The Shadows

In the early morning light of Tilanaz Academy, the campus buzzed with a different kind of energy. The students, still abuzz with the recent developments in the tournament, made their way to their classes, only to find that their combat practice instructor and homeroom teacher, Professor Falis, was absent. The same was true for Professor Eldrin, leaving an air of mystery and speculation among the students.

As they gathered in the homeroom, their conversations were ripe with theories about the absence of their instructors. It wasn't long before Professor Lintor, the other History and Languages of Rituals teacher, arrived to guide them. His usually stern demeanor seemed softened by a hint of concern.

"Good morning, students," he began, addressing the room. "As you may have noticed, several of our faculty members are currently away from the academy. While I cannot divulge the details, I assure you it is for matters of great importance."

Kendell exchanged glances with Celia and Coli, sensing a tension underlying Professor Lintor's words.

"Today, instead of your regular combat practice class, we'll be heading to the arena. It's an opportunity for you to practice the skills you acquired last Friday and engage in open duels. The arena has been divided into four smaller areas for more focused training," Professor Lintor continued.

"The goal of this is real combat as opposed to the simple combat routines you learned last week from Professor Falis. You can take turns between practicing, prepping, and dueling. I will be here as moderator of all four arenas alongside my Fey," he gestured next to him and a small portal wrapped in vines appeared and a small, child-sized blue fey flew out. 

It appeared as a slender figure, its body composed of ice and snow, giving it an ethereal and otherworldly allure. The Fey's skin glistens like freshly fallen snow under the moonlight, and its eyes are deep pools of icy blue, reflecting wisdom and depth that transcends time.

From its back extend elegant, crystal-like wings that shimmer with a spectrum of light, reminiscent of the Northern Lights. These wings, while appearing fragile, are incredibly strong, capable of creating gusts of freezing wind and blizzards with the slightest flutter.

Its hair is like strands of delicate frost, cascading down its back in a flow of silver and pale blue hues. This fey being moves with a grace that is almost ghostly, leaving a trail of frost in its wake. When it speaks, its voice is like the softest whisper, yet it carries the power of ancient glaciers, commanding respect and awe from all who hear it.

"I am The Glacial Whisperer and will simply freeze you foolish humans should you try and kill each other," as she said this she looked at them all with a sneer of disgust like a noble looking down on commoners.

"Haha, Grace please be kind to them they are students," Professor Lintor chuckled, "I possess strong affinities for fire rituals so don't worry if she freezes you I can cure it. We work as an opposite pair."

The class began to circulate with rumors of this Fey. As some of them were trying to follow a fey summoners path a few had heard of this rare Fey.

According to students around them, the Glacial Whisperer is known to manipulate ice with mere gestures, capable of creating intricate sculptures or formidable barriers of ice.

It is said that their presence brings a chill to the air, a reminder of their dominion over the colder elements of nature.

Excitement rippled through the class at the sight of a Fey up close and the prospect of hands-on practice with each other. The recent duels had ignited a fervor for combat among the students, and the chance to spar and hone their skills was welcomed.

As they made their way to the arena, rumors began to circulate among the students – whispers of a growing conflict on the war front and the involvement of their professors.

The chatter grew with each step, a mix of worry and curiosity painting their conversations. If war was truly coming they would be recruited straight out of school to the war front.

Upon reaching the arena, the students were greeted by the sight of the four smaller arenas, each marked for different types of combat practice. Kendell, Celia, and Coli grouped together, deciding to use this time to sharpen their skills and experiment with their newly acquired techniques.

In one of the arenas, Kendell decided to test his mastery over the Skarlix rituals he had recently practiced. With a deep breath, he activated the Shadow Sovereign form, feeling the rush of power as shadows gathered around him again.

While activating this ritual he made signs in the air to keep the illusion of casting this ritual from scratch to keep attention off himself.

He kept the power at a minimum and slowly a thin veil of shadow surrounded his body as opposed to the glimmering cape.

He began manipulating the darkness, creating a small shield out of shadow, marveling at the control he now wielded. With the minor variation of the form he was able to only control a small amount of shadow, but his control over it was almost flawless.

Coli's eyes went wide, "Woah Ken when did you learn that? Is that your private ritual from Creating a Ritual Circle?"

A few other students looked over too at the sight of a unique ritual being displayed.

'Shit,' Ken thought, 'Even this low level of the ritual is too advanced for a first-month student! I guess I will just have to pretend it's my ritual I got signed off by the assistants in class.'

