Chapter 63:

Kegrog stood up with shaky feet. He had taken the brunt of the explosion from Callum’s potion. At least he was able to keep Nora safe. The human girl struggled to her feet.

Nora grabbed Kegrog’s arm, “Are you okay?” 

Kegrog nodded with a small wince. “I’m alright. Are you ok-”

    Kegrog turned with a swiftness belying his enormous size and raised his left arm just in time to block Stryg’s fist. Kegrog skidded back from the force of the blow.

    “Tch,” Stryg spat. 

Kegrog grimaced in pain. His left arm was bent in the wrong angle, it was clearly broken. Stryg wasn’t a brown mage, yet he wielded strength rivaling Kegrog’s magically enhanced arms. 

If he was only a yellow mage like Clypeus, he would have been able to endure Stryg’s attack. Actually, why wasn’t Stryg’s hand broken from the force of the punch? Was his hand made of iron or something? It would explain why his own arm was broken so easily. It didn’t matter, he couldn’t give up now. 

 Kegrog grit his teeth and raised his only good arm, “You won’t get further than this, I’ll make sure of it.”

Stryg looked up at the orc, “You won’t get the chance to try.”

“What?” Kegrog frowned. 

    Stryg didn’t answer. He attacked the orc with several jabs. Kegrog backed away, intent on trying to buy time for Nora to back him up.

    “Over here, Miss Azol,” Callum called out. 

Nora turned towards him, “Mister Veres. I won’t go easy on you.”

    Callum raised his hands, “I’d hope not.”

He didn’t have his long sword, but judging from Nora’s previous performance at the grove, he was confident in winning. After all, he had a trick up his sleeve.

    Callum channelled red mana into his index finger. A small red light dotted the tip of the finger. With precise motions he drew the spell word for “water.” So long as the proper spell words were written and the caster could maintain focus and a steady stream of mana, a ward spell would create an energy shield to block whatever the spell word symbolized. In this case, water.

The water in the miniature pool Clypeus had made began to shiver. Nora flicked her fingers, whips of water flew out from the basin. The tendrils attacked with blinding speed smashing right into Callum. He tried blocking with his arms, but was still pushed to the edge of the pillar. He hadn’t had enough time to finish the ward spell. 

“Can’t we just talk for a second?” Callum asked, hoping to buy even just a few seconds.

“Pass,” Nora slashed the air with her arm. 

The water whips mimicked the motion towards Callum. He scrambled to his feet, barely doding the attack. 

Callum grit his teeth, Damn, she’s a fast caster.

This was different than when she had the quarterstaff. She was actually a formidable mage. It was time to put his vampiric gifts to the test. Callum ran straight at her. Nora flicked her hands, the water whips shot out. He tucked and braced for the impact. The whips slammed him into the ground. His body didn’t move.

Nora went to help Kegrog. She raised her hands and shot a torrent of water at Stryg. The goblin jumped away, giving the orc a bit of breathing room.

A red glow appeared from the corner of Nora’s eye. Her whips lashed out and attacked Callum from behind, but the water bounced off. She stepped back and took another look at the vampire hybrid.

A faint red dome covered Callum’s body. A small magical symbol hovered over him. 

“You should have pushed me off when you had the chance,” Callum grinned. 

Nora frowned. “Well, that’s not fair.”

The remaining water in the basin surged forward and tried wrapping itself around Callum. The ward’s shield shook from the tension. He could feel the red mana in his body draining fast. There wasn’t time. Callum struggled to his feet. He hoped to his goddess Bellum that the ward shield would hold under movement.

He charged at Nora. Her eyes widened, she raised her hands, the water shifted in front of her to form a wall. The ward’s red shield pushed the water aside. 

“Eh?” Nora voiced, stunned.

Callum punched her in the gut, pushing her off the ledge. She gasped for breath as she tumbled off the pillar. His ward shield burst, his red mana depleted. Callum sighed in relief. Now he just needed to help Stryg finish off the orc. He glanced over to the next pillar where Kithina fought Clypeus. 

Clypeus’ blades smashed into Kithina’s hardened skin to no effect. The potion Callum had given her would help Kithina hold her own against the sword master. Her own durability spells would protect her from any damage, hopefully. She was the best one to buy time while the others defeated Nora and Kegrog. But, Kithina wouldn’t last long. Callum needed to finish this fast.

A tendril of water shot from past the edge and latched onto Callum’s ankle.

“Shit!” He yelled, before the aquatic tentacle pulled him off the pillar.

    He fell through the air until the climbing rope pulled taut on his harness and yanked him up. He grunted in pain, his body dangling in the air.

“I’m not done yet!” Nora said, dangling from her own rope.

“Give up already,” Callum groaned. 

~~~

Stryg saw Callum and Nora tumble down the pillar. He didn’t expect to see either climb back up in time to help. 

“Where are you looking? Your opponent is over here,” Kegrog panted. 

The orc’s left arm flopped at his side. His right arm was barely covered in the lightest sheen of bronze. His body was drenched in sweat. He could hardly stand, but he couldn’t give up. He needed to buy time for his teammates.

“I know what you’re trying to do,” Stryg glared. “You’re trying not to get caught in a grab, so I can’t drain your energy. Third time would be too much, right?”

Kegrog said nothing and made a fighting stance.

Stryg took a deep breath, “But, I don’t have time to waste and I don’t need grey magic to beat you.”

Stryg’s shadow darkened and expanded around him into a mass of murkiness. His eyes could still see through the darkness. Kegrog tried to back away, but he was already at the edge. Stryg lunged at him, a pile of obscurity. Kegrog tried to block, yet he didn’t know where Stryg was in the torrent of shadows. 

Stryg kicked the side of the orc’s knee with a satisfying crunch. Kegrog yelled in pain as he dropped to one knee. He swung his right arm out. Stryg ducked and shot a rapid set of jabs at Kegrog’s chest, shattering several ribs. Kegrog fell to the ground. Stryg didn’t hesitate, he punched Kegrog’s face with all the strength he could muster. The orc’s teeth flew out and his jaw cracked. Kegrog’s head sank into the pillar on impact. Blood pooled around his head. 

It was over. Stryg released the shadow spell. He had purposefully avoided the skull in order to not kill Kegrog. Although, he wasn’t sure how much longer the orc would live at this rate. But, Stryg had more important things to worry about.

