The air in the arena is thick with anticipation, the crowd’s collective breath held in suspense as Melanie and Alexandre take their positions on the illuminated platform. The stage lights flare brilliantly, casting dramatic shadows that dance across the arena, highlighting the tension between the two duelists.

Alexandre stands tall, his broad shoulders relaxed but ready. He holds his right arm against his waist, gripping the air tightly in his hand. There is an undeniable intensity in his eyes. Xavier, watching intently from the stands, furrows his brow in confusion. This doesn’t seem like the start of a traditional duel. What is Alexandre doing?

Across from him, Melanie meets Alexandre’s gaze with a cool, confident smirk. Slowly, almost leisurely, she glides her hands down the sides of her legs, her fingers tracing intricate patterns in the air. The movement is graceful, almost hypnotic, and it leaves Xavier even more puzzled. But something strange begins to happen as Melanie’s fingers move—trails of shimmering frost follow her touch, lingering in the air like the breath of winter.

The temperature around her visibly drops, and a light mist forms at her feet, swirling and thickening until it obscures the ground beneath her. Xavier squints, trying to make sense of what is happening, when suddenly, the mist begins to ripple and shift. To his astonishment, Melanie’s legs begin to fuse, transforming into a long, powerful tail covered in glistening, icy scales.

“What is happening to her?” Xavier mutters under his breath while watching in astonishment, leaning slightly toward Jackson, who is now fully awake and watching the scene with a keen eye.

Jackson, catching the confusion in Xavier’s eyes, grins knowingly. “Ah, now you’re going to see the real magic,” he says, his tone tinged with excitement. “These two aren’t just brawlers—they’re about to show you what it means to be well-known around these parts. And in Melanie’s case, what it means to be a Lamia.”

Xavier turns his attention back to the duelists, his curiosity piqued. The atmosphere in the arena seems to shift as Alexandre’s hand begins to glow faintly, a soft golden light emanating from his palm. The light grows brighter, sharper, and starts to lash out uncontrollably inside his hand like a miniature sun, radiating warmth and power. The crowd murmurs in awe as the energy in the arena surges until Alexandre unsheathes it, making it gain structure and forming it into a sword, brimming with energy.

Meanwhile, Melanie’s transformation is complete. Where her legs had been, a sleek, muscular tail now coils beneath her, its icy surface reflecting the stage lights with a mesmerizing sheen. The temperature continues to drop, and frost begins to spread across the ground where she stands, creeping toward Alexandre like a living thing.

Jackson leans closer to Xavier, his voice low and excited. “That’s Alexandre’s specialty—Solar Manipulation. He channels the power of the sun into pure energy. And Melanie? She’s got Cryomancy down to an art. Combine that with her Lamia abilities, and she’s as cold and deadly as they come.”

Xavier watches, entranced, as the duelists prepare to unleash their powers. The display of elemental magic combined with Melanie’s serpentine form is unlike anything he has ever seen before—a clash of raw natural forces that promises to be nothing short of spectacular. He can feel the tension rising, the promise of an epic battle about to unfold before his eyes.

And then, without warning, Alexandre's sunlight blade slashes through the air, creating a wave of energy heading toward Melanie. The golden slash speeds across the stage like a bolt of lightning, searing through the air toward Melanie. At the same moment, Melanie swipes her tail in a sweeping arc, and a wall of ice erupts from the ground, shimmering with an icy glow as it rises to meet the incoming attack.

The arena fills with the sound of crackling energy and shattering ice, the clash of elemental forces reverberating through the space. The crowd erupts in cheers and gasps as the first collision of power shakes the very foundation of the arena.

Xavier leans forward in his seat, his heart pounding in his chest. The duel has begun, and it is already proving to be far more than he imagined. The raw power on display is awe-inspiring, and Xavier can’t help but wonder what he will do when it is his turn to face off against an opponent as formidable as Selene.

The sound of the initial clash still echoes through the arena, the remnants of shattered ice and dissipating sunlight hanging in the air. Alexandre’s sunlight blade shimmers with renewed intensity as he prepares for his next move, his eyes narrowing as he assesses Melanie.

But Melanie remains calm, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. She raises her hands above her head, her fingers snapping together in a sharp rhythm that echoes through the arena. The sound is crisp, deliberate—like the beat of a drum. As she claps her hands, her tail begins to tap out a rhythmic pattern on the ground, the movements precise and hypnotic.

Jackson watches, puzzled at first, but Xavier leans in this time, eyes wide with realization. “She’s following a musical rhythm,” Xavier says, his voice filled with both admiration and concern. “That’s the rhythm of a Flamenco dance. She’s not just fighting—she’s actively controlling the flow of the fight.”

Melanie’s clapping grows faster, her tail moving in perfect sync with the rhythm. Alexandre frowns, sensing the shift in momentum, but he doesn’t hesitate. With a determined grunt, he slashes the air with his sunlight blade, sending another powerful wave of energy straight toward Melanie.

