August 25th 4070 - 11PM
The room is dark, cold, the air is dense as Riley Cavendine and Diana Cavendine walk into the room. The light flickers on the Inside, flashing on and off in this very old room and part of the castle. Riley's eyes narrow towards the Alphonia family. He takes notice of their posture on how each of them sit and carry themselves after that event labeled a "Wedding." That event couldn't help but make Riley smile to himself, every time he thinks about it the feeling of karma doesn't leave his mind. Devard Alphonia, the main spokesperson for his family during meetings like this sits with confidence and yet a look of fear. Something that he recognizes very well, a similar mannerism to his father. To most people they wouldn't be able to catch onto this but this is something Riley is very familiar with. His eyes narrow around the room to Vega Alphonia, the only other person in the room. "Saul and Aki are probably recovering, which makes sense." Vegas body language is very structured and elegant, she seems to be putting on a character and it's clear as day. "That woman probably feels nothing but fear." Riley thinks to himself, looking at the woman remembering the interaction he witnessed between the two. After his little analysis, He takes a seat beside his mother right beside her.
"Well." Diana says looking at the 2 Alphonia parents, Her tone is very serious and a lot less immature then their previous conversation. She sounds less snarky and sounds as if she's asserting a sort of dominance over the 2, a feeling as if she's in absolute control and has absolute authority. "You 2, Can't pay back your debt to us now can you..?" "Well, Eiko was the payback." Devard says in response to the woman, he has a voice of shame. Riley detects it might be because of the failure of the wedding but also because he regrets taking their deal in the first place. "But, that didn't work out." Diana sneers but keeps her serious expression, "Mr.Devard, Your daughter's marriage to connect our 2 families is the only way you can afford to cover up our little secret, correct?" "Yes. Very true, Diana." "And your daughter was kidnapped by the Phantom, Correct?" "Correct." "So how exactly do you expect to pay back my family for our help with your son's little condition." Riley's eyes widen at this, He's never heard about this condition before. "Which son? What condition?" He thinks to himself but he decides to allow the conversation to continue.
"We'll get Eiko back, you can connect our families that way, Trust me Diana." Vega says interjecting into the conversation, the dim light in the room flickers as she speaks. "Don't you have a daughter, Diana? Maybe we can marry off Saul or Aki to her-" Before Devard can finish his statement about her daughter, Diana interjects "Adopted. Adopted Daughter, her getting married does not affect or connect our families. She is not my blood daughter." Devard is taken aback by this statement, but he recalls what he said before. "Well, all I can say is that unless you want a different reward for your help, our only option is to find Eiko, kill the Phantom and bring her back." "I have no interest in another reward but I'm also not very interested in a fetch quest." Diana scoffs and throws her head back, slapping her hand on her face. "What to do…" As she rubs her face, she looks at her son Riley "What do you think I should do, Rai Rai?" Riley silently cringes at this nickname, Especially in public. "I'd say, Maybe we can help them retrieve Eiko." Riley says which catches the attention of everyone present. "Seriously?" Diana says, sitting up more straight and more professionally.
"I'd say that's a good idea." Devard says in agreement with Riley's suggestion, in his gut he has a feeling that Riley has something planned, but he keeps it to himself. Vega sits thinking "Why would this kid want to help us get Eiko back…?" "I can understand wanting to get your future bride back Rai Rai." Diana says, thinking about Rileys statement. "To be fair…" Vega says in response to Diana, "We have our own Special Magic Knight group for things like this. Squad 6-" "And what happened to Squad 6, Vegaaaa~?" Diana says in a snarky tone in response to Vegas countermeasure. "Last time I checked, all 3 of them were absolutely bombarded and defeated, including the captain. All by the Phantom." She giggles and looks at the Alphonias, Her tone of voice gets serious. "I'll send some of my men to join Squad 6, They'll help you get your payment back." Riley responds to his mom, "Instead of sending random men, Why not send me?"
Diana is taken aback by her son's sudden request. "Are you… Serious Rai Rai? You actually want to enter the line of battle…?" "I'd be fine with that, I'm stronger than everyone in this room in complete honesty. I'll be strong enough to find and defeat the Phantom." Riley has a very serious tone, a chill rushes through the room once he finishes his sentence with quite a malicious aura. Diana's face becomes stern as she considers Riley's request. She knows that taking out the Phantom would be a great feat for her son, and would likely lead to more opportunities for him in the future. However, she also knows the danger that comes with taking on such a task. Still, she can see the determination in Riley's eyes, and she knows that there is no stopping him from fighting if that is what he truly desires.
