‘Finally they’re finished,’ Alex thought. The crafting competition hadn’t been boring per se and it was definitely interesting to see the different Skills at work. But he had no idea what the crafters did and how their skills worked. They weren’t nearly as flashy as his [shadowcloak] or noisy as Althea’s whistling. There were no intricate movements and dangerous dodges involved.

He was a bit intimidated by Jamal’s fire and curious how Cho could work her Skills. Maybe he would talk to them later. Now the time had come for him to shine. The shadowblade jumped at his place, limbering up. “Stop it, you’re making me nervous,” Althea boxed his arm. Spurred on, Alex hopped from left to right, until Leon slapped the back of his head. “You’re making me nervous, too,” he grumbled.

Alex turned, to complain, but thought better and stretched. “What are you doing now? I have never seen you stretch before,” Leon laughed at the youths silly antics. Eventually Alex was interrupted by Theodores yell, “All participants of the solo fights, please gather around.”

The three hunters and six more walked slowly into the square, watching each other carefully. Alex spotted the cooking twins, Michael and Michelle and even Hugh, the healer, as they were joining the group. His eyes grew wide and he silently whispered to his companions, “I thought the twins were crafters?” They both shook their head and Althea suppressed a laugh. “I think they took the hunter focus, but their parents owned a restaurant and as nobody could anywhere near as good and Theo wanted a community kitchen, they volunteered,” Leon explained.

Finally the fighters stood before Theo, and he quickly counted them, “Again, an odd numer? Then I’ll join you,” his roaring laugh could probably be heard at Jones camp. “This will be a good exercise. Vivien, your turn to judge.” The tiny leader harrumphed, but agreed after Theodore did the puppy eyes. She persuaded Jamal and Tony to write the list and Jamals fire slowly burned the names into Tony’s wood.

Alex Shadow

Althea Animals

Hugh Body

Jason Fog

Leon Hunt

Michael Fire

Michelle Water

Steve Ice

Theodore Stability

Tom Wind

“We’ll go by single elimination and decide the joker by lot draw in the second and fourth round. No weaponskills, as they may injure someone. First serious hit counts,” Vivien explained. Leon wanted to add something, but changed his mind and grinned at his companions. “Who do you think will start?” he asked. Before the others could voice their opinions, Vivien spoke again, “The first two on the list meet in the square, everyone else leaves. Now.”

Alex shivered, the fierce leader sounded a bit irritated, but he was to fearful to ask, if it was because of her placement in the prior tournament. Suddenly Althea poked his side and whispered, “Come on, we’re up. Stop dreaming.” The youth raised his head embarrassed. He watched the others leave and positioned himself opposite Althea.

The shadowblade levelled his spear and grinned fiercely. They had to put the braces on, again. Still he was excited. They knew each others move, but he already had a plan and could hopefully surprise the dangerous huntress. Althea focused her gaze on his shoulders and waited for the start signal. A loud clap interrupted the silence that had seized the spectators.

Alex cast [shadowcurse] on Althea and the Huntress slowed. She was still moving at a good speed, as her boost skill was working overtime. So the shadowblade summoned both shadows and cast [shadowcloak] on himself. Althea grinned confidently, as she saw the known tactic and made a half-hearted whistle to interrupt Alex, while she stabbed at him. The teenager was on the defensive and easily blocked her strike. He took a step back, baiting the girl.

Althea followed and jumped forwards, as [shadowcurse] ended. Alex was distressed, until a black shadow flew quickly above their heads. Althea pressed her advantage and ignored the movement in the corner of her eyes and paid the price. Suddenly something pricked her in the back. “Stop! Alex wins!” Vivien cried out.

The two walked out of the square and Althea shoved the shadowblade. “What? How did you win?” the Huntress asked indignantly. “I told my shadowclone to throw the other one behind you. He stabbed you in the back,” Alex told her. He held back his grin, as he knew this would haunt him. The Huntress huffed and glared at the teenager. Eventually she retorted, “Next time, you won’t get me with such a cheap tactic.”

“How about a bite to eat,” she asked the teenager, but Alex denied, “No thanks, I want to watch my opponents. I have no idea what their skills are and how they move. I need to prepare myself, if I want to win,” he smiled at the girl. Althea shrugged her shoulders, as suddenly another cry interrupted their conversation, “Hugh wins!”

‘What the hell? I only looked away for a few seconds,’ Alex thought. “So much for that,” Althea taunted. “Go get your food. And bring me something too, you owe me, you distracted me!” Alex shouted and the girl ran laughing.

Alex focused on the third fight, as Leon and another guy stood against each other. He knew Leon was crap with his spear, but couldn’t assess the unknown. Alex thought he may have seen him patrolling on the wall.

Leon charged as he did in their last spars. Unfortunately he was forbidden to use his bow, as even a rounded arrow could seriously hurt someone. The other guy stood relaxed and waited until Leon had crossed the midpoint. Then he stabbed his spear forward, towards the ground.

A blade of wind shot out of the spear and Leon reacted instantly. He jumped the nearly invisible attack and Alex cheered him on, but suddenly the hunter was thrown backwards. “Damn, Tom with his one-two combo. If he doesn’t get you with the leg swipe, he will get you in your jump,” Alex’s neighbour said. The guard charged and shoved Leon, with controlled wind attacks, back to the ground, as soon as he tried to stand up again. The fight was soon decided, as Tom held his spear against Leon’s throat.

