Two men stood beside each other, diligently checking themselves over. Just behind them was the towering form of a metallic wall, its sleek exterior blinking in endless light. It was the city’s shield, and now they too would work to serve Inops’ protection. A small crowd was gathered nearby, watching carefully and in service if needed.
“Are you missing anything?” Quin asked, glancing over to the beastman.
“No, everything is in order.” Leandros replied, patting his armour for the final time.
It was clearly of extraordinary nature, the best fusion of magical technology that could be realistically created. Thin plates of dark metal moulded perfectly to his massive, muscled body. It bore an angular polished surface that glowed faintly at its edges, no doubt an effect of the embedded crystal circuitry.
“Are you ready as well?” Once finished, the beastman looked up towards Quin.
His equipment was no less exceptional, but rather than the heavy weight of dense steel, it bore cloth and chainmail embroidered together in a seamless fashion. Fitting thematically with his hair, it bore light streaks of cyan against a navy blue background.
“All in here.” The younger man beamed as he extended his hand, a ring inlaid with a red gem standing conspicuously.
“Good, we’ll be setting off then.”
They had already said their goodbyes to the necessary officials inside the city. The people close to them, realising their intentions, started to track backwards.
The pair glanced back at the wall. With their speed, it wouldn’t be long before even this behemoth of a structure couldn’t be seen. Neither knew when, or indeed if, they would see this sight again.
Quin turned to face the beastman.
“Despite our tier, remember to stay careful.” His tone took on a more solemn approach. “You aren’t from round here, so it’s easy to forget. No one quite knows the depth of Arbor, or what exactly resides within its furthest reaches. We have to stay outside of… those parts.”
They had already gone over this, but it didn’t hurt to stick the message in deeply.
Leandros patted Quin’s shoulder, a weary smile on his face.
“You underestimate the reach of the stories from Arbor.” He still nodded in understanding. “And you forget my age. I have nothing to prove to this world now.”
“Of course, I don’t doubt your experience.”
The beastman’s amber gaze wandered into the horizon, his eyes narrowed.
“Whatever we do find.” He said, his voice a low growl. “It will know we are prepared.”
The younger man flashed a grin. This wasn’t a normal person, there should be no need to worry.
“And… have some trust in yourself too.” Leandros’ expression switched quickly as he laughed boisterously.
Simultaneously, there was a subtle whir of mechanical joints as he flexed, the armour lighting up, enchanted to adapt to his movements. His muscles prominently stuck out.
Quin chuckled as a map projected from his device, his thoughts now diverted as his fingers traced over it. His gaze was sharp as he mentally recalled the approach. Leandros held his blade up, the faint light dancing along its edge, casting his lion-like features in a glow even in the daylight.
“Let’s go.” With Quin’s words and Leandros’ nod, the two instantly disappeared from sight, only a line of blur now in the distance.
The entourage watching murmured at the sight and then started to slowly disperse.
***
The entire arena was alive with tension. Rows of people lined the edges, their eyes fixed on the central area below. It was of exceptional size, and one would wonder if it was necessary. But what stood out more was the engineering that must have gone into here, countless machinery packed in the place’s workings.
Countless screens lined the place, a good view visible no matter where you were sat. The central ring was covered by shimmering magical shields, ready to absorb any wayward blast of mana. Inside, a layer of stone covered the ground.
Even the most trivial things, like the seats, were meticulously crafted and comfortable to sit on. The roof above gave a sense of privacy, closing off the arena from the outside world. It was not possible either, this was just one of many such rooms scattered across the Griffin Tower the lower floors. It was hard to imagine how they fit such a chamber. aaaass
Kella watched, her gaze unwavering, as a figure took his place on the ring – a lean figure draped in an azure robe that swirled around him, his peerless white hair barely visible through. The robe was trimmed with pale symbols that pulsed intermittently, but his face was even paler, completely free from any blemish.
His expression was calm, but his gaze was piercing, fixed on the opponent who appeared across from him. The other man was a stout figure with a steely look – standing with his feet firmly planted on the ground.
Even before the fight had begun, Kella could sense the subtle tremors emanating from the two figures, as they internally channelled their mana in waves. It was clear neither had the desire to suppress their powers, as they prepared to battle.
The screen displayed a countdown, as the crowd finally started to settle down. Only the brief beep of every second’s passing could be heard. The girl observed the arena’s centre, noticing the lack of a mediator. In battles of this scale, it was hard to find one.
