Chapter Forty: One On One

  Ash entered the next room with Lilith close behind, their footsteps echoing against the stone floor. The chamber opened into a vast semicircular space with rows of gray slate seats descending toward a central arena below. A wide walkway bisected the seating area, leading down to the combat floor.

  Approximately twenty applicants were already seated throughout the chamber, scattered among the stone benches. Ash immediately recognized the silver-haired elven woman who had stood in front of him during the initial examination. She sat with perfect posture, her hands folded neatly in her lap, her expression revealing nothing.

  At the edge of the arena stood a bald man with intense brown eyes, dressed in the distinctive black robes of a Wyrmhaven master. His hawkish nose gave his otherwise smooth, pale features a predatory quality. As Ash approached, he noticed a small vial-shaped pin affixed to the man's lapel, indicating his specialty within the academy.

  The arena floor itself was covered with black padding that appeared to absorb light. Ash couldn't determine if it was leather or some synthetic material, but its purpose was clear – to prevent serious injury while still allowing for genuine combat.

  The bald master looked up as Ash and Lilith approached. His voice, when he spoke, was surprisingly rich and resonant, like deep water in a mountain lake.

  "Have a seat anywhere. The rules will be explained shortly after all have arrived."

  Ash nodded and chose a spot midway up the seating area, with Lilith settling beside him. The dragon girl's green eyes darted around the chamber, taking in every detail with undisguised curiosity. Her small fingers tapped against the stone seat as she observed the gathering applicants.

  "I didn't realize children could be applicants," said an elven boy seated nearby, his tone carrying a note of condescension.

  Ash turned to study the speaker. The elf had short-cropped hair of such a deep, mossy green that it almost appeared black in the chamber's dim lighting. His features were both handsome and dangerous, like the edge of a finely crafted blade. He wore flowing robes in various shades of brown and green that reminded Ash of a great oak tree. An elegant staff rested against his knee, its top carved into the likeness of an eagle's head, the details so precise that the wooden eyes seemed to follow Ash's movements.

  "She isn't an applicant," Ash replied, keeping his voice neutral despite the elf's tone. "Also, she can hear you, so we shouldn't talk about her as if she's not here."

  The elf's lips curled into a sneer, but he offered no further comment, turning his attention back to the arena with deliberate disinterest.

  Great, making lots of friends today, Ash thought, fighting the urge to sigh audibly.

  More applicants continued to file into the chamber, each receiving the same brief instruction from the bald master. Ash watched with interest as the diversity of Dominion was represented in miniature within the room. Several dwarves entered as a group, their beards elaborately braided and adorned with small metal trinkets that clinked softly as they moved. More elves arrived, some with the typical haughty bearing of their kind, others displaying a more relaxed demeanor. Ash noticed individuals he suspected were half-elves, their features carrying subtle hints of both human and elven heritage. Most surprising were the two visenium who entered together, their translucent skin glowing with internal light that cast shifting patterns on the walls as they passed.

  Nearly all of Dominion is represented here, Ash mused, surveying the gathering crowd.

  Now all we need is more dragons, he directed the thought at Lilith, who responded with a soft snort. For a moment, Ash expected to see smoke curl from her nostrils as it did when she was in her dragon form. Thankfully, no smoke appeared, which would have been difficult to explain to the curious onlookers.

  After what felt like an extended period but was likely less than an hour, the bald master raised his hands for silence. The murmuring voices throughout the chamber gradually subsided until only the occasional cough or shifting of fabric could be heard.

  "Congratulations!" the master's voice filled the space effortlessly. "You have all passed the hunting portion of this exam. If any of you have more than a few brain cells to put together, you may have guessed that this is the duel portion of your examination. I am Delvin, Master Alchemist."

  He turned slightly, hooking his thumb toward the arena behind him. The padding seemed to absorb the chamber's light, creating a stark contrast with the stone surroundings.

  "When a pair of names is called, you will go down to this arena, where you will begin your duel at my signal."

  Master Delvin held up a single finger, ensuring all eyes were upon him as he continued.

