Vampire Reincarnation

Shadowed blades of grass moved rhythmically, guided by the wind as it lightly touched them. The forest sang a song, unlike the others it had before. Its gentle, soothing tune is now replaced by a more aggressive, yet confident melody. Branches thumped against each other, intertwining in a rough dance, their leaves falling gracefully on the cold ground. The forest’s animals listened and crawled, jumped, climbed, and walked, doing nothing but remain still, aggravated by the war-bound song.

Inside a large clearing, where the light of the moon sneaked through with difficulty, illuminated mostly by torches and light crystals, two young men stood parallel to each other. Their racing hearts echoed like a drum, accompanying the forest’s subtle choir. Warm light reflected off Kai’s long, silver hair, which was now tied in a ponytail.

His crimson eyes stared at his opponent like a viper, a desire to fight burning fiercely within. His black clothes - a simple cloak, shirt, and pants, contrasted his pearly white skin to a terrifying degree. On top of them lay a scaly chest piece, shoulder guards, and armguards, giving him a thin layer of protection. At his waist hung a sheath made out of brown leather and black iron, within which hid the sword made of silver, which housed the spirit of a beast.

He rubbed the ring wrapped around his finger and licked his lips as his eyes met with Sverik’s.

Sverik’s long hair fluttered in the wind, its ebony color merging with the shadows. His clothes shared a similar color palette to Kai’s, which only served to camouflage him even better. In his left hand, he held a small, iron buckler, and a short sword lay tied to his waist. His pupils constricted as they met Kai’s, however the burning desire to fight shone brightly within them as well.

A coppery leaf floated between them, twirling up and down, guided by the wind as it slowly descended. The two’s attention shifted to the leaf, and quickly got in position to fight, each assuming their stance. Finally, the leaf touched the ground.

Kai’s body shone with a faint light as it turned into a blur, his clothes violently flapping in the wind. The sharp sound of his blade unsheathing cut the air. The steel rang out again steel as their blades met and sparks sprayed out from the impact. Sverik got pushed backward as he blocked Kai’s violent attack. He rolled backward and dodged the strike aimed at his stomach. His body glowed with a bright light before Kai’s eyes. Kai’s pupils narrowed as Sveirk attacked again, the blade’s thrust aimed straight at his stomach.

He blocked with the side of this blade, however, his pupils constricted as he noticed Sverik’s sword changing trajectory, aimed toward his stomach instead. Biting his lip, he stopped mid-movement and took a step back instead, side-stepping and slashing at Sverik’s midsection. The buckler blocked the attack, and the sword countered in one swift motion, its sharp edge making contact with the scales.

It slid right off, leaving the armor unharmed, allowing Kai to take two steps back. Rotating his sword around his wrist, he thrust at Sverik in a simple, fast motion. The boy hurried to meet his attack with the shield, however, Kai once again spun the blade and transformed the thrust into a slash, which successfully connected with Sverik’s body. A clanging sound echoed in the air, and Kai’s blade vibrated violently as he took another step back. The fabric of Sverik’s pants is now decorated with a clean hole cut through them, however, no blood trickled down.

Skin Hardening? Kai clicked his tongue and circled Sverik, holding his sword diagonally with both hands, getting ready to attack or parry at a moment’s notice. Sveirk didn’t hesitate, took a forward step, and slashed with his sword.

Kai’s sword raised to block, however his opponent’s buckler pushed it askew, leaving the boy defenseless. He groaned and fell backward, his eyes fixated on the blade’s bloody tip. He retreated, as his body flashed with a white light. The two caught their breath, a wide smile creasing their lips before rushing each other again.

Kai’s feet sprung back, and he leaped in the air, descending right above Sverik. Caught off guard, he hastily threw his buckler to the side and held his sword with both hands. However, a few meters before the expected clash of steel, Kai pushed his leg forward, bouncing off the blade, and landed right behind Sverik.

A quick slash caught the boy off guard, surprised to find himself stabbed from behind. Without any time to turn, he quickly mumbled something under his breath, and his skin glowed. It flashed quickly as the sword made contact, causing Kai’s sword to vibrate once again. Gritting his teeth, he took back control of the sword and redirected it at Sverik’s arm.

