"I wonder who will win between Sofia and Ignite?"
"Oh it’s going to be ignite alright, isn’t he amongst the ying yang duo who defeated the best student at the apprentice rank?"
"You are right, but Sofia isn’t a pushover you know"
"Well let’s just see how it goes"
Right after the first duel of the round got announced, the spectators began to chatter amongst themselves as Sofia and Ignite faced each other on the stage.
’You can do this Sofia’ Kaelen thought with a solemn expression on his face as he looked at Sofia.
The moment the referee declared the start of the match, the tension on the platform exploded into action. Ignite smirked, raising his hand toward the sky. Instantly, a swirling vortex of fire erupted from his palm, the heat radiating through the air. The crowd gasped as the flames twisted and coiled, forming a blazing serpent of fire that lunged toward Sofia with terrifying speed.
Sofia narrowed her eyes, her expression focused as she raised her scepter. With a flick of her wrist, shimmering barriers of light sprang to life around her, blocking the serpent’s advance. The flames clashed with the light, hissing and spitting, but Sofia’s barrier held firm. However, she could feel the immense pressure from Ignite’s fire magic. She knew she had to act quickly.
With a sudden twist of her scepter, Sofia unleashed her next move. A blast of icy mist shot forward, colliding with the flaming serpent. The arena rang with the clash of opposing elements—fire and ice battling for dominance. Steam billowed into the air as the two forces neutralized each other, but Sofia wasn’t done yet.
She pressed her advantage, sending a hail of razor-sharp ice shards flying toward Ignite.
Ignite, seeing the incoming attack, gritted his teeth and summoned a swirling wall of fire around him. The ice shards struck his flames, melting upon impact. He laughed, the sound mocking and confident. "You’ll have to do better than that!" he shouted, his voice filled with arrogance.
Sofia’s eyes narrowed, and without responding, she pointed her scepter toward the ground. She sent a pulse of magic into the earth, and suddenly, a frozen wave of frost spread across the platform. The temperature around them plummeted, ice creeping across the stone floor like a predatory creature seeking its prey.
Ignite jumped back, trying to keep his distance from the creeping cold, but Sofia had him cornered.
Ignite raised his hands, summoning a massive pillar of flame that shot upward and then rained down in molten meteors. Sofia darted back and forth, her agility saving her from being crushed by the fiery bombardment. Each step left frozen patches on the ground as she danced around the flames, but the heat was intense, and beads of sweat began to form on her brow.
The audience watched with bated breath as Sofia, now with her back nearly against the edge of the platform, seemed to be pushed to her limits. Ignite, sensing her predicament, launched a final burst of flames, a blazing inferno that roared toward her with deadly speed.
Sofia’s heart pounded in her chest. She couldn’t let this be the end. Summoning every ounce of strength, she channeled her light magic, and just as the flames were about to engulf her, a blinding flash erupted from her scepter. A radiant beam of light shot out, cutting through Ignite’s inferno like a blade, splitting the flames apart.
Ignite stumbled back, momentarily blinded by the light. Sofia seized the opportunity. She spun her scepter, and a whirlpool of frost and light spiraled into existence. With a sweeping motion, she hurled the magical vortex toward Ignite, freezing the ground beneath him and trapping his feet in solid ice.
"Not so fast!" Ignite roared, straining against the icy trap. He gathered the last of his strength, preparing to unleash a fiery explosion to free himself, but Sofia was faster. She pointed her scepter at him, and a concentrated beam of light shot forward, striking him square in the chest. The impact knocked him off his feet, and with his legs still encased in ice, he hit the ground hard.
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Ignite lay on the platform, breathing heavily, his flames sputtering out. The fire in his eyes dimmed as the referee raised his hand. "The winner—Sofia Verdant!"
The crowd erupted into cheers, but Sofia barely heard them. She stood, panting and covered in sweat, her body trembling from the exertion. She had won—barely. It had taken everything she had to overcome Ignite’s relentless fire magic, but she had done it.
