Arganthes: The Capital Of Dungeons 28 Chapter 16: The Tournament Of Beginners - Part V - An Unexpacted Reunion

When suddenly a girl was launched into the air.

I tried to catch her as she fell towards me when it dawned on me who the girl was. Her ice blue hair and burning yellow eyes made this crystal clear.

It was Aqua!! Quickly I rushed to her aid tripping over a vacant tree branch, making us both fall on the ground. "are y-you okay?" I asked as Anxiety began to slowly build. Worried who could have done such a thing I stood my ground and helped her to stand up.

"It was one of the summoned ones, one of us..."

Aqua said as she had barely enough strength to stand, struggling to move, she grabbed hold of me for support.

"W-we h-have to g-go... I-its, not s-save h-here..."

"I know of a place were we should he save, lean on me, I will lead the way."

As we started to make our way towards the center something... or someone closed in on us. I felt killing intent towards us and threw Aqua away in the last effort to save her from harm.

"It seems we have more in common than I thought..."

A hooded person with a familiar voice said as he slowly lowered his hood.

"No one said we couldn't attack our own, right? Hahaha, isn't it thrilling? Fighting one another in this so-called tournament? Now... Michael... show me what you"ve learned these past few days!!"

The one under the hood revealed himself as terror slowly crept towards my inner core... it was Draven...

That b.a.s.t.a.r.d who already tried to kill me when we first got summoned, looking at Aqua her wounds it became clear as sheer dread rushed over me...

This was all a game to him. Doesn't he know this is all for real?!

"Thrilling isn't it? Fighting till the bitter end. I know I can't hold back my excitement for this event!!

Come... let me hunt you too!!"

Draven said with a twisted smile as a black flame completely took over his being.

With a twisted and deformed voice, he spoke.

"The void has claimed his rightful owner... come and let yourself be sacrificed for the nothingness inside our hearts... let it be filled with the void of darkness!!"

The sheer dread made me freeze in place but I knew I had to do something to keep Aqua save.

Draven jumped towards Aqua with an evil laugh that could turn anyone's stomach upside down. Frustrated I punched myself in the face which broke me free of the terror that immobilized me. Rus.h.i.+ng towards Aqua I barely made it in time to block Draven's attack when it all became clear...

He too had a demon inside him, the only difference was that the demon had full control over Draven.

Now summoning flames started bombarding us from afar. I quickly resorted to the same kind of attacks trying to preserve as much energy as possible.

His flames were proven to be stronger than mine, unable to hold him back I jumped in front of Aqua making the flames. .h.i.t me instead. The flames burning on my skin gave off an excruciating sensation which put me into shock. I didn't know what happened after that as I awoke to three unfamiliar faces...

Yet there was one extremely worried...

One who seemed familiar, that one was Yami.

"Master! Master!! What happened, Master?!

Yami is worried sick about you."

One of the unfamiliar ones closed in on us.

As she began to speak seriously.

"You have a worthy familiar, if she hadn't picked up your scent you would have been done for."

A burning sensation filled the entirety of my right arms and shoulder.

"Aahh!! What is happening to me?"

"Draven has cursed you with the flames of the void, they will consume anyone or anything in their path.

Please... try to remain calm as I perform my surgery to stop it from spreading."

The woman summoned snakes from the ground and her arms as they slid towards me.

"Before we begin... Let me introduce myself, I am June, nice to meet you, Michael! We heard all about you from Yami here."

June said with a smirk on her face.

The snakes now were right next to my arm and shoulder as they opened their mouth inserting their fangs inside. The burning sensation began more intense as the pain began to increase.

"Aaaahhh!!! I can't take much more of this!! Please... I can't take it anymore!!"

The woman all held me down as this was a necessary step to take. June even pressed her chest against my face in the hopes that it would distract from the pain. When the snakes were done it looked like I was full of holes, yet the burn marked hadn't vanished. Instead, a huge flame tattoo was visible. From my shoulder to my wrist.

But... the pain... the pain had vanished, but how?

Yami helped me sit upright as I still needed to regain my strength. During this time, the other two ladies introduced themselves.

One of the ladies had long dark blond hair and green eyes, she was wearing a bow, brown leather armor and green undergarments. She introduced herself as Sheila. The other... looked away, the woman had long red hair which covered her eyes, as she turned away, scars revealed themselves on her back, together with two long strands of hair. She must have chosen to do her hair like this because it allowed her to move without hindrance.

June walked towards the lady with scars and pulled away her hair revealing two mesmerizing purple eyes.

