Rise of the Devourer
Book 4: Chapter 13 — The Day Before the Tournament

Noah moved back from his last exchange, breathing deeply but steadily. The Training Chamber hummed with leftover energy. Even though the chamber's temperature control spells were working, he was sweating on his forehead from sheer exertion. His Arcane Specter disappeared into motes of shadow and starlight across from him, its job done for the time being.

Noah wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his palm. His white hair was sticking to his head. The training had been useful—more than useful, in fact. He had been almost obsessively focused on learning how to use his new powers ever since they had started to unlock from their upgrade timers.

Void Annihilation has been upgraded to rank Elite.

Noah had gotten the message three hours ago and was still smiling about it. Not only had his most destructive power come back stronger than before, it had also changed into something completely different.

Void Annihilation (Legendary/Elite) - Level 51

Use the power of void and storm to destroy things with the wild mayhem of shadow-touched lightning. Unleash catastrophic powers that rip through reality itself, generating void-lightning vortexes that can link between targets and gain stronger with each arc. The lightning is hungry for the vacuum and eats all it touches, leaving behind ruin in ways that are hard to foresee.

Noah called forth another Arcane Specter and watched as his copy appeared with the same fluid grace he had come to expect. The ghost nodded once, which was peculiar because it was a perfect replica of itself. Then it started to get ready for its own powers.

"Let's test the new properties," Noah said, more to himself than to the ghost, but the ghost understood what he meant.

He raised his hand and felt the familiar thrill of void energy building up in his palm. But this time, something more came with it: a crackling, electrifying feeling that made his Shade-Lightning Heart beat faster with excitement. The void energy, which usually looked like a black hole, suddenly had dark purple lightning running through it. The electricity seemed to eat up light instead of making it.

The ghost moved in the same way he did, and its hand glowed with the same dark force. For a minute, they just stood there, two similar figures clutching tiny storms that might destroy things.

After that, Noah let his go.

The void-lightning shot out of his hand not as a focused beam like his old Obliterate ability, but as a writhing mass of hungry energy that seemed to be looking for targets. It hit the specter right in the middle, but instead of just going through it like his last iteration would have, the lightning spread across its body like a web of crackling destruction. The energy that touched the emptiness made the specter's body shake, and each arc seemed to feed on its essence.

What happened next made Noah's eyes go bigger. After hitting something, the lightning didn't just go away. It jumped to the nearest metal fitting on the training room wall, then to another, then to another. Each jump made the crackling energy get brighter and more ferocious. The chamber's defensive wards lit up, keeping the uncontrolled energy from hurting anything important.

"Whoa," Noah said as the last of the void-lightning faded into the wards.

The attack had completely annihilated his ghost, but that was okay. The goal was to assess skills, not to keep his training partner safe. Noah promised himself that he would be very careful with this skill during the event. He didn't want to harm someone by accident because he didn't think his new power was strong enough.

He called up another ghost and started a new form of training, this time focusing on the skills he had been neglecting. He hadn't worked on abilities like Pain Tolerance, Weapon Mastery, or even Meditation in a long time. The tournament would test all of his skills, not just the ones that were the most impressive.

For the following hour, Noah worked on basic combat skills instead than flashy moves. In this way, the specter was the perfect training companion; it knew all of his maneuvers, could counter his strategies, and never got bored or angry. He was literally fighting with himself, like sparring with himself.

His spear work had gotten a lot better while they were on the Wyvern Cliffs, but there was always space for improvement. Noah was getting better at the cadence Kaelan had taught him, and each stab and parry flowed into the next more smoothly. He had been at the Advanced level of Weapon Mastery for a while, but he could feel it getting closer to Elite as muscle memory turned into something deeper: real knowledge.

The specter fought back just as well, and the sound of metal colliding filled the air. Neither of them held back; they both pushed the other to do better. Noah's Pain Tolerance received a workout as he got more and more cuts and bruises. Each one taught him something about his boundaries and how to go beyond them.

Noah started to use his other skills while they fought. Predator's Mark to keep an eye on the spectre's movements, Abyssal Awareness to feel strikes from inconceivable angles, and Life Siphon to heal wounds during battle. It was a complicated ballet of attack and defense, magic and physical talent.

Things got pretty intriguing when he tried to combine Runeforged Armaments with his new void-lightning.

As usual, the ethereal weapons appeared around him, but when he sent void energy through them, they started to glow with the same dark purple electricity. Each spear and sword became a tool of destruction, its runes burning with evil energy. When he threw them at the ghost, they didn't just pierce; they detonated into chains of void-lightning that turned the air into a weapon.

Noah ended the sparring session, breathing hard but happy. His skills were coming together in a wonderful way, with each one making the others better in ways he was still finding out. These fresh combos would be excellent for testing out at the event tomorrow.

When he looked at his character sheet to see how far he'd come, he couldn't help but smile.

