The bells tolled again, louder now, like the heartbeat of the academy itself. As the echoes faded into silence, all eyes turned toward Arena Seven.
Talia Mirren stepped into the battleground, her footsteps firm against the stone floor. She wore a sleeveless leather caster's vest, her arms bare and marked with burn-scars from prior spellcasting mishaps. At her side hung a band of crystal phials, each containing swirling fire essence, glowing faintly with heat. Her silver hair was braided back, eyes sharp with anticipation. This was not her first trial, but it would be her first public test under the academy's scrutiny.
Her opponent was already present. A tall, wiry girl named Serel Vanthe. She specialized in wind manipulation and hexed strikes—fast, elusive, deadly. Serel cracked her neck, twirling a short wind-forged blade between her fingers.
"Tier One Duel: Talia Mirren versus Serel Vanthe. First to yield or incapacitation. Begin."
A long, sonorous horn blared—
BAAAAAAAHHHHM!—
—and the battle erupted.
Serel vanished from sight in a blur of displaced air. WHOOSH!
Talia didn't flinch.
"Ignis: Ember Screen!"
She slammed her palm against the ground. A wall of fire burst upward, forming a crescent barrier behind her just as Serel reappeared, blade-first.
SHHHHRACK!
The blade hissed against the flame, halted just short. Talia rolled to the side, drawing a phial and snapping it midair.
CRACKLE! WHOOMF!
A fire sprite erupted from the glass, spiraling toward Serel with a high-pitched screech of heat. Serel backflipped and threw out her palm.
"Windshear Vortex!"
A swirling spiral of air engulfed the sprite, compressing it until it imploded in a sizzling burst.
TSSHHHKK-BOOM!
Talia grinned. "Not bad."
She clapped her hands together. "Blazing Orbit!"
Three rings of flame circled her like miniature suns, casting a hellish glow on the pale stone of the arena. She launched them forward with sweeping gestures.
FOOM! FOOM! FOOM!
Serel dashed sideways, her speed blurring her image, but one of the rings clipped her shoulder. Her cloak caught fire—
FFWSSHH!—
—and she hissed, tearing it away. "Enough playing."
She drew two wind-forged daggers and launched herself forward, a gale propelling her like a missile.
TALIA!
The crowd roared as the two collided mid-arena.
CLANG! FWOOSH! SHRAKK!
Sparks and flame burst from their impacts. Talia ducked a slash and retaliated with a palm strike.
"Scorching Palm!"
Her hand ignited, slamming into Serel's ribs. The wind mage tumbled, grunting, but twisted mid-air.
"Gale Hook!"
A tether of air snapped around Talia's leg, pulling her down.
THUD!
She hit the ground hard but rolled with it, popping a second phial open.
"Pyroclast!"
The earth beneath her cracked, and fire erupted in a shockwave.
RUMMMMBLE—KRAKOOM!
Serel was flung into the air, limbs flailing as the explosion rocked the stone beneath her feet.
Talia stood slowly, a burn on her cheek, breathing hard.
Serel rose shakily, blood at the corner of her mouth.
"This is why I hate fire users."
"Then yield," Talia offered.
Serel charged again.
WHOOSH-WHOOSH!
Talia's eyes glowed. "Final gambit. Ember Nova."
She threw her final phial into the sky.
CLICK… POP…
A high-pitched ringing began to build.
WHEEEEEEEEEEE—
The phial exploded in a blinding burst of flame and light—
KRAKA-BOOM!!
The heat washed over the entire arena. Serel dropped to one knee, blinded and scorched.
"I… I yield!" she coughed.
The Arbiter raised her hand. "Victory: Talia Mirren."
The crowd rose in a wave of applause and stomping feet.
Talia turned toward the observation decks, her chest heaving, and saw Arin and Elias watching in silence.
"She's stronger than she looks," Elias muttered.
Arin nodded once. "They both are."
As Talia exited the arena, she gave them a tired grin.
For now, the trials were done. But the academy's secrets had only begun to surface.
To be continued...