Tremil led them to a wider, more open area of the yard. Unlike the other parts of the garden, there were no trees here. Only a large stone circle indented into the ground.

  They really went all out with this mansion, Rowan smiled. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a real mage arena.

  The enchantments flared to life as Tremil stepped onto the outcropping. Then, he summoned four different mana crystals from his storage ring—one for each affinity—and placed them into the center.

  A soft white glow illuminated the arena as it hummed to life, the enchantments steadily draining the mana from the crystals.

  He’d thought the spar would be just a battle of Intents. With both of them activating their respective shield spells and taking turns. But with an arena in play, they could go all out.

  Well, not all out, he reminded himself. I’m not sure how many [Fireball]’s it’s going to take to drain the mana crystal, but I have a feeling it’s not a lot. And the last thing I want is to kill the kid.

  Mages—unlike warriors—had the distinct disadvantage of being unable to hold back. At least not at their level of skill. You could stop a sword strike from cleaving through your opponent, but once you cast a spell, it was going to do what you told it to.

  That was where mage arenas came in.

  They created an area that was suffused with all four affinities, surrounding the casters in a protective bubble. Depending on the quality of the enchantments, that bubble could be a few feet wide, or skin tight.

  It was hard not to compare this arena to the ones Rowan had grown up around.

  Those had all been masterpieces. Crafted by enchanters who’d spent lifetimes honing their craft. They could withstand duels between Green-Core mages, something Rowan doubted this arena could accomplish.

  But it’s not really fair to compare the two, Rowan thought, making his way to the far side of the circle. Eiselyth is the jewel of the North, and Litwick is… well, Litwick.

  Tremil stood outside the arena, watching the mana levels like a hawk. If something went wrong and the enchantment failed to work, it would be his job to make sure neither of them got injured.

  Huon made his way over to the other side of the arena, a pep to his step.

  Once both of them were in position, Tremil powered up the enchantments.

  With a buzzing whirl, a protective bubble surrounded both Rowan and his opponent, just over a foot wide.

  “The rules are simple,” Tremil called out. “You fight until your protections are depleted, or until I announce the end of the bout. If you hear me shout, you are to stop immediately,” he said firmly. “Prepare yourselves.”

  Rowan stood opposite his opponent, both of them looking at each other with a critical eye.

  He felt a surge of adrenaline as he prepared himself, stretching to keep the tension from his muscles. Huon’s confidence was apparent, but that only made Rowan more determined.

  He’d learned a lot in the past few months. He was no longer the same mage he’d been when he teleported to the region, alone and frightened. His magic had grown by leaps and bounds, and his skill had too.

  It was easy to discount his opponent as a cocky youngling who didn’t know his ass from his elbow, but that would be a mistake—one he’d learned all too well. One he had no desire to repeat.

  He’d been practicing for years under the tutelage of a skilled practitioner, and you’ve been at it for a few months, he reminded himself, rolling his shoulders. Feel him out first. Don’t over-commit. Watch for an opening, and then strike.

  Huon bounced on the tips of his toes, shaking his arms, loosening up. “Ready when you are.”

  Closing his eyes, Rowan felt the familiar weight of mana swirling in his Core, just waiting to be unleashed. There was a sense of anticipation in the air, a tension crackling between them.

  And then, Tremil’s shout echoed across the clearing, “Begin!”

  The moment his hand dropped, both Rowan and Huon moved.

  Rowan started rushing towards his opponent, Wind mana racing through his channels, building up to cast [Tailwind].

  Huon had the Earth and Fire affinities, a combination of both offense and defense. That meant Rowan couldn’t let him establish a position. If he dug himself in, the duel was as good as lost. He’d hunker down behind his walls and pepper him with spells from afar. And Rowan wouldn’t let that happen.

  Out of all the tier-one affinities, Earth was by far the most mana-efficient. Unlike Fire and Wind, it had the advantage of being abundant, meaning Huon didn’t have to manifest it fully. All he had to do was look down and he’d find more ammunition than he knew what to do with.

  Rowan’s spell completed a moment later, the Wind wrapping around him in a warm embrace, urging him forward. Huon’s eyes widened in alarm at the speed he was approaching, but he didn’t let that distract him.

  In the time it had taken for Rowan to complete the spell, his opponent hadn’t been idle.

  Walls of earth erupted from the ground, severing his line of sight, forcing him to move sideways if he wanted to get close.

  But Huon didn’t stop there.

  As Rowan was closing the distance, the younger mage sent out another spell. From behind the [Earthen Wall], the ground rose like a wave, heading straight towards his position.

  [Earthen Ripple] wasn’t a wide spell, and with [Tailwind] active, combined with his unusually high Dexterity made dodging it trivial.

