Double Scheme

Olivia and Alex advanced like expected throughout the next round. Corbin managed to win and proceed right on through as well. If both of them won their next round, they would finally come to face each other.

"One more Corbin, do not let me down now!" Alex smiled.

"What do you mean? After I win this and beat you I advance to the semis, then I am taking the entire thing!" Corbin smiled back.

Both were in high spirits. Thomas wished he could face Corbin as well or have remained longer in this mini tournament. At least he got to beat the crap out of Simon before he lost.

Beating Simon and collecting some experience through the latest quest served as enough consolidation price for Thomas. It meant he was slowly progressing and getting stronger which was a good thing moving onwards.

Thomas wished Emily had participated. Her versus Olivia or Alex would be interesting for sure. Corbin and Alex moved to the next round and it was already time for quarter-finals.

"Corbin versus Alex is next, please come down and make your preparations," Cassie announced.

"Good luck you two! Corbin kick his ass and revenge me, will you?" Thomas smirked.

"Ah, so you are taking sides Tommy?" Alex roughed up Thomas' hair.

"Will do, I got you mate!" Corbin grinned.

They headed down and Thomas leaned saw them off.

"And stop calling me Tommy!" Thomas complained.

Alex started calling him "Tommy" during all the training prior to Friday. Somehow he thought it was funny and sweet to give Thomas a nickname to tease when they were practicing. Then Alex kept Thomas' new nickname after taking a liking to it.

Cassie turned her head to both of Thomas' friends.

"You guys ready?" She asked and they nodded, "Begin!" Cassie shouted.

Alex instantly rushed in, licking his lips and was excited to finally face Corbin. He prepared his usual flaming sword and clenched his other fist to create some fire within it.

Corbin poured water on the ground around him. Thomas did not recall this pattern. During practices Corbin was always playfully firing away at no end at Alex, in an attempt to slow him down. However this time he wanted Alex up close.

"What are you scheming?" Alex licked his lips again and was now almost in a striking distance of Corbin.

Corbin did not humour him with a response. He paid full attention to Alex's speed to time a supposed counter. Alex thrusted his sword forward to hit Corbin.

Corbin responded by using one of his hands to bring up a small tidal wave towering slightly above Alex's height.

"You know I just vaporize your water right? My fire is hotter!" Alex changed to diagonally cut through it.

That is when something surprising happened, the tidal wave did not evaporate and kept its course to try and crash on top of Alex. In response Alex chose to sidestep quickly and managed to dance around the tidal wave.

"I see… you mixed the sand from the ground with your own ability. Clever!" Alex immediately noticed and exposed Corbin's counterattack.

Everyone stood up and were impressed, this was the first time they had witnessed something like this.

"Wow… you can really do that?"

"That was so cool! Alright go kick his ass Corbin!"

Their classmates rallied behind Corbin. They stared at each other for a second.

"Try evaporating sand mixed within it," Corbin taunted Alex on purpose.

"You realize it will take more than that to beat me and my speed, right?" Alex smirked with absolute confidence.

"We will see about that!" Corbin replied and smirked back.

Corbin kept Alex within his own area to control the water beneath the ground. Alex knew if he tried to escape he would block it with water on the outer parts. So he ran around and tried to find any openings on Corbin while tidal waves kept dictating the pace of the battle.

Thomas knew Corbin was smart and liked to scheme things. He managed to keep up with Alex's speed by preparing ahead of time and predicting his movements. Alex struggled to find an opener and kept running around dodging tidal waves until a blind spot appeared.

"Got you! I told you my speed would eventually overcome your attacks," Alex blindly rushed in and launched his sword against Corbin's left shoulder.

However as soon as Alex stepped in his attack was thwarted. Alex's right foot was somehow seeped into the ground and made him lose his balance, thus causing him to miss his mark on Corbin. Alex smiled and looked up at Corbin.

"You let me in and created a blindspot! You are really going all out," Alex laughed at the turn of events.

"Told you I would win," Corbin was pleased his plan worked out in the end.

Corbin moved around the sand and created a gap to sink Alex in, then set up the blind spot to bait him. Alex still had his fist clenched at this point and opened it to grab his own leg and scorch it with fire. The water dried up and left only sand.

"Shit…" Corbin hurried the tidal wave and prepared a water dagger to strike if the wave missed.

Alex pulled his right leg up and loosened his foot and dodged the tidal wave again by side stepping and dancing around it. Alex then ducked swiftly and evaded Corbin's attempt to stab him with his water dagger.

Alex casually smiled while pointing his flaming sword against Corbin's throat after he managed to dodge both attacks.

"I surrender," Corbin sighed then smiled as well.

"Alex is the victor!" Cassie declared and the crowd applauded.

Despite Corbin losing, he got close to defeating Alex by simply outwitting him. It only came down to about a second and things would have turned differently.

"I thought it would take longer for you to break loose!" Corbin complained while they bumped fists for good sport.

"Good hussle, but I will not have you defeat me just yet mate," Alex giggled.

Now that quarter-finals were over. Only the semi-finals remained before the most anticipated battle of all amongst their class, Olivia vs. Alex in the finals.