CHAPTER 138: THE WINTER TRIALS 13

Aegis let her eyes unfocus slightly, the familiar shimmer of her HUD flickering to life.

Darius Goldspire

HP: 220/220

MP: 65/65

Stats:

Power: 72

Intelligence: 45

Grace: 58

Insight: 41

Charisma: 52

Aegis exhaled slowly.

[Okay. Don’t wanna underestimate this guy. But I’ve got tricks he hasn’t seen yet.]

Darius moved first.

No dramatic charge. No wasted energy. He just stepped forward and thrust his sword at her chest.

Fast. Precise. Clean.

Aegis sidestepped, the blade missing her ribs by inches. She countered with a slash from Ruby, aiming for his sword arm.

Darius pulled back, blocking with the flat of his blade. The clang of metal on metal rang out.

They circled each other, testing.

Darius attacked again, his strikes methodical. High, low, center. Each one forced Aegis to react, to give ground.

[He’s probing. Looking for weaknesses. Probably has a whole flowchart in his head for this.]

Aegis blocked with both daggers crossed, then spun and slashed at his legs.

Darius jumped back, then immediately closed the distance with a horizontal slash.

Aegis ducked, feeling the blade whistle over her head. She drove her knee toward his stomach.

Darius twisted, avoiding the hit, and swung his pommel at her face.

Aegis jerked back. The metal grazed her cheek, hot and sharp. Blood welled from the scratch.

They broke apart.

The crowd roared.

Aegis wiped the blood away with the back of her hand.

[He’s good. Really good. But I’m faster. I think. Maybe. Fuck, I hope so.]

She cast Aether Step, teleporting behind him in a flash of purple light.

Darius spun instantly, like he’d been expecting it.

His blade was already moving.

Aegis barely blocked. The impact rattled up her arms hard enough to make her teeth clack together.

[Shit. He’s seen that move before. I’ve used it a million times by now.]

She pressed the attack, slashing with both daggers in rapid succession. Ruby and Sapphire blurred as she unleashed everything she had.

Darius blocked each strike, his movements efficient. No panic. No hesitation. Just cold, calculated defense.

But Aegis could see it—the slight tension in his shoulders. The way his breathing quickened just a fraction.

[He’s working for it. Good. That means I’m not completely fucked.]

Aegis feinted left, then lunged right, slashing at his ribs.

The blade connected. Blood welled through the fabric of his white shirt, spreading in a dark stain.

Darius grunted, stepping back. His eyes narrowed.

"Not bad."

"Thanks. I’ve been practicing." Aegis grinned. "Also, your shirt’s ruined. Sorry about that."

Darius attacked with renewed intensity. His strikes came faster, harder. Each one had weight behind it.

Aegis blocked, parried, dodged. Her muscles screamed with every movement, her arms burning.

He swung at her head. She ducked.

He swung at her legs. She jumped.

He thrust at her chest. She twisted away.

But he was relentless. Each attack drove her back, closer to the edge of the platform.

[He’s trying to corner me. Ring out would be embarrassing as hell. Can’t let that happen.]

Aegis cast Aether Whip, the glowing purple tendril lashing out at his sword.

Darius cut through it mid-cast, just like Kanna had done in their match.

[Figures. Why did I think that would work?]

Aegis gritted her teeth and changed tactics. She charged forward, closing the distance instead of maintaining it.

Darius swung. Aegis slid beneath the blade, her boots skidding across the marble with a screech.

She came up behind him and slashed at his back.

Darius spun, blocking at the last second. But the force of Aegis’s strike knocked him off balance, his back foot sliding.

Aegis didn’t waste the opening. She kicked him square in the chest.

Darius stumbled back, catching himself before he fell.

The crowd went wild, their cheers shaking the arena.

Aegis pressed forward, attacking relentlessly. She slashed with Ruby, then Sapphire, then Ruby again, keeping him on the defensive.

Darius blocked each strike, but he was giving ground now.

[I’ve got him. Just need to keep the pressure on. Don’t let him breathe.]

Then Darius changed.

His eyes sharpened. His stance shifted lower, more stable.

And suddenly, Aegis was the one on the defensive.

Darius’s strikes came faster than before, each one landing with brutal precision. He wasn’t holding back anymore. Whatever reserves he’d been saving, he was using them now.

Aegis blocked, but the force rattled her arms. She tried to counter, but Darius was already moving, already three steps ahead.

He feinted high, then struck low. His blade caught Aegis’s thigh, biting deep.

She hissed, pain flaring white-hot. Blood soaked through her pants, warm and wet.

[Fuck fuck fuck—]

Darius followed up with a horizontal slash. Aegis barely ducked in time, the blade cutting through strands of her hair.

[He’s not messing around anymore. This is bad. This is really bad.]

Aegis cast Aether Step, teleporting to the far side of the platform. She needed space, needed a second to think.

Darius was on her in seconds.

He swung. Aegis blocked.

He swung again. Aegis parried, her arms shaking.

He swung a third time, and Aegis’s grip faltered. Ruby flew out of her hand, clattering across the marble with a metallic skitter.

The crowd gasped, the sound sharp and collective.

Darius pressed his blade to her throat, the edge cold against her skin.

"Yield."

Aegis stared at him, breathing hard. Her heart hammered in her chest.

