"By the way, are you guys ready for the tournament tomorrow?" Miss Kagame asked.
"I'm not sure because Frank probably did not take lola Naomi's advice seriously," I replied, raising my brow at him.
"What?—OK, fine. It's my fault that I have a lot of tasks to do as the junior high student council president," he said sarcastically, and I wasn't expecting him to be so easily provoked.
"And what about Tyler? Why can't he train despite the fact that he's the vice president?"
"His ability is much easier to learn than mine," he contended.
"Oh really? If you knew YOUR ability was difficult, you should've trained every day so you could master it by now," I chastised him.
"You have no idea how difficult my life is; at least you don't have a rank to keep and school responsibilities to fulfill."
I stood up and slammed the table, "Was that supposed to be an insult?" I exclaimed.
"It depends on how you interpret it; I'm simply stating a fact," he replied.
"Frank," Clydelle warned him.
"Why are you looking at me? She started it," he retorted before standing and walking away.
I sighed and squeezed my face with both hands. The room fell silent as seconds passed. "I'm in the wrong... right?" I asked.
"No, I understand your point, but he misunderstood it," Ate Clydelle reassured me.
"Ugh, I'll go after him—" I stood up and faced the two elders, "Mr. Alfredo and Miss Kagame, I apologize for the inconvenience."
"No, go ahead; that's a common problem between siblings," Mr. Alfredo nodded.
"Thank you, sir," I said before leaving.
—
"Hey, idiot," I said. He's lying on his bed, with his face against it.
He did not respond.
"I..." I sighed and sat beside him. "Uhmm, sorry for always upsetting you in public and— for not hearing your side of the story," I apologized.
He rolled over and sat up straight.
"I'm sorry for using Ad Hominem to defend myself," he admitted. "I know it's not a good way of talking to you."
"Are we okay now?"
"I guess... we're good?" he replied, standing up and offering his hand to help me up. "I'll also apologize to Mr. Alfredo and Miss Kagame for my impolite behavior."
"Yup, you should, and don't forget ate Clydelle as well."
Later, after dinner, we decided to discuss the tournament, which will take place tomorrow afternoon in Zeraschia's capital city, where the colossal arena is located.
"Miss Kagame has already packed your belongings, which you will have to bring to the tournament. Thanks to Marshal informing us before he brought you all here," Mr. Alfredo explained.
"And Mr. Alfredo has already registered your group as a volunteer to participate in the tournament," Miss Kagame added.
"May I inquire as to how long the tournament will last?" Ate Clydelle inquired.
"I'm not quite sure about that, as it is a survival of the fittest tournament. The game will only come to an end once there are only 9 players left standing," Ms. Kagame explained.
She added, "This tournament is aiming to identify the 9 strongest warriors who will lead the war. Therefore, it's important to be cautious, as you may come across the most powerful representatives from each of the 5 kingdoms."
"Oh no," Tyler exclaimed.
Frank and Tyler both laughed nervously.
When they are agitated by the situation, they will sometimes only laugh it off. Their adrenaline is driving them insane.
"What about our shelter? Where are we going to stay?"
"They will let you stay in a dorm and, of course, they will provide you with the things you need for a living," Miss Kagame replied.
"And your grandma Naomi also wants us to give something to each of you," Mr. Alfredo says as he reaches for the paper bag next to him and hands us each a box of varying sizes containing Lola Naomi's present.
"Open it," Mr. Alfredo exclaimed. He's far more eager to find out what's inside the box than we are.
We opened it all together, and seeing a golden ring engraved with a crescent moon made me happy.
"Naomi gave everyone a ring blessed by the sacred wolf of the Eclipse Kingdom. The Spirit will guide your decisions on your journey, but there is one more thing that will help you discover your potential. I'll start with Clydelle— This dagger was made by the Laguna family's master blacksmith. It will help you unleash yet another element hidden within you," Miss Kagame explained.
"Thank you, Lola Naomi already informed me of this, and by the way, how does the ring work?"
"Through a dream," she explained, "it will make each of you foresee the future, but only one of you will inherit the ability of the all-seeing eye."
"Everything impossible is happening in Zeraschia, and it's really cool," I remarked.
"That's right," Frank agreed.
"Frank," Mr. Alfredo called him. "You received the armlet of restraint from the Wizard Zone; it will assist you in using your telekinesis ability without going on a rampage, but be careful because it will break if your emotions take control of your power."
"Oh, that's really helpful! Thank you," he said politely, rolling it up to his arms.
"Tyler, you received an anklet from the Viking Empire that will allow you to easily absorb the chakra of any beast you encounter and then double its power, but it won't be that easy because you have to learn how it works," Miss Kagame explained.
"Wow, thanks!" he replied, nodding.
"And finally, Sari— Naomi gave you the amulet, right?" Mr. Alfredo inquired.
"Mister M gave it to me earlier..."
"That amulet will keep you safe from evil spirits."
"I'm completely puzzled Mr. Alfredo. What do you mean by evil spirits?" I asked.
"Naomi is worried that you might face the same fate as her due to your strong connection with her, and she wants to ensure that no underlings of Chaos are haunting you." He explained.
"I'm glad to hear that, but... Is there anything I can do to improve my ability?" I questioned politely.
"I'm sorry, but Naomi only gave that to you."
"Thank you..." the response came out as a whisper and carried a tinge of disappointment.
I appreciate what Lola Naomi gave me, but... I was hoping to get something that would help me improve my skills. Because it hasn't improved since Lola Naomi died, and I've tried everything to awaken the power she keeps telling me about, but I can't find another way.
Miss Kagame's hand felt warm and heavy on my shoulder. "Your lola is really worried about your well-being," she said, her voice soft but serious.
From across the room, Mr. Alfredo's voice cut through the silence. He leaned forward, his gaze was intense. "She especially requested that amulet be blessed by four of the strongest people she knows." He said, with his voice a low rumble. The words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning.
A lump formed in my throat. "Yes... yes, of course she would do that," I managed, the words barely a whisper.
"Go on, now. To your rooms." Miss Kagame gave my shoulder a final squeeze. "You all need to get some rest. Tomorrow will be here before you know it."
Ate Clydelle stood up, and the others followed, their footsteps were heard against the floor. My gaze followed them as they filed into their room.
Miss Kagame paused at the doorway, her expression one of gentle concern as she looked back at me.
"Sari?" she asked quietly. "Aren't you going as well?"
My mind was racing, a whirlwind of thoughts and anxieties. "I... you go on ahead. I need to take care of something first," I stammered, getting to my feet.
Mr. Alfredo's brow furrowed slightly. "Where are you planning to go?"
"Oh, nowhere in particular. Just... somewhere," I replied, gesturing vaguely with my hand. "I just need some fresh air."
He eyed me for a moment, a hint of suspicion in his gaze before it softened.
"Alright," he said. "Just don't go too far."
Seven years.
Seven long years since Chaos stole my lola Naomi from us. Her laugh, her stories, her wisdom—all of it, gone in an instant. There are days the grief feels as fresh as the day it happened, a gaping hole where she should be. I still have so many questions, so many lessons I was supposed to learn from her, but now all I have are echoes of her voice and a hollow ache in my chest.
And now, this. Tomorrow, we face the trials. We'll stand before those who will judge our every move, every breath. My mind races with questions that have no answers. Can we truly rise above every challenge and claim our place as one of Zeraschia's nine warriors? Even if we do, do we have the right to wield that power? Do we, the broken and the grieving, have the right to save a world that took everything from us?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it~
Next chapter will be published soon!