Solaris crossed her staff, and sharp icicles layered near Maku's neck.
Maku's sword also stalled and stopped an inch from her chest.
Silence fell.
Then the barrier chimed.
Match concluded.
A low murmur rippled through the spectators. Zmey rose from her seat and declared the result a tie. Solaris clicked her tongue and turned away, frustration plain on her face. Maku only exhaled and sheathed his blade, acting as if the outcome meant nothing. A faint dimple surfaced on his left cheek.
I knew that expression.
He was furious.
In the novel, Maku always carried a quiet complex about ranking below Solaris. It was not jealousy in the simple sense. It was pride, sharpened by bloodline politics.
The Royal family of Celestine stood too high. Any direct challenge outside sanctioned matches could be interpreted as a threat to their sovereignty, and Maku, who is also a royalty from a different kindom wanted no bad blood to happen, not yet, at least when he is not crowned as the rightful heir yet.
This arena was the only place he could prove himself.
And even here, when given the chance, he still could not surpass her.
Solaris excelled at reading people, adjusting mid-fight, dismantling habits one by one, something she naturally developed when dealing with her brother and sisters wanting to bring her down for the throne.
Maku, a walking contradiction wrapped in discipline and secrecy, was exactly the kind of opponent she thrived against.
They exited the field together, the barrier dissolving behind them.
Maku's eyes caught movement in the crowd. Finster was waving both arms like an excited child.
Maku sighed and headed over.
Great. The group just keeps expanding, I thought.
"That was close, Maku," Finster said, grinning widely. "I thought you had her there at the end."
"Yeah," Maku replied. "Though this much is expected from the ice princesses of Salem."
His tone was light, almost casual. The clenched hand at his side told a different story.
Tasora slipped in beside Finster, folding her arms. "A tie against Solaris is nothing to scoff at. Half the academy would not last ten seconds."
"Half the academy does not train to beat her," Maku said.
Finster scratched the back of his head. "You really wanted that win, huh?"
Maku looked away. "Well i guess so?... It's not that serious, just a competition with another royalty."
Zmey's voice rang out again, pulling attention back to the arena. She announced that the third and final round was about to begin.
Nagi changed seats and slid into the seat beside me, peering at my left arm.
"So. Is your arm going to be okay?"
"Yeah," I said. "Believe it or not, over the past few weeks, I got used to my limbs failing on me."
She laughed. "I did not know you were the type to joke like that, Matt."
I stared ahead.
I was not joking though....
Nagi followed my gaze back to the field. "Looks like Miss Rank Two is up next. Any idea who she is fighting?"
I leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing as the barrier began to glow and names slowly formed across its surface.
"Another butterfly effect," I murmured.
The letters settled.
Waffel vs Cwal.
I let out a slow breath. "Ha… what a complete mismatch."
"A mismatch?" Tasora asked, glancing at me.
Before I could answer, the match was already starting.
A gray-haired teen stepped onto the arena floor, indigo streaks catching the light as he took position opposite Waffel. The space between them looked empty at first glance, as if she had walked in alone.
Nagi frowned. "Why is the match starting without an opponent?"
I buried my face in my palm. Damn it. Nobody was supposed to know his specialty yet. This was going to complicate the rescue of Helle even further.
Waffel squinted and adjusted her glasses. She tilted her head slightly, eyes fixed on the space in front of her. She could faintly see a figure standing there. Every other sense told her there was nothing at all.
Her instincts were screaming.
She straightened and offered a polite bow. "Hello. My name is Waffel Popovich Erlin. I hope you take care of me."
Her fingers brushed the gem resting against her chest. The necklace shimmered, unfolded, and reshaped itself into a lever-action rifle that settled neatly into her hands.
Across from her, Cwal inclined his head. A slim dagger slid free from the bangle wrapped around his left arm, the metal appearing as if it had always been there.
Then he spoke.
A sharp chill ran straight up Waffel's spine.
"My name is Cwal Solace."
As he was opening his mouth, he vanished.
Gone.
"Nice to meet you."
The instant his voice ended, he reappeared in the same spot, posture unchanged, dagger still held loosely at his side.
The crowd erupted into confused murmurs.
Finster blinked. "What was that?"
I lowered my hand from my face, eyes locked on the arena. "Just like I said. A complete mismatch."
