Between Lightning and Stone

Yelena stood focused. Her teammate was down, her opponents were at full strength, and they held the high ground.

There wasn't much of a bright side, but she absolutely refused to go down like that.

With a burst of wind spiraling upward like a rising storm, Yelena launched herself above Ethan and Selene's platform. She was done throwing spells.

It was time to throw herself.

Masking her approach with a flare of fire, she conjured a blade of pure shadow in one hand and a trailing spiral of scorching wind in the other.

She dove straight toward Selene, hoping to catch her off guard.

But Selene wasn't caught off guard. She had been waiting for Yelena to make a move. A stone dome bloomed up around her, sealing her inside.

The moment Ethan saw the dome forming, he launched himself away to another platform, creating distance once again. As he flew, he shot a basic lightning bolt back at Yelena, who crashed against the outside of Selene's shield.

Yelena's sword scraped harmlessly across the stone. Gritting her teeth, she spotted Ethan's bolt streaking toward her. With a sharp spin of her arm, she whipped up a wind barrier. The lightning struck it with a crack, sparks flying as the energy scattered.

She couldn't chase Ethan, but she couldn't let him roam free either. She hurled a wind bolt his way to slow him down, then placed her hands on the dome.

Flames ignited in her palms.

At first, it was a slow burn, but the heat ramped up fast. Within seconds, the inside of the dome was turning into a furnace.

Ethan stayed calm. He repositioned his crystals, blocking the wind bolt by sacrificing one, then targeted Yelena with the remaining four.

Selene remained composed, even as the temperature began to rise. She focused on Yelena's position through the dome, and with a flex of Earth magic, extended the stone to encase Yelena's hands, fusing them to the shield.

Then, slipping into the shadows, she vanished… Reappearing beside Ethan a moment later.

"She won't be able to move," she said, stepping from the darkness.

Hearing that, Ethan began charging another shot.

"Come on now," he called out. "We both know this fight is over. I'd rather not fire this shot. None of us want to surrender, but know when it's time."

Yelena's eyes went wide as the stone encased her hands. She felt Selene's presence vanish, then spotted her stepping out of the shadows next to Ethan.

She yanked, hard, trying to break free. But the stone's grip was precise, reinforced, and infuriatingly well crafted. Her fire surged, superheating the cuffs in a desperate attempt to escape, but it would take time.

Time she didn't have.

The air shifted.

That same tension, like a storm building, spread across the battlefield.

Then she heard Ethan's voice, clear and steady.

Calling for her to surrender.

The words hung in the air like a thundercloud.

Yelena struggled against the bindings, but she knew the truth. She didn't have the power left to dodge, not with Ethan fully charged. Not with Selene already repositioned and ready to intercept anything she tried.

For a long, tense moment, her eyes stayed locked with Ethan's.

Then, with a long sigh, the fire in her hands began to fade.

"You're right… I surrender…"

The stone crumbled from around her wrists as Selene released the spell.

"With that surrender, the victors are Team Aurora, five to zero!" the announcer called.

Ethan and Selene exchanged a smile and bumped fists.

They both jumped over to Yelena.

"That was a good fight," Ethan said, offering his hand.

"You say that, but we couldn't even get a point." Yelena remained kneeling on the platform, still a bit dejected.

"We just had the map advantage," Selene said with a gentle smile. "We had the mobility to reach the high ground."

"I knew the high ground mattered, but…" Yelena murmured, finally taking Ethan's hand and letting him help her up. "I don't think I realized how much."

"Don't worry, you'll get the next one. I think you two are good enough to take on most teams," Ethan said, smiling. He wasn't just saying it to be nice, he meant it. They had the raw power. If they could tighten their strategy, they'd be a real threat.

"You actually mean that, don't you?" Yelena said, a little surprised. "Thanks. I hope you keep doing well… Zeus." She laughed as she turned and headed off the platform.

Ethan and Selene looked at each other, and burst out laughing. It was one thing when random students used the nickname, but hearing it from an actual opponent somehow made it way funnier.

They headed out together, still laughing with each other as they left the arena.

Jace and the others were waiting just outside.

"Good fight," Jace said, giving them both fist bumps.

"You guys did even better than I was expecting," Aurora added with a smile.

"Thanks," they replied in unison.

"I feel like we've got a lot to talk about after these first two duels," Aurora continued. "I'm looking forward to breaking it all down once the contest is over."

The whole group nodded or started grinning and laughing.

"Keep up the momentum, Elias," Aster said to her brother, giving him a thumbs up.

Elias returned it with a smile, walking toward the arena with a confident grin. However as he did he was met with a surprise. The announcer's voice.

"The following two contests will both require two participants, plan accordingly."