"Think you can-" Mercury asked a bit nervously. His blue cloak from his Paladin armour billowed in the gust of wind that blew across the arena. It was a silence full of tension. It all could be over in a blink of an eye. It was one hell of a desperate plan.
"We have to," Blade ground her teeth her black and green ripped war skirt settled down in the fading gust. Her dreadlock ponytail felt as tight as her muscles as she reached back to her belt pouch. They had nearly the full radius of the arena between them and Fane. 'It won't do us any good…fuck. Shit - stop, concentrate.' Blade breathed in deeply.
Nebula nodded in agreement, "I refuse to go down without making a scratch." Her large purple butterfly wings brimming up with magic. She was low on magic already her Charmix dissipated back to her Winx form. 'What do I do now? Regrouping cost me so much magic.'
Fane flashed her fangs from across the battlefield, 'A lot of wasted time their teammates are out cold. I made sure of it.' Yet she also easily sensed that they weren't upset, just uneasy, anxious. She squinted her eyes. They had done something else for sure. She noticed the gawkers on the stances staring at that Shadion transformation with fear and somewhat amazement that it didn't go haywire this time around. "Well then…" the Vampire couldn't wait to see that typical outcry of desperation and tenacity of the last ones standing. Her boots dug into the sand ready to push off.
Blade's fingers seized the bow hilt in her pouch. In one smooth motion, she pulled it out. Her arm straightened out the crackling bowstring pulled back by her fingertips as the orange lightning arrow formed and the string zinged forward along her nose as she let go.
Mercury clattered all the elemental weapons to the ground he had scavenged. "Go!" He smacked his axes next to him into the sand ready to be grabbed again. This just had to work, do something - anything.
"Fog image!" Nebula raised one hand to cast and threw her looted weapons to the pile. "Mirror space!"
Fane smirked as the lightning arrow zapped towards her, 'Ahhh,' She understood quickly yet one gaze at the pile also showed some missing weapons. Laughing out loud Fane swiped the lightning projectile to the side with her giant minotaur fists. Fane roared amused, "That's all you got?! Waste of time!" The lightning discharged with thunderous noise around her and clashed with her projection however it stayed unscorched then she darted onwards. Fane's eyes snapped to the side when Blade vanished in front of her and a barrage of glistening water sickles from Julius's water katana raced towards her. Blade had been swapped to the clone's position and the girl's water sickles scattered across the straightforward paths between all three students.
"Fog Image, Mirror space!" Nebula shouted as she reached out to the other flank to place the clone to swap Blade yet again. A cough escaped her. So many spells in such a short time did take its toll. "Plant and earth," She directed Mercury in haste who quickly searched for the weapons in the bunch. Nebula's heart pounded so loudly. Her sight got blurred for a moment. 'Not yet…'
Blade while in the swap let go of the emptied-out katana. Just to draw the lightning string of the bow right to the tip of her nose again. She reappeared with the bow drawn full tension at her new position. Her mouth felt so dry. Her aim was true, Blade shot a volley with the leftover arrow charges as she infused her muscles with Dark Magic to race towards Nebula and Mercury. 'This just gotta work, damn it!'
Fane dodged the first attacks which were directly aimed at her. However, the later lightning arrows exploded the slower water sickles a nice combo to create aoe attacks from single target rounds, 'Heh, if they had managed to truly do those combos from the get-go… and combine them with follow-ups, so sad.' It was a potent wide net of waterdrops and electrical surges. She could feel the static field that built up around her minotaur projection.
Blade watched her arrow volley go off as intended, but Fane even with the giant Whip smoothly evaded to the sides, jumped and bent her body and with it the projection.
Fane never dodged too extreme. Always enough. The bright lightning tainted her conjured construct with orange light plays. She kept her top speed, which she had chosen for this test, by evading with the absolute bare minimum distance to those sizzling nets.
Mercury gulped, and took a step back for just a second. 'That the Vampire never slowed down!' He ground his teeth. The sun felt like it was burning on his skin so keen were his senses now. He hurled Kai's sabre and Damon's earth gladius over to Blade his hands sweaty as he enhanced his muscles and grabbed his two axes, 'Let's go this!' He charged Fane head first while his magic flooded his entire body. "NEBULA!" He activated his axes for another firestorm combo.
"I know!" Nebula felt the pressure, it was so hard to concentrate, "Fog Image! Fog Image!" She hollered as her hands waved around to place two clones. 'If I am just off by a second….' Sweat cooled her forehead as if it told her to calm the fuck down. Her lips shivering from exhaustion.
Fane saw Blade was still out of range with those swords. Their elemental attacks were mid-range, not long-range unlike Mercury's. 'Too slow…'
"MIRROR SPACE!" A raspy outcry from Nebula in the backline.
One glance at the two clone positions before Blade and Mercury blurred as they got teleported. 'Ahhh, a cross swap…obvious,' Fane quickly made a harsh turn spun and smashed her minotaur hands into the ground and a giant sand wave swapped towards the fog clone that had been closest to Blade before the girl had vanished just a moment ago.
Mercury hadn't even time to aim when he reappeared. He simply trusted Nebula's ability to place him right. He re-emerged at Blade's angle as planned. In an instant, his wind slash hit the raging fire sickle. Too late he recognised it. Wide-eyed he faced the giant sand wave that reached high into the air higher than his still-mounting firestorm. 'Fuck, she knew?!' He broke off his charge. Such a hard turn that he had to roll off the sand and get straight up to his feed again. Stumbled as he freaked. They had to regroup now! 'We're too slow!' An aching pain in his chest as his eyes pinned on Nebula.