Shortly afterwards, the mountainous leader of the camp and another guard stood before each other. Alex knew the other guy, as he stood sometimes in front of the gate. Still, he had never asked his name nor which Seed he possessed. He quickly cast [shadoweyes] and followed the crowds shadow, until he could look at Vivien’s list. ‘Steve…and he has Ice…Interesting…and Theodore has Stability? I wonder what he can do.’

Before Vivien could give her signal, the guard held up his hands and shouted, “I surrender.” Theodore pouted, “Come on Steve, you could still win…” But the guard shook his head and laughed dejectedly. Vivien accepted easily and grinned at her brother, she seemed to say something, but Alex couldn’t hear her.

Finally Michael and Michelle stood before each other. The two twins slowly walked forwards, bumped their fists and distanced themselves again. They had no weapon and Alex had no idea how they would fight. For a second, he thought to spy again, but at that moment, the spar started.

Michael opened the fight with a bolt of fire, which the girl easily evaded. She responded with a ball of water and her brother laughed, as he sidestepped it. Both took a quick step forward and Michael shot another bolt of fire, quickly followed by another. Michelle, already prepared with two balls of water, caught them. Her water sizzled and Fog hid her from view. Alex recast [shadoweyes] to watch into the fog. The girl had discarded the two balls and was forming more and more water.

Her brother, fed up with the mist, heated the surrounding air, until it dissipated. Suddenly a wave of water, enough to fill a bathtub, yanked him backward and he fell. Michelle controlled her water to engulf her brother, but he seemed to know her tactics well enough and lit up. The water evaporated, as soon it touched his burning body.

Alex eyes grew large. Didn’t he burn himself to death? But Michael slowly walked forwards and Michelle was growing frantic. She formed more and more water and they cooled the boy down, but not fast enough. She walked backwards, but her back suddenly hit the fence and she stopped. Michael came nearer and nearer. The girls water was slowly gaining ground. Seconds before the fight came to a conclusion, both flame and water vanished.

The twins looked at each other and grinned sheepishly. “Out of mana?” both said simultaneously. Vivien facepalmed and shouted, “Draw! You’re both out.” Alex swore to never cross the fierce leaders way, if she had a bad day.

Alex stepped back into the arena and met Hugh, the healer. “By the way, how are you fighting? I thought you are the healer?” he asked curiously. “Have you never met a fighting healer? We are the best of all. Never taken down not even by the radiant sun or mountains of ash,” Hugh smiled. Alex looked at him in confusion, but decided against asking more questions.

The healer grabbed his cane in one hand and advanced on Alex, after Vivien had given the signal. Alex, not sure what to expect, summoned his [shadowclones] and send them against his opponent. Hugh stopped for a moment and focused on the two clones. A lightning fast strike ended them in a blink of the eye. Alex gawked. How could this man be so fast? He hadn’t even registered the strike.

Hugh let the cane back down and continued to Alex. The teenager [shadowcurse]d him and stabbed at the healer, who grabbed the weapon like a vice and pulled the shadowblade forwards. Alex used his cloak to disturb Hughs field of view for a moment and called his blade. The cane rushed at the youths head, but Alex blocked it at the last moment. Surprised, the healer froze and Alex summoned a second dagger and held it against Hughs throat. “Well done,” he congratulated Alex, as Vivien’s shouted command declared the teenagers victory.

“Second to last fight. Tom versus Theo.” Alex heard silent cursing and followed the voice. Tom was ranting and asked, “I can’t even make him stumble, how can I win?” His friend shrugged, but still cheered him on, “Just try, maybe you get lucky.”

The two boys met in the middle. The mountain of a man smiled at the other teenager, who had to crane his head all the way back to look him into his eyes. “Let’s make it to first blood. If Tom can nick me, he wins, okay?” Theo offered and his sister mumbled, “Fine, whatever. Can’t wait for this stupid fighting to end.”

Still, she gave the signal to start and Tom started his combo. Theo knew what was coming, and Alex would have been astonished, if the wind would have made the giant stumble. Still, the youth could see a faint shimmer on Theos skin. Was he that sweaty, or did he use a skill?

Tom attacked with another combo, but added two sharp winds which furrowed the earth as they passed. The attacks shattered on Theodores skin and Alex understood what stability meant. The older teenager could make himself more stable. Not only was it harder to break his stand, but he could extend the skill to his skin. Alex shuddered. He probably would have to fight against the mountain next, and he had no idea if and how he would win.

The youth watched the match, as his tension grew. Finally Althea rejoined him. “Sorry, it took me so long. Here is yours,” she handed him a skewer of meat. “Oh, Theo against Tom. The poor boy has no chance. He doesn’t even know Theos weakness.”

“He has a weakness?,” Alex nearly shouted, “tell me.”

Althea grinned at the teenager. “What do I get, if I tell you?” “Whatever you want. I’ll even split the winnings with you, if I win,” Alex mumbled the last part, but the girl had clearly heard him. Alex grew more and more frantic, but still the girl continued her antics. “Fine, I want a favour, to be determined later.” Alex thought for a moment, but what could happen. He didn’t think his chances against the giant were all that good. He eventually agreed, just as Vivien yelled, “Stop! Theo wins.”

Alex threw a quick glance at the field, and the giant had touched Tom, who had apparently surrendered afterwards. Intelligent man. Before he could enter the arena, Althea whispered into his ear.