ã€ŠSoulmates : Arena Book Oneã€‹


 Chapter one

    That night, Mia had died. Her physical form had vanished forever from the surface of the Earth. She would never again tread the grounds of her university, her friends would never hear her hysterical laughter again, her parents would never marvel at her radiant smile again. That night, her existence on this earth had come to a halt. How they must mourn her, dead so young. A tragedy.

    A tragedy? Could she really label this incident as tragic? Unbelievable, marvelous, utterly absurd, perhaps, but tragic? Yet, of course, her loved ones couldn''t know that. For them, this event would forever remain the end of something. For her, it was the beginning of the most phenomenal adventure of her life.

    That evening, she had a meeting with her friends Eva, Lydie, and Maxime. Like every Thursday, it was a student night out. Like every Thursday, they would bar-hop and end the night on Eva''s rooftop, which served as a clandestine terrace.

    That evening, they were celebrating Lydie''s broken heart, with all the alcohol that such a special event implied. The four of them were slouched on a worn-out couch, each holding a glass.

    "Come on, cheer up! You know what they say, one lost, ten found!" Eva chuckled, sipping her glass of orange vodka.

    "If someone throws that stupid phrase at me one more time, I swear I''ll go ballistic!" Lydie burst out, shaking her fist in front of her friend''s face.

    Her reaction sparked general laughter.

    "And, by the way, who the hell came up with that saying? Like, what''s it supposed to apply to? A guy in a harem? Damn, we''re in the twenty-first century for crying out loud," she continued in her rant, impervious to her audience''s fits of laughter. "Anyway, all guys are jerks. Fuck them. I''ve decided, I''m becoming a lesbian."

    "Shut up, Lydie! I''m going to die laughing if you keep going," Maxime exclaimed.

    "Oh, Mia," she continued, ignoring her friend''s remark and moving closer to the one in question, "you''re pretty, you''re nice, you''re smart. Wanna go out with me?"

    Discomfort replaced the laughter on Mia''s face before she could react to her friend''s question. She stood up abruptly, pale, and staggered towards the edge.

    "Wait, you don''t want me either? But um, I was kidding, you know! What are you doing, you''re not going to commit suicide, right?" Lydie panicked.

    She wanted to reply with "no, are you stupid or something?" but the only thing that crossed her lips was the contents of her stomach. The general hilarity amplified once again, drowning out the sounds of her retching.

    "Damn, Lydie! You''ve disgusted her so much she puked her guts out, poor thing!" Eva yelled, knocking over her cup and holding her belly. "My sides hurt from laughing so much!"

    Mia straightened up, wiping her mouth with her sleeve, completely ignoring the repulsive aspect of what she had just done. Alcohol helped a lot in this regard. She turned to her friends and flashed a mischievous smile, raising her eyebrows several times. The blonde was known not for being ashamed of her escapades, but for handling them with humor. She couldn''t care less about humiliating herself like this if her misadventures could make her friends burst into laughter.

    "Can you imagine if someone was walking down there?" she asked them.

    "Oh come on, there''s worse than getting a splash of puke on your head while walking... Or maybe not, actually," Maxime pondered, immediately putting on a serious expression. "Just imagine for a moment if, in his surprise, he stumbles and breaks his neck. You could end up in jail!"

    "''Mia Bayer, a twenty-year-old student, incarcerated for killing a man by vomiting on him''," Lydie added, waving her hands to emphasize her statement. "That would be front-page news! The headline of the year!"

    "And let me guess, it would be you who would cover the whole story?" Mia retorted, feigning exasperation.

    Lydie was studying journalism and spent her days between the university gazette and the few articles she was allowed to publish in the local newspaper of their town. Eva was on the same path as her best friend, while Mia and Maxime were pursuing degrees in classical literature. They were all in their second year of undergraduate studies and had met the four of them during a party. Since then, they had been inseparable.

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    "And why not? Don''t I have the right to use a friend''s misadventures to boost my professional career? I wouldn''t use you with a clear conscience if you weren''t my friend, you know! And you can do this for me, I''m heartbroken!" Lydie quipped.

    "Wow, I''m incredibly lucky," Mia replied, rolling her eyes and placing her hand on her heart, mimicking being moved by her words.

    "See! Alright, enough talking. A little drink?"

    Her proposal didn''t fall on deaf ears. Maxime eagerly picked up the vodka bottle, Lydie grabbed the orange juice bottle, and Eva collected their cups.

    Mia watched them bustling around as she leaned against the rooftop''s edge with her elbows, not yet feeling up to returning to the couch, as tight as it was with all of them on it. The heat from their proximity would only exacerbate her nausea.

    They distributed their glasses, and Maxime handed one to Mia, which she reluctantly took. She brought it to her lips and sniffed its contents. Orange juice. With a nod in his direction, she thanked her friend for serving her a non-alcoholic drink, though she doubted she could manage to swallow anything at this moment.

    "Am I dreaming or is it starting to rain?" Eva asked.

    Her statement was quickly followed by a few raindrops, as if to confirm her words. The impending downpour was going to put an end to the evening.

    Mia wouldn''t complain; she wasn''t the type to continue having fun after vomiting the contents of her stomach.

    What she wanted could be summed up in one thing: a shower. Or her bed. Or a shower and her bed. And maybe a quick stop at the toothbrush station, just so she wouldn''t have to taste that bitter flavor and post-regurgitation bad breath anymore.

    She pulled her phone out of her pocket to check the time.

    "Anyway, it''s three in the morning. It might be time to head back. It''s not like we have class tomorrow," she announced to Maxime. "I''ll leave you to figure out gathering the stuff, alright? I''m still not feeling very well."

    They sighed in unison and got to work. Meanwhile, Mia took the opportunity to look at her phone one more time, struggling to do so due to her drunkenness and the raindrops that weren''t helping matters.

    "Come on, hurry up, it''s pouring out here!" she grumbled with a sarcastic smile.

    "You could help us too, if it''s that bad," Maxime muttered.

    She shrugged and focused again on her phone, bringing her cup of orange juice closer to her mouth in an attempt to drink a few sips. Maybe she should have abstained. The acidity of the fruit only worsened her nausea, and she felt ready to vomit again.

    With her phone in one hand and her cup in the other, she turned around and rested her forearms on the concrete, awaiting the consequences of her actions. And they didn''t take long to arrive. As she vomited her guts for the second time, her body weakened. Her grip on the phone loosened. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw it slip, but couldn''t do anything more. Strangely, the shock of the situation immediately replaced her nausea with cold sweats.

    "Guys... um... my phone just fell."

    Her three friends turned around abruptly, puzzled, and quickly approached the young woman to observe the crime scene.

    "It''s there! On the little ledge! Do you think we can retrieve it?" Eva exclaimed, agitated.

    Mia leaned a bit more against the concrete, her head hanging over the edge, trying to spot her device. Indeed, it had landed about a yard and a half away, on a ledge about ten centimeters wide. She took a deep breath, thanking her lucky stars.

    "Maxime, you''re going to hold onto my legs, and I''ll try to grab it. Sound good?"

    "Are you serious? Isn''t this a bit of a bad idea?"

    "Do you have a better one? It''ll be fine."

    He didn''t reply, just nodded. After all, they had all been drinking, and their brains weren''t really capable of fully realizing the absurdity of the situation. When Mia climbed onto the ledge, she also began to doubt her half-baked plan. Fortunately, her blurred vision prevented her from seeing the void that lay beneath her.

    She hesitated for a moment before Maxime placed his hands on her bare ankles revealed by her lightweight dress and gave her the go-ahead signal.

    A fleeting thought crossed her mind. It would be pretty stupid to die like this, right? However, under the influence of the alcohol she had consumed, Mia once again ignored the voice of reason that mixed with her survival instinct to try to warn her of the danger.

    She let herself drop, slowly, reaching out to grab her phone.

    "Hurry up! It''s slippery, and I''m not at my best!" Maxime shouted.

    "I''m doing what I can!"

    She groped for a few moments, not seeing much without light, and her hand finally closed around her device.

    "I''ve got it! Pull me up!"

    Clearly, she should have thought three times before launching herself into the void. She wasn''t very heavy, but they had been drinking, and the rain made her skin slippery. Her friend''s arms trembled under the effort of supporting the weight of her hanging body, threatening to let go at any moment.

    Anxiety quickly set in as she felt Maxime''s hands slipping.

    "Help me! Quickly!" he shouted to the two other girls who were frozen behind him.

    Lydie didn''t react, paralyzed by the situation. Eva hurried to grab the end of her dress, as if that would save her. Unfortunately, Maxime was going to let go. She knew it. It was only a matter of seconds.

    When the young man''s grip only clung to her sandals, she realized it was already too late. They gave way, leaving her barefoot as she was about to crash to the ground a few meters below. A piece of her dress also tore off in her fall, the fabric resting in the hand of a panicked Eva who watched the scene in horror.

    Seriously? You''re about to die, and the only thing that comes to your mind is that they''re going to find you without shoes, torn dress, and probably your face smashed into your vomit down there? Where''s the life flashing before my eyes? Mia thought.

    She closed her eyelids so tightly that she felt her eyes sinking into their sockets. She didn''t want to see the ground getting closer.

    The fall lasted only a few seconds. The last seconds of her life on Earth. And Mia spent them wanting to vomit. A death worthy of a Darwin Award.

 Chapter 2

    Mia¡¯s body landed heavily on the ground. Even before she opened her eyes, a strange sensation came over her. First, she was alive. Then, the atmosphere had completely changed. During the few seconds when adrenaline completely numbed her body, she skeptically realized that things were taking a rather odd turn.

    She could feel grass tickling her cheeks and feet, sunlight caressing her face, and the pure air of nature entering her nostrils. There was no trace of the acidic pollution that city dwellers had become so accustomed to. This wasn¡¯t exactly what she expected from falling off a rooftop in the middle of the city. Was she dead? Perhaps she had ended up in Heaven...

    After the initial shock, her sore limbs began to slowly awaken. Her face twisted in a grimace of pain, and her muscles contracted as her injuries made themselves known. Instinctively, she curled up in a fetal position, her arms encircling her midsection where the pain was sharpest. The movement made her almost want to scream as pain shot through her.

    When her eyes opened, little black dots danced above her head. Her pulse pounded in her skull. Any attempt to move felt like slow agony. She closed her eyes again, feeling her consciousness gradually fade.

    ¡°Lily, do you see what I see?¡± she could hear amidst the ringing in her ears.

    ¡°Who is she? Do you recognize her?¡± asked the second voice.

    ¡°No idea. Oz, do you sense anything?¡±

    Mia didn¡¯t hear the rest of the conversation. Her mind slipped into unconsciousness, exhausted by the pain.

    When she finally came to hours later, the first thing she noticed was that she was lying in a small, comfortable bed, and she no longer felt any pain. It had completely vanished, replaced by heavy fatigue and the sensation of having not slept for days.

    Her eyelids lifted slowly, struggling to stay closed. A thin, blurry film on her retinas made her vision hazy. She felt like she had suddenly become nearsighted during her sleep.

    She tried to sit up automatically to raise herself into a seated position, but she was abruptly stopped as a hand gently pressed her shoulder against the soft mattress. Even without seeing the person to whom the hand belonged, Mia could tell it was a female hand by how gentle and delicate the fingers felt.

    ¡°Take it easy. Your body still needs to recover. You were in quite a state, you know. Nothing we can¡¯t heal, of course, but your body underwent a serious trauma,¡± spoke the familiar female voice from the clearing even before Mia could observe her face.

    As her eyeballs adjusted to her awakened state and the ambient light, she had to blink several times to take in what was in front of her.

    That was it, she was dead and gone. That was the only plausible explanation her mind could find. The young woman appeared to be entirely human at first glance. Brown hair, brown eyes, a delicate face, a slender figure, a feminine presence. Normal.

    Except for an enormous pair of wings that shimmered as fine as silk, swaying behind her back, framing her petite figure. They reminded her of butterflies with iridescent wings that reflected all the colors of the rainbow depending on the angle you looked at them. Except, they were human-sized, not insect-sized.

    ¡°What the hell is going on? Is this what afterlife looks like?¡± she muttered, her mouth dry.

    ¡°Oh, sorry, here.¡±

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    The supernatural woman handed her patient a glass of water that Mia clumsily grasped with her two tired arms, raising herself just enough to drink properly. The cold liquid flowing down her parched throat brought a sense of relief that eased her somewhat. Once empty, the butterfly-woman took it back to place it on the nightstand next to the bed.

    ¡°Alright. You should rest, but I¡¯m guessing you have a lot of questions. I¡¯ll explain a few things, then you¡¯ll go back to sleep. First things first, I¡¯m Lily, and no, you¡¯re not dead,¡± she said with a smile, probably finding the train of Mia¡¯s thoughts amusing.

    Now that her thirst was quenched, Mia could focus on her thoughts again. She absorbed the clarifications from her interlocutor, thinking silently for a few seconds, her brain running at full speed. Her only logical explanation had just been refuted. A disguise, then? She sighed, too exhausted to start formulating alternative theories. She might as well listen to what Lily had to say.

    ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure how you ended up in that state. Your injuries looked like a bad fall. From several meters, I¡¯d say. Honestly, if we hadn¡¯t found you a few moments later, you¡¯d probably be dead by now. It¡¯s fortunate we happened to be passing by to collect some herbs, and Oz sensed something unusual... Anyway, that¡¯s not important.¡±

    Mia clearly wasn¡¯t drained enough to keep her eyes from rolling. Lily seemed like one of those people who could spew an incredible amount of words in mere seconds, punctuating her narrative with numerous hand gestures to illustrate her points.

    She was going to give Mia a headache with her boundless energy. The young woman reminded her a lot of Eva. That thought brought a fond smile to her lips, her mind drifting towards memories with her friend. Unperturbed, Lily continued her monologue, ignoring the blonde¡¯s musings.

    ¡°Several broken bones and ribs, some internal bleeding, a nasty head trauma, and as a bonus, a hangover,¡± she laughed, winking at Mia.

    To say she wanted to hide under the covers right now was an understatement. Dealing with a massive hangover wasn¡¯t already an easy task, but ending up in the hospital, or at least what she logically assumed to be one, due to alcohol... Mia wasn¡¯t sure if she wanted to laugh at herself or disappear out of embarrassment. She usually ended up choosing the first option, but that didn¡¯t stop her from doubting.

    That feeling quickly shifted as something occurred to her, defying all logic now that the obvious hit her. How could she feel no pain when, according to what Lily was saying, she hadn¡¯t missed herself? If she had come so close to death, she should be struggling to hold onto life right now, not casually discussing her misadventures.

    ¡°It¡¯s... how is this possible?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Hm? How is what possible?¡± Lily replied, a bit puzzled.

    ¡°Morphine? Am I drugged up on painkillers? Is that why I¡¯m super tired and seeing... hallucinations?¡±

    It was like a lightbulb turned on in her brain. Of course! Everything made sense now. No pain, wings, the complete trip... The experience was strongly reminiscent of the time Maxime had brought back some hallucinogenic mushrooms to a party for the group of friends to try together. Mia had a very good memory of it, even though one time was enough for her.

    Lily burst into laughter at her questions. Mia swallowed hard, doubt about the validity of her theory creeping into her mind.

    ¡°Oh, sure, you¡¯ve never seen a fairy on the job, my apologies! We haven¡¯t used painkillers for... well, we¡¯ve never used them, actually. That¡¯s a human thing,¡± she explained, her voice trembling with her past mirth.

    Blonde¡¯s eyes widened, and her eyebrows rose with disbelief halfway up her forehead, the woman¡¯s explanations being so bizarre. Had she ended up in a psychiatric ward? She had the strange feeling that each thought the other was a wildly delusional lunatic. Or perhaps this was just a hidden camera show. Either way, it was best to play along.

    ¡°Excuse me? Where are we, exactly?¡±

    ¡°At the Arena. It¡¯s... we¡¯ll explain more later. Listen, all you need to know for now is that you¡¯re safe and sound, and this isn¡¯t your original world. I know it must sound completely crazy, but Vassili will come to explain everything to you when you¡¯ve regained your strength. In the meantime, try not to overthink and get some rest.¡±

    The fairy smiled at her and got up to leave the room. Mia didn¡¯t take her eyes off her, fixated on her wings moving in sync with her steps, cutting through the air. The details of the structure were so incredible that she completely forgot about her questions. It was just hard to believe that a costume could look so... real, even with today¡¯s technology.

    When she was finally alone, the blonde fell heavily onto the mattress and closed her eyes, deciding to follow Lily¡¯s advice and give up any attempt to rationalize what was happening to her in the immediate moment.

    ¡°I¡¯m clearly in the middle of a delusion,¡± she whispered to herself.

    Clearing her mind, she quickly succumbed to a deep sleep devoid of dreams.

 Chapter 3

    A few hours later, Mia woke up again, this time feeling completely refreshed. She stretched slowly while yawning and began to scrutinize the room she was in, something she hadn¡¯t had the chance to do during her previous awakening. The space was relatively small and contained a bed, a small dresser, a window, a wooden wardrobe, and two doors. One had to be the exit, and the other... She got up to find out.

    It led to a small bathroom containing a sort of marble sink and wooden toilet, as well as a cupboard with the essentials for a quick wash-up: soap, washcloth, a toothbrush made of wicker and mint toothpaste, a towel. There was no shower or bathtub for a full wash-up.

    The arrangement reminded her of the tiny attic apartments of Parisian students or university dorms with communal showers, which she had been fortunate enough to avoid. Mia¡¯s family wasn¡¯t wealthy, but they were part of the upper middle class, allowing their daughter to live in her own apartment. And that suited her just fine, as she wasn¡¯t particularly fond of communal living. She appreciated the freedom of action and choice that came with living alone.

    The furniture resembled that of her world, except it seemed to be from a slightly older style than what she was used to seeing. Nonetheless, it provided all the necessary comfort for a young woman accustomed to living in her twenty-first century, except for the shower which was probably communal. Nothing particularly alarming up to this point. After all, fashion changed from society to society and from era to era.

    As Mia was about to return to bed after exploring her quarters, as she had nothing better to do, someone knocked on the door and entered the room even before she could respond or invite the person into her presumably temporary living space.

    ¡°Great, you¡¯re awake!¡± Lily exclaimed with enthusiasm.

    ¡°Perfect. So, we can start,¡± expressed an unfamiliar male voice.

    The newcomer was a man in his thirties. A very handsome man, with long blonde hair, porcelain skin, white teeth, and red irises. Red irises? At least he didn¡¯t have wings.

    In comparison to the fairy, he seems almost perfectly normal, she thought, chuckling mentally.

    Maybe he had an unusual medical condition that gave him crimson eyes. Or perhaps he just liked wearing colored contact lenses.

    ¡°Please, have a seat,¡± he said, gesturing towards the bed, which she promptly sat on. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start with introductions. I¡¯m Vassili More. To put it simply, I¡¯m a professor of History and Anthropology.¡±

    He paused, waiting for Mia to introduce herself. It took her a couple of seconds to grasp what he was expecting from her. Her ability to think was still somewhat impaired by the surrealism and incomprehensibility of her situation.

    ¡°Mia Bayer, um... I am studying classical literature,¡± she hesitated.

    ¡°Mia, what I¡¯m about to explain might sound a bit... incredible, so brace yourself.¡±

    That didn¡¯t sound promising. The blonde clenched her hands firmly on the mattress, a bit stressed about the prospect of these revelations. If it was a prank, they were all exceptionally good actors. Her interlocutors seemed far too serious for it to be a simple reality TV scenario.

    Nonetheless, she nodded to indicate that he should continue.

    ¡°First of all, tell us a little bit about what happened that led you to this state.¡±

    She really didn¡¯t feel like going into the ¡°alcohol¡± part that had led to her fall, even though she could laugh about it now that she had come out of it alive. And besides, they already seemed to know.

    ¡°We were having a little rooftop party with my friends. At some point, my phone fell, and... let¡¯s just say I fell with it. It must have been from like the four or five floor. I should¡¯ve smashed my head on the pavement, but I landed in grass, in broad daylight. It feels like I dreamt that moment because it makes no sense...¡±

    Like all the moments that followed, she thought.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t dream it. You went through a portal, a sort of bridge between our two worlds. No one really knows what they are, and they appear entirely randomly. It¡¯s quite rare, mostly because we don¡¯t know where they are. They can appear anywhere, in your world as well as in ours.¡±

    The prank was starting to go a little too far for it to be even remotely believable. She wasn¡¯t ignorant of the saying ¡°the bigger the lie, the more it¡¯s believed,¡± but this man¡¯s explanations were simply pure fantasy. The pranking guy who thought anyone would buy into this kind of outlandish story should seriously reconsider their career.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not really following you there... Your world?¡±

    ¡°Istarea, it¡¯s kind of what you would call Wonderland. Except the word ¡°world¡± would be more appropriate. It¡¯s complicated to explain in detail since we don¡¯t know how different our worlds are. Here, we live through magic. It¡¯s deeply ingrained in our genes. Regular humans disappeared a while ago. Vampires, centaurs, werewolves, fairies... are those words you recognize?¡±

    A small ¡°yes¡± escaped the blonde¡¯s lips, no louder than a whisper. It was a bit overwhelming for her. The hidden camera theory didn¡¯t hold up anymore. The wings, the glowing irises, the lack of pain after such a fall... These were all elements slowly pushing her to consider that they were telling the truth.

    All those fictions about heroines falling into their favorite book or a parallel universe came to her mind. They were just stories... right? And magic, vampires, and werewolves, really? Where had she fallen, exactly?

    She didn¡¯t really know how to react anymore. Her brain was registering the tangible evidence before her, but it simply couldn¡¯t accept it as reality. She almost expected a woman dressed as the Queen of Hearts to burst into the room and join the little gathering.

    Or maybe, given the absurdity of her fall, they had actually decided she belonged in a psychiatric hospital, and all of this was a test to see if she still had her sanity... This hypothesis seemed unlikely as it was too costly for a regular patient, though slightly more rational than what the man in front of her was explaining.

    Perhaps she was trapped in those famous comas that seemed more real than reality, while her severely injured body lay lifeless in a hospital bed, connected to all sorts of machines keeping her alive? Yet, everything felt incredibly real, and she found none of the typical signs that she was dreaming, such as having a sixth finger on each hand or the blatant lack of detail in her surroundings.

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    As Mia wrestled with her thoughts to try to understand what was happening to her, she could feel a headache coming on. She winced as her head seemed to be slowly approaching the point of exploding, then resigned herself to simply listen to what was being explained to her and not try to analyze things too much for now. Anyway, no theory made sense.

    Play along, Mia repeated to herself. We¡¯ll see how it goes.

    ¡°Those are legends in your world, right? I can¡¯t say that all your legends are true, and I don¡¯t know them all, but they contain a certain element of truth... The portal doesn¡¯t work just one way. Over the centuries, it has happened that some of ours venture to your side. A few lucky ones have managed to cross back and tell us what they¡¯ve seen there.¡±

    Alright. Let¡¯s assume for a moment that what he was saying was true. If the legends were true, at least in this world... What could she expect from its inhabitants? From one version to another, some creatures were depicted as bloodthirsty beasts. Should she fear for her life? Hadn¡¯t they told her that humans had disappeared in this world? Horrific images crept into her mind.

    Her hands began to tremble and grow sweaty as she imagined a thousand scenarios leading to her death. Suddenly, she would have preferred to be told that she was actually in a psychiatric hospital, safe in her straitjacket, confined within four walls.

    ¡°You have nothing to fear here, if that¡¯s what¡¯s troubling you,¡± reassured Vassili, sensing the young woman¡¯s panic.

    ¡°But... you said the humans...¡± she questioned, not daring to finish her sentence.

    ¡°Ah, yes... A sad period. It¡¯s not the time to go into the details now, but our world was greatly ravaged by war between the peoples. Humans were... the weakest.¡±

    She swallowed, not particularly reassured by this revelation. He was telling her that humans had been decimated, quite literally. And they were telling her she had nothing to fear?

    So they wanted her to believe that she had arrived in an imaginary world populated by unreal creatures and that she was the only one of her kind?

    I must be very lucky... If everything is true and I really fell into a parallel universe, why couldn¡¯t it be the world of the Teletubbies? Or My Little Pony? Just any world where I would be safe?

    And the man who was explaining all these things to her, what kind of creature was he? Did she really want to find out? Her curious nature screamed yes, even if it was at her expense.

    ¡°And what about you? What are you?¡±

    In an instant, his features grew more gaunt, his complexion turned corpse-like, his eyes became bloodshot, and a row of fangs sharper than razor blades replaced his human teeth.

    Mia jumped back in surprise, placing her hands in front of her face to shield herself in a survival reflex. She suddenly felt like a cornered prey facing a predator who was dying to make her his afternoon snack. The sudden transformation of the man resembled more a vision of horror than a simple demonstration.

    A second later, he appeared human again. Cold sweats ran up the young human¡¯s spine, the nightmarish portrait forever imprinted in her mind. A vampire! And not those nice vampires she saw in movies, no, he looked more like a creature straight out of hell!

    ¡°That must be quite impressive for you. Once again, you have nothing to fear. The war has been over for a few decades. We established this school for that purpose, to maintain a balance of peace among the peoples. I can¡¯t promise you that everyone will accept you, but no one should harm you.¡±

    When an unknown man who hid a terrifying monster behind an elegant face told you that you had nothing to fear, he shouldn¡¯t be surprised if his interlocutor greeted his words with great skepticism.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± he continued as if nothing had happened, ¡°the Arena. Young adults of all species come here to pursue a curriculum of a few years to hone their individual skills in order to compete in tournaments organized by the school. It might sound barbaric, but it¡¯s an appropriate framework to channel displays of power among the different peoples. Here, we don¡¯t kill our opponents. The tournaments have strict rules and allow the different species to show who¡¯s the strongest in complete safety.¡±

    Mia didn¡¯t doubt Vassili¡¯s strength. Her gaze landed on Lily, the little fairy. Was she a combatant too? She didn¡¯t seem to be built for combat, but who knew what she could become if she transformed like the vampire in front of her. A smile appeared on Lily¡¯s lips. She seemed to have expected the human to ask such questions.

    ¡°Fairies don¡¯t fight. We excel in healing and protective magic. That¡¯s why we usually work in the infirmary. Since we dedicate our lives to healing others, we don¡¯t need to prove that we¡¯re the best,¡± she said with pride.

    Mia would have liked to see that magic in action, if it really existed. It seemed so... harmless. Much closer to the image that humans had of a wonderful and magical world. Perhaps she would have the opportunity to observe it during its work...

    Once again, doubt and confusion reigned supreme in her mind. Rationally, all of this was impossible to believe. Yet, if she admitted the evidence that had been presented to her ¨C the absence of injuries, the wings, the vampire, the white magic... ¨C the existence of a magical world was the most logical hypothesis. And Mia liked to think logically when she had the chance.

    Well, no need to rack my brain any longer. Let¡¯s assume that all of this is indeed true. People discover things every day that they didn¡¯t think were possible, isn¡¯t that right?

    Where could she go anyway? If she had understood correctly, unless she stumbled upon one of those portals purely by chance, she was stuck here. She might as well accept it, and quickly, please. She didn¡¯t want to be one of those foolish heroines who made mistake after mistake and faced problems because their brains couldn¡¯t comprehend and assimilate their new reality. Especially since it seemed she was far from done discovering things about this new world, so she might as well be cautious and intelligent.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m going to stay here then?¡± she inquired, refocusing her attention on Vassili.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not sure what we¡¯re going to do with you,¡± he chuckled. ¡°It would be too dangerous outside the school, and you¡¯re not familiar with our world. It would be... cruel to release you into the wilderness. Anyway, I¡¯ll leave you in Lily¡¯s capable hands. I¡¯m needed elsewhere,¡± he concluded with a smile, getting up and leaving the room.

    Lily stepped forward and approached the wardrobe that the blonde hadn¡¯t had time to explore, pulling out a stack of clothes. She placed them on the bed next to her patient. Mia still had a ton of questions to ask her, but she quickly understood, seeing the fairy busy, that it wasn¡¯t the time for explanations anymore.

    ¡°Here, get changed. I need to get back to work, but Arry will come get you in about half an hour to show you around. Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s very nice!¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mia replied, taking the clothes.

    When Lily left the room as well, she found herself alone again.

    She took the opportunity to change quickly, abandoning the white dress she had been given and replacing her worn clothes from when she was unconscious. This time, she wore a cream-colored flowing dress that gave her a somewhat stiff appearance with her blonde hair. With her chin held high, she might give the impression of being strong against all these threatening creatures...

    Mia cursed when she realized Lily hadn¡¯t given her any shoes and began to rummage through the closet to find a brand-new pair of leather sandals, quickly slipping them on. At least fashion seemed relatively similar to her contemporary world, except maybe a bit less eccentric.

    She had about twenty-five minutes to kill if her perception of time wasn¡¯t deceiving her. She decided to spend them on the bed, sitting against her pillow, thinking about what she had learned. She really did feel like she was swimming in a dream.

    Her heart tightened as images of her loved ones flashed through her mind. Was she dead on Earth, or had her body simply disappeared? Her friends must be completely losing it. Her parents would be agonizing over her disappearance. Mia would have liked to be able to tell them she was alive and safe for the time being, but she strongly suspected that was impossible.

    Lydie was probably making headlines due to her, propelling her journalism career to new heights. In truth, Mia couldn¡¯t even be mad at her. At least her disappearance would have some positive effects on the lives of those around her.

    Finally, she decided to pack away and seal those depressing thoughts in a corner of her mind. There was no point in lamenting over her loved ones¡¯ reactions; she couldn¡¯t change anything about it. She had things to do.

    However, shifting back to a more positive note, she couldn¡¯t deny that the vampire¡¯s explanations had piqued her curiosity quite a bit...

    Dream or not, danger or not... it would be a shame not to take advantage of it. Who can say they¡¯ve had the opportunity to explore a whole new world? And a world where magic exists, no less!

 Chapter 4

    ¡°Mia?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± she replied, lost in her thoughts.

    Mia had eventually stretched out on the bed while waiting for her guide, her arms behind her head, and had been staring at the ceiling for a good twenty minutes, attempting to clear her mind to approach the new surprises that awaited her as calmly as possible. She was at least relieved to find that the concept of time seemed the same in this world as in her own. When the young woman approached her, the blonde started. She hadn¡¯t even heard her come in.

    Sitting up, Mia was able to study the newcomer. She had medium-length red hair tied in a ponytail, emerald green eyes, small freckles scattered across her face, thin smiling lips, and stood at about five feet one inch.

    No wings, red eyes, fangs, or other oddities. On the contrary, everything about her exuded safety, softness, and confidence. She was the first person she had encountered here who looked as human as she did, instantly creating a sense of closeness to the young woman. Mia immediately liked her.

    ¡°I¡¯m Arry. I¡¯m going to show you around and try to teach you everything you need to know to live comfortably among us during your time here.¡±

    Arry punctuated her words with a welcoming smile and gestured to indicate the way out of the room.

    Before Mia could even get up, a huge ball of fur leapt onto the bed and observed her from its full height, sniffing her, its sharp, inquisitive eyes fixed on her face. She immediately recoiled and swallowed hard as she realized she was faced with a very large dog that looked a lot like a wolf. Needless to say, she wasn¡¯t very reassured.

    ¡°Oz! Get down, you¡¯re scaring her!¡± Arry called out, laughing.

    After one last good sniff, he shook himself and his paws found their way back to the ground, beside the redhead. She placed both hands on the sides of the animal¡¯s face and wiggled them to tease him. He quickly pulled away from her grasp and sneezed, looking offended.

    ¡°Sorry. I forgot to introduce you to Oz. He loves being the center of attention, don¡¯t you, Oz?¡± she said to the animal with a teasing tone.

    ¡°Is he a werewolf?¡± Mia asked, confused but nevertheless relieved that he hadn¡¯t come specifically to attack her.

    ¡°Oh no,¡± she chuckled. ¡°Just a grumpy wolf. He¡¯s my spirit animal,¡± Arry stated as if it were the most logical thing in the world.

    Every time someone answered her questions, it only generated more in her mind. She felt like a newborn discovering her surroundings for the first time, utterly lost in this vast unknown reality that seemed so obvious and logical to the people who came and went around her, but she was certainly eager to learn more.

    ¡°Spirit animal? I don¡¯t know anything about your world, you know...¡± she grumbled, trying to stay polite.

    ¡°Sorry, your situation is a bit complicated for us, since everything seems perfectly normal to us... I suppose you¡¯ve been told that we¡¯re magical beings. This magic also affects animals, whether they¡¯re domesticated or wild. It¡¯s a rather rare phenomenon, but it happens that an animal and a magician form a bond. It¡¯s quite complex to explain, but... imagine two minds becoming one. Of course, we set limits, otherwise it would be unlivable. If we wish, we can communicate through our minds, feel each other¡¯s sensations and emotions, and our lifespans are shared. We become more resistant and harder to kill, but when one dies, the other dies as well.¡±

    Mia nodded, pondering what the young woman had just explained. She had often seen this kind of bond in fantasy books or TV shows and had often dreamed of forming a bond with an animal herself... She was almost envious. Maybe she could also experience this in this world?

    Her pragmatic mind couldn¡¯t help reminding her that relying on the life of an animal, no matter how fierce and intelligent it was, would eventually become a burden and not an advantage in her eyes. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to calmly entrust her fate to the hands of a living being that wasn¡¯t herself.

    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get going. It¡¯s already ten a.m., and I¡¯d like to show you around before it¡¯s time for a bite to eat. If you have any other questions, we can discuss them along the way.¡±

    The two young women and the wolf left the room to cross a long corridor lined with wooden doors on either side. For a school, she was surprised by the number of available rooms in what seemed to be a mini-hospital, much larger than the infirmaries in her schools on Earth.

    This observation left a bitter taste in her mouth. Supply and demand. If there were so many rooms, it meant there were a lot of injuries. The tournaments Vassili had told her about didn¡¯t seem as harmless and lighthearted as he had claimed.

    Of course, he¡¯s downplaying it, she thought, he doesn¡¯t want me to panic. A bit too late for that.

    Mia and her guide quickly passed by the infirmary¡¯s lobby, which she didn¡¯t get to observe much due to the redhead¡¯s hurried pace. All she had managed to glimpse was a large wooden room from floor to ceiling with a few tables and chairs made of the same material, giving a very cozy atmosphere to the lobby, which also seemed to serve as a lounge. Indeed, some fairies ¨C whom she recognized by their wings ¨C were chatting quietly among themselves over cups of some beverage resembling tea and a few biscuits.

    The healers discreetly looked her over as she passed, and some even allowed themselves to greet her with smiles. At least they seemed to react in a friendly manner to her presence. The infirmary would be a good refuge for the young human if the other students turned out to be... less benevolent.

    Leaving the infirmary, the cozy ambiance faded in favor of cold and impersonal stone. The long corridors of gray bricks were deserted, making the place seem even more sinister than it really was. The structure looked more like a labyrinth than a school, Mia noted as she looked around. All the corridors and doors looked the same, so she would have quickly gotten lost without her guide. Only small signs next to the heavy wooden doors informed her of the purpose of the rooms they passed. Most of them were simple classrooms.

    ¡°At this hour, most of the students are in class, which is why the place seems empty. You¡¯ll quickly notice that it¡¯s a real beehive when we have free time,¡± Arry explained as they walked.

    ¡°So many of you... study here?¡±

    ¡°Hm... I couldn¡¯t give you the exact number, but it must be around three thousand.¡±

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    ¡°That many?¡± Mia exclaimed, astonished.

    ¡°The Arena is the only university of its kind for hundreds of kilometers around. Since it brings together all the populations, it quickly adds up to a lot of people.¡±

    A shiver ran up her spine as the idea of being lost in the midst of hundreds of inhospitable creatures crept into her mind. Would she really be able to live here without risking death at every turn? She, the little defenseless human, facing beings with fangs, claws, and magic? She shook her head mechanically to rid her mind of her fears, not wanting to feed her anxiety.

    Never show your fear, she repeated to herself.

    ¡°What do you study here?¡± she inquired to quickly change her thoughts.

