บท 20: BUT HOW!

I sigh loudly as I fall back on my bed, "So much shit happened.. I don't even know what day it is or exactly how long I had been gone... I guess I'll ask Nephele and Ryoko later." I mumbled to no one.

As I was relaxing for the first time in many nights I held the sword hilt up above my face,"I wish it was easier to carry you.. I don't want to put you in my ring.." as I muttered that the sword became like liquid and slithered down my hand and became a bracelet.

"Huh..." I'm not even stunned at this point.

As I admired my new bluish metallic bracelet with a diamond like violet crystal in the center the door opened slowly, "I hope she's okay.." The voice of Nephele sounding dejected

"I'm sure she's just fine!" Ryoko said puffing out her chest.

As the two entered the room, I stand from my bed, "Hey guys.." I waved to the too ladies a blur shot through the room as I was pushed over I felt two soft breasts pressed against my head as Ryoko was hugging me tight, "Lithia! I missed you sooooo much! Where have you been? Why did you vanish for so long? Did I upset you? Was it because of Princess Elsi's engagement?" As Ryoko bombarded me with all these questions.

"No everything is fi... what did you say? As my voice became icy. Ryoko moved back slightly looking at me nervously, "Did I upset you? It looked as if she was about to cry.

"No no the other thing.. did you say my sister's engagement?" My voice deepening and ice crystals forming in my body.

Nephele muttered, "Your sister?" However I was too enraged to hear her.

Upon shivering slightly Ryoko nodded and backed away slightly, "Mm Her Royal Highness Elsi Rexenvel is being married off to a Prince of the Eldoria Kingdom to the south."

Ice building up creating a ribcage of ice as my Manifestation of Dread activating as my rage boils, "Where is this Prince now?" As I walk past Nephele and Ryoko while they are awestruck by my new form as well as the pressure erupting from my body, "Wait! slow down Lithia even if you are of similar status to Elsi and the Prince you must not act rashly!" Ryoko said as she stepped infront of me trying to calm me down. "Move or I will make you move Ryoko." I warned in an icy tone.

"You will thank me later Lithia." Ryoko drew her blade and took a defensive stance.

At this point my Manifestation of Dread had fully activated as now a set of armor forged from ice formed upon my body, from clawed vambraces to a cape of shadows to a full breastplate shaped like a ribcage of ice and finally a crown of ice sat atop my head.

Killing intent erupting forth, as Ryoko summoned all of her strength as she sliced down only to hear a clank and see her blade stuck within my frozen claws, "BUT HOW!" Ryoko shouted as my other fist hit her square in the stomach jettisoning her out of the room crashing unconscious against the wall I looked to Nephele, "Are you also going to try and stop me?" She looked to Ryoko unconscious then back at me and shook her head as she ran to Ryoko's side. I could see fear in her eyes.

"I'm sorry.. but I have to keep a promise no matter what.." I then closed my eyes as I activated my Spiritual sight my consciousness left my body as I started to search for Elsi, surprisingly this didn't take too long as my consciousness witnessed Elsi looking uncomfortable as a young man with light blonde hair and blue eyes was standing in her way looking at her lasciviously. I recalled my consciousness and opened my eyes.

Leaving Ryoko and Nephele behind I made my way retracing my steps I witnessed while in the spiritual sight as I moved through the academy many students who saw me fled in fear. It didn't take long for me to reach Elsi and the man as I approached my shoes tapping on the stones beneath as if I was walking on glass the stones cracked with every step, "Is this the Prince?" Suprised the man stopped talking he was about to continued when elsi seemingly unaffected by my aura and pressure pushed past the man and jumped into my embrace, "Lithia! I'm so happy to be help by you again." She planted her lips upon mine as uncaring of anything around us she kissed me and I kissed her.

"THE AUDACITY! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE TO LAY YOUR LIPS UPON MY FIANCÉE!" the young man yelled.

However both Elsi and I both ignored him, "You are as beautiful as I remembered El."

Elsi giggles after my comment, "And you are more powerful than last time me held each other Lith."

