---Silves's POV---
We awoke early the next morning and headed down for breakfast. There were few others already up. It would have been okay to sleep a little longer, but we were rested and knowing that today was the final. Made the idea of going back to sleep impossible. The two strongest teams would be competing today. I had seen some of their teamwork before. They were a brother-sister team, so they were already used to working together.
That and their parents were a team, so they were trained by their parents prior to being allowed in. In their classes, they were acknowledged as some of the best. So it was worrying me if we would be able to win against them. And if we did would Echo want to challenge the winners of the second year. It was a great way to get noticed, but not all of that attention was good.
Echo noticed I was worried and he placed a hand on my back.
“Everything will be okay,” he said softly.
After eating we went to the arena, Saous was waiting for us. She looked nervous.
“You are both strong, but be careful these twins are really in sync with each other. They fight very well, and their parents are known troublemakers. They don’t like male Sirens or female Tritons. They don’t approve of weakness, and they despise traitors. You can bet their kids probably hold their views. Both of you be careful if it looks bad forfeit. It’s better than being irreparably injured.”
“But purposefully injuring your opponent like that is against the rules,” I said shocked.
“Yeah, that's true, but they would argue that they were first years against first years and it was a horrible accident. Their parents have the ranking to make trouble if they want. As much as I hate to admit it they are amazingly strong, they know it as well.” Saous said disdain in her voice.
Echo seemed angry as we swam to the waiting area. “Echo, are you okay?” I asked softly.
“No, it's not fair that they use being a Siren against you.” He said.
“It’s not fair to use something your father did against you either,” I responded.
“No, maybe not, but I’m used to it.” He said, his voice devoid of emotion.
“That doesn’t make it better if we say that then I’m used to people's reactions to me as well,” I said softly.
He looked at me and his eyes softened. “I’m sorry, I know that. It just upsets me more to see others hurt than myself.” He said softly.
“I know Echo, it’s the same for me. We make a good pair, caring more about the other than ourselves.” I responded with a small smile.
When the gong sounded allowing us into the arena, I looked at our opponents. Their faces were set, almost like they were carved from stone. We were announced, but I wasn't paying attention to him. My eyes were on the Siren. I doubted they would play fair if they thought their parent's influence could protect them. I was almost right, I could feel her spell forming before the gong, she was trying to charge it up before the match so she could launch it as soon as the match started.
Cooling the water in front of us, so it would freeze faster when I cast the spell. Echo looked at me but didn’t say anything. Following my gaze to the Siren, he nodded understanding what was going on and he moved closer to me. The gong sounded and her hand flew up allowing the spell to be released. And I cast my ice shield. My shield only dissipated part of her attack, but it did allow us to move so that it shot past us.
Grumbling under her breath she started another spell. While her brother moved in to attack. I kept cooling the water in the arena down, and it was easy to see it was messing with the others, they were moving slower. Unfortunately, it was affecting Echo as well, but it allowed me to cast my ice spells faster. Though it was a drain on my mana. Watching them it was easy to see that the other Triton was getting used to the cold water faster than Echo was.
I was still using my ice shield to protect us from the Sirens attacks. And she was singing at the same time, boosting her brother's power and weakening Echos. Even I had trouble multicasting like that. The water around me froze when Echo missed a block and the other Triton’s sword pierced his side. Instead of pulling it back out he ripped it to the side, ripping open Echo’s side.
My mind went blank as I swam forward. The Triton was preparing for another strike when My shield covered both of us. The water getting colder and colder. Focusing healing magic into Echo, I saw Ice forming on his body. Before the Ice around me shattered. Spinning around me like a whirlpool of ice shards. Glaring at the Triton and Siren I released the attack my mind still a blank. Fury keeping me going. As the ice shards would grow in size and then shatter adding more ice, before repeating the process. The brother and sister were swallowed up by the icy whirlpool.
My anger had me griping Echos shoulders so tight, marks were being left. My magic was draining at an alarming rate, but I didn’t care. They deserved this for harming him the way they did. This was a tournament, not a killing ground. I watched as they were attacked over and over again by ice the sisters healing magic keeping them from dying or suffering any potentially permanent damage. The question was who would run out of magic first.
I was also using healing magic, trying to keep Echo alive. A hand reached up and touched my face, looking down. Echo was looking at me. He looked uninjured, there wasn’t even a scar from the attack.
“Calm down, before you hurt them too much.” He said breaking my mind out of whatever trance it had been in.
The ice whirlpool vanished and the brother and sister slipped to the floor of the arena. They had some cuts, but none of them looked life-threatening.
“I don’t know how I did that,” I said. My eyes not leaving Echo’s.