As for Squad 6, Diana is aware of their defeat at the hands of the Phantom, and she knows that sending more of her own men to join them would not necessarily guarantee a successful outcome. She also knows that Riley has a reputation for being a capable fighter, and that he may be able to get the job done where others have failed. With all of these factors in mind, Diana ultimately makes the decision to allow Riley to join Squad 6 and take on the Phantom. "To make sure you're safe, What If I send Azra and Zerx as well? To keep you protected and also help bring back the payment." "I don't mind. I'd prefer it to be those 2 rather than a few random knights. As much as I don't enjoy their company, they're competent fighters." As if a switch flips in her head, she goes from stern to very relaxed and cheerful. "Well, Whatever Rai Rai says goes! So, Do you 2 agree to these terms and conditions?" Diana, staring daggers into the 2 Alphonia parents. The 2 sit in silence and think to themselves, for a minute before Diana speaks again.
"Or would you rather everyone in Khourburg find out that your King isn't as high and mighty as he portrays himself as..?" She laughs and Devard immediately responds "FINE! Fine. Fine." He takes a sigh and stands up. "We will arrange for Azra, Zerx, and Riley to be escorted into Group 6. They'll have to take the Royal Knight exams, to be portrayed as normal squad members for no extra suspicion." Diana stands up, Riley following with her. "Very well. Have a wonderful night, Mr and Mrs Alphonia! May the lord be with you." Diana says as she walks through the door of the meeting room. Riley follows behind his mother, "Everything seems to be going exactly as planned…."
August 28th 4070 - 6:30 AM
Eternia. A great magical land, split into 4 different Kingdoms, each with their own empire and history to them, each forming history and culture through all these years. The Medieval Khourburg Dynasty, the Floating Avolisa Division, the Forest Reptar Nation, and the Modern Spirefordge Empire. All 4 kingdoms have a King or Queen, having different political meetings and discussions about Eternia and the land inhabited. The 4 rulers of their kingdoms gather to rule over Eternia together, due to the land having no real leader. April 17th 4065, was the day that the Khourburg Dynasty and the Reptar Nation became enemies. Due to their ancestors, they used to have the strongest bond with one another. Forming a bond stronger than any other Kingdom, together, they formed the allied Knights. The allied knights were the combination of both Reptar and Khourburgs forces. But it all changed on April 17th, 5 years from the modern day. The King of reptars head blacksmith, made an incredibly strong sword, the Dragon Buster Blade. A yellow Katana with a Dragon head hilt, the sword was very unique and first of its kind, something nobody has ever made before. The difference between this sword and other regular weapons is the fact it can store a person's soul energy, the more they would output from battle, the more the sword would save which could allow that person to reach heights never seen before. Something like this was rumored to exist thousands of years ago around the early/ late 2000. This sword was one of a kind and titled the "Soul Saber", the 2 kingdoms began to argue and fight over which Kingdom should wield the blade and who should have what, but unfortunately this caused a falling out between the two kingdoms, Separating their forces, this is the day the Knights of Dynasty were created.
A man with brown hair, one green eye and a slash through his other finishes his story, recapping another girl who seems to be a year or so younger than him. The man is wearing baggy pants and a tight gray shirt. The woman sitting across from him has Red hair and green eyes, wearing more casual attire with a green and white hoodie, and black jeans. The 2 sit in a room surrounded by bags, while the man with brown hair sits on a bed, and the girl sits on the floor writing something in a notebook next to one of the many suitcases. The girl looks up at the man, and begins to say "How does the story end? Where's the legendary sword now." "The man shrugs and replies "Ma never told me the rest of the story, So I assume it's hidden away somewhere. It might be in one of our bags cuz' I remember ma gave me a picture of it, or more like concept art? Not sure to be real with you." The girl continues to write in her notebook, the man's green eyes gaze at the pages as he stands up and it seems like she's writing a poem. "You started that poetry unit huh?" "Yeah, I've been enjoying it to be honest. It's fun." "Lemme see it." The man says as the girl hands him the notebook.
