“Well, that's got to be up there with a “look behind you”, in terms of stereotypical statements.”

I glared at my friend, he didn't seem ashamed in the slightest.

Bastion looked confused. “What?”

“Oh, dunderheads, what are we going to do with them, Alex?” Wren announced

“ Don't wrap me up in your schemes Wern ” I protested

“Schemes?” By this point, Bastion was thoroughly confused.

“Oh come on, you've got to make fun of him a bit,” Wren said happily.

“Ahem, sorry Bastion, what can I help you with?” I queried

Bastion shook his head and paused, still utterly confused. He let out a couple of weird sounds before finally seeming to realize that he had been asked a question.

“Ah, yes, right. I Bastion Gracehold will defeat you!”

Wren burst into laughter; “Bahh bahh oh. He wiped a tear from his eyes. “ Alex he did it again oh he did it again”

I suppressed the slight grin that crept onto my face.

“Hey hey it's not funny,” Bastian said defensively.

Wren just laughed.

“Why do you want to challenge me? You don't even know me?” I asked.

“You beat me, my honor will not allow it”

Wren's laughter grew even more outrageous.

“ What is wrong with you Whitecastle?” Bastion queried.

“ Wait, you know Wren?” I asked.

“Well to be fair my family is directly under his family's jurisdiction.”

Wren chimed in “Yeah Bastion is great”

“ Bastion gave him a glare, I still remember that time you put a horse in my bed.”

I turned to Wren“You did what!”

“Don't listen to him Alex he's making things up”

“No, I am not, you and your mother put horses in my entire family's beds, and flooded the estate with barn animals!”

Wren did The Impossible and laughed even harder.

I blinked, parsing the information. “Back to the topic at hand Bastion. I understand it's a matter of your honor but how do you wish to challenge me”

“It is simple, a duel shall suffice,” He said back

“ I'm going have to be a, no for that” I responded

“What! But my honor”

“Wren snickered”

Whitecastle you stay out of this.” Bastion said fervently

“Sure thing" “Gracefall” Wren made quotation marks with his hands.

Bastion seemed annoyed at Wren's remarks but took a breath and continued.

“Fine then If a duel is not an option then how about a rerun of that obstacle course? This time I will pass that blasted obstacle!.” He raised his fist into the air.

“Sorry to burst your bubble man but I don't think that's happening.”

“What!, not possible by honor will not…”

I tuned Bastion out, I was starting to get sick of him. I began to walk towards the station. I was stopped by the voice of the boy. “Grindelwald, where are you going we have not set our challenge yet”. I started to move quickly hoping to distance myself. Bastion chased after me, and all the while Wren laughed like a loon.

----------------------------------------

Several days later in the locker rooms under the Grand Arena. A girl sat alone needing her hands

I felt nervous, my competitor for the next match was Wren Whitecastle. I wasn't fearful of his bow, I had planned for that. I was fearful of him, of his glinting emerald eyes, his radiant smile, his hearty chuckle.

*Sigh*

Was it so much to ask to not fight the man I loved? I twirled a long lock of blonde hair between my fingers. Maybe I could ask Father to... I cut myself off. Yor you have to do this. So what if you have to hurt him, he'll be fine. He'll be fine, he'll be fine...

I heard a knock at the door

“Come in”

I saw Liana in the doorway. She had been downtrodden after her loss to Wren's tag-along. She walked over and sat next to me.

“How are you feeling”

I smiled, not letting any of my inner turmoil show. “Why are you asking there's no point”

“ Right, why did I even ask? You will kick Whitecastles ass”

I wanted to scream at the clingy girl but I didn't. Instead, I just gave her a look as if she were an ant at the bottom of my shoe. “Leave me”

Without another word, she stood up and left. I mentally reviewed Wren’s fighting style. He wasn't super strong for his rank. During the quarter finals, Bastion Gracehold was easily able to overpower him even though Wren’s cultivation was at least a rank higher. But what he lacked in strength he more than made up for in speed.

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His agility mixed with his prodigious level of skill with the bow made him a deadly opponent. During his past matches, he always tried to create a significant distance between himself and his opponents. I would have to bridge that gap. I knew I wasn't fast enough to just blitz him. That would result in an arrow getting stuck between my eyes. That meant I would have to rely heavily on stealth.

The problem with purely relying on stealth. Was that without the proper Shadow affinity, it relied on cover. Without a good Arena, I would be screwed and with a good arena, I’d win. If the Arena doesn't have any cover, then I will move toward him in unpredictable ways. I will try to block as many of his arrows as possible. It will boil down to If I can close the distance. If I do I win, if I can't, I lose.

I had to win. As much as I didn't want to hurt him, I wanted to win more. For the remaining minutes before my match started. I continuously reviewed my plan in my head, tweaking it, and coming up with backup plans based on possible layouts for the arena.

When I heard the crowd cheer I knew it was my time. I headed towards the exit of the lockers. I stood there gazing at the floor of the Arena and saw him. My heart twitched. He was smiling, he had already walked out onto the floor and was waving to the crowd.

The voice was loud and booming.

“Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado let me introduce your competitors. You know him, you love him. He clawed his way up the rankings, defeating a myriad of strong opponents. He's fast, he's lean, He's a lady killing machine, Welcome Wren Whitecastle!

With the first announcement finished I slowly moved out to the field not letting any of my emotions show. The second voice was softer and more composed.

“Don't let her pretty face fool you, she Is one nasty contestant. She’s the daughter of the only man in the last two centuries to climb his way, from nothing to the lofty height of a Marquise, and don't be mistaken that fight in spirit runs in the family. All that stands between her and the Victory here is some silly little boy. I give you, Yor Shadowheart.

