Witches of Mellgrah

There was a certain sense of privileged gratification in walking to the academy beside the hottest and most popular guy in school. Thanks to Keith and Elena meeting every morning on the main path to walk together to school, Maya also had that satisfaction.

This morning was the same. However, he didn't meet Elena with that irresistible smile as soon as he saw her, but a serious expression as his hand gently reached for her face while he focused on the split lip she got in yesterday's fight.

He sighed. "Maya… What trouble did this one get herself into, now?"

"What are you turning to her for? She has nothing to do with it."

"How do I kiss you when you come to me like that?"

Maya remembered Elena called him a weakling yesterday, but Keith was the reasonable one here. It was not normal to walk around with such an injury. It was not normal to get it in the first place. Who would ever want to be punished in the face and who would deserve to be called a weakling for not wanting to?

'Keith, you got it rough,' Maya sympathized with him. 'Elena doesn't seem too bad but she has a couple of marbles cracked. And that's coming from someone who talks to dead people.'

Maya was satisfied to a point, remembering Elena wanting to be her friend. Herself and Keith were in the same boat. They were laboured to guide Elena to the right path. Only if she were less stubborn.

"Why are you so interested in fighting, Elena?" Maya remembered Elena's expression from yesterday. Even wearing a bruise on her face, she conducted herself as if it was something to be proud of.

Elena gave Maya a blank look. "Because it's dangerous to be weak," she stated, as if it were the most obvious fact in the world.

Maya blinked at her. 'There isn't anything wrong with her statement, but why do I feel the need to disprove it?'

"Do it in moderation," Keith said. "There are ways to get strong even without your face having to suffer. I'd rather you were interested in becoming a priestess than a warrior…"

As they walked, Keith and Elena continued bickered because he made the mistake of bringing up religion in front of Elena.

'Come to think of it, I received a notice yesterday to visit the temple after classes… I wonder what's that all about.'

During today's lunch break in the cafeteria, Maya sat with the Beta group, while Elena joined Keith and his friends. News of Elena's success in the warrior training had spread, as Maya heard many students discussing it throughout the day. Their table was no exception.

"I don't get it. How's she so popular?" Isaac commented.

"Not many are as badass as her. I mean, how many of us can set our minds on such a thing and be brave enough to try for it? If had only a drop of her courage, I'd ask our year rep out," Andrea was daydreaming.

"I thought girls can't be warriors," Linda said.

"Apparently they can if they impress their coach," Maya said.

"What she did isn't something hot, yet I see too many people drooling over her today," Isaac continued to complain.

"Who could blame them? She has the body of a goddess," Linda was looking in Elena's direction with a dazed expression.

"She has no boobs," Sarah emphasized while stabbing at her plate. It seems she was the only one interested in food today.

"Clearly that's not stopping her."

"C'mon, guys. Nobody really wants to be with her. She's pure evil," Sarah argued. "Are you all in love with her?! Can't I have a second of peace today?!"

Sarah had a point. The entire school buzzing about Elena was getting a little annoying. Everyone had forgotten that just yesterday some had managed to use magic for the first time. The one to do it first was sitting right beside them, and everyone was focused on something Elena did that was completely unrelated to magic.

Maya wanted to chat more about it, but Sarah rushed away after eating as usual. Perhaps even faster today. The rest of them decided to use the rest of their lunch break in the library, discussing school clubs to join.

Maya got off a little earlier, wanting to prepare for the practical lessons in advance, and ran into Keith and Elena in the main hall. Perhaps out of pity for seeing her alone, Keith waved at her to join them.

"Hi, Maya. How are you doing?"

Keith was always polite to her. Perhaps not just to her, as he was the type of person who wanted to get along with everyone. He was an excellent example for Elena to try being a little nicer. She was lucky to have him.

Before Maya could answer, a group of guys passing by interrupted them.

