The arena buzzed with whispers as Vax walked away from Aisha’s crumpled form. The dark energy that had surged through him dissipated, but the lingering tension in the air was undeniable. For the first time, the students who had dismissed him as a mere commoner were now looking at him with a mix of awe and fear.

Scene: The Principal’s Fury

Vax barely made it back to his dorm before a group of professors arrived, their expressions grim.

“The principal wants to see you,” one of them said curtly.

Vax sighed, already bracing himself for what was coming.

When he entered the principal’s office, the older man’s face was like stone.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” the principal began, his voice sharp.

“I defended myself,” Vax replied evenly.

“You revealed yourself,” the principal snapped. “The students are already spreading rumors, and the nobles will use this as ammunition to undermine you—and this academy.”

Vax felt his temper rising. “What was I supposed to do? Let Aisha humiliate me? She used a magic-disrupting artifact during the duel, and no one stopped her.”

The principal’s eyes narrowed. “That doesn’t excuse the way you responded. The Demon Lord’s magic is dangerous, Vax. If you can’t control it, you’ll become a threat to everyone here.”

“I didn’t ask for this power,” Vax shot back. “But I’m not going to let people like Aisha walk all over me because of it.”

The principal sighed, his anger fading into weariness. “I know you didn’t ask for this, but the burden is yours to bear. If you lose control again, there may not be anyone to stop you.”

Scene: Aisha’s Resolve

Meanwhile, in the infirmary, Aisha sat on the edge of her bed, her hands clenched into fists. The humiliation of her defeat burned in her chest, but it was nothing compared to the fury she felt toward Vax.

“How could he have that kind of power?” she muttered, glaring at the wall.

A soft knock at the door drew her attention. One of her noble allies entered, carrying a small, ornate box.

“We found this,” he said, placing the box on the table beside her. “It’s from the vault. We think it might help.”

Aisha opened the box carefully, revealing a dark crystal that pulsed with a faint, sinister glow.

“What is it?” she asked, her voice hushed.

“A shard of the Demon Lord’s original essence,” the noble replied. “It’s said to amplify magic, but at a cost.”

Aisha’s lips curved into a cold smile. “Perfect.”

Scene: An Unexpected Ally

The next morning, Vax found Selena waiting for him outside his dorm.

“I heard about the duel,” she said, her tone neutral.

“Let me guess—you’re here to tell me I’m reckless,” Vax replied.

“Actually, I’m here to warn you,” Selena said, stepping closer. “Aisha isn’t going to let this go. She’s desperate, and desperate people are dangerous.”

Vax frowned. “What do you mean?”

“There’s a relic in the academy’s vault—a shard of the Demon Lord’s essence,” Selena explained. “If Aisha gets her hands on it, she’ll be more powerful than you can imagine.”

“And you’re just telling me this now?” Vax asked, his frustration evident.

“I didn’t think she’d stoop this low,” Selena admitted. “But you’ve forced her hand.”

Vax sighed, running a hand through his hair. “So, what do we do?”

“We stop her,” Selena said simply.

Scene: The Vault Raid

That night, Vax and Selena made their way to the academy’s vaults, using the shadows to conceal their movements. The halls were eerily quiet, the usual patrols conspicuously absent.

“She’s already here,” Selena whispered, her eyes scanning the dimly lit corridor.

As they approached the vault, they heard voices. Peeking around the corner, they saw Aisha standing before the massive, rune-covered door, the dark crystal from earlier clutched in her hand.

“Are you sure about this?” one of her allies asked nervously.

Aisha’s eyes gleamed with determination. “I won’t let that commoner overshadow me. If this is what it takes, so be it.”

Vax clenched his fists, anger boiling in his chest. Before he could act, Selena placed a hand on his shoulder.

“We need to be smart about this,” she said. “If we charge in, she’ll use the shard.”

“So what’s the plan?” Vax asked.

Selena smirked. “Follow my lead.”

Scene: The Confrontation

Selena stepped into the open, her presence immediately drawing Aisha’s attention.

“Well, well,” Aisha said, her voice dripping with disdain. “Come to join the fun?”

“More like stop it,” Selena replied calmly.

Aisha laughed. “You think you can stop me? This shard will make me unstoppable.”

Selena tilted her head, her smirk unwavering. “You don’t even know what you’re dealing with. That shard isn’t just a power booster—it’s a curse. It’ll consume you, just like it consumed the last person who used it.”

Aisha hesitated, her grip on the shard tightening.

“She’s lying,” one of her allies said, though his voice wavered.

“Am I?” Selena challenged. “Do you really want to risk it, Aisha? Risk becoming a puppet for the Demon Lord’s lingering essence?”

Vax chose that moment to step forward, his presence startling Aisha’s group.

“She’s right,” he said, his voice firm. “I’ve felt the power of the Demon Lord’s magic. It’s not something you can control.”

Aisha glared at him, her pride warring with her fear. Finally, she raised the shard, its dark energy swirling around her.

“If I can’t control it, then I’ll destroy you with it!” she shouted.

The room erupted into chaos as the shard’s energy surged, the air crackling with malevolent power.

Scene: The Shard’s Wrath

As Aisha unleashed the shard’s power, the room was consumed by darkness. Vax and Selena fought to hold their ground, the oppressive energy threatening to crush them.

“Aisha, stop!” Vax shouted, his voice barely audible over the roaring magic.

But Aisha didn’t listen. The shard’s energy wrapped around her like a cocoon, her body trembling as the power began to overwhelm her.

“This isn’t right,” Selena muttered, her eyes narrowing. “If she keeps this up, she’ll destroy herself—and us.”

“What do we do?” Vax asked, his magic already flaring to life.

Selena hesitated for only a moment. “We break the shard.”

Vax nodded, determination hardening his gaze. Together, they charged into the storm, risking everything to stop the relic’s rampage