Tale of Vanguard

The opening round was over, and only four Seekers remained in each bracket. The crowd buzzed with excitement as the next round was about to begin, with Bracket A taking the spotlight. The energy in the arena was electric as the announcer called out the names of the next competitors: Serephira Aurion and Aiden Valemont, both from Calaria Academy.

As the two stepped into the arena, their differences were immediately apparent. Serephira carried herself with a calm, composed demeanor, as her face was unreadable. In contrast, Aiden's expression was intense, his focus sharp and unwavering. They had both proven their strength in the earlier rounds, but now they faced each other, rivals despite representing the same academy. The atmosphere was thick with tension as the crowd settled in, eager to see how this clash would unfold.

As they faced each other in the center of the arena, Aiden's lips curled into a mocking smile.

"I told you before, didn't I? You should just quit while you still can. You're not worthy of this competition."

Serephira remained unfazed, her expression was as calm as ever.

"And I told you before, Aiden, I won't back down from a challenge."

Aiden's eyes became more narrowed.

"You're stubborn, I'll give you that. But you'll always be in her shadow, you know that, right? You'll never reach your sister's level. No matter how hard you try, you'll always be second best."

Serephira felt the sting of his words, but she didn't let it show. She couldn't understand why Aiden harbored such anger towards her. They had never been particularly close, yet his animosity seemed deeply personal. What had she done to provoke such hatred? As she pondered, her resolve only strengthened.

With a calm, determined expression, Serephira replied

"If you're done talking, then let's settle this."

She unsheathed her rapier, the blade gleaming with a brilliant light as it caught the energy of her Veil. The air around her began to shimmer. Her eyes locked onto Aiden's, no longer concerned with his taunts. She was here to prove her worth—not to him, but to herself—and nothing he said could deter her from that goal. The ground beneath her feet seemed to hum with energy, light swirling around her in a radiant aura.

As the referee signaled the start of the match, a gust of wind began to form around Aiden's body, swirling faster with each passing second. His eyes locked onto Serephira, and with a voice filled with determination, he declared

"I'll defeat you, Serephira! And you can cry over your lost all alone—just like you've always been!"

With a fierce motion, Aiden unleashed a massive whirlwind, directing it straight toward her. The wind roared as it tore through the arena, but Serephira remained calm. In one fluid, precise movement, she swung her rapier, the blade glowing with a fierce light. The rapier sliced through the whirlwind with ease, dispersing the powerful winds into harmless gusts that scattered across the battlefield.

But Aiden wasn't done. With a swift, powerful strike, he slammed his fist into the ground. The earth beneath him trembled, and spikes of rock began to erupt from the arena floor, racing toward Serephira with dangerous speed. She quickly jumped sideway to avoid the spikes from the ground, merely dodging it.

'I see, so he can dual-wield with ease'

 Serephira rarely see a seeker of their age that was able to dual-wield: the ability to conjure two or more veils at once. It took immense focus to do it, one wrong move and one of the other veil that the person wield can disrupt their resonance, causing both of those veils to shattered. Not to mention that the person's astral resonance will depletes faster than usual.

Aiden moved with calculated precision, commanding both wind and earth simultaneously. The gusts of wind around him swirled with a menacing force, and with a swift motion, he sent a powerful whirlwind barreling toward Serephira. She barely had time to react as she sidestepped, the wind slicing past her with lethal speed.

Without missing a beat, Aiden slammed his fist into the ground again, causing jagged spikes of rock to erupt from the earth once more, this time, Serephira was forced to backpedal rapidly. The ground beneath her feet was treacherous, shifting and rumbling as Aiden continued his assault. He was a force of nature, combining the raw power of wind and earth in a relentless onslaught. Every time Serephira tried to close the distance, Aiden would send a blast of wind to push her back or raise a wall of stone to block her path.

Serephira's rapier flicked through the air, deflecting smaller stones and cutting through the wind with precise, lightning-quick strikes. But Aiden's dual-elemental control kept her on the defensive. His attacks were unrelenting, leaving her little room to counter. She could feel the pressure mounting, the ground beneath her shifting dangerously with each step, while the wind threatened to throw her off balance.

In one fluid motion, Serephira darted forward, her rapier aimed at Aiden's chest. But as she thrust, the earth itself rose to shield him, a wall of solid rock deflecting her blade. The impact sent vibrations up her arm, but she didn't flinch. Instead, she immediately spun around, deflecting another gust of wind that Aiden hurled her way. Her movements were a blur of speed and agility, but Aiden's elemental mastery made every approach treacherous.

Serephira knew she couldn't keep this up for much longer. Aiden had the upper hand, and his relentless assault was beginning to wear her down.

She hesitated for just a moment, and her mind racing.

'I didn't want to do this now... but if I don't, I might not get another chance'

With that thought steeling her resolve, she took a deep breath and leaped high into the air, putting distance between herself and Aiden.

Hovering above the battlefield, she extended her hand and chanted:

"Velum Pyra!"

Immediately, flames erupted around her, forming a massive fireball that encased her in a searing, protective shell. The heat radiated outwards, causing the very air to shimmer and crackle with energy.

As the fireball roared into existence around Serephira, the sheer intensity of the heat caused the protective barrier encircling the arena and the stands to ripple and shimmer—albeit slightly. The crowd gasped, their awe mingling with a tinge of fear as they felt the heat even from where they sat. Serephira, now a blazing comet, plummeted toward Aiden with terrifying speed, the flames trailing behind her like the tail of a meteor.

Aiden's eyes widened in panic. He desperately summoned a thick, impenetrable rock shield that quickly encased him. He braced himself as Serephira's fiery form collided with the shield, the impact shaking the entire arena. The force sent shockwaves rippling outward, causing a tremor that was felt throughout the stands. Smoke and dust erupted from the ground, engulfing the battlefield in an opaque cloud that left the audience in suspense.

For several long moments, nothing was visible. The crowd held their breath, straining to see through the smoke. Then, as the dust began to settle, two figures slowly emerged from the haze. Serephira stood tall, her breathing was steady despite the exhaustion etched into her features. The edges of her blonde hair were tinged with the vibrant color of the flames that had surrounded her moments before, a testament to the power she had unleashed.

Across from her, Aiden wavered on his feet, his eyes wide with disbelief. He tried to steady himself, but his legs buckled beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground, defeated. Serephira watched him for a moment, she then slowly approached him.

"This can't be..."

Aiden muttered, his voice was filled with a mix of shock and frustration.

Serephira looked down at him, her expression was calm but also firm.

"You're wrong about two things, Aiden. First: it's my win."

For a brief second, her thoughts drifted to a certain boy who had given her the strength to keep going. She continued, her tone was softening just slightly.

"Second: I'm not alone anymore."