10

The following morning we ate a light breakfast under my suggestion, it wouldn't do for us to come out sluggishly due to over eating. Alania had asked me questions on what I knew of gravity magic, and while Feyrith pretended not to listen I could tell how intently he was.

Now us and the other representatives were seated near the arena floor, sectioned off from the rest of the audience to watch the first match. I was only slightly surprised to see Arthur sitting in one of the private boxes with the Helsteas. It was easy to identify Arthur's family as he was sitting next to his sister and they were sandwiched in between 2 adults. They were as kind and gentle looking as he had described.

Arthur's mother sat right beside him, holding his hand in between hers the entire time and every time she looked at him I could see her hold back tears. That's when I saw him point in my direction, his family and the Helsteas all looking my way. I smiled wryly at the surprised expression on Vincent's face when he saw me and I waved towards them. Arthur returned with a wave and a smile of his own.

"The first match between Claire Bladeheart and Doradrea Oreguard will begin shortly! Everyone please find your seats and welcome the competitors!" The announcer boomed through the magic artifact that amplified sound. The crowd began clapping and cheering, especially so for Claire as the audience was majority human. The Elves and Dwarves of the crowd were made up of the royal families and their guards, so it was up to their fellow representatives to cheer for them.

Doradrea was a mid red stage Earth augmenter and Claire was a light red stage fire/wind augmenter.

Their fight was decent enough, each getting to showcase their strengths, but it was soon apparent that the speed of Claire's fencing sword style was too much Doradrea's hand to hand combat. Claire eventually tallied up enough strikes to Doradrea's legs that she could no longer stand, and having been reinforcing them with mana for so long was out of mana as well. A rather boring fight consistent with most fights of low level augmenters.

They just don't have enough fighting experience with their affinities yet to really show off anything spectacular. Claire received a loud round of of applause from the audience.

"Next please will Homer and Feyrith come down for their match." The announcer called.

"Good luck Feyrith!" Alania said with a smile as Feyrith confidently strode down to the arena.

I wish the match had gone as well for him as his confidence implied, but it was entirely one sided. As soon as it started Feyrith was on the back foot as he had to dodge earth spikes and balls that were sent at him. He was able to redirect or slow them with his water magic, but when Homer started using his gravity magic Feyrith didn't stand a chance.

One boulder clipped his shoulder as he tried to dive away, but instead of flying past it fell straight on top of Feyrith. He coughed and tried to breath but was unable to get any air in.

"Weak ass elf." Homer spat and he grinned at me and Alania when she gave him a glare as he walked back to the stands.

He was strong, but his control over his gravity magic wasn't as good as I had thought it should for someone at the dark orange stage.

"Thankfully humans have healers, if that dwarf wasn't more careful he could have really injured Feyrith!" Alania whispered angrily to me and I just nodded. Feyrith soon rejoined us with a defeated expression and Alania patted his back.

"It was just a bad matchup Feyrith." He didn't respond to her attempts at comforting though.

"Olsid and Samantha are the next up!" Came through the amplifiers.

"Leo who do you think will win this fight?" Alania asked from besides and I studied the fighters again. Olsid was a light red Fire augmenter and Samantha happened to be a light orange water conjurer. It wasn't looking good for the dwarf.

"The human should win comfortably. She's an entire core stage higher, not to mention older and likely more experienced." We didn't take our eyes off them as they began.

And like I thought it wasn't even a contest. I know with such restrictions as age rather than core stage stuff like this was bound to happen, but still… I was beginning to doubt they really tried to pair up the fighters equally. After all pretty much all augmenters are going to be at a disadvantage against conjurers in this age group.

They just don't have the experience to counter a long range fighter, and with these being skilled comjurers at that their chants are shortened or don't even need to chant. Olsid was quickly drowned out by Samantha who just waved and blew a kiss toward the audience.

Homer just scoffed in disdain at his fellow dwarves, seemingly annoyed that they could lose in just the first round. So far the Humans were the only ones to not lose representative.

"Alania and Theodore, come down please! This will be the final match before we break for lunch before starting the second round."

"Wish me luck, Leo, Feyrith!" She said as she jumped up, wand already in hand.

"Good luck, Alania." I nodded as she walked down to the arena, but Feyrith just mumbled his good luck.

Theodore was tall and strong in contrast to Alania's more slender frame. However she didn't lose out in intensity, that flame of motivation to get stronger I had noticed in the carriage was a full blaze now. I could sense the mana in her body already rushing throughout her body as she waited in anticipation.

She had the core stage advantage, but only by a little. Theodore is a light red compared to her dark orange. Had he been an augmenter that might have been enough, but being a conjurer with the gravity deviance this could be an equal fight.

When the match started Theodore immediately started charging in, and Alania began short chant. The wind whipped up around her and formed a ball of cutting wind for protection. Theodore didn't seem concerned as he held out a hand once he got to a certain point and yelled

"Fall!" However it's obvious whatever he expected to happen didn't work, his face contorted in anger and he stamped his foot to conjure an earthen wall. He kicked it while lightening it with gravity and it went flying at Alania.

Alania conjured wind beneath her feat and jumped over it and began sending out blades of wind with every swipe of her wand. They seemed to form straight out of the ball of wind that surrounded her, strengthening the power of the blades but subsequently weakening her defense.

The first blade caught the human off guard and he barely managed to limit it to a cut on his arm. He showed his skills and composure by throwing up walls to block the wind. He punched his fists alternately against the walls, sending spears of rock at Alania who cut them with her wind before guiding one around her and back at Theodore through one of the holes in the walls.

This caught him across the cheek, he quickly conjured a ball of sand around himself to obscure him from Alania's sight. Such a thing wouldn't have worked much against me because I could still sense his mana, but it obviously worked on her.

She began chanting a new spell and sent a tornado crashing towards Theodore. The wind wasn't as cutting as it merely a way for her to get rid of the sand, but Theodore didn't mind. Right before the tornado reached the ball of sand, Theodore came flying out of it at a significant speed with a spear of earth in his hand that was 3 feet taller than him.

Alania quickly began jumping back with the wind beneath her feet, sending out blades of wind as she did. Theodore used the spear to change his path just enough to avoid the wind by either lessening or increasing the weight to it.

When he finally got close enough he held out his hand in front again.

"Fall!" This time Alania did fall. The look of surprise on her face changed to one of desperation. She likely hadn't realized that her wind barrier had been countering his attempts to crush her with gravity.

"Hmph the human ain't half bad." Homer snorted from his seat.

Alania was soon pressed against the ground on one knee as she fought against the gravity. Theodore approached sedately and I smiled before letting out a chuckle.

"What are you laughing for, Alania is about to lose!" Feyrith yelled at me.

"I don't think so." I said calmly as I pointed toward, and his eyes widened when he saw.

Theodore raised his spear over his head like a club, but as he went to slam it down it got caught… on a vine. Alania had had managed to gain access to her plant magic during the duel. And since Theodore's gravity spell had only been focused on her it didn't effect the vine that was now gripping his spear.

"What the-?!" He didn't even get to finish as another vine swiped at his legs, sweeping them out from under him.

"Fall!" Alania yelled as she now held his rock spear in her hand and used wind magic to swing it similarly to how Theodore did just moments ago. The spear came down with a crushing force against his stomach that he managed to cover with a weak earthen wall that was easily smashed through.

"Alania wins!" The announcer called as Alania fell back on her butt, panting and sweating with exhaustion as healers rushed out to tend to Theodore.

"The matches will resume in 1 hour! The next match will be between Leo Eralith and Samantha Tempest!"