Eira focused on the match between Varren and Kotol. She knew Lightspinning well and wasn’t worried about Meru’s competitors. She also had learned a fair amount about the shift through Ducot. But Kotol and Varren represented two unknowns—the draconi and those from Qwint.
Kotol launched into a series of relentless attacks, one after the next. Draconi physical prowess was unmatched. Varren was ready, spinning his bracelets. Pure magic manifesting as lightning crackled around them, not unlike what Lavette had used to continue popping her metal ball into the air yesterday. Except this magic lingered in the air in a line as Varren swung his hand, closing his fist around the tail end. He wielded his dagger of magic, brandishing it against the approaching Kotol.
The draconi sidestepped at the last minute—Kotol had seen something Eira hadn’t. Varren must’ve done something to telegraph his attack. Kotol leapt and spun, bringing her foot toward Varren’s head. Varren spun his bracelets again. This time there was no lightning but a thick fog poured out from his wrist, engulfing not only their ring, but partly obscuring the other two rings—much to the displeasure of the spectators.
“Cullen, what do the Qwint braceletsdo?” If anyone would know, it would be him, and at this point Eira was utterly confounded.
“Lavette tried to explain it to me, but I’m still not sure even I understand… She said that sorcerers are born with a marking on their soul—an innate power that they can harness. There’sa rite when those in Qwint are young to bring that symbol to the forefront of their mind. They can then leverage its power. Something akin to the unique Lightspinning words that can be given from the Voice of Yargen?”
Eira nodded. “That is something the Voice can do. There are normal words of power that anyone can use, and unique ones to some individuals. It was how Ferro froze the ball, that night.”
She was pleased how her voice remained level at the mention of Ferro. She wondered what the mention of his name did for Cullen…especially after learning last night that Ferro still gave him nightmares. Cullen regarded her warily, but he didn’t say anything. A kindness, really.
“Apparently all sorcerers in Qwint have bracelets with the runes everyone knows, as well as any runes they were born knowing, and any runes shared with them.”
“People share runes?”
“It’s like a currency,” he continued explaining. “Because the more people that know a symbol, the less powerful it becomes. Some symbols are highly coveted and strictly protected for that reason. They put those on the insides of their bracelets.”
If a symbol’s power was based on the number of people who knew it, Eira suspected that some would go to great lengths indeed to prevent people from learning it…or eradicating those that already did.
She thought back to the columns and patchwork in the coliseum. The runes had been embedded there, too, in order to fortify them. Like the shift key, they could imprint magic upon objects. A fascinating and useful skill beyond elemental sorcerers or Lightspinners.
“So can multiple people be born with the same symbol on their soul?” Alyss asked.
“I think so, if I understood Lavette correctly. She said some can be quite common—practical skills like making a spark fora candle or tinder, fixing small breaks in things, or mending a small wound.”
“And they use the bracelets to keep track of the symbols they’ve collected?” Eira assumed it to be the case.
Cullen nodded. “Common runes known by most are on the outside, rare ones are etched inside. Embedding the magic into the bracelets is the only way to use symbols other than your own.”
So it wouldn’t be possible to know everything a sorcerer from Qwint could do by memorizing the symbols and looking at the outsides of the bracelets alone. But it did mean that they only had so many abilities and it would be possible to learn all of them for an opponent. Eira leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. She continued watching the duel before her unfold.
Varren had interesting magic, and used it in creative ways, but Kotol had him bested on strength and speed…and skill. That final component was what led Kotol to victory. Varren was on the ground, pummeled over and over, before the attendants stepped in.
Eira looked to the other rings. The draconi won one and lost the other. Evanel pulled out a victory for Meru over Tentur. Qwint didn’t gain any points this round as Graff won his duel by forcing Lop out of the ring with a wave of rock that Alyss was particularly impressed by.
It was time for Cullen to pick the next matches. Noelle was up against Harkor in the center ring, per her request. Kinnya from Qwint was up against Menna from Meru. And Cullen had positioned Lavette against Alyss. Likely the kindest decision he could make for Lavette. While Alyss was more than capable of being a formidable foe, she wasn’t a fighter and wouldn’t go all in against someone who had been nothing but kind to her so far.
Eira and Cullen remained on the benches to the side. Alone.
“Nervous for Lavette?” The second Eira asked, she thought better of it. It was an ugly urge that prompted her to ask.
Cullen side-eyed her. “Nervous for both of them, but I also trust them both to make it a clean duel.”
“They were a good choice to put together,” Eira agreed. “You haven’t told me who I’m going to end up against.”
“I told you, you’re our anchor, our ace. We’ll see what we need in the last minute.” Cullen kept his eyes forward as he spoke, just like she did.
Noelle sank low into her stance as Harkor entered their ring. Both of them had an ominous aura. It was a stark contrast to Lavette and Alyss, who warmly shook hands and wished each other a fair fight. It didn’t matter how curious Eira was about Lavette and the magic of Qwint; her focus remained on Noelle.
Harkor loomed large on the opposite end of the ring and Eira already had her magic around her fingertips. Rules be damned. She wasn’t going to let him severely hurt her friend if that’s where he took the duel. But would she jump into the fray herself, or try to widen Noelle’s channel?
Her eyes fluttered closed and Eira reached out with her power. The arena was a mess of magic. The coliseum towered over them with even more sorcerers among the crowd. Eira hadn’t practiced with Noelle enough—she couldn’t find her magic amid the chaos.
The bell rang.
Noelle blasted a wall of fire toward Harkor that he ran straight through, unburned. Seeing that mountain of muscle charging right for her must’ve caught Noelle off guard because she staggered back. Harkor stopped short, their noses almost touching, a terrible smile splitting his face.
