy stepped forward leaning into Basil.
"Master, remember that day you asked me if I had used my magic when I brought Gideon and Fiora to our guild?" Abe asked quietly. Basil looked at him.
"I do." He answered.
"I'm not sure if it would be wise to tell you the truth of that day. I'm not sure if it's the right time for that truth. But, I did use my magic. Fiora was fighting one of the members of the Red Suns guild. She lost control and destroyed half the town. I had to turn back time to stop her." He admitted.
"I can't say for certain, but it looks like she is losing control again." He said. Basil nodded.
"She'll be fine. I know she will. Have faith." Was his calm reply.
Fiora smacked her fist into her hand, red fire lapping up the air. The redheaded mage was still heaving heavily. Coral was sweating under her armor, feeling the heat from her magic. She was impressed, to say the least. But she wanted to young lady to learn her lesson. To put her in her place.
"Is that all you've got? If that's all you've got, then you'll never surpass me. You'll never surpass Seraphine" Coral told her. She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.
"Shut up! Don't compare me to her." She said. She breathed out. "I'll surpass her, I swear. I'll show her who the true champion is." Fiora vowed.
Coral raised a brow, "Then come at me with all you've got. We're not done yet." She stated. Fiora glared at her, anger seeping through. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
Basil nodded, "This is it. I can feel them gathering their magic. The last bout. It's all or nothing. One final push." He stated.
Fiora opened her eyes, the red fire blazing around her.
"This spell I made just for the Ice Queen. Blazing Soul: Hell's Sun!" She yelled. Fire erupted out of Fiora's body, like a cloak. On her head was a crown made of fire. "One touch, and I'll burn you to a crisp." Fiora told her.
"Good. I can take it." Coral replied. She released her armor, reverting back to just her underwear. The mist surrounded her arm, encasing it with a shark themed gauntlet.
"You may be a hot head, but I'll show you how dangerous a shark's bite can be." She said. She ran towards the raging redhead, ready to strike. Fiora pushed off the ground, red fire propelling her forward. She reared her fist and punched Coral, who countered with her own punch. The two opposing forces clashed, red and blue light erupting from the collision. Coral skidded backward, her feet digging into the ground. Fiora's cloak roared behind her. Coral's face was full of soot, her feet dirty from the ground, but she didn't let up. The gauntlet had bit down on the fire magic that her opponent fired off. The red fire threatened to engulf the gauntlet. Both women's magic cracked the ground, the force of their magic rumbling the arena. Coral dug in and yelled a warrior's yell. Fiora's outfit had been torn from the battle, her jacket dirty and full of cuts.
The two women challenged each other's stares. The older members watched, the younger ones on the edge of their seats. They were in awe of their guild mates. Their magical powers were amazing. Fiora had a tendency to blow stuff up, but this was something else. She wrapped herself in that red fire rather than letting it explode out. Abernathy could tell that Fiora took a page out of Coral's book.
The jaws of the gauntlet opened wide, magic surging through it's razor sharp teeth, then shut with all its might, causing the magic between them to explode. Fiora and Coral were sent flying back toward the sides of the arena. Fiora hit the wall of roots once again. She wanted to move but when she found her footing, Coral was already close, her gauntlet ready to take a chunk out of her. Fiora smirked and tried to pull up her tired arms, knowing it would be too late. The ocean mage sent her punch forward, hitting the tree roots next to the fire mage's head, blowing a jaw sized hole open. Fiora leaned back, dropping to a seat on the ground.
"Damn it... You win... senpai." Fiora begrudgingly admitted. She dropped her head, looking down. Tears began to stream down her eyes. She gave it her all and still lost. Coral lowered her hand down toward the young guild member. Fiora slowly reached up and grabbed her hand. The older member pulled her onto her feet and pulled her into a hug.
Fiora's tears flowed down Coral's shoulder.
"I'm in awe of your determination, Fi-chan. You fought with your heart wide open... Something I wish I could have done. I have to thank you. You showed me what it truly means to be strong. To not be ashamed of who I am." Coral told her. Fiora pulled away, sniffing. She rubbed her eyes with her fist.
"Shut up, senpai. I'm not crying. I got something in my eye." She lied. Coral giggled.
"Of course." She said. She put her arm around the young girl's shoulder. "Let's go. Time for us to get off the stage." She said.
Basil smiled, "Great job, Coral, Fiora. I pronounce the winner of this fight, Coral Crest. Great job senior members!"
"Old?!" Coral yelled, turning around and pointing to herself. Basil sweat-dropped