After their long makeout slash groping session, both girls were lying on the bed, side by side. They were flushed, a little out of breath, but quite satisfied. Lily turned her head to the side to look at Yelena.
“So, I was thinking. Given your patron god and the powers you might receive in the future, I guess you will be seeking out more people.” Lily said it in the most matter-of-fact way.
Yelena’s eyes shot wide open. She didn’t expect this kind of conversation to pop up out of nowhere. Especially not after having some light fun with each other.
“I don’t plan to do that. I have you now; that should be more than enough for me.” Yelena answered in a serious tone.
She reached out to Lily, putting her hand on the girl’s cheek and starting to gently stroke it. Lily smiled and put her hand on top of Yelena’s.
“It is fine. I don’t mind if you do. I know it is not uncommon amongst nobility to have multiple lovers. I didn’t expect me to be the only one. You don’t have to worry. Not to mention, you might need your powers. We still have no clue how they really work.” By the way she said those things, Lily really didn’t seem like she was bothered by the idea.
It was quite odd. Yelena was almost certain it would be bad if she started to look for other partners. Not that she planned to do it. She was completely satisfied with just being with Lily. She didn’t need anyone else.
Yet, she could tell the girl was perceptive. Of course, they discussed what Yelena knew about her divine powers. There was still a lot that they couldn’t understand, and Lucia wasn’t always open to discussing the details.
This meant that Lily very well could be right. Yelena might need more than just one partner to maximize the powers she received. Of course, it was nothing more than a guess on her part. It might not be the case. Yet, Yelena couldn’t help but wonder. She turned her head towards the goddess who was watching them.
Lucia seemed deep in her thoughts, trying to figure out just how much info she should share with Yelena. She had her reasons for wanting to keep things vague, but in the end, she decided it was better if she knew.
“She is not wrong. Given my domain, it would be most beneficial for you to have more than one partner. You will gain different experiences with different people. They all have their tastes and kinks. So, it would help you out greatly.” Lucia explained.
Yelena groaned and threw her head back on the pillow. She hoped it wouldn’t be the case.
“I guess she confirmed my theory?” It wasn’t exactly difficult to read Yelena’s annoyed reaction.
Yelena nodded. She didn’t know what to say. Even if Lily was okay with it, can she actually do that to her?
“You should. I’m not saying to be mean. It is just how it works. The drawbacks you are experiencing are not just something to be annoyed by. It is the divine power pushing you to do something in order to grow your powers.” Lucia kept talking, going into some more details about how these work.
Yelena sat up and looked at the goddess. So far, she thought the drawbacks were just that. A weakness. Something that was maybe designed to balance things out, maybe.
“To put it in a different context. Let’s say my annoying older sister Kytia chose a champion too. That person would have the overwhelming urge to protect those who can’t protect themselves. They wouldn’t be able to walk past after seeing an injustice.” Lucia tried to explain it with a different example.
It made sense; Kytia was the goddess of protection. That would mean her champion’s main thing would be protecting.
“Now, each time that champion protects somebody, they would get more and more attuned with the divine power within them. Eventually, they would start unlocking more of that power and get better control over it. For you, this is the same thing. You would need to have sex to improve your powers.” Lucia finished her explanation.
Finally, the piece of the puzzle that Yelena was missing fell into place. She wondered a lot about how she could even unlock these powers, let alone learn how to control them. Now she knew. Although it didn’t exactly make her happy.
Yelena turned back to Lily. They were still holding each other’s hands. She felt guilty even just thinking of doing something like that.
“I told you! It is fine! I don’t mind. Besides, if you find someone cute, you can always invite me to join the fun.” Lily joked a little to ease the tension.
Yelena couldn’t help but laugh. It was such a bizarre situation. She rolled on top of Lily and looked deep into the girl’s emerald green eyes.
“So that is how it is, huh? You just want more for yourself, too!” Yelena teased Lily.
“What? A girl can dream, can’t she?” She answered with a smug smile.
Yelena shook her head with a smile on her face. Lily was quite something for sure. Still, she never would have thought she would ever find herself in this situation. The smile slowly faded, replaced by a more serious look.
“Let’s assume I’ll look for other partners; I don’t say I’ll, but just pretend. How do you want to… handle it? Like, do you want to know, or would it be better if I just kept it a secret?” Yelena felt awkward even asking the question, but she knew it was better to get it over with now.
Lily could feel the worry in Yelena’s words. She reached up and placed her hand on Yelena’s cheek. She had a reassuring smile on her face.
“I think it is better if I know it. Especially if you have some juicy story to share.” Lily’s smile turned into a more cheeky one.
Despite that, Yelena knew the girl was answering honestly. It was still baffling for her how easily Lily accepted this. Like there was no doubt in her mind whatsoever.
“How did I end up this lucky with you?” Yelena leaned down and kissed Lily again.
****
The next day, they started with combat class. Just like the previous one, they have been practicing controlling their life force. The progress was slow. It was harder than they had originally imagined.
No wonder. While magic relied a lot on knowledge and memorization, Vareen was the exact opposite. It was all about feeling, practice, and getting used to this new power.
