Where Eris had been methodical, Draco was pure instinct. His movements were fluid and unpredictable, almost serpentine. I found myself on the defensive immediately, blocking strikes that seemed to come from impossible angles.
A blow to my shoulder sent me stumbling back. I recovered quickly, ducking under his next swing and sweeping his legs. He fell but rolled back to his feet in one smooth motion.
We were evenly matched in hand-to-hand, trading blows that neither of us could fully land. Scorpios and Ophis were very similar in that way, or so I’d heard. While we were both serpentine in nature, he was more reserved and calculating.
Technically, an Ophis was represented by what the ancient texts described as a “winged serpent.” I’d asked Orion if that meant we were technically the dragon designation, but she shut that down quickly. In my opinion though, I was totally a dragon.
Hadley called time. Draco stepped back, his chest rising and falling rapidly, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Not bad,” he murmured as he passed me. “Not bad at all.”
Aiden stepped up next, his golden eyes cold and assessing. “Now let’s make it interesting,” he said, and without warning, his eyes began to glow with Leo magic.
Hadley nodded. “Magic is permitted. Same rules apply.”
I felt a thrill of both excitement and apprehension. This was what they’d been building toward, a test of my designation’s powers.
Aiden didn’t wait. He pulled two blades from behind his back, and infused them with golden light that erupted from his hands. Impressive, but not as impressive as mine.
I centered myself, reaching for the well of power inside me. Silver light flickered at my fingertips, stars dancing across my skin as I called upon the Ophis magic. The crowd gasped as the light traveled up my arms, following the paths of my serpent tattoos until they seemed to come alive, going silver as they coiled.
Aiden struck first, his blades whistling through the air. I dodged, my movements enhanced by my magic, leaving a trail of starlight in my wake. I formed my own weapon, a staff of pure starlight that solidified in my hands. I knew without having to see myself, that my eyes were the same bright white as my magic.
Our weapons clashed, sending sparks of gold and silver light across the arena. The crowd was on their feet now, watching as we moved. My heart was pounding hard, but I almost wanted to laugh. This was way more fun than training with the Assembly trainers. At least he was worthy of my effort.
Aiden was powerful, his Leo magic burning hot. But my Ophis magic responded instinctively, absorbing his energy and redirecting it. When he pressed forward, I stepped sideways—literally into a small pocket of folded space—and reappeared behind him.
The crowd erupted in shocked exclamations. Aiden whirled, his eyes wide with surprise. “Portal manipulation,” he breathed out. “So it’s true.”
“Told you,” I replied, twirling my staff. “Want to see what else I can do?”
He charged again, his blades forming a golden arc of light. I met him head-on this time, our weapons clashing with enough force to send shockwaves through the arena. The fight escalated, magic against magic, neither of us holding back now.
When Hadley finally called time, we were both drenched in sweat, our magic flickering with exhaustion. Aiden stepped back, his golden magic leaving the surface of his blades and retreating back into his body.
“Your turn, Percy,” he said, not taking his eyes off me.
I took a deep breath, trying to center myself. Three intense fights in a row had taken their toll, and my reserves were dangerously low. But I couldn’t show weakness, not now.
Percy entered the arena, and the atmosphere changed immediately. Where the others had approached with curiosity or skepticism, Percy radiated pure challenge. His Aries designation was aggressive. Ares was associated with war for a very good reason.
“No holding back,” he said, his dark eyes holding mine. “Show us what the 13th zodiac can really do. Impress me.”
“You sure about that?” I asked, flexing my fingers as silver light danced between them.
“Absolutely certain.”
His magic manifested differently than the others. It was red energy coalescing around his arms and forearms like armor. Aries magic was about force and impact, turning the user’s body into a living weapon. It bled into his eyes, turning them a glowing blood red.
We circled each other slowly, each waiting for the other to make the first move. The crowd had become completely silent, the tension in the arena thick enough to cut.
I struck first this time, launching forward with my staff reformed and ready. Percy met me with a block that sent vibrations up my arms. His strength was incredible, each impact like hitting a brick wall.
But I was faster, darting in and out of his guard, landing glancing blows that he couldn’t quite block. His magic flared brighter with each hit, his attacks becoming more chaotic, but harder.
I felt my own magic responding. When Percy landed a particularly hard blow to my side, something shifted inside me, a deeper well of power opening up to defend me. My magic infused tattoos blazed white-hot, and suddenly I could see everything—every movement, every potential attack, laid out before me like a map of possibilities.
Percy lunged, and I simply... wasn’t there. I stepped through a fold in space, reappearing behind him. Before he could turn, I swept his legs and had him pinned, my staff of starlight at his throat.
The arena went completely silent.
