"Something's wrong, how can Valon still keep up with me?" Balki pondered heavily, he was surprised that Valon was still able to keep up with him.
To make matters worse, he could feel himself slowly losing ground in their gruesome battle.
"He has spent so much mana to fuel that disgusting spite of his but how is that thing still providing him with so much power!" Balki groaned as he parried one of Valon's strikes to the side and blocked another flurry of dreadfully accurate blows.
Balki had some knowledge about the nature of Valon's spite. It was some type of symbiotic ability that coexisted with Valon at all times, some of the members within the concord even rumoured it to be alive.
Every surge of mana Valon fed his spite didn't just sustain it – it evolved it. Unlike traditional enhancive abilities that drained mana to stay active, that thing thrived on what it was given as if it were a living creature.
"Then why is he fueling it so sparingly?" Balki thought.
Yet, all these factors weren't affecting Balki.
The factor of most concern was that Valon hadn't used a single martial technique. Balki knew that he was waiting for the right moment to cut him down in a single strike.
He wanted to put more mana into his mana circulation, but he had to use it sparingly. As such he retracted the [Ignite] ability from his long dagger to prevent further loss of mana.
The worst thing a sorcerer could do was lose track of how much mana they could spend.
If Balki wished, he could have returned the mana he had circulated through his body back to his core for some extra reserves, but Valon was slowly bridging the gap in physical prowess.
"That spite of yours is truly troublesome, Valon!" Balki roared, parrying another of Valon's attacks and driving his serrated long dagger towards his side.
In a swift motion, Valon parried Balki's attack and brought his long sword back up to defend against the masterful counter Balki had displayed; the blazing broadsword roared as its flames longed to burn Valon's flesh.
"You're becoming impatient, Balki." Valon spoke confidently, shifting Balki's aspect to the side and landing a quick but strong back fist to his face.
Balki staggered back for a moment whilst simultaneously brandishing his serrated dagger with immense speed.
However, it was all for naught.
Valon calmly leaned out of the attacks range, shifting his weight and slamming his foot into Balki's chest.
The blow pushed Balki back several metres and he groaned in pain from the sudden shock put on his organs.
He glanced down and saw a deep dent Valon's attack had left in his armour.
"Good." Balki thought briefly.
"So are you, Valon. I know the cost you have to pay for using your spite, especially when your core is as damaged as it is." Balki responded, raising both his aspects towards Valon.
He could feel it… Their battle was reaching its climax, and he couldn't help but be anxious.
Victory wasn't as clear as he thought it would have been.
He was unsure of the battle's outcome, but Valon didn't seem worried at all.
Instead, he was flashing a sickeningly wide smile that ran from ear to ear. The aura around him slowly became more intense and suffocating, the faint wisps of composure and sanity vanishing from his eyes.
The true Smiling Blade had emerged.
"So what? All that matters now… is how I'm going to kill you. How about I carve you a smile wider than mines!" Valon responded, his smile growing even more demented.
Balki stepped back instinctively.
He had only heard rumours about Valon's true nature before, but he thought they were simple tales to boost Smiling Blade's reputation.
However, the moment he saw that smile he understood the reason Valon held that title and was feared within the concord.
***
Titles were like medals of honour or achievement granted to individuals that have performed notable tasks or actions; Even being recognized by Law. These 'named' sorcerers no matter their rank is known all over the world and are regarded highly because of it.
Many aspiring sorcerers hope to one day earn a title.
***
Title: [Smiling Blade]
Title Benefits: When you are consumed by the entity's madness, its power deepens, and your strength is doubled.
"He's coming" Balki thought. His body instinctively tensed as he observed Valon assuming a low stance.
He knew that stance well, Valon was finally going to use the concord's martial arts. It seemed his body was too weak to use it half-heartedly, but with the monstrous boon of strength he was wielding it was possible.
Following suite, Balki assumed a similar stance to Valon.
There was as single moment of silence where all the on lookers could hear even their heartbeat. Rosaly, Xaryus and Zadius could feel the battle coming to an end. T
hey all had a bitter taste in their mouths because no matter who won, they were damned.
In the next moment, a strong wind blew through the clearing.
Balki and Valon moved forward with frightening speed, their bodies enhanced to the fullest and their spite brimming with power.
Balki knew the position Valon had assumed belonged to the first technique of the fanged serpent school of martial arts.
It was a single elusive strike that was made to breach an unsuspecting opponent's armour. However, the attack was not very fast nor was it powerful.
<
To counter, Balki used the fourth technique of the fanged serpent school of martial arts; Eight Fanged Strike. An attack that held a greater amount of speed and power than Valon's.
"This is my win!" Balki rejoiced inwardly.
Lurching his aspects forward with resounding speed and lethality, his blows looking as if he had performed 8 strikes in a single moment.
Valon on the other hand, moved towards Balki frightening attack with confidence that betrayed the devious smile on his face.
<
Driving his aspect forward, Valon's long sword violently weaved between all eight of Balki's attacks sending each of them off kilter; each impact sent an array of sparks into the moonlit air.
His sword flowed up and through Balki's abdomen, blasting through his aspect and opening his side.
Reeling in pain, Balki rolled to the ground with his initial momentum.
Quickly, he pressed his hands into his side tightly as to prevent his damaged innards from falling out of the grievous wound.
A stark feeling of dread flowed into Balki, he felt death slowly calling out to him as his blood gushed through his tightly squeezed fingers.
Standing a ways away Valon had already turned back to Balki, the sinister smile on his face replaced with an expression of exhaustion.
"I used too much power… I almost ruined my core!?" Valon spoke inwardly, his entire body reeling in pain.
Damage to one's core was akin to damage towards the soul, and no sorcerer no matter their rank could easily handle damage to their soul.
Valon's eyes had already become blood shot, and a strong taste of iron rested on his lips. Following suite, a wave of blood ran up his mouth and shot its way through his teeth.
He was in excruciating pain, but Balki was in a worse state.
Flashing a toothy grin filled with blood, Valon called out to Balki.
"If it was the old you, I would have cut you in half, Balki. You've grown stronger."
However, Valon's words fell on deaf ears, "I don't need your consolation, Valon. This fight isn't o-"
Before Balki could finish his sentence, another strong wind passed through the clearing, and he suddenly felt an insanely strong presence; Valon felt it as well.
Their focus was suddenly pointed towards the edge of the clearing where Rosaly sat.
It was unnerving that they had both failed to sense such a powerful sorcerer so close to them, they had hidden themselves very well.
Xaryus and Zadius slowly looked in the same direction as Valon, their expressions flushed with anxiety and surprise.
Meanwhile, Rosaly's hair violently wisped in the strong wind.
It was a familiar feeling that she knew all too well… Faint memories from her youth filled her mind. She remembered when she rushed to one of her guards every time thunder would strike outside of her manor's walls.
The man's embrace was warm and comforting, more so than her own father. Eagerly, Rosaly followed everyone's gaze and glanced upwards.
Her eyes widened with relief…
There he was…
Her knight had finally come to save her.
Up there, standing afloat in the starry night sky was a male figure adorned in iron armour; A prideful crimson cape billowing in the strong winds around him.
His vibrant jade eyes were filled with a deep rage and his handsome face was contorted by his withheld wrath.
Tears began to roll out of Rosaly's eyes and down her soft dirt covered cheeks.
She was safe…
"Velmo!" She cried out in a mix of emotions, her voice destroying the silence that flooded the clearing.
The last bit of strength she had was flushed away and only a young girl that wished to go home remained.