Chapter 46

A small crowd followed us to the arena, realizing there was gonna be a duel and they sat on the surrounding benches in anticipation. Zai was floating 50 feet in the air, laying on his back as if he were on water... he didn't even need his wings. 

"Rules are, first one to surrender loses. This is a long-awaited rematch." Zai announced then he rolled over to look at the ground below where we stood. I had to look away to keep my mind focused on the match and not my husband. "Once both combatants are ready, say, AYE." I changed into sportswear then came back and yelled Aye. Qon had changed as well and yelled his confirmation as well. "Okay, Start!" I made the area floor slick with ice. Qon's response was extending his wings and hovering inches off the ground. 

"Pathetic, spent so much time on earth that you forgot I can fly." I didn't offer a reply but got into a fighting stance. He shot metal darts in my direction, from his jewelry and buttons, but because of the ice on my feet, I was moved out of danger instantly, by just thinking about it. sliding around gracefully and leaving ice crystals in my path. When he tried throwing punches the result was the same but then he tried throwing a kick, it was so slow compared to when I trained with Zai that I was able to catch his leg under my arm and use the momentum from his hit to fling him a few feet into the air behind me. He seemed stunned for a second and began pulling metals from the crowd, coating his knuckles and toes, that's when I summoned down a bolt of lightning and struck him. The thunder was so loud it drowned out his scream. I made sure he was in the air so he'd take the full force of my attack. His body bounced slightly when he hit the area floor and he was so charred he was barely recognizable. He hasn't said he gives up yet though... So I charged my body with electricity ready to strike him again. Qon got up, maybe from sensing danger. The area around his feet was beginning to thaw because of how hot his body was but that was no issue to me. I closed the distance between us and threw my charged punches at him, they were slow enough for him to counter and dodge so I could see him relax a little. I felt a prick and then another, and then hundreds of thin metal needles were shot into my back. I gritted my teeth so I wouldn't yell out in pain. His face was healing some and though he was still panting from having to control his power to such a technical point while under attack, he seemed smug. "You can still give up." He noted. Maybe he thinks that I can't use lightning on him again. I could feel the needles digging into me deeply, some burrowing under my skin. Knowing him they'd soon work their way into my vitals unless I forfeit.

"You can give up too," I replied, then his needles stopped moving and he realized he could no longer move himself. I took a deep breath, then approached him. It hurt to walk but spreading my wings would only slow me down. A millisecond later my body was as light as air and I landed as many punches on him as I could, shocking him with each touch. It was only a second for everyone else but I had hit him so much that he was pulverized and my fists were drenched in blood, he screamed,

"I forfeit!" in that second and I was readying to hit him again but had to stop myself. He was shivering, the skin that touched the metal on his knuckles was still burnt, his clothes were in tatters and his face was in shock.

"Do you have anything else to say to me?" I asked, taking a step back to help him calm down.

"I... regret what I did to you... I am sorry, so, so sorry." This is the closest I will ever get to a sincere apology.

"Then, take your metals out of my body," I demanded. He did as told, instantly, I flinched from the pain but did my best to clench my teeth and hide how I was feeling. "Goodbye." Zai slowly landed beside me. He hooked our arms together and looked at Qon, who was still shaking. Even after physically healing it seems Zai's version of lightning still lingers in the body. "How did I do?" I asked, pulling his attention away from my adversary.

"I think my student has learned well." He replied while petting me with his free hand, I blushed and we began walking away.

"Thank you, teacher," I whispered and my heart raced as the memories of every time I said that phrase to Zai raced through my head. He is my true teacher, the only one who could help me push past my weakness and grow.

"Wait... How... did you do that?!" Qon yelled at my back, "Your movements were almost unseeable and when did you learn how to master lightning?" I looked to Zai and he nodded his agreement to me so I shouted.

"I don't need to tell you anything." Then I flicked him off and we teleported back to our hotel room. Zai was the first to laugh and it was infectious so I joined in.

"You got nothing else to say to him?" He asked while stroking my hair.

