Arthur doesn't let up, and keeps pressing him. "Come on, Felix. You can do better than this. Show me what you've got." His voice is challenging and encouraging.
Felix grits his teeth, and stands up. He says, "Okay, Arthur. You asked for it." He fights back with more intensity and creativity. Not letting any fraction of a second go by without doing something. He uses his telekinesis to manipulate his environment, creating obstacles and distractions. He uses his magic to attack any moment he can't physically attack and chooses his spells wisely. He uses his device to anticipate and counter Arthur's moves. He starts to land some hits, and make Arthur sweat. He feels a surge of adrenaline, and hope.
Arthur notices his change, "Now that's more like it. You're finally getting serious." They continue to fight, and the gap between them seems to narrow. Felix feels like he has a chance, and he pushes himself harder. He cycles his mana through his body faster and more intensely, feeling a similar feeling of impending breakthrough as before he psionically awakened. He thinks this might be how he can push his physical enhancement to tier 2, but he needs to overcome this pain and push through this barrier.
He focuses on his goal, and ignores his pain. Pouring all his focus and attention on it, feeling every bit of mana circulating through his body and how it's happening. Starting to notice a pattern, something he can take advantage of. Then he feels a shift, a click, a snap. His physical enhancement breaks through to the next tier, and he feels a new power surging through him. He feels stronger, faster, and more durable. He feels like he can take on the world.
He looks at Arthur, and grins. He says, "Ready for round two?" His voice confident and cocky.
Arthur looks at him, and feels a slight sense of awe and caution. He says, "So that's how it is. Fine, let's see what you can do now." His voice intrigued and ready.
They resume their fight, and this time seems more even. They exchange blows, and neither gives an inch. Felix throws everything he has into the fight, and Arthur answers him blow for blow. Felix feels a high from his new understanding of his physical enhancement. He feels like he's transcended his limits, and reached a new level of power. He thinks he can win this, and prove himself to Bia.
Then Arthur does something unexpected. He uses his sword to unleash a powerful blast of holy light that blinds and stuns Felix. He then follows up with a shield bash that sends him flying and crashing into the wall. Felix feels dizzy, and hurt. He tries to get up, but Arthur is already there, pointing his sword at his throat.
"Yield, Felix. It's over." He declares with his voice calm and firm. Felix looks at him, and sees no malice or arrogance in his eyes. Just respect and kindness. He sighs, "I yield. You win." Arthur lowers his sword, and offers his hand. "That was a great fight, Felix. You did amazing. You've grown a lot, and you should be proud of yourself." He says with his voice praising and warm.
Felix takes his hand, and stands up. He says, "Thanks, Arthur. You're a great fighter, and a great teacher. I learned a lot from you." They shake hands, and Felix heals himself. "I feel like I could sleep for a week, but I guess I should go home and focus on resting now before the duel." He comments with his voice weary and joking.
Arthur laughs, and says, "Yeah, you should. You earned it. Good luck tomorrow, Felix. I'll be there to cheer you on." They part ways, and Felix goes home. He finds Nya and Melina there, waiting for him. They rush to him, and ask if he's okay. He says, "I'm fine, just tired. Yet it was worth it. I feel ready for tomorrow." He says, his voice happy and confident.
They hug him, and congratulate him, "We're so proud of you, Felix. You're amazing." He thanks them, and they have dinner. They talk about his training, and his breakthrough. They're excited and curious about his new tier of physical enhancement. He explains how it works, and what it feels like. They listen, and ask questions. They're impressed and fascinated.
After dinner, they go to bed. Felix feels exhausted, but also satisfied. He cuddles with Nya, and falls asleep. He dreams about his duel, and his victory. He knows it won't be easy, but he's not afraid. He's ready and he's going to show the world what he can do.
Felix wakes up early. The duel is today, and he can't sleep any longer. He feels a mix of excitement and nervousness. He gets out of bed, careful not to wake Nya. She's sleeping peacefully, and he doesn't want to disturb her. He kisses her forehead, and whispers, "Good morning, beautiful. I'll see you later." He then goes to the bathroom, and washes up. He looks at himself in the mirror, and tries to calm his nerves.
He goes to the kitchen, and finds Melina there. She's making breakfast, and she smiles when she sees him. "Morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well?" She asks, her voice cheerful and concerned. He nods and says, "Sort of. I'm a bit anxious, but I'll be fine."
She walks to him, and hugs him. "I know you will. You've worked hard for this, and you've grown so much. I'm proud of you, no matter what happens." She says, her voice loving and motherly. She then hands him a couple potions, "These should help make sure you’re rejuvenated and in top shape for your duel. I made them special for you."
