Chapter 15

The arena shifted and constricted, pulling the remaining students into the heart of the battleground. The walls moved in deliberate patterns, forming narrow corridors and open fields, forcing the competitors into confrontations they could no longer avoid.

Erick felt his heartbeat quicken."Why today of all days." he thought to himself, the sounds of metal clashing against metal, boots thudding against the dirt, and the occasional grunt of pain echoing in the air. He glanced at Glory, who was standing by his side, crossbow at the ready, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

Suddenly, a burst of movement caught Erick's attention. From behind one of the newly formed walls, a group of three students emerged, weapons raised. Erick recognized one of them instantly—Landon, a somewhat big guy who use to give him a challenge,who excelled in physical combat. He was flanked by two others, Mina and Oran, both known for their agility and coordination in team combat.

"Tell me why. If I remember right Mina you are a part of the lodge aren't you, where is that bitch you seem to kiss up to." Remarked Erick remembering that they are a part of their clique. Glory was having a hard time believing that the lodge had a pull this high.

"Uncivilized. You still don't know how to speak to your betters do you." Asked Oran with anger in her voice.

"So what this is all because of what happened four years ago." Asked glory with some confusion.

"No this can can't be. I'll tell you what it's been some time since I made an appearance and really appreciate the attention I received. So as my parents used to say always converse first and use fists later…" he took a deep breath,"who gave you the orders, speak you'll leave here alive and don't…well you'll see." Said Erick reading the sword and shield.

Glory fired off a bolt at Mina, who dodged it with a fluid motion before closing the distance between them. Oran, on the other hand, circled around, attempting to flank Erick from the other side while Landon charged forward, his tall frame barreling toward Erick with terrifying speed. Erick raised his shield before Landon's sword came crashing down, the force of the blow reverberating through Erick's arm. He gritted his teeth, holding his ground as best as he could…

"Dame I'm out of shape." He thought to himself.

The tall student was relentless, swinging his sword with brutal strength. Erick knew he is wasting his energy by making unnecessary moves. He switched from a defensive stance to a more aggressive offensive. By parrying each swing with the minimal force necessary and started to aim for vital organs carefully to not kill him so to get an answer.

Landon swung again, this time aiming for Erick's legs. Erick leaped back, avoiding the strike, and countered with a quick jab of his sword. The tip of his blade scraped against Landon's backhand, but it slowed him down his grip on his sword waiving. He kept pressing forward,Hoping to force Erick to retreat further. Before he could even get a breather arrow flew to his face and was immediately stopped by his shield.

In the distance, Erick could hear glory engaging with Mina, her crossbow firing off bolts in rapid succession. He trusted her to hold her own—she was always faster in combat than he was. But his own fight was becoming increasingly fun in a strange way.

Landon swung his sword in a wide arc, and Erick barely had time to block it with his shield. The force of the impact sent him stumbling back, nearly losing his balance. "I need to finish this fast", Erick thought, his arms burning from the strain.

Then, he spotted it—a loose patch of dirt just a few feet behind Landon. An idea formed in his mind, one that was risky but could turn the tide of the fight. Erick feigned another retreat, allowing Landon to chase him further into the narrow corridor of the arena. As Landon raised his sword for another powerful strike, Erick suddenly dropped to the ground, rolling to the side just as Landon's blade came crashing down.

The momentum of the missed strike sent Landon stumbling forward—right onto the loose patch of dirt. The ground gave way beneath him, and with a surprised grunt, Landon lost his footing and fell face-first into the dirt.

Erick didn't waste the opportunity. He sprang to his feet, launching himself at Landon with his sword aimed for a disabling blow. His blade struck true, hitting Landon's exposed leg and forcing a cry of pain from the massive student. Landon dropped his sword, clutching his leg in agony.

Before Erick could finish him off, a loud crash echoed from behind him. He whirled around to see Glory, locked in close combat with Mina, while Oran lay unconscious on the ground nearby. "Glory must have gotten to her too.good." He thought,Glory and Mina were grappling, their weapons discarded, relying on sheer force and agility.

Erick rushed to her aid, but before he could intervene, glory managed to throw Mina off balance with a well-placed knee to the stomach and open hand to her nose. Mina stumbled back, gasping for air, and Kassandra didn't hesitate—she grabbed the nearest fallen weapon, a dagger, and pressed it to Mina's throat.

"Give me a reason," Glory demanded, her voice calm but firm.

Mina hesitated for a moment, her eyes coming to focus and darting between Glory and Erick, before she slowly raised her hands in surrender. Glory shoved her to the ground, keeping the dagger pointed at her until she was sure Mina wasn't going to make any sudden moves.

"Nice work," he muttered, helping Glory to her feet.

"Thanks," she replied, wiping the sweat from her brow.

"But we're not done yet." He replied.

As they looked around the battlefield, they realized that the arena had grown quieter. Most of the other students had been eliminated, either knocked unconscious or yielding. But there were still a few left—a few dangerous ones.

As the siblings glanced around at who's left of the survivors,they came upon three members of the ivory lodge, not just any members two of their strongest Neil and Brie but Erick sight came in to focus at Margret.

"She actually waited four years to do something about it." Muttered to himself and glory in her own way realized what he meant and with a click she started to get mad.

Erick's fists tightened around his sword, his knuckles whitening as his eyes locked onto Margaret. The past came rushing back—the whispered threats, and the simmering tension that had never quite boiled over all because a nobody came to embarrass and take high honours away from the nobility. But now, it seemed she had decided to act. Glory, sensing her brother's tension, narrowed her eyes. The Ivory Lodge had always been a thorn in their side, and now they were down to their most dangerous members.

