Hola! Just a note: Cecilia is actually an incarnation of my alter-ego, Ladymage, so she doesn't properly belong in this reality. Her history is long and complicated, but basically the thing to remember is that she is, by my definition, a mage. Her magical abilities stem directly from her innate strength and her will. Also, this life is her first reincarnation from her original existance as the Ladymage. Since I don't want her interfering too much, Cecilia will probably disappear once this plot tangent is finished and we get back to what was supposed to be happening already. *sigh* Anyway, the theme for today is Sora no Soko by Takehito Koyasu. Have fun!
Ladymage Samiko ;)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To the Victor Go the Spoils
Part 17 ~ Duellistes
There were no spotlights, no special effects. No costumes, no makeup. No magic. Just two people standing in the middle of a gymnasium floor. Jareth stood silently, watching Sarah with unblinking eyes. She stared back at him, uncertain. They were about to replay her victory. What kind of emotions was she about to rake up? The Goblin King had been arrogant and irritatingly self-confident. Sarah could only imagine how humbling it had been to lose to a girl who probably wasn't even a fraction of his age who had brought only her humanity to the game. Should she force him to do this again? Looking at the blank face he displayed, she realized that there wasn't anything else she could do. He hadn't objected, which meant either he was hiding from it or it hadn't been that important to him. To ask him now would be showing him that she didn't believe. Believe in what? her mind asked. Sarah didn't know. His strength perhaps? Or his honor? Either way, it was done. They would re-enact their lives over again.
"Sarah, we're waiting," Mr. Cantiello's voice broke in.
"Yes, sir," her voice came out pale and a few of Cantiello's pet actresses snickered. Their laughter gave Sarah the determination she needed to begin.
Cecilia watched, fascinated, from the stands as the scene unfolded. She was mesmerized not only by the dramatic tension the pair created, but by their magical auras. Jareth had explained to her in detail the tricks of Sarah's power, it's reaction to strong emotion and will. Of Fae magic, he had said little, but she knew that it didn't take much emotion to call upon it. And, of course, Sarah now possessed Fae magic.
Both Sarah's and Jareth's magic were glowing like mad.
It was as though they truly believed themselves back in the Goblin King's castle. Every word, every gesture flowed from them and echoed itself in magic. Cecilia glanced at the other students, who were enthralled by what they viewed as simple chemistry. It frightened Cecilia. She trusted the Goblin King to control his own magic, though he looked just as wrapped up in the past, but Sarah was dealing with power she didn't know how to control. And the level of power in the room was climbing rapidly beyond any Cecilia would dare even try to use. The two powers struck and pressed at each other, seeking dominance, seeking ultimate victory. Her own magic seemed to be very similar to Fae magic, but without Hitoshii to work off of, Cecilia didn't dare try to interfere in what was a very exclusive duel.
"Through dangers untold," Sarah repeated calmly, persistantly. Cecilia wanted to scream at her to stop. Instead, she dug her fingers into the wooden bleachers and created a shield around her and the others in the stands, gritting her teeth and praying it would hold.
"Through hardships unnumbered." Cecilia suddenly felt a weight pressing against the shield, a weight that tasted of despair, then it vanished suddenly, leaving what could only be described as a magical vacuum. The girl struggled to keep her magic from filling in the space that had been left by the disappearance of the Fae's magic. Sarah's continued to grow.
"You have no power over me!" she shouted triumphantly, proudly. Cecilia's shield buckled as the earth itself spasmed and rolled underneath them with the instant release of power.
The girls began to scream while the teacher tried to get everyone to go underneath the stands. Cecilia rolled between the boards to land heavily underneath them and watched the chaos from there. She wasted no attention on the civilians in the room; she saw Jareth shake himself as though awakening and an expression of surprise and fear cross his face. She saw Sarah collapse to her hands and knees, clearly terrified. She saw Jareth rush towards her, momentarily stopped by the force of Sarah's power. She saw his determined passage through it and saw him both magically and physically shield her friend.
Reluctantly, the earth slowed and finally stopped its tremors. The building was surprisingly undamaged, as were most of the students, but several of the girls were having hysterics. Cantiello sent them to the nurse's office with a few of their friends.
"Well," he said. "Now that's over, shall we continue? You two must do the ballroom scene."
Eyes peered up through gold hair and brown, blinking. The two stood. Wide green eyes stared at them.
The show must go on.
