Into the Darkness: Devotion

[Cassidy]

I swung down, the air shifting around my blade as he blocked.

His knees buckled, and he was forced back, cracking the stone beneath his feet. 

Steam poured from my pores and mouth as my power and speed increased.

This is a technique I learned from my father during my early days of training. 

By heating up my blood with mana, I can increase its flow and make my body stronger. 

I also boil my bones in pools of mana, further enhancing my power.

Someone like him should have the basics of mana figured out. It's obvious, considering how all-encompassing the aura he emits is.

 It's like a void of nothingness, consuming you as you get closer.

As he thrust forward, I moved my blade, pushing his aside with a flare of mine and placing my palm on his chest. 

I twisted my body and threw him over my head.

He crashed into the ground, but before I could bring my blade down, he was already rolling back.

I dug my foot into the stone and blasted off, swinging sideways, but he managed to block and push me back.

As we clashed swords, more and more people gathered to watch us. Some cheered, while others whispered about the danger, but I didn't care.

When I'm swinging my sword, nothing else matters but my victory. Nothing else matters but the direction of my blade and the curvature of my swings.

While I'm wielding my sword, I don't have to acknowledge the world, only my blade.

Hence, the second aspect of my Gift. With it, not only can I grab onto anything... I can also let anything go, whether it be my strength or my weakness.

"Alright, Astrea, I'm going to go all out now!"

He smiled. "Were you going easy on me?"

I only smiled back and started to boil my mana itself, then swung down.

As my blade neared the ground, I saw a book manifest from thin air—a Grimoire.

I don't use magic much, but even when I do, I don't need to summon mine.

Is he actually just a brute with good skill?

Not that it matters. Before he could cast a spell, my blade connected with his.

His block was instantly broken, and he stumbled back.

I followed up with a thrust aimed at his chest.

He barely reacted in time, parrying, but not with enough strength or technique.

All it did was slow my blade down and divert its path. My sword slashed across his side.

Blood trickled down, and I regained some power.

That's the enchantment on my blade. Anytime I hit my opponent, I regain something I lost, whether it be blood, energy, or even healing wounds.

He fell to the ground, clutching his right side as blood dripped down.

"Are you done, Astrea?"

He looked up, wiping his mouth. "Of course not. I'm still standing."

His current position proved that to be a lie, but I stepped back as he pushed himself up again.

This time, water manifested around him, shaping itself into a sword that mirrored his own.

My Gift is called Envy. My goal is to master swordplay. To master it and become the best swordsman in the world.

At the age of eight, I managed to grab onto something. Something so abstract no one could ever hope to understand.

I grabbed onto all swords, past, present, and future.

While only for a moment, I can access them.

And I don't need them to deal with him.

It's been a long time since I've used it, so I think I'll show him.

Show him what it takes to beat me.

"Espada, El Pasado."

He and hiss ten swords made from water all came at me, but I closed my eyes, and let out a breath.

In five seconds, it took five seconds of me exerting all of my power, and when I opened my eyes, he was covered in wounds.

I held my blade up to his neck and he raised his hands. 

"Well, that was embarrassing." He said while coughing up blood.

I released the Espada, and sighed. "You, aren't weak."

He chuckled. "Well I hope so."

People crowded around us all murmuring about the fight, some praised me, some praised him.

But a common factor was that the fight was amazing.

But using that ability drains a lot of power, so as I reached out my hand, I dropped to the ground, blacking out.

Blacking out is common for me. My body doesn't regulate mana easily, and my stamina is quite low. 

So waking up in new places is nothing new.

Faint light fell over my eyes as I slowly regained control of my body.

 I opened them to see a ceiling above me, dimly illuminated by light spilling through the darkness.

It was my room. The dorm.

I sat up slowly, running my fingers over my face to clear the haze from my vision.

Strands of hair fell forward as I turned my head slightly, only to see a girl sitting nearby.

Artoria.

I felt a faint unease in her presence, but I managed to control myself and not flinch as I spoke.

"Hello, Artoria."

She didn't immediately respond, just stared at me for a moment before speaking in a soft tone.

"Hey, there."

She shifted in her seat, which was clearly stolen from the kitchen, and leaned in with a smile. 

"I heard you managed to beat Astrea. You aren't as weak as I thought."

Even though I had won that fight, he didn't use his magic, not properly. 

I noticed he wasn't circulating his mana either, which meant he was holding back. A lot.

Of course, that's not to say I couldn't beat him. I'm quite confident that in a real battle, I would win. However…

"He was going easy on me," I admitted. "It's nothing to praise me for."

She chuckled, leaning back in her chair. "Still, from what I've heard, you have amazing sword technique. So I was wondering…"

She absentmindedly fiddled with her hair. "Mind training me? I mean, sparring with me regularly?"

Huh?

She wants to be taught by me? I'm not the best swordsman in the academy.

That title probably belongs to Malachi. Maybe a tie with Kivana.

If anything, I'm barely better than Astrea, at least without using Espada.

"…You want me to spar with you?" I asked, trying to process her request.

She nodded. "Yeah. I think it'd be good for both of us. You clearly push yourself, and I could use the extra practice. 

Besides…" She smirked. "I'd like to see for myself how strong you really are."

I considered her words for a moment before sighing. "Fine. But don't expect me to hold back."

"That's exactly what I was hoping for," she said, a glint of excitement in her eyes.

She glanced toward the window, then back at me. "But, are you sure you don't need more rest? It's almost the next day, you know."

I blinked. Almost the next day?

My eyes widened as realization struck, I had been out for hours. My morning routine, my preparation, I needed to get ready!

A wave of flustered panic surged through me as I scrambled to get up, nearly tangling myself in the sheets. 

Artoria raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by my reaction.

"I take it that means you aren't ready for the day?"

I let out a sharp breath. "I, just give me a minute."

She chuckled, standing up. "Alright, alright. Let's get ready, then."

She walked out the room chuckling softly.

I really need to gain control over my anxiety.