The third test (II)

They both stood there after they had received the weapons they would be using against themselves waiting for who to charge first and none was ready to come onto the other first. Ashton was not willing to charge first as he felt mixed up. The thoughts of fighting with Jamil were more than just disturbing. Ashton was bearing two swords while Jamil was bearing a shield and a single sword.

 Master Chen's words about only one of them belonging to the academy was now clear to him. Their ticket into the academy was to kill each other even if the job wasn't done with a blade or poison, the ousted party will definitely be consumed by the raging mutants who will be on the lookout for him.

Ashton shook his head dejectedly and said something to Jamil as they both greeted each other as required before a fight.

"I-I don't think I can do this. Let's forfeit this fight!" 

Jamil let out a small snarl as he said, "Are you scared? You really do not have the balls to overcome your fears yet?" He asked, his voice suddenly turning cold. "Don't be simp, idiot– come on! Let's get this over with already!" 

Ashton fumed at the sickening state the academy's principles had brought them to. The academy had left them both with no choice than to fight against each other for survival. 

Eventually, Ashton made the first move and charged at Jamil. He dashed towards Jamil with great haste and slashed his sword at him as if he was going to slash him from his under waist up to his chest to create a frightening line across Jamil's chest but the latter was quick enough to dodge the attack as he swerved backwards and before Ashton could make another move, Jamil had thrusted his sword a him too.

Ashton had seen this move the way Marcus had instructed him to have his eyes sharpened at his enemies moves and he managed to jump backwards into the air but as soon as his foot had touched the ground, he could see Jamil running towards him with rage.

A small gasp escaped his lips and he quickly regained his footing and blocked Jamil's already charged thrust by slamming both of his swords together in opposite directions making Jamil's sword landed at the center of his. Jamil forced his strength on his sword against Ashton's hold making him fall on one knee as he struggled to hold back the attack.

Ashton finally managed to push Jamil off of him and Jamil staggered backwards. Ashton's breath was hot and haggard as he stared at Jamil menacingly slowly trying to regain a rhythmic breathing. 

'Something is wrong!' Ashton said to himself in his thoughts. 'Jamil is fighting with rage…he is unleashing his anger on me and probably I might die during this test by that sword of his.' 

Ashton lowered his gaze at Jamil as he watched him carefully slowly grasping every move Jamil was making and with a blue flash, he suspended himself into an air flight and he swung his left hand with great force at Jamil to strike again but Jamil had already saw that coming and he swiftly raised his shield before Ashton's precedent attack could make a solid and endangering impact on him.

*KLASH!*

Ashton continued swinging both swords at Jamil and they kept clashing against the shield.

*CLANG!*

*CLANG!*

Jamil finally made a counter attack move by slyly thrusting his sword out from behind his shield unbeknownst to Ashton and his sword grazed Ashton by the side.

*SLASH!*

As Jamil had successfully made his counter attack move, he raised his shield hard against Ashton and summoned a magical spell as he recited a creed and the effect left Ashton staggering backwards then again the magic swept Ashton off his feet sending him to fall into the yard a couple of yards away.

*YAY!!*

The crowd yelled, praising Jamil's magical move. Indeed it was an extraordinary move as he had successfully grazed through his opponent.

The blade had cut through his cloth and had grazed his abdominal skin a huge bit. One of his swords fell out from his hand as he groped his injured side. He stared at Jamil for a minute as if he was saying; 'How could you?!' to him.

He raised his hand to his face and opened his palm that he had used to hold his fresh wound. His blood was already smeared on his palm and as he saw his own blood, his hands began to quiver as he realized Jamil had drawn blood from him. Ashton stood up from the ground and walked over to pick up his sword that had fallen off his hand clenching tight at them like his survival depends on them both.

He dashed towards Jamil again thrusting his sword forward but before he could attempt his presumed attack, Jamil had defended himself with his shield making Ashton's sword make a steely contact with it like it could pierce through the shield. He then swerved out of the way. This move made Ashton slip to the spot from where Jamil had just swerved from. 

"You can still forfeit this fight Ashton. I do not want to hurt you any further but I'm definitely not going to let you win." Jamil repeated his voice laced with urgency. 

"Are you tired already?" Ashton asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "I'm just getting started."

"That one slash is enough wound to bear for today." Jamil said, turning at Ashton.

"You know how much I want to be in this academy!" Ashton spat a little bit of disappointment etching in his tone. "You know I will never hurt you even if it means killing myself to keep you alive, yet you're making things difficult for me."

"Do you realize you are selfish Ashton?" Jamil asked, his brows suddenly narrowish. "If I forfeit this fight for you, I will also die outside this academy! I know that is what you're trying to avoid…death!"

"Oh please! You're the one to talk. Is that not the same thing you're thinking huh?" Ashton fired back.

Jamil shook his head and heaved a heavy sigh. "You are weak Ashton." He chided. "To be a strong and undefeated roach, you must not harbor any weakness. Having someone you care about and can protect with your life will only put you down!"

Ashton let out a small scoff and a small smile made its way into his lips slightly crinkling the flesh on his cheek bone. "So, you could kill me if that is your chance of survival?" He asked, raising a brow.

Jamil heaved a mean sigh and he tossed his shield aside and began to pick small walking paces at Ashton then he began to run wildly towards him. Ashton also charged forward at Jamil while tossing one of his swords aside too and they both clashed in the middle.

*CLASH!*

*KLANG!*

A massive red light emanated from the clash and Ashton's eyes widened at the ethereal light that had evolved out of nowhere.

"How?"

Before he could blink, a massive gust of wind had swept him off his feet sending him backwards with the air and then straight into the ground.

"Huff!" He coughed as he tried to clear the dust that had gathered about from his sudden fall from his vision. When the dust had begun to settle and his vision was cleared a bit, his eyes caught a bird flying towards him from mid-sky. It wasn't just any random bird, it was a bird with a sharp shining sword pointed at him and within a few seconds, the sword would pierce through his chest. The bird was– Jamil.

Before Ashton could roll over to avoid the attack, Jamil had landed on him with full force.

*GASP!*

*ARGH!*

Ashton's eyes churned wildly as they shot straight beams into Jamil's eyes. Jamil finally gave a reply to their last peep talk by saying,

"I would!" And with that, he stood up from Ashton and the whole arena became deafening as they hailed Jamil's victory.

*YAY!!*

*HAIL!!*

*JAMIL!*

The arena continued to chant Jamil's praises and the boy nodded his head in acknowledgment of their praises with thousands of smiles stitched to his face. It was evident Jamil had passed all of his tests excellently well and his chances of becoming a mage was now certified and Ashton was going to be the ousted party.

Ashton titled his head to the side as he watched his reflection through Jamil's sword which he had perched into the earth. He let out a long breath which he didn't realize he had been holding in for long.

"I'm done!" He said to himself as the announcement of Jamil's victory was announced and the whole arena was thrown into a crazy frenzy as Jamil's name rained all over it.