"Whaaatcha doing?"

Cana struts up to the sisters as they sit in the empty Guild Hall, books are strewn about. Most sit open with notes etched throughout. A dozen snapped pencils litter the ground below Serah, who is sitting at the edge of her seat as Mika chews on her own pencil, perfectly comfortable. The tension between Serah and the book in front of her could be cut with a knife.

 "Why do we need math?"

Serah exclaims. Confounded, she slides back into her chair.

Cana looks to Mika whose nose is buried deep within test papers, then back to her. The afternoon burns away as they finish the first half of the exam period for certification, with more and more people ending their days and returning by the hour.

 "Kain asked the same thing."

 "And what kind of answer did he get?"

 "I told him to cast his Ice Pillar without destroying our Guild Hall to find out." Cana giggles.

With the answer, another pencil snaps.

 "Damn it."

Serah mutters under her breath. She wipes the slivers glued to her hands onto her pants, sweat being the glue.

The kitchen sparks to life as food starts to cook. A variety of spices fill the air as the night's feast starts to boil and sizzle. The scent distracts Mika just as she finishes. She claps her books closed, celebrating another successful test.

  "Done!"

For the fourteenth time a pencil snaps across from her. Serah closes her eyes and hangs her head over the back of the chair. Unable to hold in another gripe, she moans:

 "This is bullshit. Why are there letters instead of numbers? This is makes no sense."

Cana chimes in as she stiffles her laughter.

 "Words of encouragement?"

 "Fuck! Yes, please."

 "You don't need to answer everything, you need only to finish 30 questions so long as your answers are all correct."

Serah's eyes pop open, turning her head towards Cana with a raised eyebrow.

 "Seriously?"

 "Yeah, just don't screw up the Practical test and you're almost guaranteed C Rank."

Mage Ranks exist on a scale,

D - C - B - A - S

Depending on your certification score, you can be placed in any Rank besides S. S Rank is reserved for true Masters of Magic and Adventure. Being placed in D Rank or A Rank after the exams is next to unheard of.

A Rank requires a flawless Physical and Mental exam score, as well as a flawless fight ending in your victory.

D Rank requires the bare minimum scores, 30 correct answers in each the Physical and Mental exams, as well as a score of no higher than 5 during the Practical exam. Score in the practical exam is determined by damage dealt and damage received. Each clean hit is +/- 1 point.

To be eligible for promotion, you must be recommended a promotion from someone ranked above you, and be able to pass a Physical Exam and Competency test. The requirements are naturally more demanding as you rank up.

 "Cana can you look through my answers and see if I have 30 points yet?"

She mulls over Serah's answers. Several times she raises an eye brow, but her smile never fades.

 "What does your Adventurer's intuition say?"

 "That no matter how well I do I'm going to fail this part of the exams."

Cana's eyes narrow, as her smile slightly dims.

 "You're doing great, just skip math. It's stupid."

She directs her attention to Mika's answers, of whom quickly covers up her work.

 "No peeking."

Cana backs away as if she had angered a bear, playing along.

 "Whoa, sorry, sorry."

A lump forms in her throat, her usual cheerful demeanor completes its transformation into a sulk.

 "I'm supposed to fight you, Serah. For your test."

Serah's expression goes from a red-face frustration to calm, her breathing relaxes as she stands from her chair. In her heart, she knew the Practical exam would be the most difficult. She never imagined fighting someone like Cana, however.

 "No point in finishing this, then. Let's get this over with."

She leaves her material on the table as is.

Cana Farrow the Fire Mage specializes in Area-of-Effect magic and 'Crowd Control' magicks. Her greatest defense is no different from pure offense. Able to set her spells around her as landmines, summoning pillars of raw fire and change the landscape to something resembling white-hot coals. What she forges is what she calls her 'Territory.'

A perfect counter to someone who relies on close-quarters combat. Serah was unaware, and if she did, she'd never have to worry about failing now. It had already been determined.

They step outside into the training courtyard to the east of the Guild, in a spot free of any form of cover. No trees, rocks, hills, nothing. Several witnesses show up in the form of returning Guild members.

 "What are the rules?"

