14. Decisions
Fera watched her friend float away.
What problem did Lynn have? That blow was too strong for a girl like Name, who barely knew what her element was.
To emit magic from the physical body, therefore from the core of the magic itself, it was necessary to have excellent control and excellent concentration, along with talent.
Walls of ice like Aldien were amazing for his age, but Lynn's little jet of water wasn't bad either.
This was why weapons, or books, were used primarily as a medium, they helped to control both excess and reverse magic and attacked efficiently. Or else elements present around them similar to magic were used, such as roots in the case of Fera or a puddle for a water user.
Fera had learned this as a child.
She has something against her, no, against the three of us in particular, for using such a powerful spell for Name alone.
Fera entered the circle, Ross was waiting for her.
«Stategist vs Striker, and here?»
Aldien raised his hand.
«You don't answer anymore.»
«Tch.»
«They are both unilementary, so it depends on their tactics. Anyone could win.» Lynn replied.
Ugh. I hate her. I hate her.
«Mistaken.»
Ha ha!
«A Strategist always has an advantage, his mind. Anyone who faces a Strategist must deal with the defense first and then the attack. If we want to take it on a certain side, the Strategists are the strongest, after the Key Holders, of course.» Mr. Xulio glanced at Sky.
So do I have a chance against Ross-all-muscle?
Fera looked at her opponent, armed with a long ax.
Nope.
«Go!»
Clearly, Ross immediately launched an attack.
Fera! Do it, damn it!
Fera reacted, opening her floating book.
Page 34.
Fera briefly recited the formula.
I will even have little magic in me, but ... but ...
The image of Name appeared in her head, who despite having nothing, had faced Lynn, knowing she couldn't win.
I will not escape yet!
«Trap!»
A few inches from the ax to her face, Fera bent to the ground, touching the cold floor: the spell was supposed to help her along with the ... roots under the arena!
Strengthened, its roots burst through the floor, trapping Ross in one move.
He tried to get out with an ax, but, with a lot of effort, Fera managed to keep the roots alive.
«It's not over!» Ross bracing his ax with stone magic, broke all the roots, smiled like a hunter before his prey.
Still, he didn't move.
Yes, it worked!
The axes were made for destroying trees, Fera knew, which was why while Ross was trapped, she had used the moss on the roots, expanding it and wrapping his legs.
It would took her a few seconds, a few seconds to get to him and push him out of the circle!
«Heh, do you know what we're on?»
Fera's eyes widened.
The floor beneath her lifted her into the sky.
Rock!
Fera tried to get off, but the stone she was standing on quickly hurled herself to the edge.
«So magic of nature is weak?»
«No, I didn't say that.»
A little Fera blushed.
«I said that the magic of nature is very similar to the magic of life. Life is nature. It is difficult to create it in the palm of your hand, but not impossible. For this reason, until it is not possible, you have to look around, nature is everywhere and I bet that many things are nature and you don't even know it.»
The person who was speaking to her leaned over to a little wild bunny.
The person stroked it slowly and always slowly, the rabbit died.
«The grass he just ate is nature. Don't be so superficial, even the weakest magic can be sharper than any blade.»
Fera threw herself from the stone.
Please!
She was exhausted, her weak magic was not suited to such aggressive fighting.
That childhood memory had popped into her mind out of nowhere.
That person was no longer here!
It won't enter in my head again!
Focus on the present!
Page 70!
«Thorns!»
I will fall.
I will fall.
I'm falling.
But at least my thorns should ... should ...
Fera fell into the sky, but at least her thorns had hit Ross, who had defended himself, but had backed up to get out.
I still lost but ... I feel a little bit winning.
After a few seconds, she didn't hit the ground and the whistling of the wind was gone.
Fera was suspended in the air, with Mr. Xulio looking down and slowly carrying her up.
Oh ... does he have air magic?
«You fight well, as if it weren't the first time, but don't let yourself be stopped by obstacles you create yourself. Be more determined.»
Fera ignored the comment, however true.
Fera stopped shaking, they had all looked out, there was also Kein.
«So, did I win?» Fera laughed with a smile.
