Mia and the Ambiguous Contest 3
As I feel a soft touch on my forehead, I wake up and see myself still sleeping on my mother's shoulder. She looks at me with a smile on her face. I can't deny my heart feels warm. I get myself up and warm my shoulders because I don't want my movements to get too stiff. 'Did they announce anything about me or something important?' she puts her hand on her chin, looking at me thoughtfully and with a big smile on her face. 'Don't worry, technically, they take like 2 hours to finish, also the elves' group, and they'll see who will win the final round. So, you have some time. I already have extra clothing; we can change your dirty clothes. I think they have a small shower available. I can lead you to it because when you were sleeping like a bear, I was watching everything, and many people who know take a shower here because they think it's fancy. It's not.'
I felt so special at some point because how she knew all those things during, I don't know, 30 minutes of sleep. But anyway, let's ignore all that. I really need a shower.' She holds my hand and leads me to our room. It's for women only, thank God, and of course, she gave me a towel and adventure clothes similar to mine but with armor, so I didn't hesitate to take them. We walk slowly to their room without anyone around. The showers slowly on the hot water snake me, so relaxed as if the stress is leaving my brain. All the worries just fade away. I don't know if I was thick with me; I won't think so because they have so many scratches and all that, stained with blood.
I don't think they are wearable anymore. My mother thinks twice, better than me. I was always thinking during my shower and finished slowly. I take the clothes and put them on; my hair is still wet, of course. I look around to see if any brushes are available, but there are none. So, I try to brush them with my fingers just to make them less tangled. I end up in good shape, and after that, I put the armor on. It's not heavy, and I make sure not to forget my sword behind. I go out and return to the room that gave us a bit of privacy because I don't like people to see me with wet hair. So, I try to use some Air magic to dry my hair, like a little ball of air put close to my hair a little bit, but this makes my hair so puffy and fuzzy, and I think I regretted it after all.
Suddenly, a familiar voice from behind chuckles and laughs at me. I glance to see none other than the Fairy King, but when I turn my head to see him, suddenly his face turns from playful to really sharp and concerning. I don't understand why he makes these strange actions, but he begins walking closer to me, fixes my hair, and looks at me in the eyes. 'What happened to you during the match after I told you what to do?'
As he fixes my hair, I look at the ceiling, just thinking about what I have to tell him. 'First of all, why do you suddenly appear like this? You make my heart drop to the ground. It's nothing that important, but I can't help but tell you. Magic is so hard to do, especially with a sword.'
As he rubs the cream softly on my cheek, I am a bit confused and a little embarrassed. 'W-what are you doing?' I ask.
He finishes applying the cream on my cheek, and I already feel embarrassed. 'Mia, I understand what you mean, but at the same time, I tell you what's the best move to do. It's hard not to do it. It's okay, but don't injure yourself, okay? I dislike seeing any type of injuries on you.'
His face gets more serious and sharper, which I didn't expect. But I shake this from my mind and offer a soft smile. 'Thank you so much. Plus, sooner after I have the next match, I will try my best not to injure myself and focus, of course.' He softly pets my head, and suddenly my mother calls me from outside. I glance to see if he's still around, but he's just like a fox; he appears and disappears from nowhere. So, I slowly walk out from this room; my hair looks so beautiful, to be honest, so silky. I didn't expect that!
My mother looks at me so proudly, and I walk with her to our seats. The elves finally finish their rounds and have to select the one who will face in the final round. I didn't have the chance to see this person, but it's okay. It's the third round for me to go to the final round. But before even moving anywhere, my mother gives me a small bandage for the scratch on my cheek. I put it on and smile softly, knowing how much my mother cares. I get down to the arena because I don't want to keep anyone waiting.
I prepare myself, stretch a bit, hold my sword in different positions, not practicing more, just making sure everything is in the right place. This time, I am wearing armor so nothing would pierce me. I see this noble person, so cocky, walking towards me. 'I never saw a pretty woman in this place. We'll see how much you live in this match. I hope you are worthy to take my time on you.'
I try to maintain my composure, not to get so angry, because if I do, I will turn his face into a burning stick of wood. So, I start to be as calm as I can, but he looks more violent than the person before him. As we get six feet apart and I prepare myself, he is preparing himself seriously and more aggressively. As expected from a noble, but with the glimpse of an eye, steel clashed in a frenzy as his strikes intensified.
Each swing came with ferocity, aimed not just to strike but to wound. I dodged a flurry of aggressive attacks, narrowly evading each lethal strike aimed at my defenses. His eyes blazed with fury as he closed the gap between us. With relentless aggression, he lunged forward, his blade aimed not just to disarm but to inflict harm. I parried the onslaught, every block met with equal force, but he showed no signs of relenting. 'Is this all you've got? I expected more from someone who fancies themselves a fighter!'
His voice echoed with disdain, each insult punctuated by a vicious swing of his sword. Feeling the surge of hostility, my resolve hardened. I countered, matching his aggression with calculated strikes, attempting to force him into a defensive stance. But he pushed harder, his attacks growing fiercer, his words more venomous. 'Pathetic! You're not even worth the challenge!'
His words cut sharper than his blade as he pressed forward, his onslaught relentless, fueled by anger and contempt. The arena trembled with the intensity of our clash, the aggression palpable in every swing and block. Despite his insults and aggressive maneuvers, I remained composed, channeling my fury into a controlled and strategic response.
As the battle reached its climax, my strategic moves and resilience paid off. With a swift and calculated maneuver, I disarmed the aggressive noble, leaving him defenseless and stunned.
Realizing the tide had turned, he hesitated, taken aback by the sudden turn of events. Sensing an opportunity to end the fight without causing harm, I, with a display of restraint, stepped back, holding his sword defensively but refraining from delivering a final strike.
Defeated and humbled by my skill, he reluctantly acknowledged his defeat. Despite his earlier aggression and insults, he begrudgingly accepted his loss, acknowledging my superior combat abilities.
The arena erupted with murmurs and gasps, witnessing my victory over someone known for their aggression and arrogance. I emerged triumphant, not only through skill but also by maintaining composure and showing restraint in the face of hostility.
After a slight moment, everyone began to cheer up. I looked around me, and this nobleman, with all his techniques, was the most aggressive person I had seen in my life. I didn't give too much care about him, but when I glanced at the entrance, I could see the Fairy King clapping for me, which made me so happy.
Glancing at my mother, I could see the sparkle in her eyes, and that meant the world to me. This fight was really tough, but everything was worth it. I noticed the grumpy wood nobleman finally learned his lesson by losing.
Anyway, after the tournament announcer announced me the winner, it was time for the final challenge, facing the elves. But before that, I wanted to rest a bit with my mother. However, they stopped me, telling me that I had to stay in the Arena all the time. It was a bit disappointing.
I sat there on the floor, waiting for my turn, glancing all around. I didn't have the chance to observe all the people. When I saw the King, he wasn't wearing something fancy; it was more traditional, I think, for the elves. It upheld more traditions than anything else. But I think the Queen was not like him or the children. I slowly began to understand how much diversity there was in this Kingdom, but they all ended up living so peacefully. I was glad for that.