Elementalists
Chapter 15 - Before the Final

After hearing he was going to meet Zayn in the final round, Arya immediately headed to the treatment room where Timothy was. He entered the room without knocking on the door and saw Timothy lying on the bed with many bandages attached to his body, his right eye was wrapped in a bandage that made him look like a pirate. He realized Arya's arrival so that his unspeakable eyes opened and saw Arya looking back at him with a hollow expression.

"What are you here for? Do you just want to make fun of me after seeing my miserable state?" timothy asked, trying to smile.

"It was like that, but it didn't seem like it" Arya replied as she leaned against the wall.

"Why? Do you feel sorry for seeing me?"

"Don't be a fool, how could I feel sorry for you"

"Ehh...?"

"I wanted to insult you cruelly, because I predict your injury is at least only the entire bone in your body is destroyed but unfortunately you are only a light wound like this" Arya said with a sigh.

"What...?! If it's just a minimal wound how do you predict the worst that will happen to me???" ask Timothy.

"It's obvious, isn't it? You will lose your life" Arya replied with a flat expression.

"That's not funny at all!!!"

"Of course it's funny" said Elizabeth who suddenly entered the room as well.

He holds Arya's hand while smiling at her, he holds Arya's hand tightly as if a child does not want to be separated from his parents.

"I didn't think you could do that now" Timothy said.

"Of course you can, have you never heard the words yesterday's enemy is a friend tomorrow" Elizabeth replied.

"Mmm Elizabeth who was right was yesterday's enemy is a friend today" Arya confirmed.

"Well, I mean, I know that Arya's sister will definitely justify it"

"Gdv"

"Who lets you laugh you stupid Timothy!" shouted Elizabeth.

"Huh? Who are you calling stupid?"

"Who else but you"

The two children started to quarrel and make fun of each other, Arya just silently looked at the two of them blankly. Even though her body was there but Arya's mind was floating everywhere, there was something she wanted to know. Then as Timothy and Elizabeth's quarrel gets hotter, Arya's mind suddenly returns to her body.

"Hey?" call Arya slowly.

Timothy and Elizabeth stopped their quarrel and turned to Arya.

"What do you think of Zayn's abilities?" ask Arya at last.

Elizabeth and Timothy looked at each other for a while, then finally they looked back at Arya with a serious look.

"Honestly as his teammate during the first half I can only say he was very good and talented in using his elemental abilities and weapons, he also had very good technique. If you remember in the first half our team was the first team to complete the mission, it was inseparable from Zayn's ability and of course me as well. But he's like he's got a different level to us" Elizabeth said.

"Then what do you think if he competes with Arya? Ask Timothy.

Elizabeth seemed to think for a moment while holding her chin, after a while she looked frustrated and ruffled her hair.

"Mmm I don't know.!!, which obviously Arya's sister also has such great abilities that I can't compare you guys. Although of course your fighting styles are very different from each other, which is why I won't miss the upcoming final. I want to see Aryan's match against Zayn" Elizabeth said with a serious face.

"I agree with Arya, I also saw all the matches you two. But I can't predict what will happen if you two fight, which is clear you will know Zayn's ability when fighting directly with him" Timothy added.

"Well, if that is also me knowing, it seems like I have to prepare myself seriously before the final" Arya replied with a sigh.

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"Sister Arya what....sister is fine?" ask Elizabeth.

Elizabeth asked that not without reason, Arya entered the canteen with a gloomy and messy face. Eye bags are seen hanging under his eyes and he looks very lethargic, how not. He's been training and strategizing non-stop since the announcement of the final, he's had a week to prepare and he doesn't want to waste the time he's been given.

Even so he could not find an effective way to fight with Zayn, the obstacle was the lack of information Arya had about Zayn's abilities. All he knew was that the boy had the ability of the Dark Element and he was skilled in using his weapon, even until now Arya had no idea what weapon he was using.

Arya sat down next to Selena while putting her food tray, then she yawned while rubbing her eyes.

"It looks like you're in a bad mood" Kevin said suddenly.

Arya and Kevin's relationship has been better since the previous game, even now Kevin is also more open with other children.

"Do you think?" timpal Arya slowly.

"Yep, and it looks like your opponents in the final look much more prepared" Kevin replied as he glanced at Zayn sitting at the end of their table.

Zayn looked very calm, he ate his food in silence. He does not seem to have the burden of mind is very inversely proportional to Arya who looks messy and frustrated.

"Are you really okay Arya?" selena asked finally after seeing Arya yawn for the third time.

"Sure, thank you for worrying about me Selena" Arya replied with a faint smile.

"Uhhh Selena can you stay away from Arya's sister?" elizabeth looked a little upset.

"Eh? All right, I'm just asking how he is"

"You don't have to worry about him, I will always pay attention to his health. So take it easy" said Elizabeth while puffing her chest.

"Isn't that what to worry about" whispered Kevin quietly.

"What did you say?! You little whiny boy!"

"I'm not a whiny!"

Somehow their fights while in the treatment room continued in the cafeteria, others could only waste a deep breath. Then after they finally tired of cursing each other, Elizabeth ran towards Arya and got rid of Timothy who was on the other side of Arya so now Arya flanked by Elizabeth and Selena.

"Aw.aw.aw Elizabeth I have not fully recovered, you know if you do that the wounds can be opened again" said Timothy.

"I don't care, get rid of the iron"

"What?!!"

"Sister Arya is there anything you want? I can do anything for sister" Elizabeth said without caring about Timothy's protest.

"Mmm not there, but can you just calm down? My head is a little dizzy" Arya replied as she rubbed Elizabeth's head.