“Neither do I, but I’m guessing it was because you saw me in danger. That was strong here, but I can only imagine how strong it would be if the water was really cold.” He said with a smile.
“I don’t know,” I said, softly. Suddenly very unsure of my powers.
I didn’t know a spell to do that. I had only been thinking about hurting them and healing Echo. Saous showed up at my side.
“Silves, what did you do?” She asked her voice low.
Looking at her, my eyes wide. “I honestly don't know. I have not idea how I did that. I just saw Echo get hurt so bad, and something snapped and everything seemed to freeze. My mind, and body both just reacted.”
“I didn’t know you knew any vocal magic,” she said staring at me.
“I don’t,” I said confused.
“Silves, you were singing, when all of that ice whirlpool started. You surrounded yourself and Echo in an ice shield, then we could hear a haunting melody. That is when the ice shield shattered and started a whirlpool. I have never heard a song like that. I don’t even know what language it was.” Saous said. “You’re sure you have no idea how any of this happened?”
Shaking my head no, because it was true, I had no idea. I’d never sung a song in public before. I’d sung at home, before but even though my family liked my voice. I didn’t think others would be as kind, because it was mostly a Siren skill.
“Alright, well you guys won the final. Though I am not sure what the judges will say. That last attack left us all baffled. Their parents are trying to say you cheated and tried to kill their kids. You seem pretty honest, and I’ve seen you fight before so I doubt you're lying to me. Head back to your dorms. The healers will make sure they are alright. If they are healed there is nothing that the parents can say.”
“I’m sorry for putting you in this position,” I said looking down. Echo was swimming next to me. After being healed he didn’t need my support anymore.
“You didn’t, go and rest.” She said softly.
“Echo, I might need your help getting back to our room,” I said softly. Before my eyes closed and I passed out.
---Echo’s POV---
I looked at Silves as he told me he might need help back to the dorm, and saw him pass out. Saous and I had to dive to catch him. I was worried at first. Saous would later tell me that I was freaking out, but I doubted her accuracy. She told me that Silves was fine, he had just used to much magic again.
She escorted us back to our dorm. Helping me lay Silves on his bed. And pulling the covers over him.
“Keep an eye on him, make sure he stays warm and eats when he gets up. He will be tired for the next day or so, but eating will help a little bit.” Saous said before leaving the room, closing the door behind her.
Sitting on the bed looking down at the sleeping form of Silves. “What am I going to do with you, if you keep pushing yourself too hard like this,” I said softly. Tucking a piece of his hair behind his ear. Smiling slightly.
Laying in the bed next to him, I thought about what had happened the last few days.
---Silves’s POV---
My eyes opened taking in our dorm room, I was resting on Echo again. Echo he was wounded. Sitting up quickly, I woke him. Placing my hand on his side.
“You’re healed, there isn’t even a scar,” I said softly.
“You healed me pretty well, don’t you remember?” He asked, looking confused.
“Not really, I remember you getting hurt, then it's all a hazy mess, then just darkness,” I said trying to remember what happened.
“You went a little angry and almost kill the other two, to protect me. Creating some kind of new spell, using your voice. It was a healing and damaging spell. Even Soaus said she had never heard anything like it.”
My eyes went wide, “I sang in public?” I said quietly.
“Yes, and your voice was amazing, I’m not sure why you don’t use it more.” Echo said softly.
“Because most people are against male Sirens, so I’ve never used my voice outside of my house before,” I said softly.
“Well, I may not know what you did, but I’m happy you did.” Echo said pulling me into a hug. “Though, I'm sorry it used up so much power you passed out.”
“It’s okay, at the rate I was blowing through my power trying to keep blocking her spells, I probably would have passed out anyway. I have no idea how I cast such a big spell at the end, I was running low on power and then I don’t remember anything.”
“Everything worked out. Saous says the parents were trying to lodge a complaint against out win, saying you tried to kill their children. Though to be fair it was them who tried to kill me first.” Eco said. Placing a hand on his stomach, wincing at the memory.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t block that,” I said quietly.
“Don’t be sorry, it was my fault for not blocking the attack myself. I should have been able to.” He said pulling me into a hug.
“If I had not chilled the water, you would have been moving faster, he got used to it quicker than you did. That’s why you were unable to block his attack.” I said my face pressed against his shoulder.
"True, but without you chilling the water, the sister would have probably taken me out.” He said.
“I guess,” I moved from him, sitting back.
Echo got off the bed, “Let's get food, Saous said you need to eat as soon as you wake up.”
“Do we have to, I want to stay in here away from people for a bit, I don’t want to hear them talking about me,” I whined.
“Come on,” Echo said with a smile. “I’ll be with you.” He finished softly.
Nodding my head I followed him out of the room. Staying next to him, paying everything would be all right.
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