[15 minute 35 duos remain]
Northside of the Greater Forest of Aiz
Staring down from the cliff they look upon the lake.
"Dont those two look familiar to you?" Ezekiel asks Albeck.
"They're friends with Rose Providence" Albeck remarks looking back up at the Sphere in the sky.
"Hmm"
"What?" Ezekiel questions.
"We should get on the move," Albeck says in his montoned voice as he points up at the sky. "Judging from the amount of duos left someone actually might have more rings than us" he then looks back down at the two girls waving their hands fractantly.
Ezekiel closes his eyes and hones in on what they are saying.
"HELP"
"We should go help them," Ezekiel says.
"Alright"
buBBLE buBBLE
The two slowly rise to their feet. Dusting off their uniforms.
"A faint noise," Ezekiel thinks to himself for a moment as he stares at the lake. "Eh, it's probably just the fishes. He dismisses as he continues to prepare himself.
CLAP CLAP
Ezekiel claps his hands together, pats down his entire body, and cracks his knuckles. Inhaling and taking a deep breathe "Let's go"
VOOSH
----------------------------
HUFF HUFF
"We're finally out of that forest," Lily says. "Bianca was right there was a Lake. Now let's see if she was right about people being here"
"HELP Anyone HELP" Lily yells.
"Anyone please!"
"HELP Anyone HELP" Lily waves her arms.
"Lily Cmon I dont think anyone would be"
VOOSH
"Help is here," Ezekiel says as he and Albeck arrive on the lakefront.
The two girls then point back at the forest.
CLASH CLANK CLASH
The noises that Ezekiel hears are in the distance turning his head in the way of the noise.
"It Valerus Marina and-"
DASH
Ezekiel rushes into the forest searching for his friend with Albeck following him.
"There fast we should catch up"
"Wait"
Bella stops Lily from returning to the forest as she looks to the sky.
"Isn't that"
-----------------------------------
"Wooah" Azalea holds her skirt and uniform together as Jericho takes her gliding above the trees.
"He must have great control of his mana this is levitation magic," Azalea thinks to herself.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes"
"What?" muffled by the speed they were traveling and the air.
"Yes!"
"Alright there seems to be a Lake up ahead but the action is"
Azalea then spots something at the lake.
"Wait go towards the lake," Azalea says as she tugs on Jericho's uniform.
"What why?"
"Please"
"Okay okay"
He then flies over the lake
"Oh I see your friends are here," Jericho says as he slowly lands on the ground.
"Azalea" the two tow girls come rushing to her side. "You not hurt are you?"
"Did he do anything to you?"
"Rest assured girls I did nothing to your friend" in a Frank tone waving his hands and dismissing the fact. "What are you girls doing out here?" Jericho questions.
"Well we were looking for help because Valerus and Bianca were in trouble with some spiders"
"Valerus Marina," Jericho says to himself.
"Where are they?" Lily responds as she points back into the forest. "In the forest North East I believe"
"I see" Jericho with a smirk on his face. "Finally we will battle. Our promised battle"
Bella then walks over to Azalea "How many rings do you have?" Bella asks Azalea.
"None just the ones we were handed"
"We got 6," Lily says. "Cmon Azalea you guys gotta get some"
"You have 6," Jericho says in a curious tone.
Bella and Lily take Azalea behind them.
"Yeah you planning to take it away from us," Bella says in a defensive tone summoning her bell while Lily summons her dual whips. "I would make a wise decision Mr.Knight" Lily says sarcastically.
"Hmph"
Jericho slowly walks towards them.
STEP STEP
"You see I would like to take those rings from you I have other things on my mind but if I wanted to-"
VOOSH
Jericho appears behind the two girls placing his hands on their shoulders.
"What"
"So fast"
"- I would have taken it from you two from the start. He then turns around towards the forest. "Out of respect for my partner and you guys being her friend, I won't bother. If you wish to join me Azalea please do."
Stolen story; please report.
VOOSH
Azalea looks off as her partner looks to help Valerus Marina.
"Am going" Azalea.
"What"
"You going to help that guy"
"Yes he's my partner and if something happens to him we both fail. Plus I believe my magic will be needed."
"Alright let's go"
The three then venture off back into the forest.
BUBBLE BUBBLE BUBBLE
Lily then stops to look back at the lake. She looks in confusion at the water.
"Lily, what's up?" Bella asks.
"Oh nothing"
--------------------------------------
SLASH CLASH
I continually slash and kill all the spiders that go through that opening. With Bianca holding the rest of them back is reassuring but I know I'll be overwhelmed soon enough.
"Valerus!" Bianca yells out.
I look up.
The spiders are now climbing the wall to reach over the other side. One by one they start dropping.
Shit.
