The atmosphere was thick and tense as we huddled together.
"Ok now listen up. As soon as we enter I want you guys to stay calm and relaxed okay? Calm and relaxed. Look at me, calm and relaxed okay?" Sara and I both nodded at Mr Xanxus but we knew he was the only one who probably really needed to stay calm, he was sweating buckets.
"The tournament will begin as soon as we arrive so I want you both to be mentally prepared. Let's bring the trophy home!" Mr Xanxus pulled his fist up in a determined stance trying to gesture 'Let's win this'.
"The school with the most points brings home the trophy basically." Sara finished for him.
"Yes. When the portal opens, we will walk into the arena. You will need to wave our school crest" Mr Xanxus's assistant said, handing us a flag of our school crest on it. Sara grabbed onto it in glee.
"Then my assistant will go sign you both up and the tournaments will begin." Mr Xanxus nodded at me.
"Actually… could you not use my real name." I looked at him and everyone looked back at me, shocked.
"Why?" Sara peered at me curious.
"Okay, you heard him. Don't put his real name. What should we put down?" Mr Xanxus told his assistant.
"James Lance." I replied, before putting on my mask to cover my face. It was a simple black cloth that matched our uniform.
This tournament was going to be broadcasted everywhere across the kingdom, I still had to worry about the other candidates of the monarchs. I couldn't let them find out the real identity of the Lightning Candidate. Therefore, I decided to cover my face with a mask and only use my Ice magic as a cover up.
**
"Here comes the long awaited Xanxus Academy!" A loud voice bellowed and a loud buzz of cheers bursted into my ear as we stepped out of the portal.
The stadium was circular and filled with thousands of people, which made them like insects. We exited the portal at the centre of the stage. I could feel my legs shake a little. Was I nervous? I looked to my left and in a row, in perfect order other students and their headmasters stood waving their school crests. So this was like an inauguration?
I looked to my sides to see different portals opened up with the school name on top, in a row, each student waved their school crests.
"Don't let the noise get to you, just wave the flag and smile. The tournament should begin shortly." Mr Xanxus shouted, trying to speak over the loud noise. Sara nodded in understanding and a smile stretched across her face; she waved the school flag in her arms ecstatically.
A couple more schools came after us.
"Welcome dear competitors to the well renowned high school tournament of the year!" A man's face popped up on a big screen made of light mana, "Cutting down on chit chat, let's get this show on the road! As you all know there will be 3 stages to this tournament. First being to capture the flag and second being the Magic Labyrinth. The last stage being the crowd favourite, 1 v 1 duels, Now I hope all watchers have gone to the restroom and have grabbed their snacks cause this tournament is starting now!"
The crowd let out another deafening sound, unmatched to anything I've ever heard before.
The presenter continued, "All schools may leave the stage now and go into the training facilities."
A loud cheer shook the stadium and Mr Xanxus gestured to us to follow the other schools to leave. I could see him ringing his ears with his left hand.
**
The training facility was underground and stretched for miles; using my inspect skill I could tell the white tiles on the walls were made of mana resistant materials.
"Okay you two, warm up, use the loo, do whatever. I'm going to go sit with the other headmasters and piss them off. Just do your best out there." Mr Xanxus smiled at us before heading for the stairs, leaving both of us stranded.
I walked with Sara to a corner and got ready stretching our limbs and muscles. For the first time, I felt knots tighten in my stomach and my palms were becoming sweaty. The atmosphere and pressure was getting to me; I couldn't keep a clear and focused mind set and it felt as though my heart would pound out of my chest any minute. I thought I'd be fine as I gave speeches to a whole nation before, so this shouldn't have been that bad.
I looked at Sara practically shaking with every move; she had it worse than me, she had no experience with stuff like this.
"Sara, take deep breaths and just do your best. Don't worry about the results, okay? I'll be with you every step of the way." I tried to reassure her.
"But I-" before she could finish, she was cut off.
"Zeref! Sara!" I heard a familiar voice echo from behind me, I turned my head round to see Malia, Jace and Naz run to us from the other end of the hall. The area was so colossal, people were scattered everywhere, some sparring and others meditating so seeing them relieved the atmosphere a little.
"Mr Xanxus let us off school today so we could come and support you guys." Naz spoke up ecstatically then proceeded to hug Sara.
"What's with the mask weirdo? Want me to pull it off for you?" Naz smiled suspiciously and began to move forward.
"I'm trying to keep my identity hidden for a reason." I replied, flicking her arm away from reaching my face.
"Anyhow, don't be so stiff! You got this." Malia smacked my shoulder and I smiled back at her awkwardly through the mask.
"Don't let me down. You know I let you win cause I felt bad for you right; don't let my kind gesture go to waste!" Jace scoffed sarcastically, folding his arms.
"You know Malia, it was so awesome! A guy came at me like this, then I punched his head in like this..." he again started his stupidity in front of everyone doing awkward moves and demonstrations. Some people were even beginning to look at us oddly.