Dancing in the firelight
Hands in the air, feet light
Feeling the heat, of the music's beat
Flowing like fire, a flame so bright
In the moment, I am alive
The music's energy, I strive
To capture the essence, of its vibe
To dance like a flame, so alive
In the moment, I am alive
The music's energy, I strive
To capture the essence, of its vibe
To dance like a flame, so alive
Eyes open wide, soul on fire
The music's rhythm, my desire
To be one with the beat, so pure
To dance like a flame, that never expires
So let's dance, to the beat of music
Let's flow like fire, so magnetic
Swinging to the rhythm, of life's harmony
We are the flame, that will never cease
Just dance, and let the music lead
Let your soul ignite, and be free
Get up and move, and let the beat guide
And dance like a flame, so alive
"That's what I have so far!" The girl says, excited to see the boy's reaction. "Never been a big fan of reading, but your poems have always been pretty great sis." The girl smiles at her brother's comment, his praise makes her feel happy, something she can't fully describe. "This new poetry unit I've been reading really helped me make them better! I found a few from when we were kids, They were bad." The girl laughs as her brother smiles "Well can't be surprised, you were a smart kid but your creativity wasn't the best." "Either way, I'm glad you're enjoying this new poetry unit you've been working on." "Poetry is a great way to express yourself and the world around you," she says in response to him. "I've always loved language and poetry. It's a great way to capture feelings and emotions that are hard to express in any other way." "Like I said, never really been much into reading and writing, FIGHTING is what I'm all about." The boy smiles and flops on his bed, his sister rolls her eyes as he continues "Battle can be so intense and exhilarating, but it's also a great way to test yourself and your skills. And it can also be a great way to express yourself and let out all of that pent-up emotion."
The girl listens as her brother continues his rant about battle, "I feel like I've heard this same thing 200 times" She thinks to herself smiling as he continues "Poetry is your art, and blood spilling onto a canvas is mine!" "I know you're big into battle, Zerx. But I've never been into that to be honest. I enjoy fighting as much as the next guy, But I'd rather live a nice peaceful life. I think everyone has that right." "Man you're so BORING." Zerx says and falls onto his bed at his sister's words. Once again she rolls her eyes at her brother's words "What's boring about living normal?" "Eh… Nothin," Zerx says, lying back on his bed and staring up at the ceiling. "I just don't see the appeal. To me, there's nothing better than the thrill of battle. The rush of adrenaline, the satisfaction of defeating an opponent. It's the ultimate test of skill and strength, and I live for it." "If that's how you wanna live your life, go for it bro. Just don't die on me, I might have to pick up your slack." She laughs at Zerx, he scoffs as he replies "I LAUGH at death. I'm like a god, UNSTOPPABLE!" Zerx yells as his sister begins to giggle, She knows Zerx is exaggerating how he feels. "He used to do this all the time as a kid, to make me feel better." She smiles remembering the memories.
"Azra. Zerx." The door to their room opens, Riley walks in. Riley seems to be doing fine after the wedding, in more casual travel attire with a suitcase behind him. "Haha. You called us by our NAMES this time." Zerx says, looking at Riley with a smug expression. "Whatever could you mean, Dopty." Zerx rolls his eyes as he says the dreaded "Dopty" Nickname. Something that Riley has held for the 2 for a long time. "Either way, Mom said it's time to head to the ship. Let's go." Azra stands up, putting her notebook and pencil into her main Black and Red bag. She then grabs 3 other bags while Zerx carries 5, as they head out of the room. Azra looks back at her childhood bedroom one last time, as she walks away with her brother by her side. As they exit the room, Zerx turns to his sister, "I wonder what we'll find on this ship?" He says with a wide grin, excited for the journey ahead. "I just hope there's plenty of strong knights!" Azra laughs, "You're such a meathead sometimes" she says, punching his arm playfully. As they make their way down the hallways, Azra can feel her heart racing with excitement. The journey she and her brother are about to embark on will surely be one filled with adventure and danger, but also with new discoveries and experiences. "We should make a pact, Zerx" she says, "That we'll always have each other's backs, no matter what." Zerx nods in agreement, "Always, sis. We're stronger together" he says, "And we'll face whatever comes our way, with each other." The two of them continue down the hallway, ready to face whatever the future holds. Riley rolls his eyes at his siblings' words, he finds them corny and pointless, but there's no point in worrying about them. "I have better things to think about.." Riley thinks to himself as the 3 walk into the main room of their mansion.
