Auric VS Zath

Author's note

~ - Flashback/Memory

Some time ago.

"But whyyyyyyy! Why are you leaving?!"

"It was inevitable, you know I wasn't staying long."

"But you're so skilled and fun to be around! I don't think we'll make it without your support!"

"Hey! Don't say that. You three are plenty strong, you'll be fine."

I noticed they were sad, but, somethings come up, something familiar… a certain magic I've never felt before, something I was told years ago… that person… who is he, and why is the mana fading… from the eye of all places.

…

"Woah! What was with that reaction…*snap* you must be a fan!"

huh? What is he talking about… fan, what does that even mean? And why did he click his fingers at me?

"Now I know you're excited to get my autograph but could you save it until after the test?"

I have no idea what he's rambling on about, is he really someone famous, also how does he not recognize me… ohhhhhhh, it must be because my hair is black, I wonder if he's seen the posters.

"Seems like you two know each other… kind of… well other than that get ready, you'll begin in ten seconds."

After she said that a number appeared in front of me. It started counting down… 10… 9… 8.

"Oh and also, anything goes during this fight, kill each other if you have to, not like that happens though."

7…

"… WAIT WHAT!"

6…

Kill each other! Does she really expect me to do that, she didn't even mention it before!

5…

"Lesson number one!"

4…

Zath said as he placed his hand on his sword, unsheathing it.

3…

"Never hesitate! And always be prepared!"

2…

"If you can't fight with the intent to kill you have no place in being an adventurer!"

1…

"it'll be better for all of us if you just gave up right here right now!"

He raised his sword, pointing it directly towards me.

0…

*VIIM*

The mist around me instantly vanished alongside the breeze that accompanied it… I looked back toward Zath who was around ten meters away, he was still pointing his sword at me as if he was waiting for something, perhaps he was waiting for me to move… I went to grab my knife-

*SLICE*

As I placed my hand on the knife's handle I felt something sharp graze the left of my face. I glance back toward Zath and noticed that he hasn't moved… however, what I now realized was the wand in his other hand, pointed at me as well.

"What's wrong? Are you scared already? That's no fun."

What the hell did he just do… after touching the spot where I felt the cut, I quickly noticed I was bleeding, it was a real cut… but how, how did he cut me from so far away.

*SLICE*

This time I felt something graze my shoulder, leaving a tear in the cloak. Soon blood started coming from the spot as well…

"Lesson number two! Never take your eyes off the enemy!"

My eyes quickly lock onto Zath.

*SLICE*

This time I felt it at my neck. However, now I know how he did it… right before I got cut I noticed he slightly swished his wand, while aiming it toward my neck…

All I need to do is get close to him… but how.

~

'Enough of me, that move ya did was quite impressive'

'Haha! Shit, here I was trying ta embarrass ya… instead now I'm impressed. how did ya move that fast?'

~

I still don't get it but, everyone is always shocked when I dash… I always thought it was normal since I'd been doing it back when I used to hunt. I guess I just learned how to ambush anything I could eat.

"9 MINUTES REMAINING!" I heard echo throughout the arena.

"Hey, kid!" Zath shouted

"Yeah," I replied

"I'm having a lot of fun right now so keep me entertained!" Zath said to me in a demeaning way.

I don't know why, but that ticked me off. I remember when we first met I got a feeling he was full of himself but wow… not this much.

"Likewise!" I shouted back.

"Huh?"

While Zath stood there confused at my response I quickly unsheathed my knife, crouched down on my right leg. Digging my foot into the ground I pushed off the ground, throwing myself towards Zath.

*VROOSH!*

In under a second, I closed the gap and sliced.

*SCRAAAPE!*

"Wahh!" *CRAASH!*

"Right… I needed to land after."

I completely forget that every time I did this I always ended up falling over… damn. That actually hurt quite a bit.

"Ah… hu… huh… what just happened… what was that you just did…" Zath said with a dazed expression.

Where did I even hit him… I heard a scrape but that was about it. I looked over at Zath, noticing now that he was shielding his face with his sword… regaining my balance I began to stand up.

"You… nobody… can move like that… how…"

The Bewildered Zath was still standing there… staring at me. Was it really that strange?

"You blocked my strike though…" I clarified

"Barely… if I didn't, you would have actually killed me…"

Killed him, there's no way, I don't think I was aiming anywhere fatal…

"8 MINUTES REMAINING!" the same voice rang throughout the arena.

