“Took you long enough,” Liliana called out the second her brother returned to the room, a grin on her face.

“Sorry, not all of us have a ridiculous amount of Speed.” Alistair responded as he took his seat, Emyr leaning towards him ever so slightly, a subtle change in his body language most wouldn’t notice, but spoke volumes to Liliana.

“I almost took a nap, probably could have and woken up before your fight ended.” Liliana ribbed her brother as the next two students stepped onto the sands.

Elsie Crawford, from class B,a student she vaguely recognized from her Soul class. Her opponent was Johanna Baker, of class E. The first student from class E they’d seen fight so far.

From what Liliana remembered of the bracket sheet, only 3 students from class E had even gotten past the first round. They were either very lucky, or powerful, to have overcome the disadvantages being in a lower class restricted them with.

Baker was also obviously a commoner, her last name was telling. As with Diana, who shared the last name but likely not a relation, the name most likely came because of her parent’s profession. Or grandparents. It was beyond impressive that a commoner from the lowest class in their school had gotten to the top fifty in the tournament. That fact alone would have eyes on the girl.

“Get your bets in now,” Emyr told them as the rules were read to the combatants.

Of course, that would be the one thing they could hear through the illusion. Liliana would figure out the magic herself if it meant she didn’t have to endure watching silent fights a second time. Had the professors chosen to do this, just to torment them?

“Baker,” Liliana tossed three gold coins at Emyr.

“Betting on a class E student?” Emyr raised a surprised brow as the others in their group made their own bets.

“I like an underdog,” Liliana said with a shrug as the fight started.

Almost immediately Baker summoned a large battle hammer, flames spreading over her body like a deadly armor. Crawford summoned her own type of armor in response. Gauntlets made of water covered her arms, wicked looking claws emerging from the fingers.

Finally, a battle between two close range fighters. The two charged at each other, flaming hammer meeting water. Electricity crackled over Baker’s hammer, but before the current could pass through Crawford’s watery weapons, the girl broke away, dropping down to send a kick reinforced with more water at Baker’s legs.

“Water for Crawford so far. Fire, Light and Lightning for Baker.” Emyr noted as they watched the fight.

Baker fell to the hit to her legs, her fiery armor exploding out from her when Crawford tried to capitalize on her opponent’s fall. Crawford flipped back, stopping barely an inch from where the flames ended. Baker surged back to her feet, flames wreathing her once more as she rushed back for Crawford, hammer drawn back for a devastating blow that Crawford slipped under, sending another hit to the other girl’s middle, left unguarded by her wide strike.

Baker tanked the hit, stumbling but not falling again, her shield impossible to see under the flames that covered her body. Baker swung her hammer back around for a hit to Crawford, but once more it was as if the girl was predicting her opponent’s attacks, rolling away from the hit before it had even gotten within range of hitting her. The fight continued much the same way for several minutes. Baker attacking and Crawford reacting as if she had foreknowledge of the fight.

“Soul, Water, Oracle.” Emyr decided, eyes narrowed slightly as he analyzed the fight.

“Some kind of short-term precognition ability?” Marianne asked curiously, Liliana shrugged, personally unsure.

Oracle, as with any Soul based elements, had not been in the original game. Liliana couldn’t help but think if the game designers of Realm Of Hope knew of the affinity they had struggled with on how to incorporate it and its derivative elements in a game focused on combat. If they had known of it, they hadlikely cutit just to save themselves the trouble of figuring out how to translate it into a game. As a result, Liliana had the least amount of information on those elements, though she had learned much about the Soul affinity since coming to this world.

However, Oracle was an affinity tied to Water, and therefore one Liliana cared little for. She knew it could be used for long distance scrying. That was the most popular application for the affinity. Despite the name, Oracle, it wasn’t an affinity that could be used to see far into the future, she’d checked once in the hope of finding a secretly OP ability. At most, you could use it to see the future in minutes. It was far more proficient at seeing the past.

