Another Challenge

Week 7 Day 5 Vegen

It was Vegen afternoon and Sky was taking advantage of her new freedom to use the restroom during class. She hummed to herself as she dried her hands. Throwing her towel in the laundry bin, Sky turned to go. Blocking her path were Alyssa, Lorna and another female from class 1-ES1, Sasha.

"So now taking our males isn't enough for you, you have to invade our bathroom too?" Alyssa drawled putting a hand on her hips.

Sky gave her a flat look and said, "I haven't taken anyone's males and the bathrooms are communal."

"What about Dain and West?" Sasha challenged her hands fisting.

"And Aven?" Lorna added running a hand through her hair.

Sky's eyebrows drew down and she crossed her arms over her chest as she told them, "We are obviously, just friends. I mean look at me." Then she sighed and uncrossed her arms. "I don't want any trouble; will you let me pass?"

"Ha!" Sasha laughed but Alyssa lifted a hand to silence her. Then with a beautiful smile, she stepped aside. After a moment, Sasha did the same.

Sky let out a sigh. She walked forward between the three girls. She knew it was coming.

As she passed, Alyssa snarled, "This is for Rage, you bitch!" Alyssa made to shove Sky, but Sky expecting something like this, jerked back. Placing a hand on Alyssa's head, she guided it into the opposite wall. As she did, she saw Sasha charging her. Sky twisted and kicked out with her left boot. She connected with Sasha's temple.

Sky backed up and watched as Alyssa regained her bearings. Sasha also began recovering. Sky looked at Lorna. She was half hidden in the furthest stall, with her hand over her mouth and fear written on her face. Sky looked back at Alyssa. She had a growing welt on her forehead and looked pissed.

"This is stupid." Sky said, "If you won't let me out then I challenge you, Alyssa." Everyone froze for a minute. Both Lorna and Sasha looked at Alyssa with uncertainty as she paled. After she'd summoned her familiar, Alyssa hadn't done much studying, Sky remembered. She'd spent all class flirting with Rage and Vael.

Alyssa recovered and smiled, "I didn't hear anything. Did you Lorna?" She flicked her long curly hair over her shoulder. Lorna frowned and glanced uncertain at Sky.

"I- uh-" Lorna began. Alyssa's face darkened.

"Did you Lorna?" She repeated with narrowed eyes.

Sky snorted, "You can't refuse a challenge. Name your witness." Alyssa let out an annoyed breath.

"I told you. I didn't hear you challenge me!" She said loudly her hands clenching in frustration.

"I didn't hear anything either, Alyssa." Sasha said with a smile as she crossed her arms over her chest. Alyssa smiled back at her.

Sky shrugged and ignoring them said, "Fine, since you refuse to name a witness, I name Lorna. Please put a shield around yourself, Lorna."

"You did not challenge me!" Alyssa screeched. Sky half smiled and lifted her hand towards the ceiling.

"A-il-vellaor-osa." Sky said. A wave of force shot out of her hand straight up. It ripped through floor after floor until it broke through the roof of the castle.

Sasha shrieked and ran as Lorna put a shield up. Both Alyssa and Sky managed to dodge the little bit of falling debris.

"Issononil," Alyssa screeched.

Everything fell quiet, from the cracking of stone as it fell to the floor to the spraying of the water as it escaped from ruptured piping. Sky tried to speak. No sound came out. She needed to speak just a little. Alyssa smiled cruelly and began walking towards her. Desperation filled Sky, she had to speak. She'd stopped wearing her fan belt when she'd been able to resume her morning practice.

From Sky's stomach a pulsating, searing feeling began growing. It felt as if her veins were flooded with liquid starlight and it was burning her alive. As the feeling grew within her, she felt as though it would burn her body to ashes, if she didn't explode first. Her mind repeated the words she had to say over and over like an advertisement banner above a shop.

Alyssa laughed coldly and withdrew a long dagger from her belt. Sky's desperation increased and so did the feeling. It spread throughout her body to her extremities. Then it happened. The power exploded from her carrying with it the words from her mind.

Her voice boomed, "Agogisde!" Alyssa froze and paled. The familiar feeling that always followed a full power Spoken Magic spell shot through the room. Purple lightning arced from the floor below through Sky to shoot out of the hole she'd made into the sky.

Alyssa's mouth opened in a silent scream and she turned to run. Sky smiled coldly as power burned through her. She pointed at Alyssa. The lightning burst from her finger to hit Alyssa squarely in her back. Alyssa froze mid step and began spasming. A scent of burning flesh filled the air.

"S-Stop!" Lorna shouted over the echoing booms of thunder. Sky looked at her with a frown. "You win." She added.

Sky closed her fist and the lightning stopped hitting Alyssa.

"Fin." She said. Coldly, Sky stepped over Alyssa's unconscious, smoking body as she headed back to class.

***

Week 7 Day 6 Clayden

The next afternoon, Sky felt something of a victory high. Jin, who'd been cold and distant since Alontil, had surprised her during her exercise test. After she'd completed the week's exercises, lighting a candle, magically identifying the components of sand mixture, and the weakening curse, he'd said he would give her five points for every extra exercise she completed that surprised him. He said it was because he wanted to see what she could do. Sky showed him her wave of force and lightning spells. He'd been very excited and had given her an extra ten points in addition to the eighteen for the week. Her candle flame had been a bit too big.

Elated by her success and buoyed by her challenge victories, Sky had come here to the dining hall in the Tower. She had decided to eat here. After all, she was a student too. What was the worst that could happen?