(Vala Jade)

Vala knew that she was not as talented with Shadow magic as her sister. There was a reason why Alecta Jade was the captain of the royal guard for the Shadow Queen. Still, she had a few tricks up her sleeve and she was willing to break the rules.

“Only four contestants remain,” the announcer declared after a brief intermission. “In the semifinals, our first match will pit Rose Summerbreeze against Vala Jade. The Bloody Thorn will clash with the Demon Twin.”

The champions headed toward the center of the arena. Vala watched her opponent with disdain. This harpy of a woman had beaten Alecta.

No one embarrasses my older sister. She rolled her shoulders, cracked her neck, and glared.

Rose completely ignored her. Vala hated Nature casters, especially this one. Rose was a known assassin. It was believed that she had killed both General Tuff and Lord Commander Tephra, among dozens of other military leaders and casters.

Rose drifted around and waved at the audience. She appeared distracted. Vala knew better. She approached Rose and examined her from head-to-toe. Her hair was wild. There were spots of mud on the bottom of her silk dress. She wore no shoes. Vala did not bother to hide her contempt.

“My sister has a message for you,” Vala growled. “When your forces have been defeated and your kingdom has fallen, she’ll see you again… in the dungeons. I don’t know why she’d bother with you, though. Just look at yourself.” She paused for emphasis. “You’re a dirty… disheveled… disaster!”

“Ugh, I hope she doesn’t talk as much as you do. I’m not sure if I could take that kind of odious torture.”

Vala’s nostrils flared and a muscle in her jaw twitched. She was starting to agree with her sister that torturing Rose Summerbreeze would be enjoyable. She would love to slap the smirk off her frivolous face.

The Behemoth rumbled and the match began. Vala’s Lightning Strike was off target. She had lost her balance in the quicksand created by Rose. She summoned a demon hound and grabbed a hold of its tail. She dodged a flying rock and Shatter Touched a few others, as she slogged out of the sand trap. Her hands and clothes were covered in dirt. She glowered at Rose.

Vala directed her demon hound to attack. At the same time, she started casting more Lightning Strikes. Rose shifted into a shadow leopard, and in a surprising move, dashed toward the hound.

What is she doing? Why is she using a small shift against a demon hound?

It did not take her long to figure out what Rose was up to. She was using a nimble shift to stay close to her hound, but just out of its reach.

She’s using my hound to block my line of sight. Vala’s eyebrow twitched. I can’t hit her with Lightning Strike.

The demon hound was frustrated as well. Her beast started belching fire, but the leopard was still too fast.

Vala kept moving in irregular patterns. She looked for new angles of attack while making herself a more difficult target to hit. Against another opponent, she would have already turned invisible, but Rose had proven that she could somehow counter Invisibility.

The hound and leopard continued to rampage all over the arena. Vala started noticing something peculiar. Rose was making unnecessary movements to tear up the ground around them. She would claw and slice the dirt for no apparent reason.

Her eyes narrowed. What are you up to?

Four boulders were ripped from the ground, levitated a few dozen feet in the air, and three of them were hurtled toward Vala. The Demon Twin blasted two of the boulders with Lightning Strikes and used Shatter Touch on the third one. The fourth boulder slammed onto the ground several feet away from her. A cloud of dirt engulfed her, and she coughed. Something slammed into her gut and her VOP weighed her down.

“Oomph!” Vala winced.

So that’s why you were ripping the soil. Vala’s lips drew back in a snarl. That’s it, Bloody Thorn. It’s time for pruning.

Vala’s mouth slowly curved into a smile, and she crushed a tiny capsule hidden behind her left incisor. She swallowed the liquid. It was a potent elixir.

Only a few people in the Shadow Lands knew that she and her sister were brilliant alchemists. No one knew of their latest discovery. It was an elixir designed to boost magical abilities for a short period of time, and it was undetectable by the arbiters.

Vala’s heart thumped in her chest. Her senses were heightened. Her hands felt tingly, and she felt exhilarated. A surge of power coursed through her body. Amidst the cloud of dirt, she dodged a flying rock with ease.

