Strutting through the hallways. Heads turning and faces melting from the pure heat that she brings. Her long crimson hair flowing behind her gracefully.
"It's Angelica!" one student calls out.
"She's so beautiful!" Another squeals.
"I wish she'd set me ablaze!" One freak screamed earning disgusted looks from the surrounding students. They had a similar thought but he was the only one brave enough to say it.
Angelica stops and turns to the one who had said that. "As you wish~" Angelica snapped her fingers and casted, "Instant Inferno~" which immediately set the boy on the fire. He squealed like a pig in a mix of pain and pleasure.
"Nooooo!" One student that was acquainted with the boy called out. "It should've been mee! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MEEEEE!!"
This was the usual crowd around the girl. She was basically a walking sun for these people. She was so encapsulating that if a day came where she simply changed where she entered from that the populace would be distraught with grief.
"Ahh~ It's not easy being loved." She spoke with a coy smirk on her face. She continued her pathing. She was a beloved diva at the school and she loved her position. As she strutted past a classroom she was joined by two girls of similar age to herself.
"Hey, Angie! How you doin' girl?" The girl on her left. She had lightly tanned skin, blond hair tied in a high pony tail and teal eyes which matched her spellcaster's robe.
"I'm doing as wonderful as always, Valorie. It is another bright day in this school thanks to me!" Angelica responded in a lavish tone.
"As eccentric as always, Angelica." The girl to her right stated sarcastically. She had black hair with green highlights at the ends that fell right at her shoulders and hazel eyes. She had a pair of glasses hanging from her neck and a topaz ring on her finger. Her silken golden robe complimented the ring as it hung loosely from her shoulders.
"Always so spiteful, Stella!" Angelica playfully laughed at her friend's sarcasm. This group of three formed the most sought after group of girls in the entire school. They were all beautiful, well-liked and, most importantly, from the richest noble families in Nogreni.
Angelica Floie, Heiress of the Floie family.
Valorie Koneal, Youngest of the Koneal Mage family.
Stella Epedia, Daughter of the Crystal Marigold Merchantry.
A trio of divas with Angelica at the lead as the head of the squad. Exactly what one would expect from such an enchanting yet dangerous girl. They continued with their small talk as eyes followed them where ever they traversed.
"Have you heard about the people disappearing in town over the past month?" Valorie asked the two girls.
"Girl that sounds like something you just made up to scare someone." Stella mocked.
"We both know that I wouldn't do something like that! I heard that all sorts of people have gone missing. It always happened at night after the victims were leaving the physician!"
"Victims? You say it like these people are dead or something." Angelica entered the conversation.
"That's what the guards think is happening and I believe them! Wouldn't it be so cool if some sort of big serial killer appeared from this backwater town of ours. We'd finally be on the map!" Valorie stated literally jumping with excitement like a child.
"Do you realize what you're saying? So, supposedly there is some person going around kidnappi-"
"Possibly killing!" The girl cut off.
"Right. Possibly killing people coming home from the doctor. And you're excited at the prospect of there being a possible serial killer in town." Stella stared at her friend blankly. Grimly awaiting her response.
"You aren't?!" Valorie yelled blissfully unaware of just how she sounded. Stella stared into her friend's eyes bleakly. "You sound insane, Val!"
Stella and Valorie continued their back and forth before being stopped by Angelica suddenly stopping her pride stride. The two girls ran into their leader and almost fell over.
"What the hell, Angie! Why'd you stop all of a sudden?" Angelica stood tall with her arms folded just beneath her bountiful bosom. The two girls were confused by the young heiress's sudden asserting of dominance. They peeked over her shoulder and saw a girl standing in their way.
A sinister smirk appeared on Stella's face as she immediately recognized who it was. "Oh wow~ I didn't think that someone like you would have the guts to show her face. You scab of a girl." Valorie looked at her friends suddenly asserting their dominance a bit confused but she joined the anyway.
"Yeah!" The ignorant Valorie asserted.
"I have no business with the two over-saturated dolls in the back. My business is with the first daughter of the diminishing flame family." Alix stated daringly. Valorie and Stella scoffed at the girl's comments.
"Who do you think we are?!" Valorie yelled.
"You are. It's who do you think you are, Valorie?!" Stella corrected.
"Diminishing flame family, huh? How cute of you to try and insult the prestigious Floie family to my face. I have to say, I do love your boldness, Deminal." Angelica taunted.
