~ The Unworthy Title ~

~ Chapter 16 ~

The sun was covered by several clouds today. With each day that passed the weather was worsening more and more. Each day the sky was darker than the previous day. We were all before a small fighting arena, everybody was waiting excitedly to see who would be the next person to fight as two boys were coming out of the arena. I looked around at the choices I had. I have an interesting pair in mind. Mhh, maybe it will work.

   "Owen," His attention was now on me, he waited for my order. His hands crossed and his black long hair touched his shoulders. He didn't mind putting them into a braid or something to avoid them getting on his face.

   "You are next." He didn't give me any sign of acknowledgment. He only went straight to the arena waiting for his opponent. I looked next to me at a very tired Bryce.

   "Bryce," She immediately moved her head towards me by the sound of her name. She is really tired. I should reconsider my options.

   "Go and beat his ass for me." A small sound came out of her mouth before she went to the arena to face Owen. This will be interesting.


   "Why put her?" A voice from behind me on the left came. I moved my head towards the sound to find Alarick looking at me. His eyes showed his lack of sleep and his posture was not in the best state.

   "Oh, now you are talking to me instead of barking like the bitch you are?" I turned my head to avoid him and focus on the arena. A small chuckle came out of him as he came closer to me.

   "Wow you are funny." Every part of him was telling me how much he needed to sleep. His eyes, his entire face, his voice, his messy blonde hair, his strong long back looked like he needed to lay down. He needed sleep.

   "Why did you put them together? Your friend will lose."

   "I know." It was true. I knew Owen was stronger than Bryce when it came to fighting with a sword. I knew how this would go before putting them together. Owen will win, Bryce will get mad, I will be the one to calm her down and then I'm gonna beat Owen. But why am I doing this? Why not make things a little interesting when I can?

   "How are you?" I asked him without looking at him. Although I knew he was so surprised that he looked at me.

   "Now you care for me?"

   "Call it morning kindness." He laughed. A genuine laugh. Wow he can actually laugh. It won't hurt to hear it more often.

   "Tired. I can't sleep well and instead, I'm practicing late at night."

   "You shouldn't. You might kill yourself by mistake at that state." I made the image in my head. His blood on the ground. His body turning cold. Until his voice brought me back to my senses.

   "You would love that."

   "Nah. I would be mad that I wasn't the one doing it." He laughed again. He's full of surprises today.

   "True."

~~~~~~~~~~

It didn't take much time for Owen to win. And it didn't take much time for Bryce's face to show her hate for him. Her hair turned into red flames. And before she did something that she would be sorry for later, Blade took her out of the arena and calmed her down. I looked at the options before me. I can go inside and beat Owen, play with him a hunt game, a hunt for power kind of game. I can just choose a random pair to go inside and let Owen continue his day full of satisfaction. But I wouldn't be here if I wanted to play nice, would I ?

I picked up my sword from the ground where I had left it, I checked if the braid I made of my hair this morning was still in great shape and I went to face him. His face hadn't any sign of fatigue. He didn't even sweat. I could change that. I could make him run miles for him to catch me. Let's see how I can break this little boy.

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~ Bryce ~

I don't know why I care. No really, why do I care? Why do I get furious when I see Crystal being better than me at something she has practiced so much to master? Why do I say I don't care but then start analyzing every single mistake I make? Why does that boy have so much impact over me? Why do I want him to see me accomplish something for once? Why? Why? Why? I don't understand. I'm thinking faster than I breathe. I'm worrying over every single mistake, every little thing that could change my situation at the battle, but still. I don't like fighting with a sword. I prefer fighting with my own body, Crystal knows that. But then why do I care?

I raised my head to look at the arena. Owen was strong. Very strong. His moves weren't similar to Crystal's, no they were focused on his feet more instead of Crystal's which focus on her hands and her shoulders. Sometimes I forget Crystal even has feet with the way she moves her sword. But today was different.

Crystal wasn't just moving. She wasn't simply using her sword to fight. She was, dancing. If she wasn't holding a sword her moves would be mistaken for a dance. Her feet were flying from the ground in patterns I couldn't understand. When she was in the air her head, hands, shoulders, everything was turned to Owen and in the split of a second she would attack. At first Owen would lose his balance, but now that some minutes have passed he got used to Crystal's moves. He adapts very fast. It's like he remembers every move you do and then reacts to them.

Owen took a step back after dodging Crystal's attack, but before Crystal could let her feet touch the ground Owen went for a high attack. His attack should have hurt her shoulder or her hand but no. Crystal put all her weight on her back and her entire body, every muscle she had was now turned back. First her shoulders, then her stomach and lastly her feet. They were all going back instead of forward so her body could make a crescent shape.

She would fall. She should have fallen. But instead her feet made a little jump, just enough for her to push her body to go completely back while her hands went in the air until they were placed on the ground. Her hands didn't keep her in the air for long, in a second her feet made a move back and finally she was standing on her feet again.

Owen was taken aback, we all were. I knew she had taken some hours every day to concentrate more on her dancing abilities but she has never moved her body like that before. Owen didn't have enough time to take in what he had just seen, as Crystal was now running towards him with her sword steady on her hands ready to attack. But instead of attacking him Crystal did the easiest thing of all. Once she was a breath away from him, she lowered her sword and swirled her left foot right in the middle of his feet in order for him to lose balance.

Owen couldn't do anything now. He was on the ground, his sword on the ground next to him and Crystal was pointing her sword on his head. If that was a real fight, he would be dead because he was careless.