Blade swung a rapid cross-slash with the two swords sending those elemental attacks at Fane from Mercury's old angle. Suddenly, her nose picked up on the signed smell of sand. The flickering light in the corner of her eye. She could only watch as the sand flood swallowed up the firestorm before it even grew higher than a Whisper Wolf. Stunned she stopped dead in her tracks. 'Are we that obvious!? Fuck, if only Nebula had more magic we could have had more clones!' Her hands clenched around the sword hilts her head snapped around she had to be vigilant! The vines and earth burrowed towards Fane like two sea snakes. Too late, they had noticed too damn late. Now they were stuck with what they had and it wasn't enough, again. Again! Surprised she stared in utter disbelief as her elemental charges hit Fane. They landed. Stunned her. 'Heh!?' Blade blinked bewildered. The Vampire easily could have avoided them. Or? 'What? WHY?!' She had a really bad feeling about this.
Fane wasn't fazed at all as vines and earth latched onto her projection pulling the minotaur down to the ground. Slung around it. Tightened. But not strong enough to shatter the projection. "HA!" She simply dispelled the huge projection of hers. 'Flawed, so stupidly flawed.' The restraints way too big to seize her actual slender body. Fane laughed so hard, their faces, priceless. Unhindered she soared in between the climbers and rocks they framed her like some artwork. A big fat grin on her lips. The size difference between her projection and herself was a deadly error many had fallen victim to before. She unlike the kids still had plenty of magic, so why wouldn't she dispel her construct? 'Pressure makes stupid.' A glint through her black eyes as Fane charged at Blade infused her leg with magic and spiralled into a spin kick to take Blade out as she was closest to her. 'Kids, so gullible!'
"BLADE!" Mercury went pale. The lilac blur crashed into Blade who barely had moved a muscle in the time Fane had closed the gap. He could only watch in awe and fear as a giant dust cloud explosion expanded in an instant. The pressure of the eruption pushed him and Nebula back. And not a second later he watched as Blade got catapulted out of the sand screen into the sky.
Nebula reached out her lavender hair bashing into her face, "Fog…" she ground her teeth, her sight blurred, there was not enough magic left to get Blade back down unless she used burn out, yet that would be utterly stupid. This was a test not life and death. Still, so frustrating. They so far had been hopelessly outmatched in the sky-fights.
Blade's arms burned the world spinning with all she had she held on to Dean's tower shield. She had barely managed to pull it out in time. Or rather Fane had let her… Just to send her flying sky-high. Fane had only pretended to go for a spin kick but actually had come from below. Blade would have been down on the ground if the shield had been a normal one, tower shields luckily extended even to the feet. However, the shadowy energy shield evaporated in an instant, completely depleted by that one kick. 'Just how strong is she?!' Blade dropped her Shadion just to activate her Winx again, "CHARMIX!" she went for her reserves to get a speed boost. She had to stop her never-ending spiral. Disorientated she tried to differentiate heaven and earth as she reached back into her pouch. "Where!?" Her eyes were overwhelmed by so much input and dizziness. She expecting a follow-up from Fane.
Nebula's mouth went dry as the lilac blur shot out of the sand cloud directly at her. 'What do I do!?' There was no escape. Mercury was racing towards her to save her, but he was still too far out. Nebula moved her hands to get her two phanto-daggers but those were pointless. 'One spell. One… I'm minced meat anyways.' She balled her fists and ground her teeth in her realisation. Her eyes pinned on Blade, who dead-dropped at high speeds with Max's lava hammer trying to save her as well, Blade's Charmix already gone. Blade was closer. Nebula dashed upwards towards her haunted by Fane adjusting her protectory. "FALSE PHANTOM!" Nebula simply tried to cast her Haze Mirage on Blade, normally it only was to create afterimages for herself. If Fane at least would miss Blade once, it could make the difference. Her fate was sealed.
Fane dashed past Nebula and sent her into an uncontrolled tumble with her wind tunnel. "Wildcard," She whispered into the girl's ear as she caught her in a chokehold and zapped her with some Dark Magic to knock her out.
"AHHHRGH!" Blade went into a spin roll herself as Lava like a fire wheel circled around her.
Fane enclosed Nebula in her magic and threw her straight into Blade's attack like she had done with so many others. 'Hmmm, that on-the-fly spell actually worked…' She stared at the blurring after-images around Blade and crossed her arms challengingly waiting for Blade's reaction.
"Shadion!" Blade activated her Fairy form and gave her spin just a nudge of trajectory upwards. Her eyes spotted Mercury in his race towards them. "CATCH!" She yelled using Nebula as a stepping stone pressing off Nebula's unconscious body and thus pushing her right down into Mercury's arms.
Fane smirked Blade picked up on moves indeed quickly just as her file had stated. The first one not to get thrown off or endanger her comrade. Now faced with burning hot lava right above her Fane only chuckled and pulled out the two sound hook swords from Alex and twirled them in front of her at incredible speed discharging the weapon fully and soundwaves splattered the lava all over but not one drop hit her. "Ha! You're not the only one who can copy people." Fane grinned as she let the weapons drop and slung the bright glowing chain sickle. The weighted chain flew directly at Blade and wrapped around the two-hander hammer's hilt. She tensed the chain in a rapid jolt and ripped the hammer right out of Blade's hands while the elemental discharge blinded the girl.