  "You'll be using wooden practice weapons. You may choose any weapon, and you may use techniques. Deliberately killing your opponent is not permitted, and if it is thought that you have done so, you will not only be disqualified but possibly imprisoned in the dungeon." His expression softened slightly. "That said, accidents do happen."

  As he spoke, he flicked up another finger for each additional rule, counting them off methodically.

  "The duel lasts ten minutes, or until you can no longer fight, whichever comes first. If both applicants last the full ten minutes, the duel will be decided by myself and Master Swordswoman." He gestured toward the entrance, where Amalia now stood, her expression as impassive as ever. "Try to keep your duel contained to the arena. Some spillage is allowed, but you will be stopped if it is deemed that you are a danger to observers."

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Master Delvin surveyed the room once more, ensuring his instructions had been understood.

  "Now, let us begin."

  Excitement rippled through the chamber as the first pair of names was called. Two young men Ash didn't recognize made their way to the arena, selected their weapons from a rack that had been brought out, and squared off against each other. The duel was brief but intense, ending when one participant was knocked unconscious by a particularly vicious blow to the temple. Healers rushed forward to attend to him as his opponent was declared the victor.

  Ash watched each subsequent duel with keen attention, analyzing techniques and strategies. It was immediately apparent that more than half of the original applicants had been eliminated during the monster hunting exam alone. Even so, no one was immediately disqualified after losing a duel, as there was still the exam of potential remaining. This knowledge offered a small measure of comfort.

  Still, anxiety gnawed at Ash's insides. Unless he became a bronze-ranked adventurer, Amalia would never tell him what he desperately needed to know about his past and the attack on his home. While it was technically possible to achieve bronze rank without attending Wyrmhaven Academy, Ash harbored no illusions about how much more difficult that path would be.

  His observations of the ongoing duels did nothing to alleviate his concerns. Many applicants displayed remarkable talent. Some wielded powerful techniques that made the arena tremble with their unleashed energy, while others demonstrated swordsmanship that rivaled his own natural affinity for the blade.

  A particularly impressive bout featured two visenium applicants whose techniques caused the very air to shimmer with heat. Another memorable duel showcased a diminutive dwarf who compensated for his shorter reach with devastating hammer strikes that left his human opponent gasping for breath on the floor.

  "Ash Lorcan and Mina Dawnblade, you're up," Master Delvin's voice cut through Ash's thoughts.

  Ash's heart rate increased as he stood, catching the eye of the silver-haired elven woman he had noticed earlier. Mina Dawnblade. Even her name carried a certain deadly elegance.

  As they made their way down to the arena, Lilith remained in her seat, understanding without being told that she could not participate in this challenge. Ash sent her a mental message nonetheless.

  *Hey, don't call out warnings with this fight,* he thought at her, recalling how her timely alerts had saved him during several encounters in the forest.

  Lilith's mental response was quizzical, her confusion evident even without words.

  Ash frowned, considering how to explain the concept of cheating to a being who lived by different rules than humans.

  *I'll explain later, just don't, okay?* he projected, hoping she would understand the importance of fair play in this context.

  The dragon girl rolled her eyes dramatically but nodded her assent, settling back to watch.

  Ash and Mina took their positions on opposite sides of the arena, several paces apart. The padding beneath their feet gave slightly with each step, designed to absorb impact. Mina's face was set in a neutral, expressionless mask, revealing nothing of her thoughts or intentions. She drew her wooden blade with fluid grace, the movement practiced and precise.

  Ash mirrored her action, drawing his own practice sword. Almost immediately, that familiar clarity of focus descended upon him, sharpening his senses and slowing his perception of time. He immersed himself in his elan, preparing to draw elar when needed.

  Mina's green-gold eyes watched him with unsettling intensity, and Ash realized with a start that she, too, possessed the ability to *see* in the way he did. The recognition passed between them like an unspoken acknowledgment. Instinctively, he shifted his stance into the heart of winter form, a defensive posture designed to repel initial attacks.

  "Begin!" Master Alchemist called out, his voice ringing through the arena.

