Blade institute: the unseen prophecy

7

The night air crackled with tension as Rian and I circled Sophia, the demon's black eyes gleaming with malice. Her scarred face twisted into a cruel grin, as if she were savoring the thrill of the fight. The alleyway felt like it was closing in on us, the darkness pressing down, making every movement feel more urgent, more desperate.

Rian tossed a blade to me, Sophia lunged at me with the speed of a snake, her claws aiming straight for my throat. I barely dodged in time, feeling the rush of air as her attack missed by inches. My heart pounded in my chest, and I retaliated with a slash of my blade, managing to nick her arm. Black blood oozed from the wound, but Sophia barely flinched, her grin widening as if she enjoyed the pain.

Rian was on her in an instant, his movements sharp and precise. He struck low, aiming for her legs to knock her off balance, but Sophia was quicker than we anticipated. She leapt back, avoiding the blow, and then whirled on Rian with a feral snarl.

"You're both pathetic," she hissed, her voice dripping with disdain. "Do you really think you can defeat me?"

"We'll find out," Rian shot back, his tone icy as he pressed forward, his blade slashing through the air with deadly intent.

Sophia blocked his attack with ease, her movements fluid and terrifyingly graceful. She was toying with us, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And then I saw it—the moment when she decided to stop playing.

With a flick of her wrist, Sophia disarmed Rian, sending his blade skittering across the ground. Before I could react, she kicked me hard in the chest, knocking the breath out of me and sending me sprawling to the ground. My blade slipped from my grasp, and I scrambled to get up, but Sophia was already on me.

She snatched up Rian's fallen blade, her eyes gleaming with vicious glee as she raised it high above her head, aiming it directly at my heart. I felt a cold rush of fear as I realized I couldn't move fast enough to stop her. This was it—this was how I was going to die.

But just as Sophia began to bring the blade down, the ground beneath us trembled. I saw Rian out of the corner of my eye, his hand clenched into a fist as he called upon his earth magic. With a powerful surge, the ground erupted beneath Sophia, shoving her backward with such force that she stumbled, dropping the blade as she fought to regain her balance.

Rian didn't waste a second. He was on her in a flash, grabbing his blade from the ground and driving it straight into her chest with a single, precise motion. Sophia's eyes widened in shock as the blade pierced her heart, her mouth opening in a silent scream. Black blood poured from the wound, and she staggered back, collapsing to the ground in a heap.

For a moment, everything was silent, the only sound the ragged breaths coming from both of us. I pushed myself up, my heart still racing, and glanced at Rian. He was covered in dirt and blood, his face set in a grim expression as he pulled the blade from Sophia's lifeless body.

The silence was shattered by the sound of footsteps, and I turned to see the Headmaster running out of the Institute, his face a mask of fury. His eyes swept over the scene, taking in Sophia's body, the disarray of the alley, and the state of Rian and me.

"What happened here?" the Headmaster demanded, his voice sharp and full of anger.

Rian, ever the picture of calm under pressure, straightened up, wiping the blade clean on his sleeve before sheathing it. He glanced at me with a sarcastic smirk. "Just taking out the trash," he said coolly, before turning on his heel and walking back toward the Institute as if nothing had happened.

I stared after him, my heart still pounding from the fight and his infuriatingly casual attitude. The Headmaster's gaze bore into me, and I swallowed hard, bracing myself for the reprimand I knew was coming.

"We will discuss this tomorrow," the Headmaster said, his tone cold and clipped. It wasn't a request—it was an order, and the weight of it hung heavy in the air. He didn't wait for a response, simply turned and followed after Rian, leaving me alone in the dark alley with Sophia's body at my feet.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling inside me—fear, anger, relief, and, despite myself, a grudging respect for Rian. He had saved my life, but that didn't make him any less infuriating.

Shaking my head, I sheathed my own blade and followed them back into the Institute, knowing that tomorrow's discussion would be anything but pleasant.