The air rippled as the training ground began to shift, the terrain mutating with an eerie elegance. From its original dinsions, the space stretched, expanding in both width and length, almost as if it were breathing. Then ca the bricks.
Monolithic, angular, and mismatched in height, they began to rise from the earth, each block a rectangular tower, so short, others rising tall and defiant. The room's transformation mimicked a war zone mid-construction.
Courtesy of a mystic earth elenter owner.
"The ball! Keep your eyes on it!" Saldrich called sharply to her teammates, her voice cutting through the sound of shifting stone.
At the centre of the evolving field, the ball? Today's main character rebelled as the terrain morphed beneath it. As the ground mutated, so too did its position, slowly drifting toward the incline of a newly ford brick hill.
The zone continued to mirror the chaotic structure both teams had agreed upon: a battlefield made of randomly stacked bricks, so narrow, others wide, but all ant to challenge their footing, height allocation, and decisive tactics.
"Team, let's move!" Aldrich bellowed, already darting forward in pursuit of the ball, his montum swift and sure.
Both teams had chosen this terrain for one reason: complexity. With bricks rising unpredictably from the sand, players would need to adapt on the fly, test their agility, timing, and decision-making in an environnt where every step could change.
"The goalpost! I'll stay back and guard it!" Dickins offered without hesitation, taking position near the rear of the field where the tallic outline of a goalpost was beginning to form from scattered fragnts.
"Perfect. Valeria, Opius, you are with ," Aldrich instructed, turning first to Valeria, sprinting along the right flank, then to Opius on the left. Their synchronization was instant.
But just as they surged forward, the terrain retaliated.
A brick the size of a wagon erupted from the sand right in front of Aldrich, its corner grazing his boot as it shot skyward. He halted abruptly, barely keeping his balance.
"Go! I'll catch up!" he shouted, waving them on without missing a beat.
Valeria and Opius hesitated only for a second, but they obeyed. Their sense of loyalty deserved to be applauded. However, comradeship and any sentintal emotions had no place in this arena.
This was not just an exam. This was a battlefield. A place where sweat would mimic blood and the drawing of weapons were replaced by cunning, adaptability, and strategy.
At Aldrich's command, his teammates bolted ahead, weaving through the rising brick columns. Their aim was simple: reach the ball, claim the advantage, and press the montum.
Whoever scored the first goal would control the flow of this battlefield, reign over the psychological warfare of the participants.
And Aldrich knew... His team had to have it because more than anyone, they needed it the most.
On the opposing side, Saldrich wasn't idle.
"Aydin! Guard the post. Fiona and I will intercept!"
Her tone was decisive. As soone with battlefield instinct and leadership etched into her bones, she saw the necessity of clear roles. She didn't even attempt to include Selina in the strategy. The girl wouldn't listen. Why waste ti barking orders that would go unheeded?
Saldrich and Fiona both possessed offensive skill sets, their arsenals built for forward pressure, not for halting enemy advances. That made Aydin the logical choice to remain behind.
After all, Aydin hailed from a mystic bloodline renowned for their mastery of Sealing Arts, an art form ideal for guarding, binding, and repelling. In defensive roles, no one in their year matched his potential.
Yet—
"No way! I'm heading up!" Aydin declared with rebellious fire, darting ahead with such speed that dust trailed in his wake.
Saldrich's eyes widened as he surged past her and Fiona, ignoring the formation entirely.
"Aydin!" she called after him, but her voice was swallowed by distance.
Then ca Selina.
Not to be outdone, she darted forward as well, completely ignoring whatever strategy had been in place. Her actions didn't surprise Saldrich. If anything, she had expected it.
"That makes two," Fiona muttered, frowning. "What do we do now?"
Left behind, Fiona and Saldrich stared at one another, the decision looming between them. Soone had to stay back. Soone had to guard the post. That much was non-negotiable. But who would it be?
Saldrich didn't rush her answer.
"Wait. Let's observe."
Her words were calm, asured. It wasn't a hesitation borne from indecisiveness, but rather strategy. It was still early in the match. The cards hadn't been played yet. The terrain was still in flux. The players, still adapting.
More importantly, she needed to understand Aldrich's team.
She knew her brother better than anyone on that field. She could even estimate the range of his abilities based on instinct alone. If she were to strip away all modesty, Saldrich would confidently claim she knew what his limits and potential were. After all, their Art is derived from the sa family lineage, and she happened to be stronger, more refined, and more complete.
That edge mattered.
With that knowledge, Saldrich found little reason to fear what Aldrich might pull off except for one thing: his bow. His archery had always been otherworldly. But in this competition, weapons were not handed out. Which ant Aldrich's biggest threat had been neutralized before the match even began.
Now for the real concern?
His teammates.
They were unknown, non-S-Class students who hadn't crossed her path before. That alone spoke volus. Had they been top-tier, they would've already stood out. Would've made nas for themselves.
That was the gap she couldn't calculate.
Still, even that ca with its limits. Her team, Saldrich, Fiona, Selina, and Astravon consisted of four top-ranked mystics. All certified S-Class. All trained in their respective Arts to the edge of mastery.
Aldrich was the only S-Class on his side. On paper, her team held the overwhelming advantage.
Yet—
If rankings were all that mattered, the instructors wouldn't have orchestrated this matchup. The officials knew. They saw sothing beyond ranks, beyond grades.
It was the only explanation why they would pitch for s-ranked students against one s-rank and three others...
And that? That was what Saldrich needed to uncover before making her next move.
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