    ¡°Oh, it depends on the species. Magicians, for example, have a lot of practical courses to master their magic. History, both of their own species and others, is common to everyone. What else... Geography, anthropology, diplomacy, etiquette... Each species has crafted a program that seemed suitable for them. Essentially, we all learn about the other species in the hope of strengthening the bonds.¡±

    ¡°And does it work?¡± Mia couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    The redhead¡¯s grimace was a sufficient answer.

    ¡°What should I expect regarding the... species that live here?¡± Mia continued, trying her best to hide the anxiety creeping into her voice.

    ¡°Come, I¡¯ll explain when we¡¯re outside.¡±

    As they crossed the vast hall, they passed by some hurried students who cast curious glances at the blonde. They all looked human, like her, and yet... what were they? How could she recognize them? She felt like she was walking on eggshells, playing Russian roulette with each person she encountered. In short, she wasn¡¯t very comfortable, and that was an understatement. She felt completely foreign, navigating in enemy territory, always having to be on her guard, with caution becoming her main fuel. The idea of landing in a magical world no longer seemed as appealing to her as she confronted the reality of what it meant. The sound of her steps echoing on the hewn stones didn¡¯t ease her anxiety.

    Well, discretion is out the window, she thought.

    Mia didn¡¯t really have time to carefully observe the hall, too focused on scanning the inhabitants for any possible signs of attack. Anyway, she would have plenty of opportunities to discover the place in more detail in the coming days.

    She had to blink several times to get used to the bright sunlight when the two young women reached the outside of the structure. Astonished, the blonde observed the surroundings, devouring every bit of the landscape unfolding before her eyes.

    ¡°Quite impressive, huh?¡± Arry exclaimed, visibly proud of her school.

    ¡°It¡¯s... beautiful,¡± Mia whispered, lost in her contemplation.

    There were gardens and trees as far as the eye could see. All sorts of plants and all kinds of trees lined brick paths meandering through the vegetation. And those colors... From purple to red, passing through green, all the colors of the rainbow were represented. A scent of flowers and nature accompanied the place, to the delight of her sense of smell, which unfortunately was far too accustomed to the stench of city pollution. In the distance, she could see snow-capped peaks surrounding the structure.

    ¡°The school was built between two mountain ranges. Normally, it should be freezing cold here because the region is always snowy, but the magicians managed to create a kind of biome around the school with its own ecosystem and climate. Don¡¯t ask me how, even I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s very complex magic. But I won¡¯t complain: we alternate between spring and autumn all year round!¡±

    Mia didn¡¯t even bother to respond, as all of this left her speechless. She could spend hours wandering through these gardens. To be precise, she could even spend hours just observing all the flora and inhaling the fresh and pure air that tickled her nostrils.

    Arry turned towards the school and Mia imitated her, reluctantly tearing her gaze away from this surreal nature. The view of the castle was impressive too, she noted as she absorbed the landscape with her gaze. The building was immense and constructed from black stone, starkly contrasting with the wild ivy that grew haphazardly on the dark walls. Massive glass windows partially covered the walls, allowing sunlight to penetrate. She could see through the windows on the lower level rows of students in classrooms that looked like those in her world.

    She swallowed hard, feeling ridiculously small compared to the towering castle and the number of inhabitants she could see moving within its rooms. And this was just the ground floor.

    ¡°The school is divided into several wings, each accommodating a different species. Apart from some activities like sports and training, tournaments, or meals, they prefer not to cross paths too much,¡± her guide explained, pointing out the different sections of the castle as she spoke.

    Mia focused attentively on her explanations, choosing to ignore that the redhead had just confirmed that the school was filled with tensions between the different species. If they were already hostile towards each other, she couldn¡¯t even imagine what it would be like with her...

    ¡°In the basement live the vampires...¡±

    ¡°Do they tolerate sunlight?¡± Mia abruptly interrupted, her curiosity taking over.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Arry chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t even want to know where you got that idea from! But they do prefer cold and damp environments. Again, it¡¯s not a matter of tolerating or not, it¡¯s a preference due to their usual habitats. The fairies live in the infirmary, the whole wing belongs to them. The centaurs live in the forest behind the school. I advise you not to approach them; they don¡¯t take kindly to strangers. The werewolves live in the east wing, over there,¡± she pointed with her finger, ¡°and the magicians in the west wing. We have the largest quarters because we are the most numerous. And finally... do you see the tall tower behind the west wing? That¡¯s the vila¡¯s quarter.¡±

    ¡°Vilas?¡± she repeated, her face reflecting her confusion.

    Mia had never heard of such a creature. In fact, she wasn¡¯t even sure if there was a legend in her world about magical beings with that name. And that might not necessarily be a good thing.

    ¡°Avoid them like the plague. Never cross them. They might seem like nothing under their human appearance, but... they¡¯re the most dangerous of them all. One could think they¡¯re entirely pacifist because they rarely participate in the tournaments and don¡¯t seem interested in combat, but really, be cautious around them and always stay on your guard in their presence. In fact, pretend they don¡¯t exist, that they notice you as little as possible. They have a particular history with humans... I don¡¯t want to scare you, but it¡¯s not a pretty story.¡±

    Arry emphasized her words with a serious and meaningful look at the blonde.

    Okay, major danger, noted, she nervously thought, if you didn¡¯t want to scare me, you failed.

    The two young women spent the next hour exploring the interior of the castle under the watchful eye of Oz, who still remained cautious around Mia. The blonde finally had a chance to better observe the hall they had passed through to exit, deciding to ignore the gazes of the other occupants. It was nothing extraordinary in itself, except for its spectacular size, both in terms of its spaciousness and its height. A large crystal chandelier provided illumination, reflecting the sunlight onto the gray brick walls. A massive black stone staircase split into two separate flights in opposite directions, leading to the upper floor. The hefty wooden doors resembled arches since they were all fully open. A large bulletin board covered half of the right wall, wedged between two doors, and she caught a glimpse of a few texts and drawings that she didn¡¯t have time to examine closely.

    The rest of the tour consisted of showing her the entrances to the different wings of the castle, a few empty classrooms, restrooms, and the door to the library. What she saw confirmed that there were no significant differences between her world and this one, except for the glaring absence of any digital technology. The structure resembled any inhabited castle adapted for modern comfort, minus the phones and televisions. Obviously, if they could control the weather, they probably relied on magic to supply the building with water, light, and heating.

    They then headed to the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat. The wolf left them after a nod from the redhead, disappearing at the edge of the forest. Mia felt a slight relief, not that she was afraid of the animal, but its presence had made her a bit uneasy, as the wolf had been keeping a constant eye on her.

    She wasn¡¯t exactly in the mood for food, but she followed her guide nonetheless, lacking a better plan. She was still torn between awe and anxiety about her new environment, and the nervousness stemming from her interlocutor¡¯s warnings about the possible encounter with the vilas. And she didn¡¯t even know what they looked like or what they were capable of... Let¡¯s just say she was expecting the worst.

 Chapter 5

    Ethan was a young vila in his early twenties, feared if not hated by his peers and other fellow students. His family was powerful, their lineage pure and ancient. His days went smoothly, and he particularly enjoyed his peaceful existence, far away from his parents who pressured him from morning till night and their sordid secrets. The Arena was his small haven, a place where he could escape the influence of his family and the tyranny of his mother. But that was before he sensed her.

    The young man had a well-established routine that suited him perfectly. In the mornings, he had his breakfast in his room like all the other vilas, the only species privileged enough to have their meals brought directly to their quarters. He would then usually spend his mornings in the library, either leisurely browsing or reading fictional books. The room was large enough for him to enjoy its quietude without anyone bothering him. When he didn¡¯t have afternoon classes, he would return to his sanctuary nestled between the bookshelves.

    Vilas had very few classes, just a few hours here and there throughout the week. Other species had more packed schedules, especially the magicians, who were the most numerous, using the school¡¯s grounds to perfect their specialties. Most of what vilas learned pertained to the history of other species and the workings of their societies. Their primary purpose at the Arena was political. The school allowed them to forge connections with all the different peoples, expanding their personal networks and strengthening their family¡¯s influence.

    Of course, Ethan had no interest in any of that. When he first arrived at the Arena, he was initially respected by other vilas until they realized he didn¡¯t adhere to his family¡¯s politics. He remained somewhat intimidating in their eyes, but they sometimes allowed themselves disrespectful behavior that particularly annoyed him.

    From the moment his vila sensed her, Ethan knew his perfect routine was about to shatter into a thousand pieces. He had felt her presence even before she reached the school¡¯s gates. His body had warmed, his mind intoxicated, his instincts awakened. The phenomenon lasted only a few seconds, quickly replaced by an immense void and an intense revulsion upon realizing what had just occurred. A crucial absence that hadn¡¯t existed a moment before had suddenly formed within him.

    Immediately, he left his room and headed to the office of his professor, Vassili More. Knocking twice on the door, he didn¡¯t wait for the man to invite him in and entered the room, impatient and smoldering inside as he started to pace back and forth.

    ¡°Good morning to you too, Ethan,¡± the professor greeted absentmindedly, busy revising some papers. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°I found her,¡± he muttered, enraged.

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    Vassili looked up from his parchments and studied his student closely. Given the timing, it could only be Mia. A calculating gleam lit up in the vampire¡¯s eyes upon receiving the information, but Ethan was too furious to notice. He had no reason to be suspicious, after all. The professor was a long-time friend of his family.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that supposed to be a good thing?¡± he responded, skeptical.

    ¡°A good thing?!¡± Ethan shouted.

    His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. After a stern glance from his professor to remind him to keep his temper in check, he reluctantly sat down and tried to calm himself. Or, at least, to attempt it.

    ¡°It¡¯s a human! A damn human! I thought that such a thing would never happen again now that we¡¯ve decimated them! What¡¯s a human doing on Istarea?¡± Ethan snapped, his anger seething.

    ¡°She accidentally traveled through a portal from her world to ours,¡± Vassili replied with a sigh, masking the discomfort the harsh words of his student were causing him. ¡°And how is that a bad thing?¡±

    ¡°How... are you kidding me?¡±

    ¡°Easy now. I might be a friend of your family, but here, I¡¯m also your professor. I suggest you address me with more respect; my tolerance has its limits,¡± he retorted curtly.

    Ethan closed his eyes and took several long breaths, exhaling slowly, before refocusing his attention on his professor. He was still boiling inside but managed to keep his rage at a reasonable level to continue the conversation without exploding.

    ¡°Fine. Now answer my question.¡±

    ¡°There are a dozen reasons why it could be a bad thing! She¡¯s weak, they¡¯re going to use her against me, my family will probably try to kill us! Have you forgotten what happened to my brother? Oh, and did I mention she¡¯s ridiculously weak?¡±

    He could imagine hundreds of scenarios in which this whole situation would end horribly, both for him and for her, though he couldn¡¯t care less about the fate of the young human. He had countless examples and anecdotes in mind to support the fact that things couldn¡¯t possibly go well. The most pertinent was the fate of Adam, his brother whom he had never known.

    ¡°Listen, it¡¯s not like you have a choice. No vila has ever been able to change the outcome. There¡¯s a reason we call it a curse. You can never go against your vila¡¯s desires. You¡¯re bound to her, whether you like it or not. Fighting this fact will only bring you pain.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather suffer than be tied to that,¡± he answered with disgust.

    ¡°As you wish,¡± his professor sighed.

    Something in the vampire¡¯s gaze seemed to scream at him that he was being foolish and that his protests would change nothing, but Ethan wasn¡¯t in the mood to continue the conversation. Vassili had noticed this quite well and chose not to press on. His student¡¯s reactions were dictated by fear; he wasn¡¯t yet ready to be reasoned with.

    Without waiting, Ethan left the room and retreated to his personal chamber, where he could let his anger explode as he pleased. There were supposedly no humans left on Istarea, and the only one who landed in their world in decades had to be his soulmate? His mother must have bathed him in waters of misfortune when he was a child; it was the only explanation for the unfortunate chance he was facing. An ironic twist for his family.

    Never, ever, would he accept the fate his vila was trying to impose on him. He valued his skin. At least, that¡¯s what he was trying to convince himself of in this moment...

 Chapter 6

    Four days had passed since Mia arrived at the Arena. The fairies had allowed her to stay in the infirmary''s room, as they couldn''t find a suitable place for her elsewhere. She didn''t complain about it; it was the only wing of the building covered entirely in wood and parquet, making it much cozier than the old brick that composed the rest of the structure. And, more importantly, she was safe among the fairies. She wouldn''t go as far as saying she felt at home, but the transition between her world and Istarea seemed smoother in these surroundings.

    Vassili had sent her a little note the morning after she woke up, assuring her that everything was settled and she could stay at the Arena without worries until she found another solution. She was somewhat surprised that the Director of the school, assuming there was one, hadn''t requested to meet her. Perhaps he didn''t have the time and preferred to trust the professor. Either way, it was a relief for her as the prospect of meeting him and answering his questions under his inquisitive gaze ¨C or at least, that''s how she imagined it ¨C made her nervous. Regardless, she had a place to live now.

    Apart from her lingering anxiety of being attacked in the hallways, she couldn''t complain. She enjoyed exploring this new world, and even though she missed her old life and loved ones relentlessly, the blonde wasn''t the type to cling desperately to the past. Everything was still too new for the full weight of her extended stay in this world to truly hit her. For now, it almost felt like a vacation.

    Carpe diem.

    The similarities between Earth and this magical world were numerous. Mia suspected they probably weren''t really speaking her language, but she was relieved to understand them upon reflection. She couldn''t even fathom how her arrival here would have played out with a language barrier. The food was relatively similar, except it was much healthier, devoid of junk food and highly processed items. She still had many questions about this strange yet familiar world, but she didn''t want to pester her two new friends and end up all alone not even a week after her arrival here.

    Every morning, she found a new outfit in her closet. Usually, it was a short-sleeved dress that reached just above her knees, available in various pastel shades. Mia wasn''t complaining about it either; she had always liked the comfortable feel of dresses, and the style and colors seemed perfectly appropriate for the school''s spring-like climate.

    Her days consisted of cautious strolls around the castle or in the gardens when Arry and the other students had classes, and seeking Lily''s company in the infirmary when she was off-duty. Although curious to witness the fairies'' magic in action, she had decided to be as discreet as possible to avoid causing trouble. She also tried her best to stay in her quarters when the other castle inhabitants had free time, preferring to avoid the various curious, haughty, and disdainful glances she received. She hadn''t dared to explore all the rooms yet, not always feeling entirely at ease. That was particularly true for the library, although she felt her curiosity would soon push her to cross its threshold, at her own risk.

    Nevertheless, she had managed to discover some useful information: the sectarian attitude among the various species wasn''t just an understatement, although the school did its best to promote interaction between the different peoples by offering group activities (as she had observed on the notice board during her third visit). On these same posters, she learned that the school''s administration was very attentive to the potential violence arising from encounters between the different occupants, as it was strictly prohibited and heavily punished. Technically, she was safe within these walls. Technically.

    It was also evident that the negative glances from other students towards her didn''t decrease as the days went by, although they seemed only slightly less intense. Sometimes, she encountered students who snorted disdainfully as she passed, others who insulted her as a "filthy human" or a "weakling," and a handful who even went as far as issuing death threats. Generally, she tried to ignore them after sending them a dark look that only she had mastered, and she kept her head held high while paying them no attention, then quickly escaped to an empty spot in the castle to regain her composure, her heart pounding, away from their menacing gazes.

    After four days, these attacks were seriously getting on her nerves. Not because of fear ¨C although she couldn''t deny it was causing her anxiety ¨C but because her once-sturdy nerves were gradually turning into rubber. Mia had never been the kind to accept being harassed without striking back, something she was better off not doing here. And it was becoming harder and harder to see them as bloodthirsty beasts when all she could see of these creatures were faces and bodies resembling her own. Fake humans who seemed harmless at first glance.

    She had to exert a significant amount of self-control not to respond to them with acidity and risk having her head torn off.

    When Arry wasn''t busy with classes, the two young women spent all their time together. The redhead made it her mission to integrate Mia as much as possible into their world. And, at the very least, she distracted her from her newfound popularity. Oz had eventually abandoned his wariness of her through their frequent interactions, but the blonde still made a point to greet the wolf as well when she joined her friend, risking hurting his feelings.

    "Do you not miss your loved ones?" Arry asked as they strolled through the garden in the late afternoon.

    "Yes, of course I do..."

    Her heart tightened at the thought of her friends and parents. Sometimes, she almost felt guilty about starting a new life here while they were likely mourning her disappearance. Yet that perspective was quickly replaced by the certainty that there was no point in wallowing in her situation and that she should focus on learning to live while adapting to the nuances of this world.

    Mia strongly suspected her loved ones were in utter bewilderment or even denial, waiting for her return. After all, if she had understood the story of portals and travelers between the two worlds correctly, her body had vanished from the surface of Earth and hadn''t crashed lifelessly from the building. The most plausible explanation for outside investigators was likely that her friends had concocted her fall due to alcohol, and the young woman had simply run away or been abducted.

    Anyway, she didn''t really have a choice. She might as well concentrate on her survival and her current minor troubles before lamenting her pseudo-disappearance on Earth. She couldn''t convey any messages to her loved ones and probably would never see them again. Even though that thought didn''t please her, nor was it truly ingrained in her mind, she had other things to worry about at the moment. The least she could do for the people she cared about was to stay alive in her new reality.

    For now, she still had the vague feeling of being trapped in a dream, torn between the desire to learn more and the fear of dying if what she was experiencing was indeed reality. Although a small voice in her head reminded her that she had almost died already and that, for all she knew, she might be in the afterlife. The events of the past few days created a whirlwind of mixed feelings and confused thoughts within her. Every time she attempted to contemplate them, she found herself even more lost than before.

    "I try not to think about it," Mia continued.

    "I won''t pretend I know exactly how you must be feeling, but I can understand that it could be tough. I was raised in a close-knit tribe. With my siblings, cousins, uncles, and aunts... coming here all by myself... at first, it was really hard for me to adjust. Of course, I can still see them when they come to visit me, so it''s not the same, but... it''s sometimes complicated for me."

    Mia gave her a sympathetic smile, feeling a bit uneasy with the situation. She had never been good at consoling people, let alone knowing what to say in these situations. Normally, when her friends felt down, they just cheered themselves up with a bottle or two of alcohol. Suffice it to say, empathy wasn''t her strong suit. That was precisely why she buried herself in the study of dusty old books, where she wouldn''t have to face other humans and their complex emotions too often.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    "Sorry," Arry apologized. "This conversation got a bit depressing. Especially since I shouldn''t complain with Oz by my side."

    "No worries," Mia replied with a light tone, relieved by the change of subject. "By the way, I know you''re a mage, but... how does all that work?"

    She had heard several conversations about specialties over the past few days. To her, it all sounded like gibberish. It was time she understood the intricate workings of this world if she was going to stay, rather than constantly avoiding potential conflicts. And her curiosity was beginning to get the better of her. The only certainty she had was that gaining new knowledge and information about her surroundings was never a bad thing.

    "Among the mages? Hm... it''s a bit complicated. There are several clans, and each clan has a preferred domain: elemental mastery, animal metamorphosis, spellcasting, nature control. In each clan, each family has a specialty, and each individual chooses how they want to use their magic. Generally, they stick to their specialty, as it''s already tough to master it that way. For example, in my clan, we specialize in elemental mastery. My family specializes in fire mastery," she explained with pride.

    That explains her red hair, Mia thought inwardly.

    "And when two parents are from different clans, what happens to the child?"

    "Very good question!" Arry exclaimed. "Most of the time, the child follows the mother''s footsteps. Fathers don''t play a very decisive role in our families. If both parents are from the same clan, let''s say elementals, the child will usually take their mother''s specialty. They might prefer their father''s specialty, but that''s rare. With us, it''s usually the women who lead."

    "Sounds interesting!"

    "Yes, it has its advantages, I admit," she replied, sending Mia a wink.

    "And for the other species, how does it work?" Mia inquired.

    "To be honest, I''m not too sure. This is only my first year at the Arena. Vampires and vilas have some kind of caste system based on the age of their family. Werewolves gather in packs and centaurs in herds. Don''t ask me the difference between those two, I''m completely clueless about it! And, to finish, the fairies have a King and a Queen. I''ll admit I tend to doze off when the professors talk about these topics in class... You should go to the library if you want to learn more. Have you visited it yet?"

    "No, not yet."

    Mia didn''t dare admit that she hadn''t mustered the courage to step inside the library yet, even though she had passed by it several times during her explorations. To her, a library had something sacred about it. Feeling like a stranger in this magical world, she didn''t want to appropriate knowledge she might not have the right to possess, even though curiosity was itching at her. Between asking questions, observing people, and burying her nose in their books, there was a world, at least for her. It was absurd, of course, but she hadn''t managed to overcome this feeling yet.

    "By the way, if you don''t mind, I can accompany you there right now. I have a rendezvous in about an hour, and I''d like to get ready," Arry blushed.

    "Oh," Mia let out. "No problem."

    Judging by the redness coloring the redhead''s cheeks, it certainly wasn''t a business meeting. Mia wanted to ask her what was the specialty of her date, but she deemed it a bit too invasive. After all, they had only known each other for a few days.

    She also didn''t necessarily want to encourage her new friend to talk about her romantic life by indicating that she was all ears. She was curious, of course, but she wasn''t interested in every detail of her love life. If Arry was the kind of person who would go on and on about the ups and downs of her relationships, Mia didn''t want to risk giving her the green light. She wanted to keep her head clear of trivial concerns.

    In any case, there was something comforting about realizing that young people from both worlds ultimately led very similar lives, sharing school, family stories, friends, and romantic relationships. Magical beings or not, it seemed that the priorities of young adults in times of peace were the same for everyone, regardless of their world.

    "Oh, something else you should know," Arry began as they headed inside the school. "The library is a bit of a ''lair'' for the vilas. It''s the only place where you''re sure to encounter them, as they don''t eat in the school cafeteria and attend very few classes. They prefer to stick together," she shrugged. "Anyway, they shouldn''t give you any trouble. After all, the library isn''t their property, but still, try to keep a low profile, okay?"

    Mia nodded with a worried look from her new friend. Arry gave her a goodbye gesture when they reached the library doors before disappearing into the maze of corridors. She hesitated for a moment, placing her hand on the handle, and took a deep breath to muster her courage.

    "Are you going to open that door, human?" an acidic voice sneered behind her.

    "Get lost," she retorted with a sharp tone, lowering the handle to enter the room.

    The young man gave her a dark look but continued on his way. The blonde quickly closed the door behind her and stood still for a few seconds at the entrance, processing what she had just done. What kind of creature had she insolently responded to? She swallowed hard and took a deep breath before finding refuge between two bookshelves.

    You''d better watch your tongue, Mia, if you don''t want to get your head chopped off, she scolded herself.

    After a while, it was stronger than her. She simply couldn''t stand being disrespected. She had managed to keep her composure for almost four days mainly out of fear of retaliation, which was already a lot to ask. Now that she was growing more comfortable and confident, and especially losing patience, the fear of a hostile response seemed to fade beneath her irritation. In those moments, her instinct seemed more tuned to "defend her honor" than "defend her skin." Because of this aspect of her personality, she had always been labeled as having a problem with authority. It wasn''t that she couldn''t submit to someone''s authority; it was that she didn''t want to when that person didn''t deserve it. She could still hear her mother saying, "It''s the same, Mia. The consequences are the same."

    Blah blah blah, she chuckled in her mind.

    Mia was getting tired of skulking around. Her daring temperament was violently taking over her survival instincts. Bloodthirsty creatures or not, she''d had enough. It wasn''t like her to keep a low profile and hold her tongue.

    During her exploration among the shelves, Mia didn''t encounter many people. She relaxed as she felt the leather binding of the books under her fingers and the scent of old paper, which always sent shivers of pleasure down her spine. She wanted to devour all the works. Her choice fell on a book titled "The Human Genocide," and she brought it with her to one of the reading tables. Many questions still required answers about the workings of Istarea, but knowing what had happened to the rest of her kind was a crucial subject in her eyes in order to understand how much her presence disturbed.

    Mia caressed the book''s cover for a moment, enjoying the touch of her skin against the rigid, colorful paper. Some books had beautiful leather or fabric covers, testifying to their prestige, importance¡ªor the means of their author. The one she held in her hands was very simple, as if nobody expected it to be read.

    With curiosity, she opened the book, eager to discover the writing of this world. Maybe it would be entirely different, perhaps she wouldn''t even be able to decipher it... Mia quickly found that she could read its contents perfectly. Mixed feelings greeted this revelation. She was torn between the satisfaction of quenching her thirst for knowledge and the disappointment of having nothing new to discover in this area. After all, she was a literature student.

    ? This book documents the series of known events that led to the disappearance of humans on Istarea. It was written during and shortly after the war. Some accounts of events contain errors due to the lack of hindsight and information at the time of writing this work. Recent annotations are added to the passages when corrections are necessary. ?

    Mia had barely finished reading the preface when a series of shivers ran down her spine. An unpleasant feeling that she was being observed in every move she made paralyzed her in her reading, preventing her from turning the next page. When she turned around to try to see who was causing this sensation, her body froze, and she held her breath.

    Danger, danger.

    Her entire body screamed at her to run for her life. Two tables away from hers sat a handsome young man who was staring at her intently. Not the kind of gaze that makes you melt, and not the kind of beauty that gives you butterflies in your stomach. No, it was a cold beauty and an icy look. Curiosity, suspicion, disdain¡ªshe had encountered plenty of those from the school''s inhabitants, but pure, simmering hatred was a first, and it was terrifying.

    Immediately, she lowered her head and returned to her reading¡ªor at least appeared to. Her eyes moved frantically over the lines of text, pretending to read attentively. Her sweaty hands trembled as she turned the pages, and her mind didn''t even understand half of what she was reading, too preoccupied with urging her to flee.

    He''s a vila. No doubt. Keep a low profile, her instinct cried out.

    The individual looked perfectly human, like all the students occupying the school. What had she expected? A monster with fangs and claws? Yet, the aura of power and rage he emanated didn''t deceive her about his danger. He could kill her in the blink of an eye, she didn''t doubt that.

    Ten minutes later, unable to stand the feeling of that gaze piercing into her skull, she quickly put the book back where she had found it and left. Relief washed over her the second her body left the vila''s line of sight.

    In the end, she hadn''t learned much more and hadn''t even thought to borrow the book to read it in the tranquility of her room. It frustrated her immensely, but she had been warned enough about these individuals, and her survival instinct had panicked like never before.

    The library will have to wait for another time, she promised herself, annoyed to be fleeing again.

 Chapter 7

    The female human had returned to the library the next day. To the same table. Chin up, eyes focused on her reading, only the slight trembling of her hands betrayed her nervousness. And it infuriated him. Ethan had the feeling that she was trying to challenge him. He had managed to chase her away once, but this time, she seemed determined to claim the place while completely ignoring him.

    He didn''t want her here. He didn''t want to see her parading around with her pretty face and disrupting his peace. He didn''t want to constantly fight his inner vila that urged him to initiate contact with her. And most of all, he didn''t want anyone, especially his peers, to find out that his vila had chosen her.

    So he sat there, in his chair, shooting daggers at her and never taking his eyes off her. She seemed unperturbed, but he could occasionally see her long, slender fingers reaching up to scratch her neck nervously.

    "You look nervous, Darcy. Did your mother demand that you find a worthy mate quickly again?" Jericho called out to him sarcastically, a vila of lower caste than his own.

    Maybe he should have been harsher with his peers if they thought they could get away with using sarcasm to mock him like that. He didn''t like to constantly remind everyone of how ancient and hierarchically superior his family was, but there was one thing he liked even less, and that was being disrespected in such a way.

    The mate of his subordinate hung onto his arm, discreetly pulling it to signal him to stop his insolent comments, a worried frown on her face. At least she knew her place, unlike her soulmate. He had nothing against her in particular, but he couldn''t let Jericho off without reprimanding his insecurities to teach him a lesson.

    "And what about you, Larson? How did your parents take the news when you told them your soulmate was an Inferio?" Ethan retorted with an acidic tone.

    His peer''s gaze immediately flared up upon hearing the insult veiled towards his soulmate. Touch¨¦. He seemed about to lunge at Ethan before the young woman verbally ordered him to stop, brutally grabbing his hand to force him away from the conflict before the situation escalated.

    Wise decision.

    Vilas were proud creatures, and honor and purity were crucial concepts within their families. Their political games and caste system were primarily based on these elements. Ethan showed little interest in politics and his peers, much to his mother''s dismay, but he also knew that no vila family could escape the anxious concern over the revelation of their children''s soulmates. Individuals deemed physically weak or socially inferior always brought great disappointment to parents, even though they knew their offspring had no say in choosing their partner. And Jericho had hit the jackpot when his inner vila had chosen a mate from the lowest caste among the vampires.

    No, it''s me who hit the jackpot of having the worst possible and unimaginable soulmate. I would have preferred an Inferio a thousand times over a human.

    After about thirty minutes of observing the human while trying to kill her with his gaze, his already-frayed patience was seriously wearing thin. His inner vila allowed him no respite. It was like an itch so intense that it was impossible not to scratch. Ethan was doing his best not to give in to his instincts.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    It took him three more minutes to finally give in. If his mind was torn between going to talk to her and getting her to leave quickly, he could very well do both.

    Perhaps she didn''t see him coming, or maybe she was deliberately ignoring him, but she jumped when he suddenly slammed his palms down on the table. The sound of the impact on the wooden furniture drew the attention of the few students present in the library, but everyone knew it was better to focus on their own business when in the same room as a vila. Despite their curiosity, each of them buried their nose back in their books.

    Finally, the human deigned to meet Ethan''s gaze with her green eyes. He saw a mixture of fear, suspicion, and uncertainty that threw him off for a second. In a way, he hated himself for what he was about to say, but it was easier to hate her, as if she had never come to their world, he wouldn''t have had to act accordingly.

    "Little humans like you have no place on Istarea. There are people here who would like to read quietly without having to endure the sight of your disgusting weakness wandering through the aisles as if the place belongs to them. It would be nice of you to just leave," he said in a cold and controlled tone.

    The young woman''s fists clenched, and her facial expression was a mix of astonishment and rage. Not exactly the fear response he expected.

    "No," she replied so weakly that he struggled to hear her.

    "Excuse me?" he retorted, stunned.

    "I said no," she repeated, this time with more confidence. "If the sight of me bothers you, you can just close your eyes. The library doesn''t belong to me, but it doesn''t belong to you either."

    He leaned in until he was just a few inches from her face, his gaze locked onto hers. She had that glint of defiance in her eyes that he would have loved to replace with terror. The small vein on her temple pulsed under the suppressed anger that was building within him.

    "If you don''t plan on leaving by yourself, I''ll take care of it," he growled, gripping her wrist.

    She squeaked from the force of his grip, and he immediately loosened it, enough to avoid hurting her, while still keeping his hold. His inner vila was now roaring, unhappy with his actions toward his soulmate.

    "Let go of me," she muttered.

    With a sudden movement, the blonde stood up from her chair, knocking it over in the process. The thunderous noise once again drew the inquisitive gazes of students who didn''t miss a moment of the scene unfolding a few meters away. She placed her hand on top of the vila''s and dug her nails in to break free from his grasp.

    "I said, let me go! You psycho!" she screamed, hysterical.

    His entire body froze for a moment, his mind mechanically repeating, let go of her, let go of her. It was like a defense mechanism that, once triggered, overpowered his reason and free will.

    Finally, he released his grip on her wrist. The first thing that came to his mind was to flee. Without a glance back at the young woman, he rushed toward the exit as she continued to shout, "Never come near me again," "madman," and "completely crazy."

    This initial contact left him with a bitter taste, halfway between frustration and shame. Part of him felt pathetic for not being able to get her to leave, and the other part was burning with anger at himself for pushing the young woman to deeply hate him within seconds.

    He sincerely hoped none of his vila peers had witnessed the exchange. They weren''t foolish and would easily understand why he lost his temper so quickly and why he let her go suddenly. However, he greatly underestimated the observational and analytical abilities of the other students who had witnessed the scene. For him, other species were not a threat.

    When Ethan returned to his room, he couldn''t stop his mind from wandering to the memory of the warmth of her soft skin against his.

    Fuck, he muttered to himself.

 Chapter 8

    Mia returned to the library the next morning. She entered the room slowly, quickly taking refuge once again behind the shelves to the left of the entrance. Her heart was pounding as she slipped behind a row to scan for the vila''s presence.

    A weight seemed to lift off her shoulders when she realized he wasn''t there. She had been right not to return at the same time, hoping to avoid crossing paths with him. She would never admit that she was afraid of him and preferred to attribute her attempts to avoid another conflict with him to her desire for tranquility.

    She had already chastised herself enough, torn between her urge to confront him and her fear of aggression, realizing that she hadn''t really followed the precautions that had been strongly suggested to her and had rushed headlong into the confrontation even though he was a vila. It was stronger than her, she had reached the limits of her patience. Especially when it came to a spectacular level of disrespect and injustice, as she had been a victim of. It couldn''t really be called simple racism anymore; his hatred seemed oddly personal.

    Mia wasn''t out of the woods this morning either. Turning around to leave the aisle she had hidden behind, her body collided with that of another individual who dropped his books from the impact. It was a young man with a tired face and a hunched silhouette. He didn''t react to the collision, simply bending down to pick up his books without even giving her a single glance.

    "I''m sorry, I didn''t see you," Mia apologized, inclining herself to help.

    Finally, the man deigned to look her in the eyes, a wounded gleam shining in his gaze.

    "Don''t talk to me, please," he replied in a voice as low as a murmur.

    Mia straightened up, totally caught off guard by his response. Did he, too, disdain the human she was and prefer to act as if she didn''t exist? She did her best not to show that his reaction hurt her, putting her pride above all else, but the young man had no trouble deciphering her emotions. He knew them all too well. He stood up with a sigh and approached her, leaning slightly toward her face to speak discreetly.

    "Don''t take it personally, I have nothing against you. I know exactly what it feels like to be faced with disgust and disdain all day long. I''ve been through that my whole life, and it''s even worse since I came to the Arena. It''s just that... if they see me with you, it''ll give them an extra reason to make my life impossible..."

    Thus, she wasn''t the only one subjected to this treatment. Somewhere deep within, it saddened her for her conversation partner as much as it reassured her to know that someone else understood her and experienced the same thing. No one should have to face such a situation, for any reason, but Mia knew all too well that nothing would change the condescending gaze of others upon them. Not even fighting back.

    "Why do they despise you?" she couldn''t help but ask.

    "Ah, right, you know nothing about our world... I''m a hybrid child, born of a union between a magician and a werewolf. The different species don''t like to mix, I''m what they call... an abomination..."

    "I''m sorry," the blonde exclaimed with sadness, not knowing how else to react to his revelations.

    "You''re not to blame," he concluded with a tender smile. "Good luck."

    "To you too!" she whispered as he disappeared from her field of vision.

    Mia decided to tuck this interaction away in a corner of her mind so as not to weigh down the rest of her day. The only thing she wanted to take from it was a mental note to question Arry about the topic of hybrids. The explanations from the young man had raised many questions in her mind about it.

    Today, she had planned to explore the architecture of the castle and thus returned to her initial plan. She had quickly abandoned her book on the human massacre upon realizing that it was just a series of facts and battles that she couldn''t place or understand since she knew nothing about this world. Might as well start with the most basic thing: her new place of residence.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    While sifting through the shelves filled with books, some dusty and others almost new, she learned several things: first, the school had been built about forty years before her arrival, but it had only been about thirty years since it had been open to all species. It took them about ten years to convince them of the school''s validity and to calm their minds enough for them to consider sending their children here. Next, the castle originally belonged to a vampire named Dimitri Vladistok, who consented to enlarge it and turn it into the school they knew today. And lastly, the building operated entirely on magic. This last fact didn''t surprise her much; it was the logical conclusion she had arrived at. The castle seemed to have plumbing for running water and sewer systems, and the lighting strongly resembled electric bulbs that were activated by switches, but the technology to operate these structures properly seemed unnecessary when one had access to magic.

    "Mia!"

    She startled in surprise and cast a mildly annoyed glance at Arry. She hadn''t seen her coming. Her friend quickly sat down and rummaged in her bag to retrieve a ticket, which she placed on the table and pushed towards Mia.

    "Here, it''s your ticket for this weekend''s tournament. You can come and cheer me on!" she explained joyfully.