Alix placed a hand on her hip and cocked her head to the side. "I was merely stating the truth. What else would you call a family that has been riding on the coattails of their ancestor for the past century." The crowd around the Trio of Divas gasped at girl's statement.
Angelica's eyes narrowed. "What are you insinuating girl?" Alix scoffed. "I am not insinuating anything. I am merely stating facts." Alix reached into her bag a pulled out a book with a red cover. She opened the book and cleared her throat.
"Andrew Floie was a brilliant flame mage. One of the most prestigious of his time. He created support spells that could be casted using fire mana breaking the preconceived notion that water, wind, and light were the only mana types capable of producing healing and support type mages." The crowd nodded as the girl read.
"Wow, Angie! Your ancestor sounds like really awesome." Angelica rolled her eyes. "Where are you going with this De-"
"HOWEVER..." Alix loudly exclaimed. "...in recent years a decline has been seen within the family of the once Grand Mage. Few new game changing spells have been coming from the family as of late resulting in a decline in the family's kingdom instituted funds.
The Family has still been producing talented flame mages , however these mages only seem to make use of spells inherited directly from their ancestors instead of striving for something new or improving upon past concepts. Has the Flame of Nogreni been extinguished once and for all?" The crowd murmured amongst themselves.
"Is that true? Have they really just been relying on old spells?"
"I thought they whole appeal of being a mage was being able to use your imagination to conjure up virtually anything as long as you formulate the process?"
"What about Flaming Heron?" Valorie called out. "Angie made that spell all on her own and even taught it to Harry. What've you got to say now, Scab!" Valorie finished by folding her arms and staring at the girl confidently.
"You mean Burning Hawk?" Angelica's eyes widened.
"Burning Hawk? What's that?" Valorie questioned. Alix grinned.
"Burning Hawk was an older spell developed by an old flame mage a while ago. Are you telling me that you have never heard of it?"
"Shut it, girl! This is nothing but a desperate attempt to besmirch me. You really think anyone will believe you?"
"Is that why you thought that I was doing this? To injure your poor family's reputation?" Alix laughed tauntingly slowly breaking apart that confident facade that Angelica so often put up.
"If not that then why?" Alix's gaze turned cold. "Your brother had the audacity to use my father's death a decade ago as a weapon against me. So ,I thought that I would similarly expose his family's poor history. Does that bother you, Devil Child." Once again a gasp was spread throughout the crowd.
"This is getting tense!"
"I didn't know all of this about the Floie family! I just knew that they were rich."
"Emphasis on were!" The crowd became loud. They begin to fester on this thought that the Floie family was not as great as they put up. Angelica felt the gazes on her as she normally did, but they felt different now. They were analyzing. Poking and prodding at her armor looking for blemishes and weak points that had always been present but never attacked.
Angelica turned towards Alix. Her panic shifted to annoyance which then rapidly grew into rage. "You impertinent, talentless, cursed scab of a girl!" Alix looked into Angelica's eyes with disdain. Angelica's hand lifted and she pointed her finger at Alix suddenly.
"I challenge you to a duel!" The crowd silenced. Angelica Floie, the girl seen as the most beautiful in the school and possibly within their town. She was well respected, well-known, and idolized. Yet now she stands here challenging a girl that would almost never appear on the radar of others.
This situation was shocking to say the least and it only became more so when Alix responded with, "Sure." Angelica sneered and readjusted herself.
"At least you have your tenacious personality. We battle a week from today on the school's dueling field-"
"No." Alix cut the girl off. "We will duel at Lake Opin. Without the protection of the school." Expressions of surprise arose within the crowd.
"Isn't that kinda dangerous?"
"Why would she make that kind of request? Does she want to die or something?" The crowd expressed their confusion and concern. They may not have known Alix well but they surely didn't wish for her death.
"You really are Impertinent aren't you? Do you understand the implications of what you are asking me?" Angelica mocked.
"I understand that it sounds as though you are fearing for your own safety. Are you not a real mage, Angelica?" Angelica's eyes went cold. "Fine. We'll duel at the park. Just don't blame me if you get burned." Angelica turned around and began to walk away.
"It's kind of what we flame mages are known for." With that the confrontation between Alix and Angelica came to an end. Alix stood in the hallway with a smirk on her face.
"Try to burn me all you wish, Angelica." Alix turned in around and went back in the direction of her office.
"I'll put you out long before you get the chance!"