The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the blue ceiling so I immediately sat down. But then, I closed my eyes as my sight spun and my head ached a bit. “What is it again, huh? Just take it easy?” I don't know if I'll be happy with Crimson's concern for me or annoyed because he's in a bad mood again.
“Here’s your water.” I opened my eyes and took the bottle Freesia was handing me. When I returned to him with the water bottle, he spoke again. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I'm still a little dizzy. But it's okay, it's bearable.” I smiled at them. “Thank you.”
“Eliminations made you faint,” Marina scolded. “How about when it's quarters? Even in the semis? You can't reach the finals with that weak endurance!”
Marina is also high blood. I guess they are all high blood my gosh. “Trust me, Marina, I'll make it to the finals. My foreseeing isn't wrong, is it?”
She shrugged. “But who knows? You know someone already knows the same thing will happen in this competition and use it to change the game! Ahrina, you can't say what can happen even if we say that you saw it in your precognition.”
“You're being skeptical, Marina. Don't you trust me?”
“What? Of course, I trust you, Ahrina. You're my friend! What I don't trust is those around you. I don't trust all of them. And I know you know that external factors like your surroundings can serve a role.”
I just smiled at them and held Marina's hand. “I will win this competition. Just trust me. I promise I will win. No one or nothing can prevent me from doing so, okay?”
She frowned and swayed her hand, annoyed. "Okay! All right! You promised that, ah?"
“Slap me if I lose. At least a few times, just slap me.”
Lia burst into laughter and patted her shoulder. "Give her a little consideration when she loses. Like, days after.”
I just shook my head at them and chuckled. Seeing them mocking each other like what I am now witnessing is such a priceless moment I must cherish forever. It also relieves stress when I hear their faults.
Then I felt like something was dripping from my hand. It's Crimson, tapping my hand using his pinky finger. “Are you really feeling okay?”
“I'm okay, Crimson. No need to worry.”
After reassuring them countless times that I was really okay, they finally returned to the bleachers at the top. They just accompanied me to the door assigned to me and then they left. Freesia even told me that she had a bad feeling about the people here.
Well, they are. But I didn’t say that because they weren’t going back to bleachers, especially Crimson who still had traces of concern on his face.
After a few hours of watching the rather boring battle, the first round of eliminations is also over so the winners will also be announced tonight. Since 42 representatives competed today, only 21 won. The battle tomorrow is still elimination as the 122 representatives are divided into three.
I was fourth in the announcements because I was in the fourth game. All losers, look bad to me. I know these people beside me also don't like me but then, since we are facing people, maybe they just chose not to make it public first because that will also be included in their image.
“Again, citizens and magicians, these are the first 21 winners of the eliminations round.” Everyone made noise and applauded all of us.
After we made a bow, we were sent backstage at the same time as the people came home. All of a sudden, someone pulled at me, and all of a sudden I was literally thrown. I groaned a bit as my head hit the floor.
What did I do wrong to them and they treat me like this?
A woman grabbed me and lifted me. I did not leave because I knew the situation would only get worse. “Apart from being arrogant, you're also flirtatious, plastic, and pretentious. Besides, Crimson Torren is your boyfriend? You’re not even useful.” I just answered him with a nod, causing him to laugh sarcastically as well as those around. “Staying silent, huh?”
A loud slap I took from him. They shouted while the others just laughed. “Hey Regalia, in case, you don't know, I am Laverga Ruby, the daughter of the Secretary-General of the Union of Magic and the Top Student of the Svien University of Magic, the third of the most respected schools in the entire Magic World. So don't act like you're superior here.”
“Uhm, just to remind you bitch,” one of the girls behind this ugly duckling in front of me stated. “The one you fought earlier is an Enchantrian. Maybe, you know that the University of Enchantrie is the most prestigious and most respected school in the world. You didn't just fight students, Regalia. You fought the whole world.”
That's good to hear. But sad enough, I’m not asking.
“You're not really going to speak, huh?”
The Coleman sorceress who was my opponent earlier suddenly came. “Oh, Regalia, you look like trash there.” And at least I am, recyclable while you’re biodegradable.
“Lavvy, that's okay.” Lavvy looks like a cracked lip. “Hey, Regalia, do you really think you can win this competition? You’re just lucky today, but that doesn't mean then, you're going to win to the end,” she mocked, tightening her grip on my collar. “Remember, you're only human and you don't fit into this world. You don't fit in like us.”
