EPISODE 19 — FINALLY

# THE FALLEN LIGHT — SEASON I

## CHAPTER 19 — FINALLY

Word of it spreading... Took ten minutes. Percy Grant. Arthur Green. An official duel. Those who heard it first didn't believe it. Because... This had happened before.

Time and time again. Percy and Arthur had faced off before. A teacher had intervened. A monster had appeared. Someone had stepped in. Something had happened. Here. There.

But... Never... Had they truly been left alone. This time... Holar Jun had permitted it. Richard Green had permitted it. Adrian Wycliffe would serve as the referee. And... The duel was going to happen.

The news spread across the entire academy. Then... To the other academies.

"FOR REAL?!"

"Percy and Arthur?!"

"FINALLY?!"

Before the arena doors even opened... There was a queue standing outside. Students. Teachers. Upperclassmen. Underclassmen. No one... Wanted to miss it.

Because to know that Percy Grant and Arthur Green hated each other... You didn't need to know them personally. The arena... Was packed to the brim. Even the stairways were full.

Charlotte took her seat. William sat beside her. Then... Galahad arrived.

Charlotte looked at him.

"Are you nervous?"

Galahad sat down.

"No."

William:

"Liar."

Galahad:

"A little."

Next came Holar. Eleanor by his side. And... Clara. The swelling on Clara's face had diminished. The wound on her lip was still visible.

Eleanor had her sit beside her. Galahad looked at Clara. He said nothing. Clara looked back at him.

Holar looked down at the arena.

"It was bound to happen one day."

Eleanor:

"Percy was patient enough."

Galahad nodded.

"More than enough."

Charlotte:

"How many times did they almost fight?"

William:

"I stopped counting."

Holar chuckled softly.

"Once over there."

Eleanor:

"Once over here."

Galahad:

"Someone stepped in."

Charlotte:

"Something exploded."

William:

"A monster popped up."

Clara said quietly:

"They were never left alone."

Everyone looked at her. Clara kept her eyes fixed on the arena.

"Now they will be."

The arena door opened. Arthur Green walked in. The Sovereign Noble Academy section stood up.

Applause. Shouts. Arthur looked at no one. He walked to the center. The other door opened.

Percy Grant.

The stadium... Exploded.

"PERCY!"

"ARTHUR!"

Percy was walking. Calm.

Galahad watched him closely.

Charlotte:

"He's so calm."

Galahad:

"Good."

Percy reached the center. He locked eyes with Arthur.

Arthur:

"Finally."

Percy:

"Finally."

Wycliffe stepped between the two.

"You know the rules."

"Lethal attacks are forbidden."

"Permanent damage is forbidden."

"If an opponent loses consciousness, the match is over."

"Surrender ends the match."

He looked at both of them.

"Understood?"

Arthur:

"Yes."

Percy:

"Yes."

Wycliffe backed away. Holar crossed his arms. Richard Green was sitting in the opposite stands. His gaze was fixed on his son. Wycliffe raised his hand.

The arena... Fell silent.

"BEGIN!"

**BOOM!**

Arthur made the first strike. Not fire. Not water. Pure Orin.

Percy shifted to the side.

BAM!

The ground behind him shattered.

Percy raised his hand.

"Slash."

Three thin lines. Arthur raised a barrier.

CLACK!

Two lines broke. The third passed through. A fine cut opened on Arthur's shoulder.

The arena:

"OOOOOOOHHHH!"

Charlotte stood up.

"FIRST BLOOD PERCY!"

William:

"Sit down."

"FIRST BLOOD PERCY!"

"Charlotte."

"Fine."

Arthur looked at the wound. Then at Percy.

He smiled.

"Is that it?"

Percy:

"Just the beginning."

Arthur vanished. Percy's eyes widened.

BAM!

Arthur's fist drove into Percy's abdomen. Percy was lifted off his feet. Arthur spun and landed a kick.

BAM!

Percy slammed into the ground.

Clara involuntarily leaned forward.

Eleanor:

"Percy..."

Galahad:

"He'll get up."

Percy rolled across the ground. Arthur closed in on him. Percy slammed his palm onto the ground.

WHOOM!

Orin erupted. Arthur backed off. Percy stood up. There was blood at the corner of his lip. Percy wiped it away. He looked at it.

"Good."

Arthur:

"What's good?"

Percy:

"That hurt."

