The Academy’s Rejected Mage

THE ANNUAL CONTEST

Kai’s POV

I walk into the arena of their annual contest, every part of me filled with venom for those people that threw me down there. Someone points to me,

“He’s alive. How is that possible?” Every eyes settle on me with shock, including Orin and his goons. I’m not surprised by their reaction. Even me, I’m still surprised by how I got out. All I did was touch the lock and it opened. Vazaroth told me to lock after. One thing is certain, if he wanted to leave, he would have.

Orin and his goons laugh as they walk towards me?

“You’re alive? I thought the dungeon would kill you for sure,” one says.

“He probably crawled out,” another adds.

Unlike them, Orin doesn’t look the least bit calm. He follows me until I stop in front of the registration board.

“What are you doing here?” I can sense some kind of nervousness from him. He really didn’t expect me to make it out alive. He left me for dead. I don’t answer him and just pick up the marker to write my name.

“Are you deaf? I said what do you think you’re doin—?”

“And are you blind to see?” I gesture to the board. “I’m registering for the contest.”

His mouth drops. Everyone around lets out a gasp, shocked that I would speak to their beloved king like that.

He lets out a small laugh. “What? Did you just talk to me like that?”

I stare at him blankly. “Yes. Is there a problem?” I don’t wait for his answer and just turn to leave but he gives it anyway.

“You’re the useless boy whose parents had to bribe his way into the academy.” A few students around him laugh.

“And now you think you’re strong enough to fight an actual mage that got here on his own power?”

I look at him. “Aren’t we all mages here?”

“No, we aren’t.” He puts his hand on my shoulder, shoving me back once. “Bribers can’t claim that title.”

I look at his hand on my shoulder then at him before smirking. “Then we shall see.”

“We shall see?” He laughs, prompting others. “You really want to die today, don’t you?”

“And you really want to kill me, don’t you?”

“Meaning?”

“Why not take the bet to compete against me?” Loud gasps follow my request. Orin looks at me like I’m out of my mind.

“WHAT?!” Another student shouts on his behalf. “Are you out of your mind? You really think you can stand against Orin? He’s a B-class mage.”

“Then…let him take the bet since he’s certain of winning.”

He smiles and scratches his forehead. “Okay, let’s say I take the bet. When I beat your ass down, what do I get?”

I look straight into his eyes. “I’ll quit and leave the academy just like you want.”

Someone laughs and blurts out, “What? Okay, I get it now. You must be really ashamed and are just looking for any excuse to leave.”

“And you got it.” Orin completes. “But I won’t fight you myself. I’m okay with you leaving, don’t necessarily need you dead. Let me save face for the Blackwell family.”

“Meaning?”

While staring at me, he calls out to one of his minions. “Ryder?”

“Yes.” The boy stops beside him and nearly bends to the ground. Orin holds my eyes as he speaks. “This is a D-class mage. He will be your competitor today.”

He pats the boy on the back. “I know you feel insulted and want to rip him apart, but take it easy. He’s just a baby in the game.”

“Yes, orin.”

I smirk. “Good. But we haven’t talked about my prize.”

“What?”

“If I win, what do I get?” Brows raise at me while Orin looks perplexed. “If you win?” He scoffs. “You won’t.”

“Doesn’t matter what you think. I’m putting my whole future on this so you have to drop something too.”

He looks around, amused before laughing hysterically. “Fine, if you win, I’ll get on my knees and beg you to stay.”

Loud gasps fill the air. I smile. “Good. Don’t change your mind.”

As I walk to join my opponent, I see my brother staring at me with a tight jaw. I can see he thinks I’m on a suicide mission and he doesn’t care. I lock my jaw and look away. They're all going to regret ever looking down on me.

As I step on the podium, Loud cheers are already going on for my opponent. Actually they’re chanting Orin’s name, not Ryder.

The referee raises his hand and Ryder smiles at me. “Ready for your funeral?”

“Yeah. But it could be yours.”

“Begin!”

Ryder moves fast and I barely see him before his fist crashes into my face. I hit the ground and the arena erupts with laughter. My brother smirks, and Orin laughs.

