Without You, The Beginning of Magic {Magical AU}

Chapter 10: Situation (Part 3)

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I took a sharp inhale and shot up as I looked around and saw myself in a familiar room. "Hey, you need to rest still. Healing can only do so much..." I teared up and began crying as Minori and Mikeal were at the table playing cards and there was noise outside. I began bawling my eyes out, so Mikeal ran over and hugged me. I latched onto him and cried louder, "I-I thought you guys died! Don't leave me like that! Mikeal, you're not allowed to die before me! Minori, don't be an idiot and do things you're not used to! You're not allowed to die either, understand!?" Mikeal held me to his chest and comforted me as I cried.

I was able to calm down five minutes later. I sniffled and held onto his neck as he carried me outside, where I still felt warm. I looked to see six people, along with Caleb and Lea. He walked us over, but I flinched as I heard Caleb crying, "Damn it... If I was only a bit stronger... Ethan wouldn't have... The kids wouldn't have had to go through that... If only we didn't find that damn fucking hag cave..."

I sniffled as a woman walked up to me, she had full plate armor with an ax on her back, "Hey, kid. You feel better after crying?" I flushed a bright red as I sniffled, "I-I don't cry! You cry!" I flushed brighter and glared at Mikeal as he burst out laughing, "What're you five?!" I punched him in his arm, "Sh-shut up before I beat you into the ground!"

The woman rubbed my head, "I do cry, even as a platinum captain, it's hard when comrades die. So, it's ok to cry Iris." I bit my lip and looked down, "N-no... I'm done crying... The situation's not over yet..." She stiffened as she became serious, "What do you mean? I didn't see anything, but bones were left in her cave, so what happened?" She sweated a little as I looked at her and my eyes glowed with immense anger, "I killed and sent that fucking bitch to high hell and fed her to Gengi. I took the finger and her mana stone as proof."

My eyebrow twitched as she held out her hand, "Let me see it, I need to c-" I glared, "No, I'm taking it straight to the guild and becoming a platinum adventurer... I'm sorry, but that's not happening. I don't t-" Mikeal held me to him and glared at her, "Step back... We're leaving." I flinched as she and the five others surrounded our carriage. Caleb shot up, "What's going on here?! You s-" She yelled, "Shut up! If I take that stone then I can go to adamantine! I need that crystal along with the other three hags to become one! This was the first of the three! Now hand it over!"

My eyes darkened as I looked down, my bangs covering my eyes, "... Is every adventurer selfish pricks?... Mikeal... Put me down." The woman reached for her ax as I was set down. They shivered, including Mikeal, Minori, Lea, and Caleb, as I gazed at her completely blood thirsty, "Are you threatening my friends and family?... Should I kill you too, just like that hag? Cut you into pieces and feed your mana to Gengi? Will that prevent my friends and family from dying more? If y-"

I felt a tug and my eyes getting covered as I felt Mikeal covering my eyes and holding me to his chest, "Iris! Calm down! We're ok, so don't..." He teared up, "Don't make that expression..." I relaxed as I took a deep breath and gently pulled away. I smiled gently as my gaze softened, "I'm sorry Mikeal... Don't cry." I pulled him into a hug then glared at her as they were getting ready to fight.

I huffed, "... Tell you what... We fight one on one. No interference. I'll take off my magic items as you do yours. Winner gets everything the loser has and cheating results in death, deal?" She yelled, "Why would I agree to that?" I smirked as I did a noble crusty, "Greetings to you. I am Princess of the Sabaody Kingdom, Lyda D Iris. I vow on my title and my life that I will give you all I have if you fight one on one, completely alone, with nothing, but your bare body... No armor, no weapon, and definitely no outside help. Deal?" She smirked, "Deal, but put it in writing Princess."

I held out my ring and pulled out a magic quill and paper. "... I have this for just these reasons..." I wrote down all the information indicating what I wanted before signing it and pricking my finger with the blood before handing it to her and began stripping, "Gengi, hold my stuff. I'm taking everything off." Mikeal yelled, "What?! Why're you committing suicide?!" I glared, "Do you not believe in me? In the end, no matter what it was... Have I ever truly let you down?" He clenched his fist, "No, but know... If you die... I will go with you." I glared, "No... You have Mary, y-" I flinched as he yelled, "And you have Trafalgar! What would happen if he found out?" I looked down, "He would probably kill anyone involved, but you know Mikeal... All you need to do... Is heal me when I win." 

