Alvara's Madness [1]

"What's happening?" Roda asked, her voice tinged with confusion as she scanned the faces around her.

Like her, several students were puzzled, their eyes darting between Cylien and Alvara. The sudden disappearance of Alvara's plants seemed to signal Cylien's victory, didn't it? Yet, the atmosphere in the arena was anything but celebratory.

Sephira, who should have been elated, looked as if she might faint at any moment, her face drained of all color. Even Dentiel Elaryon, usually composed, wore a deeply troubled expression.

"I—I think we should stop the fight!" Celeste's voice broke the tense silence.

"Are you stupid?" Cyril's sharp retort made her spin around to face him. A twisted smile spread across his lips, his crimson eyes glowing with a disturbing excitement. "It's finally getting interesting, and you want to stop it?"