"Hey, mind if I sit here with you?" I asked kindly.
The girl in question raised her head slightly. To me, she looked like she was set for a hike in the wilderness. When I saw her, her age seemed close to mine. Her hair was a soft, light blond and her ears were small and pointed, peeking out from her ponytail. She had a sleeveless dark-green tunic that revealed her slender arms and brown shorts that had a little belt pouch looped around. On her feet were worn-out leather boots. I felt her crystal blue eyes scanning every inch of me. I think she found me satisfactory as she pointed at a spot next to her.
"I don't mind. It's all yours," she said.
"Thank you."
As I settled onto the plush couch, I felt the cushions cradling me in a soothing embrace. The seating quality felt heavenly.
The girl leaned into her arms and said, "The name's Myra. You?"
"Laila."
"Laila? I have never seen you around here before. You new?"
"Yes. This is my first time entering the tournament."
"Oh? Let me give you some advice, then."
The blond turned her head, her expression deadly serious. "Try not to make any friends while you're here. Developing any feelings for your opponents will cause you to hesitate, and hesitation for even a moment could cost you."
"I'll keep that in mind," I murmured, looking away. Through the crowd, I saw my brother in a conversation with the tanned man from before. He was standing in a corner, eyes closed, while Isaac tried to make small talk with him. Myra followed my gaze and chuckled.
"Is that your brother over there? You guys look related."
"Yea… that's my brother alright," I frowned.
"Why is he hovering around Zelke like flies around a pile of shit?"
I wrinkled my nose in disgust at her description. "Okay… disgusting, but I think Isaac's interested in how strong he is. Also, you know him?"
Myra clicked her tongue and sank deeper into her seat. "Know him? Tsk. Last year, I was in second place because of him."
You were in second? That would mean you faced off against him in the finals. I think I found the best person to extract info from…
"Since you fought him, do you know how he fi-"
There was a sudden interruption from a loud voice that was heard through a speaker. All heads simultaneously looked up and the chatter in the room died down.
"Attention all participants! We will now begin the opening ceremony! Please make your way through the double doors and into the arena!"
After a crackle of static, Myra rose and stretched her limbs while talking. "Thanks for keeping my company. No one would even get close to me because of the aura I emit. It's like bug repellent, but for weaklings. You aren't affected by it, meaning you are strong yourself. I look forward to facing you in the main tournament, Laila. Goodbye, for now."
Myra gave me a quick wink and joined the throng of people as they marched out of the room.
"I didn't even get to ask her about Zelke," I muttered. Isaac appeared from behind and hoisted me up, stringing me along.
"Laila, what are you spacing out for? We gotta move."
Everyone trudged to the arena like a pack of soldiers marching into a war zone. The air was thick with apprehension as some people prayed to be pitted against those less adept than them, while others anticipated the chance to demonstrate their prowess to the world. The sound of the crowd's cheers grew louder and louder until I felt the earth trembling beneath me, a reminder of the excitement radiating from the spectators. A wave of nervousness intensified as my stomach tingled with each step. I squinted my eyes as the bright light at the end of the tunnel illuminated my path, accompanied by a deep rumbling that resonated through my body. My jaw dropped at the spectacle in front of me.
When we arrived, we were met with a sea of people, their cheers echoing through the arena. Some sections had poster boards cheering on their favorite contestant. I looked up and noticed a group of demogres, their chests emblazoned with the words 'GO DOUKUR' in bright paint. As I was fascinated by the demogres, someone from behind bumped into my shoulder and spouted curses at me.
"Keep walking. Fuckin' idiot," they sneered.
"…"
Yep. I've now memorized your face. You better pray that we don't meet each other again on the field…
Proceeding further, I noticed Isaac already positioned himself at the edge of a white arena platform- approximately half the size of a soccer field. I stood right next to him on the edge, watching with shock as the well-dressed man with the head of a raven approached. He was holding a microphone in his hands.
"That guy has a bird head. That's hilarious as hell," Isaac snickered.
I shook my head at his words. "Isaac, what if he heard you?"
"He's too far away. He can't hear shit."
And what do you know? The bird man instantly whirled its head and glared at Isaac with its red eyes. In the corner of my eye, I noticed Isaac avert his gaze elsewhere. When the bird man confirmed Isaac was aware of his disdain, he turned his attention back to the audience. A single tap of his microphone caused the entire stadium to fall silent in a heartbeat.
"Testing-testing, one, two, three! Okay! Hello everybody! My name is Nevar, and I'll be your host for this whole tournament! Aren't you guys excited to witness another year of breathtaking fights?!"
The audience screamed and let out a boisterous rumble as they hollered, waving their arms and stomping their feet in harmony. Nevar nodded his head approvingly and continued.
"That's more like it! Before we begin, we must pay our respects to the one and only king Claude de Vusech of Silis!"
At the far end of the room was a skybox, where a magnificent gold throne sat, its regal presence filling the space. An aged man with silver-gray hair lifted his hand, his wrinkles deepening as he smiled at the audience. His slim shoulders were adorned with a vibrant blue cape.
"Thank you for another blessed day. Now, I know every single one of you is wondering what this year's gimmick is! Frankly, you'll have to wait until the main tournament! But do not worry. I promise you this year will be the best yet!"
Once again, the crowd roared, stomping their feet in a rhythm. Smoke and fireworks covered the sky above, showering the dazzling blue with a swirl of orange, white, and red. The participants next to me joined the cheering crowd as if they'd been waiting for this moment their entire lives.
"Since we have a roster of 40, the number will dwindle to a mere 16 participants, which will kick off the main tournament I mentioned earlier. That means 24 of these brave souls will have to be eliminated! How will we determine that? Great question! This is when our new point system comes into play. Only those in the top 16 may proceed and the rest will be disqualified! Marvelous, isn't it?"
