"And now to determine the battlefield!" Zephyr announced with barly contained enthusiasm.
The sphere contained what looked like miniature environments swirling in constant motion, I could make out fragments of volcanic landscapes, underwater cities, frozen tundras, and what appeared to be a floating library made entirely of cheese.
Bloombastic's tentacle-vines writhed with excitement beside the professor. "Oh my chlorophyll! Will it be the Bog of Eternal Confusion? The Gravity-Reversed Observatory? Or perhaps my personal favorite, the Kitchen of Questionable Ingredients?"
The crowd murmured with anticipation. In the viewing areas, I could see nobles leaning forward, former competitors placing last-minute bets, and what looked like several Personifications arguing amongst themselves, though their forms were so difficult to focus on that I couldn't be sure if they were debating or just existing in their natural state of controlled chaos.
The sphere pulsed once, twice, then exploded in a shower of golden sparkles that reformed into a detailed holographic castle complete with towers, ramparts, and what appeared to be a fully functional drawbridge.
"Thornwick Castle!" Zephyr declared triumphantly. "A medieval fantasy setting complete with enchanted stonework, magical armories, and nine different types of ancient protective wards that may or may not still be functional!"
Bloombastic practically vibrated with enthusiasm. "Ooh, medieval! I do hope someone gets to joust! Nothing says 'strategic thinking' like trying to stay on a horse while wearing forty pounds of metal and aiming a pointy stick at someone else's face!"
The holographic castle rotated slowly, revealing its layout to both teams and spectators. It was an impressive fortress with high walls, multiple towers connected by bridges, and a central keep that looked like it could withstand a siege by particularly determined trolls. Defensive positions were clearly marked, as were the flag placement areas for the second challenge.
"Now then," Professor Zephyr continued, "a few words of encouragement for our competitors. Remember that in medieval times, the most important qualities were honor, valor, and the ability to swing a sword without accidentally decapitating your own horse. Since none of you have horses, you're already ahead of the curve!"
He gestured toward the two teams. "Team Alpha, may the winds of fortune fill your sails! Though since you're in a castle, that metaphor doesn't quite work. May the... stones of fortune... support your foundations?"
Bloombastic chimed in helpfully, "May your roots run deep and your leaves reach high! Wait, that's plants. May your gears turn smoothly and your springs remain springy? No, that's machines. Oh, chlorophyll it all, just try not to die!"
"Team Beta," Zephyr continued, now pointing to the other group, ", may your magical abilities complement each other like a perfectly aged wine paired with... other perfectly aged wine. I admit I'm not great with metaphors before lunch."
I found myself gripping the edge of my seat as I watched both teams. Gavril looked focused but tense. Iris appeared calm and analytical, her copper-colored hair catching the magical lighting as she made final adjustments to her mechanical backpack. Helena, the second-year defensive specialist, maintained the composed expression of someone who'd survived at least one previous tournament.
On the other side, Lance, looked exhausted in a way that went beyond physical tiredness. The emotional toll of our confrontation was written across his features, and I could see him avoiding Gavril's gaze entirely. Caelum Nox remained as forgettable as ever, which was probably exactly how he wanted it. Marcus, their second-year weather specialist, seemed to be the only one on his team maintaining any semblance of combat readiness.
"Teams, take your positions!" Zephyr called out. "The castle awaits, and I suspect it's got opinions about uninvited guests!"
Both teams stepped onto glowing teleportation circles that had appeared on the arena floor. There was a flash of silver light, and suddenly they were gone, presumably transported to their respective starting positions within Thornwick Castle.
The arena's viewing screens flickered to life, showing multiple angles of the medieval fortress. The production quality was impressive, I could see everything from wide establishing shots of the entire castle to close-up views of individual team members. Bloombastic had clearly learned a thing or two about dramatic camera work since the Level Two highlights reel.
"And here we see our brave competitors materializing within the ancient walls of Thornwick Castle!" Bloombastic's commentary boomed across the arena. "Team Alpha has spawned in the eastern courtyard, while Team Beta finds themselves in the western bailey. Both teams have three minutes to examine their assigned defensive positions before the first wave begins!"
