"Is that meant to be a threat, instructor?" Catherine stood in a battle ready stance. She left all the cards on Winston's side of the table and he happily obliged.
"Well if you are so keen to start a fight then I can only agree to meet you with my best." The eyes of the mages locked onto each other. A confrontation between these two would be far more dangerous than the two students mere moments ago.
Alix stepped aside as Mo returned to his bowl and joined her. 'Are they really gonna fight?" Alix nodded. 'I see no reason for them not to fight." And as if egged on by Alix's thoughts Catherine threw the first spell. She leapt almost instantly forming several small fire balls. She sent them flying at Winston.
The instructor gently raised his hand creating the same barrier that had protected Alix earlier easily defending the attack. It was then that Alix noticed that the barrier. Again formed with dark mana. 'So Winston's a user of the dark attribute?' She nodded to herself as the duel continued.
Winston quickly clenched his fist bringing forth the three shadowy hounds that pounced at Catherine. The woman clapped her hands and formed what looked to be a bird egg around herself.
As the hounds hit the shell it cracked and bent but didn't break. The creatures faded after each giving a single attack giving Catherine the chance to crack the shell herself and send the fragments flying out at Inengway.
He his eyes narrowed in amusement. He slightly bent his knees creating a shadow formed toad beneath his feet that hopped out of the way with him atop it. "A defensive spell that becomes an attack. Very interesting indeed, Lady Floie."
Catherine did not acknowledge the man's compliment. She taped her wrists together the spread her arms.
Her arms.
From the tips of her fingers to her shoulders became enveloped in flames that took shape of the wings of a hawk.
She swept her arms across the ground sending the flaming feathers out like projectiles. Winston tried to use the toad again but as he leapt the feathers quickly rose from the ground giving him chase. He summoned his barrier again but clearly those wings were a higher grade spell. The feathers easily tore through shield and hit him dead on.
Alix was entranced at the scene. Two skilled mages dueling. Showcasing unique magic on a level that she only read about. She didn't want to look away. Then she felt a hand tap her shoulder.
She sighed and without turning asked, "What is it Holiday?" Eric gasped in shock. "How did you know it was me?"
"Because you are the only one bold enough touch me after the display that Mo just gave." Eric looked around and noticed that there was a large open space around Alix. No one dared to get near her. The only person close to her other than himself was Cas and he was just standing to her side.
"Anyway, I came over here to ask you a question?" Alix sighed. "How unexpected!" Her sarcasm did not deter Eric as he continued.
"So, over the course of the past month you've taught me and Cas a lot of things about the different types of spellcasting. You've obviously taught us about sorcery because you use it and you also taught us about Magecraft because it's what's taught at our school." Alix turned to Eric annoyed.
"Hurry up." Her impatience clear in her voice. Eric nodded and got to the point. "I thought Mages needed to say the name of the spell that they were casting, so why aren't they doing it?" Eric pointed to the two combatants that were still fighting as he spoke.
Catherine's wings disappeared giving Winston an opening. He slammed both his fists against his chest and thrusted them forward. A shadowy ape appeared beside the woman and tried to grapple her. Catherine crossed her arms and pushed out unleashing a flaming pulse and getting rid of the apes.
"It's because they have more experience in battle." Eric cocked his head. "What does that have to do with anything?" Alix grabbed the bridge of her nose before explaining. "You know how Mages form spells within the Imaginarium?" Eric nodded.
"Well they have to do that every time that they cast a spell." Eric squinted his eyes. "But wouldn't take a really long time? I mean even if they knew the spell well it would still take a good minute to remember the exact effects." Catherine clasped her hands together then quickly opened them firing a beam of flames from her hands.
"Exactly. That's why naming a spell is important. Spell names for mages are used to save the spells within their imaginarium for easy access. In simple terms, they file spells in their minds evoking the name to use it instantly." Winston stomped his foot to the ground causing a pair of shark fins to shoot out from his feet and swim straight at Catherine.
"Then why aren't they doing that?" Alix controlled her temper. She was getting quite tired of the boy's constant questions. "They have replaced the names of the spells with certain gestures and mannerisms. It's a technique that veteran combat mages make use of to further quicken the casting time of their spells."
