Larsa did some quick leg and arm stretches to loosen any tension in her toned limbs. Already word had spread around the room that a duel between the daughter of the late Archie Masterson and an apprentice of Inquisitor Yoko was on the cards in the circle.

  Some order members made their way to the stands for a good view of the action, while others had halted their own matches within the rectangles to spectate.

  Larsa was a bit embarrassed, truth be told she never felt fully comfortable being the centre of attention. The most mortifying memories she could recall were her graduation speech in high school and the eulogy she gave at her father’s funeral.

  She glanced across the room to her opponent Mei Li who seemed cool and composed, waving to the onlookers with a toothy white smile. Clearly she was the opposite, her body and personality practically radiating the energy of someone comfortable in the spotlight.

  Larsa took a deep breath and started to mentally game plan. The strength, potential and capability of one’s magic could be boiled down to a few things that defined them: Bloodline, stamina, experience and willpower.

  While she had certainly hit the jackpot on the first category, being the progeny of a bloodline with Inquisitor level potential, she still had much room to grow in the other areas.

  For one, that fight against the hydra was the only life or death battle to her name thus far, the brief skirmish against the gargoyle and endless spars with her father were hardly comparable, and even then she had to be bailed out when the going got especially tough.

  She liked to imagine her willpower was on the strong side, but even her determination to never give up paled in comparison to some of the stories she had heard of Templars continuing to wage battle after losing limbs or incurring injuries that would kill a normal human ten times over.

  This turned her thoughts toward Mei Li. The only reference Larsa had was that she was somewhere in between Milo and Ben in terms of combat prowess, more capable than the average five year veteran, but not quite comparable to an Inquisitor candidate yet.

  Fuck…Larsa didn’t even know if SHE could beat Milo in a straight duel, depressing as that thought sounded in her head. He clearly had talent as she had seen at the Mississippi River, even if his extracurricular activities often overshadowed it.

  She slapped her cheeks lightly to snap out of it, she’d lose before even stepping in the circle with that mindset. She had to go into battle confident in herself whether the result ended in win, lose or draw.

  “Are you going to just stand there? Or are you trying to stall on me exposing you for the charlatan you are?”

  Mei Li’s voice hit Larsa, who was brought back to reality from the sound. She looked to see the small woman impatiently tapping her foot inside the circle.

  The open room was in enough of a hush now that the main event was starting, Larsa could hear Mei Li clearly even though she wasn’t yelling like before. With some last deep breaths, she stepped into the circle on the opposite end of her foe.

  “You want to know why I asked for this?” Mei Li quizzed. When Larsa didn’t respond she continued.

  “It’s because you’re a rookie, but not just any rookie, no, you’re a silver spooned nepo baby who got to bypass all the normal training and education the rest of us do before deployment, because that curmudgeon Rutger felt bad when your daddy died.”

  At this point Larsa was less concerned about her stage fright and more about going beyond the rules of engagement, her hands starting to quiver in barely contained rage, but also a twinge of doubt.

  “You see, everyone here thinks so, they’re just too polite to say it, but trust me, I speak for them when I say you aren’t welcome in the order. For the ones who had to scratch and claw to make it here, you are the ultimate insult.”

  Larsa looked toward the bleachers. The eyes staring back at her had taken on a different quality now, they seemed more judgmental and tense then what she perceived before. Was it true? They all hated her? What was the point?

  She could feel a heavy pressure in her chest, a feeling of isolation washing over her, then dizziness. Even on solid ground she felt like she was sinking, reality around her taking on a bleak colour of monochrome.

  Then a flash that brought the colour swimming back again.

  “She’s full of shit! Stop letting that bitch walk all over you!”

  All the attention in the room snapped towards Miranda, who had made her way to the bleachers at some point. Milo, sitting next to her, nodded his head in agreement and gave Larsa a thumbs up and a wink.

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  “Those two never get embarrassed to speak their mind huh?”

  Larsa thought to herself while smiling warmly.

  Finally, she drew her broadsword from the strap on her back, mind at ease once more. She wasn’t completely alone.

  “Vulgar tramp.” Mei Li’s jaw had clenched tight after Miranda interrupted her spiel.

  She reached behind her back and pulled out a small red rod, with a push of a button on the side, it extended outward in both directions to reveal itself as her weapon, a bo staff.

  She spun it above her head like the rotor of a helicopter before bringing it back down to a neutral position around her chest area, the tip of the staff pointing directly toward Larsa.

  “Prepare yourself for-”

  “Are you also this talkative when Ben is spanking your ass for the dozenth time?”

  Larsa’s snap back caused Mei Li to turn red; if they were living in a cartoon Larsa figured she’d see steam leave the woman’s ears.

  A few chuckles could be heard from the onlookers, enraging the Chinese woman further. The time for talk was over.

  Larsa and Mei Li charged at one another, Larsa brought her broadsword down upon the centre of the staff. Mei Li’s ankles buckled for a second, a result of giving up about seven inches of height to her opponent, before she pushed back, giving herself space to step backward.

