Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Aurivelle fired two shots of fireball at a practice dummy.
But,she missed.
"Ahh." She collapsed on her knees. "I can't seem to aim right... The books aren't helping either."
"It feels so weird seeing Emberia again, you know." A member told another.
"Yeah..."
"This place looks like a nice place to sit." I said, obviously trying to avoid being smoked.
"Hey, Zandren." Aurivelle called me. "Watch me, watch me."
I laughed. "Yeah, I'm watching."
"Hehe.."
Aurivelle walked up to a bench and picked up a whip.
PAA!
The whip snapped.
"Oh wow..." I said.
Aurivelle stood with her legs closed. Then she slid the left open.
"I'm ready..." She yelled.
"Who's she yelling at?"
I turned my head to see someone at the edge of the wall.
This person performed a series of stomps and five terra dummies rose from the ground.
This person then controlled whatever they did.
They fought like humans.
Aurivelle twirled her whip, and infused it with Emberia.
She swung it, and a wall of fire spread out.
Blocking the summoner's view.
Then.
Two dummies went flying.
Aurivelle launched them into the air, using Terra.
She wrapped her whip around one, while blocking an attack from the one behind her.
She pulled the one she had wrapped with her whip towards her. Then encased her arm with the earth.
Punching the dummy and sending it crashing close to the summoner.
She chuckled. "It's a bit too easy, Jorren."
Jorren grithed his teeth.
"Ok then..."
"The war shall be won. Rise, Great soldiers of the Earth."
A dozen of the dummies rose. With an addition of two larger ones.
I turned to Eimira who had been sitting quietly beside me.
"Isn't this too much for a child?"
"She'll survive." Eimira muttered. "Afterall, I'm her mentor."
Boom!
Aurivelle blew up three dummies attacking her.
Jorren cackled.
"Now's the time..."
"Rise."
Ten Terra Archers rose. They drew their bow.
Then.
Fired.
"Ah... Not fair." Aurivelle said.
The air grew warmer as Aurivelle channeled her blessings.
Her eyes glowed.
One orange. The other gold.
The ground melted and became lava, melting the dummies surrounding her.
She controlled it freely. Moving them above her, as the arrows inched closer.
Then.
Tssskk.
The lava became glass instantly, forming a dome around Aurivelle. Shielding her from the barrage of arrows.
Krsh!
Krsh!
One by one the arrows pierced through the glass shield.
None went through.
Aurivelle smirked.
She held out her hand.
Then. She clenched her fist, tightly.
The glass shield burst apart.
KRASSSHH!
It didn't fall.
It broke into motion.
Hundreds of jagged shards hung in the air, suspended around her, each piece turning slowly, catching the light like soldiers waiting for their commands.
She stepped forward.
Lowered her stance.
Then—
She punched.
Whoosh.
A wave of glass shot forward, slicing through the air in a tight arc.
She shifted her weight.
"Hmm!"
Another punch.
Whoosh.
A second wave followed, faster, sharper, the shards screaming as they cut through space.
She pivoted—
"AHH!!"
And kicked.
WHRSSH!
The final wave surged out, all three converging at once, a storm of shards tearing towards Jorren.
For a split second.
The impact was certain.
Then.
They scattered.
Mid-attack, the shards broke formation, splitting apart.
They shot upward.
Spiraled.
Circled.
Now surrounding Jorren from every angle.
Aurivelle smirked.
"Too fucking easy."
Then—
They collapsed inward.
All at once.
A killing convergence.
Jorren reacted at the last possible moment.
Hands slamming into the ground.
Grwwm!
Stone erupted from the ground.
Forming a dome around him.
The shards attacked relentlessly, until—
There were no more.
The stone dome crumpled, Jorren stood.
He hung his head. "Can't believe I got beaten by a nine year old."
"Woah." I clapped. "That was nice, she improved in such a short time."
I turned to Eimira.
"Isn't that amazing?"
"Uhhnn, uhn." She nodded.
She grabbed her scabbard.
Then, floated gracefully down to Aurivelle.
"Both hands out." She said.
Aurivelle followed.
Smack!
"Watch your words, young lady."
"Ouch.." Aurivelle rubbed her hands.
Eimira turned.
"I blame you, Ryona."
"What?" She said, biting into a piece of meat. "What the fuck did I do?"
"Can you stop cursing around Auri so much?"
"I can't help it." Ryona replied.
Eimira sighed.
She faced Aurivelle.
"Bring the hand I just smacked."
Aurivelle sniffled then stretched out her hand.
Eimira wrapped the hand using Aqualis, which soothed the pain.
"There you go."
She patted Aurivelle's head.
"No more curse alright? It's adult stuff."
Aurivelle nodded.
"Good work." Eimira said. "I'll buy you your favourite food."
Aurivelle's face instantly lit up.
"Hoo. Hoo." She giggled. "I want pike steaks."
Eimira laughed. "Ok, ok. When we return to the Academy vicinity, alright?"
Aurivelle smiled. "Hmm, hmm."
Eimira turned to me. "Zandren. It's your turn!"
I pointed at myself.
"Me?"
The seat I was on trembled.
Chichi appeared behind me.
"Hehe."
Then I got launched into the air.
"Don't think you'll just come here and do nothing, hehe."
"Ahhhhh."
I was approaching the ground fast.
Then—
Eimira slowly guided me down, using Aeris.
She giggled. "Why'd you scream like that, princess?"
"Scream?" I feigned ignorance. "I didn't scream..."
"Yes, you did." Aurivelle said. "You went, "Ahhhhh" just now."
They both laughed.
