Duels part 5

I glance over at Professor Ayla as she calls out, "Kaida and Kaden, please step on the platform."

Simultaneously, both Kaida and Kaden mutter, "I forfeit."

Hahaha, it makes sense. Putting them against each other would be like watching two kids have a slapfight. Kaida's in no condition for combat, and Kaden? He's a damn healer, not a fighter.

Professor Ayla shrugs it off. "Biana and Rami, please step on the platform."

Tsk. Why the hell do I have to play babysitter? I make my way over to Biana, who's practically snoring, hugging her pillow like it's a lifebuoy. "Oi, wake up," I flick her forehead, harder than I intended, maybe.

Biana groans as she opens her eyes. "What? What is it, V?"

"It's your turn. Either fake a loss or just forfeit, for crying out loud."

She yawns, stretching like a cat that just woke up from a three-day nap. "Ugh, stop complaining, V~ My demonic mother said I won't be able to sleep again if I give up instantly."

I get goosebumps just thinking about it. Not being able to sleep? That's a nightmare I don't

want for myself—or for Biana. "You're going to use runes, right?"

She stands, albeit reluctantly, rubbing her eyes. "I don't know... maybe if I feel like she can't knock me out."

Dragging herself like a zombie, she finally makes it onto the platform. I notice Professor Ayla's glare aimed right at Biana. Can't say I blame her; she's not the only one with a natural grudge against Biana's general...attitude.

"Alright," Professor Ayla announces, rolling her eyes. "Begin!"

Rami looks puzzled at Biana, probably wondering if she's drunk or sleep-deprived or both. Biana yawns one more time, and for a second, I worry she's going to start snoring mid-battle.

Biana groans, hugging her pillow tightly. "Hey, why do you have that name? It definitely sounds like some dude's name."

I glance at Rami. She's gorgeous, not that it's a rarity around here. This academy is an eye-candy factory, basically. Rami eyes Biana skeptically, one eyebrow arching like a perfectly sculpted hill.

So, you're the infamous Biana. The one who makes all the professors wish they'd chosen a different career path. Rami observes. Is the pajama getup part of your shtick, or are you just too lazy to dress up? "I don't know, it is an inherited name from an ancestor."

"Inherited name from an ancestor, you said?" Biana yawns, disregarding Rami's snark. "Cool, cool. Let's just get this over with."

Rami sighs and charges, short axe in hand. Clearly, she's not in the mood for theatrics. But she makes a rookie mistake—she aims for Biana's pillow. As soon as the axe makes contact, the pillow hardens like a brick wall, repelling the weapon with ease.

The force trips Biana, and she sprawls onto the floor, maw agape. She doesn't look hurt or scared. No, she's just too damn lazy to get back up.

"Get the hell up, Biana," I mutter under my breath, pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration.

Biana, still sprawled on the floor, mutters something unintelligible that sounds like a mix between "Why even bother?" and a yawn. She flicks her wrist and a rune appears in the air.

"Fine, if you're going to be like this," she sighs.

The rune pulses, and the pillow levitates, placing itself under her head. She snuggles against it, completely ignoring Rami, who now looks utterly flabbergasted. This... these talismans, they're only visible if you decipher the mana frequency. I'm capable of doing it because I've seen her create some of them. The level of control she has is insane, I guess her laziness balances her out.

Professor Ayla clenches her jaw so tightly I can hear it from the sidelines. "Are you planning to fight or not?" she says.

"I am fighting, in my own way," Biana says, stifling another yawn.

Rami shakes her head, clearly unimpressed yet also intrigued by Biana's audacity. She takes a deep breath, as if recalibrating her strategy.

"This is your last chance to take this seriously," Rami warns, twirling her axe skillfully.

Biana sighs and sits up, her eyes half-lidded but suddenly sharp. "Alright, but only because you asked so nicely."

