For a second, Robert did nothing but look at her in surprise. Then all of a sudden, he moved. He quickly dashed to the side of the caravan and pulled out a sword. “What’s going on now,” He murmured, “I thought I paid off all the bandits that live in this area. It was expensive as hell but it’d never failed me before. Why would that change now.” After saying this, he turned to look at Choice who was still watching him from where she had been standing. After a second of thinking, he shook his head, “Nah, he can’t have caused this. He paid well enough to go to Loth.”

“Mr Cloister, I thought I was assured that there would be no bandit attacks if I used your caravan. I think this is enough grounds for a refund,” Choice said with a wry smirk.

“Haha, Mr Deka this is no time for a joke. Let’s talk about refunds after dealing with this situation.”

Choice said nothing but smiled and inclined her head as if to say, ‘please go ahead’. Robert nodded and ran out of the room, his sword firmly in his hand. 

I guess he’s not as powerless as I thought. Oh well, Loth is just three days from here if I sneak away I can avoid Rachel as well. Looks like this bandit attack is a present in disguise. What a pity that I can’t get my money back but I still have much left. 

When Choice came out of Robert’s carriage, she immediately noticed that there was chaos everywhere. There was smoking surrounding the entire place and she was certain that something was on fire. She just hoped it wasn’t her wagon.

She started walking sneakily to where she had been stationed but she continued hearing the clash of blades and the dying groans of people. Even though she had fought people before, the sound of many people fighting around her was not familiar to her. The last time she’d experienced this has been… as a child. Green eyes. Choice shook her head to forget old memories. 

This was nothing similar to when she was a child. That had been an assault that she was almost certain was to eliminate her.  Come to think of it, I’ve not been attacked by such a force after that so that attack must have been a mistake. There was no reason for me to have been attacked. I was hardly a threat then and unfortunately even though I have some power, I am still not a threat. 

Choice was quite close to her wagon when she heard the wind behind her get displaced by something that hadn’t been there before. She instinctively spun away from the attack as if in a dance. 

Anticipating another attack, Choice did not try to use her magic on her attacker. Instead, she planned on separating from them and then counterattacking. For all the power she had, Choice did not know how to use her power without any preparation. Tch and I thought I knew my only weakness. I really need to dump Rachel so that I can practice. 

“I didn’t know your Highness had any training in the martial arts.” That was Rachel’s voice. Choice did not lower her guard and still moved away from Rachel before linking with her consciousness. It’s never a bad idea to doubt people, who said that Rachel could be trusted? For all she knew, Rachel might have just been trying to kill her.

“It’s just dancing. I never got trained to fight or else what would I need you for? And what did I say about calling me by my title?”

“Sorry. Deka. I was just trying to fulfill my duty. Besides, it’s chaotic right now no one can hear us.”

“And in such a chaotic environment, you thought the best way to approach me was to startle me out of the blue instead of saying something.”

“Ah, I was going to say something but before I could even open my mouth, you had already moved. Speaking of that, how did you even know I was there before I spoke.” Shit, if she’s telling the truth, I might have fucked up. Still…

“By concentrating really hard. Which I had to do because someone wasn’t there to protect us.”

“Sorry, I just had to grab the wagon. Didn’t want you going to a place of danger. I thought you would stay in Mr Cloister’s expensive carriage which is the most fortified structure here. Here you go,” Rachel said and tossed to Choice her bag filled with her message box from Lee and some clothes.

“Hmm. And here I thought you were hoping I had died,” Choice said sardonically. Rachel raised her eyebrows and quickly shook her head but before she could respond to this accusation, Choice interrupted her. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Let’s get out of here we have some more travelling to do and I don’t want to get caught by the bandits.”

“You’re not going to save them,” Rachel asked with surprise.

“Of course not. I know about your martial prowess but I am just a weak woman.. Why would I run into an active battle when I only have you to protect me? No matter how good you are, you are just one person.”

“As you wish your highness.”

Still luck was not on their side. As neither Choice nor Rachel was familiar with their current environment, they did not know that the direction they were moving towards was where the majority of the bandits were gathered. 