Mercury caught Nebula and had to drop her ungently, "Blade right!" He commanded.
Everything was white before Blade's eyes she saw nothing. She stirred to the right and felt a gale of wind huff right past her with good pressure that pressed her further to the side.
"DOWN, back flip kick!" Mercury loaded his wind axe. They needed his last charge for a combo but Blade would be taken down if he held back now!
Blade dropped in height as she felt Fane's kick swish past her head and made an air roll as she infused magic into her kick. A hard block of an arm or something. She sensed how Fane's wrist turned to grab her. She couldn't see anything yet. Suddenly a tempest caught her and sent her hurling. It had cut right between her and Fane.
Fane clicked her tongue, 'Hmm, maybe I can go faster again…' She had slowed down as they were so desperate to get something done and the chance of them hurting themselves grew with every second. She hovered there in the air as she glared down below trying to assess the boy's state more in-depth.
Mercury raced, used his fading magic leapt into the air and caught Blade. Together they slid back on the sand as they came to a hold. He sat her down, "No more air fights. I can't get to you up there." He ordered harshly.
Blade rubbed her eyes. Finally, she could see something even if lights still flickered up, "Back to back." She agreed. In a smooth motion, she skated around him. Her heart pounding as she exhaled deeply. 'Not yet…we don't give up yet. It's not over yet!'
Fane watched and sensed as their swaying emotions died down till they matched each other's. They were in sync. She tilted her head slightly. That was leagues better than anything she had seen so far from the kids. A proof of a lot of hours of combat training together. 'Let's see… how far that duo has come.' The file from Red Fountain mentioned that they trained together off hours since their first year. Time and experience that couldn't be bought or compensated for with new gadgets.
"Interesting…" Sanari Cei noticed, just like the others from White Jade, the change of emotions and aura patterns directly. How they aligned with each other. He stroked his chin pondering.
Itzcali chuckled, "That won't save them though." Of course, she as an experienced hunter had noticed yet she yawned as she ruffled her mane. They were no match for the Vampire no matter what they were going to do. "Fane's taking her time…" She nagged.
Master Aithlin gave her a disapproving look, "And that attitude is why you aren't conducting this test." They all worked together frequently as Orders nonetheless they were new to this setup. Different views, ideas, routines and Training methods. All Orders had their strengths and were sent out accordingly, hired for jobs, or requested as a backup. The challenge they faced here wasn't in the field or skills.
"We'll get there," Parcival noted as he looked at Aithlin knew what he meant. Their Orders were more alike. The task was to merge all those attitudes into one healthy Joined Track concept and that for beginners lacking any valid experience, well mostly. It wasn't just a simple mission.
"I bet you a minute, max," Nerrocean nudged Votzaak with the torso of his tail as the Leprechaun was much smaller than him. He wasn't concerned at all. They would make it work somehow and this was much more fun to watch.
Riven laughed while leaning on his purple two-hander., "That's generous…" He would simply train those kids here and there. Nothing big. "Fourty-two seconds."
"Don't let them hear your lack of faith… you already trained some of them on Phere-Moan," Nabu stared at his old teammate got an eye roll from Riven in return and sighed.
"Hmm. Fane is in a playful mood, it'll be longer than a minute," Votzaak smirked at Nerrocean and glanced over his shoulder to Riven. "You pay in food."
Karim chuckled heartily, "She eats that much, huh? But doesn't it truly depend on Fane's choice of attack? She could end it prematurely if the kids screw up, no matter if she's playful or not." He crossed his arms as his light green eyes focused in on the kids examining their stance as they already were doing their best to counter Fane. "Your bets don't focus on the important things." He noted on the side.
"They won't go down without a fight," Palladium smirked to Faragonda who could only agree.
"Indeed." Griffin thought for a second, "She'll get up twice." No doubt in her mind. "The boy…" Her eyes wandered to Saladin.
Saladin looked at her a bit offended, "They'll go down together, they're a team." He stomped his dragon staff on the ground.
Codatorta agreed with a decisive nod, "Aye, he would never leave her to fight for herself. Unless Fane knocks him out with magic he'll stand up as often as it takes. Or Lord Angel?" He looked to his buddy Avalon.
"She'll go too far either way… This isn't just an evaluation of her. This is a test of strength. She'll never surrender unless properly taken down," Avalon was a bit worried his fist slightly balling. 'Don't blame yourself…Blade.'
"Of course, it's a strength test, they are fighting…" Hagen didn't quite understand.
Gwaine looked to Avalon a bit shocked, "You mean that aura pattern is a harbinger of-"
Iolas and the Elves were of the same opinion, "Yeah, I get what you mean, Professor… she's getting desperate and after desperate…" He knew Blade's willpower her stubbornness and Mercury, he, he mustered always exceeding power when it concerned Blade.
Mercury swung his axe backwards right above Blade's head as she bent away and spun around him. A jolt through his entire arm. He bared his teeth in a heavy breath. He could feel the resistance from Fane's projected claw before his amber eyes even followed up on his movement.
"Fairy Edge!" Blade cast anew she already had lost a Fairy sword to her claw swipe before. Her arm pulled back as the white glistening blade formed in her grasp. She bent for an angle. Shot forward for a thrust.
Fane seized the axe head mid-swing and pulled it down. Her white skin gleamed dangerously in the sunlight and her smug smirk just made it worse.
Mercury pushed off from the ground to roll over Blade's back to avoid hitting her. 'WE got to be faster!'
