A Duel with Master

As the black aura enveloped the Witchcraft, I unleashed a flurry of strikes, cutting through the air and the trees with an almost unnatural speed. Each swing was accompanied by a fierce, gushing sound as the blade whirled through the air. Minutes passed since I was nonstop moving myself in between trees until, finally, I ceased my attacks and grabbed my Witchcraft panting heavily as I stood and looked at the devastation around me.

It was all reduced to a plain land devoid of trees. Leaves gently drifted down around me as I stood, the Witchcraft still clutched tightly in my hand. Drenched in sweat, exhausted, and gasping for breath, I understood that using so much aura can drain the body completely within a few minutes.

Huff* Huff*

It's been 3 months since I've Infused with Witchcraft, and I believe the pursuit towards becoming strong is growing in a way it should.

"I feel like I've grown much stronger in a very short period of time." I said.

In a thought of self-reflection, I noticed that my clothes have worn out completely.

"This was my last tank top. Sigh. I should go to the market and buy some clothes."

I came here in a sweater that got torn while training, then my black t-shirt after regular use, and now this last tank top is also done. It didn't even last two months properly. Is it because of my aura? I don't know.

"Eleanor!" said Marthanda. "Come here!"

"Coming!" I said, leaving the plain as Master called me.

Jumping down from the stone, I reached the shrine, where Master was standing with a big box in his hand.

"Yes Master?" I said, looking at him curiously.

"Here, it's for you." Marthanda said, giving that red box to me. It has a nice big ribbon on it too. It feels like a gift box or something.

"Wh-what's in it?" I said, holding and awkwardly shaking it to get a hint of the thing inside.

"Open it."

I put my Witchcraft behind me and gently removed the ribbon and the red-coloured wrapper from it. It's a white, three-layered flat box to keep one thing on each layer, respectively.

As soon as I removed the lid of the first box, a black fabric greeted my gaze. In an instant, I realised that all these were new pairs of clothes for me. Carefully, I lifted the t-shirt. It was a black-coloured high-neck tank top. I felt its texture beneath my fingertips with a sense of wonder, as it felt more than just normal cotton.

"Congratulations on becoming the Knight of Aetheria," says Marthanda.

I matched my gaze with his, and in that moment, my heart was heavy. I always wanted to hear that, but as my kingdom got destroyed and things went around the hill, I never thought I'd ever get to hear those words again.

"Thank You." I said, hugging Master in a warm embrace.

He patted my back with much pride and honour, which only I knew. Because he was very harsh and straight-forward when I first came here, but now our bond has become that of a father and a daughter. He is still strict, but his eyes are different now.

"Take a shower and give it a try; there's more in the box."

"I'll be back." I said, running inside my room.

After the warm embrace of the shower, I stood before the mirror. I slipped into a top, pulled up the jeans around my waist with practiced precision, and fastened the belt with a soft click. I laced up my ankle-length heeled boots. Lastly, I enveloped myself in a flowing fabric that draped like the cape of a mysterious hero. I swayed my hair open in the back. My reflection seemed daunting to myself, but I knew it. Now I am ready to face the world.

Clack*

I pushed the door open, and as I walked outside, sunlight poured over me, casting a shimmering glow. The wind gently tousled my hair as I stepped outside. My hands nestled in the pockets of my flowing long garment, making my way to the shrine with my heeled boots clicking on the ground firmly with precision.

I found myself standing in the centre of the open space in front of the shrine, where, not so long ago, I trained multiple times and got injured multiple times.

I gazed my way straight towards the master, who stood opposite, gripping his six-bladed Urumi sword with gentle control. Unlike before, there was a sense of readiness between us, an unspoken agreement that this time our duel would be real.

"It's looking good on you," said Master, gesturing towards my new attire, which he gifted.

"Hehe, it surely does. I really wished for something like this." I said. "It's like, I am a Queen of Darkness at this point."

"Wow, nice nickname you're giving yourself."

"Thank you very much for the clothes." I said, bowing my head.

"Yes, yes, I know. Now get ready." Said Master. "You know why we are here, right?"

"Are we really doing this?" I asked.

"Why are you scared?" He said, gripping his Urumi firmly.

"Not at all. I was thinking, When will this day come?" I replied. "More like, I have been patiently waiting for it since the last two months when you said I have to train on my own from now on." 

I removed my Witchcraft from behind my back and held it firmly in my right hand, ready for whatever Master throws at me.

We looked into each other's eyes, and this time, the warm colour of Master faded into seriousness...and this time, I wasn't afraid of it. 

With a gentle drop of the leaf on the ground, marking the moment of release for both of us, Our weapons slipped from our grasp, and the master's sword and my Witchcraft met with a resounding clash that echoed through the air. A burst of blue and black auras enveloped each end, illuminating the scene with surreal brilliance.

—I can see it. I can see it.

When I first saw it 11 months ago, I could only see the blue aura and not the movements of the sword, but now...it's different, I can see it.

It's directions where it'll hit me, and I am able to dodge it in the last moments.

We clashed for at least forty-five seconds, relentlessly and without pause. Then, with an almost mystical finesse, the Master deftly catches my Witchcraft's end blade in between his blades and kicks down his own blades, hooking my knife to the ground. Before I could pull my knife, he rushed in towards me, closing the gap. He jumps and targets all of his swords directly at me. I slipped, bent down, stretched the chains in my hands, and blocked the blow on them.

"Argghh-" My voice bursts out in struggle.

The master's strength is overwhelming. It's impossible to hold him like this for long. My knees were bended and pressed on the ground, so I twisted myself on the side, pulling my knife close with the moment of chains, and started rotating on the spot, letting go of chains as per Master's distance to me. The more he stepped back, the more chains I let go of, ensuring my knife was reaching him.

After he went further away than the length of chains, I retracted my knife back into my hands, locking my pose again.

Huff* Huff* I am out of breath, but Master isn't. He is still in complete control.

"That's enough for today." He said this, standing straight.

"Huhh? But the winner hasn't been decided yet."

"You surely don't keep an eye on your opponent properly. Eleanor." He said.

"Hmm? What?-" As soon as I said that, a surprise took over me as I heard vibrations behind my open back. I turned my head to the side and saw three snake blades pointed at me.

"But how?"

I turned towards Master, and another shock hit me when I noticed only three blades on his Urumi, as it was six when we started. He detached them and controlled it with his aura.

Raising his finger, he commanded with a mere gesture, and as if guided by unseen forces, the three blades from the back seamlessly reattached themselves to his swords once more.

**Sigh* 

"I lost," I said, raising my hands.

"You get lost in the thought so much sometimes that you fail to observe the present happening in front of you."

"Right."

"You did good though." The master complimented me.

But I nodded sideways in shame, as I thought I'd at least reach somewhere compared to him.

"I am far more experienced than you are." Master said. "And only one student in my entire teaching journey was able to push me back in the way you did. So be proud of it."

"Wait, really?"

"Yep."

Wow, that was a surprising fact for me, and now I really feel good again but I don't want to let it get to my head. Sigh*

With that, our modest practice duel drew to a close, leaving behind a sense of fulfilment and the invaluable acquisition of newfound knowledge.