NOELLE’S POV,
The next day I wake up feeling like I have been crushed by a giant rock. All my muscles hurt, and I wish I could just lay in bed and die. But it is 6 O’clock so a whole day of training is waiting for me again. I take a deep sigh and drag myself out of bed to get ready.
When I get to the training grounds for the morning run it is clear to me that I am not the only one that is sore. Nolan has to motivate us the whole time to keep everyone running. When it is time for combat training everyone is already so tired that we look like a bunch of imbeciles trying to fight.
After the combat training, I drag myself to the main pool to do transforming magic with the other magicians from the Sea Realm. Then I go to the dragon pits to practice with Thorn and then try not to fall asleep during dinner. By the time dinner is over I am so exhausted that I fall asleep immediately when I reach my bed. The same thing happens for 4 days in a row but on the fifth day, I wake up and realize my muscles don’t feel like they are in agony the whole time.
I stretch my arms above my head and get out of bed with a smile. I eat some breakfast and run to the training grounds. I run past Nolan and take the lead on the running route, ”Let’s go Nolan you sloth.”
Nolan looks surprised but sprints after me laughing. I stay in the lead next to Nolan the rest of the route. While we are jogging Nolan and I have the chance to talk a bit.
”How did you and Gabriel meet?” I ask him.
Nolan smiles while he is remembering, ”I have known Gabriel and Holly since we were kids. Gabriel and I became friends after we found some dragon eggs together. When we have some more time, I will tell you that story. We did everything together after that and Holly joined us. Holly must have been born as a boss lady because she always tagged along bossing us around. No one ever dared to bully us because they were all scared of Holly. Later we didn’t need her protection anymore of course. Gabriel discovered his lightning magic and I made sure I became the best fighter in the Sky Realm.”
I notice that when Nolan speaks of Holly his whole face lights up. I look at him curiously, ”What’s going on between you and Holly?”
Nolan speaks softly when he answers, ”I have loved her my whole life, I think a part of her loves me too. But we cannot be together properly”
I look at Nolan confused, ”Why not?”
Nolan scrapes his throat, ”That’s probably a question Holly should answer when she is ready. Now, how about a little sprint for the last meters?”
Nolan picks up the pace and runs off. I sprint after him and finish just a few feet behind him. We are both panting, and he pats me on the back, ”Good work, keep it up.”
We get to the training grounds, and I feel something wet land on my head. When I look at the sky, I can see little snowflakes fall. It becomes more and more by the minute. I hold up my hands from joy, ”Oh my god it is snowing.”
Everyone around me seems just as excited. Nolan his voice echoes over the grounds, ”ALRIGHT EVERYONE LET’S USE THE SNOW FOR A SPECIAL PRACTICE TODAY. WE WILL HAVE A LITTLE SNOWBALL COMPETITION TO TEST YOUR AGILITY. WHEN YOU GET HIT BY A SNOWBALL YOU LOSE. THE LAST PERSON STANDING WINS AND CAN CLAIM A REQUEST.”
Everyone runs off in different directions and starts throwing. I hide behind a wall and hit a few people with my throws. After a while, there are just 10 people left and I decide I better go find a better shelter. I look at the snow and think to myself, ”Better to be smart than daring.”
I command the snow to form a snowman around me. I watch the 10 remaining people battle it out from under the snowman. In the end, only Thesseus remains.
”Have I won?” He asks.
Nolan has a sharp eye and says, ”No we are missing Noelle.”
Thesseus grunts and starts walking around. He comes closer to me and is now standing there with his back towards me. With a loud roar, I come out of the snowman and throw a snowball at him. The snowball hits him in the head and he turns around surprised and annoyed.
I can hear Nolan laughing when he walks towards us, ”You never fail to surprise me, Noelle. Or should I call you snowwoman?”
Thesseus looks at me with his eyes pinched, ”You cheated, you used magic.”
I walk so close to him that we almost touch and stare into his eyes fiercely. Nolan shushes us, ”Come come no need to fight. There were never any rules that stated magic was forbidden. Now Noelle do you have any requests as a victor?”
I look at Thesseus and smile, ”As a matter of fact, I do.”
I whisper my request into Nolan his ear and he chuckles, ”Very well I will arrange it.”
I give Thesseus one last insincere smile before I leave to get to magic training.