A rather good skill for someone who was interested in history, or crime solving, she supposed. But not of overmuch use to Liliana. Not enough to justify her taking the one affinity she wanted nothing to do with.

“Perhaps not something so strong at her level, likely she can see intent, movements based on what someone intends to do. Likely just their next move.” Emyr said with a shake of his head.

“So the best tactic would be to react instinctively, or to keep her from dodging. Overwhelming Speed or a large AOE spell would take her down.” Liliana theorized as they watched Baker get blown back by a hit straight to her chest, steam filling the air from the water and fire connecting.

“Or blinding,” Koth’talan said wryly as Baker let out a pulse of blindingly bright light from her hammer at the same time she rushed at Crawford, forcing the girl to keep her eyes open or risk getting bowled over.

Crawford backpedaled frantically to avoid the charge, but it was too late. Crawford was stunned by the light, stumbling back with her hands raised to her likely stinging eyes. Baker capitalized on her chance, swinging a sparking hammer with deadly accuracy, sending Crawford flying through the air from the force of it.

“Can’t dodge if you can’t see the attack coming.” Alistair muttered as they watched Baker chase after Crawford’s falling form, striking before the other girl even got a chance to stand again.

Crawford panicked, water surging around her and it spelled her undoing as a lightning covered hammer connected with the water, turning the girl’s defenses into her undoing. Crawford’s shield turned a bright red and Baker was announced as the winner.

“Gimme my money,” Liliana said, holding her hand out to Emyr, who reluctantly placed the pile of coins in her hand. Koth’talan was the only other one to bet on the class E girl, and he got the rest of the share.

“You know, that wouldn’t be a bad skill for you to have.” Alistair said to Liliana, who grimaced.

“I’ll be sure to add it to the 20 other affinities that would be good for me.” Liliana said with a shrug.

She could work in almost any affinity with her fighting style. Fire could give her more firepower, Lightning could make her tactic of using multiple daggers useful, Gravity would help her get faster, Spatial could let her teleport, Animation could give her additional creatures to field with her bonds.

The simple matter was, Liliana didn’t have time to get and master every possible affinity she could use. She already had 8 affinities, and she struggled to master those as it was. She didn’t use several of them in combat at all, leaving them to languish in disuse. There was a reason even those at the higher ranks didn’t spread themselves thin with a multitude of affinities. At a certain point, it simply became too many to manage.

“Next fight is up,” Marianne pointed out as Isabella Pinnick of class E and Austen Hillington of class C stepped onto the sands.

“Betting on the underdog again?” Emyr asked her and Liliana smirked as she handed over her gold to the gambling addict.

“What can I say? It’s satisfying to see them knock some modesty into the nobles.” Liliana said with a shrug.

“You’re a noble,” Basil reminded her.

“Barely, if you listen to the gossip.” Liliana said with a snort.

“Twice as noble as those vipers who circle like sharks at mother’s balls.” Marianne grumbled, nudging Liliana’s shoulder with hers.

“No, no. Liliana could do with some modesty knocked into her too.” Emyr teased, ducking the bonbon Liliana threw at his head.

“It’s starting,” Koth’talan chimed in before Liliana could launch herself at Emyr.

The group settled down as the two students began their battle. Immediately Pinnick raised her staff, clouds covering the coliseum under the shield erected for the fights, winds whipping around her as she rose slowly from the ground.

Water fell from the clouds in a thick downpour, obscuring the view of the fight as Pinnick vanished in the clouds. Hillington struggled to hold his ground as water and wind assaulted him, lifting his… lute? Liliana was fairly certain it was a lute. It was a stringed instrument that vaguely resembled a guitar, if you squinted, at least. Light surrounded him, shielding him as he played some song they couldn’t hear.

Water continued to strike at the shield of light around Hillington, winds growing fiercer as Pinnick continued her assault. Yet despite the typhoon raging around Hillington, he kept playing, his shield glowing brighter and expanding with every note, well Liliana thought it was with every note. It was hard for her to accurately discern without sound. The rain faltered, the wind stilling for a heartbeat before it picked up.