Arthur attacked again. Fist. Percy blocked. Elbow. He dodged. Knee. Barrier. Arthur feinted a right. Percy didn't fall for it.

Left. Percy stepped back. Arthur's foot pivoted. Percy ducked.

Galahad's eyes narrowed.

"It's started."

Charlotte:

"What?"

Galahad didn't answer. Percy... Was watching Arthur's shoulder. His foot. His hip. His fingers. Probabilities.

Arthur raised his right hand. Five. His shoulder turned. Three. His foot set into place. Two.

Percy shifted sideways. Arthur's spell... Passed right through where Percy had been standing a moment ago.

William leaned forward.

"He read it."

Galahad smiled. Percy attacked.

BAM!

Into Arthur's ribs. Again.

BAM!

Shoulder. Arthur countered. Percy ducked. Knee.

BAM!

Arthur was blown backward. The arena erupted to its feet.

"HE SAW ALL THREE OF THEM!"

"HOW?!"

Richard Green's expression turned grim. Holar looked at Galahad. Galahad kept his eyes fixed on Percy.

Holar:

"You taught him that."

Galahad:

"The beginning of it."

Holar raised an eyebrow.

"And the rest?"

Galahad:

"He's doing it himself."

In the arena... Arthur gritted his teeth. His Orin surged. Percy's eyes gleamed.

Arthur attacked. This time... Percy couldn't react in time.

**BOOM!**

Straight to his chest. Percy was sent flying. Arthur pursued.

BAM!

One punch.

BAM!

A second. Percy raised a barrier.

CLACK!

Arthur shattered it.

BAM!

Percy hit the ground. The smile on Charlotte's face disappeared.

Clara stood up.

"Percy!"

Eleanor placed a hand on Clara's arm.

"Wait."

Arthur didn't stop. Percy tried to get up. Arthur kicked.

BAM!

Percy went down again.

Galahad's jaw clenched.

William:

"This is bad."

Arthur's attacks were growing heavier. Percy was blocking. But... Arthur was stronger. A spell.

**BOOM!**

Percy slammed into the arena wall. The stadium went silent. Percy fell to his knees.

Arthur walked toward him.

Richard:

"Arthur."

Arthur didn't hear.

Percy raised his head.

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Arthur:

"Trash."

Percy tried to stand up. Arthur raised his foot to kick.

Clara:

"ENOUGH!"

Eleanor stood up.

Charlotte:

"REFEREE!"

Wycliffe moved forward. Holar's eyes narrowed. Galahad... Had stood up.

Arthur brought the kick down. Percy raised his arm at the last second.

BAM!

The ground cracked. Percy fell to the ground again. Arthur was breathing heavily.

Then... He raised his hand.

Richard suddenly stood up.

"ARTHUR!"

Holar's expression shifted.

Galahad:

"No."

In Arthur's palm... A different spell was forming.

Spell Destruction.

Wycliffe:

"MATCH IS OVER!"

Arthur struck.

And... Percy's voice resonated.

"**[Absolute Cancel]**."

Silence.

Arthur's spell... Vanished. Simply... Gone. The arena froze.

Holar's eyes widened.

Eleanor:

"...He did it again."

Clara caught her breath. She knew. Years ago... She had seen it for the first time.

Arthur looked at his hand.

"What..."

Percy... Slowly stood up. Blood was trickling from his nose. His lip was split. His uniform was torn. But... He was standing.

Arthur looked at him.

Percy tilted his head slightly.

"Look."

One step.

"Do you see, Arthur?"

Another step.

"I left it to you."

Arthur didn't back down.

Percy:

"And you..."

"...turned into a parasite again."

Arthur's expression changed.

"You weren't satisfied with just beating your opponent."

Percy's voice was ice-cold.

"You tried to kill."

Richard's face fell.

Arthur:

"Shut up!"

He gathered Orin again. Percy... Closed his eyes. Galahad froze.

Percy took a breath.

"I..."

"...look at probability."

Arthur's Orin surged.

Percy's eyes were still closed.

"And probability..."

"...belongs to me."

Galahad's eyes widened.

"Percy..."

Percy continued.

"I see it."

Arthur's right foot slipped. His shoulder turned. His fingers opened.

Percy:

"There is a 33% chance..."

"...that you will use the same spell again."

Arthur stopped.

Percy:

"Not enough."

He opened his eyes.

