PHASE 22 - FRIENDLY FIRES FOR LOVE

“W-What was that?” I nervously smiled.

“I want you to fight me, Tiara.” Emily gave me a cold gaze.

“W-Why?”

Her answer is not by words, but by actions. She commanded her tail to stab me, this time, on my Gate Plate. In a split second, I parried the drill, redirecting it to graze my left shoulder. Now my arm is oozing with warm red blood.

“W-Why are you doing this!?” I cried.

“Hey, Emily, stop!” Kristoff scolded, but Emily’s answer is another tail whip! Kristoff blocked the attack using his bow, but the whip is too powerful that he was pushed a meter back.

“Tell me… Emily… Why?” I said.

“Because… Because… I hate you. I hate you for being Alaric’s love! And yet you rejected all his efforts! You are not worthy of his love!”

...

“Eh?” Kristoff and I gave the very same hanging jaw expression.

“Yes. I’m I’m in love with him… since the first time we met.” Emily frowned, and her eyes are about to unleash sorrowful tears. “Ever since kindergarten, no person has ever made my heart race. I’ve been following Alaric from Heushac’s house, to school, and to his house in Mirose Grande. I even saw you two date in a peaceful sunset! I always wear this maid dress so that he will choose me as his secretary but you… He chose you to be his secretary! Tiara! What a waste of love! So now, I have decided that I will confess to him. I will confess to him by defeating you first!”

“What the heck... That asshole will reject you anyway...” Kristoff scratched his head.

“That’s what I wanted him to do! I want him to verbally abuse and roast me! Aaaah! Oh my, Alaric!” Now Emily is drooling with her perverted facial expression. After a second, she shifted again to a pissed mood and stared at me. “All I want is for him to notice me… and I will achieve that if I defeat you, Tiara Hikari!”

Her echoing shout is full of willpower.

Does that really mean that Emily’s feelings for Rikkun are true? Her admiration for Rikkun is commendable, and I’m sure she’s worthy of Rikkun’s love, provided that she never gets rejected. She’s so unlike me, who let my love die and suffer for seven million timelines...

“Stop wasting time.” Kristoff said. “We have to find others.”

“Mister Kristoff…” I shook my head to our archer. “It’s fine. I understand what she’s trying to say. I shall take up her offer and prove to her that Rikkun’s confession to me was never in vain in the first place.”

“What the freaking crap are you two saying...” Kristoff sighed, a sign of him giving up. He must have known that words won’t affect us two. “Fine. Just don’t take long. I’ll sneak up and search for Heushac, Benedict, and Drex.”

“Right. I’m sorry to trouble you, Mister Kristoff.” I bowed.

Kristoff just nodded, and then enhanced his speed with electrifying before he ran away from the scene.

“So you are accepting my challenge, Tiara.” Emily made a kung fu stance, with her tail on standby, like a scorpion’s tail waiting for a perfect chance to sting.

“Yeah.” I bumped my knuckles to each other, unleashing a loud metallic clank. “I don’t plan on abandoning Rikkun’s feelings for me. I will show you how much I’m worthy of Rikkun's love! With determination, I will never give up!”

<>

The ominous humid wind swished around our ears. Waiting for each other’s moves, sensing each other’s breathing patterns, the silence between us two duelists broke when Emily made the first move!

“Haaaa!” Emily ran towards me as she readied her tail with a spell! “!!!” Upon casting, the drill tip of her tail enlarged itself until it was on the size of a regular buster sword!

“Kuh!” I blocked the attack with my gauntlets! The force of the impact is so powerful that it made a strong shockwave! The ground where I stood became a small shallow crater!

“!!!” My right was clothed with dark aura which shaped itself into a dragon’s claw. Using this, I grabbed the giant drill and threw her away!

Emily was able to control her balance, landing with her feet. Then she uttered a smirk, signaling that she’s enjoying the fight. “I knew it. If I have to defeat you and gain Alaric’s attention, then I have to go all out.”

Emily inhaled a lot of air as she focused all her energy in this single spell. “!!!” Eight gigantic and metallic spider legs spawned from her back, which became her temporary feet!

“W-What…”

“Ha!” Emily gave out a single laugh. “I knew it… Your weakness... You’re afraid of spiders!”

… She’s quite a formidable enemy…

“Eeeeeeeek!!!” I cried! I can handle gigantic monsters, as long as it doesn’t look like a spider!

Before I wet myself, I ran like there’s no tomorrow.

<>

Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

The noise of the mechanical giant spider legs stomping is so loud and powerful that it grabbed the attention of the people around our way.

Some Gate Guardians fought Emily, but all of them ended up having their Gate Plates pressed by those creepy limbs! Emily managed to wipe out ten contestants in that manner!

And I… I just keep on running! I’m so scared to fight already!

“Hahahahahaha!!!” Emily laughed. “Is that all you can do, Tiara!? Stop being a chicken! All you have been doing is running away!”

Emily’s words echoed inside my skull. She is completely right. I’m a chicken, and all I always do is to run away. Away from Rikkun. Every time I had the chance, all I just did is to have destiny interfere my confession. How can I prove myself to Rikkun if I always have my inner cowardness win over my heart?

This is not the only thing I can do.

I should stop running.

I have to fight!

I’ve made up my mind! I won’t be shy in front of Rikkun anymore! I will confess to him with all my power and might! And I shall do it by defeating the spider maid in front of me!

I wiped my tears away and mustered all the bravery in my heart. “!!!” I shouted. My hands are now coated with a dragon-shaped red aura. Then, I clutched, turned around and jumped straight, aiming Emily’s body!

“Haaaa!”

“Resistance is futile!” Emily glared. She commanded all eight of her arachnid legs and tail to attack my Gate Plate!

But in the nick of time, I was able to cast my spell!

“!!!”

My blinding fast punches left a hundred afterimages. I used my strength and speed to pluck out her spider legs one by one (Ew!) and finally, to disarm her drilled tail! Now she’s left in the open, defenseless and offenseless!

“I’m sorry, Emily!” I cried. “Haaaaa!”

I made a final punch to her chest, triggering her Gate Plate.

“...I will never admit defeat, Tiara Hikari!!!” Her final shout echoed.

Then, a blinding flash engulfed my teammate completely. She has been safely transported back to the Earth Realm.

…

Now I just realized…

I just eliminated my own teammate. I should have held back a bit.

And that final punch is not necessary. I should have let her last longer for our help…

“...Auuu…”

I cried as I hugged my knees and curled in the corner, like a mourning armadillo. I think I’ll get a scolding after this round...

Please don’t blame me!

I know I’m an idiot!

I’m so sorry!