"...GOES IN WITH A GAME ENDING STRIKE... DOES HE LAND IT THOUGH!? AND HE—" the announcer shouted.
I can't lose this, not after I've come so far!
How did I get into this situation, suspended on a wooden plank above the water?
It started the previous night after Alwyn dropped me off at the manor.
"Here, take this." He placed a small, silver pearl in my hand. "If you're ever in trouble, use this as my replacement. Actual trouble, though."
I nodded, and he was gone.
I wondered if he visited Liora before he left. I didn't think he did, and that made me a little happy.
I jumped into bed. Though I couldn't sleep, the feeling of laying beneath the covers with my eyes closed was comforting.
During the day, it was never that bad. It was at night that all the fatigue hit me. I wasn't sure if I'd actually die of exhaustion or not.
"######. ###nie. Linnie."
Who...? Liora? No—
The shadow stood at the end of my bed in a creepy manor. I wondered for a moment if she was a demon or something. ::
"You! You're back!" I said, shooting up on the bed.
"I am. Have you found any leads on Bishan?"
"Oh... I did, but he died. Sorry."
"That's fine. This city, its festival is dedicated to her. If you look, you'll find clues."
That's real help...
"Is there anything in specific I should be looking for?"
"The captain. He'll probably know Bishan's whereabouts."
"Captain? What captain?"
"Of the reenactment tomorrow night. You need to be on the ship that night.
"What? How?!"
"That's up to you to decide."
"Isn't there anything else you can tell me?"
"No... I've told you all I can."
"Am I allowed to tell anyone about you?"
"Tell who?"
"I don't know... Alwyn, Aliza, Liora? Anyone I guess."
"No. Only the cat."
"What? Lady can't even speak..."
"No one else can know about me, or any of this. It's too dangerous."
Sunlight started to seep into the room, and I could see her disappearing.
"Okay," I sighed. "Before you go, can't you at least tell me your name?"
"Sorry."
She was gone.
A loud knocking sounded at my door, startling me.
"Who is it?" I asked.
"It's me! Liora!"
Why is she up so early? Did she hear my conversation...?
"What do you want? I'm trying to sleep," I said, opening the door.
"Sleep? Stop kidding, did you think I didn't notice?"
"What?"
"You never sleep! It's like you're a vampire or demon or something..."
"Whatever. What're you up so early for anyway?"
"Well... I was feeling kind of hungry, and I was just wondering if—"
I slammed the door shut.
"Leave me alone."
"Wait! Please?"
I walked back to bed and slid under the covers.
So she could handle all that time camping out, but now she needs blood every day? Yeah, right...
A few hours later, the three of us met for breakfast in the largest dining hall I'd ever seen.
Neither prince was anywhere to be seen, so I didn't see the point in using such a large table for just three people...
"Marielle, how does one get on the ship for the reenactment tomorrow?"
"The reenactment? Well, either you work as the crew on the ship chosen this year, or you're one of the winners for the festival games. Or you're the captain, which is the person voted as 'most influential' this past year in Corvailles."
"How many games are left?"
"Only one, the strength and endurance games today. There's one game per day. Yesterday's was the lantern show."
"The strength and endurance games... are they open to anyone?"
"Why? You want to sign up?" she laughed. "I wouldn't suggest it, you're not very suited for physical competition."
"What? No! I'm just curious."
I'd rather not let Marielle or Liora know about what I'm doing.
"Anyone can sign up. The games are split into three sections with three games each. The last game is played around sunset."
"What types of games are there?"
"I don't know, they're changed every year. Usually they're at least vaguely sailing-themed."
How am I going to slip away from these two?
"I want to sign up!"
Liora had finally spoken up, having swallowed all her food.
"Liora—"
"That's a great idea! You're tall for our age, and you're quite athletic!" Marielle exclaimed.
"No, Marielle, she can't."
"What? Why are you deciding for her?"
"You... ehem. It's hard to explain. You haven't seen her outside of the dress you gave her or the robes she wears..."
"What are you trying to say? Just spit it out."
"She's lighter than me. There's no way she could participate. She's as brittle as a twig."
It was an awkward topic. For me, at least. She was a slave, mistreated and malnourished. How wouldn't it be awkward?
