"Silence!" Violet's voice cut through the murmur in the room like a blade. Every student straightened up immediately, their conversations halting.
She took a few steps to the center of the magic circle, her boots echoing on the stone floor. Her sharp gaze swept over each face in the room, as if evaluating each one.
"Welcome to Combat Magic class. Or, as I prefer to call it... the class that will separate those with potential from those without."
Some students fidgeted uncomfortably in their seats.
"You're here to learn how to fight, survive, and maybe, just maybe, one day, achieve something in this world. But let's make one thing clear from the start: I'm not a babysitter. I won't go easy on anyone."
Violet crossed her arms, her violet eyes fixing on Kael for a moment before moving on to another student. Kael felt a chill, but kept his face neutral.
"Now," she continued, "I want to see what you know. Everyone to the magic circle. We'll start with simple duels. Two against two. No advanced spells. Just the basics. I want to evaluate your control, accuracy, and reaction."
The students began making their way to the circle, some excited, others clearly nervous.
Kael stayed where he was, watching the first few duels. The pairs cast simple spells, like gusts of wind or small bursts of energy, trying to dodge each other's attacks. Violet watched every movement with a critical eye, occasionally stopping to correct posture or reprimand someone for being careless.
But then, something Kael had feared happened.
"Kael Redgrave," Violet's voice echoed through the room, and all eyes turned to him again. "Step forward."
Kael hesitated for a moment, but he knew he had no choice. He stood up and walked slowly to the magic circle.
"You'll be the next student to demonstrate your skills," Violet said, a sarcastic smile dancing on her lips. "Or lack thereof."
Kael felt his blood boil but took a deep breath, maintaining his calm. "It's not like this is anything new," he thought.
"You'll face... Adrian Flameheart."
A muffled laugh filled the room, and Kael turned his head to see Adrian walking to the circle, a confident grin on his face.
"This is going to be fun," Adrian said, snapping his fingers.
Kael stepped into the circle, and Violet took a few steps back, crossing her arms as she watched.
"No restrictions," she said. "I want to see how far you can go."
Though Kael couldn't use magic, he had something many other students at the Academy didn't possess: experience.
In his past life, Kael had trained in martial arts. It wasn't something he was proud of or often remembered, but when the need to protect himself or others arose, he knew what to do. Kael wasn't a master, but he had learned enough to survive in a violent environment. And now, in this new world full of magic, he would have to rely on that physical knowledge, as magic was no longer accessible to him.
Adrian Flameheart, on the other hand, was the typical glass cannon mage. He was talented in using powerful spells, but his resistance to physical attacks was terrible. He knew this, and that's why his combat approach had always been based on attacking from a distance, using his magical abilities as a barrier against any close approach. But unlike Kael, he had never faced an opponent like him.
When Violet announced the start of the fight, the sound of spells being cast and the tension in the air became palpable. Kael knew this wouldn't be easy. He no longer had magic to protect himself, and the power gap seemed immense. But what he had was his intelligence and a body that, while not the best, still knew how to move.
Adrian began the fight with his characteristic arrogance, extending his hand toward Kael. A sphere of fire formed in his palm, growing rapidly, and before Kael could react, he snapped his fingers, sending the fireball flying toward him like a falling meteor.
Kael didn't hesitate. He no longer had a wand or a grimoire, just the quick reflexes of someone who had survived in a world without magic. He crouched quickly, feeling the heat of the fireball pass over his head, and rolled to the side. The flame exploded where he had been, scattering sparks and a wave of heat.
"That was close," Kael thought, quickly getting back on his feet.
Adrian was already preparing another spell, but Kael didn't give him time. He sprang forward with the agility of a predator, moving towards Adrian. The mage tried to retreat, but Kael was too fast. He didn't think of using magic, only of how his body should move. With a fluid motion, he slid to the side of Adrian, and before the mage could react, Kael hit him with a powerful punch to the stomach, sending Adrian staggering backward.
"Is that all you've got?" Kael taunted.
Adrian gasped, a mix of surprise and anger on his face. He hadn't expected to be physically struck like that. "Impossible," he growled, touching the area where he had been hit. "You... you don't have magic!"
Kael just smiled challengingly. "Who needs magic when you know how to fight?"
Adrian snarled, clearly frustrated, but soon recovered. He wasn't a fool; he knew Kael could be dangerous, even without magic. So, like any experienced mage, he backed up, preparing to cast another long-range spell. But instead of firing from a distance, he did something unexpected: he summoned a wall of flames around him, creating a barrier of fire.
Kael paused for a moment, staring at the wall of fire. He didn't know how he could get past it without getting burned, but he didn't have time to think. The only way forward was… to charge.
He threw himself forward, running towards the fire wall. The heat was unbearable, but he didn't hesitate. As he neared the barrier, he performed an acrobatic jump, twisting his body and spinning in the air to avoid getting hit by the flames directly. The sensation of the heat burning his back was intense, but he managed to get past it, landing heavily beside Adrian.
Adrian seemed surprised by Kael's courage, but didn't have time to react. Kael, already on the ground, immediately rose and delivered a knee strike to the mage's side, pushing him back with force. Adrian lost his balance and fell, his eyes wide with shock.
Kael didn't waste time. He knew he couldn't afford to give Adrian a chance to recover. With a quick movement, he grabbed Adrian's arm and, with all the strength he could muster, twisted it behind him. The sound of the bone snapping was loud enough to be heard by everyone around. Adrian screamed in pain, his spell cutting off abruptly.
"No... this can't be," Adrian whispered through clenched teeth, his face contorted with pain.
Kael approached him, placing his foot on the mage's chest. "I warned you I'm not a toy, Adrian. Now, learn the lesson."
Violet watched the fight with an impassive expression, but her violet eyes glowed with a surprise she couldn't hide. She had expected Kael to be defeated quickly, but he was fighting with more skill and determination than she had imagined. However, she didn't seem satisfied with how easily Kael was defeating Adrian.
"That's enough," Violet said, her voice cutting through the air like a sharp blade. "Kael Redgrave, you've won."
Kael, still with his foot on Adrian, looked at Violet. "Isn't this what you wanted?"
Violet didn't respond immediately. She looked at Adrian, who was slowly recovering, still panting from the pain. "Get up," she said, addressing Adrian. "You still have much to learn."
Adrian struggled to his feet, his eyes full of rage. He knew he had been defeated not just by his opponent, but by his own arrogance. He glared at Kael with silent hatred.
"I'm not done with you," Adrian whispered.
Kael gave a short smile. "Let's see what you can do next time."
Violet then turned her gaze to Kael, her eyes assessing him with a new perspective. She had never expected someone like him to perform like that. Maybe he wasn't as useless as she had thought.
"Kael," she said, her voice now more serious. "Where did you learn that?" she asked directly, but Kael just smiled.
"Who cares? I don't have basic skills, remember?"
She simply couldn't argue with him, and seeing her reaction, he just smiled and left the arena, letting the next students continue their training.