Chapter 4: Let The Battle Begin!

Chapter 4: Let The Battles Begin!

The moment that Ko and Selstie walked through the temple doors, everyone else's attention was focused on them. 

"I guess we're late." He states nonchalantly as the azure haired girl ducks her head down and hides behind him, her shy nature making an appearance. 

The bandana clad teen notices Evane in the crowd of people, the latter waving at him with cheery enthusiasm. 

I wish I could be that outwardly excited all the time, not.

"Now that you're all gathered here," The voice of the projected old man calls out to everyone, startling them. "Shall we continue the exam?" The two towering wooden doors of the temple close shut, trapping all of them inside the temple.

"We're doing the battles in this place, but there's no space?!" 

Laughing echoes about the temple room as the projection of the old man appears standing in front of the Pure Mana Sphere. 

"We could stand here theorising where the battles will be held all evening, or you could just stand as watch at the magic happens. What do you say?" 

When no-one replies to the older man, he nods in recognition. Gesturing with his right hand, he flicks his wrist to the left. 

"Porter, please work your magic." 

With a blink of an eye a light blue portal appears next to man, its glow almost as intense as the Pure Mana Sphere behind it. 

"Step inside once you're ready to begin the exam." The projection of the old man scatters away into small particles.

Everyone, baring Ko and Natale, look at one another and then to the portal, not one moving an inch towards the portal – until the blonde princess takes that first step forward. 

"If we back down now, we'll never become Mana Knights." Her sharp voice cuts the room like the finest blade as she disappears into the portal.

Evane bumps his fists together, the metal dusters clanging against each other, and walks towards the portal.

"Princess has got a point. We're here to get stronger, right?" The tall teen stops in front of the portal and turns his head around to look at the group of nobles – his eyes finding Ko at the back of them. He nods his head, turning back around and following Natale through the portal. 

Nigelious makes a look of disgust, clenching his hands into fists.

"Like I'm going to let that washed up family make a mockery of mine. Shall we show them who's the more dignified house?" 

His lackeys follow after him into the portal along with the rest of the nobles who gather their resolve. 

Ko and Selstie are the only ones remaining, the azure girl clinging to his side like a magnet. 

"Uh, Selstie?"

"Yes?"

"Are you gonna let go so we can go through the portal?"

She pauses, looking down at her hand that's creasing Ko's kimono, letting go immediately and jumping back with a 'oh!'. 

"I-I'm sorry, I guess I'm nervous about having to fight." The short girl bows repeatedly at him in an apology. She stays bowed over, her hair covering her face. "I don't want to fight." 

Ko walks a few paces towards the portal then stops. 

"Sometimes you have to fight," Selstie turns her head to behold the back of Ko, her eyes shining. "In order to protect those you care for." He cranes his neck in her direction, a small smile on his lips that tremble. "It's all right to be afraid, just don't let that fear be the reason for your regrets."

Spoken by the teen who held many regrets his words were from the heart, the girl could tell by his rigid posture and the way his mouth quivered. With a slightly more determined look on her face, she steps towards Ko. 

He watches her walk passed him, the end of her dress fluttering around, as she stops just before walking through the portal.

"You really have a way with words... it's almost like you know me," She glances back at Ko, who looks off to the side, with a look of wonder in her eyes. "But that can't be - right?" 

They stand in awkward silence for a moment before she walks into the portal, leaving the alarmed teen to his thoughts.

I forgot she's the type that reads into every word...Better be careful around her from now on.

Ko looks to the portal and takes a step before halting. He walks around the portal, stepping up to the Pure Mana Sphere.

"I wonder..."

He places his left hand on the sphere, the right holding the Bo staff, and focuses his Mana. His left hand glows for a second before dimming. 

"Shoulda figured, can't absorb what hasn't been cultivated into magic." He takes his hand off the sphere and heads back to the portal. "Guess I'm doing this the hard way, like last time." 

Ko knows what lays ahead through the portal, but this doesn't still his nerves. If anything, it makes the butterflies in his stomach double over and increase tenfold. 

