The Grand Magical Academy Tournament (part 4)

The next day, Lest and Vane sat with their new friends. During the battles, Lest and Vane would share a little bit of what they know regarding the clubs that were in the fight. It seems that they were very knowledgeable and far more interesting to listen to than the commentator.

The next match was between the Magical Summoning Club versus the Curses and Hexes Club. Lest empathically monologues that both clubs are quite popular. The Magical Summoning teaches members how to summon elemental beasts and spirits. This is not considered real summoning since elemental summoning is merely shaping your elemental magic into shapes of different animals.

Summoning using spirits is closer to a real summon since it requires calling forth spirits of your elemental affinity. True summoning is using Dark element to call upon actual animals and mythical beasts to do your bidding. Bryce's ears perk up upon hearing the words "Dark element."

Vane takes over the commentary from Lest. He explains that they had a Dark element user as a teacher for one of his previous classes. This was the reason they knew about the Dark element fact. Bryce was ecstatic to meet this teacher. Unfortunately, Vane broke the sad news that the teacher left the academy and returned to the Demon continent.

Catching the disappointment in Bryce's face, Vane adds that there are many teachers in the academy that have experienced or know a lot about Dark magic. If Bryce asked around, Vane was pretty sure that the former could find the answers he is looking for. This motivates Bryce and a bond is tacitly forged between these two men of few words.

By the time they were finished talking, the fight between the two clubs was over. The day wore on with battles that showcased even more amazing displays of skill and power. Bryce intently discussed the play by play with Vane.

It had already been a week of competitions. The tournament had run long with so many really good matches highlighting the strength and potential of the various groups in the academy. There was talk of continuing the matches next week. The crowd booed in displeasure. Most of them took a week off of their busy lives to watch the tournament. To miss the end where some of the best matches usually occurred was not acceptable.

However, a green haired boy snatches the microphone from the cute commentator. Althea's eyes grew wide as saucers and her mouth dropped while pointing at the man. "It's him. It's Rhald, the guy I was telling you guys about!" she shouts. Terrick still remembers Rhald from the time he crashed into Ellie. He was not amused. His right eyebrow seems to be twitching in anger.

Rhald proposes to finish the tournament quickly by making the last battle a free for all brawl of the remaining club representatives. The crowd cheered even more loudly as this was a welcomed change of pace. The faculty comprised of powerful magicians and former adventurers looked at each other and offered no objections. From the principal's viewing box, Dragnar nodded his head in agreement. With the principal's blessing, twenty or so representatives from the remaining clubs enter the stage and join Rhald.

As the bell rang, everyone powers up in a dazzling display of dominance and spell array. Because Rhald had nonchalantly and audaciously upended the format of the tournament, most of the combatants are eyeing him as their target. They rush him in an effort to overpower him. He holds his hand out and the fighters appear to have run into an invisible wall. Each one slamming into the others in front of them.

Rhald raises his other hand and all his competitors are thrown off the ring. Simultaneously, he summons a ball of water that splits up into hundreds of Ice daggers. They jet through the air and stop an inch in front of the faces of the defeated foes, as if daring them to stand up and try to fight him again. They all remained lying on the ground accepting incontrovertible defeat. It was the shortest fight in tournament record history.

The oohs and aahs died down immediately. The crowd unsure of how to react remain frozen mid-action. Their hearts palpitating from excitement knowing that they have seen something extraordinary. The steep ticket prices were worth it in this one moment alone.

The Capital will be abuzz with this event for weeks to come. Like a hive mind, all those who witnessed this fight realized how 24 of the strongest students selected to represent their respective clubs were easily defeated. They were at the threshold of mastering their craft and close to achieving the title of Grand Magician. Yet on the other hand, there was Rhald, the strongest magician in all of Grand Magical Academy and his power was greater than all of them combined.

Bryce sat a little straighter. His eyes never leaving the guy he had just marked as his rival.