Rynhara and Lyra stood at the ready, their weapons drawn and their gazes locked in unspoken determination. The crowd roared in anticipation, their cheers echoing throughout the grand stadium. Just as the announcer prepared to officially start the match, the referee stepped forward, raising his hand to halt proceedings.
"Is what i would like to say but before this monumental clash begins, we must honor the path that led us here!"
The crowd quieted, confused murmurs spreading among the spectators. Lyra lowered her rapier slightly, and Rynhara furrowed her brow.
"What now?" Rynhara muttered, rolling her eyes.
The referee gestured dramatically toward the massive crystal screen above the stadium. "Behold! Let us revisit the legendary battles of the quarterfinals!"
A hush fell over the audience as the screen flickered to life, displaying the first replay.
The First Quarterfinal Match: Fyn vs. Lyra
The replay opened with a wide shot of the arena, showing Fyn Ashelborne and Lyra Wintersong facing off. Fyn's dual swords crackled with lightning, his confident smirk lighting up the battlefield. Lyra, as always, stood cool and composed, her frost-imbued rapier glinting ominously.
"Give up now, Frost Queen," Fyn said, his voice dripping with arrogance. "You can't handle my speed."
Lyra didn't respond. She simply raised her blade, her icy aura expanding across the arena floor, leaving a shimmering layer of frost in its wake.
Fyn charged, his movements a blur as he closed the distance in an instant. His twin blades descended in a flurry of strikes, each one sparking with lightning. Lyra met his assault head-on, her rapier moving with surgical precision as she parried each strike.
The screen showed an overhead view of the battle, capturing Fyn's relentless aggression and Lyra's impeccable defense. The audience gasped as Lyra suddenly sidestepped one of Fyn's strikes, her rapier glowing as she cast Frost Nova. A shockwave of ice erupted from her blade, forcing Fyn to retreat.
The fight continued in a brutal back-and-forth. Fyn's speed and ferocity were matched by Lyra's calm, calculated counterattacks. The turning point came when Lyra used Frozen Chains to bind Fyn's legs, leaving him vulnerable to a devastating thrust from her rapier.
The screen froze on the moment of Lyra's victory, her rapier poised at Fyn's throat as he knelt in defeat. The crowd erupted into cheers, some in awe of her skill, others relieved that Fyn's cockiness had finally been silenced.
The Second Quarterfinal Match: Kael vs. Zara
The screen transitioned to the second quarterfinal, where Kael and Zara faced off in a fiery spectacle. Kael's massive claymore radiated heat, flames dancing along its edge, while Zara wielded a staff that pulsed with raw magical energy.
"Are you ready to burn?" Kael shouted, his grin wild as he swung his claymore in a fiery arc.
Zara smirked, her voice calm. "You'll find fire doesn't burn as brightly against the void."
The screen showed the initial clash, Kael's fiery blade colliding with Zara's dark energy shield. The explosion of heat and shadow sent shockwaves through the arena, drawing gasps from the audience.
Kael pressed his advantage, his strikes powerful enough to crack the ground beneath them. But Zara was no pushover. She used Void Step to teleport around the arena, launching counterattacks with blasts of dark magic.
The replay focused on their climactic exchange, where Kael unleashed Infernal Wrath, a massive firestorm that engulfed the entire arena. The flames parted to reveal Zara, unscathed, her staff glowing ominously as she channeled Eclipse Barrage.
The two attacks collided in a dazzling explosion of fire and shadow, shaking the stadium. When the dust settled, Kael was on one knee, his claymore embedded in the ground, while Zara stood victorious, her staff aimed at his chest.
The screen froze on Zara's triumphant pose, her victory cementing her reputation as one of the tournament's most dangerous contenders.
As the replays ended, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause. Some cheered for Lyra's unyielding precision, others for Zara's unshakable composure.
In the center of the arena, Rynhara crossed her arms, her expression annoyed. "Was that really necessary?"
Lyra lowered her blade with a small smile. "It's a reminder. Every opponent we faced pushed us to this moment."
"Or it's just to make the audience more hyped," Rynhara muttered.
The referee stepped forward once again, his voice booming. "Now that we have celebrated the incredible battles that led us here, it is time! Contestants, prepare yourselves!"
Rynhara took a deep breath, her grip on her katana tightening. Across from her, Lyra raised her rapier, her icy aura intensifying.
"Try not to freeze up," Rynhara taunted, a smirk playing on her lips.
Lyra's eyes narrowed. "Try not to get burned."
The referee raised his hand. " Best first year number 1 battle! Ready?!! Go!!!!!!!!"
With a deafening roar from the crowd, the two finalists charged at each other, their weapons clashing in a dazzling display of sparks and frost. The battle for the championship had officially begun.