Pwack!

The boy’s arms bled like a fountain, and blood spurted everywhere from the wound. Enraged, he stabbed backward, hitting nothing but thin air as Kai had already retreated.

“Looks like your ‘Skin Hardening’ isn’t good enough yet.” He taunted, trying to get a reaction from his opponent. Sverik groaned and picked up his buckler, then turned to Kai.

The wind howled.

Kai clicked his tongue and approached Sverik. He sped up with a faint light, then raised his sword and cleaved down. Sverik blocked and pushed the blade aside, however he raised his buckler again. The sound of metal scraping metal echoed in the night. Kai rained down a flurry of blows, slashing faster and harder with every continuous strike, pushing his opponent back.

Sweat dripped down his face, but he struck once again. Sverik blocked with his sword and ducked. Kai jumped, dodging Sverik’s low swipe, then attacked downward. His slash stopped mid-air, blocked by Sverik’s blade. Both swords fell downward, and Kai’s pupils widened in surprise upon seeing the buckler flying toward his face. He let go of the sword and pushed Sverik with a kick to the stomach.

He forced his sword free and thrust at Sverik’s mid-section. The boy blocked the attack, and Kai’s sword rotated along Sverik’s. Kai clutched the hilt with both hands, and his arms shook as he pushed against Sveriks’. He gasped, seeing Sverik lock him with a single hand. Before he had time to think, his opponent’s buckler descended upon him, and he fell backward.

Dodging another strike and rising to his feet, he brought a hand to his forehead, blood smudging on his palm. A chuckle echoed in his ears, and he turned to see Sverik look at him with a smug expression. He puffed and wiped the blood and sweat from his face. Letting out a light sigh, he brandished his sword and advanced slowly.

“Looks like your head is thicker than it looks.” Sverik laughed as he put his buckler forward, and his short steel sword a few inches back. “I hope there’s a brain hidden in there too.”

Kai spat on the ground, rolling his eyes as his cloak fluttered in the wind. “I hope you won’t cry too much when I defeat you.”

The two carefully approached, probing each other with their swords as their feet danced. Kai slashed diagonally, which turned into a stab as Sverik raised his buckler to block. The young dwarf quickly retreated, then deflected the sword downward before kicking at Kai’s head. He let go of the sword, grabbed the leg, and got shoved to the side from the impact.

Kai’s hand trembled and resigned his weapon. Taking a step back, he dodged another buckler hit. His back arched as he barely evaded a swipe attack, and created more space between him and Sverik.

The ring around his finger flashed with a faint light as a wand appeared in his hand. Kai’s voice immediately reverberated in the air, followed by two red crystals glowing on the wand’s surface. A ball of fire manifested in front of him, which quickly became bigger and shot toward Sverik. He rolled out of the way, only to be greeted by another one, which landed squarely on his buckler.

The intense heat scattered, leaving black scorch marks on Sverik’s shield. Kai didn’t stop his barrage of spells, however, and drew a circle mid-air, summoning a dozen fireballs that waited for his command. Another soft mumble, and a transparent green stone on his shone brightly, then so did his body. Speed increased, wind resistance decreased, fireball barrage, and now… He thought inwardly as he whispered, and the earth suddenly trembled as walls of earth rose from the ground, enclosing the two in an earthen cage. Ground Fortress!

With a wave of his hand, three fireballs shot toward Sverik, Kai’s eyes observing his opponent's movement like a viper. Sverik stepped to the side, then rolled as the second fireball approached, and finally raised his buckler to destroy the last one. The two locked eyes and slight anger hid beneath Sverik’s competitive gaze.

Kai smiled tauntingly, a smirk creasing his lips as he shot three other fireballs. He advanced, picking up the pace until his legs broke into a sprint, and waved his wand as Sverik began dodging again. He shot a fireball at Sverik’s legs after dodging the first fireball, making him jump in response, and he hastily raised his shield. The force from the impact sent him reeling backward, at which point Kai sent another blazing flame flying toward his opponent, at the same time picking up the silver sword lying on the ground.

