Today was May first, the first and last day of registration for the tournament of honor. Every year, countless boys and girls seeking purpose, contentment, and freedom, would sign up for this series of events. These children were from families that were more than likely poor, unknown, and just upset with their way of living. Because of that, their parents would selfishly throw them into this competition, whether they liked it or not, with the responsibility of saving their families lively hood.
The tournament of honor, or (TOH) for short, was a way for those very same families to change their condition. All they had to do was have someone from their family compete against another throughout four different events. Any number of participants could pass, and if you somehow managed to do so, you would achieve the status of a noble, but sometimes there were people that competed just for the sake of their ego. The two girls pushing ahead of the registration line were such a people.
"Move, get out the way, move it!" A red headed girl snapped at everyone in her and her friend's path.
"Hey, you can't just skip ahead of us, we've all been waiting here just like you." Said one of the kids as he grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back.
The girl quickly turned around, and slapped him in the face. "Don't you ever dare put your hands on a noble, you peasant." She hissed.
"Now now Angelica, lets not waste energy on these, how should I say, low lives." Said the blondy by her side, looking the boy up and down. "Hmph." She gestured before flopping her hair across his face, and strutting away.
The kid glared at her while the side of his face swelled up. He didn't have to look at her hands to tell that her nails were long over due for a pedicure. There were four small cuts bleeding down his pale cheek.
"Here take this," The other girl said as she held out a handkerchief. "I know how dirty you people's skin can be, we wouldn't want that to get infected."
His long brown hair that was combed back had fallen over his eyes. That's why at first she couldn't see that they showed no sign of accepting anything from those pampered hands. They would humiliate him no more.
"Eh, suit yourself," She said, walking away and speaking under her breath. "I guess rats don't know a good thing when offered."
When she was far enough, where words couldn't reach her, someone came from behind, and handed him a cloth. "Those nobles, doing whatever they like, it's best to just ignore them." Said the random kid.
The kid that got slapped didn't care. He looked at him for as long as he talked, and than back at those girls. After he got hit, putting him in his place, everyone ahead got the memo. They all kept their heads to the floor, looking at the girls from below after moving out of the way.
Angelica kept her head held high, while a cocky smile grew on her face. Every so often she would look at the gloomy kids on the sides, seeing if they were taking in her elegance. Everything about her should have made them gawk in amazement. From the pearly white attire, to her glistening red hair blowing in the wind.
Her parade was going fine until she was knocked out of her self attained trance. What caught her attention was the continuously growing sound of indistinct chattering up ahead. The words that were being said couldn't really be made out, but she could tell they were of awe.
"Do you hear that Angelica? They're dumb founded by our presence." Said her sister.
Angelica's smile grew even more arrogant. "As they should be." She said before twirling her hair. In no time, the babbling spread threw the strangely large room, and the words being spoken became a little more clear.
"She must be the pride of their family..."
"God have mercy, how is someone that beautiful..."
"So pretty..."
Those were some of the things being said, and they only made Angelica walk even more arrogantly. She knew for a fact they were talking about her, but she actually knew nothing. The crowd looked past her, further into the line, reaching over one another to get a glance of what the big deal was.
Her face then began to turn upside down. "What? Why aren't they looking at me?!" She thought. "What could possibly be more amazing than I?" At that moment, she and her sister started to push even harder to the front of the line. "Get out my way, move you imbeciles!" they demanded.
Without a care for their arrogant postures, and expressionless faces anymore, they made it their objective to get to the front. In just minutes that goal had been achieved. Which by that time, created a sweaty mess, ruining their hair and make up that had taken them hours to do beforehand.
Angelica slipped past the person next in line, tripping on the floor. A bead a sweet rolled down her cheek, but before it could drop she quickly looked up. For a moment she thought she had been blinded, but it was only her imagination. The reflection of light off a pearly white dress, being monopolized by long black hair filled her eyes. Her jaw dropped for a split second before she caught herself being astonished by another. She looked at her sister only to catch her staring at the person the same way she was a moment ago -- in awe.
"Burlice fix your composure." She barked, slapping her sisters back.
Her sister straightened up instantly. "Ah, I must have doze off, you know I day dream ha..ha" She said before looking back at the person. "But who is that..?"
