Levi cradled the small glass container in his hands, excited for the moment that had finally arrived.

  “You’ll do fine, just let your instincts guide you,” he whispered to the red slime he had created for the advanced alchemy studies class graduation project.

  “Now remember,” Professor Thomas called out, holding up his hands to quiet the noise in the room. “We’re actively searching for those of you who have mastered the arts that have been taught over the last 12 years of your life. As you can see in the seats above you, there are many here who are interested in seeing what the sixty-four of you have developed and come up with. Even if you don’t make it that far, the fact that you have successfully created something that can survive outside the container you hold is more than most could ever imagine.”

  With the white haired professor finally giving his speech, he motioned to the brackets displayed on the wall.

  “Each of you prepare yourself! One shall rise to the top and with it an offer most here would give anything for.”

  Cheers came from many of the students and applause rang out from the three hundred guests in attendance.

  Levi’s gaze searched the stands, finally landing upon his grandmother and grandfather, both of them waving and cheering silently for him.

  It’s been a hard life, but I’ve come this far! All I need to do is make it to the second or third round and I’ll easily get a job at any of the apothecaries or guild houses. Then I can take care of Grams and Gramps for all they’ve done for me.

  Putting that thought out of his mind, Levi turned his attention to the brackets and found his first opponent's name listed under his.

  “It looks like we’re going to be facing each other,” Liora Vance said as she slid in beside Levi. “You do realize we’re considered bottom of the barrel?”

  “Says the woman with a family known for fighting,” Levi teased. “I mean, you weren’t even supposed to be in the Flux tower based upon your martial prowess. The fact you’re standing here in this group means something, doesn’t it?”

  The redheaded woman shrugged and then motioned to her parents in the stands. Levi’s eyes studied the pair, same red hair as their daughter, green eyes that looked ready to turn someone to stone by the hard gaze they gave. Each wore the sun over a spear crest proudly on their chest, marking them as one of the noble families in attendance today. Their outfits were worth more than Levi’s grandparents' probably made in a year, but he had gotten here through hard work and proof that he could learn and master most things in the alchemical world.

  “My Father said he was proud but I could tell that Mother wasn’t too happy about me making it this far,” Liora said. “She would rather see me in the Viel tower. But as you said, being here does prove something and I’m ready to see if you’re going to beat me as always.”

  “Hah,” Levi laughed. “You’ve occasionally won.”

  “Please,” she replied, reaching over and ruffling his unkempt brown mop of hair. “Everyone knows you’re going to make it to the third round at least. The only difference is you’re probably the only one in this tournament who actually followed the rules and made whatever you have in that jar of yours all on your own.”

  “You admitting that you had help?” Levi asked, studying the small metal box she held in her hand.

  “Admitting? No…” Liora stated. “But… I might have been given some extra tutoring from a few individuals who owed my parents. Still, I did most of the work, but I’m not sure exactly what this thing is capable of.”

  “Sixty seconds!” Professor Thomas called out. “Take your places at the small arena box set up for your bracket! And remember, handlers may not intervene inside the cube, but outside tapping or luring is permitted!”

  “Come on,” Liora said. “We don’t want to be late, and I’m actually interested in finding out how all this works.”

  Levi nodded and moved beside her, glad to have made a friend from someone most couldn’t believe a commoner like himself would ever do. She had been a great friend since their 6th year at the Vyrdan Academy. All it took was for him to remove a stain on her outfit from one of the other nobles, who had accidentally spilled a bright orange liquid they were carrying for no particular reason. After that, Liora had been his best friend.

  “You two know the rules?” a class assistant asked.

  Both of them nodded, each grinning as the student in his twenties and trying to find a place in the job market, sighed.

  “Fine,” the man replied. “Deposit your creation in the small opening on each end. When the signal is given, I’ll open the doors and we’ll see if either of them has the ability to move or attack.”

  “Good luck, Liora,” Levi said, holding out a hand.

  She shook it and grinned. “Please, we both know I’m about to get my butt kicked and I’m okay with that. Just make it gentle.”

  Laughing, Levi shrugged and moved to his side of the crystal arena box that each pair had. It was a two-foot cube with a small six-inch loading area on the side. Magical dampeners were said to protect the arena from catastrophic failure, although their effectiveness was not guaranteed.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  He lifted his glass jar to his face and tapped the outside gently. “Alright, Arin, let’s show them what you can do.”

  “You named yours?” Liora asked as she set her metal box on top of the loading area. “Why would you do that?”

  “You mean you didn’t?” Levi replied. “I mean… why wouldn’t I?”

  His friend groaned as she shook her head. “Because you know what happens after the tournament. Everything gets destroyed and you… have a bleeding heart. How many cats have you–”

  “It’s time,” the attendant said, letting a groan out as he listened to them chat. “Put your creations in the loading chamber, close the lid and let's see if I’m going to die of old age before something happens.”

  Levi nodded, ignoring what Liora had said, not wanting to admit he wasn’t happy about the ones who destroyed everything that they created when all this was over.

  “Good luck, Arin,” he said once more before pulling the glass stopper and holding the bottle upside down. Slowly, the red mass slid out of the jar and landed with a plop onto the crystal base. It immediately began to shift and move, almost as if it were inspecting its small enclosure.

