Ara Aoki POV
The obstacle course we were participating in made us first go through the forest then into a snow biome then there will be a portal which we go through which will teleport us to a dessert area until we reach back to the stadium through another portal.
This is going to be pretty hard even to do plus the added difficulty of being the first 100 people to finish it.
People who have wings such as fairies and dragons aren't allowed to use their wings as it would sort of be like a cheat. And beast tamers with wings also can't be used.
But this adds more difficulty as everyone will be on the ground. You are allowed to fight each other, but I think that will be a waste of time.
Everyone starts at the stadium for the beginning of the race. Only have 2 hours and 30 miniutes to complete the race, it may sound like a lot of time but it really isn't.
This time the screen for the race will only be put in certain areas so it doesn't show an individual. I feel like Rosella and Beatrice will use this to their advantage.
Maybe I hould tell my friends about these problems, but I don't want to trouble and worry them.
Okay, I'll tell them after the race, I hope they'll believe me though. No point stressing about it now i have a more important matter at hand.
We hear the announcer say "Everyone who is participating must be in the stadium. The race will begin shortly."
I get ready for the race. My plan is to propel myself in the air using wind magic to get ahead of the crowd. I'm not to sure what obstacles will be in the forest and where the actual portal is.
I also question who even made these portals since you need to be knowledgeable about space and time and have the actual element. Maybe people in the past actually was knowledgeable about this element or it came from the fallen angel.
Then I hear the announcer saying the race will begin in 10 seconds. I get ready to use my magic when it begins.
When he said go everyone began dashing or using their magic not caring about their surroundings. Many people fell to the ground. Groaning in pain, but they quickly forced themselves back up. Luckily I avoided getting hit. I swiftly pass, unnoticed by anyone.
I was near the front of the crowd. I saw all my friends, Rosella and Beatrice along with some people I don't really recognize. I do remember seeing some of them around the school, I think some of them are big shots and well known in the academy. The others seem quite mysterious and kind of give me a bad feeling.
I brush those nagging feelings aside and keep dashing through the forest. I haven't seen anything so far.
But the minute i thought that i see something coming at me. I quickly dodge. It seems to be a bear type beast.
The bear on hind legs was taller than any man and he swayed this way and that as he watched me. It's teeth were exposed in an angry fashion. They were sharp, white daggers, hanging inside a dark moist cave.
It looks quite ferocious and strong. I quickly deploy some water magic to create a knife like object to stab. I hear a ear wrenching shriek come from the beast. I wasn't afraid at all, worried maybe a little but that's it. I've faced assassins and more. After all to society I was wasn't wjat people considered normal.
After mere seonds I slay the creature with my katana by stabbing it through the heart. It let out one last horrific screach before falling to the ground. I wipe my hands with a napkin.
My eyes dart to the left of me.
I sense more monsters. A herd appeard one by one. They were probably attracted by the screach. Each seemed quite weak, it would just be a hastle to deal with one at a time. I could either fight all of them or run. I decided on the latter.
I wipe the sweat gathered on my forehead with my sleeve. When I was running I realised all the low level beast seemed to have a major boost in power. Much more then they should.
And I feel like there were too many beast attacking me then there should. I had like a dozen of creatures after me. Plus they weren't weak animals they were like wolves and bears that acted really ferocious.
If I'm being honest they could have cornered me if I were any weaker, they acted quite peculiar. I don't think the beasts in this forest should have been here as they could easily kill people.
Suddenly I get a surprise attack from the back. A bear slashes my back harshly. The pain was excruciating. Blood was dripping like a river from my back. I quickly killed it with the dagger. It slashes across the beast neck causing blood to splatter everywhere.
I couldn't heal the wounds to well since it would waste too much time. Something seems to blocking my magic sense.
I see the other beast dash towards me. I make a water ring to try and keep them away from me. I try and climb the trees to get away. I see a snake suddenly and it tries to strike me. Trying to bite me with it's sharp fangs. I grab it and swiftly kill it. The eyes of the snack was an unnatural color of ruby red. I decide it wasn't safe up on trees either and descend to the ground.
I get covered in dirt and water from tracking through the forest. I see a monkey nearby and it snatches one of my things. By the time I caught it a bright light blinded me.
I suddenly see the portal in a close proximity. I dash towards it. I need to finish this race quickly, i might already be behind everyone.
Once I go through the portal I immediately find myself in the snow biome. It was freezing cold and didn't help my wound feel any better. I rub my arms trying to warm my body, i was shivering in my boots. I quickly create a small flickering flame.
My feet left imprints in the snow as I heard the snow crunching beneath my feet. Snowflakes came down like a blizzard melting once it made contact with my skin.
I see a pack of wolves coming to me, probably attracted by the scent of blood. Each looking as they hadn't eaten in days. I don't think students would be able to handle any of this at all if they were weaker then me. Plus it's suspicious there aren't any other students here. I cock a brow. Rummaging in my pocket for the crystal just in case if anything I wouldn't be able to handle occured.
I reach into my pocket to take out the crystal just in case but feel nothing.
