Chapter 47

Alexis didn't return to the castle until the week was over. She couldn't and it would be unreasonable if she did. So she just slept in a spare room in the barracks.

For some strange reason she was given her own cabin. And whenever she invited anyone in they would shake their head and run off with an ashen face. She could smell Alastair all over it but just shrugged, deciding not to question it.

Either way she left after her week and felt nervous about the match that was to come. Everything had been sorted out with Agathus who was fuming when he heard. Apparently, when the nobles heard what she proposed they did everything possible to make sure there was a match.

Alastair didn't say much on the subject, so she assumed he didn't care. She knew however, that wouldn't be the case.

The royal palaces were all quite big, not as big as the main palace- which was a maze and still mostly a mystery to Alexis- but still impressively large. The particular palace she headed towards today was the brass palace, not made of a speck of brass at all. It was where military meetings took place, be it nobles or officials, that would be where they would attend.

It also held an arena for any disputes that lead to a duel. Where the winner would win the physical and verbal argument made.

Alexis had only visited the marble palace aside from the main palace so she had no idea what this palace might look like and didn't expect it to be as underwhelming as it was.

Somebody else might wonder at it, but she had seen so much that it looked kind of small to her. This huge, possibly 100 metre squared, palace looked small to her.

She had been spoiled.

She noticed Roger outside who held a grave expression, it didn't brighten at all at her appearance and she noticed the heavy eye bags he sported.

"No sleep?" Was all she said as she passed his huge frame.

"Miss Mage".

"Grumpy?" She raised a brow with a grin.

"Please don't lose today's match".

His words struck her as insulting.

" I spent a whole week training and sleeping", she sighed as she stared at the building.

"Not enough. Not nearly enough".

She shook off his pessimism that dampened her determination to win.

"Let's head in. I'm confident".

But the look she received from Roger made her feel less and less confident as he lead her to the assigned room. As they walked the chatter of voices, multiple ones were heard.

She was already informed of the audience they'd have. After all, that Adam Wolfe guy wasn't just someone who trained his ass off to be the next royal magician, but he was also the heir to the Wolfe dukedom.

"We're here Miss Mage. Would you like a minute?"

"No. I want to end this as soon as possible".

Roger was taken aback at her resilience and it eased the growing worry in his stomach. He knew Alastair wouldn't take kindly to the girl getting demoted. Her attitude had just made her appear reckless.

He recalled the smiles on the royals faces when they caught wind and grit his teeth.

"Then I'll open the door", he pressed the handles and pushed the doors open, leaving them to hang as the voices hushed.

Alexis stepped forward into the indoor arena. It was a large round area surrounded by what could only be described as fancy bleachers. The bleachers were separated by a net, a pathetic way to protect those seated on the high up bleachers.

Directly opposite her sat a throne occupied by the man she had desired to see and yet, avoided. She averted her gaze from him, waiting for her opponent to arrive and glanced around the bleachers.

Almost all the residents dressed in fancy clothes glared at her. She could read their thoughts clearly.

She glanced towards one that seemed to call her and almost gaged when she saw the prince. He waved at her with a movie star smile and gave a thumbs up.

She ignored him, finding interest in the man next to him, who sat lazily, watching her in amusement.

The previous emperor.

He seemed to want to see her demise, but whether he would see it or not would entirely depend on her.

"Let me go- at least let me walk!" The screams that filled the halls soon captured everyone attentions as soon as Adam Wolfe was thrusted on the floor.

He growled until he noticed Alexis to which he smiled. And then grinned when he noticed the audience.

"So you were serious when you wanted a match? Talk about a stroke of luck. For me anyway" he laughed and then waved at what looked to be a family member in the crowd.

"Whatever. Let's get this over with".

Alexis wanted to leave the place as soon as possible. Adam grinned in return.

"Of course".

And then with a flash of lightning he appeared in front of her, she stumbled back at the unexpected appearance as a voice sounded out.

"Three…. Two… One… Let the duel commence!" Sounded out a voice and soon a fist neared her vision and just like Adam she disappeared and appeared behind him with a rough kick that sent him falling forward.

She smirked at his shocked face.

"How bout' dat, lightning boy?" She chuckled and received gritted teeth in return as he recovered.

He jumped at her again and she blocked with a rock wall summoned from the earth beneath them.

Talk exploded around, deaf to their ears as they fought. Blows were thrown and received well by both of them. Two people at par in skill.

"How could she use lightning and earth at the same time?"

"I heard she couldn't use mana!"

"A genius!"

Alexis silently sat behind the wall she made around herself to catch a stamina break from the wild man, she couldn't help but wonder why Adam was so silent. It was her mistake to not check and she only realised this when the wall started to crack.

She jumped back in alarm, covering her face as a loud bang sounded out and pieces of rocks went flying in every direction. A cloud dust blinded her and the shock of the burst lead her to panic.

'C-Calm down. Use mana to trace him!'

And she did it, concentrating and then her eyes widened and she gasped as she felt him behind her, but it was to late.

"I told you. I won".

Thousands of electric current shocked her system. Her entire body vibrated and her vision went completely blank despite her very alive mind.

"What? Dead already?" Adams smug voice snapped her out of her surprise and she focused her mana to find him. He stood a little back and clapped his hands declaring his win.

He didn't expect the ground beneath his feet to shoot up so fast it sent him propelling up in the sky. When he fell, a loud painful grunt was heard and the lack of movement heard scared Alexis a bit.

'Shit… did I kill him?'

"This match has been won by Alexis the royal mage!" Only silence was heard after that announcement. And then murmurs.

A clap sounded out. A sole clap.

Followed by another and then some more. Alexis had no clue as to who clapped but smiled.

"State your wish Alexis!" She heard Alastair voice bellow, she flinched when she heard it.

"I- I"- she expected to have her sight when she was actually being asked this and just settled to speak anyway.

"Do you want Adam Wolfe's

Death?"

A gasp sounded out among the crowd.

A woman's gasp.

"N-No, I don't. I want him as um?- god what do they call it here?- subordinate?" She wondered.

"You want him as a disciple?" Alastair asked, offering the word she searched for.

"Y-Yes, Adam Wolfe is very talented and if he can't be the Royal Mage then he could be something closer to it".

"An angel!" A woman's voice joyful cried in the crowd, Alexis couldn't pay much mind to it since she was scared of Alastair's reaction, despite not being able to see it.

"Very well. Your wish is granted".

An applause broke out and Alexis was still standing so eerily still that Alastair sent Roger down to investigate.

Alexis felt a grasp on her arm freaked out a bit.

"Relax Miss Mage, it's Sir Roger".

She relaxed at his voice.

"Please show me the way out", she grasped the arm that had shook her arm.

"O-Okay", Roger was flustered at her forward action and just helped her find her way.

Alastair realised something was wrong and quickly followed Roger who guided Alexis to a private room.

"Miss Mage, what's the matter?" He asked in worry.

"I can't see" Alexis thought her vision would clear up as soon as she got a chance to heal her body, but healing did nothing. She started to shake in shock. "I can't see".