I inwardly cringed at the announcers. Most people found them funny, but I was not most people. I stopped 10 feet from Wren. He smiled at me and waved. I quashed the feeling of joy at his acknowledgment. When I didn't respond to him. He gave me a frown and found a different target, the crowd. He started waving, and the crowd responded. After all, he was by far the most popular competitor.

The ref signaled to get our attention. “ Combatants, are you ready? We nodded. “ Then by the power invested in me by Emperor Edward Bayronson Von Lightsean, I officially begin this sanctioned match.”

At the end of his words large rocky outcroppings appeared underneath our feet. I had to dodge out of the way so I wouldn't be skewered. By the time the arena had expanded, I had lost track of Wren. I cursed, my plan relied on me being able to see him, and him not being able to see me. I slid into one of the shadows. I tightly controlled my mana so he couldn't sense it. I waited and waited until finally, I saw him 30 feet away on the top of a boulder.

He had set up a good position; it was clear for 10 feet around with a lack of shadows. it'd be hard for me to sneak up on him. Additionally, the high ground gave him excellent range. Knowing what he was already capable of, and paired with his advantageous position. Meant that he could likely hit anywhere within the spatially expanded Arena. With his incredible range, I had to be careful. If he spotted me he could hit me.

I kept sneaking from shadow to shadow making sure that he didn't notice me. I reached the edge of the clearing around the rock. I now had two options. I could attempt to throw one of the daggers, however, I doubted this would work. With his added height he was 15 feet away. With his sharp eyes, he would notice before the dagger could land. Alternatively, I could attempt to sneak up on him. The problem was how bright it was, there was no cover.

Instead, I decided to gather more information. I watched how he combed the arena. At first, it seemed random but eventually, I noticed he had a slight cyclical pattern. With this pattern in mind, I was able to move behind the rock. I waited for the right moment to rush. He looked at a particularly interesting shaped boulder, this signaled the start of his search pattern. I was 10 feet away as I ran forward. My boots made no noise against the rock's surface. I was 5 feet away and he still hadn't noticed me.

When I was within 3 feet he whirled around and smiled. I cursed he had noticed me, and set up a trap. He manipulated what I knew of him, to get him the perfect shot. He pulled back his bowstring and fired.

I quickly flicked my dagger towards his bow. I split the arrow in twain and cut his fingers. I brandished the dagger in my right hand and moved forward to cut his throat. Before I could I saw him bite back a cry of pain. I momentarily paused and it was enough for him to regain his faculties and escape. He jumped off the high rock and vanished into the shadows of the landscape.

I cursed at my hesitation as I picked up my throne dagger. As I slid down I also vanished into a shadow. I moved around the arena quietly trying to find Wren. My efforts bore no fruit, so I changed. I created traps that would act as signals. I've meticulously crafted traps with pitfalls, wire to trip him up, and a poison dagger here and there to finish him off.

To my chagrin, he spotted me first. I heard the arrow coming towards me, and I moved. Instead of it taking me directly in the heart. It took a long gash on my arm. I cursed from the pain. Tracing the arrow backwards I saw him. He was hidden between two large wedged rocks and was around 40 feet away.

I rushed forward towards him ducking in and out of the rocks to break his line of fire. He fled backwards making sure that the distance remained even between us. But this time I didn't let him out of my sight. I slowly close the distance between us. I tried to guide him into traps but it was as if he had a third sense, as he dodged every one of them.

Eventually, I pushed him against the wall of one of the rocks. He pulled back his bow, but I threw my dagger and pinned his hand to the wall. He pulled out The offending dagger. When he did, a fountain of blood rushed out. Now free he tried to jump over my head. I wouldn't let him escape that easily. As he soared above me I leaped upwards and cut his ankles. Unable to support his weight he tumbled to the ground in a heap. I stood over his head,

He smiled at me. “That was one hell of a match Shadowheart”

I paused dagger poised to finish him.

“ Oh come on princess, don't let me start my evil villain monologue.”

I didn't respond to his antics. I pushed my feelings aside and ended him.

He smiled as I plunged the dagger downward. “Finally got the hint princess”

“Don't call me that”

“Sure thing princess”

He vanished From The Arena floor. The dampening array popped, and the cheers of the crowd flooded in.

“Well, folks there you have it or first finalist Yor Shadowheart.”

I flicked my blades clearing Wren's blood. Not looking or acknowledging the crowd I walked into the locker room. Although I had one I felt defeated.

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Duchess Waters sat in her high tournament box in the grand arena.

The match that I had just witnessed was interesting. The two competitors were impressive in their own right. It was probably going to be the best match for this years, third year bracket. Neither of the kids were quite up to my standards, but I'd keep an eye on them. They could surprise me.

It was a shame that that poison trap had gotten the boy. It forced him to escalate his plans. But he still performed impressively. Yor also Had a good showing, except for that minor hiccup at the beginning, and end. Her hesitation was odd, she was ruthless with her other opponents so why not this one? To my knowledge, the two have no relationship.

I heard a knocking at the door.

“Come in… we'll say something Yuto”

The swordsman sat next to me and nodded. “Your grace, I believe I have located a candidate.”

“Really! Well, then you got to spill, who is it, wait let me guess, Is it that Whitecastle boy”

“ No, although he's interesting in his own right,” He said stoically.

“Then who?”

He smiled. “ I'm not telling.”

“What, come on please.” I pouted

“Time will tell if my guess is right.”

I raised my eyebrows.

“So that means they're in the tournament.”

He didn't respond.

“ Let's see who's left, there's Xander's Bratt, but you're not interested in her, There's Delilah Steelsean. She's a hammer user so not her. Then there's Grindelwald but he's a spear user. He does carry a sword thog… I snapped my fingers. “It's his eyes, isn't it? Is he…?

“No, I believe his father is”

“Well, he is more interesting than I thought. I'll have to keep an eye on him.”