With another flick of her wrist, Biana sends a volley of runes flying toward Rami, who dodges and deflects with uncanny agility. But it's evident that the runes aren't meant to harm. They circle Rami like fireflies, almost teasingly. This... these talismans, they're only visible if you decipher the mana frequency. I'm capable of doing it because I've seen her create some of them. The level of control she has is insane, I guess her laziness balances her out.

Rami finally loses patience. With a battle cry, she lunges at Biana, aiming for the torso this time. She can sense them but can't locate them, they keep messing with her whenever she tries to sense any magic. Damn, if she really wants to get rid of them, she needs to destroy them or cut their connection with Biana.

Biana sighs and mutters an incantation. The runes brighten and form a protective barrier, stopping Rami's axe inches away from her body.

Rami breaks through Biana's shield with a grit of her teeth and a determined battle cry. The rune barrier shatters into ethereal pieces, and with a swift kick, Rami sends Biana flying off the platform. She lands with a soft thud, cradling her pillow like it's her last sanctuary.

I sigh, rolling my eyes. "I can't decide whether this is a good thing or a bad thing."

Biana groans from the ground, stretching languidly before standing up. "Oouuuch... it hurts..." Her voice is thick with an exaggerated, lazy drawl.

As she walks back to me, I can't help but scoff. "Wow... such a good actor."

She plops down next to me and yawns widely, looking utterly unphased. "Of course, I'm the best at everything, you know."

I click my tongue, unimpressed and a little bit annoyed. Before I can respond, Professor Ayla calls out, "Lysandra and Seraphina, please step on the platform."

I grab Lysandra's arm before she can move. "Remember what I told you."

She clicks her tongue, equally as irritated, and strides onto the platform. As she takes her place, my eyes drift to the group of spectating upperclassmen. Tsk, I really don't want Lysandra getting any unwanted attention. Why can't they just fixate on Isadora and Isabella instead?

Lysandra and Seraphina face off, both with semi-serious expressions. I notice Seraphina is holding a wooden sword. A wooden sword, really? Does she think that little of Lysandra, or is she just clueless?

"Haha, no way," I mutter under my breath, feeling a mixture of annoyance and concern. "Dammit, Sera, you might piss her off. Lysandra better just use her physical strength and nothing else."

"Begin!" Professor Ayla announces, visibly tensing as if expecting an explosion to go off at any moment.

Lysandra eyes Sera's wooden sword with a mix of amusement and disdain. It's as if she can't decide whether to feel insulted or eager to prove her opponent wrong. Sera lifts her wooden sword into an offensive stance, her eyes narrowing as she prepares to engage.

Both of them move at the same time, creating a burst of wind in the confined space of the platform. Seraphina swings her wooden sword with practiced skill, aiming for a quick strike. But Lysandra dodges effortlessly, a smug smile curling her lips. I told her to only use her physical strength, and it looks like she listened.

For a moment, their eyes lock, a silent communication of competitiveness, before Lysandra bursts into action. With a flick of her wrist, she delivers a punch so quick it's nearly invisible, landing squarely on Sera's abdomen.

Sera stumbles back, gasping for air, wooden sword almost slipping from her grasp. Even with the impact softened to avoid serious injury, I can tell she's shocked, probably reassessing her initial judgment of Lysandra.

Seraphina regains her footing, her expression transitioning from surprise to solemn determination. "You're V's old friend, right?... I apologize for looking down on you. I never expected a new student to be this strong," she confesses, placing her wooden sword back into its sheath. Then, with a sense of ceremony, she unsheathes the sword I got her. Seriously? She hasn't gotten a new one? I guess I'll have to get some money out of Ash's account for her.

Lysandra rolls her eyes and clicks her tongue in annoyance. "Let's get this over with." 'That fucker, you can't do this, you can't do that, make sure you do this. Fuck, Kael is so damn frustrating. I can't even use mana. I'm just wasting it for no reason.'

Ignoring the side-eye I shoot her, Lysandra coats herself in mana, her aura becoming almost tangible, a shimmering layer of energy that hugs her frame.

