Magic, Baby! Magic! (NasuFate - Artoria Pendragon SI Chapter 3)

I ducked under another swing of Merlin's sword, only for him to fire a magic ray from his staff.

Just in time for me to bring up my shield spell-literally a glowing magic circle formula floating on my wrist, with writing in the margins, and a rune in the middle for effect. Merlin's spell splashed against it, and left me untouched.

Honestly, I don't get why he complained about my Rune Shield spell. Runes were as easy to memorize and switch mid-battle, as remember the first one hundred and fifty pokemons. Easier since they are only twenty four.

I rushed in my sword already swinging, only for Merlin to jump above and over me, slashing at me as he moved. The rune switch to block physical attacks.

BAM.

Hit taken and I spin on the ball of my feet, already encoating my blade with electricity, as sparking arc ran across it.

Only to hit air.

Shit he's above me.

I switched the rune again, as his staff point shined and fired a beam of magical ener-

"GAH!" I cried out.

My whole body ached as that trickster had fired a beam of kinetic energy. Multi-tasking, I switched the rune again stopping the spell, while turning up my Dragon Engine-yes, I know it's called a Magic Core, but Dragon Engine just sounds cooler!-healing myself, and making my sword glow with awesome power.

"THUNDER SMASH!" I thrust the sword up firing a giant beam of lightning, that over takes Merlin's spell, and envelop the whole space he was in.

That's should get him for a bit-

Pain sheered through my back and stomach, as a blade ran through me.

I looked down to see pointy head of Merlin's sword sticking out of my stomach. I looked back to see that smug magus, smirking at me, and then gestured with his head up.

I looked up to see his staff blasting up into the sky.

He readied the spell in the staff, then had it float and fire remotely.

"Motherf-"

I woke up from my dream training. I lost again.

"That's cheating!" I shouted, as I got out of bed and stretched, the morning light coming from my room's window, filled me with energy and made me feel alive.

"'If you're not cheating, you're not trying'. Wasn't there someone who was just so proudly saying that? What was her name again?" Merlin's voice came from outside my room. Likely from the kitchen.

I got out and yep, Merlin was in the kitchen making breakfast, with a make-shift stove, which was actually a retooled Mystic Code. Thank god for magic making things like this easy.

I grumbled at his words and went to take care of my morning stuff.

After blowing up the tower, we ended up moving to a village by the coast, facing Ireland. So, kind of away from most of the fighting within the British Isles. Of course, we didn't live in the village, but in the enchanted forest near it.

We're the weirdos living in a forest rumored to have monster. It wasn't a rumor.

"You said you wouldn't use spells you didn't teach me?" No, I was not salty. I just really care about fair play. I sat down at the lunch table, waiting for the food.

If there is one thing I'm forever grateful to Merlin for, it's that his food actually has taste, rather than the plain stuff I usually had to eat.

"Oh, that? I lied." I scowled. Before I could say anything he continued. "Do you think you're opponents will play nice? You should start expected the unexpected from the get go. Better to learn this now, rather than later when it would cost you."

"Ma meh mah meh mea!" I mock mimicked his words, while looking away.

"Oh, is someone grumpy?" He grinned, setting the food on the table.

"I'm not." I said as tried to dig into the steak. Only for a magic barrier to throw my fork off.

"I believe you owe me something." He rested his punchable face on his palm, while looking at me.

I glare with all my dragonic might and wrath.

His damnable smirk widened.

"Come on," he moved and slowly cut his food, and ate a bite. "This food isn't gonna stay warm forever."

"..." I muttered what he wanted to hear.

"What's that? I couldn't hear you. Oh, is your food too hot? Let me cool it down with a freeze spell-"

"IT WAS YOUR WIN, OKAY!? DAMMIT!" I cried out, then stabbed the steak, the spell now gone. I picked up the steak without cutting into it, and just started ripping piece off with my teeth, and stuffing my face with rice, with the spoon in my other hand.

"Aaah, victory really is sweet." He smiled with that sickening happy face, as he took his time eating.

I finished my steak and then had a second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth. It's difficult to angry eat when there is as much food as I want, so I can't finish quickly and then stew in rage.

