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It should not be possible. Shauna kept telling herself that but the reality before proved otherwise. The level difference between her and the Fox-kin was not a small gap. Erin shouldn’t be able to overwhelm her so easily but here the Fae was, slicing through her Flaming Sword like a hot knife through butter and that very same blade was coming for her head. With the supposed level difference between them, the blade would do nothing more than leave a light scratch on her. However, things were different. The narrative was different.

The audience, the Aerysians, they were quiet. Or rather, they had been quiet. But after they saw what just transpired, they began to clamour. They were all in disbelief. They had been confident that there was no way Shauna would lose. It should have been that way. It was simply impossible for the Fae to win, not with the gap between their levels. Yet, the truth was deniable. They had all personally witnessed the miracle. Yes, a miracle. There was no other way to describe it.

The blade would cut her down, Shauna realised. She kicked off the ground and hopped backwards, away from the gleaming blade that cut apart everything in its path. Thankfully, there was nothing but air.

“That was disappointing,” Erin mused. She cast a glance at Shauna. A faint disparaging smile crept across her lips. “I didn’t think you would move away.”

“What did you do?” Shauna asked, disregarding the subtle mockery.

“I tried to kill you? You know, as per the rules and purpose of this match.”

Shauna grimaced. “That’s not what I meant!” she barked. “How could you destroy my sword so easily? You should have only been in the lower sixties. How are you—”

“If you’re that curious and confused, then you only need to appraise me.”

Reluctantly, Shauna took out a monocle from her breast pocket. She held it over her left eye and gazed through it. Immediately, the answer revealed itself, though not entirely. “W-what is this…? I don’t see anything about you… How is this possible?”

Erin twirled her gigantic sword around before pointing it at Shauna. “It is possible. Enough talking. Let’s fight. Or are you too afraid to confront someone on an even playing field?”

Shauna twitched at Erin’s words. They seemed to prick her pride and honour. It was hard to deny them. She accepted the challenge because she took it for an easy victory. Now, it was anything but easy. If she lost, the consequences would be unimaginable for the Aerysians.

“I don’t have all day,” Erin said. “If you’re not coming, then I will.” She launched herself at Shauna with her sword raised and ready to swing.

The Apostle of Aerys pushed her doubts and shoved all of her uncertainty aside. Regardless of the circumstances, there was no change in her goal and that was to bring the false heir back to Dorvus. To do that, she had to win. It was plain and simple. No time to be distracted by variables. She splayed her palm open at Erin. Flames gathered in front of her, morphing into a spiral lance.

“Bollocks,” Erin muttered. She quickly raised her sword in defence just as the blazing lance shot towards her. Her sword was shattered like brittle cookies against a hammer. Thankfully, the lance also broke down in tandem. She willed a pair of long swords into existence before a breath was taken. The next assault was coming.

“So be it, Erynthea. Doesn’t matter what the truth is. I just need to win and I will.”

“Of course. It’s just that simple. No need to sweat about the details. Let us all enjoy this moment.”

Shauna waved her hands as if she was conducting an orchestra. Flames rose like a tidal wave and charged at the Fox-kin.

Instead of fear, Erin felt only excitement brewing and brimming in her heat. Her hands trembled, not out of terror but of elation. She might have lost much of her abilities and powers but she had regained her skill with the sword and more. She was in her prime with the sword and she was only getting better, setting new heights and limits. Shauna would be her test and she was eager to prove herself.

Erin charged right into the fire. Gasps resounded around her. No one could have expected her to make such a careless and suicidal move. Everyone was in shock, except for Aedan, who watched her with full confidence and a smug. She would win, his expression seemed to declare.

The flames would crash into her. It would melt away her skin and burn away her flesh, before charing her bones to a crisp. However, none of that came to pass. She saw marks on the wall of flames. Gaps in the blazing tide. Traces that went all over to the inferno. Real or illusion, they beckoned for her blade and she obliged. She cut, slashed, and stabbed at these marks with brutal precision.

The blazing tide came crumbling apart as if its foundations had been taken away, destroyed.

Shauna widened her eyes, unable to comprehend just what Erin had done. There was no magic involved, not of any kind she knew. Her spell had come undone without much difficulty. The last time such a thing happened was when she fought Dorvus, who easily crushed all her spells that she threw at him. This was similar but not exactly the same. Dorvus overwhelmed her due to his higher level. Now, she was overwhelmed because of something… outwordly…

“Is this what the Ancients feared all along?” Shauna found herself asking such a question. Erin was upon her while she was still in a daze. She snapped out of it just in time to invoke the flames, barring Erin’s blade from reaching her neck.

“Is it wise to be so deep in thought while in a duel?” Erin taunted.

“An amateur mistake. Won’t happen again,” Shauna said and sent the flames assaulting Erin. They came at the Fox-kin like a calvary, raging knights on fiery steeds, their lances trained and steeled.

