*Lithdia*
I kicked the black-haired guy's turtle-shell-like shield as his companion ran off.
"Get back here!" I yelled, raising the earth around her.
Intense flames flew out of her feather-like pauldrons, melting the rock. The intensity of her fire reminded me of Bernard's flames.
The girl spun and around sent a razor wind at me. I ducked and charged at her.
"Oh, no you don't! Your opponent is me!" the dark-skinned guy said, jumping in front of his companion.
I smiled. "Persistent. You remind me of my teammates: a water mage and a big, bulky guy who can move fast. But I'll have you know, I'm the strongest of the Barragan three!" The guy stepped back as spikes rose out of the ground. Several of them got past his shield, impaling his legs.
He grinned as the girl took to the skies.
I jumped into the air and threw stones at her, but ice shields blocked them, deflecting them back at me. By leaning all of my weight toward my left, I avoided the rocks. This guy, he didn't seem like much during the Mahoulympics. Then again, apart from Iah and Isabel, the others didn't stand out much.
"Didn't think a sheet of ice could do that," I said, dusting myself off.
He held his hand out. "I'm just getting started."
Water spun around me.
"Water, huh?" I said, holding a hand out. My eyes widened as the water coiled around my arm. I grimaced as it crushed my arm.
The man soon regretted it as he was pushed back by sonic waves.
I gasped for air as the water coils fell to the ground. "Sound beats water," I said, dropping to one knee.
This guy, his magic was as dangerous as Anastasia's. Just who was he?
The man laughed as his right hand glowed cyan. "True, guess I should stick to my ice."
Ice crystals flew out of the ground in a straight line from his hand.
I formed a wall of earth and raised my hand. A stone pillar formed underfoot, raising toward the clouds.
"Eh? Does she seriously think going up that high will save her?" I could hear him say from far below. It was odd. My hearing was better than others, but not that good. Yet, it was as clear as day.
"You won't land another on me, because you'll be buried alive!" I slammed my hands in the pillar, causing it to shatter. The wave of dirt buried the outskirts of the forest and the surrounding area. Some of it even reached Sera's capital city, including Nia's beloved orphanage.
I smiled as I floated on a slab of rock. "Now, to find Isabel."
My eyes widened as a cyan beam tore through the lingering dust cloud. The surrounding dust swirled around me, creating a defensive sphere.
He survived?
I closed my eyes and formed 'pseudo eyes' from the dust. With them, I could project my vision outward and see what they could see. Sort of like sending out a drone.
My eyes fluttered open. Outside was a giant black turtle. So, he'd transformed at the last moment.
My barrier shook. Cold air seeped in, covering the interior in frost.
I scoffed and exploded the barrier. A cyan laser struck me in the stomach, sending me flying toward the forest.
A thick layer of ice covered me. If he were to hit me again, I could shatter like a dropped mug.
I held my hand out, drawing the dust still in the air toward me. Gathering into sand, I hit myself with it.
The Minese turtle stared at me with shocked eyes.
Once the cloud of sand vanished, it revealed an ice free me.
"Earth beats ice!" I yelled, transforming the sand into a giant lance and throwing it at the guy.
He retreated into his shell. The sand exploded upon contact with it.
I need more sand. The remnants of the crushed pillar that had fallen to the ground rose up as I raised a hand to the air once again.
"It's over!"
"What makes you think that?" a voice called out.
I gasped and turned around to see a girl who resembled the guy's human form. She had also participated in the games. Was she his twin sister? Where had she come from, though?
I pointed the giant lance at her. "Want to be the first to die?"
She smiled and transformed into a giant serpent, grabbing me. Her tail flung me toward a partially dried lake. A pillar of wind emerged from around the lake, ripping through the clouds above.
Ethan was using his oni transformation already? How powerful was his opponent?
I spun around, gathering stones around me and flew away to avoid getting caught in Ethan's wind pillar. Even though my base form was stronger than his, his oni form blew that out of the water.
Hopefully, Anastasia was having more success than us.
I tucked my arms in. Sound waves burst out of my hands as I spread my fingers out, shattering my defensive sphere.
There was no one at the edge of the forest. Had they left to meet back up with Isabel? But I'd only been gone for a few minutes. That girl could jump high, but she would be highly visible if that's how she was moving around so quickly.
I sighed. Maybe it was best to join back up with my team. No, Ethan and Ana could handle anything those guys could possibly throw their way.
I ran ahead. Ethan was giving it his all, and I was sure the same went for Ana. It would reflect badly on me if I slacked off.
"Team Barragan, you can do it!" I yelled.
"Hmm, you haven't succeeded yet? So much for an elite team," a voice called out behind me.
I turned around and saw a smirking redhead. How a guy who got beaten so badly years ago could have such a cocky smile was beyond me.
