STAGE TWENTY-FOUR: World Combat Tournament (Part 3)

"The winner is.... FREYJA!"

"Freyja, you're going to give me a heart attack!" Kirin shouted, holding the girl in his arms. But she won't respond. Then, she collapsed.

"Kirin, we have to take her to the hospital, hurry! She sustained serious damage too!" Along the tournament's medical team, Kirin and Alaric took her straight to the Arena's hospital.

"Sleeping Dragon,

My little dragon,

My beloved dragon

I'm always watching you

What would you be, I wonder?

An angel of death

Or an angel of salvation?

Fly up high, little dragon

See the world with those eyes

Because I know that you, are the light

Sleeping Dragon,

My little dragon,

My beloved dragon

I'm always watching you"

In her sleep, Freyja heard a song. The song had an awfully familiar ring to it. In fact, the melody brought her to tears. The song was in a strange language, but she understood the meaning somehow. It was a very sad song, yet relaxing.

"Freyja..."

She heard a faint voice of a woman. She couldn't see her face, but her voice was very warm. Freyja reached out to her... a pair of warm hands grabbed hers.

"Freyja... are you awake?"

"Ki-kirin?" She looked at him holding her hand tightly. "W-what... what happened?" She asked, still feeling nauseous. "Oh yeah... I remember... I fought Ruis yesterday."

"Yesterday? It's been three weeks already."

Freyja almost jumped out of her bed, but Kirin stopped her. "THREE WEEKS!?"

"Yeah, don't move so much! You're still injured!" Kirin scolded. Freyja sighed and came to realize that she is in the arena hospital. Her limbs are still sore, but her wounds and broken bones are all healed. All thanks to the hospital doctors, medical sorcerers and of course, Freyja's white aura, the usual months of recovery was sped up at a phenomenal rate. "Wait, how about the fight!?" She asked.

"You are disqualified, of course."

"WHAT!? I-I just missed the finals!"

Kirin flicked her forehead. "Don't be ridiculous, it's not like you came here to win. Have you forgotten? You're here to test your skills." He scolded, arms crossed, like usual. "And you passed. Congratulations." Kirin praised her, ruffling her hair. "I am proud of you Freyja." Kirin is deliberately not showing her his face. Freyja could tell that he's been very worried. Freyja wrapped her arms tightly around Kirin, surprising him. She's so happy. She can't stop smiling. The pain, the exhaustion, everything she went through was well paid off the moment he praised her. She sank her face deeper into his chest, feeling his warmth, smelling his scent.

Freyja was immediately discharged from the hospital as soon as she woke up. Kirin treated her to the most expensive, eat-all-you-can restaurant in the city. "Go ahead and stuff yourself. Go and fatten yourself more." Kirin mumbled, which earned him a punch on the cheek. She hasn't eaten for weeks, and it made her extremely hungry!

"I knew I'd find you here!" Alaric finally showed himself. "I visited you in the hospital, but they said you were discharged. How are you feeling?" He asked with his usual gentle smile. "I'm alright! Although my muscles still hurt."

"How about you Alaric, how was your match?" She asked, wanting to know everything that happened after she passed out.

"After your match I won mine pretty easily." Alaric began, "Ruis was brought to the Special Care Section. He barely survived, only because of the black aura infused in him. He's lucky he had enough. An ounce of black aura short and he's dead."

Freyja didn't know how to react. After all, it was she who did it to him. She hasn't consciously killed anyone yet, as far as she can remember, that's why it bothered her. Seeing her expression, Alaric quickly changed the subject.

"Anyway, he was sure to win, had he not been defeated by you. The others were a bunch of losers compared to him. So you don't have to feel bad about missing the finals." Kirin added.

"Bunch of losers, does that include me?" Alaric thought, giving Kirin an evil glare.

"So did you win, Alaric?" Freyja asked. Returning to her original question.

"I'm in second place."

Freyja couldn't believe that someone defeated Alaric. "How did that happen?"

"You see...." Alaric explained to her. Just before the match started, his opponent went to his quarters and begged not to kill him. Apparently, the guy's daughter is sick and he needs to make a living for his medicine through fighting. After confirming that the guy was in fact, telling the truth, Alaric couldn't bring himself to fight anymore and forfeited the match.

"Unbelievable..." Kirin and Freyja chorused. Alaric laughed it off.

"So...." Alaric put his arms arm around Freyja and Kirin. "Where do we go next guys?"

"We? You mean..." Kirin protested, "You will tag along?"

"Why? Don't tell me.... Don't tell me you're jealous Kirin!" Alaric laughed, pulling Freyja closer to him.

"Dream on sissy boy. Tag along if you want, for all I care!" Kirin looked away, arms crossed. "Just so you know I don't want yet another mouth to feed."

Alaric grinned. "Marco would flip out if he sees his beloved master Kirin like this." He mumbled.

"Kirin, Alaric..." Freyja said, grabbing both of their arms. "I will look for the other four guardians." She's serious all of a sudden. "Is it okay if we...." She's hesitant to continue. But Kirin saw right through her instantly. "You're forgetting that you're going with me. Not the other way 'round. You can't leave unless I tell you to. Got that?" Kirin ruffled her hair and stood up.

"It's not like I have anywhere else to go. I'm exiled, remember? Fugitives go with fugitives! Of course you'll have to give me asylum in Celestia." Alaric said, standing up.

Freyja took a deep breath and stood up. "Alright! Then, let's go!"

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