Discordance IV / Arsenal

“Sorry, guys. I shouldn’t have spoken for all of us without asking you first.”

“It’s too late to apologize now. Looks like the only way you can make it up to us is by beating his ass,” Mara replied. I knew her well enough by now to understand this was her way of encouraging me.

“Still, I’m forcing all of you to rely on me. It was arrogant of me to say the things I did.”

“Nah, I don’t see it that way,” Akio said. “Vandan was pretty clear he wanted nothing to do with us, so at worst, you bought us one last opportunity to change his mind. We can’t fault you for that.”

“But, still—”

“No, Akio is right,” Kerne concurred. “As frustrating as it is to admit, we need Vandan to trust us if we want a chance against Ames Nori. The means are crude, to say the least, but this may very well be the only way to get through to him.”

I sighed and gave up, knowing my repeated apologies would go nowhere. For better or for worse, my companions were willing to accept the bet I’d placed on their behalf.

“If things get dicey, I could always mix in an illusion or two to mess with him,” Fleur offered, the sincerity of her proposal unclear.

“No. He’ll never take us seriously if we have to cheat to win.” Just in case, I shut her down.

“Have it your way, then,” she said, shrugging. “Try not to let him snap too many bones, okay?”

“Please don’t let him snap any of your bones, actually. I’d be on the hook for that,” Professor Anellia grumbled as she handed me my sword. “You don’t have to go through with this, Everett. You know that, right?”

I nodded, taking my now-enchanted blade from her. “I know, but I made this mess; I won’t run away from it.”

And I owe it to my friends. Even when I do something stupid like this, they’re still willing to stand by me. So I can’t let them down.

I gazed over at Vandan, alone on the opposite side of the training yard, then looked back at the group standing behind me.

I almost feel bad for him.

I didn’t like Vandan, and I doubted that would change anytime soon.

But maybe, someday, he’ll be standing over here with us.

And this is the first step toward that future.

I strode forward, ready to begin.

“Everett!”

Just moments before it was too late, the voice I’d longed to hear cried out my name, and I spun around one final time to face its origin.

“Good luck,” Shina said. “You can do it. I believe in you.”

And with my heart reignited, victory was assured.

* * *

Vandan was a master of conjuration magic. While an average user might be capable of storing one or two weapons, his stock contained at least a dozen, and the speed at which he could manifest and erase them was equally impressive.

I’d already known that going into this battle, yet facing it firsthand was even more terrifying than I imagined.

“What’s wrong? Afraid?”

He bellowed a taunt as I narrowly ducked to evade the lance hurtling toward my face. Less than a second ago, he’d been holding a brutal-looking battleaxe, so I foolishly assumed I would have an opportunity to close in.

But I still have a chance!

Having passed the head of his polearm, I blasted forward to capitalize on my advantage. I’d trained with Akio more than enough to know how to exploit the weaknesses of this kind of weapon.

In a flash, however, his previous armament vanished and a curved sword appeared in its place.

Shlink! He effortlessly parried my incoming strike, and the raw force of his swipe sent my body flying several feet backward. Twisting to land on my feet, I immediately launched forward again to maintain the pressure.

He might’ve surpassed me in terms of power, range, and adaptability, but when it came to speed, I edged him out. If I were to come out of here victorious, that would be the source of my salvation.

His blade morphed into a massive warhammer, which he swung preemptively to intersect my advance. The surface area of its head was comparable to the size of my torso, and I had no choice but to veer backward at the last moment to avoid it.

Even for an Inheritor, the proportions of that thing are insane!

Even with Professor Anellia’s weakening spell, a single direct strike from that hammer would probably take me out of the fight, regardless of how many chances I technically had.

As before, I reversed my momentum the instant I made contact with the dirt floor, flinging myself back at him.

Kashink! He met my slash with the handle of his axe.

Clang! Then with the flick of a glaive.

Thunk! And next with the wooden shaft of his lance, which I was forced to deflect as he swung it toward me laterally.

Each time, I was sent flying backward, while he remained rooted to where he stood. He hadn’t taken a single step from that position, and I knew he was toying with me.

Dammit!

I didn’t want to keep playing his game, but I had no other choice. A stalemate would only prove his point, and I couldn’t let that happen.

But I still have a few cards up my sleeve!

I dropped low as I charged once more, sprinting in a curve to make my trajectory harder to predict.

If you insist on not taking this seriously, then I’ll make you!

The moment his lance glistened white to signal a new conjuring, I mustered every ounce of strength in my body and slashed wide, still several feet away from my target. Instead, my blade cleaved through the surface layer of the earth underfoot, launching a storm of dust and debris into the air. The sheer kinetic force swirled the chaotic cloud into an impenetrable tempest.

It was certainly a cheap move, but battle wasn’t about honor. In a real fight, ingenuity and versatility were what separated a great warrior from an inferior one, and I was sure Vandan understood that.

I swerved to alter my path and obfuscate my intentions. It would only take a second or two before our silhouettes would become visible again through the shroud, so I had to act quickly. Once I shifted far enough from my initial position, I curved back toward him.

This is it! Here goes—

The air cleared in an instant, blown away by a magnificent gust. A scimitar rested in one of his hands, and his other arm was extended to the side, as if he’d just swung it outward.

My heart sank. I had made a severe miscalculation, and I wasn’t sure if I would have the time to recover from it.

Did he seriously dissipate that entire cloud just by flinging his arm!?

I’d known Vandan was strong, yet I still underestimated him. A moment later, the towering beast before me slashed horizontally, threatening to rend my torso in two.

I was too close to leap out of his range, and he was too powerful for me to parry his strike head-on. Until now, I’d been able to maneuver myself to counter from advantageous angles, but my positioning here wouldn’t allow for that.

I made my decision in a split second.

“Loablis anfunios!”

I pointed my left arm downward and shouted an incantation. The air beneath me was whipped into a fierce whirlwind, and my body exploded upward, lifting well above the arc of his blade.

As I hit the apex of my flight, I twisted to unleash an attack of my own. I didn’t expect to claim victory at that moment, but I was certain I would accomplish an important prerequisite.

Move, goddammit!

As if reading my mind, Vandan leapt away mere milliseconds before I made contact. But I wouldn’t let that be the end of this.

The moment one foot struck the ground, I kicked off toward him, slicing down once more. He lurched out of the way and glanced my sword with his own, but his footing was unsteady. And as long as that opening existed, I would exploit it.

A cacophony of clashes serenaded the arena, and the furious tempo only quickened with each note. In seconds, our static show had transformed into a dynamic dance of two combatants, bouncing across the stage with precise steps and calculated movements, never idling for more than a second, and never giving the audience an opportunity to breathe. But every performance was destined to draw to a close.

Though my assaults were unrelenting, none managed to pierce through his defenses. No matter how hard I tried, I failed to make any headway.

After dozens of blows were exchanged, Vandan leapt backward as he repelled yet another of my attacks. Pausing to take in a gasp of air, I charged in again.

But that tiny window was enough. A flash of light emerged from his off hand, and the shaft of a polearm materialized in his grip.

I’m too close! He can’t do anything with that!

I carried on my advance, unshaken.

Far too late, as he pulled his arm back, I realized what he held was not a lance, but a throwing spear.

“Cra—” My utterance was cut short as the javelin ruptured my chest and propelled my body across the arena.