    Mia had passed by posters of the tournament plastered all over the brick walls of the school multiple times, but she wasn''t yet sure if she absolutely wanted to attend.

    It seemed Arry wasn''t really giving her a choice. Regardless, she remained curious about how this event worked and what the students and her friend were capable of.

    If they have to attack me, I might as well know how...

    "Saturday, at four p.m. I won''t be able to accompany you since I''ll be competing, but you can ask Lily to go with you, just so she can show you where it is."

    At least she wouldn''t be alone.

    "Shall we go eat?" Arry asked.

    "Sure, just let me put all this away," Mia responded, closing her book.

    On their way, Mia seized the opportunity to question her friend about the topic of hybrids. She didn''t tell her about her morning encounter, unsure of where exactly the redhead stood on this issue. The incident wasn''t relevant, and she didn''t want to create problems for the young man.

    "I read in a book that species can mix and create hybrids?"

    Arry looked uncomfortable, clearing her throat before answering. With a quick glance, she surveyed the surroundings to make sure the two young women were alone within earshot and that other students wouldn''t overhear their conversation.

    "It''s a bit of a delicate subject... Only the union of a magician and another species can produce hybrids. For instance, a werewolf with a vampire will never produce children. It''s because we are genetically close to humans, with the addition of magic. But this kind of union is not tolerated at all."

    The redhead seemed to want to stop there, but Mia still didn''t have the answer to the question that intrigued her the most.

    "Why is it not tolerated? Why do they care?" she pressed, her curiosity undiminished.

    "You won''t let it go until I answer, will you?" Arry inquired with a tone of desperation.

    "You''re getting to know me well," Mia replied with a satisfied smile.

    "Fine... Just know that I don''t share this opinion, okay? Hybrids have always been somewhat frowned upon since most species can''t mix. For them, it''s a sign that it''s unnatural. Unfortunately, the story doesn''t end there. The only people who tolerated hybridization and even encouraged it were the humans. It was a way for them to ensure a stronger offspring, better equipped to fight other species on more equal terms. When the war broke out, the rumor that humans were seeking to parasitize other species and weaken them by mixing their blood with theirs spread like wildfire. Once peace was restored and humans disappeared, hybridization became completely taboo."

    Mia wanted to delve further into the conversation and ask why humans had been decimated, but she didn''t want to prolong her friend''s discomfort any longer. Besides, she was beginning to form a vague idea of the reason behind this genocide from learning more about Istarea, and she wasn''t sure if she wanted to learn more.

    However, something else was on her mind now that she thought about it.

    "You know, I was wondering... Does being seen with me not cause you any problems? I know Lily doesn''t have any issues in that regard since fairies are inherently neutral, but not all magicians are... friendly towards me."

    "Oh, don''t worry about that!" she reassured with a smile. "The ones I associate with have nothing against humans and share my opinion on the matter. The others ignore me, I ignore them in return, and that''s perfectly fine!"

    This didn''t necessarily mean that it didn''t affect her redhead friend, but if it did, she wasn''t showing it. Plus, she was old enough to make her own choices; it wasn''t Mia''s place to try and protect her in this regard. She needed friends, distancing them was clearly not a good idea.

 Chapter 9

    The day of the tournament finally arrived. Mia had quickly settled into a routine for the rest of her week, spending most of her time alone since her friends were actively preparing for the tournament scheduled for later that afternoon. Arry was perfecting her fire spells, and Lily was brewing potions non-stop. The blonde only saw the two young women for about an hour during meal times, and their conversations revolved solely around the upcoming event.

    This had given her time to search for information in the library books to answer some of the questions she had about how Istarea worked. She dedicated her mornings to research and her afternoons to observing the students or clearing her mind with walks in the gardens.

    She had amassed an incredible amount of data in these few days, ranging from the most relevant to the most trivial. Time was short, and she couldn''t satisfy her curiosity about all the topics that intrigued her, but she did manage to learn some information that would be useful. The only answers she refrained from seeking were about the vilas. She didn''t want to discover how much she should fear them.

    Mia had, for example, discovered that the primary mode of transportation on Istarea was the use of animals, whether terrestrial like horses or flying like wyverns. She found it hard to visualize the latter, described as sort of feline creatures with bat-like wings as front legs.

    Another discovery was the widespread and cost-effective postal system, managed by wyverns for long-distance transport through specific distribution points. For those with more substantial means, the system was far more complex and required Mia to understand how magic worked in this world. It involved the use of two types of magic: a rune that triggered a signal, and a druid who could temporarily control certain types of animals suitable for such a race.

    Learning the different magic and the specializations of magicians proved to be a vocabulary puzzle. Each family had its preferred domain, akin to each family having its own profession. The possibilities of magic use were incredibly vast, yet severely limited to a handful of individuals who mastered their specialization. Typically, individuals chose to focus on either offensive or constructive magic. The latter included magicians who used their skills to enhance the daily lives of others, utility or comfort magic.

    The simplest were the Elementalists, like Arry. The elements extended beyond fire, water, air, and earth, but also included ice, lightning, shadow, and light. Each family specialized in an element, with some geared more towards offensive or constructive magic than others.

    The shapeshifters weren''t limited to changing into a specific animal based on their family, as Mia had initially assumed. Each lineage also had its specialization: birds, felines, reptiles, and so on. The choice of animal was at the shapeshifter''s discretion, who, although having a wide range of possibilities, often preferred to limit themselves to one or two animals of their choice.

    The sorcerers were divided into several categories, each with its specialty. Examples included runemancers, enchanters, bards, or builders, each having diverse and varied uses. Mia didn''t linger on this part, finding it too indigestible and complex.

    Finally, the druids used various aspects of nature, whether it was controlling animals, mastery of plants, or even weather manipulation. This type of magic was essentially constructive. The providers of costly postal services or the healing magicians fell into this category.

    When Mia left her room to make her way to the infirmary hall, an unusual activity filled the corridors. Fairies were bustling around with sheets, blankets, ointments, and spare supplies. She recognized Lily in the middle of this bustling activity, quickly approaching her, her arms laden with a tray filled with small vials of various colors.

    "Ah, Mia! Can you give me a hand? We''re so overwhelmed with the preparations for the tournament; I don''t even know where to begin today..." she sighed, visibly exhausted even though the day had just started.

    "Of course, what do you want me to do?"

    "Here, take this," she said, handing her the tray and getting ready to leave. "A vial of each color in the drawer of each room''s dresser."

    Helping the fairies kept Mia busy for much of the morning. She spent the other half observing them concoct ointments or potions and enchanting various objects, fascinated. It truly was a beautiful sight to watch the fairies work. They were... incredible.

    Towards the end of the morning, Lily took a few minutes to sit in a chair at the back of the hall, catching her breath, exhausted. She took advantage of her well-deserved break to explain to her human friend how their magic worked, as it was different from that of the magicians.

    "For the ointments and potions, it''s mostly a matter of knowledge about plants and their effects: herbology. Of course, we infuse them with a bit of our energy to make them more effective, but that''s something that happens automatically when it''s a fairy preparing these remedies. That''s why we''re the best," she smiled proudly. "As for enchantment, it''s about infusing energy and intention into the object. It''s quite complex, and it requires intense concentration. Personally, it''s definitely not my favorite domain," she laughed.

    "Do you have specialties like the magicians?"

    "Here, yes. Outside the school, fairies are nomadic and move from one people to another, so they need to be able to do everything. At the Arena, we''re fortunate to have a fixed workplace, which allows us to specialize."

    "And what''s your specialization, then?"

    "I''m one of the three fairies who don''t really have any specialization. We do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. Specializing has never particularly interested me," she explained, shrugging.

    "It''s very similar to hospitals in my world, except, of course, we don''t have magic."

    "I can''t even imagine how you manage to heal people without magic..." she grimaced.

    "You''d be surprised," Mia retorted, smiling proudly because, for once, she knew something her friends didn''t.

    The two young women parted ways after their conversation. Lily returned to her fairy duties, and Mia headed to the cafeteria to join Arry. She found her friend already sitting at a table in the back, accompanied by some of her magician friends who had joined her upon seeing her eating alone. Mia went to the cafeteria buffet to get some food and sat at another table, alone, not wanting to impose. Besides, they were probably discussing their participation in the tournament, and she was tired of hearing about it.

    As she looked at her plate filled with vegetables, cooked meat, and an apple for dessert, she sighed. It hadn''t even been a week since she arrived, and she already missed burgers, fries, and other greasy dishes. Here, all the meals were balanced. Not that she complained, she''d probably lose a couple of pounds with this type of diet, but she wouldn''t mind something a bit more substantial.

    She ate slowly, not particularly thrilled with her plate''s contents, yawning a few times between each bite. Her active morning had left her a bit tired. Maybe she''d lay down for an hour or two before the tournament since she had nothing else to do until then.

    Before finishing her meal, Arry approached her, energetic and smiling. She must have been on her way out.

    "Mia, I didn''t see you! Why didn''t you come sit with us?" the redhead asked.

    "I''m sure you were talking about the tournament. I want to keep it a complete surprise!" Mia replied, as if it were obvious.

    "Oh, you''re right! See you there, then? I''ve got to go, I still need to practice real quick, warm up, and all that. I''m really sorry I haven''t had much time to spend with you these past few days. I''ll make it up after the tournament, promise!"

    "No problem, and good luck!" Mia wished her friend as she was already leaving.

    She quickly finished her plate, gobbled down the last pieces of vegetables, and grabbed the apple, placing it in the pocket of her little cardigan. Just in case she got hungry after her nap.

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    As usual, as she got up, she noticed a few glances reflecting a wide spectrum of emotions, dissecting her every move. Normally, they observed her more discreetly, but today, since her magician friend hadn''t shared her meal, they allowed themselves to stare. Shaking her head in frustration, she opted to completely ignore them and continued on her way, depositing her tray in the large water trough provided for that purpose. She suspected the trough was magical and used to clean the dishes directly, as she had never seen anyone take care of it.

    When Mia left the cafeteria, she took a deep breath. Even though she chose to ignore them, their gaze still felt heavy on her shoulders. She massaged her neck for a moment and finally decided on a short nap before heading to the tournament. Sleep took her immediately.

    "Mia, wake up! We''re going to be late!"

    The blonde emerged slowly as her shoulders were shaken. She eventually opened her eyes, groaning, only to find her fairy friend. Mia had never been a morning person and her grumpiness always surfaced when she was forcefully pulled out of sleep, even for a nap. Nevertheless, she got up quickly to not keep her friend waiting too long.

    Every time she encountered one of the fairies within the first five minutes after waking up, she always had the feeling of still being in a dream. Wanting to dispel the fog in her mind, she headed to the sink to splash her face with cold water.

    Lily tapped her foot impatiently.

    "We really need to go now!" the young fairy grumbled.

    "I''m coming, I''m coming," Mia muttered in response.

    As they walked down the corridor, she noticed they were the last ones to leave. She felt a little guilty for her friend who had agreed to accompany her, so she wouldn''t be alone since she had no idea how the event worked, even though she might have initially planned to go with her fellow fairies.

    The two young women quickly left the interior of the castle (the infirmary was the first wing to the left upon entering the building) and circled around it, following the small asphalt path that encircled the structure.

    Once at the back, Mia caught sight of the famous centaur forest. She hadn''t explored this part of the outside yet, as Arry had warned her not to get too close to their territory. It was, in essence, an ordinary forest, composed of thick trees with dense foliage, revealing very little beyond its edge. However, it didn''t seem very large, as she could clearly see a cliff forming an arc around it. Somewhat like a wall, but it seemed more as if the mountain had been carved to accommodate the small forest.

    They entered a small dirt path that seemed to lead towards the mountain, putting an end to Mia''s observation of the centaur habitat.

    "This entrance is reserved for the school residents. There''s a larger entrance on the other side for visitors," Lily informed her.

    Quickly, the dirt path led them into a sort of tunnel that traversed the mountain. They were literally going to walk through it. Mia wasn''t claustrophobic, but the idea of entering a path barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side, buried under the mountain''s peak, didn''t exactly thrill her. Nevertheless, the little balls of light swirling on the rocky ceiling, illuminating the area, reassured her when she remembered that the entire structure must be magical and, therefore, she probably wasn''t in much danger. She hadn''t fully grasped the existence or workings of magic yet to blindly trust it, but she was slowly getting used to the idea that it was indeed functional.

    Lily led the way, folding her wings against her back to give Mia enough space in the path for them to walk at the same level. Observing her, Mia had to admit that having wings didn''t seem as marvelous as she had thought. They even seemed quite cumbersome in this kind of situation. In fact, she had never seen any fairy use them. Could they actually fly with them? Or were they just some sort of ornament in the end?

    Before she could ask the question, the young human reconsidered, her mind focused on the rising volume of the hubbub she heard at the end of the tunnel. The closer she got, the more it felt like stepping into a gigantic stadium, as the noise was deafening.

    Lily stopped a few meters from the exit and turned to the blonde.

    "There''s a stand for students not participating in the tournament to the left. It offers the best view, and you''ll be more relaxed there than in the midst of the families. I have to go."

    "You''re not staying with me?" Mia half-yelled, partly to be heard through the crowd''s noise and partly because the prospect didn''t appeal to her at all.

    "Oh, shoot, Arry didn''t tell you? The fairies have a special stand closer to the field to tend to the injured. I have to work, you know," she explained with an apologetic grimace.

    "True, that makes sense. Sorry. I''ll be fine, go on, you''re already late."

    "Sorry..."

    They covered the last few steps separating them from the end of the tunnel together. Just before the exit, a staircase led further into the heart of the mountain. Lily waved goodbye and disappeared, leaving Mia alone.

    Mia exhaled deeply as she turned towards her destination. From here, she could see almost nothing. The excessively bright light completely blocked her view. After one last breath, she stepped through the opening.

    Her eyes blinked a few times to adjust to the new brightness of the environment. Before she could start observing the surroundings, she was stopped and asked for her ticket. Nervously, she pulled it out of her pocket and handed it to a woman in her forties, who returned it to her after verification.

    When Mia could finally scan the area, her breath caught in her chest. She was on a gigantic stone plaza, on the mountainside and on the other side of the school, covered with stadium benches rising several meters high. The place seemed to merge with the mountain as if it had intentionally made room for it. At the start of the benches, a small ledge separated the plaza from the void by a few meters. The entire structure overlooked what she assumed was the arena. In a way, it reminded her of the immense ancient amphitheaters in her world. Except that this structure was twice the size of the Colosseum itself, and the stands didn''t form a complete circle around the arena, but rather a half-circle covering a quarter of its surface.

    Her gaze then landed on the crowd in the stands. At first glance, they all seemed human, some chatting, others already cheering for the fighters. For a second, it felt like she was watching a football match. Except it was about confrontations between potentially deadly creatures encouraged by other potentially deadly creatures.

    Upon closer inspection, Mia could see an area without stands reserved for centaurs farther away on the plaza. She observed them for a few seconds since it was the first time she had encountered them other than hearing their hooves in the distance. They were discreet, and she suspected they didn''t roam the liveliest corners of the castle.

    As she expected, their anatomy was divided at the waist between horse and human. Their hair resembled a horse''s mane, made of actual horsehair. Most individuals had long hair styled in thick dreadlocks. Their human and animal skin was uniform in colors ranging from white to black. Each seemed to have their unique pigmentation, as none looked alike. It was as if individuals representing all the human skin colors from around the world had gathered in one place, offering an impressive display of diversity. It briefly saddened her to think that such unity of diversity was rare in her world.

    While she was lost in her observation, a grip seized her forearm, pulling her forward. She had been dragged a few steps before fully comprehending what was happening. When Mia recognized her assailant, she tried to maneuver her arm to free it, but he held on and continued to pull her forward.

    "Will you let go of me, for crying out loud?!" she shouted, oblivious to the attention they were drawing.

    "Shut up and keep moving," he ordered, "everyone''s staring at you."

    She wanted to protest, but he silenced her again. Swallowing her pride, she realized that indeed, some were staring at her excessively. To ease the situation, Mia convinced herself that she was remaining quiet because she didn''t want to make a scene, not because he ordered her to.

    Finally, the vila released her in front of an empty bench and gestured for her to sit down, which she adamantly refused to do. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was becoming obedient.

    "What was that all about? What do you want from me? Last time I checked, we don''t know each other. This is starting to feel like harassment," she exclaimed, frustration in her voice.

    He grimaced, clearly annoyed by her tirade, taking a deep breath to calm the irritation rising within him. At least it wasn''t hatred. He seemed to have swallowed that enough for his gaze to stop shooting deadly glares at her.

    "You were standing there like a statue in the middle of the entrance with your mouth half-open. Everyone was looking at you as if you were a dimwit, which is probably exactly what they expect from a human. You could at least thank me. I could''ve let you embarrass yourself even more," he sneered.

    The embarrassment she initially felt when he described her behavior quickly faded, replaced by annoyance. Who did he think he was, anyway? She shook her head, rolled her eyes, and waved her arms, playing the ditzy act.

    "Wow, thanks! What would I have done without you? My savior!" she retorted, dripping with sarcasm. "Do you want a medal and maybe a cookie with it?"

    "A human with a dogged character and the most irritating voice imaginable, that''s a lot of flaws for such a small person!"

    "You..." she began, instantly interrupted by a symphony of horns signaling the start of the tournament.

    Her nemesis took the opportunity to move a few meters away and sit on one of the benches above hers. She had the feeling he had chosen that exact spot to be right behind her, watching her every move. It''s not like space was limited, since for the few dozen people that could fit in this tier, there must have been a group of five or six students occupying the seats farthest from his. Not all the students who weren''t participating wanted to watch the tournament. It was the same every couple of weeks, after all. Some preferred to watch the event with their families, leaving these benches empty.

    Before sitting down, turning her back on the vila, Mia shot him one final glare, to which he responded with a sly grin.

    What a detestable man, she thought.

    Although she had to admit that this time, the hatred and disdain in his look and behavior seemed to have slightly diminished for a reason she couldn''t explain.

    Not wanting to ruin the experience of her first tournament, Mia preferred to erase any trace of the vila from her mind. In any case, she didn''t care much and didn''t want to waste a single moment trying to understand his attitude. He didn''t deserve it.

    Finally, the tournament began.

 Chapter 10

    The arena consisted of several different combat zones: a forest, a sandy plateau, and a rocky section of the mountain. Under the stone structure of the tiers, Mia could see five gigantic black iron gates leading to the plateau.

    The place fell silent as a metallic sound echoed, amplified by the acoustics of the mountain. When the noise ceased, the blonde held her breath. She couldn''t tell if it was the apprehension of what she was about to witness or if it was the excitement that was starting to grip her, an emotion that seemed to spread like wildfire through the spectators. A sense of unreality enveloped her as the competitors entered the arena.

    Vampires, werewolves, centaurs, magicians, and vilas stepped onto the sand, each species in unison, at their own pace. Mia leaped from her seat and rushed to the railing, trying to catch a glimpse of her friend Arry. She recognized her red hair and silhouette as best as she could among the other magicians. Oz was by her side, tail wagging with excitement. They must have been at least seven hundred. Werewolves were the second most numerous with around four hundred individuals. Vampires were two hundred, just like the centaurs. The vilas numbered only five.

    Mia sat back down, realizing she wouldn''t be able to observe her friend more closely with the crowd of magicians around her. They had stopped in the center of the plateau, visible to all, facing the benches. Mia followed their gaze to a small balcony she hadn''t noticed before. It was much higher than the tier she was on and contained only a few stone seats, on which sat individuals she had never seen before. Logically, the balcony was reserved for important people.

    Probably the headmaster and some other professors, she thought, trying to get a better look at them.

    She thought she recognized Vassili''s blond hair, but at this distance, all she saw were abstract silhouettes. While observing, an individual stood up from their seat and stepped forward to face the arena. He had a slim silhouette and graying hair. She assumed he must be the headmaster of the school.

    "Welcome, students, friends, and family, on this magnificent tournament day. May it unfold in honor and camaraderie, as in the previous ones. Students, I remind you that it is forbidden to kill your opponent and to harm the audience. The tournament is not a massacre, and anyone who violates these two rules will be punished accordingly."

    His voice resonated against the walls of the mountain, filling the silent arena. Mia suspected that magic helped to amplify his words. She didn''t know if it was possible, but it seemed extremely likely. His tone seemed light and cheerful, but his words were stern and severe. It was merely a reminder of what should not happen, and despite the confirmation that no tournament had gone awry before, the possibility that this one could escalate was very real.

    There''s no reason for it to go wrong, she reassured herself, quickly dispelling such thoughts.

    "Now... Let the tournament begin!" roared the headmaster, raising his hands in the air and swiftly lowering them to signal the start.

    Euphoria swept over Mia, just like the other spectators, as the symphony of horns sounded once again, signaling the competitors to scatter throughout the arena. Each species seemed to choose its favored terrain based on their abilities. The werewolves and centaurs sought refuge in the forest, while the vampires rushed toward the mountain. The magicians regrouped in small clusters and spread out across all the zones according to their type of magic, and the vilas followed the same pattern, dispersing everywhere.

    They''re already not very numerous, and they don''t stick together either? she wondered, curious. Maybe I could ask the person behind me...

    Mia quickly swallowed her question when she turned to face him, and he cast a stern gaze on her.

    "What?" he sent her in a bored tone.

    Okay, let''s maybe avoid that.

    She didn''t even bother to reply and repositioned herself, her gaze fixed on the arena.

    During the first two minutes, Mia could have heard a pin drop. There was no movement, no noise, nothing that indicated that creatures were about to face off against each other. Then the atmosphere shifted and became heavy, oppressive. If the sky hadn''t been devoid of any clouds, she would have bet that thunder was about to roar. And she wasn''t so far from the truth.

    In a matter of seconds, several detonations sounded from various parts of the arena. Roars began to resonate, and chaos spread throughout the area. The battles had begun. The audience, intoxicated, roared in unison to cheer on members of their species. Mia felt like her heart was going to explode from the tension, but her mind was as captivated as the crowd.

    Her eyes couldn''t capture all the information they were receiving, but she learned a great deal about the species'' abilities. Werewolves and vampires primarily fought with their fangs and claws, which was not surprising. It was what she expected, both for their abilities and their appearance.

    The werewolves transformed into large and powerful wolves, creatures that were perhaps slightly larger compared to how they were depicted in her world. Vampires retained their humanoid appearance, except for their decomposed faces and complexion that gave them the appearance of the undead, and their fingers elongated, ending in sharp nails they used as blades.

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    Centaurs were fast and powerful creatures who fought bare-handed, galloping through the forest and using their surroundings to their advantage to surprise their enemies. Their horse bodies gave them natural strength, allowing them to deliver devastating hoof strikes to their opponents. She caught glimpses of them in action when certain trees were uprooted, presumably due to some magical spell.

    As for the vilas, she couldn''t say because she couldn''t recognize them. If they transformed into something other than their human appearance, she hadn''t seen them. It was impossible to track them in the crowd of creatures thirsty for victory.

    The magicians, on the other hand... Expecting magic and seeing it in action were definitely not the same. Some were casting fireballs or lightning bolts, others were hurling rocks, while others transformed into eagles, tigers, wolves, bears... The more discreet magicians seemed to focus on strategic positioning and traps. She never saw them in direct combat action, but the results of their spells were impressive. Immobilization, blinding, explosions, miasma, projections, and so on. They had chosen the plateau as their preferred terrain, which they had littered with obstacles to allow for long-distance combat.

    Shivers ran up her spine as she realized that all these attacks didn''t seem as harmless as she''d initially thought.

    It''s because I''m a defenseless human, they''re much tougher than they look.

    A murmur of whispers began to form in the stands. The festive atmosphere of the tournament was transforming into a tense and nervous one. For Mia, who had never seen a tournament before, it was impossible to know why tension was rising among the spectators. Yet, something told her that the unfolding events were not as expected.

    In the fray, Mia''s gaze fell upon Arry, fighting alongside Oz and another magician. They had gathered on the plateau to escape the pack of werewolves that was chasing them. The combat zone was divided into two camps: the werewolves in their lupine form on one side and the magicians on the other. The two groups assessed each other for a moment, as if each side was waiting for the other to initiate hostilities. Finally, one of the wolves stepped forward and howled, a cry echoed by his comrades. They rushed toward the magicians, teeth and claws ready to subdue their opponents.

    Mia hurried to the railing again to get a better view of the scene. Worry was beginning to freeze her brain as her friend prepared to counterattack. They were outnumbered: about ten magicians against thirty werewolves.

    The magician beside Arry released a device that looked like a distant grenade, releasing a thick miasma onto the battlefield. They were now on their own. Mia could hear the protests from the audience, frustrated that they couldn''t witness the confrontation. This did not reassure her.

    In any case, I can''t do anything to help Arry, except hope it''ll be okay...

    Explosions sounded, flames and wind dispersing the miasma in certain areas of the combat zone, but it wasn''t enough to observe the battle. The opaque gas spread again, enveloping every corner of the plateau. Mia and the audience were completely blind to the unfolding events.

    A howl rang out, followed by several deafening growls that sent shivers down Mia''s spine. This didn''t bode well. The few students next to her rushed to the edge of the area, agitated. A buzz was rising in the crowd, and panic seemed to be spreading.

    Summoning her courage, she approached the group of students. They barely noticed her presence.

    "Um... excuse me... What''s going on?" she inquired, her voice trembling with apprehension.

    The students turned their heads towards her for a moment but quickly looked away. Whatever was happening, it was apparently serious enough that they didn''t take offense at the little human speaking up.

    "The... the howl. A werewolf has fallen," a panicked young man responded.

    Fallen? Do they mean... dead?

    A lump formed in her throat as she returned to her seat, stunned. Not that she cared if a werewolf died, but her friend was in the midst of the melee, within reach of a furious pack of wolves that had lost one of their own. That couldn''t bode well.

    "Enough!" commanded the director in a thunderous and stern voice. "Cease all fighting and disperse this miasma! Immobilize those who resist!"

    The message seemed aimed at the frenzied and vengeful wolves who had lost one of their own. The fights had ceased everywhere else, and the students were now gathering on the plateau to definitively halt the battles. The magicians were working to dispel the miasma from the outside and immobilize some recalcitrant werewolves.

    Mia felt like her heart was about to explode as she searched for her friend. She must be in the center of the opaque cloud, still hidden from view, where the battle seemed to be raging on.

    Suddenly, the heart of the black miasma transformed into red as something grew within it. The thing, increasingly red, seemed to stir the air around it, ready to launch forward. Like a concentrated fireball waiting to be thrown.

    What...? It''s heading towards... me?

    When the realization hit her, every muscle in her body tensed. Incapable of moving, paralyzed by fear, she stared for a brief moment at the fireball approaching inexorably toward her position, which would seal her fate. Her eyes closed involuntarily as the intensity of the flames burned her retinas. It had happened so quickly that she simply couldn''t do anything.

    No second chance and no other world this time...

    Her breath was cut short when she felt pressure against her body. Someone had grabbed her by the shoulder and encircled her with their arms. When her eyes reopened in shock, she saw nothing. Darkness surrounded her completely. A second later, the impact hit them. Her head was thrown back as hands held onto her shoulders. The heat of the flames surged, and her body was covered in a thin layer of sweat to cope with the rising temperature.

    As the impact had torn her away from the arms of the stranger and pushed her back a few inches, she finally saw him. The vila who had been causing trouble since their encounter in the library. His face was contorted in pain, but that wasn''t what shocked her the most.

    The darkness in which he had enveloped them was dissipating. Holes allowing light and heat were forming. As she fell backward, she saw them. His wings. Magnificent black wings, resembling those of bats, except they stopped at the base of his back. The impact of the fireball had carbonized them, devouring them like a flame devours a piece of paper.

    This image filled her with sadness for half a second before her head hit the bench behind her, and she immediately fell into unconsciousness.

 Chapter 11

    Ethan had hurried away from the stands the moment he saw Lily rushing towards Mia, knowing well that the young fairy would take care of her human friend attentively. He had bigger problems looming over him that could come crashing down at any moment. It wasn''t enough that his vila had chosen her, now everyone was aware. And if the entire school knew, his mother wouldn''t be far behind in finding out, which was really, really not a good thing.

    He walked briskly toward the tunnel leading back to the castle, but the grimace of pain and the remnants of his scorched wings betrayed his pitiful state. Yet, his physical suffering was nothing compared to the turmoil of his thoughts. His wings would eventually regrow, and his vila had finally granted him a bit of respite, satisfied with having protected the human. However, he had signed the death warrant for his peace of mind the moment his instincts took over at the approach of that fireball.

    Before entering the tunnel, Ethan paused for a moment to lean against the cool stone of the plaza, one hand gripping his ribs (some of which had been broken upon impact) and the other supporting his forehead. He allowed himself two seconds of respite before continuing his ascent to his room. A respite he couldn''t find. Closing his eyes and blocking out the world around him, he could almost hear the shrill sound of his mother''s heels resonating on the icy stone of the school, heralding a sentence he wished he never had to hear.

    Damn, it was obvious it was going to happen sooner or later the moment my vila sensed her. Why now? The universe must hate me, there''s no other explanation. Adam...

    A hand on his shoulder brought him out of his reverie. He immediately pushed it away, a bit too forcefully. He didn''t like being caught off guard, especially when he wasn''t at his best.

    "You''re hurt. Come, I''ll take you to..." started a young fairy in a tone he didn''t appreciate. She spoke to him as if he were a wounded and frightened animal that would bite her at the slightest sudden movement.

    "Get lost," he replied sharply.

    When she still didn''t seem ready to leave, he fixed his stern gaze on her. She held it for a few seconds and eventually averted her eyes, conceding defeat. Fairies were fiercer than they appeared, and could be very stubborn and persistent with uncooperative patients. Except when the patient in question was a vila. In that case, it was better not to insist too much.

    "Fine. At least take some ointments," she sighed, rummaging in her pouch and pulling out two jars.

    She held them out to him, and, as he didn''t seem inclined to take them, she pushed them against his broken ribs. A groan escaped Ethan''s lips, turning into a sigh when he realized that if he wanted to escape as quickly as possible, he''d better accept what she had to give him.

    When the fairy finally decided to leave him alone, he resumed his walk to his room. A few panicked students passed him by, but he didn''t pay them any attention. What had happened in the arena itself was the least of his concerns at this moment.

    A few minutes later, Ethan closed the door of his sacred haven behind him. A sigh of relief ran through him as he gingerly placed his battered body on the bed, sitting down. Holding the jars of ointments up to eye level, he quickly scanned them to understand their purpose. One was meant to treat burns, and the second to mend broken bones.

    Perfect. At least she didn''t completely waste my time.

    The vila delicately removed his T-shirt, although the task wasn''t as complicated as expected considering the scorched state of the said garment, and quickly applied a generous layer of ointment to his broken ribs. The effect was immediate: a warm sensation flooded his chest as the creamy texture penetrated his skin. He could almost feel his bones returning to their original positions, but the numbing effect of the remedy prevented him from feeling any pain.

    Then he moved on to the burn cream, which proved to be much more complicated to apply since the affected area was mainly where his wings originated. He could have simply retracted them entirely, as if they had never been there, but he was afraid that neglecting them like that would prolong their healing time.

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    Ethan stood in front of the long full-length mirror next to his bed, with his back facing the glass to assess the damage. The fireball had been much more powerful than he had anticipated. A simple spell shouldn''t have charred the entirety of his wings. However, the two membranes protruding from his back bore witness to it: nothing was left except these two masses of flesh and skin. When he tried to touch them, he found that the area was still warm, and the fire was still trying to gain a few more inches of flesh.

    He sighed, grimacing, before applying the ointment as best as he could. At least, they wouldn''t get worse than they already were at the moment. He massaged the cream to penetrate his flesh, then finally retracted his wings to let them heal in peace.

    When he finished tending to his wounds, he headed to the bathroom in the vila''s quarters for a quick shower and change of clothes. He didn''t have the luxury of resting immediately; that would have to wait a few more hours.

    The glances that fell upon him as he crossed the castle''s corridors did nothing to ease his mind. Some were filled with pity, others brimming with hatred and promises of revenge.

    Great, that means everyone knows. News travels fast around here.

    True to himself, he responded with a condescending glance, challenging them to say or do anything that he wouldn''t like. Some quickly gave up and shifted their attention to other things, while others persisted. He was used to the severe looks from some of the students, but it was different now. They had a way to reach him, a way to seek vengeance.

    Vassili was waiting for him at the entrance to his office, barely back from the arena, having anticipated his arrival. The vampire waved him inside and followed, closing the door behind him.

    Before he even had a chance to sit down, Ethan began pacing back and forth.

    "This is a fucking disaster. Everyone already knows. I told you it was going to happen!"

    "Calm down," Vassili urged him, taking a seat in his chair. "They won''t do anything to her within the academy grounds."

    "How can you be so sure? You think the school rules will stop them from getting their revenge? This is exactly what they''ve been waiting for all along: a way to hurt my family."

    Ethan couldn''t help but coldly smirk as he spoke these words.

    "They don''t even realize that they''re going to play into my mother''s game by trying to reach me through the human. I know exactly what they''re already imagining, that they''ll use her to make me end up destroying my family. Too bad for them: if I had the power, I would have already choked my mother with my own hands. Threatening Mia won''t change the game. Furthermore, she would be extremely pleased if they ended up killing her. She wouldn''t have to get her hands dirty like with my brother..."

    "Maybe, but I don''t think they''ll go as far as trying to kill her. It wouldn''t make any sense."

    "Only you would bet on the fact that they can still form a coherent thought when they''re so blinded by the hatred their parents instilled in them. They despise my family to the core, even though my mother is the only one responsible for all of this."

    "So you''ll have to protect her. You don''t really have a choice anymore."

    Ethan stopped pacing and finally sat down in the chair opposite his teacher''s desk, seething. A jolt of electricity ran through his ribs in response to his sudden and rapid movement. They might have been healed, but they were still relatively fragile.

    Vassili waited a few seconds for the young man to gather his thoughts once more before speaking again:

    "I know you thought you could fight your inner vila, but what happened today should make it clear: you won''t win this battle."

    Once again, Ethan coldly chuckled but remained silent. He had already realized it the day before, as his dreams were filled with the presence of the young woman. Although he hadn''t fully accepted his fate, his body and his inner vila exerted such pressure that it didn''t take him long to understand that he couldn''t stay away from her for long. All he had left was the pleasure he derived from acting like a complete jerk with her. Maybe his inner vila was forcing him to appreciate her physical presence, but his mind was still far from it. And even that, he could no longer afford. If he had to protect her, he had to be a part of her life. That wouldn''t be possible if she continued to find his presence uncomfortable.

    Damn it, as if the situation wasn''t complicated enough, now I have to make an effort with my attitude.

    "I know," Ethan finally responded as he stood up. "Let me know if you hear anything new. Especially if it''s from my mother."

    Vassili nodded before he took his leave, closing the door behind him.

    Rest now, he decided. She''s not in immediate danger with the fairies busy healing her.

    Because if he had to face her right now, he couldn''t guarantee he''d remain calm and polite after this nightmarish day.

    Might as well make the most of the few hours I have left to sleep peacefully before it truly becomes my problem.

    At least, that''s what he tried to convince himself before crashing on his bed. The attempt wasn''t very successful. He quickly fell asleep, exhausted, but his subconscious seemed determined to torment him through nightmares that woke him up several times during the night. In each one, they showed him a new way Mia could die. He almost came to regret the steamy dreams involving the young human.

    Almost.

 Chapter 12

    The first rays of sunlight were already filling the room when Mia woke up. She didn''t feel any pain, but she was completely dazed. It took her a few minutes to fight the urge to go back to sleep and recall what had happened before she fell unconscious. The first image that came to her mind was the sight of those charred wings and the pain-contorted face of the young man who had come to her rescue.

    The vila... Why did he save me? I thought he despised me.

    Her second thought filled her with panic. Abruptly, she pushed the covers off her bed and placed her feet on the wooden floor. A dizziness forced her to lean on the bedside table for a few seconds. When she regained her senses and balance, realizing that it was just the aftermath of her rapid rising, she rushed to the small bathroom adjoining her room.

    She needed to quickly check on Arry to make sure the young magician was alive, but she still cared at least a bit about her dignity, and the idea of walking down the corridor in the lightweight outfit they had put on her for treatment, with her hair all messy and her face tired, was not very appealing.

