The Heavens Shall Fall

Cho'Wa's growling body came at Siu like a bolt of lightning, barely giving him enough time to twist his hips and drop low so the wolf's jaws could pass above his body at the last moment. Already switching from the Wild Dog to the Crane, coming out of his dodge, he leaned toward the beast and drove a fist straight into his chest as his body switched to the Ox's form at the last moment.

The punch had enough force behind it to send the wolf flying and Siu skidding backward, already turning because Nokoh had arrived from the opposite direction, in the middle of his own strike. Meeting it head-on, Siu's left arm rose up, and his palm was met with Nokoh's own strike, almost in a perfect copy. The only difference was that the force behind the impact rattled Siu's bones, but his face remained unchanged despite the sudden spike of pain.

However, besides the pain, what was actually dangerous was the black smoke that had already slipped through his skin and was already spreading into his blood, trying to freeze his access to his energies. When they first fought, not even knowing each other, Siu had to give up; this time, however, his lips curled into a smile.

"...!" Nokoh noticed it at once, already breaking off. “Oh, no, you won't!”

"By the time Nokoh's black smoke reached deep enough, Siu's own version was there to welcome it. It not only blocked his attack, but Siu had also created an interpretation that covered his body beneath the skin, repelling Nokoh's smoke and expelling it right out of his pores, giving him a dreadful appearance. “I really hate that!” Nokoh grunted because Siu also punched him in the stomach, without any change to his speed.

Breaking off the exchange, while Nokoh was backing off, Siu gathered the Snake's power, releasing it in a snap, going after him with a lightning-fast strike. Nokoh leaned aside just enough that Siu's fingers passed his throat, giving time for Cho'Wa to rejoin the exchange, hitting Siu from behind, like a ram.

“Shit—” Siu hissed when the wolf crashed into him, and he was thrown forward, going into a roll.

Nokoh wasn't far either, because he came down after him. Siu raised both arms as the two met, yet no matter how Nokoh's smoke tried, it never got into him. It was just turning Siu into a man who was letting out black smoke from all over his body, making him look like some kind of deathly shade monster.

“Still going?” Nokoh asked as Siu managed to kick him off and get away, standing up, panting for air.

"Heh," Siu spat onto the grass, wiping his lips, “Yeah.”

“You are going to lose, boy,” Quillian's voice came just then, accompanied by the noise of his quill scraping against his notebook.

"Oh, come on," Siu glared at him. “Whose side are you on?”

“I'm just saying.” He shrugged. "You are pushing your limits."

"Isn't it the whole idea behind this?" He asked, only making Quillian smile, but he said no more.

“That doesn't answer me."

“Master is winning,” Arya argued, sitting beside Quillian, with Marly rolling in the grass, not even paying attention to the sparring that had already resumed.

The exchange lasted a bit longer than before, but once again, when the three separated, there was no clear winner, only an even more exhausted-looking pair of men and a panting wolf.

“Again,” Siu breathed, regulating his technique, feeling his energies refresh with every breath, which was much more noticeable in here than outside of their new headquarters.

"..." Nokoh looked toward Quillian before answering, and the old man lifted his eyes from the notebook, looking at them over his spectacles.

“No.”

"I can still go another round," Siu frowned, glancing to the side. "I can feel it."

"Yes, I know." Quillian closed his notebook. “But the sparring is finished. Use that remaining energy for your stretches while practicing your breathing technique, and let it mellow out. Believe me, it will help more than fighting until collapsing.”

"Awoo..." Cho'Wa moaned as he immediately dropped onto his stomach, and a moment later, Nokoh sat beside him.

"Haaah..." Siu exhaled and allowed himself to fall onto his butt, then to his back. “I understand.” He said with a smile while his chest rose and fell heavily, and every muscle inside his body began hurting.

His essence had been nearly emptied again, and the insides of his body were running on fumes. Yet there was something immensely satisfying about looking over himself, taking deep breaths before pushing himself back to a sitting position. Especially when seeing that Nokoh looked tired too. He wasn't as spent as he was, but Siu couldn't help but smile at the thought that, in maybe a few days or weeks' time... he could make him just as tired.

"Haaah... When you copy me," Nokoh looked at him, shaking his head, “I really do hate that.”

"Can't help it," Siu answered, tilting his head. "It's how I work."

"Yeah, but you perfectly counter mine with... mine. The way you use it is something I can't do. My affinity, once summoned, wants to get out, yet yours stays under your body? I feel like I'd blow up if I tried to pull it off! Seeing you use it in a way I can't makes me want to claw my face off."