Weapon Mastery Level 25 → 28

Meditation Level 41 → 43

Abyssal Awareness Level 46 → 48.

A lot of his skills were getting close to the next level of evolution, which would give him a big boost in power. Weapon Mastery was very near to the Expert rank, which would mean a big change in how he fought. At the Expert level, Pain Tolerance would make him almost impervious to physical pain, while at the Expert level, Meditation would let him stay completely focused even in the most chaotic settings.

Noah could tell the difference in how the powers worked, not simply in numbers. His pain tolerance had gone up a lot, his spear seemed more like a part of him than a separate tool, and his mana control had gotten so good that he could cast many complicated spells at once without getting tired.

More significantly, he was learning how to put everything together into a single fighting style. The Noah who had just left that horrible cult a year ago would not be the same as the fighter he was now. And he’d be able to verify it tomorrow.

Noah got rid of his ghost and started to chill down by stretching out muscles that had been stretched to their maximum. The chamber's automated systems kicked in and cleaned up the burn marks and fixed the small damage that had happened during their exercise. In just a few minutes, the room was clean and ready for the next person to use it.

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Noah saw his reflection on the polished wall of the chamber as he was getting ready to depart. The young man who was looking back at him didn't look much like the person who had come into this world. His white hair caught the light in a manner that made him look otherworldly. His red eyes contained depths that spoke of experiences beyond his years. His physique had been turned into a weapon by years of training and fights where he should have died.

But what struck him most was how confident he seemed. He was no longer the unsure, reactive person he used to be. He was now someone who knew what he could do and wasn't afraid to do it. Noah was looking forward to the tournament tomorrow instead than dreading it, even though it would be hard.

He left the training room and went into the main hallway of the palace. Right once, he could tell that the mood had changed. There was a lot of hardly restrained enthusiasm at the royal residence, which was usually very quiet and dignified. Servants moved with determination as they got ready for the big occasion tomorrow. The guards stood a little straighter, and their armor shone like a mirror. It felt like the air was vibrating with excitement.

Noah walked to the palace grounds to get away from the noise and stress of the competition. He wanted to clear his brain before— the workout had been hard.

"Hey, Noah!"

Noah turned to see Snow walking across the well-kept grass. Shadow walked next to her as a sleek wolf formed of living darkness. The thing had also expanded; its shape was more solid and clear than when Noah first saw it. Sky, the baby Sky-serpent from Axzeriethal's brood, sat on Snow's shoulder. Its shiny scales caught the light of the afternoon sun.

Noah's fatigued look got a lot better when he saw her. "Snow, it’s good to see you. How have you been?"

She stopped in front of him and remarked, "It’s good to see you too! You’ve all been busy and so I missed you. And I’m good, I’ve been learning a lot." Her voice had a quiet assurance that had been growing for months. "Seraphina has been teaching me about magical theory. Did you know that there are seventeen different ways to channel mana through crystalline matrices? And that's just for basic storage."

Noah couldn't help but smile at how excited she was. Snow's interest in magic had grown steadily over time, giving her a much needed outlet. "I believe you. So you've been spending a lot of time with Seraphina?"

"Most days," Snow said, nodding with a thoughtful look on her face. "She says I have an intuitive understanding of magical connections. It's interesting how theory connects to practical application." She stopped and stroked Sky's scales with her fingertips. "I never thought I'd like studying this much."

Noah whispered softly, "You can do more than you think. Even when you learned how to talk to Axzeriethal, it was rather obvious that you were quite smart."

Snow smiled. "That was different. That was... listening. I just felt it, and so I had to say something."

They strolled together to a marble bench under a tree that was in bloom, with Shadow and Sky following after. The sea serpent had grown too big to safely sit on Snow's shoulder for lengthy periods of time, but it plainly wanted to stay near to her.

As they sat down on the bench, Snow added, "People seem excited about tomorrow. There's going to be a huge crowd—some people I talked to have traveled from other kingdoms just to watch."

"That's a lot of pressure,” Noah said. "Fighting to stay alive is one thing, but putting on a show for people is different."

Her pale eyes were quite good at seeing things, and they looked closely at Snow's face. "You'll be fine. You always are," she said with a smile.

Noah felt a warmth in his chest as he saw how sure she was. "Thanks. But I have to say, I'm interested in what people are saying. You’ve been listening to people gossip?"

"I listen," Snow remarked in a gentle voice. "Sometimes people talk to me like I'm not there. The draconians want a draconian champion, but most people think Lyralei Frostborn will be the winner. She’s famous.”

Noah nodded in thought.

"People are also talking about Neal, Chaos magic is rare and they think he could be dark horse that wins with an upset," Snow said quietly, absentmindedly patting Shadow as the wolf familiar rested at her feet. "People want to see their own win. Some of the betting pools have different Drakonians as their favorites."

"Betting pools?" Noah lifted an eyebrow.

