The team went on a winning-streak and qualified for the quarter-final.

The quarter-final arena was a labyrinthine jungle, its gigantic trees and tangled vines forming a natural maze. The terrain was riddled with danger— poisonous plants, deep crevices and moving ground. The platforms of vegetation connected different levels of the maze. The poor visibility and shifting terrain made this round more challenging. Our opponents, the Crimson Talons, were a team known for one thing above all else: their overwhelming raw power. They didn’t rely on finesse or strategy; their philosophy was simple—destroy everything in their path with brute force.

I gathered the team for one last strategy session before the match, knowing we were up against a group that wouldn’t hesitate to burn, strike, or shatter everything in their path.

“We’re facing brute strength,” I said, looking over the jungle maze. “But this arena is our ally. Don’t fight power with power—turn the terrain to your advantage.”

Mira’s eyes scanned the area. “I can reshape parts of the maze to slow them down. Force them into tight spots where their power can’t do as much damage.”

Jace laughed. “They won’t know what hit ‘em.”

Aaron’s grin was all confidence. “I’ll take care of the heat.”

Elaine smiled. “I will clean the path.”

I watched my team, and gave them a last piece of advice. “Stay agile. Stay unpredictable. Trust each other.”

Before the beginning of the match, the two teams made their way toward the floating elevator.

The opponent leader, Ulric, was a strong-looking boy who used destructive fire magic. Beside him stood Sonia, a nimble fighter with lightning-fast reflexes to match her electric magic. Kasim, a mountain of muscle with strong earth magic, and Cara, a sharp-eyed ice marksman who could channel explosive power into her ranged attacks, completed their lineup.

When the two teams left the elevator, the starting signal echoed through the jungle.

The Talons wasted no time. Ulric unleashed a wave of fire, cutting through the undergrowth, while Sonia’s lightning strikes shattered vines and branches, forcing our team to scatter.

“They’re going for a blitz,” Jace said, his voice calm yet sharp. “Elaine, Mira—lock this down!”

Elaine reacted first, her wind magic turning into a cyclone to block the advancing flames. “I’ll clear their line of sight,” she said, the storm forming a temporary buffer. Meanwhile, Mira slammed her hands into the ground, raising walls of stone to create barriers against the onslaught.

“Not bad,” Aaron muttered, the heat of Ulric’s fire still in the air. “But they’ll just bulldoze through.”

“They won’t if we control the flow,” Jace replied. He turned to Mira. “Funnel them toward the crevices. Break their formation.”

Mira nodded, her confidence steadying. The terrain began to shift under her control as she redirected the jungle’s natural hazards. Thorned vines shot up to block the Talons’ path, forcing them into narrower routes where the unstable ground waited.

But the Talons were relentless. Kasim smashed through the barriers, his earth magic sending shockwaves rippling through the jungle floor. Cara perched on a raised platform, her explosive ice arrows blasting away Mira’s carefully laid traps.

“Elaine, keep her off us!” Jace called.

Elaine shifted her focus, sending gusts of wind to destabilize Cara’s perch. The sharpshooter stumbled, her next shot veering off course. “That’ll buy us a little time,” Elaine muttered, beads of sweat forming on her brow.

Meanwhile, Aaron darted forward, flames gathering in his palms. “I’ll keep Kasim busy. Try not to miss me too much,” he said with a wink.

“Just don’t get squashed,” Jace retorted, already moving toward Ulric and Sonia.

Ulric’s fire magic roared as he spotted Jace, sending a massive deflagration his way. “You can’t outrun this!” Ulric bellowed.

Jace didn’t flinch. “Don’t need to.” He leaped onto a hanging vine, using it to swing clear of the attack. As the fire burned through the underbrush, Jace launched a bolt of lightning straight at Ulric’s feet, forcing the Talon leader to stagger back.

Sonia took advantage of the moment, summoning an electric whip. Jace twisted mid-air, narrowly dodging the strike. “You’re predictable,” he said, smirking. “Mira, now!”

Mira raised her arms, and the ground beneath Ulric and Sonia collapsed into a sudden pit. Thorny vines snapped upward, entangling Sonia as she tried to jump clear. Ulric roared, flames erupting around him to burn away the trap, but his movements were slower, more desperate.

Aaron seized the opportunity. He clashed with Kasim, their elemental powers colliding. “A little help here?” Aaron shouted, deflecting a massive slab of stone with a wall of fire.

“On it,” Jace called. He darted to Aaron’s side, electricity surging into the ground. The combined elements destabilized Kasim’s footing, sending the earth mage crashing into a crevice.

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Cara tried to regain control from above, but Elaine’s winds continued to keep her off balance. “You’re not as scary when you’re stumbling,” Elaine quipped, sending another gust that knocked Cara’s next arrow off course.

The sharpshooter growled in frustration, but before she could recover, Mira manipulated the platform beneath her, tilting it sharply. Cara tumbled to the jungle floor, where Aaron’s flames forced her to surrender.

Ulric stood alone now. “I’m not done yet!” he shouted, his flames building into a massive vortex.

“We end this now!” Jace commanded, his voice cutting through the roar of the inferno.

Elaine sent a focused wind blast to disrupt the vortex, scattering the flames just enough to create an opening. Mira stabilized the ground beneath her teammates, anchoring them against the pressure of the attack. Jace and Aaron moved as one—lightning and fire converging into a devastating vortex that tore through Ulric’s defenses.

Talon leader staggered, the flames around him flickering and dying. The whistle blew to announce the end of the match.

The crowd erupted in applause, standing up as one.

The team regrouped, their faces flushed with victory and exhaustion. Mira sank to her knees, her breath coming in short gasps. “We did it,” she said, happily.

