"Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome! To the Semi-Finals of the…!"
"GRAND TOURNEY!"
"That's right folks! Welcome to the Semi-Final Stage of the Grand Tourney. We are your commentators and hosts. I am Peter, and I'm here with the sensational…"
"Maggie"
"Today we get to witness the four best teams so far duke it out in an exciting sequence of matches! I'm certain that everyone knows the four remaining teams, but it doesn't hurt to remind ourselves of the names of the four teams that have made it into the Semi-Finals and are here today!"
"Without wasting much time, I shall get straight to introducing the first team. They are one of the favorites to win this tournament and are led by the powerful Cheetah, Red Prince; the first team to be introduced is the Red Team!"
Along with the spirited voice of Peter the commentator, a team of four clad entirely in red uniforms made their way onto the field. They had varying body statures, but they their auras were united and strong. The one leading the team was a lean man with a pair of light swords strapped to his back. He was a handsome middle aged man with a calm smile on his face. This man was the leader of the Red Team and the Cheetah, Red Prince. Standing behind him was a beautiful woman with cold eyes. Her graceful figure was clad entirely in red leather armor and a short bow was strapped to her side. Her slender quiver held no more than 15 arrows, but each was made with the finest materials. To either of her sides were two men who had very similar physiques. Unlike the slender man who led them, these two were bulky and although they were clad entirely in red leather armor, their well-built frames couldn't be hidden from the eyes of the audience. They had muscular arms and thick black hair, and they even walked in the same manner. They were brothers, but they were so in sync with each other that many would have mistaken them as twins. As they made their way towards the centre of the stadium, the crowd cheered in support.
"Next is the team that took out one of the favorites to win the tournament at the expense of one of their own. Led by the powerful Tiger, Vital Orange, let's welcome the Orange Team!"
Amidst the irritated boos of the audience, the members of the Orange Team slowly walked into the stadium. However, soon the booing stopped as everyone watched the Orange Team with stunned eyes. Leading the team was the ever powerful captain of the Orange Team, Vital Orange. Accompanying him was someone they recognized from the previous matches yet had never been seen fighting, Black Hand. That small stature entirely covered in an orange cloak was difficult to forget. But those were the only familiar faces. It wasn't surprising that Orange Monk didn't come with them because his injuries weren't light and he was expected to miss what was left of the tournament. But Orange Ivy who had stolen the hearts of many of the men wasn't with them either. Instead, there were two new additions to the team. And both of these new additions were unknown.
Walking behind Vital Orange were two masked men covered from their necks to their shins in orange cloaks. The two walked in line with Black Hand, and from their strides one could tell that they weren't old. They walked with their chests out; their cloaks fluttering elegantly in the wind. Although they both wore masks, one could easily differentiate between the two. One of them was wearing a white mask, whereas the other wore a black face mask. The one wearing the white mask was tall and had a slenderer build with his dark hair tied neatly into a small bun on the top of his head. Poking out of his cloak was a long sword held within an elegantly woven sheath and strapped to his waist. His countenance was that of one walking amongst a garden of flowers, and his aura was ethereal and surreal. Those who looked at him felt a sense of nobility that birthed feelings of inferiority in the depths of their hearts. His beautiful eyes were mesmerizing, and even those who were far away found themselves lost when they looked into those gentle and charming eyes. In contrast to the white masked man, the black masked man had cold eyes.
Although they were like turquoise shells, those cold eyes had very little warmth, and anyone who looked into them could feel nothing but the grim reality of death hovering over their heads. His long blond hair was left to carelessly wander in the wind, and there was a large sword slung over his shoulder and onto the orange cloak. His steps were taken confidently, and his majestic aura threatened to overshadow Vital Orange's strong presence. There was a hint of bloodlust that was exuded with every step he took. Unlike the white masked man, anyone who looked at him knew that he was no illusion, but a sharp sword that could easily reap a life!
"Maggie, what do you think about the changes that the Orange Team has made. Were you surprised when you found out?" Peter the commentator asked. From his words the crowd could make out that he already knew about the changes. And it wasn't surprising, since as the commentator he would have been told about any changes once they occurred so that he could prepare for it. It was the same with his partner, Maggie.
"Well, yes and no. I wasn't surprised with the first change. We all knew that Orange Monk wouldn't be available due to the severity of his injuries. And we thought it was going to be difficult to replace him. But in the end they did. From what we gather, the White Mask – as we will refer to him since he asked for his identity to remain secret – is Orange Monk's replacement. As for whether he would be able to fill the large shoes Orange Monk left behind, we will have to wait and see. Luckily we wouldn't wait too long since he would have to show his worth today."
