'Let's hope I can win the first matches at least" he said.
'Are you going to the graduation ceremony tonight at the arena?" Maila asked as she came up to him.
'Graduation ceremony?" he asked.
"You might notice the new last year students, well we are the second to last year students here, one more year and we are done, the previous set before the new set of last years are graduating, the ones with the highest honors will be getting the special treatment card too" she responded.
'I see and that is tonight?" he asked.
'Yesh you should come watch, the king will be there" she responded and he sighed.
'Sure I will be there with a friend" he said and she smiled brightly as she sat down.
After a long and tiring day at the academy, it was finally dismissed and Alix left for home using the train.
When he arrived he noted someone standing in front of the bakery dressed in a knight's uniform.
"Who's that?" he asked as the person turned around then he smiled.
'Elijah" he said.
'Alix, been a while, you are coming with me to the graduation ceremony right?" Elijah asked.
'Sure after I am done with work though" he responded then coughed.
"Alright I will see you at the arena, wait for me at the front entrance do not go in alone, you also need to see the doctor as soon as possible, you seem to be getting worse even though you look fine bro," he said as he tapped him on the shoulder then walked away and Alix downed his head as he held onto his chest.
"Poor kid, if he doesn't be careful he will die," the woman said as she looked at him while serving her customers.
'I am ready to go to work" he said as he walked in.
'Don't bother, I won't cut it out of your paycheque, just go and get some rest then go ou with Elijah, he was waiting for you for a while" she replied and he smiled.
'We practically grew up together" he said.
"Yeah I know, you told me all about it, you don't usually open up to people, you are popular among the girls yet" she replied and he gave her a gentle smile as he walked out of the bakery and went to his apartment where he took out his books and began doing his homework.
Later that day after Alix finished all of his work, night fell and he got dressed to leave to go to the ceremony hoping to meet up with his best friend.
While going to the train Alix heard someone calling out to him and when he turned around he saw it was Elijah and he smiled.
'Good night" Elijah said.
'Good night" he replied.
"Are you ready to go?" Elijah asked as they got onto the train and sat down.
"I signed up for the tournament" he responded and Elijah looked at him sternly.
'Are you serious?" he asked.
"Yeah" he responded.
'Well as long it's what you want to do then I won't protest against it, be careful though these things can get pretty nasty" he said.
'Yeah I know, I have seen it on the television" he said and Elijah sighed.
"You are not healthy, that's a good reason not to compete, your choice though" he replied.
After a little while on the train, it stopped and they got out heading to the arena, while going there Elijah was extra careful due to how busy the streets were, most people were heading to the arena.
The arena was not far from the castle which was where the mountains and valley were, the arena was right beside it, it was huge, well guarded, and heavily armed.
'This place is big" Alix said as he entered and they sat down.. the arena was packed with people, it was really noisy and Alix felt a little clustered being there until the king came along with a mage walking by his side and stood in the middle of the ring then grabbed the microphone.
'Good evening ladies and gentlemen" he said and everyone bowed their heads in respect of the king.
"Tonight we are here to begin the finest tournament of the year, the biggest, here is where we decide all of our best fighters, everyone knows the prize to the person or the team that wins this tournament will be heavily rewarded, I welcome you to the Grand Domain of the Unknown" the king said and everyone cheered as five students from the academy came onto the stage and Alix sighed.
'Those are the five top students" Elijah said.
"Welcome the top students of the royal academy," the mage said as held onto the medals.
"Cedroc, Amilia, Richard, Zimeon, and Alicia," the king said as everyone clapped for them while they received their medals.
"You see the card that's being handed to them those cards give you special access to things in this kingdom, they don't even have to pay for future studies it's already being done for them," Elijah said.
'I find it unfair, they just graduated with high marks, they don't deserve to have special access to things in this kingdom also, Zimeon, he is not normal that guy has a killer look, beware, that's the hint I am getting from him" Alix said and Elijah scoffed.
I think Zimeon is a beast and Alicia is a part mage, the academy teaches students who have magic too, you are new so you don't know much yet, your time at the academy will be hell" Elijah replied.
'I know that already, why are some things just so corrupted?" Alix asked.
'I don't know man this is the world we live in" Elijah responded.
'Yeah well, it sucks" Alix said.
'I know, now tomorrow you better start practicing, I don't want to be the one to bury you Alix" Elijah said and Alix smiled as he looked at the top five students.