And you could trust the opponents to recognise their loss when it approached. Still, the chance of harm was significantly higher than someone of her level fighting. With a final loud beep, the shields’ glow strengthened as the figures’ hands started to move.
With a barely perceptible flick of his wrist, the mage in blue summoned a wall of razor-thin shards that rose from the ground, shimmering as they hurtled toward the other person. His opponent countered with an invisible pulse, crushing the ice as it shattered.
In response, the stout man’s hand rose, and the ground around the arena quivered, vibrations rippling outwards, trying to throw the ice mage off balance. A faint grin spread across his face as he channelled his power further, intensifying the attack’s power.
But his opponent remained still, raising a single hand. It shifted slightly. A faint mist condensed around his feet as a sheen of frost spread across the ground, freezing it over. The terrain thus stabilised, and the man took a single step forward, unbothered. He didn’t look down; his sight fixed ahead. His face didn’t let a strand of emotion drip out.
Kella leaned forward, watching their effortless movements. Particularly that man in blue. Each of his steps was measured, every attack was precise. It was hard to contemplate how much he’d practised it. Hundreds of times every day? Thousands? Even more?
Just thinking about the numbers confuddled her, so she reigned back her thoughts to focus on the battle below. However, she had to admit it was hard to follow, every strike seeming to happen and end within a second.
Still, this was a great opportunity to learn, both her elements in full display. And then there was the other perspective of it, judging if he was good enough. She couldn’t let anybody mentor her, there had to be standards. Very high ones. Still, there was little doubt in his ability if her father had put him forward himself.
Back within the ring, the stout man’s eyes narrowed as he raised both hands and then reversed the motion. Grunting, a chunk of the stone ground was lifted. But also, taken with it, was a non-trivial amount of the arena’s actual floor beneath. Mild gasps passed through the audience.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
The material that the arena consisted of was known for its exceptional strength. It wasn’t meant to be broken so easily. It was also maybe a stupid move to damage the room’s structural integrity. Thankfully, such scenarios had been anticipated well in advance. The family wouldn’t skimp on costs.
Now, pushing his arms forward, the large piece was hurled at the ice mage. On his end, the robed man exhaled slowly, almost in annoyance, raising a hand in a graceful arc. An ice barrier materialized, redirecting the projectile with barely a crack in its frosty surface.
Not in a hurry to slow down, the gravity mage swiped in quick motions, pulling at the air itself. Pockets of dense gravity formed around his opponent, warping and distorting as they began to compress inwards, threatening to trap him.
The ice mage still didn’t move, as the barrier around him thickened. Becoming less translucent, it was hard to make out his shape as the balls of gravitational mana hit his defence. Shards of frost broke off, but nothing more.
As seconds passed, the spell slowly faded, the barrier still standing. Subsequently, it started to disintegrate, the ice mage appearing, completely unharmed. The leftovers of his shield flurried around him, swirling in a controlled dance. They slowly disappeared in response to his movements as he stepped forward.
His gaze was icy, but there was a hint of provocation too. Challenging his opponent to try harder. Gritting his teeth, the gravity mage raised his arms with a fierce shout. Even more massive slabs of rock broke free, hanging in the air like looming shadows.
He twisted his hands, sending them crashing down from multiple directions, each strike accompanied by an oppressive gravitational field that twisted the air. The robed figure’s eyes sharpened, as the temperature around him plummeted.
The vestiges of the frost mist around him rapidly expanded, and then thickened, filling the air with spears of ice. With a simple, calculated motion, he directed the frost to intercept the falling slabs, piercing through the stone and splintering it into harmless fragments before they could reach him. A rain of rocks fell around the figure.
It was an exciting watch for the spectators, some even deciding to cheer. It was a spectacular sight after all, and Kella found herself filled with admiration. This was the right person.
“It is clear where this battle is going.” A voice closely spoke, catching her attention.
She quickly glanced over to see two elders of her family speaking with each other, deep in conversation. Her ears perked up as she listened, while her eyes remained focused on the battle.
“Both have a preference for longer ranged attacks, and one of them has an advantage in the field.” The man continued, a sense of frustration in his voice. “If Brother doesn’t change his approach soon, the result is determined now.”
“You are right, let’s see if he can pull something out.” His partner nodded.
Kella mentally agreed with them. Her mind fully concentrated back on the battle in front, as the ice mage prepared his counterattack.
