We walked in and the amount of stares we received seemed abnormally attentive. 

There were white pillars erected along the path. People in white-golden robes were talking in whispers throughout the room. 

“They seem quite friendly, don’t you think?” Leah asked.

“Yeah, if you push aside the murderous intent in their eyes. They don’t seem too bad.”

“I feel like your condition has gotten worse.”

“Hm? I feel quite fine.”

“I’m talking about your shitty personality."

“Ah… no, I still don’t get what you mean. And remember, I didn’t choose to bring you along with me. If it was my way, I wouldn’t have gotten hurt in the first place.” I stated, walking down the path.

I could hear Leah stomping as she followed behind me. Is she moping? I heard the flickering the flames igniting and next thing I knew, Leah came beside me with her bright hair coated in intense flames like a helmet . 

Ah, so she’s mad. Sigh. I can’t be bothered.

At the end of the path was an elevated floor with a lengthy desk positioned at the end. We walked up the three steps and Leah knocked on the marble counter to grab their attention while I stepped to the corner of the stage.

I stood to the side, letting Leah do all the ‘talking’ like she said. Scanning the room, I could see that the people in robes have vanished except for a suspicious pair with their hoods up. 

Something is not right here. Is it that mostly everyone is gone? Or is it the scrawny guy walking up behind Leah with his hand focusing a sizable amount of energy. Sigh, I should probably stop him.

“Leah,” I called out, echoing through the room as I limped towards her.

“What is it? I told you let me do the tal—.”

I fired a barrage of icicles towards the guy behind her and waved my hand to push her out the way. He countered with the same spell except his icicles shattered mine and kept going.

Tsk. 

I brought my hand up to create a barrier but it flickered and didn’t conjure. I shifted to the side to catch it in my shoulder rather than my eyes. However, flames interfered and shattered the ice.

I glanced down to see Leah with her arm outstretched from the ground. So, she can be helpful at times. Who knew?

The same amount of energy pooled in his hand once more. What spell is he charging up? Well, I won’t wait to find out. 

“Leah, let loose.” 

“I don’t need you to tell me that! But I’ll gladly comply.”

Leah shot out a gunfire of fireballs at the scrawny man, but he didn’t even turn. Holding his palm out to her, he again countered with another fireball spell. They collided and let out a puff of smoke. 

The smoke blanketed the air and clouded my vision. I swatted away at the smoke, coughing into my elbow. I tried to conjure up any kind of spell. Time, I can’t control the surrounding mana. Ice, I can’t control my mana. Bloody hell, what do I do. 

“Leo!” yelled Leah, somewhere within the smoke.

I closed my eyes to focus my senses on Leah’s mana. Nothing. Nothing. 

Woosh

“Agh!” I groaned.

A fireball hit me in the chest. I couldn’t sense it! Did my last spell drain me? I ducked to stay close to the floor and started walking to the side. 

Hiss

A leg slammed on my back, bringing me flat to the floor.

My back got kicked by the enemy? Well, it wouldn’t be Leah. I turned around, but I couldn’t stop it in time.

 He started stomping me violently on my abdomen. I clenched my hand into a fist, but the ice armor refused to coat my body.

“I’ll kill you!!” I yelled. 

The pain. The pain. The pain. 

I can’t use magic. I can’t fight back. I can’t die!

“That’s enough.” an elderly voice? 

He stomped one more time, my mind turning into static. I shifted to my side and spat out blood. These guys will fucking pay!

Clap

 The smoke cleared up. Through blurred vision, a hunched back old man with a white beard came into sight. He leaned over my body, smiling with full teeth from ear to ear. 

“Let’s have a new challenger. Come back another time my boy, Leo.”

Thud.