Chapter 5: Famous Swords Woman
"Miss Winter, no!"
That loud shout resonated inside Lucas' ears. Seeing a small girl will be brutally assaulted by a woman, he can no longer take it. White Day High should be taught by a lesson using the Fire Starter way.
Using his remote instincts and his fast retaliation, Lucas stopped the sword by grabbing it with his right hand, throwing it away from them, as he looked and gaze sharply at the woman. His reflexes were fast.
Filthy student… She was out of her mind about starting this commotion…
In her response, she was unmoved. Not even a single clue that she was scared was evident. They stood in the middle of the hallway, standing at the rails that were placed on the floor.
Ghaile felt frightened still, as the woman ran fast and grabbed Lucas' hand, and with a quick tussle, threw him away!
"ARGH!"
Lucas bumped the wall and fell unhealthily. It was like he did a cartwheel and fell badly. He didn't expect that quick movement and felt bad that he fell for it. He tried his best to quickly stand from that corner. It felt strange to him. The woman wasn't looking at him when she threw him. Why? It doesn't seem that she was blind…
But he has to battle. He has to stop this hysterical woman. Collecting all of his anger towards his single palm, he ignited his fist with fire. So much hesitation and doubt enveloped him but still ran towards the woman.
This was his first time trying his fire starter skills. Adding to that pressure, it was a battle he began, and he has to win it. With great anger caused by how scared the little girl was, he went and stroked the woman by his fire.
The woman didn't even try to evade the attack. She kept herself open, much to Lucas doubt if it was a trap. But it was a no-go! He continued striking the woman!
Watching in a distance, Ghaile screamed at what happened. The Swordswoman easily sliced the fire with her new spear that materialized out of nowhere. Perfectly sliced into halves: that was what happened to Lucas' fire.
"Huh?"
Again, it was utilized with the woman looking elsewhere. Her eyes were blank, and it looked like they weren't present while battling. For Lucas, it looked like a miss but managed to hit his attack. But it was still impressive. This woman was indeed strong.
But she looked a bit nervous and not focused, with how Lucas stared at her. Yes, she was strong, he has heard he was also famous. Ghaile also decided to visit her.
That woman was the strong Winter! The woman that Ghaile talked about while she and Lucas have ridden the elevator. But why was she so cocky this time? With the name she made at White Day High, she was probably the respected type.
But there's no time into thinking. Still shocked by the sudden move of slicing his fire, Lucas cannot think quickly at that moment, as the woman jumped and prepared to finish Lucas with her now sharp-edged sword.
The woman kept replacing her weapons! It was hard to move for Lucas with the railed terrain they were in. He can trip at any time as soon as he took a misstep.
Sensing a large thing will soon hit him, Lucas stood fast and evaded Winter's sword by jumping, and thus having the spot to attack Winter's back by his elbow.
"Ack!"
He saw her face twisted in pain, but she landed with pointed toes and ran quickly with a retort ready to be executed!
Winter quickly stroke back by kicking Lucas' face with her right foot! That sent Lucas meters away from her, sitting on the floor. It was strong enough to leave bruises on his face. He felt that it was bleeding now.
Still, he was suspicious about Winter. Was it a miss again? Her attacks, her behavior, her moves… He knew there was something wrong. What was happening to her? Her eyes… they were saying something to Lucas.
Free me.
The newbie Lucas, despite being on his first day, and the famous swordswoman Winter was really brawling inside the school! Such occasion! It fastened Lucas' heartbeat and felt the rush of adrenals within him.
At the sidelines, Ghaile quickly ran into a room and grabbed the portable telephone there, and started dialing the school's number. She began contacting the security from the emergency center not far away.
"Principal Lyns, anyone… Security guards of White Day, please respond! Winter and a Newbie causing trouble near Room 3000! Please be here as soon as possible before anything else happen." Ghaile shouted on the phone. She has to say something but the phone suddenly hangs out.
As the two powerful teenagers engaged themselves in a battle, she watched every single counterattack each of Lucas and Winter blew at each other.
Lucas stood and started running towards Winter. He has to land a powerful hit to stop her. Winter did the same and prepared her unsheathed sword towards Lucas. It sparkled. Lucas evaded the railways and readied himself as the sword rushed through him!