Blade drew her leg back and turned her thrust into an upward slash to steady her back. 'Go down!' Her grip hardened on her weapon.
Fane moved an inch back the sword scratched along her projection, not a mark. Her hand reached out to grab the new Fairy sword. 'Hmmm….'
Mercury from his roll along Blade's back, feet heavy on the ground went for a timed cross slash with Blade to block Fane from seizing the sword. They stood there, side by side, as their block held.
Blade moved her foot into Mercury's stance, pulled her sword in and skidded around to evade Fane's Round House kick.
Fane adjusted directly midcourse spun her body and went into an Ax kick against the boy. The white tunic clung tightly to her. The golden plate on her over-knee boots flashed.
Mercury squinted his eyes, pushed them both backwards, and felt as Blade's back shortly lose contact with his.
The Ax kick hammered down. A gale blew and shoved the two kids further.
Blade's dreadlocks waved around as she charged for another thrust around Mercury who turned with her still spitting out sand.
Fane blocked the thrust as she smacked her projected claw down blocking the attack. A wide grin. "Heh."
Mercury infused magic into his legs and went for a leap over Blade both axes ready to rip into Fane's shoulders. He in his blue shinnying armour dropped a looming shadow on Fane.
Fane spotting the shadow pressed off the sword.
Blade stumbled before she caught herself in a stance again, "Uuurgh…" She growled so annoyed.
Fane's eyes darted to the boy she went straight into a hook kick her body at a steep angle hit Mercury in the arm bend before his axes could swing a round to cut her off.
Mercury felt the aching pain as he crashed into the sand. 'Ouch. Fuck.' He clenched his teeth.
Blade's next thrust shot forward yet Fane bent her body in a curve. Missed! "SHADION!" Blade dashed her ghostly green wings humming.
Fane pushed herself off the ground as her fingers barely dug into the sand and used her momentum to arch over Blade. Claws out aimed for the Fairy's dark wings. But as she touched the tip of them they already faded into magic haze. Barely the girl had evaded such a fatal blow. '…'
"Blade!" Mercury cried out. Had thought the worst. He was faster on his feet than he realised, darted forward. Blade passed him by. Their backs turned against each other.
Sand splashed as Blade ripped her foot around for a hard brake. Save behind Mercury she caught her breath. His cloak touched her back. He was there. They were. 'Come on. One scratch!' This pissed her off so hard.
Fane faced with the Specialist shot her arms forward her lilac self-projection covering her body. She managed to press her arms between Mercury's. "Gotcha." Seized his wrists and clawed his defence wide open. Her fangs flashed in satisfaction as she slingshot into him.
Mercury spat as Fane's front kick hit his chest.
Blade dodged away so as not to get thrown to the ground as well. Still, his shoulder hit hers. She caught herself quickly. 'AHHH! Stupid Vampire!'
Mercury hit the hot arena sand which scraped along his shiny armour.
Blade loaded her Fairy Edge with light magic and sent out a sickle to get Fane off her heels, she saw Fane ignoring her attack yet again. "GET! UP!" She roared agitated and a bit lost of what to do.
The magic sickle slammed into Fane's projection only partially as Fane charged forward to knock out Mercury. The sickle at most a tiny scratch.
Mercury still trying to stand up. Eyes wide that white tunic waved in the wind right before him, 'Fuck!' He felt Blade's Dark Magic building up behind Fane. In haste, he activated his last fire charge, pulled the axe head through the sand in a spiral.
'Smarter…' Fane was greeted with a fire column short before her. She felt Blade's Dark Magic broke left.
"RIGHT!" Blade shouted her Dark Magic dart hit the edges of the fire column eye high and as light and dark intertwined they caused a crackling explosion. Blade rushed forward. "FARIY RIDGE!"
Mercury rolled out to the right low to the ground. 'Damn it!' His paladin cloak took the brunt of his created inferno. His heels dugged into the grain. Sweat from the heat ran down his face. He took a breath. Fane in the left corner of his eye. 'So damn fast…' He had to catch up!
Fane overpowered Blade with a hit to the girl's flank. Promptly a follow-up. A fat grin as her projected claw pressed Blade into the sand. Only the fissuring dark sword between her and Blade's doom.
Mercury jumped high his arm drawn back to its fullest magic soaring through his body, "LEAVE HER ALONE!" He hurled the axe right at Fane.
Blade grunted as Fane put on the pressure, "You wish," she sent a surge of Dark Magic through her breaking sword, which lit up like fireworks as it shattered. The upsurge pushed the claw back. A desperate kick to Fane's shin as she got hit herself.
Fane swiped her projection claw to the side sending the Mercury's axe tumbling upwards into the air evading Blade's shin kick. A quick turn counterclockwise and she snatched Mercury's axe in its fall. A twirl before she launched it right back at Mercury. 'They'd be out cold two minutes ago if I go any faster…'
Blade rolled off on her back to flip herself back to her feet. Yet her breath got stuck just when she had been in the handstand motion Fane's leg swished past her. The air pressure sent her flying. Her shoulders hit the sand first like sandpaper she slit across the arena. A burning sensation. Tears in her eyes. Her hand reached to the wound. 'Fuck!' Felt slightly sick her stomach wasn't happy at all. Clenching her teeth, she spotted Fane. 'She's way slower than before… … …Are we that weak in her eyes!?' She ground her teeth and exhaled pissed.
