Principal Jena stepped onto the umpire's stand, about to make an announcement.

  "To the sorcerers standing before me now, congratulations; you passed the first phase of the exam, but the second will be even harder."

  "For now, you can rest assured that all eight of you present here, have a guaranteed pass. The next phase of the exam is really just for extra credit, and bragging rights; if you want to be an overachiever, I'm not complaining," Jena chuckled.

  "So please, by all means, take note of everyone present here, because the next phase of the exam, Duels matches. You might take on your best friend, your lover, or even, your bitter rival."

  "Just remember that at the end of the day, the sorcerer victorious here, will only be given extra credit. With that being said, may the second phase of the exam! commence!" Principal Jena concluded.

  The match draws were held there and then within the arena, in front of the many students present, all seniors, juniors and undergraduates.

  The draws were done by shaking a mystic ball that would then display the names of one of the eight participating sorcerers present. After the draw was decided, the assistant referee called out the names, thereby dismissing the rest of the sorcerers present.

  "The next match has been decided, and Xavier shall face off against Sally, of the Domini clan. May all other sorcerers, please leave the stage," The assistant referee called out. The other sorcerers slowly left the stage, leaving the two contestants behind.

  "Try not to get too ahead of yourself now fledgling, I'm dying to see what's hiding behind that curtain," the girl Xavier fought earlier said.

  Xavier took no notice of what the girl said, as he kept his gaze locked onto Gabriel, who, just as well returned a glance.

  After returning to his senses, Xavier pondered on what the girl meant by fledgling.

  Xavier's train of thought would then cease once more, as the fight was about to begin, and the words coming from the referee's explanation slowly grasped his full attention, drowning out all other thoughts.

  "The match ends when the other sorcerer has been sealed, incapacitated or is unable to continue the fight for reasons unknown," The assistant referee said, standing in-between the respective contestants.

  "You may now take to your respective positions, and wait for my signal." The two contestants took to their preferred positions on opposite sides of the stage, and waited for the assistant referee's signal.

  The referee dropped the flag, and kick off the match. Sally summoned the gorilla Kong, and a silver serpent; her strategy involved keeping a safe distance away from Xavier, while providing cover fire for her summons using her aura.

  Xavier lowered the temperatures on stage, in order to effectively handle the serpent. Kong charged at Xavier, and attempted an attack from above with his fists clinched.

  Xavier dodged the attack, and Kong destroyed the ground beneath, upon which he stood on.

  The attack was supposed to create an opening for the silver serpent to exploit, but the temperatures were unfortunately too low for the quick and agile serpent to be of any use.

  Sally noticed this, and withdrew the summon in favor of a Griffon. Clinching her fists, Sally forged a whip from her aura, and took to the skies, flying upon Griffon.

  Kong kept the pressure on Xavier, but his wind abilities made him too fast and agile for the gorilla to keep up; however, Kong did have quite the durability, and Xavier's air compression slashes barely had an effect on him.

  Griffon swooped in for an attempt to grab Xavier with its talons, but Xavier's elusiveness made it quite difficult for it to do so.

  Sally was able to get a hold of Xavier with the whip she made, which slightly delayed his movements. Kong made quick work of the opening created, and swung his lengthy arms at Xavier.

  Xavier forged a wall out of ice in the nick of time that Sally let go, but Kongs sheer force was enough to destroy it. With the aid of the resultant force, Xavier backhand sprung in order to gain distance.

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  Suspended in the air; with rubble from the shattered ice wall all around him, Xavier sent his flame compression slashes, in order to get passed Kong's high durability.

  Crashing upon his landing, tumbling and rolling, Xavier found his footing and noticed that the slashes had a significant effect on Kong, but needed a heavier attack, one that could put the Gorilla down for good.

  Xavier was now closer to the edge of the stage when Griffon swept in once again, but this time, Griffon passed through a projection, and the real Xavier was able to sneak aboard Griffon and Froze it.

  With the ice hindering Griffon's movements; making it weigh more, Griffon came crashing down, tumbling across the stage.

  Sally was able to Get off just in time, and landed not so far away from Griffon. Now center stage, as soon as Sally landed; Xavier got close enough to test her in close combat, an area in which Sally heavily lacked.

  Xavier got a few good strikes in before Kong intervened from his right-hand side. Xavier evaded the attack with a back hand spring, and let off a frenzy of his flame compression slashes.

