After the duel with the goblin concluded and the laughter died down, I started making my way back toward the rest of the class.
But then, just as the class seemed ready to disperse, a figure stepped forward from the crowd, catching everyone's attention.
A girl—a demon girl—walked toward me with purposeful steps. Her red hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her red eyes seemed to glow with intensity. She wore the same Blackstone uniform as the rest of us, but she carried herself with an aura of power, like someone who had tasted victory more than once.
The murmurs started immediately.
"Wait… is that—?"
"The Lightning Princess…"
"She's the fourth strongest student in the academy. And a council member."
I tensed. Of course, this would happen on my first day. I had barely gotten through one duel, and now this. But the whispers were right. Even from where I stood, I could sense that her magical presence was stronger than most of the others in the class.
She stopped a few feet away, folding her arms across her chest, and fixed me with a cold, calculating gaze. "Prince Aiden," she said, her voice steady but challenging, "I challenge you to a duel."
Silence fell over the training grounds, even Rael went quiet. All eyes turned to me, waiting to see how I'd respond. The air grew thick with anticipation, and I could feel the pressure building.
A duel? With her? Why?
If I refused, I could already see the consequences: whispers about the prince being weak, a coward on his first day.
I couldn't have that.
I straightened my posture and met her gaze, trying to match her intensity. "I accept your challenge."
More murmurs rippled through the crowd. I could hear snippets of their conversations.
"He accepted?"
"No way... she's one of the strongest in the academy."
"This is going to be good."
The teacher, who had been observing quietly from the sidelines, stepped forward again, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. "Alright, another duel. Let's make this official." She turned toward the demon girl. "Nyla, I trust you'll keep this duel within the academy's rules."
Nyla—so that was her name—nodded but didn't take her eyes off me. "Of course."
The teacher stepped back to the edge of the grounds, signaling for us to take our positions.
As I walked to the center of the field, Rael caught my arm. "Aiden, are you sure about this?They call her the Lightning Princess for a reason. She's one of the best here, not to mention that she is on the council."
"I know," I said, keeping my voice calm. "But I've got no choice, do I?"
Rael didn't seem convinced, but he nodded, stepping back with the rest of the class to watch.
Nyla stood across from me, her eyes gleaming with determination. Her reputation was well-deserved. The energy around her crackled like static electricity, her magical aura practically radiating power.
This wasn't going to be as simple as the goblin duel.
The teacher raised her hand once again. "Begin!"
Before I could even blink, Nyla was gone. A flash of lightning shot toward me, and I barely managed to sidestep as she appeared out of nowhere, inches away. She moved so fast it was like trying to follow the wind itself.
"Too slow," she taunted, her voice echoing as she blurred out of sight again. I could feel the crackle of lightning in the air, hear the faint hum of electricity building.
She reappeared to my left, her fist coated in electrical energy. I dodged again, but just barely. The force of the lightning struck the ground where I had been standing, leaving scorch marks in the dirt.
I could tell she was trying to wear me down, to test my limits. Each time she struck, she moved faster, the lightning around her crackling louder. But there was something she hadn't realized yet.
I never felt tired.
Her strikes were precise, her speed unmatched by anyone I had faced before, but she was still missing me. Barely, but missing. I knew it was only a matter of time before she realized her mistake.
She appeared in front of me again, this time charging straight at me with her hand outstretched, lightning dancing between her fingers. "I've got you this time!"
But my foresight had already shown me what was coming.
I sidestepped again, and as she passed me, I summoned a gust of wind, just strong enough to throw off her balance. She stumbled slightly, eyes widening in surprise.
For the first time since the duel started, she slowed down.
I smirked. "You're fast, but that won't be enough."
Her eyes narrowed. "I'm not done yet."
She shot forward again, this time even faster. Lightning crackled around her entire body as she moved, the sheer force of her speed kicking up dust around us. I could feel the energy building as she prepared for a final, massive strike.
But I was ready. My foresight flashed again, showing me her path, her next move. She was going to strike with everything she had, hoping to overwhelm me in one decisive blow.
I raised my hand, gathering a small amount of my own magic. A wave of water surged up from the ground, swirling around me in a protective barrier just as she lunged forward -thank you science.Her lightning clashed with the water, sending sparks flying in every direction.
The water absorbed most of the impact, and I felt a slight tingle of electricity, but nothing more. Nyla, on the other hand, was thrown back by the electrocution of her own attack.
She landed on her feet, breathing heavily, her eyes wide with shock. "How...?"
I shrugged, letting the water fall away as I stepped toward her. "You're strong, Nyla. Really strong. But this was never going to be a fair fight."
Her shoulders slumped slightly as the realization sank in. She had given it her all, and it hadn't been enough.
The teacher clapped her hands again, signaling the end of the duel. "Aiden wins."
There was a stunned silence for a moment before the murmurs started again.
"He actually won."
"He beat Nyla?"
"The prince is no joke."
Rael rushed up to me, his grin wider than ever. "Aiden, that was incredible! You really showed her!"
I smiled back, though I could feel the weight of the attention now. Winning was one thing, but I could already tell that this wasn't going to make my time at Blackstone any easier.
Nyla, to her credit, walked over and extended her hand. "That was impressive. I underestimated you, but you deserve this win."
I hesitated for a moment before shaking her hand. "You were strong, too."
She smirked. "Don't get too comfortable. I'll win next time."