Struggle#06

Objective: Defeat Master Kunan

Sub-objective: none

I have already left the dojo and passed the door. As soon as master was satisfied, he acknowledges my victory or something, and the struggle ended. I am glad it went that way because I don’t think I could beat him in a million years, even after my enlightenment.

I don’t know who told him that, but Master said my next struggle will allow me to use my new ability to my heart content. I have to say this is a bit scary.

So, where am I this time? No plain this time, I am in a room. A dark small room, with a single heavy steel door. Feels like I’m in jail. The single source of light is from a small candle. I can see a small bed and a wood table where the candle is placed, both in a bad state.

Let’s see what my magical book is thinking about all of this.

Struggle#07

Objective: Survive the Thunder Coliseum

Sub-objective: none

A survival game again? I hope it won't last as long as the first one. I am getting really tired of this, I want to see my friends again.

I laid down on the bed. Even though I couldn’t be tired or sleepy inside the dojo, I missed the sensation a being on a bed, and just relax.

And… I am bored.

I sighed, I guess being in this adventure as messed up with my brain.

I know! I can contact V, that’s been a while since I chatted with him, or her.

I returned the book, but before I could check the chat-log, I sensed someone approaching. Heavy step, and a tinkling sound, probably keys. He arrived at the door, and I heard the sound of the keys turning inside the lock. Now that I think about it, I didn’t check if the door was locked or not in the first place…

The door opened on a giant man, at least 2m and 100kg, all muscle, and wearing nothing but short pants and a helmet covering his head. He looks like a true gladiator.

“It’s your turn.”

He talked to me with a calm yet strong voice. It’s probably my turn, I would say it was to be expected. There is no time to catch a break in this quest.

I went out of the cell, and follow the man in the dark corridors, lighten by frail torches here and there.

“Hum… It’s might be a weird question but… where are we?”

“The thunder coliseum.”

He doesn’t look like the talkative type. Meh, it won’t hurt trying to ask for more info.

“What am I supposed to do here?”

“Survive.”

“Okay… from what?”

“The Thunder.”

“You mean… real thunder?”

“Yes.”

I am lost. I had to overcome many situations, but going against nature itself is kind of… Even when I climbed that mountain on the 3rd struggle, the only thing I had to fight was snow, wind and mist. Thunder is a bit too much. I mean, it goes past the speed of sound right?

It’s getting colder, and I can sense a bit of wind. I am still wearing the clothes master gave me, they are comfortable, but not really warm. Fortunately, flux is here to help me. A bit of focus, and I can perfectly regulate my body temperature.

I never had time to think too much about it, but flux is really convenient. I mean, too convenient. I don’t even know what exactly this is, or where it comes from. A mysterious power like that, who can do so much, is definitely fishy.

Well, it’s not like I can keep up without it.

The corridor is getting clearer, I can see light coming from the end of it. I can also hear the rumbling of the sky. So he wasn’t lying after all.

We arrived outside, my giant guide push me on the back and took a few step back.

I am inside the arena, in the middle of a coliseum. I can clearly hear a storm and the sky is covered with dark clouds, occasionally illuminated by lightning. Despite that, the Coliseum is filled with people screaming and cheering.

Those are probably not for me, there is someone else here. In the very centre of the arena, proudly exhibiting to the crowd. A small guy, blond spiky hair, wearing a purple robe. It’s almost like I can read “thunder mage” on his forehead.

On his feet, there are many corpses. People burned up, with convulsed eyes. No need for more details, he is the Thunder I was told about.

He remarked my arrival, and called for the crowd to cheer him even more. What a showman.

Without a word, he lifted his hand towards the sky, and a gigantic lighting bolt stroke him. However, he wasn’t hit, instead, the lighting circled around him like a serpent.

Wow! His control his amazing, way better than I expected, he can actually control thunder. Wait don’t tell me…

He was looking at me, and threw a punch into my direction.

