Dimas punches and kicks a nonexistent opponent while Lilee runs laps.
The duo are outside of Onaq in a field near a couple of medium sized hills that hide them from the city and nearby roads. Dimas had suggested they go train to prepare for the tournament, Lilee had agreed but was beginning to regret her eagerness after the 90th lap.
"I'm surprised you wanted me to train with you." Lilee says in hopes that the conversation would give her a couple of minutes of reprieve.
"Keep running." Dimas sees through her scheme and squashes it immediately.
Lilee groans and continues her laps.
"It's not that I wanted you to train with me. I'm just making sure you don't waste the rest of the Crild." Dimas throws a couple of jabs followed by a kick.
"Okay, then why are you making me run?" Lilee asks.
"Your endurance sucks." Dimas says. "Tell me more about the tournament, what's the selection part?"
"Since there's a ton of challengers, there are judges to select 100 that officially participate."
"How do they choose?"
"That's mostly up to the judges."
"Nepotism isn't an issue?"
"No, the tournament chooses the judges very carefully but there have been some weird… decisions. A few years back, one judge chose teams based on how lovely their names sounded."
"And if I fail the selection?"
"If we fail, we'll have to wait a whole year. Each tournament is held for a month, afterwards the next wave of tournaments start."
[As if I needed another reason not to lose.]
"Can I take a break now?" Lilee begins to slow down.
"...Sure." Dimas decides to take a small break as well.
The two sit down, the rustling grass blades overtaking the sounds of Onaq. Dimas lies on his back allowing the wind to wash over him. Lilee is looking at him. There's a lot of questions she wants to ask him. Some of those questions stemmed from her curiosity of his world, most revolved around Dimas himself. She knows that he probably wouldn't answer any of them. Then again, Lilee has always been an optimist.
"Dimas?"
Dimas has his eyes closed. "Hmm?"
"You said that you fought back in your world, why?"
"Is knowing going to help you become a better healer?"
"No."
"Then there's no reason to tell you." Dimas stands up, ready to continue his training. "Break's over. Start doing some push ups."
The following day, the duo are amongst the sea of challengers vying for a spot in the tournament. They're in a stadium that sits at the center of town. The field was flat and roughly the size of a soccer field, the rows of seats that encircle the field go past 100. Among the seats on the East side, there was a balcony. Draped over the balcony was a banner that depicted a starry night sky, a symbol of good luck in Terrama. Every part of the stadium including the seats are made of stone. Luckily for the attendees, Onaq's weather was always pleasant meaning the stone seats were never too cold or too hot.
Lilee looks around the crowd, her stomach in knots, she had always dreamed of participating in a tournament. She sees a few people looking around just as she is. It felt odd to be standing alongside so many others who probably had the same dream. At the same time, it felt amazing.
Dimas tried his best to avoid crowds. He didn't have claustrophobia or social anxiety, he simply hated being surrounded by people. Especially when said people were yelling, like they are now.
Lilee shuffles closer to Dimas, his calm and focused demeanor easing her stomach. Dimas would've scooted away but that would mean getting closer to a rowdy group to his left, so he stayed rooted to his spot.
"Hello!" A cheery voice quiets the crowd. A woman in purple steps out onto the balcony, accompanied by three others. The other three consisted of a woman with a ladybug brooch, a man with a moustache, and a man with a cane.
"Welcome, everyone! I can't describe how beautiful it is to see all of you aspiring champions! It really brings a tear to my eye!" The woman in purple pulls out a tissue and dabs her eyes.
"You do this every year." The ladybug woman shakes her head.
"Every year? Every day is more like it." The moustached man adds.
The man with a cane doesn't join the conversation instead he looks out into the crowd. For a second, Dimas believes the man is looking right at him but he dismisses the idea.
"You all know how this works." The moustached man addresses the crowd. "If we call out your names, you can stay. If your name isn't called out by the end, you will have to leave."
"You can always try your luck next year." The ladybug woman says.
"Please don't feel bad if you're not chosen! If I could, I would choose all of you!" The woman in purple holds up a small bag with a ribbon on it. "For those who aren't chosen, I have prepared consolation bags that will be handed out in the end!"
And with that, the selection begins.
One after another, groups are called. Some cheer as if they have already won the tournament, some cry tears of joy, some stand quiet and proud. Lilee is hopeful at first but that hope begins to dwindle as the number of chosen teams gets higher and higher. Meanwhile, Dimas is more focused on the man with a cane than the actual selection itself. It struck him as odd that the other three judges were calling out the teams they chose while the man with a cane just stood there. Furthermore, the man's gaze had stayed fixated in the same spot the entire time.
"I feel like throwing up." Lilee holds her stomach.
"Three spots left. There's still a chance." Dimas surveys the crowd.
The once excited faces were now filled with desperate hope. He found it somewhat funny.
"Two spots left." Lilee says.
The moustached man selects the penultimate team. Leaving him and the two women judges tied with each choosing 33 teams. "That brings us to 99." He faces the women judges. "Who wants 34 this year?"
"Actually, may I take a turn?" The man with a cane asks after remaining silent all this time.
The other judges are surprised. Never before has the man with a cane chosen a team. During their meetings, which are held several times throughout the week leading up to the selection, he usually served as an advisor to the other judges. It was rare when the others had a hard time choosing but whenever they did, he was the first person they would ask.
"Go right ahead!" The woman says.
"Thank you." The cane man steps forward. "Please humor me, I would like to ask a few questions before I make a decision."
No one objects.
"Dimas and Lilee, please step forward."
Dimas walks forward with Lilee close behind, the crowd moves apart to let them through. Murmurs begin to spread throughout the crowd, their team size and Lilee's scar being the most prominent in their whispers.
The man continues once the duo reach the front of the crowd.
"Sorry to place you in the spotlight but I must inquire, why does your team consist of only you two?" The cane man asks.
"AWW!" The woman in purple exclaims. "Are you lovers?"
This sends whispers throughout the crowd. Lilee begins to feel a bit embarrassed.
"Because she's the only one I need." Dimas says.
What he meant by this is that he only needed a healer to tend to his wounds. Lilee knew this. The crowd didn't and it drew a few awws. Lilee begins to blush.
The cane man understood what Dimas meant. "Let us assume you win this tournament and every tournament that follows. Can you say with absolute certainty that you will succeed where so many have failed? Will you be able to best Alastor?"
Dimas shrugs. "I can say it. Any idiot can say it. The only difference is that out of everyone here." Dimas waves his hand across the crowd. "I'm the only one who can actually do it."
A large portion of the crowd begins to ridicule and boo Dimas.
"Empty words!"
"Check your ego!"
"Another moron wanting glory!"
Some of the jeers are more vulgar and filled with disdain. The ladybug woman and the moustached man sneer. Even the woman in purple looks doubtful.
Yet, Dimas remains unfazed.
With a single wave of the cane man's hand, the crowd falls silent.
He turns to Lilee. "Lilee, do you have anything to add?"
Lilee looks at Dimas. "I think he's being a bit too arrogant."
The crowd begins to taunt Dimas again. "But-" Lilee cuts them off. "I believe in Dimas. I know that our chances are slim, very slim, but I'll stand by him every step of the way."
The cane man grins. "That's all I needed to hear. I choose Dimas and Lilee as the final team for this year's selection."
Lilee's elation at their selection causes her to hug Dimas. He tries to pry himself free but she has his arms pinned to his side. Dimas begins to spin around trying to loosen her grip.
To everyone else, the duo are two lovers twirling around in a joyous embrace.