[No. Not like this. Not when I’m this close. Not when Talia’s watching.]

She glanced down at Sapphire, still gripped in her left hand.

Then she grinned.

"Not yet."

She drove her palm into Darius’s chest and cast Aether Pulse.

The burst of purple energy sent him staggering backward, his sword dipping as he fought for balance.

Aegis dove for Ruby, scooping it up and rolling to her feet in one motion. Her thigh screamed in protest, but she ignored it.

Darius recovered, his expression colder than before.

"Clever."

"Thanks. I try."

They clashed again, steel ringing against steel. The sound echoed through the arena, sharp and violent.

But now, Aegis wasn’t just defending. She was attacking with purpose.

She remembered everything Rosanna had taught her.

[Ghost queen, my beloved. Please, let this work!]

And she put it all together.

Aegis feinted with Ruby, drawing Darius’s attention to her right. Then she struck with Sapphire, the blade biting into his shoulder.

Darius hissed, his grip faltering for just a second.

Aegis didn’t stop. She swept his legs with a low kick. He stumbled.

[NOW!]

Aegis cast Aether Pulse one more time.

Darius crashed to one knee, his sword clattering to the marble.

Aegis pressed both daggers to his throat, one on each side. The blades crossed, forming an X.

Silence.

Complete, utter silence.

Darius stared up at her, breathing hard. Sweat dripped down his face.

Then he smiled.

"I yield."

The crowd exploded into cheers so loud Aegis’s ears rang.

Aegis stepped back, her entire body trembling. Her legs felt like jelly. She offered Darius her hand.

He took it, letting her pull him to his feet.

"Good fight," he said.

"You too. Nearly had me there."

"Nearly." His jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Next time."

Valdris stepped onto the platform, her voice amplified by magic.

"The victor of the Winter Trials Tournament—Aegis Starcaller!"

The crowd’s roar was deafening, shaking the very stones beneath Aegis’s feet.

Aegis stood there, daggers in hand, barely able to process what had just happened.

[I won. I actually won. Holy shit.]

"As champion," Valdris continued, "Aegis Starcaller is hereby granted the title of Lady and will represent Rosevale Academy at the International Banquet tomorrow evening!"

Aegis blinked.

[Wait, tomorrow? Already? Can’t a girl get like a week to recover? My everything hurts.]

But she didn’t have time to think about it. Scarlett was suddenly there, tackling her in a hug so fierce it knocked the wind out of her lungs.

"YOU DID IT!"

Sophie appeared next, tears streaming down her face.

"Big sis! You won! You actually won!"

Lune offered a rare, genuine smile.

"Congratulations. Try not to die at the banquet."

Aegis laughed, the sound half-hysterical.

"I did it. Holy shit, I actually did it."

---

An hour later, Aegis sat alone in a small room backstage, her body aching in places she didn’t know could ache.

Her thigh was bandaged now, courtesy of a healing mage. The cut was closed, but it still throbbed with a dull, insistent pain.

[Note to self: getting stabbed sucks. Avoid in the future.]

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

Darius stepped inside. He’d changed out of his tournament gear into something casual—a simple white shirt and black pants.

He looked tired. And pissed.

Aegis tensed.

"Goldspire."

He walked over and, to her surprise, bowed.

"Congratulations on your victory."

Aegis blinked.

"Uh. Thanks?"

He straightened, his jaw tight.

"I underestimated you. That was my mistake."

"Hey, you gave me a hell of a fight. I barely—"

"I should have won." His voice was sharp, cutting. "But I didn’t. You were better. Today."

Aegis studied him, trying to figure out if he was about to challenge her to a rematch right here and now.

"You’re taking this surprisingly well."

"Oh, make no mistake, I’m furious." He met her eyes. "But I’m not a sore loser. You earned that title. Fair and square."

Aegis relaxed slightly.

"Thanks. I think."

Darius held out his hand.

"I’ll beat you next time. In whatever competition comes next."

Aegis grinned and shook his hand, her grip firm.

"You won’t."

"We’ll see."

They shook firmly, neither breaking eye contact.

A notification flickered across Aegis’s HUD.

Event Update: Hearts and Minds

Darius Goldspire - Befriended

Reward: Tactical Insight (Passive) - Gain insight into enemy attack patterns after observing three consecutive strikes.

Aegis’s grin widened.

Darius let go of her hand and turned to leave. He paused at the door, glancing back.

"Lady Starcaller."

Aegis snorted.

"Still sounds weird."

"I suspect you’ll have no problem getting used to it." He scoffed. "See you at the banquet."

"See you."

He left, the door clicking shut behind him.

Aegis sat there for a long moment, staring at nothing in particular.

Then she stood, walked to the mirror, and struck the most ridiculous victory pose she could manage—one leg up on a chair, both arms flexed, her face twisted into an exaggerated smirk.

"I’m a fucking noble now," she said to her reflection.

Her reflection did not respond, which was probably for the best.

She held the pose for exactly three seconds before her leg cramped and she nearly fell over.

"Ow. Fuck. Okay. Cool moment over."

She limped back to the chair and collapsed into it, grinning like an idiot.

[I did it. I’m a noble. One step closer to marrying Talia. One step closer to not being poor as hell.]