The next day, our morning routines were a blur of nervous energy before we boarded a floating carriage bound for the Colossal Arena, a city-sized structure that served as the capital. Anxiety filled my stomach; the tournament ahead felt less like a competition and more like a gamble with our lives.
"Good luck, young ones! Do your worst!" Mr. Alfredo's cheerful shout felt out of place.
"It is 'do your best,' Mr. Alfredo," Ms. Kagame corrected him politely.
"I know, I'm just… trying to make them laugh because they look awfully scared right now," he clarified, a nervous smile on his face.
"Scared? HAH! Seriously, we're not disturbed—HA! HA!" Frank boasted, a nervous tick in his throat giving him away.
Tyler quickly agreed, but the tremor in his voice told a different story.
Just then, a girl on a flying broomstick zipped past us, her voice echoing in the vast open space. "All yer fellows! Gather inside the arena now!"
"Is she a witch?" I whispered, my eyes wide.
"No, she's a wizard. Witches and warlocks are considered evil in this world because their power comes from a contract with the devil," Ms. Kagame explained, her voice low.
After bidding our mentors farewell, we entered the colossal hall. The sheer number of people made it feel like a suffocating maze, and our luggage made navigating the crowd even more of a hassle.
A sudden, ear-splitting shriek of feedback from a microphone made me clutch my ears. "A-AHEM! Mic test... mic test..."
"Ack!" I exclaimed, along with a chorus of groans from the other participants.
"Good afternoon, ye dear lads and lass's! I'm sure yer all thrilled now that the event has finally begun! I'm Samantha Heigins, a Class K Sorceress! and yer charmin' compère for the competition!" a woman's voice boomed, thick with an accent that reminded me of old Earth recordings from the American South.
Her flamboyant fashion—from her braided pink hair to her custom-made shoes and bright yellow socks—was as loud as her voice.
"Wow, her fashion sense is blinding my eyes," I mumbled, only to be startled when ate Clydelle's gaze landed on me—or so I thought.
"Frank, Tyler, please pay attention so you know what's going on," she scolded, her tone chillingly calm.
"Phew," I thought, relieved. I couldn't blame them for being distracted. The arena was a magnificent marvel of engineering, and the hall was packed with all sorts of people.
"Sure," my brother replied, "but only after we find a nice chic."
Clydelle's tone became dangerously sweet. "Oh, is that so...?"
"Fine, fine, we'll listen carefully!" Frank said, his bravado instantly wilting under her glare.
The murmur of the crowd grew louder as people began gossiping about the host.
"She's one of the top rankers in the wizard academy, right?" one person said.
"Yeah! Finally, we'll be able to see her up close!" another replied.
"The event will be held tomorrow mornin', so be prepared to blow a man down! Focus on your own survival for the elimination test, which will be called Eliminar a Los Débiles!" the host announced, a wicked glint in her eyes.
Panic rippled through the crowd. "Killing? I thought the tournament prohibited it?"
"I'm only participating because they said there would be no killing in this tournament!" a panicked voice shouted.
Samantha's laughter echoed through the hall, a sound that was both beautiful and terrifying. "Oh my goodness, I can't believe it. I actually deceived y'all! Of course, killing is forbidden," she said, though a hint of disappointment was in her voice. "We've already cast a spell. If a participant nears their 'risky state,' they'll be transferred to a safe zone where Class-S healer mages will heal them. They'll be eliminated, which means GAME OVER."
She then clarified a crucial point. "Don't worry about being eliminated so quickly; the participants will only be transferred if they are willing to give up."
The crowd's tension dissipated, replaced by renewed gossip about the host. "So the rumor is true: she's a lunatic when it comes to killing, despite being so beautiful and powerful."
"Yeah, she's known as the Blood Lust Princess."
"But I've heard she's the guardian of the Fairy Kingdom's last royal blood."
The host, unfazed, continued with a cheerful smile. "There were only two conditions. First: No killin' and Second: Fight as if you meant it as a revenge." She struck a peace sign pose. "That concludes today's announcement; you lads and lasses may now proceed to your respective rooms."