"Hey! I beat up those three boys yesterday no problem!" Liora kicked my chair.
"That's right, I don't think Liora would have any problem participating..."
"Those were boys, not men. I don't want to be responsible for you getting hurt while Alwyn is gone."
"Gone? Where'd he go?"
"I don't know, it doesn't matter—"
"GOOD MORNING, LADY MARIELLE!"
The doors slammed open and in came the crown prince. He was loud.
"I greet the crown prince," Marielle grimaced.
Perfect! Now's my time to slip away.
Distracted by the prince's arrival, Marielle didn't notice me leaving at all.
I stopped by my room and grabbed my robes. I checked on the pearl that was stored within my hat, and slipped on my boots.
"Where are you going?"
I looked up. Liora was standing in the doorway of my room, blocking my exit.
"Oh, me? I was just going to... walk around. Why aren't you with Marielle?"
"She told me to go out with you. The prince insisted they spend the day together," she pouted.
I don't want this either!
"Ehhh... don't tell anyone else this, okay? I'm entering the games today. So you should find something else to do."
"I can't."
"What? Why not? It's not like I'm your... ehem, dad, or something."
I almost said something bad...!
"Corvailles is a slave city. I'll just be ignored everywhere I go if I'm alone."
Oh.
"Get ready, then. But you're not joining the games with me, you're just watching!"
"Okay!"
The two of us left and headed for the shopping district. I'd passed by there the previous night, and saw the perfect shop.
"What're we here for?"
A mask shop.
"I can't go up there as Lin, Alwyn's apprentice, so I'm buying a disguise."
"Huh? Why not?"
"What type of wizard takes part in a strength and endurance game!?"
I browsed the masks available. They were all fully painted and very artistic. Some were even life-like.
It was hard to decide between a half-mask, an eye-mask, or a full mask. But I would know when I saw it.
"Linnie! How about this one?"
I looked at the mask she held up. It was an obsidian mask with intricate gold engravings.
The dark mask was the least flamboyant of all the options in the shop. It had the least amount of designs, was a simply round fit on the face, and the eye holes were the perfect shape.
Most noticeable was the large, wide grin made of golden-engraved teeth.
"That's actually... pretty good. Thanks."
I grabbed it from her and gave it to the clerk to purchase.
"That'll be three turns, please."
Three turns for this thing?! Sorry, Alwyn...
I reluctantly handed over the coins. They weren't mine, so I didn't feel too bad.
"Is there anywhere around here I can get clothes? Cheap...?"
"Across the street. Jormun and Sons."
"Thanks, sir."
I stored the mask inside my hat. Liora and I left and crossed the street to the clothing store.
"Hello, sir. Could I please get something cheap and simple, like a black shirt and pants?"
"I should have something like that. But it may not fit perfectly, is that alright?"
"I'm used to it."
The man brought out exactly what I'd asked for, and I stuffed it inside my hat. I thought I heard a hissing from inside...
"What's the fastest way to get to the strength and endurance games?" I asked him.
"If you follow this street down all the way to the docks, the games'll be a few minutes from there. You'll hear 'em."
"Thanks, sir."
Liora followed me all the way to the docks, and indeed, we heard the games before we could see them.
"Stay right here, I'm going to change in that alley."
I took off my robes and put on my newly-bought outfit. I stuffed my robes inside my hat and slid the mask over my face.
"Ah! You scared me!"
"How does it look?"
"You look like a criminal..."
"...Can you hold my hat?"
We approached the noise and saw a large stage beside the docks. There seemed to be things scattered along the beach as well.
"WELCOME CONTESTANTS AND AUDIENCE TO THE ANNUAL STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE GAMES! I know most of you are already aware of this, but for those who aren't, today we're trying to replicate the physical challenges our great founder faced on his return from his voyage!"
The crowd's cheers shook the ground.
"Now, I ask for all challengers to come up to the stage!"
The crowd's cheers shook the air.
"Isn't that you?" Liora poked at me.
"Yeah, watch as I completely dominate this competition."
I pushed through the crowd and climbed the stairs. Being in front of so many people got my heart racing, and I started to sweat.
Why aren't there more people up here? What is it, twenty? Thirty? Out of the hundreds of people here? Why...?
I was starting to get nervous.