“It feels natural to me.” He answered honestly, so Nokoh just stared at him, holding back some curses.

“I may need to work harder...” He muttered in the end, followed by a loud bark from Cho'Wa.

"Not a bad idea," Quillian cut in as he arrived beside them, notebook still in hand, “Try to feel out Siu's way of using it while sparring, and it may give you a better understanding of your own powers. That's why I said it's beneficial for all of you to rotate with him on sparring days."

"While I barely get any rest days..." Siu groaned, rubbing his face.

“And who wanted to go another round ten minutes ago?”

“Point taken,” Siu muttered, conceding with a chuckle. “Actually,” he said, suddenly sounding serious, “I have a question. How close do you think I am to getting onto the list?”

“Hard to say,” Nokoh answered first, "I'm on it, and you can go toe-to-toe with me on the basis that you cancel out my affinity. Now, when fighting for a spot, you would be allowed to bring in Marly, too, so..."

"So Master and I can get onto the list?"

"I said Marly," Nokoh repeated, making the squirrel finally sit up, pointing at herself, while Arya was getting increasingly pouty. "You," Nokoh continued, pointing at Arya, "Wouldn't be allowed, just like before, as you already took a human form."

"Unfair..." She scoffed, her tail angrily swiping at the grass behind her.

“Well," Siu stretched, taking another big breath, "I'm getting beaten by three Paragons because I have to get accustomed to fighting Paragons. If you want to be on the list, too, you will have to start fighting too, Arya.”

“I'm fighting by Master. Hmph!” She said, crossing her arms, "That is when I do my best."

“You still need individual experience,” Quillian interjected, "So sooner or later, I would advise you to start doing the same thing."

"..." Surprisingly, she didn't argue this time around, but it was hard to tell what she was actually thinking.

“Well," Quillian turned back to Siu, while flipping a few pages, "Entering the Paragon List is different from winning a training duel, so don't get too cocky just yet. We also do not know who will occupy the hundredth seat when the time comes. After the wave the Wardens will make, I bet there will be some aftereffects for a few weeks... You will have time until the rankings settle down, and then you can make your entrance. Plus, you will have to choose an opponent whose affinity you can copy well, and already have some spells prepared for it. Considering everything and the fact that you cannot prepare for all that, it is best to choose someone with a fire or water affinity. It would be much more difficult if you chose a more unique style, like Nokoh's or Seloryn's.” Quillian said, tapping his notebook. "Not to mention, after your debut, your Paragon fights have to stay fire- or water-related... So we can make sure the leak of your specialty happens as late as possible."

"So you think it will leak?" Nokoh asked, making Quillian nod.

"Eventually. There are just too many eyes, and it can't be contained forever. As for what effects it will have, that's a good question, but... We will see. But that doesn't mean we should be careful and delay the inevitable as much as possible."

...

....

......

After the sparring had ended, Siu drank enough water to make his stomach protest, so they sat on the benches in the inner courtyard, watching the pool in the middle. Arya, like a spoiled kid, sat in his lap, sunbathing happily, forgetting she was supposed to hate the sun. As for Marly, she was up on the balcony, scuttling about, while Cho'Wa was in the pool floating happily, cooling off.

“You look comfortable!” Ruben arrived, gazing at Siu. "I'm envious of how carefree you can get."

"Just finished training, but," Siu raised his cup at him, “Thank you.”

"At least you work harder than someone," Seloryn looked toward Ruben, appearing from behind him, "But it's your reputation."

"I'll be fine." Ruben smiled, actually feeling and looking confident. “So..." He glanced at Seloryn and Nokoh. "We all are ready?”

"Oh?" Siu's fatigue vanished at once, letting his curiosity take over.

“Toban's reports had arrived, so I guess, yes.” Seloryn nodded, reached into her sleeve, and gave out folded sheets to everyone. “I'm going for rank 80th."

"80th?" they all asked in surprise. "You're jumping eight positions...?"

“Yes.” She said confidently, “I have been idle on the List for years, because I wasn't going to go one by one; that's way too stupid, and gives enough opportunities for the others to figure me out.”

“Who is it?" Siu asked, reaching for the paper, while Seloryn answered him.

“He is a man named Heral Venn.”

"Oh, I know him," Ruben nodded slowly. “He uses ice, doesn't he?”

“Yes.” Seloryn smiled. “Toban also mentioned in the report that he specializes in freezing moisture out of the air and building layered ice structures around the battlefield. He likes manipulating the battlefield and taking control of it.”

