The Nine Bishops
Chapter 39: Tobias Zan

“And the first move is from Joker’s girl. She looks like she is trying to gain the initiative! But, uh-oh, despite how quick of a start she has, her attack isn’t working. She just launched a succession of fast-moving, thin projectiles.

“But look at Tobias Zan! He’s just standing there, allowing these projectiles shatter against the density of his body. Isn’t his stone magic awesome? I think those projectiles are ice; it makes sense because of how they’re shattering into crystals!

“Tobias continues to stand fast, watching the girl circle around him. He seems to be letting her press her attack, rather than go on the offensive and end the battle on his own terms.

“Perhaps he is trying to learn what the girl is capable of? After all, he did see what happened to Liz K in yesterday’s fight!

“Joker’s girl’s strategy seems to be keeping her distance and sending out a barrage of projectiles of all sizes. Some of the projectiles are the size of needles, while others are the size of spears! This girl is so ice-cold and cool! Too bad all of her attacks are useless against TZ, since they are all breaking on his transformed skin.

“Big T seems confident about his defense. He hasn’t budged an inch; he’s firm that Joker’s girl won’t be able to penetrate his stone wall defense!

“Ladies and gentlemen, mages and Filth, I’m certain of what this girl’s magic strain is now! She is most definitely guaranteed using ice magic! I don’t know if she has anything else up her sleeve, though. She looks like she is too afraid to get close with her ice magic. Maybe this is her strategy? Either way, it’s proving to be fruitless. It’s been five minutes and Tobias Zan hasn’t been fazed in the slightest. It looks like her only magic is Projection! But we can all agree it’s doubtful that the Joker would give her a medallion for such simple magic.

“Looks like Joker’s girl has stopped running to change direction. What’s this? Big T looks like he is beginning his own assault! He seems to be focusing all his energy into the ground. Look at that! A wave is pulsating through the ground towards Joker’s girl. It just erupted under her!

“It’s hard to see what’s going on with all dust in the air, but Tobias isn’t waiting for the dust to settle. He is on the move and closing the distance on Joker’s girl, who had to have been hit by the debris.

“Something just shot out of the dust, stopping Tobias in his tracks. He’s back on the defense. I’m surprised the girl is still on her feet after that explosive attack. I can’t see her, and it looks like Zan can’t, either.

“The dust is clearing up now. It looks like—yes! The girl is emerging unscathed from that attack. She is one formidable foe! However, from the looks of it, her attacks are getting more sluggish. She’s still maintaining her distance, which shows she is not underestimating Tobias Zan’s close-combat abilities.

“However, folks, Big Toby Z is no amateur. He knows how to use long-range attacks as well. Watch out! Tobias is sweeping his foot across the ground in an arc. What’s he doing? Oh wait, a semicircle wall is emerging from the ground. Zan pushes it … and launches the wall at the girl! The wall is moving fast, and it’s growing in size, like a tsunami!

“He’s not stopping there! The first just crashed like a wave, but he’s launching a dozen more smaller wave walls. Watch out now! T is running with his walls as protection. I’m losing track of Joker’s girl in the dust. She has to be under a pile of rubble by now.

“But do you see that? Tobias Zan is dragging his right hand through the ground, creating a stone sword. It keeps getting bigger! It’s so big that he’s slowing down and using two hands!

“Looks like his plan was to close the distance and now, he’s done just that. The walls he sent have collapsed where Joker’s girl was standing, and created a pile of rubble.

“I, I can’t believe my eyes! Did you see that? The girl created her own ice wall to protect herself. I almost missed it! She’s still standing. I don’t know how that ice protected her from the onslaught of stone tsunamis, but I don’t think it can withstand Tobias’ physical strength!

“Zan is right on the wall. He swings his massive slab of a sword horizontally towards the ice wall. The ice wall completely shatters as the sword slices through the fragile ice. You can see the look of terror on Joker’s girl’s face … she gets hit … This is hard to watch, ladies and gentlemen. I really didn’t expect her to get caught that easily.

“The hit is so hard that it looks like Joker’s girl’s upper body flew away from her lower body.

“Zan isn’t counting the fight over yet, though. He’s still on guard. He looks like he wants to see this through with his own eyes. I don’t think he wants to make the same mistake as Lizbeth! But I think it’s over, folks …

“Big T is looking at the girl’s upper body that went flying, to confirm it with his own eyes. But what’s this? She’s still moving. You know the rules: yield, be unconscious, or death! This fight is still on somehow, but it is hard to watch.

“Joker’s girl is still hanging on with what little life she has. She formed an ice knife in her hand. I can’t bear to watch anymore. Her upper body is still moving somehow! She is crawling away slowing with what strength she has left. Tobias Zan knows what he must do, he’s walking up closer to the girl, to end things. He’s already changed his great sword into a war hammer.

“Wait a minute! Tobias just got hit by the ice. The girl just threw it at him and caught him off-guard. The knife’s pierced his left thigh. He’s staggering. Uh-oh, it’s not enough, though, he’s still limping over to finish the job. He’s staring right into the girl’s icy blue eyes. It looks like—is he giving her a chance to yield?

“Looks like he isn’t going to get what he wants. You can see she is not quitting … but man this is cruel. Big T is lifting his hammer slowly… And then he brings the hammer down!

Are my eyes mistaking me? The girl gets shattered into thousands of pieces! Not the ending you would expect.

“Such a young girl, so much potential …

“Wait! How’s that possible? How could we miss that?

“The girl is right behind him—she just pierced Zan with a jagged ice sword.

“The girl is standing on her feet, perfectly unscathed. What? How is that possible? We just saw her die! She just came out of the dust, out of nowhere. It’s as if she had a clone!

“Tobias looks immobile. He’s shocked out of his mind. But that girl also has a grip. How powerful is this girl’s magic!

“And now we’re all wondering how this is going to end. Tobias looks unsteady on his feet, like his consciousness is about to slip.

“Did ya’ll hear what I just heard? I think she just asked him if he yields! This girl is something else!

“This can’t be happening. Tobias is giving her the only answer she deserves.

“Tobias Zan yields! Joker’s girl wins!”