"Terla Ophelia."
Terla came forward to the front of the sacred stone and poured her magic.
It was her third time standing here but she still felt as nervous as before.
'My magic has all been restored, it will work this time right?'
At the seating of honour, The Ophelias were also jumpy.
Tari, Nick, the bros, Violet, Angelina, and some other people were also staring at the scene looking edgy.
The stone was lighted and soon crystals were formed around her.
It was going well at first…. A rainbow crystal, elemental crystals, light crystal, electricity crystal…., all nine crystals appeared one by one…., but then they all disappeared and a dull-looking crystal replaced it. It then also disappeared into a clear crystal. Just like that, another 4 crystals appeared and disappeared until another dull crystal was formed and the lights from the stone disappeared.
*sigh*
"Terla Ophelia, one magic crystal, type unknown."
Everyone sighed with her but one old man at the seat of honour frowned.
*humph*
'Totally blind. Don't see the good thing.'
'Right, that stone is certainly broken.'
'Not the stone.'
'What do you mean, Anna?'
'Even you, yourself don't know?' Anna asked annoyingly.
'Ahh…., you mean those clear crystals? So, I'm not the only one who sees it.'
Terla thought confusedly.
'No, it's true that it isn't something you can make out that easily. Only spiritualists, some high priests and spirits can see it.'
'Oh, what is so special about that crystal?'
'Pure crystal. Only spiritualists can have this.'
'So….?'
'Terla do you remember what I said before the ritual?'
'Mmm…, my magic is nothing?'
Anna felt like coming out and hit her at the back of her head.
'The next line, your magic, it can be anything.'
'Oh, I got it.'
"The qualified 100 students will be notified after…."
Terla suddenly raised her hand and declared, "May I take the test, again? I was feeling a little unwell at that time."
"Ahhh….that…." the anchor glanced at the seats of honour.
"I don't think it will not be the case, Miss."
"I think she should be allowed…. Mayor…. and Headmistress…." Nick suddenly came forward.
Hearing Nick's words Dorothy frowned but she also voiced, "I have the same idea…."
"Dorothy?" the mayor and the headmistress were surprised by their daughter.
The quiet High Priest also glanced at her.
" Dad, mom…., didn't you see those strange crystals around her? I really am interested in what she is capable of, to be this bold."
*Immmm*
The High Priest finally voiced caressing his white beard and nodding.
"But…., it would be unfair for everyone if we just let her use the stone again. I suggest a duel with her." Dorothy continued.
"Lord Ophelia, do something. You must stop your daughter."
Father Ophelia got up and bowed at the mayor,
"Mayor, please ignore her. She just went a little demented due to her young blood and dissatisfaction. Please forgive her …."
"I am willing." before her father finished his request, Terla shouted confidently.
"Terla!!!! Are you out of your mind!!!!!?" The mother became agitated and bawled.
"Mayor, Headmistress, High Priestess, please grant me a chance.", Terla said again as she bowed politely.
Dorothy smiled pleasingly and said, "Yes, mom, dad, teacher, everyone has gone bored after the long ceremony. Let's have a little bit of fun, don't we?"
"Dorothy, do you even know what you are saying?" Mrs. Hodgkin, the headmistress, warned her daughter.
"Madam, please give permission," Nick commented again.
"Mom….." Lenox also called out
"You, shut up." Mrs. Hodgkin shouted angrily.
"Let her be." a heavy voice rang in the air and it was no other than the, "High Priest!" Mrs. Hodgkin was baffled.
"Yes…., but to duel with Dorothy, it's too unfair and dangerous for her."
"Madam. I will take the duel."
"Nicholas?", the Hodgkins and the boys shouted in unison.
Everyone was also puzzled.
*huh*
"I agree, Madam." Terla declared.
"Terla?", this time, Ophelias and her friends were all bewildered but with different meanings.
"Then, since both sides are willing, you can start the duel. However, don't get too serious, especially Nicholas, don't go overboard, go easy on your fellow sister. And Miss Ophelia, is it?"
"Yes, madam."
"You don't need to be too hard on yourself. I understand your feeling but feel free to surrender anytime. There will still be more chances on your way."
'You don't, madam.'
"Miss Ophelia, is that clear?"
"Yes, but madam, will I be qualified to participate in the hunting contest if I beat him?"
In an instant, the stadium was filled with laughter.
"Silence!" Mayor interfered.
*quiet*
"Yes, if you could, of course. But, as long as you show us something interesting, our judges will certainly consider you, even if you don't actually win against him."
"Thank you, Madam. That assures me. Shall we begin now?"
"Yes, you may."