Everyone struggled to make any progress. Even the smallest achievements seemed like a huge step forward. They all were aware that it would take time. The instructor said at least a week, but they knew it could take longer for some.
****
After the first classes of the day, Yelena made her way to the Azure Dragons’ room. It was time for her to apply there. Just as Lily did the previous day. Unlike Lily, though, Yelena expected to be put to the test before they accepted her.
When she arrived, she knocked on the door. Just in a few moments, it opened, and a black-haired boy was standing behind it.
“Hey! Here for the tryouts?” He asked, and he had a polite smile on his face as he greeted the newest possible recruit.
“Yes, I’m here to join.” Yelena replied back.
The boy nodded and looked up and down at Yelena. His eyes weren’t lecherous or anything like that. It was more like as if he was sizing her up to see if she had what it takes.
“Good! What is your name?” He asked.
“Yelena Hellag.” Yelena told her name immediately.
The boy gave her a knowing look. Even if he didn’t know her directly, he more than likely would recognize Yelena’s family name.
“Okay, I assume you already have a good amount of training with both sword and magic. Come with me!” He turned around, motioned to Yelena to follow, and started walking inside.
The room was much different than the one the Spectral flames had. It was more organized and cleaner, and obviously had fewer bookcases and magical gadgets. In fact, it looked more like a club room where people would hang out than a place to train. Yelena knew better than that. There was more that met the eye here. The Dragons were the most recognized group in the entire academy for a reason.
As it was said, the place looked more like a club room. There were multiple couches around with coffee tables in front of them. The design was pleasant, even warm. It wasn’t as luxurious as Yelena expected. It seemed more toned down and simple. Overall, it felt like the place had a friendly atmosphere.
As they walked, the black-haired boy turned his head.
“Hey, Danny! You have a new victim. Get your ass in the training room.” The guy laughed.
The one he called Danny seemed tall. He had long, scruffy-looking brown hair. Both his ears had several piercings in them, as well as one ring on the left side of his lower lip.
He slapped his knees and stood up. He joined the two and went towards the training room. He flashed a smile at Yelena as he got next to her.
“Yo! I’m Danny Fulg. Second-year. Nice to meet you.” He introduced himself.
Despite his odd looks, he didn’t seem like a bad guy.
“I’m Yelena Hellag; nice to meet you too,” Yelena replied to the boy.
“Ah! Almost royalty then. Not that it matters here. We only care how good you are. Also, don’t let Justin there scare you. We are just going to do a little test. Nothing to worry about.” He pointed it out, possibly due to the fact that the one named Justin referred to Yelena as “victim” previously.
Yelena was not at all intimidated. She already knew that groups tend to have a closer, friendlier atmosphere among their members. Not really a big surprise. A group of people, all aiming for the same goal. They tend to get closer to each other. She knew that they were likely just joking around.
Though she was also aware that their test was no joke. They were the top group in the school for a reason. They were very selective about whom they let join. This test served to weed out those who wouldn’t stand a chance.
They arrived at the training room. Yelena immediately could see just how massive the place was. There were four clearly marked pads. They served as the venue for sparring among their members. In the back, there were all sorts of tools and equipment for working out. As a magic knight, they definitely couldn’t neglect improving their bodies.
On the right side, several racks were neatly arranged against the wall. Each had different types of weapons displayed on it. Looked like, unless the school, the group practiced with more than just swords.
On the other side, there were mannequins standing in line next to each other. They wore different types of armor. From the lighter ones to the heavy plates. Presumably, they used these to practice with and get used to wearing different types of armor.
Justin guided Yelena over to the closest pad. He already picked up a training sword from the rack earlier and handed it to the girl. Danny also had one in his hand and was taking a position on the opposite side from Yelena.
“Okay, rules are simple. Pretty much the same thing as with the duels. We are using blunt weapons, as I assume you haven’t fully unlocked the Vareen yet. The only big difference is that you can use magic. In fact, we expect you to do.” Justin started explaining the rules.
Normally, during duels for the first years, magic was forbidden at least until they learned more about how to protect themselves against magical attacks. This was to avoid any serious or possibly deadly incidents.
As Danny was already in his 2nd year, this rule didn’t apply to him anymore, so Yelena didn’t have to hold back against him.
“Danny here will fight you with a sword only. He won’t cast any offensive spells. He can use defensive ones, of course, but I doubt he will need them. No offense, it is just how things are.” He didn’t seem like he was looking down on Yelena; instead, it was more like he knew how good her opponent was.
“None taken. I’m ready!” Yelena wasn’t offended by the comment and put on her fighting stance.
Justin started the fight. Danny was about to push forward to approach Yelena, but he was stopped in his tracks. Yelena immediately raised her right hand. A large circle appeared in front of her palm, burning fiery red.
Within less than a second, several smaller fireballs flew towards Danny. He was ready to dodge them; it was not that difficult for him, but then he noticed something.
“Shit!” He exclaimed.
The next moment, the balls exploded around him. As expected, the room was well protected; there wasn’t even a scorch mark on the ground after the attack. Still, despite it catching Danny off guard for a second, he did manage to put on a shield before the explosion.
