Hidden Before Their Eyes

Chapter 31: An Opening Door to Success

I watch solemnly as Dracix utterly crushes his final opponent. The human he had been paired against stood no chance against an incubus of his caliber. I watch as his mood depresses my own lightens. While he worries about having only a single battle left, I am grateful that we are one step closer to reuniting.

I turn away and head out of the arena, the long skirt that I am wearing spinning around me. That ifrit had managed to ruin my best pair of trousers. While I should replace them I do have a spare pair and am unsure if I will even have the opportunity to wear such things once I have become Esklan once more. I skirt around the edge of the festival which is winding down as soon enough the stalls will be taken down and the doors of the Academy will close once more.

In no mood to spend any more time in town I head inside. I feel like so much time has been wasted this week. I have spent immense amounts of time on useless tasks or on nothing at all. It does not feel right. With everything coming together, coming to a close on this chapter of my life, sitting still seems like the greatest waste of time.

To let out the remaining tension in my body, most having fled with Dracix having won, I head to the training arena. On the way I pick up my sword and Erphi from my room. Erphi settles in around my shoulders, snuggling his head into the collar of my blouse. I smile at him and then focus myself on training. I am alone, to my surprise, in the training arena. The other students all either enjoying the rest of the festival, fighting their final battles, or taking this time to rest.

I let myself fall into a trance-like state as I go through the motions with the sword. I missed using the sharper metal tool more than I thought I would during the festival. With weapons banned during the festival, due to their particularly dangerous nature, I had been neglecting the skill.

I feel a presence behind me I react without thinking. Striking out I blink a few quick times when my blade is stopped mid-assault. I narrow my eyes slightly and see Dracix holding the blade between his hands, less than an inch above his head. Quickly I draw the sword away from him and begin to apologize to him.

"Do not bother apologizing, I should know better than walk up unannounced to the back of a warrior," Dracix interrupts me.

I smile slightly and give him a nod. I start wrapping it up and Dracix just looks on, clearly waiting for my full attention before addressing his reasoning for having approached me. Once I have finished wrapping the blade and have strapped it to my back I look up at him. A storm is brewing him his eyes, and no doubt in his mind as well.

"I hear you were quite rude to my mother, your queen," he remarks, not appearing to have formulated an opinion on the matter, yet.

My smile falters and I deadpan in response, "You mean when she interrogated me about nonsense?"

Dracix bursts out laughing and clenches his sides with his arms to keep from bending over from the tenacity of the laughter. That sight is amusing to say the least. It takes a time but eventually Dracix calms down considerably. He begins speaking but it is highly broken up by fits of laughter. "She. She interrogated you?" I smile slightly as I see the pure joy that shines in his eyes. "Has she no class?"

With a smile, and a small snort from amusement, I respond, "I believe the Queen to be quite classy actually."

Dracix finally reigns in his laughter and says, "You just are not the same as most of the humans I have met such far in my life Carino."

I am sure my eyes flash in the slightest bit of worry, but I smooth it over and Dracix does not seem to have noticed the momentary slip. "All people are unique Dracix, humans are no exception to that fact."

He nods, expressing his understanding and then bids me farewell. He is almost out of the training arena when he calls back, "Oh and she leaves tomorrow, just try and avoid her til then Carino."