The Decoy

You rush at full speed towards the old man shooting your flames behind your back like a jet, leaning your body forward to gain peak speed.

"Children nowadays, always rushing in head first, remember if I knock you out I win."

Just before you hit him the old man raises his hand and uses the fading flame shoots out so fast you couldn't even see it, but you sure did feel it. The Flame hit you right in your solar plexus immediately sending you flying back knocking not only the wind out of your lungs but also the flame essence right out of your body.

"You expect to beat Murphy like that you're not even protecting your solar plexus, you have zero experience and you're too impulsive, you wouldn't even last two seconds."

You struggle to get to your feet as the world begins to spin around you and you desperately gasp for air.

"What's that boy's name again, hmm let me think, Nate no that's not it, umm Nord, No that's way off hmm, oh yeah Noah that's it, Noah."

You manage to stand but when you do the old man is right on top of you. He once again hits you with his flame but this time you barely manage to block it with your own.

"What about Noah?"

'How does he know about Noah, I know he said he has been watching me but for how long?'

"Well this flame I'm using I weakened it to be around his level, I mean a mage shouldn't rely on others right."

'Damnit, is Noah really this strong...I can't let him surpass me that easily, I guess I have to use that use that move, It may not be full proof but its worth a shot.'

The old man's words from earlier begin to echo in your mind. "Just because an attack looks powerful doesn't mean it is."

You begin to turn every bit of mana you have into flame essence, gathering a little in your left hand only focusing on making the left flame look powerful as you can while also trying to concealing your right by making it look like nothing but sparks while you secretly pool all your flame essence into your hand making it as powerful as you can.

The old man begins to slowly walk towards you with a disappointed look on his face.

"you have a long way to go if you think that will do anything."

'I just gotta wait for a bit...just a little bit.'

The old man stops in front you as he summons a flame pointing it right at you.

'NOW!'

You throw your decoy flame at him which he immediately blocks with little to no effort.

"Out of mana huh I guess that was your las..."

Before he can even finish talking you quickly duck under his arm slamming the real flame right into the pit of his stomach causing him to be pushed back a little. You then shoot it outward sending the old man flying across the room.

"Yes, I got him!"

You say as you fall to your knees completely exhausted.