I watched as both teams spread out to survey their territories. The castle was divided roughly in half, with each team responsible for defending a particular section of the fortress. Their "bases" were clearly marked tower keeps with glowing crystalline cores that presumably measured structural integrity.
Team Beta moved with immediate coordination. Gavril was already creating subtle spatial folds around their tower's entrance, while Iris unpacked what looked like enough mechanical components to build a small army. Helena began tracing defensive ward patterns in the air, her magic leaving glowing geometric shapes that settled into the stonework like they belonged there.
"Look at that teamwork!" Bloombastic enthused. "Team Beta is turning their tower into a fortress within a fortress! Helena's wards are providing magical reinforcement while Iris deploys her mechanical children and Gavril creates spatial displacement fields. It's like watching someone gift-wrap a bomb, beautiful, intricate, and potentially explosive!"
Team Alpha's approach was more chaotic. Marcus was attempting to coordinate their defensive strategy, but Lance seemed barely present, mechanically following orders without his usual finesse. Caelum had essentially vanished, I could see him on the screens only because the magical cameras could track him, but even then he seemed to drift in and out of focus.
"Team Alpha appears to be taking a more... improvisational approach," Bloombastic observed diplomatically. "Marcus is establishing weather barriers around their tower, while Caelum has adopted what I can only describe as a 'strategically invisible' position. Finn seems to be conserving energy, which is either brilliant tactical thinking or evidence that someone needs a good night's sleep and possibly some chamomile tea."
Professor Zephyr's voice echoed across the castle grounds: "Thirty seconds until Wave One! Prepare for incoming medieval mayhem!"
I found myself holding my breath as the countdown began. Even through the viewing screens, I could feel the tension radiating from both teams.
"Ten! Nine! Eight!" the crowd began chanting along with the countdown.
"Seven! Six! Five!"
Both teams took their final positions.
"Four! Three! Two!"
The air around the castle began to shimmer with gathering magical energy.
"ONE!"
The first wave materialized in a burst of silver light that resolved into twenty armored knights. They weren't quite human, their movements were too fluid, their armor too perfectly maintained, and their weapons gleamed with the kind of magical enhancement that suggested they'd been specifically designed to test student defenses rather than conduct actual medieval warfare.
"OH MY CHLOROPHYLL!" Bloombastic's excitement was infectious. "Twenty enchanted knights have entered the battlefield! Look at those perfectly polished helmets! Those magnificently maintained mail shirts! Those beautifully balanced broadswords!"
The knights split into two groups, ten heading for each team's tower. They moved with mechanical precision but maintained enough individuality to avoid predictable patterns.
Team Beta's defense activated immediately. Helena's wards flared to life as the knights approached, creating barriers of crackling energy that slowed the attackers and revealed their magical signatures. Iris's automatons, scuttled out to engage the knights directly, their mechanical limbs clashing against medieval steel in a symphony of industrial combat.
Gavril's spatial manipulation proved devastating against armored opponents. He created folds in space that redirected sword strikes back at their wielders and opened dimensional pockets that swallowed throwing weapons whole. One particularly ambitious knight found himself stepping through what he thought was solid ground only to emerge upside-down from a spatial rift twenty feet above his own head.
"Magnificent spatial work from young Moridian!" Bloombastic cheered. "That knight just experienced the medieval equivalent of a magical wedgie! Meanwhile, Iris's mechanical children are demonstrating why bringing brass and steam to a sword fight is actually quite effective when the brass and steam have been enchanted with combat algorithms!"
Team Alpha's approach was more direct but less coordinated. Marcus had surrounded their tower with a localized thunderstorm that sent lightning bolts crackling toward any knight who got too close. It was impressive magic for a second-year, but it lacked the precision of Team Beta's integrated defense.
Caelum fought like a ghost, appearing behind knights to deliver precise strikes before fading back into their collective peripheral vision.
Lance's contribution was minimal. His wind magic pushed back a few knights, but without his usual creativity or enthusiasm. I could see him going through the motions while his attention drifted elsewhere, probably to the tower across the castle where Gavril was demonstrating exactly the kind of innovative spatial manipulation that had made their friendship so natural.
