Helix

Chapter 10 - Toph

It was the next morning and I laid there, groaning on my bed. I was starting to regret my rashness with Maverick. What was I even thinking, doing it to show Elaena how to fight back?

Funny how I was trying to convince her that she had to step up and take her own responsibilities when I was still here, cowardly hiding like a turtle in a turtle shell. Hypocrite.

I looked outside the window, where the fields of the arena barely peaked out. I saw the competition stage there, where I would fight in eight hours. It was a cloudless sky today, and the sun shone relentlessly. A group of gawking birds flew across the sky. Everything felt unnerving to me.

I imagined what Master would say. Toph, you are making unthought-through decisions, but you must take responsibilities for their repercussions. Thanks for the unhelpful advice.

Truth to be told, even after everything I'd been saying to Elaena, even after everything I'd been convincing myself of, I was still as weak as the night of the fire. I hadn't changed. At all. Who was I kidding – how could I face the burdens of using my own Skills anymore? Really all I could do was swing a practice sword around in fancy movements that were child's play to a real swordsman. To have won the NCC's, Maverick, as much as he was egotistic, was an excellent swordsman.

Finally, I dragged myself out of my room and made a quick breakfast. We had the day off from classes today, luckily. With a sigh, I realized I still had eight hours to prepare myself a winning strategy. Whatever happens, I couldn't let Elaena down.

Even if it meant I had to use that.

First things first, I needed a better weapon than the shabby practice sword I'd been using, whose blades were dull and even chipped at edges. I needed a sword that would stand a chance against Maverick's prized diamond-edged sword. By his braggart-self, he was definitely using that for the showdown this afternoon. So, I guess I would need my sword after all.

Half an hour later, I arrived in my familiar slum again. It was the same as I left it, with a big rag covering the entrance. Inside, it was dim and a thin layer of dust had gathered over the little furniture I had. I bit my lip, sucked in my breath, and moved my bed. Underneath, a section of the floor had been hollowed out, and with a little scraping away, I saw a wooden box that I hadn't seen in six years. My fingers trembled as I pried open the box.

My sword.

It was gifted to me by Master, a unique sword that was entirely black and blended with the shadows in the dark. Shadow, he named it. I smiled wistfully as I touched the cold metal again. Its handle wasn't specifically a handle, rather an elegant twist of the blade that formed a grip for the hand. I didn't know what material it was made of, but coming from Master, I was confident it would hold up against Maverick.

Shadow, I've come back for you. Thank you for waiting for me all these years.

I've been waiting all along, its sharp edge seemed to gleam.

Briskly, I hurried to the arena. I wasn't conceited enough to think that I'd be able to beat Maverick just with an upgraded sword; I still needed a strategy with the Skills I still could use.

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I practiced my Skills again and again. Light, a rapier skill for speed that I'd adapted when I was five to use with a single-handed sword instead. Deflect, a Skill for all sword family weapons to deflect an opponent's attack by sliding it across the blade. Perceiver, an advanced Skill that expanded from the weapon to heighten the senses of the user. This one I learned at six when Master forced to me stand under a waterfall until I could hear him drop a pin into the water from above.