People know I am retired, but they also know that if worst comes to worst, Basen Koh is here to protect New Avennia. That is true, but I'm not here to protect the city from invaders. No, one of the less talked about duties of any True Mage is to protect against a serious but little talked about threat. The power of our resident Greater Mages.

-Basen Koh on protecting his home

The Greater Mages called upon their power. Lucian spread his arms wide, and shadows spilled out of his armor and onto the sand. It moved like viscous mud, slowly creeping over the arena floor. Arvind stretched out a hand and, with a motion, drew a wall of water from the air. The water surrounded Lucian in a swirling whirlpool. Where the thick shadow met rushing water, the shadow was battered away and dissipated.

Reid noticed Leah stiffen in her seat as soon as she saw the shadows. Her eyes were wide and her breathing erratic.

"Leah? Are you alright?"

She didn't respond.

"Reid," Basen said. "Here, I brought something that might help."

Basen bent over and retrieved an item he'd stashed under his seat. The figure of a green bird came to life as he handed it to Reid. Garret watched the exchange with some confusion.

"Tranquillity...Great idea. Leah! Here, this will help."

Leah didn't react when Reid set the bird on her arm, but after a moment, she relaxed and began to gently pet the living item.

She glanced at Reid and gave him a weak smile.

"Thanks, Reid. I'm okay." She leaned forward. "Thanks, Basen."

"Don't mention it," Basen said with a smile, returning his attention to the match.

Confident that Leah was feeling better, Reid refocused on the match.

Arvind had wasted no time while Lucian was trapped. The water mage spoke the words of some spell aloud while he created lines of ice and added them to an intricate diagram he'd drawn on the arena floor. The magical construction spread out around the mage, and he raced to complete the diagram and the incantation before his opponent broke free.

Lucian roared. The interior of the whirlpool was filled by a solid orb of shadow. A portion of the shadows around the Black Dragon Leader detonated, and the rushing water blasted away. Water and shadow struck the arena's barrier behind Lucian with enough force that the protective magical defenses flashed into existence. The spinning defensive runes shone with a concerning intensity, and a group of arena workers rushed to the point of impact to reinforce it. Reid scanned the workers, but Trace wasn't among them.

Lucian drew back a fist, and the remaining shadows surrounding him contracted into a tight coil around his gauntlet.

"Here it comes!" Garret shouted.

The punch looked casual, but Lucian's collected shadows launched toward Arvind in a chaotic torrent. Before the rush of dark magic reached halfway across the arena, it coalesced into the form of a massive black dragon.

If Reid didn't know any better, he'd have guessed the man had summoned a real dragon from legend. The dragon rushed Arvind, but the mage was focused on the final touches of his diagram and his continuous chant.

Just when Reid thought the match might be over, an icy fist erupted from the sand just in front of the water mage's diagram. It blasted through the insubstantial dragon, and the magic effects ripped each other apart.

Reid didn't understand how the man had casually used such a powerful ability while continuing to channel essence into his ritual and chant a spell. The skill, focus, and raw awareness required boggled his mind. Maybe this was just the power of Greater Mages?

Leah whooped when the dragon shattered.

"He wasn't even paying attention!" Leah laughed. "Just ripped that dragon apart!"

Reid waved his giant blue finger in the air while they cheered.

With Lucian's dragon defeated, Arvind finished his diagram and completed his spell. A new wall of water sprung up next to the water mage, but instead of forming a shield or a trap, it solidified into the form of a watery giant with frosty crystalline armor and an enormous icy blade.

"There it is, folks!" the announcer jumped in. "Arvind Sevash's signature ability! Greater Water Elemental Warrior! How will the Black Dragon respond?"

Lucian lashed out at the empty air with a series of punches. Each strike launched a smaller version of the black dragon he'd used moments before. They slithered through the air, approaching the elemental and its master from different angles and speeds. Without pause, the mercenary leader slammed an armored boot into the ground. Power flooded the floor in a visible ripple, and three stones rose from the sand around Lucian. Reid didn't know if they were made from the sand or just conjured or pulled from the earth below. Lucian launched all three.

Arvind ducked behind his elemental. It braced itself, blocking with its blade as the huge stones slammed into it one after another. The water mage pulled spears of ice from the air and hurled them at the black serpents that wormed their way around the elemental while it was distracted. Each spear shattered a serpent, but Reid could tell the effort strained the mage so soon after completing his summoning.

Lucian rushed forward while Arvind was distracted by the smaller serpents. The elemental warrior recovered from blocking the massive stones and lashed at their assailant with a mighty swing. Leah practically jumped out of her seat in anticipation, and Reid clenched as though he was the target of that terrible blade.

