Elias Leywin POV
"He he huh", I laughed as I continuously removed and stored my new sword from the dimensional ring that I was gifted by the Greysunders.
I continued to laugh to myself as my father sat down on the rock next to me.
"Why didn't you tell us about your arm being cut off?" my worried father asked, looking at me with a serious expression.
'What's with that? He knows I can heal myself.'
I stored my sword in the Dimensional Ring, and I looked at my father, confused by why he would ask such an unnecessary question. "You know I've survived worse than losing a forearm," I remarked, smirking at him.
He exhaled a heavy sigh "Could you explain what you mean by that, Elias?"
"It was at Kat's birthday a few years back?" I began my explanation, standing up and rolling my left shoulder.
"And what happened on her birthday?" Father asked impatiently as he raised both hands to his face, with his elbows on his knees.
"An assassin tried to kill her, and I pushed her out of the way?" I explained, confusedly looking back at him, "Did you not know about this?" I asked, genuinely surprised.
"No... I didn't," he replied, the façade of calm he had fading.
"Well, after I pushed her out of the way, an attack that was meant for her struck me, destroying my left arm and that side of my torso," I explained with a nonchalance unbecoming of a person who'd been dismembered.
"Holy shit, Elias", he reflexively blurted out before he stood up from the rock.
"Dad?" I questioned him as he stood over me.
He pulled me into a hug "Dad?" I questioned again, bewildered by the situation.
"I know you can heal far better than anyone, but that doesn't mean you can't feel pain" he tightens his grip around me.
"I know, Dad... though it doesn't hurt for long", I said as I tapped his arm.
"How so?" He asked, curious about what I meant.
"My arm was already regrown by the time it hit the floor."
"..."
"..."
I struggled out of the man's arms as he ruffled my hair "Just don't tell your mother you know how much she'd worry", he adds, flashing me a quick smile.
"Of course", I said, nodding in agreement.
~~~
The auditorium hummed with restless energy, hundreds of students packed into the long rows of polished seats. Lanterns enchanted with steady light hung overhead, giving the air a soft golden glow that made the wood shine. Everyone was waiting, whispering to their friends, shifting in their uniforms.
I was right up at the front, dead centre in the middle, between Curtis and Tess, with them being on my left and right respectively.
Curtis leaned forward on the edge of his seat, his knee bouncing up and down. "Any guesses what this is about?" he muttered, tilting his head toward me.
"Nope... Grandma has looked pretty stressed out lately, so it's probably something big, right, Tess?" I said to my self-proclaimed big sister on the right.
"H-huh?" she stammered out, as if I've broken her from a trance "What was that, Lias?"
The room fell quiet as the doors at the back of the stage opened. Grandma Cynthia walked out, calm and composed, her robes elegantly trailing behind her. She didn't need to say a word; the hall hushed instantly, almost as if someone had cast a spell over the whole crowd, which is something she would probably do.
"Students," her voice carried out clearly, calm yet powerful, "Thank you for gathering here today."
Curtis leaned toward me again, whispering, "See? Told you it was important."
I gave him a look before turning my eyes forward.
Grandma Cynthia clasped her hands behind her back. "Xyrus Academy has long been the centre of magical education. But the world is changing."
She spreads her arms "With the announcement by the Council that there is indeed another continent, it has only made it more apparent that while many of you excel in these halls, some falter when facing challenges beyond them. Knowledge alone is not enough. We must ensure readiness."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Tessia's pointed ears twitched ever so slightly, though her face stayed composed.
"We do not know the intentions of this new land, and to that end," Goodsky continued, "from this year onward, Xyrus Academy will host an annual summer tournament with its first edition coming at the start of next month."
The auditorium erupted. Gasps, shouts, and even a few cheers filled the hall like a wave crashing against stone.
Curtis' whole face lit up, his grin spreading wider than I thought possible. He clapped his hands once and leaned close, his voice buzzing with excitement. "A tournament! I knew it was going to be good. Oh, this is going to be amazing."
My stomach flipped. "Wait, wait-like... actually fighting? In front of everyone?"
"Of course!" Curtis exclaimed, his tone making it sound like the most obvious thing in the world. "It'll be the perfect way to prove ourselves. Don't tell me you're scared already."
"I'm not scared," I argued, "it's just a little surprising that Grandma would suggest something like that"
Tess finally stirred beside me, her eyes leaving the stage to glance at us both.
"It won't just be about fighting. A tournament like this is also about discipline, control, and showing how much you've grown."
"That sounds a lot like fighting," I muttered under my breath.
Her lips faintly curved into a ghost of a smile. "You'll be fine, Lias." She reached over to squeeze my shoulder briefly before returning her attention to Grandma Director Goodsky.
On stage, Director Goodsky raised her hand, quieting the hall again. "The tournament will be undivided, meaning that it will be open to all years. This is not meant to humiliate, but to prepare. Some of you may face defeat, but in that loss, you will find the areas you must strengthen. Some will triumph, and in victory find new challenges awaiting."
