Chapter 17
Sonny’s second intercollegiate match is next, and the bracket doesn’t get kinder. His opponent is the seventh seed from the University of Power, a water and ice user with a reputation for controlling the entire battlefield. Before the match, Sonny returns to the dorm.
Bull is there, half packed, sitting on his bed with his elbows on his knees. Bull looks up. "You look tired."
Sonny does not deny it. "I trained hard. I need to win today."
Bull’s brows rise. "Did you sleep at all"
"No," Sonny says.
Bull stares like he hears a joke. "That seems counterintuitive to winning. You’re not normal."
Sonny’s expression stays calm. "Even I know that."
Bull stands and grabs his jacket. "I’ll be in the crowd. Good luck."
Sonny acknowledges him. "Thank you."
Bull pauses at the door. "You better win."
Sonny gives a small wave. "I will try."
At the arena, the noise hits Sonny the moment he walks through the entrance. The underdog ether user is now getting attention, and people want to see if the first win was a fluke.
Ellie waits near the hallway that leads to the fighters’ staging area. She waves the moment she sees him.
Then Asher appears. He comes up from behind and wraps Ellie in a quick hug like he owns the moment.
“Ellie!” Asher shouts. “I had so much fun at dinner last night. Catching up with you and your family was a joy.”
Ellie stiffens. “Asher.” Sonny’s expression does not change, but his eyes do.
They lock onto Asher’s arm around Ellie. The look is sharp, quiet, and not friendly. Asher releases Ellie and finally notices Sonny.
He grins. “You must be the guy.”
Sonny answers evenly. “Sonny.”
“Asher,” Asher says, like the name should mean something.
He glances at Ellie. “This is him, right. The one everyone was talking about.”
Ellie looks down at her shoes, already regretting today. “Yes.”
Asher turns back to Sonny, energized. “I’m not going to lie, I was jealous. Ellie’s whole family was talking about you. About your fights. About your ether abilities.”
Sonny keeps quiet. Asher keeps going anyway. “I watched your first match. I didn’t think ether could do that. I was amazed.”
Ellie stays quiet, face heating. She doesn’t like this unexpected meeting between Asher and Sonny.
Asher leans closer, voice dropping like it’s a secret. “If you win your match and I win mine, we’ll meet in a couple days. I’d love the chance to fight you.”
Then he leans even closer and whispers directly into Sonny’s ear. “It's embarrassing but I still have a crush on Ellie.” Sonny freezes. It’s subtle, but it’s real. A flicker of shock crosses his face, and it’s so rare that Ellie notices immediately. Asher continues to whisper to Sonny. “Actually, here’s a fun idea. Winner of our bout earns the right to take Ellie on a date.”
Ellie’s head snaps up. “Asher, what nonsense are you putting in his ears?”
Asher laughs. “Relax. Nothing harmful. Just pitching a friendly wager on our potential match.”
Ellie says. “Go away.”
Asher lifts his hands like he’s innocent. “Fine, fine. I’ll leave you two to speak before his fight.”
Sonny speaks before Asher can turn. “I hear you’re a talented metal magician who can dual cast. One of the tournament favorites?”
Asher pauses, surprised Sonny asks anything at all. Then he grins again and begins gloating. “You heard right. I specialize in blades. And I can summon clones. I’m really good with energy too. There is a reason the people call me One Man Army.”
Sonny’s eyes stay on him. “Are you a good swordsman?”
Asher’s grin sharpens with intrigue. “The best here.”
Sonny nods once once, like he files it away. “Then that’s how I’ll win. With my sword only.”
Ellie blinks. She has never seen Sonny talk like this.
Asher laughs out loud. “I cannot wait for our match.” He turns and starts walking off, still chuckling.
Ellie exhales and rubs her forehead. “See why I don’t like him.”
Sonny looks toward the arena entrance. “My match is soon.”
Ellie nods. “I’ll meet you after your match.”
Sonny starts to walk away. Ellie hurries after him for a step. “What did he whisper to you?”
Sonny answers without hesitation. “Winner of our match gets to take you on a date.” Her face goes bright red. Sonny keeps walking like he does not understand what he just detonated behind him.
Ellie, through her embarrassment tells Sonny, "Go win another one." He walks toward the entrance tunnel.
The announcer calls their names, and the seventh seed enters first. The opponent is tall and composed, his uniform crisp, his eyes cold. He raises a hand and water gathers instantly, swirling around his wrist like a living ribbon.
Sonny steps into the ring next. The crowd cheers, louder than before.
The opponent smirks. "Ether guy. You don’t belong here. This is a magic tournament for promising magic users. The Academy of Magic must really be in a sorry state if you are here to represent them."