As she stood up, Coleman girl drew a smirk. “Kill her.”
I received their slaps, kicks, punches, pushes, and throws to me. I just accepted because I'm sure when they find out who I am, they'll be sorry too. Or else, they will be imprisoned. It is stated in one of the laws made by the Union of Magic that Schiz's are untouchable and unreachable. They cannot be approached or touched. If one did, there was a penalty of imprisonment. And when someone hurts as they did to me, capital punishment immediately. Unless the victim forgave him.
And in my case, I will never forgive.
I found myself laughing as they started walking away. With my wounds evident and bleeding, I forced myself to stand up and smirked at them. “Let's say I'm arrogant which is true. But I'm bragging about something, not like you only know.”
I turned to the girl who looked like a puffy lip. “And you, not because you are the son of the Secretary-General, you will be dumb there. Your mother or father is only the Secretary-General, not the Director-General. Also, your school is only the third most prestigious in the world because it is the second. is my school, the Schiz Academy. You're right, who am I to act as your superior? Where in fact, I'm just one of your superiors and you're not aware of that.
“And you, Coleman girl, what do you care if I can win the Wielders of Charms or not? You've been eliminated, right? The pride of the University of Enchantrie has been eliminated! Can you believe that? Representative of the school where all the most famous personalities studied back then including Geminid Schiz, lost against a Schiz Academy native? What kind of hell is that, huh?
“And you know, one That just means: Schiz Academy now dethroned Enchantrie University from being the most prestigious and most respected school in the Magic World! You brought shame into your school, Coleman, and it's not my fault if you lost.”
Another fetus female dog barked. “Hey, Regalia! Be careful what you say! You don't know us!”
“I'm the one you don't know, sc*mbags,” I rebutted back. “I have already told you, I am not a Regalia, we are not Regalia. And I will never tell you who I really am, who Mommy really is. I will never disclose any information about all the things I know more than anyone else in this world. Because what the Union of Magic doesn't know, I've known for a long time. You'll stamp that on your flying brains, weaklings. And besides, I'll make sure you cry and kneel before me after two months. It's good if you can feel scared right now. One more thing, I'm more attached to the Union of Magic than all of you.”
I almost flew out of the room due to startling as they teleported right in front of me. Crimson immediately spoke right before me. “What the hell happened to you! Why do you have those bruises? And where did you get those?”
I rolled my eyes at him. “Can you please calm down? I'm in the middle of healing myself. One more thing, why are you here huh?” Suddenly, it was as sudden. What are they, polyphores?
“Uh...” They all looked at each other, except Crimson who was still glaring at me. “We will spend another night here.”
My eyes widened and later, shotted them a dubious stare. “Okay…? Is there something I am unaware of?”
“Nothing,” Marina answered. “We just want to sleep here again.”
Am I missing something? Couldn’t something be weird going on around?
I just shrugged off my thoughts and focused on healing all my bruises. As my skin returned normal with no signs of wounds, I hid my wings again and smiled at them. “So, what to do?”
“Where did you get those bruises?” Thoreau asked. “You don't have that much earlier after your match with the sorceress from the University of Enchantrie.”
“Just got tripped down.” And they all shot me a suspicious glare. “Nah, never mind. Other than my wounds being healed, what else do you want to talk about? Because you know, it's dinnertime. I have to eat because I'm enduring my hunger since this afternoon.”
They threw each other stares and Freesia just smiled. “Ah, all right, we’ll just stay here in your room. Have your dinner.”
“Oh, okay.”
Even though confused by their actions, I just left my room. To feed my thoughts, I decided to invade Crimson's senses just to see or hear what they will do.
“Did you just feel that?” Blake asked, throwing them all gazes.
Marina sighed in relief. “I'm glad I'm not alone.” Alone from what?
“Those pitch-black wings,” Crimson mumbled, making them divert their attention to him. “Feels heavy and morose.”
Thoreau nodded, agreeing with Crimson's statement. “Yeah.”
Then he looked at Lia. “Can you show us your wings?”
“Huh? My wings?” As Thoreau nodded for the second time, Lia stepped backward and opened her wings. “And?”
