Duelcrest Academy

16. Innate powers

I didn't know exactly what had brought me there, in front of Sophia's room door.

After the end of the duel, the girl had left the classroom, immersed in silence.
The atmosphere couldn't have been more different from when she had struck Valentine to the heart. No celebrations and compliments, just... fear.

The leaderboard now read:

97 students remaining.

Carl Stuart's murderer had been defeated. But now a new monster, if possible even more dangerous, had risen from its ashes.
That was probably what the other students thought.

Personally, I didn't know what to think. On one hand, I couldn't help but feel my stomach churn, thinking back on the gruesome state Sophia's power had reduced Valentine's body into. On the other, I felt gratitude and admiration towards her. After all, she had risked her life to save not only mine but everyone's.
She had also clearly intended to finish off Valentine with a clean hit to the heart. What happened after was not her fault.

There was also something else driving me there: curiosity.
As I though, the sword had nothing to do with her powers. I needed to know more. If there were other students among us who possessed those inexplicable powers, I needed to know more. My survival depended on it.

So, when several students had asked to go to the infirmary, complaining of feeling sick due to the gory spectacle they had justwitnessed, I tagged along.
Finding where Sophia had gone was easy. All I had to do was follow the trail of blood she had left on the floor.

I gathered my courage and knocked.
After a moment, I heard Sophia's muffled voice ask:

«Who is it?»

«I-it's me, Elizabeth. I would like to talk to you...»

There was a moment of silence, then:

«Okay, come in, the door's open. Give me five minutes. I'm washing all that blood off me.»

Sophia's voice betrayed irritation.

For a moment I thought about running away, but at the then I decided to enter.

Sophia's room was pretty much identical to mine.
But it kinda had a different feel to it. It was... empty? Aside from textbooks, scrolls of parchment, a pen and inkwell, there was practically nothing in there.
No personal effects.

I could hear the sound of running water through the bathroom door.
I moved the chair from the desk and sat down, waiting.
I began to try and think about how to start the conversation. So far, my encounters with Sophia had been anything but friendly.
And now that I knew how powerful she was...

I was almost thinking of slipping away with an excuse when I heard Sophia shout:

«I'm coming out. Turn around. If you peek, I'll make sure you end up like Valentine.»

«Huh?»

Why was she treating me like an horny teenager?
We were both girls, even if I had seen her coming out undressed from the bathroom, there would have been nothing strange about it.

Nevertheless, I decided to obey. I really didn't want to make her mad.

The door opened, and I heard Sophia's light footsteps enter the room and head towards the closet.
Despite my previous thoughts, I couldn't help but feel a certain nervousness.
I kept staring at the wall for several endless minutes.

«Okay, you can turn around.»

Sophia was sitting on the bed, her long black hair still wet. Accustomed to the impeccable form she had every day in class, seeing her like this, with her hair unkept and with her shirt untucked, was wierd.