    After cleaning her face, Mia hurried to untangle her blonde mane with the small wooden comb that had been left by the sink. She winced as it got caught in knots and sighed throughout the process. The object was really impractical when one was in a hurry.

    When her hair looked disciplined enough for her to stop torturing it, Mia headed to the dresser in her room to find her new outfit for the day. She didn''t bother to closely examine the pastel blue dress. They all ended up looking the same, and anyway, she didn''t have the time. Her sandals were waiting next to the door, ready to be slipped on.

    The hallway was unusually quiet on this morning. Mia had expected to see fairies rushing around, tending to the wounded and preparing more remedies. It seemed the hostilities were over. As she made her way to the central hall of the infirmary, she soon encountered Lily coming out of a room with a tray in her hands. With her tired eyes and purple circles, anyone could have guessed that she probably hadn''t slept at all that night.

    "Do you need help?" Mia asked.

    "I wouldn''t mind, thank you," Lily replied in a soft voice.

    Mia took the empty tray from her as the little fairy sighed, heading towards one of the armchairs in the hall. The young human followed her, sitting across from her after stowing the tray in the infirmary''s storage room. She looked tired, but she didn''t seem particularly worried. Arry was her friend too, and if something serious had happened to her, she would likely be more distressed than this.

    "Long night?"

    "You have no idea," Lily complained, slumping into her seat.

    "What exactly happened? How''s Arry?"

    "Arry is fine. When the miasma cleared, we found them, her and Oz, knocked out in the middle of the plain. She has some superficial cuts, but nothing serious. Her magician boyfriend had placed a protective spell on them before things got out of control."

    "How bad did it... escalate?"

    "An investigation was launched to determine if the werewolf''s death was accidental or not, but they''re in the dark. No one could see anything with that miasma. There were a few injuries, mostly magicians who were in the center of the area. The werewolves managed to do some damage before they were immobilized."

    "And the fireball?"

    "No idea," Lily grimaced. "No one knows who threw it and whether it was accidental or not. You were lucky, Mia. If Ethan hadn''t protected you, you would be dead."

    Mia nodded as Lily drifted into her thoughts. She seemed on the verge of falling asleep at any moment.

    So, his name was Ethan. Lily seemed to know him, or at least enough to know his name, which wasn''t surprising. The fairies probably knew everyone at the academy if there were so many injuries at each tournament.

    In any case, it was clear that Mia would be dead if he hadn''t protected her. Now that she was safe and out of danger, the prospect of having to thank him annoyed her. She didn''t like him, but he had still saved her life; it was the least she could do.

    "What will happen now?"

    Lily jumped as she heard the young human speak. The fairy was already dozing off, her body completely exhausted from her sleepless night of work.

    "Sorry, I''m really out of it," she signaled, yawning so wide it felt like her jaw might dislocate. "I spent the whole night applying ointments and making others. I thought I''d never see the end of it," she explained, sighing with relief at the thought that she could go to bed in a few minutes. "Honestly, I''m not sure. This kind of event has never happened before. I guess the headmaster will gather the students and staff to discuss it once they''ve made some progress in the investigation."

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    "Aren''t there going to be... repercussions?"

    "What kind of repercussions?" she said, yawning again.

    "A werewolf died, don''t you think they''ll want revenge?"

    That''s what always happened in the books Mia read. Relations weren''t great between the different species, another reason why she thought the story wouldn''t end with this incident.

    "I don''t know. The academy rules are very strict, no violence is allowed outside of the tournaments. Now, if you''ll excuse me, I really need to go sleep," Lily announced, getting up from her chair.

    "Okay, rest well."

    "Oh, I almost forgot. Arry is in the second room on the right, by her boyfriend''s bedside. I don''t think they''ll mind if you go see them."

    Mia thanked Lily, who smiled at her before disappearing behind a door at the exact opposite end of the patients'' hallway. The fairies had their own quarters, not far from the injured in case of problems. She got up and made her way to her red-haired friend and her mysterious boyfriend whom she had yet to meet.

    Mia thus headed for the door that her fairy friend had indicated to meet Arry. She knocked three times, announcing her presence. When she heard her friend''s voice telling her to come in, she entered the room. Arry was sitting next to a young man with brown hair lying in the bed. He was awake as well but seemed slightly dazed. Bandages covered his chest, and then the blanket took over around his waist.

    She was initially greeted by Oz, who came to sniff her. She greeted him with a gentle caress between his ears. True to himself, after his inspection, he promptly returned to the corner of the room that served as his lair at that moment. She smiled at his arrogance. That was his way of saying hello to someone he tolerated.

    Immediately after, Arry got up to embrace her friend with a big smile.

    "Mia! Are you okay? Lily told me what happened. I visited you early this morning, but you were still sleeping."

    Mia smiled at her friend. She looked in good spirits, and the concern she let show warmed her heart. It pinched for a moment as the image of her earthly friends insinuated itself into her mind, but she quickly pushed it away. It wasn''t the time.

    "Yes, I''m fine. More scared than hurt. I was worried about you too; we couldn''t see anything from the stands."

    "Yes... it was quite scary. Well, until I got knocked out," she chuckled. "Andrei saved my life with his protective spell."

    She gestured with her hand toward the aforementioned Andrei resting in his bed. He smiled at the young woman before shifting his attention back to Mia. He looked like a perfectly ordinary and friendly young man.

    "You''re not introducing us? the young man inquired.

    "Oh... yes, I forgot," Arry blushed. "This is Andrei, my boyfriend. And this is Mia, my friend."

    The young man struggled to sit up to shake her hand. Mia took it and returned his "pleasure to meet you" with a smile plastered on her face. Arry had talked to her about a date the other day, but she hadn''t mentioned that they were already together. Or perhaps the events of the tournament had accelerated their relationship.

    "Arry told me about you, even though your reputation as a human precedes you, no offense intended," he said to sympathize.

    Mia grimaced in response. She was famous despite herself and could do without this kind of celebrity. But at least he didn''t seem hostile to her human condition.

    A heavy silence followed his words. The two lovebirds looked at each other seriously for a few seconds before Arry spoke up again.

    "Listen, Mia... We''ve talked about it with Andrei, and... there is something you should know."

    "Know what?"

    What was she going to discover now? Shivers of anticipation climbed up her spine. Given the looks on their faces, it wasn''t news she was going to receive positively. Even Oz had lowered his ears, sensing that a heavy atmosphere was spreading in the room.

    "The vila who saved you... Ethan. He''s not well-liked and is the solitary type. His family isn''t known for tolerating humans," continued Arry.

    "I have already noticed that," Mia replied sarcastically.

    "You''ve already met him?"

    "Yes, a couple of times."

    Arry seemed surprised, but her expression quickly changed to a determined pout as she exchanged a meaningful look with her boyfriend. Mia had never mentioned it to her not to worry her. It didn''t seem that important, but apparently, she was wrong.

    "What I''m trying to tell you is that it''s probably not a coincidence that he chose to protect you from that fireball."

    "How so? It''s true I found it strange too, but..."

    Andrei decided to take over as Arry struggled to find the right words to explain the situation.

    "Vilas choose their partner for life. Well... they don''t really choose; their inner vila imposes that choice when they''ve found it. We call it a curse because they can''t do anything to go against that choice. Do you see where I''m going with this?"

    Mia''s face was growing pale as Andrei''s words registered in her brain.

    "You mean... he would have chosen me? Like a... soulmate?"

    The two magicians nodded gravely. Mia felt like someone had just thrown a bucket of ice water over her head. Why her? It was clear that he must be asking the same question since he had always scorned her the few times their paths had crossed. She had no desire to be bound to someone who hated her for what she was. Nor to someone she didn''t even know. Nor to a creature she had been warned to be wary of. Nor to be tied to anyone at all, for that matter.

    "Maybe he doesn''t have a choice, but I do."

    The despondent look on the couple made her want to scream out her frustration.

    "You''ll eventually give in. They all eventually give in," Arry announced in a small voice.

    "We''ll see about that," Mia promised, determined.

    The young human wasn''t the type to let things happen when someone tried to impose something on her that she didn''t want. Even for details, she fought mercilessly when faced with what she considered to be an injustice. Her free will was the driving force of her life, and her will would burn to defend it.

    No one, be it a human, a creature, or whatever, is going to force something like this on me. Human or not, vila or not, I am the only one deciding my life.

 Chapter 13

    Mia had finally left Arry and her boyfriend about twenty minutes later, deciding to give them some privacy. The young man seemed very friendly, and his interest in the redhead appeared genuine.

    At least he doesn''t look down on me just because I''m human. Sad to say, but that''s enough for me to offer him my friendship.

    The faces of her friends Eva, Lydie, and Maxime came to her mind again. She allowed herself a pang of heartache and melancholy as she made her way to her destination.

    What are they doing right now? How have they been coping with my disappearance?

    It hadn''t even been a month since she arrived here. If time flowed the same way in her world and the one she was in, they must still be in mourning, gradually realizing that she wouldn''t come back alive.

    Or they''re in some sort of delusion. It''s not like they found my body down there. They might have all been put in a psychiatric hospital for mass hysteria...

    A girl falling from a building with no trace of her body was certainly sounding like a crazy story. Or a lie. Given that they were intoxicated that night, Mia could easily bet that no one believed them. Nevertheless, her disappearance was real, and it must have caused them some issues with the authorities. Especially with such an unbelievable story.

    Well, it wasn''t them who had ended up in a world inhabited by mythical creatures as the only human. They would recover from her disappearance and eventually come to terms with it, she knew that. But as for her...

    I''ll probably end up spending my life here, let''s not kid ourselves. That is, if I''m not killed before that. Maybe I should seriously consider searching for a way back...

    Passing by the notice board in the grand hall, her eyes stopped at a piece of paper pinned to the center of the bulletin board. About ten students had gathered around the board, discussing the contents of the note. A few hateful or annoyed glances were directed her way as she squeezed through the group to inquire about the message, but she ignored them as usual. She wasn''t going to give them the satisfaction of showing fear just after being attacked. She had just narrowly escaped death; a few unpleasant glares weren''t going to give her goosebumps.

    It was a message from the headmaster announcing that a meeting would take place at the arena (the only place big enough to accommodate all the students) tomorrow morning at ten a.m. Mia repeated the time several times in her head to remember it before stepping away from the group.

    Before she could move further, a hand grabbed her arm. The young woman startled and tried to control her racing heart as a female face with black hair approached her ear.

    "Let me give you a piece of advice: be careful and be wary of everyone. You became a target the moment your vila protected you; you''d better keep him close by," she whispered.

    Frozen, Mia didn''t respond to the stranger. The woman released her and vanished into the crowd after delivering her message. Mia couldn''t quite tell if it was a threat or a warning, although she leaned towards the latter. Her grip was firm but devoid of aggression, and her tone wasn''t menacing.

    Still, this isn''t very reassuring.

    Was her new life going to be defined by receiving threats and narrowly escaping death?

    Don''t talk to me about a second chance; it''s starting to look more like hell. Maybe I''m still dead after all.

    Dead or not, it didn''t change much about the situation. She needed to pull herself together quickly before attracting other creatures that might have similar unsettling words to whisper.

    Navigating the corridors to the library was a relatively easy task. Most students didn''t have classes, and few roamed the interior hallways of the castle. She hoped the library would be similarly deserted. She had some research to do about this vila and soulmate thing. Books held knowledge, and perhaps even the secret to getting out of this mess.

    The room was relatively empty, as expected. No one would come to study or educate themselves after such an event. On this point, the creatures seemed very human. It was much more appealing to take advantage of the disaster to excuse oneself from tasks deemed tedious for a day or two. And to discuss it. All day long. As if repeating the same phrases and facts would suddenly lead to a different conclusion.

    Of course, she had often acted similarly with her friends, soaking up rumors and participating in their dispersion, like everyone else. Not this time. She wasn''t out of the woods yet; she needed to move forward.

    In the end, I don''t feel like I have much of a choice. Apparently, the vila and I have something in common.

    It took her a good two or three minutes to find the section she was interested in within the vast library: ethnology. In this category were all the biological and sociological books about the different species of Istarea. Finding a book about vilas was a piece of cake.

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    Mia settled comfortably in one of the armchairs at the back of the library, betting that no one would disturb her when she was so well hidden.

    The book was an old work of a few dozen pages. Good, it seemed to get straight to the point. She reviewed the table of contents to find what she was looking for and quickly skimmed through the descriptive pages about the biology of vilas. She would eventually read it, but that wasn''t her immediate interest.

    Finally, she reached the section she had been waiting for: this story of a soulmate that promised to make her life miserable.

    ? The Bond or Curse

    Vilas are bound for life with their partner chosen by their inner vila. The nature of this bond is somewhat similar to the connection between a spirit animal and its individual. It''s also referred to as a curse since there''s no known way to escape the choice of this soulmate, except through death.

    The inner vila reveals itself during adolescence and begins seeking its partner early in its adult life. Once this partner is found, fulfilling the bond becomes the top priority of the vila. The longer the process, the harder its host will struggle to control the vila.

    For example, the vila might increase the production of pheromones to attract its partner, but it cannot force the bond. The vila is entirely dependent on the will of its soulmate. It cannot physically harm them.

    If the vila fails to complete the bond, it will slowly perish. If the partner, bonded or not, dies, the vila will let itself die. If the vila dies, its partner will also wither, provided they have already undergone their transformation.

    Once bonded, the nature of the bond can vary from couple to couple, depending on the intensity of the mutual affection of the partners. The partner gradually becomes a vila, abandoning the characteristics of their original specie. However, it''s important to note that, while they become stronger, they still don''t match an individual born a vila.

    This transformation doesn''t apply to humans. The inner vila is similar to a magical parasite. Since humans lack magical energy, the transformation isn''t applicable. Humans only gain in physical abilities. ?

    OK, that''s enough information for now.

    Mia abruptly closed the book, annoyed by what she had just read. If she didn''t give in, it would complicate things. If she resisted further, he would eventually die. But if she gave in, she''d be sacrificing her free will.

    What''s worse: throwing my freedom out the window or having someone''s death on my conscience?

    A small voice whispered to her that the second option was logically the worse, but she was stubborn and not ready to give in. Even if it was her own conscience trying to lecture her.

    After all, he hates the fact that I''m human; it''s pretty clear now, and I potentially even know why now. Maybe he''s looking for a way to die.

    She didn''t admit it to herself, but her supposed unwavering resolve had taken a hit with this new information. Her little voice repeated to her (even as she tried to silence it) that it was a losing battle, and she''d be better off focusing her energy on something else.

    "What are you reading?" inquired a male voice that startled her.

    When Mia looked up, she wasn''t surprised to see who had asked the question after reading the book about vilas. Ethan. Even so, she observed him for a few seconds before responding. The young woman had never taken the time to really look at him.

    He had blond hair, a few inches long, carelessly falling on either side of his eyes and ears, and dark lapis lazuli eyes contrasting with his porcelain skin. His sharp features and freshly shaved square jaw gave him a particularly severe and jaded look. He was taller than her, and Mia could sense that his muscles were sculpted beneath his clothing.

    He''s handsome, but a pretty face won''t change my mind. Especially not after seeing his crappy attitude.

    However, this time, no hostility showed on his features. He even seemed to be trying to be friendly. Unfortunately, Mia wasn''t in the mood to become buddies with him. Plus, she now knew that he couldn''t hurt her. She responded sarcastically:

    "Oh, suddenly my being human doesn''t bother you?"

    He bristled, clearly annoyed by her retort.

    "I wouldn''t have saved your life if it bothered me that much," he replied with a stern tone.

    Mia shook her head, clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth three times. She could be particularly arrogant herself. She stood up, placing the book back on the chair, positioning herself in front of the vila. The young woman was smaller, but she knew she had control of the situation.

    "You saved my life to save your own because you had no choice. I''ll thank you as a matter of principle, but that''s where it ends. I did some research after they explained the situation to me, you see. You might not have a choice, but I do. Let''s be clear, I don''t care that your parasite chose me, and I don''t care that it pushed you to protect me. It changes nothing. You''ve made it clear enough that you hate me because I''m human. You''ve condemned yourself by acting like an ass."

    If smoke could have come out of her nostrils and ears like an enraged dragon in the cartoons she watched as a child, the room would have turned into a smoke-filled chamber.

    "Yes, it royally pisses me off that you''re human; it complicates everything. But it doesn''t matter anymore."

    "Maybe for you, not for me," she retorted brazenly.

    "You have no idea what it implies."

    "And I don''t care. It''s your problem, not mine."

    "It became your problem when I saved your life. Everyone understands that my vila chose you. Your list of enemies has significantly grown, and these new enemies won''t be satisfied with just a few hateful glances."

    "Why? Why should I care when I want nothing to do with this bond?"

    "Because I also have a long list of people who''d like to see my family''s heads on spikes. Now they have leverage over me. If you don''t want to die, you should be concerned."

    Great. I didn''t do anything, and now I''m in the middle of a war between monsters.

    Mia''s sarcastic mood was replaced by dismay. She sighed, retrieved the book on vilas, and sat back down on the chair, then massaged her forehead and temples to organize her thoughts. Her interaction with the black-haired woman in front of the bulletin board now made complete sense.

    "So, basically, they''re going to want to harm me," she replied, unable to hide her annoyance. "And you''re going to stick around to protect me."

    "That''s right."

    "Do I have a choice?"

    "No."

    Mia sighed once more, a lengthy one. She didn''t know if she wanted to retreat to her bed and sleep to forget this entire situation or burst into laughter because this new development seemed so ridiculous. Nevertheless, she didn''t really want to die. She didn''t like having things forced upon her, but she couldn''t deny that she was up against a wall in this situation. She was stubborn, but she wasn''t suicidal. And besides... she still had at least one choice in the situation.

    "It doesn''t change the fact that I don''t like you and I won''t bond with you," she concluded.

    "As you wish," he sighed.

    Well, look at that, he''s suddenly quite obedient.

 Chapter 14

    Ethan had to make an extra effort to keep his calm in the presence of the young woman. She seemed to take great pleasure in making his task as difficult as possible, being as unbearable as she could. Perhaps he had won the battle regarding her protection, but he knew he was still far from winning the war.

    And deep down, he understood her. She was trying to hold on to the slightest bit of choice that still belonged to her. He didn''t have that luxury. This whole situation deeply annoyed him. He couldn''t even bring himself to hate her for choosing to let him die. If the roles were reversed, he would have made the same decision.

    Nevertheless, he had to admit that she had a strong personality, despite her small size and humanity. His inner vila seemed to appreciate that. It had chosen her, after all. Letting himself be tamed was the best way to win his partner. The idea didn''t please Ethan, but did he have a choice? The question wasn''t even up for debate. And besides... now that he had other battles to fight, the one against himself seemed much less important.

    Mia had retreated into silence, perusing her book absentmindedly. It was evident that she wasn''t reading a word of what was written. This left him standing next to the young woman, lost in his thoughts. He felt ridiculous. After a few minutes, she looked up with a sigh.

    "At least pretend to do something, I don''t know, it''s awkward... You don''t have to stand around like a post all day, you can move elsewhere too," she said, gesturing vaguely towards other seats.

    "No," he replied, putting his hands in the pockets of his canvas pants.

    It wasn''t that he was against the idea, but his vila pushed him to stay close to the human. At least this way, he could pretend to have some peace of mind. A small smirk stretched his lips as he could sense annoyance creeping back into her eyes.

    "Fine," she announced after a heavy sigh, slamming the book shut abruptly.

    Mia stood up from her seat, determined and fuming, heading for the exit of the library. He followed, positioning himself a few inches behind her. She walked at a brisk pace, but he had no trouble keeping up. When they crossed the entrance hall, a few students moved out of their way upon spotting the vila. He rewarded them with his most threatening look, head held high, and an imposing posture, challenging anyone to mess with him or the human. It wouldn''t be enough to deter the fiercest and most vengeful among them, but it was a small pleasure he willingly indulged in.

    Mia eventually exited the castle and headed towards the gardens. When she reached the first flowerbeds, she slowed her pace and turned to the young man, pointing her finger at an imaginary spot behind him.

    "You can follow me from a few meters behind here. I don''t even want to feel your presence, okay?"

    "Okay," he conceded, shrugging.

    Mia continued her journey among the flowers with a brisk step. Ethan positioned himself as she had asked, keeping a distance. He attempted to appreciate the scenery as well, but the continuous frustrated sighs of the young woman made it difficult. He didn''t know if he was annoyed by her feisty attitude or amused by the prospect that he managed to irritate her by his mere existence. Perhaps a bit of both.

    They quickly traversed the colorful gardens and reached the edge of the forest. This forest was frequently visited by the school''s students when they had some free time, unlike the centaur forest, which was off-limits to anyone not belonging to that species. It stretched for a few kilometers and was dotted with small clearings perfect for outdoor activities, accessible year-round thanks to the mild climate surrounding the castle.

    Ethan was used to going there only at night when he could venture without encountering a soul. That was absolutely not the case today.

    Mia stopped in front of the first trees of the forest and leaned against the trunk of a tree, her gaze directed toward the last flower beds. With her head against the bark, she closed her eyes for a moment, massaging her temples and exhaling deeply. Two seconds later, she pointed in another direction, this time just a few inches from his current position.

    "Sit."

    Ethan grumbled but still obeyed the young woman who smirked mockingly.

    Does she take me for her dog?

    "This isn''t going to work. I feel like I''m being followed by a creep. You''re not going to follow me all the way to my room, are you?"

    "No," he replied with a smile, although his inner vila was shouting the opposite. "Although it would be simpler if you moved into mine."

    Ethan chuckled, stifling his laughter with his fist, in response to Mia''s utterly outraged expression. He had to behave politely, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t tease her a little.

    "I''d rather die!"

    She answered him with slightly less irritation. Perhaps he had managed to lighten the mood a bit.

    "You''re safe in the infirmary. No one would be crazy enough to try to harm anyone amidst the fairies. They don''t fight, but they have eyes everywhere and can turn into real monsters if they sense a threat."

    "I''d love to see that," she smiled.

    "Trust me, you really don''t want to."

    And he knew what he was talking about. During his first year at the castle, his presence was unwelcome to some of his fellow students. It still was, but his enemies had learned to be more discreet. Back then, a vila had attacked him in a corridor in their quarters and had fiercely taken him on. After a few broken ribs and a punctured lung on his side, and an unconscious vila on the other, they were forced to report to the infirmary. Lily, Mia''s friend, was waiting for them, ready to give them a lecture for fifteen minutes in front of several students. He had never felt so humiliated and intimidated in his life. The memory still made him shiver two years later.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    The fairies could be quite terrifying when they felt it was necessary... They could completely change their appearance, transforming into a horrifying vision, a walking corpse straight out of a nightmare, and their voices became so high-pitched that they induced a persistent migraine. He had no doubt that if they wanted, they could shatter the eardrums of the fiercest creatures. They never attacked, but their long sharp-pointed nails in their harpy form could pierce the heart of any individual. Fortunately for them, the fairies were entirely pacifistic.

    "And how are you going to know when I leave the infirmary? As far as you know, I could sneak out of my room at any time, evading your surveillance."

    "Only if you want to die. Speaking of which, before you go in, I have something to give you. It''s an enchanted correspondence. You write something on yours, and I''ll receive your message on mine."

    "Yeah, it''s a phone, essentially," she said, completely unimpressed.

    "A what?"

    "A... Never mind, it''s a thing from my world."

    Ethan didn''t press further, not very curious about the subject, and continued as if nothing happened."It''s an item worth a small fortune. I advise you not to lose it. You can let me know when you plan to go out. We''ll pick you up before you return to the infirmary."

    "Alright, let''s go now. We don''t have anything better to do, and anyway, there''s been enough of your presence for today."

    Ethan nodded as he stood up. His vila wasn''t happy about parting from the young woman, but his mind approved of his decision. The less she left the infirmary, the less babysitting he''d have to do.

    He led her through the castle to the vila quarter. This area was smaller than the other wings of the structure since there were far fewer inhabitants, but it was relatively cozy. Magical wall sconces illuminated the small corridor that led to several rooms. At the end of the corridor, there was a small lounge adorned with a few armchairs and sofas, an imposing chandelier, and bear skin rugs. The chandelier wasn''t magically powered during the day as small skylights naturally lit the room, giving it a peaceful and intimate ambiance. Nevertheless, despite the pleasant setting, no one used it. The vilas didn''t particularly enjoy mingling.

    Before he passed through the arch marking the boundary of his quarter, Mia stopped, nervous.

    "Maybe I should wait for you here. I don''t want to encounter other vilas..."

    "So, staying alone in the middle of the corridor seems like a better idea?" he retorted, raising an eyebrow mockingly.

    She mumbled something under her breath before resuming following him. He chuckled quietly, convinced he had heard something like "no need to mock me, you big jerk."

    When Ethan arrived in front of his room, he unlocked the door and swung it wide open. He had never bothered to lock it, considering that no one would dare to rummage through his belongings, and the most precious items were already sealed in his office. However, the new turn of events had convinced him to be more cautious.

    Mia didn''t dare to step beyond the doorway, but he didn''t take offense. After all, he was still a stranger to her. A stranger who had insulted her during their first encounters and had dragged her into a situation that exceeded her understanding. He couldn''t blame her for being completely uncomfortable.

    After checking that no one but Mia was looking into his room, he slid his hand into the middle drawer and pushed a small square false ceiling a few centimeters wide and long, using his index finger to retrieve the hidden key. Replacing everything, he heard Mia chuckle behind him.

    "Isn''t that a bit excessive?" she laughed.

    "Until the day it isn''t," he smiled.

    In a matter of seconds, he retrieved the enchanted correspondence sheets. One of these papers was linked to another parchment, the latter held by his parents. Fortunately, he was prepared and had brought with him two copies in case he needed to communicate with someone else. It''s not like his family couldn''t afford it.

    When his eyes fell on the first paper, his body froze, and his heart chilled. It was the correspondence destined for his mother, and she had left him a message that he deeply dreaded reading.

    "What''s wrong?" Mia asked, taking a step forward.

    Ethan took the time to separate the copies and placed the one he didn''t need immediately on his desk. He''d deal with that later. He didn''t want to add another worry to the young woman.

    "Nothing, just a message from my family," he quickly replied, turning to the blonde and handing her the sheet.

    She seemed doubtful but didn''t comment, simply taking the object and examining it.

    "I don''t have anything to write on it."

    "Here, I have a spare."

    He grabbed his quill and inkwell from his desk and passed them to Mia, who rolled her eyes.

    "A quill... Of course."

    "What were you expecting?"

    "Nothing... nothing," she replied, with a smirk.

    Ethan furrowed his brow but let it go once again. He had to remember that she came from a different world, and it might not be similar to his. Something he found difficult to imagine. And he didn''t particularly want to imagine it anyway.

    "Let''s go," he announced, leaving his room and locking it.

    He accompanied the young woman in complete silence back to the infirmary. Mia seemed lost in her thoughts, and he was too busy scanning the surroundings and glaring at anyone who dared to cross their path. She waved him a small goodbye gesture and disappeared into the fairy quarters.

    His inner vila grumbled as he saw her move away, but he ordered it to be silent. He had to deal with this correspondence as soon as possible, and he needed a clear mind.

    Back in his room, he sat down on his chair and picked up the first sheet, scanning it. His mother''s elegant calligraphy mirrored her personality: cold, precise, confident. As usual, her words were direct.

    ? I''ve heard rumors about you, regarding a human. I hope it''s not what I think. You know what will happen otherwise. ?

    Well, at least she had chosen to question him through correspondence rather than paying him a visit. He could still lie and deny all this, but she''d eventually discover the truth sooner or later. All he could do was buy them some time. Digging into one of his desk drawers, he pulled out a new quill and inkwell.

    ? Hello, Mother. They are baseless rumors. With the death of the werewolf, emotions are running high, and some have taken it upon themselves to seek revenge and play dirty. ?

    Ethan sighed, unsatisfied with his response but decided to send it nonetheless. He tapped the tip of his quill on the paper twice, making his message disappear, and remembered that he forgot to explain the gesture to Mia. That''s what he promptly did, grabbing the sheet linked to his own and writing a few words.

    He smiled as a response appeared on the paper a few seconds later.

    ? You could have mentioned it earlier. ?

    ? I forgot, I''m not perfect, ? he wrote as a reply, expecting her to seize the opportunity to insult him.

    ? You''re right, it''s not even close to one of the last words I''d use to describe you. ?

    ? Haha. ? He had asked for it.

    ? I''m going to have a meal in the infirmary and stay there for the rest of the day. No need to take care of me today. Tomorrow at 9:30 in front of the infirmary, OK? ?

    ? OK. ?

    After checking for any new messages from Mia or his mother, Ethan put away his correspondence and stretched, feeling relieved. He was nervous about waiting for his mother''s response, but he preferred to focus on the comfort that the good will the human showed provided.

    In the end, it hadn''t gone as badly as he feared. They even managed to exchange a few sentences on friendly terms, in a slightly more relaxed atmosphere than their previous confrontations. If their relationship continued to develop positively, perhaps he wouldn''t have to die...

    She might have a temper, but letting someone die, I don''t think she''s capable of that...

    And he hoped he was right, because deep down, he didn''t want to lose his life any more than she did.

 Chapter 15

    Mia woke up around eight in the morning, just like almost every day since she arrived here. She stifled a yawn as she got out of bed, never having been particularly fond of mornings. The blonde had always been a night owl, but she had to adapt to the schedule based on the day and night that governed life here. It''s not like she could go bar-hopping with her friends or hang out on her laptop all evening.

    She had dinner at the infirmary the previous day, as she had told Ethan. Lily had brought lunch baskets to Andrei''s room, and Mia ended up having dinner with her fairy friend, the two magicians, and Oz. Mia had given them a general overview of what had happened with Ethan a few hours earlier, receiving a mix of concerned looks regarding her involvement in events that shouldn''t concern her and relief that the vila had decided to protect her.

    They had parted ways a few minutes after finishing their meal, with Andrei having permission to leave and join the magician''s quarter. Arry had naturally accompanied him after bidding her two friends goodnight. Lily had returned to her room shortly after, still tired from the past two days.

    Around eight forty-five, Mia left her room to have breakfast with Lily. The fairy was in the process of collecting the used sheets from the rooms where patients had been able to leave the infirmary that morning.

    "I''ll be right there, go ahead and sit," the fairy announced as she crossed the hallway.

    Mia didn''t need to be told twice and settled into one of the armchairs in the infirmary''s hall. All the fairies had breakfast here, but Mia rarely encountered them since she woke up later than they did. However, they were aware of her habits since they often left some fruit along with a pastry or two on one of the small coffee tables in the hall. The young woman never ceased to be touched by the kind attention the fairies showed her.

    Lily appeared a mere five minutes later. She used her powers to heat the tea water, placing her hands on the coffee maker and setting down two steaming cups next to the food. Mia, having no idea how to boil water without magic, left the task of preparing the beverage to Lily. After a few days, their routine was well established.

    "Are you going to the arena for the director''s announcement?" Mia asked.

    "I''m not sure... We still have quite a bit of work due to the way the tournament unfolded. Usually, Elisa handles these kinds of meetings when we''re swamped, and she gives us a report afterward. Besides, you''re going with Arry and Andrei, right?"

    "Ethan is accompanying me; I don''t know if they''ll want to tolerate his presence. I''d understand if they don''t, though," Mia sighed.

    "Yeah, I guess they''ll have to get used to it if he''s not planning to let me go out alone anymore."

    Mia sighed once again, sinking back into the armchair, disheartened. It wasn''t because she had given in to his oppressive presence that the situation didn''t frustrate her. She wouldn''t even be able to spend peaceful time with her friends outside the infirmary if he intended to watch her incessantly. She still had the option to lie about her comings and goings, but she''d never been one to resort to lies. After the events of the tournament, tensions were still high. If things calmed down, she might be able to negotiate some freedom.

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    "It''s annoying. It''s even more frustrating knowing he''s doing it against his will. If only he didn''t secretly despise me, it would be somewhat bearable. I think I preferred it when he was trying to intimidate me. At least then, he actually meant it."

    Lily chuckled quietly, stifling the sound with her hand.

    "What?" Mia asked, annoyed by the feeling that her friend was making fun of her.

    "Since you''ve arrived here, you''ve been handling things incredibly well. You''re told you''re in another world, it''s OK, that it''s populated by legendary creatures, it''s OK, that you''re potentially in danger, it''s more or less OK. You didn''t have a choice in any of this, and it didn''t particularly offend you. But with Ethan and this soulmate situation..."

    "It''s not the same," Mia grumbled.

    "What bothers you, then, in all of this? And don''t tell me it''s because you don''t like not having a choice. You''ve resigned yourself quite well to your life here, rather quickly I might add," Lily interjected, raising her hand as Mia was about to protest.

    "It''s not the same," she repeated. "Now that he''s constantly on my back, I''m not even free to move as I please! I have to account for my whereabouts, I''m completely dependent on him as soon as I leave the infirmary! I feel like a damsel in distress with her watchdog. And this bond thing... How could I agree to the supposed great love story of my life, which I didn''t choose, happening with someone who despises me for who I am?" Mia burst out.

    "I see," Lily replied, smiling mischievously. "I didn''t know you were so romantic."

    Mia sighed deeply, sinking a little further into the armchair, trying to blend into it. Lily continued:

    "You know, we''re mostly worried because these are complicated times, and this situation is poorly timed. But, deep down, it''s not a bad thing. Some may call it a curse, but I see it as a blessing. The bond between a vila and their soulmate goes beyond love, it''s something strong and beautiful to witness, and probably wonderful to experience. I understand that the damsel in distress role bothers you, but he''s right. After what happened at the tournament, you''re not safe here. And you know it very well, since you''ve accepted him to accompany you everywhere, even if you''re not thrilled about it."

    "It doesn''t change the fact that he hates me deep down. Even if I genuinely accepted all this, a part of me would always be stuck on the fact that he would have preferred anyone else over me. And that''s not something I can accept."

    "Then show him you''re not who he thinks you are?"

    Mia jumped up from her chair in indignation.

    "Really? It''s not up to me to make an effort!" the blonde shouted.

    Lily sighed, raising her hands in front of her, trying to calm her friend.

    "Alright, alright. You should hurry, you''re going to be late."

    Mia''s gaze turned to the old wooden clock, indicating that indeed, it was more than time to leave. Not that she was particularly eager to be on time to meet Ethan, but she didn''t want to miss the director''s announcement. After all, she had experienced the tournament disaster head-on.

    After waving a goodbye to her fairy friend, Mia left the tranquility of the infirmary, feeling a knot in her stomach. She wished she had time to think about this conversation before confronting the vila, not knowing which way to turn anymore. Lily had a point, even if she didn''t like it. Should she at least try to be friendly with him? Would that really make the situation more bearable?

    Oh well, screw it, as I told Lily, it''s not up to me to make the effort.

 Chapter 16

    Ethan waited for Mia, leaning against the bricks of the infirmary door. His entire face bore the boredom he was assaulted with. When he saw the young human approaching, he straightened up to greet her aloud.

    Mia sighed and responded with a vague wave of her hand, not feeling like addressing him immediately. The young vila raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

    "Still in such a good mood, I see," began Ethan, teasing.

    Another sigh from Mia.

    "Let''s go," she ordered, taking the lead, ignoring his remark.

    Ethan positioned himself behind her, letting her set the course. They crossed the corridors and the hall in silence, neither of them wanting to start a polite conversation. Besides, Ethan was too busy scanning the surroundings and sending fierce glances to the students who crossed their path.

    Mia''s stoicism in the face of the situation surprised him. She moved with her head held high, as if the space belonged to her and she had nothing to fear. He had to admit, he expected her to be at least uncomfortable, at worst terrified. Did she truly realize the mess they had involuntarily gotten themselves into? Humans were particularly vulnerable to creatures like those at the Arena. How could she ignore this fact and not act accordingly?

    Arriving at the entrance to the arena tunnel, annoyance began to creep in. They hadn''t exchanged a single word during the journey. Even though he tried to convince himself that he preferred them to completely ignore each other, pretending that this whole situation didn''t exist, his inner vila wasn''t pleased with the situation.

    When they passed a few groups of students chatting near the stands and headed to seats a few meters away, he couldn''t hold back any longer.

    "Is this really how it''s going to be? Pretending I''m not here, as if everything''s normal?" he blurted out, taking a seat next to the young woman.