I stopped after the eleventh steak and fifth rice bowl with mushroom sauce, so I could think.

It's been six years since I started living with Merlin. While in the day we would go about our daily lives, be it hunting, going to the village to sell stuff, combat training and magic studies etc. At night while I slept we would continue combat training and with more viciousness, since I don't have to worry about injury like in real life. Well, I still worry since if I die, the dream would rest and Merlin would keep a giant score board saying how many times he won.

Right now I'm 13 years old, physically. Body-wise I'm not at the optimal physical capabilities yet, but magic and the Dragon Engine more than compensates for that. If it comes to pure strength, physical or magical I'm equal to Merlin. Annoyingly I have to admit he is powerhouse when it comes to that stuff. Then again, that's what my wise old mentor should be.

"I feel like you just insulted me for some reason." He questioned.

"Hmm." I said back not focusing on him.

The problem is skill. I need something to get an edge on him. I need variety in fighting styles and abilities. But it's not like there are convenient enemies around for me to fight "safely" like dream training. The occasional bandit, or runaway knight aren't worth shit against me.

I need something more.

The idea came to me like a hammer hitting an anvil.

"You have that look again." Merlin noted. "Okay, out with it." He sighed. Not sure why.

"Hey, remember that lesson about Spirit Evocation?"

"Wow, I'm already regretting this. Okay, why are you bring that up? I have a feeling it's not about necromancy and asking spirits for answers." He said.

"Nah, that's lame. Anyways, remember what you said about Heroic Spirits and that you can summon them?"

"And that you can not do so without putting them in a Class containor, and even then you can't summon them without a massive power source to provide the mana, otherwise you'll get one but it will be useless and won't have the energy to fight." He said back.

"But what if you summon them in the dream realm!" I pointed out with finger guns to emphasis my point.

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "You can't ever beat me in a fight, so you want to summon Heroes of ages past, in order to train you, so you can beat me?" He said with amused skepticism.

"I'm gonna let that 'can't beat you' thing slide, and say yes." I graciously nodded.

"Uh-huh." Merlin leaned back into his chair, with a mischievous smile and steepled his fingers. "Okay then. To answer your question, yes, summoning them into a dream will massively reduce mana cost, as they aren't being pulled to the physical realm. However, if you want me to do you such a huge favor," I groaned and rolled my eyes, at him drawing this out. "You have to pass a trial first."

"Sure, anything." I said dismissively.

"Do you know that dragon living in the coast cave, people have to leave some food offering for, so he would leave them alone?"

"We're finally gonna go kill it?" My eye lit up. Fucking, finally. Dragon slaying here I come!

"Nnnoo," He drew out the word. He was having way too much fun with this. "You're gonna go tame it."

The serpent have lived by the sea for eons.

It had arrived from the western lands, after its mother was killed upon a bridge in Corrie Liath. It had wanted for nothing, for the humans knew to give upon it, it's keep. It had not made the mistake of demanding maiden, no matter how delicious they may be.

A tithe of food was enough. The occasional foolish knight was also a treat.

It had no need to venture the lands, or slaughter the humans as long as it's needs were met.

It was Ben Vair, son of Beinn a' Bheithir, and within its territory, its rule was absolute, for none would dare-

"HEY DRAGON! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU, BITCH!"

...The shock of being address as such, had taken it out of it's cave, before it's rage arrived at such an insult.

Only to halt as it saw a child of all things calling for it. A female from the smell.

A growl that sounded like crashing waves, went out of it's throat at seeing this annoying little ant. Only to stop at seeing said child with a dozen or so whole trees cut and carried by her.

The child dug her fingers into two trees and held them as two large weapons. Ben Vair could feel the magic rolling off the girl's frame, and into the trees as well.

He could feel the smell of one of his kin rolling off her. A battle for territory then. He rushed forward.

"I'M GONNA MAKE YOU MY HORSY!" The girl shouted as dash forward as fast and ferocious as a cheetah.

If the nonsensical words didn't stop throw off the dragon, the sheer look of madness in the girl's eyes, as well as her wide teethful grin did.

Ben Vair took a tree to the face.