4 – Counterattack

I am not confident enough, but I didn’t bother to spend last night in training or preparing or anything. If Princess Pele will see it, it might just look that I am really nothing compared to her. I don’t like her ego to soar higher even more.

“You sure about this?” Aellah asked as I am fixing my uniform and green robe, the attire for freshmen.

I nodded and heard her sighing.

I lost count on that. She’s been doing that ever since we woke up, or maybe even after my talk with Princess Pele.

“You know she can expel you after the battle.” I faced the worrisome Aellah and let out a soft chuckle.

“I’ve been living in a secluded tree top since birth, it wouldn’t hurt me if I am going back there. But of course, I won’t lose without even fighting.” she pouted after I winked at her.

“Whatever. Just do your best Naia.” she patted my shoulder and we decided to head out our room.

Well, Mother would definitely be sad if I am going home few days after she just sent me out and made me agreed on her terms, of breaking the curse by going here in Eltia. Though I think I can do it even if I will study in the academy in the nearest town back home. But she insisted that I must go here specifically, here in Erutain.

Now I wonder why, why here of all schools? I bet she knows the survival system here yet she still pushed me in going here.

Once again I am confused.

“Were here Naia.” I came back to my senses when Aellah spoke and poked my arm.

“I knew it! You’re nervous!” she shouted and I covered her mouth.

Dang.

“I am not, okay?” I rolled my eyes as we head down to the open field.

I can see few people in the middle of the field, and as the blue skies slowly turn green, and the three moons in the east are disappearing, Princess Pele’s red aura became more vivid to my eyes. She was standing there proudly, laughing with her friends, and eventually became louder when they saw us approaching them.

“Hey Sylph, I have two choices for you after your loss.” she gave me this sweet evil smile when I stopped in her front.

“All ears Princess.” I answered in the tone of sarcasm.

“Be my slave or leave the academy, easy right?” then she laughed again, together with her friends.

“I bet I won’t have to choose after the battle.” I said and walked away from her, keeping my distance as I know it will trigger her to start the Duellos immediately.

“You’re so full of yourself, even if you’re just a Yare. Let me show you where you should stand peasant!” she yelled and clapped her hand, like of a signal.

Her friends made their way out of her reach, and one stood in between us. A Sylph holding a white flag flew in the midair and waved her hands.

“Today, we will start the Duellos between Princess Pele Alva and the Sylph named Naia Lysse.” I am not even surprised that they know my name.

Bet they could access records easily or they have someone who tailed me last night, either of the two.

“Duellos! Commence!” the Sylph shouted.

And with a blink of an eye, Princess Pele wasn’t standing on her spot.

“Look up Naia!” I heard Aellah’s faint voice.

I am losing focus damn.

“Too slow Sylph.” she’s too close that she made a cut on my arm, still using her blazing sword.

Can’t she show me new tricks?

I tried to show any pain in my expression and flew all the way up, away from the Salamander.

Playing with the flow of the wind with my hands, I made a bow and started shooting arrows on her, but she just dodged on my attacks with ease.

“What a cheap move you have.” she exclaimed as her sword turned into a long fiery whip that grabbed my left foot and dragged me down, right under her nose.

I shouted in pain when her whip started to feel so hot, burning my skin and flesh.

“Naia!” I once again heard Aellah.

I can’t use my Syldine power here, nobody should discover my secret, not even my new found friend. But then I can’t think of any Sylph tactic that might defeat Princess Pele’s fire.

“What a big gamble…..” I uttered inside my head.

Hoping no one would notice, I started letting some water flow on my right arm, the one I am hiding with my lower body, continuing to shout in pain, to distract the laughing Princess Pele, even though the pain subsided since I am using water shield to protect my ankle. With the combination of air and water, I made a dagger, enough to cut her whip and let myself move backwards, away from her again.

“How did you----- never mind, I am still stronger than you, no matter what you do.” again her mockery made her friends laugh.

If only I can use water here, it would be very easy to win, but I can’t risk that big, someone might see the water power I have, knowing she has an Undine friend.

