I nervously walked into my starting position and Christoper teleported into his. If either Vera or I lose to Christoper, I’ll be eliminated. Christopher’s body was tense; a spring that was ready to burst into motion at a moment's notice. I looked through his mind to see where he would teleport and prepared myself accordingly. My brain went into overdrive as I looked into Christopher’s mind and before for all the possibilities. I now knew that he couldn’t teleport as much as he pleased. He could only teleport four times in a row before he got exhausted.

“Get into your positions,” the Guide yelled.

I nodded to Christoper. “Good luck,” I said though I didn’t mean it even remotely.

“You too,” he responded and I knew he didn’t mean it either.

“Begin,” the Guide shouted.

I swerved around before Christoper moved and punched the space I knew he would appear.

One teleport. Three left.

My fist met his chin; I tried to follow up my punch with a kick and knock him outside the circle, but he teleported to the other side of the circle just as I finished my kick.

Two teleports. Two left.

He rubbed his punched chin and scowled. “I forgot you could read my mind,” he said.

He teleported behind me again but I didn’t react, already knowing it was a feint, and surely enough, he appeared suddenly to my right. He jabbed at my side, and I waited for him to over-extend before turning my body to the side.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Four teleports. None left.

I grabbed his wrist and activated my Gift. We both entered his mind and for a moment, Christopher said nothing. Then, resigned, he looked up from the floor of his mental space and stared at me. “They’ll eliminate you if you kill me.”

I stared at him. “Why would I kill you?”

He stared back at me as though the answer was obvious. “Because I’ll beat your friend, and you’ll be eliminated afterwards.”

I thought for a moment. Vera would be fighting Christopher after this, and while I was certain that I would win this fight, I wasn’t certain that Vera could do the same. I stared and him and was faced with a dilemma. I knew I could make him forget how to use his Gift. If I really wanted to, I could make him forget how to walk. But I couldn’t. Not because my Gift wasn’t strong enough, but in the sense that if I did, I couldn’t live with myself. I was sixteen; only just learning how to enjoy my life, and I couldn’t bring myself to ruin someone else’s. Right now, I couldn’t think of a way to ensure Vera would win without crippling Christopher.

He looked at me fearfully and for a second, he reminded me of an abandoned puppy. In my sixteen years at the orphanage, I learnt how to be efficient; pragmatic. Logically, I knew that I should ensure that Vera would win; for my own sake. I knew the words of the Seer’s prophecy as well as anyone else did. No, I knew them better than everyone else. That a chosen of God who graduated from the Academy could change the fate of Choron. If I screwed this up and Christopher won instead of Vera, I couldn’t join, let alone graduate from the Academy.

I made up my mind at that moment. I teleported next to Christopher, rested my hand on his shoulder and put him to sleep. I wasn’t a monster. Merely practical. I left his mind and stared at his sleeping form for a moment before rolling him outside the circle.

“Winner: Kira,” the Guide announced. I smiled, Vera smiled, and Christopher slept on.

“I knew you could do it!” Vera exclaimed joyfully and even without reading her mind, I knew she meant every single word she said. I brought her close and hugged her.

“Please,” I whispered softly into her ear, “please win for me. I need to get into the Academy.”

She hugged me tighter. “I will, Kira, I promise.”

I bored my eyes into hers. “He can only teleport four times. If you can survive four of his teleports, you can beat him. I know you can.”

She nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind. I’ll win. Trust me.”

I did.