Mercury blocked the wind axe that had been hurled back at him with his fire axe and grabbed it from the air. Fane wasn't the only one who knew that little trick. He landed on his feet, "Blade!" Anger rose inside him his heart pumping. Head pounding. A deep breath as he stormed at the Vampire Lady. 'Come on, get up…' He pleaded silently. Blade was the only one with enough magic left to do at least a scratch. 'One damn scratch!'
Fane tilted her head backwards into her neck as she focused on him. Her purple tribal hair gave it an extra flare mockingly she smirked at him. 'Ahhh…anger, desperation and despair…truly sad, thought they would keep a cooler head... Oh, well, time for the final. Enough kindergarten.' She raced straight at him because Blade was still struggling to even get up if she would manage at all.
Mercury jumped to the side as Fane tried to swipe him off his feet his brown long hair bashed into his face. His axes hammered down on Fane's purple claw.
As the Paladin axes smashed into the risen claw. Fane used her other claw to seize an axe. Again, she pried his arms apart.
'Shit!' Mercury quickly reacted pulling in his feet wanting to press off her chest, fling her back and free himself just like her slingshot move.
Chuckling Fane let her claws grow engulfing the axes and hands completely. "Ah, ahhh," she scolded him cheekily. In the blink of an eye, she soared in the air right above the ground and with a surge of magic she gyrated on the spot with him secured in her claws.
The Rotation forced Mercury's legs away from her chest. 'Fuck!?' He couldn't get a grip against that gravity. He felt that Fane loaded his body up with magic. "Oh no," he uttered.
Fane gave an amused brow twitch she knew that face all too well from their Order recruits, 'Bye, bye.' She turned even faster and then at the right point let go. She lifted her hand to shield her eyes from the sunlight to gaze upon her work. "Aaah could have gone a bit further…" She snickered to herself.
Mercury tumbled through the air he had no spell no more wind axe charges he was doomed. Fane's magic coat would save him from injuries. He had seen it so many times now. This would be his end… 'Sorry Bla-' He was about to give up as he felt it. Blade's Light Fairy magic.
One heartbeat. "DON'T." Blade roared as she intercepted him, "GIVE," she clawed into that armour into the blue shoulder plates warmed up by the sun, "UP!" Blade pivoted in the air. Wind cutting through her golden dreadlocks. She poured all she had into him all the light just like in Larciport. The fire tornado was their only chance!
ONE SCRATCH! We only need ONE! Their minds as one.
Another heartbeat, Mercury looked up at her, saw her blue eyes burning like fire. 'Blade…' His eyes caught hers as that sizzling Light Magic broke the Dark and made it discharge. 'LET'S DO THIS!' His chest was burning. The Paladin armour absorbed the magic. Throughout his body from head to toe, he could feel magic rush like a wave over him, his skin tingling. He relayed that magic into the axes more and more and more. Brightly those Red Jade stones lid up. The elemental stones soared with wind and fire that they vibrated!
In full sync. No words needed.
Blade let go. The blue cloak caressed her skin as it billowed before her. Right angle, top speed Fane in their crosshair. As a shooting comet, Mercury descended his war cry filled the air as the axe's cutting winds split the air and flickered up. Fire hot in his face. Perfect trajectory, 'GOTTACH!' He used the full momentum. This speed, Fane, couldn't evade unless she would admit to needing more. 'No, she's too proud! We have her!' He breathed in concentrated, "TAKE THAT!" The axes discharged their entire magic wind hit fire like a mighty dragon's Odem spiralling mesmerizing flames. The elemental release was so strong he got pushed back up into the air by the recoil a jolt in his arm. Time stood still his next heartbeat fading in his ears as the inferno swallowed Fane whole. His eyes darting. She had not evaded! She hadn't been able to with her set limitations for the test.
Standing ovations on the ranks! People raising their fists in cheers. An outcry not often heard in that intensity in the arena spectators jumping high in triumph. Some leaned so much over the railing that they nearly fell into the arena themselves.
Mercury bent backwards as his free fall began. His eyes pinned on Blade. Her blue Fairy outfit vanished with her wings dissipating into white sparkles like a falling star. 'Beautiful…' They were spent. Done. But they had made it. A relieved sigh as he felt the wariness set in. She would be able to roll off safely and his armour would take the brunt of his crash. Victory. He closed his eyes and took a breather.
"MERCURY!"
Blade's panicked outcry from behind him was cut short by the hurricane that suddenly raged, 'WHAT!?' The tempest blew him high above he lost the grip on the axes. Mercury raved his hands around spotted…Fane.
Like some angel with flaming wings, the Vampire Lady dashed towards him. A grin of death on her face.
"SHADION!" Blade hollered, 'How!? Just- why?!' she couldn't believe it. Her heart was pounding, she had to get Mercury before she did. Yet there was so little Dark Magic left that barely had summoned that form. She had used that for body enhancement mostly. Fane had split the fire inferno with a slash of a tail projection. 'SHE CUT RIGHT THOUGH IT LIKE BUTTER!? WHY? BUT WE HAD HER!' Blade clenched her fists her body tensed. She had to squint her eyes as tears ran due to the cold gust. 'We always lose…why…?' Her heart sank for but a moment. 'No. NO! I refuse!' She dashed even harder. If they were together as a team then-
Mercury staggered around in the air he had no way to evade make an attack or even block properly. The white lilac blur - a flat hand burrowed into his stomach.