Angelica sucked in her teeth, before ferociously walking towards the person. "It doesn't matter who she is, i'm better than her." She said.
The person was a little girl standing atop a ramp. By her sides were two guards that never let go of their swords unless told otherwise, and behind her was a wall. A wall with a huge wooden face carved in it.
"First you have to greet the face, and once it replies that means you can begin your registration." The little girl said to the plump boy standing in front of the face.
"Oh wow this is my first time registering, i'm really nervous..." Said the boy.
"Don't worry gortin, look at the line, they're all waiting to be next just like you." Said the girl.
Gortin looked at the disfigured line in back of him. "Did it look like that when I was in there?" He thought. "No matter, here I go-."
Without notice, gortin was pulled from behind so hard he fell back. His round figured broke his fall, and assisted him on rolling all the way down. Taking his place was a steaming red headed girl, and her blonde headed acquaintance.
"What exactly do you think you're doing?" The small girl asked Angelica. "Go back, you have to wait your turn like everyone else."
Angelica looked down on her like she does everyone else, but the main reason she was able to do so was because the girl was short. Looking into the small girl's forest eyes she began to feel uneasy. She broke a sweat, and clinched her jaw. She then folded her arms, and said. "Hmph, so this is what all the fuss was about, nothing special at all. If anything you're looks are just barely above average, and that'll only take you so far in life."
The little girl giggled sarcastically. "You must not be able to hear correctly, so i'll ask again. What do you think you are doing cutting the line?" She said.
Angelica grunted and sucked her teeth again. "I won't answer anyone below me," She said before moving forward, bumping the girl on the way past. "Come on Burlice, lets go. The wall awaits"
Burlice followed after her sister, glaring at the girl the entire way past. They both sped walked, and with each step regained their confidence as supreme beauty, having left that girl to their backs. The face wall was just before them, but before they could take even another step forward -- their path was blocked. Two silver swords clanged against eachother, forming a impenetrable offensive blockade for the girls, and at the end of the swords were the Royal white knights glaring down at them as if they were insects.
"What do you think you're doing?" Angelica yelled.
The guards ignored her, and looked to the little girl. "What shall we do with them?" One of them asked.
"Take them to the end of the line." Said the girl. The guards grabbed both the girls and started to man handle them down the hill.
"Unhand me!" They yelled, and struggled. "Y-y-you little brat, who do you think you are?!"
"Asiya!" Yelled Allan's voice from afar.
From within the mess of a line, came Allan and Nikolai rushing to the front. Unlike those sisters, they simply took advantage of the open spots nobody was filling in, and went ahead. They both ran past the knights that were halted in front of Asiya, waiting for her to give them further instructions.
"Hey what're you doing here?" Allan asked.
Nikolai scratched his head. "You're not participating right? You gotta be at least twelve i'm sure." He said.
"Wait what? Isn't that the crowned prince and his little brother?" Said Burlice from the back.
"Huh what do you mean?" Asked Angelica.
"I'm sure of it, I seen the prince before at an event, that's him!"
"What? Then why are they being so friendly with that girl?" Angelica asked as her face boiled.
Asiya could feel their jealous glares from a mile away. She slowly glanced at them, and smirked. "Dad put me in charge of the registration this year. He said if I did a good job id get to come to his next private meeting."
"Oof, sounds so boring." Allan said.
"I remember dad pulled a similiar one on me too little sister." Nikolai laughed.
"What? 'Little sister'?!" Angelica said.
"Princess, shall we continue to take them?" One of the knights asked.
"Princess?!"
"Yea, to the very end of the line." Asiya said as she pointed to the end.
"What no you can't, we won't be able to register in time!" She screamed.
"Well when you're sitting at home while everyone is participating you can think about how you ruined this for yourselves, take them."
She said. Angelica's face turned inside out with anger, her sister's too. Never would they have guessed that the outcome would be this way. "Come now." Said the knights before pushing them forward.
"No!" Angelica yelled, pushing the knight, and running for the hill. She got no where quick. The knight snatched her by the arm, and held her tight. She struggled to break free, but her resistance seemed to be nothing for the knight to handle. Everyone in the line started to cheer, and laugh, infuriating the sisters even more. "I'll get you back for this, I swear it!" She yelled all the while being taken away.