In the middle room, Diana stands talking to a few bodyguards. "Hello darling!" She says and wraps her arms around Riley. Riley doesn't hug her back, just stands there waiting for her to let go. Diana lets Riley go and looks at her other 2 children, She smiles and waves at them as she begins to speak "Well. You 3 will be taken to the royal knights of Khourburg, the Knights Of Dynasty. You 3 will join their special attack squad for a special mission." Zerx smiles while Azra scoffs at this news, Riley remains neutral, as if he knew this information already and the same thing was regurgitated to him once more. "Why…?" "Why is it irrelevant, Azra." Diana says to her daughter in a dismissive tone, shutting down all her questions. "Its because I trust all 3 of you more than anything, which is why i'm sending my own kids into the line of battle. I believe in your power and skill from all your training, try your best." "Kids" Riley says sarcastically under his breath, which only Zerx picks up on but he chooses to stay silent. The praise from Diana makes Azra smile, feeling more confident in her own skills and Diana takes notice of this physical reaction. "I'm excited to show those Knight pricks my skill!" Zerx says with a smile on his face. "I'll stand above EVERY one of them!" "You 3 will be taking the Royal Knight exams to be portrayed as if you were regular knights, but it should be lightwork for you guys, Trust me." Diana snaps her fingers as she finishes her sentence, 4 maids take the bags off the siblings and carry them to their carriage.
Azra, Zerx and Riley walk towards the cabin. Azra begins to wonder to herself about different things, Her mind runs rampant with different thoughts and ideas of WHY they're going to the dynasty. "We were told about going a few days ago but we weren't informed of WHY or even the PLANS behind it. I just dont dont understand…" She thinks to herself while walking to the carriage with a bunch of random scenarios running through her mind. As they approach their carriage, the siblings are greeted by their new group of guards and drivers. They're all dressed in military-style uniforms with royal insignia, and they stand at attention as Diana approaches them. Diana addresses her children one last time before they depart, "Remember, this is a dangerous mission, but I have complete faith in your abilities. You are all trained in the art of magic and are highly skilled in combat, so I know you'll be able to handle whatever comes your way." She quickly darts over and gives Riley a kiss on his cheek, but he doesn't react, keeping his same stoic facial expression. The carriage pulls away from the castle, heading towards the port where the ship awaits.
As the group climb onto the carriage, Azra can't help but wonder what the mission is gonna be. "Am I gonna climb through a dungeon, fight a dragon and save a princess in distress?" She thinks, referencing a storybook she read a bunch as a kid. "Maybe I'll go under water and fight a bunch of aqua people and get a wicked scar! Maybe I'll climb through mountains and caves fighting wild beasts…" As her mind and her imagination run rampant, Zerx can't help but think about how sudden this all is. "Right after the wedding disaster…? This can't be a coincidence." He ponders as the carriage pulls out from the mashion with their stuff attached. As they sit in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, the carriage rattles down the cobbled streets. The sounds of the city fill their ears, and the scent of fresh bread and roasting meats from nearby vendors wafts in through the windows. They watch the city pass by, the streets increasingly busy as they get closer to their destination. The horses pull the carriage past the bustling market area of the city, filled with vendors selling fruits and vegetables, meats, and other goods. The scent of delicious food wafts in from nearby restaurant stalls, mixing with the aroma of flowers from nearby gardens. The siblings can hear children laughing and playing in the streets, and see people of all ages going about their daily business. The city seems to truly come alive with movement and activity as they pass through it, providing a stark contrast to the silence and stillness of the carriage. Zerx looks out the window at the bustling city and thinks to himself how he's always wanted to explore it more and see what life is like for normal people, no powers, just regular civilians having fun. He's excited to see more of the world on this mission, and hopes it will be a transformative experience. Azra watches the city go by with a mix of anxiety and excitement at the thought of what she might experience on this mission.
