Dawn arrived with an intensity echoing the day's anticipation. The normally peaceful Academy gardens buzzed with nervous energy. Rows of benches and seats were set up for spectators, with students and faculty alike murmuring in hushed tones about the approaching end-of-year mock battles. These battles weren't just a spectacle; they were a crucial part of the students' evaluation. Alongside exams, studies, classes, and experiments, these duels played a significant role in ranking the students throughout the year.
These battles were a rite of passage, a culmination of the hard work students put in their classes and training during the year. Scattered throughout the expansive gardens were specially designated areas for the duels. Each duel was monitored by two experienced teachers, prepared to step in if needed, and a doctor was on standby for any injuries.
While the Academy had implemented precautions, accidents did happen. The magical duels, after all, were real, and even though participants held back, injuries were not unheard of. But that was the nature of the mock battles - they were designed to push the students, to take them out of their comfort zones and challenge them.
Lynna took a deep breath as she approached the designated dueling area. Her opponent was Ryan, a noble, and quite a skilled mage, and for two years, he had made her life difficult, harassing and undermining her at every turn. Known for his affinities with earth and fire, Lynna had seen firsthand his inclination for cruelty in battle. She had studied how he fought last year. She knew he would try to use his earth magic to throw her off balance at some point, and once she was vulnerable, he would invoke his fire spells, hoping the intensity would force the overseeing teachers to intervene and hand him the victory.
In the center of the arena, Lynna faced Ryan. Their eyes locked, tension palpable. The overseeing teachers signaled the start, and Ryan immediately conjured a column of flames.
Anticipating this, Lynna summoned a gust of wind to redirect the fire, making it twirl harmlessly around the arena's edges. Ryan, growing more aggressive, focused on his earth spells, causing the ground beneath her to shake. Lynna feigned falling on the ground and quickly manipulated the shaking earth by adding water, molding it into a dense mud to create a protective barrier around her.
Seeing her momentarily vulnerable, Ryan smirked, confident in his impending victory. But Lynna was now protected and she knew the teachers had witnessed it. Quietly, she summoned her ice magic high up in the air, out of Ryan's line of sight.
Ryan unaware started to unleash several fiery onslaughts thinking he was burning her and the teachers would soon stop him, but giant ice cubes rained down, catching him completely off guard. Before he could react, he was pinned beneath the weight of the ice, effectively immobilized.
The overseeing teachers quickly stepped in, pronouncing Lynna the winner. As Lynna calmly got up from the ground, Ryan was sprawled out, knocked out cold by the falling ice blocks, adding an unexpectedly comical twist to the intense duel's conclusion.
As the crowd's clapping and whispers died down, Lynna stood catching her breath, calming the adrenaline rush. But soon, she started thinking about what was coming next, feeling the pressure of future challenges. After this victory, Lynna realized she might have to face the fourth-year students in their final year, even though she was only in her third year. The idea was daunting, especially since she was just seventeen and they were all in their twenties.
The mere thought made her stomach churn with unease, a feeling of tightness creeping into her chest. She felt a bit ill, needing a distraction and some comfort, Lynna decided to head towards the other arenas. Malay was up next in the neighboring arena, She hoped he would do alright.