Deathmatch

The atmosphere in the Colosseum buzzed with anticipation as the first group of students stepped onto the arena floor. Mortis Nacht observed from the stands, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed every movement, every gesture of the participants. He had a clear view of the arena, a vast circular expanse surrounded by towering stone walls and filled with palpable mana disturbances.

The arena was divided into five smaller platforms, each designated for a separate match. The ground beneath the platforms shimmered with runes, and the air crackled with energy. The students who had drawn numbers 1 to 5 stood on their respective platforms, their faces a mix of determination and nervousness.

Mortis's gaze shifted to the high balcony where the announcer stood. His voice boomed through the Colosseum, amplified by magic. "Welcome to the first round of deathmatches! Remember, victory is the only path forward. May the best apprentice win!"

As the announcer finished, the magi who had supervised the drawing of lots stepped forward, each holding a different colored flag. They raised their flags simultaneously, and the matches began.

Mortis's attention was immediately drawn to the first platform, where Lucien Blackwood from the Cult of Eternal Damnation, Rowan Earthshaker from the Academy of the Radiant Dawn and the four other students faced against each other. Lucien's command of undead minions created a formidable barrier, skeletal warriors rising from the ground to do his bidding. Rowan, however, was undeterred. With a mighty gesture, he summoned a powerful seismic attack, the ground shaking and cracking beneath the undead.

Rowan's earth magic proved effective against Lucien's minions, but Lucien's focus remained unwavering. He continued to summon more undead, directing them with precision. The other students, caught in the crossfire, struggled to defend themselves. One by one, they fell, unable to withstand the combined might of Lucien's dark magic and Rowan's earth-shattering attacks.

Rowan then directed his focus towards Lucien. Summoning a massive stone wall, he used it as both a shield and a weapon, pushing it forward to crush Lucien's remaining undead. Lucien countered by raising a horde of skeletons that attacked the wall. The two continued to trade powerful spells, but Rowan's relentless seismic assaults finally broke through Lucien's defenses, earning him the victory.

On the second platform, another six students from various organizations clashed. The fight was intense, showcasing a variety of magical talents ranging from fierce attacking spells to precise defending spells. But after the fierce competition, it was a student from Myriad Demons Academy who emerged victorious through sheer perseverance and tactical prowess, advancing to the next round.

Mortis's eyes flicked to the third platform, where another chaotic battle took place. Selene Graves from the Cult of Eternal Damnation faced off against five students. Her soul-draining magic proved to be a decisive factor, as she methodically weakened her opponents. But the other students, despite their best efforts, couldn't withstand Selene's relentless siphoning of their life force and Selene emerged victorious, advancing to the next round.

The fourth platform featured Nadia Darkshade from the Academy of the Forsaken, Jin Wu from Yin-Yang Paradise and four other students fighting against each other. Nadia's shadow manipulation made her a difficult target, seamlessly blending into the shadows and becoming nearly invisible. Jin Wu's balance of dark and light spells provided a formidable challenge, his attacks precise and fluid.

The four other students quickly fell, overwhelmed by the intense magical onslaught from both Nadia and Jin Wu. Nadia moved through the shadows, striking from unexpected angles and keeping Jin Wu on his toes. Jin Wu, however, adapted swiftly, using his dual-elemental magic to create barriers and counter-attacks. As the battle reached its climax, Nadia's shadowy tendrils wrapped around Jin Wu, but he broke free with a burst of light magic. With a final, powerful combination of light and dark spells, Jin Wu managed to overcome Nadia's shadow manipulation, securing his victory and moving forward.

On the fifth platform, six other students from various organizations fought fiercely. This match, though devoid of well-known contenders, was marked by impressive displays of elemental magic and tactical maneuvers. After a grueling battle, a student from the Myriad Demons Academy emerged victorious, their strategic prowess earning them a place in the next round.

As the first set of matches concluded, the platforms were cleared, and the next group of students prepared to take their places. The crowd's excitement remained high, eager to see the upcoming battles.