He takes a deep breath in then exhales out slowly, steeling his resolve and heading through the portal.

Let's do this!

xxx

As Ko stepped through the portal, the scenery around him went from the temple room he was just in, to a wide open sand covered Colosseum. 

It was 50metres in height and stretched over 30 feet wide, and was built from concrete and limestone. There were six rows of seats that went all around the Colosseum, where four people were currently situated at the far end.

Everyone recognised the first person. He was the one who wielded the ability to project himself where ever he wanted. The full suit and black tie made him look refined. 

Next to him sat a stone faced silver haired woman. Her long hair was braided on the left side and she wore the Mana Knights famous military uniform. She had her arms crossed, eyes scanning over the students below.

Sitting by her was another woman who had short wavy caramel brown hair. Unlike the serious face of the woman next to her, she wore a cheery smile on her face. Her bright floral sun dress didn't hide the size of her chest which was twice the size of the other woman's, who would side glance down at it every now and then with jealousy. 

On the other end was a chubby well dressed man. He wore a nobles attire, the bottom buttons looked like they were about the pop off from his white shirt. The pointy black moustache under his nose was constantly being stroked by his right hand – it was all the hair he had. 

The suit clad older man stands up, looking down at the students below. 

"First of all I'd like to congratulate you all, yet again, for making it this far. I hope these past 4 hours have been used in a productive manner to learn your new-found abilities, because now we shall conduct the final exam to see who has the potential of becoming a Mana Knight in the future." He looks over from one student to the next, taking in their weapons.

"My name is Harlton Elerise, I am the Headmaster of this esteemed academy and will be one of the judges of today's matches. Next, we've been lucky to have one of the 12 Captains that lead the Mana Knights to judge this exam - Cess Von Tritan."

Cess stands up, her piercing auburn eyes lock onto each student one at a time, with them either looking away in sudden fear or meeting her eyes with confidence. She jumps down from where she stood and lands effortlessly on the sand below.

"As you already know, My name is Cess Tritan. I am here today to oversee this exam and judge the potential of you all." Her eyes lock onto Ko's "If you think winning is all it takes to impress me then you have another thing coming." Her eyes then meet with Selstie, who ducks behind the same height teen in fright. "Show me your resolve, the fire that burns deep inside each and every one of you. Show me what it takes to be a Mana Knight." 

She walks towards them, stopping a couple of metres away, and stands with her right hand on her hip. 

"Fight with everything you have." The silver haired woman turns to glance up at the well endowed brunette who's still sat down. "This year you've been gifted an...exceptional talent in the form of a recently retired Mana Knight."

"Oh my, no need to force yourself to compliment me Cessie, we both know that's not in your personality." The brunette places her right hand on her cheek and smiles bashfully, making the other woman's eyebrow twitch in annoyance. 

"If you're going to interrupt me, why not introduce yourself to the class?" Everyone can see the sparks flying between the two women, they look nervously to each other wondering if someone should say something.

The cheery woman stands up, giving a short head bow. "Then allow me to formally present myself. My name is Abigail Iyasu and as Cess has already mentioned, I recently retired from the front lines of the Mana Knights and I shall be working at the academy as a teacher and healer. I looks forward to see the potential that the future Mana Knights will have." With a sweet smile she sits back down and crosses one leg over the other. 

Massaging her forehead, the silver haired woman turns back to face the students. 

"There you have it, Abigail will make sure any injury is taken care of. So, any further questions?" 

Silence was all the answer that the woman needed as she swiftly turns on her heel and walks away. "Take a seat on the side, then when your name is called out, step down and ready yourself." She jumped back up to where she previously was sat, sitting back down and beginning a quiet conversation with the headmaster.

The bald man who had been silently watching with a bored expression till now, was also engaging in the conversation, his face now serious and spewing spit onto Abigail with every time he opened his mouth to speak. 

The poor brunette was leaning back to dodge the man's germs. 

