Four days later, Kara finished an intense training session with her uncle Magnus, the academy's director. She now radiated confidence and resolve: this time, she was certain she wouldn't lose her rematch against Lusian. She was heading down to the first floor with steady steps when an announcement about a ranking duel made her stop in her tracks. The moment she heard the name "Douglas," her attention sharpened, and she hurried toward the combat arena.
There, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation. Caleb Douglas and Leonardo Erkham stood facing each other, ready to begin. Leonardo, making his debut in the general rankings, felt a mix of nerves and electricity in his stomach; Isabella and his siblings watched him closely. He wanted to impress—he needed to prove he belonged there.
Instructor Josh Bell's signal cut through the tension. Leonardo summoned an electrical storm: dark clouds spun above his head, his sword crackling with living lightning. Every spark consumed mana, and he knew he had to be precise. With a shout, he charged like a thunderbolt, the ground trembling beneath his feet.
Caleb, wrapped in a dark, serpentine aura, absorbed part of the attack and struck back. His sword, drenched in shadows, collided with Leonardo's lightning in an explosion that lit up the arena with sparks and thunder. Caleb forced him back and, without pause, unleashed a brutal strike. Leonardo managed to block it, but the clash of metal echoed like a war between titans.
There was no respite: Caleb drove a clean punch into Leonardo's face, drawing blood instantly. Four more precise blows followed, each aimed at breaking his defense. Leonardo staggered, on the edge of collapse, until he gambled everything on one last spell. Four electric spheres spun around him, draining his reserves but buying him a moment to regain the initiative.
The hope didn't last. Seven spheres of dark mana fell like meteors. Leonardo managed to block five; the remaining two struck him and hurled him to the ground. Mana crackled across his skin, the residual energy burning through every muscle.
Both fighters stood there, gasping, covered in wounds, staring at each other with a rivalry as old as fire and shadow.
—Imperial vermin, what other trick do you have? —Caleb mocked with a crooked grin.
—Inferior blood, do you dare? —Leonardo shot back, teeth clenched.
Without another word, the duel resumed in a symphony of steel and magic. Drawing on a technique learned from Laurence, Caleb caused spikes of dark mana to erupt from the ground. Overwhelmed, Leonardo fell, wounded and unable to defend himself.
Master Josh raised his voice and stopped the fight just before the final blow. Exhausted, Caleb walked past his rival with a satisfied smirk, not noticing that Isabella avoided his gaze.
From the stands, Kara watched with disdain. To her, Caleb and Leonardo were just a prelude. Her target was someone else.
—Lusian! —she shouted, her voice sharp as a whip.
Lusian turned, his gaze as cold as steel.
—What do you want?
—I challenge you to a ranking duel! —Kara's eyes burned with intensity.
—Are you crazy? Leave me alone —Lusian replied, half amused, half tired.
—Are you afraid? Today I'll destroy you —she insisted, mana pulsing around her.
—I already beat you. I have nothing to prove —Lusian said, sarcastic.
—Next time, you won't even be able to look at me without remembering the beating I'll give you —Kara shot back.
Master Enzo announced the start of the duel. The arena erupted in flashes of mana.
Kara attacked like a living storm: fists and kicks wrapped in energy, each strike carrying shockwaves. Lusian dodged with precision, leaving trails of shadow behind him. Her training with Magnus had given her powerful enhancement spells, but time was against her—she knew she had to win quickly before exhaustion set in.
Lusian, meanwhile, channeled darkness. His sword devoured light, and his black aura spread like ink. He struck with precision: physical blows combined with spheres of dark mana, each forcing Kara to split her focus. Both were wearing down, but neither yielded.
Suddenly, Lusian caused seven spikes of dark mana to burst from the ground. Kara dodged and blocked most of them, but one struck her side. Even so, she countered with a blow powerful enough to break two of Lusian's ribs. The clash of energies shook the arena.
Driven by fury, Kara charged again, her attack sending visible shockwaves through the air. Lusian barely managed to block, but his sword shattered in two. Without hesitation, he hurled the broken weapon at her to distract her, and in that instant, he appeared in front of her and landed a precise punch to her abdomen. Kara felt the air—and her mana—leave her body. Her enhancement spells began to fail; every movement became agony.
Barely standing, Kara took Lusian's final strike to the jaw. The impact sent her flying and left her sprawled on the ground, her golden aura reduced to a faint flicker. A grave silence fell over the arena—no one dared move.
Lusian, exhausted but still standing, stepped forward, his gaze burning with determination. The echoes of the blows still lingered when Master Enzo intervened, putting an end to the brutality.
—Enough! The duel ends here! —he declared. Lusian was announced the victor.
Magnus approached Kara, his eyes cold and calculating.
—Definitely Douglas blood —he said—. Only those bastards are capable of such cruelty.
As dust drifted through the light and the spectators caught their breath, it was clear that this duel—driven by fury and pride—would leave a lasting mark on the academy.