Both of them walked past the battle carefully. As they walked in the direction that was supposed to lead them to freedom, Choice heard the voices of people in pain whining, crying and dying. For a second, she had an impulse to turn back and help in some way. Command Rachel to save them, use her powers. Do something! But she shut off that impulse. There were too many people there for even Rachel to deal with. Skill doesn’t matter against the multitude ad using her powers was even less of an option. If it all worked, her mother’s spy would know about something so essential and important to her plans. Then she would be taken as a serious candidate and she was not yet ready to see who would win between her mother and herself. Besides, it was very likely to not work. She hadn’t tried proofing yet and her powers had a time limit. If she tried to save everyone she came across, she would not be able to use them when it was needed. And frankly she did not know these people. Why take such a risk and die with them when she can survive on her own. As King, she would have to care for the lives of everyone in the country but she was not yet King and there would be more people to care about in the future.

No! She had to focus only on herself right now.

Rachel looked back and saw Choice’s hesitation. Is she going to ask me to try and save them all? Hmph, if she even tries I’ll just knock her out and deliver her back to her mother. I’m not about to have my desires ruined because the princess wants to have an experience. Just when she was prepared to knock her out, Choice’s face hardened and she walked more briskly. So she’s decided to leave them behind, you really can’t look down on royalty. 

“Let us walk a bit faster,” Choice said in a low voice, “The temple should be expecting me.”

“You’re not returning home? Aren’t you scared?” Rachel asked in feigned surprise. Of course the princess wasn’t returning home. She hadn’t received enough excitement yet.

Choice glanced askance at her before ignoring the question. It wasn’t like she had actually gotten hurt by the bandit attack so why would she be scared to the extent of returning home. What kind of person did Rachel think she was? Nonsensical questions like that did not deserve a response.

Rachel and Choice continued to walk as quietly as possible. At least Rachel did. Choice tried but to her sensitive ears, her footsteps thundered. Shit got to learn how to walk more quietly later.

Choice was about to take a step forward when Rachel pulled her backwards. She moved her head to reprimand the action when Rachel put her lips close to her ear and spoke softly.

“We can’t go out this way,” She whispered, “You need to look up.” Choice followed her command and saw what Rachel had noticed. At the top of the trees were a few people who were trying their hardest to blend in with the environment. They were clearly succeeding. Even Choice with her heightened senses had not noticed them. She wondered for a moment how Rachel had done it but finally concluded that her mother was just that good. How frightening.

“How are we going to get out of that,” She whispered back.

“Not possible. They’re too alert.”

“Can you kill them?”

“It’ll take time. I’d have to leave you alone and you would be in danger during that time.”

“Fucking bandits,” Choice muttered in disgust, “Don’t know why any of them are still around.” Rachel did not respond to this show of irritation and simply looked at Choice questioningly. She was still waiting for orders. “Still this type of force is weird for a bandit force. They’re too disciplined and alert.”

“That’s because they are not bandits,” A voice said from behind them, startling them. “It’s me, Robert. No need for your guard to react so aggressively, Mr Deka,” Robert said, glancing at Rachel who had drawn her sword out of nowhere.

“In time, Mr Cloister,” Choice replied in a gentle manner, “I want to hear more about these ‘not bandits’. I thought the money I paid was enough to safeguard me to Loth but it looks like I misunderstood your devotion to your craft.”

“Well they aren’t bandits exactly. They call themselves freedom fighters.”

“Freedom fighters.”

“This starvation is driving people to a cold place. These fighters claim that the nobility is the cause of all the problems in the country and vow to rebel against the monarchy.”

“What? They want to overturn the throne? Is that possible in your country.” I understand the thing about the nobles but they want to target my family and more importantly my future. That can’t be allowed.

“Don’t you think we should move back a bit, if you guys are going to be talking about this?” Rachel interrupted. She was beginning to favour knock her out and bring her home plan. This trip was beginning to be more of a pain than she had previously thought.

“And go back where? These ‘freedom fighters’ are everywhere behind us. Shit, can’t believe I got involved in your business.” The last part was said to Robert Cloister.

“You can’t say that yet. I am almost certain that you are part of the reason. I should have known something was up with Oliver. He blames the government for his brother’s death but was willing to join a caravan that is known for cooperating with the government. He must have joined the Independence shortly after his death.”

“See your business. I have no idea why you would think I was involved.”

“Because this attack is too severe. Even when Independence attacks other merchants and caravans, it never leads to death. Or at least it never starts with death. They must have suspected that you are linked with nobility. If not in Legume then in your home country.”