~~~

“You really are impressive, dwarfling, but this is the end,” Clypeus said.

“Is that right?” Kithina swung with another left hook. 

    Clypeus sidestepped and hit her with a flurry of slashes. She winced as the gladii cut through her clothes and even her climbing harness. 

    “Like I said, it's the end. Your harness is in tatters. If you fall now you’ll die. Give up.”

“You of all people should know the hell our yellow professors put us through. We’re used to being thrown out of buildings, remember?” Kithina panted.

    “True, but never from 80 feet high and certainly not when at the verge of our mana being depleted. If you fall now, you won’t get back up. Surrender,” Clypeus said.

    Kithing clenched her fists. He was right, she was running out of yellow mana. Even if she wasn't, her body was at its limit. She could feel her veins burn from the exhaustion of the mana flowing within. Her limbs were beginning to feel numb, evidence of the effects of Callum’s potion wearing off. 

She could barely hold her durability spell as it was. Despite all her work and training her scales were already cracking and would soon shatter. Her family was counting on her and she was about to fail.

Yet what angered her the most was how Clypeus hadn’t even used any magic against her. He had fought her with only his two blades. It was infuriating how easily he dealt with her attacks. She wasn’t giving up now, not after everything. 

    She raised her fists, “Bring it, you hybrid discriminating asshole!”

He frowned, “I don’t despise hybrids.” 

He paused and threw himself to the ground, narrowly dodging Stryg’s kick. They both rolled to their feet and faced each other. Clypeus glanced at the other nearby pillar. Kegrog lay on the floor, unmoving. Nora was nowhere to be seen, neither was Callum.

    “Well, I despise you,” Stryg hissed, fangs glinting in the torchlight. 

Clypeus froze, then burst into laughter. “And yet you’re the only person I admire in our entire class.” 

“You admire me?” Stryg muttered in shock.

“Of course. A mysterious stranger who just happens to appear in Hollow Shade and not only beats a vampire in speed, an orc in strength, but also excels in magic. Despite your size and the way others view your appearance, you have never once let it stop you from showing others what you are. You are a warrior, Stryg. I am honored to fight you.” Clypeus bowed his head. 

“This is a fight between the greatest warriors among all the 1st-years,” Clypeus raised his swords. He had a better chance fighting one at a time. “I, Clypeus of House Gale, challenge you, Stryg, to a duel.”

Stryg glanced at a worried Kithina. “Before I am a warrior, I am first a goblin.” His lilac eyes focused back on Clypeus. “A lone goblin would get picked off by the wolf packs, but a group of goblins could slay a dire bear. Kithina, with me.”

“Got it,” Kithina nodded.

“So be it,” Clypeus sighed and prepared his stance.

“You will be my shield,” Stryg stared at her yellow scales.

“Then you will be my sword,” she grinned.

    “Together then,” Stryg nodded.

Stryg rushed in. Clypeus took a step back and swung his gladii in large flourishing arcs. Stryg ducked and dodged the blades. He tried getting closer, but Clypeus was waiting for him. The vampire stepped forward and stabbed the blade at the goblin’s chest. Kithina stepped in between, the gladius skimmed off her scaled arm. Stryg’s fist appeared from behind her and smashed into Clypeus’ chest.

The vampire wheezed in pain as his body was sent skidding to the edge of the pillar. 

“Push him off!” Kithina yelled.

Stryg was already on it. He ran at the vampire and kicked him in the chest. Clypeus caught the blow and barely budged an inch. 

“Not yet,” Clypeus said through grit teeth. Yellow scales of light shimmered over him, enhancing his durability and weight.

He grabbed his gladii and swiped at Stryg’s leg. Stryg kicked away, but Clypeus pushed inwards, his blades licking the air where Stryg had been. He tried creating some space, but Clypeus anticipated the move. His gladius slashed Stryg’s arm. 

“Stryg!” Kithina shouted weakly. The potion’s effects had worn off. Her body felt numb, she could barely stand. 

Stryg needed her help. She released the durability spell, her scales faded into dust. She gathered what little yellow mana she had left into her right hand. Her vision was beginning to blur, her feet were unsteady. Her hand shook as she aimed at Clypeus.

“One hit, just one hit,” she mumbled. 

The wind curled and condensed around her hand. She fired off the wind spell, the blast of air flew forward. 

Clypeus caught sight of Kithina through his peripherals. He ducked and swung at the goblin with a surprise low kick. Stryg jumped, right into Kithina’s attack, and was blasted off the edge.

“No!” Kithina whimpered.

Clypeus dashed at her. She tried to recast her scales, but her heart had no more mana to give. She stumbled backwards. Clypeus slashed her legs with one swing, severing the muscles in her thighs. She cried out in pain as her legs gave out.

He took deep breaths. “I win. Concede.” 

“I-in your dreams,” she grit her teeth, tears streaming from her eyes. She couldn’t lose, she couldn’t afford to fail.

Clypeus chuckled, “You’re even more stubborn than Stryg.” He brandished his blades, “So be it.”