Avryn was carried out into the medical bay of the arena. His concerned friends met him there. They were just as surprised as he was. They didn’t know magic of that caliber existed. Rinna had read it before in the stories around Ancient Eyur: The Arcana Edge. A powerful enchantment magic that can turn anything into anything. Most of the ancient Eyurian mages used them for tools and war.

  Leandros managed to tapped into that power somehow. Avryn flinched upon thinking on it. The fire felt real. He clutched at his burn wounds. It healed up thanks to the healing crystals. He was still frightened and jittery.

  “Don’t tell me,” Rinna spoke.

  “Zartes, he did that to you too, didn’t he?” Leifren finished her question.

  He nodded furiously as he rocked back and forth, clutching at his burn injuries.

  “What kind of man does that to a child,” Tvira was angry for him.

  Leandros arrived to check up on him,

  “Sounds like I’ve arrived at a bad time?”

  He further explained that he had to throw out that maneuver early because Avryn was so close in beating him. There was no other way out. He apologized if he opened up past trauma but all was good between them. There was one thing that stuck to Avryn,

  “If things were different, you would’ve been my rival” those words were huge praise coming from Leandros.

  “You really think that, huh?” Avryn smiled through the pain.

  “Indeed, friend,”

  They both shook hands and went their separate ways.

  “Harver, isn’t your match up next?” Avryn turned to face him.

  “Oh shoot, yes,” He excused himself and ran.

  The next fight had almost the same hype. Agillar was a friend of Leandros and also served as his own rival. Harver did his best but eventually fell to the senior. The stage was set for a finals clash between two friends, just not the freshmen this time.

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  “Now, Agilla, let’s dance on this grand stage,” Leandros exclaimed.

  It was a flashy fight, fought at an even faster pace than before. This was the power of the two of the Academy’s greatest seniors. The power of Leandros’s sun versus Agilla’s winds was a raging wildfire. Only one had to come out on top, and that was Leadnros. He proved once again why he was the greatest prospect of his generation.

  The final closing ceremonies took place and Avryn was swarmed with news reporters and a myriad of all sorts of questions ranging but not limited to meals, routines, exercises, and personal training secrets. Avryn hated the attention but played it friendly with them all, keeping himself humble. Leandros on the other hand was professional, giving the right answers and conducting himself well.

  Avryn guaranteed that his performance next year would be better. It meant he needed to reach the grand finals and hopefully against Harver like he wanted. The journalists wrote it in their notes every word Avryn said.

  Winter had started as the first snow flakes drizzled down on Ordellia. The trees had adorned snow upon their crown of leaves. More snow started dotting the ground. Avryn looked up, he had never seen snow before. He held his hand out as a snowflake laid upon it. It was delicate and beautiful like a flower. He returned to his friends, the media wanted to ask some more questions before being halted by the organizers.

  “Oh well, better luck next year, then?” He looked to Harver.

  “We’re coming back stronger,”

  They both shook hands.

  “So now what?” Avryn waited.

  “The ceremony, we should head back to the Academy,” Rinna advised.

  On the boat trip, Rinna explained the end of year ceremonies the students go through. The seniors would get drafted to the expeditions. Everyone was given the month to spend however they want. Seniors would report in on new year’s. They would join the gathering at the courtyard.

  A great bonfire was in the middle of it, set alight by Leandros’s fire. Its radiance inspired hope in everyone. Headmaster Aldric hosted the feast and thanked everyone for their hard work. He also held a toast to the seniors, for they would leave to serve the expeditions and bring a brighter future for all Eyurians.

  “Thank you, to the students, the teachers, and future of all of Eyur. Now, let us begin this feast,” he gestured.

  Leandros dropped by and asked Avryn for a quick chat. The two excused themselves and went to the shores. He asked if Avryn was okay, to which he was. He wanted to talk to him about a special matter.

  “I want you to take the helm in my place. Get strong. And then we’ll meet at The Lost Lands as equals,” he bequeathed to him.

  “Sure thing,” Avryn accepted.

  “Then that’ll be all. See you around, Avryn Starbright,” he bid him farewell.

  Avryn returned to his friends, he caught them up to speed to what he spoke with Leandros. They continued reflecting on the year. They had rough starts but ended up way better than expected. They want to set a higher bar for the second year, and work even harder for themselves and for the seniors who imparted their wills to them.

  Sophomore year would be the second half of their basic training. It will be specialized training after that. They must get better.

  “How about we start with a wishlist? Each one of us makes one wish for what we’d like next year and work hard on it?” Jenilah suggested.

  “Aye, mighty suggestion as always,” Kiria supported.

  “Alright, who’d like to start? Avryn?” Leifren suggested.

  Avryn didn’t need to think hard,

  “I wish to bond further with our comrades, our sisters and brothers from other mothers,”

  That earned a chuckle from Harver.

  They went clockwise. The wishes were more or less to the same effect: Become stronger, make stronger bonds, et cetera. Jenilah pulled out her Scribe and instructed them all to type those wishes and made it their Scribe’s wallpaper, in order to help manifest it.

  “That really was good thinking, you know that?” Harver praised her.

  The upcoming second year would bring new challenges indeed. Its pressure would undoubtedly test everyone of them. They partook in the feast and ate to their hearts content. They had one month of rest to make use of.

  The seniors were given their honorary flowers and salutes. They would become bonafide soldiers to help the efforts of sowing a brand new future for Eyur.

  Avryn took one last glance as his seniors slowly departed as the night went down.

  “Thank you, Leandros. I’ll make you proud.”