-
Name swallowed the second pill, she no longer felt any pain, but after all she had been sitting all afternoon.
She would have liked to see the other clashes, talk to Lynn and above all to Mr. Xulio.
On the other hand, no one else had been as badly injured as she was, except Estelle, who had had to fight Aldien and passed out shortly after.
Name had used that time to practice with her cube.
Compared to everyone else ... I'm so weak!
She tried again.
Get her out.
The magic came out.
Get it into the cube, slowly.
The whitish magic moved into the cube, but it didn't float.
A little bit more!
Name repeated the passage, but this time, too much magic flowed and Name dropped the cube, so that the ribbons of magic returned to her.
I still can't.
«I brought you dinner!» Fera's voice greeted her, together with her was Dia.
Name was happy to see them both.
«Thank you. How did your fight go?»
Fera had passed before, but had avoided answering.
She sighed.
«I lost.» she said with a forcedly serious face.
«But Mr. Xulio said I fought well.»
«And you, Dia?» she winced, hoping that one could confide, and therefore speak, with Fera too.
«I-I won.» she said it in a weak voice, but Fera applauded.
«You should have seen her! He fought against the little Leo, she annihilated him.» Fera laughed, while Dia blushed.
«And Sky?» Name was curious, she didn't see him much as a fighter, and wasn't sure what power a Key Holder had.
«He didn't do anything, he got pushed out of the circle.»
Strange...
«I-I ... I think something happened ... when he was chosen as the Key Holder.» Name nodded at Dia's words: she remembered well that Sky had gone out with a terrified face.
Sky also didn't carry any weapon with him, unless he had a convertible she hadn't noticed.
Will he be okay? ...
Outside the sky had darkened with gray clouds, it was probably raining under.
Shortly after, the girls went out, Name had to stay in the infirmary, they would go to sleep in a little house with everyone else.
She was left alone again, practicing with her cube.
Yet it did not float.
Even as night fell, Name kept trying.
A few hours went by, until someone opened the door.
It's late at night ... Who?
Name got up quickly, biting her lip, hid behind the booth.
«I see you.»
A flash lit up the room, Mr. Xulio was standing there.
Name jumped, frightened, his watch didn't tick, she didn't realize it was him.
Why is he here at night?
«Come, I don't have time, I have to show you something.» He went back outside, leaving the door open.
I have no choice, do I?
Name, barefoot and still in the dirty uniform, followed him in silence.
He didn't say anything else, they crossed some bridges, not present before, until they reached the wooden stairs again, which led down to the mansion.
He took them, starting to descend among a cloud, the wind was cold.
However, he stopped halfway: the stairs were now broken in the middle of the sky.
«Now look.»
Name, a little intimidated by the absent stairs, looked out and looked where Mr. Xulio indicated: the ground.
The mansion had the lights on, you could barely see them from up there, but there were many people, coming and going.
From there she didn't hear what they were saying, but they were in a hurry, it was visible.
«Who are they?»
Name answered herself.
The inspection.
Aldien had mentioned her before, how did he know?
«You're slow in the head.» Mr. Xulio sighed.
«They're here for you, they're looking for you. Girl, wake up, you've already been discovered.»
Those words, for a second, stopped Name's heart.
Me? Are they looking for me?
She was scared, why were so many people looking for her? Who were they? Did they know anything about her?
«Why...»
The words did not come out of her mouth.
«I don't know yet, but I got you up here just in time. Look ... I'm trying to do my best, I even organized those fights today, to have you watch their actions, but you hurt yourself. You're in your boat, girl, as much as I help you push it, you have to start rowing too.»
«In two days from now, there will be the winter exam and I won't be able to help you anymore. I know it's brutal, but you have to get a move on and learn to defend yourself.»
Name leaned against a step, breathing deeply.
«Why are you helping me, Mr. Xulio?»
She needed answers, she needed to know if he was on her side.
«Why ... ah, do you know how old I am?»
Name didn't understand what that question had to do with it, but she shook her head.
«Twenty. I look like I'm fifty, but I'm twenty, not lived in Deorum, but since my birth.»
