Runes - A Tale Of The Abyss 76 Chapter 68 - Showdown - Part 2

"Fire Magic: Rock-Meteor Collapse!"

As she fell from a couple meters height with the flames on her curled fists blazing stronger, Griff thought that it was certainly impressive to watch her combine two attributes for a joint spell, but he wasn't here to admire magic.

He raised his hands as the yellowish lacrima on his glove, the earth lacrima, started to glow. Shortly after water bursted all around Griff, shooting towards Ellen. His black flames, on the other hand, were gathering behind him as he did so.

"I might know how to create a proper spell, but I can get creative you know!"

The water he had sent towards her had slowly transformed and taken up the shape of an arrow.

"I don't know if this counts as a spell, but... Water Magic: Defiant Arrow Rain!"

The large arrow split into smaller arrows made of water that shot at jet speed, both slowing down Ellen's flaming meteor spell, and injuring her in the process, but she hadn't given up. With a roar of rage she crashed right on top of Griff, her fist hitting him on the chest.

As the dust settled, Ellen looked around to see if Griff was down. She should have landed right on top of him... but he wasn't there! She was panting... she'd used a fair bit of mana there, for she didn't want to underestimate Griff after he showed her he could use three attributes so far. Her pride was on the line here.

"Looking for me?"

She quickly turned around to see Griff who was encased in black flames. His flames were slowly starting to take shape around his body. He was gambling here with one of the only spells he could use... well, to be honest he couldn't use this properly. Last time was a fluke, this time though... it was meant not to be!

Griff had a confident smile this time around. He felt stronger, more empowered after a long time of feeling helpless! He would prove right here to himself that he was strong, that he would get stronger than he is as well!

Ellen quickly raised her hands as water started to spiral around her.

"You keep forgetting you're not the only one who can use different elements! You might think you're my worst enemy, but I'll show you you're mistaken!"

As she said so she bit her lower lip. Her short red hair was flailing as mana started to become more distorted around her.

"Well... I wouldn't want to let someone who is about to go all out on me!"

Ellen felt anger, but this time it wasn't anger against Griff. No, he had proven to her already that he had long had a reason to act as he did to her before. He had the magic to back it up. No, this was anger directed at herself. She hadn't felt cornered in a while, and she had sworn to herself that she wouldn't be cornered again!

Slowly her face twisted into a smile. Yeah, she might be cornered, but it didn't seem that Griff was mocking her. He was taking her seriously. Someone who could go head to head against her... how long had it been after she left her house? Definitely it had been a while.

"Alright, Griff was it?!"

It was more fo a rhetorical question as she continued, not letting Griff respond.

"I don't think I dislike your att.i.tude anymore!"

As she concluded her sentence the water around her was infused with wind magic. It had twisted and turned as it slowly turned into a hurricane with small storm clouds starting to appear on top of them. Griff's eyes slowly widened in shock, which slowly turned into excitement. Yeah... it wasn't that bad of a choice to come to this school. He definitely had found someone...

Ellen was gasping for breath as she felt her mana get sucked out of her. Instead of being scared like most people had when facing this spell of hers, Griff's eyes had widened in excitement, and as he got excited the flames dancing on his body had gotten more violent, and exploded out behind him, creating a small burst of black flamesShe had definitely found someone...

A rival! Someone to help push your limits to the breaking point!

Both of their eyes were burning with pa.s.sion. As they prepared for the release of the strongest spells both of them knew.

"Joint Unison Magic: Susanoo Style Tempest!"

As she finished her chant, the flames dancing on Griff had finished taking up shape.

The words had come out of his mouth slowly and like a whisper as if they were totally natural. He had casted a spell... something he thought he couldn't do so at this point.

Thanks to the raging storm his chant wasn't heard at all, but the shape the flames took after his chant were a different story for Ellen.

"Contradiction Magic: Empyrean Body of the Forge."

The flaming black armor he had manifested while fighting against the undead back when he was an adventurer was covering his entire body once more. He couldn't have ignited this spell again if it weren't for... his limits being pushed.

"It's all useless in front of my Storm!"

Ellen had shouted as she pointed a finger at Griff. As if given permission the hurricane had shot towards Griff, separating into smaller hurricanes as it did so, clashing straight against Griff!

Ellen had a smirk on her face. She should definitely talk to him after this whole test was over. He wasn't so bad...

"Don't you think... you're letting... your guard down... too early?!"

Ellen's eyes widened in shock as she watched black flames flickering lively in the middle of her hurricane. She couldn't make out Griff properly as he was engulfed in the storm, but she could make out black flames at the center, and they were slowly moving in her direction... and speeding up!

Ellen grit her teeth, but not in frustration, in excitement, as she casted another Joint Spell.

"Joint Unison Magic: Magmafied Body!"

She had used earth and fire magic to create lava which was slowly engulfing her similar to Griff. If mages didn't have immunity to their own spells, the hear would have killed her already!

"It would have been boring otherwise!"

She ran towards Griff, her body encased in dripping molten lava as her fists and joints hardened into rocky armor. Just then right in front of her, a figure clad in black flames had bursted right through the hurricane, and he had his fist high for a flaming punch!

Ellen's eyes widened at his speed as she raised her arms to block his punch, and in a few seconds molten lava and black flames collided, and along with it a fair portion of the labyrinth!

———————————————————————

The dust was settling down now, and the rainfall from the pseudo-clouds Ellen had created had all but stopped.

Griff could be seen standing while breathing heavily. He had dissipated his armor as he didn't want anyone to see it now that his cover, the hurricane, was gone. He had small cuts all over his body. The armor had protected him fairly against the storm, but he had still been injured.

"I... win..."

He spoke out tiredly. In front of him, Ellen was kneeling a few meters ahead with her armor cracked, broken, and the lava distorted. It started glowing as it slowly turned back into pure mana.

"...only this time..."

She said as she then started falling face first on the ground. Griff rushed and managed to catch her right before she fell face first into the dirt.

[You did good Griff... you impressed me.]

He internally smirked as he slowly helped up the knocked out Ellen up, carrying her.

'I didn't expect her to be this strong.'

[She's talented. Sometimes pure talent can rival experience, but you managed to win. This means you're more of a monster.]

Griff sarcastically replied to her.

'Jeez, thanks. I've always wanted to be a monster.'

Caphriel chuckled, and then she cut off her mental link with him. She was pondering to herself as Griff started to walk towards the path Kato had made for him to meet up with them if he won.

[...that spell he casted... that armor was certainly not an attributal spell. It was a Mid Level 5th tier spell belonging to his base attribute. This kid... he's going to become a beast if left alone.]

'Hmm... that armor felt more powerful than last time I had used it... but oh well! At least I can use it when I want to now! This is so exciting!'

Griff walked through the path Kato had created with his magic that led to the outside of the maze while he carried Ellen slowly.

'Now I wonder how the others are doing...'