    She glanced at the vila and twitched, apparently annoyed by his questions. Her gaze was impenetrable, revealing nothing of her thoughts, completely closed off. It was a reaction he hadn''t witnessed in the young human before. He didn''t like it. Sharp remarks, insults, anger, he could deal with all that. But nothing? It was almost hurtful.

    "How did you think it was going to go? Did you think we''d become best buddies?" she retorted venomously.

    To say he was surprised would be an understatement. He certainly hadn''t expected so much contempt. His inner vila roared, unhappy with the young woman''s reaction. It urged him to resolve things, as if it were his fault, as if he had done anything to earn her wrath.

    Had he done something to make it so?

    No, we parted ways amicably yesterday. I have nothing to blame myself for.

    "Did something happen last night or this morning?" he tried calmly, this wasn''t the time to worsen the situation.

    Mia''s tense posture broke. Her shoulders slumped as a long sigh escaped her lips. He hadn''t noticed how nervous she was before these signs. Ethan''s mind raced as he awaited the blonde''s response, already imagining that something serious had happened when he couldn''t watch over her.

    The contempt had vanished from her eyes, replaced by hesitation, as she finally spoke:

    "No, it''s... nothing...," she began weakly before recovering, now displaying a determined expression. "Listen, I''m still struggling to get used to this whole situation. I don''t know how to handle you."

    "How so? You seemed quite sure of how to handle the situation yesterday. What changed?"

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    Ethan wasn''t particularly sociable. One couldn''t really say that he had many friends, or even any friends at all. He wasn''t the type to trust just anyone, let alone stick his nose into matters that didn''t concern him. He already struggled to understand his male peers, let alone a woman... He was navigating uncharted waters. He wasn''t accustomed to dealing with such rapid changes in behavior.

    "It''s just that..."

    Her words were cut off by the distinct sound of horns, demanding the attention of the students. Lost in his thoughts, Ethan hadn''t noticed that the stands had filled considerably, and the Director had made his appearance, getting ready to begin his speech. Mia immediately shifted her focus away from the vila, turning her attention to the platform above the stands where the faculty and administration were located.

    "Good morning, everyone!" greeted the Director as he stepped forward. "Let''s not waste time beating around the bush; I know you''re all eager to know what comes next and the results of the investigation."

    A few laughs and exclamations arose, confirming the Director''s words.

    "First of all, classes will resume starting tomorrow..."

    A buzz of conversations drowned out the rest of his speech. Many seemed disappointed and clearly hoped that classes would be canceled for a few more days. Ethan rolled his eyes, not the least surprised by his classmates'' behavior. Those blissfully concerned only with the resumption of classes as their sole worry seemed quite ridiculous to him.

    "Please, a little silence," he requested, raising his voice. "Let''s get to the tournament."

    The students'' voices died out instantly, leaving the place in an awkward silence. Ethan''s gaze shifted toward the large group of werewolves seated on the opposite side of the rows of stands. He had never seen them so united, which did little to reassure him. From afar, he spotted some individuals whispering, others clenching their fists, but all wore stern expressions.

    "I won''t go into the details of the investigation, but rest assured, we found nothing to suggest deliberate actions. Everything indicates that the events resulted from an unfortunate chain of accidental occurrences."

    The Director paused, his expression somber. He knew that what he had just announced wouldn''t please the werewolves, who didn''t hesitate to protest. Shouts rose, demanding a more meticulous continuation of the investigation or demanding the name of a culprit.

    "Let it be clear, we don''t know who''s behind these actions. No witness could clearly identify who was involved in that battle once the miasma had spread. However, we will not tolerate any retaliation."

    The Director''s gaze was firmly directed at the werewolves, who didn''t seem inclined to regain their composure. The volume of their protests decreased, but the sound of their whispers still filled the area.

    "Did they interrogate you?" Mia suddenly asked.

    "No, what about you?"

    "No," she replied simply.

    It was a straightforward innocent question, but Ethan couldn''t help but find it somewhat strange. They had been directly affected by the events of the tournament, and yet no one deemed it necessary to gather their testimony. Should he find that suspicious?

    They probably deduced we couldn''t see anything from up there anyway

    The issue with the werewolves was more pressing, even if there was very little he could do about it. Tension hung in the school, and it was clearly palpable. He highly doubted that it would dissipate in a matter of days. One of their own had died; this wasn''t just a minor quarrel in a hallway.

    "To end on a more cheerful note, we''ve decided to organize a masquerade ball next weekend to ease tensions. The entire castle will be requisitioned for the occasion. Details will be posted on the bulletin board soon," concluded the Director. "Have a good day, everyone!"

    He disappeared along with the rest of the administration and teachers, leaving the students to discuss and leave the arena at their own pace. As expected, some were excited about the news, while others displayed indignant expressions.

    "It''s not a bad idea, but I don''t think it will really ease tensions," remarked someone behind them, a voice Ethan struggled to recognize.

    Mia turned around and stood up, a smile on her face when she saw her friend Arry with another magician. They glanced at Ethan for a moment, then decided to act as if he wasn''t there. Which suited him just fine.

    "What are you planning to do today?" the young man inquired, addressing Mia.

    The blonde gave a quick glance to Ethan, hesitant, before replying, "I don''t know... Maybe borrow a book and read it in the infirmary..."

    "Oh," Arry exclaimed a little disappointed. "We planned to take a walk by the lake and have a picnic around noon. We thought we''d invite you, Lily as well."

    "I''m not sure..."

    "If you change your mind, meet us at half past eleven in front of the gardens!"

    The two magicians left the stands, leaving them alone again.

    It was pretty obvious that Mia wanted to join her friends but hesitated because of the vila''s presence. Unfortunately, he wasn''t going back on his words. If she wanted to go, he would go as well, whether she liked it or not.

 Chapter 17

    Mia hadn''t uttered a word as she made her way to the library. Her neck ached from her nervousness. Ethan was right behind her, impassive. She really wanted to join her friends. The prospect of a walk outside, accompanied by a distraction from her conflicting thoughts, seemed particularly tempting. If only she could go without the vila tagging along. Which, apparently, wasn''t an option.

    When they reached the library doors, Mia turned to the young man, who was wearing a smug smile, about to speak before he was interrupted by her.

    "No."

    "You don''t even know what I was going to say!" she complained.

    "Oh, I do," he chuckled. "You were going to try to convince me with some ''everything will be fine with my friends, you don''t need to come, they can protect me'' argument or something like that."

    "Tss," she hissed, grinding her teeth, annoyed.

    Ethan quietly laughed as Mia pushed open the library doors and entered the sacred place. She didn''t really appreciate being so predictable, especially when the vila took such delight in teasing her right afterward. All of this just to ask for something she knew he would refuse.

    She ignored him, sulking, as she browsed the shelves in search of a book to read. Ethnology, magic, architecture, history, herbology... Nothing seemed appealing to her. Even looking up information about the human genocide felt incredibly dull. Of course, she was curious, but the idea of confining herself to the infirmary while her friends were having fun outside seemed terribly bland.

    "Alright, fine," she sighed, "you win."

    A victorious smile appeared on the vila''s lips, which made Mia feel murderous.

    Don''t get used to it, she thought, sending a dark glare at the young man.

    They headed to the infirmary, still having about half an hour to spare. Since Lily would be joining the group, Mia had decided to arrive early and help her with the morning tasks if she hadn''t finished them yet. At least it would keep her occupied.

    Lily called out to her friend as soon as they entered, not remotely concerned about the vila''s presence. The fairies rarely took sides.

    "Ah, Mia!" she exclaimed, joyful.

    She greeted Ethan with a simple nod, devoid of hostility, which he returned with composure before turning her attention back to her friend.

    "We thought you might need some help before leaving," explained Mia.

    "I was just about to head to the cafeteria to pick up our picnic basket. You''re welcome to come with me, and then we can wait for Arry and Andrei together," she offered, winking at Mia.

    The blonde furrowed her brows, perplexed by the fairy''s gesture. However, she quickly forgot about it as they made their way to the cafeteria. Lily shared a few anecdotes from her morning that Mia listened to attentively during the journey. Her friend''s enthusiasm was contagious, and her gloomy mood began to dissipate. She even managed to completely ignore Ethan, who was two meters behind them, giving them a semblance of privacy.

    Lily entered the kitchen and returned a few seconds later with the picnic basket, which she thrust into Ethan''s hands without warning. Out of reflex, he grabbed the object to prevent it from falling to the ground, but he immediately shot a stern and displeased look at the fairy, as if to say, ''Do you think I''m your servant?''. She giggled, quickly joined by Mia in laughter, as they left the cafeteria and headed towards the castle''s entrance.

    Arry and Andrei were already waiting, ten minutes ahead of the established time. They were engrossed in a passionate discussion but turned to greet their friends with smiles when they spotted them. Arry''s smile briefly turned into a discreet grimace upon seeing the vila, which she quickly erased to hide any discomfort. It was evident that she wasn''t very comfortable in his presence, which pained Mia. Oz, for his part, kept his distance from Ethan, preferring to observe from a few meters behind.

    "Don''t worry, she''ll get used to it," Lily whispered to Mia before joining them.

    I wish she didn''t have to get used to it, but oh well, Mia thought.

    Ethan remained true to himself: unperturbed and silent, hands in his pockets. This time, he stayed close to the group, which Mia noticed with relief. At least she could almost pretend that the situation was normal. In a large group of friends, there was always that one person with whom you had the least affinity or even disliked but tolerated because they were friends with the rest of the "gang." Ethan was that person. Ignoring him was all she had been trying to do since the beginning of the morning.

    They chatted merrily during the thirty-minute walk to their destination. Mia had no idea where they were heading, but she trusted her friends to have chosen a beautiful spot. They traversed a few hundred meters of forest, zigzagged left and right, and finally arrived at the edge of the woods.

    "It''s a bit far, but we shouldn''t encounter other students here," Arry explained to Mia.

    Indeed, the young human was starting to feel a slight fatigue in her legs, and her pulse quickened with the effort. She had never been much of an athlete, and it had to be said that her situation hadn''t improved upon arriving at the Arena, but the scenery that unfolded before her was undoubtedly worth the two and a half kilometers they had covered.

    The landscape consisted of a wide meadow full of flowers, surrounding a small lake, itself encircled by a beach made up of sand and small pebbles. It didn''t seem as comfortable as the fine sandy beaches in her world, but it was authentic and natural. The blue sky, the gentle caress of the sun, and the birds'' cries gave the place a magical appearance. Mia immediately felt soothed and light as cotton as she crossed the meadow to get closer to the lake.

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    Oz, who had accompanied them on the journey, quickly headed back into the forest after exchanging a glance with his mistress. Mia watched the animal''s fur disappear at the edge of the woods, curious. The pair didn''t often separate.

    "He''s going to hunt," Arry explained.

    Mia then observed Andrei closely, who promptly cleaned a section of the beach using an intriguing spell. He had merely placed his hand on the ground, uttered a few words, and the pebbles sank deep into the sand, leaving the area clean and ready for their setup.

    "I usually use this spell to create quicksand, but it has its uses in situations like this too," Andrei explained to the young human with a wink.

    Mia smiled and nodded. She preferred to see this kind of constructive magic: harmless, used simply to help someone or make life easier. The tournament experience had somewhat put her off offensive magic, or at least when she was a direct witness to it.

    Ethan, whose presence she had momentarily forgotten, placed the picnic basket on the prepared area and sat down, observing the lake with a bored expression. Mia''s three friends took off their sandals and placed them a little meter away, disturbing the sand around Ethan, who got some inside his closed shoes. He swore discreetly as he took them off, causing giggles from Mia and Lily.

    Mia quickly discarded her sandals too, eager to join her friends who were already wading in the shallow waters of the lake. The warm water tickled her toes, and she felt her body invigorated by the sense of well-being that enveloped her as she made contact with the lake. She wouldn''t describe it as warm, but the gentle rays of the sun more than compensated for the temperature of the liquid.

    "Watch your step," Lily cautioned, her nurturing nature taking over. "Some stones can be slippery."

    "I''m not made of glass, you know," Mia laughed, wading into the lake until the water reached her knees, dampening the bottom of her beige dress.

    If she had turned around and caught the look Ethan gave her after her remark, she might have strangled him right then and there.

    Mia might not have been a fragile little thing, but she hadn''t escaped Lily''s prophetic warning. Andrei had decided to playfully spray Arry with water, and Mia, trying her best not to be collateral damage, ended up stepping where she clearly shouldn''t have. Her body fell backward as she lost her balance, and she found herself completely submerged in a rather inelegant splash.

    Slightly dazed from the unexpected fall, she managed to get back on her feet, realizing that Ethan hadn''t wasted any time admonishing his friends and was now grabbing her arm to help her stand.

    Fortunately, they had ventured a bit further into the lake, and the water was only at mid-thigh level, which was more than enough to soften her fall (that, along with the flat landing that caused the splash) and she emerged without any injuries, except that she was now soaked to the bone.

    "Can''t you guys be more careful? Seriously!" Ethan roared, still holding onto her arm.

    "Oh come on, she''s fine," Arry retorted, rolling her eyes. "No need to be so dramatic."

    Ethan finally released her when he realized that Arry was right. Mia rearranged a few strands of hair that had fallen in front of her face, and she looked at her friends for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. They promptly joined in, except for Ethan, who decided to head back to the shore, not finding the prospect of his soulmate getting hurt amusing.

    Killjoy.

    Mia hadn''t felt this relaxed since arriving at the academy. Surrounded by her new friends, life felt as normal as it could be in a world inhabited by dangerous creatures. She still felt sadness when thinking about Eva, Lydie, and Maxime, but that feeling gradually faded, replaced by a simple nostalgia. They had often gathered at the pool or the sea to enjoy the summer temperatures. The group of friends always loved spending as much time as possible outdoors in each other''s company. The irony of her new trio of friends wasn''t lost on her. She had simply replaced them.

    Can I really be blamed for seeking friendly faces in a world seemingly determined to hate me?

    A rhetorical question. Once she arrived at that conclusion, Mia brushed away those gloomy thoughts and focused on the present moment. There was no use feeling guilty for things beyond her control. It''s not like she had chosen the direction her life had taken.

    "I''m going to dry off a bit over there," she said, shivering and pointing to their picnic spot.

    Spring temperatures or not, the air wasn''t very warm, and even the slightest breeze sent shivers through her limbs. The image of a nice, hot bath popped into her mind, like a distant dream. Her clothes clinging to her skin also wasn''t the most pleasant sensation.

    A detail that hadn''t escaped Ethan, who was fixating on the young human with clenched jaws. A mischievous smile formed on Mia''s lips. She wasn''t particularly modest, and the idea of teasing him just a little bit with something so simple seemed rather satisfying.

    "Something wrong?" she teased as she walked toward the vila, her mischievous expression still plastered on her face.

    He twitched, looking away, running his hand through his hair, clearly uncomfortable. Mia took advantage of the moment to stretch, raising her arms behind her head and pushing out her chest. She accompanied this with a little sigh of contentment as she cracked her neck, fully aware of the effect she had on Ethan. The action had lifted her clingy dress a few inches on her thighs, and her nipples proudly pointed through the fabric due to the cold and the friction.

    Ethan was struggling to appear composed, but his lips forming a thin line and his eyes burning with desire betrayed his emotions.

    When Mia finally sat down beside him, she felt utterly intoxicated by the control she had over the young man. That, coupled with the irresistible masculine scent he exuded. She placed her nails on his shoulder and slid them down to his hand resting on his knee. They then shifted to the inside of his thigh, slowly, sending shivers through him.

    "Stop," he ordered, gripping her wrist and pushing her away.

    "Why?" she whispered in his ear, inhaling his musky scent deeply.

    Frustration was starting to get the better of her due to the vila''s rejection. She had been caught in her own game. Her intoxicated mind had only one thing on its agenda: to press her lips against his and close the gap between their bodies. The presence of their friends a few meters away didn''t seem to matter in that moment. When Mia''s dark eyes met Ethan''s, he let out a plaintive growl, clearly engaged in an internal struggle that he didn''t intend to lose.

    "Because it''s the pheromones acting, not you," he explained through clenched teeth.

    Pheromones?

    A moment of clarity swept over Mia, freezing her in place. She wasn''t usually shy, but she had never been this forward. This wasn''t her. However, her desire seemed quite real. Although it quickly diminished, being replaced by embarrassment, it didn''t seem to disappear completely. Once the fire was lit, even if it was extinguished, the embers remained warm.

    The blonde raised her head to observe her friends, remembering their presence, fearing they had witnessed the entire scene. Andrei and Arry were still busy having fun and chatting, but she had no doubt that Lily had witnessed the events. The fairy gave her a mischievous little smile, to which Mia responded with a pleading look before burying her face in her palms when her friend showed no mercy or compassion.

    To her relief, Ethan didn''t comment on what had just happened. She didn''t even dare to look at him, afraid of his reaction.

    "Who''s hungry?" Lily asked, finally coming to the rescue of the young human.

    Two ''me''s quickly followed from the magicians as they rushed back to the shore. Mia wasted no time either, springing up to greet her friends and sitting beside them. She couldn''t help but want to put some distance between herself and the vila after what had transpired. Lily unpacked the picnic basket, revealing a bottle of grape juice, four sandwiches, and some fruits.

    "Ethan?" the fairy inquired, pointing to the food.

    "No thanks," he simply replied, sighing.

    Mia managed to force down a few bites of her sandwich to save face, but her appetite was clearly absent.

    Well, it''s going to be a long day, she lamented internally.

 Chapter 18

    It had been three days since Mia had retreated to the infirmary, avoiding Ethan like the plague. Lily had eventually taken pity on her friend and brought her some books to spare her the task of going to the library and running into the vila. Perhaps she should have gone herself, since the fairy seemed to take great pleasure in tormenting her by bringing back romance novels. She wasn''t particularly interested in discovering that Istarea''s love stories were very similar to those in her own world.

    The picnic had gone on rather normally after the accident, except that Mia had spent the rest of the time replaying the scene in her head and carefully avoiding eye contact with Ethan. Her friends had continued their discussions without paying much attention, except for Lily, who relentlessly pierced her with her inquisitive and mischievous gaze every time she made the slightest move.

    Since that moment, Lily''s eyes had been animated with a glow of ''I know what happened, and I know what will happen soon'' every time they landed on the young human, sometimes accompanied by a mischievous smile that Mia would have loved to wipe off her face. At least, she had the decency not to bring it up again.

    Out of the corner of her eye, Mia noticed a few words appearing on the enchanted paper she had placed on her newly acquired desk. She was tired of reading while lying in her bed, and had finally given in and asked for one. The young woman sighed as she used a makeshift bookmark (a piece of cloth) to keep her place in the book she was currently reading.

    ? Still determined to stay in your room? ? the message read.

    Mia rolled her eyes before grabbing her quill.

    ? Still determined to ask me that same question every day? ?

    The response came quickly.

    ? You won''t be able to avoid me for the rest of your life, you know that, right? ?

    ? Only until one of us dies. ?

    She crossed out the last sentence until it was nothing but a large black line, so he couldn''t decipher what she had written when she sent her next reply. It wasn''t necessary to push the sarcasm that far, especially since she didn''t mean it. Or at least, she didn''t mean it anymore. She could lie to herself as much as she wanted, but she couldn''t let someone die like that. Especially after their little accident, further proof that no matter how much she tried to fight the situation, the outcome would be the same: even her own body was starting to betray her.

    The door to her room suddenly opened, making her jump. For a moment, she feared Ethan had come to fetch her and drag her outside by force, but she was relieved to see it was only Arry and Andrei, with Oz a meter behind them.

    "Hey, Mia!" Arry called out, throwing herself onto Mia''s bed, clearly very enthusiastic.

    Mia shifted her chair with a sigh, placing it in front of the two magicians.

    "Still sulking?" her red-haired friend said with a big smile, as Andrei coughed into his fist, feigning exasperation at his girlfriend''s lack of tact.

    "I''m not sulking. I''m quietly reading in my room, my supposed haven of peace."

    "For three days?" the magician asked rhetorically, raising her eyebrows, clearly skeptical of her explanation.

    "Which basically means you''re sulking," added Andrei, earning a glare from Mia.

    The young man joined the redhead on the bed, sitting beside her.

    "What happened at the picnic? It''s obvious you''re avoiding Ethan," affirmed Arry.

    So, she got the confirmation that the two magicians hadn''t seen anything, and Lily hadn''t gone around telling everyone about the scene. She could at least find comfort in that fact.

    "I don''t want to talk about it."

    Denying that something had happened was pointless. She was starting to get to know Arry, and she suspected that her friend wouldn''t let the matter go otherwise. Arry let out a simple "oh," disappointed, but quickly regained her composure. After all, that wasn''t the main reason for her visit today.

    "Andrei invited me to the ball, but we thought it would be more fun if you and Lily came too!"

    "Do you really think it''s a good idea?"

    She could count at least three good reasons why it wasn''t a good idea: Having to go with Ethan, the possible repercussions from the death of the werewolf, and, oh, Ethan.

    "Come on! We''re going to have a blast, I guarantee it! It''s not the first ball they''ve organized, even though the last one was... last year. There''s a huge buffet, alcohol, music, and everyone''s generally in a good mood!"

    Mia had to hold back a laugh hearing her red-haired friend''s list of arguments. It sounded very much like what her friends on Earth would tell her to convince her to join them for a party when she wasn''t particularly inclined. The food, drinks, and music might not be the same between the two worlds, but it was clear that in any universe, young adults had similar expectations for a successful festive evening. And Mia had been to enough parties to know that they never went entirely as planned. Her pseudo-death was direct proof of that.

    "And the fact that there''ll be alcohol is supposed to reassure me? The thing that completely disinhibits you and makes you do stupid things? Aren''t you afraid the werewolves will go completely wild?"

    "The security will be reinforced, of course," explained Andrei. "Plus, they won''t even know who to attack. It''s a masquerade ball, everyone will conceal their magical essence to pass as another species. It would be foolish to blindly attack when there''s a chance they might assault one of their own."

    "Come on, please!" begged Arry, giving her best puppy-dog eyes. "Lily has already agreed, we just need you!"

    "Fine, fine," Mia yielded, raising her hands in the air in a futile attempt to counter the redhead''s excitement.

    She had never been hard to convince when it came to a festive event. Even when it wasn''t the right time or the best idea. It was important to have fun in life, and she needed to relax a bit.

    They spent the next hour discussing their ball attire. Since costumes weren''t in fashion, the dress code resembled a modern Venetian carnival: a fancy mask and an evening gown. Gradually, the infectious enthusiasm of the redhead began to overcome Mia''s anxiety, making her genuinely look forward to seeing the castle decorated for the occasion.

    It''s like a prom, except the students are creatures that can kill me in a few seconds, nothing to worry about! she thought ironically to herself.

    Her next activity after her friends'' departure brought her mood back to where it started: gloomy. If she had agreed to go to the ball, she now had to inform Ethan that he was expected to attend as well. It felt way too much like a disguised date for her liking.

    It''s not a date, it''s just for my protection, I don''t have a choice.

    ? I''m going to the ball with Lily, Arry, and Andrei. Just so you know, ? she wrote after pondering for a few minutes on how to inform him without it seeming like an invitation.

    ? Not without me, and it seems I haven''t been invited, ? was his response.

    Mia held back a scream of frustration, letting out only a muffled growl. Was he really going to make her ask him? Something told her he had written that sentence with a devilish smile, relishing in taunting her at this moment. And she had a feeling he wouldn''t let it go because he knew she wouldn''t go if he didn''t. After all, she had promised.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ? I''m a woman, I shouldn''t be the one asking, ? she tried, knowing it was the most clich¨¦ argument she could use. She didn''t even believe it herself.

    ? Then the woman won''t go to the ball. ?

    Did she really want to go that badly? The answer was, of course, no, not when the price was giving up her pride. But she had already accepted Arry''s invitation and didn''t particularly want to let her friend down. The magician would be extremely disappointed, and she might even hold it against Mia. The idea of upsetting her only friends seemed even more terrifying than setting aside her pride.

    ? Fine. Would you do me the immense honor of stalking me for my ''protection'' at the ball on Saturday? ?

    At least sarcasm helped to swallow the bitter pill of what increasingly seemed like a date invitation, no matter how she turned her words.

    ? Only if you leave your room before this weekend. ?

    Her grip tightened so strongly on her pen that she thought she was going to snap it in two. She took a long, deep breath to calm herself before responding.

    ? OK. Tomorrow. ?

    ? See you tomorrow then. ?

    Which gave her half a day to salvage the scraps of her pride and prepare to face the vila.

    The next day arrived far too quickly for her liking. The blonde had had a particularly hard time sleeping last night, her mind imagining a thousand scenarios of how their next meeting could go wrong. Eating breakfast had proven difficult with her lack of appetite, and she struggled to focus on her reading throughout the morning.

    Mia had informed Ethan in the late morning that she had decided to leave her room for a little walk in the early afternoon and was nervously awaiting his response. She would have preferred to postpone this confrontation as much as possible, but it was futile, especially since her anxiety was growing as the day went on.

    She had turned the situation over in her head several times and always arrived at the same conclusion: being stubborn wouldn''t make her life any less complicated. If they could at least maintain a friendly relationship, the prospect of him tailing her every time she set foot outside the infirmary might not seem so daunting.

    However... The question of her humanity remained a huge point of contention between the two. Even though he had claimed to have moved past it, she couldn''t be convinced. Especially since she still struggled to digest the fact that he could hate humans in the first place. And then there were his little sarcastic remarks that particularly infuriated her. Sooner or later, she would have to lay her cards on the table and initiate this discussion if she wanted to move beyond the current status of their relationship. Apparently, it was time to lean towards the "sooner."

    A small voice in the back of her mind also whispered that she was terrified of reenacting the picnic scene. If he hadn''t stopped her, how far would she have gone? That was a problem she couldn''t resolve simply by talking, which made it even more anxiety-inducing. It was, in fact, one of the reasons she had locked herself in her room for so long.

    She sighed at the task that apparently fell to her, as a response appeared on the parchment.

    ? I have a class in the early afternoon. Late morning or late afternoon? ?

    ? A class? What kind of classes do vilas have? ?

    ? Anthropology. It''s supposed to help us build a network. ?

    Mia had to admit she had never been interested in vila education schedules, especially since Ethan had never brought up the subject. She assumed they didn''t have classes, given they were here to find their soulmates. Her lack of knowledge about them wasn''t surprising, considering that once she understood this soul bond thing, she completely lost interest. Especially when it involved Ethan.

    She hesitated for a few minutes about the response she should give him. Late afternoon seemed to sum up as ''endless waiting and perpetual anxiety'' but late morning made her extremely nervous, as she''d have to throw herself into the lion''s den in less than two hours.

    In the end, she decided not to respond immediately, preferring to take a few minutes to relax. There was still a book in the pile Lily had brought her at the beginning of the week, and distraction seemed perfect at this moment. She picked it up and opened the first page to read the summary inside:

    ? Greya is a fighter from the Human Union, Kayn is a vila actively involved in the slaughter of Greya''s kind. Everything seems to oppose them. Yet, in the midst of a battlefield, they meet and discover they are soulmates. Heart-wrenching choices will be imposed upon them. Will their love transcend the war between their two peoples?

    Inspired by true events. ?

    "Nope, nope, nope," Mia repeated as she put the book down, cursing Lily. She was sure her friend had done it on purpose! It wasn''t that the book didn''t seem interesting. She enjoyed a good romance, and it seemed like another source of information about the wars before the genocide of humans. It was mainly that the situation of the protagonists resonated too much with her own. She was clearly not ready to read a love story with characters she could all too easily identify as Ethan and herself.

    Without further ado, she grabbed her quill and responded to the vila that the earliest time was perfectly fine for her. With no other distractions possible, it was better to stop delaying the inevitable.

    The parchment didn''t come alive with new words following her message. Mia decided to settle into her bed, waiting, since that was all she had left to do. Fifteen minutes later, as she was still wondering if he had read her reply, a knock brought her out of her thoughts.

    "He couldn''t have come looking for me this quickly, could he?" she wondered as waves of stress spread through her body.

    After a long breath to gather herself, Mia opened the door to find that her assumption was correct. A slight grimace escaped her. She hadn''t expected him to take her word so literally.

    "You said as soon as possible," he explained, shrugging his shoulders.

    "You... That''s true. Let''s go," she said, deciding it was pointless to engage in this battle.

    Especially with the one that''s coming up in a few minutes.

    They walked towards the edge of the forest in silence, with Ethan following Mia, who was walking at a slow pace. She tried to hide her nervousness as best as she could, but the vila''s silence only heightened her discomfort. They were supposed to be taking a walk, but the blonde''s mind just couldn''t appreciate the view of the flowery gardens that the academy''s territory offered.

    When they reached the tree she had used as a leaning post the previous week, she sat down, taking a deep breath. Ethan quickly followed suit, avoiding another condescending order from her, as she had done the last time. Before she could decide to speak, he beat her to it, apparently more impatient than she was.

    "So, what''s wrong? Is it because of Sunday? I know very well it wasn''t you, no need to stress about it."

    She sighed, thinking for a moment about her response. Beating around the bush would only prolong her torment.

    "Listen, I''ve had a lot of time to think about... all this. I think we should at least try to get along. I know it''s not what you''re expecting, but we could be... friends, if nothing else," she proposed, grimacing at the word ''friends.''

    Even for her, it was obvious that the term sounded wrong. Ethan''s eyebrows shot up to the ceiling, and a look of indignation appeared on his face. She mentally berated herself, immediately regretting using that particular word. She could already tell from the way the vila''s lapis-lazuli eyes darkened that she had just thrown gasoline on a fire.

    "Are you serious? My life is at stake, and you want us to be friends? Ignoring me, barking orders at me, giving me those withering glares, you don''t think that''s already complicated for me? Having to watch over you, follow you like a little dog, knowing you''ll let me die? And you think being friends will make it better?"

    "Probably better than now! You talk about yourself, but we''re in the same boat, I remind you! It''s not easy for me either, but at least I''m trying!" she yelled, her frustration getting the better of her as well.

    "Not easy for you? Are you kidding me? Your friends coddle you, and you have a guard dog, how is that not easy?! For fuck''s sake, you have no idea what''s happening..."

    Mia had jumped to her feet, fists clenched, before cutting him off:

    "Then talk to me! Instead of being sarcastic all the time, explain it to me!"

    "Because you let me talk, maybe? You think I want to talk when you ignore me or shout orders at me all the time?" he retorted, getting up as well, trembling with rage.

    Mia involuntarily took a step back in the face of the vila''s fury. She knew he technically couldn''t harm her, but he was still intimidating. However, she wasn''t ready to back down. She still had a few questions to ask, and now seemed as good a time as any.

    "Maybe if you didn''t hate what I am, it would be easier! Why do you hate humans? Because we''re inferior? Because we''re just insignificant insects in your eyes?"

    Mia''s head began to spin. Her breathing was erratic in the heat of anger, and the pheromones emanating from the vila were intoxicating. The dosage seemed particularly high when he was overcome by emotion.

    "Because you''re weak! Dozens of vilas withered away when their human soulmate died during the war! My own brother died for defending humans! Because you and all your allies got crushed! Do you know what it''s like to lose your soulmate for a vila? It''s a prolonged agony of several weeks during which you slowly lose all desire to live, only to eventually descend into madness and let yourself die! A death you wouldn''t even wish on your worst enemy!"

    As Ethan''s words found their way into her mind, Mia began to calm down. Understanding struck her as she realized he was terrified of suffering the same fate.

    "But the war is over, "she said softly, "no one is actively trying to kill us".

    She had said that to reassure him, but she knew it was a lie she didn''t believe herself. After the fireball incident and the warning from the student in the hall, something told her she was definitely not safe from other accidents, and Ethan was right to try to protect her.

    He sighed, relaxing slightly. Clearly, now wasn''t the time anymore for shouting. He approached until he was only a few inches away from the blonde and gently placed his palms on her cheeks.

    "You know that''s not true," he said plaintively, locking his gaze with hers.

    She felt like she was drowning, her muscles turning to cotton at the touch of his silken hands. Her eyes focused on the vila''s lips, independently of her mind, which was starting to panic at the idea of losing control over her body. Ethan moved his head closer, instinctively responding to the young woman''s call.

    When their lips were just millimeters apart, Mia looked up at him with a pleading expression. She wasn''t ready for their relationship to evolve in this direction. Not today, not after what she had just learned. She needed to step back, take a breather, and reassess. Ethan quickly understood her silent plea and stepped back two paces, sighing.

    "Let''s go back," he suggested, running his hand through his hair, resigned.

 Chapter 19

    Mia''s gaze landed on her reflection in the large mirror placed specifically in the infirmary''s hall for the occasion. She had donned her dress for the ball that was starting in thirty minutes, with the help of her friends, and she had to admit that Lily had outdone herself in the choice of the attire. They had discussed at length what they wanted and didn''t want, but Lily, as usual, had a completely different idea in mind.

    The dress had short sleeves and highlighted the young woman''s slender waist with a fabric belt, ending in a flared skirt that reached down to her feet. The chest was adorned with floral patterns and a generous neckline. A dress she could have found in her own world. All complemented by a pair of wedge heels concealed by the fabric of the dress. It was beautiful and flattered her figure, but it wasn''t the shape that was most striking. Lily had dared to choose a lapis lazuli color, reminiscent of the vila''s eyes.

    Once again, she had done it on purpose. Since the blonde had told her about the infamous argument, Lily had been relentless. They had spent yesterday and today together, and the fairy didn''t seem willing to let it go. Of course, this always translated into little remarks here and there, advice, discreet questions to gauge the human''s state of mind, but it was clear that she was determined to break down her last barriers, which, let''s admit, were relatively weak.

    If the vila''s hatred of her human condition was no longer a consideration, her last reason to fight against what her body seemed to want seemed quite fragile. She was still hesitant to dive into this relationship because the idea that she hadn''t had a choice didn''t leave her mind, reminding her that she hadn''t fallen in love with the vila and that she knew very little about him. Moving this relationship forward and stopping the battle against her morals because it was exhausting and inevitable wasn''t a valid reason. Even if Lily tried to reason with her, explaining that none of this was a problem and that everything would eventually work out perfectly if she finally decided to let go and let things happen.

    Mia was exhausted from repeatedly turning the problem over in her head.

    "Wow, Mia! You look stunning!" exclaimed Arry as she joined the two friends, wearing her own emerald-colored dress, perfectly contrasting with her fiery hair.

    "Thank you," smiled Mia, "you both look gorgeous too."

    Lily was dressed in a flowing dress with pastel colors of the rainbow, reaching mid-thigh. An outfit that extraordinarily matched the image of the fairies that Mia had from her past life. She was radiant and had a magical air accentuated by her delicate translucent wings.

    "We need to hurry, grab your masks. Andrei still needs to conceal our auras," encouraged Arry as she put on her own accessory.

    Conceal our auras? Mia silently wondered, looking at Lily in the hope that she would explain what the magician meant by that. A question to which she responded with a quick hand gesture indicating they would discuss it later.

    Mia hurriedly put her matching mask on her face, watching the other fairies head towards the exit, waving goodbye for their evening. Amidst the commotion, Andrei appeared in a gray suit, white shirt, and shoes. Even among the men, the fashion seemed to align with that of her world. He hadn''t yet put on his own mask.

    Arry rushed to her boyfriend, greeted him with a kiss, and then took his hands to lead him over to her friends.

    "Alright, are you ready? Have you decided what you want to conceal yourselves as?" Andrei asked the girls.

    "Werewolf for me, vampire for Lily." explained Arry enthusiastically.

    A flash of understanding hit the blonde. It wasn''t hard to put the pieces together and realize that their magical essence revealed their species, and for the sake of their disguise, they needed to change it.

    "And what about me?" asked Mia, unsure if she had a say in the matter.

    Her three interlocutors responded with a grimace before Lily decided to explain the situation.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    "Humans don''t have a magical essence, so we can''t change it."

    "Does that mean everyone will know that it''s... me?"

    A prospect that seemed dangerous.

    "It''s not something that''s so easily noticeable; one must intend to probe an aura," Arry continued calmly. "I''m sure people will be too busy enjoying themselves to notice anything. Besides, why would they bother scanning the aura of everyone they come across when everyone is in disguise?"

    "Arry is right," added Andrei, "you have nothing to worry about."