"I've already spoken to him enough... he was tortured, and I got him to submit to me and regret what he did... it's best if I move on now. You made it possible for me to move on." I admitted. Zai kissed my cheek and started humming the song I wrote for him, making me feel a little tense.

"You know what I want to do now?" He asked. I shook my head, then watched as he removed his shirt and grew weak as I always do. "I want to get some sleep, before my fight tomorrow." I playfully punched his arm.

"Hey! Why are you teasing me?! You know I thought you were going to say something else!" I complained, he tapped my pouting lips and said,

"What did you have in mind?" I searched for the courage to admit what I was thinking but then he burst into boisterous laughter, "You're right, I was just teasing you." Then he hugged me by the waist and kissed me. I stood on my tiptoes and hugged his shoulders, in that same instant we shifted onto the bed, with me on my back looking up at him.

"... So you don't need to rest?" I asked. I hate to get worked up if he tells me he was just joking around again.

"... I don't need to sleep to fight him." He answered before getting carried away with me, until minutes before his match.

10 Minutes before the match begins...

"How could you distract me so long?" Zai grumbled,

"Me?! It's not my appointment and I had no idea when you two were supposed to meet!" He responded to my words by rolling his eyes and saying,

"Excuses, excuses." in a mocking tone. Then he grinned widely and I couldn't help but smile back.

"You better not get hurt or I will feel guilty." When I mumbled this Zai bit his lip and said,

"Snowe stop... we're out of time and I can't be late." Does he think I'm trying to seduce him right now?! We met up with Smoke at the arena area, it was early so there was no crowd watching... yet. When he saw us he waved and approached us to ask,

"Can I speak to Snowe alone?" His question caused Zai to frown but he covered his mouth with his hand to hide his expression and said,

"Sure." He then folded his arm and sat on the edge of the arena stage, while Smoke led me away. We were walking for almost a minute before I said,

"Where are we going?" He paused and looked around.

"Here should be fine... How've you been?" Smoke inquired, flopping down onto the ground and then patting the spot next to him inviting me to join. I sat a few feet away. 

"I've been well... The people who took me in have been very kind to me." I replied. He scoffed.

"I'm sure... That guy is one of them, right?" I nodded, "His scent is the same one that was on you last time you visited... but now you're practically engulfed in it, it's like you're the same person."

"Well... we spend a lot of time together." I felt too shy to go into more detail, especially considering who I'm talking to.

"I wished for years to see you again... and the moment I stopped having hope that I would... you show up. Can you imagine how I felt when I found out what happened to you? My feelings had just started to develop but when you disappeared they had nowhere to go, I was stuck obsessing over what happened to you, it was agony." I felt a bit guilty hearing his confession. I did my best to stay loyal to him until he confirmed he moved on but my heart had already been swayed by Zai before we reunited.

"I... am sorry, I had no idea you went through that," I replied.

"Did you think I didn't care about you?" Smoke asked this question while turning to look at me, and moving closer. I met his eyes saying,

"I couldn't fathom meaning that much to you." My answer was honest. He sighed and then he nodded before speaking,

"I ... am so self-assured. I knew without a doubt that you wanted me but I never reassured you of how I felt, that's my mistake... Maybe if I did, things would be different." I didn't want to disagree, but unless he really convinced me that he cared, through years of trauma, I wouldn't have reached out to him instead of Qon... and things would've ended up the same.

"My ... low self-esteem isn't your fault," I replied, then I noticed him closing the gap between our faces and I covered my mouth instinctively.

"What are you doing?" He asked with a slight chuckle,

"You can't kiss me," I warned.

"I wasn't going to kiss you... I'm engaged, remember?" I sighed with relief and put my hand down,

"I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions... is there something on my face? Are my eyes a weird color?" I asked with a smile. Then his mouth was on mine, I gasped and pulled away but he leaned forward once again connecting our lips so I turned my head and stood up to escape.

"Yeah... something was on your face... time to fight your fiancee now, I guess" Smoke stated while rising to his feet and stretching, then strolling back towards the stage. What the heck just happened?!