Nathan barely had time to process Jynn's words before the air around them thickened with raw power. Jynn lifted his hand, and in an instant, a thin long staff of dark metal materialized in his grasp. It was carved with glowing azure runes, pulsing with energy. At its head, a crystal sphere floated, swirling with miniature storms, flickering flames, and shadows that seemed to stretch into infinity.
"I'll give you one chance," Jynn said, spinning the staff effortlessly. "Land a single hit on me, and you pass."
Nathan smirked. "Sounds easy."
Jynn slammed the base of his staff into the ground. A deafening boom echoed through the training grounds as a storm erupted around them. Lightning crackled in the sky, the wind howled, and the ground beneath them fractured into floating chunks of rock.
Nathan wasted no time. He activated Phantom Step, his body blurring as he teleported right Infront of Jynn. Using his great strength he threw a punch with such strength that caused shockwaves through the air. His fist shot forward, wreathed in golden Nova energy—
Only to strike empty air.
Jynn had already moved. The wind carried him effortlessly across the battlefield, like a leaf caught in a hurricane.
"How slow," Jynn's voice echoed from above.
Nathan barely looked up in time to see a massive firestorm descending upon him. He threw up a shield of Nova, the golden energy forming a dome around him. The flames crashed against it, heat searing through the barrier. For a moment, he thought he had stopped it—
Until the fire turned to liquid, flowing around the shield like molten metal. It surged forward, ready to consume him.
Nathan reacted on instinct. He willed the fire away, calling on his newfound elemental magic. The flames twisted, obeying his will, before dispersing harmlessly.
Jynn grinned. "Not bad. Try doing it again."
He spun his staff, and the battlefield trembled. From the cracks in the ground, a massive fire ball formed.
Ability: Basic Fire Magic (Complete Mastery)
With a flick of his hand, the ball of fire shot towards Nathan.
Nathan's mind raced. He flickered out of existence with Phantom Step, reappearing a few meters back. He had barely managed to dodge that. But he couldn't falter now.
He gathered his Nova into his fists, preparing to strike again—
Jynn pointed his staff at him. "Collapse."
The space around Nathan warped. Gravity surged tenfold, dragging him down like an iron weight. His body slammed into the ground, the sheer force shaking the floating battlefield. Pain shot through him, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself up. His training with Garrick has paid off.
Jynn landed gracefully a few feet away. "Still standing? Impressive. But you're not going to hit me like this."
Nathan's breath was ragged. Jynn wasn't just fast—he was everywhere at once, predicting every move. But then an idea struck him.
He had been fighting like a warrior.
But Jynn was a mage.
Nathan exhaled, reaching for something deeper. The golden threads of fate flickered before his eyes. He extended his will, grasping them—
And time slowed.
Jynn's movements became slow. The swirling storm around them dulled, the floating rocks drifting like slow-moving planets. Nathan moved, stepping through the frozen moment with Phantom Step, appearing right beside Jynn.
"Fateweaver"
He pulled his fist back, charging it with Nova.
For a split second, he saw Jynn's eyes widen.
Nathan swung—
And then the world snapped back to normal.
Jynn vanished just before impact, reappearing a dozen feet away, standing on a floating rock. He let out a low whistle. "You almost had me. That Fateweaver ability is nasty."
Nathan clenched his fists. So close. He had forced Jynn to use his full speed to escape. But he needed more. Something unpredictable.
Jynn raised his staff again. "Alright, no more playing. Let's see if you can handle this."
He lifted his free hand, and the elements answered. A tornado of flames spiraled around him, mixed with crackling electricity. From the sky, a barrage of ice spears rained down, while the ground below trembled with the force of an impending earthquake.
Nathan knew he had seconds to react. He focused everything—his Nova, his Threadstone, his elemental magic—into a single moment.
He activated Echo Remnant.
Two afterimages of himself appeared beside him, both moving independently. One surged forward with a Nova-charged strike, while the other teleported high above, preparing to unleash a burst of elemental magic.
Jynn's gaze flicked between them. "Oh? Interesting."
As expected, Jynn countered the first Nathan with a barrier of pure energy, repelling the strike. The second Nathan hurled a spear of wind, but Jynn dispersed it with a flick of his staff.
But the real Nathan was already moving.
He reappeared directly in front of Jynn, his fist inches from Jynn's chest.
Jynn grinned.
"Sun"
A bright molten ball appeared between Nathan and Jynn. It shot through Nathans arm taking it right off.
Nathan jumped back, his mind racing.
"Activating healing"
Nathans arm grew back at a rapid back, he was shocked.
Jynn smiled. "I built in healing properties into the training grounds just for you."
But Nathan had no time to think.
The molten sphere expanded, bursting into countless fiery tendrils that lashed toward him. Nathan leaped away, but the heat alone was unbearable, his body drenched in sweat as his vision blurred. He barely managed to conjure a wind barrier, but it shattered the moment the flames touched it, sending him tumbling across the battlefield.
Jynn didn't even move from his spot. "You're resilient, but this isn't a contest of endurance."
Nathan growled, forcing himself to stand. He activated Echo Remnant, sending two afterimages of himself forward, hoping to overwhelm Jynn.
He lifted his staff, and a blinding wave of energy rippled outward. The afterimages disintegrated instantly, their very essence unmade.
Nathan barely had time to react before Jynn raised his staff again. "Fall."
The sky above turned pitch black. A force unlike anything Nathan had felt before pressed down on him, crushing him to his knees. His lungs burned, his bones felt like they would snap. He struggled, but the force only grew stronger, bending the very fabric of space around him.
Jynn walked toward him leisurely, tilting his head. "You're pushing your limits. But your limits aren't enough."
Nathan's mind screamed for a way out. His body refused to move. He had never felt so powerless.
Then, he saw it—the threads of fate still flickering, but nearly out of reach. With everything he had left, he grabbed hold of them—
And yanked.
He used phantom step again and teleported behind Jynn.
"Too predictable" Jynn waved his wand, a small balls of light surrounding him blasting beams of light.
Abilty: Basic Light Magic (Complete Mastery)
But Nathan had other plans, he used phantom step again. But this time he also added Fateweaver. Time slowed down once more but he was too far away.
"Basic fire magic"
Fireball
Nathan launched a small but fast fireball at Jynn. Jynn's eyes widened, clearly surprised, the fireball connected and sent Jynn flying into the walls of the training grounds.
"Not bad, not bad at all." Jynn said. As the dust cleared, Jynn has covered himself in a water affinity nova shield, completely neutralizing the fireball.
"I'll give it to you, that was pretty good and you landed a hit." Jynn said.
Nathan stumbled towards Jynn. "Does that mean I passed?"
Jynn opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything. Nathan collapsed.