The break between rounds was meant to be a moment of stringent analysis. Instead, the VIP box was buzzing, singing praises for Aegis and the unexpected ace Luna.
The massive window overlooking the arena field was littered with magical replays of every angle in Aegis' victory. The ironclad defenders forming their wall, Victoria's noble engagement, Kael's precise strikes. But the sequence that played on loop, front and center, was Luna's seemingly impossible, tree-splitting launch and the final, decisive blow that had ended the match.
One of the generals clapped Commandant Gideon's shoulder. "Haha, astounding Gideon! Utterly astounding! That girl is a real powerhouse! I'd love to have her under my command!"
"Yes, she is quite impressive," another official remarked
"She has her moments," Gideon responded in a satisfied rumble. "The girl simply needed a proper stage to show her potential."
Elara's elven ears couldn't help but twitch at Gideon's words. Hearing him speak so casually about Luna despite putting her in so much danger infuriated her. Before she could form her displeasure into words, a murmur went through the officials.
"Aegis in first on time," One noted. Another pointed to the third-place entry.
"And Tidesword won their match on captures alone. A tactical victory. Remarkable."
Her attention drifted over to the main scoreboard, just updated with the standings after round two.
1st: Aegis Academy - 10 Points
2nd: Astaria Royal Academy - 10 Points
3rd: Tidesword Hall - 9 Points
The voice then clarified the tie-breaker for the room, confirming Aegis's top spot by a cumulative margin of eleven seconds.
Across the room, General Tiberius Deylin stared at that scoreboard, his face a mask of cold fury. His son, the picture of perfection, overshadowed by a raw, undisciplined anomaly.
A low, hoarse chuckle came from the center of the room. King Gareth, the Alliance Leader, was grinning, eyes twinkling with amusement as he turned to the Commandant.
Gareth gestured towards the replay screens with his wine glass. "Look at them, Gideon. Not just your cadets, but Deylin's boy, and that team from the coast as well. Every year, this new generation gets stronger. Faster. Smarter." He took a small sip, his smile widening. "For the first time in a decade, I truly believe it. This generation... they might be the ones to finally take back Seraphia."
"It is a future we are actively forging, Your Majesty," Gideon replied, his voice firm. "That is why Aegis exists."
A quiet, contemptuous scoff came from beside Duke Lucian. "Forging?" General Tiberius spat. "Hope is not a strategy, Your Majesty. And you cannot forge a weapon from a wild explosion." He side-eyed the replay of Luna's final strike. "Victory is built on discipline—the kind my son exemplifies. Not on the reckless gambles of an unruly child."
"And yet, that unruly child is getting results, General," Gideon countered. "Discipline is vital, sure, but it cannot create strength where there is none. My cadets learn to win. Both are necessary for victory in the war."
"A storm you cannot control will eventually blow your house down, Commandant," Tiberius retorted, his voice threatening.
The tension between the two powerful men thickened the air. Elara watched, frozen stiff, as King Gareth prepared to intervene. But it was Duke Lucian who spoke next.
His voice silenced the room effortlessly.
"The war will be won by eliminating the corruption," he stated matter-of-factly, his eyes never straying from the private viewing screen in front of him. "Nothing else matters."
The finality in his words ended the debate instantly. Both men fell silent, their argument rendered moot by the Duke's brutal pragmatism.
Elara's gaze was drawn to the screen Lucian was viewing, trying to see what had stolen the attention of the most powerful man on the continent.
All of his attention was fixed on a slow-motion replay, it was of her sister's round two Crystal Siege match, specifically, the moment she dropped from a tree and flared her mana haze into existence. He played the short clip again. And again.
Elara held her breath, leaning closer, her own sharp elven eyes trying to dissect the image, to understand what had him so captivated.
And then she saw it.
For one single, impossibly short moment, the haze around Luna flickered, a ripple of conflicting powers pulsed through the aura before it stabilized.
The blood drained from Elara's face. No.
It was their secret. The impossible truth of her dual cores, visible to anyone with the intuition to spot it.
The announcer cut through Elara's terror, signaling the end of the break. "All teams, prepare! The final round of the day begins shortly!"
* * *
The victory jaunt back to our staging room from the forest-covered arena was a blur. We hadn't just won; we'd dominated, and the plan to let me run wild was flawless.
Back in the staging room, the excitement from the fight was still fluttering in my chest. Kael was leaning back in his chair, begging me to kick it from under him. "I have to admit," he said, nodding. "That rampaging beast thing is surprisingly effective."
I kicked it.
There was a satisfying thump as the chair legs went flying and Kael hit the cold stone floor with a stifled oof.
Victoria, who was already preparing for the next round, wiping down her silver blade, let out a soft giggle before clearing her throat. "Ahem—The strategy was sound. Luna's decision to draw the mage out was well-executed." Coming from her, that praise was the equivalent of a hundred of Kael's.
I just gave her a smug look, my chin lifted. I was on top of the world. Still first place, another perfect victory, Victoria's praise, and the thought of Asher seeing our names above his once again.
"Speaking of well-executed." Kael's voice interrupted my internal gloating, seated properly this time. "What, exactly, was that little pose at the end there? The wink? You playing to your new fan club?"
