Shapeshifter *ON HOLD*

Chapter Sixteen

"Dodge!" Devan yelled at Kyle as he whipped his katana,"feint to the right! Slash back at me!"

"I don't know how! Not everyone is born with skills!" Kyle protested as he plunged his sickle towards Devan's leg. Devan's sword intercepted it with ease. Kyle scowled at him, and Agnes could feel the fury he was radiating.

"Ladies, ladies you're all beautiful. Let's restart this," Karmen broke in, standing in their way, "How 'bout this time we have Kyle verse Agnes's since their both...well...unskilled."

"Ok then," Devan shrugged offhandedly, though Agnes could catch a tinge of disappointment.

Bloodthirsty barbarian. He's the type that's impulsive and likes to pick fights. Better to figure him out first instead of trusting him right away. Agnes mused in her mind.

Agnes backed up to the western wall of the arena, crouching into a fighting stance. She held her sickle horizontally in front of her, ready to go on the defensive. Kyle was endeavouring to keep the scimitar steady, though his hands were still shivering from the weight. He bent his knees, and kept the scimitar at his right side.

"Ready, set...GO!" Karmen blew a horn of some kind that produced a baritone sound, echoing in the cavern.

Kyle was hesitating, bouncing on his heels, then stopping. His face wavered for a second, like the ocean revealing its secrets in the dark depths below.

He doesn't want to hurt me. Agnes thought with a tug at her heart. 

Seconds slipped by, and still no attacks were made. Devan was tapping his feet against the dirty floor. Karmen was giving Agnes a sideways impatient look.

"Looks like Kyle doesn't quite have the courage to go against a girl," Devan jeered with a sly face.

"Well we'll see if you do," Agnes retorted, to a surprised gasp from everyone.

"Of course I do! I've been training with this katana for two years, and it has never failed me," Devan bragged, doing fancy tricks with his katana, "Are you sure you want to though? It would spare you a lot of pain if you don't."

"Yes she will. She'll win."

Everyone whirled around to Faelyn.

"Is that...what you foresaw?" Devan asked.

"Yes. It's in all the futures I see," Faelyn asserted, her black hair rippling as she nodded.

"You can...see the future?" Agnes couldn't believe what she was hearing, but it somehow felt less strange than realizing she was able to shift into other creatures.

"Yes. Faelyn is a Foresighter, which earn their powers only if their past life was an angel," Karmen explained.

"Now on with the fight," Devan interrupted, "Me verses Agnes. Ready, set...GO!" The horn sounded again.

Devan sprang at Agnes, katana in hand. He swung it in an arc above his head, then slashed at Agnes's arm. Agnes sidestepped left, narrowly avoiding the blade.

Time for me to come in. The voice cackled.

Agnes sighed in relief as the katana missed her by a hair. As Devan lashed at her shoulder, the voice shouted a command into her head.

Block the offence using the curved side of the sickle.

Agnes smoothly caught the katana, and now it was trapped, since the sickle had a curved blade. She grinned jubilantly at Devan.

Now kick him in the stomach.

Agnes did as told, releasing a merciless kick into the pit of his stomach. Devan staggered backwards, then fell on his backside.

"You were saying...?" Kyle raised an eyebrow at him, and Devan gave him a murderous glare. Kyle just shrugged and joked, "I think it's my turn to be smug now."

"That. Was. Amazing," Karmen commented, "Even I couldn't beat Devan in a duel."

"I told you she would win," Faelyn smiled sweetly.

Devan groaned, and stormed off without another word. Agnes felt bad at that. She hadn't meant to hurt someone. Devan would get revenge. Revenge for ruining his reputation. Revenge for wrecking his dignity. And Agnes was not excited for that.

*           *          *

Agnes was on her way home, her feet clomping on the moist leaves. Clouds scudded over the howling wind, obscuring the sky with threats of rain. A streak of lightning ignited in the sky, followed by a clap of thunder that rumbled with malice. Not long after, a drizzle started, drenching her hair.

"Agnes."

She glanced around, and saw who she expected...Kyle. "What?"

"I don't think it was you who defeated Devan," Kyle started, "You couldn't have done that. Like Devan said, he trained two years with his katana, and even Karmen wasn't able to beat him. Plus, you could see the experienced way he slashed with it, and the way he could calculate every move perfectly. He's a warrior, Agnes."

"Well it was luck," Agnes quavered, tremors of guilt burrowing into her.

"If it was, then its worse. Agnes, you're not the type of person to do...to do that. You're such a kindhearted person, and you hate hurting people. I don't understand why you would do something like that to Devan."

"We can't stay the same way forever," Agnes snapped, adding more force to her words than necessary.

Kyle's eyes widened, confusion and pain swimming in them.

Agnes's voice softened, "Go home Kyle. Don't stay out in the rain."

She left him while the rain smashed down harder.

*           *          *

"Honey! You're soaking wet!" Agnes's mother rushed to her side the minute she opened the door, throwing a blanket around her shoulders.

"I'm fine," Agnes insisted as she walked up the stairs.

In her room, she spoke to the voice.

I really shouldn't have let you help me. Agnes admitted.

Why is that? The voice slurred.

Now Devan hates me, and I hurt Kyle. I can't bear to see Kyle hurt...

A pause. Things will turn around, he'll come back to you.

But I also made so many people suspicious. Don't help me tomorrow.

Agnes thought she felt a flare of anger from the voice.

Fine then. I'll see how well you'll fare without me against a warrior. 

Woooo! Another chapter done! Thank you to all you supportive readers who make my book such a success. I was so happy yesterday when my book was #441 in Fanatsy. And it's all thanks you guys! I CAN'T STOP THANKING YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!

Anyways read on and see how tomorrow will go for Agnes...