The Iagrera Corona

Aliya walked through the thick blizzard in slow but steady strides, calculating her options before her. Up ahead she saw a lone hooded figure, bend down on one knee with his head resting on the hilt of a sword struck into the deep snow with slender fingers grasping it. 

She moved towards the figure in confident yet cautious strides with a victorious smile tugging at her lips. The figure rose to his feet and lashed out at Aliya with his sword in one sweeping motion obviously aiming for her heart as there was no other way to kill a sorceress. 

Aliya blocked the attack instantly with her sword that she moulded out of thin air in her hand. An ability she had gained by blood. This was Aliya's secret. She was a sorceress and no one would accept a sorceress, right? This was one more reason to kill him as now her secret was revealed. The other reason was to be the victor of the Iagrera Hunt and establish a respectable prestige in her new home, a small but powerful village called Iagrera.

They continued their battle as they lashed out attacks at each other. Aliya sliced the sword through the air in one swift motion, turning her body with a kick directed towards his shin, diving just in time to avoid the blade directed to her side. 

She plunged the sword straight into his chest, twisting the handle of her blade in his heart. For one second Aliya's face sketched fear and surprise. Then she pulled the sword free, which was strangely reflecting the daylight falling on the silver leaving no traces of blood coating the slender blade, and sighed in relief at the revelation. The body disappeared into a puff of black dust and it was replaced by that of an old, wrinkled woman, now lying dead.  

'Mph, mph!'

She turned her head towards the hooded figure that appeared on the ground in a black puff of smoke, bound with ropes and walked towards the blue-eyed individual. She struck her blade at the ropes and the man removed the hood revealing his face which had striking similarities to the man killed by Aliya, or rather The Sorceress in disguise.

He pulled out the rag stuffed into his mouth and stammered in bewilderment, 'How did... how? How did you know that that wasn't me?'

'Zaylen, I'd know you anywhere,' Aliya replied with a smug look on her face, 'You were never that skilled or that witty anyway,' she added with a chuckle and helped him get on his feet.

A loud voice boomed in the background, startling the couple, 'I can't believe this, folks! For the first time in history, we have a victor! The winner of the Annual Iagrera Treasure Hunt- Aliya Ji-Yu Irene!'

*_*

The doors of the great hall were thrown open revealing the procession of the winning team. They crowded into the hall and dispersed off to different tables to celebrate the grand occasion.

Word spread fast about the victor of The Hunt and people from all over the kingdom crowded into the Iagrera Great Hall to see her. Though The Hunt was held yearly there had never been a victor as no one could ever find the Iagrera Corona. The Sorceress had been a confidential subject known only to the village chief and his chosen people so as to encourage more participants for the hunt rather than drive them away. Little did they know that their victor was a sorceress herself. In fact, it was in her blood. Unlike her, The Sorceress had to sell her soul to become one, which had made her all the more vile.

Aliya, followed by Zaylen walked in at the end of the procession in elaborate attires. On seeing them the village chief stood up from his extensive throne congratulating them in a hearty laugh. His cape flowed behind him as he walked down the aisle with open hands to receive his victorious future daughter-in-law.

*_*

'What a fortunate day it is! The nutty old witch is finally gone! Thanks to you my dear, thanks to you,' the chief bellowed as they sat around the table to enjoy the feast.