Against the Gods

30. To The Death

TW: Violence, gore

My heart flutters in my chest, it's time for the match to begin.

We're in a giant arena right now where a lot of events for the school typically take place. Students are packed into the stands raised about ten feet above the ground. According to Finn the dark grey stone surrounding the arena is supposed to be made of magic cancelling stones similar to how the magic testing crystals work by absorbing the magic so there is more protection for the spectators. The interior of the arena is pretty simple with a rectangular raised platform made of stone about the size of four olympic swimming pools with a field of well maintained grass outside the platform. I hear with magic the school is able to change the terrain, but for today we're fighting on the simple stone ground. 

Nowhere to hide. Just wonderful.

Would have been better to have some cover to sneak attack him since I'm probably faster than him but I've learned fate never works in my benefit.

A burly man with spiky red hair and yellow eyes walks to the edge of platform where me and the teacher are situated on opposite sides of each other.

"Hello! I am Professor Strongman in charge of teaching combat and battle classes here at Rosewood Academy! I'll be the referee of this match! YOU READY TO SHOW EVERYONE WHAT YOU GOT?" he shouts.

Professor Strongman? Is that seriously his name? As usual Hal has no creativity...

"I'm ready. Feel free to start the match," I say.

"One sec," the teacher replies taking out a flask of something and chugging it before tossing it over his shoulder, "All ready now."

"LOVING THIS FIRE!!" he shouts, "1... 2... 3... FIGHT!!!"

Professor Strongman runs off back towards the exit door on one of the sides of the arena with a surprising level of speed where he stands watching the match. 

Almost immediately a ball of bright blue energy is sent hurdling toward me. Even for me it's fast and I barely dodge away in time. There's a small crater and smoke coming off the ground where I was prior.

Before I can recover another blast is sent toward me. And another. And another. 

I'm managing to avoid each one by a hair but after ducking under a blast that would have vaporized my head he sends another coming right at me. I manage to spin out of the way but it grazes my shoulder, and I quickly take a peak.

My stomach drops.

The flesh covering my shoulder has been burned off exposing bone underneath. It seems to have cauterized itself but the pain is unimaginable and I scream out. 

He's unrelenting though and keeps sending blasts of his energy at me. I skirt around them, narrowly missing them, and getting closer to him.

Thank (not) god for my healing abilities that are already healing up the wound on my shoulder. Otherwise I don't think I would be able to continue this for long.

Anyway I need to get closer to him since long range fighting would only benefit him with his energy blasts whereas I don't have any good long range attacks at the moment.

One I'm about ten feet, I accelerate myself to maximum speed.

He's not expecting it and I send a kick to his side. It lands, sending him flying across the arena until he smacks into the wall.

If it was a normal human it most likely would have killed them, but magicians usually take potions to boost their strength, speed, durability, etc. a bit.

No match for my strength though.

I run toward him again, and punch him across the jaw.

That's when I feel a sharp, blinding pain in my stomach.