I open my left hand to summon my scythe. I hurl it towards the sky as it sticks in Bianca's wall. I jumped up onto the scythe's lower grip area and used it as a platform. With this platform, all the spiders that came from climbing got sliced and chopped down. Not realizing I just left Bianca out in the open. Without thinking I jumped down back to the forest grounds. However, I didn't realize she closed the gap in the wall as soon as I jumped near the top of the wall.
EARTH CREATION MAGIC: GOLEMS FROM THE EARTH
All around me, I watched as I saw bits and pieces of the ground formed into 10-foot golems. There are about half a dozen of them, Each golem color looks different from the other. Some are green in color with moss on them, others being the brown color of soil and dirt, and others just being made from rocks.
CRUSH SLAM CRUSH
Grabbing, slamming, and stomping on all the spiders that came through I could finally rest for a bit. They all had one goal in mind crush all the spiders that they saw. I look back at Bianca "Thank you Bia-" Gasp. I see Bianca struggling to maintain her focus as her hands shake, with the tiredness setting in. Mana exhaustion I thought to myself.
I rush over to her side. "Bianca, are you alright? I think I overexerted myself there should be fine" The words that came out of her mouth didn't match the physical state she was in. The brave front she puts on is amazing but there's only so much she can do.
The horde of spiders then overtake the golems and the wall begins to crumble and break down.
Bianca then falls to the ground exhausted.
With the scythe in my left hand and the blade in my right hand, I stand ready to take out all the spiders and run towards them.
Slashing and cutting through the spiders. Throwing my scythe across the ground while cutting through more spiders with my blade in my right hand. Picking it up and repeating this process. Although it looked effective the numbers were too much as I soon found myself surrounded by them.
SLAM
Destroying all the spiders in the area leaving a crater in the ground.
A figure appears before me a familiar one.
"Killing all the spiders yourself is no fun"
Ezekiel Agnes joins the battle.
"Ezekiel you're here".
"Yeah so this is the help you needed"
PUNCH PUNCH
"Hello Valerus Marina," Albeck says as he destroys a couple more spiders.
"Glad to see you both alright" I express to both of them.
"Where is your partner?" Ezekiel asks.
As all three of us look over here.
"What happened?"
"Mana exhaustion the same thing that happened to you," Albeck says. "She'll be fine just let her rest"
Our short talk was then interrupted by the spiders.
All right. The three of us back to back protecting Bianca who was recovering in the middle.
IRON CREATION MAGIC: PILLAR OF CREATION
Albeck summons her pillar as he creates protection around Bianca. He fought the spiders using his gigantic iron fists that loomed over his head as he showed no sign of fatigue or tiredness while resting his hands in his pocket. On the other hand, Ezekiel was going wild kicking, punching, and swiping all the spiders to death as their corpses begin to build up.
CRASH SLAM CRASH
We looked towards the direction the loud noises were coming from.
"That's the main one," I said to the other two.
"So we just gotta beat that thing up and were fine," Ezekiel says.
"We gotta think of a plan too"
The giant spider suddenly stopped in its place with the baby spiders and then stopped as well.
"What's going on"
BASH
A giant hole is then blasted through the main spider.
"That thing was in my way"
A voice says.
"The person I have been waiting for Valerus Marina"
Jericho Pearson.
"Now can we have our match up" Jericho says with an ecstatic expression on his face. As he summons his long sword.
----
It all happened too fast.
One moment we were surrounded by a horde of spiders with the main spider in sight the next moment they were all gone.
One person stood amongst them.
Jericho Pearson the Dragonclad.
The forest was filled with this burnt smell as if wildfire was nearby. However, there was no fire or smoke nearby. I examined Jericho's body "Steam?" I questioned myself as if he had come out of a sauna.
"He took it out just like that?" Ezekiel says in shock.
Albeck waits in silence not saying a word.
"What's with the look Valerus shocked that I took that thing out. Pfft that was nothing to what I had to endure while training" With a grin on his face Jericho extends his right arm out and a long sword appears as he walks ever so slowly to me.
"A long sword," I say.
"Valerus you promised that we shall battle at the exam now here is the moment"
I prepared my weapons and swiped both my weapons to the side removing the spider's blood. I prepared my blade in a reverse grip in my right hand and placed my scythe in my left. "I did promise you that. Well come at me"
DASH
"You got it"
"Holy crap. A Flash step"
He looked to jam his long sword to my just but likely I was able to react just in time to block his attack with my scythe. Using his momentum I was able to backflip off the block and release my scythe. The scythe was sent hurling directly at Jericho but he dodged it moving his body slightly to the right.
He then again got up in my face.
Again nearly blocking his advances.
Ezekiel and Albeck respectfully watch us fight it out with Ezekiel showing some care "Valerus if things get ugly am jumping in"
Jericho turns to Ezekiel "You want in this too Twelve Star? You're more than welcome. How about you Mr. S Rank Mage wanna hop in"
CLASH
"Your fight is with me Jericho," I said with an intense expression. Using all the skills Marko taught me I tried my best to match Jericho's speed and power. Although it would be nice to get my scythe as that is my preferred weapon. However, in the process of retrieving the scythe Jericho wouldn't let me get near it.
