.Elementals.

-69-

I had nothing to cover my face nor did I wish too as I spun my staff in my hands, ignoring the whispers of the remaining competitors as I stood off to the side, waiting for this to start.

I had avoided everyone until morning because it needed my full on concentration to not go murder that skin taker before we got info out of them and if this concentration was broken I'd have had them dead at my feet.

"Not right now." I said, looking in the reflection of the discarded metal armor piece I was staring into. "We can talk but not right now." I said, looking over my shoulder. "Highness."

She took a deep breath seeming conflicted but I was too, maybe not in the way she was but I still was, my own thought still blamed me and wanted murder, that's what bothered me.... I can only assume my face and the truth is what is on her mind.

"Right." She said softly, I spun the staff and snapped it along my arm, hand in the middle of the staff.

"The dragon's garden?" I asked, knowing the answer.

"Yes of course Mystery."

"I'll be there Highness."

I turned to her and walked passed towards the ring. I stopped next to her and sighed, neither facing the other but staring forwards.

"I do not blame you." I breathed out before walking passed.
I really didn't, I learned emotions make us act irrationally and she had thought I betrayed her, I deserve what happened if I seem like the woman that would do this...

"Mystery." I stopped again at her voice, a quiver to her word as if she was about to cry but none acknowledged it. "Don't lose." She whispered softly with a sharp inhale.

"I'd never Highness." I promised.

Stepping into the ring was not something I would have wanted to do but I can't lose, I can't, I can't hurt her more, I can't be the one to hurt her more, I can't.... I can't....

Em's weapon of choice was not the most orthodox. (and not one I actually know how to fight with so excuse me but it won't be a truthful representation like I try for most.) Chain blades, on the end of five feet of chain being a dagger with one feet of chain wrapped around his arms.... It countered me well but I also had reach.

I grabbed the staff with my second hand and pointed it at him, waiting for the starting gong.

He held on he daggers while the chains hung and rested on the ground.

I closed my eyes, emptying my mind of all thoughts.

They snapped open at the gong and I sent my staff in a spin to deflect the blades I knew would come flying at me.

With one big step I was close enough to swing the staff down at his head.

The wood struck a metal chain he held out, using that as a lever point I snapped the bottom of the staff hard against his inner thigh, just missing my target as he moved.

I jumped back as with a flick of his wrist the blades came flying at me.

I spun the staff, catching the ends on fire without hurting the wood as he spun the blades on the five feet length they were on.

I snapped my arms forth to throw the fire off the staff, doing the same with the other side before stomping my foot and batting the pieces of ground the jumped up at him. Of course his chains blocked most, two small cut made on his cheek.

We won't get far going like this....

I stepped forwards, sticking my staff out to get the chain caught on it and loop around it before grabbing on it and yanking on it.

He pulled back as he threw the other at me.

I let all resistance go and got yanked close, arm bent and elbow meeting his face.

I felt his strong kick to the rib send me back but I yanked the chain I caught off his arm and with a flick of the staff sent it flying out of the ring.

I drummed my fingers on the staff, standing ready.

He relaxed, understanding.

He threw his remaining weapon way and I lowered my staff before doing the same and tossing my blades.

Like many time I spun on myself to build up momentum in my leg as fire sparked on it but this time slammed it in the ground, the ground cracking up in spikes as fire raced through the cracks.

All was blocked with a simple earth wall.

I sprinted across the jagged earth spikes, them getting smashed down when I stepped on them and pushed my feet up the wall, jumping over it.

Water raced down my arm that was furthest from him and shot out from the top of my other arm that sparked lightning, a wall of ice raising in the way.

I pulled my fist back and smashed it through it, grabbing his torso armor and yanking him against the wall and heard his head hit it.

The wall imploded on itself sending me back.

I glared at him as he stood ready, taking my frustration out on him and in this fight.

I parried his strike with my forearm, the flames he created rushing by my head as the nerves in my arm acted up as I deflected another of his attempts to burn me.

With one riposte of the same attack from me we ended up in a grapple, trying to shove each other.

I blasted fire from under my feet to flip me over him and pull him down as we both crashed with our back against the ground.

I swung my foot at the ground and a pillar of dirt shot out under him, ripping his grip off me.

I flexed my hand and met his stomach, as he fell, with a closed fist.

"It's useful to be able to use magic through your feet." He coughed out while holding his stomach.

"You don't know how much." I hissed back, punting his head hard before a dirt block made contact with my own head and sent me rolling further away.

I put my hand on the ground and swung my feet in the air to send myself on my feet in a crouch as he stood.

I let out a frustrated yell as I rushed him, hand hanging close to the ground and having magic tear it up before throwing it up and almost impaled him with the spikes.

I was so low that I got his knee to my face without him needing to work much for it.

I grunted, feeling the newly burnt scar tear open on my cheek as the hit was right on it.

I sweeping out my foot and he jumped over it before I turned my whole body around and slammed my other leg in the back of his knees.

I got up and grabbed my face, blasting it with fire, burning it closed again but carelessly enough to make the mark bigger.

I took a deep breath while stomping my foot, deep roots breaking through the rings soil and wrapping his legs up before I let out a fire breath.

I think if was much longer then the previous 100 feet with my hand.

I sighed when I felt him go flying with the strong of the magic as the roots let go after the attack hit and he couldn't avoid it just protect himself with a shield.

His clothes and hair were a bit singed but otherwise he was fine, I wouldn't go as far as hurting him seriously.

I stepped off the ring to get my staff and left, sparing a glance at Audrey.