 "No potions after the fight begins. You may take as much time as you need to prepare beforehand. No outside help, that's obvious. The fight ends when one of us surrenders, or is unable to fight. As a result, maiming is allowed. Killing isn't illegal, either.

 "You're kidding me."

Cana readies a combat stance. Her arms held outward like a bird in flight, hands extended outward like a puppeteer. Her face goes cold. Entering a state free of emotion.

 "No, and if I have to rip your arm off, it's nothing personal."

A drastic change in character. She cannot let her feelings for Serah cloud her judgement.

Serah's heart beats like a rapidly beaten drum. She had never seen the visceral detail of what an explosion can do to a living creature. What it looked like to see something cooked alive, crushed by the rapid expansion of air colliding with your body.

If she had, her nerves wouldn't be as steadfast as they are.

Reaching into the satchel on her hip, she took out two vials that she had kept for emergencies. Offering a quick, temporary boost to their defined attributes, greatly enhance one's natural abilities. In particular, these two enhanced Strength and Dexterity. Once they wear off, the user will suffer from severe fatigue.

There's no point in holding back against Cana, this fight is all that seperates her from graduation. As unlikely as she believes that to be.

Mika and her were brought into Obsidian Regalia when they were 12. The unfortunate death of their Mother and disappearance of their Father lead them to be homeless, and orphaned. They scrounged from market to market until one day they were thrown out of Elysia as trash.

Then suddenly, on the bleakest of nights.. They were brought in. At the beginning, they worked in the Hall as attendants, earning their keep. It had been a long road, a road they hope ends just around the corner.

Serah's muscles swell and condense as she downs the potions. Her muscle and bone density increase, growing two full inches. The heat of her body is enough to cause the small amount of sweat on her body to release into the cool autumn air as steam.

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As trained, she begins to regulate her breathing. Then in a burst of inspiration, she remembers the feelings she held from the Lizardmen tunnel, and ruminates on her experience. The feelings of hate, hopelessness, loss. The pangs of desperation. The same heat burns inside of her, though no where near as intense as it had been previously. Perhaps this is what will give her what she needs. Clarity of mind, deft of mind and speed. She can do this.

Her body sits fully adapted to the potions she drank. Violently she claps her hands towards Cana, sending a blast of compressed air strong enough to cut through the ground as it travels towards its target. Cana wipes her hands upward, and a weak torrent of flame rises upwards, testing the strength of the blast. It fell short.

Using the opportunity to blindside her opponent, Serah kicks off and circles around Cana's Territory, before dashing towards her.

Cana remains standing still, never having moved. Her strategy is simply waiting for Serah to fall into one of her main traps. She glances towards her opponent. Serah's left-hook is about to connect, their eyes connect. A peek into Cana's fighting spirit shows an image of complete control. Unwavering.

One trap had been sprung, and Serah is sent barreling through the minefield, which had erupted in a violent chain reaction. Each blast sending her careening towards the next.

 "That's 7."

Cana shouts the score, as her former friend grips the dirt in front of her, struggling to climb to her feet.

 "Just so you know, Serah, I've barely moved a finger!"

Serah's brow is cut, trickling blood down her face. Blood enters her eye, the stinging blinds her temporarily. Her left shoulder is dislocated, caused by the initial explosion. With a load pop, and a gasping grunt, she shoves her arm back in its rightful place. Hair falling down as her ribbon burns apart, she shakes her head in attempt to dry off her face. Unsuccessful, though she has full vision again.

 "That's cute, Cana. That the best you have?"

 "No."

The blasts had rapidly heated the area, causing the immediate ground to thaw and dry out. The grass burned away, and the dirt loose.

 "You'd better hope so."

Serah kicks up a dust storm, concealing her positioning. The dust sticks to her wound like glue, and to her luck it seals the cut.

Several more onlookers have joined.

 "That one of Albain's girls?"

Mika watches on with a proud and hopeful mask. In her heart, she knows the outcome, though she cannot help but feel that there's a chance. Her sister's endurance and stamina, coupled with her determination, may more often than not lead to her staying in the infirmary. Though it never stopped her from going back out, and trying to do better next time.

Serah leaps out of the dust cloud, intending to kick Cana out from her Territory. Once again, before she can connect a mine is triggered, and sends her bouncing from explosion to explosion like a kicked ball.