“This fight is kind of…” Marianne said, frowning.

“Boring?” Liliana finished for her as they continued watching a silent bard play in the middle of a contained typhoon.

“Agreed.” Basil said with a disappointed sigh as they watched Hillington strum his lute, the wind and water continuing to falter every few seconds.

“Hillington would’ve gone down far faster if his shield took concentrated damage,” Liliana sighed. She already knew how she’d win this fight, but apparently Pinnick didn’t share her ability to strategize.

“Storm affinities aren’t good for single target,” Rathwater spoke up.

“You have a Storm affinity, don’t you?” Emyr asked, getting a nod from their quiet friend.

“Why do you have lightning, then?” Marianne inquired curiously, all of their attention effectively off the fight before them.

“I also have a Lightning affinity. It pairs well with Storm, so mother made sure I got it.” Rathwater explained with a shrug.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you use a Fire or Light ability.” Alistair said thoughtfully.

“I don’t… synergize well with those affinities.” Rathwater said with a grimace.

“You don’t need to get the prerequisite affinities high to get a derivative, not if you have a strong natural talent for it.” Basil said with a nod, and Liliana groaned.

“Another prodigy. Do I just attract them?” Liliana asked the air. Was it a secret boon? Did she have prodigy-nip hidden on her person somewhere?

Her friends’ responses were cut off when something interesting finally happened on the illusion. Pinnick fell from the sky, the clouds vanishing, as all of her channeled spells cut off, body impacting the ground with a terrifying amount of force, almost immediately turning her shield red. Yet she still didn’t rise.

“A lullaby,” Marianne noted, explaining the end to the fight.

No wonder it had taken so long. Sleep spells were best used on calm targets, not someone pumped full of adrenaline. Hillington had probably spent the entire fight layering the sleep spell over and over again to get it to affect Pinnick. A ham-handed strategy, and not anything Liliana would’ve personally chosen, but an effective one, apparently.

“One more fight.” Liliana murmured, knee bouncing with anticipation. She barely even cared that she’d lost the latest bet.

“You’ll do great, Lili.” Marianne comforted her and Liliana raised an eyebrow.

“Was that ever in doubt?” Liliana asked her friend.

“See? Needs some modesty beat into her.” Emyr pointed out, ducking behind Alistair when Liliana faked a lunge for him.

The next two students walked out. Wyborough Frankeleyn of class C and Solomon Oliver of class A. Liliana could hardly pay attention to the fight starting, despite it beginning with a literal bang as Oliver used a Combustion ability to obscure himself in a haze of dust and smoke, Frankeleyn hiding behind a shield of thick vines.

Liliana watched the fight with a distant mind, vines and explosions flashing before her eyes as she focused on getting herself into a mindset for her upcoming round. She was confident she’d win, no matter what Tristan Blythe had hidden up his sleeves.

She pulled out her daggers, double checking their edges as she ran through different tactics in her mind. She’d do best to end the fight quickly, not give Blythe a chance to channel any truly dangerous abilities, or use a quintessential skill.

Anticipation and excitement raced through her with every second closer she got to her fight. Finally, finally, she’d get a chance to fight. To prove to everyone here that she belonged. That she had earned her spot in class S. That the nobles who had shunned her for her bloodline had made a fatal error.

The fight between Frankeleyn and Oliver ended with Oliver blasting his way through Frankeleyn’s vines, turning the defenses to charcoal, leaving Frankeleyn to the mercy of Oliver’s explosions. Liliana took a deep breath, settling her nerves as she felt adrenaline leaking into her veins, speeding her heartbeat. She checked her braid to be sure it was still tight as she stood, shaking out her arms and legs.

“Good luck,” Basil told her with a small smile, Koth’talan and Rathwater echoing the words.

“Beat him into the ground.” Marianne ordered with a vicious grin.

“Don’t lose before I get a chance to beat you,” Alistair told her, giving her a hug. Liliana gripped him back tightly for a moment, fortifying herself for the fight ahead.

