Dueling tryouts

Deciding you don't have time to search for Harmony, you make your way to Delmorgan Park. Lee had said to meet up at the House Phoenix gazebo by the fountain and you didn't want to be late for tryouts.

Soon enough, you find yourself walking the dark stone pathways and come to the meeting spot. Only a couple of other House Phoenix students sit under the gazebo but you do not recognize them. As you wait for Lee and Brice, you overhear them discussing that this is known as the founders' courtyard because the three pillars of the fountain represent the academy's original founders: two Ashcrofts and a Kyrie, the first headmaster. After a short wait, Lee and Brice approach you at the gazebo.

"Hey bro." Lee greets you. "You ready to head to the tryouts?"

"Yeah, let's get over there. I don't want to miss anything." You answer.

The three of you follow the stone pathways to the courtyard housing the evocation range, where tryouts are being held. Immediately you notice a sizable crowd gathered around the raised platform in the center. As you approach, you see Professor Schwartz standing inside the large gazebo with a few other students and a table with what appears to be folded shirts on it. You recognize Liam among the students inside the gazebo with the professor, he and the other students are all wearing jerseys displaying their house sigil.

"Now, now." Professor Schwartz addresses the crowd of students. "We will have plenty of time for everyone to try out but first I would like to introduce the returning members of last year's team. First, our two team captains, Lucas and Misaki." He indicates the crowd's attention to a tall bulky boy with red hair wearing a House Cerberus jersey and a slim asian girl with a well-endowed bust and short black hair in a House Phoenix jersey. "Also returning is Liam, Grant, and Joyce." He indicates the remaining students in the gazebo with him. "Before we split off, I want to remind everyone that no duel shall ever take place without both duelists agreeing beforehand. No dueling someone without their consent. Also, all duels must start with the duelist charm. For safety reasons of course. Next, all duels must have an officiator. A professor or a member of a sanctioned dueling team. Anyone who violates these three core rules will not only be removed from the team but also suspended from the academy indefinitely, pending a review." He pauses to let what he said sink in with everyone. "Now, once both participants have agreed to a duel and the duelist charm has been raised, both duelists will start back to back and take twenty paces from each other. The officiator will call for the start of the match. Once the duel starts, anything goes, no spells barred."

You look around the crowd at the faces of the other students in attendance. Among them, you recognize the cerberus boy from your illusions class, Parisa who is standing with another brown haired girl wearing a wyvern pin, and Harmony. None of them seem to have noticed you and are all listening to Professor Schwartz.

"Now, let's form into four lines, by house, and you may all collect a training jersey. Let's get phoenixes over here, wyverns over here, cerberi behind me, and pegasi over there." The professor declares and everyone lines up, each group forming at a different entrance to the gazebo.

As you get in line with the other House Phoenix members, Harmony approaches you. "I didn't know you had an interest in wizard dueling." She says. "Are you sure you have the time to spare from your studies?" Her cold tone leaving you guessing if she being sincere or mocking you.

"I was invited to try out and I thought it sounded like fun." You admit to her.

"Just know, if we get paired, I won't go easy on you." She informs you.

"Why would I expect you to go easy on me?" You ask her with a laugh.

"You are the one with the notion that we might be friends." Now you are sure she is mocking you as she smirks.

"And you are the one who said we had a date." You turn the tables on her.

"That is not what I meant." Harmony's face blushes red and she turns to face forward in line, trying to ignore you. She looks back at you over her shoulder. "And, if I wanted to go on a date with you, you would know." She states before facing forward again, turning her nose up proudly.

You can hear Lee stifle a laugh behind you. "Would I though?" You mumble under your breath, intentionally loud enough for Harmony to hear but she just ignores you.

The line progresses and standing there is Misaki handing out House Phoenix training jerseys. She instructs everyone in your line to gather in one corner of the courtyard and she will be over in a minute to further explain how tryouts will be conducted.