Across from Teyva, Niko took a deep breath and broke into a wild smile. He drew his sword from his hip, the warden-blade gleaming in the light from above. As he did Teyva could feel his presence growing more distinct, larger, his eyes took an eerie green glow and he threw his left hand out, pointing it down at the ground. At his feet grass began to grow and flowers began to bloom, vines began to run up his legs and across his chest and arms. He took another deep breath and pointed his weapon at Teyva, faint flashes of light bursting from his skin as he began to stack abilities. Teyva let him do whatever he wanted, she knew there was a risk to letting him prepare himself but her goal here wasn’t just to defeat him, she needed to crush him.

Above them, the crowd had remained silent, so silent that Karx’s voice came as a boom above them, “W-well then! Looks like our fighters are ready! Haha! This is going to be an interesting show, right folks?” When the crowd didn’t immediately start cheering he cleared his throat and continued. “Princess T-Teyva Akura versus First Elder Niko Yftha! B-begin!”

Neither of them moved first. They both knew that making that first move was tantamount to giving ground. Teyva let her right arm fall to her side, shifting her weight and canting her head to the left. Her chain wrapped around her hand and then around her thigh, sliding down the back of her leg and to her feet. With a small use of mana she sent it through the ground and tilted her head to the right. “What’s wrong? Show me how unworthy I am!” Teyva taunted him, urging the mockeries to part to give him a clean shot in her direction. He grit his teeth, narrowing his eyes at her and twirled his sword between his fingers, a movement that reminded her of Yaga. He caught the weapon and whipped it up in an arc, “Rip, terrible wind, lash and fly my friend!” He shouted, a blade of wind bursting forward from his weapon.

Teyva whipped her left hand up, a wall of stone forming to block it. As she did, she struck, urging her chain up and out of the ground at his feet, wrapping around his ankle before he could use the loss of line of sight to make a move. She felt the chain secure itself around his leg and then close around nothing. Nephral turned to the left, letting out a growl as a green blur moved in that direction.

“What was that about dying?” A dark voice came from behind her. Teyva dove forward, sending a mental command to her Mockeries to engage. They swarmed at the spot behind her as a blade slid across her side, just scraping the surface of her armor. She spun, throwing her hand out and casting [Pale Bolt] at the spot where Niko had been standing. The First Elder danced backward, swinging his sword to knock away the mockeries as they pursued him. Teyva grit her teeth, she was going to need more eyes on this. She shifted her arms into [Grasp of the Tomb Guardian], threw out both hands and cast [Create Darkeye]. A plume of shadow erupted from her fingers and formed into a black, fleshy spherical creature. A single eye was set in the center of its body that hung over two rows of teeth. “Corner!” She ordered it and cast it again and again, sending a mental order to Nephral to support the mockeries.

She glanced up as the fourth Darkeye came into being and fled to the far side of the arena. The mockeries had drawn close enough to begin latching onto Niko’s body. As soon as one bit down, though, he vanished into a burst of speed, leaving a cloud of dust and debris behind. Nepral tried to swipe at him with a white-glowing claw but was caught in the side of the head with a heavy blow instead. The Sphinx howled and flapped his wings, leaping into the air. He roared, ripples of sound crashing against the ground in pursuit of Niko who made way straight for Teyva. Teyva’s eyes flashed with a flicker of light and she threw out her hand, casting [Mind Trap] and [Create Wall] in quick succession. She watched the light drain from his eyes for only half a second before he regained his senses and leaped over the wall.

“What is with his willpower?” She snarled, darting backward to gain some distance. The Mockeries were hurrying back to her side along with Nephral. She raised her metal hand to block his first blow as it came in from above, it dug into the metal with a clang and he sneered.

“Razorwind,” he hissed, the spell creating a secondary edge along the blade. She retaliated as it began to dig into the metal, throwing her left arm forward in a punch to his abdomen. She threw her back into the strike, catching him off guard as he realized the blade wasn’t cutting into flesh. His feet finally hit the ground, grass forming around him as he gagged and spat up a few droplets of blood. He looked up at her with bloodshot eyes only for them to immediately clear as the vines around his body writhed.

“Regeneration,” Teyva laughed, “Interesting!”

“I can go forever!” He barked, “Such is the power of Spring!” He laughed and burst into a cloud of dirt and grass, two of him appearing on either side of her. She smirked and spun, kicking the real Niko in the gut. His eyes widened and he leaped backward, dancing across the ground as he gained distance. “How?” He blurted.

She raised a finger to her lips and winked, “I see all, dearie,” She cooed. She wasn’t about to explain to him how her Darkeyes worked.

He spat at the ground and pointed at the grass behind Teyva, she could see the bulb forming with her expanded senses. She leaped out of the way just in time for it to explode into lashing vines. He darted toward her from the side, picking up speed again and again as he empowered his weapon with the razorwind spell. She pointed to the ground and created a wall beneath her, the force of it coming up sending her vaulting higher. She shifted her arm into the Razorchain and whipped it out, extending it in his direction and sending a chill down its surface. He shouted another spell and kicked off the air, throwing himself to the left and skidding to a stop on the ground. He turned back to her and threw out both hands, vines erupting from the ground between them and launching in her direction.

Teyva pulled her chain back and extended her left hand, “!” She shouted, and a wild cone of flame erupted from her palm, singeing and incinerating a few of the vines. One of the vines, however, made it through the flames and crashed into her body, cracking against her chest and sent her hurtling back across the ground. She slid until Nephral hopped behind her to slow her down.