"I think I remember that guy," Nokoh hummed, reading the report, too, “He fought number 82 last year and won comfortably, keeping his spot.”

"And..." Siu looked at Seloryn in the end. “You're confident.”

“I wouldn't challenge him otherwise.” She smiled back at them. "He can make all the ice walls he wants; he will only give me the advantage with that. Not to mention, my vibrations will be his worst nightmare."

"If he gets knocked off the list," Ruben muttered, rubbing his chin, "Swapping his position with yours if you win will make him go mad. He will either want to get back at you as soon as possible or go after someone else on the list... This will be fun."

"It is his problem." Seloryn shrugged. "Not mine."

"It will be the Wardens' problem." Ruben raised a finger, wagging it at Seloryn. "That's why I won't jump that high, so he can't go after me."

"So?" Siu asked, looking at him, “How far are you jumping?”

“I'm going for 95, my friend.” He smiled sheepishly.

"Heh," Nokoh scoffed, shaking his head, “Coward.”

"I'm just careful," Ruben said, smiling. "I wasn't going to challenge anybody anyway, so if I must, I will do it my way. It is still four places!"

“That is more than enough.” Seloryn nodded in agreement. "Here is what Toban got for you."

“Kal Torrent.” Ruben read aloud, smiling, "With fire affinity.”

"What a bastard!" Nokoh laughed, but Ruben just smiled even more.

“No, my friend, I'm just intelligent.”

“That is shameless.” Arya joined in, while Ruben placed one hand against his chest.

“I would, once again, call it differently! Call me prepared, please.”

“What kind of fire?” Siu asked, reading the paper.

"He is a burst user," Seloryn explained, "Big, flashy flames, dosing the battlefield. If you ask me, he wastes a lot of essence on it."

"I had the same thought," Ruben nodded. “He likes burning entire zones because he has the essence to pull from. I think I can easily make him realize his errors. I don't even need to extinguish his fire completely. If I keep the battlefield saturated, every technique costs him more essence than needed. I will exhaust him before even finishing him.”

"Well," Siu raised an eyebrow. “Unless he boils your water.”

“He will.” Ruben chuckled. “I expect him to. After being challenged, I know he will consider boiling my water to remove it. However, I manipulate water..." He said with an even more confident smile, and Siu realized that Ruben had been hiding something until now. "And water vapor, steam... it is still water."

"Behind this face," Seloryin slapped Ruben's back while shaking her head, "There is actually a brain. He just cares more about looks; that's why he got to the Paragon list in first place, remaining idle afterward."

"..." Ruben just shrugged, saying nothing to her; instead, he was looking at Nokoh. “And you?”

“I'm going for 98.”

“You called me a coward for jumping four.” Ruben chortled, squinting at him like a smiling, angry cat. "What are you then?"

“You have been on the list longer than I am!” Nokoh argued, "I just got there, and now already having to go up? Please!" After that, Nokoh simply ignored him and took the final report. “Plus, Salen Mor is considered a dangerous candidate.”

"Well, she is..." Seloryn's expression was much more serious for this one. "She has a unique type of water affinity."

"Like?" Ruben frowned. "I am not familiar with the name, but water is not really... rare."

“It isn't,” Nokoh shrugged, "But it can be, if you develop it well. Ice is not the only weird offshoot, and Salen is one of those unique users. However, I counter hers well." He added, pushing the paper toward Siu. “She specialized in controlling the water in others, in your blood, to be exact.”

"Blood?" Siu inhaled, getting even more curious. "She can do something like that?"

"She didn't start out like that," Nokoh nodded, explaining it from Toban's report. "So she still can't do it perfectly. She can't just rip all the blood out of someone or anything stupid like that, but once she gets her essence into you, she can interfere with circulation. That's my domain, so I think I can show her that my natural affinity is much better at it.”

"That still sounds like a risky battle," Siu muttered, but Nokoh sounded confident.

"That's why sparring against you is beneficial, even if I do complain. Her entire fighting style depends on maintaining a precise connection to the water inside someone else's body, so, in a way, fighting you, Siu, gets me prepared.”

"You all sound ready, huh?" Siu asked, watching the three, feeling that getting onto the list would be exciting and that thought alone began firing him up, which Seloryn noticed at once.

"We are getting there," She nodded. "It is time to make everyone notice us... And, in the end, do something others hadn't done in more than a millennium!"

"Which is?" Ruben asked, twitching his eyes, feeling something bad was coming.

"One of us, eventually," she said, looking around them, "Will have to break into the top 50... and show those Core Disciples what is what."