The first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the windows of the Arcane Order's dormitories, casting soft golden light across the quiet halls. After the exhausting mission in the mountains, Lucious, Elara, and Aldric had barely made it back to their rooms before collapsing onto their beds. They hadn't even exchanged a single word.
But today was a new day.
Lucious stretched as he stepped into the hall, feeling the stiffness in his muscles from yesterday's battle with the Remorhaz. His mind was still swirling with flashes of the cave, the centipedes, and Elara's blinding beam of light piercing through that monstrous creature.
"Come on," Aldric said, already wide awake and walking a few paces ahead. "We should check in at the main hall."
Elara walked silently beside them, her expression as calm and unreadable as ever. But Lucious could tell she was still deep in thought, probably replaying the events of the mission just like he was.
When they reached the main hall, the usual morning buzz of activity greeted them. Arcanites moved between the mission board, the reception desk, and the dining area. It was a typical scene… until a familiar voice rang out across the hall.
"Well, look who decided to show up."
Lucious glanced up to see a group of C-Rank Arcanites lounging near the mission board, smirking in their direction. The same team that had mocked them before the mission.
"Well, well, well," one of them sneered, stepping forward with a smug grin. "Thought you wouldn't make it out of that avalanche. How does it feel to survive on pure luck… again?" His team chuckled behind him.
Lucious felt his fists clench at his sides, but Aldric was already stepping forward, his jaw tightening in anger.
"You wanna run your mouth again? How about we settle this right now?" he growled, his eyes locked on the C-Rank leader.
"Aldric—" Elara started softly, but he cut her off with a sharp shake of his head.
"No, Elara. I've had enough of them." He pointed straight at the C-Rank leader. "You and me. Right now. Unless you're too scared."
The room fell silent as Arcanites turned to watch. The challenge hung heavily in the air, the tension so thick it was almost palpable.
The C-Rank leader's grin widened, his confidence unshaken. "Fine," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's see what you've got, boy."
The tension in the air was thick as Aldric and the C-Rank leader, stepped outside the Arcane Order's hall. A small crowd had gathered around them, made up of curious Arcanites eager to watch the unexpected duel. Whispers and murmurs spread through the onlookers.
the C-Rank Arcanite smirked, eyeing Aldric with a confident glint in his eyes. "I always make it a point to introduce myself to the people I'm about to beat," he said with a mocking tone. "The name's Darius."
Aldric's expression remained cool, the air around him charged with a crackling energy. He tightened his grip on his daggers and met Darius's gaze.
"Aldric Stormrider," he said calmly, his voice cutting through the tension. "And I'm not here to lose."
The tension in the air was thick as Aldric stepped forward, his gaze locked on the C-Rank's towering figure. The air crackled with energy as the two squared off, the sounds of their breathing the only noise in the otherwise still hall.
Darius cracked his neck and grinned, raising the Earthbreaker Axe over his shoulder. "I always make sure to tell my opponents my name, before I beat them." His voice was deep, rough, the kind of voice that matched his intimidating presence. "I'm Darius, and you're about to learn just why they call me 'The Earthshaker.'"
Aldric didn't flinch, his own smirk barely visible beneath the intensity of his gaze. He'd faced many challenges before, and this would be no different. "Name's Aldric Stormrider," he said, his voice sharp and confident. "Let's see if you can keep up."
Without another word, Darius charged forward, his massive axe swinging with terrifying force toward Aldric. The ground beneath them seemed to tremble, and Aldric could feel the raw power of the swing in the air before it even reached him.
Aldric reacted instantly, his body blurring with speed as he darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the axe's deadly arc. He felt the wind of its passing cut through the air, but his reflexes had already brought him to safety.
Darius grinned wider, clearly impressed. "Not bad. But that's just the beginning."
With a roar, Darius slammed his axe into the ground, sending a shockwave rippling through the earth. The ground split open where the weapon landed, rocks and debris flying everywhere. Aldric leaped back to avoid being caught in the attack, but the shockwave was relentless, shaking the ground beneath his feet.
He gritted his teeth, eyes narrowing. "This guy's strong."
The ground around Darius cracked and shifted as if it were alive, the earth itself obeying his command. The air was thick with dust as rocks lifted into the air, swirling around him like a storm of stone.
Aldric knew he couldn't keep dodging forever. He'd have to go on the offensive. He focused his lightning-infused nerves, gathering energy, preparing for his next move.
