Rise of the Living Forge-Chapter 395: Push

“I’ve got this one, Baldy,” the red-haired mage said as she hoisted her massive staff before herself with both hands. “You can just stand back and clean up anything that’s left after I’m done.”

“I thought we agreed to stop using those horrible nicknames so they wouldn’t get turned against us, Spark. And you’re sorely mistaken if you think I’m going to sit out of the last fight. Don’t forget what we’re fighting for here. One is still testing us — and it doesn’t sit right with me to make it all the way to the finals only to let you do all the work for me.”

Olive’s eyes narrowed. Setting Sun’s team were literally just having a discussion even though the fight had already started. Then again, she didn’t actually mind that in the slightest. The gentle harpsong of Maeve’s magic was already swirling out around their team.

Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.

Every word the other group wasted was more time for her to buff them. Olive could already feel her focus sharpening. The world started to slow as her reaction speed increased and heightened energy pumped through her muscles.

The third among Setting Sun’s team — the impossibly average looking man — raised his hand and took a step forward. “Neither of you will be going. I’ve practically sat this entire tournament out. The two of you have had more than enough chances to show off, but if One is going to admit me, then I need to prove something of myself.”

“Your job isn’t fighting, though,” Spark said, pointing her staff at him. “You don’t have to do anything else. You already reported your findings.”

I feel like Reya would have named this guy Average. Seems pretty fair aside from the ego problem all three of Setting Sun’s members seem to have. Then again, they did get all the way to the finals without struggling in a single fight. Maybe their ego is earned.

“My role should be able to do more than just observe,” the man said, cracking his neck. “I have to demonstrate what I’m capable of. If you think I’m just going to sit around and do nothing, you’re sorely mistaken. You may feel free to help me if, by some miracle, I am unable to capitalize on the information I have gained.”

It’s not exactly wise to go around sharing that you’ve got info on other people, you know. Even that in itself is an advantage. There’s never a good reason to waste an advantage in a fight unless it gets you something else.

So either this guy is trying to get us off guard, or he’s so arrogant that he doesn’t think any of us are a threat.

Maeve continued to layer spells over the three of them. Some mages might have felt a bit awkward about just stacking dozens of buffs while their opponents sat around talking. She was not among their number. Layer and layer of magic wrapped around Olive.

Shimmering layers of energy covered her skin in a translucent, protective shield. Maeve pulled every stop out, pouring all her magic into the defenses without hesitation or attempts to preserve her energy.

She’d seen how fast the Setting Sun had won their other fights and was ensuring she got the most use of her strength by spending as much of it as she could at the start of the fight.

Olive’s hand tightened around the hilt of her sword. The urge to charge ahead was so strong that it threatened to overwhelm her. But Maeve wasn’t done — and she didn’t know what the Setting Sun were truly capable of yet.

I can’t just sprint in there and try to instantly defeat someone. I gave that style up. I have to adapt. To fight together with Elias and find what they do. To overcome it, and then beat them methodically. All the defenses that Maeve has time to build for us will just bring that reality closer.

“This isn’t up for debate,” Average said. “I will be making the first move. Being able to action on my information is one of the most important parts of my role. If you have an issue with it, feel free to attempt to stop me.”

“Perhaps you should consider being less egocentric,” Baldy said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “One has made it clear he values teamwork. You are not approaching this like a constructive—”

“Oh, stuff it,” Spark said. “It’s true he hasn’t gotten a chance to fight. We might as well let him have some fun. It’s not like it will matter.”

The monk pursed his lips, then shrugged one shoulder.

Looks like our time is up.

Olive caught Elias’ eye. He inclined his head slightly as she moved forward to make sure she was directly in Average’s path. The man was a complete wild card. She didn’t know what kind of magic he had or who he’d target first… though, the way he was looking at Olive gave her an idea.

“You’re first,” Average said. He lowered his stance and pressed one hand against the ground like a sprinter preparing to take off.

And now I know who he’s after. What kind of spy is stupid enough to go out calling shots for the enemy—

The air screamed. Average transformed into a streak of shadow, carving the distance between himself and Olive apart in an instant. The man moved so fast that she could barely track him with her eyes.

One moment, he was across the arena. The next, he was directly before Olive. His eyes were focused on her wooden arm. A massive black sword formed of pure shadow had formed within one of Average’s hands and he was already swinging the huge blade as if it weighed nothing.

There was no time to block the strike. The shadow sword didn’t make so much as a sound as it slammed into Olive — but she most certainly felt it.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Maeve’s protective shields shattered in an instant. Olive’s eyes bulged as an immense wall of force drove into her with the force of an avalanche. She was picked up off her feet and sent hurtling straight back for the edge of the arena.

Wind was howling around Olive before she’d even realized what happened. The crowd was nothing more than a blur of faces, the ground just a blob of color beneath her. She was moving too fast to pick out details on anything.

The breath exploded from her chest as she abruptly slammed to a halt. Her head rung like a gong. Olive stumbled forward, coughing, only to find a hand slamming down on her shoulder. She was only a few inches away from the edge of her stage.

“Olive! Are you okay?” Elias exclaimed, stepping out from behind Olive. He’d managed to catch her before she’d flown off the stage and been disqualified from the fight — but the shields Maeve had layered over him had faded.

Pain throbbed in Olive’s wooden arm. Arwin’s armor was bent and cracked around where Average’s blade had struck it, but that wasn’t all. Her arm had cracked. She could feel the damage instinctively.

