Honing some skills

Indiana wasn't a liar in nature but stating that he was an average dueler to Emilie Porter sounded hollow, even to his own ears. Technically, a wizard's duel was regulated by rules of engagement with only magic being allowed. That meant no physical contact of any kind, thus banning the use of his Wushu and Qi-based skills. Thus, Indiana would certainly be unfit to take part in a magical duel where customs and rules regulated the actions of the participants. But an all-out battle was an entirely different matter altogether.

Looking around, Indiana noticed the training dummies stacked against the wall and shook his head. Those wouldn't do and he wanted something that could shoot fight back both magically and physically. An idea came to his mind and Indiana calmly took his wand out before kneeling on the floor.

"Flagrate!"he chanted, watching the tip of his wand release flames that he used to burn a number of runic markings within a pentagram onto the gleaming marble floor of the arena. Once he made the necessary markings, Indiana chanted a sentence. "S F T B T B M L I B S A S"

Walking to the other side of the arena, Indiana waited before the burnt rune markings glowed and released magic to form a portal that released corporeal being that somewhat resembled himself. But the long hair, very slender build, curvy proportions, and feminine appearance of the entity told a different story. She was wearing pajamas that were of decent sleep-ware type and she looked to be about his age.

"Am I dreaming?" the young girl asked, looking around and catching sight of Indiana.

"Yes and no." Indiana replied. "I used a spell ritual that belongs to the set known as the Kaleidoscope of Existences to temporarily bring you here as long as you're in the dream world. I'm Indiana Lamperouge and I'm your male counterpart in this parallel universe that you're in."

"Please to meet you Indiana." the girl replied with a bit of confusion yet she was rather excited before replying. "I'm Marika Ashford. So why did you summon me here?"

"Well, I needed a good sparring partner to touch up on my skills." Indiana replied. "Someone who was good in both magic and Qi."

Marika's eyes lit up. "You can use Qi too?! Awesome! I learned the Jiu Yin Zhen Jin (Nine Yin True Classic) when I was five and completed it along with the Jiu Yin Bai Gu Zhao when I was seven. I then picked up the Xiang Long Shiba Zhang (Eighteen-Dragon Subduing Palms) and just finished mastering it seven days ago. How about you?"

"Well, I learned the Jiu Yang Zhen Jin (Nine Yang True Classic) when I was seven and finished it when I was nine. I then learned the Qian Kun Da Nuo Yi (Heaven And Earth Great Shift) and mastered all the tiers when I was fourteen along with the Xuan Ming Shen Zhang (Spring Glowing Divine Palm), which I haven't completely mastered yet." Indiana replied before speaking.

Marika's eyes lit up before extending both of her hands outwards with his fingers outstretched until two wands appeared, one in each hand. "Oh wow! Then you can be my opponent!"

Indiana's eyes widened the moment he saw Marika dual-wielding a pair of wands and the wood they were made of looked exactly like the wood that made the Yggdrasil Staff, which he summoned before asking. "Magic first and then Qi later is alright with you?"

Marika smiled and nodded. "Of course, Indiana. By the way, nice staff although two Yggdrasil wands are a better option."

"We'll see." Indiana replied before sending a non-verbal Disarming Spell at Marika, who brought a non-verbal Shield Charm to block before sending a Trip Jinx and Hurling Hex. Faced with two spells, Indiana spun to the side in evasion before responding in kind.

Anyone walking into the Dueling Arena would be seeing a handsome young man with black hair and wearing street clothing facing off against a raven-haired beauty in pajamas in a simple sparring match that was filled with intensity and opposing spirits.

Cataline had been walking around the halls of Hogwarts, seeing that not much had changed despite over a thousand years that had passed since the founding of the school. She calmly ignored the number of students that passed her by and had been staring at her green hair as though she was a Veela minus the force of attraction that enraptures the hearts of men.

She was about to proceed when the immortal felt the presence of a ritual that she thought she would never detect again. Following the source of magic even though it took quite a while to reach the fifth floor, Cataline found herself in the castle's dueling arena where she saw a boy that she recognized to be Indiana facing off against a girl in pajamas.

Cataline was amused before deciding to take a seat and watch the pair for the time.

It was interesting on how the advantages and disadvantages can change sides like a seesaw within the progression of a battle or duel. For Indiana, that felt like country square dancing as he continued to duel Marika, sending a flurry of spells while either dodging or shielding against the return fire.

Eventually, Indiana sent a Banishing Charm while Marika shot off a quick Reductor Curse. Both spells slammed into each other before exploding in a shock-wave that disarmed Indiana of the Yggdrasil Staff while Marika lost her hold on both of the Yggdrasil Wands yet both willed their respective instruments for conducting magic to vanish.

"It seems that this contest cannot be decided by our knowledge in magic but by the skills utilized in physical combat." Indiana spoke as the golden light around his hands illuminated, casting ripples in the air by the influx of his Qi's Yang polarity as he took a stance that originated from the Wudang Sect of long ago.

Marika grinned evilly as a purple light enveloped her hands due to the influx of her Qi's Yin polarity before each of her fingernails grew to a sharp length of two inches just as she took what looked to be a stance that originated from the Emei Sect of long ago yet modified.

"It is so on!" Marika chirped before pouncing at Indiana, who also sprung into action. Marika's claws slashed through the air and Indiana did what he could to avoid getting cut as he blocked her right arm at her wrist before swinging it away. Marika connected the momentum to slash at Indiana with her left arm, claws slicing a strand of hair on his head as he evaded.

'Wow, she knows how to use the Jiu Yin Bai Gu Zhao (Nine Yin Evil Bone Claw) with deadly accuracy! Marika is truly a formidable opponent!' Indiana thought as he evaded Marika's incoming Qi claw strike by jump-spinning away a few feet back before moving his arms in a vertical circle, channeling the power of the Jiu Yang Zhen Jin and sending it at her. Marika managed to block the incoming Qi as she unleashed the power of the Jiu Yin Zhen Jin to counter its approach.

It looked to be a stalemate between Indiana and Marika as the opposing forces of Yang and Yin collided with each other in midair. Yet, neither one was willing to give ground and the outcome remained undetermined.