“Final round, begin!” the referee shouted. There were no words spoken between Irwyn and the nameless girl. He had already dismissed the option of using [Overseer] to learn about her trick, mostly because there was a danger some of the multiple present 4th tier mages might notice, but there was another reason for his reluctance: He believed there was nothing to fear from the girl, and knowing what was her plan would just ruin the fun.

“Dispersion”

The girl cast the very same spell as her predecessors. The audience expected it to perhaps be just as small as that of the first participant, however, that was not the case. Instead the mirage of her form instantaneously enveloped the entire stage. The audience entered an uproar when they saw that spectacle. Even Solmyr, who was a disciple of an Elemental lord, could not accomplish anything even nearing this feat. From the first spell cast she established great advantage as Irwyn would have to fight with his vision and targeting cut off until he managed to get rid of the spell.

“Nova”

Irwyn naturally wasn’t flustered and already had a counter-strategy in mind. Nova was a 3rd circle spell which released a thin sheet of mana in all direction from the caster. It was not capable of dealing damage, but that was not its purpose. It was a spell used exclusively as a counter to invisibility and dispersion as its area of effect was vast and inevitable. Irwyn didn’t actually cast the spell, since he could not actually use invocations because of his true mage keystone, but it was easy to accurately replicate its effect through magecraft.

“...

Greater tear”

However, Irwyn’s opponent was not a single bit flustered by her spell getting diffused, in fact it was as though she expected it as she was still standing in her original position and had just finished a chant, of a 4th circle spell nonetheless. Even if she appeared to be more skilled than the disciple of an elemental lord it was still impossible, or at least she pretended that it was impossible, for her to shorten a chant of a 4th circle spell.

“Greater flameblast”

That was not true for her opponent who answered in kind, yet faster. The advantage she might have thought she had disappeared in an instant. The spells collided directly in the middle between the two participants. The situation was, however, different from when Crowley and Solmyr fought like that. This time the two spells did not just fizzle out, instead, upon collision they released a wave of rampart mana in all directions. From their distance it was harmless, however, it could be quite dangerous should someone be struck in point-blank.

“Impale”

“Impale”

“Impale”

Three spears of spatial distortion appeared behind her and flew towards Irwyn from slightly different angles. Since a single potent spell didn’t work she tried a different tactic: To overwhelm him by a great number of weaker evocations. A futile attempt.

“Infernal aegis”

He could have used that time to use more than one spell, but if he wanted to end this match he could have done so in an instant. A single spell which could completely obliterate her opponent, that was all it would take. However, then he would have only defeated a powerful foe. Irwyn wanted the girl to reveal every card and ace she could possibly possess, and only then he would utterly crush her.

“Impale”

“Impale”

“Impale”

Before her first 3 attacks even managed to strike the shield she cast another 3. However, their mirage like form did not immediately launch. Instead the girl waited, her eyes intently staring at Irwyn.

“A battle of attrition, is it?” Irwyn had enough lessure to speak. It was not difficult to guess her strategy, his infernal aegis cost significantly more to maintain than her 3 impales. She was ready to strike the moment he dropped the spell, while maintaining that spell would rapidly drain his mana. That would perhaps have an effect if Irwyn did not possess an ungodly quantity of mana in his reserves.

“Greater flameblast”

However, waiting for her to realise her mistake would not be interesting at all, and neither would it accomplish the small goal he set for this combat. While still maintaining his defensive magic he once again evoked the 4th tier spell. The girl was ready for it and jumped to the side as she used one of her mirage like javelins to weaken and slightly divert fiery projectile. That gave her just enough leeway to actually dodge. At the same time Irwyn noticed a not insignificant amount of mana pouring out of her body as she apparently finally finished her voiceless chant. At that moment the 2 remaining Impales also flew at him, but were harmlessly counteracted by Irwyn’s defensive magic, and at the same time the space around Irwyn began to crumble. He noticed eerie cracks in the fabric of reality appearing all around himself, and immediately judged that the spell was rupture targeted at his current location. Or at least that is likely what his opponent hoped would happen.

“Amazing, but not good enough,” Irwyn praised as he stood in place. Rupture targeted only a limited area where it would after a short delay cause the space to momentarily mangle, tearing apart anything substantial caught within. However, she did not cast rapture where Irwyn stood. Instead she cast 4 different instances of rupture in the 4 directions surrounding Irwyn. The visual effect would appear the same from within as if he was within rapture which would normally make him dodge right into the actual spell. The mana saturation was also quite similar, the difference so minute that someone within the first tier, no matter how talented, simply could never recognise it.

“That was not your ace in the hole I hope,” Irwyn taunted, but knew that wasn’t the case. He could feel it in the last spell, the skill with which she cast simultaneously and without a sound 4 second circle evocations simply assured him that there would be more. And yet, he would still crush it. There was no room for doubt in his mind “show me what you are really capable off.”

“Fine, then watch yourself,” for the first time since the beginning Irwyn heard the girl speak outside of chants. Her voice was hoarse and damaged, completely unbefitting of a young girl like herself.

“Dispersion”

“Nova”

The exchange from the beginning of the match repeated itself. This time, however, it might as well be the announcement of the great finale. Once again the girl’s image dispersed over a large area, and once again a thin sheet of mana was released in all directions from Irwyn. It was also symbolic how familiar the scene was as the girl was once again revealed in the middle of casting in the place where she stood previously. There was just one major difference this time around: Her spell was immensely more powerful. “Magecraft!” someone more knowledgeable from the audience let slip a surprised shout, causing a great disturbance to their amazed silence. Yes, magecraft, something Irwyn was more than familiar with.

