Classica: Under Eternal Mirage

UEM 26: Liera's Team

UEM 26: Liera's Team

I admit that I could really be stupid at times. And tonight, I just proved to myself once again that this stupidity of mine will bring the end of me.

How could I even let myself follow what technique to use against her...

Well, in my defense, it was the only technique I could think of at that moment. But still...

With all the frustration I've got for myself for putting me in this kind of situation, all I could do was focus on the only goal I must accomplish—to swim up to the surface before I dry all the water I had yielded.

I pushed myself to use every ounce of strength I had to swim and reach the brim of the hole Ma'am Velen made. It's a good thing that swimming is just a basic skill for me, as it was a must for me to learn it as a water-attribute technique user. But with my souro flow being its own master, I could not concentrate well.

Just before I could lose my breath, I finally got a hold of the land and swam more so I could lift my head out of the water. It was a relief when I successfully got out of the pit.

I lost my balance and fell to the ground. My clothes were drenched, making it harder for me to move. I surveyed the surroundings, and fear loomed in my heart as I couldn't spot where Ma'am Velen was. All I could see were the cracks Ma'am Velen created and some parts of the land being soaked in water.

I panted for a minute and thought about the next move I'd make. I'll not be surprised if I'm attacked sooner or later. But I have to prioritize my souro flow first.

I am not sure what happened, but the first time I manifested that water surge, it went wild and I couldn't control it, so I had to calm myself down along with my souro flow. But this time, the surge seemed to stop, even though I hadn't tamed my souro yet.

I am also not sure if Ma'am Velen had something to do with this, but I have to get my system back.

For a few seconds, I remained in my position and tried to feel all the energy bursting in my flow. I applied pressure to my core to slowly calm it down, just like usual. When I felt that it was working, I carefully stood up and continued strategizing in my head.

I know for sure that Ma'am Velen would lunge at me in no time. And I should let her initiate the perpetuation of our fight because I will depend on that to execute my next technique.

A minute passed before I felt a presence behind me. Without even having a second to move an inch, I felt a strong kick on my back that made me fly forward and hit a huge tree nearby. My front body received the most impact, and I grazed my face on the stem of the tree.

I slumped on the rough and moist ground and rolled over due to the uneven surface of the land. Because of my lack of strength, I wasn't able to stop the force pulling me down, leading me to hit my forehead on a rock twice the size of my head. I groaned in pain and felt more annoyed as I could see and feel all the dust and soil stuck on my saturated robe and skin.

But because of my desperation to at least show her that I was not a weakling, I hastily pulled my body up and found my feet.

Still dizzy and shaking with all I went through, I geared up and manipulated my souro with all my might.

I anticipated that attack, but I had never encountered someone that strong physically. I was not surprised that she could do it to that extent; I was just really amazed and frustrated that I was not even one-fourth of her ability.

My heart started pounding again when I saw her standing nonchalantly in the opposite direction, near the excavation where I fell off. She was smirking at me, and her eyes screamed belittlement and mockery.