The Draggor Institute was the best place of higher learning in all Somnus. Draggor had produced some of the best politicians, scholars and warriors in Ashken. Only the best, rich and powerful could get into Draggor. You either earned it or bought it and to buy in cost a lot and even with all the money, you would still not be accepted if you were without any talent.
The morning sun shone through the long windows of the Draggor Castle, hitting scholars and Cadets as they clustered around them to have a good view of the main front field below. There were students on the battlements and up on the roof. Everyone wanted to witness the epic battle about to go down between Cadet-Superior Karmen Barigg and Scholar-Superior Lyssa Sunil.
Karmen stood with a golden broadsword in her right hand and a small shield in her left. The sunlight bounced off her brilliant silver armor. She wore her hair short, never had time for fashion when she was trying to meet up to Lord Darius's high standards.
Lyssa was 10 yards from Karmen. She had no weapons, but her rune circle hovered behind her, a circle of power symbols 4ft in diameter, hanging in the air just a few inches from her upper back. The rune circle gave off a dull green glow. Her leather leggings vanished into high-heeled boots and her white blouse was pristine and neatly tucked into the leggings. She had her green hair packed into two buns.
"Commence!" Lord Shakz yelled the order.
Karmen struck her battle stance, sword aimed at her opponent while the shield covered her chest.
Lyssa put her palms together and the rune circle behind her glowed brighter.
Karmen and Lyssa locked eyes. The air was still. All the scholars and cadets were silent. Time seemed to freeze.
Karmen let out a breath and Lyssa turned her palms in opposing directions then locked her fingers. A streak of green magical energy extended from behind her and moved at Karmen. The action, first of the battle drew cheers from the crowd, it was like the world had just come to life.
Karmen charged at the oncoming energy streak. She ducked under it as she made to close the space between herself and Lyssa. Lyssa sent her streak down at Karmen, but the latter rolled out of the way. She rose on her feet, leaped over the energy and continued her sprint towards Lyssa.
Lyssa smiled at Karmen as she drew closer. She dragged her hands through the air, weaving unseen patterns. Her magic covered her in a force field then she spread her hands and the force field expanded, pushing Karmen away with great force.
Karmen flew through the air like a tossed doll, but she quickly righted herself midair and as she came back down, with a powerful swing of her sword, broke the magical shield. She held her sword above her head as she flew down towards Lyssa.
Lyssa weaved her magic, levitating a few inches off the grass now. She glided through the air, sending blasts of energy at Karmen.
Karmen blocked some of the shots with her shield and destroyed others with her sword. She landed on the grass then leaped towards Lyssa. Her armor allowing for full versatility. Lyssa glided away from her oncoming opponent. She aimed a finger at Karmen, sending out a stream of green fire at her.
Karmen touched down on the grass again and ran from the flame. Lyssa followed her opponent's path with her fire.
"Lyssa! Lyssa! Lyssa!" Students were chanting her name.
Karmen ran from the fire a while then suddenly stopped and rolled backwards, going under the fire. Lyssa had to send her fire in the other direction to pursue her opponent, but she quickly noticed Karmen's shield was missing. She saw the glint of light as the shield came spinning.
"Oh damn," she murmured as her sharp mind deduced what had happened and knew she didn't have enough time to react.
When Karmen had rolled back and under the fire, she had tossed her shield at Lyssa in the process and it was travelling in a straight line under the streak of magic fire. Before Lyssa realized, it was almost at her. She quickly abandoned the flame spell and generated her magic force field and not a moment too soon as the metal shield struck the magic shield when it was just inches from her body.
That split second delay was all Karmen needed. She leaped toward Lyssa the instant the shield distracted her and in two blinks she was at her opponent. Lyssa's force field was still up, but one powerful punch from Karmen's now-free left hand shattered the force field with a loud crackling sound.
