TF Chapter 39 Battling Celeste

A grin appeared on my face as I lowered my body, pumping force into my feet. Facing her, I could go all out. Of course I had sparred multiple times with Bora, but there was something different with this battle to me.

I pushed off the ground explosively, with Celeste mirroring my same movement. The three meters between us shrank in an instant and with a twitch of some hand nerves, I slashed out, causing the sword to move away from the front of my chest towards hers.

Ting!

In a blur of movement, the back of Celeste's clenched hand caught the edge of my blade. This was the first time I was getting a close look at her armor, if only the gauntlets.

It had the color of copper, yet crystalline in nature. My own reflection was being shown within as I stared at them, yet the scene that caused me some relief was the fact that my sword had made a small knick where it had connected.

Before I could celebrate though, I felt a massive amount of force assault me from the block, causing my entire momentum to halt! I had no choice but to position my feet in such a way that I wasn't thrown off.

For but a moment, we were caught in a shoving contest of sorts, with none of us getting the advantage, yet I had the sneaking suspicion that her small body still contained a strength greater than what she was currently exhibiting.

Seeing it getting nowhere, plus her irritating grin, I jumped away in retreat but, didn't even take the time to gauge her, instead once again engaging her, this time with multiple slashes, not putting in my full force like the first time. I had already been taught a lesson, that in a contest of strength, the chances of me besting her were nil.

Ting! Ting! Ting!

Sound and glowing sparks caused the scene to grow beautiful as I attacked while, she defended. I had already gauged her to be of the melee class, so I wanted to keep her as far away from me as I possibly could.

Horizontal, vertical, tricky, straightforward...everything I was throwing at her was being blocked in a steady and efficient manner, causing a sense of apprehension to be birthed within my heart.

If she was being this efficient at blocking, what about when she attacked? My sword techniques weren't subpar as just wielding the artifact made it so that I had an instinctual level of sword skills that were almost prodigious in nature, a joyous surprise for the current me, as I was beginning to feel that if I hadn't, my loss would have been guaranteed!

"Break it off!" Bora's shout caused me to leap back. She was right, I was only wasting energy, besides, I had already found out that my attack style was based off how my opponent attacked, instead of me taking the initiative.

"I must say, you have surprised me a little.  The sword moves must be because of your connection to the artifact, but there are those subtle stances...Bora must have taught you those, right?"

I should watch and anticipate. Her words are surprising, but I shouldn't allow myself to be dragged into her pace...that's what I told myself even though she was just standing there.

"Nathaniel, I must say, you are a very surprising guy!"

With that last word, her eyes lit up with an overpowering glow, probably my imagination, but the danger that started emanating from her form was raised by several levels, causing me to feel as if some eldritch horror was about to devour me.

The distance between us shortened with her abrupt burst of speed, her hands at her sides in punch like stances, causing me to wonder how she was going to attack. 

'First, I will defend, then-(guhhhk!)'

The abrupt impact on my forehead caused my thoughts to stall at that stage, with my upper half bending backwards from the force of the headbutt!

That had been unexpected, I thought even as I felt my feet shifting due to having lost my balance. 

"Shit!"

Thinking far faster than I have ever had to, I changed my wielding of the sword into reverse and used it as a cane to prevent my body from falling down even as the force of her attack flung me away.

Even with my thoughts becoming somewhat muddled because of the extreme pain on my forehead, I still knew that my situation was bad! If I collided with the stone wall with my current speed, there was a very high chance that I might die, so, I forcibly flicked my sword wielding hand, causing the sword to act as a pivot, while my feet once again touched the ground. With immense effort, I managed to make myself upright enough such that what collided with the wall wasn't my head but, my back. 

The pain from the collision almost caused me to black out, but I held on. I was starting to regret the money I had spent on this suit. Celeste hadn't held back at all!

"You should learn to expect everything from an opponent. Your eyes were following my drawn back hands. You should have read my expression and gauged my intention."

The words rang in my ears like thunder. Bora's lessons on combat had been systematic, but it seems Celeste was savagery incarnate. A headbutt! Seriously? What if she had shattered my poor skull?

"I will take this opportunity to inform you that the council has decided to add close combat to the curriculum... Hurray for you! Now, it would be better if you attacked me together." She taunted, an excited gleam in her eyes and a wide grin in her face.

'Another battle junkie it seems...'

I straightened myself, while waiting for the pain to diminish. She really hadn't been kind with her attack.

A deep breath was taken, the toxic air particles failing to enter my blood stream due to the coating on my respiratory system.

'This sword gives me an almost instinctual level mastery of swordsmanship. I should try to integrate that with what Bora taught me.'

"If we win, would you tell us what led to this drastic change in you and the council." Danny asked as he moved to stand by my right side.

"It is a fair trade." Bora said on my left.

"Hehehehehehehe...that will only happen if you manage to beat me. Are you up to the task though? You have to know, I was only playing around previously..."