Marissa took a deep breath, shivering for just a moment, before returning to her chair.
Two other students rushed to Kent’s side, helping him stand.
I turned my gaze back toward Marissa, who was still breathing heavily in her chair, her forehead matted with sweat. My mind replayed the moment of her deflecting that blast of lightning.
Interesting. She didn’t even use the cane. She’s charging her bare hands with mana.
Lord Teft turned to address Kent. “That, Master Kent, is why an Elementalist should never willingly duel a Guardian without prior preparation.”
The teacher turned to Roland next. “Your turn. Let’s see if you’ve learned anything, hm?”
Roland stepped onto the stage, looking wary.
The teacher gestured at the audience. “Who would you select to duel?”
My former friend scanned the audience briefly before his eyes locked on me.
Oh, for the goddess’ sake—
“For me, Corin Cadence would be the ideal opponent.”
Chapter VII — Duel
Lord Teft gave Roland a toothy grin and turned toward me. His eyes widened briefly. “Is that... an Enchanting Attunement? Rhetorical question; of course it is. Why is an Enchanter in my dueling class?” He folded his arms. “That part was not a rhetorical question. Answer.”
Is he messing with me? He checked my shield sigil. How is it he’s just noticing my attunement now?
I stood up. “I intend to prepare a broad variety of enchanted items to assist with my dueling capabilities, sir.”
“Enchanters are never successful duelists, Master Cadence, and even your family name won’t change that. You can go find another class.”
I didn’t move.
After a few moments of staring at me, he added, “I mean right now, Cadence.”
I glanced around. Roland had an expression that looked almost apologetic, which was more emotion than I usually saw him display.
Sera was clenching her jaw tightly. She looked like she was about ready to stand up and say something, but I didn’t want to rely on her to protect me here.
My right hand tightened into a fist, but I tried not to sound as angry as I felt.
I’d known that Enchanters would be looked down on by some; my father was clear enough proof of that. Valia had a militaristic culture, and I knew that attunements without direct combat applications were generally considered inferior. But somehow, I’d gotten the misconception that teachers would be impartial. That idealism being shattered this soon hit me harder than I would have expected. “I’d like to be given a fair chance to demonstrate that my plan will work, sir.”
He shook his head, and then leaned against his cane. “Fine, fine. I’ll let you stay if you can last ten seconds.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “Ten seconds?”
“Ten.” He counted, raising his cane and pointing it at me. It wasn’t a dueling cane, but it was glowing.
Oh, resh.
I managed to rise and throw myself out of the way just before a globe of light appeared and exploded nearby. I caught a glance at the globe-shaped section that was missing from the bench where I had been sitting and quickly decided I didn’t feel like taking a direct hit, barrier or not.
Most of the students around me froze. A few had the presence of mind to move, and one of them even screamed. None were being particularly helpful.
I ran for the nearest isle, drawing my dueling cane as I moved. I didn’t have enough room to unsheathe my sword.
I felt, rather than saw, the next globe appearing in front of me, and kicked myself backward. The blast caught another student and hurled him outside of the stands. I landed on my rear, barely managing to retain my grip on my cane, and turned to see the smirking teacher already pointing his cane toward me again.
“Nine,” he said.
That was a lot longer than one second, but he hadn’t been playing fair from the beginning.
Fine. Screw fairness.
“Roland, Sera, suppressing fire!”
I shouted it, my voice commanding, but I didn’t expect it to accomplish anything aside from a distraction.
As I rolled to my feet, I caught sight of Roland drawing both canes and opening fire on the teacher in an instant.
Lord Teft spun, an incredulous expression on his face, and deflected both blasts with his cane. It was clearly some sort of magical focus — an ordinary cane would have shattered from the impact, and even a dueling cane couldn’t deflect projectiles without an active blade.
Roland didn’t pause his assault, and as he continued to unleash his blasts, I heard Sera speaking in a clear tone.
“Child of the goddess, I call upon your aid.
Rain frost from the skies in a Permafrost Cascade!”
The skies darkened as her words echoed in the air.
Dozens of spears of ice manifested in the air above Lord Teft, hovering in place for an instant before descending with artillery force.
Holy goddess.
Teft stepped backward, dancing around the first spears as they impacted with the stage, and then waved a hand. A wall of flame manifested in between him and the spears, melting the remaining projectiles as they descended.
I had no idea how she’d just pulled that off, but I wasn’t going to complain. While the students and teacher were distracted, I ran straight out of the stands toward the rest of the school.
I’d barely cleared the isle when Lord Teft appeared in front of me.
To my credit, I raised my cane quickly, even as questions raced through my mind.
What? Did he just teleport? Or—
Teft’s cane began to glow. I fired a blast from my own cane directly at it, connecting with the gathering energy, triggering an explosion that hurled the teacher back.
He recovered almost instantly, shaking his cane in the air.
“Eight,” he said menacingly, raising the cane again.
You have got to be kidding me.
The logical part of my mind told me to run in the face of such overwhelming opposition, but I was done running.
Or, more accurately, I was done running away.