Chapter 20[]

I pat Marshal's shoulder as he stands to start his match.

I'm back on the benches sitting next to Kate. Marshal is about to start his match against Tuli. I have to squash my worry for Tuli, reminding myself I've yet to witness her abilities. I wait until Mr. Ron finally gives them the ready.

Palm atop his fist Marshal makes quite a show of pretending to pull his water blade from his palm. I will say it was quite convincing.

Sword ready—Marshal stares at Tuli. She looks a little nervous but stares back whilst releasing water of her own. Three water shapes now float around Tuli all varying in size. One a sphere, another a cube, and finally a pyramid. Marshal scoffs as he scorns her with a smug grin.

"Elementary shapes—how simple," he comments as he sprints toward her.

Tuli steels her nerve, and the pyramid speeds toward Marshal.

Marshal slices through it, not seeing the pyramid remerge behind him as he continues toward her. The pyramid then surrounds Marshal's foot as he runs, changing viscosity, making him fall flat on his face.

Marshal groans standing himself up, the pyramid now lays on the ground—a useless puddle. Tuli beams, silently celebrating before apparently realizing the fight was still happening.

Tuli considers a now grumpy Marshal as he stands up. Blood drips from his now bleeding nose. He glares over to Kate who is trying to hush her fit of giggles. He gazes back at Tuli as the soft whine of water starting to cycle can be heard.

Tuli looks nervous as she squeaks, "Um you're not going to—eep!"

Marshal closes the distance in an instant slashing at Tuli's jacket. She grimaces, tears springing from her eyes as his sword connects.

Marshal drags his blade up the resistant fabric, preparing to strike again, while the previously idle sphere pounces. It fully encases his head, cutting off his air supply. Tuli smiles victoriously, tears streaming down her face. Marshal looks confused for a moment, quickly realizing his predicament. Panic flashes on his face for only a moment quickly settling to annoyance.

Tuli's victorious smile evaporates as Marshal continues his strike. Tuli dodges his thrusts creating distance. Marshal continues his assault, every swing the whine of cycling water doubling until it's a shrill shriek. Tuli desperately retreats but she'd soon be cornered as she approaches the gym walls.

Tuli lets out a terrified squeak as she bumps into one of the wall's crystals. Marshal brings down his sword, a little cube of water launching itself into his sword's path. It hardens on contact, deflecting his sword, sending it flying. As Marshal stands there stunned for a moment, the cube deforms, and Tuli pushes past him.

As Tuli flees she maintains eye contact with her sphere. Marshal—getting red-faced—shoots a giant stream of water that splits into many streams toward Tuli.

They wrap around her, and Marshal stumbles walking toward her slowly clenching his extended hands. Tuli blinks back tears of pain as the tentacle-like streams tighten around her. She stares at Marshal intensely, trying to maintain her wavering concentration.

Water spills from the sphere surrounding Marshal's head, but he's still turning a concerning shade of blue. Moments later however Tuli's body goes limp and the remaining water clinging to Marshal's face releases him.

Marshal's water then deforms, splashing into a puddle, as he collapses to the ground in a heap. He coughs up water violently before passing out.

The nurse runs to them both, not waiting for Mr. Ron's okay. She crouches down pinching Marshal's nose. She puts her lips to his performing CPR. After a few attempts he coughs up some more water, and his breathing settles. She then gingerly raises Tuli's shirt halfway taking a minute to scrawl a large and intricate mark. Once she's satisfied with their condition she lets out a sigh of relief.

I blink, quite shocked at what just transpired.

'Just a second ago she'd tripped him. How did it end with them strangling each other.'

Kate and I exchange looks of "what did we just witness".

Mr. Ron walks over to help move the two unconscious water users to the beds, and two or so matches later Marshal saunters over to us. He looks tired and sighs as he plops down.

We exchange glances, and Marshal lets out a small chuckle.

"Yeah, she kicked my ass," he says, "Never would've expected her to pull that."

Marshal then closes his eyes, opting to ignore the current match, and as the matches drag on I feel my worry rising—much like the pain in my hand.

Kate is currently crushing my hand in a tight grip, but my worry currently far outweighed the pain. Her breathing is hushed and panicked. Her eyes focused but not on anything present. They're far just like they were at the campfire—it worried me.

"Benji—"

Kate says, voice barely a whisper, "—I'm scared."

