The arena was silent, the air thick with anticipation as the apprentices took their positions. The platform upon which Mortis Nacht now stood was one of five scattered across the vast, open training grounds. This platform, a large circular stone slab adorned with intricate runes, was where Mortis would face his opponents.
Mortis stood in the center of the platform, his black robes gently fluttering in the breeze. His expression was cold, calculating. His sharp eyes scanned the perimeter of the platform, taking in every detail. The runes etched into the stone glowed faintly, a testament to the official magis that reinforced the structure, ensuring it could withstand all of the destructive spells that would soon be unleashed.
Across from him, his opponents were preparing for the imminent clash. To his left, from the Academy of the Arcane Light, stood a young man in pale blue robes. His hands trembled slightly as he drew upon his mana, the light of protective magic flickering around him like a fragile halo. He was the epitome of nervous determination, knowing that the slightest hesitation could spell his end.
Directly across from Mortis, a woman from the Academy of the Radiant Dawn radiated calm confidence. Her golden hair shimmered in the light, and her robes, interwoven with the colors of the elements—red for fire, blue for water, green for earth, and white for air—glowed faintly. Her mastery over affinities was apparent, and she stood poised, ready to unleash the raw power of nature.
To Mortis's right, representing the Cult of Eternal Damnation, was a necromancer cloaked in robes as dark as midnight. His hood concealed all but his cold, unblinking eyes, which glimmered with the promise of death. The air around him crackled with the ominous energy of necromancy, the scent of decay and death hanging heavily in the air.
Next to the necromancer, the representative from the Academy of The Forsaken exuded an aura of shadow and secrecy. Her dark robes seemed to ripple with unseen energy, her eyes reflecting nothing but the abyss. She embodied the mysteries of the void, her presence as unsettling as the darkness she commanded.
Finally, to Mortis's far right, a disciple of the Yin-Yang Paradise stood in stark contrast to the others. His robes were a harmonious blend of black and white, symbolizing the balance of light and darkness. One eye was as dark as the void, the other as bright as daylight. He radiated an aura of calm control, yet beneath it, there was a readiness to strike—a coiled energy waiting to be unleashed.
The gong sounded, its deep, resonant tone reverberating through the arena. The battle had begun.
Mortis moved first, his focus sharp and unyielding. With a swift gesture, he summoned a Shadow Tendril, the dark, writhing mass of energy shooting out toward the apprentice from the Academy of the Arcane Light. The tendril moved with lethal intent, aiming to ensnare the young magus before he could muster a defense.
The apprentice's eyes widened in panic, but he managed to raise a Radiant Shield just in time. The tendril struck the shield with force, causing the light to flicker dangerously. Cracks formed along the shield's surface, but the apprentice held firm, his face pale with the effort of maintaining his defense.
Mortis wasted no time and turned his attention to the necromancer from the Cult of Eternal Damnation, who had already begun chanting a dark incantation. Mortis recognized the spell—a ritual to summon a creature from the underworld.
Acting swiftly, Mortis cast Fireball, the incandescent sphere of flames forming in his palm before he threw it at the necromancer. The Fireball blazed through the air, aimed directly at the necromancer's chest.
The necromancer hissed in frustration, abandoning his summoning ritual to conjure a Bone Shield in defense. The shield materialized just in time to absorb the impact of the Fireball, but the force of Mortis's magic was too great. The shield cracked under the pressure, and the necromancer staggered back, his robes scorched by the heat.
Meanwhile, the woman from the Academy of the Radiant Dawn was readying her attack. With a graceful sweep of her arm, she summoned a Whirlwind, a spiraling column of air that roared to life. The Whirlwind surged toward Mortis, its destructive force intent on sweeping him off the platform.
Mortis did not flinch. He extended his hand, summoning an Umbral Shield to counter the attack. The dark barrier absorbed the force of the Whirlwind, the winds howling against it before dissipating into nothingness.
As Mortis repelled the attack, the disciple from Yin-Yang Paradise made his move. Drawing upon the duality of his powers, he cast a Yin-Yang Orb, a swirling sphere of light and darkness, which he hurled toward Mortis with precision. The orb, embodying the balance of opposites, threatened to overwhelm anything in its path.
Mortis recognized the danger and swiftly responded. He invoked Darkness Veil, shrouding himself in shadows and making it difficult for the orb to lock onto him. The Yin-Yang Orb passed through the veil, missing Mortis by a hair's breadth before crashing into the ground, where it exploded in a burst of opposing energies.
Sensing an opportunity, the shadowy figure from the Academy of The Forsaken slipped into the shadows, her form becoming almost imperceptible as she cast Shadowmeld. She moved silently, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
But Mortis was not easily fooled. His senses were attuned to the subtle disturbances in the magical field. He could feel the faint vibrations that betrayed her presence. With a swift motion, he cast Shadow Dart in the direction of the hidden threat.
The shadowy figure barely had time to react. Mortis's Shadow Dart struck her in the chest, the force of the impact disrupting her spell and sending her stumbling back. She gasped as the dark energy coursed through her, making her scared of Mortis.
