Rory POV

My transformation comes undone. Two inches recede as my spine shrinks back down to size. My red hair fades to black. The freckles clear and the scars evaporate into nothing. The blue in my eyes darkens just like my tanning skin. Pain was all I felt with my eyes squeezed shut until a new pain formed from Zarranos’ hit into my gut. All the control that I had over my powers broke. If this guy wanted a fight, he got his wish.

Sparks snap around my body and small tremors shake the ground at my feet. All the torches lighting up the arena go dark like the sky above. The ring on my finger glows red with the mana running through my veins. I was already in my base form, so no transformation was needed. Zarranos’ whole body lit up with flames. I was powered up like a firecracker. My whole mind was present for this fight.

“Get out of here,” I warn everyone around us, and they scatter out of the arena. Grand Fairy Flora stayed, but she watched from the safety of the skies.

Zarranos and I clash. Our hands connected as we tried to force the other person back. Lightning blasts out from my palms as small fireballs rain down on me. The pain is there, growing with each blow, but I let the feeling fade into numbness. This guy thinks he can own me, and I will die before he has control over me.

Spikes of dirt shoot up from the ground, separating the two of us. My mana was pulsing through the arena as I continued to send spikes after Zarranos. Lightning strikes from my body caging him in. Zarranos bursts in flames like rays of light, destroying my cage. My spikes fly across the arena into the stands where the audience would sit. The relentless guy responds with a flaming tornado my way, which I break up with a dirt tower. Flames rain down over the arena, catching the place on fire. A bright blaze for the whole city to see in the depths of the night.

We clash again. Punching, kicking, dodging, slapping. Over and over again. My fangs sharpen from the thrill of the fight. When Zarranos comes in close to punch, I duck and bite into his side. I pull apart his flesh until nearly rips my ears off with blazing hands. He’s bleeding immensely. That doesn’t stop him. He comes at me again and again. My theory is this guy can’t feel pain and welcomes death. The arena is crumbling around from his flames and my giant spikes. This whole fight brings nothing but destruction. My only chance is a headshot to kill or knock him out.

I try to smack him with a spike, a rock, and debris from the arena. This guy just keeps going at me. Most of my ribs are bruised or fractured from his constant efforts to hit me. My cheekbones are bleeding and blistered from his blazing knuckles. Only my light-armored undergarments remain. The dress is nothing but ash. Burns litter my body from his magic. My body won’t take much more. I slam the guy into the ground. His head hits a rock, but he jabs me in the side. I have to force myself not to react to the pain. My terrain magic launches us into the air, and the fight for dominance begins. Whoever hit the ground won’t be able to continue from the impact.

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We twirl, flip, and roll through the air as we fall back to the ground. He has me underneath him. Panic sets in as I try to flip us over once more. Zarranos stays strong holding me down in the air. A wild idea comes to me as I embrace the man seconds before hitting the ground. I slam him into the ground at the last second with one last flip. I hear him gasp as his body absorbs the impact. My hands release him, but I have no control over them. That last move shattered my hands due to the force of impact. I roll away from Zarranos’ wheezing body. I use the last of my mana reserves to kick-start the healing in my body.

Grand Fairy Flora flutters down from the sky as she rains water over the wild flames. Steam rises from the ground and somehow it makes me feel worse. My night vision allows me to watch the fairy flutter about until she reaches the ground. Maybe the numbness has worn off entirely. I hear voices approach me as I lay there among the ruins of the arena. I hope that damn jerk is done this time. My hands are too broken to face anyone else. Grand Fairy Flora lands next to me just as I feel a familiar warmth of Silas’ healing magic. Orbs of light dance around his head as he heals me. His safe, welcoming magic soothes my pains. No words are said until Silas feels I can stand up again.

Silas held me steady as we faced the old fairy. She’s fixated on the ground for a moment and walks away for a minute. The fairy picks up the moon pendant, repairs it, and returns to us. Her expression is unreadable as she explains what happens next. “It seems to me that you have earned the choice in your fate today, young lady. Although, you have proven the claims true by your appearance.” She places the pendant in my hand. “I will do what I can to keep the council from hunting you any further. Your marriage to Prince Halestone should be enough to convince the council that we can keep an eye-”

“Let me stop you right there,” I interjected. “Silas and I are close, but marriage is too much for me right now. I am in no shape to entangle someone else’s life with mine right now. No offense, Si.”

He gives me a sad smile as he holds me up. I must look pretty awful to him in this state because he doesn’t show any hurt in his eyes. “I knew it wouldn’t last. Friends?”

“Better than that, we are partners. Our adventuring party needs all four of us.” I answer. He was more than a friend to me, that part hasn’t changed. Romance was just too much for me.

“I can handle that,” he grins.

“You just can’t make things easy, can you, young lady?” Grand Fairy Flora sighs. “Fine. I will see what I can do.”

The night was finally over. Darkness across the sky reveals the brilliance of the stars, and for a brief moment, no one will hunt me. With our marriage off the table, I have a feeling we won’t be welcomed in Desfyra any longer. Queen Amory may not be bitter that I won, but she won’t be happy about anything else.

“Stop thinking so hard,” Silas commands like I would listen to him.

“You have a terrible bedside manner,” I whisper. My chest aches from the wounds and fractures.

“Heh. This coming from the girl who always ends up as my patient,” He grumbles.

I roll my eyes at him. “Well, then you save the day for a change, oh powerful healer.”

“I never have the time. You require constant supervision or you end up in a fight like Braxton.” Silas smirked as he carried me gently out of the castle gates.

I was very confused by his actions. “Where are we going?”

“Away from Desfyra,” He answered as we disappeared into the night.