Four creatures stared each other down, deciding which of their opponents they would target. All four were healthy and ready. Biron's Torch was particularly hungry, hoping that if he took one of the creatures down, he might get to eat it.
"All right, remember—call your creature back as soon as the battle is over. We don't want issues with these stronger individuals," the teacher reminded them.
The three students nodded before the fight began. It was fire against ice, Buddling against bird. The battle erupted the moment the first creature moved.
The bird, the fastest of them, flew toward Mirelia's beast but was pushed back by a volley of seeds. Each one was carefully aimed not to miss, yet it was difficult for the small land creature to overcome a flying opponent.
Meanwhile, Torch and the spider—Silvar—were trying to gain an edge in their clash of domains.
Fire and ice clashed on even terms, creating water and steam with every exchanged skill.
The spider, reliant on its webs, couldn't keep them intact in the presence of fire, while the fire couldn't be sustained due to the growing amount of water.
Biron needed an edge. Water was creeping into his half of the field, and if left unchecked, it would freeze and shift the advantage to ice.
"Get in there, Torch! We can't keep giving her time to recover—you should be able to bite a leg or two!"
Sensing his master's urgency, Torch rushed forward. Though the surface was slippery, he used it to his advantage, allowing the momentum of his charge to carry into a spinning tail whip. The strike landed hard on one of Silvar's legs, sending the spider tumbling sideways.
The disruption was enough to break its casting rhythm, giving Torch a brief window to regain control of the icy terrain around him.
The ice spider let out a sharp hiss and retaliated by blasting a gust of cold wind through its mandibles, but it was too unstable to aim properly.
Torch ducked just low enough to avoid the blast. He didn't launch another Blazeburst shot—instead, he released a puff of smoke that cloaked the field in a thick black haze.
No one could see—neither to give orders nor to check if their creature was all right.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, Mirelia was gritting her teeth. Her Buddling had managed to repel the bird, but it was slowly running out of mana. He kept glancing at Biron's side, hoping Torch would win first so he could come help.
"Stop aiming for its torso! It's too small—try the wings!" Mirelia shouted.
Suddenly, one shot hit its mark. The bird reeled midair, rolling to maintain momentum. It couldn't leave the field, so it fought to stay within the boundary.
Back on Biron's side, Torch—still hidden beneath the cover of smoke—closed the gap and lunged at one of Silvar's legs, sinking his teeth in.
But it wasn't easy. A jagged spike of ice shot up from the water beneath him, grazing Torch's belly and forcing him to roll to the side.
Both Biron and Selka flinched, feeling the pain through their bond. It was enough to make them consider calling their creatures back—yet neither knew who was winning.
Then a burst of flame surged through the haze, clearing some of the smoke and flinging the spider into the air. Silvar now had three mangled legs. Though it had more to stand on, it struggled to rise.
All the creatures were nearing their limit—both physically and magically.
Then, from the far end of the field, a voice rang out.
"Time! Match over!"
The creatures froze in place, their masters already calling them back.
The barrier flickered as the examiner stepped forward to assess the damage and declare the results.
Biron exhaled and stepped forward to recall Torch, waiting just long enough for the teacher's approval.
"Nice one, buddy. You did better than I expected. Now return—you look spent."
Mirelia, on the other hand, didn't look pleased. Her creature returned on its own, but she didn't even glance at it before putting it away.
"You know," Biron said, "it might've lost this time, but it should be fine. Honestly, I think I would've lost that fight too. That bird… It's strong."
It was then that the teacher called them out.
"Summoner Brian, you win your fight. Your salamander dealt most of the damage while only receiving one in return.
Selka, you lost one but won the other—just by a hair's breadth. Your bird managed to stun your opponent; that was enough.
You three can leave now. The rest of the class, you'll receive your scores soon. As for your weekly allowance, go to the main office. The voucher will given out so you can collect your payment. You are all dismissed."
Biron was just about to return to Mirelia when Selka stopped him.
"Hey, that was a nice fight back there. I was wrong about you. If you ever want help with training, call me up. I don't think the runt's going to help you much."
Biron glanced toward Mirelia, who stomped out without a word.
"Is the rivalry that deep?" he asked, confused by how harsh they were to each other.
"It's always been there," Selka replied. "She may be the weakest in her family, but my brother was treated the same way by hers. I'm just paying back what he suffered for four years in this hellhole. I only came here to get my grades, but I wouldn't mind having a knight from this place."
Biron didn't know what to say at first. He had assumed it was just a simple rivalry, but there was clearly more to it.
"Well… I don't know about knights… but I'm sure you two can work things out, right? I mean, she even hates her own family. Maybe cut her a bit of slack?"
He saw Selka pause, clearly thinking it over, before she gave him a sharp glare.
"I want at least an apology before I extend a hand—that's all. Now, if you won't accept my proposal, I'll be going."
Biron watched the beautiful but fierce girl walk away and sighed, wondering why it was so difficult for these girls to get along.
"They should really see how life was back on Earth…"