Whispers of Worlds Beyond: A Series - Chapter 81

Chapter 81: Match Between Roommates Chapter 81: Match Between Roommates Aiden stood with Sevan, Adrian, and Rupert at Jarek’s side, watching as their friend twirled his mace in his grip, rolling his shoulders like a bull ready to charge.

Jarek had been fired up ever since Shiloh accepted his challenge, his usual confidence bordering on cockiness that Rupert looked exasperated whenever the trio would see him.

“He doesn’t stand a chance,” Jarek muttered, mostly to himself.

Rupert nodded.

“You’ll crush him.” Aiden wasn’t so sure.

Jarek was undeniably strong, but Shiloh was… slippery.

Smart.

His magic wasn’t just powerful; it was unpredictable.

Still, Aiden wasn’t about to say that out loud.

Instead, he glanced at Adrian, who had his arms crossed, smirking as he watched Shiloh shuffle his deck of cards with infuriating ease.

“You seem amused,” Aiden remarked.

Adrian hummed.

“Oh, I am.

This is going to be entertaining.” The officiator called for the duel to begin, and Jarek wasted no time.

Aiden barely had time to register movement before Jarek charged, swinging his mace in a wide arc that could crush a man’s ribs.

But Shiloh was already gone.

He moved like mist, sidestepping effortlessly and flicking a card into the dirt.

A boom of smoke erupted.

Jarek coughed, waving an arm to clear it.

“Hiding, huh?” he growled.

“That won’t help you.” Aiden knew better.

Shiloh wasn’t hiding.

Jarek had just made his first mistake.

Another card flashed through the smoke, landing at Jarek’s feet.

A burst of force sent him skidding backward.

Rupert tensed beside Aiden.

“What was that?” “Repulsion magic,” Sevan muttered.

“He’s not just avoiding Jarek- he’s redirecting him.” Jarek, furious now, swung his mace straight at Shiloh.

But before it could land, another card flicked through the air.

A shimmering, translucent barrier appeared just in time.

Jarek’s mace slammed into it, the force shaking the ground.

For a moment, it seemed like the shield would hold.

Then, with a snap of Shiloh’s fingers,it shattered.

The backlash sent Jarek flying.

He crashed into the dirt, rolling to a stop.

Aiden winced.

Adrian just whistled low.

“Impressive.” Jarek pushed himself up, spitting out dirt.

He was beyond furious now.

“You done playing, Card Boy?” he snarled.

Shiloh just smiled.

Aiden had a bad feeling.

Jarek lifted his mace, gripping it tight, and charged forward.

But before he could reach Shiloh- The ground vanished beneath him.

Jarek dropped straight into a magically summoned pit.

Rupert gasped.

Sevan took a step forward, eyes wide.

And Adrian- Adrian was laughing so hard he had to grip Aiden’s shoulder for support.

“Oh no,” Aiden muttered.

Jarek, chest-deep in dirt, looked absolutely murderous.

Shiloh crouched at the pit’s edge, peering down with an infuriatingly smug expression.

“Well, Jarek,” he said, voice all sugar and amusement.

“This has been fun.” A final flick of his wrist.

A card landed at the pit’s edge- and a burst of golden dust exploded over Jarek’s head.

The crowd erupted into laughter.

Even Rupert, despite his loyalty, took a half-step back, clearly regretting his life choices.

Jarek, covered in golden dust and stuck in a hole, gripped his mace so tight Aiden thought it might break.

Shiloh dusted off his hands, gave a mocking bow, and walked away.

The duel was over.

And Jarek had lost.

As the crowd dispersed, murmurs of Shiloh’s victory still buzzing in the air, Amihan hurried across the field with Ivara and Emmeranne by her side.

She clutched her hands together, her face full of concern as she glanced between Jarek, still stuck in the pit, and Rupert, who was trying (and failing) to pull him out.

Ivara, arms crossed, sighed.

“That was embarrassing.” Emmeranne tilted her head, her expression unreadable as always.

“He shouldn’t have underestimated Shiloh.” “Maybe don’t say that right now,” Amihan whispered, before stepping forward.

“Jarek?” she called hesitantly.

Jarek didn’t answer.