Choice stayed silent for a while. Still even if she was somehow involved in the reason behind the attack, there was nothing she could do. She was still trying to think about how to save herself without drawing attention to her gifts. There was no way she was going to stick out her neck for these people. She was over that impulse.

“You must have a way out. Take me out of here with you and I swear you will never regret it.”

“You? Even if I rescued you what can you do for me. You’ve lost your entire caravan and with it your money and reputation. No one would ever work for you again. How would I not regret it in the future.”

Robert looked at this Deka who stood confidently and looked imperiously down at him. He looked left and right and stood hesitantly before gesturing to him to come closer.

“I have the real package on me. It’s worth much more than what the group was transporting. I can’t say much more but I swear by all that is in me that if you save me today, I’ll be able to help you with whatever you need in the future.” Choice wanted to ask him what it was but stopped herself. Perhaps this was as important to him as her gift was to her. Still she was almost certain that it was something illegal if it could pay so much and made him so hesitant about it. A merchant would be useful in my plans. If what he has is worth more than the grains and produce he was carrying, he could become influential in the future. And it’s better to have something than not to have anything. Besides, it’s not me fighting them. If Rachel fights them, I can slip away.

“Fine,” Choice said and turned to speak to Rachel, “You said you can defeat them, right?”

“Yes but you would be undefended and I would have to be more comfortable.”

“That’s okay. I’m sure Mr Cloister here would be able to be quiet and I can take care of myself for that period of time.”

Rachel looked at Choice for a while before nodding. I haven’t let her learn a lesson yet but I have to obey her and the Queen. I won’t come back immediately. I’ll let her stew in fear and desperation for a while before returning. Then she’ll learn to speak better to me. Her decision reached, she put her hand down her chest before yanking the tape that had tied up her chest so securely. She threw the wide brimmed hat that had somehow remain on her head to the floor. It would just block her vision. She didn’t need to change anything else, she was comfortable enough.

But Robert was not comfortable. He had thought that the two men were somewhat feminine but had dismissed that as a preference of the wealthy. He had not expected women.

“Yeah, we aren’t men,” Choice stated nonchalantly, enjoying the changing expressions on his face. Truly, it was a compliment to her. She didn’t know her skills were that good.

“I’ll be back soon,” Rachel said then ran with great speed. Choice waited until she heard the soft almost silent sound of steel on skin.

“Let’s get going,” She told the still stunned Robert.

“Go. Shouldn’t we wait for…” He trailed off and gestured his head in the direction that Rachel had just ran towards.

“Don’t worry. She knows what she’s doing but we have no defence here. We’ve got to take advantage of this chance she has created. Or at least I am. I don’t know about you.” Without waiting for him to respond, Choice moved swiftly in the space created when one of the bandits had died to Rachel’s swift sword. Not for the last time she wondered why her mother had sent someone so good in the arts to guard her. Yes she had the list but she would have expected her mother to send the best to her brother. And yes, Rachel for all her faults was apparently exceptional in the sword. This list must be more valuable than she had thought.

Choice had run for some time before she sense something ahead that made her slow down. Robert too slowed down in relief panting and gulping in heavy breaths. Deka ran too fast for someone with his - her physique.

“Well what do we have here. Two rich people abandoning their party when in danger. You people never change.” The person that was speaking came out of the shadows holding a device that seemed to resemble a pocket watch but shone with a silver, luminous glow. “I always knew you were scum Robert but still you disappoint.”

“Oliver,” Robert said in despair. He knew how good Oliver was at fighting. That’s why he hired him even though he criticised everything too much. “You don’t need to do this. Haven’t I been good to you. Didn’t I pay well enough.”

“Money, money, money. It’s always money with you merchants. That’s why my brother joined that caravan even though it was a dangerous route. He wouldn’t have needed to do that if there was enough food and if you merchants weren’t profiting from our hunger. No you didn’t pay well enough. Not you or him. Or should I say her. Not enough at all.” Yes, by this time Choice had thrown away her disguise of being a man. Since Rachel had already revealed her identity, there was no point in hiding hers. Besides she was about to leave the forest and then 

“Shit. Fuck. Damn.”