The sixth fight was with Theron Blackveil from the Academy of the Forsaken and five students from other organizations facing each other. His mastery of curses was evident as he crafted spells that caused excruciating pain or slow death if not stopped in time. The other students, though skilled, were unable to counter Theron's relentless offensive. One by one, they succumbed to his dark magic, leaving Theron standing victorious.

The seventh and eighth fights featured mostly no-name students, so Mortis didn't pay much attention. He only focused on the victors: a student from the Cult of Eternal Damnation in the seventh fight and a student from Yin-Yang Paradise in the eighth fight.

The ninth fight was Lyra Sunfire from the Academy of the Radiant Dawn facing Lysandra Brightstar from the Academy of the Arcane Light, and other four students. Lyra's fire magic blazed with intensity, her spells capable of incinerating opponents with searing heat. Lysandra, on the other hand, used her potioneering abilities to adapt to the situation, drinking potions that enhanced her abilities and throwing destruction potions at her opponents, mixing it with her light magic spells.

The no-name students were quickly eliminated, unable to withstand the powerful magic from both Lyra and Lysandra. The two girls then turned their focus on each other. Lyra's fire magic clashed with Lysandra's potions and her light magic in a dazzling display of light and heat. Despite Lysandra's adaptability, Lyra's relentless fiery onslaught proved too much, and she emerged victorious.

In the tenth fight, six more no-name students faced off in a fierce contest of magical prowess. The battle was intense, with each participant showcasing their unique abilities. In the end, a student from the Academy of the Forsaken triumphed, their cunning strategies outmatching their opponents.

As the second set of matches concluded, the platforms were once again cleared, and the next group of students took their places. The crowd's anticipation grew with each passing moment, eager to witness more thrilling battles.

The eleventh fight featured Daniel Asomndes from the Myriad Demons Academy facing Aldric Shieldborne from the Academy of the Arcane Light and four other students from various organizations. As the fight commenced, the air around the platform crackled with tension and mana.

Daniel, renowned for his mastery over darkness and fire spells, immediately began channeling his magic. Dark flames erupted around him, their eerie glow casting long shadows across the arena. The other students, recognizing the imminent threat, quickly formed a defensive alliance against Daniel.

Aldric, on the other hand, wasted no time erecting his formidable shields. Glowing with radiant light, his barriers encased him in an almost impenetrable dome. His shields extended outward, providing cover for no-name students who were desperately trying to fend off Daniel's fiery onslaught. The other students launched a variety of spells at Daniel, but his dark flames absorbed and deflected many of these strikes with ease.

The no-name students fought valiantly, but Daniel's control over darkness and fire was relentless. One by one, they fell, overwhelmed by the sheer ferocity and power of his spells. Flames, ice and earth bolts filled the air, but it was clear that Daniel's dark magic had the upper hand. With each fallen opponent, Daniel's power seemed to grow, feeding off the chaos and destruction.

With the no-name students completely defeated, the battle came down to Daniel and Aldric. Daniel's dark flames swirled around him, a storm of black fire that clashed against Aldric's radiant shields. Aldric stood firm, his focus unwavering as he reinforced his barriers with every attack. The radiant light from his shields clashed against the darkness of Daniel's flames, creating a dazzling display of light and shadow.

Daniel knew that a direct assault would not break Aldric's defenses, so he changed his strategy. He began chanting an incantation in a guttural, ancient tongue, summoning a more concentrated and powerful dark fire. The air around him grew hotter, and a massive sphere of black fire formed above his head, its intense heat causing the ground to tremble.

The dark fireball unleashed a barrage of energy blasts at Aldric's shield. Each impact sent shockwaves rippling through the platform, and cracks began to form in the radiant barrier. Aldric gritted his teeth, pouring more of his mana into maintaining his defenses. Sweat trickled down his face as he pushed himself to his limits.

Seeing the cracks in Aldric's shield, Daniel pressed the advantage. He directed the dark fireball to focus its attacks on a single point, where the barrier was weakest at the moment. The fireball complied, channeling its energy into a concentrated ball that struck the weakened spot with tremendous force. The radiant barrier shattered, and Aldric was thrown backward by the explosion of energy.