Sverik gasped, however, Kai gave him no time to think as he shot another fireball, followed by another, and then another. Sverik blocked the first one and dodged the second one, however, the third one hit him in the chest, shooting him backward and scorching his clothes. Kai waved his wand before his opponent even hit the wall he raised, creating two claw-like outward indentations, which closed shut on his arms as soon as Sverik neared them. They pulled him to the wall, locking his hands in place. Kai sped up and sheathed his wand. His sword reflected the moonlight as it stabbed at Sverik’s neck.

The sound of air getting split echoed in the night as the blade rapidly approached. Sverik kicked with his feet, launching himself upward as his body flashed with soft light, and his muscles instantly contracted. He groaned and broke himself free of the bind. Sverik kicked against the wall, leaped forward, and dogged Kai’s strike. The boy rapidly turned, transforming his stab into a slash. Metal scraping metal reverberated in the air as his strike got blocked by his opponent’s blade, however, he did a one-eighty and struck once again, this time the buckler parried his sword.

Annoyed, he took a step back and shot the remaining fireballs he had. He didn’t wait for them to land, as he clutched the hilt between his hands, and diagonally slashed toward Sverik’s hand. His sword bounced back, deflected by Sverik’s blade just in time for the fireballs to bombard his body. He tumbled backward, and Kai followed suit. Kai thrust toward Sverik’s mid-section, grinning as he did so. However, the smile on his face faded as the buckler once again blocked him. Sverik used the momentum given by the strike to flip, regaining his footing.

“That all you got?” He wiped the few beads of sweat dripping down his forehead as he taunted Kai. “So much for a One Star Mage.”

Kai slouched and leaned on his sword for support. His drenched clothes stuck to his body like a leech. He inhaled deeply and stood upright. “Like you’re one to speak, so much for being a Three Star Body Mage.” Kai yawned, raising a hand to his mouth. “I thought I’d have some competition.”

He scoffed and sheathed his word, then picked up his wand and gave Sverik a provocative glance. “About time I wrap this up.” Without waiting for Sverik to respond, Kai waved his wand, a dark crystal on top of it glowing briefly before a dark mist manifested around them. Shroud; Vision; Kai’s crimson pupils shone, and he blinked rapidly, getting accustomed to the darkness. His eyes fixated on Sverik, whose breathing hastened.

Kai quietly advanced, putting away the wand and silently unsheathing his sword, he approached the unsuspecting Sverik. This Night Vision spell is amazing… He thought, sneaking behind his opponent. Swinging with the dull side of the blade, aimed straight at Sverik’s neck. However, his pupils widened as the boy turned around and perfectly avoided the blow. How?!

He took a few steps back, then inspected Sverik, whose eyes seemed to fixate on nothing in particular. Using only sound?.... Amazing. Kai smirked, grabbed his wand, and then cast a countless spell as he waved his wand. A strong gust of wind blew through the mist, not affecting it in the slightest. However, it served as the perfect buffer to cover Kai’s attacks.

Sverik instantly activated his ‘Skin Hardening’, and planted his feet on the ground, unmoving. Kai circled him a few times, taking advantage of the wind to change positions, then struck once again. He swung the dull part of his sword at Sverik’s belly, which landed successfully. Kai, however, found himself unable to retrieve the blade, as Sverik clutched it tightly between his hands after dropping the buckler. Kai flew toward him as he pulled on the sword, running straight into his opponent’s sword. He grits his teeth, lets go of the sword, and jumps behind Sverik. His landing was greeted by a kick, and then a punch to the chest. He coughed lightly as he fell backward.

The mist around them disappeared as Kai regained his footing. Tsk, out of mana… He sighed and prepared to face Sverik hand to hand, at least until he recovered his sword. “Didn’t know your mana pool was this shallow. Do you want to do hand-to-hand? Fine…” Sverik said, throwing aside his weapons with a smirk.

“Don’t think yourself too tough, you’re shorter than me.” Kai retorted, clenching his fists.

Both boys smirked and rushed each other like two savage beasts, then grabbed each other by the collar and wrestled to push the other to the ground. Kai threw a punch aimed at Sverik’s face, which he barely avoided with a twist of his neck. He punched back, but Kai avoided it, wind whistled past his face as he sent a kick at Sverik’s stomach. The boy grunted, held his breath in, then lifted Kai slightly, kicking at his legs and making him fall over.

