The cheers from the crowd washed over me in a dull, distant roar. I stood in the center of the Wisher's Arena, the ice on the marble floor already melting under the enchanted sun, my hand still loosely holding Noora's. The duel was over. I had won. My rank was secure.
For now.
As we walked off the stage, the whispers started. They followed us like a second shadow, weaving through the dispersing crowd.
"Did you see that? He just… vanished!" "Teleportation… I haven't seen a student use that since Headmistress Evelyn was in her prime." "He showed it too soon. Now everyone knows. He's painted an even bigger target on his back."
They were right. The teleportation skill was my ace, a trump card I had been forced to play far earlier than I'd intended. Noora's relentless, calculated assault had pushed me to my absolute limit. But it was a necessary risk. I had to show that I had more than just shadows and tricks. I had to prove that challenging me would be a costly mistake.
