CHAPTER 137: THE WINTER TRIALS 12

Aegis walked through the academy’s stone corridors, her boots echoing against the floor with each step.

Her muscles were absolutely on fire. It turned out that even a few minutes of fighting at a time was enough to leave every limb on Aegis’s body feeling like they were on fire.

[Suddenly, I understand why MMA fighters back on Earth had to take minutes off between rounds. These fights feel like they go on for ages!]

Students lingered in clusters near the windows and doorways, their voices dropping to whispers as she passed. Some didn’t even bother with the concept of subtlety and just straight-up stared.

"That’s her."

"The commoner who made it to the finals."

"Think she can actually beat Goldspire?"

"No way. He’s trained his whole life for this."

"I heard she got lucky against Kanna."

"And Talia threw the match. Had to. They’re fucking, aren’t they?"

Aegis kept her head up, ignoring them. Her jaw clenched, but she didn’t break stride.

[Let them talk. I’ll prove them wrong soon enough. Then they can all eat shit!]

The sun was starting to set. Students were filtering out to the bathrooms and out into the city, no doubt looking to get some snacks before they watched the two top fighters kick each other’s asses. Come to think of it, this was probably the closest thing to going to the movies in this world.

And among them, Aegis was still chugging along. And she was in the finals.

[One more fight. Just one more. Then I’m a minor noble. Then I’m one step closer to marrying Talia.]

She reached her dorm and pushed the door open.

Talia sat on Aegis’s bed, legs crossed, looking entirely too comfortable. She’d changed out of her tournament gear into something casual—a simple black shirt and moon-grey pants.

Aegis blinked.

"Uh. Hi."

Talia glanced up, yellow eyes gleaming.

"Took you long enough."

"Didn’t realize I had an appointment." Aegis closed the door behind her with her foot. "Where’s Lune?"

"Still at the arena, if I had to guess."

"Right."

Aegis walked over and sat down beside Talia, the mattress dipping slightly under her weight. Their thighs touched, which somehow sent shivers up Aegis’s spine like she was still a virgin despite the fact that she had sex with this girl frequently.

They sat in silence for a moment, the air between them thick.

"So," Aegis said finally, unable to help herself. "Held back for me, did ya?"

Talia’s lips curved into a smirk and her right brow raised.

[Ah! What a deadly combo! My heart!]

"Oh, come on. If I wanted to, I would have reduced you to nothing but dust to be blown away with the wind."

"Brutal."

"Unfortunately," Talia continued, her voice dropping lower, "dust isn’t quite as good at sex, so I didn’t."

Aegis snorted, her cock twitching at the casual mention of sex.

[Down, girl. We’re having a moment here.]

"How considerate of you."

"I thought so."

Talia leaned back on her hands. The position made her tits press against her shirt just right.

[Focus on her face, Aegis. Her face. The face.]

"You fought well," Talia said. "Better than I expected, honestly."

"Really? Stroking my ego, Talia? You’re not afraid my head will get even bigger?"

"I mean it." Talia’s expression softened. "You’ve come a long way since the entrance exams. Back then you were just some commoner with good test scores. Now you’re actually dangerous."

Aegis shrugged, trying to play it cool even though the compliment made her chest feel weird.

"Had good teachers."

"Who? Scarlett?" Talia’s brow arched. "The woman who thinks ’dodging’ is a suggestion?"

"Among others."

Talia tilted her head, black hair falling over one shoulder.

"You’re being vague."

"I’m a woman of mystery."

"You’re a woman of bullshit."

Aegis grinned.

"That too."

Talia sighed, her gaze drifting to the window. The sunset was doing that thing where it made everything look orange.

[Man, sunsets in this world always hit different.]

"Are you nervous?" Talia asked.

"About Darius? Yeah. A little."

"A little?"

"Okay, a lot." Aegis rubbed the back of her neck.

Talia nodded slowly.

"He’s good. As good as I am, probably."

"Hey, don’t sell yourself short. You’re terrifying. You almost skewered me like four times today."

"I know." Talia smirked. "But he’s been training for this his entire life. Resources, tutors, probably some bullshit family techniques. And he doesn’t get distracted by pretty girls with big tits."