Kai dragged Sverik down with him, and squirmed on the ground, tumbling with him in the dust. “Just give up already!” He yelled, hitting Sverik square in the face.”

“You’ll run out of stamina before I give up.” Sverik retaliated with a punch to the throat.

Kai coughed, however quickly regained his senses and looked at something within reach with the tail of his eye. He grabbed Sverik above him, then kicked with his feet and broke free of his clutch. Quickly jumping to his feet, he reached for his sword and brushed it against Sverik’s neck, who didn’t manage to get up in time. Kai breathed rapidly, his chest heaving up and down as a raspy voice escaped his body. “I… I win…” Sweat dripped down his forehead, cheeks, back, and hands, the blade trembling within his hands.

Sverik raised his head, feeling the cold surface against his blazing skin, and fell back to the ground. “Fine, fine… you win.”

Kai scoffed, and let go of the sword, letting it fall with a soft thud. “I beat you fair and square, man.” He extended his hand to Sverik, helping him rise to his feet.

“Yeah, by picking up the sword!” Sverik punched Kai lightly, earning a soft groan.

“Nothing wrong with that, who told you to drop your weapons?” He retorted, taking off his sweat-drenched shirt and armor. “I can’t believe it took me that long to defeat you with magic.”

“I can’t believe you managed to defeat me. It’s only been what… two weeks since you reached One Star.”

“Yeah, and I only managed to cast a useless spell for two minutes.” Kai sighed, thinking about the ‘Shroud’ which barely gave him an advantage over Sverik. “Not to mention I had ‘Vision’ on as well.”

“Well, it’s no wonder you ran out of mana so quickly.” A familiar female voice rang in their ears as the walls of earth around them collapsed. Returning to their rightful place inside the ground, it revealed five figures who slowly walked out from the shadows. Aina walked in front, wearing a dark green hunting uniform, her untied, long hair swaying with the wind. “These two spells, ‘Shroud’ and ‘Vision’ aren’t meant to be used at the same time, fool. ‘Vision’ uses more mana the darker the environment is, and you use it inside a Darkness Spell… It’s like you didn’t pay attention to my lessons.”

Kai scratched the back of his neck, letting out an awkward chuckle. “And you, Sverik.” Zarman’s rough voice echoed from behind Aina, revealing himself as he strutted toward the boy. “How could you drop your weapons? Do you think your opponent will be lenient in a real fight? Aye! You’re leaving in a few days and you’re still this foolish.”

Sverik smiled, and let out a defeated sigh.

Kai looked toward his group. Aina, Elizabeth, and Euphridia walked toward him with complex expressions. Onyx was a little bit behind them, however his large stature still shadowed them as they stopped a few meters away from Kai. They sat in silence, if even for a moment, and then Elizabeth walked forward and locked eyes with her pupil. She looked happy, and proud, however, a tinge of regret and helplessness hid behind her emerald eyes.

She raised her hand, ruffling his disheveled hair, and said in a soft voice, “You did well, that was a masterful display of magic… Even if you messed up toward the end.”

“Thanks.” Kai lowered his head, his pale face reddening slightly. He glanced inside his mana core, and let out a sigh. “I only have a little mana left, what a waste.”

“That’s alright,” Aina said, bringing out a clean cloth from her ring, and throwing it toward Kai. “That’s why we organised this duel, and the training with the beasts. You need more firsthand experience with these things.”

“Woof!” Onyx barked, seemingly agreeing with the elf woman.

“Since when was he that close to you?” Kai chuckled, wiping the sweat off his body.

“Well, it’s a long story.” Aina chuckled, not intending to tell it at all.

“Alright then,” Euphiridia said as she walked forward, passing Aina and standing next to Elly. “Kid, you did good, exceptionally well. Though the tumbling on the ground or whatever you two were doing wasn’t… optimal. Your swordsmanship wasn’t half bad. You too, Sverik boy, you did even better than this brat, considering he had magic as well.” She lookedat Kai, letting go of his head only after he let out cries of pain.

“Haha, alright, let’s clean up and go inside then.” Aina urged the group, taking the lead and walking toward her manor, collecting the crystals and torches on the way.