The crowd roared as Phil stepped into the ter of the arena, his voiing over the cmor. “Alright, folks! This is the moment you’ve been waiting for! The semi-finals are here, and it’s time to see if our young warriors have what it takes to go all the way! In this er, the hero-in-training with strength to rival the gods themselves—Hercules!”

  The areed in cheers as Hercules walked into the spotlight, waving sheepishly at the crowd. His leaall frame slightly towered over Skuld’s, his broad shoulders and muscur build a testament to his demi-god heritage. Despite his imposing appearance, his awkward grin and slightly stumbling steps betrayed his ck of experience.

  “And iher er,” Phil tinued, “our rising star from the beginner bracket, the underdog sensation with heart, skill, and a knack for surprises—Skuld!”

  The crowd’s cheers intensified as Skuld stepped forward. She took a deep breath, her Keybde shimmering in the sunlight as she raised it in aowledgment. Her heart raced, but she steeled herself. Hercules might be stronger, but she had made it this far. She wasn’t about to back down now.

  The gong sounded, and Hercules lumbered forward, his fists raised. His movements were powerful but unrefined, each step sending small tremors through the ground. Skuld kept her distance, cirg him with light, deliberate steps, trying to gauge his move.

  Hercules threw a wild punch, his fist crashing into the ground as Skuld leapt to the side. The impact left a small crater, dust and debris flying everywhere.

  “Whoa! You’re quick!” Hercules called out, a good-natured smile on his face despite his missed attack.

  Skuld didn’t respond, her focus sharpening as she darted in with a quick strike of her Keybde. The on ected with Hercules’s side, but he barely flinched. His skin, hardened by his divine lineage rehe blow nearly iive.

  “Okay,” Skuld muttered to herself as she hopped back, retreating a few steps. “That’s not going to work.”

  Hercules turned, charging at her with surprising speed. Skuld raised her Keybde just in time to block his punch, the impact sending a shockwave through her arms. She stumbled back, her knees bug slightly uhe force.

  Uerred, Skuld struck again, aiming for his legs to destabilize him. But Hercules anticipated the move and jumped, narrowly avoiditack. His nding created another shockwave that sent Skuld stumbling backward.

  “Sorry about that!” Hercules said sheepishly, scratg the back of his head. “Sometimes I fet my own strength.”

  Skuld gritted her teeth. He wasn’t taunting her—he was genuinely apologetic. That only made it more frustrating. She o ge tactics.

  Hercules charged, and Skuld barely mao dodge his ining swing. She tered with a bst of magic, shouting, “Fire!” The fmes hit his chest, causing him to step bad pat out the embers on his tunic.

  "That tickled!" Hercules said with a ugh, brushing off the attack.

  Skuld gritted her teeth. Her physical strikes weren’t effective, and her basic fire spell didn’t seem to faze him. She o ge her approach.

  As Hercules advanced again, Skuld leaped back, putting some distaween them. She raised her Keybde, summoning her magic. “Blizzard!” she cried, sending a shard of ice hurtling toward him.

  The spell struck Hercules square in the chest, coating part of his tuni frost. He shivered but didn’t stop. “That’s chilly!” he excimed, shaking off the id pressing forward.

  Hercules lunged again, this time managing to catch her off guard. His fist grazed her side, sendiumbling to the ground. Pain shot through her ribs as she scrambled to her feet, clutg her Keybde.

  "You okay?" Hercules asked, genuine in his voice.

  "I’m fine," Skuld said, her toermined. She raised her Keybde, her magic swirling around her. “Let’s see if you hahis!”

  Skuld followed up with a quick series of spells, her Keybde glowing as she eled her magic. “Fire! Water! Thunder!” Each spell found its mark, slowing Hercules’s advand f him to shield his face with his arms. The bursts of elemental energy weren’t enough to cause signifit harm, but they served their purpose—distrag him.

  Hercules swung his fists wildly, trying to close the gap, but Skuld kept her distance, weaving around him with nimble footwork. The crowd roared with excitement, their cheers blending with the crackle of magic as Skuld unleashed another barrage of spells.

  “Areo!” she shouted, summoning a gust of wind that buffeted Hercules and threw him off bance. He staggered, his footing unsteady as the powerful winds swirled around him.

  Despite her efforts, Skuld’s inexperieh magic began to show. Skuld’s stamina was also waning. Her spells were draining her energy faster thaicipated, and her movements grew sluggish. Hercules, though clumsy, was relentless. Hercules’s sheer endurance allowed him to keep going without slowing down, while she was starting to feel the toll of the battle. Her movements became sluggish, and her spells cked their earlier iy.

  Hercules noticed her fatigue and seized the opportunity. He rushed forward, closing the distaween them in an instant. Skuld raised her Keybde to block, but the force of his punch sent her flying backward. She hit the ground hard, her Keybde skidding out of reach. Pain shot through her side where his blow had ected, and she struggled to catch her breath.

  The croed as Hercules approached her, his steps shaking the ground. Skuld’s mind raced. She needed a pn—and fast.

  As Hercules raised his fist for the finishing blow, Skuld’s eyes caught the faint shimmer of her Keybde lying a few feet away. She stretched out her hand. “e on,” she whispered, summoning her on. The Keybde desummoned and reappeared in her grasp just in time for her to block his punch.

  Using the momentum of his attack, Skuld twisted and rolled to the side, creating some distance. She raised her Keybde, her magic fring to life once more. “Blizzara!” Ied beh Hercules’s feet, causing him to lose his bance. Skuld didn’t let up. “Thundara!” The lightning struck him square in the chest, stunning him briefly.

  Skuld’s breath came in ragged gasps as she summoned her remaining strength. Hercules shook off the stun and prepared to charge again, but this time, Skuld was ready.

  “Areo!” she shouted, summoning a powerful gust of wind. The force lifted Hercules off the ground, spinning him in the air. Disoriented, he filed, uain his footing.

  Skuld followed up with another spell, “Watera!” A surge of water crashed into Hercules, pushing him closer to the edge of the arena. She poured all her focus into her final spell, “Areo!” The wind intensified, sending Hercules tumbling out of bounds.

  He nded with a loud thud outside the ring, groaning as he sat up. The gong sounded, signaling the end of the match.

  The gong sounded, signaling the end of the match. The crowd erupted into cheers and appuse as Phil stepped forward, his voiing. “The winner—Skuld!”

  Skuld dropped to her knees, her Keybde cttering to the ground beside her. She was exhausted, her body ag from the fight, but a small smile tugged at her lips. She had do. She had won and would go on to the finals.

  Hercules sat up, rubbing his head. “Wow,” he said, ughing sheepishly. “You’re amazing! I’ve got a lot to learn.”

  Skuld managed a weak smile, nodding at him. “You’re not so bad yourself. It retty close,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

  As the crowd tio cheer, Skuld stood, raising her Keybde in aowledgment. She had proven herself once again, shown that she could handle herself. Now, the finals awaited.