A Challenger

In December we had our first term examinations. Like the last exams, I also aced this with as little effort as possible. Even during this period, my training did not stop and in the process, I discovered something neat. In the Lands of Time seasons do not change. However, even now I am unsure how to feel about that revelation. Should I be glad because I never have to worry about crazy weather, or sad because the Lands would remain forever unchanging?

Anyway, the school was now closed for the holidays and Christmas is in a few days. Currently, I am on my way to the Lands for our weekly training with Kane and his team. On my back is a small bag holding something very important.

I walk into the bookshop and spot Hugo behind his desk just as he also sees me. He smiles and motions for me to come closer. "Ian, how are you? Something came in for you today. I was thinking of delivering it to your house later but now that you're here I might as well give it to you."

"What is it?" I look over his desk curiously, trying to see what he is getting. A moment later he slaps a piece of paper on the table. I pick it up to take a closer look at it. "A lottery ticket?"

Hugo's smile widens. "You came second remember? In the rankings? There's a cash prize attached if you haven't forgotten. This is it. A winning lottery ticket. The money would have been sent directly to you but your family doesn't know about us so it had to be done in a roundabout manner."

A smile appears on my face as I pocket the ticket. "You know, if you guys are going to let my family know about everything when I'm a Wranth, why can't you just let them know now?"

"I don't know. I don't make the rules. The big boss said it must be so and it is so."

"The big boss? The Eldest?"

"Yup?"

Since it's the Eldest who made the rule then I doubt it would be changing anytime soon. "Alright. Gotta go, bye."

I move past in and into the room with the portal to the In-between. I activate the portal and go in. The In-between is as beautiful as ever, but I don't waste time dwelling on that, instead, I locate the path leading to the Lands and move to it. Not too long after I burst out into the Lands.

Next, I reach into the bag I was carrying and bring out my blue Pre-protector robes and put them on. I activate the strengthening and enhancement noer and take off, releasing Uua from my feet. But I am not just using, I am using Glide. It had taken me weeks to be able to use the technique confidently, but once I did I quickly fell in love with it. Its Uua consumption is greater than Burst, but it is also quicker and somewhat easier to maneuver with once you learn how to.

Five minutes later I arrive at my destination, a grassy field where Kane decided we would do most of our training. Ahead of me, I can make out the figures of a few people - a girl and two boys, but before I could try identifying them I spot something flash toward my legs. Almost instinctively I increase my Uua output and leap into the air as an arc of energy flies beneath me. I look up and see another one coming for me, I quickly activate Hilla's Barrier blocking it just before it reaches me.

When I reach the ground I walk slowly toward my attacker, Adelia. Ever since our first lesson, she's been aching to prove her strength for some reason, and to achieve that purpose she has decided to target me. This is silly to me because I am stronger than Noah and Noah is stronger than her but for some reason, she decided to make me her target.

I'm about to question her sudden attack when I notice her arms. Both are covered in some sort of green energy construct with noers on the surface. From the back of the wrist two short blades, also made from energy, extend forward. "You've improved your Avatar?"

She nods as she raises up one of her hands, admiring the construct. "Yeah. I learned some noers that could improve it so I did. Now I am much stronger than before. Next week I'm going to start working on something for my legs. My goal is to have a full-body Avatar by the end of January. Wanna have another fight?" she asks me.

"Why bother," Tobi replies in my stead as he comes closer, "We all know he's going to win."

In her quest to prove her strength Adelia didn't mind stepping on a few toes and being the third strongest member of our team, she had expectedly offended the weaker members, like Tobi. As such, he took pleasure in rubbing it in her face that there were still two people stronger than her.

"It's almost as if she likes getting beat up." Noah pipes up. His reason? He just likes chaos every once in a while.

In reply she swings her arm, her construct unleashing an arc of energy at the two boys. Tobi is quick to teleport away, A skill he has had to master because of Adelia, As for Noah, the arc just passes harmlessly through him. The person we had been talking to was just an illusion.

She turns back to me. "So? Or are you scared?"

"Why would he be scared of you?" Noah's illusion asks.

"He has a greater chance of being scared of a cockroach," Tobi shouts from a distance. Adelia ignores them both.

I let out a small sigh.l "Fine. I'll fight you. But if I win, you don't get to disturb me for a month. Deal?"

I see her mouth moving to say no, but then she pauses. After a few seconds, a determined expression appears on her face and she nods. The next moment she launches two arcs of energy at me. Unsurprised I create a Hilla's Barrier in front of myself. After months spent with her I have gotten used to her behaviour, I expected an attack from the moment I agreed to fight her, she isn't the type to wait until her opponents are ready before attacking.

She dashes toward me, surprising me a bit. Her avatar specializes in long-range attacks from what I've seen so she should be trying to put some distance between us, instead, she's coming closer. I activate D-three and wait for her as various noers that I could use for close combat begin to appear in my mind.

The moment she is close enough she throws a punch. I easily sidestep but she isn't fazed as she continues launching a flurry of attacks. I am unimpressed, most of them are easy to dodge and the ones that aren't can easily be blocked. All of a sudden she focuses Uua on her leg and kicks at my head. I grab her leg, our Uuas sparking as they touch, and push it away.