"Unlike me?"

"... Unlike both of us, unfortunately."

[Hehehe...]

Aegis leaned back against the wall, stretching her legs out until her boots hung off the edge of the bed.

"You really think I can win?"

Talia was quiet for a moment. When she spoke, her voice was softer.

"I think you can probably do anything you set your mind to. You’re stupidly stubborn like that."

"High praise from Princess Talia Stone herself. Thanks."

"Don’t thank me. Just win."

"I’ll do my best."

Talia reached out and cupped Aegis’s jaw, her thumb brushing against her cheek. The touch was gentle, which somehow made it worse.

"You better. Because if you lose, I’m going to be very upset with you."

"Noted."

"I might just disintegrate you."

"Don’t threaten me with a good time."

Talia rolled her eyes.

And then, Talia kissed her.

It was soft and gentle... for approximately 3 seconds. Then, it turned hungry and demanding, all teeth and tongue and desperation. Talia kissed like she was trying to brand herself onto Aegis’s mouth.

Aegis responded immediately, her hands sliding to Talia’s waist and pulling her closer. Talia tasted like mint and something sweet.

Talia’s fingers tangled in Aegis’s hair, tugging hard enough to make her scalp sting.

Aegis groaned against her lips, the sound embarrassingly needy.

They shifted, Talia swinging one leg over to straddle Aegis’s lap. The kiss deepened, tongues sliding together hot and slick. Aegis’s cock hardened instantly, pressing up against Talia’s ass through their clothes.

Aegis’s hands moved to Talia’s hips, gripping tight.

Talia pulled back just enough to breathe, her forehead resting against Aegis’s. Her pupils were blown wide, her lips wet and kiss-swollen.

"Aegis."

"Yeah?" Aegis’s voice came out rougher than intended, basically gravel at this point.

"If you lose, I’m going to be very upset."

"You already said that."

Talia kissed her again, harder this time. Her hips rolled forward, grinding down in a way that made Aegis see stars behind her eyelids.

[Oh fuck. Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck—]

Aegis’s hands slid under Talia’s shirt, fingertips brushing against warm skin and the ridges of her abs.

Talia shivered, her breath hitching.

Aegis grinned against her lips.

"Cold?"

"Shut up." Talia bit her bottom lip—actually bit it—hard enough to sting.

Aegis gasped, her grip on Talia’s hips tightening hard enough to bruise.

Talia kissed down Aegis’s jaw, then lower to her neck. Her teeth grazed that spot just below Aegis’s ear that made her whole body tense up.

Aegis’s breath hitched, her hips jerking up involuntarily.

Talia’s hands moved to the hem of Aegis’s shirt, fingers hooking under the fabric and starting to lift it.

Then she stopped.

Just... stopped.

Aegis blinked, her brain struggling to catch up through the fog of arousal.

"Talia?"

Talia pulled back, a wicked smirk spreading across her face.

"No."

"What?"

"You should save that energy for Darius." Talia’s voice was perfectly casual, like she wasn’t sitting on Aegis’s lap with her cock hard and her shirt half-off.

Aegis stared at her.

"You’re kidding."

"I’m not."

"Talia."

"No."

"You can’t just—" Aegis gestured wildly at everything. "You can’t just get me this worked up and then stop!"

"I can. And I am." Talia climbed off her lap with infuriating grace, adjusting her shirt. "Consider it motivation."

Aegis groaned, flopping back onto the bed dramatically. Her cock throbbed painfully against her pants.

[This is torture. Actual torture.]

"I hate you. I hate you so much."

Talia leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to Aegis’s forehead. The gesture was so gentle it made Aegis’s chest ache.

"Win this, and I’ll make it worth your while."

Aegis opened one eye, suspicious.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Talia walked toward the door, pausing with her hand on the handle. She glanced back over her shoulder.

"Good luck, Aegis."

"Thanks. I think."

"Don’t think. Just win."

Talia left, the door clicking shut behind her.

Aegis lay there for a long moment, staring at the ceiling, her cock still uncomfortably hard.

