Duel Part 2

Her mother was ruthless when it comes to training. Although, she laughed at the thought since she remained as a couch potato after all those years. In her defense, she had no talent for this.

Adeleine was able to gasp for oxygen as Hera stumbled back, dropping her weapon as she covered her puffy red eyes and writhed in pain. Enraged, she threw punches in the air, hoping to hit anything.

Celestial Astrea! It worked!

Adeleine's surprise didn't last long as she snapped herself out of the stupor and went in for another attack. She grabbed Hera's hair and slammed her face down her knee. She might as well use her defense as a critical offense.

Who knew that metal kneecaps would provide use other than armory? It doubles the damage.

She shivered as she heard something crack. It felt so good. At the same time, a pang of guilt hit her.

Was it too hard?

A few drops of blood stained the sand. Hera's nose is bleeding.

Adeleine winced.

But it was too late to realize when her world whirled and she found her body falling backward. She came back to her senses when she landed on her ass quite painfully. Hera punched her under the chin.

Her ears were ringing. It took a few seconds before her vision set back straight. What just happened? She just kneed her square in the face! How can Hera recover that fast?!

Hera's a monster. She's a monster alright...and they call Adeleine a demon? She laughed bitterly to herself.

Who was she kidding to feel pity? Did she already forget what this skunk has done multiple times? And she did it with no remorse, so why should she feel sympathy?

That's right. This person in front of her is an enemy.

She shouldn't forget what they did to her. Never.

She reached for the sword her opponent drop earlier. With no hesitation, she swung the blade back to the owner, aiming for the neck. The sharp sound of metal resonated, followed by strong resistance.

Her eyebrows furrowed, confused. Hera couldn't have any weapon with her. Then Adeleine saw it; her eyes widened. The blonde used her armguard to block it off. ONE ARM. And she's even able to match Adeleine's strength, who was using both of her limbs.

Hera coughed before throwing a punch right at her opponent's face.

Adeleine lost her senses. She has no idea where gravity was working. It was too late when she felt the impact on her back as she lay supine.

It has always been like this. She's sick and tired of being thrown around by circumstances and by people. At least once. Just once, she could be able to control the outcome.

Just this once…

If she defeats Hera, a person said to be one of the best in this academy, then it would show that she's not someone easy to be trifled with. It could ward off potential threats to her peaceful life in the academy. Well, that's what she hoped.

Right now, she has nothing but herself.

The cheers of the crowd blurred. Adeleine could see the clear sky. The sun, blocked by the peak walls of the arena, shone on a small part of the battlefield. How long have they been fighting? Was it already an hour? A few minutes?

Her rumination cut short when she felt a gut-sickening kick right at her, well, gut. Her body rolled over to nearly touching the soft light. Bile rose to her throat.

She puked.

Maybe she shouldn't have eaten breakfast as Kellie told. What can she say? The temptation was too good to resist.

Wiping her mouth, she picked herself up and braced for Hera raging straight at her like a bull charging at their aggravator. She held her stance. Right at that moment when Hera's close enough, she threw sand forward.

The blonde was quick to shield herself, but doing so provided Adeleine a chance to strike her right at the temple. An eye for an eye. Or maybe she got two, counting the one when she kneed Hera's face.

But it didn't matter. All she needs to know is to land in Hera's opening.

"Oh damn," Adeleine bit her tongue, shaking her wrist from the pain of the impact. She gave it all to her punch, but it was weak compared to Hera's. The fact that they're both wearing metal on the knuckles, added with Hera's velocity, she knew, it hurts as much as Hera's punch.

Now, it's even.

This alone, however, cannot guarantee her victory. She needed a plan. She can't keep using the same tactic over and over again, Hera wouldn't fall for it for much longer, and in time, she'll pick it up and avoid it. Worse, she could use it against Adeleine.

"She's getting craftier," Headmaster Verkel exclaimed. He noticed Kellie looking at him with a deadpanned face. "Oh don't look at me like that now, dear."

"Reminds me of a sly snake."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Hera coughed as she picked herself up. Her nose was already bleeding, and her eyes were red from the constant irritation of the sand. Or it could also be from pure rage.

There are two ways Adeleine could finish this. Either make her concede or pushing her out of the red line circle. The former is beyond impossible given Hera's ego inflated more than the size of Astrea's sun. She could also knock her out which would automatically make her the victor, not impossible, but it would be difficult in terms of their difference in physical prowess.

Hera charged and threw a punch which she nearly missed a hair's breadth.

Her only choice would be pushing her out of the ring. It would be as difficult as knocking her out, but Hera, at the moment, is blinded by rage. Adeleine would bet the blonde is acting purely on instinct and completely forgot they are in a formal duel. If so, she could make Hera step out of the ring without realizing it.

She directed her fist right at her opponent's face while Hera instantly crossed her arms to block her. Adeleine felt that, hard.

How far were they from the line? She kept her gaze focused on the fight. One wrong move would cost her a black eye.

"Argh," she grunted when she staggered to the side. It took her a while to realize that Hera sent a kick at her waist.

But something bright red partially hidden underneath the golden grains caught her eye. The red line! It's a few meters away.

This is great! She cheered and instantly picked herself back up. The new hope surged adrenaline in her veins, making her heart beat faster.

Excitement. This is what excitement in a fight feels like. It's exhilarating.

Left. Right. She could see Hera's movements. But her body couldn't keep up with the pace for too long yet. Her steps faltered, despite that, she kept herself grounded.

She could feel the pulsing at the side of her head.

With frustration clouding her better judgment, Hera lunged at her. Her hits weren't landing as much since Adeleine only kept either blocking or evading. She's almost like a slithery serpent, crafty and slippery. Hera knew it—the letherian couldn't be trusted.

