The Magic

The Ultimate Battle

Rick was confused by Leon. How could Leon be willing to fight him without killing, could he be holding back?
The gaze of concentration and determination in Leon’s eyes told Rick that he was taking this seriously.
But Rick was serious as well, he was determined to win. If he didn’t win he didn’t know what his father might do. He had his motivation to win, but what was Leon’s? A force so powerful that it allowed him to fight with unwavering confidence, Rick needed to know. Not to gain that same power but to find something within himself that he was missing. But even he remained oblivious to the invisible part of himself.

Slowly Leon slid his leg forward and gracefully positions his blade for a strike; his motions resembled that of a flowing river. The calmness of his movement reflected his soul and time seemed to slow around them. At the point where it stopped it started again.

A sudden burst of Magic shot Leon forward.
He covered the ground between Rick and him in a few seconds. Their blades met again.
Leon was leading the battle. He forced Rick back through the less damaged section of the hallway and eventually to a stairwell that led from the first floor to the roof.

Rick broke away. He began to bound up the twisting stairwell skipping at least ten steps at a time. Leon pursued Rick. He was faster but Rick had already gained space between them.
‘Something isn’t right.’ He thought ‘This is too easy; he has to be luring me into a trap.’
Sure enough Leon was right.
An enormous swell of black mana burst forth from the blade on Rick’s weapon.
The magic caused the walls to tremble and shake as Rick dug the blade deep into the stairwell wall.

Cracks rapidly spread, splitting the wall apart.
It wasn’t long before the stairs themselves began to crack beneath Leon’s feet.
Quickly he bounded up, higher and higher avoiding the crumbling stairs beneath him.
Finally Rick stopped as he ran out the door at the top and onto the roof.
Leon followed, not far behind him. He barely managed to get through the door way in time as the stairway crumbled behind him.

‘That was too close.’ Leon said sighing.
‘You just keep on impressing me, Leon.’
‘And you just keep surprising me.’
‘Well if what you just went through didn’t make you want to give up then it’s pretty clear that I’ve underestimated you. But I won’t from now on, so let’s continue.’
A swell of black mana lit up around Rick. The whole building began to shake around them, the power coming from Rick vibrated through the air with such fury that it created violent winds. These winds were so powerful that they nearly knocked Leon off of his feet.
‘That’s a lot of power.’ Leon thought ‘If stand any chance of winning I’ll have to match him!’
Blue mana shot forth from Leon instantly. Its shape resembled lightning then rapidly increased to strong winds and matched Rick’s magic.

The fury of their magic combined creating flashes of light and magic off of the roof.
This became a battle of will rather than a battle of pure power.
The building began to crack and crumble around them. Finally the two broke their stances and charged up into the air.
Again their blades met and they fell. The two repeated again and again until finally they began to fight on the spot. They were both incredibly fast, their blades never meeting for long. Leon had the advantage however. He’s speed continued to increase and increase, his attacks grew faster and faster and more and more powerful.

Finally their blades met and Rick’s gave way under the strength of Leon’s attack.
Rick was sent crashing backwards across the roof and stopped just before the edge.
Leon landed prepared for another attack. His katana was positioned to parry a sword or deflect a blast, but he didn’t know what Rick’s next move was, he had to wait.
To Rick it was becoming obvious that Leon was stronger, the longer he fought the faster he became, Rick couldn’t keep up.
‘Come on, we don’t have to continue this, Rick.’ Leon said trying to reason with him.
‘No! I have to keep fighting!’ Slowly Rick got back to his feet.
Black mana flowed into Rick’s hands and turned into dark sphere’s.
Rick’s attack shot out dozens of black spheres of Magic.