⸻
Scene 10: When Strength Meets Grace
In the open space of Southwind's multi-purpose arena, Garret, Magnus, Gwenna, Drago and Yue stepped into the center of the sparring field. They paused there for a moment, exchanging glances. Garret was the first to speak.
"So you're Drago, huh? How would you like to spar—bare-handed, or with weapons?"
Drago responded with a respectful martial salute, reminiscent of ancient Eastern warriors.
"I'll leave it to your discretion, Master Garret. Whichever way you prefer, I'll treat it as a valuable lesson."
Garret laughed heartily.
"Ha ha! I like your spirit, kid. Let's start with bare hands, then move on to weapons—no magic at first. After that, we'll finish with a full magic-imbued duel. Sound good?"
Drago smiled as if he'd just been given a golden opportunity.
"Thank you for your guidance."
Gwenna stepped up and nudged Drago.
"Don't use up all your strength, okay? I want a turn after you. Save at least half your energy."
Drago gave a sheepish smile.
"That's… a pretty tough request. But I'll do my best."
Gwenna then turned to Garret.
"Uncle, don't go too hard on him, alright? Just test his skill a little—don't get carried away. Otherwise, I'll tell Aunt Zaria to put it on your tab."
Garret raised both hands quickly.
"Easy, Gwen, easy! Zaria already has me in enough debt. One more favor and I'll be broke."
Magnus chuckled softly.
"No need to worry, sweetheart. If Feng gets too fired up, I'll rein him in myself."
Gwenna placed her hands on her hips with a smile.
"It's reassuring to hear that from you, Father."
Yue raised her hand slightly, as if she'd been waiting to speak.
"Excuse me… so this is going to be a one-on-one match? I thought it would be more like a team fight."
Gwenna turned to her with a grin.
"That's right. When it comes to testing skill, one-on-one duels are the standard. But… are you a fighter too, Miss Yue? That's a bit surprising, considering your image."
Yue waved her hands quickly.
"Oh no, you were right. I'm a support type! If I tried fighting one-on-one like this, I'd probably lose before it even starts."
She looked around the field and spotted Elina and Osiris walking off with Zaria and Kaelum.
"In that case, I'll go sit with Osiris and the others." She started jogging off, then turned around to wave with a playful smile.
"Good luck, Gwen! And you too, Brother Drago! Whoever loses… has to buy me snacks, okay? Heehee!"
Drago scratched his head.
"Now I really can't afford to lose. Yue eats way too many sweets already."
Gwenna turned and smiled.
"I'll try to gather more snacks just in case, so you don't have to worry too much… but for now, I'll just head over and watch your duel with Uncle Feng."
She gave a small wave and stepped back, putting some distance between them. Magnus also stepped aside to act as a referee. Meanwhile, the first duel—between Garret and Drago—was about to begin.
Garret shifted into a kung fu pose. Drago assumed a classic Muay Thai guard. They circled each other briefly, testing the waters. Then Garret muttered under his breath.
"Quit staring and let's get to it already."
⸻
⸻
Garret lunged in, unleashing a flurry of kung fu strikes. They weren't lightning-fast like those in the movies, but they carried the brutal weight of raw power. His punches and kicks swept wide arcs, heavy and devastating, each stomp of his foot shaking the ground beneath them. Drago kept dodging, staying just out of reach, watching for an opening.
Garret chuckled.
"How long do you plan on dodging? Come on—hit me back at least once."
As soon as Garret finished his sentence, Drago countered. He began using the wide openings in Garret's heavy swings to slip in and land precise strikes—sharp, clean hits to vulnerable spots. But Garret barely flinched.
Their fight dragged on for a while, until Garret suddenly stopped and raised both hands.
"Alright, alright. No doubt about it—you've got skill. But it's obvious you're running low on physical strength. Maybe you've been relying too much on magic. Let's move on to weapons—no enchantments this time."
Drago strapped on a pair of knuckle guards. Garret, on the other hand, pulled out a strange-looking weapon—something like a spear, but with jagged, uneven ridges along its blade.
"What? Surprised by how weird it looks?" Garret smirked. "Yeah, it's a little strange without the magic enhancements. But once the enchantments are on, it's a real beauty. For now, though, it's just a plain spar."