“Loser!” They all yell. I force myself to stand, gearing up to use the power I was just given but nothing comes forth and Ryder hits me again and again, until a kick sends me flying across the podium.

“You should have stayed in your family’s mansion, pretty boy. Let your brother have the name while you be the bum.”

The crowd laughs as I wipe the blood from my mouth. So much for giving me power. What was I expecting? I should have never trusted a convicted criminal locked away for the past eight hundred years but I’ve come this far and I refuse to stay down.

Ryder stands above me, forming a fireball in his palm. “There’s nothing wrong with being weak,” he sneers. “What’s wrong is pretending you’re not.”

He throws it but I manage to dodge. He aims another hard punch at me but this time, I grab his wrist and block it. He raises a brow, surprised. Before he can regain his stability, I throw my locked fist into his jaw and a crack sound follows.

Ryder stumbles, watching a tooth fly out of his mouth. His eyes go wide as he stares at me.

“You little—.” I don’t let him finish, I grab his collar, and images of everything I’ve suffered at the hands of everyone takes over my mind. I throw one hard punch after another, relentless and unforgiving. The crowd stares in shocked silence.

Finally, I let go of him and he staggers to the ground.

“Get the hell up, you fool! He doesn’t have powers, use yours!” Orin yells and he pulls himself up. He raises his arms, flames exploding through them.

The crowd erupts. “That’s Blazing Fang! He’s gonna kill him.”

His flames twist together, forming a massive ball of fire between his palms.

“Come take it. BLAZING FANG!” He throws the fire ball at me. I instinctively raise my hand to block it, but it’s too late.

It crashes on me, but I feel no pain. Instead, the fire disappears into my body and I feel an unfamiliar sensation running through me.

A moment later, thin veins of fiery light appear under my skin, spreading through my arms. Ryder stares at me, genuinely confused and scared. “What the hell?”

A teacher suddenly rises from the VIP section with wide eyes. “Impossible…”

Another turns toward her. “What is that?”

“That isn’t elemental magic.” The students stare silently.

“He absorbed it? No mage can absorb a spell!”

I stare at them then back at the flames as they move through my arm like they’re alive. Then I remember the Vazaroths words from the dungeon: “You are not like them.”

Void magic. Was this really what he gave me?

I don't fully understand anything right now and I don’t care. I’m only focused on Ryder.

I raise my hand and the black flames shoot forward. The crowd screams at the prospect of what I’m about to do. Ryder drops to his knees and squirms, blocking his face and pleading.

“Please, don’t kill me. I had no choice. Orin controls us,” he pleads. I remember everything he did to me in the dungeon and I’m really ready to blast him away.

But I stop, drop my hands and the fire disappears back into my body. “Get up,” I say, extending my hand to him. He looks at me in disbelief.

“What… you’re not going to kill me?”

“No. I have no business with you. I want someone else on their knees.” I raise my head up at Orin who is glaring daggers at me.

“Dammit! Get up and fight, you wretch,” Orin curses him but he doesn’t even pay him any mind.

The referee looks between us one more time before raising a flag. “Winner—Kai! Promoted to the D-rank mage.”

To my surprise, the arena explodes in applause and excitement. The same people who were just waiting for my death are now praising me. Maybe it’s the shock that I literally just got a double promotion on my first duel. Whatever it is, I don’t focus on them.

I first stare at my brother before locking eyes with Orin who knows everyone is waiting for him to keep his end of the bet and I take a step forward, letting out a smirk.

“Waiting for those knees on the ground, Orin.”

Orin looks at me with dark eyes as one leg slowly touch the ground. Even the teachers look surprised and uncomfortable but I don’t let it stop me from enjoying the scene.

I stare down at him. “You haven’t said the words.”

“You’re not getting more than this,” he spits angrily.

“Then all these people will know you’re a worthless mage who doesn’t keep his end of the deal.”

His jaw locks harder. I can see his fists shaking like he wants to hit something. Unfortunately, the competition is over and any attempts he makes can get him punished, suspended or expelled.

“Kai Blackwell, you’re welcome to Aureum Academy. Please do not leave.”

I lean down, meeting his face with a smirk. “I won’t.”