Serene’s POV

Arlo eyed the blue-eyed boy, it was obvious he wanted to take him on. Both of them stepped forward and glared at each other. There weren’t going to be individual battles, there was too much animosity between them.

"He is mine," Arlo shouted as a golden shield surrounded him and I smiled smugly. He had activated his crystal before the boy could cast his powers on him and immobilize him.

Salillah was ready with her acid attack while Aronis was creating a deadly fog with his hands. Which if engulfed made it difficult for the opponent to breathe. Just then the dome was engulfed in darkness, and Arlo’s ultimate darkness attack was in full swing.

We could hear the screams of the opponent team. A blur seemed to be moving between both teams. But then the darkness began to dissipate as one of the vampires from the opponent team was throwing balls of light from his hands. It engulfed the darkness, one of their vampires had already lost its bands and Arlo was holding it. He twirled it between his fingers and then tossed it to Sahala and smirked.

"Yahhhhh!!!"

"Arloooo!!!"

Numerous voices called out to him from the crowd as we cheered for him. The vampire who lost his band stepped aside.

While the other three rushed toward him with lightning speed. Salillah was ready for them with her acid attack, she targeted their bodies, and though two of them were able to dodge her attack, one got hit in the chest by her acid and fell to the ground screaming. He was the same vampire who had produced balls of light from his hands. The vampire from Azul Skyriders rushed towards him and took off his band and tossed it to Salillah. Everything was happening so fast, sometimes all I could see were blurry dots, rushing towards each other.

She wore it and focused on the remaining two but then the vampire from Azul Skyriders got transfixed to the spot and his band was ripped off by the blue-eyed boy. Aronis threw his gas attacks at him but he dodged them, only to end up colliding with Arlo who grabbed his neck and picked him up like it was nothing. He then hurled him towards the opposite side of the ground with full force. My breath got hitched in my throat as I squealed happily and clapped my hands and whispered to myself: "Go, Arlo."

The crowd roared in approval.

Salillah and Aronis focused on the remaining vampire while Arlo went for his former bully. The battle had turned to dodging each other’s attacks and throwing counterattacks. The vampire hit Aronis with something like a white ray of light and Aronis lost his balance and fell, he began to claw at his hair as if in torturous pain. Salillah quickly covered Aronis before the opponent could steal his band.

On the other hand, Arlo and his bully were beating up each other to a bloody pulp. They were healing rapidly and continuing their attacks. Arlo was being protected by his shield so his bully was facing the full brunt of his attacks. There was so much fire in Arlo’s eyes today and his face only showed hatred as he destroyed his opponents. His bully was in no position to beat him back, for Arlo was way stronger than him. At that time Arlo could take the band easily but he continued beating him and throwing him around the ground. He had even turned off his shield for he thought he didn’t need it anymore.

Sallilah and Aronis were finally able to win their battle against their opponent. Sallilah’s acid attack had burnt the left side of his body. He squirmed in pain as he fell to the ground. Salillah was about to take his band but before he could faint from the pain, he threw one final attack. Not at them but at Arlo. Since Arlo was facing away from him he couldn’t see the white light which hit him right in the head.

"Nooo," I covered my face as Arlo fell to the ground and began to convulse and a scream left his lips.

His eyes had turned white instead of his usual red and then he screamed my name for the whole world to hear: "SERENE....."

"Please! Don’t hurt Serene." He was hallucinating, they had messed up with his head. I got up and rushed toward the dome, without realizing what I was doing. Zeph grabbed me.

"No, Serene he is still in battle. You can’t engage or they will be disqualified." His words were right but I didn’t want to listen to them right now. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Salillah had grabbed the blue-haired boy’s band, who was lying in his pool of blood while Aronis rushed to Arlo. The horn sounded to declare battle was over. Aronis had been hit on his body so he didn’t have that effect from the attack. But Arlo was hit directly in the head and he was not coming out of it. His screams could be heard across the battleground.

I couldn’t take it anymore as tears welled up in my eyes. I removed Zeph’s hands and rushed to the battleground. The vampire who had cast the attack was still on the ground and had already started healing. His teammates had gathered around me as I approached them.

"The battle is over, fix whatever you did to him," I shouted at him. He smirked at me, clearly enjoying the situation.

"I can’t it will take time and he has to face his worst nightmares." His teammates had smug looks on their faces. They had lost but hurting Arlo was the main objective.

"How long?" I yelled.

"Maybe hours. Who knows." My blood began to boil at his words, my whole body was shaking in anger and before I could think logically I took out my bow and aimed at him.

Swift pair of hands grabbed the bow from me and I turned to find Kilamin standing with me: "Don’t do anything which will make you regret or jeopardise the situation." Kilamin took me away but my eyes remained fixed on them.

Shumal and Mariela Sensei were trying to ease Arlo’s pain but he wouldn’t wake up, only screaming as if he was in agony. I wanted to reach out and take away his misery as he had done for me, countless times.

Before I could reach him, I saw Dria rush to him and take him in her arms. I stepped back and they decided to shift him to the infirmary. I knew I couldn’t go with him. I had my battle next. But my heart was hurting seeing him like that.

"He will be alright. He is a tough boy." Kilamin whispered to me but my heart was not at ease. Why did he always have to suffer? Not that he had the easiest of lives. I watched them take him away with tears flowing from my eyes. I knew what they were making him see for my name was on his lips every few seconds.

My emotions were all over the place. Kilamin held me close, Zeph had arrived by my side but he was quiet and I was just glad he was.

"Serene, Fairy Enchantment Institute wants all three of their participants to battle. They say you can fight them one by one, but they all should be given a chance since they traveled here, after so many years." Kilamin informed me.

"I don’t care. I will face them all together." I replied angrily.

"Ok, I will inform them." Kilamin left me with Zeph, Ayrden and Ralph.

"Ayrden can you go check on him?" I asked her, as she herself was on verge of tears.

"I will go, don’t worry he is tough. He will be alright. Concentrate on your battle." She hugged me tightly before leaving. My heart was still pounding loudly in my chest.

The Red Valtire Vampires sat on the benches and were snickering. They were able to hurt him again and were able to reveal his deepest secrets to the world. Zeph followed my gaze and spoke: "Don’t be stupid Serene and do anything rash. It was a battle, concentrate on yours now."

"I agree with Zeph. Let’s not give them the satisfaction of seeing you so hurt. Show them what you are capable of Serene." Ralph added.

I knew they were trying to cheer me up and refrain me from doing anything stupid. But I so wanted to remove those smug smiles from their faces. I had decided I would make them pay for hurting him. Not now, not in front of everyone but I will, real soon.

Zeph took me in his arms, he understood the turmoil I was facing right now. Arlo was the main reason we were able to get together. And he understood now that there was a part of me that cared for him and will always do. I hugged him back, embracing his warmth.

Lavaria Sensei took the podium and announced the results of the previous match and now I waited with a thudding heart for he was about to tell me how my battle will unfold.