It was time to turn the tables. She summoned a second demon hound. It required incredible concentration and power to control one summoned creature. Controlling two hounds was virtually unheard of.

As the dust settled, the Shadow Lands spectators went berserk.

“Take that, Nature Kingdom,” someone roared and made rude gestures.

“Vala… Vala… Vala!” others chanted.

“With two demon hounds the Bloody Thorn will be cut down in no time.”

The beasts pounced on Rose, and Vala unleashed a storm of Lightning Strikes, uncaring if they struck her summoned creatures. Rose surrounded herself with a maelstrom of dirt and rocks. She pummeled the hounds and shielded herself from the lightning. The crowd was in a frenzy. The spectators were on their feet shouting and cheering.

Rose could not withstand such an onslaught for long and shifted into a bear. Finally, one of the hounds broke through Rose’s defenses and sank its teeth into her flank. The other hound went straight for her throat. Rose was toppled onto the ground. Both hounds were still clawing and biting. Only the VOP kept them from ripping her apart. Vala took her time, before, finally dismissing the hounds.

“A clash for the ages,” the announcer proclaimed. “What an incredible demonstration of magical power. Vala Jade, what a spectacular dual summoning! The winner of the first semifinals match is Vala Jade.”

Vala turned toward the Shadow Queen and raised a clenched fist.

The Shadow Lands exploded with ardent ovation.

After getting help with her VOP, Rose got up from the ground and dusted herself off. She examined Vala from head-to-toe. “Tsk-tsk-tsk. Just look at yourself. You’re a dirty… disheveled… disaster!” She winked at Vala. “Nice win, but you need a bath.” Rose turned around and walked away.

Vala’s mouth twisted. I’m going to end you.

(William)

“I think she cheated,” William whispered to Rose. “Her magical signature changed in the middle of the fight. The threads shifted from smooth to jagged. I’ve watched the other casters, like Alecta, Lao, Rita, and you. I’ve never seen anything like that before. Do you know what happened?”

“Not exactly,” Rose whispered back to William. “I can tell you that her Lightning Strikes after her second summoning were way more powerful.” Rose was silent for a moment, a thoughtful expression on her face. “It wasn’t a relic. The arbiters thorough with their inspections before every match. If I had to guess, it was some kind of a tincture or elixir.” Rose tapped her chin. “Those would be nearly impossible to detect. Still, I would take a loss in the Spirit Competition any day for that information. For now, let’s concentrate on the competition. Go out there and kick some brass.”

“Hey, if I make it to the finals, do you want me to shift into a sandworm and eat Vala?” William smirked. “I bet that will really piss her off!”

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“Nah.” Rose shook her head. “Eating junk food is bad for you.” William guffawed.

The announcer cleared his throat. “In the second semifinals match Rita Volto, the Starburst, will face William Snow, the Triple Threat. Let’s get ready for this epic showdown.”

William hopped out of his seat, and he was examined by the arbiters, right after donning his VOP. He walked jauntily to the center of the arena. His first opponent might have underestimated him, but he knew that Rita would not make the same mistake. The Starburst gave him a piercing look. He got the distinct impression that she was sizing him up.

The Behemoth roared and the duel began in earnest. The zapping sounds of shooting Light-bolts echoed throughout the arena. Blinding explosions dazzled the spectators. The crowd cheered wildly as multiple spells collided, creating a kaleidoscope of colors. Only a handful of spells even reached the Light Shields of the two duelists.

Rita was the first one to summon help. A bewildered Sprite appeared squatting next to her, looking distressed and holding a small roll of toilet paper in one hand. The audience erupted in loud unrestrained laughter. The Sprite’s initial distress was replaced with rage as it hastily pulled up its britches. The creature recited an incantation, while Rita struggled to maintain control. An intense light formed around the Sprite as it attempted to break her magical bond. William felt wave after wave of heat radiating from the summoned creature. The bond shattered with an eruption of blazing light.

The Sprite’s maniacal laughter caught everyone off guard. The diminutive being blasted the two competitors with vortexes of sand. It waved its hands in a deranged manner and shook its tiny fist at the crowd. It shrieked and hurled spells at the translucent magical dome around them. The crowd panicked.