"Hmph, of course," I snapped back, puffing my chest out. "It's not just about winning. I have to look good while doing it. Since I can't be a world-famous theatre actress, I'll build my fame here, you know?"
Victoria paused her cleaning, her grey stare cutting into me. "We are representing Aegis Academy in a continent-spanning event, Luna," she said after a long sigh. "Not auditioning for a comedy troupe. Your lack of professionalism always astounds me."
Before I could enlighten her on the importance of self-marketing, the door to our room slid open. A tournament official stood in the doorway. "Cadet Vaelstrad, assemble your team in the main hall. The briefing for the third round is about to begin."
Victoria gave me one last warning glare before nodding to the official. I trailed behind her, heading back to the cavernous hall. The mood this time was completely different. All of the teams were now concentrated, predacious, some were on the verge of being eliminated from the tournament, others trying to claw back.
I saw the Ironclad team we'd just beaten; I gave them a playful wave, but for some reason they refused to wave back. Huh, rude. Across the hall, Asher's team stood with bravado. I made sure they saw my smirk.
The announcer stood on the platform again, his voice loud as ever. "Congratulations on a spectacular second round. Now, for the final round of the day, Field Domination."
He paused for effect, a murmur running through the crowd. "For this round, a barrier has been erected over a large section of the surrounding Valley. The terrain within is varied—forests, hills, and a river basin. Each of the eighteen teams will be deployed randomly to a designated point with your team's banner. Your objective is to hold a total of 4 banners worth 1 point each. The top three teams will receive an extra point. The match will last a total of 2 hours."
He gestured to a stack of scrolls on a table beside him. "Team leaders will now be given a map with their designated deployment point. You will have 15 minutes to formulate your strategies. Prepare yourselves."
"Fifteen minutes," Victoria murmured as soon as the door shut, her voice tinged with urgency. She immediately spread the new map across the table. On it was the vast valley, borders indicating the barrier, and our deployment point—the top of a small hill near the northern edge.
"We're lucky, our position has a good vantage point and we are isolated," she noted, her finger running along the map.
Kael leaned over the table, his eyes scanning the terrain. "She's right. From this hill, I can see anyone approaching from the south or east. We could fortify this position, let other teams eliminate each other. Play it safe."
"No!" I childishly slammed my palms on the table. "Play it safe?" I scoffed, giving Kael a mean glare. "Safe is for teams who are hoping to survive into next round. We're in first. In our home territory. We go on the attack."
No way am I gonna play it safe. Sit on my ass for two hours while everyone else gets to have fun? No. Never. How can I shine while playing it safe?
Victoria's face hardened. "An attack against who, Luna? There are seventeen other teams out there. A direct charge is reckless."
I'm not talking about a direct charge," I said, the brilliant idea blooming in my mind. "I'm talking about a hunt. A real one." I looked down at the map. "We split up."
Victoria's eyes narrowed. "Absolutely not. Splitting the team is tactical suicide. We'd be picked off one by one."
Ugh, of course, gonna have to convince her somehow, I suppose. Tactical suicide? Please, that only applies if you don't have the strength to win. We're different. I'm different.
"Not if we're smart about it!" I insisted, tapping the map. "Look at us. Vicky, you're one of the best duelists in this tournament. You can hold your own against almost anyone. And I'm me."
"Kael, you'll stay here on the hill. Set up defenses, watch our banners. When we see teams fighting each other, we go on the hunt."
Kael shrugged, considering it. "So, I'm the watchtower?" he asked. "You two go out, cause trouble, and I make sure no one sneaks up and steals our own banners while you're gone. I can work with that. This hill is a perfect defensive position for a mage."
Victoria's focus locked onto the map, debating the strategy. "Okay, Kael will establish a defense here. Luna and I will form the hunting party. Kael, if you are in danger, release the largest spell you have straight into the air, and we'll come running back."
Her stare fixed on me. "And Luna, we won't engage blindly. We use the vantage point from this hill, just as you said. We find a fight already in progress, or a team that has been weakened or distracted. We strike fast, secure the banner, and retreat back here before we can get drawn into a larger brawl. Understood?"
I failed to hold back my eagerness, bouncing my feet. "Understood perfectly. Let them beat each other up. We'll be there to collect the prize."
Victoria gave a firm nod. "Good."
Soon after, a loud chime sounded through the room, the signal that our preparation time was over. We left the staging room and joined the other teams gathering in the main hall. The atmosphere was tense; silence filled the space. I saw Asher's team across the hall. He met my scowl, his expression tense, like he was looking at prey. He gave me an unfriendly nod. A promise. So I stuck my tongue out.
Officials directed each team to a large, magic circle etched on the floor. A group of mages moved through the room, activating each circle and sending teams to the field.
The three of us stepped onto our designated circle. Victoria gave my arm a friendly squeeze. "Let's go," she whispered.
Kael let out a quiet laugh. "You guys get to have all the fun while I sit on a hill."
The mages reached our circle, tapped their staff on a glyph, and the world dissolved into blinding white light. The sensation was nauseating. Then, my boots hit the freezing, snowy earth.
The frigid air of the valley filled my lungs. The late afternoon light failing to warm me. We were on our hill, Aegis' banner planted firmly into the ground. In the distance, across the vast battlefield, I could spot other banners dotting the valley.
A deep horn blew, the sound echoing through the valley.
The hunt was on.