Kelani grinned at the sight of the towering spire climbing above the canyon wall. The Mage Academy was legendary. Constructed inside the rock, except for the sandstone tower marking the entrance. The tower also contained the famous library which was rumoured to hold every book ever written. Decorating the surface was intricate designs paying homage to the magical knowledge inside. She imagined the classrooms full of experimentation and learning. Of artifacts and records. The dust that bred a connection to the distant past. But also, the hum of the energetic young students rushing through the halls.

Her only partner in learning was Osana, but she always wondered what it would be like to have a room full of peers. Everyone coming together for the common good. The absorption of knowledge passed down from the experience of their elders. That was the Mage’s optimal place, learning, teaching, and safeguarding the past and future. Bumps rolled over her skin, at the thought of being in the center of it. Witnessing her Papa’s work in action.

A small line of people waited outside the tall wooden double doors. A wise man told her it was the Academy’s end of year exams. A rare instance where the Academy opens its doors to the populace where spectators can watch the tournament. That was where her mortal was. She had to admit, she was curious what the modern Mage was capable of. What kind of Mage was she. The magic and fighting style said a lot about the person. And if Kelani wanted to help her, she needed to know if they were a match.

Learning how the Mages used their magical blessings intrigued her. Papa granted them unique abilities she had never seen in person. Everything in the Mortal Realm was bound to the cycle of life and death. Everything existed for a limited time, even the Mage's magic. To compensate for the limitation of a physical body, Mages became creative. Using manipulation to alter the elements to solve problems or out smart a foe. They pushed their magic further than Papa first considered. And she longed to witness it in person.

The hallways had elegant lanterns guiding the way. She passed rounded columns supported the high vaulted ceilings. Her group joined another one, where children talked about their favorite manipulations, they’ve seen earlier that day. The hallway ended, and they exited through a tall narrow doorway leading outside. The bright sun flooded over her. Once her eyes adjusted, she saw the rows of seats circling the battleground in the center.

A match was already underway, it was two versus two and she spied the girl named Saule below. She had changed out of her robes and wore red flowy pants and a matching light weight blouse. Her partner was to the left wearing dusty yellow and brown robes and using a diamond topped staff. She recognized the boy from earlier, he fought the other boy and wore green trousers and a sleeveless green shirt that emphasised his muscles. Next to him was a girl in an olive skirt and white tunic shirt.

She sat in the back and watched as they flung streams of fire and rocks at the other. But she wanted more. She needed to be there, to experience it for herself. Relaxing her shoulders, she planted her feet flat on the floor. She steadied her breathing, but clearing her mind was a bit more difficult. The world around her spoke and it took more effort to silence the voices.

She focused on Saule, the dirt under her feet, the sweat over her skin. Her magic curled in her chest, exploding into her limbs, then flung her through space. Kelani’s body slammed against the compact dirt of the dueling arena. But it wasn't her body, she glanced at her hand, noting the warm brown undertones. It was Saule's hand. The Mage's thoughts became her own, and Kelani was there as a passenger.

The sharp pain shooting across her back told her to stay put. The end of year practical, tested not only her physical strength but her willpower. Fighting her aching muscles, she pulled herself to her feet. Refusing to submit to the voice telling her to quit. Her knees trembled under her weight. She tried to steady herself, squeezing her staff, and feeling the wood handle under her calloused hands. It was time to show them she was more than a poor charity case.

Her dueling partner, Bryden, was engaged with Janus to her left, which left Eevi for her. The tall brunette stood opposite her with her dark oak and emerald staff poised for the next attack. Usually, she had an advantage over an Earth Mage like her. But her footwork was off. So was her timing, which resulted in ineffective protective barriers. She cursed her failures under her breath. But when Eevi smiled a crooked smirk, she imagined rubbing her flawless face into the dirt.

She moved her staff to the front of her body, as her opponent mirrored her movement. They had fought alongside and against each other for the last five years. She knew Eevi would use her speed to get the upper hand. Another deep breath, she shifted her feet to prepare for the onslaught that would be her final attack.

Eevi extended her staff, pointing the glowing Emerald to the ground where she made a spectacle of tapping it three times. Saule waited. Last time she had acted too carelessly and ended up on her back. She relaxed her shoulders, moving her palm over the top of the translucent Sunstone on her staff. She exhaled over the polished stone, feeling the heat emitting from it. The ground under her quivered and she knew her opponent was almost ready.

Her staff pulsated as she dragged the tip across the arena floor, igniting a spark at her feet. A low groan seeped from below the surface before the ground burst open. Whipping vines climbed towards the clouds before they descended on to their target. Her breath hitched. She pictured them piercing her chest leaving her impaled as a message to the survivors. Then she remembered the rules; it was a duel, all she needed to do was to disarm the opponent.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

She counted the seconds. And the inches as the vines crossed the threshold between her and their master. Her staff’s handle grew hotter, the sunstone burst into flames, and at the final second she unleashed the fire. It climbed through the air- licking the encroaching vines. It was too late for Eevi to change their direction. The roots pushed through- but collapsed into ashes once they reached a foot in front of her face. The wind gathered up the remains, scattering them across the arena. The fire remained intact, and Saule pictured the dumbfounded face Eevi wore on the other side of the wall.

