Still busy with my thesis, but I should be finished in two or perhaps next month, leaving me with enough time to write more.

I'm still looking for a proof-reader, if someone has interest, please send a pm.

Enjoy!

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“Goblins are small, weak creatures. Most of them have a greenish skin colour and a disproportionate big head. Primary they inhibit the upper dungeon floors. They may have nasty canines, but neither have they razor-sharp claws nor strong muscles. They are more like overgrown rats? Hideous, but not a big threat? There are three peculiar things about them, which may change your opinion. First: Goblins move in flocks. Second: They can use armament. Third: They are diverse.

Most of them may be small and weak, though that doesn't mean that all of them are like that. Some flocks are lead by stronger individuals, sometimes they even have spellcaster. The deeper the better equipped they are. When Goblins manage to surround a party, even an advanced one will have troubles. Hence if you encounter a single Goblin, be careful and keep attention to your surroundings.”

-Greg's Dungeon Guide, by Greg S. Bonham

***Mr. Dewis***

As soon as I finish the countdown, Steve rushes towards Aeron. He choose an unexpected weapon, a huge warhammer. It can deal tons of damage and hurts a lot, even if you protect yourself with aura. It's suiting his fighting style, though he hasn't much experience with it. I think he exaggerates. Seems like he is furious and just wants to crush him. Aeron on the other hand choose a sharp rapier, which can't effectively parry the warhammer's blow.

It may sound like a bad choice, but Steve is older and much more advanced in his growth phase, has the level advantage and has been trained for years. He should be six foot tall, about one and a half feet taller than Aeron. It's not very surprising if you consider their age difference, 15 and 11. Aeron wouldn't be able to block his attacks, even with a shield or a sturdier weapon. Choosing a rapier may give you the speed advantage, though that counts nothing if you aren't experienced enough.

And his lack of experience reveals immediately. Steve closes the gap in an instant, is almost in range and Aeron starts a horizontal swing. Too wide, too early. If you aren't familiar with fast movements, it's easy to miscalculate, though missing an opponent by three feet is just awkward. The moment I come to think about it, I sense mana manifesting at Aeron's blade. Now this is interesting!

Steve's smile, confident of victory, crumbles instantly as a slash, which should have been out of range, connects with his torso and leaves a red, horizontal line.

A windblade! Subconsciously I start whistling. The reason why wind magic is sneered at, is that the first stages are weak compared to other elements. A strong wind gust works defensively and can disrupt the enemy's balance quite effectively, but in order to really hurt the enemy, you have to upgrade your wind gust into a strong blast. Of course this isn't something a beginner can do. That's why a lot of wind mages train in martial arts and use wind magic as support or ditch it completely. A waste. It may be hard and take a lot of time, but if you break through advanced stage, you are able to use strong attacks and the wind magic is on a complete different scale. Being able to create windblades is one reason. They belong to the fastest attacks known and do decent damage. In addition they are almost invisible, which is the reason they are dreaded. You have to perceive their creating through mana sensing in a split second and react to it. The pinnacle of wind magic, though, is lightning. They are even faster than windblades, devastating and armour penetrating. No one would sneer at someone who is able to create windblades, not to mention lightning.

Steve is an enhancer and has neglected his sense for mana. Therefore the attack is a complete surprise for him. Luckily for him, it's blunt and weak, hence it doesn't deal too much damage. The most interesting part is how Aeron produced the windblade, which should be impossible for rookies. Using the aura-encased rapier to materialise and shape some kind of windblade along the sharp blade, then launching it off together with his slash. Sounds like an easy shortcut in theory, but needs a lot of accurate intuition in both, aura and mana manipulation. Additionally he needs a slash with his weapon to use the windblade, which makes it predictable. The same attack shouldn't work on Steve again, if he realises what he's up against.

Although taken aback, Steve finishes his vertical attack quite swiftly. Nevertheless, the second of surprise is enough for Aeron to jump aside with a dive roll. The warhammer hits the floor where Aeron stood a second before and debris shoots out from the small crater, hitting him and Steve likewise, too weak, though, to do any damage.

I had reservations to let them fight, one clean powerstrike with that hammer is all Steve needs to crush him, though he intends to let Aeron suffer with many weaker hits. I can't help myself and smile, are there more surprises waiting for me?

***Aeron***

After the dive roll I get up quickly and prepare for another attack, but there is no follow up. Is he cautious? Doesn't suit him at all. Too bad that my attack didn't do very much, I have to work on it. I thought about windblades as soon as I heard, that I'm wind-affiliated. I have to admit, though, that I got the Idea from fictitious characters back on earth. But no matter how I tried to manipulate air, I couldn't create anything strong and sharp enough to be considered a windblade. When I learned how to coat the dagger in aura, I had the Idea to coat the blade with mana and use it as some kind of template. It took me almost half a night until I succeeded more or less, but the spell looses its strength and sharpness too quickly after leaving the blade, hence it's ineffective as a range attack, for the time being.