I am so fucked.

I gathered as much energy as I could to sturdy myself, and was instantly pierced by the lightning bolt he just casted.

Shit!

I am so stupid!

Of course, I can’t dodge lightning! Why did I wait for him to strike?!

The good news is, it hurts less than I thought. On top of many things, flux can lower my body conductivity. On the other hand, I still suffered damages. It hurts a lot and I can feel some muscle contracting by themselves. It’s harder to move, and I have the feeling that if I get hit too many times, I’ll end up paralysed, if not worse.

He is surprised that I survived the hit, and immediately prepared for the second strike.

This guy is dangerous! I started running around the arena, and luckily dodged the attack. It’s not over, several others are coming. I continued running as fast as I could.

I managed to dodge all the assault thanks to the distance between us, but it looks like his reserve is unlimited. I don’t think I’ll be able to evade everything for a long time, and if he hit me one more time, I might not be able to move properly again.

He seems to enjoy this fight a lot, laughing like a madman while throwing giant bolt and ray of thunder.

I guess I understand what master told me. It’s indeed a good scenario for it to shine. I hope I’ll be able to keep it long enough though, but it’s not like I have a choice, it is my best bet.

I stopped my courses, calmed myself, and took a deep breath.

~~

Inside the arena, the thunder mage was relentlessly throwing lightning at Samsy, who was running to dodge them.

Naj, the first Coliseum champion, was startled. Challenger that can survive a strike are scarce, but he never saw this kind of behaviour before. Usually, after the first assault, they try to get closer to counterattack, but this one had done nothing but running around.

‘He is up to something’, thought the mage, ‘I should finish him now.”

As a powerful thunder user, Naj can use his element in many ways. Huge lightning bolts are great when it comes to entertaining the crowd, but more efficient spells are available.

After stocking another thunder snake around him, he lifted his arm toward Samsy, and 3 small horizontal lighting bolt smote him.

This was the champion’s sure kill skill. Three precise and concentrate strike, and, as the thunder as a natural speed of 350 metres per second, impossible to avoid. In theory.

Sam moved slightly on his right and, barely grazed by the lightning, he took a step forwards.

‘What the hell?!’

He managed to dodge an instantaneous strike with minimal movement.

How? A fluke?

Only one way to find out. The sky is rumbling louder than ever now, the crowd is getting crazy.

5 huge lighting bolt landed beside him.

Naj converged the lighting into a gigantic dragon. It opens his jaw in a silent scream, before dissolving itself into a swarm of lighting ray.

Sam inclined his head, then bend his knee, took a step on the right, leaned a bit forward, and kept marching on. After each move, the space left empty was drilled by lightning. While making it look easy, he is dodging everything by a paper margin.

It’s not reflex, he is moving before the attack. It’s as if the bolts are sucked by the space Sam is leaving after each motion.

Tens, then hundreds of strikes brushed Sam, as he continued his inexorable advance.

Facing a critical situation, Naj released all the stored energy at once, in a gigantic wave of lightning.

Sam disappeared from his sight. Did he kill him? Did the wave disintegrate his body?

Of course not, as someone landed behind him. The challenger just jumped above the wave with a perfect timing, and before the mage could turn, Sam chopped him in the neck.

Naj fell on the ground, unconscious.

~~

Cough cough

Some blood came out of my mouth.

Shit! It took longer than expected.

My head is about to burst!

I put a knee to the ground, to recover my breath.

It's the second time I used it and I already hate it.

I am glad it worked out though.

The crowd is acclaiming me, the mage is face down on the ground and unconscious, and I didn’t suffer any major injury. For once, I nailed the struggle.

Well, I think I know what’s coming. You can’t tell me I finished a struggle that fast, it was probably a sub-objective.

I took out the book.

Struggle#07

Objective: Survive the Thunder Coliseum

Sub-objective: Defeat the first champion – Defeat the second champion – Defeat the third champion