Desmond and the ori-tandemon crossed swords. One clashing hard to dominate the other while the other resisted, striking back just as hard.
Sparks of lightning and violent gusts of wind bursting out of each strike.
Slowly, Desmond began losing ground.
The demon noticed it, grinned and started pressing, making Desmond take a step back.
It took a step forward, putting pressure on Desmond who took another step back.
He began losing his grip—
The demon saw it, delivering a powerful strike which Desmond manged to parry.
But in doing so, he stumbled back, leaving himself wide open.
The demon moved forward, wind gathering around its fist.
Desmond's breath hitched, watching as the attack approached.
But out of reflex, he moved his other arm in the way, lightning crawling around it, blocking the wind wrapped fist.
Though blocked, the force of the punch was powerful that it blew Desmond away, his sword flying out of his grasp, stabbing the ground while Desmond flew toward a tree.
He managed to balance himself before impact, landing against the tree instead of crashing into it, hands outstretched.
Lightning gathered into crackling spheres on both palms—
[Celestial Bolt]
He roared, slapping his palms together as the suppressed lightning crashed into each other, bursting out in a blinding bolt toward the demon.
The demon immediately jumped up, missing the attack by a hair.
And while it hovered in the air, it stretched out its hand.
The air on its palms compressed, wind forcing into dense orbs in its palms.
Desmond's eyes and mouth opened wide, the attack familiar in a different way.
The demon seeing Desmond's expression, grinned mischievously.
[Gale Blast]
The ori-tandemon howled, slamming its palms together as the compressed wind collided, squalling forth into one powerful whirlwind toward Desmond.
Desmond leaped forward off the tree as the whirlpool blew past him, uprooting or destroying every tree in its path.
He flew forward above ground level, landing uprooting his sword which was still stuck in the ground along the way and continued running.
He looked... pissed. "You copy cat."
He stopped at one point, behind down and jumping up at the falling demon.
The two clashed swords again in mid-air, wind and lightning blowing in every direction.
— —
The white-haired girl dashed through the forest, gaze fixated up ahead.
Her expression was tireless—no heavy breathing after running for long.
Like she'd been doing it for years.
Then her breath hitched—lips parting slightly.
But she didn't stop running.
'I'm getting close and...'
— —
'It's getting intense.' Jean frowned as he kept walking.
The orange and blue flames in his vision were growing.
Myla walked behind him, looking worried.
Jean turned to look at her, noticing her worried expression.
His gaze turned back ahead. "Don't worry Myla. He'll be okay."
Myla looked up at him with hopeful eyes, nodding with a hum.
Jean's frown deepened. 'These kids are unbelievable. No mere beginner is able to hold their own against an ori-tandemon for this long. Not even for a minute...'
His lips parted slightly. 'Especially this one. He's held out the longest.'
— —
Viewing from the sky, flashes of blue and silver rays soared just above the ground.—
Zapping. Clashing. Blasting apart.
And clashing again.
One point, both blasted farther apart after one clash.
Desmond appeared from the blue rays, landing against a tree, sword glinting.
From the silver rays, the demon landed against a tree opposite Desmond, sword tight in its grip.
They lunged at each other.
Passing by one another, their swords crashed.
Then they sped apart—Desmond with lightning trailing behind. The demon with wind bursting out violently in every direction.
They clashed again from electricity and gale—
Repeated.
And crossed swords again, stopping this time... Face to face.
Both had their teeth clenched, swords shivering with intensity.
Desmond's eyes shot wide
He stepped forward once.
Then redirected the demon's swords away with a powerful swing.
But instead of being pushed back, it spun sideways, bending down—
Second sword appearing in its other hand outstretched.
The sword was already close to Desmond's legs.
So close it looked almost over for him.
But he flipped upside down, hovering in the air, barely missing the slash.
The demon grunted.
"I've already gotten used to that attack pattern of yours, you idiot." Desmond said with a grin.
He immediately thrusted his sword down, pinning the demon's sword to the ground.
