Chapter 233: Preliminaries Part 2

Chapter 233: Preliminaries Part 2

The crowd of 3rd-years winced in sympathy as the drow collapsed unceremoniously, his complexion paler than usual. Every student knew how a grey mages drain spells worked, but it was something else entirely to see the lifeforce of a fellow classmate be drained right in front of them. Only a single student clapped from among the crowd, an orc with glasses and a wide smile.

Wooh! You go, Sylvie! Poppy yelled cheerfully.

Sylvie grinned bashfully from atop the arena stage. She glanced over at the duels proctors; Vayu and Loh stood on a small platform to the side of the stage.

Vayu cleared his throat and raised his arm high, Sylvie wins her first match and will advance to the next bracket.

The crowd finally broke out into cheers, although many still seemed sick from the ghastly defeat of their classmate.

Talk about a one-sided beating, Loh muttered.

Thats our academys ace for you, Vayu shrugged.

Sylvie jogged over to Callum and Poppy. Howd I do?

Callum said wryly, Um, you literally strangled him like a ragdoll while you drained his lifeforce sooo Good, I guess?

You were AMAZING! Poppy jumped up and down and hugged Sylvie.

Thanks! I tried, Sylvie laughed happily.

Darwin and Poppy Skeller to the arena, please, Vayu called out.

Oh, Im up, Poppy wrung her hands. Gods, Im nervous. I dont know if I can do this.

Its just the first match, nothing to worry about, Callum said.

Youre gonna be great, Sylvie patted her back and pushed her forward. Youre a badass, remember that.

Poppy nodded to herself, Y-yeah, youre right. She puffed up her chest, I can do this! Im Poppy fucking Skeller, dammit! She walked up onto the stage and held her hands at her side, ready to spell-cast.

Darwin, a lanky human boy with shaggy blonde hair stumbled onto the other side of the stage. He fidgeted and looked around nervously.

On the count of three the match will start, Vayu said. One, two- huh?

What kind of proctor are you? Loh whispered and shook her head.

What are you talking about? Vayu frowned.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

Read the bloody names, Loh smacked his arm and pointed at the stack of papers he held in his hand.

Vayu narrowed his eyes and brought the papers close. Oh! he chuckled, Sorry, everyone, I misread a contestants name. Darwin, your match isnt until after this one. You may rejoin your classmates.

Darwin sighed in relief and hurried down the stage. His friends patted his shoulder and welcomed him back.

Vayu nodded and cleared his throat, Ahem, Stryg of Ebon Hollow to the arena please.

The crowds voice suddenly died. Stryg emerged from among them and leaped up onto the stage with a single step. The crowds gaze slowly shifted from him to Poppy and back.

Stryg spread his legs apart and crouched low, his grey claws clear under the sunny sky. He bared his teeth and hissed.

Poppy stood still and just stared at Stryg. ...Yeah, Im out, she turned around and walked down the stage.

What? Stryg cocked his head to the side.

Miss Skeller, if you concede now, youll fail the exam. Are you certain? Vayu asked.

Dont hold back on my account, Poppy shook her head.

What are you doing!? Sylvie yelled from the crowd. The fight hasnt even started yet, dont give up now!

Nah, fuck this, Poppy threw her hands up. Id like to live till Im old and grey, not die young and quadriplegic.

The drow squealed and tried to move to no avail.

Sylvie clenched her hand closed, the vines tightened around the drow. He cried and squealed at an even higher pitch.

I think the boy is panicking too much to even talk, Vayu winced.

Yes, after Sylvie blocked all his flame bolts I think it was pretty much a done deal, Loh said.

Shall we then? Vayu asked.

Go for it, Loh nodded.

Vayu cupped his hands over his mouth and yelled, The match is over! Cease all attacks! I declare Sylvie the winner!

Yes! Sylvie fist-pumped the air and released the green flora spell. The giant vines withered and crumbled apart. The drow fell on the floor and curled into a fetal position. He shivered and cried quietly.

Vayu looked at the young drow with sympathy before he turned his attention to Sylvie. Come here, please.

Sylvie nodded and jogged over, Yes, Professor Glaz?

Even standing on a small platform, Vayu was still shorter than Sylvie. A fact that did not go unnoticed by Loh if her smirk was anything to go off of.

Vayu blatantly ignored his co-worker, and handed Sylvie a written slip of paper with Lord Noirs seal, Congratulations, Sylvie! As one of our last standing mages, you have earned yourself a spot among our academys four chosen contestants for the tourney.

Hehe! Sylvie smiled wide, her scarlet eyes brightened with delight. She grabbed her slip of paper and ran off to her friends.

Thats one hell of an ace, Vayu whistled. Shell destroy the competition in Undergrowth.

Mm, Loh nodded. She glanced at the line-up for the final three matches; the winners would represent Hollow Shade in the Great Cities Tourney.

Nora Azol vs. Callum Veres

Stryg of Ebon Hollow vs. Kegrog

Kithina vs. Freya Goldelm

Shall we continue? Loh muttered.

~~~

Callum walked onto the now-familiar stage and looked around. The majority of the slate tiles had been cracked or outright shattered. The new dwarf professor, Cornelius Rotrusk, had stopped by and casted a stone spell to fill in the giant holes that Sylvies vines had made.

Sylvie really is incredible, Callum smiled to himself.

As if on cue, Sylvies voice broke out from among the crowds cheers, You can do it! Show her the strength of hybrids!

Nora glanced at Sylvie from across the stage. So, thats the dire hybrid Kegrog has been telling me about. Pity we didnt get a chance to fight.

Callum wrinkled his brow, Its been a while, Nora. You seem different.

Yes, that usually happens when your fianc dies, Nora said frostily. Not that you would know. Youve had a fianc since the day you were born, yet here you are happily dating this obsessively-cheerful girl.

Callum stiffened.

Nora narrowed her eyes, Oh? You havent told her, have you? Wow, you must really like this girl. Im impressed that Stryg or Kitty never said anything. I mean, Stryg I understand, the importance of things like that usually go right over his head. But Kitty? You really lucked out with her. She must have really cared about you to not let the little bit of info slip out, huh? Maybe I should tell Sylvie myself, hm?

Callum frowned, Im sorry about your loss, I really am. But how does any of this help either one of us?

...Clypeus never liked you, I never understood why. Nora straightened her back, But after Kegrog told me what happened at the Winter Ball, I think I have a pretty good idea.

Callum sighed, ...You used to be so timid around me, you would never have threatened a Veres.

Nora stretched her arms and took a battle stance, Lucky for me, Im not a Gale.