The next day, Yiernoshi and Alene were sparring again.
Three hours into the training, Sam smiled.
"Looks like you've got it, Yiernoshi."
Yiernoshi and Alene charged towards each other.
Kaboom.
There was a loud explosion, and Alene was thrown backwards. She picked herself up, and ran over to where Yiernoshi was lying in the middle of a giant crater.
"Lord Yiernoshi! Hang in there!"
Alene turned to Sam.
"If we continue like this, Lord Yiernoshi's body will break!"
Yiernoshi groaned.
"Just then...the flame...somehow, just a little bit...I had a feeling like I know...what the First did with this technique..."
Sam smiled.
"I see. Well then, shall we call it a day here?"
-----
That night, Yiernoshi was very nervous.
"Who's our Guardian of Mist? What if she doesn't turn up, and the Cheddocheezaria would win by default..."
"Don't worry."
"But...but...but..."
Yiernoshi's protests were cut off by the arrival of the judges.
"Tonight's match will be held in the gymnasium."
"Eh? The gym?"
In the gymnasium, the judges stood in the center of the gym.
"Will the Guardians of Mist please come forward?"
The Cheddocheezaria's Mist Guardian stepped out. Under her black jacket, she wore a pale grey shirt, and jeans. She wore a pair of black leather gloves.
Yiernoshi freaked out.
"Where's our Mist Guardian?"
Suddenly, almost as if on cue, the gymnasium door banged open. Two girls walked in. Two girls Yiernoshi had hoped never to see again.
The girl in the black toilet bowl shirt, and the girl with the red-and-purple outfit.
Odourous Latrine and Purple Cabbage.
Christine scowled.
"You! What are you doing here?"
She got into position, ready to attack.
"Relax. They've brought the Guardian of Mist with them."
"Eh?"
Yiernoshi stared at Sam incredulously.
"But...that means that our Mist Guardian is..."
The third figure stepped into the gymnasium.
"Kufufu~long time no see, young Carbonara."
It was Maria Silvertongue.
-----
"Eee! Maria?! Didn't they lock you up in prison or something?"
"I broke out again~"
"Oh..."
Se Ern stepped forward.
"Yiernoshi, you can't be considering letting
her join the ring battles, can you?"
"Um...uh..."
Sam shook her head.
"Remember that Maria is the only one fit for the job."
"Eh...then...I guess we'll leave it in your hands, then."
Maria smiled.
"Alright."
She strode to the center of the gym, where the other Guardian was waiting.
The judges began to explain the field.
"This time, the battlefield will be the entire gymnasium. The objects may be used in any way that you desire. Furthermore, this field has not been outfitted with any special installations. This is to cater to the speciality of the Mist, the ability to create something from nothing, and nothing from something, thus bewildering the enemy, and rendering the family's true form intangible with visions of deceit. This is the role of the Guardian of Mist."
"There has also been a special audience viewing area set up for the rest to view the match."
"Then, the battle of the Mist: Maria versus Kara. Let the battle begin!"
Maria removed a pair of slim glasses fromk her pocket. Perching them on the bridge of her nose, she pushed them up.
Stetching out a hand towards Kara, she intoned:
"Suffocate."
Immediately, Kara began to choke, and fell to the ground. Maria strode over, and picked her up by the throat.
"Pathetic. I won't be able to have any fun with you, so I'll kill you right here."
"And who are you talking to?"
Kara landed behind Maria, grinning. The 'Kara' in Maria's grip became a baseball bat.
"Eh? That girl turned into a baseball bat!"
"It was a illusion, stupid Yiernoshi."
In the arena, Maria threw back her head and laughed.
"Good, good, looks like I'll be able to have some fun with you, after all."
She pushed her glasses up again.
"You will be attacked by vipers."
Three or four hissing snakes appeared, slithering over to Kara, fangs bared.
She grinned.
"Oh?"
The snakes suddenly started writhing in mid-air, before bursting into a million pieces.
"Snakes, eh?"
Maria stood there, unfazed.
Reaching inside her jacket, she pulled out a long knife.
"Let's go."
She charged towards Kara, who dodged it. Undeterred, she struck again.
Kara barely dodged the knife, which ended up cutting off a few strands of her hair.
"Uff!"
Maria flew backwards, having just suffered a kick in the stomach.
Kara sniffed, and flicked her wrist. Two shiny things flew towards Maria, catching her jacket and effectively pinning her to the wall.
Shuriken.
(Shuriken are those throwing stars that the ninjas use...I think.)
Another flick, and three more shuriken embedded themselves right next to Maria's legs, trapping them.
"You're completely pinned down. It's over."
"No...it's not..."
Maria struggled against the iron hold that was restraining her.
"Resistance is futile. Hand over the Ring, or I'll flay your skin off."
To prove her point, she removed a small knife from her belt.
"Kufufu~you'd dare to do such a thing?"
"Tch. Why not?"
She leaned close to Maria, knife poised.
"Not today. I'm tired."
That said, she used the knife to sever the chain holding Maria's half of the Ring. The Ring fell into her palm.
She clicked the two halves together.
"I win."
She exited the arena, leaving Maria pinned to the wall.
Yiernoshi blinked.
Three wins, three losses.
The last battle, the Battle of the Sky, would decide it all.
Would they triumph?