Pulling the staff behind her, the flames followed, as if tied on a string. Flicking her wrist, the movement of the staff forced the flowing flames to become tighter. They constricted, turning the flames into a rope. Another flick, and the forked end whipped towards her opponent. She couldn't react in time, and the flames wrapped around her staff. She yelped, dropping the staff, as the flames licked her skin. In a final moment of victory, Saule threw the staff a few meters from her opponent. A horn sounded, ending the duel. She left the arena cradling her hand and wearing a venomous look on her face.

To her left, Bryden was still dueling against Janus. His usual stoic face showed signs of exhaustion. They've trained together for years; she knew when he was struggling. Janus's strategy was different than his sister's. She was strategic while he preferred brute force until his opponent surrendered. Janus was in a different year, but his strength pushed him into their bracket. A rare situation, but her partner was ready. He studied Janus's duels and memorized his methods. But it didn’t take a genius to realise squaring against someone who hit like an ox would exhaust even the most prepared Mage.

Her plan, on the other hand, was simple. Distract him enough for Bryden to recover. Janus wiped the sweat off his dirty forehead before giving her a wide excited grin. He lived for duels. Like Eevi he was an Earth Mage, but he lacked the subtlety of his sister. He slammed the bottom of his staff into the ground causing a twisting fissure to snake to her feet. She jumped back before she fell into the bottomless pit. The shaking rocked the arena, even the audience’s jeers thought it was too close for comfort. She hopped between fissures which appeared as fast as she could dodge. Her knees wobbled as she miscalculated her landing and fell in the dirt.

“Are you a Mage or a new fawn?” Janus taunted.

“Oh, you just wait!”

She had one more move up her sleeve. Her chest swelled at the thought of taking him down and getting the victory for them. She pointed the stone to the sky, making circular swirling motions above her head. Fire ignited at the tip and she managed to send a fire ball whizzing towards his head before the second earthquake caused her to jump out of the way.

As she looked at his grinning face, a knot twisted in her stomach. His eyes narrowed, like a bull about to charge, he lowered his staff and extended his free hand palm facing the ground. She braced herself as the arena floor shook. A gap ripped open at his feet. He moved his hands upwards and dragged a large boulder the size of a wagon from its earthy tomb. It rested over his head, balancing in the air, waiting for the next command. She felt the colour flush from her face.

She thought of the last chapter she had reviewed before bed. It detailed an advanced manipulation called a Fire Tunnel. In theory it could work, but she had never tried it before. Pointing the staff at the rock, she tried to focus. Tried to ignore the fear bubbling inside her chest. She pictured the hot red flames tumbling and convening into and around each other.

Their bright brilliance becoming an unmoveable force. At the same time Janus released the rock from his grasp. She pushed the flames forward. She watched as the fire consumed it, engulfing it like a serpent with unhooked jaws. She pushed harder. But the rock still charged towards her.

As doubt crept over her, a scream echoed in her head. A distant nightmare she wanted to forget. No, not now. Her the heat of her magic licked her skin. The flames were floundering. The scream continued, but she pushed past it, focusing on the serpent in her mind. But the snake's body, twisted, becoming a delicate veil obscuring her vision. Focus. Behind the cloth was a shape. A body wrapped in bandages. The scream sounded again, louder than before. She thought it’ll split her head open. Thick red spilled across the white bandages; consuming everything until the scream fell silent.

In a heartbeat she was back at the arena. Janus's boulder was inching closer to her. She fought to push back but the heat wasn't hot enough. He was too strong; her heart sank with each backwards step. The panic and failure becoming a desperate reality. Her muscles ached. Her manipulation flickered. Weakening with each step.

A wind gathered up her mess of curls from behind. A wave of disappointment flooded over her. Bryden had recovered and was rejoining the fight. She watched as his southerly wind consumed her flames. What was once bright reds and oranges, flickered into paler shades then blew out as she lost the drive to continue. He stepped forward, tall and lanky and always exquisitely put together.

His whirlwind swallowed the boulder, stopping it dead in its tracks. Janus pushed it against the tornado. But Bryden remained steadfast sending the boulder soaring high into the sky. It was almost beautiful, like a dance of wind and rock spinning in the sunlight. As it reached its peak, the performance stopped, and the rock came crashing down. Cracking in half with a clatter as it slammed into the ground.

Bryden dealt the final blow, summoning another gust this time sending it at him. He resisted at first, covering his face with his arms, but soon his feet shifted. Then slipped from under him. Janus was on his back. As the final act, he allowed his staff to roll from his hand. The horn sounded and the duel finished. They had won. Bryden grinned. But her failure was scene on the pink burns on her arms.

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