A bright white light flashes momentarily, and then suddenly, Svenja finds herself transported to an expansive training ground. The area was well equipped with various training facilities, and the ground was covered in a soft, spongy material that seemed designed to absorb impacts. She instinctively took a ready stance, scanning her surroundings for any signs of attack. "Where am I?" she muttered to herself, her guard up.

  A low chuckle echoed behind her, and she spun around to find Sarolta standing a few feet away, her expression cool and composed. "Welcome to my training ground, Svenja," she said, her tone devoid of any menace. "This is where I teach my agents. And today, I'll be teaching you a lesson as well.”

  Svenja clenched her fists tighter, her expression defiant. "Bring it on, then." she replied, a steely determination in her tone. "I ain't ‘fraid of ye, Sarolta.”

  Sarolta chuckled again, her amusement evident. "That's good, Svenja. A healthy dose of defiance is necessary in order to survive. But you'll soon realize that defiance alone is not enough to win a fight."

  Without warning, Sarolta hurled a barrage of kicks at Svenja, her movements too quick for the naked eye to follow.

  Svenja gasped as she barely managed to dodge the first kick, but the others followed in rapid succession, forcing her to take a step back. She quickly raised her forearms to block the blows, but the impact was still enough to send a sharp jolt of pain up her arms. "Damn, ye're fast." she grunted, her expression gritting tightly. "But I ain't here ta play with ya, I'm here to settle the score, so I'm goin' all out!"

  Svenja took a deep breath, her cyan aura flaring up before molding into the shape of a dragon around her body. The wings of aura fluttered, Svenja's eyes locked onto Sarolta for her next move.

  Sarolta's expression was unfazed by the display of Svenja's aura, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Impressive," she said coolly, her tone holding no hint of surprise. "But I've seen plenty of talented Void Magic users in my time. Let's see if you can back up that ‘intimidating’ aura with actual skill."

  She lunged forward, her movements blurring as her attacks increased in power and speed, each blow directed with deadly accuracy.

  Svenja's eyes widened as she struggled to keep up with the barrage of attacks coming her way. "Damn it," she muttered through clenched teeth, her body dodging and deflecting as best as it could. She managed to block a few of Sarolta's strikes, but the sheer power behind them still sent ripples of pain through her arms.

  Sarolta smirked, her attacks not slowing down at all. "Is that all you've got, Svenja? I expected more from the head of the Alliance." she taunted, her tone filled with mockery.

  Svenja gritted her teeth, her expression hardening. "Don'tcha worry, I'm just gettin' warmed up 'ere!" she growled, her aura flaring up brighter. She darted forward, her movements more focused and determined. She threw a barrage of punches, each one infused with her cyan aura, hoping to catch Sarolta off-guard.

  Sarolta's smirk widened as she effortlessly parried each of Svenja's attacks. "You're wasting your energy, Svenja," she said, her tone tinged with condescension. "Your aura is impressive, but your technique is sloppy. You're telegraphing your moves with every punch.”

  Svenja narrowed her eyes, frustration beginning to creep into her expression. "Oh yeah?" she shot back, her tone defiant. "If I'm wastin' my energy, then why ain'tcha takin' advantage of it, eh? Ye're a lot of talk but not much action.”

  Sarolta chuckled darkly, her smirk turning into a sly smile. "Oh, I'm just playing with you, Svenja. I could end this fight any moment I want to. But I'm giving you a chance to show me what you're made of. And so far, I have to say I'm rather disappointed, even with this flashy little transformation of yours.”

  Svenja clenched her teeth, her expression growing more determined. "Oh, ye've seen nothin' yet, ya pompous, overbearing, self-centered wench!" she shot back, her tone filled with anger. "Just wait, I'll show ya my full strength soon enough.”

  Sarolta chuckled again, her smirk transforming into a mocking grin. "Pompous, overbearing, and self-centered, huh? You have quite the tongue on you, Svenja. But words won't save you in a fight. As for your full strength, I eagerly await your demonstration. But until then, I'll be content to continue toying with you.”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  Sarolta smirked again, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, I don't view you as a toy, Svenja. You're just a stepping stone to me. You think you can take me down? That's adorable. But you're not in my league, not by a long shot.”

  Svenja's eyes flashed with a mix of anger and determination. "We'll see 'bout that," she retorted, her aura flaring up once more, morphing her aura into countless spears before launching them to impale Sarolta.

  Sarolta sidestepped the volley of spears with ease, her smirk never fading from her face. "You really think a barrage of spears will do the trick?" she asked, her tone mocking. "I've faced far more formidable opponents than you. You're a little puppy in comparison.”

