Victory!

Prisma does another quick countdown and I rush Ayashi. I cast Annihilating Thrust and aim it at her. The light blue energy around her disappears and she slows down. I quickly swing my sword wide, aiming for her waist. I'm too far to cut deeply, but I can still cut an inch or so into her. She stops herself as the energy reappears around her. She jumps back right before I cut her. I Multicast Annihilation Ray and aim two of the Spells at her right arm and make the third wait a moment before going for her left. She deflects the first two with a small red magic wall. The third goes for her left arm and goes past the shield. She expected it to go for her right as well and made her shield too small to conserve mana. Probably so she can repair herself from my Sword. The Ray goes through her left elbow and cuts her arm off. Blood starts spraying out of the wound as her arm crashes into the water. She stops the bleeding in an instant with some kind of Spell I don't recognize. She creates an arm from the same red ghostly energy as before. I forget briefly that Annihilation Ray doesn't do any damage to her HP, so I get confused as to why I didn't get a damage notification. Ayashi and I both stop, waiting for the other to attack. It's clear that she's surprised I'm doing so well, I am too. But I know that she's probably still shaken up by seeing Prisma and learning of my betrayal. I ready my blade and rush her, not wanting to waste any more time. She waits for me as I get close. I raise my blade above my head and bring it down. She dodges by moving to her left and punches me with her red ghost arm.

-1,032 Dmg

I feel a sharp pain in my stomach before I cast Annihilation Energy. I use it to push her back, as she was readying another punch. I make the energy rush her like a title wave. She jumps back to avoid it and we each pause. I wait a few moments before rushing her again. I think she's decided to stay on defense and wait for an opening to attack. I'm not sure if she knows about the Sword of Annihilation's time limit, but she certainly knows about the Sword itself. Probably from her fight with my mother. I cast Lightning Step and appear right in front of her. She doesn't look too surprised as I swing my blade. I aim for her right arm, and she disappears. I can sense she used magic but I can't recognize the Spell. I jump back and look around. I can't see her, yet I can sense her presence all around me. I decide to risk it, and cast Annihilation Energy. I use it to create a large bubble around me, about twenty feet wide. I fill the inside with Energy, knowing she'll get hit if she's close.

-8,281 Dmg (Weak)

I see the damage notification appear and turn to where I felt the Energy hit her. The energy disperses and I see her falling to the ground. Before she hits the water, wind envelops her legs. It looks similar to Veronas, but it feels different. She stops falling and floats in the air. I cast Lightning Step before jumping. I fly through the air faster than I ever have before. I cut through her waist as I pass her.

-28,792 Dmg (Weak)

I feel my blade cut through her before something smacks me to the ground. I land on my side and feel something pressing down on me. I look up and see her red ghost hand has grown and is pressing down on me. She pushes harder as she walks over to me. Her ghost arm extends from her severed arm like a snake before growing. I try to use Annihilation Energy to escape, but I can't cast it. Something's stopping me from casting any Spells.

"It's time to give up Eric. This red hand is a combination of Blood magic and Disturbance magic. It uses my blood to take shape and move. While the Disturbance magic causes anyone who touches it to lose the ability to cast Spells. You can't esca..." Ayashi says before five magic circles appear on her body. They all glow before exploding. Before they explode, Ayashi steps back in shock. She doesn't let go, but she gives me enough room to wiggle out and escape.

-13,640 Dmg (Weak)

-13,640 Dmg (Weak)

I rush forward, to put some distance between us before turning around. I see Ayashi's in the air and enveloped by water, and three of the Marks of Annihilation are still glowing. The water zaps the circles causing them to disappear. Once they're gone, the water lowers her to the ground.

"What just happened?" Ayashi asks, turning to Prisma as he approaches.

"You lost the duel, that's what." Prisma starts causing Ayashi to look at him stunned.

"Wh-How? He couldn't cast any Spells just now, so how did he hurt me?"

"The was a Spell I made for the School of Annihilation. It allows me to place a mark on my target when I touch them. It saps your mana for five minutes before exploding, dealing damage depending on the mana it stole. I placed five on you earlier when you tossed me into the wind." I say causing Ayashi to fall to her knees. Prisma and I exchange a glance before he pushes me forward with a tentacle of water.