She paused, letting her words settle. "The winners will receive recognition, mentorship, and opportunities beyond these walls."
The noise rose again, though more controlled this time, students whispering strategies, boasting to their friends, or groaning about all the extra training they'd have to do.
"Students Students" she called out, gathering the attention of the teenagers before her "I understand and appreciate your excitement towards such an opportunity, but there are a few more key things you need to be informed of beforehand." She raised 3 fingers.
"First thing I would like to say is that if you choose to participate in the 'Summer Series', then you need to submit the appropriate paperwork by this Friday, the 14th, at noon, for the preliminary brackets to be released by the following Sunday, the 16th, at dawn." She lowered a finger before she continued.
"Second, all qualifying rounds will be fought between Wednesday the 19th and the following Wednesday the 26th, in order for the last 16 onward to be carried out over the weekend of the 29th. The last 16 as well as the quarter finals, will be held on Saturday, the 29th, with the semi-final and final being hosted on Sunday, the 30th of June"
She took in a deep breath before continuing, "All weekend rounds will be hosted in the Royal Colosseum of Xyrus, which leads me into my final point" She lowered her middle finger so she just left holding up her Index finger.
"The semi-final and finals will be attended by all sitting members of the Council of Dicathen"
The auditorium erupted into chaos after the director's final announcement.
Curtis gave a sharp nod as if he'd already decided something. "I'm going to win. I don't care who they put me against." He jabbed his thumb at his chest, grinning. "This is my chance to show Father how much I've grown since coming to Xyrus Academy."
Tess's eyes narrowed just slightly. "Don't get reckless. Winning isn't everything. Remember, even the strongest can fall if they underestimate others. Though I doubt I will," she added, smiling to herself as she brimmed with confidence over her victory.
Curtis waved a hand dismissively but didn't argue, which was surprising. His excitement seemed too bright to dim.
Then his gaze flicked to me. "What about you, Lias? You'll enter, right?"
"Me? You really want to lose that badly, huh?" I asked, smirking towards the older prince.
~~~
"Grandma?" I called out to the elderly woman as I opened my eyes from my meditation.
She continued to circle me. "Yes, Elias?" she responded while she continued to do so.
"Could I maybe, if you let me, if you don't mind-" I started to ask my question before getting cut off by her sentence.
"You want to participate in the tournament, don't you?" she interjected.
I nodded my head ferociously, "Curtis and Big Sis said they were going to participate, so... I kinda wanted to as well."
Grandma Cynthia was quiet for a long moment. Her hands were neatly folded behind her back, her gaze sharp enough to make me feel like she could peel me apart layer by layer if she wanted. Then she slowly exhaled through her nose, the sound half a sigh, half a chuckle.
"I see."
Her eyes softened, though only for a fraction of a second. "The summer series tournament isn't a game, Elias. Even though it's for students, even though there are safeguards, it's still a trial of skill. You would be facing opponents who are older and far more experienced than you."
"I know!" I blurted out quickly, leaning forward, fists clenched at my sides. "But I've been training so hard! You've been training me, remember? I even made Arthur train me! And... and I don't want to just sit on the sidelines while Curtis and Tess get to do everything exciting."
Her eyes settled on me again, and this time there was a spark in them, something playful beneath the strictness. "Stand up, Elias."
'Huh?'
I did so at once, nearly tripping over my own eagerness.
"If you wish to participate, then I need to see just how far you've grown." Cynthia continued. She took a few steps back, leaving a clear space between us.
I took a steadying breath and reached into the small Obsidian Black ring circling my right index finger. The space inside pulsing faintly as I willed the object forward. With a shimmer, my wand slid neatly into my waiting hand.
Cynthia watched me with an unreadable expression. She didn't draw a staff or a wand of her own. "Show me," she stated simply.
I pulsed mana through the wand, weaving wind into a sharp edge, then layering it until a blade of sound formed from it, pulsating with energy. The air thrummed around me, the faint high-pitched whine of my vibrating blade clawing at my ears.
I gritted my teeth, planted my feet, and launched forward.
The ground crunched under my boots as I closed the gap, my wand swinging in a downward arc. The vibrating edge hissed, sharp enough to cut through the air itself.
A gentle breeze pushed against me before it intensified, brushing me aside with ease.
"You're treating me like I'm a training dummy. Stop rushing," she said calmly as I scrambled to my feet.
I sucked in a breath and channelled again, this time slashing the wand sideways. A compressed crescent of wind tore free, whistling as it cut through the air.
[Wind Cutter]
But she simply flicked her wrist, causing a gust of wind to scatter my attack like it was nothing more than mist.
"That was ever so slightly better," she admitted. "But you still think like a child with a stick, not a conjurer with a weapon."
My grip continued to tighten around the wooden wand.
As I thrust my arm and wand forward towards the older mage.
[Stone Barrage]
This time, the ground underneath me crumbled as chunks of earth began levitating. After a couple of moments of concentration, I willed the rocks to shoot forward.
I sent a wave of 8 rocks towards my so-called Grandmother.