Aaron flopped onto a nearby boulder, wiping soot from his face. “Someone remind me why we signed up for this again?”

Elaine chuckled, though her hands were still shaking from the effort. “Because we’re insane, apparently.”

Jace smirked, glancing at the defeated Talons. “No, because we’re the best.”

Mira looked at him, her confidence bolstered by his steady presence. “Thanks for trusting me back there.”

“Always,” Jace said simply.

"Good job everyone! Tomorrow is the semifinal. You have earned a break." I said with a smile.

“I have a surprise for you,” I continued, catching their attention. The group’s tired faces turned curious, their exhaustion from the battle momentarily forgotten.

“A surprise?” Aaron perked up immediately. “Is it food? Please tell me it’s food.”

Jace rolled his eyes but smirked. “It’s probably some kind of training exercise disguised as fun.”

“Not this time,” I said, chuckling. “Tonight, we’re doing something different. You’ve earned a break, and I want to show you one of my favorite places.”

Elaine tilted her head, intrigued. “Where are we going?”

“The Starhaven Night Market,” I revealed, watching their reactions. “It’s an incredible place, full of magical performances, amazing food, and unforgettable sights. Trust me, it’s worth it.”

Mira’s expression turned excited. “I’ve heard about it, but I’ve never been.”

“Then it’s about time,” I said with a grin. “Let’s go. And Aaron—there’s plenty of food.”

We went back to the dormitory to shower and get a change of clothes. As soon as the team was ready we began our journey into the night.

I led my students through the streets, the hum of the city buzzing around us. The air was thick with the aroma of spices and sweets.

“This,” I said, turning to face them, “is the Starhaven Night Market. Explore, eat, and enjoy the performances. I want you to see how magical this city can truly be.”

Mira glanced at the bustling crowd with hesitation. “It’s so... loud,” she muttered.

“That’s the best part,” I said, smiling. “The noise, the people, the lights. Trust me, this is an experience you don’t want to miss.”

The market unfolded like a dream. Lanterns floated above the streets. Each stall offered a large range of magical objects: floating carpets, books with moving pictures, telepathic earrings, mini teleporting arrays, metamorphic masks, invisibility capes, mana potions.

I led them toward on of the booths, buying a mini teleporting array and telepathic earring for each of them.

I turned to the group, holding out the gifts. “Here. Consider these a reward for all your hard work—and a reminder of this night.”

Aaron accepted his teleportation array with wide eyes. “This is incredible! Do we get to keep these?”

“Of course,” I said, smirking at his enthusiasm.

Jace smiled. "Thank you professor. We will make good use of it."

Mira carefully turned the telepathic earring in her hand. “This must have cost a fortune. Thank you,” she said softly.

“Worth every coin,” I replied. “You’ve earned it. Besides, tools like these might come in handy in the future when you leave the academy.”

Elaine’s lips quirked into a smile as she examined the array. “You’re spoiling us, Professor.”

“Don’t get used to it,” I teased. “Now, let’s explore the market.”

“Whoa, check this out!” Jace called, holding up a spinning orb of fire encased in a glass dome. “It’s... dancing? How does this even work?”

Aaron had already found a food stand, where a vendor was serving steaming bowls of luminous stew. “They say this stuff changes flavor to match your favorite food,” he said, practically drooling.

Elaine stood captivated by an artist who painted with light, her brushstrokes forming glowing images that hovered in the air before fading into soft sparks. “It’s so... delicate,” she said softly.

I stepped beside her, nodding at the glowing masterpiece. “It’s lumistry—an art form used to make painting with light magic.”

The market’s central stage burst into applause as a troupe of performers took the spotlight. I beckoned the group over, guiding them to an open space near the front. The performers act was a dazzling fusion of acrobatics and spellcraft. A magician balanced atop a conjured column of water while another juggled flames that morphed into ring of flames mid-air. Another mage flew through them, while spinning graciously.

“This is amazing!” Jace whispered, his jaw practically on the ground. “Do they even need gravity?”

“They’re not battle mages,” I explained. “They use magic to inspire. It’s not about power—it’s about wonder.”

The climax of the performance came when the troupe summoned a massive phoenix of pure light. It soared above the market, leaving trails of golden embers that gently fell over the crowd. Mira gasped, her face illuminated by the phoenix’s glow. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” she said.

“I hoped you’d like it,” I said, watching her awed expression.

As the performance ended, the group meandered back toward the market stalls, the vibrant energy of the night still playing in their heads. Mira nibbled on a pastry that glowed faintly, while Aaron sipped on a drink that sparked. Jace carried a glowing trinket he’d bought, spinning it idly in his hands.

Elaine walked beside me, her expression thoughtful. “You seem to know this place really well,” she said.

“I do,” I admitted. “When I was younger, this was one of my favorite spots. It’s where I fell in love with magic—not just its power, but its ability to create, to connect people. Every time I’m here, it feels like coming home.”

She glanced up at the glowing lanterns, then back at me. “I can see why.”

As the night wound down, we found ourselves at the edge of the market near a bubbling fountain. Enchanted fish leaped from the water, glowing like tiny comets. Jace stretched out on a bench, grinning. “Okay, I’ll admit it. This was a pretty good idea.”

Aaron chuckled, balancing a stick of roasted meat. “Understatement. Can we do this again if we win the next match?”

Mira smiled faintly, her nerves seemingly washed away by the night’s magic. “It’s... nice. I didn’t think I’d enjoy it this much.”

Elaine looked at me. “Thanks for bringing us here.”

I nodded, leaning against the fountain. “You’ve all been working so hard— you needed this break.”

The students nodded, their faces thoughtful and at ease.

We went back to the dormitory for the night.