Magi's Path (Aether's Revival Book 3) Daniel Schinhofen (books to read in a lifetime .txt) 📖

was nearly wild with excitement from the fight. Raising the glowing disk to his mouth, Yunlo announced Daciana as the winner.

Mindie grabbed Daciana’s shoulder and breathed easier when she understood what her injuries were. “Sprained wrist, bruised rib... you’ll be fine in a second.”

“This one has two cracked ribs and a shattered jaw,” Klim said. She motioned to the tunnel she’d been in and some men with a stretcher came jogging toward her. Klim looked at Daciana. “Considering that he tried to impale you, I can’t blame you for hitting him that hard.”

“If the first one had impaled your foot, the second one could have severely damaged your left leg,” Mindie told Daciana. “How did you do that?”

Daciana gave her a grin. “My parents gave me boots. They called them ‘Wind Step Boots’ and said I could step on anything, even the wind, and it would support me for a time.”

Klim’s eyebrows shot up. She knew those boots would be difficult for a novice to wear if they hadn’t reached the fifth rank, but Daciana had managed to use both them and an item that conjured a barrier.

Mindie had the same thought. Leaning in, she whispered, “What rank are you?”

Daciana grinned and shook her head. “Am I healed?”

“Yes,” Mindie said, stepping back.

Daciana bowed to Buddiz, who was being lifted up and taken away. As she straightened up, Mindie caught sight of the medallion inside Daciana’s kimono. Shock was written across her features as Daciana bowed to Yunlo. Mindie looked at Klim, flashing the fingers on her one hand twice. Klim’s mouth fell open slightly when she saw the number Mindie showed her.

Daciana bowed to the academy box and walked away from the shocked healers, not knowing they knew. She was smiling as she made her way toward the tunnel above which her friends in Aether’s Guard sat. They whistled and cheered for her as she walked off the arena floor.

Nessa met her in the hallway, grabbing her and hugging her tightly. “I nearly fainted when those spikes appeared.”

Daciana hugged her friend back. “So did I, but I won.”

“Because of the boots,” Nessa sniffled, her hands shaking on Daciana’s back. “They saved you...”

“Yes,” Daciana agreed. “We’ll pay them back, though, by joining them.”

“Yes,” Nessa sniffled, pushing back and wiping her face. “We will.”

“And Vicky, too,” Daciana said.

Nessa smiled and nodded. “All of us together.”

“Come on. We can make it up to the box and see her before she comes down to wait.”

~*~*~

Victoria waited near Grandmaster Yunlo, breathing slowly to quell her nerves. She could feel their eyes on her as she waited, and it was comforting and nerve-racking at the same time. He’s strong, brutal, and has had a chip on his shoulder since he lost... He doesn’t know what I can do, nor what I’m about to try. I have no idea if this will work or go horribly wrong, but I’ve got to try it.

Seymour Xandia was staring at her as he left the tunnel. The anger and determination on his face were easy to read. The crowd was loud, but he raised his voice for her to hear him, “You stop here! I have a rematch with that bitch who humiliated me!”

“Silence!” Yunlo commanded, glaring at Xandia. “You will keep the taunts for the match.”

Xandia bowed to Yunlo. “As you say, Grandmaster.”

“You know the rules,” Yunlo said. “Turn to the boxes and bow.”

Having finished her bow to Xandia, Victoria exhaled slowly one more time. She set herself into a defensive stance and prepared to do the one thing she could. If it didn’t work, she’d have to forfeit the match before he broke her bones.

“Fight!” Yunlo shouted.

Xandia’s legs flared blue and he rushed her. He closed the distance in just a few breaths, his arm pulled back, glowing with blue flame and intending to end the fight quickly. Victoria dropped into a crouch and punched out short of his knee. Xandia stretched a little more to bring the blow down on top of her, then gagged.

Yunlo’s eyes had gone wide at what he’d seen, unsure if anyone else saw it.

Xandia struggled to draw a breath, his throat nearly crushed from the unseen blow. Staggering back, he tried to get his aether to fix his throat enough to breathe, but Victoria wasn’t having any of it. She came out of her crouch in a rush, catching Xandia just above the hips. Her hands wrapped around his thighs and she lifted him, driving him into the ground under her.

Climbing onto Xandia, she raised her black-clad fist before bringing it down. Xandia’s flame-covered hand tried to deflect it— it should have swatted hers aside and possibly injured her hand or arm, but that didn’t happen. Her hand drove past his block and into his jaw. The sensation of bone breaking made her wince, but she drew her fist back for a second blow.

“Break!” Yunlo called out from beside her. “Healers!”

Victoria inhaled sharply and pushed off the unconscious novice. Her right hand ached, and she wondered if she’d broken it. She bowed to her foe, then to Yunlo, before finally bowing toward the box.

By the time she finished, Klim was checking Xandia, and Mindie was checking on her. Mindie sent her a little energy before rushing to help Klim. “Her hand had a couple of small fractures. She’s fine now.”

“This one has a shattered jaw. I’ve already fixed his throat, which was nearly crushed, but I never saw her hit his neck.”

“Spatial magic,” Yunlo said, having declared Victoria the winner, “but a novice shouldn’t be able to do that during this tournament.”

Victoria pulled her medallion out and showed him the six illuminated rings. “I’m past the mid-mark, sir. I also had aether storage earrings, which are now empty.”

Yunlo’s eyebrow went up and he glanced at