Recovering faster than before, and with an animalistic furor she leaps back towards Cana, who had just set a fresh wave of bombs. As she conjurs up the last few, she turns back to face her opponent. The force of Serah's strike, despite falling short once more, is enough to force Cana backwards by just a hairlength.

What the hell is she trying here? Cana thinks to herself the exact aim of Serah's strategy. Once she finds an answer, Serah switches up her tactic. As if she's poking prodding to find an opening through sheer force.

Serah's chest burns hotter with each hit she receives. The tally has risen to over 30, but still she tries, and tries, and tries. The damage accumulates faster than she realises. Each attempt lands her closer than the last. Before Cana finally had enough.

 "This is pointless, Serah! You'll get yourself killed!"

Serah charges around Cana's territory, like a wild dog. Suddenly, without a trace, she disappears.

Cana scans around. Looking at the trees, the rocks, the hedge. But any means of cover was too far away, she must've gone...

Above!

As she turns her attention to the sky, a rock collides with the side of her head. Not hard enough to cause damage--

DRAGON'S RAGE

A large swath of land is engulfed in white-hot flames in the direction from where she was struck.

-- but enough to distract.

With what felt like a tree being slammed against her body, Cana is sent flying through her own mine field. As each explosion propels her faster and faster, she eventually rolls to a sluggish crawl, far from her territory. After tossing the rock, Serah had flipped high above Cana's field of view. She avoided the mines, avoided Dragon's Rage, and secured a direct hit.

Cana had never felt such a blow before. Numerous ribs had been broken, and a jolt runs up her arm. The tendons in her left hand had been torn apart, after having her arm wrenched as she slammed in the ground. Having to spend time to collect herself, she climbs to her feet as Serah had been doing just minutes prior.

 "Ok, that's one hit. My mines don't count for you, so you still need 36 more."

She says with a sly grin, eyes pointed to the ground.

Which is quickly replaced with a face of agony, as Serah drives her fist into her stomach. Saliva mixed with drops of blood is coughed out as she collapses on to her knees.

Shakily, Cana looks to her opponent. This can't be the same person, the raw strength demonstrated here couldn't be from the person she knows.

 "35."

Yet it is, indeed, still Serah Pharris. The meek face she saw just days before replaced with the same confidence she was familiar with. Her own kind of heat builds inside of her, as the towering young woman twists into another kick.

Cana flips out of range, Serah's kick grazing her skin. She takes care not to use her injured arm, and activates a spell circle.

 "Flame Armor!"

Her body is wrapped in armor made of pure flame. Solid fire. The heat she gives off feels like a grueling mid-summer day, within 100 meters. Within 10 meters, it turns into a veritable inferno. To Cana, however, it's perfectly comfortable. Her increasing body temperature is ideal. Her flames burn hotter, and therefore are more effective. Even when they're used as armor.

 "Come here, I'm ready for you!"

Serah rises to the challenge, and collides with Cana, who now matches her in Strength, but not speed.

Each strike Cana lands is returned in kind. As Serah's strength rises, Cana infuses her armour with more mana to compensate. Serah's speed is superior, but with Cana's increased defenses her blows simply cannot deal enough damage. What little she can inflict, is healed by Cana's armor. She's pushing a boulder up hill, and the hill grows larger as the fight goes on.

The courtyard turns into a wild blaze. Cana's armor is exuding more heat by the second. Serah's covered in sweat, each strike she receives a fountain sprays off of her.

Suddenly, Serah's vision blurs.

 Fatigue? It can't be...

They had been fighting for perhaps 5 minutes. Fatigue couldn't be the answer, but as she throws another kick her vision blurs again. The severity and number of hits she takes would naturally slowly begin to wear her down, but she knows she's had worse.

"Haven't figured out why Albain picked me?"

A fatigued Serah slumps over and is kicked to the ground. She rolls limply.

 "Fire. Fire doesn't just burn down trees, or scorch fields"

She blasts Serah further into submission, with a rapid-fire Fireball.

 "I can burn, sure, that's my favorite part. I can also explode, I can melt. I can even.."

