The river water shimmered, rippling as the currents drove it downstream. Tondra scooped up some water and washed her face. Her eyes rolled to her left, then her right. Up then back down. She let out a sigh, jumping to her left. The water splashed. She began releasing a white aura. Crackling accompanied the sound of rustling leaves, flashes of lightning appearing all around her.
Where could he be? She wondered. Her eyes bouncing all around the battlefield. She recalled, "Today's drill will be a little different. A battle of distance….emphasis on projectiles. Think of it like a fight between two snipers. Since your eyes see the future, we will leverage that—forcing you to become more attuned with that ability. Try to observe only one-second intervals." What did he mean by that? Why only one second?
She leapt back, watching a water bullet strike the ground. That was a whole five seconds later after I saw them—. A bullet? A missed bullet struck her shoulder. That was the opposite direction from the last one. He is fast.
A cold gust blew her way, pushing her back. "Huh," Wait? Is that Kano? The water splashed, drenching her. Someone had just crashed into it. "Kano! Kano!" The water began dyeing to crimson. She rushed to the bank before she heard, "Calm down." That bastard flung me pretty hard without warning. Blood washed down from his head. That was ridiculous.
"But you are bleeding…"
"I know that…don't get distracted—" A strand of coiled roots blitzed past her cheek from the trees whence Kano came. A drop of blood trickled down her cheek.
"See what I meant? They are the two of them. Chances are…they will try and come here." He forced himself back to his feet. A black fog leaking from his eyes. It hurt when I crashed but I don't feel anything anymore. A blue crystalline estoc began materializing in the water before he picked it up.
"Wow Mèe, he actually survived that."
"Well, he does have plot armor, Nèe. Have you never read a fantasy novel before? He is probably one of those side characters who ends up dying to establish stakes."
"Wow—I can actually picture that." A greenish aura coated Née's body. "I will be the one to fling him this time. After all, I am stronger than you."
"Whatever do you mean, Nèe? The younger twin can never be the stronger one." Mèe held up hands before a yellowish aura coated his body.
In response, Tondra raised her arms, forming a stance. "I will blitzed them at my full speed."
"Tondra wait." Kano said, "This will function nicely as your first test. The one with the yellow aura, he will be your challenge. I will take care of green."
"Kano…attribute wise, it is not a good match up. Metal beats lightning, and wood beats water. You are pinning us against our weakness—"
"I wouldn't give you a fight you couldn't win." The crystalline blade became coated in a blue aura when he added, "Remember…this isn't training anymore. Any wrong move and you could die. First we separate them." Kano dashed toward them while Tondra stood still. She couldn't understand what he had in mind. What if I fail? I haven't done this before. I have spared, yes but never with magic. What if I am too weak?
Kano went for a diagonal slash when a metal wall appeared. His blade clashed with it, sparks flying. Clanking each time metal met crystal. This is pointless, I will just slice through — A coiling of roots emerged from the ground and barreled themselves against his chest. This sent him flying and crashing into the water. He quickly made it back to his feet, clutching his chest. Each breath becoming more of a struggle. My stitches were forced to contract. He grunted.
"Look at that idiot, Nèe. He thought he could separate us."
"Well he almost did succeed Mèe. He hit your metal wall pretty hard. He didn't understand that I was here to back you up. We are inseparable."
Kano walked out of the water before he was asked by Tondra, "What now? They seem strong."
"Tondra…I need you to calm down. I told you never to get drunk on the freedom of your power. I never said lose your confidence." On a serious note, if it's a two on two fight, they will have the advantage since they coordinate so well. Green understood where I was even when he couldn't see past the brother's wall. He probably understands the brother's attribute. To win, separating them is key.
Kano pointed at the one with a yellow aura. Here goes nothing, "Yellow…you are really short."
"Huh," Tondra wondered, what is this? Is he trying to provoke him—
"I am not short! The older one can never be short." He exclaimed.
Wait, that actually worked, she chuckled.
"See, they are stupid. Easy win," Kano explained, streams of water revolving about his blade.
"Take it back…..I am talking to you. SCUM!. TAKE IT BACK!" Kano averted his gaze for but a moment but dearly he paid. Mèe dashed toward him, a giant mace materializing in his hand. "Metal Art: Structural Crystali; Ragnarök." The mace barreled against Kano's ribs. It sent him flying through the trees. Nèe, from behind Mèe, dashed toward Kano before jumping.
Vines coiled around his arm, forming a massive drill. Lightning coated Tondra's body when she dashed forward. Before she could reach Nèe, a metal wall materialized before her. I will go around…. Another behind her. Beside her and above her. Completely boxing her in. I will just burst out. She began releasing waves of lightning in hopes of escaping much to no avail. The metal grounded all her charge.
~
Kano crashed through branches before plummeting to the ground. He groaned, grabbing his ribs. Each breath, more of a struggle than the last. He coughed, crawling until he reached the stem of a tree. He reclined against it, letting the stitches that held his body together tighten. He continued coughing. That was even worse than the first time?
"Did you think that would piss my brother off? Since when is calling someone short an insult," Nèe chuckled. The coiled vines spread around his body, wrapping around him like armor. "You are quite durable. That was the third hit. How are you still conscious?"
"Just a little longer…." He coughed. Using his sword to help him up. Two streams of water materialized— revolving about the blade. "If not for Crystalis…the first strike would have killed me." He dashed toward Nèe, going for a vertical slash.
The latter sidestepped, delivering an uppercut. Kano staggered but never fell. He slashed again, this time diagonal. The latter dodged. Grabbing his hair before meeting him knee to face. His right hand let go before he used it to deliver a series of jabs. Kano fell to his knees after only the third. "Why are you not trying to resist?"
A black fog flickered about Kano's eyes….Resist? He licked the blood that washed down his face. It will be much easierto just kill you. The black fog turned to blue when he exclaimed, No, not like this.
A voice whispered gently against his left ear, 'What then do you fear? This impulse….you have submitted to it once before—why not again?'
"Just shut up!" He let go of his blade before grabbing Nèe's wrists. He delivered a head-butt to his lower jaw, forcing some separation. He kicked his blade back before leaping toward it. He continued panting, blood washing down from his lower jaw. He felt dizzy before falling to the ground.
His aura faltered when he grabbed the hilt tightly. Nèe wiped the blood that trickled at the edge of his mouth. "How can you still even move? Side characters like you typically die by this point in the series." He placed his thumb and index fingers together on each hand. "Fine then. I am life…yet grief I invite. A life with strife….bloodshed, solidify my might. Nourish and grow….ravage and grow stronger still. Devour—devour until naught is all that is to be found." The vines that surrounded his body, rampaged and spread. An overgrown forest. "Now, Wood Art: Ethidium Recoil; Ragnarök."
Kano forced himself back to his feet. Water revolving about his blade still. This is all I have. The water around his blade increased in volume, revolving even faster. "Water Art: Discordant Torrent; Plunge Pool!" He dashed forward. Drawing his blade back before pushing it forward.
"One-handed wielding?" The vines rampaged. And like a tsunami, devoured him. Crashing him until he finally lost consciousness. My vines are parasitic…they absorb magic. It's a good thing he didn't catch on to that.