Darius swung his axe again, the massive weapon cutting through the air with a brutal precision. Aldric had no time to dodge this time, so he twisted his body, harnessing the lightning coursing through his veins.
In the blink of an eye, Aldric vanished, only to reappear behind Darius, lightning crackling in his wake. He launched himself at Darius's back, aiming for a fast strike to his opponent's ribs.
But Darius, with surprising agility for his size, spun around in time to catch the blow with the edge of his axe. The collision sent a jolt of energy up Aldric's arm, but he didn't hesitate. He ducked and rolled, using his momentum to spring away from the strike, his body flashing in and out of existence with each movement.
"Not bad, little lightning boy," Darius mocked, his voice booming over the sound of clashing metal. He swung his axe again, but Aldric was already gone, dodging to the side.
The ground shook beneath Aldric's feet as Darius swung with all his might, sending another shockwave rippling outward. Rocks shattered in all directions as the earth split in two. Aldric's heart raced as he narrowly dodged the shockwave, his body blurring again as he teleported just out of range.
His breathing was steady, but his mind raced. He had to find a way to land a blow. Darius's strength was overwhelming, and his magic was shaking the very ground beneath them. Aldric couldn't just keep running. He had to end this quickly.
Aldric's eyes narrowed as he concentrated. He could feel the electricity in the air, the energy of the storm all around them. It was time to use it.
In an instant, Aldric teleported again, this time directly above Darius. The man's back was exposed, his attention still focused on where Aldric had been just moments before. With no hesitation, Aldric slammed his fist into Dariou's ribs, and a burst of lightning shot from his hand, crackling through the air like a thunderbolt.
Darius roared in pain as the electricity coursed through his body, but his grip on the axe didn't waver. He was still standing. Still ready for more.
"You think that'll stop me?!" Darius bellowed, the veins in his neck bulging. He swung the axe around wildly, trying to catch Aldric in the process.
But Aldric was faster. He teleported once more, this time behind Darius, sending a surge of lightning straight through his back.
The giant's body stiffened as the electricity surged through him, his muscles locking up. Darius dropped to one knee, his breath ragged, sweat pouring down his face.
Aldric stood over Darius, his chest heaving with exertion. The powerful warrior was kneeling before him, struggling to breathe, his body still twitching from the lightning coursing through his veins.
Aldric, his expression calm but resolute, took a step forward. With one fluid motion, he pulled a dagger from his belt and pressed it to Darius's throat, the sharp edge glinting in the dim light of the arena.
Darius froze, his eyes widening in shock and fury. His breathing became shallow, and for the first time in the fight, there was uncertainty in his gaze. He couldn't move. The dagger was too close. The position was too vulnerable.
"I guess you're not as invincible as you thought, huh?" Aldric said with a calm smirk, his voice a low growl. "You've lost. There's no coming back from this."
Darius snarled, his fists clenched tightly, but the overwhelming force of the lightning had drained him. Every muscle in his body felt like it was made of lead, and he had no strength left to fight.
Aldric's eyes flashed with a dangerous confidence, and he pushed the dagger in just enough to draw a small trickle of blood.
"I won," Aldric said simply, his words cutting through the tension in the air.
Darius's furious expression turned to a grimace of begrudging respect, but he didn't fight back. He simply lowered his head in defeat.
Aldric pulled the dagger away, sheathing it with a swift motion. "Next time, don't underestimate your opponent," he said, his voice now steady. "You're lucky I'm not interested in killing you."
The crowd watching the fight, who had been holding their breath the entire time, finally released the tension in the air, a murmur of awe spreading among them.
Aldric turned away, his back straight and his posture proud. He had won. And he had proven, once again, that no one should ever doubt his strength.
As Aldric sheathed his daggers, a few members of Darius's team, who had been watching from the sidelines, suddenly sprinted toward him. Their weapons were drawn, clearly ready to make a move, intent on humiliating Aldric for showing that their boss had been defeated in such a manner.
But before they could take another step, the air around them seemed to freeze.
One of the men was suddenly held mid-air, unable to move. His body jerked awkwardly as if something invisible had gripped him. He struggled in vain, trying to break free, but there was no escape.
"Where do you think you're going?" a calm voice rang out behind them.
The voice belonged to Elara, her hands glowing with radiant light. A chain of pure light wrapped around the man's torso, restraining him as if it were a physical prison.
