Vega's POV
Ah, the smell of competition in the air. Crisp morning breeze, sunlight dancing through the trees like a cheesy movie montage, and me, standing in the center of the arena looking like a badass.
No pressure, right?
I scanned the crowd. Everyone was hyped up, waiting for my final fight in this stupid tournament. To be honest, I couldn't care less about the crowd's expectations.
I was here to show one person something: Clary Mayer, you messed with the wrong person.
Clary's face? Unreadable, as usual. But I could feel her excitement radiating. She'd trained day and night for this rematch. Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that she'd been such an insufferable brat after my first win, I might've admired her persistence.
Maybe.
Anyway, gear check.
Dagger? Check.
Scorpion spear? Check.
Sword in hand? Check.
I was armed to the teeth. Clary was about to get a reality check-no magic, no tricks, just pure skill.
Then, Clary decided to open the fight with a little magic-classic move. The ground rumbled beneath my feet, like an earthquake was trying to warn me.Great, now we had skeletons. Awesome. Just what I needed.
A skeleton warrior, about as menacing as a cheap Halloween decoration, rose from the earth. I raised an eyebrow. "Really, Clary? You can't win with just your own skill?"She didn't respond, which was fine. I wasn't here to have a polite conversation. I dodged the skeleton's first swing with a roll.
Easy.
But just as I thought it was over, Clary raised a barrier around herself like she was in some kind of magical glass house. Ah, cheating. My favorite.
I smirked. "You really think that's going to stop me?"
---
Alya's POV
I didn't usually like watching fights.
Too much violence.
But today? Today was different.
I had to see this-Vega's final fight. She'd been unstoppable in all her other matches, but Clary? She wasn't going to let it go that easily.
The crowd was buzzing with excitement. Even I could feel the tension building in the air.
And Vega?
She was handling it like a pro, her every movement sharp and effortless."She's amazing," I muttered to Rose, who was too focused on the fight to notice me.Rose grunted. "Yeah, well, Clary's cheating. She's not supposed to use magic."I had to agree. The skeleton Clary summoned looked way too real to be just some conjured creature. But Vega didn't flinch. She was moving like the fight didn't even matter, slipping past the skeleton's strikes with ease.
---
Vega's POV
Clary's smug little smile almost made me laugh. The skeleton was relentless, swinging its sword like it was trying to chop down a tree.
News flash, buddy, I'm faster than that.
I parried its first few strikes easily, but then... it pulled out a second sword. Now, that wasn't in the script. Clary had a real thing for bending the rules.
How original.
I could feel the cold creeping in, the shadows making everything feel a little... darker.
My least favorite kind of magic: the kind that plays with fear.
Great, just what I needed-a spooky skeleton and an endless supply of darkness. Why don't we just throw in a haunted house while we're at it?
I felt the familiar shiver down my spine. Darkness? Cold? Not today, buddy. I rolled my shoulders, shaking off the tension. "You think a little spooky magic's gonna scare me? You've got another thing coming."
---
Alya's POV
It was like watching a slow-motion disaster unfold. I could see Vega's discomfort, just for a split second. The shadows surrounding her were playing with her fears. But I knew better than to doubt her. She'd been through worse than this.
Rose, as usual, was looking like she was about to punch something. "She's scared, but she's not going to lose to this," she muttered, more to herself than to me.
I nodded. I couldn't let myself worry.
I had to trust Vega. I had to trust that she'd pull through.
---
Vega's POV
I hated the way the darkness made my stomach turn.
Okay, fine. I get it, Clary. You've got some spooky powers.
But you know what? I'm still me.
The skeleton lunged again, its rusted sword coming down like a death sentence. Bring it on.
I sidestepped the swing with a spin, my sword flashing out in a quick, clean strike. The skeleton was quick-almost too quick-but I was quicker. I ducked low, slid beneath its guard, and with a swift twist of my wrist, I chopped its head clean off.
The crowd gasped. As if they'd never seen anyone decapitate a skeleton before.
I didn't wait for applause. I didn't need it. I stamped my foot, crushing the skull beneath my heel. It crumbled to dust, and I turned my attention back to Clary.
---
Alya's POV
I held my breath. It was over. Vega had done it. The arena erupted into cheers, but I couldn't stop staring at her. She'd just destroyed that skeleton with the same ease as brushing off a bad joke.
"She did it," I whispered.
Rose let out a breath, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Of course she did. She's Vega."
And there it was.
Vega wasn't just a fighter.
She was a force of nature.
TO BE CONTINUED...