After hearing the plea from Arya that the atmosphere of the dining table could be calmer, they ate in silence until their food ran out. As Arya was getting ready to move out of her chair, Zayn suddenly patted her on the shoulder.

"Hey can we talk for a second?"

"Hey wait a........"

Arya stopped Kevin with her hand signal.

The two of them walked out of the canteen followed by a worried look from the people behind them.

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Zayn took Arya to an area she had never been to before, Arya just followed Zayn without saying anything until they finally arrived at a veranda overlooking the dark forest.

"I've never been to this area before, and as I recall, haven't we just had breakfast?" arya was confused.

"This is the area of Astronomy, where scientists study outer space. So this place is adapted to that so there is only night in this place" Zayn explained.

"Well"

"really? I've always been to this place to clear my mind"

"It's only fitting that you always disappear, it turns out that you are always here" Arya said while watching the surroundings.

"so"

"So? What do you want to talk about?" ask Arya at last.

"About the final match, I feel unfair because you never watched my match so you don't have any data on my abilities. Whereas I've seen all your matches since against Elizabeth"

"So you want to give me information about your abilities?"

"Yes" Zayn replied as he looked at Arya seriously.

"I'm sorry I refused" Arya cut quickly while shaking her right palm in front of the face.

"Eh? Wh why? Don't you want to win too?" ask Zayn confused.

"Of course I want to win, but I think it's my fault that I didn't watch your game so it's a risk that I have to take" Arya replied as she stepped away from the porch.

"You are a strange person" Zayn said, laughing softly.

"Thank you for the compliment" Arya replied as she walked to the exit.

"Before you leave, will you listen to my story for a moment"

Arya stopped her footsteps, she stopped right at the exit of the veranda. Hearing Arya's footsteps stopped Zayn continued.

"This may not really matter to you, but I feel like I should tell you this because we have a resemblance"

"Do you want to tell me about your guardian?" arya asked still while facing the exit. Arya felt Zayn slightly jolted after hearing what he said just now.

"How did you........?"

"How do I know? Simply put, when I was sent to the Research Center I met the nine adoptive families of the other Elementalists. And I recognize those nine as former leaders of the country, we Elementalists number ten and I know where they come from but the truth is there is one person I cannot know the origin of. And that person is you." replied Arya as she turned to face Zayn.

"Hmm so you already know that? Thank goodness I didn't have to explain it at length, well I'll tell you about my teacher and guardian. I don't know his real name but he always told me to call him Venna"

"Venna?"

"She was a woman who was once one of my mother's disciples and the last descendant of the Assassins Order"

"Ordo Assassins? You mean the middle-east assassin gang? Have they not been destroyed long ago?" ask Arya curious.

"Right but there was one of their members who managed to escape and Venna was one of his descendants, no matter how many. So my mother left me to Venna instead of one of the former leaders of the country, since childhood I was taught to be an Elementalist and also taught various Assassins techniques by him"

It was only fitting that his footsteps were like that, his footsteps were like that of an assassin sneaking around to pounce on his victim. I seem to have read that in the library, what's his name? Phantom Steps?

"And as hired assassins we're not just in Elemental City, you know this place is too peaceful. So we went out and looked for clients who would pay us"

"you mean? Did you guys go to another Race Territory?" arya asked in surprise.

"True, many of the clients who hire our services are not of the human race. But they don't care if we're human or not, the important thing is that we've accomplished our mission"

"That's an interesting story in my opinion, and now where's your teacher?" arya comments after Zayn ends his story.

"Venna died a year ago"

"I'm sorry I asked you something like that"

"It's okay, but this is the real thing I want to ask you" Zayn said as he looked at Arya seriously.

"What's that?"

"When we went on a real mission I realized Venna was looking for something, I didn't know what she was looking for. I've asked this directly but he's always evasive, so I beg Arya if you know what he's looking for please tell me" Zayn said earnestly.

"Eh? Wait a minute, why do you think I know what he's looking for?" arya was confused.

"Are you not the same as me? Aren't you an Assassin's student?"

"HUH?! Not that I was entrusted to the former leader of the country, and I was also raised as an ordinary child not an Elementalist or Assassins" explained Arya.

"really?"

"Yes, I'm sorry I couldn't help you figure out what your teacher was looking for. But I really don't know"

"Mmm I trust you" Zayn said with a smile.

"Really?"

"Yes I can tell the difference between the eyes of a person who is lying and not lying"

"Thank God, then, I don't know why you can think that I'm also an Assassins' student"

"Your footsteps, your footsteps are very slow and smooth even like they're not stepping on the ground"

"Huh? Ghost dong then" said Arya wonder.

"Hahaha right too, I thought you had an Assassin teacher who probably knew Venna and knew what she was looking for. Because until the end of his life what he was looking for he had not found"

"Once again I'm sorry I couldn't help you" Arya said earnestly

"It's okay, thanks for listening to my story. It feels like now the burden on my shoulders has been lifted" Zayn said as he stretched out his hand.

"Well see you in the final, I will definitely beat you" Arya replied as she reached for Zayn's hand.

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Arya was sitting in the waiting room while waiting for the call to enter the match arena, she was already wearing her complement. He has strategised and has also trained against Zayn today, hopefully the plan goes well.

This morning he received a warm welcome from many people, many people who encouraged and worried about him. Even the other Elementalist members also encouraged him for this fateful final match, before heading to the waiting room Arya also took the time to visit Asuna.

Supervisor Allucia said Asuna's condition is getting better and maybe she will soon be awake, Arya was relieved to hear that. Because she was worried that Asuna had been unconscious for too long, but that should not disturb her mind, she should focus on this final match, then when she finally heard the call to enter the arena. He took his sword quickly and stepped without hesitation towards the final match.