Zerx can't help but look back towards Riley, who seems to be deep in thought about something, seems like he's remembering something or a specific memory. Riley looks back at his brother, and the 2 make eye contact. The 2 stare at each other for a couple of seconds, these seconds pass like hours at a time, only hearing the chatter from outside of the carriage as the two look at each other, tension as thick as steel. Riley breaks the silence of the siblings in the carriage by finally speaking to his brother, "Yo, Dopty." Zerx rolls his eyes and glares at his brother with a look of annoyance. "What." He speaks in a very cold and stoic manner, clearly the nickname annoys him. "I'm gonna cut to the chase, you guys need to know what we're going for just so you don't get in my way." Zerx snaps his fingers and calls back his sister's attention, snapping out of her miniature daydream, she dozed off earlier and once her attention was called back, Riley begins his story.
Riley gives a full recap of the conversation with the Alphonias, Leaving out the part with Azra marrying Aki or Saul to avoid conflict. Riley watches as Zerx and Azra slowly come to an understanding about WHY they're going to the Knights Of Dynasty. It's all starting to click together and make sense. "So… We're gonna go home after we get Eiko back..?" Azra says with a face of confusion and intrigue. "I'd hope so, I'm gonna miss my bed." Riley says with a sigh, "So why'd you suggest joining squad 6?" "If you want me to be honest, I just wanna get in on some action." Riley lies to Zerx, "Life in a castle is boring and I'm trying to get my hands dirty." "Never saw you as that type, Riley." Zerx looks at his brother and responds with an understanding look yet still confused. "Maybe we're not too different after all." "Yeah whatever Dopty." Riley says to Zerx, who starts to yell at him but he tones out his adopted brother. "Those 2 are pretty strange." Riley thinks to himself looking up at the sealing, through his peripheral version he sees Azra trying to calm down her blood brother, slowing him down.
August 28th 4070 - 9:30 AM
As the carriage slows down and pulls in front of the massive Titanic-like ship, Azra's eyes grow wide with awe at the sheer size of the vessel. She had never seen a vessel this big before, and her imagination runs wild with the possibilities of what kinds of adventures and experiences she might have on this ship. Her heart begins to race as she looks at the towering sides of the ship and the bustling activity around them. Zerx also seems impressed by the size and complexity of the ship, but he is less distracted by it and more focused on the mission ahead of them. Riley, on the other hand, appears to be calm and composed as he takes in the sights and sounds around him, as if he has been on ships like this many times before. The three siblings continue to ride in silence as the ship begins to move, gliding across the water with an almost imperceptible motion. As they travel to their destination, the group is filled with a mix of excitement, anticipation, and a tinge of fear of the unknown. Azra looks around and sees a bunch of people wearing black, button down uniforms. They all seem to be walking away from a stand giving out these uniforms that seem to be for the Magic Knight Exams.
The trio step out of the carriage, and the 2 men riding the front part of the carriage grab the luggage of the Cavendine siblings and carry them onto the ship. As the trio of Azra, Zerx and Riley reach the ship, they are greeted by the bustling sounds of people talking and moving around them. They see many people dressed in black, button-down uniforms walking around, presumably heading to the Magic Knight Exams. The walls of the ship's interior are a mix of polished steel and brass plates, with the floors and ceilings adorned with fancy carpets and lighting. There is a feeling of open space, despite the cramped passageways, with views of the sea through large windows on either side of the hallways. As the trio walks deeper into the ship, they notice the distinct smell of sea salt mixed with the sound of water lapping against the ship's hull. They also see the occasional crew member hurrying about their duties, some carrying crates, and others wearing uniforms and carrying trays of food or drinks. The feeling of the ship's interior is one of power, with a sense of majesty and gracefulness in the way the light reflects off the walls and the sound of water lapping against the ship's hull creates a sense of calm reassurance.
Azra and Zerx walk over to get uniforms from a shop they see in the distance, meanwhile Riley goes straight to the ship. They walk up to the stand and see a boy, he's getting pushed down by 2 other dudes. He's small, around 5 '3, with shorter black hair and blue eyes, he has tan skin and a sword on his waist. The first man has white skin, blond hair and a goatee with green eyes, the second man has dark skin, brown hair and black eyes. The boy attempts to stand up, grabbing the hilt of his blade but he gets slapped back. Azra walks over to the 2 men, they seem to be taller than her. Both standing at 6 '3 and 6' 5 respectively compared to her 5 '7.
