Magic's Return: I Can See The Spirits

"I didn't think I would be facing you in the Finals, Elara," Elric spoke with a smile on his face. 

"I was always expecting to face you, Brother Elric," Elara replied. It was sort of a praise and Elric took it as such. 

"Considering my age, my case isn't exactly surprising. It is you who have surprised not just me but the entire Vesta City watching this. 

They weren't wrong when they called you a Magic Prodigy." 

He replied. 

"I worked hard." Elara smiled. 

"Indeed Indeed, I have seen you work hard, so I can tell. All the credit shouldn't be given to your talent alone, your hard work and persistence should receive equal credit as well." Elric nodded continuously. 

From the outside perspective, this seemed like a reunion between two people who had a good relationship with each other and didn't exactly wish to fight and in Elara's case, this was true. 

However, Elric wasn't the same. 

"Surrender, Elara." 

He spoke. 

"Huh…?" Elara's expression changed. 

"I know you have worked hard and that you are an excellent mage, however, you are still too inexperienced. 

You have time, you can always return next year when you have gained some experience, I am sure you will be unstoppable by then but for now, you should give up. 

I do not wish to hurt you." 

"Are you saying that you are stronger than me…?" 

Elara questioned. 

"I am." Elric nodded. "I would have gone easy on you, actually, I wouldn't mind giving up on the tournament so that you can become the champion, however, this year's Elemental Clash holds special importance for my future. 

I will focus on breaking through and becoming a 5th Circle Mage after this tournament. So this will be my last Elemental Clash and I wish to give it a grand finish, therefore, I will go all out and might hurt you in the process, which, I absolutely do not want. 

You already know how much I care about you." 

"I know." Elara nodded. 

Elric did indeed care for her, after all, he was the only one who came to check up on her other than her teacher. 

"However, 

This year holds special importance for me as well…" 

It was the year Vaan changed, their relationship improved, and… he started giving importance to her, even talking about magic with her. 

And since Vaan wants her to win this tournament and even trained her for it, not to mention going as far as making a bet with her teacher. 

Elara wanted to win. 

"I am sorry, brother Elric, but your last Elemental Clash, you won't be the one winning it." 

Elara declared. 

Elric's mouth twitched, he, however, hid his expression, and with a gentle smile on his face, he shook his head, "It seems we have no choice but to fight. Let's perform our best, alright?" 

"Yes." Elara nodded and a determined look appeared on her face. 

The judge who noticed that the two Mages were now ready stepped forward and, 

"Start the Battle." 

He spoke. 

The two mages absorbed the surrounding Mana before moving it throughout their bodies. 

"First Step." 

Elric's four Magic Circles shined brightly, he quickly drew the patterns required for his first spell and, 

A 1-meter huge plate made of rock formed in the air. 

Without waiting even a second longer, Elric stepped onto the Stone Plate. 

A confident smile appeared on his face as the plate under his feat moved aside, helping him dodge the Fireball that Elara shot towards him. 

Elara didn't seem very surprised, rather, the Fireball she shot moved back and rushed towards Elric, however, Elric had already moved away. 

This was Elric's signature spell. 

Rather, it was his Grandmother, Elysia's signature move before she became an Intermediate move. A Spell that Elric, who had an affinity with Earth Element just like her Grandmother had learned. Elysia herself had taught him this spell since Astra, her daughter, who also had an affinity with Earth Element refused to use this spell in battles even after learning it. 

First Step was a Spell that allowed Elric to step on the Stone Plate and move around the entire battlefield at high speed, without needing to stop casting his other spells. 

It gave Elric an unfair advantage against all his opponents since it made it harder for the mages to aim at him. 

Yes, there were spells like [Direction Manipulation] that Mages could use to control their spells even after casting it, allowing them to follow Elric till the spell hit him, however, in reality, it was an impractical solution. 

Elric's movement speed was no joke, it was fast enough to help him avoid most of the spells. Chasing after him wasn't a simple task either, especially considering the fact that Elric himself wouldn't be sitting idle while his opponent tries to control their spells and hit him. 

