The arena buzzed with energy, the crowd's voices a deafening roar as the final match of the quarterfinals unfolded before us. Sera and I stood in the waiting area, watching the two remaining competitors battle it out. The clash of weapons and bursts of magic lit up the arena like a festival of chaos. Every strike and dodge was met with cheers or gasps from the spectators. "They're giving it their all," Sera muttered, leaning against the cold stone wall, her arms crossed. I nodded, gripping the hilt of my sword. My mind, however, wasn't on the fight in front of us. My thoughts kept drifting to the upcoming semi-finals and the opponent waiting for us—the masked scythe user. Sera must have noticed my silence because she nudged me with her elbow. "Hey, don't get in your own head. We've got this." I forced a smile, trying to shake off the unease gnawing at me. "Yeah, I know. Just… thinking." The match ended in a brilliant flash of light as one of the competitors unleashed a final, desperate attack. The victor staggered forward, barely able to stand, while their opponent lay unconscious on the ground. The announcer's voice boomed across the arena. "And with that, the quarterfinals come to a close! Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves for the semi-finals!" The crowd erupted into cheers, their excitement palpable.
As the runes above the archway reset, displaying the competitors for the next match, the announcer's voice rang out again. "In the first match of the semi-finals, we have… Noctis and Sera versus…" The runes shifted, glowing brighter. "…the masked scythe user!"
The air in the waiting area grew heavier. Sera and I exchanged a glance, the weight of the moment sinking in. "It had to be him," Sera muttered, rolling her shoulders. "Figures."
I nodded, my throat dry. "We knew this was coming." The announcer continued, hyping up the crowd as we stepped into the entrance tunnel. The muffled cheers grew louder with each step, the light of the arena spilling into the corridor.
As we walked into the arena, the scythe user was already waiting for us on the opposite side. His dark figure was as still as a shadow, his weapon resting against his shoulder. I glanced around the arena, my gaze landing on the stands. That's when I saw her—the girl from the quarterfinals.
The psycho with the knives.
She was sitting near the edge of the stands, her wide eyes locked onto me. Her smile was unnervingly wide, a glint of something sinister flashing in her gaze. For a moment, I froze, the intensity of her stare rooting me in place.
Sera noticed and followed my gaze. "What is it?"
"Nothing," I said quickly, tearing my eyes away. "Just… nothing." I pushed the girl's unsettling presence out of my mind and focused on the task at hand. The announcer's voice echoed again, silencing the crowd. "Before we begin, let us meet our mysterious competitor!" The scythe user raised his hand to his mask. Slowly, deliberately, he removed it. Gasps rippled through the crowd, followed by a tense silence. The man beneath the mask was younger than I expected, his face sharp and angular, with piercing silver eyes that seemed to see right through you. His dark hair framed his face, giving him an almost regal appearance. He didn't look at the crowd. His eyes were locked on us. "My name is Kaelen," he said, his voice calm and cold, but it carried a weight that silenced even the loudest cheers. "And I am one of the Umbraex." The reaction from the crowd was immediate. Gasps turned to murmurs, then to shouts. The name carried weight—fear and reverence intertwined. "The Umbraex," Sera whispered, her voice barely audible. "Noctis, this… this is bad." My heart pounded in my chest as the memory of the nobles' plan surfaced. The Umbraex were elite warriors, shadowy figures who served as enforcers for the high houses. They were more myth than reality, their skills and ruthlessness the stuff of legend. And now we were facing one.
The announcer called for the match to begin, and Kaelen wasted no time. He surged forward with a speed that left no room for hesitation. "Move!" I shouted, pushing Sera to the side as his scythe came down in a deadly arc. The ground where we had been standing exploded in a shower of dirt and stone, the sheer force of his strike sending shockwaves through the arena. Sera and I scrambled to regroup, our weapons drawn. Kaelen didn't give us a chance to breathe. His scythe spun in a blur of steel, every strike precise and deadly. I blocked a swing with my sword, the impact jarring my arm. He was strong—far stronger than anyone we'd faced before. Sera darted in, aiming for his exposed side, but Kaelen twisted effortlessly, deflecting her blade with the shaft of his scythe. "Is this the best you can do?" he asked, his voice devoid of emotion. "Pathetic."
The fight grew more desperate with each passing moment. Kaelen's attacks were relentless, his movements almost impossible to predict. Sera managed to land a hit, her blade slicing across his arm, but the wound didn't slow him down. He retaliated with a brutal swing that caught her in the side, sending her crashing to the ground. "Sera!" I shouted, my heart lurching. She pushed herself up, blood staining her armor. "I'm fine," she said through gritted teeth, though the pain in her voice was evident. Kaelen turned his attention to me, his silver eyes narrowing. "Let's see if you fare any better," he said, his scythe cutting through the air with terrifying speed. I raised my sword to block, but the force of his strike sent me stumbling backward. His next attack came faster than I could react, the blade of his scythe slicing across my shoulder. Pain flared through me, warm blood trickling down my arm.
Kaelen pressed the attack, his strikes growing even more vicious. It felt like we were barely holding on, each moment a struggle to survive. Sera tried to rejoin the fight, but a well-placed kick from Kaelen sent her sprawling again. She didn't get back up this time, her breaths coming in ragged gasps.
"Stay down," he said coldly, his focus shifting back to me. Rage and desperation swelled within me. Sera was out of the fight, and I was running out of options. Summoning every ounce of energy I had left, I activated my light configuration. The golden energy surged through me, my sword glowing brilliantly.
Kaelen raised an eyebrow, the faintest hint of curiosity flickering across his face. "You think that will save you?" he asked, his voice dripping with disdain. I didn't respond. Instead, I raised my hand, focusing the light energy into a new form. Chains of pure light erupted from the ground, wrapping around Kaelen's arms and legs. His silver eyes widened in surprise as the chains tightened, pinning him in place.
Kaelen struggled against the chains, his scythe falling from his grasp. The light burned against his skin, forcing him to his knees. The crowd erupted into cheers, the sound almost deafening. The announcer's voice rang out, declaring our victory, but I barely heard it. My vision blurred, exhaustion and pain crashing over me like a wave. I stumbled toward Sera, collapsing beside her. "You… you did it," she said weakly, her lips curving into a faint smile.
I nodded, my breaths shallow. "We did it." The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was Kaelen's silver eyes glaring at me, the promise of revenge clear in his gaze.