The Art Of Sword

Anger soon flood into his mind, his grip on the sword getting tighter then the blade burst into flame, slowly melting the ice around him.

Sun swings the flaming blade at Grace, which creates a wide ‘Flame Wave’ flying at fast speed. The wave melts through the surface of the floor while flying toward Grace.

Grace summons the wind of the blizzard in front of her in order to negate the ‘Flame Wave’.

Grace (This time his move is different from the first match, he unleashed the Element at its full power. Dammit! Did I awaken something inside him?)

(Focus! If I can’t survive that attack. It’s over for me!)

(Nowhere to run and I can’t see what he is planning to do next. That attack covers half of the field. I’ve playing with my food for too long and now it biting me back. Tsk!)

Grace summons thousands of icicles on her side of the arena and launches all of them at high speed at Sunz’s corner. And the ‘Blizzard Wind’ has also gotten a lot stronger than before.

Grace (With this we both will have to take some damage, but I am more durable than you.) Then she guards herself. Prepare for her final push. (I am the Winner!)

When the ‘Flame Wave’ and ‘Thousands of Icicles’ are about to collide. The front row Icicles explode and cover the whole ‘Flame Wave’. Which negates it, letting the rest of the Icicles fly through with ease and create a clear view of Sunz for Grace.

Grace saw that Sunz is defenseless, and it should have made her feel relieved. But an important detail caught her eye and made sure she didn’t lower her guard: “He…He sheath his sword!?”

Grace (I wish I could attack him once more to secure my victory, but I can’t move anymore. That combo cost so much of my energy. All can do now is watch, if I push myself even more my chance of winning is ZERO!)

Sunz (That was close, the flame nearly got extinguished. Well most of it, but the ‘Heat’ is still the same or even hotter than before.)

(Now! I need to take care of two or three objectives in front of me. ‘The floor’, ‘The projectiles’, and ‘Grace’. The key to this is ‘SPEED’ and I just found my key!)

Sunz screams at Grace: YOU CAN DISRESPECT ME BUT DON’T YOU DARE DISRESPECT MY “WINDBREAKER”.

Grace (It’s too late now, the only way you can win is by doing something unimaginable.)

Sunz draws his sword and stabs it into the Ice field. The sword is coated in Flame and another Element.

Instantly, after Sunz performs that move the whole Ice field becomes a huge Sauna. Everything that was covered in ice instantly turn into hot air. So much 'Ice' vaporing into the air result in the normal smoke becoming ‘Fog’, covering everyone's vision.

In a blink of an eye, Grace saw all of her work get wiped out. Unable to move and slowly being suffocated by the hot air, cause her to think

(I guess this is over, being beaten by a newbie, how embarrassing!)

(No, No! That is what I think but not how I feel. He definitely lacks in sword skill but his skill in ‘Elements’ is something I’ve never seen before.)

(But physically I'm still stronger than him. And I'm still able to perform one more move. If you can use the field to your advantage then so can I!)

Grace ready her rapier, aiming at the direction that Sunz was standing before the ‘Fog’ appear.

“This is all or nothing. You may not stand in the position I’m aiming for and just waiting until I got knocked out. For that, I don’t hate you. You fight fair and square!”

Grace fire an ‘Icicle Stream’ constantly growing from the tip of her rapier. Using the ‘Fog’ as the connection between her and Sunz, while using the rest of her energy to make sure the attack doesn’t melt until it reaches the target.

The attack not only went in the direction she want but it also clear up the ‘Fog’ in front of her.

Until she saw Sunz standing in front of her attack with his blade charge up with ‘Electricity’. At that moment she wish that she could say this to him “You moron! You could have won!”

As the ‘Icicle Stream’ about hit Sunz, he unleashes all of the ‘Electricity’ stored in the blade and strikes at the ‘Icicle Stream’.

The force unleash from the blade cleared out the ‘Fog’ inside the arena and reveal to everyone what was happening inside.

Both fighters looks like they had exhausted all of their energy. No one knows who is having the upper hand. Except for Grace, who at first glance look like is winning because of her ‘Icicle Stream’.

But that move of hers also stops right after Sunz performs his final attack.

Then the ‘Icicle Stream’ shatter, blasting all of its fragments across the arena.

After that, both Sunz and Grace have no energy left to do anything.

They both lock eyes with each other then Grace said:

“Congratulation” as her rapier snaps into two. And herself falling to the ground.

While falling Grace monologue to herself ( I need to push myself even further. Is this what losing feel like? I feel the imperfection in myself, from the movement to my skill and how I taunt my opponent. All of these can be improved.)

(I should be hitting the floor right about now… But what is this warmth on my shoulder.) Grace thinks to herself then opens her eyes. And see that Sunz has rushed to catch her when she was falling.

Immediately Grace close her eyes and said to herself the words she would have said to Sunz (You idiot! Why would you turn such a serious situation into a Romcom moment!)

Grace then hear another voice, and it was Sogae’s voice.

Sogae: Ok Romeo gives me your ‘Princess’. You have no energy left to carry her, just grab her sword then follow me.

Sogae announces: The Winner of this round is Sunz. Who is one step closer to winning this tournament. We will now wait 10 minutes until the start of the next match.

The three of them leave the arena and go to the ‘Infirmary’ where Sogae lay Grace on one of the beds to rest.

Sogae asks Sunz: Do you feel ok? The check-up team will be here in a minute. You might want to stabilize your condition.

Sunz: I think I’m still ok. I’m just gonna have a walk then come back in 10 minutes.

Sogae: Ok then stay safe!

Sunz leaves the room, and when Sogae doesn’t notice his presence near the area anymore she said: “He gone! You can get up now.”

Grace sit up from the bed, her heart was beating at a fast rate and her face had never been that red before.

Grace asks “Did he really go?”, Sogae nods her head.

“Ugh, why must he done that in public! I have never been so humiliated!”

Sogae jokingly said: Worse than losing in front of those people?

Grace: Of course, losing and falling to the ground prove that I wasn’t strong enough to win. Losing and being caught by your opponent just make the other think “There is something between these two”.

Sogae: But…don’t you two do have a thing for each other!Hmmm…

At that moment, Sunz the winner of that match has other things to worry about.

Sunz: I’m so fuck in the next round!