Peter had made sense. To take Levina whilst on my quest to see the Queen. But did it matter? Wouldn’t Levina be stopped by the guards? The Queen's guards were notorious for their vigilance. Diana had mentioned that to me, during one of the times she had regaled me with stories about the palace and its features. So, Levina might not even get through the gate, let alone into the Queen’s chambers. The Queen would have informed the guards that she had sent for only me.I huffed.But what did the Queen want with me, anyway? My mind raced with questions and doubts.She had talked about plans. What plans could I be of use to, in this unrefined state of mine? Or was she just making small talk?I stood up from my seat down suddenly, to the surprise of Laura and Peter, and started to pace the living room, wringing my hands at intervals. Levina’s presence was supposed to provide some sort of protection, but I was sure it wouldn’t be enough or even necessary. The Queen was powerful and unpredi
Was this how painful siblings fighting was? I thought, almost rubbing my chest at the stub of pain that was festering there. I had thought it was only a broken heart from a broken relationship with a lover that could cause this hurt, but the more I watched Diana fuming and probably cussing me in her head, the more the pain increased. I haven’t experienced it before, because I hadn't had a sibling, ever. Lent and Lilian hadn’t been siblings. They had been plain thorns in my flesh. But it was different with Diana. I and Diana, despite the short amount of time we have known each other, were closer, loved each other, and had a deeper relationship than I even had with my foster father. But still then, I didn’t regret making the report to Laura and Peter, even though she was boring holes into my head, even though Laura and Peter were looking at me in disappointment. Better now than later, or rather better late than never. “You both should come over here, and sit down. Seems, we have a
Once, during her tale of acquittance with the Queen, Diana had lied. Actually, it was her first statement. She had lied about how long the training had been going on, and I had watched with widened eyes, as the energy around us had compressed on her until she had difficulty to breath, until ripples of pain popped around her face, until her teeth clattered, out of the drastic effect of the energy on her body system. I had told myself that I would never experience that because I would be telling the entire truth this time around. Diana had said that she had been training with the queen for just six months, before the truth energy had done its work. Then, after her father had commanded a release, she had said a year and two months. Laura’s mouth had dropped open in shock. Turns out that since Diana had started her classes, she had been recruited by the queen. As a matter of fact, according to Laura's calculations, the queen had created the palace training just because of Diana, to
I remembered the moment vividly, the first forceful intrusion of the Queen into my mind. It was like a sudden jolt, a thrumming of unfamiliar magic that sent shivers down my spine. And then I had felt the presence of my other rising within me, a fierce determination to resist the Queen's invasive powers. At that moment, I had known that she wouldn’t gain access to my thoughts or memories. My other wouldn’t allow it. And it hadn’t it.As I had sat there, aware of the oblivion of my guardians and Diana over what had happened, grappling with the unexpected assault on my mind, I had sensed the Queen's surprise, her realization that I was not as vulnerable as she had assumed. I had felt her retreat, her presence fading from my consciousness like a fleeting shadow. She hadn't succeeded in extracting anything from me, and I hadn’t been able to stop the feeling of triumph at the knowing; even though I had played no role in keeping her away from my mind.‘Thank you.’I had mentally sent to
"I want to understand something…" Peter suddenly said, interrupting me, the only person in the room that wasn't releasing sparse tears from his eyes.I wasn't sure when Diana had started crying, but I had heard her sniff when I had started talking about the ruthless beating that Adam and his brothers had delivered to me.Laura's case was different. She was right in front of me. The bullying incident at the cafeteria had upsetted her tear glands. "The Adam that committed all these atrocities… is it the same Adam that had come here to see you?" I nodded slowly, shutting my eyes the next second out of stimuli, when Peter suddenly flung the glass cup that I had used to down the pill earlier, away from the table with his right hand. The cup smashed on the floor and broke into pieces. No one moved to get a broom to tidy the mess up."How could you still face him? How could you meet him alone? Do you still like him?"Peter gritted these questions through his teeth, uncertainty ringing in
The room fell into a deafening silence, each beat of my heart echoing in my ears like a drum. I stood there, holding my breath, as the recording played, its damning words hanging in the air like a dark cloud. My family’s faces were a canvas of shock and disbelief, their expressions mirroring the turmoil raging within me.Peter, usually quick to speak his mind, sat frozen, his lips parted in stunned silence. Laura’s eyes bore into the ground, her features a mask of stoic resolve, betraying the storm of emotions brewing beneath the surface. Diana, the queen's staunchest supporter, sat rigid in her chair, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and unbelief.The weight of the evidence I had just presented bore down on us like a heavy weight, pressing down on our shoulders and squeezing the air from our lungs. It was a truth Laura had long suspected but dared not speak aloud in public, a revelation that threatened to unravel everything the community thought they knew.As the recording co
