"You're strong for your age. Want to spar?" Agnes asked, her tone challenging, clearly eager to test my strength against hers.
I had no doubts about my abilities. At the Royal Palace, I'd trained with the best, defeating every opponent my age and stage. But Agnes was different. Her innate ability was something I hadn't encountered before—something tied to memories, which could be dangerous in a real fight. It was clear that the bandit leader had worn an anti-illusion artifact, making him immune to her power. I had wanted to keep that artifact, but when I returned, Agnes had already crushed it in disgust because it belonged to "that scum."
"Only if you go all out and use your innate ability to its full extent," I replied, my eyes narrowing.
She nodded, understanding the challenge. She must have realized the difference in our physical capabilities, but that wouldn't matter if she could get inside my head.
We moved away from our temporary camp, finding a clear space in the forest where we wouldn't attract unwanted attention. We stood 20 meters apart, our swords drawn, eyes locked in anticipation. The night cloaked the surroundings, but with our enhanced vision, we saw each other clearly. We agreed to limit our strength, not wanting to cause too much damage or risk attracting danger.
The moment stretched thin between us before we lunged forward, our swords clashing in a sharp, metallic "clang." I parried her strike and immediately cast a gust of wind in her direction. She dodged gracefully, her movements fluid as she circled around me, sending a barrage of wooden spears my way. Her magic was swift and precise.
I moved out of the way, but the spears pursued me relentlessly, guided by her intent. I slashed through them with ease, my blade moving in a blur. But while I was focused on the spears, Agnes had closed the distance, her sword aiming for my back.
Just as her attack was about to connect, I cast "Repel," a spell that sent her flying backward, breaking her momentum. For a moment, I thought I had the upper hand, but then the world around me shifted.
The forest melted away, replaced by the roaring sound of a waterfall. I stood by the edge, sword in hand, as the mist from the falls cooled the air around me. And there, in the distance, sat someone I hadn't expected to see.
Her.
My heart pounded in my chest, faster and harder. She was the last person I wanted to see, especially here, in the middle of this fight. My focus wavered, the memory of my past life rushing to the forefront of my mind. I hadn't looked directly into Agnes's eyes after our initial clash, but it seemed her ability didn't need eye contact to work. She'd pulled me into a memory—one I'd tried so hard to bury.
"Aurora," I muttered softly, my voice barely audible over the sound of the waterfall. Her name slipped from my lips as I stared at her, unable to look away. Her beautiful black hair flowed freely in the wind, cascading down her back like a dark, silken waterfall. She wore a black evening gown that clung to her figure, accentuating her every curve. To me, she was the most beautiful person in the world, the one who had held my heart captive for as long as I could remember.
She turned to look at me, her eyes sparkling as she smiled, a smile that had always made my heart skip a beat. "What are you standing there for? Come on, sit here," she said, her voice as gentle and inviting as ever. She gestured for me to sit beside her, and I found myself moving towards her without hesitation, as if completely under her spell.
"Look how beautiful the scenery is," she said, her gaze fixed on the waterfall and the vibrant greenery that surrounded us.
"Yeah," I muttered softly, my voice distant. The scenery was, without a doubt, the most breathtaking I had ever seen, but my focus was entirely elsewhere. The only thing I was looking at, the only thing that mattered to me in that moment, was her. Aurora was my world, the center of everything, and no matter how beautiful the surroundings were, nothing could compare to the way she looked right then, sitting by the waterfall, her presence overwhelming my every thought.