Yelena clicked her tongue, seeing the blue barrier around him. Not even a scratch on the boy. He was grinning as the shield disappeared around him.
“Nice one! Not going to lie, you almost got me. The Flames would love to have you, I’m sure, but you need more to join here. Show me what you got with the sword.” He looked pumped up after witnessing that one spell from Yelena.
He didn’t need to say more. The two rushed towards each other, both swinging their swords at the same time. The blades met in the middle. A second later, Danny pulled back and attacked again. A vertical slash came from Yelena’s left side. It was fast.
The girl moved her sword to block the attack. Sparks were flying as the two metal blades met. Danny wasn’t done yet. He attacked again and again. He was fast; Yelena had barely enough time to block the attacks, let alone try to make her own attack.
Danny was clearly good with the sword. Even without using Vareen, he was fast, precise, and strong. Yelena was slowly pushed back towards the edge of the pad. She couldn’t let that happen.
Since she couldn’t use her sword to attack back, she figured out a different method. During his next attack, Danny stepped forward. Yelena used this as an opportunity to swipe under him with her leg.
The boy was ready, and he immediately stepped back to avoid tripping.
“Not a bad idea, too bad it didn’t! Work.” He was grinning.
Yelen smiled too. Tripping him was never the goal. It was to create a moment. Now, things turned, and Yelena started attacking. She made several fast slashes towards her opponents. Danny seemed a little surprised by the sudden turn of events, but he was perfectly blocking all the attacks. The clanking sound of the two swords smashing against one another reverberated in the room.
Yelana attacked again. This time, Danny was ready. Once he blocked, he shifted his sword, pushing Yelena’s out to the side. Then he let go of the grip with one hand, quickly stepped forward and punched at Yelena’s abdomen. The girl followed suit; she let go of the grip with her left hand, then opened her palm to catch the boy’s strike.
The fist impacted her palm. It stung a little. He sure was strong.
“Nice try, but it was too slow!” It was now Yelena’s turn to say something.
Danny laughed. He clearly enjoyed this spar. Both of them stepped back and were ready to get back into the fight again.
“Okay! That is enough!” Justin stopped the fight.
Yelena looked at him with her eyebrows raised. The fight was clearly not over yet. Has he already made his decision?
“Don’t look at me like that. This wasn’t a proper duel. Simply a test. We needed to know if you have what it takes. I must say, you do. Welcome aboard.” He told the girl.
Yelena was still a little confused. It felt like the fight had barely begun. Yet they already decided to let her join.
“Okay, let me explain. With your first strike, the magic attack, you forced Danny to use his barrier spell. Not something most first-years can do. Pretty impressive. On top of that, you not only defended yourself from his attacks but also managed to create an opportunity to strike back against him. Believe me when I say this, that is not easy to do against this mad dog.” Justin laughed when he said that last sentence.
“Hey! Can you at least not call me that in front of the new recruits?” Danny grumbled; it was clear he didn’t like that nickname.
“Either way, even if he wasn’t going all out on you, he did use enough to make any first-year sweat. You held your ground well. Remember, this was a test. The point was never to let him beat you into a pulp. Once again, no offense, but he could do that easily. He is the first in the ranking amongst the second-year students and without a doubt the best sword fighter.” He explained.
It made more sense now. Sure, she expected that he would hold back a little. Just one year at this school could make a huge difference in students' abilities. It still stung a little knowing she wouldn’t stand a chance against the boy, but she also felt proud about getting in.
“Wow! That was something. It’s been a while since a tryout like that made me work for it. Congratulations. Now you are one of us. I must say, you must have had an amazing teacher. Your style is on point.” Danny walked up to her and praised the girl.
“The best.” Yelena confirmed.
The two boys looked at each other. Both started chuckling.
“Come on, you are exaggerating a little. Everyone knows the best swordmaster around is Dylan Dorwood. No questions about that.” Danny told her.
Yelena crossed her arms in front of her chest and wore an “I said what I said” look on her face. The two looked at each other again. This time, their expression turned to pure shock.
“No fucking way! You had Dorwood as your teacher? No fucking wonder you are this good. How? Wait, don’t tell yet. Let’s get back to the lounge. I want to hear everything!” Danny was beyond excited.
“Maybe some other time. The break is almost over, and I’ll have to get to class.” Yelena explained.
Both of the boys looked deflated. They totally forgot about the class. They knew there would be plenty of time to talk, but they wanted it to happen as soon as possible.
“Ah, one thing before you go!” Justin stopped the girl.
“This Saturday we will have a little welcome party. It will start at 7 PM. Come if you would like.” He told her.
“A party? I thought it was a serious group, not one that spends its time drinking and partying.” Yelena joked.
“Nah, nothing like that. It is a tradition. Plus, we need to let out some steam every now and then. Just come and have some fun. You can get to know the rest of the members as well. A good time. Oh, you are also allowed to bring a plus one if you want.” Danny explained it to her.
“Sure, I’ll think about it.” Yelena replied and walked out of the room.
Despite her words, Yelena had already decided that she would join the party. She already knew who she wanted to invite. Now, she only needed to make some preparations before the event.