Annabelle’s Bastion

Firebolts surrounded Ashton, eight of them priming in the air around him as their flames crackled and danced. Only one was larger than Aria’s head, while others were smaller than her fist.

The larger Firebolts likely held explosive power, while the smaller ones focused on speed.

But to make it slightly more annoying, two tendrils of thick flame jutted out from dark blue light’s on Ashton’s sides.

Flamelash.

Ashton Wells had at least two Sigils—probably more.

The entire dungeon felt hot like the air itself was being actively heated. Aria didn’t know what that was, but it might be some kind of area spell to make the fire stronger. Furthermore, there were some kind of black boxes on the ceiling. Those did not look ancient.

Some kind of device? Aria had a few ideas.

But how well did he use his sigils? Using multiple abilities simultaneously was a challenging task for a ranged mage to accomplish. She doubted he was the one to master it.

He seemed content for her to make the first move. His flaming whips squirmed in the air, and the Firebolts seemed like they were barely being held back.

Those black boxes were likely the cameras Anna once told her about.

But she couldn’t care less anymore—it was far too late for that.

“It’s challenging being a melee combatant, isn’t it?” Ashton darkly smiled. His arm was extended out, his closed fist facing her. “There are some mountains you cannot climb—I will correct that arrogance… come on, show me your struggle.”

Earthlings loved talking during their fights.

First, a test.

Aria raised her enhancements to their peak and launched herself forward, her speed above the Firebolts she witnessed Jared use in his fight with Annabelle. Even then, her gaze never left those bolts.

Simultaneously, Ashton’s smirk widened, and he whipped his hand open.

The smaller Firebolt launched at her, leaving trails of flame as they near-instantly targeted the areas Aria may attempt to move in.

But she saw the small adjustments in the tilt of the Firebolts in that brief second before they fired.

Before she reached their presumed destination, Aria pivoted and changed her charge to the left just as one exploded on the ground where she would have been.

It released a shockwave of fire and left a small indentation in the stone ground.

She instantly changed to the right, observing the firing of another.

The same thing happened to her left, a small Firebolt exploding in what would have been her path.

“Brilliant control,” Ashton said, seemingly amused at the situation.

Each Firebolt impacted the ground behind Aria’s snake-like path toward Ashton.

Yet he didn’t seem perturbed.

At most, Aria felt a wave of light heat from the bolts that hit beside her feet. Those bolts were ridiculously fast—faster than Jared’s—and she had to alter her direction the instant she observed one fire.

She suddenly forced herself to stop, although her momentum forced her a little further forward.

A Firebolt exploded before her, and something whooshed and cracked through the air as the afterimage of a flaming whip lashed across the area before Ashton. Flaming sparks hit Aria’s face, earning another ripple from her barrier.

That delay was almost nonexistent.

Too fast for her to dodge.

With that, her first test ended, and she jumped back. She continued back until she had more than enough space to observe and react.

She then lowered her enhancements.

“I must admit,” Ashton said as the Flamelash wormed its way across the ground to return to squirming at his side, “Your combat senses are impeccable; most wouldn’t be watching my Firebolts as closely.” He chuckled, shaking his head lightly. “You instantly see their path and make adjustments accordingly. Unfortunately, I’m not at the level where I can cast and instantly use my abilities.”

That was a weakness the students were currently working on. Having to prime their spells prevented surprise attacks and allowed Aria to easily see the path of his projectiles and the Flamelash’s range. But the problem was mana flow speed, something that was improved passively along with Sigils—but that took strenuous effort when the students didn’t have access to hoards of beasts to slay.

Still, the flaming whip was too fast to dodge, and he could presumably give up on Firebolts to create more.

“I can see your mind working. Come up with anything?”

She could get to him if she wanted. But he had to have something to compensate for that, most likely a defensive or hidden ability saved for if a melee fighter got too close.

Firebolts formed above Ashton, replacing the smaller ones that were wasted.

