Chapter 7: Fight

"You don't have to do this, Miko."

Since she got challenged to fight, I told her it might be better to just let it go. But Miko seemed obsessed with the thought of being able to go against another mage.

"Don't worry; it's just for fun." She tried to reassure me.

But all these rumors I talked about with the student council made me nervous. What if there is some truth behind it?

I hated myself for thinking about Miko that way. Still, in the end, she admitted to killing several people, self-defense or not... She took lives.

"Why are you looking like that? I know you got something on your mind."

"It's just I am worried."

"About whom? Elliot or Me?"

"Both of you, I guess."

"Kayla, listen. Sparring between mages is nothing special. How do you think I will train with you these next weeks?"

"I know, I know… But both of you seem a bit too excited, in my opinion."

"I'm honest. I really want to teach him a lesson. You remember the acquaintance of mine I met?"

"Hmm, which one? Ah... you mean the one you hugged like you were lovers, finally meeting again after you tragically got separated by fate."

"Is the thought of me having a boyfriend that bad?"

"No comment."

Of course, it would be bad, I know that Miko doesn't feel that way for me, and I don't even know how exactly I feel for her.

I guess I am just a pretty selfish and jealous person who wants her for me alone.

"However, let's get going," Miko said as she stood up while I still sat on the bed. "Or do you don't want to watch me fight?" she asked.

I just reached my hand in her direction, and she understood what I wanted. She took my hand, pulled me up, and didn't let go.

"You're very needy, don't overdo it. See it as my apology for skipping dinner."

So, we ended up walking hand in hand until we arrived at the backdoor of the dormitory.

◆◆◆

The fight was held in one of the three gyms on the school ground. Upon arrival, we were surprised to find that numerous spectators had already arrived.

Again, we were met with several cold stares. I wasn't sure if beating up a student council member would help improve the hostility of the other students.

"Ah, there you are," Elliot called out, walking to us. "Am I allowed to take her away from you for some time?"

Did he ask me? At that moment, I realized that I was holding Miko's hand again. I grabbed it instinctively when I saw all those students.

"Cheer me on, ok?" Miko said as she followed Elliot into the building. I felt a pressure on my chest and sighed loudly, trying to exhale my worries.

"Don't worry." A voice spoke behind my back. I turned and laid my eyes on a man that wasn't wearing one of the school uniforms.

"Would you like to sit with me?" he asked, smiling slightly. "They say that a friend of a friend is also a friend."

"Hmph, first explain why you hugged her yesterday, and I will consider it."

He started laughing. "You are as she described. Do you both never hug? I thought that is normal between friends."

"Aren't you a bit old to be her friend?"

"Ouch, that hurts. I am not that old."

"Ok, let's go in before we miss the start," I said, eyeing him with furrowed brows.

Miko trusted him, so I tried to do the same. He is a teacher at this school, so he must be at least something like a decent person.

We walked up some stairs and ended up in a spectator area in the second floor, about 20 meters from where Miko and Elliot were standing doing some stretches.

With us, about 30 other people were waiting for the fight to start, a lot considering that it was 8 o'clock in the morning.

"Are you excited?"

 "Of course I am."

"Do you know her combat style?"

"No, there is a lot that I don't know about her," I answered, sighing again… this pressure on my chest won't disappear.

He just chuckled, "This is going to be a spectacle."

As we spoke, a murmur went through the crowd. Nada, the young girl from the council, walked onto the field with some device in her hand.

"That's a magic barrier that is supposed to protect the audience." He explained without me asking.

"Thanks…"

Nada placed the object, which looked a bit like a robot vacuum cleaner, on the floor, put her hand on it, and suddenly a shimmering blue veil spread across the center of the gym.

As she finished, she walked away, leaving the barrier.

Suddenly you heard a loud scratching sound coming out of speakers placed at the corners of the tribune.

"Test…Test. Great, it is working; this is Hannah speaking to you. Many thanks for your numerous attendances. Today we present you a sparring match between Elliot, a member of the student council, and Miko, a school guest."