This time, Melanie doesn’t raise a wall of ice. She waits, her body poised like a coiled spring. Just as the golden slash is about to reach her, she bends her body with fluid grace, dodging the attack entirely. The sunlight blade misses her by a hair’s length, passing by her before dissipating into the air.

The crowd gasps, their cheers growing louder as they realize what has just happened. Melanie’s movements are so precise, so perfectly timed, that she seems to be dancing through the battle, evading Alexandre’s attack with effortless ease.

“She’s reading him like a book,” Xavier says, more to himself than to Jackson. “Every move he makes, she’s already ten steps ahead.”

They both watch in awe as Melanie continues her rhythmic clapping, her tail tapping the stage like a metronome. Alexandre’s frustration is evident, his attacks growing more aggressive, but Melanie remains untouchable. She is in control of the dance, and it is clear to everyone watching that this duel is completely in Melanie's control.

As the crowd's cheers fill the arena, Alexandre sighs, lowering his sword slightly. “You’re making this difficult, Melanie,” he mutters, a hint of frustration lacing his tone. But there is no malice in his words—only a grudging respect for his opponent's skill.

With a swift motion, Alexandre's sunlight blade begins to shift and reshape, its form flowing like liquid metal. In seconds, the sword transforms into a sleek golden bow, with five arrows already nocked on the string, each one glowing with the same brilliant energy as the blade before. Without hesitation, Alexandre draws back the bowstring and aims high, releasing all five arrows into the air. They shoot upward, disappearing into the arena's heights.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

But Alexandre isn’t done. Even as the arrows soar, the bow morphs again, this time into a pair of gleaming daggers, each blade shimmering with the power of the sun. With a burst of speed, he dashes forward, closing the distance between himself and Melanie in the blink of an eye.

Melanie’s eyes widen slightly, but she reacts with the same fluid grace that has defined her movements so far. She raises one hand, and an ice shield materializes in front of her, thick and sturdy. Alexandre’s first strike clangs against it, the impact sending a shockwave through the arena. But Alexandre is relentless, slashing and stabbing with his daggers, each strike faster and more forceful than the last.

For a moment, it seems like Melanie will be overwhelmed. The ice shield begins to crack under the relentless assault, shards flying in all directions as she struggles to keep up. But then, with a swift, calculated move, Melanie spins her tail around, using its immense strength to deflect Alexandre’s next strike. The force of the blow throws Alexandre off balance, and with a final powerful sweep, Melanie knocks him back, sending him crashing to the ground.

The crowd erupts in cheers, but their excitement is cut short as the first of Alexandre’s arrows begins its descent. Melanie barely has time to react, summoning another shield of ice to block the incoming barrage. She manages to deflect three of the arrows, each one shattering her shield further. But the last two slip through her defenses—one piercing her shoulder, the other embedding itself in her tail.

Melanie gasps, her body seizing as the searing pain shoots through her. The arrows, infused with solar energy, burn against her cold skin, the heat searing her flesh. But she doesn’t cry out. Instead, with fierce determination, she focuses her energy, ice rapidly forming around the wounds. The frost spreads quickly, freezing the burns shut and numbing the pain.

Her breath comes in ragged gasps, but she straightens, the frost around her wounds glinting in the stage lights. Melanie’s eyes lock onto Alexandre, who is already pushing himself back up, a smirk playing on his lips despite the bruises forming on his skin.

As Melanie and Alexandre stand locked in their fierce standoff, the crowd's roar reverberates throughout the arena, echoing off the walls with an almost deafening intensity. The spectacle unfolding before their eyes is unlike anything Xavier has seen before, and he finds himself both mesmerized and unnerved by the raw power on display.

Jackson, who leans forward in his seat, his full attention captured, turns to Xavier, his eyes wide with excitement. "You seein' this, sugar? This is what I signed up for—real, no-holds-barred fighting! Ain’t this somethin'?"

Xavier nods, though his mind wanders elsewhere. The tension, the adrenaline, the sheer unpredictability of what is happening on that stage—it all begins to overwhelm him. His thoughts flicker to his own upcoming duel, and suddenly, the need to clear his head becomes urgent.

“I need a break,” Xavier mutters, standing up abruptly. “I’m gonna go take a smoke.”

Jackson shoots him a quick look, raising an eyebrow. “You sure, man? You don’t wanna miss this. But hey, if you gotta go, just don’t get caught. Take it to the bathroom—ain't nobody gonna bother ya there.”

Nodding, Xavier gives Jackson a brief wave and makes his way out of the stands, the cheers of the crowd fading behind him as he navigates the maze of corridors leading to the bathroom. His mind races, replaying the duel he has just witnessed and dreading the one to come.

When he finally pushes open the bathroom door, he encounters an unexpected sight—Selene is there, standing by the sinks, her face to the mirror. The atmosphere in the room shifts instantly, the air thickening with an almost palpable tension.

