Fractured God

The two men lay in a tent, to rest from their earlier performance. Tibaut had his thigh bandaged immediately after the fight but even now he was still wondering.

("Where the hell did that knife come from? Okay, let's review. He was able to seemingly pull me towards himself. Yet he could also push himself away from me.")

Tibaut's mind was in full throttle trying to figure out what trick Ezekiel used to win. ("At first I thought it was maybe gravity but throughout the fight, I only felt like my lower body was being pulled and if he had something as overpowered as gravity magic (if it even exists) he could have just put me under 5x gravity or something and easily picked up his win.")

He proceeded to torment himself even more trying to figure out what the swordsman used to the point it was now visible to anyone who was near. ("I also thought he might be moving the ground, like some sort of earth magic but as far as I saw when I looked, the only thing disturbing the dirt was our footprints.")

"Oi, oi, OI!" Ezekiel's calls eventually turned to a shout. Also immediately, it broke Tibaut out of his thoughts as he had been freed from an illusion.

"(What the hell do you want, it's awkward enough having to stay in the same place as you, don't tell you feel like shit-talking me now?) Um, how can I help you?" He responded meekly.

"It's about my magic isn't it?" Ezekiel said plainly.

Tibaut almost couldn't hide the disbelief on his face with how matter of fact he said it.

"Don't worry, I'm not like those tight-asses from the capital." He said cheerily. "But, you sure want to know? The first time I fought Elizabeth she was able to figure it out on her own."

Tibaut heard what he was saying and understood where he was coming from. To some people being able to figure out an opponent's ability would be way more valuable than just being told a single opponent's ability. It's sorta like that one old proverb about teaching a man to fish instead of giving him a single fish. Some people may even feel insulted by the gesture saying something along the lines of "I'll beat you through my own effort, I don't need your help."

"Yes please," Tibaut responded. Tibaut couldn't care less about that sorta stuff plus this answer would help show him the types of magic that existed in this world.

"If you say so," Ezekiel said while shrugging his shoulders. "So basically it's a type of spatial magic that allows me to move anything below my waist. That knife I got you with was basically me just throwing it and combining it with the movement of my magic. It was so fast you didn't realise it hit you till you were in the air. Also, I think my effective range is about 8 to 10 metres."

Tibaut was dumbfounded by the answer he was given. ("Horsehit!") He thought to himself. ("He just made that shit up. That's not magic that's a f**king stand ability. Not even a part 3 stand, that's a full-on part 8 stand.") He thought, insulted.

"Um, Ezekiel you don't have to lie about your magic," Tibaut told him with his face soured.

"I'm not though," Ezekiel said plainly.

Then as if to prove his point he pulled a rock that had been on the floor into his hand as he was lying on the floor. He then lifted the rock upwards until it stopped approximately where Ezekiel's waste would be if he were standing up.

"(I know I'm sounding like a broken record but are you shitting me right now? I thought all this world had was earth, water, fire and wind and maybe holy when it came to offensive magic.)" Tibaut thought to himself.

"Anyway," Ezekiel stated "Enough of that boring stuff, the hell did Elizabeth find someone like you? My place has been hanging on a thread being called the strongest guild in the parish then out of nowhere brings out a guy like you."

"Huh," he responded confused.

"Like I said, kid. You're pretty good. In a few years, I wouldn't be surprised to see you in some guild at the capital." He said genuinely.

Tibaut had no idea why, but this man who had tried his hardest to defeat was now praising him. Tibaut had frozen up as if he was dropped in liquid nitrogen.

"Tell you what kid, what do you say you join my guild? I could use some young talent. I can't let Elizabeth hoard your talent to herself" he asked.

"Would you please stop trying to poach my guild's newest member?" Elizabeth said calmly while walking into the tent.

"Guess that's no, huh." He said dejectedly.

"Well, Ezekiel you say I'm talented but that magic you used was pretty amazing," Tibaut said.

The room suddenly got quiet. Ezekiel's face suddenly straightened. It was as if Tibaut had just insulted a dead person at their own wake. Unsure of what he did wrong he looked at Elizabeth for some help. However, she covered her mouth like her life depended. What did he do, he wondered. All he did was say Ezekiel's magic was amazing.

"Pft" Elizabeth let out. "Hahaha haha, Ohohoho." Elizabeth let out the heartiest laugh he had ever seen from her which quickly tapered off into a stranger kind of laugh toward the end of it. Tibaut didn't know what to make of this reaction.

"So you think it's funny to bully your elders, do you," Ezekiel said with his voice slightly quivering. He then got up and started pinching and pulling her cheeks. Even so, she continued laughing as if was the funniest joke she'd ever heard.

"What the hell are these guys doing?" Tibaut thought while whatever fear he harboured for either of the two the individuals in front of him quickly disappeared.