Chapter 152: The Fight We Could Not Join
The morning had been gentle at first. The soft light spilling through the window slightly bathed the room in warmth, brushing over Dila and Fran as they lay tangled together under the sheets. Their breathing matched in rhythm, the fresh air inside filling their lungs, every slight shift of the curtains carrying the fragrance of morning dew. Both girls stirred faintly, shifting against one another, still caught in the peace of shared dreams.
Then it happened.
A deafening BOOM ripped through the silence, shaking the very frame of the window. The glass rattled violently, the room quivering as if struck by an invisible hammer. Fran jolted upright with a startled cry, "Meahhhh!" Her hair stood on end, cat ears twitching frantically, tail puffed in shock. At the same moment, Dila gasped sharply, "Ahh!" The sudden blast threw them both off balance, and with a messy tumble, they slipped from the bed and landed on the floor in a heap.
"Owww..." Dila winced, squinting as she rubbed her sore hip and backside from the fall. Her voice trembled between pain and confusion. "What was that...?"
Fran scrambled to her feet quickly, her face pale, claws barely unsheathed in reflex. She looked back and her eyes widened at the sight of Dila’s hand. "S-sorry, sister! Did I scratch you?!" Her voice cracked with guilt as she clasped her hands together nervously.
Dila glanced down at her left hand, noticing the faint but fresh red lines across her skin. She sighed softly, not in anger, but in patience. With her free hand, she gently rubbed over the marks and shook her head. "It’s alright, Fran..." she said quietly, her voice steadying despite the sting. "Don’t blame yourself."
Fran lowered her gaze, guilt flooding her expression, but Dila reached her scratched hand out and touched Fran’s shoulder gently, as if to reassure her even in the midst of the chaos that still rumbled faintly outside.
Dila flexed her sore fingers one last time, then exhaled a small sigh. She muttered under her breath, "Speaking of which... what has got cooking outside?" Her words carried a mix of curiosity and caution.
Fran perked up immediately, ears twitching as her tail flicked behind her. She tilted her head to the side, lips curling in a puzzled hum. "Hmmm?" she murmured, wide-eyed, as if already sniffing out the answer through instinct alone.
Dila rose to her feet, brushing her pajama smooth, and slowly turned her back toward Fran. Her steps were soft but steady as she crossed to the window, the morning glow pooling across the floor. With careful hands, she parted the curtains just enough for the double panes to reveal the view below.
Her breath caught.
There, in the academy’s open garden, Jade stood in a sharp fighting stance, his sword raised high. The metallic edges glinted in the morning sun, and even from afar, she could see his green crystal hilt glowing faintly. Facing him was a figure draped in a heavy cloak that masked its body and face entirely. Its hand burned with a swirling fireball, casting dangerous light across the empty garden. Not a single teacher or student lingered nearby, as if the fight was happening in a pocket of silence hidden from the rest of the academy.
Dila’s eyes narrowed, her thoughts whispering out of her lips. "Wait... how come no one else has discovered this? They’re fighting right in the open..." Her gaze sharpened further, recognition flickering faintly in her chest. She clenched her hand against the window’s edge. "Looks like... somehow I know that guy but i can’t remember maybe i don’t know..."
Fran hurried to her side, nearly tripping over the sheets tangled on the floor, her ears pointing forward with keen focus. "Sis, let me see!" She pressed against the glass, her breath fogging the window.
When her eyes landed on the cloaked figure, she gasped sharply, her hand covering her mouth. "Haaaaaaa! It’s the same guy, sis! The one who wore leather cloak when we first entered the academy!"
Dila turned to Fran quickly, her blue eyes widening in surprise. "Hmmm... really, Fran?" The seriousness in her tone cut through the air, the sunlight catching on her silver hair as her heart thudded harder with the truth settling in.
Meanwhile, outside in the academy’s garden, Jade’s voice tore through the still air.
"Haaaaa!"
He surged forward, both hands gripping his blazing crystal-handled sword. His steps thundered across the grass as he launched into a deadly charge. The cloaked figure didn’t flinch. With a casual flick of its arm, it hurled a fireball that roared with heat, the flames twisting violently like a living beast.
The glowing sphere cut through the air, but Jade twisted his body and dashed aside, the fireball missing him by inches. It slammed into the ground with a deafening blast.
