Mai heard the crowds cheering from beyond the staging room she was sitting in, the voices carrying down the hallway to her ears. Her stomach was doing flips and she could not stop it. She idly fidgeted with her mage robe's sash, trying to relax.
She was nervous. Mai hadn't experienced combat save some magic duels at classes. Her opponent was Dyrk Ballard, a man who'd spent 3 of his 5 years at the schools at the fighter's school and 2 at the royal academy. She held up one hand and clenched it into a fist. Closing her eyes, she slowly inhaled through her nose deeply then exhaled through her mouth. She opened her eyes, adopting her best stern expression. She began walking down the hallway towards the light at the end.
"Here I go."
The hall opened up to the large arena, surrounded on all sides by a 15 foot high wall. Atop the wall, the lowest seats began, extending higher up. Mai looked around at the packed stands, the crowds cheering. At the opposite end of the arena Dyrk had begun to walk towards the center. Mai closed the distance, stopping 10 feet away from him.
"Annnd Now, we have Dyrk Ballard from...." The announcers voice was forced from her mind as Dyrk began to speak calmly through his plate helm.
"So, you're Mai, my opponent."
Mai groaned at his pun, she was pretty sure he was smiling under that helmet.
"You don't look so tough," he said as he patted his sword on his plated shoulder, kite shield hanging on the other arm. "This shouldn't take long."
'Is this guy for real? I'm al least a foot and a half taller than him.'
"AAANNND BEGIN!" Roared the announcer.
The armoured fighter started running towards her, swinging the sword. She nervously dodged left and right. Her footsteps leaving deep prints despite her current size. Gabriel had explained that the disguise spell changed their appearance but it didn't alter their physical abilities or traits like strength or weight.
He swung again. She sidestepped, but only just as she felt the hem of her robe tugged by the sword. In response she cast a push spell, pushing Dyrk head over tail sideways.
He grunted as he got to his feet. Mai could hear him growling beneath his helm. Then it turned to laughter. "So you do have some fight in you. Well now I get to have a little fun. Maybe I'll get to cut off that pretty robe of yours and get a good show." He began running towards her.
Mai didn't like that. She felt her arms flex involuntarily. Dyrk raised his sword and brought it down. Mai sidestepped to the left, his shield side, and cast her best push spell.
"Oh shi-," yelled Dyrk as he was sent flying into the wall. He lay prone for a bit before he tried to stand. He eventually got to his feet, the shield completely destroyed and the arm armour dented. Not as bad as his chest plate from the impact. Then after 2 steps, he fell back down. The nearby referee gave him a 10 count.
"And the winner is Mai Brightwing."
She turned to head back the way she came in, the healing staff running past her to tend to Dyrk, save one who followed behind her to see if she needed aid.
Mai couldn't help but smile as she heard the crowds chanting her name.