He thanks her, and drinks one. He feels a surge of energy and stamina, and his nerves ease a bit. Then he drinks the other one, and feels a burst of clarity and mental acuity, "Wow, mom. These are great. You're the best." She laughs and says, "I know, dear. Now, sit down and eat. You need to fuel up for the big day."
They sit down, and eat breakfast. They chat about random things, trying to keep the mood light. Felix eats heartily, feeling his hunger. He finishes his plate, "That was delicious, mom. Thanks." She smiles, "You're welcome, sweetie. Now, go get ready. The duel is in an hour, right?"
He nods, "Yeah. I'll meet you and Nya at the arena. I need to get my things, and do some final preparations." He says, his voice determined and focused. He goes to his room, and packs his bag with his essentials. Then look at himself in the mirror and psyches himself up. He says, "I can do this... I can do this!"
He hears Nya behind him, and turns around. She's awake, and she looks stunning. She's wearing a black dress that hugs her curves, and shows her cleavage. Her hair is done up in a ponytail, and her eyes are sparkling. "You can, and you will. I believe in you, Felix." She says, her voice supportive and sexy.
He blushes, "Wow, Nya. You look amazing. Thank you for being here for me." He says, his voice awed and grateful. She walks to him, and kisses him. He kisses her back, and they hold each other for a moment. She then says, "Let's go. We don't want to be late."
They leave the house, and meet Melina outside. She's also dressed nicely in a green dress. She hugs them both, and says, "Ready, kids? Let's go show them what we're made of." She says, her voice spirited and proud.
They walk to the arena, where the duel is going to take place. It's a large circular building, with a dome-shaped roof. The entrance is crowded with people, who are excited to see the fight. There are banners and posters with Felix's and Bia's faces on them. Some people cheer for Felix, some for Bia, and some just want to see a good show.
Nya, and Melina make their way through the crowd, and enter find spots in the audience next to Grog and Arthur, who are already there. They greet each other, and wish Felix luck. Grog says, "Hey, buddy. You're going to rock this. I know it."
While Felix head into the preparation room feeling his heart racing wildly. He tries to calm down, and focus on his breathing. He closes his eyes, and meditates. He feels his device, his magic, and his psionics. He feels his connection to them, and his control over them. He feels ready.
A voice announces, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the duel of the year! The challenger, Felix, the clanless wonder, versus the champion, Bia, the Silver Claw heir! The stakes are high, their honor is on the line, and the action is guaranteed! Who will emerge victorious? Let's find out!"
The crowd roars, and Felix opens his eyes. He sees a door in front of him, and he knows it leads to the arena. He takes a deep breath, and walks to it. He opens it, and steps into the light. He sees the arena, a vast sand-covered floor, surrounded by rows of seats. He sees Bia, standing on the opposite side, wearing his clan's traditional armor. He's already taking up a martial combat stance, and starts circulating his qi while staring Felix down.
Felix channels his newly improved physical enhancement technique. His body radiating with a blue glow around him that he contracts but intensifies as he tightens the loops of circulation within him and makes it more efficient while also increasing the intensity. Bia does something similar as his qi aura contracts and intensifies as well. Felix makes sure the tetrahedron is active before focusing on Bia with everything he has and blocking out all distractions. His focus sharpens to a razor point as the tension rises exponentially. The arena is so silent you could hear a rat piss on cotton.
Bia's entourage includes his family, many clan members, and the council of elders. Felix's entourage has has smaller but tight knit group of family and friends. One thing in common between both groups is they're watching with baited breath and even refusing to blink. Bia's group knows Bia is taking this very seriously because of how he's circulating his qi, but has no idea what Felix is doing. Felix's group knows how hard he's worked and how much he's grown. While still having no idea what Bia is doing to make the atmosphere so oppressive and tense, except Nya, who stares with a very worried expression.
"The duel will begin in three, two, one... FIGHT!" The voice says, and the crowd goes wild.
Bia moves first, dashing forward with incredible speed. His fist aimed at Felix's face. Felix's danger sense and precognition flare, and he dodges to the side. Bia's fist hits the air, creating a shockwave that ripples through the arena. Felix feels the force, but he's not affected. He retaliates with a quick telekinetic push that sends Bia stumbling back, before following up with a downward lightning strike. Bia recovers his balance just in time to see the lightning coming down and barely manages to dodge forward towards Felix. Felix has already cast an arcane shield that tilts Bia's movement to the side and kicks him in the gut while his movement is off. He flies back, and lands on his feet.
Felix presses his advantage, and shoots a barrage of force missiles at him. Bia deflects them with his qi-infused arms, but some of them get through, hitting his shoulders and chest. He grunts, and glares at Felix."You're better than I thought, clanless, but don't get cocky. This is just the beginning." He says with his voice calm and confident.
