The Four Guardians

"Did you see that?! I knocked her away in one punch!" Ren shouted at Beck, trying to get his approval.

"I said don't rush in! Who knows what sort of traps are set up for us!"

"Relax! It's fine! I can see both of them!"

Ren jumped off each cliffside and quickly approached Tia who was just able to defend herself.

Tempus watched as Ren unleashed several punches on Tia's barrier without wasting a single breath.

Tia attempted to retreat but the punches never stopped. Her barrier grew weaker and weaker as she got driven into a corner.

"HAHAHAHA! THIS IS WHAT YOU GET!" Ren screamed. "YOU WERE STUPID TO CHALLENGE US!"

In a desperate struggle, Tia expanded her barrier out from around her. Pushing away Ren back towards Beck.

"Seems like she had a trick up her sleeve. I told you not to run in."

"Shut it, old man!"

Within the second Tia had created for herself she launched several water droplets towards her opponents. Each one cutting a hole in whatever they hit.

"Seems like she has improved in three days." Beck said shielding himself from the horizontal rain.

"WHAT A STRONG ATTACK!" Ren refused to block and instead confronted the attack head-on. The droplets pierced his skin but didn't hinder his assault. Ren continued to slowly walk towards Tia who showed no sign of stopping her attack.

"REN!" Beck screamed "DON'T RUN IN! WE CAN'T SURVIVE FOREVER!" Beck attempted to call back Ren but it was no use. He refused to listen to him.

Tia's attack continued to gain more and more power, pushing back Beck's shield.

Tempus watched from afar protected by his wolves, out of range of Tia's attack.

"REN!" Beck attempted to move forward himself. But had no avail. His shield hindered his movements and Ren was already too far from him to run.

"This idiot!" he said to himself.

Beck and Tia stared at each other as Beck lowered his shield. Before the shield fully disappeared Beck had already vanished and reappeared behind Ren, pulling him away to the side before erecting his barrier.

"hmmm, is he getting serious?" Tempus thought to himself.

"Tia!" He called out. "Be careful. Remember his element."

Tia heard the fear in Tempus' voice but remembered their training. Thanks to Tempus she knew most of the tricks Beck would attempt.

"I didn't think I'd have to get serious this early on." Beck said to Ren.

"WHY DID YOU STOP ME!? I COULD HAVE GOTTEN TO HER!"

Ren's face filled with anger as he prepared to force his way out of Beck's barrier.

"You idiot! Look for once! Her spell has put several holes in your body! Any more and you'll bleed out! Just because you can't feel them doesn't mean they aren't there!"

Beck tried everything he could to stop Ren from running out. During their argument both of them failed to notice the large pressurised jet of water, heading straight for them.

"WHY IS SHE SO STRONG?!" Beck screamed barely able to hold his shield up.

"IF WE DON'T LEAVE NOW WE ARE GOING TO DIE! MY BODY CAN'T HOLD OUT FOR LONG!" Beck shouted as loud as he could over the piercing sound of the water.

"Tsk… You've gotten weak, old man. I was right to side with those masked people."

"Masked people? You don't mean-"

"Just shut up and do as I say!" Ren silenced Beck. All he could do was become his puppet and follow his orders. The words the bully spoke struck fear down Beck's spine. Beck once considered himself the strongest in the academy, but even he feared the person standing in front of him and knew to listen to the strongest.

"Hey, Tia!" Tempus called out. "Do you see them?"

"I-i have them trapped in a barrier…" Tia's continued to focus on her spell and keeping them trapped in the barrier for as long as possible. However, Tia wasn't able to keep the spell going for long. Her body slowly began to heat up from overusing her mana.

Eventually, Tia's spell stopped and the barrier disappeared.

"TEMPUS!" Tia called out. "ONLY BECK IS IN THE BARRIER! H-he seems wounded?"

Tia attempted to notify Tempus but by the time he did Ren was already behind him. He lept into the air with enchanted fists ready to pummel onto Tempus' body and Wolves.

"Don't even try it." Tempus said as a large chunk of ice smacked Ren away into the wall. Aware of his approach.

"W-what? WHAT WAS THAT!?" Ren screamed.

Tempus watched as Ren climbed out of a pit and noticed the will to kill in his eyes.

"Tia! Change of plans!" Tempus called. "You handle Beck I'll deal with Ren."

Tia wasn't sure she would be able to. Beck stood where the barrier once was having never left that spot. His breathing was irregular and he covered a wound on his c.h.e.s.t that blood poured out from. Tia didn't want to attack unless she had to. She knew she was running low on mana and decided to watch Beck, to see if he would make the first move. It looked as if Beck had become unable to fight.

"You know, Ren. I wanted to ask. Why is that you call me magicless? When I first met you it was one of the first things you said."

"SHUT UP!"

Tempus had no intention of angering Ren. He simply just wanted an answer to his question. He looked at Ren who become frustrated with the way the battle was turning out. Ren dashed forward several times but was pushed back. He never made any distance and each time was forced back by Tempus' magic.

"I just wanted an answer… no need to get so defensive."

"SHUT UP! I SAID SHUT UP!" Ren charged head-on in a blind rage. Tempus watched as he charged forward and cancelled the wolf summons.

"So be it." Without lifting his hand, Tempus trapped Ren in a tower. An avalanche of ice shot up from the ground piercing the roof of the arena. In the centre, Ren stayed frozen, unable to move.

"U-unbelievable…" Beck said. "It just appeared… he created all that… A second didn't even pass…" Beck fell to his knees admitting defeat.

"We never stood a chance..."

The crowd cheered at Tempus as they had witnessed magic they had never seen before.

Before the screams died down Tempus watched his pillar of ice melt in front of him.

"He's able to melt that?" Tempus said to himself.

The ice melted away and inside Ren stepped out. The veins in his body began to burst one after the other. He kept walking towards Tempus. Feeling nothing but anger.

"What the hell is this mana?" Tempus said retreating to Tia.

"Tia." He said. "Get Eva to evacuate the arena. Make sure everyone leaves. Including you!"

Tia didn't question it. She trusted Tempus' judgment and therefore went along with his plans. It was thanks to him that she lasted this long and she wasn't willing to die now.

"Ren…" Beck said unable to stand. "Why are you using it… We were nearly complete…"

"Using what?" Tempus appeared and stood over Beck. Listening to his insanity. "You are going to tell me everything. What exactly is happening to Ren?"