Allan scratched his head. "What was that all about?" He asked.
Asiya turned to the hill. "Oh nothing, just the occasional run of wannabe's"
"Well enough of that," Nikolai said walking infront of them. "Now that we're here, are you going to show us how to register? I mean, not that I don't basically already know how."
"Well yeah, I gue-" Asiya said before getting cut off by gortin.
"W-w-w-wait wait, I was up." Said the oversized watermelon running In front of Nikolai. Well that's what Nikolai thought it was when gortin came running from behind him.
"Gortin, are you ok?" Asiya asked him. "You took quite the roll there."
"I'm ok, those woman sure were scary though. It if wasn't for my tough armor I could have gotten hurt." Gortin said, patting his protruding stomach.
"Yea yea ok, hurry it up, everyone's waiting." Allan said, edging gortin ahead.
"Alright man, don't push to hard," Gortin combed his hands threw his thick brown hair and took a deep breath. "I get nervous when I'm near this thing." He said, looking at the huge carved face.
The huge carved face Gortin called the "thing", was actually the registration wall. Everyone that has signed up for the tournament of honor in the past has seen this wall, and of course, talked to it.
"What do I do again?" Gortin ask, looking to Asiya.
"Ok well first just say, 'hello, my name is so and so",and then answer the questions from there as honestly as you can." Answered Asiya.
"Uhh ok..." Gortin mumbled.
"And don't even dare to lie, the wall knows when you're lying." She said.
"Oh no, you had better not lie." Allan said in a sarcastic tone.
Nikolai tapped on Gortin's shoulders. "Or else!" He said spookily.
Gortin jumped, and put his hands to his chest. "Or else what?" He asked.
Like a hyena circling it's prey in the night, Allan began to circle Gortin. "Or else...you'll become a wraith whisperer!" He said while prowling at Gortin.
"Uh what?!" Gortin jumped.
"A wraith whisperer!" Nikolai yelled.
"Oh no, not a wraith whisperer!" Gortin cried out.
"Stop it you two, you're only making the process longer." Asiya said in a frustrated tone. "Now go on then, say hello gortin."
Gortin slowly walked closer to the face. Every little detail of its structure could easily be made out, it was no different than a jolly man's face.
"Hello gortin." Gortin said quickly. "I mean hello my name is G-gortin."
The registration walls face stood still. Then in the next moment, it's eyes that were looking to the floor jolted up, glaring at Gortin.
Gortin caught his breath, and took a step back, and before he could do anything else, the face spoke. "Boy, why are you running." It said.
For a couple of seconds Gortin stayed quite. He could hardly breath, let alone speak. "I-I'm not running...Mr. Tree Face sir." He mumbled.
"Oh? but you were about to, and for the first time in your life it seems." The face said looking him up and down.
"Haha, well I guess you're right..." He said looking at his feet. " The only time I ever ran was when mother made those delicious Linca berry cakes, and my brother Jamie told me there was only one left. That day I was especially hungry."
"Oh my lord, he's being way to honest now." Asiya said.
Nikolai held in his laughs. "No this is hilarious, let him go on." He said.
"Ok hungry boy, stick your hand in my mouth. I won't spit on you, come on do it." The wall said.
Gortin slowly turned to look at Asiya to get her disapproval for the matter. Instead she nodded him to do exactly what that face had just told him to do. "Oh no...." He whined as he forcefully placed his hand in the wall's mouth. The second his hand touched the faces wooden tongue it's eyes began to glow green. "Why are it's eyes glowing?!" Gortin yelped.
"You can take your hand out now." Said Asiya," Its eyes glowed green right?"
"Yea..." Gortin replied.
Asiya pointed to a group of kids that had already registered. "Then join that group, everyone in that group also got the same glow."
"What does the glow mean?" Allan asked.
"It basically just tells you which group you're apart of... right?" Nikolai asked.
"Yea exactly, so go over there Gortin." Asiya said.
"But wait, isn't he gonna ask me anything else? Like my age or anything."
