[INT. DIVINE STADIUM – FINAL MATCH OF ROUND TWO – DAY FOUR]
A golden chime echoed across the arena as the final match of Round Two was called.
> Divine Board: Match 15: Lyrion Alarion and Veloria Aestra – School of Light
vs.
Traven Delk and Miral Thorne – School of Nonliving Creation
The moment had come.
Lyrion and Veloria stepped forward.
Their opponents stood at the far end — Traven, a durable terrain bender known for his brutal blunt-force attacks, and Miral, a manipulator of razor-thin metallic wires.
Both wore grim, hardened expressions.
> Miral (to Traven): "They're the heirs of Light and Time. Focus."
> Traven: "Doesn't matter. We crush them or we're out."
From the Light School seats, the other eight students watched in absolute silence.
> Ray (smirking): "They've got no idea what they're walking into."
> Rika (softly): "This won't be a match. It'll be a message."
---
[INT. ARENA – MATCH BEGINS]
The bell chimed.
Miral launched wires forward like slicing spider webs — enough to shred steel.
Traven charged, slamming his gauntlets into the ground, creating jagged spears of black stone that surged toward Lyrion.
Lyrion didn't move.
Not an inch.
The wires struck — and bounced.
The spears cracked and crumbled inches from his feet.
> Miral (staggering): "W-What?!"
> Traven: "Why… won't he move?!"
Lyrion stared, expression unreadable.
> Lyrion (calm): "Because you don't deserve more than this."
He raised one hand — light radiated from his body like a golden dome, pushing both opponents back with no contact.
---
[INT. STADIUM – CROWDS REACTING]
Gasps erupted from the students. Cheers turned to stunned murmurs.
> Syleria (murmuring): "He's not even using half his strength."
> Kairo: "He's making a point."
> Auron: "But watch Veloria…"
---
[INT. ARENA – VEOLORIA'S TURN]
Veloria sighed as she stood beside Lyrion.
> Veloria (muttering): "I thought they'd push us a little."
She stepped forward, her eyes glowing faintly.
> Veloria (to Lyrion): "You don't mind if I take care of them, right?"
> Lyrion (smiling slightly): "Do your thing."
She lifted her hand.
Time froze.
Not metaphorically.
Literally.
The entire stadium turned still — silent.
Waves of light and energy paused midair.
Even the crowd in the stands — thousands of students — froze mid-breath, mid-cheer, mid-motion.
Only six figures remained unaffected.
The six Headmasters.
Twelve more: the God Couples.
And Lyrion.
> Lyrion (watching, calmly): "She's really doing it…"
Veloria stepped forward in slow grace, reaching her opponents.
She examined their positions, the tension in their limbs, their expressions.
> Veloria (softly): "You came here thinking you could overwhelm us."
She tapped Miral's shoulder.
Wires recoiled.
She flicked a finger upward.
Traven's gauntlet bent.
Then, with a whisper of mana, she launched twin temporal bursts directly into their core energies.
> Veloria (gently): "Time resumes."
---
[INT. ARENA – TIME REACTIVATED]
Everything resumed in an instant.
Miral and Traven collapsed in a synchronized spiral of unconsciousness.
The arena blinked.
Silence.
Then—
> Announcer (delayed, stunned): "Match 15 Winners: Lyrion Alarion and Veloria Aestra – School of Light!"
The Light School erupted.
But the rest of the stadium?
Stunned silence.
A second later — wild, disbelieving roars.
---
[INT. STADIUM BALCONY – TIME GOD'S VIEW]
Aion and Aestra stood, arms folded.
> Aion (quietly proud): "So she's learned to step between moments."
> Aestra (smiling): "And she used it not to boast… but to protect."
They looked down at their daughter, standing beside Lyrion as the arena roared.
---
[INT. STADIUM BALCONY – LIGHT GOD'S VIEW]
Alarion placed a hand on Lyria's shoulder.
> Alarion: "Their light will burn even brighter in the next round."
> Lyria: "And this… was just a flicker."
---
[INT. DIVINE BOARD – FINAL TALLY]
> 30 Duos Entered
15 Duos Advanced
Underneath the tally, the divine glyph pulsed:
> "ROUND TWO – COMPLETE"
---
[INT. STADIUM – ANNOUNCEMENT]
The announcer raised his hand once more.
> Announcer: "Congratulations to all victorious duos! Round Two is officially complete."
> "You are now recognized as the 30 Elite Combatants of the Six Divine Schools!"
Cheers thundered again.
> Announcer (cont.): "The final round will begin… after one day of rest."
> "All rules and format will be revealed at the start of the third round."
The crowd buzzed with speculation.
Inside the Light School team, Lyrion looked to Veloria.
> Lyrion (quietly): "You froze time for me."
> Veloria (blushing, avoiding eye contact): "Don't read into it."
> Lyrion (smirking): "Too late."
The rest of the team burst out laughing.
---
[INT. SHADOW BALCONY – ZYREN WATCHES]
Zyren leaned forward, lips twitching in interest.
> Zyren (low): "She froze time."
Silent Death's eyes narrowed.
> Silent Death: "So. The prodigies awaken…"
> Zyren: "Let them shine."
> "The darker the light — the more glorious its fall."
---
TO BE CONTINUED…
[END OF ARC 2]