Warmth

There, while Amon lay on the ground, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I marched up to him and punched his head. “You sh*tty brat!” The force of my fist made him groan, but it didn’t stop me. His arrogant expression faltered for a moment as he groggily lifted his head.

“The match is done! Stop hurting me!” His voice cracked, no longer as confident as before. But there was something different about him now. He wasn’t the same arrogant fighter; there was something bordering on fear in his eyes as he stared at me.

His eyes widened in realization. “You... you monster!”

I scoffed, unimpressed. “Monster? How dare you? I’m THIS pretty and you call me a monster?” The words came out cold and biting, my anger sharp.

I wasn’t done. I took a step forward, my gaze never leaving his. “This is for Tabitha, this is for Mira, this is for Dion who got worried about his girlfriend...” I could hear Dion’s voice from the stands, quickly denying it with an embarrassed, “I wasn’t worried!”

“And this is for me,” I muttered, before raising my hand and delivering a slap to Amon’s face. The sound rang out across the arena, and I did it again. Each slap was fueled by all the frustration, anger, and bitterness I’d been holding in.

“You should stop bullying people, you ball of pride brat,” I said between slaps, each word punctuated by the sting of my hand against his skin.

Amon didn’t react at first, looking pitiful with each strike. Finally, he muttered, “Okay...” His voice was a broken, defeated whisper.

But as soon as I finished, I felt something sharp constricting inside me. The curse, hidden deep within me, began to surge again. The burning pain flared up, my body seizing as if the very essence of my soul was being choked.

I stumbled, my legs giving way beneath me, my body betraying me at the worst possible moment.

Just as I felt myself losing control, a pair of strong arms caught me before I hit the ground. I instinctively recognized the warmth and strength—Master. His familiar voice, filled with concern, broke through the fog of pain.

“Are you okay?” His voice was gentle, yet filled with an urgency that made my chest tighten.

I couldn’t answer him immediately, my body trembling from the curse’s grip. I tried to focus on his voice, but my limbs felt like they were made of lead, and the agony in my chest was unbearable.

“Master...” I barely managed to whisper, my voice ragged. “I’m... sorry.”

He shook his head, his grip tightening around me. “No. Don’t apologize. You’ve done more than enough.” His voice was soothing, and for a moment, I allowed myself to lean into him, trying to draw strength from his presence.

***

“You’re pushing yourself too much!” Tabitha growled, her voice sharp and filled with concern as she scolded me. Her eyes were full of worry, and I could feel the heat of her frustration, but also her care.

“Well, I’m sorry.” I muttered, feeling the cold sweat on my forehead. Her intensity was almost enough to make me want to shrink away. She was so scary when she got like this.

“That spell you used earlier…” Dion suddenly interrupted, his voice sounding unusually serious.

I froze, not sure how to respond. Well, I can’t tell you that the World Tree suggested that spell to me, right?

“It’s an ancient healing spell,” Dion said, his voice almost reverent.

I tried to act casual, though my heart was pounding. “Is that so surprising?” I asked, trying to brush it off.

“Well, yeah.” He didn’t hesitate, his eyes narrowing as he seemed to process everything. “Healing spells are very rare in the Enchanted Forest.”

Oh no. I felt a wave of panic sweep through me. That was a little too much information. If he knew how ancient that spell truly was… I’d be in deep trouble. I opened my mouth, trying to think of something to say, but nothing came out.

I could feel my stomach drop. This wasn’t good. At all.

“I’m doomed,” I thought, but I didn’t say it aloud. Instead, I gave Dion a forced smile, hoping my nerves didn’t show too much. I just needed to steer the conversation somewhere else.

“Even if you’re a noble human, you seemed to be capable,” Dion added, his voice sounding impressed but still holding a bit of skepticism.

“Well, my mother says that one of our ancestors was the first witch of the Evergreen family,” I explained, trying to keep things light. “I just got lucky I have that ability. Plus, I have an earth affinity, making me more connected to nature.”

I hoped my reasoning sounded convincing enough. Earth affinity wasn’t exactly rare, and while it wasn’t as powerful as fire or water magic, it had its own unique advantages, especially when connected to the natural world.

I tried to shift the conversation away from the deeper implications of the spell I had used. The last thing I needed was to draw more attention to the mysterious healing powers I had somehow tapped into, or the fact that the World Tree had spoken directly to me. If anyone found out… well, things could get complicated fast.

Dion seemed to accept my explanation, though I noticed him eyeing me with a bit of curiosity. “I see,” he said, his expression softening. “That makes sense. But you still pushed yourself too hard. You need to rest.”

I nodded, hoping I could escape further questioning. Tabitha, still not letting go of her scolding mood, gave me a final look of warning before crossing her arms and turning away. "You better take care of yourself, Val."

I sighed in relief as they both moved on, though the nagging feeling of being found out still lingered in the back of my mind.

***

Master entered the room and gave a sharp gesture to Tabitha and Dion, signaling them to leave. They complied without a word, closing the door behind them as Master approached me.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, his tone softer than usual but still tinged with concern.

“I’m alright, Master,” I replied, though my body ached from the fight. I winced slightly as I touched my left shoulder. “But your spell melted…” I couldn’t hide the discomfort in my voice. “I never knew someone could overpower your spell, Master.”

It was true—Amon’s flames had been intense, and somehow, they’d been strong enough to break through the ice spell Master had cast to suppress the curse. I’d never witnessed anything like it. Amon might have looked like a troublemaker, but deep down, there was something more to him—his power had potential.

If he was trained properly, he could become a force to be reckoned with. But that was a thought I wasn’t going to share with Master. He wasn’t in the mood for praise of Amon, not after what had happened.

Master’s brows furrowed at my words, and his lips tightened in a frown. "Let me reapply the spell. This time, it will not break," he insisted, his voice carrying a bit of an edge.

I could feel the tension in the air, his anger simmering beneath the surface. I’d been through enough to know when he was upset. He didn’t like failure, especially not when it involved something as personal as the curse.

“Master, thank you for taking care of me. I’m trouble for you,” I said, my voice full of gratitude, but also a hint of guilt.

He waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t be a baby. Who’s going to clean the house and make sure everything’s in order if you’re not around?” His tone was teasing, but I could sense the usual underlying warmth beneath it. I couldn’t help but feel like he saw me as more of a helper than a student sometimes.

I pouted, but before I could respond, he gave me a rare, genuine smile and patted my head. “You’re cool, my student,” he said, his voice almost soft. It was such an unexpected compliment that I blushed, feeling the heat spread across my cheeks.

“Are you blushing?” he teased with a mischievous grin.

“No, I’m not!” I quickly denied, my face growing even warmer.

To distract him from my embarrassment, I tried to change the subject. “Where’s my baby Riri?”

“Hecate is playing with him,” Master replied, sounding amused.

“What?” I reacted, my eyes widening. Hecate had a way of getting a bit too carried away with Riri, but hearing that she was actually playing with him made me uneasy.

Master chuckled at my expression. “Don’t worry, he’s in good hands.”

Deep inside, I couldn’t deny that Master had a way of putting me at ease, even when his gruff exterior made it hard to tell. I knew he cared about me in his own way, even if he hid it under sarcasm and jokes. And in that moment, I realized I relied on him… his warmth was too much.