“I’m going to be betting against you, so lose, please.” Emyr said with a smirk, yelping when Liliana swatted at his head.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Liliana told them, projecting confidence.

She truly did think she’d win, but there was always a possibility of loss. Of an unexpected variable turning the tides, even with all her advantages. Liliana shook the doubts away as she walked to the door, giving her friends one last look before she left, entering the far quieter hallway.

“Alright, come out to play.” Liliana murmured, tapping against her summoning stones, watching as her bonds formed around her.

“Hunt?” Lelantos asked her.

“Yes, and no holding back this time.” Liliana told them, picking up Nemesis and letting her settle around her neck.

Polaris pressed against her side as Lelantos turned and walked ahead of her. Liliana followed her bond, one hand buried deep in Polaris’ fur, the other resting on Nemesis’ scales. Her heart pounded in her ears, a war drum only she could hear. Her every step was an accompanying strain to the melody of battle she could already hear humming in the air around her.

Liliana could feel the adrenaline singing in her veins as the light at the end of the tunnel approached. She could hear the distant low rumble of the crowd growing steadily louder with every step closer to the exit they got, building into a roar.

Liliana paused for a moment as she emerged from the tunnel, blinking under the harsh light of the sun after so long inside. The thunder of the crowd cheering for the upcoming fight struck her, disorientating her for several heartbeats as she readjusted to the new stimuli.

Nemesis hissed around her throat, uncomfortable around so many humans. Polaris yipped, excited by the attention. Lelantos just continued padding forward, uncaring for anything that was not the fight he was promised.

“Come! Let’s give them a show worth watching!” Polaris encouraged, jumping forward and reminding Liliana to move, rather than just stand around like a dazed mooncalf. She shook her head, smiling at her bond and his silliness, even in the face of the tournament.

“Prey?” Lelantos asked as he stopped in the center of the arena seconds before Liliana joined his side.

Across from them stood a boy, Tristan Blythe of class B. Liliana didn’t recognize him from any of her affinity classes, so she would not be facing against another tamer, which would be the only opponent who could pose a challenge for her. On instinct she tried [Identify], unsurprised when nothing came up. Damn Academy and their tricks.

“Class S?” Blythe called out, a sneer on his face as he regarded her. Liliana raised an eyebrow, cocking a hip as she regarded the boy before her.

“Obviously. Or is class B full of illiterates?” Liliana responded with a sharp toothed smirk.

“Tch. Big talk, everyone knows class S all bought their spots. I can’t wait to show everyone that money can’t buy skill.” Blythe spat, folding his arms over his chest. Liliana snorted, letting out a mocking laugh.

“Oh, we’ll be showing everyone something, that’s for sure.” Liliana retorted, letting her hand on Nemesis fall to plant on her hip as she fell into a deceptively lax and cocky stance.

“He wants a show. Let’s give him one then. As soon as the fight starts, take him down. I’ll ride on you Lelantos. Polaris, rush him. Nem, we’ll do the ‘flying snake’ maneuver.” Liliana ordered as a professor stepped up between Liliana and her opponent.

“The rules for the fight are as follows. All abilities, skills and spells are permitted. The fight continues until one of your shields turn red. In the case of a tamer, even if a bond is knocked out, unless the tamer is knocked out, the fight continues. If the tamer is knocked out, even if the bonds have not been, the fight is over. Under no circumstances are you to attack your opponent after the fight is called to an end, or before it is called to start. Such actions will result in immediate disqualification, and disciplinary action.” The professor informed them, looking at the two students with a harsh glare.

“Any questions?” the professor asked. Liliana shook her head, as did Blythe.

The professor nodded, raising a hand, shields appearing around Liliana, her bonds and Blythe. Liliana gave Blythe a mocking wink as the shields finished forming, watching with amusement as his lips twisted into a snarl.

“Then let the fight begin. Start!” The professor proclaimed, vanishing as their hand dropped.

