Jace the Elemental

"First team to record five points will be the victor." The announcer's calm voice echoed through the arena.

At the sound of the horn, combat began.

Ethan and Selene advanced cautiously into the village, eyes sharp for any sign of an ambush. Once inside, Ethan released tiny specks of lightning, crackling through the air in search of their opponents.

From the shadows, a woman flicked her wrist, weaving a dark veil, a thin layer of cursed magic that subtly distorted the area, making magical detection nearly impossible. Meanwhile, her teammate pressed against a stone wall, placing a steady hand on the ground. The rock beneath him warmed, heat rippling just beneath the surface as he prepared to summon a lava surge if needed.

Though Ethan couldn't pinpoint their exact location, he sensed a presence on the left side of the village. Selene moved forward, conjuring a water barrier for protection, while Ethan leapt onto a rooftop for a better vantage point, already preparing a spell of his own.

A glint of movement. The woman spotted Ethan and reacted instantly, casting a Hex over the rooftop. The air around him grew thin, his breath shortening as his balance wavered. If he tried to aim now, his precision would suffer.

At the same time, her teammate struck. The ground between their cover and Selene split open, a molten fissure surging forward. Waves of heat shimmered through the air, warping the battlefield and forcing Selene to halt. Crossing it unprotected would be dangerous.

But the woman had made a mistake.

By casting her Hex, she had revealed her position. Ethan's eyes glowed with electric gold as he locked onto her. Without hesitation, he fired a bolt of lightning, the sheer speed of the spell slicing through the distorted air and striking her square in the chest.

Her eyes widened in shock.

A loud ding echoed through the arena, signaling Ethan had successfully scored a point.

"It always surprises me just how fast Ethan's spells are," Jace muttered to himself, shaking his head. He wasn't sure if he could block them unless he had already prepared for it in advance.

The woman cursed under her breath before vanishing into a swirling mist. A moment later, she reappeared behind cover, ensuring she wouldn't be an easy target again. Ethan had caught them off guard once, she wouldn't let it happen twice.

Hearing the ding, the man adjusted his strategy. Small droplets of molten lava began forming on the ground before rolling toward Selene, their intense heat radiating through the air. The glowing orbs of liquid fire forced her to stay on the defensive.

Meanwhile, from the safety of her cover, the woman began casting a fusion spell, combining fire and curse magic. She held the unstable energy in her palm, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Selene watched the lava droplets roll toward her, reacting instantly. With a swift motion, she unleashed two spells. The first, a wave of supercooled water, hissed as it met the molten orbs, rapidly cooling them. The second, a solid earth wall, rose between her and the approaching attack, absorbing the now-solidified projectiles with ease.

From his vantage point on the rooftop, Ethan followed the path of the lava and pinpointed its source. His hands moved in quick succession, conjuring two crackling lightning crystals. Energy surged between them, amplifying his spell.

With a sharp exhale, he released the enhanced bolt. The charged blast ripped through the air, striking the stone wall his opponent had been using for cover. The bolt punched cleanly through, finding its mark.

Another ding echoed through the arena.

Ethan had scored again.

The man stumbled back as chunks of stone collapsed around him. He rolled out of the way, recovering quickly before retaliating. A thin sheet of lava spread across the battlefield, transforming the ground between him and Selene into a slick, glass-like surface. Navigating it without slipping would be difficult.

Realizing Ethan was too much of a threat to ignore, he redirected his focus, launching a burst of molten rock straight at the rooftop. If he could take Ethan down, he could start turning the fight in their favor.

The woman, growing frustrated, unleashed her next spell, a fire-coated Hex, aimed precisely between Ethan and Selene. The twisted fusion of fire and curse magic warped the space around them, making movement sluggish and dodging far more difficult.

Selene's eyes flicked toward the incoming lava. Ethan, slowed by the Hex, wasn't going to be able to react in time. Without hesitation, she reached out with her shadow magic, tendrils of darkness wrapping around him in an instant.

With a sharp pull, she yanked him off the burning rooftop, shifting his position to a safer one before the molten blast could hit.

Seeing his lava burst hit nothing but the rooftop, the man immediately shifted his attention to Selene. She was still slowed by the Hex, making her an easier target. Without hesitation, he launched a powerful stream of lava directly at her, intending to capitalize on her reduced mobility.

At the same time, the woman recognized Ethan as the true offensive threat. Gathering her energy, she conjured a bolt of lightning, a twisted, blackened surge of cursed power.

The corrupted bolt crackled as it tore through the air, racing toward Ethan with deadly intent.