The eruption of magic from the enraged Sprite was overwhelming. Rita’s Light Shield finally winked out and she collapsed. William struggled to maintain his own shield. The ground of the coliseum was scorched and fractured.

“E HENE ALU!” William cried out emphatically. The Sprite instantly vanished. Exhausted, he plopped down amidst the debris and sighed with relief.

It took some time for people to get back in their seats and for the organizers to restore the ground level of the arena. The tiny Sprite had wreaked havoc on the coliseum grounds. Rita and William were called to the judges’ table. Rita confirmed that she had lost control of the Sprite and that she had not been able to dismiss it. The judges were bewildered. They had never seen such a disastrous summoning.

“How did you banish the Sprite?” an elderly female judge asked William once they were done questioning Rita.

“Well, I just told it to be gone.” William shrugged. The arbiters gave him incredulous looks before the two of them were dismissed.

With Rita falling to the ground first, William was announced as the winner of the match and preparations were underway for the final duel.

“Wow, that Sprite was in a really crappy mood,” Rose deadpanned.

William howled. “Scraps, tell me about it!”

Rose looked at him quizzically. “So, how were you able to banish it? You shouted something in a language that I’ve never heard before and then it left.”

“Uh, what do you mean? I just told it to leave, and it left. I just said – ‘be gone!’”

Rose leaned closer to him. “That’s not what I heard. You said something like – ‘E Hene Alu’. It sounded a little bit like the old language that the mountain hermits use.”

“What? I don’t remember that. I could’ve sworn that I just said – ‘Be gone.’”

Their conversation was interrupted by the announcer. “We had plenty of excitement in the last match. But, be assured that your safety was never at risk.” He cleared his throat. “To ease your mind, the magical barrier will be augmented with an additional protective layer. Just know that everything is part of the spectacle.” He cleared his throat.

“Before the final duel, we are going to see another show. It is time for the Balancing Bonanza! Please welcome Raging Roy, Marvelous Mita, and Wonderful Wanda. They will compete for the ultimate prize, the golden banana. The performers will juggle bananas while riding a unicycle across a tightrope with a hungry monkey upon their back.”

The crowd cheered as the performers were lifted to the tightropes, high above the arena.

The event started with the pounding of drums. The spectators shouted the names of their favorite competitors. The dicers continued to take bets even after the event had started. Raging Roy took the early lead. His monkey appeared a tad less aggressive in trying to grab the flying bananas. Marvelous Mita was at a deadlock with her monkey. It had taken one of her bananas and she was trying desperately to get it back. Wonda’s monkey was on top of her head, covering her eyes and bouncing up and down. The win was within the grasp of Raging Roy when his luck took a dive. He slipped off his unicycle and plummeted toward the ground. The supporting casters for the event were ready for him. Using Levitation on a floating net, they slowed his descent and he safely drifted toward the ground. His monkey landed next to him, holding a banana.

At the end, Wonderful Wanda was the first one to cross the finish line and win the coveted golden banana. Her monkey received a bushel of bananas. Both looked exceedingly pleased.

“We have reached the final match,” the announcer roared, his voice quivering with excitement. “We have seen a duel between a Water Sprite and a Fire Sprite. The summoning of two demon hounds by a single caster. The menacing shift of a sandworm, a creature that only lives in the Graf Desert. And finally, we saw a Nature caster conjuring Light and Shadow spells. I cannot wait for what happens next. Here they come! Vala Jade, the Demon Twin, and William Snow, the Triple Threat.”

Everyone was on their feet. They cheered, stomped, and waved. William’s fingers twitched in anticipation as he waited for the Behemoth to announce the start of the duel.

The Behemoth blared!

Streaks of bright light crackled as Vala unleashed her opening salvo. Popping and buzzing sounds resonated as her Lightning Strike collided with William’s Lightning Strike. Bursts of blinding light illuminated the arena as the casters channeled the same spell.

I’m going to beat you with your own spell, cheater. William gritted his teeth.

Ribbons of lightning shot across the arena. They arced in fiery jagged flashes. The core of the opposing spells collided and burst into an inferno. William felt his hair rising. He squinted his eyes against the blinding light. Every muscle in his body strained.