Isaac folded his arms and muttered, "Sounds easy enough, but how do we earn these points, though?"
"You might be thinking; how do we earn these points though? I can see it on your faces!"
Nevar was definitely referring to Isaac as he kept side-eying at my brother. Pretty sure he's still annoyed at Isaac's comment about his bird head.
"Ladies and gentlemen, would you kindly look at the sky?" The announcer instructed.
I heeded Nevar's words and tilted my head upwards, shielding my eyes from the sun's deadly glare, and spotted an enormous cube hovering high into the atmosphere. It was being held up by two mages using magic. They looked tiny compared to the cube, like little ants near a picnic basket.
"You may now drop the goods!" Nevar screeched into the microphone. At his command, the mages released the cube. It was hurtling downwards with incredible speed, and it was aiming smack down in the middle where the announcer was located.
Is he just going to let it fall on him? He's not moving… I'm getting kind of worried. What if he gets crushed in front of all these people? I don't want Kara and Theo to see that… speaking of those kids, where are they?
My worries were for naught as the cube, with a heavy thud, smashed the ground right in front of the undisturbed Nevar. He leisurely hopped on top of the object and lightly tapped it thrice. The front instantly opened like someone kicked a door off its hinges. Peering into the hollow cube, wondering what was inside, was an army of adult-sized mannequins. Their faces were blank, but their smooth exterior was a deep, cobalt blue. Embedded in the middle of their chests was a glowing ball of blue light. The crowd collectively gasped at the sight of them. Nevar was satisfied with their reactions, nodding frantically.
"Amazing, right? What you see here are golems made by Silis' best mages! They are powered by the Torqinite crystal embedded within their chests. But don't let their looks fool you! While they may seem frail and could snap at a single touch, they are extremely strong! I won't show you a demonstration of their strength, so you'll have to take my word for it! Hahaha!"
The audience got even noisier with anticipation of this new order of events.
"Back to the point system. You probably already guessed it, and you're probably right! Defeat as many of the golems as you possibly can! Each golem is worth one point, and there are a maximum of 30 points readily available. Easy, right?"
I shivered involuntarily when I heard the sinister cackle of someone. Finding the culprit was easy, as it was none other than Isaac, who was smiling wickedly like a child on the prowl for mischief.
"One last thing. If you're worried about injuries, we have healers on deck who will cover most wounds! If you were to somehow get an arm, leg, or wing cut off- we cannot heal that! Sucks to suck! Without further ado… Port Silis Annual Tournament preliminaries will now begin!"
And there it is. It's finally happening. The day I and Isaac have been training for is here. It doesn't matter to me who wins between me and my brother, as long as one of us is the victor. We'll get that wish of the king at all costs and find out how to get home! Well, at least I hope we'll get our answers from the king. Solgen seemed sure that king Claude de Vusech could solve our problems…
"Would all participants please get off the platform? Once you hear your number called, please step up. The drawing will be randomized as I pull out a piece of paper with your corresponding number."
Nevar's had a small box with a slit opening resting on his palm. The announcer reached into the small box, rummaging through the pile of papers. He then pulled out a slip of paper and cleared his throat.
"And the first to be called is… number 30!"
Number 30? I'm number 29, so it isn't me. Who's going up first?
"Hehehe, I'm such a lucky guy," Isaac giggled. With a relaxed posture and hands in his pocket, he strolled into the arena without a care in the world. He stopped right at the edge of the arena and turned his head, smiling at me. Nevar brought the microphone up to Isaac's lips, which were still in the form of a smile.
"Hello there! Would you like to state your name and where you come from?"
Isaac leaned into the microphone. "My name? It's Isaac and I come from Igni Town."
Nevar's eyed widened in surprise. "Igni Town? It's been a while since we got a challenger that came from Igni Town! Really, what a marvelous day!"
The spectators, oohing and awing, shrieked with vigor.
"The crowds excited! Now Isaac. How many would you like to start with?"
Isaac had a glint in his eye, one that I was all too familiar with. I sighed and facepalmed, knowing what was to come.
"I can choose right off the bat?"
Nevar nodded his feathery head. Isaac closed his eyes, assuming the pose resembling The Thinker. I knew he was doing this for dramatic effect because I know he decided a long time ago.
He gave the announcer a mischievous smirk. "If I can choose, then I want to fight all of them at the same time."
Hearing his words through the microphone, everyone fell silent. If someone were to cough, a person on the opposite end would hear it as clear as day.
Nevar cleared his throat. "Sorry, did you say… all of them?"
"Did I stutter?"
Nevar shot a quick glance at the king, his eyes asking for further instruction, but the king simply nodded. "It's been accepted by the king himself! We have ourselves a brave challenger who will take on these fearsome golems! Whenever you're ready, challenger Isaac."
"Oh, I'm ready alright. Bring them to me…"
When Nevar removed himself from the area, the life-less hunched golems lurched with energy, akin to a winded up toy. In synchronization, they exited the cube and spotted Isaac on the other side, locking him as a target. They ran as fast as they could toward Isaac, who stood as still as a statue.
"Isaac, the bold challenger has yet to move! The tidal wave of enemies is approaching closer and closer! Just what is he thinking in that head of his?!"
I know what he's thinking alright… That damn smile of his was all you needed to figure it out.
"Oh? Isaac has started to make his move!"
As Nevar has said, Isaac did move. He slightly lifted his hand from his pockets and was pointing it at the golems. A burst of mana erupted out of his palm like a magnetic wave and collided with the golems. They were a few inches away from punching Isaac until plop! They all fell over like dominoes. Isaac twirled and descended the arena steps, his back turned to the carnage and the stunned faces of the spectators.. He stopped right next to me and gave me a small wink.
"And just like that, I got first place."