The necromancer, recovering from the earlier attack, summoned a Soul Wraith, a ghostly apparition that floated toward Mortis with a ghastly wail. Its hollow eyes glowed with an eerie light, its spectral fingers outstretched to drain Mortis of his life force.
But Mortis was prepared. With a flick of his wrist, he cast Lightning Bolt, the brilliant arc of electric energy leaping from his hand to strike the wraith. The bolt tore through the apparition, dispersing its ethereal form and silencing its mournful wail.
At that moment, the woman from the Academy of the Radiant Dawn unleashed her next attack. She called upon the power of fire, her hands igniting with a brilliant flame. With a sweeping motion, she launched a barrage of Fireballs toward Mortis.
Mortis summoned a Fireball of his own, hurling it to meet the oncoming barrage. The two forces of fire collided in mid-air, creating a fiery explosion that lit up the arena. The heat was intense, but Mortis remained unscathed, his magic shielding him from the worst of the flames.
The disciple from Yin-Yang Paradise saw his chance and unleashed a Ray of Light followed by a Shadow Wave. The dual attack, embodying the harmony of light and dark, sped toward Mortis, threatening to overwhelm his defenses.
Mortis reacted with precision, summoning an Umbral Shield to absorb the Shadow Wave and casting Shadow Tendril to intercept the Ray of Light. The tendril coiled around the beam of light, diverting its path harmlessly into the ground.
But the shadowy figure from the Academy of The Forsaken was not done yet. Emerging from the shadows, she cast Darkness Veil to shroud herself, preparing for a final, desperate strike. Mortis sensed her approach and summoned a Shadow Tendril, ensnaring her before she could act. She struggled, but the dark energy held her fast.
The necromancer, realizing the battle was slipping away, attempted one last summoning, but Mortis was relentless. He unleashed a Lightning Bolt, the electric arc crackling with deadly energy as it struck the necromancer head-on. The necromancer convulsed violently before collapsing into a smoking heap.
Only two opponents remained: the affinities prodigy from the Academy of the Radiant Dawn and the disciple from Yin-Yang Paradise. Both stood ready, their resolve hardening in the face of Mortis's overwhelming power.
The affinities prodigy, with a fierce determination, summoned a Tidal Wave that surged across the platform, aiming to engulf Mortis. At the same time, the disciple from Yin-Yang Paradise unleashed a Yin-Yang Orb once more, its swirling energies hurtling toward Mortis with devastating speed.
Mortis responded with precision. He cast Darkness Veil to avoid the Yin-Yang Orb and summoned an Umbral Shield to absorb the impact of the Tidal Wave. The water crashed against the shield, the force of the wave dissipating as Mortis pushed forward.
Seeing their attacks fail, the two remaining opponents exchanged a glance, understanding that their only chance was to combine their strengths. The disciple from Yin-Yang Paradise summoned a Ray of Light, while the elemental prodigy called forth a Firestorm. The two forces, one of light and one of fire, combined into a devastating beam of destructive energy that shot toward Mortis.
But Mortis Nacht was not one to be easily defeated. He raised both hands, channeling all of his mana to cast Inferno Spark. The concentrated burst of fire ignited in his palms, and he hurled it at the oncoming beam. The two forces collided with a thunderous explosion, the shockwave rippling across the arena.
When the dust settled, only Mortis stood. The affinities prodigy and the disciple from Yin-Yang Paradise had been thrown to the ground, their magic exhausted. Mortis did not give them a chance to recover. He summoned two Shadow Tendrils, one for each opponent, wrapping them in dark energy and lifting them off the ground.
With a final, decisive gesture, Mortis unleashed Lightning Bolt, the electric arcs crackling with deadly energy as they shot toward his two remaining opponents. But, due to the rules of the tournament, he had to slightly adjust the intensity of his magic, ensuring the bolts would incapacitate rather than kill.
The Lightning Bolt struck the affinities prodigy from the Academy of the Radiant Dawn and the disciple from Yin-Yang Paradise with precision, the energy coursing through their bodies just enough to overwhelm their defenses. Both opponents convulsed, their muscles seizing under the power of the spell, but Mortis ensured the bolts lacked the lethal force to cause permanent harm.
The two opponents collapsed onto the platform, their bodies twitching slightly as they lay stunned. They were alive, but thoroughly incapacitated, unable to continue the fight.
Mortis surveyed the fallen figures, noting the rise and fall of their chests—proof that they were merely unconscious, not dead. The battle was over, and Mortis Nacht had emerged victorious, his power unquestionable.
As the runes on the platform dimmed, signaling the end of the battle, Mortis turned and walked away, his black robes trailing behind him like a shadow, the aura of his formidable power lingering in the air. The other apprentices, who had been watching from the sidelines, remained silent, their respect for his strength.
But Mortis did not care for their opinions or their fear. His mind was already on the next challenge, the next step on his path to win this tournament. He had no need for fame, glory, or the fleeting comforts of mortal life. His only goal was to ascend, to achieve immortality, and he would stop at nothing to attain it.