Seeing this the young man blew his top as he lunged forward as he drew his blade. However I moved my armored hand and parried his strike with ease then grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up, "Release me at once I am a Prince of the Eldoria Kingdom!"

"Elsi you saw he attacked me first right? So as per the rules of this academy I will of course defend myself." Elsi nodded as my grip tightend around the neck of the prince as it did four shadows darted out and stood beside us one of them spoke up a woman with brown hair she bowed slightly, "Please Release the Prince.. he was definitely in the wrong." When the Prince heard his guard speak his face turned crimson with rage as a wicked smile crept up my face as I released the Prince I then turned to leave with Elsi as I felt something hit the back of my head it felt like cloth I turned to look an saw a white glove sitting on the ground, "I CHALLENGE YOU TO A LIFE AND DEATH DUEL!" the Prince arrogantly shouted and before the guards could say anything i spoke, "I accept." Smiling wickedly and I continued, "You are the Prince so you may choose how we fight.. I am rather weak without my magic...but I think I could still beat you." As a wicked smile continued to grow on my face. The idiot Prince nodded, "We shall duel at sunset tonight with our lives on the line with no magic in that case do you accept this?" The guard was smarter as she spoke, "My Prince she is goading you!" Before the prince could speak again looking slightly nervous I opened my mouth, "I accept those terms. I will meet you in the coliseum at sunset if you fail to show up, let it be known by all here that the Prince of Eldoria is a coward." As I dismissed my Manifestation of Dread allowing all of the spectators to finally breathe, leaving with Elsi the Prince was red in the face while the guard facepalmed.

I slipped my fingers into Elsi's, "I'm sorry if I scared you.." she just shook her head and leaned on my shoulder as we walked back to the dorm room as we entered I saw Ryoko now awake sitting on her bed with a bandage around her head and Nephele next to her.

Unexpectedly Ryoko jumped up and ran over to us as she began examining my body with no trace of hostilities, "Um.. I won't apologize Ryoko.. but I'm glad you are okay." Her eyes looked with mine and simply said, "Spar with me and I will forgive you."

I'm glad Ryoko is a training freak meat head...

"Mm ill spar with you.. but it will have to wait until after the challenge."

Nephele spoke up, "Challenge? What challenge?"

As Elsi poked her head out from behind me and said, "The Prince of Eldoria challenged Lith to a life and death battle for today at sunset."

Both Ryoko and Nephele were wide eyed as they simultaneously shouted, "P..PRINCESS ELSI!"

I cocked my head to the side, "Oi.. she's my half sister.. yet you aren't suprised at my status."

Elsi turned to me, "That's because Father cut you from the family tree after that day four years ago... I mean your mother's father was a Duke so you are still of decently high standing.."

"Oh.. well whatever." I shrugged.

"But yeah that prick of price challenged me."

Elsi tugged on the hem of my dress, "Lith why did you make the Prince ask to restrict magice during the duel? Aren't you at a disadvantage without magic?" This information shocked both Ryoko and Nephele they both knew Lithia was like a fish out of water without magic.. did this not mean she was throwing her life away.. but why?

I smiled, "Hmmm why indeed.." this caused Elsi to puff her cheeks up at me.

"By the way Lithia you look taller than when we saw you a few days ago.. and why do you have horns now." Nephele asked curiously.

"Do you truly want to know?" I retorted

All three of them nodded, "After the duel I will tell you." As I started to leave the dorm, unhappy with my words all three of them followed me as I made my way to the coliseum.

Word spread throughout the campus as well as the Academy city of Rexenvel of a duel, life and death battle between a foreign Prince and a green haired woman. People from all walks of life were interested as they started to flock to the coliseum in hopes of acquiring a seat to witness this fight.

As the sun started it's descent Lithia had already split from her friends as they entered the stands. Uncaring Lithia sat in the center of the arena while thousands upon thousands of eyes fell upon her, eventually the Prince's brigade arrived through the arena gate, the Prince clad in golden armor with a golden blade at his hip, the brown haired guard of the prince approached me holding out a two bracelets I recognized these to be magic suppression bracelets without a second thought I slipped one of them on my left wrist this action worried the female guard but she sighed and affixed the other on the arm of the prince.

