Chapter 171: The Shield And Spear Paradox

 

  “We’re under attack!” Clypeus Gale pulled out his short swords.

  The students all turned to Tauri Katag with panic-ridden faces.

  “That’s the spirit, Clypeus!” The beautiful professor laughed.

  A tremble ran through Nora Azol’s body. She had practically exhausted all of her blue mana and the excessive spell-casting had raised her temperature, she was already in danger of heatstroke.

  Still, Nora stood by Clypeus and raised her hands in a casting stance.

  “Do you trust me?” He asked.

  “Always,” she nodded.

  “Oh, shit! We need to run!” Kithina snapped the centaurs’ reigns.

  The centaurs did not need another alert, they charged ahead. 

  “No! We fight!” Stryg yelled.

  But the wagon was already moving. Kegrog jumped off the roof and loosed an arrow. The arrow screeched through the air, Tauri sidestepped the projectile.

  “You're fast, Kegrog, but if I can see your attack then it’s futile,” Tauri wiggled her finger.

  Clypeus closed the distance between Tauri in an instant. He stabbed his blades in quick thrusts. Her feet shuffled away, evading each blade with ease.

  “Great technique, but you’re too slow!” Tauri grinned. 

  Clypeus felt her red fist smash into his cheek before he saw it. His body spun from the force, dazed. A thin whip of water snapped at the orc. Tauri destroyed it with a plume of flame.

  Nora fell to her knees. Her cheeks were flushed and her vision was blurred.

  Tauri clicked her tongue, “What pathetic excuse for a torrent spell was that? You’ve already pushed yourself to the limit, Nora. Yet you still foolishly try to spell-cast?”

  Freya vaulted over Nora and swung down with her hammer at the orc mage. Tauri sucker-punched the dwarf in the stomach mid-air. Freya gasped in pain, her eyes rolled up, and she fell over unconscious. 

  “Jumping in the air leaves you too open,” Tauri shook her head.

  “Or maybe you’re just too strong,” Callum stared pointedly at the orc’s bronze arms, the sign of chromatic brown’s vigor magic.

  “So, you’ve come to face me too, young Veres?” Tauri glanced at the longsword in Callum’s hand. “And you didn’t come alone.”

  Stryg circled around Tauri’s back, spear in hand.

  “What did you expect? I’d fight a master mage alone?” Callum chuckled nervously.

  “Oh dear, I don’t like my odds,” Tauri said fearfully and batted her eyes.

  “Don’t listen to her, Cal, that orc is a dual manifold master mage. She was using agility spells earlier,” Stryg warned.

  “Duly noted,” Callum smiled wryly.

  “Oh, what gave me away?” Tauri fiddled with her silver mage necklace, its twin gemstones, a jasper and amber, glittered in the light of the setting sun.

  Callum stepped forward and swung his blade in a long arc. Tauri’s bronze skin disappeared and her veins darkened in an instant, agility magic taking hold. Her body dropped low, the longsword passed harmlessly above her. Stryg’s spear stabbed low, Tauri kicked off the ground and spun in the air. Her foot shot out in a blur, Callum raised his sword but was too slow. Her foot smacked into his neck and sent him crashing into the ground.

  Tauri’s hand snapped up and caught an arrow in a flash. “What did I say, Kegrog?”

  Stryg opened his palm, an orange flame bolt flew out. Tauri flicked her wrist, a wall of flame rose between them. Her agility magic’s darkened veins disappeared and a bronze sheen covered her body once more. She kicked Freya’s hammer up, snatched it, and flung it.

  The hammer whizzed through the air and shattered Kegrog’s bow. He fell back in shock, his prized weapon lying broken at his feet.

  Stryg jumped high above the flame wall with a war cry.

  Tauri kicked Callum’s longsword up, grabbed it with a spin of the wrist, and stabbed up at Stryg. “How many times do I have to say it? You’re too open!”

  Stryg flung his spear downwards, she parried it away. He rolled on the ground and immediately kicked the ground. He dashed at Tauri and dodged her forward thrust. Stryg kept his distance close, aware of how exposed he would be against a longsword if given enough space.

  His claws slashed at Tauri’s legs with unbridled ferocity, she danced away from each attack by a hair’s breadth.

  “You’re fast, little goblin,” Tauri shifted back into her agility spell.

  “Just not fast enough,” she jumped back with a quick step.

  Stryg filled his body with orange mana, his veins darkened as he casted his own agility spell. His legs kicked the grass away as he darted at her in a blur. Her eyes widened at the unexpected speed. She swung her longsword, but Stryg had already closed the gap.

  Tauri dropped the sword instantly and raised her hand to block his punch. She grimaced in pain as she was spun away from the incredible force. Her other hand struck out and released a blast of flame. Stryg rolled back, the heat singed his clothes.

  Tauri took a few steps and made some distance between them.

