Misarre

Present

Current Outfit 

Page 1

The hallway pulses with the flow of students, each hurrying to their next class.

"That was so... exhilarating!" Meadow exclaims, shaking me with excitement.

"Really? It felt more like insufferable. Is she always like that?" I sigh.

"Yep! She was born with a golden spoon in her mouth, quite literally," Meadow laughs. "I've never seen anyone talk to her like that, except for Xrallia."

"Even I'm shocked," a voice says from behind us. I turn to see the black-haired girl and guy from earlier.

"Xrallia, Keno!" Meadow shouts, engulfing Xrallia in a tight hug.

"Can't... breathe," Xrallia manages between gasps.

"You must be either really crazy or really confident, but either way, we should be friends," Keno remarks, extending his hand.

"Missare," I introduce myself, shaking his hand firmly.

"Keno," he replies with a nod.

"Don't forget about me," Xrallia says, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "Xrallia Abse, nice to meet you. You definitely provided the highlight of my day."

"Glad I could entertain," I laugh.

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"I mean, I thought it was interesting enough to have a new student, but who knew you'd steal the spotlight from the jerk," she remarks.

"Are you guys really that bothered by her?" I question.

"Bothered?" Xrallia laughs. "Never. She's just the duck that doesn't realize it's not a swan," she says with a more serious tone.

"Calm down, you're going to scare away our new friend," Keno intervenes, placing a hand on Xrallia's shoulder, prompting her to take a deep breath.

"Anyway... it's not that we're bothered by her. It's her family that's intimidating," Xrallia explains.

"Who's her family?" I ask. Everyone freezes, turning to look at me.

"Um... should I not have asked that?" I raise my hands as if surrendering. 

"Uh, is she alright in the head?" Xrallia says, appalled.

"Missare, do you really not recognize her? What about the badge on her shirt?" Meadow interjects, her tone tinged with desperation and confusion. I shrug and shake my head.

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"Does 'Wenturn' not ring any bells?" Xrallia adds. I pause, racking my brain for any recollection from past conversations with my father.

"Wenturn... Wenturn... Where have I heard that..." Suddenly, a realization strikes me. "No way," I exclaim, smacking my hand against my forehead.

"Ah, too late," Keno chuckles.

"The Wenturns' daughter," I mutter, rolling my eyes.

"Hmm... I expected a look of 'Ahhh! I'm definitely gonna die' or 'Ahhh! I'm so screwed'," Xrallia remarks. I simply shrug.

"Umm... Missare," Meadow grabs the end of my sleeve, a hint of worry in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Do you... Do you even know who we are?" she inquires, her voice a mix of hopefulness and confusion.

"Uhhh..." I begin.

"No way," they all chorus in unison.

"If it helps, only the top elemental families get their own secondary badge," Keno offers.

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I glance at their uniforms. Xrallia and Keno sport Forest Green badges, while Meadow's badge gleams a bright Lilac color.

"Let me guess... Earth and Air families," I sighed, shaking my head in disappointment. "So... are all the others from prestigious families?" I asked, to which they all nodded. I sighed, walking ahead, feeling embarrassed.

As we reached the last class of the day, Xrallia's laughter echoed, teasing me. The class was at a outside training area. It had targets and a area to battle. Glancing around, I saw the same faces as before, including the peculiar guy. My thoughts were interrupted by Xrallia's uproarious laughter.

"Alright, it's not that funny," I grumbled.

"But... But..." Xrallia tried to speak, but her laughter left her breathless.

"Class, let's calm our energies," the Professor interjected, her tone demanding focus. "Are you all ready for another round of physical and magical aptitude tests? Remember, your effort shapes your outcome. Today, let's ignite the term with friendly magical battles. What do you say?"

Excitement permeated the air.

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"What battle format do you prefer, 1v1, 2v2, or teams?" she inquired.

"Teams!" exclaimed a few voices.

"1v1!" countered others.

"1v2," chimed the unsettling guy from earlier.

"Now, Mr. Bui , while I appreciate your confidence, the aim here is to help each other learn different techniques," the Professor gently rebuked. "But, what if I was surrounded?" he retorted in a playful, damsel-in-distress voice, drawing laughter.

"Since you're in good spirits, Mr. Bui, come to the front. I'll pick your partner," the Professor decided, scanning the class. Her eyes settled on me, a mischievous smile creeping onto her face.

"Well, hello there. A new face, I presume?" she addressed me.

"Yes, I'm Missare Liren," I replied.

"Liren?" she echoed, stepping closer.

"Yes," I confirmed.

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"What an unexpected surprise. How are your parents?" she asked, catching me off guard, my expression darkening. 

"I apologize if that was too forward. I'm Mrs. Oliver, an old friend of your parents. I hope you'll achieve great things here," she said warmly, before turning back to the class.

Eyes lingered on me, confusion evident on their faces.

