Scrimmage, pt 2.

Lucie smirked confidently as she joined the other seniors. "I'll take the more experienced squad, I don't find fun playing with losers."

The other senior, a boy with red eyes and short brown hair, frowned. "Fine, I'll take the first years." 

As the two seniors walked toward their respective squads, Alexander watched the red-eyed boy closely.

He carried himself with an air of authority, his face calm and eyes narrowed. 

He stepped in front of the first-years, his scrutinizing gaze unrelenting. 

"Alright listen up," he began, his tone unenthusiastic. 

"The goal of this match is simple: we'll hold the line at the center, push hard, and move unpredictably. When it seems like all is lost, we'll fall back, spread out, and regroup."

The boy then glared at Lucie who stood confidently with her team.

They hadn't even bothered to devise a strategy. "We'll repeat this until time runs out, or all of you get downed, understand?"

Everyone nodded.

"Good, I'll be the flag bearer," he added, "we'll lose this match, but it won't be a slaughter, now move out."

The team nodded as they jogged out to meet their opponents at the center of the field. 

As they approached the center, Alexander couldn't help but admire how professional their vice-captain was. 

Alexander knew they were bound to lose, but with their vice-captain, he was sure it wouldn't be by much.

His game plan was simple but easy for a few first-years to follow. 

Let's just hope they can follow orders, Jules especially.

Both teams surrounded the large central circle, all unarmed, and ready to play.

The air was chilly with an evening breeze, the afternoon sky was painted a hue of orange, red, and gold.

Alexander found himself face-to-face with a towering senior, a menacing grin on his face as he kissed his teeth. 

"Both teams ready?!" Raphael called from the sidelines. 

"Ready!" Lucie called from her back line.

"Ready!" The other vice-captain said, his gaze focused solely on the middle flag.

"Set!" Raphael called.

Everyone lowered themselves into position, the tension crackling in the air as Alexander's heart pumped. 

Alexander let out a long breath as he remembered both his orders and the rules.

Just keep moving, fall back when ordered, and don't get knocked down.

"Go!" Raphael's voice cut through the tense air like a hot knife through butter. 

Suddenly there was a mad dash towards the central three flags, their checkered colors billowing in the wind. 

Alexander moved swiftly, his feet crushing the cool grass beneath his feet as he danced through the chaos. 

Their vice captain immediately secured the first flag and was now locked in a pushing match with two other seniors. 

But Alexander barely had time to watch his vice-captain, as a senior was already barreling towards him.

He closed the distance with lightning speed, appearing mere inches away from Alexander.

Alexander just smirked as he activated his ability to slow time, his eyes darting toward the closest escape route. 

He then dashed towards the right, kicking off his left foot as he twisted his torso.

The senior just barely missed Alexander, thrusting his shoulder into the space he had just inhabited.

Close one.

The senior grinned as he hurriedly turned to face Alexander, his eyes narrowing. "You're a fast one!" He called with amusement.

Alexander shrugged, "what can I say?" He taunted, "I'm just built differently."

Suddenly Alexander felt a rush of wind behind him, sending a bone-chilling shiver down his spine. 

He immediately slowed his perception of time and attempted to run away. 

But he was too late.

A hand gripped the back of his neck, fingers digging into his neck as he was lifted off the ground.

"Gotcha!" A voice called from behind, before Alexander began accelerating towards the ground in a blur.

"Oh, Alexander is out!" 

Those were the last words Alexander heard before eating a face full of dirt, his face smashed into the cold, damp, grass.

The pain was intense, causing Alexander to groan as he rolled onto his back. 

What… just happened?

That's when he saw none other than Lucie standing over him. 

Her arrogant smile was as wide as ever. 

"Two down." She said, "Five to go."

Alexander let out a ragged breath as he coughed up dirt and grass. 

"Oh! And that's Karl outta here!" Raphael called from the sidelines with childlike glee. 

"This is a blood bath!"

As Alexander struggled to sit up, he caught a glimpse of the field.

