I stood frozen, staring at Vex across the chamber.
My mind raced through everything I knew about her—the assassin prodigy whose backstory I'd crafted with meticulous detail. Fast, lethal, and utterly merciless in combat.
"All participants, please move to your designated arenas," Professor Brhaisse announced. "The combat phase will begin shortly."
The chamber floor shifted beneath us, breaking into smaller circular platforms that rose slightly. Numbers appeared on each platform, corresponding to our pairings.
I spotted platform seven and moved toward it, my legs feeling heavier with each step. Vex was already there, stretching her arms above her head with casual grace.
"You look nervous," she said as I approached. "First time fighting?"
"Something like that."
She laughed, the sound musical and dangerous. "Don't worry. I'll make it quick."
I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Arrogant.
Professor Brhaisse's voice boomed again. "Remember, these are assessment matches. Lethal force is prohibited. The match ends when one participant yields or is rendered unable to continue."
Vex twirled her dagger again, her eyes never leaving mine. "Hear that? No killing. Shame."
I sighed in reply. Luckily, I had a trump card if we were only going to fight once.
The platform beneath us hummed with energy, a translucent barrier forming around its perimeter. Similar barriers appeared around the other platforms, isolating each pair of combatants.
"Begin!" Brhaisse commanded.
Vex moved instantly, a blur of motion. I barely had time to activate my True Shadow before her dagger sliced through the air where my chest had been a moment before.
I stumbled backward, my shadow rippling around me defensively. The insignia on my hand pulsed warmly, and I felt Lux's attention sharpen.
"Oh?" Vex paused, her head tilting curiously. "Shadow manipulation? Interesting."
She circled me slowly, reassessing. I knew that look—I'd written it. She was recalculating, adapting her strategy.
"I didn't expect to face someone with shadow abilities," she said. "This might be fun after all."
I needed to decide quickly—use my Gift and match her abilities, or rely on my limited shadow powers. Either way, I was in for a painful lesson in combat.
I circled Vex cautiously, my True Shadow coiling around me like a protective serpent. The translucent barrier surrounding our platform shimmered with arcane energy, ensuring our battle remained contained.
"Are you just going to dance around all day?" Vex taunted, her daggers glinting under the arena lights.
I extended my shadow toward her, attempting to ensnare her ankle.
—Tap. Tap.
She leapt effortlessly, somersaulting through the air and landing behind me.
It only took a mere two steps.
"Too slow," she whispered, her blade slicing across my back.
Pain erupted across my shoulders.
I stumbled forward, my shadow instinctively lashing out in response. Vex dodged again, but my shadow caught the edge of her uniform, tearing the fabric.
"Not bad," she acknowledged. "But still amateur hour."
I concentrated, splitting my True Shadow into tendrils that shot toward her from multiple directions. For a moment, I thought I had her—until she dropped to the ground and rolled beneath them, her movements fluid as water.
'…As expected,'
In one smooth motion, she was on her feet again, closing the distance between us. Her knee connected with my stomach, driving the air from my lungs.
I doubled over, gasping.
My shadow weakened, its form wavering as my concentration faltered. I was burning through my limited reserves too quickly.
"Is that all you've got?" Vex asked, genuine disappointment in her voice. "I expected more,"
She struck again, this time with the hilt of her dagger against my temple. Stars exploded across my vision. My shadow collapsed entirely, retreating to its natural form beneath my feet.
I dropped to one knee, blood trickling down my face.
Around us, other matches continued—flashes of elemental magic and the clash of weapons filling the arena.
"Yield," Vex suggested, standing over me. "No shame in knowing when you're outmatched."
I looked up at her, then at the insignia on my hand. It pulsed once, as if in acknowledgment.
"Heh,"
Now was the time to reset. I've seen the difference in strengths. I've acknowledged my weakness.
I closed my eyes, focusing on my Gift. The words appeared in my mind:
[Level the Playing Field: Activated]
[Target Designated: Vex Nighvalle]
[Duration: 1 Minute]
[Attributes Sacrificed: 1 Point Each]
A surge of power rushed through me, my body suddenly feeling lighter, stronger, more responsive. I opened my eyes and rose to my feet, a new confidence flowing through me.
There was no need to check the system screen. I could feel it in my bones, after all.
An assassin's build was as freeing as can be.
—Crack.
My muscles screamed as my figure blurred. Aside from the stats, I also had a little more than that.
—Click.
In a single moment of movement, I was five meters away.
Vex's eyes widened slightly.
"What did you just do?"
Grinning, I replied, "It was merely an application of dexterity."
I watched Vex's expression shift from confidence to confusion. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to understand what had just happened.
"Application of dexterity?" she echoed, her voice tinged with disbelief. "No one improves that quickly mid-fight."
I didn't respond, instead testing my new limits. My body felt different—lighter yet stronger, with reflexes that seemed to anticipate movements before I consciously thought of them. Every sense was heightened, sharpened to an assassin's precision.
Vex didn't wait for an explanation. She attacked again, daggers flashing in a complex pattern designed to overwhelm. But this time, I saw the strikes coming—not just with my eyes, but with an instinctive awareness that must have been part of her training.
I sidestepped the first blade, ducked under the second, and countered with a strike of my own. My fist connected with her ribs, not hard enough to cause serious damage but enough to make her gasp.
"Impossible," she hissed, jumping back to create distance between us.
I pressed forward, not giving her time to recover. My movements mirrored hers now—fluid, economical, precise.
For each attack she launched, I had a counter.
For each defense she mounted, I found an opening.
The audience around our platform had grown silent, watching our match with increasing interest. Even Professor Brhaisse had paused to observe.
"What are you?" Vex demanded, breathing heavily as we circled each other.
I smiled. "Just a student, like you."
Fifty seconds left. I needed to make them count.
I gathered my True Shadow, finding it easier to control with Vex's heightened focus. The darkness responded more readily, forming solid tendrils that shot toward her from multiple angles.
She dodged the first two but missed the third, which wrapped around her ankle and yanked her off balance.
I closed the distance in an instant, my palm striking her sternum with bludgeoning force. She stumbled backward, genuine surprise flashing across her face.
With that momentary lull in the battle, I took a stance.
This was something Vex would learn in the future, but I was going to give it to her now.
"Watch closely and don't blink,"