"It was the second change which surprised me. Orange Ivy is a strong Thrasher, and has a good reputation and record in the Grand Tourney. Yet she has been replaced, and by an unknown no less. Since the Orange Team members are no fools, we must assume that she was replaced because they found someone better. As for whether that is the truth, we hope to find out today, Peter."
"Indeed. Do you think the two are related, Maggie?"
"Well, Peter, I don't know if they are related by blood, but they certainly know each other. The fact that both of them do not want to reveal their identities and are wearing masks may be proof of their relationship. It may be that in the quest to find a replacement for Orange Monk, the Orange Team came across both men, and decided to recruit both of them."
"That is highly plausible Maggie. And from what I heard, Orange Ivy gave up her spot willingly. It makes me all the more eager to witness those two in action!" Peter exclaimed excitedly. His words stunned the audience. For someone to give away their spot willingly meant that they were inferior to the person they handed their spot over to!
"It seems we are drawing a lot of attention. How are you faring?" The man in the black mask was undoubtedly Mane, and Lam was the man in the white mask.
"I'm a little nervous," Lam admitted. "But I'm also very excited," Lam continued. Mane smiled behind the mask. Lam's excitement far overshadowed his anxiety, and his calm exterior was a far cry from his shaking-with-excitement interior!
"I'm bored," Hildegarde, the invisible fairy yawned from atop Mane's shoulder.
"Bear with me for a bit. I'd take you sightseeing when this is over," Since there was a mask over his face, Mane could easily speak to Hildegarde without worrying about people seeing his lips moving.
"No takebacks!" Hildegarde excitedly exclaimed when she heard Mane's words. She couldn't move too far away from Mane due to a restriction, but she wanted to see the city. However, Mane had been busy these past few days and never had the time to take her out. So she was happy to hear his words.
"I promise," Mane gave his word and then turned to assess the Red Team. They had unknowingly arrived next to the team they may compete with depending on the draw.
"Vital Orange. It is nice to meet you again." The Red Team's Captain, Red Prince turned and nodded at Vital Orange as a sign of respect. Vital Orange quickly extended his greetings as well, as his team members took their positions at the center.
"The next team is from our very own Asher City and are led by our very own legend, Black Saga! With indomitable force they have swept through all who have barred their paths and are here today, holding the mantle of hope for our city. Let's invite the Black Team to join us!"
The audience erupted into loud applause and amidst the raucous cheering of the home support, a team of four men clad entirely in black made their way onto the field. Leading them was a man even taller than Vital Orange. This man was almost 2 and a half meters in height, and his arms were as thick as a tree trunk. A large rod was strapped diagonally to his back, and his threatening aura was intoxicating. He had a gentle smile on his face though, and he waved his hand happily at the crowd; an action which elicited even more cheers. Behind him were three tall men. Each one of them was as large as Vital Orange, and their black leather suits were sleeveless. They had different weapons. One used an axe, the other a hammer, and the last person a spear. Just like their leader, they smiled merrily and waved at the cheering crowd. Soon, they had reached the center of the field, joining the Red and Orange Teams who were already there. The three captains exchanged greetings before returning to their places.
"Last but certainly not least, is the team that is currently holding the Grand Tourney title. They won last year, slashing through each team with unbelievable accuracy. Their undaunted spirits and great beauty has made them the envy of every woman and man here. This is the team led by the Celestial Fairy. Let's welcome our reigning champions, The Indigo Team!"
The eyes of many men lit up as the last team made its way onto the field. The last team was comprised entirely of women, and came from the First Class City 'A Woman's Paradise', which was run by women. They were all beautiful, and age hadn't left a mark on their faces. Their graceful forms moved through the wind like butterflies, as they made their way to the center. Their leader was arguably the best of them all. Not in terms of looks, but rather in terms of aura and disposition. She had her held head high and the aura of a noble could be felt from her. Strapped to her sides were a pair of twin swords, and each of them was at least two to three times heavier than a regular sword! The three women who stood behind her were all sword users, and the sharpness of their auras was proof that they weren't mediocre sword users! Under the mesmerized gazes of men and women alike, they slowly made their way to the center.
The leader of the Indigo Team, Celestial Fairy, only lightly nodded her head at the other captains when she arrived. It looked arrogant, yet Mane didn't see any arrogance in her actions. It was all very natural, and she was genuinely respectful of the other teams. The captains didn't seem to mind either. They all returned her nod, as if used to her manner of greeting.
"Now that all the teams are here, we shall start the draw!"