"Team Alpha's Finn seems to be experiencing what I like to call 'combat ennui,'" Bloombastic observed. "It's a condition where one's magical abilities remain functional but one's heart just isn't in the stabbing. Quite tragic, really. I recommend a good fertilizer and possibly some emotional support."
The first wave concluded with both teams victorious but clearly tired. The knights dissolved back into magical energy, leaving behind only scorch marks and the occasional dented piece of armor as evidence of the battle.
"Wave One complete!" Professor Zephyr announced. "Both teams survive with their towers intact and their dignity mostly unscathed! But I'm afraid there's no time for celebratory tea, Wave Two begins in sixty seconds!"
I watched both teams use the brief respite to assess damage and adjust strategies. Team Beta's coordination remained strong, Iris was already deploying new automatons while Helena reinforced her ward patterns and Gavril sealed spatial rifts that had been left open during combat.
Team Alpha looked increasingly strained. Marcus was breathing heavily from maintaining the thunderstorm, Caelum had that particular exhausted look that came from overusing perception-based magic, and Lance appeared to be having an internal argument with himself about whether participating was worth the effort.
"Fifty seconds!" Zephyr called out. "Wave Two promises to be significantly more challenging! Quality over quantity, as they say in the enchanted knight business!"
The second wave materialized as announce, —fewer knights, but now accompanied by five sword masters whose weapons glowed with obvious magical enhancement and three mages whose staffs crackled with barely contained spells.
"Oh my photosynthesis!" Bloombastic practically vibrated with excitement. "Sword masters AND battle mages! It's like someone decided that the first wave wasn't spicy enough and added some magical hot sauce! Those sword masters can cut through steel like I cut through soil, effortlessly and with great satisfaction!"
The enhanced enemies moved with obvious intelligence, coordinating their attacks and adapting to the teams' defensive strategies. The sword masters used their enchanted weapons to slice through Helena's wards while the mages provided covering fire with spells that seemed designed specifically to counter student-level magic.
Team Beta's integrated defense held, but barely. Gavril was forced to create increasingly complex spatial configurations to redirect the sword masters' attacks, while Iris's automatons struggled against enemies who could adapt their tactics mid-combat. Helena's wards flickered under the sustained assault from the battle mages.
"Spectacular magical engineering from Team Beta!" Bloombastic narrated. "Gavril just created a spatial fold that turned one sword master's strike into a boomerang attack against his own allies! Meanwhile, Iris' XR-7 has learned to parry sword strikes with its mechanical limbs, it's like watching a spider take fencing lessons!"
Team Alpha's defense became increasingly desperate. Marcus's thunderstorm was being systematically disrupted by the battle mages, who seemed to understand weather magic well enough to counter it. Caelum's stealth abilities were less effective against the sword masters, who had been enchanted with perception-enhancing magic specifically designed to counter invisibility effects.
Lance finally seemed to wake up when one of the sword masters broke through their perimeter and headed directly for their tower's core. His wind magic flared to life with something approaching his old creativity, creating a tornado that lifted the armored warrior twenty feet into the air before slamming him back down with enough force to crack his enchanted armor.
"Finn shows signs of life!" Bloombastic cheered. "That tornado technique displayed actual emotional investment in not dying! Progress!"
But the momentary resurgence wasn't enough to fully turn the tide. Team Alpha's tower core was taking damage, its magical shielding flickering under sustained attack from the battle mages. They managed to eliminate the second wave, but their defensive position was clearly compromised.
Team Beta, meanwhile, had not only survived but strengthened their position. Helena's wards had adapted to counter the mages' spells, Iris had deployed what appeared to be a small artillery piece made entirely of brass and controlled steam, and Gavril's spatial manipulation had become so complex that watching it made my eyes water.
"Wave Two complete!" Professor Zephyr announced. "Both teams advance, though I suspect their towers are feeling a bit worse for wear! Final wave incoming in ninety seconds, and this one's special!"
The brief rest period allowed both teams to attempt hasty repairs. Team Beta worked with smooth coordination, their magical abilities complementing each other in ways that suggested significant strategic planning. Team Alpha looked increasingly frayed, with Marcus clearly exhausted, Caelum's stealth abilities flagging, and Lance still fighting some internal battle that was probably more challenging than anything the tournament could throw at him.
