The arena buzzed with energy as the remaining pairs took their turns. Ten competitors, split into five pairs, each eager to prove their worth or at least survive.
After Zaya and Sapphire's stunning display, the bar had been set impossibly high. I leaned back in my seat, trying to relax, but my mind was spinning.
Lise nudged me, her grin wide. "Think anyone else is going to top that performance?"
"Doubt it," I said, watching the next pair step into the ring. "But they're going to try."
The first match featured two students I didn't know well. Their magic scores had been decent not extraordinary, but enough to show they had some potential.
One of them, a wiry boy with lightning magic, looked like he was trying to hype himself up. His partner, a girl with earth magic, stood stiffly beside him, clearly uncomfortable.