Thyra POV

Thyra could barely contain her laughter as she watched the devastating blow that Alonzo received. Not only had he lost, but he had been defeated by someone of a lower class.

'He must be writhing at the thought of losing to a mere [Farmer],' she thought gleefully.

As Thomas called out, "Who will be next?" her hand shot up almost instinctively.

'Watch and learn,' Thyra told herself, a confident smirk playing at the corners of her lips as she began ascending the steps to the platform.

'He lost because he underestimated them,' she mused, gripping the slender staff in her hand more tightly. 'But I've gathered information from several mercenaries who took the last test. It's only been a few months since then; they can't have changed much.'

Stepping onto the stage, Thyra surveyed her potential opponents.

'Aldwin…' She let her gaze wander over him, assessing. He was lean but muscular, his posture relaxed yet alert. 'He has a explosive personality and likes to fight,' she thought, recalling her informants' descriptions. 'Way too fast for me. My spells require some time, that also rules out Thomas.'

She took a moment to pull back her hair, tucking her golden braids into a neat bun at the nape of her neck. Dressed in the typical garb of a mage, a moss-green robe layered with a simple brown cloak, she embodied the image of an Academy scholar.

Her attention turned to the remaining options.

"Jamie," she whispered under her breath, a slight shiver coursing through her as she caught sight of his expression.

She remembered him from her childhood, a cousin she'd seen only a handful of times. Back then, he had been quiet and serene, perhaps too gentle for someone hailing from the harsh northern realms. Their families' territories, while both in the north, were separated by vast distances. Hers nestled by the sea, his near the rugged mountains of Frostwatch.

Now, however, he was utterly transformed. Standing as the leader of a mercenary group, Jamie exuded a confidence that was both imposing and unsettling. His face, once soft, was now chiseled and refined, unmarred by scars and bruises he used to have. His eyes held a depth she couldn't quite read, and it unsettled her.

Her cousin's eyes were hollow.

Despite the alluring smile that played upon his lips and the seemingly enchanting gaze that could slowly draw you in, there was something amiss. Thyra felt a chill crawl down her spine as she observed Jamie from across the platform. 'It's fake', her mind whispered. The divergence between his outward charm and the void she sensed within unsettled her deeply, causing a tremor of fear to ripple through her.

"Whom do you wish to face?" Thomas asked, his voice steady as he stood at the center of the platform, his gaze resting on her.

'There's only one left,' Thyra resolved inwardly. "I wish to challenge her," she declared aloud, pointing toward Camille. Without hesitation, Camille rose gracefully, exchanging a brief nod with Thomas as she took his place on the platform.

Thyra studied the elven rogue intently. 'She's remarkable with her crossbows,' she mused, analyzing what she knew of Camille. 'But after two shots, she's going to need some time. I just need to raise my defenses, she won't be able to touch me fast enough.'

"Prepare yourselves!" Jamie's voice cut through the air, commanding and clear. "Begin!"

Anticipating a swift offensive from Camille, Thyra reacted instantly. She struck the butt of her staff hard against the wooden planks beneath her feet.

"Ice Wall!" she invoked.

In a heartbeat, four towering walls of glacial ice erupted around her, encasing her in a protective fortress. The translucent barriers shimmered with a pale blue luminescence. The air within her icy bastion grew cold, wisps of her breath visible as she exhaled.

She'll have to come from above, Thyra calculated, her eyes scanning the narrow sliver of sky visible above. Already, she was channeling her mana, feeling the familiar surge of energy course through her veins as she prepared her next spell.

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"Ice Sphere," she whispered.

A small orb of condensed frost began to form at the tip of her staff, swirling and coalescing into a sphere that gleamed with an inner light. It hovered there, awaiting her command.

Seconds stretched into an uneasy silence. Thyra's heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing loudly in the enclosed space. She strained her ears for any sound of movement, her eyes flickering between the walls that encircled her. Yet, there was nothing. No shadow passing overhead, no telltale whistle of bolts fired from above. The silence was unsettling.

'Why isn't she attacking?' Thyra wondered, a flicker of uncertainty gnawing at her confidence. Camille was known for her agility and precision; it wasn't like her to hesitate. With each passing moment, Thyra's apprehension grew. She clenched her jaw, tightening her grip on her staff. 'Where is she?'

A sudden, faint sound reached her—a soft cracking noise, barely audible. Thyra's gaze snapped to one of the walls. A slender fissure snaked down the icy surface, fine as a hairline at first but steadily widening. Then another crack echoed from behind her, and she spun around to see a second wall beginning to fracture. A third crack resounded almost simultaneously.

