Alone.
Empty space around me seemed to spread on purpose—
people simply moved away.
Some changed rows.
Some left altogether.
Yeah… popularity, huh.
I sighed and tried not to pay attention.
Then—footsteps.
Seteya calmly sat down beside me, folding her hands on her knees.
A second later Haras sat on my other side—heavy as a rock, but reliable in his own way.
— You’re not alone, — Haras said without looking at me.
— And don’t listen to those cowards.
Seteya added quietly:
— They’d look very differently if they’d seen the demon battles with their own eyes.
I just nodded.
The arena exploded with screams.
— MIRA!
— QUEEN OF FIRE!
— NORINO’S CHAMPION!
She walked in her usual relaxed way,
but her eyes…
those eyes were those eyes—blindingly bright, filled with wild power.
Finn swallowed.
I saw his knees tremble slightly.
But he stood—proud, straight, determined.
When Finn stepped out, his cloak ignited—
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not just with fire, but with pure aura magic.
He waved his hand,
the cloak lifted and burned away, scattering sparks.
The stands roared:
— FINN!!
— FLAMING TERROR!
— DEFEAT HER!
Behind Finn I heard his father’s voice:
— Poor boy… against a monster like that…
Another man—Rainword—snorted:
— But your son at least made it to the semi-finals. That alone is rare.
Both of them looked at my sister—
and turned pale at the same time.
The judge raised his hand.
— The fight… BEGINS!
Finn moved first.
A tongue of fire—furious, long,
like a true dragon’s flame.
He held the spell for nearly two minutes without stopping.
But Mira…
She just walked forward.
Slowly.
Evenly.
As if the fire was caressing her, not trying to kill her.
When the flames ran out, she was already standing in front of Finn,
head tilted slightly.
— Well then, boy, — she smiled. — Show me a miracle.
Finn instantly jumped back,
and in a second explosions covered half the arena.
The stands buzzed:
— THAT’S FINN!!
— HE HIT! HE HIT!!
— HE’S STRONG!
But…
Mira stepped out of the smoke.
Not even disheveled.
— Sweetheart, — she said,
her voice both cruel and gentle,
— I’m just warming up.
She vanished.
Reappeared.
One strike.
Finn was thrown back.
Ribs—clearly cracked.
She crouched beside him, studying his eyes carefully:
— Alive… and strong for your age. Well done.
He tried to lift his head.
Through blood, he whispered:
— Y-you… captured… my heart…
Silence fell over the arena.
Mira rolled her eyes.
— Kid.
Say something like that in five years—
then I might consider listening.
Right now, that was a very bad choice of timing.
She lightly poked him with her finger.
CRACK.
Finn’s little finger bent at an unnatural angle.
He screamed.
Mira stood up, brushed dust from her knee,
and smiled straight at me across the arena.
I met her at the exit.
— Tomorrow’s the final, — she said, stretching.
— Me versus you. What do you think… should we do something truly epic? Tear down the arena? Flatten the stands? Make the gods look down?
I rubbed my eyes tiredly.
— Mira… I think today’s fight with Elinia already showed the demons my weakness. They could use it…
— Oh, stop, — she slapped my shoulder.
— You’re my brother. You’re not weak.
You’re uncontrollable, terrifying, unhinged, and way too honest…
But definitely not weak.
She smiled.
— That’s it. See you tomorrow. Be in a good mood, little brother.
And she disappeared into the flow of people.