“Let’s try to end this before the sun rises, yeah?” Ashton mocked.

He loved his own voice.

Aria increased her enhancements once more and positioned herself to charge forward.

“All in?” he asked.

Sometimes, simple brutality was the correct answer.

She once again launched herself forward, using everything she had to kick off the ground.

At the very least, she would force him to reveal his hand.

The wind whistled in her ears as her paths were intercepted by those Firebolts that would never hit.

With some twisting to the left and right or quick bursts forward, she reached the lash range in a few seconds.

One final bolt exploded on the ground directly behind her, the heat wave hitting her heel as she stepped out of its range.

Next, the flame lash. Right as the explosion noise subsided, the air burned before her as she ducked her head.

But her next move wiped the arrogant smirk off Ashton as a thin, dark blue layer emerged over his body.

She felt the second lash coming before she saw it. The fiery tendril lashed toward her with deadly speed. But she was ready, her left arm raised to take the blow.

It impacted her arm with enough force for her barrier to ripple around her whole arm, but she ignored it as she reached the proper range.

She launched her fist, easily connecting with the side of Ashton’s face. However, she didn’t feel anything to indicate a deadly blow.

Fluidly twisting her body, Aria slipped past him in one swift motion, the air still hot from the flames as she pushed past him to gain distance.

Ashton turned around, no longer smirking and with his body still covered in a thin dark blue layer.

The part around his face cracked into pieces, dispersing into a faint mist before they hit the ground.

Manaskin.

“Your masters reward you well,” Aria said. At least two Sigils were given for what little he did on Sorana—simply teleporting everyone away.

Her arm was fine, but the explosive power of that lash could break her barrier with a few more hits.

But he expected it to break instantly.

Flamelash was the strongest melee-ranged fire ability a student could get. Most likely, Ashton tested that ability frequently, and it never failed to shatter a student’s barrier.

His brow twitched once more—a sign she often noticed when he was attempting to keep his anger from showing.

“Contrary to what you’re thinking, Aria,”—as he spoke, the blue layer repaired itself— ”I didn’t expect you to fall with just this. I admit to my surprise that your barrier isn’t broken.” He shook his head. “But that won’t last. Now, what?”

Whether that was true or just an attempt to ease his ego, Aria couldn’t tell. Regardless, he was correct in that she didn’t have a variety of options at her disposal.

Of course, not because she only had her fists.

But it would have been better if she defeated him without using any ability—the same humiliation Jared felt losing to Annabelle.

Unfortunately for her plan, his masters seemed to not care for getting caught, and he had too many Sigils at his disposal. Then, there was that large Firebolt hovering above him. She’d easily dodge it with her speed and its lack of it, but she didn’t believe that’s what it was for.

Ashton likely meant to use that Firebolt as a final resort in case it seemed he would die—taking her out with him. She didn’t think him the type, but it was pointless otherwise.

Once again, he waited for her to make the first move.

The Flamelashes at his sides moved, one raising higher and the other going lower.

One of the Firebolts above Ashton turned slightly, and Aria instantly reacted by raising her enhancements.

It exploded on the ground where she once was, the heat wave again hitting her heel.

“You absorbed the Apex Sigil on Sorana, didn’t you?” Ashton suddenly said, releasing another Firebolt toward her in the midst of her surprise.

But she wasn’t that amateurish.

Again, she saw its trajectory and dodged accurately. It impacted the wall behind her, sending stones clattering against the floor.

“Surprised? It’s not that difficult to figure out.”

Another bolt, another dodge.

If she didn’t charge, it would just become a battle of attrition… and that was not how she wanted to win.

“Annabelle wouldn’t absorb it; she wanted to get you a Sigil for your safety.”

Every time she heard him use Annabelle’s name, it made her want to ignore the potential shattering of her barrier to rip him apart.

“Use it, Aria—you will not win against me without it.”

That was odd.

