Janelle's Training
Janelle slid low across the ground, her body nearly parallel to the earth as she slowed to a stop. The wind swept through her long white hair as she raised one hand.
"Barrier Magic!"
A transparent barrier materialized before her.
In the next instant, a powerful burst of flames rushed toward her, crashing against the barrier with a deafening impact. Fire spread across its surface, and dust rose into the air, obscuring the entire area.
Yet the barrier held firm.
Gradually, the flames dissipated, and the dust settled.
Janelle lowered her hand and rose to her feet. After taking a deep breath, she turned toward the young man standing several metres away.
"How was that?"
The instructor smiled.
"Impressive. Really impressive. You've grown much stronger during this past month."
He folded his arms.
"I suppose postponing the Entrance Tournament wasn't such a bad thing for you after all. Keep training like this, and you'll have a good chance of achieving your dreams."
Janelle wiped the sweat from her forehead.
"Tomorrow is finally the day, isn't it?"
"That's right. The tournament begins tomorrow, the first day of the week."
"I know."
"You're strong enough to keep up with the other apprentices. Don't let your nerves get the better of you."
Janelle nodded before a small smile appeared on her face.
"What about your Healing Magic?" the instructor asked.
She smirked.
"I'm working on that too."
The bruises scattered across her arms gradually began to disappear. Within moments, her skin had returned to normal.
The instructor raised his eyebrows in approval.
"Nice. With your Healing ability and Barrier Magic, you'll be able to last longer during a fight."
He paused, studying her for a moment.
"I'm also glad you managed to learn some of my craftsmanship technique before joining Legion Academy. It will prove useful to you."
Janelle glanced at her hand.
The technique allowed her to shape her barriers into different forms. With enough imagination, she could turn them into objects, tools, or even weapons.
"Normally, a technique like that would consume a considerable amount of energy, especially for a royal," the instructor continued. "However, your energy flow is impressive. I believe you'll be able to use it differently from most people."
"Thank you."
"Your father is already at the academy, preparing everything for tomorrow's tournament. You should go inside and rest. Make sure you do your best."
Janelle hesitated before asking, "Will you come and watch?"
"I'm afraid not, my lady. I'll be quite busy tomorrow."
Her shoulders dropped slightly.
"That's sad."
She turned and began walking away.
"All right, then. See you later."
"Good luck tomorrow, Janelle."
She raised one hand in acknowledgment before leaving the training ground.
Tomorrow would determine how far she had come.
And she intended to prove it.
A Clash of Pride
In a forest near the Kingdom, a young man darted between the trees at astonishing speed.
His dark navy-blue hair was slightly tousled, and his golden-amber eyes moved sharply between his surroundings, observing every detail. His lean, athletic frame moved with effortless agility as he twisted around a tree and drove his bare hand straight through its trunk.
He didn't stop.
He moved to the next tree, piercing it with another strike, then another.
Each movement was precise. He wasn't trying to cut the trees down. His hands penetrated their trunks as though the wood offered little resistance.
After several more strikes, he finally stopped.
Riven Veylor stood quietly among the trees, his breathing steady.
Then something strange happened.
The trees he had pierced began to wither. Their leaves lost their freshness and fell to the ground. Their branches weakened, while their trunks gradually decayed as though years of deterioration had suddenly caught up with them.
Within moments, the surrounding trees looked ancient.
Riven observed the results before smiling.
"That is great."
Clap. Clap. Clap.
A voice sounded behind him.
"Impressive. Really impressive, though."
Riven turned his head slightly.
A young man approached through the trees, clapping as he walked. His slightly messy white hair consisted of sharp, lean strands that shifted with each step. His icy-blue eyes were fixed on Riven, and his lean, athletic build suggested a body suited to speed and combat.
A confident smirk rested on his face.
He stopped a short distance away.
"Is that the best you can do, Riven?"
Riven turned fully toward him.
"How do you know my name?"
The young man chuckled.
"You're quite famous, you know. Being the prince of Valtheris has its advantages."
His smirk widened.
"I've been looking forward to sparring with people stronger than myself. I thought you might be one of them."
He looked around at the decaying trees.
"But now that I've seen you, I'm beginning to think you're not even worth my time."
Riven's expression remained calm.
"Says who? You?"
He tilted his head.
