Alix dashed forward completely unfazed by the weapon pointed in her face. When she was a few meters away from the tip she suddenly ducked and kicked at the instructor's arm attempting to make her lose grip on the sword.
Just as the kick was about to land Bizen simply swung her arm downwards and deflected the kick. Alix was not thrown off by this as she expected it and quickly spun in the direction that her foot was knocked to keep her balance.
Bizen followed the girl's movements with her eyes and notice the exact moment that Alix chose to strike next. Alix planted both of her feet on the ground and jumped toward her opponent with her fist pulled back.
She swung her fist with the full intention of hitting the mark until the very last moment. She quickly opened her palm trying to grab the woman when her arm was suddenly knocked away like her leg had been earlier.
This time Alix was caught off guard for just a moment which was enough for Rasque to swing her weapon into the girl's left side and pushing her back a few steps. Alix realized had the sword been real she would have been deeply injured right now so she was lucky that this was just a spar.
But that attack still hurt!
Alix took a second to catch her breath and charged at Rasque again. The events from earlier began to replay themselves. Alix tried to punch the woman but her hand got deflected and Rasque went for the follow up.
This time, however, Alix was ready. She had pulled the punch last second so the deflection was not as effective. Alix then barely bent her knees and leapt off of the ground using her Lis. Bizen stood staring at the airborne girl as Alix flipped, lifted her leg and dropped it onto her opponent.
Bizen moved to block the attack with her arm when Alix suddenly shifted her body mid-air. She angled her foot to land on Rasque's arm then used it to lightly hop. Alix used her other leg to kick Bizen in the face. Bizen ducked out of the way only to be hit by the other leg brought back around for a back heel kick.
The instructor's head was thrown back by the kick but Alix wasn't done yet. She was just getting started. She landed on the ground and-
Before Alix could make another move she was hit with something incredibly heavy and sent flying back. She tried to catch herself but Bizen was already on her. The instructor swung her sword downward and slammed Alix to the ground.
Alix crossed her arms to block and used her Lis to mitigate some of the damage slamming into the ground would do. Alix bounced off of the ground and used the momentum to stand on her feet in front of her opponent.
"What the hell did you hit me with?" Alix rubbed her forehead still feeling the sting from the impact. Rasque shook her head.
"Do you really think there'll be time to talk in real combat, kid?" Rasque tossed something into the air with her off hand. Alix stared at the object trying tell what it was. It was small, round, and black.
'Are those pellets?"
"LEXI WATCH OUT!!" Alix had been gotten distracted allowing Bizen to close the distance and hit Alix on the same side as before. Alix winced as the pain worsened and she was sent rolling on the ground only catching herself just before she hit a wall.
"You should also never let your opponent distract you with such obvious traps. Such a single minded girl. Just like your mother." Alix was pissed. She admitted that the last hit was on her but the insult to her mother was just unnecessary.
She went running forward again but her instincts began to scream that she should duck. Alix quickly crouched and within a second she heard a loud bang from behind her. She didn't turn to see what it was as it would only serve as a distraction.
She ran to the side instead of forward this time. She was trying desperately to figure out her next course of action. This woman wasn't too much better than her so she should be able to come up with something.
Wait.
Alix slid to a stop and glared at Instructor Bizen. Her rage was akin to stealing a single coin from a dragon's treasure.
"What?" Bizen asked with a smug smile.
"You're not using your real weapon." Bizen raised her eyebrows.
"How'd you come to that conclusion?" Bizen playfully pursed her lips which only served to make Alix even more mad.
"Don't mess with me!" Several students turned their heads when Alix screamed.
"What other possible reason could there be for you and me being so close in skill level? You must be using a weapon that you don't have as much practice with on purpose." Bizen dropped the playful act and nodded.
"You're right. This isn't my main weapon." Alix clenched her fist tightly. Sure Martial Arts wasn't technically her main weapon either but it was her safeguard. If she was in a situation where she couldn't make use of magic she still had her mother's teachings to fall back on.
Yet against this woman that held back she could only barely compete.
"Why?"
"Why what?" Bizen asked the girl for clarity. Alix wanted to leap out of her own body.
"Why'd you make a fool of me like this!? You held back on purpose and still managed to stop several of my attacks. Do you truly see my mother's path, her family's livelihood, as such garbage that you want stomp it into the ground leaving no chance for it to resurface?"
Bizen sighed. "In a word, yes." Alix was shocked by the woman's sudden honesty. "I want you to understand that the era of pugilists has been left in the past and it should stay there. That's nothing personal to you or your mother. That's how I feel about all things outdated."
Alix stood with her head facing the ground and her fists clenched tightly. So tightly that blood began to seep through the gloves on her hands.
"Seems like you've given up. Pick up one of those weapons and start with the assignment. I won't count this agains-"
"No." Bizen was shocked to hear the girl refuse.
"Are you not hearing me? You're mother's style is past its prime. Your fists can barely reach me while I'm holding back. What is it that you're trying to prove?" Bizen was getting rather upset by this girls stubborn attitude.
"There seems to be a flaw in your thinking, instructor." Bizen crossed her arms and began to tap her foot impatiently.
"And what would that be? I can tell that you have talent for martial arts if that is what you're implying, but that alone won't be enough. It will never be enough to compete against blades, polearms or any other weapon that you may run across!" Alix cracked her neck.
"That was not your mistake. Your flaw was assuming that you understand me. Assuming that I am trying to chase after the phantoms of my mother's achievements. That has never been the case." Alix started to walk towards Rasque who was now more confused than upset.
"Then what are you trying to achieve?"
Alix smirked and clapped her hands loudly shocking some of the students that weren't paying attention to the spar.
"I shall show you." Alix's gloves started to activate kicking up wind around her hands. Before Bizen had a chance to understand what Alix meant the girl dashed forward once again. Bizen sighed in disappointment.
"I thought you were going to show me something new!" Instead of waiting for the girl Bizen also charged forward to meet mid dash. Bizen was ready for whatever punch, kick, or grapple the girl would try next.
What she was not prepared for was a gust. A powerful gust of wind brought on by none other than Alix swinging her fist way before Bizen had gotten close enough to attack. The wind was focused on her legs which made her lose her balance.
Alix as not done yet.
Her next move was clapping her hands again and punching the ground. This sent a shockwave through the dirt floor of the training field. Bizen, who was already off balance, felt the ground beneath her feet slightly shift. The shift was just enough to make lose what little stability she had left and begin to fall over.
The sound of a third clap caused her to look up only to see Alix directly in front of her with her fist sparking with lighting. Bizen's eyes opened wide and two words instinctively left her mouth.
"Spirit Savant?!" Alix stomped her front leg on the ground and hit the woman with a lighting enhanced straight right that sent her crashing into the wall. Alix clapped her hands softly removing the affect and adjusted her gloves.
"I'm no spirit savant." She spoke proudly as Bizen sat up in pain listening to her words.
"I'm a sorceress with enhanced gloves and years of martial training."