As she walked off the platform, her legs shaky, she glanced back at Ignite. He was still on the ground, frustration etched on his face, but there was also a hint of respect in his eyes. Sofia offered him a small nod before turning away, victorious yet humbled by the narrowness of her win.
"Congratulations on going through the round of 16" Kaelen suddenly said right after Sofia approached where he was seated. And while sitting right next to him, she replied weakly.
"Thanks, but I was just lucky"
...
"I can’t believe this, did that girl just casted the light of dawn spell on that boy?" In one of the VIP area, Vlahiç who was seated there exclaimed with a look of disbelief on his face.
"That can’t be possible. Don’t you know how prestigious that spell is? A spell that was created by the great Alaric himself and his most powerful spell? Please stop spouting nonsense" Seated beside him, Carmilia responded with a disdainful look on her face.
"But that spell looks almost like the light of dawn" Bowen who was surprisingly also seated in the lounge suddenly said with a pondering look on his face.
"Maybe what we just witnessed is a replica to that spell" General Cao suddenly commented in the lounge with a pensive look on his face.
"Yeah, I think it should be a replica. Besides, the light of dawn spell has gone extinct for ages now so it’s just not possible for an ordinary Novice rank student to master it" Vlahiç replied with a convinced look on his face.
But he didn’t know along with the others that what they just saw is the genuine Light of dawn spell inwhich Alaric bestowed on Sofia when she went with Kaelen to the Veilwood ruin’s.
This time, all the pillars of the Academy could be seen alone in the VIP lounge as they weren’t with their personal disciples.
After Sofia’s narrow victory over Ignite, the tension in the coliseum grew palpable. The audience murmured with excitement as the remaining participants prepared for their own battles. The platform that Sofia and Ignite had fought on was quickly restored by the academy’s intricate magic system, leaving no trace of the ferocious duel that had just taken place.
The next matchup was announced, and the screen floating above the stage shifted to reveal the next pair of combatants. A boy wielding a heavy warhammer faced off against a girl clad in lightweight armor, her hands gripping a long spear. The clash that ensued was one of pure power versus agility.
The boy swung his hammer with earth-shaking force, while the girl danced around his strikes, aiming precise jabs with her spear. Though the boy managed to land several solid blows, his lack of speed ultimately led to his downfall. The girl’s spear found its mark, disarming him and sending him tumbling off the platform.
The coliseum erupted into applause as the next duel was called. This time, two brothers stepped forward, each armed with twin short swords. Their movements were fluid and synchronized, like two predators circling one another. For a moment, it seemed like neither could gain the upper hand, each mirroring the other’s attacks with perfect precision.
But in the end, one brother took a risky gamble, breaking the rhythm and launching a surprise feint. His maneuver paid off, and with a swift strike, he disarmed his sibling and claimed victory.
As more duels followed, the air grew charged with anticipation. The crowd watched intently as participants showcased their abilities—some favoring brute strength, others relying on magic and cunning. One duel featured a fierce wind mage who unleashed powerful gusts to knock his opponent off balance, but he was ultimately overwhelmed by the sheer ferocity of his opponent’s swordplay.
Another match saw a healer strategically outmaneuver her opponent by using a mixture of defensive magic and well-timed counterattacks to wear them down.
Finally, after what seemed like hours of relentless action, the screen above shifted once again. The name "Kaelen" appeared on the screen, along with his opponent, "Aldous."
The coliseum grew quiet, the air thick with expectation. Whispers rippled through the stands, the name "Kaelen" drawing particular attention after his impressive showing in the earlier rounds. He had gained a reputation, not only for his swordsmanship but for his mysterious aura and unwavering focus.
Kaelen stood from his seat, his expression calm but his eyes sharp as he walked toward the platform. Across from him, Aldous—a well-built boy wielding a massive halberd—strode forward with confident steps. Aldous gave Kaelen a nod of acknowledgment, his grip tightening on his weapon as the crowd fell into an anticipatory hush.
The moment had come. Kaelen’s duel was about to begin.