Most of the opponents Elric faced had the same problem, they couldn't attack him. If they focused on using Direction Manipulation to hit him, he would assault them using Basic 1 Circle Spells that could be used easily and quickly. If the opponents cast a Shield to protect themselves, Elric simply used a stronger spell to break the shield, while making them lose control over the spell following Elric all this while. 

First Step was an unfair spell that made attacking Elric nearly impossible, he had an invincible defense without using a single defense spell. 

Not only that, but the First Step also needed comparatively less Mana, and after training for years, Elric didn't need much focus or time to cast it either. First Step was the spell Elric relied on in every single one of his battles, and this battle was the same as well. 

*Whoosh* 

"Don't bother, you won't hit me." He commented as he dodged another Fireball. 

Elara, however, didn't have any change in her expression. 

She continued to use Direction Manipulation to chase after Elric. Elric continued to move around the battlefield, Elara could tell that her Fireball was losing its strength as more and more time passed. 

Not just that, Elric himself was also preparing his second spell. 

This was the situation most mages fighting Elric faced, a helplessness of not being able to do anything and just getting the feeling of being an open target. 

Elara, however, was not like other mages. 

"Fire Spike." 

She used another spell.

"Earth Spear." 

Elric unleashed his spell as well. 

A 2 meter long rushed towards Elara, Elara's Fire Spike moved, and, 

*BOOM* 

The two elements clashed. 

Elric quickly moved around, getting away from the smoke coming from the explosion in order to not let it ruin his vision and focus. 

However, as he moved aside and glanced at Elara again, he saw her staring at her, 

"Lake of Flames." 

A 4th Circle Spell. 

*Whoosh* *Whoosh* 

Fiery flames were summoned, surrounding Elara before moving outside in all directions, forming a disc with Elara as the center. 

It is a wide-range spell with considerably weaker strength but lasts for a much longer duration without needing more Mana than what is provided initially. 

"So this was your grand plan?" 

Elric questioned with a disappointed look on his face. 

"As I said, you are still too inexperienced for this. Did you completely miss that I can go up as well just because I didn't show it in my previous battles?" 

He questioned as the Stone Plate he was standing on moved up. Completely avoided the flames that had filled up the entire stage. 

It was over. 

Elric had won. 

Lake of Flames was a Top End Spell that consumed a ridiculously high amount of Mana, even Peak 4th Circle Mages needed to use a considerable amount of their Mana to cast it, let alone Elara, who had just recently become a 4th Circle Mage. 

Elara had used almost all her Mana in order to cast such a grand spell, she didn't even have enough Mana to cast a Shield. 

Elric only needed a single basic spell to win this battle since Elara had no way to defend herself at all. Especially when she had surrounded her with Flames, not even leaving a chance for her to run away and try to avoid Elric's spell. 

"It is alright, Elara. 

Don't lose your heart. You are still Young, I am sure you will learn from your mistakes and do well in the future." 

Elric spoke as he prepared to cast one final spell to end the battle, but then, 

His expression changed as he saw Elara do something he never thought she would do. 

"I-I apologize, Brother Elric." 

Elara spoke in an innocent tone and then, 

She crouched and picked around 7-8 Stones out of the stock of nearly 100 stones she had created using Magic. 

Then… 

She threw the Stone at Elric. 

Elric dodged, however, Elara had just started. 

*Whoosh* 

She threw another stone.

*Whoosh* *Whoosh* *Whoosh* 

Then another, one more, next one, and then one more. 

Elara continued to throw stones at Elric, making it almost impossible for him to cast another spell because if even one of the stones Elara threw at her hit him, he would lose his balance and would fall right into the sea of flames that had covered the entire battlefield…

So for Elric, who stood in the air, these little stones Elara was throwing at him were no different than death sentences from the King of hell himself. 

"W-What are you doing!? I-Is that how a Mage a supposed to fight!?

Just where in the hell did you learn something like this!?" 

Elric screamed in annoyance.