"Oh! That makes sense." Eric nodded in understanding. Alix shook her head exhaustedly as she tried to refocus on the fight. Winston made a claw with his hand and summoning a strange rodent formed with dark mana. The rodent zipped forward and dove onto Catherine's face blocking her vision.
"What the hell!" She shouted as she desperately attempted to pull it off but it melded onto her face making it nearly impossible to remove without taking some skin with it. While the woman was distracted Winston crouched down and began move his hands slowly in a strange pattern. When looking closer Alix noticed that he was also speaking.
"...hallowed halls we seek and our hunger we wish to satiate. I beckon forth this grand beast that dwells within the deepest darkness of the forest." He had to be preparing for some large spell as incantations were only needed when the spells process was so complex that a mere name or gesture alone was not enough. The rodent faded from Catherine's face allowing her to see the Winston was preparing a powerful spell.
She went fire the beam of flames again to stop the man but she had been just a moment too slow.
"Now! CHARGE! EBONY RHINOCEROUS!" Winston held his hand out as he shouted. Before him a large shadow appeared on the ground. It moved forward quickly and from the shadow rose the form of a black rhino. It was too large and moved to fast for Catherine to even attempt to dodge so she could only attempt to defend.
She clapped her hands the placed them on her shoulders summoning the figure of a large eagle formed with flames. The construct wrapped its wings around her forming a sort of shield.
The defense attempt failed as the rhino easily shattered the spell and trampled over the woman. The crowd winced as the woman was stomped on by the rhino it continued to move past her and vanished into thin air. Catherine laid on the floor in tatters. She was in even worse state than her daughter at the end of her duel.
"I assume that you're done?" Winston knelt before the woman. She did not surrender however. She instead glared deeply into the man's eyes. "I would never give you the satisfaction of my surrender. This duel is not over!"
Winston watched as the woman desperately tried to stand but simply could not. She had exhausted much of her Lis and stamina. Not to mention all of the damage that she had sustained.
She was in no condition to continue and yet she desperately tried to. "I am Catherine Floie! The brightly burning head of the Floie family! I refuse to give up to some no name instructor!"
"Then how about to ex-royal magus and obsessed researcher of monsters, Magus Winston Inengway." Catherine's eyes widened as the voice rang out. She turned to see who spoke and saw an older looking gentleman approaching. The man was the principle of the Undine School of Mages.
Headmaster Cain.
"D-did you just say that he's-"
"An ex-royal magus yes. Though the ex was by his own words. I do not believe that one can just quit that sort of career and become a teacher in the boonies." Headmaster Cain stood before Winston and Catherine.
"Greetings, Headmaster. I did not know that you would be here this evening." Winston respectfully bowed to the man but the man gesture for him to stop.
"I would feel uncomfortable having a Royal Magus bowing to a mere old man like myself. As for why I am here, it should be the same reason that most of the town is here. This duel was to be the biggest thing that has happened in ages and I just could not miss it. However, I believe most of us were far more entertain by the skillful display that followed." The crowd cheered in agreement.
The duel between Alix and Angelica was unique but the skill that Winston and Catherine showed was far superior. That was a real battle to the finish. Winston smiled gently.
"Thank you sir." While several adults in the crowd continued to applaud the brilliant fight that had just taken place, the students were focused on a far more controversial subject.
"Mr. Inengway was a Royal Magus?"
"What is he doing out here?!"
"Aw man! I missed my chance to apply for his classes!"
"I would've wanted to learn from him if I knew he was a Royal Magus!" The students were in an uproar about Winston's true identity. I mean, would you not also be shocked to discover that the weird teacher in your school was actually a royally sanctioned mage? Of course you would!
"I didn't know it was some big secret. I just thought everyone had grown used it." Eric stated unsurprised. After the shock finally subsided Catherine conceded the duel and accepted her loss. The crowd finally dispersed and Duel Day finally came to an end.
Alix went home and spent the entire weekend resting. She had experienced quite the exciting few days and felt that she deserved a real rest for once. Though, that rest did entail more training with Mo but that was the best part about with Mo.
She could do it while resting.