"Yo." Azra says in a serious voice, looking up at the 2 men. "What's your problem? What did this kid do to you guys?" "Oh simple" The first man says, "Little buddy here owes us some debt, We made a Soul Pact." Azra looks down at the boy laying there with bruises all around his face and body, "What's your debt to these guys?" "I.." Before the boy speaks Azra notices a death stare that the first man is giving the young boy, his body shakes in fear and he stumbles on his words going silent. "That tells me everything I need to know." Azra says, looking up at the 2 men. "Back off the kid. Now." "Or what? What are you gonna do about it, little lady?" The second man says looking down on Azra, this confrontation calls more attention towards the 4. Zerx and Riley turn along with the crowd, as much as Zerx wants to jump in, he decides to let his sister handle it herself. "I can't be there for her in the Magic Knight world, Lets see how she handles this." Zerx watches, with a big brother's fear but also confidence in her younger sister. Azras eyes look towards the crowd that surrounds them, Yet she feels no pressure and continues.
"I'll ask ya one more time. Back off" The two men exchange a look, clearly amused by Azra's attempt to stand up for the young boy lying on the ground. The first man laughs and steps forward, looming over Azra. "Or what, little lady? What are you gonna do about it?" "You'll be the one looking up at me. I can promise you that, and trust me I don't make empty promises." The boy on the ground starts to stir, trying to sit up despite the bruises and cuts adorning his body. He glances up at Azra, a grateful expression on his face. The second man snorts, rolling his eyes at the younger girl's audacity. "We'll leave him alone once he pays us back what he owes us." "Clearly whatever he owes you is something you don't want other people learning about, right?" Before the situation can escalate into a fight, the second man just scoffs. "Whatever, You're good for now. But remember, Never break a Soul Pact." The 2 men walk away and the crowd slowly fizzles out, only leaving Azra, Zerx and the younger boy. Azra helps the boy stand up on his feet and Zerx walks over with both their uniforms. Azras Uniform is black with red stripes around and yellow buttons, while Zerx has a black uniform with purple stripes and Yellow buttons.
"You good little bud? What's your name?" "I- I'm Dulse." As the boy stands up on his feet, he looks up at Azra, his eyes filled with gratitude. "T-thank you for helping me, ma'am. Not many others would have stood up for me like you did." Azra smiles at him. "That's just what I do, Dulse. My name is Azra." Dulse looks at Azra with a soft smile and says "You're new, Never seen you around before." "Yeah, I'm coming here to-" Azra cuts herself off before continuing her sentence "-to sign up for the magic knights! I'm pretty experienced in sword fighting and training so I finally decided to do the real thing." "You have a lot of potential in this field! This is my second year as a magic knight and honestly its terrifying… But Im trying my best y'know?" "Yeah I can understand that." Azra and Dulse begin to walk towards Zerx, who smiles at his younger sister. "Good job sis, No stress under pressure." Azra smiles at this praise from her brother, who hands her a uniform for the magic knight exams. All Magic knights wear this clothing to separate themselves from your average person, Unless you're in a special squad.
Azra, Zerx, and Dulse begin to walk around together for a couple of minutes. Just talking and chatting about different things. Azra and Zerx head to the changing room and Dulse waits outside for the 2. Once Azra steps out, her hair is up in a ponytail along with the Magic Knight uniform and wolf bangs. While Zerx seems to have his same messy brown hair. "The magic knight ceremony is about to begin!" Dulse says in a joyful tone to the 2 siblings. "It's every morning at 10am they begin the Knights Of Dynasty ceremony where they introduce the newcomers and explain different things about the exams!" Dulse runs off away from Azra and Zerx, seemingly heading to the location of the Ceremony. The siblings look at the clock almost in unison and see the time as 9:55 AM. "Well guess it's almost time for the Ceremony, I'm assuming Rileys is already there." Zerx says, as he begins to follow the direction of where Dulse ran. Azra follows behind and thoughts race through her head as the Magic Knight Ceremony is about to begin.
