Chapter 27: Fire and Ice

BZZZT!

The massive holographic bracket above the arena shuffled. The crowd leaned forward in anticipation.

[Estella Everdawn vs. Aegon Logcheville]

Estella walked up the stone steps into the dueling ring. Aegon stood on the opposite side. He held his silver spear, looking incredibly serious.

The referee raised his hand to signal the start of the match.

Before the referee could even blow the whistle, Estella raised her right hand high into the air.

"I yield!" Estella announced loudly.

The entire stadium went completely silent. Tens of thousands of people blinked in sheer confusion.

Down by the ringside, Draven raised an eyebrow. He looked at Estella as she skipped happily down the stairs and walked back over to him.

"Care to explain?" Draven asked calmly.

Estella smiled brightly. She leaned in close and whispered so only Draven could hear.

"Hehe!," Estella giggled. "Well, I know Aegon like the Ice girl. I am just rooting for our Meat shield!"

Draven stared at her for a second. Then, a genuine, amused chuckle escaped his lips. He reached out and gently patted her white hair.

"You are a menace," Draven said softly.

Estella beamed.

Up in the VIP box, Lady Logcheville sighed in relief. She did not want to see her newly awakened son face the terrifying girl who had vaporized Julian Vance.

---

The bracket shuffled immediately. The true Semi-Final was set.

[Reina Frost vs. Aegon Logcheville]

Down in the dim light of the competitor’s tunnel, Reina Frost sat on a wooden bench. She stared blankly at the floor.

Her ribs ached terribly. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the massive, hollow hole in her chest.

’For years, my entire identity was built around him as his loyal Vanguard. I loved him. I trusted him with all my heart.’

"Haah!" she sighed.

’Now, there is just a cold void. I was soo stupid! He just used me and did not even try to look sympathetic. All of it was just a facade.’

Heavy, steady footsteps echoed in the tunnel.

Reina slowly looked up. Aegon Logcheville walked toward her.

’He looks different from yesterday. I have known him since childhood and never have I seen him look so focused. A little boy who was always hidden in Neville’s shadow.’

But the person walking toward her right now was not a boy.

Aegon stood rigidly straight. His shoulders were broad and imposing.

His jaw was set. His crimson eyes were entirely focused.

Aegon stopped a few feet away. He looked down at her. He did not offer a flashy smile. He did not offer empty sympathy.

"The match is starting," Aegon said simply.

Reina stood up. She grabbed her massive double-sided axe.

She wanted to fight. She wanted to freeze the pain in her chest and numb her mind with violence.

"Don’t hold back, Logcheville," Reina warned, her voice tight.

"Never," Aegon replied.

They walked out into the blinding sunlight of the arena. The crowd roared.

"Match start!" the referee shouted.

Reina charged immediately. She did not care about tactics. She cared about venting her rage.

"Frostbite Cleave!" Reina screamed.

She leaped into the air, swinging her heavy axe down with absolute zero temperatures radiating from the blade.

FWOOSH!

Aegon did not dodge. His blood-red Asura flames erupted from his skin. The intense heat instantly vaporized her ice into thick white steam.

CLANG!

Aegon caught the handle of her heavy axe with the shaft of his silver spear. The impact rattled Reina’s bones.

A sharp jolt of pain shot through her cracked ribs. She gritted her teeth and pushed harder.

Reina spun away, launching a furious flurry of horizontal slashes.

SWISH! CLANG! SWISH!

She swung wildly, her attacks driven by pure, reckless emotion. She was leaving herself completely open.

She was pushing her injured body past its breaking point.

Aegon parried every single strike. But he did not counterattack.

Reina swung a heavy left hook with her axe. The torque pulled violently on her injured right side.

Aegon saw her wince.

Instead of striking her exposed chest, Aegon stepped inside her guard.

He used the blunt end of his spear to gently hook her elbow, forcefully redirecting her momentum so the strain would not tear her cracked ribs.

CLANG!

Reina stumbled back, panting heavily.

"What are you doing?!" Reina yelled angrily.

She charged again, bringing the axe down in a chaotic, desperate chop.

Aegon parried it perfectly. He twisted his wrist, guiding the heavy axe blade into the stone floor to absorb the shock, completely shielding her arms from the kinetic recoil.

Reina froze.

She realized what was happening.

’He is not fighting me. He is actively predicting my movements and neutralizing them in a way that will protect me from self harm.’

He was holding back a terrifying amount of power just to keep her safe.

"Stop it!" Reina yelled, her voice cracking. "Stop mocking me! Fight back!"

Reina glared at him through the steam.

She fully expected to see pity in his eyes.

’But why?! Why are you looking at me with those eyes?!’

But when she looked into Aegon’s face, the breath caught in her throat.

Aegon was sweating profusely. His jaw was clenched tight.

’It must take an immense amount of focus to control those explosive flames. What is that look in your eyes? No one has looked at me that way!’

His crimson eyes were not mocking her. They were filled with a painfully genuine concern.

He was looking at her like she was the most precious, fragile thing in the world.

The cold, hollow void in Reina’s chest suddenly flooded with a massive rush of heat.

Aegon was actively risking his own match, exhausting his own mana, just to make sure she didn’t hurt herself while she threw a tantrum.

The realization hit Reina. The anger drained completely out of her body. Her arms felt weak.

CLATTER.

Reina dropped her heavy axe onto the stone floor.

Aegon instantly lowered his spear. The blood-red flames around him died down.

"Does it hurt?" Aegon asked, his voice rough and incredibly gentle.

Reina stared at the broad-shouldered man standing in front of her. Her vision was blurred due to slightly with unshed tears.

She didn’t feel hollow anymore. An unknown emotion had taken place in her heart.

"I yield," Reina said softly.

The referee blew the whistle. "Winner by forfeit, Aegon Logcheville!"

The crowd was stunned. There was no explosive finish.

Aegon walked over to her. He did not celebrate. He looked down into her eyes.

"Why did you yield?" Aegon asked quietly. "You could have kept going."

"Shut up! I don’t want to talk to anyone! I am going to the Medical Ward,"

She turned and walked out of the ring.

Her ribs still hurt, but for the first time in a very long time, her heart felt an emotion that she had not felt from being alongside with Neville.

Aegon watched her leave. He turned around to face the competitor’s tunnel.

The Finals were set.