Rael woke up early and got ready for another day at the academy. He met up with Kwayur and Elara, and together they headed to their lectures. Throughout the day, they could feel the anticipation building for the Knight-O-Mare tournament. Whispers and gossip filled the air.
"Did you hear? This year's Knight-O-Mare is going to be intense."
"I heard some seniors saying it's going to be the toughest competition yet."
After their lectures, the trio headed to the mess hall, their stomachs growling with hunger. They piled their trays high with food and sat down to eat. Just as they were about to dig in, a commotion outside caught their attention.
"What's going on?" Elara asked, looking towards the door.
The mess lady, overhearing them, replied, "Royal Knight of the highest accord, a former Knight-O-Mare champion, and the leader of the country's personal Golden Unicorn battalion, Sir Kirius Volfagon, has arrived at the campus."
They were all taken aback by this. Rael knew only the key public information about him. Kwayur, on the other hand, knew more but was too focused on his food to share much. Elara didn't know much either and insisted they find out more.
"Let's finish our food first," Kwayur said, but Rael and Elara were persistent.
Kwayur sighed, looked at his pasta, kissed it goodbye, and said, "Babe, I'll be back to devour you."
As they walked towards the academy halls, Kwayur narrated what he knew. "Kirius Volfagon was a commoner but is blessed by the wind deity, making him one of the strongest men in the whole continent. He won the Knight-O-Mare competition with just his bare hands, a record in the academy. He's highly regarded by the noble families and the king. He recruits the Knight-O-Mare winner annually into his Golden Unicorn battalion. Everyone wants to be by his side."
Elara and Rael were fascinated by this information. They finally reached the academy halls, which were lined with red carpets. Students were gathered on either side, eagerly waiting.
In a flash, they saw him. Kirius Volfagon, a young man in his 30s with long blonde hair, a skinny athletic build, and dressed in grandeur clothing. His emerald eyes seemed to see through everything. He walked through the halls, greeted by the principal and the entire staff.
"I'm always proud to see you, Kirius," the principal said, embracing him.
"And I'm always glad to see you run this academic beauty," Kirius replied.
He turned to the gathered students and said in a bold, knightly voice, "I didn't expect so many of you to gather without notice. I had some unofficial work and came to visit the principal. But seeing this crowd, it seems like this year's Knight-O-Mare festival will be quite the spectacle. I expect great things. Prepare well, and I wish you luck in your endeavors."
With that, he and the principal walked away to the administrative chamber. The crowd slowly started dispersing, and Rael, Elara, and Kwayur overheard various comments.
"OMG, how cool was he?"
"He's so hot."
"Did you see his eyes?"
"I gotta join the GU's."
"I wish Sir Kirius would adopt me."
Elara commented, "Well, talk about a first impression. I could feel his aura from afar. He's quite strong."
"What do you think of him as a man, though?" Kwayur teased.
"Ugh, stop it! What do you take me for?" Elara replied, blushing.
Rael, meanwhile, was lost in thought. He was certain he had seen Kirius before but couldn't quite place where. Elara noticed and asked, "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, just mesmerized by Kirius," Rael said, shaking off his thoughts.
"See, be honest like Rael here," Kwayur teased Elara again.
"You..." Elara started, glaring at Kwayur.
They returned to their seats in the mess hall, where Kwayur was delighted to see his pasta still intact. "How I missed you," he said, diving back in. Elara made a cringe face.
After their meal, they attended the remaining lectures. Once the day ended, they made their way home. Elara bid them goodbye, saying she needed to buy essentials. Rael and Kwayur started walking back together.
"I heard about a shady but fun place. You wanna come along?" Kwayur asked.
Rael was suspicious but intrigued. "What kind of place?"
"If we go now, we can be back by dinner," Kwayur said.
Rael agreed, and they walked through dark alleyways filled with not-so-friendly-looking people. Finally, they reached a dilapidated hut.
"There should be a hidden tile here somewhere," Kwayur said, feeling the ground with his foot. "Ah, right here."
They removed the tile, revealing a staircase leading downwards. They descended into the unknown.