    The assurance from her friends eventually convinced her. And they had told her that security would be enhanced; no one would dare try anything under those circumstances, right?

    The next fifteen minutes were filled with Andrei''s spells. With a few words, the transformation was complete. However, Mia was disappointed to see that Lily''s wings were also concealed, even though it was obvious she couldn''t keep them without instantly revealing her identity.

    She struggled to understand what kind of magician the young man was. Logically, based on what she remembered, she would have classified him as a sorcerer. Yet, he always seemed to have a little spell at hand for various uses, as if he carried an entire arsenal just in case. He used his voice or gadgets that must have been purchased from other magicians. In broad strokes, his magic seemed to focus on traps and perception spells.

    Finally, they were all ready to leave and join the party that was taking place a few meters from the infirmary. Mia cast one last appreciative glance at her reflection before following her friends outside. She tried to conceal her growing nervousness as best she could, almost impatient to see the vila''s reaction to her outfit. A part of her couldn''t help but hope that he would find her as stunning as her friends did.

    And what a reaction it was indeed. The vila was waiting outside the quarter and immediately fixed his gaze on his soulmate, recognizing her right away. He didn''t show much, except for a slight upturn of the corner of his lips resembling the beginning of a smile and a darkened look that betrayed his appreciation. Mia didn''t know what she expected, but she was disappointed by the vila''s semi-impassivity. Nevertheless, she smiled at him to keep up appearances when he greeted her.

    She had to admit that he was also charming in his perfectly fitted black costume, with his hair slicked back, leaving only one or two blonde strands falling onto his porcelain face. The sarcastic smile that appeared when he caught her staring annoyed her as much as it embarrassed her, and she couldn''t help but blush. She took a deep breath to regain her composure and inhaled his pheromone-scented fragrance. They were subtle, but they seemed unwilling to let her go.

    A cocktail not to be mixed with alcohol...

    The corridor was already crowded with students talking and observing the newcomers and their outfits. The hall, however, was on a whole other level. That''s where the main festivities of the ball were taking place, as it was the largest room in the castle. Just like the corridor, it was ready to burst with people. It was adorned with magnificent banners, flowers, and a few tables offering food and drink. Candles illuminated the room, replacing the usual light of the grand chandelier, which was barely lit, giving it a particularly cozy and mystical ambiance.

    The exterior of the castle was also decorated with various fabrics and flowers. The light was provided by paper lanterns suspended in the air by a spell, Mia noted with astonishment. There was magic and then there was ''magic'', and she had no doubt that the scenery before her eyes was the most splendid of all.

    "It''s quite something when it''s decorated, huh?" exclaimed Arry, her eyes filled with stars.

    "Oh, absolutely," confirmed Mia.

    A small orchestra was set up near the gardens. It brought together musical instruments she didn''t recognize, but they sounded like those in her world. The resulting genre was a mix of classical and jazz music that made her want to move her body to the rhythm of the festive sounds.

    There was also a dance floor set up in the center of the square, bordered by colorful pieces of fabric and lanterns at the four corners of the installation. For now, it was devoid of dancers, as people focused on conversations and refreshments.

    What kind of dance do they practice here, anyway? Something resembling the waltz, I suppose?

    No one paid attention to her, which was a good sign. For once, she felt like she could blend into the crowd and pretend to belong to this world just like everyone else. A feeling that filled her with serenity.

    Ethan gently grabbed her arm to get her attention and whispered a few words:

    "Please, don''t wander too far and stay within my field of vision; I have a bad feeling."

    Mia raised an eyebrow but nodded to confirm that she understood the message. He let go, satisfied. However, it was evident that he was much more tense than usual. His shoulders were tense, and his gaze scanned the surroundings every few seconds, resting only on the silhouette of his soulmate to reassure himself that she was still by his side.

    "It''s okay, relax a bit," Mia resumed, trying to be reassuring. "Nothing will happen to me."

    He didn''t respond, deliberately choosing to ignore her attempt to calm him. Mia sighed and focused on her friends, who were discussing what drinks to have. The conversation was far more interesting than the vila''s warnings, as she was eager to discover what kind of alcohol was being enjoyed in this world.

    No need to fret; he''s doing enough of that for the both of us. Might as well have some fun!

 Chapter 20

    Ethan nervously watched Mia and her friends having fun on the dance floor. He had preferred to avoid the activity, especially since, after the few drinks that everyone seemed eager to consume, the kind of waltz practiced by the slightly tipsy revelers bore no resemblance to the coordinated and graceful dance he had learned alongside his mother. Needless to say, he didn''t share their inclination for alcohol, as he had a task that required his full attention. Fortunately for him, Mia had limited herself to two glasses of wine, and apart from her overflowing enthusiasm, she didn''t seem affected by the small amount of alcohol she had consumed. He had let her be, hoping she would have some fun even if he couldn''t relax himself.

    "Hey, Ethan!" called a voice he didn''t recognize.

    He instinctively turned his head left and right, trying to identify the source of the sound. Nervousness was starting to eat away at him from the inside. He had been on high alert for two hours straight, and his senses were starting to fail him. After a few seconds of trying to spot even one of his acquaintances who might have wanted to talk to him that night, he sighed, exhausted.

    Damn ball... Everyone knows it''s the perfect opportunity to stir up trouble...

    When his gaze settled where Mia and her friends had been just a few seconds ago, his heart skipped a beat. No sign of the young human anymore.

    Calm down, she probably just moved somewhere else... he tried to convince himself, frantically turning his head to catch a glimpse.

    Three seconds later, he decided to move and search the square and the hall, now transformed into a ballroom. His mind was trying to contain his stress, whispering soothing words to him, but his instinct kept telling him that something was wrong.

    After circling the room once without spotting Mia or her friends, panic began to take hold of him. He repeated the same process a second time, fearing he might have missed her, pushing aside the students in his way without any concern for their annoyed glances. Some shot him blacker looks than coal, but that was the least of his worries at this moment.

    Desperate, he stopped at the doors of the hall to regain his breath. His nerves were on the verge of giving in; his limbs trembled with apprehension.

    Calm down, try to focus...

    Ethan closed his eyes and took deep breaths as he let his mind and senses wander through and around the castle. He couldn''t clearly distinguish any magical signature: Mia was devoted to being human, and the other inhabitants of the Arena had concealed or modified their own magic to play the game of the masquerade ball. Nevertheless, he hoped to spot a strange gathering near the castle or anything that would give him a lead to find Mia.

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    "Damn it!" he shouted in frustration as his detection attempt didn''t reveal anything new.

    "Is something wrong?" inquired a female voice he immediately identified as Lily''s.

    Arry and her boyfriend followed, their brows furrowed. No sign of the human.

    "Where''s Mia?" he roared, almost desperate.

    "She... she''s not with you?" Arry asked, approaching, visibly concerned.

    "No! I thought she was with you!" he accused, his frustration evident.

    Andrei stepped forward, his face stern, placing himself in front of his girlfriend.

    "You''re the one supposed to be watching her, what the hell were you doing?" he said, his voice tight with irritation.

    "Easy, Andrei," Lily ordered in a low voice, placing a hand on his shoulder.

    Anyone could see that the vila was a bundle of raw nerves at that moment. A ticking time bomb ready to explode. Ethan was close to losing it, itching to hit the magician. His fist was so ready for this. His inner vila was eager to release his anger and stress on someone.

    "She said she was going to the bathroom and that there was no need to accompany her," the fairy added calmly, not wishing to escalate the situation.

    "She... fuck!"

    Ethan wasted no time rushing to the ground floor bathrooms. He had a very, very bad feeling, and it was confirmed when he tried to enter the women''s restroom. It was blocked from the inside, which never happened in the castle.

    He didn''t think; his instincts took over. With a shoulder thrust, the door gave way. The room was divided in two by a wall, with an arch in the middle. On one side, mirrors and sinks lined the wall, and on the other, there were lined-up stalls.

    Ethan swallowed the rage threatening to escape his lips. The room was completely empty. A deep nasal inhalation informed him he wouldn''t get anything with his sense of smell. Dozens of scents were mingling, rendering them unrecognizable. He had a keener nose than humans and magicians, but he wasn''t a vampire, let alone a werewolf. He wasn''t built for tracking prey. Burying his head in his palms, he struggled to think, but his brain was fogged by panic.

    As his mind slowly sank into despair, a breeze caressed his face. He immediately lifted his head and approached the window near the stalls. It was open, and a faint smell of blood wafted from the ledge. Up close, he could clearly see a few drops of the red liquid staining the gray brick.

    The vila rubbed his finger in the liquid and brought it to his nose, hoping to glean some useful information. His instinct told him it could only be Mia''s, but he wanted to be sure before searching the castle''s surroundings. If it was a false trail and she was still in danger inside the building... He might arrive much too late.

    His sense of smell confirmed that it was indeed hers. His heart was pounding so fiercely against his ribcage he felt it might give out at any moment, but he didn''t have a single second to spare.

    The vila agilely climbed out of the window ledge onto the damp grass outside. The opening led to the back of the castle, not far from the centaur forest. Was she really crazy enough to seek refuge there?

    Ethan sniffed the surroundings one last time to distinguish her scent and the direction she had taken. There were fewer interferences here; he hoped to at least catch a faint whiff of her scent.

    Mia had definitely passed by, but, to his great dismay, confirming his theory, it wasn''t the only fresh scent in the area. In a jumble of odors that seemed hard to untangle, he finally managed to pick out three others.

 Chapter 21

    After telling her friends she was going to the bathroom to freshen up, Mia had wandered the castle corridors, eluding the vila''s watchful eye. She reassured herself that she was safe, noting a few professors patrolling the hall and the area around the castle.

    But there was another reason she wanted to escape her bodyguard for a few moments. His intoxicating scent seemed to linger in her nostrils, even when he was a few meters away. She had limited herself to a reasonable amount of alcohol, but the relaxation she felt after her second glass tempted her to abandon all reason and pounce on the vila as if her life depended on it.

    A few students passed her by as she pushed the bathroom door open, leaving her alone in the room. She splashed a few drops of water on her face to appear composed before an urgent need, prompted by the cold liquid, led her to one of the toilets.

    Her sigh of relief was cut short by a hushed voice. She hadn''t heard the door open.

    "Are you sure she came here?"

    A shiver ran down her spine. A wave of anxiety crashed over her stomach as her breathing and heartbeat accelerated.

    Fuck! What do I do?

    Holding her breath, Mia silently lifted her feet onto the toilet seat, trying to conceal her presence. Footsteps echoed, and one of the toilet doors was opened. It was the first one to the right, across from the front door, the farthest from hers.

    Breathe, think, she repeated in her mind, trying to control her breathing. There''s a window to my right when I exit the toilet that overlooks the back of the castle. It''s my only possible exit. But by the time I open it... they''ll catch me easily...

    And as if a higher power had heard her prayers, a heavy knock echoed in the room, followed by someone attempting to open the door.

    "Hey! What the hell? Open up, or I''m calling a professor!" an irritated female voice shouted.

    "Damn it, what''s he doing? Wasn''t he supposed to stop others from coming in?"

    The sound of footsteps scrutinizing the toilets temporarily moved away as they whispered a few words to each other. One of her attackers opened the front door to inquire about the situation. This was her chance. If she had understood the situation correctly, there were three of them. Two were guarding the door on each side, and the one searching the toilets had just joined his comrade by the door, leaving her free to escape.

    Without a second thought, she quietly pushed the toilet door and frantically grasped the window latch. In two seconds, a cool breeze greeted her. Without a backward glance, she climbed, palms on the window sill, pulling herself into the opening.

    "Don''t think you can get away!" a voice shouted behind her, as a hand painfully closed around her ankle.

    In a survival reflex, she kicked backward, attempting to smash her assailant''s face. He tried to hold onto her leg, digging his nails into her flesh, but Mia managed to break free with a second kick. On the other side of the window, in her haste, she stumbled and fell palms-first onto the damp grass.

    "Fucking bitch! She almost broke my nose!"

    "You can complain later! Lock the door, it''ll slow her down!"

    Mia didn''t wait to hear the last words from the male voice. She took off running as fast as she could. Even with a few seconds head start, she knew they could run faster than her, and they knew it too. Along the way, she quickly kicked off her wedged heels, which had been slowing her down.

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    I won''t have time to go around the castle... Fuck, I''m so stupid...

    Her footsteps brought her to the edge of the forest. Without hesitation, she plunged into the darkness, moving among the trees, zigzagging between their imposing roots. She was already out of breath, but her survival instinct compelled her to keep running. Her feet were aching terribly from running barefoot on the hard ground. The forest''s silence only heightened her anxiety, and she finally gave in to the temptation to glance back.

    A wave of relief washed over her when she realized they weren''t pursuing her. However, it was short-lived as a hand abruptly stopped her by gripping her throat while she turned her head to focus on her path. The grip cut off her breath, crushing her airways. A stern gaze greeted her, and she cursed herself for choosing to enter the forest. She had been warned that centaurs didn''t take kindly to intruders on their territory.

    "Release the human, Thorfinn, she''s ours," a hooded figure spoke, accompanied by two others.

    The centaur let her go, allowing her to collapse on the ground, coughing. He stepped forward, passing Mia, and was joined by three other centaurs who aligned themselves by his side. Mouth agape, she watched as they defended her, daring the individuals to advance. The three assailants retreated and whispered a few words, panicked, before fleeing. They clearly hadn''t planned on facing the centaurs in their twisted scheme.

    The one named Thorfinn grabbed her arm to help her up as his comrades bid farewell. He gave her a meaningful look, as if he knew much more about the situation than she did.

    "Take care of yourself."

    And he vanished, leaving her alone in the darkness of the forest. Her legs struggled to support her weight, and her body trembled. It was simply the aftermath of the adrenaline and terror she had experienced. All she wanted was to cry her heart out to release the stress and hide under her covers for the rest of her life.

    "Mia!" cried a voice she instantly recognized as Ethan''s.

    In a matter of seconds, he was by her side. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in his neck, inhaling his scent, which immediately reassured her. He returned the embrace, holding her almost to the point of pain, but she didn''t complain. Here, surrounded by his arms, she felt safe, and that was all that mattered at that moment.

    "What happened?" he whispered in her ear.

    Mia didn''t respond, refusing to replay the events in her head. She was exhausted, still in shock, and clung to the vila as if her life depended on it. He sighed and slid his arm under her knees, lifting her and placing her against his chest. Since she didn''t protest, only tightening her embrace, he began to walk to leave the forest.

    At the edge, a familiar group greeted them, running towards them. Ethan briefly wondered how they had managed to find them so quickly, but that thought quickly left his mind when he saw the worried looks of Mia''s friends.

    "What happened?" asked Arry, in a panicked state.

    The same question again. Still no answers.

    "Let''s go to the infirmary," ordered Lily after scrutinizing Mia.

    The fairy led them to a small door on the west facade of the castle, avoiding the festivities and the curious gazes of the students. It led to a storage room containing plants, potions, and some pastries and allowed them to reach the hallway of the fairy apartments. The place was deserted, to their great relief. Lily guided them to Mia''s room and gestured for Ethan to lay her on the bed before heading back to the infirmary.

    The chaos of Mia''s experience had left her with one overwhelming thought: not to let go of the vila, to stay within his reassuring embrace, and above all, just... not to let go.

    "It''s okay, you''re safe here," he whispered softly while trying to release Mia''s grip, coaxing her to sit on the bed.

    Mechanically, she complied, but her panicked gaze pleaded with him not to move away. Lily returned a minute later with a wet cloth and a salve.

    "Go on, we''ll talk about it tomorrow," Lily commanded the two magicians who left after nodding.

    Ethan sat beside his soulmate, his arm around her trembling body, and removed the mask that still adorned her eyes. Mia rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes, allowing Lily to clean her wounds and apply the salve. Her overloaded brain hadn''t registered the pain, but the warmth of the remedy spreading across her scraped feet reminded her of the injuries covering them. A feeling of well-being spread through her body as the cream took effect, relaxing her tense shoulders. When her friend finished tending to her wounds, Mia turned over and climbed under the covers, exhausted, not even bothering to remove her ball gown.

    "Stay, please," she pleaded with the vila as he was about to get up.

    Lily and Ethan exchanged nods, bidding her goodnight before he tucked himself under the covers after the fairy closed the door. Lying behind her, he wrapped his arm around her, and she nestled deeper into his embrace, pressing her back against his chest.

    In a matter of seconds, she fell asleep.

 Chapter 22

    Mia emerged from her sleep with a smile on her lips. She was comfortably lying down, warm, and felt perfectly safe. She hadn''t had such a restful sleep since... since she had arrived at the Arena. Everything seemed normal, even the arm wrapped around her chest as she stretched her legs under the covers.

    The arm?

    When she turned her head and her gaze met Ethan''s, her brain froze. While the events of the previous evening replayed in her mind, the vila released his embrace to give her space. She shivered in the absence of his warmth and instinctively turned around, burying her face in his neck and pressing her chest against his. He gave her a few soothing minutes before placing a kiss on the roots of her hair and gently pushing her to observe her face.

    "Can you tell me what happened now?" he asked in the softest and most patient voice he could muster.

    Mia was no more eager to answer that question than she was yesterday. Stubbornly, she forced her way back and positioned herself in his neck, wrapping her arm around his shoulders so he couldn''t push her away again.

    "It''s past noon already, we''ll have to get up at some point," he indicated with a smirk.

    She mumbled a "so what?" as her only response, met with a sigh. During her college years, she had developed the bad habit of sleeping in whenever the day seemed a bit too challenging to face. This had earned her many remarks from her friends, who then had the heavy task of sending her the missed classes. Of course, the critiques were for show: half the time, she was the one who had to play secretary for her absent friends.

    "Mia," he said more sternly. "We need to inform Professor Vassili and try to find..."

    Before he could finish his sentence, Mia had grabbed his cheeks with both hands and pressed her lips to his in an attempt to silence him. Surprisingly, he seemed like he wanted to protest, but the "shut up" she whispered was enough to make him cooperate.

    When he finally responded to her kiss, shivers ran down the blonde''s spine. She had forgotten how intoxicating it was to be so close to someone, and the little butterflies awakening in her lower belly confirmed the sensation. When he slid his hand down her neck to cradle the base of her nape, a moan escaped her. Ethan took advantage of her parted lips to slip his tongue in, igniting a fire within her. In a swift movement, he turned her onto her back, positioning his knees between her legs, which she wrapped around his waist. When the vila''s lips left hers to scatter kisses along her neck and down to her collarbone, her breath caught in her throat. A sudden frenzy to touch his skin prompted her to unbutton his shirt, taking the opportunity to slide her hands against his chest. He wasn''t overly muscular, but he was lean, and she could feel under her fingers the beginnings of his abs and pectorals. The unconscious friction of her hips against the already present erection of the vila elicited an animalistic growl from him, further igniting Mia''s body. If she had pressed her lips against the vila''s simply to silence him without any other ulterior motive, that concern was long gone.

    "Mia!" Lily shouted through the door, abruptly interrupting their momentum. "If you don''t open the door in ten seconds, I''ll do it myself, no matter what you''re doing!"

    When Mia finally opened the door a few seconds later, the fairy was met with two annoyed looks.

    "Ah, I suppose I''m interrupting a moment," Lily chuckled and winked at Mia.

    The fairy''s cheerful attitude managed to dispel a bit of her frustration. She was relieved to see that Lily didn''t seem intent on interrogating her and that everything seemed to be back to normal. A relief that didn''t last long.

    "I didn''t want to disturb you earlier, but Professor Vassili will be here in about an hour to discuss... the events of last night."

    Her jaw clenched, and she gritted her teeth at the surge of stress that rushed to her body. She knew that she would have to revisit the events sooner or later, but it seemed that someone had decided it would be as soon as possible.

    "How does he already know?" Ethan asked.

    "I had gone to inform him that Mia had disappeared before we joined you at the forest edge, just in case, and that everything was fine after leaving Mia''s room last night. I didn''t give him details, as I don''t exactly know what happened... He said he would come around one p.m. after lunch to talk to both of you."

    "I''m going to change," Mia announced with a sigh.

    Clearly, she couldn''t avoid it. The shower would also have to wait since she had no desire to rush it. Too bad if she looked dirty. It didn''t seem to bother Ethan when he pressed his body against hers, so it must be okay.

    Yes, it''s well known that hormones are very sensitive to impeccable hygiene, she ironically thought, opting for a quick wash at the sink as Lily left the room to give them privacy.

    Hidden behind the bathroom door, the blonde took off her ball gown and quickly inspected her body for injuries that needed attention. Apart from a few bruises on her knees and arms, she was relatively unharmed. A discreet red mark covered her throat, inflicted by the centaur''s grip, but it didn''t cause her any pain. Just minor wounds that would disappear in a few days, unless she opted for a more radical solution: applying magical cream to heal them in a matter of hours.

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    "There are baths in the vila quarters," Ethan suddenly blurted out, waiting for her on her bed, as he didn''t really have anything to freshen up with immediately.

    "Is that an attempt to see me naked or an invitation to move into your room?" she replied, a mischievous smile on her lips, peering her head through the half-open bathroom door.

    "Both," he said, copying her smile.

    "We kiss once and you''re already asking me to move in?"

    The idea would have been outrageous a few hours ago, but the butterflies in her stomach that responded to the first option seemed to have already made up their minds on the matter. That, plus the fact that she had no desire to be left alone after the attack. The shock of the assault seemed to have dispelled all her doubts on the matter. After all, the promise of some spicy physical contact wasn''t equivalent to a marriage proposal. And it would have the advantage of distracting her from recent events.

    There are worse distractions indeed...

    A little while later, Vassili''s blond hair appeared in the hallway as Mia and Ethan sat in the armchairs to have a quick lunch. The vampire greeted them briefly before inviting them to a quieter place where prying ears couldn''t listen in. Mia led them to her room, with the couple settling on the bed, leaving the desk chair for the professor.

    Nervousness began to make theMia''s body tremble at the thought of diving back into the memories of the previous day. Ethan, seated beside her, placed his hand on hers in an attempt to calm her. She gazed into his eyes, taking a deep breath, unaware of the slight smirk on the professor''s face as he observed the scene with interest. A moment later, just as she felt ready to speak, Vassili raised his hand to stop her.

    "There''s no need to tell me what happened. Unless you have names to provide, there''s nothing I can do."

    A feeling of relief washed over the blonde, quickly replaced by incomprehension that also gripped Ethan.

    "No investigation?" the vila asked, half astonished.

    "No," Vassili confirmed.

    Mia was torn between the satisfaction of being able to simply forget about this matter and the indignation at the thought that her attackers would get away as if nothing had happened. Ethan seemed to be focused on the latter option, as his grip tightened on his soulmate''s hand before releasing it to avoid hurting her.

    "I know what you''re thinking, Ethan, but I advise against trying to find and punish them yourselves. It''s in your best interest not to attract too much attention. Your mother..."

    "Fine, fine," Ethan interrupted, resigned.

    "Can someone explain to me what''s going on?"

    She didn''t need an IQ of two hundred to understand that she hadn''t been told everything about the situation in which she apparently found herself deeply entangled.

    "Alright, I won''t beat around the bush. The Director isn''t aware of your presence here, Mia. And it''s preferable that it stays that way," he explained, looking pointedly at his two interlocutors.

    "Why?" Mia inquired, surprised.

    Turning toward Ethan, she was even more taken aback to see no trace of questioning on the vila''s face. His expression leaned more toward immediate understanding and then resignation.

    "Because the Director actively participated in the genocide under my mother''s orders," Ethan elaborated with a sigh. "If he had learned of your presence here, he would have immediately exposed you or even executed you out of respect for her."

    "Under your mother''s orders?"

    Fresh pieces of the puzzle seemed to fit together with this newly acquired information in Mia''s mind. Ethan wasn''t just afraid that they might possibly meet the same fate as Kayn and Greya; he knew it wasn''t a matter of if, but when.

    But to kill her own son... one must be seriously twisted for that. What mother would dare to do that... Ethan mentioned his deceased brother who protected humans; don''t tell me that...

    "She led the ''purge'' during the war," Vassili continued. "She even came up with the idea. Ethan''s family has always been highly respected among the vilas... It wasn''t very difficult to rally the most influential families. The other species just followed, seeing the opportunity to win easy battles."

    "I thought they were exterminated because they were the weakest, implying that it wasn''t necessarily the intended goal," Mia continued, stunned. "And it''s your mother who ordered the entire operation?" she repeated, turning to the vila.

    He simply nodded, sighing once again.

    "When she bonded with my father, who is also a vila, they quickly established themselves as one of the most influential families. Their respective bloodlines were already ancient and honored, but two vilas... that''s a bond that commands respect and power. The offspring of such a union are strong. I don''t know when this popularity started to alienate her, but she became obsessed with the idea of magical purity. Humans not being magical..."

    He didn''t finish his sentence, as the implication was logical and evident. With all these new pieces of information, the fear that the vila''s mother could threaten their lives was becoming increasingly tangible.

    "Another threat to deal with," she sighed.

    "I think you understand why it''s so important for you to keep a low profile in this matter. Do you have any other questions, Mia?"

    Silence settled for a few tens of seconds. Mia took the opportunity to quickly reflect on the situation. For Ethan''s mother, although surprising, it was consistent with the vila''s previous behavior. As for the director... it explained why they hadn''t been called to testify regarding the investigation into the werewolf''s death and the fireball that nearly killed her. Keep a low profile. A question naturally arose in her mind.

    "How can he not be aware of my presence here? With the number of students who seem to dislike me, it''s surprising that no one has reported me yet."

    A small satisfied smile formed on the professor''s lips. She couldn''t discern the reason for this reaction, but it seemed positive.

    "Students always go through the professors before approaching the director. Most professors don''t wish for your death, so it wasn''t difficult to convince them to send those students back to their activities. As for the more stubborn professors... let''s just say that hypnosis is a power that can be quite useful."

    Ah, so that part of the myth is true. Dangerous and deadly assumptions are always true here, it seems.

    "If you don''t have anything else to add, I''ll leave right now," he announced as he stood up, wishing them a good day before exiting the room.

    "Do you believe in this purity story?" Mia inquired, turning toward the vila.

    He sighed, letting himself fall back onto the bed, arms behind his head.

    "I believed it for a while. She''s skilled with words... It''s not difficult to fill a child''s head with ideas. But I had already stopped believing when I found out you were my soulmate."

    "What made you change your mind?"

    "My mother, when I realized she''s a master manipulator and... she''s just crazy. I discovered she was responsible for the death of my brother, whom I never had the chance to know because of her."

    Great.

 Chapter 23

    Mia hadn''t exactly made the decision to move in with Ethan, but she certainly wasn''t going to pass up the chance for a hot bath. It wasn''t like they were required to bring their belongings to one another''s rooms anyway. After all, they were essentially living under the same roof, that of the school.

    As they crossed the hallway to reach the vila''s quarter, they noticed a new message had been posted on the bulletin board. It announced the upcoming tournament that would take place in two weeks. The ball had gone remarkably well (at least on the surface) so the director had deemed it safe to resume the event without compromising the school''s security.

    "I''m not sure I want to attend this one," Mia commented as they entered the vila quarter''s hallway.

    "It would suit me if we didn''t have to go," replied Ethan, who was leading the way. "I''d be surprised if it goes smoothly, considering what happened yesterday and in the previous tournament."

    "It''s precisely for that reason that I''m hesitating... Arry and Andrei will probably participate..."

    "It''s not like your presence in the stands will change anything," he pointed out with a shrug.

    Mia rolled her eyes in response, as that was evident. Of course, she couldn''t do anything, but staying in the dark and not knowing what might happen while her friends'' lives were at stake seemed even less desirable than the feeling of helplessness she might experience if something were to happen to them. And as long as she stayed with Ethan, he could protect her.

    "Your safety comes before your friends'' for me," he added, opening a door that she assumed was the bathroom.

    "You''re not going to stop me from going if I want to, right?"

    "I would have liked to, but I''d prefer to avoid you fleeing again," he exclaimed with a sarcastic smile.

    Mia grimaced, feeling somewhat guilty for propelling herself into yesterday''s situation. At the same time, if they had explained to her how serious the threats were, maybe she wouldn''t have taken the situation so lightly.

    Sounds a bit like an excuse... Everyone warned me to be careful...

    These thoughts were quickly dispelled as she entered the bathroom, which led to another corridor with three other open doors. To the right, she caught a glimpse of toilets. In front of her, a few showers lined the wall, separated by thin walls and fabric curtains. One of them was currently in use, so she judged it necessary not to linger too long in observation. The last door at the end of the corridor revealed a large basin that resembled a pool more than a bathtub. The room was relatively modest in size, but the lighting, the white stone covering the surface, and the warmth emanating from the water made it particularly inviting and cozy.

    Ethan locked the door behind them as the blonde sighed with contentment at the thought of immersing her body in the bath. It was exactly what she needed to relieve the stress of the past few days. She just had to lean against the stone and enjoy the warmth of the water against her skin. Perfect for clearing her mind.

    Mia bent down at the edge of the basin, caressing the water''s surface with her fingertips to test the temperature. It was probably maintained by magic. As she straightened up, she noticed that at the back of the room there was a large mirror adorning the stone wall and four stools accompanied by a bucket of warm water and a sponge. The setup reminded her of the Japanese baths she had glimpsed in some of the series she used to watch in her previous life.

    "Is this supposed to be a public bath?" she asked, while Ethan moved a stool to place it against the wall and took a seat.

    "Technically, yes. In practice, vilas and their soulmates use it most often, and they''re not too keen on company," he answered with a mischievous smile.

    Mia chuckled softly, having no doubts about the nature of the activities that took place here. That was probably why he had suggested the place. Yet, he sat there quietly and didn''t seem to have any plans of joining her. Giving her space was greatly appreciated, but she had followed him knowingly, and she wasn''t going to leave unsatisfied.

    Following her own plan, she approached the nearest stool to Ethan and proceeded to uncover her shoulders from the pastel blue dress she had put on before Vassili''s visit, letting it slide down her body, revealing her white underwear. When her eyes met the vila''s attentive gaze, a smile spread across her lips. Without looking away, she unhooked her bra and let it fall casually, freeing her modest chest. Finally, using her thumbs, she slowly removed her panties, letting them join the rest of her clothes on the floor.

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    Ethan still hadn''t moved an inch, so she continued her little game by taking a seat on the stool. She picked up the sponge and dipped it into the bucket to wet her body before washing herself, slowly gliding the object along her arms, then her waist. The effect she had on Ethan at this moment was clearly palpable in the air: his scent filled with pheromones was starting to intoxicate her, making her movements more sensual. Finally, she picked up the soap block and presented it to the vila, inviting him to participate in the activity.

    "Help me," she whispered when he didn''t react.

    He grumbled but eventually moved his stool to place himself behind her, with Mia positioned between his legs. After rubbing the soap block to lather his hands, he gently pushed her hair over her shoulder to expose her back. When the vila''s palms landed on her shoulder blades, Mia''s breath caught in her throat. She exhaled slowly, closing her eyes as he massaged her, moving down to the lower part of her back, brushing against the start of her buttocks. His fingers briefly encircled her waist and then moved up her abdomen to settle on her breasts, eliciting a moan from her. With just a few touches, a fire had ignited in her lower belly, and her thighs instinctively parted a few inches.

    Ethan''s hands were now soap-free, but he continued his caresses, moving upward to her neck, tilting her head back. His left hand imprisoned her breast again, while his other hand headed farther south, making her tremble with excitement. His fingers slid over her thigh, and his lips landed on her neck, causing shivers and pleasurable moans from the blonde. When his hand finally reached her intimate area, Mia moved back on the stool to press her back against the vila''s chest and rested her head on his shoulder, fully exposing her neck, which he promptly covered with sweet kisses. His hand played with her pleasure center for a moment before slipping two fingers inside her, causing her to automatically spread her thighs to give him more room.

    "I thought you wanted to take a bath," he said in a husky voice, smiling against her neck.

    "One doesn''t prevent the other," she replied, removing his fingers from inside her and rising to join the basin, catching the vila off guard.

    A contented smile spread across her lips as the warmth of the water made contact. It reached up to her shoulders where she had slipped in, but the other side of the bath was raised to allow its occupants to sit without drowning. She preferred to venture into the middle of the basin, slowly retreating, her eyes fixed on the vila. Ethan turned around, unsure. With a chin gesture, she invited him to join her, her eyes shining, which he eagerly did, discarding his clothes as well. His movements were more hurried than hers, but Mia still appreciated the sight, scrutinizing each newly revealed part of his body, her gaze lingering on his erection, which she hoped would be inside her in a few moments. While she wasn''t extremely experienced with male sizes, it was obvious he had nothing to compensate for in that department.

    Her observation earned her a smirk as Ethan slid into the basin, and she couldn''t prevent her cheeks from slightly reddening. He took advantage of her momentary embarrassment to push her backward into the deeper waters, trapping her between his chest and the basin''s edge. He placed his hands on either side of her jaw and captured her lips, immediately inserting his tongue. Mia responded fervently, wrapping her thighs around his waist to rub her intimacy against his erection, eliciting a muffled groan from the vila. Ethan''s hands shifted to support her thighs and lifted her enough for his tongue to caress her nipples while keeping his head above water. Mia moaned, burying her fingers in his neck, at the base of his hair, stabilizing the position a bit more.

    Impatience was starting to get the better of her as she felt more than ready to welcome him inside her. She slid her right hand between their bodies and grasped his erection. As her palm closed around his member, Ethan nibbled on her nipple, groaning and earning a soft cry of pleasure from her. With a thrust of her hips, she pushed him back enough to guide him to her entrance. She repeated her movement, this time in his direction, impaling herself on him. A relieved moan escaped her lips as the sensation of being complete intoxicated her brain. Immediately, Ethan began a steady rhythm that she matched with her own thrusts, causing a growing tension in her lower abdomen that could only be released once she reached the pinnacle. The vila buried his head against his soulmate''s shoulder, inhaling her natural scent.

    Suddenly, she felt something hard and pointed against her neck. Something that could only be teeth. Teeth that seemed to want to sink into her throat.

    "What are you doing?" she asked, slightly panicked, suddenly descending from her cloud of pleasure.

    Ethan immediately stopped his hip movements and pulled back a few centimeters, withdrawing from her intimacy. A feeling of emptiness engulfed her, quickly followed by a wave of frustration.

    "My vila urges me to bite you to bond us," he managed to explain through gritted teeth. "If you don''t want to, I don''t think I can continue..."

    "Are you fucking kidding me?!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air to express her indignation.

    The reaction might have been a bit excessive, but the idea of not being able to alleviate the frustration he had caused in her without committing to something enraged her deeply. In a bound, she got out of the water and retrieved her clothes, putting on her underwear and dress with a brisk movement, then headed for the door to wait for him to get dressed too. She was frustrated, her clothes were now clinging to her skin, and she hadn''t even had a chance to enjoy her bath. Suffice it to say that her mood was now beyond irritated.

 Chapter 24

    Mia and Ethan had spent a particularly gloomy week. Mia struggled to dispel the frustration that lingered after the incident in the bath, and she was particularly tense whenever the vila happened to even brush against her. Ethan, on the other hand, had enveloped himself in tortured silence, clearly engaged in an internal struggle with his vila counterpart. Most days, they had slept in the young man''s room, with Mia appreciating the privacy offered by the vila quarters, which was much quieter than the infirmary. The showers were also more sophisticated, and if she chose her timing well, she could find herself alone in the room to calmly enjoy the warm water and the comforts of their almost-modern life. In return, they spent their afternoons in the infirmary with Lily and the two magicians when they weren''t occupied with classes.

    Ethan had obtained permission from Vassili to be excused from classes until the tensions definitively subsided, now accompanying Mia in all of her movements. She didn''t complain about the sense of security that resulted from his presence, but it constantly reminded her of their unfinished activities from the previous weekend.

    To distract herself, she had decided to delve into the many questions that swirled in her head about this world and its inhabitants. With the help of a few books and the knowledge of her friends, she hoped to better grasp the situation she was in, be a little less in the dark, and understand more about the implicit mechanics of their society.

    With a book on her lap and a cup of tea in her left hand, Mia flipped through the pages of her current book while seated in one of the infirmary''s armchairs, in the company of Ethan and Lily. The sun had already set, but she had no desire to retreat to her bed to once again confront emotions she was trying to bury. She persevered, but encountered numerous difficulties in understanding her readings due to lacking basic knowledge about Istarea¡ªknowledge she hadn''t yet had time to acquire.