"Tsk..." I frowned. "Thought we were past the princess allegations."
Eimira patted me on my shoulder.
"There, there." She laughed. "It's ok to be scared sometimes. "
I stomped my feet. "I wasn't..."
"Sure. And—" She smirked. " You'll always be my princess, haha."
"Alright Aurivelle. Go take a seat for me, I'll be with you soon." She said.
"What? Aren't I sparring against you?" I asked.
"What? No."
She leaned in. "I'm not going to lose in front of my Vanguard."
"You'll be facing—"
Footsteps approached.
"Kellan..."
"Hi, again."
He held out his hand.
I received them.
"H-Hi."
"I couldn't help but notice how strong you were." He said. "Thought maybe we could spar."
He unsheathed his sword.
I turned to Eimira
"U-Uhm... Real sword?"
"You'll be fine, hehe." She replied.
"I didn't bring my gauntlets though." I said.
"Well..."
She started leaving.
"An attack won't always occur when you're prepared"
"What?"
"Good luck."
She waved.
"Wai—"
Whoosh!
Kellan swung.
I backed off.
"W-wait a moment."
He smirked. "Enemies won't always "wait" for you."
He swung.
"Where's the strength I felt earlier."
He swung again.
I dodged.
"His movements are slow, but are mostly accurate." I thought.
Whoosh.
Another swing blew past my face.
"If I was a bit slower I'd have been hit. Come to think of it. I've gotten better since my altercation with that fat noble."
Whoosh.
"Come on." Kellan grunts. "Stop dodging and attack."
He charged.
"He's right handed. In that case—" I whispered.
I slipped past his swing.
Then countered with a heavy punch that landed in his core.
He collapsed on his knees.
"Arrgh... That hurts..."
"Just like that?" I teased. "Good thing I didn't use my gauntlet then. We can continue if you'd like."
"What?" He snapped slightly. "No, thanks. I'm not losing in front of these many beautiful ladies." He whispered.
I laughed. "Y-You already lost though..."
"I slipped, and you got lucky." He murmured.
He stood up quickly.
"Anyways." He turned to Eimira. "Let's do our best to recruit him after the tournament."
"That might be hard." She replied.
"Why?"
"Aurelle already has her eyes on him." She answered.
"So what do you suggest we do..."
Eimira stared at me.
"We just need to train and sponsor him well enough to win the tournament and choose us."
I frowned. "Why is my fate being discussed all of a sudden..."
"We are actually lacking in members." Kellan replied.
He continued. "Every expedition, we lose over a dozen members to the Dark forest, and it's made people scared to join. They prefer the safe, in nation protection. Fighting little monsters and rounding up bandits."
I remained silent.
"You've probably noticed how scanty the base is." He added. "It used to be filled with members training."
"But now..."
"Hai, hai."
Eimira approached me.
"He lost his friend recently..."
"Oh." I said.
"That must explain why he gave up quickly. I didn't feel any will to continue from him." I thought.
"But your movements were good." Eimira continued. "You've surely improved."
"You think so?"
She chuckled. "I know so."
She moved closer.
"Aurelle told me how impressive your fight was, and also how you took down your opponent in three hits."
"So you do talk to he—"
"No I don't." She interrupted. "She just wanted to let me know that she's coming to poach you."
"Poach?"
"Yeah... Poach."
I smiled.
Eimira tugged at my cloth
"It's not something for you to smile at."
"Oh— sorry." I said. "I just remembered what Chichi said."
"What'd she say?" She asked.
I smirked.
"Ohhh it's nothing.."
I patted her shoulder.
"Don't worry about it, hehe."
She dragged my ear.
"Ow... Ow.."
She pulled me closer.
"Say it..."
"Ok, ok."
She let go.
"Good."
I smiled. "What she said was just something about me having two premium options."
"Two premium options? What's that?'' she asked.
"Well."
I looked at her from head to toe. Then spoke.
"For a start. There's the Supreme Commander's daughter. Then—"
I started walking.
"There's the Daughter of the Richest family in ALL of Caramien."
She didn't respond.
I stopped.
"Atleast... Say something."
She walked past me.
"Let's goo.."
"Ah, I screwed up didn't I?" I thought.
"Hey— Eimira.. wait up."
----
It was now evening. The sun had mostly gone down and warmth slowly disappeared. Spent the whole day at the Lost Aegis base. I learned some new stuff, fighting techniques, and Yareth also gave me a book on gauntlets.
Pretty sweet.
But,
Eimira avoided talking to me the whole time.
Everytime I tried to talk to her, she turned away and left.
Now I'm heading back to my dorm room, with her just a few steps ahead.
Seems she didn't forget about that at least.
"Eimira, slow down."
No answer.
We continued in silence till we got to the front of my door.
Got a few looks from other students along the way, but I don't think Eimira minds that anymore.
"Eimira—"
She pressed her hand out.
I stared at it.
"What?" I asked.
"The key." she replied.
I sighed and handed it over.
She unlocked the door, gave the key back, and walked in.
I followed, closing the door behind me.
Click.
I turned to lock the door.
"Eimira, why exactly are you—"
She kissed me.
Hard.
My back hit the door.
Her grip tightened on my shirt.
Her breathing was uneven.
"You only have one premium option," she said.
Her voice dropped.
"And that's me."
"Is that why you didn't talk to me the whole—"
She kissed me again.
Shorter this time.
Sharper.
"Shut up."
She rested her head against my chest.
Her voice softened.
"Now it's just us."
Silence filled the room.
"No one's going to interrupt."
"E-Eimira—"
She didn't let me finish.
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"I'm not letting you go so easily."