Felix responds sharply, "Less talking, more fighting. Don't tell me it's just the beginning, come at me."
Bia smirks, and says, "As you wish." He then unleashes his qi in a powerful blast that forms a shockwave of energy that heads straight for Felix. Felix senses it, and realizes he can't block or redirect it. So he telekinetically yanks himself to the side to dodge it. The blast hits the wall behind him, creating a huge crack.
Bia uses the opening to close the distance, and throws a punch at Felix's chest. Felix anticipates it, and catches his arm. He then twists it, trying to break it. Though Bia is too strong for that to work, he reverses the hold. He grabs Felix's wrist, pulls him closer, and then headbutts him, making him see stars. Felix staggers back, and Bia follows up with a knee to his stomach. Felix doubles over, and Bia elbows him in the back. Felix falls to the ground, and Bia stomps on him.
Felix feels a lot of pain, but also anger. He activates his telekinesis, and shoves Bia away with a blast of mental force. Bia flies back, and Felix gets up. He wipes the blood from his nose, and heals himself. "Is that all you got, kitty cat? You hit like a baby." He says, his voice mocking and defiant.
Bia snarls and says, "You'll regret that, runt." He then charges at Felix again, this time with a more refined and graceful style. He uses his qi to enhance his movements more, making him faster and more agile. He attacks with a flurry of strikes that Felix struggles to parry. Felix uses his device to predict and counter, but Bia is too skilled and unpredictable. Felix responds in a desperate move by hyper concentrating mana to a single point in a way that's designed to be unstable before blinking away to leave Bia with the consequences of it. Knowing he'd be in serious danger if he was still there when it exploded. The explosion throws Bia away violently while burning his clothes and causing obvious damage.
Felix doesn't waste time, and follows up with a scorching ray that hits Bia while he's still trying to recover. Bia cries out in pain, and falls to one knee. Felix tries to chain another spell, but Bia recovers faster than expected, and dodges. He then throws a qi-infused dagger at Felix, who barely avoids it with his telekinesis. The dagger embeds itself in the wall, and Bia uses a qi rope to pull himself to it. He then launches himself from it, and tackles Felix to the ground.
They wrestle on the sand, each trying to gain the upper hand. Bia tries to pin Felix down, but Felix uses his telekinesis to lift them both up, and slam them back down. Bia loses his grip, and Felix kicks him off. They both stand up, and face each other. They're both bruised, bleeding, and breathing heavily. They look at each other with respect, and rage.
The crowd is silent, watching with awe for the moment. This is the kind of spectacle the arena was made for. They erupt into cheer and applause, urging them to continue. Felix and Bia didn't notice themselves, but throughout the fight so far their respective sides have been cheering for them when they had the upper hand.
Felix and Bia don't disappoint. They take a moment to use their respective healing techniques, and get their physical enhancement techniques back up and running. Felix channels his magic physical enhancement technique into his tightly controlled blue aura and feels the strain of using it in his state, but pushes forward anyway. Bia circulates his qi into his tightly controlled white aura, and a trickle of blood runs down the corner of his mouth. Felix's mana and mental energy are low, but he's committing to using everything. Bia is clearly doing the same with his qi.
They then clash again, exchanging blows that could kill a normal person. Their speed and power are incredible. They use everything they have, their physical enhancement, their magic, their psionics, their weapons, their environment. They fight viciously, and without hesitation. It's a battle of wills, and a test of honor.
The fight rages on, and neither of them gives an inch. They're evenly matched, and they know it. They also know that one of them has to win, and one of them has to lose. They both want to be the winner, and they push themselves to the brink to win. At one point Felix is up, and at another Bia is up, it's impossible to tell who has the upper hand.
Then Bia brings his hands together and starts making a long and drawn out effort of concentrating qi between his palms, and Felix responds by doing the same with his mana. Both of them make hyper dense balls of their respective energies. Then Bia launches his in ball form at Felix, while Felix fires his as a concentrated beam. The two attacks collide in the center, and create a massive explosion that shakes the arena. The sand is blown away, revealing the stone floor underneath. The crowd gasps, and covers their eyes.
When the dust settles, they see Felix and Bia standing face to face, their arms crossed in front of them, protecting themselves from the blast. They're both panting, and sweating, but they're still standing. They look at each other, and see the exhaustion and pain in their eyes, but also the determination and pride.
They're too drained to talk, and simply walk down towards each other into the bottom of the crater as they step on the stone floor underneath. Squaring off again, but without any kind of enhancement because they don't have enough energy left. The arena is silent again as they wait to see how it ends. Bia lunges at Felix, and Felix is wondering how to respond when he notices something. Bia's mental defenses are down. He's not sure if he has enough mental energy left for a synaptic attack, but he goes for it. It's the only card he has left. He focuses his remaining mental energy into a precise synaptic overload.
