The second flanker slowed as he neared Team Nox's base.
The raised platform stood only a short distance away now, the banner implanted in the center swaying faintly in the wind. The noise of the arena made communicating with the rest of his team impossible. He glanced back once, toward the center where Jonas and the rest of the team were grouped.
It was too far to make a new plan.
He turned back toward Team Nox's base, moving slowly, using nearby trees as cover.
"So he's committing," Lucien whispered under his breath.
Lucien didn't raise his voice to give an order yet.
He waited for the perfect moment to decide his fate.
Alya remained braced behind him, Corin hovered at the edge of the field close to the base, waiting for a signal to come. Lucien watched as the flanker came closer to the base.
"Get ready." Lucien said quietly.
The flanker took another step forward, still hidden slightly behind cover. The moment his foot crossed the edge of the platform into the base, the crowd's reaction changed. A surge of noise and shouts crossed through the arena as students leaned forward in their seats, voices rising in excitement as he gripped onto Team Nox's banner.
"Now." Lucien said.
Alya moved instantly. The ground beneath the banner warped, the stone around it rising to seal off most of the exits in the base. At the same time, Corin vanished for a moment.
The flanker looked around in confusion as Corin appeared behind him in a quick motion. Sweeping his leg and forcing him onto the ground. Corin didn't rush to follow up. He planted a knee between the flanker's shoulders and pressed him firmly down.
The flanker struggled against his grip once and then froze. Jonas noticed but was too far away to help his team member, he started running toward the base to close the distance but it was already too late to change anything.
Corin leaned to whisper in the flanker's ear. "You're boxed in… you can't escape."
With no clean retreat available, the flanker glanced toward the sealed exits then raised his hands slowly.
"I surrender…"
Without hesitation a loud announcement spread across the arena to the remaining participants.
"One of Team Arcei's members has been eliminated."
The crowd fell into a stunned silence.
Jonas slowed to an immediate stop, his expression showing disappointment. He stood just outside Team Nox's base, looking at the warped terrain. His breathing became uneven as he watched one of his members get escorted away by tournament officials.
His eyes flickered to Lucien, for a brief moment the two captains met eyes across the field.
Lucien observed his behaviour, the bow had still not yet returned to Jonas' hand.
Lucien put his hand behind his back and pointed his finger left. Corin noticed the signal and began moving straight away. He vanished in a blink, reappearing at the edge of the battlefield before darting toward Team Arcei's base. His movements were efficient, each blink measured rather than aggressive compared to his earlier movements in training.
Jonas didn't notice at first and when he did it was already too late. He turned and sprinted toward his own base with his other team member, he ran with no plan in mind.
"Alya," Lucien said, "Use the attack technique you practiced."
Alya nodded then pressed her palms together. Stone from the ground floated around her hands as she stretched them into something more narrow and sharp. She used them as projectiles, shooting them toward Jonas and the other retreating member. Her aim was not perfect, most of them missed the target completely, one hitting the remaining flanker in the leg causing a small wound making him slow down.
"Good work." Lucien said as the remaining floating stones dropped to the ground.
Alya stepped back, her breathing heavy due to the strain of using her skill in such a way.
Corin noticed her weakened state but he didn't have the luxury to stop and worry. He kept moving, using the advantage to push further, reaching the opposing platform in a blur.
He wasn't alone.
The final member of Team Arcei stood from where he'd been seated previously beside the banner.
"So you actually made it," he said coldly.
The moment Corin stepped forward, the air around the platform thickened. It wasn't visible but he felt resistance. The air pressed against him, the ground beneath his boots felt like it was holding him down. Each movement required more effort than it should have. His blink stuttered, moving slower than usual.
"What is this?" Corin muttered quietly in confusion, he had never felt such pressure before.
It was a pressure zone.
A utility skill.
The final member watched him closely, his expression guarded.
"Go ahead and try," he said calmly.
Corin took another step. The pressure around him intensified, turning the short distance between them into something else entirely.
Corin realised he couldn't muscle through this, he had to make a plan. For a moment, neither of them moved, Corin's eyes glanced around the entire platform. He noticed how the member was standing directly in front of the flag, not moving at all. His eyes widened as he figured it out.
He took a step back, the pressure disappeared instantly. He caught a glimpse of a faint blue outline of the zone where the pressure was densest.
He figured out that the skill was limited to only a small area.
Corin vanished sideways and reappeared just beyond the edge of the zone, movement snapping back to his regular speed as his hand tightened around the banner's pole. The pressure surged forward again, but his speed was enough. In a heartbeat he blinked out as he tore the banner from the platform.
The crowd roared in response.
"Oh no." Corin muttered.
He had created enough distance between the base and himself but as he tried to blink, his body lagged in response. His legs felt heavy, the strain from repeated blinking crashed into him all at once. He stumbled forward, his boots scraping against the field as his momentum slowed.
He forced himself upright, breath sharp in his chest as he moved on foot instead of blinking.
At the same time, Jonas moved.
Corin heard it before he saw it. A sharp whistle cut through the sky as the crowd roared.
An arrow cut across the field.
"Corin, down!" Lucien's voice rang out through the sound of the crowd.
Corin dropped instinctively. The arrow changed trajectory last second and clipped him in the knee.
"-Gah!" Corin screamed out in pain.
He landed on the ground hard, pain increasing in his knee as he pushed himself onto one leg. Another arrow flew by, faster than the last.
"Alya," Lucien said quickly. "Drop the barrier around the base and cover Corin."
In less than a second, the barrier around the base dissolved into dust as Alya slammed her hands into the ground. The earth below Corin rose upward, causing a small barrier around him.
The arrow hit the barrier, causing it to shatter instantly.
Alya stumbled backwards, coughing violently as she dropped onto the ground, blood dripping from her lip as the backlash finally caught up to her.
Lucien looked around, Corin wounded and Alya at her limits.
Corin planted both hands onto the ground and forced himself to stand up, vision blurring as he looked toward the team's base ahead. The distance felt too far.
Without thinking of the consequences, he stepped forward.
Then vanished.
He appeared in Team Nox's base and collapsed immediately, unconscious with the captured banner still in his hand.
For a moment, the whole arena was silent.
Then the crowd erupted.
The announcement came quickly after, the signal for the end of the match booming across the arena.
"Victory to Team Nox."
The noise that followed was nothing like before. Loud yet confused cheers echoed through the audience. Lucien didn't react to the noise, he was already moving toward his injured team.
Faye reached Corin first, on her knees beside him as white light formed between her hands as she attempted to heal him. She focused on the areas of most damage, rather than trying to undo everything entirely.
Alya tried to get back up but failed, Lucien caught her before she could fall. Her breathing was uneven, her face was pale from exhaustion but she managed a faint nod.
"Enough," Lucien said calmly, "You did well."
Across the field, Team Arcei stood in complete silence. Jonas remained where he was, his bow already dissolved. He watched as officials moved in to secure the field for the next match, his eyes lingering on his banner now in Team Nox's base.
He looked over toward Lucien, there was no anger in his eyes. Only acknowledgement.
Medical staff began to enter the arena and the noise gradually settled. Lucien took one last look at the battlefield before walking to the resting area.
He knew this was only the beginning.