I feel my heart throb painfully as I look into Kate's eyes. They're looking at me but not really seeing me. I've never handled a situation like this before. I want so badly to make her feel comfort, and her pleading gaze is begging for a response.

'Say something damn it.' I curse internally.

"But you don't have to be afraid," I say, trying to make my words flow, "You're already amazing on your own and with your new move, and us here rooting for you—you're unstoppable."

I smile reassuringly and she responds with her own but it's empty.

"I mean it, everything is going to be okay. You just have to beat him—right?"

Kate's eyes seem to come back to me a little at that.

"Just him. Yeah. I just have to fight him and no one else—he's him and no one else," Kate says whispering the last part as if suddenly realizing.

The match in front of us is concluding, and while Kate's eyebrows are creased in worry she smiles a real smile.

"Can you say that again," she asks, "Can you tell me it's going to be okay?"

I keep my hand in hers as we lock eyes, "Everything IS going to be okay. You'll do great, I just know you will."

Kate closes her eyes and takes a deep breath as she's called for that match's start.

She squeezes my hand once more as if confirming my presence as she says, "I won't lose."

I smile as she walks toward the middle of the gym to start her match. I tap Marshal, waking him up.

"Hm," he mumbles, peeking his eye open.

"You heard Mr. Ron. Kate's up, you don't want to miss it do you," I ask.

Marshal yawns, cracking his neck. "Of course not," he says, blinking himself fully awake, "If she uses that new move of hers I'll never hear the end of it."

I nod, and soon Mr. Ron starts the fight.

Kate takes a deep breath—staring at her opponent. She glances at me once before Mr. Ron signals the start of the match. Floven opens his mouth to open conversation, not expecting Kate to dart toward him. He's a bit startled as she fakes him out with two open palm strikes before swinging to kick his head.

This leaves Floven dazed as he stumbles back. Kate is about to close in but in his daze, he swipes his hand whilst expelling flame. This effectively deters Kate, making her leap back.

Floven furiously shakes his head trying to collect himself as he blinks his eyes refocusing on Kate.

"Guess you're not much of a talker," he grunts, shooting a barrage of small fireballs.

Kate frantically dodges them.

Floven's face curls into an amused grin as he continues his assault. Kate zigs and zags dodging the fire, and closing the distance. Floven's face becomes increasingly uneasy until Kate is in range to palm him right in the jaw.

Floven recovers quickly, however, striking with a flame-cloaked fist, Kate parries with her palm—extinguishing it. They continue this exchange. Kate's movements becoming more and more erratic. Kate too could tell this needed to end before she got too flustered.

On another parry this time Kate grabs his wrist, twisting it—and the rest of him—around. She secures his other arm behind him and starts to shock him.

Floven's pain is clear in the contortion of his face, it looks like Kate is winning—then they explode. At least—that's what it looked like, a fireball blows Kate away from Floven.

In the seconds Kate had to react she flinched away, her uniform taking most of the blast. Floven however took all of it. Enhanced fire mages are resistant to their fire but if it's hot enough it will burn them. Floven's uniform sleeves have been burned to ash, and his blistered arms are trembling.

Usually, fire mages take slight precautions before they fire. Ensuring the released flame doesn't heat until not physically touching them. In his desperation, Floven clearly ignored this.

Arms still trembling Floven towers over the now cowering Kate who sits on the floor. Floven's face glows as he conjures a swirling flame. The flame swells, and while I can't see Kate's face I can see her hands behind her. They've stopped trembling and crackle with a light of their own.

Floven fires point-blank but combined with the fact Kate rolls out of the way and toward him, his arms also flinch causing his trajectory to be off.

Kate continues her roll into a kick, tripping him, Floven's hands fly out instinctively to catch himself only to drop him. Kate shoots him with lightning as she stands. I'm happy she's gained the upper hand, but my smile falls as I catch a glimpse of her side profile.

Kate's red eyes are vacant, and a cruel smile is spread plain on her face. 'Something's off...' I think, hesitant as she finally stops shocking Floven. He gasps in pain before Kate starts shocking him again.

Kate continues this over and over stopping only for moments at a time—certainly not enough to yield. She looks neither amused nor horrified at her actions. She doesn't even seem to be aware of his screams. The vacant smile on her face remains unchanged, and her eyes tell me nothing new.

I look to Marshal confirming what I'm witnessing. He just shakes his head wordlessly.

'Kate wouldn't do this...' I think in disbelief. 'Something's wrong.'

I grip my fist in frustration.

'Is this what you meant?'