Cael approached him slowly. "So..." Elias glanced sideways. "Do you want to talk about it?" Cael asked. "You know he won’t fight like last time. Kellen won’t test the water again. He’ll come at you full." Elias looked back at the cracked stone seat he’d left behind. "You already saw why." Elsewhere, Kellen Drein stood quietly behind the Wyrmere prep zone, his eyes fixed on the board. But his aura stirred. A slow pressure building like a tide behind a dam. Behind him, Dean Oryll finally spoke to his assistant without taking his eyes off the board. "Notify the record keepers." "That the match between Elias Verdan and Kellen Drein..." He paused. "...will not follow precedent." Healers stood at the ready. The barrier teams whispered among themselves about fortification reinforcement. Not because they feared Elias or Kellen would lose control. But because one of them eventually might. As Renna stepped forward for her match, passing Elias, she caught his wrist briefly. She stared. "Don’t you dare. Not after what he did." A soft chime rang out — and Renna’s match began. Back in the stands, Damon leaned forward again. "She’s going to win." Miss Leana didn’t respond at first. Then she responded with an exhale. "She has to. Or Elias won’t be able to stay calm." Damon frowned. "You think it matters to him that much?" "I think they all matter. That’s what makes him dangerous." And behind them all — the crystal obelisk pulsed again. An ancient heartbeat in floating glass. A promise of what was coming next. But the quiet collision of two power houses. Renna stood at the edge of the platform, breath slow, eyes sharp. Across from her, Cedric Van waited with both hands folded behind his back, his weapon — a slim, single-edged dueling blade with a bone-pale handle — resting at his side like a polished fang. And that’s what made him dangerous. Cedric wasn’t like Kellen. He wasn’t overwhelming. He was simply... executing. A swordsman bred for tournament combat. The announcer’s voice rolled like thunder across the Colosseum. "Semifinal Match One: Renna Velmira versus Cedric Van. Combatants, ready... Begin." She learned that lesson long ago. Instead, she opened with an angular magic spell — one meant to spin and wrap midair like a twisting net. Cedric flicked his blade once. The magic spell sliced neatly in half. It was designed to do that. Renna’s brow creased. Not a problem. Just information. She began casting another spell. This one a shatter-trap meant to detonate on pulse trigger. Cedric advanced without fear and she triggered it. He stepped through the smoke and carved a half-circle in the ground — one that left no mark on the stone, but disrupted the essence path under her boots. Just for a heartbeat. "Damn," Cael muttered from ElderGlow’s viewing quadrant. "He’s reading her two moves ahead." Reiz, sitting upright now and partially healed, nodded slowly. "He’s countering spells he hasn’t even seen yet." Elias stood behind them, silent. She stopped using mid-tier spells and returned to her base. Compressed angle shots, not traps. She drove Cedric back. He ducked. Parried. Let one graze his shoulder. Then, with a twist of his foot and a shift of his blade — he drew a spiral line midair. Renna dropped her casting focus. Reflex caught it before it hit the ground, but she was off rhythm. Clean lines — no blood. His strikes didn’t aim to injure. They aimed to break concentration. Renna staggered again, this time to recover spacing. He followed. Closed. Slipped a trap line into her wake. Straight into a ward spell. A stunning pulse raced up her side, locking her right shoulder. Cedric moved in again. Not fast and not fierce. A reverse-slash caught her across the thigh — disabling, not cutting. Then a spin, a barrier pulse to the knee, and a final sweeping blow across her back shoulder. But she didn’t pass out. She pushed herself up with one good arm. Blood at her lip. Breathing rough. She summoned one last spell with her left hand. And stared up at him. Cedric didn’t raise his blade again. Because he knew she knew. She wasn’t winning this. "Combatant unable to continue. Victory: Cedric Van." The crowd offered polite applause — respectful, muted. No cheers. No chants. Renna slowly dispelled the spell. Let it fade from her hand. Then stood on her own, even as the healers rushed forward. And walked off the stage without a limp. In the prep zone, Cael stepped forward and met her halfway. Just touched her shoulder. She nodded. "That was a machine in human form." Reiz exhaled. "You did well." Renna looked past both of them. And when she passed him, she whispered, "He’s colder than you." But she saw the faintest twitch of his brow. High above, the Dean of Thornevale didn’t smile. She simply crossed her arms and leaned back. "Efficient," she said to no one in particular. Dean Oryll said nothing. His eyes were on the obelisk. On the duel about to begin. Because now... it was time. The arena’s light changed again. The sigils around the main platform deepened, flaring brighter than before. Extra layers were added. Triple-seal containment. "Semifinal Match Two: Elias Verdan versus Kellen Drein."