The crowd roared with anticipation as Lisa and Nora stepped into the arena—the final match of the 1v1 cadet tournament.
The sun hovered high in the sky, casting sharp shadows across the dueling ground. Heat shimmered off the polished stone floor as tension rippled through the stands.
An instructor raised his hand.
"This is the final match. Begin when you're ready."
Both girls raised their wooden swords.
They circled each other slowly—eyes locked, muscles coiled. Neither dared to rush in. They had seen what the other could do.
Lisa's speed and lightning-based attacks.
Nora's raw strength and precision.
Then—
CLANG!
Their swords collided mid-air as both lunged at once. Sparks burst from the impact—flashes of lightning and fire lighting up the arena. Gasps rang out as the girls exchanged rapid, brutal strikes.
Lisa parried a crushing blow, grunting from the force. She wasn't as strong as Nora—but she was quicker. Smarter. She began weaving feints, testing Nora's defenses.
But Nora didn't fall for them.
She tracked Lisa's every step, countering with relentless precision. Their footwork flowed across the stage—blades clashing, energy crackling in the space between them.
Lisa shifted.
She channeled lightning through her blade at the moment of contact—SNAP!—the surge knocked Nora's sword off-angle, staggering her back a step.
The crowd gasped.
Lisa lunged for the finish.
But Nora's left hand snapped out, palm glowing crimson. A sudden burst of flame detonated between them, blowing both girls backward in a wave of searing heat.
The battlefield vanished in smoke.
From within the fog, the air crackled.
Lisa blinked, trying to see through the haze—
Too late.
Nora charged through the smoke, sword ablaze. Lisa barely raised her own blade, lightning arcing into a defensive shield.
BOOM!
Flames and lightning collided again.
The arena lit up in a burst of white-gold and red-orange energy. Sword met sword. Fire-enhanced strength slammed against lightning-speed reflexes. Their duel grew more savage—more desperate.
They weren't holding back anymore.
Each blow shook the arena. Each dodge flirted with disaster.
Lisa leapt back, chest heaving. Her sword sparked wildly, charged to its limit.
Above, clouds began to churn—lightning gathering at her call.
Nora responded in kind. Her flames burned hotter, tighter. Her blade glowed red, her entire body wreathed in fire. Her eyes locked with Lisa's.
Both girls charged.
A colossal shockwave split the air as lightning and fire collided in the center of the ring.
Dust and smoke exploded outward. The stands fell silent.
For a long moment, nothing moved.
Then—shadows emerged from the haze. Two instructors, each carrying a cadet in their arms.
Lisa and Nora—unconscious, battered, but alive.
The crowd erupted.
Nora stirred first. Wincing, she pushed off the instructor and limped toward Lisa's still form.
"Is she going to be alright?" she asked, voice ragged.
The instructor nodded gently. "She'll be fine. Just burned out. Nothing serious."
Nora gave a quiet nod, then allowed herself to be led off.
The arena exploded again—roars of joy, pride, and disbelief echoing through the air.
They hadn't fought for a medal.
They had fought for something more.
---
Kael stood frozen near the preparation platform.
His fingers were clenched, his jaw tight.
That wasn't a duel.
That was war.
Flynn beside him let out a shaky breath. "Did… did you see that?"
Kael gave a slow nod, still staring at the scorched battlefield. "That wasn't a final match… that was a message."
Murmurs rippled through the gathered applicants. Some whispered in disbelief. Others just stared. One older cadet muttered what everyone else was thinking:
"They weren't fighting to win. They were fighting to prove something."
Flynn scratched his head. "I thought I had a shot at ranking high…" he said with a nervous laugh. "But after that? We've been watching the wrong people."
Kael sat on a bench, elbows on his knees. His heart was pounding.
He had trained harder in these past weeks than ever before. He had survived suppression training, sword drills, and relentless tests of will. But this…
This was different.
This wasn't just strength.
It was control.
Purpose.
Clarity.
They fought like knights.
He gritted his teeth.
Am I even close?
Am I good enough?
Doubt bit deep for a moment.
But then—he stood.
"I'm going to fight them someday," Kael said quietly.
Flynn blinked. "What?"
Kael looked ahead, eyes burning. "Lisa. Nora. Maybe not today. Maybe not even this year. But someday… I'll stand where they stood."
He took a breath, feeling that fire in his chest again.
"And when I do… I'll be ready."
Flynn raised an eyebrow. Then smiled.
"Well, let's make sure we survive orientation first."
---
A few minutes later, an instructor stepped up to the podium. The crowd quieted again.
"Cadets," he began, voice echoing, "what you saw today was not just a match. It was a glimpse of what true warriors look like. They pushed beyond their limits—not to win, but to inspire. To show us what's possible."
He raised his hand toward the smoke-scarred arena.
"Let their battle be your challenge. Let it be your standard."
Another wave of thunderous cheers erupted.
But Kael didn't join in.
He just stood silently, a quiet promise burning inside him.
---
As the crowd slowly dispersed, a stretcher rolled past.
Lisa lay on it—pale, bruised, but smiling faintly. Her eyes fluttered open just long enough to glance toward the candidates.
Kael stepped forward on instinct.
"Lisa!" he called.
Her head turned weakly in his direction.
"You were incredible," he said. "I… I hope you get better soon."
Lisa's smirk was barely there. But it was real.
And then her eyes slid shut again.
---
As Kael turned back toward the arena, he saw something scorched into the stone—right where their blades had collided in the final clash.
A jagged line.
Split down the middle.
One side charred with fire.
The other cracked with lightning.
And Kael stood, unknowingly, in the space between them.