Chapter 17 – Duel of Shadows
The sparring arena was packed.
Word had spread quickly: Kael Ireth, the "Blink Boy," was being tested for advanced placement—against a second-year student from the elite division.
Students lined the stands, whispering and wagering, some curious, others eager to see him fail. After all, what kind of magician relied on a spell that only moved him three meters?
Kael stood in the center of the stone circle, eyes locked on his opponent.
Dorian Vael.
Tall, muscular, with silver-threaded robes and a spear taller than himself. His magic specialty: Lightning Binding, a rare form of tether magic that could paralyze limbs on contact.
"This guy looks like he eats spells for breakfast," Juno muttered from the crowd.
Beside him, Lyra leaned forward. "Kael can win."
Juno raised a brow. "You sure?"
"No." Her eyes glinted. "But I know how stubborn he is."
"Begin!"
The instructor's voice rang out, and Dorian moved like a storm.
Kael barely Blinked in time, the spear flashing past his shoulder, trailing crackling energy. He landed three meters back, already calculating distances.
Too slow. He's reading the Blink.
Dorian grinned. "Predictable."
He slammed the spear into the ground. Bolts of electricity spiderwebbed toward Kael in jagged arcs.
Kael leapt sideways—then Blinked into the air, rebounding off a summoned barrier. He landed behind Dorian.
Strike now.
But the moment he moved, a tether of lightning lashed out and caught his wrist—paralyzing pain surged through him.
He gritted his teeth and Blinked again, barely breaking free before the full force hit. His arm stung like fire.
Dorian turned, laughing. "You're clever. I'll give you that. But you don't have the power to win."
Kael crouched, breathing hard.
Maybe not.
But I have something else.
He focused, channeling mana into his core. He remembered Elith's words. The smoke-step. The feint. Make the opponent believe you're going one way—then vanish another.
He Blinked forward—not away. Straight toward Dorian.
Dorian reacted, spear slicing downward—
Only for Kael to vanish just before contact.
He reappeared behind Dorian, lower to the ground, sliding into a roll—and tossing a flash crystal he'd hidden in his sleeve.
Boom!
Light exploded, momentarily blinding everyone nearby.
Dorian cursed, swinging wildly.
Kael seized the opening—Blinking to Dorian's unguarded side and tapping the rune etched into his own bracer.
Shock pulse activated.
Dorian convulsed as his own magic temporarily destabilized, the tether breaking.
Kael landed a clean strike across Dorian's chest with a training blade—crackling with a fraction of stored kinetic energy.
Thud.
Dorian hit the floor, dazed.
Silence fell.
Then the instructor raised a hand.
"Victory—Kael Ireth."
The crowd erupted.
Some clapped in surprise. Others stared in disbelief.
Kael stood in the center of it all, sweat dripping down his back, heart hammering.
He had won. Not because of power.
But because he outthought him.
Later, as Kael sat on the steps outside the arena, sipping water and catching his breath, Lyra approached.
She tossed him a towel. "Not bad, Blink Boy."
He smirked. "Thought you said not to hide anything from the team."
"I did." She sat beside him. "But I'll forgive you for this one."
They shared a quiet moment, watching the sky turn gold with sunset. Then Lyra nudged him.
"You saw Selene, right?"
Kael blinked. "Princess Selene?"
"She was in the crowd." Lyra's voice was casual, but her fingers fidgeted slightly. "She was watching you."
Kael looked up at the tower in the distance, where a certain blue-eyed princess likely stood behind glass, unreadable.
"Maybe she was just curious."
Lyra didn't respond.
But the silence said more than words.
In the royal tower, Selene turned from the window, arms folded.
She hated how her heart skipped when Kael won.
She hated the little spark of pride.
And she especially hated the way Lyra looked at him.
"Ridiculous," she muttered, closing the curtain.
He was just another student.
Nothing more.
And yet…
That night, Kael was summoned again—this time to the Academy's inner vaults.
Professor Veyra met him at the gates. "You impressed the council."
"I didn't win with strength," Kael said.
"No," she agreed. "You won with thought. And that's exactly why they want you for the Field Division."
She pushed open the vault door.
Inside were dozens of sealed relics, magical tomes, and training devices. Veyra walked to a pedestal and opened a case—revealing a shimmering orb of pale violet.
"This," she said, "is a Rune Core. It enhances magic efficiency. Allows you to cast with less mana—faster, cleaner."
Kael stepped closer. "For me?"
"You've earned it."
As his fingers touched the orb, a pulse of energy ran through him. He saw echoes—faint trails of movement around him.
Echo detection? No… enhanced memory imprint.
Kael's eyes widened.
"I can see past paths… of movement."
Veyra smiled. "Now imagine using Blink with that."
Back in the dorm, Juno looked up as Kael entered.
"Advanced placement and a core upgrade? What's next, you start floating?"
Kael laughed. "Give me a week."
From across the room, Elith glanced up from her book. "You've caught their attention, you know."
"I didn't mean to," Kael said honestly.
"But you did." She met his eyes. "And from now on, people won't underestimate you again."
Kael sat back on his bed, staring at his hand.
Blink was evolving. So was he.
And this was just the beginning.
End of Chapter 17