"Then, participants, please stand by."
Terla and Nick walked to the centre but everyone sat back obviously expecting the battle to end in a second.
Terla and Nick paused beside each other facing the opposite.
"You dare take it easy," Terla whispered, side-glaring at him.
Nick smiled pleasingly as he replied, "You haven't changed, Terla."
"Oh, have I always been such a girl in your eyes?" Terla questioned as she walked past him at a slow pace.
"Duel…., begin!!" the anchor roared in excitement.
"Hope she can hold on a little bit longer so that we can admire our knight in battling mode."
"Unlikely…"
Just as audiences start to gossip and chit-chat, a rune appears near Nick.
Shoots grew out from the rune and followed Nick as they elongated and twined each other.
*humph*
"Tricks again." Dorothy murmured as her lips curled in disdain.
"What is that? She can use runes without magic?" the audience who were weary before started to chit-chat in confusion.
Nick quickly cut off the shoots….
'Terla, you know tricks will not work, right?', Nick and others had the same thought.
To their hope, another rune was formed in the sky where fireballs came flying out.
'Terla, have you finished or not?'
'Sorry, Anna. It's been long since I last practised these runes. Do you have any ideas?'
*sigh*
'Master, try this!' with Eleni's shout, a book appeared in front of her.
'Ahhhh…, a book? Do you want me to throw it at him?'
Before Eleni could stop her, Terla flung the book.
*slap* Eleni face-slapped herself.
*laughter*
"What is she doing?" Lady Ophelia mumbled, embarrassed.
'Use the runes in it!' Anna had to instruct.
"Oh, Reto!"
The book returned to her hand but, 'how do I….?'
'Put your hand on the rune, direct it to the place you desire, recite the spell.'
'Mmmm…. Which one should I use?'
'Page 39.'
Terla flipped the pages one by one as she counted the number.
'Triginta Novem…' the pages flipped themselves with Anna's command.
Terla followed Anna's instruction and spelled out, " Frazzi!"
Nick was frozen in place but it didn't take long until the ice exploded and he came running at her.
'Mmmm…., viginti tres.' Terla quickly retreated as she mouthed any number that came to her mind.
"Kagee tra!!" Thicker shoots came out again and formed a cage trapping Nick in it.
'Anna, how do I do? These runes are all traps.'
'Weren't you so confident you can beat him?'
'That….'
*sigh*
'Terla, think! Do you really need runes?' Anna asked Terla.
Terla glanced at Nick trying to break down the golden cage which is no longer in a good state.
'Runes?' Terla thought.
'Runes are mediums we need to apply magic. But if I don't use runes, what can I do? No runes…no runes…there is only creation magic we don't need ….'
'Don't overthink. You just need an alternative medium.'
'Alternative medium?'
'Do you know runes are actually just words drawn together?'
'Yes….?'
Just as she was about to realise something, Nick broke free from the cage as his sword rushed toward her.
'Terla, shield yourself…' Nick thought to himself but to his dismay, Terla didn't move an inch as she kept staring at his sword.
'Terla, what are you doing?', he tried to slow down and take back his sword but, 'What?'
He looked at his hand which was not listening to him anymore as it continued to shoot toward Terla.
At the seating, a girl smiled maliciously.
All the boys were also shocked by his behaviour.
"Terla!", the mother Terla stood up from her seat.
The sword rapidly reached Terla.
'Shield.', Terla shouted in her mind as she tightly closed her eyes.
*ching*
The sword was stopped in the air.
Terla opened her eyes.
She could see the sword pointing at her heart but at the tip of that sword, a thin layer of air was protecting her.
She felt like time stopped for a second.
With a *plop* sound, the thin air rippled and Nick was bounced back with his sword.
He flew backward at the pace he had come rushing toward.
Terla felt a gush of air brush her cheeks.
She smelled rain and she heard them cheering up for her.
"Thank you." Terla touched the air as she murmured.
Nick got up again but not a bruise was found on him.
Terla closed her eyes, took a deep breath and she found confidence in her body again.
'As long as you guys stay on my side….'
She opened her eyes, and thrill filled them.
She gathered wind magic in her hands and the stage suddenly became breezy.
The wind became stronger and stronger as they whirled around Terla.
"A breeze of wind, a change of heart…you brought the storm…." Terla murmured and the harsh wind blew toward Nick.
Everyone became breathless, maybe because Terla sucked all the air or because they were just amazed.
Nick stood still staring wide-eyed as the wind gushed toward him.
The stadium was silent for a moment and only the sound of wind could be heard.
