Chapter 54: The Duel

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: The Duel

The morning sun was bright. The training grounds were busy. Adventurers filled the sparring rings. Swords clashed. Fists flew. Magic crackled in the air.

Daniel stood at the edge of the main training area. Lyra was beside him. Fluffy was on his back, her arms wrapped around his neck. They were watching Paul stretch.

Paul was in the center of an empty sparring ring. His arms were raised above his head. His muscles rippled. His hair blew in a gentle breeze.

"I feel good today," Paul said. "Really good. Maybe I’ll show you some advanced techniques."

Daniel nodded. "Sounds good."

Then a voice cut through the noise.

"PAUL!"

Daniel turned. He sighed.

Mark was storming across the training grounds. His face was red. His fists were clenched. Behind him, a crowd of adventurers was following. They had heard about the confrontation in the library. They wanted to see what would happen next.

Mark stopped in front of the sparring ring. He pointed at Paul.

"You!" he shouted. "I challenge you to a duel!"

Paul lowered his arms. He looked at Mark. His expression was calm.

"A duel?"

"Yes! A duel! Right here! Right now!" Mark’s voice cracked. "If I win, you leave my girlfriend alone!"

Paul tilted his head. "I already told you. I don’t know your girlfriend."

"Liar!" Mark stepped into the ring. "Everyone knows you! Everyone talks about you! Paul the handsome! Paul the charming! Paul the mage!"

The crowd murmured. They knew Paul. They had seen him around. He was popular. Not just with women. With everyone.

Paul sighed. "Fine. I accept."

The crowd cheered. They formed a circle around the ring. Bets were placed. Coins changed hands.

Daniel watched. He was grinning.

"This is going to be good," he said.

Lyra looked at him. "Is Paul strong?"

Daniel nodded. "Very strong."

Fluffy peeked over his shoulder. "Tall man is strong?"

"Very strong."

Mark and Paul faced each other. Mark was breathing hard. His hands were shaking. He was nervous. But he was also angry. Angry enough to fight.

Paul stood relaxed. His arms were at his sides. His expression was calm.

"Rules," Paul said. "No killing. No permanent damage. First to yield loses."

Mark nodded. "Fine."

"Ready?"

"Ready."

Mark charged.

He was fast. Faster than Daniel expected. He threw a punch. A wild, heavy swing aimed at Paul’s face.

Paul didn’t move.

The punch stopped inches from his nose. A wall of wind blocked it. Invisible. Solid.

Mark’s eyes widened. He pulled back. He threw another punch. The same thing happened.

"What the—" Mark started.

Paul raised a hand. He flicked his wrist.

A gust of wind slammed into Mark’s chest. Mark flew backward. He crashed into the ground. Dust rose around him.

The crowd gasped.

Mark scrambled to his feet. His face was pale. His eyes were wide.

"You... you’re a mage," he stammered.

Paul nodded. "Wind element."

Mark swallowed. He looked at the crowd. At their expectant faces. At their whispered bets. He couldn’t back down now.

He charged again.

This time, he tried a different approach. He dodged left. Then right. He tried to flank Paul. Get behind him.

Paul didn’t move. He just turned his head. His eyes tracked Mark’s movements.

Mark threw a punch at Paul’s back.

Paul raised a finger.

A spiral of wind formed around Mark. It lifted him off his feet. It spun him around. It tossed him across the ring.

Mark hit the ground hard. He rolled. He came to a stop near the edge of the circle.

The crowd laughed. They couldn’t help it. The fight was one-sided. Completely one-sided.

Mark got up. His lip was bleeding. His clothes were torn. He looked at Paul. At his calm face. At his relaxed posture.

"You’re not even trying," Mark said.

Paul shrugged. "You’re not worth trying."

Mark’s face twisted with rage. He screamed. He charged.

Paul sighed. He raised his hand. A sphere of wind formed in his palm. It spun faster and faster. It grew larger and larger.

Mark stopped. He stared at the sphere. His face went pale.

"What... what is that?"

Paul smiled. "This? This is just a little trick I picked up."

He threw the sphere.

It hit Mark in the chest. The impact was thunderous. Mark flew backward. He crashed into the ground. He slid across the dirt. He came to a stop at the feet of the crowd.

He didn’t get up.

The crowd was silent. Then they erupted.

"PAUL! PAUL! PAUL!"

Paul raised a hand. He waved. He smiled. His hair blew in the wind.

Daniel watched. He was grinning.

"That," he said, "was satisfying."

Lyra nodded. She was staring at Paul. At his confident posture. At his easy victory.

"He’s strong," she said.

"Very strong," Daniel agreed.

Fluffy tilted her head. "Is tall man the strongest?"

Daniel shook his head. "No. But he’s up there."

Paul walked out of the ring. He stopped in front of Daniel. He was barely sweating.

"Well," he said. "That was fun."

Daniel nodded. "You didn’t even break a sweat."

Paul shrugged. "He wasn’t much of a challenge."

Mark groaned from the ground. He was still alive. Still conscious. But he wasn’t getting up.

Paul looked at him. Then at the crowd.

"Someone should take him to the infirmary," he said.

A few adventurers rushed forward. They lifted Mark and carried him away.

Paul turned back to Daniel. "So. Training?"

Daniel nodded. "Training."

They walked toward an empty sparring ring. Lyra followed. Fluffy bounced on Daniel’s back.

The crowd dispersed. The excitement was over. But they would talk about it for days. The day Paul the Wind Mage destroyed the jealous boyfriend.

Daniel looked at Paul. "You know," he said, "that was a face slap moment."

Paul frowned. "A what?"

"A face slap moment. When someone challenges you and you completely destroy them. It’s satisfying."

Paul nodded slowly. "I suppose it was."

Daniel grinned. "It was. Trust me."

They reached the sparring ring. Daniel set Fluffy down. She sat on the ground and watched.

Paul faced Daniel. "Ready?"

Daniel nodded. "Ready."

Paul smiled. "Then let’s see what you can do."