Luna skipped happily toward the tunnel she’d entered through, taking a moment to savor the moment. She glanced up at the suite where her parents were watching, her heart swelling with pride, and waved up to them.

  As she stepped inside the tunnel, she found Rody waiting just beyond the entrance.

  “Soooo wacha think?”

  “Y-you did great, Luna. I knew you would win.”

  “Thank,s Rody! You’re gonna do great too!” Rody smiled faintly and nodded. Luna noticed Rody looking at the ground. “Rody… can I ask you something?”

  Rody stood with his back against the tunnel wall, his gaze directed upward, though not directly at Luna. He seemed lost in thought, his expression unreadable.“S-sure, what is it?”

  “What has you so worried?”

  Rody hesitated. He didn’t know what to say.

  “Please tell me…”As Luna drew closer, Rody instinctively pressed himself further into the wall, as if trying to sink into it and escape her gaze. His shoulders tensed, but he remained silent.

  “You want to know the truth?” Luna nodded slightly, her big blue eyes locking onto Rody’s.“My opponent is Cassius, the son of Emperor Tiberius Elerian.”

  “The Emperor our dads fought? I didn’t know he had a son… Wait, does that mean you two are related?”

  “I don’t know our exact relation since I was adopted, but yeah. Elerians are known for their cold-blooded ruthlessness and aggression. I don’t know if I can match that, and I don’t want to embarrass my family by losing miserably…”

  Luna pulled Rody into a tight hug. “You aren’t going to lose miserably.”

  “How do you know that?”

  Luna stepped back so he could see her face. “Because even when you don’t believe in yourself. I’ll always believe in you!” She placed her index fingers on the side of her mouth and grinned really big.

  Rody felt a wave of relief wash over him, the warmth of Luna’s presence easing the tension. Her gaze, gentle and understanding, seemed to melt it away.. “Thank you, Luna, I have to go now.”

  Luna excitedly waved Rody off as he exited the tunnel. “I’ll be waiting right here for you, good luck!”

  Rody waved back just as Stefan’s voice rang out, introducing him to the crowd. “Our next Gladius is Rody Harris! The son of famous MAV pilot Kobe Harris!” Rody could hear the crowd's cheers echoing in the distance, but as he stepped from the tunnel and into the snowy forest, the noise began to fade. The cheers tapered off, replaced by the faint sound of discontented boos.

  Stefan continued. “His opponent is Cassius Elerian, son of the last Emperor of the Elerian Empire. It is rumored that these two Gladius’ fathers engaged in combat over twenty years ago. Perhaps we will get a glimpse of the past!”

  The boos became more pronounced for Cassius.

  “Byzantia has been scarred by the Elerian Empire, but Byzantia cannot heal if we cling to the sins of the past. I ask you, for our future, let’s move forward and see what these competitors have to offer us!”

  Rody met Cassius at the center of the arena. Cassius stood tall and proud, his silver hair spiked in wild defiance. His massive two-handed hammer rested casually by his side, a symbol of the strength he exuded.

  “Their opinion means nothing.”

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  “Oh, um. Yeah… let’s have a good match, Cassius.”

  Rody’s response seemed to strike a nerve, drawing Cassius's ire.

  “But my opinion does!” Cassius snapped, his voice booming with disdain. “You call yourself an Elerian?! You reek of fear and weakness!”

  With a swift motion, he seized his massive hammer with one hand, effortlessly displaying his strength. He pointed it threateningly at Rody, his eyes burning with fury.

  “Here, in the Jaxartes Forest of our homeland, I will beat into you what it truly means to be Elerian!”

  Rody hesitated, unsure how to respond. With a deep breath, he drew his sword just as Stefan’s countdown rang out, signaling the start of the match.

  Cassius charged at him head-on, a force of nature with his massive hammer. Rody struggled to block and dodge, his sword barely keeping up with the sheer force of Cassius’s blows. In a brutal strike, Cassius swung his hammer and smacked Rody squarely in the ribs, sending him crashing into a tree with a sickening thud.

  Rody slumped against the tree, pain shooting through his body. He winced, breathing heavily. "Damn, that hurts..."

  He looked up just in time to see Cassius charging at him again. In that moment, a memory hit him—Luna’s advice to use his Teal Frost.

  Clutching his aching ribs with his right hand, Rody slammed his left hand into the ground, summoning pillars of ice that shot up between him and Cassius. The ice cracked and splintered as Cassius barreled through it like a bull. It bought Rody just enough time to grab his sword and roll out of the way.

