A Fight at Ease

"You seem pretty confident in yourself," I said.

"I can look at you and tell that you are nothing compared to me," Clark replied.

"I see. Please go easy on me."

In the middle of the gigantic maze, Marie and Alex stood on the side as I and Clark faced each other. His other two friends are also standing calmly in white robes. The guy looked quite relaxed as he kept his arm folded.

"Chop his dick off Elea!!" cheered Marie.

"Shut up, women," said Clark, looking at Marie with a side eye. "After this bitch, it's you who's going to die."

"Huhh? As if Elea will lose to you."

"You can do it, Eleanor!" yelled Alex.

"Tch..People from the side should just shut their mouths," said the girl with a whip.

She is glaring at Marie.

"Oh, sure," replied Marie, glaring back at her.

*Step*

Clark steps up, lowers his body posture, and he is closing the distance between us by slowly stretching his legs and walking towards me. His facial gestures are creepy as hell, considering how he's non-stop glaring at me with that wide smile. It reminds me of that bitch that killed my mother.

"Has someone ever told you that you give very creepy and weird vibes?" I said.

"Shut up!!" yelled Clark.

*Slash*

In a flash, he extended his tongue at a very high speed, and I instinctively leaped aside and dodged his attack.

*Thud* echoed as the ground took the impact of his tongue. Moments later, he swiftly retracted it.

"Ohh, look at that long tongue." I said.

I knew it. He was closing the distance at his tongue's length to strike.

*Slash* *Thud* *Slash* *Thud*

Clark darted his tongue like a serpent, each strike aimed at me with precision. Yet, I remained composed, effortlessly dodging his attacks.

However, soon he read my moments and employed a new tactic, zigzagging his tongue in a calculated wave. I sensed that I could not evade that strike, so with the next movement, I drew my Witchcraft and blocked his strike with the knife at the end.

*Crrrr*

As I blocked, Clark retracted his tongue, and as expected, the tongue was hard and couldn't be pierced with the normal sharpness of the knife.

"Cool weapon you were hiding under yourself," said Clark, smiling.

"Thanks," I replied.

And now, after observing him closely, I understand how to end this without creating much of a scene or wasting my energy. He is way too sloppy and overconfident.

Side-stepping, I took the stance with my chains out and a knife clutched in one hand.

"So what are you going to do now, women?" said Clark.

"See it by yourself," I replied.

With a fast motion, I lashed out my chains towards him, and the knife went snaking through the air. Clark started dashing around; his agility is good. He dodged and weaved, his tongue countered out to strike, aiming for my open spots.

But I relentlessly kept at my flow, as I knew he was about to fall for something, knowing his limited range of tongue. With each swing, I closed the distance, my chains forming a deadly barrier, and finally, when he tried to strike straight at my chest, I pulled my chains, and Clark found himself trapped around my metallic coils, tightening around him like a constrictor.

"The heck??"

"Sleep now," I said, walking towards him.

Desperation flickered in Clark's eyes as he struggled against the chains, but it was futile. With a final, decisive blow, I chopped off his tongue and immobilised him.

"I hope you'll be able to grow it back." I said.

Gasping for breath, Clark's body relaxes as chains loosen around him and he falls to the ground.

Thup*

The silence that came after my victory stretched for a long time. I guess even Marie wasn't expecting that I'd win this easily.

"Next," I said, curling my chains around my wrist.

"Woahhhh!!!" screamed Marie in excitement.

"Damn, I cannot believe she pulled off those moves," said Alex, surprised.

"What do you mean you cannot believe? That's my Elea after all."

"Yeah, right. I can understand your attachment to her now."

"I know, right."

While Marie and Alex were flexing on my name, I turned towards the remaining two knights.

"So who's coming next?" I asked.

"She is good, Dany," said the girl with the whip.

"Yeah, Rim. I can see that," replied Dany.

As Dany released his tightly folded arms, he walked forward.

"I'll take care of her."

He positioned himself squarely before me. Despite his imposing physique, the aura he is giving off shows utter confidence in himself, unlike Clark, who didn't seem to be in control.

He is tall and muscular. It only added to the gravity of his presence.

"I hope you aren't tired yet, or else things won't be that easy for you," said Dany.

With deliberate slowness, he drew forth his sword from its scabbard, the white handle and the clean blade gleaming even in the mist. Every inch of the steel appeared untouched, as if freshly forged, as he pointed it at me.

"Don't worry, not even a bit." I replied.

I clutched my Witchcraft in my hands tightly and prepared for any uncertain attacks he might lay on me.

As Rim's gaze drifted across the surroundings, it settled upon Marie, whose intense glare met her own. They both happened to find each other as long-lost enemies. With determined steps, they both veered to the side to confront each other. They walked from behind me and Dany. Despite that, I remained firm on my feet, for I believed in Marie's strength and that she could handle it by herself.

"Oh, god, what's going to happen?" Alex said,, stepping behind in fear. "Marie, don't leave me behind like that."

Marie and Rim stopped in the distance, facing each other.

"Who was that loud bitch screaming like an idiot earlier?" said Rim.

"The bitch that's going to smash your head on the ground," replied Marie.

*Chrrrr Slash*

Rim wielded her whip with intensity, its tendrils slashing through the air around Marie. Each flick of the whip left an aura, marking the ground with its heavy touch. The whip carved a path through the thick fog, revealing a straight, clear passage in that line.

"I hope you aren't afraid, girl," said Rim, smirking all the way.

"Worry for yourself," replied Marie, straightforwardly.

"Acting Cool? So cute, bwahaha."

"Girls like you sure know how to get on my nerves."

"And girls like you should just stay shut and sit in the corner."

"Ohh really."

"Look, the guy who's holding your Prism is such a good boy. You should learn something from him."

Rim said, gesturing towards Alex.

Marie turns her head behind and looks at Alex, who was cowardly standing and giving a thumbs up at Marie.

"All the best, Marie," said Alex.

"Shut up!!" replied Marie as she felt embarrassed by Alex's timid behaviour.

"Hahahaha!" laughed Rim.

"For god's sake."

"See, now you know your worth?"

"We'll know whose worth is how much soon."

Marie clenched her fist with determination as she shifted her weight, planting her left leg behind her in a stance of readiness to engage Rim in combat.

"I guess you won't learn until you face it," said Rim.

"Please don't die, Marie. Even you, Eleanor. Please be safe," said Alex.

He has joined her hands and started praying for us from the corner.

Dany raises his arm high, the gleaming sword held above, ready to deliver his decisive blow. With a merciless gaze, he looked down at me and brought his blade down with a resounding hit. Meanwhile, on the other side, Rim gathers the aura around her whip, slashing it towards Marie with determined precision.

*CLANK* *THUD*

And with that, the battle between me vs Dany and Marie vs Rim begins.