~~~~~~~~~~
~ Crystal ~

My hands felt heavier than ever. My feet felt like rocks, I couldn't move them freely. I tried to move them where I wanted, my hands in the air then my feet. But no matter what I did I was too tired from training to dance. I stood still for a second until I decided to listen to my body and lay down. I closed my eyes and focused only on my breathing. One breath in, one breath out. Easy. Relax. Put every muscle of your body at ease. Easy.

   "You good?" Hearing that voice opened my eyes instantly.

Once I opened them I saw ocean blue eyes looking me straight in my eyes. His skin was as dark as the night. His black long hair was braided, they were just long enough to touch his shoulder. Some were a little longer. If I didn't know this man, I would have punched him in the face for coming so close at me. That man is Zale, he has been giving me some ideas on some dancing moves or some exercises but he is never around if I don't want him to. I have the entire room for myself.

   "Yes don't worry, just tired. Did you want something?"

   "I have a proposition." That made me push my body and shit down to look at him.

   "I'm listening." A fit of laughter came out of him by my sudden reaction. When he finished he tried to look serious but I cannot see him as a serious person. Just can't.

   "Every year the day after the competition you have told me about, there is a traditional event held."

   "What kind of event?"

   "A traditional dance. It's done by a small number of young girls. This year I was thinking if we could participate. But I can't find enough people. Are you interested? Or you could bring some friends of yours that would like to participate." From all the words that came out of his mouth I got: Dance, girls, participate.

   "I'll see what I can do."

~~~~~~~~~~

When I finished with my dance practice I found Mavise in the hallway. We went together to our room and found the main room. The others must be in their room. We went to see if we were right but once we opened the door, we found Alyssa in her cat form sleeping on Zaira's feet while Zaira was reading her book on her bed. Mavise and I exchanged some looks before Mavise burst into laughs.

   "Shh! You will wake her up."

   "Sorry." Mavise said through her laughter. She couldn't help it. We knew Alyssa was close to Zaira but we weren't prepared for this kind of image. Alyssa opened her green cat eyes and looked straight at us before leaving from Zaira to go to her bed. A green light came out of her and in the split of a second she was back to her human form. She was wearing her usual clothes. A lavender purple dress long enough to hide her knees. Her hair was made into a ponytail. With her hair that way you could see her beautiful face more clearly.

   "What is so funny?"

   "Nothing just didn't expect this." Mavise answered quickly before a small chuckle came out of her.

   "Ignore her." My voice came strangely out of my mouth. I cleared my throat to avoid making such noise again, but I couldn't avoid Mavise's laughter.

   "What? You seriously would laugh at everything." I sat next to Zaira and waited for Mavise to sit down anywhere so we could talk. She chose the floor.
I can't and don't want to understand this girl.

   "Um, what will you do for the festival? Zaira now was looking at me as she closed her book.

   "Stay here, I guess. It's only for four days, going home will take me twice the days." Zaira was right. We are next to Keith's borders. She would have to pass through Keith and Zion to take a boat and go to Cordelia. That's a long journey.

   "I will do the same." Mavise answered while Alyssa gave me a simple nod to agree with the others. So I am the only one with plans here. That's good they might agree.

   "Well one of my teachers informed me about an event that will take place at Vesta on the 13th on the next month. It's just a dance made by a small number of girls. I don't know more details but I would like to do this together. You know to spend some time together." I knew what to expect. Mavise's face was lightened up with a huge smile and agreed immediately. Zaira wasn't even thinking about it and Alyssa was questioning how stupid I must be to even ask her. I mean I can convince them. Somehow...

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~ Alarick ~

The days passed quickly. I closed my eyes and when I opened them I had spent more than a month in this place for another year. Year after year it's still the same. Practice, lessons, practice, lessons. Nothing changes here. It's just an endless circle. I'm tired. I'm tired of waking up every day just to live the same day. Nothing new and no surprises. Seeing the same people, hearing the same words, having to endure the same disgusted looks. Well, some are nice ones.

I don't know which is better, having to live the same day here or my future as a king... No, they are the same. My life has always been just a circle. Nice castles, nice clothes, nice people, we all play dollhouse. The same game little girls play with emotionless dolls. It makes sense given that I haven't felt anything for years, because if I let myself feel anything I won't be able to face my own emotions.

   "Hey watch out!" Owen's voice brought be back to reality where no such thoughts can be made when you have a sword coming towards you. I dodged his attack quickly and took two steps back before dropping my sword. Owen's sword made the same weird sound when it fell on the ground, while Owen was coming towards me.

   "What was that for?" I didn't even look at him. I didn't care to do so. He could hear my voice even when I wasn't looking at him so why bother?

   "Just tired. I'm going to my room." Once I turned to go inside I saw Crystal running with my sister and three other girls towards the forest. What the fuck are they doing? At least Alyssa found some friends. That's good, she deserves some happiness in her life.

~~~~~~~~~~
~ Zaira ~