Zeke got up and made his way to the changing room without saying a word. He forced a smile for the two girls and waved them goodbye. By leaving now, he would arrive way ahead of time. But he felt like he needed a moment alone to come to terms with his turbulent emotions.
His mood had soured upon witnessing Rona's loss. Zeke had not expected that he would be affected by the outcome of the fight. He was neither especially close with Peter nor Rona. Somehow, the thought of both of them being kicked out of the tournament like this didn't sit right with him, however.
As he left Sophia's private area, he made a small detour toward the betting station. The gathered students parted for him, recognizing him as one of the fighters for the next battle. They were all interested in seeing how confident he was in his own victory, so nobody blocked his path.
Zeke walked up to the betting table and glanced at his own terribly drawn portrait. He only recognized himself due to the shockingly red mop of hair on the depicted boy's head.
He stared at the bookkeeper without saying a word. He was waiting for the boy to hand him his winnings from the last fight. The bookkeeper grimaced slightly, but still paid out everything that he owed without complaining. The gold was handed to him in several bags containing 1000 gold each. Without even counting or thinking about it, Zeke dropped all his money bags in front of his picture. He turned and walked away, not even waiting for the metal mage to call out the amount of money he had placed.
He was confident that they would not cheat him, not with so many witnesses around. If the bookkeeper were to lose the trust of the people, his business was as good as finished.
Zeke let his mind wander as he walked to the waiting room for the contestants. His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides, and with each step, his heartbeat pounded against his chest like the drums of war. He was wondering about the reason for his own agitation.
Ever since he had witnessed how angry Rona had been on Peter's behalf, he had started to respect her. It might have been that she was willing to stand up for somebody she liked, no matter the consequences. Maybe it was because she, as a noble from a prominent family, would go so far for a commoner like Peter? The boy had all but been kicked out of his original family, after all. Zeke couldn't be quite sure of the reason himself, his own emotions a mystery to him for a change.
He thought back to his first days here, searching his feelings. Back then, he had also wished for somebody to care that much about him when he had nobody on his side. Nowadays, he had Sophia, Viola, and even Leo whom he could talk to and trust. But in his first couple weeks in school, there was nobody who showed him even the slightest bit of kindness. Even his childhood friend and crush, Lilly, had callously turned her back on him.
The thoughts of Lilly carried his mind to his current opponent. Karl Luftschloss, Samuel's half-brother. The thoughts of the hated Wind Mage only made his temper flare even more. Zeke could feel his own body heating up in anticipation. He sat down on the bench in the middle of the changing room. To distract himself, he began to slowly put on his new set of armor.
Maximilian had surprised him with the present the night before. Apparently, it was supposed to be a reward for reaching the top 16. But Zeke knew better. The old man had realized on Zeke's birthday that he had forgotten to get the boy anything. Zeke still remembered how embarrassed he had been, and thus found this excuse to spoil Zeke a little.
"A lot of eyes are going to be on you in the finals," the old man had said. "We can't have you embarrass our family with a shabby set of armor, now, can we?"
But not even the pleasant memory was enough to calm Zeke down. He was feeling restless, like a caged beast.
He paced back and forth in his waiting room, feeling restless and anxious as he prepared for battle. To calm his nerves, he reached for his armor and began to adjust the straps, ensuring that it fit him perfectly.
First, he checked the breastplate. Made from the red leather of a volcanic salamander, it was the centerpiece of the set. The scales were supple and thick and shimmered in the light. He tightened the bands, making sure that they fit snugly around his chest without restricting his movement. He could feel the weight of it settling onto his shoulders. However, compared to his resistance suit, he didn't even feel the weight.
Next, Zeke moved on to the bracers. They were also made from the same red scales as the breastplate. Additionally, they were adorned with intricate metal etchings. He checked the fit, ensuring that they fit around his forearms without hindering his circulation. The bracers were reinforced, making them thicker than the other pieces of his set. Maximilian had told him that they could be used to block a lot of damage in exchange for being a bit unwieldy.
Moving down to his legs, Ezekiel focused on the greaves. They were heavy and made of thick, sturdy leather, and were fastened with leather straps that crisscrossed over his calves. He adjusted the straps.