I stripped off my armor first, in case of a sneak attack as I took deep breaths to zone into the upcoming fight. After looking to see her stripped and ready I took off my items, including Law's earrings, the necklace, my watch, my crown, and bracelet before giving them to Gengi. I began stretching as they made room for us. "Aren't you cold, little princess? Y-" I glared as I stretched, "I thought you were cool and beautiful when I first saw you, but now... I see nothing, but an ugly thing worse than demon beasts..."

She flushed red with frustration and dashed me, "That's the last straw little girl!" I casually dodged to the side as my eyes glowed, "Your mana is murky... Why?" She flinched then swung again, but this time I tripped her and she fell. "A deep murky green-blue... Like that of a swamp... Wha-" I coughed as I was punched in the stomach, "Pay attention and stop talking."

I fell to my knees, but rolled to dodge her kick. I went into a handstand and kicked her shoulder, but she just groaned. I yelped as she grabbed my ankle and pulled me closer. I crossed my arms to block her kick as I was sent flying into a tree. I yelped as it scratched my back and my body began aching. "Iris! En-" He stopped as I smiled and my eyes showed excitement, "This is exactly what I've always wanted... Someone so strong I have to struggle... No one would do that at the castle." I bent down and sprinted, "Show me more! Show me how I can grow!"

I grinned as I dodged her punch by twirling around her body and elbowing her back. She groaned and stumbled forward, so I stood straight and put my hands together and hit her in the back and to the ground. She rolled and grabbed my foot as I tried stomping on her. I used her arm as a base and kicked her in her stomach.

She coughed and released me, so I jumped back and let her get up. She growled as her eyes slit and dilated. My smile faded and my eyes glowed as her mana darkened. "... I see..." I got into a stance and bounced up and down. I mumbled, "No longer human..." She growled and ran at me faster, I barely dodged, but managed to spin and kick her back. She turned and grabbed it and tossed me in the air.

I glared as Mikeal, Minori, Gengi, Lea, and Caleb were fighting one each. "Gengi! Don't interfere in my fight and support them! You must absolutely make sure they live, do you understand?!" He grit his teeth. Fine... I yelped as I was kicked into the tree again. I ran out of the way as it began to fall. My eyes-widened as she was suddenly in front of me. I brought my arm up and caught her leg before taking my elbow and my knee together as hard as I possibly could, shattering her femur. She yelped loudly and growled, as she fell to the ground. I brought my knee up as I grabbed her head and slammed it into her skull before kicking her away. She held her face then looked at me with pleading eyes as she whimpered, "D-don't kill me... Please... Help me..."

I flinched and faltered, which was a huge mistake. "Iris!" I looked down as an ice shard went through my injured shoulder. I gritted my teeth as I grabbed her hair and pulled her towards me. I wrapped my arms around one of her arms and her neck as I squeezed. I screamed in pain as she wiggled the ice spear, so I let go. She went to immediately claw me, but I tore the spear out of my arm and in front of me. She scratched my chest, but then fell limp as I had dodged and she fell onto the icicle. I dug the icicle deeper and walked backwards.

I fell onto my ass as Gengi ran and caught me. Mikeal and Lea ran over as Caleb and Minori went to check if the area was now clear. Mikeal helped me onto Gengi and helped me get dried off and began healing me as I put on my gear. I placed my bracelet on, in which the red and blue crystal immediately broke and went to my shoulder. I hissed as it burned, but then a soothing sensation washed around my body.

I leaned against Gengi as I slowly put on the rest of my jewelry. Minori handed me a blanket and I wrapped it around myself as Mikeal went through their things. He apparently found information about a madness spreading and some locations of possible hag hideouts. After packing all our loot up, we wrapped the bodies into blankets and packed them into Caleb and Lea's wagon before we decided it would be best we head back to the town, so on the way back I just laid with Gengi on my bunk and rested on the journey back. We didn't stop unless the horses needed rest, so we reached the town about a month later.