Arcanum

The computer responded with a few beeps and began materializing five human holograms that looked like mannequins, each with their respective roles hovering above their heads inside the arena.

"So these will be your sparring partners....." He explained showing us with an open palm with extremely big grin on his face.

"So let"s start with Grace....." Ashley instructed, issuing us all walk towards the central arena.

"Okay!" She said walking into the arena, similarly the monk hologram entered the arena.

"Do you think we should start by giving them points ..... or let them spar it out first?." Jay asked Scarlet.

"Let them spar it out first so we can gauge how well she fights." Scarlet answered.

"Okay well.... a little heads up.... I didn"t get much information on Xin Mai, all I got was his application and his preliminary results... so he"s a B ranked Monk... the rank doesn"t really show much as it"s only based on all students that at the induction day. So this hologram I think is a little over tuned..... So when you"re ready" Ashley smiled at Grace.

"Ready!" Grace replied c.o.c.king an arrow in her bow.

"Computer begin count down!" Ashley yelled.

"GOOOO GRACE!!!" We all yelled cheering her on.

Holographic numbers appeared between them at 5 counting down to 0, Grace instantly shot off an arrow heading directly for the holograms head. The hologram still standing in the same position a.s.sumed a stance stepping aside catching the arrow at the shaft while still keeping its face focused on Grace.

"No b.l.o.o.d.y way...." Jay said in shock.

"Woah..... Is that cheating?.." Helen shouted.

"What the h.e.l.l?..." Grace said looking at Ashley and Scarlet.

"Don"t let your guard down..." Scarlet shouted.

The hologram noticing Graces distraction took advantage throwing back the arrow like a dart embedding itself straight in her left shoulder, "f.u.c.k!" Grace screamed and began taking steps back launching more arrows in quick succession. The hologram began closing the distance with incredible speed dodging her shot in the process grabbing the last arrow and throwing it back at Grace.

"DODGE IT!!!" Scarlet yelled causing Grace to dive backwards marginally dodging the arrow.

"What the h.e.l.l....." Jay said still astonished at the hologram.

Backing up still on her back Grace kept on volleying the hologram with arrows to no avail, again the hologram dodged all of them and grabbing the last one to throw back at her.

"NICE!" Scarlet yelled, as the caught arrow glowed bright green as magical vines erupted from it entangling the hologram stopping it dead in its tracks binding it down.

"WOOOOO!!!" Ashley clapped loudly.

"GO GRACE!!!" We all yelled, but she didn"t respond at all totally focused on her fight.

"Dodge this!!!" Grace yelled jumping up and running to its flank shooting an arrow into the sky, with a bright green spark hundreds of arrows rained down on the hologram still trying to break itself free from the vines.

"YEAHHH!!! We all screamed as the hologram was consumed under a rain of arrows.

As the rain of arrows stopped the hologram was still standing with a few arrows protruding from its arm and shoulders, but now completely free from the grasp of the vines.

"What the...." Grace said stunned in disbelief, the hologram taking advantage of the opening appeared in front of Grace with burst of unbelievable intense speed.

"Watch out!!!" Scarlet yelled as the Hologram began throwing an onslaught of attacks, mixtures of punch and kicks at Grace barely managing to dodge and parry the blows slowly being pushed back to the edge of the arena.

"Ohh d.a.m.n.... how good is she in melee?.." Jay asked looking worried noticing Grace is being overwhelmed.

"No idea I don"t think she hasn"t come across anything like this before." Helen replied worried for her as well.

"DON"T GIVE UP!" Daisy yelled, as the hologram kept up its onslaught of attacks against Grace.

Grace seemingly weaker at melee was on the rope..... Constantly trying to dodge and parry the attacks without being able to counter attack.

"She"s in trouble...." Ashley said.

"Let it ride out….. she need to experience the most dangerous ..." Scarlet said to Ashley.

"Fine.... but I"m stopping it before it goes too far." He agreed.

At that moment the Monks a.s.sault sped up landing an open palmed strike up Grace"s chin disorientating her, Grace instinctively pulled her arms in to defend herself but they were knocked back out leaving her wide open, it followed with two more hits one on her left shoulder and the other in her right arm, in an instant Graces arms went limp. The hologram followed by stepping forward pulling back its right arm ready for one stronger strike when it suddenly froze completely still.