    "Arry vaguely explained the political system of each species to me, but... if they all coexist here, there must be some sort of alliance, right?" Mia mused.

    "It''s a bit complicated," Lily explained. "After the war, the system changed for many of us. Many clans and tribes came together, alliances were formed, and certain ruling castes underwent complete transformations. That''s especially the case with the vilas," she continued, throwing a glance at Ethan, as if encouraging him to elaborate on the topic himself.

    "The most respected families and elders would gather in a Council when it was vital. And that was rather rare. Each family lived more or less in its own corner with its own rules. With the other species... I guess you could say we were pacifists. Vilas didn''t get involved in any clan disputes, and no one bothered us. That changed when the other species united and decided they were coordinated enough to have a chance at winning."

    "It started with the magicians. Between the werewolves and the vampires, they had a lot of enemies," Lily continued. "Gradually, clan leaders came together to form alliances. They elected a representative for each type of magic and formed a council. From there, they were able to repel attacks without too much trouble, since they were coordinated. After defense, they began to counterattack. Under threat, the werewolf packs united and appointed a war chief to lead them under a single banner. The vampires already had a ruling caste, but they had never been particularly interested in the prospect of a full-blown war. They didn''t really have a choice. Once each species was united, it was too late. The scale of attacks escalated, and even isolated areas turned into battlefields."

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "I don''t know who launched the first offensive, but the vilas were drawn into the conflict. Since we can''t really say we presented a united front, many families were decimated," Ethan continued.

    "Wait, and what about humans in all of this? And the fairies and centaurs?" Mia inquired.

    "With the fairies, not much changed, as we managed to stay relatively distant from the conflict, preferring purely defensive positions. We''re not big fighters, but we''re good at going unnoticed. We still have our King and Queen, and that''s not likely to change. The centaurs applied the same philosophy and withdrew into the forest. As they live in herds and move fast, it was relatively easy for them to avoid the battlefields. Humans, on the other hand, were led by a King, like the fairies. They were pacifists, preferring to develop, mix, and trade with other species. Their prized goods kept them from enduring many attacks before the war. Wine, spices, minerals... the advantage of having a lot of cheap labor available. Their relationships and bribes helped them avoid a crushing defeat in the event of organized attacks. Unfortunately... their trade was disrupted by the war, and their King decided to join the battle in hopes of restoring peace." replied Lily.

    "That''s when my mother began rallying families to form a war council. She saw it as an opportunity to fulfill her ideas of purification. She had the perfect arguments to unite the vilas under her command: with the other species turning against us, families had no other choice but to listen to her. Vilas, powerful as they were, were outnumbered compared to the others. My mother knew that. She leveraged her relationships with other species not to create alliances, but to increase the pressure to her benefit. It wasn''t hard to turn others against the humans, painting them as an arrogant species looking to parasitize others. She achieved two goals at once¡ªsteering the vilas away from the overall battle and directing the attacks against the humans, leading them to their demise."

    "It lasted four years." Lily continued. "Humans weren''t the only collateral damage; each species suffered heavy losses. The war began to wear down. At a certain point, the fighting diminished. A peace treaty was eventually signed before the numbers dwindled too much. The Arena is one of the consequences of that treaty. We can''t say we live in harmony, but... everyone knows it is necessary. At best, it will definitively settle the quarrels between species; at worst... it''s a welcomed break from war."

    Silence filled the room for a few seconds, allowing Mia to absorb all this new information. The political situation on Istarea was complex, and she strongly suspected this was just a rough summary of its power plays.

    "And what about now? How do they all come together?" she asked her two interlocutors.

    "Diplomatic representatives have been elected. They meet every week to address the main remaining conflicts between the species. So far, it''s been working relatively well," Lily answered. "If we start delving into the details, we''ll be here for hours."

    Mia sighed and slumped against the backrest of the chair. She wasn''t even sure if she''d be able to remember the main points given the enormity of the information she''d just been presented. A yawn pulled her out of her thoughts, earning a smile from Lily.

    "I think it''s time for all of us to go to bed," Lily suggested as she stood up.

    "Yeah... good idea," Mia agreed. "It''s already a lot to take in."

 Chapter 25

    The anxiety escalated a notch in Ethan''s heart at the beginning of the week. His intuition screamed at him that something was wrong. As time passed, his mind began to weaken, and his thoughts became mired in a persistent fog. His inner vila gave him no respite, particularly stirred by the prospect of not being able to bond immediately. He felt powerless, and it terrified him.

    The first confirmation of his intuition came in the form of a small piece of paper slipped under his door well before dawn, while he struggled to fall asleep and had taken refuge in his office chair. Mia was fast asleep, completely unaware that this little note marked the start of a sequence of events far beyond the stakes they had thought they were facing.

    "If you care about your human, participate in the next tournament," was elegantly written on the piece of parchment.

    Ethan''s fist closed abruptly, crumpling the message into a small ball that he tossed into one of his drawers. He had no intention of participating in this tournament. If these threats were evidence of anything, it was that it was bound to escalate. He had to inform Vassili without delay. Perhaps he could manage to cancel the event...

    A sigh escaped his lips as his gaze settled on Mia''s sleeping form. He couldn''t bear to wake her while she slept so peacefully. And leaving her unattended was out of the question. He resigned himself to waiting for her to finish her peaceful sleep, attempting to steal the hours of sleep he lacked in the process. His attempt once again ended in failure.

    When Mia finally emerged from her deep sleep, Ethan was already dressed and ready to leave.

    "You should try sleeping at night," Mia said, yawning, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You''re a sight to behold."

    He couldn''t really argue with that. Dark circles had formed under his eyes, and his porcelain skin had taken on a pallid hue. Nonetheless, the tone used by the blonde still irked him.

    "Easy for you to say, since you can''t do anything anyway," he grumbled.

    Mia sprang up and stood firmly in front of him, furious.

    "And does that give you the right to act like a jerk?"

    Ethan took a long breath, trying to brush away the wave of anger that threatened to shake him before he said something he would bitterly regret. He had enough on his plate as it was, and having to deal with his soulmate while she had been delighting in tormenting him for a week was slowly becoming tiresome. Mia''s priorities had been misplaced in the past few days. If he could control himself with his inner vila, she should be able to as well, even if her pheromones were amplifying her desires. It was time for him to refresh her memory a bit.

    With that in mind, he suddenly opened the drawer where the paper ball rested and abruptly placed the message in her hands. Initially surprised, Mia quickly unfolded and read it before locking her questioning gaze with his.

    "It was slipped under the door tonight," he informed her without delay.

    "Who... and why? What does it matter if you participate in the tournament?"

    "No idea, but something is brewing. And I''d prefer for us not to be involved."

    "What should we do about it?" she asked, waving the paper.

    "We need to inform Vassili, have him cancel the tournament..."

    "Do you really think he''ll manage to cancel it? Because of a piece of paper? The headmaster isn''t even aware of..."

    "I know," he cut her off, "but it''s worth a try."

    Thirty minutes later, Mia and Ethan were seated across from Professor Vassili''s desk. He quickly scanned the message before returning his gaze to Ethan, looking contrite.

    "You want me to try to cancel the tournament, don''t you?" he inquired with a sigh.

    Ethan nodded, gritting his teeth. It wasn''t the expression of someone who intended to do anything to help them, and his impression was confirmed a few seconds later.

    "I can''t do anything, you already know that. The headmaster mustn''t know what''s going on between you two."

    "Why rush the next tournament in the first place?" Mia suddenly asked. "I doubt tensions between the werewolves and the magicians have truly subsided..."

    "The headmaster believes the tension has cooled down enough that there won''t be any serious incidents to fear and that the competition will be a good outlet for those few minds that are still a bit too agitated."

    "So why not convince him it''s a terrible idea?" the blonde questioned.

    "Because he''s convinced otherwise," he grimaced. "I can''t do anything to help you."

    Mia looked disheartened at the professor as Ethan was already getting up. Continuing the conversation would lead nowhere. The moment they left the office, Mia grabbed his elbow to get his attention.

    "Don''t you find it strange? I thought he was good at persuasion or whatever, with his vampire powers. Why couldn''t he use them on the headmaster? Or at least try?"

    "He probably has a good reason not to try. Do you think he''s lying?" he asked without much conviction.

    "I don''t know. But something''s off," she confidently replied.

    "Listen, Vassili is on our side. I''ve known him since I was a kid. If he says he can''t help us, it means he can''t help us. There''s no need to look any further."

    "If you say so," she exclaimed, making a face.

    Mia still didn''t seem convinced. At the back of his mind, a small "what if" tried to sneak into the thoughts of his inner turmoil. He dismissed it at the cost of a nascent headache. If there was someone he had complete trust in, it was Vassili. Doubting that fact required an energy he no longer had. His mental health was already hanging by a thread.

    The second confirmation came on Wednesday morning, while Ethan and Mia were having tea with Lily. The fairy allowed herself only a few hours of break per day here and there, maintaining a hectic pace shared by her colleagues. The days leading up to the tournaments were always dedicated to replenishing stocks of potions, herbs, and balms. There was also a slight increase in the number of injuries to be treated, attributed to the fierce training that the tournament participants subjected themselves to. This time was certainly no exception to the rule. In fact, the tension within the school was driving its inhabitants to be cautious and not skimp on physical and mental preparation.

    "We plan to double our stocks compared to the last tournament," Lily explained. "Some fairies even think we should recruit temporary labor for the D-day... Everyone knows it''s going to get out of hand, I don''t understand why it wasn''t canceled."

    "You told me that peace is still fragile... I feel like it''s not going to last," Mia replied. "If the tournament degenerates to this extent, what''s to say that individuals will respect the treaty?"

    The fairy sighed as she leaned forward in her chair, clasping her hands into a tight fist, elbows on her knees. Her voice lowered, aiming for more discretion.

    "Listen, with what you''ve told me about your conversation with Professor Vassili, and if he''s as trustworthy as Ethan claims..."

    Ethan responded with a confident nod.

    "... which I also believe," she continued, "I think the headmaster is plotting something. He must have a reason for pushing the tournament, and I''m afraid it''s not a good reason..."

    Ethan had come to the same conclusion during the night. Mia had quickly supported his hypotheses, although she still harbored doubts about Vassili''s role in the story. And this conclusion didn''t please him at all. As if things weren''t already complicated enough for the couple, adding a war to the equation made the task more challenging than they could handle.

    "Lily!" shouted a voice they quickly recognized as Andrei''s.

    He had rushed into the infirmary, carrying an unconscious Arry against his chest, looking panicked. The trio immediately got up and went to meet him, as two other fairies were already preparing a bed for the magician.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    "What happened?" Lily asked immediately, observing her red-haired friend in the arms of the young man and leading him to one of the rooms.

    The coolness with which the fairy treated even her own injured friends was always impressing Ethan. It wasn''t that she didn''t care, it was just that she controlled her emotions enough to be efficient and carry out her job meticulously. It was something that commanded respect.

    Andrei laid Arry on the bed and quickly brought a chair to sit by her side and hold her hand.

    "We were practicing with a few other magicians... I''m not sure what happened... Suddenly... she just fell unconscious."

    Mia also approached her friend to make sure she was still breathing. Her face was frozen with anxiety and her hands were trembling slightly. She quickly stepped back to make room for the fairy and stood against Ethan, who had leaned against the wall in a corner of the room.

    "Where''s Oz?" the fairy inquired, surprised that the animal wasn''t around when its owner was injured.

    "I... I had to knock him out," Andrei explained. "He went berserk and pounced on me when I tried to lift her. I didn''t have time to think... He must have thought I was going to hurt her... Or maybe he''s angry at me for not being able to protect her..."

    As if to support his words, the sound of claws scraping the wooden floor of the infirmary reached their ears. In a matter of seconds, the wolf burst into the hallway and leaped onto the bed, watching over its mistress with its imposing stature. Its menacing growls forced Lily to step back a few paces, but it was clear that its fangs were not directed at the fairy.

    "Oz! Don''t make me put you to sleep!" Lily yelled at the wolf, who didn''t even bother to turn his head.

    Before he could actually attack the wizard, Lily frantically rummaged in the small bag she always carried and pulled out a vial, uncorking it with a flick of her thumb. After shaking the vial, she tossed the fine powder towards the animal''s muzzle. His growls slowed and eventually died in his mouth, then his legs gave way under the narcotic effect of the potion. Finally, his eyes closed, and the wolf peacefully fell asleep, lying across the redhead''s legs.

    A sigh of relief escaped the sorcerer''s lips, immediately imitated by the other occupants of the room.

    "What got into him?" Ethan asked, retracting the protective arm he had slipped around Mia''s waist in case things got a bit too out of control and the wolf decided to attack everyone.

    "He must have panicked," Lily explained, quickly regaining her composure to focus on her patient. "It''s not the first time I''ve seen a spirit animal become aggressive after something happens to their master."

    Something that vilas have in common with them, Ethan thought, hoping not to find himself in the same situation. But someone would be dead by now if it was me.

    Lily placed her palms on the redhead''s temples, enveloping her head in a soft green glow as she assessed the situation. It was a scene Ethan had witnessed many times before, but not Mia, who was scrutinizing every move of the fairy closely. A few minutes later, Lily straightened up, biting her lip.

    "She''s... in a coma-like state. I don''t know exactly what caused it. Probably a spell... but I don''t recognize it. I can''t do anything to wake her up immediately."

    Her diagnosis was met with somber expressions and anxious looks. Mia leaned a little more against Ethan''s chest, dejected, while Andrei hid his face in his hands to conceal his distress.

    "Is there a chance she''ll wake up naturally?" Andrei inquired.

    "Is she just asleep? Is she at risk?" Mia asked at the same time.

    "I don''t know. For now, I don''t think she''s going to wake up. It seems relatively harmless, and she shouldn''t be at risk... anyway, we''ll keep an eye on her."

    It wasn''t that Ethan didn''t care about his soulmate''s friends, but a more urgent question was on his mind. Now that it was established that the redhead wasn''t at much risk apart from a prolonged sleep, it seemed important to ask.

    "Did it seem intentional?"

    "I... I don''t know," Andrei replied, shaking his head. "It''s likely... Gloria''s gang holds us responsible for her brother''s death, they might have sought revenge..."

    Indeed, an attack by the werewolves was the most plausible explanation. This hypothesis made him uncomfortable. Firstly, because he didn''t like Mia being so close to a conflict that for once didn''t directly involve her, but mainly because something didn''t add up...

    Why put her to sleep harmlessly if they''re seeking revenge?

    His final confirmation came the next day, two days before the tournament. To a naive and inattentive eye, the events of this week looked like a series of unrelated unfortunate incidents. For Ethan, however, so many stressful events couldn''t be a coincidence. He hadn''t yet managed to discern the common thread among them, but his intuition was telling him that everything was connected.

    Of course, it had made him slightly paranoid. Struggling to distinguish between what could be plausible and what resulted from his intense stress, he relied on Mia to judge his hypotheses.

    The second small piece of parchment left under his door during the night did nothing to ease his tormented mind. The message was the same as the first, clearly intended as a pressure tactic. This time, it was Mia who had discovered it after being awakened by his muffled growls, the result of restless sleep and numerous nightmares. That was when exhaustion finally caught up with him and his body collapsed from fatigue, but of course, his mind couldn''t find rest.

    This afternoon, Mia had felt like taking a walk in the gardens to enjoy the fresh spring air. After spending several hours at the bedside of her red-haired friend, who showed no signs of improvement, Lily ordered the pair and Andrei to leave the room, declaring that moping at her bedside was useless and they would be immediately informed if the situation changed. Ethan fervently agreed, unable to bear the silence that hung in the room. It left too much time for his mind to wander.

    They had then settled in their almost habitual spot after walking slowly, enjoying the invigorating breeze caressing their faces. Sitting in the grass next to each other, Ethan rested his head against the imposing trunk of the tree they were leaning against and sighed. Even in such a peaceful place, he couldn''t relax. Mia seemed to be shaken by the same state of mind, as she quickly rested her head against his shoulder. Her need for comfort had far outweighed her desire to blow off steam after what had happened to Arry.

    "It''s crazy. I never thought I''d make friends here... Getting attached to people made the prospect of being stuck here way too real. I also felt like I was replacing the friends from my world. Maybe I am... I don''t forget them, but I don''t miss them that much anymore. And to think they probably believe I''m dead..."

    The vila let Mia monologue, not having much to contribute to the conversation. Friendship wasn''t a topic on which he could claim to be experienced. Could he even say he had friends? Comrades, acquaintances, family, yes, but friends? Caring about a person was already exhausting enough, he had no idea how people could intentionally nurture friendships with multiple individuals.

    "Even worse is that I don''t know them that well. Lily and Arry," she clarified. "But I guess danger and shared drama have this way of bringing people closer..."

    A theory that would soon be put to the test. Twenty minutes later, feeling tired that the vila wasn''t very talkative, Mia decided it was time to end their little outdoor escapade. After traversing the gardens in reverse, they quickly found themselves in the main courtyard. Their peaceful retreat was disrupted by a group of agitated individuals by the castle doors. One silhouette, in particular, stood out, reminding Ethan of someone he knew...

    "It''s Andrei! What is he doing?" Mia exclaimed, already preparing to join her friend''s boyfriend.

    Ethan grabbed her elbow to keep her feet planted and prevent her from moving forward. With her human hearing, she couldn''t clearly hear what was happening, but Ethan could. And if the accusatory tone of Andrei was any indication, he was betting that a fight was about to break out. He didn''t even need to probe their auras to understand that the group of individuals consisted of werewolves ready for a showdown.

    The volume of the discussion suddenly increased as Andrei took a step forward. Was he really foolish enough to attack an entire pack while he was all alone? Mia seemed to think the same thing as the vila, as she shot him a meaningful look, silently asking him to intervene. He had no desire to make new enemies, but his human wasn''t giving him much choice. She considered the magician a friend.

    "Stay here," he ordered Mia.

    A first punch was thrown towards one of the werewolves, who responded with a growl aimed at the sorcerer responsible for the attack. His comrade on the left growled in return and lunged at Andrei, claws outstretched, aiming for his neck, trying to choke him, or rather to crush his trachea. The young man narrowly dodged to the right, ending up trapped by his accomplice, who sank his claws into his shoulder, forcing him to throw himself to the ground, crouching to escape the brutal pressure of the werewolf that threatened to break a few of his bones.

    Before Ethan could finish crossing the few dozen meters that separated him from the group, a student slipped into the pack and stood before the werewolves, after shooting a serious glance at the vila.

    That''s the sister of the deceased werewolf, he recognized. The question now is whether she''s here to make things even messier or not.

    Her gaze didn''t resemble someone about to add fuel to the fire, he noted with relief. Indeed, her hands settled on the shoulders of the two werewolves who were both interlocutors and main opponents to the sorcerer, immediately putting an end to the heated exchange. The two wolves took a step back as Andrei rose to his feet, holding his shoulder.

    "Calm down! Aren''t you ashamed to be fighting right in the middle of the courtyard? At least wait for the tournament for that!" she declared sternly, her severe gaze sweeping over her fellow students before landing on Andrei.

    "I won''t leave until you acknowledge what you did to Arry!" the sorcerer yelled.

    "It wasn''t us," she firmly stated.

    "Andrei," Ethan severely interjected, having joined the magician before he could respond.

    The eyes of the she-wolf glanced over the vila once more. Her gaze seemed to want to convey something, but he couldn''t decipher what it was. His instinct was telling him it was a warning, but against what? Yet, the hostility of the she-wolf seemed clearly directed towards the sorcerer. He gave the pack a death glare for a few seconds before turning away and stepping back. He was quickly greeted by the worried Mia, who hastened to offer to accompany him to the infirmary.

    As the pack also dispersed, the she-wolf grabbed Ethan''s arm to pull him closer. She whispered a few words to him before he could retort or break free from her grip.

    "I''d be wary of him if I were you, he''s acting strange. He seems a little too eager to start a fight with no evidence. And before you ask, no, it wasn''t us. What interest would we have in putting her in a coma?"

    With those words, she released him, letting him join Mia and Andrei. The vila''s mind was working in overdrive, trying to piece together the puzzle.

    "What did she want?" Andrei asked with disgust.

    "Nothing, she just wanted to make sure we understood it wasn''t them," Ethan replied evasively.

    "Hn, I don''t believe it," he exclaimed with disdain.

    Mia seemed to want to add something, but he quickly shot her a look indicating that the discussion was closed. He would discuss it with her later, when the magician wasn''t around.

    Once again, a new weight settled on his shoulders. Was the she-wolf''s warning justified, or was she merely acting out of contempt for the sorcerer? Who could he truly trust?

 Chapter 26

    "Fighting with them won''t wake up Arry," Lily scolded as she cleaned the wound covering the sorcerer''s shoulder.

    "Especially if it''s just going to get you beaten up," Ethan added disdainfully.

    Mia couldn''t help but give her companion a slight elbow nudge, to which he responded with an annoyed look. She had to admit that it was stupid of Andrei to start a fight under these circumstances, but she couldn''t explain the vila''s newfound contempt for Arry''s boyfriend. Granted, Ethan had never really seemed to get along with him, but she had always attributed that to indifference. One thing was certain, something had changed in his perception of the injured magician. Was it related to the intervention of the she-wolf? She had whispered a few phrases to him, Mia was certain of that. She had immediately recognized the young woman who had warned her in the hallway a few weeks earlier, which piqued her curiosity even more. She had wanted to ask the question when Ethan returned, but he had given her a look that indicated the subject would be broached later. Everything suggested that the discussion involved the sorcerer, and judging by Ethan''s attitude, it wasn''t in his favor.

    "I know, but it annoys me to see them go unpunished!" Andrei complained, clenching his fists.

    Lily sighed as she grabbed a small pot filled with cream and quickly spread it on the young man''s wound. His distress and anger were understandable, but his actions remained condemnable. Even if the werewolves were responsible for Arry''s condition, it wasn''t the right time for a personal vendetta.

    No need to further inflame tempers more than necessary before the tournament, Mia thought, as if we weren''t already expecting enough drama without that.

    "And how do you know it''s them?" Ethan asked casually.

    Andrei jolted before turning to the vila, his jaw clenched. He seemed annoyed by the verbal interventions of his interlocutor and didn''t hide it.

    "Who else could it be?!" Andrei roared defensively.

    Ethan shrugged, impassive, which only fueled the sorcerer''s anger.

    "Come on, you''re not going to start fighting too!" Lily grumbled, giving a fleeting look at Mia.

    The blonde sighed before grabbing Ethan''s hand. The fairy''s gaze couldn''t have been clearer: ''take him out of here before things escalate.'' A request that Mia welcomed with relief, as the tension in the room was starting to weigh on her. She led the vila to the door of the room and reluctantly released his hand. With the limited physical contact they had exchanged in recent days, feeling his skin against hers, even if it was just his hand, was a small source of welcome comfort.

    After closing the door behind them, Mia started questioning, her curiosity galloping back. Now that they were finally alone, Ethan could explain.

    "What''s with that attitude? What did she tell you?"

    "Come," he ordered, leading the way.

    They hurriedly made their way to the vila''s room, shielded from prying eyes and ears. Mia threw herself onto the bed, belly against the mattress, and wrapped her arms around the vila''s pillow, inhaling his scent. It had quickly become a habit, as much to calm her frustration as for the reassuring aspect it provided. Ethan never commented on it, but she could see in his gaze that he liked the gesture. He sat at the edge of the bed, palms pressed backward to support the weight of his body, and sighed. One didn''t need to be very observant to notice that he was stressed. His tense shoulders spoke for themselves.

    "She told me it wasn''t them, and that we should be wary of Andrei."

    "Be wary of Andrei?" Mia exclaimed, sitting up on her knees behind the vila. "Why? Do you believe her?"

    "I don''t know," he replied, exhaling heavily. "She finds it odd how he''s looking for trouble so eagerly."

    Mia thought for a moment, but her mind refused to believe that there was anything strange about the magician''s reaction. After all, her friend had been attacked. It was normal to seek revenge on the presumed culprits, even if it wasn''t the right place or time.

    "I don''t see what''s odd about that. He''s sad and angry; that seems pretty justified to me."

    "How can he be so sure it was them?"

    "Hm... logical deduction based on recent events?" she ventured with an argument she also believed in.

    "I don''t know... It''s driving me crazy. I feel like we''re missing something," he sighed, burying his head in his hands and massaging his temples.

    Mia hesitated for a moment before placing her palms on the vila''s shoulders. When he didn''t react, she started gently massaging him. She would have preferred to feel his skin against hers instead of the fabric of his shirt, but she didn''t want to push her luck.

    As she had sensed with just a glance, he was particularly tense. She had never been particularly skilled at finding tension points, having had few opportunities to improve her massage skills, but one didn''t need to be an expert to locate knots in the vila''s body. His muscles were entirely taut, and she could distinctly feel the nerve bundles under her fingers. Perhaps a real massage was exactly what he needed at this moment.

    "Lie down," she commanded the vila, pointing at the bed. "And take off your shirt."

    He complied without any objection, lying shirtless on the mattress. Mia, initially surprised by his lack of protest, ended up sitting on the lower part of his back, smirking mischievously. If she had known that a massage wasn''t considered ''maximizing sensual contact,'' she might have offered it much sooner. Or maybe the vila was just so tense that refusing a little relaxation was out of the question for him.

    Either way, it works for me, she inwardly chuckled, placing her fingers on the vila''s shoulders again.

    She started with a gentle pressure before gradually increasing it as she realized she could apply more. Her hands slid from his shoulders to his shoulder blades, tracing his spine, then continued down to his lower back. She moved back a few inches to sit on his buttocks and massage the lower part of his back. She even allowed her thumbs to slip under the waistband of his underwear to feel the base of his buttocks, eliciting a groan from the young man. Chuckling discreetly to herself, she dutifully placed her hands back on his shoulders.

    As her fingers caressed his back, the massage slowly turned into a form of torture. The electric contact of her skin against his and his ever-intoxicating scent were starting to stir a swarm of butterflies in her lower abdomen. This made her pleasure organ particularly sensitive, subconsciously urging her to exaggerate her hip movements as she moved back and forth between his shoulder blades and lower back.

    Discreetly, as if not to startle him, she lowered her body to press her lips against his nape, sending shivers down the vila''s spine. He groaned again, but this time she ignored it and continued to place kisses along his trapezius. After the sixth one, he shifted to turn onto his back, grabbing her face with his hands to pull her toward him, capturing her lips as they met.

    "Was all that really necessary?" he questioned in a whisper against her mouth.

    "I''m not sure what you''re talking about, it was completely innocent. Not my fault if it''s enough to turn you on," she responded mischievously, sitting up again and making sure to reinforce her position on the vila''s growing erection with an angelic expression on her face.

    Before she could add anything, Ethan wrapped his arms around her waist and pivoted their bodies so that she ended up beneath him. He silenced the blonde''s exclamation of surprise with his lips before detaching from her again. Then, he simply withdrew, leaving Mia disappointed. She should have expected that he would cut their interaction short since she hadn''t yet consented to bonding, but the rejection still left a bitter taste in her mouth.

    However, she didn''t have time to dwell on her disappointment, as he abruptly grasped her thighs and pulled her to the edge of the bed, placing her legs on his shoulders as he knelt on the wooden floor. Rolling up the hem of her dress, he slipped his fingers into her panties and tugged them down, lifting the young woman''s legs in the process to remove them.

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    "What the... Oh," she exclaimed, blushing when the vila''s tongue landed on her lower lips, gliding over her clitoris.

    After a couple of well-placed licks to convey his intentions, he withdrew his head and slid a finger into her intimacy only to pull it out immediately. He presented it to her, a sarcastic smile on his lips. His finger was wet.

    "No doubt you had the purest intentions of all."

    She could lie all she wanted, but her body had already betrayed her by lubricating her intimate place abundantly, well before his tongue had even touched her. Seeing him bring his finger to his mouth to taste her fluids only amplified this sense of betrayal. She muttered a ''shut up'' before wrapping her legs around the vila''s neck and pushing his head toward her crotch for him to resume what he had started a few seconds ago. He chuckled and complied eagerly.

    After a few circular motions of his tongue, Mia''s body was already on fire. Between her unresolved frustration and the time since her last sexual encounter, which was considerably distant by now, it didn''t take long for her to start moaning and matching the rhythm of his tongue with her hip movements. When he inserted two fingers into her intimacy, she briefly thought her sanity might slip away. After a few coordinated movements, it didn''t take much more for a wave of pleasure to erupt in her body, arching her back and causing her limbs to tremble. A true fireworks display was happening in her lower abdomen.

    When she finally caught her breath, Ethan pulled back, freeing her legs. He stood up and licked his lips, erasing any traces of their activity. His gaze, dark with desire, almost managed to reignite the fire in Mia''s lower belly, but he turned away from her with a sigh, taking a seat in the chair at his desk. He had already resigned himself to not going any further.

    he inquired with an irritated tone, gritting his teeth.

    "Are you satisfied now?"

    Mia simply nodded, uncertain of how she was supposed to react to the vila''s semi-aggressive tone. She couldn''t blame him for being frustrated, but she was still surprised by the level of self-control he was exerting. Self-control that she struggled to muster herself. She watched him calm down as he breathed in and out deeply, the process taking no more than a few minutes.

    No need to tell him that if he had continued, I probably would have consented to bonding...

    At dawn, Mia''s hand once again met only the cold mattress beside her. She sighed, expecting to find the vila at his desk as usual. It saddened her that he couldn''t sleep due to his restless mind, but she had already realized there was nothing she could do about it. She could have agreed to bond just to calm his inner vila, but doing it out of pity disgusted her. She had come to appreciate his presence, to desire his touch; it wasn''t something she would do simply to offer him a bit of comfort. No, Mia wanted that moment to have meaning, as it was supposed to.

    I guess it''s no secret by now that I''m a bit of a romantic at heart...

    "Did you sleep well?" Ethan asked, noting that the young woman had gotten out of bed.

    "Hmm, she replied, wrapping her arms around the vila''s neck to plant a kiss on his nape. "But I''d sleep better if the bed weren''t so cold."

    "Sorry," he muttered, burying his face in his palms and massaging his temples.

    His violet under-eye circles once again testified to his vital lack of sleep. Hesitation overcame Mia as her heart squeezed upon seeing his state.

    Maybe after the tournament, when he''s a bit less on edge... we could consider bonding.

    Half an hour later, Mia had dressed after a quick wash and was ready to leave the room. They hadn''t planned anything specific for the day, but she intended to spend some time with Andrei at Arry''s bedside. The sorcerer, after his outburst the previous day, seemed to need company to take his mind off things. Ethan had supported the idea without protest, but she strongly suspected it was connected to his suspicions and that it reassured him to keep an eye on things.

    Not surprisingly, the corridors were very quiet on the eve of the tournament. The couple crossed paths with a few hurried stragglers who paid them no attention, otherwise, most of the students were huddled in various parts of the castle perfecting their training. It was the same during every tournament, but the barrier between the species had never seemed as thick as it did at that moment. Even the few inter-racial friendships she had noticed since arriving here hadn''t survived the tension in the air.

    When they arrived at the infirmary, Lily greeted them briefly, her arms full of potions, before disappearing into the storage room. Some of her colleagues, equally occupied, copied her gesture before attending to their tasks. Mia had never been particularly close to the other fairies, but they had always been friendly to the young human. The stories of wars didn''t interest them.

    Andrei looked up and smiled at Mia when the pair entered the redhead''s room. When his gaze fell on the vila, his smile turned into a neutral, almost icy expression, but none of the three commented on his reaction. Mia quickly sat down in the empty chair next to the patient''s bed, while Ethan preferred to lean his back against one of the walls of the room, keeping a distance.

    "Are you okay?" Mia asked to start the conversation.

    "I... I''m sorry for yesterday," he immediately replied with his head bowed. "I was blinded by anger... It''s not easy to see her like this."

    "I understand..."

    "Tell me... What''s it like for humans in your world?"

    Mia appreciated the change of subject, especially since she had never been extensively questioned about her life before. She proceeded to describe as concisely as possible their way of life, their history (or at least the significant moments) their technology, and their society, mainly focusing on her home country to make it easier for him. Both men listened to her account attentively, asking a few questions when the need for clarification arose. The conversation pleased Mia, but she couldn''t help feeling a twinge of nostalgia in the face of memories from her world. To avoid dampening the mood, she preferred to concentrate on objective facts, omitting the details of her personal life.

    Around noon, Lily appeared with a lunch basket in hand, interrupting Mia''s story.

    "Care for a little stroll?" she proposed with a smile.

    "I thought you didn''t have any free time?" Mia questioned, enthusiastic about the idea of spending some time with her friend away from the stifling castle walls.

    "We decided to take a break before we''re completely drained. Half the fairies take the first part of the afternoon, the other half the second. I should have until... five p.m. at the latest?"

    "Shouldn''t you be resting instead?" Andrei inquired.

    "Oh, I''m not ruling out a little nap in the open air," Lily replied with a warm smile. "But for now, I need some fresh air."

    The group of friends made their way to the edge of the lake, the same spot as last time. After enjoying their sandwiches, Lily settled comfortably on the blanket she had brought and closed her eyes, almost instantly succumbing to sleep. Ethan, sitting with his arms on his knees, also seemed to struggle against the call of a nap for several minutes, but eventually gave in by resting his forehead on his arms, leaving his soulmate and the sorcerer to resume their morning conversation. Mia suspected that the vila would grumble and ask her why she hadn''t woken him up, considering he was supposed to protect her, even if they were in no immediate danger. However, she decided to let him rest as much as possible. After all, he needed it.

    The afternoon passed peacefully, a feeling that Mia appreciated, even though she couldn''t help but feel that it resembled the calm before the storm. Ethan cursed as expected, but he seemed slightly less agitated after managing to grab a few hours of sleep. After reassuring him that it wasn''t the end of the world and that everything was perfectly fine, he reluctantly dropped the issue, and they could return to the infirmary in the utmost calm.

    The evening progressed in the same cheerful atmosphere, without Lily''s presence as she had to get back to her duties. They had returned to Arry''s room, preferring the privacy of the space over the bustling hallway. The sorcerer''s company was undeniably pleasant, to the point where even Ethan seemed less defensive in his presence. At least, his stern gaze had softened and was slightly less probing. This was a positive change since Ethan had never been particularly socially open with Mia''s friends. Not that he despised them, it just didn''t really interest him.

    Around nine p.m, the arrival of Vassili abruptly interrupted their interactions. He seemed agitated, offering a quick nod of his head as a greeting to the trio.

    "Ethan, sorry for dropping in unannounced, but I really need to talk to you," he said with a sigh.

    The vila''s gaze slid to Mia, silently asking her to stand up and accompany him. However, Vassili halted her with a hand gesture before she could make any move.

    "Alone. She''s not at risk here," the vampire clarified before he could contest the request.

    Mia nodded with a grimace, assuring the vila that he didn''t seem to have a choice and that everything would be fine. He sighed and left the corner of the room, his jaw clenched, visibly annoyed.

    "Seems urgent," Andrei remarked after they had left the room.

    "Hm," Mia simply exclaimed, feeling uneasy without her soulmate''s presence.

    What could the professor possibly have to say to the vila that she couldn''t be present for? A bad feeling sent shivers down her spine as her mind started to get lost in the possibilities of catastrophic scenarios.

    "Come on, no need to torture yourself!" he said enthusiastically, trying to reassure her. "You''ll find out soon enough what''s going on."

    Lily eventually joined them again after finishing her day, hoping to help distract her human friend''s thoughts. Mia relaxed a little, but anxiety grew as time went on. Forty-five minutes later, as the clock in the hall struck ten p.m., the wait was becoming unbearable.

    "I''m sorry, but I''ll have to leave you. We still have some preparations to do tomorrow morning, and it''s time for me to get some sleep," Lily explained with a yawn, confirming her words.

    "I should go too," Andrei declared. "I''d like to train a bit more tomorrow morning. You should also rest, Mia. Worrying won''t make him come back faster."

    He wasn''t wrong, but she couldn''t see herself falling asleep without the vila''s presence, especially when his absence was starting to feel suspiciously prolonged.

    "At least go lie down," he suggested with a sigh, getting up from his chair.

