Casper raised his battle axe, assuming a battle stance. Opposite of him, Solvane did the same, her silver rapier glistening against the moonlight.
Of course, neither of them aimed to kill each other. They needed the other alive, for information, for battle plans and insight into the enemy. How long would the loser survive after that?
That was something they both chose to wisely ignore, Casper and Solvane looked at each other, the air filled with tension at the point where their gazes met.
Solvane made her essence seep into her body, enhancing each Aspect of her. Her arm slightly widened and her eyes sharpened, at the same time Casper reinforced his body with essence.
From what he knew in the original novel, Solvane's Aspect was tied to enhancement, her senses were sharp enough to detect Sunny who was hidden in his shadow and trash around Noctis.
Casper inhaled deeply as he prepared himself for the assault, his body tensed as his senses flared. This was probably the last obstacle he had to tackle to end his Nightmare, and return back to the real world. But Solvane herself was a fearsome opponent.
She was brought up in the Red Sect, a terrifying sect that took in orphans and raised them to be vessels of War, the perfect blade. This was going to be his hardest battle yet, counting the Leviathan too.
He needed to have no doubts, no hesitation, no mercy. He needed to fight like a madman, he had to abandon all his civics sense and just had to focus on winning.
Solvane brought the rapier to her chest, her chest and body grew.
And then, she lunged towards Casper.
But Casper's eyes caught all her movements, she was slow, really slow. Casper couldn't understand why, but he could predict all her movements.
Casper dashed forward and blocked her bloody assault, but he underestimated the force carried behind it. He felt like he was clashing his axe against a mountain, like he was being pushed back by a storm.
Their blades sparked against each other as a deadlock was formed, but Solvane didn't let up. Her body spun around as she maintained her stance with a sword, her leg recoiled back as she tried to plunge a kick to his stomach.
Casper loosened his grip and swiftly closed the gap between them, appearing near her. His axe marched slowly toward her face, Solvane didn't hold back her leg instantly shot back.
This was surprising, she had somehow been able to bring back her leg after it was already straightened. Solvane used her leg to stop the axe in its track and pinned it to the ground.
Despite his best effort, Casper couldn't manage to pull it from her grip, her left leg twisted as she flipped to her side and sent her heel toward Casper's face.
Casper reeled back from her attack, it was like having a sledgehammer driven into your cheek. The hit made his bones crack as his eyes almost popped out.
If she hadn't been restricted by leverage, Casper felt that his eyes would've popped out of his skull. Casper coughed slightly as small drops of blood spewed out, Solvane was currently far stronger than him.
Her aspect and battle awareness made her a ferocious opponent, while Caster was stuck with a handicap, he had no Aspect! This effectively made him have to fight a lion without a weapon.
But Casper wouldn't give up so easily, he would either find a way or make one. Solvane didn't wait for him to find his bearings as she ravaged him with blows one after another, each one poised to decimate.
Casper deflected blow by blow, his muscles burned but he did not falter. He remained calm hoping to exploit a momentary lapse in her judgement, but she too was composed. Her blows were measured to decimate but also to not waste unnecessary energy.
They exchanged several more blows and disengaged for a fraction of a second, then closed in again. But their situation wasn't equal, it was far from so, thousands of small angular cuts littered Casper's face, this was the difference between their powers.
Solvane was slowly and gradually wearing Casper down, "You shouldn't have tried to attack the Followers of War, but you don't have to worry I, Solvane am nothing but gracious. Your death will be both beautiful and merciful.
"I hope you understand the vast difference between our powers, give up little one, your superiors have lied to you. This is your limit, I can go even further than this." Solvane stopped as she glanced at the struggling Casper.
Casper spit out a pool of blood, his eyes was stained red with fury, "Do not tell me what can be done, only cowards speak off limits," Solvane seemed to have sensed his answer as she let out a chuckle.
If one hesitates one has already lost, if they wait for permission, they would die waiting. There is always a path for those ruthless enough to carve it from the stone.
Casper and Solvane engaged once again, their blows echoed throughout the distant land. Their steel clanged together producing sparks of fire, they exchanged countless blows in the small span of time.
Casper tried to counter the whole lot of them but a few slipped away from his grasp, wounds and gashes littered his body. But he felt it, he could feel it!
Solvane's once speedy blows which Casper couldn't catch were getting slower, he could see it! A deranged smile appeared on his face, this was it! He was evolving, he was becoming stronger!
"I can see it, I can see it, I can see it!"
The slow mutters slowly morphed into deep roars of pleasure and pain, the grin plastered on his face grew wider, "I'm going to tear you limb from limb! I'll burn your pathetic city to the ground and destroy your brethren!"
The wind grew stronger as the downpour increased, the world seemed to be responding to Casper's claim. Solvane's eyes widened as she could feel it, her movements were being tracked gradually, Casper who could once barely deflect her attacks was now countering it.
Casper's eyes saw everything, the way she breathed, the way she handled her sword, the slightest movement in her wrists, he saw it all.
No Aspirant should've been this powerful, it was simply impossible.
But somehow, it wasn't
Finally, the two of them disengaged and stepped back, pausing for a few moments.
Casper was breathing heavily, his face was drenched in blood and sweat, thousands of small angular wounds scarred his body, turning him pale from the blood loss.
Even though Casper could now see and counter her, it exacted a toll on his body and mind. His head cracked with pain as his body started burning, although he could see her movements it didn't mean Casper could keep up with it. His knees buckled as he slightly tumbled
He was straining his body every second he moved, Solvane didn't fare much better. She stared at him with a grim and pained expression, her own breathing was laboured.
From the start she had expected the battle to take a few moments as she ruthlessly cut him down, he was pitifully weaker than herself after all. But somehow, he defied all expectations and started growing during the battle.
He was strengthening himself from his battle with her, his previously clumsy movements started becoming refined, his reflexes sharpened. As his strength started gradually increasing, and he was starting to see her movements clearer, discerning all her attacks.
This was something she hadn't expected, no this was something from her wildest dreams! Looking at his abominable figure slowly standing back up, Solvane could only say one thing,
'What a monster!'