Dauthridem? Again? What's that supposed to mean? I wondered as I looked into the pale eyes that hardly showed any sign of emotion in them.
I digress. It wasn't that they didn't have emotion in them, but there was something about her gaze that left me feeling uncertain about what she was feeling. The pale tendrils of Meridian mana swirled about her slitted pupil with absolute control, and there was no defining factor that would let me know that information.
Her mana simply didn't flare at all. At that moment, I simply couldn't tell whether she was happy to see me, or if she'd just encountered a potentially mortal enemy.
I guess I'm about to find out which, I thought with a dry gulp.
"I-It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady," I said with a low bow. "The pleasure is mine, Thoma Fayren," she said in a tone that suited her monochromatic visage, gesturing subtly for me to rise. "I have heard from Dukes Karthus and Ryfon that you were here, though I will admit, their bringing you here was not without its risks," she continued in the same tone.
"I understand that. It probably wasn't a good idea to challenge the Eyes as I did, but I had to save my friend, my lady," I replied, holding my ground as best I could. My response elicited only a fraction of a change in her features, one she hid almost immediately.
Her presence is nearly impossible to sense, even though I'm standing right in front of her. Just how much control over her being does she really have? I thought idly, though I suspect she'd either read my thoughts or perhaps my expression gave me away.
"I see. In that case, I must commend you for your bravery, though I cannot allow for such brazen activity to go entirely unpunished. Brother," she called out over her shoulder.
Brother? The others and I sent to each other in unison, the confused looks on our faces giving our thoughts away immediately as Ryfon smiled.
"Yes, it's true. She's my older sister. What is it, Mediator?" he asked as if the fact that Ysevel had just met her great-aunt for the first time had been little more than a leaf floating by on a warm spring morning. "I would like to propose a test to determine the level of punishment I must enact on him for his defiance," she said flatly as Ryfon showed up beside her.
Wait, are we really just going to skip over the fact that we've just met another Ansuz? Ysevel, are you alright? I asked her directly. I-I'm fine. I just didn't know this is what she looked like. I'd love to know more about her, but I'm more worried about this so-called punishment she's here to give you, she replied with widened eyes.
All in due time, my dearest niece. Do not be afraid, Mediator's voice came into our heads as if she'd listened in on our brief exchange. It caught Ysevel and I entirely off guard, prompting us to halt any further communication for a brief moment.
Her voice was much warmer than the tone she'd used initially, though I suspected it had something to do with her role in Polarion, rather than a sense of superiority. Ysevel and I realized we couldn't even be angry with her, as even without knowing the full extent of her power, we knew she could take all of us on at once and win.
"What kind of test would you deem appropriate, Mediator? If you seek to test his skills, I am not sure he would be able to lay a finger on you," Karthus sighed, prompting her left eyebrow to raise just enough for me to notice. "Do you believe that, or are you simply telling me that as a way to not waste my time?" she asked flatly and without any hint of condescension in her words.
"He has only been under Kanarin and Vauv's tutelage for a short time. It's unlikely that any of them could have grown that much in such a short time," Karthus shrugged. I could feel a collective sense of agreement flowing through my connection to the others, but Kanarin was the one who stepped forward.
Five years is a short time for them? I guess that makes sense, given how long they live, Bernar sent me with a shrug.
"I believe any of them could, though whether they would win is another matter entirely," she said, coming to our defense.
That's a fair assessment. We still haven't learned to hide our presence yet, after all, Ysevel sent us, to which we all agreed with a silent nod.
"Would you like to make a wager, then?" Ryfon asked Mediator, prompting her to look at him. "You know my position does not allow me to make wagers, brother," she said, her tone dropping a little as if she were scolding a peer.
"Not that sort of wager. How about a true test of skill, then?" Ryfon asked, spreading his arms a little. "If Thoma can land a single strike on you, then you must rescind whatever punishment may come his way. Do we have a deal?" he asked with a hint of severity hidden just beneath the surface of his otherwise playful tone.
Does he know what sort of punishment that would be? Bernar asked. I don't think he would have made the deal if he didn't know, Mom replied. Neck deep in it now, shit-bird, he sent with a warning glance. Thanks for the support, asshole, I sighed.
Mediator gave me a quick glance, and I noticed the tendrils of mana in her irises fluctuated just enough to show a hint of what I took as excitement. "Very well, then. Thoma Fayren, I accept the terms my younger brother has proposed," she said as she took a few steps back.
