"You're new, but ignorance won't protect you here. Refusing to use your Inheritance is just another way to your death."
Mingle's warning made sense now—that staff member serving as his referee. They were going to force his Inheritance out, even if it killed him.
Now he faced Storm, one of the most promising tier-6 students. Curly blond hair, blue eyes, and light skin, which marked his lineage as a holder of the Master of Hermes Inheritance. A physique as ripped as Scar's. He wielded a golden bow and carried a quiver of arrows.
Fear gripped Scar. He stared at Storm and that golden bow, desperately hoping he'd survive more than one attack. The crowd's insults faded to background noise as he fought to control his trembling.
Storm closed his eyes briefly, as if in prayer. When the referee signaled the start, Storm's eyes snapped open. Scar was already panicking.
"You're free to take as long as you need to use your Inheritance. Whatever the outcome, it was entrusted to you."
Scar was caught off guard. He'd expected arrows flying at him by now, but a conversation?
'Heh… he understands me. I might not die, after all.'
Storm's face remained neutral, but his words took a confusing turn.
"I have no patience for cowards. If you won't use your Inheritance, then demonstrate you have the physical strength to compensate. Otherwise, stop pretending."
Scar grimaced.
'That doesn't sound nice.'
Suddenly, he had to move, blocking an arrow he barely saw. Only a glimpse of Storm's stance shifting saved him. Without that, the arrow would've pierced his brain.
Still, he knew he wasn't safe yet. Without sparing a moment, he began running in circles around Storm as though he had nothing better to do. Storm barely reacted. In fact, he still had his eyes closed, bow ready for another shot.
Soon enough, about four arrows were already heading for him. Scar managed to parry one; another nearly tore through his neck, but he managed to weave through it, leaving him with only a paper cut. His heartbeat quickened as he shook the remaining off.
'He's not even fighting me for real, what the heck.'
Scar began considering all the possible ways he could use his Inheritance to actually put up a fight. But he always shut himself down.
He had an old man, Isaac, to protect and live for. Putting himself in danger was the last thing he could think of doing.
Regardless of how he looked at it, he was already in danger.
Countless arrows launched toward him, and Scar forced himself to block a few under tremendous pressure, but still ended up with injuries all across his body.
He halted, breathing hard, hands propped against his knees.
Storm had his eyes open now, his last arrow drawn back in an impossibly aggressive stance, ready to fire.
The crowd grew wary. Even those who hated Scar for not using his Inheritance appeared concerned. But the staff member who got Scar in this predicament, Mingle, only smiled.
With a heavy breath, Scar readied himself and tightened his grip on his sword. The azure blade reflected the tense atmosphere.
If heartbeats could generate electricity, Scar's could have powered the entire world with never-ending light.
In a flash, Storm loosed the arrow at Scar without flinching. Scar adjusted slightly, ready to parry, but before his leg could even shift, a cut opened on his face.
He gulped bile.
He spun around to see a hole in the wall behind him. The arrow had disappeared completely into it. It was impossible, how can a mere human possess such strength?
'Tha… that would have killed me.'
He shivered aggressively like an old man.
Storm tossed his quiver and bow aside and began cracking his knuckles.
"This is your last chance. Use your Inheritance, and I'll graciously hand you the victory."
Scar was fully aware of what was coming. It was obvious Storm was allowing him to reconsider. But he stuck to his decision for now, until he could figure out how to use his Inheritance without Dain catching on.
He assumed a fighting stance and forced a practiced smile, acting as though he wasn't on the verge of pissing himself.
"Bring it on, lad… you haven't seen the best of me yet."
The next second, Scar wished he'd kept his loud mouth shut. Punches hit every visible part of his body. He had less than a second to breathe before the next one landed. Worse, he couldn't see where they came from or predict the next strike.
It was bizarre but he could have sworn Storm wasn't moving, he was teleporting.
The crowd laughed, and Adisa's voice rang out the loudest. But Scar was dying where he stood. All he could taste and smell was blood, which might've been tolerable if his head wasn't pounding and his bones didn't feel broken. When he fell, he got up, only to hit the ground again.
Storm's Inheritance, Master of Hermes, had been passed down through his family for centuries. It was the Blake family's pride. Though not among the eight Founders of Magic, it was incredibly ancient, and their speed had served mankind well down through the centuries.
Though incredibly fast, they still mastered archery from a young age, making any Blake a dangerous foe.
Scar had always known about the Blakes. Hell, Flames of the Unknown appeared around the same time as Master of Hermes. But now he learned to fear the Master of Hermes the hard way.
Flames of the Unknown sat at his fingertips, ready to decay anything he touched. It was the only way. Even decaying the sand below would be enough, a sign of his Inheritance. Storm would retreat, and he'd survive.
But then, Dain… the Ruler of Zeus would find him and kill him, just like they'd killed his predecessors.
'I just can't hide…'
The instant those words echoed in his mind, realization struck. He didn't have to die in this duel. He could surrender.
"I forfeit!"
Mouths fell open in confusion. Even Storm pulled back his fist mid-strike. They stared at Scar with disgust as he smiled confidently, blood streaming from his nose and mouth.
'Ha! I didn't think this through, but this might be the best decision I've made all day.'
Storm scoffed in annoyance.
"You can't hide forever. Next time I get this chance, you die."
Scar couldn't care less. He only flashed him a smile.
Actually, he did care. Storm was right. He couldn't hide forever. He'd been playing it safe too long, acting as though nothing was at stake. Each decision would lead him down a dangerous path, but he had to make one regardless. And he would survive.