The Maze

Aria narrows her eyes at the sight of Valla entering her berserker mode. Then she quickly begins to summon one miniature kraken after another while quickly making her retreat. Because she knows from previous battles with Valla that the entire battle at this point depends on this.

On whether or not she can survive Valla’s attacks in her berserker mode.

Since Aria can’t leave any damage on Valla while she’s in that form, the only thing she can do is flee and hope the miniature krakens buy her enough time for Valla’s skill to run out.

Fortunately for Aria, her own transformation skill lasts for far longer than Valla’s. Something they both know already.

Which is no doubt why Valla immediately ignores the miniature krakens trying to slow her down to chase after Aria instead of bothering to attack them or even block their attacks. And since Valla’s transformation doesn’t allow her to take any damage, the black veins across her skin flashing every single time damage would be received, Valla manages to slowly close the distance between them. Despite the size difference between the two. And despite Aria being physically stronger and faster than her.

Simply by ignoring the limits of a human body and pushing herself far more than her body would normally be able to take.

But Aria continues pushing as well, healing every wound she takes from the ranged attacks sent her way by Valla. Even when entire tentacles of hers are cut off.

Because she needs to win this. Scarlet is watching after all.

And Aria will not let her down.

So Aria continues pushing, taking one hit after another. Blocking one every now and then with her own blades and walls made of water. And regenerating all the way.

Eventually Valla seems to begin cracking. The black veins slowly turning into cracks running across her body.

A clear sign that the transformation is reaching its end.

Aria begins to smirk slightly, only for Valla to suddenly grin widely and cover herself entirely in a pitch black flame. One very similar to hellfire yet somehow different at the same time.

Then Valla boosts herself straight towards Aria using the flame as a propulsion, making Aria’s eyes widen in shock.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Aria, recognizing that she won’t be able to dodge or take this hit, stops fleeing and turns around, raising all of her tentacles while manifesting a bunch of miniature krakens and walls of water to block Valla. Only for her to blast straight through most of them until she ends up pushing Aria back against her tentacles, crushing every demon in the hallway along with a few unlucky competitors who were finally managing to catch up to them after turning a corner.

Valla lets out a scream as she charges forward, pushing with everything she has to finally get one up on her rival. On the girl she is always compared to at every single turn.

This is the closest she has ever been at beating her, and she doesn’t even care if she loses the competition to do it.

She probably will lose, simply because of all the damage she’s done to her mana stores.

Because while her skill does grant her immortality so long as it’s active, the damage doesn’t simply vanish. Instead it’s reduced to a mere fifth of the damage she would’ve taken otherwise and turned towards her mana cap instead. Decreasing the maximum amount of mana she can have until it gradually recovers over time.

And the amount of damage she’s taken has been enough to nearly put her in the red.

She won’t have any mana left for the rest of the competition.

But she doesn’t care.

Valla has grown sick and tired of losing to Aria at every single turn. Whether it’s in her parents’ and guardians’ power in comparison to Aria’s family. In her own power. In their etched skills. In how Valla’s mother never participates in Fractures and is sometimes looked down upon by the people for that as a coward.

She has grown sick of it all.

And she puts all of those emotions of anger, loneliness, and hatred into one last skill, yanking her fist back and sending it flying straight at the tentacles Aria is using to block. Her last defense.

Right when her hit is about to land though, she feels her mana completely depleting, leaving her just under the amount of power she had calculated needing to defeat Aria in one blow. Then her strike lands, sending a powerful wave of black death flames scattered all around the maze corridor, burning several of the other competitors and the demons alike in the process.

At some point she hears a message ringing out that one of the other competitors defeated the Captain. But she ignores that as she grits her teeth, waiting for the death flames to fade away. Having dropped to her knees, unable to remain standing with her remaining strength.

And when the flames do finally fade, Valla feels herself almost begin crying.

But she holds herself back.

Because she would never make a fool of herself in front of all of these people.

Aria, who is now revealed amidst the slowly dissipating death flames, finishes regenerating in her human form in front of Valla. With a brand new set of clothes on, her previous outfit no doubt having been destroyed in the blast.

Then Aria puts one of her hands in her pocket and walks up to Valla while stretching the other out towards Valla’s head.

A few seconds pass with no sounds other than her footsteps and the sizzling walls, floor, and ceiling of the maze. Until Aria stops right in front of her and says with a faint smile, “That was fun. Let’s do it again soon.”

Valla’s mind blanks out at that statement, and she begins to wonder something. To wonder if her competitive hatred of Aria is all one sided.

She doesn’t get to ask though as Aria sends an arc of water out that makes everything in Valla’s vision go dark.

The last thing Valla manages to see is Aria raising the fist she had pocketed before into the air with a smile on her face.