Sky's First Battle!

Sky was the first one in the room. Having now grown accustomed to studying in a practice room, she headed straight there and began working.

Two hours later, she decided that she'd be better off waiting in the main classroom until her exercise test. After all, this teacher might not know she was in a practice room. They might not know she was in the classroom at all.

Much to Sky's horror, there was no one in the main classroom. Fearing she'd missed the test, she raced back down the hallway to the testing room at the end.

About to open the door, she paused. Through the door she sensed a dark wave of sweet energy. It reminded her of the energy she'd consumed when she'd fed on Aven and Instructor Drakkon.

The thought of the latter kiss had her blushing and hanging her head in shame. She started to turn away to hide in her rooms but then remembered that the only people who knew of it besides herself were Elbellar and Instructor Drakkon. She doubted that either of them would tell anyone.

Turning back around, Sky was hit with an explosion of the energy from the room. Her mouth twisted down as she knocked on the door. There was no answer.

She was about to knock again when the door opened revealing a pretty but disheveled young woman. Her hair was untidy, and her uniform was wrinkled. She gazed at Sky with wide, over bright eyes as the red blush in her cheeks further darkened. Then, ducking her head, she pushed passed Sky to race away. Sky thought she heard a catch in the girl's breathing as she watched her flee.

Sky's expression hardened as she knocked on the door once more. There was, again, no reply. Pushing the door open, she walked in.

A massive male stood by the open window. He had to be at least six foot seven and was muscle upon muscle. A curl of some sort of sickly-sweet smoke wafted up from a brown smoldering stick held between his fingers. The male's eyes were dilated, and he had a contented grin on his wide mouth. It slowly fell as he registered her presence.

"'Fuck do you want, Ugly?" He drawled.

"Are you the teacher?" Sky asked in cold voice. Her eyes took in his untucked, wrinkled clothes and a look of disgust covered her face.

The male grinned and said, "That's right." He took a drag on the stick. "I'm teaching these damned human sluts how to properly behave." His smile deepened as Sky's face darkened. "You have a problem with that?" Sky swallowed revulsion as he took another drag on the stick. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

"I'm Skylar Maren. I'm here for my exercise test." The male looked her up and down and sneered.

"Go away, fatso. I'm not giving you any points." Sky stared at him as a dark feeling washed over her.

"I can do the exercises." He shrugged and flicked the stick out the window.

As he turned around, he said, "I don't care. That not what I give points for. Now, get out." The dark feeling turned white hot. Unconsciously, her weight shifted so she was on the balls of her feet with her knees slightly bent. Her hands slipped through the loops of her fans.

"You will test me on this week's exercises and give me my points or I'll report this to the Chancellor." Sky was lying. She'd already decided to report him. That young woman's face, red with shame, flashed in front of Sky's mind. The male let out a full-bodied laugh. Sky started seeing red as blood began pounding through her body.

"How stupid are you? Do you honestly think the Chancellor will care? I have already warned you to lea-"

"I'm not going anywhere." Sky said cutting him off as she gave him a cold, rage-filled smile. The male also smiled back; his grey eyes filled with delight.

"Then I challenge you." He said. Sky pulled her fans from their belt.

"Fine. Dain Caellustria is the witness. I'll get him and meet you at-"

"Why go anywhere?" The male asked conversationally as Sky felt air moving above her head.

She jumped to her right as a blade of air slammed into the ground. She dodged again as a yellow gray bolt of air flew at her. Left, right, back, down, over, she moved.

She knew she couldn't keep this up though. Unfurling her fans, she ran at him, dodging as she closed the distance. A big, blue-gray cloud appeared in her path and seeing it, Sky hesitated a second too long. One of the smaller darts bit into her left side. She was too angry to feel it, even though it tore deep into her flesh.

The cloud started moving for her. As quickly as she could, she spoke the words for the magic shield spell. It exploded into being around her just in time. The cloud hit it and a violent wave of magical energy ricocheted back at the male. He doubled over as it slammed him into the wall.

This was her chance! Sky surged forward breaking her shield spell and sliced at him with her fans.

He grinned and spun, a sword flashing into existence in his hand. Hastily, Sky twisted to the side. The male's thrust went past her. He swung sideways at her. Sky blocked with her right fan while she struck for his neck with her left. She felt a pop in her right wrist as the male jerked back out of her reach. Spinning forward with her fan blades out, Sky pressed him back.

She kept up a furious string of attacks but everyone she made he countered at the last second. Then she realized it. He was toying with her. Seeing the expression on her face change, the male smiled and began attacking in earnest. It was all Sky could do to block. As she spun to the left to avoid his sword, a dagger that she hadn't seen traced fire down her back as it cut her deeply.

Sky staggered panting as she tried to catch her breath.

"You know, you're pretty good." The male jeered. Sky looked at him. He was smiling again but it didn't reach his eyes. They looked like death. "You're just no match for me. Sky shook her head trying to clear it. Her mind was getting fuzzy, slow. Her anger was also fading, and she was beginning to feel pain again. She still couldn't catch her breath.

The male lifted his sword and slowly walked towards her. The image of that girl's teary eyes filled Sky's mind. She had to do something.

In desperation, she lifted her hand towards the male and gasped, "Avellaori." She had just started learning this spell last night. She wasn't sure of the pronunciation, but she couldn't just give up. The male's smile turned amused.

Then, it happened. Colors inverted. Time stopped for a moment.

"Shield! Now, Dain!" West's shout sounded tinny to Sky's ears. A grey-white wave exploded from her hand with a boom so loud the castle shook. It hit the male breaking through the golden translucent shield that had been surrounding him. His body crunched sickeningly with a spray of purple blood as the wall behind him exploded outward into dust.

Sky swayed on her feet. The male was floating a few feet in front of her, blood gushing from him to soak the sandy floor in a growing purple puddle. She frowned and looked at the door to the room. Dain and West stood there, both were pale and surrounded by the glow of magic. Dain's nose started bleeding.

"It was a challenge." Sky pantedin response to the horrified look on West's face. "Dain was supposed to be the witness." West stole a look at Dain. He was growing whiter by the second and sweat had broken out over his skin. He looked back at Sky.

"Go straight back to your rooms." He ordered sharply. "We will handle this." Sky nodded as her eyelids fluttered.

"Aisgogviralde" She managed to say the words for the portal spell somehow. It appeared in front of her. Sky stepped through and closed it. She didn't even try to take off her clothes. She simply climbed on the bed and fell asleep.