  Ash anticipated Mina launching herself at him immediately, attempting to overwhelm him with a full offensive barrage. Her stance certainly suggested such an approach. To his surprise, Mina Dawnblade did nothing of the sort.

  Instead, silver light gathered around her blade, shimmering like crushed pearls and pale moonlight combined into an ethereal cloud. With a single horizontal slash, she sent this concentrated power blazing toward him in a crescent arc.

  Having already drawn his elar in preparation, Ash was able to roll sideways, the silver energy missing him by inches. The technique struck the padded wall behind where he had stood, leaving a smoldering mark.

  Undeterred, Mina calmly continued her assault, sending more silver moonlight slashes toward him in deadly arcs. Each attack forced Ash to dodge or roll, preventing him from establishing his preferred rhythm.

  With every evasive maneuver, Ash attempted to close the distance between them. If he could just get within striking range, he might be able to disrupt her technique or at least force her into close-quarters combat where he excelled. The stakes were high – if he failed here, all his hopes would rest on the test of potential, an unknown variable he preferred not to gamble on.

  Mina, however, refused to accommodate his strategy. Whenever Ash managed to reduce the gap between them, she would gracefully relocate to another section of the arena and resume her ranged attacks, the silver arcs spinning through the air with deadly precision.

  Ash racked his brain for options. The pattern couldn't continue indefinitely – either he would eventually make a mistake and be struck by one of her silver arcs, or the time limit would expire with him having landed no meaningful blows, resulting in his loss.

  With no better alternatives presenting themselves, Ash decided to employ his technique. Drawing deeply on his elar, he pushed it out from his back, manifesting his frost dragon wings. The spectral appendages unfurled behind him, radiating cold that made the air shimmer.

  Several spectators gasped at the display, but Ash had no time to appreciate their reaction. Unfortunately, the wings themselves did nothing to counter Mina's silver moonlight technique. The arcs continued to force him into defensive maneuvers.

  But Ash had conceived a plan. A memory surfaced from his childhood on the farm. One winter, when he was much younger, ice had coated the ground, slick and treacherous. Being just a boy without the wisdom to fear such conditions, Ash had run across it without a thought for caution. That impulsive decision had resulted in his first broken arm, a painful lesson in physics and consequences.

  Now, he would use that lesson against his opponent.

  Flapping his spectral wings with force, Ash directed a concentrated burst of frigid air toward the section of arena where Mina stood. His frosty elar billowed forth like a winter storm unleashed, coating the padded floor beneath her feet with a thin layer of rime.

  He achieved his intended goal. The icy coating spread rapidly, covering a small area around Mina. Though she noticed the effect and attempted to relocate, the damage was already done. As she moved, her foot slipped on the unexpected ice, disrupting her perfect balance.

  The silver-haired elf woman cursed as she struggled to regain her footing. Ash seized the opportunity, charging forward with his practice sword raised, intending to land a decisive blow while she was vulnerable.

  But in his eagerness, Ash committed a critical error.

  He had assumed Mina needed her sword to channel her technique.

  As Ash closed the distance, Mina raised her empty hand at the last possible second, just as his wooden blade descended toward her shoulder. Power coalesced in her palm, silver light spinning into a tight sphere. Before Ash could adjust his approach, she released the energy directly into his chest.

  The impact detonated with the sound of rolling thunder. The force lifted Ash off his feet and hurled him backward through the air. His practice sword flew from his grasp, clattering against the padded floor several yards away. He landed hard, the breath knocked from his lungs, pain radiating from his sternum outward.

  Though dazed, Ash knew that remaining prone would only ensure his defeat. He rolled to his side, attempting to scramble toward his fallen blade. But Mina had already recovered fully, moving off the ice with practiced grace. With a single fluid motion, she slashed her wooden sword through the air, sending another arc of silver power directly toward his exposed form.

  Ash had no time to dodge. The silver light slammed into his head with concussive force. Pain exploded behind his eyes, and his vision tunneled rapidly to a single point of light before extinguishing completely.

  His last conscious thought was the realization that he had underestimated his opponent, a mistake he vowed not to repeat. Then darkness claimed him, and he knew no more.