  Svenja's expression contorted into a snarl, her teeth bared. "Oh, really?" she spat out, her voice thick with irritation. "Feck off, I ain't some damn dog! I'm the leader of the Alliance, and I won't be disrespected like this! Neither will ya treat Trixie like a dog either, ye will pay for this!”

  Sarolta rolled her eyes, her expression dripping with condescension. "Oh, you're the *leader* of the Alliance, are you? How cute. You think your title means something to me? And what's this about Trixie again? You're really hung up on her, huh?”

  Svenja clenched her fists tighter, her expression growing more determined. "Don'tcha talk down to me! I earned my position with my strength, and I'll defend it at all cost! And Trixie is my best buddy, ye dun' get ta treat her like a damn mutt! That's not right!”

  Sarolta chuckled, her smirk growing wider. "Earned your position, huh? Are you sure about that? You don't look like much to me. And as for Trixie, I'll treat her however I see fit. She's not just a friend; she's my loyal agent. She follows orders without question, and she listens to me. Unlike you.”

  Svenja's expression twisted with anger, a low growl rumbling from her chest as she stepped uo to Sarolta, glaring up at the businesswoman. "Loyal? Ye mean brainwashed, more like. Trixie ain't herself anymore, she's...she's just a shell of 'er former self, all 'cause of ye and yer manipulation!”

  Sarolta chuckled softly, her expression still holding a hint of condescension. Svenja had no time to react before Sarolta's hands shot up to her neck, lifting the shorter woman off of her feet. "Brainwashed, you say? That's a strong word, Svenja. I prefer the term 'disciplined'. Trixie was out of control, rebellious, and defiant. She needed guidance, she needed someone to show her the right way. I simply provided her with discipline and structure, something she clearly lacked in her life beforehand.”

  Svenja clawed at the hands around her neck, desperately trying to pry them away. "Discipline and structure? Is that what ya call it? It's nothing more than mind control, and you damn well know it! Trixie was perfectly fine the way she was before ye got yer filthy hands on her!" she choked out.

  Sarolta chuckled again, her grip on Svenja's neck tightening slightly. "Filthy hands, huh? Don't lecture me about morality, Svenja. You're not a saint yourself. And as for Trixie, she was a mess before I found her. Undisciplined, unfocused, and reckless. She needed guidance, and I provided it. She's better off for it, whether you want to believe it or not.”

  Svenja's face was turning red, her struggles growing weaker and weaker as Sarolta's grip on her neck tightened. Ye're...delusional..." she gasped out, her words punctuated by labored breaths. "Ye...think...ye're helping...but...really...y're destroyin' her…”

  Sarolta's expression remained cool, her tone unflinching. "You're entitled to your opinion, Svenja. But the truth is, Trixie is better off under my guidance. She's stronger, more focused, and more disciplined than she's ever been before. She's not being destroyed; she's being shaped, honed, and perfected. Just like a weapon.”

  Svenja's struggles were growing feeble, her vision starting to blur as her aura flickered. "No...y'r...wrong..." she wheezed out, her voice barely above a whisper. "Ye're just...usin' her...for yer own...gain...destroying...what made 'er...special…”

  Sarolta smirked once more, her voice holding a hint of satisfaction. "Special? You mean weak, disobedient, and unpredictable. Trixie has potential, Svenja, but she needs to be molded into something greater. I've given her purpose, direction, and focus. She's better off with me than with anyone else, especially you.”

  Svenja's struggles were weakening, her body going slack in Sarolta's grip. She hung weakly, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps. "N...no..." she managed to gasp out, her voice barely audible. "Ye're...destroyin'...her...soul…”

  Sarolta's smirk widened, her expression one of smug satisfaction, closing her eyes as she mused. "Her soul, you say? Don't be so dramatic, Svenja. I'm merely guiding her towards a better path. A path where she can reach her full potential and become something more than what she was before. And that's a good thing, isn't it? Even if she resists at first, she'll come to thank me later on. You'll see."

  She opened her eyes to see Svenja unconscious on her grip, her body growing limp and heavy.

  Sarolta smirked, her grip still unyielding on Svenja's form. "Sleep now, Svenja," she whispered, her tone cold and condescending. "Rest, and let the lessons I've taught you sink in. You may not see it yet, but this is for your own good. You'll understand eventually."

  She teleported back to her office and unceremoniously dropped the unconscious woman to the floor, her gaze shifting towards the door, waiting.