Choice had not paid any attention to this discussion. Her eyes had been glued to the device that Oliver had in his hands. There was no way that she would not be able to recognise a magic device. In her head, she reassessed the threat level of this rebel group. Magic devices were not things than any ordinary person could just get. Especially magic devices that could, she guessed, track someone.

“That’s how you found us, isn’t it? That thing.” She said pointing at the device, “I’m just surprised that your organisation would have given someone new such a device.”

“Me too. But anything for a member of the Overrun merchant family, no matter how unwanted he is. And then there was you, a nice bonus. You must belong to a noble. People from that bitch queen’s country are few here. I refuse to believe that you’re just an ordinary worker on rented land.”

“Huh. Oh my. You have quite a tongue, don’t you?” Choice said softly. At first she had been surprised that Robert was from the famed Overrun Merchants, a group so powerful that they spanned countries but then he insulted her mother. Yes, she and her mother were going through a rough patch now. And maybe always. But still, no one, no one had the right to insult her mother and certainly not in her presence. “It would be quite a shame if you had to lose it.”

“What are you talking about?” Oliver asked but Choice was no longer listening. It was a full moon and she was full with power. Choice put her hand in her pocket and pulled out the two knives that were in there. Oliver noticed this action.

“Oh lookie here. The girl wants to fight. What’s that bread knife going to do to me?” Oliver said this mockingly but he stood in a more ready position and his other hand went to his sword. He was not a fighter for nothing. Even though he could not think of any way that she could fight against him, he had to be ready for anything. Who knew what these rich bastards had up their sleeves?

As his hands moved towards his sword, Choice threw one of her daggers to him. Quick as lightning, he drew his sword out of the sheath and parried away the dagger. It happened in such a short time but that was enough for Choice to put enough distance between then and bring out her special weapon. Around her waist was a small leather water jug. This jug was filled with the water from the lake where she had awakened her powers. It was the easiest water for her to control.

Choice uncorked the jug and the water floated up to the sky. She tried to move it but it moved slowly and sluggishly. Immediately Choice came back to earth and realised that her neck had been twinging for a while but that she had ignored it. Shit, I have to be calm for it to be most effective. Calm down Choice. Drop your emotions. Shit it’s not working.

Emotions are not a tap or switch. You cannot just flick or turn them on and off. A calmer Choice would not have started this fight in such an aggressive manner. She would have waited for him to attack her first before delivering a fatal counter attack. But Choice was not calm and anger has many disadvantages. This was one of them.

Still Choice was nothing if not stubborn. She had refused to die, she had refused to accept her fate in life. Now she refused to give up. She couldn’t even if she had wanted to; she had wasted too much time trying to control her water and could no longer run away. No worries, she was going to use what she had.

After reflecting the dagger away, Oliver had remained alert in order to protect himself from whatever his attacker had planned. So when he saw the floating water that Choice had produced, he despaired. How was he to know that the person he had thought was related to the aristocracy was a fucking mage. Shit, if I had reached the aura stage, I would have been able to do something, he thought but held his sword tighter and threw the magical . It was the only thing he could do, the worst thing to do when facing a mage was to run away. It wasn’t much better to fight them but there was a chance - an almost impossible chance but there nevertheless - that he could defend enough until the mage ran out of mana or until his comrades got the signal that a destroyed magical device would have transmitted.

But what was this? Why was this mage standing still and not attacking him? He was grateful for this inaction but it was very strange. Could it be…

“Ha,” Oliver said laughing, “I got scared for nothing. I bet you aren’t even a mage. You just have a magic device. You can’t even control it well. You really aren’t even a threat?” 

Oliver said these words dismissingly but his posture showed otherwise. He had suspected this Deka of being someone unordinary and if she had an offensive magical device… Danger! Oliver immediately dropped his defensive posture and ran at Choice. He had to be quick before she was able to use that device.

Choice had heard his remarks and while she had internally protested that she was a mage, she said nothing to him. All her focus was on trying to get her consciousness to move faster. Everything this man said made her annoyed. She might not have been proofed yet but she could use magic in her own way. She had fucking overcome limitations just to do what she had done and no one was going to demean her efforts whether they meant to or not. Just wait until I get this fucking thing working. You’ll regret having met me. Still, she was surprised when she saw him rushing at her. What is he doing? I’m sure Seph told me that the prime advice given to someone fighting a mage is to try to defend and not attack. Shit I’m not ready yet. If only I could improve my control. Wait a sec, am I stupid? There is something that I can use to improve it. Where’s that bloody conch?

