As soon as the start was called, the two teams burst into rapid movement.

Liliana activated her Set Up chain immediately as she separated herself from the group, circling to the side. Nemesis had already disappeared into the earth and Lelantos had fallen back to cover Emyr and Marianne.

“Lili!” Alistair called out as he activated his skills.

Metal appeared in front of him, rapidly forming into four daggers that he tossed into the air. Liliana activated [Threads Of Control] and yanked the weapons from the air. Her naginata appeared in her hands as she moved, the familiar weight a steadying balance for her as [Battle Clarity] cleared her mind of useless thoughts and emotions.

Liliana felt spells layering on top of hers and she spared a look towards Marianne to see the princess giving her a grin. Her Mana, already boosted from [War Maiden’s Waltz] jumped higher still, refilling rapidly. Liliana smiled as she activated her Beast’s Dance combo. The power filling her was intoxicating, making her feel like her veins were live wires, shooting electricity through her body and pushing her on, begging for action. Liliana was more than happy to oblige as she forced herself to the limits of her increased Speed, her form blurring until it was nearly invisible. Her eyes kept track of Dawn, her target, even as she ducked under a barrage of arrows sent her way.

Liliana spun under a wave of water and then vaulted over a pool of rapidly expanding lava. She activated [Wind Walk] running across the sky, taking in the battlefield for a second. In very little time, it had become utter chaos. Marianne was flinging out spears of blood while simultaneously tossing healing and buffing spells at anyone she could see. Emyr was cloaked in darkness behind her, utterly unmoving as his focus lit up brightly.

Alistair had activated some aggro-drawing ability that forced projectiles to swerve and target him, splashing ineffectively against his shields. Liliana’s head turned sharply when she noticed a blur to her right and she saw Anya in the sky with her. She looked towards Eaglebow and in a second an idea formed in her mind.

“Anya!” Liliana called out, and the wolf girl changed her trajectory, hurtling towards Liliana without hesitation. Liliana grabbed her hands, shocked for a moment at how light the girl was.

“I’m going to throw you at Eaglebow. Ready?” Liliana told her. Anya’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she eagerly nodded her agreement.

Liliana grinned at her friend as she gripped both her arms and spun, building up momentum before she threw Anya with every bit of Strength she had, sending the girl streaking towards Eaglebow below them. She didn’t pause to see if the wolf girl had hit her mark. She had spotted Dawn moving along the edges of the fight, eyes trained on Emyr in the back. Liliana ran across the air, picking up speed before she activated [Wind Surge] and aimed herself at Dawn.

Dawn looked up at the last second, eyes widening as she jumped back. Liliana’s blades cut through smoky shadows instead of hitting her target. Liliana didn’t let the dodge stop her as she landed lightly and turned to Dawn.

“Dance with me, Dawn?” Liliana asked as her daggers circled her and she gave a small bow.

Nor Dawn looked at her with impassive eyes, her shadows lashing out instead of answering. Liliana grinned as she ducked and dodged beneath the attacks, her daggers flashing out to block a sneak attack by Dawn’s shadow twin at her back. Liliana’s naginata whistled through the air, blade trailing light as she activated [Radiant Edge] and cut through the shadows effortlessly. Steel met steel and the alluring harmony of battle filled Liliana’s ears, backed by the steady tempo of her heartbeat. Dawn jumped back again, unwilling to fight a polearm with two short swords. Her shadows picked up their attacks, blades and spears made of darkness striking at Liliana.

Twisting around one sword shaped shadow, Liliana jumped over three spears aimed at her stomach before she rolled under another set aimed at her head. Liliana couldn’t keep her grin off her face as she turned the fight between her and Dawn into a dark ballet. She danced through the barrage, her Speed ensuring she could more than keep up with the attacks even as her shining blade slashed the shadows to pieces, forcing them to dissipate like mist confronted by sunlight.

“As lovely as this dance is, Dawn, I believe our song has come to a close.” Liliana said as she activated [Gatling Barrage], bullets of light shooting out around her, eviscerating the shadows that had tried to surround her.

Liliana prowled forward, her naginata a shimmering blur as it spun around her, blocking and destroying the shadow attacks. Dawn grimaced as she backed up further, only to find the ring shield at her back. Liliana grinned widely at how she’d cornered the girl. She burst forward, [Wind Surge] boosting her Speed so much it looked like she teleported, her five blades plunging into Dawn even as she tried to disappear into her own shadow. Dawn’s shield turned a cheery, bright red.

“That was fun, Dawn, good fight.” Liliana told the girl before she turned and took to the air without waiting for a response.

As Liliana got to the sky, she heard a scream and her head whipped around just in time to see the earth swallow Rathwater up to his chest. Nemesis burrowed up from the earth and breathed out a noxious gas over the boy at the same time a spike of earth struck him in the head. Nemesis was gone under the earth again before Rathwater’s shield turned red.

Two down. Liliana noted as she looked over the remaining fighters. Three. Liliana noted, seeing Eaglebow on the ground, her shield red as well. That left only Koth’talan and Ravenswood.