Her arm creaked and groaned as it fought to pull itself back together. Weariness prickled at the edges of her thoughts. A single cut from Average had not only gone through her armor. It had nearly shattered her arm.

Godspit. The biggest weakness my armor has is that I have to survive long enough and have enough energy to adapt to my opponent. If he kills me in one hit, it can’t do anything.

The hair on the back of Olive’s neck stood on end as Average turned toward her, raising his sword once more. His features were laden with confusion and he glanced at his sword as if it were defective. As if he was confused that Olive hadn’t just lost the fight on the spot.

And worse yet, Olive knew why.

If he’d hit literally any part of my body other than my arm, I probably would have been out for the count. My arm is literally the toughest part of me. Goddamn. Reya saved my fucking ass.

“He seems to be a bit stronger than expected,” Olive said, rolling her shoulder. Energy thrummed through her body and poured into her armor. The damage it had taken didn’t fade, but she felt the equipment strengthening in response to the blow it had taken.

So I’m up against someone that swings a massive, heavy impact weapon around, huh? He really might have been the worst enemy for me. But now that I’ve got the ball rolling, I’ll be damned if he just smacks me out of the arena.

“Wow, that was kind of lame,” Spark called out. “I mean, come on. Phoenix Circle has done really well getting this far, but there’s a qualitative difference between our teams. Going all out on your first move and not taking the girl out? That’s pretty embarrassing. For you, that is. For her… I’m getting her a drink when this is done.”

“You are… more durable than I believed,” Average said, his eyes narrowed. He was still staring right at Olive’s arm.

She nearly burst out laughing. Average hadn’t connected the dots that Reya had fed him false information. He still thought that her arm was her weak spot… and if his blow hadn’t managed to take her arm out, then he wasn’t going to waste strikes on what he thought were even tougher targets.

A thrum of energy raced down Olive’s wooden arm and drove into her brain like a spike of heat. She drew in a sharp breath as words pounded into her psyche.

He dared injure us. Kill him. Rend the skin from his flesh and let me drink his innards like soup. Allow me to feast on his marrow. Give me control. Let me use your body.

No. And never word it like that again. That’s just weird.

“Maybe you just don’t hit as hard as you thought,” Olive said, shoving her arm’s thoughts back and raising her sword—

Sorry.

Olive blinked.

Did my arm just apologize?

She was so surprised that she didn’t notice Average move until it was too late. The man was upon her, his sword slipping through the air in a black streak. Olive couldn’t dodge, but she could brace herself.

The blow slammed into her a moment after she dug her feet into the ground, sending a furious vibration coursing through her armor and ringing it like a bell. The vibrations traveled through her armor as it rapidly adapted. It distributed the force of the blow throughout itself and sent it out through her feet into the ground.

That didn’t stop the strike from stealing all the breath in Olive’s lungs. Her armor caved even further under Average’s sword, but it held strong. She felt even more energy leave her body as the armor continued to seek for ways to adapt against its opponent.

“Impossible—”

Olive’s fist streaked out and drove into Average’s face.

His head exploded.

Not in blood and bone, but in splatters of shadow. The man staggered back and his sword disintegrated. The shadows that had made it up raced to gather at his neck and form back into a face. Within moments, he was whole once more.

Shit! What kind of magic is this?

Olive braced herself. But, instead of pressing the attack, Average jumped back. His features were pale, as if he’d just seen the face of death itself. The man staggered and nearly tripped over his own feet before he caught himself. He wiped his mouth with the back of a sleeve.

“You know what?” he asked. “Feel free to help. It was a setup. They were hiding their strength.”

“Aw, is someone getting their shit stomped?” Spark asked, spinning her staff in the air before her. “Not happening. That’s your fight. You started it. Now finish it. Money where your mouth is. I’ll go after the music lady. Baldy, you can have the bandaged guy.”

“That works for me,” Baldy said. He grinned and looked toward Elias. “You seem like you’ve been holding back. Please show me what you’re capable of. I endeavor to learn.”

“Actually, if you don’t mind, my sister and I prefer to fight as a team,” Elias said, edging around Olive to get closer to Maeve. “How about the two of us versus the two of you? Olive and your shadow-wielding friend can duke it out on their own.”

To Olive’s surprise, Sparky shrugged.

“Sure. Seems equally as fun. I’m not holding back, though. It seems like you lot were holding out on us. That means I’m going all out. So if you’re not strong… you better tap out now. You seem like nice enough folks. I’d hate to kill you on accident.”

There wasn’t any arrogance in Spark’s words. She was serious. Olive’s hand tightened around the hilt of her sword, but Elias just shrugged.

“Power finds its way to those who seek it. We will face you.”

“Then let’s see what you’ve got,” Spark said with a wicked grin. “Let’s keep things to the point, shall we? No more holding back bullshit. You go all out. So do we. End things with a bang.”

Olive glanced over to Elias. He gave her a slight nod. Mave did the same. They weren’t backing out now. The three of them had made it all the way to the finals. Their goal was in arm’s reach — and their opponents were the real deal. Not the cheating scum that had stolen other people’s powers, but real adventurers.

The odds weren’t in their favor. But, if it weren’t for the stakes resting on her shoulders, Olive wouldn’t have cared.

How better to push myself farther? This is the exact reason I first wanted to become an adventurer, way back when I was a kid. I just never thought I’d actually get to experience it.

“You know what?” Olive smiled. She drew on her magic and adjusted her grip on the sword in her hands, blowing out a slow breath as she let the magic permeate her body. “I like the sound of that. Show us what you’ve got.”