Receiving the fatal blow, Lucas started withstanding the sharpness of Winter's swords with his bare hands, hoping that his sheer strength can hold a candle against Winter. It was pushing him onto the floor and left him into a squat.
After all, Winter was currently the cynosure of every dreaming Mages from what he had heard. She was surely strong and incomparable.
His hands were slowly losing their strength, as his wrist tendons were protruding aggressively. He felt some difficulty moving his hand, wrist, and elbow. Winter kept pushing him.
Clashing with hands versus swords, Lucas did manage to overpower the strength of the sword and threw it away with bare hands. He had expected this since Winter wasn't focused. She looked enraged without something to be angry about.
Still, he had a hard time with that pushing. It felt like some of his hand ligaments have overdone their usefulness. It started aching. He wiggled it and decided to continue battling.
Shocked by the retort, Winter changed her sword to the same spear earlier with a wash of light. Lucas gasped at how quick it was for Winter to have her weapons. It changed drastically fast. But still, she wasn't present mentally. Her moves were careless.
He felt that there were offs with her. Her eyes… like pleading for liberation.
Free me.
Winter instantly stroke Lucas with the circling spear on his face that shocked him. He didn't expect this. His face was relentlessly being hit with this, as Winter continuing spinning it straight at his face.
Lucas, receiving the multiple blows, had to back off and ignited both his right and left hand at his back. He has some plans in mind that will shock this zoned-out woman. He rapidly ran and surprised Winter with his burning right hand, followed by an uppercut with his left, throwing Winter with this!
Finally, Lucas felt that he had inflicted damages on this aggressive woman he was fighting. He can't help but smirk on his attack's behalf. For using his Fire Starter skills first time in battle, it impressed him how he used it.
Expectedly, Winter fell for a moment, who was shocked by Lucas' strength. She stood territorially and defensively, as she was panting in mild fatigue. Lucas stared at him sharply, panting as well. It looked like the woman had been removed from her trance.
Noticing it, Lucas has to say something about this Woman. She shouldn't use her sword skills for anything but to cause havoc. Powers have usefulness.
"How dare you lay a heavy hand towards a powerless kid?" Lucas shouted, catching his breath. "To the point who threw a sword to her! Such asshole!" he ended, feeling a bit of exhaustion for using his fire for the first time in battle.
"Watch your words!" Winter was enraged, as she withdrew her sword to vanish. "Don't say anything—"
"Strange, but I'm already watching my words…" Lucas smirked as he started to stand straight with hands clasped. He began laughing. "I also know that you are experiencing hallucinations from the very start."
Winter gasped. Her reaction wasn't even the shocked one, but like unaware. "How can you—?"
She stared at Lucas, completely blank space of the fact that she did have hallucinations, but she doesn't utter such a word to anyone at the school. "You're strange…"
Winter took a deep breath and started reminiscing how she moved while battling Lucas. Asking herself, did she really stared at Lucas or not? All she knew was that she has to eradicate something. Something that was troubling her from her past.
That was indeed what Lucas have read in her eyes. Free me. Strange to know but he happened to invade her past while battling with her.
"You know what? You can't take a serious nor straight look at your target at the very moment… Your strikes were just missed that accidentally hitting me." Lucas continued.
He started walking towards her and stopped midway, avoiding stepping onto the railings. Between them was the door of Room 3000 that was left open, as Lucas stood at the right side of the room, while Winter was on the left.
"And that fake person in your head was a child," Lucas revealed loudly, shocking Winter even more.
"Huh?" Winter fell on her knees. No way! He has also seen her back story. The child from slavery who always wanted to break free was her! How she wishes not to remember any of that. But how? How did Lucas know?
It was simple. Her eyes… gave the answers that Lucas needed.
"It hurts you… It hurts you to the point you weren't even focused." Lucas started to turn his back and walked away, leaving. He stopped at some point and looked back at her. "And that what makes the Famous Swords Woman of White Day High stronger, yet cocky."
Winter smiled bitterly, with tears in her eyes. She stood straight from kneeling earlier and resonated a loud shout. "Lucas, right?" she cockily called. She heaved a loud sigh after.
Lucas faced her and narrowed his eyes and raised his brows. His evident panting was still seen. Bruised cloth, ashed face —his pink hair fell onto his forehead, sweated. His bleeding cheek has dried blood on it.
