The sun was already beginning to set when Ian and Arlen arrived at the academy's training grounds. Word had spread faster than fire in a dry field...the new student was about to duel Eve. By the time they stepped onto the open yard, a crowd had already gathered, forming a loose ring around the stone dueling platform.

The air was thick with excitement and chatter. Students were standing on benches, some climbing onto fences just to get a better view. A few of the older apprentices had even brought refreshments, clearly treating it like an event not to be missed.

Eve was already there. She stood at the center of the platform, arms crossed, a faint smirk playing on her lips. The evening light caught her auburn hair, turning it almost molten as the wind swept it gently to the side. She looked confident...too confident, Ian thought.

Ian climbed up the few steps that led to the stone stage, his cloak fluttering slightly behind him. He stopped a few feet away from her, meeting her gaze evenly. The crowd immediately quieted, sensing that things were about to begin.

"I didn't think you'd actually show up," Eve said, her voice carrying easily across the quiet ring.

Ian smiled faintly. "You called me a coward in front of half the class. If I didn't show up, I'd never hear the end of it."

Eve chuckled, taking a few steps closer. "Good. At least you've got some pride. Let's see if you can keep it after this."

Before Ian could respond, a boy stepped forward from the crowd, tall and broad-shouldered with a serious face. He was wearing a student robe with the insignia of a senior fire mage.

"Alright, enough chatter," he said, stepping onto the platform. "I'm Gendry, and I'll be acting as referee for this match. Both participants know the rules...no lethal strikes, no forbidden spells, and stop the instant I call it. Anyone who breaks those rules loses the duel. Understood?"

"Understood," Eve said coolly.

Ian gave a short nod. "Got it."

Gendry looked between the two, then stepped back. "Take your positions."

Eve shifted into a low stance, her right hand outstretched and already glowing faintly red. The air around her shimmered from the heat that started to gather. Ian raised a brow and stretched his neck slightly, rolling his shoulders. He wasn't used to this kind of attention...the entire crowd was watching every breath he took.

"Ready…" Gendry's voice echoed.

"Begin!"

The moment the word left his mouth, Eve's magic burst to life. Flames erupted around her hands as she dashed forward with incredible speed, hurling a fiery wave straight at Ian. He barely had time to raise his hand, summoning a flicker of his own flame to block it, but the sheer pressure forced him to step back. The crowd roared at the display, some cheering for Eve immediately.

Ian grimaced. Her control was sharp and her power refined. He could tell she wasn't using full strength yet, but she was fast and unrelenting.

Eve grinned as she sent another spiral of flame toward him. "Come on," she taunted. "You said you could handle me, didn't you?"

Ian sidestepped, the heat brushing past his cheek. "I never said that," he replied, panting slightly. "But I'm learning very fast."

The audience laughed, some shouting encouragements, others chanting Eve's name. Ian tried to stabilize his breathing as he felt his mana swirl unevenly within him. Piper had taught him to channel it slowly, with control...but here, under pressure and distraction, his focus wavered.

Eve noticed. She pressed harder, her attacks becoming faster, more precise. Streams of fire curved through the air like living serpents, closing in on him from both sides. Ian managed to deflect one, but the second caught him squarely on the shoulder, searing his robe.

The crowd gasped. Gendry stepped forward slightly but didn't interfere...it wasn't a lethal hit.

Ian winced, brushing off the smoke from his sleeve. "You're enjoying this too much," he muttered.

Eve smirked, her eyes glinting like molten gold. "I am," she said simply, raising her hand again. "Let's see if you can keep standing after the next one."

Ian's expression hardened. He adjusted his stance, inhaling deeply, trying to remember Piper's words...Feel the mana, don't fight it. Let it flow, not burn.

But before he could act, Eve's next blast came, larger and hotter than before. It exploded near his feet, forcing him to leap back again, barely maintaining balance.

The cheers grew louder. The students were all on their toes now, eager to see if the new guy could withstand another round.

