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The Trial of Blood and Shadow
The morning after a chaotic night, the four boys stirred in their neighboring dorm rooms, still echoing with laughter, childish curses, flying pillows, and a wild exchange of jokes and antics. Eliot—the loud one with the eccentric hairstyle, Danny—the shy boy with glasses, Lionel—the dashing young man with a commanding aura, and Lloyd—who had sat silently, observing them all with a quiet smile, caught between admiration and a thousand questions. It was the first moment Lloyd had truly felt something close to… belonging.
Just as the sun climbed above the horizon, piercing the blue skies with golden spears, the academy's summoning horns rang sharply through the campus. Students stumbled out of their quarters, groggy and complaining, blinking into the sunlight. But in the air hovered an odd tension—an invisible current of unease.
Standing atop a marble platform at the center of the courtyard was Instructor Grimaldi—a mountain of a man, with a cruel smile seemingly etched into his face and eyes that scanned the crowd like a predator.
Then, he spoke.
"Beginners… it's time we test something far more important than individual strength. Something that separates the victorious from the dead in real battle—teamwork."
A silence spread over the students. All eyes turned toward him.
Grimaldi's smile deepened into something almost demonic.
"Today, you'll take part in your first cooperative examination. Teams of four. The combinations will be chosen by me. The rules are simple: anything goes. Broken bones… near-death… all fair game."
Gasps rippled through the students. A few choked back yelps.
Lionel muttered under his breath, "Is he insane?"
Lloyd replied dryly, "Agreed. He's as mad as I am."
Grimaldi heard them. His head turned slowly, eyes glinting like polished obsidian.
"You two loud-mouthed pigs…" he sneered. "Since you enjoy talking so much, you'll be in the same team. And with that weird-haired boy… and the shy one with the glasses."
All eyes turned to Eliot and Danny.
Eliot grinned smugly, "We'll show them real hell, boys."
Danny gulped, "M-me? With them?"
Lloyd laughed, "This is the worst lineup imaginable."
Lionel sighed, "We're doomed."
Grimaldi moved on, announcing the rival teams.
"Team Two: The Four Bullies.
Yorgo—muscle-bound, fiery red hair, a neck tattoo, and Earth Magic.
Robert—tall, narrow-eyed, with a metal bow strapped to his back. Metal-user, marksman class.
Fred—brute-like, permanently scowling, wields a double-headed hammer, Hammer Magic.
And finally, Chris—blonde, smug, uses Illusion Magic. Weak, but annoying."
"Team Three," he continued, "includes the royal twins Kyle and Kira, the noble enchantress Clara, and Sirene, wielder of song magic."
The rest of the teams went unnamed.
Then Grimaldi roared: "The first match—Team Lloyd… against the bullies!"
The grand arena gates creaked open. A massive coliseum, reminiscent of ancient Roman battlegrounds, with towering columns and a wide field paved in spell-resistant enchanted stone.
Both teams stepped onto the battlefield. From the stands, students and instructors watched closely. Among them sat Lisa and Yazan, their eyes locked onto the field with sharp focus.
At the center of the arena, the four teammates gathered.
Eliot declared proudly, "Name's Eliot. I'm a gear-user. Dual compact cannons. In my world… we call them the Emperor of Hell!"
He revealed two shining mini-cannons, glowing with blue energy.
Danny whimpered, "We're doomed… three mages and one gear-user?"
Lloyd smirked. "I only use shadow magic."
Lionel arched a brow, sarcastic. "Oh, just shadow magic…"
Danny stammered, "I… I use Wind magic."
Lionel spoke quietly, "Ice magic. Disaster Class."
On the opposite side, the bullies introduced themselves with confidence.
Yorgo thumped his chest. "Earth magic. My defense is unbreakable."
Robert nocked an arrow. "My shots never miss. Enchanted with tracking."
Fred slammed his hammer to the ground. "This crushes bones and brains alike."
Chris gave a lazy smile. "Illusion magic. That's all you need to know."
The battle began.
Eliot bolted like lightning, blue blasts flaring from his cannons. His movements were a blur—rumored to rival lightning itself when enraged.
But Yorgo emerged from the ground, spiking Eliot's leg with stone. He fell, dragged back, grunting.
"Great," Eliot groaned. "First blood—me."
Robert fired at Danny. But Lionel stepped forward.
"White Ice Blades!"
Razor-sharp shards flew toward Yorgo, clashing against his stony defense. Fred smashed the blades with his hammer. "Weak!"
Danny summoned a gust, but couldn't control it. Chris used an illusion—Danny's vision blurred, and he collapsed.
"Danny!" Lloyd shouted, shadows whipping out to drag his friend to safety.
Something snapped within Lloyd.
Wind coiled around him.
In a blink, he vanished, reappearing behind Chris.
"Fleeting Shadow… Abyss Pool!"
But the technique fizzled—unfinished. A sharp whistling: Robert's arrow.
Eliot lunged in, taking the hit to his shoulder.
"Fire at me, Lloyd!" he shouted through gritted teeth.
"You're insane!"
"And you're our mad captain!"
Lloyd obeyed. The shadow blast vanished—only to reappear behind Robert, knocking him out cold.
"I dampened the charge," Eliot said. "Paralyzing, not fatal."
Fred charged, hammer raised. Lionel intervened.
"Ice Fortress!"
A crystal barrier rose, blocking the blow.
"Frozen Lake!"
The ground beneath the bullies iced over.
Above them, Lloyd appeared—wreathed in black.
"Abyss... Shadow of the Void!"
But before he could strike, Danny staggered up and tried to fight.
"Idiot! What are you doing?!" Lloyd shouted.
Too late. Danny was ensnared and fell.
Fred sneered. "Just like your grandfather… weak. A cursed bloodline. I'll end you."
That was the final spark.
"YOU BASTARD!" Lionel yelled.
Lightning laced with frost struck.
Eliot's cannons roared, a concussive barrage that shook the arena.
Lloyd summoned lightning from his shadow—
"Thunder Fang!"
And together, they screamed:
"WE'LL KILL YOU!!!"
The earth quaked.
Instructors rushed in.
Their main mentor descended, fist blazing.
"Iron Fist!"
Lisa restrained the field with chain magic.
Yazan muttered, "Seal Technique!"
Everything froze.
Grimaldi's voice thundered:
"Match over. Victory—Team Lloyd!"
The rest of the trials were postponed.
Later that day, the trio visited Danny in the infirmary.
He was crying.
"I'm weak… I shamed my grandfather…"
Lloyd said softly, "You were brave."
Eliot grinned. "You're an idiot… but your heart's a warrior's."
Lionel smirked. "For once, I agree with the gum-head."
Eliot snapped, "Ice Princess! I'll break that pretty face of yours!"
They laughed… then fell silent.
Lloyd's thoughts churned. That boy… Five open paths. A user of… Ninja-type gear…
Then, aloud, he said:
"I use… Ninjutsu