Eris stepped onto the sparring platform. I kept meaning to bring up the topic I discussed with Marcus to see if Eris really knew something more. Every time I saw her I’d not remember or the situation didn’t feel right. This morning was the longest I’d been together with Eris since our hidden ruins adventure.

It felt strange standing across from Eris. I was becoming excited since this was the first time we ever went up against each other. Eris always hid a majority of her power and kept it secret even during our monster hunts. Only if nobody was watching would she go all out. Just like that time I blacked out from blood loss against the electric type green lion. She had obliterated every monster that continued attacking before being able to heal my wounds.

“Eris are you a rebirther?” I asked bluntly.

The tension in my body disappeared after realizing she wasn’t going to answer and transitioned into a fighting stance. Eris took that as the signal to start and pointed her palm forward. It was difficult to see the barriers that were erected and one rash move would have me crashing into one of them. 

I had to do something or else she would continue creating a massive maze between the two of us. Using all the strength in my legs left an indent in the platform as I bolted diagonally towards her position. I knew her weakness and planned to capitalize on it.

“I know you’re hiding things from me.” I continued the one-sided conversation throughout the sparring match.

My movements were erratic with a constant change of direction. She wasn’t able to keep up against my speed, allowing an opening to appear. Right before I went in for a grab she threw up a thin barrier to separate us.

That was never going to hold as my fist easily shattered it, though quickly found out that her goal was to buy time to strengthen her personal sphere-like barrier. A loud thud reverberated off the walls. 

That actually hurt to punch, it felt like hitting solid steel. I questioned whether I’d even be able to penetrate her forcefield without my weapons. I was starting to lean on the side of no, trying to put extra oomph behind a kick and consecutive other strikes.

I started talking more and more as the odds looked hopeless while she seemed to notice that I wasn’t going to break through either.

Eris grew accustomed to the level of my strength and used newly formed barriers to push me backward. I dodged out of the way and tried what was my only best bet at this point. I jumped up high enough to reach the ceiling and contorted my body at an angle allowing me to push off with my feet. 

I used the ceiling as a platform and let gravity do the rest in hopes that it was enough to pierce through. I could tell this was going to hurt a bunch and possibly break a bone or two. I used the momentum to focus all my strength into my left arm. I was going to unleash my strongest punch and worry about the pain later.

An even louder soundwave shook the warehouse and sounded like something shattering across the floor. The force of my punch was enough for her entire sphere to depress into the ground by several inches. Her barrier shattered into cracks at the point of impact but maintained shape. 

Just like jelly the barrier reformed anew as Eris pulsed extra mana into it. I ignored the pain from my arm and luckily avoided the worst outcome, yet knew I received many hairline fractures throughout my entire hand. Not only that but the impact felt like how I imagined a metal baseball bat being stung into a light post would feel. It took everything I had to shake away the disorientation and act natural.

“Eris, you don’t have to tell me now. For whatever reason you chose not to I will understand. Just know that I trust you and will be here for you.” I stood in front of her forcefield holding onto my swelling red hand.

Eris dropped her forcefield and gently touched my injury. The swelling reversed as the color changed back to normal. Her healing magic had repaired all my fractures as I squeezed my hand back and forth into a fist. Not an ounce of pain lingering.

“Do you admit defeat?” Eris sounded like a cute child and I couldn’t help answering while patting her head.

“Yes, you win. It's my loss.” I said the second part loud enough for the audience to hear. The spectators cheered in a frenzy from the amazing spectacle they just witnessed.

“I am.” Eris had walked away after she had spoken under her breath and I had to ponder over the meaning behind her two words. I was barely able to hear her over the commotion, but she knew I could still hear her with my heightened senses. 

I realized that she was answering my first question. She admitted to being a rebirther. I’d have to wait for her to open up to me then, no need to rush things.

Eris walked over to the crowd of gamblers and moments later was seen with a sizable amount of dessert rations stacked on top of each other. The majority of people believed that Eris would lose against me since all they saw was a smaller little child when compared to me, who was consistently going easy on everyone.

Did she enter the sparring match against me with the intention to win free dessert? Doesn’t she know that they would give her as many desserts as she wished, by simply asking? I exhaled a drawn-out sigh and decided it was best to keep that information secret from her.

“Remind me next time, not to spar with Eris indoors.” Alexa approached me as I observed the damage we caused to the area. There was a mini depression where her barrier pushed into the ground. The worst part was the hole in the ceiling I used as a kicking platform. I rubbed the stress from my forehead and continued to work on training regimens until it was time to move to the courtyard.

Volatis

Thank you, patrons: Ajesco

I enjoyed writing this chapter a lot. Eris is so silly.

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