"Okay, we get it now shush!" Malia punched his head downwards making him rub his head; I had to admit the guy could take a beating.
We all shared a few laughs, relaxing our nerves, when all of a sudden, a loud beep noise echoed through the arena. Everyone flinched at the loud noise and soon after, a woman walked through the door with a clipboard. She pushed her rectangular glasses up the bridge of her nose and scanned her eyes across the room. "All seven pairs shall make their way to the edge of the forest for the first stage." she said in a dull tone before walking back out of the room.
Sara turned to Naz and Malia to engulf them in a warm hug. "We will be watching. Good luck you two." Malia smiled as I knocked fists with Jace.
"We will be fine." I winked causing Naz to laugh.
"Stay safe Sara." Jace acknowledged her with a nod before gripping Malia's hand and leaving.
Naz turned to us one last time and cupped Sara's face in her hands. "I will be cheering for you. Have fun. I love you." Naz sighed before running after Jace and Malia.
I looked down at Sara who was in tears. "Why are you crying?" I laughed.
"I don't knooooow," her voice wavered as she let out a loud weep, people turning their heads to look. "Naaaaaaz!" she started to ugly cry, wiping her snot on her sleeves.
"Sara, you're being a little dramatic." I laughed while hugging her. "Now stop crying, she'll be watching us the whole time and we will see her after the tournaments finish." I comforted, wiping her tears and guiding her to the exit.
Once she stopped crying and calmed down, we left the exit and made our way to the starting line. More students started to come out and join us, standing in their respective places. Scanning my eyes across our competition, I noticed all of the kids were 16 or 17 and I protectively put my hand over Sara's shoulder, knowing that she noticed too. Her ears fell flat down against her head, unintentionally. I bent down to whisper at her, "Don't show them you're nervous. I'm right here."
"I can't help it, my ears just speak the truth." she whispered back, harshly, making a bulky girl smile evilly at her. She whimpered in worry.
"What are you looking at?" I glared at the big girl with a stiff glare.
"At your stupid wolfy friend. Watcha gonna do… kid." she mocked.
Stalking my way towards her, I tilted my head, scanning her large form.
Everyone's heads turned to us. The large girl looked shocked as I stepped towards her, glaring at her blazer with her crest on it. "Garsontine Prep. Pathetic." I scoffed, making her partner step forwards next to her.
They both towered over me yet I wasn't the one to back down.
"I'll crush you in the tournaments, you puny little brat." she snapped, pointing her chunky finger in my face.
"What are you gonna do? Sit on me?" I pushed the sweaty finger out of my face and rolled my tongue through the side of my mouth, bored. I earned a few snickers and just as her partner was about to say something back, a hand dragged me back to my original spot.
"Stop..." Sara glared at me and I put my hands up to show she won but not before glancing at the bulky girl who was red as a tomato.
Another loud beep rang through the air, this time, followed by deafening shouts of parents and friends. The same woman from before walked in front of us with her clipboard.
"Register!" she yelled at us and we all instantly fell silent.
"Hebrion Academy, Lotus Academy, Garsonite Prep, Testaria Academy, Royal heir Prep, Benditwallow Academy and Xanxus Academy." each duo raised their hands at hearing their school names.
"Okay listen up. Welcome to stage 1. The D rank beasts in this forest will have a key wrapped around it's neck which will belong to your flag. There is no specific key you need to get, any key will unlock your flags. The flag will be locked in a hidden location. Slay the beast, get the key and retrieve your flag. Your ultimate goal is to be the first duo to run back to the arena with your crest."
A hench boy with blonde hair raised his hand, "What if we can't slay the beast but we manage to get the key?"
Everyone whispered in protest, murmuring about how D rank beasts were 'deadly'. I tried not to roll my eyes. I slayed D rankers when I was 5 years old.
"You will lose 500 points from your score." the lady stated, pushing up her glasses. "There is one rule though. No murder." she smirked and everyone laughed making Sara shiver next to me.
"Invisible spectating magic will be cast on each partner and displayed in front of everyone in the arena so we will be able to watch each of you. Good luck. You will hear 3 beeps and then a loud bell. That is your queue to run in." she nodded at us and strutted her way back into the arena.
Everyone burst back into chatter before a cheer was heard echoing through the air. I grabbed Sara's hand. "We run after everyone else leaves." I stated, making sure she knew what to do. She nodded in understanding.
"Let's bring back a win." she whispered, determination glowing brightly in her dark eyes. Her ears perked up and stood proudly. I smiled down at her and gave her a nod.
The first beep rang and everyone started to face the forest.
The second beep echoed. "Ready?" I asked.
The third beep resounded through the air. "No." Sara whispered back.
An agonising silence settled in the air as I squeezed Sara's hand, awaiting the last ring of the bell.