"You're not walking out of here today, Erick," Margaret called from across the arena, her voice cold and filled with intent. As the other non affiliated survivors saw the tension they decided to remain neutral in this fight. As everyone glanced at Margret

her stance spoke of someone who had been training for this moment, someone with murder in her eyes, it was chilling.

Erick glanced at Glory, his eyes saying much more than they have in years. Those eyes of his reminded her of the night he was contemplating to either exist or keep fighting for life." You can't be a part of whatever comes next." He said with a deep voice.

"No you are not….." replied glory knowing that he was going to kill them. She turned around and come to stand in front of him." If you take their lives it will not end well. You'll create enemies,powerful ones as that. She is high nobility, a member of a founding family." She said with concern.

"I'm supposed to let her and her lodge kill me then, I don't think so." He said venomously.

As the lodge members saw the interaction between them they got confused and on high alert. As glory saw it will get ugly for both sides unless she took her down first.

Erick glanced at Glory. "We take out Neil and Brie first. Then we deal with Margaret."

Glory nodded, her grip tightening on her crossbow, ready to back up her brother. But before either of them could move, Neil charged forward, his enormous frame moving with surprising speed. He swung a massive war hammer, aiming for Erick's head. Erick dodged at the last second, the hammer smashing into the ground with enough force to crack the stone beneath it.

Erick sidestepped and retaliated with a swift, calculated strike to Neil's side. The blow glanced off his armor, but the impact was enough to push Neil off balance. Glory took the opportunity to fire a bolt at Brie, but the agile woman spun out of the way, closing the gap between her and Glory with a long spear in hand.

The battlefield was chaos once again. Erick ducked under another swing from Neil, jabbing his sword into the larger man's arm, causing him to bellow in pain. But Neil was a tank, and pain only seemed to fuel his rage. He swung his hammer again, forcing Erick to roll out of the way, narrowly avoiding being flattened.

Meanwhile, Glory danced around Brie's spear strikes, dodging and weaving like a boxer. Brie was fast, her attacks precise, but Glory was quicker, her agility outpacing the woman's long reach. Glory saw an opening and, with a quick sidestep, slashed at Brie's thigh, causing the woman to stumble.

"You're slipping," Glory taunted, but her eyes were locked onto Margaret, who was standing back, watching with calculated eyes.

Erick, struggling to keep Neil at bay, shouted, "Glory, take out Brie! I'll handle this brute!"

Glory didn't need to be told twice. She pressed her advantage, delivering a swift knee to Brie's midsection, then a final, clean strike to her chest with her dagger. Brie gasped, her spear clattering to the ground as she dropped to her knees, clutching the wound. Glory kicked her weapon aside, making sure she wasn't getting back up.

Now it was down to Neil and Margaret.

Erick, panting from the exertion, finally managed to drive his sword into Neil's leg, causing the big man to fall to one knee with a roar of pain. Erick didn't hesitate—he swung his shield hard into Neil's face, knocking him unconscious.

Both Erick and Glory turned toward Margaret, who was now walking slowly towards them, a cold smirk on her face.

"Impressive," Margaret said, unsheathing two short swords. "But now it's my turn."

Erick gripped his sword tighter, feeling the weight of his exhaustion. Glory reloaded her crossbow, aiming at Margaret. The arena felt smaller, the air heavy with tension. Margaret moved with fluid grace, and both siblings knew she was more dangerous than Neil or Brie had ever been.

"Stay sharp," Erick whispered.

Margaret lunged forward, faster than either of them had anticipated. Erick barely had time to block her first strike, her short swords clanging against his shield. Glory fired her crossbow, but Margaret twisted out of the way, using one of her blades to deflect the bolt mid-air. The strike was so fluid, it was almost effortless.

Erick fought to keep up, parrying her rapid strikes with his sword, but she was relentless. Her movements were precise, every swing designed to either injure or disarm. Erick was forced onto the defensive, struggling to block her onslaught.

Glory circled around, trying to find an opening. She fired another bolt, but Margaret again deflected it with ease. Then, in a blur of motion, Margaret spun and kicked Glory in the chest, sending her sprawling to the ground.

"Glory!" Erick yelled, but he was immediately forced to focus as Margaret slashed at his side. He barely blocked the attack, but the force sent him stumbling back.

Margaret smirked. "You're out of your depth, Erick. You always have been."

Erick gritted his teeth, blood seeping from a shallow cut on his arm. But he wasn't done yet. "You're still talking too much, Margaret."

With a sudden burst of energy, Erick pressed forward, launching a series of quick, aggressive strikes. Margaret was caught off guard for a moment, forced to backpedal as Erick unleashed a flurry of attacks. Glory, regaining her footing, fired another bolt—this one aimed right for Margaret's shoulder.

It struck true, embedding itself deep in her flesh.

Margaret screamed, stumbling back as she clutched the bolt. Erick didn't hesitate. He closed the distance, sweeping her legs out from under her and disarming her with a quick strike of his sword. Margaret fell to the ground, gasping in pain.

Erick stood over her, sword pointed at her throat. "I dare you to Yield," he said, his voice steady. He kept wondering if he should let his hand slip,"if you let it slip needles problems. So think."she said while pointing at her head.Margaret glared up at him, her eyes filled with hatred, She can see what he's thinking, for the first time in her life she felt fear like no other but she values her life more so she quickly spat, "I yield."

The arena fell into a sudden, eerie silence as the final combatant was defeated. The Shattered Gauntlet was over, and Erick stood victorious.