King Grelther suddenly approached, and had Hainan jogging just behind him.
"So, I heard someone challenging a duel here?
Surprise spread across the group of children, as suddenly the monarch of a kingdom encroached on their conversation, asking a question.
It took a while for anybody to respond, obviously still stunned by the individual before them.
"Well, father," Renett spoke first, breaking the mood of surprise that was still untouched. "What you heard was Daineel, approaching Adaceus over here to a duel, and as you know and hopefully he does now, that the ball is still session and this declaration is but stupid and childish, and he shouldn't have done it. Right brother?"
Daineel nodded, though disappointed and casted an annoyed look at her sister.
"Ah, is that so."
"Yes, and Adaceus refused, as he should have, thus this issue has finally been resolved."
"Really? That's well and good, but I was actually looking forward to seeing a duel."
"What?" The children all said in unison.
"W-wait, wait, what do you mean? Lord Grelther?" Hainan was the one to ask.
"A duel, I would like to see one. It would be refreshing to the eyes if I could witness some fighters duking it out, I'm getting rather tired of just standing around talking, especially if it is my own son that is doing battle, I am eager to witness it."
"Really? Lord Grelther, but, the ball is still in session, and if your presence was to be missing it would put quite the damper in it."
"I'm sure it can go on without for a couple moments, besides what are they going to do? Stop a king from doing what he pleases? Hah."
"Right, of course."
"Well? Lets hurry and get outside, to let the battle begin!"
Daineel chuckled suddenly, his eyes directed toward Adaceus and shot him a toothy smile.
"Looks like you don't have a choice.'
Hainan turned his toward where Ada was, a nervous look in his face, and all Adaceus could do was let out an exasperated sigh.
"Seems so."
# # # # # # # ## #
Under the veil of night, lightened by the shining moons, and below the roof of stars, Adaceus stood across a large space, readying a weapon and staring down his opponent at the opposite end.
How did things come to this? He wondered, stretching out his shoulder and looking about his new surroundings.
This was the palace courtyard, where their spontaneous duel was to be held in. It was a flat and large space, where combatants could comfortably battle on without any foreign interference. Over to his right was the palace itself, and in its balcony was where the spectators were. The king, Hainan, Renett, and Lujah, were there, looking down on them, prepared to witness the duel that was about to begin.
He straightened his eyes at the other end of the courtyard, seeing Prince Daineel readying up as well. He put on simple shoulder armor that was covered the right side of his arm wholly in silver plates, and in his hand was a hammer.
"Alright! I'm ready," Daineel declared, bringing up the stone, rune engraved hammer.
Adaceus took a deep breath and posed himself to a fighting stance, "I as well, prince."
Daineel smiled a wide grin, and, immediately after his eyes began glowing a bright, yellow light, and with his raised hand that had a hammer began to be surrounded with thunder and lightning, and slowly his entire body as well.
Adaceus's eyes widened in surprise.
I see, he's finally unlocked an element, yes, this is something new indeed.
Elemental Caller, a term used for aura users that have transformed their cores with elemental energy. Essentially an aura user already has an innate element in their cores that remains dormant, a latent power within, and some are able to unlock it using a myriad of ways that essentially replaces the standard aura energy to that specific element.
From the moment of unlocking their element, all use of techniques, powers, abilities, and the very aura itself are permanently imbued with elemental power, whatever it may be,
Adaceus has only seen a couple of people who were an Elemental Caller, Ingridt is the most notable one he could recall as her attunement to the wind element that, matched with her combat prowess, made her one of the most powerful people of the kingdom has ever seen. It is quite a uncommon for someone to have unlocked an elemental power, and thus whenever a person does they are seen as valuable talents, and a very volatile opponent to face against.
And Adaceus was facing against one.
He begun enveloping his body with aura, creating a hardened, thin shell and with an open hand conjured a magic circle and casted protection spells all about him. This was a crucial preparatory step that Adaceus deemed necessary to do, Daineel had brought out something unexpected, and he couldn't take the chance to be careless.
Daineel put forward his hammer and a bolt of lightning shot out in blinking speeds. Adaceus blocked it in a split second, and a look of shock would be apparent in his face if it wasn't hidden under the mask.
He repositioned, standing back up form the pushback of the lightning bolt.
"Impressive, prince, to think you'd have an element, lightning as well, were you were saving it for little old me?"
"Hah! I did, I've been rearing to try it out on you for quite a while now."
"Pftt," Adaceus sputtered.
