Episode 19: Strength

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Lough Freed

I was running out of mana. I kept a confident expression on my face as I stood, hands burning with fire, between Darius and Kane. I'd learned Kane's name and info on the competition sheet.

Just a moment ago, I'd expended almost half my mana just by activating {Elemental Field}. It was taxing even more from me as I fought an almost 2 versus 1 against Darius and Kane.

A transluscent fist crossed my face, and I grimaced as my mana output got weaker and my reserves depleted quickly.

The field of fire I'd created wavered and shattered, releasing my hold over the battlefield. I grunted as Kane landed a powerful kick to my ribs, and Darius shot his knee towards my face.

Slapping Darius' knee away, I spun on my heel and roundhouse kicked Kane's shoulder causing him to buckle before I kept my momentum going, switched which foot I was pivoting on, and used my other foot to strike his neck.

My leg rushed towards his neck, but it glanced off his arm, which he used to protect himself, and my other leg was taken out from under me by Darius. I slammed onto my back and caught Kane's fist in my hand before I wrapped my legs around his and pulled him down to the floor. In a clean and swift motion, I pulled Kane down and myself up in a switch of places.

I had little time to react as Darius began to expertly throw timed and delayed punches, kicks, and elbow strikes at me in a close quarters brawl.

"Really going for me, aren't you?" I said through a strained grin as I parried more of his strikes and retaliated with my own.

"You're the most dangerous one here," Darius replied with an equally strained grin.

"Are you talking about my skill in this battle or with your sister?" I said as I leant back and dodged a sweeping kick that was aimed at my throat.

"What?!" He yelled as I mentioned his sister, "I knew there was something going on! So tell me, who made the first move?"

"You want to know about that now?" I asked as I landed a kick to his ribcage and struck his cheek with my fist.

He laughed and spat out a small clump of blood. "If it's about you and my sister, I want to know straight away," he said with a rather proud tone.

I smiled and rolled my eyes as we rushed at one another again. Unfortunately, I'd been rather careless with who I was fighting, as the larger man, a man named Erik apparently, zipped right between us and punched us in our faces simultaneously.

Me and Darius both went flying in opposite directions, and I felt the world spin. My mana reserves were almost fully depleted, which meant I'd have to rely on just my martial techniques from that point, which wasn't ideal for beating this Erik guy.

Through my ringing ears, I could hear little pieces of voices talking and heard, "Darius is eliminated," which surprised me.

I reluctantly got up, my upper body crying to get me to lie back down. Just as I stood up, Erik's fist was at my face, and I instinctively activated {Muffled Footsteps}, and in an instant, I stepped and travelled over 10 metres away.

Erik looked at where I'd just been and then where I was now with a confused look before he bolted at me again. I groaned at his persistence and ignited my body with fire again, trying to conserve as much mana as I could. If I ran out, I'd lose.

Erik swung his greatsword, and I boosted the flames in my hand, allowing me to catch the greatsword barehanded. The earth beneath me cratered, and I felt the force he was swinging with. I grimaced under the pressure and leapt towards him on the inside of his swing. I planted a hand on his chest and activated {Fireball}.

His chest exploded instantly, and he was sent flying and scorching away from me as I, too, was sent crashing into the wall of the arena. Once again, I hauled myself up against my body's wish and stood slightly ajar.

I heard the next bit in pieces again.

"Erik... unable... Kane... Lough..."

I couldn't make sense of it. Something about Erik being unable to do something, likely unable to continue fighting, and Kane doing something or other and something about me.

My vision was blurred, and I swept my gaze across the arena, looking for the last opponent that I had to defeat. I would continue to fight until I dropped unconscious.

Kane was rushing towards me at a rather average rate. He'd summoned a group of knights, some with swords, shields, and bows. Arrows rained down on me, and I flickered away from them and blitzed towards Kane.

A knight with a shield blocked my attack, and I barely avoided a swing from a knight with a large two-handed sword.

My breath was laboured, and my mana was practically fully drained. I had enough left for one more fireball, and after that, I was likely out of mana for the rest of the day.

I could sense the backlash from all the spells I'd been using, building up inside me, waiting to strike as soon as I rested.

I sprinted quickly in a circle around Kane a few times and leapt up above him. I shot down like a missile right on top of him, and 3 knights blocked me with their shields.

I had one chance at this. I gathered every drop of mana remaining and condensed it into a densely packed {Fireball}. I launched the tiny fireball into the centre of the 3 shields, and it exploded with a savage ferocity.

There was a small opening in the shields, and I made myself more streamlined and slid right inside next to Kane, who stood wide-eyed, looking at me in awe and surprise.

With the last little strength I had, I threw a punch to his face with all my might, and it connected to his face, now laced with pain and even more shock.

His soldiers vanished and dissipated, and we both lay on the floor, out of energy. I tried standing up, but my limbs trembled with a lack of energy. Kane was in a similar state, and he could barely move too.

For a moment, all was silent as we both struggled to stand up to claim victory, until the voice of the headmaster resounded in the stadium. "It appears that both fighters Kane Hunt and Lough Freed are both unable to continue fighting. Therefore, this will end in a draw!"

The crowd went wild. Quite literally.

Some began to angrily storm out, and some even began to spit insults and vile names at the headmaster. That was until the headmaster unleashed the dams holding his mana back, and he silenced the entire stadium in a heartbeat.