  His heart raced as he tried to block with his sword, but Cassius’s hammer came down with such force that Rody’s weapon was sent flying. He barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side, gasping for air as each breath grew heavier.

  The seconds felt like hours, and just as desperation started to set in, an idea sparked. I’ll copy Luna!

  He reached into his pouch, pulling out some Teal pieces. He threw them high above his head, hoping the rest of his plan would work.

  Luna noticed Rody using her move. “That’s the–”

  “Phalanx!” Rody shouted as he channeled the Teal Waves, his energy crackling. The pieces he had thrown into the air transformed into sharp, jagged ice spears, hurtling toward Cassius.

  Caught off guard, Cassius swung his hammer wildly, smashing a few of the incoming spears, but others grazed him, forcing him to stumble back. His focus wavered, giving Rody the precious moment he needed.

  Seizing the opportunity, Rody quickly conjured the Frost of Teal, his power intensifying as icy tendrils swirled around him, forming a shimmering frost that enveloped the area.

  “I’ll make an ice storm around myself the way Luna makes a firestorm.”

  A small vortex of wind and ice spiraled around Rody, his Teal Frost swirling into a defensive shield. But Cassius wasn’t done. With a roar, he raised his hammer to the sky, and in response, a bolt of lightning descended from the sky, electrifying his weapon.

  Before Rody could react, Cassius swung the hammer down, slamming it into the ground. The impact sent a violent shockwave rippling through the earth, crashing into Rody’s body like a wave of raw power. His muscles seized with the electric force, and he staggered, struggling to stay on his feet.

  Cassius surged forward, his hammer raised high, and with brutal precision, he began pummeling Rody. Each strike sent shockwaves through Rody’s body, the force of the blows vibrating through his very bones. His Teal shield crackled and flickered with each impact, desperately trying to hold, but Cassius’s relentless assault was too much.

  With a final crushing blow, the shield shattered, the icy remnants scattering into the air as Rody staggered back, barely able to keep his balance.

  “It’s not personal, I just have a bone to pick with your girlfriend over there!”

  Cassius raised his hammer for one final swing, crashing down onto Rody’s chest with bone-shattering force. The impact left Rody gasping for air, and blood erupted from his mouth as he coughed violently. His vision blurred, and pain radiated through his entire body.

  With Rody crumpling to the ground, Cassius stood over him, unshaken. He pointed his hammer at Luna, who was waiting in the tunnel.

  The crowd erupted in a wave of boos, their disapproval echoing through the arena. Stefan’s voice cut through the noise, sharp and authoritative as he addressed Cassius.

  “The match is over Gladius Cassius, another strike will disqualify you!”

  “Hey!” Luna charged out of the tunnel. As she sprinted toward Cassius and Rody, she wrapped her fists in the Flames of Teal. Cassius smirked, readying his hammer for whatever came next.

  But before either could make a move, a wall of ice suddenly erupted between them, a jagged barrier of frozen power. Cassius stared down at the thick ice, realizing that Rody, though battered, had managed to conjure it from the ground.

  “Trying to protect your girlfriend?” He laughed.

  Rody coughed. “No…You…”

  “Hmph,” Cassius replied smugly

  Before Luna could unleash her Flames of Teal to melt the wall, tournament officials rushed onto the scene, stepping between the two. Their voices rang out, firm and commanding, ensuring that there would be no brawl.“Cassius! I-I’m going to make you regret that!”

  “See you in the semifinals! Little girl!” Cassius shouted back while being escorted back to his room.

  Luna snapped her fingers, and a burst of searing flames erupted from her hand, swiftly melting through the ice wall. The steam hissed as the barrier dissolved, revealing Rody, still crumpled on the ground.

  Without hesitation, Luna rushed to his side, kneeling beside him. Her hands hovered over him, trying to assess his condition, her face a mix of concern and fury.

  “Hey! Are you okay!?”

  Rody slowly pushed himself up, his body trembling with pain. “Yeah… Sorry to disappoint you…”

  “You didn’t disappoint me! Let’s get you to the medic and make sure you’re alright.”

  Luna assisted Rody to the medical area. After Rody was checked out, Luna held Rody’s face close to hers. “I’m so proud of you. You did great.”

  Rody’s eyes went wide, his breath shallow and uneven. A wave of nervousness washed over him as he looked at Luna, unsure of what to say. His mind raced, but words seemed to fail him.

  “Don’t worry, I’m gonna teach him a lesson.” Luna smiled to reassure him.