"Mgmg—" the announcer cleared his throat. "Students and guests, rest time is over! Finally, the moment you've all been waiting for—the climax of the tournament's first day!"
His loud, firm voice echoed across the arena.
"The fight you've been waiting for! A family clash—sibling versus sibling, brother versus sister! Top student against top student!"
He spread his arms wide in dramatic flair.
"On the left side—Nyx Lockheart!" he declared, turning to point toward Nyx. "And on the right—Aria Lockheart!"
"Two exceptional students, facing off in a bone-chilling, climactic battle to close the day!"
The audience erupted—cheers, taunts, and wild energy filling the air in anticipation.
"And just for you! We've saved this match to make sure no one leaves the first day dissatisfied!" he shouted, gesturing animatedly toward the crowd.
"At least five minutes of pure ecstasy!"
"So sit tight in your seats, grip your hands, and keep your eyes wide—"
"Because the battle begins shortly!"
The announcer briefly walked off the arena. Aria looked up at Luna. A smile resurfaced on her face as she waved toward her.
Luna, with a calculated motion, waved left to right—three times—then stopped. A signal, cold and deliberate.
A chill ran down Aria's spine. Her eyelids drooped, and her eyebrows tightened.
She shook off the feeling, thinking, "Don't be ridiculous."
Nyx, confused by his sister's strange action, called out,
"You okay?"
"Having second thoughts?"
"Heh, you wish," she scoffed.
"I'm merely starting to celebrate my win."
"You're not winning this."
"You sure? Overconfidence is a step toward the abyss," Nyx said calmly.
"Please. You really think I'll lose just 'cause of that?" she shot back, pointing her sword at Nyx's head in a playful manner.
"You'll lose here today, so that I may bask in Luna's praise!"
Nyx mirrored her gesture.
"Ha! You're one to talk—I'll be the one basking!"
His eyebrows drew closer together as the corners of his mouth widened into a confident grin. With a low chuckle, he set his heart on victory.
"Nonsense! You speak nonsense!"
Right then, the announcer raised his thumb and index finger to his lips and let out a sharp whistle.
"All right! On my mark, we begin the final battle of the day!"
"Stance!" he called.
Aria and Nyx took their stances, bracing for the clash.
"In three!"
They tightened their grips.
"In two!"
They adjusted their footing, grounding themselves.
"In one!"
They leaned forward, tension mounting.
"START!"
The announcer bolted back toward the tunnel as Nyx and Aria launched into a thunderous jump. A massive dust cloud erupted behind them. They nearly vanished—only to reappear an instant later, face-to-face, blades raised.
CLANG!
Nyx struck first—his blade meeting Aria's with a sharp screech of metal. Sparks flew. He twisted his sword, parrying her counter, then kicked off the ground, leaping backward to create distance.
With a growl, he raised his sword high, mana flooding into the blade. It pulsed with a deep, dark blue—so heavy it seemed to weigh the air itself.
CLASH!
He lunged forward, bringing his sword down in a brutal arc. The strike tore through the air like a scythe, splitting it with a gust that roared sideways, shaking the earth beneath their feet.
Aria's arms trembled under the weight of the blow. Her blade quivered, her grip tightening.
"Bastard," she hissed through clenched teeth.
Powder-blue aura surged from her hands, wrapping around her sword in a veil of sharp brilliance. She twisted her stance, redirecting Nyx's attack with a jarring rebound, flinging his sword off-course.
Then—slash—she countered, cutting across Nyx's chest. His shirt split open as a sharp line of red spilled down, staining the fabric.
"Did I expect too much from you?" he scoffed, voice dripping with scorn.
"I'm just getting started!" she snapped.
The wound was shallow—only skin-deep—but it was enough.
She struck again, this time hitting the hilt of his sword.
BAM!
The jolt rocked through Nyx's arms.
He didn't stagger.
He mirrored her movement with a return blow, thinking," Agility. Still your only edge." His lips curled in a smirk.
The clash disarmed her.
Aria leapt back—once, twice—spinning with grace, gathering her next move. She crouched low, scooping dirt into her palms. Her fingers clenched. A soft blue glow flickered between them. Layer by layer, the earth compressed and shimmered, forging itself into form.
A sword—pure earth magic—took shape in her grip. She poured mana into it, sharpening its edge until it glowed with killing intent.
Nyx's eyes narrowed.
She dashed forward, lightning-quick. The ground seemed to vanish beneath her feet.
Her speed overwhelmed him.
Their blades met again—strike after strike, blow after blow. Dust kicked up with every parry, the sound of their weapons clashing growing raw and dirty, a mix of metal and earth.
Sweat trickled down Nyx's temple. His breath hitched.
"Heh… slow down, sis," he muttered, half-laughing, half-dreading.
"Why?" she asked, breathless but grinning—each word thrown like a dagger as she rained down a flurry of blows.
Dust clouds swallowed them. Every strike she landed was a thunderclap.
"You're fast," he admitted, ducking under a strike. "I'll give you that."
"And you're falling behind," she shot back, eyes gleaming.
Nyx's feet lit up. Lightning arced from his soles into the ground. In the blink of an eye—
CRACK!
He vanished.
Aria's blade slammed into the earth.
BOOM!
A crater erupted beneath her, twice her size—chunks of stone flying in every direction.
She straightened, eyes sweeping the battlefield. A smile curled her lips.
"Oh? Tricks already?"
She closed her eyes, listening.
"Then I'll do the same."
Her heart thundered, adrenaline pumping like wildfire through her veins.
"Let's make it fun," she whispered, a laughter of sheer joy rising in her throat.
She lived for this.
She disappeared too, vanishing into motion—finally able to see him.
"So you were hiding here!" she shouted, voice sharp like a blade.
"Exceptional at magic too, huh? Ha!"
He struck first—a deafening crack of thunder erupting as their clash ignited. They exchanged blow after blow, relentless, merciless. Sparks flew. Dust danced. Their duel spiraled across the arena in a blur of raw power and precision.
Above it all, the crowd was a storm of sound—cheering, shouting, praising, caught in the rhythm of the chaos. Their taunts were flawless, each verbal jab as calculated and cutting as their strikes.
Then—a sudden glow.
Blinding. Fierce. Final.
At the center of the arena, Nyx and Aria stood locked in mirrored silence. Without a word, they raised their swords. Mana surged like a tidal wave, pouring into steel, igniting their Aura into brilliant, searing light.
And then—
They moved.
Both struck at once, blades sweeping in opposite, perfect diagonals. Twin arcs of magic sliced through the air with a piercing whistle.
BOOM.
The explosion tore through the arena, a brutal shockwave that hurled them backwards, bodies colliding with stone and steel. The walls cracked under the force, leaving them embedded in their own craters, breathless and broken.
"Ugh..." Nyx groaned, dragging himself from the rubble, dust and blood smearing his face. His limbs trembled, but he stood.
"So... it's an all-out fight now, huh?" he rasped, trying to laugh, but breathless.
"Agh..." Aria coughed, her hand bleeding, face twisted with pain as she clawed her way free.
"You... all out it is. You..." Her voice cracked with fury, determination burning in her eyes. "I'm not holding back anymore." she said wiping blood off her lips.