"Alright, Ms. Liren, it's time for your debut performance. Please take the stage," the professor announced with a decisive clap of her hands.

"Hey, be careful, that's Micah Bui from the fire element family. He might come off as a joke, but he's nothing to underestimate," Xrallia warned, her voice laced with caution. I nodded in acknowledgment.

"Good luck, we're all rooting for you," Meadow chimed in as I made my way towards the stage.

With each step, a flicker of excitement coursed through me.

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"You lucked out not getting me as your opponent," a voice jeered from my right. I turned to see Uness, her arms folded across her chest.

"Oh yes, praise be the heavens," I say sarcastically, with a chuckle. Uness stomped her foot in frustration. Approaching the stage, I found myself facing Micah, his expression still as peculiar as before.

"Is there an issue I'm unaware of?" I asked, feeling a hint of awkwardness.

"Not sure what you mean, Ms. Misery," Micah replied with a smirk, igniting a spark of irritation within me.

"How amusing," I scoffed, my annoyance palpable.

"Alright, let's establish the rules for this friendly duel. Victory is claimed upon surrender or being pushed off the stage. No fatal strikes allowed; No magic, but weapons are permitted but with the same restriction. Clear?" The professor's voice carried a stern authority as she outlined the guidelines.

Both Micah and I nod in agreement.

Page 9

"Okay, begin!" the professor's voice booms. Cheers erupt, anticipating Micah's victory.

"Fun fact: I've never lost to anyone," Micah boasts with unwavering confidence.

"Fun fact: neither have I," I retort, a hint of taunt in my tone. In a swift motion, Micah conjures a black sword with red details, while I summon my spear, giving it a deft spin before settling into position. Gasps of awe at our weapon's appearance reach my ears.

"Never seen anything like that," Micah remarks, holding his sword out toward me.

"It's one of a kind. You'll get a closer look in just a moment," I reply, preparing myself for the duel.

"Ha! I love a good jokester," Micah chuckles. With sudden agility, he rushes towards me, his sword slicing through the air with rapid succession. I meet his attack, deflecting his blows with calculated precision. Despite being pushed onto the defensive, I stand my ground, countering his moves with swift maneuvers of my spear. With a skillful motion, I slice through the air, narrowly missing his abdomen and causing him to stumble back.

As he regains his footing, Micah readjusts his stance, ready to continue the duel.

"Who taught you to play like that?" Micah's voice breaks the intensity of the moment.

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"Less talk, more action," I retort, charging towards him and thrusting my spear in a flurry of strikes. Micah gracefully evades each blow before swiftly swatting my weapon aside with a flick of his hand. Seizing the opportunity, he grabs my spear, pulling me closer before pressing his sword against the back of my neck.

"You're lucky you lost to me and got to see me up close," he taunts, a smirk dancing on his lips.

"Unfortunately for you, this is your defeat," I declare, relinquishing my hold on the spear, causing it to morph back into chains infused with magic. With a twist of my wrist, I command the chains to ensnare him, watching as they coil around him tightly. Micah struggles, and for a slight moment I see a smirk on his face before,  Dropping his sword in what seemed like a futile attempt to break free from the chains' grip.

Stepping back, I observe as he falls to the ground, a mixture of irritation and surprise evident in his gaze. From the sidelines, the cheers of Meadow, Xrallia, and Keno, along with a few other students, fill the air, contrasting with the stunned silence of others witnessing the unexpected turn of events.

Page 11

"So, did you get a good look, or shall I give you another demonstration?" I inquire, crossing my arms in satisfaction.

"If I knew you wanted me like this, I'd let you show me as many times as you liked," Micah retorts with a wide grin, his tone playful.

Before I can respond, the teacher approaches, prompting me to release the chains from Micah, allowing them to revert back to my arm.

"Marvelous display from both of you. It's evident that you possess the skills needed to overcome your opponents. However, today's victor is Missare," she announces, punctuating her words with a round of applause. Though the reactions of the other students vary, an overall sense of cheerfulness fills the air. 

"Nice job. I admit defeat," Micah says, extending his hand in a gesture of sportsmanship.

Page 12

"I'm pretty sure that was evident, whether you admitted it or not," I reply, dismissing his handshake. Micah swiftly grabs my hand, pulling me closer to him.

"Come on, do you really think you won with such basic skills?" he whispers into my ear before releasing me and striding back to the crowd.

"Wait, you!" I begin, but the professor interrupts, announcing the next duel. With a resigned sigh, I return to the group.

"You're just full of surprises," Xrallia remarks with a questioning tone.

"Mhmm," I murmur, my mind still occupied by Micah's words. My thoughts are interrupted as Meadow envelops me in a hug, her eyes brimming with excitement.

"You were amazing! You really defeated the top student as if it were nothing. Although, you don't seem very happy," she observes quizzically.

"I don't feel like I won," I admit with a sigh. They all exchange puzzled glances as I turn my attention to the unfolding duel.

                                                                                 Chapter 7 End