She simply held her palm flat in their direction as a distorted shield of sound enveloped her.
That must be [Pulse field]...
Since it only surrounds the user from around and above...
[Earthen Spear]
[Earthen Spear]
[Earthen Spear]
I clenched my free left hand into a fist as I punched upward. At the same time, I felt mana well up in me at the activation of the spell, and immediately three rock spikes shot up from the ground a couple of meters in front of me, inside of my master's shield.
"That was creative, Elias", she commented, lowering her barrier as she stood as if she had been trapped between the 3 slanted stones.
"Thank you," I said in a mock bow as I laughed to myself about how stupid I must have looked before I added, "Though, Master, surely you should be able to break out of those stones with ease."
She snickered to herself as a pulse of mana left her body, annihilating the stones around her "I didn't want to ruin your confidence"
I straighten my back, twirling the wand once before gripping it tight again. "Then I'll just have to try harder."
Cynthia folded her hands neatly once more, her posture perfectly calm. "Then do so."
I swallowed hard, then let mana flow freely from my core. The ground beneath my feet trembled as I channelled earth attribute mana, the air rippling as I weaved wind attribute mana into sharper threads. The two elements coiling around each other, not quite stable, but responsive enough to move with me.
My legs blurred as I pushed off the ground, a blast of wind propelling me forward faster than before. I slash diagonally, then thrust, feinting low before snapping upward in an arc. The vibrating edge of sound hisses with every strike, the whine piercing my ears.
But my teacher was already gone, just leaving an illusion created through sound attribute mana.
I blinked, stumbling forward into empty air, nearly tripping over my own boots. My wand cut through nothing but a fading shimmer of sound. The afterimage vanishes in a ripple, like the surface of a disturbed pond.
"Too slow," came her voice, but not from ahead.
I whirled around just as a sudden gust clipped the back of my legs. It wasn't strong enough to hurt, but it knocked me sprawling onto my knees. The sound of her footsteps approached, light and unhurried, echoing faintly as if from everywhere at once.
I scrambled back to my feet, wand raised. My heart pounded—not just from the fight—but from the pressure of her presence. She slipped away every time I thought I had found an opening; she almost felt untouchable.
"Do you know why you can't land a hit on me?" she asked, her voice closer now. I snapped my head left, only to see her standing three paces away, perfectly composed.
"Because you're cheating," I muttered, half under my breath.
Her lips curved faintly, but the rest of her face remained calm. "Wrong answer. Try again."
I grit my teeth. "Because you're... stronger?"
"Closer." She lifted her hand and snapped her fingers. The sound was cracking like thunder in the enclosed training room, rippling the air and rattling my bones alike. I flinched despite myself. "It's because you fight with desperation, not intention. You rush. You swing. You lash out. But you do not think."
"I think all the time!" I shouted back defiantly, steadying my stance. "And I will prove it to you."
I aimed my wand towards the grass in front of me before she could respond.
[Rock Blast]
The earth before me heaved soil and stone, tore apart the turf, it began to clump together, reinforced by my Earth mana particles.
The ground groaned as mana pulsed from me, the soil twisting upward into jagged clumps. A crude ball of stone formed, its surface rough and uneven, but heavy with weight.
I thrust my wand forward.
The rock shot across the courtyard like a catapult stone, whistling as it tore through the air.
Cynthia tilted her head. One elegant sweep of her arm later, and the projectile detonated mid-flight with a deafening crack. Shards scattered harmlessly into dust, the energy dispersing before it could reach her.
~~~
"So, who've you got in the first round?" the red-haired prince asked, looking down at the paper in my hands.
"Uhh?" I look down at the sheet before me.
"Aww, I've got a bye", I said, letting out a sigh.
"That's not the end of the world, it'll give you an advantage in the second round"
"I guess so..." I replied as I continued to look up the sheet "I'll either have Michael Shipton, an augmenter, or Chris Dixon, also an augmenter, but it says he has the fire attribute." I spoke as my finger traced along my bracket, which took me through to the Last 16.
"Which bracket are you in?" I asked the prince, my eyes scanning my page, still trying to find his name.
"C I think", he replied after a moment of pondering.
I lowered the sheet from my face after almost walking into a girl who was nearly double my height. "Sorry", I apologised, flashing a smile at the skinny teen.
"I'm in A, making the earliest we could potentially meet being the last 16", I deduced as a grin grew on my face.
I stopped walking and lowered myself before him, "My Prince", I called out, drawing his eyes towards me "I am truly humbled that one as ethereal as yourself is allowing one of such low birth the opportunity to pummel your ass in front of our great (former) King."
"Ass," he said in a snicker before punching my shoulder. "Then be sure to make it there, then Elias, so I can show my sister that you aren't all that." He looks back at me, smirking as we continue.
WC - 3023
Thanks for reading this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it. 😊
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Special Thanks to LancelotDragonroad for editing this Chapter.
If we're all still alive, the next chapter will be released at 17 Likes or on Wednesday.
Rius out.