"Don't get so cocky." The demon rumbled, slashing its other sword at Desmond.
Desmond's smile widened—
Already seen it coming
"Obviously, that would be your next resort."
Then using his sword which was still in the ground, he vaulted up.
The demon's blade missed.
Desmond flipped—turning downside up again.
He swung his sword down at the demon—
Ready to end it.
The demon was fast—raising the first sword to block—a wide grin on its face.
"You saw through my attacks. But are you fast enough to keep up?"
Its other blade sliced at Desmond.
He noticed—throwing himself back.
A little too late.
The sword scraped his chest slightly.
He groaned, moving back as blood spilled from the cut.
The moment he landed, he went down—clutching his chest with one hand.
The demon rushed forward before he could recover—
And swung both swords in a perpendicular arc.
Desmond forced recovery—Jumping. Twirling between the two blades—just in time.
The demon was struck by shock.
Desmond flew out of the other side—passing by the demon.
The demon was wide open at its back.
Desmond took the advantage—blade sparking with electricity—delivering a large upward slash to its side.
Then he flew further away before landing.
Blood spilled from the cut.
The furry creature groaned.
The pain stung.
Desmond—after landing—went down again.
Clutched his chest wound, breathing heavily.
The demon lashed out at him again, ignoring its pain.
His attention snapped back to the battle.
But then, it was already in front of him, wind wrapping around its blade, aimed for his neck.
Desmond wasn't ready—posing a sloppy sword defence.
Their blades crashed.
Desmond's weapon was sent flying, stabbing the ground to the right.
Far out of reach.
Before Desmond could process the situation, the demon's other blade was already on its way—wind spiraling around it.
So close to decapitating him.
His hands were in the air.
He wanted to dodge. But it seemed like everything was coming to a rest for him right there.
And no one was there to save him.
But then—
Clank
Something metallic blocked the sword.
Desmond was sent rumbling to the right.
He broke the roll, stepping on his feet.
Then skidded back, stopping right beside his sword.
The demon was gnashing its teeth, frustration written all over its face.
Desmond unbent—flinching a little. "My arm feels numb."
Then surprise crossed his face.
His eyes slowly turned to his arm arm guard. 'Huh? My arm guard blocked it?'
His attention was caught by the demon's frustrated yell as it ran towards him again.
Desmond readied himself.
No time to think—
And charged forward.
They both struck. Their swords collided—
And bounced back.
The demon spun from the recoil, slashing its other sword at Desmond.
Desmond frowned.
His left arm—with the guard on—shot up instinctively.
Lightning crawled around the arm guard, a little thin.
Then the demon's blade crashed against it.
Clank.
A heavier sound than before.
The demon's eyes widened.
Desmond's did too.
"It stopped it again."
They both moved away from each other.
Desmond landed, not daring to drop his guard. '. It didn't hit hard like the first one. Is that how it works?'
He looked back at the demon.
"Then let's try this."
Desmond moved forward first this time.
The demon charged to meet him
They clashed again—
But this time—
Desmond didn't block with his sword.
He lifted his left arm. Lightning surged around the guard.
The demon's sword slammed into it—
—and stopped cold.
A shockwave burst outward.
The demon snarled, pushing harder.
But Desmond didn't budge.
Instead, he grinned.
Excited.
"I see now. My lightning is created from my energy. And the more energy released around the guard, the harder it strengthens."
He shoved forward, forcing the demon back.
They separated.
Desmond grinned, rolling his shoulder. Lightning flickering more violently now.
"Hey."
The demon looked up, irritation burning in its eyes.
"You have two blades, right?"
The demon lifted a brow in question.
Desmond just took a stance. "Well I've got something better. You could lose both swords. And I could lose my only sword. But my arm guard can never come off."
He ended—lunging forward again.
The demon clicked its tongue—
And dashed forward.
The fight which was supposed to end with a winner turned out to be a step of learning, setting the stage for the final fight.