There was a chasm of a difference between magecraft and sorcery. Sorcery worked with Logos, and within Logos only. The principle was simple: The sorcerer would evoke the spell through a chant or symbol and certain feeling within their mind, that would summon the support of Logos. It would provide a prototype for the spell, an incomplete form that needed only to be supplied power. When that power was given in the form of mana the prototype would be filled up and a spell would form in its image. Yet this method was not efficient. The Logos took a toll from anyone who used it, from quarter to half of the mana used, based on how efficient the evocation was and what Spell proficiency level within Logos the user reached, which only became far worse with voiceless and shortened incantations. Then there were even more problems as even more mana bled out of the prototype because of the caster’s inability to efficiently use it, resulting in loss based on skill, something which could be only partially compensated for by the Spell proficiency or practice. There were also restrictions. The prototype of the spell could only be stretched so far, vastly restricting the versatility of any evocation, moreover the spells were also locked by tiers which required more than just knowing the chant to unlock. In the end there was just one excuse for the inefficient mess that was sorcery: Convenience. Even a complete untalented moron could slowly progress through the sorcery offered by Logos.

Magecraft was different. It was the art of shaping raw essence of magic. Of carving your will into the force which maintains reality. There was no prototype or predetermined form. The only fetter was the caster’s imagination and skill. Instead of managing just petty 30-60%, magecraft used up to 99% of the mana within a spell with similar effect. And the efficacy of mana grew exponentially as it became condensed. Magecraft was not divided into tiers, only into 4 transformations: Gaseous, Liquid, Solid, and Truth. corresponding to routhly 5 circles of sorcery each. It was versatile and bendable, yet also required incredible skill, only 1 in 5 mages ever practiced magecraft enough to surpass their sorcery in at least some aspects. Magecraft could use exactly the amount of mana necessary in order to achieve the desired effect. That included brutally overcharging spells into volatile timed bombs. Just like what the girl standing against Irwyn was doing right now.

Irwyn could have stopped her. He could have quickly delivered a finishing blow, a sneak attack she could not defend against. But he responded in kind. With a raised hand he too began gathering his mana, no longer pretending to be casting sorcery. Like that they stood still for a whole nerve wracking minute. The girl poured in every bit of power within her body, ignoring the possibility of a sneak attack. She bet on Irwyn’s hubris, and won the bet. Yet that would not be enough.

Finally their magic materialised at the same. In front of the girl appeared the head of a snake, its form distorted and impossible to clearly see, yet his scales beautifully reflected light in different directions. The shape of its head would be clear to any scholar as it clearly attempted to replicate The one who stand guard over the river of time: The warden of eternity, primordial king Ouroboros. Despite the mirage being unclear and distorted there was one thing easy to see: The serpent’s eyes were fluently flowing, time and space only the water in the pond containing them within.

What Irwyn created was no less majestic. It was the head of a fierce dragon, its eternally burning form ignited by relentless fury. There was hatred towards all of reality etched deeply into its hollow eyes as its long talons spewed flames in all directions.

They were released at the exact same moment and struck each other in the middle between Irwyn and the girl. At this densinity mana was capable of obtaining minimal sentience, and as the two potent spells clashed they were like two mighty beasts bludgeoning each other over territory. The dragon bit down on miragious tentrills sent by the serpent and spewed raging inferno onto his rival. Yet the eyes of the snake starred down those furious fires and they just could not reach him, its eyes were bit by bit dissecting the flames. The infinite fires became countless, then many, and then finally just a few. It appeared as though the serpent would triumph, that he would obliterate the monster which dared tread into his domain. Yet just as those tongues of flame were about to run out something snapped. It was as though the dragon shed its skin as the upper layer of flames was propelled outwards, revealing a different form beneath.

The indistinct features previously covered in flames now became perfectly clear crimson scales. There was no longer any unrelenting purgatory spewing out of every fiber of the spell, instead only a vermilion haze however over the form which now flowed like a mountain stream. The dragon once again gazed at its foe, eyes only filled with the same flowing flames as the scales. With avengers wrath the dragon opened its ravenous maw, and despite the impossibility of the act he devoured the serpent in one gulp.

The girl had fallen down on her knees some time ago, right after she had released her spell. Clutching onto consciousness despite her exhaustion she had intently watched the fight among the ferocious spells. She had felt exhilaration when her enemy appeared to be at the brink of defeat, yet now there was only despair in her eyes which starred at the rapidly approaching dragon. She had failed. She had failed miserably. Now she could only accept her fate. If her guess was right then the bracelet would not be able to withstand such might and she would die instantly. Like a nameless loser. Yet just as she was about to be struck the head stopped. Its maw was already gaping to bite her wide open, its eyes starved and yearning for destruction. Yet the head stopped.

“Most impressive,” Irwyn sounded from behind. She finally realised just how futile her efforts were from the very beginning. If he could stop such a spell with a wave of his hand then it was far from the most potent thing he had in store. She started to feel hot, incredible heat pouring into her flesh. Her clothes began to get burned and char marks appeared all over them “sleep well,” the voice sounded again, but the girl felt the heat increase even further. It became unbearable and painful. Parts of her clothing were already burning away, but it was uncertain whether she would still be alive when they completely disappeared. Just as she was about to step onto death’s door the mighty dragon flew upwards. Towards the skies where it exploded in a magnificent dispersion of mana and flames. Yet she could barely perceive that as her body powerlessly fell down to the ground. She was never struck by a spell, yet the gem on her bracelet was completely black and cracked. Destroyed purely by the heat radiated by the dragon. In the next moment her consciousness was swallowed by oblivion.