And try she did. Under Sophie’s watch, Yuki practiced endlessly trying to grasp the concepts behind the magic that Sophie had created. She had the mana to do the spell and within a few hours knew the spells like the back of her hand, but using the magic was a different beast. 

Although Yuki came up with the basis behind the magic and gave Sophie the components and research that she had done, the actual formulation and fabrication of the magic was all done by Sophie. Sophie explained that in order to get the magic to function, she had to take some liberties and introduce elements of her own creation. 

There’s also the problem that since it was Sophie’s imagination that created the spell, it functioned in a way that Yuki had difficulty grasping. Their minds function in different ways. 

And so, with all these problems ahead, they tried. Sophie encouraged Yuki at every step and at every failed attempt. But as time went on, Yuki could hear worry creep into her speech. Worry that Yuki thought was completely justified.

On the night of the eleventh day, Yuki still couldn’t manage to grasp the magic in a way that was useful to her. She could summon the spell, channel the mana, but she couldn’t control what went on inside the magic circle that would form. 

“I just can’t understand it,” Yuki sighed into her hands. “You’re a genius far beyond what I can do.”

“You can do it, I know it,” Sophie said, squatting down to meet eye to eye with Yuki. “You just need more time. You’ve only had like a little over a week to learn how to do master level magic. Unique magic to add to that. It’s normal.”

“I know, but I don’t have the luxury of being normal right now,” Yuki replied. “We don’t have that time. As much as I wish we did, we don’t.”

“Look on the bright side. You might not be paired with Ghost,” Sophie said. “Maybe the Fiddler would want to save you for a grand finale of sorts.”

“I don’t want to put my hopes in that man,” Yuki growled. “I need to learn this. Otherwise, I will never be able to fight Ghost. I won’t be able to avenge Jesse. Make up to her.”

“Yuki,” Sophie said softly. “You’ll learn it. This won’t be your only opportunity to face Ghost. You’ll have other times. Besides. I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but you don’t need to avenge her. I’m sure you know that. In the end, she went on her own accord. On her own terms.”

“I can respect that while also avenging her,” Yuki replied. “It’s for myself as much as it is for her. You know, I’ve been thinking. Trying to understand why the Fiddler suddenly wanted Jesse dead. She had a unique skill set. She was a good fighter. There was nothing to suggest that she did anything to annoy him. So there was no reason to kill her off.

“Then I thought, maybe it was to make Ghost look better? But that wouldn’t make sense. Ghost already proved himself by defeating Bull and constantly defeating every challenger he’s fought with ease. Jesse was called there to be killed. There was only one possible reason left.”

Yuki stared at Sophie right in the eye. 

“It’s me,” Yuki whispered. “He killed her to get me to react. He watches everything. He knew that she was my best friend. And he killed her. All so that he can get a reaction and entertainment when he puts me against her killer.”

“Yuki.”

“You know it’s true,” Yuki said. She swallowed down the sadness that threatened to come out. “That’s why I have to do this.”

“Wouldn’t you be giving him the entertainment he’s looking for?” Sophie asked. “Why not just sit out and refuse him that pleasure?”

“It’s for me, Sophie. I caused her death. I have to avenge it.”

Sophie quieted and stared at her. Then she let out a small laugh.

“You’re a dragon alright,” she said with a small sigh. “We’re always blaming ourselves. I blame the fact that we’ve been on top for too long.”

Yuki didn’t know how to respond to that.

“Rest, Yuki,” Sophie said. “Rest and hope that you don’t face Ghost just yet. Then we’ll master this, together. I’ll help you get that vengeance you seek if it means that much to you. But right now, there’s nothing more you can do.”

“But what if I do face him today?” Yuki asked. “I can’t lose my streak. It would set me back weeks of progress. I. I want to see them.”

She wanted to return as fast as she could. Lately, her mind had been wandering with no one to really talk to and distract her thoughts. It would always go to Akira and wondering what she was doing. Erica and if she was taking good care of Akira. Yuna and if she was doing okay right now. Then, like the tide, waves of longing would rise within her. 

“Don’t worry too much about that,” Sophie replied. “First, hope that you don’t face him and think about the others. Then if you do face him, I’ve already said I have a backup plan. You will win against him. I can guarantee it.”

“What’s the backup, though?” Yuki said. “You’ve never told me. Is there a reason why I can’t know?”

“Yes. Don’t worry about it. We’ll cross that bridge if we get to it,” Sophie said with a small smile. “Rest. You haven’t slept properly in months now. There’s nothing else you can do.”

“Alright,” Yuki said. She still worried, but she trusted Sophie. Whatever Sophie was planning, it would only be for the benefit of both of them. “Then I’ll rest. See you later.”

“You too.”

Yuki exited her mana dimension and returned to reality where she was laying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. The dimly lit room was a far cry from the bright meadow she was in. She wondered when she would be moved from this cramped room. Jesse had told her that when it happens after a certain number of wins.

‘I’m sorry I couldn’t prepare in time,’ Yuki apologised to Jesse. ‘I will do this though, no matter what.’

Ghost was only a substitute for Yuki. She knew that there was someone behind him that deserved to get beaten even more, but he was out of reach for now. However, Ghost was still the person that did the deed. 

‘I don’t want to face him just yet,’ she thought. ‘Even if Sophie said she has a back up plan, I have a bad feeling about it.’

Whenever Sophie mentioned her plan, her tone would drop and her voice would be tinged with a certain sadness that Yuki couldn’t quite understand. It worried Yuki no matter how many times Sophie tried to convince her otherwise.

‘Let’s just hope that it doesn’t come to that.’

With that final thought, she closed her eyes and let herself float away into a deep sleep, the first real sleep she had in more than forty days.

‘Let’s see who I’m facing,’ Yuki thought as she sat on a stool, staring at the glass between her and the arena. ‘I wonder when I’ll be up.’

She was with Alex and Karie again, the two chatting with each other like always. Lately, Yuki had begun to join in on their talks once more. With Sophie’s discoveries and hope appearing for her, her grief and anger had abated. But today was different. Anxiety was the main course it seemed.

It didn’t help that when she awoke in the morning, an overwhelming sense of sadness had welled up within her. She didn’t remember what she dreamed, but something like that could only be from a dream. For the most part, that feeling had drifted away, but traces of it were still there even now.

‘Maybe sleeping wasn’t the best of ideas.’

When her fight begins, she was confident that her feelings would sort themselves out by themselves. For now, she continued to watch the battles in front of her, using them as distractions for herself. 

But the longer she watched, the more her anxiety grew. Battle after battle began and concluded before her eyes. People fell and others sighed out of the relief of surviving another day. Some were killed and others killed. The day was coming to a close though, and Yuki began to worry that she would never be called up. 

‘Not that I want to fight, but if the pattern is thrown off, then I don’t know when my fights would be,’ she thought. ‘I don’t like that.’

Then came the last battle of the day. The Fiddler began to speak, doing his usual routine to excite the crowd. Yuki began to feel the familiar tingle across her skin that signaled that she was about to be moved. Her stomach clenched as suspicion grew. The last match of the day was always saved for what the Fiddler believed was the most exciting. 

“I’m up,” Yuki said quietly. She knew Alex and Karie could hear her.

“Good luck, Yuki,” Alex replied. 

“Good luck,” Karie repeated.

Yuki nodded and waited for the inevitable change in location. It came within the minute, the world warping around her as she was put inside the arena that she was just watching. She looked straight ahead, searching for her opponent. When she found him, the smoldering fire within her began to burn as her worries grew with it. 

‘Ghost.’

FriendlyDragon

Late chapter, sorry.