Realmshift: Triad Ascendancy.

Rune Wars II

[GREY]

The blinding morning sun breaks through the scattered clouds, casting sharp rays across the arena as the third day of Rune Wars kicks off. The sky is a patchwork of pale blue and gray, with thick clouds lazily drifting across the horizon. A gentle breeze stirs the air, but it's nowhere near enough to cool the heat radiating from the packed stands. The noise of the crowd is deafening, a relentless hum of excitement and anticipation. Cheers, chatter, and the occasional shout echo throughout the arena, bouncing off the high walls like a living, breathing force.Arkane had spent the entire night practicing, sharpening her skills for today's match. She worked on everything—except decay. That was one ability she refused to use in this tournament. The effects were too dangerous, it could very well end with her opponent's death, and Arkane wasn't ready for that kind of hassle, especially since she wasn't sure if anyone here, apart from us and the professors, could survive it.The crowd's noise rises to a fever pitch as her name is announced. Across the arena, her opponent, Lucas Miverne, steps into the ring. I've heard whispers from other students that he's supposed to be tough—a solid contender who barely cracked the top 100 last year. 

The crowd was a swirling sea of excitement, cheers and chatter echoing throughout the stadium as the next match began to take shape. Silver sat back, arms crossed, showing no real interest in the battle about to unfold. He knew Arkane far too well—there was no way this Lucas guy, whoever he was, could ever pose a threat to her. Beatrice, however, sat on the edge of her seat, eyes wide with both curiosity and nerves. She had never seen any of us fight before."It's understandable," I thought to myself, glancing over at her. Beatrice had only been with us a short time, and she still didn't fully grasp the kind of power Arkane possessed.When Arkane entered the arena, her calm and composed presence was a stark contrast to Lucas, who strutted out with an arrogant grin plastered across his face. They both moved into their fighting stances, the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a blade. My eyes narrowed as I recognized Lucas—a smug face from earlier memories. He was one of those bullies who had tried to hurt Beatrice when she first arrived. A flash of disgust crossed Silver's face at the same moment Beatrice shifted uneasily beside me, her eyes betraying a hint of fear.

I leaned over and patted her back. "Don't worry, Arkane's got this," I reassured her.The stadium went silent for a moment, only for the announcer's voice to explode across the field, shaking the very ground beneath us. "LET THE MATCH BEGIN!"Lucas wasted no time. In an instant, he lunged at Arkane, his blade aimed straight at her chest, a wild grin on his face. His recklessness was apparent from the start. His movements were fast, but predictable. Too predictable.Arkane's Sharingan flared to life, her crimson eyes locking onto Lucas as he charged. With barely any effort, she sidestepped his first attack and raised her own blade, infusing it with mana as she blocked his strike. A small burst of energy crackled between the swords as they clashed, the impact sending a minor shockwave rippling outward, but Arkane barely blinked. Lucas, on the other hand, seemed to struggle under the weight of his own attack."Is that it?" Arkane asked calmly, her voice even and unbothered.Lucas grunted, pushing harder against her blade, his arrogance beginning to show. "Don't act like this is over already," he growled, leaping back to put some distance between them. With a swift motion, he fired a burst of mana from his free hand, aiming to catch Arkane off guard.But she saw it coming before he even raised his arm. The Sharingan tracked his every movement, calculating the exact trajectory of the blast. Arkane moved so quickly that most in the crowd probably didn't even see it. One second she was standing still, the next she was a blur, already behind Lucas by the time his mana blast hit nothing but air."Too slow," she muttered.

Lucas spun around, swinging his sword wildly, but again, Arkane was faster. She ducked under his blade and delivered a sharp kick to his side, sending him stumbling back."You'll have to do better than that," Arkane said, her voice still calm, though a hint of amusement was creeping into her tone. Lucas' face contorted in frustration. His pride was taking a hit, and it showed in the reckless way he moved. He charged at her again, this time launching a flurry of attacks with his sword, each swing faster and more desperate than the last. But Arkane blocked them all with ease, her blade infused with just enough mana to parry his blows without effort. She was holding back—anyone could see that."Stop dodging!" Lucas snarled, sending another mana blast her way.Arkane didn't even bother to move this time. She simply raised her hand, letting the mana blast hit her palm, absorbing the energy like it was nothing.Lucas' eyes widened in disbelief. "What...?"