Yuki, leisurely firing arrows, glanced at the forming crowd and spoke with a smirk, "Looks like we have an audience. Let's put on a more interesting show.
Dodging and slicing through her barrage, Jaylen responded, "Well then, I'll go first."
Silver sparks began to appear and fly off his body, growing larger until his figure blurred with speed. All the arrows flying at him were instantly cut down in a quick flash of silver lightning.
"Heh, heh. How do you like my new trick? I think I'll call it; Thunder God technique: Formless Lightning," Jaylen said as he reappeared in a flurry of lightning. "It works well with my Lightning Blitz technique."
Yuki, nodding, retorted, "Yeah, it's a nice trick, but that's all it is. Allow me to show you the difference between us now so this fight can be over." As she finished speaking, the air around her became frigid, ice and frost spreading across the ground.
Jaylen's eyes widened in shock as he realized the significance of her words.
"I guess among us, now you're the only one left with a lineage in slumber. I thought you would have noticed, but I was wrong." Her words hit Jaylen hard, leaving him conflicted but also happy for her.
Yet, there was no time to dwell on his thoughts as Yuki was already in front of him. She lifted her leg and landed a direct hit on his stomach, sending him flying.
"Gaa!" Jaylen's pained groan filled the air as he tumbled across the ground, finally stopping himself by landing on his feet, clutching his stomach in agony.
Any further and he would have been done for he thought looking at the edge of the plateau not far from where he stood.
But Yuki wasn't done; she was upon him again, this time landing a right hook to his face. Jaylen tried to counter, but Yuki anticipated his move and countered instead, landing another punch.
She didn't let up, delivering a relentless one-sided beating. Most of the crowd watching winced at some of the hits before cheering louder, captivated by the intense display of power and skill.
The atmosphere was electric, the tension palpable. Yuki's strikes were precise and brutal, each blow resonating with the sound of raw power.
Her icy aura intensified, creating a stark contrast against Jaylen's lightning-infused defense. The ground around them cracked and froze under Yuki's assault, while Jaylen's sparks flickered and danced in defiance.
Yuki's relentless assault was a spectacle of grace and ferocity. Each movement was fluid, each strike powerful.
Her eyes, now a vivid light blue, glowed with determination and fury. The crowd's cheers grew louder, a mix of awe and excitement as they watched the fierce duel.
But how exactly did Yuki change so much? How did she grow so much stronger to contend with Jaylen her superior in close combat? To answer that we have to go back a day ago.
***
12/21/97
"Alright Yuki listen up" With the wind howling like a distant wolf, Miss Xirenia stood poised at a distance, her gaze locked onto Yuki.
The cavern of never-ice loomed around them, its icy walls shimmering under the eerie light, creating an atmosphere thick with tension and anticipation.
"You've awakened to your lineage as an Ice phoenix and now that you can control your aura, we need to go over another important detail. Your relationship with Jaylen" Yuki's brows furrowed deeply, a sharp edge to her gaze as Miss Xirenia's words sank in.
"There's no relationship to talk about" Yuki snapped back, her voice tight and brittle, like she was holding her turmoil together with sheer will.
Miss Xirenia smacked her forehead, a sigh escaping her lips, "See this is what I mean"
"Every time it's anything related to Jaylen you become defensive like a turtle hiding in its shell. You lose all that determination and spunk you had"
Yuki opened her mouth to defend herself. But Miss Xirenia's next words left her frozen.
"I guess that's what love is, but even then for you, it is a bit more complicated"
Yuki's heart raced, its rhythm rumbling like an approaching thunderstorm. Heat surged to her cheeks, blooming across her skin—a fire trapped beneath ice.
The world around her dulled, sounds and shapes slipping away like forgotten memories. Miss Xirenia's figure blurred, vanishing step by step, as though written in sand and carried off by the wind—lost to the pull of Yuki's spiraling thoughts.
She loved him, that much she knew, But she also hated him or did she? She had asked herself this question hundreds if not thousands of times and every time she came up with the same answer, She didn't know.
To her, hate and love were two sides of the same coin. It didn't matter if she hated or loved someone at least she felt something for them, it was better than the coldness everyone else received.
Her family and her past had shaped this mentality.
Jaylen who she loved was the only person she could blame for the death of the person she loved like-a-sister Silvaria. Yuki knew he didn't do it but who else could she blame, he could have tried to do more or even sacrificed his own life for hers.
And then there was her family. Being born into a family of witches and warlocks without having what made them witches and warlocks, Yuki expected the family to treat her like dust in a corner.
But her Mother and Sister showed favor toward her, treating her like family. Something so small, minuscule, wouldn't even be mentioned in the history books was enough for the rest of the family to hate her to the point she had to move for her own safety after multiple attempts at her life.
But it didn't stop there, many wanted to form relationships with her for a myriad of reasons the most prominent being; her wealth, her family, or even her body.
Yuki's cold exterior protected her, much like Jaylen's princely persona shielded him. But in the end masks crack and around Jaylen, Yuki's always dissolved faster than sugar in hot water.
And maybe that was Miss Xirenia's complaint that every time Jaylen got involved she'd shrink back, how would she grow as a person and lead a family like the Orpheus family if the only time she could be useful was when Jaylen wasn't?
No, she couldn't have that. She wanted to go farther than that as high as she could, if gods were something of the past then she would bring them to the future.
A sigh stronger than the winds of a hurricane and deeper than the darkest abyss sounded echoing Yuki's thoughts.
Her lips stretched into a thin smirk. Her eyes once a fiery red now matched the icy walls of the cavern, a flicker of determination brighter than the sun danced in her eyes.
"Seems you understand now" Miss Xirenia's words echoed in the cavern, reminding her of the other person's presence.
Yuki simply nodded, believing that her actions would speak louder than any words she could say.
"Great, now that we fixed your aura problem, you'll no longer act like a love-sick brat. You just need to understand the difference between you and Jaylen."
"We'll have a small spar here, come at me with the intent to kill." With a subtle yet inviting gesture, Miss Xirenia flicked her finger, signaling Yuki to approach her.
Yuki lunged forward, dropping low in one motion. Her leg swept out in a sharp arc, aiming for Miss Xirenia's ankles. But Miss Xirenia sidestepped, her feet gliding like water across the ground.
In the same breath, her leg lashed out–fast and ruthless–toward Yuki's head. Yuki careened out of the way, her shoulder hitting the ground hard.
Her teeth gritted in frustration as she sprang to her feet. But the attack she was waiting for never arrived.
Miss Xirenia stood there, her back straightened, her gaze lingering idly on Yuki's figure. "Is that all Yuki? I was hoping for something… Challenging." her tone was light, almost conversational.
Yuki charged forward, muscles strained as she aimed a jab at Miss Xirenia's abdomen. But Miss Xirenia merely tilted her body last moment, the movement so slight it seemed more like an afterthought than an act of defense.
Her lips curved into a faint, unimpressed smirk, barely acknowledging Yuki's effort "This is the difference between you and him"
"He understands his strengths and weaknesses, something you don't. He's quicker, more resilient, and better at close combat."
"On the other hand, you have better eyesight, are good at long-range combat, and can use magic much more easily." Miss Xirenia paused for a bit letting her words sink in, before continuing.
"If you utilize your strengths properly, you'll be able to use his own strengths against him to even the playing field." Miss Xirenia explained, her tone a touch softer than before.
"We'll train some more so that when the time comes you can let the world hear the cry of the phoenix"
"Yes, Miss Xirenia!" Yuki shouted, excitement and determination surging through her veins like an endless fire, as she sprinted toward Miss Xirenia to begin another bout.