The Black Dragon Mage caught the blow with a gauntlet. The impact rang the air and blasted sand across the arena floor. For a moment, neither moved, and the crowd fell into an awestruck silence that hung and seemed to stretch the moment. A sharp crack split the air, breaking the tension. A jagged fissure formed on the elemental's blade, but the bare shift in position and momentum gave the otherworldly being's superior size and leverage the advantage it needed. Lucian launched backward. He tumbled across the sand fast enough that Reid worried the impact with the arena wall would kill him.

Lucian's shadows erupted from his armor, and the thick tendrils slowed his flight. He managed to get a gauntlet onto the ground and flipped back onto his feet, sliding to a halt near the edge of the arena.

While that happened, Arvind had finished off the rest of the serpents. Once Lucian was out of range and unable to counter while recovering, Arvind stepped into his elemental. He was visible within the watery torso as a glowing blue heart. The elemental glowed with renewed power. Two more arms sprouted from its sides, and globes of water formed above them.

Reid wanted to comment on everything he saw, but he could only watch with his mouth hanging open. Leah glanced at him and grinned.

Lucian joined his fists together, and his body was shrouded in the image of a massive black dragon's head.

"Oh, dear," Basen said.

"What is that?" Garret said.

The visage of the black dragon opened its maw and let loose an incredible torrent of black flames. The fire spat and snapped, alive with flickers of scales, claws, and fangs. It covered nearly the entire arena floor. There was nowhere for Arvind to dodge.

The protective shield around the arena flashed as the black fire tried to ineffectually bite against it. Almost as one, the protective runes shifted from soft white glows to intense yellows to angry reds. The barrier was still translucent, but it was completely visible. It trembled as the torrent of black fire continued unabated.

Arvind stood inside his elemental in the middle of the maelstrom, conjuring shields of ice one after another, but each was eaten away by the black flames in moments.

When Reid was sure the arena's protections would fail, he spotted the king rise and press a hand to the barrier. The protection runes around the arena returned to their original white glow, and the barrier returned to invisibility in seconds.

Lucian's flames let up mere moments later. When the chaotic energies cleared, Reid could see Lucian was doubled over with effort, and Arvind's elemental was half its original size and swordless—his glow within was severely reduced.

"Wow," Leah managed.

"Yeah...that was. I don't know what that was," Reid said.

Both challengers were tired, but neither had sustained any serious injury, so the fight continued. Tactics changed. This was the moment Basen had told him about. Both fighters had expended an enormous amount of essence, and now they needed to manage crippling themselves against potentially crippling their opponent. Lucian fought hand to hand against the water elemental that was only twice his size. Even with the advantage in size, Arvind was not the melee fighter that Lucian was. Blows against the elemental's icy armor left cracks that filled with shadows.

After another drawn out exchange, Lucian jumped back and clenched a fist. The shadows infesting the elemental's armor detonated. Arvind launched himself out of the elemental as it was torn apart by the shadowy explosion.

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Reid expected it to end there. Either Arvind was wounded or too tired to go on, or Lucian had drawn a little too much and was severely weakened.

Reid underestimated both men.

Arvind drew his crystal staff and spun it casually. Lucian turned his head and cracked his neck.

Staff met gauntlet as they danced around the sand. Each stage of the fight changed bit by bit. There had been overwhelming magical force, then a period of measured exchange, and the fight that played out now—a test of skill, tactics, risk, and reward.

A patch of ice made Lucian slip, missing a blow and taking a strike that broke a section of armor on his back. A patch of shadow that didn't belong prevented Arvind from dodging. The gauntlet blow against his unarmored form made him crumple and tossed him across the sand. Arvind coughed up blood, but he rose with grim determination.

Arvind wrapped the head of his staff in a wicked blade of ice that extended his reach. His spear met flesh through a rough gap in Lucian's armor, and blood spilled onto the sand.

The fight ended when one of them made a mistake. Arvind stumbled, and Lucian's strike disarmed him. A followup kick tossed Arvind across the sand, and Lucian drew on the last of his power to bind the water mage to the ground with shadows. Barely able to walk due to overdrawing his power, Lucian tore off his breastplate and let it fall to the sand.

He stalked toward Arvind and raised an armored foot to crush his opponent's head.

"No..." Leah said.

Reid grimaced.

Basen laughed.

Lucian never saw the spear of ice floating above Arvind's cast aside weapon.

With a roar, Arvind seized his magic and hurled it into the Black Dragon Mage's unprotected torso. The shadows vanished as Lucian passed out, pinned to a column by the ice spear.

The crowd exploded with cheers.

"What!?" Reid shouted.

"He did it!" Leah cried.

Leah jumped up and down, and Tranquility flew back to Basen, who caught the bird on his arm and patted it on the head.

"That was incredible!" Reid said.

"Arvind is more skilled than my father let on," Garret said, rubbing his chin.