Liliana shot Blythe one last mocking smirk as a wand appeared in his hand, water forming around him in some spell, balls of water flying towards her. Liliana burst into movement, activating her Start Up combo and jumping into the air above the attacks that splashed the ground behind her ineffectively. [Threads of Control] activated as she flew, her daggers bursting out of their sheaths to circle her airborne body, deflecting a few attacks sent her way.

She landed on Lelantos’ back, her naginata appearing in her hand as her body settled on the giant tiger. Lelantos let out a [Bestial Roar] that thundered through the arena, his body growing in size. Blythe stumbled slightly, taken off guard by the intimidation skill, his latest water spell destabilizing and canceling.

Polaris blew past Liliana and Lelantos, a yipping laugh filling the air as his wings pumped. He dived for Blythe, forcing the boy to focus on him as Liliana sent the mental order to Lelantos to charge. The tiger tensed under her, muscles going taunt before he sprang, rushing towards Blythe in a thunderous charge.

Blythe was already struggling against Polaris, water and ice flying around him as he tried, and failed, to hit the speedy kitsune. The boy’s form wavered, and then there were five Blythes spread out. Lilian tsked as Lelantos rushed through one illusion, taking hits from the water and ice but not connecting to their opponent. Liliana wiped off the water that splashed on her face, entirely unharmed from her position high on the tiger’s back.

Sometimes she really enjoyed having such a tanky bond.

“Nem.” It was the only warning Liliana gave her bond before she took Nemesis off her neck and tossed her towards the line of Blythes as Lelantos skidded, his considerable bulk taking a moment to change his momentum. Nemesis sent back a resigned annoyance as she was thrown into the air, her body growing in size before she landed on yet another illusion.

“Polaris. Nem. Fill the arena, don’t give him a place to hide.” Liliana commanded as she ordered Lelantos to fall back. Lelantos could tank the damage from Polaris and Nemesis’ skills, but it was unnecessary to do so.

The tiger growled at being told to stand down, but held back as Nemesis and Polaris opened their mouths wide, Chaos and Poison flooding around them. Illusions flickered and failed when the attacks passed through them, finally leaving one Blythe standing, surrounded by noxious poison and covered in chaotic flames that ate at the health of his shield, turning it first yellow, then a deep orange.

“Pathetic. Finish it.” Liliana said aloud, voice dripping disdain, dismissing her naginata and returning her daggers to their sheaths. All bark, no bite. This fight would be done in the next minute.

Polaris circled high into the air, claws made of pure Chaos appearing around his paws as he tucked his wings in close to his body and dived straight for Blythe, who tried to back away, throwing up water and ice as a paltry defense. Nemesis hissed, and the earth shook under Blythe’s feet, sending him to his knees as he scrabbled to find purchase as the ground heaved and bucked beneath him.

He didn’t even have time to scream before Polaris connected, sending his body down into the earth, claws raking viciously at his shield and turning it a bright red.

“Winner, Liliana Rosengarde,” a voice called out, and Liliana sighed.

“Polaris, enough.” Liliana ordered her bonds.

Polaris whined pitifully that his fun was being ended so soon, but he pulled back. Liliana jumped off Lelantos, lightly landing upon the ground, canceling her active abilities. She walked towards Blythe, who was still laying in his small crater, eyes wide with shock.

“What a disappointing fight.” Liliana told him, shaking her head as their shields vanished now that the fight was officially called to an end.

As the shields dissolved, Liliana recalled her bonds to their stones, sending them gratitude and pride as they faded. She couldn’t help the dissatisfaction flooding her, though, as she regarded a still shell-shocked Blythe. Was this truly all her year mates were capable of?

Liliana knew she was stronger than many of her year mates, she routinely withheld her bonds in fights just to ensure she got the experience she needed in her Battle Training classes. But was she truly this much stronger than most?

As Liliana disappeared back into the tunnel, the roars of the crowd falling behind her, she wondered if all of her fights would be so easy.