Jace had a slightly disgruntled expression as he lead Feyd and Ray back to the base.
What was supposed to he a simple bandit extermination mission ended up with him having to do most of the work as Feyd and Ray had ended up injuring themselves while having a terrible stomach ache.
'I knew it! The food stalls nearby are definitely shady! This is as solid of a reason to check them all one by one with Amethyst, eat the food and make sure they aren't contaminated.'
A slight smile came up on his face as he thought of him and Amethyst... Walking together... Eating together... Holding ha–
"Vice-captain Jace! Ray said he found something over there!"
Jace narrowed his eyes, disgruntled. He slowly sighed while looking at where Feyd was pointing at.
"What is it?"
"I'm not sure sir, but it looks to be something similar to what I saw in Steam Cannon's house."
"Hm?"
Jace felt slightly surprised, his voice even raising a few notes higher. However he managed to keep his facial expression relaxed, not giving Feyd much to work with.
"Alright let's go check things out."
Feyd followed behind Jace before glancing down at his pockets. Inside was a blue stone that had a dim glow emitting from its core. It was a Audio-Visual crystal, something that could record a scene and replay it later.
It worked by emitting light made from magical energy, which recorded everything it came in contact with. It is a product of magic.
Ray had stolen one for the plan.
Soon Feyd and Jace made it to a place with a strange rock formation. Large stones jutted out from the ground, encompassing a small field with uneven footing and scattered rocks and boulders.
They both climbed up and examined the area, where they saw Ray examining something in the centre of the place where multiple large rocks seemed to block something from view, looking unnatural.
"Hey Ray! What's that over there?"
Ray turned his head back to look at Jace before shrugging, "Dunno."
"Don't carelessly touch anything! Something bad could happen! I'm coming down right now!"
Jace gave Feyd a look as if asking 'you need a hand?' before glancing down. Feyd shook his head, "I can get down myself."
Jace nodded before jumping down from one rock to another, leaping down dozens of feet every time.
Feyd narrowed his eyes as he observed Jace, trying to feel out how strong he was.
'He didn't struggle much against the bandits, but I haven't seen him use any Energies either except when he opened the door from afar. He also doesn't seem to be a Gifted or a Manipulator. He might be difficult to fight but with me and Ray it should be possible.'
Although Feyd had already researched and observed Jace as much as he could, he was attempting to make any last minute preparations he could.
He was extremely confident he could beat Jace, especially while Ray was alongside him. Him and Ray were as strong as could be.
Even though he had previously struggled with that large rat, and Steam Cannon he believed he had grown noticeable stronger since then. Nothing should be able to stop him now!
Steam Cannon was already the strongest opponent they had fought till now, and that was only because he was strengthened by something strange. Since Jace too would be strengthened by the same thing he should be around the same level, maybe slightly higher, something Ray and Feyd could beat.
Feyd slowly made his way by jumping down from rock to rock, occasionally a few spurts of fire to slow down his fall and land safely.
Jace had been walking at a leisurely pace towards Ray so Feyd could quickly catch up. Soon the two made it to Ray, upon which Jace motioned him to move away.
"Let me see what this is."
Ray glanced at Feyd and nodded, who returned a nod in response. Ray moved a decent distance away while Jace crept closer to see what Ray had been examining.
"Now let's see what this thing is hidi–"
A large explosion erupted from the rocks interrupting Jace.
'Fire Infusion!'
Feyd looked excitedly at the dust that had been kicked up due to the Fire Infusion he had just activated. Ray had carried some rocks he had used his ability on to the site before him and Jace had arrived.
Feyd took out the blue crystal from his pocket, preparing to record Jace if he transformed or used the strange energy.
'!'
However just then Feyd quickly brought his blade up instinctively. The dust immediately parted as a saber collided with Feyd's blade, pushing Feyd back slightly.
As the dust swiftly cleared Feyd could see Jace, singed and covered in soot, with his saber dangerously close to Feyd's neck. Tenebrous shackles pulled his body and bound him, having successfully slowed down his attack.
A drop of sweat slid down the side of Feyd's face.
'His attack was so strong even with Ray slowing him down! I can't be careless!'
Feyd leaped back as Jace turned into a whirlwind of slashes, cutting off the shadows bidning him.
"Why are you guys attacking me!?"
Jace asked, seemingly furious and confused by the turn of events.
"Because you're an Aberrant, just like Steam Cannon!"
"We can't be having you infiltrating the military, Jace."
Feyd and Ray replied one after another.
"I'm not sure where you got that information from, however I hope you have the strength to back up that claim."
Jace's face contorted from the accusations. However he slowly calmed himself, getting ready to fight while his facial expression returned to normal.
Without any more talking Feyd immediately rushed towards Jace, this time pocketing the crystal and holding his blade with both hands.
Just as Feyd and Jace were about to clash a large explosion erupted underneath Jace. Feyd had activated another Fire Infused rock.
Shadow Spikes launched towards Jace but were swiftly blocked, cut up or dodged. However, taking the opportunity Feyd launched an attack from Jace's blind spot.
Flames boosted his speed and swirled around his blade. However just as he was about to slice into Jace, Jace abruptly turned around and blocked the attack.
The fire infused within Feyd's blade immediately exploded, causing Jace to grunt in pain.
Shadows rose from Feyd's shadow. They had flexible, tentacles like bodies yet a sharp end. They attempted to puncture Jace only to have been blocked.