With the rest of the spell that remained, the robed figure redirected it towards the gravity mage, the wind whistling as it was cut through. But the stout man was no slouch, tearing apart the ice spears in quick succession, his hands swiping continuously.
He managed to get every single one, the ice dispersing, but still staggered back from the force exerted. Frustration flashed in his eyes. And the ice mage was already advancing, his calm steps echoing through the arena like a silent threat.
Sweat had started to gather on the gravity mage’s brows. The precision and speed of the attack had left him visibly shaken. He needed to go all in now, otherwise he wouldn’t have the reserves left.
With a somewhat desperate yell, the gravity mage unleashed his full power. A massive explosion of energy emanated from him, flooding the entire arena. His stance faltered slightly; his breaths ragged as his fingers trembled.
The pressure increased rapidly with his unleashed spell. It reached across even through the barrier, touching the audience.
“A true domain…” The girl muttered to herself, feeling it lightly wash over her.
She felt giddy with joy at witnessing the scene but kept herself in check. If there was nobody around her, you could be sure she would be screaming. And this wasn’t her first time seeing the technique either. Yet it never seemed to grow old.
The ultimate display of strength. It wasn’t like domains of lower tiers at all. Instead, inside it, the user ruled the world. Every particle was theirs to control, every drop of mana theirs to command, every thread of magic theirs to weave.
There was nothing that could compete with it. Her fists clenched at the thought of one day controlling such power herself.
In the arena, the air thickened, pressing down with unimaginable weight. Even the ice mage felt the weight as his feet sank deeper into the ground. The entire ring was shattering into bits, groaning under the strain of it all.
And in the centre, a dark, swirling orb began to coalesce, its pull drawing everything inward. Rocks were uprooted from the floor, and even the air was soaked up. But despite everything, the lean figure didn’t even flinch, steadily watching the ball of gravitational mana form.
After it nearly reached its maximum size, the ice mage’s eyes flashed, his calm demeanour now touched with a glint of intent. An even greater blast of energy radiated with him at its source. After all, nothing could stop a domain. Except another one.
His field of control expanded an aura of freezing mist that chilled the very essence of the mana in the air. Everything seemed to slow down in its radius. Eager to not let it fully form, the stout man groaned as he set his entire might into pushing the black hole forward.
The ring creaked as countless parts were torn out of it and absorbed by the spell of death. Even the barrier flickered under its strength, some among the crowd unconsciously shuffling back.
Alas, the robed figure was unperturbed, his frost building up at a rapid rate, sneaking forward. Every place it touched with its cold fingers, the gravity mage could feel his control slipping. That answered whose domain was stronger.
Still, his gaze was unyielding, pushing forward the dark orb. As it touched the frontier of his opponent’s domain, it greedily swallowed even the frost, clearing the area around it. But as it kept ploughing forward, almost unnoticeably, only those with a keen eye could see it was reducing speed.
The cloud of ice around it slowly closed the gap, creeping toward the black hole, which started to take on the lightest hints of blue. The stout man could only watch in despair and confusion as it kept slowing down, no amount of extra effort on his part enough to change the outcome.
Thus, it inevitably stopped, and frost began to creep onto its outer permitter. Steadily, its edges started to crystallise, until the entire orb hung motionless, encased in ice.
“Impossible! He overloaded Black Hole to the point it froze?” One of the men close to Kella exclaimed as he stood up, his face filled with shock.
But she was too engrossed to notice, her eyes caught by the lean’s man every action. Meanwhile, the robed figure lifted a single finger. With a sharp crack, the frozen sphere shattered, fragments scattering like snowflakes.
He stepped forward, unbothered, as the gravity mage fell to his knees, panting. Disappointment flickered in the ice mage’s eyes as he stopped just short of his defeated opponent.
“Impressive effort.” He murmured, his voice still edged with a tinge of coldness.
A slight pause, a flicker of acknowledgement in his gaze, before he continued.
“But effort alone falls short.”
Gritting his teeth, the man on the floor started circling his energy again.
With a bored expression, the ice mage let his hands fall to his sides.
“I suggest you conserve your energy.” He said quietly. “Pushing your limits is admirable, but against me, it’s only delaying the inevitable.”
The earth mage hesitated for a moment, before sighing, his arms lowered.
The shields finally blinked away, signifying the battle’s end. A murmur rippled through the audience, while Kella felt her pulse quicken.
This was the strength she wanted to yield, and that was the mentor who’d get her there. Across the arena, unbeknownst to her, Yeray’s gaze found Kella, his eyes flashing with challenge.