Towan and Elliot positioned themselves in the center of the small courtyard, while Rhys and Kade mirrored them on the opposite side. Around them, some villagers began to stop, intrigued by the impending fight.

"Ready whenever you are," Rhys said with a faint smile. Kade remained silent, focused.

Elliot glanced at his brother. "Towan, don’t get carried away. Keep your essence under control."

"I know," Towan replied, not taking his eyes off their opponents. "We’re going to give them a good fight."

With a signal from Rhys, both teams began. Towan moved first, charging at Rhys with a flurry of quick punches. His essence flowed into his fists, boosting the speed and power of his attacks. Rhys, however, dodged effortlessly, maintaining an unsettling calm.

"Is that all you’ve got?" Rhys asked, stepping back to avoid another blow.

Meanwhile, Elliot and Kade were exchanging attacks. Elliot used calculated movements, trying to anticipate his opponent's steps, but Kade was relentless. Though he wasn’t attacking with full strength, his movements were precise, and every time Elliot attempted a counterattack, Kade blocked it with ease.

Frustrated by how easily Rhys was dodging, Towan increased the amount of essence in his strikes, sacrificing precision for power. He launched a spinning kick that created a gust of wind, forcing Rhys to retreat for the first time.

"That was better!" Rhys exclaimed, his smile widening. "But you’re still leaving openings."

Elliot, seeing that his brother was quickly burning through his energy, tried to buy time. "Towan, don’t wear yourself out. They’re toying with us."

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"Toying?" Towan asked, confused, just before Rhys moved with surprising speed, closing the distance between them in a blink. Towan barely had time to raise his arms to block a direct blow to his torso, which pushed him back several steps.

"Good," Rhys said, his smile fading. "The warm-up is over. Let’s start for real."

Kade nodded, adopting a more aggressive stance as he increased the essence flowing through his body. Elliot felt a chill; the air around their opponents grew denser.

Without warning, Rhys launched an attack at Towan, much faster and stronger than before. Kade did the same with Elliot, forcing them to retreat quickly, sweating from the effort of dodging and blocking.

"We can’t handle this!" Elliot thought, struggling to stay calm.

Just as the fight seemed to escalate dangerously, a firm voice rang out from the other side of the courtyard. "Enough, Rhys, Kade!"

The two stopped immediately, lowering their hands and stepping back. A tall, slender figure with long silver hair approached the group. His presence was imposing, and though he exuded no aggression, he radiated an aura of absolute authority.

"Master Eryndar," Rhys said, bowing his head slightly. "We were just testing their skills."

"And they’re exhausted," Eryndar said, gesturing toward Towan and Elliot. "This is neither the time nor the place for a serious demonstration. Besides, there’s no need for you two to show off against beginners."

"Apologies, Master," Kade said calmly.

Towan, breathing heavily, looked at the newcomer. "Who are you?"

"Eryndar, their master," he replied with a slight nod. "It seems you two have great potential as well, but you need to refine it. Perhaps we’ll cross paths in the tournament."

Elliot, trying to catch his breath, approached Towan. "They’re definitely on another level..."

"And that’s what makes it exciting," Towan said with a grin, despite his exhaustion.

Eryndar glanced at the two boys, his expression neutral but calculating. Then he turned to Rhys and Kade. "Time to go. Let them rest."

As the three walked away, Rhys turned for a moment and raised his hand in a gesture of farewell. "Good fight. We’ll see you at the tournament."

Elliot and Towan collapsed to the ground, panting. "That was... intense," Elliot said.

"Yeah," Towan replied, looking up at the sky. "But now I’m more motivated than ever."