BOOM!
The earth shook. The Bermuda grass exploded upward, dirt scattering in a wide spray. A massive crater carved itself into the garden where the flames struck, smoke curling into the morning air.
Up at the window, Dila’s eyes flew wide. Her lips parted as she whispered in awe, "O-ohh... powerful..." The astonishment made her voice tremble, her chest tightening at the sheer force she had just witnessed even though she already seen a destruction powerful than that.
Beside her, Fran’s ears shot straight up. She swallowed hard, a nervous gulp escaping her throat as she whispered, "I-It must be so hot, sis..." Her small hands pressed against the glass, her breath shaky.
But Dila hardly moved, her gaze locked on the battlefield. Her voice escaped almost mechanically, a mixture of amazement and disbelief. "Yeah..."
Below, Jade pressed on, his sword flashing as he closed the distance. He leapt high into the air, the sun glinting off his blade. With a mighty roar, he swung downward with the force to cleave stone itself.
The cloaked man darted back, and the sword struck the ground instead.
CRAAACK!
The impact ripped through the garden, the earth groaning as the Bermuda split apart in a jagged scar that ran deep into the soil. The ground quivered under the sheer weight of the blow.
From the window, Dila’s breath hitched. She brought her hand to her lips, her voice dropping low. "Hmmm... looks like Jade could split my golem in half with that power..." Her throat tightened as she gulped, her chest heavy with unease. "Maybe... maybe even stronger than Sarios, the hero of Exonory Kingdom."
Her words lingered in the room, heavy with both awe and fear.
Jade steadied his stance, his sword raised, the faint green glow of its jade mark pulsing with heat. His lips moved quickly, shouting something fierce and determined.... but not a single word reached the sisters’ ears.
Dila leaned closer to the glass, straining to catch even the faintest sound. Her brows furrowed in frustration, her silver lashes trembling. "I... I can’t hear anything... what are they saying?" she murmured, her voice laced with curiosity and unease.
Fran tilted her head, her cat ears twitching as though trying to pick up vibrations in the air. A small frown crossed her face before her eyes lit up with realization. "Maybe it’s the Veil of Silence, sis," she whispered, pointing at the faint shimmer that danced across the edges of the windowpane. "It’s an academy enchantment... so maybe the purpose is not to hear us outside and we won’t hear them outside too maybe? it’s for privacy sis for dormitories i-i-i don’t know."
"Hmm... maybe you’re right," Dila replied softly, her tone thoughtful yet laced with irritation that she couldn’t pierce the silence. Her fingers brushed the window frame, almost wanting to break the seal herself just to hear but can’t risk to open the window glass either because Jade and the cloaked guy might know that they are still in the window watching.
Outside, Jade’s expression burned with intensity, his voice lost to the barrier. He pointed his sword straight toward the cloaked figure, the flames along the edge flaring brighter, as if fueled by his conviction.
But the cloaked man didn’t move.
He stood utterly still, the long shadow of his hood hiding his features, the firelight glinting faintly off the folds of his tattered cloak. His body gave no sign of tension, no readiness to dodge or strike.... nothing. He simply stood as though Jade’s fury and power were less than a breeze in the night.
That stillness made the air heavier, pressing against Dila’s chest. Her hand unconsciously tightened against the glass, while beside her, Fran whispered nervously, "S-sis... why is he just standing there? It’s creepy..."
Dila’s eyes narrowed, her gaze fixed on the strange scene below. The silence weighed heavily between each heartbeat, between each shift of firelight in the garden. Her voice came low, almost like she was talking to herself.
"Maybe... the two of them have an unsolved problem," she murmured, her lips curving into a faint, knowing line. "Something they need to settle all on their own."
Fran blinked up at her, confusion and worry mixing in her wide blue eyes. "An unsolved problem...?" she repeated softly, tilting her head. Her cat ears drooped slightly, catching the glow of the sun from the window. "Sis, you mean like... a grudge? Or... a challenge?"
Dila didn’t answer right away. Her silver-white hair shimmered faintly as the wind from the slight cracked window brushed against it, her eyes fixed on Jade’s burning determination against the unmoving cloaked figure. She could feel it.... the weight of something deeper than just a duel. Something hidden in their stares, in their refusal to back down.
