The coliseum floor still steamed from Rudas's first blast, the marble glowing faintly like a skillet left too long on the fire. I stayed planted in the same circle of chalk I'd drawn at the start, boots unmoving, arms relaxed, while the kid prowled around me like a housecat who'd just discovered the laser pointer was rigged.
"Rules are simple," he announced, spinning that overpriced magic sword like a baton. "First to tap out loses. Spells, blades, cheap shots, anything goes, geezer. Or are you already too scared to squeak?"
I cracked my neck and let a slow grin spread. "Keep calling me a geezer, and the only thing squeaking will be you when I'm done. I'm almost twenty, kid. Big brother or bust."
Laughter rippled through the stands. The rest of the class had turned the duel into a full carnival: floating illusion boards flashing odds, coin purses clinking, someone waving a hand-painted flag that read **ROAST THE OLD MAN**.
We'd ditched the classroom the second Rudas demanded blood. Now the academy's private arena yawned around us, a perfect ring of white marble laced with golden runes.
The **Falsehood Barrier** shimmered overhead like summer heat, ready to patch any hole we punched in reality. Pain would sting; death would politely rewind. I had to activate this, didn't wanna accidentally kill them all. Though, it'd be a breath of fresh air right about now.
Rudas dug in his heels; cheeks puffed with noble outrage. "Rudas! I've got this month's allowance on you, don't lose or I'll disown you as my cousin!"
A syrupy voice floated down. "Big upset on the teacher, folks! Sensei, win big and I'll plant one right here!" A girl blew a kiss.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. Degenerates, every single one.
Rudas flashed a shark grin. "Full disclosure, I'm basically a genius. Nearly every element in my pocket. Fire's my one tiny weak spot. Might accidentally charcoal you, my bad in advance."
I scratched my chin, pretending to ponder. "Weird. Magic's never been my thing either. Swords are more my speed. Would love to dance with steel, but against a snot-nosed brat? Feels unfair. Guess I'll stick to spells. Look at me, such a softie." This wasn't a lie. I'm way more adept in swords play than I'll ever be in magic.
His eye twitched hard enough to power a village.
Time to twist the knife. I'd be gone in days anyway; if Daddy Gloire kicked down Aldi's door, that was extra credit. "Tell you what," I said, my voice light. "I'll sweeten the deal. I won't take one step outside this circle. Won't lift a finger for three full minutes. Land one scratch, one singed hair, and you win. If time ends, I walk away untouched. My victory. Fair?"
The stands went graveyard quiet, then exploded. Even the bookworm lowered her tome to gawk.
Rudas's grin turned feral. "You're so dead."
He sucked in a breath that rattled the banners. "Soaring gale, all-consuming blaze—"
Steel flashed from his hip, runes flaring along the blade. He didn't wait for the bell, but who cared? This was a fight.
"By command of Rudas Gloire, second son of House Gloire, let unquenchable hellfire devour my enemy! **Vent Ignis**!"
The spell detonated with a huge bang. Rudas was going all out from the get-go. A roaring sphere of green-white flame, braided with screaming wind and threads of shadow, screamed straight at my chest. Fast enough to blur. Hot enough to melt iron.
I didn't flinch.
The inferno swallowed me whole. Marble beneath my boots glowed cherry-red. The crowd gasped in unison.
When the smoke peeled away, I stood exactly where I'd started, hair unruffled, clothes pristine, not even a bead of sweat.
Rudas's sword clattered to the floor. "What the—"
From the stands: "Did anyone else see that hit?" "He's still *standing*!"
I brushed imaginary dust off my sleeve. "Was that the warm-up? I can wait if you need another minute."
His face cycled through every shade of red in the painter's guild. Plan: let him empty the toy box, watch the ego shatter, maybe, *maybe*, knock a few manners into him. Purely pedagogical. The "geezer" thing was irrelevant.
He screamed and unleashed the arsenal. Water lances sharp as icicles. Light spears that hummed like angry bees. Tendrils of darkness that tried to chew through my shadow. Every spell slammed home and died on contact, fizzling into harmless sparks.
Three minutes ticked by on the floating **Magi-Clock** overhead. I checked it with theatrical boredom. "Time's up, kiddo. My win."
Rudas stared at the clock, then at me, then at the floor. His knees folded like wet parchment. "…Damn it."
The arena detonated.
"HE TOOK RUDAS TO SCHOOL!" "Sensei, how'd you DO that?!" "Teach us, teach us!"
I allowed myself one satisfied smirk. Nap time on the lectern was secured.
Then the tide hit.
Eight bodies crashed over me like a sugar-rushed tsunami. Hands grabbed sleeves, questions overlapped into a single deafening roar, someone actually tugged my hair to see if it was fireproof.
"Back off! Personal space! Stop climbing me like a jungle gym!"
No use. They herded me toward the center circle, a living cage of enthusiasm and expensive perfume.
Rudas pushed through the chaos, cheeks still flushed but eyes clear. "Complete loss," he muttered, then louder, "I recognize you as lecturer… big brother. You're nothing like the cowards who ran."
The warmth in the air felt suspiciously like respect. I opened my mouth to protest, I'd come to *pulverize*, not inspire, when the bookworm shoved a notebook under my nose.
"Show us the reinforcement formula!"
The nail-painter waved a compact mirror. "Can you teach anti-scorch charms? My bangs keep frizzing!"
Even the meditating kid cracked an eye. "Mana density ratios. Please."
I looked at the sea of eager faces, then at the exit, blocked by a wall of tiny millionaires. Somewhere, Aldi was laughing his furry tail off.
With a a heavy sigh, realizing I'm not getting my precious nap time, I rolled up my sleeves. "Fine. One lesson. Pay attention, because I'm not repeating myself."
The coliseum lights brightened. Chalk hovered to the blackboard on its own. And somehow, against every ounce of my will, class actually began.