Two people stood on the stage with determined expressions waiting for Ethan's signal to begin their battle. One was a dark-skinned girl with short black hair and gold eyes wearing circular spectacles, Lisa Tennyson. It was obvious where she got her spectacles from. What love can do... anyway. The one opposite her was a tall guy with an athletic build and an arrogant expression. He had long black which fell to his waist in twists, red eyes, pale skin and sharp, pointy ears. He was also very handsome just that he fell short as compared to his origin, Ethan. Yes, he was a vampire by name, Rexford Darkblood. He was from a vampire family who were giants in the business world, the same as Lisa's family. In fact, they were rival families and Ethan knew that.
"Fight!" As Ethan gave the command, Lisa who was holding a spear got engulfed in blue, crackling aura as she got into a martial arts stance. Rexford who was also wielding a rapier released her a dark and malevolent aura.
In an instant, they met at the center with a resounding clash of weapons. Lisa skillfully twirled her spear around to block a piercing stab from Rexford while her body released sparks of lightning to keep him away. She flashed back, leaving some space between them as huge black swords appeared in her earlier position. Training with Ethan had helped a lot otherwise she would have been caught in that attack. Rexford used the Shadow affinity, and he was an expert in it. Afterall, Shadow affinity users made the bulk of his family.
Thunder boomed as a huge blue lightning bolt descended upon Rexford. He quickly raised his hands to conjure a black shield just in time to sink into his own shadow to escape that attack. But Lisa wasn't done. Her golden eyes narrowed and glowed a bit in concentration as her muscles tensed up.
With a crack of lightning, she shot forward with speed, almost at the speed of sound towards the left corner of the stage. She was just a bit slower than Timothy who could travel at the speed of sound due to his Sound affinity. She threw her spear forward, engulfed in blue electricity at a small dot on the ground but before it connected, a huge shield appeared, intending to block it. And block it did but Rexford was a bit slow. He didn't notice Lisa appearing behind him in a flash of blue, a punch headed towards his head.
He managed to block a bit of the attack, but he was still hit 8 meters away. Before he could regain his footing, Lisa was upon him with her spear raised. She bashed him in the side with the lower part of the spear like a bat sending him sprawling again.
'Damn! She's fierce and I love it!' Ethan smirked in joy as he witnessed Lisa totally dominate her rival. As a matter of fact, she was even holding back. He had shared Sync with all of his subordinates so imagine if she used Sync. Talking about Sync, he didn't know her beast. 'I will ask her later with a little reward.'
Rexford could be seen twitching on the ground and foaming at the mouth. He had been totally devastated by Lisa; the girl he thought was weak and shy. He was planning to defeat her then propose marriage to her while using her defeat as leverage. If only he knew she was a high human. The aura and charm of normal vampires can never affect a high human. Even Vampire Progenitors would have a hard time charming them or intimidating them. Not forgetting that she had been marked already by the origin of vampires, Rexford had no chance from the start. It was all a losing game, and he lost in style.
"Winner, Lisa Tennyson!" Cheers erupted as Ethan announced the winner of the duel. Medic-bots were taking care of the electrocuted vampire, so Ethan wasn't really worried. Besides, vampires had regeneration. As Lisa returned to her seat, she got stares of respect and acceptance and even some intense ones of infatuation from both genders. Sorry guys, she taken...
Ethan's voice echoed through the arena, his tone calm yet commanding. "Next up. Reginald Ignifax versus Derrick Griswold."
The murmurs in the audience grew louder as the two boys rose from their seats. Their reputations preceded them, and everyone knew this was going to be a clash worth watching.
Reginald Ignifax strode to the stage with a confident gait. His long, wine-colored hair was tied neatly into a topknot at the front, the rest cascading down his back. His dark skin gleamed under the arena lights, and his brilliant blue eyes radiated a calm intensity. Reginald was known for his exceptional control over the Fire affinity.