Not that he hadn't grown a lot since then.
I sighed. "What are you doing here?"
He walked past me and put his hand on my shoulder. "What? Can't a guy care about his fiancée?"
I gritted my teeth. "I'm not going to marry you."
He closed his eyes and snickered. "I doubt you would go against the system."
"I'm not. I'll be marrying the original person it had picked for me."
He raised an eyebrow. "Hew? What, are you going to kill Nia?"
I scoffed and removed his hand from me. "No. I am not like you."
He wrinkled his nose. "Who have I killed who wasn't an enemy? Nia might be from here but she is our ally."
I snorted.
Bernard spread out his arms and stepped back. "Are you alright?"
I clenched my stomach. "Y-yeah. It's just." Laughter escaped my lips. "I never expected to hear those words from you."
He crossed his arms and turned his back to me. "What do you take me for?"
I stopped laughing. "Well, an egoistical jerk."
He snickered. "Is that you begging me for a rematch?"
I shrugged. "No. I've already embarrassed you enough as it is, Nacho Boyo."
His face flushed. He ruffled the fluffy hair on the back of his head. "That was eight years ago, can't you forget about it?"
I giggled. "How can I?"
Bernard sighed and walked on ahead.
"Where are you off to?"
"To see how things are coming along the rest of your team. The leadership doesn't want any rebels in this forest by the end of today. General Boheart told me to burn it down if I must."
I gasped. "That's rather drastic, don't you think?"
He rubbed the back of his head again and sighed. "Yeah, this place is too humid and damp to burn down in one night."
"I meant burning down the entire place."
"Yeah, what I said."
I sighed and shook my head. Was he playing dumb or could he honestly not comprehend me?
"Alright. I'll go with you. I saw Ethan over by a dried up lake."
Bernard glance up at the sky. "That pillar of wind was his, no? What is that guy thinking using that form?"
"The enemy is stronger than you think."
He slid his hands into the pockets of his red coat. "Speaking from personal experience?"
I gritted my teeth and looked away. "Y-yes."
Bernard laughed. "Seems I was right. You three aren't as great as people make you out to be."
What? Did he think he and his team could do better than us?
"That so? Then stay out of this. Me and the others will hunt down the rebels without your help."
He stepped back. "If that's your wish, I'll comply this once. Just remember, this mission's success is of outmost importance. It goes beyond our teams."
I blinked.
Bernard tilted his head. "Why are you giving me that weird look this time?"
"That was oddly mature."
He laughed awkwardly. "You really are begging for a fight."
I walked ahead. "I'll put aside my pride this once, for the sake of the mission."
Bernard chuckled. "Good that you see it that way."
"Though, what about the rest of your group?"
"Gavin and Delphine will be fine without me. But if you're that concern, I can contact them."
I stared at the forest from the corner of my eyes. "Rather you don't. Knowing Delphine, she would come here."
"Did I hear our names?" a voice called out.
I turned around and groaned at the sight of the lilac-haired young woman. She dressed in a royal purple fur coat with white fur on the hood, bottom, and edges of the sleeves.
"What's with the getup?" I asked.
Delphine raised a hand toward her mouth and snickered. "What the daughter of two council members doesn't know fashion?"
I grumbled. "Yes, but that isn't adequate for the forest."
She scoffed. "I wasn't planning to enter it, Lili."
I narrowed my eyes at her. Who did she think she was, calling me that? Only Tam and Benny could call me that.
"Then why are you here?" I snapped.
She stepped. "My, my. How violent. Obviously, your parents failed to teach you any manners. Even that little brother of yours can be rather impolite despite being so silent."
I sighed. "Whatever, I'm wasting my time talking to you."
Delphine ran over and hugged Bernard. "If you must know, I came to check up on my dear Bern. He ran off all of a sudden as if worried about something."
I raised an eyebrow at him. What was he worried about?
Bernard pushed her away. "I wasn't worried. General Boheart told me to assess the situation is all."
"Oh? Why didn't he tell the two of us that?"
The blond haired man dressed in a white coat with blue lining scoffed. "Speak for yourself, Delphine."
Delphine swung her head toward him. "What? You knew? Why was I the only one left out?"
"Maybe because of your getup," I muttered before walking away. Bern was already bad enough, Delphine was only could to hold me back further. It was best to ditch them now.
"Hey! Don't run off by yourself!" Bernard said, running after me.
"I'll be fine by myself, I'm an adult woman."
"Haha, she must be jealous," Delphine's voice echoed.
I blew at my bangs. Yeah, right. Like I would be jealous of that witch. She could keep Bernard for all I cared. Ana and Ethan were the ones I worried about.
**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed the chapter ^^. Thoughts? Theories?**