Panic nipped at the edges of her composure. 'Where is she coming from?' Thyra's mind raced as she assessed the situation. The once-solid walls now betrayed her, their crystalline purity tarnished by an unnatural hue. A subtle, ominous orange that pulsed beneath the surface. The color deepened, spreading like ink in water, and the cracks expanded, jagged lines that fanned out from the epicenter of each wall.

As the ice walls detonated with a thunderous roar, shards and fragments scattered in all directions. A dense curtain of steam, water, and snow enveloped the platform, obscuring everything in a swirling haze.

Thyra's mind was a tumult of confusion and disbelief. 'Did she use a bomb? But how did all the walls explode at once? And what was that orange glow?' Questions raced through her thoughts, each more perplexing than the last.

Amidst the churning mist, a shadow moved with swift elegance. Seizing the moment, Thyra thrust her staff forward, releasing her Ice Sphere. The orb of crystallized frost hurtled toward the elusive figure, slicing through the fog. But her aim was off, the sphere sailed past the silhouette and shattered against the side of the platform, erupting in a spray of icy splinters.

"Damn it!" Thyra cursed, frustration and panic lacing her voice. She realized too late that her attack had missed its mark.

From her right, the sharp whistle of bolts sliced through the air. Before she could react, searing pain erupted in her limbs. Her legs buckled as an agonizing force twisted and shattered the bones in her arms and legs. A guttural scream tore from her throat as she collapsed onto the cold, slick wood of the platform.

"Finished," Jamie declared calmly from his vantage point, his voice cutting through the fading echoes of the explosion.

As the veil of smoke and steam began to dissipate, Thyra's blurred vision caught sight of Camille standing poised, a faint wisp of flame flickering in one of her hands. 'She can use magic?' Thyra's thoughts spiraled. 'FUCK! There was no information about that!' Anger and disbelief warred within her as she grappled with the sting of defeat.

Before she could muster another thought, attendants were at her side, gently lifting her from the arena. The world around her dimmed as waves of pain crashed over her, each movement a fresh agony. They carried her to the cleric stationed in the village, whose healing spells soon enveloped her in a soothing glow. Bones mended, and torn flesh knit back together under the gentle embrace of restorative magic.

When, at last, she was released, much of the day's combat had concluded. Of the initial fifty contenders, only twenty remained to complete their trials.

'I still have a chance,' Thyra tried to reassure herself, clinging to a shred of hope. 'They said victory wasn't necessary.' But even as she thought it, doubt gnawed at her. 'Why am I so fixated on this? I don't even truly want to join them. This was all just to spite Alonzo.'

Returning to the edge of the crowd, Thyra drifted among the murmurs of conversations, catching snippets of complaints and boasts. Many lamented their choice of opponent, regretting the miscalculations that led to their defeat.

"Who will be next?" Jamie's voice resonated from atop the platform, commanding attention.

Thyra felt a weariness settle over her. The excitement of the day had waned, replaced by a desire for solitude. She was about to turn away when a movement beside her caught her eye. A small hand shot up.

She glanced down to see a diminutive figure standing next to her. It was a young girl, scarcely reaching Thyra's waist. However, the pointed ears peeking through her tousled chestnut hair and the oversized goggles perched on her nose marked her as a gnome. She was laden with a massive backpack overflowing with curious gadgets, metal parts, and rolled parchments. In her hands, she clutched a tangle of notes covered in cramped handwriting and intricate diagrams.

The girl muttered rapidly to herself, words tumbling out in a torrent almost too quick to decipher. It sounded as if she were reciting formulas or rehearsing lines for an exam. As she moved, the myriad trinkets attached to her pack jingled and clinked, creating a metallic symphony.

Thyra observed Jamie's expression shift to one of mild perplexity as the gnome made her way through the crowd toward the platform. 'A gnome? This could be interesting,' Thyra thought, a hint of intrigue stirring within her. She avoided meeting Jamie's gaze, not wanting her cousin to recognize her.

The gnome climbed the steps to the platform with determined strides, despite the disproportionate weight of her gear. Upon reaching the top, she adjusted her goggles, which magnified her bright green eyes to an almost comical size. The crowd hushed, curiosity piqued by this unexpected challenger.

Jamie regarded her with a polite smile. "And whom do you wish to face?" he inquired.

The gnome took a deep breath, her cheeks puffing out slightly. She raised a finger, pointing directly at Jamie. "I wish to challenge you!" she declared, her voice high but firm.

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