All eyes gathered on one specific area, where the scions of the prominent Fire Mage families had gathered. There was an anticipatory silence, as the crowd was waiting for Alexander's response.
Surrounded by a group of his closest followers sat the boy in question, a sour look on his face. "Puppet show?” Alexander asked. “What are you even talking about? I am here to watch a duel — NOTHING ELSE!"
His last words had been said while looking straight at Martin. It was evident that he was not very pleased with the boy’s performance so far. Even so, his face was impassive as he sat back down. His gestures and words made it clear that this was all he had to say on the matter.
The confrontation between the two faction leaders cast a different light on this event. Even the most clueless member of the crowd had noticed that there was something else going on behind the scenes. Evidently, this event was part of some kind of power struggle between the factions.
Zeke looked up at Miranda, surprised that she would speak up for him. However, his initial feelings of gratitude transformed after a look at her expression. It was highly likely that she had not spoken up to help him out.
From the way she was grinning, it seemed she had simply wanted to oppose Alexander and the Fire Mages. Over the past couple of weeks, Zeke had learned not to put his faith in any of them. More often than not, their words were only a means to an end. It was highly likely that she didn’t care about him, one way or the other.
Miranda would most likely only support him for as long as he was useful to her. And as bleak as that realization was, Zeke wasn’t disappointed. Just the opposite, he could work with that. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, was it?
A smile appeared on Zeke’s face as he nodded at Miranda in thanks. But before he could do anything else, he was interrupted by an irate voice.
"Fine! If that’s how you want to do this, then let’s go!” Martin yelled. “FIREBALL!”
Without waiting for any signal, Martin unleashed the spell he had been preparing in secret. As the projectile was closing in, Zeke realized that this was the reason why Martin had remained quiet for so long. He was planning to end the fight before it had even started.
The crowd held their breath as they watched Martin’s attack sail through the air, following its trajectory with their eyes. It soon became clear, that the ball of flames was heading straight for Zeke’s face. This was very bad form for a spar, as a hit to the face could do a lot of damage, even with such a low-level spell. There was even a chance of such a hit being fatal and many hissed at this cowardly move.
However, Zeke remained completely calm. Instead of evading, he stood his ground with his eyes fixed on the incoming spell. Using his [Perfect Body Control], he was able to enhance the functions of his entire body simultaneously, but he put special focus on his brain and eyes. He could not afford to miss a single thing right now. In this state, the approaching spell was moving at a snail’s pace.
The audience cried out in shock as the spell struck Zeke right in the face. Martin began to laugh like a maniac and threw his second spell. He followed this up with a prolonged barrage, one fireball chasing the last. Each new spell detonated on impact, shrowding Zeke’s entire silhouette in a crimson haze. At this point, Zeke was not even visible anymore. The area where he once stood was completely covered in flames.
“Fireball! Fireball! Fireball…”
Eventually, Martin stopped his onslaught, panting for breath. He had almost reached the limit of his core. However, there was a satisfied smile on his face. He looked up at the other Fire Mages, expecting to receive smiles in return. However, he was met with nothing but grim looks. All of them looked at the place where Zeke had been standing.
Martin's confidence slowly turned to fear as he realized that something was off — It was too quiet. There had been no reaction from his opponent, no painful screams - nothing. The only sound was the crackling of flames and the sound of his own heavy breathing.
"Is that all?” A voice called out from inside the inferno.
A moment later, the flames died down, revealing Zeke’s figure. He was completely unscathed and unharmed, with his staff still casually resting on his right shoulder.
The crowd had gone silent. They were just now coming to the realization that Zeke's abilities far exceeded their expectation. He had not only survived the onslaught but also remained unharmed. Martin, on the other hand, was barely able to stand, his face contorted. He was breathing heavily and was covered in sweat.
Zeke's eyes displayed his disappointment as he surveyed Martin, who was still reeling from the realization that his magic had not been able to harm him.
“Is that all?" Zeke repeated, his voice tinged with a hint of mockery. "What a letdown. It seems the Feuerkranz family isn’t as impressive as the rumors made them out to be." While saying those words, he looked straight past Martin and into the eyes of Alexander.
There was laughter from the stands of the water mages and Zeke was sure he could make out Miranda's voice, but he didn't turn to check. He wasn’t putting on a show, he truly was disappointed by this display.
He had given it his all for the past week. Each day was spent brainstorming and drilling anti-fire magic maneuvers and tactics. He knew about all the spells the Feuerkranz family used, standard tactics, habits, everything.
But what did Martin end up doing? He spent his entire Mana throwing fireballs at his Spatial barrier. Zeke just now realized how much they must have underestimated him. Well, it made a certain kind of sense considering they still didn’t know of his adoption until today. Whatever the case, It was time to end this farce.
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Martin's face contorted in anger, but before he could respond, Zeke began walking towards him. The crowd watched in silence, unsure of what to expect next. After a few quick steps, he loomed over the other boy, looking down at him with a mix of pity and disdain.
With a quick swipe, he brought the unarmed Mage to his knees, with the end of his staff resting against Martin’s throat.
"I am done here," Zeke proclaimed in a firm voice. Without waiting for a reply, Zeke turned and began walking towards the exit. However, he didn’t even make it a couple of steps before a tingling at the back of his neck alerted him to danger.
“FIRE LANCE!”
By the time he heard the scream, Zeke was already dodging to the side. He had learned to trust his instincts, and it was exactly this reflex that saved him now. A spear of flame sailed past the spot where his head had previously been. His eyes narrowed, this was a killing blow.
Zeke tensed his body in midair, adjusting his landing so he could get back on his feet faster. Like a coiled spring, he bounced back up, facing his opponent once more. Meanwhile, the spell flew past Zeke and crashed into the wall behind him, burrowing deep into the stone.
