16 Skyler’s Hope

That night in her room, Skyler looked at her recent fight's video over and over again.

She came up with several ways to avoid what had happened, but it was already a bit late for that.

Skyler was thinking about what another fight against him would be like and how he had achieved that strategy.

That fight had taught her more than her previous twenty victories.

She was so impressed that she only thought about how she could have a conversation with Malcom.

Skyler wanted to ask him many things, but she did not know how to do it. She did not know if he would be angry or if he even wanted to share a word with her.

After all, that victory had been stolen from him.

The girl turned off the recording. She then looked at Malcom's interview that they had done earlier.

"Excellent fight! You almost beat the goddess of fire! They all say you should have won. Any comment?" One of the press people asked.

Malcom's eyes seemed dull. He was looking directly at the recorder in front of him before he commented blankly, "It was a great fight. She won because she has better resources than me."

Skyler immediately thought of her uncle. She could not help but wonder if that was the 'resources' Malcom was referring to.

"Would you like to say something to the Virtues for this decision they made?" The interview continued.

"Sure," Malcom said pretending a smile, "I want to thank you for showing me how I should win."

"Any message for Miss Skyler, who was unwilling to give any interviews today?"

He looked directly into the recorder with determination and said, "I will see you again!"

And with those words, Malcom ended the interview.

Skyler turned off the transmitter in her room and lay down looking at the ceiling.

At that moment, the door to her room opened, and a lady in a uniform entered with a food tray. On it was a cup of hot chocolate and a note in an envelope.

Skyler sat down, "Thanks. What is this, Nana?"

"Well, chocolate Miss. You asked for it..." Said the lady with a serious face

Skyler smiled and said, feigning impatience, "The envelope on the tray, Nana!"

"Well, a note, miss," Nana looked at Skyler innocently.

"Whose?" Skyler demanded with fake anger. She was having a hard time containing her laughter.

"Your mother did not say, Miss," The lady replied softly while looking at Skyler.

"When does she say anything, Nana?" Skyler sarcastically replied before rolling her eyes dismissively.

And after those words, they both laughed.

Skyler opened the envelope and, reading the content, said thoughtfully, "Tomorrow, I must go to the ranch of Elemental Virtue."

"To that horrible lady who will be your teacher, Miss?" Nana asked, concerned.

"Exactly, Nana!"

"Oh, miss!" Nana could not hide her surprise. She strokes Skyler's head as if trying to comfort the other, "Be strong. You will need it."

"Nana, you and dad will be the only thing I miss when I have to move to train," Skyler tenderly replied.

"Well, I can't wait for you to be gone," the woman said playfully before sitting on the bed next to Skyler. "Climbing the stairs to give you chocolates is getting boring already…"

"Uuh!! Your chocolate! That is what I'll miss!"

"And what else? Is that the only thing you like about me?" Nana pretended to be hurt.

"That's not true," Skyler said, tasting the chocolate. "I also like your cookies."

"So mean!" Nana retorted with a bright smile. She stood up from the bed to leave.

Before leaving the room, Skyler asked, "Nana, let's say… If you wanted to talk to someone who most likely hates you, how would you start?"

The woman paused for a few seconds. "I would start by apologizing for what I did that led him to hate me," Nana answered seriously.

"What if what caused him to hate you is not your fault?" Skyler continued to question.

"Then do not apologize, miss!" Nana gave her a firm look, "Are you talking about that young man from your fight?"

Skyler nodded stiffly.

"You didn't do anything. If that little boy is upset with you, he's just a moron."

"You think so?" Skyler looked at Nana with disbelief.

"I know so, with my soul! Now let me go. I must attend to your father," Nana smiled.

"It's okay, Nana. But you tell that old man not to abuse your time. You are mine alone!" Skyler answered with a smile.

Nana chuckled, "Yes! That's what I'm going to say."

With that, the woman slowly walked away.

Her years weighed down despite still being strong, but Nana's affection was one of the two things that kept Skyler strong in that mansion.

A prison made of marble bars, something she had always thought of.

Once again, she had to go to Mabel's ranch. She wondered if she would ever see Malcom in that place again.

In another part of the city…

It was a place very different from where Skyler lived.

A man answered a communicator.

"Yes, sir, I am in position. Are you sure this man is the one?" He casually asked his interlocutor.

In front of him, a man walked covered by a raincoat and protected by darkness.

As the man who spoke through the intercom approached, he felt a sinister aura that enveloped him.

The cold of the night suddenly became much more intense, and out of nowhere, a huge blade entered his abdomen, ending his life.

Blood gushed out of his mouth as he watched his life end, everything darkened, and the terrible reality fell on him. When he blinked, he returned to normal, and the man in front of him was not there.

Without seeing the figure, he felt a deep relief in his heart. His breathing was agitated, and on the intercom line, he was still listening to questions from his boss.

"Steve, are you okay?" His boss asked with concern.

The man was going to answer, but something's hand rested on his shoulder from behind.

"Yes, Steve. Are you okay?"

Someone else asked. The voice was raspy as if it was not used a lot.

Steve felt a strong tension in his back, he wanted to activate his magic, but he felt that if he made an unexpected movement, that mental image he had had minutes ago would come true.

"You… You are..." But before Steve could finish his sentence, the man said.

"Yes, I am. I assume you brought the payment?"

Steve tried to speak, but his mind was blank.

The man took the briefcase that he had in his hand before speaking, "In two days, I will act."

Steve nodded and tried keeping his composure. "Don't kill them. We need them alive." He emphasized.

The man shrouded in shadows as he looked at Steve calmly.

His eyes appeared like emissaries of dark news, and in a flash, he disappeared. Steve slid down the wall until he fell to the floor, and right next to him, a small figurine vanished.

Steve raised the communicator once more, "The delivery is done boss, that guy is the right man!"

The air that night was colder than normal.

A cold so deep that it chilled the bones and announced a great storm.