You’re gonna go down, just like your stupid sister.

They were at a stalemate!

William felt the change in Vala’s power at the same time he saw the change in her magical signature.

This is it. She’s doing it again.

His hands trembled from the feedback of the channeled spell. Vala conjured two shadow vortexes and William’s lightning was swallowed by one of the void portals. Demon hounds leaped into the arena. Their red scales rattled in agitation and their tails whipped furiously.

It’s time for my secret weapon. William grinned.

He cast Mirror Image. A few dozen Williams popped into existence and ran in different directions.

The spectators jumped to their feet and cheered.

William’s replicas were in a state of pandemonium. One of them sprinted to the judges' table and sprawled on top of it while another shook his backside at the demon hounds. The rest of them were engaged in all manner of outlandish shenanigans.

The coliseum was filled with raucous laughter.

The fiends rushed toward one of the William copies. They pounced on top of him at the same time and collided in midair. The copy snapped out of existence. All the remaining replicas pointed and laughed. The mocking laughter was picked up by the crowd. The hounds howled with rage and dashed after the remaining mirror images.

Vala continued to cast Lightning Strikes and more duplicates were destroyed.

After Vala’s onslaught, there was only one remaining William. It was the schmoozing William at the judges’ table. He turned around from the judges, looked at Vala, and swallowed hard. There were two hounds in front of him and Vala moved in for the finishing blow. He looked around frantically.

“Who is laughing now, brat?” Vala smirked. Lightning crackled between her fingertips.

This was the moment that the real William had been waiting for! Invisible, he snuck up behind Vala and used Shatter Touch to put her down. She buckled to the ground and her summoned beasts were sucked back into the abyss.

“A battle for the ages,” the announcer shouted exuberantly. The crowd roared. “I have never seen so many mirror images. What a sensational match! Worthy of the finals. This duel will be talked about for decades. What a historical event. The winner of the 398th Magical Tournament is William Snow, the Triple Threat.”

Rose ran to William and threw her arms around him. “You were amazing!” she shouted.

The Nature Kingdom section screamed with jubilation.

(Ivan)

Later that night, with the celebration still ongoing, Ivan retired to his chamber. The Nature Kingdom’s fortress hummed with excitement. People danced, sang, and toasted William’s incredible victory.

Ivan walked along the terrace and leaned against the balcony. He gazed at the distant horizon. Three of Cea’Nia’s seven moons, Elara, Ersa, and Leda, drifted across the sky. They illuminated the Ocean of Tears, bathing it in a soft white light.

Lost in thought, Ivan watched the waves rhythmically crash against the cliff. He smiled. His brother had been so excited after winning the Magic Tournament. William had received an enchanted golden cup that played a unique melody depending on the mood of the person who held it. Like the other winners, his brother had also received a chest full of gold coins and assorted magical items. William had been overjoyed to finally get an enchanted bag.

His brother’s curiosity had also been satisfied. They had spoken and he had explained what had happened in the labyrinth. William had drooled over Sharp Reason and asked him to retell the story multiple times. Most of his questions had been about Leaflet, the trickster tree and the Amulet of Storms.

Ivan’s thoughts drifted back to the Spirit Competition. The Mind Games had been right after the Magical Tournament. The finals match had been won by Queen Esmeralda Sapphire, after she had defeated their aunt. It had been a riveting match. The opponents had relied heavily on terrain units. Still, the Shadow Queen had dominated the Mind Games.

Did Aunt Lisa face the Shadow Queen, or did she face Sháte, the being that enslaved her? Ivan pondered. There are too many unknowns.

The finals match in the Mind Games had reflected the ongoing conflict between the two nations, where the Shadow Lands had the advantage.

He wondered when he would see Jane again.

His blood ran cold. I hope I don’t have to face her on the battlefield.

Soon, they would leave Eel Island. Preparations for the Stoneridge offensive had been ongoing for some time. The barges they would use to traverse the Lonely River were already being loaded with provisions. If they could capture the ancient fortress city, that could be the turning point in the war.

The calm before the storm was coming to an end.