She finally exhaled slowly, her tone carrying a calm but sharp edge. "Whatever it is, Fran... it’s not a fight meant for us to interfere with."
Fran bit her lip, hugging her own arms. "But sis... it feels dangerous. What if one of them...?"
Dila turned slightly, resting her hand on Fran’s shoulder, her expression unreadable but her voice steady. "That’s exactly why. Some things can only be resolved when the shadows and the light cross blades."
And with that, she looked back down, her heart beating faster than she wanted to admit.
The clash below turned more violent in a heartbeat.
The cloaked man suddenly shifted, his movements blurring into speed far beyond what Jade seemed prepared for. From beneath the folds of his heavy cloak, jagged metal gleamed in the sunlight... spiked knuckle dusters, cruel and brutal in their design. With a burst of force, he lunged forward, his fists a storm of sharp, crushing blows.
Jade’s emerald eyes widened, his breath catching for half a second as the world slowed around him. He barely managed to raise his blazing sword in time, steel shrieking against steel as the first strike landed. Sparks exploded into the air, golden light scattering against the morning light like falling stars.
The cloaked fighter pressed harder, fists flashing like iron comets. His speed was frightening, almost impossible to track.... each swing carrying the weight of something savage, each strike crashing against Jade’s blade with the raw intent to break him.
"Haahh—!" Jade gritted his teeth, every muscle straining as he struggled to parry. His sword, elegant and blazing with fire, suddenly felt heavy... too slow against the unchained flurry of those spiked fists. He twisted, pivoting on the grass, barely catching a knuckle strike that would have split his jaw. The impact rattled through his arms, numbing his hands.
The air itself seemed to hum with their power.... the bright edge of Jade’s sword colliding with the jagged steel knuckles again and again, sending showers of sparks bursting across the garden. Each impact echoed like thunder, fierce and unrelenting, filling the morning air with the sound of war.
From the window, Fran gasped, clutching at the sill, her ears twitching in fear. "Sis... he’s going to—"
But Dila’s gaze remained locked, her lips pressed tight. Her heart raced, yet her voice stayed low and steady, almost whispering to herself. "No... he won’t fall that easily. Maybe Not."
And outside, Jade’s eyes blazed with defiance. Every time the cloaked figure’s fists came closer, every time those spikes scraped against his skin or clashed against his blade, he pushed back harder.... the fire in his sword roaring brighter, his will refusing to break.
It was no longer just a fight. It was survival against the storm.
The fight raged on, fiercer with every breath.
The cloaked figure drove forward, his spiked knuckles whistling through the air with terrifying force. But this time, each swing burned brighter.... each strike wasn’t just steel, but fire. With every punch he threw, a fireball erupted from his fist, streaking across the morning garden like a cannon shot.
"Boom!" The blasts tore into the earth, ripping apart grass and stone, smoke spiraling upward under the soft glow of morning light. The once-peaceful garden was now scarred with fire and fury.
Jade moved like a man caught between two storms. His sword burned with his will, the jade mark on the blade glowing, flames igniting along the ragged edges as if answering his resolve. He swung with both strength and desperation, his blade intercepting a fist, sparks flying.... then twisting away just in time as a fireball exploded where he had been standing.
"Kh.... haaahhh!" His breath came sharp and heavy, sweat dampening his hair. His boots dug into the earth as he spun, the sunlight flashing against his blade each time it clashed against the steel spikes. He could feel the heat singe his skin, the pressure of each fireball shaking through his bones. Yet still, he fought on, his jaw set tight, his eyes burning with emerald fire.
The cloaked fighter didn’t slow. If anything, his attacks grew more merciless, each punch faster, each fireball hotter. His movements were a blur, his cloak snapping in the wind like a predator’s shadow. The sound of his knuckles colliding against Jade’s blade echoed through the courtyard.... clang, spark, boom.... clang, spark, boom.
From the dorm window, Fran pressed herself against the sill, her cat ears flat with fear, her small hands trembling. "Sister.... he’ll get burned alive...." Her voice cracked as another fireball lit the air, bursting against the garden path and sending shards of stone flying.
Dila’s eyes followed every strike, every movement. Her lips parted, breath shallow, as if she could feel each blow herself. The morning sun spilled across her pale hair, but her face was shadowed with tension. "No.... he’s holding on," she whispered, though her heart pounded. "He’s parrying... he’s adapting. He won’t let himself lose like that."
