The duel arena shimmered with controlled magic, the barrier glinting like sunlight on glass.
Lyra and Kael stood at opposite ends, magic swirling around them. Lyra's mana was light—vibrant and golden, while Kael's was shadow—fluid and sharp.
Lyra struck first, firing a bolt of blinding light. Kael sidestepped with ease, weaving a trail of shadows that danced around her attack.
"You're fast," Lyra breathed, excitement bubbling in her chest.
"You're loud," Kael replied coolly, his eyes narrowing. "Let's turn the volume down."
A pulse of darkness erupted from him, tendrils lashing outward. Lyra dodged, countering with a radiant shield that shimmered like sunlit glass.
The crowd cheered. Auren smirked from the side, arms crossed. Even Valric looked up from his scroll.
Just as Kael's shadow-wrapped strike was about to corner Lyra—
The ground shook.
Cracks split across the stone arena floor. Students screamed as glowing red fissures spread like roots of fire.
A portal tore open in the earth.
From it rose a demon—charred skin, curved horns, and molten-red eyes. A level-4 Hellspawn, barely intelligent but hungry and furious.
It roared, and chaos erupted.
The instructors immediately reacted, barriers flaring, students backing away.
"Everyone evacuate the grounds!" barked one. "NOW!"
Kael turned instinctively toward Lyra—just in time to see the demon lash a claw in her direction.
"LYRA!"
Without thinking, Kael tackled her to the side as the demon's strike slammed into the ground where she stood.
Lyra hit the grass, stunned—Kael above her, arms shielding her.
She blinked up at him, dazed.
"You okay?" he asked, voice tight.
Her heart stuttered. "Y-Yeah..."
And just like that, something changed.
She stared at him—not as her roommate's quiet, sarcastic friend—but as the boy who jumped in front of a demon without hesitation.
Around them, instructors began rallying students.
"Everyone OUT! There's more—this isn't over!"
"Level 10 demonic aura detected near the east training wing!"
Students scattered.
Everyone but Lyra, still lost in her thoughts.
---
Celeste saw it from afar.
Lyra hadn't moved. The demon was still nearby—circling, sniffing out mana.
She couldn't risk using real power. Not here. Not where everyone could see.
So she did the only thing she could.
She stepped into the open—quietly, deliberately—drawing the demon's attention away from Lyra.
But the demon saw her.
It roared and lunged.
Before she could react, its claw seized her, lifting her high into the air like a broken doll.