"I am probability."

Galahad stood up.

Percy's gaze locked onto Arthur.

"And probability..."

"...is me."

Arthur attacked. And... He missed. Percy wasn't there anymore.

BAM!

A punch to Arthur's stomach. His breath was cut short. Percy spun.

BAM!

Ribs. Arthur tried to counter. Percy ducked.

BAM!

Jaw. Arthur staggered.

The arena... Went wild.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"

"ARTHUR CAN'T LAND A HIT!"

William stood up.

"No."

Charlotte:

"What no?"

William:

"It's not that he can't hit."

Percy dodged another attack.

William:

"Percy..."

"...isn't even going there in the first place."

Galahad smiled.

Holar:

"What does that mean?"

Galahad:

"Before Arthur attacks, Percy doesn't dodge."

BAM!

To Arthur's shoulder.

"Before Arthur even strikes..."

"...Percy is already gone from there."

Eleanor's eyes widened. Clara... Was staring at Percy. Arthur roared. Three spells at once.

Percy right. Left. Forward.

He dodged all three.

Percy:

"Right shoulder."

BAM!

Arthur staggered.

"Left leg."

Arthur kicked. Percy caught it.

"Too slow."

Arthur's eyes widened. Percy threw him over.

**BOOM!**

To the ground. Half the stadium was on its feet. Richard Green was speechless.

Arthur sprang to his feet.

Percy:

"Four possibilities."

Arthur attacked.

"Three."

Percy stepped aside.

"Two."

Arthur formed a spell.

Percy raised his hand. Barrier.

"One."

Arthur changed direction.

Percy... Smiled.

"Wrong."

BAM!

A fist to Arthur's face. Arthur was blown back.

Galahad burst out laughing.

Charlotte:

"WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?!"

Galahad:

"I DIDN'T TEACH HIM THAT!"

Holar:

"What?"

Galahad pointed at Percy.

"I taught him to see probabilities."

Percy evaded Arthur's strike.

BAM!

"This kid..."

"...has started controlling probabilities."

On Holar's face... A smile slowly formed.

"That's my grandson."

Eleanor:

"Don't start."

Clara, without taking her eyes off Percy:

"He can start a little."

Eleanor looked at Clara.

Then she smiled.

"He's my nephew, too."

Arthur... Could no longer keep up. Percy was striking. But... Not at the throat. Not at the eyes. Not at the spine. Ribs. Shoulder. Abdomen. Leg.

It hurt. A lot. But... It left no permanent damage.

Wycliffe noticed it.

"He's controlling it."

Richard:

"What?"

Wycliffe:

"Every single attack."

Just as Percy was about to hit Arthur's jaw... He changed direction. He struck his chest.

"He's not knocking him out."

Arthur fell to the ground. Percy waited. Arthur got up.

Percy struck again.

BAM!

Arthur fell again. Percy waited. Arthur... Got up once more.

The smile vanished from Galahad's face. Because now he understood. Percy... Wasn't ending the match.

He was... Teaching Arthur a lesson. Arthur was completely exhausted. Bruises on his face. Cuts on his arms. Burns on his uniform.

But... None of it was permanent.

Percy's voice came:

"Continue."

Arthur raised his fist.

Percy blocked it.

"Keep going."

Arthur tried again. Percy slipped past.

BAM!

Stomach. Arthur fell to his knees. Clara... Was watching silently.

Percy didn't look at her.

Arthur stood up again.

Percy:

"That's it."

Arthur:

"Fuck..."

Percy:

"Get up."

Arthur stood up. A spell. Percy didn't dispel it. He dodged. A second. He dodged.

A third. Barrier. Percy now... Was hardly using any magic at all. Galahad was the first to notice.

"He stopped."

Charlotte:

"What?"

"He stopped using magic."

The Orin on Percy's hands... Died down. Holar leaned forward. Arthur stood swaying on his feet.

Percy walked toward him. No magic. No Orin strike.

Just... Percy. Arthur threw a punch. Percy slipped his head to the side.

Arthur's fist grazed past his face. Percy clenched his fist. Clara's face... Flashed before his eyes for a moment.

On the ground. Blood. Percy's gaze hardened. Arthur saw it.

Percy pulled his fist back.

"This..."

Arthur's eyes widened.

Percy:

"...is for Clara."

BAM!

"You son of a bitch."

END OF EPISODE