"Enamoured," Fane whispered into his ear before she shocked the boy and infused him with her magic. Let him fall again. Her head tilted as she looked at her masterpiece from above, 'Those kids… well that leaves…' she crossed her arms and watched the desperate rescue attempt. 'Ah… not enough magic…Blade wastes way too much…'
"Mercury!" Blade pushed and pushed herself faster. She had to catch him! Just had to. 'Together, we just have to try again, if we just - buy enough time for any of ours to get up again.' They hadn't lost yet. Her neon-green wings hummed so strongly that her back vibrated. 'FASTER!'
Fane had waited long enough. She made an air roll and her projected dragon tail created another gale and shot Mercury like a bullet directly into Blade's arms. 'Well then, Mis Never… I bought as much time as possible for you to show off Shadion… time for your lesson…' Her black eyes narrowed as she charged at Blade.
Blade first wasn't sure if she should dodge the blue cannonball or not. If she did Mercury would theoretically die… "Damn it!" She fused the rest of her magic into her arms and torso. Even then the pulse transmission overwhelmed her. The cold armour was like a hammer. Her arms trembled nonetheless they got smashed into the arena sand right against the arena wall like flies on a windshield.
Fane landed with a bit of distance, "Surrender," She demanded of the stubborn Fairy. "You won't win and I'm hungry." She casually spoke to agitate her, yet she would also accept a surrender.
Blade shook Mercury, "Hey, wake up. Mercury… come on…Shit." He was out cold and he buried her beneath his limb body. Her shoulder stung. That impact… she somehow had just barely managed in time to disperse her transformation and concentrate her Dark Magic on her back only by intuition. The only reason why she wasn't out cold as well.
"Come now, make this easy on you," Fane blabbed on yet of course the girl wouldn't give up. She watched Blade with all fours heaving Mercury of herself.
"Shut up!" Blade swung to her feet and raced at her hands in her pouch. Ancient hilt? No, got no magic. Elemental weapons? None left. Phanto weapons!' She pulled the first best out. Spear! 'Nice.'
Fane sighed and dropped her projection, there was no point in wasting magic, 'Who knows when the next emergency in the Hunter Division comes up, mh, she's ridiculous…'
Blade went for a speartip slash to follow up with a thrust. Her hands burning, she had next to no grip strength left. 'One scratch… just one…'
Fane jumped backwards before she stepped into the thrust a bit of muscle enhancing she grabbed the spear right behind the tip. Crushed it bare-handed. "Please, don't waste all your arsenal like that you're just creating more work for-"
Blade only hissed drew the next, dagger, and threw it at her another surprise pick for her. Next. Sword! "SHUT UP." Her eyes were full of rage she could do nothing! 'Nothing! Again! Why!?'
Fane caught the dagger between her fingers and simply tossed it to the side. The sword swung however she simply ducked under and moved inside Blade's stance, "Surrender. Say it," with a quick twist of Blade's arms she had her under control. Squeezed her hand and took her into a custody hold, before she swapped her hands around.
Blade winced she couldn't help it under that grip she dropped the sword. Suddenly felt as the Vampire dug into her belt pouch and pull all those phanto-weapons out. Plus she gave her a kick to boot. 'Fuck!' Blade stumbled rolled off the ground and directly turned around.
'She's only going to hurt herself with those now…better get rid of them,' Fane demonstratively held all those weapons in her fingers and an upsurge of magic made them crackle. They either broke or their energy discharged. A small explosion in Fane's palm, which she countered with a magic wobbly coat. "There, no more weapons. No more magic. Surrender, admit it."
That Vampire sounded so indifferent to her. Blade hissed through the teeth. 'Why am I still standing? Doesn't she think I worth the trouble to knock out!? As if I would stop. A fight's not over before one dies-' She shook her head. 'Why does it feel like?...' This was just training a test not even one that was graded and yet Fane's presence that Vampire before her just like in all those other situations. Jewels, Phere-Moan, the prison, 'I will always give it my all. Training prepares for real life. I wouldn't back down if this was for real. Fuck. I got stronger, I worked so hard, We did. I'll – no. We promised us no matter what one scratch. Just one! So, Surrender? Never…You keep wishing Lady,' Blade's face grew darker.
Fane rolled her eyes, "Don't hurt yourself…" She yawned no intention of restarting this fight. Yet she could feel Blade'S emotions boiling up inside. That will, that struggle before she found her focus point. 'Great…she truly doesn't get it. Such a bad habit.'
Blade clenched her fists already had some sand ready, she had grabbed it when she had rolled off. One deep breath. 'She'll regret underestimating me!' Blade chased at her pretending to go for a side kick. Yet as her arm swung around to gain momentum she released the sand attack towards Fane's eyes and pushed off for a spinning back kick instead.
'Obvious…' Fane shielded her eyes simply with magic and took a step back. "Say it." He demanded again as Blade's leg went past her. Her tribal braids barely waved from the air pressure.
Blade ground her teeth as she went into a barrage of kicks and fist punches. 'Damn you! Take me seriously!' She cursed in her mind. This was scarcely more than what her father had done with her when she had been a kid - let her attack and only block.
Fane simply brushed the punches to the side and ducked away from the kicks. Her black eyes sparked up as Blade in her barrage made a mistake leaving her defence wide open and with a thrust of her heel to Blade's chest sent the girl flying backwards. Fane crossed her arms, "Surrender."
