There was a break before the final two sorcerers could face off; in order to allow for some rest, and so the board could assess what they had witnessed so far.

  "So, what do we have to say about the next generation of junior sorcerers that we have before us?" said principal Jena, in the conference room standing between the conference table and a white board at the front.

  "I say they're a fine bunch, a wonderful mix of interesting personalities here and there," One of the teachers said.

  "I say, there is a gap between the weak, and the strong sorcerers here, and Xavier is just the kid to bridge that gap," said Fredrick.

  Sitting across the table from Fredrick, Nelson added, "With all due respect sir, I understand where you're coming from, but Xavier, isn't the man for the job."

  "If not him then who?"

  "Maybe the sorcerer who stood up against Gabriel?" one of the teachers said.

  "Jeanine, you're not liable to enter this conversation, you teach an agriculture class," Fredrick replied.

  "While we're on the topic of Xavier, I'd like to know if any one of you has an idea about what's going on with his right eye?" said Abigail, and everyone fell silent.

  "I, I never noticed that. What's wrong with his eye?" Nelson said. Jena moved out of the way and replay projections were played on the white board.

  "As you can see: There's certain times when Xavier's right eye would change appearance, once it does; he seems to be more alert, focused, fast, and agile."

  "His right eye is said to be the reason behind his low reserves, and we, don't quite seem to understand why. This is all we've been able to gather via tests and observations so far," Jena explained.

  "What clan is he from?" a teacher asked.

  "We, don't quite know yet. The person who brought him in preferred not to say, so; we don't know where to look," Jena replied.

  Fredrick lifted his hand, and began pointing his finger as though trying to recall something, "What about that other senior student, the one with the pale eyes. Her clan origins are unknown, and she seems to bare similar ocular abilities with Xavier."

  "For now, I can't make any assumptions until certain individuals are willing to let go of sensitive information. All we can do for now is, end things here and proceed to the finals," Jena said, closing the meeting.

  Principal Jena made her way to the announcement stand, "All eight pupils who made it to the arena on time, have all been impressive so far, but the final contestants we have before us, have made a testament; a testament, by being a cut above the rest, and being the best overall. May Xavier, and Gabriel Euthenia, please take center stage!"

  Cheers echoed throughout the arena, as both Xavier and Gabriel took to stage. Drowning himself in the moment: Gabriel took a good look around the arena, smiling and waving at the crowd, but as soon as his gaze met Xavier, he abruptly stopped, and laughed.

  "Is, is this a joke mate?" Gabriel looked around, "Are we really doing this? Come on now, bring out the last guy I just fought. He'd put up more of a fight than this cunt ever could!"

  "Why no scars?" Xavier asked.

  "Love the enthusiasm," principal Jena said, and started the match.

  "Joke!" Gabriel yelled, and flashed his divine light.

  Gabriel was intending to end the fight early on in order to make a mockery of Xavier, but little did he know; Xavier's eye of truth was capable of seeing through the divine light.

  With his right eye now active, Xavier saw Gabriel coming at him with a right hook. Xavier shifted to his left and countered with a left hook.

  Gabriel's momentum took him across the stage, and Xavier sent his flame compression slashes along with him. The slashes hit Gabriel, and sent him flying further, with cheers following.

  Gabriel got angry, and slowly stopped his momentum by vigorously gripping the ground.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Gabriel made two clones that charged towards Xavier in order to test his close combat, but Xavier was exceptional, and easily dealt with the clones.

  After disposing of the second clone, Gabriel tried to ambush Xavier from behind.

  Gabriel closed in, raging with a fist full of divine flames, ready to send Xavier off stage. Unbeknownst to Gabriel; not only could Xavier sense him, he could see him too, because the eyes of truth, held no blind spots.

  Xavier evaded by doing a layout backflip over Gabriel that left behind a trail of ice. Gabriel crashed into the trail, and froze near instant. "Water serpent!" Xavier exclaimed, and sent two powerful serpent-like water torrents towards Gabriel.

  The torrents almost washed Gabriel off stage, but he stopped just in time. Xavier then sent two projections towards Gabriel, which angered him.

  "Enough of this nonsense!" Gabriel yelled, and burnt the two projections with divine flames, which dried him off in an instant.

  Xavier was nowhere in sight after Gabriel's burst of rage, and so snuck up behind Gabriel; striking him with a heated fist that sent him flying towards center stage.

  Xavier followed Gabriel's trajectory close by; flying parallel, just above him. "Aquatic eruption!" shouted Xavier, and a geyser erupted center stage, that sent Gabriel flying high in the air.

  Xavier froze the geyser, and forged a lightning bolt. Xavier shot the frozen geyser with the lightning bolt, and it all came crashing down.