"No, not really, when you told it your name that was enough for you to be registered. Then it just asks you a random question, and you're set after that." Said Asiya.
"Ok well then it's my turn." Nikolai said pushing Gortin aside. "Hello face, my name is Nikolai." He stood there with his arms folded and chest stuck out, looking down on the face. Just like with gortin, it's plain face came to life, and stared him down.
"You are not the prince." Said the face.
Nikolai looked around in confusion. "Actually i'm the crowned prince, thank you very much." He said.
"Ok crowned, put your hand in my mouth." It said.
"Weirdo..." Nikolai said as he placed his hand in it's mouth. It's eyes boggled around, and then glowed yellow. He quickly took his hand out. "I dont feel comfortable with my hand being in there for to long. Who knows what germs got left behind by other people, but yellow huh. Just like the color that represents my spiritual essence color."
"Yellow represents wind right? I'll probably get blue since lightning is naturally the strongest element." Allan said.
"Whatever, Asiya what now?" Nikolai asked.
"Now.... go over there with the other people that got yellow." She said.
Nikolai looked at the group of kids that got yellow and frowned. They were all out of shape, and weak looking. "I think i'll wait to see what Allan gets." he said turning back around.
"Watch, blue for sure." Allan said as he walked up to the face. " Hi i'm Allan Rose." He said.
The face woke up, and greeted Allan. "Hi my name is Eblis, nice to meet you Allan." It said.
"Woah, I never heard it greet anyone before." Asiya said in surprise.
"Probably doesn't mean anything," Nikolai said."Go on Allan, stick your hand in its mouth."
"Not yet retard, it hasn't asked me to yet." Allan said back.
"Well?" The face said as if it was waiting on Allan to say something to it.
Allan looked confused. "Well what, shouldn't I be saying that to you." He said.
"Well Allan, where is your brother?" The face said.
"What do you mean, my brother is right -- there...." He said as he pointed to where Nikolai had been standing.
For some reason when he turned to Nikolai, there was no one standing there. Yet, Nikolai was there just a second ago. He quickly turned to where Asiya had been standing, then to the knights, and then the line of kids behind him. Everywhere he looked was empty -- no one was there. Allan instantly turned back to the face in the wall, but it was also gone. As if it had become invisible.
Slowly a ring began to chime threw his ears, and his breathing became dense and fast paced. In a effort to escape this strange phenomenon he squeezed his eyes together. After a couple seconds, a chill of wind blew up his shirt. The coldness crawled up his spine and past his hair, before a roar of fire stole his quiet peace, forcing him to open his eyes. Bright burgandy and white flames lit his golden eyes, and what he saw was a ocean of fire.
"Allan what are you waiting for?" Asiya said from behind him. He looked at her in complete confusion, and then at Nikolai, who was looking at him like he had an extra nose. When he turned to the wall, it's mouth was open. "Put your hand in there now."
Speechless, and oblivious to what he had just witness, Allan slowly placed his sweating hand on its wooden tongue. When did it tell me to put my hand here, was I imagining all that just now, He thought. Then like it did to everyone before, the face's eyes began to boggle around. It's strange eye patterns seemed a bit longer than the others. Almost as if it was searching for a color. At last it stopped, and it's eyes glowed a color seen for the first time that day.
"White?" Asiya and Nikolai said in sync.
Nikolai stuck out his tongue and scrunched up his face. Speaking in sync with Asiya made him cringe. "yuck, don't do that again..." He said. "But I guess my theory was wrong. There is no essence for white."
Asiya grabbed Allan's hand. "Forget your theory Nikolai. Allan, no one has gotten that glow before today. You're the first to start the group of whites..." She said to the him, but he wasn't paying much attention. Everyone was impressed with him, but he was just too zoned out, thinking about the fire he saw. "Well you guys should get going, the others are waiting."
"Yeah.." Nikolai mumbled, walking to the yellow group as he kept an eye on Allan.
"I guess you should start the new group beside the greens." Asiya said to the dazed Allan. "Allan?"
"Yeah?" He replied with a composed tone.
Asiya gestured him to move on, and he got the memo.
"Ah right." He said before taking off and letting the next person in line get their turn.