This round proved tougher for Drago. He couldn't close the distance. Garret's weapon had reach—and he knew how to use it. It felt like a one-sided fight. Even when Drago did manage to slip in close, Garret had the awareness and technique to block him right away. Drago just couldn't find a rhythm.
Eventually, Garret called a stop.
"You're outmatched when it comes to reach. If your arms were outfitted with reinforced bars or armored bracers instead of just these knuckle guards, your defense would improve a lot. Might even give you a better edge in counterattacks—which is clearly your strength."
Drago's face lit up with appreciation.
"Wow… thank you so much for the advice."
⸻
⸻
This time, Garret planted the butt of his spear into the ground. Lightning began to crackle and dance along its jagged blade.
Drago froze—not out of fear of the weapon itself, but because it reminded him of Zekhtau, the high-level Guardian-class foe he had once faced.
His heart pounded uncontrollably. His hands trembled. Sweat gathered in his palms. A storm of emotions surged within him—fear, unease, excitement… and a burning desire to win.
Drago let flames flare lightly from his hands and feet, cloaking himself with a subtle layer of gravitational magic. The look in his eyes told Garret everything: Drago was going all out.
Garret grinned wide and charged in with a hearty laugh, fully thrilled.
Their very first clash sent a small shockwave rippling outward—a miniature explosion of raw elemental energy.
Garret's thunder spear struck with speed and force, each blow crackling with the threat of electrocution. It was a devastating weapon, and a nightmare to face in close combat. But Drago refused to yield. He maintained distance with bursts of fire, using gravitational magic to propel himself away, skipping along the ground in nimble, one-legged footwork.
Drago muttered to himself,
"Hmph… gotta thank Akira for showing me how to handle lightning magic."
The battle grew more intense. Garret was fully warmed up now, clearly in his element. But Drago knew he had to end this—he still had another match ahead.
He waited for Garret to make a wide swing, then dove in low, skimming just above the ground. He deliberately let the shaft of the spear graze him, only to suddenly increase the weight on the weapon with gravitational magic—then launched himself forward with a punch that made Garret's body feel weightless.
Caught off-guard by the abrupt shift in mass and balance, Garret staggered. Drago took the opportunity to unleash a rapid combo, pushing Garret back several steps before he managed to plant his foot and stomp down hard to stabilize.
But Drago, now retreating to reset, accidentally landed within the weapon's maximum range. Garret's next lightning-infused strike was already coming down on him, fast and furious—
Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind surged between them, knocking Garret's spear clean out of his hand.
Drago stumbled and fell, landing on his rear—but quickly pushed himself up again.
From the sidelines, Magnus stepped forward, holding a massive jade-green guandao.
"It's alright, young Drago. The sparring match is over."
Garret groaned in frustration.
"Come on, big brother! Why'd you interrupt? I was just getting into it!"
Magnus's tone turned stern, more serious than usual.
"Exactly. You were getting too into it. That last strike nearly injured a member of the Heroes. I'm calling that a violation of Gwen's rules. You owe one cup of Moonlight."
Garret shouted in protest.
"Aaaargh, come on! First you ruin the fun, and now you're fining me too? This sucks!"
⸻
⸻
Garret turned around with his hands on his hips, shaking his head before glancing back at Drago.
"Kid, that last move of yours—pretty damn good. But if you had actual arm guards or metal bracers, you wouldn't have taken that hit. First off… I gotta say, well done."
With that, he walked off to retrieve his lightning spear, which had flown a good distance away. He stayed by the edge of the field, watching in anticipation for Drago's next match.
Gwenna stepped forward.
"You wanna take a break first? Or should we go now?"
Drago brushed the dust off his clothes.
"I'll take a quick mana potion first… then I'm ready."
Gwenna smiled and turned to Magnus.
"Father, can I trade my Moonlight fine for some snacks instead? I think Yue would like that more."
Magnus chuckled.
"I'll have Feng pay you in cash. That way, you can pick out exactly what you want."
Gwenna lit up with childish joy.
"Yay! Snacks!"
She turned to Drago, who had just finished drinking the potion and was already getting into position. The second match was about to begin.
Gwenna drew her weapon—a bizarre-looking item that resembled a giant fan. Its edges were as sharp as blades, though the tip remained blunt.
"I'm skipping straight to magic-enhanced combat, okay?"