As the others left, we stayed behind, our eyes glued to the screen. The number of participants, the room assignments, and the game mechanics would appear soon. The tournament had begun, and we were about to find out exactly what we were up against.
The list was a jolt of reality. Team 09, our team—Clydelle, Frank, Saori, and I—was just one of 330 groups.
Seriously, I couldn't believe we'd be taking on a thousand of people. My eyes scanned the numbers again and there really are a lot.
* 101 groups were our direct rivals, teams of four just like ours.
* 83 groups of five.
* 52 groups of six.
* 94 groups of seven.
That's a lot of competitors, a lot of different strategies, a lot of different strengths and weaknesses to consider.
"Let's go," said Ate Clydelle, her voice a firm anchor in the swirling sea of my thoughts. We followed her, and we joined the flow of players heading to the ninth floor. We weren't just going to a room; we were heading into a contest of nearly 1,800 people. I took a deep breath. This was it. The game was on.
—
Based on the discussion between Miss Kagame and Mister Alfredo, here's a breakdown of the key players and their roles in the world of Zeraschia.
The Land of Zeraschia each have unique abilities and roles but the, Wizard Zone holds the most importance. This is a special area where healers, artisans, and other skilled individuals live. They were granted a portion of an ancient power by the King of the Eclipse Kingdom, making them responsible for protecting all the other realms.
* The Elven Fortress: Elves are skilled assassins, known for their combat skills and ability to use various weapons. They are strategic thinkers who always plan an escape route. Their unique abilities allow them to manipulate plants, flowers, and animals and communicate with animal spirits.
* The Viking Empire: Vikings are natural fighters with a combative nature. They are known for their strength in resolving difficult conflicts, but they are also the most problematic group in the realms. They never start a war without cause but they won't stop unless they burned everyone who messed with them. They can manipulate earth elements and beasts, and communicate with spirits.
* The Fairyland: Fairies were once known as healers who granted wishes. However, after an attack by Chaos, they became more focused on protection. Their princess, who was also now the last of their kind was sent to the wizarding zone by her father for safety. Fairies can manipulate air, sounds, and insects and communicate with nature spirits.
* The Eclipse Kingdom: The royalty of this kingdom manipulates elements and some other unique ability. Some with noble blood, particularly those from the Viking clan and Eclipse royalty, possess special abilities.
There's a key difference in how people in Zeraschia unleash their powers. Wizards need a wand to manipulate their abilities, while royalty can do so with their bare hands and minds.
There are also powerful beings that exists in this world and they are called the Celestials Spirits. There are five Celestial Spirits, each representing a specific concept and associated with a powerful entity.
* Love and Beauty: The Twilight + Dragon
* Purity: The Sky + Phoenix
* War: The Star + Lion
* Knowledge: The Midnight + Wolf
* Purgatory: The Spirits + Serpent
The Underworld (Infernum) It is where forces of Chaos live and they are led by seven powerful beings known as the Dominus Ex Inferno, each a lord of a negative sinner's trait.
* Ira: Lord of Wrath
* Cupiditas: Lord of Greed
* Inertia: Lord of Sloth
* Concupisco: Lord of Lust
* Invidia: Lord of Envy
* Apathia: Lord of Apathy
* Fastus: Lord of Pride
What a crazy amount of information to take in, right? It's hard to understand the first time we heard it but thankfully, Miss Kagame prepared a book for each of us—a guide to the history and culture of this land they call Zeraschia.
This isn't like any textbook I've ever seen. The stories within feel less like history and more like a fantasy novel from back home on Earth. It's both completely fascinating and totally overwhelming.
I can't wait to read all of its contents and learn about the ancient history of the kingdom. It's all right here, a whole magical world waiting to be discovered inside this book. I have no idea where to even start, I just wish this book can also help us gain knowledge on our enemies so we'll be ready when the battle starts.