Team Battle

Kai, Emma and Jax sat together in some of the seats next to the school's combat platform. While they waited for the fight to start Kai realized he had never asked what their spirit rings really did. Kai decided to start, giving a general explanation of his first Spirit Ring's ability: Nature's Lull.

After receiving a compliment or two from his friends Jax began explaining his first spirit ring.

"It's called Warm Circulation" Jax started. "It increases the senses of the target, which is part of the reason why I could fight Emma in the mist."

"Isn't that more of a support type of ability?" Kai asked curiously, remembering Jax stating previously that he wanted to be a control Spirit Master.

"Increased senses are more of a side effect" Jax shook his head. "Its main function is to increase the pain the target takes, making it harder to fight."

Kai was silent for a moment. It was no wonder Jax's family considered this spirit as evil, even its first Spirit Ring was so sinister. Kai then looked to Emma, waiting for her to begin.

"Mine's called Mist" Emma said softly. "It creates a fog that obscures vision while giving me a boost in speed while also lightening my steps."

Kai and Jax nodded hearing this, it was as they had expected.

"Jax, how did you track me in the mist?" Emma asked, unable to hold back her curiosity. She didn't expect people to see through the mist so easily. For Kai she understood, he could hear her, but Jax was still a mystery. There was no way the improved senses let him hear her the same way Kai did.

"It wasn't anything special" Jax said, Emma and Kai leaning in to listen. "My Martial Spirit lets me sense heartbeats within a certain radius. Kind of like a radar where every time they beat, I can sense it."

Emma nodded slowly as Jax scratched the side of his head awkwardly.

"If that's the case" Kai looked to his friends before continuing. "Why don't we try this during our first fight?"

…

The three then spent their time planning for their upcoming fight, learning more about each other's Martial Spirits in the process. Eventually their teacher, Miss Alice, came over and stood before them.

"You guys ready?" She asked, observing her students.

"Ready as we'll ever be" Kai smiled wryly as he strained his neck to look behind Alice. In some nearby stands he spotted his class, Sam and Ashe sitting in the front row and waving. Looking around, Kai noticed that another group of kids, presumably the second years, had also arrived and were sitting at another set of bleachers.

"What's our team's name?" Jax asked.

Alice just smiled, motioning for them to get up from their seats.

"Nothing fancy, you'll hear it once the fight starts" She brought them towards the platform. "You guys are the first fight today, good luck."

The trio stepped onto the platform, Emma standing in front while Kai and Jax stood behind her forming a triangle. Soon the second-year team sent up three people, one girl in the back with two guys in the front.

A teacher Kai had never seen before stepped up as well.

"The first fight of the year is between Team Warlords" the teacher motioned to the second year team as he spoke before turning back to Kai and the others. "Versus Team Silent Mist, you have 30 seconds to activate your spirits and prepare."

Hearing the name of their team, Kai and Emma couldn't help but nod in satisfaction. Jax on the other hand felt a little downtrodden, like he had been wronged. These feelings didn't last for long though as Team Warlords quickly activated their Martial Spirits.

Each of them seemed to have tool spirits. The girl had a bow spirit while the boys had a shield and spear spirit respectively. Kai and the others didn't back down seeing this and activated their own Martial Spirits.

The mist serpent enveloped Emma, her two green eyes glowing from within the fog. A large wooden puppet seemed to tear itself from Jax's back. Covered in blood it just floated behind his back, the sound of creaking wood heard from time to time. Kai also activated his spirit ears, with no visual changes aside from his eyes becoming slightly unfocused.

…

"Damn" Jake gripped his spear tightly as he backed up warily. Just as the fight had begun one of the first years immediately created a fog that covered the entire field, limiting their vision. The sound of his peers chatting in the stands disappeared, leaving Jake with the nervous breathing of his companions and the eerie creaking coming from that puppet. "Huddle together, back-to-back!"

His two teammates, Grace and Kyle, quickly agreed and changed their formation, making sure to cover every angle to prevent a sneak attack. Suddenly he heard some footsteps to his right. Startled, he quickly turned to face that direction with his spear raised and ready to attack.