Koth’talan had built something of a fort for himself, surrounded by lava. Ravenswood was focused on Alistair, who was slowly approaching her. Her attacks seemed to have no effect on him, the Water, Dark and Acid attacks only splashing against his shields. Liliana wasn’t sure if they were having no effect or if Alistair was hiding the effects with illusions to frighten Ravenswood. His intimidation tactic seemed to be working as the girl was in a right panic, cursing at him even as she frantically threw spell after spell at him without a thought for Mana conservation.

Liliana got ready to jump in and finish the girl off, when an unexpected sight froze her in place. Marianne letting out a war cry as she rode on Lelantos towards Ravenswood, her blood scythe raised high as the tiger charged with his rider. Ravenswood fumbled at the unforeseen attack and Marianne smelled the blood in the water, swinging her scythe down at Ravenswood. The scythe connected and dragged along the girl as Lelantos ran past, ripping the girl off her feet and sending her skidding. Liliana watched in bemused horror as the girl’s shield didn’t immediately turn red, instead it very slowly turned yellow, then orange, then finally red crept over the shield, like tendrils of blood spreading out until it covered Ravenswood completely.

What the fuck is on her scythe? Liliana wondered as Marianne cheered, Lelantos roaring with her. Liliana turned and dropped down next to Emyr, eyes trained on the last combatant, Koth’talan.

“Is the spell ready yet?” Liliana asked her friend as the others converged together again, Nemesis popping out of the ground by Liliana’s feet. She swiftly bent and picked up the serpent, letting her wrap herself around Liliana’s throat.

“One minute.” Emyr got out, his forehead beaded with sweat.

“We don’t need a minute to win! They only have one fighter left!” Anya said, turning her attention to Koth’talan, who was still holed up.

“We might be able to end this without the big spell,” Alistair said, though Liliana could hear his labored breathing now that she was close to him. Her eyes narrowed at him, wondering how much Health he had lost attracting most of the ranged attacks to himself against a team that was made up of ranged attackers.

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“Let’s go!” Marianne urged, and Liliana looked at Alistair, who nodded.

“If we don’t have him out by the time Emyr’s spell is ready, we’ll pull out at his call. Mari, you and Lelantos stay close to Emyr. Step in if it gets bad.” Alistair ordered.

Marianne didn’t look happy, but she didn’t complain as Liliana, Anya, and Alistair moved forward. They had crossed half the distance between them and Koth’talan when he finally made his move.

“Shit! Get behind me!” Alistair shouted as a wave of lava rose high up above them and then crashed towards them.

Liliana and Anya ducked behind Alistair as he raised his shield high, activating a multitude of skills as light, earth, and metal bloomed around them, encasing them. They couldn’t see the lava anymore, but they could feel the heat scorching away any moisture in the air and making every breath feel like their lungs were blistering. Alistair groaned in front of them and went down to one knee, still holding his shield up, even as the barriers around them cracked. Liliana’s breath caught in her throat, feeling distant fear pounding against the dam of [Battle Clarity]. If she didn’t have the skill, she was sure she’d be panicking at the thought of being drowned in molten earth. A rumble under her feet alerted Liliana to the incoming attack.

“Under us!” Liliana shouted. Alistair cursed and fell to both knees, his hands pressing to the ground even as the shields around them split open, pushing the lava coating them back.

“Go!” Alistair ordered, and Liliana grabbed Anya as she activated [Wind Walk] just as Koth’talan burst from the earth, every inch of his skin glowing brightly with runes.

Koth’talan turned on Alistair, a blade made from dark metal covered so thickly in glowing runes she could barely see the metal underneath them. He slashed at Alistair, and the shield around his form turned a light orange. A second strike hit his shield as Alistair struggled to his feet and Liliana went to join her brother, that this was just a spar and that he couldn’t actually die a weak argument against her need to protect her brother.

“Lili! Go!” Alistair told her as he blocked another hit from Koth’talan.

As if to accentuate his point, spikes of lava coated earth shot out at Liliana and Anya, hovering dangerously close to the pools of lava that still bubbled in a circle around Alistair’s defenses. Liliana retreated quickly but still stayed close, unwilling to just leave her brother.

“Throw me at him like you did before! I can take him!” Anya insisted.

“Ready!” a voice called out from behind them, and Liliana’s head whipped around to look at Emyr, who was surrounded by a maelstrom of fire and shadow. Liliana looked back at her brother, then at Anya, her lips settling into a grim line. She grabbed Anya and threw the girl with all her strength towards Marianne and Lelantos, even as she flew back towards her brother.

“Now!” Liliana screamed towards Emyr as she landed on Koth’talan, shoving him down and using him to push herself at her brother, whose shield was now a red-orange color.

“Hold your breath!” Liliana ordered Alistair as she grabbed him.

She frantically communicated her need to Nemesis as she drove her brother to the ground. Earth fell beneath them, covering their backs as Nemesis buried them deep down. Alistair caught onto what she was doing and using what was probably the last of his Mana, he wrapped them in a cocoon of metal and light, turning so Liliana was under him and further from the devastation Emyr was about to bring.

