Aldric was hit, clawed, and whacked more times than he could reliably count. Each hit fueled his rage, making it swelter in his chest. He tried focusing his energy behind his eyes, but each time he'd come close, thwack, another blow would land.
"Your assigned targets won't wait for you to cast; you must be able to adapt!" Aves' voice rang out. Something cold and solid collided flatly with his cheek, and he knew he had just taken a kick. He found himself on the floor once more, dribbling blood from his lip.
His face was puffy and discolored, and his clothes were no longer in one piece. He clenched his fists, grabbing handfuls of dirt as he huffed small clouds of dust into the air. His ribs seared, and he felt an agonizing pain in his shoulder.
He couldn't feel his fingers on his right arm, but could feel his fingers gently graze his knee every so often.
"Perhaps the architect was wrong, perhaps you aren't ready," the professor said, her tone condescending. Just then, Aldric heard a soft flutter, similar to a paper fan beating in the air. An idea sparked in his brain faster than he could fully piece it together.
Slowly, he raised himself from the dirt and stood. He stood at an angle, holding his ribs with his good arm while his other one hung down lower than it should've. His breath exited his mouth like a pant, and sweat stuck dirt to his browline. His nose was crooked, and his stature seemed more defeated.
He closed his eyes. A rush of warmth pulsed from his heart, outward toward his toes and fingertips. He felt his life force replenish slowly, and his breath steadied. Again, he heard the flutter. That's when he sent his hypothesis into motion.
In a swift motion, he turned away and stepped slightly to his left. A solid blow that was meant for his head landed against his shoulder instead. Aldric bellowed as an audible crunch rang out. He winced in the dirt, holding his arm, before realizing his fingers could move again.
He was right; the fluttering was her moving to strike. If he timed his position with the fluttering, he could evade her attacks. If he could hold out long enough, he could attempt to read her aura. He stood quickly and squatted into a defensive position.
"Ah, the little bird is back to play," Aves cackled from above him in the darkness. She fluttered again, and Aldric heard her circle above him. He attempted to stay still, hoping she didn't know he recognized the sound. His trick seemed to work as the fluttering became more constant.
It was a faint sound, but distinct if you knew what to listen for. She zipped from end to end quickly. She'd perch across from him, like a cat hunting its meal. All the while, he'd listen and wait for that distinct flutter she made when she attacked.
He focused his energy, he breathed deeply, and he focused it in his eyes. He felt a warmth behind his cornea, and his vision began to clear in the darkness. Then, he heard it, the sharp, fast zip he'd associate with her attacking.
He waited, and he spun. His vision cleared as she zipped behind him. Her attack swept past his cloak as her aura bloomed above her head. A dark blue ring of fire that seemed to fluctuate between blue and purple.
Aldric grinned and adjusted his stance. He had adopted an offensive position and focused on her silhouette.
"I can see you now," he declared, clenching his fists tighter.
"Good, now it gets interesting," she chuckled, and in a zip, she disappeared. Aldric's face dropped as he frantically glanced around the ravine. She was gone. He maintained his defense, but slowly began treading along the edge of the chasm.
He focused his ears, listening for any fluttering in the distance. It was silent, and it grew colder. After a few minutes, he had grown confused, cold, and frustrated. That's when he dropped his guard. As quickly as his fists fell, he heard the flutter behind him dive toward him.
He dived forward and spun, landing on his back in the dirt and sliding a few feet. Aves' attack thrust into the dirt, coughing out a cloud of brown dust. Aldric caught a glimpse of her aura, but as he pinpointed it, she was gone again.
"Fighting something you can't see, tough. Fighting something you can't catch is borderline impossible," Aves insisted from her distant hiding spot.
"Yeah? Good, it's probably smart I get a head start on doing the impossible," Aldric wheezed, ribs throbbing under his skin. He heard another wisp of air as she leapt toward him. He ducked her claw slash, but was walloped by a spinning kick to his back.
He lunged forward and flopped to the ground, breaking the course skin of his palms. His rage suddenly overflowed. His mind went blank, and his vision went pinpoint. He let out a wickedly ferocious battle cry before jumping to his feet.
He wasted no time rushing into another altercation. He punched and swiped at the shadowy outline of his instructor, aiming for her aura directly. She weaved each strike, ducking under punches and redirecting kicks. She cackled to herself as the boy lost all control.
He didn't know if she was pleased with his failure, or amused by his lack of control, but her laughter only enraged him further. That's when he noticed her claws coming in for another attempt at his face.
Time around him slowed, and again he found himself in a similar headspace as he had all those years ago when Rhys attacked him. He felt helpless and almost afraid. Suddenly, beneath his shirt, his arm emitted a bright red glow. Aves glanced at the glow momentarily as her claws neared his nose.
It was the shadow walking rune, inked into his skin and activated under his clothes. Her hollow black eyes gaped as Aldric's hand gripped her wrist firmly. He pulled her toward him, and she sank into the ground. Her feet were swallowed up to her knees before the dirt seemed to constrict around her.
She struggled for a moment before realizing she had been bested. She gazed up and saw the boy stumble backward and topple to the dirt.
"Seems you've bested us both then,"