CHAPTER 222: COMBAT

The fight was against ourselves. Since we were just eight contestants, we were paired against each other in a duel. But the announcer had picked out rumpled papers in a bowl to know who we would be contesting against.

For my first time, I was selected to duel with the senior that had bothered to speak with me after my victory in the magic prowess session. We were both surprised to be fighting each other, but we had no choice but to advance to the field when our names were called by Professor Zokel. We had been the last in the list too. The others had fought, and now there were only three females moving to the final; three and whoever would win this duel that was about to happen.

"I had never imagined to be pitted against you, Dora. But I will make it quick. You have outlasted than we all had gambled for, a feat, but it comes to stop now."

I nodded slowly, not knowing what to say. The seniors had gambled on my position in the contest? Did anyone gamble for my win?

"Did anyone gamble for my win?" I asked, surprising the senior. The Professor had just blown the whistle. We were supposed to be fighting, not discussing. I was sure that she had been expecting the former.

Well, I was doing anything to stall time, to think on what tactic to use best. Adam had spoken of knock out punches, but which part of the body was vulnerable to that? How do I get close enough to strike a knockout punch?

"Actually, no one did. No one gambled for your total winnings. The riskiest of us, only stopped at the duel."

I nodded again. "What was your gamble?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I was the riskiest senior, me and a few others."

"So, you have more than the title to lose then?"

"It seems that way. That’s why I think you are unlucky. I will have to fight with all I have to get you out of the game, and to win the pot. It’s a large sum that we had all put together." She said, bending a beat, and swaying as a tennis player would whilst waiting for his or her opponent to strike the ball. She was getting into position to fight. I didn’t even have a position.

"What happens to the pot then, if I win this session? Who would the pot go to? Me?" I was standing erect. Not knowing what to do with my hands, I let them fall to my sides. I was looking less as a fighter, and the audience seemed to think so too, if their murmurings were anything to pass by.

Professor Zokel blew the whistle again. "Fight!!"

The senior who had stood upright at my question, bent again, fisting her hands. "Maybe. I think that might be the best solution, even though you didn’t cast any bet. If you win this session, I’m sure that would be the best fit. But that’s conditional. Can you beat me? You don’t seem like you have battle experience."

I shrugged my shoulders. I did not. But she didn’t have to know that.

"If I should blow the whistle again, you both would be disqualified..."

There was a pause where I turned to look at the professor who was talking with Professor Brooks. I furrowed my eyebrows watching them communicate, a furrow which deepened when Professor Zokel nodded emphatically and returned to his officiating position. What now? Were we already disqualified? They better not try that!

"As I was saying before, if the silence continues, you both will be disqualified, or the person with the lowest aggregate score between the both of you will leave the competition."

The person with the lowest aggregate score was the senior. And I was sure she didn’t want to be disqualified. When I reverted my gaze to her, I didn’t see her in her former position. No. She was right in front of me; she was dealing me with a blow. It happened so fast that I couldn’t dodge the blow. I tasted blood in my mouth.

The fight wasn’t to the death, but till a fighter gave up, or was knocked down to the ground three times, or a knockout. The blow knocked me down to the ground. It was a win for her. However, she didn’t let me recover. She pounced on me, and deftly twisted my hand to my back, whilst her free hand came across my frontal neck, and pulled it backwards. The pain caused blind spots to burst in my sight.

I groaned, barely hearing her next words.

"Don’t make this hard on yourself, Dora. You don’t have to bear bruises on your skin, that may or may not leave with magic. Just tap out now, and save yourself the distress."

I said nothing to her, neither did I tap out. Not when I could hear Diana and Levina shouting my name, as if I was the one winning the game. The senior tightened the grasps, and I wailed out in pain, unable to keep it in any longer.

’El... I need your help.’

Communicating to my significant other became an arduous task, as my brain kept wheezing in and out due to my unstable consciousness. I had held out asking for her help earlier, because I had believed that she was only adept in magic. But now, I had no choice.

’What do you want me to do?’

I wetted my lips which were suddenly dry. ’To fight. Help me win this session.’

’I will need to take absolute control of your body. Is that okay?’

I wanted to ask her how she could combat, but I forwent it, and communicated my consent. We could talk about her skill set later.

When the merging started, I sighed in relief, and let go, receding to that particular spot in myself where I could watch the battle unfold, where I could watch El in action.