As if he heard Jace's words, the male teacher stomped the ground, causing a deep rumble that vibrated through the arena. A massive pillar of earth erupted beneath him, lifting him into the air. But before he had even finished rising, he drew the already heated metal off of his skin, forming two glowing spears of molten metal. With a flick of his wrist he shot them towards the female teacher, the molten spears cutting through the air with a searing hiss.
The female teacher reacted quickly, stomping her own foot in response. Instead of rising, the earth split open beneath her, dropping her into a hastily formed sinkhole. The hissing spears passed overhead, embedding themselves in the ground with a sizzling crackle. From within the sinkhole, she placed her hands on the earthen walls, focusing her magic onto the pillar supporting her opponent. The pillar began the tremble slightly, cracks spreading rapidly across it.
"Damn, she just dropped into the ground like it was nothing." Ethan said his eyes locked onto the female teacher. His grin widened with excitement.
"Sounds like I know who you are cheering for" Jace said, elbowing him playfully.
"How could I not? She's sick! Look, she's going after his pillar now. BRING HIM DOWN" Ethan shouted standing up. Cupping his mouth with his hands.
Jace laughed, returning his attention to the arena. As the cracks in the pillar widened, the male teacher leaped off just before it crumbled, as he fell, he formed a massive ball of water, sending it crashing into the sinkhole with a roaring surge. Landing on the ground he knelt down slamming his hand into the earth as if he was preparing his next move.
The female teacher, however, was far from defeated. Superheating a portion of the water, turning it into a scalding geyser that launched her into the sky like a volcanic eruption. Steam and mist filled the air, and for a moment, she seemed to hang suspended above the arena, her figure silhouetted against the sky. Gathering her fire and earth magic, she formed a massive molten boulder, its surface glowing with intense heat. With a loud grunt, she hurled it toward the male teacher, the boulder rolling through the air like a blazing comet.
"She used his own attempt at drowning her to gain a height advantage" Jace said, his mouth falling open in awe. The sheer ingenuity of her move left him stunned.
"And now she's using fusion magic, if that boulder hits, it's game over for sure" Ethan said almost hopping with excitement.
"But…" Jace started, his eyes narrowing as he noticed the confident look on the male teacher's face. "Doesn't he look like he was expecting this?"
Just as the molten boulder hurtled toward him, the male teacher swung his hand out of the ground. A large metal blade formed from the ground to his hand, its gleaming edge growing as it flew towards the boulder. Colliding midair, it cut through the boulder with a sharp, metallic hum. The molten rock split in two, both halves landing on either side of the male teacher with a sizzling hiss,, as the metal blade continued its trajectory towards the female teacher.
Seeing this she sighed, she hadn't expected him to predict her move so precisely and didn't have anything prepared to defend against it. "I surrender." her voice rang out calm and clear. the blade shimmering out of existence as it passed through her harmlessly, leaving the arena in stunned silence for a brief moment.
Then, the arena erupted in noise as everyone cheered and clapped, knowing they had just witnessed an incredible display of skill and power. Jace and Ethan joined in the applause, their faces lit with excitement.
"Gah! I can't believe she lost, that was insane" Ethan said, his voice barely audible over the roar of the crowd. "Did you see how he countered her fusion magic? I didn't even know you could do that! it was like he knew what she was going to do"
Jace nodded, his mind racing with possibilities. "He definitely predicted it - the way he prepared his next spell the moment he landed" he said thinking back to the male teacher's confident stance. "Imagine what we are going to learn here"