Mar’Garet’s eyes gleamed as she suddenly tossed the spear sideways toward Alister. He reacted instantly, catching it with a smooth, fluid motion. The weapon felt familiar in his grip, its weight balanced perfectly, and he gave it a quick spin before resting it at his side.
“Alright,” Alister said, “we can spar. But I have a few conditions, or else this won’t be a fair fight.” He sounded like he was teasing, but there was a serious look in his gaze.
“I can’t have my disciples showing me up when I’m not at my strongest, after all.”
Mar’Garet raised an eyebrow, her crimson gaze steady. “Go on.”
Alister’s expression grew more focused. “You’re not allowed to use your bloodline abilities or any of the powers you’ve gained since the last time we saw each other. Only your spear skills and physical capabilities.”
“In turn, I, too, will do the same.”
Mar’Garet’s lips curled into a smile, amusement appearing in her eyes. “You want to limit me like that? Fine. I’ll humor you,” she replied confidently, gripping her spear tighter. “I agree to your conditions.”
Alister turned to Alzuring and then said, “Alzuring, I need you to mediate our battle.”
The dragon nodded. “Understood, young lord.”
As Alister twirled the spear in his hand, he couldn’t help but feel a touch of doubt.
‘I’m saying all this, but I honestly don’t think I could really match Mar’Garet’s physical capabilities.’
Just as the thought crossed his mind, the system’s voice echoed in his head.
[The player need not worry about being overpowered physically.]
[The mind realm exists in your thoughts, not only to house your summons but to allow you to exert dominance over them should the need arise.]
Alister’s eyes widened slightly at the notification. ‘Are you saying I could be as strong as her… physically?’
[Affirmative.]
[The player simply needs to think they are as strong as their opponent.]
‘Alright then,’ Alister thought, taking the system’s words to the test. He simply thought he was as strong as she was, he wouldn’t do more than that, else it would be most unfair if him, he did have some honour. Twirling his spear once more, Alister then called out.
“Alzuring, you can begin mediating.”
The dragon tilted his head, eyes narrowing as he looked at them both. “Are you both ready?” he rumbled.
“Yes,” they answered.
Alzuring’s voice boomed, “Then begin!”
The moment Alzuring gave the command, Mar’Garet charged forward with a burst of speed. Her spear lashed out in a sharp horizontal arc aimed at Alister’s abdomen, the spear carving through the air with a loud whistle.
Alister stepped back, placing his right leg behind him while his left remained in place as he leaned forward with his spear.
He swung his spear to parry, the shaft of his spear hitting hers near the tip. The clash of weapons echoed, sending sparks flying, but the force behind her strike made his arms shake.
He quickly pushed her back, then spun his spear in a wide circle, using it to counter Mar’Garet’s thrusts when she aimed for his body with swift strikes.
But then she decided to quickly close the distance between them. Alister, seeing this, threw out a sudden thrust. She didn’t blink, instantly dodging to the right, adjusting quickly, lifting her spear up, and then bringing it down in a downward slash aimed at Alister’s left shoulder.
Alister quickly raised his spear horizontally to block, his feet bracing as he placed his left foot forward. The impact was hard, her attack pushing him back a few inches.
‘We’re evenly matched… but she’s overpowering me with her skill.’
“You’re slower than I remember,” Mar’Garet taunted. She pushed him back with a sudden burst, leaping up into the air, spinning her spear in a tight arc above her head before bringing it down vertically.
Alister quickly sidestepped to his right to avoid the downward strike. He counted swiftly, thrusting his spear toward her exposed side, but Mar’Garet had anticipated it. She twisted her body, using her spear for a defensive block.
The clash sent vibrations up both their arms.
“You’ve gotten rusty,” she said in a cold sharp tone.
Alister gritted his teeth, realizing she was right. She was faster, her footwork cleaner. Every time he tried to attack, she moved with far smoother movments, redirecting his strikes before they could land.
She swung again, this time with a low sweep aimed at his legs. Alister hopped back, his feet shifting quickly. He countered with a thrust, but she easily twisted her spear to knock it aside.
As the battle wore on, Alister found that he wadent able to land any ckean attacks. Each time he tried to take advantage of an opening, she was already two steps ahead. Her spear movements were quick, her footwork far more polished than his, never leaving an opening for long.
‘This is a lot harder than I expected,’ he thought, as he blocked another one of her strikes. He had never expected Mar’Garet to be this relentless.
She drove him back again, her right leg stepping forward, thrusting her spear toward his chest. He barely managed to parry it, his foot slipping slightly as he struggled to keep up. ‘No, she may be more skilled than me, but there must be a pattern to how she deals her
attacks.’
He thought, and then something shifted.
Alister’s dragon eyes suddenly became more focused, a flicker of a crest appearing in their depths.
He began to watch her more closely, noticing the small ways she moved. The way she leaned slightly into her strikes, how her feet shifted to always maintain balance. He started to pick up on her rhythm-how her left foot would always brace before a heavy strike, and how her right leg gave her the push for more forceful attacks.
‘She’s predictable,’ Alister realized. ‘She always braces herself before striking hard.’
He watched her step forward again, her left leg shifting for another heavy strike. This time, he didn’t just block. He twisted his body, sliding his right foot back to dodge her swing, raising his spear at an angle to deflect.
Her spear grazed his, but in the next instant he was already stepping forward, before thrusting at her abdomen.
Mar’Garet’s eyes widened slightly, surprised by the sudden skill behind of his movement. She twisted her body, her spear moving just in time to block, but it wasn’t as clean as before.
“Not bad,” she said, stepping back, her feet shifting to regain her stance.
Alister didn’t give her a chance, he pressed forward, his footwork slowly becoming similar to hers now. His left leg slid forward as he swung his spear in a wide horizontal arc. She blocked it easily, but he didn’t let up.
He twisted the spear as he reversed his grip, aiming low at her legs. Mar’Garet jumped back, but Alister closed the distance, stepping in with his right foot and swinging the spear in a
quick upward arc.
She blocked again, but her stance had faltered, her left leg slightly out of place. Alister noticed it, pressing forward with more confidence.
“I’m getting the hang of this,” he said as he pressed his spear toward hers, their eyes locked
as they gazed at each other intensely, Alister’s grip tightening as he moved faster, his
footwork now copying hers almost perfectly.
Mar’Garet’s gaze sharpened as she realized what was happening. He was learning, adapting.
“You might have been able to block some of my attacks because you manged to predict my patterns…” she said, with a cold intense gaze. “But can you keep it up?”