Her eyes widened when Adeleine intentionally fell on her back flat on the ground, knees up. Her soles carried Hera's weight by the stomach and sprung the blonde forward using her momentum before rolling up.

Regardless of being stunned, Hera managed to shift her weight before rolling heavily on the ground. She planted one knee to stop herself from skidding further as it created dust around her figure.

That's when she noticed it—the red line. Her whole face scrunched furiously and tainted red. She turned to her opponent sharply.

"Fucking snake!" The contorted end of her voice sent shivers down her spine. The air changed.

Rage engulfed her. Does that slithery demon think she can take her out? Hah! Not a fucking chance.

Hera's eyes glowed bright white, her pupils gone. Dark clouds basked the whole arena in darkness. Turbulent winds stirred the sand around them ominously. Her body hovered on the ground as a sphere of blue glow enveloped her. A droplet touched Adeleine's cheek. She looked up to see it raining.

People in the audience seats were shouting and hustling for cover from the unexpected change of weather while nobles had their servants hold them their umbrellas.

What now? She can't touch her like this.

She stared at the sharp movements of the water around Hera that swished with dangerous whispers. She could feel the heavy pressure.

Just to make sure, she ran to the nearest weapon and launched it in the sphere's direction. It wasn't the best throw. Heck, it wasn't even considered good.

Despite being metal, the turbulent energies sliced the sword into pieces.

"Ah crap," she muttered under her breath. This time, she might be toasted.

She could wait until Hera runs out of energy. It doesn't necessarily take that long. By then, Hera would have no power to fight her back, even if she had awakened or not. A solid plan.

But she spoke too soon. The wind grew wilder. The tie on her tight bun loosened while she hopelessly tried to catch it in the air, only to watch it get taken by the strong currents. Adeleine was forced to her knees to shield herself from the heavy downpour of the rain hammering against her armor. At this rate, she's going to be sweep away.

She needs to end it, somehow.

Attacking Hera was out of the question. No way would she go near the raging out-of-control freak who wanted her dead. Long-range wouldn't work as well.

"Oh no!" Bridget pulled her fringes nervously as she watched them. "Lady Amalia, this is- this is dangerous!"

Amalia looked up to the headmaster to see him gleaming with a smile. Her eyes squinted. "Yet they aren't stopping it."

"Woah, dude," Hayden shielded his face from the burst of wind, "overdramatic much?"

"Bridget, didn't she tried to force her awakening back in the training grounds?"

"Uhm, yes!"

Amalia watched the glowing orb with keen eyes. "I see." She wasn't wrong about signing the girl under their family name. Hera turned to be even better than expected. She could already see that the girl would be one of the top trainees. To have such talents, house Azura, one of the four powerful dukedoms, should be a force to reckon. Her father—no, the duke, "The duke would be delighted to hear this news."

"But Lady Amalia, what if they don't stop, they'll both be in danger!" Bridget cried in horror.

"Hey, you crazy psycho bitch! Yeah, I'm talking to you!" Adeleine yelled through the howling winds. "Can't beat me without your affinity, can you? Weak! Why don't you just grovel at my feet and call it quits? It's clear to me you're too afraid I'll beat you with just fists."

Lies.

"I'm better than you! I don't rely on measly powers to take you down. And I know that's a fact."

Lies. Well, maybe?

Amalia raised an eyebrow. "What is she doing?"

"I can't hear you in this disaster? What, you're too chicken? HA! LOSER!"

Hera shrilled. "DUMBASS, I'LL MAKE YA PAY!" Another burst surged and swept the arena, the energy brewing stronger.

Adeleine smirked, but it wiped off her face when she got thrown back. She face-planted on the sand and spat it out in distaste. She sure hoped there aren't any…remains here.

She blew out from her short breath as she picked herself up. Her muscles were already tired and aching. Her body swayed, keeping herself from being thrown again by the harsh winds. Her head, disoriented from all the hits she took a while ago. The adrenaline is finally wearing off.

Her whole body was numb.

A flash caught her eye a few meters away. Instead of soaking the sand, water from the rain collected itself, fluidly forming a silhouette of a cold-blooded beast. About two feet long with its whole body flat on the ground, flat rounded nose, and a lizard-like tail. It solidified into a skin of rough murky brownish color with dull yellow spots running down at the back of their spine. A pair of black beady eyes bore right through Adeleine.

"Her spirit beast is a lizard?" she cocked her head. However, the lizard looks somewhat…off?

"A salamander!" Someone from the audience yelled. The crowd grew even more excited despite the hard downpour of rain, cheering at the sudden turn of events.

"Oooh, so that's what it is." She nodded to herself in affirmation. "No wonder it looked different. Wait—!" Realization dawned on her.

Staring at her raging opponent and her newly summoned spirit beast, a drop of sweat trailed down her forehead in anticipation. It was getting harder to see with the visibility almost zero from the rain. She could only distinguish the glowing orb that encased Hera. The surge of energy started to fluctuate. As soon as it burst, it retracted in an instant.

The heavy raindrops stopped mid-air. It was only a second when everything stood still. Then it dropped, literally soaking them more than they already were.

The body of the salamander exploded. Water sprayed before it dissipated. It was a spectacular sight to behold, like a water fountain show! Adeleine was left with her jaw hanging.

Hera dropped limply, left unconscious on the ground.

Breathing heavily, it took a moment for Adeleine to let it all sink in as she also dropped to her knees, her legs buckling. She could barely hold herself up. Soon, her whole body washed in relief but still trembling and cold.

The whole arena was silent.

And then, her vision turned black.