Aldric quickly recovered, summoning a new shield to protect himself. But Daniel was relentless. He conjured dark tendrils of flame that swarmed Aldric from all sides, leaving him no room to maneuver. Aldric's shields flickered under the relentless assault, and it became clear that he couldn't maintain his defenses for much longer.

With a final, desperate effort, Aldric summoned all his remaining strength and created a massive barrier, attempting to push back the dark flames. The radiant light of his shield shone brilliantly, momentarily holding the flames at bay. But Daniel had anticipated this. He muttered another weird incantation and the dark fireball unleashed a devastating wave of energy that collided with Aldric's barrier.

The force of the collision shattered the barrier and sent Aldric sprawling to the ground. Before he could recover, Daniel's dark flames descended upon him, their searing heat poised to strike. Aldric attempted to raise another shield, but it was too late. The dark flames consumed him, and his scream echoed through the arena before abruptly cutting off.

The entire Colosseum fell silent, the crowd in shock at the unexpected and brutal turn of events. The judges quickly intervened, their voices filled with urgency and concern.

"Daniel Asomndes," one of the judges called out, "why did you kill Aldric Shieldborne? Explain yourself!"

Daniel, his expression carefully controlled, let the dark flames dissipate and turned to face the judge. "I didn't mean to kill him," he said, his voice steady but with a hint of regret. "Aldric was still fighting back, and my attack was meant to subdue him. The intensity of the spell was miscalculated. It was an accident."

The judge scrutinized Daniel's expression, searching for any sign of deceit. After a tense moment, the judge nodded. "Very well. Given the nature of the match and the circumstances, we will accept your explanation. However, be mindful of the power you wield in future matches."

The announcement was met with a mixture of relief and unease from the audience. Daniel was officially declared the winner of the match, but the atmosphere remained heavy with the weight of what had transpired. Daniel's victory was clear, but it was marred by the tragic outcome, casting a dark shadow over his triumph.

Meanwhile, the twelfth, thirteenth and fifteenth fights featured only fights of no names so Mortis paid careful attention only to the fourteenth fight which featured Mei Yang from Yin-Yang Paradise, Thalor from Myriad Demons Academy and no names from other organizations facing each other.

Mei's dual-elemental attacks, combining the strengths of both light and dark magic, created unpredictable and powerful spells. Thalor's shadow and darkness spells provided effective moving and powerful offensive capabilities.

The no-name students were quickly dispatched, unable to withstand the intense onslaught of their spells. Mei and Thalor then faced each other in a fierce duel. Mei's versatility with light and dark magic allowed her to counter Thalor's darkness attacks. With a final, powerful combination spell, Mei overwhelmed Thalor, securing her victory and moving forward.

As the third set of matches finally concluded, the platforms were cleared once more, and the next group of students prepared to take their places. 

But all of the fights except the twentieth featured only another no-names so Mortis could finally focus on only one fight.

The twentieth fight featured Lira from the Academy of the Arcane Light facing off against five students. Her blinding light spells disoriented her opponents, allowing her to take them down one by one. Lira's precise and powerful attacks ensured her victory, moving her forward to the next round.

As the fourth set of matches concluded, the platforms were cleared once again, and it was finally time for Mortis's fight. 

Mortis stepped onto the arena floor, his demeanor as cold and calculating as ever. He surveyed his opponents with an intense gaze, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses with ruthless efficiency. His thoughts were clear and focused: victory was the only acceptable outcome, and he would achieve it by any means necessary.

As Mortis took his position, the air around their platform grew tense with anticipation. His opponents, wary of his power, prepared themselves for the battle ahead. Mortis's eyes glinted with a predatory light, and a faint smile played on his lips. This was his domain, and he was ready to assert his dominance.

The crowd buzzed with excitement. The stage was set for their chaotic confrontation, and Mortis was prepared to demonstrate that he was a force to be reckoned within this tournament.