Jorish looked around, taking quick looks at his fellow practitioners who would be joining the dragons’ duel. Jorish felt calling it a “duel” would be a bit misleading, afterall it is just the same old plain war, just with all parties deciding that mortal soldiers didn’t make a difference and thus partitioners should just have at it instead.

Jorish felt his heartbeat quicken as he thought of their task, the impossibility as Fredek’s word repeated in his head.

“Thus, beating Vencel is impossible. Not without every single person we had here, and even then it would simply happen because he would surrender, else we would lose most of our forces. Outside of the rest of battalion leaders, your battalion has some of the strongest firepower, while it also has the least training with the rest of the battalion leaders. But I do know you guys have good training together. Thus, your battalions’ practitioners will be tasked in delaying Vencel as much as possible, until the battalion leaders can take care of Essil.”

Jorish felt his breath stick in his throat, as he looked around him. His battalion’s practitioners were simply him, Dyce, Anise, Sayaka, and Nao. Not a bad line-up by any means, and indeed some of the strongest practitioners they had in the force. But is this enough to face one of the strongest practitioners?

Jorish didn’t have long to think, as practitioners spread around him. Even now, seeing tens of practitioners in a single area felt unreal to him. But it did make sense, those are the strongest soldiers in the free cities.

Infact, it was more weird to not have a Monarch leading the free cities, but as Jorish experienced the place and talked to more people, he understood that it was because of their system. They would be ruled not by a single person with his strength, but by everything else. And if a Monarch tried to change that, they would all revolt huh.

Jorish shook the pointless thoughts out of his head as he slowly walked, his team in row as they moved towards the impossible. Almost waiting for them, Jorish saw Vencel staring at them, a bloodthirsty smile on his face.

“Eh, that idiot Fredek sent a few kids my way to delay me? You know what, I will entertain you guys for a bit. Essil can handle himself until then.”

Jorish held his spear tightly as he spoke.

“I am Jorish, Candidate Vencel we shall defeat you here!”

Vencel looked in surprise, almost surprised by Jorish’s statement. He looked at him for a moment before laughing.

“Gahaha, good. I like that altitude if nothing else. Bring it kids!”

Vencel stood, unarmed, yet none dared to underestimate him. He was a candidate, one step away from the peak, and almost a thousand steps above any of them. Jorish felt the sun impue him with Energy before he charged forward, moving in a simple lunge.

Vencel smiled, swiping Jorish’s spear aside before punching towards him. Jorish immediately pushed against the ground, dodging his strike just barely.

Vencel said. “Not bad, for a practitioner your strength is indeed not bad. Unfortunately, you are not facing a mere practitioner.”

Vencel rushed in, exploding through the air as he reached Jorish in a moment, he swung his arm downwards as Jorish felt someone tugging him backwards, just for Anise to intercept Vencel’s punch, sending her armored body backwards a few meters.

Vencel looked in surprise, speaking again. “A draconic bloodline? Interesting, yet if that is all you came here with then it would seem I would have to be disappointed tonight.”

As Jorish stood back up, he pushed his body further, as he absorbed further sunlight, feeling the markings on his skin start crawling as he jumped forward again, rushing towards Vencel. Vencel blocked the empowered spear swing, stepping backwards as he dodged a spear thrust from Dyce, then lifting his hand to intercept a small projectile that was headed for his eyes. He kept his attention all around, as Sayaka kept trying to circle around him discreetly, to no avail.

Jorish gestured at Anise as she nodded, rushing in. Jorish stood in the back, as he started gathering Energy. Seeing that, Vencel snorted, moving forward as he intended to break through and attack Jorish, yet every charge of his was welcomed by Anise and Dyce who blocked his initial assault.

Just as Vencel prepared to push forward again, Jorish suddenly lunged forward, the Energy in his spear reaching a critical mass as it gathered at the back before launching forward as he stabbed forward, firing the Eye of the sun. As the spear and Energy headed towards Vencel’s neck, he lifted his arm to block, as the force of the attack caused him to pause in his tracks for a moment as the sands around them exploded in a cloud of dust.

Jorish’s eyes widened in surprise as his attack was blocked with nothing more than a mere scratch, a single drop of blood dripping from what could’ve been nothing more than a papercut. As he was in his daze, a shadow burst forward, as the weirdly shaped sword shone green as it pinpointed that single scratch, striking it before falling back.

Jorish looked at Vencel hopefully that Sayaka’s poison would be enough. He felt his body shudder as he looked at grey smoke leaving the cut, carrying wisps of green with it.

“Dirty tricks, yet those wouldn’t work on someone like me. I have had my fun, and gave you your fight. Yet what follows now is impossible, And the impossible… is trivial.”