"I hate this" This time it was Kyle who spoke, his small shield now taking the form of a tower shield after activating his first spirit ring. Jake only nodded in response, turning to check on Grace. He widened his yes though.

"Grace is gone" Jake's voice was filled with fear as he swiveled his head around checking the surrounding mist.

"But we didn't even hear anything" Kyle said in disbelief. "She was right here-"

A high pitched, earsplitting scream sounded out from the fog cutting him off.

"Grace!" Jake yelled out, rushing into the fog with his spear raised.

"Jake, wait!" Kyle reached his hand out to stop Jake, but it was too late as his friend disappeared into the mist. Kyle deactivated his first spirit ring, his shield returning to its original size as he prepared to follow Jake.

Suddenly two glowing green eyes appeared in front of him, a snake made of mist lunging towards him.

…

Kai stood silently as the fog dissipated. Looking across the fighting platform he smiled, almost everything had gone to plan. Near where the second years had started Kyle was knocked out cold, Emma next to his unmoving body.

On the far side of the arena Grace was also unconscious, knocked out in a similar fashion to Kyle. When Jake and Kyle heard the footsteps, Kai had suppressed the sound of Emma's attack allowing her to take the girl out and take her away.

As for how they took Jake out...

Kai glanced to the edge of the platform where Jake had fallen off. During his panic in chasing the scream he had run directly off the platform, not paying attention to his footing. Kai had not expected Jake to run straight off, but he wasn't going to argue with the results.

Kai jumped off the platform as the teacher announced the results, the first year Class erupting into cheers. The second years however rushed towards the platform, assaulting Jake with a series of questions hoping to learn what they could before they also had to fight those first years.

"I didn't get to do anything" Jax said sadly as he and Emma caught up to Kai.

"It's not like anyone really knows what happened in the fog" Kai responded with a chuckle.

"You're right…" Jax raised his hand to his chin, nodding slowly. Soon they arrived before their class.

"How'd you guys do it?" Ashe asked excitedly. Before Kai could respond Jax spoke up.

"It was obviously thanks to me" Jax said proudly raising his chin and puffing his chest out. Kai and Ashe just stared at him for a moment, different but similar thoughts travelling through their minds. Seeing the look on Ashe's face Jax continued. "What don't you believe me?"

Ashe was silent for a while, staring at Jax ominously before she finally spoke.

"No, Jax, I don't" Ashe said coldly. "It was obviously Emma and Kai."

Emma just looked away embarrassingly as Jax looked to Kai for support. Kai however looked away, not willing to meet his gaze.

"I get Emma, but how do you know Kai did anything?" Jax asked somewhat hurt.

"Because he's not useless" Ashe responded harshly, not holding back.

Jax processed what had just happened, a pained expression appearing on his face as he thought of a comeback.

"You guys did well!" Their teacher Alice called out as she approached, a smile on her face. She then noticed the expression on Jax's face before speaking again. "What's wrong with him?"

"It's because he's an idiot!" Ashe said quickly causing Jax's face to darken further. Alice just shook her head, no longer caring enough to know what was going on.

"Just because the fight is over, doesn't mean the morning is!" Alice spoke to the class, causing them to groan in unison. "That's right, fitness training! Now get to the field and do some laps!"

The class began to make their way to the field walking as slowly as possible, hoping to waste as much time as possible. On the way there Jax seemed to of recovered, speaking up and asking the teacher a question.

"Miss, since we won our fight don't you think we can get a pass for today?"

Alice was silent for a moment as she stared at Jax.

"Well since you guys are so strong" Alice paused, Jax's eyes widening in anticipation. "Why don't you and your teammates do extra?"

Jax immediately froze, speechless at what he had just heard. Emma and Kai rolled their eyes as they walked past him, not wanting to even look at him. Sam, however, approached and put his hand on Jax's shoulder.

"You aren't useless Jax" Sam said, Jax's eyes brightening. Sam continued with a smile on his face. "You have a knack for pissing people off!"