Chapter 24 - The Beginning of the Battle

Lancaster Academy Testing Grounds, Alterion, Therian Continent

Plunging from the sky with some girl he hardly knew was far too much for Ulfric's brain to process in the morning. The battle had begun all too quickly, but he supposed that was the point of this test. The resilience and versatility of all applicants would be tested. He'd been granted a chance at victory because of the girl in front of him, so he'd make sure not to squander it.

"Minerva!" He stared at the girl in front of him with unusually lively eyes. To him, at that very moment, she was the most beautiful thing in the world. "Thank you!" He yelled.

Minerva gave a cocky smile. "Don't mention it. I'm just making an investment I hope will pay off!"

Ulfric didn't like being thought of as an investment, but supposed from her perspective, the reasoning wouldn't possibly be anything more. Nothing as ridiculous as love at first sight, merely that Ulfric looked strong and would perhaps lead her to a victory she could not attain alone. Though a little disappointed, he nodded at her word, and the battle began.

The mages surrounding them from all angles did not wait until they hit the ground to start slinging spells. A midair moshpit of fireballs and deadliness ensued. Someone was struck with a fireball, his limp body soaring past Ulfric and grazing his shoulder as he plummeted towards the ground ever faster. The mage who'd slung the fireball was now targeting him and Minerva, who still had their hands locked together; they were sitting ducks.

"Show me what you've got, reg boy!" Minerva welled up magic inside of body, and in an instant had swung around and threw Ulfric upward with the assistance of wind magic.

Ulfric was flying, now face to face with the enemy mage who'd just finished creating a fireball. He pointed it at Ulfric and fired. Ulfric, with no way to adjust his trajectory, faced the flaming ball head on. He swung his mighty fist, impacting with the center of the ball, scorching his knuckles. It dispersed as his hand broke through the middle, splitting off to either side of him and fizzling away. Though magic had adverse effects, it was not immune to being destroyed via blunt force; Ulfric knew this well.

He was on top of the enemy, embers of flame clinging to his fist. He brought it up, scorching the boy's chin and snapping his head back with a powerful uppercut that rolled his eyes into the back of his head. Ulfric's body swung around then, doing a complete flip so he could bring his foot down from the top. Right on the forehead, the tip of his boot made impact with a crack, no doubt fracturing the front of the skull. The momentum generated by this kick sent the enemy barreling downward into the trees below.

"Reg boy?" Ulfric asked, voice breaking through the stream of wind.

"I dunno. I can't remember your name!" Minerva yelled back, sticking her tongue out at him.

They hit the trees together. On the first branch, Ulfric's mage shield exploded, leaving him to free fall through the bed of leaves from around twenty meters up. Cuts and slivers very quickly appeared all over his body. He gritted his teeth, thankful that the breaking of the branches beneath him at least slowed his fall so he wouldn't break his legs on impact. The impact still hurt, though, leaving him face down in a bush where Minerva had to fish him out.

She didn't have time to dress his wounds with her spells, though, as it seemed like they were still under attack. All around them, the bushes rustled and footsteps sounded. Ulfric managed to tie a piece of cloth around a particularly large cut on his forearm before taking a combat stance beside Minerva. Already, the damage levels between them could not be compared. Minerva looked as if she hadn't even been touched, her appearance as dignified as usual.

"You alright? Can it wait?" She asked.

"It can. Let's do this." Ulfric spoke plainly.

A fireball came out of the woods. Minerva had drawn a small wand, quickly waving it and redirecting the shot into a nearby tree. The explosion shook the woods, and the base of the tree was obliterated. Fire caught and began to spread. She made a tsch sound with her lips and advanced.

Three men came out of the woodwork in full uniform. In the middle of them was the man that Ulfric had pummeled just moments ago up in the sky. He seemed to be the leader, so Ulfric called him one, while the others were two and three respectfully. He did not know their names, and he did not care to know. Without taking any more damage, and without conversation, he'd end this immediately.

A bolt of light shot out of Two's wand, and Minerva caught it, spinning around to shoot it back. Two was struck dead center on the chest and sent flying into a nearby tree. Instantly incapacitated, at least for now; this spell was clearly non lethal. Minerva gave a cocky laugh, and shifted her target to the rest of them.

Three jumped out to protect his leader, a sword in hand. At last, Ulfric had stumbled into territory he was familiar with. He kept his body firmly covered behind Three so as to prevent One from taking him out with a fireball. Three's movements were slow and stocky, his sword swings pathetic and predictable. Ulfric ducked and weaved, and eventually he caught the blade at the base of the handle. His foot stomped on Three's to prevent him from retreating, and then he struck him twice to the gut before wrenching the sword away.

Three spat out as he was struck, reeling away and giving Ulfric room to advance. Three pin-like strikes across his chest were intended to disable noteworthy muscles, and it worked. The man stumbled backward and fell over, but Ulfric grabbed him by the collar before he'd fallen, kneeing him in the chin and discarding the limp body to the ground. On an ordinary person, this force would've killed quite easily. Ulfric was being careless in this regard.