Zeke gnashed his teeth in sheer rage. His hair stood on end and his heart was beating like crazy. He had wanted to end this fight amicably after showing his superiority, but all those plans had just been thrown out the window.
Martin had never much cared about playing fair, ever since they were little. But to think that he would strike a killing blow at his unprotected back… and for what? to win a spar? Zeke was barely able to fathom the depths his long-time rival was willing to stoop to. This level of disregard for any type of justice made his blood boil.
“Bad choice,” he growled.
Zeke pushed his body to its limit as he bounded forward. Like a snake, his metal-reinforced staff shot out, hitting center mass. A sickening crack echoed throughout the arena as Martin's sternum was fractured. The boy, who had been flung backward like a sack of rice, struggled to breathe as he lay on the ground, unable to move.
The onlookers watched in shock as Zeke stood victorious, his expression now devoid of any trace of levity. Some stared in awe at the victorious Mage, and others jeered and cursed him. But Zeke paid neither group any mind, his focus solely on the exit. He strode out of the arena with purpose, leaving all this chaos and noise far behind.
Meanwhile, the crowd's attention turned to Martin, who lay motionless on the ground. The sight of the fallen student sent a wave of concern and panic through the stands. A team of Life Mages rushed towards him, their expressions grave as they assessed the severity of his injuries. Martin's sternum had been shattered by Zeke's powerful strike, leaving him struggling to breathe, but his life was not in immediate danger.
As the healers worked to restore Martin, the crowd in the stands erupted in chaos. The Fire Mages were incensed at the savage nature of Zeke's final attack, while the Water Mages were just as fervent in their defense of Zeke and condemnation of Martin's underhanded tactics.
The Earth and Wind Mages, meanwhile, looked on with a mixture of amusement and bemusement, occasionally interjecting with their own opinions to fuel the fire of the argument. The cries of outrage and the heated exchanges were so loud that they could be heard even from outside the arena.
Alexander's face was grim. He clearly wasn’t happy with the way things had gone. The crowd fell into a hush as he stood, his domineering presence commanding the attention of all in attendance.
His eyes scanned the sea of faces before him. "It should be clear now that Ezekiel poses a danger to us all. You have seen how savagely he attacked just now. Such behavior is unfit for a Mage. I propose we petition the school to expel him immediately."
A wave of exclamations swept through the crowd, but before the uproar could fully build, another voice spoke out.
"This is ridiculous!” Miranda exclaimed. “People get hurt while sparring all the time, there is nothing ‘savage’ about it. If anything, you Fire Mages are the ones causing the most injuries. And that’s not even the worst of it!” She said while pointing at the figure of Martin who was still lying down. “Your ‘newest member’ down there pulled a sneak attack twice in a single fight. And you have the guts to talk about unfit behavior?”
Miranda's voice cut through the commotion like a sharp blade, slicing through the noise and gaining the attention of all those present. Her words, spoken with a tone of authority and conviction, silenced even the most vocal of the crowd. Her eyes, like pools of deep water, seemed to bore into Alexander, challenging him to refute her claims.
Alexander grimaced but went on with his plan regardless. He looked towards the earth section. "Theodore, what are your thoughts on the matter?"
Theodore, the muscular Earth Mage, stood up slowly. "I believe," he began, his deep voice carrying across the arena, "Ezekiel's actions today were done in self-defense. Your boy brought this upon himself and got what he deserved. But my Steiner family, and us Earth Mages in general, want to have nothing to do with this entire affair. Deal with it as you see fit."
Theodore's words were met with murmurs of agreement from his fellow Earth Mages, while the Fire and Water Mages remained divided. Without hesitation, his group made their way out of the arena, with many of the independent students following in their wake.
Alexander turned his gaze towards the wind faction and addressed their leader. "Surely you understand the danger Ezekiel poses to us all, Viola?"
All eyes turned towards Viola Windtänzer. The petite girl with silver hair floated gracefully above her seat. With an impish grin on her face, she looked between Alexander and Miranda, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "It seems you two are at a stalemate. This means that it’s up to me to make the final decision."
Alexander glared at her. However, it didn’t seem to have any effect. The girl basked in the attention and her mischievous grin only seemed to infuriate the Fire Mage further, but he knew better than to lose his temper now.
Suddenly she began to snicker, breaking the tension. "It doesn't matter what any of us say or do. Expulsion decisions are ultimately up to the Headmaster, and I happen to know for a fact that Gramps will not expel Ezekiel."
"How can you be so certain?" Alexander asked, now a little unsure of his plan. ”There is a precedent for this. A couple of years ago, a student was expelled after two of the four factions petitioned for it. I don’t see why this would be any different.”
Alexander's eyes narrowed as he watched Viola put on a face of deep contemplation. The crowd waited in silence, eyes locked on the petite Wind Mage as she weighed her response. But the grin that slowly stretched across her face revealed that there was no deep contemplation going on at all — she was just stalling for the sake of drama.
As the tension began to mount, Alexander couldn't contain his frustration any longer. “Out with it, girl!”
Viola smiled triumphantly before finally explaining herself. "My grandfather owes his life to Maximilian, that’s why. Even if your father came to sign your stupid petition, Gramps would just spit in his face.”
The crowd erupted into murmurs as they processed this piece of information. Even Alexander found himself at a loss for words. With a deep chuckle, Miranda started to lead her group away. “Way to waste everybody's time, Alexander,” She called over her shoulder. “But I guess it was my fault for expecting anything more from a man of your caliber.”
As the crowd began to disperse, Viola's impish grin returned. Lazily she laid back in mid-air, stretching and grinning like the cat that got the cream. Nobody knew about the role she had played in today’s affair.