Daineel's eyes widened, and his face contorted to an angry expression.
"Damn you!"
Daineel yelled, his body roaring even more with thunder and sending another shot of thunder his way. Adaceus dodged to the right, and sent a slash of aura his way. Daineel collided the slash with his hammer splintering it to shards, and in a split second, a flicker of movement, Adaceus closed the gap and appeared behind him.
As if a nerve was struck Daineel looked to his back, only to see Adaceus there. Using a mixture of spell work and aura techniques, he was able to move in blinding speeds behind the prince, with sword ready to tear through him.
The prince was shocked, but it only lasted a split second before a wide grin rose in his mouth.
"Thunder Aura! Release!"
The thunder that enveloped him suddenly burst in a wave of energy, sending Adaceus away, flying in the air.
He skidded to the floor and stared at the cloud of smoke to where Daineel was, focused and attentive, his arms shaking and tremoring from the impact as the thunder affected him, residual volts escaping from his body. A burst of thunder then penetrated through the smoke, making it dissipate revealing the prince, lightning enveloped again.
"How did you like that, Ada? Enjoying the thunder stabbing on your body!?"
"You could have done much worse prince, are you taking it easy on me?" Adaceus said, gritting his teeth because the thunder made his body spasm. It seemed that the thunder that Daineel had, had the effect to weaken his physical state if he had contact with it.
He could feel the lightning causing his flesh to tense tightly.
"Oh ho ho, I'm never taking it easy on you!"
Adaceus dashed toward him, ignoring the pain. Daineel then twirled his hammer, using aura to let it levitate and raised high to the sky. Thunder fell to the running Adaceus, and he parried away as they appeared in succession. A particularly strong bolt hit him causing smoke to enshroud him, and from the smoke he leaped, an aura enhanced sword ready to strike at the open Daineel.
A hammer blocked the attack, hovering in front of the blade like a shield.
"Not gonna work!"
Daineel empty hands swiftly covered with thunder aura, taking form of a gauntlet, and punched Adaceus in the face, whiplash escaping the back of his head.
"Another!"
Daineel followed up in a fast movement, moving behind Adaceus and sent a punch to his back, crackling thunder trailing behind.
Adaceus was sent skidding to the ground, and left writhing and in all fours, coughing while he tried desperately to stand up.
"Hahaha! How'd ya like the taste of that, huh? I finally peaked an edge over you, Ada."
Ada stoop up and turned to Daineel, coughing dry and supporting himself with his blade, residual thunder moving through him like worms on dirt.
"Yes, you really have," In heavy breath he said.
"Tell me, how is it? How's the taste of thunder and lightning being coursed through you feel? Man, I've been waiting for this moment for so long now!"
He punched his knuckles together, crackling thunder escaping like embers, and ran like a bull toward Adaceus. He lunged with a punch ready to the struggling Adaceus, before a magic circle appeared in his mouth area, halting him in his track.
"Banshee Screech!"
A point blank wave of energy hit Daineel straight in the face, a loud and booming screeching sound that sending him back with ferocious force. The unbearable screeching sound made him cover his ears and wince in pain.
The screeching finally stopped after a few moments, and Daineel managed to recollect himself after a direct hit. He shook his head a couple of times, his ears ringing, only to find Adaceus missing from where he stood.
"Look up!"
A voice muttered, and Daineel did look up, and to his surprise aaw Adaceus preparing a downward slash. Daineel put both his hands from the incoming blade and successfully defended, with Ada landing on the ground and clashing with their weapons.
He groaned, the attack taking a toll on his hands, "This all you got?" He said.
"Nope."
Saying this Adaceus raised one of his arms and a numerous magic circles appeared in the sky, all surrounding them. "Brace yourself!"
"Magic Barrage!"
Long rods of light shot out of the magic circles in quick succession, moving fast in extremely rapid speeds with a light rail following behind each and every one of them. They all moved in unison, keeping course as if commanded to their trajectory, Daineel.
"No!"
Daineel blurted in worry, breaking away from their clash to try to get away from the ensuing projectiles launching his way. Adaceus to leapt back a fair distance, escaping from the radius and to let the spell work its way.
The missiles closed their distance, and Daineel in frantic emotion, drew his arm out as if reaching for something.
Whatever he was about to do, It was to late, as the missiles, all of them, cascaded at the same time, hitting their target. A big explosion broke out, and a massive cloud of smoke veiled where that area was.
"Was, that, too much?"