Did he want her to win? Was this entire thing just a strategy to reveal the ability she obtained on Sorana? The likely camera was on the ceiling, but what good did that do save for showing them fight?

That would only get both in trouble… Aria more, but Ashton would not get away with entering a highly forbidden area that not even teachers could get into.

Now that she thought of it… his master was likely waiting somewhere, waiting to see what she could do.

While she had a trump card, one she highly doubted anybody expected, she didn’t want to reveal it unless everyone watching was guaranteed to die.

“Fine,” Aria said.

Ashton smiled.

Aria extended her hand, which immediately made Ashton jump backward, widening the distance from her.

A golden light shined in her palm, a light that extended outward as small, unnoticeable threads created the hilt of a greatsword.

Once the hilt formed, Ashton’s eyes widened. “Surely not.”

Soon, the shining sound faded as the final thread formed the tip of her sword—a wide, simple, golden greatsword taller than her.

Its golden light illuminated the dungeon that had only obtained light from those crystalline rocks and Ashton’s flames.

“Really?” Ashton mockingly chuckled. “Such a brutish thing… I’m not sure what I expected. Is that your Apex Sigil? Creating infinite weapons?”

Something like that. She and Gromak called it Armament, and its true power wasn’t in simply making weapons. Although she would not be able to show that in her current state.

Apex Sigil’s worked on principles foreign to the known world. The powers they granted often didn’t make sense, even in the world of Sigils.

That was why Ashton still seemed on guard despite his words.

What if it had the power to cut anything in the world? He couldn’t know.

“I’ll show you,” Aria said.

This would be the first real test of her abilities.

Ashton’s ring shined, presumably for his enhancements to run as half the Firebolts above him dissipated in favor of it.

“Are you sure you can swing that?”

Rather than grace him with a response, Aria pushed forward once more.

First, she wanted to test her durability.

There.

She saw the slight turn of one of the Firebolts and immediately swung the heavy greatsword at it as she continued in the same direction.

It roared through the air and slammed into the bolt, the explosion pushing Aria’s arm back and cracking her sword. The particles of mana-fire dispersed before they hit her face.

Seeing that crack, Ashton’s smirk widened.

That was her first limitation—she couldn’t repair what she had already created. Yet. But the crack wasn’t as bad as to instantly shatter her blade.

Another Firebolt shot at her, and Aria whipped her sword back to hit it. The resulting explosion left a different crack near the tip of her sword’s body.

Ashton didn’t wait for her that time, and one more Firebolt released at her while he began pushing backward.

Knowing what was next, Aria lifted her greatsword and aimed it forward but tilted downward.

Instead of charging directly at him, Aria stabbed her greatsword into the stone floor with a sharp crack. She didn’t want to win with it like that anyway.

Grabbing hold of the hilt with both hands, she pulled herself up, lifting her entire body as if vaulting over it.

She kicked off the sword’s hilt with all the strength her enhanced legs could muster, launching herself upward in an arc.

Immediately after, both of Ashton’s Flamelashes whipped through the air with their searing power in an attempt to strike right as she reached their radius. Instead, they hit the blade.

Her greatsword shattered like glass, with golden fragments of the shattered blade flew into the air, some striking her legs. Her barrier rippled with each piece but held strong.

Aria twisted in midair, facing Ashton directly.

A golden glow shined from her hand once more.

“Idiot!” Ashton sneered.

With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a massive Firebolt—larger and slower than the others but far more dangerous. It roared toward her, pulsing with heat and light, giving her no room to dodge while suspended in midair.

But she expected that.

As the object she created finished forming, she threw it—a dagger—at the ball.

The collision was instant.

A thunderous explosion ripped through the space between them, a blinding burst of flames and sparks filling the air.

Specks of fire and bits of gold fell to the stone floor.

Aria landed before Ashton with her barrier rippling just as his lashes returned to his side.

“You like talking,” Aria said, interrupting Ashton’s next action as he instead squinted—but his glow still formed. “Firebolts are not a good projectile—any impact will make them explode, even a rock.