Serah jumps up and continues her assault, even as the score ramps up in Cana's favor. Her attacks end as soon as they begin, she's so dizzy she can't tell which way is up.

 "I can even take away the oxygen you breath.. Just by superheating the air around us."

Cana ceases. Though the fight is not over until Serah faints, or surrenders. As a precaution, she removes her F lame Armor. The extended and heavy use has nearly exhausted her mana supply. Though, physically, she's still in tip-top shape.

Serah lies in a pool of her own sweat and blood. Conscious, but more-or-less beaten.

Her chest pangs for oxygen, and receives next to none. Cana waits for her to succumb and fall unconcious, for an agonizing amount of time.

 Dirty trick...

Attempting to stand, she falls as her strength rapidly leaves her body.

 Albain, you piece of shit.

Between the fire in her heart and her basic biological reflexes, it feels like her chest is about to rip itself open.

 Couldn't pair me with someone.. on more equal footing?

Her vision turns red.

 Could've just fought me yourself... Worried I'd beat you? Hehehe..

She climbs to her feet, for what could be last time. Cana, hearing the mumbling, fixes her attention back to Serah, and cocks her head with a furrowed brow.

Serah has one move available. She cannot waste this opportunity. Cana's armor is off, and is now vulnerable. If she puts on that armor again, she'd never get another chance like this again.

Charging at the young woman with every ounce of strength, she tears the two of them outside of the wildfire. With lungs full of fresh air, Serah's strength is quickly renewed. She coughs the ash and smoke from her lungs, as Cana readies her armor once again. Before the spell goes off, a furious barrage of kicks are unleashed on her person. She's ripped off her feet, and sent every which way.

The wide gap between their scores whittles down to near-nothing. Cana's defenses are paltry to her opponent's second wind. Serah is unrelenting, the fight is surely hers now.

In her fury she had wandered back into Cana's territory, and is blasted skyward. Allowing Cana the time she needs, Flame Armor is once more activated. A wave of relief washes over her. Her wounds start to heal, as her temperature rises rapidly. Though her armor cannot replace her mana, nor her stamina.

She takes a deep breath, and embraces the sensation of the flames infusing her body with power. Walking over to Serah, freshly collided with the ground, she intends to deliver the finishing blows.

"Well, Serah. That was a good fight, better luck next time."

Her aim is Serah's arms and legs. Her tool, Obsidian Cutter.

Obsidian cutter focuses the heat of a volcano in a single point, capable of cutting through any most metals, and any materials. It requires a significant amount of mana to use. The hotter the caster is, the lower the cost.

 "And.. I'm sorry for this. But I know you won't surrender. I can't bear the thought of carrying this on any longer. I'm scared one of us will be pushed too far."

A beam is shot through Serah's left shoulder, rendering her arm immobile. Then the right. She screams in unbridled agony as her wounds are cauterized by the attacks.

As she aims for Serah's left leg, her armor vanishes. Her eyes are pinned open, Cana stares at her hands.

 "No, no no no. I was sure I had enough mana."

As Serah had done, Cana had as well. She hadn't taken into consideration the damage she had received, her Flame Armor had healed her wounds, but through her adrenaline she couldn't have known the extent.

A girl shouts from the crowd,

"Serah, get up! She's lost her armor!"

With her arms useless, she flips to her feet, stumbling. Cana is met with a furious torrent of kicks. She tries desperately to defend, but with each strike her forearms crack and her ribs snap. Forcing her off balance, faltering.

 These kicks..

 They're..

Serah's strikes slow to a crawl as her potions wear off. Her body falls numb, and drops to her knees. The fatigue penalty hit her harder than she could ever imagine. Fighting it with every ounce of power she had, is all that she could do.

While Cana is at the edge of victory, she surveys the crowd. The near entirety of the Guild in audience. Pursing her lips in a smirk, she stares at Albain. He stands with a forlorn scowl. The look of someone who had stabbed the back one of their closest friends.

Signalling the end of the fight, Hall Attendants rush to their sides with healing magic.

Upon their arrival, Serah had fallen asleep. Cana stands victorious, her adrenaline wearing off, and as it does she collapses from her injuries. Her territory disappearing with her conciousness.