Two had finished recovering against the tree, and stepped up to duel Minerva once more, allowing One to shift his attention specifically to Ulfric, who advanced on him with a bloodied sword in hand. Now that Ulfric had a sword, though, anything he did was utterly useless. He slung more spells than he could count, but none of them were enough to overcome quick reflexes and a perfectly timed sword block. Fireballs, electricity and rocks were all deflected into nearby trees. As Ulfric moved, the smile on his face grew larger.

Could it be? The students in my year are this weak?

He swung his sword, and it hit a mage shield. Because of this, he swung again, and again, and again. One had grown fearful beneath the mighty swings, replacing the shield every time it broke and unable to defend himself. Ulfric's arm never tired, he'd keep swinging until One ran out of mana. To him, this was nothing but a mundane task such as taking out the trash. He reached his hand through, took the man by the throat, and squeezed until there was no air left.

"Stop… Please!" One was dropped, and by the time his body hit the ground, he was unconscious.

Meanwhile, Minerva had pummeled Two's shield until it broke, and then assaulted his body with minor spells until he collapsed under his own weight. His head was buried in the dirt, his rump up in the air. Ulfric and Minerva looked at each other with a sly smile. An elimination for each of them had officially secured their victory. Behind them, the bodies were zapped away by magic.

* * *

"Ulfric. Right, I did remember that, I think," Minerva said. She was sitting curled up in a fetal position, her eyes devoid of light.

"I don't think I've ever met someone with such a terrible memory."

"I've been that way since I was very young. That's why many people told me I'd never be a mage." Minerva looked at the ground with a sorrowful and pensive look. "Besides, I don't think I've ever met someone who looks so happy to beat people up."

Ulfric scratched the back of his head. "I can't help it. Challenge is exciting."

"You didn't make it look like a challenge."

"True. I didn't expect it, but those guys were smallfry."

"Hmmpf. Maybe to you. But hey, I see I picked the right horse in his race."

They sat inside of a small cave, similar to the one Ulfric had huddled in on the mountain range. With each of them on one wall, they were about five meters apart. Seeing how the arena was underground, and with an entirely artificial sun and ecosystem, it was almost stiflingly hot; likely, this was also part of the test. At roughly five kilometers from the outskirts of the city, they decided they'd stay put until the circle closed, and only advance towards the action when absolutely needed.

Ulfric had his gripes about this plan. Obviously, it was optimal to locate Maya as soon as possible to prevent her being eliminated. He had high hopes for her, though; after all, a princess likely wouldn't lose against the likes of smallfry like he'd just encountered. For now, locating Maya would be put on the backburner. There was also the fact that the princess had no idea who he was, and so may not take kindly to being saved.

"You are…" Ulfric took a breath. "A deeply concerning person, viewing people as livestock."

Minerva shot him a deadly glance. "Yes. I can't help it. I come from a family of nobles. They'd teach me that the only worth in humans is their value. Of course, this isn't something I agree with, but I couldn't help having the teachings rub off on me a bit."

Ulfric knew that the one called Lord Elerion Whiscourt was not a fair man, by any means. A cruel ruler of one of Alterion's richest regions. He made his money through slave trade and an iron fist. Ironically, though, it seemed it was always the strictest of parents that bred rebellious children. Before him stood Elerion's daughter, yet, Ulfric saw not a hint of resemblance. He'd met Elerion twice in his youth, and the second time he was verbally harassed and threatened with death for lacking magic. Ulfric's father had done nothing to stop it, and instead sent Ulfric away.

"I understand. My father always taught me that one without magic would amount to nothing. Though I don't believe it, his words still fuel my self-doubt," Ulfric said, biting his lip. He briefly concerned a few things that he was hiding from Minerva just then. He knew all about her family, and he'd even met them a few times; that and his own bloodline. As of now, it was best to hide these things.

"Often parents do not realize how deep rooted certain simple things can become when we are still young."

"Aye. I know that my father had similar things inflicted upon him by his grandfather. I only hope that I can break the cycle."

"That is all any of us can hope… To be better than our parents, that is."

Ulfric looked away, afraid to ask his next question. "Your brother… Edward Whiscourt, right?"

"Mhm." It was a simple expression that seemed to hold no contempt.

"He's quite famous. What's he like?" Ulfric asked. He'd heard many tales about the mighty Edward Whiscourt. Young, vigorous and powerful, a graduate from Lancaster. Apparently he was being considered for the role of Chairman after Ellis either died or stepped down. Recently too, he'd defeated an elf all by himself.

"Cocky. Powerful. Really powerful. Really cocky. However, not so cocky that he would be overwhelmed by it; he's cocky when he knows he can win… So, most of the time," she said. "Really, he's just annoying. So annoying. So perfect." She scoffed. Ulfric supposed that if he had a far more powerful sibling, he'd likely resent them too, like Naomi and Atika. In Minerva's world, her brother was to her what Ulfric's father was to him; an annoying idol, constantly overshadowing achievements.

"Do you want to be like him?" He asked.

Minerva appeared troubled. "I never thought about it. I couldn't be like him even if I tried. His power isn't hard work… Its birthright. I have no such thing."