  “I heard it, that sweet breaking sound,” Stryg grinned fiercely.

  Tauri glanced at her arm, it was already swelling. His fist had shattered her radius and ulna bones.

  Tauri stared pensively at the grinning blue goblin, He’s fast. Far faster than a novice or even adept agility spell should allow. And how is he so strong without vigor spells?

  “So, Loh has been busy making a little monster, huh?” Tauri sighed.

  Stryg bared his fangs and hissed at her.

  “I underestimated you. It won’t happen again,” she narrowed her eyes.

  Tauri took a deep breath and casted her most powerful agility spell, orange mana burned through her constricting muscles. She sprinted at Stryg without hesitation. He slashed at her with his claws. She lifted her leg up high and kicked his temple. Stryg’s head snapped to the side in pain, Tauri spun and slammed her other leg into his skull again.

  Stryg stumbled, but Tauri didn’t let up. Her good arm moved in a blur as she punched his abdomen over and over. He tried to raise his hands in defense, but her leg swept low and struck his ankles. Stryg fell backward, he twisted in midair and kicked out. Tauri blocked his foot and kicked him away.

  Stryg’s small body rolled on the ground several times before slowing to a halt against a tree. He coughed up blood and bile with a painful groan.

  Tauri panted with quick breaths. She glanced at her bloody fist, the skin around her knuckles had been torn away, and she could tell that she had broken at least two fingers.

  How sturdy is that ridiculous body of his?

  Stryg pushed himself up with a grimace.

  “Round three then,” Tauri rolled her shoulders.

  Clypeus stepped in front of Stryg and raised his twin gladii in a battle stance.

  “Clypeus? I know I didn’t knock you out, but why are you still here? Shouldn’t you be protecting your precious Veres?” Tauri tilted her head.

  Stryg coughed with a wince, “...What about Nora?”

  “Don’t worry about them. I told you, Stryg, I wouldn’t let you down again,” Clypeus kept his eyes on Tauri.

  Stryg glanced back, Kegrog was carrying Nora on his back, and Freya and Callum in one arm each.

  “Tsk, tsk, even Gales seem to be battle-hungry,” Tauri said.

  “I’m here for you, Stryg, but Tauri’s right. This is a test, she could attack us at any point, but she isn’t. That’s not a coincidence, we should run away while we have the chance,” Clypeus whispered.

  Stryg wiped the blood from his mouth, “I’m not done yet.”

  “We can’t win, Stryg. We can’t even slow her down, let alone stop her,” Clypeus whispered sharply.

  “Even so, I’m not running. My master is counting on me, I won’t fail,” Stryg picked up his spear. “Besides, we’ve faced someone far worse than this orc.”

  Clypeus groaned, “Ah, dammit, are we really going to do this?”

  “I understand Stryg’s penchant for violence, but I thought you were smarter than this Clypeus. Ooohh, I get it. Are you emulating your House’s founder? When Lady Gale stood against an army to let Lord Veres escape with his guards? Poetic, I like it.”

  “You’ve seen the play?” Clypeus asked with surprise.

  Tauri laughed, “Pssh. Have I seen one of the most popular ballads in the Realm? Over half a dozen times. The Unfaltering Shield is my favorite. I cried when Lady Gale sacrificed herself, she was such a badass.” 

  Tauri shrugged, “Of course, what you’re doing right now is nothing like her and beyond stupid.”

  “How so?” Clypeus asked.

  “Figure that out yourself,” she picked up Callum’s longsword.

  “I don’t plan on us dying here,” Stryg glared at her.

  “No one ever does,” Tauri winked.

  Clypeus cleared his throat, “I don’t want to die, but if today is my day, I would rather die on my own two feet protecting my friend.”

  “Lady Gale’s words before her final battle, act 2, scene 6 of The Unfaltering Shield,” Tauri’s eyes twinkled.

  “Spot on,” Clypeus’ eyebrows went up.

  “~I know~ Goodbye, you two,” Tauri crouched low and aimed the longsword at them.

  “Are you ready?” Stryg hid behind the vampire’s tall frame.

  “Just like practice?” Yellow scales covered Clypeus’ pale skin.

  “Just like practice,” Stryg nodded.

  Tauri dashed at them with blinding speed, her sword slashed a dozen times in a flash. Despite Clypeus’ sword skills, the durability spell slowed his movements, he barely managed to block half the attacks. His yellow scales flared brightly as her longsword scraped across his skin.

  “You’re too slow to block me, how do you ever expect to hit me!?” Tauri’s agility-enhanced arm sliced down on Clypeus’ scaled shoulder.

  A spear whizzed below the vampire’s arm and stabbed at Tauri’s leg. She jumped back a step. The spear thrust forward again, Tauri batted it away. She swung her blade in a wide arc at Stryg. The goblin crouched, Clypeus stepped in the way and blocked the sword.