I didn't realize she was blind and before I knew it I spoke my mind.

"Such beauty..."

The woman got startled and as her face turned red she covered her eyes.

"Please... don't look at my face... I am hideous..."

She wanted to walk away, but just when she stood up I grabbed her hand. Wanting to confront her I stood in front of her.

"Sorry... if I made you uncomfortable,

what I meant to say was that you have such beautiful eyes. No need to worry just wanted to give a compliment. I'm Michael, nice to meet you. May I be so bold and ask your name?"

Startled that someone didn't think she was hideously ugly she curled up in a ball of shyness as a warm feeling of acceptance came over her.

"Don't mind her, she isn't used to attention, usually she spends a short amount of time with her targets as they all end up dead... haha."

June couldn't hold in her laugh ad she found teasing her just priceless. Mockingly she began introducing her? Friend.

"Her name is Ragnar. She is one of the most talented from our guild, The a.s.sa.s.sination a.s.sociation. The event today is to try and find promising new talents to join the ways of the rogue, would you be interested in yourself?"

Quickly it became clear she was proud to be with her friends. But... could they be trusted?

I didn't care... A warm and longing feeling came over me as I wanted to know more about Ragnee. Why did she have all those scars? Why was she so scared to be seen? As I closed in on her I got the yearning to protect her, knowing she was so defenseless. I lowered myself, sitting down on one knee as I held my hand up to a.s.sist her.

"Don't be afraid... I don't mean you any harm. I am Michael nice to meet you Ragnee. Here, take my hand."

Ragnee looked up as tears fell from her eyes.

She moved towards me grabbing not just my hand but embracing my upper body.

"Words can't express how I feel right now, to be told I am beautiful... that's something I never heard before, please excuse my behavior I tend to be jumpy with strangers."

She slowly let go as she stood up knowing I too was okay.

"You see... I may be blind, but my elemental magic allows me to witness the world through sound and shockwaves. The sonarlike waves ricochet against objects, people, animals and everything of the like.

Creating realistic images inside my brain,

allowing me to what you call, see."

Ragnee walked towards June signaling that they had to move on, seeing as the challenge only had two more hours until the end. The three ladies made a quick gesture with their fingers as they left for more contestants to beat.

As they went their separate ways Ragnee couldn't stop talking about Michael the charming contestant.

"Can't we just let him join our guild is? Wasn't he cool??"

Not knowing what to do June shaken her head.

"We shall see girl, we shall see if he is worthy...

He at least has to make it to the finals if you want me to consider him a fellow guild member.

You know... he said he was headed towards the center of the stage. There they should be saved for the time being, but... knowing most people will think the same way, they are up for the fight of their lives.

Let's go and watch during the last remaining thirty minutes, okay?" June said teasingly.

Ragnee was overjoyed, once a silent expressionless girl now jumped in joy longing for the time she would meet the young adventurer again.

In the distance far away, Aqua was far from okay.

You could say she had put too much onto her plate as five Fighters attacked her simultaneously.

Refusing to go down she summoned her water magic as it was allowed to defend or enhance yourself with it. As she blocked two of the fighters their impacts at the same time she began drawing runes in her mind projecting them out to the surface. The runes of water, wind, enlargement, and courage quickly formed into the air as if water gave shape to them.

Soon after they all began to glow, as they vanished a dome of water and air formed around her, allowing to keep the others at bay. Now unable to attack her they got frustrated. Jumping and striking at the water with blind rage. Only to be thrown back by the strong currents.

Their leader made him back off as she summoned the water and enhancement runes enveloping herself with water. As she walked closer both her water armor as well as the currents collided, resulting in a frantic wave of water, ripping through the dome-like it was nothing... it closed behind her as if nothing had happened.

Shocked that she could walk straight through Aqua had to think of something else quickly.

"Think Aqua... Think! What can you use against a fellow water Elementalist?"

Looking at her opponent as she slowly closed in on her, it almost looked like her water armor had no current at all. "Still waters..." Aqua said to herself, realizing what she could do against it.

She then summoned water runes, enhancement and hardening runes, together with first runes covering her hands in ice. To make sure her plan worked she put a thin layer of ice underneath her clothing to protect her from harm.

Knowing swords were not allowed she readied her stance as her opponent was now in striking distance.

The man raised his leg to strike down on her with a fierce blow. In that instant, Aqua stepped back dodging the blow. Anxiety began creeping up on her as she looked to where his foot had hit the ground.

A small crater from the size of his foot could be seen underneath. She couldn't allow not even one of those attacks to hit her, as that would mean instant defeat.