No time to think about those things now, the fight is still going on. Instead of attacking, Steve circles around me cautiously, while looking at me with a mix of anger and confusion. Still clueless Mr. I need to compensate with a huge warhammer? That's fine with me, it's better to let him parry with it, than attack.

Encasing my blade with another windblade I lower my centre of gravity and dash towards Steve. A swift horizontal slash from the right, which is met by a strong, slanted upward swing. Using the resulting force to pivot around my left foot, I attack him with a diagonally downward swing, carrying the added force from our first clash. I know, that spinning around, showing your back in front of an enemy, isn't something you should do or I intended to do. My body acts almost on reflex, as if I have fought someone like him already hundreds of times, knowing that he can't retaliate with his heavy weapon.

Steve has to parry with the elongate handle. Without the momentum of a swing, the clash messes with his balance, not much, but enough for me to follow up with another two slashes, which he has to parry likewise. They don't carry as much momentum, but the windblade is still coating my blade. My next attack is a quick thrust, aiming for his torso. Instead of parrying, he intents to take the blow head-on and prepares a strong overhead strike.

My thrust hits and the windblade is let loose, doing significant damage at point-blank range, although less than a powerful slash would have done. He expected the hit, but still looks astounded, perhaps he didn't expect to take that much damage. This doesn't stop his well trained lumberjack-motion, though.

I try to sidestep the blow, but he shifts his attack to follow my movement. Simultaneously I raise my sword arm, while the blade points inclined downwards, trying to divert the blow and using the resulting force to support my lateral movement. Barely in time and barely diverting more than a few inches, it's still enough for me to avoid a direct hit.

A sudden detonation and I'm blown away by the impact. My aura protects me, although the amount in my aura-pool decreased significantly and I feel dizzy. Getting up promptly, I see Steve's follow up. Shouldn't he be affected as well?!

I flew more than 15 feet away from the crater and he already caught up five feet. The warhammer is behind his back, like preparing a Back Swing.

It is a Back Swing! My body reacts, as previously, on its own. Almost like having trained this for years, I jump aside with another dive roll, however my left leg still gets grazed by small pebbles. Though that's nothing compared to the fist sized debris flying at high speed through the space I have been standing half a second ago.

I don't know if I can dodge the attack again, I need to bind him in close combat, but then there is his suicidal, lumberjack attack. I don't have the confidence to even endure another indirect hit. None the less I keep smiling, no sign of fear is left. It's a true challenge and it's fun!

I need a quick conclusion. Let's try another spell, make-or-break!

Encasing my blade again with a windblade, I start my rush, trying to close in before he can attack anew. Eight feet to go.

“Arrrrrrrrgh” With a ferocious scream Steve starts his Back Swing, but he's slower and lacking the power from before. Looks like he isn't unscathed from his own attack. Truly a berserker. Five feet left, I can make it!

Gripping the rapier with my right hand, I clenched my left fist from the beginning of my attack. I left it hollow in order to form my spell there in secret. It's important that nobody observes what I'm trying to do, although my success rate isn't very high with that spell. Three feet left to be in range.

It's a feint! He changed his posture to his berserk lumberjack attack and speeds up. Is he trying to bring me down at all costs? However that won't stop me from smiling, am I going to be battle crazy just like Mia? One feet...

Taking all my vigour left, I kick myself sideways to my right and prepare the spell. Steve follows my movement again, as expected of someone trained in martial arts. Nevertheless I'm outside of his range when his attack connects with the ground, but he doesn't need a direct hit against my weakened state. Almost simultaneously I open my left, outstretched hand and attack, not Steve, but the ground the warhammer is hitting. Make-or-break, which one will it be?

BOOOM

The blast pushes me back. I'm trying to hold my ground with a lowered centre of gravity.

It's hopeless. I get pushed back, but keep standing more or less upright. It hurts, luckily my left hand is still working fine. I have to keep going on, it hasn't ended, yet.

Keeping my rapier sideways, I dash towards the cloud of dust. Bearing the brunt of both our attacks, this time it was him who flew several feet away. Visibility is low, but it's enough to locate him lying on the floor just outside of the cloud.

Still dizzy, his expression shows disbelieve and a hint of fear as I tear through the cloud of dust, uncovering the intricate pattern of my windblade. With sluggish movements, Steve tries to grab his weapon in order to block the attack, but there was no trace of hesitation from me, making it impossible for him to react in time. A clean horizontal slash hits Steve, the windblade instantly breaks through, revealing a fine, blue line.

“STOP!”

After one, of the two healers, exclaims, Mr Dewis announces:

“END! Steve Grey has taking damage. Winner is Aeron Evans.”