He could see Karl laid out and breathing heavily, along with the other first-year, Mathéo.

They got Karl too?

There were just three first-years left.

Jules, who was dodging endlessly, sweat dripping down his forehead as his blonde hair trailed behind him. 

"Ha, you foo—"

Jules was swiftly silenced by a roundhouse kick from Lucie, her slender frame cutting through the air as her foot forced him into the dirt.

"Glorious execution!" Raphael called out with a punch to the air, "Jules is out!"

Alexander scrunched his face in pain as he averted his gaze. 

Goddess, this is worse than I thought.

The remaining first-years huddled close to the vice-captain as he stood tall. 

His red eyes narrowed and watchful as he parried and countered attacks. 

Lucie chuckled as she stood and watched with two other seniors. "Goddess, Aloïs always was a show-off." 

Alexander's eyes widened at Lucie's comment.

That's Aloïs?!?!

He remembered Karl mentioning him a few days ago, as one of the people the Masked Empress beat.

Alexander almost couldn't believe it, a twelve-year-old beat him?!?!

Aloïs gritted his teeth as he countered an uppercut, grabbing his opponent's arm before twisting it. 

The senior let out a scream as Aloïs forced him to the ground, all while dodging two other seniors. 

"And that's our first senior out!" Raphael called out in feigned surprise. "Could Aloïs lead a comeback?!"

Lucie rolled her eyes as she looked over her shoulder with a grin. "Having fun?" She teased.

Raphael chuckled as he threw his hands into the air. "Heeeeelllllll yeah!!!!!" He then quickly pointed a finger back at the field, "Oh and that's another senior out!"

Alexander hurriedly looked to see Aloïs flipping a boy over his back, before throwing him into the grass face first.

Aloïs and the remaining first-years were holding the line, with Aloïs as its center and the others as distractions.

Lucie let out a long sigh as she rolled her shoulders. "Alright, it's time to end this, you three focus on Aloïs, I'll handle the first years."

The three seniors nodded, before Lucie a led blitz attack. Her long legs carried her slender frame through the air like an arrow.

Aloïs gritted his teeth as he braced himself. "Fall back!" He commanded the final First-years, "I'll hold the line!"

The first-years nodded, attempting to break off from the senior they were tag teaming. 

But their efforts were futile.

The moment they broke contact, the senior rushed around to cut them off, trapping them as Lucie came in for the killing blow.

She first jabbed Josephine on the back with her hand, forcing Josephine to arch her back.

Lucie then grabbed Josephine's chin, before throwing her into the ground ruthlessly. 

Lucie then lept over Josephine, before pushing her knee into Lyam's back, bringing the final first-year to his knees. 

"Go!" Lucie then shouted to the senior who blocked off Lyam's and Josephine's exit. "Help the others!"

The senior nodded as she and him rushed to the scene of Aloïs' last stand. 

Aloïs fought valiantly, his expression calm as he endured the relentless assault from four seniors. 

But his last stand was cut short as Lucie and the final senior closed in. 

No matter how fast Aloïs moved, there was always a weak spot he missed. 

A spot the seniors took advantage of.

They gradually wore down Aloïs' defense, until he finally crashed onto the ground with a blindside kick to the knee. 

There was a brief moment of silence as Aloïs closed his eyes, a frown crossing his lips.

The silence lasted only a moment before the seniors broke into elated cheers. 

"Game!" Raphael called from the sidelines, before jogging onto the field. "Senior victory!"

Lucie chuckled as she breathed a sigh of relief. "It was to be expected, hard to lose to a few kids."

The seniors chuckled as they began helping up the first-years, even coming to help up Aloïs, though he declined it. 

"I'm fine." He muttered, pushing himself off his knee.

"Well, now that you first-years understand just how brutal this sport can be, do you all still feel cocky?" Raphael asked, his gaze lingering on Alexander, "I bet not, that's why we do this every year, to show you birdies just how helpless you are, and how far you have to go."