"Ghaile was right, you are an amazing person…" Winter continued, as she started to look down. "She had spoken your name at the very moment we've met. She said she felt warm with you at the elevator…"
That little girl Ghaile. Where was she now? She was here earlier. Did she escape the scene?
Despite that, Lucas knew that the small girl was a bit sweet, honestly. He knew she was a calm one and was easy to befriend.
"I didn't remember I became nice to her…" Lucas spoke with adherence. "All I did was say my name, yet it made her feel warm?" he almost burst a chuckle. It was strange to hear that from someone he just met today.
He looked back as he heard impaired footsteps walking towards him. Winter's eyes dilated as she stared behind Lucas.
"You're somewhat domineering, but also rather laid back," Ghaile told behind Lucas, making the boy to had a smile on his face. "You make people feel warm inside just like your fire," she smiled at him. "You even help me here. Thanks!"
Lucas felt a little fuzzy with what Ghaile has said. He hasn't felt this warm feeling before but it made him happy for just this while. Was it really true? Was that how he treated her?
Funny though, Ghaile was such a very cute girl! Her blonde hair was tied into two, low ponytails. Lucas stared at her with a welcoming smile as Winter began walking towards Lucas' back.
Lucas turned back and faced Winter. Strange. Her previous intimidating look vanished and revealed a purer Winter. It made him wonder what happened. Was it also him?
She held Lucas' hands and stared at him. Lucas didn't know how to react to her sudden behavior. She has to be cocky and unresolved, not this overrated girl type!
Ghaile stared happily at the two. No, more on laughing at his reactions.
"Fire Starter," Winter slowly uttered at Lucas straight at the face. "We warmly welcome you to White Day High!" she joyfully whispered. Ghaile smiled at him, too.
"What—what are you doing?" Lucas comically uttered, still feeling awkward with that so-called warm behavior they have shown him. Winter patted his sweaty pink hair, adding more to his embarrassment. She also cleaned his bleeding cheek that she kicked earlier.
The fuzzy feeling earlier was good, but this time, it was cringy. No, it has to stop. But they were both girls, so Lucas has to stay calm as possible. Shameful that he was holding himself now after punching this woman in front of him earlier.
"What about we battle again soon?" Winter uttered clearly and offered her fist for a fist bomb. Lucas stared in awe and can't help but punch her fist back.
Ghaile pounced Lucas from behind and hugged him tightly, including Winter with her embrace.
"Sure!" Lucas said while faking a smile. If Winter doesn't experience some hindrances with their battle, he surely can't withstand her power. Her stamina was so strong. Such deserving of being renowned.
But to stop the embarrassment and to separate Lucas from this cringy drama, whistles came ringing inside the hallway, and security guards came running towards there.
"Stop right there!" Securities shouted from Winter's back. Ghaile gasped as she was the one who called them. She didn't know this would finish this nicely.
Winter looked back, as Lucas stepped aback with the sudden arrival of the White Day Guards. Lucas didn't know why they came here.
"Winter from the Sword Fighter Class caused trouble again," they continued and stared at Lucas, "…with a newbie."
Lucas walked forward and faced the guards with an awkward and embarrassed face. He shook his nape first, then spread his arms to prevent any of them walk past through him. He has to speak about those unaware guards.
"Guys, it's been settled. You can go back to where you all came from…" Lucas grinned, pushing the security guards away. "Winter was suffering from severe hallucinations, take care of her. Better let her be seen by a doctor. I had better errands to run and has to be leaving."
Lucas turned back and walked away from them. While he was walking, a cart was fast approaching the middle of the railway. It was empty. He quickly jumped and ride at that upcoming cart. It was nice that he landed perfectly. If he slipped off, it would be another embarrassment that he cannot endure.
The guards looked at him in disgust as he glided away from them with a comical smile on his face. Reciprocally, Winter and Ghaile looked back at him, with proud smiles.
"That newbie will soar up high. How I wish myself, too…" Winter whispered, heaving a sigh of relief. Her domineering aura has gotten moved by how Lucas deals with things related to her. Her past was unveiled and her memories resurfaced at such battle.
Now that it was settled, the famous and aggressive Swords Woman now became an adorable and fancy Slicer. Thanks to our great Fire Starter Lucas, Winter's past seemed that it was now resolved.