Below, Jade twisted once more, blade screaming as it locked with the jagged spikes, his body shuddering under the weight of the impact. Another fireball shot past his shoulder, nearly searing his arm. The heat scorched his cape, burning holes through the fabric. Still, he pushed forward, eyes blazing, sword igniting with a stronger fire as if fueled by his determination.
The morning air itself seemed to tremble between them.... the cloaked man’s fire raging like chaos, Jade’s flame rising in defiance, the two locked in a dance of steel, fire, and sheer will.
The fight took a deadly turn in a heartbeat.
Jade’s sword clashed against the incoming left hook, sparks screaming in the morning air. But in that instant, the cloaked fighter revealed his trick.... his other hand surged forward, palm opening beneath the guard.
"Boom!"
A fireball erupted point-blank into Jade’s side. The explosion tore through him, blasting him high into the air, flames licking around his body as he screamed in agony. "Ahhhhh!" His voice cracked through the garden like a broken bell.
His sword slipped from his grip midair, spinning downward before planting into the earth tip-first with a dull metallic thud. It stood trembling in the ground, glowing faintly with its jade mark.... waiting.
Then Jade’s body came crashing down. He hit the Bermuda grass with bone-shaking force, the ground itself quaking beneath him. His chest heaved once, twice.... then fell still. He sprawled on his side, face turned away, his breathing faint as if the air had been stolen from his lungs.
Up in the dorm window, Fran’s blue eyes went wide with terror. She pressed her hands against the glass, her ears dropping low. "Nooo!" she cried, voice breaking. "We should help him! Sister, we can’t just watch!" Her small body trembled as she turned to Dila, desperation swelling in her voice.
But Dila stood frozen. Her hand was in her mouth, teeth biting her fingernails hard enough to draw blood. Her silver hair glowed faintly in the morning sun, yet her face was pale, shadowed by panic. Her mind spun, her heart clawing at her chest.
"There’s nothing I can do...." she whispered under her breath, her voice cracking. "I’m helpless.... I’m sorry.... I’m sorry...." Her blue eyes quivered, darting between Jade’s unmoving body and the cloaked monster still advancing.
Down below, the cloaked man strode forward with calm, merciless steps, spiked knuckles gleaming with smoke and flame. Each step sank into the burnt soil, slow and deliberate, like death itself walking toward Jade.
The sunlight no longer felt warm. It only lit up the hopeless scene.... Jade almost unconscious, sprawled in the dirt, his sword trembling in the ground like a silent plea.... and the cloaked figure closing in to finish what he started.
The moment burned with panic.
Fran’s heart pounded as she shoved at the window latch. Click! The magic seal cracked open and the glass swung wide, letting the morning air rush in. Her cat ears shot upright, dagger clenched tightly in her hand. Her feet braced on the window frame, her whole body trembling but ready to leap.
"No!" Dila cried out, her voice sharp and frantic. She lunged forward, arms wrapping around Fran’s waist. "Fran, stop! I said no!"
Fran kicked and squirmed in her sister’s grip, tears brimming in her eyes. "Let me go, sister! He’s going to die! We can’t just stand here!" Her voice cracked between fury and desperation as her small body struggled with all her strength, dagger glinting in the rising sun.
Dila’s arms shook as she held tighter, refusing to let her go. "I can’t lose you, Fran! Not like this!" Her silver hair brushed against Fran’s cheek as she pulled her closer, her voice trembling with both anger and fear.
Then.... below, the cloaked figure stopped. Slowly, his hood tilted upward, dark eyes hollowed faintly from the shadows. He had heard them. The open window had given them away.
For a moment, the entire garden went still.
Then, with one swift motion, the cloaked man leapt back. His movements were sharp and predatory, bounding away with frightening agility. He sprang from the scarred grass to the edge of a nearby wall, then another leap, then another—disappearing into the veil of morning light.
Fran froze in Dila’s arms, breathing hard, her dagger trembling in her hand. Her eyes stayed locked on where he had vanished, her voice small. "He... ran away?"
Dila’s hold loosened, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her own breath. "Yes..." she whispered, her heart still hammering. "Because of us.... he knew we were here."
She looked at Fran’s determined face and realized just how close she had been to losing her.