THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

"Okay, that's it. Stop."

Finally, the teacher releases us. This fight had become more of an all-out war than a spar. Germinia kicked me with such force I heard my ribs break. I pay her back by smacking her head to the ground, covering the floor with her blood while disfiguring her.

Still, Samson didn't mind at all and shot another arrow at our catcher, which was caught by Keltia. He then threw himself in the battle as well. Fighting Keltia and Derkheil alone while the last beta student and Judy were firing projectiles. I wonder how we even managed to hold on without exposing our catcher in all this.

We leave the fighting area and sits back with the other groups. Cordel's group is next and stands up after we all sit down.. I did say that the defender team had a disadvantage but the attacking team isn't much better. They fight without rest all the teams twice. That's really exhausting.

Cordel's team today is composed of Peter and the two other beta students. While they are preparing, Germinia's face gets healed by the teacher. She is the only healer among the three teachers we have here.

"Don't overdo it like that." Keltia talks to me while I look at her.

"She broke my ribs."

"Even so, keep your calm, you know damn well that she is like that."

"I am sorry. I will try to do better."

"I hope so. Though, thanks for the assist."

"Yeah, thanks to you, we didn't lose this time." The alpha student also thanks me.

"What do you mean this time? My strategy is perfect!"

"Perfect as a fly on horse shit, yeah." Esteressa apparently was listening to our conversation and immediately voices her opinion, as usual. Though, I am sure Keltia won't answer her.

"What did you say, muscle freak?!" What happened to the 'keep your cool' thing Keltia?

"Hey, calm down."

Teacher Mneme comes to us while they start fighting verbally. It seems she has finished healing Germinia.

"Mr. Dragonroad. Are your ribs okay?"

"Hm…Yeah, I will be alright. Thank you, madam."

I think they are already healing. And I don't need to worry about pain.

"But I am pretty sure she broke some of them."

"Don't worry, madam. I can handle it."

"Just let her heal you." Lanuvel, of course, is worried as well.

"I am fine, Lanuvel."

"Even so…" This look… Why do you have the same look as Farner, those eyes that says you won't let it go until I do what you want.

"Okay, okay." I stand up and goes to the teacher. She starts healing me, Samson starts attacking Cordel's team. Aiming for Cordel with his lightning arrows from the get-go. So, we were not good enough for you to use it, huh? I will show you next time.

***

Just like this, our training has gone for the remaining days. In two days, the tournament will start, therefore, we are moving to Nivalnheilm today. In the early morning, all of us are packaging our things and sending them to our bracelets. We all remove the bracelets that were restricting our Angas as well and give them back to teacher Mneme.

Outside, there are four carriages waiting for us, each pulled by three horses and with the insignia of a tree on their doors.

"We will reach Nivalnheilm by tomorrow morning. There won't be any stops on the way. So," three maids appear and distributes us our dishes, "if you are hungry or thirsty, please, eat and drink this. I know it is not enough but please bear with it."

The teacher looks at Keltia and another gamma student specifically. The others teachers aren't here today as well. They don't seem to like formalities much.

We take the road and the horses are going so fast I wonder if they will really have the stamina to last until tomorrow.

"K'nor would be faster, though."

"Your pet?"

"Yeah."

I am sitting with Samson in my carriage. Well, not just him, Derkheil, his friends from the gamma class and one of the alpha class are here as well. But Samson is the only one I can try to talk to.

"But don't you find it weird?"

"What?"

"The fact that they sent carriages instead of teleportation crystals."

"Aren't those expensive?" I think I heard people said that.

"They are. But we are representatives of our school and there are teachers with us. They should have done a better job at ensuring our safety."

"Hm-mhm. Oh well, whatever happens, we can just blast it away, right?"

"Fufu. Yeah, right." Samson's genuine smile of happiness is putting me at ease as well.

But I must admit that his point is right. I hope it is just a point and nothing else.

The horse keeps running as the night falls. They really are incredible horses to run so much. I am not as tired as the others who are already all asleep so I go to the inner soul.

I am still not able to find the good ratio between earth and Wind Angas so I should try more. I think my problem is the fact that I don't feel anything. I am sure that I could feel, I wouldn't be able to fly properly, though I would also be able to sense the variations easily and find a good ratio.

"How was Excafol doing?" From what I remember, he wasn't shining or anything so I can't say there was a clue about how he was flying. But I do remember that every time he would do it, there would be a small wave of wind around him. Meaning that Wind Angas is certainly the most present. Now, the problem would be to find the exact amount of earth Angas to use.

I sit outside the house and start by using Wind Angas. Then, I progressively increase my earth Angas output.

"Tch! Not good." Only a few seconds and I already feel a bit uneasy. So the amount I use is too much. Let's start over.

***

After some time, I stop and leave the inner soul. I didn't find the exact amount this time but at least, I think I feel more comfortable when I am using both. Perhaps I don't necessarily need to find a ratio. I just need to get used to this somehow uncomfortable sensation. After all, it's only since I have awoken the dragon heart that I feel like this.

As I open my eyes, it is the middle of the night. But the scenery around me is weird. Everyone has his eyes closed but they look like they are sleeping. It seems like they are all meditating. What happened here? Even Samson is doing the same. The horses are still running outside. And you can barely notice the trees we are passing through.

"Let's just sleep." I lean my head backward on a cushion made on the chair of the carriage. I don't know why they are all meditating but if they didn't wake me up then there isn't any problem.

***

"Hey, we have arrived."

When Samson wakes me up, it is morning now. I look by the window and right as I do, we pass through the gates of the city. TELESTAL: the fortress of the gods. Well, that's the name it was given to it from what Lanuvel told me. It is the city at the border with Syldavie. And that's where the tournament will be hold. Though it is not the capital of the kingdom.

The horses throttle slowly inside the city and the buildings are revealed to us. A lot of buildings, made of cement and stones, are standing everywhere. Most of them are at least two or three-story buildings.

"There really are a lot of people outside." Samson makes me notice and indeed, a lot of people are outside. I guess the tournament is really popular. Some of them look at our carriage with interest but most of them don't even mind it and just walk to wherever they were going.

"This city is as beautiful as they say."

"And as deadly as well." The other guys start making remarks while I am observing the people.

Most of them are armed. Wearing armors, weapons at their waists or on their backs. Now that I think about it.

"You remember the guy who fought Cordel once?"

"The weird guy going crazy about fighting?"

"Yeah. I think he said something like I should come to Nivalnheilm if I want a real fight with him."

"A real fight? What did he mean?"

"A fight to the death, what else?"

"Really? And you are interested?"

"Nope. Just remembered about him, that's all. With all those menacing people outside wearing their fancy armors and bloodthirsty-looking weapons, I don't think it would be a good idea to do that." I could get addicted to it, just like him.

"Good idea. Farner wouldn't let you do that anyway."

"Right." Yeah, now that you remind me, I haven't seen her in two weeks.

Suddenly, the carriage stops. I guess we have arrived at wherever we will be staying.