Micky hailed from the Raven Empire, a neighboring state to Nexus. Renowned as one of the most promising prodigies of his nation, he carried himself with the confidence of someone certain of his place among the elite. His sights were set on winning the Grand Evaluation's final tournament and securing his spot in the prestigious Great Academy. In a stroke of luck, or perhaps fate, he had been elected as his team's leader, and he meticulously picked decent teammates from Raven. He couldn't take the best cause he was afraid the prince would maul him to death if he did.
At the moment, Micky was perched atop the pyramid—a prime position to scout for enemies. His talent was sound manipulation, an ability that gave him acute auditory perception. He could detect the faintest of whispers, a skill that made him an invaluable sentinel. But Micky wasn't just a warrior. Back home, he was a pop star, a household name in the Raven Empire. His melodies, laced with traces of his power, could captivate hearts and command arenas.
As he leaned back, surveying the battlefield, something caught his eye. A dark circle appeared in the sky, hovering ominously. Micky squinted. "When did the sun turn that color?" he muttered. The circle grew larger, closer, and before he could react, it hurtled toward the pyramid at breakneck speed, landing with a thunderous crash at its base.
The "circle" was not what he expected. It was a man—a massive figure, too enormous to be real. On his back sat another individual, looking disoriented and holding onto the giant like someone fresh off a wild carnival ride.
Earlier
Ned had been taken aback when Bonita suggested he sit on him. "Excuse me?" Ned had asked, his mind briefly wandering into dangerous territory before shaking off the thought. Realization dawned quickly, and he climbed onto Bonita's back. "Couldn't we just use a hoverboard?" he asked, still skeptical.
Bonita, ever succinct, replied, "Hoverboard. Bonita. Can't. Fit."
Fair enough, Ned thought. But how was Bonita planning to get them across the arena, especially over water?
He soon had his answer. Bonita crouched, then leaped. No, "leaped" didn't do it justice. He soared, each bound covering distances that left Ned clinging for dear life. It was no exaggeration when Ambessa called him the fastest in their kingdom among their peers. The man moved like a human cannonball, ricocheting from one pyramid to the next.
Present
As Ned regained his composure, he quickly assessed their surroundings. Three figures stood before him: Micky and his two teammates. From the numbers hovering above their heads, it was clear they were in their fifties, all awaiting their second awakening.
Micky descended from his perch, flanked by his defenders. In his hands, he held a sleek weapon that resembled a slim trumpet. The weapon gleamed ominously, its function unclear but undoubtedly dangerous.
Ned's gaze flicked to the glowing number above Micky's pyramid: 5. That meant they'd already captured four other pyramids. This flag was going to be a juicy prize.
Micky's confident smirk grew as he spoke. "Do you think you can win by attacking us? We're three against two, and we're far more experienced than you. Our defense is solid. You don't stand a chance."
Ned tilted his head, feigning deep thought. "Hmm, understandable," he said, stroking his chin. Then his face lit up with mock revelation. "But we have a Bonita."
As if on cue, Bonita charged forward, his hammer raised high. With a resounding crash, he struck the base of the pyramid. The sheer force sent tremors through the structure, toppling everyone off balance. Micky and his defenders stumbled, their formation breaking apart.
Seizing the moment, Ned activated Talaria. In a blur, he dashed past the disoriented trio, snatching the flag from its pedestal. With the agility of a cat, he leaped onto Bonita's back.
"Who said we needed to defeat you?" Ned called out, a mischievous grin on his face. "Bonita. We. Jump. Bye, lads!"
Bonita launched into the air, leaving Micky and his team floundering in the dust.
Micky stood frozen, his mouth agape. He was… speechless. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. His dreams of dominating the tournament were crushed. He would have to wait another year to try again.
Meanwhile, Ned couldn't contain his laughter. "They're not even chasing us!" he exclaimed. "Did they forget the rules? It's only disqualified after we plant the flag at our post." He shook his head, amused. "Not everyone reads the rules, I guess."
With their newfound momentum, Ned and Bonita captured six more flags using the same strategy. As they made their way back to their pyramid, Ned noticed something odd: the stage was eerily quiet. Their pyramid, marked with a single glowing "1," was the least targeted. Every other team had more than one flag, making them prime targets for conflict.
Ned's mind raced with possibilities. Gathering the team, he outlined his discovery. "Here's the deal," he began, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "If we only plant our flags at the very end, no one will target us. We'll stay under the radar until it's too late for anyone to stop us."
Reena nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful. "That… actually makes sense. If we're not a threat, they'll ignore us."
"Exactly!" Ned said, clapping his hands together. "So here's what we'll do: keep all the captured flags in Reena's inventory. We'll only plant them in the last few minutes."
Ambessa frowned. "But what if someone attacks while we're holding all the flags?"
"That's the beauty of it," Ned replied. "With Reena's water defenses and Lily's earth manipulation, our base will be a fortress. Plus, Bonita and I can keep hunting for more flags to increase our stash."
The team exchanged glances, each member processing the audacity of the plan. Finally, Reena sighed. "Alright, let's do it. But if this goes sideways, it's on you, Ned."
"Gladly," Ned said with a grin.
As the team dispersed to their tasks, Ned's eyes lingered on the pedestal at their base. His spectator's insight giving him wild ideas to win the tournament.
Moments later, he handed all the captured flags to Reena, ensuring their safety in her inventory. Ned set off again with Bonita, ready for another round of chaos.