Aeris stood in the center of the dueling arena, arms crossed, her expression completely bored as Tristan launched yet another weak fire spell in her direction. 

The small, flickering orb of flame sputtered toward her lazily, and she didn't even flinch as it fizzled out before even reaching her.

"Is that all you've got?" Aeris asked, her voice dripping with disdain.

Tristan's face flushed with frustration. 

"I'm just getting started," he snapped, gritting his teeth

. He raised his hands, summoning a series of flaming pillars that erupted from the ground around her. 

The heat swirled in the air, and flames licked at her feet as she calmly sidestepped each pillar, effortlessly weaving between them with grace.

Her heart didn't even stir

Aeris decided to have some fun. It was obvious Tristan was no match for her, but watching him struggle, flail about with that fire magic of his it sparked a cruel streak in her, one she'd inherited from her father.

 She clenched her fist and felt the cold, familiar chill of magic swirling within her, coiling into her hand like a snake preparing to strike.

"Frostbite Whip."

The air crackled as a shimmering, icy whip materialized in her hand, glowing faintly in the dim light of the arena.

 It was a spell her father had often used to discipline her painfully and without mercy.

 Now, it was her turn to wield it.

With a flick of her wrist, the whip lashed out, striking Tristan across the chest with a sharp crack. He cried out in pain, stumbling backward, his robes singed from the fire he'd tried to summon. 

His skin blistered from the freezing impact, the contrast of the heat and cold causing his body to convulse.

"You talk big, but your magic is pathetic," 

Aeris taunted, her voice ice-cold as she lashed him again, this time catching him across the arm. 

He wailed, dropping to one knee, his hand clutching the wound as frost spread across his skin.

 "Where did all that bravado go?"

Tristan gritted his teeth, struggling to stand, but before he could find his footing, Aeris struck again, the whip cracking through the air.

"If you want me to stop," she said, her tone sickly sweet, "you'll have to beg me."

Tristan glared at her, his body trembling from the pain and the chill creeping up his limbs.

 "I’ll... never... beg," he hissed, trying to muster the strength for a counterattack. 

His eyes ablaze with rage, and for a moment, Aeris thought he might finally put up a fight.

"Then you're an even bigger fool than I thought," Aeris replied, her lips twisting into a callous grin.

Tristan’s hand shot out, and with a scream of fury, he cast a powerful spell, one she recognized immediately. T

The flames gathered in his palm, flickering more violently than before. 

He was casting Wildfire, a significantly stronger spell, one that had the potential to burn through even her defenses if left unchecked.

Aeris’ smile widened. 

"Finally."

He was quick but she was faster.

Before the flames could fully materialize, Aeris summoned her own magic.

 The air around her dropped several degrees as she raised her hand and unleashed her next spell.

Her trusty "Glacial Blast."

A roaring wave of ice surged from her palm, colliding with Tristan’s flames in an instant. The ice overtook the fire, smothering it with a fierce hiss, before surging forward to crash into Tristan like an avalanche. 

His scream was cut off as the cold slammed into him, sending him flying across the arena, where he landed in a heap, unconscious and encased in a thin layer of frost.

The arena fell quiet, the only sound was the soft crackling of ice as it settled around Tristan’s fallen body.

Aeris lowered her hand, the magic dissipating as she exhaled her misty breath visible in the freshly chilled air. 

"Pathetic."

Sorithra stepped forward, impressed by Aeris decisive victory.

"The winner of this match is well...obviously, Aeris Garland!"

 She announced, her voice beaming with pride.

The crowd cheered, though Aeris detected a tinge of trepidation behind them.

They’d seen Aeris lash Tristan without mercy, mock him, and toy with him as if he were an insect crushed beneath her heel. 

It surely left a sour taste in the mouths of some. 

But Aeris didn’t care, they could think what they want.

 She was here for her own benefit.

As the cheers died down, Talia approached her, a faint smile on her lips. 

"You really went all out on him, didn’t you?" she said, though there was no malice in her tone. 

She seemed more impressed than anything else.

Aeris laughed lightly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. 

"I just wanted to teach him a little humility. He was getting a little too confident for his own good if you ask me".

Talia raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced, but she didn’t press the issue. 

"Well, it worked. Just try not to kill anyone before the finals, okay?" she said playfully.

Aeris smirked. "No promises."

Talia shook her head with a grin. 

"I’ll be waiting for you in the finals," she said, her eyes gleaming with determination. "So don't go losing on me"

Aeris’ smirk softened slightly as she looked at Talia, a gentle churning in her stomach.

"I wouldn’t dream of it."

With that, Talia turned and made her way to the stage, ready for her next match. 

Aeris watched her go, her mind whirling with thoughts of the next fight, the next challenge.

 But she couldn’t shake the feeling that Talia her supposed enemy was becoming something more than just a pawn in this twisted game.

Still, Aeris reminded herself, pawns are useful. 

She just had to keep Talia under her thumb, manipulating 

As Aeris walked away from the stage her thoughts lingered on Talia and how fun it would be to make her submit.