Vs Gunnar

Gunnar was looking down on me with his attack patterns that were simplistic and the same over and over again. I tried to take advantage but he was able to respond to my strikes at his openings before I could fully capitalize.

My Lighting rebuke was going off constantly but his aura and mana were able to reduce its effects. Even when I entered my aggressive stance I wasn't able to make any headway and even took a few hits. He wasn't even pulled into my counter stance, leaving my fake openings alone. It was obvious that he was familiar with my fighting style.

The only upside was that since he wasn't varying his attacks I could block and think at the same time. But what strategy could I use? I could use my fire and water motes to create steam and block his vision but with only one of each it wouldn't be that much. Using my water mote I could create mud and use my earth motes to fling it at his face but he'd be able to dodge that with his speed.

I didn't know any acid spells since I created earth motes just for the Sturdy spell. I could use my air motes to create Wind Blades like he was but they were being used for my Speed spell. Also my Moonlight Lightning slash had more attack power, it just was beat by range when comparing the two.

Psychic motes weren't going to do anything since I could only minorly enhance his emotions while being pressed like this and I don't think making him angry would do anything. My Lightning motes were already being used by two spells which always put them at their limit.

That just left my shadow motes. If there was any amount of shade they might be able to help but with the sun shining down they would barely blur my figure. Thelora was able to use shadows in light but when I asked her about it she let me know that required her to use five motes.

I even thought about adding different elements to my Moonlight Slash along with lightning. But again my fire and water were too few and my air and earth were used for other things. Could I even add psychic energy to my blade, that was an interesting thought but not something I could figure out in battle. Shadow energy needed a lot of motes to cause damage. It would just make my sword darker.

But that was something. My Cloaking spell was spread out across my whole body but if I concentrated it I could fold the darkness in on itself.

On my next strike shadows enveloped my wrist, hand, and blade. Gunnar went to block as always only to find that his axe met my sword at the wrong angle and I was able to sweep past his defenses. The physical blade still didn't make contact but my Moonlight Lightning Slash did.

When I created the spell I could feel my mana core tremble. Experimenting with mote rotation for new or even altered spells should normally be done very slowly. This was rushed and would have adverse effects.

Enraged, he came at me with increased strength and while my Cloaked Blade made him take my strikes more seriously, it didn't throw the match in my favor as I was starting to get little cuts and bruises from his attacks.

Right now I was doing less damage than him. My primary attacks were my Lightning Rebuke and the ranged part of my Moonlight Lightning Slashes. I had to keep switching the rotation of my lightning motes depending on if I was being attacked or defending at that moment. There was a need to try and maximize the use of them.

But what about maximizing my auras?

Basic aura just increased my speed, strength, stamina, and durability in a passive way. At the Master stage basic aura could be manipulated in other ways that could mimic some Lineages. But I wasn't going to be able to breakthrough in this battle like I did with Kloan.

My Osgar Lineage was already being used effectively. Though I did have an idea on how to use it, my sword strikes would be more effective.

That left my Lydos Lineage. I was already combining it with my lightning magic on my blade, why not my shield as well. Once he gave me an opening I pushed forward with my shield sending out my Lydos aura with my Lightning Rebuke. The energy only had a range of less than a foot but it was enough to flash right into Gunnar's face.

The energy didn't cause as much harm with it being spread out but it did turn his skin red and caused him to be temporarily blinded. Using this slight advantage I pressed him for a few strikes in my aggressive stance.

He was able to push me back with a powerful strike and then threw one of his axes at me that I was able to side step. My warning chill intensified as I turned to see the axe that had been thrown spinning like a boomerang back at me. The Air Blade spell attached to it sliced my side as I was only able to block the physical strike with my Orgar Lineage. Had I not had my warning chill it was possible that the attack would have killed me.

Wasting no time he launched a flurry of attacks. My mana was nearly depleted from using so many spells at the same time. And the energy for my aura was running out after I used the Lydos Lineage with my shield. Now I was seriously injured from that last attack.

As I parried one axe with my sword his other hit it at a different angle that sent vibrations to my hand. In my weakened state I lost my grip and lost my sword. He pressed forward forcing me to leave my blade on the ground.

I was able to put some distance between us and saw that even though I was now being pushed back with every attack, he wasn't lookin much better. Gunnar stood a few feet from me breathing heavily and lightly bleeding in several areas. His eyes also still looked bloodshot from being briefly blinded.

I started to laugh as I started to put some plans together.

"What's so funny worm?" Gunnar said.

"If I'm such a nobody that shouldn't be in the Union, what does that make you, seeing as how I've pushed you this far?" I asked as I used my psychic motes to push his anger as much as I could.

His eyes bulged as he grit his teeth and charged.

With what mana I had I split it between three spells that I also focused on specific parts of my body. My Sturdy spell was concentrated in my front leg as I pushed off with my back leg that had part of my Speed spell. The other part of my Speed spell was focused on my right arm that contained my Lightning energy in the fist.

I also concentrated my auras in my fist as well, with only about a quarter of my Osgar Lineage held back in reserve for his blow. My Lydos Lineage glowed with the arcing Lightning on my knuckles and a red energy surrounded my whole arm.

In his anger Gunnar took the bait of my counter stance and even though he made contact, he left himself open to a powerful punch. The Empowered Moonlight Lightning Punch made contact with his chest. He coughed up blood and my side split open as we both collapsed.

While it had been a highly effective, powerful attack, combining that many elements in new ways caused severe damage to my sword arm. The Lydos Lineage wasn't meant to be used without a medium of a weapon because it would harm naked flesh. And even though the Osgar Lineage absorbed some of the kinetic energy, it didn't absorb all of it. Also the alteration to the spells had been to haphazard and my mana core was bursting in pain.

Even with all this damage to my body I was able to use my shield arm to prop myself up and stand on shaky legs. I raised my shield hand and fire began to form around my hand. Gunnar looked up at me with only enough energy to keep his head a few inches off the ground.

"That's enough. Winner of the match Wilmaer!" The Union judge called out. Which was good because I only had enough mana to produce incredibly weak flames that wouldn't have been able to leave my hand.

It took most of the energy I had left to keep standing and face those cheering on the platform. Erlandr had a huge grin on his face for some reason. When my eyes met those of the Duchess I could see the smile held within and knew she already knew who I was.

This was both worrying and a relief. She would only keep quiet if she wanted to use me for something. But now I didn't have to try and walk the line between hiding and using all my abilities. My intention was always to become famous and useful enough that the powers in the north would want to protect me from my father. If she wanted to use me then she would need to protect me. I would still need to prove my usefulness but I didn't need to hold back as much.

"Flooding rivers that was too much Fadrskog. Pushing yourself that much can cause permanent damage." One of the witches that was standing by placed her hand on me and I could feel my wounds start to heal and my energy return. Another witch was doing the same to Gunnar

"I only did some basic healing. There's a tent towards the village for those with more serious injuries. You'll have to spend a few hours there to fully heal which means that you might have to forfeit your next match. Next time don't be so reckless." She said.

"Thank you, I'll take that into consideration." I replied.

As I left the ring, Adalgard and Lariss were waiting for me. Concern was all over their faces as they helped me towards the healing tent. Adalgard also had a bit of puzzlement on her face.

"We're going to have to have a long talk after this. You're hiding things." Adalgard said.