No she doesn't

Anastasia declines and Stephanie looks at Asune. Asune stands in front of you. "Will you duel me?" She asks politely.

"Ah," With your eyes still closed you can't really see her aura or her face so for all you know there could be a sadistic grin painted across it. You can't think of any other reason to challenge you, you can't imagine she'd want to be ranked one more than win the reward. You lean around her to point your closed eyes at Stephanie.

"You're only instruction is to keep your eyes closed." Stephanie said. You were pretty sure there was a sadistic grin on her face

"Ok." You stand and walk to the equipment stand grabbing a sword. There are murmurs of excitement from the audience and you hear some questioning how you could see. Taking your place you feel Asune take hers and wait for Stephanie to give the signal.

"Begin." You activate your magic and advance. Bringing your blade up you prepare to slash the arm holding her sword. You figure disarming would pretty convincing victory.

Asune moves shifting into your blade. You cut your swing short as her neck is **** into it's target. Asune take advantage of the fault and thrusts her sword tip at your neck, you lean out of the way, in no danger from the slow movement. Bring your sword up to hit hers out of position, she thrust her arm further forward putting her wrist in the way of your blade. Again you stop the attack and she again she take advantage with a slash at your face. You lean back still in no danger and reach to grab her wrist.

You get a solid grip and she suddenly jumps over you. You could hold her wrist easily and let her dislocate her own arm but you move with her. Helping her flip around and letting her blade cut along your shoulder. It isn't close to strong enough to cut your skin but it opens up your uniform.

You still hold her wrist when she lands. You lift her up by the sword hand putting her on her toes and raising your sword to her neck. The audience cheers you on as you say, "Do you –"

You are cut off as you feel her press her neck against your blade. You pull it back from her skin.

"Enough." Stephanie said. You check your perception but Asune doesn't have anything to challenge you with. The audience starts to cheer for you when she adds, "Christopher you've lost."

"What?" You ask lowering Asune back on her feet. The audience totally silent

"Thank you Christopher." Asune says planting a kiss on your check. You can hear a few suspicious comments as people try to work out what happened.

"You can't beat her. She's found your weakness." Stephanie said. The audience lets out more confused grumbling. but Stephanie doesn't elaborate. You can't think of what that is but if the duel's over then at least you can't accidentally hurt, her ... Oh that weakness. You walk back to the seats taking the second place. Asune does not join you. She walks in front of Anastasia and challenges her.

The audience is silent and more than a little confused about all this. You aren't in a much better position honestly. Anastasia stands up and takes the field.

"Begin." Stephanie says.

Asune bows but you feel magic gathering inside her. You don't recognise what she is doing and then you feel Anastasia hair fall. A single lock along her neck line. You're left confused. You didn't feel Asune do any, no magical attack was performed, the magic she had gathered was still inside her.

While you wonder Anastasia fires her response. You feel the magic chip her nails as she grabs the thin slivers and fires them at Asune. One after another they are destroyed before making contact. That sets the pace of the duel. Asune does something and Anastasia's hair or a piece of her uniform is cut off, Anastasia response but her response is destroyed before it makes contact.

No real damage is done, if that is a limitation of Asune's magic or intention you aren't sure. When the clothing first started to be shredded you were a little worried Asune was trying to strip the princess however each of the strikes are aimed at tendons, near surface veins and other weak points not at the best stripping locations. You can't figure out what she is doing, there is nothing magical you can detect.

Anastasia realises this battle isn't going anywhere at the same time as everyone else. She also realises her ranged combat won't work, she has limited ammo Asune doesn't appear to. You feel Anastasia as she prepares to close the distance. The moment she moves forward however Asune's strike become much stronger. With only a step Anastasia's top is cut open from her waist to her neckline. She steps back as her top falls open exposing her chest to everyone but you at the moment.

There is some gasping from the audience as the Princesses chest is exposed but it doesn't impact Anastasia herself. A lot of people are probably assuming that Asune just gave away the range of her attack. You didn't buy it and neither did Anastasia. She stepped further back and Asune stepped forwards.

