Koda dove forward, using a single hand to spring away from a brilliant, fiery explosion, and back to his feet. Taking in a deep breath, he slung his own fire spell back at Arrelion who sidestepped to the right to avoid the oncoming fireballs.

Koda slid his feet to a rough stop and drove his hands to the ground. He grinned viscously as a trail of roots blasted from the earth. Each racing toward Arrelion, twisting and reaching for the silver mage. Koda smirked. He had gotten better with vernal magic over the course of his journey. It being his base color, he fancied himself quite adept at it. However, his expression turned sour as a measly swing of Arrelion’s blade blasted a chilling gust that froze Koda’s roots in place.

Koda scowled with frustration. For every attack that he made, Arrelion had a counter. It was like the silver made was mocking him. Not once, since the battle began, had Arrelion made an advance on Koda. No, all Koda has done was attack. Vernal spells, water spells, fire spells, even lightning spells broke across Arrelion’s feet. Not a single tactic had worked.

“You’ve made your point, Master Arrelion!” Koda cried across the field.

Arrelion chuckled. “Have I, Koda?”

Koda balled his fists charging them with electricity. With a heaving motion, he blasted a stream of Lightning at Arrelion. With any luck, he caught the swordsman off-guard.

Arrelion smiled as he caught the lighting in his blade with a well-timed swing. In collective motion, Arrelion spun his torso and swung the lightning back at Koda.

Koda gasped and leaped backwards, just as the crackling lightning crashed at where he once stood.

“I think it is time that I’ve really made my point, wouldn’t you say Koda?” Arrelion called out.

Koda wasn’t exactly sure what level of defensive spell he would need against any onslaught Arrelion had planned for him. However, just to be safe, Koda raised a stone tree around him. Both green and brown proved to have quite the bunker magic that had been needed in the past. Combining them felt like overkill, but with Arrelion, one could never be too sure.

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Koda placed his hand against the trunk of the tree to look out onto the battlefield. Arrelion stood at least fifty yards away. Perhaps Koda was being too hasty with putting up such a defense before Arrelion get close to—

Koda’s mouth fell open. Arrelion leaped into the air! Koda looked up past the tree’s branches. I’m being paranoid, no man could leap fifty yards!

Yet Arrelion dropped himself onto Koda’s tree like a falcon diving for its prey. Arrelion’s blade sliced cleanly through the stone. Its point grazed down the bridge of Koda’s nose. His face was in complete terror. Koda phased himself through the back of the tree, scrambling hand and feet, desperately trying to put as much distance between himself and Arrelion.

With a flick of the silver mage’s wrist both halves of the stone tree shattered into pieces and in seconds exploded across the walls of the arena.

Arrelion drove his claymore into the dirt. “Now I have made my point.”

Koda stumbled to his knees. He lowered his head and wavered his hands over the ground. Maybe I can…

Arrelion snatched the hilt of his sword and Koda flinched.

“Wait!” Koda clasped his eyes shut. He reeled his hands over his head in a surrender.

Arrelion released the grip on his sword and walked over to Koda.

“This was only a fraction of what I plan to teach you Koda.” He waited for Koda to look up. “Had I wanted to, I would have decimated you with the skill in my swordsmanship alone, but I found it necessary to display my magic as well.”

“None of my spells could touch you. How?”

Arrelion offered his hand. “Get up, Koda.”

Koda took Arrelion’s hand and was pulled to his feet. Koda avoided eye contact, instead only focusing on the sword behind Arrelion. Could his ilrune contain the same power? The power to enhance his speed and strength. To cut stone like butter? To counter any attack thrown at him? Whining and complaining didn’t hold these answers, that was for sure.

Koda finally met with Arrelion’s eyes. “I want to continue my training—if you would have me.”

Arrelion placed a reassuring hand on Koda’s shoulder. “You have seen what I offer you, now you must take it!”