Even amid all the noise the other Starless made, Ester still couldn't believe it.
Markos had introduced the boy she'd only seen in the library. The same boy who shuffled across the field with such awkwardness that he looked bound to trip over nothing.
She felt her heart rate speed up as she watched him nervously readjust his glasses, glancing toward the Starless, comparing his scrawny physique to his imposing older brother.
"C'mon c'mon…" the freckled boy was buzzing, glancing at Markos with a smile. "Are we doing this or not?"
Markos let out a soft sigh.
"Yes, but I need to expla-"
"Why am I here though?" Elijah scowled, erupting Markos.
"Because it is your duty as a third star student of the HoS." Markos retorted.
Elijah rolled his eyes, grumbling to himself.
Markos turned back toward the Starless, his hands behind his back.
"These third years will be sparring," he said. "They will be demonstrating what a Synchrite can truly do."
He smiled as he glanced toward Cosmo, who nervously nudged his feet against the ground.
"...They are the best of the best."
Cosmo and Elijah squinted slightly at the comment.
"...Isn't Vanessa…?"
"Yes, but she is not a combatant." Markos said. "...Plus, she's not needed in this lesson."
They agreed with his reasoning.
Ester was intrigued by what Markos meant by the best of the best, and how exactly Cosmo fit into that.
He didn't seem like the type who enjoyed fighting, but from the way Markos looked at him, it was as if there was more to him that met the eye.
"The first fight will be between Cosmo and Nathaniel," Markos announced as Nathaniel began to celebrate. "This will not be an all out brawl, but a bout that should help you visualise how someone with the same path as you fights."
They made their way toward an arena in the middle of the training grounds, where the two began to warm up.
"...He doesn't look strong," Arthur whispered, watching Cosmo perform elaborate stretches.
"I guess we'll see…" Ezekiel folded his arms.
When she turned her attention back on Cosmo, he was now holding two gleaming daggers that seemed to have come out of nowhere.
For her, it seemed like magic. Most of the other Starless simply stared in awe, inspecting the two dark blades that glowed faintly beneath the afternoon sun.
"Heh…" Nathaniel grinned.
He took out the staff that was strapped to his back.
"I hope you're ready Cosmo!"
Cosmo didn't say anything. Instead, he slowly took off his glasses and took a deep breath.
"Ready?" Markos raised his arm.
Nathaniel licked his lips and raised his free hand, giving a slow nod.
Multiple distortions began happening around him.
It was then Ester noticed Cosmo was unusually quiet. He positioned himself in a stance, shuffling his feet to find the best balance. His expression was completely different to the one Ester was used to. He looked like a completely different person as he tracked Nathaniel's movements.
Nathaniel, however, still had a grin plastered across his face despite his increasingly heavy breathing, as though he knew exactly who he was up against.
"...BEGIN!"
Cosmo kicked the dirt, charging at Nathaniel impossibly fast, his dagger gripped across his body, seemingly wanting to end the bout as soon as possible. Nathaniel just stood there smiling, his free hand still raised as the air around him shifted.
From Cosmo's point of view, a giant golden lance appeared in front of Nathaniel. He managed to block the strike.
A huge golden spectral knight's upper body appeared alongside it, its massive hand gripping the lance.
Cosmo sidestepped the attack, spinning with the momentum.
Following Nathaniel's movements, the spectral knight spun the large lance through the air before bringing it crashing down with such immense power.
However, Cosmo was quicker. He sidestepped the attack again before charging straight toward the centre of the massive Conjure. Even though Nathaniel tried to block it with his conjurer's shield, Cosmo was too fast, sending a kick that completely sent Nathaniel flying, the whole construct fading instantly.
Whilst Nathaniel scrambled to his feet, Cosmo lowered his head, his face tense with pain as he took deep breaths.
"...Watch out!" Nathaniel warned with a grin.
He raised the hand holding his staff, and the space around him began to morph into countless forms. Some were flaming spears, some were just birds made out of flames. Soon, the space around Nathaniel looked like an army waiting for its command.
He launched them all towards Cosmo, who reacted expertly, dodging and hacking the flaming spears that raced towards him. The flaming birds were even worse. Whenever they came into contact with something, they erupted into small explosions.
He tried his best to get closer to the smiling Nathaniel, but to Ester, the attacks seemed almost endless.
Ester was in awe of the spectacle before her. More than that, she was amazed by the boy who seemed so harmless. She wouldn't have believed he could fight with such precision and prowess if she hadn't witnessed it herself.
"Cosmo..." Nathaniel licked his lips. "Use it."
Cosmo pursed his lips, slashing and slipping through Nathaniel's barrage of attacks. A flame spear whizzed past, searing his cheek as he dodged.
He grunted in pain, but he couldn't let up. The attacks kept pouring in, forcing him onto the defensive as he heaved heavily.
"...Fine then." Nathaniel raised his hand again and concentrated.
The air around him began to shimmer as the last of his attacks bombarded Cosmo.
Ester noticed Elijah roll his eyes and scratch the back of his head.
"...Nathaniel?" Markos called slowly.
"It won't be as big." Nathaniel shouted back with a grin. "...He should be able to dodge this!"