Drago grinned.
"Sure. Bring it on."
She swung the fan to her back and triggered a burst of compressed air. The explosion launched her forward in a flash. With that momentum, she slashed downward with a vertical swing.
Boom!
The ground shook as the earth split like it had been cleaved by an axe. Gwenna continued her spin, turning the momentum into a circular slash.
Whoosh… Boom!
Her weapon cut through the air, producing a soft sonic boom as she spun. Drago could only dodge, unable to match her flow.
And she didn't stop. With each pass, she gained more speed, like a giant axe spinning in a storm. Drago waited for an opening, but Gwenna suddenly flipped her fan vertically, unleashing a blast of wind so powerful it sent everything—including Drago—flying backward.
She pivoted again, swinging the fan in an axe-like motion to generate more rotational force. Drago tried to break through, but the fierce winds kept pushing him back. In defense, she wielded wind. In offense, she struck like a storm-bound executioner. And she maintained her momentum flawlessly. Her balance was impeccable. It was offense and defense, perfectly fused.
Drago's mind blanked for a moment. So he relied on instinct.
He began experimenting—heavier body weight when she pushed, lighter when she spun. With each adjustment, he drew closer. Gwenna had to swing more frequently to keep him at bay. But the more she swung, the more her speed diminished. Eventually, she switched to full defensive form.
Finally, Drago managed to slip past her whirlwind reach. But instead of punching her, he attempted to lock her in a hold—to force a clean surrender.
But Gwenna wasn't one to yield. She dropped her weapon and tackled him bare-handed.
It became a close-quarters brawl—half martial arts, half wrestling. Drago, despite having a clear chance to overpower her, backed off slightly, hesitant to breach her personal space. Gwenna, however, didn't hesitate at all. She pressed forward.
The match turned intense and physical, teetering on the edge of chaos. Neither could get the upper hand. Eventually, they found themselves locked in a staredown, panting.
Drago slowly lowered his arms and raised both hands in a calm gesture.
"Let's call it. I surrender."
Gwenna frowned.
"What? The fight's not even over! Why would you give up now?"
Magnus stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes.
"Hm… but he did forfeit, sweetheart. That makes you the winner."
Gwenna stomped the ground—
Boom!—causing cracks to spiderweb outward.
"Ugh! Fine, if you say so, Father… then fine! Hmph!"
⸻
⸻
Magnus stepped forward and gently placed a hand on Drago's shoulder.
"You fought well. Among kids around Gwenna's age, no one's ever stood up to her like this. You're the first. Now go on—Kalan and his companions are waiting for you."
Drago bowed politely.
"Thank you for your guidance. It's been an honor to spar with you, Sir Garret… and Lady Gwenna."
He turned and walked toward Akira.
Magnus then walked over to Gwenna, whose cheeks were still puffed in frustration.
"Gwenna, I know you're upset. But did you notice something about him?"
Gwenna crossed her arms, brows furrowed.
"Notice what? That he kept leaping away from me at the end?"
"Why do you think he did that?"
"Ugh! Because he's a coward! He had so many chances to finish the match, and he still held back!"
"No, he wasn't being cowardly…" Magnus glanced toward Drago as he walked away.
"He was being… respectful. He saw you not as a foe, but as a young lady. He didn't want to overstep."
Suddenly, Gwenna's face turned crimson—blushing harder than she had during the fight. Her heart pounded, visibly flustered.
"Hmph! Well, women can be enemies too, you know! Arcadia's doomed if its Heroes are all soft like that!"
She spun around and stormed off to an empty corner of the training grounds. A moment later, she clutched both cheeks, ears flushed deep red.
Magnus watched her go, smiling to himself.
"Our little girl… She's growing up. Feeling things like this already. Time really does fly."
He gazed up at the sky.
"Hardship always seems to last forever… while happiness slips away so quickly, even though time moves the same."
His eyes shifted toward the distant capital—Zenith Azimuth.
"…Heh. Guess I've gotten old… and my body… it's not what it used to be."
He shook his head firmly.
"No. Don't think about that now. It's not about how long we live in this world… but about what kind of legacy we leave behind."
Finally, he looked back in Gwenna's direction.
"Gwenna… I hope someone truly good finds their way to you. Someone who can take care of you when I no longer can… My precious little girl."
⸻