None until Six challenges Five

Before as Six walks to the field Seven walks back looking dejected. Nine had challenged her and won in the first few second after a longer fight with Eight she won. You felt a bit bad for Seven, she'd won the spot by the last Seven forfeiting so she was easy pickings.

Vatarie was bouncing on the balls of her feet eagerly staring at Six. Six was holding her sword confidently ready for a protracted fight. Not a bad idea, Vatarie's usage of magic was magnitudes above Six's so attrition might be a good idea. Vatarie was also aware of this hence the bouncing, she was getting her muscles ready for a rapid burst of movement.

"Begin."

Vatarie's reinforced gauntlets appeared around her fist as soon as the word was out of Stephanie's mouth. It felt strange to you. Not being able to see it all you understood was a concentration of magic, her fists becoming blurry like she was wearing semi-transparent mittens. It felt so strange you took a bit of focus off Six.

You felt Vatarie's legs tense when she was suddenly sent backwards. Refocusing you felt a blurriness around Six's sword. She'd imbued it to fight. Stephanie made no move to stop the fight so it was allowed. Vatarie recovered from the push back and readied another pounce. Again she was pushed back but a burst from the imbued sword.

You would have thought Vatarie would be getting frustrated but instead you could feel her excitement. She was enjoying the fight. Instead of pouncing again Vatarie moving to circle. Six moved with her to keep the distance. Vatarie jumped in the direction she was moving and was hit but another burst. She skidded to the edge of the arena before she stopped herself.

Six was getting confident. You could feel her opening up her movements, still keeping her guard but moved with wider steps. Vatarie started circling again and readied a pounce. Six fired the burst in the same direction Vatarie was moving. Vatarie jumped backwards closing the distance as Six re-aimed. Vatarie almost reach melee distance when Six caught her and pushed her back.

Vatarie skidded back but not that far. She started circling again. When she pounced again Six was caught off guard the burst missing Vatarie. Six still had reach with her sword so she backed away, surrendering the ranged combat in favour of just keeping Vatarie away from her with her sword tip.

Vatarie grabbed the sword and Six sent a burst of magic through the imbuing. Something strange happened. Since you could only perceive the magic as blurriness you weren't entirely how it had happened but from what you could interpret Six's burst traveled up her blade then into Vatarie's magical gauntlet and fired out of it along her forearm causing Vatarie's arm and the blade it was holding to jet forwards twisting the sword from Six's hand.

Vatarie followed it up by punching Six in the face knocking her flat onto the ground and throwing the sword away.

"Yield." Six said as she looked up at Vatarie you couldn't feel injuries but didn't know if there weren't any or if you just couldn't perceive them. Vataire felt more than a little happy and as the crowd cheered you felt her attention turn to you. Still with your eyes closed you applauded her, clapping and cheering for her victory. Satisfied with her acclaim Vatarie offered her hand to Six and helped girl off the ground.

As the return to the line Vatarie challenged Four.

The two took the field and you wondered if the fight would go much the same way. Four should have learned from the last fight on how to deal with Vatarie. Ranged combat was the go too, Vatarie's showcase of her ranged combat a few days ago was impressive but also limited, a fist sized hole in your chest would win but killing isn't the goal here.

"Begin."

Four launched herself at Vatarie. It caught everyone off-guard even Vatarie who had to fall back to avoid the blade. Four kept the distance between the two of them limited to the length of her sword. No slow slashes or sweeping cuts, every strike was an aimed thrust, poking at Vatarie with the tip of the blade. It was stopping Vatarie from grabbing the blade and she was having to focus on stopping the blade's tip from piercing her.

It was slow but Vatarie was being pushed back. Approaching the edge of the arena Vatarie was running out of time to think of something. On your part you couldn't think of a way out of it, with Vatarie's style this seemed a remarkably successful way to beat her, it was wearing down her and the frustration was becoming clear.

When Vatarie made her move you were surprised. She'd reinforced her legs to move quicker but instead of moving she fell backwards. Four was surprised but she moved to stab downwards. Vatarie then like she had done with the imbued pulse fired magic out of her gauntlets propelling her towards Four's feet.

Four jumped to avoid colliding with Vatarie accelerating form. When they had swapped position's Vatarie sprung up now within arms reach and started throwing jabs. Four had to dodge, at the range she couldn't use her sword effectively without making herself unstable so she had to step back to lessen the **** of each blow.

The tables now dramatically turned Four was pushed to the edge of the arena. When she was about to be pushed past she tried a **** swing of her sword. Vatarie had to duck to avoid the blade but it didn't stop her form pushing Four over the edge.

Stephanie didn't say anything but the both of them stopped fighting. The crowd cheered and applauded and Vatarie looked at you. The lowering of her guard was it, Four stepped forward back into the arena bringing her sword to Vatarie's throat and slapping her other hand over Vatarie's mouth and nose as she grabbed her from behind.

Vatarie tired to fight but she couldn't dislodge Four. Her movement started to get sluggish as the cutting off of air impacted her. As she neared unconsciousness you stood to intervene.

"Enough." Stephanie said. Four let Vatarie go and she gasped for air then glared at Four. Stephanie walked into the ring to stop any more fighting. "Combat doesn't have a ring out." She said pointing for the two to return to their seats. Four chose to not challenge anyone so it was Anastasia's turn.