Wrought King of Iron

Chapter 14: True Love

'You don't have any mana left, seeing how pale you have become. How could you possibly contest me without a single shred of magical energy. I won't accept your view until you prove full superiority over me in combat.' Verner spoke arrogantly, to cover up his annoyance at my obstinance, and his impatient desire for the battle to end.

It was true that I had no mana left of my own, but I wasn't out of options. I glanced towards Tohsaka who was viewing from the sidelines, and raised my left shoulder, which was where the magical connection between us still remained.

By far, the most significant inheritance to a magus was their magical crest. It was the culmination of a magus' talent and effort, symbolised by the vast knowledge of magecraft left behind in these crests. And yet, to a brilliant magus like Tohsaka, she entrusted to me a piece of her lineage. The way I saw it, was that she essentially gave me a part of her soul. My lack of knowledge relating to crests at the time of the transplant, meant I was incapable of understanding their importance then. However, as I looked back on it from now, I realised how much Tohsaka trusted and loved me, as she entrusted such an important part of her composition to me.

She smiled at me, and giving a great thumbs up with her left arm where her crest was, permission was granted to me to use her mana.

At first, I had never intended to use her crest and mana, because to me, that fight was a personal one involving only Verner and me. It would be an insult to him and myself if I relied on the power of another to overcome him. But now, I understand that integrity and honour have no relevance in this battle. Winning was not only essential to me, but also to Tohsaka, and to our bond. And so, together we will triumph over one who rejects its authenticity. It was both her and my quarrel with him.

As I drew mana from the crest, it was as if she was enveloping me with her warmth. She was with me in that moment, and in unity we would fight.

Verner's gun reverted back to a knife. However, having fired a bullet made of its base components, there was a considerable gap in the edge of the blade. That was the weak spot. If I aimed for the crevice in his weapon I could certainly break it apart.

Projecting more weapons, we engaged in battle. Utilising the same tactics as before, Verner, cycled through different weapons in order to make me run out of mana. However, he was under the mistaken impression I had very little left, and so he was the one losing the battle of attrition.

Little and slowly, I wore him down, aiming for the weakness in the craft of his blade. I chipped away slowly at his weapon, and almost as if it reflected him, he began to run out of stamina.

After many back and forth blows, Verner's weapon was heavily eroded, and he could barely move, so he switched to defence. He knew that he could count on his defence, if he just utilised his shield for some time, and he was right for the most part. Wearing down his defence would likely result in me running out of strength, and while blocking, he could recover his stamina and defeat me after I had used all mine up.

I ran backwards, and with the little strength I had left, managed to make it a considerable distance away. Verner remained stationary, unable to chase me due to a lack of stamina.

The final technique I had practiced with Zelretch which I had yet to utilise, was my last bastion of hope. The ultimate offence which could pierce his defence. It would require a considerable amount of mana, which would leave me almost completely drained after usage, however it was the opportune time to use it. I projected a steel longbow and a destructive noble phantasm for my final attack. 

As I was filling the noble phantasm with vast amounts of magical energy, Verner shouted to me, 'You plan to pierce my shield with a powerful arrow? Sorry to say, but considering the extent of which I hardened it, the most the arrow could go through, would be a mere centimetre.'

I smiled at his statement, as that was all that I needed in order to defeat him. One millimetre would have been fine, but this entire centimetre made his loss assured. I drew back my bow, with the arrow extending in length and coiling, and fired a broken phantasm.

'Caladbolg!'

The arrow streaked through the air, piercing his shield halfway through. The arrow almost instantaneously exploded upon contact, breaking apart the shield from the inside. As if it were a grenade, fragments of his conceptual weapon flew in all directions, some piercing Verner's flesh. 

Through the smoke, I emerged before the man, who faced me in horror, as I slashed at him with Kanshou and Bakuya in an X shaped pattern. As blood poured out of the deep wounds, he fell backwards, coughing out blood.

Over his body, I stood tall. With a trembling hand, I reached to the sky, and grasped at nothing. I imagined that, I was clenching tight the hand of my guardian angel who protected and loved me.

'This is my win, Verner.'

'Damn... it...'
With those final words of Verner, a huge applaud rung out around the coliseum, and magi proficient in healing burst forth to treat our wounds. 

Verner faded out of consciousness, and a most unpleasant memory of his surfaced.