Rhea Cobble shifted nervously on the balls of her feet. She was taller than Liana by almost a head, thin-limbed, with short-cropped black hair. Her wand—a simple oak stick with no ornamentation—trembled slightly in her grip. She looked like someone who had never expected to make it this far.
The magical barrier shimmered into place around them—translucent blue dome sealing the fighting circle.
Mira Hale's calm voice echoed across the arena.
"Match 17: Liana Starweaver versus Rhea Cobble. Begin!"
Rhea moved first—instinct more than strategy.
She thrust her wand forward with both hands.
A thin, wavering beam of orange light shot out—low-level fire magic, barely more than a candle flame stretched into a line. It hissed toward Liana's chest, slow and predictable.
Liana didn't even step aside.
She flicked her own wand—slender silver with a sapphire tip—upward in a casual arc.