"Okay it"s over." Scarlet shouted quickly running to Grace, hitting her in shoulder and arm the same places the hologram did

"What the h.e.l.l was that?!" Grace said moving her arms around regaining movement.

"This should help..." Ashley said walking to her and jabbing her with a small device.

"What was that??!!" She yelled at him.

"It"s just a healing serum... it"s more potent and faster acting than normal potions." He explained to her.

"You did well." Scarlet said to Grace.

"But I lost...." Grace said walking back to us.

"You have to remember Ashley said it might have been a little over tuned, none the less he"s also from the Eastern continents…. So he"s probably familiar with wars and fighting." Scarlet replied.

"Yes... noticing that when closing distance it grabbed the last arrow so you shot an Entangling shot for it to catch was extremely smart." Ashley said smiling.

"Yes..... Monks are among the most disciplined of hand to hand combat fighter you will get, so the first thing most monks will do is begin fights defensive, a.n.a.lysing their opponent..... Their offensive styles and methods of fighting. As you saw when it started the duel standing still but maintained distances as you ran back." Scarlet explained.

"They also specialize in catching and deflecting non magical projectiles so be very careful there." Ashley added.

"Are you sure they can catch arrows?.." I asked.

"Of course they can.... Alot of students that are quick enough can." Scarlet replied, "Look ... try shooting one at me." Scarlet requested looking at grace.

"Okay..." Grace said pulling an arrow and quickly firing it at Scarlet.

Without flinching or stepping to the side Scarlet caught the arrow at the metal tip with just two fingers. "See it"s possible." Scarlet replied.

"You also lost focus when you was surprised." Ashley commented.

"Okay..... " Grace answered sounding a little down.

"Don"t feel so down..... You did well..... The problem is Calista has picked opponents that will have a strong advantage against you guys... so it"s an uphill fight." Ashley replied.

"So.... the most dangerous things about monks are their pressure point strikes..... If they land a few precise hits in certain locations they will paralyze your body parts and even stun you momentarily... which would basically mean the end of the fight..." Scarlet explained.

"Is that what caused her arms to go limp?.." I asked.

"Yup.... the strike it was about to do before it stopped was a heart strike which will stun the opponent"s whole body for at least a minute." Scarlet explained.

"I see..." I nodded.

"So.. If I can"t shoot it... or right it toe to toe..... How am I meant to win?.." Grace asked.

"Well noticing that it caught your last arrow so you made your last arrow an entangling shot was very intuitive, the problem was you then freed it with your rain of arrows...." Scarlet explained.

"Yeah I thought if I just pelt her with a lot of arrows that would stop it from grabbing them." Grace explained.

"That was a good idea.... but the problem was in the process you freed it from the advantage you gained." Scarlet explained.

"What am I meant to do if it gets up close???... It was faster than me and far superior in close combat." Grace asked.

"The problem here is, your opponent has an advantage against you, and monks are extremely deadly vs individuals such as yourself using a bow or some sort of ranged weapon....." Scarlet explained.

"So is there any tips you can give me?.." Grace asked.

"Defiantly obscuring yourself would be a good first step, using you enhanced Elven senses to locate your opponent, that way.... it would find it more difficult to catch your arrows and locate you and a.n.a.lyse you." Scarlet advised her.

"The way you used Entangling shot was extremely good punishing her for catching your arrow would defiantly work.... but after tricking it once, it might stop catching them." Ashley added.

"Using a bow is also very c.u.mbersome in melee... Is that what you"ve been trained to use?.." Scarlet asked grace.

"Well... I have been trained to use a long sword... but I haven"t brought one with me.... it makes me less mobile..." Grace answered.

"Hmmm that does sound right... we"ll stick with bows then." Scarlet nodded.

"Well that"s all I can think of..." Ashley said looking at Scarlet.

"Yup..... Try and obscure vision... and snare him is your best options..... That way you can maintain distance and keep up your advantage. Also whatever happens you need to dodge the paralyzing strikes... they can disable your limbs or if they hit your heart your whole body... whatever you do don"t let them hit these pressure points." Scarlet concluded also pointing out certain points of her body showing Grace the lethal pressure points.