Elias barely had time to catch his breath before the reality of his victory hit him like a runaway carriage.
The crowd around the training grounds was buzzing with whispers, their voices filled with disbelief and excitement. The magicless Summoned One had beaten Darian Velcroft. A noble. A prodigy. One of the strongest duelists in the Academy.
Lira was the first to react, shoving him in the arm. "I cannot believe you actually won."
Elias winced. "Ow. Thanks for the support."
Lira scoffed. "No, I'm serious. That guy was way out of your league. How the hell did you—"
She stopped herself, glancing down at his gauntlet, still humming softly with residual energy.
"…Never mind. I know exactly how you did it."
Elias grinned. "That's the spirit."
Darian, still dusting off his robes, chuckled. "You're going to regret this, you know."
Elias raised an eyebrow. "What, beating you?"
Darian smirked. "No. Becoming a problem."
Before Elias could respond, a second noble stepped forward from the crowd.
Tall, dressed in a pristine silver coat, and carrying himself with an unmistakable aura of authority. His presence alone was enough to make the other nobles shift uneasily.
Lira stiffened. "Oh… great."
Elias noticed the reactions immediately. Whoever this guy was, he wasn't just another student.
Darian turned to him, inclining his head slightly. "Arven."
The noble's gaze flicked between Darian and Elias before settling on Elias. His eyes were sharp, calculating, as if he were studying a puzzle that shouldn't exist.
"So," Arven said, his voice smooth but heavy with undercurrents of power, "this is the Summoned One I keep hearing about."
Elias crossed his arms. "Depends on who's talking."
Arven studied him for another long moment. Then, without warning—he smiled.
It wasn't a friendly smile.
It was a dangerous one.
"I'll admit," Arven continued, "I expected you to be a fluke. An anomaly that would disappear once the Academy tested you properly." His gaze flicked to Darian. "But if you're good enough to make him yield? Then you are more than just a curiosity."
Elias felt a flicker of unease. "Uh-huh. And what exactly does that mean?"
Arven took a step forward. "It means you're now a player in the game."
The murmurs in the crowd grew louder.
Elias frowned. "What game?"
Arven's smirk deepened. "You'll figure it out soon enough." He turned on his heel, his coat flaring behind him as he walked away. "Try not to break too easily, Graham. I'd hate for the fun to end too soon."
Darian sighed. "And now you've caught his attention. Fantastic."
Elias exhaled. "Alright. Now I feel like panicking."
Lira groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "You really don't understand what just happened, do you?"
Elias tilted his head. "I won a fight?"
Lira shook her head. "No, Elias. You just entered a war."
Elias blinked. Oh.
…Well. That escalated quickly.