With fake confidence, Ken grinned back, "It sure is, I have been working on a way to deflect blows- I might not be incredibly strong but I want to use this to disrupt my opponents."

Celia, eager to show her prowess, stepped into another arena. She activated her Dargonov family ritual along with her Form Demon 1, her movements becoming a blur of speed and agility. She practiced her strikes and counters, each movement fluid and precise, drawing glances away from Kendell.

She then looked back at Ken and taunted him, "Well, why not try it out then? See if it can hold up against my rituals."

Kendell, intrigued by Celia's challenge, nodded in agreement. A friendly spar would be the perfect way to test the limits of his newly acquired skills. The other students, sensing an impending display of unique ritualistic prowess, gathered around their arena, their excitement palpable.

Celia, her body still shimmering with the blue and silver light of her family's ritual, stood ready, her stance relaxed yet alert. Kendell focused on his Shadow Sovereign form, ensuring that he maintained control over the shadow shield on his arm.

As the informal duel commenced, Celia launched the first attack. She darted forward with incredible speed, a result of her enhanced agility, delivering a series of rapid strikes. Kendell, reacting swiftly, used his shadow manipulation to raise the shield deflecting her blows with a series of shadowy movements.

The shadows around Kendell pulsed with each block, absorbing the impact of Celia's attacks and dissipating the energy. He maneuvered the shadows with surprising finesse, creating various shield shapes to better counter Celia's moves.

Celia, not one to be deterred, changed her tactic. She feigned a strike to the left, then quickly pivoted, aiming a powerful kick to Kendell's right. Kendell, anticipating the move, shifted the shadows to match her movement, absorbing the brunt of her attack.

The onlookers gasped and cheered at the display, impressed by Kendell's control over the shadows and Celia's relentless assault.

Despite Kendell's impressive defense, Celia's dual enhancements from her Form Demon 1 and the Dargonov family ritual gave her an edge in both speed and power. She circled around Kendell, probing for an opening, her strikes becoming more precise and forceful.

Kendell, sensing an opportunity, decided to test the offensive capabilities of his Shadow Sovereign form. He extended his hand, and moved the swirling mass of shadows closer to the end of his forearm, the shields tip sharply pointing out over his hand.

With a swift motion, he lunged at Celia, the shadowy blade-like shield slicing through the air. Celia narrowly dodged the attack, but Kendell was quick to follow up with another swing where she was about to land.

Celia, her reflexes enhanced, twisted and turned, evading the shadow with impressive acrobatics. She countered with a swift uppercut, her fist glowing with the energy of her rituals.

Kendell barely managed to bring up the shadow shield in time, the impact sending a shockwave through the arena. The shield held, but the force of the blow pushed Kendell back, his concentration wavering.

Celia, seizing the moment, unleashed a flurry of strikes, each one faster and stronger than the last. Kendell struggled to keep up, his shadow constructs faltering under the relentless assault.

In a final, desperate move, Kendell gathered all his remaining energy into a larger shield and swung its point at Celia, but she nimbly rolled away, avoiding the attack.

 Exhausted, Kendell braced himself for Celia's next move.

The horns on her head grew a little taller and energy fluctuated around her. Then in one swift movement, she appeared behind Kendell and punched the air right behind his head.

But instead of striking, Celia halted, a wide grin on her face. "I think that's enough for today, Ken. You did great, but I still got you," she teased, before turning him around to shake his hand.

Kendell, panting and smiling, accepted her hand. "You got me, Celia. But I learned a lot. This new ritual has potential, the energy cost is much higher than I intended."

As he left Kendell was grinning leaving many onlookers to roll their eyes, the rumors of him being a masochist appeared to be true. However, Kendell was inwardly glowing. He had held back significantly to not show his true strength.

He had only used an eighth of his ritual power in that fight and could have made much more intricate shadows if he wanted to with the full form of the sovereign morph.

Knowing he was at a level where even the best of the first-year class was easy to beat filled him with a growing sense of strength.

As the day progressed, the trio exchanged insights and tips, growing not just in skill but in their bond as teammates and friends. The atmosphere in the arena was one of camaraderie and friendly rivalry, a much-needed respite from the usual rigors of academy life.

As the sun began to set, the students gathered their things, their bodies weary but spirits high. The day had been a valuable experience, a chance to grow and learn outside the confines of the classroom.

The trio walked back to the dorms, discussing their progress and the rumors of the war front. The absence of their professors lingered in their minds, a reminder of the larger world they were preparing to enter – a world of conflict and power.

However, amongst all these doubts there was a tinge of excitement amongst them.

Tomorrow would mark their first official day in their clubs!