Sera mirrors her actions, the air around her shimmering as she too taps into her mana reservoir. Then, with an explosive burst of speed that can only be a magically-assisted boost, she rushes toward Lysandra. The atmosphere tenses, as if the very air understands the gravity of their impending clash.

Lysandra sidesteps, dodging Sera's initial strike with uncanny agility. As if propelled by springs, Lysandra lifts her leg for a high kick aimed at Sera's head. But Sera is no novice; she twists her body in a fluid motion, narrowly dodging the attack. Her sword sings through the air, missing Lysandra by mere inches. 'That fucker better get me that film I want to see. I can't stand it, Is Marco going to marry Mia, or is he going to marry Tiff? Fuck, Why doesn't he just kill Hector, dismantle their family and marry both!? Seriously why is he so stupid!?'

Sera's aura flickers, momentarily focusing into a mana shield that she brings up in anticipation of Lysandra's next attack. The shield is visible only for an instant before dissipating, as Lysandra's punch lands squarely on it, neutralizing the magical defense with raw strength alone. 'I can beat you, in one hit. But nOoOoO, I have to pretend to be weak.'

I can feel Lysandra's frustration boiling over. Her lack of specialized training means she can't match Sera's finesse, but goddamn if she isn't going to try and brute-force her way through this.

Sera skids back, recalibrating her strategy. A quick flick of her wrist, and her speed boosts again, her sword becoming a silvery blur as she lunges at Lysandra. This time, Lysandra is slower to dodge, the edge of Sera's sword chipping away as it makes contact with Sera.

The sting of it seems to ignite Lysandra's determination. "Is that all you got?" she taunts.

"No, but I was hoping that would wake you up," Sera retorts, her eyes blazing with an unspoken challenge.

Both warriors charge at each other, their auras clashing in a spectacular display of light and energy. For an instant, they're just two silhouettes locked in combat, their powers both contrasting and complementing each other in an intricate dance of mana and muscle.

Then, with a swift move that could only be described as an elegant piece of martial art, Sera lands a calculated strike, cutting a diagonal line across Lysandra's torso. It's shallow but enough to make a point.

I wave my hand in a frantic motion, trying to signal Lysandra to wrap it up. She needs to lose already. Shit, the student body president is watching her. Come on, get a clue.

Seemingly heedless of my subtle cues, Lysandra just clicks her tongue. Sera charges at her, her sword trailing behind her like a streak of light. Lysandra deftly dodges the blade, but when Sera launches a kick infused with a high amount of mana, she simply takes the hit.

I let out an exasperated sigh. "I bet you already got their attention," I mutter. Sera must be confused as hell. She probably expected Lysandra to dodge or block that. Poor Sera, she most likely just wanted to fight a while longer.

The impact sends Lysandra tumbling off the platform, but she lands gracefully on her feet, as if she's just taken a casual stroll. She walks back to where I'm standing, looking more annoyed than defeated.

Sera, still on the platform, looks utterly perplexed. Her eyes shift between Lysandra and me as if she's trying to solve some complex equation.

"Good job, Lysandra," I say, my voice laced with irony. "Just tell me what you want, alright? I'll get it for you."

She rolls her eyes, clearly unimpressed by my offer. "Great, another thing you can hold over my head. Just what I needed."

"Ugh, I don't like this any more than you do," I shoot back, suppressing the urge to shake some sense into her. Her obliviousness to the attention she's garnering could spell trouble for both of us.

"Bull shit," she retorts. She's visibly irked, her aura pulsating like a second skin. "You think giving me limitations will protect me? All it does is piss me off."

"Let's talk about this later," I sigh. "I'll make it up to you, I'll even train you a bit."

She looks like she wants to argue, but the weight of my words hangs heavy between us.

"Fine," she finally mutters, not looking at me. "But you better get me that film. I swear if Marco ends up with neither Mia nor Tiff because of some dumbass decision, I'm going to lose it."

What is she talking about? Is it that drama she keeps watching? "Alright, you have my word. By the way, if anyone tries to make you sign up for anything let me know."