Chapter 18: Overwhelming defeat

The dueling grounds of Celestia Academy were packed to the brim with students, faculty, and even upperclassmen who had heard about the spectacle about to unfold. The air was electric with anticipation, the crowd buzzing with excitement as they waited for the two combatants to arrive. At the center of the arena stood Professor Jadestar, her crimson eyes sharp and her presence commanding. She had taken on the role of referee for this match, a rare occurrence that spoke volumes about the stakes involved.

Aria and Arthuria arrived at the arena together, pushing their way through the crowd to find a good vantage point. Aria's green eyes sparkled with excitement, while Arthuria's icy blue gaze was more reserved, though there was a flicker of concern in her expression.

"Can you believe this?" Aria said, grinning as she elbowed Arthuria lightly. "Luciel's actually going to fight your brother. This is going to be epic."

Arthuria crossed her arms, her silver hair shimmering in the sunlight. "I just hope he doesn't get himself killed. Kaelith doesn't hold back, even in sparring matches."

As they found a spot near the front, Aria's eyes widened as she spotted Headmaster Gabriel standing at the edge of the arena, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable. "Whoa, even the headmaster is here? This is serious."

Arthuria followed her gaze, her lips tightening slightly. "Father doesn't usually attend student matches. He must be here to ensure things don't get out of hand."

Before Aria could respond, the crowd erupted into cheers as Kaelith Augustus stepped into the arena from the opposite side. His lanky figure moved with an almost predatory grace, his blue eyes scanning the crowd with a faint smile. The students chanted his name, their admiration for the strongest student in the academy evident in their voices.

"Kaelith! Kaelith! Kaelith!"

Kaelith raised a hand in acknowledgment, his smile widening as he reached the center of the arena. He turned to Professor Jadestar and gave her a respectful nod. "Professor. I hope you don't mind me showing the first-years what real strength looks like."

Jadestar's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't respond. Instead, she turned her gaze to the other side of the arena, where Luciel was making his entrance.

The cheers for Kaelith were momentarily drowned out as Luciel stepped into view. His golden eyes glowed faintly, and his expression was calm but focused. The first-year students erupted into cheers, chanting his name with equal fervor.

"Luciel! Luciel! Luciel!"

Aria grinned, pumping her fist in the air. "That's our boy! Go, Luciel!"

Arthuria remained silent, her gaze fixed on her brother and Luciel. She could feel the tension in the air, the weight of the moment pressing down on her.

As Luciel reached the center of the arena, Professor Jadestar raised her hand, silencing the crowd. "This is a sparring match," she announced, her voice carrying across the grounds. "The objective is to test each other's skills, not to cause permanent harm. I will intervene if necessary. Understood?"

Both Luciel and Kaelith nodded, their eyes locked on each other. The crowd held its breath as Jadestar stepped back and raised her hand. "Begin!"

The moment the match started, Kaelith vanished from his spot, his movements so fast that most of the students couldn't even track him. Luciel's golden eyes narrowed, and he barely managed to raise his arms in time to block the incoming strike. The force of the impact sent him flying across the arena, but he twisted mid-air and landed on his feet, skidding to a halt.

The crowd gasped, but Luciel didn't hesitate. Four swords of light materialized around him, their blades shimmering with pure mana. With a burst of speed, he turned into a streak of light, closing the distance between himself and Kaelith in an instant. The swords shot forward, aiming for Kaelith's vital points, while Luciel himself lunged at his opponent, his hand clawing for Kaelith's throat.

Kaelith's smile didn't waver. He moved faster than before, vanishing from his spot and reappearing behind Luciel. With a casual flick of his hand, he slapped Luciel across the shoulder, the force of the blow sending him crashing to the ground. But to Kaelith's surprise, Luciel twisted his body at the last moment, ensuring the attack only grazed his shoulder instead of his head where he had aimed at.

The crowd roared, their excitement reaching a fever pitch. Kaelith's smile widened, and he decided to take things up a notch. Purple lightning began to crackle around his body, the air humming with energy. The ground beneath him scorched as the lightning arced outward, creating a chaotic storm around him.

Luciel barely had time to react as bolts of purple lightning began raining down from the sky. He dodged and weaved, his movements precise but desperate as he avoided the deadly strikes. The crowd watched in awe, their cheers growing louder with each near-miss.

But while Luciel was focused on the lightning from above, Kaelith had been preparing his next move. A beam of concentrated lightning formed in his hand, its power radiating through the arena. With a flick of his wrist, he launched the beam at Luciel, the attack moving faster than the eye could follow.

