Hey guys, computer is still in need of fixing. This will be short as the computer is to be fixed afterwards. Hope you guys enjoy it!.

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The morning began and after we ate breakfast, we all walked to the Dome.

The Dome was already filled with people that there were still lines of them outside of it. They parted a way for us since we were wearing the uniforms for all the contestants. A black robe with white lines and the insignia of the school we represented on our left chest. The insignia for my school was a Ravenex much like the one in my father’s throne room.

We all went to the center arena where all the other contestants were already standing in neat columns. We were to begin the tournament with a ceremony that included a ritual to the gods.

Once everyone was inside the dome and we lined up in our section near the center of the arena, mist started to appear. Some of the people in the crowd were scared and confused but they were comforted by the people who knew what was happening.

The ritual was starting and this mist was harmless.

Suddenly, parts of the arena started to rise up slowly. Since each team had enough distance between them, we were all in different heights. My team was at the highest peak while a group of students from the Mustashum Kingdom were at the lowest.

In front of us was a boxed area where my father was smiling along with my mother and siblings. I never noticed them until now because the box blended perfectly with the surrounding seats.

“The gods have spoken!” shouted a voice behind me.

I turned around along with my team and we saw a hooded person with wrinkly hands entwined to a staff that was three times taller than he was. It was the High Priest. The staff was beautifully carved. It looked as if the wood grew to become the staff rather than it actually being carved. It curved at the top until its tip met the center and its tip seemed to glow a dim blue light.

“The gods have spoken!” he shouted again.

“The team that is at the highest has received the god’s blessing as well as the right to pass immediately into the second round! The team that is just below them also has the right to pass into the second round but they do not receive the god’s blessing!”

At the mention of our team being granted a blessing, a white light poured down to us. It felt warm and gentle as it seemed to course into our very being.

You have received a blessing of the gods!

You have received all the blessings of the pantheon. Do you still want to receive another blessing?

Yes No

Warning: Another blessing from the pantheon may result in strengthening a blessing, removing a blessing or receiving an unwanted blessing.

“Choose yes…” said the darkness’ voice. He seems to always like to know what I was doing.

I moved to choose “no” simply to spite him but my finger moved to press “yes.”

“You’ll like what you get,” he said with a hint of laughter.

Suddenly the white light around me turned darker and darker until I was drowned in darkness.

Then my surroundings turned into that time that I crushed the Mmeria only it was much clearer now.

“Hey are you listening to me?” said the voice beside me.

It was the same woman. I couldn’t tell her features before but now I could see that she had light blue hair, red eyes and fair skin. She looked to be about 20. She wore a dress that showed her shoulders as well as legs. This made me blush as these areas were supposed to always be hidden and I instinctively turned to look away.

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“Hey! Why are you turning away?” she asked once more.

I turned to her and asked, “You can see me?”

I was shocked as the voice that I heard was not mine. It was deeper and clearer, not like my voice which was a slight tenor.

“Of course dofus,” she said as she laughed. She looked cute when she laughed.

“Anyway, what do you think of Zed?” she asked me.

I surprised and asked, “Zed?”

“Yeah, you know our baby’s name?” she asked as she ran her hand to her stomach.

I could see that there was a sizable lump there and asked, still a bit shocked, “Our baby?”

“Yeah,” she turned to look at me and said, “Are you okay? You don’t look so well.”

She placed her hand on my forehead and this made me to look behind her. I saw a mirror but I couldn’t exactly focus on us there as a gigantic metal bird was flying straight at us.

Then suddenly my surroundings turned dark again and a voice said, “How was your trip?”

It was the darkness and I asked, “What was that?!”

I was confused, puzzled, scared and all kinds of emotions as I saw what I thought as the imminent death of that woman and her baby.

“A memory.”

“How can it be a memory when that world didn’t even resemble this one!”

“Its time for you to receive your blessing.”

“Answer my question!”

“Silence!”

My mouth was shut and I couldn’t open it anymore.

“You will know in time… Now take my blessing…”

“… true…” he said in a low voice.

The area around me went back to the Dome and everyone around me was looking at their newly received blessing.

I looked at mine:

Blessing of ???

Given effect chosen by ??? : Mmeria’s effects heightened.

I couldn’t understand what was going on around me at all but I stayed silent as the arena went back to its original state.

When it did we all turned to look at the High Priest He began chanting in a weird language as he raised his hands up high. Small trails of smoke appeared beside him.

This was the Ritual of Beginnings. The ritual was not magic but rather something that connected us to the gods. We offered our wishes and wants towards the smoke so that it can rise up to meet the gods themselves. I’ve become less religious ever since the effects of the Mmeria but I still knew what our rituals meant.

After chanting, he dropped his hands down and swung his staff downwards. As it reached the ledge, a loud sound echoed in the arena. We all cheered at this sound as it symbolized that the gods have accepted our wishes and will do what they can for us.

After the ceremony, all of us in the arena headed to our reserved rooms or to our reserved sections in the stands to watch others fight.

My team went to the stands to watch the fights as we were given a pass.

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