Blade hit the sand hard. Its heat burning in her back. Her training outfit protected her but she hadn't all skin covered. So, just like with her shoulder some of her skin scraped open. 'Shit!' Half scared of the follow up she rolled to the side and pushed herself off staying low. Yet there had been no follow-up. Fane just stood there again, "Take me seriously, damn it!" Blade lost it a bit.
"You want to be taken seriously?" Fane raised an eyebrow. 'She's truly stubborn to a fault.' She hadn't taken any of them seriously even when they had been thirty-three of them. She shook her head, "Surrender."
"YOU!" Blade rushed in again. Never would she surrender. Surrender meant defeat! 'How could this day have gone so wrong!?' She hammered her leg down but got blocked by Fane's forearms. 'We practised so much!' Her leg got pushed back again. 'We trained in school!' She went low as she spun around to swipe her off her feet Fane simply moved back. 'We trained off hours!' She tried to get a high kick in. 'So much planning!' Missed. Her leg got grabbed by its ankle and shoved back sending her flying to the ground yet again. 'So much work!' She spat out the sand as she pulled up again. 'Worth nothing!?' She rushed at her again.
Fane shook her head, "Admit defeat and surrender."
Riven whistled, "She's got stamina…" He straightened out his wine-red shirt beneath his black combat west. "But why doesn't she surrender? This is pointless…" He looked to Codatorta and Avalon.
The two gave each other a stare, "Surrender is not in her vocabulary." Avalon finally answered with a solemn sigh. Concerned he kept a close eye on Blade's aura.
Karim gave them a look, "Yeah, but Blade had other training sessions and mock battles. She does stick to her schedule there's no way she goes all out like this all the time." He was worried if she always trained that hard the strain on her body would be immense just by the thought of his silver fur ruffle up.
"Please, tell me you didn't tell Fane to rattle her past's monsters …" Shanna glared at Votzaak. She could sense Blade's surface thoughts and they were all doubts and anger.
"No, her 'monsters' are your area," Votzaak noted his eyes pinned on his king's subject. "I told Fane that we need to know how she escalates when things turn to shit. Desertia, Phere-Moan, Magix City. All of those she survived cause she had to." His keen eyes followed Blade's every move.
"She shows no sign of wanting to surrender," Cei simply stated he didn't like that aura one bit. "Have you taught her no restrained Curate Avalon?" The White Jade mage sounded a bit scolding.
"Hey, she listens when we tell her to stop," Palladium directly defended their methods. "She never disobeys." His blond hair swished around in his warning gesture.
Nabu closed his eyes, "But Fane won't call it off. So…" Now he understood their prior statements. He had been at the same point in his life so hard to stand by and watch.
Saladin clawed into his dragon staff, "She won't quit. If you quit you're dead. The one lesson she knows better than any of them." And yet, this wasn't life, it was a training assessment. Blade struggled so much. Her frustration was palpable. No matter what she did no matter the combination Fane could read her inside out.
"Good thing, we forbade Fane to break bones…" Nerrocean was a bit lost for words. In the task force, the kids always had grown-up team leaders and escorts. She had been way more controlled. "Don't wanna know what Blade'd do with a broken arm… Her case was bad."
Hagen stared at him bewildered, "Why would you state it like that?..." As a smith, he wasn't all used to this anymore. In the Company of Light, which he had joined for the big battle against Valtor mainly to support his back then long-time crush Faragonda, he had enhanced their weapons, robes, and armours. Also, he had outfitted the army the generals like Griffin and Saladin had commanded, but all that paled to the fact that he had crafted his masterwork the Sword of Domino for Oritel. Yet besides crafting and tailoring armour to the exact needs of clients he didn't know all too much about how Orders worked or their tests.
Aithlin sighed, "Cause it's common for Hunter Division aspirants to be of the desperate kind. Many have survived an encounter with Black Magic… they have the heart at the right spot but they have a hard time understanding when to quit. These people tend to lay their life down rather quickly if it ensures victory and saves lives." He glanced to Nabu who pretended not to hear anything. Stoic and calm as ever.
Votzaak nodded, "Ah, true, our Nabu was proper fun when he-" His smirk widened.
"Grandmaster…I'm trying to focus…" Nabu promptly stated to cut Votzaak off ever the smooth talker while Riven snickered next to him.
"I'll stake Fane personally if she brings me a corpse back," Virion growled annoyed already evaluating what Blade would need. Volcano was sleeping soundly behind them and the freeze burn on her two arms had taken a bit longer to heal than expected.
Blade breathed heavily nothing landed. She couldn't even touch her anymore. "Fight me you stupid…!" Her shoulders rose and sank so rapidly. Fane always moved to the sides. Didn't even make proper blocks.
"Surrender," Fane asked yet again. '… that will take a lot of work to beat that habit out of her…great…' She wasn't happy at all. Nonetheless, she still presented as unmoved.
Blade charged at her again. 'Come on, make one mistake. Underestimating me will make you sloppy. One scratch. Just one…We promised each other.' Her breath was slightly erratic as her feet gave way for the first time. Everything ached. She caught her breath forced to get it into a normal rhythm again. Sweat dripped from her face like rain. Fane didn't attack although she was in such a vulnerable position. Not even that anymore. 'Move…' She wobbled as she pulled up again.
"Admit defeat," Fane voiced once more. The girl was at her wit's end and her body screaming for a break, 'Come on, girl, say it.' Too often she had seen this on the battlefield people exhausting themselves so much for no good reason. A simple retreat could have saved their lives and yet there was always only onward for them.
Blade turned around her arms dangling to her sides. One deep breath before she attacked again. Her arms swung wide for punches and went into a front kick when she was close enough.