Choice put her hand in her pocket and touched the storage device that was there. She extracted the conch from this device just as Oliver was already quite close to her. If she had been a mage like her brother, she would have been able to shrink and enlarge it at will but she was an ability user and so could not do that. She could only store it in the subspace device which her mother had given her in secret. It wasn’t even as good as the worst ones available to mages but at least it didn’t require magic to use. She had to save her magic for when it was necessary.

 Choice tried to move backwards to give herself more space and time to attack but Oliver smiled. His guess had been right. He might not be at the warrior stage where he could bring his weapon out of nowhere but he was not far away. He could use aura to strengthen his blade and his body.

He put on a burst of speed and was right in front of Choice. He slashed his sword at her and Choice tried to block his sword with her other blade.

It’s not going to be enough, She thought and frantically tried to move the water. To her relief, she was able to move it more smoothly than before and just in time too as Oliver’s sword was overpowering her dagger. Instead of reinforcing the clash between her dagger and his sword, Choice used this increased control to shift the sword a little to the left. This slight shift was enough to break the stalemate and let her move a bit away from Oliver.

Still a quasi-warrior could not be underestimated. As Choice tried to move away from him, Oliver chased after her. This clash had been enough to let him know that this Deka did not have enough control over her magic device. He had to catch and kill her before she was able to activate it properly.

By this time, Choice’s anger had already faded away. Instead of being angry, she was now afraid. She had underestimated Oliver as an ordinary merchant with a useful but powerless device. How was she to know that he was a true fighter. Still although she was afraid, paradoxically she was now calmer. Fear was a very familiar emotion to her. She had been afraid when she had been attacked as a child and she had been afraid when she had been killed a few months prior. Fear was not a companion that she was going to give in to or she would get captured or more likely die. She couldn’t just die; she had freaking water powers, that didn’t just happen to anyone. She wasn’t going to die in the middle of freaking nowhere without doing anything.

Mother was right when she told me not to show anger as a child. I can’t believe I was so reckless. Is this recklessness my real nature? No. Next time, I’ll be more cautious and I will have more next times. Choice strengthened and resolve and encouraged herself. There would be a chance to win and if there wasn’t one, she would make it. And that chance appeared.

The place that Choice and Oliver were fighting was a forest that was within walking distance of Loth. Unlike usual forests, the only things that grew in this forest were trees. It was a regular Legumain forest. However, this meant that there was no grass just trees. And sand. And sand mixed with water made mud.

If it was an emotionless Choice fighting with Oliver, making this mud would have been effortless but for this Choice, although she had the conch and the full moon helping her it was more difficult. Oliver tried to catch up to Choice and although he was closing in, Choice could run like she had wings on her feet. That tiny distraction had been enough for her to put enough distance that Oliver did not notice that the water that was floating in the air had disappeared.

When Oliver took his next step, he was surprised that the sandy yet level ground had changed texture. His foot slipped and he tried to prevent this but it’s difficult to do that when you are already in the air. Still, Oliver did not reach his level by mistake. He immediately changed his posture to one that would let him land without injuring himself and would let him quickly begin his chase of this woman.

However, this was where Choice wanted him. She did not forget that Oliver had broken his device as soon as she had revealed his water. He had done so for a purpose and one that would not be good for her. So, as he was landing on the ground, the water separated from the mud and became a spike that would stab him when he landed. 

As the water spike rose up to meet him, Oliver used his aura to protect his heart and raised his gauntlets to block the spike but stabbing him with the spike was not what Choice had planned. Using a water spike was something she could do at her rebirth where she was high on her survival and magic as well as her access to a large body of water. She had not reached the level of extracting water from her surroundings (yet) so she could not waste her limited amount of water which she couldn’t control very well on a water spike. Instead when he raised his gauntlet and covered his heart with his aura, Choice directed the water to go around his arm, surround his head and enter into his orifices. So focused was Choice on her task that she didn't notice that although she was angry and afraid and not completely calm, her control of the half litre of water was much smoother than before. 

No matter how often you are told that water can be dangerous and that people die from it regularly, in different ways, it’s difficult for you to divorce yourself from the image of water as life giver and cleaner. So this assault on Oliver registered to him at first as being splashed with water, something that seemed to be in no way dangerous. This was why he paused rather than reacting as quickly as possible. By the time, he realised what she planned to do it was too late.