Not allowing herself to succ.u.mb to fear she collected her thoughts, calming down her breathing and letting the man jump in to attack once more.

Now he closed in not with his leg, but with his arm, going for a hit below the belt. She quickly grabbed on to his arms flowing with his movement as if made of water as she struck his chin upward with all her might. The man was sent flying and lay motionless on the ground. Her dome now vanished as it exploded in a softly dripping rain.

The others were shocked by their leader's defeat and went into a blind rage striking at Aqua. She summoned ice capturing all, making them unable to move and thus lose the match. Knowing she had a better fighting chance at the center she too went towards the middle of the stage. Cordelia soon noticed that it would be rather difficult making it there alone, as most other contestants had the same idea.

She had to find companions and fast...

Not too far from where Aqua was a shy and timid girl was hiding from confrontation when a familiar face rushed past, it was Aqua!! Quickly she tried going after her as she shockingly discovered other contestants chasing her. The girl had long curly orange hair with turquoise eyes like the waters of the forest. Summoning all of her courage to aid her friend in trouble she conjured multiple light runes, rapidly she drew the shape of arrows to shoot out and land in front of the other contestants.

This gave Aqua a brief moment to react, allowing her to jump aside just in time.

"Cordelia, are you alright?"

A shy and gentle voice sounded just behind her.

Turning around Aqua couldn't believe her eyes.

"Aileen! You are still in the contest?! This is rich!!"

Worried Aileen snapped her out of the reunion slamming her hands on her shoulders as they had to leave, quickly.

"No time for a pleasant reunion! W-we need to h-hurry!!

Elena is close by, let's regroup with her, with the three of us we could be able to take on a larger number."

They ran as fast as they could, hoping to run into Elena as soon as possible. Being close friends with her ever since they arrived in this strange world, Aileen considered her to be family.

She even introduced her to the Church of healing as she wanted to support her group whenever this was needed. Yet, she wanted to be able to fight on her own as well, quickly joining the Martial Novices, which is why she decided to partic.i.p.ate in this event.

But, most proof to be too challenging as she couldn't handle huge confrontations. Which is why she was hiding in an abandoned tree trunk.

But now, she wasn't alone anymore, she needed to help her friends... trying to muster al the courage she could they kept running and running when suddenly she got thrown on the ground by someone.

*crash*

"Ouch!! That hurt!! Why would you do that?!"

A small, slender and tomboyish girl sat on the ground next to her. Upon closer inspection, Aileen recognized the person sitting next to her on the ground.

"Elena!!!"

Overcome by emotions she hugged her tightly.

"Yea...yea... I missed you too Aileen, but there is no time for a long and heartwarming reunion. Are you hurt?" Elena asked as he helped Aileen up her feet again.

"We better keep on moving until it is safe for us to regroup and fight back," Elena said being alert to her surroundings

Aileen nodded a bit disappointed about how Elena reacted, worried she looked straight into her eyes, only to see hatred and worry root from the depths of her soul... Not wanting to trouble her any further Aileen let go of her.

"Why was she like this? Before the event we were inseparable... something must have happened, seeing all that hatred rise from whiting her eyes...

I have to get to the depths of this, but for now...

I'll let it be, as we need to find a safe place."

The three continued to run straight ahead, trying to keep clear from any encounters thus far. But Aileen couldn't get the worrying thoughts out of her head.

Elena was one of the few who approached her and didn't make fun of her at the beginning, which is why Aileen saw her as a precious friend... a sister even.

They were apart during their guild introduction, knowing they both had to go their separate ways eventually it was crucial to choose the path either of them wanted to personally follow.

This is why for most of the period Aileen ended up at the Church of Healing, learning how to support herself and others in battle, mastering the techniques faster than most she got the opportunity to change guilds early on, which is why she chose the Martial Novices to learn how to defend herself.

Given her timid and gentle nature, she was afraid of confrontation, running whenever she could...

Always apologizing even if it wasn't her fault.

She had heard Elena chose to go to The Marital Novices wanting to learn how to vent for herself.

Not wanting to give up on her friend,

she too decided to learn how to protect herself.

But, the time they spent there, wasn't what she had hoped for. Not once were they together,

not even during breakfast, lunch or dinner.

The worries made her absentminded,

not focusing on what was happening in front of her.

As they ran and ran, this made her trip over tree branches that rooted over the surface.

Elena quickly grabbed her arm trying to regain their momentum, but it was too late, the ones chasing them had caught up...