Watcher of Fate

Elara landed awkwardly, her feet slipping slightly as she tried to regain her balance. Without missing a beat, she quickly wove midnight blue threads around herself, activating [Shadow Step (Uncommon)]. This time, instead of heading towards the [Ogre Mage (Rare)], she aimed high into the air, far out of the range of the kusarigama.

As she emerged from the shadows high above the battlefield, she felt a sense of temporary safety. The air was cool against her skin, and she took a moment to breathe deeply and assess the situation. Braknar, the Ogre Mage, looked up at her with a mixture of frustration and curiosity. From this vantage point, she could see the entire arena and the positions of both the goblins and the adventurers, all watching the duel with bated breath.

"What next?" Elara muttered to herself, her mind racing with possibilities. She began to fall slowly, the descent giving her time to think. Quill, perched on her shoulder, chimed in with his thoughts.

"You need to get close to him, Elara. That kusarigama gives him a huge range advantage," Quill said, his tone urgent. "Illusions don't work to cover you, and [Shadow Step (Uncommon)] gets diverted."

Elara nodded, considering her options. "So, I need to cross the distance quickly," she said aloud, more to herself than to Quill. "That leaves [Crimson Quill Dance (Unique)] as my only reliable movement skill."

Quill fluffed his feathers, his eyes sharp and focused. "If that fails, you could try cutting the green wind threads he's using to control the kusarigama."

Elara agreed, her mind made up. As she continued to fall, she began to prepare herself mentally for the next phase of the fight. She would have to move quickly and decisively, using [Crimson Quill Dance (Unique)] to close the gap between her and Braknar. If she could get within striking range, she might be able to disrupt his control over the weapon and turn the tide of the duel.

Weaving another [Shadow Step (Uncommon)], Elara vanished into a trail of smoke that appeared on the ground, far from the [Ogre Mage (Rare)]. She moved rapidly towards the ogre, her eyes locked on her target. Braknar lashed out with his kusarigama again, the chain and scythe flying through the air with deadly intent.

Elara twisted and turned, her movements a graceful dance as she dodged the weapon. She pivoted on her heel, narrowly avoiding the scythe's deadly edge, then rolled to the side, her body flowing like water. Her heart raced with the thrill of the battle, but despite her agility, the scythe seemed to be guided by an unseen hand with uncanny precision. Just as she thought she had evaded it, the blade glanced off her side, the impact sending a shockwave of pain through her.

A sharp cry escaped her lips as the blunt force of the scythe hit her ribs, and the fire magic seared her flesh, leaving a burning trail of agony.

-137 HP

Elara bit down on the pain, refusing to let it distract her. She fluidly transitioned from the hit, running back down the taut chain of the kusarigama towards the [Ogre Mage (Rare)]. As she closed the distance, she performed a [Technique: Starlit Inscription Slashing Arc], her blade cutting through the air in a brilliant arc. The strike barely bit into the full plate armor of the ogre, the enchanted metal absorbing most of the impact.

Braknar grunted, his eyes narrowing as he realized Elara had managed to get close despite his best efforts. Elara's heart pounded in her chest, but she felt a surge of determination. She was close now, within striking range.

Deciding to switch tactics, Elara knew that a slashing attack wouldn't penetrate Braknar's heavy armor effectively. Instead, she opted for [Technique: Moonlit Inscription Piercing Thrust], believing that a precise, piercing attack would be more likely to find a weak point in the ogre's defenses. With a focused breath, she channeled her mana into [Rhistlam (Flawless)], the blade glowing faintly with the gathered energy.

She lunged forward with all the speed and power she could muster. Her eyes locked onto a small gap in Braknar's armor near his chest, a vulnerable point she aimed to exploit. [Rhistlam (Flawless)] moved like a comet, its tip inscribing a crescent arc through the air before thrusting forward with lethal intent. The blade found the chink in the armor, piercing through with a satisfying resistance. Braknar grunted in pain as the sword struck true, the force of the thrust driving deep into his flesh.

Reacting quickly, Braknar wove a shroud of green threads that burst out from him, creating a powerful gust of wind that pushed Elara back. She stumbled, trying to regain her footing, but Braknar was already attacking with the guided kusarigama. With the distance now much shorter, Elara couldn’t fully dodge the attack. The scythe raked across her side, the pain searing through her as she felt the blunt force and fire magic.

-278 HP

Elara cried out, feeling the intense pain as she was pushed back. The goblins in the crowd went crazy, their cheers and jeers filling the air. The sound of the adventurers' worried murmurs reached her ears, adding to the pressure.

"We need a new plan, Quill," she muttered through gritted teeth.

"That green thread," Quill said urgently. "It's making the weapon deadlier. Use your memory thing to see if it gives you any information on the skill."

Nodding, Elara focused on the memory of the kusarigama's movements and added it to her [Memory Bastion (Rare)].