*SHIIING!*

While I was distracted by the voice Zath charged towards me, swinging his sword… however, I managed to block the strike with my knife before it got to me.

"Aghh! Wow… you're strong" I said, struggling to hold him back.

"Is there even any strength in that puny body of yours?" Zath said, now having a proud smile on his face.

What should I do… there's no way I'll be able to defeat him… and it's only been 2 minutes. Using the last of my current strength I push against his sword, redirecting it to the left of me.

*FHIMPTH*

His sword dug into the dirt next to my foot. I then slashed toward him, not caring where I hit.

*VHOOM*

I felt a strange force fighting against my swing.

~

"Manith Collisions"

~

That's right… back then, that man selling those Manith stones. He mentioned something about them, something about how they connect… right now, I must have struck at a spot made of Manith, perhaps a plate of some sort!

*THUNK!*

"AAGGH!"

While I was distracted Zath sent me flying with a punch straight to my face.

"Heh, you still got a lot to learn kid," Zath said as I lay there coughing.

"7 MINUTES REMAINING"

'That was only a minute!' I thought to myself out loud. I need to come up with something... and quick.

"You really had me there for a second… but after that showing now I know… you're weak, you're not fit to be an adventurer. This is a job where you must face death every second of every day. Just give up!" Zath yelled, he seemed to be upset for some reason.

"Hah, what was that… I didn't hear you" I said while standing up, still dizzy from his punch.

"Well if you're not going to give up then I'll just end this now, I've had my fun."

As I regain my balance I notice Zath doing something with his sword. He pointed his wand to the tip of the sword and ran it all the way to the hilt… a golden yellow aura emanated from it…

"Wait… aura. My eye!"

Has my eye fixed itself… slowly my eye started to move on its own, it was as if it was changing.

*BOOM!*

I saw a flash of light, followed by an extremely loud explosion… but suddenly I was now rolling down a hill. 'Did I dodge that… I don't remember' I then came to a stop at the bottom. I stood up and looked back up… I saw Zath standing there, looking pissed. The aura around his sword was gone now.

"6 MINUTES REMAINING!"

I stand no chance against him face to face, for now, I need to create as much distance as possible. My best chance is to last the next six minutes… I sheath my knife but keep a tight grip on it, I then make a break for it into the trees.

*TEAR!*

"AHHHHHH!" I screamed in pain as I hit the ground.

I lay there… struggling to breathe. A sharp pain was traveling throughout my entire body.

"Thought you could run did you?"

Turning around I saw Zath… how did he catch up so easily. And what did I get hit by?

"Wha… what was… that" I could barely speak, whatever he did, it hurts like shit.

"I'm as surprised as you, what I just used is a complicated move. My mentor taught it to me."

"What…"

It feels like the pain is coming from the inside of my body… he sliced me with his sword didn't he… what the hell is this.

"I call it 'Inverse Slash' Instead of cutting you on the outside it instead cuts from the inside."

Inside! How is that possible… how is someone supposed to recover from this.

"5 MINUTES REMAINING!"

"Ah well, you managed five minutes… don't worry though, that won't kill you, as long as you get to a healer quickly you'll be fine… however as they said, this won't end unless one of us dies or the timer hits zero. You can give up though, you'll live if you do that, I guarantee it… so which is it?"

No… I can't give up… I need to pass this… there are people who are relying on me… Atlas, he has no one he can trust… that girl, I need to help her with that request, and… Laloo, I have to pay him back… the last thing is this eye, my best chance at understanding it is by having the freedom to travel…

"I can't give up," I say trying to push myself up, my other hand still gripping the handle of my knife.

Zath sighs.

"You really want to keep going… you'll die you know," Zath said, seemingly annoyed.

"How would you know that!" I said gritting my teeth as I forced myself onto my feet.

"Cough! Cough!"

Standing up I started coughing, it wasn't normal though… I was coughing up blood.

"You're bleeding internally… you can't do this much longer" said an annoyed and angry Zath.

"Shut the fuck up!" I shouted… still gritting my teeth, I wouldn't be surprised if I cracked my tooth from this.

"4 MINUTES REMAINING!"

Think Auric! THINK! What's something I can do to buy some time, come on! Come ON!

…

That's right! there's something wrong with me when I try to expel magic.

~

"it looked to me like you fainted or something."

"What the hell was THAT YOU JUST DID!"

