Mayhem
Chapter 10. The Dark Prince: Sparring. Part 3
— If I hadn't interfered, — a voice sounded, — you would have killed him. Wouldn't you?
It was Toren.
Emilia struggled to her feet. From the very first clash of their blades, it was already clear: Toren surpassed her many times over in both strength and speed.
No mage is capable of reaching their maximum speed in a single second. The muscles of the human body simply cannot withstand such a sudden and extreme load. During combat, when mages actively use magical energy, their body temperature gradually rises. And the higher that temperature, the faster they are able to move.
However, every mage has a different starting speed and maximum speed.
Judging by everything, Toren's starting speed was already at the level of elite mages.
"Then what is his maximum speed?" flashed through Emilia's mind.
At that very moment, Kair and Emil were thinking the same thing.
— So, you were the one Kair was waiting for? — Emilia smiled.
— They are no match for you, — Toren said, an excited smile appearing on his face. — I want to see what you're capable of, Emilia.
— I'm curious to see how strong you are too, — she replied.
A magical sword once again formed in her hands. This time it glowed with a bright blue light. Toren's blade shone with the same blue hue.
— Kair, Emil, leave the arena and watch from the stands, — Toren said.
Kair and Emil stepped out of the arena and took their places as spectators.
Toren and Emilia moved about twenty meters apart.
The battle began.
They both dashed toward each other at the same time. Within a second, their swords collided.
Toren immediately noticed that Emilia's starting speed had increased. She was now moving on par with him. He was also unsettled by the fact that her blade no longer glowed yellow — it was now blue, which indicated an increase in her level of magical energy output.
"So she wasn't fighting at full strength against Kair," Toren thought.
"But despite her immense power, she still lacks combat experience. If Kair had fought her at close range, he could have won. He controls his power far better."
"However, Kair chose the wrong strategy. He didn't know that Emilia surpasses him in raw magical power."
While Toren was analyzing the situation, Emilia was trying to break through his defense. But he effortlessly parried every one of her strikes.
Toren decided to test her.
He pretended not to be able to stop her next attack in time. Emilia struck from the side.
At the last moment, Toren created a dense energy shield. The blow crashed into it.
Emilia stepped back.
Toren did not counterattack.
"If I hadn't created that shield… would she have killed me?" Toren thought.
After that, he stopped holding back and went on the offensive.
Toren swung his sword at tremendous speed. The swing was wide — an attack like that usually takes more time and gives the opponent a chance to strike first. But Emilia didn't even have time to blink before Toren's blade came crashing down on her.
A shockwave of magical energy erupted from the collision of their swords. Emilia was thrown back several meters, and her sword evaporated in an instant.
— Well then, shall we end it here? — Toren asked.
He didn't have time to finish.
Emilia formed another sword and rose to her feet.
Without saying a word, she rushed into attack.
Toren blocked her strike, but in the next moment his sword cracked and split in two.
"She's become even faster. And much stronger," Toren assessed instantly.
"The glow of her blade has intensified."
Emilia swung for a decisive blow.
At the very last moment, Toren managed to create a new sword and evade her attack.
He immediately went on the counteroffensive. With a single powerful strike, Toren sent Emilia flying to the opposite end of the arena.
"What… was that just now?" Emilia thought in shock.
Toren extended his sword forward, silently challenging her to continue the duel.
Emilia straightened up.
In the next moment, dense streams of pure magical energy burst from the tips of their swords toward each other. They looked like intertwining red-and-white flames.
The magics collided.
A shockwave swept across the arena, and cracks appeared in the protective barrier surrounding it.
"If the barrier collapses, Kair and Emil could get hurt," Toren thought.
— It's time to end this, — he said.
For a few seconds, Toren poured three times more energy into his sword.
An enormous torrent of magical power instantly suppressed Emilia's attack. Her sword evaporated in a fraction of a second.
But before she could even blink, Professor Grimveil appeared in front of her.
With a single wave of his hand, he transformed all of Toren's unleashed energy into a massive swarm of blue butterflies.
They scattered across the arena, slowly dissolving into the air.
Toren stopped.