The Second Hand of Time

CHAPTER SIXTEEN SOUL-BINDING, THE ABILITY TO ACCESS MAGIC WITHOUT RUNES

I am sitting right here outside the arena, in a cemented bench. Sitting beside me is Spencer. He was taken out by a Class A student on the top lane—a female sorceress who burned him out of the arena. He was eating some fried potatoes beside me. Instinctively of course, I went and asked for some.

We were just watching Clifford fight Maverick in here. We can see what is happening, but we cannot hear what they were talking about. Everyone from Class F (including me) was surprised when Clifford created a humanoid avatar using water. Everybody murmured in awe as they saw him punch Maverick out of his fiery avatar.

They exchanged blows from their swords, retreated and caught their breath, and then I was surprised when I saw Maverick rip his clothes off like some action star. Unfortunately, Clifford has nothing to show off. He took off his coat, but remained wearing his T-shirt.

I thought they settled for a modeling match instead of a physical fight but then they fought again. And then suddenly Maverick's left hand flew out of its original place. He then rolled around the ground in pain and kneeled. For unknown reasons, I saw him offer his sword to Clifford. I thought that he told Clifford to kill him with his own sword, but he stabbed himself with a knife from the ground instead. And then a voice broke the silence, declaring Class F's victory against the Class A. Clifford stared up at the sky and fell to the ground like a log. Vanistella from Class A caught his head before it hit the ground. I'm not sure why.

"We won!" Spencer Shackle shouted on my right.

"Yeah!" I commented. "Awesome!"

I scanned the surroundings trying to find Tom. I know that Tom was defeated, but why isn't he here? I asked my classmate who was taken out early in the game—a guy named Brick (yeah, his face looks like a brick, especially his teeth) if he saw Tom. He said he saw him but then he suddenly disappeared, and seemed to be in a hurry. Weird.

Dan and Hana are still in the game. I saw them together in the woods with Hana carrying Dan like his baby brother after Dan defeated Robbie the cold guy.

After the game has ended, my classmates jumped around like monkeys, celebrating our class's victory. All the remaining students inside the arena were instantly teleported out of the arena.

I saw Miss Eupraxia studying the arena. She was looking over the whole place like it was some place she would like to go someday on a field trip. Yeah, I know that because every time Grandpa Fred stare at a picture with the same look on his face, he wants to go to that place someday (supposing that debt collectors wouldn't find him).

I walked next to her. She didn't notice me coming so she almost jumped when I suddenly talked.

"Peekaboo!" I suddenly said.

"*censored*! My—I nearly had a heart attack!" She yelped.

"Oh? Are you dying, old lady?" I joked.

"Do you want me to burn your..." She said angrily.

"Whoa hey, hey, easy!" I answered. "I was just joking. So... Did you create that place?"

She paused for a second as if she didn't understand what I was asking about.

"Oh—this... Yes." She replied.

"Really? How?"

"If I told you the whole process, it would take me a whole day explaining."

"Really?" I asked curiously. "Um, okay. Just explain to me how it is possible for you to make that place."

She adjusted her glasses. "Okay. Listen. Magic work in ways that science and logic cannot explain."

I nodded. She continued talking.