The other two members of the group skidded to a halt, confused. They tried to move but found themselves rooted to the spot, their legs refusing to cooperate. No force, no magic, could move them.
As their panic started to rise, the silence was broken by a familiar voice.
"Don't tell me you forgot about us," Lucious said with a dry, amused tone, stepping up beside them. His expression was one of quiet confidence, his presence a stark contrast to the fear growing in the enemy's eyes.
He stood in front of them, his figure exuding an almost tangible pressure as if he were daring them to challenge him. With a wave of his hand, he released the magic holding them in place.
The moment their bodies regained control, the two men immediately took a cautious step back, their eyes filled with a mix of fear and hesitation.
Lucious's voice was low, almost too calm for the situation. "If you want a fight, I'll give you one," he said as he unsheathed his blade , his tone carrying the weight of someone who didn't hesitate to follow through on his words.
The three men, now clearly intimidated by the united front of Aldric, Elara, and Lucious, looked to each other in desperation. They glanced down at Darius, who was still recovering from his defeat, before their eyes flicked to the three Arcanites before them. Realizing they were outmatched, they hesitated.
Without another word, the group quickly grabbed Darius's unconscious form and retreated, fleeing back the way they came. The tension in the air slowly dissipated as they disappeared into the distance, leaving the three Arcanites standing tall and victorious.
After the confrontation with Darius's team, Lucious and Elara exchanged brief glances before following Aldric as he strode ahead. His steps were purposeful, his earlier tension now melting away into the cool calm that always seemed to take over after a fight.
the trio walked back to the main hall, their footsteps steady but with a lingering tension in the air
As they entered the main hall, the usual flurry of activity inside was quieter than before. Several Arcanites paused in their work, casting curious glances in their direction, some already knowing what had transpired outside. The word was spreading fast, and the mocking laughter that had once greeted them was replaced by an uncomfortable silence.
Elisa, standing near the entrance to the Order's briefing room, spotted them first. Her kind eyes softened as she saw their weary expressions, but she said nothing, simply greeting them with a nod.
"Aldric, you look like you've been through a storm," she said softly, her gaze flicking between Them.
Aldric was still catching his breath, his muscles sore from the fight. He glanced at the C-ranks as they filed back into the hall, their defeat now a distant echo in the air. They had slunk off with their tails between their legs, a moment of humiliation they would surely remember.
Lucious stepped forward, his voice firm. "We'd like to request a rank reevaluation."
Elisa's smile softened as she regarded them, then she gave a small nod, stepping toward the counter. "Sure, why not? I'll forward your request for a rank reevaluation," she said, her tone thoughtful. "But before I proceed with that, there's one more thing I need to do. I'll need to scan your mana levels—this could impact your rank evaluation."
Lucious raised an eyebrow but didn't object, and Elara and Aldric nodded in agreement. They all knew that the Arcane Order took mana levels seriously when considering rankings. Elisa raised a hand, her fingers glowing with a faint, silver light. A soft hum filled the air as she moved her hand in a deliberate pattern before them.
The light around her fingers pulsed gently as a wave of magic swept over them, scanning their individual mana pools. Lucious felt a light pressure around his chest, like a delicate tug, and he held still as Elisa focused her energy on him first.
After a moment, the glow faded, and she moved on to Elara, then Aldric. Each time, her eyes narrowed slightly, and she nodded thoughtfully as the readings came in.
"Interesting," Elisa finally said, stepping back after scanning them all. "Your mana levels have certainly increased since your last evaluations." She looked between the three, her gaze lingering on them a little longer. "You're all far stronger than you were before. And the way you handled yourselves in that fight..." She smiled again. "I'll send this updated data along with your rank reevaluation request. You've proven that your skills are no longer just potential. You've demonstrated true power."
Lucious nodded, his jaw set in determination. "That's what we've been working for."
Elara's gaze was steady. "It's time the Order recognizes us for who we are now."
Aldric smirked, clearly proud. "Let them see we've earned it."
Elisa raised an eyebrow. "No doubt, but just remember—the reevaluation process isn't immediate. It will take time for the leadership to review everything."
She made a note on her desk and looked up at them. "Don't worry. I'll make sure this information gets to the right people. But you'll have to wait a bit for the decision."
With that, the trio turned and left, their spirits high as they walked out of the main hall, confident that their journey had taken another step forward.