Duelcrest Academy

29. Determination

Over the next seven days, my routine underwent another drastic change.

After our fight, my relationship with Sophia seemed to have frozen.
It was kinda strange, if anyone had been watching us from a distance, they wouldn't have noticed anything wrong.
After all, we continued to sit close to each other as if nothing had happened, and when we spoke it was in a subdued way.
But that was the problem. We usually fought like cats and dogs.
It would have been obvious to anyone who knew us that something was wrong.

Amy had noticed immediately, that very evening.
She had taken me aside and asked me if anything had happened between Sophia and me.
I had told her everything, shrinking in shame under her stern gaze, like that of a mother fed up with her daughters' silly quarrels.

«How old are you two again? I thought after what happened in the infirmary you had finally learned the importance of communicating honestly with each other?»

«This time it's mostly my fault. I know Sophia didn't mean anything by it. But I can't stand the fact that she doesn't take a duel between us seriously...»

«Then why don't you just tell her?»

«I will, but first I want to show her what I'm capable of. Only then will she understand...»

«Do what you want...»

The disappointment in Amy's voice was like a stab wound. Since that evening, she had also begun to treat me with a certain coldness.
But even though I felt guilty, I was determined to persevere.

Luckily, I had a very enthusiastic accomplice.

Celeste's eyes had lit up with a light of their own when I had explained my intentions.
From then on, our weekly meetings became daily ones.

At the first of these, we decided on a strategy. The idea was mine.
After all, I had begun to formulate a plan ever since I had discovered what Sophia's innate power was:

"Cut through anything, be it an object, a spell or a person."

The key to defeating her was, in theory, very simple: I had to circumvent her power.

How? Well, even though she had said "anything", there were definitely limits.
Both in terms of what she could cut and how much she could cut.
The problem was how to exploit those weaknesses. I needed to find the right weapon.

And that's where Celeste comes in.
Her passion for magic made her the perfect person to help me find the right spell to carry out my plan.
Fortunately, it didn't take long.

The day after the event was announced, Celeste knocked on my door.
In her wake, floating lazily in the air, was a pile of grimoires almost as tall as she was.
Apparently, her collection of magical texts rivalled that of Aldric-themed merchandise.

«How the hell did you manage to bring all this stuff with you?» I asked in astonishment.

«Ever heard of a bottomless suitcase?»

Did such a thing really exist? An item with such an enchantment must have cost a fortune.

"Damn nobles..."

So we began to leaf through those volumes in search of inspiration.
A few hours later, while reading through one of them, my eyes fell on a very strange spell.

«Celeste! Come here!»

My friend lifted her nose from another book and reached over my shoulder to read its effects.
She quickly began to giggle.

«Oh, oh! You're really mean! That's a low blow to use on someone like her!»

She was right. I doubted I would find anything better in that pile of books. It was perfect, but...