Fane took a step back for the punches aimed at her face though stopped for the kick. Blade's kick connected with her stomach muscles yet when she went for the push all the girl achieved was that she knocked herself back, stumbled and landed her ass in the sand. "SURRENDER," Fane repeated a bit more sternly. 'This is pointless Blade…'
Yet even as her muscles shivered Blade pulled herself up again. Her gaze drowsy lurched forward. 'One scratch…we worked so hard…why!?'
Fane could see the appalled students on the ranks who kinda got angry at her for not calling the match already, especially those from the task force. And on the other hand, those who found it ludicrous. "Surrender, Blade." She simply walked ever so slowly backwards ensuring the distance stayed the same.
Blade fell over as her legs weakened once again. The hot sand in her face. 'My best has to be good enough! It's just one stupid Vampire! She isn't even using all her skills!' Her golden dreadlocks in her face her hairdo undone she spit out the sand and tried to pull up but her legs refused. Her eyes fixed on Fane, she was blurry, her head heavy sank to the sand again.
Fane breathed out, 'Shit. She didn't say it…' She could feel Blade's emotions. Her mind was unwilling to admit defeat to surrender to try another day.
Blade spotted a bigger flint just a few feet away from her. Trembling she moved her arms forward. Nonetheless tried to reach out to crawl forward. 'A ranged attack yes…surely… she'd not expect that now…' but every inch was such a struggle.
"Admit it and surrender."
'Why am I never strong enough!? Why are we never strong enough? What is all this work for if we can't even land one scratch!? She's not even protecting her body with magic anymore,' Blade clenched her teeth in frustration. That flint in her sight if she just could get it. 'We can't be that weak still?!'
Avalon saw the first black dot in her aura. Within a heartbeat, his golden wings spread and he dashed towards Blade and Fane. His ice Jian summoned into his hands loaded up with ice magic.
"What is he doing?!" Itzcali already drew one of her knives to pierce his wings and stop him.
Votzaak raised his hand to stop her, "Teaching a lesson. He knows her best." Now he truly focused again.
Fane had been so focused on Blade that she noticed the Paladin a tat too late for her comfort his ice attack already surmounting within his sword. His aim her. 'Why is he?!' A proception of a Manticore bubbled up around her. A quick beast with a scorpion tail that easily could render wings meaningless.
A massive ice sickle with lightning speed. Avalon pushed himself to his max speed, "Blade!" He drew her attention already short before the vampire with his speed boost.
Fane jumped to the side evading the ice wall yet a bit wide-eyed she still got hit as the ice grew out to the side encompassing around he her tail stem and hind legs of her proception. She infused her projection with massive amounts of magic. She'd be too slow to break through with him right in front of her. 'Not too shabby, but that won't get through my project-'
Blade watched as with a quick thrust to the Manticore's bull horn. The Jian pierced into the projection it was less than an inch.
"Involveo frigus!" Avalon cast through his sword. And his ice magic injected into the projection fissures of ice magic spread in the blink of an eye throughout the projection.
IT SHATTERED.
Blade could feel it that wasn't more magic when she used in a pierce spell. Yet that little crack with a surge of magic and that unbreakable projection crumbled like sand.
Fane grinned. Exciting! She had thought all those Alfea professors too be weak. But that Paladin had some skill. She already was on the verge of landing a none fatal kick as the damn Professor simply turned around and ignored her. 'what the!?' She hit the breaks hard.
"See Blade," Avalon smiled kindly at his student. Fane's leg stopped right before landing a hit to his head the gale blew his hair and ponytail a bit up. Avalon truly ignored the Vampire Lady as he twirled the sword shortly to rest it passively behind his back. "It's not only about how much magic you have. Or how strong you are. It also depends on skill. You could easily have shattered any projection of Marksmen Fane if you had hit a weak point with your Pierce spell. It's quite easy actually if you know what to look for."
Blade gazed at Avalon bitterly, 'Yeah, right… as if I have that -'
"Skills can be learned and you have more than enough people who will teach you. That counts for all of your friends. Just give it a bit of time." He walked already past Blade to get back to the grown-up group, "Admitting surrender doesn't mean to give up. It's so you can fight another day." He noted calmly happy that Blade's aura now only turned to a deep purple as she of course was frustrated. But not black.
"HEY! Get back here!" Fane hissed at Avalon, "And fight!" So, vexing, she just had found a fun opponent after that boredom of an evaluation. She wanted to know just how strong that White Jade Professor was. Not many could break her projections with just one attack.
"Marksmen Fane," Avalon smirked a bit but walked on, "You have a lot to learn before you can call yourself a skilled teacher. We teach our students - not play around."
"It was an evaluation!" Fane protested harshly.
"Yes," Avalon looked over his shoulder, "And you proved to them nothing more than that they are weaker than you yet that was clear from the start. So, in fact, you taught them nothing during your evaluation. A missed opportunity indeed." He paused. He knew that she had tried to make Blade see reason…so he added. "If you notice that your student doesn't get your point you have to change your approach. Marksmen, you have a lot of room to grow in teaching young, they process differently than grown-ups." He scolded her a bit with his little lesson and walked on, leaving her standing.
Fane was a bit aggravated and yet irritated by Paladin's actions, 'I hate White Jade…'
Blade sighed deeply Avalon was right. She couldn't land a scratch not alone not with her skills. Not Now. "I surrender…" she conceded.
Still frustrating.