  With a quick slide of the crystal covering, Levi stepped back and saw that Liora had a flaming slug-like creation that was about an inch long.

  “What is that?” he asked.

  “I believe the term is a Pyrocyst,” Liora replied, shrugging. “I call it a fire worm, but that’s not technically the term.”

  “Please stand back,” the attendant said as he ensured both of their coverings were closed.

  The pair moved to stand shoulder to shoulder, eyes fixated on the box before them.

  “Just a little help?” Levi whispered.

  “Maybe a bit more,” Liora replied. “Still, I’ve no clue what it’s going to–”

  A bell chimed and when it did the small crystal wall that had separated the main area of the arenas from the loading boxes slid upward. Immediately, Levi’s creation began moving into the larger area, its body seeming to half-roll or slide across the surface.

  “Is that a slime?” Liora asked. “It looks like one.”

  “A variation,” Levi said. “I took a few different samples of the slimes we keep in the lab, cut out sections and–”

  “No… I didn’t want a lesson on what you did,” she sighed. “I was just asking if it was a slime.”

  Sighing, he nodded. “Yes, Arin is a slime, but unlike the others we’re used to, he…”

  Levi stopped talking as the Pyrocyst moved forward about a foot with blazing speed, a small trail of fire left behind as it shot out of its loading area. Two small antennas formed on its front and a flame wick shot forward, striking the red slime right in the middle.

  Part of the outer edge of Arin sizzled and vanished from the intense heat but the ball of slime immediately moved sideways, probing around the crystal arena.

  “It’s not able to find it,” Liora said. “Doesn’t it have eyes?”

  Levi grinned and raised his eyebrows playfully. “Just watch, you’ll see.”

  As he spoke, the Pyrocyst turned slowly, seeming to struggle to move sideways compared to its fast forward movement. The red slime, Arin, rolled around the box, approaching the fire slug that was trying to turn, but wasn’t able to maneuver as the slime could.

  Once again, the Pyrocyst shot forward, putting itself into a corner of the crystal arena. The attendant let out a grunt, frowning as he watched on.

  “I take it that’s bad?” Liora asked.

  The man nodded. “I’m afraid you’re going to lose, Ms Vance. Look, your creation can’t turn and has just put itself in a corner.”

  Every word the attendant had said was true. The fire slug was attempting to turn but was having trouble doing so. Arin had no problem shifting the way it moved without delay and soon came up from behind.

  Flames ignited all over the Pyrocyst’s body, causing the red slime to stop its approach. After about ten seconds, the flames died down and Arin rolled on top of it. Immediately, the fire slug began to have bubbles rising from its body as the acidic nature of Levi’s creation broke down the Pyrocyst and soon dissolved it completely. As it did so, the red color of the slime seemed to darken a moment before returning to normal.

  “I… lost,” Liora feigned surprise, holding the back of her hand against her forehead. “Whatever shall I do?”

  Levi groaned and held out his hand, shaking hers and smiled. “You know if I had to kick someone’s butt first, I’d rather it be you,” he teased.

  “True… but the good news is I can sit in the stands now with my parents and listen to my mother complain about how I lost to a commoner.”

  “She still can’t see past that, can she?” Levi asked.

  Liora’s face couldn’t hide the frown he had seen her wear too many times. “No… My father isn’t as concerned with it, but she has high hopes for me and a few prospects in the coming years I’ll need to consider. But…”

  Liora wrapped Levi in a hug and then pulled back a second later. “Go kick their butts,” she said.

  “You’re going to get me in trouble,” he said, feeling his cheeks redden.

  “That’s what friends are for,” she replied, making her way toward the stairs that led up to the stands. “Good luck!”

  He watched as she walked away, her Academy outfit with its tan and red colors quickly vanishing amongst the other students who were leaving the floor.

  “Do you need help collecting your creation?” the attendant asked.

  “Oh, no, I’m good,” Levi said. He moved to the area his slime had started and pulled out a moldy piece of bread from a pocket. Tapping the crystal near it a few times, he called his creation. “Arin… here you go. A treat.”

  The red slime appeared to bounce a few times before rolling toward the staging area and quickly moving on top of the bread, the piece starting to dissolve immediately.

  Levi took another piece of moldy bread and put it inside his jar. He then put a translucent glove over his right hand and set it next to the slime.

  “Arin, one more snack. Back to your home.”

  It looked like the slime was not going to do anything but after a few seconds, it rolled onto his hand, where Arin was quickly lifted to the open jar and placed inside, claiming the piece of bread as another victory treat.

  “You… trained that?” the attendant asked, his eyes widening. “How… slimes aren’t… well, they respond to food, but they’re not known for being very intelligent.”

  “Do you want the short version or the long one that my friend turned down?” Levi asked.

  The man chuckled and shook his head. “Maybe you can tell me tomorrow. We’re about to start the next matches in a few and you’ll need to head over and see who your opponent is. Congrats, by the way. Very ingenious.”

  Levi gave a mock bow and smiled. “I’d take all the credit, but it’s Arin more than it is me.”