Third Contest, First Point.

Once the others arrived, Aurora decided it was time to explain the plan. "Alright, everyone, here's how we're handling this. I'm taking the first duel."

"Wait, what?" Jace asked, clearly confused. Even with the uncertainty of the third and fourth rounds, he had expected either himself or Lyra to go first.

Aurora raised a hand to stop any further objections. "Listen. I think we need Lyra for the tag game, which means someone else has to duel. My prediction is that our opponents will send someone weaker for the first round."

"Why do you think that?" Lyra asked, tilting her head.

"They're probably assuming we'll want to start strong," Aurora explained. "And since we're ranked first, they can afford to give up a round without much risk. My guess is they'll send out a weaker duelist, expecting Jace to be up first. But instead, they'll get me."

Felix nodded as he ran the logic through his own calculations. "Makes sense to me."

"Alright," Orion said, crossing his arms. "So you're taking round one, and Jace is in round five. What about the other rounds?"

"They might see it coming, but I still think Ethan and Selene should take the two on two duel." Aurora flipped through her notebook. "Even if the other team prepares for you, I still believe you two are one of the hardest pairs to counter."

"Hell yes, we are." Ethan grinned, raising his hand for a high five from Selene. She sighed but indulged him anyway.

"For the target challenge, Felix is our best bet. His precision gives us the highest chance of winning." She closed her notebook and turned to Lyra. "And obviously, you're our best choice for the tag round."

"Damn, I was hoping I'd get to run one," Astra muttered, folding her arms behind her head.

Elias, meanwhile, had a contemplative look on his face. After a moment, he scribbled something down on a small note and handed it to Aurora.

She read it, eyebrows raising in surprise. "Really, Elias?" she asked. "You don't usually volunteer for contests."

Astra's eyes widened. "Wait, Elias actually asked to be in a round?"

Elias simply nodded, his expression unwavering. Whatever he had in mind, he was clearly confident in his choice.

Aurora read the note aloud. "According to this, Elias has a read on the target challenge and thinks he can win it for sure."

Jace raised an eyebrow, turning toward Elias. "Really? It's rare for you to be that confident."

Elias met Jace's gaze with a determined look and gave a firm nod.

Felix, rubbing his forehead as he thought it over, finally sighed. "Alright. As much as I want to participate and earn my rank one spot back, I'd rather win. If Elias is that sure of his victory, I trust him."

The group exchanged glances, a little surprised by Felix's decision, but they appreciated his commitment to the team's success.

"Alright, then we have our lineup set." Aurora flipped open her notebook, making the necessary adjustments.

Jace glanced at the schedule. "Looks like we wrapped up just in time. We're up soon."

"I'm going to get ready," Aurora said, shutting her notebook and rising from her seat. "It's time to prepare."

Not long after, the announcer's voice echoed through the arena.

"Team Aurora and Team Igor, please send your first participant into the arena."

Jace clasped Aurora's shoulder as she stood. "Good luck, and have a little fun out there."

Aurora paused for a second, meeting his gaze before offering a small nod. "Thanks. I'll make sure to succeed." With that, she turned and headed into the arena.

As she stepped inside, the battlefield came into full view. Jagged stone outcroppings jutted from the earth, their rough edges casting sharp shadows. Twisted, gnarled roots snaked through the cracked terrain, their grip on the battlefield eerie and unyielding. The ground itself bore the scars of recent volcanic activity, faint embers glowing within deep fissures. Sparse trees, their bark blackened and charred, offered little cover but plenty of obstacles to maneuver around.

Standing in their respective spots, Aurora remained calm and composed, meeting Talon's gaze with quiet confidence. As she observed him step into the arena, she allowed herself a small breath of relief. Her predictions had been correct. Based on her research, Talon was one of their weaker duelists.

Talon, on the other hand, had walked into the arena with a casual roll of his shoulders, his stance firm but not tense. He knew why he was sent in, but that didn't mean he was just going to roll over.

A flicker of surprise passed across his face when he saw Aurora standing in front of him instead of Jace. "Damn, they got us," he muttered under his breath.

"Duelists, standard one on one rules. First to three points, begin on the horn," the announcer's voice rang out.

At the sound of the horn, the duel began.

Aurora moved swiftly, summoning her earth golem to life. The massive creature charged towards Talon with relentless force.

Talon, recognizing that a head-on clash with the golem would be futile, knew he needed to think quickly. With a quick slam of his hands against the ground, thick wooden roots erupted from the earth, twisting and coiling towards the golem's legs in an attempt to snare it. At the same time, Talon darted sideways, launching a controlled burst of fire at Aurora, testing how she would react.

Aurora reacted swiftly, releasing small bursts of Void magic to dissolve key parts of the roots. She strategically weakened them, allowing her golem to continue its charge without being slowed down in the slightest.

The golem adjusted its course slightly, raising its arm to block the flames. The fire splashed off of its stone form with little effect, leaving the golem undeterred and pressing forward without a hint of slowing down.

Talon's eyes narrowed as he watched his initial attack falter. Igniting a sphere of fire in his palm, he launched it at the golem's legs, aiming to weaken its structure.

In tandem, he summoned a thick stone wall in an effort to slow the golem's advance.

But Aurora had something new in mind. After the golem contest last time, she had been practicing a technique she'd been eager to try. Casting a Void sphere, she didn't release it herself. Instead, she tapped into her link with the golem, casting the spell from it directly.

The Void sphere formed and shot out from the golem's chest, setting off multiple effects at once.

First, the Void magic's influence caused the fire sphere to bend unnaturally upward into the sky, narrowly missing the golem.

Second, the sphere collided with the stone wall, causing the structure to crack and weaken. The golem plowed through the wall without the slightest hesitation, its momentum undeterred.

Talon's eyes went wide as the golem's massive fist swung toward him. He tried to leap backward, but he didn't move fast enough. The golem's punch landed with a thunderous crash, sending him flying through the air. He hit the ground with a grunt and skidded to a halt at the edge of the arena, disoriented but still conscious.

Ding.