Blue electricity began to take shape around Nathaniel, circling him as it grew larger and larger until it became almost animalistic.
A large, snarling, snake like dragon formed in the air, screeching as it circled above him.
Its cry was sharp and deep, like thunder itself.
"Woah…" Ezekiel mumbled.
Kris glanced at him, opening his mouth about to say something before deciding against it and looking back at the arena.
"What?...What?!"
The dragon had no limbs or wings, making it a wyrm-type.
Following his movements, the thunder dragon climbed into the clouds taking all the chaos with it and with the drop of his hand, the dragon, like crackling thunder, came crashing down.
Its maw opened, electrical energy blazing around its body as it aimed straight for Cosmo, crashing into the earth with terrifying force.
Lightning rained from the crater as the smoke began to subside.
Cosmo was nowhere to be seen.
"No…" Ester felt her heart tighten as she leaned forward. There was no way he.. She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. No one dared to say anything. Nor look away.
"Ack!"
Ester whipped her head toward the sound.
Behind him, Cosmo stood with one dagger pressed against his neck and the other aimed toward his side. His nose was bleeding, and his chest rose and fell heavily, yet his face remained completely expressionless.
Nathaniel was breathing heavily, a nervous smile on his face.
"Alright. Alright!" He said.
"He got me."
The Starless gasped, murmurs built up as some applauded the bout.
"Um...What?" Saphy said.
"Maybe a unique skill that allows him to move incredibly fast?" Kris narrowed his eyes.
Markos smiled and turned toward the crowd. Cosmo put his glasses back on, blinking several times as his usual bewildered expression returned.
"As you saw, Nathaniel let his guard down." he said as Nathaniel moaned beside them. "Even with all his firepower, Cosmo exploited his straightforward fighting style."
He placed a hand on Cosmo's shoulder.
"The winner is Cosmo Alauris."
Claps exploded from the Starless as Nathaniel muttered about how he couldn't go all out.
"There will be a breather before the final spar against Elijah."
As Cosmo, Elijah, and Nathaniel talked and drank, Ester was still blown away by how good Cosmo was. But to the rest of the third years and to Markos, this wasn't new news. She wondered why, despite all his strength, he seemed so much more expressive when talking about books.
It was then that Cosmo's eyes found Ester.
He gave her a surprised look before it slowly morphed into an awkward smile.
He flashed her two thumbs up, and an awkward smile.
"So… even the librarian is competent…" Ezekiel stretched loudly.
Se'raf turned toward him.
"He wouldn't be a third Star otherwise."
Ester hoped there would be more explanation about what Stars meant, or whether it was simply another way of referring to third years.
After more talking, Markos clapped his hands again.
"Elijah. Cosmo…" He turned toward them.
"Are you ready?"
"Wait… Why can't I join?" Nathaniel darted his head between them. "I mean...we are talking about Eli after all."
"Because it will be too chaotic." Markos answered. He paused and cocked his head. "...Perhaps another time."
Nathaniel's eyes lit up.
"J-just so we're clear…" Cosmo glanced at Eli. "...He's not using Kilisk, right?"
"This is just a spar, so I don't intend for you to go all out." Markos looked at Elijah. "...But the choice whether he wants to or not is his-"
"I won't." Elijah replied. "...And you know what?"
His hands found the buckle of his sword, and he unclipped it, letting it fall to the ground.
"I won't even use this."
Gasps escaped the Starless.
Elijah looked smug at his remark, glancing toward the crowd with his chest puffed out.
"Oh my… "Nathaniel said, putting an elbow on his shoulder. "You're so cool Eli…"
Elijah swatted him away in feigned annoyance and scratched the back of his head.
"Alright… Places. Both of you."
"...Does anyone think he can win?" Arthur asked weakly.
Their silence was their response. Their eyes were glued to the field, watching as Cosmo pulled his daggers out of nowhere again and deliberately took several deep breaths.
"...Begin!"
Cosmo moved first as Elijah lowered himself into his stance.
He disappeared in the blink of an eye, appearing in front of Elijah and before he could readjust himself, Cosmo disappeared again, moving so quickly he appeared at Elijah's side, delivering a kick to his ribs.
Elijah didn't even move.
Cosmo darted backward, creating distance before Elijah had the chance to elbow the space he'd just occupied.
Using the momentum from the space he gained, Cosmo twirled in the air, closing the gap between them as he brought down his dagger towards Elijah's face until his arm nearly reached the ground.
Whilst the Starless gasped at the clear blow to the face, there wasn't even a mark on Elijah. As if he was attacking a reinforced wall.
Elijah caught Cosmo's wrist, causing him to yelp in pain, and threw him with such ease that the distance he covered seemed impossible.
Cosmo was able to reposition himself in midair, grabbing his right arm with a pained expression as he staggered to his feet.
He glanced at Markos as if he wanted to complain but Elijah was already moving.
Spikes of iron rushed through the ground, forcing Cosmo to leap out of the way.
But he expected that.
He was already in the air with him, delivering a crushing kick that sent Cosmo back into the ground with a chilling THUD.
To Ester, this wasn't a battle.
If Elijah was this strong…
A chill crawled up her spine.
Then what was Lucius?