Name was surprised, Mr. Xulio ... was definitely younger than she thought.
«And do you know why? Because I was cursed.» the man, or the boy, sat down next to her and took out his pocket watch.
«If I stop running time on this watch, time runs for me and I get older, when I turn it on, I stay still.»
Name didn't know what to say.
So whenever he was sick when the clock didn't tick ...
«But why?»
He snorted.
«For my crimes, the Ice Kingdom's punishments are ... glacial.» while he laughed, Name was saddened.
«And Aldien… he knows it.»
That's why he treated him with little respect, because he was young in reality.
«Aldien ... Ah, I hate that one, he too comes from the Kingdom of Ice ... we were together inside ... No, nothing. In any case, the clock has a nice function, when it ticks, it records my conversations live, so don't say too much when it ticks.»
Name nodded.
«And stop looking at me like that, do you think I've done nothing to deserve it? For several reasons, I am trying to improve, by helping you for example. This is why.»
Name couldn't find the right words to say.
«But it's ... so sad ...»
Xulio burst out laughing.
«I have killed. And tortured- » those words gave Name shivers.
«And I accepted my punishment ...»
Even though the wind had stopped, Name felt cold.
«One day, you too will get stained with these crimes and don't think that all the people here have never killed.»
Just the thought of her killing someone made her sick.
«In order to live, you have to learn how to survive. The more you go on ... the more you will understand.»
If I go on ... will I have to kill?
She would do anything for her memories, but not take a life.
I don't understand.
I don't really understand it.
Her three leaves of destiny began to intertwine in her hair.
What is my destiny?
«One day. You will have to decide and make a choice ... In that moment, remember that you are nothing but human. And the life of every human is made up of sins, luck and strength.»
His words could no longer reach her, meanwhile, her eyes filled with tears.
I don't want to ... survive this way.
«I think, I don't have much time left here.»
Name snapped.
«Is it the pink lady?!» she stood up, biting her lip.
Mr. Xulio was taken aback, but then laughed.
«It's someone much, much worse.» his words stayed there, hanging in the wind.
«I'm still... not ready.» Name mumbled.
Mr. Xulio sighed.
«If we wait until we're ready, we'll wait for our whole lives. You're not alone right now, don't forget that.» he seemed already tired.
Name couldn't respond.
Yet, she wanted to ask him more, to learn more from him and now, that he gained her complete trust, she needed to talk about her dreams and the pink lady's deal.
Unfortunately, exausted, Mr. Xulio made the clock tick again.
«I'm going, I don't have time.»
Right, he really doesn't have time.
He went up the stairs, while Name remained there in the middle of the sky, thinking.
-
«Scavenger hunt?»
Fera nodded.
«Basically every team has to find three parts, I don't know what, but they have to bring them to the ladder.»
The next morning, Name was already better, she no longer felt anything and was now heading with Fera towards the arena of the day before.
She was still thinking about the previous night.
She stayed up training with her cube, until she passed out. She almost had it. Almost.
And now, she had an ally, a great one.
Unlike Aldien, who now greeted her with a smile, he gave her chills every time.
«Everyone here? Good, I don't have time.»
I know why he never has time.
They were all gathered, Kein's wounds were gone.
«As I said, Scavenger hunt. You will need to find three items, to be precise: three gold knobs. There are ten doorknobs throughout the city of Aria Isle. Of course, the team that reaches the ladder to the mansion first, with three knobs, wins. You have to decide whether to go down with two knobs, three or more. The last team or the one that arrives with fewer knobs loses. You can steal themo from others teams.»
«Any clues on where to find the knobs?»
Mr. Xulio grinned.
«Oh, that's clearly visible behind you.»
Name together with the others turned, behind her stood a double door glistening with gold, several meters high and with various grooves above.
«So it's a competition.» the door began to open.
«Don't make me lose.» Kein walked over to her and Fera.
Everyone was waiting for just one thing, for the floor to settle to get to the door.
I have decided.
Now I have to focus on winning.
Name was determined.
I can do it.
She jumped to the first stone and ran towards the shiny door.