The room where the ceremony is taking place is a large auditorium with a stage at one end. The center of the stage is a large, ornate table, with chairs arranged around it for the Magic Knights and their guests. The walls are decorated with flags, banners, and other symbols of the Dynasty. The room is filled with a diverse group of people in their black Magic Knight uniforms, all gathered to watch the Ceremony. There is a sense of excitement and anticipation in the air as they await the start of the event. She walks into a room where thousands of people in similar black uniforms with slight variations of color stand. They all seem to be first or second year magic knights. Azras eyes scan the crowd, trying to pick up all the information about these different people and different races as she could. She sees Humans, Beast people and some tritons too. She even takes notice of Riley having a conversation with a Triton, but before she can focus on that too much, a loud nose catches everyone's attention. As if a soundwave blares through the entire ship. She looks up at the stage where the soundwave came from and she can't believe her eyes. It's the same 2 men from the altercation before and 1 other woman. Ideas rush through her mind as they begin to speak.
"Welcome to the Magic Knight Exams!" Man 1 begins to speak. "I am Ezekiel Newman, Captain of Squad 5." "I'm Jaiden Da Monta. Of the Da Monta lineage, Captain of Squad 2." The girl begins to speak, with authority and a captivating tone of voice "I am the Queen of the Khourburg Dynasty, and the host of the Magic Knight exams. Blare Alphonia." Every person in the room kneels in the presence of the queen. The woman who married Fafnir Alphonia, taking the real title as queen. Azra kneels along with everyone else and turns beside her to ask the woman beside her a question "Does the queen always host the magic knight exams?" She quietly whispers "Nah" the woman responds "Normally king Fafnir does but this year its different." This catches Azras attention but she continues to listen in. "This year's Magic Knight exam will be a little different from the previous few, the difficulty of this exam will reach heights the previous exams could only wish to touch." Once the queen finishes her statement, Ezekiel starts to speak "This year, the magic knight exam will have 6 rounds instead of 4, the 2 extra rounds make the challenge extremely difficult, with a high risk of death. Everyone here has agreed to risk their life in the field of battle, deathing being around any corner at any moment."
Ezekiel clears his throat and begins his speech, "Brothers and Sisters, today we stand together as one united force. We may come from different backgrounds and cultures, but we are all Magic Knights. We have all been selected to face this year's exams, which will test us like never before." Jaiden continues where Ezekiel left off "But let's not forget why we're here. We are Magic Knights, champions of justice and order. We have a duty to protect and serve those who cannot protect themselves. This is what sets us apart from the rest. So let us not falter in the face of adversity, but instead rise up to meet it with courage and determination. It will not be easy, but I know that each and every one of you possesses the strength and skill to make it through these trials. And if ever you feel like you cannot go on, just remember that you are not alone. I will be by your side every step of the way, encouraging you to push through the toughest challenges." Ezekiel builds off of what Jaiden said and continues "We may face death, but we are not afraid. We will not rest until we have succeeded. So let us embrace these trials with open arms, ready to face whatever may come our way. For we are the defenders of justice, and we will not be defeated." "I hope all 300 of you are ready and prepared for the Magic Knight Exams" Jaiden says "The Magic Knight exams will begin NOW." The crowd claps and roars with excitement and the Queen starts talking "With the first round taking place on this very ship. For this, you'll be split up into teams of 3."
"This first exercise starts with randomization. You need to learn to work with people you don't know, So each of you will work with 3 random people. We put all the names of contestants into a randomizer, and now each of you will be transported to the starting location with your partners." At a snap, Azra, Zerx, and Riley all separate. All 300 people disburse around the huge ship as the magic knight exams finally begin. Azra wakes up in a room with white walls, 3 beds and a clock. She stands up from the bed with nothing but her sword on her. She looks around and sees 2 other girls that seem to have already been awake for the past 10 minutes or so. Azra looks at the girls and then the clock.
10pm
"Seems like I've been out cold for a while huh?" She says out loud looking back at the other 2 people that she assumes to be her teammates. "Nah." The first girl says Azra realizes this is the same girl she talked to for a couple of seconds in the ceremony. "We all got knocked out for around 12 hours, That's the usual with this exam." The girl has long blond hair, with red eyes and a Black and Grey uniform. The other girl has shorter brown hair with brown eyes and the same wolf bangs that Azra has. "So since we're teammates… What are your names?" "Just call me Adora. My last name is irrelevant." The blond girl says quickly, and very seriously. "M- My name is Nora.." The brown haired girl says, She seems very shy and not very interested in conversation, despite the giant axe attached to her back. Adora has a special sword that reminds her of something she read in a storybook one time. "Nice to meet you gals!" Azra says smiling "The name is Azra! Never taken this exam before so I'm new to this whole thing." Azra sits down, crisscross applesauce in front of the other 2 girls who are also sitting on the floor.
