T he moment our match began, I threw up the shield. Just as I suspected, Rhys cast an offensive spell, a ball of green fire.
I splashed against the shield and dissolved it in an instant.
I was already sprinted around the shield’s edge, however, closing the distance between us.
Rhys tossed a Mana Spear at me next, perhaps hoping to keep me back.
I rolled over the weapon and summoned the demon staff at the same time. Thrusting out as I landed, I had the satisfaction of seeing the blade slice through Rhys’ shoulder.
He jumped back and his hands filled with bright blue energy.
I cast another Shield Strike backing away behind cover to wait out my opponent’s next spell.
But as I crouched behind the misty barrier, I soon found out I’d miscalculated.
The streams of light blue mana streaking through the air weren’t going toward my shield.
They were going around it.
I dodged the first of the five reaching bands of mana, but the final four wrapped around my body. Two on my waist, one on my arm, and the other on my upper thigh.
I dodged out of the way as Rhys’s sword slashed through my shield, shattering it. His laughter rang in my ears.
If I can only use Fire Strike and Valley Leash in a manner that wouldn’t ruin the building. I need more spells. More tools to use. This isn’t any good.
Rolling while still managing to keep my mobility with the bindings, I thought for a second that I had a chance.
I sliced my dagger through the leg binding. And then the one around my arm.
Just as I wedged my blade beneath the one around my waist, I felt cool steel against my throat.
My eyes flicked up.
Rhys stood over me.
Gleeful. Angry.
Psychotic.
“I thought you’d be pleased,” I admitted, breathless. “The victory is yours. Perfectly fair.”
I struggled to my feet, trying to pretend like the binds weren’t as tight and painful as they truly were.
The sword tip followed me up. For a moment, I wondered if Rhys was going to use it on me.
But instead, he hissed, “I know you’re holding back! Why? Why can’t you give it your all?
“Didn’t you hear what Rava said? Huh? As if I needed another reason to be a mage. But now, our Tower is about to come crashing down with monsters. And all you can do is dance around and barely block my attacks.
“Pathetic. People never understand what’s at stake.”
Is he… monologuing?
Rhys’s eyes flared. “Did you just fucking smirk at me?”
I laughed and brought my dagger to his blade and nudged it away.
Thankfully, Rhys wasn’t quite ready to murder someone in front of an entire classroom, so he let his weapon fall.
I replied, “You make too many assumptions to warrant that level of reckless emotion. We will all cope with the world’s problems in different ways, Rhys.
“Your own… methods,” I said gesturing to his outrage and posturing. “Are thankfully not the only way. Now, unless you’re going to gut me in front of our fellow mages, kindly put that away. ”
As I was talking, Rhys had been unconsciously pointing his weapon at me again.
He bared his teeth at me. “Assumptions. Alright. Well, you made it into this class somehow.”
His eyes narrowed, and he took a threatening step forward. “Either you’re not trying very hard, or you don’t know any other spells. Which is it?”
“I don’t care who you are,” I informed him. “I don’t care what you expect from me. If you’d met me in my youth, I might have taken your words seriously. But to be quite honest, I just don’t care.
“You don’t matter. Not to me. So please, do us both a favor and back off.”
Rhys wouldn’t be cowed, though.
His jaw muscles worked as he clenched his teeth. My words only stoked the flames. His gaze turned to where Clove faced off in her match.
His smile wasn’t kind. “Don’t tell me you paired up with that clumsy girl and let her beat all the Tower monsters for you. That staff of hers is powerful. I bet a guy like you wouldn’t mind seducing a naive girl and sliding by on her coattails.”
I sighed and cut the rest of the bindings off. If Rhys wasn’t going to release the spell, I should at least free myself.
The problem was that now I wanted to answer. I wasn’t about to let him insult Clove any further.
She may not be as powerful as he or I, but she certainly wasn’t naive.
“Let’s say I did. Why don’t you take more than a moment to review her fighting technique. Her stamina. The way the sweat glistens on her brow.
“It’s only the second match, and she’s almost exhausted her mana. If I were to seduce someone and use them to further my own success, I wouldn’t have chosen her. I would have targeted you.”
It was meant to ruffle him, and it worked.
Rhys took a step back, his cheeks flushing.
“Seriously?” I asked. “Is that where all this hostility is coming from? Unfulfilled desires? All I have to say, Rhys, is that you’ve mistaken me. I don’t fancy men.”
He sputtered a moment and backed away. His blush deepened, and he glanced around as if to check if anyone was watching.
Recovering at last, he pointed a finger at me. “Stop playing around. Do you know how long I’ve been preparing for this? Eleven years. Eleven!
“And now, I’m paired with some righteous, self-important asshole who doesn’t know more than two spells. Because that’s the only other explanation.”
“You talk far too much,” I said aloud as I began to turn.
… for someone with so little experience, I wanted to add. But for all he knew, we were from the same generation.
Rhys was cold.
Shocked, maybe.
But there was a glint in his eye more dangerous than fury. “I’m going to put you in the ground.”
“Plenty of people have tried,” I deadpanned.
Without another word, he stalked back to his spot across from me, seething.
I sighed in relief. Good gods, that man needed a drink.
I’d never met anyone so full of tension and unresolved emotion. It’s a miracle he hadn’t exhausted himself from it alone.
Just as I turned away, Rhys’s voice rumbled out, paired with a sizzle.
The first hit from his electric whip tore through my shirt. Blood ran down my back, hot and flowing.
I whirled, getting my shield up just in time for the next attack.
Rhys’s eyes were wild as he snapped his whip again. The hit shattered my defenses upon impact.
“What are you doing?” I demanded, the first flames of true ire rising in me at last.
Others had stopped to watch and gawk.
“Didn’t they just finish their second match?”
“Rava hasn’t called the third yet.”
“They were definitely done with their second match. I saw them talking…”
The voices of our fellow students faded into nothingness, and I settled into the battle.
He’s different this time around. Why does he hate me so much that he loses his hold on his self-control?
This isn’t noble, not even in the Underworld.
His whip crackled brighter. There was more power in this version of it. More danger.
He isn’t going to show mercy, and he clearly doesn’t care about the rules of the exercise any longer.
He’s trying to prove a point. Something he sees as bigger than this class. Than himself, even.
A man who fought for principle was more dangerous than any other.