Chapter 28: Burning field

From the shadows, Zain watched the other candidates stand in the center field. His heart pounded in his chest as his next move would determine everything. His breathing quickened as the time where he could stay hidden was vanishing.

'If I go past this entryway…I'll be in the fight.' Zain thought to himself as he saw Suzaku vanish from sight. The rules had been given, and everyone was moments from turning on one another. Time slowed down in his eyes as the moment of decision had come.

'Do I fight? Or do I let history take its course..?' Zain's thoughts raced in his mind as everyone turned to one another.

'Which do I choose?!' He grew even more anxious. Does he choose the future? Let history take its course and have the power of Suzaku fall into the right hands? Or does he fight? Train himself in order to face his greatest foe?

Just before two of the candidates could fire off their first spell, a bolt of lightning fell from the sky and struck between them.

"What the hell?!" in confusion they looked off to the side as Zain leapt out from the entryway. Lightning trailed behind him as he knocked out both mages by forcing their heads into the ground. The flames burning atop their heads were quickly snuffed out before flowing towards Zain's.

"...Dammit. What the hell am I doing?" With a heavy sigh Zain stood to his full height as the eyes of everyone in the arena were on him. With his abrupt entrance, he had stolen the attention of the entire audience and the other candidates.

"Hey, that was a cheap blow!"

"What kind of person makes surprise attacks like that?! Show some honor!"

Jeer's against Zain's actions were quick to rain down on him as he continued onwards. Some of the nearby candidates caught onto his entrance and were enraged with how he blindsided the two from earlier.

"Take this on for size!" A wave of flames erupted from the ground and was sent towards Zain who leapt out of danger. His skin grew hot at the sudden spell thrown his way. To his right a fireball was thrown at him, and as a counter, he threw a bolt of lightning. The two spells collided before a massive explosion came from them.

'Dammit, just like I thought!' Zain cursed in his mind as he dodged back to safety, but was still somewhat wounded from the explosion. His right arm burned slightly as his clothing was singed black.

Once again the two mages fire off an attack at him, and in retaliation Zain fires off two shots to collide with them. Another explosion broke apart the earth and set the land ablaze.

"Lightning and fire magic don't mix well. They just cause explosions everywhere." And in a fight where he's surrounded by fire mages, this couldn't be any worse for him. Every attack he does could set off an explosion in his face, and hurt himself more than his enemies.

As proof the two he was fighting against dashed out from the back clouds relatively unharmed. As fire mages they have an inherent resistance to heat and flames. Explosions were no exception.

"He's on his heels, keep up the pressure!"

Sensing they had an advantage, they poured on the attacks, throwing out any spell at their disposal as Zain started running. The ground burned from their flames and caused smoke to rise into the air.

'Not yet…' Zain's mind stayed sharp as fire rained from the sky onto him. In an instant he spun around and fired off lightning in the hands of the mages chasing him, causing the spell to prematurely explode.

'Now!' His feet dug into the earth as he dashed through the smoke screen. Zain went on the offensive and caught the two off guard and knocked them out with a heavy punch to the stomach. Their bodies hit the floor with a thud as Zain left the smoke filled area. He breathed in what fresh air he could before moving on.

Explosions rang in Zain's ear as he ran to the sound of conflict. The scene before him, although greatly tamed compared to the future, reminded him of the grim destiny that awaited them. Familiar and strange to him at the same time, he continued onwards with victory in mind to the awaiting battleground.

"I was worried for a moment when I didn't see him, but it seems he's participating all the same."

Zephyr sat in his office and watched on a crystal the fights unfolding in the arena. As the camera focused on Zain for a moment his heart calmed.

"Those flames atop their heads come directly from me, so I know where all the chosen candidates are at all times. He was bound to enter the scene."

Suzaku stood by his side, his ever burning form condensed to fit within the office. Although the room streamed the feed of every candidate in the fight, his orange pupils focused squarely on Zain.

"I've been meaning to ask you…what made you choose Zain as a candidate? You know better than anyone that choosing someone with the same elemental affinity as yourself only makes you stronger."

The deity stayed silent for a moment before turning to Zephyr.

"His eyes."

"His eyes…?" Confused, the man turned to his guardian, expecting an answer.

"You may not be able to see it, but within his eyes is a desire burning so passionately, that I couldn't ignore it. Even if he does not wield fire magic, his soul itself is a white hot flame."

Zephyr was let silent as he watched his own student take out another number of candidates.

"And you based your decision solely on that?"

"Yes. After all, didn't you make a similar decision based off his demeanor?"

Zephyr could only chuckle as a grin graced his lips. "You were watching?"

"I am always watching over you all."

"....Yes, I did. He's an interesting child, that much is certain."

Another mage fell to the ground as Zain dusted himself off. Five minutes had already passed since the start of the battle royal. Nearly half of the candidates had fallen in their own small fights. Zain's eyes scoured the field before finding a familiar face amongst the crowd. Vira was running towards him at full speed.

'Dammit! James warned me about her.' As Zain was deep in thought before the day of the tournament, he went to meet with James yet again. He decided to check through the book at least once before making up his mind. The boy had constantly warned him about fighting Vira, for she was the strongest fire mage in the school currently.

'I had hoped to thin the numbers a bit before facing her, but that doesn't seem to be an option anymore!'

She dashed straight to Zain, and in response he turned to face her as well. The ground tore up as Zain leapt after her and prepared a spell, but as soon as he fired off in her direction, she vanished before his eyes.

'Huh?' A shadow was cast over his head, and as he turned to look above him, he saw the flying figure of Vira. Her legs, consumed by fire, found their mark in the shoulder and head of two mages behind Zain who snuck up on him.

"You should watch your back." Vira smiled towards Zain while keeping her attention on her surroundings. "There are a number of mages here who are teaming up in order to claim victory."

Taking her advice, Zain looked over his shoulder and noticed the remainder of the candidates had all gathered at the center of the arena. Their eyes focused on the two, and in them was a glint of despair and hope.

"Those two are too strong…"

"But they're by themselves in the center. We outnumber them…!"

"Should we just go..?"

Desperation had filled the remainder of the candidates' minds as they wanted nothing more than to get rid of the strongest people there. They stood out in the open with nothing to protect them. As Zain prepared to fight, he felt Vira place her back to his.

"It's easier to fight like this. I'll take out the ones over here, and the ones on your side." Without delay Vira gave out commands to Zain who simply scoffed.

"I didn't ask for your help…is what I want to say, but even I know taking on this many people at once is suicide."

"As long as you realize that." With a grin, Vira and Zain braced for the on coming attacks.

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