However, Oliver wasn’t a quitter either neither was he a weakling. He had ascended the ladder of the rebellion to the level where he was trusted to have a magical device. A powerless device true but magical devices were not cheap. He instantly sent some of his aura within to try and force out the water that Choice was trying to use to drown him while he sent the rest of his aura to move his sword to attack Choice. If he was able to kill her, he did not need to remove the tug of war happening in his body; most magic devices deactivated when their user died.

The battle became a test of their resolve. Whose power would give in first? Choice was already feeling the strain and her nose began to bleed. Although she had made ground during his hesitation, water was more difficult to control when it was in someone’s body not to mention when that person was also struggling with their might. Still, she persisted. That was when Oliver sword reached her. 

It did not come with much force; she was able to deflect it with her knife. Still, it was insistent. No matter how many times she flicked it away, it kept on coming back and she kept on losing focus to deal with it. Using this method, Oliver was able to keep forcing her water out of his body. 

Suddenly Choice laughed out loud. “I guess I have to take a risk,” She said with a smile on her face, “Doing it halfway won’t help me in anyway.” Oliver could afford to split his focus in two because he was more used to control his aura. He had been doing so for years after all. No matter her potential, Choice at the moment was not as strong as he was. So she decided to stop focusing on his sword. It did not attack her with much power anyway. Besides, she had excellent senses. She could hear and feel better than normal people. All she needed to do was move away when she felt or heard his blade coming close.

The difference this decision made was obvious on the stalemate. Before Choice had devoted around half of her focus on preventing Oliver’s sword from touching her but now she focused the majority of her focus on drowning him with only a little on dodging if he attacked any place vital. Due to this, Choice was able to push back on Oliver’s aura. It’s not like this battle was happening in her body anyway. Since her water was in his body, she held an advantage. To her, everything else he was doing was just a distraction.

The sword was able to cause some injuries on her hands and legs but not enough to really affect her. Anytime it slowly approached her heart or anywhere important, Choice shifted her body so that it struck somewhere else. She had already received many cuts on her body but although she was bleeding all over, they weren’t life threatening as long as she was able to prevent them from bleeding profusely.

This situation continued for a few more minutes until Oliver’s sword started slowing. He had held on for long enough and was beginning to lose oxygen and his consciousness. As he was drifting away, he thought to himself, Shouldn’t the device have run out of mana by now? She’s been using that water for too many things. No matter who she’s under, no one would give out a device that can do so many things and last for so long unless… Shit. SHIT! A fucking mage. 

Oliver fell down to the ground and tried to crawl or do anything but without the sword attacking her, Choice was able to focus fully on him and redoubled her efforts to drown him while ignoring her blinding headache and her bleeding nose. He was dying, she was sure of that. All she had to do was hang on. Just a bit more and he’d be gone.

That was when she heard it. Footsteps. It sounded like someone, many someoneds were walking towards her direction. They weren’t that close but her senses were sharp enough to hear them. In a few minutes, they would reach her. The question of why Oliver broke the magical devices was immediately answered. It must have been a way to ask for more help.

It looked like not only her that was able to hear the footsteps as Oliver who had been falling unconscious stilled for a minute and started to struggle with more effort. Surprisingly even Robert who had kept to the side during the fight was able to hear the sounds as he looked in their direction and then at the drowning man.

Oliver’s lips quirked up in a brief smirk. “It looks like the calvary is here,” He mouthed slowly and voicelessly. Then all of a sudden, the spent man suddenly started generating enough aura to struggle again with her.

“What the hell,” Choice swore, “How the fuck are you doing that?” Oliver said nothing, that smirk still on his face. As the aura slowly increased, Choice realised what was happening. Oliver was trying to enter the warrior stage! Entering a new stage was something that was undertaken with caution and a lot of preparation. If something went horrifically wrong not only would the person die but they would also destroy everything around them and damage their soul therefore affecting whatever afterlife they had. Only someone insane would have an impromptu ascension.

