Draven walked to Alastor and Jabez. He proposed to have a traditional battle. Alastor and Jabez stood at the corner. Draven examined their expression. They both were whispering, the atmosphere looked tense. Alastor looked smaller than Jabez however, when they were sitting they looked almost of the same height. Jabez stood tilted towards Alastor. Alastor was speaking and listening while was running his hand on the beard. They both nodded and walked towards Draven.
"We are ready for the battle but only Eric and Xion will fight," Alastor said.
In the classroom.
Draven gave them a sudden visit. Master Wane stood up from his chair and walked towards him. Draven stood near Xion, he looked at both of them.
"You have to fight with Eric, the guy whose neck...you twisted," Draven said, placing his hand on Xion's shoulder.
Master Wayne and Xion were looking at him with confused expressions. Except for Abel and Ikaria, the rest went near Draven, was making a small circle around him.
"Fight...a duel," Dakota guessed, looking at Draven with tensed expressions.
"Are you talking about Curse of Duels," Master Wayne said.
Draven nodded.
"Do you want him to die?" Dakota cursed in a loud voice.
"If he does not fight then Sophie has to," Draven said with an expressionless face as plain steel.
"I will do it," Xion said, in a loud voice shutting everyone up.
Draven patted on Xion's shoulder and walked out of the room with a smile. Xion turned to Master Wayne.
"Master...Is Master Annon is here?" Xion asked.
"I am sorry...But don't worry I am here," Master Wayne said, touching his shoulder. Xion looked down at his shoes then immediately looked up.
"Master...let me fight in his place," Dakota said, getting emotional.
"No...It's my fault...Let me fight," Sophie interrupted.
"Are you mad," Laura whispered, holding Sophie's hand.
"You will be dead meat there," Master Wayne said.
"Master...ignore them...Let's get ready," Xion said.
Abel and Ikaria walked out of the room, without was coming to anyone's notice. Dakota walked out of the classroom in anger. Laura and Sophie followed her to the dorm. Dakota closed herself in her room. Laura and Sophie stood was knocking at the door and was shouting her name.
"Leave me alone," Dakota shouted.
Sophie and Laura left her alone and came down to the common and sat on the couch.
"By the way...What is the curse of duels?" Sophie asked out of curiosity.
Laura glanced at her then she asked Sophie to follow her.
In the library.
"The Curse of Duels," Laura announced it with her backbone straight and hands on the table. The book appeared on the table. Laura grabbed it and Sophie leaned over the table. Laura speaks while was turning the pages of the book.
"More than six hundred years ago for the first time this duel was held just because two people crossed their territories without permission. The two people were Edrileus Sarrazin and Krabus Vezin. It is said to be a curse because both accused person had to fights without their magical powers and weapons or any magical artifacts. They cannot even take healing herbs. It's a knock out battle where one of the people dies."
"That means Xion could die too," Sophie said, getting scared.
Laura nodded.
"Does he know that?"
"Yes," Laura said.
In Ikaria's room.
Abel jumped on the bed in joy. He rested his head on the wall and his hands on the stomach. He was brightly smiling and was happy with Xion's misfortune. Ikaria was standing near the dressing table, her mood was down. Abel saw her and went near to her. He hugged her from the back, ran his hands from her boobs to her ass then turned her towards him. He saw her expressions.
"What happened aren't you happy?" Abel asked.
"I am happy...I was thinking...how should we celebrate," Ikaria said, bringing a smile to her face.
"What about...some cardio," Abel said, bringing her closer.
Abel kissed her, Ikaria put her hands on his cheeks with strength.
"Wait...how about a drink," Ikaria said, making space in between with a finger. Abel nodded. Ikaria moved away went to her wardrobe. She pulled out a bottle of wine and two glasses. She poured the wine and gave one glass to Abel. They sat on the bed. Ikaria touched the glass with her lips. Abel drank and soon became unconscious. Ikaria immediately left.
Ikaria grabbed Xion alone while he was going to Master Wayne to get ready. She pushed him to the wall and held his both hands. She kissed him. Xion pushed her harder.
"What are you doing?" Xion asked, getting angry.
"Why are you doing this?" Ikaria said.
"She is just a filthy human,"
"I don't want to argue with you," Xion said, pointing a finger at her.
Xion started to walk away from her but Ikaria came in the middle of his way.
"At least take this," Ikaria said, showing him a little bottle, the material inside of it was glowing.
"What is this?" Xion asked.
"This will give you power even when they will take your magical powers,"
"I won't take it...this is cheating," Xion said with an angry expression, was walking away from her.
Ikaria's expressions changed to horrifying. She got a pendant from her pocket and opened it. She held it towards Xion. As she did Xion felt a force that drew him backwards. Xion turned around and saw Ikaria with the pendant. Xion within a blink of an eye got trapped inside of the pendant.
"I am sorry," Ikaria said, holding the pendant.
Xion struggled but not audible. Ikaria wore the pendant.
Master Wayne meanwhile was waiting in the oath room for Xain. He was roaming in the room with his hands on the back. Suddenly Zale showed up. Master Wayne turned to him and asked if he had seen Xion or not.
"I thought he is here that's why I came here," Zale said.
"He hasn't come here," Master Wayne said, getting tensed.
"We have to find him...before the battle starts,"
Zale immediately ran from the room and head to the girl's dormitory. He could not able to enter because there was no female companion with him. He dialed Dakota.
"Trr...trrr...trr..." The cell rang.
"Hello, I am not in the mood..." Dakota murmured.
"Xion is missing," Zale interrupted.
"What," Dakota said, getting shocked.
"I am outside of the dormitory," Zale said. The line disconnected. Dakota immediately got her act together and hurriedly head to Zale.
"What happened?" Dakota asked, started walking.
Zale told about his short visit to Master Wayne. On the way, they bumped into Sophie and Laura.
"Xion is missing," Dakota blurted.
Sophie and Laura glanced at each other.
"I think I heard something wrong," Sophie said, tilting her head.
"You said..."
"Xion is missing," Dakota repeated, getting angry.
She without a word walked away from them. Zale was just behind her. Sophie and Laura got frozen, was processing the shocking information. Sophie and Laura shook their head and soon came into action. They started to run and caught up with Dakota and Zale.
"Could you enlighten us?" Sophie asked, was catching up with their speed.
"There isn't much...just Xion did not reach to Master Wayne," Dakota said.
"Where he could go?" Laura wondered.
"He could be in his room...because of the tension," Sophie suggested.
"No, he isn't there," Zale said.
"Where are we heading by the way?" Laura asked.
"Think...who would be on advantage if Xion does not show up for the battle," Dakota wondered, stopping in front of a big wall. Sophie panted, was standing with her hands in the waist.
"Eric," Zale said.
"Do you think he could do it?"
"I don't know...why we don't ask him," Dakota said.
"Are you saying...we are going to the world of Malignus," Laura said, getting tensed.
"I won't force anyone...If anyone wants to back off...feel free to do it," Dakota said. Sophie went near Dakota and held her hands.
"I am with you," Sophie said with a smile.
Eventually, they all held hands and glanced at each other.
"This time, let's save Xion," Sophie said in a loud voice, was seeing Dakota.