The moment Miko's name was mentioned, some spectators started whispering to each other.

"I just wanted to explain the rules. The fight is over if either fighter surrenders or can't get back up within 10 seconds of being knocked down."

"Have fun, and let the fight begin."

It became surprisingly quiet the moment the fight started. Maybe because nothing happened. Instead, Miko and Elliot still talked about something.

"Why aren't they starting?" I asked the teacher.

"I don't know. It seems like they are still discussing something."

My heart started beating very loudly. The anticipation was killing me.

And then it began.

Elliot rushed at Miko at high speed and shot small fireballs in her direction. At that moment, I realized how dangerous this whole situation was.

But Miko simply dodged the projectiles and let him close the distance. I never saw any combat in real life. You could feel the power behind every movement, behind every punch Elliot threw in Miko's direction.

"Why isn't she fighting back?" someone out of the crowd complained loudly.

I asked myself the same question; she limited her actions to evading everything that came her way.

Elliot's moves became faster and more aggressive as the fight went on.

Frustration was dwelling inside me, not because I felt for Elliot, who did not land a single hit. Miko told me that she wanted to teach him a lesson. Was she holding back because of the rumors? Because of me?

"Oh."

There was only a split second between the surprised sound that escaped my seat neighbor's mouth and the spinning kick from Miko that slammed Elliot into the opposite wall of the gym.

Everyone gasped the moment they realized what just happened.

While most of them were worrying about Elliot, I was watching Miko. Her gaze fixed on the point at which Elliot was slowly trying to get up again.

She changed her stance, much like a runner, before the start of a race, and the second Elliot stood back up, Miko ran toward him at a pace that would break any record in the world of regular people. 

Just before she reached him, she jumped and tried to dropkick him. Elliot reacted quickly and created a barrier of several stone walls, which were pulverized by the impact of Miko's feet.

Small rubble went flying in every direction of the gym, hitting the protection vale.

I was so excited that I didn't even notice that I had forgotten to breathe for the last 30 seconds.

The spectators were also silent. The shock about the rapid escalation of the fight was too overwhelming.

"Shouldn't you stop them?" I asked the teacher, still out of breath.

"I couldn't," he laughed. "I might have the authority, but my magic isn't up to the challenge.

Magic, the moment I heard him say that out loud, I realized that both Miko and Elliot were fighting hand-to-hand and not using their magic as I had expected.

But of course, if they plan on knocking out the enemy, it wouldn't be wise to just throw mana at each other in all sorts of forms, so instead, they strengthen their bodies with magic and end up in close combat.

Meanwhile, Miko changed from just dodging to throwing punches as well. The difference to Elliot? She hits constantly.

You could hear every blow she threw at Elliot's body; second by second, it felt less like a fair fight and more like a beating.

It seemed like Hannah was thinking the same thing. She slowly walked onto the field from the room where she made the announcement earlier.

Miko got distracted for a second as she looked at her.

Elliot took that chance and punched Miko in the face. A gasp went through the whole gym.

"Shit." With these words, the teacher stood up and ran to the stairs. I didn't understand what was causing this panic I saw on his face.

But as soon as I turned my gaze back to the fight, I also jumped up, running downstairs without a second thought.

Miko snapped, and when I looked at her, she was already on Elliot, ready to beat him to a pulp.

As I arrived downstairs, Miko was luckily sitting on the ground beside him.

I heard the relieved sigh of the teacher, despite seeing Elliot lying in a small puddle of his own blood. 

My body was shaking because of the adrenaline rush.

"How was it?" Miko asked, grinning at me. Bleeding heavily from the nose.

"Terrifying."

"Good." She simply said.

Hannah was already bending over Elliot, her hands pressing on his body, trying to help him.

I kneeled before Miko and touched her cheek, healing her nose instantly.

"You think we are still allowed to stay?" I whispered.

Miko chuckled. "Who knows?"