On the opposite side of the stage was Derrick Griswold. He was shorter in stature, his dark purple hair messy as if he hadn't bothered to brush it. His fair skin contrasted sharply with his piercing purple eyes, which glimmered with a quiet, cunning determination. Derrick was a prodigy with the Water affinity, and his unassuming appearance belied the immense power he commanded.
Both boys took their positions on the polished, futuristic stage. The tension in the arena was palpable.
"Fighters ready?" Ethan's deep voice rang out. Both boys nodded, their eyes locking in mutual respect but with a hint of rivalry.
The command had barely left Ethan's lips when Reginald's hands ignited, vibrant flames swirling around him. The air around him shimmered with heat, the temperature rising noticeably. Derrick responded instantly, summoning a sphere of water that floated above his palm, its surface rippling as if alive.
Reginald moved first, thrusting his arm forward and releasing a torrent of fire toward Derrick. The flames roared like a wild beast, but Derrick was ready. With a flick of his wrist, the water sphere expanded into a shimmering barrier, absorbing the fire in a cloud of steam.
The arena filled with a hiss as the opposing elements clashed, and for a moment, visibility was obscured. Derrick used the cover of the steam to move swiftly, creating a whip of water from the moisture in the air. He lashed it toward Reginald, who sidestepped at the last second, countering with a burst of flame from his hands.
"Impressive control," Ethan muttered under his breath, watching both boys display exceptional command of their respective elements.
Reginald didn't give Derrick a moment to breathe. With a sharp motion, he summoned multiple fireballs that hovered around him like miniature suns. He launched them in quick succession, forcing Derrick to dodge and deflect. Each fireball exploded on contact with the ground, leaving scorch marks in their wake.
Derrick weaved through the barrage with agility, his movements fluid as water itself. Gathering his energy, he formed a spiraling vortex of water around him, then shot it forward like a raging serpent. Reginald stood his ground, thrusting both hands out as a wall of fire erupted before him, colliding with the vortex in an explosive clash.
The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the arena, causing the audience to gasp in awe.
"You're strong," Derrick said, his voice steady despite the exertion. "But water extinguishes fire."
Reginald smirked, his blue eyes blazing with determination. "Maybe, but fire burns hotter when it's cornered."
With that, he unleashed a sudden burst of energy. Flames engulfed him, spiraling upward into a fiery column. The heat was intense, forcing Derrick to retreat slightly. Reginald raised his hand, and the flames coalesced into a massive phoenix-like shape above him.
Derrick wasn't fazed. He drew upon his reserves, summoning an enormous sphere of water. It floated ominously above his head, rippling with raw power. The two fighters launched their attacks simultaneously—the fiery phoenix hurtling toward the massive sphere of water.
The collision was cataclysmic. Fire and water clashed in a dazzling explosion of steam and light, the force shaking the entire arena. The audience shielded their eyes as the energy dissipated, leaving the stage drenched and scorched in equal measure.
When the mist cleared, both boys were still standing, but it was clear the battle had taken its toll. Derrick was breathing heavily, his movements slower. Reginald, however, stood tall, his fiery aura reigniting with renewed intensity.
"This ends now," Reginald declared. He stomped his foot, and flames erupted from the ground around Derrick in a blazing ring. Derrick's eyes widened as he tried to summon more water, but the heat was overwhelming, evaporating his resources faster than he could gather them.
Reginald leaped into the air, a blazing spear of fire forming in his hand. He hurled it downward with precision. Derrick raised a final barrier of water, but the fire spear pierced through, striking the ground near him. The explosion sent Derrick sprawling; his barrier shattered.
As the dust settled, Derrick lay on the ground, breathing heavily but otherwise unharmed. Reginald approached him, extending a hand to help him up.
"You fought well," Reginald said with a nod of respect.
Derrick took his hand and stood, a faint smile on his lips. "You're stronger than I expected. Next time, I'll be ready."
Ethan's voice broke through the moment. "Winner: Reginald Ignifax!"
The audience erupted into applause, acknowledging the intensity and skill both fighters had displayed. Reginald raised a fist in triumph before returning to his seat, his calm blue eyes glinting with satisfaction.