"Before we start talking about Exam things, I want to get to know my teammates a bit." Nora says looking down at the ground at her hands "W- Why did you guys want to become Magic Knights…?" Azra speaks first and says "I just want to save people." Nora looks up at Azra and Adora seems interested yet annoyed at this response. "That's.. It?" "Yeah. I find a lot of value in saving others." Azra smiles as she continues "When I was younger, My grandma taught me the value of human life. About how there's so many things people can live and experience, even after having a bad life. Then when she died, I thought my life was basically over. Nowhere to go, I just got sad and wondered if what she said was the truth. Then, I got adopted with my older brother by a nice woman. I realized kindness was pretty important. I feel like everyone needs that person to help them out of that bad scenario and I wanna be that person." Nora smiles and blushes hearing Azras words, finding them quite inspiring while Adora can't help but roll her eyes.
"What about you guys, What made you wanna become magic knights?" Nora speaks up and shyly says "I… I want to find my brother. He disappeared on a mission around 2 years ago, and I wanna figure out why.." Azra smiles "I can understand that. I have a big brother myself and if anything happened to him I'd probably end up in your situation." The 2 girls look at Adora, waiting for her response due to her silence. "I don't plan on making friends with you guys. Death is imminent and can happen at any moment, I don't care when you die. So don't bother." Nora and Azra make eye contact and choose not to pester Adora any further. "Well, let's make some strategies for this Exam. What are your ideas..?" Nora says, trying to break the awkward silence.
"I've taken this exam last year, We need to prepare for when-" Before Adora can complete her sentence, the door of their room smashes open which causes Nora to shriek. Zombies. A bunch of green, mutated beasts with torn up and ripped clothing. Some of the Zombies have the same outfits as the Magic Knights. Confirming in Azras Mind, that death is very much possible. Adora and Nora jump up, and rush towards the zombies. Nora swings her giant axe from back on top of the different zombies. They don't seem to be able to use magic, but a bunch of the zombies begin to rush into the room in what the girls can only perceive to be an endless onslaught of them. The 2 girls try to slash and break through the wall of zombies while Azra stands back stunned. For some reason she can't bring herself to move, despite jumping right into conflict a few hours earlier. Her hand stumbles on the blade of the sword, shaking, petrified by the wave of zombies and blood. She shakes, but sighs to calm down a bit. "I need to relax… Help your teammates Azra. Save people. Save everyone." She thinks to herself, remembering the words of her brother and her grandma.
She finally snaps out of her frozen state, as she sees Noras get completely buried in Zombies. At the shriek of her teammate, the adrenaline begins to rush through her body. She pulls her Katana out of its sheath, and begins to spin the blade around her body in a specific rhythm. As the zombies close in, Azra continues to spin the katana around her body with a rhythm that seems almost otherworldly. With each rotation, the blade creates a beautiful and deadly pattern around her body, surrounding her in a scarlet red flame. As she finishes her movement, in the blink of an eye, she blasts through the wall of zombies, slicing through every single one of them like butter in the matter of a second. In a second, 2000 zombies freeze as Azra begins to speak."Scarlet Nova." The Zombies eviscerate and split into thousands of pieces, blood splattering everywhere around the girls, splashing a bit of them onto their clothes.
Nora stands up after being dragged into the wall of zombies, scratches and claw marks are on her body but no bites. Adora and Nora look up at Azra who puts her Katana back into her sword sheath. "Now, let's ace this exam shall we?" Azra looks back at her 2 group mates as they stand up, and begin to run through the hallways of the ship, as the words of Azras Poem flow through her mind.
In the moment, I am alive
The music's energy, I strive
To capture the essence, of its vibe
To dance like a flame, so alive
In the moment, I am alive
The music's energy, I strive
To capture the essence, of its vibe
To dance like a flame, so alive