Everyone made their way to the sides of the Colosseum and sat down. Ko sat furthest away from the rest with Evane and Selstie sitting beside him. 

The bandana clad teen clutches the Bo staff in his right hand tightly whilst his attention never left the direction in which the headmaster and Cess were. His focus moves to the bald round man, his memories of him slowly becoming clearer.

Ah right, I remember him now. Doneo Zue Zharick, the uncle of Nigelious and owner of the company that funds the academy...

Doneo was a man who used his name to get what he wants. 

He's the reason my opponent happens to be-

"Ko Erzum, you're up first." Cess's voice calls him out of his thoughts.

He stands up and heads down to the sandy ground, hating the way the sand seeps in between his toes, then makes his way over to one side of the arena. As he turns around, he notices Nigelious and his posse all smirking towards him, whilst Evane and Selstie give him thumbs up and a small nod.

"And you're opponent shall be...Princess Natale Kise Von Entia." 

Just like last time.

As Ko feared, his opponent would be none other than the Princess of Entia. He watches as she stands up elegantly, makes her way down the stairs and heads to the other side of the area without looking his way once. 

Only once she turns to face him does she take in his presence, her expression the usual stoic and unreadable. 

Cess stands in the middle of them both. She looks left at Ko, then right at Natale. "Are the both of you ready?"

Ko nods his head, keeping Mana Sight to a minimum of only seeing the outlines. 

"I am ready." The Princess responds curtly. 

With a step back, the Mana Knight Captain shouts "Begin!"

Ko doesn't move an inch, he knows there's no point charging straight at Natale. Not when he's capped for time on how long he can keep up Mana Sight – added with using his ability to power himself up, he'll be even more drained of Mana.

It didn't help that he hasn't absorbed any Mana yet, so he's at the same capacity as normal. 

I have to take my time and assess how she'll fight.

He grips the Bo staff in his hand, his attention fixated on every movement that Natale makes.

She doesn't move either, except for opening the book clutched in her hand open. The pages of the book emits a white glow as it opens.

Natale's ability was being able to control the Mana around her, which meant she could attack from long distances by controlling that Mana and using the Book of Creations many different forms that it held in the pages.

"If you're not going to make the first move, then you don't mind if I do?" Is all she speaks as suddenly that same white glow manifests to the right of Ko's vision.

Ah shi-

A portal opens and a kunai zooms out of it and towards Ko, who dives forward within a moments notice to evade the chains that strike the sandy ground. 

The bandana wearing teen looks back to where the kunai struck, it vanishes into Mana particles. 

He gets back onto his feet the second another white glow appears to his left – and his rolls to his right, dodging the second kunai that came flying towards him. 

Ko doesn't remember there being a white glow that appears every time Natale used her skill. 

Could this be the form that Mana takes when it becomes a power?

That was the only explanation that the sandal clad teen could think of at this moment. This could turn the tide of battle, being able to know the exact spot where an ability was about to be used. 

Interesting.

"Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to fight!?" 

The silver haired Mana Knight bellows out, as her impatience of watching Ko just standing about, gets the better of her. "If you're not gonna fight, then what's the point of wanting to become a Mana Knight!" 

Ko's attention turns to Selstie who's grasping both hands together and closing her eyes tightly. Evane is next to her arguing with Nigelious who's sat a few rows ahead.

"There's more to being a Mana Knight then fighting, Miss Cess." The bandana teen begins, turning his attention to Natale. "One must first assess the situation and act accordingly, no?" 

The book glows, signalling another attack that the young man is able to see forming to the left of him. 

Don't wanna evade too soon, or else she'll change the trajectory.

Ko waits for the moment the circle of Mana forms and glows, jumping back just in time to see the kunai whirl past his face. He sweats at how close it was. 

"Aiming for my face, isn't that a bit much?" 

"There's a top healer here, I see no point in holding back." 

As Natale speaks that, many Mana portals begin to form in all directions.