    As he walked behind her, he placed his hand on her shoulder, as if to comfort her, and gave her a gentle squeeze while murmuring a few words she couldn''t quite make out.

    "What did you say?" she asked, yawning, overwhelmed by a wave of fatigue that swept through her body.

    "Nothing, just wishing you good night."

    After a final wave and a smile as a farewell, Mia found herself alone in the room, next to a deeply sleeping Arry. A yawn threatened to dislocate her jaw, urging her to return to her room in the infirmary and lie down on the comfortable blanket of the bed she hadn''t slept in for a few nights. In the back of her mind, a small voice begged her to wait for the vila''s return, that something was off, but she couldn''t fight against her heavy eyelids for long and sank into a deep sleep within seconds.

 Chapter 27

    Drops of frozen water landing on her neck woke Mia up. She shivered as a cold breeze swept under her dress. Her eyes fluttered for a moment to adjust to the dim light of the room she had been transported to.

    Transported?!

    Panic began to engulf her as she realized she wasn''t in her room, comfortably nestled in her bed, but rather being jostled on someone''s shoulder, unable to move. Reduced to dead weight, except for her eyes that frantically darted around in their sockets. From her position, flat against her captor''s shoulder, she could only catch glimpses of his legs and a dusty stone floor. A few torches illuminated what seemed to be a corridor, but darkness predominated, preventing her from observing the surroundings in detail. She could make out only a few doors, some open, others closed, but no real indication of her location, except for the scattered crates of supplies and provisions she caught sight of from the corners of her eyes in the open rooms. She must have been in some sort of storage area. The kind of place that was perfect for a murder.

    Calm down, doomsday imagination! Panicking won''t get me out of this! Her mind raced.

    A few seconds later, a discreet clicking reached her ears, and she was ushered into a dimly lit room. Torches lit up one after another, revealing another dilapidated storage room with a floor covered in dust and spiderwebs. If she had to guess, she bet it was abandoned or very rarely used, fitting perfectly with her assailant''s potentially sinister intent.

    Gently, she was placed in a seated position against a chilly wall, and she could finally study the features of the man who had kidnapped her. Her eyes widened in astonishment as she realized he bore the features of someone particularly familiar: Andrei.

    "Ah... You''re awake," he exclaimed, scratching the back of his neck, embarrassed.

    He stepped back a few paces to grab an empty wooden crate, dragging it in front of the blonde to sit on.

    "Listen, I''m sorry you find yourself in this position, but it was necessary."

    Necessary?! she thought with wide eyes, torn between the fury of being betrayed and the terror of what he had in store for her.

    "Something big is brewing for tomorrow''s tournament, we''ve been working on it for months... You must be wondering how it''s connected to you, since you''ve only been here a few weeks, right? Your arrival at the Arena wasn''t planned at all, but it certainly worked out well... It hasn''t changed our objectives, but it has facilitated our plans."

    He paused briefly, uncertain.

    "Anyway, you''ll see tomorrow. You have a role to play in the tournament''s events, revealing everything now would spoil the surprise... In the meantime, you''ll stay put. Let''s just say you have no way of escaping. I''ve been working on this immobilization spell for days, extending its duration and testing its limits. If it starts to fade, I''ll refresh it immediately. Ah... it would have been easier if I''d received enough funds, I had to use all my money for the invisibility parchment... Those things cost a fortune when you can''t make them yourself."

    Mia had already closed her eyes, half-listening to the sorcerer''s monologue, her brain racing. What exactly did he want from her? And what was planned for the tournament? Knowing that something was planned didn''t surprise her, but the scale of the event seemed to exceed their initial expectations.

    "Ah, before you start worrying about Ethan, you don''t have to. He''s immobilized like you, waiting for the tournament. We suspected he wouldn''t willingly participate, even after a few threats... But it''s all for the best. We need his rage, and what better way than to make him stew for a whole night and morning, not knowing what happened to you?"

    They want him to fight... why? And Arry... Did he put her in a coma?

    "Just know that our objective isn''t to harm you. Your role goes beyond the tournament, the re¡ª," he abruptly cut himself off, coughing. "We have grand plans for both of you. Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new era for Istarea! This false peace has lasted long enough; it''s time for them to face their responsibilities!"

    So, it wasn''t just an impression... Someone really tried to stoke hatred between the species... was her first thought after the sorcerer''s explanations. All this for what... for everyone to kill each other during the tournament? Why restart the war? And why involve us?

    At the same time, Ethan faced the same revelations as his soulmate, a hundred meters away.

    "I''m sorry, Ethan, you''ll have to wait a few more hours," Vassili apologized from his office chair, his hands flipping through various parchments. "I would have preferred to wait until tomorrow morning, but it would have complicated things considerably."

    Needless to say, Ethan was seething with anger as his body remained completely immobilized. He had followed Vassili through the castle, concerned about the news he had to deliver. Leaving Mia alone in the infirmary, even if she wasn''t at much risk, did nothing to ease his anxiety. Barely seated in one of the chairs facing the vampire''s desk, Vassili had produced an immobilization parchment and pinned him to his seat. Once the initial surprise of being attacked by someone he considered trustworthy had passed, an explosive fury began gnawing at his mind.

    His inner vila, particularly displeased with the betrayal and the constraints on its host, roared ferociously, attempting with brute force to break the spell. It was potent, but not without flaws. The magical aura of the spell resembled a fishing net with some fragile knots. Ethan didn''t particularly like relinquishing control to his inner vila, but it seemed he didn''t really have a choice in this particular situation. As he stopped fighting against the rush of raw magic flowing into his veins, his eyes darkened, and his nails transformed into claws, digging into the armrests of the chair and tearing through the fragile fabric. After a few tens of minutes, having magically exploited these weak points he had identified, the spell finally gave way.

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    Vassili didn''t pay him any attention, far too focused on what looked like a map of the castle and its surroundings. Ethan took advantage of this to leap onto the desk and tighten his grip on the vampire''s throat, drawing a few drops of blood as his claws sank into the flesh. The impact sent the professor''s head a few centimeters back. There was surprise in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure, adopting an inscrutable expression.

    "You''d do well to talk before I break your neck," Ethan growled sternly, his jaw clenched.

    "I wouldn''t do that if I were you," he replied calmly. "At least not if you want to find Mia safe and sound."

    His grip loosened as his mind was assailed by doubt. Was he bluffing? He still struggled to accept the vampire''s betrayal, and even though his logical mind had resigned to it, his heart still doubted his professor''s ill intentions. His instincts screamed at him to tighten his grip and crush the vampire''s throat without delay, but he couldn''t bring himself to choose an outcome that might potentially endanger his soulmate''s life.

    "What did you do to her?" he whispered venomously.

    "For now, she''s safe. You''ll be able to find her tomorrow by participating in the tournament. If you wait patiently, everything should go smoothly."

    "So, it was you, the threats... Why? What do you care if I participate?"

    "Sit down, and I''ll explain," he ordered, nodding towards one of the chairs in front of the desk.

    Ethan tightened his grip for a moment before releasing the vampire. He hadn''t entirely ruled out the option of killing Vassili and simply searching for Mia himself. The problem lay in the fact that it was impossible to determine if Vassili was bluffing and what the real consequences of his action would be on Mia. If he compromised her safety by killing him, he would never forgive himself. Worse, he might condemn them both. So, he reluctantly decided to comply and struggled to regain a semblance of calm. After a few exhales, his claws eventually retracted, and his eyes regained their lapis lazuli hue. His inner vila also settled under the pressure of the threats, not wanting to risk his soulmate''s life.

    "The Arena will cease to exist tomorrow," Vassili began explaining gravely, massaging his throat. "Two attacks will be launched simultaneously during the tournament and at the castle. War will be declared, Ethan. Whether you like it or not, your inner vila''s choice has made you an ally to our cause. Don''t think I take pleasure in imposing all of this on you, but it was necessary. You would have never participated willingly... and we need you."

    "You want to force me to participate in a war I couldn''t care less about?" Ethan hissed contemptuously. "Why?"

    "Because Impervia must pay for her actions."

    "My mother? You want me to oppose my mother? Damn it..." he exclaimed, clenching his fists. "And you think by threatening me, I''ll just go settle the score with her? There are enough skilled fighters to kill her, why should I do it? My brother tried to stop her back then, he paid with his life!"

    "Think, Ethan. She will never accept Mia, you know that better than anyone. With the war declared, don''t you think she''ll take advantage of it to get you killed just like she did to Adam? It''s in your best interest to join the opposite side, that''s what he would have wanted too."

    Ethan''s anger didn''t diminish. Vassili wasn''t entirely wrong, he had to admit, but given a choice, he would have preferred to simply escape with Mia. Waging war wasn''t his interest. Using the memory of his deceased brother to guilt-trip him was sly. Killing his own mother? Maybe she deserved it, but the idea particularly disgusted him. The more distance he could put between her and himself, the better off he was. Impervia didn''t just have a venomous tongue, her claws were sharp, and her combat fury was formidable, a legacy of powerful blood. He wouldn''t get out of it without at best a few painful scratches, at worst death like his brother. The vampire was trying to drag him into an affair that repulsed him to the highest degree.

    "Whether it''s you or someone else who kills her, it doesn''t matter. You''re a symbol, Ethan. Your blood is powerful, perhaps one of the most powerful that vilas have ever seen... Standing against your own mother, that''s a strong message, it legitimizes our cause in the eyes of our enemies. And then there''s Mia... What do you think will happen to her, as a human, when the war is declared? A life in hiding, in some remote hole, always on guard, is that the life you intend to offer her? With us, she''ll find her place."

    "Because a life of war is better? Because joining you might not make her a target? Do you think the war will be resolved in a few months? That everything is that simple? I''ll do what you want at the tournament, but leave us alone after that!" Ethan roared, pounding his fist against the armrest.

    "Very well," Vassili conceded with a sigh, his face tired. "The plan wasn''t originally designed this way, but with Mia''s arrival, counting on your help should significantly reduce our losses and facilitate our retreat... We all know the tournament will turn into a massacre. The order is to kill without hesitation anyone who tries to resist. With the current tensions, many will want our heads. The vilas, especially those allied with your mother, will surely be a problem... That''s where you come in. The plan is simple: destroy the school, declare war, then retreat. Your role is to unleash your fury, protecting our main division and ensuring our retreat after the announcement. We''ll let you go after that. I''m sorry, Ethan, but you don''t have a choice."

    To say that events were beyond his control was an understatement. It was what he had feared from the moment he realized his soulmate was human: that she would be used to corner him. From that moment on, his choices no longer belonged to him. How much blood would he have to shed, and how many heads would he have to sever to buy their freedom? Killing didn''t bother him, but killing because a knife was held to his throat? And Mia... He could already imagine her disgusted and terrified eyes on him with every neck he snapped, with every heart he pierced.

    "I''d offer you to go back to your room and wait, but for obvious security reasons... I prefer to keep an eye on you here. Get comfortable," Vassili suggested as if it were the easiest thing to do in these circumstances.

    The professor went on to continue studying his parchments, leaving a heavy silence in the room. Ethan, on the other hand, was exhausted. Between his fury, his hours of lost sleep over the weeks, his anxiety, and his apprehension, his mind was struggling to formulate coherent thoughts. Yet not once during the night did he resign himself to close his eyes for a moment.

    Between the unbearable wait and his frazzled nerves, a few hours slowly transformed into what felt like an eternity of suffering.

 Chapter 28

    Ethan''s hands were plagued with uncontrollable tremors. His tense shoulders ached, and a persistent fog floated in his head, causing a thunderous migraine. Vassili had released him fifteen minutes before the tournament was due to start, assuring him that he would find Mia in the arena, which only added another layer to his painful anxiety. If they had taken her into the heart of the battles, how could they say she was safe?

    All the participants had already entered their designated rooms, eagerly awaiting the opening of the gates to unleash what they had been waiting for days. Ethan, running late, entered the vila box five minutes before the fighters were due to join the arena. Six vilas were waiting, some sitting on Spartan benches, some leaning against the cold walls of the room. Their gazes instantly fell upon him as soon as he passed through the white stone arch announcing the room reserved for the vilas. Two of them immediately looked away, opting to avoid confrontation. That wasn''t the case for the other four, who quickly assessed him condescendingly while smirking sarcastically.

    One of the vilas ventured a few meters closer to Ethan, confident. It was clear he was looking for trouble. Neil, the son of one of the generals who participated in the genocide, liked to tease Ethan from time to time after finding out he didn''t share his mother''s radical ideas. Usually, Ethan just ignored him, and that was enough to calm the young vila''s fervor. Today, he wasn''t so sure he could keep his cool.

    "So, participating in the tournament, are we?" Neil quipped ironically. "Your courage impresses me, I didn''t think you had the balls to step into the arena with so many people who hate you."

    "Shut up, I''m not in the mood," Ethan replied firmly, taking a seat on one of the available benches.

    "Is it your little human that''s putting you in this state? What a milestone for your family, though! Can you believe it? Half the school hates you because you''re your mother''s son, and the other half because you''re stuck with a human! Don''t you think it would be simpler if both of you died?" Neil laughed. "What''s her name again? Mia?"

    Before his mind could process his interlocutor''s words, Ethan''s fingers closed around the vila''s throat. He coughed up blood under the pressure of the grip compressing his esophagus. The action seemed violent and would probably be lethal to anyone else, but it wasn''t enough to kill a vila. Nonetheless, it was painful and particularly incapacitating until fully healed. It was a good compromise between his desire to kill him on the spot and his fear of losing control. Ethan was already loosing it, he didn''t need someone coming in and insulting his soulmate. His sanity was dangerously close to the edge, and maintaining it was draining enough energy. The last thing he wanted was to find Mia having lost control of his inner vila that was agitated beyond reason.

    "Shut your fucking mouth," Ethan hissed, bringing his face close to Neil''s, "before I feel like ripping your jaw off."

    The terror in Neil''s eyes indicated he understood the message. He had a big mouth, but he knew full well he stood no chance against Ethan, especially when he was teetering on the edge. Eventually, Ethan released his grip and backed away from the frightened student to return to his seat. The other vilas, nervous, moved away from him and huddled in corners of the room, leaving him a few meters of space to try to calm himself by exhaling deeply. Vassili wanted him to handle his fellow vilas, and that''s exactly what he did. He strongly doubted they would dare to do anything in his presence. A part of him was relieved. If he didn''t have to fight, he wouldn''t lose control.

    The sirens blared for the first time to announce the opening of the gates. Ethan let the other vilas pass before entering the arena himself. A thunderous roar from the stands reverberated in his ears as the fighters poured into the combat zone. The atmosphere of the crowd sharply contrasted with the participants in the arena, who were surprisingly silent. His gaze swept over his fellow competitors, quickly noticing that they all wore stern expressions. He could see determination in the eyes of some and nervousness in the bodies of others. A few, unaware of the tension hanging in the air, were enthusiastic, but their number was minuscule compared to past tournaments. Everyone was aware that the event had a strong chance of going awry.

    After five minutes of waiting, some murmurs finally rose within the cohort of students. The usual speech from the headmaster was overdue. Ethan''s eyes landed on the upper platform where the faculty and administration were seated, hoping to grasp the situation. Unfortunately, his lower position prevented him from observing the upper stands.

    Three more minutes elapsed, during which time seemed to slow down. Confused students chatted amongst themselves, but silhouettes emerging from the forest immediately silenced the conversations. Before Ethan could even distinguish faces, movements arose to his right and in the stands. The centaurs, both students and spectators, were hastily evacuating the area in deathly silence, leaving the rest of the crowd in a state of advanced agitation.

    What''s happening? Do they know something?

    Some attempted to flee as well, sensing danger, but their retreat was blocked by a horde of soldiers dressed all in black, wielding long tools that they pointed at the fleeing individuals. They had formed a barrier at the arena gates and the entrance to the underground passages leading out of the stands. In the confusion, the escape attempt died down, and the soldiers managed to secure the possible exits without having to engage in combat.

    The silhouettes emerging from the forest comprised three women and five men, also clad in black, except for two individuals he immediately recognized: Andrei, carrying an unconscious Mia on his shoulder. A rage unlike any he had ever known surged through his veins, transforming his nails into sharp claws and fully darkening his irises and the whites of his eyes. He had to summon all the remaining willpower in his exhausted body to refrain from launching himself at the sorcerer and his companions, tearing out their hearts on the spot. No, he had agreed to play his part to buy their freedom, and he would do just that.

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    They stopped in a line about a hundred meters away from the students, and Andrei gently placed Mia''s limp form on the ground. A few seconds after their positioning, cries of surprise and exclamations filled the air, causing smiles to form on the faces of the seven individuals. Ethan gathered from snippets of conversation that their identities were being discussed and focused on scanning the magical auras of the soldiers. A mage, Andrei, a vampire, and... nothing else. He couldn''t detect anything from the other five individuals. Were they masking their auras, or...

    A deafening noise rang out, immediately restoring silence. It came from an object held by one of the women, her arm raised and pointing towards the sky. It was a smaller model than the unknown weapons the other soldiers held. A small cloud of smoke rose from the object as the echo of the explosion still reverberated. He had never heard of such a weapon. While the effect was impressive, it was hard to imagine that it could be lethal.

    If they''re all equipped with these weapons, they must cause significant damage, especially if¡ª

    "I see that some of you have already guessed," began the woman, aided by a vocal amplification spell. "The time has come for us to reclaim our place on Istarea and make those who forced us to hide like rats for decades pay! Choose your side carefully, for we are no longer as defenseless as before... And as for our enemies, fear us, for the era of humans is about to begin!"

    At first, silence greeted the human woman''s announcement. The bewildered audience quickly started whispering, filling the arena with a subdued background noise. For the moment, no one dared to make a move, all uncertain about what to do next. Then, suddenly, a thunderous explosion from the castle echoed through the air. The mountain''s flank prevented him from seeing what had happened, but thick smoke billowed from the site, indicating to Ethan that they had likely destroyed the building, just as Vassili had told him.

    Panic began to spread, exacerbated by the four soldiers entering the upper stands. More explosions followed, this time caused by the weapons they aimed at the headmaster and the few professors present in the stands. They were evidently not being given the benefit of the doubt regarding their allegiances.

    The execution triggered two different reactions: some, terrified, chose not to make any movement that could be interpreted as a threat, while others, seeing half of the teaching staff fall, roared and charged at the soldiers guarding the exits. This wasn''t without merit, as they were not very numerous against the horde that was the audience, but their lack of familiarity with the humans'' new weapon quickly worked against them. New gunshots rang out one after another in the arena, drowning out the sound of conversations.

    Soon, a few students joined the fray by directly targeting the human who had made the announcement. Some werewolves and vampires launched themselves forward, while some mages prepared their best spells to support them. In the arena, the human weapons were deadly, but their opponents had the advantage of being able to dodge the projectiles in the vast open space.

    It was time. With the soldiers guarding the gates, the seven individuals wouldn''t be able to contain the roughly twenty students rushing towards them. If Ethan wanted to protect Mia, he had no choice. He had to join the battle.

    The vila rushed towards the group, pushing aside a few students who crashed to the ground, surprised that the threat was coming from behind them. His primary goal was to position himself between Mia and the horde of enemies advancing towards her captors. If he could avoid shedding blood and thus losing control, that would be the preferable scenario. He knew he couldn''t avoid fighting until the retreat was announced, but delaying the moment might allow him to keep his cool. His inner vila roared at the initiative, constantly urging him to rip the heads off anyone in his way preventing him from reaching Mia.

    Some, having caught on to what was happening at the rear, tried to lunge at him, but a few shoulder and elbow strikes quickly cleared them away. To his left and right, he could see some students falling to the ground, hit by the weapons that four humans were pointing at the rebels. The first arrivals confronted Andrei''s spells and the power of the accompanying vampire, while the gunfire continued relentlessly.

    As Ethan approached Mia, Andrei motioned for him to turn around. Neil and another vila, Roy, were running towards him. They had probably tried their luck, counting on their numerical advantage. Unfortunately for them, Ethan''s determination to protect his soulmate was stronger than their pseudo-hatred based on questionable allegiances and ideals.

    Ethan stood his ground, both feet firmly planted, preparing for the impact of the two vilas. They were charging in with claws out, wings spread, and their eyes blackened in a semi-transformed combat state. Ethan also unsheathed his claws, but his back remained bare. He didn''t want to risk using his wings yet, still unsure if they had fully healed from the fireball he had taken in the previous tournament. Besides, he wouldn''t need them.

    Before he could repel his two attackers, a tiger, Roy''s mage soulmate, pounced on his back and tore into him, leaving a wide gash that quickly soaked his clothes with blood. He growled in pain and immediately turned around, grabbing the animal''s paw and tossing it a few meters away. Roy roared furiously as he saw his soulmate take the blow, whimpering and reverting to human form. He then lunged at Ethan, aiming his claws at his heart to impale him. Ethan parried the blow by sidestepping to the right and using his palm to strike the vila''s elbow, breaking his arm in the process. At the same moment, Neil managed to catch him off guard from behind, digging his claws into his collarbone, just inches from his jugular. Ethan pushed him away with a shoulder thrust, granting himself a two-second respite as his new wounds throbbed intensely. His inner vila was furious. If he wasn''t restraining it with all his willpower, it would have taken control already and wreaked havoc on the battlefield to retrieve Mia. However, containing his inner vila was equal to curbing his strength. Between his fatigue and tormented mind, Ethan wasn''t at his best. Fighting three opponents, two of them vilas, was proving to be a significant challenge.

    "Now you''re not looking so tough," Neil taunted sarcastically.

    "Coming from the guy who needs two others to avoid wetting himself in fear," Ethan retorted in the same tone.

    "You might want to hurry up," Neil chuckled, changing the subject. "The magician seems to be struggling."

    A glance at Mia confirmed that the vila wasn''t lying. Their numerical disadvantage was starting to seriously hinder them, and Ethan could see that the members of what he assumed was the first division were weakening.

    What are they waiting for to call for retreat?!

    When Roy and his soulmate took advantage of his momentary distraction to tackle him to the ground, Ethan''s determination to maintain control cracked. When a werewolf leaped a meter away from Mia and Andrei, it shattered. He had no time to waste anymore. Letting his inner vila express itself through his appearance and his rage, Ethan transformed into a demonic creature with violet skin, teeth sharpened into tiny points, and long, razor-sharp claws. His wings, once injured, were now functional but adorned with fresh violet scars, and his new wounds had already begun to close thanks to the accelerated regeneration powers of vilas. His mind, void of any anxiety, was focused on one thing: taking down the enemy and ripping Mia from the treacherous sorcerer''s grasp.

 Chapter 29

    Mia gradually regained consciousness, her head throbbing more and more, creating a migraine that momentarily clouded her thoughts. Before she even opened her eyes, deafening noises reached her: roars, explosions, cries... She had no idea where she was, and her memory continued to fail her several seconds after waking up.

    A gunshot sound echoed to her left, startling her enough to abruptly open her eyes and focus on the source of the noise. It was a slender woman in her forties, with severe features and brown hair tied up in a tight ponytail. In her hand, she held what looked like an old musket and alternated between shooting and reloading, mimicked by two other men whose firing rhythm was slightly offset from hers, ensuring that there was always someone ready to fire.

    Where am I? Back on Earth? No... she realized as she saw their opponents. Where did these guns come from?

    "Mia! Are you awake?" Andrei shouted over the gunfire.

    She nodded, still stunned by the war scene unfolding before her eyes. Why had she fallen asleep, and what was she doing in the middle of a battlefield? And, most importantly, where was Ethan?

    Andrei put his hand on her shoulder as she slowly sat up. Her migraine was starting to subside, allowing the fog covering her memory to lift.

    "Get up! We''re about to retreat. You need to prepare to calm Ethan down before he turns against us," he ordered.

    Ethan? Where is he?

    She placed both palms on the ground to help herself stand. Her balance was shaky, and the exercise was more challenging than expected. Andrei had shifted a few inches away to push back a vampire, allowing the woman by their side to shoot him in the jugular. Mia winced as she realized that she had only grazed him, and he came back enraged. This time, he decided to try a different target. Andrei propelled himself in front of Mia to protect her, but he was quickly pushed aside before he had time to cast a spell.

    Mia''s heart raced, threatening to burst out of her chest as the vampire prepared to launch himself at her throat. Terrified by fear, she didn''t even dare to attempt dodging the creature''s superhuman speed. Her brain had emptied of all extraneous thoughts, focused solely on the motion of her attacker who was now only inches away from her body. He never reached her.

    Claws pierced the vampire''s heart, impaling through his chest to stop him dead in his tracks. A few drops of blood splattered onto Mia''s face, horrified by the scene unfolding before her eyes. The vampire''s vital organ had been ripped out and was now crushed in the palm of his assailant. The creature let go to withdraw his hand from the body and growled in contentment.

    Something inside her urged her not to look up, not to meet the gaze of the one who had launched such an attack, but she didn''t heed that small voice. The creature in front of her, staring at her intensely, was unlike anything she had encountered during her time on Istarea. It was frightening and demonic, more so than anything she had seen before. Although Mia considered herself an atheist, she was well aware of how demons were represented in various religions in her world. There was no doubt they must have been inspired by the creature before her. The memories of that theological upbringing compelled her to instinctively think that it was dangerous and that she needed to distance herself from it as quickly as possible.

    However, the creature didn''t seem to be trying to attack her. After one last intense look, it turned to fight a few other assailants, always staying within Mia''s vicinity, as if protecting her.

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    A different explosion than the others snapped her out of her daze as a smoke bomb soared into the air. Mia finally decided to take in her surroundings, which was quite a challenge since chaos reigned in the arena. Spells, fangs, claws, blood¡ªthis was all she could process at the moment as her memories returned in fragments. The immobilization spell, the cellar, the cold creeping into her clothes, the confusion... and Andrei, her kidnapper.

    "You!" she threatened Andrei, pointing her finger at his face. "This is because of you!"

    "We don''t have time for that, Mia," he told her, crouching down and touching the ground with both palms, murmuring a few words that transformed the earth around their opponent into quicksand. "The retreat has been announced. As soon as the others arrive, you''ll have to go get Ethan."

    "Where is he?" she immediately reacted.

    Deep down, she already knew the answer. When Andrei pointed to the creature, it only confirmed her suspicions.

    "Why... why is he like that?" she stammered.

    "He must have lost it and let his vila take control to protect you," he explained, breathless, as he stood up to observe the divisions from the stands and the castle rushing through the arena gates. "Listen, you''re his soulmate. He won''t hurt you."

    "But..."

    "I thought you trusted him! Now is not the time to doubt him! The other divisions will cover our retreat. Go before he turns against us!" he snapped, pointing his finger at the vila.

    Uncertain, Mia took a step forward, then another. Her limbs trembled, and her mind was tormented by conflicting thoughts. Her heart was torn between the desire to flee and her feelings for Ethan. If she didn''t calm him down, what would happen? Would they have to kill him? Would she then be free to make her own choices?

    This is my last chance to choose a different path. This time, the choice is mine... she repeated to herself as she slowly moved towards the vila. Really? Spending time with him, having to bond, starting to like him... I didn''t choose any of this. But it''s too late now... Maybe it''s time to accept all of it...

    "Ethan!" she shouted to get his attention.

    The vila turned to his soulmate with a growl after tossing his assailant a few meters away. The attacker quickly met his demise when the soldiers in the back riddled him with bullets. They had formed a defensive wall, protecting the couple and the first division from the last opponents.

    Mia''s steps brought her within a meter of the vila, who was breathing heavily, consumed by the rage within him. When he fixed his fierce gaze on his soulmate, she could have sworn he had softened. It was hard to tell as the entirety of his eyes was black, making it impossible to read his gaze. She swallowed hard, terrified, and then exhaled slowly to calm her mind, taking a few more steps forward.

    It''s Ethan, not a demon. It''s Ethan, she repeated to herself, wrapping her arms around the vila''s chest. In this form, he easily towered over her by about fifteen centimeters.

    The creature froze at Mia''s gesture and lowered its head to observe her, uncertain. The effect was immediate. Hesitatingly, it raised its hand to gently and slowly place its palm on her cheek, careful not to harm her with its claws. Its mouth was slightly open, taking in deep breaths, revealing its sharp teeth that strongly resembled those of a shark. This sight momentarily shook Mia''s determination. Nevertheless, she rested her head against its chest and forced her eyelids to close, trying to calm the frenetic pounding of her body.

    "B-bite me," she asked softly, attempting to control her voice to conceal her fear.

    The vila''s hand gently gripped her chin to lift her head and meet her gaze. It was staring at her, waiting for something. For a few seconds, she locked her eyes with his and felt her body gradually relax. Ethan''s expression, still unreadable, had considerably softened, sweeping away the fury that had consumed him just minutes before.

    "Bite me," she commanded with more confidence.

    When his fangs brushed her throat, she shivered in anticipation. As they sank into her flesh, a dull pain spread. She heard herself screaming from a distance, as if the cries didn''t belong to her. The surroundings seemed to fade away little by little as her mind focused entirely on the vila''s bite. Soon, the pain was replaced by a feeling of absolute serenity.

    A single word came to her mind in that moment. She felt...

    Whole.

 Chapter 30

    Mia felt like she was floating. Her mind was trapped in a cage of darkness while her body remained unconscious. She had lost consciousness a few seconds after the bite. Still, she felt lighter than a feather, and her mind was devoid of fear. Something had resonated deep within her soul when Ethan''s fangs had sunk into her flesh. The emotions that flooded her were more potent than any drug. She felt like she was getting lost in an ocean of cotton and silk.

    When her eyes opened, an unparalleled vitality surged through her body. Mia wasn''t frail by nature, but she had never experienced such energy and strength upon waking up. She felt reborn. Her senses were in a state of excitement. Her hearing could discern the characteristic sound of water droplets falling repeatedly onto something metallic, her sense of smell detected hints of earth and burning, and her eyes distinctly made out each particle of dust faintly illuminated by a few rays of sunlight. The light of the sun pierced the natural rock that formed the ceiling of the room in which she found herself, creating small holes. She marveled as she watched these particles fall gracefully. They discreetly covered the single bed she lay on and the small dark wooden bedside table to her right.

    Something had changed within her when Ethan had bitten her. Part of his power had been infused into the young human, making her stronger. She felt her newfound strength in every cell of her body and in each of her senses.

    Her gaze then shifted to the center of the room, where she spotted a metal chair. It was dimly lit, but she could easily make out the outlines of a seated and unconscious figure, which she quickly recognized as Ethan. With a leap, she rushed to the vila''s side and crouched down, quickly forgetting the discovery of her new senses. She gently placed her palm against his cheek and applied slight pressure in the hope of waking him.

    "Ethan," she pleaded in a whisper, preferring discretion in an unfamiliar place. "Please wake up."

    "Mia?" he stammered, slowly emerging from unconsciousness.

    At first, he attempted to move his arms, only for the couple to notice that his wrists were immobilized, securely fastened to the chair with large iron handcuffs. Mia disregarded this fact, far too relieved that he was alive, and threw herself into his arms, encircling his neck with her arms and holding him tightly against her chest. By closing her eyes, she could easily feel and hear the vila''s heart beating rapidly in response to her embrace.

    A metallic noise forced them to separate to find its source. After all, they weren''t yet certain of their safety; the handcuffs were evidence to the contrary. It wasn''t the time to let their guard down.

    The door to their left quickly revealed two familiar faces: Vassili and the woman who led the first division. Ethan attempted to rise, his face stern and his gaze murderous, but his body simply couldn''t move from the chair. Vassili entered the room with a sigh, visibly prepared for the confrontation that awaited. Mia, surprised, positioned herself behind the vila. This didn''t bode well. The professor stopped two meters away from Ethan, while the woman simply leaned against the metal door frame.

    "You promised that you''d leave us alone," Ethan growled, clenching his fists and struggling with his wrists. "What the hell is this?"

    Promised? What''s going on? Mia wondered, feeling confused.

    "I lied. It was easier that way," Vassili explained, resigned. "I''m sorry, Ethan..."

    "Damn it, stop with your shitty apologies! And to think I trusted you," the vila furiously laughed, "I should''ve torn your head off when I had the chance. A family friend, my ass..."

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    "Ethan," Mia firmly interrupted, placing her hand on his forearm.

    Insulting Vassili wouldn''t advance the situation. For the moment, they weren''t in a favorable position. They didn''t even know what they were doing here. Or at least, Mia didn''t. With the bits of information Andrei had given her, combined with some elements she had managed to gather between her two moments of unconsciousness in the arena, she still couldn''t quite grasp what was happening.

    "Welcome to the Resistance!" the woman exclaimed loudly as she advanced toward the couple, planting her feet firmly. "My name is Ellana Drovar, but for you, it''s General. I oversee all operations and lead this city. I hope you''ll prove to be valuable assets for the human cause, as Vassili assured me."

    The human cause? Valuable assets? Mia repeated internally, stunned. Half-dazed by all the events, she didn''t dare speak up and preferred to let Ethan talk since he seemed to be more aware of the situation.

    "Vassili...," Ethan growled, furious, glaring at the man in question.

    "Very well, I''ll leave you to sort out your affairs," she concluded, giving the professor a pointed look to immediately exit the room afterward.

    "For how long?" Ethan asked, his voice dripping with venom.

    "There''s a lot you don''t know about me, Ethan," Vassili informed with a sigh. "I joined the Resistance a few years after the genocide."

    "Why? That''s when you started getting close to my mother... Was it to spy on our family?" Ethan seethed. "Decades of playing a double game? Why?"

    "My wife... the love of my life... was human. She perished during the genocide while not even fighting," Vassili explained, clenching his fists, his face torn by pain and hatred.

    Ethan''s fury somewhat stabilized upon hearing the vampire''s words. Mia herself had to admit that Vassili''s motive filled her with compassion. Now that she had accepted Ethan''s mark, she couldn''t imagine living without him. But were Vassili''s actions forgivable?

    "Everything that happened at the school, that was you, right?" Ethan questioned.

    "With Andrei''s help, yes. Listen, I don''t expect you to forgive me. I know you''re not like your mother, and I''m genuinely sorry for involving you in this, but we need you. I can''t let you go... And even if I wanted to, the General won''t let you go either. Mia," he addressed her, his gaze shifting to the blonde, "even though you''re not from our world, these are your kind. They need you as much as you need them. Do you think our enemies will leave you alone, even if you don''t actively participate in the war? Do you think Ethan''s mother will let you live in peace?"

    Mia''s head was spinning as she tried to analyze the situation. Confusion reigned supreme in her heart. On one hand, she had no desire to get involved in the conflict, even if it concerned her fellow beings. After all, it wasn''t her world, and she didn''t know them. On the other hand, the stakes of the humans were directly affecting her due to Ethan''s mother, making her future uncertain. And then... She didn''t know how to fight. She had nothing to offer them.

    Yeah... this might not be my original world,... but it''s mine now.

    Her gaze shifted to Ethan.

    "We don''t have to participate," Ethan pleaded as he saw that Mia was genuinely considering the option. "We don''t know these people... Do you think we can trust them after what they''ve done to us? They''ll betray us as soon as we''re of no use to them!"

    "I... I don''t know," Mia stammered.

    My past might not be here, but my present and my future... My future is with Ethan. If we can''t avoid getting involved in this war... If they''re trying to crush the humans, if his mother is determined to tear us apart... I don''t know what to do...

    "Listen, you don''t have to decide now. Spend a few days exploring the city and getting to know its inhabitants, and then give us your answer," Vassili suggested.

    Mia was relieved not to have to make a decision right away, but that didn''t alleviate the tension she felt. Something in the vampire''s gaze told her that she better not refuse his proposition, that she simply didn''t have a choice.

    "Okay," she affirmed simply to the professor, who smiled in response.

    "Great!" Vassili exclaimed, clapping his hands with enthusiasm. "Come on, we''ll show you around the city."

    "But... what about Ethan?" Mia questioned, starting to panic as Vassili ushered her toward the exit and gently pushed her forward from behind.

    "Vassili!" the vila roared for the first time as he saw his soulmate being almost forcibly taken away.

    He couldn''t do anything with the bindings that kept him stuck to the chair. They weren''t ordinary handcuffs; they contained a spell that prevented him from using his magic. He was rendered as powerless as a human.

    "Don''t worry, he''ll join us soon enough," the vampire concluded as he closed the heavy metal door behind them, leaving the vila all alone.

    "Mia!" Ethan yelled again, but received no response.