“Son of a-” She was cut off when he followed up his attack with another razorwind lunge. She rolled out of the way, “Nephral, move!” She bellowed. The sphinx, still getting used to combat, froze. She cursed, threw up her hand, and cast [Labyrinthine Shield]. The ten-minute cooldown defensive ability caught the vicious strike and sent Niko hurtling at full speed to the right, striking the ground and rolling a few times. He quickly hopped to his feet, the vines around his body healing him rapidly. Teyva breathed hard and gathered the Mockeries around herself again. Around them the crowd was beside themselves, screaming, shouting, cheering, the intensity of the battle sending them into a near-frenzy.

“How many aspects do you have?” He demanded, pointing his weapon in her direction.

Teyva chuckled, “You first, dearie.”

“Aspect of the Azar, Aspect of the Warden, Aspect of the Spring!” He confirmed, taking a fighting posture, “Honor me with yours!”

Teyva crouched slightly, shifting her right arm into its chain form. Now with two chains active, she readied for the next exchange. “Aspect of the Pale Dawn, Aspect of the Facsimile, Aspect of the Labyrinthian, Aspect of the Titan, and Aspect of the Siren!” Teyva responded.

“F-five?” He blurted, wide-eyed.

“Don’t get scared now! This is getting fun!” Teyva snarled and whipped her right arms at the ground, both chains bursting through the surface and erupting on either side of Niko. He darted back, blocking the two chains with his sword only to have them retreat and change angle. He danced among the chains that moved so fast it looked like there were dozens of them coming from the ground. He bobbed, weaved, slashed, and kicked. The Mockeries came in next, throwing themselves in from every direction as they sought purchase on his skin. He kicked off the ground and cast his speed spell but was caught off guard by a chain coming in just ahead of him. It struck him across the face and stunned him long enough for several mockeries to latch onto his skin. They bit down and Teyva watched her health start to rise again.

“You’re not the only one who can regenerate!” Teyva taunted him.

He vanished again, the green blur trying to get as much distance from Teyva as possible. Teyva commanded the two darkeyes closest to him to turn and cast [Mind Trap]. He let out a cry of confusion as she seemingly cast her ability from clear across the battlefield. Grabbing his head he snarled and kicked off the ground, charging at her with all the speed he could muster. Teyva threw her hand out and cast [Grip of Frost] once, twice, three times, trying to slow him down. He dodged between the flashes of pale light, something forming in his hand. There was a gasp from the stands near her and her expanded senses caught sight of Yaga leaning against the rails.

“Niko! Don’t you dare!” She shouted.

Teyva focused and saw what looked like a white rose form in his hand. It glowed with a very familiar light. The pale light grew brighter and brighter. Teyva tilted her head forward, “Desperate are we?” Teyva laughed, “Death magic, really?”

His eyes widened but he grit his teeth as he drew closer, Teyva didn’t even bother to move as he called her bluff. He raised the rose over his head and threw it at her. Teyva whipped her leg out and kicked him in the chest as he tried to follow up with a subsequent strike to catch her off guard. He hit the ground and looked up at her as she caught the rose, its stem exploding into vines that wrapped around her arm and chest. She looked at it, twirling it between her fingers as the glow grew more and more intense. She willed the mockeries and Nephral to get some distance from her as Niko gained some distance himself.

“Teyva! That’s-” Yaga shouted, but Teyva just looked back at her and gave her an absolutely flirtatious look before opening her mouth and biting down on one of the petals. Immediately a burst of icy death erupted from the flower as she forced it to explode early, the pale white light consuming her. The crowd let out a roar of horror, some shouting at Niko now. Yaga screamed Teyva’s name as the light faded. Then the crowd went silent as Teyva stood there, completely unaffected. In her hand, the rose began to wilt and the vines died. Teyva raised her head up high and looked to Niko.

The crowd fell silent, not a person spoke, nor moved, nor breathed. All eyes were on Teyva as a faint mist billowed around her. She tossed the remains of the rose aside, rubbing her hands. They were a bit chilly now.

“How?” Niko blurted, “That was death magic, the Vorpal Rose, my…”

“Last resort?” Teyva said, holding her arm out, “Niko, let me show you what death magic really looks like.”

Teyva cast [Summon Elemental] and selected Death Magic, feeling her mana plummet to nearly nothing. Around her a ring of white light began to form, it bloomed and a cold wind whipped around her head as it rose above her, towering over the two of them. The pale, glowing wind began to consolidate into a singular form, arms, then legs formed, and finally a head. A skull of ice took form within the man-like shape, a skeleton forming within its body until what looked like a white silhouette of light stood behind her, a skeleton of ice holding it up. It raised its arms and roared, looming behind Teyva.

The grass on the ground began to wither, the vines on Niko’s body joined it shortly after, his regeneration failing in the creature’s presence. Teyva’s mockeries fluttered back in to join her and Nephral strode in behind her, his tail wrapping around her waist. She smiled behind her veil, muttering a playful; “Who’s your momma?” to herself before raising her voice to call out to her opponent, “Are you ready for round two, Niko?”

Niko frowned and got to his feet, he stared up at the beast behind her, unblinking. He cracked a grin, “Incredible,” he said breathlessly. “You really are his Successor, aren’t you?”

“If you’ll have me,” Teyva said, “It is ultimately your decision. I will never force the Azar to kneel. They are as much my people as the Akurai are.”

He looked at her and nodded, dropping to a knee and lowering his head, “I submit.”

The crowd went insane.