"—Match over! The victor is Julies Evans of the Draken Duchy!"
"As expected of him. He’s good," Alice Draken said, nodding in quiet satisfaction as the referee’s voice echoed across the arena.
Her attendant, Julies Evans, had just defeated Gareth—just as she’d asked him to.
The plan was proceeding perfectly.
They would et in the finals... just like they had promised.
And now, it was her turn to carry out her part of that promise.
"I’m really hurt, you know? You should pay attention when soone’s talking to you."
"I’m sorry, Ami," Alice said, blinking back to the present.
"Well, it’s fine," Alia replied with a teasing smile. "It’s not the first—or even the second—ti you’ve completely spaced out on ."
Ah... oh dear.
Alice realized she had committed yet another faux pas.
Only when her opponent spoke did she finally look up and et her eyes—those soft, glimring eyes she knew so well.
Alia Frost.
Lady of the Frost family. Alice’s childhood friend. And today, her opponent in the martial arts tournant.
Alia’s slender hair shimred under the sun, and the pale green of her eyes sparkled like dew-kissed leaves.
At first glance, she gave off the impression of a fragile noble lady—delicate and refined.
But that would be a mistake.
Alia was a Frost, born of the cold and wild North. Her family had long specialized in Ice affinity magic.
But not her.
Alia was fire.
Fire that burned bright and fierce.
Her specialty was fla magic—destructive and potent—and she wielded it with deadly precision.
Like Alice, she had also taken the Successor’s Trial... and erged victorious. Alice rembered the tale vividly. Alia had incinerated her trial beast in seconds, reducing the monster to ash with a single, radiant inferno.
No hesitation.
No rcy.
Just sheer, overwhelming power.
And now... they were facing off.
Not as friends.
But as rivals.
The crowd quieted as the referee’s voice called for both competitors to take their positions on the dueling platform.
Alice let out a breath, steadying her heartbeat. The pressure was imnse. Not just because of the crowd or the expectations—but because of Alia. She knew her strengths, her tenacity, and most of all... her pride.
Alia was not going to hold back.
Alice couldn’t afford to either.
They had promised to et in the finals—but only one of them would make it through.
And neither intended to lose.
"It’s really a bitter feeling, to have fight against my friend this early in rounds."
"I agree."
Alia just simply nodded her at Alice words.
"....And what is this going on? My first match was against a ice mage and now it’s you, who can control fire magic."
Alia chuckled at Alice words.
"...It’s poetic, isn’t it?" Alia said with a wry smile, resting one hand on her hip. "Ice, then fire. Like the gods are testing your balance."
Alice smiled faintly at that. "Or testing my patience."
Alia laughed—light, airy, but not without heat. "Either way, you’ll have to deal with now. And I’m not planning to go easy just because we used to braid each other’s hair in the garden."
"I wouldn’t want you to."
The tension between them simred, not in hostility—but in the quiet understanding shared only between those who had grown up side by side, always pushing one another forward.
They had sparred before, of course. As children. But this—this was different. There were spectators. Judges. Reputation.
Alice narrowed her eyes.
She couldn’t afford to stumble now.
The referee raised a hand. "Duelists, prepare yourselves!"
The air shifted. Magic sparked in the atmosphere as the crowd hushed in anticipation.
Alia’s expression changed, just subtly—her smile fading into a cool determination. She took her stance, drawing mana with a practiced grace. Her red aura shimred like wildfire, flickering around her hands.
Alice also took out her sword as her slightly friendly expression turned into colder by each seconds.
They stood across from each other—fire and wind, pride and expectation.
"Begin!"
Clang!
The sound of steel scraping against scorched stone rang out as Alice lunged forward.
Her boots thudded across the dueling platform—steady, controlled, each step asured with precision. She didn’t hesitate. There was no room for it.
Fwoosh—!
A burst of fla surged from Alia’s palm, arcing straight toward her. Alice dropped low, pivoting on one heel, the fire grazing past her shoulder with a wave of heat.
"Tch." Alia narrowed her eyes. "You’ve gotten faster."
Shff—!
Alice didn’t answer. She was already closing the distance, her blade humming as wind gathered along its edge—a technique she had mastered not with raw power, but with finesse.
Clang!
Sparks flew as her sword struck the flaming shield that ford just in ti around Alia.
"You’re not giving ti to breathe, huh?" Alia said, her voice light but her tone focused.
Alice pulled back, not letting her guard down. "You’re the one who taught that holding back only gets you burned."
Crackle—!
Flas spiraled around Alia’s feet, licking the edges of her coat. She stepped forward, snapping her fingers. A fireball shot out like a cannon.
Alice ducked sideways, her cape singed at the edge.
Boom!
The fireball exploded against the wall of the dueling stage, sending a wave of heat and ash into the air.
But Alice was already behind her.
Shwing—!
Her sword sliced downward in a clean arc—but Alia twisted just in ti, rolling sideways.
Tap tap—
Her boots skid across the stone, her hair whipping behind her like a ribbon of silver and fla.
"Not bad," Alia said with a short breath. "You’re serious today."
"I told you," Alice replied, her voice low, steady. "I can’t lose."
Fwsshhh!—
Alia didn’t reply. She raised both hands this ti—and a ring of fire erupted from the ground around her.
Alice’s eyes narrowed.
She’d seen this move before.
Alia stepped into the ring, letting the flas swirl around her like a living cloak.
But Alice didn’t back down. She stepped forward, right into the edge of the fire.
Whoosh!
A quick slice of her blade—and the wind enchantnt split a path through the fla, dispersing it just enough.
Alice charged in.
Clang!
Their clash was quick. Sword against heat, steel against power.
Clank! Shing!
They exchanged blows—Alice dodging and parrying, Alia pushing back with bursts of magic-infused strikes.
Then—
Thud!
Alice’s boot connected with Alia’s side in a swift kick, knocking her off balance.
Alia stumbled back, breath caught in her throat. "You’re kicking now?"
"I do what works," Alice said, sword raised again.
Alia laughed, breathless. "Fine. No more talking, then."
Boom!
Alia slamd both palms to the ground—
Fwoooosh—!
A circle of fire exploded outward in a blazing wave.
Alice leapt back just in ti, her boots skidding across the stone with a harsh scrape.
Skrrt—!
The hem of her cape caught fla but she slapped it down quickly, extinguishing the fire before it spread.
"You’re really pushing it," Alice said under her breath, narrowing her eyes.
Across from her, Alia was still standing—shoulders rising and falling with every breath. Sweat glistened on her brow. Her flas flickered violently, less stable than before.
Crack... pop...
The fire around her sparked like a candle struggling against wind.
Alice knew that look.
Alia’s mana was running low.
That last wave had taken too much.
Alia still lifted her hand, trying to conjure another fla.
Ffft...
It barely lit. Just a flicker. Her expression tensed.
"...Tch." Alia clenched her teeth. "That’s not good."
...And it was really not good for her.
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