"What a fight, folks! Arvind Sevash, Greater Mage of the Avennish Royal Guard, has defeated the leader of the Black Dragon Mercenaries, Lucian Rossenal, in a fight unlike any we've ever seen in the arena!"

Leah sat back down in her chair and blew out her breath.

"I can't believe he beat him. Wow. Sorry, I was a little weird there. It was just, those shadows were just like..." She shook her head. "What was that bird?"

Reid sat down and explained Basen's bird item and its power to provide peace and contentment.

"That helped a lot. I need to thank him properly. Where'd he go?"

Reid turned and found Basen had left his seat. Tranquility was in statue form under his seat again.

Reid looked at the platform in front of them, surprised to find it empty. A set of stairs formed from the king's protective power led down from the platform to the sand below. The group of people crowded around the fighters, and the announcer's platform was repositioned nearby.

"There he is," Leah said, pointing to the arena floor.

Sure enough, Basen was chatting with an arena official, who was shaking their head emphatically.

The announcer stepped up and congratulated Arvind once more, inviting the man to say a few words.

Arvind looked like he'd been through hell, but he smiled and waved at the crowd.

"Thank you. It is my absolute honor to fight for all of you, for my king, and for the great champion of this arena. I can tell you true—I started on my path toward Greater Mage after seeing incredible contests of skill and power in this very arena. I have nothing but respect for those who step foot into this ring and put everything on the table to win. These fighters are the pride of Avennia. If I have convinced even a few here to strive for greatness, then I've done my job."

Arvind congratulated the outgoing arena champion once more, singling him out in the small crowd on the sand behind him.

"Desmond Sands, everyone. He needs no introduction, not here. His run as arena champion was one of the greatest of all time. I can tell you true, if there is one person I'd dread facing in battle—at four stars or at six—it's this man." Arvind glanced back at his opponent. "No offense, Lucian."

Lucian, who looked even worse than Arvind, had removed his armor and sat in torn, bloody clothes. A grim smile and a shake of the head were all he had in response.

Someone clasped Arvind on the shoulder. The Greater Mage was surprised to find Basen beside him on the speaking platform.

"No offense to you either, Basen," Arvind said with a laugh.

"None taken. If you don't mind, I would say a few words?"

"Please, be my guest. Another man who needs no introduction, everyone—Basen Koh!"

The crowd cheered him again, but they were settling down now that the fighting had finished.

"Thank you. It was a genuine pleasure to see such a display of skill and power on my first visit to the arena in some years. Arvind deserves every accolade for defeating such a powerful opponent. Lucian, you have truly become a powerhouse since we last met. I don't think I'm alone in thanking the king for preventing you from incinerating half the crowd!"

There was some scattered laughter, and Lucian grimaced. Basen seemed not to notice. He looked over the crowd, slowly spinning in place. Reid thought the masses of people were beginning to feel restless. They wanted to go home and tell the story of the battle they'd just witnessed. They wanted to relive the moments and the highs—not sit in a crowded arena on, frankly, uncomfortable seats and listen to an old retired mage drone on.

"Years and what feels like a lifetime ago, I spent most of my free time in this building. Training. Fighting. Learning from the best. When I set down my claim as champion of the arena to leave room for another to pick it up, it weighed heavily on my heart. There were always questions. What if I had had one more battle? What if I had gone back and measured myself against the future talent that bloomed without my presence?

"Those are questions I can't answer. I'm retired now, and my best battles might be behind me. Tomorrow, I'll wake up and open my magic item shop, The Immaculate Collection, located halfway between the arena and the Grand Market," Basen looked directly at Reid and winked.

Reid had to rest his face in his palm. Basen had done it, at least. Leah couldn't stop laughing.

Basen continued as though nothing had happened.

"And I will continue on with my life. But! I had a thought. Maybe it's presumptuous. Maybe it's a bad idea. Maybe I'll discover I'm a washed up old man. But what if I had one...more...fight..."

The crowd perked up. Arvind and Lucian looked at Basen sharply. Desmond flexed his hands, and the king looked on with an amused grin.

"What if I gave our outgoing champion a chance at. One. More. Fight."

The chant began in a small pocket of fans on the east side of the arena.

"One...more...fight! One more fight!" they chanted.

The people around them picked up the call, and within seconds, the arena rumbled with a renewed frenzy that Reid felt in his bones. He and Leah yelled along with the rest of the crowd. He wanted to see Basen in action.

"What do you think, Desmond?" Basen turned to the outgoing arena champion, and the crowd hushed.

The Blinding Arrow responded by summoning his brilliant golden bow from his back directly into his hand. It appeared in a flash of light, and the crowd thundered their approval.