"The helpers and maids across the manors love to gamble, I find them doing it sometimes, usually they can’t spot me so they talk freely," Snow remarked with a smile. "I think Kaelan's butler has a bet on you to make it to the finals, but he's one of the few."

Noah shook his head in a funny way. "Of course they do. What about the rest? Erwest, Aurelia, and Seraphina?"

"People don't really know them," Snow stated in a matter-of-fact way. "Aurelia mostly keeps to herself. Seraphina is scary, but they don't know what to make of her. Erwest has some help from the temple, but not much else. Most people are rooting for the local competitors."

For a long time, Snow was quiet, and her forehead furrowed as if she were fighting with something. Shadow moved closer to her, and she leaned against the comforting warmth of his body while Sky made a faint chirping sound, knowing that she was a little upset.

"Snow?" Noah asked softly. "What's on your mind?"

She played with the edge of her sleeve, which was an obvious sign that she was getting ready to speak. Noah had to bend in closer to hear her because she talked so quietly.

She murmured, "Can I ask you something?" and looked around to make sure no one was listening. "Who do you think I should want to win?"

Noah added softly, "You should support whoever feels right to you. Though I'm curious why you want to know instead of just making a choice."

Snow hummed to herself. "Because I wanted to see if you'd try to change my mind or tell me to think for myself." She sat quiet for a long time, her fingers nervously stroking Sky's scales. Shadow moved closer to her, sensing that she was uncomfortable.

"I do know who I want to win," she finally replied, her voice so low that it was hard to hear. "But I don't want to sound stupid."

Noah whispered softly, "Not sure why you’d sound stupid. You can cheer for anyone. Is it Seph?”

Snow shook her head. "I know you need to win. I don't know the details of what brought you here, but I can tell it matters. But I… really want Vion to win."

Noah asked, "Why?"

Snow's face became more serious. "Because… I saw her a few days ago, and I felt like out of everybody else, she needed to win the most. I don’t know why, but I could tell."

Noah was surprised by how honest Snow was, but before he could say anything, Snow was already standing.

"I should leave," she murmured, brushing off her robes. "Seraphina is waiting for me, and you probably have strategy meetings or something."

"Thank you, Snow. It was good to talk to you."

With a little smile, she nodded. "Best of luck tomorrow."

Noah felt strangely lighter as she walked away.

Noah went back to the common area where he had agreed to meet the others. He was starting to feel nervous before the event, so he thought they could all use one last strategy talk before the craziness started tomorrow.

He saw them already sitting around a big table with notes and drawings on it. Kaelan had given them a lot of information about their possible enemies, and the group was going over it like professional adventurers getting ready for a dungeon raid.

"There's Noah," Aurelia exclaimed as he got closer. "We were just talking about the competition."

Noah sat down in an empty chair and inquired, "Is there anyone I should be really worried about?"

"Several," Seraphina said, tapping her quill against a sheet of paper. "Neal is the most obvious choice; the Chaos Primer path is by definition unpredictable. His magic doesn't work like other magic."

"Another is Alaya Swiftstrike," Valeria said. "She is a dual-blade dancer from the eastern kingdoms. Her speed is legendary, and she hasn't lost a single fight in three years."

Erwest nodded sadly. "I've heard of her. They say she can hit seventeen times in a heartbeat."

"Lovely," Noah said under his breath. "Anyone else?"

Kaelan looked at his notes. "Thane Earthshaker is a problem for anyone who needs to move around. His earth magic can change the whole arena. And Marcus Ironforge..." He shook his head. "His defense is almost impossible to get through. He's like a walking fortress."

Noah inquired, "What about Lyralei Frostborn?" as she was probably going to be his first opponent.

"Ice magic specialist,” Aurelia said. “She’s a big name adventurer, though part of it is due to her connections. She's smart, uses ice constructs and terrain control instead of just throwing icicles around."

"Great," Noah remarked in a dry voice.

Seraphina interrupted, "The good news is that we're all scary in our own ways. I don't think any of them are looking forward to facing us either."

Valeria nodded. "The trials showed that we belong here. Now we just need to show why."

They spoke about strategies and possible matchups for another hour, but the chat eventually came to an end. You could only get ready for so much without knowing who you'd be up against and when.

"Well," Aurelia remarked, standing up and stretching, "I think we've done all we can to get ready. Tomorrow we'll find out if our training worked."

"No holding back,” Valeria said, almost as if it was a threat.

"Agreed," Noah murmured, and the others nodded. "May the best warrior win."

"Which will be me, but I’ll let you guys join my celebration party,” Seraphina said, as Valeria rolled her eyes.

Noah felt a mix of excitement and dread in his gut as the others started to leave for their own rooms. Tomorrow would bring problems he couldn't properly prepare for, opponents whose skills he could only guess at, and the stress of performing in front of thousands of people.

Noah knew he was ready as he looked around at his pals, who were also his opponents. He couldn’t wait to see how they’d all grown.