A duel

''I guess I have to stick to martial arts,'' Shane stated as he related his experience the previous night to his Sky and Tatiana over dinner.

''Don't give up already. It's because it's the first day.'' Tatiana tried to encourage him, but Shane chuckled; ''Do you understand I can barely touch her? Okay, watch. '' he looked around and saw a stone. Picking it up, he tossed it at Tatiana, but she instinctively caught it midair at an interesting speed.

''See, even the lowest rank is that fast, so how do you expect me to keep up with a first rank?''

''It does not matter. You won't know how fast you are unless you keep training. ''

''No amount of training can make me half as fast as the lowest ranking descendant. None. As long as I live, I'll always be vulnerable, and at the mercy of anyone who decides to kill me.''

''He's absolutely correct,'' Sky mumbled, and Tatiana shot him an angry look. ''Sky! That's not a nice way to console a friend. ''

Sky laughed; ''But he's right, it's no use giving him false expectations. He can never beat a descendant. Not in this lifetime, at least. ''

Tatiana was just about to reply to him when Kai and his friends came up and interrupted them.

''I see you guys are having a great time. '' Kai said with a grin on his face. Tatiana rolled her eyes at him and continued eating her food.

''Just leave us alone, Kai. '' She said, but suddenly she heard something fall on the table. All eyes turned to the object that Kai had thrown on the table. Sky and Tatiana's eyes widened, but before they could say anything, Shane had picked it up.

''No!!!'' Tatiana screamed as she grabbed the namestone from Shane's hand, but it was already too late.

Kai and his friends erupted in laughter when they saw Shane had picked his namestone.

At this point, everyone in the Academy turned to them, their eyes widened in terror.

Kai had challenged Shane to a duel, and Shane picking up the name stone signified he had accepted the duel.

''On Friday, at noon, at the training field,'' Kai said, picking up his name stone from the table, and then turned around to leave.

''Kai! How much more evil can you become by challenging a human with no powers to a duel, just how much lower can you go?'' Tatiana asked as she fumed. That was when Shane realized what he had done. He just agreed to fight Kai! No, more like he just volunteered to be killed by Kai!

Everyone was watching now, their mouths agape in surprise. Nothing of that sort has ever happened in the Academy before. An ordinary human has never been challenged to a duel by a descendant. The humans knew never to pick up a name stone. But Shane had picked it up. There was nothing they could do.

Kai turned to look at her; ''I did not make him pick up the name stone, sweetheart. I simply tossed it in his direction. He picked it up of his own volition. It's not my fault. ''

Once the opponent had picked the namestone, the fight must hold, unless both participants withdraw, but it was obvious Kai was not going to back out.

He wanted to humiliate Shane in front of everyone, in front of all the girls who had his name on their lips. He wanted to show them just how weak he was. Just how ordinary he was.

But that was not what hurt him the most. It was the fact that he was always around Tatiana. Everywhere she went, he was there. Before, at least she saw him, but now, she barely glanced at him.

''You know he did not know the implication of picking up your namestone, so why did you do it?''

At that moment, Tatiana wished she was stronger than him. She would have split him in two.

''That's where you both should have come in. Why did you not tell him the rules here? It's not my fault that he did not know. ''

Tatiana was stumped for words. She looked around her and everyone was watching. She looked back at Shane and his face was pale as death.

''Let's go.'' She said, pulling him up by the hand, she left the dining hall.

…

Shane refused to speak throughout the night, no matter how many times Sky and Tatiana tried to talk to him. He just lay on the bed staring into space.

Perhaps, this was the best way to go. At least he won't get to live in this miserable world, fighting every day for his dear life. If Kai killed him, he would happily die.

''We can speak with the council. They can order Kai to withdraw from the duel,'' Tatiana said, but Shane shook his head;

''It's fine, I'll fight with him. ''

''What?!'' Sky, who had been silent, yelled. ''What? Do you want to die?'' he asked, his eyes wide open.

''I guess it's better than how I'm living now. I can't go back to where I'm from, and I cannot protect myself. I'm better off dead. ''

''Shane, don't make such a joke. You don't want to fight with him. Thankfully, you've met the council. I'm sure they'll make Kai renounce the duel.''

''Don't worry. I want to fight with him. Thank you guys for your help. '' Tatiana couldn't believe her eyes. She thought Shane was joking at first, but seeing the look on his face, she knew he was serious.

Her lips trembled but she could not speak. His eyes looked certain like he had made up his mind to die.

Standing up from the ground; she turned to the door. ''I need to call Nyx.''

Before she reached the door, it opened on its own and Nyx walked in. ''Nyx! Shane wants to fight Kai.'' Tatiana said the moment she saw Nyx.

Nyx looked at Shane for a moment, wondering if this was a joke;

''If you talk to the council, they can call off the fight,'' Nyx said, but Shane shook his head.

''It's fine. Thank you, but I want to fight. ''

Nyx was quiet for a few seconds; ''You are going to die. '' she said;

Shane smiled; ''My life is worthless anyway,'' At his words, Tatiana burst into tears and ran out of the room.

Nyx stared at him for a while then she spoke; ''If that is your decision, then it's fine; greet my parents on the other side. ''

With that, she turned around and walked away.