That changed Anastasia's approach. She stopped the smaller attacks and fired a larger blast. She must have noticed something you hadn't. The blast was strong enough that you felt a breeze even at a ninety degree angle to the attack.

Then you get it. Asune isn't using magic, at least not any sort of magic you knew of. After the blast Asune's attack falter. The steady stream of attacks wavered before resuming. The attacks were physical in some way and not strong enough to make it though the strong breeze.

Anastasia started rapid firing her large blasts. There was enough strength in the repeated blasts to push Asune back towards the edge of the ring. But then the back movement stopped. The two were far enough apart that both of their effective ranges had been reached.

Asune raised her sword and Anastasia responded raising her own. The ranged part of the duel seemed to be over as the two neared. Their swords met slowly pressing against one another, testing the strength of the other before meeting in combat. The swords pulled back and as they moved to met you saw both of their magic's swelling. Their blade were imbued at the same time and when they met you were knocked back a bit by the ****.

After the first strike the two began to rapidly clash, each aiming to weaken their opponent rather than aiming for a fatal strike. They seemed very evenly match but you had found something else to focus on, Stephanie. She was tensed and gathered her own magic, ready to step into the fight at any moment. You took it as very specific assessment of Asune's threat, that the teacher was willing to step in just in case she went too far.

The two were mostly even matched in the melee but Asune had the edge. She was stepping into Anastasia making the princess move back. It was slow but at this pace Anastasia was going to run into the viewing stand.

You found Anastasia more impressive however, she was fighting with her tits out and wasn't letting it affect her. She was aware of her losing fight and her other hand was gathering magic for a short range blast.

Before she the chance she stopped moving. Asune lowered her sword and tilted her head slightly as she looked at Anastasia. Anastasia was frozen, you could feel her moving magic around to try and move but couldn't. Asune looked at Stephanie and waited. Stephanie didn't say anything but you weren't sure if that was because she didn't understand what was happening or because she didn't think the duel was over.

Asune raised her swords and rested the blade on her shoulder. "Do you yield your Highness?"

Anastasia struggled a little more. "I yield." Her bodily control was suddenly returned and she bowed to Asune. "You're an exceptional combatant."

Asune nodded and want to her seat. The lack of returned compliment was probably down to her not feeling the need to. Considering how she had won the fight you wondered if she even had to put herself at risk to beat you. Her ranged attack was fascinating. Whatever it was, you wanted to learn it.

Anastasia walked to the seats and Four took her new place as Anastasia was knocked down. Then it clicked. Asune had given you the reward and made Anastasia avoid the punishment.

You look at her sitting next to you and feel a smile. She had a certain way of expressing affection you had to give her that. Though it could just be her way of making you both like her more. You felt an annoyed presence radiating from the new Three since she was now the one getting punished.

Stephanie walked to the field and looked at her students. "Congratulations, enjoy your weekend, in three weeks we will duel again, whoever had the twelve stone will be out." She said dismissing everyone. No one moved. After the last duel the audience was still a bit stunned. Most had their hair still blown out from all the blasts. She looked around the audience. "Class is over." She said with a burst of magic thudding gently into everyone. You felt a pang or irritation and looked at Edin to see rumbled clothes and hair but a seemingly impressed smile on his face. "You two stay." Stephanie said to you and Three.

The audience quickly filed out Anastasia, Vatarie and Asune waving a goodbye. When everyone but the two of you were gone Stephanie looked at you. "You aren't getting a reward." You open your mouth and she cuts your off. "You do not get rewarded for failure." She looked at Three. "You are going to clean up after Christopher's morning practice." She turned and left the two of you alone.

You looked at Three and felt her annoyance muted a little by you not being rewarded. Which was fair as far as you were concerned. You recalled all the damage and destruction you had reaped this morning. "I'll try to be neat."

"I don't care." Three said standing and walking away. Looks like she isn't going to be your friend.

You stand and walk toward the dorms. You make it out of the arena when hear a voice call out. "Trying to ditch my rehearing again?"

You turn to see Lucia smiling at you. "Did you watch the duel?" She smile turned into a grin and a blush grew on her face. You chuckled at the memory, even if you couldn't see it.