[That woman is going to be the death of me. The sexiest, most frustrating death imaginable.]

She sat up after a minute, running both hands through her hair.

[Alright. Focus. Tournament. Winning. Then sex. Good sex. Great sex. The BEST sex.]

She stood and walked to the mirror. Her hair was a complete disaster, sticking up in like five different directions. Her shirt was wrinkled and half-untucked. Her lips were red and swollen.

She looked tired and disheveled and thoroughly kissed.

But she looked alive.

[One more fight. Then everything changes. Then I get to marry this girl and do unspeakable things to her on the regular.]

She grabbed Ruby and Sapphire from the nightstand, checking the edges. The daggers gleamed, their enchantments humming faintly under her fingers.

[Let’s finish this.]

---

The arena was packed when Aegis arrived.

Every single seat was filled—nobles in their fancy outfits, students in their uniforms, faculty in their robes. Everyone had turned out for the final match.

The noise hit her like a wall the moment she stepped through the entrance. Cheering, shouting, the general chaos of a crowd hyped to watch two people beat the shit out of each other.

[Yep. Definitely like going to the movies. Except the movie is live and someone might actually die.]

Aegis walked through the crowd. She ignored the stares and whispers, kept her head high.

Scarlett spotted her first and waved like an absolute maniac, nearly hitting someone in the face.

"Aegis! Over here!"

Aegis made her way over. Scarlett, Sophie, and Lune were sitting near the front, prime seats for the bloodbath.

"Ready?" Scarlett asked, grinning like this was the best day of her life.

"As I’ll ever be."

Sophie launched herself at Aegis, wrapping her in a hug tight enough to crack ribs.

"You’ve got this, big sis! I know you do! You’re gonna kick his ass!"

"Thanks, Sophie." Aegis hugged her back, drawing strength from the contact.

[You know? Sophie’s great. Even if she is way too enthusiastic about violence.]

Lune glanced up from her sketchbook.

"Don’t die."

"Still not planning on it."

"Good. I’d hate to have to find a new roommate. The last one left blood on the carpet."

"Wait, what?"

"Nothing."

[I’m not gonna ask. I’m just not gonna ask.]

Aegis glanced across the arena. Darius stood near the platform, stretching methodically. Rolling his shoulders, testing his sword grip. Every movement was deliberate. Practiced. The guy looked like a machine.

He caught her eye and nodded once.

Aegis nodded back.

Valdris stepped onto the platform, her silver hair gleaming in the torchlight. The crowd quieted instantly.

"Welcome to the final match of the Winter Trials Combat Tournament!"

The crowd erupted into cheers loud enough to make Aegis’s ears ring.

"This match will determine our champion! The victor will be granted a minor noble title and the honor of representing Rosevale Academy!"

Aegis’s heart pounded so hard she could feel it in her throat.

[This is it. Everything I’ve been working for. Noble title. Marriage to Talia. That thing with her—focus, Aegis. FOCUS.]

"Combatants!" Valdris’s voice rang out. "To the platform!"

Aegis stood. Her legs felt steady despite the nerves.

Scarlett grabbed her arm, her grip fierce.

"You’ve got this. Go fuck him up."

Sophie hugged her one more time.

"Good luck! Kick his butt! Aim for the knees!"

Lune met her eyes.

"Good luck."

Aegis nodded and started walking.

The crowd parted as she made her way to the platform. She could feel their eyes on her, hear their murmurs.

"Think she’ll win?"

"No way. Goldspire’s too good."

"But she beat Kanna. And Talia."

"Luck. Pure luck."

"I’ve got fifty gold on Goldspire."

"I’ve got a hundred on the commoner. Underdog story, baby."

Aegis climbed onto the platform. Ruby and Sapphire felt right in her hands, familiar.

Darius stood across from her, his longsword held loosely at his side.

They stared at each other across the white marble.

Valdris raised her hand. The arena fell silent—completely, utterly silent.

"Combatants, ready?"

Aegis shifted into a defensive stance, knees bent, weight balanced.

Darius raised his sword.

Aegis took a breath, centering herself.

Valdris’s hand dropped.

"Begin!"