“Are you insane?” Choice shouted at Oliver somehow still hanging on. He’d been able to force the water out of his body but she was still able to cover his head. “If you fail, you’ll kill everyone here even you friends.” Ascensions work by gathering all the available mana in the attempter’s environment and converting to the energy type that they used. Usually, it would go only to the attempter regardless of how near they were to other people (although it could affect them physically by throwing them in the air) but her energy was tangled up with his. If she as a warrior she would not have been affected but mana was a more spiritual type of energy than aura so while Oliver’s ascension helped him to gather more energy to fight against Choice, it also increased her mana and improved her control.

Oliver laughed uproariously at her question. “But if I ascend, I won’t die before they come and I can kill you,” he responded delightfully, his voice garbled,  “I can kill a mage. Killing everyone? I don’t care about that, they’re not my friends. If I win, I ascend. If I lose, I bring everyone down with me. That sounds like favourable odds to me.” 

Choice had never seen anyone so crazy in her life. People in her circle tended to be calm and polite in public and stab people in the shadows. She had never met anyone who proudly proclaimed their insanity. She had to do something, she couldn’t let Oliver continue with his attempt. If she was able to kill or at least knock him out, she would be able to stop his attempt with only him suffering a backlash.

Choice kept on trying to drown him but the ascension just kept on empowering him. As long as he succeeded, all previous injuries would be healed and he would easily be able to deal with the tired Choice. Choice had been making no headway until Oliver suddenly faltered.

He had forgotten about Robert. He knew that Choice had been putting all her effort in using her magic to drown him and so could not physically attack. Thus, he focused on ascending to the warrior stage and ignored his body. This was when Robert struck using the knife that Choice had thrown earlier to stab him in the back. That was the end.

His ascension interrupted, the backlash came. Just as quickly as his aura came, it disappeared and Oliver started to scream in agony. It was loud and piercing and utterly irrelevant to Choice as she kept on drowning him until he eventually became silent. She would have gone on for much longer if Robert had not pulled at her arm.

“What?” She asked curtly not pulling her eyes away from Oliver’s prone body or stopping her magic. 

“We have to go now. People are on their way.” Choice did not respond to this comment and a dark look crossed her face as she looked at Oliver. A hand touched her neck.

“He’s not dead yet,” she said softly to herself but Robert thought she was directing that to him.

“How can he not be? He’s not moving and he’s not breathing. But if we don’t go now, we will join him too.”

Robert was right. Oliver was no longer moving and his aura had dissipated but Choice hesitated. She wanted to do something more. She wanted to cut him. To grind him to dust. To stab him in the heart. To do all of those and be certain that the threat had been removed. That the danger was over. She was used to fear but she hated feeling afraid. Fear was not an emotion of a King.

“Or do you want to hide and wait until your companion comes back? I think it’ll be dangerous here though.”

That decided it for her. Oliver was dead. He had to be. But he had corrected her misunderstandings. He had shown her how powerful fighters could be and if Rachel was really a warrior she was more dangerous than she could imagine. She really doubted that Rachel had reached the warrior realm but she did not want to have someone that she was so uncertain about around her. If she left now, she would be able to get away from her mother’s surveillance.

“Let’s go,” Choice said as she wiped her nose clean of the blood. Again, I’m already bleeding everywhere else and now I have to deal with this. Is this going to keep on happening every time I use my powers. So annoying.

Choice directed the water to surround the injuries that bled the most and put her conch back in the storage device. Immediately, she was hit with a wave of exhaustion and stumbled for a second as she walked to the merchant. Yes, she had gained something from this encounter but right now she was tired and injured. Luckily as long as she was able to leave this forest, she would be in Loth where she could get in contact with the temple who was already expecting her.

As she walked quickly past Robert, he looked at her back and then Oliver’s body with a little fear before that expression cleared and he looked at Choice with calculation. He hurried to catch up with her.

“I would never have guessed you were-”

“- Give me back my knife,” Choice interrupted without looking at him.

“I thought I could keep it as a souvenir,” Robert responded dryly.

“You have my money to remember me by,” She replied sardonically. Robert handed her the knife and she placed it in her pocket. 

“It’s a bit dirty,” She said a few minutes later breaking the silence. Robert stayed silent for a while before he burst out laughing. After a while, Choice joined him. The moon was still up and they had defeated their enemy. Choice had avoided her mother’s spy and when the calvary as well as Rachel (who remained unseen) arrived at the scene of the crime, there was only one body on the floor.

It was a good day.

End of Volume 1