"Duke Karthus, would you be the judge of this? After all, if this supposed wager is to be valid, I would have the one who thought it unfair to see it with their own eyes," Mediator suggested over her shoulder. "Of course. Fair is fair," he replied, likely quoting something she said often.
Good luck, shit-ass, Bernar sent me with a subtle pump of his clenched fist. Remember what Kanarin said about hiding your intent, Ysevel reminded me shortly after, as I got into my fighting stance. I'll do my best, love. Thank you, I replied. Oh, so my support means fuck-all now? That's nice, Bernar said with a huff, earning him a swift smack from the back of Mom's hand on his chest.
"Now then," Mediator began, quickly turning my attention to her. "Are there any weapons you would like to use? I feel it would be unfair for you to fight me empty-handed," she continued, removing her outer robes with a flick of her wrist. Instead of falling to the floor, however, they were immediately converted into a thin belt that hugged her at the waist.
"Fair is fair," I said, mimicking what Karthus had said earlier. Surprisingly, that comment had earned me a look that I could only describe as curiosity, but exactly what was going through her head, I couldn't tell.
"As you wish. We will begin at the Duke's command," she said, hardly widening her stance, while I sank further into mine. Karthus gave the two of us a glance, and with a swift, downward movement of his hand, he gave the signal. "Begin," he shouted, immediately taking a few steps back.
I knew from thousands of duels with Kalia to never charge into an attack blindly. However, as I began to circle her, I realized the attempt to get a feel for the fight was as fruitless as trying to touch the sun from the bottom of the ocean.
Not a single opening. No sign of misused movement, either. Even her breathing is steady from what I can tell. Is that part of what it means to hide your presence? I began to wonder privately.
However, during my brief line of thought, I noticed a hint of a smile tugging at the scar on the corner of her mouth. You have good instincts, but you have already lost the round, she sent me, causing my mind to freeze momentarily as I suddenly felt my body being slammed into the floor.
Fuck, that hurt, I wheezed through the dust cloud my body had created, already feeling the mana coursing through me and beginning to heal the damage.
"Again," she said, suddenly back at her starting position with the same porcelain expression as before.
She's not only powerful, but I didn't even see her move at all. I wonder if… I trailed off, feeling my body being slammed into the ground once more as I stared up at the clouds above Polarion.
"Again," she said in the same, even tone as before. I spared a glance over at Vauv, who, instead of looking at me with disappointment, gave me an understanding nod. What surprised me the most was that Kanarin gave me the same, but with a wry smile hidden in her golden eyes.
I'm thinking too much, aren't I? I realized, suddenly understanding the unspoken message the two were trying to give me.
I paid closer attention to my body as I got to my feet and wiped the small amount of blood trickling from the corner of my mouth. I closed my eyes, feeling every muscle, tendon, and nerve in my body as I focused my intent as I had just a few short moments prior, when Essentia had given me her advice.
I reopened my eyes, suddenly noticing a slight shift in Mediator's expression, one that meant she knew an attack was coming, but wasn't about to let her guard down.
I dashed in, nearly cratering the tiles below my feet as I careened toward her. Just before I was within striking range, however, I leaned into the spaces between me and the tiles behind her with a tightly balled fist. I aimed my strike at the height of her kidney, but she turned and deflected the attack with her right elbow at a speed I almost couldn't comprehend.
Almost.
At that moment, I realized just how quick she really was. It was practically instantaneous movement, something that I'd considered to be impossible for a mere human to achieve, but made perfect sense for someone of her station. I didn't have time to think, as out of the corner of my eye, I saw her left hand curling around as her body twisted to grab me.
Using the odoruki technique again, I leaned into the space that would lead me away from the incoming attack, but not so far that I couldn't try to land one myself. My left hand swung, and as it did so, I could feel every particle of mana, every ripple in the air as it moved toward her stomach.
Again, she twisted with incredible speed, using the backside of her forearm to deflect the strike away. While she didn't comment on it, I could tell she was growing increasingly curious as to what my abilities really were.
I kept this pattern up for a few more strikes, doing my best to get a better sense of her speed, but no matter what I threw at her, she hardly moved at all. The feeling was no different than how I understood Bernar's example with Kanarin, but I couldn't acknowledge it much further than that.
Thoma, your intent, Ysevel sent me with a rapid tug on my core. Letting my attention slip momentarily, I quickly found myself in the direct path of her attack that was ready to slam me to the ground once more.
I closed my eyes and accepted my fate, mentally and physically preparing myself for the dull sting of feeling my face being smashed into the floor.