“Shite,” Erin muttered. The same marks were on the infernal calvary but they were out of reach. If she insisted, she would be burned long before her blade could touch the marks. She was at a dilemma… but only if she insisted. She didn’t, of course. She leapt over the infernal calvary and it went past her.

“Are you sure you want to dodge that?” Shauna asked.

Erin glanced over her shoulder, back at the calvary that was continuing in tracks, towards her companions. Erin shrugged. “This is a duel between us. If it involves collateral, this duel will be null and void. Kinda defeats the point of you accepting my challenge in the first place, wouldn’t you say?”

Shauna clicked her tongue and snapped her fingers. The infernal cavalry dispersed into nothing before it could crash into Erin’s companions.

“As expected, you are not like the others. You have honour.”

“An indirect victory is no true victory. Aerysians make their own luck. Victories by default or circumstances are frowned upon. I’m surprised that you are aware of this.”

“I’m aware of the nature of people like you. Your beliefs are not flimsy or malleable. Therefore, I am thrilled and honoured to be able to face an opponent like you.”

Shauna snorted. “Do you think your tricks would work on me like the others?”

“Tricks or not, this is the truth. I am now without the means to cast spells or utilise any skills except for the sword. My mastery over the sword is all that remained with me. I am not a match against your onslaught of spells.”

“And why are you telling me this?”

“Wouldn’t want you to feel bad after your victory but only to realise you have all the advantages while your opponent only has her sword.”

“I’m well aware of that already. And your sword is more than enough if the stories I heard are true. Are they?”

“Let us find out,” Erin said and rushed at Shauna. Flames sprouted from the ground and surrounded her. The flames morphed into a cage that threatened to compress into a lump of charred flesh. Erin remained calm and flourished her swords as if she was dancing to a lethal and bloody tune. The fiery cage crumbled apart and Erin continued towards Shauna.

“How are you doing this?” Shauna grumbled.

“I’m not even entirely sure myself. Instincts, I suppose?”

“Fine.” Shauna huffed. “It’s pointless to ask anyway.”

Erin reached Shauna. Her swords flashed and blurred.

Shauna manifested a sword of her own, moulded of flames. She clashed with Erin. Unlike last time, her sword did not break in a single clash. Had it done, she was prepared. Their blades pushed off against one another. They came back for another clash. The sparks were bigger and they flew further. They swerved around and returned with another clash, bigger and heavier than ever. This time, they pushed themselves away from the clash, not just their swords.

Erin recovered her stance first and lunged with a thrust using only one sword. Her other sword hung loose but ready beside her.

Shauna easily parried the thrust and guarded against the slash that came from Erin’s other sword. The one she parried returned with a low cut. Shauna raised a wall of flames in defence. The flaming wall was cut down with little to no effort. Shauna was amazed but not shocked. She expected this. She conjured a ball of flames and pushed it towards Erin.

The Fox-kin shifted her offence to defence, blocking the ball of flames that nearly plunged a hole in her chest. The fireball didn’t stop there. It continued to grow until it turned into a massive maw. Erin quickly looked for the mark before the maw swallowed her up. There was no mark to be found. She muttered a curse and tossed herself out of the maw just as it clamped shut.

Shauna was waiting for her. Fiery chains slithered towards her like snakes. These flaming snakes had marks covering their entire bodies. A simple slash and stab was all it took to get rid of these flaming snakes. However, they were a distraction. The maw was still persisting. Erin tried to back away but a wall of flames rose in her path. Left with no choice, Erin plunged right through the wall before the maw could take her.

Shauna was on the other side, waiting for Erin like before. A blazing sword in hand. Their swords swung towards one another. There was a difference this time. Shauna saw Erin’s eyes focusing on a single point on her sword. She shifted her sword slightly and Erin’s blade struck a spot different from where she had intended. Shauna saw the Fae’s confounded expression and her flaming sword remained intact. This was the Fae’s trick, aiming for a weak spot in her spells.

“You’re good,” Erin admitted as she reeled in her swords.

“It’s only natural. I have no desire to disappoint my divine.”

“Hmm… can’t say the same for myself. My divine’s an arse.” Erin felt a throb in the heart. There was even a little bit of pain. “But her powers are real… and so is her strength that she granted me.”

“It is heresy and despicable for one to even doubt the might of a divine. What say we end this charade now?” Shauna said and summoned flames that encaged the two of them in the manner of a blazing ring.

“I agree. I know the limits of my own abilities. I don’t like it but it is necessary.” A thin layer of pink mist began to envelop the area.

The mist also enveloped Shauna and she flinched when she took in the mist through her breathing. She shuddered and held her shoulders. “This feeling… It has been so long… I-I… I didn’t think I would feel it again…”

Erin waded through the pink mist, striding towards Shauna. “You would feel it and more. Submit.”

Shauna caught herself and she ceased to tremble, though her face was still flushed. “Never. Submission only in death.” Flames enveloped her, turning into her armour. “Enough of your tricks. Come at me.”

Erin’s tails flourished like a flag wavering with pride in the winds. “Unfortunately for you, I’m afraid there are more tricks to come.”