The impact of the punch sent Lyssa streaking across the grass, tossing and turning. She spread her hands and the force of her spell stopped her abruptly, but Karmen who had leaped after her was already inches from her face, her shield back in her left hand.
Lyssa saw the smile on Karmen's face as she slammed the shield into her chest, carrying her through the air and down hard to the grass.
The very ground beneath their feet shook from the screams of Karmen's name by the students.
Lyssa forced Karmen off with a burst of magic from her body. Her rune circle glowed as she quickly levitated off the grass.
Karmen landed in a squat a few yards away. She rose to her full height; six feet tall. Her grin was still in place.
"Yield, Lyssa," she said, pointing her shield at her opponent.
Lyssa mirrored Karmen's grin. "Oh I am just getting started, Karmen." As she spoke, her eyes glowed bright green and two extra, larger rune circles appeared behind the first one.
Lyssa stretched her hands at Karmen and a fat blast of green magic moved from her towards the latter.
Karmen held out her shield before her and the small round weapon grew in size, expanding into a large rectangular block, 8ft high and 5ft wide. The reinforced shield took Lyssa's magic blast like it was nothing. Karmen roared as she rushed towards her opponent, pushing the heavy shield forward, digging up the ground and she went.
Lyssa's saw Karmen's charge and she spread her hands. The single blast of green energy split into six streaks, coming at her opponent from different angles.
Karmen let go of her shield, running past it with her sword alone. She stretched her left hand back as she ran, palm wide open, causing the huge shield to follow behind her own its own. She parried Lyssa's twisting streaks of magic with her sword as she closed the gap.
Lyssa quickly lifted higher into the air as Karmen drew closer, going more than 80ft up.
Karmen raised her left hand above her head and the massive shield following behind her, lifted to hover above her. She let go of her sword and clapped her hands powerfully beneath the shield, the tips of her fingers brushing the block of metal. The force of that clap sent the shield up at Lyssa at incredible speed, like a fired oversized bullet.
Lyssa knew she could not block that shield as it came up at her. It moved too fast and she spun out of its way at the last second, the shield ripping through the hem of her blouse which had strayed behind. As the shield passed Lyssa, it revealed Karmen who had travelled behind it for cover.
"Oh crap," Lyssa cussed under her breath.
Karmen was up there with her two hands above her head as she brought her broadsword down with such force. The force of that sword would have cleaved Lyssa in half, but Karmen angled it just in time to slash off only one of the two buns of green hair on her opponent's head instead.
The energy force of the slash continued down to the grass, creating a long, deep gash across the field.
Lyssa and Karmen were left hovering in the air; Karmen with her sword held to the side while she breathed hard with an evil smile on her face. Lyssa was still, her hands numb at her sides, her eyes shut tight as she had braced for the down-coming sword strike. The slashed clump of her hair was falling down to the ground. She slowly opened her eyes and placed a hand where her second bun of hair had been. She could feel the clean cut by Karmen's sword and some of her hair had been singed from the energy that followed the weapon.
The students screamed in excitement as they knew the battle was over.
Karmen Ace! Karmen Ace! Karmen Ace!
"You cut my hair, Karmen!" Lyssa squealed.
Karmen caught her in a one armed embrace.
"Apologies, buddy, but you just wouldn't yield."
The ladies descended to the grass together, touching down softly.
"My beautiful hair," Lyssa whined.
"It'll grow back, Lyssa," Karmen comforted her while still smirking.
"But I…." Lyssa started.
"Hold on," Karmen cut her off then suddenly leapt in the air, catching her shield as it fell back down after reaching its upward limit.
The shield catch drew more screams from their spectators.
Karmen Ace as she was fondly called or Karmen of House Barigg, was the golden girl of The Draggor Institute. She was one of the top three best cadets to ever pass through the institute since its inception. They brought home the victory in everything because of her. She was a monster, a beast and not even a full god like her best friend Lyssa.
Yes, Karmen Barigg was not a god, but a demigod.