“It doesn't feel the same,” Freesia blurted out upon seeing Lia's wings. “It's as if Ahrina has something different. There seems to be something strange.”
“I agree,” Lia responded. “The shape of our wings is the same but she has something really different."
Crimson let out a deep breath. “Let's just wait until the finals. Ahrina's restraining herself not to show her real magic not until the finals of this fucking competition so yeah, let's just wait.”
“Agree. For sure, the outcome will answer all of our questions if we wait for the right time,” Freesia said. “So now, we’ll just stare at each other while we wait for Ahrina?”
They all shrugged. “Where did she get that wound?”
You will know all the answers you needed. After this ruthless competition.
THIRD PERSON'S POV
“They're right. This competition is a no joke.”
After a week, now that everyone’s long-awaited day will happen. The finals of Wielders of Charms. Yesterday, all the representatives began preparing for this finals where they will face this year's defending champion Ahrina.
In the quarters, Ahrina defeated a fire mage with fire breath as her ability from Malifent, a warlock with teleportation abilities from Townland, and a light mage with mind-reading or telepathy abilities from Bourgland, causing her to move forward in the semis.
Here in the semis, she defeated a nature mage with supersonic speed from Svien, a lightning mage with supernatural durability from Avenditia, an ice mage with power replication ability from Enchantrie, a witch with fear inducement ability from Townland, and a sorceress with the same ability as her who was from Sorcellaire Academy in Thalia, Demetria.
After consecutive wins, she has been announced as the defending champion of this year’s competition. And in preparation, as usual, a day was set aside to prepare the one hundred and twenty-one defeated representatives and plan their strategy for it. Ahrina, on the other hand, was left alone and not allowed to interact with other representatives.
“As if I'm talking to them. Duh, outcaste, right?”Ahrina strained in her mind the other day when she underwent another orientation.
And now, even before the competition starts, all the spectators are screaming.
Ahrina wore the dress given to her by Governess Amberleigh which was a white women’s warrior dress with purple designs. She has also released his magic staff, his real magic staff is black and not gray as he used in previous battles.
“Good morning, citizens of Magic World! On this day, the most awaited part of the Wielders of Charms annual competition will happen. Is everybody excited?” The people responded with loud shouts and applause. “Everyone's getting hyped right now. So, let us call on the 121 representatives of the competition who will fight against this year's defending champion.”
One by one all the representatives who could compete with Ahrina were called and went to the grounds of the arena. Crimson scratched his nail nervously and was uneasy. “I think I can't watch her suffer even more. This is inhumane.” But he remained seated, helpless but to watch Ahrina later.
After announcing all the representatives, the screen on the left has an image displayed with the words 'DEFENDING CHAMPION'. “And now, this year's defending champion. Ahrina Tantiana Regalia from Schiz Academy.”
It was there that the screams grew louder, mostly from Demetria. Of course, everyone with an enhanced voice used it to make the scream louder. The door opened and Ahrina came out of it.
“Beautiful,” Crimson whispered to himself when he saw Ahrina wearing a warrior dress. “She looks domineering.”
Lia next to him smiled. “In love?” Crimson stared at him. “Do you love her?”
“For a long time,” he replied and stared back at Ahrina.
“I am giving you two my blessing.” Crimson looked at Lia in surprise and the latter just smiled. “May your relationship be blessed.”
Crimson just nodded and turned his attention back to Ahrina. “I hope she'll answer me yes.”
One of those on the panel spoke again. “Build your defenses, opponents.”
Quickly build their respective defenses. Some also floated into the air while others spread their wings but most were still on the ground. There the screams of the spectators flared up again.
“Ms. Regalia, execute your action.”
Ahrina nodded and showed her large wings that were pitch black and looked like the wings of an eagle. As a result, everyone was silent and surprised, even his opponents. When Ahrina floated in the air, she pulled out her pendant which she hid as she does every day. She raised her staff causing the purple crystal ball above it and the Mystic Stone on his pendant to glow.
A very strong magical shockwave was felt by everyone. After a few seconds, one by one each elemental orb appeared: earth, air, fire, water, light, and holy darkness. Everyone looked at each other and wondered.
“Isn't she a wind mage?”
“How did she do that?”
“Couldn't she be the Mystic Princess?”