The ground shook violently around them, the metal around them heating as Alistair groaned. Liliana couldn’t feel his shields breaking, but she assumed they were based on his grimaces. Liliana clutched tightly to her brother as the Nemesis tried to dig them deeper and deeper down. Finally the shaking stopped, Liliana’s lungs burning with the strain of not breathing.

We need to go up. The shields won’t stop us from suffocating, and if we catch the tail end of Emyr’s spell, it’s better than dying down here. Liliana thought to Nemesis, and the serpent sent her assent. Nemesis began to push them towards the surface, far too slowly for Liliana’s aching lungs. Alistair caught on to what was happening and, with the help of his Earth skills, they reached the surface just as black spots were dancing in Liliana’s eyes.

Liliana gulped in air, spitting out rocks and dirt from her mouth as she climbed to her feet, gripping Alistair’s arm and pulling him up with her. He leaned heavily into her, his eyes looking dazed. She worried he had used too much Mana and was suffering Mana exhaustion for it. As they walked away from their hole, Liliana stopped, mouth dropping open in shock. The entire ring was demolished, the earth was cracked and pitted as if some great meteor had fallen from the sky. The only untouched area was a small circle around Emyr, where the rest of their team were huddled.

“Nova.” Alistair said weakly, breaking Liliana from her stupor. Even dazed as he was, Alistair could still tell exactly which spell Emyr had used.

“Lili!” a voice called out seconds before a body barreled into her.

“Is Koth’talan out?” Liliana asked immediately, pushing Marianne back slightly so she could look over her friend.

“He’s out, tried to get underground like you two but didn’t go deep enough, and Emyr aimed for where he was.” Anya said with a grin as she nodded at the epicenter of the blast, a few feet from where they had popped up.

“Could’ve taken their whole team out if you three weren’t such glory hogs.“ Emyr grumbled as he walked up, but his eyes were full of concern as he looked at Alistair.

“You almost took us out.” Liliana snarked back, but Emyr was deaf to her, his focus on Alistair as his hands fluttered in front of him, his eyes roving over Alistair and trying to pick out where he was injured.

“Mana exhaustion.” Liliana told him before she turned to Marianne, who was patting her body and frantically looking for any injuries.

“Are you alright Lili? You were right at the center of the blast, and there was that lava wave, too! Are you burned anywhere? Cut? Did you break any bones? Sprain or pull anything? Does anything hurt at all? Actually doesn’t matter. Let me just,” Marianne was speaking a mile a minute, face twisted in worry as she fussed with Liliana before she placed her hands on Liliana’s shoulders and a bright white light enveloped Liliana.

The light should’ve blinded her, but it didn’t. A warm, relaxed feeling suffused her body and aches she hadn’t even noticed faded away. Liliana sighed into the feeling. It was almost reminiscent of a loving, motherly hug. As the light faded, Liliana felt refreshed and ready for another fight.

“There you should be all better now!” Marianne said with a chipper tone as she smiled brightly at Liliana.

“That was amazing. What was that?” Liliana asked, stretching out her free arm.

“That was my Quintessential skill, [Healer’s Wish].” Marianne said with a wave of her hand.

“You just used a Quintessential skill on me? When there was no chance I was severely injured thanks to the shields?!” Liliana asked, her voice raising in pitch, getting shrill towards the end.

“Yes, of course. We can’t have you injured at all! Shields aren’t foolproof, you know.” Marianne said with a pout, turning away from Liliana to focus on Alistair.

Marianne laid several healing spells over him, nothing as dramatic as an ultimate skill, but by the end of her ministrations, Alistair was looking more alert. He pulled away from Liliana and she let her arm drop, only to be replaced immediately by Emyr, who didn’t look confidant that Alistair was in fact strong enough to stand on his own yet.

“Don’t do something like that again, Lili.” Alistair told her sternly, and Liliana frowned at him.

“What? Save you? I had it handled.” Liliana said, crossing her arms and meeting his glare with one of her own.

“It was reckless and unnecessary!” Alistair growled at her.

“If you think I’ll ever leave you to die, even in a spar, you’re insane, Alistair Rosengarde.” Liliana bit back, her glare never wavering.

“If you five are quite done, we have a class to continue,” Rauk’s droll voice called out to them, putting a pause on the siblings’ argument.

Their group turned sheepishly towards their professor and filed out of the ring. Liliana noted several students were back to sitting against the wall, some shaking or just staring at nothing. Ravenswood, Eaglebow and Rathwater were some of them. Koth’talan nodded at them as they passed him, and Liliana hesitantly smiled back at him. Seemed there were no hard feelings for the fight. Dawn nodded at her too, though reading her was always particularly difficult for Liliana. It could be a nod of a good fight, or she could be initiating a silent challenge.

“Next fight will be team Kastrioti versus Rosengarde. You have ten minutes to plan and rest. I’ll hand out Stamina and Mana potions to help you get back to peak shape. Don’t expect this to be a regular occurrence. Next time you either bring your own or deal without.” Rauk informed them once their group had settled.

Liliana traded looks with her friends, all of their faces saying the same thing. They didn’t care about simply winning this fight. They were going to make it hurt.