  Tauri skipped back a few steps. She twirled the longsword’s grip in her palm and chuckled, “Interesting formation. Let’s dance, shall we?”

  Tauri’s sword disappeared in silver flashes as she slashed and stabbed at Clypeus. The vampire’s eyes shifted erratically as his gladii rose to parry her attacks with precise efficiency. Stryg kept moving in tandem with Clypeus’ footwork, making sure he kept his smaller frame behind the vampire. Stryg’s arms may have been short, but with a spear, he could close the distance between his prey.

  Stryg jabbed the spear at Tauri’s thigh, her blade whipped out in a swift riposte slicing across Clypeus’ skin, cracking the yellow scales. Clypeus caught her longsword between his gladii and pushed her blade down. 

  Stryg jumped on the vampire’s shoulders and swung his spear in a wide arc. Tauri tried raising her sword, but Clypeus held the blade down with his own short swords. 

  Tauri’s eyes widened. She bent her back at a ninety-degree angle as the spear flew overhead. She ripped her longsword back and slashed at the exposed Stryg. The goblin threw himself back, the vampire rolled over him, blocked Tauri’s blade, and followed up with his own rapid slash.

  Tauri sidestepped the attack and quickly made some space between them. She stared at the strange duo with consternation. How were these two still holding their own against her? 

  Tauri may not have been trying to actually kill them, and sure, Clypeus was a fellow weapon-master, but she was still trying to win. Something was different about these two, their coordination between attacks was beyond any teamwork she had ever seen among students. It was almost as if they had fought against her hundreds of times.

  Tauri rested the flat of the longsword on her shoulder. “You two have done this before, haven’t you?”

  “I don’t know what you’re referring to,” Clypeus panted, out of breath.

  “Mm, why don’t I believe you?”

  “Can you shut up already? We don’t have all day,” Stryg called out from behind the vampire. 

  “Cocky aren’t you?” Tauri chuckled.

  She advanced on them in a blink of an eye, her blade stabbed down past Clypeus’ defenses. 

  Tauri’s eyes narrowed, she couldn’t see Stryg’s darkened veins. Had he released his agility spell? Then that means!?

  A dome of shadows wrapped around them, obscuring all vision. Yet Stryg could still see perfectly. Tauri had backpedaled immediately, trying to escape the dome. Stryg gritted his teeth, he wouldn’t let this chance go, a surprise attack only came once. He flung his spear, it slashed across her calf. Tauri grimaced in pain, her legs faltered. Stryg closed in the distance and released the shadow spell. His fingers carved the air in quick gestures. A grey sigil formed as the shadows disappeared.

  Stryg pushed the curse cantrip at Tauri’s ankle. She opened her palm wide, an orb of flame breathed to life and exploded in a splash of light and heat. Stryg and Clypeus were blasted away and slammed into the ground with a hard thud.

  “I was trying to avoid using flame spells on students, but you forced my hand. It’s my fault for underestimating you both,” Tauri sighed.

  Clypeus’ yellow scales crumbled to dust.

  “I’m out of yellow mana,” he groaned sorely.

  Stryg coughed in pain, “How about green mana?”

  “I used it all against the trolls. You?”

  “I’m almost completely out of orange, my grey and black are still relatively fine, but I’m starting to overheat,” Stryg admitted under his breath.

  Stryg could only handle using a full-body agility spell for a few minutes. He was already way past that and the strain on his body was showing. 

  Stryg clenched his fists in anger, if only he had managed to land the curse spell, he might have been able to prevent the orc’s flame spell.

  “Have you two finally given up?” Tauri pointed the longsword at them.

  Stryg stood with an unsteady gait, he kept his eyes on the orc but offered his hand to his friend, “You’re not done yet, are you?”

  Clypeus winced, “Are you kidding me? My sister is far worse than Tauri.”

  “Damn right,” Stryg nodded.

  The vampire grabbed the goblin’s hand and pulled himself up.

  “I really am going to have to beat you two senseless, aren’t I?” Tauri smiled.

  “Don’t look so sad on our account,” Clypeus grinned half-heartedly.

  A large hawk swooped down into the clearing. Its wide wings beat the air in thrumming waves. Purple arcane sigils covered its brown feathers, shifting ever so slightly. The hawk clutched a green ribbon in its sharp talons. 

  Tauri dropped the longsword and walked away, “...Well, I guess that’s that. Your wagon made it to the tower. The test is over.”

  “Oh, thank Bellum,” Clypeus swayed and fell over.

  Stryg fell down on the grass next to him. His wounds and aches suddenly felt ten times worse. “We technically won, right?”

  “Yup.”

  “...So why do I feel like we lost?”

  Clypeus looked over at his friend, “Maybe because we got our asses handed to us?”

  “Shit.”

  “Pretty much.”