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CHAPTER START---
Standing atop a coral hill north of the fortress, Oberon and Fulmer prepare for the next stage of their battle.
The knight's gaze doesn't shift from his opponent, refusing to leave any opening against what he knew would be a dangerous foe, but now deeply considering the strange properties of Oberon's Magic Energy.
Across from him, Oberon holds the glowing golden Light Construct sword, waiting for Fulmer to move, understanding that the second move in this fight could decide it, especially with one opponent being a prodigy from the kingdom of knights.
Fulmer wishes now more than ever his shield was still with him, flowing Magic Energy into his sword, feeling the stable connection. Then he flows Magic Energy into his armor, ensuring his flight Magic is still there, along with Overdrive Magic.
'I don't have to use it yet. I'll save it and wait till Avsala and Gildarts are done. If she somehow loses, I'll use Overdrive to bring Gildarts down after this.'
They stand across from each other for several seconds more until arcs of Magic Energy dominate the sky.
The fortress roof erupts in massive arcs of gold and green Magic Energy arcs that ascend high toward the midday clouds, clearing the sky from the sheer pressure they exude, then jolt downward to the nearby lands.
The gold and green arcs descend upon the fortress, the base, and the two mountains forming the valley, carving away massive swaths of land and melting everything they touch. Chaos erupts on the battlefield as the winds rage on, and the arcs dance above everyone, colliding and attracting each other before slamming into the nearby landscape.
"The Cataclism has begun," Fulmer says. "For the safety of both our guilds, we should end this fight quickly. Otherwise, those two will destroy this entire area."
Oberon glances at the fortress, smiling at the sight while turning back to Fulmer. "Wizard Saints truly are something else, but my master will win. I don't have to rush to help him. But when I'm done with you, I'll gladly go lend a hand."
Fulmer dashes forward, appearing in front of Oberon, but to his surprise, the boy raises his blade and blocks the simple strike.
'Faster?' Fulmer begins a relentless onslaught of slashes, constantly increasing his speed, and his suspicions are proven right as Oberon keeps speeding up. 'I get it now.'
He raises the tempo, maneuvering his blade around Oberon's, slashing the boy's arm, shoulders, legs, and even his forehead, showing his nearly peerless swordsmanship.
'This boy was lacking a rival. His growth was stalled because everyone around him was too weak. I need to end this battle before he gets comfortable fighting me!' Fulmer kicks Oberon after parrying a slash, knocking him back before rushing forward.
"Kicks?"
"This isn't a fencing competition!" Fulmer appears beside Oberon and slashes at his head, but the boy ducks it and slashes at the man's feet. Fulmer adjusts his slash to move downward, and Oberon is forced to move aside, halting his own attack.
He stops his blade before it hits the ground and chases Oberon. Oberon adjusts the construct to be a large two-handed broadsword, changing his stance to put more power into his strikes as Fulmer reaches him.
Fulmer clashes with his blade, pushing Oberon's ankles into the stone ground as he tries to crush the boy, but Oberon's construct doesn't even crack under the weight. Instead, the boy defiantly looks up into Fulmer's eyes, gritting his teeth and pushing back against him.
Fulmer feels himself slowly losing ground, and from their contest of strength's position, he can clearly see Oberon's wounds healing, with the gash on his forehead closing up within seconds.
"What kind of Magic is that? Can others learn it?"
Oberon's words are strained as he begins winning the contest of strength. "You want to learn my Magic?"
"That's why I fled Pergrande, they don't allow people to learn anything more than basic enhancement Magics. But this world is so vast and interesting, don't you agree?"
"I guess we have that in common," Oberon says as he feels a spark of excitement, growing conscious of his body adjusting to his own power. "We're pretty similar from what I've read and heard. But the difference is, I'm going to win!"
Oberon suddenly pushes his blade against Fulmer, knocking him away and clattering the man's own sword into his armored chest.
Fulmer skids across the ground and retakes his stance, but before he can stop moving, Oberon rushes forward and goes on the offensive. Fulmer scowls and calms his mind, casting aside any thoughts of the other battles or the people depending on him.
And for a moment, it was as if he were back in the training halls of the castle. He moves with renewed grace, parrying and deftly avoiding all of Oberon's strikes, pivoting away from leaning on his physicality as the boy can now match him.
He puts his absurd level of swordsmanship on display once more, cutting and scraping Oberon, flicking blood across the ground with each movement before he knocks the boy's blade aside. Fulmer then knees Oberon in the chin, hard enough to lift him off the ground before shifting into a horizontal sword swing, aiming to bisect him at the waist.
Oberon panics, acting reflexively and admitting his defeat in the duel of swords by releasing a wave of Light Magic from his body. It creates a shockwave and pushes Fulmer back, and the man smiles while activating his other Magics and flying toward the floating boy.
Oberon unleashes a hail of light magic, but the man slashes the attacks away before launching Magic Energy slashes of his own. Oberon smashes them apart with his blade and ascends high into the sky, avoiding and blocking more slashes as they battle across the sky, moving carefully and staying low enough to avoid the fallout from Makarov and Coral's battle.
While Oberon and Fulmer battle in the sky, the other combatants are at war on the ground.
Near the main gate of the base, in the middle of the primary battlefield, Macao, Reedus, Wakaba, and Laxus are in formation with other guild members and the Rune Knights, slowly overcoming the enemies.
Laxus is floating beside them, cloaked in Lightning Magic, and looks up to see Oberon and Fulmer. They appear like streaks of golden and red Magic Energy, clashing and launching ranged attacks across the sky, releasing shockwaves that even the people on the ground could feel.
High above them are the gold and green arcs of Magic Energy from with Wizard Saints, and every few seconds, a massive quake shakes the entire base as Gildarts unleashes his Crash Magic, still in combat with Avsala.
Laxus looks to the south, where he sees hundreds of Shimmering Crystals rise into the air before descending toward Gildarts, then to the fortress where the Cataclysm is happening, then above, where Oberon and Fulmer are fighting too fast for even him to track.
The sight of these truly superhuman Mages put a smile on his face, and the fact that his grandfather is chief among them causes his heart to swell with pride.
"Let's not keep them waiting!" Laxus yells, rallying everyone as he releases a storm of Lightning Magic, arcing it across the area, avoiding allies and shocking the enemies, paralyzing them.
His allies take advantage of them, quickly subduing their opponents and handing them off to the Rune Knights, but Laxus drops to the ground to catch his breath. He's down on one knee when Reedus walks over, kneeling beside him.
"That was good, but don't make yourself a target like that again. Stay behind us and strike from range."
Before Laxus can respond, before anyone can capitalize on this brief reprieve before moving deeper into the enemy base, gravity around them becomes lighter for a moment. Then, a loud, pained scream echoes from above.
They look up but are blinded by golden radiance before another thunderous impact happens, and two shockwaves ripple out.
One from above, then one from on the ground. And they all look to a shattered plaza, where Oberon is lying in a crater with a bloodied left hand and broken nose.
A red blur then descends, crashing into the crater and shaking the area, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris.
A moment passes before the dust settles, and in the crater, they see Fulmer, sword gone but armor glowing red, standing on Oberon, his foot pressed onto the boy's broken nose.
Oberon stares up at him, defiantly.
"Is this all it takes to earn that title, King of the Fairies?"
CHAPTER END---
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pat.reon: Keanu_Eugene [Read ahead & support me]
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