~

But those were when I tried using it myself… what about the last time… the time with my knife.

~

"Manith huh, interesti…"

~

I quickly glance down at the knife, still gripped tightly in my hand… it was moving violently. Back then the man pulled it out of the sheath himself… but that wasn't it, for a split second I saw something else at that time, a slash of red light came out as well… 'Does this knife have a conscience?'

"What are you up to over there, hopefully, you're not planning to attack me… I don't wanna kill you."

So if I just pull this out and slash straight after I should be able to win this.

"3 MINUTES REMAINING!"

It's the only chance I've got! I have to do this… I try to pull the knife out but I can't, my entire body is shaking, and I can feel it getting weaker… I've lost too much blood.

*sigh*

Zath lets out a sigh and begins to move closer to me.

'It's now or never!'

I put every ounce of strength I have left in my body to unsheathe the knife.

"Guess I'll just knock you ou— HUH!"

I managed to yank the knife out of its sheathe and slice the air in the direction of Zath… what followed was a blinding blood-red light.

…

*pant! Pant! Pant!*

…

"2 MINUTES REMAINING!"

Through the shaking and trembling I managed to force the knife back into its sheath… my vision started to become blurry, I grew dizzy… but… I think I've won, I can see someone face down on the ground.

"I wonder… how long… he'll be out for…" I said, out of breath.

*THUNK!*

I slammed my back against a tree to help support myself.

"I… have to… stay… conscious…"

I could feel myself drifting off, it felt like I was out of my body, just watching from above.

"1 MINUTE REMAINING!" the voice rang throughout the arena.

"One minute huh…"

I wonder what rank Zath was… without this strange fainting ability, I would have lost. He's a strong person, he has to be a high rank… not as high as Laloo of course.

"Heh." I let out a snicker

I slowly started sliding down the tree until I was now sitting.

"30 SECONDS REMAINING!"

I just have to stay awake for thirty more seconds… I can do that… easy… my vision started going black… I'm not going blind am I! I hope not, I'm sure the healers can fix me up though.

"10!"

My first battle huh…

"9!"

How many more will I need to do…

"8!"

This is only the test…

"7!"

There must be some strong adventurers out there…

"6!"

Will Atlas be able to pass this…

"5!"

Who will he be fighting…

"4!"

I… wonder…

"3!"

Did I meet your expectations…

"2!"

Laloo…

"1!"

…

"THE BATTLE IS OVER! THE VICTOR IS!"

Silence filled the Arena.

"AURIC REDFURN!"

I then instantly blacked out.

…

"So you're saying I have to put up with this… Prismatic Eye thing!"

a strange but familiar voice said.

"Yes"

another voice said… I think I've heard that one as well.

"That's such bullshit! I never asked for it!"

The voice started getting irritated.

"Like I said… you must find the notes"

Notes? What notes? What's it saying now?

"Oh yeah right! The notes! Of course! Why can't you just TELL ME!"

The voice kept getting angrier and angrier.

"I am only a messenger… to lead you in the right way… I must be going."

A messenger? For what?

"Oh, so you're LEAVING NOW! Fine go, I've had enough of you!"

The voice seemed defeated now.

"You must head to the Library in Voltin… you'll find answers there."

The library… is this a continuation of that dream!

"Whatever…"

Both voices faded into the distance.

'Wait! Wait!' I tried to scream out.

"WAIT!"

*JOLT!*

"Hey, are ya alright!"

…

Is that… Atlas.

"Ya gave me a fuckin heart attack, what was that jolt!" Atlas said… is he worried for me.

"Atlas… is that you?" I asked, my vision was still a bit blurry.

"Yeah, it's me, what about it."

He seemed upset.

"Where am I…" I asked while trying to sit up.

"AHH!" I yelped.

"Hey don't sit up ya idiot! You haven't recovered yet."

Is this really Atlas… that cold emotionless Atlas that I met the other day… why is he so worried about me?

"We're In the Halls hospital… you've been out for eleven hours."

"ELEVEN HOURS! What about the exam!" I said in shock… did we fail.

"Oi calm down! It's been postponed… until you're able to stand at least."

Postponed… I see so I didn't fail then…

"Wait what about you! Did you pass!"

Atlas looked at me and smirked.

"Want me to tell ya about it?"

"Please do," I said, I want to know if he won or not.

"Okay, well… I'll start from when you won."