"Regis will be aggressive at first." Lucien said quietly as they moved. "Use that against him."
The walk to the arena felt longer than it actually was. The noise from the crowd made every step feel heavier.
Lucien glanced up at the noble seating area in the stands. His father was there. The look in his eyes wasn't expectation.
It was relief.
Lucien didn't want to take part in the tournament to begin. He never expected to get this far. But standing here now, with his team behind him, he found himself wanting to win — not just for House Nox, but for all of them.
'This won't be easy.'
Whispers from within the stands broke out as Team Nox stepped into the arena first. They looked out of place, and everyone knew it. No one had expected them to make it this far, not with two commoners on the team.
Team Valmont entered soon after.
Regis walked at the front. He looked across the field, then his eyes settled on Lucien — a faint smirk appearing on his face.
"Well, well, well," Regis said, laughing lightly.
The tournament official didn't give both captains time to speak.
The horn sounded immediately.
Regis moved the moment it did. He didn't shout orders. He didn't wait for his team to get into any formation. He stepped forward and then started running, his boots slamming against the ground as he surged forward.
Lucien felt it before he had time to process it properly. The air around Regis thickened, pressure forming outward as his skill activated. A deep crimson glow covered his arms and shoulders as his frame grew heavier with each step.
"This fast?" Corin muttered.
"Stay back," Lucien said immediately. "Let him come."
Regis didn't slow down. He didn't angle toward Corin, Alya or Faye — his eyes locked straight onto Lucien.
'So that's how he wants to do this.'
Regis closed the distant fast. Each step increasing his speed, cracks forming beneath against the ground as the stone struggled to hold.
"Alya. Barrier." Lucien called out.
She slammed her hands down onto the ground, stone surged upward in a jagged barrier meant to break Regis' momentum and force him to divert.
Regis didn't dodge.
He charged straight into it.
His shoulder smashed through the stone wall, fragments of stone exploding everywhere as if they'd been struck by a hammer. Dust and debris flew past him, his momentum didn't slow.
Alya's eyes widened.
"What the—"
"Not enough," Lucien said under his breath.
Regis burst through the rubble and swung.
Lucien felt the impact coming before he had any chance to react or move.
Corin blinked.
He appeared between them in a blur, arms raised to shield the blow. Regis' fist slammed into Corin's guard with a loud thud. The impact sent Corin skidding backward across the field, his legs shaking as his body tried to handle the blow.
Corin sucked in a sharp breath. "He's stronger than I imagined."
"Of course I am," Regis chuckled, rolling his shoulders.
The rest of Team Valmont took a small step forward.
Regis' head snapped around.
"Don't you dare," he said. "Stay where you are."
Regis came again.
Corin blinked sideways this time, reappearing at Regis' flank and driving a kick deep to his ribs. The hit landed solidly — hard enough that it would've dropped anyone else.
Regis barely reacted, letting out a small chuckle.
"That tickled."
He rolled with the blow and punched Corin out the air, sending him tumbling mid-air before hitting the ground hard.
"No! Corin!" Faye shouted.
"I'm fine," Corin said quickly, forcing himself to stand straight, though his breathing was heavier.
Lucien clenched his jaw.
'This is happening too fast.'
Regis turned his head toward Alya next.
"Stone girl," he said with a grin. "You're next."
Alya's hands trembled slightly as she pressed them into the ground again, thicker slabs of stone came upward this time, layered together into a compact barrier.
Regis stepped slowly and punched.
The first layer shattered upon contact.
The second cracked.
The third held — for a second — before collapsing completely.
Alya was thrown backward by the force of his punch, landing hard on her side. She groaned but didn't stop moving, forcing herself back onto one knee.
Lucien finally stepped forward.
"Enough," he said quietly.
Regis laughed.
"There you are," he said. "Took you long enough, little Nox."
Lucien raised his hand slightly — then stopped. For the first time since the horn sounded, he hesitated. The pressure in his chest tightened to an uncomfortable level. His skill was there. He could feel it waiting.
'Not yet.'
Regis noticed the pause, his grin widening.
"Oh?" he said. "What's wrong?"
He stepped forward again, closer to Lucien's face — his power still climbing, every second passing fed his skill.
Lucien lowered his hand.
"Fall back," he said to his team. "All of you."
Corin nodded before blinking back immediately. Alya dragged herself away from the center, each movement looking harder than it should've been. Faye followed, trembling slightly.
Regis watched the team retreat and shook his head.
"Running away?" he said. "How disappointing."
Lucien met his gaze as he walked back.
"No. I'm setting the pace now."
Regis scoffed as he took another step forward.
"Corin," Lucien said. "Left."
Corin didn't question it. He blinked as Regis moved in, reappearing just to the side of him and landing a solid kick to his face.
Regis clicked his tongue.
"Annoying."
Alya reacted at the same time. She slammed her palms into the ground and the stone buckled, stone rising beneath him again. Not a wall. Not a barrier. Just enough to throw his balance off for a split second.
Regis snarled and kicked through it, the stone exploding outward as he walked through it.
"Stop running," he snapped.
Regis came at him again, faster this time.
Corin moved to intercept — and was too slow.
Regis' punch slammed into him mid-blink, the impact folding Corin and sending him sliding across the ground.
He didn't get back up immediately.
He didn't get up at all.
Faye was already there, dropping to her knees beside him, her hands lighting up as she tried to heal him.
"Lucien," she said quietly. "This is bad."
Regis laughed.
"That's what happens," he said, "when you get in my way."