The Fractured Mage

Chapter 18 - Progress Check(Part 2)

"You know, now that I think about it, wouldn't it make more sense for me to be the one who tests Topaz? Even if I don't hold back at all, he won't be completely overwhelmed, which will certainly be the case if you go all out, dad," Remarked Iris objectively.

"Oh, it's fine. I can assess his current level a lot better if I'm the one sparring against him than if I was just watching him fight someone else. And after that first round, Topaz, I can confidently say that you'll be easily able to pass yourself off as a Martial Artist, an Ascended Mage of the Physical Class, with solely your hand to hand combat skills.

I mean, there's no way in hell that a Basic Mage could ever land a hit on me, and you came close to landing two! Actually, considering the level you're currently at...I'd say you've been at the required level for at least a few weeks now. I know it's been a while since I last checked in on your progress, but you've exceeded my expectations, I'm intrigued to see how far you've come in mastering your Ether Magic," Ifeus informed me.

Huh. No gonna lie, that's pretty encouraging to hear.

"Hehe, you're in for a surprise or two, he's learnt some new tricks," Grinned Lilac smugly, as she patted my shoulder.

"Uh, why are you being so smug?" I inquired in bemusement.

Also, don't give that fact away, I need that element of surprise...

"I am?"

"Yeah, kinda..."

"Hm...maybe because I'm proud of you? Yeah, I think that's probably it."

"O-oh, uh...thanks."

"Mhm, sure!"

"Anyway...I think that should do it for the break. Let's move on to the second round, shall we? No need to hold anything back, Topaz, come at me with everything you've got," Remarked Ifeus, as he stood up and stretched, warming himself back up.

"Alright, if you say so, I guess," I responded with a nod, as I got up as well.

"Hey, good luck," Smiled Lilac with a thumbs up.

"Yeah, thanks."

I then headed for the middle of the training room, taking my place with a few meters between Ifeus and myself, as I got into my stance and prepared myself...okay, I've got a clear plan of what I want to do, so now it's gonna come down to execution.

I've got a slight element of surprise in my advantage, I can't afford to waste it...there's a good chance that I'll be able to catch him off guard if my timing is perfect, I have to make full use of that...

"Whenever you're ready, Topaz," Smiled Ifeus, as he put his guard up.

"You asked for it...," I muttered, as I planted my feet firmly and formed a swirling sphere of Ether in my right hand, taking aim at him.

"Oh, not bad, your output, control and casting time have all increased quite significantly," He remarked with a thoughtful nod.

"Thanks for noticing. Here, why don't you take a closer look?" I replied, as I fired it at him, the sphere of Ether shooting forward through the air rapidly.

As it began to close in on him, it suddenly split into two, his eyes widening slightly...before his lips moved rapidly and he vanished from sight, reappearing a couple of meters in front of the spot where he'd been standing, teleporting himself ahead of the two Ether projectiles, which zipped through the air behind him and hit the wall.

"Too straightforward, that was-...," He began smugly, before his eyes widened in alarm...as I suddenly appeared right before him, just inches in front of him, my right fist drawn back and glowing with a bright blue hue, "[Sh-Shadow Art: Shadow-...]...-ooffff!"

He just barely managed to cross his arms in front of himself defensively as I drove my fist forward rapidly, a loud crunch echoing out as my fist slammed against the cross-point of his arms, before I sent him flying back at a breakneck speed, wincing slightly as I felt a twinge of pain in my right forearm...I channeled a bit too much Ether, I think the backlash left a fracture.

I miscalculated the amount of Ether, that was way more force that I thought it'd be...Ifeus is flying back at an alarming speed, this is bad, he's gonna-...!

Suddenly, right before he could crash onto the wall, his lips moved rapidly again, chanting to activating an Art...before he sunk right into the wall, instead of crashing onto it.

"Oh, wow! What just happened?" Blurted out Iris in surprise.

"Th-that was way too close...if I hadn't gone into my own shadow just then, I would've broken a whole lot of stuff," Came Ifeus's voice, from my right.

"Sorry about that, I miscalculated how much-...w-woah, holy shit!" I exclaimed in alarm as I caught sight of him, emerging from Lilac's shadow...and both his forearms severely broken, pointing at near-ninety degree angles.

It kinda looks like he's got an extra pair of elbows, except for the swelling...

"Y-yeah, n-not gonna lie, this hurts like a bitch. Lilac dear, could you please pour a Healing Elixir into my mouth, I can't exactly hold anything with these arms right now...," He requested with a pained grimace.

"Uh, right, sure...," She nodded, staring at her father's broken arms with a look of wide-eyed...uh, is that fascination?

Huh. Well, that's not disturbing at all.

"Th-that's a lot better, thank you, sweetie...I don't remember the last time I took on so much damage. What exactly did you do, Topaz?" He inquired curiously after drinking the Elixir, his broken forearms getting set back into place.

He then blinked a couple of times and shook his head, as a dazed look briefly appeared in his eyes. The more severe the injuries, the more stamina that Healing Elixirs consume when they briefly supercharge a person's natural healing capability.

I felt a bit winded myself after drinking one following the first round. And considering how badly broken Ifeus's arms were, yeah, the Elixir must've taken a huge chunk of his stamina to heal those injuries...