Felix's synaptic overload is weak, but hits Bia's mind like a tuning hammer hitting an extremely tight wire that's strained to it's absolute limit. Bia's eyes fade and he falls like a sack of potatoes as his mind shuts off. Felix stands over him, and waits for a moment to make sure Bia doesn't get up. Felix has won.
The voice announces, "The winner is... Felix!" Felix feels a surge of relief, and joy. He's done it. He's beaten Bia. Though he's not sure how he's going to leave the arena now. As he's contemplating it a clan elder comes down from the audience to Bia, using some smelling salts to wake Bia up. Who stirs awake with a jolt, but is still heavily disoriented. Bia hazily glares at Felix while saying, "I-I'll get you... Next time...".
Felix's mouth moves before he knows what he's going to say, "I-" He says one word before mental static hits him like a ton of bricks and he can't think. His own eyes fade and he almost falls, but snaps out of it and shakes his head as he comes back to his senses. "Never mind him, young lord. We must return you to clan headquarters immediately." The clan elder tells Bia.
Felix can only nod as if the elder was talking to him before realizing he should leave too. The uphill climb out of the crater is a miserable struggle as every movement is a conscious battle against gravity with the risk of losing his balance means not being able to stand back up. Eventually taking him to the preparation room where he's outside the gaze of the audience, and lets himself fall down. His mind is spinning and he feels like he's floating as he meditates to first calm his mental state before he can meditate properly to regain some resources to heal himself. His mental state stabilizes and his senses return to normal as he feels himself laying face first on the floor. Then with the first trickle of mana he heals himself and stands up. After that, he feels ready to go see his loved ones.
Felix steps out of the preparation room, and is immediately surrounded by his friends and family. They hug him, congratulate him, and fuss over him. They're all happy for his victory, but also worried about his condition. They can see he's pale, shaky, and bleeding from his nose.
"Are you okay, Felix? You look terrible." Melina says, her voice full of concern and motherly love.
"I'm fine, mom. Just a little tired. Nothing a good rest won't fix." Felix says, trying to reassure her, but his voice is weak and hoarse.
"You call this fine? You almost died out there! What were you thinking, pushing yourself so hard?" Melina scolds him, her voice full of anger and fear.
"I was thinking of winning, mom, and I did. I beat him. Isn't that what matters?" Felix says, his voice stubborn and proud.
"Of course it matters, but not at the cost of your life! You're not invincible, Felix. You need to take care of yourself." Melina says, her voice softening and pleading.
"I know, mom. I'm sorry. I just... I had to do it. I had to prove myself." Felix says, his voice lowering and guilty.
Nya steps in, and puts a hand on his shoulder. "You did, Felix. You proved yourself to everyone. You're amazing, and I'm so proud of you. Though please don't do something like that again." She says, her voice admiring and earnest.
Felix looks at her, and smiles. "Thanks, Nya. That means a lot. I won't make a habit of it, I promise." He says, his voice warm and sincere.
Grog claps him on the back, almost knocking him over. "That was awesome, buddy! You showed that Silver Claw punk who's the boss! You're a beast!" He says, his voice loud and enthusiastic.
"Thanks, Grog. You're not so bad yourself. I couldn't have done it without you." Felix says, his voice grateful and friendly.
Arthur nods at him, and says, "You fought well, Felix. Your mother and Nya have a point about how far you pushed yourself, but your grit and determination was admirable." He says, his voice calm and respectful.
"Thank you, Arthur. That means a lot coming from you." Felix says, his voice humble and appreciative.
Luna runs to him, and hugs him tightly. "Felix, you were incredible! I was so scared for you, but also so happy for you! You're my hero!" She says, her voice excited and emotional.
Felix hugs her back, and says, "Thanks, Luna. You're too sweet. You're my hero too, you know." He says, his voice fond and teasing.
They all smile, and laugh. They're relieved that the duel is over, and that Felix is okay. They decide to go home, and celebrate. They help Felix walk, and support him. He feels weak, but also loved.
As they exit the arena, they see Bia being carried off as the head elder leaves carrying him on what looks like a flying sword. Felix thinks to himself that he's never looked at a sword and thought to use it as transportation. Maybe he should look into that...
They make their way home, and Felix feels his eyelids getting heavy. He's exhausted, and he needs to sleep. He tells his friends, "Guys, I think I'm going to pass out soon. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" He says, his voice sleepy and slurred.
They nod, and say their goodbyes. They tell him to rest well, and that they'll talk later. They leave him with his mom and Nya, who help him to his room. They tuck him in, and kiss his forehead. They tell him they love him, and that they're proud of him. He mumbles something back, and then drifts off to dreamless sleep.