In the heavy silence that followed Diana's apology, I felt a whirlwind of emotions swirling within me. My heart raced with anticipation, as I waited for my family's response to Diana's heartfelt words.For me, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for her. Despite the pain she had caused her parents, it was clear that she carried her own burden of guilt and remorse."Diana, it's okay. We are just glad that you have seen your wrongs, and seem to have repented from it. Hopefully, you won't keep things away from us again, or make a show of disrespect." Peter finally spoke, breaking the silence that had permeated the room more times than I could count.Laura only smiled. But that was enough words for Diana who stood up from her kneeling position and ran to her mother, tears glistening in her eyes."Thank you Mom!" Peter smiled, and shifted on his seat, so that he could join the embrace too.I sighed, unable to help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. It was a moment of healin
As I slowly emerged from the depths of sleep, the remnants of the dream still clung to the edges of my consciousness like cobwebs in the corner of a forgotten room. The words of the beasts echoed in my mind, their voices hauntingly familiar yet shrouded in mystery. "Salvation," they had called me. "Bridge between two worlds." I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the lingering haze of the dream. What did it all mean? Why had the beasts chosen me? The questions swirled in my mind like leaves caught in a whirlwind, each one more perplexing than the last. Sitting up in bed, I wrapped the blankets around me like a protective cocoon, seeking solace in their warmth as I grappled with the enigma of the dream. Was it a prophecy, a message from some higher power? Or merely the product of an overactive imagination, fueled by late-night reading and restless sleep? I muttered to myself, my words barely audible in the quiet of the room. "Salvation... bridge between two worlds..." The phras
Because the beast’s voice could be heard by all in the field, and maybe even outside of the field, I used magic to amplify my voice, so that everyone could hear me speak too. So, when the crowd erupted in mild shouts and mutterings at the previous words of the Queen, they echoed affirmations after mine; affirmations mixed with amusement at the nonchalancy in my voice and then anger at the Queen for breaking the laws that had been in place for many years. The beast obeyed. He turned his mighty head and stared at the Queen, whose hands were shaking. Out of nerves or shock or anger, I wasn’t sure. But her cool composure was gone. “Well, to be fair to the Queen, she didn’t call you out…” The beast grunted, in confusion I was sure, if the thinning of his eyes were anything to go by. “Who called me then? Only she has the power to call us out…” “Well…” I smirked, and pointed at a Rachel who was shaking with fear beside her mother. Oh well, she was scared of what she had conjured? Inte
Rachel stood still even when the crowd was shouting ‘Fight!’ ‘Fight!’ like a mantra. I knew she wanted me to attack first. “I’ve been watching you fight, and you have never attacked first, well apart from your last match….” She started, placing her hands on her waist.“Well, that’s a stupid deduction to make. I’ve only fought two contestants. Didn’t your mother teach you that, when she taught you how to fight with the subtle magic, when she taught you how to cheat in the competition?” I shot back, a smirk appearing on my lips.Her eyes widened, and her composure disintegrated by a meaningful portion, as she looked around her, to check if the others were hearing. “Tsk, your family is terribly disgusting. You want me to attack you? Then you will have it. Don’t regret it though. There’s a reason I don’t attack first. I thought my last battle would have explained that, but it seems you are slow…” I said, right before I advanced toward her. She jerked back, as I approached, causing me t
Laura’s infamous meat sauce would have been enough reason to win this last battle, even if the Queen’s rewards hadn't been attached to it. Thinking of it now as I sauntered into the battlefield brought out the hunger pangs that had managed to stay hidden for a while, under the layer of fruits and water. I was hungry. “Wait, until I am done with this.” I muttered to myself, flexing my hands. Laura should have better prepared my favorite meal to celebrate my win, because I wouldn’t settle for less. Not when my mind was already clouded with meat sauce. Rachel was already waiting for me in the field, her arms folded across her chest, disdain notable in her eyes. I didn’t bother mirroring the same, I just wanted to be done with this, so that I could go home and eat. ‘That’s a good attitude, keep it up.’ El spoke then, causing me to pout. ‘Is that sarcasm?’ She chuckled. ‘Not at all. It’s good that you’re not nervous, considering the principal’s insight, considering that it lowers you
