II: DUO

In a split second, a shot of vines escape her, striking through the air at her command as they clashed into shards of ice.

Krystal closed the distance to her, with a long shard of crystalline ice forming in her fist. She ed it towards her as Naeun dodged and parried. Naeun ed thorns towards Krystal’s feet, as they curled and wrapped around her legs, slowing her advancement. The thorns cocooned her body, but a stream of ice shot out from Krystal’s skin, forming a small glacier around her legs, as Naeun’s rising thorns turned transparent and froze to a halt.

Krystal shatters off the lingering branches, while a whip-like branch appeared in the hands of Naeun’s. She drove the whip forward, flicking it to the ice-lady who barely dodged the blow. The ground shuddered and cracked as she advanced. When her branch reaches Krystal again, a crystallised knife appears in the air, as she cuts the whip-branch into half.

Krystal lunges. Her frozen knife burns through the air, cutting through the spot where Naeun’s neck was seconds ago. Another blade flies at Naeun’s face. Glacier rise from her fingers, ready to cut her to ribbons.

Naeun leaped back, and a glimmering green sword appeared in her grip.

It reminded Naeun of the old times, when they would train together under the blazing sun.

As if reading her thoughts, Krystal mirrored her smile and a sword appears in her hands.

And they charged.

Both swords met in midair and the crowd roared.

The King raised his brows in intrigue as he stared brazenly at the two ladies. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince couldn't help but to turn his gaze to the iced lady.

On one half of the arena, an emerald glow was emitted as the destroyed earth shifts around her, with trees growing tall in the blink of an eye, vines and thorns and branches stretched into a large canopy, and multi-coloured petals that fluttered through the air.

For the other half, cyan light beamed as the arena floor froze into a thick sheet of crystal. Snowflakes fluttered and hailed the air, transparent sculptures of weaponry - arrows, guns and lance - were latched on a fort made of ice, firing glaciers and ice shards.

The arena was a world of spring and winter at the same time.

A huge collision of emerald and cyan blasted in the arena.

The sharp whistle was blown.

The light fades.

Within the smoke of jasmine and peppermint, the two ladies collapsed with their knees on the ground, panting and drenched in sweat, yet they stared at each other with widened smiles.

“Tie.” The Chamberlain announced.

The ballroom erupted into applause, astonished at the power that both women held. White gown healers rushed in, and both ladies stood to on their feet again. They shared a tight embrace and walked out of the arena with intertwined hands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Naeun

“You’ve learned some new tricks.” I smile as we walk up the steps, swinging our linked hands.

She chuckles, then sticks out her tongue. “I have an elder sister to learn from.”

I send her a look. “Lucky you.”

She laughs and I let out a giggle.

Before we reach back to the tables, she muttered lowly in my ears. “The King should be fine with our fight, right?”

Yes, this was all for the King. Us panting and fighting like we’re on the verge of death — this was all for the King.

But I didn’t want it that way. I didn’t want to sacrifice everything for the King. The 12 districts already had to give in our supplies and resources. Why are we pawns of the King? Why do we have to be his entertainment?

“That doesn’t matter.” I say as I sink back to her familiar shoulders. “We’ve had fun and that’s enough.”

“Of course.” She smiles.

When we separate, I tell her. “Let’s hangout later! We have to meet up - with Hayoung too!”

“Definitely.” She winks.

I walk past a few tables who sends me a look of approval, as I nod politely with a cold smile. They always underestimate our house, thinking that we’re just farmers or crop-growers. I have shown them that we are more.

We are more than just planters.

We are the embodiment of nature.

I reach my table and my mother engulfs me into a warm embrace, with Saeun joining us. My father was next, as he muttered in my ears. “You did really well. I’m glad our training sessions paid off.” I was glad that I kept my house’s dignity in line and made my family proud.

Those were the only things that mattered to me.

The night darkens and the King knows that he has kept everyone in for too long. He raises to his fingers and calls for a last match.

“How about you three?” He points to black, purple and brown tables respectively.

On the black table, a caped figure of House Invisibilis - stood up from the ghostly house. He bowed to the King and raised a deathly grin.

For the brown table, House Heracles stood up. They all have arms like stone cracks, corded and veined and straining against their skins. 

Viscount Invisibilis grins, while young Heracles nods. It took me a while to find out who else is called.

The purple one.

District 12. House Detorquere.

Out of the table of 5 men, the Marquis rises from his seat. Without an expression, he bows to the King, then saunters towards the arena, the tips of his coat swaying with the movement.

A sheet of hushed whispers sink in the ballroom, as the houses discusses who would win this three-way fight. Despite the Marquis having a fearsome reputation, this battle wouldn’t be easy for him.

After all, he has two, instead of one opponent.

“I’m going for the strong arm. Or the invisible guy. Just not the Marquis.” Saeun said.

“Really?” I raise my brows.

“The Marquis has two opponents to fight, surely he wouldn’t manage.”

I steal a glance at my father, who had his lips pursed to a solemn curl. “Papa, what do you think?”

He kept his eyes on the three contestants, scanning past the black to the brown and settling his eyes on the purple figure.

The High Lord Taemin Lee’s purple steel armour is fine and polished to a high sheen. He should be scared, as he has two, rather than one opponent to fight, but he looks strangely calm.

“Champions, set your feet.” They do, digging in their heels on three respective sides of the arena. The strong-arm draws a sword, while half of Invisibilis’s body disappears. Lord Detorquere produces no weapon, his fingers merely twitching by his side.

With a sharp bell, the grand finale of tonight’s ceremony begins.

Invisibilis grins to himself. When he flickers out of being, disappearing in the bright light, the Marquis moves faster than I thought possible, swinging out his arm in a wide arc like he’s throwing a haymaker punch.

At the same time, the strong-arm barrels forward like a bull, kicking up sand in his wake. Taemin tried to dodge him, using his shoulder to slide around the lord, but the strong arm is quick. He gets hold of the purple lord’s leg and tosses him across the arena like he’s made of feathers. Before Lord Detorquere can hope to stand, Invisibilis appears in the air, heaving him skyward.

Lee Taemin hits the sand in a heap of broken bones but somehow rises to his feet again. Instead of the usual cheer, the lords outside the arena dimmed to a mixture of fierce whispers and mutters. My father also doesn’t cheer, his eagle eyes stay focused on the bruised, tattered, broken lord.

“He doesn’t seem to be powerful at all. At this rate, he’s just Heracles and Invisibilis’s punching bag.” My sister mutters lowly, and I agree silently while sending a glance at the King, who had an unreadable expression on his face. I wonder why the King favoured his Marquis so much.

We can see the scarlet liquid dripping from Lee Taemin’s mouth. It shimmers against the golden beams and paints a river down his neck and his armour. He spits, sending a burst of blood across the arena. Ten yards away, th