  Mei Li jabbed the tip of her staff to where Larsa’s head had been, but with quick reactions the blonde prodigy had ducked the attack, following up with an attempt to sweep the shorter woman’s legs out from her!

  However, Mei Li agilely jumped over the attempt, upon landing on her feet she performed a swift side kick which caused Larsa to slide backwards, her heel just barely remaining inside the circle.

  Larsa dodged another incoming attack, one that would’ve pushed her out, and then kicked Mei Li in the back. The short woman was falling out of the circle, but prevented herself from touching the ground by jabbing the bo staff into the floor to reverse the momentum.

  She backflipped back into the boundary, safe as none of her body parts had made contact outside of the lines.

  The two women clashed weapons once more, both attempting to push the other out physically like two bulls locking horns.

  Larsa willed herself to take a step, then another, then again. Slowly she began to push Mei Li back more and more, inching ever closer to ringing the Inquisitor’s disciple out.

  Realizing she was on the back foot, Mei Li’s frustrated eyes began to glow golden, an aura that soon extended to the rest of her body. The gloves were off, she was tapping into her latent magic.

  Larsa then used her own enhancement magic, glowing a brilliant azure across her body that clashed against the golden light. Both of their muscles strained further, neither giving an inch to the other anymore.

  They broke their direct contact, broadsword and bo staff now colliding in a flurry of intensely fast strikes.

  “Screw this.” Mei Li muttered, fed up that a rookie was pushing her anywhere near this hard.

  After one more duelling blow caused some separation, Mei Li began to spin in place, this ramped up until she was a blur, her staff extended outward causing her to resemble an human spin top.

  “Astral Technique: Wheel of Fate!”

  Larsa’s eyes widened, but before she could react the bo staff collided with her own weapon. It didn’t just send her out of the circle, it sent her flying across the room!

  Her back collided with the stone wall, sword embedding itself deep just above her head. A few gasps could be heard from the bleachers, hushed whispers following.

  “Ha…ha ha! That’s right, Masterson, I win!”

  Mei Li declared this with confidence, though no one was cheering or granting applause, rather they were nervously staring at a figure who had been concealing themself to this point.

  “Disgraceful.” A light yet steely voice came from behind.

  Mei Li tensed, fearfully she turned around to see her master Inquisitor Yoko, unamused with the display she had witnessed.

  “Lady Uematsu I-”

  “Using an Astral Technique in a friendly sparring match…I thought I taught you better than that, Mei Li. Calling this a victory would be a hollow echo of the word.”

  The Inquisitor made her way over to Larsa, Mei Li sheepishly tailing behind her.

  Larsa looked up from her seated position on the ground, still dazed from the attack. Inquisitor Yoko offered a polite bow.

  “You have my apologies Ms. Masterson, I assure you this will not happen again.”

  With that, Yoko grabbed the hilt of Larsa’s broadsword that was trapped several inches in the stone and effortlessly pulled it out, placing it beside the exhausted woman for when she was ready to stand again.

  Stoically, Yoko turned to leave, her apprentice following beside her, most certainly in for a more in depth scolding privately. Mei Li turned around before leaving, mouthing something to Larsa which looked like: “This isn’t over.”

  The crowd began dispersing, some resuming training, others lingering to gossip about what they had just witnessed, two of them however made their way over to the downed Larsa.

  Miranda extended a hand, which she took as she was helped to stand again on shaky legs.

  “When’d you get here?” Larsa asked the one eyed woman.

  “I saw Ben running out of here, doesn't take too much imagination to figure it was from the shorty. I thought I’d treat myself to a show, but didn’t think you’d be a starring actor.”

  Miranda picked up and handed Larsa her sword while speaking, which she returned to her back’s holder.

  “I’m still in shock that she used an Astral Technique. That could have straight up killed you! What was she thinking?” Milo added.

  Astral Techniques, the most powerful abilities that could be utilized. These combat arts were unique to every individual, be they human or monster, the only prerequisite being that they could only be learned in the heat of a true battle. After learning a new Astral Technique they could then be freely utilized whenever, as Larsa had just borne witness to against Mei Li.

  The average fighter that regularly engaged in skirmishes could be expected to break out a handful of these powers, while the truly transcendent warriors such as the Inquisitors had countless to call upon.

  There didn’t seem to be a limit to their application, some were powerful physical blows while others were more peculiar and suited for support.

  “You two really didn’t need to cheer for me like that, you’ve only known me for a day, I don’t really deserve to call you friends yet.” Larsa began.

  “How many one day old friends have fought a giant snake monster together? You’re one of us already muscles, don't doubt yourself.”

  Miranda responded emphatically, not entertaining any room for argument.

  “Touché.” Larsa sighed, doing her best to stop herself from smiling like too much of an idiot. Despite anything else, these two really were all right.

  “Go get yourself some rest, it’s the first full night of action in a few hours. Inquisitor Juan can be a bit of a taskmaster so you’ll want to be at your best for him.”

  Milo explained this while handing Larsa a few more of those miracle pills.

  “Thanks you guys, I'll see you there.”