Rachel won her own fight. But it had been by a sharp luck; the senior had been varsed in combat, very varsed, despite her not so big stature. Probably why the organizers had linked her to Rachel; they had thought it would be an easy defeat. After her match, the Queen had called for a little recess, so that the final contestants could have some rest before the last phase of the competition. It was why I was reclining on the chair in my tent, drinking an energy mix that Laura had given me. “I’m sure that the Queen is giving Rachel some tools on how to fight you, some tricks. You have to be careful out there, Dora…” Diana spoke, with a disgusted expression on her face. “That woman can be so sneaky.” She added, placing her arm around my shoulder. “If you win Rachel, I will give you my meat sauce for a week.” I laughed then, unable to hold it this time around. Diana was a darling. “Deal!” I shouted, jamming fists with her, whilst her parents and Levina watched on with wide smiles on th
My second opponent was the senior that had tried to bully me in the hallway a few days ago; that had tried to instigate me to fight her so that I would be disqualified from the competition. She was prancing around the field like an overzealous proud horse, getting cheers from the crowd. I thought she looked hilarious. I was going to win her. That was a given; not because I was proud, but because I had no choice. I had no choice than to make her eat her words, than to make her regret troubling me that fateful day. My quiet demeanor was mirrored by Rachel and her family. At intervals, I looked at the people in the crowd, at the Queen, at her. It was as if they knew that the senior was making noise. A noise that was uncalled for. Rachel, especially, had a bored look on her face. She knew I would win, never mind that it wouldn’t be pleasing to her. When I had won Courtney, I had seen the dread that had flirted past her face, right before she conditioned her countenance to stoicness. Sh
The battle was over before the senior knew it. With swift movements that I had never learned in any training, I started to free myself from the painful hold of the senior. It was like my hands and feet knew exactly what to do, guided by some unseen force, guided by El.I twisted and turned, using techniques that felt instinctive yet unfamiliar to me. With each move, I could feel my opponent's grip loosening. I managed to break free and turn the tables. Now, I was the one in control.I didn't hesitate. El didn’t hesitate to attack. It was like a dance, each step calculated and precise. I surprised myself with my own agility and strength. El was not just guiding my body, but also my mind, giving me the confidence to face my opponent head-on.I dodged punches and countered with moves that I didn't even know I was capable of. It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. But I trusted El; she wouldn’t let me down.Soon enough, I gained the upper hand. The senior was struggling to k
The fight was against ourselves. Since we were just eight contestants, we were paired against each other in a duel. But the announcer had picked out rumpled papers in a bowl to know who we would be contesting against. For my first time, I was selected to duel with the senior that had bothered to speak with me after my victory in the magic prowess session. We were both surprised to be fighting each other, but we had no choice but to advance to the field when our names were called by Professor Zokel. We had been the last in the list too. The others had fought, and now there were only three females moving to the final; three and whoever would win this duel that was about to happen. “I had never imagined to be pitted against you, Dora. But I will make it quick. You have outlasted than we all had gambled for, a feat, but it comes to stop now.” I nodded slowly, not knowing what to say. The seniors had gambled on my position in the contest? Did anyone gamble for my win? “Did anyone gambl
Standing in the middle of the clearing, surrounded by the never ending, echoing applause and cheers of the people, I felt a rush of emotions surge through me. The silence that had enveloped the arena moments ago, as I wielded my magical powers, was now replaced by this overwhelming cacophony of approval. It was surreal, almost like a dream I never dared to dream.I turned towards my family, their voices rising above the rest, shouting my name with unabashed pride. They had been there from the beginning, believing in me even when I doubted myself. Then I saw Adam. He was sitting two bleachers behind his family. And his smile stood out—bright and wide, his eyes shimmering with a mix of admiration and wonder. I couldn't help but touch the scarf he had given me, a talisman of his support and friendship.Friendship? We will see about that. I wondered if he had confided in his brothers about the change of the status quo. I didn’t think so.Bowing graciously to the audience, I savored the m
As I stood in the midst of the expansive field, chosen for the competition for its grandeur and open skies, doubt crept into my mind like tendrils of mist on a cool morning. My earlier dose of courage had evaporated.The memory of Rachel’s captivating rain dance rather haunted me. The way she effortlessly commanded the elements, enthralling every eye and heart in the audience. Could I match that? Did I have what it takes? I could. And I did. But what do I create? The judges were still talking animatedly about Rachel’s magical display. How do I get their attention?I clenched my fists, trying to dispel the doubts that threatened to paralyze me. "You are capable, Maya," I whispered to myself, my voice almost lost in the rustling of the wind through the tall grass. I needed to win this competition, not just for myself but for my family, and for my pride. A movement caught my eye, and I turned to see her – Rachel with that infuriating smirk playing on her lips. She knew she had the upper