The both of us exchanged in a battle of counters it was all up to whoever was faster. In an instant, I found that out very quickly.
-------------------------------------
STEP STEP STEP
"Azalea wait up" Lily calls out for her sister.
"C'mon there just up ahead," Azalea says as they hurry.
"Ugh these dead spiders and that awful burning smell"
"It isn't that bad that means someone must have taken that thing out" Bella remarks.
"Were close"
VOOSH
A gust of air slightly blows back Azalea as Jericho and Valerus engage in their duel.
"Woah stay back" Bella pulls Azalea back from the battle.
"Hey you guys are here" Ezekiel calls out waving his arms back and forth. "Help her out" Ezekiel points to a worn-out Bianca.
The three slowly and carefully sneak around the duel and make it to Ezekiel.
"Oh gosh, what happened?" Azalea wonders as a bed of Azalea flowers goes around Bianca.
"Mana Mana?"
"Mana Exhaustion" Albeck finishes the sentence. "Yes, your right" Albeck.
Lily and Bella watch Azalea on the side as she heals Bianca. "Who took out the Spider?" Bella asks.
Ezekiel points at Jericho "He did"
"Really I guess he wasn't all talk and I thought he was a pretty rich boy. I guess he can back it up"
"The unique thing was he didn't even use his weapon on the spider and was also emitting Smoke," Albeck says.
"Smoke? Burning? So it was him that was creating that." Lily says.
"You guys could smell it?"
"Yeah of course it started way back over there by the lake we were at" Azalea says.
"Hmm," Albeck thinks to himself.
"What are you thinking out partner?" Ezekiel asks. "His Magic might be either smoke or fire-based magic. We'll just have to see how the match with Valerus will progress"
The two duos stand close to one another as they watch the match.
Lily hits Bella on the arms and motions with her head.
Bella slightly nods.
"I wonder how many rings these two have," Bella says to herself.
"Maybe we can beat them," Lily thinks.
Albeck and Ezekiel glance at one another.
"There a duo also. We saw how good their chemistry is with one another"
"Do they wanna fight?"
All four are trapped in their heads. At that moment.
BOOM
The two duos are now facing one another.
"You guys what the hell" Azalea yells.
"It's still a tournament. And I want to move on" Albeck says.
"Everyone duo for themselves," Ezekiel says with excitement.
"Taking care of you two is one less duo to worry about," Bella says with determination.
"Azalea did you forget? We have to move on" Lily reminds Azalea.
IRON CREATION MAGIC: PILLAR OF CREATION
STAR MAGIC: ON THE HUNT
-----------------------------------
In the headmaster's room at Aurora Saint Academy
"Looks like our students are finally battling one another," Ariana says playfully clapping her hands. "Let's see who will win"
Taz and Carmen look on with focus as both their students engage in a one-on-one duel.
"Look Valerus and the Dragonclad" Faith points up at the projection. "They seemed evenly matched."
"No," Axel says. "Look at it closely Faith"
Faith squints her eyes and moves her head forward. "What the hell?" Faith shocked.
"By the blind eye, some would say they were matching and blocking each other but someone with trained eyes can clearly see Valerus is barely catching up"
GULP GULP
"Valerus makes a great weapons mage but Jericho seems to have control and mastery with his" Ceaser remarks.
"Our attention is all averted to that match but" Axel looks at the other projection. "What are you doing Jonathan?"
"Captain it seems the fellow dragonclad is winning isn't that great?!" Alekzander says with enthusiasm.
Captain Caldwell watches "Is that all you got son of Marko? Or is it that Jericho just trained his ass off?"
"Hey Taz isn't that your student as well? He's racking up their rings with Sunneta. But are they really just going to stay there?" Ariana asks.
Taz doesn't respond for a moment as he watches Stage 2 go on. "He is waiting. He studied and knows his rules and what is where. He's a smart kid. You wont know what he'll do next." Taz remarks.
---------------------------------
South The Greater Forest of Aiz
"Another commotion" Jonathan.
"So are we just going to stay here?" Sunneta complains.
"Patients are key. good things come to those who wait" Jonathan enlightens her.
"Alright but may I ask what we are waiting for?"
"Oh it's almost about time," Jonathan smirks as he looks at the countdown.
Sunneta looks on in confusion.
BUBBLE BUBBLE
[13 minutes 32 duos remain]
Eriko & Rose
[Location: South West The Fog of Eternal Memories Rings: 2]
Valerus & Bianca
[Location: North East Rings: 4]
Ezekiel & Albeck
[Location: North East Rings: 8]
Bella & Lily
[Location: North East Rings: 6]
Suneeta & Jonathan
[Location: South Rings: 10]
Azalea & Jericho
[Location: North East Spiders Rings: 2]