All was quite until a man with a long white beard wearing purple robed descended from the sky.

"Greetings Everyone I am the Dean of Rexenvel Royal Academy and today I will be overseeing this Duel of life and death both parties have agreed to this as well as the restriction of no magic use. Fighters to your corners! The duel will begin at the sound of the gong!" As the Dean levitated back to a booth in the stands.

I turned and casually walked to my side, I then flicked my wrist as I injected my Spiritual energy into the bluish metallic bracelet, the metal shuttered and slithered into my palm forming into a sword hilt, I closed my eyes and imagined a dual sided long sword, a thin yet sharp and durable blade. When I opened my eyes I heard an audible gasp from the audience as I the exact blade I had imagined now in my grasp.

I could feel the greedy gazes attached to my sword, the Prince had one of these gazes... "That Blade.. I shall pick it from your corpse." The Prince sneered, "I am looking forward to seeing you try." I replied.

A moment later a resounding gong emanated outwards as the Prince lunged at me. I activated the Spiritual energy within my body as blinked forward.. the Prince was moving so slow it was as if he was wading through the thickest honey it also felt like I had all the time in the world to act. I decided to humiliate this guy.. I slashed slowly and precisely shredding his armor then as time was still moving at a slugs pace I sliced through his sword like a knife through butter..

"Maybe I should name you butter knife.." as I muttered that the sword shudderd and I could feel regret within the blade. "I'm just kidding..." I then casually stepped past the slow moving Prince and stopped my flow of Spiritual energy as time passed normally.. or I suppose I slowed down..

The Prince was confused just like the rest of the audience as I some how vanished and appeared behind the Prince at his original location about 30ft away. Then as the Prince came to a stand still his entire set of enchanted golden armor shattered, his sword also burst into pieces stunning everyone including the Dean and the Prince, it was so quiet in fact one could hear a pin drop.

"HOW! YOU...YOU CHEATED..!" The Prince roared. The Prince looked up to the Dean, "SHE CHEATED!"

The Dean cleared his throat, "There has not been any fluctuation of magic since the duel had begun."

The Prince sneered as he lost face as he tore off his Bracelet and started to summon a flaming sphere, however before he got a chance to fire it, I took a single step forward as I vanished from everyone's view, when I reappeared next my blade was thrust through the Prince's stomach blood freely flowing down his cloths, my blade pierced his mana core shattering it crippling the Prince. His mana dissipated and the Flaming sphere faded.

I whispered to the Prince "You wanted to take my blade.. this is for that offense." I withdrew my blade as splatter of blood sprayed from the Prince. The spectators were just too stunning to make any noise as the Prince fell on his ass, "You! You destroyed my mana core! My father will kill you for this!"

"Huh.. this is a Life and Death battle between us should your family come for me.. I will have a viable reason to slaughter them." I said nonchalantly.

I continued, "But worry not I'll spare your life.. however I will be taking something else."

The Prince spat out some blood, "What... do you want then.. money?"

I smiled wickedly, "Nope this." I thust my blade downward into his crotch removing his manhood.

"AHHGGHHGGGHGH!" The Prince wailed as he soon passed out.

Looking over to his brigade and at the pale faces of the guards, "You should probably retrieve this.. before it bleeds out.." as they all snapped out of their stupor and rushed to the Prince's side I then circulated my spiritual energy and lept into the stands my sword returning to being a bracelet, I landed infront of Elsi and the others, "Let's get out of here." They all looked at me as if I was an alien as they all nodded and we left, many of the spectators created a wide path for us.

After that day the Prince and his followers left heading back to the Eldoria Kingdom, everyone who tried to get their hands on information about Lithia and her powers and origins were silenced by shadowy figures.. eventually most people gave up. Back in the confines of the dorm Elsi was like a cat she rubbed her head against my shoulder with a warm smile on her face while Ryoko and Nephele were unsure whether to speak or not.