  Griffon was able to recover in time, and attempted yet another swoop on Xavier, but Xavier flipped out of the way. Spinning in the air, Xavier forged chains made of ice that he used to catch griffon upon his landing.

  Xavier grabbed Griffon; turning, Xavier hurled it at Kong, who charged towards Xavier for an attack, but struck Griffon instead.

  Xavier got behind Kong, and threw a snowball that trapped the Gorilla in a large ice burg. Xavier used the opening to attack Sally, and sent his flame compression slashes.

  Sally dodged them, but Xavier expected her to do just that, and caught her off balance. Heating up his fists, Xavier let her have it, and hit her with a relentless consecutive mix of Kicks and punches, with his last kick launching her across stage.

  Kong was able to break free, and attacked Xavier with a right hook, but Xavier ducked, and below him, struck Kong in the abdomen. Xavier then jumped, and crafted a Warhammer made of ice, that he used to strike Kong with overhead, and it froze upon impact.

  On the other side of the stage, Sally desperately tried to get up, but as soon as she got to one knee; Xavier was right behind her, holding a dagger made of ice to her throat, "Watch your back, remember?" said Xavier.

  As Sally slowly turned to look at Xavier, she was at loss for words; here stood the one person she underestimated the most, and at times, even pitied for the weakness he displayed, but what seemed to be a weak little boy in need of saving from torment, turned out to be a cunning, strong and fate defying sorcerer, and all she could do in that present moment, was watch in awe.

  The referee ended the match, and Xavier emerged victorious. Sally was sent to the infirmary to ensure she didn't suffer any internal injuries, while Xavier made his way towards the entrance to the stage, at the same time that Natalie walked out in the opposite direction.

  "Consider me impressed, but you're going to need a lot more than that if you wish to take me on," Natalie said.

  Xavier looked back at her, and she winked at him using the side eye that she gave him.

  Somewhere in the stands was a soundproof VIP section, where the board sat in order to assess the fights and principal Jena watched as Natalie took center stage.

  "Is that the same girl who erected that massive wall earlier?" Jena asks.

  Abigail, who sat next to her replied, "Yeah, she's the one. She should be a student from class C."

  "Class C? that's not even a sorcery centric class. Jacob, could you please let me know why a student from your class is performing at this level?" Jena asked, as she stood up and took a few steps closer for a better view.

  "Remind what her name is again?" Jacob replied.

  Jena turned around, "Natalie, Natalie Scien. Does she not attend your classes consistently enough for you not to remember what her name was?"

  "Natalie, Natalie, Natalie," said Jacob, trying to wrap his head around it. "I have heard of that name before, only problem is; she's not engaged enough in my lessons for me to even consider her as an exceptional student. From what I know, during my lessons with her, she's so damn silent that she probably invests most of her time in sorcery."

  "What course is she taking?" Jena asked.

  "A Journalism course."

  "Abigail, after this, get me every file pertaining to sorcery courses over the years. I might have an idea as to who she might be," said Jena, carrying an air of suspicion.

  Natalie's match started, and ended as quickly as it began. "She's quite talented alright. Maybe too, talented."

  "I see what you mean. Spells like that aren't normally used at a junior level. I reckon she might have an experienced teacher at home," Abigail replied.

  On the other side of the bracket was Gabriel's turn to showcase his skills. Gabriel casually walked on stage, laxed as usual.

  The other sorcerer that got on stage trembled, but was prepared for whatever the Euthenian had to throw at him.

  The referee started the match, and the sorcerer closed his eyes in suspicion of Gabriel using his divine light to blind him, a mistake he would later come to regret.

  Gabriel, as quick as a flash; instantaneously closed the distance, and blasted the sorcerer off stage, landing him into the stands.

  Gabriel looked over his shoulder, into the direction in which his brother was watching, and gave him a menacing stare.

  "You and your brother got some beef going?" Dave asks in a clam, relaxing voice.

  "Mm, it's nothing really." Maxwell grunted.

  "Well, doesn't look like nothing. I fancy myself a good old fashioned family fade to be honest. Just sucks that I don't have a brother." Said Dave, in a waning tone.

  "You fancy any kind of beef Dave," Annie added.

  Dave smiled, "Aww look at you, you got me! I'll admit, you got me, but now that you mention it, when do I get my rematch? Principal Jena was soo eager to stop you from losing last time," Dave now spoke in a nagging tone.