The two circled each other on the platform, each one waiting for the other to make a mistake.
Shiloh's cards continued to swirl around him, while Emranne stood poised and unmoving, her eyes locked on Shiloh.
In the audience, Aiden has his mouth on a straight line.
This battle truly showed the top two's capabilities.
Suddenly, Emranne moved. She dashed forward, her figure a blur as she vanished in a flash, reappearing right in front of Shiloh. She swung her sword with precision, aiming for his midsection, but Shiloh's reflexes were sharp.
Aiden stood at the edge of the crowd, his eyes trained on the platform where Shiloh and Emranne were locked in battle.
The murmurs of the students around him barely reached his ears as his focus remained solely on the duel unfolding before him. Beside him, Adrian leaned casually against a pillar, arms folded, his eyes half-lidded but clearly invested. Sevan stood beside them, his posture upright, his gaze intent on the fighters.
The announcer's voice cut through the air, loud and clear.
"Rember the rules, everyone!" The crowd fell silent at his command, waiting for the official declaration. "The duel will end when one of the combatants falls to their knees. Whoever does so first will lose the match."
Aiden's gaze flickered back to the fighters. Shiloh and Emranne were already evenly matched, neither of them showing signs of weakness.
Shiloh's cards danced around him like a swarm of deadly insects, each one aid at Emranne with deadly precision.
Emranne, on the other hand, was as fluid as water- her sword cutting through the air, her teleportation keeping her one step ahead of Shiloh's relentless assault.
Yet there was sothing different about her. A calmness in her eyes, an assurance in her movents. She wasn't just fighting; she was waiting for the right mont.
"Who do you think is going to win?" Sevan's voice broke through Aiden's thoughts, his gaze never leaving the duel.
Aiden's brow furrowed, but he didn't take his eyes off Emranne. "Emranne's got the upper hand," he said, his tone low and asured. "Shiloh's powerful, but she's... patient. It's like she's waiting for him to ss up."
Sevan nodded thoughtfully, his arms crossed. "That's true. His cards are impressive, but she has that sword, and she's been teleporting so effortlessly. She's keeping him on the defensive."
Adrian, ever the skeptic, raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that? Shiloh doesn't seem like the type to slip up."
The battle intensified as both combatants pushed their limits. Shiloh's cards were relentless, spinning in mid-air like a blinding storm, slicing through the space between them with deadly accuracy.
But Emranne remained composed. She dodged and countered with near-perfect precision, her movents calculated, every teleportation a step ahead of Shiloh's attack.
Shiloh's confidence began to crack.
His cards flew faster, harder, but it was clear he was growing more frustrated. His earlier calm deanor had shifted to one of desperation. He hurled cards at her from every angle, a barrage of sharp edges and force, but Emranne didn't budge. She was everywhere at once- teleporting in and out, moving faster than Shiloh could react.
Then, in an instant, Emranne vanished once more, reappearing behind Shiloh. Her sword sliced through the air in a clean arc, catching him off-guard. The blade cut through his defences, a deep gash appearing across his side.
Shiloh staggered but caught himself just in ti. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. He glared at Emranne, his eyes wild with a mix of anger and disbelief.
"You're not going to win this," he spat, pulling out another card from the air, his fingers trembling as he gripped it tightly. The cards around him began to swirl with an intensity that almost seed to crackle in the air.
She didn't teleport this ti. She didn't need to. She closed the distance between them with a swift, calculated stride, her sword raised high. The mont she reached him, she swung with deadly precision, and this ti, the force of her strike hit its mark.
Shiloh barely had ti to react as the sword collided with his shoulder, the impact sending him stumbling backward. He managed to catch himself just before falling, but the mont he did, Emranne's sword darted forward again, her movents a blur.
The crowd around Aiden gasped in unison as the force of Emranne's sword knocked Shiloh back once more. He stumbled again, his feet slipping on the stone beneath him, his breath coming in ragged gasps. This ti, as he tried to right himself, he fell to one knee.
