TBATE: Let The Truth Be Known {Completed}

Chapter 18: A Battle Between Conquerers

Arthur's head sinks as he stares at the sandy dunes beneath. He's clearly annoyed by his companion's shenanigans. I simply giggle at watching Arthur struggle to cope with his best friend's gags.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen! Let's get ready to RUMBLEEEE!" Regis shouts before shooting a mote of destruction flame into the air to signal the beginning of the bout.

Arthur stands in wait, not activating his armor. He tends to not bother as of late because the runes across his body already make it easier for him to absorb aether unconsciously. The armor would be overkill for a fight like this.

With Arthur choosing to act second, I will the mana in the area around him to form 10 foot dome around him, encasing him with a shield of pure mana. From the inside of that dome, I force all of the fire mana within that dome to spontaneously combust, creating dozens if not hundreds of explosions. The whole dome shakes as my concentration nearly falters. I allow the dome to dissipate after the final explosion sets off.

Not waiting to even see if he made it through that- because I know he did- I send roughly a hundred lances made of super-condensed ice, each one comparable to the density of steel. They hurtle toward the area I last remember Arthur being before a flash of purple emanates from behind me, causing me to hurriedly redirect my ice lances.

Mere feet behind me was Arthur, the purple lightning still crackling around his form. His clothes were tattered from the previous explosions, leaving holes all across his body. Arthur materializes an aether sword and charges toward me, ignoring each and every ice lance heading his way. His nonchalance shows on his face as a smirk creeps from his stoic expression. As the lances approach within ten feet of him, small, circular, purple plates emerge to completely shatter them on impact.

He swings his sword in a sweeping motion for my neck, but it only manages to slice a few strands of hair. While he's off of the ground, I force the earth mana beneath our feet to spread out in a circle, creating a twenty-foot-wide pit to form. His eyes ever so slightly go wide before he begins to flash in purple again during his descent. Anticipating this move, I quickly whip around to my back and create another pit on my opposite side. Even if I lose this spar miserably, the look of shock on his face as he appeared above nothingness was worth it.

Once again flashing in purple, I try and anticipate where he'd appear next. I was wrong in my assumptions. I receive a firm blow to my right side as from above me, an aetheric baton swipes at my body, sending me careening through the air.

Taking advantage of my new airborne position, I choose to stay airborne and begin to fly. Despite everything Arthur can do, he seems to be incapable of flight so far.

From the air, I rain down hellfire. A mixture of fireballs, lightning strikes, boulders, and ice lances pummel the landscape around me.

As the dust around us settles, I can barely see his kneeling form through the sandstorm. An ice lance sticking firmly from his left thigh. In a moment that should have been filled with agony, all I can see on his face is joy.

He flashes in lightning again and I try and guess where he'll appear next.

Behind me!

I swing out with a sword made of pure mana behind my back, only for my sword to shatter on impact with a much more dense purple blade. Arthur grabs my wrist and throws me to the ground with a resounding boom. My back begins to ache from the force of the slam, but I will myself back to my feet to continue the bout. His form plummets toward me with a terrifying grin. I do my best to avoid his strike from above, barely managing to do so as he takes more of my hair with his sword.

From the crater we both now stand in, I force the fire and earth mana to become one at our feet. The resulting effect is a column of lava that erupts from the ground between us, allowing me to take flight again and gain distance from him. After that attack, he finally becomes serious.