Memory contains a Spell Form...

You gained a new spell: Lvl 1 Tempest's Touch (Uncommon).

Tempest's Touch: Conjures a hand of wind that can grab and move objects. The weight of objects that can be moved is determined by the caster's INT, and the speed is determined by the caster's RES. Mana cost per second is determined by the weight of the item and the skill level of the spell and affinity.

Elara's eyes widened as she absorbed the new knowledge. Tempest's Touch explained the uncanny precision.

Quickly, Elara pulled the [Shadowstrike Dagger (Good)] from her [Dimensional Link (Rare)]. She began weaving the green threads of [Tempest's Touch (Uncommon)] around the dagger, feeling the wind magic coalesce and take form. The dagger seemed to move through the air with ease, as if it were an extension of her will.

Bringing [Rhistlam (Flawless)] into a guard position, she stood well away from the ogre, focusing her mind on controlling the enchanted dagger. With a sharp exhale, she willed the dagger toward Braknar. It flew through the air, not breaking the speed of sound like the ogre's kusarigama could, but still moving far faster than any arrow.

The [Shadowstrike Dagger (Good)] pierced Braknar's armor with ease, slipping through the metal and embedding itself in his side. Immediately, lines of midnight blue weaved through the ogre's armor and began to spread.

Target affected by [Entropy Embrace (Rare)]

Entropy Embrace: Description: A curse that lasts for 1 minute. The target's armor and weapons slowly decay, reducing their effectiveness. The curse also saps the target's strength and agility, making them progressively weaker over the duration.

Braknar roared in fury as he felt the curse taking hold. His armor began to tarnish and corrode, the metal weakening as the midnight blue threads of [Entropy Embrace (Rare)] spread. The ogre's movements grew slightly sluggish, his attacks losing their former precision.

Elara was momentarily shocked by the power of the [Shadowstrike Dagger (Good)], a weapon she had taken from the rogue of John and Jonnie's gang. The realization of how devastating the curse was filled her with a mix of shock and relief, thankful she had never been hit with it herself. But her moment of triumph was short-lived as the [Ogre Mage (Rare)] quickly changed tactics.

Braknar began spinning the kusarigama's chain around himself like a shield, the metal links creating a formidable barrier. Elara willed her dagger to strike again, but it was deflected by the spinning chain and sent flying away, clattering uselessly to the ground.

Taking advantage of the dagger being out of play, Braknar sent the scythe screaming towards Elara once more. The deadly blade, trailing red threads of fire magic, tore through the air with menacing speed. Elara moved swiftly, her eyes fixed on the green knotwork controlling the weapon. With a deft strike, she plunged the scythe into the ground, severing the flow of magic and causing the weapon to temporarily lose its lethal momentum.

Braknar pulled the chain back, readying for another attack, while Elara sprinted to retrieve her dagger. She could feel the urgency of the situation, knowing that each moment counted in this deadly dance. With the [Shadowstrike Dagger (Good)] back in her hand, she prepared herself for the next move, her mind racing with strategies to bring down the formidable ogre mage.

Braknar got his whirling shield of chain links moving again, the metal links creating an almost impenetrable barrier. He began to advance towards Elara slowly, reducing her maneuvering room and reaction time against his strikes. Elara watched him, realizing just how deserving he was of his title as champion. His tactics were brutal and efficient, leaving little room for error.

She thought quickly, discussing her strategy with Quill. "I need to land more hits with [Entropy Embrace (Rare)], but that shield is too good at deflecting single attacks," she muttered.

Quill ruffled his feathers, his keen eyes darting around. "You need to overwhelm him. If you can't get through with one attack, try several at once."

A brilliant idea sparked in Elara's mind. "I've got this," she said to Quill, a confident smile forming on her lips. She activated [Multi Weaving (Rare)], feeling the power surge through her. She cast about a half dozen [Tempest's Touch (Uncommon)] spells, the green threads of wind magic swirling around her.

Elara used the spells to grab goblin-sized swords from the crowd. The weapons were ripped from their owners' grips, flying towards her and circling above her head like a deadly halo. The goblins in the crowd went crazy, their shrill protests and angry shouts filling the air as they watched their weapons being stolen. A few of the goblins began to push forward, intending to retrieve their swords.

"Stay back!" the Goblin King barked, his voice commanding and authoritative. "Anyone who enters the ring will face my wrath. Let the duel proceed!"

The goblins halted immediately, their fear of the Goblin King's wrath outweighing their anger at losing their weapons. They stepped back reluctantly, their eyes still fixed on Elara and the swirling halo of swords above her.

With the swords and dagger hovering above her, Elara felt a surge of confidence. "I'm ready now," she said to Quill, her eyes locked on Braknar as she prepared for the next phase of their deadly duel.