Finally, Ezekiel picked up his helmet. It was the crowning piece of his armor. The helmet was made of metal but in the same red color as the rest of the set, and adorned with a crest of gold. He adjusted the fit for this last piece as well, making sure that it covered his head without obstructing his vision.
As he finished adjusting his armor, Ezekiel looked into one of the mirrors. They were hung on the walls all around him, reflecting his form. This was the first time he had actually looked at himself in the armor. The fine, deep red scales that made up the set looked exquisite. Zeke couldn't help but run his hand over the scales. Even his agitation was forgotten for a moment as he took in his form.
The armor set was covering him from head to toe, but still didn't restrict this movement much. The pieces were incredibly flexible and even felt soft and comfortable on his body.
What captured Zeke's attention the most, however, was the helmet. The headpiece was shaped in the form of a dragon skull. The front of the helmet featured two impressive horns. They emerged from right above the eye's sockets, curving all the way to the back of the skull. It gave the impression of a fierce dragon, ready to strike.
Intricate gold etchings along the horns accentuated the dragon's features. Starting from the scalp, the back of the helmet was adorned with a crimson shock of hair, looking like the mane of a lion. It was carefully attached to the helmet, giving it an even more imposing appearance. The color was eerily alike Zeke's own hair.
The inside of the helmet was lined with soft leather padding. This provided comfort and protection to his head. The entire armor was crafted so masterfully that Zeke didn't feel restricted by it at all. Granted, this was also due to his experience training with the resistance suit. His superhuman strength and agility were a big factor in why he could move comfortably as well.
Examining himself in the mirror, Ezekiel was amazed at the awe-inspiring stature that he presented in the armor. With the red scales and the horns, he looked like a dragon in human shape.
He noticed something strange and stepped closer to the mirror. He came to a halt only a hairs' breath away from the reflective surface. Zeke looked into his own eyes behind the holes of the helmet. There it was again. He could clearly make out the vertical pupils of a reptile behind the mask.
Zeke remained standing there. He was frozen in quiet contemplation as he took in his own appearance. He was only woken from his reverence when somebody knocked on his door thrice. This was the signal of the start of his round. Ezekiel picked up his trusty staff and made to leave the waiting area. With one last glance at the humanoid dragon in the mirror, he made his way toward the arena.
The moment he stepped in front of the entrance to the ring, a staff member waved him on, signaling that he could enter. Zeke did as he was bid, all the emotions he had bottled up clamoring for release.
As he entered the arena, he finally witnessed how the experience was for the contestants. He could see the faces of thousands of excited spectators staring at him. Their expressions were ranging from jubilant to disdainful.
He could hear a wave of awe at his appearance. Even his opponent, who had emerged on the other side of the field, seemed shocked. Karl was wearing a lightweight outfit made of cloth. The tightly fitted garments were undoubtedly optimized for speed and style. He didn't seem to care about any defensive attributes. The Wind Mage evidently specialized in quick movements as well, the same as Samuel.
After the murmur of the crowd had died down, Zeke was shocked by the booming voice of the announcer. Jorgels cheerful voice was much louder down here than in the spectator seats.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the sixth fight of the day! We have a real clash of titans here! From the eastern entrance, hailing from the Luftschloss family, we have Karl Luftschloss! He's an agile fighter with lightning-fast reflexes and a reputation as one of the swiftest contestants. His agile attacks have taken down many an opponent in the battle royale. Today, he's out for revenge against the man who stole his brother's spot in the finals! Will he be able to take down his opponent and claim victory?"
There were a scattered few cheers for Karl, the loudest came from the area of Wind Mages. But it was clear that whatever Viola had told her father, during the group stage, was already having an effect. It seemed the Luftschloss family had fallen out of favor with the other Wind Mages. There was not much support from the other noble families.
"And from the western entrance, we have the young Blood Mage with the perfect affinity: Ezekiel von Hohenheim! He's been a surprise to everyone in this tournament. Hailing from a mere commoner family with no noble lineage. But don't let that fool you, this fighter is a true force to be reckoned with. He has shown us his brilliant tactical mind and tri-affinity magic. He's one of the most versatile fighters in the tournament. But will it be enough to measure up against the best of the best? Who will come out on top?"
