Aurora gave a solemn nod. The moment Felix collapsed, she had known their chances of winning were slim. But some part of her had still hoped, hoped that what she had done, what she had pushed herself to accomplish, had been enough.
"It's okay, Captain," Jace said, offering a weak thumbs up. "We'll take the next two rounds and make sure we still win the contest."
She could only nod in response. Whether or not the team was disappointed, she was.
"Even though we lost, what you managed to do was insane," Jace said, hoping to take her mind off of it.
Aurora gave a weak smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thanks… I really did try."
"We know you did, Aurora." His voice was firm, leaving no room for doubt. Then, turning to Lyra, he squared his shoulders. "Now it's our turn."
Lyra gave a grim nod. "I won't lose." Without another word, she turned and strode toward the arena.
Jace watched her go, tension settling in his chest. They both knew, they couldn't afford another loss.
Inside the arena, Lyra found herself standing in a dense, thickly wooded area. Across from her, she caught a glimpse of her opponent, who froze upon seeing her. A flicker of surprise crossed their face, realization sinking in.
Aurora had guessed right, they had been expecting Jace.
The horn sounded through the arena, signaling the start of the duel.
"You should've just sent him," her opponent's voice rang out, echoing through the dense woods.
Slamming her foot into the ground, she sent loose soil and debris flying into the air as she propelled herself backward, taking a defensive stance. Her eyes flickered between the trees, tracking any hint of movement.
Without hesitation, she swung her arm in a wide arc.
Fireballs erupted in front of her, streaking toward Lyra. But something was off, their trajectories weren't direct. Instead, they curved unnaturally, soaring around Lyra before sudden gusts of wind redirected them.
They weren't just attacks.
They were a trap.
Lyra blinked, unfazed, as the fireballs hurtled toward her, heat licking at her skin.
Then, with a sharp gust of wind, she launched herself forward.
The fireballs crashed into the trees behind her, sending burning splinters flying in every direction, but she was already closing the distance.
Her wind magic combined with her natural speed made the gap disappear in an instant. A small crystal shard formed in her hand, the moment she entered range, she flicked it toward her opponent. The sheer force of her acceleration turned it into a bullet.
Her opponent's eyes widened in shock.
She had expected Lyra to dodge, weave between the trees, maybe counter from a distance. Not this.
Not a full-speed charge, riding the wind like a spear.
By the time she registered the incoming shard, it was too late.
"Tch!" She clicked her tongue, reacting on instinct.
A burst of ice exploded from her palm, freezing the air between her and the projectile. The sudden cold distorted its trajectory just enough for her to twist to the side.
But not far enough.
The shard struck her shoulder.
A sharp ding rang through the arena.
Her opponent gritted her teeth, steam rising from her arms as she melted the ice away.
"Alright, so you're fast. But that won't be enough."
This time, she didn't give Lyra a chance to reposition.
With a sharp stomp, she used her earth magic to launch herself high into the air, then stabilized midair with a burst of wind. Suspended above the battlefield, she spread her arms wide, magic flaring at her fingertips.
"Let's see how fast you are when there's nowhere to run!"
A barrage of small spells rained down, fire, ice, and wind bolts striking the ground in rapid succession.
None were aimed directly at Lyra.
Instead, they targeted her escape routes, cutting off every path, trying to box her in.
But Lyra's speed wasn't limited to just her feet.
With a flick of her wrist, roots erupted from the ground, twisting beneath her like a living springboard. In an instant, she launched herself skyward, vaulting over the incoming barrage.
"What…?" Her opponent's eyes shot upward, caught off guard yet again.
As Lyra soared above, flames ignited in her hands, shaping into a sleek, crackling bow. The air around it shimmered with heat as she pulled back the string, a burning arrow forming in place.
Then, in a blink, she fired.
The flaming projectile screamed through the air, aiming straight for her opponent.
With no time to dodge, her opponent reacted on instinct. She swept her arm through the air, wind magic surging outward in a twisting cyclone. The violent current spiraled around the arrow, swallowing it whole.
The projectile detonated inside the vortex, flames scattering harmlessly in the air.
But the force of the explosion sent her spinning, completely thrown off balance.
Regaining her balance, she locked onto Lyra once more, eyes narrowing.
With a sharp clap of her hands, the earth below trembled. A boulder wrenched itself free from the ground, launching skyward, hurtling straight toward Lyra.