Feyd immediately rushed Jace once more, trusting Ray to slow down Jace's attacks enough for him to fully focus on offense.
A flurry of blade and shadow clashes immediately erupted, as both sides attacked with all their might.
However Jace seemed to be having the upperhand. He neutralized both the shadows and sword slashes while counterattacking at every opportunity. Somehow, Feyd was in the backfoot, not Jace.
Just then Jace picked up his pace, causing both Feyd and Ray to be put if defense, slowing overwhelming the two. New shadows sprouted from Feyd's back but it wasn't enough.
And as their defenses faltered Jace attempted to thrust his blade into Feyd.
An explosion stopped his advance. Another Fire Infused rock.
Feyd sighed in relief as he retreated back.
'Phew! Almost died there.'
(You've gotta be more careful. I'll attack from the shadows of the surrounding debris instead of from your shadow, so you won't have to worry about burning then away.)
'Alright.'
The shadows squirming behind Feyd retreated, leaving behind a normal shadow. Instead the shadows of the surrounding rubble began to shift eerily.
Just then Feyd's instincts buzzed, alerting him of Jace's attack.
He blocked a powerful chop while using a Blast Burn to attack Jace. Shadows attempted to puncture Jace from the cover of smoke, however they were immediately dodged.
Jace used to momentum of the dodge to perform a spinning kick, launching Feyd towards the edge of the field.
The battlefield itself wasn't too large. It was roughly circular, with a radius of around 100 feet.
Feyd grunted from the pain as his back smashed into the walls lining the battlefield's circumference.
Feyd blinked, with Jace attempting to regain his balance after his kick one moment, while the next he was already upon Feyd with a powerful slash.
The saber carved a powerful arc, even destroying the rocks forming the large, towering walls. It was accompanied by a large, fiery explosion.
Debris from the rock formations fell and dust surrounded Jace, causing Ray to lose sight of him.
(Are you alright Feyd!?)
Ray felt distressed for a brief moment, awaiting a reply from Feyd.
'Yeah I'm fine. Just startled by how powerful Jace is'
Ray sighed in relief after getting confirmation that Feyd was fine.
Feyd looked down at his sword, tightening and loosening his grip while looking at his reflection in the blade.
Warp.
That was the new ability Feyd had derived from his Gift.
Feyd could feel how much more suitable it was for him, and although he didn't have much to base new abilities on he didn't care.
He could now teleport immediately without traveling through a Rift and getting motion sick, all he had to do was will himself to appear at a location and he would appear there.
Although there was a distance limit of a dozen meters or so it was much better for him than Rift, since it wouldn't lessen his combat ability after usage.
'It does take an awful lot from me though...'
(It's a powerful ability, pretty different from Rift. It makes sense that it takes a lot out of you, especially since you aren't very proficient in it.)
Feyd nodded his head, understanding that he would be able to use Warp more freely in the future.
"Can you stop with the explosions!?"
Jace slowly walked from the dust cloud with an annoyed expression.
"Alright, eat this then!"
Multiple balls of fire streaked towards Jace, leaving trails of embers behind.
"Tch."
Jace raced towards the two Elves after clicking his tongue, swinging his saber to deflect or block the fireballs.
Multiple Shadow Spikes and shadow hands began to emerge around the battlefield however Jace didn't seem to pay them much attention. He considered Ray's attacks much too weak to pay attention too.
And with one final stride Jace reached Feyd. He swung his saber with immense force, it's blade coated with a strange, translucent, white energy.
'What is that?!"
Caught off guard, Feyd haphazardly attempted to infuse more Fire Energy into his sword.
Feyd was immediately pushes several steps back. His clothes had been ripped from its right shoulder to the left waist.
'Phew, I managed to block the brunt of the force.'
Although the attack had managed to hurt him it hadn't dealth nearly as much damage as it could have.
Feyd immediately launched himself towards Jace, infusing Fire Energy while also attempting to understand the properties of the energy Jace had used.
"Hah! I knew it! You ARE an Aberrant!"
Jace's brows furrowed as he refuted Feyd's words, "What? No! Does this energy feel anything like Aberrant Energy!?"
"Well..."
"Exactly! It's 'Ki', one of the 3 main Energies!"
Feyd revealed an expression of contemplation. Both his and Jace's blades but into each other.
Jace didn't seem afraid of exhausting himself, continuously using Ki with every attack.
Feyd was continuously pushed back, barely managing to hold his own.
"Khk–!"
A quick chop from Jace managed to cut into Feyd, causing his to stumble back in weakness.
"I'll be taking taking you in now."
Jace was about to bring his saber down when all of a sudden the ground beneath him exploded, buying Feyd just enough time to leap backwards and dodge the attack.
Jace's eyes darted back and forth, eyeing each and everyone of Ray's attacks. He lightly swung his blade, attempting to destroy every attack in one strike while dashing towards Feyd.
'I really thought Ray would be stronger than this.'
Shadow Spikes! Shadow Bind!
The attacks that Jace hit immediately scattered away, however multiple powerful, large Shadow Spikes emerged from the ground along with tenebrous hands that attempted to grapple Jace.
Surprise coloured his eyes. These attacks were much more stronger than the previous ones. Much more faster than the previous ones.
Jace managed to glance at Ray just as the attacks were about to land on him.
Ray had a smirk on his face.
He had been played.