Sonny does not answer.
The referee signals. "Begin."
Water floods the arena. The seventh seed slams his palm down and the floor becomes a shallow lake in a heartbeat. The water surges in waves meant to throw Sonny off balance and slow his movement.
Sonny steps onto the water. He starts to run across it. For a split second, the arena goes quiet, as if everyone tries to decide if their eyes are lying.
The opponent’s expression breaks. "What?"
Sonny keeps moving, feet skimming the surface like the water is solid ground. Ether Walk. A simple technique that allows the user to stable footing on any surface or direction.
The seventh seed snaps his hand up. "Freeze" Ice blooms outward in a violent spread, aiming to trip up or lock Sonny’s feet. Sonny does not slow down.
His foot touches ice and he keeps running as if the surface change means nothing. He cuts diagonally, avoiding the thicker freeze pattern, forcing the opponent to chase his angle. The seventh seed throws up a wall of ice in front of Sonny.
Sonny plants a foot on the ice, pivots, and launches an open palm Ether Force strike. The blow lands, a wave of ether that smashes the ice wall into shards and sprays cold mist into the air. The opponent staggers back, eyes wide now.
He tries to widen the water, deepen it, anything to throw Sonny off. Sonny is already closing. He crosses the last few meters in a blink and drives an Ether Force strike into the opponent’s jaw.
The impact snaps the opponent’s head sideways and knocks him off his feet. The opponent goes limp and the flooded floor dissipates.
The referee steps in immediately. "Match over." The whole fight lasts about twenty seconds. The arena erupts.
The seventh seed is carried off by medics, still unconscious.
Sonny turns and walks out as if he just finishes a short drill.
Outside the ring, Sonny expects to find Ellie waiting. She is not there. Sonny pauses in the hallway, eyes scanning. Ellie promised she will meet him after. She is always there after his matches.
A man in a suit approaches instead, smiling like he has been rehearsing. "Sonny Hendricks," the man says. "Congratulations. You’re opening a lot of eyes."
Sonny stares at the man. "Thank you."
The man offers a card. "I recruit for the fifth-ranked guild in Bronzeland. Our guild master wants to talk."
Sonny does not take the card. "No thank you."
The recruiter blinks. "No?"
"I don’t have any desire to join a guild," Sonny says.
The recruiter tries again. "Then the Bronze Corps. They’d love someone like you."
Sonny’s eyes stay flat. "No."
The recruiter frowns. "What will you do after you graduate?"
Sonny answers with the same calm he uses for everything. "I will probably be dead."
The recruiter’s smile dies on his face and he is left disappointed. Sonny walks away.
That evening, Sonny returns to the dorm and still hasn’t heard from Ellie. Bull is packing, preparing to spend the night with his family at the hotel before he leaves.
Bull looks up. "Another victory. Nice work."
Sonny gives Bull a nod. Bull exhales and shakes his head. "I don’t know how you do it." He hesitates. "Oh. Someone left a letter for you. I put it on the desk."
Sonny pauses. “A letter?"
Bull shrugs. "Probably a recruiter. You’re really making an impression out there." Then he smirks. “Or a secret admirer.” Bull grabs his bag. "I’ll see you later."
Sonny bids Bull farewell. "Goodbye." Bull exits their dorm.
Sonny walks to the desk and opens the envelope. Inside is a single sheet of paper. Three words. “I have her”. Below the message are coordinates.
Sonny’s body moves before his mind finishes reading. The letter drops to the floor. He is already at the window. He knows the handwriting. He knows the taste of the threat. It is Five.
Sonny does not think. He moves. The letter is still falling when he is already out the window.
Night air slaps his face. Roof tiles blur under his feet. He lands, runs, and disappears into the dark streets beyond the dorms, following the coordinates like they are carved into his skull.
Inside his chest, Draco stirs. "It’s Five," Sonny says in his mind.
His voice stays flat, but his focus hardens. "I can kill him without you. But if something goes wrong, I may call upon you."
Draco’s laugh slides through Sonny’s thoughts. "You’re asking me to be your dog that answers when called upon."
"I’m asking for insurance," Sonny replies. "Ellie is not dying because you want to be smug."
Draco is quiet for a beat. Then he answers, almost casual. "Twenty percent. That’s what your body can likely handle. Maybe. If you use it longer than a few minutes, you die."
Sonny does not slow. "Noted."
"And one more thing," Draco adds, amused. "If you open the gate and we share the body, I intend to stretch my legs."
Sonny’s jaw clenches. "Fine. Keep her alive. That’s the only rule."