"I barely know you. If you hadn't come here, we probably wouldn't have met. And even during the Entrance Tournament, I wouldn't bother choosing a sluggish mama's boy like you as my opponent."
The smile on Caleb's face faltered for a moment.
"Is that so? That's not what I expected from you."
His expression hardened.
"That's quite an insult to my reputation. And I don't tolerate insults from just anybody."
He took a step forward.
"Especially not from you."
Riven laughed softly.
"You talk as though you have the strength to kill me."
"I do."
Caleb answered without hesitation.
"But I don't have time for this right now. I know you're looking for someone to spar with, so why don't you ask your father to find you an opponent?"
He turned his back on Caleb.
"I bet all you have is a big mouth. You can't face me in hand-to-hand combat, can you?"
Caleb said.
For a moment, Riven remained silent.
Then he laughed.
Caleb continued
"You have quite the ego for someone who hasn't even entered the academy yet. You speak as though you already own the place—as though your father bought the entire kingdom for you."
His icy-blue eyes narrowed.
"But here's a thought. You should have left that pride with your mother when she dropped you off instead of bringing it here."
"And perhaps, you don't even have a mother."
Riven interrupted
Caleb's smile disappeared.
Riven's expression changed.
Without another word, Caleb lowered his body and assumed a fighting stance.
"You've taken this too far. Now I'm going to silence you."
Riven's smile returned, though there was no warmth in it.
"Let me see you try."
He adopted his own stance.
In the next instant, both young men launched themselves at each other.
BOOM!
Before they could collide, two figures dropped between them.
One thrust his hand toward Riven.
"Rock Magic!"
The ground erupted around Riven, forming a thick rocky enclosure that trapped him inside.
At the same time, the second figure activated Metal Magic. Metal restraints surged from the earth, locking around Caleb's legs and binding his arms before he could reach his opponent.
Both young men struggled against their restraints.
"What the hell?" Caleb snapped.
The two figures stood between them, their expressions stern.
"Seriously?" one of the scouts said. "You're about to enter Legion Academy, and you're already trying to fight each other out of anger?"
He looked from one young man to the other.
"We don't tolerate unauthorized sparring between prospective apprentices. If you want to fight, you do it when an authorized person permits it. You don't make your own rules."
The scout who had trapped Riven released his magic.
The rocky enclosure crumbled, allowing Riven to step free.
He glared at the scout.
"You'll regret that."
The other scout released Caleb's restraints.
"No sparring. Return to the academy immediately."
Caleb brushed himself off.
"Don't tell me what to do. I don't like that."
"Go. Now."
Caleb stared at him for another moment but eventually turned away.
As he began walking, he glanced back at Riven.
"You're bigger than this, Riven."
Riven met his gaze.
"Yeah. I know."
Caleb said nothing more.
Riven watched him leave before turning back toward his belongings.
The tournament was tomorrow.
And it seemed the competition had already begun.
The Devil's Visit
The Kingdom of Elarion stood beneath the evening sky, its enormous royal palace rising above the surrounding city.
Far from the palace, on a hill overlooking the kingdom, two figures stood side by side.
One was Demon King Abel.
The wind stirred his dark hair as his crimson eyes surveyed the kingdom below. Golden jewellery adorned his appearance, catching the faint light as he moved.
Beside him stood Cadoc, his red hair blowing in the wind. He wore only his Legion Academy trousers, leaving his upper body bare.
Abel smiled faintly.
"Shall we?"
Cadoc glanced toward the kingdom.
"Yeah. Whatever."
Abel chuckled before turning around.
He extended one hand toward the empty space before them.
Flames erupted in midair.
They twisted and spread, forming a burning gateway that opened into a portal.
Without hesitation, Abel stepped inside.
Cadoc followed.
The portal closed behind them.
At the entrance to Elarion's royal palace, the guards stood watch when a fire suddenly appeared in the air before them.
The flames burned without any visible source.
"What is that?"
Before anyone could answer, the fire expanded and opened into a portal.
Abel stepped out, with Cadoc standing behind him.
"Intruders!" one of the guards shouted. "Draw your weapons!"
Steel rang as the guards unsheathed their swords. Others activated their magic, preparing to attack.
The commanding officer stared at the two figures.
"It's him! Everyone, attack!"
The soldiers charged.
Abel merely smirked.
Cadoc rushed forward.
Then.
The screen turned black.
