People generally clap and cheer at the form of entertainment which gives them purest pleasure, even in this exam clapping and cheering isn't uncommon. However the intent doesn't prioritize pleasure but to patronize the fellow gladiators. Once a while even the aristocratic pride crumble when the commoners puts up a tough fight, their life burns for others. Their own efforts motivate the awed to push beyond their struggle. Cheering and clapping are done here out of respect….whether they win or loose both are admonished to highest honour as long as they put a good fight.
Krodh could feel each strikes beyond the long tunnel, shock-waves of spell colliding- the smoke, the reaction and the waves of air were all absorbed through his nostrils. The fight was at a climax, its his turn next so he checked his arms for the last time and strode forward to the ground. His pockets were heavier than usual.
Upon entering the grounds his eyes only fixated on his opponent in front of him; The audience, the wall, the stadium and soil in the field stopped existing, all irrelevant thoughts were gone and his sole focus was on his opponent.
The girl on his opposite end, her features were prominent and her violet hairs stood out about her.
'A nobility! Daughter of baron or earl probably.' Krodh thought, his finger tipped the edge of his wand tugged in his belt.
"Battle number 8: Krodh Mayfly vs Vivian Marshall" The referee announced, "Take yourposition."
Krodh stood at the circle designed as the starting position, not too long but also not short enough to use short range spell. 'probably two-step forward…No! Shadow step forward then I strike…',Krodh schemed in his mind to take her down as peacefully as possible.
In the circle Krodh put his left leg forward and his left hand near his waist where the wand is. His opponent already had her wand out and had the stone touching her forehead.
"Begin"
.
.
.
"Lord of fire please...." before the girl could finish incantation, her right hand along with her wand flung backward, it felt supernatural, she took three step backwards to readjust herself. Her body shook in terror as the impact spread across her body rapidly. Her hand was still attached but it dangled by unresponsive, drained of blood; From the corner of eye she saw her flesh had split into two. The devastating attack split up her forearm stopping after shattering her elbow. Writhing in pain and horror she fell on her knees, placed the body on top of the dissected hand desperately trying to re-attach it or who knows lull herself into false-security by falling asleep on the ground. As she Hyperventilated her hands search for support, the suffering was quiet, drops of tears were soaked into the dry soil. The referee ran to her side and bend down to check on her, she grasped him even tried to climb up his lap like toddler, using is body as a shield against the tyrant and his warmth to escape his cold gaze. All the suffering on mortal were the prelude to the rude awakening to enlightenment.
"So the spell de-materializes when it goes out of range." Krodh thought. What he did wasn't complex, first he shadow stepped forward to the right position where hid air slash could pulverize her right hand as soon as she aimed at him. He stepped forward to put the unarmed opponent into his range.
'Another slash will do the job' Krodh aimed at her.
"STOP" The referee commanded, "She isn't able to fight."
He stood up and said, "Victory goes to Krodh Mayfly."
There was no clapping or cheering for him, only silence wary looks.
Krodh went back to the stands and waited for his next opponent. He sat alone observing the next fight. An eeriness of all eyes no talk made him feel uncomfortable. He felt an obligation to talk to the other candidates but decided against it as the very person he might converse with might turn out to be his next opponent. He will know who his opponent is once their name is announced. Striking someone after exchanging pleasantries is something is still incapable of. The loneliness made him restless, he took out his pistols and wands and started to clean them to ease himself.
Both Isaac and Koshechka were allocated to others another stadium and Ludmilla and others were there to guide them. Once again he was left all alone to guide himself to them.
Meanwhile, in another stadium, on the VIP section reserved for aristocrats Ludmilla and her four subordinates sat side by side, Ludmilla spoke first, "Listen both of you, don't give it all in your all in the first two battles…if you feel like you cannot win just forfeit. You need to reserve your vitality for the last fight."
"Why?" asked Koshechka
"You see there is a chance that your opponent might already be exhausted by the time they get to third fight, this will be the moment when you strike." replied Ludmilla
"Alright"
"Lady Ludmilla, was it alright to leave Krodh all by himself?" asked Isaac
"Yes….There is no need to supervise him, even without my coaching I am confident that he will win all three battles easily."
"Still wining three battles will be hard, he might gravely injured in one of the battle and struggle in the last one "
"You are correct to be concerned but Isaac, when it comes to fighting I've never seen any one as extraordinary as him." She displayed her pride through her words.
"Also depending on his style there might be a chance his opponent might forfeit. 'Ludmilla added
"!?"
Theovan who was listening finally said, "The way he looks at his opponent when he is about to strike is absolute bone-chilling, its practically a death stare. I might call it qute if I were his opponent."
"yeah I remember…he looked constipated" interjected Bracknell.
Everyone burst into laughter.
"Bracknell if he hears that he might come running at you from the other stadium." said Theovan.
"Maybe serve you curry with croissant as breakfast." added Isaac.
"Gee… That something I don't want to imagine." Bracknell looked disgusted.
"Anyway I think he had won at least two battles by now." said Ludmilla.
Krodh got up after he hard his name being called by the announcer, For the past hour he was trying to study what spell was the announcer using to amplify his voice, he knew it had borrowed some elements of wind spell but felt there was something more to it and experimented in his brain how could this be turned into an effective weapon.
However before he could set his foot, a black haired guy jumped up screaming, "I forfeit I forfeit" from one corner of the stadium and thus Krodh won his second fight without setting his foot to the arena.