Page 14

“Mmm. You’ll see.” Was all the prince said as he directed them down a flight of old stone stairs and through an enormous wooden doorway.

Its panels were carved with pictures of men fighting, but time had weathered its details.

Orbs on the wall flared to life as they entered the large room.

To the right were rows of shelves covered in books.

They had not been used, as they were covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs.

Old desks and chairs were stacked close to them.

To the left was an empty large space. At the end was a wide fireplace, which also flared to life as they walked further in the room.

“This will be our training space. No one will bother us.” Demetrius turned his attention to his two pupils.

“Let's start with some basics. Take turns defending and then countering. Taran, go first.” He found a worn out armchair and lounged back.

Taran nodded to Lilith. They paced outwards creating as much distance between them as the room allowed.

Once they faced each other, Taran did not wait to fire a large water ball towards Lilith.

I can do this. Just pretend it's your brothers, Lilith thought, as she readied herself.

Unbeknownst to Taran or the prince, she had been practicing this type of sport since she was small.

She reached her hands in front of her and caught the large ball between her hands.

It hovered steadily. With some difficulty she turned the water into icicles and shot it back towards Taran, who managed to protect himself with a shield of fire.

He smiled at her. His shield turned into an inferno of fire directed towards her.

Lilith rolled away from its path and spun to close the distance between them.

As she righted herself, she shot an explosion of wind into him.

Taran flew back but then found purchase, directing the air away from him.

Lilith was covered in sweat and panted heavily.

Demetrius let out a mocking laugh as he leaned back in his chair, “How elementary. Is this the best you you could do?”

This enraged Lilith. Her mana had replenished since this morning, but she was wary as to how fast she would burn through it.

She formed two balls of fire in her hands.

Taran raised his brows, and then formed two orbs of water.

They clashed their magic at each other again and again, moving around the space.

She called deeper into her well of mana and knew she was bordering its limit.

Wheels turned in her mind as she saw an opportunity.

She started backing herself closer to the stack of furniture, making it seem like she was getting cornered.

Lilith defended a strike with a small shield of fire as she cast off her second fiery ball and reached out her hand behind her.

Her fingers found an old wooden chair and threw it at Taran.

While he shielded himself from the blow, Lilith sent a burst of water into Taran’s chest. He slammed into the wall, but landed smoothly.

Coming to a stand, he rolled his neck and focused on her with a mischievous smirk.

Around him the chairs shuttered with his air magic and flew into Lilith.

He wasted no time to rain fire on her. Lilith braced herself with an orb of water.

Drops of sweat were pooling beneath her as she tried hard to form it into a shield.

It strained her, forcing her to her knees.

Drops of blood coming from her nose splashed steadily by her knees.

White flashes formed behind her eyes. She cried, “Enough! I yield.” Immediately Taran stopped. The prince, still lounging in the armchair leaned forward, wearing a bored expression.

“A shame. Your file said you were at the top of your class in your old school and unlike most people you are able to cast any element. Your teachers made note that you have a natural affinity for incantations and that you excelled in all areas. Yet, this is your limit?” He stood to walk towards the library entrance.

“I am disappointed.” With that, he left.

Disgust for her pitiful performance and shame consumed her.

Taran watched her carefully. “It takes a very patient person to tolerate his personality. ” He held out a hand to help her up. She didn’t take it. Thoughts of giving up passed through her mind. She should follow in Tamara’s footsteps and quit before she would make an even bigger fool of herself.

“The prince is right. I will never transcend beyond this, even with my emergence.” They stood in a moment of silence, Taran deciphering her words.

She got up and wiped her nose. Without looking at him, she walked out.

Even with my emergence, I will never amount to anything more.

My old school test, the score that elevated me, made it look like I had potential to be something, was a lie.

What I was prior to being bound means nothing now.

She held herself together until she laid down on her bed.

Thankfully, she was alone. She allowed herself to lay in her darkness for a while.

Life at this school was a game. A contest that places people in an imaginary hierarchy .

Her thoughts turned dark. There are other ways to win.

Magic was only a part of their tools. Everyone had weaknesses. Even the prince.

Lilith refused to wallow in her self-pity any longer. She ventured downstairs towards the courtyard and paused when she heard a familiar voice coming from the incantations classroom.

“Let me go,” whimpered Verrona faintly, “Stop.”

Not so distant memories came rushing forward of Lilith screaming her own cries as Lord Elwin pinned her down.

Pure rage filled her, as if something in her soul had cracked open.

She charged at the door and threw it open.

The large blonde haired fifth year had Verrona pinned on a desk.

Her blonde hair that was once braided back was now tangled and messy.

She had clearly put up a fight, but lost. Her black tunic was torn and her pants were pulled part way down.

Verrona’s face was red and blotchy, her lips were bleeding and her eye was swollen shut.

Surging with pure hatred, Lilith wasted no time.

She was driven by wrath. One moment she was by the door, the next moment she was next to Bear.

With supernatural strength she bulldozed into and rammed him off of Verrona.

His body slammed into a desk. The hulking man picked himself up and tugged up his pants.

He shot forward to attack Lilith. Anticipating his next move, Lilith ducked and then maneuvered herself behind him.

She grabbed him around the neck and held him in a vice grip.

Laced with venom, she squeezed. Pure energy welled within her.

For the first time in a long time, she felt her shallow pool of mana become endless.

The air became static around her as she filled with electricity.

Verrona, who was huddled near a desk, looked down and saw all her tiny arm hairs lift.

In pure panic, Bear flailed his arm trying to find purchase, trying to claw at her to release this suffocation.

He slammed her against a nearby wall. Lilith held on.

She could feel him gasping, unable to suck in any more air.

She sent waves of electrified energy into him, choking and cooking him from behind.

He collapsed to the floor, but she held on.

This is what she wanted to do to Lord Elwin.

This is the wrath she planned for him. The smell of burning flesh filled the room. Someone entered the room.

“What is going on here?” Sir Tornbury’s enormous figure filled the doorway.

He noticed Verrona huddled in the corner gripping her torn shirt.

He beheld her with a look of remorse and understanding.

Moving past her, he fixed his attention to Lilith, who was clamped behind Bear and had them surrounded in electric energy.

Bear’s eyes were rolled back and his face a dark shade of reddish purple.

Sir Tornbury held his hands up to look less intimidating and approached Lilith.

“Lilith, can you hear me?” Sir Tornbury was almost in reach, “I need you to let go. Verrona is safe now. You can let go.” Lilith heard his faint words filter through.

She blinked and released her hold on his neck.

Bear was unconscious on top of her. The current that flowed through them disappeared, however, her eyes sparked white as she beheld Sir Tornbury.

She pushed Bear’s body off her and came to a stand .

“He deserves much worse than what I’ve done.” She gave him a look of fury.

Awestruck, Sir Tornbury thought she looked like a goddess of vengeance. He cleared his throat. “He will be dealt with.”

Lilith’s rage tempered slowly as she made her way to the blonde siren.

“I need to get you to the infirmary. Can you walk?” Verrona nodded, tears still streaming down her face.

With utmost care, Lilith braced Verrona against her side and they slowly walked towards the hallway. She stopped as she passed Sir Tornbury.

“What happens now?” she asked him.

“You will take her to the infirmary. I will take him to Lord Helmer.” Tornbury hauled Bear to his feet.

Lilith moved Verrona out of the classroom.

Whether it be luck or feigned ignorance, no one else had come during the commotion.

The halls were clear as they made their way to the left wing.

A healer came rushing over as Lilith laid the siren on one of the beds.

“I’ve got it from here,” Verrona whispered. “I…thank you.”