The storm died down and Nick was still standing there but a thin cut could be seen on his cheek where blood leaked from it.
Most of the audience were relieved as they sat back in their seat.
The storm only left a cut on his face but Terla wasn't disheartened.
She gathered another magic yet again.
This time, fragrance filled the air as roses whirled around.
Their stalk pointed at Nick and their thorns glared at him.
" A thousand roses…a heart of thorns…" with Terla's recital the roses rushed toward Nick.
Nick swiftly cut off the roses coming in, making a shower of roses in the battleground.
The view was gorgeous and stunning but soon, the thorns broke off from the falling roses, and they strike aimlessly at Nick.
The thorns being so small and scattered, Nick couldn't leave a strike on them as they pierce and stuck on him.
'These thorns…I can't feel my body anymore.' Nick looked at the thorns and then at Terla who was already preparing for another attack.
A piercing cold brushed past the audience followed by the heat of hell since all the cold in the environment was sucked to the battleground.
The battleground became icy in a moment as a layer of ice took over it.
" The warmth of heart, a glance unreturned… piercing cold, take over it."
The ice continued to grow as ice spikes formed and emerged gradually.
Just as the stage was completely frozen with ice and spikes,
*crack* *crack* *crack*
The spikes broke off and flew into the air as they pointed at Nick.
Nick stared at the spikes amazed at how things quickly happened.
He turned at Terla, smiling mysteriously.
His body glowed for a while and the thorns were shaken off.
His sword also glowed in the same colour as his eyes as he swung it gracefully forming a slash through the air that shattered all the ice spikes in its way.
"Sword aura!!" the audience became excited.
"Wow…, I didn't imagine that girl could force him to use the sword aura."
The sword slash rapidly reached Terla but she didn't flinch a little as a pale gold barrier appeared in front of her.
Surprisingly, the slash was stopped and shattered to pieces with a touch on the barrier.
However,
*cough*
'Terla!!!!'
Blood filled Terla's mouth and throat.
'What happened!?' Anna shouted with shock.
'Master!' Adair, Eleni, and several other spirits also cried in unison.
'She still can't control her magic yet, if this is continued, she might explode.' Adair's mom explained.
Anna was worried and frightened at the same time as she unrestrainedly held her head.
'It's my fault. I was so immersed in the battle that I forgot this fact.'
'Anna it's ok. She will be ok as long as she stops forcing out her magic.'
'Master,...'
'Miss Terla, you should surrender now.'
Their words made her blood taste like death but, 'I don't want to…'
Everyone was shocked by her answer.
Anna was also shaken but she felt like she understood her choice.
'Miss Terla, you would…'
'I said, I don't want to.'
'But…'
'Why? Why should I surrender? Every time….why should I be the one to give up? Just why?'
# # #
"Terla, I've been holding in to tell you but I must say this today. Do you know you are so annoying clinging onto a guy who doesn't like you?"
"Ahh…, what do you mean…?"
"See. You are so dumb. I can't understand what makes you think you stand on the same level as them. Just give up. You are not worth it."
"Sis, I know you like him but… why won't you just give up. He has no interest in you anyway."
"I know but…"
"Sis, don't take it personal but as a bro, I wanna advise you, you are being childish."
"Lord and Madam, take no offence but why don't you just marry young miss off? She has no hope now and this would be a better choice than spending a fortune to send her abroad."
*sigh*
"Who would accept a failure…"
# # #
"I don't wanna…"Tears flowed on her face as they mixed with blood.
'Terla, do you wanna beat him that much?'
'Anna!'
Everyone was blown away by her question but she was serious.
'Yes.'
'Miss Terla?!'
'Anna, what are you thinking? She might…'
'But, how would that be possible,....'
'Are you giving up on yourself already?'
'No, I am not. I…I wanna beat him even if it is still impossible till hell.'
'Then that's good. As long as you gather all the lights… I have a way.'
'Anna!'
'Stop. I know what I am doing.'
Terla got up from the floor. She knew she was on a brink of death, she might ultimately die on this very stage attempting to possibly leave a scratch on the man she once thought loved but she closed her eyes and smiled peacefully holding up her weak hands as they gathered all the lights.
The environment darkened immediately as all the lights were drawn towards Terla.
Terla's surroundings became so bright that even the sun in the middle of the sky seemed so dim.
"What is happening?"
"Did she just absorb all the lights?"
The whole of Orton was blanketed with complete darkness and Terla opened her eyes.
She and her eyes glowed in blinding gold light as she shaped the lights into a giant sword.
"Speak of justice, truth as power…. I command lights to defeat him." words spilled out from Terla's mouth but they were not her words…