What surprised everyone, even more, was that another black orb precipitated and floated above his head in conjunction with the formation of a black sphere that protected him up to the tips of his wings. It was here that the eyes of his friends widened.
“Two darkness orbs...” Freesia said and they all looked at each other.
“One is the holy darkness,” Lia said. “And the other one is...”
Crimson took a deep breath. “The evil darkness.”
Ahrina showed a smile after showing her magic ability. When she spoke, everyone heard what she said as if she has a mic near her mouth. "I already told you, I'm the one you don't know.” The nervousness and fear on the faces of the representatives became more visible.
“I used the first magic classification on me from eliminations to semis because I thought my effort would be wasted if I did this in the first place. Now, let's see who the trash is.”
A gesture of her hand sounded the buzzer that served as a signal of the start of the fight. Ahrina immediately used illusionary magic to keep everyone from moving and unleashed ice shards and thunder blots to destroy the defenses of each representative.
When they were destroyed, it was there that his opponents woke up and put aside the plan to attack him. For now, all they need to do is weaken Ahrina and then they will make the plan that will result in her death. That is exactly the goal of this battle — you will kill or you will die.
All mages unleashed elemental magics at once, each witch and warlocks had poison orbs, and sorcerers and sorceresses had dark spells. Because of Ahrina's series of attacks earlier, she weakened and finally fell to the ground.
His friends as well as Governess Regalia stopped breathing when they saw all the representatives take refuge.
“Ahrina...” Crimson whispered to himself. “Please, baby girl, fly up...”
Ahrina suddenly saw her memory then, all her opponents seized the opportunity to defeat her. The people were immediately surprised to see that she was not moving.
“Why isn't she resisting?”
“What is happening?”
“Wait, is she already dead?”
“Something's going on with her.”
But Ahrina suddenly woke up and saw what was currently happening to her. All the representatives are gradually being killed. She was also bloody and full of wounds from their attacks. But suddenly the pendant on Ahrina's neck flashed causing everyone to glare and walk away.
She immediately floated upwards, away from her falling opponents. Her face shows the tiredness and pain that she continues to endure. She was almost in tears as well. Her wings are slow to grow again.
A smirk flashed on the Headmaster's lips and spoke to Ahrina through the mind. “Use your dearest dark magic, my child,” he said in his mind.
“I can't, I can’t,” Ahrina replied.
“Use it or you'll die.”
“I can't!” Everyone was surprised and amazed by Ahrina's sudden cry.
“Use it now!”
It was there that Ahrina lost control of herself. The evil darkness gem finally took control of his whole body. She suddenly lost consciousness but she remained afloat. Here, she again unleashed a stronger shockwave that weakened not only his opponents but also the spectators, resulting in fear and apprehension for all.
Her hands moved spontaneously and a black light came out of them. Ahrina was also standing sober but now, she was no longer in her right attitude.
Her furious purple eyes made everyone nervous, especially her opponents. The purple color is reminiscent of all the first Enchanted War that took place a hundred years ago. Purple says that divine type is her magic category. Purple eyes that say she is the Mystic Princess, the granddaughter of Geminid Schiz.
“Prepare,” Headmaster Hades said and his soldier nodded.
Ahrina moved quickly and killed one hundred and twenty-one of her opponents one by one. There is no trace of what happened to her before because the evil darkness gem itself controls him so he knows nothing and he can't remember what he was doing.
After ten minutes of killing, everyone was on the floor and stunned. Some are out of breath, while others are unconscious
Ahrina gradually came to her senses but before she could speak, she also lost consciousness due to fatigue and the wounds she had sustained. But before she could fall to the floor, she was immediately caught by his father who appeared to the people of the Magic World. He removed his hood so everyone could see his face.
“Thank you so much for this competition and I have already seen my missing daughter Ahrina Tantiana Regalia who is the sole heir of Dreich. And to remind you, the Sacred Gem is split into seven and one is the evil darkness that is on Ahrina from its birth,” he announced.
He turned to the part where Ahrina's friends were sitting and looked Amberleigh Regalia in the eye. “If you want to get our daughter, give me the Aurora.” He faced the public again. "My daughter is the Mystic Princess. But because of what she did, the prophecy will change. Because of her, Dreich will rule the entire Magic World.” Hades laughed and disappeared along with its followers.
In her mind, Ahrina grinned.