"Please, please, hold on, everyone!" Basen called, and the crowd hushed. "We have one small problem. I am a True Mage, and Desmond is a Greater Mage. I would swap out my items for those that I used when I was but a Greater Mage, but the enhancements to my body would persist for days. Instead, I have called in a few favors."

King Hessian stepped up behind Basen.

A woman in unseasonably thick furs jumped onto the sand from the south side of the arena. She approached the group with confident strides. Murmurs throughout the crowd built. They no doubt had the same questions as Reid.

"Who's that?"

"I'm not sure," Garret said.

Leah shrugged.

A third figure appeared, walking out of Desmond's shadow. The man wore a brilliant robe of many colors, a tall hat, and a gnarled wooden stave. He clapped the arena champion on the shoulder. His appearance garnered some cheers and clapping from around the arena.

"That's the King's High Wizard, Elias. A True Mage," Garret said.

When the newcomers were assembled behind Basen, he nodded at them and explained to the curious crowd.

"A gathering of True Mages is a rare thing to see," Basen said. "May I present Silva Skycrush, True Mage of the Southern Wastes. Elias Benton, True Mage and High Wizard. Last but certainly not least, Hessian Avennia, True Mage, and the reigning sovereign of our fair kingdom. Your Majesty?"

Basen stepped down from the speaking platform, and the king took his place.

"When I came to the arena today, I had no idea this would be happening, but perhaps against my better judgment, I can assure you all it is."

He waved down the roaring crowd.

"Together, three True Mages will suppress the power of one. Basen will only have the strength of body of a Greater Mage, his essence levels will be restricted, and he will be unable to express his authority as a True Mage. He will still have any abilities his items grant. Given these facts, I ask our champion. Desmond Sands, do you accept these limitations on Basen? Will you fight him with these restrictions?"

Desmond smiled broadly. He yelled as loud as he could, and his voice carried well in the stillness.

"I would be honored to fight Basen Koh at full power, though I appreciate the opportunity to beat him on footing as equal as I am likely to find. I accept!"

Basen knelt on the ground and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and said something Reid couldn't hear.

The three other True Mages raised a hand to him and, in unison, said a single word.

"Suppress!"

Basen visibly changed. His form, which Reid had remarked on being surprisingly fit, withered slightly. His back bent, and his cheeks seemed to lose some of their color.

Basen remained kneeling in a meditative position while a short period of chaos unfolded in the arena. The guests and competitors still on the sand were ushered onto the platform in front of Reid, leaving Basen and Desmond alone on the sand.

"What do you think, Garret?" Reid asked.

The man looked between Basen and his father with a troubled expression.

"I don't know. From everything my father has ever told me about Basen, he has no hope of winning, but I see how frail he looks, and I wonder."

Reid nodded. That made sense to him, and Basen looked like he'd be knocked over by a stiff breeze right now. He looked at Leah.

"I'd still put my money on Basen," she said.

"Alright, folks," the announcer said. "It seems that today's fighting hasn't quite completed. I never expected things to end with a battle like this, but here we are. Two arena champions. Two of the strongest competitors to ever grace this building, but this time, they're fighting as Greater Mages. I have been assured by King Hessian that he will personally manage the protective field around the arena for this fight. I think we can all agree that means we're about to see yet another historic battle."

The crowd was excited, but the introduction lacked the dramatic flare of the first battle. Basen had briefly drawn out some of that energy, but his lack of movement since being suppressed had the crowd feeling suppressed themselves.

"On the eastern side of the arena! During the league championships, he was known for his potent arrows and multitude of blinding effects. With his full power restored as a Greater Mage, he boasts powers that enhance his speed and reflexes beyond imagining and increase the destructive power of his already formidable light based spells. Wearing his signature golden armor and wielding the true Bow of Blinding Light, I give you the outgoing arena champion, The Blinding Arrow!"

The crowd pantomimed shooting an arrow again, but Desmond focused on the man who knelt before him. He allowed the cheers and introduction to wash over him without regard.

"On the...well. Kneeling in the middle of the arena! A former champion and man known for his magical might above all else. During his time in the arena and as champion, he was known as the Unassailable. In his role as the Guardian of Avennia, he proved that title time and time again. Now that his power has been restricted—now that he is fighting against a man who might be just as skilled as he is, will he prove that once more? Wearing no armor and wielding no weapon, I give you a champion for the ages, Basen Koh!"

Basen stood. There was something different about him, but Reid couldn't put his finger on it. He bowed to his opponent, and Desmond did the same.

The crowd stamped their feet on the arena floor until the entire space filled with a rising thrum.

"Begin!"

The arena flashed with brilliant light. The crowd gasped and collectively flinched back.

Reid expected to have to blink his vision clear, but he found that he could see perfectly. The king stood with his scepter pressed to the barrier. Inside the barrier, chaos unfolded.