Come on self, you should think harder.

Princess Pele’s aura was doubled with her flames, and it keeps in growing that the grasses on the path she’s walking are starting to burn.

“Alright….” I whispered as I have thought of a way to victory.

With my green wings, smaller than what the Salamander I am facing has, I flew to her face as fast as I can. One thing we I am on par is my agility and movement speed, Sylphs are known to be the fastest of all fairies.

With the low water power I am allowing myself to use, I protected my hands as my dagger grow into a double swords and tried to cut her thighs, yet my power almost disappear when it hit her flaming aura.

“That must be it.” I said to myself and caught myself again on the hand of Princess Pele.

Pulling my her as I passed her side, she made a moving chain that started to roam around my body, making me unable to do anything but sit down helplessly under her.

Her glittering aura started fusing on the chains around me, and again the burning pain was given to me.

Tears started falling, running down my cheeks, as the faint water shield of mine cannot handle her flames.

She’s truly powerful.

My robe and uniform are starting to turn into ashes, giving way to her flames to reach my skin beneath it. I am doomed.

I can hear loud cheers and so I looked around us, students are shouting Princess Pele’s name, and I can see her boastful smile caused by those supporters.

I am really doomed.

Aellah’s quiet, but I can see Prince Rage by her side.

“Now, now, shall I end your misery?” she went closer to me, and again played with her blazing knife.

“Ah, I can’t cut your mark, but maybe I can? Before I leave this academy, I shall make you remember my name, my power, so that you will never mess on any Feya again, for your entire life.” she parted my hair that’s covering my forehead and drew her knife near my Sylph’s mark, a pair of wings.

“Naia!!!!!!” Aellah shouted.

This Salamander needs to get closer to me, so I can atleast have her taste my last attack, my last resort to get out of this Duellos.

“That is if you’ll be able to breathe after I defeat you.” she went closer and our faces are an inch or two apart.

Now’s the time.

With my voice crying in agony, the air power I gathered in the past minutes that have passed crawled to her aura.

With the amount of power I am passing to her, she stopped her attempt of slicing my skin, my mark.

“Wha—what are you doing peasant?” shock is the only thing I can see.

She then started shouting, as her fire, her aura are getting out of hands, eating her and still growing bigger.

That’s the only move I could think of, to make her fire uncontrollable by fusing it with my air aura.

Her chains disappeared slowly as she keeps on fighting her own power, yet she can’t do anything about it. Her massive power consuming her physical body is the counter she didn’t expected from me.

Glad Mother taught me the differences, advantages and disadvantages of each element from one another.

“Stu—pid peasant! Put this out now!” I can hear the despair in her voice. As if she’s begging me to save her life.

“Princess Pele!” her friends shouted, ready to go and rescue her, yet they can’t step their foot in the field since Prince Rage is already watching.

The Salamander continued on struggling as her clothes were almost turned into ashes and her aura is still big for her to handle.

“Go and save your friend, if you think she would die from this. But the moment you go near her will only mean defeat for her.” I heard Prince Rage and Princess Pele’s friends didn’t hesitate to come at her.

Her Undine friend immediately splash her with a giant water ball ad so I made my air power disappear on her aura, making it eventually go smaller, until it was gone.

The unconscious Princess Pele was wrapped into one of her friend’s robe since hers was burned by her own aura, and hurriedly brought to the infirmary for further treatment.

I felt someone’s hands on my shoulder, trying to check up on me, and so I stopped letting my water flow on my wounds, I stopped healing myself.

“Naia! I am glad you are safe!” Aellah hugged me and offered her robe to me as mine was burned to ashes too.

“I hope Princess Pele will keep her words.” she said as she aided me in standing up.

The remaining students in the open field were looking at us, some were awed by how I defeated a Feya, some are whispering that I cheated, and some are cheering for my name.

“That was impressive Miss Lysse.” it was Prince Rage who approached us.

I smiled at him a little before I closed my eyes in exhaustion.

I won against a Salamander from the Feyas named Pele Alva.