Arlen stood near the front of the crowd, biting his lip. "She's too fast for him," he muttered under his breath. "He can't keep dodging forever."

Ian steadied himself again, eyes narrowing on Eve. His heart was pounding, his arms aching from the strain, but his grin slowly returned.

"Alright," he said under his breath, his tone low and steady. "Let's turn the heat up a bit."

But even then as he was determined now...Ian could feel his chest tightening as the pressure kept mounting. The heat from Eve's attacks was almost unbearable now, the air shimmering between them as tongues of fire danced and curled like living spirits. His breathing was heavy, and sweat trickled down his temples.

That was when it hit him...lessons were one thing, fighting was another entirely. The hours of practice with Piper and Chloe hadn't prepared him for the chaos of a real duel. In training, there was rhythm, calm, and patience. Here, there was no time to think. Every wrong move could burn him alive.

Eve's movements were fluid, graceful even, as she launched another flaming strike that grazed his side. The crowd cheered wildly as Ian stumbled back, barely managing to extinguish the fire licking his sleeve. She smirked at him, her confidence growing by the second.

"Is that all you've got, new boy?" she taunted, voice filled with playful cruelty. "You talk like you're some genius, but all I see is someone trying not to get roasted."

The crowd burst into laughter at her words, and even Gendry tried to hide a grin.

Ian's jaw tightened. He clenched his fists, glaring at her through the flickering light. "You really like hearing yourself talk, don't you?"

Eve tilted her head, pretending to think. "Hmm… maybe. But I like winning more."

She snapped her fingers, and a blazing whip of fire formed in her hand. The crowd gasped in excitement. With one smooth motion, she lashed it forward, the fiery arc whistling through the air. Ian barely dodged, the ground beneath his feet scorching where the whip struck.

He could feel his heart pounding hard in his chest. His robe was singed, his arms ached, and his pride was burning even hotter than her flames.

That was when something inside him snapped.

His frustration, his exhaustion, the sting of humiliation...it all surged together into something raw and powerful. He closed his eyes briefly, feeling that familiar current of mana pulse through his veins. When he opened them again, his pupils flickered with faint light, and the orb of fire in his palm didn't waver this time.

Eve smirked again, unaware of what was about to happen. "You look angry, new boy," she teased. "Maybe you should..."

Her words were cut off as a burst of intense heat erupted around Ian. The air rippled violently, and a shockwave spread through the dueling ground. The flames he conjured roared to life, towering higher than before, their color deeper...not bright orange like hers, but a vibrant crimson-gold that made the crowd step back in awe.

The laughter stopped instantly.

Even Gendry's confident expression faded as he took a cautious step forward, uncertain if he should intervene.

Eve blinked, taken completely off guard. "What in the..."

Ian raised his hand slowly, and the flame responded to his motion like it understood him, swirling and twisting into a sphere that pulsed with energy. He wasn't even thinking...his mana flowed on instinct now.

Eve raised a defensive wall of fire just in time as Ian swung his arm. The blast collided with hers, sending sparks and embers flying everywhere. The impact forced her to take several steps back, her boots scraping against the stone floor.

The crowd gasped.

Ian straightened his stance, eyes still locked on her. "You're good," he said evenly. "But you're not the only one who can fight."

Eve's jaw tightened. For the first time, her expression wasn't mocking...it was focused. Her earlier smirk was gone. She raised her hands again, gathering more mana, but she was clearly surprised. She hadn't expected him to recover, let alone fight back with such force.

The fire between them flickered violently as both prepared for the next exchange, the air now trembling with raw energy.

Around the dueling platform, students whispered in disbelief. Arlen's eyes were wide, his mouth half-open. "He's… he's pushing her back," he murmured. "No one amongst us has ever done that before."

Gendry finally raised his hand, ready to step in if it went too far, but he couldn't hide the shock on his face either.

Eve steadied herself, her pride refusing to let her back down. Ian stood tall, his flames blazing brighter with each breath.

The tide had turned.

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