"LETS! FIND! OUT!"
After the announcer's final words, the stadium exploded in cheers. The fight was clearly one of the favorites of the first round. Part of it was that the spectators liked a good revenge story. But most were excited to see what else Zeke could do. He was the only non-elemental Mage in the finals, and therefore an exotic treat for the audience.
The boy in question couldn't care less about what the crowd thought of him at the moment, however. His gaze was solely fixed on the gong that was up in the stands. The moment it would be rung, the fight would officially start.
Zeke watched with hawk eyes as a fat mage walked up to the round metal disk with a stick in his hands. He could feel his heart hammering, his blood racing through his body. He saw the man take his stance and heaved the wooden bat above his head, ready to announce the fight.
Zeke's eyes returned to his opponent, Karl Luftschloss. The spindly Mage was still looking up at the gong. Zeke could see every detail on the boy's face in perfect clarity. He observed a drop of sweat travel downward across his forehead, running down between his eyes and reaching the tip of the boy's nose.
The gong would ring any moment now, and Zeke was ready. His entire body was taught like a bowstring. He could feel an endless amount of energy. His nervous energy had transformed into a single-minded focus and confidence. He would destroy his opponent. There was no way his prey could escape his claws.
BOOOOOOONNNNNGGGGGG!
The moment the sound was heard, Zeke sprung into action. There was no magic being cast, no special technique being used. With a single motion, he picked up his staff that he had rammed into the ground in front of him and lifted it above his head. His eyes had remained focused on his target the entire time. Karl's's gaze traveled downwards from the gong to where Zeke stood, not even a second had passed yet. Without stopping for a moment, he threw the staff at his opponent like the bolt of a ballista.
Finally, Karl's's gaze met Zeke's own. Far too late. The projectile had already traveled half the distance between the two men. Karl noticed the incoming missile and his eyes opened wide. Zeke watched impassively as his opponent's face turned ashen in the blink of an eye. He made no move to follow up his throw with anything else. He was completely certain that this fight was already over.
With a scream, Karl released wind from his hands, trying to get out of the way of the incoming threat. But compared to the staff's speed, he seemed to be moving at a snail's pace. A moment later, the weapon made contact with his body. The Wind Mage had managed to move his body slightly out of the way before getting hit. Still, he was struck on the right side of his ribs.
The impact was devastating. Zeke's metal-reinforced staff tore right through Karl's cloth-covered chest. The shockwave messed up flesh and bone on the entire right side of his body. The healers didn't even wait for the announcement before storming the field. They were bent over the boy's prone form in the next moment.
Even the vaunted Arch Healer, the only Life affinity Arch-Mage of the empire, raised an eyebrow. He seemed to be considering helping out, from his position next to Maximilian and Victor.
Jorgel the announcer was so shocked that he did not even announce a winner. He was just staring at the scene, like the rest of the crowd. It was then that Zeke started to move. With slow, unhurried steps, he made his way over to his opponent. The crowd watched him, speculating on his next move. Finally, he arrived at the side of his opponent, staring down at the prone form of the boy. The Life Mages ignored his presence, too busy stabilizing the boys' condition.
Zeke seemed to wait for something specific, as his eyes were trained on the form of the Wind Mage, unwavering. After a couple of seconds. The healers let out a sigh of relief. They had managed to stabilize Karl's condition. From here on, it would only be a matter of time before he was fully restored.
It was then that Zeke acted, he reached out with his hand and tore his staff right out of Karl's chest. Opening the wounds once more without a second thought. The unconscious boy moaned, and the healer sent dirty looks Zeke's way as they got to work once more.
Ezekiel was unconcerned with the healer's plight and made his way to the center of the stadium once more. The crowd watched him with bated breath, they couldn't wait to see what the unhinged Blood Mage would do next. He came to a stop in the center of the arena. His gaze skimmed the crowd, searching for something or somebody. After a moment his gaze stopped at a particular spot, and he lifted his staff pointing out a lone figure.
It was Roland Erdherr, the winner of the previous round and Zeke's next opponent. Without a word, he remained motionless, pointing his staff at his next opponent. The blood and bits of flesh that were still dripping from his weapon only made the threat more dreadful. But his silent declaration was understood by all.
"You are next!"