Cassim moved immediately.
He pulled a wooden club from his belt. It was about two feet long with metal bands wrapped around the end. He swung it once through the air, testing the weight, then advanced on Elara.
Elara didn't move. She stood perfectly still, hands at her sides.
Cassim closed the distance and swung the club at her head.
Elara's hand came up. Her fingers moved in a precise pattern. The air in front of her shimmered.
The club stopped mid-swing. Like it had hit an invisible wall.
Cassim's eyes widened. He pulled the club back and swung again. Harder this time.
The club stopped again. In the exact same spot.
Elara's fingers were still moving. Making small but controlled gestures. Her face was calm but Malek could see the concentration in her eyes.
Cassim stepped back and circled to the left. He swung low this time, aiming for her legs.
Elara shifted her hand downward. The shimmer in the air moved with it. The club stopped again.
Malek watched closely. He could see what she was doing. Mana barriers. She was creating walls of solidified mana to block his attacks. But they were small and precise. She wasn't wasting any energy on barriers larger than necessary.
Cassim growled in frustration. He feinted right, then swung left.
Elara's hand moved smoothly. The barrier appeared exactly where it needed to be. The club stopped again.
But Malek noticed something. Elara’s breathing was growing heavier. The barriers looked effortless, but they were costing her.
Each one consumed only a small amount of mana, yet the real problem was that she had very little to begin with, and she was already running low. She couldn’t afford to waste what little she had left.
Cassim noticed it too. He started swinging faster. Not trying to hit her anymore. Just forcing her to make barriers. One after another after another.
Elara's movements stayed precise but they were slowing down. Each barrier took a fraction of a second longer to form.
Cassim swung high. Barrier. Swung low. Barrier. Swung from the side. Barrier.
He was wearing her down.
Elara took a step backward. Then another. She was being pushed across the arena.
Cassim pressed forward. He swung the club in a wide arc and Elara raised her hand to block it.
A barrier formed, stopping the club.
But this time Cassim didn't pull back. He pushed. Leaning his weight into the club. Pressing it against the invisible barrier.
Elara's hand started shaking. The barrier was holding but it was taking everything she had to keep it there.
Cassim grinned and pushed harder.
The barrier cracked. The fractures weren’t visible, but the instructor could tell.
Then it shattered.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
The club broke through and slammed into Elara's shoulder. She stumbled backward and barely kept her footing.
Cassim didn't give her time to recover. He swung again.
Elara raised her hand but the barrier that formed was weak. Thinner then before. The club smashed through it and caught her on the arm.
She cried out and fell to one knee.
Cassim raised the club above his head for a finishing blow.
Elara's hand shot up but not to block this time. Her fingers moved in a different pattern.
The air around Cassim's feet shimmered.
He brought the club down.
His feet slipped. The ground under him had become frictionless. Like he stepped on something slippery. He lost his balance and fell forward.
The club hit the dirt instead of Elara.
She rolled to the side and got to her feet. Her left arm hung awkwardly. The shoulder Cassim had hit. But her right hand was still moving.
Cassim pushed himself up. His feet slipped again on the frictionless patch. He cursed and crawled forward until he was off it.
Elara backed away. She was breathing hard now. Sweat ran down her face.
Cassim stood and charged. No more careful swings. Just a full sprint with the club raised.
Elara's hand moved. A barrier formed in front of her.
Cassim hit it at full speed. The barrier cracked immediately. He pushed through and swung the club.
Elara ducked. The club passed over her head. She twisted and her hand came up, fingers moving in that same sharp pattern.
The air under Cassim's feet shimmered again.
He slipped and fell. His chin hit the ground and his head snapped back.
But he didn't stay down. He rolled to the side and got to his hands and knees.
Elara was backing away again. Favoring her injured shoulder. Her movements were getting slower.
Cassim stood. He was breathing hard too now. His chin was bleeding where it had hit the ground.
He looked at Elara. At the way she was holding her shoulder. At how tired she looked.
He smiled.
He advanced slowly this time. Just walking forward with the club ready.
Elara raised her hand. Her fingers moved but the gesture was sluggish. The barrier that formed was barely visible.
Cassim swung.
The club shattered the barrier like glass and hit Elara in the ribs. She gasped and fell to her knees.
Cassim raised the club again.
Elara raised her hand. It was shaking. She tried to make another barrier, but nothing happene
She was out of mana.
Cassim brought the club down.
Elara threw herself to the side. The club hit the ground where she'd been kneeling. She crawled away on her hands and knees.
Cassim followed. He knew she was done.
Elara got to her feet. She was swaying. Her left arm was useless. Her right hand hung at her side.
Cassim swung the club at her head.
Elara ducked under it. The movement was clumsy but it worked.
Cassim swung again. A horizontal swing aimed at her midsection.
Elara jumped backward. Her foot caught on something and she fell.
Cassim stood over her. He raised the club.
Elara's hand moved. Not to create a barrier. Just a small gesture. Her fingers traced a pattern in the air.
The dirt next to Cassim's foot shifted. A tiny patch of ground. Maybe six inches across.
Cassim didn't notice. He brought the club down.
His foot landed on the shifted patch. It gave way under his weight.
His ankle twisted. He yelped and stumbled.
The club missed Elara by inches.
She rolled away and got to her feet again. Everything about her looked exhausted. But she was still moving.
Cassim recovered quickly. His ankle was hurt but not badly. He limped forward.
Elara backed away. She was against the arena wall now. Nowhere left to go.
Cassim raised the club. He was taking his time.
Elara moved her hand one more time, making a tiny gesture.
The air directly in front of Cassim's eyes shimmered. Just a small patch. Right in his line of sight.
He blinked. The shimmer distorted his vision for a fraction of a second. Made everything blur.
He swung anyway.
The club went wide. Not by much. Maybe an inch.
But it missed.
Elara dropped to the ground and swept her leg out. It caught Cassim's injured ankle.
He went down. Hard. The club flew from his hand and skittered across the arena floor.
Elara crawled toward it. Cassim reached for it at the same time.
She got there first. Her fingers closed around the handle.
Cassim grabbed her wrist. His grip was strong. Much stronger than hers.
He started to pry the club from her hand.
Elara's other hand came up. The injured one. She pressed her palm against his forearm.
Her fingers moved. That same sharp pattern.
Cassim's grip loosened. The muscles in his forearm had gone slack. Temporary paralysis. A tiny application of mana. Very precisely placed.
Elara ripped the club from his weakened grip.
Cassim lunged at her with his other hand.
She swung the club.
It caught him in the temple. Not hard enough to knock him out. But hard enough.
Cassim fell to the side.
Elara got to her feet. She could barely stand. The club hung loose in her hand.
Cassim tried to get up. His movements were slow and Uncoordinated.
Elara raised the club.
Cassim looked up at her. Blood ran from the cut on his temple. His eyes were unfocused.
He raised his hand. Surrender.
"Match over. Winner: Elara."
