The announcement echoed across the skybound arena, carried by a magically projected voice that resonated within every soul present.
"The final event of the Exchange — the Tournament of Trials — shall now begin!"
Zane sat on the edge of the obsidian platform alongside the rest of his academy. The air around him buzzed with tension. Above, an intricate magical dome shimmered like liquid glass, enclosing the battlefield. Rows of students and instructors filled the spectator stands, the banners of every academy rippling in the wind.
Master Eldrin leaned forward from the bench behind him. "Remember, victory here grants not only glory but rare artifacts and resources for your academy. Fight smart."
Zane gave a subtle nod but didn't rise. His mind was elsewhere — still replaying the trap with Valerie, the fight with Lysara, and the words Nyx whispered after.
You're not just a student anymore.
Beside him, Sera stood and took a deep breath. She looked radiant, her hair caught in a breeze that seemed to rise only around her.
"I'm going," she said.
Zane turned, blinking. "Wait. You're entering?"
Sera gave him a light smile. "I may not be as strong as you, but I won't just sit here. Not after everything."
He hesitated. "This isn't like the dungeon... it's a one-on-one fight. You could—"
"Get hurt? Zane, I've fought for my life before. This time, I'm fighting for everyone else."
Before he could reply, her name was called. She stepped forward, the wind lifting around her like a cape. The arena shifted, and platforms rose — stone circles imbued with runes, rotating slowly in the air.
Her opponent, a flame user from Umbra Vale Academy, smirked arrogantly as he summoned a blazing whip.
Sera danced through fire, gliding like a falcon on the breeze. She twisted her body, condensed the air into blades, and cut through the inferno with precision. Every move she made was clean, decisive.
With a burst of gale-force wind, she sent her opponent flying out of the ring.
Cheers erupted. Zane allowed himself a smile.
But the matches continued, and the tension only grew as names were announced and students advanced. Soon enough, only eight remained.
Then came the semi-final announcement.
A silence fell over their section.
"Sera Windwhisper... versus Xander Dawnblade."
Zane's head snapped toward the arena.
A golden-haired boy stepped forward from the Lumina ranks. His eyes were pale like starlight. Light shimmered at his fingertips, forming a blade of pure radiance. Even the floor beneath him glowed faintly with every step.
Nyx's voice rang in Zane's mind. "That one... he's dangerous."
Zane stood, fists clenched, heart already sinking.
Sera smiled gently at him, though her eyes betrayed her fear. "I've got this."
Then she walked out into the light.