"Ok, I'll accept that criticism" said Kat turning to face Lynn "but this is really nice and comfy. It's really hard to feel that comfortable warmness, like um, hot baths or blankets when you have resistance to heat" said Kat
Lynn wasn't interested in responding and just huffed in Kat's direction while turning away. *Surely, it's not that bad right? I mean Lynn has fire powers, surely she'd be able to handle it.*
Kat took a quick glance at the melting stone in Jack's hands. *Ok, maybe this is a little excessive*
Thyme snapped his fingers and the orbs stopped glowing, well Kat's did, Jack's was still surrounded by burning liquid stone and managed to keep its glow for the moment.
"The final challenge approaches" said Thyme, as it transformed into multiple copies of themselves in tabards. Half had horns as their sigil and the other half a stone surrounded by smaller orbiting rocks, and all carried bugle in their right hands.
Music rang out the horns as the centremost Thyme with a split tabard containing half of each symbol spoke "We have only two remaining contestants, and one remaining challenge"
The walls started to twist and close in on the two. The floor shuffled around so that the space Kat was originally standing was now directly opposite Jack, with the arena shrinking to roughly half the size with the bugle Thyme lining the sides.
Of course, Kat had yet to stop hovering so upon shuffling the arena she was slightly up and to the left instead across from Jack. "Um, fair Lady Kat, please take your place across from Jack"
*Um? Is there a reason to?* Kat looked at her orb and then back at the crowd and shrugged. *Guess there's no reason not to at least. I can just fly up again.*
Flying to her position and leaving it so just the ends of her toes barely grazed the ground Kat hovered across from Jack and struck a much more imposing scene. Kat was already slightly taller than Jack, now with the extra height provided by not standing fully on the ground made her loom over the man.
Kat's figure was much slimmer then the surprisingly well built wizard and yet still he looked small as her wings spread out behind her further increasing her silhouette. Her kimono fluttered slightly moving to an unseen wind, truthfully moving from the slight unconscious touch of Kat's demonic energy.
Her presence filled the field and everyone in the stands took a deep breath. Kat was unconsciously letting out waves of her aura, but instead of calming the others it made Kat radiate a calm imposing dignity she didn't quite feel.
Of course, Kat herself was oblivious to most of this, she was just trying to look a bit cool for what Thyme said was the final challenge, but her instincts were handling the rest. *The last challenge hey? I wonder it could possibly be.*
"This final challenge is a test of skill, of cunning, of understanding, of might, and many other things that I'm forgetting at the moment" said The central Thyme.
"But nonetheless, this is a grand battle between Kat, and Jack, may the best sentient win" said Thyme
A final note rang from the horns as the Thyme's retracted back into one and then vanished into the ground. Jack took a fighting stance, holding the orb in front of him like he was holding a sceptre. Sigils blazed to life around him as he glared towards Kat.
"Now wait just a minute here" said Kat as more and more sigils appeared around the man. "I think you are forgetting something"
"Ay, you may be a demon, and I might loose, but I ain't going to fail to try" said Jack, sweating now from exhaustion rather than heat, already spent from the previous round but forcing more mana into his spells.
"No wait Jack, your making a big mistake" said Kat
"I will not have you mislead me at this final juncture. Prepare your spells, or are you spent" said Jack raising his left hand, the one without the orb above his hand.
*Jack seriously this is a trap don't do it.* "I'm not threatening you Jack, you a misunderstanding what's going on" said Kat as she started to fly into the air.
The moment Kat started to gain altitude Jack dropped his hand and unleashed a hail of rocks. Each of the many sigils fired several small rocks, zipping towards Kat at breakneck speed, though with somewhat poor accuracy.
Kat let her eyes burn and her mind speed up. Slowing everything down Kat slid in between the projectiles as she gained in height while she said. "I am simply dodging these for fun, I am not being interfered with in the-" Kat got stuck on the words she was trying to say
"I'm not being interfered with in any significant way" tried Kat again.
"What foul tricks do you think you can play with me" said Jack as a huge boulder started to form behind him.
"Now Jack, I want you to remember the rules very carefully" said Kat as she watched the rock forming before her stopping the ascent to be in line with it instead.
"I've heard them. This is a battle and I plan to at least try to win. Put up a fight, for while I be no knight, I would hope you'd do me the honour of fighting back" said Jack.
"No seriously Jack, I'm not just going to give you the answer here" said Kat. *Do I just win then? I'm trying to give you some help here Jack.*
"I expected nothing less" said Jack who released the boulder collapsing to his knees as he did so. "This is my last shot, dodge it if you can"
Jack balancing on three limbs but keeping the orb off the ground watched with wide eyes for what was coming next.
The rock fell towards Kat. Even to the unenhanced eye the speed was slow, but it was large, towering over Kat as it slowly bore down upon her.
*Sigh, let's see if I'm correct in my assumption then.* Kat stared at the boulder as it approached ever closer not moving an inch. Kat let it fall towards her unimpeded. It reached the front of her nose, just barely grazing it with the slightest touch before stopping.
The boulder instantly disintegrated and fell to dust in front of Kat.
Jack let out a long breath and lowered his head knowing that he had lost. Clapping was heard from behind him, but he had not the energy to look. "It seems you have lost Jack" said Thyme
"Not just yet, I haven't dropped the orb just yet" said Jack
"No I'm afraid you interfered with a competitor" said Thyme
"Wait what?" said Jack and the rest of the stadium bare Nixilei who nodded along and Green who continued to sleep.
"Clearly you were not thoroughly paying attention. What was the rule I laid out for this battle?" asked Thyme pushing glasses further onto his face that Kat had missed him summoning.
"No interference" said Nixilei "They were not to interfere with other competitors"
"Correct, twenty three points to the unfortunate four" said Thyme with a laugh. "But no seriously, that's correct."
"Haha" laughed Jack exhausted as he let himself collapse onto the ground.
"Sorry Jack, I did try to give you a hint there" said Kat as she lowered herself to the ground. "I wasn't totally sure if I was even allowed to block your projectile so I just dodged them all, that was until you summoned that massive boulder and thought, if you are going so far I'd let you throw it at me. I mean that was pretty cool if I'm honest"
Jack groaned in response, to tired to speak. Thyme looked down at Jack and said "Well, I suppose I should do this now"
Thyme pushed a Green orb into Jack's back and the moment it made contact he shivered and tried to stand up. He was a little wobbly on his feet, but already his face looked significantly less haggard then it did just a moment ago.
"And so" said Thyme voice booming "It is with great pleasure, that I announce the winner of the third competition. Kat… I don't know your lastname the DEMON!"
As soon as Thyme had finished talking the God Crushers all jumped from their seats, taking the stairs two at a time to get to their friend faster. Surrounding him on they all grabbed his limb and carried him into the air throwing him up with cheer.
Kat smiled at the scene. *He really did try hard. And my powers are kind of dumb. Though I suppose I won because I still remembered the rules… Then again, I was much more well rested, so I hardly had to put up with anything that might make me forget.*
As Kat was thinking this she felt thin arms wrap around her back. As she craned her neck to see, she noticed it was Green giving her a big smile