In that instant, a smaller Flamelash emerged from a dark blue glow at Ashton’s side. Despite his efforts to continue retreating, Aria followed precisely as a golden light shined in her left hand.

Then they neared the wall, and Ashton stopped.

Aria took the blow from the lash and slammed her fist into Ashton’s stomach. He instinctively curled, and his Manaskin broke once more, but his barrier held.

The lash impacted Aria’s neck, a crack of wind that damaged her barrier.

But she ignored it, instead focusing on Ashton’s widening eyes. The other two Flamelashes decreased in size, but not fast enough to stop her actions.

She unfurled her left hand, revealing a pair of shining brass knuckles around her fingers. Immediately after, she slammed her fist once again into his stomach.

Ashton was sent back into the wall, his barrier cracking across his stomach as he slammed against the stone. It didn’t shatter.

His barrier must have been incredibly durable.

Aria jumped backward before the smaller lashes could hit her as they cracked in front of Ashton.

She immediately lowered her enhancements and dispersed the fists.

Ashton’s smirk was gone, and his brows were furrowed as he checked his stomach, his shirt damaged from her impact.

Even Aria had some tears, but nothing major.

“You…” Ashton trailed off, lifting his head to meet Aria’s gaze. “I thought my barrier was the best in the academy, but you managed to take two of my Flamelashes.”

“You’re arrogant.”

“But, even then, I never expected to beat you like this—I simply wished to test myself against you.” After he finished, all but one of his Flamelashes dispersed, and his remaining Firebolts turned to smoke. “Without instant casting, you’re an unbeatable force in this academy.”

That was true.

The only ability she struggled against was Watershell, and that was because it was both a defensive and offensive ability that struck without care—unpredictable.

“Until that power becomes widespread, melee will reign supreme.”

But then, why did Ashton not seem lost?

As much as she could charge in right then and kill him… she wanted to see. What kind of other power did he have?

He straightened himself and stretched his body, though his steely gaze never left Aria.

“My mana is running a little low, so let’s end this now.” He snapped his fingers and fell to the ground, kneeling from what was likely exhaustion.

Aria upped her enhancements once more as the air around her began to feel hot.

Apex Sigil? Likely not.

Immediately after, a low, ominous hum of magical power filled the dimly lit dungeon. The air around her seemed to tremble at whatever it was. The heat she felt but dismissed rose in temperature.

A trap?

Ashton had this kind of power?

Finally, a dark blue light shined in a wide circle around her that created what looked like a dark blue lake.

The heatwave intensified, and Aria felt the air grow hotter by the second.

She reacted instantly, launching herself away… but the circle was too wide.

Right as she reached just outside its edge, it exploded.

A violent, hot explosion tore through the dungeon, a deafening roar consuming everything as the explosion slammed into her.

Her barrier buckled under the explosive force, absorbing the brunt of the flames, but was unable to hold as the shockwave slammed into her body.

It shattered from the force, and she was flung forward without any control over her body.

Her effort to anchor herself only caused her to hit the ground like a rag doll, her body rolling and slamming across the stone floor toward the wall. She resisted the urge to shout as the pain brought tears to her eyes.

Finally, she skidded to a stop as her back slammed into stone, stealing the breath from her lungs and threatening to take her consciousness.

Stone rained from the explosion site, scattering against the floor, and smoke and dust filled the room.

Aria struggled to regain her senses, her ears ringing and her wet vision unsteady as pain radiated across her body.

She couldn’t stand… nor could she feel her right arm.

But she didn’t look at it.

Ashton… seemed to be exhausted and barely able to hold himself up using the wall as support. At the very least, he didn’t have the mana to finish her off.

Still, Aria extended more effort into standing—her mana running in overdrive as her enhancements ran to a limb she couldn’t feel.

This pain wasn’t anything like the Apex Sigil… but it still made it difficult to move.

But his plan failed.

Ashton Wells would die here, cameras be damned.