The arena still vibrated with Kaedor's victory when the instructor returned to the center of the combat field.
— Fourth fight of the Quarterfinals: Valdrik versus Kaelis!
The murmur among the students immediately increased.
Draven crossed his arms as he watched.
"Two draconics… this fight will be different."
The Combatants
Valdrik entered the arena first.
His tall, robust body was marked by small dark scales on his arms and neck. His eyes had an intense, almost incandescent glow, a reflection of the draconic energy that coursed through his veins.
He was known for his monstrous strength and resistance.
Soon after, Kaelis entered.
Unlike Valdrik, his presence was calmer and more controlled. He was a half-draconic, but he also mastered arcane techniques learned over years of study.
Small runes of energy appeared around his hands. It wasn't just strength.
It was tactics and knowledge.
Draven immediately perceived the difference.
"One fights with brute power… the other with control and technique."
Start of the fight
— Begin!
Valdrik wasted no time.
He advanced like an explosion of strength, his fist enveloped in draconic energy. The blow ripped through the air as it approached Kaelis.
But Kaelis had already expected this.
He moved his hand swiftly and a translucent arcane barrier appeared before him.
The impact was strong.
The barrier cracked.
But it withstood the blow.
Some students were surprised.
— He blocked a direct attack from Valdrik?
Kaelis didn't stand still. He responded immediately, releasing a wave of compressed energy that forced Valdrik to take a few steps back.
Strategy against strength
Valdrik growled, irritated.
He increased his draconic energy, and the air around him began to vibrate with heat.
His scales became more visible.
Then he advanced again.
This time with even more force.
Kaelis remained calm. He moved with precision, creating small barriers, deflecting attacks, and counter-attacking whenever an opening appeared.
It was a fight between:
overwhelming force
versus
tactical control
Draven observed every detail.
"He's not trying to beat Valdrik with strength… he's wearing down his opponent."
The Turning Point
Valdrik decided to end it.
He gathered all his draconic energy into a single attack.
The arena floor cracked beneath his feet as he advanced.
Kaelis realized that this charge could not be blocked normally.
He concentrated energy in his hands.
Arcane runes appeared around his body.
Then, at the exact moment Valdrik attacked…
Kaelis dodged to the side and redirected some of the energy of the blow with his own technique.
Valdrik's attack lost its balance.
Kaelis took advantage of the opening.
With a swift movement, he launched an energy blast directly into Valdrik's chest.
The impact knocked him down.
Valdrik tried to get up.
But his body didn't respond.
Result
The instructor raised his hand.
—Kaelis wins!
The arena reacted with surprise.
Some students didn't expect the strategist to defeat the brute force warrior.
Draven smiled slightly.
"Clever… very clever."
The Semifinalists
With the end of the Quarterfinals, only four combatants remained.
The strongest in the academy.
Draven
Zayra
Kaedor
Kaelis
The instructor announced:
"The Semifinals will begin tomorrow."
The students began to leave the arena, but the tension lingered in the air.
Now everyone knew.
From that moment on…
each fight could decide the champion.
Draven walked in silence.
But something in his mind was clear.
"The real battles begin now."