Luciel's golden eyes widened, but he didn't panic. Summoning a sword of light to his hand, he slashed downward with all his might, the blade cutting through the beam and splitting it in two. The energy dissipated harmlessly to either side of him, leaving devastation in its wake.

The crowd erupted into cheers, but the fight was far from over. Before Luciel could catch his breath, Kaelith appeared in front of him like a ghost, his movements impossibly fast. He grabbed Luciel by the arm and hurled him into the air, following him with a burst of speed. With a powerful punch, he sent Luciel crashing back to the ground, the impact shaking the arena.

Luciel groaned, his body aching as he struggled to get up. He managed to push himself to his knees, but his strength gave out, and he collapsed back to the ground. The crowd fell silent, the tension in the air palpable.

Professor Jadestar stepped forward, her crimson eyes scanning Luciel's prone form. "The match is over," she announced, her voice firm. "Kaelith is the winner."

The crowd erupted into cheers once more, but Kaelith didn't seem to share their enthusiasm. He walked over to Luciel and extended a hand, his smile softer now. "You did well, Luciel. Better than I expected."

Luciel looked up at him, his golden eyes glowing faintly despite his exhaustion. He took Kaelith's hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. "Thanks," he said, his voice hoarse. 

As the crowd began to disperse, Aria and Arthuria made their way to Luciel, who was leaning heavily on Kaelith for support. Aria grinned, though there was a hint of worry in her eyes. "That was insane, Luciel! Are you alright?"

Arthuria, on the other hand, looked at her brother with a frown. "You didn't have to go that hard on him, Kaelith."

Kaelith shrugged, his smile returning. "He asked for a real fight. I just gave him what he wanted."

Before Arthuria could retord, Luciel interjected, " Arthuria, don't worry. he didn't beat me too bad."

Arthuria sighed and said, exasperated, " Neither of you seems to be right in the head."

Luciel and Kaelith could only smile in response.

...

After the match, Kaelith led Luciel to the Warblades' training grounds, a sprawling facility located on the far side of the academy. The building was imposing, with high walls and a large emblem of crossed swords above the entrance. Inside, the atmosphere was lively, with upperclassmen sparring, discussing strategies, and honing their skills.

As they entered, the members of the Warblades turned to greet Kaelith, their expressions shifting to curiosity as they noticed Luciel trailing behind him. A tall, muscular third-year student with a scar running down his cheek stepped forward, his arms crossed. "Kaelith, who's the newbie?"

Kaelith smiled, placing a hand on Luciel's shoulder. "This is Luciel. He's the first-year I talked about. I've invited him to join the Warblades."

The room fell silent for a moment before the upperclassmen erupted into cheers and applause. A second-year girl with long black hair, red eyes, and a tattoo peeking out from her neck stepped forward, extending her hand to Luciel. She had multiple piercings in her ears, and her grin was both mischievous and welcoming. "Welcome to the Warblades, Luciel! I'm Katharine. It's not every day we get a first-year in here, but if Kaelith vouches for you, you must be something special."

Luciel shook her hand, his golden eyes scanning the room. The members of the Warblades were a diverse group, but he could feel that everyone in this room was at least as strong as him, and most likely, they were stronger than him. He could feel the energy in the room, and it was invigorating.

Kaelith clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention. "Listen up! Luciel is one of us now. That means he's under our protection. If anyone gives him trouble, you know what to do."

The upperclassmen nodded, their smiles forming into sadistic smiles. A third-year boy with dark hair and a calm demeanor stepped forward, placing a hand on Luciel's shoulder. "Don't worry, Luciel. If anyone messes with you, just let us know. We'll teach them some manners."

Luciel nodded, a small smile forming on his lips. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

Kaelith's trademark smile was back on his face, unsettling to everyone, his blue eyes gleaming. "Good. Now, let's show Luciel how we operate. Katharine, why don't you give him a tour?"

Katharine saluted playfully. "You got it, boss!"

Katharine's tour was thorough, and her enthusiasm was infectious. She showed Luciel the sparring rings, the mana manipulation chambers, and the strategy rooms where members planned their tactics for inter-academy tournaments. As they walked, she kept up a steady stream of chatter, her red eyes sparkling with excitement.

"You're lucky, you know," Katharine said as they reached the weaponry section. "Not many first-years get to join the Warblades. But Kaelith sees something in you. And if he sees it, then so do we."