"Ninety seconds to prepare for the boss fight!" Bloombastic announced gleefully. "And what a boss it is!"
The final wave materialized not with a flash of light but with a roar that shook the entire castle. A teenage dragon, smaller than the legendary adults but still easily the size of a city bus, settled onto the castle's central courtyard with wings that blocked out half the sky.
"BEHOLD!" Bloombastic's voice reached new heights of enthusiasm. "One slightly adolescent but thoroughly irritated dragon! Note the beautiful emerald scales, the magnificently maintained claws, and the expression that clearly says 'I haven't had breakfast and someone is about to become my breakfast!'"
The dragon was gorgeous in the way that natural disasters were gorgeous, awe-inspiring, terrifying, and absolutely not something you wanted to experience up close. Its scales shifted from emerald to gold depending on the angle of light, its eyes burned with intelligent malice, and when it opened its mouth to roar again, I could see flames building in its throat.
Both teams had to completely restructure their defensive strategies. This wasn't about protecting a tower from ground-based attackers, this was about surviving an aerial assault from a creature that could probably level their positions with a single well-placed breath.
Team Beta adapted with impressive speed. Helena began weaving protective barriers overhead while Iris deployed flying automatons that looked like mechanical birds. Gavril created spatial rifts designed to redirect the dragon's flame breath, though the sheer magical power involved made his usual precision impossible.
Team Alpha's response was more chaotic but showed flashes of genuine teamwork. Marcus summoned wind shears designed to interfere with the dragon's flight patterns, while Caelum attempted to use his memory-affecting magic on a creature whose intelligence was clearly far beyond typical construct levels. Lance finally seemed to fully engage, his wind magic combining with Marcus's weather control to create a localized hurricane that forced the dragon to work for every aerial maneuver.
"Magnificent aerial combat!" Bloombastic narrated as the dragon swooped between the castle towers. "The dragon's using classic dive-and-strafe tactics while both teams attempt to ground it using entirely different approaches! Team Beta is trying to trap it with spatial manipulation and mechanical interference, while Team Alpha is going for good old-fashioned 'make flying really unpleasant!'"
The battle stretched on for what felt like hours but was probably only minutes. The dragon proved both intelligent and adaptable, learning from each team's attacks and adjusting its strategy accordingly. It quickly realized that Team Alpha's tower was more vulnerable and began focusing its attacks there, forcing them into an increasingly desperate defensive position.
Gavril made the difference in the end. As the dragon prepared what looked like a finishing breath attack aimed at Team Alpha's compromised tower, he created the most complex spatial fold I'd ever seen, a dimensional rift that not only redirected the dragon's flames but somehow used the creature's own magical energy to power a feedback loop that left it stunned and disoriented.
Both teams managed to exploit the opening, combining their attacks in an impromptu alliance that brought the dragon down in a crash that shook the entire castle. The creature dissolved back into magical energy, leaving behind only a small pile of what looked like extremely valuable scales.
"MAGNIFICENT!" Bloombastic's tentacles waved frantically. "Both teams survive the dragon encounter! Though I suspect they'll be feeling that in their magical cores for several days! But wait, there's no time for recovery! The second challenge begins immediately!"
I watched both teams struggle to catch their breath as the Tower Defense scenario dissolved around them, replaced by a Capture the Flag configuration. Two banners materialized at opposite ends of the castle, one bearing Team Alpha's colors, the other Team Beta's.
But these weren't ordinary flags. As soon as they appeared, they began speaking in the voices of thoroughly exhausted adults who clearly had strong opinions about being used as magical objectives.
"Oh, for crying out loud," Team Alpha's flag grumbled in a voice that sounded remarkably like someone's father after a particularly long day at work. "Here we go again. 'Capture the flag,' they said. 'It'll be fun,' they said. Do I look like I'm having fun hanging from this pole like decorative laundry?"
Team Beta's flag responded with equal exasperation: "At least you're not purple. Do you know how hard it is to maintain dignity when you're purple? I specifically requested blue, but apparently 'thematic color coordination' trumps personal preference in the magical flag business."
"Purple's not so bad," the first flag replied philosophically. "Remember that time we got assigned to the underwater challenge? I spent three hours soaking wet and complaining about mildew."
