Velka sat comfortably on Jhaeros's lap, her tail curled around her paws as she listened to the conversation with the same silent attentiveness as her master. The dire wolf's steady breathing was the only sound inside the carriage for a moment before Jhaeros broke the silence.
"It seems nobility is getting unstable," Jhaeros mused, absently running his fingers through Velka's thick fur.
"Yeah," Kalem agreed, tapping his fingers against the wooden frame of the carriage. "Considering Lyra didn't come with us like usual, it might be true."
The absence of Lyra was notable. She usually rode with them, but this time, she'd been caught up in political discussions. That wasn't a good sign.
As the carriage rocked gently, Onyx pulling it gracefully down the road, Nara stretched her arms before raising a question.
"What do you think the tournament brackets will look like?"
Kalem shrugged. "No clue."
Jhaeros smirked. "I do have an idea about who won't be fighting who."
Kalem and Nara both turned their attention to him.
Jhaeros leaned back, his golden eyes glinting in thought. "Currently, there are six people left in the tournament: Garrik 'The Iron Wall,' Seraphine du Rozaire 'The Phantom Duelist,' Isolde 'The Frost Reaper,' and us three."
Kalem hummed, rubbing his chin. "So, three matches left. That means only three will make it to the finals."
Nara tilted her head. "But how do you know who won't be matched up?"
Jhaeros tapped his fingers against the carriage's side. "Think about it. The academy doesn't pair people completely at random. They take previous matches into account. Since Kalem fought Lucian Valehart last round, it's unlikely they'll put him against another swordsman like Seraphine in this next round. They'll want variety."
Kalem frowned. "Wait. That means I'll probably get a magic user, doesn't it?"
Jhaeros gave a slight smirk. "Most likely."
Kalem sighed. "Great."
Nara crossed her arms. "Alright, so Kalem will probably be up against either Isolde or Garrik. What about us?"
Jhaeros tapped his chin in thought. "Seraphine and Isolde are both tactical fighters. It wouldn't make sense to pit them against each other this early, especially when they'd be an interesting match in the finals. I expect one of us to face Garrik, the other to face Isolde."
Kalem nodded slowly. "So you think I'll get Isolde, you'll get Garrik, and Nara will get Seraphine?"
Jhaeros tilted his head. "Possibly. But it's also possible they'll switch things up and throw me against Seraphine instead."
Nara scoffed. "I don't care who I get. They're all going down the same way."
Kalem chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, we'll see about that."
Velka huffed as if agreeing with him.
Jhaeros's ears twitched slightly as he considered one last factor. "There's also the nobility's influence. The tournament is supposed to be fair, but that doesn't mean certain sponsors won't try to push for favorable matchups."
Nara cracked her knuckles. "Let them. Doesn't change the fact that we'll beat them."
Kalem leaned back, stretching his arms. "Well, either way, we'll find out soon."
As the carriage continued down the road, the weight of the tournament's final rounds settled over them. The next battles wouldn't just be about skill anymore—they'd be about strategy, survival, and the unseen hands pulling strings in the background.
Two Days Later – The Brackets Are Drawn
The academy's announcement was delivered in the usual way—posted on the large central board in the colosseum courtyard, surrounded by a crowd of students, nobles, and sponsors eager to see the semifinal matchups.
Kalem, Jhaeros, and Nara stood near the back, watching as names were revealed one by one.
Semifinal Matches:
Garrik "The Iron Wall" vs. Seraphine du Rozaire "The Phantom Duelist"Nara vs. Isolde "The Frost Reaper"Jhaeros vs. Kalem
There was a moment of silence as the trio stared at the board. Then, simultaneously, Kalem and Jhaeros turned to look at each other.
"...Huh." Kalem blinked.
Jhaeros gave a small smile, tail flicking slightly. "Well. This should be interesting."
Nara grinned and clapped Kalem on the shoulder. "I can't wait to see this one."
Kalem sighed. "You just want to watch me get beaten up."
"Of course." Nara smirked. "It's going to be fun."
Velka barked once, as if agreeing.
Kalem shook his head, already mentally running through his weapon options. Fighting a swordsman was one thing. Fighting Jhaeros, with his agility, precision, and wolf companion? That was an entirely different challenge.
Jhaeros, for his part, seemed relaxed, though his golden eyes were sharp with interest. "Don't hold back," he said simply.
Kalem smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it."