"Oh, look who's here. Our little warrior Elena. Congratulations on becoming the first-ever female warrior trainee in Amellan history. It's a pleasure having you."

It was a senior student. Him being well-built but not having seen him yesterday, Maya assumed he was one of the trainees who missed yesterday's practice and its spectacle.

To Maya's surprise, Keith seemed a little exasperated. No wonder, that was the subject he was hearing about the whole day.

Elena on the other hand didn't seem to mind. "Be a little more proud of me, will you?"

"I thought we agreed on you going for Tachde-tu try-outs next year, not becoming a warrior…"

"You guys are too cute, planning so far ahead when she hasn't even passed the conditions for the Initiation yet." It was the tall guy Maya saw among the warriors yesterday who said it.

"I heard you kicked Chris's ass, yesterday," the one that spoke first continued.

In all truth, he did seem moderately impressed by Elena. Maya was grateful he didn't meet her with the same hostility she received yesterday since this guy seemed to be more senior and of higher status among trainees.

"She did not. I let her win, Boss," Chris defended himself.

Maya recognized he was the guy Elena fought yesterday.

"Did you know your girlfriend was this strong?" Chris's protest went unheeded as the 'Boss' patted Keith's shoulder. "I wouldn't dare break her heart—she might break something of yours in return," he joked.

Keith laughed nervously. He seemed quite uncomfortable. These guys weren't the bunch he would usually fraternize with.

"Tell me, how did you do it?" he turned to Elena. "When I first heard the story I imagined you to be a strong muscly princess warrior type, but Seeing you now, you seem quite thin, so I know the sheer use of power wasn't the case here. So how was this brute force of a man get his ass handed to him?"

The guy had a point. Seeing them up close, Maya couldn't deny they seemed a little imposing. School uniforms couldn't hide that muscles were hiding beneath. They were expected to be strong.

Elena on the other hand… Well, with Maya in comparison she did look taller and stronger, but she still had to look up to meet their gaze.

And Chris was built like a bear especially. He looked stronger than their 'boss'. But Maya suspected Boss had something else up his sleeve to earn his title.

Even Maya was looking at Elena expecting to hear the answer she would provide. Seeing it play out, she still didn't understand how Elena won that match. Before speaking, Elena glanced back at Maya as if she could feel her burning gaze.

"To be honest, I was also surprised… Him looking the toughest, I expected more of a challenge, but the guy was too predictable."

"Oh?"

It certainly wasn't the answer they expected.

"Haven't you guys noticed? At first, I thought he was going easy on me so that was the reason he broadcast every move before he made it. But even when he got quite mad, it was still the same."

"What are you going on about?" Chris questioned.

"The fact that you're so simply wired that, when I look at you, I feel like I can see into the future." Elena spread her fingers like she reached something profound.

"Are you calling me dumb?! Do you want to see—"

Chris was getting worked up, but restrained himself being patted on the shoulder by the Boss as a subtle reminder to keep cool.

"All you have over me is a bigger build. It's clear you don't know how to use your fingers for anything but to make a fist. And that alone isn't enough to defeat me because I can see through your every move."

Maya was slowly realizing Elena had a knack for finding points that infuriated people. It seemed like what Elena was saying had nothing to do with their match yesterday. It made sense for her to push his buttons yesterday when she wanted to prove herself, but right now, they were in the academy's main hall.

'Was she looking for a fight?'

"…A guessing game with you would be no fun."

"Yeah right, then 'predict' how many fingers am I holding up behind my back. You can do that, right? With how easily you can predict my every move."

Chris dared her and hid his hands behind his back. It felt a bit childish. He probably showed something rude, but Elena decided to play dumb and scoffed.

"I'll prove how easy to read you are. Even Maya here can do it. She's great at this game."

Unexpectedly, unassuming Maya's shoulders were grabbed by Elena and then she found herself pushed forward. After being just a silent observer, now directly facing Chris, she was stumped at suddenly being involved.

"Huh?"