The last echoes of applause faded, but the arena was still alive with murmurs and disbelief over Ava's victory.
Her win over an Archon had shaken everyone, especially the students of noble bloodlines.
To protect their pride, they tried to undermine Ava.
"Luck shines even on the undeserving."
"Even the weakest Archon can slip up once. That doesn't make her special."
"Correct. Her victory doesn't always mean strength. Sometimes, it just means the Archon was careless."
"Winning once doesn't make her powerful at all. Let's see her do it again."
Austin remained still from the sideline, observing the aftermath.
Lucian still admiring his plain staff.
Nearby, Yanika stood with her arms crossed, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she replayed the battle in her mind.
Then, without warning, she let out a short laugh and turned to them.
"Did you see that?" she exclaimed. "A first-year taking down an Archon? Now that's what I call a proper upset!"
Lucian nodded. "No one saw it coming. She was fast—I couldn't even keep up. I mean, my eyesight is weak under sunlight, but I'm confident in my reaction speed."
Yanika grinned, placing a hand on her hip. "Fast, relentless, and smart. Honestly, watching that fight made my blood boil—in a good way."
Austin watched her as she brimmed with enthusiasm.
She clenched a fist before taking a deep breath. "If only I were a mage," her sadness slipped.
Austin raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with being a Scholar?"
Yanika smiled instantly. "What? There's nothing wrong with it." She stretched her arms and let out a sigh. "This year's freshmen look promising, though. You two better keep up."
Austin rolled his eyes. "You're acting like we already lost."
"Not yet," Yanika teased. Then, with a playful salute, she turned on her heel. "Alright, I should get going. My friends are waiting."
Lucian nodded. "See you around, Yanika."
"Try not to get bullied while I'm gone," she called over her shoulder before disappearing into the crowd.
Austin scoffed. "Not happening."
Lucian chuckled. "She really gets fired up, huh?"
Austin nodded in agreement. His mind was still on Ava's battle, but now, Yanika's words lingered too.
He glanced at the freshmen.
Maybe she was right.
***
Professor Fuchs stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the gathered students. "Since no one else is stepping up, allow me to introduce the final Archon available for a duel." He paused, letting the anticipation build. "Kieran, Dominor of the Solvian Archeon."
A wave of gasps spread through the freshmen.
"No family name?"
"A commoner Archon."
"Wait, the Professor said Dominor, not Archon.
"What's a Dominor?"
The freshmen turned to the upperclassmen for confirmation, but to their surprise, the seniors remained eerily silent while trying to look away from them.
The unnatural hush sent a chill through the crowd.
Professor Fuchs exhaled, hoping no one would be reckless enough to challenge Kieran.
But then, a small girl stepped forward.
"I, Seraphine Feuerstahl, wish to challenge the last Archon," she declared in a sweet voice.
Professor Fuchs' expression darkened. "Seraphine, reconsider this. Kieran is not an opponent you should take lightly."
She simply tilted her head, smiling. "I know everyone is strong, but I just wanted to try. Can I?"
His voice lowered, urgent. "You don't understand..." His hatred for nobles runs deep—there will be no mercy. He wanted to add, but Kieran's expression stopped him short.
Seraphine stood firm. "I wanted to see why that is," she said innocently.
The upperclassmen stirred.
The freshmen perplexed.
Whispers erupted, but this time, the murmurs weren't about her.
They were about the final Archon—the last of the four.
The Academy's only commoner to become an Archon, or rather a Dominor.
But that wasn't what made him feared—it was the wolf.
A familiar that never left his side.
Normally, students would form a contract with a familiar upon graduation, but Kieran had bonded with his the moment he awakened, when he was still just a child.
Furthermore, he was a Dominor.
An absolute ruler of the Solvian Archon, a faction that promoted peace and harmony. Unlike the other Archons, who acted as representatives, a Dominor wielded unchecked power.
Kieran was never like this before he was elected as an Archon. He had been sweet and kind, constantly bullied by his fellow Mages due to his humble beginnings.
But on the day he became an Archon, he made his stance clear:
"I don't believe in democracy. If you're weak, you submit. If you're strong, you rule."
On that day, everyone wondered how someone from the Solvian Archon, a faction that primarily promoted peace and harmony, could transform into such a person overnight.
Now, he stood before Seraphine, his black hair unkempt, his piercing gray eyes half-lidded with boredom.
His uniform was messily worn, the sleeves rolled up to reveal arcane markings that shimmered faintly against his skin.
At his feet, the wolf spirit sat, its fur shimmering with an eerie, spectral glow.
Seraphine stood firm as she manifested her staff.
Seraphine's staff was slender and elegant, made of polished ivory with delicate flames carved into its surface. At the top, a crystal orb flickered with vibrant orange and red hues, constantly shifting like a flame.
But even from the stands, students could see her legs shaking.
Kieran's lips curled. "Tch. Another one?" He sighed, rolling his shoulders.
"..."
"This is getting tiresome." His gaze flicked up to the professor. "Can I kill her?" He said nonchalantly before manifesting his staff.
The audience stiffened.
Thinking that it was just a joke, Seraphineet out an awkward laugh.
Professor Fuch's expression darkened. "No."
Kieran's staff was tall and dark, topped with a glowing obsidian crystal surrounded by a silver dragon. Runes etched along its length pulsed with power, marking its formidable presence.
"Fine. I'll hold back." Kieran clicked his tongue.
"Thank you." The professor thanked genuinely.
Then, he smirked. "But not by much."
The professor sighed, silently pleading with Kieran through his gaze, hoping he would show mercy to the innocent little girl. "Begin."
Seraphine moved first. "Ignis procella!"
A furious blaze erupted from her palms, a storm of flames roaring toward Kieran.
The heat was intense.
Students shielded their faces from the blast, feeling the warmth even from their distance.
But Kieran didn't even move before chanting in a bored tone, "Pluvia exstingue."
A single snap of his fingers and the flames vanished, replaced by a blinding steam.
How?! Seraphine's eyes widened in horror.
The steam hindered everyone's vision, specially for Seraphine.
Seraphine quickly gathered her focus, preparing to use a fire spell to clear the steam.
"Flamma Ventus!" she shouted, summoning a burst of heated wind.
The intense flame swirled around her, igniting the air and creating a gust powerful enough to evaporate the steam, clearing her vision.
And just as she was able to see clearly now, she saw Kieran's staff that glowed as he smiled wickidly.