The Legendary Mage (Alavin)

"Pah, look at you, you'd only dare to mutter behind his back. If he were standing in front of you, would you dare to curse him? He'd smash your mouth in!"

The Arena was noisy and restless. They were truly impatient, and some were nearly coming to blows.

Finally!!

A resounding shout came from the entrance. "He's here!! Alavin has come down from Botanic Haven. He's heading for the Arena with Eyla and Mariela." The Arena erupted into chaos. Alavin had finally arrived!

Roald and the others exchanged glances, wondering why Alavin had first gone to Botanic Haven. Was he worried about injury and had called Mariela as a precaution?

The elite Protégés perked up, their patience wearing thin. If he didn't show up soon, they couldn't wait any longer. But inside, they grumbled with disapproval. The lad sure had a way of making things interesting. The whole Organization was on hold for him, yet he'd gone off to Botanic Haven to see Mariela. Rumors had been swirling that Alavin's relationship with Mariela was no ordinary affair. Was he off courting her? Or was he deliberately using this to vex Roald and his lot?

Galos, standing amidst the crowd, was seething with jealousy. Many within the Organization secretly longed for Mariela's affection, and he was one of them. That damned Alavin, not only had he made a fool of Galos, but now he was wooing the woman of his dreams. There was no fairness in it!

When Alavin arrived at the Arena with Mariela and Eyla in tow, the thousands of Protégés were in awe. Flanked by two stunning beauties, with a pair of guards trailing behind, this was no longer the servant they knew.

A true victor in life!

Many laid eyes on Eyla for the first time, and she was as breathtakingly beautiful as the legends suggested. Her crimson gaze made many wary, too intimidated to stare for long.

Mariela, upon arriving at the Arena, felt a twinge of regret. She had come to gauge the power of Icebound and to see if it could indeed restrain Alavin, but the atmosphere and the looks from the crowd clearly meant people had other ideas about her and Alavin. Yet, with her naturally aloof nature, she quickly dismissed it and accompanied Alavin into the Arena with a indifferent demeanor.

"Sorry for the wait. I had to take care of some business," Alavin declared as he strode into the combat circle.

"As long as you're here."

"What's the plan for today's bout?" Alavin asked, stretching his limbs, eager to experience the might of Icebound.

"You are the Shadowlord's Messenger. Your powers exceed ours, and we acknowledge that," Felis conceded with a nod to Alavin.

"You flatter me, Felis. There's a fundamental gap between a Novice Mage and an Advanced Mage, and our Combat Magic is different. Only through combat can we truly see who is stronger."

Semar added, "We're all curious about your strength and Combat Magic, and we wish to spar with you."

Alavin thought to himself, just as expected. "Shall we all go at once, or one at a time?"

"I'll go first. The main purpose is to exchange skills. Let's not go too far." Semar said, unable to hide her eagerness.

"We'll follow," chimed in Admus and Felis, each keen to test their mettle.

"What about Roald?"

"I'm an Advanced Mage Stage II. I shall not partake." Roald locked eyes with Alavin, implying that he was out of Alavin's league. He had widened the gap between them, and if Semar could suppress Alavin with Icebound, Roald wouldn't need to concern himself with him anymore.

"Come then, I accept the challenge," Alavin said, extending his hand in invitation to Semar. There would be no bargaining.

Roald and the others flashed looks of approval. Good! The lad had guts!

"Semar, Admus, Felis, you will challenge Alavin in turn, in a martial exchange!"

"Let the match begin!"

The resonant announcement echoed throughout the vast Arena, reaching the ears of all present.

The Protégés cheered with excitement, indifferent to fairness. They were there to witness Alavin's Combat Magic and the thrilling performances of both sides.

Nikulas scoffed, "Shameless, taking turns to challenge. They dress it up as a friendly spar, but who's to keep it just that?"

Myke said coolly, "If they dare to make such a spectacle, they must be confident in their abilities. Let's see how Alavin deals with it."

Nikulas spoke up for Alavin, "He's not getting a fair shake in the Organization because of jealousy! They can't stand that a former servant has risen above them, let alone thrown a bit of dirt in their faces."