Vencel suddenly rushed forward, a steam of darkness condensing around his arm. Jorish stepped forward to intercept him, feeling the Energy surge into his body, reinforcing him further, he held his spear, as he prepared for the impact.

Then, the world turned into darkness.

Jorish shuddered in panic, feeling his power leaving him. He glanced around in surprise, the entire world now colored in black. Jorish looked forward again with panic, Vencel charging at him full force, darkness spreading around, hiding everyone around him from sight, and covering the very sun he relied on. I can’t block this! Jorish knew, feeling his powerless body protest, as he panicked as he ran out of ideas. As Vencel was almost upon him, Jorish felt his heart stumble, finding no way to survive the onslaught.

Suddenly, Dyce broke through the wall of darkness, blood dripping from his lips as he jumped in front of Jorish, swinging his spear towards Vencel as countless Energy blasts appeared around him, trying to push Vencel off. Every movement of Vencel was met, as Dyce dodged, his Energy blasts appearing from all around him, creating a wall that kept trying to force Vencel away, to hit him from every angle.

Vencel grunted, as he swung his fist widely, a huge wall of darkness pushing forward. Jorish and Dyce jumped to the back, dodging the incoming darkness as Vencel charged again before pausing his charge momentarily, instinctively covering his eyes as another projectile headed towards them.

Jorish regained his composure, as Anise and Dyce stood in the front, while he prepared to gather every last bit of Energy he had into one last attack. Energy began to move towards his spear once more, as Vencel collided with Anise, sending her flying to the side. He ran forward, breaking through Dyce’s defences before getting face to face with Jorish, nowhere ready to face him.

Jorish used up whatever Energy he had gathered as he stabbed his spear forward, before getting punched to the side effortlessly. Jorish felt his body tumble on the ground repeatedly, unable to breath as he felt every part of his body broken, perhaps only still alive due to his sun-forged body. Vencel started walking slowly towards Jorish, step by step. As Jorish glanced at Dyce and Anise, now on the ground, motionless as he was. Damn it, Damn it!

Finally, Vencel stood atop of Jorish, as he prepared to finish him off. Suddenly, he stepped back as he left both arms, darkness turning into a shield as earth broke, foretelling of the sword cut as it approached him. Jorish stared in shook as he looked at the newcomer. Alek? He thought, looking at the youth and his massive sword, and his empty eyes which covered the world. He wanted to tell him to escape. He knew that Alek was strong, but a candidate… was out of his league.

Vencel stood, looking unhurried as he spoke. “Like moths to a flame… What do you think one more practitioner would change now?”

Alek looked at Vencel with no regard in his eyes as he lifted his sword before releasing his Energy. Jorish froze as he felt Alek’s Energy, as he felt his body shudder, thinking about what he just felt. Candidate…

Vencel suddenly turned serious as he spoke. “I never knew that you also had a Candidate, and not one of the battalion commanders. You have played me well, Fredek. Yet, just a candidate wouldn’t faze me.”

Vencel rushed in, clouds of darkness revolving around him, moving like dark blades which threatened to cut apart anything that stood in their way. He punched in, as the darkness extended like a cyclone, cutting towards Alek. Alek stood, motionless as he always was, as he turned his body forward as he swung his massive weapon down. As blade and darkness met, the world burst in a shockwave pushing Jorish and everyone else back.

Jorish forced himself up, sitting down as he ignored his body’s endless protests, feeling anger as he felt his body’s thirst of sunlight, begging him for it in order to recover from his injuries. His grip hardened in anger and fear. He watched the Candidate clash, Alek standing on the defense as he blocked off every attack from Vencel. He got more and more frustrated as they kept fighting, shouting in anger. “What are you doing?! Fight me you cowards!”

Alek kept standing silently, only moving when he had to as if he didn’t seem to hear Vencel’s words. They clashed over and over, blades of darkness scattering around, broken by sword cuts and the broken ground. Suddenly, as Vencel prepared to jump in, to try and avoid Alek completely, a voice sounded in the distance.

“Give it up, Vencel”

Jorish turned painfully as he recognized the voice, looking at Captain Isar. Next to him were the rest of the battalion commanders, Tyran, Brandon and two others. Isar continued talking.

“We have dealt with Essil. We might be not looking perfect, but you know you cannot take all of us out here.”

Vencel stood in silence, his teeth grinding as he went into thoughts. He turned, looking at Isar as he asked. “Essil, is he…?”

Isar nodded. “He still lives.”

Vencel sighed, as darkness vanished from the skies. Jorish felt sunlight pour back into him, revitalizing him as he watched Vencel walk back towards the fortress. Minutes later, the fortress doors opened as everyone marched in orderly. Jorish, now feeling alive once more, walked, his fist gripped in anger and frustration. Thoughts clouding his judgment and emotions as for the first time, he had a new thought invade his soul.

For the first time since that day, he started to doubt his own powers, and himself.