Then i remember something that happend just before the race.
•Flashback•
Rosella 'accidently' hits me, knocking me to the ground.
"I'm so sorry Ara. I accidently hit you. Let me help you up."
I refuse her offer and get up myself. She then says how I had dirt all over my body and started patting me down. She then walked away with a smirk which made me lift a brow.
•Flashback End•
She might have taken the crystal then. No time to worry about it now. I just have to make it to the end. I'm sick of her schemes. But that is the least of my worries.
But it was extremely difficult to do due to the windy weather making it not only hard to get away in but also hard to see through due to all the wind and snow. Plus I had a major disadvantage since my magical sense was disturbed. My eyesight only could see about 1 metre ahead of me.
The snow became so thick that the trees appeared as the confetti, as if they were the flakes that danced. There is nothing friendly about the snow outside; it falls thick enough to blind any traveller by foot or vehicle. The gale whips each flake, so pretty on its own, into a projectile that hurts unguarded skin. The sky above has none of the light that noon-time should have, so thick are the black clouds.
As the white flakes whirl around me in an angry vortex I am as alone as I would be in the bleakness of space and cold, so cold. I reach out with gloved hand to guide my way but it is swallowed before it has gone even a few inches.
To save my eyes from the blinding white I must narrow them until they are almost shut, and all the while the wind rages without end, only reducing its ferocity long enough to gather the strength for another attack.
All my heart can do is beat warm blood around my veins in a hope that the storm will end, all my mind can do is plan the most logical path to warmth, safety and to something more tangible than light and snow.
Suddenly I feel a sudden shock of pain on my arm, I quickly slay the beast that bite me. The flames that kept me warm faded away. I tried to restart it, but to no avail. I sigh in slight frustration. Non of my magic seemed to be working. I could have easily beaten this if I had my magic power but after being bitten it seems to have gone no matter how I hard I try to muster something.
This will only make this race harder then it already is. I clenched my fist until they had gone white and gritted my teeth. Pain passes through my mind. I hold my face, taking in deep breath to calm myself from the anger boiling inside me. It was as if it were about to erupt. Something was going on, I'm not usually this upset over he wicked schemes.
I shake my head. No time to worry, I'll figure it out afterwards.
------------------
Flakes pelt against frozen cheeks, cling to eyelashes and hair. Numbs exposed skin, pain in fingertips and toes, creates an exhausting chore to break a trail through accumulative snow drifts.
Shivering, teeth begin to chatter and characters hug themselves to stay warm. Breath warms face briefly before sucked away by the cold. Dry, aching throat from thirst and cold. Wind will cut through clothing, chaps lips, forces eyes into a squint, watery eyes. Discomfort arises from snow drifting down collar of coat, into shoes and boots, and between mittens and cuffs.
I could only tread onwards, the cold slowly consuming me. I squint my eyes, in the distance a cave slowly comes to view. For now I should seek refuge to articulate a plan.
I slump down on the rock, raising a hand to my face as I take in an shaky breath. Puffs of white come out of my icy lips. The sounds of loud stomping could be heard. Coming in my direction. I spring up.
The regular blade in hand, no enhancements cast on it. I already knew I was no match with no magic to what I was dreading were to appear. I feel a gust of strong wind, my reflects activate and I quickly duck. Avoiding the large fist covered with fur.
I slide underneath it slashing it stomach as I passed through under it. Blood splatters all over my body and face. A blood wrenching escapes it mouth. It resonated loudly through the hollow ice cave. The beast quickly throws another punch at me which I swiftly dodge.
But what I didn't expect was it to launch icicles at me with magic. I quickly create an ice shield but it was easily broken. I fly back and hit the wall harshly. I cough out blood dur to the impact. I whimper in pain as it touched my wound in the back. I breath heavily trying to calm myself down. I hold the wound that had blood continuously coming out of it.
I grip the dagger tightly aiming for a clean cut to the beast neck. It howls in pain before collapsing to the floor. I cut open it's chest to pull out a magic crystal that could be useful for later on in the race. I stagger to try and find another entrance out since the place witch I oriinally came from got blocked by boulder
I look around an spot a small entrance. What surprised me when I walked in was a portal. This definitely isn't one the students would use. Next to it was a dead skeleton. Rags covered it body and a fragment lay next to it.
I was hesitant to touch it but there wasn't anything much to lose. I bend down, a drop of blood feel onto it. A black fog comes out of it, I cover my eyes instinctively with my hand.
"Welcome destined one. If you are hearing this I am no longer alive. Finish my quest, collect the 5 fragments. The rest is up to you. I can only tell you this much. Good luck in your journey."
I just look at the piece of metal in confusion before stuffing it in my pocket for later. Everything seems to be hitting me like a truck. I walk through the portal.
-------------------------
I find myself in the final biome, the desert biome. I see large sand dunes and just a deserted sandy land. There was a dust storm. I shaded my eyes and peered away across the broken waste of desert. In the distance I could just see a humongous sink hole ahead.