"Fair point. Though I still maintain that dignity and purple fabric are mutually exclusive concepts."
The teams barely had time to process this surreal conversation before Professor Zephyr's voice echoed across the castle: "Capture the Flag begins now! Remember, first team to successfully capture their opponent's flag and return it to their base wins! The flags will provide commentary whether you want it or not!"
Team Beta immediately split up with practiced efficiency. Helena and Iris began fortifying their flag's position with layered defenses—ward barriers, mechanical sentries, and what appeared to be a small artillery piece that Iris had somehow assembled during the dragon fight. Gavril, accompanied by XR-7, set off toward Team Alpha's position with the clear intention of ending this quickly.
Team Alpha's strategy was more desperate. With their tower already damaged from the dragon encounter and their magical reserves depleted, they committed to an all-out assault. All three team members headed for Team Beta's flag, hoping to overwhelm their defenses through pure aggression.
It might have worked if they'd been at full strength and working as a coordinated unit. Instead, they were exhausted, emotionally fractured, and running on determination alone.
Caelum reached Team Beta's defensive position first, his stealth abilities allowing him to slip past the outer perimeter undetected. For a moment, it looked like he might actually reach the flag, but Iris's automatons had been programmed to detect disturbances in air pressure and magical fields rather than relying on visual identification.
"Sneaky sneaky doesn't work on robots!" Bloombastic announced as XR-7's siblings swarmed toward Caelum's position. "Those mechanical children don't care if they can't remember you, they just know that unauthorized magical signatures make their combat algorithms very, very excited!"
The battle between Caelum and Iris's automatons was fascinating to watch but clearly one-sided. His memory-affecting magic was useless against machines, and his stealth abilities were compromised by enemies who tracked him through non-visual means. He fought valiantly, using his perception-displacement magic to confuse the automatons' coordination, but ultimately he was one exhausted student against an entire mechanical army.
Meanwhile, Gavril had reached Team Alpha's position and was systematically dismantling their defenses with surgical precision. His spatial manipulation allowed him to bypass Marcus's weather barriers and redirect Lance's wind attacks back at their sources.
The confrontation between Gavril and Lance was painful to watch. Lance barely put up a fight, whether from exhaustion, emotional turmoil, or simple inability to attack someone he still considered a friend despite everything that had happened. His wind magic lacked its usual creativity and force, operating more like a half-hearted attempt to fulfill tournament obligations than any genuine effort to win.
"Finn appears to be fighting the battle equivalent of passive resistance," Bloombastic observed sadly. "It's like watching someone try to argue while constantly agreeing with their opponent. Tragically ineffective but somehow noble in its futility."
The inevitable conclusion came quickly. Lance's half-hearted defense crumbled under Gavril's assault, and he found himself eliminated with barely a token resistance. Marcus lasted longer, his weather magic providing genuine challenge, but he was fighting alone against an opponent who had backup from Iris's automatons and was operating with the kind of focused intensity that came from years of suppressed frustration finally finding an outlet.
"Team Alpha eliminated!" Professor Zephyr announced as Marcus finally fell to a spatial fold that left him suspended upside-down from a crystalline barrier. "Team Beta claims victory with a decisive strategic approach and superior resource management!"
"And that concludes our first Level Three match!" Bloombastic announced as both teams were teleported back to the arena. "Team Beta advances with a commanding performance that showcased the power of coordination, preparation, and having really excellent robots!"
The arena erupted in cheers as both teams materialized on the main stage. Team Beta looked exhausted but triumphant, everyone smiling from ear to ear. Team Alpha appeared defeated in more ways than one, with Lance staring at his feet and avoiding everyone's gaze.
Professor Zephyr stepped forward with his usual theatrical flourish. "Excellent work, both teams! You've demonstrated that medieval fantasy settings bring out both the best and worst in everyone, though hopefully more best than worst! Rest up, because Level Three continues with our next match!"
He gestured toward the crystalline probability matrix, which had begun spinning again in preparation for the next team selection. "Speaking of which, let's see who fortune has chosen for our second bout!"
The sphere pulsed and divided, forming two new team configurations. I felt my stomach drop as I saw my own name appear in glowing letters alongside two others.
Of course, my dear writer wouldn't let me rest for more than two chapters.