Mana

After getting into position the match began and Victor advanced. Ares didn't know how to fight; his limited experiences were normally just him running from danger, he only hoped he wouldn't be crippled in this fight.

Victor swung his sword aiming directly at Ares's head. In reflex Ares raised his shield up and blocked the hit. A jarring feeling thundered down his arm as the shield blocked the hit. Before being able to react, he felt an unbridled pain coming from his left side, Victor had taken the moment of hesitation and attacked heavily with the sword hitting Ares squarely on the side. The force pushed Ares over and he felt that his ribs may have been cracked; breathing was hard and he had fallen to the ground. As he attempted to surrender Victor attacked him again in the chest. Ares was laid on the floor clutching his side and could not react in time. The sword made contact with his chest and instantly winded Ares.

He doesn't want me to be able to surrender Ares thought to himself as he doubled over wheezing on the ground. Getting the words out whilst unable to breath was impossible.

Victor it seemed to be enjoying this moment, he brandished the sword to the crowd and continued to hit Ares's hunched form. Victor seemed happy in this moment and without restraint or caution rained down attacks on Ares.

Ares wanted to know why Nova hadn't stopped the fight, but he had no time to ask. blow after blow landed on his back; shoulders, arms and legs. Fury began to build up inside Ares. He didn't like being a victim; years of being at the mercy of Grant had made him submissive but now it was different. Ares was a mage. He circulated the spell push in his mind and began to gather his strength.

Unaware of the change to Ares, Victor continued to beat him. He turned momentarily to look at the crowd and check they were still following his victory. Satisfied they were watching he swung his sword downwards, he turned to look back at Ares. It was a sloppy attack and he hadn't put any effort in it was nothing like his normally well practiced style. As he looked ahead he could see the sword blow was far off target, Ares had shuffled closer and was now in a crouched position facing him. It mattered not to Victor as he stepped backwards increasing the distance between them. Ares suddenly jolted forwards. The distance between them was only a metre of so and it was clear that Victor had left himself wide open to attacks. The shield which was held in Ares right hand flew out and flatly contacted Victors chest.

Victor wasn't worried, he had rained several heavy attacks down on Ares limiting his strength. Even looking at the attack he knew it was weak; he planned his retribution as the blow landed. There was a huge bang and suddenly Victors body was thrown backwards at huge speed. Blood spewed from his mouth as his body tumbled backwards like a ragdoll. After around half the length of the huge arena his body came to rest a quiet moan coming from his body.

Ares stood in the same position his arm still extended in front of him; a long trail in the sand lead to the crumpled body of Victor.

Ares couldn't hear anything and as he shut his eyes a deep pulling feeling took the last of his energy and he collapsed onto the ground.

Nova watched as she saw the spell cast; this child has great potential to grasp the spell push in such extreme circumstances. Mars had chosen well.

Ares awoke later in a bed, it wasn't within his dormitory and he felt groggy. It looked to be a hospital ward; several other beds were full of different people with various injuries. An old hunchback woman with a walking stick was walking up and down the aisle separating the beds.

Upon reaching Ares she picked up a clipboard hung on the end of the bed and began to appraise it. After reading for a little while she put it back down and glanced over at Ares. By this time, he had propped himself against the headboard and stared back at the old woman.

"Awake at last Mr. Ares. It seems that over extending your magic core knocked you unconscious for several days." The old woman said; she wore thick circular glasses on her face and had a strangely attentive look.

"Wait what, several days? What's a magic core?" Ares fired off the questions ins short succession.

The woman sighed.

"What are they teaching you?" She asked before continuing

"You are lucky you didn't over extend your potential too much and kill yourself! The magic core is what all mages use to cast spells; you draw from this source whenever you cast a spell. Mages naturally accumulate and fill their core but this is a slow process; your usage of a spell clearly far beyond your own understanding emptied yours leaving only your vitality to cast the spell. Only by training and ranking up will you gain the ability to cast bigger spells."

Ares sat in contemplation for a second thinking about what he had been told.

"You were incredibly lucky. This time you haven't done any permeant damage, nothing a few days rest wouldn't fix."

"How's Victor?" Ares asked apprehensively; he didn't remember the fight following his counter-attack.

"He was out of here yesterday; you caused some internal injuries to him and broke his ribs but I fixed that up in no time, he left as good as new. Besides his pride of course." The old lady chuckled.