It was the first time in my life that I had ever stood in a real one-on-one fight. No crowd. No distractions. Just me… and Liam.
He stood opposite me in the training grounds, holding a wooden spear in his hand, looking way too calm for someone about to duel. When our eyes met, he gave me a small smile and said softly, "Don't worry. I'll be gentle."
I nodded, not wanting to look scared. "Okay," I whispered back. I didn't want to use my swords today—they felt too heavy, too serious. So I'd left them behind in my room. Instead, I picked up a wooden spear. If I was going to fight, I wanted to feel everything—each blow, each miss, each bruise. I needed this.
Liam also chose a wooden spear, and the coach stepped between us. He raised his hand and said, "When I give the signal… you start. No holding back."
And then it began.
"Start!"
I lunged forward, putting every bit of strength I had into my strikes, but Liam… he blocked each one effortlessly. Like it was nothing. Like I was nothing.
Still, he didn't mock me. His eyes held patience, and his voice was warm. "With more training, you'll get better."
I smiled at him, trying not to let the sting of defeat get to me… but then I heard her.
That girl. Standing at the edge of the field, watching me with a twisted smirk, like I was a walking joke. She laughed, cold and sharp, and said mockingly, "She can't even fight. Why was she chosen in the first place?"
Liam was about to respond, his jaw tightening, but I held up my hand to stop him.
"No," I said firmly. "Don't defend me. I'm not that weak."
He looked surprised, but I could see the respect behind his eyes as he reached out and helped me up. I shook the dirt off my clothes and turned to the coach.
"I want to fight her. One-on-one."
The moment the words left my mouth, Liam's face changed. "Are you crazy? That's Thiruva. She's a Grade B fighter—years of training behind her. Do you really think you can win?"
I looked him straight in the eye and replied, "If I don't try, how will I ever know what's possible? My father once told me that when we face the impossible head-on, even the hardest battles start to look easy. I need to overcome my fear—and this is how I'll do it."
Liam tried to talk me out of it, worry all over his face. But I stood firm. "I'm not running away."
Thiruva walked into the ring like she owned it. Her confidence was unshakable. She picked up a wooden spear and tilted her head at me.
"I didn't expect you to be brave," she said with a smirk. "But you're stupid if you think you'll win. Go ahead. I'll even let you strike first."
The coach glanced at us both. "Are you ready?"
Thiruva said yes without hesitation. I… I hesitated. Then nodded. "Yes."
"Wait for my signal," the coach warned.
"Three… Two… One… Start!"
I darted forward with all the speed I could summon. I aimed blow after blow at her, pouring every emotion into each strike—but she blocked every one. Effortlessly. And worse? She talked through it.
"Is this seriously the best you can do?" she taunted.
Her words cut deeper than her strikes. I started to panic, and my movements got sloppy. I wasn't thinking anymore. I was just swinging wildly, trying not to drown in my own humiliation.
From afar, Liam watched, fists clenched at his sides. He wanted to stop the fight, I could feel it—but he didn't want to anger me… or Lena.
Thiruva's strikes came fast, hard, and merciless. I couldn't keep up. She hit me again and again. My body ached. My lungs screamed. Five minutes passed and I was barely standing, panting like I'd run a marathon. She, on the other hand, stood perfectly calm, smiling like this was a game.
The coach looked at me with concern. "Are you okay? Do you want to continue?"
"I…" My voice failed me. Everything spun.
"I can't…" I whispered.
Then everything went black.
The next thing I remember… was nothing.
Liam rushed to my side faster than anyone had time to react. He held me close until the medics arrived and carried me away on a stretcher. His eyes never left me.
Furious, he turned to Thiruva.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" he shouted.
Thiruva just shrugged, unapologetic. "Your Majesty," she said smugly, "I didn't do anything. She's just too weak to take a few hits. I even went easy on her. You saw it yourself—I didn't go full out. I don't waste time bragging about fights with people weaker than me."
Liam was shaking with rage, his voice rising with every word, but the coach and the other students stepped in, pulling him back.
"Go check on her," one of them urged. "She needs you."
Reluctantly, he left.
---
After he left, whispers began to spread through the training yard like wildfire.
"She's probably from Earth…"
"She only got here because of her father."
"She doesn't deserve to be here."
The words stung more than any weapon ever could.
Back in the medical room, I lay unconscious, my body bruised and aching. Liam sat by my side, holding my hand tightly. His voice was soft, almost broken.
"Don't worry… Everything will be okay," he whispered. "You'll get better. With a little training… you'll be the best."
He looked down at me with a mix of guilt and admiration. "There's a competition in four months. It's held by the Academy every year. After the competition, there's always a feast to celebrate the winner. I've won two years in a row. I'm not trying to brag, but I trained every single day for years. I bled, I fell, I cried. It wasn't easy."
"At first, I thought everything was unfair. That I had to be strong just because of who I was. But you shouldn't think like that. You should care about yourself first—your health. Training without a plan is like chasing air. You can't catch it."
He sighed and looked away.
"I was born a prince. But they didn't treat me like one. I had no mana. They thought I was useless. I fought their words with action. I pretended I could be more."
"My father, he's kind. After my mother died, he never gave up on me. He married again, and I have a little sister. She's a bit arrogant, but kind. Honestly, she reminds me of you."
"She doesn't give up. She puts others first. That's what I want for you too."
"Just because your father was a hero… doesn't give anyone the right to judge you. He earned his place through pain, hard work, and sacrifice. I heard his teacher was from Voguera. His name was Master Shu. No one's seen him since your father disappeared. Maybe… maybe he never got over the loss of his only student."
I wasn't really asleep.
I heard everything Liam said.
And in that moment, something inside me clicked.
I would find Master Shu. I would train. I would come back stronger. I would win.
After Liam left, I sat up. The pain was real, but my resolve was stronger.
I whispered to myself, "I will leave. No one here believes in me. I'll find Master Shu… and I'll prove them all wrong."
I opened a small wooden box and put on my enchanted necklace and earrings. Lex and Croxie—my spirit pets—woke up and shimmered into view.
"Are you okay?" they asked in unison.
"I'm fine," I said. "But I've made a decision. I'm leaving tonight. I have to find Master Shu and train."
Their eyes sparkled. "How can we help?"
"I need to leave without anyone noticing."
So I packed a small bag with the essentials. When the maid came in, I froze. But she didn't suspect anything—just gathered some laundry and left. My heart was thumping so hard I thought she'd hear it.
Once the halls quieted down, I dressed in all black and waited until the guards changed shifts. I snuck through the corridors, avoiding every creak and shadow.
Finally, I slipped onto a small ship docked behind the academy.
As it set sail into the unknown, I looked back once, just once, and whispered:
"Don't worry, Father… I will complete your legacy. I promise."
To be continued