The announcer's voice rang out over the crowd, triumphant and firm.
"Shiloh Spadille falls! Emranne wins!"
As the announcer's voice rang out, the crowd erupted into a clamor of cheers, gasps, and excited murmurs. So students clapped politely, while others shouted her na, their admiration echoing through the arena.
Shiloh remained on one knee, his breathing ragged as he stared down at the stone platform. His cards lay scattered around him, their once-bright glow now dimd.
Emranne barely reacted to the announcent. She stood still, her sword glinting in the sunlight as it rested loosely in her hand. Her expression remained neutral, unreadable, as if winning was simply another task she had completed.
With a practiced motion, she raised her hand, and her sword began to shimr.
The weapon dissolved into streaks of violet light that spiraled around her fingers before condensing into the small athyst ring now resting on her left hand. She slipped her hand into her uniform.
For a brief mont, she glanced down at Shiloh. He still hadn't moved, his head bowed and shoulders tense.
"You fought well," she said evenly, her voice carrying over the hushed murmurs of the students nearby.
She turned away without waiting for a response and began walking off the platform, the weight of her victory seeming to rest lightly on her shoulders.
The crowd parted for her as she descended the steps. Whispers followed her, fragnts of conversations reaching her ears:
"She didn't even break a sweat."
"Did you see how she teleported behind him like that?"
"That card guy never stood a chance."
At the edge of the courtyard, Aiden, Adrian, and Sevan stood together, watching as Shiloh passed by. Adrian let out a low whistle, leaning back against the wall with his arms crossed.
"So," Adrian started, breaking the silence, "anyone else feel like Shiloh was all talk? All that flair with his cards, and he still got floored." His tone was mocking, but the glint in his eye betrayed genuine amusent.
Sevan chuckled. "He wasn't terrible, but he definitely underestimated Emranne. She made him look like a beginner by the end."
Aiden finally looked at them, his expression unreadable. "Shiloh's problem wasn't his skill," he said. "He got too emotional. He panicked. That's why he lost."
Adrian raised an eyebrow, turning to face Aiden fully. "You're saying he could've won?"
"Maybe," Aiden replied. "If he'd kept his cool and stuck to a strategy, he might've had a chance. But once he started throwing cards blindly, it was over."
"That's true," Sevan agreed. "His attacks got sloppy after she landed that hit on him. He kept trying to overwhelm her, but she saw right through it."
Adrian smirked, kicking a small pebble on the ground. "See, this is why I don't rely on fancy tricks. Shiloh was too busy showing off instead of thinking. Emranne didn't care about any of that. She just waited for the right mont and took him down."
Aiden gave a small nod. "Exactly. She was patient. That's what made the difference."
Sevan leaned back on his hands, looking up at the sky. "You think he'll try to challenge her again? He doesn't seem like the type to give up after one loss."
Adrian scoffed. "If he's smart, he won't. Emranne's not soone you fight twice unless you've got a death wish."
Aiden didn't say anything right away. His gaze drifted toward the direction Emranne had gone, his mind still turning over the events of the duel. Finally, he spoke, his voice quieter than usual.
"I think Shiloh learned his lesson today. At least, I hope he did. If he challenges her again without changing anything, the result will be the sa."
Adrian snorted. "Sounds like soone's got a crush."
Aiden shot him a withering glare. "Don't be ridiculous."
Sevan laughed, shaking his head. "I get what you an. She's different. There's this... calmness about her, even when she's fighting."
Adrian smirked, clearly enjoying himself. "Sure, sure. 'Calmness.' You two sound like her biggest fans."
Finally, Adrian pushed off the wall, stretching his arms above his head. "Well, this has been fun, but I'm starving. Anyone else up for lunch?"
Sevan stood, brushing off his pants. "Yeah, I could eat. Let's go."
Aiden nodded, following them as they headed toward the dining hall.
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