Waffel's yellow highlights flared, light pulsing through her hair as her pink eyes shifted into a sharp, luminous gold.
She fired.
The shot cracked through the air, metal screaming as it struck steel. Sparks burst outward.
Cwal stood there, dagger raised, the blade pressed flat against his forehead. The bullet deflected upward and vanished into the barrier above. In the same motion, he lowered his stance, one foot sliding back.
Then he dispersed again.
To everyone else, he vanished into nothing. Dust lifted from the floor in a thin trail, the only sign of movement left behind.
Not to Waffel.
Her eyes tracked him cleanly.
She could see it now. The distortion. The imbalance in the air correcting itself in her vision. Cwal was rushing straight toward her, low and fast, closing the distance with terrifying speed.
She fired again.
The sound rang out, sharper this time. Cwal snapped back into view as he raised his dagger, steel meeting lead once more. The impact forced him to skid backward, boots scraping against the arena floor.
Nagi leaned forward. "Oh. He appeared again. How can Waffel still see him though?"
Tasora nodded slowly, eyes narrowed in thought. "I see. So this is what you meant when you said it was a bad matchup. Waffel is likely a yellow cored weaver. Balance is its natural property. Cwal most likely holds indigo, corruption. His trait interferes directly with perception and sensory input. Given that he can do this without visible thrum usage, he is incredibly talented at it. However, balance naturally offsets corruption. Her senses correct what his ability distorts."
"No," I said quietly, teeth pressing against my nail as I bit down. My gaze never left the field.
Tasora glanced at me. "No?"
"Oh, sorry, I was just talking to myself."
A cold knot twisted in my stomach.
"Please lose. Just please lose. I need that ability. Do not use it here. Not yet." I inwardly begged him.
Cwal vanished again.
This time, he did not rush straight in.
Waffel fired once, twice, bullets tearing through where he should have been. Her eyes widened a fraction as his trajectory shifted mid-sprint, the dust trail splitting in a way that should not have been possible.
He was already too close.
Cwal snapped back into existence right in front of her, dagger sweeping upward toward her neck.
Waffel reacted on instinct.
She dropped the rifle, twisting it sideways as she stepped in. The reinforced stock slammed against the flat of his blade with a heavy crack. The impact rattled through her arms, forcing her back a step.
Steel screeched against treated wood.
Cwal followed through, dagger darting in tight arcs. Waffel abandoned distance entirely, gripping the rifle like a club. She parried again, then again, using the barrel and stock to deflect strikes that came too fast for aiming.
The sound changed.
No gunfire.
Only collisions. Thuds, scrapes, sharp metallic clashes echoing through the arena.
Waffel's breathing grew uneven as she backpedaled, eyes locked on him, golden pupils tracking every twitch of his shoulders.
Cwal pressed forward relentlessly.
One misstep. One failed correction. That was all it would take.
Cwal pressed forward, dagger flashing with deadly precision, forcing Waffel back step by step. Her rifle-stock parries rattled in her hands, threatening to shatter under the force of his attacks.
Her gold eyes glowed brighter than ever, and a low hum filled the arena. The stock itself began to shimmer with golden light, the wood and metal reinforced, humming with energy.
Cwal lunged, dagger slicing toward her midsection. Waffel swung the enhanced stock in a wide arc, the pulse of energy amplifying the impact.
The force slammed into Cwal, sending him flying backward across the arena with a grunt, skidding to a halt several meters away. Dust and fragments scattered in the wake of his landing.
For the first time, Waffel had a clear opening. She stepped forward, eyes narrowing. She channeled all her thrum into the shot, building it into something far larger and stronger than anything she had fired before.
"KABOOOOOOOOM!"
The shot tore through the air like a comet, crackling with energy.
The barrier that had shielded them all trembled violently under the blast. Cracks spider-webbed across its surface, glowing red-hot under the pressure. With a final roar of energy, the shot struck true, shattering the barrier and sending fragments flying in all directions.
The crowd gasped. Dust and smoke filled the arena for a heartbeat, and when it cleared, Waffel stood firm, the rifle still pulsing faintly in her hands. Cwal had been thrown back, struggling to regain footing.
Nagi threw her head back and laughed, the sound ringing across the stands. "Hahahahaha! What a shit show!"
I sighed, glad that Cwal held himself back." Yeah, you tell me."