Outside the crafting hall, Ash stood across from Spear once more, hammer now firmly gripped in both hands. Spear was using a simple training weapon herself, but had said it was fine for Ash to use her actual maul.

  The rules were simple. If Spear got in three hits it would be considered a killing strike and she would win. On the other hand, if Ash got in one hit, then that would also be considered a victory. Spear had stated that one of Ash’s hammer blows would not be enough to kill but it could be enough to break a limb, so she would consider that a loss.

  “And… begin!” Scholar announced, acting as the judge for the spar.

  Ash burst forward, already powering up her hammer with a fire burst and using the momentum to help her close the gap, swinging in a wide ark and hoping to catch the lizard before she could use her range advantage properly.

  Spear thrust anyway, Ash deciding to tank one hit to her side, her own momentum adding to the strike so that she actually lost a couple of health points from the impact. Ash powered though the hit, her hammer blasting in from the side, so broad a stroke it should be impossible for her opponent to doge. At least, that’s what she thought. Spear suddenly sprung upwards, her powerful legs carrying her clean over the sweeping strike and over Ash herself. Ash used the momentum to spin herself around but it was too late, a par of jabs landing on her side and shoulder before she could even follow up.

  “Victory to Spear.” Scholar announced. Ash flushed with frustration, panting.

  “Let’s try again.” She said determinedly

  3 rounds later and Ash found herself once again being struck out. The announcement of “Victory to Spear” was starting to get on her nerves almost as much as the frustratingly fast lizard-woman. She had not even landed a single glancing blow onto her toenail. She had the advantage of speed, seemingly easily dodging Ash’s fastest attacks. She also had the advantage of reach, which she had demonstrated in this latest bout, not even allowing Ash to get close as she just backed away and jabbed at Ash whenever she attempted to close.

  By this time, she had also attracted a small crowd to witness her failures. Hestia and Jori among them, which only added to her humiliation.

  Ash spared a glance for Hestia, who smiled encouragingly at her, giving her a thumbs up then mimed a pushing action. Ash wondered why she seemed so cheery, and what she meant by her gesture.

  Pushing... Oh yeah, I have that kinetic magic now. Ash turned to her opponent, trying to think through her strategy a little more. A weak push wouldn’t be much more than a distraction against someone as strong as her. Wait, just how strong is she anyway? Ash finally engaged her Assess Creature skill, instantly getting a sense that the woman was indeed strong. In fact, she seemed to be stronger than even Hestia. No wonder Hestia isn’t shocked I’m not holding my own here, just how many levels does this lizard have on me? Being stronger than Hestia meant she was at least Level 5, not someone she should expect to match in a spar. I mean, look how poorly I fared against the Ant Queen.

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  Feeling a little better about her poor performance, Ash decided to relax and just give the next bout her best shot.

  “Are you finished?” Scholar asked

  “Let’s have one more bout” Ash said, forcing a smile “We will need some of our energy for the exploration, after all.”

  “Sounds sensible. Well, if you are ready, then...” He motioned between the two combatants “Begin!”

  This time Ash, just readied herself, letting Spear have the initiative. The woman quickly picked up on this and cocked her head before rushing forwards. And she came fast, clearly having a high reflex allowing her to cross the distance far quicker than Ash’s charge ever had. The blunt end of the spear snaked out, aiming straight for her chest. Ash reacted just fast enough to sway to the side, sweeping the haft of her hammer across to deflect the blow. Just as quickly as it had thrust, it retracted, pulled back for a second strike. Ash needed to do something as she could not match the woman’s speed. One and then three hits would get through in mere moments.

  Ash decided to do two things. First, she cast a force push outward, the momentum knocking the spear of course and momentarily unbalancing its wielder as well. The woman recovered fast, but Ash was also already swinging, the fire pluming out of the back of her Great-hammer as she stepped forward and brought it down diagonally - straight at Spear’s core.

  What Ash lacked in reflex, was made up with the flame burst’s additional power. Instinctively she channelled ice touch as well, synchronising it to release just as the blow would hit.

  Spear twisted faster than Ash would have imagined, bringing her weapon between herself and the impending strike.

  The metal tip of the maul met wood with a sharp crack and the two were blasted apart, Ash stumbling to the side as Spear was knocked back from the impact.

  Ash looked up, raising her hammer defensively as she assessed the situation. Spear had landed cleanly on her feet and seemed uninjured.

  After all that she still managed to block it?

  That’s when she noticed the state of the training spear she was holding. Well, she was still clutching the top half at least. The base of the spear had shattered, splintering into multiple shards that had peppered the lizard-woman’s clothing.

  Spear shook her empty hand, clearly pained from absorbing the impact,

  “I think this round goes to Ash.” Scholar commented, eliciting a smattering of applause from the onlookers. Then in saurian, “Ash’s win It seems. That’s more of a stick than a spear at this point.”

  Spear nodded “Hmmm... No blocking those hits next time.” She picked a splinter out of her scales and nodded again at Ash “Good bout.”

  Ash decided she could be content with that.