Xavier hesitates for a moment, his thoughts flashing back to their brief encounter in the hallway. Deciding to seize the moment, he approaches cautiously. "Selene," he begins, trying to keep his voice steady, "why do you apologize earlier? What’s going on?"

Selene doesn’t even turn to look at him. Instead, she stiffens, and a low, dangerous growl escapes her throat. When she finally turns to face him, her eyes are like twin pools of darkness, filled with a cold fury that makes Xavier’s blood run cold.

“Fuck off,” she snarls, her voice dripping with venom. “You think you can just walk up and talk to me? You don’t know anything about me, about what I am. So do yourself a favor and stay the hell out of my way.”

Xavier stands there, stunned, as her words cut through the air like a blade. The apology from earlier now seems like a distant memory, replaced by this harsh, unyielding aggression. He opens his mouth to say something—anything—but the words die in his throat.

Selene’s gaze never wavers as she continues her verbal assault. “And don’t worry about our duel,” she adds, her tone cold and mocking. “I’m looking forward to breaking you, nice and slow.”

The finality in her voice leaves no room for argument. Swallowing hard, Xavier takes a step back, feeling his muscles twitching. He knows he is outmatched, not just in power but in understanding the depths of whatever darkness Selene carries within her.

Without another word, he turns on his heel and leaves the bathroom, the door swinging shut behind him. His mind reels, the brief encounter with Selene leaving him shaken and more uncertain than ever.

As Xavier makes his way back to the stands, the atmosphere of the arena shifts dramatically. The once roaring crowd is now eerily quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos he has left behind. He glances around, noticing the tension in the air, the spectators frozen in their seats, their eyes glued to the stage.

When Xavier finally reaches Jackson, he leans in, his voice barely above a whisper. "What happened? Why is it so quiet?"

Jackson, still staring at the scene before him, lets out a slow breath. "Man, you missed a spectacle. They were goin' at it, and then… Alexandre pulled off something that left everyone too stunned to speak. It was unreal."

Curiosity fills Xavier as he follows Jackson's gaze to the arena. The sight that meets his eyes is nothing short of shocking. Alexandre stands victorious, though visibly battered, his clothes torn and bloodied from the intense battle. In one hand, he holds his sword, which has lost its beautiful luster and barely flickers, poised just above Melanie's throat. Melanie, equally bruised and exhausted, sprawls on the ground as her legs revert back to their human form.

The crowd seems to hold its collective breath, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Then, slowly, Alexandre lowers his sword, the deadly edge retreating from Melanie’s neck. He sheathes it to his side and extends his hand toward her, offering a handshake, his expression a mix of respect and relief.

But Melanie, despite her defeat, isn’t one to accept pity. She meets Alexandre’s gaze with a smirk, her lips curling into a defiant smile. With a sharp slap, she knocks his hand away, pushing herself up onto her feet.

“Don’t think this is over,” she mutters, her voice hoarse but filled with determination. “Next time, I’ll show you just how strong I am.”

Alexandre chuckles softly, nodding in acknowledgment. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

The tension in the arena breaks as the crowd erupts into wild cheers, their silence replaced by a deafening roar of approval. The duel, intense and unpredictable, has delivered on every front, leaving everyone eager for the next encounter between these two formidable fighters.

As the competitors exit the stage, the voice of the arena announcer booms through the loudspeakers.

“Ladies and gentlemen, what an incredible display of skill and power we’ve just witnessed! Let’s give a round of applause for both fighters, who’ve left it all on the stage tonight!” The crowd erupts in cheers, their applause thunderous as they show their appreciation for the duel they have just seen.

The announcer continues, his tone only increasing in intensity, "And now, we'll take a short break before the next round of matches. This is your chance to catch your breath, grab some refreshments from our cafeteria, and get ready for the next set of duels! Trust me, folks—you won't want to miss what’s coming up next!"

As the announcement echoes through the arena, Jackson turns to Xavier, eager to discuss the fight. But as his gaze sweeps the seat next to him, his words falter. Xavier is gone, having slipped away unnoticed during the commotion.

Jackson shakes his head, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Looks like that guy off 'gain… he's a pro at sneakin' off, I swear."

Unbeknownst to Jackson, Xavier has already made his way to the main entrance of the arena. His mind races with the events of the day—the duel, Selene’s outburst, and now this. But he has one more thing to take care of before the next round of matches begins.

As he reaches the entrance, he spots Melanie emerging from the locker rooms, still wiping away the remnants of frost from her earlier transformation. Her movements are slow, a slight limp in her step, but her expression remains fierce and unyielding. Xavier approaches her cautiously, unsure of how she might react after such a grueling fight.

“Melanie,” Xavier calls out, his voice steady but tinged with urgency.

She glances up, her eyes narrowing slightly as she recognizes him. “What do you want?” she asks, her tone sharp but also filled with exhaustion.

Xavier takes a deep breath, steadying himself.

“I need a favor.”