The air in the waiting area was thick with anticipation. The hum of the crowd, muffled by the stone walls, vibrated through the floor. Sera and I leaned against one of the cold stone columns, watching the faintly glowing runes on the entranceway pulse with energy each time a match concluded. "This is it," Sera said quietly, her voice cutting through the silence between us. "The quarterfinals." I nodded, gripping the hilt of my sword. My palm felt slick with sweat. "We've come this far. We can't falter now." Sera gave me a reassuring smile, her sapphire eyes gleaming with determination. "We won't. But I hope you're ready to see some intense fights. The further we go, the harder it's going to get." Her words lingered as the next pair of competitors was called into the arena. The faint cheers of the audience grew louder as the names were announced.
Our attention was drawn to the runes above the archway, which displayed the names of the next two competitors. One name caught my eye immediately: the masked scythe user.
He stepped into the arena with his usual unsettling grace, his weapon resting lazily against his shoulder. The light from the afternoon sun glinted off his mask, hiding whatever expression might have been on his face. "He's up again," I muttered, shifting my weight uneasily. Sera crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on the figure. "Yeah. Let's see what he's really capable of." His opponent was a stark contrast to him: a petite girl with short, dark hair and wide, innocent eyes. She looked no older than fourteen, her small frame dwarfed by the weight of the knives strapped to her belt. The crowd murmured as she walked into the arena, her posture hunched and timid. Even from the waiting area, I could sense her fear. "She doesn't look like she belongs here," Sera said, frowning.
I didn't respond, but I couldn't help agreeing. What was someone like her doing in a competition like this?
The announcer's voice boomed across the arena. "Competitors, prepare yourselves!"
The girl shuffled nervously, her hands fumbling with the hilts of her knives. The scythe user stood motionless, his weapon resting on the ground as though he were bored.
But then something changed.
The girl straightened, her shy demeanor melting away in an instant. A wicked grin spread across her face, and her wide eyes narrowed into slits filled with malice. She pulled the knives from her belt, spinning them in her hands with practiced ease. "I'm gonna enjoy this," she said, her voice dripping with a sadistic glee that sent a shiver down my spine. She licked one of the blades, her grin widening. "You're going to scream for me, masked man. I'm going to cut you up, piece by piece, and make it last."
Sera's eyes widened. "What the—"
I swallowed hard, my hand instinctively tightening around the hilt of my sword. The girl's aura had shifted completely. She wasn't just confident—she was dangerous.
The announcer's voice barely finished calling for the match to begin before the girl lunged forward, her movements blindingly fast. Her knives gleamed in the sunlight as she slashed at the scythe user, her strikes precise and relentless. To his credit, the scythe user didn't flinch. He dodged her attacks with a fluidity that seemed almost unnatural, his movements smooth and calculated. His scythe swung in wide arcs, forcing her to leap back to avoid being hit. The clash of metal against metal echoed through the arena as their weapons met. The girl's laughter rang out, high-pitched and unsettling. "Come on, is that all you've got?" she taunted, darting around him like a predator circling its prey.
The scythe user didn't respond. He moved with a calm precision, his strikes becoming faster and more aggressive as the fight went on. For what felt like ages, the two clashed, neither gaining a clear advantage. The girl's speed was incredible, but the scythe user's skill was undeniable.
The fight reached its climax when the scythe user finally found an opening. With a swift, calculated movement, he deflected one of the girl's knives and brought the blade of his scythe down toward her. She dodged, but not quickly enough. The blade grazed her arm, drawing blood and forcing her to stagger back. Her grin faltered, replaced by a scowl.
"You're good," she admitted, her voice losing some of its mocking edge. "But I'm not done yet." Before she could attack again, the scythe user surged forward, his movements faster than I'd thought possible. His scythe struck her remaining knife, sending it flying out of her hand. She froze, her wide eyes locking onto his masked face. "It's over," the announcer declared, his voice cutting through the tension. The crowd erupted into cheers as the scythe user stepped back, lowering his weapon. The girl glared at him, her expression a mix of frustration and grudging respect, before turning and leaving the arena.
Sera let out a low whistle as the scythe user disappeared back into the shadows. "That was intense," she said, glancing at me. "Think we'll have to fight him?"
"Eventually," I replied, though the thought made my stomach churn. We didn't have long to dwell on it. After a brief pause to let the arena reset, the announcer's voice rang out once more. "Our next competitors: Noctis and Sera versus the twin mages, Alaric and Lyra!" Sera and I exchanged a look, the nervous energy between us palpable. "Ready?" I asked, gripping the hilt of my sword. Sera smirked, her sapphire eyes gleaming. "Always."
As we stepped onto the arena floor, I couldn't help but feel a rush of adrenaline. The crowd's cheers were deafening, the energy almost tangible. Across from us stood our opponents: a pair of twin mages dressed in matching robes adorned with intricate golden patterns. Alaric, the brother, had a staff carved with glowing runes, while Lyra, the sister, held an ornate grimoire that pulsed with magic. They stood side by side, their movements perfectly synchronized. Even before the match began, I could tell they were dangerous. "Stay close," I said to Sera, keeping my voice low. She nodded, her grip tightening on her blade. "I've got your back."
The announcer's voice echoed across the arena. "Begin!"
Alaric and Lyra wasted no time. Alaric raised his staff, summoning a torrent of fire that roared toward us. Sera and I dove to opposite sides, the heat from the flames singeing my armor. Lyra followed up with a barrage of glowing projectiles, each one homing in on us with terrifying accuracy. I swung my sword, slicing through the orbs of light as they came near, while Sera deflected them with her blade. "They're not giving us a chance to breathe," Sera shouted, her voice barely audible over the chaos. "Then we'll make our own opening," I replied. I summoned my light constructs, forming a glowing shield to block another wave of fire. Sera used the opportunity to charge forward, closing the distance between her and the twins. Alaric swung his staff toward her, but she ducked under the strike and slashed at him. He stumbled back, his staff glowing as he prepared another spell.
While Sera kept Alaric occupied, I focused on Lyra. She flipped through her grimoire with practiced ease, her spells coming faster than I could counter. I dodged another blast of energy and charged toward her, my sword glowing with light energy. She raised a shield of shimmering magic, but my blade cut through it like butter. Her eyes widened as I closed the distance, forcing her to retreat. "Not so tough up close, are you?" I said, my confidence growing. Before she could respond, I knocked the grimoire from her hands with a swift strike. It fell to the ground with a thud, the glow fading from its pages.
Sera and I regrouped, our opponents now on the defensive. Alaric's spells were growing more desperate, his movements less precise. Lyra, without her grimoire, was forced to rely on weaker, hastily conjured spells. We pressed the advantage, our attacks relentless. Sera disarmed Alaric with a well-timed strike, sending his staff flying out of his hands. I pinned Lyra to the ground, my blade hovering inches from her throat. "Yield," I said firmly. She hesitated, her gaze flicking to her brother. He nodded, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "We yield," she said quietly.
The crowd erupted into cheers as the announcer's voice rang out. "The winners of this match: Noctis and Sera!" I stood, helping Lyra to her feet before stepping back. She avoided my gaze as she and her brother left the arena. Sera clapped me on the shoulder, her grin wide. "We did it!"
"Yeah," I said, though my thoughts were already drifting to the matches ahead. The quarterfinals were over, but the hardest battles were yet to come.