The cruel sun beat down, it's one malevolent eye unblinking, and the sky was it's co-conspirator with not even a wisp of cloud to soften the harsh rays. The lizards took shelter in the shadows of the rocks where the sand was not hot enough to roast them, but there was no shade large enough for us. Each step sunk into the searing sand, the air was thick and hazy, each breath like drowning in larva.
I could the faint sounds of screams. But it was blocked off from all the sand. Something slowly emerges from the sand. A gigantic sand worms appears and charges towards my direction. I doubt a measly dagger would kill them in one strike, especially if there were no enhancements.
I could only run straight towards the worms and dodge their attacks as the other directions are nearly not passable. I guess my only choice is to face them head on as I can't seem to escape. Suddenly I remember the magic stone that I took from the monster in the snow biome. I should be able to convert it into ice magic until the essence inside runs out.
I dash up there large bodies with the help of an ice pillar. It pierves right into their chest and slice through their entire body as I descend to the ground. Blood splattered all over my body but I just ignore it.
I enhanced my swords power as I decrease the temperature of the blade and add sharp spikes. I sliced through the bodies of the worms like butter. I could tell the other sand worms were angry as loud shrieks could be heard as they charge towards me.
I make a domino effect amd they all fall down as I charged towards them. While they were down I used this to my advantage and try to kill as many of them before they escape. I plowered through them like a truck.
I slashed madly, stabbing them in the heart, stomach or wherever. But I got a little careless and they attacked me with their acid.
Luckily it didn't hit me, but it disintegrated my suit which had been protecting my body. Preventing me from getting hypothermia or poisoned.
Soon the was just a large pile of dead sand worms. I sat down on the sand exhausted. I felt accomplished and rook a deep breath. I coughed out blood. Using the sword to hold me up.
I sense someone presence behind me. Once I turn around I realise it was Rosella. She pushes me into the sink hole.
When she pushed me Rosella had the biggest smirk across her face. I was falling at a rapid speed, I had to think of something quick or I could die.
I see a small twig on the aide, I have to grab it quick and at the right time. I find the perfect moment and grab it.
"How pathetic. Being played like a fool over and over again. I'm so stupid
Why did I think even for a second that maybe I was strong. How conceited of me."
"No your not big brother. Stop being such a bimbi. I didn't die for you silly butt to tjink like this. You still have to play otome games for me and collect the limited edition merchandise!
Pick your lazy ass up, You didn't raise me like this. Your stronger then you know. I don't care what others think. Not everyone's strong. Not everyone's like a Mary sue like in the novels. And most importantly no one can replace you."
"Lil sis.... I never got to say. I love you!!"
"I know. I know you love me like I do for you and a little more then my fav otome game. So please for me stay strong even when it gets hard. Just know I'm by your side forever....."
A tears drop falls from my face. Thank you lil sis. I'll see you soon. But I don't know if I can take this pain anymore but I will carry the pain for you and me even if it kills me. I know that's what she would say.
(Clarification he imagined that's what his sister would say at him at this time. But further in ...... spoiler)
I gather ice magic in my palm and create ice stairs. I dash up down, adrenaline seemed to fill my whole body as I sprint up the stairs at an inhumane speed. Plus all the pain that I should be feeling which had been inflicted on me couldn't be felt.
(A/N Let it goooo!!!- if you didn't knoiw the ice stairs reminded me of the first movie in let it go XD)
I finally get back onto the surface after what seemed like forever. I probably can't proceed to the next round at this rate. No I can't think like that, look how much I have gone through to get here no use in giving up or all my hard work will be wasted. Plus my sisters watching me and I can't disappoint her.
My vision was clouded, my head was spinning and ached in pain. A stagger to where I could faintly see the portal in the distance.
Suddenly I feel a sharp pain on my back.
"I don't know how you were able to survive but this will be where you die."
I could here her chuckle without any mercy and sympathy in her life. She looked like a crazy psycho. I punch her right across the face, knocking some teeth out in the process.
"I suggest you don't ever come near me again or you will regret it. I've had enough of your little games. So scram."
(A/N begone thot!)
She trembles in fear holding her bleeding mouth,
"You wretched brat how dare you do that. I was going to end your life quickly but now I'll do it real slow and painful now brat."
She swings the sharp knife recklessly, I fling it away. I slowly approach her. She staggers back falling onto her butt.
"I showed you mercy. Be glad your not dead yet."
I turn around leaving her shivering in fear.
Once i get through i felt like my head was going to break i heard the announcer say "That is the 100th racer......" When he looked at me he paused and look stupefied. I turn slowly to him giving him a death glare.
I feel a hand grab my wrist.
"Piss off."
The person shivers in fear before scrambling off. I sigh holding my throbbing head.
I turn to my friends who stood frozen. Lily is the first to break me from the trance. Running to me worried.
"Are you alright Ara! Wait obviously not since your so injured!"
Suddenly everything hit me like a truck. I look at her approaching figure. My coniousness fading in and out until everything goes black.
Just for a little while, grant me peace
.
.
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