Ailanthus gave a short nod before instructing the others with him to form a perimeter. Well-used to such duels, all the Earthborn in the crowd didn't need to be told to move and did so on their own. The Godsborn obeyed the orders out of curiosity more than anything else as many of them had never seen a sanctioned duel.
Once the area was cleared Ailanthus moved towards its center, brushing past Ash as he did, "He is arrogant but perhaps you might teach him a lesson. Try not to kill him."
Ash neither moved nor spoke in response, though she did adjust her spells as she'd been shown to make certain they were non-lethal. The one that had challenged her flexed brown wings and moved in various stretches. His weapon was already coated in the magic that would dull its blows.
Ailanthus stilled, placing the tip of his sword once more upon the ground, "A challenge has been issued and accepted," he glanced between the two of them, "Are you each prepared?"
Once they both confirmed, he backed a bit towards the side of the clearing and gave them a count. As was customary, neither touched their weapon before the count ended. It should have given him a vast advantage, considering Ash had to weave the spells before casting them and his expression clearly showed that he knew it.
He made it all of three steps before a trio of attack spells in various elements assaulted him. He managed to block the first two spells but let his concentration lapse, after all he thought her only capable of dual casting. The third spell struck and was swiftly followed by the next trio and the next, each set launched relentlessly as she made full use of her Spell Barrage ability. It was what allowed for her multi-casting, allowing her to split her magical senses into weaving multiple spells at once.
She didn't even give him the courtesy of raising her hands to look as if she acknowledged that she was in combat. He made it no further, eventually taking a knee and announcing his complete and utter loss. She'd stopped launching spells with the step back, though she continued holding them in case it was a feint.
Ailanthus gave a slight nod, "The duel is witnessed and the winner is the challenged," he glanced towards her to prompt a mention of her name before repeating it, "Ash."
Respecting the courtesy of duels, Ash moved to stand before her opponent and offered a hand in order to help him to his feet. He ignored it, mumbled words of frustration calling her a liar and a cheat as he rose to his feet.
He moved on to curse her and claim once more that she had only been dual-casting in the dungeon, that she had held back and endangered her party in so doing in order to mask the true depths of her strength.
Five fire arrows flared to life in her spell storages as she held a sixth in her hand, "Your inability to see the spells I am casting does not make them cease to exist," she responded even as Ailanthus stalked towards him, his face an unreadable mask.
Stepping up beside him, Ailanthus cuffed him on the back of the head, "I witnessed this duel. By calling your opponents such things, you imply that I would allow them," he narrowed his eyes slightly as the Hawkwing, a young man probably just barely old enough to have earned himself a place in the group of guards flinched.
"I have spoken in anger words that were untrue…" he said, clearly his form of an apology.
The people had begun clearing off as soon as the duel ended, aided in their desire to do so by the guards waving them away. The show was over and the aftermath was not for them to watch, for good or ill. The only ones remaining were Ailanthus and the other guards and Ash's own party when he spoke once more.
"You misjudged your opponent quite a bit. You will have to learn far more about seeing what is a worthy challenge and what outstrips you in power by far."
His voice was far more timid as he spoke again, "Did you know already then, Ailanthus?"
He inclined his head slightly, "I could see the haze of her spells in the orb. None were rendered fully invisible even if I do not understand the mechanics of how she maintains them all," he looked once more to Ash, "You will grow into a formidable opponent…" he smiled softly, almost wistfully, "And I am almost worried that the next time we meet you may have far outstripped me to the point I will be unable to challenge you."
Ash shook her head slightly, "I find that doubtful. Virtus does not make your kind weak, nor would he allow you to be outstripped by a god whose creations generally have no love of fighting."
He gave a light laugh at that, "Whose creations have absolutely no love of fighting," he corrected, his eyes meeting her curious gaze, "Any with a trained eye can see you fight for the duty of it. You grow stronger because strength must be used to protect the weak. Because it is your duty as a child of the Lord of the Stars to hold that strength and to use it wisely always. The thrill some may see in your eyes during combat is at the magic you wield and the new ways you find to use it, never at the fighting itself."
Her own smile was gentle in response, "I seem to have forgotten what it is like to interact with those that serve other gods as you do," she lowered her head slightly, a small movement done in apology, "May we be fated to meet again under the light of the stars."
It was an ancient phrase of parting spoken by friends, by lovers and by rivals.
He smiled and repeated the phrase, adding at its end, "And may we both act with valor and honor those we serve."
She nodded agreement and turned towards Redwood Stars, glancing at a notification that hovered unobtrusively in the corner of her vision.
It told her that her duel had been witnessed by Virtus, hardly a surprise considering one of his Blazewings guarded over it, and that she had earned a reward and begun to earn herself a dueling title.
The reward was a spell, one that he granted in an altered form with permission of her own god and the title that she might earn if she continued to challenge his followers in such a spectacular way was that of Untouchable. She would be known as an opponent that others could not begin to harm, one that would end the battle before it truly began. She waved away the notification, uninterested in the title.
She paused slightly at the edge of the clearing, a frown crossing her face as she remembered once more the circumstances that had caused the morph. She turned towards Ailanthus again and spoke, "Someone caused this morph. Others may follow."
He looked appropriately shocked by the idea and nodded firmly, "Understood. We will collaborate with the other temples to investigate."