  Xavier still wasn't properly trained to use lightning techniques, and doing so was a huge risk factor, but Xavier saw an opportunity to finish off the Euthenian, and any risk was worth taking.

  Gabriel emerged on all fours breathing heavily from the rubble of ice. "You dare strike me? With such weak lightning?" Thunder clouds began to gather.

  "Such pitiful nonsense shall not be tolerated!" Lightning flashed vigorously at the sound of Gabriel's rage. "So! let me show you, how it's done! With this treasure I bring forth, the wrath of Zeus!" Gabriel exclaimed, and storms of yellow lightning raged on, shrouding him in a cloak of lightning.

  Gabriel charged towards Xavier at lightning speeds. The foresight of the true eye was able to give Xavier a chance to keep up pace, but Xavier had to make his movements way before Gabriel could strike.

  Xavier's current speed was not sufficient: Gabriel exploited, each, and every opening as though he were playing whack a mole; vanishing and reappearing right before Xavier could even take a shot.

  Xavier had no other choice; his lightning abilities may have been underdeveloped, but he had to try.

  Coursing with lightning through his veins, Xavier made his attempt to keep up with Gabriel; flashes of yellow and blue lightning were sent throughout the entire arena. Xavier quickly plotted, and created a fog.

  Xavier then sent multiple projections through the fog, in order to confuse Gabriel. Gabriel began seeing double the amount of flashes, and decided to chase, and hunt down each projection in order to find the real Xavier.

  Gabriel soon discovered, that the real Xavier wasn't even among the projections. In anger, Gabriel used his divine flames, and cleared out the fog.

  When the fog dispersed, Xavier was seen standing center stage, starring directly at Gabriel. "Games, games, games. It's all about fucking, mind games with you!" Gabriel yelled.

  In a flash of light, Gabriel attempted to strike Xavier, but upon impact, his entire arm froze. What Gabriel struck, turned out to be an ice clone. The real Xavier undid his invisibility, and melted the clone; using the water to slice Gabriel.

  Xavier gave Gabriel nine consecutive slashes, and on the final slash; gathered all the water used, and splashed Gabriel with it, freezing upon impact.

  Gathering massive storm clouds, Xavier prepared to finish off Gabriel, but as soon as he did, the storm clouds dispersed.

  Worst-case scenario just happened: Xavier, had run out of mana. Gabriel laughed sadistically, slowly melting away the ice.

  "You really thought you could defeat me?" Spoken with malice in his tone, Gabriel reignited his lightning cloak, and let Xavier have it.

  Getting knocked around stage like a ping pong ball; Xavier tried to draw nature energy, but had no mana to do so.

  Xavier could only rely on the eye's foresight in order to evade Gabriel's attacks, but meant little if his body was unable to keep up pace with what he saw.

  Everyone in the arena could do nothing more, than watch as Xavier helplessly took a beating; hats got taken off, smiles turned into frowns, and eyes filled with tears, as all they could hear, were sounds of thunder, echoing as Gabriel planted each blow.

  Xavier put up a good fight until the very end, but his unfortunate lack of mana wouldn't allow him to carry on.

  The referee called the match, but Gabriel wouldn't let off striking Xavier in the face as he secured the top mount.

  "It's over Euthenian, let him go," cracks could be heard in the referee's trembling voice.

  Gabriel looked at the referee with visible blood, and a crazed look on his face. Looking up into the sky, Gabriel inhaled deeply, and laughed as he slowly got off Xavier.

  "I have to hand it to you Xavier," Gabriel stared down upon the pummeled sorcerer. "I haven't seen anyone survive this long against me. Especially one with no mana," Gabriel chuckled.

  "And that's because I've never met anyone pathetic enough to be as weak as you!" Said Gabriel, standing triumphant over Xavier.

  Xavier: defeated, battered, bruised, coughed up blood, and while still on the ground; peeked at Gabriel with the only closing eye he had, and with whatever little light seeped through it, said, "What's the matter Gabriel," Xavier gasped for air. "You look a little different," and a wide smile crept over the face of Xavier, coughing once more.

  Gabriel took offence in that statement, and ignited his fist with divine flames, but Abigail intervened.

  "That's enough Gabriel, the fight is over," said Abigail. Gabriel extinguished the flames, wiped the blood off from his lips, and brushed it off.

  As Gabriel made his way off stage, took another look into the stands; staring at his brother once more.

  "Come on Xavier, time to get you to the infirmary," Abigail said, offering Xavier her support, and as the two made their way to the infirmary, Xavier slowly chuckled.

  "What's so funny?" Abigail asked.

  "You wouldn't get it," Xavier replied, his battered face adorned with a smile.