Nova watched the treetops ripple where the woman had vanished, but his instincts screamed before his thoughts caught up.
He ducked low—just in time for her second spear to zip past his neck, so close it carved a line through the edge of his collar.
She hadn't fled.
She'd repositioned.
A burst of aether cracked behind him, and Nova spun, driving his own spear upward to catch the second spear as it came down in an overhead strike. Their weapons locked again with a clash that sent a shockwave through the air.
The woman grinned.
"Not bad."
Nova didn't bother replying. He twisted his spear, forced her off balance, and followed up with a precise kick to her midsection. She flew back but landed on both feet, skidding to a halt.
"Persistent."
Nova muttered.
She lunged again.
This time, Nova didn't meet her halfway. He vanished.
She blinked—too late.
Nova reappeared behind her, his spear humming with condensed aether. He thrust—but she spun just in time, parrying it with her elbow braced against her weapon's shaft.
The impact rang out like metal cracking against a drum.
But Nova had no intention of letting up.
He unleashed a rapid series of thrusts and sweeps, pushing her back, every blow heavier than the last.
She tried to keep up, her spear dancing between defense and retaliation, but her arms were starting to tremble.
Nova pressed forward. His next strike split a tree behind her in half.
She leapt back onto a high branch to catch her breath, panting.
"You're strong. You fight like someone born to it"
She admitted, eyes narrowing.
Nova remained on the ground, spear lowered but ready.
"You're fast. Precise. Trained. But you're wasting your time here. You won't be able to beat me."
Nova's grip tightened on his spear as the forest around them hummed with leftover aether.
Dust and broken branches floated in the air, caught in the stillness that followed battle.
Across from him, the warrior stood tall, her breathing controlled but heavy, spear still angled low—ready, not retreating. Her eyes scanned him with clinical curiosity, not bloodlust.
"You're stronger than I expected."
She said, wiping a smear of dirt from her cheek with the back of her wrist.
"I've seen the wanted flyers Clavacis III has scattered across every port and trade post. Honestly, I thought he was embellishing things again, making his enemy out to be some cosmic boogeyman."
She gave a slight smirk.
"Now I see he actually undersold it."
Nova didn't lower his guard.
"So, are you here for the bounty?"
The smirk turned into a short laugh.
"Please. I'm not some street rat chasing coin. I'm here for the tournament—just like you, I'd guess. For the chance to face warriors worth killing."
She twirled her spear once and jabbed it into the earth beside her.
"What do I care about politics? All I want is a good death. Preferably one in front of a crowd that will remember it."
Nova tilted his head.
"You want to die?"
She said, shrugging.
"Everyone dies. But not everyone does it well. In our culture, dying in the arena, fighting someone worthy… that's the closest we get to immortality."
She tapped her chest.
"You, though—you don't look like you're here to die."
"I'm here for Aetherite."
Her eyebrow arched.
"A reward then. Same as me, just with different dressing."
"You said you'd let me fight."
"Of course."
She lifted her spear again, pointing it at him.
"If you can prove yourself worthy of the final round, I'll welcome you as my opponent. Not as prey… but as a warrior."
Her stance shifted.
"But let's not pretend this is a friendly offer. If we meet again, it'll be as rivals. On that stage, there is no mercy."
Without warning, Nova lashed forward, his spear aiming for her throat.
She blocked, twisting with a snap of her wrist and sliding her weapon against his in a controlled deflection.
Their weapons cracked once again, but this time, as she reared back to strike with her full strength, Nova's attention darted sharply to the right.
His focus snapped toward an approaching presence. A faint, unfamiliar aether signature stirred nearby—fragile, but not weak. His eyes narrowed.
The warrior noticed.
"What's wrong?"
She asked, already pivoting defensively.
A second later, a young woman burst through the undergrowth, her robes dirt-stained and hastily tied. She looked more scholar than fighter, holding up a carved emblem glowing faintly with official markings.
"Champion Stelle! The arena council summons you. They say there's a delay with the registration. You're needed now."
The woman shouted breathlessly.
"Tch."
Stelle clicked her tongue in annoyance and stepped back.
"Figures. I'm not done with you."
She gave Nova a long, unreadable look.
He didn't respond.
She turned away, then paused.
"Make it to the final round. Prove that strength isn't just a fluke."
A sharp grin crossed her lips.
"Then we'll finish this."
She vanished into the foliage, trailing aether like sparks behind her.
Nova stood still, his spear slowly lowering. Nyx's voice crackled faintly in his ear.
[I tracked her ID. She's exactly who she says she is—Champion Stelle. One of the deadliest combatants in this quadrant. She's never lost in the arena. Yet]
Nova stepped over the threshold into the city, the towering gates humming faintly as his residual aether scattered like a mist around him.
The monsters that had been watching from the forest edge didn't follow—instinctively repelled by the lingering power he carried like a second skin.
The moment he passed the first checkpoint, the city's energy shifted. Lights adjusted. Sensors blinked, confused, as they tried and failed to get a proper reading on him.
He ignored them.
In the town square, amidst the bustle of vendors and travelers, Anna stood with her arms folded tightly across her chest, foot tapping, gaze locked on the path leading from the forest.
Her eyes lit up with obvious relief the second she saw him approaching.
"You're late. I was starting to think you'd gotten lost—or killed."
She muttered, but the tension in her shoulders eased.
"I don't get killed."
Nova replied flatly.
Anna snorted.
"Right. Of course not."
She fell into step beside him.
"I asked around. That woman you fought—she's the undefeated champion of Verizon. Her name is Stelle. Apparently, no one has lasted more than five minutes against her in the arena."
"I know. She told me."
Nova said.
Anna blinked.
"And?"
He glanced at her.
"She'll fall too."
Anna frowned.
"You're too confident. That's going to get you killed one day."
"Is it?"
Nova said.
Despite herself, Anna felt a small grin tug at her lips.
A voice inside her whispered that he might actually pull this off. She cleared her throat.
"We should get you registered. There's a line, but with your strength, it's better we do it before someone else notices."
Nova gave a small nod.
"Lead the way."
Anna guided him through the city streets, weaving past towering statues and neon-lit signs advertising the upcoming tournament.
Whispers followed them—some about his masked face, others about the quiet strength in his stride. Nova ignored it all. His focus was singular.
As they reached the registration center, Anna paused and looked at him.
"Ready?"
Nova stepped forward, voice low.
"Let's go."
______
Can I ask for Power Stones and comments? Also, due to an error in my notes, the name of the princess here and the person before (Stelle) got mixed up. So I changed the name for the one associated with Clavacis. If you got confused, I apologize.