"I will not tolerate any of these silly complaints any further. This is a draw. If you're so bothered by the result, then compete yourselves and see how that turns out," he demanded firmly. He was likely one of the only people in this entire empire who was able to make a challenge like that to over ten thousand people at once. I admired that about him. His presence was a law, an authority that couldn't seem to be overwritten.

A sour taste spread through my mouth as I thought about that... then about the Gods who were supposed to be the incarnations of magic itself. The very beings who embody exactly what made me and Headmaster Kirk as strong as we were.

I could no longer move my body at all. A numb feeling spread through my nervous system, and I felt the backlash hit me with full force in a single wave of pain. My body groaned and ached all over. My finger with the ring seared with a pain that couldn't be described in mere words. I couldn't even feel the grit and the dirt of the floor that was drifting over me from the calm and steady wind that blowed gently across the arena. All I could move were my eyes, and even they ached as I looked towards Kane, who was also in a state of temporary paralysis like me.

I laughed, which racked my lungs, and caused me to cough, eliciting even more pain. The pain continued to rise, and all the sound around me coalesced into senseless noise. The world spun, my eyes rolled back in my head, and I felt a momentary state of drunkeness before it all went black.

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Soft. That's all I had to say about the thing my head was resting on. It was soft and comforting. I could feel it, but at the same time, it didn't feel like I was there.

I was in a dark space, and the blackness before me rippled, revealing a form that was all too familiar to me.

"So, did you see me in that fight?" I asked the form with a wry smile.

"You're an idiot, you know? You completely drained yourself of mana for the sake of victory... how ballsy," Orebrul replied with a toothy smile that reached his blood-red eyes.

"Yeah, well, it was a draw anyway, so victory isn't how I'd word it," I corrected.

Orebrul shook his head lightly and looked at me. "You've definitely gotten a lot stronger. To be able to fight a 3v1 basically and come out in a draw. And let's not discredit the fact that they weren't weaklings either."

I smiled and let out a small snort, "If I can't beat 3 humans, then I have no chance against over 10 gods," I said in a defeated tone, as though I'd already lost the battle.

"It won't be a 10 versus 1!" He shot back.

"And what if it is?! They don't give a damn about honour. They just want to get rid of me and this ring," I countered with a strong and firm voice.

"Oh, you know that because? Because you're all buddy buddy with a Goddess?"

My jaw clenched, and I grounded my teeth. He was right. I wasn't friends with any gods or goddesses. Even if one had protected me or was currently protecting me, I couldn't take the chance that they would always do so.

"You understand now... Good," Orebrul said with a straight face. I nodded slowly, and he gave me a sigh with a small smile. "Jeez Lough... you don't need to be so tense all the time."

"I know..." I whispered.

"Anyway, it's time to wake up. Your lover is waiting," he said with a grin as his form sank back into the blackness.

"Wait, you know about that?!" I yelled as I began to 'fall' through the darkness.

Of course... I'm in your head, after all. Orebrul's voice echoed in my head, and I smiled warmly, knowing I had a true friend right inside my brain. Plus, I always knew you'd be together soooo... I guess I was right.

Shut up... I responded with a warm smile

Then suddenly, I hit something in the darkness, and my eyes shot open. I breathed a breath of fresh air and looked around as my vision began to clear.

I thought about the soft sensation I'd felt before, and when I looked down, I could see some thighs. Thighs? But who...

I'm not sure why I even questioned it. I knew who it would be. There was only one person it could be. I turned my head, my neck aching in pain, and looked up above me.

With a smile on their face, eyes red from crying, and soft blond hair that reached down to my face, and stroking my own, now loose hair, was Jess.

"Morning," she said quietly.

"Hey..." I said in a dazed voice. "Have you been crying?" I asked flatly.

"N-No!" She lied, rubbing her eyes. I reached up and wiped her eyes with my thumb. "Did I do that? Sorry," I replied as I rested my hand on her cheek.

She closed her eyes at my touch and placed a hand on top of mine. "You worried me. I saw your battle and then watched as you blacked out. Are you feeling OK?"

"I've been better," I said as I caressed her cheek with the back of my hand. After a few moments, I sat up and turned to face her. "Are you? You look rough," I continued.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just... tired," she yawned as she said this and turned red when she noticed my calm smile at her yawn.

"Need to go to bed?" I asked softly.

"No... OK, maybe..." she responded sheepishly.

"You were here all day, weren't you?" I said with a grateful smile. She nodded and stood up. I stood up with her in quite a slow fashion.

She gave me a hug, and I kissed the top of her head. She lightly punched my stomach, and I accepted the ache of my core without telling her, of course.

"That's for worrying me," she whispered into my ear.

"I deserve that..." I replied just as quietly. Then she broke away and waved goodbye before exiting the medic ward I was in and heading to the dorm rooms. But not before blowing me a kiss as she left. I laughed as she disappeared, and I slid down the wall, my smile fading to a grim expression.

"Dammit... how am I supposed to tell her... that the Gods of this world are after me..." I uttered in a frustrated voice.

Are you worried she'll leave you of fear of dying, or even fear of you dying? I heard in my head.

Yeah... I don't want her to have that fear and worry when she's around me. It's not fair on her.

Or on you. This is something you need as well. You both need each other, whether you believe it or not. Orebrul said in a firm tone.

I stood up and walked to the window. I just barely caught a glimpse of Jess as she rounded the corner, Darius, her brother, by her side. I saw her smile and her happiness, and I decided in that moment.

If the Gods want to hurt her... I'll kill every last one of them...

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