  But it told him something important.

  He has [Stone Sense], Rowan realized. He’s going to try and keep hidden. To wear me down.

  Mage duels weren’t just about who had the most mana or the strongest spells. To win, you needed to understand your opponents tactics and counter them with your own. Huon had launched the spell right at him, even with the wall blocking his sight. And that was only possible if he knew where he was.

  As he reached the wall, Rowan bent his knees and launched himself into the air, soaring over the barricade.

  His heartbeat quickened as [Tailwind] pushed him even higher, giving him a clear view of the other side of the arena.

  Arms flailing, Rowan landed on the hard stone, absorbing the impact with his knees.

  He’s quick, I’ll give him that, he thought, taking in the dozen or so pillars jutting out of the ground.

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  Right as he got to his feet, they started shaking.

  [Dust Cloud], he winced, quickly dropping [Tailwind].

  Speed wouldn’t help him now. To win, Rowan needed to find him, and more importantly, not get hit in the process.

  As dust suffused the arena, dropping his visibility, Rowan’s first thought was to use [Gust] to blow it all away. But after a moment’s thought, he stopped himself.

  I can use this, he thought, an idea crystallizing in his mind.

  His opponent’s plan was simple and well executed. The pillars he’d summoned would stop Rowan from rushing blindly into the fray, hoping to halt his momentum. But Rowan had a way of dealing with that problem.

  Closing his eyes, he flared [Iron Will], conjuring the image of the battlefield as seen from above. Rowan hadn’t been lying when he said his memory was good, and while he was still partially blind, this should allow him to move around the arena without running headfirst into a pillar.

  Taking a cautious step forward, he felt the ground beneath him shift and he threw himself to the side. Even without [Tailwind] active, Rowan was able to dodge the spell with relative ease.

  A [Rock Shot] or [Earthen Spike] would be another matter entirely, but [Earthen Ripple] was a spell meant to immobilize, not harm. It traveled across the ground in a straight line, softening the hard rock and attempting to snag his feet.

  It took Rowan another two dodges before he felt ready to start his counterattack.

  Got you, he grinned.

  Casting [Whisper Step], a gentle breeze raised his feet off the ground. It was like walking on a cushion of air, and while it wasn’t a flashy spell, it was a perfect counter for [Stone Sense].

  Using the image in his mind, Rowan pinpointed exactly where his opponent was.

  Huon was hiding behind a pillar at the far right corner of the arena, with the dust growing more concentrated the closer Rowan got. It was a mistake on the younger mage's part. One that actually helped Rowan determine his location.

  It’s probably instinctual, he thought, slowly making his way towards him. Or a lack of control. Either way, something to point out after the fight.

  [Whisper Step] hid him from Huon’s tracking, but it was only a matter of time before the younger mage changed his approach. And Rowan wanted to end the duel before that happened.

  When he was two pillars away, he made his move.

  With as much speed as he was capable of, Rowan cast [Burning Whip], a tendril of flame erupting from his back. Another joined soon after, and before Huon could react, Rowan lashed out.

  One moved left while the other moved to the right, wrapping around the pillar and the person using it for cover.

  Rowan felt his spells connect with the arena’s protective bubble, quickly followed by a surprised yelp.

  If this was a real fight, that would have been a killing blow. But this was a spar, so instead of squeezing the life out of the kid, Rowan just held him in place until Tremil stopped the bout.

  “Enough!” a voice boomed out as a large [Gust] blew away the dust clouding the air, clearing the arena.

  Rowan quickly retracted his spells, a satisfied smile on his face.

  The spar hadn’t taken long, but it told him enough about Huon’s skills as a mage.

  He was a capable, talented caster. It took him barely a few seconds to raise a dozen stone pillars from the ground, and the fact he’d mastered [Stone Sense] so early in his Path spoke to his work ethic.

  Not to mention [Dust Cloud]. It’s a Murmur-level spell, but its complexity is probably higher than [Tailwind]. It takes a tremendous amount of control to mimic a higher-tier affinity.

  “Good showing, both of you,” the older mage said as he strode towards them. “Huon, your use of [Dust Cloud] combined with [Earthen Pillar] was a great way to deal with Jamis’s mobility. But you relied too much on the assumption that your opponent wouldn’t have a way to deal with the lack of visibility.”

  Huon stood there, his expression a strange blend of frustration and thoughtfulness. His loss had come quickly and unexpectedly, and the boy was still dealing with it.

  Rowan thought about gloating, but that would make the kid like him even less. So instead, he walked up to him and extended a hand. “It was a good fight,” he said sincerely. “I can see why your master puts up with you.”