You've gotta be-

"-Kidding me!" Ko shouts as he rolls left and right to dodge the kunai's, two of them slicing the skin of his right thigh and left cheek. 

He tilts his head to stare at Natale, who's eyes bore down on him with such intensity that he'd forgot this was how she originally was.

Guess I better start my counter attack. 

Ko grips the Bo staff in his right hand, moving his legs apart and standing in a fighting stance – the staff pointing directly at the princess.

"Is it my turn now?" 

He feels a slight boost in confidence as he watches her stoic face twitch in anger. 

Channelling some of his Mana, it creates a thin layer over his body that raises his stats, he readies himself, bending his knees slightly.

"Here I go!"

With new found power in his whole body, he uses his legs as a spring to propel himself forward with quick speed. 

Natale's eyes take on a surprised look for a split second before returning to their intensity, watching as Ko dashes towards her.

I'd rather not have to fight the Princess, but I have no other choice! 

As Ko closes the distance, he uses a forward thrust that Natale easily avoids by moving to the left. He then does a horizontal strike, but she ducks down, swinging her right leg out and towards his leg. 

Jumping back, he manages to dodge her leg swipe, putting a short distance between them. 

He notices a smile on her face, and before he can wonder why, he sees the book in her left hand glow. Snapping his head to look behind him, he sees three Mana portals form and with quick reflexes he turns around, spinning the Bo staff in his hands, deflecting the kunai off of it. 

"Are you sure you're not trying to kill me?"

He turns back to face Natale, who still has a small smile on her face. 

"My apologies, my aim needs some work it seems."

Ko's eyebrow twitches in annoyance. "This girl..." He grumbles out. 

"Now, shall we conclude this match?" 

As she speaks Ko gets back into his battle stance, Bo staff pointed in front of him. 

Natale turns the page over in her book, it glows a deep red. 

...Did she have a second power this quickly last time?

Just as Ko thought this, his memory hit him with that her second power was – and before he could react, the ground below him glowed with Mana. 

Chains burst out of the sand and wrapped around the bandana teens shoulders, dragging him down into the sand face first.

He tries to pull his body out of the chains, but his strength is too weak. "Damnit!" Sand was getting into all the places on his face; his eyes, up his nose and in his mouth! 

With his head at a funny angle, he's only able to see Natale with his right eye looking up. She stands powerfully, golden hair swaying in the breeze and eyes looking bored.

Damnit, I didn't wanna have to use all my Mana up, but I have no choice!

Ko pumps the rest of his Mana into his body and breaks free from the chains with all his strength. He sets his sights on Natale as he stands back onto his feet – his vision starting to fade.

One hit!

Natale's eyes widen in shock as Ko lunges towards her with even more speed than before. He swings the Bo staff in a horizontal line – to which Natale jumps back to defend, but then he changes the direction of the swing to sweep across the sand, causing her to close her eyes and shield her face.

As she opens her eyes again, Ko isn't there.

"Above you!" Ko shouts out as the princesses head snaps up to see him hurling down towards her, right arm extended out with Bo staff in hand helping to increase the speed of his decent. 

He then moves his right arm above his head, ready to strike with a overhead blow.

Natale raises the book in front of her face in an attempt to shield herself, eyes widening in fear as there's nothing she can do – unable to evade the attack.

Ko's eyes meet Natale's, the image of her corpse freshly imprints itself into his traumatised mind and he drops the staff from his hand – falling face first into the book, which emits a strong pulse that sends him flying into the arena wall behind him with such force that he blows a hole open. 

Everyone, including the princess, watches with shock on their faces, having no idea what just happened. Cess looks over to the bandana clad teen who lays motionless in the rubble of the wall.

"Ko Erzum is dea- I mean, unconscious, Princess Natale wins!"

The students clap and cheer as the golden haired princess stares at the slack body of the boy she was just fighting against.

Why did he stop?

She was unsure as to what happened, and why it happened. She turns away and walks back to the seating section of the arena, blocking out the noise of those congratulating her. She bites her lip.

That wasn't a win...how humiliating!