"I don't mind."
That flat quiet way he said it; cut deeper than any insult.
Laughter died in pieces.
Faces still carried mocking smiles. Others now narrowed.
"You think this is a joke?!", the noble spat, stepping even closer.
"You stand there after that reading, wearing our crest and act like it means nothing?"
No answer.
Vei Alros watched from the side, currently quiet.
The noble turned to her.
"Instructor. I'm calling it; formal challenge."
A silent deliberation after.
Vei gave a slight nod. The decision was made.
The air shifted.
No one had given a visible command.
Faint runes rippled across the marble beneath, a soft hum building below the structure. Rings of blue light circling out from the point between Riven and the noble.
Gasps echoed. The murmurs giving way to silence. The arena took shape; a minimalist duelling space. A raised circular platform etched with old script.
No barriers. No cover. Just space and expectations.
The crowd backed away, lines of first years pressing to the outer edges. Even the Elite Class shifted positions, some watching with amused interest, others barely caring.
Jacob Lacura; arms crossed, leaned toward one of the girls beside him.
"This'll be quick", he said, not even trying to whisper. "Null or not - he's either brave or stupid".
Seris didn't reply. Her arms folded.
As they all watched, Riven had still stood in the same spot.
But finally, he took a single step forward, eyes lowered.
His hand slipping into his pocket.
Click
Subtle. Final.
His sword appeared in his hand in the blink of an eye. Not drawn yet, just held, tilted slightly to the side.
The noble sneered, stepping fully into the centre.
"You've got nerve, Silent. A poor man's sword won't help you survive this academy."
Hearing that, Riven looked up slowly.
His expression was still neutral.
But something was hiding in that expression.
Stepping into the arena; another sound resounded out.
ZOOP!
The arena had sealed itself around the two students.
The air had thickened.
Vei Alros watched from the side, face calm. "Sealed", she said slowly, "Combat until incapacitation, surrender...or disarmament."
The words carried itself around the room.
Standing opposite each-other, Riven met the nobles eyes head on.
Not with fury, or fear. Just clarity.
The noble grinned, "There it is", he said.
"I was starting to think you didn't have eyes beneath that quiet"
Flexing his fingers, sparks danced around his hands. A blend of lightning and wind magic, spiralling.
Flashy. Unrefined.
Perfect for someone like him.
"You really think you can stand here?" "With that empty scan and that sword you barely know how to hold?"
The noble rambled on, spreading his arms wide in exclamation.
"You could never wield real power".
"Not the kind-"
Before the noble could finish, "Are you done?", Riven asked.
The words cutting through the hall.
The noble blinked.
Tilting his head slightly, hand still resting on his blade to the side.
"You must really love the sound of your voice..." he echoed slowly.
A few stifled laughs moved through the crowd; covered by hands and such. A few Elite Class members watched, brows raised, more engaged at this sudden rebuttal.
The students face flushed.
"You-"
The noble's face flushed with heat. His fingers sparked with magic.
"How dare you..." he said slowly.
The duel had begun.
CRACKLE!
Rings of lightning flowed on his right arm, up to his shoulder.
With a sweep of his arms, he hurled the bolts of lightning straight at Riven.
SHAA!
Riven slid his foot back.
One bolt whizzing past his shoulder.
He pivoted.
The second cracked the floor to his side.
The noble's eyes narrowed.
"You can't dodge forever!"
Gusts of wind formed in his left hand.
Hurling both arms forward, a whirlwind of wind and lightning charged at Riven, like a thunderstorm.
Light flooded the dome.
It was loud. Cracking. Wild.
The crowd leaned forward.
"...He's done", a voice from the back spoke.
"Can't dodge that...."
One instructor - a sharp nosed woman stepped forward. She had her hand raised slightly, "That's not a bad elemental merge. That student's not holding back."
"Get ready to intervene..." another one uttered.
Riven still hadn't moved. As the roaring fire-lightning spiral closed the gap.
RIPPLE!
Where Riven had stood, the air shimmered...
Not like a flash, not exactly teleportation.
More like water.
He wasn't there anymore. There was no sound. No vibration. Just an absence.
The crowd's eyes looked toward the scene. Expecting him to be struck.
But instead...he was behind the noble.
There was no motion between. No path taken.
He was just there, to the side, sword still on his hip. Sheathed.
"What...?", one student's voice cracked.
Appearing right behind the noble, it was huge shock for most of the students watching.
Even some of the Elite Class were seemingly impressed.
"That's twice now." Riven muttered, his head looking the other way as he was right behind the noble.
The noble flinched.
Not visibly at first- his shoulders squared, chin still tilted like he held some ground.
But a burn of shame was building on his neck.
He spun, slower than he meant to.
"Y-you think this is over?"
Reeling from the surprise of his sudden disappearance.
"A little parlour trick like short teleportation?"
He questioned out loud, his voice cracking, masking it however with volume.
"Anyone can dodge...you certainly have skills in running!", he rambled, gaining a little confidence as his words gave him comfort.
Yeah that must be it.
The noble raised his arm, standing a few metres away.
His stance widened as his lips curled, not in fear but a satisfaction.
"You'll regret mocking me, Silent".
Flames began to gather at his palm again. Lightning dancing against his shoulder.
A deep breath-
Huff!
But he never got the chance to exhale.
The temperature shifted. The air pulled.
A voice - calm, collected and undeniable, cut through the hall.
"That's enough."
Everything froze.
The noble's spell fizzled. Students stiffened.
The voice caused instructors to turn their heads with quiet urgency also.
Standing at the edge of the duelling apparition. Unannounced, and unmoved, It was Headmaster Kael Sarn.
He hadn't been there a moment ago.
But he was now.
Kael stepped forward -
"What is this?", he asked slowly.
Vei Alros stepped forward immediately, "A duel broke out following a test result, and provocation."
He glanced at the noble, slightly catching his breath, and Riven who seemed calm.
"Explain"
She hesitated and quietly, "He scanned as a Silent".
Kael's gaze lingered on Riven for a second.
Looking at the instructors and Vei, "See me after", he stated.
That was it.
There wasn't a further discussion.
The message was clear: the matter wasn't dropped, it was to be dealt with where it should be - above their heads.
He turned to Riven and the noble.
"Step down the two of you."
They followed his instruction.
As Riven passed the noble, who still glared with clenched teeth, Kael spoke one last time.
"Eldris welcomes potential. But not without price"
The words hung heavy.
And it seemed like with those words, he turned to leave.
This matter of a duel, to be discussed at length sooner rather than later.
----
With the tension cracked, and the silence cause with Kael's presence lifted. Whispers began to coil through the students.
"He didn't even move".
"Didn't use his sword either..."
Some of the students looked at the noble with a mocking expression, "Too much flair", one muttered.
"He really thought he'd burn the guy with that showy act?"
Laughter - half suppressed broke out in pockets, quietly.
"That gotta hurt...the Silent didn't even blink at him."
The noble looked at them, but didn't say anything.
On the other hand, some other students at the back:
"He's still a Silent though. What he just got lucky?"
"Didn't look like luck", one returned.
Others weren't so kind.
"All that mystery, yet he couldn't register on the crystal. If the Headmaster hadn't stepped in..."
"He would've ended it. You saw it too".
After all that, it seemed the general consensus was, the noble was going to win; although he was to flamboyant in his strategy.
Meanwhile, scattered throughout the space, members of the Elite Class remained mostly quiet - but eyes were watching.
More than one, lingering on Riven.