Ulfric thought of Lance. "You sound like someone I know…" He trailed off. "Hey, don't let them force those thoughts onto you. Just look at me; I have anything but birthright to power. Hard work is always the way."

"Corny."

"The reason things are corny is often because it's a common truth that need not be stated."

"I suppose there's some truth to that."

By Ulfric's judgment, three or so hours had gone by. Anticipating the circle to arrive soon, he started taking stock of his weaponry. Magic items had been removed by the barrier, but it had left things such as his gun and dagger in his boot. Of course, he wasn't nearly confident enough to believe he could hit a non-lethal shot with a pistol; this would be a last resort. Regardless, he set out cleaning it and counting his bullets. As well, the blade he'd procured from the enemy earlier was quite unkempt, so he polished that, as well as his own dagger.

"A pistol? How archaic." Minerva scoffed. It was mere rhetoric which she clearly did not want him to respond to.

"True. In my state, however, I must do what I can. Archaic methods will surely be used if it means victory." He wiped some grime off of the barrel and started loading bullets.

Minerva nodded. "You'd do anything for victory, wouldn't you?"

"I would."

"That's where you and I are different, I believe. I have boundaries when it comes to combat… I don't enjoy fighting."

"Mmm. I think any truly powerful warrior must learn to enjoy it," Ulfric said. "Sure, I discarded my boundaries years ago. Boundaries are optional, though they may aid in victory; enjoyment though, that is essential. 

"How does one learn to enjoy fighting? There is no joy in taking the life of another."

Ulfric hesitated. In truth, there were lives he did enjoy taking; this wasn't something he wanted to admit out loud, though. "Right. I would say the joy is found in the improvement. You know that, for each and every blow exchanged, you grow stronger. Every strong opponent that makes you sweat is another opportunity to grow stronger."

"To learn…"

"I believe the problem of many is that they view combat as an application of learned concepts, rather than the learning process itself. Do you understand?"

Minerva grinned. "You ought to be a teacher."

Ulfric shook his head. "I'm just repeating what my father once told me."

Minerva started mimicking his movements and polishing her wand. They took turns looking out, during which time Minerva kept up her clothes, polished her boots and dagger. Ulfric looked in from the outside, admiring her flawless posture as she meditated silently, particles of magic flowing around her. Though she was meditating, she was using her magic sense to detect any and every person who may approach, perhaps even better than Ulfric's eyes could.

Then it was time to rotate, and Ulfric was trying to finish up the polishing of his new sword. Honestly, he thought it was of quite impeccable craftsmanship. It could've been that the kid was some sort of noble. He flipped the sword over. There was a crest on the back, and one that he vaguely recognized. It seemed to be the work of some royal blacksmith with the initials J.B.. Whoever JB was, they were quite good at their job. Ulfric was sure that the noble would be pissed to find this mastercraft of a sword missing.

"Say, reg boy," Minerva said. "It seems to me like the ones who got called out were those who pissed off Principal Leewood. Maybe not Maya, because I think her fame speaks for itself. What did you manage to do, though?"

Ulfric recalled Indra's angry face. "Honestly? I'm not sure you'd believe me if I told you."

Minerva raised a brow. "He asked me if I'd prefer my man to be a swordsman or a mage."

Ulfric looked down at his sword nervously. "Your answer?"

"Mm. A swordsman, of course."

Score.

"Right. I suppose that makes sense. They tend to be a bit less…"

"Geeky?" She asked.

 "Geeky," he agreed. "His question to me was a bit more crude. I was asked to pick between tall or short girls, and also whether I preferred… Certain body parts." Saying this out loud to a girl that wasn't Julie was really difficult.

Minerva looked down at her own body, turning slightly red. She wasn't particularly well endowed in any department, and stood at nearly the same height as Ulfric. "Stop. I've heard enough," she said.

"Right." He bit his lip. Had he said something wrong? No! This was Indra's doing!

"Hey. Earlier, you cut a fireball right down the middle. How on Earth did you do that?" In an instant, Minerva switched the topic. She spoke it in a way that made it clear that her pride usually did not allow such questions; her curiosity had gotten the better of her.

"Ah." Ulfric thought about his answer for longer than usual. "That's hard to answer. I mean, it's mostly intuition. Magic is built with particles, but it usually centers around a certain point. Slicing through it or disturbing it with your own magic will make it pop."

"You can do it with magic, too?"

"I've seen it," he said. His father could do many amazing things with magic. Wordless casting as well as analyzing and disrupting enemy magic. It was because of that skill that he himself learned to slice through magic with a blade.

"Intuition…" She looked up at the sky, pondering.

"Yeah. I imagine it would be much easier for a mage to sense the center of the spell."

"You might be right." Minerva sniffed, and then her eyes lit up. "This magic. It's the circle closing in."

She grabbed Ulfric's hand and pulled him to his feet. They stood at the entrance to the cave and looked to the left. A vast orange wall of static reached up to the rocky ceiling, approaching at a reasonable pace. It was an imposing sight, and a freakish one. Minerva was stunned by it, standing there and taking in the feeling of the vast barrier magic. Ulfric gripped her shoulder and shook it briefly.

"Come on! Let's go!"

"Right!"