He gritted his teeth, face still coated in a fine layer of gold dust, and finally climbed out of the pit by himself, dirt smudging his clothes.

His expression was thunderous, his eyes dark from the humiliation.

Amihan flinched but still walked closer.

“That was a tough match…” she started carefully.

Jarek shot her a glare, and for a second, she almost regretted coming over.

But Amihan was nothing if not persistent.

“I mean,” she added quickly, “it was an unfair fight!

Shiloh’s magic is sneaky, he barely even fought properly!” Jarek grunted, dragging a hand down his face to wipe away the dust.

“Doesn’t matter,” he muttered.

“I lost.” Ivara raised an eyebrow.

“Yes.

Yes, you did.” Amihan elbowed her.

“What she means is that Shiloh’s magic isn’t something you can just punch your way through.” “Then I’ll find a way to crush him next time,” Jarek snapped.

Rupert, who had been unusually quiet, hesitated before adding, “You almost had him.

If it weren’t for that pit-” Jarek huffed and stomped the dirt with his boot.

“Next time, I’ll smash his stupid cards before he can even pull them out.” Emmeranne, watching the whole exchange, finally spoke.

“Or,” she said plainly, “you could think of a strategy that isn’t just charging at him.” Jarek turned to glare at her, but she was already walking away, uninterested.

Ivara smirked.

“She’s got a point, you know.” Jarek muttered something under his breath before turning to Rupert.

“Let’s go.

I need a bath.” Amihan watched him storm off, still looking more frustrated than anything.

She sighed.

“Well, I tried.” Ivara patted her shoulder.

“You did.

He’s just mad he looked like an idiot in front of everyone.” Amihan winced.

“You don’t think he’s going to try and challenge Shiloh again, do you?” Ivara and Emmeranne exchanged a look.

“Oh, he definitely will,” Ivara said.

And they all knew how that would end.

As Jarek and Rupert walked off, still simmering with frustration, Amihan sighed and turned back to Ivara and Emmeranne.

“I guess that could’ve gone worse,” she muttered.

Ivara snorted.

“Could it, though?” Before Amihan could respond, she spotted three familiar figures standing a few steps away, watching the whole exchange with varying degrees of amusement.

Aiden, Adrian, and Sevan.

Amihan blinked.

“Oh.

Hey.” Aiden nodded in greeting, arms crossed.

Sevan gave a small, sheepish wave, while Adrian, smirking as usual, tilted his head.

“Did you come to check if Jarek was still alive?” Ivara rolled her eyes.

“He’s alive.

Just humiliated.” Adrian chuckled.

“Same thing.” Amihan huffed.

“We were just trying to make him feel better.” “And how did that go?” Sevan asked, though judging by the look on his face, he already knew the answer.

Amihan hesitated, then sighed.

“…Not great.” Adrian whistled.

“Oof.

Rough.

Jarek is actuay thre type to just…

destroy his way through.” Aiden, who had been quiet, finally spoke.

“At least he’ll learn from this.” Ivara smirked.

“You think he’ll learn.

He’s definitely going to challenge Shiloh again.” Sevan raised an eyebrow.

“And lose again.” “Oh no, you’re probably right.” Amihan groaned.

Aiden glanced in the direction Jarek had gone, frowning slightly.

“He’ll have to think of a different approach if he doesn’t want the same outcome.” “If he thinks,” Adrian added with a smirk.

“We should head back,” Aiden finally said, breaking the silence.

Amihan glanced up at him, her brows slightly furrowed.

“Already?” Adrian crossed his arms, his usual smirk missing.

“Tomorrow’s Savion’s ceremony.

We have to be ready for it.” Sevan nodded.

“Yeah.

We need to change and-” He stopped short, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I don’t know.

Just… prepare, I guess.” Amihan, still visibly upset over everything that had happened today, sighed.

“Right.

You’re right.

I just-” She shook her head.

“Never mind.” Ivara looked at the boys before nodding in understanding.

“We’ll see you tomorrow, then.” Emmeranne, as usual, didn’t say much, but her dark eyes lingered on Aiden for a moment before she turned away.

Adrian stretched, already stepping back.

“Try not to stay out too late, yeah?” “Like you can talk,” Amihan muttered, but there was no real bite to her words.