"Hmmmm, impressive turnout this year considering what happened last time! Well, I'll come down the line and allow you to introduce yourselves to everyone!"
What happened last time...!?
"Hello! I am Tanner Ysmire and I will win this competition!"
The crowd cheered.
He was a large young man. It was clear he worked in hard labor, as he was very muscular.
"Greetings! I am Jorren Cobbler! May Saint Pischt bless me with a victory!"
The crowd cheered.
He was a large young man. It was clear he worked in hard labor, as he was very muscular.
"Howdy! I am Halric Durnham! I will destroy my competition!"
The crowd cheered.
He was a large young man. It was clear there was a pattern to the contestants...
There were a few women sprinkled in, but even they were largely superior to me in the physical aspect. I was doomed.
This is expected. Marielle told me as much. I'm the underdog here, thanks to my size. But I have something no one knows.
After the introductions before me passed, the announcer finally got to me.
"HeLLo!" my voice cracked. "I am... uh..."
This is so embarrassing! How did I manage to forget about making a name for myself...!?
"Give him a moment, folks! He's quite the small fellow. It must be pretty hard to speak through the mask, after all!"
The crowd roared with laughter.
You...
"I'm the winner!" I shouted.
"Is that your name? 'Whiner...'? Noted.
The man moved on.
'Whiner'!? That is definitely not what I said!
I spotted Liora in the crowd dying of laughter.
Though I was lost in my own thoughts to pay attention to the rest of the introductions, one person managed to catch my interest.
"Can't you speak up? I doubt the audience can hear you, girl."
"MY NAME IS MIRACLE AND I'M GOING TO WIN THIS ENTIRE COMPETITION!"
"Woah! You know how to project your voice, little lady! Well, there you have it ladies and gentlemen, Miracle! Now, I must ask, are you at all related to the contestant from before? Whiner?"
I leaned over to get a view of who was talking.
"WHINER? SORRY, I WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION TO THE OTHER INTRODUCTIONS! WHY WOULD I BE RELATED TO SOME LOSER NAMED WHINER!?"
"Well, you're both dressed quite similarly, aren't you? Are we to believe it's a coincidence?"
The girl shouting into the crowd was unidentifiable, wearing a completely concealing black robe and a black, white, and gold mask similar to mine.
The only difference was, the mask completely covered her head, and resembled a jester.
"I'LL CRUSH THAT KID ROUND ONE IF I HAVE TO. I'M ALONE IN THIS COMPETITION!"
Someone had the same idea as me...? And why's she being so rude?
Only a few moments later, the introductions were over, and the games were about to begin.
The announcer led the contestants off the stage and down to the beach. The audience funneled into the viewing area.
Sticking out of the sand was a large ship's mast. The wood glimmered in the light. It was clearly slick with some sort of oil.
"Here it is folks, a much anticipated one for many of you, The Mast Climb! It's been nearly six years since this was last featured at the games, it's a real fan favorite!"
The crowd went wild. I didn't really see why, since it was just a mast climb.
Are all the challenges going to be so simple?
"Though most of you already know the rules, I'll explain them! There are twenty flags that go up along the large, greased mast! That means only twenty of you can pass this challenge and move on to the next one! Don't forget, the black flag at the top gives you an advantage in the next game!"
Twenty? So many eliminated in just the first game. Isn't that harsh?
"Starting on go, you'll all have fifteen minutes to grab your flag! Ready?"
No...! I'm not ready!
"Set... GO!"
As soon as the announcer said go, I felt a large hand grab my shoulder and pull me backwards onto the ground.
I was staring at the sky, disoriented. I sat up and saw the many contestants clawing at the mast, and each other.
Only I and one other were just watching as it unfolded. It was the girl, Miracle, who stood ominously. I, on the other hand, sat like a fool in the sand.
"Aren't you going to get a flag?" I called out.
"Why're you speaking to me?"
Ouch...
I got up and brushed the sand from my clothes.
So this is why it's a fan favorite, huh?
Even though it was supposedly a simple climbing game, it was certainly entertaining. It was, in reality, a large brawl.
Blood mixed with the grease on the mast, and most of the contestants were still on the ground.
The ones that managed to climb a few feet were kicking each other off in competition.
How the hell am I going to get a flag like this...?