White slashes flashed across it, one after another.
A moment later, the sounds of battle ceased.
Cadoc landed among the fallen soldiers, his hand lowered at his side. A few drops of blood slipped from his fingers.
Abel walked past him without looking back.
As he approached the entrance, he noticed a surviving soldier crawling away in terror.
"N-no! Please! Spare my life!"
The man struggled to move farther away.
"I beg you! Please!"
Abel looked down at him.
"Is that so?"
He showed no particular interest in the man's pleading and continued toward the palace entrance.
Then he glanced back at Cadoc.
"Wait outside for me."
Cadoc sighed.
"Whatever."
Abel disappeared inside.
The palace corridors stretched before the Demon King, their polished floors reflecting the light from the surrounding lamps.
He walked without haste.
Soon, another group of soldiers came rushing toward him from the opposite end of the corridor.
"Attack him!"
Magic gathered around their hands as they charged.
Abel didn't stop walking.
Suddenly, the soldiers were hurled in different directions.
Those approaching from the right crashed into the wall on their right. Those on the left were thrown against the opposite wall, while the soldiers charging through the centre were slammed against the upper section of the corridor.
The entire passage fell silent.
Abel continued forward, a faint smile on his face.
"Is that all?"
He reached the royal headquarters.
The enormous doors opened before him.
Beyond them stood hundreds of elite soldiers, arranged throughout the grand throne room. At the far end, their king sat upon his throne, wearing a crown.
The king was a short, somewhat chubby man whose face carried a mixture of fear and defiance.
"So you've finally arrived," the king declared.
He gestured toward his soldiers.
"You may have defeated those pathetic guards outside, but these men are my finest warriors. They won't let you reach me."
He leaned forward.
"You think you're strong? Think twice before coming to challenge me!"
Abel laughed coldly.
The king's expression twisted with anger.
"Why are you laughing at me, you worthless loser?"
Abel raised a hand to his face, his golden jewellery glimmering as he chuckled.
"You actually believe you can make a deal with the devil and then try to deceive him."
His smile widened.
"How amusing."
The king's face darkened.
"Kill him! All of you!"
The elite soldiers prepared to attack. Some gathered magic, while others rushed forward, relying on their physical strength.
Then Abel raised his head.
His left eye turned a deep, pure purple.
The soldiers abruptly stopped.
"What?"
One attempted to move his arm, but his body refused to respond.
"Damn it! I can't move!"
Another tried to activate his magic.
"What's happening? My magic isn't responding!"
Panic spread throughout the throne room.
"What have you done to us?" the king demanded.
Abel smirked.
"You thought you could make a deal with me and fool me?"
He lowered his hand.
"You were mistaken."
The king began to pant.
"Our deal…" he stammered. "What about our deal?"
Abel's expression remained unchanged.
"Our deal is over. Effective immediately."
He snapped his fingers.
For a brief moment, nothing happened.
Then, outside the royal palace, reddish flames erupted across the ground.
The fire spread rapidly, consuming the palace grounds before climbing the enormous structure. Flames surged through the outer sections, engulfing walls and pillars.
Inside the throne room, the soldiers watched helplessly as the fire approached.
The king struggled against the invisible force holding him in place.
"What are you doing?! What the hell are you doing to me?"
Abel looked at him.
"You tried to fool me."
His smile vanished.
"Now you face the consequences."
The flames swallowed the royal palace.
Its walls cracked. Pillars collapsed. The once-magnificent structure began to crumble beneath the advancing fire.
Outside, soldiers rushed toward the palace.
"Your Highness!"
Cadoc turned toward the approaching troops.
He raised his hands preparing to engage in combat
But then a powerful shockwave swept across the area from the royal palace, knocking the soldiers unconscious before they could reach him.
Moments later, the royal palace collapsed.
Dust and smoke filled the air.
Cadoc stared at the ruins.
"I think he's dead." he said
But seconds later
A figure emerged from the falling debris.
Abel walked out of the collapsing palace completely unscathed. Not a single mark could be seen on him.
Cadoc glanced at him.
"Don't you ever die?"
Abel laughed.
"No. I can't."
He stepped beside Cadoc and extended his hand toward an empty space.
Flames erupted once more, forming another portal.
Abel entered first.
Cadoc followed behind him.
The portal closed.
And the Kingdom of Elarion was left with the ruins of its royal palace.