The grand hallway of the academy echoed with the sound of footsteps and chatter. Golden rays from the late afternoon sun spilled through the high-arched windows, casting long shadows on the polished marble floor. Among the crowd of students heading toward their dorms, Leon and Isla walked side by side, their steps in sync but their thoughts worlds apart.
"That battle today was intense," Leon said, glancing at Isla. His voice was casual, but his eyes held excitement.
Isla gave a small nod. "I really enjoyed watching it," she said softly. "But... I'm a little afraid. Tomorrow, it's my turn to fight." Her voice trembled slightly, her brows drawn with worry.
Leon noticed her expression—nervous, uneasy. He gave her a gentle smile. "You've changed a lot since the day we met."
Isla looked at him with a puzzled expression. "What do you mean?"
He chuckled. "Back then, you always kept everything bottled up. But now… you talk about your feelings. That's growth."
A light blush crept across Isla's cheeks. She looked away, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "I-It's not like that... I'm just... a bit nervous about the fight, that's all."
Leon laughed. "You're terrible at hiding things, you know."
Isla tried to hide her smile, but it showed in her eyes. For a moment, she stared at Leon—his smile, the calm in his voice, the way he carried himself—it made her heart flutter.
Leon waved his hand in front of her. "Earth to Isla?"
She blinked rapidly. "Y-Yeah, I'm here."
"Where'd you go just now?" he teased.
"Nowhere!" she said quickly, blushing even more. "What were you saying?"
"I was saying we should check on Finn," Leon replied. "Hope he's not too badly injured."
"Oh no, I completely forgot about him!" Isla said. "And Fanny's probably with him too."
"Yeah, those two argue like cats and dogs," Leon said with a grin. "But they're closer than they let on."
The corridor shifted from warm stone to colder, metallic walls as they neared the academy's medical wing. Leon pushed open the door gently, and the smell of herbs and antiseptic filled the air.
Inside, Fanny sat at Finn's bedside, gently dabbing a cloth on his forehead. The usually fiery girl looked almost... caring. The moment she saw Leon and Isla enter, she jumped and hastily hid the cloth behind her back.
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Looks like someone's taking good care of Finn."
Fanny scoffed. "Me? Take care of this idiot? Never. I'm only here because Darius told me not to leave him alone."
Her words were cold, but her red ears gave her away.
Leon smiled. "Yeah, yeah. Thanks anyway."
Just then, Finn groaned, slowly waking up. "Aah... it hurts," he muttered, pressing a hand to his ribs. His eyes fluttered open. "Did I win?"
Leon gave him a thumbs-up. "You did."
A grin spread across Finn's face. "Yes! I did it!" He raised his fist in the air triumphantly.
SLAP!
Fanny's hand landed on his head.
"Ow! What was that for?!" Finn barked, rubbing the spot.
"You're supposed to be resting, dummy!" Fanny snapped. "Don't move around!"
"Why do you care?" Finn muttered. "Jealous that I passed too?"
Fanny's expression fell. Her mouth opened, but no words came. She looked away.
SLAP!
This time, it was Leon.
"OW! Again?! Why this time?"
Leon frowned. "You idiot. She's been here all day taking care of you."
Finn blinked. "Wait… really?"
He turned toward Fanny, who refused to meet his gaze. He looked down. "I… I didn't know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. And thank you—for everything."
Fanny huffed. "Sir told me to stay, so I did. That's all. Don't think I care or anything."
Finn grinned. "Still, thank you. I know you—an angry girl like you—secretly cares about me."
"You stupid bastard!" she shouted, launching a pillow at his face.
Leon sighed. "Here we go again…"
The Next Morning
The arena buzzed with tension. The rising sun bathed the battleground in golden light, but Isla stood still, sweat beading on her forehead. Her fists were clenched, her legs trembling.
From the stands, Leon, Finn, and Fanny watched.
Leon cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Isla! Don't be nervous! You're not here to prove anything to anyone. Just fight for yourself! Win or lose, give it your best!"
His words cut through the noise. Isla's eyes met his. For a moment, everything around her blurred—just her, and his voice.
He's right, she thought. I've been trying to win for a family that doesn't even care. But now…
She took a deep breath, releasing the tension in her shoulders. "I fight for myself," she whispered.
The examiner stepped forward. "Ready?"
Isla nodded, her eyes sharp now. "Yes. I'm ready."
"Three… two… one… GO!"
The massive steel door across from her began to creak open. Smoke billowed out from behind it. Isla squinted, trying to see.
But… nothing.
The crowd murmured. Leon frowned. "Where's the beast?"
Then—
BOOM.
The ground quaked violently beneath Isla's feet. She staggered, eyes wide. Cracks split the stone floor. Dust erupted everywhere.
"What the hell?!" Finn shouted, standing up.
"I don't know!" Leon replied, scanning the field.
A deep rumble filled the air. Suddenly, a giant form erupted from underground—stone and dust flying in every direction. Students shielded their eyes.
As the dust cleared, a massive brown serpent rose from the battlefield. Its eyes glowed like molten earth, and a shimmering gem embedded in its forehead gleamed under the sun.
"A... a snake?" Isla gasped, frozen.
"That's no ordinary beast," Fanny said, stunned. "Everyone else fought normal-sized creatures. This—this is insane!"
Leon's eyes narrowed. "That gem… it's an Earth Elemental. A divine-class beast. If she can't control the field, she's in real danger."
The snake hissed, then whipped its tail toward Isla with blinding speed.
She barely dodged, flipping mid-air. Before she could land—
CRACK.
A boulder rose from the ground and hurled toward her.
Still airborne, Isla's eyes widened. No time to dodge.
Her mind raced. Think, Isla… do something—NOW.