Twist of Fate

Chapter 32: Qualifiers

A/N: I hope you enjoy this. I wrote as best I could with writer's block. Because of that, I forgot a few details so whenever I come back to edit these, I'll add them. I honestly don't know when the next chappie will be out though...

I crossed my arms and tried not to pout as I felt the auras of the nineteen individuals around me. It may have been a bit presumptuous of me to think, but half of them had to be first years, they were so weak. The other half, though stronger than first years, were average. At best, the strongest were third years, and I could tell they wouldn't provide much of a challenge. Of course, they could've been hiding their true power. It wouldn't be surprising since this was only the qualifiers, but I wasn't too sure.

"Everyone has arrived at their designated stages," Headmaster Kaelon announced. "Begin!"

Multiple battles sprang all around me. I watched with narrowed eyes as blades clashed, the sound of metal ringing along with the loud yells of overzealous fighters starting simultaneously. I frowned before even a minute passed. Weak. They were all so weak. I saw good strikes and tactics, but none of them were particularly impressive. Perhaps I was a bit biased since I was comparing them to Kei and the others, which was rather unfair considering who they were.

I sighed. It really wasn't wise of me to compare them to those "monsters", as they'd been called before.

I'd been standing, just watching those around me battle intensely, if badly, for five minutes before I began to get annoyed. Not only were they being unnecessarily and obscenely loud, none of them had come at me yet. It was a battle royale and no one had even glanced at me. It should've been opposite. I was easy prey, or at least I looked it, as a little girl with a sword too big for me to draw let alone use efficiently. Wasn't it common sense to go after the weak? It wasn't the type of thing I'd pursue, but it was a good strategy regardless. Who in their right mind wouldn't take such an opportunity to make it into the tournament?

At first, I suspected it was because they'd seen me in the Team Tournament, so they were wary of my presence, but decided that wasn't it. If that were the case, the best thing to do would've been to come at me all at once. They did not, and if they were aware, they are fools. Unless they were taking out the weaker ones to come at me with the strong...but I doubted that. That would take extra effort and time, which were things that couldn't be wasted before the actual tournament.

So, if they were unaware of my previous fights, why weren't they aiming for me?

Another theory came to mind, but that one made me want to unsheathe Obsidian and cut them all down until there were none left. But Headmaster Kaelon said there were supposed to be two left, so I refrained.

Though, it didn't erase the the annoyance racing through me. I knew why they weren't coming at me. They most likely saw me as a weak, helpless little girl who was over her head in the tourney and didn't want to hurt me. So they all silently agreed to leave me alone, probably waiting until only two of them were left, then make me give up without a fight.

They probably thought they were being chivalrous, just doing a kindness for a girl, but that wasn't it at all. They were looking down on me. They pitied me. I bristled with revulsion at the very thought. To be pitied by them was absolutely disgusting. For them to think me so low to not even compete with them crossed the line. Who did they think they were? Did they think they were so superior to me that I wouldn't stand a chance?

I nearly laughed aloud. If they truly thought that, then they really were fools. Hadn't they ever learned never to judge their opponents by their appearance? I wasn't qualified to question whether they'd learned or not, but from what I saw, they clearly had not. And because this lesson was likely a very important one that could determine whether you live or die, I decided to educate them. Just a little.