  Huon snorted, shaking his hand. “Thanks… I guess.”

  He glanced at him for a moment before looking away, as if debating whether to ask something.

  “How’d you do it?” he finally asked.

  Rowan frowned. “Do what?”

  Huon waved his arms around. “Everything! [Earthen Pillar] and [Dust Cloud] didn’t slow you down in the slightest. You were moving around like you knew exactly where you had to go, and not to mention you outright disappeared from my senses, then somehow managed to find me five seconds later!”

  Once again, Rowan had the urge to gloat, but the questions he’d asked him were valid, and the answers could help the boy improve.

  He’s going to be fighting shamans too. Helping him is helping everyone else too.

  Taking a moment, Rowan composed his thoughts. “When I jumped over the wall I had a view of the arena,” he said. “So when I landed, I knew where I was, and where all the pillars were. That made maneuvering around them easy.”

  Huon’s eyes widened in surprise. “You… memorized the layout?” he shook his head. “You weren’t lying when you said you had a good memory, were you?”

  Rowan chuckled. “No, I wasn’t,” he answered. “And I used [Whisper Step] to hide me from your senses. Then I found you by the direction you were sending [Earth Ripple]’s from.”

  Huon's brow furrowed in thought.

  “Oh, and one more thing,” Rowan added. “Your [Dust Cloud] was concentrated around you. I think it might have been instinctual, but having your camouflage be stronger near you kind of has the opposite effect.”

  They spoke some more about the duel and Rowan found himself enjoying the conversation. The boy might have been cocky, but he had a reason for it. He had a good head on his shoulders, being proud about his abilities was only natural.

  “You could try doing that as bait,” Rowan said, going over the idea in his head. “If you covered an area where you weren’t, most people would assume the same thing I did. That you’re trying to hide yourself. Then, you could ambush them.”

  Huon nodded in response. “Yeah, that might work.”

  Tremil had been observing their conversation in silence, a small smile on his face. He walked over, clapping Huon on the shoulder. “Go meditate, replenish your mana,” he looked at Rowan. “Jamis and I have something to talk about.”

  The boy looked like he wanted to say something, but something in his master’s tone made him reconsider. So instead, he inclined his head and went on his way, leaving the two of them alone.

  Tremil watched his apprentice leave, waiting until he was out of earshot to speak. “I thank you for not taking his harsh exterior to heart,” he said with a chuckle. “He is a passionate young man, and sometimes it shows in ways that those around him would wish it didn’t.”

  Rowan waved off his concerns. “He’s just a kid,” he answered. “And I’m not nearly petty enough to hold a grudge over a few comments.”

  Tremil arched an eyebrow. “You know, you’re not much older than him,” he pointed out.

  Rowan shrugged. “Age isn’t always a measure of a life well lived or of knowledge gained.” he quoted, a familiar weight settling on his shoulders.

  “Archmage Zadriel,” Tremil nodded slowly. “A wise man.”

  Rowan tried to keep his emotions in check, leveraging [Iron Will] in order to accomplish it.

  The mention of his fathers name left him feeling unbalanced, and even his skill didn’t stop the slight tremor in his hand.

  Calm, he told himself. Feel it, acknowledge it, and let it flow away.

  Tremil either didn’t notice his emotional turmoil or decided not to mention it. But either way, Rowan felt grateful to the old mage for the consideration.

  He took a moment, not trusting himself to speak while dark thoughts battered at his composure.

  It’s been a while since that last happened, Rowan thought to himself. I guess that’s what I get for quoting him.

  He shook his head to clear it, refocusing on the present.

  “What did you want to talk to me about?”

  “The Guildmistress has called for a meeting,” he answered, and Rowan felt his heartbeat quicken. “Tomorrow. At noon.”

  He took a deep breath, rolling his shoulders, releasing the tension from his muscles.

  I guess it’s time.

  The goblin threat had been brewing for a while, and Rowan, for one, was eager to deal with it. He knew it was only a matter of time before another one took its place—the monster surge made sure of that—but right now, that didn’t matter.

  What mattered was taking care of the problem right in front of them.

  “The reinforcements arrived?” Rowan asked, a determined expression on his face.

  Tremil nodded. “A dozen Silver-ranks, and four Orange-Core mages.”

  “Four? Not two?”

  That puts us as nine casters, and around five dozen Silver-ranks. We’ll still be outnumbered, but definitely less so than before.

  “The Guildmistress called in a few favors,” Tremil answered.

  A contemplative silence settled over them. They both knew this upcoming battle wouldn’t be easy. There would be death, tragedy, and loss. But that was the price humanity paid in the war against the ever-encroaching Wilds. The only thing they could do was fight, endure, and hopefully, in the end, win.